Over the past month, I have enjoyed and benefited from meeting many people who have expressed an interest in Catholic education in the Front Royal area. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. There have also been many exciting developments that I would like to share with you.

At the top of the list, the Chelsea board recently received permission from the Front Royal Department of Planning and Zoning to operate an independent school in the zoning district where Human Life International (HLI) is located. The board is now working out an arrangement with HLI to rent a portion of a wing of the building and to hire a local contractor who will build classrooms in this wing. In choosing a location for the school, we considered the site at HLI to be the best option, and we are delighted that it is now possible to move forward with our original plans.

Some of you may have already seen the Chelsea Academy website <www.chelseaacademy.org>. We are grateful to Regina Schmiedicke for her distinctive logo design, an image of Thomas More against the backdrop of a window from his church at Chelsea, England, and to the web development company Veraprise for hosting the site. Dean Virag did a great job with the overall design and construction of the site, and we hope that it will be helpful in promoting the school. Of course, this is very much a work in progress, and you are encouraged to check in often for updates on the site in the coming months.

I am also pleased to announce that plans are underway to hold a dinner/auction/ fundraiser for Chelsea Academy next spring. Wendy Lee, wife of Chelsea board member Steve Lee, has generously offered to organize this project, and my wife, Mary McFadden Brand, will assist her. Please let us know if you are interested in helping.

Many people have expressed concerns about the financial burden of private education. In determining the tuition, the Chelsea Academy board took into consideration both the expenses involved in operating a school and the need to keep costs low so that as many families as possible can benefit from the first-rate education we intend to provide. The result is that tuition at Chelsea Academy reflects spending per pupil at local public schools. Compared to area private schools, Chelsea Academy is more expensive than some, but significantly less expensive than others. In any case, recognizing that the tuition will put the school out of reach for some families, we are working hard to be able to offer financial aid on a need and merit basis. All applications for aid will be evaluated by an independent company that assists schools with grant and aid assessment. Our hope is that tuition alone will not prevent anyone from applying to the school.

Is Chelsea Academy going to be Catholic? This is a question that I have encountered more than a few times. To clarify, Chelsea Academy will be led and staffed by Catholic lay people. We will require all students, regardless of their religious affiliation, to take a Catholic religion class each year. The curriculum will be inspired by the Catholic faith, and school life will be permeated by a Catholic ethos and the regular observation of Catholic devotional and liturgical practices, including frequent Mass. As the first sentence of the school’s mission states, “Chelsea Academy seeks to form confident young men and women educated in the liberal arts tradition and the Catholic faith.” However, as an independent school with no direct ties to the Diocese of Arlington, Chelsea Academy is not permitted to call itself a “Catholic school,” even while providing a Catholic education to its students. After five years of operation, we can seek permission from the diocese to refer to Chelsea Academy as a “Catholic school.”

In closing, I’d like to respond briefly to another question. Why should you choose Chelsea Academy for your children? In three words, the answer is Academics, Faith, Friendship. Promoting academic excellence in the best of the liberal arts tradition, transmitting the fullness of the Catholic faith, and fostering deep friendships and a spirit of adventure in its students – these goals are central to the Chelsea mission. We hope to attract students who, with their families, will embrace these goals with us.

Once again, I invite you to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Brand

Headmaster
Chelsea Academy

Email: jbrand@chelseaacademy.org
Telephone: 540 635-0622