Chesterton Academy of St. Nicholas
Northwest Indiana
Our Academy
The Chesterton model of an integrated curriculum, fully informed by the Catholic faith has attracted attention from people all around the country. They are drawn to daily mass, character formation, a joyful atmosphere, and an affordable tuition in addition to a curriculum emphasizing art, science, math, and the humanities (including four years of philosophy and four of theology).
As a result, Chesterton Academies have sprung up across the United States and Canada, and the rest of the world. This fall, there will be nearly 70 Chesterton Academies operating worldwide, with several more schools slated to open in the fall of 2025. New schools in the network are not planted by the Society, but are the works of local parents who come to the Society wanting to start a new Chesterton school in their area. Each school is modeled after the first Chesterton Academy that opened in 2008 in Minnesota.
The Chesterton Academy of St. Nicholas is in the preliminary stages of planning our school. We are approved by the Chesterton Society and hope to open our doors in Fall 2025, beginning with a small handful of students and only one or two classes (Freshmen only, or Freshmen and Sophomores), adding a new class of students each year.
We're finalizing details about a specific location (stay tuned) and, as you can imagine, need the support of gracious people who wish to invest in our students and our project as a whole.
The Chesterton Academy
Model of Education
Discover Chesterton Academy of The Holy Family, a joyfully Catholic, classical high school with a higher purpose, raising up a new generation of joyful leaders and saints.
Inspired by Saint Pope John Paul II, we take as our motto Cultura Vitae, the culture of life. We make it our mission to prepare our students to triumph over the materialism and despair that pervade our culture and to accept our Lord's offer to have life and have it abundantly. Our classical curriculum combines a broad liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the cultivation of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty.
Intellect
We teach the classics of Western thought from physics to philosophy, and the interrelationship of the great ideas; teaching students not merely what to think but how to think.
Character
We help students grow in the four cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice, which we believe are the foundation of leadership.
Spirituality
Our students come to understand and embrace the truth of why they exist: to know God, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world and be happy with Him forever in the next.
Our Patronage
G.K. Chesterton
The Chesterton Schools Network is named for the great English writer and Catholic convert, G.K. Chesterton (1874- 1936). Chesterton is our school’s patron because he exemplified the Catholic faith through a life filled with joy, wonder, and gratitude.
Chesterton was considered one of the world’s most outstanding men of letters in the early 20th century. An accomplished essayist, novelist, and poet, he wrote a hundred books on all different subjects. In 1922, he shocked the literary establishment by converting to Catholicism. He was later eulogized by Pope Pius XI as “a gifted defender of the faith,” and there is presently a popular movement to have him canonized. He not only represents the fullness of faith and reason, but also Catholic joy and common sense.
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas is a patron of children and unmarried people and we expect those two categories to describe most of our students. His patronage also extends to various schools and students throughout the world. Nicholas is a patron of children and unmarried people. His patronage extends to various schools and students throughout the world.
Speaking of St. Nicholas, Chesterton writes, “I prefer to talk about him in my own language. I believe that Saint Nicholas is in heaven, accessible to our prayers for anybody; if he was supposed to be specially accessible to prayers of children, as being their patron, I see no reason why he should not be concerned with human gifts to children. I do not suppose that he comes down the chimney; but I suppose he could if he liked.”
We believe that Tradition is our future! Holy Nicholas, pray for us!
