There are many exceptional homeschooling curricula available, and we are grateful for the incredible work homeschoolers do every day for their families and the Church! We believe the Chesterton curriculum offers three main advantages that cannot be realized in any homeschool curriculum, no matter how excellent. 

1. Community of Discussion. Reading the great books is good; doing so with opportunities for deep conversations is great; doing so in a community of intimate friends and mentors who foster these conversations beyond the classroom is irreplaceably excellent. 

2. Expertise. Chesterton hires teachers who are well-versed scholars in their fields–from advanced physics to medieval philosophy and beyond–in a way most homeschooling programs cannot.

3. The Life of the School. From speaker series to retreats and pilgrimages, social opportunities to concerts, CANU offers events which enrich the daily life and form cornerstone memories of belonging and purpose.

Our goal at CANU is to prepare students to be leaders and saints, not college students. While a CANU education is an excellent preparation for college, we offer many things which transfer immediately to the workplace and, ultimately, to a happy life:

1. Skills. Employers are looking for people who can think critically, civilly and productively discuss disagreements, know themselves, and be good team members. These skills also make for happy participation in the life of the home and the Church.

2. Joy. We believe that the education we offer is enjoyable for its own sake: it is lifegiving to read great books, make beautiful art, and share in meaningful discussions for four formative years, regardless of the next step!

3. Faith and Character. No matter what profession a young person explores, the world needs professionals who are rooted in their love of Christ and their strong character. Formation in these regards is our top priority.

It is true that CANU cannot offer all of these experiences, and we do not deny that they have value. We encourage families in two regards. 

1. Don’t count it out! We have had many students who have successfully participated in athletics and extracurricular opportunities through their local district high school or other providers, and we are happy to help with schedules, accommodations, and the like to make this possible.

2. What is your priority? We believe that CANU offers valuable opportunities not available at larger schools such as a tight-knit community where students are known and loved, a discussion-based curriculum steeped in the best of Western culture and thought. We encourage families to prayerfully and thoughtfully discern what their top priorities are, knowing that no school will match every single desirable good.

1. Affordability. Between Utah Fits All and other scholarship opportunities, a CANU education is far more affordable than most families would imagine! Let’s discuss what it might look like for your family.

2. College credit possibilities. Through a partnership with Franciscan University, CANU students are able to accumulate a considerable number of college credits concurrently with their Chesterton courses.

3. Purpose. We view an education as something that is valuable for its own sake; young people deserve and benefit from a high school experience that is “at rest” within itself, not constantly striving for something beyond itself. While there are other places where students can graduate “farther ahead” on the path to a college diploma, we believe that CANU is a place where they will have walked the path well and loved it.

Parents seek out AP classes for various reasons. If you desire the following, here’s what we’d say…

1. …a quicker path to and through college. See the question above. 

2. …an edge on college applications. Colleges and universities are decreasingly looking at AP courses as a threshold for excellence, and offering fewer credits for AP test scores. Conversely, more and more schools actively seek graduates of Classical academies.

3. …rigorous course work. This underlies the point above: CANU focuses on deep reading, critical thinking, excellent writing, deep understanding, and discussion skills in ways that AP does not.

Student preference and buy-in is important in a decision that is crucial to their lives. Families incorporate this in a wide spectrum of approaches, and we encourage all families to consider and discuss the following with their students:

1. Priorities. What are the student’s priorities? Do they align with the parents’ and family’s?

2. Scope. Is the student considering long-term or merely short-term goals as they consider the decision?

3. Perspective. Are there advantages or disadvantages, risks or opportunities that a teenager may not yet see?

More than ever, we would argue!

1. Pace. As the world gets faster, studies have shown that attention spans are dwindling, crippling young peoples’ enjoyment and functioning. At CANU, we practice the art of moving slowly and thoughtfully through an idea, a project, a text, a conversation. 

2. Connection. Similarly, as the world gets more connected, young people report ever higher rates of feeling disconnected: depression, loneliness, anxiety are all on the rise. At CANU, we prioritize authentic human dialogue and connection.

3. First principles. A tech-fueled world desperately needs to be shaped by citizens and thinkers who have considered life’s most important and eternal questions well. 

4. Employability. It turns out that, even at large and tech-based companies, the skills and dispositions described above are highly sought after in the job market! 

Forming students’ utility is far from our highest priority; you will not find courses here which focus exclusively on marketable skills. We believe this is a secondary aim of education, and especially at this age, students will have abundant time to hone skills. They will not be lagging behind their peers. Indeed, they will have something that many of their peers will not have: the kind of deep thinking, well-roundedness, ability to connect and discuss, and leadership that will be attractive to any employer.

CANU is a family. We do not promise your student will be best friends with every peer–they will work through disputes and frustrations. But as a family, your student will be seen and loved. They will know and be known by their peers, practicing forgiveness and being forgiven. We are too small for the plagues of larger schools–clicks, bullying, getting lost in the crowd–yet large enough that your child will have a diverse, supportive group of colleagues, sharing joys and hardships as they move together through the same beautiful curriculum.

1. Curricular knowledge. We prioritize hiring professionals who have deeply studied their fields, and there is an incomparable depth of wisdom and knowledge that goes along with this.

2. Love of subject. In a similar vein, our teachers have deeply studied the subjects they teach because they love them deeply. This love is communicated to our students every lesson of every day.

3. Systems of growth. Teachers at CANU receive observation and a professional development lesson weekly. This degree of support and growth opportunity is unparalleled in other school settings. Teachers without an education degree can master the craft quickly here.

4. Small community. Because we are a small school, when there are problems that do arise, we are able to address them swiftly and with a high degree of partnership that comes from everyone involved knowing and caring for each other intimately.