SBCA Blog

Embracing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux

Ivy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:28:29-04:00

Each year during the first week of school, everyone in my class chooses a patron saint to intercede for them throughout the year as they grow as scholars and future saints. Every week a different student has the opportunity to teach the class about their saint as they lead our morning meeting and prayer. Learning from the lives of the saints and praying for their intercessions has always been a beautiful and concrete way to see that heaven isn’t just for extraordinary, perfect men and women entirely unlike us but is full of real people who lived real human lives. My [...]

Embracing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary: A Year with St. Therese of LisieuxIvy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:28:29-04:00

Beyond Control: Celebrating Life’s Unpredictable Beauty in Respect Life Month

Ivy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:29:33-04:00

October is Respect Life Month and I have always been passionate about the pro-life cause. In fact, I studied public health in graduate school so that I could help moms and babies. However I quickly discovered that many individuals in my field had their understanding of life all mixed up. They were under the false pretense of society that life is only worth living if it is easy, and free from disability or hardship. They inappropriately believe that life is something we can and should control. Being a mom of three (and one in heaven) has taught me that the beauty [...]

Beyond Control: Celebrating Life’s Unpredictable Beauty in Respect Life MonthIvy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:29:33-04:00

Fairy Tales: Nurturing Faith and Virtue in Children’s Hearts

Ivy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:29:46-04:00

When children are asked what their favorite story is, they often say Cinderella, or a similar “knight in shining armor” tale. Why are children so drawn to these kinds of stories? The reason, I propose, is that sometimes a good work of fiction can feel more real than anything you might read on a popular news site. These tales have a sense of order and truth to them. Justice is served to the wicked. The princess’ heart is won by a virtuous man. Good triumphs over evil. Fairy tales offer a retreat into a world that can tell us more about [...]

Fairy Tales: Nurturing Faith and Virtue in Children’s HeartsIvy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:29:46-04:00

Teaching with Grace

Ivy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:30:05-04:00

“To be entrusted with the teaching of the young is a great gift and grace of God.”- St. John Baptist de la Salle St. John Baptist de la Salle, patron saint of teachers known for his innovative approach to training and mentoring high-quality educators, inspired my initial vocation to teach and has sustained my current mission to serve as Dean of Students. I first received this "grace of God" in 2013 when I took my first job as a teacher at Coates Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia. In 2021, my wife, two children, and I moved to New England for a [...]

Teaching with GraceIvy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:30:05-04:00

Be Like Walker

Ivy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:30:18-04:00

As many of you undoubtedly know, one of my passions is training my dogs. I have two Labrador Retrievers, Huck and Walker. I train them for AKC Hunt Tests and Field Trials. These tests and trials simulate a duck hunt. There are three levels (Junior, Senior, and Master) and the levels become increasingly difficult as you progress through them. When a dog reaches the Master level he is performing some very high-level talents. I will not bore everyone with the details here, however, if you are interested just let me know…I can talk about this topic for hours! Recently, my dog [...]

Be Like WalkerIvy Schmalzried2023-10-10T12:30:18-04:00

Groundbreaking Ceremony, May 2023 Update

Ivy Schmalzried2023-06-19T12:56:16-04:00

On Friday, May 19th, honored guests, dear friends, and St. Benedict Classical Academy (SBCA) faculty gathered at 89 Union Street, affectionately referred to as “the farm,” where we broke ground on building our permanent home. SBCA was founded over a decade ago by families who desired an authentic Catholic education. Starting with just twenty-five students and four faculty, we have grown tenfold - now serving 250 students and 40 faculty. We have outgrown our small schoolhouse at 2 Pleasant Street and currently rent four additional properties, and the time has come for us to finally begin our journey to our permanent [...]

Groundbreaking Ceremony, May 2023 UpdateIvy Schmalzried2023-06-19T12:56:16-04:00

Without Words

Ivy Schmalzried2023-05-30T11:33:44-04:00

As Assistant Teacher in our Montessori early learning classroom, I quickly learned my important role as the “observer”, a role specifically assigned to the assistant teacher in a Montessori room. By observing, you discover the child’s connection to their environment and others around them and see what interests them and where they struggle. Maria Montessori, who created the Montessori method of education, observed when a child was deeply absorbed in an activity and watched carefully the expression on the child’s face as they made a discovery. While this may be sometimes hard for me to do in such detail in a [...]

Without WordsIvy Schmalzried2023-05-30T11:33:44-04:00

The Miracle of the Mass

Ivy Schmalzried2023-05-22T16:27:14-04:00

Earlier this month I had the joy of witnessing 25 second grade students receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist for the first time. After a year of eagerly preparing for the Sacrament in prayer and study both at home and school, it was an absolutely beautiful moment. Our entire year of religion class culminates in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Throughout the year we follow the story of God’s people from Adam and Eve’s original sin to the long period of waiting for a savior. We learn about Mary’s “yes” to God leading up to Jesus' birth, life, and ministry. [...]

The Miracle of the MassIvy Schmalzried2023-05-22T16:27:14-04:00

The Sign of the Cross

Ivy Schmalzried2023-05-15T15:22:39-04:00

We all know how to make the sign of the cross, right? Yet, do we understand the importance or prominence that simple and easy sacramental should hold in each moment of our day? Often, I admit, I have used this sign respectfully, but superficially, unaware of its full significance. Recently I read The Sign of the Cross: Recovering the Power of the Ancient Prayer by Bert Ghezzi, a free ebook available through Word on Fire. Ancient prayer? I thought it was an opening to and closing of prayer and a symbol of a Christian, but a prayer?! Apparently I didn’t know [...]

The Sign of the CrossIvy Schmalzried2023-05-15T15:22:39-04:00

The Beauty of Montessori through Materials

Ivy Schmalzried2023-05-08T20:23:10-04:00

Concrete materials are a fundamental component of a Montessori classroom. They provide children with hands-on, sensory experiences that help them develop a deep understanding of abstract concepts. In the Montessori approach, children are encouraged to learn by exploring and manipulating the world around them, and concrete materials are a key tool for facilitating this process. These materials are designed to be self-correcting, meaning that children can immediately see if they have made a mistake or not. This allows them to learn from their mistakes and make corrections independently, without the need for instant teacher intervention. The use of concrete materials also [...]

The Beauty of Montessori through MaterialsIvy Schmalzried2023-05-08T20:23:10-04:00

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