The Caritas Academy Story
In June of 2017, Doyle and Kathy Troyer moved from Boise, Idaho, to the Phoenix area. While living in Boise, their six children attended The Ambrose School, an internationally recognized Christian classical school, and five graduated. Doyle and Kathy were hoping to find a school in Phoenix that would provide the same type of education—one built on the classical tradition and taught from a biblical perspective.
They enrolled their daughter in a Christian school; however they were disappointed that they couldn’t find a school that blended both a classical pedagogy and a Christian worldview.
Kathy taught in Christian classical schools for over 18 years—the last 7 at The Ambrose School. She hoped to find a Christian classical school where she could continue teaching children to love God and learning. However, she also had a difficult time finding the right place. She and Doyle felt that there was a great need for a new Christian classical school.
In the meantime, God was moving the hearts of Travis and Hilary Sheppard towards Christian classical education. Hilary did some research and connected with the Troyers. After meeting and praying, the calling seemed obvious and the mission was clear—they were to start Caritas Christian Classical Academy. Their awareness of God’s leading gave birth to a burden for the children of the Phoenix area. Their desire was to educate children to become future generations of thinking, loving, and active men and women of God who would influence the culture in their homes, communities, state, and nation.
After many months of searching for a location and interested families, God brought Rene Arrowood and Patty Gregersen to the group. Their experience and passion lay in the hybrid model of combining classroom teaching with remote learning. Switching to this model opened up more opportunities and interest, and God provided a location on the campus of Chandler First Church of the Nazarene.
Caritas Academy was blessed to partner as sister schools with The Ambrose School and their hybrid model school, The Bridge Program. The staffs at those schools were, and continue to be, huge assets to the birth and success at Caritas.
Our story has just started. We have a vision, an understanding of the Christian classical pedagogy and philosophy, a curriculum, and experience. We continue to trust God for leading and provision. Our greatest desire is to glorify Him in all that we do.
How would you like to be a part of writing this story?
To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power.—2 Thessalonians 1:11