Testimonials: Long-Term Formation and Outcomes

The voices on this page reflect what comes of years with St. Thomas Aquinas Academy: the depth of the curriculum, the formation of a child’s Catholic faith, and the long view from families whose students have moved on to college and beyond. Read straight through, or use the links below to jump to the topic that interests you.

If you are exploring whether STAA might be a good fit for your family, you are warmly invited to schedule a free consultation with an advisor.

In This Section

• The Curriculum and Classical Tradition — reflections on STAA’s liberal arts approach and the materials chosen
• Faith Formation — the Catholic identity and spiritual fruit families have observed
• Looking Back: Graduates and Beyond — voices from families whose students have moved on to college and beyond

The Curriculum and Classical Tradition

“Our family has enjoyed Greek Literature and Greek History. Last weekend our priest’s homily included references to Greek Gods and famous Greek thinkers; he said he really didn’t know much about Greek Gods and Goddesses other than from the cartoon Hercules. Boy could our kids have given him an earful about that! As the teaching parent, I am overjoyed my kids are learning about these famous Greeks because I never did. Now I see their importance to modern philosophy and science.”

— Kristie, in her fourth year with STAA

“I was just clearing out old papers and ended up looking through my son’s high school folders. [He is] STAA class of 2003. I wanted to thank you so much for your understanding and help during his school years. Your knowledge of educational materials geared toward his learning strengths and the fact you knew what he needed to succeed from evaluating his educational assessment and listening to me about what I thought his issues were went way beyond the educational system here in our county. I learned right along with him as we journeyed through your Catholic classical curriculum. THANK YOU!”

— Christel from Georgia

“Our family has been using St. Thomas Aquinas Academy for 8 years. When we decided to homeschool we searched for a Catholic classical curriculum that had a hands-on component to it, had some degree of flexibility with respect to curriculum materials, offered advisory services as well as help forming and finding curriculum, was individualized per child, offered report cards and diploma, and could help in defining where to do multiple age level teaching. It was a big order and the fact that it had to be Catholic really narrowed the choices. We have found St. Thomas Aquinas Academy has offered us all of the above and more!… By the time we are done, I have a curriculum plan for each child, lesson plans, forms for any record keeping that needs to be done, where to buy books at the best price, an outline of how to teach each subject and how often to teach it, and a very good understanding of what my children have mastered and what my goals are for the year… The St. Thomas Aquinas Academy curriculum has been an education for all of us. The children have not only grown in their understanding, but I also have learned a great deal. Spiritually our family has grown in ways that I never would have imagined!”

— Christine from New Hampshire

“After completing 9th grade with St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, I did not hesitate to register my daughter for 10th grade. The consistent four-year high school overview helps me to feel secure with the broad picture of high school as well as where we are presently. The academically challenging subjects work together beautifully as a unified whole. For instance, selections from Bulfinch’s Mythology are reflected in Astronomy, Greek History, and Greek Drama. The STAA recommended texts provide excellent learning opportunities. After studying Accurate Communication, Traditional Logic, and Diagramming, I cannot imagine a high school program without them. It is a thrill to receive the delightfully arranged STAA curriculum weekly guidelines that keep us on track but allow for flexibility. When our church provided Bible Studies during Lent and Advent, we could substitute these hours for the recommended curriculum. The STAA package provides forms that facilitate reporting weekly progress and quarterly reports. We readily adapted to the procedure. The staff at STAA acknowledges that I am my child’s teacher and understands and supports the needs of our homeschooling family. One of my greatest concerns was whether my teaching/learning style would be agreeable to STAA. My daughter and I read and discuss the Great Books together in addition to her independent work. Encouragement was just a phone call away. Stress lifted and productivity increased. If in doubt, call! That’s my motto. When I was told to tell my daughter to study like a saint, I knew I was home. With STAA, we can celebrate and share our Catholic faith and heritage as well as our homeschooling life.”

— Dee Dee from Florida

“When my husband and I were finally lead by the Holy Spirit to start homeschooling our children last year, I knew we needed actual curriculum instead of just leaving it up to the Holy Spirit! That is where STAA came in. After researching all the major Catholic curriculum available, we settled on STAA for several reasons. I liked their classical approach to education. I liked the fact that they had taken out a lot of work that I would have to do by researching individual texts available and choosing the best. What a help that was for someone who did not know the first thing of where to start! The phone/email help available was very appealing, especially for our family that was new to this adventure. But really the best thing for our family was STAA’s ability to put our children (grades 6, 4, 2) together in so many subjects (history, art, music appreciation, science) and make it work. After the kids’ initial assessments when they were starting out, the STAA counselor discussed in detail with me what was needed for them and how to accomplish it. During the year, I was able to correspond by email any concerns I had and that was just wonderful, knowing I had someone else looking out for our children’s education. After our first year with STAA, I would definitely recommend it to any family, especially those families with multiple children being schooled at home. We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with STAA as our children thrive in their education with the help of the Holy Spirit through the caring souls at STAA.”

— Wanda from Texas

“We started homeschooling when our oldest was in Kindergarten. We started with a very traditional homeschooling curriculum with all the lesson plans and texts sent to us. My oldest son and I struggled through the first two years of his schooling battling over completing exactly what the lesson plans suggested… I came across St. Thomas Aquinas Academy and the classical approach to education and thought it would be more appropriate for my children. After the initial assessment, I was very impressed with the information that my advisor gathered from such a simple assessment… The guidance that I received from my advisor helped me to put the school year into perspective and helped me to understand that my children are not perfect because they are homeschooled and they do not have to outshine every public schooled child out there. The beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility with which we can educate our children. They don’t have to be concerned with whether they are working ‘at, below, or ahead’ of grade level. They can learn at their own pace without judgment and without fear. The most rewarding event that has come out of following the curriculum at St. Thomas Aquinas is the fact that my husband has seen the tremendous results of the children enjoying school work, not even realizing that it is school work. My husband had not supported my decision to homeschool, and his feelings were confirmed with the struggles of the first two years. This past year, he became an integral part of the homeschooling. He began talking to the children about what they learned that day, he took on the teaching of their science course, and discussed what they were learning in history with them.”

— Irene from Pennsylvania

“We have homeschooled with St. Thomas Aquinas Academy for six years, with one to four students (plus babies and toddlers) in any given year, from pre-first through seventh grade. STAA customizes the program to suit our individual needs, with the flexibility to change as our life’s circumstances change. For instance, we have done block-style scheduling upon the birth of a new baby; dedicated a particularly bleak February to student-led illustrated compositions for science, history, penmanship, and religion; and adapted math programs and facts drill to suit a distractible, high-energy child. Hands-on activities and living books add to our history and science courses, but they are part of an overall plan, giving us the structure that Mom appreciates. Our favorite subjects are the ones we can do as a family: art and music appreciation, map making and geography songs (using the lovely maps from Berg’s Geography: A Literature Approach), science experiments, and reading aloud together. Our advisor is an absolute gem, ever ready with sound advice about academic instruction and, more importantly, about teaching each particular child according to his strengths and weaknesses. The STAA program is rigorous, yet flexible and manageable; we are confident that our children are receiving a sound Catholic and classical foundation in their studies. The only thing left for me to wish for is for them to move to Ohio, near us!”

— Michelle from Ohio

Faith Formation

“On two different occasions this past week when I’ve been in conversation with [my 11th grader], she has expressed deep gratitude for STAA and homeschool. She has cited several concrete examples of how going through your curriculum has shaped her and has made her a better Catholic. As a mother accompanying my children on this journey, I call out in resounding agreement!”

— Tarese, in her seventh year with STAA

“I am a very satisfied homeschooling parent with STAA. I have a daughter entering first grade. She completed the ‘pre-first’ program with St. Thomas. First, the best thing, in my opinion about working with STAA is the wonderful staff. STAA advisors put together a detailed packet of information specific to your child’s age and grade. The books have been fabulous. We especially enjoyed the following: Professor Phonics, Handwriting without Tears, Big Thoughts for Little People, and of course, all of our religious Ed books. The fact that the program is catholic is also a big plus for our family since we are people of faith. I thank STAA for making this past year a great one for homeschooling. We are ready for the next school year with the program!”

— Anne from Pennsylvania

“When we first decided to homeschool, we’d been told our son (who has auditory processing issues) should repeat preschool since he had a difficult time absorbing material and because he couldn’t print his name ‘small enough for kindergarten.’ What we saw was a bright boy who would need one-on-one instruction. We knew we wanted a homeschool program that would reinforce and nurture our Catholic faith, yet also be flexible enough to work well for a child who didn’t fit the cookie-cutter mold traditional schools prefer… Curriculum suggestions included books and programs I’d never heard of, yet they suited our son perfectly. Math-U-See made mathematics his favorite subject; the activity book that accompanied his Faith & Life religion book helped create a fascination with the Old Testament stories. Handwriting Without Tears: could the title be any more appropriate? Yet, few of these ideal matches would have materialized if it hadn’t been for the St. Thomas Aquinas Academy’s experience and patient understanding of what was needed to help our son, not just reach grade level, but thrive… I firmly believe that the St. Thomas Aquinas Academy has contributed greatly to our homeschooling success and would not hesitate to recommend them to other homeschooling families, both newcomers as well as those exhausted by programs weighted down with busywork. They truly are a unique and thoughtful resource.”

— Karla from Kentucky

“It has been truly a blessing to be associated with STAA since 1996. STAA has helped us to provide our family with a superior, solid, Catholic education. Throughout the years the staff at STAA has taken the time to get to know each of our children spiritually, emotionally, and academically including Mom! A staff member has always been available to listen to our accomplishments, but also guide us through those times that have been challenging… The staff has been able to recommend books and materials that not only meet the academic, but also the spiritual, physical and emotional development of our children. All the curriculum materials recommended have enhanced our Catholic family life. From Little Angel readers in kindergarten and first grade, to Creator and Creation in high school. These materials not only challenged our children to live and learn their Catholic faith, but also has given our family a solid foundation to build on in the future… This fact was recently confirmed by one of our local high school principals. After sharing with him the STAA Ancient Greece course of study our son was completing for 9th grade, he informed us that ALL the courses our son was taking this year would be considered honors level classes in any of the local high schools in our area. Thank you for all the support that you have provided our family throughout the past 7 years. I know we would NOT have been able to do it without you.”

— Karen from California

Looking Back: Graduates and Beyond

“Hello! I thought you would appreciate this: [My son] has mentioned a few times in the past months that he was glad he was homeschooled. He even said he was glad he had to write so many papers. He has noticed that many students are unable to write. Also, he was able to write a 4-page paper with citations in 1.5 hrs. Both [of my sons] are excelling in college. They said homeschool was much harder. :) Thank you!”

— Nadyne, mother of two STAA graduates

“Since I am writing, I will also sing more praises of the Greek Studies plan. [My daughter] moaned over the timed-essay and then did very well. So easy to implement with the choose one reflection topic from each subject and then get ready, get set, go! Apparently the school also gave suggestions for the process essay in Format Writing. Thank you! For a mom of many this is real time saver.”

— Alisa from Indiana

“Yahoo! 2012-13 semester reporting is done! And… I do thank STAA for requiring this. It is a life skill. I also thank you for not tossing those of us who miss the mark under the bus.”

— Alisa, mother of STAA graduates and more

“This fall our family will begin our 8th year home schooling with St. Thomas Aquinas Academy. This year’s students will be in 3rd and 11th grades. Our experience with STAA has been wonderful. Some years we have followed the suggested course of study closely and others we have generated our own courses too. We have been very impressed with STAA’s choices for our children. We have all enjoyed the way STAA ties courses together for the whole family. For example, most years we have chosen 1 science subject and 1 history period to study with the whole family. Our religion, art, and literature classes usually tie into the history period also which reinforces each subject. We usually read aloud from the suggested books, then do activities or papers according to age and abilities. Our oldest graduated from STAA 2 years early by taking the CHSPE. She then took the assessment at our local Jr. college and was able to go directly into college level courses except for in math. She had taken Algebra I her sophomore year, so she assessed at Algebra II level as one would expect. She graduated from Jr. College in 2 years taking a rigorous course of study and was recognized by the President of the college as a home school student at the ceremonies. She will be attending our local state university this fall.”

— Alyse from California

Read More

If you would like to hear from more families and students, three other collections are available:

• Featured Voices — a curated selection of twelve voices from across our community
• What Families Say — daily life with STAA, the advisor relationship, and the live online classes
• Student Voices — the students themselves, organized by historical cycle (U.S. Studies, Greek Studies, Roman Studies, European Studies, and Science)