Philosophy of Education

In its Declaration on Christian Education, the Second Vatican Council stated clearly that parents are the first and foremost educators of their children, and that "their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it.”

Pope John Paul II elaborated eloquently on that concept in a document called Familiaris Consortio, stating that "the right and duty of parents to give education is essential...it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others...it is irreplaceable and inalienable and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others."

In acknowledging these fundamental truths about education, Padre Pio Academy seeks to assist parents in the formation and education of their children by providing an atmosphere that compliments the same Christian spiritual, intellectual, moral, and physical formation that the students receive at home. Thus the school in cooperation with the parents ensures a well rounded education for each student who attends Padre Pio Academy.

We also believe that a true education should extend beyond the imparting of factual knowledge. Students also need to be given the tools necessary for acquiring knowledge on their own, whereby enabling them to live life more fully. Among those tools are the ability to reason, to reach informed conclusions, to articulate conclusions and persuade others to understand and even subscribe to those conclusions.

The educational techniques employed at Padre Pio Academy have been used for centuries in both European and American schools to train the minds of influential men and women who have fashioned Western civilization. Tried and true, it is a method that can only continue to produce graduates capable of excellence in the many facets of life, fully armed to meet the modern challenges of our secular culture.

The success of such an educational endeavor depends largely on cooperation between school and parents in setting and maintaining high academic and moral standards for students. Those standards, founded in Gospel principles, are key to building a life of virtue. Through the balanced integration of our Roman Catholic faith and direct experiences of learning, life, and service, Padre Pio Academy can graduate students well prepared to serve as Christian role models and leaders in both our secular and church communities.