Continuing with the “cathedral” motif, Dominion Academy students move from the Cathedral School to the Junior High (or “Bell Tower”) program. Just as a cathedral's bell tower provides structure and clarity, our junior high program for grades 7 and 8 elevates students from the foundational learning of the Grammar stage to the focused reasoning of the Logic stage. At this pivotal point in their classical journey, students begin to analyze, question, and connect the knowledge they have accumulated in the Cathedral School. The Bell Tower program cultivates the capacity for discernment, preparing them to articulate truth with conviction in their high school years.
Dominion Academy’s junior high blends the five-day program with a collegiate model schedule, with classes meeting once or twice a week. This fosters students’ developing independence and organizational skills, crucial for future academic success.
The Architecture of Junior High
Portals
Just as a cathedral has grand doors that welcome visitors inside, our Portals serve as the entryway into learning. In the Cathedral Program (our elementary years), students begin their journey through these foundational portals: Language Arts, Mathematics, History, and Science. These subjects form the starting place for the rest of the program, giving students the essential knowledge and skills they need to explore, grow, and build a lifelong love of learning.
Buttresses
The walls of a cathedral are supported by buttresses, usually made of stone, whose purpose is to reinforce the main structure of the building. At Dominion Academy, the Buttresses serve a similar role by strengthening the learning that begins in the Portals. Through activities such as presentations, speeches, debates, poetry recitation, translating Latin, and historical reenactments, students practice and apply what they have learned. These experiences reinforce the core subjects while helping students grow in confidence, communication, and mastery of knowledge.
Vaults
The vault of a cathedral is its ceiling or roof, supported by a series of arches and buttresses. This architectural feature allows cathedrals to rise higher with tall, thin walls and expansive windows, creating a sense of height, light, and spaciousness. At Dominion Academy, the Vaults represent the areas of study that lift our program to the heights of classical education, allowing students to explore knowledge with depth, creativity, and excellence.
Our program includes two primary vaults: STEM and Humanities.
The STEM Vault develops analytical thinking and practical skills through opportunities such as robotics, mathematics topics like probability and graphing, Microsoft Office Specialist certification through Certiport, and the annual STEM Fest science fair.
The Humanities Vault cultivates creativity, expression, and cultural understanding through art, choir, theatre arts, and student performances such as the Classical Coffeehouse and Shakespeare Showcase. Students may also deepen their appreciation for the arts through experiences like the Stratford Festival trip to Ontario.
Learn more about our Juior High Theatre!
Spire
The pinnacle of a cathedral is its spire—rising high and visible to the surrounding community for miles. In the Cathedral Program at Dominion Academy, the Spires represent the moments when students carry their learning beyond the classroom and into the world. These activities are designed to put into practice the knowledge gained through the Portals, Buttresses, and the Humanities and STEM vaults.
Through field trips, community engagement, and service projects, students see how culture, language, mathematics, and science are lived out in real life. Just as importantly, they learn to connect their Christian education with serving others and contributing to their community!
