Valor North Austin

Letter From the Headmaster

Dear Families,

Greetings! I am pleased to welcome you to our classical charter school. Moving into our third year, I am grateful for the over 1,100 students and their families at Valor North that have come together to form a beautiful community. Our motto illuminates the purpose of a Valor education: Sapientia per admirationem. Our task is to enable our students to grow in “wisdom through wonder.”

As an educator, I am convinced that wonder is the agent of all genuine learning. From their earliest years, children possess an innate sense of wonder, which drives them to know, contemplate, and explore the beauty of the world around them. What joy is found in such discovery! In a world that is often starved of wonder, this capacity begs to be nourished throughout a student’s formative years.

The journey of growth is, to use the words of Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman, “certainly a grand adventure!” At Valor North Austin, there are three essential components of this adventure:

1. The first is the faculty that we hire. On an adventure, the guide makes all the difference. Our faculty are men and women of high moral character who are themselves filled with wonder. They are excellent guides who will lead our scholars to see and adhere to the meaning of reality.

2. Second, on an adventure, one needs a good map. At Valor, a central feature of this map is the classical tradition. Valor’s curriculum focuses on classic literature and poetry. These writings have stood the test of time, provoke thinking about the fundamental human questions, and awaken a desire for excellence.

3. Third, for the adventure to be enjoyable, one needs a specific culture, namely, one that promotes virtue and is free of cynicism and negativity. The routines and high behavioral expectations enable our students to acquire the virtues needed for joyfully undertaking the adventure. Both joy and order characterize Valor’s culture!

Again, welcome to Valor North Austin! I am eager to partner with you on this adventure to wisdom through wonder. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.