Imago Dei Academy is a Classical and Christian School founded in Ladysmith, WI in 2021. Imago Dei Academy(IDA) is a member of the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) and a partner member of the Classical Latin School Association (CLSA). IDA utilizes Classical and Christian Curriculum provided by Memoria Press and our mentor school, The Highlands Latin School in Louisville, Kentucky. Imago Dei Academy is a private, non-profit (501c3) ministry. IDA began teaching students in grade K-8 in 2022. Since 2023 we have been teaching Jr. K-12th.
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Imago Dei Academy was an idea birthed by a group of parents and citizens in the spring of 2021. Their goal was to see Christ-Centered Education offered to students of all grade levels in our area. A number of public forums were held to see if that could be brought to reality. As a result of those efforts, IDA was born. As a multi-denomination effort, IDA has seen contributions by more than 10 local churches through local pastors/elders leading our chapel services, as well as providing space for the school to operate on the campuses of Ladysmith Christian Church (2022/23) and Northland Bible Church (2024). Imago Dei purchased their own building in July 2025. “Imago Dei,” Latin for “Made in God’s Image,” is a Christian doctrine that goes beyond denominational borders. It stems from the Genesis account found in Chapter 1: Verse 27 that states, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them.” At Imago Dei we believe this to be absolute truth. In a cultural moment where one’s identity plays such a serious role in the public discourse, we believe the doctrine of “Imago Dei” has never been more important.
Classical education can be thought of as an educational philosophy as much as an educational method. The approach to many of today’s modern educational options might be considered progressive and pragmatic. It might be progressive in the sense that it wants to train students to change culture, and pragmatic in the sense that it wants to train students to be prepared for a vocation.
The goal of the Classical educator is different.
The goal for the Classical student is to become wise ( to learn HOW to think) and to become virtuous (to do what is right). For the Christian Classical School, it is also the goal to pass on Christian culture and a Biblical worldview.
The Academic goals of a Classical and Christian education are achieved through the study of the 7 Liberal Arts. This consists of teaching the 3 Linguistic skills; Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. These are known as the Trivium. It also consists of the 4 Mathematical skills; Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy(now to include the modern sciences). These are known as the Quadrivium. (For more on the importance of these skills and their relevance to childhood development, read Dorothy Sayers famous essay, The Lost Tools of Learning found on our Resource page.)
It seems the modern emphasis on the Maths and Sciences(STEM) has overtaken the emphasis on reading and language. The Classical education movement greatly values the sciences as well, but puts a heavier emphasis on language skills because of the necessity of these skills in leading a happy and productive life. How many of us have repeatedly heard employers express the need for people who have great basic thinking skills AND can communicate effectively?
If one were to give a short summary, Classical and Christian education is the study of the classics, the languages that produced them, and the liberal arts; the best of what has been thought and said. It is also the cultivation of wisdom and virtue through reading history’s great books,and the development of critical thinking skills. It is the passing on of Christian culture, and the culture of western civilization. Until the 20th century, the Classical method was THE METHOD. Our founding fathers were classically educated, as were history’s greatest thinkers and philosophers. Now in the 21st century, Classical education is seeing a resurgence.
At Imago Dei Academy we believe Classical and Christian education will not only yield BETTER academic results, but will yield wise and virtuous citizens capable of loving God and positively impacting communities.
The preceding contains multiple excerpts from Martin Cothran’s publication, What is Classical Education?