Frequently Asked Questions
Delaware Valley Classical School located in New Castle, Delaware, is accredited by the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS). ACCS accreditation is a school-improvement program that provides an evaluation of a school and its practices to encourage stability, quality, and a measure of excellence.
Kindergarten through 12th grade students attend Monday through Friday from 7:50 a.m. – 3:05 p.m. Every other Wednesday is an Early Release (ER) Wednesday, and students are dismissed at 12:05 p.m.
For the 2024-2025 school year, we have 196 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Our class size ranges from 9-20 students.
DVCS is a non-denominational Christian school following the reformed Protestant tradition. Our families come from 51 different churches.
The mission of Delaware Valley Classical School is to assist parents in preparing their children to excel in every duty and calling God has for them by providing a classical and Christ-centered curriculum designed to equip graduates with the tools to acquire, process, express, and defend knowledge from a biblical worldview. We strive to clearly communicate the educational and cultural Core Values of DVCS as a Christian and classical school. Our Core Beliefs include our Statement of Faith and a pursuit of students’ hearts along with their behavior, and our commitment to orthodox Christian theology and standards of morality.
Scripture instructs believers to be in regular fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:25). DVCS partners with Christian parents whose faith is growing within the care of a church which ensures that the minds and hearts of students are cultivated not only at school but also at home and church. This partnership is at the very core of who we are as a community of faith and learning. By partnership, we mean that we are in covenant with one another and with God in this shared vision and mission. Cooperation and collaboration are the paths to successful partnership.
DVCS does offer after-school care until 6:00 p.m.
Testing is required if the student’s birthday is after September 1. Testing is available if the student’s birthday is soon after September.
DVCS offers Latin Academy in the summer to prepare transfer students to join their grade in Latin. Latin Academy lasts from one to three weeks, depending on grade level, and usually begins in early August.
DVCS offers cross country, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer.
DVCS also provides many enjoyable and intriguing opportunities for Logic and Rhetoric students to excel outside of the classroom in different venues. Opportunities include the following: Science Olympiad, Math League, National Honor Society, Debate Team, and Mock Trial.
Over the course of 30 years, the school (through its predecessors Christ Classical and Tall Oaks) has produced a number of students who have been selected to highly competitive colleges and universities. We are proud of the heritage of having prepared students well for university and beyond. Some of those colleges and universities include the following: Baylor University, Belhaven University, Boston University, Ballet Magnificat!, Bob Jones University, Cairn University, Campbell University, Cedarville University, Cornell University, Cottey College, Covenant College, Delaware State University, Durham University (UK), Franklin & Marshall College, Geneva College, Gordon College, Grand Canyon University, Grove City College, Harding University, Hillsdale College, International Christian University (Japan), Liberty University, Marine Reserve Officers Training, Corps, Marshall University, McDaniel College, Messiah University, Mississippi College, New Saint Andrews College, New York Film Academy, North Carolina State University, Oxford University (UK), Peabody Institute – Johns Hopkins University, Penn State University, Providence College, Purdue University, Regent University, Renssaeler Polytechnic Institute, Rowan College, Rutgers University, Stanford University, St. John’s College, Syracuse University, Temple University, The Citadel, The King’s College, Trinity College, Union University, University of Delaware, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, University of Richmond, University of Sussex (UK), US Air Force Academy, US Military Academy at West Point, US Naval Academy, Villanova University, Wake Forest University, and West Virginia University.
DVCS does not offer Accelerated Placement courses. Students may choose to take an AP exam, and students have performed well when they have done so.
DVCS does not offer special education services. However, students with mild disabilities who can function well in a regular classroom are welcome to apply for enrollment. We will make reasonable accommodations for students while upholding our school’s standards.
DVCS does provide Academic Resource Center services such as tutoring, coaching, and NILD therapy for students at an additional cost who need academic support. We will work with parents and teachers to evaluate each student’s needs through both in-house assessments and, when appropriate, referrals for testing by outside professionals.
We use our entrance testing to place students in the grade in which they are most likely to thrive. Entrance testing is also used to identify areas that could use some extra work to make the transition to our school easier. For example, many students come to us with less exposure to English grammar than our students. Entrance testing will identify this concern so the student can enroll in a summer class or receive academic support to catch up with his/her classmates.
