While most public schools focus on test scores and educational metrics, Founders Classical Academy of Las Vegas has one goal in mind – to train the minds and improve the hearts of young people. They do so through a rigorous, classical education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue.

What Makes Founders Classical Academy of Las Vegas Different from Traditional Public Schools?

The curriculum prioritizes elements such as distraction-free classrooms, Socratic seminars, the great classics over textbooks, and Greek and Latin instruction. Founders Classical Academy (FCALV) is a member school of the Barney Charter School Initiative at Hillsdale College, which grants the school access not only to a special classical curriculum curated by Hillsdale, but also to annual educator trainings, monthly appointments with support staff, and more.   

With 1,281 students enrolled and over 800 on the waitlist, FCALV offers K-12 instruction, with students organized into a grammar school (grades K-5) and an upper school (grades 6-12) to minimize disruptive transitions. Yet, walking through the school, the vast variance of age groups under one roof was hard to notice. While upperclassmen are taking orchestra, choir, and literature classes in the morning, kindergarteners can be seen enjoying recess outside under adult supervision. But scheduling is not the only thing that is meticulously planned in FCALV.   

Inside the K–12 Curriculum: From Phonics-Based Learning to Moral Philosophy

To best understand the structure of the classical education taking place in classrooms every day, Superintendent Dr. Kuzma offered a close look at the K-12 learning progression that has been in place at the school since it was founded in 2014.   

In early grammar school, educators place heavy emphasis on phonics-based reading, spelling, grammar, and vocabulary (a strategy adopted by district-run schools in the state only in 2025). As you walk into a classroom, it is not the learning materials but the instructional method that stands out – in addition to a teacher, students also have an instructional assistant in grades K-2 to help them with reading and comprehension. This structure allows students to progress at their own pace, ask questions, and ensure mastery.

Dr. Kuzma mentioned that the instructional assistants also take some of the burden off the teachers’ shoulders: in grades with assistants providing support, the teacher turnover rate was zero. In addition to classroom support, a literacy professional provided one-on-one phonics instruction to individual students, adding an extra layer to strengthen reading proficiency.  

While kindergarteners and first-graders were busy mastering reading, one group of high schoolers was taking a Moral Philosophy class with Mr. Allred in the building next door. In a Socratic seminar-style setup, Mr. Allred asked a simple question to his students, “How are you being dishonest if you cheat on your math test?” Students looked at each other, and one explained, “First, you cheat yourself out of an opportunity to learn. Next, you cheat your friend by copying their work.” His classmate chimed in, stating, “Honesty is the best policy!”

Indeed, honesty is the first of the eight pillars of FCALV. Classes like Mr. Allred’s Moral Philosophy are the heart of the classical education focused on honing good character and virtue, because as Dr. Kuzma says, “What adult doesn’t want more character or virtue?”  

Balancing Academics, Arts, and Athletics in a Modern Classical Education Model

Across the hall, in a literature class, students are reading Homer’s Odyssey. Each student has their copy of the book, highlighted and annotated with notes in the margins. This, Dr. Kuzma explains, is part of their approach to classical education. Throughout their time in FCALV, students receive their own copies of classical literature by Homer, Shakespeare, Sophocles, Bastiat, Locke, and more, so by the time of graduation, they have a classical library that has shaped their education.   

However, math, science, reading, and philosophy are not the only parts of the classical curriculum offered at FCALV. The school offers an extensive music and sports programs for the students. Mr. DiPalo’s high school choir class had just finished a performance, while Mrs. Bolha was preparing her orchestra for a competition over the weekend. The orchestra and the choir together have over 300 students enrolled.

In parallel, the school has growing sports teams, including girls’ volleyball, girls’ and boys’ basketball, wrestling, and junior varsity soccer. Athletics are not a part of charter school budgets, so school administrators work around it to ensure the programs are self-sufficient. And even then, some of the FCALV athletes competed at state championships this year.  

But the classical curriculum at FCALV is not rigid. Dr. Kuzma shared that students came together and created a petition with enough signatures to present to him – they wanted the school to offer Anatomy and Physiology as an elective class. Delighted by their passion, Dr. Kuzma plans to have one of his teachers with a nursing background teach the course to interested students in the 2026-27 school year.   

Building a Culture of Respect

Prior to becoming the Superintendent of FCALV, Dr. Kuzma had a 40-year-long career in education spanning across public, magnet, and charter schools. Perhaps most notably, Dr. Kuzma served as the principal of Rancho High School and raised the school’s ranking from one star to four stars. When asked to compare FCALV to his prior schools, he does not hesitate, “It feels different. Kids here are so respectful.” 

In fact, the students are welcoming and respectful not just to the staff members. As a visitor, at every classroom I entered, a designated student approached me, introduced themselves, shook my hand, and shared the class plan of the day to ensure I didn’t have any questions. This small gesture is just one of the many that kids practice every day at the school. To ensure operations run smoothly in the academy, Dr. Kuzma says, “It feels like you are your own district.”   

Despite—or, perhaps, because of—the administrative differences, FCALV is determined to provide quality education that cultivates hearts of virtue in its students. Standardized testing is an afterthought at FCALV, because, as Dr. Kuzma put it, “We’re about more than just a career choice. We’re about improving your life.” 

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