“But since, as Plato has admirably expressed it, we are not born for ourselves alone, but our country claims a share of our being, and our friends a share; and since, as the Stoics hold, everything that the earth produces is created for man’s use; and as men, too, are born for the sake of men, that they may be able mutually to help one another; in this direction we ought to follow Nature as our guide, to contribute to the general good by an interchange of acts of kindness, by giving and receiving, and thus by our skill, our industry, and our talents to cement human society more closely together, man to man.”
— Cicero, De Officis (I.22) (translated by Walter Miller)
Tulsa Classical Academy maintains a student House System. The purpose of a House System is to provide students with a deeper and richer sense of community within the life of the school. Historically, House Systems arose as part of the collegiate culture of universities like Oxford and Cambridge, before spreading out to encompass public British boarding schools, where students lived on campus in literal “houses.” These House Systems carried over to the United States in the early formation of its own education system, and continued even when students no longer lived on campus. House Systems have since found a renewed use within the Classical Education revival in the United States, as they have been shown to greatly benefit the communal culture of Classical schools.
Upon enrollment into the school, students are sorted at random into a House, which they will be a part of for their entire time at the school. They will have friends and community within their grade level, but thanks to the House System they will also have a community of fellow House members across all grade levels.
At TCA, the House System is made up of four Houses, each representing one of the four Cardinal Virtues. Each House is given its own color, and a crest with an animal symbol that classically symbolizes each respective Cardinal Virtue.
Symbol: bear
Color: blue
Virtue: fortitude/fortitudo
Symbol: fox
Color: red
Virtue: prudence/prudentia
Rooted in classical principles, the system will provide students with consistent peer groups and teacher mentors throughout their time in both Grammar School and Upper School. House identity will be woven into all areas of school life: academic, athletic, and social, creating a culture of camaraderie, mentorship, and accountability. Through structured leadership roles and a meaningful House point system, students will be encouraged to grow in virtue and character, with opportunities to lead, support one another, and be recognized for both individual and collective excellence.
As an extension of the House System, the TCA Student Government is formed through annual elections of High School students to various leadership roles. Inspired by the Roman Republic, the Student Government assists the Dean of Students in running the House System, and operates as representatives of the student body during school events. Elections are held annually in February, following multiple weeks of campaigning in January. Terms run for one full calendar year, and there are no term limits. To be eligible to run for office, a student must be (A) in High School, and (B) have at least an average grade of B across their class load. Students must also get a written recommendation from a teacher before being permitted to run, and must notify the Dean of Students by January that they intend to run and have received a written recommendation from a teacher. Additionally, the highest position of Consul (leader of the entire House System) is reserved for upperclassmen (11th & 12th) only. The Student Government is broken down into the following roles:
Leader of the House System, works directly with the Deans, and has veto power over the rest of the Student Government.
Two per House, Senators work with the Consul to plan events, and together with the Consul make up the voting body of the Student Government that meets on Fridays.
The leaders of each individual House, responsible for governing their House and representing the House during school events, mediates issues within their House, advocates on behalf of their House.
One per House, works with the Senators and Consul to plan budgets for House events, and assists the Deans in running the House Events Committee.
One per House, runs the School Newspaper under the Deans, runs the Yearbook club as part of the House Events Committee under the Deans, and maintains their House history book, recording the history of their House before passing it off to the next Chronicler.
No number limit, the only unelected position, chosen by Deans, the Mentors serve as cultural ambassadors for the Grammar School, getting to know students in K-6th grade, serving and encouraging them throughout their time at TCA.
Teachers assigned to each House, for the purpose of providing adult mentorship and guidance in the House System. Tribunes will also compete for House points alongside their students.
Reserved to administrators only, the House Arbiters work directly with the Consul in leading the House System, and reserve full authority over the House System.
Students are randomly sorted into one of the four Houses during enrollment. At the beginning of each school year, the Dean of Students and the Student Government hosts a sorting ceremony for all new students, where they find out which House they are in and are welcomed by their House leaders. Once a student is sorted into a House, it is permanent. All siblings are sorted into the same House together, so as to sponsor a House spirit among TCA families.
Yes. Both K-6 students and 7-12 students are sorted into the Houses and participate in school-wide House activities. However, only Upper School (7-12th) students are permitted to vote in House elections, and only High School students are permitted to hold office in the Student Government.
Each Grammar School student (K-6) receives iron-on patches of their House crest for their school uniform. Each Upper School (7-12th) student receives a metal pin of their House crest to wear on the collar of their uniform shirt.
For Upper School students only, each House has a weekly meeting on their assigned day, to be held in the library during lunch. This meeting is called Colloquium. The meeting times are as follows: Monday (Aquila), Tuesday (Equus), Wednesday (Ursus), and Thursday (Vulpes). On Fridays, the Student Government meets at this time.
Throughout the year, each House can either earn or lose points for their House. Discipline referrals will cost their House points, and Virtue Award nominations will award their House points. Teachers may also award or take points for smaller actions or habits, at their discretion. The House that ends the year with the most points wins the annual House Cup, and is awarded a special exclusive feast at the end of the year.
All teachers serve as House Tribunes, and are also sorted into a House. As Tribunes, teachers will represent their Houses during school-wide House events, and serve as mentors to the students in their House.
Parents are encouraged to volunteer to assist with House events, and cheer on their students! As all siblings are sorted into the same House, this allows parents to cheer on one House for their children.
Please reach out to the House Arbiters with any questions:
Mr. Barrett: joshuabarrett@tulsaclassical.org
Mr. Meadows: gmeadows@tulsaclassical.org
