The consensus among parents and educators today seems to be that character formation is a critical part of a child’s education. But what kind of character should schools attempt to form? And how does BCS foster the kind of character we want to see in our students?

Character formation of children begins at home, where parents train their children to practice good manners with the desire to see those words and actions become habitual behaviors that show respect and consideration for others. When those children enter the BCS Grammar School, we reinforce this parental training in habit formation by starting each day with call-outs and responses that remind students of the concrete ways we are to love God and others. Training continues throughout the day with how students walk and stand in the hallways (silently and uprightly) and how they sit (leaning forward) and work (neatly) and speak (respectfully) in classrooms. We ask young men to show preference to others by opening doors and helping move furniture for classes or events. We encourage all students, even the youngest Junior Kindergarteners, to make eye contact when speaking with others and to speak clearly and audibly.

As students transition to the Rhetoric School and enjoy greater freedom, we reinforce many of the good practices of the Grammar School while continuing to train them through our formal Protocol program. Protocol classes at BCS teach students to learn and apply appropriate manners and courtesies that honor others (Matthew 7:12) and glorify God (Matthew 5:16) as students become gracious guests and hosts who communicate respectfully and comfortably, who prefer others before themselves (Philippians 2:3-4), and who navigate dining and social events with ease.

Each grade’s classes revolve around a main event designed to allow students to have real-world experiences where they put into practice what they have been learning in the classroom. Theatre etiquette discussed in the classroom in grades 9 and 12 is put into practice at a live theatre performance. Table manners and place setting etiquette learned in grades 10 and 11 are applied at a buffet-style meal or a formal, six-course meal in a parent’s home. Students learn to show preference to one another and to practice leading (for the gentlemen) and following (for the ladies) as they learn ballroom and contra dances. Students in grades 7 and 8 apply this learning at the winter Victorian Ball, where students showcase talents and toast their parents, while the high school grades finish the year with a formal Cotillion dinner and dance.

The heart of the school’s Mission Statement is to equip students to be bold and obedient ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We desire those ambassadors to love well, to communicate effectively, and to be gracious hosts and guests that season and illumine the world as salt and light (Matthew 5:16) – one dinner conversation at a time.