A Part of Something Greater

We are not living in little kingdoms but sharing in His Kingdom work.

By: Ansley Bonaventure, Middle School Principal

How often do you think about being a part of a kingdom?… That you live among others, in a shared space, with a common goal, and under the rule of a King? This is probably not what frames most of our days, but it is the reality of our lives as believers, especially in this covenant community! We “do life” together with fellow parents, students, and teachers in this beautiful, shared space that God has provided for us, with a common goal (“to educate and equip generations to glorify God and pursue kingdom flourishing”), under the loving and kind rule of our King.

Living in a kingdom allows us to be a part of something greater. Aristotle reminds us, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” His kingdom is greater than our little kingdoms.

So, we have this, the greatest kingdom community of which we are a part. But did you know that Perimeter School is also a part of an educational community? If you haven’t been introduced, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to the ChildLight Association of Schools (CLAS).

The ChildLight Association of Schools (CLAS) is an independent organization of schools that support one another in a collaborative community to promote the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason and its practice in a variety of school settings. The term "ChildLight" was first coined in 1984 by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay in her seminal work, For the Children's Sake. This book reintroduced the work of Charlotte Mason, a pioneer in educational philosophy. From both Mason's original works and the authors who have written about her philosophy in the years since, schools in the CLAS network focus on educating the whole child in an atmosphere that values lifelong learning, habit training, and living ideas.

What does this mean for Perimeter School? It means that we are a part of a greater community seeking to do the same thing! Across this country, there are other ChildLight schools that believe “children are born persons,” that believe in the beauty of nature studies, and that understand children can attend to hard tasks and there must be time to “wonder” about big ideas rather than simply memorize them. These schools incorporate narration as a primary way to measure understanding. They study composers and artists in each grade and across subjects, and they believe that there is joy and laughter in each day and that the Lord and His goodness are taught not just in a Bible class but are seen and understood across all classes. These schools value their teachers as experts, curious learners, and mentors for their students. And these schools are led by leaders who truly love and worship Jesus and strive to continue protecting a place where learning is enjoyed by students at every age and stage, without the pressure of learning only for the years to come.

Every year, we have the privilege of being a part of the ChildLight conference, hosted by one of our schools (our school hosted in 2025). Our teachers use two days of their fall break to worship with, learn from, and be inspired by other teachers who share the same mission and heart for students. While the timing is always difficult (before report cards are due) and the idea of attending a conference certainly doesn’t seem as luxurious as a mini-vacation with family, our teachers attend, and God always meets them in their need. They are inspired, refreshed, and challenged, and they leave with hearts and minds that are fuller than when they arrived.

This year, our conference was hosted by Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga. Teachers and staff immersed themselves in 36 hours of training, shadowing, and conversations. There were holy moments of shared discovery, mutual understanding, and the reassurance that others have experienced the same things. It is so encouraging to be a part of something greater.

Our teachers are learners. At the conference, they participated in the same things we ask of our students: they learn, they attend, they wonder, they observe, they worship, they gather, and they laugh. They also have time to get to know each other more deeply as they share meals, take walks, play games, and enjoy the fellowship of this sacred space. This brings us back to Perimeter School each year more focused, more inspired, and, most importantly, more connected to each other and to our mission.

CLAS reminds us that we are a part of something greater than ourselves. We are not living in little kingdoms but sharing in His kingdom work. May our King be honored as we bring His kingdom to earth through the education of these dear souls.

Truly, “on earth as it is in Heaven.”