What is a House System?

The House System at Regents Academy is reminiscent of the houses of the traditional residential college system. Students in 7-12th grades are distributed into four houses, which serve as small, permanent, faculty-supported, cross-sectional, and human-friendly components. A faculty member oversees each house. Through weekly service projects, friendly competitions, and other activities in all three schools (Grammar/Logic/Rhetoric), students develop character, strengthen community, build culture, and grow as leaders. House Stewards receive .5 credits on their high school transcript for Student Leadership Lab.

Our vision for the House System is to give students opportunities to lead and shape the culture at Regents. Our hope is that through weekly service projects, friendly competitions, house worship Wednesdays, regularly serving local non-profits, and connecting the Lower and Upper schools, a pervading love for one another and the Lord will deepen.

Principles of the House System

Philosophy

One of the primary benefits of having a House System is that the houses facilitate the creation and the passing on of school culture. Rather than allowing outside cultures to dictate how students relate to their peers, teachers, and younger students, houses are the guiding force in setting the bar internally.

Identity

Houses make it easier for students to develop new friendships. Students, as we all do, crave belonging and fear ostracism and exclusion. Belonging to a house helps to develop traditions, history, inside jokes, and provide a healthy place for students to satisfy their need for acceptance and inclusion.

Leadership

Houses expand the boundaries of fellowship across grade lines. Older students are models to younger students about behaviors and attitudes that are acceptable or unacceptable (Titus 2). Because younger students admire older students, the opportunities for leadership are increased in a House System.

Tradition

Each year student leaders have the opportunity to establish tradition by serving and loving one another. Together students have opportunities to process real life lessons of success and failure in a way that points back to God’s grace and mercy. Tradition grows in symbolic ways by designing mascots, colors, mottoes, and banners that represent the character of each house.