Temecula Preparatory School (TPS) is a K-12 public, non-profit, tuition-free charter school that maintains high levels of excellence in education due to its robust curriculum based on a classical model and founded in virtue.
TPS has full accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC); it has been recognized among America’s Best High Schools by US News; and it has been deemed a California Distinguished School.
More importantly, TPS has produced students who have been invited to attend over 150 universities and colleges across the country including Tier 1 schools such as Princeton, Vanderbilt, Boston, William and Mary, Stanford, USC, Berkley, and UCLA.
TPS students are well prepared academically. But, they are also mentored for leadership. History’s great leaders agree on this: true leadership starts with integrity. If a person does not have character or integrity, they will be unable to lead well or long.
In order to ensure TPS students are equipped to lead, TPS grounds its rigorous classical education in a culture where virtue is central to success. TPS values virtue to the extent that there are equal awards of recognition for community service and character at graduation along with the valedictorian and salutatorian.
The study and practice of virtue at TPS is anchored in the four cardinal virtues from antiquity: Justice, Temperance, Fortitude and Prudence. As the education at TPS culminates with the senior class there several capstone projects that focus students on these virtues. The first of these is the annual “mock trial” project where all seniors participate in a mock criminal trial highlighting justice.
TPS is excited to start the mock trial project off with a special assembly on Thursday, September 19th with special guest speaker, Mr. Burke E. Strunsky, Deputy District Attorney, Homicide Unit, from Riverside County. Mr. Strunsky recently published his book, “The Humanity of Justice.” The profits from which are dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
It is by taking these opportunities to tie the study of virtue to real life application that TPS is developing our leaders of tomorrow.
Scott S. Phillips, J.D. is the Headmaster & Chief Executive Officer for Heritage Classical Charter Schools