Learning Beyond the Classroom
Faithful, Dynamic, and Wholesome
While classroom learning is central, we offer so much more at Arma Dei Academy. From academic field trips and STEM camps, to performing arts and athletic activities, we offer comprehensive and diverse experiences beyond the classroom. We recognize that all truth, goodness, and beauty are divine absolutes designed to develop biblical wisdom and Christian virtue by equipping students to know, love, and apply these absolutes to the world around them.
Extracurricular Activities
Arma Dei offers formative academic and enrichment extracurricular opportunities for students that align with and enhance the mission of the academy in accordance with its Statement of Faith. Extracurriculars are for K-12 students enrolled at the academy.
String Orchestra is open to students in 3rd-8th grade who want to learn bass, cello, viola or violin and gain experience playing music as a team. We will rehearse once a week and give a short performance at the end of the semester. To have a satisfying experience in this course and contribute meaningfully to the team, members must commit to attending all rehearsals and doing individual practice. The orchestra director is responsible for giving instruction in instrument care, playing technique, reading music, ensemble skills, and how to practice. No prior musical experience is required to join the orchestra. Members are responsible for bringing their instruments and all required materials to each rehearsal.
Please note that instrument and materials costs are not included in the tuition for this course. Orchestra members are responsible for independently renting an appropriately fitted instrument (the orchestra director can help you do this) and purchasing the required book and other materials. Click the link for the list of Required Materials.
WHEN: Mondays – January 26 – May 11 from 3:45 – 5:00 PM
WHO: Students in grades 3rd-8th
WHERE: Arma Dei Academy Main Campus – 341 E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
ROOM: Music Room
COST:
Orchestra Tuition (1 student): $250
Orchestra Tuition (2 students from the same family): $200 per student
Orchestra Tuition (3+ students from the same family): $150 per student
Register by March 6, 2026
Questions? Please email the orchestra director, Danica Smith, with any questions or for more details and rental shop recommendations.
Soli Deo Gloria, led by Mrs. Lydia Butler, invites any kindergarten, first-, or second-grade girls to FUTURE SDG! Your daughter will get to experience what it would be like to participate in SDG when she is old enough by attending two Tuesday practices in February and March. Your child will be assigned a current SDG dancer as their mentor and guide throughout practices. Practice starts with a devotional on what it means to dance for Jesus. Then they will learn the SDG warm-up dance, and finally their very own future SDG dance. After completing these two practices, your daughter will then be invited to share their dance at our second annual dance concert on April 25th, 2026. T-shirt and special prop included in the cost.
SDG Dance Ministry seeks to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1 ESV). Everything we do is centered around God–from beginning practices with Bible study to dancing to Christian songs to lifting our eyes and hands while we dance to bring people’s attention to God. We dance, not for ourselves, but only to give God glory, our audience of one!
WHO: Girls in Kindergarten-2nd Grade
WHEN: Tuesdays, February 24 and March 3 from 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
WHERE: Arma Dei Academy Main Campus – 341 E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
ROOM: Multipurpose Room
COST: $50/student for the two classes
ATTIRE: Have your daughter bring clothes she can move in, a healthy snack, and a water bottle
REGISTER HERE by February 7, 2026
Questions? Please contact Mrs. Lydia Butler (lbutler@armadeiacademy.com)
Please complete a form for EACH student you wish to register.
Whether you have a few years of playing experience or are new to guitar, you are welcome. Students will learn Arma Dei Scripture songs and will play modern popular Christian Music! This will all be done in a group setting, giving students the lesson that music is to be created not only for personal edification but also for enjoyment by others.
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WHEN: Mondays, January 26 – May 11, 2026
TIME: 4:00 – 4:45 PM
WHO: CLP and Academy Students in Grades 4th – 8th
WHERE: Arma Dei Academy Main Campus – 341 E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
ROOM: Latin Room
COST: $480 per student
REGISTER HERE BY: February 2, 2026
Questions? Please contact Mr. Michael Kochie (mkochie@armadeiacademy.com)
Please complete a form for EACH student you wish to register.
Join Mr. John Funk for Mathematical Mindsets
Many people struggle with teaching math. As a nation, students continue to underperform on international assessments, and despite modern methods, many parents sense that their children simply don’t “get it.” Mathematical Mindsets addresses this challenge by cultivating a learning community where questions are valued more than answers, thinking replaces performing, and perseverance through challenge builds genuine confidence.
Grounded in a classical approach to problem-solving, Mathematical Mindsets raises the bar for math education by encouraging deep understanding, multiple perspectives, and meaningful connections. The program reinforces the seven math norms outlined by Joan Boaler in Mathematical Mindsets:
Everyone can learn math
Easy is a waste of time. Mistakes are celebrated
Questions are essential
Math is about creativity and making sense
Math is about making connections
Depth matters more than speed
Math is about learning, not performing
Who: CLP 3rd-5th Grade Students (minimum of 10 students)
When: Tuesdays, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
January 27 – March 10
Where: Holy Cross Lutheran Church – Mr. Funk’s Classroom
Cost: $150/per student
Register HERE by January 23, 2026
Questions? Please contact Mr. John Funk (jfunk@armadeiacademy.com)
Please complete a form for EACH student you wish to register.
Run Club
Join run club this spring semester with the dynamic trio of Ms. Edwards, Mrs. Lewicki, and Mrs. Hodges! Children learn better when they have physical exercise before school! Mornings will include running on the nature trail, building core strength, doing relays and playing running games. There will be at least one opportunity per session to compete in a local all-comers race. Discounts available for commitment to both sessions. Please reach out to Ms. Chantel Edwards to inquire about scholarships.
WHO: Kindergarten-8th Grade Students
WHEN: Participants can do one or both sessions
- Mondays and Thursdays, 7:25 – 8:00 AM
- Session 1: January 26-March 12
- Session 2: March 23-April 30
WHERE: Arma Dei Academy Main Campus Turf Field- 341 E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
COST:
- Session 1: $50 per student
- Session 2: $50 per student
- Both Sessions: $100 per student
- EARLY REGISTRATION: Register for both sessions by January 23 and pay $90 total per student
Register HERE by March 20, 2026
Questions? Please contact Ms. Chantel Edwards (cedwards@armadeiacademy.com)
This Soccer Program is offered in partnership with
Arma Dei Academy.
Little Victory: A fun and engaging introduction to soccer—perfect for young players learning the game while enjoying time with friends!
The Champions Program: A high-level program focused on quality training, skill development, and competitive play.
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WHEN:
- March 3, 2026, to May 23, 2026
- Tuesdays 3:45 – 6:30 pm
- Thursdays 4:00 – 6:30 pm
- Saturdays 8 AM – 1 PM
WHO: For Boys and Girls Ages 4-12
WHERE: Arma Dei Academy Main Campus – 341 E. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
See more details here.
Speech Meet
Arma Dei Academy’s students participate in annual in-house and regional speech meet each year in order to provide a platform for students to develop rhetoric skills from an early age. This opportunity makes use of classical educational pedagogy which challenges students to develop the skills of memorization, public speaking, and social grace.
1. Practice your selection every day at home for your parents. Do your very best each time.
2. Stand up tall, with your hands comfortably at your sides in a relaxed posture. Look at your entire audience.Say the required introduction and then pause briefly before you begin the selection. At the end of the selection, hold your last motion or feeling for a few seconds. Then go back to your beginning position as you smile at your audience. Wait a few seconds before returning to your assigned seat.
3. Say your selection with appropriate expression or feeling. If your selection is a happy or sad one, be sure to show that feeling with your facial expressions and your voice. Other feelings that might go with your selection include fear, anger, wonder, worry, surprise or pride. Be sure your facial expression matches the feeling that you are trying to show. Have a friend, parent, or a teacher watch and listen to you and tell you whether you are emphasizing the correct feelings with your voice and your facial expression. Practicing in front of a mirror or having someone take a video of you may also be helpful.
4. The use of gestures will enhance your presentation if they are natural for your selection. Any gestures you use should add to your selection, making it more interesting, more believable, and more enjoyable for you and for your audience. Learn a few natural gestures right away, and practice saying your selection with them every time. Avoid stiff or unnatural gestures.
5. Be sure to speak slowly and clearly. Stop after each thought so that your audience can hear both the words and the thoughts you are expressing. Be careful to enunciate your words or to say every sound (beginning, middle, and ending) of every word in your selection. Using a voice recording device is a tremendous help in learning and practicing your selection. Since you will not be using a microphone, you need to make sure you are able to project your voice for an audience. You may want to practice in a large room and speak loud enough so that others can hear every word from across the room.
6. Since you have memorized and learned your selection, you should show confidence as you speak. Enjoy the experience of sharing what you have learned with the judges.
Recitation & Art Showcase
Reciting knowledge is an important skill. It requires different mental faculties from writing or reading, typical ways of evaluating learning in the 21st century. A memorized and recited piece is more easily “accessed” in the student’s mind than, for example, a string of words encountered in a novel. And learning to speak a poem or a jingle — with clarity and expression — is a foundational skill for all public speaking, useful for the student’s entire life.
At Arma Dei’s annual Recitation & Art Showcase, students in each grade share small samples of what they’ve been learning before an audience of family and friends. It is a highlight of the school year, when the whole community comes together to celebrate our students and to glorify God.
House System
ADA’s house system exists to fufill our school mission by fostering a culture of professionalism, courtesy, and Christ-like service to God and others among students. This culture strengthens our academic environment, prompting students to do their best in preparation for success in their future academic and professional pursuits. The house system achieves these goals in three ways:
- by giving students incentives (house points and corresponding awards) to meet high standards for student competition, comportment, and interaction;
- by creating house-specific, school-wide, and community-oriented opportunities for service to others;
- by giving older students opportunities to lead and mentor younger students within their houses in the pursuit of ADA’s standards for student comportment and service to others.
Arma Dei’s Academy’s four houses are: Avari, Laiquendi, Noldor, and Vanyar, adopted from Elven tribes in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Silmarillion. While certain aspects of each house’s identity are inherited from Tolkein (e.g., Laiquendi are wood-elves), students are encouraged to create and sustain a unique identity for their own house.
House points can be awarded to an entire house or to individual students within houses. They are awarded in four categories: competition, decorum, service, and nobility.