For more than a century, Covington Latin School (CLS) has formed gifted students through an accelerated Catholic classical education that challenges the mind, strengthens character, and calls students to use their gifts with purpose.
That mission is captured in our motto:
Bonitatem, Disciplinam, et Scientiam, Doce Me.
Teach Me Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge.
These words are more than part of our tradition. They are the measure of our mission, and they guide everything we do. Today, Covington Latin School stands at an inflection point. Through its affiliation with Thomas More University, renewed enrollment momentum, and a recommitment to the formation of gifted students, CLS will be a national model for gifted Catholic education.
The Latin word renatus means reborn or renewed. It reflects the purpose of this initiative: not to abandon the traditions that have defined Covington Latin School, but to renew them for a new generation. Renatus builds upon the school’s classical foundation, Catholic mission, and commitment to gifted students while creating a stronger structure for the future.
A More Purposeful Use of the Academic Experience
Through curriculum acceleration, four dedicated Core Curriculum Days preserve the rigor and depth of the CLS classical tradition.
Beyond the Core Curriculum Days, Causa Essendi Day, Latin for “reason for being,” would extend student formation through college-level coursework, spiritual formation, service, experiential learning, leadership development, and gifted-specific programming. Its ultimate purpose is to help students understand their responsibility to use their exceptional gifts for the good of others.
A More Purposeful Use of Time
Gifted students deserve an education equal to their capacity: one that challenges them deeply, uses their time purposefully, and forms them to use their gifts in service to others.
They need academic rigor and spiritual grounding. They need advanced coursework that progresses at an appropriate pace and level of complexity, along with the discipline, resilience, and leadership required to use their abilities wisely. They must also understand that their gifts are not intended solely for personal achievement. Their gifts are meant to be placed in the service of others.
Traditional school schedules make this kind of formation difficult to sustain. Retreats, service, college counseling, testing, experiential learning, career exploration, and leadership development are often forced into an already crowded academic calendar.
The Expected outcomes
When looking at the creation of Renatus, the Covington Latin team was focused on what the outcomes would be for our students, our families, and the community at large.
- Prepare students for life through a rigorous academic curriculum in a Catholic, classical setting.
- Continue to be the home for gifted and talented students in the region.
- 60+ hours of Dual Credit courses offered through Thomas More University
- Increased Spiritual Development through Mass, Spiritual Retreats, and Speakers
- Expanded Internship Opportunities, hosted by CLS alumni and throughout the region, during Essendi Day.
- Real-World Experiences through onsite visits and guest lecturers.
- Greater preparation for success in a student's future educational endeavors.