Our Story
Michael Bileca founded True North Classical Academy to honor the ideals and legacy of his father, Dennis Bileca. Dennis was just three years old when fascists raided his home and was a refugee in Romania until he came to the United States at ten years old. His life – shaped by hardship, war, and exile- led him to the relentless pursuit of truth. After seeing humanity at its worst, he was driven to understand what humanity is at its best.
The great thinkers of the past deeply influenced him. In his words, “I loved them all, but Socrates stands the tallest both among the ancients and current thinkers. He taught me to love truth above everything else.” The Greeks shaped his belief that education was not merely about knowledge, but about shaping the soul towards goodness. As he wrote, “In classical thought, the whole point of education was to grow in character and ultimately achieve wisdom.” He went on to say, “How unfortunate that contemporary education has not only lost its main purpose, but does considerable harm by impeding it.”
Dennis Bileca’s belief that wisdom is knowable, that virtue must be pursued, and that education should elevate the soul became the foundation of True North. His influence has shaped every aspect of these schools- schools dedicated to his vision of an education that forms students to lead lives of integrity, wisdom, and purpose, grounded in the pursuit of Truth – “You also realize the veracity, depth and beauty of the wisdom of the sages — those pearls of insight that have been handed down to us by the giants of our species.”
True North opened in 2015 with just 289 students on one campus. Ten years later, True North serves more than 2,500 students across six campuses from ages infant to grade 12.
The Dennis Bileca Foundation provided generous financial support at the launch of the True North schools. Visit the Dennis Bileca Foundation website here.
Note from Our CEO
We founded True North Classical Academy on a very simple but profound conviction: education is about forming a virtuous human being – strong in mind, heart, and character – so that students may live a truly good life. We set out to restore a nobler form of education, drawing on the wisdom of the ancients- an education rooted in the cultivation of virtue, wisdom, and intellectual excellence. In my father’s words, “In classical thought, the whole point of education was to grow in character and ultimately achieve wisdom. How unfortunate that contemporary education has not only lost its main purpose, but does considerable harm by impeding it.”
Classical education begins with a deeper question – not merely, “What career will a child have?” but “What kind of human being will he or she become?” A school worthy of its students must take up that task seriously, helping young men and women grow in goodness, truth, courage, wonder, and the love of what is noble.
At True North, we form students through the Great Books, the study of real history through primary sources, the pursuit of beauty through the arts, and engagement with timeless ideas. This tradition invites students into the “great conversation” of Western civilization and teaches them that they are heirs to something rich, enduring, and ennobling.
We believe every child is born for greatness of soul – not a fleeting kind rooted in achievement alone, but the lasting greatness that comes from a well-formed character, a disciplined mind, and a heart ordered toward what is good. Our aim is to graduate young men and women who are prepared not only to succeed, but to lead lives of purpose and moral excellence.
Why Classical Education?
“Education is the vast undertaking of passing on the wisdom and knowledge of one generation to another. Classical education is the authoritative, traditional, and enduring form of education, begun by the Greeks and Romans, developed through history, and now being renewed and recovered in the 21st century.” – Christopher A. Perrin
At its core, classical education emphasizes the importance of teaching students what is true, good, and beautiful – the tools needed to live a fulfilling life. By focusing on the aspects required to achieve a fulfilling life, we teach students wisdom and virtue. This equips students with the knowledge and moral and intellectual habits needed to flourish. Ultimately, a classical education teaches students that deep happiness is the byproduct of living the “good life” – a life of virtue.
A classical education goes beyond preparing students for a career. It teaches them that life itself is worth living. Through this, education becomes more than a path to employment. It becomes the foundation of who the student is as a whole. Aristotle described this human flourishing as eudaimonia — a life of true fulfillment. Classical education seeks to foster just that, guiding students toward lives rich in meaning, virtue, and joy.
The contrast between classical and modern education lies in their essential purposes. While modern education focuses on preparing students for careers, classical education cultivates the whole person. Where contemporary approaches measure success through marketable skills, classical education pursues something deeper: it teaches students to think clearly, love what is beautiful, and choose what is good. This approach recognizes that education’s true aim is not merely information, but proper and enduring formation. Classical education prepares our students for all of these things – career, college, marketable skills – as a rich education develops critical thinkers and eloquent communicators with a knowledge-rich mind as students pursue knowledge for its own sake. However, these things are a byproduct of a nobler educational process, and not the end in itself.
By grounding students in the liberal arts tradition, education returns to its noble purpose and helps students grow in character and ultimately achieve wisdom.
Note from
Our Head of School
At True North, education is not just about mastering subjects or preparing for the next step; it is about forming the whole person. We believe that the purpose of schooling is not only to cultivate sharp minds but also to shape good hearts. Every lesson, every book, every conversation is an opportunity for our students to encounter what is true, good, and beautiful, and to grow in virtue.
Our approach is rooted in the classical tradition, where learning is seen as a journey of the soul toward wisdom. Students are not merely taught information; they are invited into the great ideas of civilization, challenged to think deeply, and inspired to live with integrity. In this way, education becomes more than preparation for college or a career; it becomes preparation for a good life, one marked by service, courage, and moral strength.
The measure of our success is not only in high test scores or awards, but in the kind of people our students are becoming. When we see them encourage one another, persevere through difficulty, and choose what is right even when it is hard, we know that we are fulfilling our mission. At True North, we strive to help students become not just excellent scholars, but excellent human beings.
"The object of education is to teach us to love what is beautiful."
– Plato, The Republic