Will my child fit in?

We are deeply sensitive to every human’s innate need to belong, and we are passionate about creating a warm and welcoming campus atmosphere in which every child (and parent!) feels valued. We impress upon students the dignity of every person, and our expectation that they love and respect each other at all times is woven into all we say and do.

Among students, that camaraderie is reinforced by a system in which each student is placed into one of four Houses. Throughout the year, the Houses vie with one another in academic and athletic competitions. They also aspire to outdo one another in good works. This system fosters small group communities in which students feel known and valued. It allows them to take risks in a supportive and encouraging environment, while giving older students opportunities to develop leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

How do you approach standardized tests?

To be sure, standardized tests can be useful in assessing skills acquired and content mastered, and, in keeping with national trends, our students tend to outperform their peers on these exams. In fact, they take more challenging tests than most, including the Classical Learning Test and the esteemed National Latin Exam. But we also know that grades and tests can’t fully gauge children’s depth of engagement with the material or their commitment to habits of intellectual rigor, and they certainly cannot measure a student’s worth.

Therefore, we agree with educational experts who have increasingly encouraged schools not to confuse good test-taking with genuine learning, and we will never “teach to the test.” In other words, we teach subjects in a manner and sequence that is best for children and their long-term cognitive and emotional development, not so that we can say our students knew the right answers on an impersonal, standardized exam. In this way, we are able to instill a relaxed, lifelong love of learning that positions them to excel in every future endeavor.

What’s your take on extracurricular activities?

We embrace extracurricular activities as a means for students to stretch themselves in worthy pursuits under the guidance of enthusiastic instructors. The extracurriculars we offer - particularly athletics, performing arts, and community service - give students opportunities not only to develop certain skills and abilities of interest, but also to grow in crucial attributes of character. You can see a representative list of our teams, clubs, and after school activities HERE.

We reject extracurriculars as a kind of educational broom meant to sweep up those things that fell to the cutting room floor during curriculum design -- that is, activities that would have benefitted every child but because of budget, time, or staffing constraints are cut from the regular school day. If children inherently deserve the opportunity to engage in a certain pursuit, it is our responsibility to ensure that all children get that opportunity. Our curriculum is never informed by pressure to create efficiencies, and we will never relegate important learning to after-hours. For this reason, many pursuits considered “extras” at other schools are part of every OLMC student’s school day.

We both work outside the home. Is OLMC a good fit for our family?

Yes! We offer AfterCare until 6:00 p.m. for families who need extra child care. In addition, we’re very aware that it can be more difficult for working parents to find connection within a community, so we try to host events and activities on days and times that minimize disruption and maximize participation. And of course we’re always delighted to work with families to meet their specific needs as best we can.

Will my child be able to adjust well to a classical liberal arts education?

Classical liberal arts education is not a system or a method; rather, it is an approach. So, although some students take time to adjust to active participation and enjoyment throughout the day, what we ask of them is the most natural thing in the world for a young learner.

Some students are taken aback that their teachers don’t do the thinking for them; but children are naturally curious, so we empower them to think for themselves. Some find it foreign that they are allowed to discuss questions of faith and self-governance; but muzzling them stifles their deepest yearnings, so we foster exploration and civil debate. And some parents find they have to redefine “success” and diminish the weight they place on grades; but numerical evaluations tell only part of the story, and an outsized emphasis on grades turns learning into a chore.

For most students, any transition period is short and seamless, and enrolling in OLMC ultimately feels like coming home.

What’s your approach to class size?

We never determine class size by economics or the dimensions of our physical plant; rather, we make the decision based solely on what’s best for children’s cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. Close and direct interaction with teachers fosters higher academic achievement, more emotional intelligence, and greater social comfort and adjustment. Once a class reaches the size we believe is ideal for its students, we form a waiting list for others wishing to enroll.

Can we afford to send our child to OLMC?

It costs about $12,000 a year to educate a child at OLMC. We are well aware, however, that that number is often prohibitive for families, and we strongly believe that it would be inhumane to turn students away simply because of an inability to afford tuition.

Therefore, we engage in robust fundraising year round in order to help defray the costs. OLMC is blessed with a number of supportive benefactors who recognize the importance of educating children in the classical Catholic tradition. We are also very fortunate to exist as a ministry of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, meaning parishioners young and old extend school families untold financial generosity and moral support. Finally, we as a school community work very hard to raise enough funds such that all of us can continue to be a part of the OLMC family. With everyone pulling at the oars throughout the year, we are able to keep tuition as low as possible - well below the cost to educate - and we can usually offer financial aid packages that allow parents to realize their dream of sending their children to OLMC.

Why did you open a high school?

OLMC offers a number of distinctive advantages, not just for learning but for life. It’s evident first in the joy and excitement our students have for school, and second in the academic success they enjoy.

Unsurprisingly, then, it had long been a dream of OLMC parents to extend that experience into grades 9-12. This was especially true for parents with older children who had already been through high school, because they knew firsthand that there’s nothing quite like OLMC’s approach to education at that next level.

So in 2020 a group of community stakeholders set about building Lumen Gentium Academy, thereby launching the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Educational Ministry’s prek-12 vision.