Application
see details below
Interested in becoming a part of the family? We’re invested in making sure we’re the right fit for you!
To join during open enrollment periods, you will need to fill out an application ($25 non-refundable fee) and sit down with us for an interview. We do require our members to sign a faith statement and a code of conduct. Please be sure to review those before submitting your application.
We are a smaller sized community that does require parent participation and often have limited student availability. You can follow us on social media to learn more about enrollment openings or send us an email with your inquiry. Thank you!
—The Olive Branch
enrollment process:
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Parent Education: Read & watch video provided below along with the Faith Statement and Code of Conduct.
Submit Application - $25 Non Refundable Application Fee
Phone Interview Scheduled
If eligible for enrollment, In Person Interview Scheduled with Parent and Student(s)
Upon Acceptance: Pay Registration Fee to Reserve Your Family’s Spot
THE OLIVE BRANCH HOMESCHOOL CO.
PARENT EDUCATION
Please watch the following video:
THE CULTIVATION OF WISDOM
At Olive Branch Homeschool Co, we see education as the formation of the human soul. Our aim is to cultivate in students a love for what is good and beautiful, guiding them toward wisdom rooted in the fear of the Lord. We pursue this vision by introducing them to some of history’s greatest thinkers, inviting them into thoughtful dialogue through Socratic discussion and the exploration of ideas. Rather than telling students what to think, we seek to teach them how to think—equipping them to discern truth with clarity and conviction.
The true goal of education is the cultivation of wisdom and virtue. The most helpful definition of virtue I’ve heard is from Christopher Perrin. It states, “Virtue serves as a middle ground between two extremes - for example, courage between timidity and recklessness.” Literature and history helps us to see how life plays out under certain circumstances without creating or replicating those circumstances for ourselves. You can see what excessive timidity costs you by reading Hamlet, all the while joining in the conversation that’s been had about these stories from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
“Just as math and science offer opportunities to explain and anticipate the physical world, the humanities offer opportunities to explain and anticipate moral life. Physics allows us to send a rocket into space on paper before taking the risk in real life. In the same way, Anna Karenina allows us to see, on paper, the consequences of allowing selfishness or sacrifice in marriage before affecting great pain or joy in real life.” - Leigh Lowe
I began panicking about homeschool around the time my son turned five. Like many homeschool parents, the crushing weight of his education settled on me in a deeply uncomfortable way. He was so intelligent. How could I hold all of this responsibility well? I didn’t want to fail him. I wanted him to fly. What if I unintentionally clipped his wings? As I laid these fears before the Lord, I began to research the “why” for education. This quest set me free in many ways. The Lord drew me to Colossians 2:2-3 which says, “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Ultimately, the aim of education is for our children to see Christ. In their pursuit of Him, they will find wisdom and knowledge.
Whether an idea in a great book comes from a pagan or believer, if there’s wisdom to be found, it will be in Christ. The pursuit of wisdom is truly the pursuit of Christ. The education system today is largely centralized around the goal of creating competent workers. Unfortunately, humans are not machines to be wielded, but souls to be nourished. One can be accomplished by systems and tests. The other takes the breath of the living God, awakening the soul to the wonder of His goodness and the awe of His creation. We can not be fooled into thinking we can accomplish this by finding the right curriculum, co-op, or workshop. We must humbly lay before the Lord and ask Him to do the work in us first, that we may demonstrate the way for our children.
“For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.” - Ecclesiastes 7:12
There are many verses about the relationship between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is the facts we memorize, the books we read, what we fill our mind with. Wisdom is largely how we synthesize that knowledge. Wisdom is living in reverent fear of the Lord, applying His truth in righteousness, and walking in purity, peace, and obedience to His Word. We have to be convinced that our children were made for this endeavor, even if their flesh is warring against it.
CLASSICAL EDUCATION
Let’s spend some time defining our terms. Most of this will come from Christopher Perrin, the pioneer of the modern Scholé model. “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.” Classical Education began with the teaching of the “trivium” (grammar, logic, rhetoric) followed by the “quadrivium” (astronomy, arithmetic, music, and geometry). Today, these are combined and known as the seven liberal arts. Theoretically, a liberal arts college would still emphasize these things, but that seems to be less and less the case.
K-6 is considered the grammar stage. The grammar stage involves lots of memorization through songs and chants, as well as an emphasis on facts.
7-9, the logic stage. The logic stage is meant to teach children how to think, reason, debate, and discuss fueled by the study of logic.
10-12 is the rhetoric stage. The rhetoric stage emphasizes effective and persuasive speaking and writing.
These stages are designed to work with the child’s development instead of against them. As their brains are shaped and developed, there becomes a deeper desire for debate or self-expression. We do not seek to stifle these desires, but rather feed their minds with plenty of good ideas and give them the tools to evaluate and discuss them effectively. The goal is to develop learners with a hunger for beauty and a passion for communication.
SCHOLÉ
“Desire without knowledge is not good and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” - Proverbs 19:2
A scholé community is a group of families or learners who gather for the purpose of pursuing a life of restful learning in the classical tradition. The word scholé (σχολή) is Greek and originally meant leisure — not “free time” in the modern sense, but the purposeful, unhurried space to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and contemplation. It’s where we get our word school.
A scholé community usually emphasizes:
Restful learning – delighting in truth, goodness, and beauty without frantic pressure.
Contemplation over utility – knowledge pursued not just for practical outcomes but for the formation of the soul.
Classical tradition – engaging with great books, ideas, arts, and sciences through conversation and reflection.
Shared life – families or students coming together weekly (often in homeschool settings) to learn in fellowship, often with a focus on reading, discussion, and the liberal arts.
Many times the idea of a classical school brings up rigor and intensity. While those notions are not wrong, and even praiseworthy, our goal is not to read as many books as possible, but rather to slow down and dive deep into the books we are reading. We desire to cultivate rest and enjoyment as we meander through these incredible works together. Our goal is not to think broadly, but to think deeply. This can look different for many communities and we look forward to unpacking what it looks like for this community. This does not mean it will always be “fun” but we promise to set a pace that is sustainable, through prayer and sensitivity to the pace of the Lord.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Our teachers and curriculum are both chosen with intentionality. We believe in placing teachers in classrooms where their passions come alive. These teachers serve as guides, but also co-learners. We seek to move through beautiful and rich books at a steady pace that allow for depth of discussion and dissection. We’d rather work through one incredible book per semester, diving deep than move through three books without room to breathe. Our co-op is not meant to supplement the fullness of your child’s education, but rather offer support through community, discussion, and offerings that may be difficult to provide solely in a home setting. Most of our families utilize their own resources at home in addition to their child’s work for the co-op. We whole-heartedly believe in parental autonomy in their children’s educational journey. You cultivate the culture and atmosphere of learning for your child and allow us to dive deeper on subjects that matter to you.