Lighthouse Academy
Junior Program
up to age 12
The Lighthouse Academy Junior Program is a parent-run program and is for homeschooled children under 12 years of age. The goal of the Junior Program is for our children to have a place to interact with other sweet kids and be exposed to the fun of learning about all the wonderful things in the world alongside friends. It operates based on the philosophies of leadership education as taught in the book A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille, and promotes a Christian worldview. The Junior Program functions as the younger half of the commonwealth, Lighthouse Academy's Scholar program, for kids 12 and up, and serves as a funnel into that group for those families who desire to continue on. The Junior Program is not a drop-off group. We ask that all of the adults participating guide and direct their own children as well as help the other children around them. It’s a group effort that works beautifully when all are engaged! Parents must agree to stay up-to-date on Band, our commonwealth’s communication app.
What am I committing to?
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All members of the Lighthouse Academy commonwealth commit to reading and understanding the book A Thomas Jefferson Education before the school year begins. Obviously, you might agree or disagree with any part of the book or philosophy but it’s vital that, as a leadership education school, all of our participants understand the tenets that inform our school's structure.
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Running and teaching the Junior Program is a shared responsibility among all the parents involved. Every parent who joins the Junior Program commits to teaching whichever class he or she has children in for a determined number of weeks unless that parent is volunteering as a mentor in the Lighthouse Academy Scholar program. Volunteering in one or the other capacity fulfills each family’s volunteer requirements for the commonwealth.
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It’s also the duty of every parent present to be mindful of the lesson and teacher for the week and offer his or her assistance in the classroom (help kids to cut or glue, help to run a relay race, anything that needs doing, etc)
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When parties are held, every parent pitches in however possible and helps things to run smoothly.
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Parents communicate through and check the BAND app for the Junior Program frequently. Parents of the Junior Program are also part of the Lighthouse Academy parent BAND.
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Junior Program families are invited to participate in many Lighthouse Academy functions, including Family Foundations, field trips, and other activities.
What does the day consist of?
Pledge and prayer during our commonwealth's daily devotional, learning, playing, creating, singing, teaching (yes, even the kids teach sometimes!), and the occasional field trip or nature excursion. No child is expected to participate in an activity that they do not enjoy, but we do ask that all children are respectful and kind. There is always a corner of toys for any child who would rather not participate in the lesson.
