On the first Saturday in October and March each year, families walk through the doors of The Oaks Academy’s locations with backpacks, presentations, and breakfast goods for one of our most beloved traditions: Saturday School. It is much more than school on Saturday morning — it is a gathering together of our faculty, students, and parents for a time of learning and community building. It is also considered an official school day, so students have the next Monday off of school!

Like a normal school day, we start the morning with Lauds – a time of morning worship that sets a peaceful tone for the day. For the first half of the morning, families enjoy a time of fellowship and breakfast in the classroom, as well as participate in a lesson or activity. Parents in Pre-Kindergarten help their student glue crinkled tissue paper onto a shamrock while proud first grade students present on an African animal they have researched; in fourth grade, parent and student work together to draw a blueprint of a medieval castle for an upcoming project and the middle school turns into an exhibition hall where students present to their parents and peers about a historic scientific achievement or invention.

Around 10:00 am, parents are dismissed to participate in a selection of educational seminars led by faculty and staff. Because our philosophy views parents as their child’s first teacher, these seminars are intentionally developed to support them in that role. Seminar topics cover a variety of topics to help parents understand the educational philosophy, habit formation, and curricular distinctives of the school, and to equip them to engage effectively with their children. 

At The Oaks, we believe that partnering with parents is not only vital to our students’ success, but is also an enjoyable part of our role as educators. Saturday School is thoughtfully designed to give parents hands-on experience with The Oaks’ curriculum and to encourage whole families to be active learners at home.