Discovering Lighthouse Learning: A Microschool Approach to Personalized Education

Lighthouse Learning is a unique microschool that offers a flexible, student-centered education blending structured academics and enrichment activities. It's more than just a school; it's a community built on trust, partnership, and a shared commitment to helping each child grow academically, socially, and personally. Lighthouse Learning was founded by Jamel and Makenzie Oliver with a vision to create a school where children learn authentically, joyfully, and without limitations.

The Vision and Mission

At Lighthouse Learning, the belief is that education should meet students where they are and guide them toward who they are becoming. The vision is rooted in the idea that children learn best when they feel safe, seen for who they are, challenged at the right level, and given purpose in their learning. The mission is to provide a faith-infused, family-centered, and future-focused education that empowers children to thrive.

Personalized Learning Paths

Lighthouse Learning prioritizes social-emotional learning, relationship-building, and intentional community. Academically, students are grouped by ability rather than grade level in reading, writing, and math at the elementary level. In middle school, students receive targeted instruction based on their current skill level, ensuring they are challenged appropriately and supported where needed.

The mastery-based, self-paced approach means students move forward when they demonstrate understanding-not simply because time has passed. The school begins with a pre-assessment process to determine each child’s starting point and uses ongoing progress monitoring throughout the year.

Flexible Homeschool Hybrid Tracks

Lighthouse Learning offers a full five-day immersive learning experience along with flexible options to partner with families in meaningful ways. You can choose to enroll for core academics only, enrichment, or both.

A Bottom-Up Approach

The traditional top-down approach in education often overlooks the unique needs of each child, but at Lighthouse Learning, they focus on a bottom-up approach. This means they prioritize the individual strengths, passions, and potential of every student, creating a learning environment that changes lives not just for the students, but for their parents and families as well.

The Founders' Journey

With a Master’s in K-12 Education and Administration Leadership, years of classroom and leadership experience, and recognition as Heartland’s Best Teacher in Missouri and Teacher of the Year in Florida, Makenzie was deeply committed to public education. However, God shifted her heart toward something greater. Together, she and her husband built Lighthouse Learning as a place where students feel safe, inspired, and eager to learn, while families and educators work hand in hand to nurture their growth.

In 2020, with God’s guidance, they took a leap of faith and started this journey right in their living room with a handful of students. Together, as husband and wife, they leaned on their faith, and each other, to build what Lighthouse Learning has become today-a school that now serves over 80 students with a waitlist.

What Families Can Expect

Families receive growth and progress reports, standardized assessment results (used for PEP Scholarship documentation), and ongoing communication about academic progress. While Lighthouse Learning is not a test-driven school, they do use data intentionally to guide instruction, support growth, and clearly communicate results with families. They believe strong communication builds trust and partnership.

Qualities of Thriving Students

Students who thrive at Lighthouse Learning are often curious and creative, multi-passionate learners, kind, respectful, and community-minded, hands-on and movement-oriented, and motivated by growth and feelings of mastery. Family support is key.

Homework and Schedule

Homework is part of the academic accountability system. Homework is assigned on Wednesdays for Academic Students (K-5 & Middle School). Assigned work is due the following Monday. Homework supports reinforcement of skills, responsibility, and independent learning. Students who attend the Academic Track (Monday-Wednesday) are provided with purposeful, intentional extensions to be completed at home as homework. These assignments will be due on the following Monday. Arrival is at 8:30 AM. Class begins coming inside from outdoors at 8:55 AM. Dismissal is at 3:00 PM. Students must be picked up no later than 3:15 PM.

Voices of Parents

Parents consistently praise Lighthouse Learning for its personalized instruction, loving environment, and the positive impact it has on their children's lives. Many express gratitude for the school's ability to reignite their child's love for learning and boost their confidence. The small class sizes and dedicated staff are frequently mentioned as key factors in the school's success. Parents appreciate the low-stress environment and the balance of academics and enrichment activities.

Enrollment Process

New families can start by filling out an interest form and attending an open house or a 1-on-1 tour. If enrollment is ASAP, a trial day may be scheduled to determine if Lighthouse Learning is the appropriate fit socially, emotionally, and academically for the student. The next step is to complete the application process, which includes an application fee and the submission of required documents such as previous school transcripts or report cards and IEPs or 504 plans (if applicable). Academic Track students will also need to schedule a placement assessment in Reading, Language Arts, and Math.

Transparency and Support

Lighthouse Learning values transparency and is thoughtful about how the school operates so families know what to expect and can plan with peace of mind. Teachers and parents who want to start their own learning entities don’t need to go it alone or start completely from scratch. Many of the people who have traveled that path are available for guidance.

A Lifeline for Families

Lighthouse Learning was born during the COVID pandemic when neighborhood microschools became a lifeline for families in need of educational options for their children, and it has blossomed ever since to become a complete K-8 destination with full- and part-time options for families with a variety of educational needs and priorities for their kids.

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