University-Model ®

We believe parents to be the first and most influential factor in their child's emotional, social, and spiritual development. As such, Oak Grove partners with parents in their God-given task to teach their children, and equips them to become effective and confident partners in teaching.

University-Model® 

Parents, working alongside classroom teachers, take on the role of leaders in their child’s early education and become a pillar of support as they grow and mature. The University-Model^TM (UMS) provides parents with the tools of time, curricular flexibility and academic expertise. More importantly, however, is the UMS goal of helping to preserve and strengthen the God-ordained family relationships in which the Christian faith is most effectively fostered. The key to success for the UMS model is the integration of a biblically based, parentally guided, Christian faith and a sound, teacher-facilitated, academic environment. The Bible gives parents authority and responsibility for raising their children with the goal of becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. In matters of education, that parental authority and responsibility, although not surrendered, may be shared with an educational institution when the parents consider it desirable or necessary. Our University-Model® approach assists, and does not replace, parents in their work of training and educating their children.

 Oak Grove unapologetically speaks and teaches in a manner consistent with our Statement of Faith, emphasizing the necessity of a personal relationship with Christ and growth in Christ-like character. Parents help individualize their child’s education with support from the classroom teacher(s). Parents are also involved in the out-of-class instructional responsibilities of their children’s courses based upon each child’s age and stage of academic development. Most importantly, parents continue to build into their children those character qualities that reflect their own understanding of the Christian faith. While the school classroom may be a place where these individualized plans come into play, the home classroom is the ideal environment for individualization. Parents as co-teachers capitalize on their unique and well-informed relationship with their own children to best deliver specific academic needs.

As children grow, the level of parental involvement progresses from being a co-teacher in the grammar years, to a guide for dependent study in logic school, to more of a course monitor in the rhetoric school courses. Parents are expected to continue exercising loving and active responsibility for their children all the way through graduation. In partnership with these committed parents, Oak Grove is then able to integrate the home and school effectively toward the common goal of Christian character development and solid academic preparation for college.

Parent's Role In The UMS Model

Grammar School (K-5th)

Throughout their schooling, parents play an active part in their child’s education. In Grammar School, the parent's role is co-teacher. Classroom teachers take the lead academically and provide rigorous and engaging instruction at school, while the co-teacher is provided with robust lesson plans to follow on home days, which reinforce concepts introduced by the classroom teacher the day before. 

Logic School (6th-8th)

In Logic School, the role of parent transitions to a Guide for Dependent Study and becomes more hands-off than the co-teacher role in Grammar School. The student in logic school is at a dependent age where disciplined study habits must be developed - not by parental force - but through positive encouragement and through the student's growing awareness of personal consequences. In order for the class to be successful, the classroom teacher is dependent upon the parent to make certain that the student keeps up with the course assignments and communicates with the teacher if difficulties arise.

Rhetoric School (9th-12th)

In Rhetoric School, parents become a Guide for Independent Study. Parents at this stage have the opportunity to supervise the progress of their students' independent schoolwork and provide any additional guidance they may need before entering college. Courses offered at this level will mimic that of a junior college program or higher where independent study and research skills, time management skills, a strong work ethic, and self-discipline are essential.

General Student Schedules