Where is Koselig Academy Located?
For the 2025- 2026 school year, we are located 5 miles south of Sacred Heart, MN in the Opdal Lutheran Church Chapel. At our location, the students have several acres to roam and explore. We take numerous off-site field trips and experiences throughout the year as well.
What is “Cooperatively-Based Schooling”?
Although Koselig Academy is not the first cooperatively-based schooling option in Minnesota, the concept remains unfamiliar to many parents. Over the last decade, many co-ops and/or microschools have gained traction across the United States. Typically grassroots in nature, these places are often established by parents and educators seeking to address specific learning needs or fill gaps in educational services within their communities. Each co-op/microschool is distinct in its educational philosophy, culture, schedules, and student population.
How Can One Teacher Teach Multiple Grade Levels at the Same Time?
Koselig Academy purposefully maintains a small size to enable an individualized approach to learning. A blended classroom model will be employed, combining one-on-one or small group instruction with child-centered activities and creative play. This structure allows teachers to tailor lessons more effectively than is typically possible in a traditional classroom setting.
For many adults accustomed to conventional education systems, this approach represents a significant shift. Traditional classrooms often assume that students of the same age should learn identical content in the same sequence and at the same pace, regardless of individual interest or readiness. This assumption often proves inaccurate.
Koselig Academy embraces a constructivist approach, allowing students to guide their learning journey based on their readiness and interests. With the guidance of a skilled teacher, students can progress at a pace suited to their unique needs.
Rather than relying heavily on lectures, the academy supports immersive, hands-on learning. Students engage with materials during extended, flexible learning blocks, enabling them to explore subjects deeply, connect concepts to real-world experiences, and enjoy a balanced mix of structure and freedom. Play and exploration are integral parts of the curriculum.
How Do I Know If My Child Is a Good Fit for This Model?
Children who thrive at Koselig Academy tend to be curious, independent learners who relish exploring topics in depth. These students enjoy collaboration and are eager to share their knowledge creatively. They persist through challenges and appreciate opportunities to mentor their peers. Students often excel when free from the pressure of busy work or standardized testing, and they flourish in environments that foster creativity, encourage movement, and embrace the outdoors.
How Do I Know If My Educational Goals Align with Koselig Academy?
Parents who value lifelong learning and recognize the difference between meaningful education and rote schoolwork are likely to align with Koselig Academy’s philosophy. The academy emphasizes individualized learning timelines, recognizing that children develop at their own pace. Instruction is tailored to each child’s readiness, with assessments based on mastery rather than standardized testing.
Koselig Academy also fosters a sense of community and care for the surrounding environment, integrating Christian values and encouraging students to appreciate their neighbors and natural surroundings.
How Is This Model Different from Individual Homeschooling?
Families at Koselig Academy will register as homeschool families with their school districts, designating a licensed teacher as the primary instructor in their homeschool plan. While this administrative step aligns with homeschooling requirements, the academy operates as a unique hybrid of homeschooling and small private school settings, offering personalized schedules and licensed teacher instruction.
How Does Koselig Academy Differ from Other Private Schools?
Koselig Academy’s multi-age, small-group setting allows for highly personalized education. Student-teacher ratios range from 1:1 instruction to 12:1 group activities, enabling fluid learning groups based on mastery rather than age. Students enjoy flexible schedules, extended learning blocks, and opportunities to choose their learning activities, fostering executive functioning skills.
What About Flexibility in Attendance and Homework?
Koselig Academy is designed with flexibility in mind. Families can customize attendance schedules, and students are not required to complete absent work. The academy does not assign homework, focusing instead on maximizing learning during the school day. This allows students to pursue extracurricular activities and informal learning at home.
What Materials Are Used for the Curriculum?
Koselig Academy leverages both physical and digital resources to create customized learning pathways in core subjects like math, writing, and reading, ensuring students stay on grade level while encouraging them to excel. Interactive tools, a materials library, and online resources support engaging and innovative learning experiences. We also have a Music and Spanish instructor who employ their own curriculum.
How Will Feedback Work Without Report Cards?
Traditional report cards are replaced with detailed daily notes documenting each student’s progress, interests, and mastery levels. Feedback is shared between teachers and parents, prioritizing skill development and readiness over standardized grades. The goal is to prepare students for high school with confidence and a love for learning.
What Are the “Literacy” and “Environment” Blocks?
The literacy block emphasizes reading and writing as foundational skills, using workshop models and extended time to nurture a deep love of literature and communication. The environment block combines science, history, and social studies, using the surroundings as a “teacher” to inspire projects, experiments, and hands-on learning.
What About Specialist Subjects?
Art, music, physical education, and languages are seamlessly integrated into Koselig Academy’s interdisciplinary approach. Projects and activities naturally weave these elements into the learning experience, fostering holistic development without rigid boundaries between subjects.
Sacred Heart, MN
koseligacademy@gmail.com
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