Keeping It Catholic - Kolbe Academy

Catholic Homeschool Review

Kolbe Academy

For review purposes, very effort has been made to find families who are completely familiar with the Catholic home study program of their choice.

If you have experience with this Catholic homeschool program or another other, or have extra information from which other homeschooling families would benefit, please email keepitcatholic@usa.net

+Kolbe Academy

1600 F Street

Napa, CA, 94559

phone (707) 255-6499

Fax (707)255-1581

E-mail: kolbe@community.net

Website: http://www.kolbe.org

Financial Aid Availability: None

Special Needs Services: Yes

Payment Plan Available: Inquire

Founded in 1980, Kolbe Academy operates as a day school but also offers a homeschool program for grades K-12. Their homeschool program provides a suggested list of textbooks (which are not included in the enrollment fee but are available for purchase separately through Kolbe or other companies) and week-by-week course plans. At the high school level, course plans are especially detailed to help introduce the student to the classics in history and literature, as well as the writings of the great saints and ecumenical councils in religion. Kolbe is careful to note that the course plans, syllabi and tests are offered as guides and aids, not as requirements. The staff is available for consultation via phone or email.

Services extended to those enrolled with Kolbe include assessment of the student' s complete course of study for appropriate grade level placement, a list of recommended books, quarterly tests with answer keys for core courses, quarterly inspection of work and examinations (if parents so choose), grammar school diploma and high school diploma upon completion, detailed reports on student work (available upon request), transcripts kept on file, and Stanford Achievement Tests. Those enrolled also receive a monthly newsletter including news updates and home education tips.

Kolbe also hosts a few free online classes (which are discussions on an online bulletin board). Topics in the past have included Medieval History, a "Listening Guide" to classical music, and History and Literature of Ancient Rome.

The entire home school staff are faithful Catholics. The staff and faculty take the Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium and sign the Profession of Faith in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

Kolbe says, "...parents are free to adapt all our materials to suit their particular situation."

Although Kolbe recommends certain texts and offers them for purchase, parents enrolling their child(ren) retain complete freedom in choosing texts.

Recommended texts by Kolbe Academy include but are not limited to the following:

Baltimore Catechism, Faith & Life series, Catholic National Readers, Fr. Furlong's The Old World & America, Father Laux's high school religion series, Anne Carroll's Christ the King Lord of History, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, encyclicals, some Fathers & Doctors of the Church and lives of the Saints, Writings Strands (secular), Voyages in English (grades 3-8, 1962 Catholic version), Greenleaf History Series (some titles are on our Top Tip Off list), Saxon Math (secular), English from the Roots Up (secular) and Modern Curriculum Press Phonics (secular). Core courses for high school include the study of The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, The Divine Comedy, and various Shakespearean plays. Kolbe also offers an a recommended reading list for each grade level.