“We promote student-centric, self-directed learning environments,” says Jack Preus, “moving away from the one-size-fits-all approach in many of our traditional schools.”
Below, Jack Preus and Andrew Neumann of Open Sky Education discuss founding a non-profit, nationwide Christian network of microschools, a twist on the old one-room school house, with small classes tailored to students’ needs. Neumann is the CEO of this Wisconsin-based organization, while Preus serves as the education services national director.
The Epoch Times: How did Open Sky Education start? What’s your origin story?
Andrew Neumann: Open Sky Education began with the development of the Milwaukee Parental Choice program and the funding of tuition for children that wanted to go to a faith-based school. A passionate group of Christian leaders created a new school model, HOPE Christian Schools, designed to serve families in Milwaukee with an education based on the 3 C’s: Christ, College, and Character.
We then created Open Sky Education to utilize these emerging opportunities to create a full and lasting education accessible and affordable to all children. To us, a full and lasting education included the three pillars of excellent academics, character formation, and faith formation.
Jack Preus (L) and Andrew Neumann of Open Sky Education. The microschool network was a semifinalist for the Yass Prize, which rewards innovators in the field of education. Courtesy of Open Sky Education
The Epoch Times: Can you describe your vision for a national Christian microschool network?
Jack Preus: Our model represents an opportunity to reduce the risks and costs for families to access Christian education while cultivating Christian, character-driven, self-directed learners. Moreover, our model will embrace a new role of the teacher, shifting to a “guide on the side” model who will ignite passion and energy in the students.
The Epoch Times: What states are you most interested in expanding into?
Mr. Preus: Our first strategy for growing access to Christian microschools is to partner with local churches and families to help them launch their Christian microschool. Our key driver for the locations of these schools is the people we are working with rather than a specific geographic region. We have already supported the launch of Christian microschools in California, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri, and have additional partners we are working with in many other states.
Our second strategy is to launch our own network of microschools. For most of these microschools, we will target states with thriving school choice programs, which can offset the costs for families and ensure our schools are affordable to all families regardless of family income.
We’re not limited as to where we could support the launch and operation of Christian microschools. We aim to ensure that churches and other Christian communities have the resources and support they need to launch in any state, regardless of the funding source.
Students in the HOPE Christian School Network. Courtesy of Open Sky Education
The Epoch Times: What does Open Sky Education offer that is different from other private schools?
Mr. Neumann: Many private school operators are doing incredible work through traditional tuition-based schools, and we applaud their efforts. Our goal isn’t to compete with them or to slow their growth in any way, but rather to add additional models to faith-based education.
Open Sky Education programs serve families where educational choices and opportunities have eroded over time. We aim to reach the millions of American families who have lost access to strong academic, faith, and character formation opportunities. By creating new models of schooling that utilize public funding and smaller school sizes, we’ve been able to bridge some gaps that the traditional faith-based schools have challenges meeting.
Our experience over the past two decades has shown that when children are provided access to high-quality, full, and lasting educational options where they are loved, and the bar is raised without excuse or exception, all children can accomplish anything they set out to do.
The Epoch Times: How have parents responded to the alternative education option provided by Open Sky Education?
Mr. Preus: Our goal is to exceed the expectations of every student and family that we serve. Because our families come to us from many different backgrounds and experiences, this often requires our staff to set the bar high and pursue aggressive academic growth goals for our students.
In doing so, we embrace our partnership with parents and regularly solicit their input so that they have a voice in their child’s education. They have responded favorably to our efforts to create models that embrace their values.
The Epoch Times: What values do you impart to your students to build their character?
Mr. Preus: Deepening our relationship with God, understanding our identity in a Christian worldview, and finding and living out our purpose in life are central to Christian character formation in our models. Believing as we do that character is more “caught than taught,” this formation includes a commitment by the leaders and teachers in the school to grow their character alongside the students.
Moreover, as we considered the past 250 years of our nation’s history as well as the broad Biblical narrative, we selected virtues that have been vital for the advancement of freedom and opportunity in our nation, virtues like diligence, self-sacrifice, courage, respect, justice, integrity, and responsibility.
The Epoch Times: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Mr. Neumann: As we look ahead, we know there is still more to do. We have a long way to go to ensure all children have access to a full and lasting education, with the freedom to pursue their full potential, live flourishing lives, and serve what we call Greater Purpose.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Jeff Minick
Author
Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust on Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning as I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.” Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va.
