As more and more families nationwide choose non-traditional education programs, organizations like One Day Academy (ODA) are growing in numbers and strength. Founded to provide good value—and Christian values—to home-school families, ODA is a viable and valuable opportunity that keeps parents and students in the driver’s seat.
The program provides a campus and congregate learning for home-schooled students, who attend one day per week at one of 17 local (and growing) campuses.
Founder and Director David Swarbrick (pictured) has created a program with more than 170 courses appropriate for students equivalent to 3rd through 12th grade. “We do not have grade levels here and all courses are available for students who wish to race ahead or learn at a comfortable pace.”
He says enrollment has a bell-shaped curve; most are in the equivalent of middle school and most of his high school students are also taking college level courses elsewhere as well.
Course curricula include traditional academic content in the sciences, English, history, etc., and academic electives, like American Sign Language and economics. There are also classics like rhetoric and Latin, all the way to fine arts and Tae Kwon Do. “We believe we have or can provide anything our students want to learn,” Swarbrick says.
Students and parents choose courses based on need or preference. “Many of our parents feel comfortable teaching their children in elementary-level subjects, but paying by the hour for tutors when children advance can be prohibitive. At ODA, classes work out to about $6.50 an hour for small groups, so students can still ask all the questions and get the specialized attention they need.”
Another benefit of ODA is the exceptional faculty. “Our teachers all have degrees in their field, two-thirds have graduate degrees and we employ 12 Ph.D.s.” Bottom line; having instructors with advanced degrees in an academy setting means if your student is ready for calculus in the 8th grade, they have an expert ready to teach it.
Swarbrick was a youth pastor for eight years and a quite-content math professor at UT. He began tutoring in 1998 and by 2003 was tutoring over 400 math students. “Parents began telling me their students wanted more than math,” so in 2005 he opened his first campus, hired seven teachers and welcomed 100 students.
Swarbrick says he never imagined the path his life would take but says; “This is a great student body and I love working with them. I love what I do and I enjoy the adventure of doing something I never expected. I am eager to continue developing and adding to the program.”
ODA is now in 23 locations across the state and boasts more than 2000 students. He is also training others in the ministry of ODA to spread the mission and the opportunity.
“It takes about 18 months to develop a campus and we consider ourselves educational entrepreneurs who partner with kids for great opportunities.”
Swarbrick added that the program is also compatible with some special needs. “We have many high-functioning students who are thriving here because everything about our campuses is predictable and very well-planned. Every student knows what is expected in and out of the classroom.”
Academy fees start around $50 per class per month, which primarily covers operation costs. “We focus on teaching rather than tracking and testing but I am pleased to know that our seniors are getting into the colleges of their choice, and we average seven merit finalists every year.”
Swarbrick reports great feedback from students who enjoy seeing friends and he has a 95 percent retention rate. “Home-schooled students are now in demand at colleges because they are graduating in unparalleled numbers, have lived a lifestyle of accountability and have been trained to work independently.”
ODA does not do standardized testing but, Swarbrick says, students typically test 1-1/2 to 2 years ahead of expectations.
ODA conducts interviews to ensure parents and students know what is expected and what they can expect with regard to discipline, faith activity and supervision at home. “Kids must be supervised when learning and we want commitment. We don’t tell students what to take, but we do have a pace and an expectation of excellence.”
ODA also provides summer classes as a means to give students a peek into the learning environment or just enjoy some summer enrichment. Classes for summer and the next academic year will be posted April 15 at OneDayAcademy.com.
