A life-giving education

Our 5-Day Program combines Living Academy's full academics with our creative Spark Enrichment day—giving your child tailored, Christ-centered education, extended time outdoors, and joyful community all week long.

With shorter school days and no pressured homework, you'll reclaim meaningful time together as a family while your child receives a full, rich education.

5-Day Program: Living Academy with Spark Enrichment

A Complete Zoe House Experience

Joyful, Holistic Learning
1-2 hours outdoors daily. Beautiful literature. Movement breaks. Gardening. Faith formation. Screen-free, hands-on experiences. An approach where academic excellence and childhood wonder both thrive.

Targeted Academics with Progress Monitoring

Creative Enrichment Woven In
Friday's Spark day brings integrated arts (theater, music, visual arts), nature-based learning, cooking, and play. Varied enrichment your child loves, beautifully integrated into their week.

• Small group instruction in literacy and math (1:8 ratio) with dedicated teachers who truly know them.

• A targeted balance of support and challenge with progress monitoring to ensure your child meets or exceeds academic goals each year

• A living curriculum in science, geography, history, and literature inspired by Charlotte Mason principles.

What if this year could be different?

This year can be different. Childhood doesn't wait.

Another year of the wrong fit means:

• Your child's natural love of learning continues to fade

• Precious family time consumed by stress and overwhelm

• Missing the community and support you've been longing for

• Watching childhood slip away in a system that is not designed around developmentally appropriate practices

"Our son went from dreading school to loving school! He loves the friends and teachers he made. It is amazing to see how much he improved!"

— Cecille

"I hear him say things like, 'I'm a genius,' 'I love school,' 'I can't wait to see my teacher,' and 'Let's leave early so we can get to school early.' Seeing that excitement and confidence return has been life-changing."

— Ashleigh

Families who found their place at Zoe House

"Our family has the homeschool support we've always needed. Our girls look forward to every day spent at Zoe House. They enjoy their teachers and friends of all ages! We have great confidence we made the right decision."

— Lauren H.

"Emily Barnitz and her teachers go beyond academics. They create a calm, loving environment where every child feels cared for and respected. Our child feels truly loved at Zoe Learning House and has learned invaluable lessons about respect, kindness, and what it means to be part of a supportive community."

— Ashley W.

Our Exceptional Educators

Led by founder Emily Barnitz (M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Teachers College Columbia University), our passionate team brings expertise in Charlotte Mason education, nature-based learning, gardening and nutrition, personalized tutoring, team building, and arts integration. We partner with families to help each child love to learn and thrive as who they were created by God to be.

What every 5-day student experiences in Living Academy with Spark Enrichment:

✓ Small group instruction (1:8 ratio or smaller) tailored to each child's level
✓ 1-2 hours daily outdoors for learning, lunch, and free play
✓ Beautiful literature & living books that inspire wonder
✓ Brain & movement breaks that honor how children learn

✓ Character + faith formation woven seamlessly throughout
✓ Daily prayers & Scripture connecting to monthly character focus
✓ Arts integration across science, geography, history, and literature studies
✓ Nature-based learning through all seasons
✓ Friday Spark Enrichment (varied offerings in theater, nature, art, STEM, and more)
✓ Screen-free, hands-on learning building real connection

✓ Student showcases & family events throughout the year
✓ Ongoing progress monitoring with Fall & Spring reports
✓ Experienced educators trained in Charlotte Mason & holistic education
✓ Early drop-off available (8:30 AM)

Monday - Friday in 2026-2027

10:00-3:00

5-Day

Program

Friday Flexibility: You Choose

As a Living Academy student, your child receives a Friday Practice Packet with targeted literacy and math practice—developmentally appropriate in length (30 minutes for K-2nd, 60 minutes for 3rd-5th).

Two options:

1. Complete it at home on your own schedule over the weekend

2. Join our optional Friday morning Academic Block (8:30-10:00am, additional fee) where we cover it together—leaving no work to be done at home. Then everyone transitions into Friday's creative Spark Enrichment from 10:00-3:00!

At Zoe Learning House, we believe children should be able to thrive. Far too many families today watch their child's natural love for learning fade under stress, while precious family time disappears. Parents feel stuck choosing between systems that weren't designed around developmentally appropriate practices.

That's why we created Zoe Learning House—a hybrid and full-time Christian academy where students genuinely love to learn and families reclaim time together through a flexible, choice-rich schedule. Our 5-Day Program combines Living Academy's inspiring academics with Friday's creative Spark Enrichment, all rooted in Charlotte Mason philosophy and brain-based learning research.

In our beautiful oak-lined space in Algiers, children learn through high quality curriculum, hands-on exploration, and time in nature. Mornings include small group instruction in literacy and math (1:8 ratio), ensuring every child is truly known and supported. Afternoons include inspiring lessons drawn from living books on science, geography, history, and literature. Experienced and caring teachers bring faith, character formation, and academic excellence together. Learning happens from 10am-3pm, with play and outdoor time included (early drop off for is available beginning at 8:30am). When your child comes home, they do not have loads of traditional homework assigned, only occasional classwork to finish to stay on track that is respectful of your family's time. Evenings belong to family dinners, outdoor play, creative pursuits, and rest.

In a world where screens dominate childhood, we've chosen a different path. Our learning is intentionally analog—hands-on, relational, rooted in living books and real experiences. We're part of the 1% of schools designed to intentionally be screen-free, nurturing developing minds while fostering the deep engagement and joy that comes from learning through living.

Whether your family is leaving traditional school, seeking more support for your homeschool journey, or looking for a Christ-centered educational approach that truly honors the whole child, Zoe Learning House offers a joyful path forward. From K-5th grade, we're growing with our students and partnering with families who share our values: that children are created with inherent worth, that wonder belongs in education, and that learning should inspire rather than deplete.

Currently serving K-5th grade families across Greater New Orleans—from Algiers to Uptown, Metairie, Kenner, Laplace, Waggaman, Harvey, and Gretna to Belle Chasse and Chalmette—Zoe Learning House is where students rediscover their love of learning and families looking for an alternative to traditional schooling find the support they've been searching for.

A New Option for Families

Nurturing Faith and Christ-Like Character

Learning that comes alive with the light of Christ

Woven throughout our programs is a Charlotte Mason understanding that all of life can honor Christ: "We allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and spiritual life of children." At Zoe, this means every day includes simple prayers, character formation rooted in our Scripture focus, and an education that celebrates what the Word of God teaches is good, beautiful, and true. Science reveals God's creativity. History shows His faithfulness. Literature explores the human heart. All of it points toward Him. You remain your child's primary spiritual shepherd; we create an environment where all of life—academics included—can honor Christ and display His glory.

Enrollment Information

2026-2027 PROGRAM OVERVIEW FLIPBOOK

+ Getting Started & Cost Summary

Admissions and Enrollment

Tell us about your family and we'll schedule a conversation to answer questions and arrange your visit.

1. Submit Interest Form

2. Visit Zoe House

Simple registration process, and you're part of the Zoe family for the year ahead.

For those enrolling in our academic programs, we schedule a welcoming personal evaluation in literacy and math as well.

3. Complete Registration (upon acceptance)

See our beautiful learning space, meet our staff, and have your child experience a 2.5-hour Child Visit Day with us.

We have a simple three-step process

to get started with Zoe Learning House:

All Inquiries: 5-Day, 4-Day, 3-Day, 2-Day, and 1-Day

Get started:

To learn more: Submit Interest Form if you're ready to take the next step with a phone call and schedule a visit!