KCA Testimonials
Katy Classical Academy is a place like no other. I’m not sure how I went thirty years of my life without KCA, or taught for eight years at any other school. The community is welcoming, uplifting, Christ-like, and wildly different (in the best ways) than what I was used to in public school. The content and learning is rigorous, and every subject meshes together in a way I wish I had experienced growing up! It’s the perfect blend of Jesus, family, and passionate lifelong learning skills for anyone wanting to homeschool but not wanting to do it alone.
—Hannah Biederer, teacher
We have been fortunate enough to be a part of the KCA family for over 3 years. This homeschool/private school hybrid has been a fantastic fit for us and allowed for more meaningful learning experiences, community, enrichment opportunities and accountability (for my children AND us – the parents!)
Experiencing education through a classical model surrounded by fellow believers has enhanced our homeschool experience in immeasurable ways. The teachings from a biblical worldview with an emphasis on history and literature have been a game changer for all of our learning and have fostered rich family discussions where we can all participate!
We have been blessed to partner with KCA and are forever grateful to all the passionate teachers and administrators who have invested countless hours into this program and our children.
—Brandon and Ember Brown, parents
My family started at KCA 4 years ago. I wanted to homeschool, but I didn’t want to do it on my own. KCA provides community among teachers, staff, and parents to support my family in homeschooling. The teachers pour their lives into their lessons through their passion in the subject, their biblical wisdom, and their fun approach to the content. My children are well known by everyone at KCA. The teachers take time to make sure my children are making wise choices and thriving in the classroom.
School is fun! The kids never want to miss a day, with science experiments, history days, and special projects. Each day is jam packed with hands-on learning experiences —such as mummifying a chicken— that make the content the kids are learning come to life.
Additionally, I have learned so much from my time at KCA. My knowledge of history, math, and grammar has deepened. KCA has provided the accountability that my husband and I needed to disciple our children. As a family we read and discuss the Bible, recite catechism questions, and memorize scripture. It was difficult to stay accountable in this spiritual growth without the prompting through the lesson plans given by KCA. My family has been blessed by our time at KCA, and we look forward to the start of every school year.
—Megan Dart, parent
My daughter Kate graduated from KCA in 2021, and will be attending A&M this fall as an engineering major. When we were attending the new student orientation for the university’s freshman class, we had a meeting with about 18 other engineering majors and their advisors. They were told that during freshman year, they would be writing a 15 page paper and would need about ten sources. All the kids freaked out. All except the KCA Warrior in the room. She just laughed. She said she thought to herself, “I just wrote a paper with almost 20 sources. No big deal.”
The orientation session also mentioned there would be lots of reading projects with written responses. While other kids were nervous about these projects, Kate said, “Mom, that’s what accountability questions are. I’ve been doing that for years.”
While many parents worry about their kids as they enter into their freshman year of college, I have full confidence in Kate’s academic abilities. Well done KCA, well done! She is totally prepared.
—Jennifer Dodge, parent of a recently graduated student
Katy Classical Academy has been a tremendous blessing to my family. I am a mom of four boys enrolled in the Grammar, Dialectic, and Rhetoric programs at KCA. This school has prepared my children with a solid foundation in academics, and has provided a nurturing learning environment. Most importantly, the community of teachers and students who love God and others has allowed my children to thrive both socially and spiritually. As a parent, I am grateful for the support and encouragement this school provides. I have also been blessed to serve as a teacher at KCA for the past 6 years. It is truly a joy to be able to teach children and demonstrate how God is involved in everything we do, including our education.
—Amber Broussard, parent and teacher
KCA has been home for my family for over five years. KCA is more than just an academic setting to me. It is a home, a place that my children and I go to for friendships and to connect with the people who care about us. As a family that has needed that care and love, we know first hand how families at KCA come together and rally around you. It is truly a blessing to be involved in an academic setting where you know the community will support and care for you in whatever walk of life you are in.
Another thing I love is seeing all of the students making life long memories together. As one of the lunchroom ladies, I have a front row seat to observe these experiences. Whether it be the entire school dancing to Elvis—Yes, I said Elvis— enjoying the annual Thanksgiving Feast with family and friends, or just listening to the everyday conversations at lunch, KCA creates so many opportunities to put a smile on all of our faces. So as you can see, there is so much more to KCA than academics. These students DO learn a LOT, but they make so many sweet and lifelong memories in the process. That is truly special to my family, and I know this unique learning environment is not easily found.
—Annette Pendergrass, parent and staff member
Throughout my four years of being a student at KCA, I have learned so many skills. One that stands out to me is my eagerness in actively participating in the History program. I have learned how our history shapes our world today, and have been immersed in the cultures we study, through hands-on education and even foods from the place or time period we are studying. I have created art inspired from the different cultures we learn about, such as rain sticks, painted coke bottles, frescos, watercolors, and African pattern art. I have learned so much from these
immersive experiences, because I learn best through hands-on learning, rather than just being fed information.
KCA has provided me with more than just a love for history. I have also found many opportunities in the after-school electives. One of my personal favorites is the after-school art program, where I will be interning this year. I have always loved art, and KCA has provided me the opportunity of entering my art into an art competition. Going into my senior year, I am so thankful that KCA has given me a love for learning, and provided me with many amazing opportunities. I want to thank Katy Classical Academy for teaching me to become a life long learner!
—Anna Grace Pendergrass, Class of 2022
My seven years at Katy Classical Academy earned me much more than a diploma; it gave me the confidence I needed to begin my college career. While at KCA, I participated in Socratic discussions and learned how to politely disagree with my peers and answer tough questions about my personal beliefs. Instead of feeling lectured and “talked at” in class, I felt invited to participate and contribute to my own education by diving deeper and making connections. These discussions, paired with other presentations and debates, also sharpened my public speaking skills and have helped me feel more comfortable speaking in front of a group. In addition, I had the opportunity to attend dual-credit college classes on the KCA campus and interact with a professor, online learning portals, and other resources that make me feel prepared for life as a college student. My Senior Capstone project was one of the most impactful experiences I had while at KCA. The project took an entire academic year and was devoted to finding scholarly resources on a topic of my choice as well as conducting some guided student research. My completion of this project is one of my proudest achievements. I can’t wait to see how my years as a Warrior will shape the next four years of my life and beyond!
—Kate Dodge, Class of 2021
I have lived in Magnolia with my husband and 4 of my 5 children for less than a year. We lived in Katy for 10 years before that and we began attending Katy Classical Academy in 2013, where I began teaching. Through the course of our 9 years with KCA, I taught physics, chemistry and math for 4th through 12th grades including Algebra I and II, Geometry, SAT math, and Pre-calculus, as well as the dual credit college math courses through a university. KCA was a very rich and rewarding experience for my family, not only academically but emotionally, socially and spiritually, and not just for my children. It was professional development, mentorship, community, friendship and fellowship for myself.
My oldest graduated from KCA, where she learned to write, read challenging literature, and learned how to succeed on standardized tests. She made so many wonderful memories. Her graduation ceremony was the culmination of all of our hard work together and such a milestone for all the dreams and aspirations we had for her. The graduation ceremony was so sweet and personal. Every parent spoke and awarded their own child their very hard-earned diploma. I then watched her transition to a university and continue to excel. She is graduated this month from Liberty University. I knew this model had prepared her extremely well and I wanted that education and experience for all my younger children.
When we moved to Magnolia, I thought it would be perfectly fine to continue with the tried and true methods used by KCA. I know the model and the curriculum. I’ve seen it done for almost a decade and I was well equipped to repeat it at home with my 4 younger students. I thought we would find a community of believers to carry on community. However, my expectations were not met. Our group of friends were homeschooling with no structure, and some gave up because full-on homeschool can be draining. To plan, prepare, execute, assess for EVERY subject is exhausting and lonely. So, yes, we were using the same curriculum and receiving the same education that we had been at KCA, but it was flat. My children and I had no community, no classroom of peers, no mummifying of chickens, no “pioneer travel to Oregon” experience, no traveling the silk road activity, no Valentine parties, no secret Santas, no presentations, no speech competitions, no trebuchet competitions, no goofing off at lunch and in hallways after school. All of these things made KCA more than homeschooling. I knew what I had to do. Bring the KCA model to Magnolia.
I, however, did not know how homeschooling families in this area would feel about it. So I chose to post on one facebook board in order to gauge interest. And I got an overwhelming answer. There was an unequivocal desire and interest. It was expressed through the many many responses, questions and people reaching out to say “I have been waiting for this! I want this for my children! Can I teach with you?” This is the beginning of our journey, so stay tuned for what God has in store for our new little school and new little community. I can’t wait to get to know each and everyone of you!
—Leslie Gesino, parent and teacher