Classical Education

What is our Mission?

“TO TRAIN THE MINDS AND IMPROVE THE HEARTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH A RIGOROUS, CONTENT-RICH CLASSICAL CURRICULUM IN THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, ONE THAT PRODUCES THOUGHTFUL LEADERS AND VIRTUOUS CITIZENS. ”

Our mission provides parents with something to contemplate and discuss with their students. The beauty of the charter school movement is that while we are strongly in favor of the classical educational model, we understand that one educational model is not right for every student.

Northwest Ohio Classical Academy wholeheartedly supports the primacy of the family and values the importance of parental choice. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your child’s future.

What is Classical Education?

NOCA serves over 600 students in grades K-12 from a single, convenient
campus in Toledo, OH. The mission of NOCA is to train the minds and improve the hearts of young people through a content-rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences with instruction in the
principles of moral character and civic virtue. NOCA is a Hillsdale College Curriculum School.

Central to the classical education philosophy embraced by Northwest Ohio Classical Academy and other classical schools around the nation is the pursuit of virtue and excellence. Grounded in the timeless ideals of truth, beauty, and goodness, the curriculum seeks to foster intellectual curiosity and moral integrity.

Through the study of classical texts, rigorous inquiry, and Socratic dialogue, students are encouraged to engage critically with the world around them and to cultivate a sense of civic responsibility. In promoting the virtues of wisdom, courage, and justice, the academy endeavors to nurture not only scholarly achievement but also ethical leadership and civic engagement. Emphasizing the dissemination of knowledge from an early age, our curriculum focuses on core disciplines such as math, science, history, and language arts, supplemented by music, art, and foreign languages.

Learn more about our classical curriculum here.

Why Choose NOCA?

Northwest Ohio Classical Academy offers parents seeking a return to traditional values an exceptional educational option steeped in critical thinking and moral integrity. As a tuition-free classical charter school in Northwest Ohio, it ensures every student has the opportunity to be shaped by these timeless ideals.

Within its collaborative community, NOCA instills discipline toward both academic and moral excellence, dedicated to preparing young individuals to lead lives of purpose and integrity, guided by the enduring values of classical education.

Learn more about our virtues here.

What is a Charter School?

Northwest Ohio Classical Academy stands as a shining example of the classical education philosophy within the innovative framework of a public charter school. As a public charter school, Northwest Ohio Classical Academy operates independently, governed by its own board of directors and sanctioned by an authorized sponsor approved by the Ohio Department of Education. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools like Northwest Ohio Classical Academy can design a curriculum tailored to their distinct mission and values, while remaining tuition-free and accessible to all students.

At its core, a charter school embodies the principles of parental choice. Northwest Ohio Classical Academy upholds the belief that parents are best equipped to make educational decisions for their children and that the state has a responsibility to provide diverse options to meet the unique needs of each family. By offering a rigorous, content-rich classical curriculum, the academy empowers parents to play an active role in shaping their children’s educational journey, fostering a sense of partnership and collaboration between families and educators.

Northwest Ohio Classical Academy is a public charter school and does not discriminate. All students are welcome to apply, and if the number of applicants exceeds the number of available seats, a lottery will be conducted to fill enrollment availability by grade level.