Why Choose NOCA?

Prospective Families

Why Choose NOCA?

Classical schools are unique among school choice options for three main reasons – a high or noble purpose, a content-rich curriculum, and a traditional classroom environment. Classical Education upholds a standard of excellence and has proven itself over the course of time. NOCA’s high standards and research-based curriculum will provide students with a traditional education that will challenge them to excel not only in learning, but also in character development. At NOCA, high academic achievement, personal discipline, ethics, and responsibility will be consistently reinforced through the study of subjects in the classical tradition. Students will graduate from NOCA as highly literate and ethical citizens who are well-prepared to advance into high school and on to any life endeavor while inspiring others.

Our Affiliation with Hillsdale College

NOCA is in Affiliation with Hillsdale College. The Barney Charter School Initiative is a project of Hillsdale College devoted to the education of young Americans. Together, we believe the aim of classical education is high, but not unreasonable. Its primary function is the dissemination of knowledge; self-government and civic virtue are essential complements to this function, but only occasionally as explicit parts of the curriculum. The dissemination of knowledge should be purposeful, and it should begin at an early age. Students do not merely need to learn “critical thinking skills,” but also need to furnish their minds and imaginations with something to think about. The emphasis of our curriculum is upon the core disciplines of math, science, history, and language arts, followed by attention to music, art, and foreign languages. Each of these disciplines is taught with an emphasis upon our own history and traditions as American citizens and inheritors of Western Civilization.