Angie Wakeman didn’t initially plan to homeschool her children—even after her homeschooled husband suggested it. She attended public schools growing up and was a public school teacher. When her oldest daughter was nearing kindergarten age, their school district switched to an all-day program. Angie wasn’t convinced it was right for her daughter, who was in a play-based preschool at the time. Her daughter loved learning, and she didn’t want her to lose that by being pushed into something that wasn’t developmentally appropriate.

Angie and some like-minded friends started doing some research. They had an interest in homeschooling, but they also wanted the support of a community and teachers. When they learned about the hybrid homeschooling model, it seemed like a great solution. And when they discovered Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy, that was the key for Angie because it encourages curiosity and critical thinking, includes a lot of time outdoors, and aligns with her views on what is developmentally appropriate.

In April 2017, Angie and co-founder Rebecca Foley held an informational session for their planned program, and they were shocked at how many people attended. Providence Hybrid Academy (PHA) opened in fall 2017 with 20 students in two classes. They’ve grown each year and have had to move several times for various reasons. Now they’re bursting at the seams with 100 students in two separate facilities, and they started this year with 50 students on a waiting list. They’re planning to start a high school next year with a 9^th grade class.

As a hybrid program, students work from home Monday–Wednesday and at PHA Thursday and Friday. Angie says she set it up that way so kids have something to look forward to at the end of the week—and it provides an added incentive for them to complete their work earlier in the week.

Providence Hybrid Academy’s educational approach is influenced by Charlotte Mason, who believed children are pre‐​disposed to learn and should have positive learning environments to encourage their natural inclinations. At PHA, children have multiple recesses during the day and are often outdoors. For K–4, various reading and math levels are scheduled at the same time so students can attend the level that matches their needs rather than their age. Afternoon classes integrate science, outdoors, history, geography, and the arts using living books, interactive projects, and nature study. The program also includes art and music, poetry, Bible stories, and plenty of time to work together and socialize.

Teachers send assignments and other resources for the home days. Parents have flexibility to customize the lessons to fit their child’s preferred learning style. For older students, PHA recommends adding additional history, geography, spelling, grammar, and literature studies on the home days.

Providence Hybrid Academy teachers have more flexibility than most teachers, which means they can try new things and experiment. If something doesn’t work, they can just try another approach. Angie says parents have told her that this freedom is its own important lesson—it lets kids see risk-taking, problem solving, and resilience in action.

Angie would love to expand PHA. Just based on her waitlist, she knows the demand is there. Some families travel nearly an hour each way to participate in the program. The problem is finding an affordable location that is large enough to accommodate the group. Since the outdoor and nature study components are so important to the Charlotte Mason approach, it’s crucial that any new location has plenty of green space. Plus, parents say the outdoor focus is one of the things they love most about PHA.

Angie is thrilled by the success of Providence Hybrid Academy, and she sees the benefits in her own family. “PHA has been such a great fit for my children,” she says. “The educational philosophy has nurtured my children’s love of learning; it keeps them engaged and genuinely excited to go to school. The environment and culture of PHA has fostered meaningful and caring connections with teachers and classmates, and they have a true sense of community there. We are able to work and play together on our days at home, and PHA serves as natural motivator and reward for doing our work at home.”