HTD meets on Wednesdays for 32 weeks each year: 30 weeks of classes, 1 week of presentations, and a final week with a field day and an end-of-year celebration.
The full group comes together each day at 10 am for chapel and at 12 pm for lunch and playtime. During the rest of the day, we break up into classes and activities based on flexible age groups. The elementary and middle school students follow a four-year history-themed cycle for history and literature. During the 2025-2026 school year, the focus will be the Modern Era for middle schoolers and California state history for elementary students.
Chapel
This is a full-group time each morning where we gather for prayer, a Bible reading, a homily, and hymns related to the day's reading. Chapel is conducted by the LCOS pastors and follows a traditional Lutheran liturgy from the Lutheran Service Book. The services are usually 40 minutes (~50 minutes during Advent and Lent). All ages are invited. A soundproof room is available in the back of the sanctuary if needed for young children.
Nursery / Preschool (up through age 5/K)
This is a fun preschool-like class for babies to five-year-olds with story time, crafts, Bible songs, and play time.
Lower Elementary (K/1st-3rd)
2025-2026: Crazy 8s math club, Sassafras science: geology and astronomy, California state history, presentations, and read-alouds are offered by a group of volunteer parent teachers.
2026-2027: Ancient history cycle: Story of the World Volume 1 + Sassafras chemistry and physics (tentative)
Upper Elementary (4th-6th)
2025-2026: Public speaking, Write Shop I, Berean Builders Science in the Industrial Age, and a California state history/literature class are offered by a group of volunteer parent teachers and one hired teacher. Each class has some required homework, but no formal grades are given.
2026-2027: Ancient history cycle: Story of the World Volume 1 + more (writing, science, speech)
Middle School (7th-8th)
2025-2026: Writing (literary analysis, persuasive writing, and creative writing units), Conceptual Physics, Modern World & U.S. History/Literature, and an elective class (Art of Argument and the Tech Challenge engineering project) are offered by a group of volunteer parent teachers. Each class has required homework and feedback/grades will be given to prepare the students for high school.
2026-2027: Writing, ancient history cycle, life science, elective TBD
High School (9th+)
2025-2026: Writing (literary analysis, persuasive writing, and creative writing units), formal logic, and chemistry labs afternoon. Each class has required homework and grades are assigned. Study hall is also available.
2026-2027: TBD