Levels 3 through 8 at Branches Academy at The Vine
Welcome to Branches Academy at The Vine, a private Christian school in Laurel, Montana, dedicated to nurturing young hearts and minds in the light of Christ. Formerly New Life School of Light, our Levels 3 through 8 programs serve students ages 8 to 14 (approximately 3rd to 8th grade), fostering their holistic development—spiritually, socially, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. As a ministry of The Vine, we partner with parents to fulfill the biblical call to “train up a child” (Proverbs 22:6), discipling students to know God deeply, live out His truth, and thrive through faith-integrated, individualized learning that equips them for Kingdom impact.
Our Programs
Our Levels 3 through 8 programs provide a rigorous, faith-based education using Ignitia, a versatile online Christian curriculum from Alpha Omega Publications. With small class sizes (1:14 ratio), we offer personalized support in a blended learning environment, where students use laptops for self-paced lessons while benefiting from teacher guidance, group activities, and spiritual discipleship. We incorporate Dr. Caroline Leaf’s 5-step learning process to help students manage their thoughts and build healthy mindsets, preparing them for academic excellence and lifelong success.
These levels are computer driven, a home supplied laptop, Chromebook, or tablet with functional keyboard/mouse is required for each student to bring to school daily.
Ignitia Curriculum Highlights:
Ignitia offers over 50,000 multimedia elements, including interactive games, videos, and virtual labs, covering Bible, core subjects (math, language arts, science, social studies), CTE, and electives for grades 3–8. It supports diverse learners with features like text-to-speech, blended learning videos, and customizable lessons, ensuring faith integration through Christ-centered content that aligns with our mission.
These levels are computer driven, a home supplied laptop, Chromebook, or tablet with functional keyboard/mouse is required for each student to bring to school daily.
- Levels 3–4 (Ages 8–10, Approximately 3rd–4th Grade)
- Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
- Tuition: $400/month.
- Focus: Building foundational skills in core subjects like math, language arts, science, history, and Bible, with interactive multimedia and hands-on projects to encourage curiosity and emotional growth.
- Levels 5–8 (Ages 10–14, Approximately 5th–8th Grade)
- Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
- Tuition: $400/month.
- Focus: Advancing in core curriculum, electives, and career-technical education (CTE) options, emphasizing critical thinking, spiritual maturity, and preparation for high school through dynamic, Christ-centered lessons.
Ignitia Curriculum Highlights:
Ignitia offers over 50,000 multimedia elements, including interactive games, videos, and virtual labs, covering Bible, core subjects (math, language arts, science, social studies), CTE, and electives for grades 3–8. It supports diverse learners with features like text-to-speech, blended learning videos, and customizable lessons, ensuring faith integration through Christ-centered content that aligns with our mission.
Enrollment Information
- Eligibility: Students must meet age-appropriate progression for levels 3–8; Montana law requires attendance for ages 6–16.
- Tuition: $400/month, with discounts for full-year or multi-student families (contact our Director).
Our Approach
Rooted in our core values of love, literacy, and the Word of God, we view education as discipleship, nurturing the whole child. Drawing from Dr. Caroline Leaf’s How to Help Your Child Clean Up Their Mental Mess, we use the 5-step learning process to empower students to think mindfully and build resilient memories:
- Input: Students read, listen, and watch multimedia content, becoming aware of their thoughts, feelings, and choices.
- Reflect: Through questioning and discussion, students engage with lessons, creating connected, accessible memories.
- Write: Creating metacogs (mind maps) helps students process and refine their thinking on paper.
- Recheck: Students verify accuracy with Ignitia’s pretests and flex assessments, editing understanding for clarity.
- Output: Reteaching material—via Ignitia’s interactive tools—solidifies long-term memory, making application natural.
We also incorporate the 7 Thinking Modules (Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Kinesthetic, Musical, Visual/Spatial) to honor each child’s unique thinking style, ensuring engaging and effective learning. This aligns with our belief that children are wired for love and optimism, promoting positive mindsets for lifelong success.
Partnering with Parents
Parental involvement is essential to student success, as supported by research and biblical principles. We foster strong home-to-school partnerships through:
Our discipline approach, grounded in Galatians 5:22–23, emphasizes the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) to guide students toward self-awareness and Christ-like behavior. Reflective time-outs teach responsibility, always emphasizing forgiveness and restoration.
- Parent Involvement: Volunteer in classrooms, assist with events like Family Fun Nights, or contribute to projects such as field trips and fundraising.
- Communication: Monthly newsletters, our church app, and Parent-Teacher Connections (September, February, May) provide updates. Ignitia’s Parent Portal allows real-time access to grades, lesson plans, and progress reports.
- Practical Support: Students need a laptop or device for Ignitia; parents provide a backpack, water bottle, cold sack lunch, and a change of clothes for emergencies. Students must wear modest, activity-appropriate clothing and School of Light shirts (transitioning to Branches branding).
Our discipline approach, grounded in Galatians 5:22–23, emphasizes the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) to guide students toward self-awareness and Christ-like behavior. Reflective time-outs teach responsibility, always emphasizing forgiveness and restoration.