In a free nation, education is never neutral, it is always forming something.

In this episode, Dr. Khalid Khan explores what it really means to educate a child for citizenship, not just academics. Through examples like the restraint of George Washington and the life of Benjamin Franklin, we consider how what children learn shapes the kind of people they become.

At the center of this conversation is a simple but often misunderstood idea: you can’t teach a child to think without first giving them something to think about. Knowledge is the fuel for thinking, and without it, true understanding never takes root.

You’ll hear how Lafayette Academy builds that foundation through rich historical study across each grade level, meaningful stories, and books like Why Not, Lafayette? that help form what we call moral imagination, a child’s ability to recognize virtue, responsibility, and truth.

We also discuss why the school delays screens and technology in the early years, not to resist the modern world, but to protect attention, cultivate focus, and create real pathways for deep thinking.

This isn’t about producing better students.
It’s about forming future citizens.

Not just what is my child learning,
but who is my child becoming?

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

Why would someone start a school from scratch?

In this episode of the LadyK Podcast, Katy McKinney shares the real story behind founding Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. It wasn’t a business plan or a strategic move. It was a conviction.

After years of teaching, homeschooling, and searching for the right environment for her own children, Katy kept running into the same problem: schools that offered strong academics often lacked character formation, and schools focused on character often fell short academically.

So she asked a simple question:
Why can’t a school do both well?

This episode walks through the heart behind Lafayette Academy, the gap it was created to fill, and why classical education is resonating with so many families in St. Charles County and beyond.

If you’re a parent exploring school options or curious about classical education, this episode will give you clarity on what makes it different—and why it matters.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

What truly makes a student successful?

Grades and test scores are only part of the story. In this episode of the LadyK Podcast, Katy McKinney, Founder and Head of School at Lafayette Academy, a classical school in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, explores the often overlooked skills that shape strong and capable students.

Katy discusses the importance of soft skills, executive functioning, and emotional intelligence—the abilities that help students read the room, manage responsibilities, lead well, and interact with others with maturity and confidence.

While classical education is known for its rigorous academics, much of what forms exceptional young people happens in the margins: learning how to think clearly, interact wisely, and develop awareness of others.

If you're a parent in Lake Saint Louis, O’Fallon, Wentzville, St. Charles County or St. Louis County exploring education options for your child, this episode will give you insight into the deeper formation that happens inside a classical school.

Learn why the skills that are hardest to measure often have the greatest impact on a student’s future.

Link to study mentioned:

NATIONAL C-SUITE EXECUTIVE SURVEY ON
COLLEGE GRADUATES in the WORKFORCEhttps://www.highpoint.edu/lifeskills/c-suite-executive-survey/

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

Choosing a school can feel overwhelming, but, it doesn’t have to be.

In this episode, Katy McKinney shares four specific questions every parent should ask when visiting or considering a school. These questions go deeper than academics and test scores, they uncover culture, expectations, leadership, and the overall health of a school community.

She also explains the red flags and green flags to look for in the answers you receive.

You’ll learn:

• The 4 questions that reveal more than a brochure ever will
  
  
  
• What strong schools confidently articulate
  
  
  
• Warning signs that parents often overlook
  
  
  
• How to evaluate a school with clarity and confidence
  
  
  

If you’re touring schools, considering private or classical education, or simply wanting to make a thoughtful decision for your family, this episode will give you a practical framework you can use immediately.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

Choosing a school is one of the most significant investments a family will ever make, but, how do you evaluate the return?

In this episode of the LadyK Podcast, host Katy McKinney, Head of School for Lafayette Academy, sits down with Joe DeLisi, a parent at Lafayette Academy and a financial advisor who helps families and business owners make thoughtful, long-term decisions.

Together, they explore education through a financial lens, asking questions many parents are already thinking but rarely hear answered:

• How should families think about education as an investment?
• What does “return on investment” look like when it comes to schooling?
• Why did Joe and his wife choose a classical education for their children?
• How does long-term thinking in finance mirror long-term thinking in education?

This conversation is especially valuable for parents weighing private school, classical education, or alternative education models and looking beyond test scores to outcomes like character, discipline, and lifelong thinking skills.

If you’re navigating school decisions and wondering whether classical education is truly “worth it,” this episode will give you a calm, practical framework for thinking it through.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

Parents are noticing something is off, shorter attention spans, constant distraction, and learning that feels harder than it should.

In this episode of the Lady K Podcast, Katy McKinney, Founder and Head of School at Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, explores how screens are shaping attention, learning, and childhood, and why classical education takes a more intentional approach.

This conversation is not about fear or extremes. It’s about understanding what children actually need in order to think deeply, learn well, and grow with confidence. Katy explains how constant digital stimulation impacts focus and formation, and why limiting screens during the school day creates space for meaningful learning, real relationships, and sustained attention.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why attention is foundational to learning
• How screens quietly reshape the classroom and the child
• What a classical school approach protects, and why that matters
• How families can think more clearly about technology and childhood

Whether you’re a parent concerned about focus, a family exploring classical education, or simply someone sensing that modern learning has gone off course, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a thoughtful path forward.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

Life After Lafayette Academy, a Lake Saint Louis classical school, as alumna Marin McKinney shares how her education prepared her for high-level shooting at Hillsdale College.

In this episode of the LadyK Podcast, KatyMcKinney sits down with Marin to reflect on her journey from Lafayette Academy to collegiate competition. Marin discusses how the habits formed through classical education, discipline, focus, self-command, and clear thinking played a direct role in her athletic preparation and performance.

She also shares how two specific books helped shape her mindset, reinforcing the idea that intellectual formation and reading are not separate from athletics, but foundational to excellence under pressure.

This conversation offers parents and students a meaningful alumni perspective on life after Lafayette Academy and how thoughtful preparation equips students for demanding academic and athletic paths.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download

At Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, manners and etiquette are not simply expectations, they are foundational to how the school day begins and how students are formed.

In this episode, Katy McKinney explains why manners matter beyond social niceties and how classical education treats etiquette as a form of daily formation. From the first moments of the school day, students are taught how to carry themselves with respect, self-control, and attentiveness to others.

Katy shares why these habits are intentionally taught, how they shape a child’s character over time, and why manners are essential preparation for life, not just for the classroom.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

For Referenced Resources from the LadyK Podcast Click Here for Download