About

Our Story

The Valor School began, quite simply, around a kitchen table—moms with toddlers at their feet, books in their hands, and a shared longing for something more.

Renee Swider, an educator with seven years of experience teaching in Christian schools, had long carried a vision: that her own children would one day be nurtured in an environment rich in what is good, true, and beautiful. Her classroom years were not just a profession—they were a calling that sowed the seeds for something deeper. As her firstborn, JJ, grew from baby to toddler, Renee found herself dreaming of a homeschool community grounded in truth, beauty, and virtue.

Around that same time, she and longtime friend and fellow teacher Elise Poppe noticed something stirring in the hearts of other young moms: a shared curiosity about the Charlotte Mason philosophy and a hunger for a community that would walk this journey together. They saw the need and stepped forward in faith.

In the fall of 2020, The Valor School was born. It began humbly—two classes meeting once a week in someone’s living room. But even in those early days, there was something vibrant and life-giving about gathering around living ideas, habit training, nature, Scripture, and art. The feast had begun.

Now entering our sixth year, The Valor School has grown to welcome over 40 students across five classes. And yet, the heart of our work remains the same: to partner with homeschooling families in raising children who love God, themselves, and others well. We believe, as Charlotte Mason did, that education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.

At Valor, we cultivate habits of attention, obedience, and respect. We engage with living books and hands-on learning. We make space for nature walks, artist study, Scripture memory, and rich discussions. And we do it all in a joyful community that supports and empowers the homeschool journey.

From a living room to a thriving community, The Valor School is a testament to what happens when families come together to pursue what is lovely, noble, and true.

nature study brush drawing

Our Philosophy

Rooted in the Wisdom of Charlotte Mason

The Valor School is inspired by the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason, a 19th-century British educator whose ideas remain strikingly relevant for today’s families. Her vision was bold and beautiful: that children are born persons—mind, soul, and spirit—and that education is not about filling empty vessels, but about nourishing hearts and minds with living ideas.

Charlotte Mason believed that education is the science of relations: helping children form right relationships—with God, with others, with the world around them, and with the knowledge they encounter. She called for a rich, wide feast of learning that included literature, nature, Scripture, art, music, and meaningful work—not for the sake of achievement, but for the growth of the whole person.

At the heart of her method was the belief that habits shape character. She wrote, “The habits of the child produce the character of the man.” Through gentle training in habits such as attention, obedience, responsibility, and truthfulness, children learn not only how to learn—but how to live well.

Mason also emphasized the use of living books—books written by authors passionate about their subjects, filled with ideas that spark wonder and imagination. These stand in contrast to dry, factual textbooks, and invite children into real thinking, real connection, and real delight.

At The Valor School, we seek to walk faithfully in this tradition. Our classrooms are full of life: children narrate great stories, observe God’s handiwork in creation, learn to sit with beauty through artist and composer study, and grow in virtue through intentional habit training.

We believe, as Charlotte Mason did, that education is not a race to the top—but a lifelong journey of becoming. And we are honored to come alongside families who want to raise children not just to know much, but to love deeply, think clearly, and live nobly.

Co-Founder & Teacher

Renee Swider holds a degree in Elementary Education from Wheaton College and has over a decade of experience in both the classroom and the homeschool world. She spent six years teaching at a classical school and an additional year at a private Christian school, and has also tutored students during her early years of motherhood.

Now a homeschooling mom of five, Renee teaches her three oldest children at home and brings her love for literature, nature, and history into every learning experience. Her favorite parts of homeschooling include reading aloud rich stories, taking hands-on history field trips, and observing nature together as a family.

Beyond the classroom, Renee is passionate about fitness, whether she’s squeezing in a workout solo or including her kids in the fun. She also loves cooking nourishing meals, exploring new places, and of course, going to bed early with a good book.

Renee’s heart for education is rooted in a desire to help children grow in wisdom, wonder, and character—all in an atmosphere of beauty, order, and truth.

co school teacher

Our Leadership

Renee Swider

Our Team

  • Emily Phillips

    CLASS ONE

    Emily taught middle school math at Covenant Classical School in Naperville before stepping into the role of stay-at-home mom when her first son was born. She’s drawn to the beauty, atmosphere, and rhythm of a Charlotte Mason education— especially its gentle structure, emphasis on habit formation, and love of living ideas. Emily and her husband are raising their three boys in Wheaton, where their days are often filled with books, baking banana bread, and neighborhood walks (usually with someone on a bike or scooter).

  • Kylie Jones

    CLASS THREE

    This will be Kylie’s 5th year teaching at Valor, but 6th year working in a Charlotte Mason School. Back in 2019 she was first introduced to Charlotte Mason when teaching 4th grade at an Ambleside School. Her favorite thing about Charlotte Mason is the peaceful, structured learning environment. It allows for both teacher and student to feast on beautiful ideas and living books without distractions. Her hobbies include thrifting, home decorating,  gardening, and being with her husband and three kids.

  • Leslie Weinzettel

    SPANISH

    Leslie Weinzettel earned a minor in Spanish at Wheaton College and teaches Spanish for classes 3-5. She loves watching the children light up as they thoughtfully engage not only with Spanish, but with all the rich and beautiful subject matter we study at Valor. Homeschooling her two daughters brings her deep gratitude and joy, especially in reading beautiful books and nature walks. She also loves music, frequently leads worship with her husband, Joe, and has been involved for many years in prayer ministry in their church.

  • Maggie Worley (Class Two)

    CLASS TWO

    Maggie first became acquainted with Charlotte Mason while teaching at Clapham School in Wheaton, where she taught for five years. She loves how the method views the child as a full person, made in the image of God, and values its emphasis on rich and beautiful texts. Maggie lives in Warrenville with her husband Daryle and their five children. She enjoys spending time at church, writing music with Daryle, and (perhaps too devotedly) following track and field.

  • Elise Tomlin

    CLASS FOUR/CURRICULUM DIRECTOR

    Elise Tomlin holds an M.A.T. from Wheaton College where her teaching focus was high school English. Elise transitioned to being home full-time with her growing family in 2018 after nearly a decade working in the non-profit sector. She is now a homeschool mom to three boys and together they enjoy learning about God and his world in the vibrant tradition of Charlotte Mason. In addition to the rich feast of beautiful books that this method provides, Elise loves that it requires all children to take ownership of their learning. When she’s not teaching, Elise enjoys spending time outside identifying birds and native plants, reading and discussing good books, and singing in her church choir.