Episodes

  • NAME TBD RELEASE 3/9/26
    Feb 9 2026

    TBD

    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

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Before You Enroll: 4 Questions That Reveal a School’s True Culture
    Feb 23 2026

    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

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • The ROI of Classical Education: Choosing the Right School for Your Family
    Feb 9 2026

    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

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Screens, Attention, and Learning: A Classical School Perspective
    Jan 27 2026

    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

    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
  • Life After Lafayette: Discipline, Shooting, and Marin McKinney’s Path to Hillsdale
    Jan 12 2026

    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

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • More Than Politeness: Manners and Etiquette at the Heart of Lafayette Academy
    Dec 22 2025

    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

    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • No Screens, No Problem: How Handwriting and Real Books Are Transforming Our Students
    Dec 8 2025

    Classical education can feel unfamiliar to many parents, especially when they first walk into a school without computers, see students handwriting notes, or hear about things like the Paideia or a senior thesis. In this episode, Katy Mckinney breaks down the most common questions parents ask when touring Lafayette Academy and explains why classical education intentionally uses different tools, methods, and materials than modern schools.

    From cultural literacy to real books, from paper-and-pencil note-taking to the habits that form deep thinking, Katy shares what makes classical education uniquely powerful at training the mind, cultivating virtue, and preparing students for a life of wisdom and purpose.


    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

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • From Kitchen Table to 125 Students The Lafayette Academy Classical School Story
    Nov 17 2025

    Show summary here. Join Katy McKinney, founder of Lafayette Academy: A Classical School, as she shares the beginnings of a classical school that’s now home to over 125 children. From a single moment of wonder at the kitchen table to a decade of growth rooted in faith and the timeless Trivium, Katy reflects on what it really means to nurture minds and hearts with beauty, truth, and goodness.

    If you’ve ever sensed there’s a deeper, more joyful way to educate children, one that feels like coming home, this conversation is for you. Perfect for parents seeking peace in the midst of today’s education noise.



    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

    Show More Show Less
    21 mins