We Were Exhausted. So I Did Something Radical.

This was me in another life.

We were sitting in traffic in NYC, crawling home after school. My eldest was doing her Latin homework in the front seat during the hour-long commute, after already spending eight hours in class. She still had more homework waiting when we finally got home. My little one cried herself to sleep, overstimulated and inconsolable after a long day in the same building where I was teaching middle school. I was depleted. I had just finished teaching English Language Arts to 105 students across five classrooms. And as every parent knows, the workday wasn’t even close to over. There were papers to grade, lesson plans to review, homework to check, dinner to cook, dishes to wash, bathtime, and bedtime stories to read.

But somehow, I had bought into the narrative that I was lucky. My kids attended the same school I taught in. I had a car in New York City, no need for public transportation. I got out at 3 p.m. What 9-to-5er wouldn't kill to get out of work at 3 p.m. every day?

Still, I was quietly spiraling.

Is this just how it is? Do I have to choose between my kids’ emotional health and a quality education? Why doesn’t any of this feel right?

I’m Amanda Lucas, a teacher, mother, and the founder of Lucas Literacy Lab, a microschool in Old Bridge, NJ, built for families like mine… and maybe yours, too.

In 2020, I was violently yanked off the hamster wheel you see me pictured in above. Both of my daughters were diagnosed with serious medical conditions, and I left the classroom to care for them. That’s when I began homeschooling, not as a philosophy, but out of necessity. What started as survival slowly evolved into a journey of discovery.

I watched my daughters come back to life. They learned more deeply and joyfully when their education reflected who they truly were. AS a new homeschool mom, I had so much to share, and just as much to ask. So I opened my home to a small group of families and launched a homeschool pod. Word of mouth helped it grow, and before long, my entire perspective on education and parenthood transformed. School became something new: a place where love, connection, and family came first.

My role as a teacher wasn’t to take children from their families and hand out knowledge like an oracle. It was to come alongside families and co-create something better. At Lucas Literacy Lab, we offer parents a choice in the number of days their child attends each week. We honor different learning styles, remove homework, and replace standardized testing with student portfolios and capstone projects. We offer farm school, two-hour daily recess, and flexible breaks as needed.

Every school year begins with a Discovery Period, where we get to know each child deeply: how they learn, what sparks their interest, and what supports they need to thrive. Families are part of the process every step of the way. We send updates throughout the day and offer regular check-ins because we believe the real experts on any child are their parents.

And when we partner with families instead of separating from them? Magic happens. We've seen reluctant readers choose to read for a full hour. We’ve watched students grow multiple grade levels in a single year. We’ve seen children reduce, and in some cases, stop, medication once needed for emotional regulation.

Today, Lucas Literacy Lab is a warm, project-rich, literacy-centered microschool serving a mixed-age group of homeschooled students. We maintain academic rigor, nurture creativity, and center the child’s well-being and the family’s voice above all.

We’ve created a place where learning feels like joy, and community feels like home.

It’s not just school; it’s a new way forward.

We still have a few spots for this coming fall. If you'd like to learn more, email amanda@lucasliteracylab.com or call 927-569-2578.