In our 21st year of serving families at Alachua County’s first charter school, The One Room School House is ready to expand its educational program for students who are above average learners. In most places, students have to be tested into a gifted program before they are offered an advanced curriculum that caters to inquisitive, dedicated, experiential learners. This should not be the case. All students who are at or above grade level are ready and eager to work in a curriculum that offers hands on experiences, creative activities, and intellectual
challenges in each and every class.
That is why we are creating the High Achievers Academy at our school, not simply to serve the 2% of students who are labeled “gifted,” but to offer a gifted curriculum to all students who can benefit from it. We have many of these students at our school and we know that there are many more in Alachua County who do not qualify for programs because they do not carry the “gifted” label.
High Achievers Academy classes will participate in our Rockets & Robots Math and Science STEM curriculum and our Language and Social Studies Authors & Artists publishing program. Academy students will benefit from many guest scientists, authors, and artists who will visit the school with activities, demonstrations, and displays as well as from excursions to scientific and artistic points of interest in our community and state. Hands on activities and creative learning experiences will be the norm in their Academy classrooms.
High Achievers Academy teachers are creating lesson plans and experiences for students that will focus their learning and maintain high levels of motivation and interest.