HIGH SCHOOL
ages 14-18 (fire)
High School students should be able to focus on following their passions and life skills - not avoid school (or life) because they feel hopeless, annoyed, or misunderstood.
THEIR SPACE
Comfort, choice, and ownership
Teens need SPACE (literally and metaphorically) to find their place
Flexible work areas encourage collaboration and group work, while also always having the option to work independently in their own cozy space.
They need more than just a locker to store their stuff - they need safety, comfort, and familiarity in order to learn deeply.
THEIR LEARNING
Aligned with curriculum frameworks - generalized to real life
Teens’ learning HAS to be relatable and relevant.
Students learning is aligned with the Common Core and Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. It just looks and feels (a lot) different from traditional schools.
HOW does this happen?!
Get to know each student individually and develop mutual respect and trust (this is especially important for teens and even more important if they’ve been in a traditional school system for a while.)
Explore how they learn best; where there are gaps in previously ‘learned’ skills, and what they enjoy!
Create a learning plan for the basics (ELA, Math, Science, History, etc)
Get creative with passion projects (there’s no limit to what they’ll come up with!)
Character development and social/emotional wellness are woven throughout every day. As they get older and start venturing out into the real world, these skills are invaluable. We take time to learn, practice, and explore the balance of work and play with lots of outings, community service projects, maybe even their first job!
THEIR SCHEDULE
Based on individual and group work
A typical daily schedule varies a LOT depending on what each student is working on, as well as what the group is working on.
Here’s a general rhythm of the day:
9am - arrival, chat, & plan
9:30 - Math and ELA
11:30 - lunch & outside
1:00 - Science / Social Studies
2:00 - passion project
3pm - dismissal
The schedule will also change based on their energy, mood, and the weather. Sometimes, a walk in the woods is the most important thing!
THEIR PEOPLE
Building and modeling healthy relationships that they can take into their young adult lifestyle
The stage between childhood and adulting…
…and they go back and forth between the two quite often.
Having people around your child who sees them for who they are (even if they don’t know who they are!), acknowledges (and accepts) the changes they’re experiencing, and lets them be who they are will allow these creative souls to authentically explore this unique stage in life.
Whether it’s their teachers, the younger students (who are like siblings), or the people they’re interacting with on outings, it’s important that teens are practicing healthy relationship skills so they’re able to take that into their young adult lifestyle.
Doesn’t this make sense?!
Your child will learn what they actually need to know - and be happy(ish) while doing it!
We offer year-round enrollment so it’s never the ‘wrong time’ to explore a better school for your kids.
Check out the admissions page if you’re super interested - we’ve been known to start kids within a matter of days if they need it.