For ages 4-7
The Spark Studio is tailored to ages 4-7 years old. This studio looks like happy, spirited children pushing boundaries in a safe environment designed for them. Kindness, independence, and self-regulation are of major character focus in this studio. Your young learner will stretch their abilities and challenge themselves to grow and lead the charge on their own Hero's Journey. Our Spark heroes learn to learn, learn to do, and learn to be through the key components of our educational model. Young heroes will identify the essential character traits needed to reach their goals and be guided in developing the habits required of a "hero".
Our Spark heroes will spend their mornings in the studio engaging in a Socratic-like discussion where the guide inspires, equips, and connects the community. The independent work cycle is self-paced and includes Montessori sensorial materials, practical life challenges, and foundational or intermediate math and language activities of their choice. The environment is carefully prepared with Montessori materials for the young heroes to explore and investigate. Self-paced mastery is at the center of our learner-driven model. The Spark Studio is filled with carefully curated Montessori materials that will guide young heroes on their journey. They have freedom to choose their work as they learn, fail, grow, and master important skills. Failure is not discouraged, but is seen as a growth opportunity.
Our afternoons are filled with hands-on projects, loose parts play, and outdoor adventures. Afternoons also include extracurricular enrichment such as creative art, nature-based learning, and music.
For ages 7-11
Our Discovery Studio is tailored to ages 7-11 year olds. Now having crossed into the special world, our hero faces new challenges that teach them about themselves and this new environment in which the rest of their journey is to take place. Young heroes face unfamiliar challenges with deeper Socratic conversations that help to stretch their minds. They take all that they have learned thus far and figure out how to apply it to the real world. We believe our learners are more than capable and must practice resilience and hard work to persevere through failures.
We believe that:
Clear thinking leads to good decisions,
Good decisions lead to the right habits,
The right habits lead to character and
Character becomes destiny.
Elementary Studio heroes practice decision-making all day long while at the studio. As they learn to navigate and operate with freedom within boundaries they organically become better decision-makers; a skill that is imperative for a long, healthy, fulfilled life of meaning. Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems. We believe that school for these older heroes should be so much more than just "checking boxes". That's why we put these young people in the driver's seat of their education and guide them to learn to learn, learn to do, and learn to be; finding purpose, strength, and meaning throughout their educational journey. The world needs kind, resilient, resourceful, creative young minds now more than ever.
For ages 11 and up
The Middle School Studio (ages 11 and up) at Ascend Acton Academy is a place where learners work hard, focus on excellence, develop real-world skills, and begin preparation for solving problems in the real world.
We believe that at this level, each of our learners will find a passion; something they love and have a gift to do. Finding and pursuing this gift is what we call the Hero's Journey. During the transformative Middle School years, we inspire our young people to develop independent thinking, strong friendships, leadership skills, and pursue their work and life with integrity. The Middle School Studio is where young heroes learn to work hard, tackle complex computational challenges, communicate clearly and persuasively, and develop the passion and real-world skills needed to make a difference in the world.
These brave, capable young adults will have an opportunity to participate in our Apprenticeship Program where they will search for, apply, and ultimately work in the community to practice servant leadership and explore different fields. This studio will open in Fall of 2024.
