About: School Overview
Teacher-Led
Innocademy is a proud Teacher-Led school. Traditional school structures often do not utilize the leadership potential of teachers. In a Teacher-Led school, there is no sole leader. Each staff member has an equal say in school-wide decisions because they know what is best for kids! We are not guided by a hierarchy of administrators. Instead, teachers handle the typical responsibilities normally owned by a school’s Principal or Vice Principal.
Why Teacher Led?
Our teachers are valuable contributors not only in their individual classrooms, but within the entire school. A “good of the whole” mentality is a core value that drives our day-to-day impact, because our teachers are constantly invested in all-school decisions.
Teacher-Led has the potential to support small class sizes by reducing and spreading administrative activities, and having every staff member contribute to the success of every student.
We want to grow gifted global leadership in our kids. When teaching your students leadership, decision making, cultures, problem solving, and initiative, it’s only natural that the team challenges themselves in all these areas as well.
There is joy in being part of making key decisions. When teachers are happy, the school is happy, and a positive environment grows kids faster.
Personalized Education
Best practices in teaching create a learning environment that consists of hands-on, student-directed, and project-based learning. We have a commitment to a small student-to-teacher ratio, which leads to higher student achievement because of increased individualized instruction and attention. Innocademy’s personalized learning approach consists of two interlaced facets – academic and social.
Academic: Just-Right Grouping
Our staff understands that learners work and succeed at different paces. Our Just-Right-Grouping approach allows students to be placed in groups that fit their ability level. Each child is closely studied in regards to his/her academic, social, and emotional needs and achievement. Just Right Learning groups naturally allow students who are ready for accelerated learning to be met where they are, or to give a child extra time to master a concept. Parents and teachers collaborate to make decisions for individual children which may include working with a Just Right Group that is outside of their chronological grade level.
Social: Multi-Age Learning
Our multi-age learning environment provides experiences and interaction for students at a variety of age levels throughout the day. The component of multi-age that we have uniquely designed for Innocademy is Mentor Classes. This is a weekly partnership between Older/Middle Friends and Youngest Friends classes who work together, mentoring each other during activities and projects. Mentor classes participate in stewardship activities, academic support, and team-building on a regular basis. These groups not only foster ownership and pride in our school, but also function as a place where students are united by interest and passion, but differ in age, gender, and learning ability. This intentional time is meant to simulate a real-world environment. Students, staff, and parents consistently rank this approach as one of the most valued aspects of Innocademy.
7 Habits
Communities and employers need strong leaders. Innocademy is deliberate in teaching, modeling, and monitoring strategies for growing leadership. Stephen Covey’s popular 7 Habits for Highly Effective People have been made kid-friendly in Sean Covey’s 7 Habits of Happy Kids and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Students practice habits that are independent and interdependent in nature. These habits provide the scaffolding for them to be successful in their academics, relationships, and personal growth. We hope you hear some 7 Habits language at home as we reinforce them at school.
Be Proactive
Begin with the End in Mind
First Things First
Think Win-Win
Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Synergize
Sharpen the Saw
Little Known #8 ~ Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs
Culture of Caring
A school-wide culture of caring is a foundation among staff and students. We believe in nurturing the whole child, not just their academic success! We intentionally focus on each child’s academic, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth. We take a proactive approach as a staff through training, such as Olweus Bully Prevention, Time to Teach, and Love & Logic.
Global Education & Stewardship
We believe in teaching our students to value and understand cultures that may differ from their own. Through field experiences and daily second language instruction, our students are exposed to the greater world. We intentionally develop global thinkers that in turn become difference makers through participating in various stewardship opportunities. Learn more on the global education page about where we travel each year to make an impact.