Programs and Schedules
The School Year
Our school year begins in September and continues through July, with four-week breaks in December and April and a six-week summer break. Studies show that this schedule, with more frequent short breaks rather than a long one in the summer, is most conducive to a child's making steady academic progress with better retention of information and skills.
In-sessions
Afternoon classes are two and one half hour "in-sessions." These are intensive blocks, lasting one or two weeks, designed to allow children and teachers to focus time and energy in a more consuming way, all in one go, rather than in smaller, shorter lessons spread out over a longer time. They are conceived in five main subject areas: language arts, math, social studies, science, and arts. Of course, when you study something deeply, you discover that building a bridge, for example, involves all those areas, many areas of intelligence, meets California state standards and requires higher order thinking skills. And at the end, you have a bridge!
Sessions include Spanish Immersion/cooking, Building a Geodesic Dome Big Enough to Play in, Exploring Game Strategies, and constructing autobiographies - Children Just Like Me. In-sessions are included in full or part-time tuition. In sessions may also be purchased a la carte, for those not attending in the mornings; there is a price break for committing to more than fifteen sessions.
X-Sessions
We offer two-weeks of optional "extra sessions" (X-Sessions) in December and April. These one or two week long morning classes focus on a specific interest or area of study: e.g.: scientific exploration, theater arts, making books, designing and building furniture, etc.
Part-time Attenders
Our structure accommodates home-schooled students and children who cannot attend school full time due to health, travel or work. Families can choose either two or three mornings per week, attending Mondays and selected other days (they commit to a schedule for the year). All week-long lessons or projects begin and conclude on Mondays. The tuition is reduced for part time students.