By: Mari Allman

A few weeks ago I attended the graduation of my youngest child! While thinking about how I could possibly be that old…my mind wandered to all of the schools and the teachers and counselors that had been a part of all four of my kids' educations. It is true that it "takes a village."

Discovery Academy is, for all intents and purposes, a little village of its own. We offer a tailored approach based on what is best for the student, not what is easiest for the school system. Each student has their own Individual Academic Plan in place when they arrive. Our superior teachers meet frequently with each of the students' therapist to discuss progress and needs of the individual. Also, each classroom has a residential mentor present to help support the teacher. In this way, all areas of our program are aware of each student's academic progression and understand better how they can encourage and support them.

Our program is such that students work at a pace that is comfortable to them while at the same time being challenged by our extensive curriculum. We offer teacher driven classes and also one-on-one time providing opportunities for teachers to give remedial assistance or to challenge students with a more rigorous curriculum. Our year round schedule provides an opportunity for students who may have fallen behind to catch up or even move beyond where they should be.

Our in-house Counselors help students prepare for further education by helping them with ACT and SAT testing prep which has given us the reputation of higher scores on these tests than those of the national average. They also guide them in looking into and applying for higher education in colleges all around the states.

Our beautiful new academic center allows us to do all this in state of the art classrooms holding no more than 12 students each. With computers in every room, students can do research or compose papers without having to move to a computer lab.

Our commitment to experiential learning seeps into our school environment. Once a week the students participate in activities, either on or off campus, using sensory skills that help learning come to life. These may be at a museum, state park or even a local business. They may be here on campus with an invited guest giving a hands-on lecture of some kind. With these experiential activities, we hope to open minds to the many possibilities for higher learning or vocations.

Discovery Academy is the leader in pioneering best practices for educational excellence. This commitment is reflected in our faculty, mentors, therapists and counselors. It truly does "take a village."

About the Author: Mari Allman handles Admissions for Discovery Academy. For more information, she can be contacted at (801) 374-2121