Who are we?

Adventure Academy is a private homeschool support school offering collaboration and community. Our days together promote critical thinking challenges , enriching outdoor educational challenges, leadership, and apprenticeship preparation. Our mission is to support a comprehensive educational experience that challenges students to think independently and learn through experience and collaboration with peers. Grounded in a Biblical World-View, we emphasize real-life learning and hands-on activities, ensuring students are well-equipped for the complexities of modern society.

The Four Pillars of Excellence encompass our values and how we approach our educational priorities.

Community

Family gatherings

Teamwork through group projects

Socratic Discussions

Quarterly Showcases of Learning

Peer Accountability

Uphold Standards of Excellence

Practice Conflict Resolution and Critical thinking Skills

Practice Civility with age-appropriate boundaries

Parent meetings and emphasis on sharing best practices

Real-World skills

Children's Business Fair

Apprenticeships and Mentoring

Student Leadership Opportunities

Goal Settings

Build Soft skills- adaptability, work-ethic, and growth mindset.

Communication- written and verbal

Hands-on challenges that direct students towards independence

Become a life-long learner

Classroom maintenance

Ignite a love of learning

Learn across the subjects as opposed to siloed educational subjects

21st Century technology challenges including word processing, slide show, spreadsheet, forms, design, and more

High variety of exposure to topics and vocations through hands-on learning with challenges that include reading, writing, communication, labs, guest speakers, field trips and more...

Provide opportunities for trial and error learning

Teachers lead with questions to inspire exploration as opposed to giving the student one correct answer.

Expert Explorers onsite providing specialized subject study

Biblical Worldview

We consider each topic from a Biblical perspective

Discover other theories and learn how to defend your position

Explore the Bible through Bible Studies and other classes offered

Outdoor studies and time are valued as we explore God's world

Agree that "Iron Sharpens Iron" and we learn in community to become better humans and strengthen our relationships with God

Proverbs 27:17

"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

Matthew 22:37

"Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'"

What types of things do we do while we are together each week?

We meet 2 days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-3:30PM) in Castle Rock.

Writing, drama, music, science, math, reading, problem solving, Socratic discussions, technology, history, character development, physical fitness, book clubs, nature activities, art, ceramics, field trips, conflict resolution processes, student leadership, the Children's Business fair, and much more.

Family events are also planned throughout the year and we celebrate together at the end of each 7 week deep-dive with a student showcase of learning.

We use the student's feedback to shape our learning activities and remain open to ideas or interests from the students.

Examples of topics we have studied in the past:

Children's Business Fair
Civilizations- the Middle Ages, World Wars 1 and 2, US History, US Citizenship, and more
Book Clubs and reading challenges
Music- Band, Choir and small performances throughout our studies as it applies
Photography
Art- painting, ceramics, sculpting, and drawing
Fitness and physical health
Cooking
Self-defense and martial arts
Math games and challenges
Science- Forensics and Biology

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are students grouped by age?

We do have a classroom for younger students and a classroom for older students, but we see that children learn best when working with peers across various ages, rather than split up into groups based solely on age. Working as a "one-room" school house allows children to be both teachers and learners, further developing each student’s own learning.

Are parents required to help in the classroom?

We believe parents are the most influential adults in any child’s educational journey, and we exist to empower and reinforce that relationship. We are a homeschool support program where parents are responsible for complying with all Colorado homeschool laws. Parents, students, and teachers will work together throughout the year to set appropriate learning plans and goals. Parents are asked to be involved in our Showcase gatherings every 7 weeks. We have opportunities for parents to visit the school regularly, if you are interested in helping.

What is an independent learner?

At Adventure Academy we are shaping learners to become someone who can research questions, follow instructions, solve problems—admit that they don’t know something and figure out a solution when they hit a roadblock — try again, research, participate in discussions, and strive for mastery.

How do you track the students progress?

Students at Adventure Academy demonstrate progress through student portfolios, learning showcases, peer reviews, goal monitoring, and hands-on challenges. In place of traditional letter grades, we use a series of challenges pertaining to the unit we are learning. Completion of 90% of the challenges at 100% mastery translates to a grade of 90%.

Will there be homework?

While there will be work that needs to be completed on the three home days, we believe it is important that students do not have any evening or weekend homework. We believe that children need time to play, relax, and be with family and friends, and are committed to ensuring plenty of learning during school hours so that time at home can be free for other important pursuits. We also believe family time is sacred and those relationships need to be nurtured on evenings and weekends without the distraction and conflict that homework can bring.

How will I know if my student is keeping up?

Regular discussions between parents and teachers is encouraged. Teachers and students will meet at least 1x per quarter to review work, ensure excellence, and revisit overall learning plans. Due to the low ratio of teachers to students, individual attention to each challenge is monitored for excellence.

Will your classroom work determine our work at home?

No, You may continue doing your own curriculum for Core Subjects and electives at home.

Many families enjoy some studies together (perhaps Bible, History, Art, exploring nature, and more). Each family has a unique homeschooling setup and we are here to support and rally around each student.

What does an average day look like at Adventure?

Our morning learning time is broken into Socratic discussions, collaborative labs time; involving writing, math and / or science labs, Expert Explorers; to include Martial Arts, sports, photography, sign language, art, music, & more based on the students interests), and reading. The afternoon includes our large-learning Units/projects in a variety of topics from Science to Entrepreneurship to History.

When do you meet?

We meet every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year. We break each learning into 7 week quarters. We follow the Douglas County Public Schools Calendar and do take breaks throughout the year for fall, Christmas, and spring break. Additional options for classes on Fridays will be offered as they arise. Our school hours are 9-3:30PM and we usually start the last week of August and continue through the end of April or beginning of May.

Adventure Academy