Bacal notes that ownership for learning is in the hands of the kids, not the teacher. "We're very excited about changing those numbers."īacal worked to put together a charter school that would establish a strong blended learning model, which not only brings more technology to students, but also changes the system to a more student-centric approach. That can torpedo their chances of getting to college. Of the 50,000 school-aged children in Minneapolis, over half are from households that struggle financially, Bacal notes. Paul-he wanted innovation, particularly for children coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. As a longtime educational leader in the state-he founded Hiawatha Leadership Academy in south Minneapolis and co-founded Twin Cities Academy in St. That type of gradual (sometimes glacial) change wasn't good enough for Bacal. Often, these pilot projects take time to roll out, particularly since they can run into funding issues. Many school districts across the state and across the country have been attempting to tweak instruction to accommodate new learning styles.įor some districts, that means more team-based projects, or more use of tools like iPads for video presentations. "When you bring this to economically disadvantaged students, it gets even better." "When you combine personalized, student-directed learning with high-quality digital content and tools, you get a very powerful education model," Bacal says. "But we haven't changed how schools work to take advantage of that."Īlthough many schools utilize technology and some have Apple One-to-One programs (in which every student gets a laptop or tablet), Venture wants to take education to a whole different level, remaking the foundation of instruction so that it aligns with 21st century life, including more focus on entrepreneurship. "Technology has had such an impact in every area of life, and there's more information available online now than was available to the President only 30 years ago," he says. As founder and Chief Entrepreneurship Officer of new charter school Venture Academy, he's helping to bring blended learning to the Twin Cities in full force. But at school, they often revert to paper-based learning, with decades-old textbooks and waves of quizzes and tests. At home, they use devices like smartphones and iPads to communicate with friends, play games, and research homework answers. These days, kids are living in two different worlds, says Jon Bacal. The support, attention and opportunities students get at CVA are so unique - not just academics, but the various creative pursuits, the robotics program, various afterschool clubs, and the delightful, big playground! If you want your child to have a caring, fun community around them each day, CVA is it!. Their creativity and compassion is key! And for children who do not wish to be on campus, there is the fully online PASCAL program (Grades K-12). The teachers and paraprofessionals are stellar! Kind, fun, patient and extremely competent. I love that students in the Fusion program (Grades K-12) come to campus 3 days a week for a traditional class schedule and then have a choice on the remaining two days to either work from home or come to school. I would highly recommend it for any family who can work with or need a flexible schedule. Parent: Just love, love, love this school! It has been so very good for my child, who has thrived at CVA. I would also want the clubs and sports to be better supported because some of them don't have any buses, so many of us have to rely on parents or others to participate. Something I would like to see change is the size of the classrooms because there isn't enough room for all the students. The worst part of my experience was the amount of coursework we got because I came here during freshman year so I wasn't used to the large amount of coursework. The clubs offered here allowed me to build a better relationship with my community and gain soft skills that I can use in the future. The community is very diverse and allowed me to meet people who have the same background as me. The teachers take the time to make sure that the students have a good understanding of the material and are always available for help. The best part of my experience is the teachers, students, and advisors. Junior: My experience at the Math and Science Academy has been a journey that has allowed me to learn a lot.
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