Instead of endless testing, we believe in limitless and creative learning in all directions. Our classrooms provide students a forum to demonstrate mastery by building, singing, creating, or filming rather than using conventional tools like multiple choice tests and rote memorization. 

Although the curriculum follows a traditional course roadmap that includes math, history, language, arts, and science subjects, our day-to-day classroom environment is different. Our classes are small, averaging 10 students. 

Our curriculum is based on the guiding influences of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Using this context, student project lists corresponding to each lesson draw on skills from various disciplines and highlight multiple forms of intelligence. Students select from projects, including student-created ones, to demonstrate mastery and that align with each student’s ability, interest, motivation, and aspirations. 

This approach makes material more inclusive and encourages interdisciplinary academic integration in an organic and meaningful way, giving students ownership over their assignments. Most projects require collaboration among students, which is a fundamental skill that future employers are seeking in graduates.

Our curriculum creates meaningful instruction by pairing collaborative and pragmatic experiential learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Each year, our school travels to a city of historical significance, such as Washington, D.C. or Philadelphia, where students visit museums and cultural centers as well as the buildings and historical sites they learned about in their classes. Annually, students also travel to Nantahala Outdoor Center in Nantahala River, North Carolina where they participate in white water rafting, ropes courses and outdoor survival activities. These field trips build confidence and collaboration and allow students to put in motion their new proficiencies.