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Curriculum
Renaissance
Academy
offers a rigorous, college prep curriculum that is particularly
suited to gifted and talented students, but also appropriate
for other students who commit to personal responsibility
for their own learning.
Families who choose our school desire a strong focus
on the arts and sciences, with attention to creating the
global awareness necessary to function successfully in the
21st century.
In addition to developing students’ academic skills,
we pay particular attention to fostering positive qualities
and attributes which make our graduates powerful members
of the community.
Our graduates are:
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Driven - They have
the power and passion to propel their lives forward.
Ø
Respectful - They treat
themselves and others in a positive way.
Ø
Self-Disciplined -
They complete tasks and develop their skills in order to
reach their goals.
Ø
Compassionate - They
treat others with kindness and assist those in trouble.
Ø
Artistic - They demonstrate
imagination and skill in their endeavors.
Ø
Creative - They see
things in new ways.
Ø
Intellectual - They
possess high levels of knowledge necessary for logical thought.
Ø
Humorous - They don’t
take themselves too seriously and see the joy and fun in
everyday life.
Ø
Expressive - They are
able to exchange thoughts effectively through the spoken
and written word.
Ø
Inquisitive - They
are always seeking to learn new things.
Instructional Approaches
Renaissance Academy's
approach is different. Classes are small. Elementary
classes are capped at 14. Middle and high school are
capped at 20, but average 13. Teachers really know
your child and will do whatever it takes to help each child
succeed. Instruction includes a wide variety of approaches,
emphasizing hands-on learning, and integrating subjects.
Our curriculum is narrow and deep, designed for true understanding
rather than simply "covering" a lot of facts.
All classes meet or exceed Florida's Sunshine State Standards. Middle
and high school courses use Florida Course Codes to ensure
that students can transfer if necessary, and will be eligible
for university enrollment and the Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship. The school is fully accredited through
the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS),
ensuring acceptance of all high school credits nationally.
ARTS and SCIENCES
The arts and sciences provide a context for intellectual
stimulation and growth. Academics are taught through
the arts and sciences, using an integrated approach, whenever
possible. Each semester, a school-wide theme is developed
to connect all subjects together. This is the way
humans learn naturally. Think of each semester like
a trip to a new country. If you were to visit Italy, you would
experience that trip as a wonderful event in your life.
You would learn a little about the history of the country,
the language, the food, the music, the art, the scientific
discoveries and emerging technology present today.
You would understand the cost of the trip, how far away
the country is and the transportation necessary to get there.
You would interact with the people, visit museums, restaurants,
and landmarks. It would not be possible to visit
Italy
and ONLY learn about the history or the language.
Yet in most schools, subjects are taught in isolation, without
thought of how each subject is related to others.
This is especially true in the high school years when students
must complete set numbers of credits in each subject area,
taught by subject "experts." High school students
often find this approach irrelevant, unchallenging, and
often quickly lose interest in school and learning.
American high schools are clearly not meeting the needs
of their students, as evidenced by the latest research on
high school completion. The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation's "Graduation Project 2006" compiled data on
high school completion nationwide. Only 69.6% of
America's students finish
high school through a traditional four-year high school
experience.
Florida's graduation rate is only
57.5%. The traditional approach is not working for
nearly a third of our youth nationwide, and over 40% of
our youth in Florida.
At Renaissance Academy,
we continually update our curriculum and approaches, utilizing
the latest research on what works in education.
This ensures a vibrant, relevant, fun curriculum
that inspires our students to achieve and succeed throughout
high school and beyond.
ARTS
Our school includes comprehensive programs
in the 4 main performing arts disciplines:
SCIENCES
Our science curriculum stresses laboratory experiences and
student initiated research involving the scientific method.
Social studies, math, and English are all intertwined
with exciting projects that allow students to inquire, discover,
and apply knowledge in new ways in order to better understand
our world.
Renaissance
Academy graduates are savvy
consumers of scientific data.
They are well prepared to participate fully in university
science programs.
Our specific science goals include (but are not limited
to) the following:
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To have a basic understanding of
the various systems of the human body.
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To understand the Scientific Method
and how it is applied to solving problems.
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To have the basic understanding
of inorganic and organic chemistry necessary to understand
the world surrounding us.
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pH, dissolving of salts, why
oil and water don't mix without help, (and what
that help is).
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Why some fats are good for us
while others are bad for us.
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Why some carbohydrates are good
for us while others are bad for us.
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To have a basic understanding of
Physics to understand the world surrounding us.
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How does a seat belt protect
us from injury, and why are people injured in car
crashes even if they are not thrown from the vehicle.
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Understanding of energy usage,
and what are effective means of reducing energy
usage in our daily lives,
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To have an
understand of the basic actions of Nature, and how we
affect our environment.
INDIVIDUALIZED PUPIL PROGRESSION
All classes at Renaissance Academy
are multi-age.
Students advance from early learning, to primary,
to intermediate, to middle, to high school, and college
when they are ready;
not simply when the calendar says it is time.
School teachers and administrators work together
with the student and parents to determine when the student
is ready for the next step.
Students may have a mixed curriculum, including elements
of two different programs.
For
example: a
12 year old student who is gifted in writing, may attend
a high school writing class, yet be in all middle school
classes for other subjects.
EARLY LEARNING
Students can begin the early learning program when they
are developmentally ready to participate in a formal education
program. This
is generally sometime between the ages of 3 and 4, after
toilet training has been mastered.
Renaissance
Academy’s early learning program,
like all of its other programs, provides a rich arts and
sciences curriculum including early reading and literature,
mathematical thinking, hands-on science experiments,
music, art, dance, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.
ELEMENTARY
Our elementary school program includes multi-age classrooms
designed for primary (grades K-2) and intermediate (grades
3-5) students.
Reading, writing, and math are completely
individualized during the elementary years, allowing students
to progress in a way that is appropriate. Academic
emphasis is on phonemic awareness, phonics, and math operations,
laying the foundation for higher learning. Social
studies and science are taught through school-wide themes
each semester. Students learn social studies in the
fall, and science in the spring. All academics and
arts are linked to this theme to the greatest extent possible.
Elementary students participate in 2- 4 productions each
year, allowing them to have "on-stage" experiences designed
to develop self-confidence, problem-solving skills, and
cooperation. All elementary students take dance, art,
and music. They learn ballet and piano as part of
their curriculum.
Elementary students have 30 minutes of structured
recess daily to learn sportsmanship and physical skills.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Our academic emphasis during the middle school years (grades
6-8) is on improving comprehension, writing skills, higher
level math skills, and organization. This is a time
to solidify the basic skills and begin introducing some
more advanced skills. Middle school is also a time
of exploration. Students are exposed to all areas
of the arts in order to help them find their passion.
Students who become intensely engaged in an activity at
this age are much more likely to move toward a purpose later
in life. They need to be engaged and excited in school.
Language Arts
Students are placed in multi-aged classes based on their
developmental and skill levels in each subject. Students
who require remediation in reading and writing participate
in specialized programs in these areas. Students who
are at or above grade level expectations in reading and
writing may not take language arts as a separate subject.
Instead, these students have the option to continue to improve
their skills through carefully designed reading and writing
activities infused throughout all other subjects.
This allows students to participate in up to 3 elective
subjects each semester, ensuring time to explore.
Social Studies and Science
Students are placed in multi-aged classes. Every student
takes a science class in the fall and a social studies class
in the spring. Language arts skills are emphasized
in these classes, as students work to explore our world.
Math
Students are placed in a multi-age class depending on math
skills. In middle school, a student may take Middle
School Math, or Pre-Algebra for multiple years, until mastery
occurs. Middle school students may also accelerate
in math by taking Algebra and Geometry as soon as they are
ready. These courses may be taken for high school
credit.
Exploratory Wheel
Middle school students are introduced to languages, music,
dance, theatre, and art through a wheel designed to actively
engage them quickly in each subject. They spend one
quarter (9 weeks) in each area. In music, they will
learn the basics of melody, harmony, and rhythm by moving
through four music "stations" including guitar, wind instruments,
percussion, and piano. Students will write and record
original songs and receive their own copy of the recording.
In dance, students learn the basics of ballroom dancing
including the Waltz, Rumba, Cha-cha, Swing, and Tango.
Ballroom dance allows students to learn discipline and etiquette
by working with a partner. In theatre, students will
create a children's production to be performed for elementary
students. In art, students will learn the basics of
photography and ceramics.
In languages, students learn basic conversation in
Spanish or Chinese (beginning fall ’08).
Electives
The following electives are available to middle school students:
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Voice
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Keyboard (piano)
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Studio Art
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Commercial Art
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Dance
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Band
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Drama
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Technical Theatre
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Drumline
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Creative Writing
Mixed Bag
For 30 minutes following lunch each day, students can choose
from a variety of activities called "Mixed Bag". They
might get extra help with an assignment, work in the computer
lab, or rehearse for an upcoming performance. Middle
school students may also choose outdoor recess at this time.
Many students of this age still need time to run around
and just be kids in the middle of the day. Renaissance Academy recognizes this need and provides
safe, outdoor activities for young adolescents.
HIGH SCHOOL
Renaissance
Academy's
high school curriculum is college preparatory. We
expect all of our students to go to college and have designed
the curriculum for successful university enrollment.
Students must earn 26 credits to graduate from our school,
which is more than most schools in
Florida. Students may earn
up to 7 credits each year through our standard program.
They may earn additional credits through the
Florida
Virtual School
or through dual enrollment at Pasco-Hernando Community College
(PHCC) or St. Petersburg College. High school acceleration is
available so that students may graduate in 3 years.
High achieving students also have the option of completing
an associate's degree simultaneously through PHCC.
Electives
The following electives are available to high school students:
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German
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Voice
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Keyboard (piano)
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Strings
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Studio Art
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Commercial Art
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Dance
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Band
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Drama
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Mainstage
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Technical Theatre
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Drumline
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Creative Writing
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Shakespeare
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Culinary
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
English - 6 credits total
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4 credits Integrated
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1 credit Literature
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1 credit Composition
Social Studies - 3 credits total
Science - 3 credits total
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1 credit Anatomy and Physiology (Lab)
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1 credit Earth and Space Science (Lab)
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Integrated Science may be substituted.
Math - 3 credits total
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1 credit Algebra
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1 credit Geometry
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1 credit Algebra 2
Foreign Language - 2 credits of the same language
Electives - 9 credits total
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