Learn with us
At Helix Academy, learning is personal. Core instruction is provided one-on-one or in very small groups, while students refine their collaboration skills through shared project work. All along the way, we support students' social and emotional development and resilience through unstructured play, community building, and targeted skills instruction.
Personalized Core Curriculum
Every child comes to us with unique prior knowledge and experience. That's why an instructor works one-on-one with each student to assess their needs and develop an independent learning plan.
Our instructors choose instructional materials based on the assessed needs of each student, and work with them regularly one-on-one or in very small groups. When not meeting with a teacher, students complete independent practice, read, write, and play games that reinforce their learning.
Science - Backed Literacy Instruction
At the Academy, our curriculum choices are supported by the best available research. Our instructors are trained in the Orton-Gillingham method for literacy development by the Institute for Multisensory Education. This structured reading approach has been proven highly effective for all learners, but especially those learners with learning disabilities. Structured literacy work is paired with lots of opportunities for reading high-quality, engaging literature and writing in a variety of authentic contexts.
Math for All
The Academy has multiple available math programs, chosen based on the existing levels and needs of our students. Many students will work from the Beast Academy program - a math curriculum designed for gifted students and known for incorporating critical thinking and higher level problem solving across the elementary program. Other students may instead work from the Dimensions program from Singapore Math, which more heavily emphasizes visual models. Activities from Illustrative Mathematics may also be incorporated to further support learning. Regardless of the program used, all students receive explicit small-group instruction with cumulative practice and opportunities to share their thinking with others.
Project Based Learning
Project-based learning is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. Each project begins with an authentic, challenging problem or question. Students participate in sustained inquiry, learning about the problem from as many sources as possible - including field trips, guest speakers, and more. Students reflect on their learning and make choices about how to proceed. Projects culminate in some form of public product - sharing their learning outside the classroom whenever possible.
These projects provide an ideal opportunity for students to build collaboration skills - sharing information, negotiating, offering constructive critique, and working together to create collaborative products. Students have authentic opportunities to learn technology skills - creating maps, flyers, ebooks, videos, digital art, and more to share their learning.
Most importantly, engaging with real-world challenging problems helps students to build their confidence and connection with the community. At least twice a year, projects are designed to incorporate a community service element - allowing students to take concrete action in the community to address a problem they have studied.
Social and Emotional Development
Helix Academy strives to support the whole child - socially, emotionally, and academically. Our school day is structured to promote student wellness - incorporating ample opportunities for unstructured play and student choice. Regular community meetings provide opportunities for students to build their communication skills and to problem solve collaboratively. Mindfulness activities are incorporated into daily routines, promoting emotional regulation and decreasing anxiety. We also provide regular, specific instruction in social-emotional skills using the Growing Early Mindsets program from Mindset Works. When students do struggle, our low teacher-student ratio ensures that students have the space and support they need to take a break, regroup, and rejoin their peers when they are ready.
Enrichment
Learning should be fun! That's why we intentionally set aside time for things that bring us all joy - field trips, art, music, and exploring our passions. We discover our community on regular field trips - hiking in local parks, exploring museums, and surveying local wildlife. On campus, twice-weekly enrichment classes give students opportunities to pursue a variety of subjects outside the “core” curriculum - including art, music, theatre, engineering, and more. Our youngest students have the chance to explore many topics and discover their personal interests. Older students can choose to take on more of a leadership role in enrichment classes - using this time to explore their own interests, or even to teach their own enrichment courses to other students.
Technology
At Helix Academy, technology use is carefully considered. For K-2 students, screen time is generally limited to less than one hour per day. High quality platforms like Lexia, Beast Academy, and IXL are options for adaptive practice in learning and math. Digital libraries like Epic Books help to ensure students always have something they are excited about reading. Students also begin to explore digital tools for content creation. As student skills progress, more advanced technology skills are incorporated into the curriculum. Students learn to safely and effectively conduct online research and explore more advanced tools for content creation. During some enrichment courses, students use materials from Code.org, Lego Robotics, and Tinker to build basic foundations in computer coding.