Our Ways of Being
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We are a family.
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We believe in students being heard. Their ideas matter.
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We teach positive conflict resolution skills.
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We believe that how we learn is as important as what we learn.
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We emphasize collaborative learning and outside the box thinking. Students are not here to “to be at school” but to enhance their lives.
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We teach metacognitive reflection and ensure students are in a mental space to take in new information by making sure their needs are met
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We value intrinsic motivation and know that rewards and punishments are not the best course of action.
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We respect all people (students, families, staff) as whole people, not just as people in an academic environment.
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We identify the needs and feelings of those around us and offer support accordingly.
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We believe in students building their own knowledge in hands-on, multisensory, collaborative and dynamic ways.
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We know it is important for students to have an authentic audience.
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We understand that behavior is not random but tied to an issue that needs nurturing.
ABOUT OUR SCHOOL
WATCH OUR VIDEO
* Home-School Partnership
* Project-Based Learning
* Personalized learning plans
* Rich, challenging and engaging content that accommodates diverse learning styles
* Multi-age grouping
* Small class sizes (16-20 in elementary, 20-26 in middle school)
* Compassionate communication
* Hands on, Minds-on Curriculum
* Learning-by-doing constructivist curriculum
* Opportunities for student voice and choice and personalization to reflect students' passions, interests and needs
* Curriculum preview meetings to address/discuss goals and ask questions
* Credentialed, experienced and dedicated teachers
* Distributive leadership
* Social Emotional curriculum that fosters community and personal development
* Building Habits of Heart and Mind
* Community of care and collaboration
* Public presentations of learning
* Mastery of "essential skills"
* 21st century learning and real-world problem solving
Program Highlights
What makes DVIA unique?
The Da Vinci Innovation Academy partners with families to provide a unique learning model where students can discover their passions and talents in a flexible and personalized learning environment.
The Model
DVIA offers grades K-8 and students attend school on either Mondays AND Thursdays OR Tuesdays AND Fridays with option Enrichment classes on Wednesdays. At-school learning is project-based. At-home learning (also called family facilitated off-site learning) focuses on English Language Arts, math and extracurricular activities. Families are the primary educators on non-classroom days.
Why Homeschool?
Our families choose DVIA and homeschooling for many, many reasons. Here are a few they report:
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Homeschooling allows families to truly know how their children learn
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Homeschooling provides opportunities to explore passion projects
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DVIA focuses on the learner as much as the learning
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Homeschooling enables the flexibility to participate in extracurriculur learning that there is often little time for when students spend 35+ hours per week at school
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DVIA has amazing, passionate and compassionate teachers!
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Project-based learning is awesome!
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Traditional schools have too much bullying and "cliqueish" behavior