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YvonneC October 28, 2008

We are looking for an Expeditionary Learning Charter School in or near Phoenix, AZ.

YvonneC
Please list the name and location of the charter school that you suggest and any pros or cons. My husbands company is moving us to the Phoenix area and it is absolutely essential that we find the perfect school for our children. Thank you in advance. Yvonne C.
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Parent Answers to "We are looking for an Expeditionary Learning Charter School in or near Phoenix, AZ. "

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Brandee
Brandee November 13, 2008
Depending on the ages of your children, I highly recommend the middle/high school that my children have attended for the past 3 years - Great Hearts Academies. There are now 5 schools, most with waiting lists, that offer a traditional great books approach to learning. In our experience they have been challenging, consistent and ethical as well as financially sound and open in communicating with parents. Check out website www.greatheartsaz.org. If your children are younger, you might want to investigate to see which schools are charter feeder schools to the Great Hearts School near you (this information can be found in their quarterly report which is posted online under the results tab on their home page - it also gives test scores and a wealth of other information. Good Luck!
Anonymous
Anonymous November 4, 2008
I do not know of any charter school in Phoenix that is exactly like what you have described, which sounds wonderful. I think the Montessori philosophy is close (learn at own pace, virtues ed), but the Montessoris here are widely different depending on how much of Maria Montessori's philosophy they practice. There are all kinds of different charter schools in Phoenix, there's one in Tempe called the Center for Educational Excellence, ceeeagles.com/
I think it's a charter, you can find it here on the Great Schools website. The charters vary widely here, the Great Schools website should be able to help you with your search. Good luck!
YvonneC
YvonneC November 4, 2008
My children currently attent Rocky Point Charter School which is an expiditionary learning charter school. I have cut an pasted the mission statement stright from their website for you to review, but if you need more detailed info feel free to visit rockypointcharterschool.com. Also, Thank you so very much for trying to help me find a similar school in your area, you are the only response that I have had.
Rocky Point Charter School(from their website)
1) Our Approach
Our curriculum revolves around Learning Expeditions. Learning Expeditions are long-term studies of a single topic in which teachers connect rigorous academic learning, aligned with standards, to adventure, service and character development. Expeditionary Learning has enjoyed overwhelming success in 140 schools and is found in twenty nine states.

2) Our School Size
We are dedicated to maintaining a personalized academic environment. Our size will enable us to review each student’s abilities so we can design and individualize instruction that will maximize their academic potential. Our small size will also help in creating a safe, nurturing environment in which students, staff and families work together cooperatively as a team.

3) Our Commitment to Ongoing Excellence
Expeditionary Learning is a proven educational approach to teaching and learning that creates a school culture that motivates students to take responsibility for their own learning and do more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Students, staff and parents work together to actively support students in reaching their greatest potential.

Rocky Point Charter School provides a dynamic academic program with challenging explorations that incorporate the following key characteristics :

a California standards-based curriculum designed to prepare our students for future academic success
an emphasis on fieldwork that encourages student learning in and from the community
extended class periods for in-depth learning experiences that bring traditional concepts alive by relating them to the world around us
a sense of adventure
community service and character development

(My experience with an expeditionary learning school)
All students K through 8th grade are required a minimum of 20 community service hours per year, they do this through their expiditions. For example last year the kindergarden class created a book about animals and the food chain, then Rocky Point had the book published and our K-1 class did their community service by going around to senior citizen retierment homes and read their book to seniors, they also organized a day at Barnes and Nobles for a book signing, and they sold their books which in turn helped to raise money for the school. Another unique characteristic is the morning strech and Adventure challange classes, where they have the opportunity to learn ballet, rock climing, dancing, Karate, and gymnastics. They also use exercise equipment and actually "work out" for 15 minutes every day. They have a computer lab that even the Kindergardeners use on a weekly basis to familiarize them with the internet and beginning typing skills. They have ongoing assessment testing througout the year, my Kindergardenter was just tested again at the end of the first trimester, and he was moved up to first grade. It is a small school right at 100 children K-8th, and I am looking for this exact same kind of environment for my children.

Again, Thank you very much for your interest in helping me find the perfect school for my children. As you know we only have one shot at getting it right when it comes to their education!
Sincerely,
Yvonne C.



Anonymous
Anonymous November 2, 2008
It would help if you would explain in greater detail what an Expeditionary Learning Center is, I live in Phoenix and there are many charters here, including charter Montessori. I've never heard of the learning center you have posted.

Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of GreatSchools. GreatSchools does not check for accuracy in community posts or verify the contributor’s identity. If you are searching for health-related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Community Guidelines for more details.

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