American Collegiate Academy

We look to provide families with an increased quality of education, and a strong emphasis on educating and nurturing students to become global citizens of honor and self-discipline who are committed to independent thinking and service to others. The heart and soul of the school is a combined partnership with families and community to provide positive, student-centered education that balances academic excellence with physical, social and emotional well-being incorporating both an American-style curriculum as well as international cultural traditions.

Our Purpose

Current existing private school models tie together six quite distinct academic programs, services, and supports in one bundle or package; one that is offered under one roof, and one that is vast, institution-like, and lacking a student-centered decision-making approach. As a result of the continuous “bundling” of academic programs, services, and supports, the administrative necessity towards cutting costs compromises the quality, the flexibility, the efficiency, and the individualized attention that is required to nurture student areas of interests and talents.

These six diverse academic programs, services, and supports include:
1. academic curriculum and instruction
2. school guidance and counseling
3. college placement and career planning
4. athletic participation and planning
5. artistic expression and enrichment
6. advanced and accelerated learning opportunities

The American Collegiate model exists to provide an “unbundled” private school experience which would substantially increase:
· student available learning options
· student convenience to access and adjust to diverse instructional delivery methods
· student efficiency
· competition by service and support providers
· innovation by service and support providers

Our Core Values

Based on the beliefs expressed by our parents, community, teachers, and staff, our identified values embrace the following beliefs of:
· Supporting students to achieve their full potential
· Fostering strong academics and skills for learning at the core of a well-rounded education
· Acknowledging and addressing the individual learning styles of our students
· Supporting excellent teachers as the key to an outstanding education
· Nurturing love for learning
· Continuously improving and supporting innovative ideas
· Teaching and modeling character
· Making a positive difference for others and the world
· Celebrating and respecting the academic and developmental of student achievements; · Embracing a global perspective
· Building a strong community support and involvement
· Developing a small community campus, close-knit, family-oriented setting
· Viewing education as a respectful partnership among students, parents, teachers, and community.

American Collegiate’s seven values serve as a compass that guides our every decision, action, and focus. These values include:
1. Leadership: Our courage and perseverance to shape a greater future.
2. Collaboration: Leverage our collective genius and talents.
3. Integrity: Be real and honest (truthful).
4. Accountability: Ownership in our decisions and actions.
5. Passion: Committed in our heart and mind.
6. Diversity: All inclusive and reflective of the communities we serve.
7. Quality: What we do, we do well.

Part I. Socratic Method of Teaching and Inquiry: Fostering Critical and Analytical Thinking

The Socratic Method of discussion facilitates a student’s quest for understanding by requiring him or her to answer questions on his or her own, to ponder the validity of what others have said or written, and (not the least of which) to give reasoned support for his or her own opinion to the other students in the group. It is not enough simply to “learn” facts, to memorize lessons, or to recite lectures. To know truly, to seek wisdom, one must work toward understanding. If the question of “what” leads us to see what we do and do not know, then the question “why” leads us to understand our world in a holistic, fundamental manner. Within the framework of scientific skepticism, the process of critical and analytical thinking involves: acquiring information, analyze information, evaluate information, reach a well-justified conclusion or answer, explain one’s conclusion, and restructure one’s thinking.

Part of critical and analytical thinking goes beyond informal logic, for it includes the assessment of:
​– beliefs
– identification of bias
– distortions
– ethics
– misinformation
– prejudice
– propaganda
– self-deception

We believe in focusing more on teaching our students critical and analytical thinking skills, intellectual standards, and cultivating intellectual traits such as, intellectual humility, intellectual empathy, intellectual integrity, and fair-mindedness than on memorizing facts by rote learning. The ability for our students to reason and analyze logically will survive long after the retention of memorized facts are lost.

Part II. Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion: Integrating Effective Speaking and Writing

Socratic Method of education of a student will also depend on Aristotle’s three-part process training of the mind or modes of persuasion:
Development of Logos:
First, a student absorbs knowledge – information and language mechanics (grammar/structure) that systematically constructs the foundations for logical reasoning.
Development of Ethos:
Second, the student develops the skills to utilize the knowledge – information and language mechanics (grammar and structure) that has been learned in order to think through arguments or engage in dialects that result in the development of one’s unique character or identity.
Development of Pathos:
Lastly, through the exposure of various interactions and experiences the student learns to express him or her-self through the use of one’s affect, feelings or emotions as distinguished from cognition, thought, or action. As a result, the process of a student’s interaction, manipulation, and application of knowledge then, becomes clearly defined.