UP Academy Academic Overview (3)

OUR MISSION
UP Academy's mission is to empower children to embrace a lifelong
desire to make an impact on society; to thrive in a learning
environment that is unmatched, unrestrained, and unbound.
We exist to inspire all children to reach their full potential!
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S
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N
At UP Academy we promise that
your child will be:
Inspired
Mentored
Problem-Solvers
Accountable learners
Creative innovators
Taught core content
Engaged in the learning process
Determined to make a difference!
The Unbound Potential logo represents a broken cycle. This is a
reminder to all students that are impacted by our program that they
can overcome any obstacle and can change the outcome of any
situation. Unbound Pursuit leads to Unbound Possibilities!
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 1

SCHOOL DETAILS
LOCATION
Currently serving Clayton, Spading, Fayette and Henry
County students
HOURS OF OPERATION
School Day: 7:30 am- 3:00 pm
Extended Care: 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Click this link to view the 2020-2021 Academic
Calendar
WEBSITE
Visit www.unboundpotential.org for more
information.
“If we teach today’s students as we taught
yesterday’s, we rob them of
tomorrow.”― John Dewey
OUR PURPOSE
School is a place where students should be taught to break barriers and build bridges towards
Take a peek into a day
in the life of budding
artist Stella Young,
and how she improves
her craft
the most enlivening pursuit they can dream up; a place where kids are encouraged to unleash
every ounce of grit they have to keep climbing no matter what.
Each day is supercharged with purpose, and its own share of struggles. It’s easy for kids to
accept limiting thought patterns that lead them down a path of mediocrity.
That’s when our educators step in to remind young people that there is something inside of
them that is superior to circumstances. This outlook turns what seems like hopeless situations
into enjoyable challenges.
At Unbound Potential Academy we know that resilience comes from viewing problems as
puzzles, failures as lessons and adversity as a catalyst for growth.
All children succeed at UP Academy!
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 2

FALL 2020
ACADEMICS
WHAT MAKES LEARNING DIFFERENT AT UP ACADEMY?
“Education is
not preparation
for life;
education is life
itself.”
― John Dewey
CURRICULUM
Unbound Potential Academy offers the progressive learning model; a flexible, personalized
curriculum tailored to the needs of each learner. Children learn more deeply when they are
asking the questions and engaging in their designed explorations in our hands-on, projectbased
environment. Children explore ideas, surroundings and manipulate and experiment
with tools and materials. They ask questions, follow their imagination, puzzle over their
findings, express their understandings and come to a deeper knowledge. Curriculum units will
be infused with auditory, reading/writing, visual and kinesthetic learning styles. Students will
also have the opportunity to experience community learning trips and STEM integration.
Teacher planned lessons, as well as an online learning portal, will be utilized to address the
needs of core content.
MULTI-AGE CLASS SETTING
UP Academy believes in multi-age classrooms. Social skills and peer relationships are
maximized with fluid environments based on strengths and weaknesses rather than age. This
model enables students to develop learning communities. Learners will embrace team building
and respect for one another's differences. Mentor teams will be developed to encourage
younger and older students to listen, affirm, set goals and hold each other accountable. There
is both a leader and a collaborator in every child.
GRADING
Learning opportunities will be referred to as
“pursuits”. As students master content,
reports will show missions accomplished! The
goal will be for students to close their
educational gaps and master skills they are
ready for, whether it be below, on ,or above
their current grade level. Students will
maintain portfolios throughout the study year,
in order to capture evidence of learning
throughout each pursuit.
TESTING
Students will take a norm- referenced tests
(ITBS) at the beginning of the study year in
order to develop a personalized starting point
in the learning mission and again at the end of
the study period to monitor growth and
learning. Progress reports from the learning
portal, portfolio and quarterly student- led
conferences will be utilized to maintain
accurate records of the students' present
levels of understanding. We stand apart from
schools focused on ranking and categorizing
children according to test scores. We define
education in terms of an interest in digging
deeper for answers. We measure success in
terms of intellectual rather than academic
ability.UP Academy strives to make learning
matter. Students will no longer learn concepts
to show mastery on a test, but see the
relevance of learning in everyday skills and
practices.
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 3

QUALITIES OF
THE
PROGRESSIVE
LEARNING
MODEL
The Progressive Learning Model evolved from a combined
movement of philosophers like John Dewey, theologians and
their pedagogic principles of fusing concrete knowledge with
real world practices.
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E M P H A S I S O N L E A R N I N G
B Y D O I N G
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3
4
5
I N T E G R A T E D C U R R I C U L U M
F O C U S E D O N T H E M A T I C U N I T S
S T R O N G E M P H A S I S O N P R O B L E M
S O L V I N G A N D C R I T I C A L T H I N K I N G
G R O U P W O R K A N D D E V E L O P M E N T
O F S O C I A L S K I L L S
I N T E G R A T I O N O F E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P
I N T O E D U C A T I O N
“Give the pupils something
to do, not something to
learn; and the doing is of
such a nature as to demand
thinking; learning naturally
results.”― John Dewey
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U N D E R S T A N D I N G A N D A C T I O N A S
T H E G O A L S O F L E A R N I N G A S
O P P O S E D T O R O T E K N O W L E D G E
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S E L E C T I O N O F C O N T E N T
B A S E D O N S O C I E T A L
R E L E V A N C Y
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C O L L A B O R A T I V E A N D C O O P E R A T I V E
L E A R N I N G P R O J E C T S
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D E - E M P H A S I S O N T E X T B O O K S
A N D W O R K S H E E T S
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E D U C A T I O N F O R S O C I A L
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y A N D D E M O C R A C Y
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E M P H A S I S O N L I F E L O N G
L E A R N I N G A N D S O C I A L S K I L L S
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P E R S O N A L I Z E D E D U C A T I O N
A C C O U N T I N G F O R E A C H
I N D I V I D U A L ’ S P E R S O N A L G O A L S
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A S S E S S M E N T B Y E V A L U A T I O N
O F C H I L D ’ S P R O J E C T S A N D
P R O D U C T I O N S
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I N T E G R A T I O N O F S E R V I C E
L E A R N I N G P R O J E C T S I N T O
T H E D A I L Y C U R R I C U L U M
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 4

THE PROGRESSIVE
LEARNER DIFFERENCE
S T U D E N T S W I L L E X P E R I E N C E T H E R E A L -
W O R L D A P P L I C A T I O N O F L E A R N I N G . A
L E S S O N O N D E C I M A L O P E R A T I O N S M A Y B E
S P E N T A T D E P A R T M E N T S T O R E S , W H I L E T H E
M O N T H L Y P L A Y A T T H E N E A R E S T T H E A T R E
C O U L D H E L P S T U D E N T S P R A C T I C E E L A
C O N C E P T S L I K E C H A R A C T E R C H A N G E O R
S T O R Y E L E M E N T S .
W E C R E A T E L E A R N I N G E N V I R O N M E N T S T H A T
E N G A G E S T U D E N T S I N M E A N I N G F U L
L E A R N I N G E X P E R I E N C E S W H E R E W E I G N I T E A
S P A R K F O R L E A R N I N G , F O S T E R I N D I V I D U A L
C R E A T I V I T Y , A N D I N S T I L L A D E E P ,
I N T R I N S I C D E S I R E T O B E C H A N G E M A K E R S ,
I N N O V A T O R S , A N D C O N F I D E N T V I S I O N A R I E S .
F I N A N C I A L L I T E R A C Y W I L L B E E X P L O R E D A T
A L L A G E S A N D Y O U R C H I L D W I L L B E
E X P O S E D T O V A R I O U S C A R E E R A V E N U E S
A N D E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P .
W E T E A C H H O W T O T H I N K A N D T O M A K E
J U D G M E N T S R A T H E R T H A N T O S I M P L Y F I L L
S T U D E N T S ’ H E A D S W I T H K N O W L E D G E .
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 5

ADMISSION
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN UP ACADEMY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING THROUGH THE ADMISSIONS
PROCESS WITH YOUR FAMILY!
HOW TO APPLY
To apply please click this link to complete the online application.
All required items must be turned in before your application can be
processed. Due to our desire to maintain small class sizes and a
meaningful learning environment, only applicants with a completed
file by May 31st will be considered for admissions. Additional
applicants will be placed on a waiting list and contacted in the event
there is space availability.
If you have any additional questions regarding the admission process
or details related to UP Academy, you may contact Jazmine Dinkins at
770-845-2776 or email the admissions office at
info@unboundpotential.org.
We look forward to serving you!
Unbound Potential Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic
origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or
made available to students at the school. Unbound Potential Academy does not
Unbound
Potential
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration
of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic
and other school-administered programs.
U N B O U N D P O T E N T I A L 7

Unbound Pursuit=
Unbound
Possibilities