Imagine a free public school where every child learns to play piano and read music …
Kiwanis Club of San Diego Music Lab (K-8); Seminar-Orchestra Room (K-8)
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Imagine a free public school where every child learns to program computers, starting in Kindergarten with his or her own robot ….
K-1 “Roamer,” 2-5 “Racer” Robotics Program: Math & Science Olympics!
6th-8th Lego Mindstorms & Botball Robotics: Math & Science Olympics!
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Imagine a free public school where every child participates in a Seminar Program …
Touchstones Seminar: The lost arts of active reading, listening, speaking, and thinking.
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Please consider a donation to our general fund to support our mission of Excellence and Equity for All Students. All donations are tax-deductible.
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Old Town Academy K-8 School is a free California public charter school located near historic Old Town, San Diego.
Old Town Academy students benefit from these Key Learning Tools:
1. “Project Tree” Project-Based-Learning System: Visual Goal Setting & Progress Tracking, Quality First Assessment (Pass/Try Again grading on all projects: Letter grades come at the end of learning, rather than putting an end to learning). System maximizes Independent Learning, Student Hands-on learning time, and Teacher Coaching Time.
2. Music-Math-Science Focus: Early Learning Programs such as: Music-to-Mathematics (every child learns to play piano and read music, starting in Kindergarten); Math & Science Olympics (every child learns programming, problem solving, and applied mathematics, using programmable robots and apps, starting in Kindergarten)
3. The Core Knowledge® Humanities Curriculum: Equity and Excellence for All Students, “velcro for the mind” (the more facts you know, the easier new knowledge sticks). Seminar Program for all students.
4. Learning Acceleration Labs: Computers dedicated to supporting classroom teachers and accelerate acquisition of core skills & concepts: Mathematics, Vocabulary-Reading, Geography, Science Simulations, Foreign Language, Musical Performance.
5. Outdoor Ed as Character Ed. We take Outdoor Recess and Physical Education seriously. No mis-education on the playground, no Lord of the Flies on the Field. Our teachers guide every minute of the day, from drop-off to pick-up. Team Sports as Character Ed, No Bad Habits, Every Child Learns & Plays Every Position, Masters Every Skill, Gets Game, and Gets in Shape. Video: “Throw Like a Girl” at OTA!
6. MAPS (Measures of Academic Progress) Quality Assurance System: An in-house assessment tool for measuring every student’s academic performance and growth over each academic year (NWEA.org) OTA Teachers are interested in improving performance, not grading it.