Impact Public Schools are free and open to all! We serve Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Our culturally responsive academic model is rooted in four key elements: social-emotional learning, personalized learning pathways, project based-learning, and a joyful learning environment.
Impact Model Element 1:
Social-Emotional Learning
We ground our instructional model in social-emotional learning. Scholars participate in relationship-based activities throughout the week, aimed at building skills, habits, and mindsets critical to their academic and personal development.
Social-emotional learning in action
Scholars begin each school day with a mindfulness practice called True North. This is a deep breathing practice guided by the teacher that builds scholars’ awareness of the present moment and prepares them for the day ahead.
Impact Model Element 2:
Personalized Instruction
Teachers provide scholars with individualized instruction and support to encourage, challenge, and motivate them. Students take ownership over their learning, and their daily experience adjusts based on their unique skills, interests, and academic goals.
Personalized instruction in action
Each scholar receives daily reading and math instruction in small groups where their teacher supports their just-right learning goals. This looks different depending on the grade level and subject area. For example, in third grade book club, scholars read a text together at their level and have a guided discussion.
Impact Model Element 3:
Project-Based Learning
Our schools use true-to-life projects to help build students’ leadership skills and innovative-thinking skills. Our project-based learning curriculum is designed to be affirming of students’ identities, directly relevant to their lives, and culturally responsive. In each project, scholars work collaboratively with their peers and actively engage within and around their communities.
Project-based learning in action
In the Kindergarten project “Bread From Around the World,” scholars explore questions such as: How is bread made and enjoyed by different people around the world? Then, scholars participate in making bread and share it with the community at a Community Showcase.
Impact Model Element 4:
Culture of Positivity
Everything Impact students do is bound together with positivity and joy. We build Impact schools to be physically and emotionally safe environments, where students can explore and take risks, knowing they are supported.
Welcoming and joyful learning environment in action
Each week, scholars practice class-wide and individual goal-setting, and have time to share appreciation with their classmates. During a dedicated class time, students often thank classmates for something they did or said, and share how it made them feel.