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The PreUpper School program is designed for students with average to superior abilities who learn best in small classes. Incorporating multi-sensory and experiential instruction, the school’s holistic or "total child" approach allows students to learn about and achieve mastery of themselves and the world around them. The goal of the PreUpper School is to enable students to become independent, lifelong learners. Self-respect, self-discipline, and regard for others are engendered in an atmosphere of individual acceptance, respect, and commitment. Mill Springs Academy is fully accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission and is pursuing SACS accreditation.
Laptops |
Winter Learning
| Community
Levels System PREUPPER TEACHER WEBSITES Judy's Life Science Will's Math Philip's World Cultures Errol's Literature Kym's Math Chet's GA History/Spanish Victoria's Literature Martha's Physical Science LAPTOPS FOR LEARNINGBeginning in the
1997-98 school year, Mill Springs became part of a Toshiba/Microsoft
laptop project with the goal of
becoming a
model program for other schools. In the 97-98 term, students began individual
ownership of laptops. Starting in the 4th grade every student is required
to own a laptop. In 2003 we began offering IBM ThinkPads. Through the
school’s Local Area Network (LAN), students are able to connect wirelessly to the Internet as
well as communicating with the faculty and staff and accessing the various
portfolios of information stored on the server.
The Winter Learning
Program (WLP) is a ten day, hands-on, experiential learning program.
Students take a variety of interest-generated courses on a Pass/Fail
basis. This program, which lasts the first two weeks of January, is a pure learning
environment in which students attend workshops, internships, and week-long
seminars, and participate in "mobile
classrooms" on topics such as
Introduction to Scuba, Theatre Production, Soapstone Sculpture, working
with the Department of Natural Resources on Sapelo Island, Adopt a Stream,
or day trips to Washington, D.C. and New York City. Students choose a
series of classes from the course outlines and schedules and then spend
two weeks learning about each topic. Mill Springs Levels
system is the "backbone" of the program and sets Mill Springs apart from
other independent schools. The Levels System is a school-wide,
reality-based structure that clearly defines student responsibilities. The
system allows the student to make fully informed choices and to assume
personal responsibility for those choices. The weekly Levels/Community
meetings incorporate peer feedback. All students participate in values
groups that focus on character development.
Click here for the
levels system.
Advisory is the morning and afternoon class where each faculty
member works with a small group of students. The goal of this time period
is to enhance communication, to
support our students and their families,
and to integrate them successfully into the life of the school. The
ultimate reward is a school climate that fosters community. Another role
of the advisor is to disseminate information regarding the advisees to
faculty and staff. Advisors routinely call the parents of his/her advisees
in order to keep parents current with their student’s progress. BLOCK SCHEDULE AND CURRICULUM
The PreUpper School utilizes a block schedule.
This approach involves three, two-hour classes per day and allows for
more intensive individual attention to the instructional needs of each
student. The curriculum is challenging
with emphasis on the courses required for success in the upper grades. The
curriculum design is innovative and individualized with a variety of
approaches for presenting material and information, including focusing on
the multiple intelligences. Every student works individually with each of
his/her teachers to draft course syllabi that best meet the student’s
learning style and academic goals.
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