Background
Our story is rooted in the community of whom we serve. Built from the ground up, All Minds Academy was founded by Dr. Jen Leon, a mathematics educator who began teaching students with sensory-motor differences in 2014. Discovering their insatiable appetite for learning, especially in mathematics, she expanded her offerings through her company, All Minds Math, and eventually wrote a comprehensive high school mathematics curriculum. The curriculum, adapted for students who communicate by pointing at letters and symbols on a board, keyboard, or device held by a partner who provides motor support, was the first full math curriculum of its kind and for most of her students, it was their first experience with truly accessible and meaningful academics. Frustrated by the shortcomings of other educational programs and exhausted by the constant fight for accommodations, families began seeking alternatives and expressed a desire for Dr. Jen to create accessible curricula in other subjects. Eventually, Dr. Jen was able to put together an incredible team of highly credentialed educators and skilled practitioner-parents to work together to build a full high school program known as All Minds Academy. Soon after the summer 2023 announcement of the development of All Minds Academy, a partnership was established with Global Village School, an accredited homeschool and private school hybrid whose mission and values closely align with All Minds. As a result of this partnership, beginning Fall 2024, All Minds Academy is offering a fully accredited high school diploma through a program called, ASCEND. Graduation requirements of ASCEND mirror those of Global Village School and utilize All Minds Academy's curriculum, teachers, and advisors. A secondary program called, FLEX, is also offered serving students that might not want the full diploma program, but are seeking enrichment or supplemental learning. These one-of-a-kind programs are designed and led by experts with the necessary training and knowledge for utilizing best practices to support neurodivergent students that communicate best by spelling or typing.
Our "Why?"
We LISTENED.
WE BUILT.
WE KEEP LISTENING.
Our MISSION
Our mission is to provide a rigorous, highly accessible education where every student feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to learn and grow.
We prepare students for college, if that is their goal, while fostering the growth and confidence they need to become thoughtful scholars, responsible global citizens, creative and forward thinkers, and stewards of our planet and humanity.
Our commitment is to remain true to our roots. All Minds Academy grew from the needs, experiences, and aspirations of the families and students we serve. From the ground up, we have built an educational program designed specifically to address the needs of the spelling and typing community.
As we grow, we remain committed to listening—to our students, families, and community—and adapting to meet their evolving needs.
Our vision is to make a meaningful, high-quality upper-secondary education accessible to every individual around the world who communicates best through spelling or typing.
Our APPROACH
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WE ARE A SOFT LANDING FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES - IT'S OK! WE TRULY GET IT!
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Caring and knowledgable administration and staff trained in best practices for serving students with motor/communication differences
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Experienced and credentialed teachers eager to encourage and respectfully engage with students
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Administration and teaching staff consists, in part, of parents with relevant and relatable experiences
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All administration and teachers FULLY embrace a competence-presuming paradigm
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WE WELCOME STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL DEVELOPING OPEN COMMUNICATION - YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT TO EARN CREDIT FOR YOUR HARD WORK
- Initial courses designed to accommodate a range of communication skills.
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Courses gradually increase in communication demands without creating barriers to completion.
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WE OFFER MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY - WE LISTENED. WE DESIGNED SCHOOL FOR YOU!
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No minimum course enrollment
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Implementable when and where it works best for the student
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Self-paced and online
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Minimum enrollment age for most courses is 14, with no max
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Two options - Accredited Diploma (ASCEND) or Enrichment (FLEX)
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WE RESPECT THE BALANCE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND PERSONAL TIME - YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND THE RIGHT TO REST AND LEISURE!
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Courses designed with an understanding of elevated time and energy demands associated with our student's preferred method of communication
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Concise, yet rigorous assignments that reflect information processing abilities of our students therefore enabling courses to be completed in a reasonable timeframe, comparable to a typical high school course
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WE PRIORITIZE STUDENT AUTONOMY - STUDENTS DESERVE AND DEMAND INTEGRITY
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Communication partners must demonstrate sufficient skills to support students authentically and respectfully
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Communication partners must distinguish their voice from students
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Students and communication partners must adhere to conduct and honor code developed by a committee including students, communication partners, and administrators
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WE VALUE WHOLE STUDENT DEVELOPMENT - MEANINGFUL EDUCATION INVOLVES MORE THAN CHECKING BOXES
- Students prepared for higher education , if desired, with rigorous and standards-based academics
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Students challenged in growth as a global citizen
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Students encouraged to engage in critical thinking versus regurgitation
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WE UTILIZE ACCESSIBLE CURRICULUM - CUSTOM BUILT FOR YOU!
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High-level, fluff-free
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Adapted, not modified
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Rich and engaging instructional videos often accompanied with guided notes to support learning
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Spell-friendly assignments that target learning and comprehension objectives precisely and concisely
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WE UNDERSTAND COMMUNICATION PARTNER NEEDS - PARTNERS MATTER TOO!
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Partners not expected to be teachers
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Answer keys provided for checking
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Regular, live support from trained advisors that can provide student-communication partnership troubleshooting and encouragement
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