Engaging the entire community – students, teachers, parents, administrators, and staff– in the Acceleration Academies is a fundamental aspect of its success. The February and April Academies are important milestones on the LPS calendar, and there is always an enormous sense of excitement leading up to the two vacation weeks. The central office does its part to energize the community and each participating school in the district has found its own distinctive ways to galvanize the troops prior to each Academy.
“The “buzz” in each school is positive and palpable, creating a context that celebrates hard work and what it means to be part of a learning community.”
Many schools hold all-school assemblies to present “the golden ticket” to the lucky students who have been chosen to participate. All of the schools send home flyers and post signs in prominent spots around the school to remind the community that the Academies are coming. Principals and teachers told us that one of the best ways to “market” the Academies is to ask students who have previously attended them to share their experiences with their younger peers.
For the elementary school children, in particular, establishing early on in their school careers that extra learning time is a good thing plants the seeds for future growth. Regardless of the specific strategies and tactics, the positive “buzz” reinforces that learning is a privilege to be savored and celebrated.