AcademyACL has designed instruction around multi-age divisions rather than traditional ‘graded’ classrooms of first grade, second grade, and so on, because research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach for advanced learners. At AcademyACL, here is the divisional breakdown:

Division I (one): kindergarten students, age five by October 1
Division II (two): first and second grade students, at least six by October 1
Division III (three): third and fourth grade students
Division IV (four): fifth and sixth grade students
Division V (five): seventh and eighth grade student

Multi-age divisions provide the opportunity to reinforce the idea that children of any given age are at a variety of developmental levels, and each should be assessed and matched with curriculum appropriate for those levels. A two-year span provides the opportunity for students to work with the same teacher for two years and to develop a close and productive working relationship. It also allows children the opportunity to become ‘classroom leaders’ by being positively influenced by the older students who already know the routines. In addition, multi-age grouping provides a more diverse peer group from which students are more likely to form solid friendships based on common interests, ideas, and maturity levels than on age. When a school operates in this manner, the school culture changes, it becomes common for everyone to transition to the appropriate class regardless of age, for everyone to acknowledge their own unique needs, and to have students more readily accept each other’s uniqueness.

Colorado law and various guidelines require that AcademyACL keep accurate records on the number of students in each ‘grade’ and match the appropriate standardized assessment to that grade level. If a student transfers out of AcademyACL, student records will also indicate appropriate the grade level to which the student should transfer. Additionally, enrollment for each division and class will be balanced for approximately the same number of year one and year two students.

AcademyACL will enroll between one and three classes per Division according to its growth plan, with a maximum of 18 students in a Division I class. All other Divisional classes have a maximum of 22, with a target of 18-20. The entire school will focus on a universal theme each quarter (systems, patterns, growth, etc), in addition to universal themes explored in individual divisions and curricular content themes (rainforests, electricity, etc). Divisions will use the same block schedule in the morning to enable students to transfer within divisions for advanced instruction as appropriate. All divisions will use learning centers, small group instruction, hands-on projects, and challenging vocabulary.

• Division I: Students in this division are likely to enter with a wide range of skills. AACL anticipates several students who can already read very well and may have some solid math skills in place, in addition to students who are ready to begin to learn these concepts as they enter and move along quickly. Thematic units include science experiments with motion, heat, and classification systems, and the Study of Ancient Man with Sumerian and Babylonian civilizations.
• Division II: Mysterious substances, interactions within habitats, and water systems; and historic investigation into The Classical Age, with the cultural foundations of Egypt, China, Greece and Rome, and foundations in geography.
• Division III: Temperature, energy, and life cycles; and historical investigation into The Middle Ages, with interactions of communities and power, and Colors of the Centennial State throughout Colorado’s history.
• Division IV: Force and motion in sport, changing weather patterns, and green technology; and historical investigation into Renaissance, Reformation, and Expansion in Europe, North and South America.
• Division V: Hot air balloons, bacteria, rollercoasters and rockets; and historical investigation into the Modern World, with American trends in revolution and democracy compared with Africa, Asia, and Australia today.