Our Programs and Services - North Star Academy

Students Working as a Group at North Star Academy

Students Working Together on Chromebook at North Star Academy

North Star Academy offers an educational experience where students demonstrate critical, logical, and creative thinking skills throughout the core curriculum, and use emerging technologies as tools in all areas of the curriculum to solve problems, to think critically, to express their creativity, and to communicate effectively.

Our specialized program focuses on compacted curriculum, combining creativity, task commitment, and high academic rigor to support students in developing to their fullest potential. The pace of responsive instruction, the depth and complexity of the grade level curriculum, the types of assignments, and the range of experiences provide a learning atmosphere that promotes excellence. All students are expected to demonstrate personal growth through the development of self-discipline, leadership skills, community involvement, and character growth.

Core Curriculum

We expect all students will demonstrate critical, logical, and creative thinking skills throughout the core curriculum and are expected to meet and exceed the standards of the core curriculum to the best of their abilities. In the process students will use emerging technologies as tools in all areas of the curriculum to solve problems, to think critically, to express their creativity and to communicate effectively. Teachers design learning activities to add more depth and complexity to the standard curricular expectations. The Compacted Curriculum offers a change from the traditional pace of the curriculum, freeing up time for enrichment.

Differentiated Instruction

Through Differentiated Instruction, students master the core curriculum, to the best of their abilities. This can relieve boredom that may result from work in less challenging curricular areas or from extensive review of basic skills. Differentiated Instruction also allows the students to use the time that they have saved to go deeper into curricular areas and to pursue enriching activities.

Enrichment Program

All students in grades 4th-8th participate in extensive enrichment activities throughout the year. (Third grade students have their own rotation of enrichment programs.) Enrichment activities vary each trimester, reflecting the diverse interests and passions of teachers and students. In the past we have had opportunity to offer such classes as -: drama and musical productions, origami, poetry, watercolor painting, science fair, music composition, yoga, puppetry, math puzzles, debate, model making, choir, robotics, dance, gardening, cooking, computer programing and coding, and many more!