Academics 

Your Student Will Acquire Deep Knowledge Through Real-World Project Experiences

Our approach cultivates a generation of creative, curious, free-thinking, problem solvers through an education that embraces differing abilities. We embrace taking appropriate risk, failing, reflecting, and redoing, a process of “messing upwards.”

Rigorous academics though student-led learning experiences are a cornerstone of students’ development and advancement at UP Academy. Educators help students plan and direct their studies to match their goals. Students engage in both individual and schoolwide team projects to build lifelong skills.

Project Based Learning - learners explore concepts through live experiences and apply what they learn to solve real world problems. Our methodology focuses on feedback, reflection, and revision, over final outcomes. This dynamic inquiry-based method towards projects is the opposite of rote memorization or cookie-cutter project production.

Reggio Emilia connects UP with a global network of educators and schools that share our belief that children are capable, curious, and active co-constructors of their own learning. Their methodology of making thinking visible is how we do PBL at UP.

Differentiated Learning - students are grouped by their level of skill and challenge, not by age or grade. This allows each student to work at their “just right” level of challenge, all the while also work on leadership through sharing their strengths.

Emotional intelligence requires self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. When young students practice these qualities daily, they build the toolkit to thrive for a lifetime.

Physical Movement improves the flow of blood in the brain, helping students to learn more easily. At UP, students are not sitting in their chairs for most of the day. We embrace that movement actually improves mood which creates a positive effect on learning. Kids need to move. That is why UP dedicates double the amount of time to recess as traditional elementary schools.