Self Development Academy has always been ahead of the game. We teach high school level math, science, and language arts in middle school. We teach college level philosophy and logic. And last year, when schools were struggling with the lost year, we gained ground and pushed forward.
Permit the author an analogy to running a marathon. Mile 22 is the wall, they say. For SDA, it was a cooling station. Most runners are quitting at that mile. Last year was mile 22 and we did not just breeze past it, we are better for it. We learned to incorporate education technology in ways that dazzle and mesmerize.
As a token of our appreciation to the students, we are offering an expanded curriculum so that the analytical student can participate in high level coding, and the creative one can take music composition. Forget needing a second wind, our first wind still has us accelerating children’s learning experiences past historical academic markers.
How do we do it? We inspire first. Then we perspire. A mix of high expectations, relentless support, and intrinsic motivation means SDA, as it always has, is ahead of the game.
Last year during the pandemic, the communities in Mesa and the Phoenix metropolitan area trusted SDA unequivocally to provide a nurturing and supportive educational environment for young children. For over three decades, SDA has proudly served the Mesa community and has developed a reputation of providing an excellent educational environment to our families.
Thankfully, SDA is a strong community of parents, students, and teachers who have been at our school for many years. What an honor it is to have second and even third generation students whose parents attended Self Development as preschoolers and completed SDA’s K-8 elementary program. It is this legacy of trust, commitment and shared values that is the foundation of our strong school community and culture that supports student learning at its highest level.
Now, one year later, after successfully navigating last year’s unknowns, students and parents are naturally wondering what to expect when school opens in August. Remaining true to SDA’s simple and straightforward mission, we prioritize the needs of our families in an environment filled with joy, learning, and high expectations of ourselves and students.
First, students can expect to be greeted each morning with the smiling faces of teachers and staff. Morning greetings set a happy and positive tone for the day. Greetings are sometimes expressed with elaborate hand gestures or dance moves based on individual student preferences. Who doesn’t love to start the day with the joy that comes
with smiles and dancing?
At SDA, we value making personal connections with each student. This connection transfers to the classroom through student engagement and motivation to be successful students who love to learn. As teachers and administrators, our favorite sight is a classroom of students raising hands and squatting just above their seats as if they are going to leap out from their desks along with their contributions. This shows us that the students are eager to learn.
Students can expect to participate in SDA’s variety of special programs immediately after the school year begins. In the past, these programs began a few weeks after the opening week of school. This time lapse allowed students to adjust to the back-to-school routines of the new school year. However, after thoughtfully assessing student needs, students will have the opportunity to participate in clubs (chess, drama, sports, dance, coding) and fine arts programs including music (percussion, violin, chorus) and art experiences that stimulate creativity.
Although SDA students normally learn at an accelerated grade level, SDA offers a gifted program for students who meet the criteria for this specialized learning experience. This program combines home and school research and participation in projects that focus on engineering, technology, invention design, and scientific reasoning.
Every child has their own unique genius. It is the difference that make us strong. We often emphasize student learning over mere teaching. This means that we accumulated an army of skills, products, formats, and disciplines. We are a school of agile teachers, now able to pivot from different styles of learning (visual, auditory) by using multimedia in the classroom. The brain learns best when the brain is subsumed in concept stimulation. This means that the more varied the methods of delivery, the better the learning.
Finally, parents and students can expect a school filled with administrators and teachers that absolutely love being in the classroom! Being a part of your child’s educational journey is a privilege we at SDA take seriously. Choosing the best fit for your child’s educational experience is an important task.
Some say to us, “It must have been challenging to make so many changes over a short period.” To this, we say, we are better for it. We cared for our community with supplies and food. We entertained our SDA family of parents, students, and teachers. We learned every permutation of learning remote/distance/in-person. We learned to reach every child.
Avalanches happen on the way up to Mount Everest. But once climbers brave that bitter isolating chaos, they are stronger, more resilient, and prepared for everything.
Thank you for letting us be guides for your children as they climb the highest peaks.
To schedule a school tour, please contact the front office at (480) 641-2640 or visit our website at SelfDevelopmentAcademy.com. Self Development Academy has four campuses throughout the Valley. Limited spaces are available for school year 2021-2022.