ACADEMICS

AJJCS will empower students to achieve their highest potential and become active citizens who work toward building a strong community in an agriculturally rich and nurturing school environment. AJJCS will develop its curriculum around themes and activities that support action in our school and local community. For example, teachers will facilitate project-based learning opportunities that solve local issues. For example, the teachers could choose to develop a school-wide or grade level unit to understand the theme of farm to table. In collaboration with students, teachers would plan standards-based units related to that theme. Students will develop actions to understand the common sense and practical application of farm to table which will instill self-sufficiency.

The educational program of AJJCS will support the mission of the school by developing the following:

• An inclusive community supported by families and educators
• Support Staff and Teachers
• Encourage Parent Involvement
• Instructional Strategies:

o Multiple Modalities

o Experiential Learning

o Mindfulness

o Practical Applications or Project-Based Learning

o For the school year 2024-25, we will have an Independent Study Option for Grades 9-12. 

• Academic excellence based on State Standards
• Rural Agricultural Preservation
• Civic Responsibility

AJJCS believes that extracurricular activities support learning throughout the school day. AJJCS anticipates having students participate in school clubs and organizations like Student Council, 4-H, Yearbook, Environmental Science Club, School Newspaper, and National Honor Society. The students who are interested in starting a club will be assisted in finding an Advisor to support their activities. In addition, AJJCS will provide opportunities for students to play sports.  AJJCS understands that the more engaged students are in the school community the more connected they will feel to the school.

  Field trips are also an important part of our TK-12 program. Students will attend traditional grade-level field trips as well as smaller incidental field trips throughout the year. Some examples of the field trips could include the following: walking trips to local groves, Eel River and local parks and the redwoods, Downtown Miranda, retirement homes, preschools, state and national parks, and Humboldt State University. In addition, students may visit Sequoia Park Zoo, Dunes State Park (Samoa), Center Arts (HSU), Ice Skating (Ferndale), Burlington State Park, Fort Humboldt, Loleta Cheese Factory, Humboldt Creamery, Dick Taylor Chocolates, Ferndale Repertory Theatre, Madaket Bay cruise, Mendocino Adventures Ropes Course, Arcata Airport, and Cypress Grove Model Dairy (Dow's Prairie).

ENRICHMENT

AJJCS recognizes that many students are academically high achieving.  Though all students will have access to enrichment activities,   

AJJCS will provide enrichment opportunities for excellence for students who demonstrate an ability to achieve beyond their grade level. The Charter School is committed to providing high achieving students with opportunities to study the curriculum in more depth and inculcate in them higher order thinking skills. Teachers will use differentiated instruction strategies to provide challenging assignments to advanced level students to bring out the originality in them.

AJJCS is committed to helping all students achieve through interventions in three tiers.  

1. Tier 1 - Foundational Program: (a) all teachers instruct to the standards on a daily basis, (b) all student work aligns to standards, and (c) all students are able to describe what they are learning and why, reflecting on their learning.

2. Tier 2 - Strategic Intervention: Identified students will receive strategic intervention for 30 minutes within the instructional day in the areas of language arts and/or mathematics in a small-group (5 or fewer students) setting during Universal Access. Strategic intervention allows students to practice and develop skills. On-going benchmark and progress monitoring will be used to adjust interventions.

3. Tier 3 - Intensive Intervention: Identified students will receive intensive intervention for at least 30 minutes within the instructional day in the areas of language arts and/or mathematics in a very small-group (two or three students or one-on-one) setting during Universal Access. Intensive intervention allows students to receive explicit instruction and focus on only one skill until proficient and prepared to move on. Highly flexible grouping will allow teachers to reorganize students, including multi-age grouping when appropriate.

  AJJCS is an inclusive Charter School and will offer services for all students in special populations. This includes, but is not limited to, students who qualify for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch; students who are designated as ELs; and students who receive Special Education services. AJJCS will serve all students with an Individualized Education Program (“IEP”), regardless of their eligibility. AJJCS will follow the regulations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The students who are designated as ELs will receive daily instruction in English Language Development in addition to teachers using Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (“SDAIE”) strategies including accessing prior knowledge, cooperative learning, hands-on instruction, student communication, explicit vocabulary instruction, multicultural education and checking for understanding.  AJJCS will provide enrichment opportunities for excellence for students who demonstrate an ability to achieve beyond their grade level.   

AJJCS will develop a culture of high expectations for all students. AJJCS believes that all students can achieve high standards, regardless of their strengths, weaknesses, and life experiences, and, therefore, all students should be offered opportunities to engage in a rigorous curriculum.

For information about the SELPA Local Plan, visit

 https://charterselpa.org/governance/