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Involved from its earliest stages, is the school's founder, Dr. Janice Black. The school emerged out of a conversation that she had with Dr. Dodi Hodges, then a colleague with Dr. Black at a local university. They discussed the need for a K-12 school environment that supported students in learning how to do the entry college level academics, yes. That has been a need for many years. The new issue was a marked decline in the students abilities to handle ambiguity and their active aversion to risk! Furthermore, students were sitting self-isolated with their mobile technology and not engaging in social interactions.
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As they talked, Dr. Hodges brought in her area of expertise in special education and mathematics to support a strengths-based approach that supported individuals learning material at their own rates even if it meant being promoted to the next level earlier than the traditional 1-year cohort set-up. Dr. Black drew on her background as an Ed. Specialist in Learning Technologies to emphasize a supplemental approach with technology especially in early ages. They both agreed that the development of the whole child including the social skills developed during longer recesses and school days was necessary.
As they continued their discussion, they found that students could no longer adequately take notes in class that reinforced their learning because they could not write fast enough (here is an interesting link about cursive writing.). The structure and curriculum to support the skills needed in a university setting were explicitly laid out. Unfortunately, soon after that Dr. Hodges had to turn her attention to more personal areas and she was not able to continue as a partner in the founding of the school. Dr. Black decided to continue to develop the school because of her heartfelt desire to not complain but to take action to solve this problem emerging in higher education. Fortunately, she has a background in starting schools.
Since the late 1980s and on through to the 2000s, Dr. Black has started three schools in three different states! Two were faith-based (Nevada and New Mexico) and one was a home-school co-op (in Texas, during the very early stages of the homeschooling movement). She brings those previous experiences to this endeavor. Because Dr. Hodges and Dr. Black had differing spiritual backgrounds, they were attracted to a secular school which also fit a local gap in available schools. They settled on a high quality, high challenge curriculum that required attaining a level of competence before being allowed to move on. They united that with the multi-grade/age classrooms which also supports the development of social skills. The end result being the school that is emerging today.
Dr. Black will remain as the project leader for the non-profit sponsor and pro bono headmaster while having a lead teacher who will be in training to take over the headmaster position once the school is large enough to support it. Passion, commitment, and a willingness to develop the faculty just as the faculty develop the students roughly defines Dr. Black's leadership style. Children deserve to be challenged, to be held accountable, to have honor modeled by their faculty, and their successes celebrated. Dr. Black commits to making sure that happens.
As they continued their discussion, they found that students could no longer adequately take notes in class that reinforced their learning because they could not write fast enough (here is an interesting link about cursive writing.). The structure and curriculum to support the skills needed in a university setting were explicitly laid out. Unfortunately, soon after that Dr. Hodges had to turn her attention to more personal areas and she was not able to continue as a partner in the founding of the school. Dr. Black decided to continue to develop the school because of her heartfelt desire to not complain but to take action to solve this problem emerging in higher education. Fortunately, she has a background in starting schools.
Since the late 1980s and on through to the 2000s, Dr. Black has started three schools in three different states! Two were faith-based (Nevada and New Mexico) and one was a home-school co-op (in Texas, during the very early stages of the homeschooling movement). She brings those previous experiences to this endeavor. Because Dr. Hodges and Dr. Black had differing spiritual backgrounds, they were attracted to a secular school which also fit a local gap in available schools. They settled on a high quality, high challenge curriculum that required attaining a level of competence before being allowed to move on. They united that with the multi-grade/age classrooms which also supports the development of social skills. The end result being the school that is emerging today.
Dr. Black will remain as the project leader for the non-profit sponsor and pro bono headmaster while having a lead teacher who will be in training to take over the headmaster position once the school is large enough to support it. Passion, commitment, and a willingness to develop the faculty just as the faculty develop the students roughly defines Dr. Black's leadership style. Children deserve to be challenged, to be held accountable, to have honor modeled by their faculty, and their successes celebrated. Dr. Black commits to making sure that happens.
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We are an independent non-profit private school in the Myrtle Beach area that operates with rigorous academic standards, a commitment to developing all aspects of a child, an orientation that is respectful of religious organizations, and has a strong honor code.
A Project of the Social Good Fund | www.socialgoodfund.org
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