Friendship: A Gold Mine

BRETT MADRON REFLECTS ON ACADEMY FOR G.O.D. CULTURE TOWARDS CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

If you haven’t seen the movie WONDER, you should.  It tells the inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream middle school for the first time. As a father of a son with special needs, I related to the movie on many levels, but particularly the way in which August’s differences affect his social integration into the school system. My son Levi is 7 years old and has apraxia of speech, an acquired oral motor speech disorder affecting his ability to translate conscious speech plans into motor plans, which has resulted in his inability to speak. For now, he uses an alternative communication device (aka his ‘talker’) to express himself.  

Having a child with special needs like Levi, I think one of the main concerns for my wife, Michelle, and I has been how he will fit in socially in the world. What would it look like for him to have good friends? How do we help him begin to develop friendships? In darker moments wondering, will he be damaged as a person because his speech isn't typical, by people ignoring him, by not being able to express emotions in a healthy manner? Just real questions that sort of linger...but that are finding some relief thanks to the gift of the community which we feel so blessed to be a part of.

The marked difference in the narrative of WONDER and my own narrative is the gift my family has in being surrounded by a community of people and a K-12 Academy that are teaching children at a young age to befriend, accommodate and include children with special needs.

Levi presents about his new pet guinea pig during share time at the Academy for G.O.D.

Some highlight moments have been: 

Levi's kindergarten teacher asked students where their favorite place was to go and Levi used his talker to say ‘airport.’ From across the room, Liam Bennecker shouted, “The airport is my favorite place too Levi!” It may seem small, but Levi’s participation and connection with another student are the small steps that we are so glad to see taking place. 

Sometimes Levi struggles to keep up in line when the class is going different places. A few students have naturally started holding his hand to help him stay focused and better balanced. This has been fun to watch. 

A few girls were on the playground playing ‘Choo choo’ where they line up and put their hands on each other’s shoulders and move around. Levi found a train on his talker and communicated that he wanted to play and they were so welcoming to him joining in.

One day, Levi needed help opening something. And he was just grunting to ask for help. Two girls in his class leaned over and used the sign for ‘open’ to tell Levi to use his signs. It showed that they have paid attention to his signs and have showed the care to want to connect with him. 

Again, it’s these small moments and so many more that we are grateful for.

Academy students after their Buddy Break training.

But the same kindness is felt all throughout the Academy, not just in Levi's class. For the past six months, high school students have been volunteering with a program called Buddy Break.  Buddy Break is a non-profit organization that provides a once-a-month children’s program for families with special needs. The program allows parents to go out and relax for three hours in the evening while their children are cared for.  Every child in the family, special needs or not, is assigned to a volunteer at a 1:1 ratio and they spend the evening playing games and doing activities.

After working with Buddy Break, Academy ninth grader Jack Jeffries reflected on his experience, “It’s been great. During my time there, I've made a bunch of fantastic new friends and just have gotten to do what I love, which is having a good time hangin' with kids!  One thing I loved most was witnessing the overall joy of the room. I absolutely love when a kid walks into the room and sees their friend, and their face lights up. It just makes me happy.”

While limitations for sociability do often exist for individuals with special needs, those limitations often get exaggerated because people don’t quite know how to make the step into accommodating and befriending kids like August or Levi. Programs like Buddy Break allow volunteers take this next step, long before adulthood when they might fulfill roles like teacher, counselor or principal.  

Merci Warren, Academy for G.O.D. freshman, helps with an arts and crafts activity during Buddy Break. She says, "I've loved serving kids and giving them a great time!"

Academy vice principal Meg Mathews commented, “Our high schoolers have really enjoyed serving at Buddy Break. As a school, we really prioritize getting students the opportunity to serve in the community and live out the education that they are receiving. We hope this experience shows them how they can meet needs that are right before their eyes. The organizers of the Buddy Break Program told us that our students are some of the most enthusiastic, talented and compassionate kids they have on their team.”

As Levi’s Dad, I couldn’t feel more thankful and blessed to be part of such a wonderful thing taking place at the Academy. More than being on par with their peers academically or the latest in therapy technology, kids need friends and good, caring people around them to love them. In that regard, as hard as some days are, I feel like we hit a gold mine.

Academy Students Explore Careers

STUDENTS GAIN INSIGHTS INTO POTENTIAL CAREER PATHS

If you went to college you are likely familiar with the dreaded prospect of “declaring a major.” As an 18 or 19 year old, you are suddenly forced into a choice of pursuing an education focused more specifically on what you will do “for the rest of your life.” If you are like me, that decision was predicated upon what seemed most likable (“should I teach, do professional ministry, work as a missionary?”) or what seemed most economically sound (“computer programming...what is computer programming?!”). The sudden choice of declaring your future-and-forever career is a challenging one for most college students. A study by the U.S. Department of Education found that 1 in 3 college students change their major by their third year of college. 1 in 10 college students make the change two or more times.

Beyond the burden of choosing a major, there is a dilemma as college graduates enter the workplace. Almost half of college graduates report that their first career choice was in a field unrelated to their degree, while nearly one-third report that they never work in a field related to their college major (1). Worse still is recent data showing that when graduates do enter a field they have a degree in, employers find them unprepared for their jobs, lacking both the hard and soft skills necessary for the careers their degrees represent training in (2).

Acknowledging the difficulty a young person has knowing what “they want to do,” yet striving to avoid the problem of graduates being unprepared for the workplace, the Academy for G.O.D. created the Directed Studies course for high school students. Directed Studies is a program that gives students the opportunity to experience a career field that interests them hands-on. The course emphasizes discovery, exposure, practice, and evaluation - all of which are necessary for students to leave high school prepared to pursue an occupation that they can claim, with confidence, they are suited for.

Genesis Garner, 15, shadows Jaimeé Arroyo, Family Nurse Practitioner, BC. "Being able to shadow at HFC gave me an incredible hands-on, real life opportunity to use my compassion for the sick" Genesis says.

Simon Liley was given the opportunity to shadow Academy elementary teacher, Craig Duffy in the classroom. Simon shared his thoughts on the day, “I've really enjoyed teaching. It’s something I've wanted to do for a long time, and [shadowing Mr. Duffy] in the classes has been a blast. I've learned a lot from it.

Directed Studies adds a dose of reality to student interest, supplementing enjoyment with research and practice. This experience is not just theoretical, as students gain practical experience shadowing professionals in their fields of interest. For an entire school day, students observed their mentors in a professional setting: a student that wants a future in medicine shadowed a nurse practitioner. Another, interested in electrical engineering, worked on the job-site with a professional installing and programming ‘smart homes.’ A girl that wants to run her own bakery observes a small business owner, learning what it takes to start and manage your own company.

All together, the high school class shadowed professional counselors and psychiatrists, veterinarians, mechanics, electricians, business owners, journalists, photographers, elementary teachers, non-profit youth workers, and nurse practitioners. The lessons were tangible: “I learned the importance of knowing how and when to say ‘No’ to the customer.” “I experienced what journalism was like in terms of due dates, scheduling, policies, privacy, and time management.” “Working with a photographer allowed me to use what I was learning about a camera instead of keeping my knowledge idle.” “I saw the value in employees working together to solve problems on site.” “My mentor encouraged me to ‘follow my dreams’, but to do so understanding it would be five times harder than I expect now.”

Merci Warren is interested in pursuing journalism as a career. On the Directed Studies shadow day, she practiced her documentation skills through video and writing.

The passions and interests of young people need to be encouraged, nurtured, and honed. Paul claims that, “We are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph. 2:10). Who we are, then, is the result of God’s involvement, and, like any project, must be developed until we are capable of doing the “good works” Paul speaks of. The Directed Studies course is another step in the development of young people, giving them the opportunity to know a little better who they are and what they can do. For each student it is a gift to know better what they like and do not like, what they can and cannot do, and how to best direct their energy into pursuing an occupation that synthesizes what they enjoy with the reality of work, all in the context of participating in those “good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (Eph. 2:10).

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1. Leu, Katherine, RTI International (author), presented by National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). "Beginning College Students Who Change their Majors within 3 Years of Enrollment," Data Point, US Department of Education, December 2017. 
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018434.pdf

2. O'Shaughnessy, Lynn. "New Study Shows Careers and College Majors Often Don't Match." CBS News. November 15, 2013. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-study-shows-careers-and-college-majors-often-dont-match/.

3. 60% of employers surveyed found that college graduates lack the critical thinking skills necessary for their job. 44% found shortcomings in writing ability, and 39% in public speaking. "Which Job Skills Make the Most Money? Infographics | PayScale." Cardiovascular Technologist Salary. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/data-packages/job-skills.

New Year, Big Growth

An Interview With Academy Principal Betsy Johnson

After another year of record growth in enrollment, I sat down with Academy for G.O.D. principal, Betsy Johnson, as she shared some thoughts after a full week of classes.

CAN YOU GIVE US THE QUICK VERSION OF THE GROWTH ARC FOR THE ACADEMY? 

In the Academy's first year, the entire student body could fit on the stage. Here, they performed for the first supporter/grandparent event, titled "Come and See," referencing Jesus' words that demanded the faith to come and experience something before it was widely known. 

The Lord has been so good, it's really amazing. The Academy started in Fall 2013, we had 23 students in a K-6 program. This fall we have nearly 200 in a K-12 program! 

At the end of our 4th year, last spring, we had 110 students, so it’s consistent with the growth pattern of nearly doubling each year. We’ve seen a lot of growth and interest. 

THIS YEAR MARKS A BIG JUMP IN ENROLLMENT. CAN YOU TELL ME SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

This picture shows just a portion of our student body this fall as they engaged in a school-wide dodgeball game on the first day of school! 

Well, an interesting point to note is that we haven’t spent a single dollar marketing our school. Instead, it is a lot of word of mouth. People tell their friends and family, the word continues to circulate. This year we’ve been able to accommodate for many of the new applicants. 

IN WHAT WAYS IS THE ACADEMY ACCOMMODATING FOR SO MUCH GROWTH?

A lot of our effort goes toward developing our teachers. They are our greatest resource, in terms of making our school what it is.  They are in the classrooms,inspiring and educating, while also attending to the social and emotional needs of the students. So, we can only accommodate an influx of students if our teachers love their jobs, are competently performing, and are ready for growth. We believe they are. Our teachers really are the ones carrying out the mission and vision of the Academy on the day-to-day.

Over the summer we spent hours each week with our teachers, investing into them so that they can invest well into our students. They are really incredible people, but to be able to encourage them and push them to even develop further is a privilege. One thing that is unique is that at the Academy, you won’t see teachers finding their identity in their specific classroom, and that leaks over to the students as well. So, we emphasize students finding identity in their social groups. Those social groups are what stay in tact whether they are in the garden, on the soccer field, performing on a stage or learning in a traditional classroom. Our teachers work to create those strong social bonds among the students, while at the same time modeling that same cooperation with other teachers. Our staff is all great friends. 

CAN YOU SHARE A FEW RECENT TESTIMONIES FROM ACADEMY FAMILIES?

At the Academy, 8 out of 14 of our lead teachers are male. In fact, both our Junior High and High School classes are lead by male teachers, Mr. Reese (here) and Mr. Dailey. 

I’ve been really thankful because parents have been really outspoken about their experiences by reaching out to call, or write an email, or talk with me at the back-to-school party, about their experience. I have two testimonies that come to mind right now, one is from a returning family. The mom sent me an email saying how notably different their summer was because of the way that their sons were able to interact together, with their cousins, and others, over the summer. Their extended family members could see the growth, and their home was much more peaceful. This mom expressed her gratitude to the Academy staff for working together to educate her children in the things that even affect their social relationships.

Also, over this past week, just a few days into their time with the Academy, new parents whose children have only been with us a few days have noted enthusiasm for school from their children that they’ve never seen before. Multiple parents have told us that they don't have to struggle to wake kids up out of bed anymore. They're ready to go! Still more parents of tutorial students (a homeschool 1-2 day program) are asking about enrolling in the 5 day program. 

I’m so thankful for all of these testimonies. It's what we want for all of our kids. 

IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU SEE THE VISION FOR THE ACADEMY BEING ENACTED ON A DAILY BASIS?

It really goes back to the mission statement: ”Holistically educating children to become responsible, kind and ethical neighbors; competent persons, globally conscious, and historically relevant.” This is not just one person’s responsibility, it’s everyone's: lead teachers, course teachers who teach specialty classes, administration. As a Category IV school, we are able to create our own curriculum, which gives us the freedom to emphasize their moral education, and learning the Bible. But these values aren’t just relegated to Bible classes, but the principles and ethics carry throughout the students’ Academy experience. The social and emotional learning is so important... and we train our teachers in how to do that appropriate to the age level, so we have 6-7 year olds having classes called “My Emotions” and our High Schoolers taking “Emotional Intelligence.” They are able to navigate intrapersonally how they are feeling and also interpersonally with the people around them, in a healthy way. Perspective taking and asking for forgiveness all contribute to a holistic education that will result in healthy adults. We really believe these kids are going to change the world.

Coach Joel Olson runs the first volleyball practice for "The Phoenix," a joint team with another Christian school in the area. We are excited to offer competitive sports to our students, knowing they'll learn so many life lessons in the process!

WHAT’S ON THE HORIZON?

Our high school program has grown and is continuing to grow! We had 3 students last year and now have 12. We are excited to be able to offer sports to our older students by partnering with another local private school--we are starting with volleyball in the fall, then soccer in the spring. There are great skills to be learned there. There is a High School mission to El Salvador slated for December. We’re also implementing a “Buddy Break” program that facilitates time within the school week for our Jr and Sr high students to work with students that have special needs. We're excited to see our older students continue to implement the values they've learned in order to strengthen others. That is what responsible, kind, ethical neighbors are all about. 

Throughout the interview, Principal Johnson exuded thankfulness as she recalled and recounted the unfolding story being written at the Academy for G.O.D. It was clear that she could have continued sharing stories of the Lord’s faithfulness for quite a while longer, and that she was truly energized by the process of remembering and sharing. The Academy is surely growing, and it’s in more than just the number of students.

Equipping Teachers for Group Success

On July 3, Aquatic Public School (APS) kicked off its second school year after their summer break. Like any school in its first years, there are many new systems that need to be implemented in order for the day to day to function well and for students to receive a quality education. 

Corey Foster, a lead teacher at the Academy for G.O.D., explains a rubric for enhancing student behavior in the classroom to the teachers at APS.  This produced much dialogue amongst the staff.

 The teachers at APS had requested training on behavioral management in the classroom, so this week, we held a three-part teacher training seminar. One of our goals was to teach them about motivating positive behavior, rather than just punishing the negative. We also emphasized group incentives in addition to the individualized awards that the school already has in place.

We also provided opportunities for the teachers to let us know what issues that seeing arise in the classroom, as our partnership with the school is still relatively new. By the second day of the seminar, we could barely stop the teachers from sharing about their classroom experiences, and we were thrilled to recognize a genuine desire to offer quality education amongst the APS staff.

The day after the seminar, we saw that the customizable charts were already being utilized in their classrooms and that teachers and students were already enjoying the celebration of good behavior!

In India, education functions off of competition. As students make their way through the education system to the university level there are limited seats available. With these factors, much of their educational approach is individualistic to the point of creating hostility between students when working to obtain those seats. In contrast, much of our seminar emphasized the need for students to work together and to build one another up so that all could receive a healthy education that would then go on to meet the needs of their communities. While competition can be a good thing, we also emphasized the team dynamic of competition and how it should result in students being lifted up. We challenged teachers to think about the jobs that these students will someday hold and families that they will someday raise--that they will need to know how to work together with their co-workers and neighbors in order be of benefit to their society.

In an exercise to teach how positive reinforcement and group rewards can promote good behavior in students, these teachers won prizes of their own that they can use in the classroom.

 We began our second session by creating a point system based off of positive participation, discussion and everything we would also hope for their classrooms. The teachers were divided into teams, created team names, and learned our expectations as well as the incentives to participate (winners would get to choose between a new game for their classroom and colorful dry erase markers). They jumped right in and were extremely enthusiastic about participating.

From this model, we focused solely on positive behavior and working together- rather than just getting the ‘correct’ answer. This competition allowed them to begin freely talking about the situations they experience in their classrooms and brought a variety of healthy questions to the surface. We wanted them to experience a classroom full of questions and dialogue that resulted from giving them a goal to work towards. The excitement in the room was profound.

We offered the teachers simple tools to chart positive class points, which could be used in a variety of ways based upon their classroom needs and age levels. Initially as we explained these systems, there was a lot of confusion from the teachers as they so quickly wanted this system to be individualistic and celebrate the “good students.” We showed them the benefit of a whole group working to achieve points and how when one student is weak their whole class will come around them and encourage them to do well so that all can succeed. The teachers asked so many questions and our time together was filled with healthy discussion as we all worked towards possible solutions together.

As we have spent time in classrooms at APS over the past week working with students and teachers, we have seen these systems being implemented by teachers in the classroom and they have been enthusiastic to show us. Each classroom is using the charts differently based upon their classroom needs and students are earning points. The students and teachers are eager to earn points towards prizes. While we have two weeks together to help the teachers implement these systems, we are excited that Rachel Nowlin will be staying for the year to help further this process and help make it applicable and successful for the teachers and their students.

2016-2017 Year In Photos

A CELEBRATION THROUGH PHOTOS OF ANOTHER WONDERFUL YEAR AT THE ACADEMY FOR G.O.D.

What a year! As we look back over our 4th year of school at the Academy for G.O.D., we are humbled by the opportunity God has given us to teach and shape the lives of our students. From focused times of study, to fun times in recess, to times of sincere worship and everywhere in between, these young people are well on their way to becoming responsible, kind and ethical neighbors; competent persons, globally conscious, and historically relevant (our mission). Enjoy a few of the moments we captured along the way! 

On August 11th, we opened our doors for the 2016-2017 school year to 111 students, Kindergarten through 12th grade. The beginning of our fourth year as the Academy of G.O.D. was welcomed with much anticipation and excitement, from teachers and students alike, for a full year ahead!

One of the most practical ways we can implement the value of “the older serve the younger” (Gen. 25) is by example. Each week, our Junior High and High students facilitated a time of morning worship for the younger elementary levels. It was a highlight of the week all around!

Educational games and apps make learning technology fun! Even in our youngest levels, almost every class incorporates some activity on the iPad. Students learn how to navigate programs and handle their iPads with care.

We love our moms! On the first Friday of each month, our PTO organizes a “Mom’s Coffee Hour” where mothers can come after morning drop-off to enjoy coffee and fellowship with one another. These times are unifying and helpful as moms grow in friendships alongside their kids! 

One special afternoon, Principal Johnson and Mrs. Rosemary Sherrod combined their Literature and History courses to host a special guest from the Hopewell neighborhood where the Academy for G.O.D. is situated. Ms. Francis came to the class with stories to share from her experience living during the civil rights movement, coinciding with a historical fiction book set in 1963 Mississippi that the students had been reading. Ms. Francis emphasized the importance of treating one another well, working hard and having a strong faith. The students not only asked questions, but also appreciated her story and prayed with her.

Mr. Munoz’s passion for Anatomy has fueled many students' interest in health care. Classes like Anatomy, Hygiene, and Nutrition all build on one another, and teach kids not only how their bodies work but how to care for them in practical ways.

“Outdoor Adventures” for our kindergartners was a class that did not disappoint!  Whether it was a nature trail, exploring different types of trees and plants, or even building with materials from the outdoors, our students loved every moment of being out in the fresh air, learning more about the world they live in!

The theme of this year’s Grandparents Day was ‘A Thankful Generation’. Students prepared individualized poems and cards to express gratitude for their grandparents. We are thankful for so many wonderful relatives involved in these student’s lives!

On April 6th, the Academy hosted our annual Open House event for prospective students and families in the Nashville area. With over 200 guests in attendance, our entire campus was opened with demonstrations from teachers and students in the workshop, school kitchen, garden, athletic fields and indoor classrooms.

Thanks to the Bee Cause Nashville, this year we installed an INDOOR bee observation hive in our STEM classroom. The students were captivated by the display as they checked out the hive in the mornings or in between classes. The hive is overseen by Hopewell Gardens Apiary and bee keeper, Mr. Jeff Sherrod.

Then there are the dads! This spring, our dads took a special evening with their sons at the bowling alley. With over 50 families in attendance, there was some fun, lighthearted competition and a whole lot of father-son bonding time!

Wednesdays at The Academy follow a different schedule, one that promotes students’ spiritual development. Though it requires extra work and volunteerism to organize a day with a completely alternative schedule, it is well worth it when we see students developing soft hearts that love to worship and pray. 

Music may not come “natural” for every child, but having the opportunity to explore a variety of instruments and learn to play in a band is a gift we love to offer our students.  At the upper elementary level, students begin forming small worship bands and play with one another throughout the duration of the year, anticipating an increased skill level for each individual on their particular instrument.

Teachers have always been our school’s greatest resource. We are so thankful for each of our staff,  who poured endlessly into students this year, believing that each child is worth developing into a capable, confident person!

These guys blew everyone away during Student Performance Night, lighting up the stage with their tribute dance! It was a powerful symbol to all who watched, of the sweetness of unity that makes room diversity. At The Academy we truly believe that each child is created with unique gifts, and there is a place for each of them.  

Field Day was electric, with almost palpable energy in the air as teams vied for points to win 1st place in the overall competition! The day carried many impactful lessons, from perseverance through discouragement, to celebrating others when they did well. At the end of the day, the 1st place ‘Blue team’ were charged with the task of leading field cleanup, practicing Jesus’ teaching that the first shall be last, and that to be someone great means to be a servant to others.