How do students learn at ACA ? How is learning measured? How is each student’s story shared? Why have a small school design?

 ACA is proud of its innovative curriculum where students will learn through:  Foundation Courses I and II  Seminars  Workshops  Job Shadows  Internships  Independent Projects and Research Students will be able to complement the ACA curriculum with courses from Appleton North and/or Post-secondary organizations.

 ACA students benefit from the greater Appleton community through innovative learning opportunities.  Example : students will teach seminars to Touchmark residents  Community businesses and organizations, along with community experts and elders, partner with the ACA Faculty and students. This vital relationship makes the ACA curriculum relevant, rigorous, and related to the professional capacity evident in the Design, Health, and Business Professions.  Hoffman LLC (architectural design firm)  Touchmark (retirement community)  Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin - Fox Valley

1. Interdisciplinary Foundation Courses  Standards from several subjects woven into a four week small learning community (40 students; 2 faculty).  Community based learning in Health, Design, and/or Business  All students demonstrate professional aptitude through leadership, communication, and ethics development.  Field based learning, Job Shadowing and/or Internship Components

Seminars are focused ‘short courses’ of 3 or 4 weeks duration that exemplify integrated studies.  Led by one or sometime two faculty.  Community experts often serve as adjunct faculty.  Examples:  Atomic Rock and Roll  Pathology of Body Systems  Entrepreneurship  Design for Health Care

 Workshops are skill based and usually of short time duration. A bringing together of expert and students to gain a specific skill set.  Examples:  College Application Process  JA Titan Computer Simulation  Design and Biology  Volunteering in the Community

 Students are expected to take their learning into the professions of Design, Health, and Business.  Job Shadowing are planned immersion visits where the student follows a profession through his or her workday(s).  Internships can be short-term ( a week) or long-term (every Wednesday for an entire year. The student provides value to the organization and learns firsthand skills and capacity needed in the particular profession.  Apprenticeships are mentoring opportunities that are focused in a particular skill set development.

 Each ACA student has the flexibility to create an independent project and/or research effort to customize their learning.  Examples:  Creating and coordinating an art show  Assisting with a veterans publicity project  Managing a retail store  Designing a respite program for Children’s Hospital  Designing an active aging seminar  Each effort is proposed to the ACA faculty and a community expert for review and approval.  The student creates a realistic action plan for its completion.  Often highly visible presentations/demonstrations are part of the assessment.

 To complement ACA learning, students may take courses from Appleton North and Appleton Area higher education organizations like the Fox Valley Technical College and Lawrence University that fit their ACA 3–year plan.

 Leadership, Service, Ethics, and Communication Skills make up the professional ‘package’ of life long learning skills that permeates the ACA curriculum.  Creative thinking skills will be addressed and how they relate to Business/Marketing, Design and Health Careers.  Continuing discussions and development about the role of leadership and ethics in Health, Design, and Business Careers.  Presentation, Writing, and Research skills

 At ACA the many ways of learning are all tied to AASD Academic Standards.  Students will have both electronic and hardcopy portfolios to demonstrate this efficacy.

 Student portfolio presentations with parents and faculty will also be held twice a year for the student to articulate these achievements.  Various opportunities for presentations of learning will be available on a monthly basis.  Project Foundry will be used to document and manage student learning and achievement

 Interdisciplinary Management Team  Made up of 1 ACA staff member and 20 ACA students  The IMT structure will provide ACA students with a supportive professional learning environment

 Critical thinking and Problem Solving  Collaboration and Leadership  Agility and Adaptability  Initiative and Entrepreneurialism  Effective Oral and Written Communication  Accessing and Analyzing Information  Encourage Curiosity and Imagination

 ACA students will provide leadership for the ACA and represent each of the strands (Design, Health and Business)  In addition, one senator will serve as the ACA Webmaster and another senator will serve as the Service Learning Coordinator

 Mia Russell – Design  Kayla Johnson – Business  Kayla Miller – Health  Lenae Fahrenbruch – Service Learning Coordinator  Parker Dougherty – ACA Webmaster

Sophomore 1 Com Arts 1 Biology 1 Elective Junior 1 Com Arts.5 U.S. History 1.5 Elective Senior 1 Com Arts.5 U.S. History 1.5 Elective * Credits will be determined according to each students individual ACA plan

Dave Mueller – Principal Rita O’Brien – Governance Board Kelly Camber Cyndi Dechant Joel Edler Lori Krueger Dave Meixl Gus Maves Kristie Moder Julie Prudom Mark Ropella Renee Ulman