Academic Program Overview

Our students receive a rigorous education in a joyous environment and achieve impressive outcomes.

We enroll about 90 students in grades six to eight each year—90 percent of who come from low-income households and arrive two to three years behind grade level. With a comprehensive core curriculum combined with instructional innovations to personalize learning, we close student achievement gaps and create opportunities for future achievement.

Our comprehensive educational model includes the following strategies to close achievement gaps:

• Data-driven and differentiated instruction based on national standards

• Multidisciplinary curriculum emphasizing language arts and STEM

• 9-hour school day (until 5pm)

• An extended 200-day academic year with summer programming for struggling students

• Small classes with a 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio

• On-site and virtual professional counseling services

• Talented faculty with comprehensive evaluations 4 times a year

• Experienced tutors offering one-on-one support

• Graduate support services throughout the year

We start school the first week in August and begin the year with student diagnostic tests to assess academic needs and determine individual learning objectives. The STEM and humanities staff collaborate weekly on instructional design to promote multidisciplinary teaching, assess student progress and make programmatic improvements. This process is on-going throughout the academic year.

Personalized learning is a key feature of San Miguel’s program and a major reason we achieve success in closing student achievement gaps. We continually assess students’ skills and needs to determine how best to support their learning.