Quick FAQ's

A microschool is a small, optional educational model that typically serves a limited number of students, offering a personalized and flexible learning experience. With a low student-to-teacher ratio, microschools provide tailored instruction that caters to individual needs and interests, often using innovative teaching methods like project-based or experiential learning. These schools prioritize close-knit communities, fostering strong relationships between students, teachers, and families while offering a more adaptable approach to education than traditional schools. 

In a microschool, most teachers are certified professionals, ensuring a high standard of education, but the model also allows for flexibility in staffing, providing opportunities for other highly qualified individuals with expertise in specific subjects or innovative teaching methods to contribute. This approach allows the school to bring in a diverse range of talent while maintaining quality and personalized learning for students.

Rivers Academy is a tuition-based school that is open to all students, offering a welcoming environment for diverse learners. The school provides tuition waivers for families who need financial assistance, ensuring that every student has access to quality education regardless of their financial situation.

At Rivers Academy, we believe every deserving student should have the opportunity to access a high-quality education. We understand that tuition costs can be a concern for families. That's why we're committed to offering need-based financial assistance through tuition waivers.

How it Works: We'll partner with an independent service to evaluate each family's financial situation.

Our Goal: To make Rivers Academy a reality for students regardless of their financial background. We're actively fundraising to support our financial aid program. Your support helps us open doors for bright young minds.

Rivers Academy is beginning as a small school, and our resources will be tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. We encourage discussions about individual learning needs to determine if Rivers Academy is the right fit for your child. Every student will collaborate with their teacher to establish personalized learning goals, which may be particularly beneficial for students currently supported by an IEP or 504 plan.

We recognize that working families may require before and after school programs to accommodate their schedules. While our long-term goal is to offer these services, our current priority is finalizing the essential steps for opening the school. We hope to provide these programs soon and are happy to connect parents who may want to collaborate and explore solutions for these needs in the meantime.

Classrooms at Rivers Academy will be multi-age, combining 2-3 grade levels with one teacher. This approach eliminates artificial age grouping and focuses on supporting each student’s individual learning progress.

Rivers Academy will operate on a four-day school week (Monday through Thursday), with optional enrichment programming offered on Fridays, led by Camp Icagowhan.

Our curriculum is centered around project-based learning, which integrates multiple subjects in a hands-on, interactive, and inquiry-driven environment. Learning is connected to real-world experiences through place-based projects that include outdoor activities and local community engagement. Much of the learning will take place beyond the traditional classroom setting.

Students will have a voice in their projects, selecting specific elements that relate to their questions and interests, fostering both student choice and ownership of their learning. Additionally, students will have the chance to pursue independent projects, choosing content and skills based on their personal learning goals and passions.

Projects will be designed to accommodate each student's pace and level, ensuring that learning is tailored to individual needs. Teacher-led learning will be dynamic, incorporating various learning styles to engage all students.

During independent work time, the classroom environment will encourage flexibility, allowing students to move and work in ways that best suit their individual needs. Developing independent learning skills will include teaching students how to assess their own progress, understand their behavioral needs, and take ownership of their learning journey.

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Rivers Academy will be located at Camp Icagowhan on Lake Wappogasset, a property that spans over a hundred acres, offering abundant outdoor learning opportunities and flexible indoor spaces. The indoor classrooms will feature a variety of seating options, including tables and chairs as well as informal seating areas for small group work. The space will also include a presentation area for whole-class activities and individual workstations designed to accommodate different learning styles, providing students with the freedom to move independently throughout the space.

Family and community involvement is at the heart of Rivers Academy. From the very beginning, the academy was planned and designed by parents and community members, and we continue to highly value regular parent engagement. We encourage parents to share their knowledge, skills, and talents with students in the classroom and invite their input, support, and feedback when planning learning opportunities. Additionally, Rivers Academy’s independent non-profit governing board includes parents who play an active role in overseeing the school’s operations.

Rivers Academy is currently reviewing curriculum resources and will develop a three-year curriculum framework for each grade band. This framework will feature an overarching inquiry-based question for each year, along with 4-8 teacher-led, integrated projects throughout the school year. The curriculum will be guided by the Wisconsin State Standards, National Standards, and other inquiry-based curricula to ensure age-appropriate content and skill development. However, lessons and projects will be designed with a place-based, inquiry-focused, and active learning approach.

The projects will incorporate core subject areas and will also integrate STEAM, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, career exploration, and leadership skills. Additionally, a separate math curriculum will be implemented to allow for individualized learning in math.

A Rivers Academy transcript will include assessments of core content areas using a 4-point scale (4 – Advanced, 3 – Proficient, 2 – Basic, 1 – Minimal). In addition to core subjects, the transcript will reflect students’ knowledge and skills gained through independent projects tailored to their personal interests and post-high school goals. For instance, if a student pursued an apprenticeship in welding with a local company, that experience would be documented on the transcript.

The transcript will also highlight 21st Century Skills, including:

Critical thinking

Creative thinking

Information literacy

Social skills

Collaboration

Communication

Flexible thinking

Organizational skills

These skills will be integrated into the student’s learning journey and assessed as part of their overall development.

As a project-based school, Rivers Academy recognizes that students have diverse learning styles and should be provided with various ways to demonstrate their learning. Just as students have a voice in shaping the learning activities within projects, they will also have the freedom to choose how they showcase their progress and final outcomes. These options may include written work, oral presentations, visual representations, 3-dimensional models, technology-based projects, and more.

Students will be encouraged to assess their own strengths and areas for growth, using this insight to make informed choices about how to demonstrate their learning. They will also be encouraged to challenge themselves by exploring methods that push them beyond their comfort zones, fostering both personal growth and skill development

Rivers Academy is currently transitioning from a charter school budget model to a private school budget model. Once the final budget projections are completed, tuition information will be available on our website. In the meantime, if you have specific questions, please feel free to email us at info@rivers-academy.org.

Rivers Academy will provide curriculum for teacher-led projects that integrate core subject areas and offer a structured process for students. In addition, students will have the flexibility to incorporate other curricular areas into their independent projects, allowing them to reflect their individual interests and learning needs. We value flexible learning options at Rivers Academy, and as students develop their skills, they will have the opportunity to take more ownership of their learning by integrating self-selected resources into their projects.

While low-residency options have not been discussed at this time, Rivers Academy is committed to flexible learning and is open to further discussions on this possibility.

Currently, Rivers Academy does not offer an online or virtual option. However, if there is enough interest from parents, we would be open to discussing this possibility in the future.

Rivers Academy plans to open the hiring process in May. Once applications are available, the postings will be posted on the Rivers Academy website. In the meantime, we encourage interested teachers to reach out to Rivers Academy to express their interest or ask any questions they may have.

If you are interested in enrolling your child(ren) at Rivers Academy, please complete the Rivers Academy Interest Survey. By filling out the survey, you will assist us in planning for student numbers and will receive an application as soon as they become available.

General information about Rivers Academy can be found in the following ways:

• On our website at www.rivers-academy.org

• On the Rivers Academy Facebook page

• By attending a design team meeting (dates and times are listed on the website and Facebook page)

• By sending specific questions to info@rivers-academy.org

• Or by requesting an informal meeting with a member of the leadership team by emailing info@rivers-academy.org

Rivers Academy is in the process of finalizing budgets and compensation packages for staff. Our goal is to offer competitive wages for the area and explore flexible benefit options to support our employees.

Rivers Academy is committed to hiring high-quality teachers. While, as a private school, we are not required to hire licensed teachers, it is our preference to do so. There may, however, be circumstances where a highly qualified teacher does not hold a teaching license.

Since the school’s project-based curriculum integrates core subject areas, non-core subjects will also be incorporated when appropriate. Given the school’s small size, it is not financially feasible to hire additional teachers for these subjects. To address this, the school may collaborate with local community members who have relevant experience and skills to supplement classroom learning. Additionally, enrichment options offered on Fridays will provide further resources in these areas.