This post has been sponsored by Fusion Academy to bring you an alternative solution to standard high school. All opinions are 100% our own.
Until last month, I didn’t realize Dallas had options for students that don’t fit within the standard high schooler “mold.” I know many different types of students who did not thrive in the schedule or system of traditional school because of:
- A student’s wiring not being a fit for traditional school
- Intense Sports Schedule
- Hospitalization due to injury/accident
- Grief/Loss causing a student to fall behind
- Family/Job travel schedule causing a student to fall behind
- Spending time away in a treatment center
If your student is not thriving in traditional schooling for any of the above or for a myriad of other reasons, you should know about Fusion Academy. This fully accredited middle and high school is a fantastic resource for families who need a different solution than the one they’ve got; whether that is for full time schooling, home-school support, or tutoring/ mentoring.
This option is of particular interest to me because my almost eight year old is wired in such a way that the standard path of education has not worked for him. The tradition of using a curriculum that takes same-age kids through all subjects at the same level because of their age is not ideal for all students. Some kids thrive in a circumstance like this, and many cope just fine. But for a kid who is wired differently — because of learning differences, because of personality traits, because of learning style, or because of life circumstances — trying to make your kid work in the system can feel like the biggest burden a parent has ever tried to bear. And trying to fit a square student into the round hole of standardized education can make you wonder if anyone has ever died of emotional exhaustion.
Last year I discovered that the struggles my husband and I faced with my son’s schooling decisions were a function of us moving him from system to system.
He needed to be taught in a space that there is room to excel in certain subjects where he is ahead, and where there is freedom to take some extra time to ensure he mastered other material. At the time I didn’t realize how important this was, or what difference it might make to allow him a little more freedom in school. It has made a world of difference.
This post was written during a time of struggle and reflection over what we wanted education to look like. And now our son is absolutely thriving in his new, non-traditional situation. [Sidenote: My daughter, on the other hand, seems to excel within the system, but really needs the extra hour of sleep to hit the day running (we figured this out by reading NutureShock — a great read), so Fusion’s flexible scheduling could ultimately be a fit for her as well].
Fusion wants to help every student flourish emotionally, socially, and academically. They do this by customizing the education for each student (Fusion is accredited and all classes meet state standards), by utilizing a one-on-one teacher/student ratio to unlock potential in students, and by building a support community through positive relationships at the school. The school looks different than another school you might imagine (The Director of Admissions and Outreach, Christina Collazo Tipton told me they are “a little bit edgy” when I toured the Plano campus), and there is a rock and roll vibe as you enter with a signed guitar on the wall, pictures of the teachers when they were young, and testimonials from thankful students on the wall. The colors and even the smell on the campus are intentional and determined on a national level (there are 37 Fusion Academies in the states so far with plans to open 4 more by 2018).
I loved their music room — it is a professional recording studio with state of the art equipment. Christina shared about one “non-musical” student who used technology and their equipment to make a song on a computer, under a teacher’s leadership, for a music credit. I repeatedly told Christina I found their approach relevant to high-school age kids; students might be apt to think they don’t like music because they aren’t into choir but at Fusion there is more freedom to think outside of the box when it comes to fulfilling credit requirements.
A few other aspects set the school apart from others in my mind. No homework goes home, and they utilize a block schedule with 4 days on and Fridays off. You can start the school year any time,because campus is in session year round for some students. They are open from 7:30am-7:30pm so there is flexibility in scheduling the times of your student’s classes as well.
If traditional school isn’t the best for your student because:
They are bored because they’re under-achieving or over-achieving.
They have psychological stressors, lost hope, or lost interest.
They are gifted, have a learning difference, or both.
They are in transition or are in need of a flexible schedule.
They simply need a fresh start to feel connected…and to fit in…
They are bored because they’re under-achieving or over-achieving.
They have psychological stressors, lost hope, or lost interest.
They are gifted, have a learning difference, or both.
They are in transition or are in need of a flexible schedule.
They simply need a fresh start to feel connected…and to fit in…
then look into Fusion Academy.
Maybe moving your kid out of the system will be the Godsend for you that is has been for us.
To learn more about Fusion Academy or to take your own private tour of the campus, contact Christina Tipton at [email protected] or by phone at (972) 403-9018.
