Formation
8th-10th Grade

Students at Learnwell receive a high-quality college preparatory education. The course of study required for a Learnwell diploma meets or exceeds college prep requirements laid out by the Georgia Board of Regents. 

A Learnwell high school diploma goes far beyond traditional high school requirements in areas that reflect our priority to meet this generation of students right where they are. Learnwell students are required to complete far more career exploration, practice with executive functioning skills such as planning and organization, and true ownership of their education than in traditional high school settings. 

 This is accomplished through Life Skills & Discipleship classes, college counseling, and day-to-day academics throughout high school. 

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8th Grade

In 8th grade, students are given more autonomy than they’ve had previously on purpose. We do this intentionally to allow students to see what it’s like to read the lesson plans, discover what’s needed for the day, and organize their days at home accordingly.

Also, mastery level grading is introduced in 8th grade. This style of learning is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, which is built on levels of learning.

Students at this grade level are practicing executive functioning skills. What are executive functioning skills?

  • Planning
  • Organizing
  • Setting Goals and Realistic Expectations
  • Breaking Goals into Small Steps
  • Evaluating How Goals Were or Were Not Accomplished
  • Recognizing What to Change Next Time

While students in all grade levels work to develop these skills, our 8th-10th graders return to the skills they learn in 8th grade about who they are, how they learn, and what study/planning skills work best for them.

Students in 8th grade have additional opportunities to form community through specialized field trips related to Georgia History. Some field trips are day trips – to historical sites such as Etowah Indian Mounds – and some are overnight trips with parent and staff supervision. These are family field trips, so parents attend with their students.

9th Grade

Our 9th grade students continue the Formation experience by completing coursework in alignment with Georgia state standards and:

  • Completing four job shadow experiences that help them refine what their interests are. Students are coached about how to make the most of their Job Shadow experiences. They take the lead on emailing their Job Shadow candidates, setting appointments, and – in collaboration with parents – meeting the Job Shadow candidates to understand what a day in the life of that career entails.
  • Continue deepening their understanding of how they relate to God and how He, their Creator, has wired them as people created in His image.
  • Participate in leadership opportunities through starting and maintaining clubs and the opportunity to serve as Learnwell Storylab Assistants. In 9th grade, students help with the planning and implementation of certain schoolwide activities such as Spirit Week and Freshman Focus.
  • Students and their parents will participate in a few college visits, organized by Learnwell staff, to help them gain an overall understanding of the different types of college a student can attend after high school.
10th Grade

In 10th grade, students have grown in understanding themselves and the importance of their faith, making it their own. Their guiding question in Discipleship and Life Skills is How has God wired me, and to what might He be calling me? They also:

  • Complete two week-long internships (one in January and one in May) to further define their career and volunteer interests.
  • Experience owning and running a school store cart starting in 24-25. Proceeds from this will fund mini-grants available to 12th graders for their business/service.
  • Have the option to pursue AP classes in World History. Students who choose to pursue AP coursework will be meeting together in the classroom on a day outside the usual two-day schedule.
parenting teens

Academics

Students receive an official transcript to help them as they begin their post-high school plans for college or career training.

All students will receive counseling to help them in the college application process. This includes, but is not limited to, preparing for the SAT and/or ACT, understanding how Georgia Futures and dual enrollment works, and attending seminars on helpful topics, such as how to write a college entrance essay and practical steps on the college application and scholarship process.

All students have three course format options as they earn credit toward their high school transcript:

Direct Instruction:
a traditional classroom model.

Seminar:
where students meet weekly with a teacher to discuss what he/she is learning independently.

Independent Study:
which must be pre-approved by Learnwell in order to receive credit. Our academic leadership team will ensure that the independent study meets the objectives for course credit to be earned.

Owning their Education

At Learnwell, we offer three distinctives with an emphasis on discipleshiplife skills, and entrepreneurship.

The goal of our Discipleship program is for students to grow in their knowledge of and dependence on God.

In Life Skills, we equip students with the skills they need to be successful in whatever is next for them, whether heading to college or into the workforce.

We focus on the skills of Entrepreneurialism because we believe students recognize where God has gifted them as they get closer to their 12th grade entrepreneurial project, and build self-management skills that are needed by adults today, including goal-setting, calendar and task management, and communication skills.

Community

Students develop deep friendships as they take part in Learnwell’s unique Life Skills and Discipleship classes together, learning about how God has wired them and created them for a purpose.

Learnwell provides events and electives geared to middle and high school students.

Because we believe strongly in student ownership, we allow students to inform the community events that encourage community formation. Yearbook, a school worship band, and other clubs have already been implemented or proposed for future implementation.