Avondale Meadows Academy (AMA) opened its doors in 2006 under the name Challenge Foundation Academy. In fact, the Challenge Foundation or Team CFA was a critical contributor to the school’s early success, and we owe a great deal of gratitude to this national network of independent charter schools for their support in the school’s early years. In spring 2014, the school sought input from students and families, changing our name to Avondale Meadows Academy to reflect our ties to the local community.
Avondale Meadows Academy is a K-4 tuition-free quality public charter school founded on the Core Knowledge curriculum. Our core focus is to provide an outstanding education for our children equipping them with the knowledge, wisdom, core values, and behaviors to be successful in life.
Every AMA student knows and follows the High 5 Expectations:
- Be respectful
- Keep hands and feet to yourself
- Come to school prepared and ready to learn
- Follow directions
- Be responsible
MISSION
The mission of Avondale Meadows Academy is to provide a rigorous and relevant college-preparatory program, grounded in our belief in the ability of every child to succeed at high levels. Through well-coordinated support, a strong partnership with families and close attention to results, our students will consistently meet and exceed academic standards ensuring their success as future college graduates and lifelong learners.
At Avondale Meadows Academy, we believe in the education of the entire student. Please visit our curriculum section to learn about the support we offer each student.
According to E.D. Hirsch, JR., author and founder of the Core Knowledge curriculum upon which our school is founded, for the sake of academic excellence, greater fairness, and higher literacy, early schooling should provide a solid, specific, shared, and sequential core curriculum. This is how students will establish strong foundations of knowledge.
We believe:
- that an educational program should provide an environment where every students encouraged to realize their full potential
- that we should create a structured environment of expectations where students feel safe to explore and discover and grow
- that we should instill in our students a sense of responsibility for themselves and how their actions can affect others
- that it is a privilege to be a part of a supportive community that fosters respect and academic excellence
- that we should instill a love of learning as a lifelong pursuit
Our academics are guided by clear and attainable world-class standards. Standardized tests and ongoing student assessment ensure that an effective system of accountability is in place and that students are performing to their highest possible abilities.
OUR CULTURE
At Avondale Meadows Academy we believe that every child deserves to learn in a safe, positive environment. Scholars cannot learn, and teachers cannot teach in chaos. Therefore, in our structured environment, adults are consistently positive, yet firm so that scholars are learning in a happy and focused school setting. This positive and firm approach nurtures a culture within our school and within each classroom where scholars have the confidence to take academic risks and learn from their mistakes. Utilizing the Culture Rubric developed by AMA, we plan to build and maintain this culture that reinforces positive behaviors and focuses on academics.
In order to establish and maintain a strong school culture, we must also have shared partnership with families. We will encourage family involvement through strong communication and will offer multiple opportunities for families to be engaged in their child’s education. All of these factors represent our collective efforts to build the overall environment conducive to preparing our scholars to attain their vision for their future.
POSITIVE
We assume the best when working with our scholars. Our staff ensures that children get to learn in an environment where the adults in the building believe each scholar can achieve. We praise kids for their effort as much as their achievement, and we approach our work with an outlook of “How can we support this scholar?” rather than “What’s wrong with this scholar?”
CONSISTENT
Kids can trust what they know will happen. Our school culture is consistent and predictable so that scholars know what to expect from adults and their peers in the classroom, hallway, and cafeteria. This allows scholars to trust their surroundings and spend their mental focus on challenging their own thoughts and ideas.
HAPPY
Our school is a place that recognizes individual children and their own passions. We set high expectations for every scholar but recognize their individual personalities. We want our building to be a happy place where scholars feel supported and pushed, and we want our adults to feel the same way. We promote smiles and laughter alongside hard work.
