American Global School where children embark on a Hero's Journey to find their calling and change the world
Frequently Asked Questions
MAY I VISIT CAMPUS OR GET A TOUR?
In order to protect the learning environment of our Eagles, we do not offer tours or have meetings on campus. We have two Open Houses each year and we encourage anyone interested in meeting our guides or seeing our studios to attend.
WHAT GRADES DO YOU OFFER?
We serve PrePrimary through high school. Because of the advanced abilities of our graduating elementary school Eagles, an audition process is required for middle school and high school.
Spark Studio - ages four to six
Elementary Studio (ES) – ages roughly eight to eleven.
Middle School (MS) – ages twelve to fifteen.
The age ranges are not fixed because children can move up through the programmes as they finish the work regardless of how old they are. For example, there is a ten-year-old in Ontario who is almost finished the ES program and will be starting the MS soon.
Launch Pad (LP) – ages sixteen to eighteen. This program will begin once the need arises.
IS THE LIMITLESS ACADEMY A MONTESSORI SCHOOL?
We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori’s philosophy but, we are not a Montessori school. LIMITLESS uses the best of Montessori methods: mixed-age classrooms, student choice within limits, large blocks of work time, learning through “discovery,” and freedom of movement in the classroom. Then we go two important steps further by using the best 21st century eLearning tools and adhering to the Socratic method of instruction which emphasizes asking and answering the right questions to stimulate critical thinking. Our students don’t just memorize facts, they learn how to know, learn how to do, and learn how to be.
HOW LONG IS LIMITLESS ACADEMY IN SESSION EACH YEAR?
We operate on an eleven month calendar, but our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning.
IS LIMITLESS A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL?
While we expose children to the importance of mindful spirituality and stress the historical importance of Christianity to the development of Western Civilization, we do not promote any one religion.
WHO WAS LORD ACTON?
Lord John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton (1834-1902) was a Victorian scholar of Freedom who saw liberty not as a license, but as the freedom to do what was right. He was suspicious of power for the sake of power, which led to his most famous quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At the Limitless Academy, we celebrate his defense of economic, political and religious freedom.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A HERO'S JOURNEY?
We believe that each of us has a special calling in life, and a series of trials and tests that must be faced with integrity and purpose, in order to live a satisfying and fulfilled life. Our mission is to prepare your child for his or her special journey.
WHAT IS AN "INDEPENDENT LEARNER"?
Someone who can research questions, follow instructions, solve problems—admit that they don't know something and figure out a solution when they hit a roadblock without asking an adult for help — participate in discussions, and strive for mastery.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A "RUNNING PARTNER"?
Running Partners are classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.
WILL CHILDREN BE GROUPED INTO GRADES?
We believe that children learn best when working with children younger and older than themselves rather than split up into groups based solely on age. In addition to individualized curriculum, all ages of students work together in groups.
DOES LIMITLESS SERVE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN?
We are not trained to serve children with serious learning disabilities but have been able to serve young heroes with dyslexia if they receive special training and believe that many minor learning disabilities are commonly misdiagnosed.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "EVERY CHILD CAN CHANGE THE WORLD"?
We believe each of our students will find a passion — something they love and have a gift to do. They will use this gift to serve others and fulfill a need they are passionate about in the world. This may be by becoming a shoe-shiner who tells stories and makes people's day just by doing his job with love and vigor; it may be by becoming a coach who sees the light in a child’s eyes and guides her to pursue a dream; it may be by becoming a father or mother who leads a family on a Hero's Journey; it may be becoming an entrepreneur or business leader guided by compassion and integrity; or it may be by becoming an artist or writer who brings beauty to people's lives.
WHAT IS YOUR TUITION?
The monthly tuition is location dependent and payable in eleven monthly installments, and are well below market related pricing of private school fees, with an initial upfront registration fee of 70% of the monthly fee.
Tuition is paid monthly from January through November. (Tuition is adjusted for inflation annually.)
WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AT LIMITLESS, HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME DO THE STUDENTS HAVE?
Technology is a useful tool and we are excited for our students to learn how to use computers to access information, communicate effectively, and learn independently.
Our Elementary students will use computers during some of their morning core skills time and for portions of their afternoon projects, averaging no more than two to three hours per day. A student-created Internet Use Policy ensures technology tools are used appropriately.
HOW DO YOU MEASURE HOW A CHILD IS PROGRESSING AT LIMITLESS ACADEMY?
We measure student progress in several different ways:
· We set Daily, Weekly, and Session goals between the student and the Guides.
· We utilize robust real-time data for each of our online learning tools. At any given time both parents and Guides can find out exactly what their student is learning. It easily allows us to track progress, identify areas of struggle and close any learning gaps. The staff is alerted if a student gets any more than 2 wrong in a row. Having a small class size, we are able to work one on one with the student to make sure that we can close gaps and help them master the skill. The web based programmes don’t allow the student to move on to the next skill until it has been mastered.
· We utilize individual paper portfolios where each student showcases and adds their best work. We can measure their growth in things such as History, Writer’s Workshops, and any Quest use projects we have.
· Though we never “teach to the test”, standardized tests given each year provide useful benchmark data.
Seven Acton resources that provide hard evidence of trans-formative growth:
· Student Portfolios – review them in depth; ask questions; praise effort; and encourage more effort and focus.
· Learning Exhibitions – see your Eagle’s hard work displayed to the outside world.
· Peer Review – ask to see 360 Feedback and Quest Feedback sheets.
· S.M.A.R.T. goal tracking sheets – track your Eagle’s goals day by day and week by week; learn where encouragement and tough questions can help.
· Online dashboards – analyze hard data in incredible detail, available to see 24/7/365 as often as you wish.
· Learning Badges – dig deeply into evidence of the development of real world skills.
· Standardized tests – We will administer these at the same time as Government Schools, just as a measure of the level our Eagles are working at.
WILL LIMITLESS HELP ME GET INTO A POST SECONDARY SCHOOL?
Our promise at LIMITLESS is to have our students well prepared for any selective University or college.
Universities are changing so rapidly that it’s difficult to imagine what admission requirements will look like in ten years.
Our Eagles leave with a rich portfolio of work. For some US Universities applicants with portfolios have far higher acceptance rates than traditional school transcripts.
We have ascertained that Universities in South Africa will be willing to accept the LIMITLESS Transcripts for University exemption. ( https://mb.usaf.ac.za/united-states-of-america/ )
Even more importantly, with multiple apprenticeships, real-world experience, and excellent interpersonal skills, our Eagles will stand out from the traditional college crowd. We are aware of the use of standardized testing (like the IOWA Assessment) and will ensure our heroes are well prepared.
Our students will be equipped to shine in the real world, whether they choose to go to college full time, part time or not at all.
WHAT IS THE TRANSITION LIKE FOR STUDENTS GOING FROM A 21st CENTURY FORMAT BACK TO A TRADITIONAL ONE?
The students and families who have moved from schools with our format back to a traditional one have reported a relatively seamless transition.
Our students learn problem solving skills, respect for their peers, the how & why of rule formulation, perseverance, resilience and empathy. This is in addition to honing their skills of: focusing, listening, personal organization, setting their own goals, and management of their own time — all of which are a recipe for a good transition into any new environment.
Are you ready to launch your Limitless Academy Audition?
This process is designed to make sure that we are the right school to serve the life-long learning needs for your child and your family. We recognize that we ask you to dedicate time and thought to the process. Families who are thriving in our community often share that they truly enjoyed the process, and we hope you do too.
