Academics
Stepstone Academy offers a comprehensive literacy framework where students engage in three hours of instruction each day. This approach builds a strong foundation for success and helps all students learn with confidence, purpose and proficiency. Our staff is not only committed to the highest quality of instruction, but also to a sense of responsibility for the personal edification of the children they serve.
Our Approach
Our strategic plan is strongly focused on literacy as a basis for all learning. Professional development and collaborative planning time has been built in to enhance teaching, coaching and support of techniques. Students are supported with the following strategies:
Interactive Read-Aloud
Teachers model and explain reading comprehension strategies while engaging students in thought provoking discussions around the text.
Interactive Writing
Teachers model a variety of genres and explain writing strategies while producing written work with students.
Differentiated Reading Instruction
Teachers target instruction based upon phonological needs. This includes choosing books based on students’ assessed levels, observing and assisting students while they are reading, and educating with word attack strategies and phonological skills.
Engaged Reading
Students choose from books at their level to read and focus on engaging with a text.
Centers-Based Instruction
Formative instructional practices are used that combine previously taught material with differentiated reading instruction to synthesize taught standards with new learning.
Formative Assessments
Teachers collaborate to develop common assessments to plan future instruction, while including differentiated techniques to ensure student success.
In addition to a robust literacy program, Stepstone Academy supports numeracy with a Guided Math approach. This flexible instructional format promotes conceptual understanding, problem solving ability and computational fluency, while promoting a classroom environment of numeracy. The model utilizes the following components to support mathematical skills:
Math Warm-Ups
Teachers set the tone for the lesson with a short mathematical task.
Whole Class Instruction
Teachers model and explain a mathematical concept while introducing or presenting strategies and connections for mastery.
Guided Math Instruction (Small Group)
Teachers assess students formally and informally and group according to proficiency and skill. This allows for observation, monitoring attention and providing a strong support or challenge to all learners.
Math Workshop
Teachers provide meaningful instructional practices that combine previously taught material through investigations, activities, games and journal writing.
Individual Conferences
Valuable opportunities are provided to interact with students in small group or independently to assess student understanding of mathematical concepts and skills.
Ongoing Assessment
A balanced system of assessment that includes observations, discussions and formative assessments gives valuable perspective for collaborative planning.
Our small class sizes allow students to engage in instruction that fosters social and emotional skills in whole groups, small groups and independent work opportunities with a 17:1 student ratio.
Enrichment
At Stepstone Academy, our classrooms are led by highly qualified teachers and supported by technology such as Smartboards, Chromebooks and tablets. Our newly renovated building features a brand new, child-friendly library and a state-of-the art gymnasium.
And while the classroom is an integral part of your child’s learning, we also understand that to have a truly well-rounded education, they also need the opportunity to participate in enriching, extracurricular activities.
Studies show that students who regularly participate in extracurricular activities enjoy a host of benefits. They are learning, growing, and most importantly, having fun. Keeping that in mind, we offer:
- Summer School
- Boys & Girls Club
- K-Kids Club (Kiwanis Club)
- Boy Scouts
- Girl Scouts
Stepstone Academy is a proud partner of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. For more information about partnership, please visit http://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/Page/6142.