Renaissance Expedition Learn Outward Bound School

What a great blance...outdoors-y and book-smart! Having these children under the same roof along with strong leadership in the classroom and front office make this the best school my children have attended. Great teacher retention. Serious about community and the outdoor-play area is one-of-a-kind.
--Submitted by a parent

Rich in academic process, super-rich in building community amongst it's attendees and families and puts high emphasis on building character. This is an awesome school if your kid can handle being independent and challenged at times! Awesome!

Renaissance is merely an overly-ambitious kindergarten, w/questionable, insufficient teachers; its learning model fails to build on strengths of gifted students. It only affords to hire a qualified math teacher for 1hour/week direct instruction; kids study independently, have supervised activity/games in remaining days. Preliminary, rigorous testing of IQ, giftedness was a necessity once enrolled, students must be capable of learning independently from textbooks 4 days/week. To expect this level of independent study from elementary school children, they better be gifted! Eventually, their understanding, comprehension, fall behind their talent; the school simply fails to keep them challenged in zone of proximal development. Both the Director and the math teacher acknowledge that math instruction groups do mix kids from two Divisions; last year, Divs. IV, V comprised five groups; my son was in the middle one, which included two kids in 6th, 7th grades. The one hour direct math instruction/week spanned four grades!
--Submitted by a parent

I'm hard to WOW, and this school has wow'd me with my 2nd and 4th graders. Not only are they learning academics, they are busting into critical thinking skills, teamwork skills and common sense skills that go way beyond what traditional academic only schools offer. What more does a parent want than to have a child who is not only smart, but filled with common sense and camaraderie!
--Submitted by a parent

I love this school. Have a daughter in the gifted program in 2nd grade. She loves going to school everyday. Ms MarySue has made reading a joy for her. I also have another daughter in kindi and she has just been a sponge for learning this year. Wow what growth. Thank you Ms Kathy! We also use the Camelot after school program and the girls love the activites. I couldn't ask for a better school.
--Submitted by a parent

Doesn't teach out of a text book! Huge classes! OK Teachers!
--Submitted by a student

Do not let the CSAP scores for this school keep you from checking out this school! Renaissance doesn't follow a traditional model and therefore is not geared towards teaching to the standardized tests. The children learn in such a rich, hands-on, authentic environment that they truly learn to think rather than learn to take tests and perform in that setting. I do think that CSAP is one important measure of progress and accountability but should not be held highest over other data and information that clearly shows the kids at Renaissance are learners/leaders. The school has gone through some transition in the last three years, new principals, new staff, new location, new status as a district magnet school, but is such a unique model and will be stronger for it's challenges of the past. Deborah Lemmer the pricipal starting in the 2006-07 school year is wonderful. Renaissance is a great school!
--Submitted by a parent

This has been the most wonderful educational experience our family has ever had. The teachers are very committed to allowing students to learn in the style that works best for them. The outdoor adventure education format of learning is unique and makes lessons memorable. How about learning math/algebra by building sailboats or doll houses and then donating them to local organizations. Then back up the lessons with a trip to Catalina to sail the boat you made! Or traveling to the Flordia Keys Marine Biology Center to learn about marine life in it's natural habitat. Or a local week long camping trip to Mesa Verde, a National Park with Anasazi Indian Ruins, and working with archeologists at a dwelling dig site! Classroom work is team oriented and students are very comfortable speaking to groups. The parent community is very involved and students are encourgaged to persue their interests with passion.
--Submitted by LoriAnn Halvorsen, a parent