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I am certain that one of the questions families may have about BrightGate Academy is: What will my child actually be doing during the school day? This is a very practical question. Learning at BrightGate will occur in a calm classroom where children are actively engaged. I may be working closely with a small group while other children build words, solve a hands-on math problem, read with a partner, or work independently on a task that is at the right level of challenge with a

In Part 2 of this series, I discussed what a microschool is and how it differs from a traditional school. The next question parents often ask is: Could a microschool be the right fit for my child? I think it is important for parents to understand that there is no single educational setting that works for every student. Some children thrive in larger schools, while others benefit from a smaller environment where teachers have more time to understand how they lear n, notice whe

In Part 1 of this series, I shared how a sticky note written during my doctoral studies eventually led me back to the concept of microschools, and ultimately to the creation of BrightGate Academy. But what exactly is a microschool? A microschool is a small learning community that typically serves far fewer students than a traditional school. Microschools can differ in their structure and educational approaches; however, they are generally designed to provide children with a m

While completing research for my dissertation during my doctoral studies in 2022, I came across the concept of a microschool. At the time, I was serving as the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Curriculum for a K–6 school district in Bergen County, New Jersey. Although the concept of a microschool did not apply directly to my dissertation study, something about it caught my attention. On a sticky note, I scribbled several ideas I wanted to explore further: “AI”