Ready, Set, Launch! How to Start a Micro-school with Just Ten Students
Are you ready to start a micro-school? With just ten students, you can launch a school with the help of the Enlightium Academy Alliance Program team. All you need is a space within your church or a community center, a few computers, and the commitment and enthusiasm to create an individualized learning environment for your students. Let Enlightium Academy help you make your dream of launching a micro-school a reality!
What is a Micro-school?
You may be wondering: what is a micro-school, and how do I get started? A micro-school is a small, personalized learning environment for multiple students within your community. A group of like-minded parents can run a micro-school by collaborating with Enlightium Academy, who will provide curriculum, record-keeping services, teacher and counselor support, and more!
Why Should You Launch a Micro-school?
Launching your own micro-school can bring many advantages, from giving your children the freedom to explore their interests in a small setting to providing them with more individualized instruction than they would receive in a traditional school setting. Starting small means you don’t have to worry about getting overwhelmed by too many students too quickly; many micro-schools start with just ten students! You can take one step at a time as you adjust and grow into your new role of micro-school administrator!
What are the First Steps in Launching a Micro-school?
So what are the steps needed to launch your micro-school?
- Find a suitable location for your school. Many micro-school leaders rent a room in their local church or a community center.
- Determine what technology you’ll need. Will you be providing all students with their own computer, or will students bring their own laptop (in which case, you may want to have one or two spares)?
- Choose your curriculum! Your curriculum should reflect the needs of each student as well as the values and goals of your school community. Micro-schools who partner with Enlightium Academy can choose from multiple curriculum options!
- Create a schedule. This daily schedule should incorporate time for each course students need to take, but also include time for lunch, breaks, and extracurricular activities.
- Bring in students! Finding families to join you on this adventure can be easy. There are likely parents in your area already looking for a better education for their children. You can post flyers around town or on social media to bring attention to your micro-school. You can also contact local homeschooling groups or organizations, join forums dedicated to homeschooling, or talk with your church’s leadership to see if they can announce it.
Remember that You’re Not Alone!
Micro-schools around the world partner with Enlightium Academy in educating their students! Enlightium offers your micro-school with:
- Record-keeping and the issuance of progress reports, report cards, and transcripts, as well as an accredited diploma once a student meets graduation requirements.
- A dedicated counseling team to ensure your students are taking the right courses.
- Support from state- and/or ACSI-certified teachers who assist with courses ranging from 3rd-grade science to AP Chemistry; Enlightium teachers also provide grading, parent-teacher conferences, and more.
- Resources for your micro-school, including blogs with recommendations and best practices, a library of supplemental learning material, and social and spiritual offerings for your students.
So take heart: starting small doesn't mean settling for less. With just ten students – plus some help from Enlightium Academy – we can all make amazing things happen when providing better learning opportunities through micro-schools!
Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.
