Rad Academy is an enrichment program. We only hire credentialed teachers to provide fun, high quality instruction for the 21st century.
Project Description
- Rad Academy seeks to offer the community high quality out-of-school enrichment taught by credentialed teachers. We hope to give teachers a space to work and be paid for like professionals, and to give parents and students enrichment for the 21st century.
- Teachers are leaving the school district I work in constantly. There are better opportunities in districts outside of ours (silicone Valley is just 20 minutes away). We can't afford to live. Meanwhile, our students are suffering from inexperienced teachers, lack of academic stability, and there are no enrichment programs in the area that aren't taught by college students or less experienced program workers.
- We estimate that we will eventually be able to serve, conservatively, 800 students a month in the first 5 years. After expanding, we hope to create more schools, employ more teachers, in which case, growth is unlimited.
- Rad Academy is a learning space where teachers are allowed free reign of their class, or classes, and are paid as professionals. Students and parents are given an opportunity for private academic enrichment to assist them in moving into the 21st century with real life skills.
- Rad Academy needs money for rent, furniture, technology, advertising, website development, quickbooks, book keeping, permits, and everything it takes to create a new business. Rent is the major cost. Because we live in the Santa Cruz area, rent is very pricey -- hence the need for supplemental income and competitive private enrichment.
- Brogan Dahl has taken on sole proprietorship for now--though we may move into a nonprofit model. There is a large community of educators backing this project.
- Rad Academy would like to thank you for your time. Please head over to our budding Facebook page.
Updates
The Project FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is this tutoring?
No. Rad Academy is not a tutoring center, we offer classes and camps. Enrichment classes can do even more than tutoring to improve student performance, especially if the quality of the classes and camps are high.
Why credentialed teachers?
Rad Academy answers the problem of our teacher shortage by offering supplemental income to Bay Area teachers. It also gives teachers the opportunity to fall in love with the vocation again. Often with strict curriculum, district mandates, and state standards, teachers can feel pushed out of the process in favor of prescribed pedagogy. Rad academy hopes to allow teachers a space to have fun teaching to their passions. Quality is also huge part of our mission. We trust that teachers are fully capable of creating learning experiences that their students will benefit from.
What kinds of classes will be offered?
Our classes will be in complete control of the teachers who teach them. So far we've heard talk of foreign languages for younger learners (who are more capable of learning a language due to their ages), personal finance for teens, Tinkering, and mindfulness. There is a totally organic and fluid list of classes that will be shared at Rad Academy which till the soil of ingenuity and creativity within our community.
Drop in to any single class one time.
Just Because I Care
Take one month long class.
Take one class every month (camps not included)
Take any class or camp for an entire year.
Rewards
Drop in to any single class one time.
Just Because I Care
Take one month long class.
Take one class every month (camps not included)
Take any class or camp for an entire year.