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About Innovation Academy

An Open Enrollment, Tuition-Free Charter School

Innovation Academy in the North Metro Area, when fully enrolled, is a PreK-12 tuition-free charter school.

Authorizer:

Novation Education Opportunities (NEO)

https://www.neoauthorizer.org/our-schools

Vision Statement

To develop globally conscious student innovators.

Mission Statement

Innovation Science and Technology Academy Charter School will develop talented student innovators using a cutting-edge curriculum with the collaborative support of staff, parents, and community. The collaborative culture and healthy school climate will foster personalized learning, and ignite the power of imagination and creativity in our students, who will grow to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and agents of change.

What is unique about Innovation Science and Technology Academy Charter School?

Innovation Science and Technology Academy Charter School, a STEM-focused, high-quality charter school, is highly committed to developing globally conscious student innovators in a small class size setting using a rigorous and an innovative personalized learning curriculum with the collaborative support of our parents and community.

Innovation Academy is highly committed to helping our scholars develop the habits of success, critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and a sense of imagination needed to thrive in the 21st century and beyond.

What is unique about the Innovation Science and Technology Academy Charter School curriculum?

A. STEM Thematic Learning

Innovation Academy provides standard-based STEM Thematic learning in the student daily schedule where every student explores a variety of STEM topics. Students combine technology, teamwork, and hands-on activities in the innovation lab equipped with a fuse studio, 3D printers, and computers to explore the innovations of the world around them.

B. Invention Convention Curriculum

Innovation Academy will develop all students in K-8 as student innovators using the steps of invention process as follows:

a) Identifying
b) Understanding
c) Ideating
d) Designing
e) Building
f) Testing
g) Communicating

C. Transdisciplinary Project-Based Learning

Innovation Academy will foster the five tips for transdisciplinary project-based learning as follows:

i) Partner with businesses and other organizations to incorporate state standards used in their work.
ii) Choose topics that reflect current industrial needs or relevant issues.
iii) Base projects directly on state benchmarks as well as career-readiness standards for engineering and technology.
iv) Design projects organized around a theme that incorporates multiple subject areas.
v) Allow flexible schedules so projects can be planned and executed collaboratively across subject areas.

D. Innovation Lab and Coding

The Innovation Lab allows students to create products of professional quality. The Innovation Lab is divided into two components: the machine shop and the design lab. The design lab consists of 3D printers, electronics workbenches, and computers, while the machine shop consists of wood shop tools and modern digital fabrication tools. In the Innovation Lab, our school will launch fuse studio where students explore, do, build, and create.

In addition, all our students will learn how to code not because they will all go into computer science as a career, which is not realistic, but that it impacts every career in the 21st century world. Computer science will be integrated into the Innovation Lab using Tynker games, which has a curriculum and STEM program library for combining programming in English, math, social studies, and science. The educational program as described above has Innovation Lab weekly for every class to ignite the power of imagination, creativity, innovation, and the interest in STEM as we grow them academically, socially, and emotionally.

E. Personalized Learning

Innovation Academy is committed to personalized learning with technology enabled resources, teacher-led whole class and group instruction.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Consistent with Minnesota and federal laws and rules prohibiting discriminatory practices, Innovation Academy is committed to ensuring an equitable and respectful experience for every student, family member, staff member or others and will not discriminate against anyone based on their race, color, creed, national origin, language, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, disability or physical appearance.