top of page
CULTURE AND COMMUNITY CONTEXT

Polaris does not serve a specific neighborhood, it is a 100% school of choice  program within Poudre School District.  Our classes are capped at 18 at the elementary level and hover between 22 - 29 students at the secondary level. The fundamental idea behind Expeditionary Learning is that students learn more by experiencing the world around them. Expeditionary Learning harnesses the students’ natural passion to learn and helps children develop the curiosity, knowledge, skills, and personal qualities they need for successful adulthood. EL describes three "buckets of success" they strive for in their schools and their students, they are as follows:

  • Mastery of knowledge and skills

  • Character

  • Producing high quality products and performances that represent "real work"

Support structure

The parents at Polaris are very involved in the school. when considering all of our grade levels, Polaris has some of the the most active parent volunteers in the district . Our elementary and secondary parent organizations represent the parent community and help support the staff through fund-raising and organizing events. 

Parents help with adventure, fieldwork and intensives. Intensives are fun for students and parents. Intensives are where students spend a week learning about topics such as computers, music, art, adventure and the other exciting options. We love to have our parents participate, drive, chaperone, and lend their personal expertise to these experiences.

School-wide Policies for Management, Safe Schools, Conflict Resolution and Student with Special Needs

. In addition to emphasizing personal responsibility for learning, Expeditions allow us to break free from textbook learning within many of our classes, assess students in a variety of ways, and interact with field experts on a consistent basis. Polaris implements various assessment tools such as student portfolios, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing, PARCC exams, self-assessments, and “Presentations of Learning” to provide a complete picture of each student’s academic and personal development.

​

Safe school program

PSD, in collaboration with community resources, has a threat assessment process in place that includes:

  • Evaluating available information that indicates that there is a risk of a school attack.

  • Use risk evaluations, or threat assessments to develop strategies to prevent potential school attacks from occurring.


PSD's threat assessment program includes: 

  • Assessments, inquiries and investigations

  • Immediate response to perceived threats

  • Intervention plans for everyone involved

​

Special needs

Students who choose Polaris will:

  • Seek an accelerated curriculum that is individualized to the student’s strengths

    and weaknesses.

  • Desire a differentiated program design that puts emphasis on a student’s

    personal learning style and needs.

  • Have the ability to study topics in depth.

  • Wish to be in a “community” school setting emphasizing personal responsibility,

    respect, self-awareness, social awareness and responsible decision making

    skills.

  • Desire a setting where differences are celebrated and accepted. 

Demographic Characteristics

.

251 students, or 85.1% of the student population at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School identify as Caucasian, making up the largest segment of the student body. A typical school in Fort Collins is made up of 73% Caucasian students, so Polaris Expeditionary Learning School has a slightly different ethnic distribution compared to other schools in the city.

The demographic breakdown of Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is drastically different from that of a typical school in the state of Colorado, which is made up of 54.5% Caucasian students on average

Higher Percentage of Students Take the SAT or ACT Exam Than Average for Colorado

11% of students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School took an SAT or ACT exam, whereas the median across all reported Combination Schools in Colorado is only 10%.

Compared to the median of all reported combination schools in the nation (8%), the enrollment rate at this school is higher than average.

http://public-schools.startclass.com/l/104811/Polaris-Expeditionary-Learning-School#demographics&s=2iahF&st=YMkWdh

Classroom Environment and students

The sink is located on the right side of the door next to the computer hub. Couches are located in the front of the room next to the smart board. the tables are spread through out the room surrounding the couches. The room promotes English, math, and music more than art. Books are at multiple stations around the room. along with musical instruments at the front of the classroom. 

Alicia does a good job at incorporating group activities and discussions. The way she presents the room with the couches being at the heart of the class lend itself to group activities. 

Alicia has demonstrated that students should take responsibility for their own actions. She has set up a bell system for when students have become too rowdy. For teacher management, she has a 1-4 system that goes as follows, 

   1.) verbal warning

   2.) verbal confirmation, and student taking responsibility

   3.) student is taken outside of the classroom to have a discussion, and to make a plan of action.

   4.) Student goes to administration, student writes assessment to go home. 

bottom of page