Greetings, everyone! It’s a new school year and students are back in the classrooms and learning spaces. Congratulations! 

A new school year brings excitement for new beginnings as well as mental planning and preparation for what may come next. As families are settling into their new routines, some are experiencing contentment with where they are while others may be noticing that a traditional school environment is no longer the best fit for their child. If traditional school is no longer engaging your child and you are seeking a smaller, more personalized alternative, you are at the right place! Athena Micro-academy might be what you are seeking.

Maybe your child is overwhelmed with social aspects and pressures of larger, traditional schools. Maybe your child is an advanced, independent learner who still wishes to socialize with peers in a small - microsmall - school environment. Perhaps you are looking for a learning environment where your child will engage in learning experiences every single day. 

What is a microschool and how is it different from homeschool?

Here is a Kaipod Learning article that offers clarity between microschooling and homeschooling. ​

Greetings, Visitor!

For the last few weeks, I have been diving deeply into curating a strong curriculum library for my future families and students.

I am seeking options that offer self-paced and asynchronous programs with some built-in program-specific support. I am also seeking options that do not follow an August-May calendar year and that are a better fit for Athena's year-round program.

Learning is continuous. It never stops. It also does not align with an antiquated agrarian society calendar where children were needed for farm labor during the summer months. Long summer breaks not only disrupt the momentum of learning but they also box families into a pre-determined schedule that does not fit everyone's needs or goals. Teachers know the "summer slide" very well. After a long, summer break, effective teachers understand that before they introduce any new material, they must first spend several weeks reviewing material from the previous school year. This "review time" could be used for new learning or deeper dives into various topics. Long summer breaks from school also widen gaps for students who cannot access summer enrichment programs. Lastly, the traditional calendar also creates an intense, unrelenting 10-month work period for teachers, followed by a summer where many obtain second jobs to make ends meet. This may lead to teacher burnout.

Instead, year-long programs with built-in intercessions allow for continuous learning, a momentum of growth, and immediate and targeted interventions when needed.  Teachers can develop a more steady and less disrupted learning flow with breaks for everyone along the way. Additionally, families who wish to travel more understand that travel rates are always more expensive during the "peak" seasons, including during June and July. A year-long program allows for families who wish to travel to do so with more flexibility during the multiple intercessions that take place throughout the year. 

Hello, visitor! First, allow me to introduce to you Glaux, our wise owl mascot and faithful companion. 

Thank you for visiting Athena Micro-academy of Austin! We are 12 months from launching and are working diligently behind the scenes to gear up for Day 1. We are thrilled about the prospect of offering families a different way of doing school. Stay tuned for updates here and on our social media pages.