BASIC's Learning Academy 2023 Report Card
Last updated 2/15/2024 at 11:18am
Learning Academy is a community-embedded “school without walls” summer program held at the Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center in Borrego Springs, CA. BASIC’s (C2G) program uniquely offers small class sizes, personalized attention, over 100 hours of instruction per student, all at no cost for students.
Why BASIC holds Learning Academy? Most of Borrego’s third graders do not read at grade level. Children spend their early school years learning to read. After grade 3, they use those literacy skills to read to learn. The same is true for math. English is not the first language for 89% of Borrego’s students. Many are long-term English Language Learners who need to increase vocabulary, gain fluency, understand composition structure, and improve writing. Classes target these three areas.
Program Objectives
Academic Improvement: 35 – 50% of students will achieve grade equivalent on standardized tests, bridging the academic gap.
Scores are based on pre and post-testing – ACHIEVED!
Fostering a Love for Learning: Instill a passion for education, creating lifelong learners.
100% of students as noted on post-survey – ACHIEVED!
Promoting Regular Attendance: Prioritize over 95% attendance rates for continuous growth.
40 of 41 students had a 95% attendance rate – ACHIEVED!
Other key features that define the Learning Academy include
Door-to-Door bus
Perfect attendance incentive of Laptop reward
FREE: hot breakfast and lunch everyday, books for the students’ personal home libraries, and T-shirts and backpacks to build identity and pride.
Headmaster: Tim White
Elementary Reading (2nd and 3rd Grade)
Teacher: Tania Fuerte, Teaching Aide: Joselynn Troncoso
Elementary Math (4th and 5th Grade)
Teacher: Ken Collard, Teaching Aide: Ty White
Middle Math (6th and 7th Grade)
Teacher: Joe McGowan, Teaching Aide: Brody White
Middle Writing (6th – 9th Grade)
Teacher: Heidi Schlotfeldt, Teaching Aide: Bryan Fuerte
