IEA Academy provides students ages 6 to 14 with advanced enrichment classes that promote exploration and application of knowledge. Courses provide compelling content and appropriate challenges taught at a flexible pace with small classes by highly qualified, dedicated professionals
Advanced Enrichment Classes that Go Beyond the Classroom
IEA Academy provides exceptionally creative learning opportunities that encourage in-depth exploration of topics outside of the typical school curriculum. Optimized in both content and pace, classes cover a wide variety of STEM, arts, and humanities topics, often taught through an interdisciplinary lens. IEA Academy inspires students to be lifelong learners, as they are challenged and motivated in the learning process through discovery and exploration. In a stimulating educational environment, students engage in hands-on, inquiry-based learning with content area specialists. Each class serves no more than 10 students to ensure individual attention is provided, appropriate differentiation occurs, and community is built among participants.
Designed Specifically for the Gifted Learner
Gifted children learn best when given the opportunity to pursue their curiosity with other children who also crave intellectual challenge. While gifted children need intellectually challenging academic material, they are, after all, still children and need age-appropriate content. The IEA Academy provides the intellectual rigor these children need while still keeping content age-appropriate and fun. All courses are taught by content area specialists who are trained in working with gifted youth.
IT STARTS WITH YOU: IEA’S CHILD-CENTERED APPROACH
The IEA Academy starts with each student’s needs and interests in mind. Every IEA Academy class provides engaging, personalized, skill-specific curriculum. Courses are designed to optimize student growth and progression within each class, as well as from session to session. Students can go as fast, as wide, or as deep as they like. New courses each session are born out of extensive research, based on student interest and teacher passions, and go beyond a child’s foundational educational experience.
BEYOND ACADEMICS: THE WHOLE CHILD APPROACH IN ACTION
More than just an academic class, the IEA Academy provides opportunities for the whole child to grow, including activities that encourage mindfulness, emotional literacy, and social connections.
Students meet others who share their interests and abilities and build social, emotional and intellectual connections with peers from a variety of school systems, educational backgrounds, and grade levels. Students also forge mentoring relationships with teachers. In addition to these opportunities during class, the IEA Academy also provides opportunities outside of classes for socialization and community-building to help students and their families build and nurture relationships as well as share resources and knowledge.
PARENT TOOLS FOR ADVOCACY AND UNDERSTANDING
Parents receive detailed feedback on their child’s intellectual and personal growth over the course of each session. Each teacher provides parents with an assessment of their child’s academic strengths in relation to differentiated learning objectives, strengths and abilities as a learner, understanding of subject matter, and next-step learning targets. Parents have found this feedback incredibly helpful, both for understanding the academic needs of their child as well as for advocating for their child’s needs in a traditional school setting.
HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS
PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENRICH
The IEA Academy has built partnerships with local schools, universities, and nonprofit organizations to provide additional opportunities for Academy students. Collaborators and partners have included the Independent Shakespeare Company, professors from Caltech, UCLA, USC, Carnegie Observatories and The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
IEA Academy Classes: How it Works
GENIUS DAY: ADVENTURES IN DEEP LEARNING
In addition to courses offered throughout the year, IEA Academy offers a unique learning opportunity called Genius Day. These single-day, intensive workshops allows students to spend a full day working with an expert in the field, immersed in the study of a person who is considered a genius. Past Genius Days have focused on Shakespeare, Galileo, and Darwin, and have taken place at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.
To be notified when information about future Genius Days becomes available sign up for our email list below and indicate an interest in Academy.
ACADEMY MINI LECTURES
Academy Mini Lectures provide students and their families with an opportunity to hear a wide-range of short talks from researchers regarding their research interests. These educational and often motivational talks are free and open to the public and encourage students to imagine their future selves and envision potential educational prospects. Past Mini Lecture topics include “Exploring Exoplanets: What Do We Know About Planets in Other Solar Systems”, “The Wonderful World of Robots: From Earth to Space”, and “From Antarctica to Japan: A Chemist Explores the Diversity of Life on Earth”.
To be notified when information about future Mini Lectures becomes available, sign up for our email list below and indicate an interest in Academy.
TUITION AND PAYMENT
Academy tuition varies depending on session length and class duration. Some additional lab or materials fees may apply. Once your child’s courses are finalized, their enrollment deposit invoice of $75 per course will be emailed to you. Enrollment deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable should your child withdraw their enrollment prior to or after the first class meeting. The remaining tuition balance invoice, less the deposit amount and applied discounts, will be emailed to you after the first class meeting. There are no refunds for withdrawals after the second class meeting. For upcoming session tuition rates and discounts, please visit our Academy Schedule and Application page.
Financial aid is available to families in need. Please fill out a Financial Aid Application.
“MY ASTRONOMY CLASS HELPED ME LEARN ABOUT WHAT’S OUT THERE IN SPACE AND HELPED CHALLENGE ME. I FELT PART OF A GROUP OF KIDS WHO ARE JUST LIKE ME AND I WANT TO FEEL THAT FEELING AGAIN!”
–– Academy Student
“IEA is a place to learn, explore, grow, and connect through fun activities. It has changed my son’s life for the better.”
–– Academy Parent
“WE ARE SO GLAD OUR KIDS ARE IN ACADEMY – THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY WEEK!”
–– Academy Parent
CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE CHILD AT A TIME. HELP SUPPORT IEA AND GIFTED CHILDREN.
Your gift can spark a bright student’s future. Can you help us ensure that more children have the tools they need to make the most of the gifts they have been given? Here are some ways you can help:
Sponsor a student: By helping one student pay for classes, you are providing a lasting gift that enriches his or her life.
Fund a class: With little private or public funds, your donation could ensure more bright young minds get the advanced coursework they need.
Provide a scholarship: Contribute to the scholarship fund to help ensure that no child is ever turned away due to their family’s lack of funds.
Establish an endowment: Help bright young minds today and in the future through an endowment that appeals to your interests and gives students the tools they need.
Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
533 Airport Blvd., Suite 200
Burlingame, CA 94010
Website: www.acswasc.org