Students at Clearwater Academy progress at their own pace, mostly in classrooms that house two or more grades. For example, Grades 6 through 8 are in a second-floor classroom that will be staffed by two teachers and an assistant. The neighboring class will house Grades 9 through 12. To that end, each classroom contains a clay table where students mold shapes that represent concepts they are trying to learn. There are no letter grades.
Students advance to the next grade after successfully completing a check sheet for that grade.
A fifth-grader, for example, might advance to sixth grade in November after completing the required 6,250 words of required reading. We have multilevel classes in traditional schools. It's being touted as an innovative practice. . . . Teachers who are really creative and innovative and know how to meet individual kids' needs will be really successful. School is in session year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday, except for 6 weeks of off time sprinkled throughout each year.