Director Dawn Schroeder has a degree in Education Studies and is pursuing a graduate degree in Special Education. She also speaks at local conferences to educate both teachers and families. "My passion for early childhood education has brought me to a school that provides an enriching learning environment that is academically stimulating, nurturing, and inspires young minds daily with an excellent staff of teachers and caregivers and all the resources a growing child needs," she said.
Rising Star Academy serves children ages 6wk to 12 yrs in a brand-new, stunningly constructed facility on 1.2 acres of land in Katy, TX. Its mission is to build curiosity, facilitate creativity and guide the learning process. Every student will develop a deeper understanding of the world around him and how it functions through a curriculum designed to address the "whole child." It is their vision to instill a love for learning that will last a lifetime. At Rising Star Academy, there are highly qualified teachers and low teacher-student ratios, ensuring that the needs of every child are met in each classroom.
Following the HighReach Learning curriculum developed by child development experts with real-life experiences and backgrounds in child care settings, Rising Star Academy believes that children learn best through actively engaging with people and things in their environment. At every age level, teachers foster relationship-based learning, project-focused investigations, and involving families and the community.
"My 2.5 year old has been at the school since it opened in November 2008. In that time he has just blossomed into a little man. He loves the school, teachers and his peers. He is disappointed not to be going to school on the weekend. We live pretty close by and whenever we drive by the school he waves HI! I highly recommend this school to any other parent. You will be happy with the development you will see in your child," said Carla Loe, Rising Star Academy Parent
Learning doesn't just happen in the classrooms, either. Rising Star Academy has an indoor gymnasium and playroom, as well as an outdoor play area that invites students to participate in active play and learning. Each area has been designed and equipped to challenge and entertain students safely.
Rising Star Academy also has a brand-new Media Center, complete with (6) computer terminals and developmentally-appropriate learning software such as Leapfrog, FreddiFish, Clifford and more. In the Media Center, students reinforce academic readiness skills and build a technology vocabulary as they develop those essential computer skills needed to succeed in the technology world tomorrow. Not just about "playing games," students use the Media Center for a variety of functions, such as creating digital stories that are illustrated by paint programs or pictures taken with digital cameras. They also refine their listening and comprehension skills with the use of audio books.Academy – the new school library! Each class is given time throughout the week to visit the library. Library Time focuses on fostering an appreciation of books and the written word in students. They can browse the shelves, listen to a story, or discover books independently while mastering library skills such as caring for books, print awareness, and fiction vs. nonfiction…plus more! Books are organized by theme into bins to make searching for a favorite book easier for small hands.
Rising Star neighbors KISD's Cimarron Elementary School and has become one of their partners in education. They understand the importance of strong relationship with their neighborhood schools as well as the district in which the students in their care will eventually be attending. When they were given the opportunity to collaborate with KISD's PreK program, they were honored to allow them into their own PreK classroom. This opportunity only enhances the current program and provides meaningful services to both Rising Star and KISD. The collaboration will begin in the 2009-2010 school year with one KISD teacher and paraprofessional and one Rising Star Academy Lead Teacher and Assistant.
Rising Star has also partnered with community organizations and events to provide outreach and support. They are members of the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, a Moxie Moms Partner, and have attended The Rice Harvest Festival, The Katy Heritage Festival, and the LaCenterra Big Backyard Barbeque. They raised money for ArtReach of Katy with a community-wide Talent Show that featured Kady Malloy, and have recently partnered with the Pregnancy Center of Katy to provide parenting classes and raise money for the center's operations. They continue to look for new ways to reach out to the community with the strong belief that a healthy community fosters healthy families and healthy families equal healthy, happy children.
As a new school they are always growing and expanding programs and opportunities to both their students and the community at large. For more information about Rising Star Academy, please log on to www.risingstar-academy.com or stop by the school for a tour!
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