The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People program is the cornerstone of PACE Academy. These principles provide our scholars with a set of skills that take them from being dependent…to independent…to interdependent. Stephen Covey’s habits are transformative for our scholars in their academic and personal lives. They teach character traits like being proactive, accountability and compassion. And do you know about the 8th habit? This year, we’re leaning into this bonus principle, “Finding Your Voice”, so our scholars have the tools they need to speak up for what they believe.
2. Leader in Me
Fully complementing the 7 Habits series, our tuition-free public school uses the Leader in Me curriculum which focuses on leadership and building confidence in our scholars. We know our scholars are capable of greatness and Leader in Me helps us as we navigate along, learning about ourselves and our impact on others.
3. Super Support
While our teachers take charge instructing our scholars, they’re part of an entire team of great support leading the way at our elementary school. We have paraprofessionals in the classroom assisting our teachers. We have counselors, behavior interventionists and a dedicated Family Support Specialist ready to help our scholars and families when needed. We reserve every Wednesday as a super focus time on reading and writing, which we call Wildly Important Goals (W.I.G.s). We support our teaching team with regular professional development. We also continually improve our curriculum through our School Improvement Program, collaborating with parents and staff twice a month.
4. Enrichments & Culture
At our engaged K-8, we don’t stop with the basics. We take the fundamentals and create meaningful educational opportunities, like our Spelling Bee, Battle of the Books and Julia Robinson Math Festival (JRMF) so our scholars can put their new skills in action. We have a Strings music program, after school sports (yes we have basketball, but take that focused aim and apply it in our Archery class too!), and field and camping trips as well.
How do you tie being transformational, respectful, intentional, brave, and empathetic all together? At our close-knit elementary school, we connect with our school community every morning for thirty minutes and reflect on these cultural expectations, nicknamed TRIBES. This is when we take a deep dive into one of the 7 Habits we highlight each month. We also learn more about our Social Excellence Protocol and our Monthly Character focus.
At PACE Academy, we set the bar high because we know that when you take responsibility for your learning and recognize that it is a process, great results happen. We’re here guiding the way (we’re pursuing our Lighthouse School designation so the pun is definitely intended), by providing strong academics and a variety of social emotional programs that challenge and help our scholars grow. We connect with our scholars and their families with the ultimate vision that they will recognize and achieve their fullest potential.
Expectations are high for all members of our learning community: students, administrators, teachers, support staff, custodians, parents, and engaged service providers. We all assume a responsible role in promoting behavior that enhances academic and social success. Courteous, respectful, and responsible behavior fosters a positive climate for our learning community.
Learn more about our engaged and supportive K-8 elementary school and how we can help your child realize their best academically, socially, and emotionally. Join our PACE Academy Warrior family and enroll today!
About PACE Academy
Dr. Joseph F. Pollack Academic Center for Excellence (PACE Academy) is a tuition-free public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth graders in Southfield, Michigan. At PACE Academy, we empower our scholars to realize their fullest potential through meaningful educational opportunities. We partner with our families and community in preparing our scholars to become dynamic leaders in the 21st century by celebrating the importance of collaboration and accountability in all we do. Join our growing school, enroll today!