Our Mission Statement:

Canyon Grove is an inspired community of learners, parents, and educators who find fulfillment and joy in pursuing excellence in learningself-accountabilityand in meeting unique individual needs in order to prepare students for the life-long pursuit of knowledge to attain their full potential.

We are under construction 🙂

Student Success Model

Canyon Grove Academy is an environmentally responsible and multi-sensory learning center that empowers students to be accountable for their educational journey.

Canyon Grove offers an exciting and unique model for students and families. As a student at Canyon Grove Academy, here is what you can expect:

SEP

Every student begins with an individualized Student Education Plan. Teachers, parents and students all collaborate to create this plan and review it during meetings throughout the year as needed.

Preparation

Before the SEP, parents complete a process created by Canyon Grove Academy to pinpoint and highlight their student’s needs, preferences and learning styles through a series of flowcharts and quizzes. 

SEP Team Meeting

Teachers collaborate with the parent(s) and student to finalize an individualized plan complete with coursework and learning resources. In addition, a student may attend a program either an Adventures-in-person 5 days a week or Adventures-at-home.

Initial Assessments

Students complete an NWEA and Acadience assessment which gives teachers a baseline knowledge of students’ skill level. 

TIER 1 PROGRAM

Math

Content: 

Canyon Grove Academy’s Tier 1 Math program combines Mindset Mathematics: Visualizing and Investigating Big Ideas (by Jo Boaler; Jen Munson & Cathy Williams), Zearn, Canyon Grove online direct instruction and a math workbook chosen to meet student’s individual needs. Our Tier 1 is designed with many components that allow teachers to differentiate as they work to meet the unique needs of all students and to empower students to be accountable for their educational journey.

The four different parts of our Tier 1 Math are designed to empower students with the math tools necessary for mathematical reasoning and computations. Giving them the tools and practice in applying them allows each student to learn to be more accountable as they practice taking charge of their educational journey. 

Resources:

“Tier I (Universal) instruction Includes:

  • Rigorous grade-level core instruction. 
  • A balance between procedural and conceptual instruction–this includes the use of mathematical tasks, Concrete-Representational-Abstract sequence of instruction, and student discussion.
  • Differentiation–use of a variety of instructional strategies (i.e., cooperative learning, think-pair-share, explicit vocabulary instruction, small group work) and student-learning supports (i.e., calculators, manipulatives, graphic organizers, guided notes, graph paper, etc.)
  • Multiple opportunities to succeed before considering Tier 2.  (UMTSS Framework for Mathematics: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YG050fQkaf6Q51Yz4HBmqvcKZ0UgiFuiCjuFSpNoW0o/edit) 

Mindset Mathematics helps students develop the ability to discuss mathematics with a growth mindset, encourage academic risks, and to understand the importance of investigating mathematically, learning through mistakes and collaboration. Mindset Mathematics also focuses on helping students see math as a creative process and its relevance in everyday life. In addition, students have weekly games/exploratory activities to reinforce what they are learning. 

Zearn

Canyon Grove online lessons (Power standard videos) provide students with direct instruction from a certified math specialist. Lessons target essential Utah core standards. Teachers provide follow up and make sure that students are understanding and internalizing the concepts.

In addition, students practice math at home with a workbook available through Canyon Grove Academy. This strengthens their ability to be independent learners, including skills such as asking for help, staying on task, and personal accountability. Offering a variety of options of workbooks allows the student, teacher and parents to find an option tailored to the student’s learning style and abilities. Pacing guides and power standard assessments allow the teacher to support each student in their individualized learning path as they receive rigorous grade-level instruction and progress academically.  

Assessment:

Students are given the NWEA assessment at the beginning of the year. This gives teachers an important baseline measurement. Teachers meet with students one-on-one or in groups to assess their progress. They determine if students have mastered the Canyon Grove Academy Power Standards (from the Utah State core standards). Using this standards-based approach, teachers can easily see where to focus additional support and resources to make sure that students continually progress and continue to practice becoming independent learners. 

Teacher Support:

 Teachers have open office hours for student accessibility daily from 10 am to 2 pm.

Language Arts

Content: 

Canyon Grove Academy’s Tier 1 program combines targeted reading instruction, literature circles, interdisciplinary practice, and grade level skills videos to provide comprehensive language arts instruction. Our Tier 1 allows teachers to differentiate as they work to meet the unique needs of all students. 

The components of our Tier 1 are designed to empower students with the language arts tools necessary for phonemic awareness, morphology, fluency, spelling, and writing and handwriting skills. They are also designed to encourage students to own their educational journey. The program incrementally leads students through the skills they will need to become strong communicators:

Kindergarten – 3rd Grades 4th – 6th Grades
Phonemic Awareness: the ability to hear sounds in words and discriminate the placement of sounds in words Morphology: the study of roots and affixes in words
Phonics: correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters Fluency: the ability to read orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings
Fluency: the ability to read grade level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings Spelling & Vocabulary:: Spell grade-appropriate words correctly and expand ability to use vocabulary
Writing and Handwriting: become proficient with writing letters legibly and fluently and compose ideas through the writing process Writing and Handwriting: become proficient with writing letters legibly and fluently and compose ideas through the writing process

Students meet with teachers and receive targeted reading lessons. Students also participate weekly in literature circles. In addition, our interdisciplinary approach with social studies incorporates literature and writing into the lesson plans where students can practice their language arts skills in other academic settings. 

Canyon Grove literacy skill videos provide students with grade-level direct instruction from a certified reading specialist. Lessons target essential Utah core standards. Teachers provide follow up and make sure that students are understanding and internalizing the concepts.

Assessment:

Students are given the Acadience and NWEA assessments at the beginning of the year. This gives teachers an important baseline measurement. Teachers meet with students one-on-one or in groups to assess their progress. They determine if students have mastered pertinent literacy skills from the Utah State core standards. In addition, Acadience progress monitoring throughout the year continues to direct teacher instructions. Using this standards based approach, teachers can easily see where to focus additional support and resources to ensure that students are progressing and continue to practice becoming independent learners.

Teacher Support:

Teachers have open office hours for student accessibility daily from 10 am to 2 pm.

Science

Content: 

Canyon Grove Academy science lessons are aligned with SEED standards and are designed to be project based. Students access video-based content developed by our curriculum specialists delivered by a Canyon Grove science teacher and then follow up with collaborative, hands-on projects.

In addition, students also participate in science lessons and projects using Generation Genius. They investigate scientific questions and are immersed in the scientific method. All SEED standards are covered during the year in these lessons. Doubling up our content with Generation Genius lessons helps solidify skills for students and increases opportunities for depth of knowledge experiments.

The resource library at Canyon Grove is an important tool for multi-sensory, student-led projects. Students can choose from a wide selection of lessons, resources and supplies throughout the year to guide and support their individual investigations, including language studies, microscopes, rock testing kits, literature studies, math games, music and art kits, coding and engineering materials, etc.

Assessment:

Teachers meet online weekly where students share their completed project or experiment with the teacher and the rest of the class and they discuss their results. Teachers reinforce concepts and give specific feedback during this process. Teachers also reinforce students to continue to practice becoming independent learners. 

Teacher Support:

Teachers have open office hours for student accessibility daily from 10 am to 2 pm.

Interdisciplinary Studies

Students participate in our interdisciplinary studies during Epic. Epic uses a four-year rotation of history topics. This year is focused on US History and its impact in the world. These history-themed unit studies incorporate humanities and the arts, social studies, literature and engineering using hands-on projects, simulations, games and movement-based lessons. Students also participate in a leadership lesson where they receive help on study strategies, brain work, self awareness with learning, problem-solving and stress relief techniques, etc.

Student Support

Open Office Hours:

Teachers have open office hours for student accessibility daily from 10 am to 2 pm.

Tier 1 Support:

Canyon Grove Academy scaffolds instruction for students who need temporary supports to help them master a concept. We use content, task, and material scaffolding as appropriate for our students.

504s:

Canyon Grove Academy also supports those students who qualify for a 504 plan because of their specific medical diagnosis. A designated school administrator works with parent(s) to gather appropriate documentation and create a 504 plan, if needed. They also follow up on any existing 504s, communicate with appropriate staff and faculty members, and take any other additional steps necessary to ensure that accommodations are made and that all 504 plans are effectively implemented.

TIER 2 & TIER 3 Program

Intervention

Students identified for Tier 2 or Tier 3 receive interventions from their Education Specialist (Certified Teacher) in the classroom as determined appropriate (intensity and duration). The ES and para-educator progress monitors the student throughout the process, keeping notes on the date of intervention, specific intervention used, duration of intervention, and student results, making adjustments based on progress monitoring data. If progress monitoring results show a student needs additional interventions, the data collected by the teacher is brought to the appropriate PLC team, which discusses and determines the best course of action. This may include continued interventions from the ES or paraeducator, or a student receiving interventions from the school’s math or reading interventionists. This process is continued until such time as the student is no longer identified as at risk of academic failure or the student is identified as needing assessment for special education services.

IEPs 

Students who need Tier 3 interventions who are on IEP are supported by referral and IEP process. Canyon Grove Academy directly employs a special education team of certified special education teachers and qualified paraprofessionals and provides access to ongoing professional development to all team members. This team works to ensure that, according to IDEA, all IEP plans are implemented for students who qualify for special education. For example, our special education teacher or para-educator fulfills service minutes in the IEP through onsite or distance/blended learning methods.. In addition, Canyon Grove Academy contracts with special education consultants to perform external evaluations, oversee our UPIPs, and monitor our compliance with all pertinent rules, regulations, policies and procedures, including the effective implementation of all IEPs so that our students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. We outsource or employ qualified and licensed professionals for all related services.