What if your child discovered and developed their unique genius?
Introducing Expanse
Expanse offers a full middle school program for children 10-14.
We immerse your child in exceptional peer learning experiences that lead to high-level academics and skill development. Our program is personalized to support your child’s pursuit of their distinctive genius.
We are warm, purpose-driven, and effective. Our students are intellectual, creative, and entrepreneurial.
“The way that you do education is pretty much the way I did education with Laura, except that you are a pro.”
“Michael’s gift was to notice, listen, not interfere, connect at a deep level...if you want someone to help your teen find his own gifts and peace, then ask Michael Strong to work with your teen.”
"I will never forget his [Michael's] words to me: ‘95 percent of Josh’s difficulties in public school will go away in a school environment like ours.’ That was the moment I knew our son was destined for something different."
10 - 10:30 am
Community
We begin the day with vibrant, guided community activities. Students discuss shared experiences, present ideas clearly and persuasively, authentically express emotions, resolve conflicts, give and receive useful feedback, and discuss world events. Improv and theatre as skill development exercises provide fun while guiding skill development. We customize an approach to “Designing Your Life.”
10:40-11:20 am
Socratic
Students spend 40 minutes together analyzing issues they care about, drawn from closely reading complex texts. They engage with peers as listeners, speakers, thinkers, and leaders. This collaborative learning starts with deep, thoughtful primary texts, both classic and contemporary, that span world history, literature, poetry, and philosophy.
11:30 - 12:00 pm
Writing
Students learn to express in writing the opinions and observations they’ve already verbalized in Socratic, developing their written voice in both creative and discursive ways. We supplement assignments with exercises on the nuts and bolts of grammar and punctuation. As a result, students leave middle school with exceptionally strong essay-writing skills.
1:00 - 1:50 pm
Mathematics
Students follow the QuantumCamp curricula, which develops problem-solving skills and is aligned with standard middle school STEM content. Advanced students are given more challenging problems; those with gaps receive personalized practice. All are coached on effectively learning mathematics using principles of Barbara Oakley, author of the highly regarded Learning How to Learn.
2:00 - 2:50 pm
Science
The QuantumCamp curricula structures middle school learning through a series of inquiry-based experiments inspired by the actual history of science. Families receive kits in the mail, which students then use to conduct the experiments. The program combines rigor and experiential discovery to provide a rich middle school science experience.
3:00 - 3:30 pm
Mentorship
With mentorship, students are guided through the intentional design of their lives in compelling ways. It is also a space for them to articulate personal setbacks and successes with a mentor who can help them develop a strategy to constructively address whatever is going on in their lives.
3:30 pm & beyond
Personal Project
Mentors provide guidance in determining the optimal personal project for your child each step of the way. Weekly check-ins ensure that your child is moving forward in a constructive manner. Projects in history, science, technology, and media, among others, enhance awareness of the world’s options.
Weekends
International Project-Based Learning
Nobel Explorers, a global STEAM bootcamp, engages your child in project-based learning options with talented students from around the globe. For the full international experience, students meet on Saturday mornings so they can work with peers in Kenya, France, the Ukraine, and elsewhere.
Rolling
Admissions
We accept students on a rolling basis.
Our program is sufficiently personalized that we can accept students at any time and integrate them into our community and chart out their personal development path.
