How one innovative school is helping to combat chronic absenteeism
Apr 29, 2024
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Anna Graves, founder of The Field Academy, discusses combating chronic absenteeism by picking up students in a van for immersive learning experiences. The school focuses on personalized education, hands-on learning, and community partnerships to engage students and boost attendance rates.
Field Academy uses immersive community-based learning to combat chronic absenteeism.
Founder Anna Graves leverages partnerships and collaborative approaches for educational innovation.
Deep dives
Anna Graves' Background in Outdoor Education
Anna Graves, the founder of the Field Academy, initially focused on outdoor education after being inspired by her experiences in rock climbing and outdoor clubs during high school and college. Her passion for wilderness education led her to work with various organizations, such as City Kids Wilderness Project, focusing on immersive and transformative experiences for students.
Challenges Faced While Attempting to Open a Charter School
Anna Graves faced challenges when trying to open a charter school in Southwest Denver due to building crises and high community gentrification. The founding team aimed to create a community-centered school with family involvement and extended hours. However, external circumstances led to the decision not to move forward with the charter process, highlighting the complexities involved in establishing innovative educational models within specific community contexts.
Transition to Field Academy and Collaborative Model
Transitioning from the charter school endeavor, Anna Graves adopted a collaborative approach by partnering with existing programs like Field Academy and incorporating learnings from organizations like the Over Yonder Semester. This collaborative effort led to the establishment of Field Academy as an experiential credit recovery program for students facing chronic absenteeism and truancy issues. By sourcing inspiration from existing programs and fostering partnerships, Field Academy aims to provide a transformative educational model accessible to all students.
Anna Graves is the founder of The Field Academy in Denver, Colorado, a traveling high school that this academic year is collaborating with the Aurora Public Schools, the Englewood Public Schools, Stead Charter School, and alternative schools within the Denver metro area to address chronic absenteeism and credit recovery in creative ways. High school students who are not showing up to school, and who have either been referred to the truancy court or are at risk of being referred, are picked up in The Field Academy van each day to learn throughout the community in an immersive, personalized environment.