Academics at Guidepost Academy Austin
The Guidepost Academy Curriculum
Mastery-based learning
At Guidepost Academy, we believe that all students can become masters if they are given sufficient time and adequate instruction. Rather than putting emphasis on grades, we work with our students on the goal of mastering new knowledge and skills. This is a paradigm shift in thinking that allows learning to happen at each student’s pace, tailored to them, and with mastery clearly defined.
We work with Mastery Transcript Consortium to create a transcript that supports each teen’s learning today, opening doors for them in the future.
At Guidepost Academy, we believe that all students can become masters if they are given sufficient time and adequate instruction. Rather than putting emphasis on grades, we work with our students on the goal of mastering new knowledge and skills. This is a paradigm shift in thinking that allows learning to happen at each student’s pace, tailored to them, and with mastery clearly defined.
We work with Mastery Transcript Consortium to create a transcript that supports each teen’s learning today, opening doors for them in the future.
A “Prepared Environment”
Montessori educators talk extensively about the “prepared environment.” This is Montessori’s word for the classroom: the physical space, but also the intangible elements - the culture, the routines, the schedule, the norms. Everything that communicates, without a word, the values of the school. The prepared environment is the third component of a triad containing the guide and the student: a “third teacher.” Without giving a lesson, the environment nonetheless teaches its students about the type of world they inhabit, about the values of their school, and about the trust that the community holds for them.
Montessori educators talk extensively about the “prepared environment.” This is Montessori’s word for the classroom: the physical space, but also the intangible elements - the culture, the routines, the schedule, the norms. Everything that communicates, without a word, the values of the school. The prepared environment is the third component of a triad containing the guide and the student: a “third teacher.” Without giving a lesson, the environment nonetheless teaches its students about the type of world they inhabit, about the values of their school, and about the trust that the community holds for them.
Coaching
Middle and high school students experience intense physical and emotional growth during adolescence. For many students, setting goals, exploring values, and managing schedules are new experiences — and these tasks are challenging at any age! Even though growing independence and freedom are desirable and necessary, they require support and planning.
At Guidepost Academy, every student is paired with a coach who serves as a supportive guide and mentor. The coach is not a tutor or a guidance counselor; they are a powerful and unique partner who helps students achieve their full potential.
Middle and high school students experience intense physical and emotional growth during adolescence. For many students, setting goals, exploring values, and managing schedules are new experiences — and these tasks are challenging at any age! Even though growing independence and freedom are desirable and necessary, they require support and planning.
At Guidepost Academy, every student is paired with a coach who serves as a supportive guide and mentor. The coach is not a tutor or a guidance counselor; they are a powerful and unique partner who helps students achieve their full potential.
Create motivation and engagement through love of work
There are many students who come to Guidepost Academy with no specific idea of what they want out of school. It is common for students at this stage to find some or all areas of instruction inaccessible (the student who says, “I can’t do math!”) or irrelevant (“Why do we need this anyway?”). Our courses seek to explain the "why" of each discipline. What is the importance of history? What makes math essential? We combine this cognitive engagement with an individualized instructional approach that enables students to both identify and pursue their unique interests.
There are many students who come to Guidepost Academy with no specific idea of what they want out of school. It is common for students at this stage to find some or all areas of instruction inaccessible (the student who says, “I can’t do math!”) or irrelevant (“Why do we need this anyway?”). Our courses seek to explain the "why" of each discipline. What is the importance of history? What makes math essential? We combine this cognitive engagement with an individualized instructional approach that enables students to both identify and pursue their unique interests.
Network Courses
Our schools are intentionally small communities, uniquely linked in a large global network. One of the advantages of this structure is access to content experts around the world! Students can sign into live courses taught by professionals working and living in these fields: drawing courses taught by professional artists; film-making by LA-based directors; human progress and philosophy by philosophers at the University of Toronto; human anatomy by a surgeon in Texas. Wherever your student is located, with the power of the Guidepost Academy network, the world’s experts are available to them.
Our schools are intentionally small communities, uniquely linked in a large global network. One of the advantages of this structure is access to content experts around the world! Students can sign into live courses taught by professionals working and living in these fields: drawing courses taught by professional artists; film-making by LA-based directors; human progress and philosophy by philosophers at the University of Toronto; human anatomy by a surgeon in Texas. Wherever your student is located, with the power of the Guidepost Academy network, the world’s experts are available to them.
Entrepreneurship and Micro-Economy
Micro-economy is a hallmark of a Montessori adolescent program. Dr. Montessori imagined adolescents working together to create a small business that served the needs of the educational community. The goals of this “micro-economy” include:
Many of our middle school communities work together on campus-wide businesses, including bookshops, coffee shops, small campus farms, and selling handmade products online and at local craft fairs.
In both middle and high school, many of our students begin to start their own small businesses, supported by both coursework and individual mentorship around crafting a business plan, making a website, professional networking, and more. Entrepreneurship is keenly aligned with Montessori principles and the values at Guidepost Academy: encouraging students to pursue their individual passion at a high level, integrating knowledge from every area of academic study. From photography, to crafting co-ops, to web design and self-published graphic novels, students at Guidepost Academy set and achieve ambitious goals that have the potential to change the world.
Micro-economy is a hallmark of a Montessori adolescent program. Dr. Montessori imagined adolescents working together to create a small business that served the needs of the educational community. The goals of this “micro-economy” include:
Many of our middle school communities work together on campus-wide businesses, including bookshops, coffee shops, small campus farms, and selling handmade products online and at local craft fairs.
In both middle and high school, many of our students begin to start their own small businesses, supported by both coursework and individual mentorship around crafting a business plan, making a website, professional networking, and more. Entrepreneurship is keenly aligned with Montessori principles and the values at Guidepost Academy: encouraging students to pursue their individual passion at a high level, integrating knowledge from every area of academic study. From photography, to crafting co-ops, to web design and self-published graphic novels, students at Guidepost Academy set and achieve ambitious goals that have the potential to change the world.
Internships
In high school, students begin to identify areas of particular interest in the world and many choose to participate in existing internship programs, or to identify an area of interest and work with their coach to earn a new internship opportunity. Prior interns have worked in hospitals, supporting local congressmen, at theater companies and botanical gardens, in marketing departments for international companies, and as guides-in-training for Montessori early childhood classrooms.
In high school, students begin to identify areas of particular interest in the world and many choose to participate in existing internship programs, or to identify an area of interest and work with their coach to earn a new internship opportunity. Prior interns have worked in hospitals, supporting local congressmen, at theater companies and botanical gardens, in marketing departments for international companies, and as guides-in-training for Montessori early childhood classrooms.
Guidepost Academy Austin Teaching Staff
Our Team
Matt Ballin
Middle School Humanities Guide
Audie Alcorn
Middle School STEM Guide
Sebastian Gamboa
High School Math Guide
Randie Piscitello
High School Science and Makerspace Guide
Catherine Hatch
High School Humanities Guide
Beth Sharkey
High School Humanities Guide
Planning for College and Career Development
The ultimate goal of Guidepost Academy is to create students who thrive in happy, fulfilling, and productive lives. From admission onward, each student at Guidepost Academy has a team behind them. The head of school, coach, college counselor, and guides are invested in supporting each student to identify his or her personal goals and how to achieve them. For many students, this involves a path towards the college of their dreams; for others it is continuing a business started while in high school, or a path towards an ambitious career. Whatever the goal, we work together to ensure students have the resources to meet it.
The ultimate goal of Guidepost Academy is to create students who thrive in happy, fulfilling, and productive lives. From admission onward, each student at Guidepost Academy has a team behind them. The head of school, coach, college counselor, and guides are invested in supporting each student to identify his or her personal goals and how to achieve them. For many students, this involves a path towards the college of their dreams; for others it is continuing a business started while in high school, or a path towards an ambitious career. Whatever the goal, we work together to ensure students have the resources to meet it.
Student Outcomes
Many of our high school students choose to pursue higher education, and to date we have a 100% placement rate for college-bound seniors. In addition to their coach and guides, students work with a full-time, licensed college counselor.
Here is where you will find some of our recent Guidepost Academy graduates:
Many of our high school students choose to pursue higher education, and to date we have a 100% placement rate for college-bound seniors. In addition to their coach and guides, students work with a full-time, licensed college counselor.
Here is where you will find some of our recent Guidepost Academy graduates:
Guidepost Academy Austin Academics FAQs
What parents are saying about academics
If you're looking for a radically different approach to education that meets your child where they are, Guidepost Academy could be for you. I'm a staunch supporter of public schools and I never envisioned putting my child at a small, private high school - until he needed something different. Guidepost Academy has the luxury of caring about the whole child - not just test scores and achievements. The Guidepost Academy environment respects and nurtures students' intellectual curiosity and different worldviews are encouraged instead of dismissed. When I get my child's progress reports (with narratives written by multiple faculty members), I feel like they KNOW him well - both his strengths and his growth opportunities. In addition to academics, he's learning real-world life skills from opportunities to lead projects and teams. This school is small and new(ish) and way different than what we were used to, and it was a leap of faith to move our son here. But I'm so grateful we did.
Cara F., Guidepost Academy Austin Parent
Our 16 year old son attends Guidepost Academy and we love it. But more importantly HE loves it! So much so that on the weekends he looks forward to going back on Monday. We had tried several other schools, both public/magnet and private, but always felt that something was lacking. If the academics were good the administration was rigid. If the teachers were great the kids were not open or supportive of anyone different. If the kids were great the classes were too easy. So after many years of trying we could not be more delighted to have found Guidepost Academy where it all "fits"! Our son is academically challenged, socially accepted and most importantly seen as a unique and whole person who is not going to fit into any one box. Furthermore he is being extremely well prepared for college as he is being taught to think critically, back up his arguments with research, formulate questions to further his knowledge and communicate strongly in his writing. He is learning HOW to learn which is a lifelong skill that is worth more than any other in my opinion. And best of all he is loving learning. We wholeheartedly recommend Guidepost Academy.
Krista J., Guidepost Academy Austin Parent
Guidepost Academy Austin has received accreditation by Cognia™ and WASC, the Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that the system and all of its domestic and international schools are accredited, and that Guidepost Academy is recognized across the nation as meeting the Cognia Standards of Quality. ACS WASC accredits elementary and secondary schools; non-degree granting adult schools; and supplementary education programs.
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