Our Approach Momentum Academy is more than a place where we teach our scholars. Our holistic approach considers the whole scholar and places their development front and center. Creating an atmosphere of warmth and acceptance, our schools are designed to help every scholar reach their full potential to prepare them for success in life, no matter what they choose to do. We do this by promoting our three Cs—character, confidence and community—so that they become the best, brightest and most mutually supportive leaders they can be. Character We work to develop character in scholars so that they can be the best leaders they can be and achieve their unique goals. Confidence We promote a sense of curiosity in scholars so that they have a genuine interest in learning and excel in their academic pursuits. Community We seek to build community among our scholars, team and families so that everyone has a stake in the success of the scholars and, by extension, the community. 720 scholars currently attend Momentum Academy 100% of scholars go on to attend high school 4 campuses across south Saint Louis Academic Excellence We’re focused on ensuring success for every Scholar. We hold ourselves accountable to providing our scholars with an education focused on excellence that has an effect both inside and outside the classroom. It is consistent with and necessary to our mission to serve the scholars who face difficulties and scholars that struggle. The spirit of our work is that it’s our responsibility to ensure that scholars who come to us can receive a great education that will prepare them for success in life, no matter what they choose to do. Serving scholars with special needs is inherent in our mission to close the achievement gap. Our Curriculum Our unique approach builds a foundation for lifelong learning. Momentum Academy has adopted a green-rated curriculum in core content areas that supports a variety of learners and cultures. Blended learning programs provide support and extensions of core content and individualized learning for our scholars. Ongoing teacher development around instructional best practices allow us to meet the demands of rigorous curriculum and high expectations for academics. Our Guiding Principles Whatever it takes When we have a scholar with unique needs, our first response is to ensure that we’ve tried everything possible to serve the child. The reality is that there is rarely a guaranteed better placement for the child, and we must do our due diligence to ensure that we’ve done everything that we can. Clear and frequent parent communication We must partner with parents to determine how to serve the child and/or communicate the results of our efforts. It is illegal to outwardly tell a parent that we cannot serve his/her child. Instead, it is our responsibility to partner with parents to come to the same understanding about what is best for the scholar. Simplest solution is often the most effective Sometimes, we have the tendency to overcomplicate or overspecialize the support that we provide a child when the simplest solution would work best. We believe that our structured school day and core behavior management system work well with the majority of children. In cases where the program appears to not work, sometimes the simplest and most effective solution is to continue to execute the program at a higher level. Caution the swing from school-wide to individual While we want to meet the needs of individual scholars, it is often the case that the best supports are those that we have in place for all scholars. This includes the school-wide behavior system, accountability systems for homework and attendance and structures for re‐doing work when it is not high quality. We take care to not remove these supports for scholars because they have challenges. Humility and flexibility to shift our approach Being part of a protected “minority” subpopulation of scholars means that we do not compare the costs of supporting scholars with unique needs in comparison with serving the general population. Instead, we ask ourselves how we support this student with unique needs and simultaneously the success of all our scholars. Serving the individual and the group are not mutually exclusive. However, we want to ensure that the supports we provide are actually working and that we are open to evaluating our approach when we are not successful over time. A Classroom for All Learners We’re here to support Scholars wherever they are on their academic journey We help all scholars by offering unique experiences for children of all abilities and learning styles. Gifted Education A program designed to help your child continue to excel. Momentum Academy follows guidelines for gifted identification required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, looking at multiple criteria to determine if gifted education services are needed. Learn More Virtual Learning Supporting continued learning during short-term events, such as illnesses, emergency situations and snow days. This type of learning supports students during these absences. Virtual learning is different from blended learning, which combines face-to-face and online instruction. Blended learning is our preferred learning structure, while virtual learning is a non-traditional alternative. Learn More Special Support Services It is consistent with our mission to serve the scholars who face difficulties and scholars that struggle. Momentum Academy provides special education services to eligible students following federal, state and local regulations. Learn More Enroll Your Scholar Interested in applying to Momentum Academy? Fill out an application form today and start your scholar’s journey toward academic excellence. Enroll Life at MA Keep up with the latest news at Momentum by visiting our “Life at MA” blog. Here, you will find our latest updates along with helpful tips and tricks to help your scholar’s education go beyond the walls of our schools. Read More 04.01.24 Momentum Academy Presents Social Workers’ Side Bars | Strengthening Attendance April 1, 2024 At Momentum Academy St. Louis, we believe in the power of community support to ensure every scholar’s success. That’s why we’re excited for our second segment of […] Read More 03.13.24 Financial Audit RFP 23-24 For Immediate Release – March 13, 2024 Momentum Academy is looking to contract with a firm to provide Financial Auditing Services. All proposals due no later than April 5, 2024 […] Read More 02.28.24 Momentum Academy Social Workers Present ‘Social Workers’ Side Bars’ February 26, 2024 At Momentum Academy STL, we recognize that our scholars may encounter stress and anxiety both within and beyond the classroom environment. With a commitment to holistic student […] Read More 12.19.23 Gravois Park Campus – Restructure 24/25 December 19, 2023 Dear Gravois Park Scholars, Families, and Team Members –We know everyone is excited for the upcoming winter break as it will be muchneeded for us all. Our […] Read More 09.07.23 Momentum Panthers Dance & Cheer Squad Congratulations to the new members of the 2023-2024 Panthers Dance and Cheer Squad! We were very excited to welcome 40 Momentum scholar-athletes to our try-out on Wednesday, September 6th. Everyone […] Read More 02.14.23 Kindergarten Open House Join us to learn about Momentum Academy’s Kindergarten program. Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Momentum Academy – Tower Grove South Campus (3716 Morgan Ford Rd.) or Thursday, April 20, 2023 Momentum […] Read More