Ignite Learning Academy

My daughter was taking classes with ILA and we had a great experience. ILA offered us caring and enthusiastic teachers, challenging curriculum and individualized attention to student needs.
Jun 11th, 2023

We absolutely love ILA. My daughter has been at Ignite for 2 years, and we will be returning in Fall for her third. From the moment we started the enrollment process, everything has been a breeze. All of the staff are wonderful. The teachers have been amazing, and you can tell they actually love their jobs and their students. Because of the small classes, they can really get to know your kids on a personal level, and create strong bonds with them. The curriculum is very easy to understand and to teach. Compared to public schools in my area, this curriculum is definitely advanced academically. My daughter has consistently tested above grade level on the STAR tests each year, and we aren't doing anything extra aside from the daily work assigned, so that says A LOT! As far as coursework, the workload is very grade/age appropriate, and nothing overwhelming. My daughter is in elementary, and we spend about 2 hours each day on course work. Even though everything is virtual, my daughter has been able to connect with many other students, and engage with them even outside of school time. It's also great that the students have a bunch of clubs to participate in. My daughter hopped around a few them this last school year. She got to dive deep and explore new interests, like Minecraft, Lego, coding and art club. We also travel a lot through out the year. It's nice to be able to work ahead or even take a day or two off school when needed. Long story short, ILA offers everything it says it does and more!
May 29th, 2023

We have been very pleased with ILA as it offers us the flexibility we need, a strong self paced curriculum, access to teachers as needed, a safe environment devoid of bullying or typical in person school challenges we see these days. The post covid world has warmed up to online education and this school has done a great job of providing the students with many of the opportunities they would see in school including participating in contests, clubs, extra curriculars as well as social time through homeroom hour. All in all, a win win especially for students who are unable to fit into a traditional brick and mortar school model for whatever reasons.
Mar 30th, 2023

As we were thinking of moving our daughter from public school to virtual school almost 2 years ago, we were overwhelmed by the number of choices. Wanting the best for our daughter, we did a lot of research and talked to several schools, but we kept coming back to ILA. We took the leap of faith and we are so happy that we did! Our daughter has grown so much over the past 2 years, not only academically, but as a whole person. She has become so much more independent in doing her schoolwork. The various school clubs have expanded her horizons and she has made new friends from all over. Differences are accepted at ILA. We have watched students, whether very advanced or with unique challenges, be encouraged and applauded for their successes both in school and in life. Academically, the curriculum is challenging, but the focus is on letting the child learn at their pace, in their way, and giving them the tools and support they need to succeed. Our daughter, and we as parents, always know that if we have a question or concern, we can speak directly with a teacher or administrator. Last year, halfway through the year, administration reached out to us to suggest that our daughter might benefit from a more advanced curriculum for math. We would not have realized on our own that she wasn't being challenged enough and this change made a world of difference. All of the teachers our daughter has had have been wonderful. They are always open to questions either in live class, via email or chat, or one-on-one in office hours. As great as the academics and teachers are, the whole sense of community at ILA is just as important to us. At ILA, the clubs, special events and activities, counselor sessions, and homerooms provide opportunities for our daughter to feel a part of something. Recently I heard her tell one of her teachers that "ILA is like a family" and we agree with her. We wholeheartedly recommend ILA for any parent seeking a more complete educational experience for their child.
Apr 2nd, 2023

My daughter, Eliza (7th grade), is completing her second year at Ignite Learning Academy. Ignite has been life-changing for our family! As a gifted learner with anxiety, Elizas academic and emotional needs are fully supported by Ignites amazing staff who truly understand giftedness in all of its complexity. Ignite offers an ideal combination of live classes, drop-in office hours, and self-guided work. Eliza was placed at her just-right academic level by subject, and she has thrived with deep learning at her own pace with the freedom to further explore topics of interest. The SPARK program offered her the opportunity for intellectual peers, which is supportive of her mental health and sense of belonging. Ignites commitment to authentic (vs. performative) learning is reflected in evidence-based policies around retaking tests/assignments, which has reduced Elizas test anxiety and helped her focus on content application over rote memorization. The self-guided element of Ignites curricula pushed Eliza to develop independent time-management and self-awareness of her own needs as a learner. She can get up to move around or snack when she needs a body/brain break, and she can dive deep into lessons when shes in the zone; no more following an arbitrary one-size-fits-all schedule! The flexible schedule also allows for whole-life balance. As a family, we can enjoy a relaxed morning routine, participate in occasional late night-activities, and take advantage of special activities or travel without worrying that Eliza will be exhausted or fall behind in school. Elizas social, emotional, and academic confidence have improved, both in and out of school. We know shes finally in the right place, and were looking forward to her continued growth and fulfillment at Ignite!
Apr 1st, 2023