On April 20 and May 11, Enumclaw’s Cedar River Academy will host public school educators from across Washington state. Attendees will review and discuss CRA’s Student-Centered Education Model.

These seminars are a continuation of discussions that began March 16 at an Education Services District 113 meeting in Olympia. That session was focused on an expanding education reform movement centered on education models that emphasize student performance and active learning, rather than counting the number of hours a student attends a class.Kristin McSwan, Cedar River Academy’s head of school, and Roger Franklin, Cedar River Academy founder,presented their education model.

The upcoming seminars in Enumclaw will allow public school educators to learn the details of CRA’s Student-Centered Education Model and its potential application in public schools. “Cedar River Academy applies its Student-Centered Education Model to transfer learning responsibility from teachersto students,” McSwan said.  “Our students develop subject matter skills and then apply them to projects thatinterest them. Our research, build, document, and present cycle assures students have a high interest level and deepconceptual subject matter understanding.”

Nationwide, educators are increasingly interested in innovative ways to improve student skills, keep students inschool and prepare students for college and life.  In Washington, a growing number of schools are realizingincreased retention rates and improved skills when innovative approaches to education are applied.  Examples of theseinnovative schools are Delta High in the Richland area, Highline Big Picture High in SeaTac and Truman High inFederal Way.

“We have invested significant resources to define and improve the CRA education model,” Franklin said. “Exceptional education should not be reserved for those who can pay tuition at a private school.  It can, and should be available to every child. We are happy to freely share our model with other educators in the hope they will find elements of our program that will benefit their students and programs.”

Cedar River Academy is a nonsectarian private elementary and middle school operating out of a Griffin Avenue campus.The website is www.CedarRiverAcademy.com.