The Antioch Charter Academies are progressive, tuition-free public charter schools designed specifically to produce lifelong learners by nurturing and guiding them in a natural learning environment. They are Charter Schools – which are California public schools, offering teachers and parents input and control into the students’ educational program in exchange for accountability. We educate students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Antioch Charter Academy (Contra Costa County’s original charter school) and Antioch Charter Academy II, both California Public Charter Schools.  We are operated by The Learner-Centered School, Inc., a non-profit, public benefit corporation. Located in the delta town of Antioch, students, teachers, parents, and administrators work together to create the optimum learning environment.  We combine positive discipline, understanding of multiple intelligences and brain compatibility, multi-age grouping, Montessori philosophies, natural and logical consequences, classroom meetings, lifelong guidelines and lifeskills, with parent volunteering, an excellent teaching staff, and terrific children, to make a school of which we are very proud.

What makes us different?

Antioch Charter Academy is set up to foster a child’s natural thirst for learning, and to nurture the individual talents and gifts each child possesses. We use dynamic teaching techniques which have proven results. Some of our unique learning strategies include:

Montessori: An educational approach that fosters independence and focuses on the needs, talents, gifts and unique individuality of each child.

Multi-age Grouping: Children of multiple ages are more cooperative with each other and setting up such mixed groupings is helpful because it reflects the natural makeup of a family.

Team Teaching: This method enables students to have a greater choice of teachers with whom to connect, and also enables teachers to inspire and support each other.

Multiple Intelligences: All human beings are gifted in their own way and all excel at some facet of living. The mission of our school is to nurture all intelligences equally. To date, the recognized categories of intelligences by Howard Gardner of Harvard University include:

• Logical/Mathmatical (number smart)
• Linguistic (word smart)
• Musical (rhythm and music smart)
• Visual/Spatial (picture smart)
• Bodily/Kinesthetic (body smart)
• Naturalist (nature smart)
• Inter-personal (people smart)
• Intra-personal (self smart)

How do we assess?

Assessment is a crucial part of learning development. Our schools employ the following assessment tools:

• Narrative report cards based on rubrics – no letter grades.
• Portfolios of student work.
• Standardized tests.
• Teacher observation.
• Student self-assessment.
• Performance-based assessment.
• Skill cards – based on state and district standards.

Where do you fit in?

Parent involvement is a vital part of our schools’ dynamics. Parental involvement shall be encouraged in the form of classroom assistance in the educational process, participation in school governance, campus beautification projects, fundraising, clerical assistance, or some alternative service which benefits the school.

Your children are as special to us as they are to you!