Threshold studio
Elementary education For Ages 6-10
Accomplish important work and play well with others
The Threshold Studio, students are independent learners who find great joy in learning, in a tight-knit community that upholds the highest standards of excellence.
21st century learning
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Self-paced mastery of reading, writing, math
The latest in educational technology allows for self-paced mastery of reading, writing, and math skills in only 3 hours of academic learning per day.
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relevant Real-World Tools and skills
Hands-on project based quests to master the tools and skills needed to solve problems in the real world.
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Effective thinking & communication
Deep Socratic discussions about heroes, history and self-governance to hone critical thinking skills and the ability to powerfully think, write and speak.
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Authentic Relationships
Written promises and covenants that form a tightly bound community of individuals learning to form authentic friendships and honestly resolve interpersonal problems.
learning at pomegranate
learning at pomegranate
We believe that learning to Be and learning to Do
are more important
than learning to Know. And if learning to Do and learning to Be challenges are accepted, students will absorb amazing amounts of learning to Know information — but in context, and in a way they can use and won’t soon forget.
learn2Do: Life Skills
Conquer real-world challenges and develop essential life skills needed to enjoy success in life and career
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Diagnose patients in the Medical Biology Quest
Design a floorplan for a new schoolhouse in the architecture quest
Deliver a speech in the shoes of Winston Churchill
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Quest, projects, and workshops help to develop Curiosity, Perseverance, Rigor, and Resourcefulness
Learn2Be: Purpose skills
Practice warm-hearted and tough-minded character traits while searching for a calling that will change the world:
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Servant Leader Badges celebrate character milestones from Elementary through Launchpad (aka High School)
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Socratic Discussion hone critical thinking and speaking abilities.
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Relational Covenants and real-world consequences transform difficult decisions into virtuous habits.
Learn2Know: Core Skills
Acquire 2x the learning in only 3.5 hours every morning
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Servant Leader Badges celebrate character milestones from Elementary through Launchpad (aka High School)
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Socratic Discussion hone critical thinking and speaking abilities.
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Relational Covenants and real-world consequences transform difficult decisions into virtuous habits.
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Item description
Joy + Rigor = Mastery
Embracing rigor is part of saying 'yes' to a Hero's Journey. Deep learning brings a special sense of joy, but the mastery required for a Hero's Journey goes even further, requiring commitment, discipline, and hard work toward a worthy goal.
Measuring mastery
Students hold themselves as accountable as anybody in a high-performing organization or company.
Accountability to yourself
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Goal setting measures progress through daily, weekly, and longer-term goals
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Servant Leader Badges celebrate transformation into an independent learner and a purposeful leader.
Accountability in the studio
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Badges are used to track academic progress in Core Skills like reading, writing, math, and spelling and character development as well as showcase other excellent work or mastery of useful skills.
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Points track effort doing focused work.
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360 Reviews measure self-management and self-governance skills as well as leadership and warm-hearted and tough-minded contributions to the studio.
accountability to the World
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Public exhibitions at the end of each quest (every ~5-8 weeks) allow students to subject their work to a real-world test in front of family, friends, and customers.
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Portfolios show personal growth and prove what a student can do. The students make their own webpages and track all of their core skills and major projects on their own webpages. For example, they may post their book report in a written form or via a recorded podcasts and their science experiments recorded and posted as a video.
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Competitions outside the studio allow students to compete against world-class projects.
Measurement Tools
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Journey Tracker
Documents progress in goal setting, points, badges, Quest deliverables, Hero Bucks, 360 Reviews
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Online Dashboards
Provide feedback and analytics for Core Skills mastery to Guides and parents.
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Standardized Tests
Benchmark progress year to year in math, reading, writing, and critical thinking via IOWA Assessments.
LEVELING UP
We redefine the notion of the traditional grade level system by implementing mixed-age studios. Our philosophy emphasizes personalized learning and encourages students to progress at their own pace, with students organized into approximately four-year age bands instead of rigid grade classifications. This structure encourages collaboration among peers of similar ages, creating a supportive environment on their learning journey.
Students typically spend around four years within a studio, each studio equipped with a level-specific Badge Map. These Badges are aligned with our Core Skills curriculum, hands-on workshops, and real-world quests. Throughout the year, students work towards earning all the Badges on their unique Badge Map. Once a student has achieved all the required Badges, they advance to the next level until they successfully complete their Badge Map.
children build small businesses
children build small businesses
Every year, children build small businesses from the ground-up.
Watch the video to learn about the business fair.
Our Educational Philosophy
we believe clear thinking leads to good decisions,
good decisions lead to the right habits,
the right habits forge character,
and character determines
destiny