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MyTown Hall

MyTown Wood Shop
with parent volunteer

Academics

A day in the life of a 1st-8th grade student is split into two halves, divided between Core Classes in the morning and Mytown Learning Centers in the afternoon.

Core Classes
Grades 1st-8th focus on Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The goal is to APPLY these skills as students investigate other areas of study. For instance, students will read about History, Art, Literature, Psychology, Economics, Sociology, etc. as well as read for fun. Students will write both creatively and formally on these subjects and others. Students will apply their math understanding as they learn about various fields of Science. In other words, the idea is to use the three R's to learn about all the other letters of the educational alphabet.

MyTown Learning Centers
MyTown has been lovingly built, equipped, supplied and maintained over the years by the parents of Boomtown (see section below regarding Parental Involvement). It gives our children the unique opportunity to apply what they are learning in a "real world" setting. Students in the upper grades (7th-8th) serve as Classroom Aides for our Teachers and help to tutor and assist the children from the earlier grade levels.

MyTown is where students visit the Library, work in teams to complete school projects, do their lab experiments, play sports, hold court sessions (see Government & Discipline below), practice for dramas, attend dance classes, run the Stores and Shops, and work with Teachers and Parent Volunteers in the Art, Wood, Metal and Rocket Labs. Students involved with music are released at 2:00pm to go to the Boomtown Museum where all musical programs and classes are held.

Government
Once per year, the older students hold campaigns and elections and run for Mayor, Assistant Mayor, Treasurer, Secretary and Judge. The 7th and 8th graders also take turns as Sheriff, Banker, Prosecutors, and Defense Attorneys, as well as manning the Art Shop, Wood Shop, Metal Shop and General Store and the Tool Shed where all the sporting equipment, drama equipment and hand tools are maintained and stored.

Students are encouraged to write and submit Referendums to the City Council (consisting of the five Student Officers, two parent volunteers and the school Principal) which are reviewed and then submitted to the student body and Administration for a vote. Many of our greatest ideas for the Boomtown School came from our students utilizing this process.

Discipline
Students who are unruly are sent by Teachers to Detention, held in the "jail" at Town Hall during afternoon hours. Or, if one or more students has a dispute with another, he or she can file charges with a Prosecuting Attorney, "hire" a Defense Attorney, and argue their case in front of the Judge on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Judgments are reviewed by the History and Sociology Teachers and decisions are final.

Parental Involvement
Parents are each expected (but not required) to donate 20 volunteer hours per student enrolled (a two-parent household with two children enrolled would provide 2 x 2 x 20 services hours during a regular school year). Many parents and other volunteers exceed this amount as they work as Teacher's aides, office aides, tutors, maintenance & janitorial workers, MyTown and school yard monitors, crossing guards, etc. Parents also give hundreds of in-class and MyTown demonstrations every year. We couldn't do this without them! (See the Funding page for more information on this subject.)

Daily Schedule:
Pre-School/Kindergarten
8:30-10:30
Reading, Writing, Arts & Crafts
10:30-11:00 Snack/Recess
11:00-Noon Dismissal Numbers

Daily Schedule:
1st-5th, 6th-8th
8:00-11:30
Reading, Writing, Arithmetic Classes
11:30-12:00 Lunch Break
12:00-3:00 Mytown Learning Centers

Grading System
Grades are based on four criteria:
- Participation in class
- Work completed on time
- Quality of work completed
- Competency in the required skills

Grades are awarded accordingly:
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
50-59% = Repeat until successful

Testing
Other than state-required testing, The Boomtown School does not conduct graded testing. Although a teacher may test students for competency, all tests are open book and graded in class.

Homework
Most students should be able to complete all assignments during the morning and afternoon sessions, with the exception of reading & research homework. Students have the option of working on projects on their own or in groups outside of the regular school schedule.

Attendance Policy
Students who do not attend classes in the morning are not allowed to participate in the MyTown activities in the afternoon. This generally keeps most of our students showing up on time every single day, with few exceptions.

Field Trips
The Boomtown School encourages lots and lots of field trips. Students are able to see what they are learning put to practical use as they visit the farms and businesses in and around Boomtown and are given demonstrations by skilled professionals. Four times per school year, 25% of the student body experiences "A Day in the Life Of..." where they spend an entire day shadowing the adult person of their choice or interest area. Then they present what they've learned at the four "New Talent Shows", fun events for all the students and their families.