Academics
“My role was not just to teach him reading, writing and ‘rithmetic.
My job was to help teach the boy in him how to be a good young man.”
– Nancy Lynn, Teacher for 40 Years
Dear Parents,
Pull up a yoga ball, I am going to tell you the story of a very special school in the woods that I call my workplace. The first question you probably have is, “Why a yoga ball?” You will notice when you visit our classrooms that giant orbs are scattered around in front of computers. Slightly to the left of them are special desks with moving parts around the foot area. There are several traditional desks but a few have rubbery disks on the seats. And everywhere at our boys boarding school there are books, books and more books.
This is Cherokee Creek Boys School, specializing in middle school boys who might struggle with a traditional school’s rigid boundaries for high-energy boys. In these classrooms, wiggling is anticipated and expected. Time and space are standard accommodations for boys to think and reflect. And with class size maximized at 10, there is always time to talk to a teacher and get extra guidance, encouragement and tutoring.
We do things differently here. We choose books and activities boys are interested in and then align Common Core Standards to the work we want to do. The difference in attitudes toward reading is measurable – boys leave CCBS reading more and enjoying it far more than when they arrived. They have their hands on and in nature, discovering what is real and true about the world around them. And their math curriculum doesn’t follow a textbook, it follows their particular needs and recognizes their strengths. Our curriculum meets national standards set forth by the National Associations of Teachers of English and Math, as well as Next Generation Science Standards.
Oh, and why are there yoga balls, standing desks and wiggle seats? These are some of the tools we use to accommodate the excess energy of ADHD … and is a Best Practice for all boys who need more movement without creating distractions.
I invite you to come visit Cherokee Creek Boys School. The minute your feet touch our healing soils, you will realize you have found a unique and special place for your boy to find himself.
Sincerely,
Calvin Croxton, Academic Dean
As a private all boys boarding school, we have the luxury of crafting a single-gender curriculum expressly designed to meet the needs of middle school boys. Here are a few academic highlights:
| Cherokee Creek Boys School goes through a rigorous accreditation review by the internationally recognized Cognia organization. CCBS was recognized for an impressive five POWerful Practices during its last review. | |
| Meets national standards | |
| Credits transfer to new learning environments post-CCBS | |
| Orton Gillingham trained teachers | |
| Dedicated, experienced teachers | |
| Language Arts, Math, Biology, Social Studies and Environmental Studies, Physical Education and Foreign Language classes | |
| Vocal, Band, and Art/Ceramics | |
| Small class sizes of 10 boys per class | |
| Year-round school… five school “quarters”… four terms and a summer semester | |
| Year-round enrollment | |
| IEP – Individual Education Plans – We can honor most accommodations listed for students who arrive with an IEP – If students meet SC criteria, special education services are provided by Oconee County schools. | |
| IAP – Individualized Academic Plans – Each student has a written plan that is reviewed regularly | |
| GURIAN MODEL SCHOOL – Certified by the Gurian Institute as a boy-friendly school using brain-based strategies to address the specific learning needs of boys – We are proud to be the first therapeutic Gurian Model School | |
| Physical education each morning to prepare the busy brain for learning – Good for everybody but particularly ADHD boys | |
| Our academic program integrates the core lessons of the Medicine Wheel – Courage, Love, Truth and Wisdom – into the classroom curriculum |
