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Greetings,

Welcome to the Meyer Levin School for the Performing Arts with
three distinct academies of excellence.

1. Eagle Academy
2. Falcon Academy
3. Phoenix Academy

Small learning academies create special challenges that are best
met by versatile, well-educated and resourceful teachers who
have a broad global perspective in addition to their subject specialty.
At Meyer Levin, teachers will be highly skilled within their own subject
area and will receive professional development to enable them to
perform additional duties. Most teachers will teach their subject or a
related subject for four or five periods, be a faculty-advisor with an
advisory class and perform one other assignment. These academies
will create trust and respect, both essential conditions for effective
student learning and social and emotional development.

Learning will be personalized with students assigned to one of
three multi-grade small learning academies that will grow to a
maximum of 375 students, each with its own dedicated faculty.
Students will have a faculty-advisor who meets with them in an
advisory group of no more than 18 students. These small learning
communities will foster an intimate learning environment where
students will develop a mutual relationship with their peers and
adults, and have their individual learning styles acknowledged.

In standards-based and student-centered classrooms, teachers
will give students opportunities to investigate and make sense of
the world in cooperative learning groups. In these academically
rigorous, mixed ability and culturally diverse classrooms, each
student will be provided with opportunities to maximize their
individual potential and each will learn through doing and through
teaching others. There will be high expectations for all, and students
will develop habits and practices that will increase intelligence and
performance. Classes will be blocked to facilitate project-based
learning. There will be weekly scheduled Drop Everything and Read
slots and an advisory period.

Parental partnerships will be developed with an emphasis on
two-way communication so that parents’ voices are heard and
parents are informed. When parents and their children choose
Meyer Levin, they are entering into an agreement with the school
to be the best that they can be. We must honor that agreement
in our commitment to support, challenge, and encourage children’s
abilities and efforts throughout their Meyer Levin School for the
Performing Arts years.

Let us always remember, “Vision without action is a dream. Action
without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is
making a positive difference.” (Joel Barker)  I will work everyday,
to make a positive difference in the lives of the students at our
school, and I am confident that each of you will as well. Please
feel free to contact me at your convenience to discuss any concerns
that you may have, as I am always willing to listen.

Frederick A. Underwood,
Principal