Clonlara is expanding its offerings to include the high school level at its main Ann Arbor campus, among other program changes this school year.
“We’ve been relaunching our Ann Arbor campus program in phases over the last three years,” Director of Education April Huard said. “This year, we’re welcoming high school students back to the campus, which means that we’ll be a K-12 in-person program again. We’re also continuing to expand our programming and opportunities for students. We’ve added staff who bring different areas of expertise and interest to the campus. This year, we’re especially looking forward to getting out in the community and taking advantage of the opportunities to learn that Ann Arbor offers.”
Clonlara’s campus middle school program relaunched last year.
“We had an amazing group of students and a great teacher who helped them develop into a strong community of learners,” Huard said. “Our approach allows students to explore a variety of interests, express their opinions, and exercise their autonomy in a safe and supportive environment. We’re happy to see the middle school program growing.”
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However, the major change for this year is the new on-campus high school offerings.
“Our high school program is relaunching for the 2024-25 school year, and we’re so happy to be back to a full K-12 program,” Huard said. “Our beautiful campus building was designed to serve all grades and adding grades 9-12 this year feels like an important milestone.”
Clonlara’s programs include not only their on-campus program but also their worldwide off-campus program.
“In our Ann Arbor campus program this year, we anticipate enrollment of about 50 students,” Huard said. “Our off-campus program serves approximately 2300 students in 70 different countries. We have five affiliate schools in Asia, Portugal, and the Bahamas that partner with us to deliver our approach to their students as well. Our global learning community offers all of our students opportunities to make connections virtually and in person with students around the world.”
Clonlara is known for its program emphasizing freedom, flexibility and a student-centered approach.
“It’s almost impossible to list all opportunities for learning at Clonlara because our students have the flexibility and freedom to learn anything, anywhere,” Huard said. “Our approach to personalized learning allows students to follow their interests, individually and in groups, using our unique process called Full Circle Learning. We believe that students should have a voice in the design and details of their projects, and our teachers and mentors support them to identify interests and goals for learning and complete the Full Circle Learning process.”
A unique campus program
“Our campus is unique in a few important ways,” Huard said. “We offer full-time and hybrid schedules, which many of our families appreciate. Students can come 3 or 5 days per week and add enrichment courses to their after-school schedule. Some families choose to join us just for the afternoon enrichment classes, too. Parents can build a schedule that meets the needs of their unique family situation.”
The classrooms in the campus program are also multi-aged.
“Our multi-age classrooms and small campus community allow students to build social and academic skills with both younger and older students,” Huard said. “This creates a healthy sense of belonging, and our teachers skillfully create strong relationships with the students. Clonlara is a very warm, caring place.”
A child-centered approach
“Instead of following a set curriculum, we customize topics, resources, and experiences to match the interests of our students,” Huard said. “This child-centered approach engages children in the learning process and brings joy to the classroom. Last year, we did a school-wide project about the solar eclipse, and students created projects around other interesting topics like dragons, writing, cooking, gardening, and more.”
Clonlara has an on-campus program, an off-campus program and an online program.
“Many families don’t live close enough to enroll in our campus program, or they might choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons,” Huard said. “For example, they might be traveling or pursuing a professional career in sports or arts. For those families, the off-campus program is a great option. Families can homeschool or use a learning center, pod, or co-op, and our advisors support them to create personalized learning plans for their children. High school students meet graduation requirements and receive accredited diplomas and transcripts along with college advising and postsecondary planning. Our global learning community connects our off-campus students to each other through clubs, pen pals and a variety of events. Parents and students appreciate joining a diverse community of families who want to pursue personalized learning.”
Huard believes that Clonlara is a strong option for students who want more self-directed learning as well.
“Clonlara School is a good fit for students who want to pursue their interests, join a close community of learners, and direct their own learning,” Huard said. “We love to help students reach their goals and grow as thinkers and learners. We think our campus program is a beautiful way for students to learn and grow. We’re always happy to talk to interested families, show them around the school and arrange visit days for students.”
Clonlara has even more information available on its website about its Campus Program, Off-Campus Program, and Online Courses. For more information, see their website at clonlara.org.
One can also email info@clonlara.org for further information.
Full disclosure: Donna Marie Iadipaolo is an online teacher with Clonlara and has worked for Clonlara for the past seven years. She has also worked as a curriculum developer with Clonlara online students and other students in Birmingham, Dexter, Eastern Michigan University, and Oakland Community College, and others, helping them develop their own customized projects and activities.
Iadipaolo has taught as a teacher for over 20 years in every subject area, but mostly mathematics. She is certified by the State of Michigan in mathematics, English, and all social sciences. Iadipaolo graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with honors. She has also earned three graduate degrees in education: a Master of Arts, a Master of Science, and an Education Specialist degree.
