Academics at Horizon High School are structured around the following ideals and goals:

To enhance student preparation for adult life, while still maintaining a concentration on the 4 core subjects of High School academics, individual classes inside each area study something that is relevant to the here and now.

The goal is to nurture students and empower them to become adults armed with knowledge about the world they are a part of.

 

  • In Social Studies, students may learn historical perspectives on current topics like Health Care in the United States. The curriculum would include how it has evolved, relating directly to specific times in U.S. history that serve as a backdrop for its evolution. This integration of current topics with historical perspective relates events of a specific nature to the general picture. enabling the students to gain useful knowledge about an institution in society that everyone encounters. Students do not repeat what is taught, rather they offer solutions to problems and speculate on alternative historical realities based upon what they have learned.

  • In Science, while doing a unit on genetics, students trace genetic modification in domesticated animals and explore findings and current research about genetically modified foods.

  • In English, students look at how a specific type of literature or a trend in literature may be both a reflection and a reaction to the culture in which it was begat.

  • In mathematics, the real-world application of the material is always part of the lesson plan.

To enable each student to be a critical thinker: Students are active learners who discuss, contribute and take an important role in their education.

 

  • In Science, they are asked to demonstrate their knowledge with individually conceptualized projects.

  • In English, students are given writing projects to emulate the authors, playwrights and poets that they are studying. They must first attempt to write in the circumstances of the writer and then in the style of the writer, eventually giving way to their individual voice.

  • Most importantly at Horizon we ensure every student leaves Horizon with both expanded skills and confidence in the math, which we feel to be the most important component of critical thinking.

Sample Weekly Education Schedule:

The goal is that students become lifelong learners. The expectation is that they will be prepared to be successful in a higher educational setting, whether or not they choose to continue with formal education.

The Day Begins with Math & Review

Each morning at Horizon High School begins promptly at 8:30 with math. At Horizon, we feel Math in morning serves as the cornerstone of the educational experience, prying the teenage brain open for the educational experiences of the day. A brief review is followed by the introduction of new material. During this review, the instructor takes great effort to ensure the concepts from previously lesson plans that are essential for this day’s lesson are firmly entrenched in each student’s mind. Sometimes this process takes a minute, on other days it becomes evident that the entire class period may have to be used to ensure that each student is ready to proceed on with new material.

Transition Between Classes/Subjects

Each class is not ended by a bell, but a logical stopping point given two factors: 1) A logical place to stop. 2) Student interest as gauged by the instructor. A class may exceed the expected length or it may be cut short depending on student reaction. Each class almost always includes a brief lecture, reading and writing, and a higher level activity designed to promote student independence and creativity. In English, this could be rehearsing a play the student has written. In Science, this may be continuing work on an on-going experiment or project.

The Staff Take Part in the Life Skills Learning

The staff at Horizon seeks to add to the educational experience of the classroom by providing a real world experience for each class. The staff places the student into a vocational setting during “life skills” class in which all staff member participate. The idea is to see how people working in the field that we are studying, function in the real world. If the subject area is Photo Journalism, the staff members may take students to a local magazine publisher or interview a photographer for the local newspaper. If we are learning about Physics, life skills may consist of visits to the University of Wisconsin – Madison to watch presentations by Professors, explore a museum and/ or sit in on a lecture.

All Grade Levels Learn and Work Together

Students at Horizon succeed at all grades and learning levels. Class size is very small and student work is evaluated consistently throughout the class period. An evaluation is done by the instructor after one week to determine what if any adjustments enhance the learning experience of the incoming student.

Work and Expectations are Tailored to Each Student

The curriculum is tiered in such a way as to adjust to the age and educational experience of the learner. English, Social Studies and Science, while remaining in the same subject area have different levels of expectations, materials and resources that are used for students depending on their educational level. Curriculum is designed in segmented competencies. This allows new students to join the existing student body immediately upon joining our school. There is consistent dynamic interaction between students and the instructor as well as among students. Math is the exception. Students’ math programs will be tailored to the individual when possible. When the student lacks the background information to be successful in the ongoing math class, the student is given either supplementary work or is taught a different class. Incoming students are quickly accessed as readers, writers and in math. A program is then developed that is suited to maximize both their intellectual growth and confidence.