When you think of your middle school memories, what comes to mind? Awkwardness and braces? Pushing your way through crowded hallways? Hours spent memorizing math equations and highlighting dry history textbooks?

Mackintosh Academy’s Middle Years students look back on their middle school years with a different lens.

One recent graduate said, “I’m the only kid in my high school who didn’t hate middle school!” Our alums often reflect on how unique their middle years experience was, and how it helped them to be confident, well-prepared high school students.

In this student-created video, Mack Littleton’s MYP (Middle Years Programme) students share their own words about what makes a Mack education different: inquiry-based curriculum, hands-on learning, service trips, dedicated teachers, and a close-knit, supportive community.

As an International Baccalaureate Middle Years school, Mackintosh Academy’s middle school is more than just curriculum – it’s community! Our students have the opportunity to thrive in an environment tailored for them. They get to solve real-world problems. They learn to be critical and reflective thinkers. They work with teachers who truly know and care about them. And perhaps most importantly, they develop a true sense of belonging.

Curious about what a Mack education might do for your child? Contact our admissions team to find out!

Not quite ready to contact us yet? That’s okay! Learn more:

Quick Facts about Our School

Academic Overview

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FAQ

The post Middle School at Mack: Hands-on, Nurturing, and Fun appeared first on Mackintosh Academy.

Why does he seem so different from other kids?

By the time my son was three, he was explaining about precipitation and condensation from a little chemistry game he had on his LeapPad. A mom nearby said, “Did you hear that? He said precipitation! Such a big word. He probably doesn’t even know what it means.” I answered, “Actually, he does. He can explain the water cycle to you, too.” I couldn’t keep this child busy enough. He devoured every bit of knowledge that came his way and could explain or extrapolate concepts in very grown-up ways.

My older son had an obsession with books and the mechanics of heavy equipment from the time he could walk.

Not long after, I registered him for preschool, and on the first day, the teacher called and said, “He wanted to do everything, but I couldn’t get him to put on his coat to go outside.” I explained, “He’s pretty stubborn and loves to explore and experiment at his pace, but you’ll meet with a brick wall when it comes to things like coats, hats, and shoes.” She came to know him really well and by the time he was ready for first grade, we had a frank conversation about elementary schools. The takeaway was — traditional school wouldn’t work for this child. “Have you heard of Mackintosh Academy?” she asked and then went on to explain that it was a school for gifted children.

I didn’t know at that point if my child fit the textbook definition of gifted, but with this conversation, she affirmed the little voice that had been chattering to me for years. The one that asked, Is my child normal? Why do other kids just sit there? Do other kids start every sentence with the words, ‘Actually Mom…?’ Where does he get this? And finally, There’s no way he’s going to sit in a classroom in a row of desks and turn to page 42 to calmly work his way through a worksheet, day after day and year after year. I took the teacher’s advice into account and added Mackintosh Academy to my list of schools to investigate.

There’s no way he’s going to sit in a classroom in a row of desks and turn to page 42 to calmly work his way through a worksheet, day after day and year after year.

When I finally visited, I was astounded. HERE were all these kids just like mine. Active. Inquisitive. Detailed. Engaged. The classrooms were stimulating, the learning hands-on, and the students were alive, delving more deeply into topics than any other school I had ever seen. One grade was even taking a field trip to Summit County to study the effect of pine beetles on the ecosystem. It was everything I wished I had had as a child, and it felt like home for my son.

Middle School students create greenhouse hangers from plastic bottles

Ten years later and my first son now attends an IB high school; my younger son is in 5th grade at Mack Littleton, and I also work at the school. I feel like I lucked out just happening upon Mackintosh and finding a tribe of families like mine. As it turns out, many of the parents I’ve met also had little voices telling them that their child needed something different. Their voices used to ask or say things like:

“Why is my child so alive and engaged at home and so bored at school?”

“My kid refuses to go to school. She says she doesn’t learn anything”

“She talks all the time and asks 100 questions before 7am. I’m exhausted before I’ve even had my first cup of coffee.”

“His teacher says he asks too many questions, and she can’t teach the rest of the class.”

“Her teachers say she talks all the time in class, and it’s very distracting.”

“My kid corrects the teacher, and she doesn’t like it.”

“She qualified for the gifted/talented program, but it seems to be just more busy work. She doesn’t need more work; she needs different work.”

“My child is sweet, but he has no friends at school and he doesn’t get invited to birthday parties. I don’t think he has found children to connect with.”

“She is surviving, but not thriving.”

“He’s pretty intense. His teachers can’t handle it.”

“She’s a perfectionist and she’s holding herself back because of it.”

In the end, parents know when something’s different about their child or when something needs to be changed to support their child. Finding the right school doesn’t come down to school ratings or student test scores. It comes down to something much simpler — listening to that little voice.

Do you have a little voice that won’t leave you alone? Won’t you come chat with us? We’d love to meet you — and it might help soothe that voice! Sign up for one of our many get-to-know you events.

In a hurry and need to meet sooner? Call us at 303-794-6222.
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Is it a place to control kids? To breed compliance and spark competition?  Or  are we nurturing creative human beings?  Are we growing kids who will be obedient or children who have their own ideas? Kids who know how to take tests or kids with a sense of self-direction, self-awareness, and knowledge of their own strengths and abilities? Children who react to adult request or those who can to self advocate?  Do we want kids that do what they’re told or children that can be agile with their thinking and creative in their solutions?  Kids that know the right answers or those who can figure it out and connect the dots?

Mack has a very clear answer.  What’s yours?

The post Stop Stealing Dreams appeared first on Mackintosh Academy.

At Mack we believe in individual genius and honoring children for their gifts — in all the ways they show up.

The magic in this cartoon is that it describes Mackintosh Academy perfectly. We don’t judge children by how they learn. We inspire children to discover how each one of them learns. We respect the wisdom and the joy of that unfolding process. And then we derive the great wonder of learning together who they are and what contributions they will make to their own life and the lives of others. There is no magic test for that. Giving them the roots allows
them to climb the proverbial tree whenever they are ready.

The post Are Your Fish Trying to Climb Trees? appeared first on Mackintosh Academy.

Start the new year a little inspiration to trust kids to be able to “stoke” their own internal fire and find their way to a happy and productive life.

The post Hacking School appeared first on Mackintosh Academy.

How can you decode a classroom to see more deeply into a school’s philosophy?  More importantly, how do you figure out if that school is a right fit for your student?

School choice is both a wonderful blessing and a difficult process in Boulder.  As parents, we are often choosing where to send our children based on sometimes slim information – a tour, a presentation, maybe a few friends’ recommendations.  What are the big, basic philosophical differences that guide educators – and what are the implications for your child’s classroom experience?  How can we use visual and verbal cues to look beneath the surface of a school’s philosophy and understand a child’s day-to-day experience?  How can parents observe their own child’s behavior to understand their needs and what’s a “right fit” school for them?

Join us at Mackintosh Boulder for our Inspiration Session Friday Morning 11/22 from 10-12 in the auditorium

We’ll explore these questions as Mackintosh Boulder Head of School Eric Robertson will lead a conversation on educational roots and discovering the right school for your child.  Whether your child is heading to elementary or middle school, this is a presentation not to miss.

If you are searching for a school, let us help you discover the right fit – and, along the way, you’ll find out why for the right kid Mackintosh may be it.

The post Finding a Right Fit School – Inspiration Session Friday 11/22 10 am @ Mackintosh Boulder appeared first on Mackintosh Academy.

Choosing Mackintosh was, without a doubt, the single best choice we ever made for our son. He was only able to attend for one year (we discovered the school had just moved to Boulder as he was entering 8th grade) and yet that short time was enough the hit the ‘reset ‘ button for him. He is now successfully making the transition to the pre IB and engineering programs at Centaurus, a step I could not have imagined when he began 8th grade.

My son did not flourish in the public school system, and each year he became less motivated and more unhappy. The system simply did not provide the care and attention he needed to thrive.  I had always avoided labeling him as gifted, somehow hoping that he could fit in and do well without any special attention. How wrong I was, and  by the time we discovered Mackintosh, we felt it was a last resort. When I first talked with Eric and Kate about applying, I worried that he might not be accepted because he was not at the top of his game. However, he was never treated with anything less than kindness, respect, and an understanding of his potential.

We were so thankful as his year unfolded because, for the first time, he felt understood as an individual in a school setting. His teachers challenged him to new levels academically, all the while nurturing him emotionally. If he had only become happier last year I would have been pleased, but he also came away with skills and confidence that are allowing him to be successful in high school. Even after graduating he  feels the support of  teachers and staff who want to stay in touch and are gratified that he is doing well.  That kind of sincere care is not something one finds often.

I am now looking at Mackintosh for my daughter who will be in 6th grade next year and believe it will be an equally wonderful experience for her. We found a more appropriate elementary school for her, having learned from our earlier mistakes, and so she will be starting from a happier place. However, we think she would benefit as much as her brother did from the individual attention and academic nurturing. We want to her to thrive and grow in middle school, not just survive the experience.

My advice to prospective parents would be:  If you are like me and have reservations about idea of a school designed for gifted students, suspend disbelief and at least give the school a chance. This might be the opportunity your child needs to flourish.

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