Back to School Supplies  *optional* 5 pocket folders, pencils, colored pencils, markers, thin notebook, 2 boxes of kleenex, 1 Clorox Wipes

Evolve Academy Overview

Program Description

Evolve Academy is an alternative school for students on an IEP who have not been able to effectively learn in a traditional school environment due to their psychological, behavioral and / or emotional stressors. We generally serve students in grades 3 through 12.  With a lower staff to student ratio, Evolve focuses on educational and social / emotional growth that conventional schools are unable to address.  Students participate in groups and individual sessions in order to build self-esteem and learn the necessary coping skills. The end goal is to return to their community school.

Business Buddy Mentoring

Evolve has established a growing mentoring program that includes over 18 businesses around the greater Medina downtown square.  Upon enrolling, students will earn a placement with a business owner within the first 60 days.  Once a month students head out to experience the world of work for a two hour block of time.  Staff members rotate to monitor students while they’re on the job sites.  The year kicks off in September with a meet your mentor luncheon and ends with a picnic in late May.  Students have the chance to turn this into a summer job. Our students look forward to this monthly activity.  We have a wide array of business types and try to match up our students with their interest levels.  Students in grades 5 and younger engage in a monthly tour of a local business.

Staff make-up

Our staff consists of half Medina City Schools and half TCC (The Counseling Center)  mental health support.  The combination of highly qualified special education teachers and trained behavior specialists makes us unique and specifically well-suited for the student population we serve.  We currently have 1 elementary class, 2 middle school classes, and 2 high school classes.  

Evolve Academy Mission Statement

Evolve Academy uses Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as a proactive approach to establish the behavioral supports and a social culture needed for our students to achieve social, emotional and academic success.  Through social and emotional learning (SEL) students will learn and practice the skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. These social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker.

Evolve Academy’s Vision Statement

Students will be empowered to make effectives choices so as to become responsible individuals within their families, community and world.

Evolve Academy’s Keys to Success

•         Trustworthiness
•         Respect
•         Responsibility
•         Readiness
•         Mindfulness

When Evolve students follow these keys to success, they find out – very quickly – that they’ll be successful, not only at Evolve Academy, but in all facets of their life.

Evolve Academy Goals:

 The number goal for our staff members is to build positive relationships with our students.  In addition, staff members are constantly evaluating students in order to help them achieve the goal of returning to their previous school setting. However, if a student does not wish to return, we will design a pathway for his/her individual success.  A pathway for success can be a plan to attend one of the local career centers, find a job after graduation, or attend college.  We are strong advocates for Trauma Informed Care, PBIS, and Restorative Justice.  All students at Evolve will have a detailed treatment plan that is designed by our school therapist and mental health team.  IEP team planning is also a very important component of keeping our students goals in mind.  In the end, we want our students to work the program; that means, students will participate in morning meetings, be active in both individual and group therapy, work hard on academics, and understand and manage their stress triggers.