It's true that leaders never stop learning. Melissa Groff and her husband proved that when they thought up the idea to open their own school in Lancaster after reading a book called Courage to Grow. Much like the school in the book, Melissa's Solvit Academy creates education that is genuinely fun and relevant.
Melissa says, "Many parents say that their children are disappointed on Fridays. Can you imagine loving school that much?"
Solvit Academy is part of the Acton Academy network. This means it's a learner-driven community that focuses on students' agency to discover what they can do to change the world. Solvit offers private elementary education for ages 5–11, and plans to add middle and high schools so the younger kids can matriculate.
The children at Solvit Academy learn differently than Melissa did. Rather than memorizing for standardized tests, Solvit students learn to ask good questions, become leaders, and maintain self-motivation throughout their lives. This learning happens in the day-to-day as well as big events like the annual Children's Business Fair. Although Solvit will never teach to a test or make it a primary focus, they do administer IOWA exams to monitor progress. On average, Solvit's learners advance two grade-level equivalents each year.
For Melissa, getting here took a lot of unschooling.
"We have the chance to give our children a better education, and you can find it at Solvit," she says.
354 N Prince St. Suite 110 Lancaster, PA 17603
solvitacademy.com | 717-435-9498
