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Dream Academy principal outlines project-based growth, space limits and new supports
Summary
Principal Brooke Dexheimer told the Lakeside Union School District board that Dream Academy has expanded its project-based programs and class offerings but has reached capacity for classrooms and support staff; the school has added a part-time counselor and garden curriculum through a grant.
Dream Academy Principal Brooke Dexheimer told the Lakeside Union School District Board of Trustees on Dec. 11 that the small, project-based school has expanded class offerings and extracurricular rotations but is approaching capacity, particularly for support staff.
Dexheimer said the school’s theme this year is “Together We Rise and Shine,” and that staff are using the theme for schoolwide PBIS rewards and weekly drawings. "RISE represents our commitment to lifting each other up," she said, describing the program’s use in positive behavior incentives.
The presentation emphasized why the school’s program matters: Dream Academy combines an in-person project-based-learning (PBL) strand that is on campus five days a week with an independent-study option that uses K12 curriculum and three weekly virtual meetings. Dexheimer said the school has increased the number of classrooms since opening and that all six classrooms are now in use, which has strained space for support staff and operations.
School leaders outlined academic and social supports being used to address students working below grade level, including tier 2 and tier 3 interventions, small-group centers, tutoring, Read Naturally, reading recovery and 1-on-1 supports. Dexheimer also said the school is piloting Amplify and Desmos in grades 5–8 and is using social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies such as restorative practices and circles. She said Dream set an SEL goal to ensure every student has a trusted adult on campus; the recent survey showed the school has not yet reached 100 percent and staff are using the results to identify students who need relationship-building.
Dexheimer described new curricular and enrichment rotations added this year — theater, art, coding, 3D printing, engineering, Future City, photojournalism, animal care, home arts, and game-adventure activities — and said those rotations are intended to increase engagement and link project work to academic standards. The school’s garden program received a grant from Green Our Planet Garden Connect; Dexheimer said the garden is used at least one hour per week for agriculture education and that grant funds supported outdoor classroom tables and curriculum access.
She invited trustees and staff to a student exhibition scheduled the afternoon following the meeting, and closed by thanking the board and the community for support.
Dexheimer’s presentation included multiple examples of student work and community-connected projects, and noted that staffing and space constraints are the primary operational challenges as the program grows.
