ACADEMICs
WASC ACCREDITATION
Customized
College-Prepatory Academics
At Actias, academics are designed around the individual student. We believe students are most successful when coursework is appropriately challenging, thoughtfully paced, and delivered in a way that matches how they learn best.
Rather than requiring every student to follow the same academic path, Actias builds a customized program that reflects each student’s strengths, needs, readiness, and future goals. Students may engage in a combination of direct instruction, 1:1 or small-group coursework, supported online learning, project-based work, and community college classes.
Our goal is to help students access rigorous, college-preparatory academics without the overwhelm that can come from a traditional classroom environment. Actias staff provide real-time support throughout the school day, helping students regulate, manage assignments, build executive functioning skills, and stay engaged in ways that feel sustainable.
As students are ready, they may rebuild confidence in core subjects, accelerate in areas of strength, explore emerging interests, or begin community college coursework aligned with their postsecondary goals.
A Foundation Built Beyond the Classroom
The outdoor experiential learning nature course is a cornerstone of the Actias experience. Each day, students spend meaningful time outside engaging in ecological learning, animal care, and exploration of the natural world. These experiences are not supplemental; they are central to how students regulate, connect, and learn. Students earn elective credit through this work while developing their “Life-Prep” skills and confidence.
Our Health course explores identity, belonging, emotional well-being, and social understanding. Students gain a deeper knowledge of themselves and build the awareness and skills to form healthy relationships and engage with their community.
Movement and physical activity are integrated into the daily rhythm and include opportunities to earn PE credits. We focus on movement that supports the nervous system, helping students build strength, flexibility, and resilience without added stress.
A Sample Day
at Actias
A student’s day typically begins at a local nature preserve where Actias students participate in nature-based electives, health, movement, and group therapy. These experiences help students build regulation, confidence, connection, and a stronger sense of belonging before transitioning into the academic portion of the day.
After lunch, students head to Foothill College, where they engage in customized academic coursework and receive the support they need to be successful.
Throughout the day, students may also receive executive functioning support, writing support, individual therapy, occupational therapy, and other integrated services. Each student’s schedule is intentionally designed around their academic needs, readiness, regulation profile, and long-term goals.
While no two ACTIAS schedules look exactly the same, most students participate in a balanced combination of experiential learning, core academics, therapeutic support, executive functioning coaching, and movement each week.
-
Nature-Based Electives
Animal Care
Farm-Based Learning
Health
PE
-
English 9th-12th
Algebra through Calculus
Core Sciences
World History
U.S History
-
1:1 Instruction
Small-Group
Supported Online Learning
Project-Based Coursework
Community College Classes
-
Executive Functioning Coaching
Exposure and Response Therapy
Personalized Academic Plan
Regulation Support
College and Transition Planning
