by Monarch Academy | Sep 28, 2021 | Events, News
The Children’s Guild will open The Children’s Guild: Transformation Academy, a new non-public school providing special education services to children on the autism spectrum, on Oct. 18, 2021. Transformation Academy’s primary goal is to prepare students for transition into adulthood by focusing on functional life skills and activities of daily living beginning at a young age. By offering wrap-around services, we strive to make life better for the students and their families by meeting each student where they are and maximizing their level of independence.
Located at 6802 McClean Blvd., in Baltimore, The Children’s Guild: Transformation Academy is a 12-month, day school for students ages 5-21, whose primary diagnosis is autism but may have co-existing diagnoses of sensory processing disorder, a specific learning disability, a health impairment or multiple disabilities. At Transformation Academy, we know that our students are more than their diagnoses and we strive to educate and support families in their hopes for their child as a family member and a member of the community.
The Children’s Guild: Transformation Academy will hold open houses for interested families on the following dates:
- Wednesday, Sept. 29, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We work with children on the autism spectrum whose needs cannot be met in public schools,” said Sarah Weitzel, speech language pathologist and clinical supervisor for The Children’s Guild: Transformation Academy. Our primary purpose is to prepare students for transition into adulthood. We focus on functional life skills and activities of daily living and offer wrap-around services that make life better for the students, to maximize their level of independence.”
Instructional areas are determined by a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) and may include communication skills, self-care, functional academics, fine and gross motor skills and behavior and socialization skills. The school offers a community-based component and introduces students to job, recreation and leisure skills. Referrals are made through the student’s local public school system, and funding is through local and state boards of education.
The open houses are walk-in friendly, and no preregistration is required. All COVID-19 safety precautions will be in effect. For more information, visit www.childrensguildschools.org/transformation-academy or email Sarah Weitzel at WeitzelS@ChildrensGuild.org.
Affiliates of The Children’s Guild include The Children’s Guild School of Baltimore, The Children’s Guild School of Prince George’s County, The Janet and Frank Kelly Autism Center, Monarch Academy public charter and contract schools, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, The Outpatient Mental Health Center, The Academy: Therapeutic Group Homes, Treatment Foster Care, The Children’s Guild: Transformation Academy, Monarch Preschool College Park, TranZed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), and TranZed Apprenticeships.
by Monarch Academy | May 10, 2021 | Events, News
Monarch Academy Annapolis, a public contract school with Anne Arundel County Public Schools and operated by The Children’s Guild Alliance, will hold a virtual open house for interested families on Wednesday, May 19, at 4:30 p.m.
Monarch Academy Annapolis is a primary performing visual arts school and follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, which challenges students to think critically and take responsibility for their learning as they explore local and global issues.
Among the school’s offerings, classrooms partner with teachers in Central and South America to teach Spanish language and culture. In addition, the school exclusively offers Canopy, a course that provides students the opportunity to learn and practice social-emotional skills utilizing an arts-integrated approach.
The school also offers the eSchool @ Monarch Academy Annapolis, a blended distance learning permanent program option for pre-K through fifth grade students. Instruction is 80% virtual and up to 20% in-classroom and provides the same rigorous programs and services. The eSchool will continue permanently even when Anne Arundel County Public Schools haver hybrid or fully in-person learning.
The school is located at 2000 Capital Drive in Annapolis and open to all Anne Arundel County students entering pre-K through fifth grade. To register for the open house, apply for admission or learn more, visit monarchacademy.org/annapolis.
by Monarch Academy | Apr 26, 2021 | Events, News
The Children’s Guild Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations in Maryland and Washington, D.C., will hold its 2021 Kids First Celebration, an evening honoring Dr. Andrew L. Ross, senior advisor and former president and CEO. The event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore.
At the event, The Children’s Guild Alliance will present the 2021 Sadie Award to Ross for his 26 years of visionary leadership of The Children’s Guild Alliance and lifetime dedication to putting kids first and transforming the way America cares for and educates its children. The Sadie Award recognizes people who embody the organization’s spirit and vision of making the seemingly impossible possible.
Dr. Andrew L. Ross became president and CEO of The Children’s Guild in 1995. When Ross joined The Children’s Guild, the organization had two special education schools, one group home and a $6 million budget. Today, with over an $80 million budget, the organization serves close to 6,000 children through two special education schools, four charter/contract schools, three therapeutic group homes, a treatment foster care program and a behavioral health program that serves students in 90 schools throughout Maryland.
Ross was instrumental in developing TranZed Apprenticeships, returning preschool programming to The Children’s Guild Alliance and creating Transformation Education, which puts the needs of the child ahead of the needs of the adult and creates a culture of learning to meet the individualized learning styles of each child using brain-based learning methods.
For more information and sponsorships or tickets to The Kids First Celebration, visit KidsFirstAmerica.org.
by Monarch Academy | Mar 24, 2021 | Events, News
The Children’s Guild Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C., will conduct three virtual hiring fairs from March 24-26, 2021 for child-serving professionals seeking positions as teachers, teacher assistants, clinicians, school social workers and instructional and behavior coaches.
The hiring fairs will take place on three consecutive days:
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- Wednesday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET
- Thursday, March 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET – Education Week K-12 Virtual Career Fair featuring The Children’s Guild Alliance
- Friday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET
The Children’s Guild Alliance consists of more than 500 professionals in special education schools, charter and contract schools, clinic and school-based mental health services, therapeutic group homes and other programs. The organization serves thousands of youths, young adults and their families and works to transform how America cares for and educates its children.
To learn more and register for a virtual hiring fair, visit ChildrensGuild.org/join-our-team.
by Monarch Academy | Feb 25, 2021 | Events, News
Monarch Academy Annapolis, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, and Monarch Global Academy Laurel will hold virtual open houses through spring for interested families. All three Monarch Academy schools are charter or contract schools with Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
Monarch Academy Annapolis is a primary performing visual arts school and follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, which challenges students to think critically and take responsibility for their learning as they explore local and global issues.
Among the school’s offerings, classrooms partner with teachers in Central and South America to teach Spanish language and culture. In addition, the school exclusively offers Canopy, a course that provides students the opportunity to learn, and practice social-emotional skills utilizing an arts-integrated approach.
The school also offers the eSchool @ Monarch Academy Annapolis, a blended distance learning permanent program option for pre-K through fifth grade students. Instruction is 80% virtual and up to 20% in-classroom and provides the same rigorous programs and services. The eSchool will continue even after Anne Arundel County Public Schools opens for hybrid or fully in-person learning. Additionally, the school hosts Transformation Theatre Company summer camp for Anne Arundel County students in third through eighth grades. The camp runs from July 5 to Aug. 13.
The school is located at 2000 Capital Drive in Annapolis is open to all Anne Arundel County students entering prekindergarten through fifth grade.
Monarch Academy Annapolis will offer open houses on:
- Monday, March 22, at 6 p.m.
- Saturday, April 17, at 1 p.m.
Monarch Academy Glen Burnie offers students expeditionary learning, which emphasizes high achievement through active learning, character growth and teamwork. At Monarch Academy, students spend much of their time engaged in learning expeditions and in-depth studies of topics that engage students in comprehensive research of a subject, hands-on learning experiences and projects that address audiences in the community.
The school is located at 6730 Baymeadow Drive in Glen Burnie and is open to all Anne Arundel County students entering kindergarten through eighth grade in the fall of 2021.
Monarch Academy Glen Burnie will offer open houses on:
- Tuesday, March 16, at 6 p.m.
Monarch Global Academy Laurel also offers an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and project-based learning. At Monarch Global Academy Laurel, students gain a perspective on their impact and contribution to the world by spending much of their time engaged in units of inquiry and in-depth studies.
The school this year divided students into four virtual houses with related virtual activities and pep rallies to encourage them and build community during virtual learning. The house system was inspired by The Ron Clark Academy, a widely recognized nonprofit middle school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Monarch Global Academy Laurel is located at 430 Brock Bridge Road in Laurel and is open to all students entering kindergarten through eighth grade in the fall of 2021 and who live in the Brock Bridge, Maryland City, and Jessup elementary schools attendance boundaries.
Monarch Global Academy Laurel will offer open houses:
- Thursday, March 18, at 10 a.m.
- Monday, March 29, at 6:30 p.m.
To register for an open house, apply, for more information on admissions, visit MonarchAcademy.org.
by Monarch Academy | Feb 16, 2021 | Events, News
Monarch Academy Annapolis, a public contract school with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, announces the launch of Transformation Theatre Company, a performing arts summer camp July 5 to Aug. 13. One- and two-week camp programs will be available for rising prekindergarten through eighth grade students in performing arts, instrumental rock music, choral music, songwriting, dance, and drama.
Campers will have the opportunity to discover and develop their talents under the guidance of performing arts educators with performance experience. Each program will culminate with a showcase event for families. Academic tutoring will also be available upon request for children who would benefit from academic support during the camp day.
“We are thrilled to offer a robust theatre performance camp this summer at Monarch Academy Annapolis,” said The Children’s Guild Alliance’s Chief of Educational Services Kathy Lane. “We are committed to the integration of the arts in our curriculum and school environments. We are excited to offer the families of budding thespians and musicians in our Monarch community, and throughout Anne Arundel County, this transformative opportunity.”
Broadway Bound, for students in third through eighth grades, is a weeklong camp from July 5 through July 9 focusing on the three main components of musical theatre: singing, dancing and acting. Director Vicki Smith is a performing arts and production specialist for The Children’s Guild Alliance and Monarch Academy schools and owner of StageWorkz Theatre Arts Project.
Monarch Rocks! is a weeklong music camp from July 12 through July 16 for beginner and intermediate students in third through eighth grades. Instruction will include making music and songwriting using guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and vocals. Students will work collaboratively writing songs and playing in a band. Monarch Rocks! Director Sean Lane is a music teacher and registered music therapist at The Phoenix Academy in Annapolis. He has maintained a full schedule of performances for the past 20 years and has performed at inauguration events for the past three presidents.
It’s Showtime is a two-week camp from July 19 through July 30 for students in third through eighth grades. On the first day, campers will learn the auditioning process, an opportunity for beginning performers to practice in a safe environment. It’s Showtime Director Karin Abbott has been teaching for 22 years and is the arts integration specialist at Monsignor Slade Catholic School. She formerly worked at Monarch Academy Annapolis. Abbott has provided musical theatre workshops and camps for children and teens in Anne Arundel County for 13 years.
Merry Tales is a weeklong camp from Aug. 2 through Aug. 6 for students in prekindergarten through second grades. Campers will explore and perform fairy tales. They will be introduced to theatre, speaking and stage presence, while they practice reading comprehension strategies. Merry Tales Director Meg Nemeth is the arts integration teacher at Monarch Global Academy Laurel. Additionally, she teaches middle school theatre and leads the school’s drama club in full-scale plays and musicals.
Kids First Chorus offers a one- or two-week camp for the weeks of Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 for students in third through eighth grades who want to gain skills in singing, performing, a cappella, show choir, hip-hop, and a bit of pizzazz!
Campers will learn skill sets in: vocal technique, harmonizing, stage presence, choreography, and vocal projection for theater and concerts. Campers will also learn the teamwork skills necessary to join their voices together in harmony!
In addition to learning skills in the two-week camp, there is potential for Monarch Academy and Children’s Guild students who take part in the Kids First Chorus camp to perform with the Kids First Chorus later in the school year at different events.
The camp is open to children living in Anne Arundel County, and scholarships are available on a sliding scale on a first-come, first-served basis for Monarch Academy families.
For more information on Transformation Theatre Company, including dates and costs, visit MonarchAcademy.org/camp.