Feb. 19, 2025
Mizzou Academy Hosts Teaching and Learning Conference in São Paulo, SP
When Elementary Coordinator Lisa DeCastro took the microphone, she looked out into the audience and asked for grace. “This is my first time singing publicly like this.” She then led the 150 attendees in a West African welcome song called “Funga Alafia.” The song title translates from Yoruba to “greetings and blessings.” Music can be both a teaching tool and a vehicle to bring people together. At our recent teaching and learning conference in São Paulo, several members of our team leveraged the power of music in our first All-Conference Sing. The teaching and learning conference is one of several…
Feb. 7, 2025
Mizzou Academy Celebrates National School Counseling Week
Each year, during the first full week of February, the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) recognizes National School Counseling Week. School counselors provide critical academic, social, and emotional support to students. At Mizzou Academy, we are fortunate to learn with school counselors Alicia Bixby and Amelia Howswer. These professionals engage in the essential care and guidance work with our students across the globe. Acknowledging that there aren’t enough words to thank them for all they do, our administrative team put together the following appreciation story for our two school counselors, Alicia Bixby and Amelia Howser. Founding Counselor, Alicia Bixby…
Jan. 23, 2025
Mizzou Academy Hosts Action Research Showcase at ESPM
Tomas Nersessian Baracat presents his work on improving mental health in schools. “Bullying is a trend that we must break in schools,” says Tomas Nersessian Baracat, a high school student in the Dual Diploma program at Mizzou Academy and Colegio Dante (São Paulo, SP). Tomas has just completed a semester of action research–a qualitative methodology of learning through cycles of observation, action, and reflection–on this important topic and has illustrated how bullying is an issue that directly impacts the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education. His poster, Breaking Bullying, was one of 28 student research projects celebrated at the Mizzou Academy…
Jan. 16, 2025
Powerful Teaching is Connected Teaching
Mizzou Academy Faculty share how their work in the K-12 lab school supports their work in higher education. Students in Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver’s undergraduate honors course present their work at The Bridge. Teaching and Learning Beyond Grade Level Most of David Prats’ work as our World Language Chair involves working with high school students; however, this academic year, he has also spent a lot of time teaching Spanish language classes in middle school classrooms and higher education lecture halls. Prats has a passion for working with beginning language learners. “Introductory level is where you typically see the biggest jumps in…
Dec. 20, 2024
Making Spirits Bright: Mizzou Academy December Service Projects
On the first bitterly cold day of the season, the Mizzou Academy team loaded the Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association (CMFCAA) van with over 125 coats and a bundle of 25+ hats and gloves for children in mid-Missouri. Executive Director Kathryn Fishman-Weaver says she hopes “these items will help make spirits a little brighter and a lot warmer this season.” This month, Mizzou Academy led their second-annual winter-wear drive for CMFCAA and participated in a service project at Centro Para Crianças e Adolescentes (CCA) in São Paulo, SP. Our Business Director, Tami Regan, helped coordinate these efforts. She says,…
Nov. 11, 2024
CALE World Language Lab Powered by Mizzou Academy
This year, middle school students at the Columbia Academy for Learning and Enrichment (CALE) learned they could study one of four world languages. The Grade 5-8 students could elect to study Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. These options were made possible through a new partnership with Mizzou Academy. Mizzou Academy offers 23 world languages for study, which are coordinated by World Language Chair, David Prats. Prof. Prats has been instrumental in supporting the middle school language learners at CALE. In addition to facilitating online instruction, this also includes planning and executing monthly learn and play sessions in French and…
Nov. 11, 2024
Mizzou Academy’s Proactive Approach to Generative AI in Education
Mizzou Academy, the global lab school within the University of Missouri’s College of Education and Human Development, has taken a proactive approach to address the emergence of generative artificial intelligence in student work. As a school committed to its vision of reimagining education within a global community, Mizzou Academy quickly recognized the need to adapt to the technological shift. Earlier this semester, Mizzou Academy released an open-access resource for students, families, and partner educators to learn more about AI tools and how to use them responsibly. Working closely with faculty and staff, instructional designer Maegan Cooper created an interactive AI…
Nov. 7, 2024
Mizzou Academy in Turkey
As they rounded the corner toward their first on-site school visit, the three representatives from Mizzou Academy erupted in a collective squeal of delight. There was Truman the Tiger–larger than life on the side of the school building–proudly announcing the Mizzou Academy diploma program in Turkey. Pictured (left to right): Business Director, Tami Regan; Director of Curriculum Development & IT, Angela Hammons; host and partner coordinator Sarah Özdemir, and Educational Program Coordinator, Karen Scales pause to appreciate this meaningful symbol of partnership and possibility in global education. Dual Diploma Partnership Dual diploma students in Turkey use Mizzou Academy’s online high school curriculum to complete their U.S.
Oct. 2, 2024
Mizzou Academy Wins Values-Driven Award by Cognia
Cognia Midwest Regional Meeting On Friday, September 20, Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver and Stephanie Walter represented Mizzou Academy at the Cognia Midwest Regional meeting. At the meeting, the two met with school leaders across the state to learn more about the ongoing accreditation process and share successes and best practices from work so far. Mizzou Academy completed their accreditation site visit in April 2024. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means that Mizzou Academy is recognized nationwide as a school that meets–or, in this case, exceeds–Cognia Performance Standards and is committed to continuous improvement. After the review process, Cognia awards an…
Sep. 20, 2024
Professional Learning Spotlight: Medical and Mental Health First Aid at Mizzou Academy
Over the past six months several members of our Mizzou Academy faculty and staff have received professional training in mental health first aid, medical first aid, and CPR. This training is consistent with our strategic initiative to support lifelong learning. It also furthers our work around care. Mental Health First Aid In the spring of 2024, three members of the Mizzou Academy Administrative Team–Dr. Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, Stephanie Walter, and Tami Regan–joined a group of faculty and staff from the College of Education and Human Development to complete Mental Health First Aid Training. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing,…