Who we are
“Your great strength is knowing who you are.” – Oscar de la Renta.
We believe in the promise and potential of every scholar - this is the foundation of our Lower Academy program. We are set apart from other schools with a literacy program that prioritizes daily independent and guided reading; individual student learning goals; and tracked growth three times a year for every single student. Our exceptional learning support is infused into rigorous, instruction through general instruction and targeted interventions led by general content and specialized educators. Varied enrichment opportunities during and after school, events and college field trips, and monthly grade meetings are a few of the ways we strive to develop student skill, help them investigate their own interests, and foster community pride. We are different – come see why.
WHAT WE VALUE
We are focused. We set ambitious goals and we achieve them.
Meet Principal Cruz, Lower Academy
"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X
Principal Cruz is a graduate of Lehigh University and Harvard University with a Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and a Master's Degree in Mind. Brain. and Education, respectively. She is a proud Latina and first-generation college-graduate. Starting her career as a high school science teacher in Texas, she then worked in education non-profit positions before joining Libertas Academy as our 6th Grade Founding Science teacher in 2017. For three years, she taught our science curriculum, was a Grade Level Chair, and is now in her third year as Lower Academy Principal. She drives every day to ensure our academy is one of love, acceptance, and high expectations for each and every one of our students and their future.
What makes us Unique
A RIGOROUS CURRICULUM
We utilize a curriculum that prepares students for the 21st century with resources to help them access it including high quality literature, materials that place cognitive lift on students, and 1:1 student-laptop ratio.
ENGAGEMENT AND GROUPWORK
Shoulder and group work at Libertas Academy is encouraged often. We learn to synthesize and articulate ideas and to expand our perspectives from others’ voices.
PARTICIPATION AND ADVOCACY
We want to hear what students have to say. We create opportunities for students to speak up and often, ask questions, and articulate their opinions.
Reading at Libertas
Every member of the Libertas Team is deeply committed to the following bottom line: With targeted support, individualized goals, quality texts, and warm demand, every student at LACS can and will grow several reading levels throughout the academic year.
First:
Our guided reading program is daily, small group, targeted reading instruction. Students receive individual coaching during every lesson and progress quickly.
Second:
Building a culture of reading and love of books at Libertas with a school library and beautiful, inviting libraries in every homeroom.
Third:
Devoting time during the school day for scholars to read and shop for books of their choice with support from their advisor
Fourth:
Spending class time finding the meaning of high-quality, short texts and writing about the meaning of those texts (ELA & History!)
Our Results
#1
6th Grade Math MCAS scores were the #1 scores of all schools in Springfield, MA.
#2
Our ELE students averaged in the 63rd percentile in student growth on the Math MCAS for 2021-22. This was #2 of all schools in the state of MA.
90%
90% of our students met their
literacy growth goal in
2021-22.