At Chrysalis, our program centers the students and the LGBTQ+ experience. 

Our curriculum is standards-based, drawing from the California Common Core framework and the Next Generation Science Standards. We then overlay the lens of the queer, trans, and nonbinary experience, making sure students will be able to see themselves reflected in literature, history, word problems, and research projects. We enjoy tying subject areas together through interdisciplinary studies, demonstrating that knowledge in one area flows into, connects with, and builds upon knowledge in other areas. We might start with exploring an animal's habitat and end with the history of LGBTQ people in the same region, with a stop for creative writing or poetry in the middle. 

Social-emotional learning, reflective practice, and identity exploration are baked in.

The brain learns best when it has time to process, practice, and reflect. This is as true for learning about friendship as it is learning about math. Time to explore feelings, talk about experiences, and think about the future are all vital for healthy development. Our days start and end with time to share and build relationships. Safety, celebration, respect, and compassion underlie these moments of connection. 

Passion Projects and Authentic Assessments honor unique learning paths.

All students arrive with unique backgrounds, circumstances, and interests. We create time and space for them to explore what is important to them, what fascinates them, or what inspires them. Students have various ways of demonstrating their mastery of concepts or skills, whether through presentations, models, performances, or more traditional assessments.