LAKE TAHOE, Calif. December 13, 2016 +Impact School and Tahoe Expedition Academy (TEA), fully accredited, independent Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K)-8 and 9-12 schools in Lake Tahoe, Calif., today announced that they have raised $10 million in funding in partnership with the Martis Valley Education Fund (MVEF). If the schools raise another $1 million, they will receive a $5.5 million matching grant to complete Phase 1 of their innovative new flagship campus in Martis Valley, Calif., which is set to open in late Fall 2017.

MVEF, +Impact School and TEA broke ground on the new 42-acre Martis Valley campus in July 2016, which is located in Truckee, Calif. This campus will be at the forefront of educational facility design, drawing inspiration from cutting-edge technology campuses and modern trends in workplace design. The approved buildings, when fully constructed in later phases, will have capacity for up to 350 Pre-K through 12th grade students. The initial campus will include space for the upper school, lower school and an athletic all season turf field. Approved future campus plans include a dormitory for boarding students, a field house, a theatre and unique buildings designed for today’s students. Easy access to outdoor activities will provide an exceptional and immersive learning experience.

“We made the decision to enroll our children at +Impact School and TEA because they offer a radically different approach to education,” said Diane Barrett, +Impact School parent. “+Impact School and TEA provide children with the invaluable experience of real-world problem-solving that challenges them to go outside of their comfort zone to help them grow. We’re thrilled that the new round of funding will enable +Impact School and TEA to complete first phase of the new campus and give even more children the tools they need to have a positive impact on the world.”

+Impact School and TEA offer an innovative, first-of-its kind learning experience that builds critical thinkers who aren’t afraid to make mistakes and think outside the box. Their unique combination approach of radical personalization, project-based learning and constructive adversity engages students and empowers them to reach their full potential.

  • Radical Personalization: +Impact School uses the latest software platform created by Summit Basecamp, Stanford and Facebook engineers and educators, enabling a blended approach to learning that provides students with both a solid academic foundation and engaging project-based learning. Both +Impact and TEA personalize instruction, ensuring that graduates understand both the humanities and the critical science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) subject areas.
  • Expedition-based Learning: Unlike passive, “one-size-fits-all” learning, +Impact School and TEA put students in the field to experience real-world scenarios, tough situations and problem-solving first hand. Projects include spending ten days designing and building a Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV), collaborating with industry professionals at NASA / JPL and SpaceX, and field testing their work in the waters off the Santa Cruz Islands. Students have also traveled to Greece and worked shoulder-to-shoulder with aid organizations for refugees, learning about the problems this community faces, and identifying solutions to these problems. Even very young children at TEA work with experts in the field, traveling to state and regional parks, farms, and exploring such themes as western expansion, environmental challenges and geological forces.
  • Constructive Adversity: The schools’ ‘survive and thrive’ constructive adversity experiences push students to the boundaries of their intellectual, social and personal comfort zones, where true learning really happens. Through the use of constructive adversity, students proactively develop important character traits like adaptability, collaboration and resilience, which they apply in real world situations and will prepare them for success in the 21st Century workforce.

“The vision of the school has always been to push the boundaries of education for our students and usher in a new era of learning innovation to help all students enjoy the power of learning, reach their full potential and succeed in the real world,” said Mark Kushner, CEO and Head of +Impact School and TEA. “This funding will enable us to continue that vision by providing students with the most stimulating, impactful learning environment possible at our new Martis Valley campus.”

+Impact School and TEA provide students approximately $500,000 in tuition assistance each year. The deadline for Priority Enrollment for the 2017-2018 school year is Feb. 8. For more information on TEA’s Pre-K – 8th grade programs visit http://www.tahoeexpeditionacademy.org. For information on +Impact Schools 9th – 12th grade programs go to https://www.impactschools.com/.

About +Impact School and TEA

+Impact School and TEA are two fully accredited, independent schools serving grades PreK to 12 in Lake Tahoe, California, designed to give students the tools they need to flourish in college and beyond. The school’s vision is to reimagine education, to re-think what a school looks and feels like, to dare to disrupt the educational status quo and to redefine what students and teachers can do to realize their full potential and impact the world around them. +Impact School and TEA use the best research-supported methods and technologies to move students beyond traditional classroom and “book” learning with a more personalized, hands-on, project-based approach that focuses on building character and interpersonal skills forged through fieldwork and adventure.