At Innovations Academy (IA), a tuition-free K-8 public school in San Diego, social emotional learning is more than just a trendy “buzz” concept – we’ve been teaching (and modeling!) effective communication skills and techniques since Day One, nine years ago.

Social Emotional Program

Long before restorative practices, social emotional skills, and collaborative student conflict resolution were accepted practices, Innovations Academy saw the need for relationship-based

education. Our goal is creating a learning environment where students share knowledge and work together towards common goals by leveraging our diversity and shared resources. 

At Innovations Academy, we offer a social emotional program that teaches exceptional communication skills. We teach social skills, self-regulation, mindfulness, growth mindset, empathy and compassion to all students and give them accommodations whether they have an IEP or not. Our model is implemented through conflict resolution, accountability-based discipline, developing connection with others, and the study of who we are so we understand what we individually bring to the table.

At our K-8 school, we integrate social emotional learning with academics. In other words, we teach children that who they are and what they know are inseparable for maximizing their strength and powerfully creating exemplary lives. These skills also lead to success as a life-long learner. What we teach, we practice– for both students and staff at our small connected school. 

Compassionate Connection

Compassionate connection to oneself, others, and the community is one of the three guiding principles of Innovations Academy’s educational program. 

Our program develops a student’s connection to themselves and their families by implementing a strong social emotional curriculum in which the focus is examining who one is and who one can be. All students become a part of a team that learns and practices communication and relational skills. 

With skills in hand, our students then connect to others in our school community. This connection is fostered by the small school and class size. Smaller classes facilitate personalized learning. Smaller classes are a major step toward ensuring every student is engaged in the learning process.

Certainly our school is a community, but we also believe that bringing the larger communities of San Diego and the world into our school -and likewise getting students involved in larger communities- is a crucial part of lifelong-learning and compassionate connection. It exposes students to a purpose for learning that often gets lost in a curriculum. Professional experts from the community are invited to mentor students, share their knowledge and expertise and serve as consultants for projects. During service learning projects, students tap into the needs of the community and explore ways to meet those needs. 

Components of Compassionate Connection in the Innovations Academy curriculum: 

• Daily morning meetings that include a greeting, a share, a team building activity and a morning message.
• Class Council meetings in each class that include learning the structural elements of conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving in a classroom community and using them to solve problems.
• Mindful practices, conflict resolution, collaborative problem solving and relationship based discipline.

Give your child a supportive academic environment where emotional well-being counts: connect with Innovations Academy and enroll now for Fall 2025! 

About Innovations Academy:

Innovations Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in San Diego, California. Our small school values a hands-on, inquiry-based education with high academic standards using self-expression, compassionate connection, and purposeful learning. Our new modern campus is intentionally designed with curiosity and exploration in mind. Join our innovative school today!  Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Find us at innovationsacademy.org.