Overview

At Global Schools for Starseed and Urantian Children and Teens (GSSU) we strive to cultivate an approach to achieving educational goals that incorporates self-discipline, intellectual courage, moral intuition, and practical wisdom. With our goal of creating successful global citizens ever in mind, we persist in keeping our students engaged in taking risks and exploring uncharted territory to discover and embellish their strengths and reveal and improve their weak points. We teach children and teenagers to embrace difficulty and to face obstacles with confidence and faith, and to realize a solution exists for every problem. Opportunities for growth and improvement abound in the schools and we are always learning better and more effective tools for teaching and supporting personal development and academic studies.

Spiritually-Based Ethics and Morals

The GSSU code of honor is based upon a Jesusonian brotherhood/sisterhood ideal that views others as members of a family. Love your neighbor as yourself and treat others the way you wish to be treated. The golden rule is the cornerstone of the ethical and moral behavioral standard of our school, and we encourage our students to participate in a positive optimistic manner while also holding them accountable with both verbal and written conflict resolution methods.

Academics

Academic studies are crafted to stretch and challenge the minds of our students. Our teaching method is very personal and one-on-one which supports the students and facilitates a strong student-teacher relationship. We find the limits of our students and encourage them onward, as well as honing in on and reinforcing their strengths. Curriculum is carefully written and based upon the goals of versatility, intellectual strength and speed, and critical thinking. Our goal is to increase knowledge, improve memory skills, and encourage independent and freethinking.

Educational Phases and Process

All students move through 6 phases to complete their full educational program while attending GSSU. In the process of pursuing the 6 Phases, some students may transition between two phases while shifting to the next. Each student’s program design allows for an organic flow and flexibility as students move through their unique developmental and spiritual unfolding prior to taking on complete responsibilities as an adult.

Each phase represents developmental stages and include the following:

Phase 1 – Early Childhood ages 1 – 4 representing Nursery, Preschool and Pre-kindergarten ages.
Phase 2 – Kindergarten, First and Second Grade age 5 to 8 in Early Elementary
Phase 3 – Intermediate Elementary, ages 8- 10
Phase 4 – Middle School from ages 11 to 13
Phase 5 – Junior High and beginning of High School, ages 13 to 16
Phase 6 – Senior High School, ages 16 to 18

Curriculum and Evaluation

GSSU utilizes the Mastery Learning model and incorporates a Portfolio Curriculum/Evaluation Program system, which organizes the curriculum for each student’s school year. It fosters evaluation throughout the year and is used to evaluate and finalize student achievements in various areas for each given year. The end of the year evaluation helps to unfold what is needed and student choices for their next year’s portfolio curriculum program.

Specialty Classes

GSSU uses multi-age groupings for learning at different levels as well as individualized focus for student needs as they advance through the phases of educational development.

Immersions: This is a group experience for learning teamwork – working together on different tasks. Students learn skills along the way, but the focus is using teamwork to get a task done. When students move into Phase 2 of their educational process, they get to experience immersion opportunities. One of the blessings in the environment of GSSU is EcoVillage, where students have hands-on learning in natural gardening. There are many teamwork opportunities to learn various skills in the area of natural gardening, animal husbandry, caring for the orchards, harvesting the many fruits and vegetables, and so much more.
Mentorships: This experience is one-on-one, where a student has a specific mentor for learning a specific skill, such as painting, sculpting, baking bread, sewing, glass mosaics, picture framing, photography, filmmaking, video editing, sound engineering, and bike repair, among others. Students as early as Phase 3 can begin a mentorship program if the student shows an interest and has definite talents in a certain area.
Apprenticeships: These are longer, more immersive experiences than a mentorship that involve learning more skills in a particular area such as: working in the natural gardens for 6 months, assisting the librarian for a school year, being an assistant to a head cook or chef in food preparations, or being an assistant teacher. It can lead to an internship if the student desires more in-depth and professional training in that specific area.
Internships: These experiences lead to taking on a function, like becoming a teacher, librarian, chef, editor, hospice worker, KVAN DJ, health care worker, garden supervisor, sound engineer, and many other avenues. It involves at least 1 or 2 years of specific training, where there is both experiential work and academic study, designed specifically for each student.

Physical Education

Our particular circumstance of having a living and immersive EcoVillage campus provides a very distinct advantage in the physical education department. Students enjoy a range of activities for physical development and frequently engage in hands-on training in the maintenance of a real ranch. Sports and competitive athletics are arranged in our pastures (from capture the flag and football, to soccer and volleyball), while laps and other aquatic skills can be practiced in our swimming pool. The physical aptitude and potentials of the individuals are tested and pushed so that optimal physical health can be enjoyed. Physical education also covers the knowledge of the body and relationship of its systems to one another and their roles in a balanced lifestyle. These studies can include proper diet, cardiovascular exercise, isolated and group muscular development, stretching, yoga and meditation.

Music and the Arts

As a school, our students may be considered a bit artistically inclined, and our approach of putting great emphasis on this aspect of the educational program has flourished with positive results in the behavior of the children. Our students have access to quality instruments, a large amphitheater, musical theory courses and lessons, visual arts from sketching to oil painting, and the performing arts including dance and live theater. We do our best to provide all materials possible for each individual’s development of their own individual and personal style and needs as an artist. As a school we are always in need of assistance and support!

Learn more about how you can help.

Purchase our children's choir debut album!

Help support our children's music program! CosmoKids Songs of Van of Urantia is the perfect music for the season. This all original uplifting music written by Van of Urantia and performed by these little angel voices makes this a cherished gift for the holidays.

Counseling

Global Schools for Starseed and Urantian Children and Teens provides an often missed element for the unfolding of children and teens as they face new challenges in their growth. The problems of growth that go without attention can leave children confused, troubled, and at times emotionally scarred. Here we have incorporated a wise and loving approach of personally assisting our students to work through personal and interpersonal issues, both between students on campus and with family members and friends outside of school. For this purpose we have ordained Human-Rights Ministers as well as trained and professional counselors available on the staff. We believe it is paramount to a successful education that difficulties be discussed and worked through with children in a manner that empowers them and prepares them to maturely handle the vicissitudes of life.