Our Philosophy
 Bridges Academy is a college preparatory school dedicated to educating twice-exceptional students (gifted students with learning differences) in grades 4-12. Its board, administration, faculty, and staff believe that a program designed around the strengths of students offers the best chance of ensuring student success. To this end, Bridges Academy is committed to providing a student-centered, talent- and strength-based model to optimize each student's intellectual, academic, and social development. We recognize that the cognitive, psychological and physical needs of twice-exceptional students are often profoundly different from those of their neurotypical peers. We understand that their asynchronous development does not follow the same pattern as their non twice-exceptional peers. We recognize that difficulties in one or more areas do not in any way preclude the existence or the enormity of their gifts and talents in other areas. Therefore, we believe the following:
  1. 2e students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in a safe community where they are valued for what they can do not by what they cannot do. 
  2. 2e students benefit from a learning environment in which  instruction is dual-differentiated, and classes are small.
  3. 2e students need intellectual, social, and emotional peers to stimulate learning  and create friendships​
4.   2e students deserve faculty and staff members who are highly
      intelligent and patient, who respect student abilities, and who perceive  
      students as talented young people with great potential.
5.  2e students need parents that understand and accept that their 
     children are unique and capable of forging their own future    
     and identities. Parents become opportunity makers, role models, and
      partners in learning.
6.   2e students thrive when they become aware of their strengths and  
​      challenges, self advocate, and become the principal architects of their    
​       lives.
We recognize that in order to educate twice-exceptional students, educators must take a myriad of variables into consideration. The Bridges Academy student-centered, talent- and strength-based model dynamically and simultaneously addresses six highly complex critical educational variables: gifts & talents, interests, family context, developmental asynchrony, social & emotional profiles, and learning differences. An exploration of these variables in the context of each individual situation helps us to fully understand the profile of each student. These profiles guide us in developing creative and rigorous curriculum and select appropriate instructional strategies. They further guide us in providing academic and social emotional support systems, at school and at home, and monitoring and adjusting for physical and psychological health.

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