Élan Academy Brochure

About the Lead Founder

Enroll Élan Choose us as your #1 choice on your OneApp. We would love to have your child in our inaugural class. If you need assistance with the OneApp, we are here to help you. We will notify you of sessions where you can come and fill out your application with us.

Élan Academy welcomes dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers to support our work. Together, we can ensure that all children have access to an excellent education that puts them on the path to success in high school, college, and life. Spread the word, volunteer, or make a donation online at our website at www.elanacademy.org.

Melanie Askew is a dedicated educator who has spent the last several years working and leading in education. Beginning as a research assistant in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt's Peabody College. Ms. Askew confronted the large disparities across special education and gifted education for students of color.

With the drive to provide a quality education for all children, she has worked as a founding teacher, instructional coach, curriculum content specialist, adjunct professor, and educational consultant.

Ms. Askew has a Bachelors of Science in Human and Organizational Development and a Master of Education in Organizational Leadership from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College. Now, and through her work in the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship and with a committed founding team, she is humbled at and driven towards the opportunity to open an excellent K-8 school that provides a quality option rooted in the voices of the community of New Orleans.

ÉLAN ACADEMY A Classical Education for the 21st Century

: Through a classical curriculum, high quality instruction, and leadership development, Élan Academy Charter School ensures that all K-8 students have the foundation necessary to thrive in secondary school, succeed in college, and access lives of opportunity.

We stand firm on three concepts grammar, logic, rhetoric - and three com-

College Preparation Begins in Kindergarten Classical Curriculum Propels Literacy 21st Century Élan Academy seeks to be one part of the broader solution to end education inequity in New Orleans by providing an academically challenging, classically influenced, and joyful K-8 school to the children of our great city of New Orleans. We propose to broaden our city’s classical reach beyond private institutions. We seek to provide the classical fundamentals to empower all students to successfully sustain high school success and college attainment.

ponents – structured learning, Great Books, spoken language. Our enrichment includes the arts and foreign language.

Learning is Central to a Life of Opportunity Joy and Structure Create a Strong Culture of Achievement

Our students learn computer program coding, graphic design, and basic web

Leadership Development Builds Character

design. Our students utilize computers to

Data Drives Decisions

learn throughout the day.

Every Minute Matters Family and Community Partnerships are Essential

Our students learn and come to embody

Excellent Teachers Produce Stellar Results

and demonstrate our LEADER values of Leadership, Enthusiasm, Achievement, Determination, Endurance, and Respect.

Our teachers believe all of our students can achieve.

They consistently maintain high expectations to propel the daily growth of all learners. We hire leaders who are proven educators that implement the most effective instructional strategies. Our team has a growth mindset as we utilize coaching through our expanded calendar, weekly trainings, and high impact livecoaching to continue to increase our capacity of our students.