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Welcome to IHCA!
IHC Academy offers secular, credit-worthy classes for homeschooled students in grades 8-12. We meet in Indianapolis each Monday from 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Our 2024-25 program will include Chemistry and U.S. History for grades 9-12, and Integrated Science and World Geography for grades 8-9. Both groups will attend electives and lunchtime together.
Learning more about IHCA is as easy as....
Enrollment is open now! Registration closes July 15 or when all seats are filled.
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United States History
Join us in a survey course of United States History, where students will evaluate the changing landscape of America through the lens of music and art history. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will journey together to discover patterns such as exploration, rebellion, triumph, exploitation, and conflict, while considering philosophical, religious, and economic spheres. Our in-person classes will feature discussion, hands-on activities such as games and simulations, art and music analysis, and more. Drawing from many sources and emphasizing historical skills, this course will help students understand more about the events and people that shaped our country.
Chemistry
Chemistry for everyone! Our comprehensive year-long course is designed to make the challenging subject of chemistry accessible and enjoyable for all students. Throughout the course, students will engage in hands-on laboratory experiments, interactive games, captivating novel studies, informative videos, and more. By incorporating diverse learning methods, we aim to cater to different learning styles and ensure every student can grasp fundamental concepts with ease. Whether you're a science enthusiast or someone who finds chemistry intimidating, this course offers a supportive environment where you can thrive and succeed. Join us on this exciting journey as we explore the fascinating world of chemistry together!​
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons, a cooperative game that encourages teamwork and creative thinking, will be turning 50 years old in 2024! Often called the World's Most Popular Roleplaying Game, D&D is used in many businesses and schools as a teambuilding tool, and it has had a far reaching influence on modern media.
IHCA will be offering a D&D club during our co-op day to play D&D based games and to create background and props that will then be used in our twice monthly Campaign Days. Participation in the Campaign Days is not mandatory, but highly encouraged.
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Writing Studio
By fostering holistic understanding of the writing and editing process, the IHCA writing studio helps students develop the critical skills necessary for analyzing and transforming their own work. Our studio guide is dedicated to preserving the integrity of written voices by equipping students to act as autonomous editors, able to hear outside feedback but ultimately develop their own clear and intentional writing style. Support from the studio extends to all student writing, ranging from technically meticulous academic projects to personal literary pursuits.
High School Prep (8th-9th graders)
High School Prep is for the student who is looking to level up in time management skills, study strategies, note-taking, writing MLA formatted research papers, and communication skills for a successful transition to high school. These lessons will be applied in our two High School Prep courses: Integrated Science and World Geography.
The Integrated Science class will focus on topics such as chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, and life science. The World Geography course will focus on learning about the themes of geography which include local area geography, places, human-environment interactions, movement, and regions.
Self-directed work will be assigned each Mondays for students to complete throughout the week, at family discretion. Using science and geography themes, the High School Prep courses will integrate valuable skills to help prepare students for high school level work.
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Our Classes...
We offer one day a week of credit-worthy high school courses, where students will be immersed into rich content and challenged to become critical thinkers.
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We meet Mondays at 11 AM. Between classes, we offer a lunch period for socializing, followed by a choice of electives.
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Our Instructors are veteran homeschoolers and content specialists who are chosen for their experience and expertise in the fields they are teaching. IHC runs a background check on all instructors every three years.
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High School Prerequisites: Students should be in the 9th grade (or advanced 8th grade). Courses will require reading at the 9th grade level. Students must also be comfortable writing a one-page essay. Some courses may have more specific prerequisites.
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High School Prep Prerequisites: Students should be in the 8th or 9th grade with a minimum of 7th grade reading comprehension. Students should be able to independently attend class and focus for 20–30 minutes without breaks.
Chemistry with Hilary S.
IHCA science instructor, Hilary, has dual bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and pre-medicine from Ball State University, along with minors in biology and German. She has worked in pharmacy for over 20 years, and has three children whom she educates at home. Having experience in the sciences and home education makes Hilary a great fit for IHCA! Hilary has been a member of IHC for two years.
US History with Rachelle B.
As history instructor and IHCA Director, Rachelle is passionate about bringing community and interactive learning to home-educated teens. She holds a Master of Arts degree in American history from Gettysburg College, as well as a bachelor’s in history from IUPUI. As a veteran home educator of over 15 years, Rachelle brings her commitment to individualized education into her classes. She also works as a grader for a history dual-credit program at the University of Texas, which helps her keep a pulse on high school and first-year college essay writing expectations. Rachelle has been a member of IHC for three years.
Writing Studio With Kate
Professional writer and editor Kate Hodge will be supporting students throughout our writing lab. Kate is a published author, technical editor, and retired Editor-in-Chief for the nationally award winning literary arts magazine, The Lantern. With ten years of experience, she offers a broad scope of expertise in both fiction and non-fiction writing and editing. As a second generation homeschooling parent, Kate is deeply invested in supporting families as they curate the unique home education culture in which their children thrive.
Dungeons & Dragons with Stephanie
This club will be lead by Stephanie, a longtime D&D player for 10+ years. She has attended workshops at GenCon on using D&D in the classroom. She's excited to share what she's learned with the club members while encouraging a passion for tabletop gaming and the fantasy genre.
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High School Prep with Heather and Amanda
Heather has a bachelors degree from Purdue University in early childhood education and exceptional needs with a specialization in child health. She is a licensed special education teacher with 15 years of experience teaching students ranging from ages 3-21. Heather has two teenage boys she is educating at home and she is passionate about providing accessible and differentiated education to students with varying learning styles and abilities in a safe, welcoming and fun environment.
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Amanda has a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in Elementary Education. She has been an educator in some capacity for 18 years. Her experience spans from childcare centers, public schools, and homeschool cooperatives. Amanda has four children whom she educates at home. Her favorite part about teaching is providing her students with memorable learning experiences. Amanda has been a member of IHC for 3 years.
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