About Pacific Sands Academy

 Pacific Sands Academy is a Private school Satellite Program that offers an alternative path towards graduation for teens and families wishing to leave the public or private traditional school system. We have worked with teens since 2012, but starting in 2020, we offer K-8 homeschool support as well.

We support OPTING OUT of your traditional school and pursing individual interests, learning strengths and developing passions.

We support improving the relationships between you and your child or teen by switching from a paradigm of controlled leadership to developing a partnership with your child or teen. It’s wonderful to find joy together as you find and explore shared interests (which can count for school credits).

We OFFER a personalized coaching program to teens and  families to help determine natural learning strengths, create and pursue personalized educational programs, and build on your families and kids’ natural proclivities.

We OFFER accredited high school diplomas and transcripts to teens who demonstrate a readiness to move on. This may take one month, or several years.

We OFFER Credit Recovery to teens who want to catch up on credits and return to their high schools for any reason.

We have developed a relationship with West River Academy, and now can offer ACCREDITATION through them for families who want this.

Over 100 students have passed through Pacific Sands Academy since 2012. Some have returned to their local high schools; some have gone on to community colleges; a few have gotten into 4 year colleges and earned scholarships. Almost ALL of them have been happy with their experiences, and needed (for their many various reasons) the break of attending and struggling through their traditional school systems. Working together with theses students,  we turned their highly variable, interesting educational experiences into transcripts, credit valuations and high school diplomas.

About the Director:

My name is Shauna Reisewitz and I am the director of Pacific Sands Academy. I have nearly thirty years of experience in public, private, traditional and non- traditional schools.

In addition to running Pacific Sands Academy, I have had several other full time jobs. I am currently an Home School Teacher (grades k-12) in Heartland Charter School (so my Pacific Sands work is largely done on weekends and outside of Heartland’s hours). I just ended directing MVWSD’s K-8 Homeschool program where I led a sweet homeschool community for 7 years. And prior to this I taught in SLV Homeschool Program in the San Lorenzo Valley (K-12), where essentially I developed my philosophy of the importance of respecting the freedom, playfullness and imagination of children and teens.