When I grow up, I will be more than ready.
Every child has a dream. Our job is to help them cultivate and realize that dream.
Education should personalize learning, develop a deep sense of purpose, and enable students to vocationally pursue their passions and potential.
Building Futures One Student At A Time
Matchbook combines the best in both public school turnaround expertise and blended learning expertise. As a non-profit charter management organization that targets underperforming schools with a competency-based, technology enabled turnaround model, we bring together some of the country’s leading practitioners in engagements involving lead turnaround partners, blended school design and implementation and coaching of master teachers.
We have brought this tri-fold experience together to target school turnarounds with a customized blended model that blends face-to-face and virtual instruction in brick-and-mortar schools via a 1:1 computing environment, while coaching teachers to personalize instruction for the benefits of each and every child in their classroom.
Our unique and innovative blended turnaround school model is the first of its kind in the nation to be offered to schools in underserved communities. Small class sizes make it easier to provide the mentoring and counseling our students need and deserve to better themselves academically as well as in their personal lives.
Building Futures One Student At A Time
Our approach — [restoration + personalization + vocation] — is showing promising results. Our first class of 9th graders at The Match demonstrated 67% growth in Reading and 74% growth in Math on national NWEA assessments, representing 1-2 grade levels of growth in just half a year.
Restorative Culture
We invest over 20% of our annual budget in our restorative culture, with licensed counselors, social workers, a dedicated restorative team, and staff trained to deliver trauma-informed responses.
Personalized Learning
We've developed a competency based personalized learning model that adapts in real-time to meet each student's unique needs, creating a "school of one" for every child. This enables our students to grow faster than average to close academic gaps.
Vocational Focus
In 2024, we opened The Match, a charter HS that creates a unique K-12 continuum emphasizing vocational themes, academics, and technical education in Haughville.
Promising futures happen when imagination meets confidence
Our Academic Approach
Everyone wants schools to be better, but we must choose to make them different. The future of humanity depends on the future of learning, and while that future is here, it is not evenly distributed. It is educational malpractice to educate our children in a system not designed for their success and flourishing. This is why Matchbook Learning started a K-8 charter school (Matchbook) and more recently a career and technical charter high school (The Match).
Imagine a K-12 model that annually produces graduates ready for the world - who are craftsmen with their hands, able to deploy technology, care for their bodies, cultivate entrepreneurial solutions and express them to a waiting world. This is what we are building.
Imagine a profile of a graduate, a student that has spent their entire career from K to 12th grade with Matchbook Learning….a student ready for the world, eligible for a post secondary college and career - yes both - they have the desire to keep learning and the skills that provide the means by which they can afford through a job to keep learning. Lifelong learners and workers for the 21st century. That is what we are building. Come join us.
Two schools in the heart of Indy
Our Values
Vision
Every child known, loved and flourishing.
Mission
We personalize learning, within a restorative community, fostering resilience and excellence while preparing students for real-world opportunities.
Give students more than just a diploma.
This work requires “urgent patience”. We must ask better questions. We must teach kids to pay attention to their attention. This is why we have them work with their hands, bodies, empathy, voice and not just their minds.
This model of school requires a kind of flexibility - you’ll see both dedicated vocational spaces as well as flexible classroom spaces. We must exhibit a paradoxical willingness to be both highly structured and completely free.
Parent Resources
Find school information, calendars, contact info, and family resources.
Have Questions?
Get in touch with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Matchbook Learning is a public K–8 charter school serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade.
We are located at 1163 N. Belmont Ave in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the heart of the Haughville community.
No. Matchbook is a public charter school, and enrollment is free to all families.
Yes, we provide transportation to and from school for eligible students within our designated boundaries.
- Transportation to and from childcare locations is available only for grades K-8.
- The childcare address must be within the student’s home address and school zone.
- AM and PM bus stops must be identical.
IPS provides transportation based on the following guidelines:
- All elementary school students who reside more than 1 mile from Matchbook Learning.
- All middle school students who reside more than 1.25 miles from Matchbook Learning.school.
Medical Transportation Request:
Medical Transportation-Special transportation requests based on medical needs require approval from the IPS Health Services Director. The family will need to provide medical documentation to the school to begin this process.
Medical Transportation Requests require a student to have a medical condition/diagnosis that limits or significantly impacts their ability to physically walk to school/bus stop.
Medical Transportation Accommodations are NOT appropriate for mental or behavioral needs or for when a parent is unable to accompany a student. Consider a 504 for mental or behavioral health needs.
Medical Transportation Requests do not require an IEP or 504 however the student's needs in the school setting should be taken into account by school staff if a medical condition is limiting their ability to walk (are accommodations needed in gym, recess, etc). If a student already has special transportation written into their IEP you DO NOT need to complete this form.
Medical Transportation accommodations can be for short term (<8 wks) or long term (>8 wks), please identify length of time requesting in the reason for request.
A letter from a physician does NOT guarantee medical transportation approval, expectations should be set with the parents from the beginning that IPS reserves the right to approve or deny requests.
Transportation requests take 3-5 school days before a new bus route can be implemented.Please contact the school directly to receive more information: 317-226-4263
You can track your child’s bus location in real-time using the FirstView Mobile App. This app allows families to see the current location of their student’s bus, helping to ensure a smooth pick-up and drop-off experience.
Number of Guards: 1
Guard Location: N Belmont Ave & 10th St
- Contact your school’s Mckinney Vento Liaison for transportation assistance.
- Students that live within the walk boundary will still be classified as a walker regardless of displaced or foster status.
We use state-approved ELA and math curricula, supplemented with intervention programs such as IXL. Science and Social Studies are taught as separate subjects in middle school, and enrichment classes include Art, Music, PE, and a College & Career Readiness course. Our school theme, "When I Grow Up," guides students toward career pathways starting in kindergarten. Additionally, students receive social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction daily through the Second Steps curriculum. We also emphasize direct teacher-led instruction using engagement strategies like turn-and-talks, cold calls, and choral responses.
We offer a variety of extracurricular activities, including:
🏀 Basketball (all genders)
🏐 Volleyball (all genders)
🏃♂️ Track & Field (all genders)
🏃♀️ Cross Country (all genders)
🎨 Art, Music, and PE classes during the school day
📚 After-school tutoring throughout the year
🏫 Summer school opportunities for additional academic support
Yes! Tutoring is available throughout the year at different times to support students academically. These opportunities are structured based on student needs and are offered across various grade levels to ensure targeted interventions.
Our dress code ensures a positive and distraction-free learning environment. Students may not wear:
🚫 Hoodies
🚫 AirPods/electronics/cell phones
🚫 Ripped pants
🚫 HatsClear Back Packs.
Matchbook Learning provides nutritious meals to support the health and education of our students.
Breakfast and lunch are served at no charge to all Matchbook Learning students under the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
Matchbook Learning offers modified meals for students with food allergies, intolerances, or medically necessary dietary needs, including texture modifications for swallowing or chewing difficulties.
To request a modified meal, a new Modified Meal Request Form must be submitted each school year, signed by a licensed medical professional (physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner). Previous forms do not carry over.
To submit a request:
- Have the form completed and signed by your child’s healthcare provider.
Please note: We cannot modify meals for religious, personal, or preference-based diets. However, our menus offer a variety of choices to meet most needs. Parents are encouraged to review menus with their child in advance.
Matchbook Learning and the McKinney-Vento Act:
Matchbook Learning supports students and families experiencing homelessness in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act, which guarantees immediate enrollment and educational stability for students without a fixed or adequate nighttime residence.
Who qualifies?
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, a student is considered homeless if they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate place to sleep at night. This includes students who are:
- Living with family or friends due to loss of housing or economic hardship
- Staying in shelters, motels, or campgrounds
- Couch surfing or living in temporary arrangements
Students protected under the McKinney-Vento Act have the right to:
- Immediate enrollment, even without documents at the time of registration
- Free school meals and textbooks
- Transportation to and from their school of origin
If you believe your child may qualify under McKinney-Vento, or you need assistance, please contact our District's Mckinney Vento Liaison office at 317-333-8012. We are here to support every student’s right to a stable, high-quality education.
7:15 am -2:15 pm
Students can join after-school programs including cheer, soccer, track, coding, and art clubs. We also host family events, holiday celebrations, and community showcases.
We host events like Parents in Touch Day, cultural celebrations, and field day. Families are invited to be active partners in their child's education.
Visit our website and click “Enroll Now” to start the application. Our team will follow up with next steps, including school tours and welcome sessions.
We personalize learning through assessment, goal-setting, and real-world application. Every child is known, supported, and challenged—because their education should be as unique as they are.
We focus on restorative practices and building strong relationships. Students participate in morning circles, mindfulness routines, and are supported through our Guided Learning Centers and Tiered Behavior System.
Over 50% of our students are multilingual learners. We have a dedicated MLL team, bilingual staff, and an MLL hub that provides small group instruction and language support daily.
Our school counselor provides individual and group support, and we partner with outside organizations for additional behavioral and emotional resources.
We use Savvas MyView (K–5) and MyPerspectives (6–8) for literacy, and enVision Math for K–8 mathematics. Our social studies and science instruction is also aligned to state standards using Savvas resources.
We begin with assessment and offer Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Tools like IXL provide targeted skill practice for remediation, and small group instruction helps close learning gaps.
Students take regular diagnostics including NWEA MAP and IREAD, along with curriculum-based assessments. We use this data to personalize instruction and track growth.
Yes! We believe students learn best by doing. Our teachers design project-based learning (PBL) modules that allow students to apply their skills in meaningful, real-world contexts.
Students use:
- Savvas Realize for core curriculum access
- IXL for skill building and remediation
- Xello for college and career exploration
- CodeMonkey for coding and computer science
- PowerSchool for grades, attendance, and parent access
Absolutely. Through PowerSchool, families can monitor grades, attendance, and more. Teachers also conference with students regularly to set and review academic goals.