Perry Middle School is committed to providing our students with Authentic Learning Experiences. We believe that when students are exposed to real-world problems they engage more fully in their learning. As such, we have committed to providing families several options for their students to engage in authentic learning. Connected & Authentic Learning) CAL classes are part of the Ohio Personalized Learning Network and have created learning environments where students fully connect with learning standards and life skills through authentic issues and experiences to learn content, collaboration with teachers and peers, and engagement with the greater community in order to develop self-directed learning habits and a growth mindset. 

Core principles include the following: 

• Make learners the focus. This involves helping students become lifelong learners and develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century. 
• Help students make the connection between their own interests and their academic studies and also connect with inspiring mentors and peers to improve student engagement. Learning is continuous. Continuous learning involves linking learning to school, home and the community, so it can happen in any setting.
• Help learners become makers and producers by teaching them to experiment, create, design and showcase their work.

The CAL Pathway has sections that are offered in all four grade levels. Any student may request CAL as a learning environment for the school year during the registration process. 

In addition to the CAL pathway, our staff have committed to providing authentic experiences for ALL students. While some of this work is naturally embedded in our exploratory offerings, the grade level teams have worked hard to create grade level based interdisciplinary projects (S.W.A.L.E.) that are designed to allow students to innovate, problem-solve, and collaborate with peers to create authentic responses or products.