Academics

We help students develop vital communication skills, while inspiring a love of literature. Younger children learn phonics and grammar and prepare for reading through multi-sensory activities, while older students learn to comprehend and analyze both fiction and non-fiction. The program emphasizes classic works and writing as a process.

We balance fundamental skills with critical thinking and problem solving. Our active approach ensures that students understand the realities that underlie mathematical concepts. Games and animations bring concepts to life, while challenge problems, regular practice, and review ensure mastery. We build from the concrete to the abstract as students move from basic skills toward algebra.

Our Science program uses hands-on experiments to support the systematic study of life, Earth, and the physical sciences. We nurture curiosity as students practice observation and analytical skills. Students learn how our understanding of the world is shaped by ongoing scientific and technological advances.

With integrated topics in geography, civics, economics, and history, our Social Studies program opens young minds and imaginations to far-off lands, distant times, and diverse cultures. We explore the history and geography of North America and beyond.

The benefits of early exposure to a second language have been well-documented. Learning a second language can create greater overall linguistic awareness for stronger skills in the child’s native language, can improve memory and listening skills, and can even help with multi-tasking and focus. Students receive at least 45 minutes of daily Spanish instruction and participate in Latino cultural lessons and activities throughout the year.

Students participate in a variety of learning activities each day that individualize instruction for each subject area. Students receive whole class instruction, small group instruction, and individual instruction with teachers, technology and other curricular tools.

Our teachers meet the educator qualification requirements outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): Bachelor’s degree, grade-level teaching license/certificate & ability to demonstrate subject area expertise. Our teachers are supported by trainers and participate in continuous, research-based professional development. Our teachers are accountable for student learning and rewarded for high quality performance.

Our students receive double the instruction in ELA and Math to provide a strong foundation for all learning. Beginning with full-day Kindergarten, our school also follows a longer school day and school year than many other schools.

Student knowledge of academic standards is assessed formally and informally in short cycles by each teacher. Our teachers adjust class-level and individual instruction based on student performance in these frequent intervals.

The Blitz™ is an award-winning academic program created by Dr. Chad Carr. It was first implemented at Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA), a public charter school that was failing academically by the 2006-07 school year. The Blitz™ took CPA from closure status to the #1 ranked public school in the state of Ohio within three years, a position it held while implementing The Blitz™ from 2010-2017.

The Blitz™ competition takes place each spring during the eight weeks leading up to the Ohio State Test (OST). Students play Blitz™ review games and become familiar with the vocabulary and structure of state assessments. During fun and friendly competition, students participate in a series of academic pep rallies where they:

• Gain confidence in their ability to perform well on the test • Showcase their creative talents during school-wide games • Encourage one another to put forth their best effort academically & behaviorally • Receive rewards for excellence, including a series of field trips based on their end-of-year Blitz™ rankings