How is the curriculum determined?
Connections Academy provides comprehensive and interactive lessons that meets or exceeds California State Standards as well as the National Common Core standards. The proven curriculum incorporates materials developed by leading educational institutions as well as lessons and other resources developed by our own curriculum specialists. The curriculum providers include McGraw-Hill, Prentice Hall, Houghton Mifflin and The Calvert School to list just a few. Learn more about our curriculum.
Has any educational organization ever evaluated the program and its curriculum?
Capistrano Connections Academy is fully accredited (grades K-12) by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In addition, AdvancED has accredited the Connections Academy program.
How much time per day should a student expect to be doing school work?
The amount of time each student works each day varies. The Tesla Academy provides up to a 4 hour block of blended learning with professional Learning Coaches each day. Students taking challenging courses (Honors/AP), a high number of courses or who tend to take longer to master material may need more time outside of the The Tesla Academy to complete their daily assignments.
What do current parents think about Connections Academy?
Every year we ask Connections Academy families to rate our program. During the 2017-2018 School year:
97% agreed or strongly agreed that the curriculum is high quality.
95% agreed that the students are satisfied with the Connections Academy program.
95% were satisfied with the helpfulness of their teachers.
95% agreed that using our Education Management System (EMS) is improving their learning experience.
96% were satisfied with the variety of the learning activities provided by our program (computer-based, textbooks, project, etc.).
94% recommended Connections Academy to others.
Does my student need to have their own computer ?
Yes, each student at The Tesla Academy is required to have their own laptop computer. The computer needs to have Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). The laptop can be a PC or Mac. Students need to bring their charger and headphones every day along with their notebooks and note-taking materials.
Are the "Online Classes" taught by an actual teacher ?
Yes, each class is taught by a California Credentialed Teacher. They deliver the content using the latest online platform(s) which includes interactive "Live Lessons", engaging online lessons, video, message boards, as well as traditional text books (both print and online).
How are grades determined ?
Grades are determined through a wide variety of assessments. Each teacher will detail in the class syllabus the weight of each type of assignment. These vary from tests, quizzes, portfolio items, quick checks, discussion boards, participation etc. The grades follow the standard 4.0 scale. Grades are issued with five letter grades A, B, C, D, and F. Students enrolled in Honors and AP classes will also be issued a weighted GPA. Some colleges will use the weighted GPA when considering your student.
What colleges have graduates been accepted to ?
The Telsa Academy and Connections Academy graduates have been getting accepted into colleges and universities across the United States and around the world. We prepare students for the rigors of higher education with a college-preparatory curriculum, including many honors and Advanced Placement courses; highly qualified teachers, who are experts in their field of instruction and online learning; and school counselors, who advise students on their options and coach them on the college admissions process. Click here to view a list of colleges students have been accepted to.
What are the advantages of attending The Tesla Academy as opposed to my student studying at home ?
There are many advantages that each student receives when attending The Tesla Academy. Every student starts The Tesla Academy with a Personalized Education Plan (PEP). This is a working document that is referred to often when working with each student. The professional learning coaches have frequent and detailed "PEP" talks with each student and their college counselor in order to ensure student success. In addition the Learning Coaches are content specialists. This allows a student to get specific help and tutoring on a individual basis. Students also earn a sense of identity and accountability that is not achieved when a student studies at home. Most parents report that having professional Learning Coaches that hold their student accountable allows the parent/child relationship to be filled with a lot more praise and encouragement.
What are the hours and schedule ?
The Tesla Academy is open from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM on school days. Students are to arrive between 7:30-8:00 AM. Students arriving after 8 AM will be marked tardy. Student's are expected to be in their assigned classroom from 8 AM- 12 Noon daily. Individual student schedules may customized through the students Learning Coach.
Is lunch served at The Tesla Academy"
Students are required to bring their own snacks and lunches to school. Gourmet lunch trucks will occasionally visit our facility where students are able to purchase food.