When will the school be available for opening?
Clara Science Academy (CSA) will open in Greensboro in the 2024-2025 school year.
What should we expect the grade levels to be?
CSA will begin with grades K-6 and a new grade level will be added each year until we reach grades K-8.
Where is Clara Science Academy located?
The school will be located in Greensboro, NC (future locations to be announced in Charlotte, NC, Philadelphia, PA, and Newark, NJ). What is special about your curriculum? STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating
students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate and discrete subjects, STEM integrates them
into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications.
While placing STEM at the center of our curriculum, it is used to provide a fundamental purpose, definition and identity to the school. A STEM curriculum will be used throughout every classroom. This will be evident in daily instructional techniques, such as using music or drawing to represent thinking, and culminating unit tasks where students synthesize and display their final understanding through a STEM-based project.
Important Facts about STEM:
Though the United States has historically been a leader in these fields, fewer students have been focusing on these topics recently. According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16 percent of high school students are interested
in a STEM career and have proven a proficiency in mathematics. Currently, nearly 28 percent of high school freshmen declare an interest in a STEM-related field, a department website says, but 57 percent of these students will lose
interest by the time they graduate from high school.
When does school begin and end?
Drop off 7:45 a.m. School begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m.
Will you have a before and after school program?
Yes. We will implement these programs as we learn more about the needs of our students and families. (TBA)
How do I enroll my child?
First complete the short application interest form available under the Enrollment menu item.
Open enrollment will take placed between the months of January and February of the school year. Notification of acceptance will be announced in March.
Those applicants who were not accepted will be placed on a waiting list. Rolling admissions will continue until all seats are filled.
Do siblings get enrollment preference?
Per the statute, sibling preference can be granted “to siblings of currently enrolled students who were admitted into the school in a previous year.” A brand new school does not have any currently enrolled students from the previous
year, so that preference cannot be granted in the first year of operation. By the second year, one surname for all the siblings applying will be granted admission at the same time.
The definition of sibling is any of the following who reside in the same household: half siblings, step-siblings, and children residing in a family foster home.
Is the school using the lottery process?
CSA will use the lottery process for enrollment. (TBA)
Do you offer resources for students with special needs?
Yes. The school will employ qualified staff for Exceptional Children and will implement a School Support Team of teachers and EC specialists. (TBA)
Is lunch provided?
Yes. A complete lunch plan will be available to all registered students at the beginning of the school year. (TBA)
Is transportation provided?
Yes. A complete transportation plan will be available at the beginning of the school year. (TBA)