Canton
What is the center of Excellence?
This is a unique BLEND of athletic training and academics. The academic
program is provided by Connections Academy. It is a virtual online school with
principals, faculty, curriculum, and class schedules. The flexibility allows us to
build a daily athletic training schedule around the student’s academics.
What is Connections Academy?
Connections Academy is part of Connections Education, one of
the leading education providers in the world. Connections Academy programs
provide flexible and personalized learning, certified teachers, a standardsaligned curriculum, state-of-the-art technology, a secure easy-to-use online
learning system, and an extensive selection of electives and clubs to create an
individualized alternative to the traditional classroom. The award-winning
curriculum includes AP courses, foreign languages, core academics and more.
What Connections Academy providers are available?
Michigan Connections Academy (public charter school option) and
International Connections Academy (private school option)
What is the experience at Connections Academy like?
Students attend individual live lessons and group live lessons. Group lessons
are also recorded, so if you miss a live lesson you can watch the recording.
Teachers are notified when you watch the full recording to determine if the
lesson was attended.
What kind of high school classes are available?
A good selection of NCAA-approved core classes that satisfy the NCAA “2.3 or
take a knee” requirements. Additionally, there is a thorough selection of
electives— including SAT and ACT prep courses. Guidance counselors will assist
with NCAA approved classes and academic plan.
Will colleges accept students from Connections Academy?
To name a few, Connections Academy graduates are accepted to schools such
as Notre Dame, Rice University, Harvard, Cornell, Boston College, Boston
University, Amherst College, Air Force Academy, Rensselaer, Ohio State
University, University of Michigan and Bowdoin College.
How do we know how our student is doing in school?
There is excellent communication. Parents and learning coaches receive emails
on school webmail system as well as personal email account. Alerts are sent out
if your student is not on track or if the student has not been in contact with his
teacher.
How does Connections Academy handle learning disabilities?
The flexibility and excellent communications that are built into the
Connections Academy program are very beneficial for students with learning
disabilities. Additionally, as a public school Michigan Connections Academy can
offer and implement IEP and 504 plans.
What is the daily schedule?
Kids report in the morning and will finish up in the afternoons just like any
school. During the day, there is a mixture of classroom time, off-ice training
and on-ice training. Mondays will be a recovery day from the weekend with
classroom work and nothing more than a light recovery work-out, if any.
Tuesday through Friday will include an hour of off-ice training and an hour of
on-ice training.
What equipment/materials do we need to provide?
Student needs a laptop. Headphones and books (for classes that require books)
are provided by Connections Academy.
What grades are you accepting for 2015-2016?
We are accepting grades 6 through 12.
Who will leading the athletic/hockey-specific training?
Brandon Naurato is program director. He is assisted by Sean Perkins. In
addition to Brandon and Sean, there are additional coaches on the ice
and in the gym to assist with training. In the classroom there are “learning
coaches” who assist the students with their schedule and staying on top of
their work.
Mondays
Classroom 7:15 AM to 11:45 AM
Classroom/Guest
Speaker/Intelligym
11:45 AM to 12:45 PM
Lunch 12:45 PM to 1:15 PM
Classroom 1:15 PM to 3:30 PM
Tuesday-Friday
Strength & Conditioning
Training 7:15 AM to 8:15AM
Recovery Drink & Snack
8:15 AM to 8:30 AM
Classroom 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Locker Room 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
On-Ice Training 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Locker Room 12:20 PM to 12:45 PM
Lunch 12:45 PM to 1:15 PM
Classroom 1:15 PM to 3:30 PM
Will the learning coach in the classroom be a certified
teacher or someone with an education background?
We hire learning coaches with an education background as well as experience
supervising students, but not necessarily a teaching certificate. Currently our
learning coaches are Cathy Bender, a veteran in the classroom and an
experienced school administrator, and we have a second position that will be
filled shortly.
Will there be leadership and life skills training?
There will certainly be an emphasis on leadership and life skill training,
using weekly sessions to address goal setting, communications, organizational/
time management skills, and decision making as well as self-control and selfmanagement.
How do you mix a 6th grader with a 12th grader?
In the classroom: In addition to the flexibility offered by the Connection
Academy’s virtual online program, the curriculum is very individualized. Among
the students working in the Center of Excellence classroom, there may be one
student working in his headphones and microphone in an online class
discussion about the history of western civilization and sitting next to him is
another student, also working in his headphones and microphone getting one
on one live tutoring in calculus. While the students work at their individualized
lessons, the learning coach will supervise to keep them on schedule and on
track.
Off-ice and on-ice: While there will be interactions between younger and older
students in on-ice and off-ice training, it will be skill-based training and like the
academic program the majority will be tailored for the individual. For example,
by using on-ice stations the staff can address skill development for a group of
younger players with similar athletic maturity at one station and a group of
more physically developed and athletically mature players at another.
Are there field trips?
Connections Academy organized field trips - Participation in Connections
Academy field trips will strictly be a function of personal schedule. If a field trip
is mid-week and the only potential conflict is the athletic training portion of
their day at the Center of Excellence, then there is no problem. If the field trip is
on a Monday or Friday that is in conflict with the child’s club or travel hockey
schedule, then that decision will be left to the parent (and presumably the
coach of the child’s club or travel team).
TPH organized field trips – Participation in TPH field trips are at the discretion
of the parent.
What is the next step?
1: Contact the school you are interested in and begin the enrollment process.
Remember that the public charter schools have enrollment caps so begin the
enrollment process as soon as possible. There is no cost for their enrollment
process and no cost to cancel or withdraw, but getting the enrollment process
started now will ensure you have reserved a seat for 2015-2016.
2: Go to the Center of Excellence web site, complete the online application and
pay the $75 application fee
3: Once your application is accepted, you will receive an email invitation to
register for 2015-2016. Follow the instructions in the email.
Learn
more
Online:
www.TPHCenterofExcellence.com