FAQ
What does it mean to be a charter alternative high school?
A charter alternative high school is a bit different from your typical high school. The term “charter” means that the school is a school of choice. Charter schools aren’t constrained by district lines. The term “alternative” means the curriculum taught is done so in a nontraditional way from that of a traditional public school. This could include flexible scheduling, access to learning labs, and online curriculum. So, to put it all together, a charter alternative high school is a school of choice in which the students learn through nontraditional methods.
I heard that my child can get caught up on credits here. How does that work?
Yes! Your child can get caught up on credits here. Each student's credit recovery will be handled by their homeroom teacher. The teacher will assist the student in managing when certain credit recovery assignments should be completed, in order to maintain a timeline for desired graduation. All credit recovery can be done through Google Classroom or can be printed for student ease of access. Keep in mind, recovering credits takes place while students are completing grade level courses.
On the website it says that administration and teachers work together to form an ILP, or Individual Learning Plan, for each student. What does that actually mean?
An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is a plan of action formed by the principal, assistant principal, parent/guardian, and student to best support the educational goals and needs of said student. This ILP is followed by all staff members on campus, most importantly, each student’s homeroom teacher. The purpose is to ensure understanding between the school, student, and students family on what is best suited for the student’s ambitions, needs as an individual, and desired educational experience.
Do you offer varying schedules for students? In other words, if my student works during the week, can my child come in at certain times of the week when they aren’t working?
Yes! Each student develops an Individual Learning Plan with the principal, assistant principal, and their parent/guardian as mentioned above. During this development, a best fit schedule for the student is put in place to best meet the student’s educational goals and needs. Although, while we have a very flexible schedule, there are some limitations.
Your school is called Mountainside Success Academy. In what way does your school prepare students for to be successful in their future college studies and/or career?
Our school prepares students for college via a handful of methods. All teacher directed courses, and most online offered courses, are A-G certified for UC college and university acceptance. Advanced courses in math, science, and world language are offered through online services Edgenuity and Odysseyware for those aspiring students. Students in the 11th and 12th grades are offered the opportunity to participate in Dual Enrollment through Los Rios Community Colleges. Dual Enrollment allows students to take introductory college courses while enrolled in high school. Credits earned in college count towards high school graduation requirements as well as college. MSA has a Teacher on Special Assignment and an Academic Support Specialist to support students with enrollment.
Our school also prepares students for a career pathway. Mountainside Success Academy offers electives which helps students discover what careers they may want to pursue, such as Career Exploration, Culinary Arts, E-Sports, Life Skills, and others. Also, students can sign up to participate in Introduction to Residential and Commercial Construction (RCC) through Northern California Construction Training (NCCT), or sign up for Career Technical Education and the Regional Occupational Program (CTE/ROP). These programs provide training in multiple fields of work, including: construction, cosmetology, animal health, culinary arts, dental careers, auto engine, and more.
Also, MSA is offering MAP (Mountainside Advanced Planning) for all students. MAP is run by our Teacher on Special Assignment and Academic Support Specialist. MAP is a unique planning guide for soon-to-be graduates. Students will meet individually to map out their school year, build job skills, participate in field trips and speaker presentations, research career interests, and take part in synchronous educational opportunities to enrich their portfolio of skills and knowledge. Students will be prepared for transitioning into their post-secondary plans that meet their goals and interests.
If my child only comes to school once a week and we don’t have a computer to use, do you offer the use of a computer so my child can work on school work?
Yes! The school can provide a Chromebook for household use for the school year.
Does the school offer accelerated education if a student wants to get ahead in their schooling or wants to just learn more? How is this done on top of all the other course work?
Yes! If a student desires to learn more on top of a full course load and/or wishes to accelerate their learning to graduate early, they and their parent/guardian may meet with their homeroom teacher and administration. Each student's needs and education goals are different, so that comes into play foremost before a decision is made. In terms of how a student works on more course work, the homeroom teacher will work with the student on developing a plan to handle the additional load.
What is Dual Enrollment and when can a student sign up for it?
Dual Enrollment allows students to take introductory college courses while enrolled in high school. Students can sign up for the Fall Semester in May and the Spring Semester in October. This is a great opportunity for students to earn high school and college credits and who wish to explore introductory college while still being in high school, or possibly even earn their Associates Degree!
What ways does the school communicate with parents and students about upcoming events and other school related items?
The school utilizes ParentSquare as a tool to reach out to parents through email, text, over the phone, and via the ParentSquare App itself. Other information can be found on the Mountainside Success Academy website and through flyers handed out to students.
After looking at the student school schedule, I would like to know what a Learning Lab is?
A Learning Lab is a class period specified for students who wish to receive academic support from a teacher in a small classroom setting. Think of it as a study hall run by a credentialed teacher. Students can work directly with the teacher on any of their courses and/or with other students.
All the other high schools offer ROP/CTE known as Regional Occupational Program and Career Technical Education. Do you also offer this at Mountainside Success Academy?
Yes! We do offer opportunities for our students to sign up for ROP/CTE through the El Dorado High School District. Students will have the opportunity to apply in January and February for the next round of classes that will occur the following school year.
Do you offer transportation?
No. Students that wish to arrive at school via other means outside of a car/truck can take the El Dorado Transit. The school does provide funds via a bus pass and scrip (voucher) for students to take the transit to and from school.
What meal options are available?
Meal options are available through the El Dorado County Office of Education Kitchen. Meals are free for all students.