Students
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Students
DETERMINING THE STARTING POINT
With a clear target in mind, we will turn to where the student’s readiness and instructional levels are currently.
Transcript review
Prior learning experiences will be reviewed to see what courses and learning experiences each student has already completed. This will inform, but not dictate our starting point for each student entering Carpe Diem.
Instructional level assessment
Each entering student will be given the NWEA-MAP assessment series including math, reading, language usage, and science to establish the instructional level of the student. This information will inform, but not dictate our starting point for each student entering Carpe Diem.
Creating the personal education plan
Based on information about long term life aspirations and current instructional level of each student, a long term personal education plan will be developed. This will be guided by the principal and informed by the faculty. Students will qualify to pursue one of three academies to meet their educational goals.
Flight Academy
The Flight Academy is designed for students who have chosen a post-secondary pathway that leads directly to the work force. Students in this academy will be challenged to explore all the career options available upon graduation and their rigorous course of study is devoted to ensuring they will be successful in any career path.
Soar Academy
The Soar Academy is designed for students who have chosen a post-secondary pathway that leads to a public four year or community college, military, and/or the career technical fields. Students in this academy will be challenged through a rigorous curriculum to completing high school with a diploma as well as a certification in their career field of interest.
Falcon Academy
The Falcon Academy is designed for students who have chosen a post-secondary pathway that leads to a public/private four year college and will graduate with the Ohio Honors Diploma. Students in this academy will be challenged with rigorous curriculum on campus and at other college
institutions throughout their high school years. Students in this academy should be prepared to participate in dual enrollment by at least their sophomore year of high school.
Special needs review
For students with disabilities, the individual education plan (IEP) will be reviewed as per legal requirements. Where applicable, the IEP will dictate specific course placements and procedures.
THE CARPE DIEM LEARNING EXPERIENCE
The Carpe Diem learning experience is different than a typical school experience. It is student-centered and success oriented. It provides flexibility for each student to achieve their dreams regardless of where they start their educational journey.
Personalized
Each student embarks on an a personalized educational plan. This begins with our assessing each student as to their knowledge and skill levels, their life interests, and their learning style. A customized learning experience is then created and the student embarks on a challenging journey towards graduation and is equipped with the necessary tools to be successful in ANY of their post-secondary pursuits.
The pace at which a student completes courses will be based on their graduation and life goals, not semesters or grade levels. A long term personal education plan will determine the pace at which each student must complete coursework, projects, and learning experiences.
Projects, community engagement, and career exploration are based on individual student interest.
Progress is based on accomplishment, not time.
Mastery-based
In a typical educational setting, students would take coursework on a set time schedule and earn credit for successfully completing coursework on the basis of a passing grade (usually a D or higher) and specified length of class time (usually a semester or a year).
Instead of taking this approach, Carpe Diem believes in mastery-based learning. Mastery-based learning changes this in several ways.
Mastery-based means
A student earns credit for a course when they prove mastery of the content at 75% mastery level.
Anything less than C work will not be accepted and the student must continue to work toward mastery. This may mean remaining in a course for longer periods of time.
Student failure is only temporary. If a student fails to prove mastery at an A, B, or C level, they are redirected to new learning experiences until they can prove mastery.
Progress through “grade levels” such as moving from the 8th grade to the 9th grade is based on mastery of required coursework. Proof of mastery at the A and B level in required coursework is required to advance in addition to prescribed benchmarks being met on the NWEA-MAP.
Grades are based on key proof of mastery points including cumulative exams, quizzes, assignments, projects, and other appropriate assessments.
ASSESSMENT
Carpe Diem is a personalized learning model using assessment and anecdotal information to target the unique instructional needs of each student. We are not “data-driven” but “student centric,” using this information to enable teachers to customize student learning experiences and, in turn, empower students to engage in demanding, but not overwhelming educational experiences.
We use various assessments to help determine student readiness and instructional level.
Please note: Carpe Diem students advance to the next grade level or graduate based on learning success, not seat time. This means a student can be promoted before the end of a year of school. It also means a student may not be promoted after a year if they have not successfully proven they have learned required material.
Assessment types include:
1. Placement/progress – These assessments occur before students are enrolled in courses. These are also used to adjust the personal education plan over time. The primary placement assessment is the (NWEA-MAP). The NWEA-MAP assessment is also used to determine student learning growth or progress over time.
2. Diagnostic/formative – These assessments occur during instruction. They are quizzes, homework, and other faculty created methods to determine the status of student progress. These assessments are for student, parent, and faculty use to make decisions about the instructional process
3. Summative – These assessments are used after instruction to determine whether or not the student has mastered the desired concepts, skills, and content. These assessments are used to determine course completion (including earning of credit), promotion, and graduation. Final skills assessments (FSAs), cumulative final examinations, ACT/SAT, Work Keys, industry credential
assessments, and state mandated standardized assessments are examples of summative assessments.
Assessment schedule
NWEA-MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments are administered three times per year in math, reading, science, and language usage. The MAP assessment is a computerized adaptive assessment program that provides Carpe Diem educators with the information they need to improve teaching and
learning and to make student-focused, data-driven decisions.
Students will also take the state mandated Ohio State Tests and End of Course Exams. Please check the current school calendar for dates. Yearly testing is necessary to measure a student’s academic accomplishment. Please strive to have your student at school during all testing dates.
Personalized Education Experience Development
As students enter Carpe Diem Preparatory Academy, they will go through the following process to determine their customized educational experience. This entire process is managed by the Carpe Diem staff. Parents are encouraged to participate at key points.
Determining career and college plans
This process helps us set the long term aspirations of a student and, in turn, set an “educational target” for success that makes sense to the student and their parents.
Completing a career inventory
Each student will do an initial career interest inventory. This process will help the student begin to think about what they want to do as adults to create wealth for themselves, their families, and their communities. Career decisions are dynamic and will probably change over time. This initial process will be used to better understand each student’s current aspirations.
Establishing initial life aspirations and education requirements
Based on each student’s career aspiration, a target graduation date and a sense of the post-high school learning experiences will be used to establish target learning levels. In no case will the student’s goals be set at less than college and career ready levels. This target will also anticipate the desired year of graduation.
Student Resources
Preparation for Your Future
Preparation for Your Future
Dual Enrollment
Our partnership with Cincinnati State Technical and Community College allows our students to take college courses while still enrolled full-time in high school, giving them dual credit for taking one course.
On average, our classes graduate with more than 80 college credits, which can be applied to degrees at two- or four-year colleges or universities. For more information, please contact our Director of Student Services, Vickie Johnson, at vickie.johnson@cincyls.org.
Capstone Program
Every trimester our students enter the workplace to experience different career paths and learn about professionalism. This program is designed to encourage students, who already succeed academically, to think critically, solve problems, and develop career skills like time management and leadership.
We are always looking for exceptional businesses or organizations to host our students. Please contact our director of student services, Vickie Johnson, for more information at vickie.johnson@cincyls.org.
Getting Involved
Getting Involved
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities are a great way for students to get involved with school, build new friendships and gain experience for their résumés. All students in good academic standing can participate in extracurricular activities. Please contact the organization advisor for more information.
Below are some of the engaging extracurricular activity options at Carpe Diem Preparatory Academy, along with their respective organization advisor.
- Band - TBA
- Chess Club - Mrs. Vickie Johnson
- G.E. LIFT - Mr. Andrew Butler
- High School Senate - Mrs. Tyree Gaines
- Ladies of Purpose - Ms. Edna Gibbs
- Men of Valor - Mr. Lee Sanders
- Middle School Senate - Mrs. Yvonne Threat
- School Photography Team – TBA
- Science Club - Mr. Andrew Butler
- Student Ambassadors - TBA
- Yearbook Staff - Mrs. Lindsay Herrmann
