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Hybrid High School Pathway of TCS

CCPA is a Tuition-Free Charter School

Enroll Today for '25-'26

Cottonwood College Prep Academy: A Tuition-free, Hybrid High School Pathway of The Cottonwood School

We pride ourselves on being an interdisciplinary, project-based, Montessori-inspired pathway of TCS that encourages
exploration, collaboration, and creativity. We serve El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Cameron Park, Granite Bay, Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, and Placerville.

School Information

Learn more about what makes Cottonwood College Prep Academy a great place to get an education.

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Design Thinking

Design thinking in a high school involves a problem-solving approach where students empathize with users, define issues, ideate solutions, prototype designs, and test them iteratively, fostering creativity and innovation within the educational setting. It encourages students to tackle challenges collaboratively, think critically, and apply interdisciplinary skills to address real-world problems effectively.

Montessori quote

CCPA Mission and Vision

 

MISSION (The HOW): CCPA, influenced by Montessori principles, provides an innovative, rigorous, self-exploring education through experiential learning, design thinking, and meaningful interdisciplinary studies cultivating a growth mindset.

 

VISION (The WHY): CCPA’s vision is to guide our student community to love learning, to profoundly contribute to our diverse world, and to lead lives of achievement.

CCPA Calendar of Events

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Cottonwood College Prep Academy:

A Hybrid High School Pathway of The Cottonwood School

Cottonwood College Prep Academy (CCPA) is an optional hybrid high school pathway of TCS located in the Buckeye Union School District in El Dorado Hills. CCPA is a hybrid pathway that includes in-person instruction in English, Science, Social Science, Video Productions, and mandatory online courses in Mathematics and World Language. Our pathway incorporates Design Thinking, emphasizing the creation and testing of innovative solutions to tackle complex, unfamiliar challenges. Students will actively participate in hands-on activities such as prototyping, robotics, Model UN simulations, and theater as well as engage in mentorships and internships to further develop their skills and real-world experience. 

Reviews

“My daughter is a couple weeks away from completing her freshman year of high school at Cottonwood College Prep Academy, and we couldn’t be happier! I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for an alternative to the traditional large high schools. 

The classes are well thought out, and an interdisciplinary approach with real-life application makes them interesting — my daughter didn’t use any textbooks this year, and the content felt exceptionally current. For example: the students spent a couple months learning about food. This was examined from a multitude of angles; they read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan, they learned about worldwide food origins, they designed and built their own garden planter boxes after testing them on a 3D printer, they studied the food shortage crisis in Venezuela, and more. This same multi-pronged approach was given to the subject of artificial intelligence, and students studied the AI policies of various governments and educational institutions, debated the benefits and drawbacks, and ultimately crafted a policy for the school and presented it to members of the community. 

The teachers and principal, Dr. Beeson, have been amazing; they’re very supportive and have taken the time to get to know my daughter. The school has enough students for friendships to form and collaborative projects to be successful, while being small enough that nobody gets lost in the crowd. Aside from the educational content, my daughter and I have both been very happy with the schedule (4 days a week), the physical space (newly designed and beautiful, with a variety of workspaces), the extra-curricular choices (plenty of options meeting after school), and the daily variety (not the same agenda every day). This school is a real gem, and I’m grateful that my daughter is part of it!”

For my daughter’s sophomore year, I transferred her from the public school system to CCPA. My daughter was extremely shy, but with all the one-on-one help and support from all the teachers, she never had a chance to fall through the cracks. She was able to stay after school and get the support she needed. My daughter received the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma upon graduation. She has overcome her shyness and grown into a self-sufficient adult working in retail while pursuing her college degree in nursing. I owe the CCPA teachers and staff all the credit. 

My daughter is a high school freshman at the Cottonwood College Prep Academy. She has gone from dreading school, to being fully engaged. She participates in Model UN, has presented on behalf of her school to the School Board, and is content to be on site in the environment they’ve created.

What’s Happening

illustration of CCPA owl logo dressed in construction clothes and wearing a yellow hard hat and holding a sign that says SLO DOWN in the middle of a roadway winding through rolling green hills

Our students craft engaging “SLO Down” slides each week, by each selecting one of our Student Learner Outcomes (SLOs) as a framework for the content of their slide. Each slide spotlights the SLO as it relates to a current event or a personal interest. These slides serve as a visually captivating platform, illustrating the richness of our educational experiences!

Step into the vibrancy of daily life at CCPA. In our state-of-the art facility students engage in interdisciplinary projects that are designed to assist students in developing their collaborative and critical-thinking skills. These photos highlight the collaborative nature of student projects and our facility. 

Social Studies Happenings

Nov 1, 2024

Criminology students practiced their artistry by creating inkblot paintings (the type of images used in the famous Rorschach Test). They then discussed the efficacy of the Rorschach test, and began to consider the overarching concept of using psychological theories to...

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Cash for College Winter Workshops

Oct 30, 2024

Cash For College workshops will be held at various high schools in the greater Sacramento area from Tuesday, December 3 until Thursday, February 27. These workshops will guide students through completing the FAFSA, the Dream Act, or the Chafee Grant applications....

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Sacramento Trades Day!

Oct 21, 2024

Our students recently attended the Sacramento Trades Day Expo, where they had the chance to explore various trade careers through interactive, hands-on demonstrations. They learned about fields like construction, welding, roofing, and electrical work by using real...

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High School Interdisciplinary Projects

Oct 16, 2024

Interdisciplinary projects integrate knowledge and skills from various subject areas to tackle complex topics and real-world challenges. Rather than focusing on one subject, these projects encourage students to connect fields such as science, history, literature, and...

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