- Is Cedar River Academy associated with a specific religion or church?
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Cedar River Academy is a non-sectarian private
school and is not associated with a particular religion or church.
Our mission is to provide an advanced educational environment for
all children from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. We are
now accepting applications from students from pre-kindergarten
through grade three.
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- Is Cedar River Academy accredited?
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Yes, Cedar River Academy is an
approved/accredited private school by the Washington State Office
of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. All of our teachers
are certified by the State of Washington, degreed and are involved
in ongoing professional development programs to ensure utilization
of current research in our instructional programs.
- What standards does Cedar River Academy base their curriculum on?
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Cedar River Academy's dedication to academic
excellence lead us to expand and augment published Washington
State standards to define instructional standards specifically for
our program. Cedar River Academy's clear and consistent standards
allow students to continuously progress towards mastery of both
content and skills. These standards are aligned with carefully
created instructional plans and assessment processes.
- How many days a year is Cedar River Academy in session?
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While other schools teach approximately
180 days during nine month programs, Cedar River Academy
holds classes approximately 190 days during a ten month
program. This allows our children to take part in many real
world experiences that connect with their classroom learning.
- How is Cedar River Academy different from other schools?
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Cedar River Academy teachers and administrators
collaborate to develop integrated instructional plans and
to define unique activities for individual students. We are
able to monitor each student's performance against a specific
standard and then develop individualized instructional plans.
Our teachers instruct and encourage each student to excel in
every area of study. Our individualized & balanced reading
program is designed to accelerate skills and comprehension.
This type of instruction is possible because of the low number
of students assigned to a teacher; 10 students in pre-kindergarten
and 16 students from kindergarten through grade twelve.
Starting in pre-kindergarten, students spend a
portion of every day in a fine arts program that is integrated
with their classroom instruction plans. Our fine arts program
includes dance, drama, landscaping, music, visual art, and much
more. Cedar River Academy students don't just learn about art;
they experience it as artists.
Cedar River Academy is committed to preparing
our students to think globally. Not only do we teach students
the skills they need to become global citizens, we provide daily
instruction in Spanish, beginning with pre-kindergarten. Every
student is expected to become fluent in English and Spanish. As
we grow, we will add other language learning opportunities.
Our students also take part in cultural studies and multicultural
literature is incorporated throughout our programs.
- Is Cedar River Academy involved in the community?
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Commitment to families and community is
an integral component in every Cedar River Academy program.
Community evenings where parents, teachers, and management
discuss education and child development related topics. Cedar
River Academy views itself as a contributer to the community in
which it is located and we are committed to being a good neighbor.
- Do students get any real-world experiences?
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Children and adults learn best when they
participate in real-world activities. Cedar River Academy
students make numerous excursions to places that extend their
learning about the core themes of their classroom studies.
These "Being-There" experiences include attendance
at regional events, trips to libraries, museums, zoos, parks,
Seattle Science Center, Tacoma Waterfront, and many other places
in western Washington. These excursions expand and intensify
classroom learning.
- What about Physical Education?
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Physical health is very important for everyone
and Cedar River Academy emphasizes physical activity in its core
programs. Physical eduction components include sports
and outdoor learning. The classrooms are organized to allow
students to move around rather than spend significant parts of
the day sitting at a desk.
- What about Technology?
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Cedar River Academy recognizes that technology
is an important part of our culture today, and we integrate it
into our lesson plans regularly. From first grade on, our
students use technology as part of their daily routine to
re-enforce basic skills and to explore content. They use office
automation tools to publish their stories.
Cedar River Academy equips each classroom with one or more
computers, and have more available, so that the students can
learn how to use technology as part of their daily lives.
Teachers plan age appropriate explorations in their lesson plans.
Cedar River Academy uses technology to provide
support to teachers and administrative staff. Currently, our
staff has developed an integrated curriculum and instruction
management system to facilitate continuous program improvement.
- What is the campus like?
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Currently, classes are held in the
J.J. Smith Elementary building leased
from the Enumclaw School District. In this facility, the large
classrooms are configured to maximize active learning. Our
expansive and well equipped playground and auditorium/gymnasium
are used to extend classroom activities.
- Are there plans for expansion?
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Cedar River Academy curricula is defined as three segments:
elementary school for grades pre-kindergarten through 5th grade;
middle school for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades; and high school for
9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. For the 2009/2010 academic
year, we offer pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
4th, and 5th grade
programs. These programs will be extended each year to include
higher grade levels. The minimum requirement for an additional
class is five students. The maximum number of students in upper
grades is sixteen students. Some classes within a curricula
segment will include multiple grade level students to maximize
the effectiveness of the program. Mixed grade-level classes
will not generally span defined curricula segments (a 5th grade
student will generally not be included in a middle school class).
We will expand the program as rapidly as enrollment and facility
capacity allow.
Cedar River Academy's campus development project
will support 250 students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.
The facility will include approximately 52,000 square feet of
floor space where classrooms will be configured like our current
environment. The new campus
will also include an expansive, well
equipped playground, sports fields, an auditorium/gymnasium, and
a Family/Consumer Science building dedicated to the development
of practical living skills such as culinary arts, construction,
home repair, mechanics, and technology.
- What is the Admissions Process?
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Our admissions process is not complex.
Prospective students spend a day in a Cedar River Academy
classroom to determine compatibility between the school, the
student, and his or her family. No achievement or IQ testing is
conducted to limit enrollment. When a mutual enrollment decision
is made the parent will complete an Enrollment Application and
submit it to our admissions department.
- What is the tuition at Cedar River Academy?
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Currently, Cedar River Academy tuition is $8,320
per year when prepaid. Other payment schedules are available,
increasing the tuition slightly.
Tuition includes all academic related expense except for required
student uniforms, a modest number of school supplies, and extended
day services. Multi-student families receive a discount of 10%
for each additional child. Enrollment is open until we reach
student capacity.
- Does Cedar River Academy offer transportation?
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Cedar River Academy's current capacity for
transportation is fully booked. Although we are not able to
currently offer additional transportation services, long term
plans do include transportation from Maple Valley and Black
Diamond.
- Does Cedar River Academy offer before or after school care?
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Cedar River Academy takes advantage of the close proximity of
Kid's B.A.S.E. that provides state licensed
child care for children ages 5 to 12. Kid's B.A.S.E.
before and after school program involves diverse
learning opportunities provided in a creative, interactive
learning environment designed to inspire personal success and
engage children in life-long learning.
Kid's B.A.S.E. can be reached at (360) 825-8335.
Kid's B.A.S.E. follows the Enumclaw School District's calendar
which differs from the Cedar River Academy calendar. On these
occasions, Cedar River Academy will help parents make needed
special arrangements. Please note that there are no Extended
Day Options through Cedar River Academy for students younger
than 5 years.
