Frequently Asked Questions
The official uniform consists of khaki bottoms and a red polo with the CCA-CFA embroidered logo tucked in with a black or brown belt. Socks/tights/leggings must be black or white.
A charter school is a public school that operates independently of the local county school board.
Charter schools are funded with county, state, and federal tax dollars. We receive an allotment per enrolled student that is usually less than the local district schools.
As a public charter school, yes, we are required to follow the Common Core State Standards. We use the Core Knowledge curriculum, which is aligned to the Common Core, to make sure we meet the requirements of the Common Core.
As a public North Carolina school, we are required to give all of the state mandated tests. In addition to those, starting in Kindergarten, we give students the NWEA MAP, a computer adaptive test that measures growth over time.
NC charter schools report directly to the State and must meet the State’s performance goals and demonstrate financial responsibility or they will be closed. In exchange for a higher level of accountability, charter schools have some freedoms that local district schools do not have. CCA teachers are at-will employees and we do not strictly follow the state salary schedules. We also have more freedom in how we spend our state money. While not all charter school teachers are required to be certified, all Cornerstone teachers are currently certified or actively working towards certification.
Every grade has 20 minutes of recess every day, even on PE days.
CCA has a computer lab that students use to take the NWEA MAP tests. Students in older grades may use the computer lab as part of their instruction at the teacher’s discretion. With parental permission, students are allowed to bring cell phones and e-readers to school. A permission form signed by the parent and the student must be on file in the office. Technology, while a valuable tool, is not the focus of CCA.
Students have five specials: art, music, PE, Library, and Spanish. The specials rotate daily, which means students go to each special at least once a week.
We currently offer Spanish in all grades. We currently have Spanish & French in HS. As we grow may incorporate Latin into the high school grades.
Yes, library is a special. It is part of the weekly rotation for K–5.
Students generally eat lunch in their classrooms.
Students may purchase hot lunches from our PTO five days a week. They may also purchase milk every day. Both lunches and milk must be ordered a month in advance. On days when hot lunch is not offered or purchased, students must bring their own bag lunch.
We have five teacher assistants that are shared between grade levels. The kindergarten teachers share one assistant. The 1st grade teachers share 1 assistant. Grades 2 & 3 share an assistant, grades 4 & 5 share an assistant, and the MS has an assistant.
While our resources are not as vast as some district schools, we are committed to giving all of our students the best education possible. We have two highly qualified, experienced, full time Exceptional Children teachers who serve our EC population.
Enrollment to CCA is based on a blind lottery process outlined by State Statutes. Applications are available on our website and in the school office. To be part of the lottery, applications must be in the office by the deadline posted on the application each year. The lottery will be is held the month following the deadline on the application and is also posted on the applications.
The chances of getting an invitation to enroll in Cornerstone will vary depending on the number of returning students, the number of siblings of current students, and the number of applications received. We expect to have a lottery for each grade and will establish a waiting list for each grade through the lottery process. As new spots become available we will pull names off of the waiting list to fill those spots. We will continue to fill open spots from the waiting list through the end of the first semester.
