One Spark Academy

FAQs

Thank you for your questions! We keep discovering more ways to clarify what we are doing, and we are learning as well!

1) Your sessions are each 8 weeks, but the subject matter appears to be yearly. Is it assumed that a family will take the class for all 4 sessions, or is each course condensed to cover more material? There are many reasons for 8 weeks sessions. Short sessions provide more opportunities to re-evaluate the needs of our growing community, and add courses as needed. Being teachers, we do see the value in offering courses that build upon each other, so a homeschool student who registers for a course like Language Arts all year will get what equates to an “almost” full-year curriculum in that subject. Participants coming in mid year benefit from starting upcoming sessions with peers. 

2) Have you been approved as a vendor by Golden Valley Charter (so families can get financial assistance if they are part of that program)? We have just been approved by Golden Valley Charter School as an approved vendor. Our Teen Center enrichment courses are run by the CRPD (Conejo Recreation and Park District). The CRPD is also an approved vendor for GVCS.

3) Curious as to whether you are asking your families to file a PSA or will you be acting as the private school yourself and keeping records? At this time, families need to either sign up with a public homeschool charter, or file a PSA. We are not  considering becoming a private school, nor do we focus on advising families about their homeschool options and requirements. We’ve  already had many requests to expand what we offer to a greater age range, but we cannot offer classes to participants younger than 6th grade while at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center.Check out the enrollment link on the website. As a privately funded learning center, we can eliminate many superfluous forms and policies that would create more regulation. And, with programs like Ivy Tech working with us to provide full online curriculums and positive, aligned support, we can help families create a educational program that is suited for their child’s needs.

4) Why not start after Labor Day? While renting the Thousand Oaks Teen Center during non-operational hours, we must adhere to the schedule of the local district, as local students use the center when those schools are not in session. We also have 8-week sessions, and two 8-week sessions can only fit in before winter break if we start before Labor Day. 

5) Why only 32 weeks, when the traditional school year is 38 weeks? First off, it’s important to note that we are not a school. We are a learning center that offers both core instruction (by trained educators) and enrichment courses (by experts in their field) to 6th/7th/8th grade homeschool students (ages 11-14 during the academic year), but no mandated curriculum or required course of study. Homeschool families can also use those extra weeks for whichever learning activities they see fit. Plus there’s this: in a school, there are typically 180 days and 54,000 minutes of instruction. Do you know of a student who spends all that time at school and doesn’t complete much quality work? Hopefully, in 32 weeks, participants in our courses will produce a tremendous amount of quality work because they are excited about learning.

6) How come only 4 days a week? Since we don’t aim to offer all the courses middle school students might need (according to state standards), parents can use Fridays for other hands-on activities and day trips, or catch up on independent projects or interests. We will also work with families to offer field trips or community activities on Fridays. 

7) Why are you not a school? We provide the quality instruction some families may need to support a very individualized homeschool plan for their child. Depending on the family, that may be a lot or a little in terms of OSA courses. Since we are, essentially, “community courses”, each child’s plan can be very flexible and individualized, while schools are bound by many regulations that make them less flexible and create a lot of extra work for teachers and administrators. If a homeschool student takes classes with us M-TH during a session, they may consider us their school, since they can be with us and their peers from 9:00-2:30 (or, since it is the Teen Center, stay longer for free if they are 7th grade and older). Our instructors are credentialed educators who have taught in classrooms and understand how to teach and how to differentiate to meet the needs of various learners. And, each session offers the basics: math, reading, writing, social sciences, maybe science courses, and other important subjects to choose from; participants can also spend some of their time onsite working independently on their homeschool curriculum. Since parents are responsible for their child’s overall curriculum (either on their own or with a homeschool supervisor), or even whether their children take state tests, the instructors at One Spark are freed up to just focus on sharing our passion for the subject we teach, and teaching your children well!

8 ) Why is enrollment so limited? Well, we are brand new and want to make sure we take baby steps and provide a quality service. No point in growing otherwise. We will cap at about 40 students, although the physical education and ballroom dancing (Session 4) class can hold a large group of 20 kids. Our current location provides us 4 small classrooms fitting about 8-15 kids each (and we want small classes!), a wonderful gym, a prep kitchen, bathrooms and lockers for participants to keep their things. We can get creative by using extra space in the game room, or the Thousand Oaks Library. As we get to know the students and assess their needs, we will see where we can ebb and flow.

9) What do the fees cover? Rent, our instructors at an hourly rate, materials, food, and business services (like insurance). We have asked for the least amount of money to support what we do. We hope to not have to raise our rates. So, in order to keep great instructors, parents can help defray costs by helping out on field trips, fundraisers, or especially during lunch time clean up. Additionally, it’s important to note that the registration fees for classes are reduced if taking more than one class, or if combined in a “flex plan” package, offered each session. 

10) Will you offer Circle in your program? If you’re not sure what Circle is, it is a time for a group to literally sit in a circle and discuss what matters to them, while learning effective communication skills. It’s a time for problem solving, group think, and sharing. Very powerful! A few of us at OSA have been trained to lead Circle and, yes, Circle is held daily from 10:45-11:00 (we call this time “Community Connection”). We will also use conflict resolution strategies daily, creating a better space for collaborative learning. Collaboration, effective communication and the development of social skills contribute to the wellness of the whole child, and are integral to our philosophy.

Do you have more questions? Please post them below!