Cabot Panther Digital Academy

Cabot Panther Digital Academy (CPDA)

There will be a completely digital learning option available for all K-12 students who reside within the Cabot School District. This option should not be seen as a preferred model for all students, and families should consider the following, as well as other traits, that are critical to a successful digital learning experience for students. Students should be self-motivated, independent learners, efficient time managers, and strong communicators. Furthermore, we need to ensure that students who choose this option are computer literate, academically prepared, demonstrate a strong personal commitment to their educational future, and have the needed technology to participate in this learning type.

Families who select the CPS Panther Digital Academy (CPDA) must provide needed home support for their students in order to guide them through the education process. This support will likely be more significant and time-demanding for younger students. In grades K-2, our students focus deeply on learning foundational skills such as reading and number sense. As students develop and mature, less direct parental engagement should be needed for them to be successful as long as the student possesses independent study skills and the needed time management skills.

Students who are not on grade-level, require academic intervention, or special services may elect to participate in the CPDA, but are best served in our traditional blended learning environment, which will be our standard educational option as we move forward in the 2020-2021 school year. Students who choose the traditional blended learning model will be required to follow all safety regulations established by the district as directed by the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and our Governor.

The CPDA is a form of digital learning where content is delivered via the Internet to a digital device by an assigned Cabot teacher. This learning will be both synchronous (online) and asynchronous (offline) in nature and will allow families to work with our staff to learn on a schedule that best fits their personal needs. Examples of asynchronous learning include lessons on Google Classroom, email, discussion forums, message boards, pre-recorded videos, etc. Teachers will schedule frequent synchronous opportunities to communicate through Google Meet, phone calls, and other media in order to maintain the essential social and emotional development as well as to provide direct academic support for our students.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

Consistent and quality broadband internet is necessary for your student to have a successful digital learning environment. Students will be issued a Chromebook by the district for use in their education.

CURRICULUM

Unlike the 2019-20 AMI process due to COVID which focused on essential skills and practice, the CPDA will provide a more comprehensive and rigorous curriculum comparable to the curriculum taught in our traditional school environment. Students can expect to dedicate approximately three to five hours per day for instruction, which may include digital lessons, collaborative activities, and completion of tasks. The curriculum taught to students in grades K-6 will match the district’s traditional blended learning curriculum as closely as possible. The 7-12 curriculum will primarily be the APEX curriculum, which will be adapted and adjusted by our 7-12 teaching staff to best match what students in our traditional blended learning environment are receiving. Our desire is for students to progress through Arkansas State Learning Standards whether they are in our traditional blended learning environment or enrolled in the CPDA.

ASSESSMENT

All CPS students, whether in the CPDA or our traditional blended learning program, will participate in our district’s assessment system. Some of these tests will occur at a student’s school; others may be taken virtually. The following assessments are required of Cabot’s students:

MAP (K-2) Fall, Winter, Spring (At school administration)
MAP (3-10) Fall, Winter, Spring (At school or home administration)
MAP Fluency (K-5) (At school or home administration)
ACT Aspire (3-10) (At school administration)
ACT 11th (At school administration)
PAST (K-6 as needed) (At school administration)
DLM (3-10 as needed) (At school)
ELPA (K-12 as needed) (At school administration)

All students enrolled in the Cabot School District will have the opportunity to attend traditional blended in-person or digital learning. If conditions change based upon directives from ADH, the district may move a school, a classroom, or the entire district into a remote-learning situation where students would continue with their education.

It is important to note, whether families choose digital or traditional blended-learning, students and families should be prepared to complete the entire semester within that learning environment. District staffing will be set based upon student/parent response to digital learning and cannot be easily changed once school begins. However, please know that we will have systems in place to support students in their respective learning environments and intervene as best as possible. If it is in the student’s best academic interest to move from one environment to another, then we will work to ensure they are in the best situation. Parents/guardians must keep in mind that if a student returns to traditional blended learning from the CPDA, he/she will be placed where a class seat is available and it may not be their regularly zoned school.

UPDATED - Students enrolled in the CPDA may now participate in AAA sports/activities. For the complete list, click HERE. Please note, transportation to and from sports/activities is not provided for CPDA students.

CPDA students may NOT participate in certain electives/courses during the 2020-2021 school year as. 

Click HERE for a list of CPDA courses and electives offered.

Academic Center of Excellence (ACE) and ACE North Option

If your student is in grades 7-12 and still wishes to participate in the many electives and extracurricular activities available at Cabot High School, our Academic Center of Excellence (ACE) and/or ACE North would be great options for you!

ACE is our award-winning conversion charter school. ACE offers a digital curriculum to students in grades 7-12 in a more personal and smaller school atmosphere.

It is a perfect fit for students who work well in a self-directed environment and are highly motivated. With their assigned advisor, students and parents/guardians develop an individualized graduation plan.

The ACE program is housed at two separate locations. Each location serves students similarly, but each location is unique. These programs offer flexible schedules ranging from 9-12 hours of required seat time per week at ACE to a full-time schedule at ACE North (grades 9-12) which is housed on the Cabot High School campus.

Click HERE for a list of ACE courses and electives offered.

There is not a set deadline to apply for Academic Center of Excellence (ACE) or ACE North. If you would like more information or an application, please contact ACE Principal Carrie Lair (501-743-3520) Carrie.Lair@cabotschools.org or ACE North Principal Georgia Chastain (501-743-3546) Georgia.Chastain@cabotschools.org.

If you have any questions regarding the ACE, ACE North, or the Cabot Panther Digital Academy, please email: covid19questions@cabotschools.org. If you would like someone to call you back, please include your name, your student’s name, and your phone number in the email and a district employee will contact you as soon as possible to help answer your questions.