MIDDLE SCHOOL
The College Park Academy middle school curriculum is designed to encourage student growth. CPA structures courses during this time around developing interests and discovering learning styles.
Middle school students begin to understand the ways they learn best, and we encourage and facilitate the exploration of these different learning styles and offer opportunities to customize learning around each students’ individual needs.
Curriculum
Art and Music
College Park Academy provides for our students a robust education where they can grow and develop their hobbies and interests while mastering core, academic subjects as well. For our students, we offer as many electives as they want including AP Art History, Digital Photography, Living Music I and II, Introduction to Graphic Design I and II, Fundamentals to Art, and Introduction to Drawing.
As part of CPA plus, we offer several music and art courses after school, including woodwind choir (flute, clarinet, saxophone, double reeds), Glee club, Step and Dance, creative writing, cosmetology, art box club and more. Our students are motivated and creative and we provide them with outlets to express themselves and create.
Athletics
College Park Academy created the hashtag #smallbutmighty to describe our athletic department.
While small in size, CPA Athletic teams are determined, powerful, and committed to success both on the field and off.
We recognize that sports provide an effective opportunity for students to learn skills needed for athletic success such as teamwork, communication, and commitment, which are all valuable for success in life as well.
CPA Athletics offers basketball and volleyball for boys, girls, high school, and middle school students. Our interscholastic teams compete in sports games with surrounding schools, providing our students the opportunity to participate in friendly competition and exercise while developing their team-building skills, creating strong social bonds, and developing their hobbies and interests outside of academics.
CPA hopes to offer soccer next semester, and soon after, cross country and track and field based on student interest surveys and faculty coaching capabilities.
College Counseling
Our counselors work closely with students during their time at College Park Academy to identify schools they want to apply to, walk them through the application process, and learn and experience various college programs to help them decide what they want to study.
We encourage students to take advantage of CPA counselors’ extensive knowledge about university programs and application processes by scheduling counseling sessions where they can discuss one-on-one their interests, questions, and concerns regarding college. Counselors keep students on track to graduate on time with good grades and prepare them for their next steps after graduation.
CPA schedules yearly College and Career Readiness Fairs where representatives come from various schools to meet and greet with students, showcase different programs they offer and form connections with our students.
Every year, University of Maryland representatives host a presentation at CPA to untangle the application process and answer any questions students may have. CPA and UMD partnership also works together to plan field trips for students to visit different UMD departments, meet college students and ask questions, and experience University of Maryland’s campus in action. CPA employs liaison connections between CPA and UMD to speak with students and identify any potential departments they are interested in visiting, connect them with staff and UMD students who act as another resource in easing them into their futures in college environments.
Foreign Languages
College Park Academy puts an emphasis on the study of foreign languages. We currently offer 4 languages including Spanish, German, French, and American Sign Language.
In sixth grade, all students take face-to-face Spanish to develop a foundational understanding of foreign languages.
Studies have shown that students who are exposed to world languages at a young age have an advantage when it comes to learning any subject. Language also comes quicker to young minds so at College Park Academy, we challenge our middle schoolers to begin their foreign language studies sooner in the hopes that they will develop a deeper understanding.
After their first year studying Spanish, students can choose which language to learn in subsequent years. Foreign languages are taught online which allows students to slow their lessons when grammar becomes more difficult, or rewatch instruction to ensure full digestion and understanding of units before moving to the next. The ability to speed and slow instruction is really important in terms of learning world language because languages are built up of layers and understanding each lesson is crucial to advancing to the next.
Electives
College Park Academy provides our students the opportunity to explore their interests and hobbies by choosing electives from an extensive list which includes humanities, fine art, finance, business, test prep, medical studies, world languages, technology education and a variety of AP elective courses.
The Advanced Placement courses offered at CPA include Art History, Biology, Computer Science JAVA, Microeconomics/Macroeconomics, Research, Spanish, Psychology, Human Geography and Computer Science Principles.
Categorized under Business Electives, we offer Business Communications, Business Law, Business Information Systems, Business Math, Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship, International Business, Intro to Business, Principles of Management, and Leadership and Supervision in Business.<br><br>
For Continuing Technology Education (CTE), we offer Concepts of Technology and Engineering, Introduction to Computer Applications, Java Programming, Web Design, Intro to Graphic Design and Game Design.
Some more courses offered include Journalism, Intro to Astronomy, Criminal Investigation, Forensic Science, Intro to Homeland Security, and many more. Click here for the full list of courses offered at CPA
STEM
College Park Academy recognizes that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) grows increasingly important in modern society, education, and careers. CPA provides an extensive selection of STEM courses and extra-curricular activities to ensure our students receive cutting-edge and innovative education.
For core math courses, we offer Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, AP Calculus and AP Statistics. Core science courses include Environmental Science, Physics, AP Biology, and AP Environmental Science. In these core science classes, teachers make use of the natural world around the school to further develop understanding and connection to real-world science.
Students observe wildlife around the school and make observations and hypotheses. Studying nature alongside classroom theory provides for a real-world understanding that emphasizes the importance of science.
