WHAT DOES FAQ STAND FOR ANYWAY?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!

Included on this page you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.  This will be a quick reference, and will hopefully get you started as you explore the option of enrolling in the Colorado Springs Early Colleges.  As is always the case, there are some questions that are too complex to answer here.  And there are other questions that are so unique that you will not find the answers here either.  In any case, if you still have questions, call us, or better yet, come to one of our Informational Meetings where you can get your questions answered, and hear a lot of other questions you may have never thought to ask.

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) Just what if Flex Period?

Flex Period was designed to accomplish three things: develop community, teach a college level class called “Creating Academic and Professional Success”, and provide for Academic Advising.   First on the list was to develop community.  We knew, well before the kids ever arrived, that with students coming from such great diversity (home school, public school, many widely varied neighborhoods, cultures, and families), we would have to work hard to break the natural barriers that would exist between our students and even our staff.  We knew that building community among our students and staff would be as rare as it would be difficult.  Hence, the very first thing we did was institute a variety of activities in Flex Period – with the sole purpose of building community.  We used games, discussions, stories and more to move our students to a place where they could transcend the petty issues that might keep them apart. 

I knew we had begun to make progress when, as I was crossing campus, I saw a group of students that spanned many cultures and neighborhoods, playing a game together that they had learned in flex period – without any teachers present.  This trend continues.  On our Club Signup Day I saw – not a group of students – but a big family gathered together to find opportunities to be together in many different clubs.  And – that is what clubs are to be about – building community.  There is no better way to build community than to do so within the sense of projects we accomplish together. 

As to goal one, we have made a great start.  There is magic beginning to happen among our students, found in the form of new friendships.  There is a miracle we are about to witness – found in the new family beginning to form in our midst.

Equally important as goal one is the academic content we have begun to roll out within our Flex Period.  A major component of Flex Period will be to satisfy the curriculum specified in the CTU college course numbered INTD 111, worth 3 semester hours credit, called Creating Academic and Professional Success.  This course is required for every degree offered here at CTU.  It is also a requirement for all associate degrees offered at PPCC.  To quote CTU’s own course description, “This course introduces students to the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for academic, work, and life related success.  The course has been designed to help students acquire, develop, and utilize basic learning and learning how to learn, critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation methods and practices which will allow them to formulate reasonable alternative, hypotheses, and/or premises for academic, social, and professional use.  A clear, precise, fair, and unbiased approach to analysis, evaluation, problem-solving, and decision-making activities is emphasized and promoted.”

We have begun to roll out suggested content for meeting the goals and objectives of this course.  This will become a most predominant component of the flex period over the next several weeks.  The way we’ll work awarding credit for this course is quite creative.  We will not award the credit until it is required for us to do so.  So, when we encounter a student that will graduate with an Associate’s Degree, when they are ready to graduate – we’ll then pay for and recognize completing of the course.

Our third component is that of student advising.  It is our goal to meet with every student at least once every two weeks to review their academic progress, and assign corrective actions where necessary.

If I could summarize, it would be to say that there was some great thinking behind the creation of Flex Period.  We have made significant progress on creating community within our school.  We are already in process of delivering the academic content that will earn our students 3 semester hours of college credit when they graduate with an Associates Degree.  And our students have already begin to receive the vital advice and encouragement they need from their faculty advisor.

2) Are you going to include classes in Drama or Music in your school?

Not as a regularly scheduled high school class.  Our students may participate in college level courses in the fine arts as taught at UCCS, PPCC, or CTU.  And if we find a significant interest in the fine arts in our freshmen and sophomores, we may use some of the time in our "Flex Periods" to hold classes of interest to our students.  We are also willing to utilize some of our Intramural Events to host an Art Contest, a concert, or a play.  Be sure to let us know of your interest in one or more of these types of classes.

3) Will you hold dances, like Prom or Homecoming?

Since we will not have a competitive football team, there is no reason to hold a "homecoming" dance.  But, that doesn't mean we cannot find another reason to hold a dance.  In fact, if our students are interested, we are willing to sponsor dances as a part of our Intramural Program.  Why, who knows, we may even sponsor a "Ballroom Dance" competition at one of these events!

4) I have some very specific questions, how do I get them answered?

Please contact one of us on the staff of the Early Colleges and we'll either arrange a personal appointment for you to get answers to your questions, or try to answer your questions by phone or email.