User:Natsbats/sandbox/Cortona Academy

About
Cortona Academy is a private, college preparatory day school in Herndon, Virginia. It was founded in 1992 by Sharon Peruzzi Strauchs, is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, and a native of Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Strauchs has been the Director/Principal of Cortona Academy since its inception, and is the Lead Teacher.

Philosophy
Cortona Academy is a co-educational college preparatory and STEM + Humanities program serving grades 7-12. Cortona's philosophy is that students naturally reach their own level of potential if given the opportunity to work with teachers who are experts in their fields of study and who are highly experienced teachers of teenagers. Cortona's classes average a 4:1 student-teacher ratio and there is optional one-on-one tutoring available for remediation or for acceleration on-site. Since all teachers are professionals in their own fields, they also serve as mentors who guide students to internships, while focusing on improving grades, study skills, technological capabilities, and confidence.i

Academics
1. Rolling Admissions: Students may enter at any time during the school year

2. Merit-based college scholarships ranging from $40,000 to $110,000 for all graduates since 2007

3. Financial Aid: 80% of all Cortona Academy students receive merit or need-based financial aid upon completion of financial aid forms and submission.

4. Languages taught: Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin, and Italian

5. Courses offered: General Science, biology, chemistry, physics, plus all Humanities courses, electives, and math courses ranging from Basic Math through college-level Calculus, plus college, freshman year humanities courses. A.P. Courses and tests offered for most subjects

6. HTS-3 Study & Organization Skills are taught in all classes to ensure students are successful in school, college, and post-college programs.

7. Programs for the Gifted, ADHD, Dyslexia and other Learning Challenges are available on-site, all of which use HTS-3 to help students focus and process information in class, and with homework.

8. Homework “Lab” and on-site tutors are offered for every student, free of charge both during the school day, and after school, and until 5 p.m.

9. Students can earn transferable college credit while in high school. Students may dual register at local colleges and universities, and Cortona Academy creates a schedule around these off-site courses.

Summer Programs
1. Summer STEM, Arts & Academic Camp is for grades 4 – 9 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

2. Summer for the Gifted, Accredited Courses are offered for high school credit, grades 6 – 12

Campus & Student Life
1. Cortona's campus abuts a Nature Preserve and an Environmental Protection area for endangered species. Classes often are held at this park as well as in “The Quad”

2. The campus has a 5,000 square foot “Great Room” which contains Cortona's nine, 3D printers that students may use at their leisure, as well as for competitions and school projects, or for the Art, Music, and Design program.

3. Flexible Schedules: Parents and students choose courses and times of day for classes with special consideration given for family emergencies, travel and special camps that students may wish to attend that may occur during the regular school year. Classes are also scheduled around each student's special activities, such as competitive or travel sports, events and teams, off-site dramatic productions, and internships at businesses, colleges, or universities.

4. Emphasis is on fostering character and leadership in each student. Both on and off-site activities are chosen and organized by students. During the school year, approximately 20 field trips are arranged to cultural, athletic, and scientific venues in the DC Metro Area. Participation in these are part of Cortona Academy's Award Program, are documented on college application resumes, which is part of the college application process and which impacts upon Cortona Academy's 100% college acceptance rate since 2007.

5. Cortona Academy offers many extracurricular activities and projects such as cotillion, field trips, design, drama, and dance.

Sports
1. Sports Pavilion – Cortona Academy students use an adjacent three million dollar AstroTurf sports venue for soccer, basketball, baseball, and tennis.

2. Football and Basketball teams are available to all Cortona students. These teams compete in Northern Virginia with other private schools.

Notable Projects
1. In 2016, Cortona students built an underwater robot to help protect the coral reefs.