Cottonwood College Prep Academy: A Hybrid High School Pathway of The Cottonwood School

We pride ourselves on being an interdisciplinary, project-based, Montessori-inspired pathway of TCS that encourages
exploration, collaboration, and creativity.

School Information

Learn more about what makes Cottonwood College Prep Academy a great place to get an education.

College and Career Center

Get the information and tools to apply to college or prepare for a career after high school.

Design Thinking

Design thinking in a high school involves a problem-solving approach where students empathize with users, define issues, ideate solutions, prototype designs, and test them iteratively, fostering creativity and innovation within the educational setting. It encourages students to tackle challenges collaboratively, think critically, and apply interdisciplinary skills to address real-world problems effectively.

Montessori quote

CCPA Mission and Vision

 

MISSION (The HOW): CCPA, influenced by Montessori principles, provides an innovative, rigorous, self-exploring education through experiential learning, design thinking, and meaningful interdisciplinary studies cultivating a growth mindset.

 

VISION (The WHY): CCPA’s vision is to guide our student community to love learning, to profoundly contribute to our diverse world, and to lead lives of achievement.

CCPA Calendar of Events

Calendar of Events

S Sun

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

0 events,

3 events,

5 events,

4 events,

4 events,

1 event,

0 events,

0 events,

3 events,

5 events,

4 events,

4 events,

1 event,

0 events,

0 events,

3 events,

5 events,

4 events,

4 events,

1 event,

0 events,

0 events,

3 events,

5 events,

4 events,

4 events,

2 events,

0 events,

0 events,

3 events,

5 events,

4 events,

4 events,

1 event,

0 events,

Cottonwood College Prep Academy:

A Hybrid High School Pathway of The Cottonwood School

Cottonwood College Prep Academy (CCPA) is an optional hybrid high school pathway of TCS located in the Buckeye Union School District in El Dorado Hills. CCPA is a hybrid pathway that includes in-person instruction in English, Science, Social Science, Video Productions, and mandatory online courses in Mathematics and World Language. Our pathway incorporates Design Thinking, emphasizing the creation and testing of innovative solutions to tackle complex, unfamiliar challenges. Students will actively participate in hands-on activities such as prototyping, robotics, Model UN simulations, and theater as well as engage in mentorships and internships to further develop their skills and real-world experience. 

What’s Happening

Our students craft engaging “SLO Down” slides each week, by each selecting one of our Student Learner Outcomes (SLOs) as a framework for the content of their slide. Each slide spotlights the SLO as it relates to a current event or a personal interest. These slides serve as a visually captivating platform, illustrating the richness of our educational experiences!

Step into the vibrancy of CCPA’s new school facility that we proudly unveiled at the beginning of 2024. Students, faculty, and guests gathered to celebrate this monumental occasion with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony and exploration of state-of-the-art facilities. The photos featured here highlight some of our brand-new spaces designed to encourage creativity, collaboration, and innovation amongst staff and students. 

Peace Day Project

Last week, our campus came alive with creativity as students showcased their Peace Day projects, each one offering a unique perspective on what peace means to them. We organized a "gallery walk," allowing everyone to take their time exploring the diverse and...

read more

International Day of Peace

Our students kicked off inspiring projects to celebrate International Day of Peace by exploring this year’s theme, "Cultivating a Culture of Peace." Together, we broke down what this theme means to us, both as individuals and as a campus community. Conversations...

read more

Fall Ball Information

Purchasing Tickets Before purchasing a ticket, you must fill out and submit your Dance Contract/Guest Pass.  Once your paperwork is approved, you will receive an email with the code to purchase your ticket on the Cottonwood ordering site. Please follow these steps:  ...

read more

Global Taste Trek!

Our 9th and 10th graders kicked off their interdisciplinary project with a fun and interactive event! Students were challenged to place images of different foods on the countries they believed those foods originated from on a giant, wall-sized map. The hands-on...

read more

Interdisciplinary Projects

Interdisciplinary projects are in full swing at CCPA! Our 9th and 10th graders are diving into sustainability and food security as they conceptualize and build their very own garden beds, gaining hands-on experience with important global issues. Meanwhile, our 11th...

read more