Cornerstone Charter Health High School

By: Reader-generated blended-learning profiles

Sep 17, 2012

Submitted by Tom Willis, CEO
Note: The information in this profile represents SY2012-13 unless otherwise indicated.

School/organization overview

Name	Cornerstone Charter Health High School
Type	Charter School
Locale	Urban
Headquarters	Detroit, Michigan
First year of operation	SY2012-13
Grades served	9
Enrollment	75
% FRL	75%
% Black or Hispanic	99%
Per-pupil funding	$7,110
Website	http://hhs.cornerstonecharters.org

School/organization background

History and context
Health care has replaced the auto industry as Michigan’s job leader and nationwide, health care jobs are booming. With the opening of Cornerstone Health High School, Cornerstone Charter Schools hopes to respond to that need while creating a unique high school experience that helps students understand how their studies will translate into real-world occupations.

The goal at Cornerstone Health High School is to graduate accomplished and proficient students who continue to college or choose to pursue health related positions immediately after high school.To reach this goal, administrators aren’t just rethinking the traditional school schedule, they’re getting rid of it by implementing a unique blended-learning experience for students.

Blended-learning program

Name	Cornerstone Charter Pod Model
Focus	General
Year launched	SY2012-13
Outside investments/grants	$500,000+
Enrollment	75
Blended grades	9
Blended subjects	Math, English Language Arts, History/Social Studies, Science, Foreign Language, Electives
Content	Apex Learning, Compass Learning
SIS	PowerSchool
Independent LMS	BrainHoney
Independent gradebook	None
Independent assessment	Acuity, MasteryConnect
Professional development	EdElements

Program model

Program model: Flex

Model description
Students work through personalized online content with as-needed help provided by certified teachers.

Program description

Student experience
There are no individual classrooms and instructors for core content areas at Cornerstone Charter Health High School. Instead, “pods” of 75 students work in a large open space in individual cubicles where they access personalized online content. Classrooms and discussion areas are used for small-group work, project-based learning, and direct instruction from certified teachers, as needed. Without a strict schedule, students can create their own learning paths based on their individual passions and goals.

Results
At the time of this writing, Cornerstone Health High School has been operating for less than one month. As results are available, this profile will be updated.

Students entering Cornerstone Health High School were tested before school started, and results indicated that these 9th graders read on average at a 6th grade level. Administrators at Cornerstone Health High School have a goal for all their students to read on or above grade level and to score a 21 on the ACT.