Who We Are
Our School
San Jose Charter Academy, a school of choice, became the 142nd charter school in California upon its establishment in 1998. We are dedicated to ensuring our partnership with parents and the community with three hallmark principles: trust, safety, and opportunity. Unique in school design and organizational structure, our school offers students and parents an educational opportunity where the school day is enhanced with fine arts and physical activity, taught by teachers who are specifically qualified and credentialed. This intentional design extends the school day for our students 90 minutes longer than the average American school day. All first through eighth grade students attend school for 71/2 hours and transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten students attend 61/2 hours daily.
Our Students
Our 1,256 students in grades TK-8 are the SJCA Sharks. Each grade level is referred to as a “house” and each “house” is named after a specific shark. This structure creates a strong sense of grade-level identity and belonging. Grade levels are clustered to address developmental needs, referred to as “academies,” Primary (K-2), Elementary (3-5), and Junior Academy (6-8). This design supports students, families, and teachers, bringing cohesion and collaboration amongst stakeholders: “a community within a community.”
Our Staff
We have 103 staff members including 51 classroom teachers. Teacher collaboration is an essential component at SJCA: individual teams optimize their strengths and the steering of the teams’ leadership. This is achieved through the structural design of the teachers’ professional day. Teams meet daily while students attend physical education or fine arts classes. They are able to analyze student outcomes, discuss behaviors that promote or detract from their success, and collectively identify intervention and enrichment strategies for students.
Our Community
SJCA has made strong connections and partnerships within our community. Parents are very supportive of our efforts and continue to show their appreciation through their volunteerism and participation in a variety of school activities. We have formed strong partnerships with the city of West Covina and local service clubs. Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff, supportive parents, and involved community members all work collaboratively for the sole purpose of providing a world-class education to all San Jose Charter Academy students.
What We Do
The mission of San Jose Charter Academy, in partnership with parents and the community, is to prepare our students with the skills necessary to thrive and positively impact the global community through the 21st century. San Jose Charter Academy is a school that prepares children to thrive not only in the world as it is today, but prepare to create the world that can be.
- To increase our effectiveness in moving all students academically to proficiency through the implementation of the Common Core Standards.
- To increase our effectiveness in moving all students academically to proficiency level through effective data driven instruction.
- To provide professional development for all instructional staff that will maximize the effectiveness of instruction.
- To improve intervention strategies.
Our Learning Goals
• Behold a spirit for pursuing learning;
• Be highly literate and intellectually curious;
• Communicate effectively;
• Think critically and consider an opposing argument;
• Solve conflict constructively;
• Maintain a core set of values including wisdom, justice, courage, compassion, hope, respect, responsibility, and integrity;
• Exercise perseverance, leadership, and compassion in caring for yourself and others and the world we share;
• Be economically self-sufficient in the 21st century’s global marketplace
Implementation
In addition to our unique daily structure and learning goals, we have implemented pivotal practices in recent years.
Some initiatives that have had a significant impact include Franklin Covey’s Leader In Me program, California’s statewide Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) initiative, and educational equity, involving all TK-8th grade students.
Federal and state COVID-19 related recovery funds have allowed us to expand our student support services by incorporating a team of Utility Teachers who support students in various ways.
We have also been able to increase access to school-based counselors and for those who benefit from more intensive support, have created community partnerships with mental health organizations to support our students and staff with individualized methods.
San Jose Charter Academy
Inspires students to create, innovate, and imagine limitless possibilities...
TO DREAM. TO DO. TO CHANGE.