Mission Statement
The mission of Turning Point Academy is to provide a safe, supportive and individualized learning environment that meets the academic, personal, emotional and social needs of students so they can graduate from high school with a pathway to the future: college, technical school, military or workforce.
Our Core Beliefs
1. We will provide a safe and supportive environment that can be adapted to meet the uniqueness of each student in a manner that results in students feeling loved, valued and respected.
2. We will ensure that a positive and productive relationship is established and maintained with each student to assist in student-centered decision-making.
3. We will empower and support students to make positive changes academically, personally, and socially, using self-determination skills that will encourage active engagement in critical thinking, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and goal-setting.
4. We will collaborate with students, families, school staff and community agencies to provide a network of resources designed to meettheeducational, therapeutic, emotional, andphysical needs of all students, in order to assist them in graduating from high school with a pathway for the future: college, technical school, military or the workforce.
5. We will maintain high expectations and accountability for staff and students in the successful implementation of rigorous, relevant, differentiated and technology-supported common core instruction.
6. We will utilize data driven research-based practices to monitor student success and enhance the efficacy of our program.
About TPA
Turning Point Academy of Cleveland County, North Carolina is a combination of three alternative schools; C-STOP, Phoenix, and Davidson which serves the alternative educational needs of our county. It is an alternative educational program for students who have been suspended for short and long terms and for students who are placed into alternative school by a referring administrator. C-Stop involves short term suspensions which last from three (3) to ten (10) days. The acrostic, C-STOP, stands for "Community Short Term Opportunity Program" and has one certified teacher. Students receive assignments from their home school and work on their individual class assignments. Students are not counted absent and they receive credit as long as they accomplish work while at C-STOP. All completed assignments are faxed immediately to the students' home-schools and coordination is carried out for more assignments as needed. Long-termed suspended and students placed in Alternative School attend, on average, at least one semester. Many students attend all year. A majority of Turning Point students are court involved and are connected directly with the Cleveland County Department of Juvenile Justice.
Although, TPA receives students through various referral processes, the average student's appearance reflects that of middle and high school students everywhere. Students take the same classes, complete the same EOC/EOG and MSL testing, use the same text books etc... The differences would be in advanced classes and CTE courses offered. Students cannot take courses such as Allied Health Nursing, Carpentry, Welding, and Art/Photography to name a few. TPA focuses on the core classes. TPA offers a 21 credit diploma for qualified students. The 2011-2012 school year marked the first graduation of students with the 21 credit diploma. Parents and students constantly testify of the unique opportunity that TPA has created for their child and future. TPA is certainly "The best kept secret in Cleveland County".