Challenge Academy is committed to hiring Pennsylvania Department of Education certified teachers who are experienced with the alternative education population, unswerving in providing a rigorous academic program, and skillful in building relationships with students.  Teachers must have a working knowledge of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards, PSSA content, IEP adherence, curriculum usage, computers, and project based learning.  Our intent is to provide all of our students with the tools necessary to be successful in academic pursuits and in life.  Hiring competent, caring teachers is the first intertwined cord in meeting this goal.

The second cord is providing students with an education program that meets their individual needs.  Students enter Challenge Academy with various levels of academic requirements.  Upon admittance, students are tested in reading, writing and math to ascertain current levels.  Transcripts for students in 9th through 12th grade are evaluated to establish credits previously earned. An educational profile is then developed to assist teachers in providing for remedial, on level or enhancement programming for each student.  Current textbooks and supplementary materials coupled with the availability of a wireless mobile computer lab are incorporated into the student’s academic program.  Credit recovery through computer based programs is also available.

The third cord is creating an atmosphere of learning.  Our self-contained classes are small, lending to more one-on-one instruction, assistance and relationship building.  Often, students have not been academically successful in the past and, as a result, arrive with poor study skills and below grade levels.   At Challenge, students have the opportunity to increase skills and confidence by participating in high interest and real world activities.  With interest peaked, students begin to enjoy reading and writing across content areas and improve math computation and problem solving skills.  Project based learning augments the educational process and provides students with another avenue to raise academic levels as well as state and national test scores.