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.
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
World Language Tutoring
CCPA and TCS High School students can receive help with their world language courses.
Ping-Pong Club
CCPAThe Ping-Pong Club is a fun and active community where players of all skill levels can come together to enjoy the fast-paced game of ping-pong. Whether you're a beginner looking […]
Study Group
CCPACCPA and TCS High School students can study and receive general help with any of their courses.
World Language Tutoring
CCPA and TCS High School students can receive help with their world language courses.
Ping-Pong Club
CCPAThe Ping-Pong Club is a fun and active community where players of all skill levels can come together to enjoy the fast-paced game of ping-pong. Whether you're a beginner looking […]
Study Group
CCPACCPA and TCS High School students can study and receive general help with any of their courses.
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 daily life at CCPA. In our state-of-the art facility students engage in interdisciplinary projects that are designed to assist students in developing their collaborative and critical-thinking skills. These photos highlight the collaborative nature of student projects and our facility.
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...
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: ...
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...
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...
Scholarship Deadlines for Septembers
Staying informed about available scholarships is crucial in helping to fund a college education. Below are the upcoming deadlines for scholarships listed on Scholarships.com: Due Dates for Scholarships for Juniors (Class of 2026): September 13, 2024 The Explorers Club...