Programs
Our Learning Pods
At Cupertino Academy, students are placed into instructional pods based on their individual literacy profile rather than their age or grade level. Each student's placement is determined through our admissions assessment process, allowing us to provide instruction at the level where they will experience the greatest growth and success.
Our pod names intentionally reflect a student's learning journey. Every student begins where they are, builds confidence through evidence-based instruction, and progresses as they demonstrate readiness.
How it works · A parent partnership
The specialized literacy part of your homeschool day.
Cupertino Academy provides daily, specialized literacy instruction while your family continues homeschooling every other subject.
Monday–Friday
Students attend Cupertino Academy five days a week.
A daily 2-hour block
Instruction takes place in a focused, two-hour literacy immersion block.
You homeschool the rest
Families continue teaching all other subjects at home.
We handle literacy
We deliver the specialized literacy portion of your homeschool day — in partnership with you.
Foundations
The Foundations pod focuses on building essential literacy skills through explicit, systematic Structured Literacy instruction. Students develop phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, handwriting, and beginning writing while gaining the confidence that comes from early success.
Instructional Focus
- Foundational Structured Literacy
- Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics & Decoding
- Encoding & Spelling
- Handwriting
- Beginning Grammar & Writing
Bridge
The Bridge pod strengthens foundational skills while helping students become increasingly fluent, accurate, and independent readers and writers. Instruction emphasizes applying literacy skills across more complex texts while continuing individualized support.
Instructional Focus
- Advanced Decoding & Encoding
- Reading Fluency
- Vocabulary Development
- Reading Comprehension
- Grammar
- Paragraph Writing
Launch
The Launch pod prepares students to confidently transition into future academic settings by refining advanced literacy and written language skills. Students continue Structured Literacy instruction while developing strong reading comprehension, written communication, and critical thinking.
Instructional Focus
- Advanced Reading Comprehension
- Morphology & Advanced Spelling
- Grammar & Mechanics
- Multi-Paragraph Writing
- Executive Functioning Strategies
- Academic Independence
Placement
How students are placed.
Students are not placed according to age or grade level. Placement is determined through our admissions assessment process and is based on each student's current literacy profile, learning needs, and readiness for instruction.
As students grow and demonstrate mastery, they may progress from Foundations to Bridge to Launch. Every learner follows an individualized pathway designed to build both literacy skills and lasting confidence.
The structure
A focused part of the day, done exceptionally well.
Cupertino Academy is neither a tutoring center nor a traditional homeschool hybrid. We provide the most specialized portion of a child's education — literacy — through daily, small-class instruction, while families homeschool everything else.
- A daily two-hour literacy block, part-time, Monday through Friday
- Reading, spelling, writing, language & comprehension
- Continuous assessment and parent communication
Wondering which pod fits your child?
Reach out and we'll talk through your child's literacy history, needs, and goals together.
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