Leading Virtual School Operator, Connections Academy, Acquires Online Curriculum Provider, K to the 8th Power
Plans to develop and expand distribution of K to the 8th Power's creative curriculum offerings
Baltimore, MD (Vocus) September 11, 2009 -
Connections Academy (http://www. connectionsacademy. com/home. aspx), a leading national operator of K-12 virtual public schools, has acquired the company K to the 8th Power (http://www. kto8.com/index. php), an online curriculum developer and provider based in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Connections Academy, which operates public virtual schools in fourteen states and a private national virtual school, offers a comprehensive and high-quality curriculum that combines the best online and offline resources from leading education publishers. K to the 8th Power has been a part of the Connections Academy curriculum mix since 2006.
"It was clear from our initial meetings with the team at K to the 8th Power that they are a company that shares our educational philosophy and commitment to delivering high-quality and innovative education," said Dr. Steven Guttentag, Executive Vice President and Chief Education Officer for Connections Academy. "They have a keen understanding of the importance of technology literacy, but they also recognize how important it is to make this type of education accessible for all learners. Their curriculum combines technology with real world applications in creative and engaging ways. Their Learning Management System is very intuitive and designed to make teachers' jobs easier. We have a lot of respect for the work that K to the 8th Power is doing and look forward to helping this business grow."
K to the 8th Power offers turn-key solutions for schools seeking online curriculum for grades k through 8.
"Our goal is to develop and simply do more of what K to the 8th Power is already doing," Guttentag continued. "But because we are a larger and more established company, we can bring critical business development assets like marketing and customer service to the table."
K to the 8th Power presently offers 600 lessons (complete with audio, activities, games and assessment components) and is currently serving 250 customers, in 42 states. Their lessons pair popular application software, such as PowerPoint and Excel, with core reading, writing and math objectives. As a result, students gain meaningful reinforcement of key academic concepts while progressing toward technology literacy. K to the 8th Power also has an online technology literacy assessment tool that can provide a teacher, school or district with detailed information as what their student know and can do. Students enrolled in Connections Academy schools use K to the 8th Power lessons in popular classes such as Educational Technology and Online Learning.
"Our solution is a perfect fit for a school or district that wants to quickly, cost-effectively and dramatically enhance the technology skills of its students while simultaneously reinforcing the key math and language arts skills that are part of their state's high-stakes testing program. Our product can mean the difference between an underutilized computer lab and one that is truly leveraged to impart 21st century information and technology skills," explained Ken Reed, General Manager, founder, and designer of the K to the 8th Power products. For more information about K to the 8th Power, visit www. kto8.com.
About Connections Academy
Connections Academy is a leading national provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual public schools in fourteen states operated in partnership with charter schools, school districts, and state departments of education. Connections Academy schools deliver top quality, personalized education for students that combines certified teachers, a proven curriculum, technology tools, and community experiences to create a supportive and successful environment for children who want an individualized approach to education. In Connections Academy's Personalized Performance Learning® approach, students use daily lesson plans and curriculum materials provided by Connections Academy. Teachers develop a learning plan for each student, utilizing a proprietary, web-based Learning Management System to deliver, track, and administer the learning. In 2009-10 Connections Academy will serve students in Arizona, California (Southern and Central), Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Connections Academy offers grades K through 12, though some schools do not offer all grades. Connections Academy also serves K-12 students in all states through its private virtual school, National Connections Academy. For more information, call 800-382-6010 or visit www. ConnectionsAcademy. com.
CONTACT:
Allison Bazin, Connections Academy (http://www. connectionsacademy. com/home. aspx) Public Relations
(609)247-0275
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