Dear Parents and Guardians,
We’re excited to join forces with local families to offer an extended educational opportunity. Franklin Learning Academy (FLA) now offers two tracks for children ages two-and-a-half through second grade. Toddlers through PreK kids enjoy programs aimed at school readiness and social-emotional development. Then, students from Kindergarten through second grade attend our tuition-free charter school, complete with challenging academics, the arts, and physical education. Both tracks emphasize:
• Fostering an innovative, engaging education experience;
• Focusing on whole child development;
• Identifying and nurturing unique strengths and areas for improvement; and
• Instilling a love of learning so children can fulfill their greatest potential.
At FLA, students start with imaginative, hands-on opportunities for early learning, and then mature into a more rigorous curriculum designed to help them achieve academic success. Our highly qualified teachers work closely with each student to reveal their natural talents, differentiate instruction toward individualized learning, and prepare each accordingly for a lifetime of learning.
We believe education should be accessible to all—that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and have access to the resources they need to thrive. We also know that today’s families are busy but still in need of the community, communication, and support that a long-term learning option like FLA provides. We seek to partner with families over years—from tending to their toddlers to challenging their early elementary students. Especially convenient for families with multi-aged children and cost-effective for older students at our tuition-free school, FLA offers two tracks with one ultimate goal: success in learning. Let’s do this together!
Sincerely,
Franklin Learning Academy School Staff
Debbie Pack, Operations Manager
Debbie has worked in the early childhood education field for over 32 years. She began her career in a toddler classroom and later moved into management as a Center Director. She quickly became a Regional Manager overseeing six early learning centers in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, she helps support operations in Cleveland and Columbus. Debbie is excited to join the Franklin community and bring an educational early learning experience to the families in the area.
Ben Hackett, Office Manager
Mr. Hackett is the Office Manager at Franklin Learning Academy. He grew up in Gainesville, Florida, and went to school at Colgate University where he studied psychology and sociology. He has worked as a youth soccer referee, a summer camp counselor at Camp Crystal Lake, and as a programming manager at Exploration Schools Incorporated. In all of his roles, Mr. Hackett has enjoyed challenging himself with all of the chaos and unpredictability that working with little ones throws at him, and is excited to use his skills here at FLA. Mr. Hackett loves watching and playing sports, especially basketball and soccer. He also loves to travel and spend time with his pets.
Wendy Copen, Regional Vice President
Mrs. Copen started her career in education as an Intervention Specialist teaching Grades 1-8. She received her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Akron in 1998 and her Master’s in Administration PreK-12 in 2011. After an Internship in 2012, Mrs. Copen became the principal of a K-4 school in Norton, Ohio. During this time, she also became a Certified Speaker through the UpsideDown Organization in Baltimore. She develops and delivers professional development programs on brain-based learning for educators and parents. In 2013 Mrs. Copen won “Teacher of the Year,” and in 2017 she earned the “Momentum Award” from the state of Ohio due to all of her scholars passing their state achievement tests and being the leader of her school. Mrs. Copen loves leading her school communities and she is very excited to see the growth of her students and staff.
Staff Directory
Founded in 2014, ACCEL Schools is a K-12 public charter school management organization (CMO) serving students across the United States in brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid school settings. We focus on improving academic outcomes of students regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic factors. The leadership team at ACCEL Schools has a combined 1000+ years of experience as global school management operators with expertise in curriculum research and design, assessment, student support services, and education consulting. Our entire team fundamentally believes that all children deserve a great education and students should be supported as they pursue a wide variety of post-secondary options. Our robust technology increases engagement, access to resources, efficiencies, and academic results helping our students become productive global citizens.
