Our Teachers

Caleesa Foster-Desmangles, Program Director

Caleesa graduated from California State University East Bay with a degree major in Human Develolment, minor in both Early Childhood and Child Development. As an educator of over 28 years, Caleesa understands the scope and commitment required for whole body learning. Caleesa believes a child’s primary focus in learning should be rooted in tactile and kinesthetic learning opportunities. Caleesa believes exposure to world culture is paramount to the advancement of knowledge and education. Caleesa strongly believes one is best introduced to cultural immersion through the palette via ethic cuisine and cultural festival opportunities. Caleesa has applied said approach to child development and education over her 28 years of practice via countless: preschool classrooms, nanny positions, group home counselor, respite provider, childcare director and ultimately motherhood to two beautiful children who are co-directors of this program!

Philosophy

At Cognitio Pontis Academiae (CPA), we believe in daily lived experiences as a road map to educational success. Our additional philosophy emphasizes offering children lived life learning experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting, with a focus on various subjects like Math, English, Science, and more through activities and exploration. Additionally, we honor diversity and understand that our unschooling approach may not suit all families, while also welcoming children on the Autism Spectrum with a tailored whole-body learning experience.

Location

Our program is based in the Steele Creek area of Charlotte for drop off and pick up. During the course of the day however, we are guaranteed to explore locations of interest in the greater Charlotte area. We are open to alternate drop offs and pickups within our daily route if plausible. We believe that drop-offs and pick-ups should happen in community environments. Being that we are an outdoorsy program, Caleesa will communicate where the designated drop off and pickup location will be weekly through our School App. Caleesa’s motivation for outdoor pickup/dropoff, is to teach children about surroundings, logistics of transportation industry, location, and how to describe their whereabouts in preparation for life survival. This model also allows for smooth transition from parent to care provider and care provider to parent. If your child struggles with transitions, the worst case scenario is drop offs/ pick ups. The transition from your vehicle into someone’s school and then the transition from the school to your vehicle can be mentally taxing. The CPA way provides children to physically see their parent or guardian as they depart, as well as the parent or guardian see the physical presence of the child entering the caregiving space . This is opposed to a typical school setting where often times parents are not allowed into the classroom and are gate kept from the child’s physical environment. Not with CPA!—we love transparency!

*indoor drop-offs and pickups may be required during inclement weather or alternate scheduling.

About our program

At Cognitio Pontis Academiae (CPA) in Charlotte, children flourish through hands-on learning experiences each day. Our curriculum focuses on boosting cognitive and motor skills, fostering independence, and nurturing social-emotional growth. What sets us apart is our dedication to tailoring education to every child, including those with unique learning needs.

English tutoring is provided at an additional fee, for students seeking growth in:

• phonics
• blending and beginning reading
• grammar
• syntax
• conversational English (beginner, intermediate, advanced)

*2hr session minimum, where tutoring will take place in natural environments such as: parks, playgrounds, malls, museums, restaurants, café.

Admissions

Hiya👋🏾,

Thank you for choosing Cognitio Pontis Academiae(CPA) as an educational resource for your child.

Join the Cognitio Pontis Academiae (CPA) community in three easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Contact our Program Director Caleesa.

Cognitio Pontis Academiae (CPA) is a uniquely designed program. If we are currently hosting meetups, you can request or schedule a meetup at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting meetups, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start hosting meetups again in the future.

#3. Submit an Enrollment Application If you’re interested in enrolling, submit an application by selecting Apply to enroll. If this option if not available, you can message Caleesa the program director. Please do not apply to enroll until you have attended a meetup and or schedule trial playdates which will be explained when you contact Ms. Caleesa program director.