Frequently Asked Questions

ALA does not notify the previous school the student is transferring to ALA Johnston. The families should visit or contact the previous school and notify them of the transfer.

You may apply for admittance through ALA Johnston’s website during the open enrollment period. At the close of the open enrollment period, a lottery will be held to determine students’ acceptance and enrollment into the school. Update- This lottery has happened. At this point, some grade levels have reached capacity and have a waiting list, and others grade levels are on a “first-come, first enrolled” basis.

Currently, the Student Handbook is waiting for final revisions and Board approval. Once the Student Handbook has Board approval, the Handbook will be available on the school’s website.

Students who were accepted at the time of the Lottery were notified through email. Those families who were not accepted at the time of the Lottery received notification through email. Those families have been placed on waiting lists. As families come and go over the next few months, those families on the waiting list will be moved off the waiting list and placed in the school. At that time, families will be notified through email.

Now that the Lottery is over, grade levels with openings, those families are on a first-come, first enrolled basis. That placement notification will be through an email. The first initial acceptance emails have gone out. As families accept or decline their spot at ALA. the next set of acceptance emails is sent out. This process continues until all the spots are filled.

Until mandated by law, masks and COVID vaccines will be optional. We will follow the mandates set by the county and state.

Limited free transportation will be provided. The bus stops will be determined based on the location of students requesting transportation. These will be shuttles from one location to another rather than neighborhood pickups.

At registration, one of the fields needed on the application for completion was a question of whether bussing was needed. Once we know where most students live who have requested bussing, shuttle routes will be determined. Parents will be notified through email once students have been placed on a route or not.

Yes, students in grades K-12 wear uniforms. *Parent-Student Handbook with additional details to be posted to the webpage soon.

In the Spring, the link to the ALA Apparel shop will become active. It is through that link uniforms can be ordered. Each month, starting in March, we will have uniform nights which will allow families to try on sizes and select options before they order online. The events will be announced through emails and the school website.

Once the Student Handbook has finished its final revisions and is approved by the Board, there will be a link on the school’s website for the Handbook that has a detailed description of the dress code for ALA Johnston.

ALA Johnson will have embroidered polo shirts and screen Friday shirts available online through our apparel shop. We will notify parents once the online apparel shop is open. We also will have a few uniform evenings in the Spring so students can try on shirt sizes. We will also stock a limited supply of shirts in the front offices for in-person purchases once school starts.

No. ALA Johnston provides a full-time in-person educational experience.

ALA Johnston’s instructional model is Direct Instruction complemented with Project-Based Learning. We believe that for an education to be transformational, it must be rigorous. At ALA Johnston we hold all students to high expectations and engage students in a rigorous curriculum.

Yes, at the K-6 level, students will participate in a rotation of PE, Music, Art, Technology and Leadership. At the 7-12 level a variety of electives will be offered in Physical Fitness, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, and more!

Yes, at the K-6 level, homework is assigned Monday-Thursday and typically consists of an assignment in Language Arts and Math, as well as reading for 20 minutes. Students will write down their homework in a daily planner which is expected to be shared with and signed by a parent/guardian every evening. At the 7-12 level, homework is assigned Monday-Thursday and will vary by course. Occasionally, homework may be assigned on Friday.

All students are expected to submit their completed homework assignments the following day or on the due date provided by the teacher. 

Yes, teachers will provide weekly tutoring sessions based on student needs. 

ALA Johnston uses a traditional, 10-point grading scale.

K-6 Grading Weights

• 50% Assessments/Quizzes 

• 40% Classwork

• 10% Homework

7-12 Grading Weights for Core Classes

• 50% Assessments/Quizzes 

• 20% Final 

• 20% Classwork 

• 10% Homework 

7-12 Grading Weights for PE and Fine Arts Classes

• 50% Combined Homework/Classwork 

• 30% Assessments/Quizzes 

• 20% Final

ALA Johnston offers Standard, Honors, and STEM diplomas. 

Through ALA Johnston’s partnership with nearby colleges, students in grades 9-12 may take college-level courses which can be applied towards high school graduation credit requirements.

RAISE Leadership lessons are taught once per week. However, RAISE is incorporated into everything we do. RAISE is embedded into every lesson and is referenced and practiced throughout the day, every day.

All students will have access to a Chromebook when needed. Chromebooks will stay on campus and will NOT be sent home for daily use. The use of the Chromebooks is limited to benchmark testing, state testing, and specific classroom assignments. Most classwork, homework, and assignments will be completed by hand.

Yes, the Gifted program starts in 2^nd grade. Students are identified for the program through a referral process and by taking the CogAT. Students may be referred for testing once per year and testing will take place in the Fall and Spring of each year.

            Students who qualify for the program will participate in a Gifted class two days per week with a Gifted Teacher for approximately 40 minutes. In class, the students will engage in projects that are designed to further develop and apply their understanding of grade-level content.

Our primary focus is one highly effective Tier 1 instruction, which reduces the need to rely on intervention programs. However, additional support, when needed, will be provided to students by classroom teachers in a variety of ways including adjusting instruction and reteaching, small group instruction, and tutoring. Additionally, Exceptional Student Services will be available for those students who qualify.

For both 504s and IEPs, accommodations will follow the existing 504 or IEP.

K-3rd grades

15-minute morning recess
15-minute lunch
15-minute lunch recess
15-minute afternoon recess

4th-6th grades

Will have either 15-minute morning or 15-minute afternoon recess
15-minute lunch
15-minute lunch recess

School communication will typically be sent to families through PowerSchool, by email, and/or by phone. Teacher communication should be on a weekly basis.

Yes, this will include the Beginning-of-Grade 3, Grade 3 Read to Achieve (RTA), ECOs, and EOGs.

At a minimum, 50% of ALA Johnston teachers will be certified.