Search Results

Telra Institute offers free morning and afternoon bus service to help safely transport our students between school and home. We offer three Charlotte area routes: Red, Blue, and Green. Telra Institute offers free morning and afternoon bus service to help safely transport our students between school and home. Routes & Coverage Our bus routes are carefully planned to serve families across the greater Charlotte area. We currently operate routes along the following lines: Ballantyne Park Road and South Charlotte Monroe Road and East Charlotte Blakeney, Matthews, Indian Trail Routes are updated annually based on enrollment and demand Pick-up & Drop-off times Morning pick-up times are between 7:00 am - 8:00 am Afternoon drop-off times are between 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm More precise times for each stop will be provided upon enrollment in the bus service Registration Complete the Bus Service Request Form by August 1 to participate in the bus lottery Receive confirmation email with route details (or notification that you are on the wait list) Registration after this date will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Capacity is limited. The school bus is offered as a convenience & a privilege. Families should plan to have an alternative means of transport to the school in case they do not win a seat or if bus service is suspended for any reason. Safety Telra school buses are operated by licensed, background-checked drivers Buses are regularly inspected and maintained Personnel are trained in emergency procedures All riders and parents must agree to the Telra Institute Bus Rider Expectations All students of Telra Institute are eligible to ride the school bus. Telra draws students from a wide geographic area, so the Telra buses make stops at cluster meeting points. The school bus is the safest vehicle on the road. Students are about 70x more likely to get to school safely while riding a school bus compared to traveling by car. >> Families must adhere to the bus rider expectations to ride the bus

Meet Our Staff Contact us using our standard email address convention Firstname.Lastname@telra.org Doru Bratescu Director of Facilities Doru Bratescu has been in the facilities administration field for over 15 years. In his role at International Pirelli Tire, he developed partnerships with external companies for janitorial cleaning, landscaping, snow removal, mechanical maintenance, electrical & HVAC maintenance, waste management and pest control. Doru also managed the relationship between Pirelli administration and over 50 suppliers in order to precisely execute the architectural designs for both grounds and structural projects. As the Facility Manager, he developed a successful and stable team that was focused on future growth of the company. Back in his home country of Romania, Doru worked as a high school teacher, educating & leading students and engaging parents in school activities to meet and exceed his yearly professional goals. Back to Directory

Earn money for the school by doing the things you already do! Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card. It's easy and at no cost to you! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to Telra Institute. Earn money for the school by doing the things you already do! Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card (see button below). It's easy and at no cost to you! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase will be donated to Telra Institute . Sign me up Prefer to sign up in-person? Ask your cashier to link your VIC card to Telra Institute with our school code 6808

Support from the community helps us make our distinctive learning experience accessible for all children. Telra Institute is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit with a Platinum seal of transparency from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information about nonprofit organizations. T elra A nnual U se Fund The Telra Annual Use Fund ( τ au) is the school's highest priority fundraising effort. If all Telra families contribute, we can close the charter school funding gap and deliver a world-class education for our students. Introducing τ au (video) How to contribute Donate now Employee matching FAQs How to contribute We've made donating to τ au simple. If you click on the Donate button below, you can choose whether you'd like to make a one-time donation or a recurring monthly donation by credit card or by bank ACH. That’s right, you can use a credit card so you can earn points or miles or cash back while you donate! Our fundraising platform Zeffy covers all the payment fees so you know every dollar you donate will go to Telra and be put to good use. On the payment screen, you will be asked to make an optional extra donation to Zeffy to help defray those credit card and bank fees. It will say "Support the 100% free platform we use! " and show you a pull-down menu to adjust your "tip". It's up to you whether you want to apply the Zeffy-requested tip, adjust it, or even dial it down to zero. We are happy to work out special arrangements if the Zeffy platform doesn't work for you. This can happen if you need to use a different process to secure an employer match, if you want to donate stock or other property, or you have other unique circumstances, Please email us at donations [at] telra.org. Employee Gift Matching Programs Make your gift more impactful! Many employers will match individual donations to registered 501(c)(3) charities. Inquire with your HR department or look up your employer here to see if they participate. Some employers will require donations to be directed through their internal giving portal. Please search for: Telra Supporting Organization Tax ID 85-2744858 If you can’t find Telra already listed on your portal of choice, let us know at donations@telra.org Frequently Asked Questions How will the funds raised via τ au be used? Please watch the video or look at the uses listed in the donation section. How is Telra accountable for the use of funds and what is the oversight? Funds raised via τ au are subject to the same transparency and accounting controls as the rest of Telra finances. Like all 501(c)(3) non-profits, Telra has to make annual financial filings. GuideStar , the premier clearinghouse for nonprofit research, gives Telra their highest rating , a Platinum Seal for transparency. Telra Institute has a highly experienced and professional Board of Directors charged with overseeing all uses of Telra funds and approving the annual budget. All income and expenditures for North Carolina charter schools are captured in regular (~monthly) financial reports shared with the Board of Directors and made available to the public. All North Carolina charter schools undergo an annual independent audit and the results are submitted to the State Department of Public Instruction. This level of transparency with monthly financial reports and board meeting minutes exceeds that of even the nation's largest nonprofits such as Feeding America, United Way, or St. Jude. How do we know the funds raised will be used efficiently? Our track record speaks for itself. For years, Telra has responsibly managed an annual budget an order of magnitude larger than τ au. As the video details, we have been diligent and efficient in deploying Telra's limited financial resources to develop our unique school program and expand on our wonderful facilities. The Telra Annual Use Fund just allows us to take this further.

AmazonSmile is a great way for you to support Telra Institute.  Follow the steps below to link your account. Then, shop as you normally do, and Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to our school. There is no cost to you!   AmazonSmile is a great way for you to support Telra Institute . Follow the steps below to link your account. Then, shop as you normally do, and Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds to our school. There is no cost to you! On Desktop/Browser: Search for Telra Supporting Organization and link to your Amazon Smile account Go through the Amazon Smile link when shopping to contribute 0.5% of spend to Telra (does not affect any other pricing or discounts you may get on Amazon) Note: Even once you have chosen Telra as your charity, if you shop through Amazon.com link, Telra will not benefit. (There is unfortunately no “default” setting here. You have to use the smile.amazon.com link) Amazon Mobile App: After you have linked Telra to your Amazon Smile account on your desktop (or browser), you can make Telra a default beneficiary on your mobile In the app, press on the 3-bars and navigate to Settings There, you should see a choice for Amazon Smile. Press there and flip the switch to “turn on” the donations to Telra

Earn money for the school by doing the things you already do! Turn your Coca-Cola product purchases into donations to Telra. Turn your Coca-Cola product purchases into donations to Telra. Visit https://us.coca-cola.com/give/schools/ Select “Telra Institute ” Scan or enter product codes from participating products Go now

Simply make a purchase of qualifying supplies, provide Telra's school ID at checkout (in store and online), and Telra will receive 5% back in credits for FREE supplies! It's a small act that can make a huge difference. Office Depot Give Back 1. Simply make a purchase of qualifying supplies 2. Provide Telra's school ID 70246829 at checkout (in store and online), and 3. Telra will receive 5% back in credits for FREE supplies! Shop Now Forgot to give our school ID at checkout? Click the button above to enter your purchase and make sure Telra gets credit.

An integral part of our Telra founding team, Kate Waters is our Director of Operations. Prior to joining Telra, Kate most recently worked in the Learning and Development industry as a Learning Experience Designer, creating online learning platforms for businesses and schools. Kate brings to her role extensive operations experience from working in the tourism and events industry both domestically in Australia and internationally, in Europe, the UK and Asia. Meet Our Staff Contact us using our standard email address convention Firstname.Lastname@telra.org Kate Waters Director of Operations Prior to joining Telra, Kate most recently worked in the Learning and Development industry as a Learning Experience Designer, creating online learning platforms for businesses and schools. Kate brings to her role extensive operations experience from working in the tourism and events industry both domestically in Australia and internationally, in Europe, the UK and Asia. Kate holds a degree in Business, majoring in Marketing from Swinburne University (Melbourne, Australia), as well as a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and a Post Graduate Diploma in Event Management and Public Relations. Back to Directory

Thank you to our partners in the community who have helped make Telra Institute a reality. Dandelion Counseling, Tricia Tam Marketing & Design, Little, Hughes Realty Advisors, BCCG Construction Group, PASS Lawyers, and Truist. Here are our current RFP's... Our Partners Thank you to our partners in the community who have helped make Telra Institute a reality. Telra Institute has an Open RFP (updated with Q&A on 5/14) for a Food Service Management Company for the 25-26 school year Alyse Bone MS, CRC, LPC, RYT-200 Technology Telra students and staff have access to think-cell to create professional-level charts and presentations as they learn to understand and tell stories with math. Learn more at https://www.think-cell.com/

COVID-19 presents an evolving challenge for schools, businesses, and other institutions. While the disease environment, treatment options, and public health guidance are in flux, we understand families want some clarity on expectations for the new school year so that they can prepare. With that in mind, Telra Institute has established this protocol to guide our school opening plan. COVID-19 Protocols Telra Institute COVID-19 Protocols Updated: February 17, 2022 Quick Links Context & Goals Implementation Detail on Key Protocols COVID-19 Testing and Consent Context COVID-19 presents an evolving challenge for schools, businesses, and other institutions. While the disease environment, treatment options, and public health guidance are in flux, we understand families want some clarity on expectations for the new school year so that they can prepare. With that in mind, Telra Institute has established this protocol to guide our school opening plan. Goals Our primary goals in establishing this protocol are: Health and safety of our students and staff Continuity of in-person learning in the Telra model Allowing a “normal” school experience as much as possible These goals naturally involve trade-offs, and our challenge is to find the right balance among these goals as community conditions and data about COVID-19 change. Context & Goals Implementation Detail Implementation Detail on Key Protocols Face coverings Telra encourages teachers to use outdoor time to provide students with frequent mask breaks and to enable mask-free time each day. We will use opportunities during recess, lunch, PE, and outdoor learning (as lesson plans and weather permit) to maximize “face” time. In circumstances where face coverings are required, individuals should follow the mask specification guidance provided by the CDC. i.e., a 2+ ply fabric worn over the nose and mouth. Face coverings are required on school buses by CDC Order. Students with a bona fide medical or behavioral condition that prevents proper mask usage can be exempted from wearing a face covering. Securing an exemption requires the completion of a Telra Face Covering Exemption form , signed by a medical authority, and reviewed and approved by the School Administration Team. Physical distancing Telra classrooms are configured such that grades K-1 will typically have ~3 ft of spacing while grades 2-3 will have 5-6 ft of spacing. However, children do move around and this distancing cannot be guaranteed at all times, which is why we employ multiple layers of protection Students will be assigned seats in classrooms to minimize exposure to nearby classmates Ventilation All Telra classrooms are outfitted with HEPA air purifiers capable of 5-6 air changes per hour. Teachers are instructed to crack windows and doors to increase ventilation, but they have the discretion to close them if it interferes with a comfortable classroom environment Sanitization and hand washing High-touch surfaces are cleaned and disinfected regularly. Proper and frequent hand washing will be modeled and encouraged. Water fountains remain, for the time being, closed. We ask all students to pack enough water for the day, including extra if they participate in an afterschool program. Stay at home if you are sick Students or staff should not come to (and will not be allowed on) campus when they are sick or showing symptoms of being sick. Students or staff who present symptoms consistent with COVID, including congestion, fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, will be required to leave school until they meet the return to school criteria defined in the NC Strong Schools toolkit: Option 1: A negative test for COVID-19 or an alternative diagnosis and at least 24 hours since the person had a fever and felt well for at least 24 hours. (A negative antigen test may be used to satisfy this criteria if the person has a low likelihood of COVID-19 infection, e.g., no known or suspected exposure, fully vaccinated, or recent COVID-19 infection.) Option 2: 5 days since the first day of symptoms and at least 24 hours since the person had a fever and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving Telra will require all staff and families to complete an attestation that they understand the symptoms of COVID-19 and that they must inform the School Administration Team if the staff member or student has exhibited these symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19, or been in proximate contact with anyone who has tested positive for or had symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 5 days . School staff will check student temperatures with a quick forehead scan upon arrival by car or bus. We will monitor this operation and make adjustments if necessary. Quarantine and return to school Positive individuals: If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to quarantine away from school. The return to school protocol will be determined based on the StrongSchoolsNC toolkit (or other updated health guidance). Currently, this protocol requires all of the following At least 5 days from the start of your symptoms (or the date of test if you don't have symptoms) and - It has been 24 hours since your fever is completely gone (without using medicine) and - Your symptoms are improving. Exposed individuals In general, an asymptomatic "close contact" of someone who has COVID-19 is required to quarantine for 5 days from the date of last exposure, if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. If the day of last exposure is "Day 0", this means 5 days at home and a return to school on Day 6. However, there are several exemptions that can eliminate the quarantine requirement Vaccine exemption - Individuals with up-to-date vaccinations are exempted from quarantine in the event they are exposed to COVID-19. ("Up-to-date", for those over 18, requires having a booster.) Face covering exemption - Individuals who were wearing masks are exempted from quarantine if a student or staff member tests positive who was also properly masked during what would otherwise be considered a close contact in a school setting . For this reason, it is imperative that all students wear face coverings consistently and properly. COVID-19 cases are inevitable, and we want to minimize the number of children impacted by any quarantines. Prior infection exemption - Individuals who were confirmed to have had (and recovered from) COVID-19 in the last 90 days are exempted from quarantine in the event they are exposed to COVID-19. Test-to-Stay exemption - Individuals who are participating in the Test to Stay program are exempt from quarantine in the event they are exposed to COVID-19 Close contact Close contact is typically defined as within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes cumulatively over a 24-hour period In a school environment, children are not considered close contacts if they are properly masked The guidance does not distinguish between indoor and outdoor for these purposes. Individuals in close proximity for extended times, even outdoors, can be considered close contacts. A few common outside-of-school situations are presumptively close contacts: Living in the same house Ridesharing in the same vehicle Playdates without masks COVID-19 Testing COVID-19 Testing Overview Telra Institute offers no-cost COVID-19 testing for our students and staff. Participation in testing is entirely optional and requires parental or guardian consent, however we recommend families and staff opt-in to the testing program to support our goal of keeping kids in school, in-person, as much as possible. We know that making a COVID-19 testing appointment or finding a home test kit can be harrowing, time-consuming, and expensive. Offering free, on-site testing is one more way Telra strives to serve and protect our community. Testing Situations Telra does not have a random screening program. We perform COVID-19 tests only in the following situations: 1. Symptomatic individuals – Students or staff who present symptoms associated with COVID-19 can, in many cases, avoid being required to leave school if they can present a negative test result. 2. Close contacts – Students identified as close contacts who are not otherwise exempt (due to masking or vaccination) can eliminate quarantine if they participate in the Test to Stay program. 3. Family request – Telra will perform a COVID-19 test on a student upon request of their parent or guardian. This may be desired upon return from travel or just for piece of mind following a suspected possible exposure. Testing Types and Consent Forms COVID-19 tests are simple, comfortable, and non-invasive. Collections are done with what is called a lower anterior nasal swab, which is a collection swab about the size of a Q-tip that is placed just into the lower part of the nose and swirled around 3 times to collect the sample. This approach is much more comfortable and is not the collection method where the swab is placed deep into the nose. Adults can self-administer the test, but Telra’s young students will require a trained staff member to collect the sample. Telra uses Rapid Antigen Tests which provide a result in 10-20 minutes Fill out COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Testing Consent Form (one form per student) Return the form via email to frontdesk@telra.org Please include “COVID-19 testing consent ” in the email subject line Include the student name(s) in the body of your email We ask parents to complete this consent before you need it. If your child is symptomatic, they will have to pulled out of class and isolated while we call you to ask you to complete this form. Help us keep them learning! Test To Stay Telra Institute was one of the first schools in North Carolina to partner with Duke University's ABC Science Collaborative on a pilot of the Test To Stay protocol in Nov 2021. Results after the first six weeks of the study are shared here . This protocol builds off of a randomized trial study published in the Lancet that found that daily testing of school-based contacts was equivalent to self-isolation for control of COVID-19 transmission in school. In Jan 2022, North Carolina approved a broader roll-out of Test to Stay for all schools. Protocol – The updated Test to Stay protocol allows individuals who remain symptom-free to remain in school following a close contact, provided they continue to test negative in a series of COVID-19 tests. The duration and frequency of testing differs depending on the type of exposure: In-school or non-household exposures ( e.g., visiting a friend, exposure at gymnastics class) Test on Day 1 or day of exposure notification Test again on Days 2, 3, 4, 5 Household exposures (e.g., a COVID-positive parent or sibling who lives in the same home) Test on Day 1 or day of exposure notification Test again on Days 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 following the known exposure Individuals who wish to participate in Test to Stay must complete two consent forms: Rapid Antigen Testing consent Research participation online consent (write in " Telra Institute " where the form asks for a school district). This form must be completed again for spring 2022 even if you already completed one last year. Test To Stay Rapid Antigen Test Comments/Questions? This protocol will continue to be updated as we deploy additional tools and resources to reduce risk and maximize flexibility and resilience of our learning model. If you have questions or comments, please reach out to us directly at frontdesk@telra.org

Quick links for enrolled families Quick Links for Enrolled Families Dismissals View and change your child's dismissal plans Student info School bulletins, classes, schedules, and contact info Absent Report a planned absence. Provide a doctor's note

In Fall 2022, Telra Institute moved to its new home at 4150 McKee Rd where our next door neighbor is St. Francis United Methodist Church, and we look across the street to see McKee Rd Neighborhood Park and McKee Rd Elementary. We are excited to be part of the McKee Road community. Our Locations One school - Two locations In Fall 2022 , Telra Institute opened its K-8 building at 4150 McKee Rd where our next door neighbor is St. Francis United Methodist Church, and we look across the street to see McKee Rd Neighborhood Park and McKee Rd Elementary. Take a virtual tour . Starting Fall 2025, our high school students will be 4 mi down the road at 3130 Campus Ridge. This new facility is walking distance to the CPCC Levine Campus, where our students benefit from a tightly integrated dual-enrollment (college + high school) experience. K-8 Telra to Telra High school High School construction March - April Clearing Stormwater management More stormwater Staging equipment Staging equipment Trenching for fence installation Trenching for fence installation Silt fence controls site erosion Silt fence controls site erosion Area cleared for silt fence Area along silt fence being cleaned up Truck being loaded with trees Looking back on McKee construction Fall 2021 to Fall 2022 Watch the video above for the location announcement from Telra Institute's Chancellor and Founder, Ronak Bhatt. Groundbreaking ceremony, September 2021 Grading, November 2021 December 2021 Update: Foundations poured for the Telra academic building and gymnasium January 2022 Update: Foundations in place and wall panels being poured. February 2022 Update April 2022 Update