Search Results

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

Meet Our Staff Contact us using our standard email address convention Firstname.Lastname@telra.org Elisha Rearick K-3 Principal Elisha Rearick began her career in education as a classroom teacher at a charter school in Harrisburg where she taught third and fourth grade. She loved being a classroom teacher and always worked to challenge her students to help them reach their full potential. After her son was born, Mrs. Rearick decided to pursue her Master's in Academically and Intellectually Gifted Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and became a Talent Development teacher in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. Her passion for serving advanced learners is what drew her to Telra's approach to education. Outside of school, Mrs. Rearick loves spending time with her husband and four-year-old son, Miles. Together, they enjoy going to bookstores, hiking at parks, and playing board games. Mrs. Rearick and her family also love trying new restaurants and coffee shops, so she is always looking for recommendations! Education: Master's in Special Education: Academically and Intellectually Gifted; University of North Carolina at Charlotte BA in Psychology; Georgia State University Elementary Education Certificate; Moreland University Back to Directory

We've made it easy to be a good friend. When you send this flyer to a fellow parent, you're sharing one of the most unique education opportunities in South Charlotte. Tell a friend about Telra today!

Telra Institute Remote Academy Boundless Learning across North Carolina Creating advanced learning opportunities is our core mission at Telra Institute. We've been doing it since 2021 for our in-person students in Charlotte, and now our Remote Academy is designed to extend this mission to even more families all across North Carolina. We are bringing the Telra Institute mindset of innovation and excellence to the world of remote learning, and you can participate, tuition-free . Admitting grades 5-10 in 2025-26 and growing through 12th with our students Admissions accepted on a rolling basis Join us Learn more A Human-Centric online program Personalization built for acceleration Flexibility for modern families and busy kids Embracing the Telra community Is remote learning right for you? How to join Contact & FAQ A Human-Centric Online Program An online curriculum that understands the importance of human connection Real teachers on-screen with charisma and passion to inspire young learners High production value video captures attention, designed like the content students consume outside of school Based in cognitive science - Short direct instruction lessons followed by interactive activities & retrieval practice to validate and cement learning Personalization built for Acceleration Advanced learning for everyone Your individual readiness , not your age, determines the courses & grade level you qualify for Advance through multiple levels each year if you are motivated. Teachers set a recommended pace, but ultimately each student follows their own trajectory at Telra Earn high school credit in middle school, and even college credit with AP offerings & more Course library of over 65 options, and growing English courses 🞗 ELA 6th 🞗 ELA 7th 🞗 ELA 8th 🞗 English 1 🞗 English 2 🞗 English 3 🞗 English 4 🞗 College Writing 🞗 AP English Language & Composition World Languages 🞗 Spanish 1 🞗 Spanish 2 🞗 Spanish 3 🞗 French 1 🞗 French 2 🞗 AP French Language & Culture 🞗 ASL 1 Mathematics courses 🞗 Math 6th 🞗 Math 7th 🞗 Math 8th 🞗 Integrated Math 1 🞗 Integrated Math 2 🞗 Integrated Math 3 🞗 Advanced Math & Trigonometry 🞗 AP Statistics 🞗 Pre Calculus 🞗 Algebra 1 🞗 Geometry 🞗 Algebra 2 Arts courses 🞗 Introduction to Art 🞗 Drawing 🞗 Photography 🞗 Art History 🞗 Music Production / Digital Media 🞗 AP Music Theory 🞗 AP Art History Science courses 🞗 Earth & Space Science 🞗 Life Science 🞗 Physical Science 🞗 Environmental Science 🞗 Biology 🞗 Chemistry 🞗 Physics Elective courses 🞗 Intro to Communication & Speech 🞗 Online Learning & Digital Citizenship 🞗 Strategies for Academic Success 🞗 Cryptocurrency 🞗 Financial Literacy 1 🞗 Financial Literacy 2 🞗 Intro to Engineering 🞗 Intro to Computer Science 🞗 Intro to NFTs 🞗 Senior Seminar Social Science courses 🞗 Ancient World History 🞗 World Cultures & Geography 🞗 US History 🞗 World History 🞗 US Government & Politics 🞗 Economics 🞗 Philosophy 🞗 AP US Government & Politics 🞗 AP Psychology Health & PE courses 🞗 Health 🞗 Physical Education 1 🞗 Physical Education 2 Looking for coursework beyond what you see here? Reach out! We're always building and may be able to accommodate. Flexibility for Modern Families and Busy Kids School that works on your time Asynchronous learning so students can log in anytime and balance school with personal commitments, sports, arts, & family Platform agnostic so you can learn from your laptop, tablet, or phone Extended calendar so students have more time to complete courses if needed, or take days off and still not feel rushed 24-7 real-time feedback from AI, backed by online technical & instructional support from humans Multilingual-friendly with many courses available in Russian, Arabic, Spanish, and Ukrainian Homeschool-friendly Part-time enrollment available (at least 2 courses per semester) Earn credits recognized at all public schools in NC Show proficiency on NC standardized exams Build a broader transcript for college applications Embracing the Telra community Telra Institute has a relentless focus on building the advanced learning community in NC Participate in Telra extracurriculars, sports, competitions, field trips, and social events as your interest and location allow Build friendships among peers who share a passion for advanced learning Priority transfer rights if you decide to join the in-person school in Charlotte or future locations throughout NC Math Counts champions Academic competitions Basketball team Sports Washington, DC Field trips Math Counts champions Academic competitions 1/5 Is remote learning right for you ? Characteristics for success: focus, discipline, independence, and techno-fluency Remote students.... ...must be able to maintain focus on the teacher and learning materials. ...must have the discipline to use their technology for schoolwork and avoid the potential distractions of an internet-connected device and of their physical remote environment. ...need to be self-directed and resourceful to take ownership of their learning and any hurdles that might arise. ...should have basic familiarity with technology to optimize learning conditions, address minor troubleshooting issues, and type effectively for chat communication. Telra Institute Remote Instruction Plan Want to learn more to help you decide? How to Join Your Mission, should you choose to accept it Enroll at https://telraremote.almastart.com/ 1. Go to Alma Start A responsible parent or guardian must create an Alma Start account. 2. Add your child Once the Alma Start account is created, you can add your child(ren) to your profile using the green "+" symbol. 3. Get started Select a student and then click on the "Begin New Process" button 4. Begin the Registration process Select the school year and your child's expected grade level during that year. You'll see the Remote Academy Registration process appear below. Click "Begin" 5. Step into the process You'll see "Registration" as an active process. Click on "Information Forms" to get started 6. Work through the list You'll see a list of information forms to complete. Click on each to complete it. (You can work through them in any order.) 7. Click Submit Each form will show a solid green circle with a check mark when it is complete. When all are complete, click "Submit" 8. Mission Completed You'll know you are done when the "Information Forms" is grayed out. Now you can wait for a response from the school. Contact and FAQ Need to know more? Have questions? Want to chat? Connect with us at: RemoteAcademy@telra.org Your inquiry matters. You'll actually get a response from the school leadership. FAQs Why are you doing this? Because we're not just a school; we're a movement. At Telra, we believe young people can go farther, faster, than the establishment believes. And we don't think bureaucracy or inertia should hold any student back from realizing their potential. We may be just a scrappy upstart, but our ambition is to bring excellent instruction and unbounded education to students everywhere. And did we mention it's tuition-free ? Can students join at any time? Yes! However, it works best if you join within the first 30 days of the school year (which begins Oct 3, 2025). This way, students can work at a very reasonable pace and still complete their course content by year end. What if students need more time to complete a course? That's fine. It's more important to work at a pace where you can learn the content than to finish on a prescribed time table. At Telra, students follow their own trajectories through the curriculum - sometimes faster, other times slower. How is attendance tracked? Students need to log in and perform some action in the online platform each day to be counted as present. Can students attend part-time? Yes! See more . Are there in-person requirements? Only for required testing like End-of-Grade and End-of-Course exams. Students would need to travel to our Charlotte location ~once per year, but we are exploring having testing centers in other cities if there is a concentration of students. Can students transfer to the in-person program later? Yes! Remote Academy students have priority transfer rights. Remote students in good standing can transfer to the in-person program if space is available (without needing to participate in the in-person enrollment lottery). Because the curricula are different, additional placement testing is required. What kind of device or technology is required? You will need a solid internet connection and a laptop/desktop. Many lessons can be accessed on a tablet or phone, but you may need a keyboard for some longer responses. A microphone/camera is also recommended so that you can video chat with Telra teachers during check-ins. Where will this go in the future? We're actively exploring options to expand our program to support younger students in K-4, older students through some even more advanced remote learning options, possible physical expansion, and some other out-of-the box ideas too early to even hint at. Early adopters will get to join us on this rocketship. Sounds intriguing, but what if it doesn't work for us? Remote learning isn't for everyone, but if you've been turned off from app-based virtual school before, we are offering something different. Middle and high school students tire quickly of cartoon characters on screen and they speedrun through boring lessons. Our platform is different, because we leverage the human connection . Give us a try for 30 days, and see if the engagement is there. (You might even start part-time and switch to full-time once you see how it's working for you.)

We enable advanced learners to realize their potential by going beyond the conventional education model. Our approach is to nurture challenge, encourage tailored acceleration, and craft a unique learning journey for each child. Students will finish 5th grade being one to three grade levels ahead Our Approach We enable advanced learners to realize their potential by going beyond the conventional education model. Our approach is to nurture challenge , encourage tailored acceleration , and craft a unique learning journey for each child. Students will finish elementary grades being one to three grade levels ahead of the standard curriculum, move on to learn some high school content in middle school, and aim to finish high school with a college (Associates) degree complete. Our Approach Nurture challenge We nurture challenge. Most schools teach to grade-level standards. At Telra Institute, we know that advanced learners thrive when they are supported in their ZPD - The Zone of Proximal Development. By balancing activities that students know how to do with infusions of more advanced content that they can master with guidance, we nurture challenge and maximize learning, confidence, & growth. The best way to achieve this - to reach students in their individual ZPD - is through tailored acceleration. “Educational acceleration is one of the cornerstones of exemplary gifted education practices, with more research supporting this intervention than any other in the literature on gifted individuals.” — The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) In a typical American classroom... 14-37% of students test at least one grade level ahead in math . 20-49% of students test at least one grade level ahead in reading . Acceleration helps meet their needs Encourage Acceleration We encourage tailored acceleration. Acceleration, moving through a curriculum at a faster rate or at a younger age, leads to exceptional growth and achievement. While common at the high school level, acceleration can be difficult to implement in the traditional elementary school environment due to schedule constraints, curriculum choices, and policy barriers. The Telra system was designed from the ground up for agility. It enables tailored acceleration and enrichment opportunities for every student, in every grade level, every day. By introducing intermediate levels (e.g., grade 2.33), challenge can be adjusted more precisely to accommodate each student’s skill, motivation, and capability. We build a unique Personalized Learning Plan for each student that targets their ZPD based on their evolving strengths. We craft a unique learning journey for each child. All classes at Telra are rigorous, but we've gone further to design a curriculum, schedule, assessment model, and staffing model to make acceleration simple. A numerically inclined Kindergartener might sit with a 1st grade group for math, and then reconvene with her Kindergarten group for social studies and reading. A highly literate 2nd grader might be with 3rd graders for reading and then rejoin his classmates for PE. These transitions occur smoothly and naturally throughout the school day. Depending on their personal journey at Telra, students will finish elementary grades one to three years "ahead" of the standard curriculum sequence. (And sometimes more. 4th and 5th graders taking high school algebra is not uncommon.) Most will then begin working on high school content in middle school, and then when they enter high school, Telra students begin working on early "college level" content, earning actual college course credits and on their path to a degree. Trajectories and grades Smooth Path

Dr. Ronak Bhatt, Telra Founder and Chancellor, founded Telra Institute based on a simple premise. Children are all unique; why would a school march them all through the same curriculum at the same pace? Meet Our Staff Contact us using our standard email address convention Firstname.Lastname@telra.org Dr. Ronak Bhatt Founder & Chancellor Ronak Bhatt founded Telra Institute based on a simple premise. Children are all unique; why would a school march them all through the same curriculum at the same pace? Ronak and his wife Cathy are the parents of four young children and have called Charlotte home for more than a decade. His perspectives as a local dad and former "gifted kid" along with his experience in education, strategy, and innovation drove him to launch Telra Institute with a firm commitment to build it into a model educational program and establish it as a community institution. With a lifelong passion for education, he’s developed curricula and lectured at M.I.T. and UNC Charlotte on topics of physics, energy, and economics. He focused on innovation and strategy when leading consulting teams at McKinsey and RIN Advisors and serving as VP of Strategy at Avantor As a founding board member and later Chairperson of the nonprofit E4 Carolinas, he helped drive innovation, education, and energy industry growth in the region Education: ScD, Physics – M.I.T. BS, Physics (with honors) - Caltech Back to Directory

We're excited to open our doors in Fall 2021. Here's more info on our location and future growth, as well as transportation, meals, uniforms, and cleaning protocols. Attending Telra Location Transportation Hours & Calendar Meals Uniforms Wrap Around Care Our Location Telra Institute was excited to open its doors in Fall 2021 on the campus of Matthews United Methodist Church. Our school building, formerly the church preschool, was already configured for young children, and we upgraded and outfitted the classrooms in preparation for our opening. In addition to classrooms, we were gratef to have access to outside space, playgrounds, a gym, and plentiful parking. In Fall 2022, we opened our K-8 in a custom-designed building on a separate site in South Charlotte in the Providence / 485 area at 4150 McKee Rd. In Fall 2025, we will open our high school in Matthews at 3130 Campus Ridge Rd. Our Location > Location Transportation Telra wants to ensure transportation is not a barrier to attendance. Parents have multiple transportation options: Individual parent drop-off and pick-up Carpool with other families – Telra will help coordinate carpool groupings and assist families in locating an active carpool School bus – Telra draws students from a wide area and offers families access to a free shuttle stop school bus system. Sign up details are provided to enrolled families. Arrival & Departure Meals Telra offers a daily nutritious hot lunch service as part of the National School Lunch Program. Families can qualify for free or subsidized meals. Children are of course welcome to bring lunch from home. Please contact us if you have any questions. Purchase Lunch > Uniforms Telra Institute recognizes the benefit that dress code and uniform standards have in creating a distraction-free environment for learning and in contributing to school identity and spirit. Click here to learn more. Uniforms Meals Transportation Hours Calendar Hours & Calendar Telra's school day starts at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m . Telra’s school calendar is designed on a trimesters (10-13 weeks long) and semesters (~16 weeks long). Click to enlarge Before & After School Care Wrap Around Care We are pleased to offer before and afterschool care to help our families. Learn more about our program and sign up here .

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. Safe. Reliable. Convenient. At Telra Institute, we are committed to providing safe and efficient transportation options to ensure your child’s journey to and from school is worry-free. Below you'll find everything you need to know about our school bus services. Routes & Coverage Our bus routes are carefully planned to serve families across the greater Charlotte area. We currently operate routes along the following lines: Line1: Ballantyne Line 2: Park Road and South Charlotte Line 3: Monroe Road and East Charlotte Line 4: Blakney, Matthews, Indian Trail Note: Routes are updated annually based on enrollment and demand Pick-up & Drop-off Times Morning Pick-up: Between 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Afternoon Drop-off: Between 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM Exact times will be provided upon enrollment in the bus service. Registration Process Complete the Bus Service Request Form Transportation is in high demand, and requests for transportation may be entered into a lottery system Receive Confirmation Email when transportation is awarded Registration is first-come, first-served annually, and may involve a lottery Safety Protocols (Please review) Your child’s safety is our top priority. All buses are: Operated by certified, background-checked drivers Equipped with cellular tracking Regularly inspected and maintained Staffed with trained personnel for 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