Search Results

We believe that social emotional learning (SEL) is critical for educating the whole child. Gifted or advanced learners have unique needs due to their asynchronous development. We have a threefold approach to SEL. Social Emotional Learning We believe that social emotional learning (SEL) happens best through experience Gifted or advanced learners sometimes have unique needs due to their asynchronous development — the difference between their cognitive, emotional, and physical ages—which can manifest in challenges with perfectionism, self-esteem, peer relationships, and empathy. At the same time, conventional, heavy-handed SEL programs are seen as too artificial and are often shrugged off by precocious, often cynical, advanced learners. We believe that, in contrast to most academic learning, social-emotional skills are not well-suited for direct instruction. Rather, they are best learned as they have been for thousands of years - by role models, through stories, and through experience. We have a threefold approach to SEL. 1 OUR STAFF: Telra teaching staff are trained to identify the unique needs of advanced and gifted children Myth : Gifted children are more prone to suffer mental and emotional distress Truth : High cognitive ability students are not at increased risk of psychological maladjustment. 2 OUR PEER MODEL: We surround asynchronously developing students with peers who are facing similar challenges. This helps them understand their struggles are not unique, and they can more easily make and keep friends. The best coaches understand the importance of psychosocial strength training, or “mental toughness,” for elite athletic performance. A good teacher recognizes that students also need to develop their inner game to realize their full academic and personal potential. 3 OUR CURRICULUM: Adopting a more advanced curriculum has multiple SEL benefits. Teaching to material that has more depth and complexity allows us to weave SEL into the day naturally. Children can learn empathy and moral imagination through literature. They can learn emotional literacy and resilience through play, sport, and challenging work. Higher challenge encourages children to develop the attitude and the skill sets associated with learning and perseverance. These build a foundation for success in higher education and beyond. Our Curriculum

Meet Our Staff Contact us using our standard email address convention Firstname.Lastname@telra.org John Ozer 4-8 Principal John Ozer is an accomplished educator with over 25 years of experience in the field in the U.S. and Internationally. He began his career as a science teacher, teaching subjects ranging from Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Science, and Earth Sciences to middle and high school students. He then transitioned to an administrative role, serving as a K-8 principal for eight years and a high school principal for six years. Principal Ozer is passionate about creating positive and engaging learning environments for students. He believes that schools should be places where students can find their passion and explore new ideas to become confident individuals. He is excited to be part of the Telra community and looks forward to collaborating with teachers, paren ts, and community members to create a positive and engaging learning environment for all students. Outside of work, Principal Ozer enjoys spending time with his family. He has been married for 20 years and has a daughter and a son. He loves to travel, cook, learn about information technology, and watch science documentaries and soccer games. He is a passionate fan of Chelsea FC. Education: MEd, Education Administration, University of South Carolina MEd, Curriculum and Instruction, American College of Education BS, Chemistry and Education, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey Back to Directory

School Calendar 2025-2026 Calendar (Grades K-8) School hours 8:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 2025-2026 Calendar (Grades 9-12) School hours 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 2025-2026 Calendar (Remote Academy) Looking for staff calendars? K-8 9-12

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 .

Enrollment of Early Entrants to Kindergarten Eligibility criteria A child who has passed the fourth anniversary of the child’s birth on or before April 16 may qualify for early admission to Kindergarten. (A child who reaches the age of five years on or before August 31 qualifies to enter Kindergarten through the regular enrollment process . ) The Principal, along with a committee of professional educators, will consider the following factors in determining the eligibility of a four-year-old child to enter Kindergarten: 1. Aptitude and Achievement tests a. Aptitude: The child should score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standard individual test of intelligence such as the Stanford-Binet, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, the Kaufman Anderson, or any other comparable test administered by a licensed psychologist. If using a test other than those named here, a parent or guardian should ask the Principal to ensure that it qualifies. b. Achievement: The child should score at the 98th percentile or higher on either reading or mathematics on a standard test of achievement such as the Metropolitan Readiness Test, the Stanford Early School Achievement Test, the Mini Battery of Achievement, the Woodcock-Johnson, the Test of Early Mathematics Ability, the Test of Early Reading Ability, or any other comparable test administered by a licensed psychologist, a member of the psychologist’s professional staff, or a professional educator who is trained in the use of the instrument and who has no conflict of interest in the outcome of the assessment. 2. Work sample The parent or guardian shall submit a sample of the child’s work that shows outstanding examples of ability (well above age peers) in any area including, but not limited to, art, mathematics, writing, dramatic play, creative productions, science, or social interactions. 3. Recommendation letters The parent or guardian shall provide two recommendation letters with specific documentation of physical and social maturity from preschool teachers, childcare workers, pediatricians, or others who have direct knowledge of the child. Useful documentation checklists include the California Preschool Competency Scale, the Harrison Scale, or any other comparable scale of early social development. The documents should show that the child demonstrates social and developmental maturity sufficient to participate in a structured setting for a full school day. 4. Interviews The Principal shall conduct an informal interview with the child and a more structured interview with the parent or guardian to assess the child’s reading skills and to determine if the child displays a thirst for knowledge and seeks new and challenging learning situations. Enrollment timeline and provisional lottery entry A four-year-old child may participate in Telra admissions lottery and enrollment process on a provisional basis provided the parent or guardian follows the timeline described below: 1. The parent or guardian must contact the school and indicate the intent to apply for early admission to kindergarten before entering an application. 2. The admissions and wait list process will proceed as normal for the child, however if the child is assigned a seat it will be considered provisional . 3. The parent or guardian must submit (a) the Aptitude and Achievement tests, (b) Work sample, and (c) Recommendation letters by April 30. If the required documents are not received by this date, the child may be withdrawn from any provisionally assigned seat. 4. The school will reach out to schedule the interviews no later than three weeks after receiving the required documentation. 5. The school shall decide whether to grant early admission within three weeks of receiving all required documents and completing the interviews. 6. If enrollment is granted, it will be considered conditional for up to 90 days to observe whether the child is able to adjust to the school setting. If, within this period, school staff determine that the child is not appropriately placed, the parent or guardian will be invited to assist in the development of intervention strategies for the child. If these strategies are not successful, the school shall provide the parent at least 10 days notice before exiting the child. Admissions Overview

Camp Wonder @ Telra Telra is launching summer camps! Designed as an alternative to your typical summer camp, Telra camps combine learning and fun with clear instructional goals and an opportunity to move the needle on student learning in three short weeks. The camps are open to students from any school, but spaces are limited, and Telra students will have priority. (Otherwise, they will be allocated in order of registration, so sign up fast!) All of our camps... Focus on the basics: We use evidence-based curriculum with explicit, systematic instruction to help students gain mastery and confidence Enjoy a high supervision ratio: 1 teacher per 5-7 students Provide 3 sequenced weeks of instruction July 14 - Aug 1 (Monday - Friday) 8am - noon Core camp pricing is $250/week ($750 total, as you must sign up for the entire camp) Optional add-ons can be purchased for individual weeks: Lunch bunch (noon - 1pm) - pack your own lunch: $25/week Afternoon sports & games camp (noon - 4pm): $200/week (includes Lunch bunch) Three exciting camp options Bridge to Algebra (SOLD OUT) Reading Jump Start Literary Science Sign up Bridge to Algebra (Sold out) Looking ahead to taking algebra in the next year or two? This camp serves as a perfect bridge from late elementary / early middle school math to Algebra. We help students strengthen their fundamental math skills and build fluency, giving them the confidence and preparation to tackle algebra head-on. Recommended for Telra students scheduled to take Telra Math 5 or Telra Math 6 in the fall Non-Telra students starting Grade 6 or 7 in the fall (students will be expected to complete a placement test to ensure they’re ready for this camp) Reading Jump Start Want your beginning reader to start the fall with a leg up? Join an engaging camp that uses a structured phonics approach to early literacy. We help young learners build a strong foundation in reading through interactive, step-by-step instruction. It’s the perfect way to get kids excited about reading and set them up as lifelong readers! Recommended for Rising Kindergarten and 1st Grade students Literary Science This camp uses exciting science topics & experiments to ignite a passion for reading. We build reading comprehension skills and position students for success in State reading exams through an engaging Beast Academy science curriculum. Recommended for Students starting Grade 3 or 4 in the fall Bridge Edge Science Sign up Sign up