Career Academy of Utah (CAU), a newly-established virtual charter school for students throughout the state, has announced the hiring of Dr. Bonita Teasley as Head of School.

Dr. Teasley, a native of Texas, is a former teacher, campus administrator, and central office administrator, and college professor with a passion for educational leadership. Dr. Teasley has 20 years of public-school experience and has proven track record of leading improvement required schools out of turn around status.

In addition, Dr. Teasley worked for the University of Utah at the Sorenson Impact Center in a role that helped evaluate post-secondary outcomes for rural schools in Utah and Idaho.

Dr. Teasley’s leadership is centered around four pillars:

• Student learning comes first
• Equipping school staff and leadership with the skills to improve student outcomes
• Fostering collaborative relationships with students’ families, communities, and industry stakeholders, and
• Ensuring state and federal compliance

CAU is part of the Stride Career Prep program, offering students in their middle- and high-school years ideas and options for where they want to go and how they want to get there. Students who attend CAU can take career-prep classes in areas such as Health Sciences, Manufacturing Production, and Industrial Construction.

Whether their path leads them directly into the workplace or to higher education, Stride Career Prep provides students with the skills they need to get there. Eligible students can also earn college credits while still in high school, gaining a head start on higher education and potentially saving thousands of dollars in college tuition costs.

“With enrollment now open, I’m excited to pioneer this career-focused opportunity for Utah parents and students,” said Dr. Teasley, who earned a PhD in Education from the University of Texas at Austin in Education Policy and Planning. “CAU is NOT ‘emergency education’ as we experienced during the pandemic. Our students can expect high standards with an interactive curriculum delivered by Utah teachers. In addition, students can pair a solid academic foundation with hands-on learning experiences in career exploration.”

Enrollment in CAU’s tuition-free public school is currently open to Utah students in grades K-9 with expansion through 12^th grade expected in subsequent years. For more information about CAU, visit https://cau.k12.com/.

About Career Academy of Utah

Career Academy of Utah (CAU) is a full-time online learning program for students statewide in grades K-9. CAU is tuition-free to Utah students and gives families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12, a Stride, Inc. company (NYSE: LRN). Stride Career Prep offers learners of all ages an effective way to learn and build their skills for the future. For more information about CAU, visit https://cau.k12.com/.

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