Krista Smith
Learning Coach
Krista Smith is the parent of Jacob, an elementary school student at Alabama Connections Academy (ALCA). She began looking for alternatives when the anxiety of his previous environment caused Jacob to struggle. Krista was certain homeschooling would be the only option for Jacob’s education until a friend mentioned Alabama Connections Academy. After attending online sessions, speaking to parents at the school, and meeting the school leader, Krista knew it would be agreat fit for her son.
Krista says, “Alabama Connections Academy has truly been a blessing for our family. The flexibility in scheduling, along with the strong academic curriculum, has given Jacob just what he needs to feel confident and be successful. This is a great program, and I highly recommend it to any family who is looking for a different education option.
I work full time outside the home, so we had to find someone willing to partner with me to be Jacob’s Learning Coach during the day. We were very fortunate to have a friend who owns/runs a preschool program. She has helped us with Jacob before, so she was the perfect match. Jacob does part of his lessons as well as attends his LiveLesson® sessions and Live Speech with her. In the evening and on weekends, I work with him as well. This has been such a blessing for our family. Jacob is excelling academically, but seeing how happy he is and how much he loves ALCA is the true measure of success. Furthermore, we have been able to add back extracurricular activities like tae kwon do and piano. The only regret I have is that I did not find ALCA a year earlier.
Alabama Connections Academy has truly been a blessing for our family. The flexibility in scheduling, along with the strong academic curriculum has given our son, Jacob, just what he needs to feel confident and be successful.
— Krista
My favorite part of the program is the interaction he and I have together, especially working on portfolios. I truly enjoy being hands-on with his education. Jacob loves science, math, and education technology. He has absolutely loved learning about PowerPoint and Microsoft Word and uses both of these tools every week for his assignments. It has definitely given him an edge over other students his age.
We love to go camping in our RV, and Jacob stays connected to other children through playdates, movie dates, tae kwon do, and being involved in church activities. He absolutely loves his LiveLesson sessions where he not only gets to see other children but also gets to meet them and talk to them. We truly make this a priority because we know it is important for him. Alabama Connections Academy has allowed Jacob to gain confidence as well as be exposed to things he would not have in other types of schools.”