FAQs
What is the official school logo?
Main Academy Logo
Secondary Academy Logos, Official School Use Only:
Is the Ina A. Colen Academy a private school?
The Ina A. Colen Academy is a public charter school.
Charter Schools are not private schools. They are tuition-free public schools that operate in accordance with a charter contract issued by the local school district.
What are the grades offered?
The school year 2023-24 will have grades K-7 and by 2024-25 we will have grades K-8.
Are IACA teachers required to be certified through the state?
Yes. In the state of Florida, teachers employed by a charter school must be certified as required by law. If they aren’t certified in the grade level they are teaching, they will be required to hold a temporary certificate and obtain a permanent one.
How do I enroll my child?
Applications for enrollment are available on our website at www.iacafl.org. Applicants who wish to be considered for the 2023-2024 school year may submit an application through our website for placement on a waitlist. Those applicants will be offered enrollment if a seat becomes available. The Ina A. Colen Academy accepts enrollment applications for the upcoming school year beginning in November. If there are more applications submitted than seats available for a grade level, a lottery is conducted. Applications for students received after the lottery deadline will be put on a waitlist and enrollment will be offered if a seat becomes available.
If I live in Calesa are my children guaranteed a spot in the school?
Per Florida Statute, Calesa Township residents receive priority when applying for the Ina A. Colen Academy. The Ina A. Colen Academy enrolls students in accordance with its Enrollment Policy and seats cannot be guaranteed.
Does the school have a lottery?
A lottery will be conducted through Lotterease in accordance with Ina A. Colen Acadmey’s Enrollment Policy if there are more applications than there are seats available for a given grade level.
What is the curriculum focus?
The school’s whole child approach has three interrelated components:
- High quality, Florida standards-based instruction with the supports needed for all students to be successful;
- Focus on student Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and physical health and well-being of students and staff; and
- Hands-on, student driven project-based learning (PBL) approach to instruction.
How many students per teacher?
We follow the Florida class size requirements which are an average of 18 students per classroom in grades K-3 and an average of 22 students per classroom in grades 4-7.
Do you have a VPK program?
We currently do not have a VPK program at the school as of right now.
Are siblings of current (accepted students) be automatically accepted?
Siblings of current students are given an enrollment priority in accordance with the Ina A. Colen Academy’s Enrollment Policy.
What extracurricular activities are offered? i.e., dance, physical education, music, recess, etc.?
We offer physical education, show choir, and Food and Nutrition in Schools (FANS) club. We are looking to expand our extracurriculars as our school grows.
Do you offer transportation?
No, we do not currently offer transportation.
Do you offer before and after care?
We currently do not offer before school care, but our campus opens at 7:15am on school days. We offer After-School Care from 2:05-5:30pm on student days only. For more information about our After-School Care Program, please visit here > https://iacafl.ce.eleyo.com/
Will there be specific programs offered for Gifted Students?
The nature of PBL and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) address gifted students. However, if a student is identified as Gifted, we will implement the Educational Plan (EP) as written. We will also have a teacher who is Gifted endorsed.
Are uniforms be required?
Yes, and we will have a variety of options for families to choose from. Click here to purchase school uniforms from our Uniform Store.
Do you have a dress code?
Yes, we do. Click here or read below to view out Dress Code FAQs:
• You may not alter the design of the uniform or spirit wear (i.e. rhinestones, glitter)
• If a clothing article is not listed, it is not acceptable to wear to school, as it is not considered a part of the dress code.
• Please remember to order outer wear for cooler weather.
These can take some time to arrive, so please plan ahead.
• Uniforms must be clean, neat, and in good repair always.
• Administration reserves the right to address violations on an individual basis.
• Blankets are not to be worn or wrapped around your body at school.
• No headbands with ears or antennas may be worn.
• Students are not permitted to use pens and markers to write and draw on visible body parts.
• Hats may be worn outside only at PE or Recess
• The official Uniform Supplier is French Toast. Our school code is Qs614TF and there is a link below on this page.
• If a student in grades 6/7 is wearing an article of clothing not listed as acceptable below, parent/guardian contact will be made, and an acceptable article of clothing must be brought to the front office of the school before the student can return to class. All missed classwork due to dress code violation by the student will be considered unexcused.
SHIRTS:
• A navy, white or yellow, girls or boys, pique collared short and long sleeve shirt, with the IACA logo on the chest. Shirts must be always tucked in. Students may wear only white or navy undershirts and/or long-sleeve shirts, with no writing or visible design on the sleeves under their school shirts. Peter Pan collar shirts may be worn with jumpers. These are available on French Toast.
BOYS:
• Shorts or pants worn appropriately at the waist. A brown, navy or black belt must be worn with shorts or pants if there are belt loops. All bottoms are khaki or navy. All bottoms must be chino style and fabric.
GIRLS:
• Khaki or navy shorts, skorts or pants. All bottoms are khaki or navy. All bottoms must be chino style and fabric. A brown, navy or black belt must be worn with shorts or pants if there are belt loops. Skorts, shorts or a plaid skort must be no shorter than three inches above the knee.
FOOTWEAR:
• Closed toe shoes are the only type allowed. Students should never wear boots, slippers, sandals, flip flops, crocs or shoes without backs. White, navy, or black socks are the only color socks permitted. Boys socks must be white, navy or black crew or ankle length. Girls may wear white, black or navy knee high, ankle length, or no show socks.
DRESS-DOWN DAYS/FRIDAYS/FIELD TRIPS:
• Dress-down days occur throughout the school year. On these days students may wear full-length solid color blue jeans/pants with no rips, tears, or shredding or Khaki shorts/pants/skorts; and an IACA “Spirit Shirt”. Leggings and stretch pants are not allowed. Sunglasses may not be worn indoors.
KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY:
• must wear Velcro tennis shoes if they are unable to tie their own shoelaces. They must also wear a magnetic or Velcro brown belt if they are unable to buckle their own belt. In addition, please send a full change of uniform clothes for your child in a zip loc bag with his or her name on it. Please include socks, underwear, and shoes. This policy is enforced to save parents time and to get the child back to class as soon as possible in case of a bathroom accident or spill.
FIELD TRIPS UNIFORM:
• All IACA students must wear a navy collared shirt and khaki bottoms for off campus field trips.
PE DRESS CODE (Middle School Students only):
• Middle school students must change for PE and dress out in the approved school PE uniform. Laced tennis shoes must be worn during PE.
OUTERWEAR:
• There are a variety of options available through French Toast. A navy cardigan sweater, navy full zip hoodie, navy zip rain jacket, navy sweater vest and a navy fleece half zip pullover. Outerwear may only include the IACA logo and no other words or designs. We encourage families to label outerwear with student name inside or with monogram.
EXCEPTION:
• Students may wear scout uniform tops on their meeting days only.
DRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT:
• Students who do not comply with dress code will receive a warning for dress code violation. After a student receives three warnings, the fourth offense will result in a referral for student being out of dress code. As stated above, if a student in grades 6/7 is wearing an article of clothing not listed as acceptable below, parent/guardian contact will be made, and an acceptable article of clothing must be brought to the front office of the school before the student can return to class. All missed classwork due to dress code violation by the student will be considered unexcused.
Do you serve students who have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)?
Yes. As a public school, IACA will serve a diverse population of students with varying needs, including students with disabilities who require special education services and accommodations.
Is there be virtual learning classes available?
We follow the Marion County school district guidance as it relates to options for learning.
What if I am applying to a Marion County Choice option? Can I still apply to your school?
Absolutely. IACA’s application is separate from the Marion County choice application, and you are permitted to apply to both. We have aligned our application timeline with theirs so that parents can make the best decision for their child once they have all of the information about what schools are options.
What happens after I submit my application?
Our application period is November 18, 2023 – January 31, 2024. For more information, please visit our Enrollment Process page.
What are the future plans for Ina A. Colen Academy?
Ina A. Colen Academy has welcomed 436 students in grades K-7 since opening in August 2022. We are proud of the staff for overcoming the challenges of opening a new school and providing Marion County students with an excellent choice for education. We look forward to expanding next school year with the addition of grade 8 and additional classes. The 2024-25 school year lottery is now open on the Ina A. Colen Academy website, iacafl.org, and all K-8 Marion County students are welcome to apply. The Colen Family Charitable Trust continues to support Ina A. Colen Academy as the K-8 school grows. There are no plans in the foreseeable future for establishing a high school. However, as students graduate grade 8 at the Ina A. Colen Academy, the Marion County Public School System offers eight public high schools with unique educational programs. Marion County Public Schools are an Equal Opportunity School District.
The Colen Family Charitable Trust is committed to empowering passionate learners and providing quality education to students.
STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Please direct any further inquiries about the school to the
contact below or by filling out our contact form.