20 Ways You Can Support CPDLF
The 2022-2023 school year represents our 20th year anniversary at CPDLF. That’s right: we’ve officially been here for two whole decades. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve made connections with amazing people and families. We’ve also helped educate a lot of students and set them on the path to achieving their goals. They often ask us: what can we do to help CPDLF? We’ll make it easy for you! Browse our list of 20 ways you can support CPDLF.
Learn More About CPDLF
Do you know why CPDLF was founded? What about our mission? Do you know about our Arts and Academics program? There’s a lot to CPDLF! You can help us by learning more about our story, why we’re here, and the ways that we support the academic achievement of CPDLF students and students doing virtual learning in their home districts.
Leave Us a Review
One of the best ways for families and potential students to learn about CPDLF and the student experience is to hear from students and families. Let’s put it this way: we can say CPDLF is a great school for kids who want a flexible schedule and want to get ahead…but that’s just us saying that. It’s completely different when they’re reading about a real student’s experience of needing an alternative schedule so she can pursue her Olympic gymnastics dreams or your experience of wanting more out of your school experience than traditional schools.
You can write about us publicly on the following platforms:
Your feedback, suggestions, and real life experiences with CPDLF helps other families make a decision about their education options and helps us get better at what we do.
Follow Us on Social Media
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected with CPDLF. We post helpful information for current learners, families, community supporters, and people who want to learn more about us. We welcome everyone to interact with our content and share it as you see fit.
Tag Us on Social Media
If you see a post that we should share or something you’re really proud of and want us to know about: tag us so our social media team can see it! You can help us by tagging us wherever you think it’s relevant. You’ll find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Support CPDLF on AmazonSmile
Did you know that you can support CPDLF simply by shopping at Amazon? We’re officially an Amazon Smile nonprofit organization. Visit smile.amazon.com to get started. Once you select us as your organization, Amazon does the rest of the work by donating 0.5% of your eligible purchases at no cost to you. Since the majority of our budget is focused on education, we use our Amazon Smile funds to provide new opportunities for our students that aren’t strictly tied to the classroom - like prizes and community events.
Make a Video
You’ve seen those “Day in the Life Of” or “Get Ready With Me” videos on TikTok and YouTube - why not join them and show your followers what it’s like to be a CPDLF Family? Put together a short video on your experiences, where you study, what you like best about being a CPDLF student, or anything else that you think is important to show people. Be sure to tag us when you post it! We love sharing our students’ projects.
Blog About CPDLF
Do you run a blog? Write about your CPDLF student! Interview them or write about your experience as a CPDLF Learner’s Coach (that’s what we call the grownups who help their students succeed - this can be a parent, grandparent, legal guardian, aunt, uncle, you name it!). We want to see real-life examples of what it’s like to be a CPDLF family. When you publish it, tag us on social media or email [email protected] so we know to share it for you. We may even link to it from the CPDLF website!
Wear CPDLF Gear
Do you have a CPDLF t-shirt? Wear it out in public! Do you have a CPDLF decal? Put it on your laptop or your favorite water bottle! Use your reusable CPDLF shopping bag for groceries and anything else you need to keep handy when you’re out and about.
Get Extended Family Involved in Your CPDLF Student’s Education
Kids do better when all the adults in their life work to support their education. This means relatives can help their CPDLF student simply by asking about school. Ask your CPDLF student to show or tell you about a project they’re proud of or something they’re learning. Ask them to tell you about their teachers and Learning Guide. If you’re a Learner Coach, you can share what you learn about supporting your student with extended family members and ask them to reinforce your work in providing a creative environment for your CPDLF student.
Learn About Social Emotional Learning
We believe in preparing CPDLF students for life after their K-12 education. This means that we’re working to develop their whole being towards becoming lifelong learners, maintaining positive, healthy relationships, and thriving in their personal, academic, and professional lives. This is called “social and emotional learning” or SEL. We contribute to SEL by supporting learning in five areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, decision-making skills, and relationship skills. SEL increases academic performance, ability to manage stress, and supports students across cultural demographics - in short, it’s good for everyone. You can learn more about SEL here and get tips to continue this education in your home.
Join the Learner Coach Corner
If you’re a parent or guardian of a CPDLF Learner, you’re a Learner Coach! That means you’re the trusted adult in charge of a CPDLF student’s education and well-being. We’ve created a group just for Learner Coaches to share tips, connect with other Learner Coaches, and stay in touch with Learning Guides and others involved in your child’s education. You can learn more about the Learner Coach Corner by contacting [email protected].
Tell People About CPDLF
CPDLF is one of the best kept secrets of education in Pennsylvania - and people won’t find out about it unless you talk about us! This can be as simple as talking about your experience when people ask, “How’s school?” or volunteering to give us a quote or testimonial to share with people who might be interested in attending CPDLF. Be proud of your education!
Refer a Student to CPDLF
Do you know someone who would thrive at CPDLF? Refer them to us! You know the kids in your life and you know CPDLF better than most people. You also know that it takes a special kind of dedication to do well with our rigorous curriculum. If you know of someone who has what it takes to do well here and needs an alternative schedule, a focused learning environment, and individualized attention, fill out a form here so that they can schedule a call with us to learn more.
Donate Supplies to CPDLF
We’re virtual, but our students love hands-on learning and we like to provide as many opportunities as possible. We always welcome donations for things like art supplies, science lab equipment, or in-kind donations for our community events. If you or your organization would like to donate supplies or equipment, please contact us at [email protected].
Become a Community Partner
Sometimes we host community events for students, their families, and families interested in becoming a CPDLF family. We encourage local businesses to sponsor our event so that we can make it bigger and better to support our CPDLF community. To learn more about our community events and sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected].
Display CPDLF Brochures at Your Office
Do you work in an office where you see lots of parents? Offer to host a small stack of CPDLF brochures! Ideal locations include doctors offices, dentists, orthodontists, gyms, equestrian facilities, dance schools, and anywhere else busy parents might be. Contact [email protected] and we’ll send you CPDLF brochures to display so that families can learn more.
Offer Volunteer Opportunities for CPDLF Students
CPDLF students need to earn community service hours just like traditional brick and mortar school students. You can help us by connecting us to volunteer opportunities for our students. This can include on-going needs, like helping in a local soup kitchen, or single day, short-term events, like neighborhood clean-ups or tree planting endeavors. If your organization can provide volunteer hours for our students, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Host Internships or Job Shadowing for CPDLF Students
Do you have a position that could allow CPDLF students to get a taste of real-world job experience? We want to know more! Our students are interested in a variety of career options, so we’re always looking for members of the community willing to provide opportunities for our students to learn about different careers and inspire their education. Please contact us at [email protected] to let us know about your interest.
Join Us for Community Events
Our Learning Centers host Community Events for CPDLF Families and people who are interested in CPDLF to connect, learn more, and have some fun outside of the classroom. In the past, we’ve had dance demonstrations from our Arts & Academics students, food, family activities, and other fun things for students to enjoy. Our next Community Event will be announced in our News section of the website, so be sure to keep visiting that page to find out more information.
Attend School Board Meetings
Interested family members and people from the community are always welcome and encouraged to attend school board meetings. On our website, you’ll find a list of the current school year’s board meeting dates, access to our meeting minutes, agendas, job descriptions, contracts, agreements, and policies, as well as contact information for current board members and how to join us for board meetings.