FAQs

Why was Fox Cities Leadership Academy established?

Beginning as Appleton Career Academy, our vision is to provide students with integrated curriculum and instructional activities that allow the student to preview professions within smaller, cohesive personalized environments. Students will engage in a rigorous, standards-based curriculum that is supplemented with classroom, service learning, leadership, clinical and co-curricular experiences involving the greater Fox Cities community.


Why did ACA become FCLA?

The name change to Fox Cities Leadership Academy (FCLA) better reflects the essence of our Academy. Like the ACA, the Fox Cities Leadership Academy will continue to differentiate its instructional methods from those found within Appleton North by having an integrated learning curriculum.

This means the learning looks at the “big picture,” and brings into play two or more subject areas. Learning is interdisciplinary in both content and process, and often thematic in nature. Subsequently, the environment allows for diverse student inquiry, choice of topic, etc. within the teacher’s seminar design.


Who is eligible to become a student in FCLA?

Any qualified students within the Appleton Area School District entering grades 9-12 will be eligible to apply to participate. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds available FCLA positions, a lottery system will be employed to choose participants. No student shall be denied the right to participate in the FCLA program on the grounds of race, religion, color, sex, or national origin.


How are students selected?

Admission to Fox Cities Leadership Academy is open to all students going in to grades 9-12 in the Appleton Area School District. Potential candidates must complete an application. Those applying from outside of the Appleton Area School District must provide any necessary forms (i.e. Open Enrollment) with their application.


How does Fox Cities Leadership Academy differ from the program of a regular North student?

Many FCLA students will have some of their classes at North, and some at the Academy. FCLA will help students choose north classes that best apply to their fields of interest. In FCLA itself, classes will be more rigorous than those of a regular North High School student.


What will my transcript from FCLA look like?

FCLA as well as other charter schools in the Appleton Area School District all use a common transcript. The common transcript that is used by the AASD and FCLA combines all grades and credits to generate a cumulative grade point average.


Can I still apply for FCLA if I already registered for next year?

FCLA applications are accepted until we reach capacity. Even if you have already submitted your course requests, students can still apply to FCLA.


What happens to my course requests after I apply to FCLA? 

Individual student course requests are reviewed. Credits that are not typically offered by FCLA programming will be left in place. Students receive a final confirmation of their course requests by March 1.


Do colleges recognize FCLA?

All FCLA credits are transcripted and appear on the student’s official transcript. FCLA academic units fulfill college requirements in CA, Science, and Social Studies. The maximum academic units FCLA provides is 11. Aside from academic units, colleges also review and consider non-academic achievements. FCLA provides opportunities for students to show achievement in creativity, leadership, entrepreneurship, and/or concern for others. FCLA seeks to develop individual student portfolios to provide any post-secondary institution with evidence of diverse personal background and experience as a future contributor in our Wisconsin community.


Can I take AP classes and still be in FCLA?

Yes! FCLA works with all students and families to create a high school educational experience that will fulfill their college readiness goals.


What core courses does FCLA offer?

FCLA offers core credits in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies as well as Phys Ed and PFM - all graduation requirements. FCLA also offers elective credits in many areas.


Are FCLA courses rigorous?

Because FCLA defines rigor as applying what you have learned, we consider the majority of our courses to be rigorous. Most FCLA courses will be starred on your transcript noting that they are such.


Do I have to know what I want to do after high school in order to be in FCLA?

No! In FCLA we focus on transferable skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking which are needed in whatever you decide to do after high school. The FCLA schedule switches every five weeks giving students more opportunity to take a variety of courses (more than in a legacy model high school). Therefore students have the chance to be exposed to wide range of college and career experiences, and a broader idea of all of their post-secondary possibilities.