TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School

TEC Academy Phoenix is a DESE-approved public day school for grades 6 to 12, run by The Education Cooperative (TEC), the oldest educational collaborative in Massachusetts. We serve students who have struggled with the academic, social and behavioral expectations of a typical school, often because of anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma or oppositional defiant disorder. Students come to us through their home district's IEP team, and our campus is in the former Johnson Middle School on Robbins Road. Classes are small and the student-to-staff ratio is low. Our teachers follow the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks so students can earn a diploma from their sending district and pass MCAS, with facilitated online courses through TEC Online Learning. Licensed clinicians hold weekly individual counseling sessions that draw on cognitive behavioral therapy, and counselors run groups on distress tolerance, emotional regulation and social skills. We use positive behavioral supports and collaborative problem-solving. Students build job skills in culinary arts with the Norwood Senior Center and in computer repair, explore careers and internships, and stay active through PE and fitness sessions at LA Fitness. We also offer extended evaluations and Interim Alternative Educational Setting placements.