About Cornerstone Academics โข Delta Junction, Alaska
Twenty-five years at the teaching table.Built for my own classroom, and for yours.
Cornerstone Academics grew out of twenty-five years of teaching โ in private schools, homeschool co-ops, living rooms, and my own kitchen. I built the curriculum I kept wishing existed for the families I worked with, and I am still building it.
Original stories, written for these grades โ not reprinted from the public domain.
At a glance
Serena Augustin โ Founder
The long way around
I came to curriculum development the long way around โ and I would not change a single step of it.
For 25 years I taught in private schools, homeschool co-ops, and my own classroom. I tutored children one at a time and taught groups in buildings, living rooms, and anywhere families needed someone to show up. All the while I was homeschooling my own five children. Those years in the trenches โ figuring out how to reach a struggling reader, how to make literature come alive at the kitchen table, how to keep going on the hard days โ built something in me that no degree ever could have.
I eventually earned my master's in elementary education from the University of Alaska Southeast and completed my teaching credential. I want to be honest about why: I went back for the piece of paper, not because I had more to learn. College gave me confirmation. The ground gave me wisdom.
In 2021 I founded TruLearn, a 501(c)3 in Delta Junction, Alaska, which at its peak served 135 students. Every class, every resource, every hour I give through TruLearn is donated freely. It has always been a labor of love.
And then I built Cornerstone Academics โ because after 25 years of working with homeschool families, the curriculum I needed still did not exist. So I built it.
From the people who have watched her teach.
Written by teachers, friends, and parents whose children I have taught โ people who know the work from the inside.
I have had the privilege of working closely with Serena. For a time, two of my teenage children needed extra help academically. Both had had negative experiences in a school setting. I was blessed to have Serena come alongside them and lay out a plan based on the needs she identified during her assessment. Because of her ability to provide different avenues of learning and her rejection of the notion that some kids are just โbad at learning,โ she assured me that there was a path forward.
As she guided them through their studies with a plan that fit their needs, we saw them become much more enthusiastic and confident in the academic skills they had previously struggled with. If anyone is looking for a curriculum that will support you as the guide and provide enough material to tailor lessons to your studentsโ needs, you have found the right place.
Joanna Wiggins Parent of two former students
I have known Serena for 30 years in the capacity of both a friend, mom and teacher. She is a dedicated teacher who never stops searching for new and meaningful ways to reach each child, seeing the whole child and finding the way they learn best. She values the most quality curriculum and has a high standard for the children she teaches.
Amy Wheeler Friend of 30 years & parent of former student
Serena has always had a passion for education. She consistently focuses on ensuring children receive an effective curriculum that produces real results. Serena has invested many years volunteering with children who have diverse needs, working patiently to help them reach desired performance. She believes children deserve purposeful learning rather than simply filling hours with little academic gain.
Irina Obolentseva A fellow teacher
Serena is a wonderful teacher who treats every student with kindness, fairness, and respect. She encourages her students to challenge themselves and do their best, and she keeps parents well informed about their childโs progress. We truly appreciate her dedication and support.
Illona Yantsen Parent of former students
Why we called it Cornerstone
Western Civilization has turned education into a human right. While this can be a good thing, there is a tendency in human nature to take for granted what is given to us. Many throughout the history of the United States could not afford an education, so they taught themselves to read, write, and do arithmetic while performing physically taxing work. Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest presidents, was a self-educated man.
This is the legacy we would like to pass on: a desire to learn, work hard, develop discipline, grow, and spend the short time we have on this earth in worthwhile endeavors. Put God first, then family. If you are patient, persistent, disciplined, and faithful, doors will open for you that you never dreamed of.
I hold a degree in Civil Engineering and have worked in construction, residential and commercial, since leaving the Army in 1995. Serena holds a master's in elementary education and has been an educator since the late nineties. We chose the name Cornerstone for its historical meaning. The cornerstone was the first stone set on the foundation. Careful measurements ensured it was square, because every other dimension of the building was taken from it โ with string lines, plumb bobs, and levels.
In both our fields we have seen where cutting corners on a foundation leads to disappointment, and sometimes to disaster. That is why Cornerstone Academics exists: to offer solid, well-rounded, affordable resources that help families lay a strong academic and moral foundation.
Our promise to you
Every child has been given talents from God. Those gifts need only to be exercised and trained. Work hard, stay disciplined, tune out the distractions, and keep God and family in first place.
We are honored to come alongside you in this work.
With gratitude,
Michael & Serena Augustin
Cornerstone Academics
Building Foundations. Inspiring Minds.
Read one story. Teach one week. Decide from experience.
Use it with your child. See samples of our stories, questions, and lesson pages.