AltSchool hires Activision exec Coddy Johnson as its COO

Johnson also previously worked in the Bush White House as Associate Director of Political Affairs

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AltSchool, an edtech company that is looking to reimagine the education system for both students and teachers, has hired its first Chief Operating Officer, bringing on Activision executive Coddy Johnson to fill the role, it was announced on Thursday.

As COO of AltSchool, Johnson will will initially focus on driving operational consistency, as well as building connected and supportive communities throughout its growing network of micro-schools.

Johnson had spent the last eight years at Activision, first joining the company in 2008 as SVP, Chief ofStaff to CEO. Along the way he held other positions that included COO of Studios, CFO, and Head ofOperations.

Before that, he had an active career in politics, working as White House Associate Director of Political Affairs under President George W. Bush. He also held regional and national field director roles in the President's election campaigns.

Johnson was named MVP of the 2004 Election by the National Association of Political Consultants.

In addition to that, he is also Chairman of the anti-poverty group LIFT-LA, which supports children who “age out” of the foster care system, and he's also Board of the Environmental Defense Action Fund, which promotes conservation and works to increase understanding about climate change, as well as Twigtale, a company that produces personalized books for children struggling with transitions in their personal lives.

Founded in 2013, AltSchool is a collaborative community of micro-schools that uses teachers, deep research, and tools to offer a personalized, whole child learning experience for the next generation. It offers Lower and Middle School Programs for children who are Pre-K through 8th grade, as well as after school programs, team sports, and language programs.

Its model includes mixed age classrooms, with a two to three year span between the oldest and youngest students. There are 20 to 30 kids in each class.

The school day typically goes from 9 in the morning, to 3 in the afternoon, with 60 to 120 minute drop off windows before the day, and three hour windows after, allowing parents to make their own pickup and drop off schedules. During those extended times, students work on extracurricular activities.

Students work together on 20 to 25 different activities each week, some of which will be oriented toward a single goal, and some of which will be individual, unrelated tasks.

The company's mission, it says, is that it believes that "every child should have access to an exceptional, personalized education that enables them to be happy and successful in an ever-changing world."

“Coddy has the vision to see how technology can fundamentally transform individual experiences at scale,” Max Ventilla, CEO of AltSchool, said in a statement. “But he understands that growth is not the goal, but rather a byproduct of inspiring and engaging students and families. Equally important, as a parent of young children, he’s driven to create something that benefits not only his own children but, in time, many many more children. The AltSchool community is incredibly lucky to have him.”

AltSchool has raised $133 million in funding, including a $100 million round in May of last year. The company is backed by Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Emerson Collective, First Round Capital, Harrison Metal, John Doerr, Jonathan Sackler, Learn Capital, Omidyar Network, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's donor advised fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and other leading investors.