New reports
The National Charter School Resource Center recently published two reports from the pre-pandemic world. The first is an emerging trends report on charter school facilities across the country. The second is a case study on the replication of an independent, “mom and pop” charter, looking at the New York City Charter High School for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industries as it prepared to open a second site in 2019-2020.
Also from the pre-pandemic world
U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of best high schools in the country and once again a number of charter schools are flying high. Check out this rendering of the list, which ranks only charters. You can see four schools in the top twenty overall, including schools in Arizona, Arkansas, and Indiana. Huge kudos to all.
Helping to ease the current emergency
With distance learning the order of the day across Ohio and the country, students without electronic device are at a distinct disadvantage. A generous donation from two individuals provided vitally-need tablet computers for students attending Heir Force Community School in Lima.
We're not crying, you’re crying
One of the more prevalent stories of the pandemic is the loss of the end of the school year for graduating seniors. Sports, concerts, the prom, and especially graduation ceremonies themselves. Districts and charter schools across the state are working to honor their graduates as much as possible with pandemic protocols in place. The leader of Dohn Community School in Cincinnati began this week hand-delivering diplomas house-to-house in mask and gloves. Graduating seniors at Toledo School for the Arts were surprised with brightly-colored yard signs this week, provided by the school and planted by the principal. At KIPP Columbus, the Class of 2020 is the very first to graduate from the school and teachers decorated their cars and paraded through their seniors’ neighborhoods to celebrate their accomplishments.
Looking toward the post-pandemic world
At its recent Zoom-based board meeting, Columbus City Schools approved the sale of two shuttered buildings to charter operators—one each to United Schools Network and ACCEL Schools. Congratulations!
DON’T FORGET: NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK IS COMING UP MAY 10-16!
