Series

More from Richard McLellan: https://charterlibrary.org/search/?_author=richard-mcclellan&_author_list=richard-mcclellan

More from Dr. Howard Fuller: https://charterlibrary.org/search/?_author=howard-fuller&_author_list=howard-fuller

More from Mary Kay Shields: https://charterlibrary.org/search/?_author=mary-kay-shields&_author_list=mary-kay-shields

This is Charlton Heston Academy’s story of how they adjusted and overcame through a global pandemic. #SchoolBrag

Renaissance Public School Academy is making strides to help kids learn how they learn best! We’ve absolutely fallen in love with the heart of this school! #schoolbrag

Learn about Micro-schools.
Wildflower Schools is an ecosystem of decentralized Montessori micro-schools that support children, teachers, and parents. At the core of Wildflower are the purpose, values, norms, and principles that define the approach.

Success through personalized learning, strong culture, and equity. Distinctive Schools operates high-performing public charter schools in Chicago and Metro-Detroit. Their mission is to support each child in becoming an engaged and curious learner, a confident self-advocate, and a creative problem-solver by setting high expectations and nurturing a positive culture that honors diversity, collaboration, and optimism.

Providing an innovative dual language immersion program.
In this session, we highlighted the DC Bilingual Public Charter School. Founded in 2004, DC Bilingual provides an innovative dual immersion Spanish and English learning program for all students, regardless of their home language. Through their rigorous academic curriculum, comprehensive arts, technology, and athletics programs, and their celebration of diverse cultures, DC Bilingual’s students learn the skills and values they need to become influential participants in their community.

Watch the Innovative School Models session below to learn about DC Bilingual’s holistic family centered approach, their focus on equity, and the implemented programs that have led to successful student outcomes.

Committed to Success and Equity for all Students
The Noble Network of Charter Schools team shares their successful to-and-through college model, the thoughtful adjustments they have made through the unprecedented time of COVID-19, and their approach to ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of their policies, strategy, and approach.

Noble is a Chicago based system of charter public schools serving 12,500 students across 18 campuses. Noble has been recognized as a national leader in education sending on average 90% of its graduates to college each year.

In 2019, MIT researchers found that students who attended Noble grew more academically than similar peers who attended selective enrollment schools. In the annual CPS school ratings, Noble schools earned 10 of the top 12 spots for all high schools in Chicago including selective enrollment schools. Chicago Magazine named Noble schools as 13 of the top 40 high schools in Chicago and U.S. News and World Report named five Noble campuses in their top 50 schools in the entire state of Illinois.

In recent years, Noble has committed to reexamining its model to ensure students have equitable and positive experiences that prepare them to succeed in college or on other paths of their choice. Using lenses of diversity, equity and inclusion, Noble has adjusted its practices, policies, and strategies in pursuit of that vision and continues to evolve to best serve Chicago students and families.

Rethink goals, access resources, and measure school quality.
Students’ learning has been interrupted and the complexities associated with re-engagement and learning gains will not be captured by standardized state assessments alone. This session is designed for public charter school leaders and authorizers interested in revisiting school goals and academic accountability frameworks used for determining school quality. We will examine how goals are currently constructed, which students are expected to achieve, and consider a new approach that responds to the student population and school’s mission.

Adjust practices for changing times.
While school buildings are closed, teaching, learning and leading continued. How should boards or management companies adjust their practices to reflect an environment where most of what the school leader does is accomplished remotely? Learn some tips and tricks from Stephanie Hargens and Mark Weinberg to ensure your evaluation process reflects the unique nature of leadership in this new and ever-changing environment.

Fight for the things that you care about. Whether it is federal, state, or local policy, charter authorizers are impacted by the decisions of others. The good news is that authorizers can influence this policy. Join the Institute to better understand who makes these policies, how they are crafted, and how your authorizing organization can use its voice and the voices of those they serve to ensure only the best policies get enacted.

Effective charter school board members know they represent both the public and the school they serve. This involves strong communication skills and the ability to tell their school’s special story. Hear about best practices and learn how you might best promote your school as an advocate and ambassador by joining Institute Director of Policy & Partnerships Wendy Larvick and strategic communications and advocacy expert Peri Lynn Turnbull of PLT Strategies for this informative session.