IMPORTANT DATE:

March 1, 2010 - Applications available

WHAT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL?

Here are a few things you should know:

• Charter Schools are public schools, so they are free.
• You do not have to be "gifted." It is open to absolutely anyone, just as any other public school.
• So what's the difference? Charter Schools offer a different approach to learning. 75% of the teachers are certified.  The rest of the time your students are being taught by experts in their field. It's very hands-on learning. And school is never over! Students hang out in the computer labs and do their homework with each other before going home. It's an entirely different environment where they actually want to be at school. That has a lot to do with a big emphasis on creating the right culture.
• Parents are required to participate. Teachers call every parent or visit in person once a month... and not just when something bad happens. They point out progress too.
• There is a HUGE emphasis on college. College is not optional after charter schools. They start teaching students as early as 5th grade that they should think about what they want to be and where they want to go to school. In fact, in some high schools there are entire year-round mandatory classes dedicated to college: how to pick one, how to qualify, ACT prep, and how to apply for financial aid.

Staff members at Peoria Housing Authority recently took a bus trip to Chicago to learn more about the Peoria Charter School Initiative. It was a life changing experience. The students were confident, eager and excited to learn. They were mature, well spoken and had such passion about learning and going to college. The schools had 100% graduation rate, 100% college placement! With numbers like that, we can't afford NOT to bring a charter school to Peoria. Charter schools have a proven track record of success and we are robbing our students if we don't give them the option.

THE PEORIA CHARTER SCHOOL INITIATIVE

The Charter School Initiative is a grassroots effort started by local community members. Some are former principals, business leaders, parents and grandparents. They all had the goal of bringing a math, science and technology charter school to Peoria and they were successful!  To learn more about the Peoria Charter School Initiative, click HERE.

The school is scheduled to open in August, 2010.

In the mean time, Caterpillar Foundation has offered a $500,000 matching grant.  They will match every dollar we raise from the community and local businesses up to $500,000.  That gives the Charter School a great start with $1 million in funding!  For information on how to donate visit:  www.peoriacharterschools.org

This a positive change for the future for this entire area because we will be sculpting skilled and educated employees for the future. They will be future business owners and contributors to central Illinois. It is our job to make sure they have opportunities for excellence that they may not be finding in their current school system. Everyone learns differently and this is just an additional option for parents and students who don't feel what they have now is working.

Thanks for reading!!!!

- Peoria Housing Authority