TEAM Charter Schools

Incredible Rise Academy oratory contest winners: http://tinyurl.com/b9cgj7

Visited Democracy Prep (www.democracyprep.org) on Friday. Great school.

Come join us tonight for the final round of the Rise Academy Oratory Contest…

We started out with 238 Risers. . . then narrowed the field down to 60 Risers. . . tonight only 20 Risers are still standing – competing for the top prize, and of course the bragging rights as the top orator in their class. Tonight we will see 6 of the finalists rise to the top. —–

Location:
Science Park High School (auditorium)
260 Norfolk St. Newark, NJ

Note:
Unfortunately, Science High does not have a school parking lot and so please factor in time to park and make your way into the auditorium.

Time:
5 – 7pm

Obama’s ed speech was amazing: lift charter caps, pay STEM teachers more, merit pay, better data systems, nat’l standards, expand PreK…

Watch Bill Gates‘ much-discussed TED Talk about the two questions that keep him up at night. With US public education as a point of discussion, Gates describes KIPP as a source of hope.

The section on KIPP begins at about minute seven.

There are a few places, very few, where great teachers are being made. A good example of one is a set of charter schools called KIPP.

On February 26th and 27th, Newark Collegiate Academy’s Parent Advisory Council hosted “Authentic Manhood: Recapturing the Male Image”, NCA’s first annual Men’s Conference. During this two day conference students not only had an opportunity to bond with one another as young men, but it also brought the students face-to-face with student and community activists and leaders. Students had the opportunity to share experiences, ask questions and build relationships with small business owners, political and community activists, violence prevention specialists, health educators and youth advocates. The conference also included key note speeches on defining masculinity and leadership. Through the Men’s Conference, Newark Collegiate’s young men were provided with real examples of courage, humanity and excellence that will engender community pride, responsibility and activism.

“The Choice is Yours: Making the Right Choice the First Time”: Khalil Sabu Rashidi, Prevention Case Manager, UMDNJ: Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine

Jong Park, a reporter from Chosun Ilbo, the largest and oldest newspaper in Korea (at a circulation of 2.3 million, bigger than any US paper), visited TEAM last week and wrote an article (see his blog has pictures).

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Here is evidence that TEAM is having a direct and important impact even in one of the remotest areas of the world. Some deserving kids thousands of miles away are benefiting from what our teachers are doing every day in their classrooms. Ali, a fifth grade reading teacher at TEAM and founder of the TEAM in Africa project received this letter from Jane, the Kenyan school’s founder complimenting notable change:

Ali,

Here are photos of the students wearing TEAM t shirts. There are several in the school who have them but I could only find 4 on the afternoon I took them. We gave 2015 t shirts to the top performing students in standard 6 who will be going (hopefully!) to university in 2015 and 2014 tshirts to the top students in standard 7 last year since they will be going to University in 2014. They loved the slogans ” no short cuts, no excuses” and “lead by example.” They loved the t shirts — so cool and so new!

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bracing for the storm