An Historical PerspectiveVision & Perseverance

By Mark CirinoDecember 2, 2005

Solution Providers

• Child is transformed into an individual.• School prepares them for the global world.• Everlasting experience

– Inspired– Enthusiastic– Confidence– Self-worth– Value-driven

Neighborhood Elementary Schools

• Nurturing Environment• A child is known and cared for by the staff• Behavior modification instead of behavior

management• AGE, PLE, KES

AGIS Challenge• Jan 1998

– Proposal to close AGE & KES and build campus.

• NFNS– Small school research

Small School Research

• Small schools mattered, not just class size.

• District: Research is not relevant to what we are doing.

• Arbitrary & Capricious

• NFNS – Neighbors For Neighborhood Schools

• Concerned parents challenged the district.• Craig Howley (Kathleen Cotton)

AGIS Challenge• Jan 1998

– Proposal to close AGE & KES and build campus.

• Jan 1999– Construction approved to

enlarge PLE for 1,200 K-2 students and build AGIS for 2,000 3-6 students.

• NFNS– Small school research

• CCAGS– No Mega-School– Give Me 5 Campaign

No Mega-School

• CCAGS – Concerned Citizens for Avon Grove Schools.

• Labeled AGIS as Mega-School– 2x Home Depot– 3,000 workers in Chrysler plant

• Call to action for the community to speak out.

• District forged ahead.

Give Me 5 Campaign

• 5 seats open• 1 candidate on ticket• 4 write-ins• Single issue platform: No Mega-School

Won 3 of 5 Seats

AGIS Challenge• Jan 1998

– Proposal to close AGE & KES and build campus.

• Jan 1999– Construction approved to

enlarge PLE for 1,200 K-2 students and build AGIS for 2,000 3-6 students.

• Apr 2000– Alternative plan was not

approved.

• NFNS– Small school research

• CCAGS– No Mega-School– Give Me 5 Campaign

• AGSAG– Founding Coalition

Founding Coalition

• AGSAG – Avon Grove Schools Action Group

• Met weekly for 2-years paving the way for AGCS

• EMOs• Planning Grant• Charter Application

AGIS Challenge• Jan 1998

– Proposal to close AGE & KES and build campus.

• Jan 1999– Construction approved to

enlarge PLE for 1,200 K-2 students and build AGIS for 2,000 3-6 students.

• Apr 2000– Alternative plan was not

approved.• Sep 2002

– AGIS & new PLE opened.

• NFNS– Small school research

• CCAGS– No Mega-School– Give Me 5 Campaign

• AGSAG– Founding Coalition

• AGCS

AGCS Timeline• Jan 1999 – Charter school concept planted• Apr 2000 – Founding Coalition formed• Aug 2000 – MEI• Sep 2000 – Planning grant• Oct 2000 – Kevin McKenna• Feb 2001 – Demand Survey by Wharton• Jun 2001 – No go for Sep-2001 opening• Early 2002 – Initial board & Beacon

Timeline(Apr 2002)

CharterApproved

AGE Lease

Admin. Hired

Teachers Hired

Foundations Hired

Enrollment Drive

Opening Day

Beacon Severance

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

Avon Grove Charter School(AGCS)

Inspiring students to become lifelong learners

Avon Grove Charter School• AGCS is a public school, free of charge, that will provide a

choice for the education of the children in our community.• Those who choose to attend AGCS will be engaged in an

academically challenging curriculum based in a small school setting with individualized learning plans for each student.

• Success of student’s education will depends on parental involvement and participation with the community.

• AGCS is independent of the district and is governed by its own Board of Directors who are held directly accountable for the goals outlined in its charter.

Reform Initiatives

• The goal is improvement -to make things better.

• Requires change which is difficult to initiate and accept.

• The journey of change is often a very challenging one with many unknowns.

• Sometimes, formal reform initiatives are used to invoke change.

• Examples: Ma Bell and Microsoft

Educational Reform• Our nation has recognized that our

educational system is in need of improvement.• One reform initiative that our nation supports

is the Charter School initiative.• Many districts across our nation have

implemented the Charter School initiative.• This initiative has arrived at the Avon Grove

School District in the form of the Avon Grove Charter School.

National Honoring of Charter Schools

• Presidential Proclamation, May 2, 2002• U.S. Senate Resolution, S. RES. 254• U.S. House Resolution, H. CON. RES. 386

• 2,431 Charter Schools• 35 States• 580,000 Students• 374 New Charter

Schools in 2001

• 1.6 million students, parents, teachers, administrators, and board members.

Charter Schools in PA(http://edreform.com/charter_schools/states/pennsylvania.htm)

Law: Passed in 1997

Rank: 13th strongest of the nation's 38 ranked charter laws

CER Grade: B

Schools: 77

Students: 26,749