Submitted by acollier on
By Alison Collier
FOCUS was thrilled last Monday night when the DC Public Charter School Board granted conditional charters to two of the groups that participated in our School Design & Development program, Lee Montessori and Academy of Hope. They were the only two of the nine applicants that received approval.
Starting in 2014, Lee Montessori Public Charter School will offer a Montessori curriculum for pre-schoolers through 1st grade, and will eventually grow through 6th grade. This founding group applied last year, but was not approved; FOCUS was able to help the group strengthen their school design and their application to ultimately win approval. Two of the founding group members are currently Montessori teachers at Thurgood Marshall Elementary, a DCPS school that is being closed under the most recent round of closures announced by Chancellor Kaya Henderson. When the new charter school opens in 2014, some of those families will be able to continue their Montessori education.
Academy of Hope Public Charter School will also open in 2014 and will build on an already successful adult education program by offering a high school credential, industry certifications, and an opportunity for college credits and dual enrollment at local colleges. Through their charter school, Academy of Hope will continue serving at least 200 adults at their existing facilities in Wards 5 and 8.
If you are interested in following in these groups’ footsteps and founding a charter school in the District, FOCUS offers a comprehensive program that includes an information seminar, in-depth workshops, and application consulting. Click here to register for our upcoming information seminar on June 5th.