On behalf of the Children’s Village Academy Board of Directors, staff and faculty, I would like to take this opportunity to clear up a misconception stemming from an article in The Free Press published Tuesday about Children’s Village Academy.
Many of our parents and students are under the wrong impression — which was never stated or implied in Tuesday’s article — that the North Carolina State Board of Education has delayed the decision whether to close the Children’s Village Academy until its December meeting. That impression is not true.
To the contrary, Dr. Joel Medley, Director of Charter Schools for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, met with representatives of theCVA Board of Directors to communicate the state board’s decision to take any notion of closing CVA off the table given the tremendous progress the school has made in retiring its debts following the misfortunes of Hurricane Irene, among other unforeseen circumstances.
The State Board was actually supportive of CVA operating next school year and beyond as long as it continues to show such great progress and works closely with DPI officials to reach even higher goals of financial success next school year, 2013-14.
The December meeting is simply the timeframe identified by the N.C. Board of Education to obtain an update to verify CVA is still on track with achieving its financial goals to significantly grow its financial reserve and for implementing the high quality academic program the school has had in the past.
Even if CVA somehow falls short of its financial goals to grow its financial reserve (which is highly unlikely given the school is now practically deficit-free), Dr. Medley has assured CVA officials the State Board would neverconsider closing a school in the middle of a school year under such circumstances.
In addition, the DPI’s Office of Charter Schools expressed its strong support (including specific recommendations) for Phase II of CVA’s Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) program, due to be implemented next school year, 2013-14.
During the first phase of CVA’s STEM program, the middle students excelled so well in mathematics that more than 80 percent of its eighth grade graduating class scored high enough on the Kinston High School placement test to be eligible for advanced placement math classes. The middle school students also “exceeded expected growth” with the majority of them scoring at levels 3 or 4 on their mathematics/reading End-of Grade (EOG) exams. This school is not the type the state wants to close.
Using a full staff of highly qualified, certified teachers, the 2013-14 STEM program will focus on the science component. CVA seeks to prepare the nation’s next generation of 21st century scientists, including doctors, nurses, engineers, programmers, psychologists, pilots and mechanics, among others.
CVA has a long history of providing high quality education for the community since it opened in 1997. For many years, CVA was the only elementary school in Kinston to make Adequate Yearly Progress, High Growth, or Schoolof Distinction, under No Child Left Behind for numerous contiguous years since the early 2000s.
With the assistance of DPI and the support of the N.C. Board of Education, CVA is destined to become one of the highest sought-after STEM programs in the state. During our next academic year, the STEM program has the potential of launching the school to its highest academic achievement to date.
CVA’s doors are always open and all are welcome. Stop by.
James Harper Jr. is the secretary/treasurer of the CVA board of directors. You may reach him by contacting the school. The opinions of the guest columnist are not necessarily those of The Free Press.
FYI
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