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A Public School of Choice
A Different Voice CCAT is the most public school in Bulloch County because we are a school of choice, allowing parents and students to choose a different type of educational experience than that provided by traditional public schools. Any student in Bulloch County can choose to receive an accredited education at CCAT. Charter schools are public schools funded through public tax dollars; therefore, they charge no tuition and have no special requirements for admission. Applications are online or come by to visit and pick one up. Students are chosen from applications twice a year by state lottery. Did you know There are over 3,400 charter schools in the U. S. ? Over 10 years of comprehensive research shows charter schools producing strong student achievement? A December 2004 Harvard University study found that charter school students are more efficient in math and reading than students in neighboring conventional schools? |
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Charter Conservatory for Liberal
Arts
& Technology: Learning in Action
Statesboro’s “Other” Public School Pat Murphey President Lincoln was right of course. It is impossible to please all of the people all of the time. But that Sisyphean task confronts teachers who must accommodate students who come in all intellectual shapes and sizes in one-size-fits-all classrooms. Consequently, some of our brightest kids become disheartened and lose confidence because they don’t fit some preconceived mold. The efforts of dedicated educators and administrators notwithstanding, they languish in more traditional schools. It’s a problem the faculty at Statesboro’s Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts & Technology, commonly known as CCAT, has addressed since opening its doors in 2002, and they’ve done a remarkably good job pleasing most of their students most of the time. “Just who are those guys, and what do they do over there?” Although commonly misunderstood as a private academy that “picks and chooses” only gifted students, CCAT is a public school with a strong and diverse student body that includes a high school population of around 100 and a middle school that numbers approximately 75 students. Over 15% of these students require Special Education services, while another 15% are considered gifted, with the rest falling somewhere in between. CCAT uses Bruner’s Constructivist theory and Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory as approaches to teaching because they agree that every child is gifted in some way. The key is helping them discover and develop their strengths so they can not only pass their classes, but also retain what they learn and use it in their daily lives. Often incorrectly criticized for allowing kids to “construct” their own reality, whatever that may be, without regard to objective truth, constructivists believe in teaching the same basics as other schools. What the kids have a say in “constructing” is a plan of study that maximizes their strengths and overcomes their deficiencies. The subjectivity lies not in what kids study, but in how they learn. “Before it seemed like I was always either not getting it or I understood too much and got bored,” said 6th grader Megan Carey. It’s called a “learning curve.” Students who grasp one subject quickly may need more time in another. That’s why school can be frustrating for kids who would like to progress faster in some classes but take more time in those they find more difficult. Megan encounters that problem less often at CCAT. “If I fall behind in a class, my teacher takes the time to help me catch up,” she pointed out. “I might be ahead in another class, so instead of being bored, I can spend more time in the class that’s giving me trouble.” CCAT’s students also benefit from more individual attention from their teachers Many who have had difficulty in other settings thrive there, not because it’s easier– in fact, most of them say it’s harder – but because their faculty refuses to let them fail. “They will not let you fall through the cracks,” said junior Claire Nelson. “They take a deep interest in each of us and stress accountability. Our faculty stays on us constantly to make sure we are keeping up with our work, and if we’re having problems, they take the time to find out why and help us fix them.” It also helps that parental involvement, so critical to a child’s success, is mandatory at CCAT. Parents must “volunteer” at least nine hours per nine-week session, doing anything from monitoring lunch to building a stage to tutoring math. So, it’s very hard for CCAT students to be in trouble with so many caring people in their lives to help them get back up when they stumble. Also, the fact that the school doesn’t segregate students by grade enables its students to monitor one another. Kids of different ages have diverse perspectives to add to class discussion, and, while a senior might help a freshman in one subject, the younger student might reciprocate in another class. “We learn from each other as well as from our teachers,” said Nelson. “And because we’re such a small school, we’re all friends without the cliques and ‘in crowds’ you see at larger schools.” They also exert the right kind of peer pressure. “We’re always checking with one another to see if we’re keeping up,” added Nelson. “We want to see everyone succeed.” Nelson especially likes the fact that students can learn in ways that best fit their talents. “Some might need to build a pyramid to understand ancient Egyptian culture, while I could write a historically accurate story. Either way, we are processing the information and learning to think critically.” Like Carey, freshman Dylan Cantrell found that in more “traditional” schools, his drumbeat was often out of step with the rest of the class, especially when it came to reading. “The Accelerated Reading program was a problem for me,” he explained. “When I was in the 5th grade, I tested several years ahead of that level. But when I read more advanced books, it took me longer so I read fewer of them, and my A. R. score was low.” Although CCAT doesn’t focus on numbers, it has a strong reading curriculum. Students must read at least four books during each nine-week session, two from a list provided by the school and two of their choosing. Consequently, most of them read because they enjoy it, not to reach some arbitrary goal. This way, instead of taking a test on a book, I get to write in my journal about it,” noted Carey. “I learn a lot more by writing down my thoughts.” They also learn by working on the school’s physical appearance. One wouldn’t think an old farm equipment store would make for an aesthetically pleasing learning environment, but CCAT’s students and faculty try to make their school a pleasant place to be. “We’ve done just about everything you see,” said senior Christina Hendrix, pointing to the backdrop on the stage near the rear of the space that serves as a combination lunchroom, assembly area and classroom. “That’s one advantage to having no money. We get lots of hands on experience. If we need something, we do it as a learning project.” CCAT may have more than “no money,” but it has very little compared to most public schools, which are chartered through their local boards of education. It received its charter directly from the state. As a result, it is its own, self-contained school district and is one of the two least-funded schools in Georgia. The less than $4000. 00 per student they get from the state is approximately half of what other public schools receive. The positive side to this is that their commitment and dedication has enabled them to survive, and perhaps no on has benefited more from CCAT’s unique approach and dedicated faculty than recent graduate and college freshman Alecia Williams. A difficult pregnancy landed her in the hospital for three months during her senior year. Then with the birth of her child came the obvious impediment to daily school attendance. Prospects for graduation were dim, but her teachers helped Alecia turn an impossible situation to a triumph. First, while she was hospitalized, they stayed in constant touch by visiting, calling and e-mailing assignments. “They helped me learn in a way I never thought possible,” She recalled. “Then when I had my child, they allowed me to come in once a week to pick up assignments and get guidance on how to complete them. They challenged me to do more than just paperwork.” To compensate for her physical absence, Alecia learned to use the Internet, the library and the talents of both CCAT and Georgia Southern instructors. It was a unique college prep program that allowed her to study English Literature, Anthropology and Geometry. The result? A high school diploma adorned with an honors seal and admission to East Georgia College. “I think I was more prepared for college than I would’ve been if I’d been at school every day,” she said. “I know I’d be lost now if I hadn’t had those experiences.” Others in equally difficult situations have found this innovative learning environment to be their saving academic grace. Last year, the school graduated three students who spent at least part of the year homeless, and other s who have failed at more traditional schools are flourishing there. Not all of its students come from troubled backgrounds; in fact most don’t. It’s just that this “different” school on Highway 80 is uniquely equipped to think and teach out of the box. That’s why they’ve graduated 92% of their high school seniors–all of them with college prep degrees– and 77% of them have gone on to post-secondary education. Small pebbles don’t make big splashes, but sometimes their ripples reach the most remote of shores.The good work being done at CCAT has touched every corner of Bulloch County. Students go there for a variety of reasons, but most of them stay because they thrive. |