August 11, 2008
Dear Families,
I hope everyone is enjoying the final weeks of summer vacation and looking forward to the new school year!
Last year was a busy one for our coalition and it looks like we will have to work hard again to protect our schools next year. The legislature is currently out of session, so your state representatives are back in their home districts. Now is a good time to check in with a visit or a phone call to their local office.
Many of you met with you reps during our Day on the Hill event in May and it is important to build on that relationship. Please go to our website www.pacyberfamilies.org, and click on the General Assembly information link on the bottom left of the page. There you will find the address and phone number of your representative's district office.
It would be great if you can contact them before they head into a brief session in September. As we have come to learn, our public cyber school opponents are constantly looking for ways to get anti-cyber school legislation to the House floor.
We must stay active and vigilant!
Here are the legislative schedules:
2008 SENATE FALL SESSION SCHEDULE September 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 October 1, 2, 6, 7 2008 HOUSE FALL SESSION SCHEDULE September 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24 October 6, 7, 8 November 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 Survey on the way
We are in the process of sending out candidate surveys so we can have the information out to coalition members before the November elections. The survey answers should give us a good idea of who we should support. I am looking forward to seeing the results!
Seeing the light
It appears some traditional brick-and-mortar educators are coming around to the idea of public cyber schools and "choice" as effective and legitimate!
Our friends at Connections Academy are opening a cyber teaching center for tutoring and mentoring in the Pittsburgh region. A recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette detailed the project and included a nod of support from a local school district.
"As far as the Gateway School District is concerned, spokeswoman Cara Zanella said, student choice is welcome, even if it means the district will lose students." "Parents will always retain the right to choose how and where they wish their children to become educated," she said.
Amen! I have included the entire piece below - it is worth reading!
Stay Energized!
Jenny Bradmon, president Charter school center opens in Monroeville
Thursday, August 07, 2008 By Deborah M. Todd, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Students throughout the region will soon have greater access to a learning resource that is already available at the push of a button. Commonwealth Connections Academy Virtual Charter School will open its first Western Pennsylvania teaching center Sept. 2 on Penn Center Boulevard in Wilkins.
The teaching center will allow local students personal access to teachers for tutoring and mentoring while raising the cyber school's profile in the region.
"We expect to reach the larger population in the western portion of the state with our new presence in [Wilkins]," said Dr. Dennis Tulli, CCA principal. "We made [Adequate Yearly Progress] this year and 91 percent of our families graded us with an A or a B in school quality and customer satisfaction. So we believe we are well-positioned to continue to grow and work with families throughout the western portions of Pennsylvania."
While the option to attend Commonwealth has been available to Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through eighth grade since the school opened in 2003, many parents are unaware that cyber charter schools are viable public education options for their children.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education charters all cyber charter schools and reimburses local school districts up to 30 percent of expenses paid for cyber students.
While enrolled at Commonwealth, students are given use of a personal computer or laptop and printer. Connections Academy, parent company of Commonwealth Connections Academy, also provides reimbursement to parents to subsidize the cost of Internet access.
In addition, the school will be open to students in grades nine through 12 for the first time. Commonwealth expects to teach nearly 3,000 Pennsylvania students during the 2008-09 school year.
"There are many reasons families choose cyber schools over the traditional bricks-and-mortar schools," Dr. Tulli said. "We offer a more flexible course of studies. We offer flexibility in the time students are able to attend school, for example. If students prefer to do assignments in the evening, they may attend our school at their convenience.
"We offer a violence- and drug-free environment and we offer opportunities for families to structure their child's educational program around the needs of the family. In short, we offer a choice, which is our strongest asset."
Although an increase in cyber charter enrollment can lead to a decrease in general public school enrollment, Ken Kilpatrick, of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools, said cyber charters are meant to provide options for, rather than to replace, traditional public schools.
"We constantly hear districts say kids are being pulled from them," Mr. Kilpatrick said. "The charter school movement is about choice. I've never gone to a student and said you have to come here -- they come by choice."
As far as the Gateway School District is concerned, spokeswoman Cara Zanella said student choice is welcome, even if it means the district will lose students. "Parents will always retain the right to choose how and where they wish their children to become educated," she said.
"No matter what educational facility is welcomed into our community, the Gateway School District will continue to provide its students with the best possible education so that they can thrive in our ever-changing, diverse world."
As of July 28, 77 students living in the Gateway School District were enrolled in charter schools.
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