Three Buncombe Charters Celebrate National Charter School Week

Students from Art Space, Evergreen, and Francine Delany charter schools performed in honor of National Charter School Week. They are standing under a picture of Francine Delany, the much beloved Asheville teacher and former principle of Isaac Dickson Elementary School.

These schools’ commitment, coupled with their high levels of accountability, produces innovative methods of teaching and improved student achievement.

“Because Every Child Can Succeed” was the theme of this year’s National Charter School Week. Charter advocates across the country celebrated the successes of charter schools in May.

Buncombe County’s three charter schools, ArtSpace, Evergreen and Francine Delany, observed National Charter School Week by collaborating on a program of student performances demonstrating each schools unique education style.

Two Art Space students talked about how the arts are integrated in its
curriculum, especially drama. Two Evergreen eighth-graders presented
their LEADER (Learning Environmental Action, Developing Expertise and
Responsibility) projects that reflected the school’s environmental
education and service learning focus; four Francine Delany
eighth-graders read from original works on an aspect of school that made
an impact on their lives.

Parent Board members Danielle Moser from Evergreen and Frank
Castleblanco from Francine Delany, along with teacher John Hall from Art
Space, made opening remarks reflecting the benefits of a charter school
education. Hall, 2009 North Carolina Charter School teacher of the
year, spoke about charter schools’ flexibility in adapting to the
educational needs of individual children. These schools’ commitment to
excel and serve the community, coupled with their high levels of
accountability, produces innovative methods of teaching and improved
student achievement.

The Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford
University’s charter school study reinforces the charter school week
theme, “Because Every Child Can Succeed.” It indicated that for
low-income North Carolina students, charter schools had a larger and
more positive effect on reading and no difference in math compared to
their traditional public school peers.

In 2010, 87 percent of charter schools in the state met AYP (Adequate
Yearly Progress) with Evergreen attaining the highest state designation
of Honor School of Excellence. Both Francine Delany and Art Space were
Schools of Distinction.

Evergreen eighth-grader Madison Moser’s LEADER project involved working
with Brother Wolf, a no-kill animal rescue center. I love the service
aspect of Evergreen’s curriculum,” Madison said. “I’m glad there’s a
week that honors charter schools and the differences they offer public
education.”