Community Newsletter

Friday, March 19, 1999

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CLC Withdraws Expansion Request

For several good reasons (discussed at the last Parent and Board meetings), we requested that the SCASD School Board allow us to grow by two classes rather than one in the coming school year. Unfortunately, but understandably, several members of the SCASD Board felt the need to have "hard data" demonstrating our effectiveness before granting permission to grow at a rate greater than the one specified in our agreement with the District. It was apparent that our request, which was tabled until the meeting on Monday, 3/22, was not going to pass.

After considerable discussion, the CLC Board decided to withdraw our request. The SCASD Board members are good people who make many tough decisions, and each one requires a vote that causes stress and puts their board members on different "sides" of an issue. These discussions and votes also result in media coverage. We felt that since our request was not going to be approved we might as well withdraw the request, saving the SCASD Board members from another potentially divisive decision making process and saving us from publicity that would be likely to do the CLC more harm than good.

We intend to submit a similar request next year, when the data demonstrating our effectiveness is in hand.

State College Elementary schools are not in session on 3/25 and 3/26, which has caused some parents to ask whether the CLC is off on those days. We WILL be having school on those days, because our schedule parallels the HIGH SCHOOL schedule, since our students ride the high school busses. As a general rule: If State College High has classes, so do we.

Because of three snow make-up days…

the last day of school will be June 11^th.

Parents, please remember that you play a critical role in your child’s progress. Many studies have shown that when parents take an interest in their children’s schooling, performance improves.

Please use the CLC "Student Information System," by following the link on the CLC Home page ( http://clccharter.org ). If you don’t know how to access this information, or if you have any trouble, please leave a message for Kyle, either at his office at Penn State (863-4316) or at the school (861-7980).

Remember, the purpose of this site is to let you know how your child is doing. The ratings (-, ˆ-, ˆ, ˆ+, or +) are ratings that tell you how well YOUR CHILD is doing, compared to our assessment of how he or she COULD BE doing. A "ˆ-" means that we think your child could have done better on that assignment, not that he or she did worse than most students. (Traditional "grades" claim to compare students to the class, while CLC ratings compare students to their potential as we see it.)

Special thanks to…

George Baumer, Giles Driscoll, and Dan Parker, our hard-working Facilities Location Team! They have contracted with a realtor and are hard at work finding our new home.

Ah… Spring is in the air. The days of hiding out from bad weather are behind us for the year (we hope), and we can now get ready to "hit the road."

Field trips in the works include visits to the Stock Market in Philadelphia, to Gettysburg, and to Centre Furnace. In addition, while working on our "Digital Grassroots" projects, small teams of CLC students will be visiting the Boalsburg Cemetery, the Penn State Mineral Museum, several caves in central PA, the Boal Mansion and Columbus Chapel, the Boalsburg Military Museum, and the Penn State Rare Documents Room.

If you are willing and able to accompany students to these locations, please contact the school, expressing your interest in doing so.