From the Gary Post-Tribune
18 students in inaugural class

GARY -- Eighteen seniors accepted their diplomas Monday becoming 21st Century Charter School's inaugural class during commencement at the Genesis Convention Center.

Learning guide Patricia Tatum gave hugs to graduating twins Dentrell and Darnell Smith before members of the class marched from their school to the convention center across the street.

"These are my babies!" Tatum said. "I feel like I am seeing my child graduate."

The Smiths were among those who started at 21st Century when it opened.

Principal Angela West, who came to the school a year ago as an assistant principal, said 15 of the 18 graduates spent all four years at the charter school and four also received college credit from Ivy Tech Community College. [READ MORE]

From the Gary Post-Tribune
Hard-working Gary senior getting a jump on college

If there were an award for the hardest-working high school student in Gary, Brandon Thomas-Pleasant, 18, would be a prime candidate.

Thomas-Pleasant is a high school senior at the 21st Century Charter Schools in Gary and also attends Ivy Tech Community College Northwest and Indiana University Northwest.

Most students find high school alone challenging, but Thomas-Pleasant has higher goals. He knew he could save money and be further ahead once he entered college by taking some college classes while in high school.

He first learned about taking college courses through his high school instructors. They told him Ivy Tech and the charter school had an arrangement that allows students to take several Ivy Tech courses for free. Since Ivy Tech's credits transfer to IUN, where he plans to attend in August, he took an eight-week freshman-level English course.

Thomas-Pleasant did so well in his first course that he decided to take another English class, this time online. It gave him the flexibility to do his work anywhere via computer. That was a big help because Thomas-Pleasant works part time after school at the Gary Public Library and has since he was a freshman. [READ MORE]

We Made AYP!
Congratulations to Parents, Students, and Staff

Parents, we made AYP!

You may be hearing our teachers saying that with smiling faces this year, but what on earth does it mean?

“AYP” means Adequate Yearly Progress, and it is a measure of academic achievement made by schools in English and mathematics. The No Child Left Behind Act is a federal law that requires schools to show annual improvements in the academic achievement of the overall student population (and of student subgroups based on economic background and special education, to name just two).

AYP designations for Indiana schools are determined by a combination of ISTEP+ scores and participation rates, regular attendance rates, and high school graduation rates. Under the No Child Left Behind law, schools must make AYP in all student groups in order to meet the requirements of AYP.

Even though the most important numbers to us will always be the individual test results of your children, making AYP serves as an indication that we are growing together as a school community. It shows that parents, teachers, administrators and students all recognize the importance of the education our children receive and are working toward a common goal.

On behalf of our teachers and students, let me thank you, our parents, for your involvement in your children’s education. The importance of parental involvement can never be overestimated when it comes to academic progress.

You recognize that importance and we all thank you for it.

Congratulations, parents!

Working on behalf of children,
Mrs. Angela D. West
Principal