More than 700 students and parents trekked to the Williams Multiplex Elementary School Saturday to attend the first New Schools Expo, causing organizers to deem the gathering a success. “We are very pleased with the results and definitely plan to ma
“This just shows us that there are a lot of concerned parents who want to find quality schools for their children. More than 70 new and charter Chicago Public Schools were showcased in a day of free workshops and counseling sessions for parents. Several schools were represented at the Expo such as Urban Prep Academy for Young Men.
Urban Prep is a charter school on the South Side at 6201 S. Stewart Ave. And while it is funded by CPS, Tim King, principal at Urban Pep, said it is managed independently. “Charter schools like Urban Prep are unique because they offer the same college preparatory courses most private schools offer,” he said.
“Urban Prep is an all-boys, Black high school with freshmen and sophomores and will graduate its first senior class in 2010.” King is the former principal at Hales Franciscan College Preparatory High School on the South Side, a Black, all-boys Catholic high school, which is the only Catholic high school in Chicago with a Black principal.
He added that Urban Prep had received 500 admission applications for the fall prior to Saturday, even though there are only 150 spots open. Student representatives from various schools were also on hand to answer questions from a student’s perspective. Marlon Marshall, 16, is a sophomore at Urban Prep.
He said attending the all-boys school has made him a better man and more prepared for college. “Thanks to Urban Prep, my communication skills have improved and I have also developed solid project management skills,” he added. “These are skills I will need to successfully finish college.” Parents were excited to receive so much information about schools they never heard of.
“I never knew there was an all-girls public high school my daughter could have attended instead of our neighborhood school, which is Hyde Park Career Academy, said Patricia Phelps, 44. “I want her to have the best possible chance at getting accepted into college and I just don’t feel Hyde Park is up to the task.” Kim Ambrose, 43, a parent organizer for the Expo, made the decision to send her son to a charter school rather than her neighborhood high school, which is Wendell Phillips.
“My son is a freshman at Team Englewood High School (a charter school on the South Side) and I am so glad,” she said. “His grades were not good enough for him to get accepted into a college prep school and I couldn’t afford a private school, so I started checking out charter schools.” She added that teachers at charter schools are more dedicated to teaching students and not eager to run out the door at the end of the day.
“Charter schools offer a lot of support to its students and that’s exactly what my son needs,” added Ambrose. Students as young as 5 years old attended the Expo with their parents including some who plan to transfer to new schools this fall. Wendy Taylor, 10, is a fifth grader at Bethune Elementary School on the West Side. She said because her family moved in December, her parents plan to transfer her to a school closer to home.
“My mom does not like driving far to take me to school, so she wants me to transfer,” Taylor said. “I really don’t mind because my school is bad now and all they do is fight everyday.” Taylor’s mom, Traci Edwards, echoes her daughter’s sentiment. “The distance has become a concern for me because I have to burn so much gas driving back and fourth,” Edwards said. “There are a lot of good schools closer to home that would better serve her educational needs.” Hayes added that too many parents make decisions about where to send their children for school and often are not aware of their options such as smaller or charter schools.
“Again, the primary reason for the Expo is to let parents know they have options when it comes to their children’s education and any school won’t do because not all kids have the same needs.”
______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
