#54 ICYMI – Ashley Park PreK-8 School, Movement School & SchermCo to Present to NC Board of Education in Spring 2020

Ashley Park PreK-8 School, Movement School & SchermCo to Present to NC Board of Education in Spring 2020
Following a dynamic, data-driven presentation to the North Carolina Charter School Advisory, the team will continue to share the impact of district/charter collaboration 

February 18, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Collaboration is the future. And a dynamic and data-driven presentation last week to the North Carolina Charter School Advisory proved just that. 

On Feb. 10, representatives from Ashley Park Elementary School and Movement School, both located in Charlotte, and Greg Schermbeck, founder of social impact consulting firm SchermCo, presented their work and impact as a district/charter partnership to the North Carolina Charter School Advisory Board in Raleigh. 

As a result of that presentation, the team has been invited to present their plan to the full State Board of Education this spring. It is not only an opportunity to elevate the work being done for North Carolina families, but also to provide a roadmap for how schools across the state can better support their families. 

“Our team is honored to work with the visionary leaders, staff and families at these two schools to support this district/charter partnership, and we’re excited about the impact and looking forward to the work continuing in Charlotte and across North Carolina,” Schermbeck said in a statement. 

The presentation on Feb. 10 was the first of its kind. The team shared preliminary data from last year’s district/charter partnership. Information presented to board members included several key statistics, including (but not limited to):

• 62% (573/919) of enrolled families from both Charlotte, N.C. schools attended at least one family empowerment event last year.
• 70% of surveyed families reported using resources from these nights in their own homes and communities.
• 90% of surveyed families reported feeling more engaged and empowered as a result of this initiative.

Also discussed was SchermCo’s human-centered design approach, which created and provided experiences and resources that families requested. 

The presentation solidified the strong belief that charter and district schools can and should work together across the state of North Carolina to provide high-quality education to all families. “All it takes is innovative leaders and a willingness to share ideas to support the needs of the communities we serve,” said Brenda Alston-Hasan, pre-K-2nd grade administrator and instructional coach at Ashley Park Elementary School. “When this type of collaboration happens, the end result will always be successful.”

The charter school partner in this collaboration couldn’t agree more. “Movement School desires to be a school of the community, where we educate and equip a new generation of leaders through academic excellence, character education and access to resources; this partnership is one of those resources we’re most proud of for its unique and strong blend of innovative practices with warmth and character,” said Jamie Sumter, director of Movement School.  

An important byproduct is the space for more innovative partnerships between district and charter schools, which has the potential to create opportunities not yet dreamed of. 
“The Ashley Park/Movement collaborative proves that it can be done,” said Claire Jenkins Porter, education planning and development consultant with the Office of Charter Schools in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. “Sharing resources and data-driven planning as well as the fact that there are courageous leaders who are already doing this is important. And the possibilities of scaling this up are endless.”