PS1 Charter Visit - June 1, 2007

My impressions of PS1 Charter. http://ps1charterschool.org/

Facility/Safety
There seems to be one main entrance to the school that is on the corner of Delaware and 11th Ave. (very close to Speer). Parking on the side streets was relatively easy. The neighborhood is mixed, very urban feeling. Not scary busy but not quiet either. The building is full of character both inside and out. A renovated older building, it is quite striking. We visited on a day when school was in session but it was one of the last days of the term so there was a certain amount of chaos. We were greeted by a friendly secretary and toured the school with a neighbor who is a teacher at the school. This is by far the most colorful school I have visited thus far and I literally mean colorful, the walls are drenched with personality. Student projects are everywhere. There is no gym at the school nor are there specialized art/industrial ed/science classrooms. No cafeteria either. There was a computer lab. I should mention that as we left the school we were approached by a very friendly homeless man in search of spare change.

School make up
60 middle school kids with an addition 150 high schoolers – The middle school runs a traditional schedule and only has three teachers so students will work in a smaller environment. 30% of the students have IEPs. There are a limited number of electives because of the size of the school. Each student has an advisor who is actively involved in the student’s education plan. All students have an education plan that the student is very involved in writing.

Afterschool activities
There are a very limited number of afterschool activities.

General impression
This is a very different school and I’m not sure that I can do it justice on the page. I met with the principal (Liz) for some time and felt I had met the most passionate principal in DPS. Students at this school are encouraged to follow their own path and to create their own future. Many students take classes at Metro as part of their education. The school does service projects that involve trips out of the country. Students don’t just “go” on these trips, they actively plan and participate in the trips. Every step of the way I was given the impression that the students in this school would never “float” their way through school, with all the accountability they are held to it would be quite impossible. The students at this school were a bit more flamboyant than I’ve seen elsewhere. One student was so laden by chains that he quite resembled Jacob Marley. Another student moved through the school in her motorized wheelchair equipped with a computer she used for communication. Others were outrageously colorful. Students were friendly and greeted the teachers with respect mixed with a great deal of casual familiarity.

Note
This is a charter school that is up for renewal this fall. They have had trouble meeting the testing standards of DPS and could lose their charter in the fall. However, if they are extended it will be for another five years.