Reggie Evans is within the planning course of to create Grace Academy of Excellence a college to serve college students with behavioral, studying points.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Efforts to carry a brand new constitution faculty in Sumter County are underway for one native resident. Reggie Evans hopes to open an all-boys faculty known as Grace Academy of Excellence.
“I used to be blessed, and the one factor to do is to be a blessing,” Evans shared.
That is why he is attempting to channel his ardour for serving to others into a brand new faculty.
“We need to ensure that our younger males can develop into gents,” he mentioned.
Evans thinks having robust male lecturers is usually a optimistic affect to assist preserve children out of hassle. To begin this course of, he traveled to Columbia for the South Carolina Public Charter School District’s Pre-Applicant Coaching Session, run by Superintendent Chris Neeley.
“It’s all about giving college students and households extra choices,” Neeley mentioned. “We now have STEM colleges, STEAM colleges, artwork colleges, sports activities colleges, we’ve colleges which can be Montessori, and we’ve a college that’s digital.”
These public colleges obtain federal funding just like a public faculty, however they provide extra selection in curriculum and programs. Presently, there are 38 colleges within the state, in keeping with Neeley.
“They’ve that freedom and autonomy on the native degree to make choices about curriculum, their educating strategies, utilizing innovation and creativity and that is available in many various varieties,” Neeley defined. “Youngsters want completely different customized studying fashions to assist them be one of the best they are often, not solely at school however in life.”
That is what Evans has acknowledged. He’s presently engaged on a plan to create the varsity, which he hopes will serve round 240 college students with behavioral or studying points.
“We’re one, we’re prepared, and we’re keen to serve,” Evans mentioned in regards to the faculty’s mission.
Attending Tuesday’s coaching is step one towards that purpose. The purposes are due in February and the charters will likely be awarded in Might.
Evans tells me he plans to give attention to first forming an afterschool program. He then needs to develop the center faculty earlier than including a highschool and ultimately a decrease faculty, to ultimately create a Okay-12 program.
To do that, he first must finalize a 10-year plan and get the constitution, which is awarded to candidates demonstrating: a great board management construction, a plan for recruiting lecturers and growing curriculum and demonstrating native assist, in keeping with Neeley.
“We need to fill the hole between the low performing college students and the excessive performers,” Neeley detailed. “Extra mother and father need a voice within the alternative for his or her child’s training, and so on the South Carolina Public College District, that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to offer extra mother and father alternative, put children first, and assist shut the achievement hole in our state.”
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