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Liberty Traditional Charter LIBERTY & EDUCATION FOR ALL
Not only does Liberty keep a strong focus on academics, but they also aim to turn each child into a well-rounded member of their community.
FEATURE | LIBERTY TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL
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LIBERTY TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
Liberty
Learning for all by Jane Cafftrey
Liberty Traditional Charter School aims to help its students develop both academically and socially through a “character-based curriculum.” In addition to meeting state public school standards, Liberty teaches children to value trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. “We give them such a solid foundation based on character and being part of their community,” said superintendent Raena Janes. “They’re not just here to take advantage; they need to be giving back. All of them leave us with a bigger goal in mind.” The school was founded in 1999 in order to meet the needs of inner-city Phoenix, Ariz. Its curriculum is designed to give children in the community a quality education and the skills they need to become productive citizens. For parents who can’t afford private schools but want their children to receive a more personalized education, it offers the chance to become part of a learning community that values each member. Liberty Traditional Charter tries to provide for children the resources that the neighborhood lacks. Most of the students come from low-income families and rely on the free breakfast and lunch Summer 2010 3
FEATURE | LIBERTY TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL
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program at Liberty. “Our school has really gone above and beyond in a lot of different areas where we’re filling more than just their educational needs,” Janes said. “We really take a community approach and assess what the community needs to give these students for them to have a chance to succeed.” In a large urban public school district, disadvantaged children can often slip through the cracks. At Liberty, each class is capped at 25 students so that they can get the individualized attention that they need. Students’ time at Liberty begins with a 45-day screening process in which teachers evaluate their educational needs so they can provide them with the services that will help them to learn effectively. For Janes, who says she is a “special education graduate,” having had speech therapy when she was in school, these services are an important priority. “I know the difference it can make when somebody can actually be taught everything he or she needs to know to eventually graduate out of special ed,” she said. “For me it was such a positive, life-changing process. So we put a tremendous amount of resources into special education.” Liberty’s website, www.ltphoenix.org, says that a successful education is the result of a “cohesive partnership between home and school.” The school offers character and value classes for parents throughout the year, and maintains a policy of open communication between parents and teachers. Parents are welcomed to visit and take part in activities at the campus. Each teacher even keeps a blog so that parents can keep up with their children’s activities at school. Parents are encouraged to sign a 4 Education Leaders Today
LIBERTY TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
“We really take a community approach and as ess what the community needs to give these students a chance to succeed.” compact in which they agree to take an active role in their children’s education. Liberty’s goal is for each parent to volunteer at least 10 hours of service each year. They understand that most of the parents are working parents, so they offer a variety of ways for them to get involved. Parents get the benefits of participating in their child’s education while setting a positive example of community service. The school emphasizes the importance of community service for students as well. Each grade is dedicated to a service project, for which they actively volunteer while working on a campaign to educate students in other grades about their cause of choice. Their involvement goes beyond class-initiated projects- the school encourages students to independently explore other ways to be responsible members of their community. “We try to communicate to the children that we provide this for them but that they should really find what their own passions are,” Janes said. Liberty serves kindergarten through eighth graders with a curriculum designed to give each grade a solid educational foundation. The curriculum builds on the skills learned in the previous years, and prepares students for the future. The continuity throughout their schooling ensure that students learn math and reading skills, as well as critical thinking, analytic reasoning and other important life skills. The curriculum is designed to meet state standards while also staying flexible. “We’ve created a teaching atmosphere where the teachers can teach to their strengths in the style that in which they’re most comfortable,” said Janes. All teachers at Liberty are highly qualified and selected for their ability to serve as role models for students. Summer 2010 5
LIBERTY TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
They keep students engaged in learning with hands-on projects and the use of the latest technology. Computer learning is integrated in each lesson, and online games help students have fun while practicing the skills they learn in school. Keeping up with the latest technology can be expensive, and Janes works hard to develop fundraisers and partnerships in the community to continue expanding the school. She hopes to meet the growing needs of the community by expanding the campus and eventually opening more schools like Liberty. ELT Summer 2010 7
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