T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
EDUCATION LEADERS
www.educationleaderstoday.com
TODAY
Pinnacle Charter School
THE PINNACLE OF SUCCESS
Bringing teachers, students and parents together is Pinnacle’s key to creating a cooperative learning community.
FEATURE | PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL
the
Pinnacle of Success Pinnacle Charter School strives to create a learning community with the cooperation of teachers and parents. by Rachel Goldberg
T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
EDUCATION LEADERS TODAY
Editor-in-Chief Todd Weaver Editor Diana Doyle Executive Editor Jonathan Mack Assistant Editor Joseph Orange Creative Director Emily Detoro Art Director Stephanie Hess Director of Advertising Julian Vu Production Coordinator Jason Rone Assistant Production Coordinator Elizabeth Macks Photography Editor Ian Palmer Video Director Susan Maybach Editorial Director Kate Darling Editorial Production Rachel Goldberg Copy Editor William Finch Assistant Copy Editor Amy Roberts Content Directors Brandon McBride (W), Aaron McGaskey (SW), Juan Orellana (Int’l), Mike Rodgers (Nation), Juan Stewart (NE) Vendor Relations Director Diana Stephens Vendor Relations Eric Miller, Steve Peters Advertising Sales Director Peter Jostens Advertising Sales Coordinator Patricia O’Brien Advertising Sales Moe Kazemi, David Levi, Steve Stone Publisher Steve Reed oZ WORLD MEDIA, LLC 1100 H Street NW Suite M Washington D.C. 20005 www.educationleaderstoday.com Education Leaders Today is a quarterly B2B trade journal that services the education industry in education news, charter school, high school, college prep, learning academies and new tecnhologies. CLT has a readership of 30,000 C-Level principals and headmasters within the education industry. We do not accept subscription requests from the general public, however an abbreviated version is available on our website.
2 Education Leaders Today
The Pinnacle Charter School’s diverse student population is rapidly outgrowing its physical confines. Founded in 1998 with a total of 400 students, the school now hosts over 1800 students, plus a staff of 190, in a former Kmart building. The school has renovated and added to the building over the years, and is now in the process of building a new high school to accommodate the increased needs of the community. Because the school teaches students from kindergarten to 12th grade, students receive consistent instruction that helps with information retention. The school’s curriculum is based on the Core Knowledge Sequence, which emphasizes providing and building on a foundation of basic academic skills. Pinnacle also encourages students to contribute to society by participating in its service-learning program. Executive director Dr. William K. Wiener said that the creation of a learning community with the cooperation of teachers and parents is important to the continued success of the school and its students. “We have a solid group of parents that support us and they are here helping with fundraisers and in any way possible,” he said. The school has a student-to-teacher ratio of about 28:1 and teachers are compensated for continued development.
PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
Summer 2010 3
FEATURE | PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL
1
4 Education Leaders Today
PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
“We have a solid group of parents that support us and they are here helping with fundraisers and in any way possible.” Wiener also said that maintaining a safe and structured environment makes the school a better place for its students. “We have a closed campus, and our security and bus services are most important,” he said. Unlike many other area charter schools, Pinnacle has its own fleet of buses, with stops created based on need. Pinnacle Charter School offers many of the same benefits of both public and private schools. Although enrollment numbers are limited to keep class size small, the school is free and open to children throughout
the area, resulting in a great deal of socioeconomic and cultural diversity. The school’s teachers and administrators strive to give every student positive academic opportunities. A language acquisition program was developed to help the 22 percent of its students who are non-native English speakers. As part of the Colorado Charter School Institute, the school also serves at-risk children. Though the school does not subscribe to a particular teaching method, Wiener said, “We give them that individual, hands-on attention to make sure they learn.”
Summer 2010 5
FEATURE | PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL
The support of community investors provides the students with greater access to resources in classrooms and extracurricular activities. Though the school receives public funding, it relies on fundraising to update its hightech classrooms and curriculum, as well as athletic and arts facilities. The school boasts a 600-seat auditorium that also serves as the venue for local cultural events. As a result of the economic downturn, the school is now facing budget cuts and a salary freeze for its staff. But Wiener’s goal for the future is to attract more funding to maintain a high level of enrollment and quality of education. ELT
6 Education Leaders Today
PINNACLE CHARTER SCHOOL | FEATURE
Summer 2010 7
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
EDUCATION LEADERS
www.educationleaderstoday.com
1100 H Street NW Suite M Washington D.C. 20005 info@educationleaderstoday.com www.ozworldmedia.com
TODAY