I find it inappropriate for the principal to respond as such on a parent blog. I think we have read and get your POV, so please move on and work with corporate to make changes that the parents and/or former faculty are referencing. Once that occurs, let’s use the test scores as our measure oppose to the cheerleading.

Unfortunately, much of the criticism is more true than false. My child started on the Catholic side and transitioned into the Charter and there is a clear divide between the curriculums at the respective entities. The Catholic side is more advanced and stable with curriculum and for that there is never a response for the disparity when confronting CCPS—just lots of promises and smiles. I am a great believer in that I pay taxes for education; however, it seems quality education in DC is found where tuition must be paid or hope for a spot on the waitlist with a reputable charter school. I will be sending my child to another school starting this fall. I hate to see a school building with no children, but we must not wait for the school to get its act together at the expense of a child’s education.

Sorry CCPS.

You sound like a public relations person for the Archdiocese of Washington. By the way, there are plenty of former faculty members from these rotten schools who will tell you about the fraudulent nature of all six of them.

Oh you sound like a scorned former faculty member. Tsk,tsk, tsk. how sad.

To the Trinidad Campus Principal: Did the DC Charter Board give Center City Public Charter Schools special treatment with regard to the closing of your Brentwood Campus? Why was there not one peep about this closing at the Charter Board web site? Also, what did you think about the scolding that Dr. Beverly Wheeler, the third Chief Executive Officer of Center City, received from City Council Chairman Kwame Brown with regard to the low test scores all six of your schools posted? The only value your schools have is to the Archdiocese of Washington which collects rent for the use of its former schools. You do not represent and educational institution, you represent a rent collection scheme. You are not exactly a "new kid on the block" either. In fact, the major selling point for the conversion of your schools was that they had a long established record for "excellence" That turned out to be a joke. I'm sure the Archdiocese is still collecting rent despite the low test scores and the rampant truancy that are so common at your schools. There are more than just a few of us who are disgusted with the Center City Public Cheater Schools!

Apologies! In my haste to reply, I made an error. To clarify, KIPP is NOT a member of ANET. However, the other schools listed are correct. - Trinidad Campus Principal

I am alumni from Holy Name Catholic School that has now become CCPCS Trinidad Campus. I actively support the faculty, parents and scholars of the Trinidad campus. The people who are invested in the futures of the students work very hard to ensure that the school is meeting the needs of all stakeholders. They participate in school fundraisers, musical cantatas, Back-to-School Nights, Academic Resources (e.g., tutoring, Saturday Academy, etc.) and serve wherever they are needed. These actions are just some of the ways you can ensure that the students are successful. The faculty and staff along with the assistance from parents and guardians are required to make a successful learning environment for the students. I have seen first-hand the accomplishments of the faculty and students and I am proud to say I am affiliated with the campus. Before you decide to post negative information about a school, make sure you have done your part to affect the performance of the schools in your neighborhood.

HNS Alumni, Class of 1989.... Proud Supporter of CCPCS Trinidad Campus

I am a Center City, Capitol Hill mother and have had a truly wonderful experience there for the three years that my two children have attended. The principal is responsive and the teachers are highly motivated. Of course, over our three years there we have had issues arise and they have always been addressed immediately and appropriately. My son has an IEP and he has received much more attention at Center City than in his previous school(also a charter school on the Hill). Because it is a consortium of schools, they have more resources and greater access to specialists than other charter schools. They even have a School Culture staff member entirely devoted to innovating and improving kid's school experience.

As the lottery results roll in and many Capitol Hill families are shut out of neighborhood schools, I think people will begin to discover that Center City is a terrific option.

Meghan

am the Principal of the Trinidad Campus and I am the parent of a 1st grader at Center City. I have posted on this blog before and wanted to respond to one of the previous comments that said our schools have no value.

At CCPCS, it is our strongest conviction that true progress begins with the nourishment of the “whole” child. We believe that students can achieve and will rise to the high-expectations given to them. Trinidad Campus students recently placed number 1 out of 54 schools throughout DC (including DC Prep, Achievement Prep, EL Haynes, and many of the other schools mentioned on this blog) on the Achievement Network practice test for ELA. Nearly seventy percent of Trinidad students have moved two to three reading levels since the beginning of the academic school year. It is through rigorous instruction from faculty and consistent communication with dedicated parents that they were able to achieve this feat.

Yes, CCPCS is the “new kid” on the block, and we know that the road ahead is challenging, but for even the most elite charter schools around the U.S., true success did not happen for them over night. CCPCS has highly-qualified teachers on staff and a bevy of external resources to improve instruction. Faculty and staff members attend weekly professional developments and often travel to acquire outside training to keep educators on the forefront of what’s developing in education.

As it relates to diversity, CCPCS campuses mirror the communities we serve. Students learn foreign languages with weekly instruction from foreign language teachers. Students also have the opportunity to learn using Rosetta Stone. They recognize the importance of diversity and celebrate it continuously.

Students are challenged on a variety of levels, to meet writing and math benchmarks monthly. To say that our schools have no “value” is to say that our students are not the exceptionally talented, smart, and amazing life-long learners and leaders we know them to be!

I must disagree! I have two children that attend the Brightwood campus and the school is the best. All of the teachers and administrative staff are very qualified. Both of my son's grades are very high, test scores are extremely high, and the interaction between teachers and parents is wonderful. They have a lot to offer. The commute that I take for my children to attend school is well worth it. Just to let you know both of my children won first place in the science fair, now you tell me if that is a good school or what!

I like what I am seeing educational wise at the Brightwood campus. There is a new principal who listens and take action. She has introduced parents and guardians to new online programs that are free to assist our children in reading, math and spanish. I can't speak for the other Center City campuses, but I feel that my child is in a good learning environment. In addition, the teachers are caring and want to work with the parent(s) to help the children learn and grow. II work very close to my child's teacher - we work together as a team to make sure all of his needs are met. Before you put the school down, go and visit the campus and express your concerns. Make sure you discuss the yearly test scores, find out what is in place to improve the test scores and what are they doing to get the parents involved. Lastly, please remember that our children edcuation is not just in the hands of Centercity, but we as parents are there to make sure what they are learning are reinforced. This is done by asking them what they learned, reviewing their homework, working with the teachers by volunteering and making sure they are reading for 20 minutes a day.

We did the Capitol Hill campus for one year after being suckered in at the Open House. Biggest. Mistake. Ever. Thankfully, we're now in a great charter. I would NOT recommend the CH campus at all.

PP here asking, wow that's good to know although it's sad. We live very close to one of the schools.

To the pp I agree 100% I posted right before you did and trust me when I tell you there is NOTHING good coming out of there.

The Center City Public Charter Schools are a fraud, all six of them. The converted Catholic schools should never have been granted charters in the first place. What happened is these schools could not survive as Catholic schools, they were loosing enrollment. The Archdiocese of Washington came up with a scheme to convert its failing city schools to charter schools and charge rent for the use of these schools. City officials should have realized these schools were failing for a reason: They simply were not good schools. Now that the schools are charter schools, we know they have posted low test scores. All six schools have had very low test scores in fact. One of the schools, the brightwood campus has had three principals in as many years. Center City Public Charter Schools has had three Chief Executive Officers in as many years also. Originally, there were seven schools which converted, but one school, the Brentwood campus was closed after one year due to falling enrollement. The interesting thing about this closing is that there was not one peep about this at the Charter Board web site. I'm not kidding about that, there was not one single thing about it. Parents, stay away from these outrageously bad schools. D.C. Charter Board, start looking into these schools, start giving us some answers and close these schools down for good.