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Listen "#57 New Legacy Charter School | Steven Bartholomew"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode of The Charter School Connection, Jenna sits down with Steven Bartholomew from New Legacy Charter School in Aurora Colorado. Steven and Jenna discuss how competency curriculum makes New Legacy Charter School unique.
The episode starts with Steven sharing how he never planned to go into teaching but ended up there anyway. He started teaching English and Speech and Debate in a public school in Rapid City, SD. After a rough first year he wasn’t sure he would cut it as a teacher but by year three he knew this is what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Following 8 years there he moved to a charter school (Big Picture Learning) in Rhode Island. This is where he learned about alternative education and began the transition to administration. He was there for 11 years and has now just finished his 7th year at New Legacy Charter School.
New Legacy Charter School was founded 10 years ago by Jen Douglas when she saw a need for teen parents. New Legacy Charter School is unique in the fact that it is a competency/skill based curriculum. Steven thinks all students should graduate with a diploma + so all students will graduate with a diploma and either a certification, internship experience or college class credits. They focus on one student at the time and making the curriculum work for them. If a student does not graduate in May, they are able to come back and finish and graduate in October. They are the first charter school in Colorado to have this competency based curriculum and have many schools coming to ask them advice on this type of alternative learning.
Steven shares two different student success stories from this curriculum. We also discuss the different ways that New Legacy markets themselves, by focusing on clinics in the area. Steven shares how he finds passionate staff and that a good teacher is a good guide, advisor and listening. There are three main challenges they have faced, with low income students, low attendance rates and lack of transportation. Steven has an idea on how to improve the transportation issues.
Fundraising is very important to New Legacy Charter School and Steven shares how they use grants as a major form of fundraising. If you have any grants that they could benefit from please email Steven at [email protected]. A major issue with fundraising at the moment is the budget crisis Colorado is facing. Steven has used this as an opportunity to bring students to the legislators.
Steven ends the episode with final thoughts about how school choice is important for parents, traditional vs alternative. Knowing the students and giving them what they need is key for schools. Stop thinking about education as checking boxes but by filling buckets. Be passionate and engaged. “Compared to What?” tune in to learn what this phase means.
Tune in to the episode to learn about this incredible school!
Time Stamps:
00:25 How did Steven get involved in the Charter School Industry?
2:07 How did Steven transition from teacher to administration?
4:29 What makes New Legacy Charter School Unique?
8:11 How does the curriculum work at New Legacy Charter School?
11:40 Steven shares student success stories.
14:24 How do you market New Legacy Charter School?
16:10 How does Steven find passionate staff?
19:35 What challenges have you faced?
22:33 Ideas of how to improve transportation issues?
23:54 Fundraising
26:27 Budget Crisis in Colorado
28:30 How does Steven find grants?
30:32 Final thoughts
Show Notes:
New Legacy Charter School https://www.newlegacycharter.org/
Email Steven: [email protected]
The episode starts with Steven sharing how he never planned to go into teaching but ended up there anyway. He started teaching English and Speech and Debate in a public school in Rapid City, SD. After a rough first year he wasn’t sure he would cut it as a teacher but by year three he knew this is what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Following 8 years there he moved to a charter school (Big Picture Learning) in Rhode Island. This is where he learned about alternative education and began the transition to administration. He was there for 11 years and has now just finished his 7th year at New Legacy Charter School.
New Legacy Charter School was founded 10 years ago by Jen Douglas when she saw a need for teen parents. New Legacy Charter School is unique in the fact that it is a competency/skill based curriculum. Steven thinks all students should graduate with a diploma + so all students will graduate with a diploma and either a certification, internship experience or college class credits. They focus on one student at the time and making the curriculum work for them. If a student does not graduate in May, they are able to come back and finish and graduate in October. They are the first charter school in Colorado to have this competency based curriculum and have many schools coming to ask them advice on this type of alternative learning.
Steven shares two different student success stories from this curriculum. We also discuss the different ways that New Legacy markets themselves, by focusing on clinics in the area. Steven shares how he finds passionate staff and that a good teacher is a good guide, advisor and listening. There are three main challenges they have faced, with low income students, low attendance rates and lack of transportation. Steven has an idea on how to improve the transportation issues.
Fundraising is very important to New Legacy Charter School and Steven shares how they use grants as a major form of fundraising. If you have any grants that they could benefit from please email Steven at [email protected]. A major issue with fundraising at the moment is the budget crisis Colorado is facing. Steven has used this as an opportunity to bring students to the legislators.
Steven ends the episode with final thoughts about how school choice is important for parents, traditional vs alternative. Knowing the students and giving them what they need is key for schools. Stop thinking about education as checking boxes but by filling buckets. Be passionate and engaged. “Compared to What?” tune in to learn what this phase means.
Tune in to the episode to learn about this incredible school!
Time Stamps:
00:25 How did Steven get involved in the Charter School Industry?
2:07 How did Steven transition from teacher to administration?
4:29 What makes New Legacy Charter School Unique?
8:11 How does the curriculum work at New Legacy Charter School?
11:40 Steven shares student success stories.
14:24 How do you market New Legacy Charter School?
16:10 How does Steven find passionate staff?
19:35 What challenges have you faced?
22:33 Ideas of how to improve transportation issues?
23:54 Fundraising
26:27 Budget Crisis in Colorado
28:30 How does Steven find grants?
30:32 Final thoughts
Show Notes:
New Legacy Charter School https://www.newlegacycharter.org/
Email Steven: [email protected]
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