The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools invites all current and potential charter school leaders and board members to a seminar hosted by its TOP SHELF program, titled Avoiding Employee Lawsuits, Wed., May 7, Noon to 1:30 p.m, LAPCS Offices, 7th floor, 1555 Poydras St.  

RSVPs are required for members and non-members. Non-LAPCS members will be charged $15. A light lunch will be served. Call (504) 274-3649 or go to http://ttsavoidingemployeelawsuits.eventbrite.com for more information.

On April 22, 2014, Anna Bell Hines, sophomore at Benjamin Franklin High School, was officially honored as a State Ambassador for her work with the Louisiana Green Schools Challenge, a program of the US Green Building Council Louisiana Chapter.  Richard Hartley, Director of Special Projects for the Lt. Governor’s Office, spoke on behalf of Lt Governor Jay Dardenne, and recognized AnnaBell’s efforts to grow awareness of sustainability issues at not only her own school, but at schools throughout the State of Louisiana. 

Anna Bell herself encouraged her school to sign up for the Green Schools Challenge, making Ben Franklin the first school in the state to “Accept the Challenge.” She continued to display her leadership outside of her school’s own project by starting a Green Schools Challenge Blog and Facebook Page; leading a team of over 40 volunteers for Green Apple Day of Service; presenting the student perspective on Green Schools as a featured speaker at the USGBC Louisiana Sustainability Series; and taking an award-winning photograph that was honored on a national level by the USGBC Center for Green Schools.

Webinar: Governance as Leadership: Building High-Performing Boards Wednesday, April 30, 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Based on The Practitioner's Guide to Governance as Leadership: Building High-Performing Nonprofit Boards by Cathy A. Trower, this session will focus on the Governance as Leadership model, the three governance modes, and implications for transforming the board's operations and impact through this model. To register, click http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=EA54DD80804B39  


Avoiding Employee Lawsuits
Monday, May 6, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
1555 Poydras Street, 7th Floor, New Orleans, LA, United States
Facilitated by a local attorney, this session covers essential strategies to avoid litigation as it pertains to charter school staff. To register, click http://ttsavoidingemployeelawsuits.eventbrite.com

The International High School of New Orleans (IHS) is pleased to announce its selection of Sean Wilson as the school’s new Head of School. The school’s board of directors, Voices for International Business and Education (VIBE), made their selection at their March Board Meeting.

“We are thrilled to have Sean Wilson as our new Head of School,” said IHS Board President Rob Couhig. “Sean’s extensive experience, combined with his commitment and passion for local language immersion education made him the ideal choice for our school. We will be lucky to have him and know that he will bring IHS to new level of excellence. ”

Mr. Wilson has been the Head of School at the high performing language immersion International School of Louisiana for eight years, seeing it through the expansion to two additional campuses. During his tenure, ISL expanded the number of students and campuses it served, including Jefferson Parish. ISL was named Charter School of the Year, a Certified World Language School and was consistently a high-performing school.  

New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (Sci High) was ranked the third best high school in Louisiana, according to US News Best High Schools, and rated a “silver” award winner among 2000 ranked schools in the country. The study focused on closing the achievement gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged learners.  That gap, which varies according to studies from 40% to 60%, is a mere 6% at Sci High. Academic Principal Claire Jecklin credits this to the school’s small class sizes, collaboration and supportive relationships developed between staff and students, and the powerful combination of academic rigor matched with support services for students and families.  Sci High is one of few other open-enrollment STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) charter schools in the entire country. This philosophy of access and assistance is clear in AP programming, with over 10 courses available (Biology, Chemistry, Calculus AB, Environmental Science, Language, Literature, Statistics, U.S. Government, U.S. History, and World History) and AP Computer Science starting next school year.  

Young Audiences Charter School is happy to announce that students from the school will be performing both Fridays of Jazzfest.  

On Friday, April 25 from 11:30 am - 12:15 pm, the Young Audiences Brass Band Throwdown will take place at the Kid’s Tent at Jazzfest. Young Audiences will also have students from McDonogh 32, Eisenhower, Lincoln, and Mahalia Jackson School on hand to assist the Young Audiences Brass Band with entertaining Jazzfest visitors. 

The following Friday, May 2 from 11:30 am – 12:15 pm, students from Young Audiences Charter School will return to the Kid’s Tent at Jazzfest to take part in the Performing Arts Showcase. Along with students from other schools, the Young Audiences Charter School ballet team will dazzle visitors with their nifty moves and acrobatic dance performance.  

How did you become involved with ReNEW Schools?
I was asked to join the Marketing and Development Committee by a friend, Heather Evans who was working with people from ReNEW.
 
Why did you say yes when asked to serve?
When I was first asked to work with ReNEW, I didn't say yes.  I serve on the boards of several other institutions and my plate is very full.  The last thing I wanted to do was serve on another board.  Heather asked me to have coffee with Pete Rodway and just hear about the work ReNEW was doing.  Once I found out that ReNEW took over the lowest performing schools in New Orleans and that they were serving children from the poorest areas of our city and that they had completely overhauled the way business was being handled at these schools, I was in.  Finally, someone had come along to make change happen for these kids.  I definitely wanted to be part of that.  I will work tirelessly to do whatever I can to help.  I believe in the mission of ReNEW. 

Morris Jeff Community School will hold its Fourth Annual Feria de Primavera, (Spring Fair) on Saturday, May 10, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the grounds of Morris Jeff Community School Holy Rosary Campus at 3368 Esplanade Avenue.  The school invites the community to join in the fun for a great cause.  

The event will feature old fashioned carnival games, inflatables, a climbing wall, face-painting, community booths, a silent auction, student performances, and great hands-on activities.  There will be delicious food, including hot boiled crawfish and pulled pork plates, handmade tostadas, hamburgers, hot dogs, and baked goods, along with beverages for all ages. 

On January 16, 2014, New Orleans City Council Members Kristin Gisleson Palmer and Stacy Head said in a joint statement that the city would limit its next sound ordinance to the Vieux Carré Entertainment district (Bourbon Street.) 
 
However, significant additional language – much of it citywide – is in the ordinance to be voted upon this Thursday. Major changes to your rights as a citizen will be changed by City Hall.  They have not been publicly vetted.
 
In today’s Council committee, few people knew these non-Bourbon St proposals below were part of the ordinance!  Please read below and then use the contact info at the bottom of this email. Let the City Hall know that you want the Council to keep its promise.  Amend the ordinance to vote ONLY on Bourbon Street changes at this time.

How did you become involved with Bricolage Academy?
I met Josh Densen, the founder, when Bricolage Academy was a dream of his that he was determined to open in New Orleans.  I was very impressed with what he wanted to do and immediately recognized not only the need 
but the impact that his plan could have on education in New Orleans.  I worked side by side with Josh as he started formulating his board and staff.  I was looking to be very closely involved but told him not to worry about my being a board member.  I wanted him to enlist the services of the best young people available for the Bricolage board.  I assured him that I would maintain my involvement without needing board recognition.
 
Why did you say yes when asked to serve?
I was extremely flattered when the board asked me to join them.  I was satisfied working on the outside but knew that I could not resist being part of the Bricolage movement if asked.  I have a rather long history of involvement with education but saw an opportunity here to be part of a renaissance in the charter school movement.