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By MCKENZIE
CASSIDY,
mcassidy@breezenewspapers.com
The city of Cape Coral
Charter School System continues to grow and expand in the
community. Not only has work begun on a new charter high
school to open by the end of 2009, but just this year the
charter system created the Municipal Charter School
Foundation.
The new foundation will act as a Cape Coral counterweight
to the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools.
Kevin Colpoys, the executive director of the new
foundation, explained that while the Lee County foundation
does wonderful things in the community, it doesn't allow
teachers in the charter school system to be considered for
the coveted Golden Apple award.
The Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program, administered
through the countywide foundation, has recognized
excellent teachers for the last 21 years. It also manages
the Take Stock in Children scholarship program and the
Dancing Classrooms curriculum.
Not wanting to forsake charter teachers, the municipal
foundation was founded this year and the Annual Lighthouse
Award was created to recognize those who are outstanding.
Colpoys said that the First Annual Lighthouse Award will
be presented next spring.
“It is a handcrafted crystal lighthouse that will be given
to four teachers a year under the same process as the
golden apples,” said Colpoys.
The city charter foundation will raise money to benefit
children who attend the charter system which includes
Oasis Elementary, Oasis Middle, Oasis High and Christa
McAuliffe Elementary schools.
It’s also asking local businesses to become “sponsors” or
“special business partners” by choosing one of the
foundation's six sponsorships — Diamond, Platinum, Gold,
Silver, Bronze and Patron.
Local businesses affiliated with the municipal foundation
will receive recognition at sponsored events, on the
foundation Web site (www.capecharterfoundation.org) and on
printed materials.
The foundation’s board of directors include Scott Bologna,
Robert Adamski, Paul Weinstein, Cindy James, Larry Barton,
Janet Deile, Bernard Dougherty, Robert Hicks, J.P. Terrasi
and Tony Constantino.
On Feb. 28, the foundation will host the First Annual
Symphony in the Park, a free concert for children
performed by the Gulf Coast Symphony. This event will mark
the symphony's first visit to Cape Coral.
The charter school system is currently accepting student
enrollments for this year and the 2009-2010 school year.
The school system follows a Core Knowledge Curriculum,
which according to officials, “teaches traditional
American values,” and offers personal tours for families
who want to enroll their children. |
