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Interactive Lessons

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By LENORA LAKE

llake@tampatrib.com

Published: January 21, 2009

NORTH TAMPA - A $175,000 state grant has turned into state-of-the-art equipment for a new charter school.
Community Charter School of Excellence, which opened in August, used it as "startup" money for Promethean boards, which project interactive lessons; a portable computer laboratory and a Poly-Cam to allow distance lectures and trainings; and a "portable" computer laboratory with 25 laptop computers.

Wendy Lee, the school's lead teacher, said the boards are being installed in all classrooms and the students are responding well to them.

"It just changes the way teachers teach," said Lee, a second-grade teacher, who added they were helping improve attention and discipline.

"They want to be able to come up to the board and give the answer on the board," Lee said.

The school at 10948 Central Ave. is owned and operated by the Leona Group, a private company with more than 70 schools in six states. It serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade but is expanding to include sixth grade next school year. A charter school is a publicly financed institution, operated by a company or nonprofit, and is free from many of the government mandates of traditional public schools.

The portable computer lab will accommodate classes twice a week and can be moved to classrooms from the laboratory if needed, Lee said.

Charles Malatesta, school leader, said they plan to use the Poly-Cam system to offer training to their teachers from the other schools in the Leona Group, which runs the Athenian academies in Pinellas and Pasco counties.
Malatesta said other plans are to expand the school a grade per year for three years so students can attend it kindergarten through eighth grade.

This year, it has a capacity of 156 students, but only 121 were enrolled as of last week. Next year's capacity will be 198 students.

"Our enrollment has definitely been effected by the economy," Malatesta said.

He said some parents are moving out of state because they have lost jobs in Florida. And other parents are working extended shifts and are unable to bring their children to the school, which provides no transportation. The school has about 70 percent of its population on free or reduced-lunch and is eligible for Title 1 funds, which is federal money for low-income sites.

Other students have left because the school has a strict discipline approach with respect and behavior part of a character education classes.

"Our biggest success this first semester is seeing a change in behavior. They are listening to the teachers and following the rules and regulations," Malatesta said.

Fidel Fraceda, a fourth-grader, said he likes attending the school. The north Tampa resident moved with his family from Plant City where he attended Hope Christian Academy.

"The teachers care about you. If you need help to understand something, they take the time to help you understand that subject," Fraceda said.

CHECK IT OUT
Community Charter School of Excellence, 10948 Central Ave., will have an open house and information session from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday for families interested in attending the remainder of the 2008-09 or the 2009-10 school years. For information, call (813) 931-5100.

Tribune correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851.

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