Renaissance 2010 plan brings new charter high school to West Town

By Ivette Sandoval

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently approved a plan to open 17 new schools in the 2007-08 school year, including two in the Noble Network of Charter Schools—Superior Avenue College Prep in West Town and Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy in West Humboldt Park. This wave of school openings is part of CPS’s Renaissance 2010 plan, which started in 2000 and has three years left to reach its goal of creating 100 new city schools.

The Noble Network already operates three other charter schools that have posted good results. In the 2005-06 school year, the Noble Street College Prep campus was one of seven Chicago high schools to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress status, according to No Child Left Behind guidelines. The school maintained a 95% attendance rate, and 91% of seniors attended college after graduating.

Superior Avenue College Prep will be located at 1460 W. Superior St. in a building that formerly housed Holy Innocents School and has been vacant since the Catholic school closed. This fall, the new school will admit 145 freshmen; it will add one grade level each year until this year’s freshmen reach 12th grade.

Noble began operating schools in 1999. Said Michael Milkie, superintendent for Noble Network of Charter Schools, “These new campuses are close to our other campuses, and we have about 1,300 families on a waiting list, so the demand is great.”

“Families feel that this is a good option for their kids and they’re always looking for better options,” Milkie went on. “Generally speaking, they’re looking for safety and quality, not overpopulation.”

Noble follows a model that includes rigorous standards and discipline, student culture and respect, strong back office support, and faculty and administrative excellence and dedication.

“From administrators down to teaching staff to office personnel, I am confident that the people assembled here all pull their weight and do it because they believe in a better education for kids in the city,” said Ross Hunefield, an 11th grade math teacher at one of the Noble schools.

Hunefield explained the culture of respect and learning is reinforced consistently. He feels students are better prepared for college when they graduate from a Noble Charter High School. “I think their academics are more rigorous than in other options, and I think they have learned better social and work skills that enable them to function independently at the next level,” he said.

Classes average 18 students, which is smaller than at other schools and allows more individualized attention. In the two new high schools, college prep classes will prepare students for college; they also will focus on health and fitness, and all students must pass an annual fitness test to be promoted.

Noble’s curriculum is similar to the traditional CPS curriculum, except that Noble Charter Schools have a longer school year.

Both Superior Avenue College Prep and Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy will open Monday, Aug. 20, 2007. On Feb. 12, Noble held a lottery to admit students because applications to attend the school exceeded open slots. The first 150 will be offered enrollment, with the rest put on a waiting list for Noble Street College Prep. For additional information visit http://noblenetwork.org.