The Spring Creek Cultural Arts Academy Charter School

To:  New York State Education Department and the New York City Department of Education

THE SPRING CREEK CULTURAL ARTS ACADEMY is applying to open as a charter school in the East New York/Starrett City/Spring Creek section of Brooklyn, New York in September 2009 in partnership with Christian Cultural Center.

THE SPRING CREEK CULTURAL ARTS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL initiative will be a comprehensive, sequential, arts-infused school for students in grades K-12 with a variety of support mechanisms to assist students in achieving superior levels of academic achievement. The overall mission is to provide a theoretical basis for entry into entrepreneurial careers, further study and research in mathematics, science and the arts, as scholars in a chosen academic field or other diverse vocations. The curriculum reflects an international, interdisciplinary liberal arts approach in instruction, field studies and research by integrating the methods and theories of various disciplines—US and World history and geography, linguistics, Latin, French and Spanish, classical and multicultural literature and music, earth science, chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy algebra, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, Advanced Placement courses and fine and performing arts. Learning will be measured by superior levels of achievement on state assessments, parent and community involvement, school climate, professional development, youth development services and students’ acceptances to accredited colleges and universities. The standards and goals of all content areas will be measurable, monitoring of the mission and goals will be continuous and the study of data will be prolific.

Faith-based and community groups like Christian Cultural Center have been positively impacting the lives of young people for generations. Faith-based community initiatives are one of the President’s top domestic priorities, particularly in the area of education. To this end, the White House is encouraging greater corporate and philanthropic support from faith-based and community organizations such as Christian Cultural Center through education and outreach activities that serve at-risk youth.

Christian Cultural Center, a 5013 (c) non-for-profit corporation was founded in 1978. It is a classically styled $40 million dollar 6.5 acre edifice and conference center that includes a museum, restaurant, bookstore, café, pavilion garden and the Brooklyn Preparatory School where the first grade graduates ranked 91st in the national percentile in reading and 96th in the national percentile for mathematics. Future expansion on the newly purchased 4.5 acre of land adjacent to the Cultural Center will house a 500 seat theater for the performing arts, a botanical garden modeled after the National Garden in Washington, D.C., a youth sports complex, senior housing and other community development projects. Community initiatives include a food pantry serving the homeless, a literacy program, and continuing partnership with Junior High School 275, a neighborhood school. As part of the partnership, Christian Cultural Center has provided computers, sponsored trips to Washington, D.C., provided use of the facility for graduations and initiated an annual scholarship to the class valedictorian.

Dr. A.R. Bernard, Sr., CEO of the Christian Cultural Center has been a requested speaker at leading Fortune 500 companies as well as universities and colleges nationwide. Dr. Bernard has been featured in New York Magazine, New York Times, Daily News, CBS Window on America, and various national news programs. Dr. Bernard has been honored for his outstanding leadership and achievements by Presidents, Senators and other international and national leaders. He has been personally cited in the Congressional Record and sits on several different boards including Anchor House and Teen Challenge—a teen abuse program with a 70% success rate. In addition, under NYC Police Commissioner Howard Saffir, Dr. Bernard served as Chaplain to the Division of Law Enforcement of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Police. He is also on the board of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Public Library.

The services that will be available to students, parents, faculty and administrators will include:

• Use of a state-of –the-art facility for the Charter School
• A Parent Resource Center
• Computer and Science Lab and other technical support
• Synergy Tutoring Program
• Conference Host Site
• Annual Scholarship
• Creative Arts production support

Christian Cultural Center will work collaboratively with the charter school planning team to create an academically rigorous public school that results in superior scholarship and achievement.

We welcome this opportunity for you to be part of this endeavor by signing our petition of support as we strive to design a safe, academically stimulating and interactive environment for young people.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The The Spring Creek Cultural Arts Academy Charter School Petition to New York State Education Department and the New York City Department of Education was created by and written by Laurie B. Midgette (lmidget@schools.nyc.gov).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.