24047: Hermantin(pubFacing relocation, charter school seeks community support (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Sun-Sentinel

Facing relocation, charter school seeks community support



By Judith Malveaux
Special Correspondent

January 7, 2005

Delray Beach · Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for the Arts and Social
Justice is facing relocation and academic challenges, so the staff hopes a
new program for parents will help spread the word about the school's success
stories.

The charter school was one of 25 schools across the country awarded a $3,000
Bridge Builder's grant from the MetLife Foundation through the National
Association of Secondary School Principals.

L'Ouverture principal and co-founder Diane Allerdyce earmarked the money for
six sessions to encourage parents to be more involved in the school and
their children's education.

The kickoff event on Dec. 8 featured a dinner and a performance by the
school's cheerleaders. More than 100 parents, high school students and
younger children attended.

They broke up into three groups. The high school students gathered in a
classroom for lessons to help prepare them for the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test. The school was not graded this year under state FCAT
guidelines, but it received an F last year. Allerdyce said in an earlier
interview that she was confident a grade would have shown the school had
improved to a C since then.

The younger children were given copies of a coloring book, Our World. The
MetLife grant helped pay for the book to be translated into Creole.

The parents at the session got a lesson in public speaking from lecturer and
educator Marie-Jose Saint-Lot. She said some parents fear speaking out, but
if they were able to overcome it, they could be better advocates for
themselves and their children's education.

Allerdyce said the high school needs more advocates.

Delray Beach plans to demolish the building the school occupies at Northeast
First Street and Second Avenue to expand parking for Old School Square.
School officials have said they want more help from the city to secure a new
location by the fall and pay for the move.

"We don't mind being a part of the expansion of Old School Square,"
Allerdyce said. "But we have made great contributions in helping close to
200 students who would otherwise not be served as effectively and
efficiently. We would like the city to recognize that and help us continue
to do so."

Many of the students and parents attending the Bridge Building program
agreed.

Betty Kelley said her daughter Dawn, 15, felt threatened in her old school.
"Here, she feels safe," Kelley said. "She looks forward to going to school."

Kelley said her daughter went from poor to mediocre report cards to
above-average scores. "My daughter is getting a very unique experience at
this school. She's in smaller classes. She does extra work and even
volunteered for summer school."

But, school officials said the uniqueness of the school could be part of the
problem. Many people mistakenly perceive L'Ouverture as a school only for
Haitian students, said co-founder and chief operations officer Joseph
Bernadel.

"We have people from everywhere," said senior Gemina Masson, 18. "There's a
lot of diversity, and, when we have activities all kids are involved.
Everybody knows everybody."

Senior Berline Simervil, 17, said she hopes parents, students and school
staff can educate people about how diverse the school is. "We have kids from
Puerto Rico, Mexico, even Russia," she said. "Most people don't know that
and they won't unless we talk about it."

People need to know the school's Haitian name means it represents the
diversity of the community, not just one group, Allerdyce said.

"Everyone can look up to Toussaint L'Ouverture because he stood for freedom
and equality," she said. "We celebrate the Haitian leader the same way as a
school would named after George Washington or Rosa Parks. Freedom is
universal."
Copyright © 2005, South Florida Sun-Sentinel