Rosa Parks Charter High School

WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO RESPECT DIVERSITY, EMBRACE INTEGRITY, AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR FUTURES.

ROSA PARKS IS A NON-PROFIT PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS, GRADES 9-12. STUDENTS ATTENDING HAVE HAD ISSUES IN A REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOL, PUTTING THEM 'AT RISK'. WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE AT RISK DUE TO THE FOLLOWING MAJOR FACTORS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THESE: YEARS BEHIND THEIR GRADUATION CLASS, PREGNANT OR PARENTING TEEN, IN RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL OR OTHER SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ON PROBATION OR JUST GENERAL DISCIPLINARY ISSUES. ALL STUDENTS 'LEAVE THEIR BAGGAGE' AT THE DOOR WHEN THEY BEGIN AT ROSA PARKS. STUDENTS WORK ON ACADEMICS, AS WELL AS LEARNING RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.ROSA PARKS SERVES AT RISK STUDENTS GRADES 9-12 AS A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, OUR ENROLLMENT HAS VARIED FROM 58 TO 125 STUDENTS. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE HAD BETWEEN 25 AND 30 STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA THAT MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE NEVER FINISHED SCHOOL AND BECOME A DROP OUT. WE HAVE SERVED STUDENTS FROM 16 TO 23 DIFFERENT REGULAR PUBLIC-SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. OUR ONGOING GOAL IS TO GIVE EVERY STUDENT THAT COMES TO US WITH 'BAGGAGE' FROM THEIR PREVIOUS SCHOOLS, A CHANCE FOR A FRESH START WITH ROSA PARKS. STUDENTS ARE IN A SMALL CLASSROOM SETTING WITH 10-16 STUDENTS PER CLASSROOM. EACH STUDENT IS ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC HOMEROOM AND HOMEROOM TEACHERS. HERE STUDENTS HAVE A CHANCE TO BOND WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND FEEL THEY ARE IN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THE GOAL OF ROSA PARKS IS NOT ONLY TO HAVE STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL AT ACADEMICS, BUT TO ALSO LEARN SOCIAL SKILLS THAT WILL MAKE THEM GOOD NEIGHBORS AND CITIZENS.OUR PROGRAM WAS REVIEWED BY AN INDEPENDENT GROUP FROM CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND THROUGH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND WE RECEIVED A FAVORABLE REVIEW ON OUR COMPLETE PROGRAM. WE WERE TOLD WE SHOULD BE A MODEL FOR OTHER SCHOOLS DEALING WITH THE TYPE OF STUDENTS WE SERVE.