Dear Friends,

Happy National Charter Schools Week and Teacher Appreciation Week! This week, we celebrate our 70 charter public schools in Massachusetts and the exceptional community that surrounds them. Without dedicated family members, inspiring educators, and passionate scholars, our member schools could not offer excellent, equitable educational opportunities all across the Commonwealth. 

We put cameras directly in the hands of our students, educators, and families and empowered them to tell their stories and illuminate the impact of our charter public schools. Today we’re bringing their words to you, through a series of videos that remind us of the value our schools add to the public education system.

As we close out this week of celebration, I encourage you to take five minutes to watch each of these brief one-minute videos, and hear directly from those who know our schools best – our students, families, and educators. If you are so moved, I hope you’ll share their words with others, shining a light on these incredible members of our community and their powerful voices. 

Gratefully,

Tim Nicolette
Executive Director, Massachusetts Charter Public School Association

“Parker is catering to every single child by employing a methodology centered upon using individual student interests to cultivate learning across multiple subjects. The teachers constantly shift to meet the changing needs of students while students are able to voice concerns, questions, and comments, and be heard and feel a part of the learning community. 

I am certain that without Parker I would not have grown into the success I now enjoy.”
 

- Talia Bigelow,
Class of 2000, Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School

Healey’s pick of gubernatorial portrait is . . . no portrait at all, Boston Globe
Featuring Holyoke Community Charter School

The collaborative essay, titled “Inspiring Change and Dangerous Hope: Unequal Representation in the Commonwealth” made the case that an empty frame would represent people whose voices “are not always represented or heard or reflected in the halls of power,” Healey said at the unveiling event.

Chicopee student accepted into 7 colleges, receives $500,000 in scholarships, Western Mass News
Featuring Hampden Charter School of Science

After starting at Hampden Charter School of Science East in sixth grade, Sibilly gained many achievements including being part of the school’s robotics team, National Honor Society, and vice president of the high school student council. He has also been a product reviewer for Apple Insider since December 2022 and this year, he has received around $500,000 in scholarships from seven different colleges, including two Ivy Leagues.

Charter School makes connections with French Guianese school, MV Times
Featuring Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School

Maidoff said the idea is to continue to develop the relationship between the schools, with hopes of being sister schools in the future. The goal is also to bring a group of MVPCS students to French Guiana in the future.