SABIS® private school in Minnesota ranks 7th "Most Challenging School" in the country

The International School of Minnesota (ISM), SABIS®’s only private school in the U.S., recently ranked 7th on The Washington Post listing of “America’s Most Challenging (Private) High Schools.”

The private school list, which was published on April 23, 2013, includes 52 schools from across the U.S.  Schools making the list are ranked based on their “Challenge Index,” which is determined based on the total number of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) tests given at a school each year divided by the number of seniors who graduated in May or June.  ISM is the only private school in Minnesota to make the list. 

The “Challenge Index” was established in 1998 in Newsweek and later moved to The Washington Post. This is the first year that the “Challenge Index” has included rankings of private schools due to requests from parents and schools.

“This is something that we should all take great pride in,” commented ISM Upper School Academic Quality Controller, Mr. Peter Welle. “It means that while there are some fine schools out there doing great work, very few schools are able to match what we're accomplishing with our kids at ISM. The fact that we're non-selective makes this even more remarkable.”

The most recent school data from ISM show that:

• 84% of the ISM's upper school students take 3 or more AP® courses 

• The school has a 100% graduation rate, with 100% of graduates attending a 4-year college or university.
   
• 4 out of every 10 graduates are accepted to one or more of the world’s Top 200 universities as identified by the U.K. Times Educational Supplement.
   
• 21% of ISM’s 2012 graduates are pursuing majors in the sciences, mathematics, and/or technology.

“We aim to provide our students with an education that challenges them at the same time as it develops the knowledge and skills they need to meet the challenge. Through the SABIS® Educational System, this is exactly what we do,” stated ISM School Director, Mrs. Christi Seiple-Cole.

Currently enrolling over 420 students in Preschool through Grade 12, ISM has been providing students with a high-quality education since its doors opened in 1985. The school, which is located on 55-acre campus, which includes a protected wetland, is currently accepting applications for the 2013-14 academic year.

To find out more about the application process, visit www.ism-sabis.net or call the ISM Admissions Office at +1 952 918 1840. To learn more about the SABIS® system implemented at ISM, visit www.sabis.net.

Lift cap on urban charters in Massachusetts

April 25, 2013

By Nina Rees and Gerard Robinson

As former federal and state government education officials, we continue to be impressed by the performance of Massachusetts charter public schools. But we can’t help but wonder how a state that has opened some of the country’s highest-performing charters has failed to lift the cap on the number of urban schools that can open. Taking this simple step would create extraordinary new opportunities for families to benefit from the charter school experience.

A new Stanford University study confirms that charter schools are a smashing success in Massachusetts. The study, from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, finds that Boston charter schools are doing more to close achievement gaps than any other group of public schools in the country.

The typical Boston charter student gains the equivalent of more than 12 months of additional learning annually in reading and 13 months of greater progress in math. Statewide, charter school students gain the equivalent of one-and-a-half more months of learning per year in reading and two-and-a- half more months in math.

The Stanford study comes four years after a Boston Foundation report found that Boston charter schools dramatically outperformed both district and pilot schools. The academic impact from a year spent in a Boston charter was comparable to that of a year spent in one of the city’s elite exam schools and, in middle school math, equivalent to one-half of the achievement gap between black and white students.

MCAS results tell a similar story. In 2012, 20 charter schools, including many urban charters, finished first in the commonwealth on various tests. Many inner-city charter schools are outperforming even affluent suburban schools.

In February, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved five more charter schools. But that isn’t nearly enough when many more high-quality charters are being proposed and over one-third of the students in urban Massachusetts public schools are still failing MCAS exams.

Just look at some of the charter applications the board turned down. One was from the founders of Boston’s Edward W. Brooke charter schools. One of the existing Brooke schools was among the urban charters earning the commonwealth’s best MCAS scores (in fourth-grade English and math and eighth-grade English). A second Edward Brooke school ranked number one in fifth grade English and math on the commonwealth’s growth model, which measures improvement in academic performance over time.

Another proposal that was rejected came from the founders of Everett’s Pioneer Charter School of Science, which topped the growth model for the eighth-grade English MCAS test. So was an application for the International Charter School of Brockton, a city that has no charters despite being among the school districts that performs in the bottom 10 percent statewide on MCAS.

The Brockton school would have been operated by SABIS, an educational management company. The company’s Springfield school dramatically outperforms the surrounding district and has been chosen as one of the nation’s top high schools by Newsweek and US News and World Report. Every member of all 12 of the school’s graduating classes has been accepted to college.

Two more schools would have been operated by graduates of the prestigious Building Excellent Schools fellowship. Fellows spend a year learning how to design, fund and lead a charter school. The program’s graduates have started over 50 schools in more than 20 cities serving nearly 20,000 students. They have a proven track record of closing achievement gaps, but none of their schools are here in Massachusetts, where the program is based.

A bill pending in the state Legislature would make it easier for urban Massachusetts families to benefit from schools like the ones recently turned down by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill would eliminate the cap on how many students can enroll in charter schools in districts that rank in the bottom 10 percent statewide. More than 250,000 students — about 30 percent of the commonwealth’s total public school enrollment — attend schools in these districts.

With each study of Massachusetts charter public school performance, more anti-charter arguments fall by the wayside. The evidence of their success is overwhelming and the time has come to make the educational opportunity they represent available to many more of the commonwealth’s neediest families.

Nina Rees is president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Gerard Robinson is a former state education official in Virginia and Florida, and a member of Pioneer Institute’s Center for School Reform Advisory Board.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130425/NEWS/104259839/1020/opinion

Two SABIS® charter schools ranked among the “Best High Schools" in the U.S.

April 26, 2013: Once again, U.S. News and World Report has ranked two SABIS® schools in the U.S. amongst the best high schools in the country.  The SABIS® International Charter School in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the International Academy of Flint in Flint, Michigan, received silver and bronze medal rankings, respectively, according to the “Best High Schools Ranking” for 2013.

To produce the 2013 Best High Schools rankings, U.S. News teamed up with the Washington D.C.-based American Institutes for Research (AIR), one of the largest behavioral and social science research organizations in the world. Over 21,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia were analyzed and ranked based on a 3-step process.

First, each school’s student performance was analyzed to see if they were performing better than statistically expected for an average student in the state.

Second, results of each school’s least-advantaged students (African-American, Hispanic, and low-income) were analyzed to determine performance better than average for the same demographics in the state.

Third, and finally, the school’s College Readiness Index (CRI) was calculated based on the number of students who took at least one AP or IB test before or during their senior year, divided by the number of 12th graders for that year.

Among the 32 charter schools recognized in Massachusetts, SABIS® International ranked 7th, with a CRI of 21.3. The school, which is a perennial award winner, was ranked 1,729th nationally. Of the charter schools in Massachusetts to make the list, 6 received gold, SABIS® International received the only silver award, and 25 received a bronze ranking.  

“We are very pleased to have been recognized for this award again in 2013,” said Ms. Karen Reuter, SABIS® International's School Director. “Credit goes to the SABIS® Educational System, a dedicated faculty and staff, and our amazing students, who overcome some big roadblocks to achieve success.”

In the SABIS® member school in Flint, Michigan, news of the release of the U.S. News rankings was received with an equal amount of enthusiasm. The International Academy of Flint was listed among the bronze medal winners. The school ranked 8th among the 77 charter schools in Michigan that made the Best High Schools list. The International Academy was founded in 1999 and currently enrolls 1,196 students in grades K-12. Ninety (90) percent of the school's students are minorities and 86% are from economically-disadvantaged families.

“The International Academy of Flint has made this list in 6 of the last 7 years,” said Ms. Traci Cormier, the International Academy's School Director. “We are proud to count it among our accomplishments and look forward to an even higher ranking in the future.”

SABIS® International and International Academy both implement the proven SABIS® Educational System, a comprehensive educational program that prepares students with a solid academic foundation and the skills needed to achieve success in a changing world.

To view the two SABIS® schools’ U.S. News and World Report listing, visit http://bit.ly/15EH0f9 (International Academy) and http://bit.ly/14N7Ima (SABIS® International). To learn more about the SABIS® Educational System, visit www.sabis.net or www.sabis.net/licensing.

SABIS' Holyoke Community Charter School marched in Holyoke's St. Patrick's Day parade

March 17, 2013: Students, parents and staff of Holyoke Community Charter School marched alongside 15,000 marchers in Holyoke's St. Patrick's Day parade.

Holyoke Community's Cheerleaders, Basketball Teams, Student Prefects and the Parent Connection Executive Committee proudly represented the charter school, which has become an integral member of the community.

Congressman Richard E. Neal greeted Holyoke Community's students and families. State Representative Aaron Vega, a firm believer of education, also greeted students, with the school's cheerleaders returning the greetings with an enthusiastic cheer for Mr. Vega. Ward 2 Councilor and Chairman of the City Council, Mr. Anthony Soto, also greeted the Holyoke Community Charter School Family!

"I want to give a special thanks to Mrs. Gloria Urbina for being the photographer and for all the caring and long hours of work as Holyoke Community's Parent Liaison," said Dr. Sonia Pope, School Director.  "I also was to thank Rigoberto, Parent Connection President, and Irisneli an outstanding member for all of their support." "Outstanding job!"

Jazmine Collins is Athlete of the Week for SABIS girls basketball

Jazmine Collins, of SABIS International Charter School, helped lead the Bulldogs to an impressive 23-2 record and a Division III Western Massachusetts final appearance in the 2013 season.  

 

An impressive student-athlete, Jazmine averaged 20 points per game in her senior season. Her best game was a 33-point effort in a big win over Brockton High School during the regular season.  SABIS went on a 12-game win streak heading into the sectional title game.

Of note: Collins became the first player in SABIS history to score 500 points in a season. She caps her career at just under 2,000 points.splits the Lee defense for SABIS in the girls Division III Western Mass. championship. - (Republican staff photo by Don Treeger)

Source: The Republican

SABIS students "Aiming for Advanced" on the 2013 Massachusetts state exams

March 13, 2013 at SABIS International Charter School (Springfield, MA): A special breakfast was held this morning in recognition of students in grades 3-8 who made Advanced and Proficient on their state MCAS exams for 2012. Each student was given a certificate and all students were given a T-shirt “Aiming for Advanced” recognizing their capabilities for the upcoming testing which begins next week.

"The breakfast is a great success each year in recognition of our students and wishing them the best of luck in their MCAS testing," said Denise Tobin, administrator at SABIS International.

Phoenix's Vice Mayor Michael Johnson visits SABIS International School

Vice Mayor Michael Johnson addressing students at SABIS International School in Phoenix where he gave them a pep talk as they prepared for the state's AIMS exams. 

SABIS International School of Phoenix staff and students volunteer at St. Mary's Food Bank

By Kathleen Ferris,
Community Outreach & Recruitment Coordinator
SABIS International School Phoenix, Arizona

SABIS International School of Phoenix's employees along with family members and students volunteered at St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix, Arizona, this winter. The volunteers were informed by employees of St. Mary’s about how many people go hungry every day in Phoenix and across the U.S. The students learned that 16 million children live below the poverty level and many go to bed hungry each night. That equates 1 in every 5 children. This statistic really inspired the school's students and staff who volunteered for 3 hours and spent every minute of it working hard. After volunteering at the food bank the students returned to the school and helped staff assemble food boxes for some of SABIS International's neediest families. The efforts of the staff and students fed 30 of our own families and provided them with Christmas presents.

Boston Globe: Charter school proposal for Brockton passed over by state

By Christine Legere
Boston Globe Correspondent / February 23, 2013

A proposal to build a charter school in Brockton has failed to make the short list being recommended to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval on Tuesday.

“They’ll fight tooth and nail to protect their monopoly,” Afonso said. “It’s about power and money.”

Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester backed five new charter applications on a list of 11 finalists. The International Charter School of Brockton was one of six that did not make the cut.

Chester’s Feb. 15 decision takes the proposal for Brockton off the table, said state education spokesman J.C. Considine.

“The board only votes on proposals that the commissioner recommends,” he said.

Chester has recommended City on a Hill Charter Public School II in Boston, UP Academy Charter School of Dorchester, City on a Hill Charter Public School in New Bedford, Phoenix Academy Public Charter High School in Springfield, and Pioneer Charter School of Science II, serving Saugus, Peabody, Lynn, Danvers, and Salem.

The proposed Brockton charter school would have opened in 2014 with 540 students in kindergarten through Grade 5, and gradually expanded to 1,200 students through Grade 12. A nine-member board of trustees, consisting of community members and area business leaders who belong to the founding group, would oversee the school, while Sabis Educational Systems operated it. The international for-profit company runs charter schools in Springfield and Holyoke.

While Sabis has a proven track record in the state, Considine said the charter goes not to the company but to the founding group.

To read the complete article, click here.

Editorial: "Chester’s choices - Brockton can’t land a [SABIS] charter"

Worcester T&G Editorial 
Published Wednesday, February 20, 2013
 
Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester last Friday gave his blessing to five charter school proposals, meaning that nearly 1,600 additional Boston children will have greater educational opportunies, along with hundreds of kids in Chelsea, Everett and Springfield.

But Mr. Chester again rejected a proposal by SABIS Educational Systems to open a charter school in Brockton.

That city, with the state’s fourth-largest school system, needs better options. SABIS, which serves more than 60,000 students in 15 countries, is well qualified to provide the choice and competition Brockton needs.

This marks the second time that the Patrick administration has rejected a SABIS-based school for Brockton. In 2008, Jeffrey Nellhaus, acting commissioner of education, recommended a 1,300-student SABIS proposal for Brockton. It was rejected by the state Board of Education in part because of opposition from then-chairman Paul Reville of Worcester.

To read the full editorial click here.