Welcoming Piedmont CFA to the Network

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A kindergarten student who begins school this August will graduate from high school in 2022 and will retire in 2070. No one now would be able to describe to this child what the world will be like in ten years and certainly not what the world will be like fifty or sixty years. A basic goal of any school is to teach students the basics such as reading, writing, math, science and social studies. But is that really enough for a student who faces a future full of unknowns?

Piedmont Community Charter School (PCCS) opened its doors to students in August 2000. The founding Board of Directors understood the importance of a clear, specific Vision and Mission Statement and formulated the following to be a guiding influence for the school now and into the future.

The Vision and Mission of Piedmont Community Charter School is to:

Provide an academically challenging, college preparatory curriculum.
Provide an environment of high expectations enabling student development of character, morals and responsibility.
Foster a constant and continuous relationship between families, staff and the community.
Leave all participants with a life long love for learning enabling them to become positive contributors in their community.

The school-wide focus on this vision and mission statement has resulted in many achievements, successes and recognitions. Some of which are:

Continuous student growth each school year
School of Excellence 2005-2006
Growth from a K-5 school to a K-12 school
Graduating the first class of seniors June 2008. all of which were accepted into a college and/or university
95% of teachers Highly Qualified according to federal NCLB standards
National recognition as Official Core Knowledge School and Visitation Site
Approximately 18,000 to 20,000 parent volunteer hours annually
High level of community involvement and collaboration
Awarded $100,000 Challenge Foundation Grant
Received SACS accreditation March 2009

Recently PCCS entered into a partnership with the Challenge Foundation to become an official Challenge Foundation Academy. The thought process behind this decision included introspection, investigation, and assessment of goals. The time and effort dedicated is characteristic of any major decision undertaken by the PCCS Board of Directors as their stewardship consists of every student, parent, staff member and or community member who has, does and will walk the halls of the school. After taking a close look at the Foundation and its mission, the board then talked with board members and administrators of existing Challenge Foundation Academies. Finally, the board looked at the goals of PCCS to ensure that becoming a Challenge Foundation Academy would support and enable achievement of the school’s goals. Becoming a Challenge Foundation Academy offers PCCS access to a network of charter schools across the nation practicing and developing best practices for educational achievement. Backed by a Foundation devoted to the success of charter schools, Challenge Foundation Academies strive for a higher level of success, to move from being good schools to great schools.