Today we welcomed our new charter school incubators for 2010-11. The Incubation Program is part of our New School Institute, which provides trainings, workshops, and support to start-up teams throughout every stage of the charter start-up process. Program participants have access to office space, computers, telephones, storage, and meeting facilities during their time here. In addition, they work closely with our team throughout the authorization and start-up phases. Since the program’s inception, more than 30 schools have incubated at the Charter Center in the year before they opened.
We’re inspired by the diverse missions of this year’s group. From a school that plans to serve autistic students in Harlem in an inclusive setting to a school geared towards homeless or displaced teens, these up-and-comers represent the potential of tomorrow’s charter schools.
As Claudia Hindo, co-founder of the proposed New Manhattan Charter School, told me, “We’re excited to have the opportunity to work with a cohort of planning teams rather than trying to tackle the challenge of this work alone at our dining tables.”
Anyone who has tried to start a school knows it can be lonely work. So we’re glad to give these teams the chance to make new connections and offer them some supportówe hope to learn as much from them as they do from us. Check back at our blog throughout the year for stories, photos, and videos of the 2010-11 incubators.
