Annual Report 2010-11 - PACT Charter School

I N N O V A T I V E P R A C T I C E S
“Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a
time.” – Bill Gates, American Entrepreneur and Founder of Microsoft Corporation. PACT
Charter School is, in a sense, a microcosm of innovation. They believe in the concept noted by
Bill Gates and have availed themselves of the many opportunities to provide innovation as
opportunities arise. PACT is a K-12 public school, which, in itself, is somewhat innovative in the
modern day public school system. A small school environment with relatively small class sizes,
where students and families build community and remain connected in one building for thirteen
years. Opportunities abound for students to work across grade levels building a sense of
responsibility and respect. One example of this is the Advisory Buddy Program where secondary
advisory groups work with an elementary classroom monthly to encourage them, build
community, and focus on the monthly character trait in some way. This is in direct contrast to
many current day mega-schools. Parents and students are not required to make numerous
transitions from primary to elementary to middle to high school.
When visiting PACT, one would find many additional innovations that make it unique as a
public school. The highlight of the school’s innovation can be found in the parent involvement,
which is foundational to its existence – as evidenced by the acronym, which defines its name –
Parents Allied with Children and Teachers. Many aspects of the organization are built around
parents collaborating with teachers and staff in setting the direction for the school. This includes
the committee structure where parents and teachers work together. In this committee structure
parents have a real voice in the school. In addition, the school staffs a full-time volunteer
coordinator to ensure that parents are connected with teachers, are comfortable in the school
setting, and have someone that they can connect with to get involved. This also involves a
nursery found right as one enters the front of the building. The nursery is staffed daily and is
provided for the convenience of parents, allowing them to have someone watch their younger
children while they volunteer in the building, often in their child(ren)’s classroom(s). For a sense
of the significant level of parental involvement throughout the school, one can review the
volunteer hours summary from 2010-2011 (see next page).
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