The Peoria Charter School Initiative (PCSI) will host a community forum on Thursday, November 5, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Peoria Civic Center, Rooms 401-403, featuring students, teachers, parents and administrators from the Chicago Math & Science Academy (CMSA).

The event is open to the public and will provide the opportunity for community members to learn more about charter schools and ask questions of the CMSA team. CMSA is one of the top three charter schools in Chicago, with every graduating senior from the class of 2009 accepted to college. Approximately 15 students from the class of 2010 will be in Peoria visiting Bradley University.



The November 5 event will also provide an update on PCSI’s efforts to establish a math, science and technology charter school in District 150. On a recent bus trip to two charter schools in Chicago, including CMSA, parents of District 150 students returned stating, “We’ve got to get this done in Peoria” and “I saw a lot of what I’m hoping for with my kids.” Another parent said, “We’re failing our children if we let this (Peoria charter school) initiative die.”



Currently scheduled to open in August 2010, Peoria’s charter school will be a District 150 public school open to any student who applies and is selected through a lottery process. It will initially offer grades 5-7 and add a grade each year, ultimately serving grades 5-12 with a maximum of 600 students.



PCSI has submitted its final application to the District 150 Board of Education, which is expected to vote on the charter school initiative in December.



About CMSA

Chicago Math & Science Academy is a comprehensive middle and high school enrolling 475 students in grades 6 through 12. The school opened in the fall of 2004 and is a public charter school under the Chicago Public School System. The student body is culturally diverse with a population that is 58 percent Hispanic/Latino, 25 percent African-American, 12 percent Asian and 5 percent White. CMSA is recognized as one of the top three charter schools in Chicago.



About PCSI
The Peoria Charter School Initiative is a nonprofit organization of business people, community leaders, parents and educators working to bring a new educational choice to our city—a District 150 public charter school focused on math, science and technology and open to all students regardless of academic or financial background.



For more information contact: Jeff McCombs, 309.696.9887 or via email, jmccombs@f-w.com.