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Making a positive impact and growing are two major accomplishments for any learning institution.
But they are especially important factors at Ingenuity Charter School, where underserved students can get a high-quality education on a flexible schedule that fits around their unique home and work responsibilities.
“Our school is constantly evolving,” said Michelle Gilly, Ingenuity instructor of two years. “I am very proud of the fact that we provide our students with a unique educational experience.”
Ingenuity’s coursework takes place online, giving students 24/7 access to their studies to complete on their own schedule. Students must also meet in-person with their instructors weekly to ensure they stay on track.
This unique educational experience fills a critical need in the San Diego community. Ever since Ingenuity opened its doors in 2015, they’ve continued to expand and make a real impact in shaping their students’ successful futures.
Growth That Impacts Students’ Futures for Good
Ingenuity’s 2018-19 school year showed just how far the school has come in its four short years.
For starters, their 2019 graduating class was the biggest one so far – doubling that of last year. Over 70% of Ingenuity graduating seniors participated in the shared graduation ceremony with their sister school, The O’Farrell Charter School.
“This has such a big impact on Ingenuity students, who’ve taken great pride in overcoming their academic barriers to reach their ultimate goal of graduating,” said Nicole Huerta, Ingenuity instructor of nearly three years.
In the past school year, Ingenuity also helped its students get college-ready faster with its new Concurrent Enrollment program. Students age 16 and older can earn college credit by taking select courses at any San Diego community college for a nominal fee, and in some cases, free of charge.
“Research shows that students who concurrently enrolled are more likely to start and graduate college,” said Huerta. “Our program really helps students build the confidence and skills to be successful.”
Athletes at Ingenuity were thrilled to learn that in the 2018-19 year, they could also join The O’Farrell Charter School’s newly established football team.
Ingenuity also continued to expand their field trip offerings to students in conjunction with Outdoor Outreach, a local nonprofit that connects youth to the outdoors. The school bought two new vans, which helped make field trips more frequent and accessible to students.
“Outdoor Outreach provided our students with many exciting, new experiences,” said Gilly. “These are small-group trips that encourage the students to try something new and connect with nature.”
Other 2018-19 accomplishments at Ingenuity include the school’s WASC accreditation renewal for six more years as well as hiring a new independent study instructor, Mrs. Bannasch.
“The school is growing rapidly to meet the needs of our community, so our staff is growing to reflect that,” said Huerta.
More impact on the horizon
Ingenuity expects the upcoming 2019-20 school year to be just as impressive as the last one.
Staff continue to focus on sustainable growth and careful consideration of which programs will be most beneficial for their students. They already have two excellent programs ready to implement this year.
The first is the English Language Development program. This new initiative is designed to help English language learners at Ingenuity build the language skills and confidence they need to be successful in college and in their careers.
Secondly, to increase parental involvement and engagement, Ingenuity is proud to launch Parent University. The idea is to offer a series of small-group classes for parents to gain more intimate knowledge about Ingenuity and its academic philosophy.
“Our ‘Parent University’ nights discuss topics that help parents support their students academically at home,” said Huerta. “Staff will also gain insight into both parent and student needs, with the intention to make program changes in order to best support those needs.”
Ingenuity’s growth and genuine impact can be felt outside of its official programs and academic curriculum. It’s a palpable feeling of community-building and supporting students’ needs that might have otherwise continued unfulfilled.
“Ingenuity always strives to meet the needs of students in the community,” said Huerta. “We’re always adapting by improving programs and curricula, expanding the school’s extracurricular offerings and investing in staff development. I am really proud to be a part of a school whose main focus is the students and their families.”
[box title=”Register Your Student”]Please call (619) 262-2046 or go to www.ingenuitycharter.org to register your student for the 2019-20 school year.[/box]