I have spent my career in education because of a public charter school that changed my life. When my family moved to the United States, the only people who had “school choice” were families who could afford to move to a neighborhood with a great school or pay for private school. However, the year I entered kindergarten was the first year tuition-free public charter schools were an option in Colorado Springs.
My name was selected in the lottery, and I attended one of the highest-performing schools in the state from kindergarten through eighth grade. I experienced a rich and beautiful curriculum, grew in character, and made lifelong friends.
That foundation prepared me to succeed in the Palmer International Baccalaureate program and ultimately attend a top university. I am opening East Hills Academy so that more children in our city can have a similar, life-changing experience.
Many families in Colorado Springs are seeking a character-focused, content-rich school of excellence, and we are making that available to as many families as possible by providing a family-friendly schedule and calendar (with no early releases, late starts, half days, or random days off) and bus transportation.
In a city where fewer than 50% of students perform at grade level in reading and math (and in some areas, fewer than 25%), there is a clear and urgent need for a different approach. That’s why Colorado Springs needs East Hills Academy.