Links
- Cape Cod Times article on the Celebration of Poetry, 2/11/11
- The StormWatch- student newspaper, 2/7/11
- Barnstable Patriot, 11/10
- Boston Globe, 9/12/10
- Barnstable Patriot, 8/27/10
- Cape Cod Times article about Sturgis ranking, 6/15/10
- Newsweek Challenge Index
- US News and World Report Top IB High Schools, 12/9/09
- Sturgis student discovers asteroid, 2/25/2010
Sturgis in the News
At Sturgis, Buildings Don't Make Schools, People Do:
See the article about the Sturgis West expansion from capecodtoday.com, December, 2011
Growing Success in Barnstable:
See the article from the Register, October, 2011
Chinese Educators Visit Sturgis:
See the article from the Barnstable Patriot, October, 2011.
One Day, One Goal:
See the photos from Cape Cod Times.
Sturgis Scores High on MCAS:
See the article from Cape Cod Times.
See a chart of our 2011results here.
See photo of our students from www.boston.com.
Sturgis Ranked Number 41 Nation Wide:
See the Washington Post's High School Challenge results.
Inspirational Sturgis School Teacher Remembered:
Thursday, February 10th, Sturgis Charter School students that had participated in the Poetry Out Loud competition recited their selections in a Poetry Celebration orchestrated in memory of Gretchen Buntschuh. Gretchen worked at Sturgis as an English teacher, associate director of the school, a grant writer, and International Baccalaureate Extended Essay adviser. She passed away last February. The students stood in front of a stained glass window constructed by Patrick Todoroff made in Buntschuh's honor. Read the Cape Cod Times article.
Growing & Staying Small:
Strategic Planning Leads Sturgis Charter Public School
to Develop of a Second Campus
As a result of the success and popularity of the “International Baccalaureate for All” program, Sturgis Charter Public School’s student admission waiting lists swelled to more than 400 students for the 2011-12 school year. In addition, a large number of requests by other schools to examine the school and program – over 80 visits in the past four years – has stretched the school’s resources. While these circumstances are gratifying and affirming, they present some questions. The strategic challenge is meeting the increasing demand for a Sturgis IB experience while continuing to be a leader in the dissemination of best educational practices.
The strategic plan of the Sturgis Board of Trustees includes a phased increase in the current enrollment of 400 grade 9-12 students to a maximum enrollment of 800 high school students, thus doubling the number of students who can access the Sturgis IB for All experience. The Sturgis Board plans to develop a second campus at 125 West Main Street in Hyannis that would replicate the Sturgis mission of IB for All and the vibrant school culture. The school also hopes to meet the growing requests of other educational institutions and professionals interested in IB for All and ensuring college readiness.
Important Guidelines for the Development of a Second Sturgis Campus
The following principles are seen as critical to the development of a second campus for Sturgis:
. Maintaining and enhancing the quality and scope of the educational program, school culture, and activities/athletics at the current 427 Main Street campus is of the utmost importance;
. Replicating the mission, quality and scope of the educational program, school culture, activities/athletics of the 427 Main Street campus, including “IB for All”, is a fundamental premise for the development of the second campus;
. The current Sturgis Board of Trustees will provide the governance for both campuses, and the Executive Director will oversee the both educational programs;
. A significant majority of the faculty for the second campus will be recruited from outside of the school—only a few school leaders will come from current Sturgis faculty;
. The second campus will enroll students in grades 9 & 10 for school year 2011-12. The second campus will then offer grades 9-11 for 2012-13 and grades 9-12 for 2013-14.
. Student preferences for campus of attendance will be honored based upon their place in the admissions lottery;
As of SY 2013-14 the second campus will have its own faculty, activities, and identity.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sturgis Charter Public School:
1. Is Sturgis a public school? Yes, Sturgis is a public school as it receives its funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Thus, attending Sturgis is free.
2. How are students selected for admission to Sturgis? Admission to Sturgis is by lottery with the first priority given to siblings of currently enrolled students. Second priority is given equally to residents of the following school districts: Barnstable, Bourne, Carver, Chatham, Dennis-Yarmouth, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Nauset, Plymouth, Provincetown, Sandwich, and Wareham.
3. How do students from all of these towns travel to and from Sturgis? A significant majority of students are transported to and from Sturgis via car pool and Plymouth & Brockton, Cape Cod Regional Transit, and Barnstable school busses.
4. What kind of educational services are available at Sturgis? The services offered at Sturgis are similar to those offered by typical district public schools. They include but are not limited to: special education teachers and assistants; a free or reduced lunch program; college, academic, and personal counseling; and a full-time school nurse.
5. What is the average class size at Sturgis? The average class size at Sturgis is 16 students. If a class grows beyond 20 students, it is normally split it into two classes.
6. What are the MCAS results for Sturgis? Sturgis has consistently ranked among the top districts for its MCAS results. In 2010, Sturgis ranked #3 in English Language Arts and #4 in Math out of 287 Massachusetts school districts.
7. How is Sturgis ranked by Newsweek in MA and across the U.S.? On its most recent Challenge Index, Newsweek ranked Sturgis as the #1 school in MA and #28 school in the U.S. when compared to more than 12,000 U.S. high schools.
8. What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme that is offered at Sturgis? The IB Mission Statement: “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”
9. What is unique about a Sturgis IB education? Sturgis offers students an “International Baccalaureate for All” experience where all courses taken in grades 11 & 12 are IB—no non-IB courses are offered. No other school in MA has adopted this exemplary program that results in college readiness for all graduates.
10.What makes an IB education so desirable? A recent national study concluded that the curriculum and assessment standards of IB Diploma Programme demonstrate a very high degree of alignment with the Knowledge and Skills for University Success standards in all subject areas. College readiness for all Sturgis students is the highest priority.
In the Zone: Max effort from Sturgis' Young
Cape Cod TImes, January 14th, 2010
Max Young, Sturgis senior, is recognized for his involvement at Sturgis in Athletics, Community Service, and Jazz Band as well as striving for academic excellence. Max was named the 2010 Massachusetts High School Heisman Award winner. The award, decided on the basis of academics, athletics and leadership, is given to a boy and girl in each state. The article also addresses the difficulty Max had as a 13 year old to make the decision to choose Sturgis as a high school, and highlights the benefits reaped from the choice.
Breaking News
Outstanding MCAS Results for Sturgis!
The 2010 MCAS statewide assessment results are in and Sturgis has had its best results ever, ranking among the highest scoring districts in MA!!!
Sturgis Composite Performance Index (CPI) ranked #3 in English, 45 in Math, and #34 in Science out of more than 280 districts across MA. In addition, low income students at Sturgis ranked #1 in English, #1 in Math, and #9 in Science when compared with low income student results at MA schools. Finally, special education students at Sturgis ranked #7 in English, #3 in Math, and #10 in Science when compared to special education student results at MA schools.
Congratulations to Sturgis students, parents, and faculty for achieving these outstanding results!!!
2010: Sturgis Ranked in US Top 30 High Schools
Sturgis Charter Public School was once again ranked among the top 30 schools on the 2010 America's Best High Schools list released recently by Newsweek. This year Sturgis was ranked #28 in the U.S. and #1 in Massachusetts. The annual ranking by Newsweek, entitled the Challenge Index, ranks high schools on the extent to which students at the schools embrace the academic rigor of the International Baccalaureate or the Advanced Placement programs. This is the fourth year in a row that Sturgis has been ranked in the top 60 out of more than 12,000 high school in the U.S.
Three of the top five MA schools in the 2010 rankings were charter schools. Other top five schools included: Match Charter--#49, Boston Latin--#141, Belmont--#266, and Mystic Valley Charter--#278. For further information, you can access this link: http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/americas-best-high-schools/list.html
Congratulations goes to the Sturgis students, parents, faculty, and Board of Trustees for this ongoing recognition of the high quality, exemplary educational experience provided at Sturgis!
2010: Sturgis Makes US News List Of America's Best IB High Schools
From U.S. News & World Report "The International Baccalaureate program is globally recognized for its ability to prepare students for a college education. High school students enrolled in IB classes can earn college credit two ways. They can take individual IB subject tests, for which they can earn credit at some colleges if they score high enough. Students also can opt to earn an IB diploma after completing a series of IB courses and writing an extended essay. Many colleges grant students credit for the IB diploma. This chart spotlights all the IB schools in the America's Best High Schools rankings sorted by the percentage of 12th graders that took at least one IB test at some point during high school." Link to US News ALSO Read The Article On Wicked Local - Barnstable Edition
2010: Sturgis student discovers asteroid
From the Cape Cod Times: Two years ago, Kelsie Krafton took her first physics class. Now, she's discovering asteroids and soaring toward a career in astrophysics.
As a then-sophomore at Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis, Kelsie breezed through her first physics class. She was bored by how easy it seemed. But one day, she flipped on a television show about astrophysics and was hooked. Read the article in the Cape Cod Times.