Draft Brochure

FRIENDSHIPPUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

LearnAchieve

Grow

At Friendship Public Charter School, we focus on the future. We prepare

students today to succeed tomorrow—in college, in a career, and in the

world.

How do we do this?

First and foremost, we are passionate about education. We constantly seek

new and creative ways to teach, to enable our students to leap over barriers

and achieve. Each year, more than 90 percent of our students receive their

high school degrees and 90 percent of these go on to some of the nation’s

most prestigious college and universities. Many were the first in their families

to do so.

At Friendship, we also consider how our students can contribute to—and ben-

efit from—the global economy. In response to the number of retirees rising

and decreasing numbers of applicants qualified for highly technical careers,

we are preparing students for jobs of the future. We’ve recently opened a new

school for intense study in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Our academic programs are demanding. Yet they are delivered by caring

teachers and staff in a warm, nurturing environment. We invite you to join the

Friendship family—and create a bright, successful future.

Donald L. Hense

Chairman,

Board of Trustees

FRIENDSHIP PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL LEARN. ACHIEVE. GROW

MissionThen and NowWhy a Charter SchoolWhy FriendshipFriendship CampusesPartnership Efforts

Chamberlain Elementary

Southeast Elementary Academy Woodridge Elementary and Middle

Blow Pierce Junior Academy

Collegiate Academy

The Friendship Academy of Science and Technology

The Friendship Academy of Engineering and Technology

In the Future

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Friendship’s mission is to provide a world-class education that motivates students to achieve

high academic standards, enjoy learning and develop

as ethical, literate, well-rounded and self-sufficient citizens

that contribute actively to their communities.

It achieves this goal by providing innovative, challenging

classroom learning experiences and extended learning

programs.



Then and NowIn 1997, Friendship Public Charter School was

founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Today, it is the largest charter school provider of

public education on the East Coast. Nearly 4,000

students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12

attend its elementary, middle and high school cam-

puses in the District of Columbia and Baltimore.

Why a Charter School?Charter schools enjoy greater independence than

traditional public schools and can focus on enabling

students to achieve strong academic results—results

for which the school is held accountable.

Parents choose charter schools when they want

high academic standards, small and safer classes,

innovative approaches and an education-focused

philosophy.


WHY FRIENDSHIP?At Friendship, students achieve academic excellence in a warm, friendly environment.

Highly challenging academics enable Friendship students to score above the standards

year after year and to receive elite scholarships and awards. Friendship delivers its rigorous

curriculum in a supportive and disciplined atmosphere, giving students a “safety net” in

which they can learn, experience and grow past their comfortable boundaries.

A dedicated, highly trained faculty ensures that students achieve the school’s ultimate

goal—success in college.

Friendship’s after-school activities enrich students’ lives, opening doors to theater, dance,

arts, poetry and engineering programs, national spelling bees and museums. Students can

play sports, produce TV shows, and learn about the public safety profession or robotics.


Partnership EffortsFriendship Public Charter Schools is known for

developing successful campuses in the face of

great challenges. As such, Friendship has entered

a partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools to

open two schools in Baltimore in the 2008-2009

school year.

The high graduation and college acceptance rate of

Friendship’s Collegiate Academy proves its excep-

tional strength. As such, in a 2009-2010 school

year partnership with D.C. Public Schools, Friend-

ship will extend its model to lower-achieving high

schools in the District to improve those students’

outcomes.

At Friendship, we take pride both in nourishing

our current academic students and in taking time

to build sustainable partnerships with other area

schools, so that all children have equal access to a

world-class education.

FRIENDSHIP’S


CAMPUSES


Chamberlain Elementary Home of Champions



Highlights:

Serves more than 700 students and has one of the strongest school perfor-

mance records in the District of Columbia. Students in every grade are scor-

ing on average at or above grade level in reading and in math and exceeding

state goals each year.

Students took honors as finalists in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, hosts

for U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (LA) during National Charter School Week and

ambassadors for the awareness campaign National School Breakfast Week.

Grades:Location:

Pre-K - 5Washington, D.C., Ward 71345 Potomac Avenue, Southeast


Highlights:

Features a new, technology-rich SmartLab™ where students may learn myriad

tasks—to create electronic portfolios and graphics, program robots, make

movies or digital photos, garden, manage ant farms, structure electricity,

draw or paint, make music, build a car and more.

Extensively renovated after its purchase in 2005, the school has 16 new

classrooms, a gymnasium, a student dining hall and interactive library,

vaulted ceilings, bright light fixtures, red and ivory hallways, new textbooks

and mobile computer laptop carts.

Grades:Location:

K-6Washington, D.C., Ward 8 645 Milwaukee Place, Southeast

Southeast Elementary Academy Home of the Tigers



Woodridge Elementary and Middle


Highlights:

Offers nurturing teachers and a SmartLab™ computer center, science lab, in-

teractive library and art and music spaces. An intensive after-school program

furthers students’ mastery of core subjects.

Students surpassed state goals for four years and exceeded the reading and

math standards by more than 10 percent on the latest DC CAS assessment

test; 70 percent of fifth graders received honors in one or more subjects.

School honors include a Blue Ribbon Schools nomination, a visit by President

Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and a visit by Mrs.

Bush.

Grades:Location:

Pre-school – 8Washington, D.C., Ward 5 2959 Carlton Avenue, Northeast


Grades:Location:

4-8Washington, D.C., Ward 7725 19th Street, Northeast

Highlights:

Provides a successful transition to high school through academic and char-

acter education, extends learning opportunities and develops high achiev-

ers. Its Pre-Early College curriculum exposes students to accelerated English,

Geometry and Algebra courses.

Blow Pierce is home to an award-winning robotics team and a National Junior

Honor Society chapter. It is one of two campus bureaus for the Friendship

News Network (FNN), a year-round journalism program where students create

their own magazine and radio and television shows.


Blow Pierce Junior Academy Home of the Phoenix

Collegiate Academy Home of the Knights


Highlights:

Prepares students for college and for work in a global economy. Starting in

ninth grade, students may take Collegiate Early College courses and earn up

to two years of college credit. Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses

and more than 40 Career Academy courses cover technology, science, engi-

neering, law and communication arts.

Of the nearly 300 seniors enrolled last year, 92 percent graduated, with a

majority accepted to college. Collegiate’s honors include an EPIC Award and

a College Board Inspiration Award.

Grades:Location:

9-12Washington, D.C., Ward 74095 Minnesota Avenue, Northeast



The Friendship Academy of Science and Technology

Grades:Location:

6-12Baltimore, Md.Canton Middle School801 South Highland Avenue


The Friendship Academy ofEngineering and Technology

Grades:Location:

9-12Washington, D.C., Ward 74095 Minnesota Avenue, Northeast

Highlights:

Opened in the fall of 2008, Friendship’s two newest schools provide an ac-

celerated Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) focus and Early

College pathway. Students may take pre-college courses in the middle school

years and college courses starting in ninth grade. While completing high

school, they may earn two years of college credit.


Friendship Public Charter School is planning an additional

school—and a brighter future—for students in DC’s Ward

8, which houses the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The new

Tech Prep will offer grades 6-12. Adjacent to Southeast

Academy elementary school, Tech Prep will cover 80,000

square feet and ultimately will serve 700 students.

There, low-income students can earn both a high school diploma and credits toward a bach-

elor’s degree, or toward an associate degree or certificate that meets industry standards—

without paying tuition. Modeled on the Collegiate Academy, Tech Prep will offer Advanced

Placement (AP) and Honors courses, as well as Career Academy courses in technology, sci-

ence, engineering, law and communication arts.

Focusing on critical areas of education and employment in the DC region, Tech Prep will

benefit not only students, but also employers and area residents.


Friendship Public Charter School - Community Office

120 Q Street Northeast, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20002 | (202) 281-1700

www.friendshipschools.org

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