The SIUE Charter School was recently recognized in Chicago with a “Charter Up Award”, because of the school’s participation in the No Barriers Project. The Illinois Network of Charter Schools sponsors the annual award. It is given to schools that seek to find out of the box instructional methodologies to meet the needs of individual students. According to Anthony Neal, the school’s director, “It’s a very big deal. It’s a way of showcasing to the community that charter schools are establishing ways to engage and motivate students to actively connect with learning. We are trying to make school fun for students and it’s a way of increasing student achievement because when they are having fun, they are motivated to do better.”

The No Barriers Project is in its fifth year. Students from both East St. Louis Charter and Effingham High School have worked together on several projects to give the students an opportunity to tie the curriculum to real world opportunities. At the same time, the program gives students from both an urban and a rural climate a chance to connect with one another.

Calm down! Calm down! This isn't a lost Tolkien novel that is about to be made into another mega-series film. However, it is exciting. Our founder, Joe Fatheree, was recently named the Illinois Teacher of the Year. He is given a one year sabbatical as teacher of the year to serve as an ambassador for education for the state. Check the blog to follow him through his travels, and to learn more about some of the triumphs and tragedies that students face in schools each day.

Visual Story Telling Workshop

Our workshops have become a hot item. In the next few weeks a large portion of this site will be dedicated to the workshops and the visual story telling workshops. Please check back often. Click here to contact us for more details.                          CnCWebDesigns