Pan American Academy Charter School prepares students for a successful future by promoting academic excellence through rigorous instruction, the integration of cultural awareness and respect throughout all aspects of the curriculum, and the skills and motivation to learn in any circumstance.

Pan American Academy Charter School is a free, small, public, open enrollment, K-8 charter school opening this coming fall in North Philadelphia. In the 2008-2009 school year, Pan American will start with grades K through 4.  The school’s unique approach balances the highest academic expectations with culturally responsive, supportive instruction.  Pan American ’s teachers are mostly bicultural and bilingual. They enrich and sustain its literacy-based, academically rigorous program.  Pan American emphasizes hands-on learning, Spanish language instruction and strong parental involvement.  Through small class size, extra time in the daily schedule for intensive reading and mathematics instruction, and an extended day tutoring program, all Pan American students get the support they need to meet and exceed their highest academic goals. 

OUR VISION

Pan American Academy Charter School will be a model K-8 charter, where high expectations, consistent parental involvement, and rigorous instruction will allow 100% of its students to perform on grade-level in math and reading, write proficiently, speak, read, and understand Spanish, and have a global perspective allowing them to interact and learn effectively throughout their lives.

OUR STUDENTS

Pan American will primarily serve students in North Philadelphia, the majority of whom are Latino or African American. These students face numerous risk factors such as poverty, community violence, and a cycle of low educational attainment.  Families in the region also have low educational attainment rates, with drop out rates and absence rates among the highest in the city, and high school graduation rates among the lowest.

GOVERNANCE

Pan American is an independent school. It shares clientele and uses some of the services of Congreso, the community-based organization which launched it, but the two organizations have different Boards of Trustees. Members of Pan American’s Board are elected trustees who will act as an interface between the school and the community; they are ambassadors for the school.  Part of their responsibility will be to act as knowledgeable spokespersons for the school, explaining and promoting the school’s mission, philosophy, and structure.  Two Pan American parents will also be board trustees. Pan American ’s Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the school and must approve any revisions to the overall school direction or implementation strategy, the strategic plan, budget, etc.  The Board hires and reviews the Principal/CEO.

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

In Pan American’s first year, school leadership is in the hands of the Principal/CEO.  The Principal is responsible for the overall student performance and operation of the school.  She has control over the school’s budget and program implementation. There will also be a Special Education Coordinator hired in Year One to launch and implement Special education services. In Year Two, an Assistant Principal will be hired to share leadership responsibilities.

FACILITIES

Pan American will open in a temporary location, 144 W. Dauphin Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133. Several sites are currently under consideration, in the Eastern North Philadelphia neighborhoods. By year 3, Pan American will construct its own building, customized to serve its unique needs as a community-based, high achievement school.

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