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player ready...Students in black and red polo shirts toted clear book bags through the 21st Century Charter High School’s main entrance Thursday morning as a medley of rap songs beckoned them back.
Inside, as they approached two side-by-side metal detectors, staff security readied plastic bags to deposit their cell phones, headphones and other wireless devices. Students wrote their names on sticky notes that went into the bag.
Indiana lawmakers approved a “bell to bell” ban on wireless devices this year, but 21st Century students have been storing their phones or leaving them at home under a district policy for the past two years.
Principal Othiniel Mahone said phones were collected by first-hour teachers last year, but school officials decided to take the burden off teachers and collect them at the door.
Many students, like freshman Jamirah Johnson, just left their phones at home. “I don’t really care,” she said. Many students said they also left phones at home.
Parent Jasmine Ware, of Gary, whose son Amir Robinson, 14, is a freshman, agrees with the phone ban.
“Phones are a big distraction,” she said. “They get bored and the first thing they want is their phone. Do something else, talk to someone,” she said.
Ware said she and her husband, Demetri Ware, chose the school because Amir wanted to earn post-high school credentials or a degree. The charter school has become known for its students earning associate and even bachelor degrees by the time they graduate from high school.
Parent Monae Velez, of Merrillville, brought her twin boys and godson for their first day.
She liked the options the school offered such as different trades classes but didn’t like the late July start.
“It’s horrible, it sucks. We used to go back after Labor Day,” she said.
Setting that complaint aside, Velez said she’s excited about her boys’ school. “We are looking forward to the new school year,” she said.
Mahone and Peter Morikis, executive director of the district, said school officials launched the late-July start because they wanted a more balanced schedule.
Students will get two weeks off for fall break in October, two weeks during the Christmas holidays, and two weeks for spring break in March.
“We’re setting ourselves up to eliminate learning loss with our students,” said Mahone.
“Students are ready for a break and then it gives them a little bit more energy when they come back… I think it works out a lot better for students and staff.”
Both Mahone and Morikis said the charter school won’t move up the school year beyond the July 30 date.
Mahone said freshman enrollment — at about 140 — is the largest in his four years at the school. “That number is still climbing,” he said.
Meanwhile, K-12 enrollment is projected to increase about 20%, officials said. Last year’s enrollment was about 1,180 students.
Per capita, Gary has more charter schools (eight) than any other district in Indiana. More than half the school-age children in the city attend charters.
Morikis said the school is offering enrichment and remediation during the first week of the two-week breaks for students who want to improve their grades.
“Kids can either come in to catch up, or they can accelerate and work ahead or they can just stay home,” he said.
“It gives us a chance to identify and help kids that struggle,” he said.
Morikis likes the new calendar for its academic benefits.
“I’ve had positives from parents and even the kids,” he said.
Both Mahone and Morikis think Indiana’s new point-based accountability system to rate schools and students will be beneficial.
“I think it’s a great idea to keep track on how students are doing and push students to get their career pathways or do a credit course,” said Mahone.
“It gives each individual student their own grade in order for them to show that they’re part of the overall success as opposed to just test scores.”
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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NWI first day of school
Lake County
Aug. 6: Gary
Aug. 10: East Chicago
Aug. 11: Lake Central
Aug. 12: Hanover Community, River Forest, Lake Station, Hobart, Hammond, Crown Point, Lake Ridge, Griffith, Merrillville, Munster.
Aug. 13: Highland, Whiting
Aug. 18: Tri-Creek
Porter County
Aug. 13: Boone Township, Duneland, East Porter, Portage Township, Porter Township, Union Township, Valparaiso
Charter schools
July 30: 21st Century Charter, Gary
Aug. 6: East Chicago Urban Academy
Aug. 10: Charter School of the Dunes, Steel City Charter (K-3), Gary; Higher Institute of Arts and Technology, Merrillville
Aug. 11: Aspire Charter Academy, Gary; Steel City (grades 4-6); NWI Lighthouse Charter Schools, Gary and East Chicago
Aug. 12: Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, Steel City (7-11), Hammond; Steel City (grades 7-11)
Aug. 13: Steel City (grade 12)
Aug. 17: Thea Bowman, Gary; Discovery, Porter