NEW ORLEANS — The University of New Orleans is looking into adding a charter school for grades kindergarten-through-eighth to its campus.
The university says in a news release it's looking into hosting a K-through-8 charter school focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
The idea is to replicate the Edward Hynes K-through-8 school in the city's Lakeview neighborhood. The University of New Orleans holds positions on the Hynes board of directors. And, Hynes is a professional development school for students in UNO education programs. Hynes also is a feeder school for Benjamin Franklin High, a charter already on the UNO campus.
The University of New Orleans has approval from the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors to proceed on a conceptual framework to replicate Hynes. Under the plan being studied, the target is to open a school in 2019 for kindergarten and first-graders, expanding to additional grades in subsequent years.
“I am excited to collaborate on this potential partnership,” UNO President John Nicklow said. “It stands to reenergize our course offerings for our next generation of teachers and creates expanded research, professional development and observation opportunities for our programs. It is also well aligned with our commitment to our community and its children. Over the decades, the University of New Orleans has prepared more educational personnel than any other university in the metro area. We will continue to serve that critical need that is so important to the city’s future.”
“For several years, the Hynes Charter School team has been seeking an opportunity to serve more students and train more teachers in our successful goal-focused charter model,” said Hynes CEO Douglas. “This potential partnership with the University of New Orleans would allow us to expand the number of families we serve and the number of leaders and teachers we develop.”
-Associated Press and University of New Orleans press release
