schools

ENCORE Academy finally arrives home in Crocker building

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After a long-running search for a building followed by a temporary stint at the Touro Synagogue that was prolonged by a hurricane, ENCORE Academy has finally made it to the new Crocker school building that will serve as the new charter school’s home for its first school year. Construction still continues around much of the Crocker campus; large pallets are stacked on the unfinished floor of the massive gym, and contractors continue their work long after the school day is over. But those who see the building’s spacious classrooms, wide hallways and cutting-edge technology for the first time, said School Leader Terri L. Smith, all share her own amazement. “Parents come in, and they just say, ‘Wow,'” Smith said Tuesday evening as she gave a brief tour of the building to members of the ENCORE school board and other visitors. After receiving its charter from the Orleans Parish School Board in January, ENCORE leaders originally thought they might renovate a Broadmoor-area warehouse into a new school building.

recovery

Hurricane Isaac plays havoc with school return plans at Audubon, ISL and ENCORE

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While most New Orleans schools had planned to reopen Tuesday after Hurricane Isaac, Audubon Charter School received such extensive damage to both of its campuses that it will remain closed for another week; the International School of Louisiana has postponed reopening until Thursday while it finishes cleaning its campuses; and ENCORE Academy students will return Tuesday to their temporary home at Touro, as the storm delayed completion of their Crocker campus yet again, school officials said. The Carrollton campus of Audubon Charter School already had serious roof leaks, allowing Isaac’s wind and rain to cause substantial problems, and the temporary campus in Gentilly was also damaged, according to the school website:

The Carrollton Campus sustained extensive water/roof damage Hurricane Issac. The Gentilly Campus experienced moderate roof leaks in a number of classrooms. Due to the extent of damages and needed repairs both campuses will remain closed until Monday, September 10, 2012. Maintenance crews will continue to work to ready the buildings as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and support during this challenging time.

schools

ENCORE Academy to spend first two weeks at Touro Synagogue as construction continues on Crocker building; now accepting students for third grade classes

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With construction on the new Crocker building delayed until Labor Day, students at the new ENCORE Academy charter school will spend their first two weeks in a classroom building at Touro Synagogue, school officials said. Meanwhile, the school is adding a third grade to its initial roster of grade levels it will open this year, and continues to accept applications, school leaders said. The announcements come in a pair of statements issued by the school this week. The first, explaining the two-week stint at Touro, was a letter from school leader Terri L. Smith directly to parents:

Dear ENCORE Academy Families,

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding our start of the school year and the building status. We have been informed that the completion of our site, the Crocker building on Marengo Street, will be delayed a bit.

schools

ENCORE Academy holds meet-and-greet for families

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With their first-ever day of school just weeks away, ENCORE Academy leaders expect 100 family members for a meet-and-greet dinner tonight (Thursday, July 26) in the library of Andrew Wilson Charter School. The event will start at 6 p.m. at Andrew Wilson Charter School, 3617 General Pershing Street, with mingling and a welcome, followed by dinner and student activities. School leader Terri L. Smith will meet with families, and parents will have an opportunity to sign up for the Parent Advisory Group. Anyone interested in enrolling in ENCORE Academy is welcome to attend, and is asked to RSVP at 444-2224 or encorelearning@gmail.com.

schools

ENCORE Academy board to receive updates on building, start-up loan, and accountability training

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ENCORE Academy, the new music-focused charter school that will spend its first year located in the new Crocker building in Uptown’s Milan neighborhood, will hold a board meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, July 24) to receive updates on the construction of the new building and on the school’s start-up loan, as well as for accountability training for the board. The meeting will be held in the second-floor conference room of Andrew Wilson Charter School, 3617 General Pershing Street, and is open to the public. The agenda is as follows:

Agenda
1. Call to order
2. Roll Call
3.

schools

ENCORE Academy board meeting canceled

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The June meeting of the ENCORE Academy governing board, originally set for tonight, has been canceled because of scheduling conflicts, according to an email from school leader Terri L. Smith. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for July 24, but if any issues require board attention before then, a special meeting will be called, Smith writes.

schools

ENCORE Academy hosts second meet-and-greet

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ENCORE Academy, the new charter school that will emphasize both music classes and individualized instruction, is holding a meet-and-greet for both enrolled and prospective parents tonight that will feature a drum-education group, officials said. In its first year, ENCORE will share space with Crocker Arts and Technology charter school in the Milan neighborhood. While that construction on that new facility finishes this summer, however, ENCORE will hold tonight’s event at Andrew Wilson Charter School in Broadmoor, where the school has also been holding its monthly board meetings. Tonight’s event will also feature The Dancing Drum, a music education group. For more details, see the information emailed by the school:

Join us for our second ENCORE Academy Family Meet and Greet!

schools

ENCORE Academy board to meet tonight

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The governing board of ENCORE Academy has released the agenda for its meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, May 22) in the second floor conference room of Andrew Wilson Charter School, 3617 General Pershing Street. The agenda is as follows (via email from school leader Terri L. Smith):

Andrew Wilson Charter School 2nd floor Conference Room
Tuesday, May 22, 2012, beginning at 6:30 P.M.

Agenda
1. Call to order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of the previous meeting minutes
4.

schools

ENCORE Academy holds first family meet-and-greet

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ENCORE Academy, a new charter school with a music-enriched curriculum opening in the fall, will hold its first meet-and-greet with families at 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday, May 17) at Atkinson-Stern Tennis Center, 4025 S. Saratoga Street, just a few blocks from the new Crocker school facility that will serve as ENCORE’s first home. “Please, take this opportunity to meet ENCORE Academy families, the staff, and members of our Board of Directors,” according to the invitation. “Bring family or friends interested in enrolling at ENCORE Academy. A light dinner and beverages will be served.” RSVP at (504) 444-2224, or by email at encorelearning@gmail.com.

schools

Encore Academy to spend first year at new Crocker school in Milan neighborhood

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Encore Academy, the newest charter school to open in Uptown New Orleans, will spend its first year in the “brand new, state of the art” building under construction for Crocker Arts and Technology School in the Milan neighborhood, officials said Tuesday night. The agreement reached Saturday with the Crocker board represents at least a one-year solution to the major hurdle of finding a home for the new charter school. Encore officials are now working with their counterparts at Crocker on specifics of the arrangement, such as start times for the two schools and how common spaces and buses will be used, and the schools have considered creating a joint committee to handle those issues during the school year, said Encore school leader Terri L. Smith at a Tuesday night meeting of the Encore board. “It’s the spirit of cooperation — if people want it to work well, it will,” Smith said. “Since we have similar populations and similar programming, it’s a good match.”