Charleston Promise Neighborhood

At a recent meeting, the Charleston County School District recently confirmed its commitment to fund the Charleston Promise Neighborhood for the 2011-2012 academic year.  Given the recent budget cuts at the District, and the fact that CCSD is set to experience a $28 million budget shortfall, the vote to recommit was far from certain. In the weeks since the school district has voted to honor its commitment to funding, several opinion pieces have appeared in our local newspaper, questioning the wisdom of governmental spending to support nonprofits.  While the arguments for prudent fiscal spending do carry some merit, funding for programs like the Charleston Promise Neighborhood is vital, and should be funded now more than ever. Continue reading →

Spring Break may be here for the schools, but things are hopping here at CPN!

On Monday, Laura attended the New Rosemont Neighborhood Association meeting where President Nancy Button signed the official paperwork setting up a $300,000 endowment at the Coastal Community Foundation to provide lasting benefit to Rosemont residents. CPN will be the nonprofit beneficiary of the income distributed via the endowment and will work closely with New Rosemont leaders to distribute the proceeds to meet community priorities such as senior programs, youth programs, and scholarships. Continue reading →

This sounds like a joke, but I kid you not.  I was visiting one of the four elementary schools in our Neighborhood last week, and had a quick chat in the hall with our amazing and committed Principal (names withheld to protect the innocent, and the guilty – read on and you’ll see why).

During our conversation, she mentioned that just last week, a Master’s degree candidate from an esteemed institution of higher learning asked to come onsite to spend time at the school to “prove” her Master’s thesis.  Her hypothesis: Children who attend high-poverty Title I Elementary Schools are NOT able to learn.  Yes, you heard me right.  The Master’s candidate actually believed, when she walked in the door, that the children attending this Neighborhood school weren’t capable of learning. Continue reading →