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Life Skills Charter School
The uphill battle by local proponents of ”School Choice" bore fruit when a
group of local Hispanic leaders established the Life Skills Center charter
school.
Led by Police Chief Luis Velez, the board of Life Skills Center decided to
address the drop-out problem with the mantra, “one Hispanic dropout, is one too
many.” In School District 11 more than 6 percent of enrolled Hispanics dropped
out during the 2001-02 year, according to the Colorado Department of Education.
Ohio-based White Hat Management LLC developed the Life Skills Center educational
program. White Hat has been effectively addressing the at-risk student needs
over the last five years through 20 schools in 3 states. Life Skills Centers
have graduated approximately 3,000 at-risk youth and are now on pace to graduate
1,000 more every six months, according to White Hat.
White Hat claims that approximately 54% of graduating students go on to some
other form of post-secondary education, indicating that not only does the Life
Skill Center program work, but that it is effective at instilling the idea of
lifetime learning.
The essential components to the program are:
- Students must meet the sate-required number of credits for graduation
- Credits from other schools transfer to Life Skills Center
- Students attend classes for four hours per day
- Three daytime sessions are offered and night classes are available.
Life Skills Center presents an interesting educational alternative and will open
this fall.
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