Monday, October 15, 2012

RTHS Awarded Department of Education Grant

The U.S. Department of Education announced that Research Triangle High School was awarded a $522,000 grant to use over the next three years to directly fund for planning, program design and implementation.  We are honored to be one of eighteen new charter schools to receive the grant.  In the official Department of Education announcement, RTHS is listed as Contemporary Science Center, the founding non-profit organization.

We are also honored to be featured in a Herald-Sun article by Wes Platt that details how ecstatic we are to have received the grant:
Durham charter high school lands $522k federal grant
It just got a little easier for Research Triangle High School, Durham’s first charter high school, to build on what started this fall.

The federal Department of Education has announced that RTHS was one of 20 schools across the nation and one of only two in North Carolina to receive a grant to support planning and development.

Over the next three years, RTHS is expected to receive $522,000. The other Carolina school tapped for a grant was Triad Math and Science Academy in Greensboro.

“Everyone’s kind of ecstatic,” said Pam Blizzard, director of external engagement for RTHS. “It’s funding faculty salaries, our digital media program, (information technology) costs. It will let us keep building the school as a vehicle for outreach around the state. It’s really great.”

The grants, totaling about $4 million for this year, are intended to fund charter developers for planning, program design and startup of new charter schools, as well as sharing best practices and disseminating information about charter schools.

“High-quality charter schools across the country are making amazing differences in our children’s lives,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a prepared statement. “These grantees serve a range of students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and prepare them for college and careers.”

RTHS, a public charter school, is answerable to the state Department of Public Instruction and receives some state tax dollars, but not as much as traditional public schools. Charter schools receive no state money for capital outlay, for example, unlike traditional public schools.

Blizzard credited Amanda Marvelle, biology teacher and director of digital media for the school, for taking off the month of May to hunker down and focus on the grant application. Sandy Collins, parent of RTHS student Hailey Collins, stepped in for that month to help cover Marvelle’s administrative duties.

“We spent some time planning the grant, but then she just hid and cranked out a 50-page grant application,” Blizzard said. “I wasn’t sure we’d get it, because it’s such a competitive program. We feel really honored to be recognized.” By Wes Platt  wplatt@heraldsun.com; 919-419-6684

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Durham charter high school lands 522k federal grant 

Pieces and Bits: High School

The RTHS Raptor Repertory presents its inaugural show--
Pieces and Bits: High School

Join us for RTHS's first fall show, a musical revue about popularity, grades, and the rest of teenage life.  PIECES AND BITS: HIGH SCHOOL includes scenes from Class Action by Brad Slaight and music from Wicked, High School Musical, 13, and The Fantasticks, as well as Carly Rae Jepson and Justin Bieber.  Come support your fellow Raptors with a night of great performances!

SHOWTIMES
Thursday, October 25 7:30 PM
Friday, October 26 7:30 PM

TICKETS
RTHS students - Free
Children under 12 - Free
Others - $5
Tickets available at the door

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Raptor Sports Report


Our cross country team took part in its biggest meet yet when it ran in the Great American Cross Country Festival on September 29, 2012 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Out of 20 teams in the independent school race, the boys' team finished 10th, with two runners finishing in the top 25 out of 150 competitors in the field.  Madison Daniel and Michal Swepson finished 9th and 24th respectively. The team will compete in the final meet of its successful inaugural season on Thursday, October 11 at Durham Academy.

RAWR!

Lunch with a Scientist


Friday, October 12th, 2012, students had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Ward Peterson, formerly of Inspire Pharmaceuticals, who shared a brief history of his work in drug development for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis. He talked about his educational background and his current fun job flying to Vienna, Washington D.C. and London consulting for drug companies. The students were very engaged.

We will continue to bring in a wide variety of community members to talk to students during lunch. Be on the lookout for the next topic.