La Plata charter school ready for the spotlight

During the ceremony held in the parking lot of the former office building turned school, the institution’s founding staff members preached the importance of arts in education.

“I know there’s power in the arts and I know that it changes the lives of students,” Demetri Sermons, principal of Phoenix International School of the Arts, told attendees.

Angelica Jackson, co-founder & CEO of the public charter school, told the families in attendance that they were the “heart and soul” of the school.

“Your enthusiasm, passion and dedication inspire us each day,” Jackson added. “You are artists. You are scholars. You are dreamers.”

Charles public schools’ Superintendent Maria Navarro said in her remarks that the most unique part about a charter school is how the community and families come together.

“One of the things I think is very unique about charter schools is the fact that the community and the founding family really create a wonderful space,” Navarro said.

The arts-focused charter school will serve middle school students using the Cambridge International Education Curriculum.

Cambridgeinternational.org described the instructional material as “a unique transformational program that helps students at every stage of school education develop outstanding transferable skills including critical thinking, research and collaboration.”

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in various arts courses such as dance choreography, musicianship, acting and more.

The school will also include an innovation lab with laser and vinyl cutters, 3D printers and other tools to help teach students about the creative process.

The ribbon cutting capped an over two-year odyssey to prepare the school after the Charles County Board of Education gave its initial approval in April 2021; final approval of the plan was given about six months later.

The school originally planned to open its doors during the 2022-2023 school year, but pandemic-related delays forced the opening to be delayed. Part of those delays included modifying where the school would be, as plans for a building in Catterton Place in Waldorf switched to its current home in La Plata.

The school was originally planned to host 125 students, but that number was bumped up to 175 students. The public charter school will be funded by tax-payer money on a per-pupil basis.

State and county leaders also showed their support for the school’s opening.

“This day has been a long time coming,” Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) said. “Many activists for education in Charles County have talked about the idea of a charter school here.”

Collins presented Jackson and Rickkay King, co-founder and director of interdisciplinary and auxiliary programs, with the county seal in recognition of the school’s opening.

La Plata Mayor Jeannine James presented the school with the town seal and Del. Edith J. Patterson (D-Charles) presented a citation from the Charles County legislative delegation and a replica of the state flag.