Latest news with #JaycieSmith
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Montessori school to open in NE Oklahoma City amid approval by the charter school board
A nonprofit organization can start a new Montessori charter school in northeast Oklahoma City after its application was approved Monday by the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board. Legacy Learning Inc.'s approval for the charter school comes after two failed attempts to open an early childhood center after the school boards of both Oklahoma City Public Schools and Millwood Public Schools voted in 2023 to reject applications to establish the charter school. Standing for play, process and progress, the P3 Urban Montessori will serve students from age 3 through kindergarten who live in the 73111 ZIP code, a majority Black and low-income area in northeast Oklahoma City. More: Oklahoma Supreme Court pauses Ryan Walters' attempt to buy Bibles, Bible-infused curriculum Montessori schools emphasize hands-on learning, practical life activities and flexible learning styles. The Montessori model offers a modified dedication method that strives for independence and self-discipline. The P3 Urban Montessori appealed to the charter school board and sought to open for the 2025-26 academic year. However, the board approved the charter to open in the 2026-27 academic year with the condition that it takes action to resolve weaknesses in its application. According to a presentation by Jaycie Smith, SCSB academic compliance officer, the areas of weakness in the application include its special education services, a lack of mention of norm-referenced measures of academic growth, organizational misalignments and budgetary inconsistencies. To open its Montessori school, Legacy Learning Inc. must resolve its analyzed weaknesses by August 31, according to the motion made by the board. One board member, David Rutkauskas, said the bureaucratic system has been unfair to the P3 founders, adding that there's a high need for something like the Montessori school in the community. The board's chairman, Brian Shellem, said if P3 wanted to open in 2025, "They should have their stuff together." "I will tell you that in another circumstance that our recommendation today would probably have been to you to reject the application, allow them the opportunity to go back and revise the application, bring it back for reconsideration," said Rebecca Wilkinson, the board's executive director. After discussing the charter school's application for about an hour, the board approved it in a unanimous vote. "We'll make you proud," said Cecilia Robinson-Woods, one of the leading founders of P3 and its executive director. Robinson-Woods is currently Millwood schools' superintendent. She'll remain the district's leader as she guides the P3. During her presentation, Smith also presented several strengths in P3's application, including "a sound curriculum and instruction program," a "strong mission and vision," community partnerships and a year-round calendar. "If you have a student that lives in the northeast part of Oklahoma City, they do not have this as a choice for schooling from age 3 to 5," Smith said. The school will partner with Oklahoma City University's Montessori teacher certificate program to develop educators and "support their staff through professional learning opportunities," Smith said. The charter currently has three churches that have shown interest in housing the school. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Public Montessori school to open in northeast Oklahoma City
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scottsboro High School senior named News 19 Student of the Week
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (WHNT) — For this week's News 19 Student of the Week, we head to Scottsboro High School to visit senior Jaycie Smith. If you're a student or teacher at Scottsboro High School then you probably know who Jaycie Smith is. The school's principal said she is involved in everything the school has to offer. 'She is involved in everything it's a no-brainer the timing is perfect I was filling out a scholarship for her when it came across my desk.' From the field to the classroom- Jaycie does it all. She covers the Wildcats football team, is the president of the beta club, and is number one in her class of more than a hundred and 50 has been the editor-in-chief of the yearbook staff for four years now working alongside Mrs. Moore. Daily, Moore said she has and may never meet another student like Jaycie. Just last week Jaycie accepted practically a full-ride scholarship to Troy University where she is going to college in the fall—hoping to continue her career in marketing and communications. We are so proud of you Jaycie from all of us here at News 19 and cannot wait to see what the future holds for you! If there is a student you think should be News 19's Student of the Week, encourage your school faculty to nominate them! Just email us at studentoftheweek@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
