Charter School of Wilmington

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Charter School of Wilmington
Charter School of Wilm-1.JPG
Address
100 N. DuPont Road

Wilmington
,
Delaware
19807

United States
Coordinates39°45′12″N 75°35′18″W / 39.75328°N 75.58832°W / 39.75328; -75.58832Coordinates: 39°45′12″N 75°35′18″W / 39.75328°N 75.58832°W / 39.75328; -75.58832
Information
TypeCharter school
MottoExcellence Community Leadership
Established1996
School districtRed Clay Consolidated School District[1]
PresidentReginald Johnson (2021–present)
Grades9–12
Number of students971 (2019–2020)
Campus typeHybrid
Color(s)    Blue & white
AthleticsDelaware Interscholastic Athletic Association
Athletics conferenceDiamond State Athletic Conference
MascotThe Force Horse (Lightning Bolt)
NicknameThe Force
NewspaperThe Force File
YearbookJourney
Websitecharterschool.org

The Charter School of Wilmington (CSW) is a college preparatory charter high school in Wilmington, Delaware.[2] It is Delaware's first independently operated public school whose curriculum emphasizes math and science.[3] It shares the former Wilmington High School building with Cab Calloway School of the Arts.[4]

History[]

The Charter School of Wilmington was chartered by the Red Clay Consolidated School District to replace the Academy of Mathematics and Science magnet school and opened in 1996.[5] Today, the school is operated by a consortium of six companies: AstraZeneca, Verizon, Delmarva Power, DuPont, Hercules Incorporated, and Christiana Care Health System.[6] It is a member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, a group of around 100 high schools, as well as affiliates such as colleges and universities, summer programs, foundations, and corporations.[7][8]

Academics[]

Students look over a UD MATH 243 problem after school.

CSW's curriculum focuses on math and science and is consistently ranked highly in publications such as Newsweek and US News and World Report.[9] In 2020/2021,U.S. News & World Report ranked it #74 of the 24,000 high schools considered and Newsweek ranked it #94 of STEM schools nationwide.[2][10] In 2013, CSW was given a Recognition School award from the Delaware Department of Education for exceptional performance and in 2013 and 2019, the US Department of Education named them a National Blue Ribbon School.[11][12][13] In June 2014, CSW's Jefferson Awards Council was given the Outstanding Service for Jefferson Council Volunteer award.[14]

CSW uses a modified block schedule with three rotating classes and one fixed class, including mandatory study hall, lasting about 80 minute each along with an "Activity Period" slot.[2] To graduate, students must take 4.5 science credits, 4 math and English credits, 3.5 elective credits, 3 social science credits, 2 language credits, 1 credit of math/science/computer and physical education, and a half credit of computer science, health, and their junior research project.[2] The school offers nineteen AP courses and several post-AP classes.[2][15] Some of the electives offered at CSW are software engineering; data structure; differential equations; digital electronics design; introduction to engineering, robotics, and data; forensics; advertising and marketing; programming and algorithms; research and publication in human and computer interaction; and nanotechnology.[15] Incoming freshmen are also permitted to take placement tests so their time at CSW can be tailored to their existing scientific knowledge.[16] Students also have the option of taking classes such as visual arts, drama, and music at Cab Calloway School of the Arts, who they share a building with.[17] They also have the opportunity to dual enroll at the University of Delaware.[18] During their junior year, students must complete a research project for the science fair.[19] Sophomores take Introduction to Scientific Research to prepare for this annual event.[19]

Students[]

The Charter Charger, named Lightning and known colloquially as the Force Horse."

Demographics[]

In 2020 White students make large proportions of the student body and about 30% of the students were Asian American.[2] Fewer than 8% of the student bodies combined from this school and Cab Calloway School of the Arts reside in the City of Wilmington, and fewer than 3% are Wilmington residents who are black and/or Hispanic/Latino or multiracial.[9] Barrish and Eichmann wrote that an Asian American suburban student living in an "affluent" area "is a fairly typical Charter of Wilmington student."[9]

Extra-curriculars[]

Music[]

CSW has a number of musical groups including a cappella club, clarinet choir, flute choir, and show choir.[20] Students also have the option of joining concert band, jazz band, drum line, and marching band, all of which are associated with Cab Calloway School of the Arts.[17]

Sports[]

CSW offers the following sports: football, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, marching band, basketball, dance, swimming, indoor and outdoor track, wrestling, baseball, crew, golf, lacrosse, softball, and tennis.[21] Fencing and skiing are both club sports.[20] Since CCSA does not offer athletics, their students are permitted to join CSW teams.[22]

Newspaper / Force Media[]

The school's newspaper, The Force File, is a digital-first newspaper owned and operated by CSW students.[23] It is part of a larger organization known as Force Media, a group which consists of four Charter clubs: Newspaper Club, Photography Club, Ten Minutes Club (which runs a biweekly morning video show at the school, called Ten Minutes) and Charter's chapter of The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).[23]

Media appearances[]

The Charter School of Wilmington's founder, Ronald Russo, has been featured on TruTV's The Principal's Office.

Notable alumni[]

Notable faculty and staff[]

  • Chris Eddy (Athletic Director, 2009—present), former MLB pitcher

References[]

  1. ^ Charter School of Wilmington. "Charter School of Wilmington: Quick Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Charter School of Wilmington". US News and World Report. 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  3. ^ "Class of 2021 profile" (PDF). The Charter School of Wilmington. 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  4. ^ "Cab Calloway School of the Arts". Delaware Today. 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  5. ^ "The Charter School of Wilmington: A Proposal to Establish a Math/Science Charter School at Wilmington High School" (PDF). Red Clay Consolidated School District. 1995-10-30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  6. ^ "Board of Directors". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  7. ^ "About". The National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  8. ^ "Institutional Members". The National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  9. ^ a b c Barrish, Cris; Eichmann, Mark (2020-01-18). "Could bringing back Wilmington High help fix school inequities?". WHYY. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  10. ^ "Best STEM Schools". Newsweek. 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  11. ^ "CSW 2019 National Blue Ribbon School Video Released". The Charter School of Wilmington. 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  12. ^ "Delaware Names 2013 Reward and Recognition School Awards". Delaware.gov. 2013-10-15. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  13. ^ "2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private" (PDF). US Department of Education. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  14. ^ "Delaware Department of Education: Charter School Annual Report" (PDF). Delaware Department of Education. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  15. ^ a b "STEM AT CSW". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  16. ^ "MATHEMATICS PLACEMENT TEST". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  17. ^ a b Nagengast, Larry (2017-09-22). "Cab Calloway School of the Arts celebrates 25th anniversary". Delaware Public Media. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  18. ^ Bothum, Peter (2021-04-16). "LAB LEARNING". University of Delaware. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  19. ^ a b "Students Making Science". National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  20. ^ a b "ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  21. ^ "Charter-ForcesSports". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  22. ^ "Sports". Cab Calloway School of the Arts. 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  23. ^ a b "Force Media". Cab Calloway School of the Arts. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  24. ^ "About Madinah". Madinah Wilson-Anton. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.

External links[]

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