Milwaukee Collegiate Academy was recently featured in the Milwaukee Community Journal. The August 28 story, “New Building, New Name Brings Positive Changes to Milwaukee Collegiate Academy” tells how MCA met a number of challenges over the summer including the name change and move to our new location.
With a weekly readership of 200,000, Milwaukee Community Journal reports news, entertainment, sports and business and is Milwaukee’s largest African American newspaper. To read the story, please click here. Or, you can read it below.
New Building, New Name Brings Positive Changes to Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
The staff at Milwaukee Collegiate Academy had a long list of homework assignments this summer. In just a few short months, the high school changed its name, developed a new “blended learning” program, and moved its school to a new facility on W. Capitol Drive. Living up to those tasks created one big assignment, but the school will be ready when the first bell rings on September 3.
CEO Academy Becomes Milwaukee Collegiate Academy
The decision to change the school’s name was not easy. Talks of rebranding started in the spring and included conversations and the support of families, students, faculty, and staff. In July, the school board led by Dr. Howard Fuller, the school previously known CEO Leadership Academy officially became Milwaukee Collegiate Academy.
“Our school has a rich history,” says Principal Rashida Evans. “We wanted to provide a link to that heritage while rebranding ourselves to better reflect our mission.”
MCA is a City of Milwaukee charter high school that focuses on preparing 9th through 12th grade students for successful entry and completion of a post-secondary education. Milwaukee Collegiate Academy’s new name reflects the school’s motto, “Sending Scholars To and Through College.”
Today, MCA has over 190 enrolled students and 20 full-time faculty members walking through its doors on Capital Drive, Tuesday, September 3rd. Its mission reflects the school’s core value: “All students are capable of academic achievement and educational success past the secondary level regardless of their race or socioeconomic level.”
MCA Moves to West Capitol Drive
It was clear to school leaders that Milwaukee Collegiate Academy had outgrown its building located on Brown Street where it had been located since 2008. As a result, school leaders made the decision to relocate to a modern and larger facility for the 2013-14 school year. The new school building is located at 4030 N. 29th Street in Milwaukee. It provides over 59,000 square feet of learning space and includes large, common areas that will be dedicated to the school’s new blended learning initiative. The facility includes a “computer learning center” able to accommodate up to 90 students, large classrooms.
With a goal of reaching 225 students, school leaders are confident in the newly renovated and larger facility for the 2013-14 school year. “It is in a highly visible location at 29th and Capitol Drive,” explains Evans. “It allows for easy access to public transportation, secure entry, and a more modern learning environment for students along with opportunities for expansion.”
“We have been able to renovate the single floor, 59,000 square feet building, to provide a modern 80+ individual student station computer lab, a beautiful, spacious cafeteria, a large open commons space, a well equipped fitness center, spacious classrooms, ample offices for our staff; and even a few more surprises that await our students,” adds Fuller.
The school is completing renovations to the facility in order to meet its instructional needs, and it will be ready to go when school begins.
“This is a vibrant neighborhood, and we are excited for the possibilities this new building brings to our students and their families.” Evans says.
School Invests in Technology for “Blended Learning”
According to the District Administration Leadership Institute it is predicted that by the year 2019, 50 percent of all high school courses will be delivered online. MCA made the decision to get ahead of the curve and has invested in the technology, software and systems required to help support student learning using a blended learning environment for the new school year. MCA is a leader in blended learning as an investor of software and systems that meet learning styles and move learning to exceed proficiency. Blended learning is a new and promising educational program offering differentiation through the use of technology to meet common core competencies while students receive individual instruction in a class setting.
“We are very fortunate that we have been able to secure a facility that provides us with the type of structure that will allow us to implement our blended learning curriculum with fidelity,” explains Fuller.
In short, blended learning allows the student some control over time, place, path, and pace of their learning while under the supervision of instructors.
“A blended learning curriculum will allow us to use on-line learning tools as a way to supplement and expand the value that great teachers will bring to our scholars,” Fuller explains. “We are confident that this approach will bring great value to the students who attend our school.”
Teachers and staff at MCA are busy working to create a welcoming environment for students on the first day and everyone is excited for the new school year.
“I think we have a great team in place, and we’re going to have a great year. There’s just such a feeling of anticipation,” says Evans. “We want to make MCA engaging and innovative for students. I’m just so looking forward to really getting personalized in kids’ learning.”
Howard Fuller couldn’t agree more, “We are truly excited for what we believe can be done to give students the level of academic preparation that will prepare them to be able to meet our mission of nurturing scholars that will get into and through college.”