Sponsored by 
Excellent schools for students and families in Baton Rouge. That’s the basic mission of New Schools for Baton Rouge, a non- profit, non-governmental entity investing in programs and initiatives that support successful schools to expand and sustain excellence in East Baton Rouge Parish. Throughout its 6-year history, the organi- zation’s efforts have focused on school recruitment, facilities solutions, a scholarship program to the city’s nonpublic schools, and cultivating educator talent. Families can expect new tools from NSBR this fall.
|
|
|
Chris Meyer, CEO and co-founder launched New Schools for Baton Rouge, in April 2012 to bring together the talent and resources neces- sary to provide proven, high-performing school options for Baton Rouge families.
“A group of community leaders tried to create home-grown charter schools here without much success,” Meyer says. “We teamed up to attract the top school models and raise the resources to expand our educational ecosystem.”
Perhaps New Schools for Baton Rouge’s most visible recent success stories are the first corporate-charter partnership between BASIS Baton Rouge and Woman’s Hospital and the launch of IDEA Public Schools in Baton Rouge. “What is remarkable is that this is about community and civic leaders taking ownership of our local education,” Meyer says. “We don’t have to wait for elections to make a difference in Baton Rouge.”
|
|
|
These schools offer additional quality educational offerings for families who are able to enroll of them free of charge. NSBR continues to provide facilities solutions for school operators by bringing first-rate learning spaces to the community. The organization’s investments in educator training and support help to address the persistent demand for a diverse, skilled pool of education professionals.
This year, in addition to continuing to help expand and support quality school options available for families in the Baton Rouge community, NSBR will work with families to strengthen their understanding of existing school options. By launching a comprehensive guide to all schools in the Baton Rouge area, NSBR hopes families will take a more active role in learning about and making the best choices for their students. The Red Stick Schools Guide will be available in distribution spots throughout the Baton Rouge area and will be released shortly after the Louisiana Department of Education issues letter grades for public schools around the state. The in- formation will also be available in a searchable format at redstickschools.org. This online resource will include links to school websites as well as the new EnrollBR application platform.
Other programs on deck include a new Education Changemakers expe- rience and series of school tours to encourage city leaders to take a look at the wide array of quality school options in the city. To find out more, visit newschoolsbr.org.