Awards and Grants

Chester Community Charter School has received, as a result of its academic excellence, a number of competitive Federal, State, and Private grants and awards.

To view our awards and honors, click on the descriptors below.

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program

Since 2001 CCCS has provided extended learning opportunities for students and families through summer, Saturday, and before and after school programming funded by 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grants. Currently the school has two such grants – “Cohort 4” (first awarded in 2007) and “Cohort 5” (awarded in spring 2010).

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – Title I Supplemental Funds

In spring 2009, CCCS was awarded a $925,968 grant through ARRA to further enrich its Title I programming during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years. These funds are being used to expand the school’s basic, special and technology education integration programs. Through use of these funds, CCCS was able to hire 27 full-time professional tutors, an additional kindergarten teacher and one kindergarten teaching assistant.

Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP)

In fall 2006, CCCS received a 3-year Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant, totaling $699,632, to expand and enhance our physical education programs. CCCS named its program Fitness For All and All For Fitness. CCCS has used these funds to provide equipment and support to enable students to participate actively in physical education activities; and to support staff and teachers through professional development activities. The grant funds the following:

Elementary School Counseling Program

Since 2004, CCCS has received two, three-year federal grants to fund the school’s counseling programs. Through these grants CCCS has established a comprehensive counseling protocol that addresses the psychological and emotional needs of all students, including increasing the range, availability, quantity, and quality of counseling services rendered, to create a school climate in which all students can achieve their maximum potential. Additionally, teachers learn techniques to de-escalate student conflict and reduce class disruptions.

Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT)

CCCS has received funds through three competitive EETT grant competitions to enhance instruction through greater use of educational technology. The Chester Community Charter School (CCCS) EETT program is designed to improve students’ academic achievement through use of technology and ensure that all students are technologically literate upon graduating the 8th grade. The program also aims at increasing teacher capacity to effectively integrate research-based technology resources and systems into curricula and instruction.

e-Rate

The Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund makes discounts available to eligible schools and libraries for telecommunication services, Internet access, and internal connections. The program is intended to ensure that schools and libraries have access to affordable telecommunications and information services. Since 2006, CCCS has received discounts for the following specific services:

Federal Entitlements – Titles I, II, and V

The purpose of Federal Entitlement grants (Titles I, II, and V) is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

Federal Entitlements – Title III Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students

Since 2009, CCCS has received Title III funds to support a wide array of educational services for limited English proficient and immigrant students and their families. The funds are used for activities that assist LEP students in developing English language proficiency in comprehension, listening, speaking, reading and writing, and meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet.

Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Enrichment Program

In fall 2009, CCCS was awarded the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Program grant, a five-year research grant totaling $2.2 million. The school is one of only eight educational institutions, nationwide, selected to receive this prestigious award for this grant period. The Javits program was created to encourage innovative instructional strategies for gifted and talented students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in gifted and talented programs (e. g, economically disadvantaged, disabled, and minority students).

Learn and Serve

Chester Community Charter School sixth grade students, under the direction of classroom teacher Miss Christina Mignogna, participated in a Holocaust-research service learning project, January through May 2010, entitled Voices of the Holocaust: Then and Now.

Reading First

CCCS was awarded a 3-year Reading First grant in 2004 and a 3-year renewal in 2007. The Reading First program focused on applying scientifically-based reading research—and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent with this research—to ensure that all children are proficient in reading by the end of third grade. The CCCS Reading First Program dramatically increased the percentage of students reading at or above the proficient level by:

Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities

CCCS uses its Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities grant to partially fund its Team Approach to Achieving Academic Success (TAAAS) program that incorporates a positive approach model to improve school safety. The TAAAS program was initiated in the 2006-07 school year with the goal of reducing classroom disruption caused by students with severe behavioral problems. TAAAS offers at-risk students academic, therapeutic, and behavioral support in a self-contained classroom within the regular school buildings.

Safe Schools Initiative

CCCS received a 2-year competitive grant (2007-2009) that it used to support the Team Approach to Achieving Academic Success (TAAAS) program, which aims to reduce classroom disruption caused by students with severe behavioral problems by offering at-risk students academic, therapeutic, and behavioral support, in a self-contained classroom within the regular school buildings. The grant is used to assist in professional development for its Student Assistance Program staff training.

Science – It’s Elementary

Since 2007, Chester Community Charter School (CCCS) has taken part in the state’s Science: It’s Elementary Program (SIE) and has received professional development and instructional materials to enhance science teaching and learning. SIE supports CCCS school-wide, PA standards-based science curriculum. SIE fits CCCS policies and practices of implementing research-based instructional methods; providing on-going professional development through a team-based, train-the-trainer approach; and emphasizing professional development in school-wide, proven instructional practices.

Bryn Clovis Foundation

During each of the last four years, Chester Community Charter School (CCCS) has received a grant to help fund student tuition to attend the ESF Dream Camp. The Mission of Dream Camp is to transform the lives of low-income, urban youth through innovative programs that nurture the individual, educate the mind and inspire the spirit. The goal of Dream Camp is to develop young leaders and encourage them to embrace challenges, seize opportunities and overcome obstacles, and achieve their dreams.