CSAS:
Involvement and Commitment
The Chattanooga
School for the Arts and Sciences is not for everyone. Although it
is a public school which is open to everyone in the district, the
CSAS experience is predicated upon a strong community of lifetime
learning and the direct involvement of parents in their children's
education and school.
The
student body is intentionally diverse, comprising roughly 55 percent
White, 42 percent African-American, and 3 percent Asian students
who represent virtually every neighborhood of the district.
The
most important criterion for admission is a high level of commitment
from both students and parents. Students are expected to do their
best in their studies and perform community service; parents are
required to volunteer at least 18 hours per year and attend two
conferences with teachers each year. All prospective students and
parents must complete an application and participate in an interview
with members of the admissions committee
Parent
and other family members are involved:
- As Teachers : Teachers work to build close contact with parents
during parent-teacher conferences and by phone over the year.
Teachers give parents ideas on how they can assist the education
of their child through home activities.
- As Supporters : The school expects all parents to assist in
the classroom, help with field trips, teach mini-courses for parents,
and/or take part in the PTSA.
- As Decision Makers : Parents are active on advisory groups.
While they do not design the course of study, they do attend sessions
about how the school teaches and advise on books and materials
to be used in class.
Parents also participate in school activities ranging from operating
concessions at school events to Saturday work days devoted to "clean-up,
fix-up" efforts at the school.
The school employs one full-time and one part-time parent involvement
coordinator.
