LELAND, North Carolina –The Charter Day School network of charter schools, anticipating further growth and heightened enrollment demands, is adopting a new name reflecting the schools’ unique classical curriculum and emphasis on civic virtue: Classical Charter Schools of America. The new names will be phased-in for the network and each of its schools beginning immediately.

Charter Day School, Inc. Board Chairman Robert Spencer said the name change was prompted by “the need to clarify what makes our schools different and better” and a desire to “bring unity and uniformity to our family of schools” at a time when charter school popularity has been rapidly accelerating.

Headquartered in Leland, a Wilmington neighbor, the Charter Day School, Inc. network began 20 years ago with a single charter school in grades K-5. Today, the network includes four schools—in Leland, Southport, Whiteville and Wilmington—enrolling more than 2,500 students. Spencer said Classical Charter Schools of America will likely apply for a fifth area school in the next 18-24 months and is planning additional schools elsewhere in the state “and even in other states.”

In North Carolina, charter schools became law on June 22, 1996 as independently controlled, tuition-free schools open to the public.  Charter school boards are accountable to the state for maintaining high academic performance and financial stability.

Spencer said the network’s first school, Charter Day School, opened in 2000 in Leland. Just five years later the State Board of Education recognized its academic success, designating Charter Day School one of the Top-25 elementary schools out of 1,800 in North Carolina.

As a result of this success, a second school was established in 2007: Columbus Charter School in Whiteville. A third school was added in 2013—Douglass Academy in downtown Wilmington—and a fourth in 2014, South Brunswick Charter School in Southport. All four schools will be renamed. Columbus Charter School, for example, is becoming Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville and Douglass Academy is becoming Classical Charter Schools of Wilmington.  All schools will continue to be under the central control of Charter Day School, Inc. which is becoming Classical Charter Schools of America.

“While all of these schools share the same management team and use the same time-tested, field-proven classical curricula and instructional methods, their legacy names didn’t reflect that fact,” Spencer said, “the new names do.”  Spencer also noted that uniforms and other materials bearing the old names would be grandfathered.

Spencer said that renaming the network and its schools is one of several steps the Board is taking. The second step, which is ongoing, will be to evaluate future locations for possible expansion. “We have a terrific educational model as our wait lists attest; we want to share this model,” he said.

The Board also is looking at ways to “further differentiate the way our schools teach citizenship and life lessons to impressionable young students as distinct from the highly politicized ways many traditional public schools have been adopting,” Spencer said. “We teach students to work hard, do their best, respect their teachers and each other and to love their country; the contrast with what’s going on in many traditional public schools couldn’t be greater, and many parents are choosing our educational model.” 

Schools in the Classical Charter Schools of America network are managed by The Roger Bacon Academy charter school management firm, which provides the schools’ curriculum, instructional, and operational services—including professional development for teaching staff, accounting, human resources, recruiting, IT, maintenance, and security.

For virtual tours of the network and its schools visit www.CCSAM.net and select the location of interest for enrollment and employment opportunities, or contact The Roger Bacon Academy, 3610 Thaddeus Lott Lane, Leland, NC 28451. Phone: (910) 655-3600.

Wilmington, NC – Kindergarten and fifth grade students received diplomas and accolades in front of a    glowing crowd of family and friends. Teachers and administrators praised their students for their courage, hard work, optimism, and ability to overcome the challenges they faced this year.

Nikki Chaney, Headmaster of Douglass Academy, commented, “Congratulations to our amazing students! Their resilience, optimism, and dedication are an inspiration to us all! We are so proud!”

Douglass Academy is one of four public charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address. To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy students celebrated the birthday of Frederick Douglass with speeches, quotes, poems, and special lessons. Students then sang “Happy Birthday to You” and ate cupcakes. Douglass Academy, the tuition-free K-5 charter school at 6th & Red Cross Sts., proudly honors the great work of Frederick Douglass each year on Feb. 14, his observed birthday. This year they held celebrations on Feb. 12 as Feb. 14 fell on a Sunday.  

Nikki Chaney, Headmaster of Douglass Academy, commented, “Frederick Douglass is an inspiration to our students. He demonstrated education was the key to freedom and persevered through adversity to become a great role model. As the great man said, ‘Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.’”

Douglass Academy is one of four public charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address. To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Wilmington, NC – Douglass Academy is excited to announce that its full classical curriculum is available for either on-campus or on-line attendance since students returned on August 6, 2020. The success of the condensed live, face-to-face on-line delivery last spring and its demand from parents prompted the expansion of the live on-line offering to encompass the full curriculum for all the upcoming year. Douglass Academy shares its on-line program with the three sister schools in the family of charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy – Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, Charter Day School in Leland, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport. Chromebooks and accessories were loaned to each student attending on-line.

To ensure a smooth transition to the start of their educational journey, all kindergarten students will be on-campus except in the case of a doctor’s note, at which point an on-line option will be provided. Each kindergarten student is guaranteed a spot on-campus. First and second grade students have separate on-line or on-campus classes with a dedicated teacher. On-line and on-campus students in grades 3-8 are taught concurrently. The teacher addresses on-campus students physically, and on-line students via live internet Zoom and Google Classroom. All students receive the same teacher instruction and see the same displays of maps, texts, math problems, etc. When the teacher asks a student a question, that student can be at school or at home. 

Vivicia Graham, a Douglass Academy parent, explained, “Douglas Academy’s online learning was a great experience for my family. Mrs. Sauls and Ms. Dalton were great with making it exciting for our girls and were able to keep them engaged throughout the entire process. Also, if we had any questions, they were answered immediately.”

April Thornbury, a parent at South Brunswick Charter School, a sister school sharing the same on-line program, remarked, “The online campus was tremendous, and very well organized. I trust South Brunswick Charter School to find not only a solution, but the appropriate matrix to ensure our children are educated and accountable for their education in an environment that is safe and responsible.”

Another South Brunswick Charter School parent, Sara Kordbacheh-Ball, said “We greatly appreciated all of the support we received from South Brunswick Charter School when we transitioned to on-line learning, which enabled us to continue our daughter’s education during these unprecedented times. Ava was still able to receive daily instruction from her teachers via zoom. She was able to still feel connected to her teachers and classmates, and that gave her something to look forward to every day!”

“On-line learning at Columbus Charter School was a great experience for my children!” said Cara Smeigh, a parent at sister school Columbus Charter School. She continued, “My children maintained a daily routine, interacted with their teachers and classmates in live sessions, and felt part of a learning community. I appreciate the strong efforts teachers made to keep the classes exciting and engaging each day. I am so thankful for the emphasis that Columbus Charter School places on academics and character development on-campus or on-line. Consistency, structure, and love are keys to children’s’ success and I trust Columbus Charter School to provide that for my children in any situation!”

“When we had to transition to on-line learning in April, everything was so organized and user-friendly. The amount of work that went into all of that did not go unnoticed.” commented Tiffanie Siuta of sister school Charter Day School. She continued, “Charter Day School has been a great fit for us. Their high expectations for students and fun learning environment keeps us returning each year. The teachers and administrators truly have the students’ best interests at heart and do whatever it takes to ensure their safety. We are so thankful for Charter Day School. Teachers and administration take time to listen to questions/concerns and respond with solutions in a timely manner. We can’t say enough about Charter Day School, it’s staff, or the campus!”

Braxton Pendergrass-Lighty, a Douglass Academy student, exclaimed, “I enjoyed virtual learning because I was still able to see my teachers and friends! It felt just like the classroom!”

Parents can expect the same high safety standards for their children on campus including implementation of all required safety precautions as outlined in the NCDHHS StrongSchools NC Public Health Toolkit. Per Governor Cooper’s mandate, masks will be required for all staff and students in grades K-8 during transitions or whenever 6-foot distancing cannot be assured. All classrooms have been set up to provide proper 6-foot distancing between students to allow mask breaks when consistent distancing can be assured.

Douglass Academy is one of four public charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Wilmington, NC – Douglass Academy hosted a modified graduation ceremony for kindergarten and fifth grade students. Students drove by in cars decorated with signs and balloons as their teachers cheered them on. The ceremony also served as an opportunity for students to return the laptops each received as part of Douglass Academy’s on-line learning program. All students were also given graduation lawn signs to proudly display at their homes. The graduations capped a year of resilient success for Douglass Academy and its students and families.

Colton Thomas, a kindergarten student, exclaimed, “It was fun and exciting!”

Samantha Leigh, a kindergarten parent, commented, “Douglass Academy – this is how I knew Colton and next year that Cannon would attend. I think we are all in a place where the news is harder and harder to watch. We need to teach our children better than we were taught. Hope, love, faith, compassion, and empathy are important. This is leadership in action, and I am so proud to be a part of it! Thank you, Douglass Academy! We are so blessed to have found such a wonderful school with the most amazing staff. We can’t wait to see you again for first grade!”

“I really liked how the graduation was put together!” remarked kindergarten parent Candice Thomas. She continued, “Despite the circumstances, I can tell a lot of thought and effort was put in to make each child feel special and appreciated!”

Douglass Academy began live on-line learning following a daily instructional schedule for all grades K-8 on Monday, April 20, 2020. Instructional staff members conducted on-line, professional development on learning platforms, such as Zoom and Google Classroom, and student engagement expectations. These actions successfully translated Douglass Academy’s results proven Direct Instruction educational model, which is dependent upon face-to-face, real-time interaction between teachers and students, to a live on-line learning environment.

Douglass Academy is one of four public charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy students put on a Frederick Douglass program in front of a packed audience of friends and family. Performances included songs, speeches, quotes, and poems. Students then sang “Happy Birthday to You” and ate cupcakes. Afterwards, a Frederick Douglass reenactor toured campus while students did related lessons. Douglass Academy, the tuition-free K-5 charter school at 6th & Red Cross Sts., proudly honors the great work of Frederick Douglass each year on Feb. 14, his observed birthday.  

Nikki Chaney, Headmaster of Douglass Academy, commented, “Frederick Douglass is an example all students can look to for inspiration. He persevered through adversity to become a beacon of hope and realized education was the key to freedom. As the great man said, ‘Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.’”

Douglass Academy is one of four public charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy, the tuition-free K-5 charter school at 6th & Red Cross Sts., proudly had students, parents, teachers, and staff participating in the Martin Luther King March through downtown Wilmington on January 20.  

Nikki Chaney, Headmaster of Douglass Academy, commented, “We are so proud to participate in the Martin Luther King March! Dr. King is an inspiration and hero to us all.” She continued, “Douglass Academy is changing the world one great education at a time. We like to dream big and no one dreamed bigger than Martin Luther King!”

Douglass Academy is one of four charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy students performed to a packed house of over 100 attendees at their annual Christmas concert. Songs included “12 Days of Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town”, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and a reindeer-themed version of “The Hokey Pokey”. Following the performance, students got a special visit from Santa Claus, including presents, courtesy of Word Changing Hearts Ministries.

Nikki Chaney commented, “We are so happy to spread some Christmas cheer this season! Our students had a great time and our parents loved the concert! We give special thanks to Word Changing Hearts Ministries for bringing Santa to town! Merry Christmas!”

Douglass Academy is one of four charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy is now enrolling all grades for the 2020-2021 school year!

Enroll your K – 5th grader today!

Douglass Academy:

– Tuition-Free
– Breakfast and lunch provided
– Transportation Options
– Top ranked in downtown Wilmington
– Offers Latin and cursive
– Proven classical curriculum
– Student clubs/athletics
– Individualized education
– Year-round calendar

Douglass Academy is one of four charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address. To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com

Douglass Academy celebrated Halloween with a fun afternoon festival. The event included numerous tables arrayed in spooky decorations and students in a pageant of costumes. Each table had a theme and featured fun games students played for candy. Table themes included superheroes, pirates, and witches, with games such as musical chairs, a cakewalk, ring toss, and acting. Tables were operated by teacher and parent volunteers.

Nikki Chaney, Headmaster of Douglass Academy, commented, “We are thrilled by the success of our table and treat Halloween celebration! Thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who made this a great day for our students!”

Douglass Academy is one of four charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,100 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address.  To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com