Posts Tagged ‘Russ Simnick’

Indianapolis –Indiana Public Charter Schools Association President Russ Simnick was an invited speaker at the 2011 National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Along with charter leaders from Texas, Colorado and Georgia, Simnick shared Indiana’s strategies to improve opportunities for legislative success at the presentation titled “State Facility Survey Blueprint: Lessons from Four States.”

In addition, Simnick was invited to present a case study on Indiana charter school legislation to charter school leaders from around the nation.

“Indiana has quickly gained the attention of the nation as a battleground for education reform,” Simnick said. “This year, the Indiana General Assembly saw the greatest strides in education reform in the state’s history.”

Simnick holds his bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. He has received the “40 under 40″ honor from the Indianapolis Business Journal and was named a Junior Achievement “Best and Brightest” finalist. Prior to his leadership of IPCSA, Simnick was the leader of a public charter high school in Indianapolis, executive vice president of a large Indianapolis PR firm and worked in the Indiana State Senate.

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association offers services, advocacy and support for Indiana’s 62 public charter schools. Nearly 23,000 students attend public charter schools in Indiana. The Association web site is www.INcharters.org.
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Indiana chosen as one of four sites for national listening tour

Indianapolis – Russ Simnick, President of The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association (IPCSA), is pleased to announce that Indiana has been chosen as one of four sites on the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ (NAPCS) Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization Listening Tour.

NAPCS President Peter Groff and David Dunn, president of the Texas Charter Schools Association and current president of the NAPCS State Leaders Council, will be in Indianapolis on Thursday, January 20, to hear directly from key education policymakers on the reauthorization of the ESEA.

In addition, the group will meet with charter school educators at the Indianapolis Metropolitan High School.

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association offers services, advocacy and support for Indiana’s 62 public charter schools. Nearly 23,000 students attend public charter schools in Indiana. The Association web site is www.INcharters.org.
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Overshiner spearheads a grassroots style, charter constituent list-building effort that aims to include all charter school administrators, governing board members, teachers, and parents and maintains the Indiana Charter Action Network (I-CAN), a database of more than 3,500 charter school supporters.

In addition, she actively develops and maintains communication with a broad coalition of charter school supporters by attending parent-focused “back to school” events and coordinating community forums and film screenings that raise public awareness of charters, provide pro-charter messages, and challenge myths and misinformation pertaining to charter schools.
Prior to joining IPCSA, Overshiner played a key role in Senator Brandt Hershman’s run for Congress. In the summers while attending college, Overshiner also interned for several high-ranking Indiana public officials, including U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar, Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman and U.S. Congressman Mike Sodrel.
Overshiner graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. She earned a degree in political science with a minor in biology.

School Leaders, School Administrators and Board Members:
You’re Invited to Attend the Indiana Public Charter Schools Conference & Expo on Friday, June 18, at Hope Academy in Indianapolis!

Speakers Include: Governor Mitch Daniels, Todd Ziebarth (VP of Policy for the National Alliance of Charter Schools) and a Keynote Address by Tom Bloch (author of the book, “Stand for the Best,” a memoir of his journey from H&R Block CEO to inner-city teacher and charter school founder).

Choose Between Four Tracks
Governance Policy/Advocacy
New Schools Operations
Register Today for Early Bird Rates!
IPCSA Member Rate: $120
Non-Member Rate: $150
Click here to register online and pay by credit card.
Click here to download the registration form and pay by check.

**Members, please login to access member discounts**
For questions, please see the conference web site or contact Alexis at 317-972-5880 or Alexis@INcharters.org.

INDIANAPOLIS — At a time when teaching positions are being cut across the state, Indianapolis charter schools are expanding, and hiring more staff to keep up.

More than 100 people came out to a job fair on Saturday featuring 80 full-time positions at 15 Indianapolis charter schools, 6News’ Sarah Cornell reported.

“It’s an exciting job market, but it’s also a tough job market,” said Challenge Foundation Academy Principal Charlie Schlegal. “All of us are dealing with less money than we had last year.”

Charter school teachers start out at a salary of about $36,000, and are expected not only to love kids, but to help bridge the achievement gap for underprivileged students.

For those up for the challenge, the opportunities are growing.

“We’re opening a fifth grade next year. We’re potentially opening a first grade next year, too,” Schlegal said.

Still, applicants said there are a lot of potential teachers going after fewer positions.

“You’re competing with teachers who’ve been out for five years,” said Kelly Franklin, who’s been looking for a teaching job since she graduated four years ago. “Some schools are asking for at least three years of experience.”

During the job fair, some applicants were promised a phone call next week, while others were invited back to the school for a formal interview.

“Even though there are fewer jobs, there really isn’t any decrease in the number of teachers coming out of school,” said John Christianson, who has been working as a substitute to pay the bills. “I think, just like anybody else, that’s what I want, a full-time job.”

A list of Indianapolis charter schools that are hiring can be found at www.incharter.org.6 news