SUNY Board of Trustee approves South Shore Charter School to open in September 2022
Central Islip, NY: New York State Education Department officials have amplified the voices of the Central Islip Teacher’s Union and School District officials in their opposition to the approval of South Shore Charter School by SUNY. This came as a surprise, especially given the fact that recent state exam data shows that only 28% of Central Islip students were proficient in Reading and Math.
“We are pleased with the fact that the State University of New York has listened to the voices of the hundreds of Central Islip parents and community leaders who are overwhelmingly supporting the establishment of South Shore Charter School” says Dermoth Mattison, South Shore Charter School’s founder and Executive Director.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2021
Media Contact: Dermoth Mattison, Founder & Executive Director
dmattison@southshorecharterschool.org
State University of New York Officials Affirm Its Approval of South Shore Charter School
SUNY Board of Trustee approves South Shore Charter School to open in September 2022
Central Islip, NY: New York State Education Department officials have amplified the voices of the Central Islip Teacher’s Union and School District officials in their opposition to the approval of South Shore Charter School by SUNY. This came as a surprise, especially given the fact that recent state exam data shows that only 28% of Central Islip students were proficient in Reading and Math.
“We are pleased with the fact that the State University of New York has listened to the voices of the hundreds of Central Islip parents and community leaders who are overwhelmingly supporting the establishment of South Shore Charter School,” says Dermoth Mattison, South Shore Charter School’s founder and Executive Director.
South Shore Charter School’s vision is to offer a school culture where students feel safe and welcomed and encouraged to develop the characteristics necessary to be successful students and citizens. The school will offer a rigorous differentiated academic program that is aligned to New York State Learning Standards. South Shore Charter School will also offer an inclusive Special Education program and a robust ENL program for English Language Learners. Scholars will have an extended school day and a longer school year.
Joseph Belluck, a trustee who is chairman of SUNY’s charter-school committee, was quoted in The New York Post saying,
“The Board of Regents has shown that they don’t care about the law, the facts or providing quality seats to kids in failing school districts. We don’t think the Board of Regents has the authority to reject these charters,” he said.
Earlier in the fall, the SUNY Charter Schools Institute recommended South Shore Charter School for approval, citing that South Shore Charter is likely to have a significant educational benefit to the students it will serve. This was evident by the school’s adoption of an inquiry-based approach to learning in which students will have opportunities to explore and investigate new content and develop critical 21st-century skills including critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. In addition, the school also commits to social-emotional learning (“SEL”) and character education, which is designed to encourage prosocial behaviors. The vote to approve South Shore Charter School was unanimous.
The State University of New York’s Charter School Board of Trustees has the legal right under state law to authorize new charter schools. SUNY has reaffirmed its commitment to fully authorize South Shore Charter School to open in September of 2022.
