News and Announcements

Trying to put the pandemic in the rear-view mirror has been difficult. Next week we officially begin the holiday season with the giving of thanks. This year we have attempted to return to a normal form of life. I am grateful to our medical professionals for their continued battle to address new Covid variants, the flu and now RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus). I am grateful for our teachers and staff who continue caring and working with our students during this “new normal.” I am grateful to you, the families of our students as you have supported our efforts throughout the pandemic and beyond.

Ninth grade student Xavier Echevarria-Mojica asked a question: what can I do to help the people of Puerto Rico recover after yet another destructive hurricane? He writes about how he answered his own question in an essay recently published in the online publication New Bedford Light.

The new elected GLCPS Student Council is off to a running start. During their very first meeting, they elected officers and then began planning their first action item: a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico which caused widespread destruction in the US territory on September 18th. The fundraising idea was the brainchild of freshman Xavier Echeverria-Mojica, who expressed concern for relatives and friends who live in Puerto Rico.

To our students, families and staff, a hearty welcome to the 2022-2023 school year. It is a year of excitement because we are celebrating the school’s 20th year as a charter school as well as looking forward to moving into our new STEAM Center. As our banner that flies proudly in front of our main campus states, it’s been “20 years of building lifelong learners.”

It was 2002 when the Global Learning Charter Public School welcomed its first students. We want everyone to know not only how far we've come but our plans for the future! GLCPS was the first charter school in New Bedford. It was arguably the first school in the area to incorporate technology into every classroom and to put a computer into every student's hands. Today, we are looking forward to expanding into our new state-of-the-art STEAM Education Center which is being created in the building adjacent to the Main Campus building. This building will house a Maker Space, fully equipped science labs, art rooms with a working kiln, and a beautiful music room.

Something happened at this year's Back to School Night BBQ that hasn't happened for years and almost - almost - caused the event to fizzle. It rained. But it did not rain enough to put a damper on one of the school's favorite events. Hundreds turned out to talk to teachers, pick up uniforms and information packets, reunite with friends, and eat delicious cookout fare. There was even entertainment by the Cape Verdean drum group, Batacuda Otu Level.

This is a defining moment for the future of the Global Learning Charter Public School (GLCPS). The school’s Board of Trustees is launching the process to develop a five-year strategic plan before handing the task over to a committee of diverse stakeholders. The Board will review the school’s 20-year history and reflect on its successes and challenges, and review the school’s mission statement to determine whether it is still relevant or if changes are needed.  The Board will also participate in a SWOT analysis, identifying and analyzing the school’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats that shape current and future operations.  It is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that dictates the role and responsibilities of a charter school’s Board of Trustees, as outlined on the DESE website:  
“As public agents authorized by the state, the members of the board of trustees (board) of a charter school are responsible for governing the school and hold the charter for the school, as it is granted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). A strong board defines the mission of the school, develops school policies and changes them when appropriate, hires qualified personnel to manage the school's day-to-day operations and holds them accountable for meeting established goals, and formulates a long-range plan and charter school accountability plan that will ensure the school's continued stability.”

The GLCPS community will kick off the new school year with its annual Back to School Night BBQ, and this year we're throwing a block party! The event will take place on Tuesday, August 23rd from 5 - 7 PM on Nye Street. The street between Ashley Blvd. and Acushnet Avenue will be blocked off for the event. Normally, we're set up in the parking lot for the Back to School Night BBQ. This year, however, due to the ongoing construction in our much-anticipated Joan and Irwin Jacobs STEAM Education Center, we are doing things a little differently. Students and families will be treated to an old-fashioned cookout. Families will also be able to receive individualized informational packets with student schedules, collect pre-ordered school uniforms, and speak to teachers and staff. The Back to School Night BBQ is one of the school's best attended events.