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BCP assumed operation of City Springs School in 1996 when
the school became one of Baltimore’s first New Schools
Initiative (NSI) schools. As an NSI school, the chaotic atmosphere
of City Springs was dramatically transformed into a productive
and nurturing learning environment. The school quickly gained
national recognition for its impressive academic gains.
City Springs School serves 561 students in grades pre-kindergarten
through eight. In 2005, the school completed its conversion
from an elementary school to a pre-kindergarten through eighth
grade school – adding grade eight in 2005. Ninety-nine
percent of the student body is African American, and 9.8
percent receive special education services. As a Title I
school, 87.2% of the students are eligible for free/reduced
price meals.
In February 2001, City Springs became only the second school
in Baltimore's history to be removed from the Maryland State
Department of Education's so-called "Recon List"
of failing schools. Like all BCP Schools, City Springs began
as a neighborhood school and continues to serve the population
in its zone.
In 2005, BCP converted City Springs into a charter school.
City Springs Partners
- The
Alternative Learning Center partners with
City Springs to offer service learning
hours and work study opportunities for its high school
students. Students work as classroom
aides and tutors.
- The
Baltimore City Health Department sponsors a school-based
mental health center, which provides comprehensive health
services to students attending City Springs School.
- The
Center for a Liveable Future is working with
City Springs to establish
a school garden based on the school’s science
curriculum.
- Colliers
Pinkard is a long-time supporter
of City Springs. Through
fundraising and volunteer work, they make physical
improvements to the school, mentor students, and plan
after-school educational clubs
- The East Baltimore Mental Health Partnership provides
student mental health services.
- The Enoch Pratt Free Library provides
an after-school family reading program.
- HP adopted
City Springs in 2004 in order to aid the school
in meeting state technology standards. It has provided
students and teachers with technology training, desktop
PCs, cameras, projectors, printers and scanners
- MSDE's
21st Century Community Learning Center Program provides
funding and technical support for the City Springs After-School
Program.
- The Family League of
Baltimore City provides funding
and technical support for the City Springs After-School
Program through the Baltimore Out of School Time (BOOST)
initiative.
- The Laura
Bush Foundation for America's Libraries provided
City Springs with a library grant in 2005.
- The
Creative Alliance at the Patterson provides
summer arts education programs for City Springs students.
- Struever
Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc. (SBE&R) has
donated time and materials to renovate City Springs.
They have installed new windows, created a learning garden,
and built the middle school science lab.
Extra-curricular Programs
- The City Springs After-School Program, operated
by the Baltimore Curriculum Project, is a free 5 day a
week, 3 hour a day program offering students academic instruction,
cultural enrichment, homework assistance, and recreation.
- Food for Life, run by food educator
Ariel Demas, teaches students about about good cooking
habits including hygiene in the kitchen, choosing ingredients,
and tasty recipes. The program takes students on a "culinary
tour of the world," incorporating science, social
studies, music, art, mathematics, and chemistry into the
classes.
- The
Inner City Robotics League, run by Tonya Featherstone,
combines sport with science and technology. Students
compete in teams to design, build, and program various
types of robots.
- The Peer Mediation Program, directed
by Ms. Irona Pope, is an after-school program that has
taught children and parents how to resolve their differences
without violence for over 10 years.
- The
Science Technology and Engineering Program (STEP) ,
run by Tonya Featherstone, is designed to give students
a head start in the areas of science, technology and engineering
while simultaneously building their skills in math, reading
and writing.
The Battle of City Springs Video
In September 1999, PBS broadcast "The Battle
of City Springs," which documented some of the early
challenges facing City Springs on its road to transformation
and eventual success. A copy of this video can be purchased
from BCP by calling 410-235-0015, or by e-mailing us at bcpinfo@baltimorecp.org.
The cost is $15.00 and includes a follow-up "Epilogue"
to the original broadcast describing some of City Springs'
recent achievements.
City Springs School (#8)
100 South Caroline Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (410) 396-9165
Fax: (410) 396-9113
Rhonda Richetta, Principal
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