Home Sweet School took place on November 19th and was open to parents of current students and the parents of alumni in celebration of the fundraising that our community has done to help pay off the current Raleigh Charter building!
With the building officially being paid off, our awesome teachers are able to get raises! The purpose of the event was to showcase some of the elements of Raleigh Charter that make us unique and to give parents the opportunity to engage with students and hear about the activities we do throughout the school year–and even try themselves.
This event was set up in 12 stations for parents to go around and explore. While at each station they’d interact with students or adults of our community, hearing stories about what makes Raleigh Charter, well, Raleigh Charter.
One of the stations was led by a group of our awesome peer mentors and they showed parents different games we do during Flex 101 which takes place the students’ freshman year of school. Flex 101 is aimed to promote teambuilding within the grade and features many different activities. During Home Sweet School, the parents had the opportunity to play our cup game in which you have 4 participants, a rubber band with string attached, and a stack of cups. The goal here is to work together and pull your string just enough to stack the cups and make a tower before the other group does!
Another station parents had the opportunity to visit was print making and origami led by student artists! Upstairs in the art room they had the opportunity to make their own print and choice of origami. Print making was a hit! All throughout the halls you heard parents saying how much they loved that station.
Finally, parents were able to hear from a 2003 graduate and current chair of the school’s Board of Directors, Jameson Marks.
I was able to get in contact with Mr. Marks and asked him to share a few things about the campaign and the event. “We launched the Foundation campaign in 2021 to raise the remaining $1.5 million needed to pay off the building,” Marks explained. “The Home Sweet School event was held to recognize and celebrate the RCHS community for their support of our Foundation campaign.”
Marks emphasized the importance of an interest-free loan from the Russell foundation as being key in the school’s ability to pay off its bond, cement 1307 Glenwood avenue as our “forever home,” and implement well-deserved salary raises for RCHS teachers.
“It is nearly inconceivable for a charter school to be debt free and able to compensate teachers as well as we now can,” Marks said. “As a former student, present on Raleigh Charter’s opening day in 1999, to serve as the current Board Chair, it was a full circle moment and honor to announce this RCHS milestone at the Home Sweet School event.”
We are very thankful for all of the students and community members who gathered together to celebrate this momentous occasion.
