CONTACT: Sarah Granofsky Toce Executive Director Wisconsin Charter Schools Association (617) 416-7924

For Immediate Release

WISCONSIN CHARTER SCHOOL AWARDS HIGHLIGHT EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS THE STATE
Madison, WI October 24, 2011 On Friday night, October 21st at Discovery World in Milwaukee, The Wisconsin Charter Schools Association (WCSA) held its fourth annual awards gala. The Association announced the winners of annual awards in four categories: Charter Person of the Year: First Place: Dr. Mary Diez, Dean of Graduate Studies at Alverno College and Chair of Carmen High School Board of Directors (Milwaukee) Second Place: Ted Hamm, Coordinator of Arts Education & Educational Development; Administrator tude High School (Sheboygan) (Hamm is a repeat winner at these awards from 2010; last year he received the second place award for Innovator of the Year) Third Place: Karen Rutt, Principal, SEEDS of Health Elementary School (Milwaukee) Charter School Teacher of the Year: First Place: Paul Tweed, Wildlands School (Augusta) Second Place: Karen Swanson, Seeds of Health Elementary (Milwaukee) Third Place: Jean Dellemann-Engelbrecht, Highland Community School (Milwaukee) Innovator of the Year: First Place: Al Brandt, Principal of Kaleidoscope Academy (Appleton) Second Place: The Staff of Montessori High School (Milwaukee) Third Place: John Danner & Kristoffer Haines, Rocketship Education (Palo Alto) Charter School of the Year: First Place: The Alliance School (Milwaukee) Second Place: Carmen High School of Science and Technology (Milwaukee) Third Place: Veritas High School (Milwaukee) Approximately 300 people attended the Wisconsin Charter Schools Associations Fourth Annual Charter Schools Award Gala, which recognized the states outstanding public charter schools, teachers, and charter school advocates. Winners were selected from nominations made across Wisconsin. These public charter schools and individuals who received awards highlight the diverse and important accomplishments that are helping to move education forward for all students across the state, said Sarah Granofsky Toce, Executive Director of the WCSA. All the nominations were outstanding, and the voting committees had to make some very tough decisions. The
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winners are truly outstanding individuals, teachers, organizations, and schools. This is a proud time for Wisconsins charter school community. Winners from all categories were selected from the approximately forty nominations submitted for consideration; an independent awards selection committee made the final selections. About Wisconsin Public Charter Schools Charter schools are independent public schools that are free to be more innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. As of September 2011, there are more than 220 charter schools in operation in Wisconsin, serving more than 37,000 public school students. About the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association The Wisconsin Charter Schools Association (WCSA) is a statewide member-driven organization serving public charter schools and advocates of public charter schools in Wisconsin. WCSA's mission is to provide the students and parents of Wisconsin with options for quality public education, and to advocate on behalf of quality public charter schools to ensure autonomy, accountability and innovation. Wisconsin Charter Schools Association, P.O. Box 1704, Madison, WI 53701, www.wicharterschools.org; (414) 215-WCSA. ###