RICHTON PARK, ILL.—(ENEWSPF)–December 22, 2016—A resolution acknowledging the many contributions to education made by Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep Charter High School and Superintendent of Matteson School District 162, was adopted unanimously by the Richton Park Village board at its most recent meeting.
Dr. Davis was cited for “her vision and leadership in raising student achievement levels and in the reform of education,” during her tenure with Matteson District 162 and her leadership in creating Southland College Prep Charter High School, a new public charter secondary school that opened in Richton Park in 2010.
The Richton Park Village’s resolution recited highlights of Dr. Davis’ accomplishments and accolades earned during her career as a teacher and administrator, including her designation as Illinois Superintendent of the Year in 2008 by the Illinois Association of School Administrators and her most recent honor by the National Alliance of Black School Educators.
At its national conference last month, Dr. Davis received the Alliance’s Ida B. Wells Risk Taker Award in recognition of her “personal and professional sacrifices in the advancement of education for African American students.”
In acknowledging the Richton Park Village Board’s resolution, Dr. Davis thanked the group for their vision and support of Southland College Prep.
“When I first sought the Richton Park Board’s support for the establishment of a new public charter high school here in the Village, where our 530 students would follow a rigorous college prep curriculum during an extended European-model nine-hour school day, you were most responsive.
“You understood that by creating a school focused on educating students to be citizens of the 21st century, that its graduates would be well on the road to college, the completion of an undergraduate degree and a future of unlimited potential and unlimited possibilities,” she said.
“Standing here today, I’m pleased to report that not only have all members of our first three classes graduated and been accepted to colleges and universities, but together they were offered more than $ 45 million in merit-based scholarships to top schools around the country.
“And, we project that the class of 2017 alone may well earn an additional $30 million in merit-based scholarships.
“During these first six years, our graduates have been accepted by more than 300 colleges, including every major four-year public university in Illinois, 12 of the 14 members of the “Big Ten” schools and seven of the eight Ivy League schools, plus Stanford University,” she said.
Southland’s graduates have been accepted by 38 of U.S. News & World Report’s top 50 colleges, she added.
“But, the faculty and administrators of Southland College Prep didn’t accomplish these achievements alone.
“In addition to cooperative students and their very committed parents, we have enjoyed the backing and support of civic and community leaders such as yourselves, who believed in us and understood that great good can be accomplished if adults are focused on what’s best for youth and then work together to achieve measurable goals,” Dr. Davis said.
Dr. Davis also thanked Richton Park’s police, fire and public works departments for the significant services they provide daily, “helping to keep our students safe.”
“Yes, we’re educators, but our first responsibility is to insure that our students have a safe environment in which to learn and your dedication to service makes that possible every day, “she said.
About Southland College Prep Charter High School
Southland College Prep opened in August 2010. It is the only public charter high school in Chicago’s suburbs. Southland‘s total enrollment capacity, as set by the Illinois State Board of Education, is 530.
Located at 4601 West Sauk Trail, Richton Park, on eight acres in a three story, 85,000 square foot, fully wired state-of-the-art learning center, Southland has small class sizes, an extended rigorous European model nine- hour school day, five days a week. The college prep curriculum emphasizes foreign languages, math, science and the arts. Southland graduates earn 32 credits—more than one full-year of courses taken by most other Chicago area high schools.
After 5 p.m. when classes are over, only then do Southland’s students begin their extra-curricular activities such as speech and forensics in which they excel, dance, band, chorus or a select group of IHSA sanctioned sports teams such as cross-country, track, basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis and bowling.
Southland’s students use 21st century classroom tools including a 4-year requirement in Technology courses, an electronic portfolio of work and a blog for each subject area. Students engage in technology-based collaborative learning with other students, have access to video conferencing and technology assisted home-school communication to keep parents informed of progress.
Southland College Prep Charter High School has a non-selective enrollment policy. Its students gain entrance to the freshman class by a well-publicized public lottery. The only requirements are that they are graduates of an elementary school and reside in Rich Township District 227 which includes the communities of: Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park and Tinley Park
Source: http://www.pcipr.com
