HCSC | Page 10

Growth of the Network Our vision is to create dozens of excellent schools across the United States, serving tens of thousands of students. We started small in 2009 with our first elementary school, Hebrew Language Academy in Brooklyn, which in its first year served 150 students. We have had nearly ten-fold growth in the five years since then, serving 1,253 students in six schools in three states and the District of Columbia. We’re ready to launch our first middle school programs, and to open new schools (including a seventh in 2015 in Minnesota). But to sustain that pace of growth requires a committed, focused effort from HCSC staff, community partners and leaders, and a growing number of supporters. Diversity In many of our nation’s communities, racial and economic isolation continue unabated, and children go through years of schooling without encountering, working with, or befriending peers from other backgrounds. We believe that schools should be places not only of rigorous education, but also of meaningful integration – indeed, that the two go hand-in-hand. As our students learn about the world around them, they do so in school environments that are manifestly diverse and that reflect our commitment to serve students from all backgrounds. We use a variety of practices – from careful site selection to expansive community outreach to thoughtful program design – ensuring that HCSC schools are among the most diverse in the nation. As a reflection of our commitment to diversity, we have joined the newly-formed National Coalition of Diverse Charter Schools. Going forward, we need our supporters to continue to spread the word that Hebrew Charter School Center schools are for all. hebrew charter school center 8