July 3, 2019 noon
(WGTD)---A new charter school led by people with familiar names could open in the next year or two in Racine.
Representatives of the Racine Leaders Academy laid out their tentative plans before a work session of the Racine School Board this week.
This fall the new K-5 school is expected to ask the board for a formal endorsement as it seeks a state planning grant.
The president of the board of the new school is Beverly Hicks, a retired R-U-S-D teacher and a past president of the Racine branch of the N-Double-A-C-P. Board members include Racine Police Chief Art Howell, businessman Mario Martinez and accountant Pat Fogarty.
Longtime area education leader Milt Thompson was described as principal-in-waiting.
The new school, Thompson says, would cater to disadvantaged youth with a rigorous college prep-styled curriculum that would heed core values and cultural competencies. "I believe in this...I've seen it work. I know it can work," Thompson told the board.
A number of years ago, Thompson had a hand in founding 21st Century Prep and also led Wilson Elementary in Kenosha when that school was instituting a new curriculum and adding uniforms.
Thompson is currently serving as an interim administrator at Westosha High School.
-0-