The Marco Island Academy is now officially the newest public high school in Collier County. On March 15, 2011, the Collier County School Board approved the final contract for the Academy. Now the Academy organizers will to spring into action to make sure the school opens on time in August.
The Academy hosted its 2nd annual 5K race on Saturday with 92 participants. The event raised approximately $7,000 for the school and gathered clothing donations for families in need. The Academy is on the fast track to raise money to offset the start-up costs.
Since January 2011, the school has hosted three fundraising events and raised over $30,000. Over the past 20 months, volunteers have successfully raised over $105,000 for the school. This is an amazing accomplishment considering the school has not even opened its doors to students yet. Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution can send a check to: Marco Island Discovery Center, 740 N. Collier Blvd. Suite 107, Marco Island, FL 34145 or visit our website at www.marcoislandacademy for more information. All donations are greatly appreciated.
The Marco Island Academy is currently enrolling students. Applicants are accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. For questions about enrollment or to receive an enrollment packet, please call (239) 404-3622. Once a student receives an acceptance letter, he or she is officially enrolled in the school. If the enrollment numbers near capacity, the school will institute a lottery. The school is free and open to all students in the District.
On Tuesday night, at the Marco Island Charter Middle School, Dr. Pellant discussed how he plans to revolutionize education in Collier County. The Academy will feature an innovative hands-on approach to learning. Students will be actively engaged in the learning process by working on projects. In addition to learning from a textbook or lecture, they will step outside the classroom for lessons in Science. The school will have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) focus. Students will be encouraged to bring iPads, iPods, laptops and Cell phones to school and will utilize them in the classroom. The school will be completely student centered. Students needs will be put first and if a child is struggling, he or she will immediately get help. The Academy will not only focus on high-quality academics, but will also provide a balance of competitive athletics and other exciting extra-curricular activities.
The site plan for the school located at 2297 San Marco Rd, Marco Island is almost complete. Work may begin as soon as May depending on permitting. The plan includes modular classrooms connected by decks and shade coverings with a central lunch area. The school will start in modulars, however, the look and feel of the campus will not be temporary. Roger Raymond, the Academy’s athletic director, was quick to remind everyone that the highly successful Marco Island Charter Middle School started in modulars. According to Raymond, high quality education makes an excellent school, not the building.
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Comments » 18
RayPray writes:
"...Dr. Pellant discussed how he plans to revolutionize education in Collier County."
From the Potemkin Academy own web site:
"Mr. Pellant will have his Doctorate in Education with Minnesota licensures as a Superintendent, Principal, Director of Special Education, Coach, and Teacher. These credentials have prepared him for the knowledge and abilities needed to be successful at Marco Island Academy."
Notice the mangled verb tense obfuscation from "will have" and "have prepared him" from this "world class" establishment?
From: Lakes Inter
http://www.lakesinternational.org/abo...
"Sr. Chris Pellant...is finished with his Doctorate in Education (all but dissertation) from St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, Minnesota."
How can his doctorate be finished without the inconvenience of submitting a thesis?
St. Mary's University is one of those 'colleges' dotting the boondocks that nobody in the real academic world ever heard of; it markets almost-online degrees to "busy professionals" in dubious quasi-vocational rather than true academic subjects.
So was a Pellant thesis ever submitted to St. Mary's?
Was this dissertation challenged and defended?
Defended physically? Metaphysically?
In other words, when exactly did 'Mr.' Pellant metamorphose magically into 'Dr.' Pellant?
Or has 'Dr." Pellant ingeniously achieved his revolution in education by somehow managing to zigzag completely around even a marshmallow online dissertation obligation?
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
"...Dr. Pellant discussed how he plans to revolutionize education in Collier County."
With no actual secondary experience at the High School Level. With nothing more than a recently acquired Phd.Ed. degree from the internet and 6 weeks in class, this fellow is now going to tell how he with his infinite wisdom is going to teach educators with literally hundreds of years of total experience how to do the job right.
Would any one of you go to a doctor/dentist with such limited experience? Oh, thats too much and too extreme. How about your hairdresser, I think you would require more hands on learning.
It is interesting that the discussion from Ms. Watt promotes hands on learning for the kids, but that is not necessary for the principal which she hired. Such a crock.
MarcoTrojan writes:
Utilize cell phones? Ipods? WHAT? Since when does education involve these things? The only thing that will happen is students will now be able to text their friends without concealing it behind their desk. Going outside? A serious high school education does not involve going outside for science class. You will not get a five on an AP test by observing a bunch of abandoned tortiose holes. Once again, the realistic approach they are taking astounds me.
RayPray writes:
Perhaps the educational revolution now brainstormed by DOCTOR Pellant will comprise transforming the Marco Apartheid Academy into a totally online High School, whose students will never suffer the indignity of leaving their bedrooms....
MarcoDefender writes:
Ray - More destructive comments. Please, be considerate.
I find it interesting when people rip into other people who are educated and experienced. Obviously, you must have a PhD as well. Otherwise, it wouldn't seem you're really in a reasonable position to criticize.
Please, feel free to share you extended educational experience and extensive post graduate degree accomplishments. As you put it in another blog article, credentials are important.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Marco Defender
Should I laugh now or wait. Asking us for what we have been asking you for months.
It does not matter what our credentials are it matters what you put in front of the kids and call it experience in what they are supposed to teach.
Turning the requests around as you do make you look more and more like Klabautermann.
If you can't answer a question truthfully and with transparency it is no use to attempt to turn the tables on those asking the questions.
All you have now is a piece of paper signed by the School Board, a handful of students, a trailer park campus and an inexperienced principal who already thinks he knows more than everyone else.
The ship is sinking, put away the paint brushes and learn how to swim.
ajm3s writes:
Excellent review.
freedomofspeech1 writes:
This school will not and does not have the means to offer a "world class" education. This school will offer the same if not less than any of the other schools in Collier County. This school is a FRAUD. This school is being presented merely as a convenience to the lazy Marco Islanders that want to shelter their children and not expose them to the real world. Unfortunately the real losers here will be the children. These children who are entering the best and most important years of their lives will spend them in a moldy trailer. These kids will never be able to experience what a real high school has to offer. This school will keep their small brains SMALL!!!!!! ANY PARENT THAT IS SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT THIS NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO THE DIVISION OF YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES FOR CHILD ABUSE! When "johnny's " friends are going to football and basketball games to root for their school, "johnny" will be peering into a tortoise hole....ENJOY! DONT SAY I DIDNT WARN YOU!
MrBreeze writes:
This just proves my point that you do not have to be smart to be a teacher.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Is it not interesting that during the last few days. All of the heavy hitting proponent bloggers are out in force doing a full court press trying to convince the "minority" that their plans are what they claim. Why bother if it is only the minority that they are trying to convince?
It seems that their concerns of not obtaining the necessary number of enrollees has appeared to be bothering them that they are staying up at night, blogging at 2AM to 5AM, calling on their forces to "convince" their perceived minority to believe them.
Also, to top it off their principal, has said that they have "hired" four teachers and considering a fifth. Notice to that the teachers hired are in the areas of education where there are the most out of work teachers to choose from. Now lets see who they select for the more difficult subject teachers. The sciences and math. Could it be that the doubling up in Math is another smoke screen that they are trying to put over on the parents because their inability to find a math teacher?
Parents be careful, you have people doing a job that they have little to no experience in that will effect your kids future.
Ask and ask again what the credentials and experience of the teachers that are being hired have.
Think.....before you make a major mistake for you child's future.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Herzili,
1. Just a couple of days ago Marco Defender used the term "minority" along with the comment that misinformation in the past was history and should be forgotten. She also stated that a referendum was not required, so why do it?
Keep posting your attempts at misdirecting conversation. It only plays into this lame attempt at convincing those who have not made up their minds yet. Why are you trying so hard to convince everyone else.
2. Bringing up killing someone is yours and yours alone. Why is that kind of thought on your mind? You call others sick! I think that this newspaper should remove your blogs for introducing such an outlandish thought.
At the same time report your direction of thought to the police before you act on your thoughts.
This is a serious issue and the newspaper should act on it quickly.
Is_It_True_Partially_True_Or_Not_True (Inactive) writes:
M.H. You group trying too hard, posting much more than is good. Making bigger mistake each day. Maybe Ocram makes good points. All you do is nothing....with no facts.
If you know you right why try so hard to make convince others?
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
MARCOISLANDWOMEN has been allowed to post this way, yet under Klabautermann he/she was removed for less violent postings. Now we are getting comments that are blatently hateful and dangerous in nature.
At no time have the proponents shown feelings of unaccepatability or even annoyance of any of these rantings by either Klabautermann or MarcoIslandWomen. Why is that?
Is_It_True_Partially_True_Or_Not_True (Inactive) writes:
Total silence, deafening. No more news being reported. Must be none good news.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Mr. Dubrovnik.
It looks very much like you hit a definite sore spot with your post.
Several days and we have not heard a single word out of Marco Defender or SunBum. We have not heard how wonderfully enrollment has been going and that the "free world" is clammering to get their kids signed up.
Where will the teachers be, really, coming from? Who are they? What are their qualifications and experience for the levels they will be hired to teach?
Again, these are not difficult questions to answer. Are they now?
The lack of open communication and transparency is a possible sign that things are not going, too, well, because if they were it would be, boisterously, presented for all to see.
boatbum writes:
Accreditation -- all parents of potential students should seriously look into this very important aspect of any school, pay close attention to the ramifications of a lack of accreditation.
Ocram (Inactive) writes:
Still no answers regarding qualifications, credentials, experience of staff members. Rumor has it now that the teachers are being pulled from the middle school. Is this true?
Parents and taxpayers have the right to know this information and have it available on the internet.
liberator100 writes:
From the day JW announced the formation of this so called "high school"; I have been writing that it was nothing but a massive "fraud". I have not changed my mind an iota. Marco Island parents who choose to send their children into this boodogle should be charged with child abuse.
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