Charter School of Wilmington

The Charter School of Wilmington (CSW) is a college preparatory charter high school in Wilmington, Delaware.[2] It is Delaware's first independently operated public school whose curriculum emphasizes math and science.[3] It shares the former Wilmington High School building with Cab Calloway School of the Arts.[4]

Charter School of Wilmington
Address
100 N. DuPont Road

Wilmington
,
Delaware
19807

United States
Coordinates39.75328°N 75.58832°W / 39.75328; -75.58832
Information
TypeCharter school
MottoExcellence Community Leadership
Established1996
School districtRed Clay Consolidated School District[1]
PresidentReginald Johnson (2021–present)
Grades9–12
Number of students971 (2019–2020)
Campus typeHybrid
Color(s)    Blue & white
AthleticsDelaware Interscholastic Athletic Association
Athletics conferenceDiamond State Athletic Conference
MascotThe Force Horse (Lightning Bolt)
NicknameThe Force
NewspaperThe Force File
YearbookJourney
Websitecharterschool.org

History

The Charter School of Wilmington was chartered by the Red Clay Consolidated School District to replace the Academy of Mathematics and Science magnet school and opened in 1996.[5] Today, the school is operated by a consortium of six companies: AstraZeneca, Verizon, Delmarva Power, DuPont, Hercules Incorporated, and Christiana Care Health System.[6] It is a member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, a group of around 100 high schools, as well as affiliates such as colleges and universities, summer programs, foundations, and corporations.[7][8]

Academics
Students look over a UD MATH 243 problem after school.

CSW's curriculum focuses on math and science and is consistently ranked highly in publications such as Newsweek and US News and World Report.[9] In 2020/2021,U.S. News & World Report ranked it #74 of the 24,000 high schools considered and Newsweek ranked it #94 of STEM schools nationwide.[2][10] In 2013, CSW was given a Recognition School award from the Delaware Department of Education for exceptional performance and in 2013 and 2019, the US Department of Education named them a National Blue Ribbon School.[11][12][13] In June 2014, CSW's Jefferson Awards Council was given the Outstanding Service for Jefferson Council Volunteer award.[14]

CSW uses a modified block schedule with three rotating classes and one fixed class, including mandatory study hall, lasting about 80 minute each along with an "Activity Period" slot.[2] To graduate, students must take 4.5 science credits, 4 math and English credits, 3.5 elective credits, 3 social science credits, 2 language credits, 1 credit of math/science/computer and physical education, and a half credit of computer science, health, and their junior research project.[2] The school offers nineteen AP courses and several post-AP classes.[2][15] Some of the electives offered at CSW are software engineering; data structure; differential equations; digital electronics design; introduction to engineering, robotics, and data; forensics; advertising and marketing; programming and algorithms; research and publication in human and computer interaction; and nanotechnology.[15] Incoming freshmen are also permitted to take placement tests so their time at CSW can be tailored to their existing scientific knowledge.[16] Students also have the option of taking classes such as visual arts, drama, and music at Cab Calloway School of the Arts, who they share a building with.[17] They also have the opportunity to dual enroll at the University of Delaware.[18] During their junior year, students must complete a research project for the science fair.[19] Sophomores take Introduction to Scientific Research to prepare for this annual event.[19]

Students
The Charter Charger, named Lightning and known colloquially as the Force Horse."

Demographics

In 2020 White students make large proportions of the student body and about 30% of the students were Asian American.[2] Fewer than 8% of the student bodies combined from this school and Cab Calloway School of the Arts reside in the City of Wilmington, and fewer than 3% are Wilmington residents who are black and/or Hispanic/Latino or multiracial.[9] Barrish and Eichmann wrote that an Asian American suburban student living in an "affluent" area "is a fairly typical Charter of Wilmington student."[9]

Music

CSW has a number of musical groups including a cappella club, clarinet choir, flute choir, and show choir.[20] Students also have the option of joining concert band, jazz band, drum line, and marching band, all of which are associated with Cab Calloway School of the Arts.[17]

Sports

CSW offers the following sports: football, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, marching band, basketball, dance, swimming, indoor and outdoor track, wrestling, baseball, crew, golf, lacrosse, softball, and tennis.[21] Fencing and skiing are both club sports.[20] Since CCSA does not offer athletics, their students are permitted to join CSW teams.[22]

Newspaper / Force Media

The school's newspaper, The Force File, is a digital-first newspaper owned and operated by CSW students.[23] It is part of a larger organization known as Force Media, a group which consists of four Charter clubs: Newspaper Club, Photography Club, Ten Minutes Club (which runs a biweekly morning video show at the school, called Ten Minutes) and Charter's chapter of The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).[23]

Media appearances

The Charter School of Wilmington's founder, Ronald Russo, has been featured on TruTV's The Principal's Office.

Notable alumni

Notable faculty and staff
  • Chris Eddy (Athletic Director, 2009—present), former MLB pitcher

References
  1. Charter School of Wilmington. "Charter School of Wilmington: Quick Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  2. "Charter School of Wilmington". US News and World Report. 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  3. "Class of 2021 profile" (PDF). The Charter School of Wilmington. 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  4. "Cab Calloway School of the Arts". Delaware Today. 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  5. "The Charter School of Wilmington: A Proposal to Establish a Math/Science Charter School at Wilmington High School" (PDF). Red Clay Consolidated School District. 1995-10-30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  6. "Board of Directors". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  7. "About". The National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  8. "Institutional Members". The National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  9. Barrish, Cris; Eichmann, Mark (2020-01-18). "Could bringing back Wilmington High help fix school inequities?". WHYY. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  10. "Best STEM Schools". Newsweek. 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-06-05. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  11. "CSW 2019 National Blue Ribbon School Video Released". The Charter School of Wilmington. 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  12. "Delaware Names 2013 Reward and Recognition School Awards". Delaware.gov. 2013-10-15. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  13. "2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private" (PDF). US Department of Education. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  14. "Delaware Department of Education: Charter School Annual Report" (PDF). Delaware Department of Education. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  15. "STEM AT CSW". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  16. "MATHEMATICS PLACEMENT TEST". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  17. Nagengast, Larry (2017-09-22). "Cab Calloway School of the Arts celebrates 25th anniversary". Delaware Public Media. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  18. Bothum, Peter (2021-04-16). "LAB LEARNING". University of Delaware. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  19. "Students Making Science". National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  20. "ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  21. "Charter-ForcesSports". The Charter School of Wilmington. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  22. "Sports". Cab Calloway School of the Arts. 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  23. "Force Media". Cab Calloway School of the Arts. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  24. "About Madinah". Madinah Wilson-Anton. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
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