Camelot Opening New ‘Safe School’ on Chicago’s West Side

(Chicago – August 5, 2015) – Expanding a partnership that has helped hundreds of students in Chicago resolve their educational and behavioral challenges, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Camelot Education are launching another “Safe School,” this time on the West Side.

Camelot Academy Garfield Park will serve up to 150 middle school and high school students at the former Marconi Elementary in West Garfield Park.

“This is a collaboration with the community,” said Camelot VP of Operations in Chicago Pedro Segarra. “In addition to our school the Park District will also have a recreational program and there will be a day care center in the building.”

Under the Safe Schools model students are temporarily sent to Camelot for violating behavioral policies at their regular public school. Camelot helps the students improve their behavior and elevate their educational outcomes.

“Behavior and education go hand in hand,” Segarra said. “If a kid has fallen behind he’s going to become a behavior problem. So what we try to do is bring them up to speed and even accelerate their learning. When the student goes back to his sending school he’s on point and is able to behave and learn.”

Students can spend up to a year at a Safe School like Camelot Academy Garfield Park. After that period Camelot transitions kids back to their original school or, what has shown to be even more effective, transitions them into one of Camelot’s four Chicago accelerated programs, where they can remain in the Camelot Culture and graduate on time.

The model is working very well at Camelot Academy of the South Shore. That Safe School on the South Side also serves up to 150 students, some of whom are guilty only of using poor judgment.

“We had a young man who when you see him today you say what a great young man. He’s a little guy who came in with a concealed weapon to his previous school. He was being bullied and he brought a gun. He thought that was the way to do it. Now you see him at our safe school and he’s a model student. He’s no longer being bullied because our schools teach mutual respect. He’s comfortable and he attends every day. He’s just a kid who got tired of constantly being bullied,” said Segarra.

Once the school year begins on September 8, Camelot Academy Garfield Park will begin accepting students. Enrollment gradually increases as more students are transferred in.

“The relationship between Camelot and CPS has been extremely beneficial for students and their families,” said Camelot CEO Todd Bock. “We have been very gratified to significantly help Chicago with its graduation rate. In addition, parents have sent us letters asking that their child not be sent back to regular school because the student is experiencing so much success. We also have had heartwarming letters from principals who get these kids back and want to know what we did because they come back as outstanding citizens, ready to lead and learn.”

Brenda Williams, who served as principal at Camelot’s Chicago Excel Academy of Englewood, is moving to become executive director at Garfield Park.