Lori Daugherty

Socrates Academy - Honor School Of Excellence

Socrates Academy is a North Carolina Public Charter School. The School offered Kindergarten and First Grade classes for the first time in the 2005-2006 academic year. The mission of the Socrates Academy is to work in partnership with parents and community to encourage our students to reach their full potential by developing critical, analytical thinking skills and becoming self-confident in a high achievement, multicultural, disciplined environment. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics both in English and Greek through the use of the Socratic Method. Charter School Benefits The intention of most charter school legislation is to: Increase opportunities for learning and access to quality education for all students Create choice for parents and students within the public school system Provide a system of accountability for results in public education Encourage innovative teaching practices Create new professional opportunities for teachers Encourage community and parent involvement in public education Leverage improved public education broadly People establish charter schools for a variety of reasons. The founders generally fall into three groups: grassroots organizations of parents, teachers and community members; entrepreneurs; or existing schools converting to charter status. According to the first-year report of the National Study of Charter Schools, the three reasons most often cited to create a charter school are to: Realize an educational vision Gain autonomy Serve a special population Parents and teachers choose charter schools primarily for educational reasons--high academic standards, small class size, innovative approaches, or educational philosophies in line with their own. Some also have chosen charter schools for their small size and associated safety (charter schools serve an average of 250 students).