Providence St. Mel School Becomes Model for Other Schools

CHICAGO, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Urbanized centers have a notorious reputation for high school drop outs, youth crime, and failing schools. Yet, located in Chicago, one school is still going strong and beating the odds. The school that has become a model for others to follow is Providence St. Mel School. This independent school has been leading the way in academic success in an urbanized area for 35 years and continues to surpass other schools in state standardized testing.

Providence St. Mel School has been recognized for its excellence many times. The school is accredited by Advance Ed, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the North Central Association. Ronald Regan praised the school in a visit during the 1980's, and even prominent benefactors such as Oprah Winfrey have donated to the school, clearly recognizing the talent and work done there for the nation's young people.

In 2011, when dropout rates were climbing nationally, NBC's Today Show visited the school to do a report on the academic success of the school. Even Fox News reported on a documentary based on the school entitled, "The Providence Effect." Essentially, the secret to the school's success is built upon the school's excellent staff and their four core fundamentals: strong leadership, more time in the classroom, an orderly learning environment, and a positive environment conducive to learning and self-motivation.

According to Wisegeek.org, there are multiple advantages private or independent schools have compared to their public counterparts. One main advantage is fewer disciplinary problems. With a smaller class size, teachers get to know their students much better. This familiarity increases respect but also accountability. Students in independent schools like Providence St. Mel School benefit from a curriculum designed to further academic achievement. This practice was designed into Providence St. Mel School making it into a college preparatory school.

Providence St. Mel School is now the model for two other academic institutions. In 2006, Providence Englewood Charter School opened in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. Jay Pritzker Academy opened in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is also modeled after Providence St. Mel School. Each school follows Providence St. Mel School's four pillars of: expectations, accountability, curriculum, and instruction.

The first school to follow Providence St. Mel School ‒ Providence Englewood Charter School ‒ puts a strong emphasis on family partnership. According to the National Education Association, research over the past decade found that students whose parents were involved in their education, "earned higher grades and test scores, enrolled in higher-level programs, attended school regularly, had better social skills and behavior, and graduated school to continue on with postsecondary education." The result was the same regardless of students' family income or background.

For 35 years, Providence St. Mel School has had 100% of their graduating students accepted to four-year colleges and universities. Half of the students were accepted to top-tier or Ivy League schools. The discipline provided by Providence St. Mel School is one that will continue to be replicated.

About: Two schools have modeled their own academic institutes after Providence St. Mel School. To learn more, visit http://www.psmnow.com.

Media Contact:Bethany Franklin, Optimizeup.com, 773-722-4600, support@optimizeup.com

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SOURCE Providence St. Mel School