Prairie Crossing Charter School: One of a kind
Address: 1531 Jones Point Road, Grayslake
Phone: (847) 543-9722
Web site: http://www.pccs.lake.k12.il.us/index.asp
Number of students/grade levels offered: 358 students in kindergarten through eighth grade
Number of staff: 62
School mascot: Hawk
When was school built: Established in 1999
An Interesting tidbit: Prairie Crossing is the only charter school in the state of Illinois that is chartered directly to the State Board of Education.
Principal: Margaret Pennington
• Appointed interim principal in spring 2007, later appointed as permanent principal for the 2007-2009 academic years.
• What is your favorite memory from Prairie Crossing School? "Something I do not get to do nearly as much as I would love to be able to and that is joining the students during outdoor environmental education explorations and farm activities as they study the environment and learn about the natural world in real and meaningful ways in our beautiful outdoor setting. I have visited the pond, the prairie and the farm with students as they investigated aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna, mapped and studied local terrain, and, have been involved in environmental restoration. I am very proud of the work our students do in their service learning and culminating senior projects focusing on responsible environmental stewardship and problem solving as they tackle real world problems that are substantive deep problems that need our attention. Even our very youngest kindergarten students tend to eggs and chickens at the farm and learn about the life cycle of pumpkins. Every student is actively involved in the process of helping see food move from the farm to table …"
bull; What do you think is an unique aspect of your school? "The commitment the board has to supporting the teachers and administration strive for excellence providing consistently high quality educational experiences, ensuring that we fulfill our charter by having our students and teachers outside daily, immersed in the natural world learning about nature and culture through rich, first-hand contact with world around them. On a daily basis, the students' class work is intended to be guided by the cycles and patterns of growth, rainfall, migration, and the changing of the seasons as they learn about the natural world. We do not teach to the test, nor are we bound by the school bell or length of the traditional school day as we take an integrative, constructivist approach to addressing the North American Environmental Education Standards, Illinois Learning Standards and National Technology Standards. … We are lucky to have a very involved parental community who are actively involved in every level of operation of the school … We are blessed to have phenomenal facilities including a phenomenal physical and health education program and enormous outdoor laboratory the great outdoors and local prairie."
• What are you most proud of? "I am most proud of having the opportunity to stand up for what is the right thing, and that involves always trying to do what is best for the children. It is a delight every day I get to spend with the children. I love visiting both our indoor and outdoor classrooms, talking to them and playing with them as they grow and learn."
• If you can get one thing accomplished between now and the end of May in your school, what would it be? "One thing that I hope to accomplish … is the articulation of an environmental education scope and sequence that provides an overarching framework by which a high quality, rigorous, academic program can be delivered and shared with others within the educational community for K-8 students. I envision this program will provide opportunities that transcend gender, demographics and ethnicity so that all children can experience, enjoy enriching environmentally focused teaching."