WHAT: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will tour the Lake Nona YMCA / NorthLake Park Community School on Tuesday, July 28 at 1:15 p.m. to see first-hand the success of this public-private educational partnership and listen to parents, students, teachers and business leaders input on how this educational model works and why it has been sustainable for ten years.
WHEN: July 28, 2009
1:15 p.m. (Media opportunities available on a reservation basis)
WHERE: Lake Nona YMCA/NorthLake Park Community School
9055 NorthLake Pkwy. Orlando, FL 32827
This facility is open to the public 7 days a week
The Lake Nona YMCA Family Center shares a building with NorthLake Park Community School, not only does the partnership produce smart and healthy kids, but also acts as the “hub” for the surrounding community. The NorthLake Park Community School has been an A-rated elementary school every year it has been graded by the Florida Department of Education (since 2000).
Central Florida YMCA has goals to create ten additional such campuses throughout Central Florida to help schools meet physical education requirements, maximize shrinking resources and to combat the childhood obesity epidemic. Highlights of this unique partnership include:
· YMCA/NorthLake Park student scores are higher than Orange County averages.
· By sharing resources, a community hub was created and the public elementary school was built more cost effectively. This system allowed for great efficiencies in land, construction and development costs.
· The facility is providing instructional learning experiences for children before, during and after school, while providing health, wellness and summer programs that have proven to support achievement.
· YMCA provides more opportunities for parents to be engaged and excellent teachers are attracted to this model. In fact, this school is now ranked in the 90th percentile for reading — quite an accomplishment given that 35% of the Lake Nona students come from financially-challenged households.
Media Contacts: YMCA – Maryalicia Johnson (407) 448-2484 cell; [email protected]
OCPS – Kathy Marsh (407) 398-4362 cell; [email protected]
