Reading School Board extends I-LEAD’s charter [Reading Eagle, Pa.]

Oct. 31--The I-LEAD Charter School has a new lease on life.

After several impassioned pleas from students and parents, Berks County's only charter school was granted a five-year renewal of its charter Wednesday night by the Reading School Board.

Ten parents and three students spent about 45 minutes sharing their stories with the board, talking about the positive impact I-LEAD has had on their lives.

"It takes a village to raise a child," said Lori Yocum, who has a daughter who attends I-LEAD. "Well, I-LEAD is my village."

Parents told stories about how their students, struggling at Reading High or the Reading Citadel Intermediate High School, turned around their school careers. While they were once failing classes, cutting school and getting into trouble, parents said, they are now going to school every day and pulling in good marks.

"I give thanks to God 1,000 times," Daisy Ortega said of getting her sons into I-LEAD.

Elizabeth Perez, who said her one son got kicked out of Reading High and another got a diploma even though he didn't deserve it, said she's thrilled her daughter can attend I-LEAD.

"She was failing," she said. "If it wasn't for I-LEAD, she would probably still be failing."

While board members appeared to appreciate hearing from I-LEAD families, their pleas were probably not necessary. Several board members expressed their own positive impression of the charter school before voting.

"I will support this resolution," board member Yvonne L. Stroman said. "I think it speaks to promise, I think it speaks to options and I think it speaks to moving the City of Reading forward."

Board member Karen H. McCree said she's glad Reading students have a viable option to the normal school setting, adding that she would like to see more collaboration between the district and I-LEAD.

Board member Rebecca Acosta kept it simple.

"I'm going to be supporting it because it's the right thing to do," she said.

And board member Robert Heebner Jr. likewise kept his remarks short and to the point.

"Students need to sometimes take different roads to get to the same destination," he said.

The board approved the charter renewal 7-1, with Isamac Torres-Figueroa abstaining. James Washington II voted no.

I-LEAD, which recently was gifted the former CNA Insurance building at Fourth and Penn streets, is open to Reading students in grades 9 through 12. It is intended to reach out to students who have dropped out of the Reading School District or are in danger of dropping out.

I-LEAD was granted its initial three-year charter in 2010 and was required to request a renewal by Oct. 1.

Contact David Mekeel: 610-371-5014 or [email protected].

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