Excitement in the Air at Great Oaks Charter School
On August 31, Great Oaks Charter School – Wilmington (GO-WIL), located in the Community Education Building, opened its doors to our first class of 200-plus sixth graders. At scale, the school will serve grades six through 12.
What makes us unique? At GO-WIL, 40 recent college graduates have pledged a year of service to provide each student with two hours of tutoring every day, on top of regular classroom instruction. High-dosage tutoring, coupled with rigorous academics, high expectations and a caring environment, will prepare every single one of our students for college success.
On that first day, schoolbusses dropped off students promptly at 7:05 a.m. After breakfast, students were ushered into the school’s atrium for a welcome assembly. GO-WIL’s executive director, Kia Childs, led students through the school’s daily mantra: “Who are you? THE BEST! Why are you here? TO LEARN! What are you going to do today? EXCEL AND BE GREAT!”
Students rounded out their day with presentations around academic expectations, school culture, and tutorial expectations from our leadership team. If the first day of school is any indication of the legacy GO-WIL will create, we are all fortunate to be a part of this work. It’s going to be an incredible journey.
If you’re interested in learning more about GO-WIL, we encourage you to attend our October 1 fundraiser, which will feature a discussion with notable education reformer Joel Klein. This is a great opportunity to see our school and learn about the model firsthand.