School Profile

STURGIS CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOL
East Campus
427 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601
Phone: 508-778-1782 Fax: 508-771-6785
Eric Hieser, Executive Director Paul Marble, Associate Director
Guidance Counselors
Beverly Fogg Carol Vari Sue Whalley
bfogg@sturgischarterschool.org cvari@sturgischarterschool.org swhalley@sturgischarterschool.org
Profile 2012-2013
International Baccalaureate Programme for All
Founded in 1998, Sturgis Charter Public School is a tuition-free, college preparatory high school. Basic to the school’s charter is membership in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization, a worldwide consortium of schools that offers students the opportunity to earn the IB Diploma by meeting the organization’s high standards for academic excellence, creativity and service to school and community. We adhere to the principle that the best school is not the school that selects the best students: the best school is the school that inspires the best performance in the students who select it. Thus, the concept of “IB for All” makes Sturgis unique because students are not pre-selected for admission into IB classes. Our unique approach to learning has received recognition on Jay Matthew’s High School Challenge Index featured in the Washington Post: the 2011 Challenge Index ranks Sturgis 42nd in the nation, 1st in Massachusetts. For information about the IB Diploma Programme visit www.ibo.org.
Quick Facts
Total Enrollment 429 Senior Class 102 Teaching Faculty 45 Faculty w/Graduate Degrees 70% Average Class Size 17 Student/Faculty Ratio 10:1 Calendar Semester; most courses full year College Bound 98%; 80% 4 yr; 12% 2 yr Course Schedule 7 rotating periods; 6 periods per day Maximum Course Load 7 courses per semester CEEB Code 221082 |
Graduation Requirements
4 credits of English 4 credits of Mathematics 4 credits of Science 4 credits of History 6 credits of Foreign Language * 1 credit of Music Appreciation 1 credit of Art Appreciation 2 credits of Electives 26 Credits Total
*4 credits in one language and a minimum of 2 credits of Latin |
Grading System
All grade nine and ten classes are designed as preparation for entering the rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum in grade eleven. As a result, ALL grade nine and ten courses represent what other schools may reasonably call Honors in the first two years of high school. Grades in the IB curriculum reflect the attainment of knowledge relative to established standards that are equally applied. Grade point average is not weighted, is calculated on a 4 point scale, and is computed at the end of each school year. Due to its commitment to individual achievement, Sturgis does not rank students. Decile bands and a distribution chart of junior year grades for the class of 2012 are provided for comparison purposes.
SAT Reasoning Test Scores Class of 2013 GPA Decile Bands Class of 2013
Based upon current seniors who tested end of junior year (84% of class) Computed at the completion of junior year
Middle 50% Mean 1st 3.96 – 4.16 6th 2.93-3.20
Critical Reading 500-640 576 2nd 3.79 - 3.91 7th 2.72-2.92
Math 480-600 542 3rd 3.59 – 3.75 8th 2.44 – 2.66
Writing 490-610 556 4th 3.34 - 3.57 9th 1.91 – 2.31
Total (SAT Summary 2400) 1490-1810 1674 5th 3.21 – 3.33 10th 1.54 – 1.84
International Baccalaureate Test Results
Having gained acceptance into the prestigious International Baccalaureate Organization in 2004, Sturgis implemented the IB program in the 2004-2005 school year. An average of 5.9 exams per senior were taken by the class of 2011. A substantial 91% of those results met the standard for earning an IB certificate. Every senior earned at least one certificate, and 34 students in the class of 2011 were successful in attaining the full IB diploma. The class of 2012 is the seventh graduating class eligible to earn the IB Diploma.
Junior Year Grade Distribution for the Class of 2013
HL – Higher Level SL – Standard Level |
90 – 100 (A) |
80-89 (B) |
70-79 (C) |
60-69 (D) |
0-59 (F) |
IB English HL1 |
12 |
33 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
IB English SL1 |
11 |
17 |
13 |
4 |
0 |
IB History HL1 |
17 |
24 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
IB History SL1 |
6 |
31 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
IB Biology HL1 |
5 |
13 |
13 |
5 |
0 |
IB Biology SL1 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
IB Environmental Science SL1 |
11 |
7 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
IB Physics HSL1, HL1 |
9 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
IB Chemistry SL1 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
IB Math HL1 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
IB Math SL1 |
12 |
23 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
IB Math Studies 1 |
2 |
25 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
IB French HL1 SL2 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
IB French SL1 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
IB Latin HL1 SL2 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
IB Latin SL1 |
8 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
IB Spanish HL1 SL2 |
10 |
13 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
IB Spanish SL1 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
IB Theory of Knowledge 1 |
24 |
50 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
IB Psychology SL |
1 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
IB Business SL |
6 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
IB ITGS HL1 SL1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
IB Art HL1 |
8 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
IB Art SL1 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
IB Music HL1 SL1 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
IB Theater HL1 SL1 |
17 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Please visit our web site at www.sturgischarterschool.org for course descriptions.
College Admissions
Selected Colleges and Universities Where Graduates From the Classes of 2002-2012 Have Been Accepted
Allegheny College |
Franklin & Marshall |
NYU Abu Dhabi |
Union College |
American University |
Franklin Pierce University |
Oberlin College |
University of Michigan |
Amherst College |
George Washington Univ. |
Occidental College |
University of New England |
Bard College |
Georgia Institute of Tech. |
Pace University |
University of Rochester |
Bates College |
Gettysburg College |
Pomona College |
University of Virginia |
Bennington College |
Goucher College |
Pratt Institute |
US Coast Guard Academy |
Bentley College |
Guilford College |
Providence College |
USMA, West Point |
Berklee College of Music |
Hamilton College |
Quinnipiac University |
USNA, Annapolis |
Boston College |
Hampshire College |
Reed College |
Vassar College |
Brandeis University |
Hartwick College |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst |
Virginia Military Institute |
Brown University |
Haverford College |
Rochester Institute of Tech. |
Washington & Lee University |
Bucknell University |
Ithaca College |
Roger Williams University |
Wellesley College |
Cape Cod Community College |
James Madison University |
Rollins College |
Wentworth Institute of Tech. |
Carleton College |
Johns Hopkins University |
Salve Regina University |
Wesleyan University |
Carnegie Mellon University |
Lafayette College |
Sarah Lawrence College |
Western New England Univ. |
Case Western Reserve U. |
LeMoyne College |
Savannah College of Art |
Wheaton College |
Champlain College |
Lewis & Clark College |
Siena College |
Wheelock College |
Clark University |
Loyola Univ., New Orleans |
Simmons College |
Worcester Polytechnic Inst. |
Colby College |
Macalester College |
Skidmore College |
State University Systems |
College of Charleston |
Manhattan College |
Smith College |
California |
College of the Atlantic |
Marist College |
St. John’s College, MD |
Connecticut |
Connecticut College |
Marlboro College |
St. Lawrence University |
Florida |
Cornell University |
McDaniel College |
St. Michael’s College |
Maine |
Dartmouth College |
McGill University |
Stanford University |
Massachusetts |
Denison University |
Merrimack College |
Stonehill College |
New Hampshire |
Drexel University |
Mount Holyoke College |
Suffolk University |
New Jersey |
Earlham College |
New York University |
Swarthmore College |
New York |
Emerson College |
Northeastern University |
Tufts University |
Rhode Island |
Emmanuel College |
Norwich University |
Tulane University |
Vermont |
Fordham University |
Notre Dame University |
UNC, Chapel Hill |
Wyoming |
Sturgis Charter Public School

An International Baccalaureate Diploma School
www.sturgischarterschool.org
Ensuring College Readiness
International Baccalaureate For All
High Standards + High Expectations = High Achievement
The formula is not so simple, but not nearly as complicated as some may believe. Sturgis Charter Public School begins preparing students in grade nine to build arguments, defend points of view, make sense of data, write persuasively, and think critically. It pushes students to develop empathy, raise social awareness, build tolerance, and take on personal responsibility. Sturgis’ curriculum focuses on developing higher order thinking skills as a means for preparing students for a rigorous grade 11-12 program designed to ensure success at university. Similarly, the Sturgis community works toward building positive and productive habits, attitudes, and values in its students in order to optimally prepare them for multi-faceted lives.
A Massachusetts charter school, Sturgis accepts all applicants equally. Within its student body, 10% are on Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s), 4% are on Section 504 plans, and 7% are declared eligible for free or reduced lunch. Students travel up to one hour each way to access a diverse faculty with experience teaching in international and overseas American schools, district public high schools, and independent institutions.
Current standards for the statewide assessments in Massachusetts high schools are designed to ensure students reach a minimal competency standard in order to graduate from high school. For many students, these assessments do not guarantee exposure to – or engagement in – a challenging, rigorous, standard-based curriculum throughout high school. This is evidenced by the absence of any assessment accountability for grades eleven and twelve. Charter schools are charged with the expectation of being innovators in education, and Sturgis Charter Public School does exactly that with its unique mission of requiring all grade eleven and twelve students to take all their coursework in the rigorous, highly respected International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme.
Graduation requirements at Sturgis are significant. They include four years each of math, science, English and history, as well as six credits of foreign language and two credits in the arts. All courses in grades nine and ten are IB prep and heterogeneous. In grades eleven and twelve students choose to 1) engage in the full IB Diploma Programme, 2) sit course exams and assessments for IB certificates, or 3) complete coursework and assessments for Sturgis credit. However, due in part to having no alternative to IB classes for upperclassmen, 85 of 87 members of the class of 2011 attempted at least three IB certificates with an average of 5.9 IB certificates per student, a pass rate of 91%, and 34 students earning the full IB Diploma. More than 65% of the Class of 2012 are currently pursuing the full IB Diploma. Achieving high marks on these external assessments is a goal, but Sturgis sees as critical the many students, determined to achieve at high levels, who would never have the access or self-confidence to attempt these exams in other settings. Students are striving, of their own volition, to realize their personal best and measure themselves against students nationally and globally.
Sturgis Charter Public School is a model of rigorous secondary education for all students. In this regard, it strives to improve foundation-level knowledge and skills through peer tutoring, study groups, and support from teachers and administrators both during and beyond regular school hours. Sturgis also supports students academically and socially through an advisory program that involves each teacher in the school working twice-weekly with a small group of students. The IB Programme affords students opportunities for academic achievement, increased intellectual confidence, and personal growth. With its small class size, advisory, community service involvement and focus on supportive relationships, Sturgis provides both a physically and intellectually safe environment. This structure encourages each student to take risks to reach his or her potential and maximize future opportunities.
Sturgis Charter Public School is dedicated to an “International Baccalaureate (IB) for All” philosophy, preparing high school students for higher education in a supportive learning environment. Sturgis provides each student a rigorous world-class educational program, encouraging academic achievement, intellectual confidence, and personal growth.
