Partnerships in Education & Service

What a great experience. The teachers and staff at Dibert School were so appreciative of our effots; but I feel like we were the real beneficiaries of our time at Dibert. As a pre-service teacher, I was able to observe and take in a wide variety of tips and ideas for my own classroom one day.

The school-wide emphasis on the values of Focus, Integrity, Respect, Self-Determination, and Teamwork are worked in to almost every aspect of the curriculum. What a great example the teachers and staff are setting for these children by encouraging them to take ownership of these values and make them a part of everything they do. I truly believe that someday, whether it is a mandatory part of the school curriculum or not, I will take what I learned from this experience, and incorporate values into my own curriculum in the future. And for this, I will always be thankful to Dibert School for having us.

There is so much debate over the charter school movement in this country-- especially in cities like New Orleans, Detroit, and Chicago. After traveling here to New Orleans and spending a week at Dibert, there is no doubt in my mind that charter schools create a solution of hope and progress for neighborhoods where safe, clean, and productive learning environments may not be available for children.

A couple of thoughts on New Orleans:

After having Beignets, I will never be able to enjoy a doughnut the same way,

I have lived in a handful of cities in this county; and I have never seen a city with so much pride and unity as the people in New Orleans seem to have. I'm so glad I was able to experience this city and do some work I feel good about while I was at it.

Thank you so much for this opportunity!