Folk Arts and Cultural Treasures Charter School










 

FACTS new building is located at 1023 Callowhill Street, in Chinatown, Philadelphia.

Our mission:

The Folk Arts and Cultural Treasures (FACTS) Charter School provides children with an academically strong education that fosters a love of learning and that engages students with their own cultures and communities as well as others in our city, country and world. FACTS gives our children a joyful place for learning, a place to learn to think critically and deeply, and a place that respects culture and folk arts as powerful resources.

Planned by educators with a long history working with Philadelphia children, the FACTS Charter School brings to Chinatown a publicly-funded institution dedicated to the children of Philadelphia. The charter school is supported by tax dollars and not by tuition. It is be free and open to all. We plan for our school to be a neighborhood resource: an institution open and dedicated to all in the Chinatown community and beyond. Some details follow. . .

The FACTS Charter School:

  • free of charge and open to all children in the state of Pennsylvania
  • integrates an outstanding arts program into an academically rich and focused educational curriculum
  • offers highly qualified and well-trained teachers and staff chosen by the school
  • teaches all children in English
  • provides English language and bilingual support to all children and families
  • teaches Mandarin to all students as an additional enrichment language course
  • is a welcoming place for students and families; brings families of different races and nationalities together, both American-born and immigrant
  • provides transportation to all children in grades 1-7 who live more than 1.5 miles from the school

About the founders:

Our school's founding members bring years of experience in education, teaching English for non-native speakers, history, cultural anthropology, folklore, public policy and administration, computer science, public health, and business administration. Nearly all our founders have advanced degrees, including two with doctorates and seven with masters degrees from Cornell University, Drexel University, Harvard University, Philadelphia College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, and Hong Kong Polytechnic. As individuals and organizations, they have won numerous awards, published articles and books, and been nationally and internationally recognized for their work.

For 21 years, Asian Americans United has focused its work on the development of our young people. AAU has provided award-winning enrichment programs for thousands of children including free summer school programs, free after school homework help and arts programs, and free access to city museums for families through community-based field trips. Asian Americans United has been recognized both locally and nationally for the quality of our work with immigrant and multi-racial children. In addition, AAU founded the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival; organized the Chinatown Parents' Association which won a school bus for the families of McCall Elementary School; and has been a leading advocate in education issues particularly around teacher and educational quality, especially for immigrant and bilingual children. To learn more, visit www.aaunited.org.

The Philadelphia Folklore Project has worked to sustain artistic and cultural diversity in Philadelphia communities for over 20 years. PFP offers folk arts education programs; produces documentaries, children's books and videos; develops exhibitions and public programs, and provides technical assistance to local artists and community groups. Through this technical assistance, PFP has helped artists and grassroots groups to raise over $2.25 million in funding to support traditional arts and culture in Philadelphia. PFP has received many awards for its work. The group maintains relationships with hundreds of significant local artists, including Sifu Cheung Shu Pui, Peter Tang, the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society, Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble, Linda Goss, Chamroeun Yin, Mogauwane Mahloele, and many others. For more information, visit www.folkloreproject.org

Folk Arts - Cultural Treasures Board of Trustees

Hao-Li Tai Loh, Board Chair
Bret P. Flaherty, Board Vice Chair
Michael Chow, Board Member
Germaine Ingram, Board Member
Debora Kodish, Board Secretary
Xin Sheng Liu, Board Member
Susan Mack, Board Member

Board meetings: Meetings of the Board of Trustees for FACTS are open to the public. They take place at 1023 Callowhill Street at 6:30 PM.

Calendar of meetings:

July 11, 2007
August 8, 2007
September 5, 2007
October 10, 2007
November 14, 2007
December 12, 2007
January 9, 2008
February 13, 2008
March 12, 2008
April 9, 2008
May 14, 2008
June 11, 2008

School calendar and hours (2007 - 2008)

School begins on September 12, 2007. The FACTS school year runs ten months from September 12 through June 18, and has approximately the same number of instructional days as the School District of Philadelphia. For teachers, the FACTS school day begins at 8 AM and ends at 4 PM. Students are in attendance from 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM. Students may be dropped off at 8 AM.

School calendar:

September 12, 2007: First day of school K-7
October 8, 2007: FACTS closed (Columbus Day/Dia de la Raza)
October 9, 2007: Staff only (Professional Development)
November 9, 2007: Staff only (Professional Development)
November 12, 2007: FACTS Closed (Veteran's Day)
November 21 - 23, 2007: FACTS closed (Thanksgiving)
December 19, 20 and 20, 2007: Report Card conferences - early dismissal
December 21, 2007: FACTS Concert for Peace
December 24, 2007 - January 1, 2008: FACTS closed (Winter break)
January 1, 2008: FACTS closed (New Year's Day)
January 21, 2008: FACTS closed (Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday)
February 7, 2008: FACTS closed (Lunar New Year)
February 11 - 22, 2008: PSSA testing (Writing: Grade 5)
February 18, 2008: FACTS closed (President's Day)
February 20, 2008: FACTS closed (Lunar New Year)
March 9, 2008: Founders' Day (School-wide Celebration)
March 12 - 14, 2008: Report Card conferences: early dismissal
March 17 - 21, 2008: FACTS closed (Spring break)
March 31 - April 1, 2008: PSSA Testing (Math and Reading: Grades 3 - 7)
April 28, 2008: FACTS closed (Professional Development)
April 28 - May 9, 2008: PSSA Testing (Science: Grade 4)
May 23, 2008: FACTS spring concert
May 26, 2008: FACTS closed (Memorial Day)
May 15, 2008: Staff only (Professional Development)
June 18, 2008: Last day for students
June 25, 2008: Last day for staff: Reorganization Day