International Academy of Trenton

International Academy of Trenton Charter School
International Academy of Trenton Charter School
Address
	500 Perry Street; Trenton, New Jersey 08618; United States
Coordinates	40.221101°N 74.766727°W
Information
Other name	IAT
Type	Charter school
Established	4 September 2014
Closed	30 June 2018
School district	International Academy of Trenton School District
Oversight	SABIS Network
NCES School ID	340077503285[1]
Teaching staff	24.00 (on a FTE basis)[1]
Grades	KG-6
Enrollment	450[1] (2015-2016)
Student to teacher ratio	18.75[1]
Color(s)	Orange (Unofficial)
Mascot	Tiger
Website	www.iat.sabis.net

The International Academy of Trenton (IAT) was a SABIS charter school in the city of Trenton, New Jersey.[2] It was the only school in the now defunct International Academy of Trenton School District, which was a separate governing body from Trenton Public Schools. The school was planned to become a kindergarten through 12th grade school.

On January 12, 2018, parents received a letter stating that the New Jersey Department of Education had decided to not renew IAT's charter, citing poor academic performance, causing a closure by the end of the current school year. IAT officially closed on June 30, 2018, the last day of school for students being June 27.[3]

History

The International Academy of Trenton was opened on September 8 2014. Anthony Degatano became the director of the school, with students in grades K-3. The goal was to add one grade every school year, ultimately becoming a K-12 school.

The school took PARCC tests for grades 3 and up in mathematics and English. It took NJASK tests for grade 4 in only science.

Closure

On January 12, 2018, parents received a letter from the school director, Dominique Taylor, stating that, "we have been informed that the New Jersey Department of Education has decided not to renew IAT's charter. If this decision stands, IAT will have no choice but to close at the end of the current school year. The IAT Board is exploring all of its options to seek a reconsideration of this decision. We will continue to be in contact with you over the next few weeks and in order to provide you with up-to-date information related to the future of IAT." The school was not successful with the appeal. [4]

On February 14, 2018, the New Jersey Department of Education mailed a letter to IAT parents written by the Office of Project Management Director James Palmer. In the letter, Palmer said that "as a result [of the decision to not renew IAT's charter], IAT will close as of June 30, 2018." The letter also mentioned that the Department came to the decision to close IAT after "careful review and consideration in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-17, N.J.A.C. 6A:11-2.3, and N.J.A.C. 6A:11-2.4. The Department is working with the Executive County Superintendent of Mercer County, as well as administrators from Trenton Public Schools, Ewing Public Schools, and area charter schools, to ensure a smooth transition for each student from IAT to a new school for the 2018-2019 school year."

IAT was permanently closed on June 30, 2018.

Campuses

The final campus on Perry Street was formerly the Trenton Times' headquarters. The original building located on Bellevue Ave was an old elementary school that had been abandoned for many years. There was a year of remodeling before the 2014-2015 school year started. The school relocated to an old high school on Chancery Lane near the New Jersey State House. The charter school served for children from kindergarten to 6th grade in 2017 and 2018 in both Ewing and Trenton, New Jersey.

Bellevue Avenue Campus (2014-2015 and 2016-2017)

Bellevue Ave campus, which was used in the school's first school year.

The school's Bellevue campus was home to the first year of the International Academy of Trenton. It was formerly a school abandoned for many years. The school was not used in the 2015-2016 school year, because the school was using the St. Mary's school on North Chancery Lane. In the 2016-2017 school year, the school used both the campus at Bellevue Ave and Chancery Lane. The Bellevue Ave campus housed grades K-2. In late February 2017, teachers and students left the campus for the new building at Perry Street.

Construction started on the new school building where the Trenton Times Newspaper Headquarters was located on Perry Street at 500 Perry Street Trenton, NJ. The school moved in on February 21, 2017.

Local charter school STEMCivics eventually used the building beginning in September 2018 for its middle school, PURPLEfect Parc.

North Chancery Lane Campus (2015-2017)

The Chancery Lane campus, used from 2015-2017.

International Academy of Trenton moved into the former St. Mary's school in 2015. The school was an old high school, part of the St. Mary's Cathedral next door. The building took some remodeling to be ready for the 2015-2016 school year. During that school year, the building was home to all of the grades at the time, K-4. It was used again during the 2016-2017 school year. In February 2017, the school moved to the new Perry Street campus.

Perry Street Campus (2017-2018)

The International Academy of Trenton Charter School's 6 acre Perry Street Campus, formerly the Trenton Times headquarters, was finished in early 2017. This was the first phase of the plan for the building. All of the teachers and students moved from the Chancery Lane campus (grades 3-5) and from the Bellevue Ave campus (grades K-2) to the Perry Street campus on February 21, 2017. An inauguration for the staff of the school was held February 22, 2017 while students stayed home. Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson went to the inauguration of the school. The school opened its Perry Street doors to students on February 23, 2017. The building took almost two years to remodel. Walls and floors were removed, graffiti was removed, and new staircases were added. The work was completed by Hollister Construction Services. The gymnasium was completed on April 3, 2017. The second phase of the plan for the building includes the renovation of some sections of the basement, which never began due to its closure in June 2018. The school's name on the right side of the building was added in mid April 2017. IAT closed on June 30, 2018. The Perry Street building will become the 9th Grade Academy, a part of Trenton Central High School.

The entrance lobby of the school on Perry Street.
The right side of the building on Perry Street. the school name was added in April 2017.
The left side of the building on Perry Street.
View of the Perry Street campus from the parking lot.

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References

"Search for Public Schools - International Academy of Trenton Charter School (340077503285)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
"Our Story & Mission". The International Academy of Trenton. SABIS. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
Foster, David. [www.trentonian.com/general-news/20180601/trenton-charter-school-officially-announces-closure-as-9th-grade-academy-readies-move-in "Trenton charter school officially announces closure as 9th Grade Academy readies move-in"], The Trentonian, June 1, 2018. Accessed July 11, 2018. "In a statement sent to The Trentonian on Friday, International Academy of Trenton (IAT) Charter School Board President Larry Chenault 'regretfully' accepted the doomed fate of the school, which spent $17 million to renovate the former Times of Trenton building into a state-of-the-art learning center.... IAT was informed in January by the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) that the school, which educated 650 students, would be losing its charter at the end of this month for poor student performance and classroom mismanagement."
Abdur-Rahman, Sulaiman. "Trenton’s $17M International Academy charter school faces potential shutdown", The Trentonian, January 13, 2018. Accessed January 13, 2018. "A $17 million charter school on Perry Street that promised to offer high-quality education when it opened last September is now at high risk of being shut down. Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s dwindling administration has decided to pull the plug on the International Academy of Trenton (IAT) Charter School, which means the facility will have to close in June if it fails to win an appeal or reconsideration to stay open."

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[NCES-1] "Search for Public Schools - International Academy of Trenton Charter School (340077503285)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 10 July 2018.

[iat.sabis-2] "Our Story & Mission". The International Academy of Trenton. SABIS. Retrieved 8 May 2016.

[3] Foster, David. [www.trentonian.com/general-news/20180601/trenton-charter-school-officially-announces-closure-as-9th-grade-academy-readies-move-in "Trenton charter school officially announces closure as 9th Grade Academy readies move-in"], The Trentonian, June 1, 2018. Accessed July 11, 2018. "In a statement sent to The Trentonian on Friday, International Academy of Trenton (IAT) Charter School Board President Larry Chenault 'regretfully' accepted the doomed fate of the school, which spent $17 million to renovate the former Times of Trenton building into a state-of-the-art learning center.... IAT was informed in January by the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) that the school, which educated 650 students, would be losing its charter at the end of this month for poor student performance and classroom mismanagement."

[4] Abdur-Rahman, Sulaiman. "Trenton’s $17M International Academy charter school faces potential shutdown", The Trentonian, January 13, 2018. Accessed January 13, 2018. "A $17 million charter school on Perry Street that promised to offer high-quality education when it opened last September is now at high risk of being shut down. Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s dwindling administration has decided to pull the plug on the International Academy of Trenton (IAT) Charter School, which means the facility will have to close in June if it fails to win an appeal or reconsideration to stay open."