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Matchbook
Learning
named
Charter
Management
Organization
of
Michigan
Technical
Academy
ALPHARETTA,
GA -
Matchbook
Learning,
a
non-profit
organization
with a
track
record
for
turning
around
troubled
schools,
has been
named
the new
Charter
Management
Organization
for
Michigan
Technical
Academy
(MTA).
Under
its
contract,
which
was
approved
by the
MTA
board,
Matchbook
will
take
over
full
management
of the
school,
assuming
responsibility
for its
operations,
governance
and
academics.
“We
believe
that MTA
is a
school
full of
promise,”
says
Sajan
George,
founder
and CEO
of
Matchbook
Learning.
“Despite
its poor
academic
performance
in
recent
years,
MTA has
an
active
school
community
and a
core of
dedicated
parents.
Together,
we’ll be
able to
move MTA
towards
a
brighter
future.”
Unlike
other
charter
school
models,
Matchbook
doesn’t
start
new
schools
– it
focuses
on
fixing
existing
ones
that are
underperforming
academically,
using
their
innovative
education
program
to turn
them
around.
Matchbook
is also
unique
in that
its
leadership
combines
expertise
in
public
school
turnarounds,
blended
learning
and
teacher
training.
Its
teachers
provide
personalized
instruction
to every
child –
a
customized
blend of
face-to-face
and
virtual
instruction
in
classrooms
where
all
students
have
computers
and can
learn at
their
own
pace, so
that
literally,
no child
is left
behind.
Machion
Jackson,
Chairman
of the
Board of
Michigan
Technical
Academy,
said: "I
am
encouraged
by the
new
direction
of MTA
and
believe
the
school's
active
community
of
students,
parents
and
staff
will
overcome
past
achievement
challenges
through
Matchbook
Learning's
leadership."
Over the
past
four
years,
Matchbook
has
worked
successfully
to
achieve
significant
improvements
at
Detroit
schools
A.L.
Holmes,
Brenda
Scott
and
Burns.
After
one year
at
Brenda
Scott,
the
school
had the
5th
highest
gain in
student
achievement
of any
school
in
Detroit.
In two
years at
A.L.
Holmes,
Matchbook
doubled
the
number
of
students
reading
at grade
level
and
increased
the
number
of
students
doing
math at
grade
level by
five
times,
earning
the
school a
“Rewards
School”
designation
by the
State.
In one
year at
Burns,
it more
than
tripled
the
percentage
of
students
in the
70th
percentile
or
higher.
Matchbook
currently
operates
Merit
Preparatory
Charter
School,
a
troubled
school
in
Newark,
NJ it
took
over
from
another
charter
school
operator.
Matchbook’s
first
steps
will
involve
observations
and
assessments
of the
school’s
operations,
facilities
and
personnel
– and
planning
for the
coming
school
year.
The
Matchbook
technology
platform
and
educational
model
will be
in place
when
school
begins
this
coming
fall.
With
1,000
students
from
areas
including
Detroit,
Dearborn
Heights,
Oak Park
and
Redford
Township,
MTA
currently
operates
out of
two
sites:
grades
K-4 at
Mansfield
Street
in
Detroit
and
grades
5-8 at
Elmira
Street
in
Redford.
For more
information,
visit
www.matchbooklearning.com.
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