Welcome to Gateway Community Charters (GCC). As the Superintendent/CEO of the GCC, I am excited and proud to lead our dynamic charter school organization. Gateway Community Charters is a 501c3 nonprofit public benefit corporation that has been providing quality school choice options in the greater Sacramento region for nineteen years.

 

This year we are celebrating our nineteenth year in operation! We began our operations in 2003 in an innovative partnership with the former Grant Joint Union High School District. Gateway first opened Community Outreach Academy in 2003 with approx. 300 students in grades K – 10. Building on our initial success, we opened Futures High School in fall of 2004, Community Collaborative Charter School in 2005 and Higher Learning Academy, California Aerospace Academy and Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy all in the fall of 2007. In June of 2012, we voluntarily closed the California Aerospace Academy. In 2013, we opened our first charter in partnership with the San Juan Unified School District – Gateway International School. In 2015, we opened our first charter in partnership with the Yolo County Office of Education – Empowering Possibilities International Charter. In 2018, we built on the successful SAVA model and opened Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy in partnership with Sacramento City Unified School District and Elk Grove Unified School District. And this year, we opened our GCC Virtual Academy, which is an online learning platform formed in response to a need caused by the coronavirus, bringing our current number of schools to nine charters and 1 online school serving approximately 5,200 TK-12 students.

 

Each of our schools has a different and unique focus. Our Community Collaborative Charter School (K – 12th grade) is a non-classroom based program serving primarily credit deficient and students ‘at – promise’ in need of greater support and remediation, Community Outreach Academy (K – 8th) is a college preparatory focus with an emphasis for English Language Learners, Futures High School (9 – 12th grade) has a focus with an emphasis for English Language Learners), and Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy (a 7th – 12th grade) is non-classroom based school with an emphasis on careers and work force development). Gateway International School (K-8th grade) is an International Baccalaureate school. Empowering Possibilities International Charter (K-8th grade) is also an International Baccalaureate school. Higher Learning Academy (K-8th grade students) is a former core-knowledge school transitioning to become an International Baccalaureate school serving students in the Del Paso Heights and Robla communities.  And our new GCC Virtual Academy focuses on gives students a virtual learning format. We are pleased to offer these quality public school options in such different ways to best meet the unique and diverse needs of students in our communities.

 

“We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet” (Margaret Mead, Anthropologist).  In Gateway Community Charters, we are investing in classroom technology and methodologies to bring our students and their education into a rich and diverse future.  We are excited about the opportunity to prepare our students for the 21st Century through innovative quality schools.

 

We have an amazing team of teachers, principals, support staff, volunteers and board members who are all committed to the success of our students and schools.

 

Thank you for your interest in our organization and schools. We hope you are as dedicated and committed as we all are to making a difference in our student’s lives.

 

I look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the coming year(s) and invite you to share your dreams, vision and concerns. Please feel free to contact me at cindy.petersen@gcccharters.org, or (916) 286-5129.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Cindy Petersen
Superintendent/CEO