Charter Schools Office hosts informational seminar

The Grand Valley State University Charter Schools Office (GVSU CSO) held its first informational luncheon Tuesday, April 2, offering an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to learn about the strategies, missions, and work the office does. 

Amirah Vosburgh, manager of programs and marketing, said the informative overview provided a new level of understanding for those who were unfamiliar with the university’s role with charter schools.

Tim Wood, special assistant to the president for charter schools, presented during the event. He talked about how the GVSU CSO looks to continuously provide high-quality education to all of the charter schools that are authorized by the university. He also said statistics show Grand Valley is the top charter school authorizer in the state. Wood pointed to specific programs, such as innovative reading instruction and classroom management services, as factors for Grand Valley authorized charter schools outperforming traditional public schools. 

About 50 faculty and staff members representing 22 different university departments were at the event, which was held in the Meijer Regency Room in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

“We were excited that so many people turned out to hear about the Charter Schools Office,” Wood said. “We had a very diverse crowd, and I’m happy they all joined us.”

The charter schools office plans to hold another informational seminar in the fall.