The inaugural Chattanooga Preparatory School college commitment ceremony Friday was not only a celebration of the seniors’ post-graduation plans, it was also a celebration that they will be able to graduate at all.
After records revealed in March that at least 21 of the all-boys charter school’s 45 teachers did not have the proper credentials, the validity of the graduating class’s credits was in question.
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Justin Robertson, in March, said he was going to recommend revocation of the school’s charter and that it was possible the young men would not be able to graduate on time.
(READ MORE: Chatt Prep hires new CEO and vice president of schools)
But a month later, Robertson withdrew his earlier recommendation, instead placing the school under probationary status. Also, after carefully reviewing each course that was led by a non-licensed teacher, school officials announced that all the seniors will be able to graduate as scheduled.
First Chatt Prep senior class will graduate, credits valid
“Nobody was really worried,” said Edna Varner, a Chatt Prep governance board member, from the podium at the commitment ceremony, “because hell has no fury like the parents and mentors and founders who’ve been told you were not going to graduate.”
All the young men graduating from the school committed to their post-graduation plans during the event Friday. Every senior was accepted to college, and all but one chose to attend, said Austin Cantrell, a spokesperson representing the school.
The momentous day made many emotional, including Kelly Alling, who founded the school with her husband, Ted.
“I know some days have not been easy, and there’s been a lot of uncertainties along the way, but you’ve worked together as a team to get where you are today,” she said, blinking back tears, from the podium.
The group of seniors graduating this month started as the first class of sixth graders to grace the school’s halls. The group will be the first Chatt Prep graduating class.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga Prep cruises in Class 1A final, repeats as state champ)
A motivational video compilation of the boys when they were in sixth grade just beginning their Chatt Prep journey through the end, showcasing their growth, played on a large screen in the sanctuary of Redemption to the Nations church, where the ceremony was held.
As the boys saw their sixth grade selves on the screen, they cheered, laughed and teased each other. The little gap-toothed children shown on the screen were hardly recognizable as the young men in the audience.
During the program, each of the seniors crossed the stage, announced the college they were set to attend and put on a ball cap emblazoned with the college’s logo.
“Chill! Chill!” one of the boys had to instruct the crowd as he approached the podium because cheers were so resonant that the audience couldn’t make out college names.
He descended the stage stairs with swagger, his hat cocked to the side and head bowed, in an attempt to hide the comically large smile that stretched across his face.
To ensure that the credits were valid, Chatt Prep submitted evidence that all state standards were taught and assessed in classes led by non-licensed teachers to Hamilton County Schools, Adison Lambert, a spokesperson for the school system, said in an email.
Only two courses lacked enough evidence, Lambert said, the courses being Spanish 1 and physical education. To earn credit for Spanish 1, the students must take and pass a final exam. To earn physical education credit, the students can either provide proof of participation in an extracurricular athletic program or take the National Physical Fitness Test.
Gueller Gonzales Coronet was the student speaker. He committed to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in the fall.
“Although our journey’s landscape has been difficult to traverse, our future has very much been prepared,” Gonzales Coronet said. “And, well, I’d say we definitely succeeded in making history.”
Contact Kailee Shores at kshores@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659