Lesson of the Day: ‘The School That Aspires to Be a Basketball Factory (Not That Kind)’

6. Who are some of the sponsors and supporters of the school? What kind of support does Monroe believe is needed in the school? Why?

7. Why did Dan Klores establish New Renaissance as a charter school rather than a traditional public school? Do you think it is possible for students in specialized schools like this one to learn deeply about the school’s focus and also pass standardized tests in reading, math, English, science and a foreign language?

8. Would you be interested in attending the school, or one like it in your area? Why or why not?

Going Further

Design your dream school based on a passion you have. For example, there are already arts high schools where students can study visual arts, theater, dance and music, as well as schools that focus on creative writing, STEM and more. Maybe one of these interests you, or maybe you’d rather study at a high school where you learn about caring for the environment or focus on becoming multilingual and traveling the world, or on designing video games.

1. Write a mission statement
Write a mission statement for your dream school. The mission statement should answer the question What is the purpose of this school? For example, here is the mission statement at Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School:

Turning Passion into Opportunity

At the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, we’ve set out to ensure that our students’ futures are filled with possibility — whether they play the game or not.

We are committed to the belief that the magic and excitement of basketball extends beyond the court into professions that are accessible to our graduates.

What do you hope students will achieve in your dream school? How might the things that students learn serve them in a number of different careers?

2. Create a daily schedule
What do students at your imagined high school do when they arrive in the morning? What kinds of classes do they take throughout the day? You can use your own school schedule as inspiration, or borrow ideas from the course offerings at Earl Monroe.

3. Write a class description
Choose one of the classes from your daily schedule and write a one-paragraph description of what happens in that class. What do you get to learn about? What kinds of hands-on activities will students engage in?

4. Create a brochure
Take everything you’ve done so far and make a one-page brochure advertising your specialty school. You can use a platform like Canva to create something that is visually compelling and piques the interest of others.