The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School received a five-year renewal of the school’s charter contract. The D.C. Public Charter School Board voted to renew the school’s charter at the board’s Dec. 16 meeting.

“We provide a personalized education for each of our students to help them learn, grow and become caring and committed citizens. To that end, we’re continually striving to make our school better for our students and families. We appreciate the school board’s recognition of our efforts,” said Kathy Lane, chief of educational services for The Children’s Guild Alliance, operator of The Children’s Guild D.C. Public Charter School.

The Children’s Guild D.C. Public Charter School uses the Transformation Education philosophy to prepare the accelerated learner, struggling learner and child with special needs for college, career and citizenship by developing critical thinking, creative problem-solving skills, self-discipline and a commitment to serving others. Established in 2015, the school serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The Children’s Guild D.C. Public Charter School is an affiliate member of The Children’s Guild Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations dedicated to transforming how America educates and cares for its children through education, behavioral health and national training and consultation services. Affiliates of The Children’s Guild Alliance include The Children’s Guild, Monarch Academy public charter and contract schools, The Academy for Working Students (TAWS), TranZed Apprenticeships, The Transformation Education Institute, National At-Risk Education Network (NAREN) and The National Children’s Guild Fund.

We invite you to take a moment and review this year’s Annual Report and learn about the many ways The Children’s Guild Alliance educates and supports children. It begins with putting kids first. Whether we are giving a student a chance to try new things or helping a foster parent care for a child with special needs, The Children’s Guild Alliance is addressing the challenges faced by today’s children and families.

Highlights from FY2019 include:

• The launch of Kids First, a movement designed to transform the way America cares for and educates its children. Our goal is to influence the leaders in our society to take the actions needed to give every child the opportunity to succeed.
• Thirty-eight high school seniors graduated from the TranZed Academy for Working Students program. Many of these students are continuing their education at some of the best colleges and universities in the country.
• The University of Maryland College Park selected The Children’s Guild Alliance to manage College Park Academy, a 650-student school serving 6-12th graders in College Park.
• A partnership with League of Dreams that gives our students the opportunity to experience the joys, challenges, and personal growth gained from playing baseball regardless of their physical or mental ability.
• The unveiling of a new name, The Children’s Guild Alliance, which pays homage to our founding as The Children’s Guild more than 65 years ago and creates a unified Children’s Guild brand.

We are excited to share our accomplishments and stories of success. None of it would be possible without our dedicated staff, our visionary board, our generous donors, and the support of countless individuals. Together we are making a difference in the lives of children every day.

The Children’s Guild Alliance, a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations, will honor Guy E. Flynn and Nupur Parekh Flynn at the organization’s Kids First Celebration, an evening commemorating a legacy of innovation and transformation. The Kids First Celebration will take place on October 3, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore.

At the event, The Children’s Guild Alliance will present 2020 Sadie Awards to the Flynns for their leadership in innovation and philanthropy. The Sadie Award recognizes people who embody the organization’s spirit and vision of making the seemingly impossible possible.

Guy E. Flynn practices law at DLA Piper, one of the world’s largest law firms, where he serves as chairman of the firm’s Maryland real estate practice and partner-in-charge of the firm’s Baltimore office. Flynn serves as a trustee and board president-elect of The Walters Art Museum, a trustee and executive committee member of the Baltimore Community Foundation, a trustee of the Living Classrooms Foundation, a director of Maryland Legal Aid, a governor of The Center Club and a member of the Baltimore City Ethics Board. Global, national, regional and industry publications have recognized him as a top lawyer.

Nupur Parekh Flynn is one of the foremost women in the Baltimore area whose skills in board leadership have gained respect throughout the region. She is currently a trustee of LifeBridge Health, a trustee of the Baltimore Museum of Art, and a trustee of the Open Society Institute – Baltimore and actively involved with the United Way of Central Maryland. Flynn’s career in business and government included serving as a managing director for marketing and public relations at Brown Capital Management from 2004 to 2019. Previously, she served as a political appointee at the U.S. Agency for International Development and as a marketing executive at DLA Piper.

The Kids First Celebration will commemorate The Children’s Guild Alliance’s heritage of innovation and transformation and launch Kids First, the organization’s campaign to transform the way America cares for and educates its children. Through the Kids First campaign, The Children’s Guild Alliance will work nationally to create the cultural awareness, teacher preparation and political will to put kids first.

For more information about Kids First and sponsorships or tickets to The Kids First Celebration, visit KidsFirstAmerica.org.

The Children’s Guild Alliance is a nonprofit organization serving children, families and child-serving organizations and is dedicated to transforming how America educates and cares for its children through education, behavioral health and national training and consultation services. Affiliates of The Children’s Guild Alliance include The Children’s Guild, Monarch Academy public charter and contract schools, Children’s Guild D.C. Public Charter School, The Academy for Working Students (TAWS), TranZed Apprenticeships, The Transformation Education Institute, National At-Risk Education Network (NAREN), and The National Children’s Guild Fund.