The Charles School

Congratulations Class of 2024!
Class of 2024 students
TCS@ODU students and staff went to Cedar Point to celebrate the end of the school!
TCS@ODU students and staff went to Cedar Point to celebrate the end of the school!
Student Government Visits Sweet Waters Coffee and TeaStudent Government visited Sweet Waters Coffee and Tea on OSU’s campus. They spent time drawing, writing kind words, and giving affirmations on the coffee cups in an effort to make someone’s day better! They were excited to help make the community a happier place.
Student Government visited Sweet Waters Coffee and Tea on OSU’s campus. They spent time drawing, writing kind words, and giving affirmations on the coffee cups in an effort to make someone’s day better! They were excited to help make the community a happier place.
TCS@ODU 11th graders visited Otterbein UniversityThey took a tour and visited with staff in the Admission Office.
TCS@ODU 11th graders visited Otterbein University on March 23! They took a tour and visited with staff in the Admission Office.
Ms. Menechella's Physics class building marble runs.
Ms. Menechella's Physics class building marble runs.
TCS@ODU New MuralDrive by TCS@ODU and check out the new mural! Thank you to the students volunteers, Miss Caroline, TCS@ODU art teachers Mrs. Prince, and Transit Arts for all of your hard work.
TCS@ODU new mural
Roller-coaster ProjectStudents in Ms. Zuniga’s class were asked to build a roller-coaster with a project budget of 6,000,000 in mock money. Students chose their groups and signed a work contract allowing each other to be fired if everyone didn't fulfill their given work title: Treasurer, Secretary, PR and Advertising Specialist, or Lead Architect.
Roller-coaster prject

Upcoming Events

Oct
16

Quarter 1 Ends

Wed Oct 16 2024
Oct
17

Student-Led Conferences - No Regular Classes

Thu Oct 17 2024
to Fri Oct 18 2024

Oct
21

No School

Mon Oct 21 2024
Oct
22

College Access Night

Tue Oct 22 2024
Oct
23

Red Cross Blood Drive

Wed Oct 23 2024

News

TCS students

Celebrating Our Growth and Dedication to Excellence

School Report Card (2023-2024 school year)
We are excited to share that the Ohio Department of Education has recently released the 2023-24 Ohio School Report Cards, and our three schools - The Graham School, The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University, and Graham Elementary and Middle School - have much to be proud of! While we recognize that there is work to be done, these results reflect the tremendous progress we’ve made as a community.
 
Highlights:
  • All 3 schools achieved a performance index of achievement that meets or exceeds the requirements that Ohio considers when determining high quality schools.
  • TCS was able to meet the High Quality Charter School funding requirements for the second year in a row and GEMS was able to meet these requirements for the first of two years for qualification. 
  • TGS has met one requirement (performance index) and aims to continue working towards the progress score needed to meet the first year of qualification for High Quality funding. 
  • GEMS & TCS achieved an Overall Rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars. They achieved 4 stars out of 5 stars in Progress.
  • TGS maintained steady scores with overall improvements to the Performance Index and more than doubled their percentages for helping students to be “Prepared for Success” as determined by the state report card.
  • TGS achieved a 4-year graduation rate of 85.4% and a 5-year graduation rate of 90%.
  • TCS more than doubled their Prepared for Success percentage and scored over 60% in their Performance Index for the 2nd year in a row
  • GEMS received an improved Early Literacy rating that almost tripled their improvement rate from last year while continuing to Close the Gap, a 3-year track of progress in this area. 
We know that growth is key to student success, and we are proud that all our schools are making strides toward ensuring every student reaches their potential. The Progress Component in our report cards highlights our students' academic growth year after year and our continued commitment to that work.
 
At the same time, we understand that there are areas where we need to focus our attention, particularly around closing achievement gaps, improving proficiency levels in core academic areas, and improving attendance rates. We remain dedicated to identifying and addressing these needs, with targeted support and interventions to help every student succeed.
 
These achievements are a testament to the hard work, resilience, and commitment of our teachers, staff, and students. We are incredibly proud of the progress our students have made, and we celebrate their growth as they continue to learn and thrive.
 
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making our schools a place of growth, opportunity, and success. We are excited to continue this journey together, building on our progress and striving for excellence in everything we do.
 
Together, we are preparing every student for a bright and successful future!
 
Ed Ingman & James Kutnow
Co-Superintendents
The Graham Family of Schools
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James and Ed

The Graham Family of Schools welcomes our new Co-Superintendents

The Graham Family of Schools (TGFS) is pleased to welcome Co-Superintendents Ed Ingman and James Kutnow as our new leaders for the 2024-2025 school year. Together they have been Assistant Superintendents since 2022. The Graham School, The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University and Graham Elementary and Middle School Founders, Eileen Meers and Greg Brown, officially passed the torch to their successors September 1, 2024.

Ed Ingman has been with TGFS since his arrival at The Graham School in 2003, fresh out of college, to teach high school science. In 2007 he joined the initial staff of The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University as a teacher, followed by a promotion to Dean in 2009. James Kutnow moved to Columbus to join The Graham School staff in 2007 as the Experiential Coordinator and was on the development team for Graham Elementary and Middle School, becoming its Dean in 2010. Ed and James subscribe to the values intrinsic to The Graham Family of Schools, and look forward to carrying these values forward expanding growth, achievement and prosperity for these schools which provide unique, rigorous, relational, safe and innovative public educational options to K-13 students in Central Ohio.

Eileen Meers and Greg Brown envisioned providing educational opportunities for students in Central Ohio that allowed them to experience the world with support and reflection before being released into our communities as expectant citizens. They also believed in a model of collaborative leadership that can be seen in all of our schools today.

In 2000, The Graham School (TGS) opened in Clintonville as one of the first public community schools in Ohio.  It was founded in the belief that students needed the opportunity to own their learning, while encountering the world around them so that the education they received was focused on experiencing growth and knowledge both within and outside of the classroom.  The school focuses on this experiential education in a small-school setting where all students are known by all staff members. In 2007, leadership from TGS expanded their vision by opening The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University (TCS@ODU), an early college high school in partnership with Middle College National Consortium and in 2010, Graham Elementary and Middle School (GEMS) in partnership with EL Education opened to serve students in grades K-8. 

Eileen’s legacy of providing both the students and staff she worked with opportunities to grow, reflect and thrive has been one that pays forward and continues to inspire the work of The Graham Family of Schools and our community. Greg’s extensive experience in communication, leadership and education provided him with an authentic platform from which to collaborate and create learning environments that students and colleagues could learn and reflect from.  

Ed and James are embracing their senior roles with TGFS and look forward to serving a diversity of Central Ohio students and families over many impactful years alongside their dedicated and well trained staff.

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TCS@ODU students

Important School Meal Information for the 24-25 School Year

Dear Parent or Guardian:
We are pleased to inform you that The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University (TCS @ ODU) will be implementing a new option available to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for School Year 2024-2025.

What does this mean for you and your children attending the school(s) identified above?

Great news for you and your students! All enrolled students of TCS @ ODU are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge to your household each day of the 2024-2025 school year. No further action is required of you. Your child(ren) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application. We will be collecting Ohio Income Household forms in order for students to qualify for other programs. Click here to print and complete the Ohio Income Household forms. If we can be of any further assistance, please contact us at [email protected] or 614-262-1111. 

Sincerely,
Cathy Baney, Child Nutrition Director 

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