Sharon Machrone

Our partner, Link Education Partners, Inc., is working to ensure that Link Community Charter School has the resources to sustain a robust distance learning program and vital services over the course of the health related school closure due to COVID-19. Read the important message from Maria Pilar Paradiso below regarding the school’s response to the closure and why your support is so important now. Click here to donate today!

March 25, 2020

Dear Link friends,

I hope that this message finds you and your loved ones healthy and safe. Our thoughts and prayers go out to every member of the Link community. This is an unprecedented time in our region, nation, and world. Things are changing by the minute and we are called on to re-imagine how we live, work, learn, and play. At Link, we believe in the strength and value of community and know that together we must respond to this crisis with compassion, dedication and a creative spirit.

For Link families, many of which are in need, we must do more than a traditional school. Link Education Partners has been working with Link Community Charter School to provide support to scholars and their families as they transition to online learning and cope with what can be a completely overwhelming situation. Together, we have been working to provide:

• Chromebooks
• WiFi hotspots
• Technology support
• Books for independent reading
• School breakfast and lunch pickup
• Continuation of arts instruction and advisory lessons
• Support from our social workers and nurseContinued support for high school transition to our 8th graders
• Remote access to school operations

As Link continues with distance learning over the coming weeks, we expect to confront new challenges and emerging needs, but we remain committed to supporting our students through this situation. Technology has become more important than ever as we strive to harness its opportunity for learning, while recognizing the digital divide is very real for underserved communities. We cannot clearly identify all of the needs at this time but we must be ready to help our families with creative approaches and resources in the coming days, weeks and possibly months.

The coming months are vital as we move towards our final fundraising push of the year. We have however cancelled fundraising events, including our 50th Anniversary Alumni Gala and Annual Women’s Breakfast in light of the current situation. We are truly grateful for the strong partnerships that have always sustained our mission. And your continued support will be critical as we move forward.

We will continue to update you on our work. And, together, we will draw from the strength of our community and we will persevere, supporting our young scholars.

Sincerely,

Maria Pilar Paradiso
Executive Director, Link Education Partners

The LCCS Board of Trustees voted, on March 10, 2020, to hold a special open meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held by teleconference. The board will conduct general board business and review the school’s plan for handling the coronavirus situation. The call in phone number is 857.799.9533.

Teams Kuumbsa, Ujima, and Gandhi were the winners of Link’s annual Black History Month Bulletin Board contest.  Students put in a lot of effort to explain various historical issues, events, and/or people in Black history.  Boards were judged on historical accuracy, student reflections, and visual presentation as well as an oral presentation members of each team shared in front of the judges. The Upper House had a tie:  Team Kuumba’s board highlighting the L.A. Riots and Team Ujima’s explaining the  Dred Scott Case.  In the Lower House, Team Gandhi was the sole winning team, with a bulletin board on the Election of Barak Obama.  Congratulations to all scholars  for “doing one’s best” on the bulletin boards!

See the bulletin boards here:

See Link’s talented students and staff in a  “rip-roaring” production of The Lion King Jr tonight – Friday, February 28 at 7pm –  or tomorrow afternoon – Saturday, February 29 at 3 pm. The performers are well-rehearsed and ready to go!  The costumes are spectacular and the gym has been transformed iinto a beautiful set. Tickets will be sold at the door – $7 for adults and $5 for children 17 and under. Don’t miss it!

Our 8^th graders saw the movie Just Mercy as part of Black History Month activities. The movie is based on the memoir of Bryan Stevenson, an African American Harvard trained attorney who works to reverse wrongful convictions for minorities and the poor, in particularly death sentences, in Alabama and founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit to continue his work. The movie’s focus is on one of Mr. Stevenson’s cases. After the poignant movie, students visited Rutgers Law School and met the Dean of the Law School in the Mock Courtroom and had small group discussions about the movie. The movie had a great impact on our students as evidenced by the discussion they had at the law school and back at Link.

Congratulations to the 18 Link scholars inducted into the newly formed Link Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)!  The students were selected based on their academic standing (minimum of a 3.7 GPA) as well as scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship by a faculty council led by Ms. Tanella and Mrs. Martinez. The induction took place at Link in a lovely ceremony, with the inductees’ parents and Link staff present.

The idea of starting a chapter of the NJHS to recognize high achieving students with good core values came from a former Link teacher, Mr. Josh Allen, a few years ago. After his untimely passing, Ms. Kathleen Hester, principal, carried forth the idea, and this year Ms. Tanella and Mrs. Martinez, the honor society co-advisors and co-chairs of the selection council, put Mr. Allen’s wish into action.  Student members will have opportunities for leadership training and perform community service throughout the school year.

The NJHS, established in 1929, has over one million student members in all 50 states, US territories, and around the world. Chapter membership recognizes students for both their accomplishments but also “challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school activities and community service.” (www.njhs.us)

Link is proud to serve as a host chapter of an organization with tenets closely aligned with the mission of the school…and looks forward to our scholars’ growth and development through their membership in the NJHS.