Green Woods A "Top School"

Jean Wallace, CEO of , compared being named one of the top schools in the city by Philadelphia Magazine to winning an entertainment award.

"I look at that magazine as one that really does its research and a good job of identifying what is the best of this and the best of that, it's kind of like winning an Emmy," she said. "More than anything, it's nice to be recognized for the work that we do."

When asked what sets the charter school apart, Wallace said she could not compare Green Woods to other schools but could speak about its commitment to innovative education.

"Our teachers developed our own curriculm based on the ecology and environmental standards," she said. "We try our best to edit, revise and enhance the teaching and learning that happens in this building everyday."

Ownership of teaching and learning is also something Wallace said the school prides itself on.

"We want to continually challenge ourselves and I think that is pretty remarkable," she said, adding that people have come from Harvard, Bermuda, Utah and St. Louis to try to replicate the school's model.

Another initative that may seperate them from the rest, is the school's focus on empowering its students through leadership projects like the Peace Project.

"One of the key things for me is making sure that everyone in the school has a voice and often I think the key players, the students, are left out of the process," she said.

The project teaches students the skill of conflict resolution and peer mediation.

"It gives the students an opportunity to have a real impact on the day-to-day programming at school and helps build the culture of the school community which is critical."

But, she said, the model is not something that happens overnight.

"We've had a strategic direction in place for a long time and a core staff that really want to continue what we're doing here," Wallace said. "We've very excited and feel really good about it."