Cesar Chavez Academy - History

History

The idea for Cesar Chavez Academy started with the death of lifelong Southwest Detroit resident and community volunteer Roland “Irish” Irwin in September 1995. In recognition of the Rev. Don Hanchon’s services and kindness during the time of Irish’s passing and funeral, Irish’s son Patrick offered to assist Rev. Hanchon in exploring options for the vacant and former parochial High School and Grade School owned by St. Gabriel Catholic Church. Patrick had attended St. Gabriel’s elementary school when it was still open and run by the Parish. Over time however, as the building sat primarily vacant, significant disrepair had occurred and the building was filled with numerous roof leaks, faulty plumbing, electrical system problems, sewer back-ups, failing boilers and windows, etc. With the approval of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Rev. Hanchon and Patrick began discussions with the Michigan Partnership for New Education (MPNE) about the possibility of establishing a charter school in the long-closed building. At the time these discussion began charter schools were a relatively new concept for the State of Michigan and very few existed nor was there a great deal of understanding at large on how to start a charter school or manage a charter school.

At the same time that Fr. Hanchon and Patrick Irwin were firming up their vision for the school and exploring management companies to operate this potential school, the Michigan Partner for New Education (MPNE), led by educator Bill Coates and businessman Al Taubman. as well as several other business leaders, were seeking an opportunity to establish their first management oversight for a charter school. Prior to this time MPNE had been a quasi-public think tank that advocated for on behalf of charter school issues and concerns across the State of Michigan. Based upon presentations made by MPNE to Fr. Hanchon and Patrick Irwin, a decision was reached to assemble a tentative Board of Directors from the community at large to work toward the establishment of a charter school. Negotiations between the leaders of this initial Board and MPNE progressed quickly, and at the same time, this tentative Cesar Chavez Academy (CCA )Board and the MPNE were able to make a successful overture to Saginaw Valley State University to grant a charter establishing the school. By the close of 1995 an agreement was reached between MPNE, the representatives of Cesar Chavez’s first school board, and Saginaw Valley State University (chartering university of Chavez) to open the school. At the time of this agreement there were relatively few charter schools open, and Cesar Chavez was one of the first handful of charter schools to begin these initial steps toward operations.