Serendipity strikes

Early in 2025, Charter School for Applied Technology had purchased so many billboards in an advertising campaign that it earned some free placements over which it had no location control.

One of those billboards appeared along the 190. A funny thing happened. It worked. CSAT began receiving calls from Niagara Falls parents asking about the school.

Deputy Superintendent Garrick Loverio did some research. He said Tuesday night at a Niagara Community Information Group meeting at the Underground Railroad Heritage Museum that not only did staff return those calls, they began doing some research.

The school draws students from throughout Buffalo and buses them from as far away as Lackawanna. Why not Niagara Falls?

Loverio realized the school, which has to pay for its own transportation, was already busing students from greater distances.

Loverio went to the CSAT board, told them of the interest, and sold them on the idea that, with significant interest, they could commit to funding one bus for next school year. The financial commitment is $90,000.

The application process is not selective but by lottery, however the school’s charter requires weighted consideration of students with special needs. It also offers preference to siblings. The lottery is strictly run with no favoritism. It is not about who you know but who applies and is lucky enough to win.

Right now, the Kindergarten through 12 school has openings for students in Grade 5 and below and a waiting list for higher grades.

CSAT, from its founding when Loverio started as a substitute teacher, has had a focus that has become common in thinking.

“Rather than ask ‘Where are you going to college?’ ” Loverio said, “ask what is your next step?”

That subtle change acknowledges students have multiple choices, whether it is joining the workforce directly, learning a trade or considering the advantages of military enlistment.

The school boasts a 97% graduation rate. Students are required to do 54 hours of an internship before graduating. They also have access to up to 55 hours of college credit at no cost, giving them a leg up both in real-world experience and college education.

Loverio said 85% of students in grades 10-12 are taking at least one college class.

The school is not perfect, however. In 2020, when the “persistence rate” of students returning for a second year of college was 66% regionally, CSAT was at 55%. Fixing that problem became a focus. The rate is now 80%.

CSAT’s sports mascot is the Eagles. It has a full scholastic athletic program and are in the process of adding football. The Eagle’s name is Ralph.

That is an acronym: Respect; Accountability; Leadership; Perseverance; and Honesty.

Summers are CSAT bring a 7-week Academy through SUNY Erie, exposing students who participate to academia and educating them about their options in the world.

It’s all part of the “Early College and Career Pathways” program that is a big enrollment draw for the multi-cultural school.

As much as that billboard made a different, Loverio said it is not the key to enrollment.

“Word-of-mouth is the key to success,” he said. “Advertising help but it is word-of-mouth among parents and students.”

The next NCIG meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2.

More information about CSAT is available at https://www.csat-k12.org/