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Dear Families,

Welcome to Niles Preparatory Academy—Home of the Huskies! We provide a safe, secure learning environment for EK-6 students as the first public charter school in the Niles area.

At Niles Prep, we teach an Ohio Standards-based curriculum and individualize instruction to each student by assessing students on a bi-weekly schedule to know if a student is working ahead, falling behind, or right on track. We emphasize Social and Emotional Wellness throughout all of our coursework to help students understand and manage their emotions.

We have big plans for building a strong sense of community at our school, and we are excited to have you join us in founding this very special community school. We are partnering with local organizations to coordinate student projects and volunteer work to help students learn the value of helping others and giving back to their community.

Thank you for choosing Niles Prep!

Sincerely,

The Niles Prep Staff

Niles Prep Principal Melanie Jarman

Melanie Jarman, Principal

Mrs. Melanie Jarman, an educator for 22 years, joined ACCEL Schools in 2016. During her years in education, she demonstrated her leadership abilities and growth through various past positions. Prior to becoming the Principal at Niles Preparatory Academy, she has served as an elementary and middle school teacher, Title I teacher and Mathematics Lead teacher. Mrs. Jarman holds a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University, and a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Cleveland State University.

Jon Natko

Jon Natko, Superintendent

Mr. Jon Natko joined ACCEL Schools in 2015 with 30 years of experience as a K-12 public school educator, principal, and social worker. As Superintendent he oversees leadership development, instructional programming, operations, and strategic planning for multiple schools in Northeast Ohio. Prior to ACCEL Schools, Mr. Natko worked as a principal for Streetsboro City Schools, lead teacher at Orange City Schools, social worker for Euclid-Lyndhurst City Schools, and job success coordinator at Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools. Mr. Natko holds a Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University, a Master’s degree in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University, and a MBA from Cleveland State University.

Staff Directory

Community School

Niles Preparatory Academy is a public, community school. We are our own school district sponsored by St. Aloysius Orphanage (Charter School Specialists) which provides oversight and enforces academic, fiscal, and legal accountability. We are managed by ACCEL Schools, a high performing network of over 50 charter schools located throughout the United States.

Community Schools (Charter Schools) offer families an alternative to the local public school. Community schools are tuition-free, open to all students in the county, and focused on meeting student needs for success. Community schools are among the top-performing schools in the nation. Read more about charter schools.