History

The Christopher Columbus Charter School is located in South Philadelphia. At it’s inception in 1999, the school served students in grades K, 1, 2, and 3. Each year a grade was added, until CCCS became the K-8 school it is today. Presently, the school serves over 850 students.

CCCS is one school with two locations. The North Building, located at 9th & Christian and often referred to as “9th Street,” houses our K-4 elementary students. The South Building or “13th Street,” located at 13th & Wharton, houses our middle school students from grades 5-8. Christopher Columbus Charter School students are a microcosm of the city. CCCS is a multicultural school serving families with various levels of income.

The founding board members’ vision was the development of a school community in the heart of South Philadelphia’s “Italian Market” area to be a source of hope in the ever-changing urban environment. Children from all cultural backgrounds, neighborhoods, and family situations would be welcomed to experience the joy of learning and to develop an innate love for learning. A major part of this vision was to promote the discovery of responsible citizenship and the skills for utilizing that citizenship in their families, communities, and in their world.