Charles Mingo was curriculum consultant for the Ross Local School District Central Office in Gary, where he served as a science specialist, and developed a number of tools to involve parents in their children's education. Prior to this, Mingo was principal of Beckman Middle School in Gary and, before that, principal of Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable High School in Chicago. At Jean Baptiste, Mingo's innovations included redesigning the school's structure, dividing it into ten houses, each with 125 students and six teachers who remained together throughout all four years of high school. This significantly enhanced the academic achievement of the students, most of whom lived in a public housing complex across from the school. Because of the positive environment fostered by Mingo, many students from outside the district applied for admission to his school. Mingo was a member of the Essential Schools Project and was an outspoken advocate for innovative approaches to improve the learning environment. "All children can learn regardless of economic and social deprivations," said Mingo.
Northern Illinois University, B.A.
