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New
Hampshire
Center for School Reform
www.nhschoolreform.org
Telephone: 603.224.0366 Fax:
603.224.8366
Concord, NH
03301 Email:
info@nhschoolreform.org |
CHARTER
SCHOOL PROGRESS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
January
16, 2007
New
Hampshire Charter School leaders are immersed in facility and finance
discussions. The schools are great and students are thriving.
More than 100 communities have students attending the state’s charter
schools. The New Hampshire
effort is tremendously successful and the pilot schools (12 are now
authorized) are all over the geographic landscape, serving all ages
of students. Programs are giving students at all levels of functioning
new opportunities and the success stories are great.
Charles Thibideau, Director of North Country Education
Services and a former school superintendent has been heard commenting:
“There are a lot of wonderful things transpiring at the North Country Charter
School.” In fact,
everyone talks about the successes of the North
Country Charter
School—New
Hampshire’s only specific drop-out recovery
and prevention school.
Lisa LeVoie, Director, North
Country
Charter Academy, put the charter school
together from its original plan and reports NCCA is thriving with
2 sites, Lancaster and Littleton, and mounds of
local support: “We had 33 high
school graduates this year and we have 52 students enrolled. 68% of
our students are employed. Our school is open to students in a 4,000
square mile radius and schools all over are supporting us. We have
a major community program…supporting our troops in Iraq, with 15 businesses participating.”
All 24 area communities and all area school districts and superintendents
are supporting this charter school. For
more information.
Great
Bay eLearning Charter School in Exeter
is a technology-oriented, project-based charter middle/high school.Great Bay
is thriving!! 11th graders took the PSAT and the school
is working on standards-based assessment and proficiency reporting.
They may move to another facility.
For
more information
Seacoast Charter School
opened with 8 students but now has 60 students in grades 1-6 and a
waiting list of 100! An amendment allowed them to add grades 1 and
2 this year. This school offers challenging academics with a strong
arts program. All students are playing violin and cello this year.
Based in Exeter,
this school is thriving with community and district support. One of
the first charter schools to open, Seacoast will need a one-year transition
grant if the legislature does not address charter funding until 2009.
For
more information:
Cocheco
Arts and Technology Academy has relocated to Barrington. They have been welcomed with open
arms by the area Superintendent of Schools. 35 students are involved
in independent studies. One of the first charter schools to open,
Cocheco will need a one-year transition grant if the legislature
cannot address charter funding until 2009. For
more information.
Crossroads
Community Charter School, the 12th school authorized
had planned to open early in 2007 but is postponing until September
to allow more time for planning. Crossroads will serve students from
Bow to New London and will offer very individualized
high school programs for students who are significantly at risk. Crossroads
has the support of the 3 superintendents in this area. For
more information.
The
New Hampshire Equestrian Academy is progressing since opening
this past September. No, this is not a riding school. It is the
first charter school in the nation with 1) specialization in equine
studies, and 2) a science program that readies students in pre-veterinary
medicine. The academic program includes integrated science (physics,
chemistry, and biology each year), plus clinical rounds at an equine
hospital, and lab-based mathematics where students can progress
at their own pace. Students are driving in from as far as 2 hours
away each way. The school is seeking part-time Spanish and Latin
teachers, can accept 2 more students this year, and is recruiting
students and staff for next year. For the latest
bulletin. or to visit the website
for application information.
The
Academy for Science and Design will be the state’s first middle/high
school for science, engineering and design. While all the systems
are being set up for personnel and business management, the Board
is studying facility options for next year. Advisory committee meetings
are being scheduled now for February, March, and April. Issues for
discussion are teaching Mandarin Chinese, outreach to 5th,
6th, and 7th grade students, and how to set
up mentorships with area businesses and colleges. The most significant
issue on the table now is facility for next year.
Franklin
Career Academy, the state’s first authorized charter school
re-opened this year under the direction of former Franklin
principal
Walter Anacki. The school is again thriving with requests for admission
and original board members returning to add their sturdy support.
When Franklin could not continue due to the city’s refusing to
forward student funding, Franklin
closed and gave up their start-up grant. When they re-opened, a ruling
said they could not have their start-up funding again. Even though
their one-year, operational hold-up was not self-inflicted. The Board
has embarked on a development effort but, as one of the first schools
to open, Franklin Career
Academy needs
a one-year transition to sustain it’s high school program if the legislature
cannot address charter funding until 2009.
Surry
Village School is thriving. If you want a village school in
your town again you must go visit Surry. Their large, multidistrict
SAU Board closed Surry’s prized village school. Surry’s one SAU vote
and unanimous town plea to keep their school open didn’t help. So…Surry
decided to bring back their children with a true village school created
by charter. Back in the saddle again, Surry Village School
is a joy
and the entire town is embracing this little school. Director Matora
Fiorey is a Ph.D. chemist whose kindergarten daughter pokes her head
out the door and says “that’s my mom in charge over there.” This great
little school has parents driving in from 10 area towns. For more
information.
Strong Foundations Charter School will open this September with 60 students K-3. They are tracking
down a facility outside of Concor
This elementary school will use research-based
reading methods that secure the skills of even the most distressed
reading learner while also providing a rigorous elementary program.
As designed, Strong Foundations is a charter school many districts
should have available for prevention of reading failure. To
Learn More
The
two significant issues for all charter schools are funding and facilities.
For information in the news about New Hampshire Charter Schools,
go to In
The News our on website. If a posted article
has been archived, call our webmaster, Matt Southerton, and he’ll
fax a hard copy to you. 224-0366.
The legislature is just
warming up. Watch our website for this season’s legislative
news about education.
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