The September, 2009 issue of Phi Delta Kappan list the Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. The Gallop Poll asked numerous questions concerning charter schools and the charter school movement. Almost two out of three Americans approve of charter schools. While the approval rating for charter schools has increased 15% over the past five years, there is clear evidence that the nation is split on the facts about charter schools. The majority of Americans believe charter schools can teach religion, charge tuition or select who attends the school based on ability.
While it is true that charter schools are free of many bureaucratic policies, we are still held to a very high standard and must follow "public education" standards.
All STRIDE Parents should be able to Correct Misunderstandings:
1. STRIDE (charter schools) are held to ALL academic standards of No Child Left Behind. Our students take the state test and STRIDE is held accountable for their performance.
2. STRIDE accepts ALL students and CANNOT choose students based on ability, race, gender, disability, religion, etc. We conduct an annual lottery for new incoming students and STRIDE maintains and embraces a diverse student population.
3. STRIDE is TUITION FREE...FREE...WE DO NOT CHARGE...PUBLIC SCHOOL
4. STRIDE does not teach religion. We respect religion and teach about religion in a historical context as it pertains to learning objectives.
The support for charter schools is clear and growing. President Obama supports charters and Education Secretary Duncan stated, "The charter movement is one of the most profound changes in American Education- bringing new options to under served communities and introducing competition and innovation into the education system."
My challange to parents and staff is to be able to effectivly correct the misunderstandings about STRIDE within the community.
-Jason Ulbrich, Education Director
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
On the Horizon-Middle School Update and Plans
If you have been at STRIDE over the past three years, you know that STRIDE has worked endlessly to find a middle school location and building that meets both our academic and financial needs. This year we are closer than we have ever been. Our goal is to have a middle school up and running by August, 2010. The current plans have been developed and go in front of the city planning within the next couple weeks. Al Keller is our investor and builder. Al developed and built our current location and addition. The middle school site will be in the South Gate area of south St. Cloud (about one mile south of Walmart just past Boulder Ridge Golf Course). This area is the fastest growing section of St. Cloud and the south side schools of St. Cloud are overflowing. The parcel is four acres to begin, the four acres will house the middle school 6th-8th grades and the entire k-8 campus by 2015-2016. The parcel also has potential to expand into a k-12 campus.
The middle school committee has been meeting on a regular basis for the past two years. We meet at 5:30pm before each board meeting. We always welcome the public to join us in these planning meetings. In the meetings, we discuss the building, curriculum, scheduling, course offerings, transportation, activities and everything else that goes into meeting the needs of middle school students.
BUILDING
The plans are almost complete and available for public view in the school office. The building will be 22,500 square feet to include a gymnasium with bleachers and full court basketball. The five homeroom classrooms will be 805 square feet (much larger than our current classrooms). The science lab is over 1,000 square feet and includes sinks, lab stations, gas and windows on three sides to allow natural light for plant growth. There is a music/art room, boys and girls locker room and lockers in the hallway. The building also allows for future growth of both the elementary and high school.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL GROWTH
With the new facility, STRIDE will now be able to grow vertically by offering 7th and 8th grades. The new middle school will host 6th-8th grades. Our current facility will host grades k-5th. The current facility will have two schedules:
1. k-2 (Primary)
2. 3-5 (Intermediate)
With 6th grade moving to the new middle school, we will have room to grow horizontally by adding one section per year, starting in kindergarten. YES, STRIDE WILL NOW HAVE THREE SECTIONS STARTING IN 2010-2011, TELL YOUR FRIENDS THERE IS ROOM IN KINDERGARTEN.
CURRICULUM AND COURSE OFFERING
Let's be clear, the new middle school will focus on college prep with the vision of ALL students being college ready. What will be offered beyond the basics:
World Language(s)
Advanced/Honors Math
Advanced/Honors Literature
Advanced/Honors Science
Fitness
Technology
Band
Choir
Media Arts
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation will be offered to Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud. All transportation is expected to remain the same. However, we are working on one addition. STRIDE is researching a shuttle between the two locations so parents can drop students off at one location and students can be transported to the other location.
ACTIVITIES
Research has proven that students involved in extra-curricular activities, perform higher academically. We understand that we need to expand our extra-curricular offerings.
The number of offerings is dependent on the number of participants.
Volleyball
Soccer
Basketball
Baseball
Softball
Knowledge Bowl
Math League
Student Council
and more depending on student numbers and coop with other schools.
WHAT IS NEEDED FROM PARENTS
1. We need to ensure that we fill the third section starting with kindergarten next year. We have always had a waiting list, thus the need for a third section. Tell all your friends with kindergartners for next year that STRIDE is opening another section.
2. We will need dozens of parents to COMMIT to help prepare the new middle school for the grand opening. May, June and July of next year will be busy and we need your help with moving, painting, cleaning, putting furniture together, installing lockers and much more. Please notify Lynn Imholte at 230.5340 if you can help. Without your help we will need to spend money needed for the students.
Jason Ulbrich, Education Director
The middle school committee has been meeting on a regular basis for the past two years. We meet at 5:30pm before each board meeting. We always welcome the public to join us in these planning meetings. In the meetings, we discuss the building, curriculum, scheduling, course offerings, transportation, activities and everything else that goes into meeting the needs of middle school students.
BUILDING
The plans are almost complete and available for public view in the school office. The building will be 22,500 square feet to include a gymnasium with bleachers and full court basketball. The five homeroom classrooms will be 805 square feet (much larger than our current classrooms). The science lab is over 1,000 square feet and includes sinks, lab stations, gas and windows on three sides to allow natural light for plant growth. There is a music/art room, boys and girls locker room and lockers in the hallway. The building also allows for future growth of both the elementary and high school.
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL GROWTH
With the new facility, STRIDE will now be able to grow vertically by offering 7th and 8th grades. The new middle school will host 6th-8th grades. Our current facility will host grades k-5th. The current facility will have two schedules:
1. k-2 (Primary)
2. 3-5 (Intermediate)
With 6th grade moving to the new middle school, we will have room to grow horizontally by adding one section per year, starting in kindergarten. YES, STRIDE WILL NOW HAVE THREE SECTIONS STARTING IN 2010-2011, TELL YOUR FRIENDS THERE IS ROOM IN KINDERGARTEN.
CURRICULUM AND COURSE OFFERING
Let's be clear, the new middle school will focus on college prep with the vision of ALL students being college ready. What will be offered beyond the basics:
World Language(s)
Advanced/Honors Math
Advanced/Honors Literature
Advanced/Honors Science
Fitness
Technology
Band
Choir
Media Arts
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation will be offered to Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud. All transportation is expected to remain the same. However, we are working on one addition. STRIDE is researching a shuttle between the two locations so parents can drop students off at one location and students can be transported to the other location.
ACTIVITIES
Research has proven that students involved in extra-curricular activities, perform higher academically. We understand that we need to expand our extra-curricular offerings.
The number of offerings is dependent on the number of participants.
Volleyball
Soccer
Basketball
Baseball
Softball
Knowledge Bowl
Math League
Student Council
and more depending on student numbers and coop with other schools.
WHAT IS NEEDED FROM PARENTS
1. We need to ensure that we fill the third section starting with kindergarten next year. We have always had a waiting list, thus the need for a third section. Tell all your friends with kindergartners for next year that STRIDE is opening another section.
2. We will need dozens of parents to COMMIT to help prepare the new middle school for the grand opening. May, June and July of next year will be busy and we need your help with moving, painting, cleaning, putting furniture together, installing lockers and much more. Please notify Lynn Imholte at 230.5340 if you can help. Without your help we will need to spend money needed for the students.
Jason Ulbrich, Education Director
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)