New Student Enrollment/Registration Continues!
Our goal is to have 100 students registered for this fall and we will continue to offer public information and outreach events to reach this goal. Our upcoming public presentations are June 2 and June 9 (Spanish presentation) at the Durango Public Library Conference Room from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Please spread the word – forward this email - about these events!
We are also very interested in working in small groups to help bring the AHS message to your child’s friends. We are actively working with families to host small gatherings this summer. Please let us know if you, your family or your friends would like to attend one of these small group gatherings.
Registration will remain open for our incoming class of 2013 until we are at capacity. We are currently looking to enroll approx twenty more students for this fall.
Upcoming Student Events
AHS Student Advisory Committee: The Student Advisory Committee is actively shaping our student government and planning AHS events for this summer. All students are welcome and encouraged to participate in this forum. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday June 9th. Contact AHS Registrar Jake Lauer at jake.lauer@animashighschool.com with questions and concerns and location info.
June Jam-fest: The Student Activity Council announces the June Jam-fest, June 6 at 9160 CR 250 Durango, as our next All Student Gathering. Come hear some terrific student bands, bring your own instrument to play in the open jam session, wear your hiking shoes to take a stroll up Stevens Creek Trail, or come and enjoy some time to hang out, talk & eat. As always, friends of registered AHS students are welcome and encouraged to attend. Stay tuned for more details to come from the Student Advisory Committee on this fantastic experience!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Greeting AHS Students!
My name is Jake Lauer and I am the registrar for Animas High School. I have met many of you and I can't wait to meet everyone else. This summer and next school year I will be writing to you and talking to you about some important stuff. And I want you to know from the start that you are all a vital part of this school. I want to hear your ideas, your concerns, your frustrations, your joys. I am here to listen, to talk and to troubleshoot and to enjoy this experience with you.
On that note, I am writing you today about the first ever AHS Student Advisory Council meeting. Head of School Michael Ackerman and I met last Wednesday, May 20th with eight of your fellow students.
This was the first of many meetings this summer. The Council has been formed to allow students to begin shaping our school community and culture prior to our opening this August. The Council will be tackling some important issues, such as student government, student activities, etc. EVERYONE is invited to participate on the council. We will have two meetings each month. If you can, please attend all or some of the meetings. If you cannot attend, you can still participate. You can contact me with your ideas, thoughts and opinions about the issues the Council discusses. Below is a message to our student body drafted by the Council:
Dear Students of Animas High School,
As you may know, the first meeting of the Animas High School Student
Advisory Council (AHSSAC) took place on May 20th this past week. Eight
students attended the meeting in which they discussed many subjects
such as the AHS government set up and leadership to spearhead and ini-
tiate summer projects. The students decided that AHSSAC meetings will
take place every two weeks at the Durango Crossroads Building if possi-
ble. Emergency meetings can take place and will be announced via email
by the AHS registrar. We are asking students to please attend the meet-
ings so they can have a voice in school affairs.
We want students to be able to address school issues and openly discuss
them with other students. Other details will be sent later regarding the
exact time and place the next meeting will occur. Hope to see you there!
The Student Advisory Council
Here is a recap of our first meeting:
During our first meeting, the Council explored options for AHS student government. In a spirited discussion, students asked many questions: what will student government look like at AHS? How will students voices be represented and what opportunities for student leadership will exist at AHS?
The group reached the following conclusions:
• AHS will employ a democratic model of student government.
• The Council will determine a democratic structure of government at AHS.
• Students settled on the following four options for AHS student government:
1) Direct Democracy: Every student votes on every single issue with no one person acting as student body president/representative.
2) Representative Democracy- Students elect leaders to represent their ideas and opinions and the elected leadership will vote on issues.
3)Committee System- Students are elected/appointed to various committees that will tackle specific issues/areas. These committees will develop proposals and refine action steps. Then those proposals/steps would be presented to the entire student
body for vote/action.
4) Committee System/Representative Blend- This option allows many students to serve on particular committees presenting their recommendations to an executive council(elected leadership positions like a student body president/vp/etc.)Then the
executive body votes on the action/measure.
The Council decided its next meeting will at 4 p.m on Wednesday, June 3rd at the Durango Crossroads Building in Conference Room 100. During that meeting, the Council will vote to adopt one of the four student government options and make plans for implementation this fall. During student orientation in August, the Council will
present its plan(s) to the student body.
Additionally, the Council recognized the need for student action prior to our August 24th start date. The Council created a list of opportunities that exist for students to begin working on immediately. These include:
• Animas High School’s First Annual JAM FEST on June 6th 2009
• AHS Spanish Outreach presentation
• Paradise Island Summer Tubing Trip
• Student/Parent/Staff Olympics
If you are interested in helping plan and organize any of the events, please contact me.
We want to acknowledge the participation and efforts of the following students at our first advisory council meeting: the Seths,Nathan, Ashley, Cooper, Chad, Isabelle and Hank.
I personally can't wait for Animas High School to start. I hope you will all join us this summer as we give shape to our new school. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact me at jake.lauer@animashighschool.com Happy summer!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
New high school offering new approach
Article Last Updated; Tuesday, May 19, 2009
In Suzanne Garcia's letter to the editor (Herald, May 7), she shares her enthusiasm about Colorado Teacher of the Year Susan Elliott's message at the Colorado Education Association Delegate Assembly in Denver. Garcia shares Elliott's message about the need for educators to rethink the way we are educating our children in the 21st century.
Elliott spoke of the need for a new approach to education - one that fosters creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. Our community needs to be aware that Durango is not at the crest of the wave, but is riding the wave. Our community has Animas High School, a free charter school opening for freshman this fall, to meet the need to educate our students for the 21st century. The founders, board of directors and staff members have done their homework and have adopted a nationally acclaimed model with a proven track record to provide our students an education that is rigorous, relevant and collaborative in an atmosphere where the students are excited about learning and committed to excellence. Visit www.AnimasHighSchool.org for the full mission and values statements.
This model is proven to help students stay engaged in school, ignite a passion for lifelong learning and send 99 percent of students to excellent colleges. With the student population set at 100 per grade, the staff has a personal relationship with each student, allowing them to provide individualized instruction to meet the students' unique needs. No student will fall through the cracks.
This approach to education includes teacher-led lectures, student-led discussions, research, projects, assessments and ongoing teacher feedback all with technology integrated throughout the process. It's a lot to understand, therefore I recommend attending an upcoming informational meeting to learn more, (6-8 p.m. June 2 and 9 at the Durango Public Library), or call Head of School Michael Ackerman at 403-4827 to set a personal meeting. Nearly 90 area students have enrolled for this opportunity. It's time to find out why.
Judith Wallace, Durango
Getting Down to Business
Don't Miss Out on these Upcoming Opportunities for AHS Students to Get Down to Business!
Wednesday, May 20th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM Durango Crossroads Building - Conference Room 100
Pre-Opening Meeting of the AHS Student Advisory Council
Many students listed Student Government as an interest area on their enrollment data sheets. I would like to invite those who are interested to join Head of School Michael Ackerman and fellow AHS staff members for an informal discussion about student government. We will be discussing what Student Government at AHS will look like. What positions and term limits do we want to create? What issues and areas should Student Government take an active role in? What is the best way to share leadership within our community? How do we effectively represent student voices?
These are just some of the ideas and topics we will be discussing Wednesday afternoon. In addition to planning for the 2009-2010 school year, we will be looking for student leaders to help spearhead projects and initiatives this summer. Got an opinion? I’m sure you do! Let’s hear from you this Wednesday!
Thursday, May 21st, 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Animas High School, 3206 North Main
Art Team
Our student community is full of artists and we want to give you a chance to employ your creative talents! Join AHS Computer and Art Teacher Roxanne McKnight for an afternoon of painting and fun! Our students will work to make the front windows of our facility come alive with all the colors and energy of summer! We have the paint, the brushes and the drop cloths. You bring your creativity and a positive mental attitude. Together, we’ll liven up our space through art and share loads of laughs along the way!
Monday, May 18, 2009
School Reform That Works
Bill Gates released his annual letter in January, 2009 outlining the state of his foundation and its goals for 2009. Below is a copy of that letter. The article is short enough to read through quickly – but if you don’t have the time, I will paraphrase for you.
School Reform That Works Bill Gates (Jan. 2009)
Key Points: He has invested $2B in education in America. When reflecting on the schools he has invested he, he notes that not all were successful. He notes that the changes to improve education need to be radical including allowing principals the ability to select teachers and curriculum. He saw more success when new schools were newly created (charter schools). He identifies the successful charter school High Tech High (our model school) because it is achieving amazing results. We have a winning model and we are so excited to bring it to the students of Durango!
School Reform That Works
By Bill Gates
Wednesday, January 28, 2009; Page A15
Bill Gates released an annual letter this week outlining the state of his foundation and its goals for 2009. Following are excerpts from the section on education:
Warren Buffett [says] every American, including him, is lucky to have been born here. He calls us winners of the "ovarian lottery."
But even within the United States, there is a big gap between people who get the chance to make the most of their talents and those who don't. Melinda and I believe that providing everyone with a great education is the key to closing this gap. . . .
The private high school I attended, Lakeside in Seattle, made a huge difference in my life. The teachers fueled my interests and encouraged me to read and learn as much as I could. Without those teachers I never would have gotten on the path of getting deeply engaged in math and software. . . .
How many kids don't get the same chance to achieve their full potential? The number is very large. Every year, 1 million kids drop out of high school. Only 71 percent of kids graduate from high school within four years, and for minorities, the numbers are even worse -- 58 percent for Hispanics and 55 percent for African Americans. . . . The federal No Child Left Behind Act isn't perfect, but it has forced us to look at each school's results and realize how poorly we are doing overall. It surprises me that more parents are not upset about the education their own kids are receiving.
Nine years ago, the foundation decided to invest in helping to create better high schools, and we have made over $2 billion in grants. The goal was to give schools extra money for a period of time to make changes in the way they were organized (including reducing their size), in how the teachers worked, and in the curriculum. The hope was that after a few years they would operate at the same cost per student as before, but they would have become much more effective.
Many of the small schools that we invested in did not improve students' achievement in any significant way. These tended to be the schools that did not take radical steps to change the culture, such as allowing the principal to pick the team of teachers or change the curriculum. We had less success trying to change an existing school than helping to create a new school.
Even so, many schools had higher attendance and graduation rates than their peers. While we were pleased with these improvements, we are trying to raise college-ready graduation rates, and in most cases, we fell short.
But a few of the schools that we funded achieved something amazing. They replaced schools with low expectations and low results with ones that have high expectations and high results. These schools are not selective in whom they admit, and they are overwhelmingly serving kids in poor areas, most of whose parents did not go to college. Almost all of these schools are charter schools that have significantly longer school days than other schools.
I have had a chance to spend time at a number of these schools, including High Tech High in San Diego and the Knowledge Is Power Program, or "KIPP," in Houston. . . . It is invigorating and inspirational to meet with the students and teachers in these schools and hear about their aspirations. They talk about how the schools they were in before did not challenge them and how their new school engages all of their abilities. These schools aim to have all of their kids enter four-year colleges, and many of them achieve that goal with 90 percent to 100 percent of their students.
These successes and failures have underscored the need to aim high and embrace change in America's schools. Our goal as a nation should be to ensure that 80 percent of our students graduate from high school fully ready to attend college by 2025. This goal will probably be more difficult to achieve than anything else the foundation works on, because change comes so slowly and is so hard to measure. . . . If one school's students do better than another school's, how do you determine the exact cause? But the difficulty of the problem does not make it any less important to solve. And as the successes show, some schools are making real progress.
Based on what the foundation has learned so far, we have refined our strategy. We will continue to invest in replicating the school models that worked the best. Almost all of these schools are charter schools. Many states have limits on charter schools, including giving them less funding than other schools. Educational innovation and overall improvement will go a lot faster if the charter school limits and funding rules are changed.
One of the key things these schools have done is help their teachers be more effective in the classroom. It is amazing how big a difference a great teacher makes versus an ineffective one. Research shows that there is only half as much variation in student achievement between schools as there is among classrooms in the same school. If you want your child to get the best education possible, it is actually more important to get him assigned to a great teacher than to a great school.
Whenever I talk to teachers, it is clear that they want to be great, but they need better tools so they can measure their progress and keep improving. So our new strategy focuses on learning why some teachers are so much more effective than others and how best practices can be spread throughout the education system so that the average quality goes up. We will work with some of the best teachers to put their lectures online as a model for other teachers and as a resource for students.
Bill Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Melinda French Gates is a director of The Washington Post Co. The full letter is online at http://www.gatesfoundation.org/annual-letter/.
School Reform That Works Bill Gates (Jan. 2009)
Key Points: He has invested $2B in education in America. When reflecting on the schools he has invested he, he notes that not all were successful. He notes that the changes to improve education need to be radical including allowing principals the ability to select teachers and curriculum. He saw more success when new schools were newly created (charter schools). He identifies the successful charter school High Tech High (our model school) because it is achieving amazing results. We have a winning model and we are so excited to bring it to the students of Durango!
School Reform That Works
By Bill Gates
Wednesday, January 28, 2009; Page A15
Bill Gates released an annual letter this week outlining the state of his foundation and its goals for 2009. Following are excerpts from the section on education:
Warren Buffett [says] every American, including him, is lucky to have been born here. He calls us winners of the "ovarian lottery."
But even within the United States, there is a big gap between people who get the chance to make the most of their talents and those who don't. Melinda and I believe that providing everyone with a great education is the key to closing this gap. . . .
The private high school I attended, Lakeside in Seattle, made a huge difference in my life. The teachers fueled my interests and encouraged me to read and learn as much as I could. Without those teachers I never would have gotten on the path of getting deeply engaged in math and software. . . .
How many kids don't get the same chance to achieve their full potential? The number is very large. Every year, 1 million kids drop out of high school. Only 71 percent of kids graduate from high school within four years, and for minorities, the numbers are even worse -- 58 percent for Hispanics and 55 percent for African Americans. . . . The federal No Child Left Behind Act isn't perfect, but it has forced us to look at each school's results and realize how poorly we are doing overall. It surprises me that more parents are not upset about the education their own kids are receiving.
Nine years ago, the foundation decided to invest in helping to create better high schools, and we have made over $2 billion in grants. The goal was to give schools extra money for a period of time to make changes in the way they were organized (including reducing their size), in how the teachers worked, and in the curriculum. The hope was that after a few years they would operate at the same cost per student as before, but they would have become much more effective.
Many of the small schools that we invested in did not improve students' achievement in any significant way. These tended to be the schools that did not take radical steps to change the culture, such as allowing the principal to pick the team of teachers or change the curriculum. We had less success trying to change an existing school than helping to create a new school.
Even so, many schools had higher attendance and graduation rates than their peers. While we were pleased with these improvements, we are trying to raise college-ready graduation rates, and in most cases, we fell short.
But a few of the schools that we funded achieved something amazing. They replaced schools with low expectations and low results with ones that have high expectations and high results. These schools are not selective in whom they admit, and they are overwhelmingly serving kids in poor areas, most of whose parents did not go to college. Almost all of these schools are charter schools that have significantly longer school days than other schools.
I have had a chance to spend time at a number of these schools, including High Tech High in San Diego and the Knowledge Is Power Program, or "KIPP," in Houston. . . . It is invigorating and inspirational to meet with the students and teachers in these schools and hear about their aspirations. They talk about how the schools they were in before did not challenge them and how their new school engages all of their abilities. These schools aim to have all of their kids enter four-year colleges, and many of them achieve that goal with 90 percent to 100 percent of their students.
These successes and failures have underscored the need to aim high and embrace change in America's schools. Our goal as a nation should be to ensure that 80 percent of our students graduate from high school fully ready to attend college by 2025. This goal will probably be more difficult to achieve than anything else the foundation works on, because change comes so slowly and is so hard to measure. . . . If one school's students do better than another school's, how do you determine the exact cause? But the difficulty of the problem does not make it any less important to solve. And as the successes show, some schools are making real progress.
Based on what the foundation has learned so far, we have refined our strategy. We will continue to invest in replicating the school models that worked the best. Almost all of these schools are charter schools. Many states have limits on charter schools, including giving them less funding than other schools. Educational innovation and overall improvement will go a lot faster if the charter school limits and funding rules are changed.
One of the key things these schools have done is help their teachers be more effective in the classroom. It is amazing how big a difference a great teacher makes versus an ineffective one. Research shows that there is only half as much variation in student achievement between schools as there is among classrooms in the same school. If you want your child to get the best education possible, it is actually more important to get him assigned to a great teacher than to a great school.
Whenever I talk to teachers, it is clear that they want to be great, but they need better tools so they can measure their progress and keep improving. So our new strategy focuses on learning why some teachers are so much more effective than others and how best practices can be spread throughout the education system so that the average quality goes up. We will work with some of the best teachers to put their lectures online as a model for other teachers and as a resource for students.
Bill Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Melinda French Gates is a director of The Washington Post Co. The full letter is online at http://www.gatesfoundation.org/annual-letter/.
AHS Weekly Email- 5-18-09
Happy Monday!
We have another gorgeous day after a gorgeous weekend. We are so lucky to live here! I have a lot to share this week, so I hope you can forgive this wordy email update. I will try to make it easy to read.
Registration: We had a fantastic registration event! Thank you for all your positive feedback about the event. We have nearly 80 students registered for next year ~ enough to open the school!! What a great accomplishment for our community.
New Student Enrollment/Registration: Our goal for registration is 100 students and we will continue to offer public informational events to reach this goal. Our upcoming public presentations are June 2 and June 9 at the Durango Public Library from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Please spread the work about these events to assist us in meeting our goal of 100 students. We are also very interested in working in small groups to help bring the AHS message to your child’s friends. PLEASE contact me if you are willing to host a small group gathering with your child’s friends. The sooner the better!!
Facility: We began demolition efforts at the building this weekend. A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who came out to lend a hand! We had great emails afterwards from parents thanking US for the opportunity to help our school and giving their family an opportunity to serve the community. Thank you!
Here is the schedule for the next volunteer opportunities:
Wed, May 20th from 4 – pm
Sat, May 23rd from 8:30 – 11 am
Thurs, May 28th from 4 – 7 pm
Contact Nancy at MindExpanseChildren@yahoo.com or 946-3322 to register – wear your dirty clothes!!
Teachers: We have hired almost all our staff and we have such FABULOUS teachers! Michael will be sending an email to share the information about our teachers – it is so exciting!!
Other Important News: We will be working all summer – so feel free to contact us at any time with questions, ideas, etc. We are planning All Student Gatherings for June, July & August. If you have ideas for things you would like to do, send me a note! (suelawton@aol.com) We are planning a jam-fest for the June All Student Gathering. Join us June 6, bring your instrument to play in our jam session or come and enjoy some time to just hang out, go on a hike, talk & eat. As always, friends of AHS are welcome. Details to come.
I look forward to hearing from you! Give me a call or send me a note!
Warmly,
Sue
970-759-1347
We have another gorgeous day after a gorgeous weekend. We are so lucky to live here! I have a lot to share this week, so I hope you can forgive this wordy email update. I will try to make it easy to read.
Registration: We had a fantastic registration event! Thank you for all your positive feedback about the event. We have nearly 80 students registered for next year ~ enough to open the school!! What a great accomplishment for our community.
New Student Enrollment/Registration: Our goal for registration is 100 students and we will continue to offer public informational events to reach this goal. Our upcoming public presentations are June 2 and June 9 at the Durango Public Library from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Please spread the work about these events to assist us in meeting our goal of 100 students. We are also very interested in working in small groups to help bring the AHS message to your child’s friends. PLEASE contact me if you are willing to host a small group gathering with your child’s friends. The sooner the better!!
Facility: We began demolition efforts at the building this weekend. A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who came out to lend a hand! We had great emails afterwards from parents thanking US for the opportunity to help our school and giving their family an opportunity to serve the community. Thank you!
Here is the schedule for the next volunteer opportunities:
Wed, May 20th from 4 – pm
Sat, May 23rd from 8:30 – 11 am
Thurs, May 28th from 4 – 7 pm
Contact Nancy at MindExpanseChildren@yahoo.com or 946-3322 to register – wear your dirty clothes!!
Teachers: We have hired almost all our staff and we have such FABULOUS teachers! Michael will be sending an email to share the information about our teachers – it is so exciting!!
Other Important News: We will be working all summer – so feel free to contact us at any time with questions, ideas, etc. We are planning All Student Gatherings for June, July & August. If you have ideas for things you would like to do, send me a note! (suelawton@aol.com) We are planning a jam-fest for the June All Student Gathering. Join us June 6, bring your instrument to play in our jam session or come and enjoy some time to just hang out, go on a hike, talk & eat. As always, friends of AHS are welcome. Details to come.
I look forward to hearing from you! Give me a call or send me a note!
Warmly,
Sue
970-759-1347
Hands-on Learning- AHS Transformation Begins
A huge THANK YOU to all those folks in our community who turned out for Saturday's Demo Day. The building looks terrific and we are ready to start opening up the space. TOGETHER, WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING AMAZING THINGS!
from the Durango Herald, Sunday, May 17, page A3
"Hands-on learning"
Pearce Fazekas, 6, front, and Elijah Gutt, 12, rear, carry ceiling tiles during a demolition day Saturday at the new Animas High School on north Main Avenue. The school plans to open Aug. 24, the same day as Durango High School. It currently has about 80 students enrolled.
from the Durango Herald, Sunday, May 17, page A3
"Hands-on learning"
Pearce Fazekas, 6, front, and Elijah Gutt, 12, rear, carry ceiling tiles during a demolition day Saturday at the new Animas High School on north Main Avenue. The school plans to open Aug. 24, the same day as Durango High School. It currently has about 80 students enrolled.
Ripped from the Headlines.....
How timely the Durango Herald chose this piece, from all the hundreds of stories on the AP wire, to run in our community. I especially like the part of the article that states, "Lots of people wanted to shut down the competition [charter schools], but reason prevailed and traditional school leaders learned how to do better."
I'm excited to see how we all can do it better as we continue to create multiple avenues for success for high school students in our community. Together, we are accomplishing great things!
Idaho charter, conventional schools compete
by Jessie L. Bonner
Associated Press Writer
Article Last Updated; Wednesday, April 08, 2009
GOODING, Idaho - A few minutes after the bell pulses into his classroom, Gus Spiropulos waits for the fifth graders to finish their noisy parade out the door before he reluctantly begins his calls to parents.
His approach is polite but pointed; there are only a few troublemakers. But he's careful not to stir resentment because parents in this tiny dairy community no longer have to send their children to Gooding Elementary School, or even Gooding Middle School. Starting this fall, they'll also be able to opt out of the traditional public high school here.
That choice is as Idaho lawmakers intended when they authorized charter schools a decade ago, part of a wave of states that embraced an alternative to the conventional classroom.
Since then, conventional public schools across the state have lost students to charter schools. Gooding is the poster child for the impact of charter schools on one of the poorest districts in the state.
"I'm not sure they totally understood what they were doing, the ramifications of putting a charter in a rural school district," Spiropulos said. "Now they know."
While charters have become ingrained in the educational fabric of states such as Arizona, Michigan, Colorado and Florida, there are still Idaho lawmakers who consider them a threat to the traditional public school system.
Less than a year after North Valley Academy opened in Gooding, the traditional public school system has lost about 100 students - 10 percent of its total enrollment - and a portion of the tax money that supported those students.
On Feb. 10, voters had to pass a supplemental property tax levy to raise about $325,000 for the Gooding School District to ward off the elimination of music and athletic programs caused partly by the departure of the charter school kids and in part by the economic downturn. The levy gained many supporters, including Dr. Heather Williams, the district superintendent, and it passed 669 to 393, but it also worsened a rift that emerged in Gooding when the school buses started carrying two sets of kids.
The students headed to North Valley Academy wore sharp uniforms, khaki bottoms and polo or button-down shirts in red, white and blue. Those bound for the regular public school were suddenly different.
"It segregated the community," said Holly Church, a 30-year-old teacher who lives in Gooding and works in the public schools in nearby Wendell. "People who had been friends for 40 years are now fighting. They're saying, 'my kid goes to the public school,' 'well my kid goes to the charter school.'"
Butch and Mary Stolzman will have grandchildren in both public school systems this fall. They voted for the levy in support of the regular public schools, but parents also seem to like the charter school.
"We haven't quite figured out which one is better," said Butch Stolzman, who owns a pellet mill in town.
More than 30 charter schools have been established in Idaho by teachers, parents and community members. For just about every one of the 11,000 students enrolled in a charter school, there is another kid on a waiting list.
They are public schools, funded with state money, but given more flexibility in how they operate. They draft charters with specific goals and their students are subject to standardized testing, just like they would be in regular schools.
They enroll students through a lottery system and attract a smaller percentage of minorities compared to traditional schools statewide. Several, like North Valley Academy, have adopted rigorous college-prep programs and students adhere to strict discipline codes.
Debra Infanger wanted students in Gooding County, where cows outnumber residents 12 to one, to have the same alternative being offered in school districts across the state. She founded North Valley Academy, which has about 162 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade and will expand to include grades nine-12 this fall.
"I don't regret it at all," said Infanger, the retired owner of a glass-repair business. "I don't like to see rural kids shorted just because we live in the country and don't like a lot of traffic."
All five of her children went to regular schools here, she tutored algebra and frosted cupcakes for bake sales.
"I don't want to hurt the traditional public schools. I just believe in choice," Infanger said. "I think having two schools in town just makes both of us work harder."
About 100 miles west of Gooding, lawmakers in the state capital have set the stage for a legislative battle over a plan to temporarily freeze approval of new charter schools for the next three years, beginning in July.
State Sen. Dick Sagness, a Democrat, wants to place a moratorium on the establishment of new charter schools until the economic turmoil subsides.
Charters received nearly $60 million last year in state money, while more than half of the 115 school districts in Idaho have gone to local taxpayers and are operating with supplemental levies, Sagness said.
"If they're in a district where the charter school resides, it's having an impact, opportunities are being reduced," Sagness said. "Tell me how that's fair, or reasonable."
At least one Republican senator vowed to oppose the bill when it was introduced to the Senate Education Committee last month. The legislation, which is likely to fail, has also drawn criticism from public schools chief Tom Luna.
"I think it would send a signal to the parents of Idaho that we are not going to respect their demands," said Luna, who supports a plan to raise the cap on the number of new charters allowed to open each year.
In neighboring Washington state, the Legislature's approval of charter schools in 2004 was swiftly overturned by voters in a referendum at the next election.
But nationwide, efforts to stymie the growth of charter schools have largely failed and there are now 4,600 of them in 40 states with 4.5 million students, said Jeanne Allen, president and founder of the Center for Education Reform, a school choice advocate based in Washington, D.C.
"Lots of people wanted to shut down the competition, but reason prevailed and traditional school leaders learned how to do better," Allen said. "Those who didn't have either continued to suffer or they have closed."
Contents copyright ©, the Durango Herald. All rights reserved.
I'm excited to see how we all can do it better as we continue to create multiple avenues for success for high school students in our community. Together, we are accomplishing great things!
Idaho charter, conventional schools compete
by Jessie L. Bonner
Associated Press Writer
Article Last Updated; Wednesday, April 08, 2009
GOODING, Idaho - A few minutes after the bell pulses into his classroom, Gus Spiropulos waits for the fifth graders to finish their noisy parade out the door before he reluctantly begins his calls to parents.
His approach is polite but pointed; there are only a few troublemakers. But he's careful not to stir resentment because parents in this tiny dairy community no longer have to send their children to Gooding Elementary School, or even Gooding Middle School. Starting this fall, they'll also be able to opt out of the traditional public high school here.
That choice is as Idaho lawmakers intended when they authorized charter schools a decade ago, part of a wave of states that embraced an alternative to the conventional classroom.
Since then, conventional public schools across the state have lost students to charter schools. Gooding is the poster child for the impact of charter schools on one of the poorest districts in the state.
"I'm not sure they totally understood what they were doing, the ramifications of putting a charter in a rural school district," Spiropulos said. "Now they know."
While charters have become ingrained in the educational fabric of states such as Arizona, Michigan, Colorado and Florida, there are still Idaho lawmakers who consider them a threat to the traditional public school system.
Less than a year after North Valley Academy opened in Gooding, the traditional public school system has lost about 100 students - 10 percent of its total enrollment - and a portion of the tax money that supported those students.
On Feb. 10, voters had to pass a supplemental property tax levy to raise about $325,000 for the Gooding School District to ward off the elimination of music and athletic programs caused partly by the departure of the charter school kids and in part by the economic downturn. The levy gained many supporters, including Dr. Heather Williams, the district superintendent, and it passed 669 to 393, but it also worsened a rift that emerged in Gooding when the school buses started carrying two sets of kids.
The students headed to North Valley Academy wore sharp uniforms, khaki bottoms and polo or button-down shirts in red, white and blue. Those bound for the regular public school were suddenly different.
"It segregated the community," said Holly Church, a 30-year-old teacher who lives in Gooding and works in the public schools in nearby Wendell. "People who had been friends for 40 years are now fighting. They're saying, 'my kid goes to the public school,' 'well my kid goes to the charter school.'"
Butch and Mary Stolzman will have grandchildren in both public school systems this fall. They voted for the levy in support of the regular public schools, but parents also seem to like the charter school.
"We haven't quite figured out which one is better," said Butch Stolzman, who owns a pellet mill in town.
More than 30 charter schools have been established in Idaho by teachers, parents and community members. For just about every one of the 11,000 students enrolled in a charter school, there is another kid on a waiting list.
They are public schools, funded with state money, but given more flexibility in how they operate. They draft charters with specific goals and their students are subject to standardized testing, just like they would be in regular schools.
They enroll students through a lottery system and attract a smaller percentage of minorities compared to traditional schools statewide. Several, like North Valley Academy, have adopted rigorous college-prep programs and students adhere to strict discipline codes.
Debra Infanger wanted students in Gooding County, where cows outnumber residents 12 to one, to have the same alternative being offered in school districts across the state. She founded North Valley Academy, which has about 162 pupils in kindergarten through eighth grade and will expand to include grades nine-12 this fall.
"I don't regret it at all," said Infanger, the retired owner of a glass-repair business. "I don't like to see rural kids shorted just because we live in the country and don't like a lot of traffic."
All five of her children went to regular schools here, she tutored algebra and frosted cupcakes for bake sales.
"I don't want to hurt the traditional public schools. I just believe in choice," Infanger said. "I think having two schools in town just makes both of us work harder."
About 100 miles west of Gooding, lawmakers in the state capital have set the stage for a legislative battle over a plan to temporarily freeze approval of new charter schools for the next three years, beginning in July.
State Sen. Dick Sagness, a Democrat, wants to place a moratorium on the establishment of new charter schools until the economic turmoil subsides.
Charters received nearly $60 million last year in state money, while more than half of the 115 school districts in Idaho have gone to local taxpayers and are operating with supplemental levies, Sagness said.
"If they're in a district where the charter school resides, it's having an impact, opportunities are being reduced," Sagness said. "Tell me how that's fair, or reasonable."
At least one Republican senator vowed to oppose the bill when it was introduced to the Senate Education Committee last month. The legislation, which is likely to fail, has also drawn criticism from public schools chief Tom Luna.
"I think it would send a signal to the parents of Idaho that we are not going to respect their demands," said Luna, who supports a plan to raise the cap on the number of new charters allowed to open each year.
In neighboring Washington state, the Legislature's approval of charter schools in 2004 was swiftly overturned by voters in a referendum at the next election.
But nationwide, efforts to stymie the growth of charter schools have largely failed and there are now 4,600 of them in 40 states with 4.5 million students, said Jeanne Allen, president and founder of the Center for Education Reform, a school choice advocate based in Washington, D.C.
"Lots of people wanted to shut down the competition, but reason prevailed and traditional school leaders learned how to do better," Allen said. "Those who didn't have either continued to suffer or they have closed."
Contents copyright ©, the Durango Herald. All rights reserved.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
May....The Force is With Us!
On Monday, May 4 Animas High School hosted a second all-student gathering at the Durango Powerhouse. It was great to be the first school group to actually use the space inside the old power plant. I especially want to thank Claire and Lexi from the Discovery Museum for letting Animas High School utilize such an amazing venue. We started our evening hearing from Lexi Wallace, Education specialist with the museum who gave us an overview of the building’s history. She then went on to explain her vision for collaboration between the museum and Animas High. We have amazing opportunities to help the museum produce exhibits, assist with educational programs for the local elementary schools as well as the chance to team up with their scientist to conduct ongoing research related to our local natural resources.
Right Pic: Students hear from Lexi Wallace, Education Specialist with the Durango Discovery Powerhouse Museum.Lexi’s address was the perfectly aligned with our theme for the evening, Identity. Who are we? What does our Animas high school community look like? What do we value? How do we create a culture of excellence? These were just a few of the questions that were thrown out to the group of assembled students.
Left Pic: Head of School Michael Ackerman employs Eric and Boone as visual examples during the Rose and Thorn activity debrief.Reflecting upon our combined visions for Animas seemed like a natural starting point. If you were at the first all-student gathering, you probably remember the Rose and Thorn activity. We asked students to brainstorm a list of roses; what smelled sweet for them and what were they excited for in regards to Animas High school? We also asked students to speak to their thorns, what are they feeling a little prickly or anxious about. I had crunched the results of that activity and opened up the conversation to include a focus on how are hopes, goals, fears and anxieties are a key part of forging our identity as a fledging community. Below are the results from the Rose and Thorn Activity and the number of students who commented on each area:
Thorn # 1- Our New Building
Our new building and its location.
Will it be as nice as other high schools?
Will it be too small?
Are we there forever?
Feedback from at least 10 students
Thorn # 2- We Are So New
AHS is a new school and signing up for Animas is a bit scary.
I don’t want to feel like a guinea pig.
I’m afraid that I can’t leave if I don’t like it.
Feedback from at least 20 students
Thorn # 3- We Are So Small
I’m afraid that school will be to small.
I’m afraid that I’m the youngest student and I’ll stand out in the smaller
environment.
I’m afraid I’m the oldest student and that I will not fit in if we’re so
small.
Feedback from at least 13 students
Thorn # 4- Friends
I’m worried that I’ll be split up from my friends.
I’m worried that I will not know anyone and that it will be difficult to
make friends at AHS
I’m worried that there will not be enough of a “social scene”
I’m worried there are no upperclassman
I have reservations about some of the people going to AHS
I’m worried there’s not enough ladies
Feedback from at least 18 students
Thorn #5- The AHS Program
I’m worried I’ll work to slow for others
I’m concerned I’ll work too fast and be bored
I’m worried about Homework
I’m nervous that AHS will not be FUN
I’m concerned we will have no free time
There are not many extracurricular opportunities (clubs, dances, etc.)
No sports at AHS
No open campus/lunch
Feedback from at least 20 students
Rose # 1- Our New Building
I’m so excited to have a new building
I’m excited for new technology- computers, video and music equipment, etc.
I’m psyched our school will have our work on display- (excited to hang a
submarine from the rafters)
I’m excited to be so close to the river
Feedback from at least 7 students
Rose # 2- We Are So New
I’m excited to actually have a say in how my high school is run!
I’m excited to help create all this good stuff in a new school
How great it is to start high school in a new high school
By joining a new school, I’ve shown I’m not afraid to take a risk
Feedback from at least 10 students
Rose # 3- We Are So Small
I’ll know everyone at my school
Because we are so small, students will act more mature and intelligent
Teachers will know me
I’m so excited for smaller classes
I’m excited that teachers can challenge me “where I’m at”
Feedback from at least 16 students
Rose #4- Friends
Animas kids appear more cool than other students
I’m so excited to make new friends
It’s cool to be in classes with new people
It’s good to start somewhere with no cliques
I’ll still be able to see everyone everyday
Feedback from at least 11 students
Rose # 5- The AHS Program
School will be more FUN and engaging
The way we learn at AHS will be much more suited to how I learn
The way teachers teach at AHS is easier for me to understand
Our teachers are rad
Challenging Curriculum, Interactive Projects, writing and creativity are a
big part!
The school is very visual
Crazy technology
I can get into better colleges by going to AHS
Teachers consider us all gifted and talented
Feedback from at least 30 students
Overall, the energy and excitement at our second gathering was POWERful! I look forward to working more on solidifying our community’s identity. Our students have offered us some amazing feedback so far and it’s terrific to be able to incorporate these comments into the culture and climate of Animas High. Stay tuned for more information on future student events this summer! Together, we are accomplishing amazing things!
Transforming Our New Home....3206 Main Street
Sign up for Demolition Days at Animas High School!
Come roll up your sleeves with us to transform 3206 Main Ave into
Animas High School's excellent computer labs, classrooms and project areas!
Bring a Friend!
Please sign up for one of the Demo Days below to lend a hand for all or part of a time slot.
Saturday, May 16th from 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Wednesday, May 20th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday, May 23rd from 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Thursday, May 28th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Email or call Nancy: MindExpanseChildren@yahoo.com or 946-3322
Thanks!
Volunteers -- this counts toward your Founders Status to ensure a seat for your child.
Come roll up your sleeves with us to transform 3206 Main Ave into
Animas High School's excellent computer labs, classrooms and project areas!
Bring a Friend!
Please sign up for one of the Demo Days below to lend a hand for all or part of a time slot.
Saturday, May 16th from 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Wednesday, May 20th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Saturday, May 23rd from 8:30 am - 11:00 am
Thursday, May 28th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Email or call Nancy: MindExpanseChildren@yahoo.com or 946-3322
Thanks!
Volunteers -- this counts toward your Founders Status to ensure a seat for your child.
Public CAP4K Meeting May 19 in Durango on Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness
Public CAP4K Meeting May 19 in Durango on Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness
Attn: Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, Curriculum and Assessment Directors, Counselors and All Building staff
The Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education will jointly host a town hall meeting in Durango next week as part of the ongoing effort to establish a description of "postsecondary and workforce readiness." (Note: The first meeting will be held tomorrow, May 14 in Glenwood Springs from 5-7 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road.)
The Durango meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 19, from 5 - 7 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in Durango, 501 Camino del Rio.
Educators, students, parents, business and community members and interested citizens are invited to the meetings.
The following week's meeting will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, at the University of Colorado Boulder - University Memorial Center, Room 235, 1669 Euclid Ave.
These gatherings will total 12 in a series of 13 statewide meetings planned to solicit a broad spectrum of community thinking. The work was launched by Senate Bill 08-212, the "Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act" also known as the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K).
The town hall forums will focus on such questions as:
- What do students need to be workforce ready?
- What do students need to be postsecondary ready?
- Are there special considerations for the workforce or higher education in your region of the state?
Please contact Samantha Long, SB 212 project manager, with any questions, and feel free to share this event with others you think might be interested. We hope you will be able to join us in this important conversation.
For More Information, Contact:
Samantha Long
Office of Learning and Results
Phone: 303-866-3801
Email: long_s@cde.state.co.us
Attn: Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, Curriculum and Assessment Directors, Counselors and All Building staff
The Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Department of Higher Education will jointly host a town hall meeting in Durango next week as part of the ongoing effort to establish a description of "postsecondary and workforce readiness." (Note: The first meeting will be held tomorrow, May 14 in Glenwood Springs from 5-7 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road.)
The Durango meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 19, from 5 - 7 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in Durango, 501 Camino del Rio.
Educators, students, parents, business and community members and interested citizens are invited to the meetings.
The following week's meeting will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, at the University of Colorado Boulder - University Memorial Center, Room 235, 1669 Euclid Ave.
These gatherings will total 12 in a series of 13 statewide meetings planned to solicit a broad spectrum of community thinking. The work was launched by Senate Bill 08-212, the "Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act" also known as the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K).
The town hall forums will focus on such questions as:
- What do students need to be workforce ready?
- What do students need to be postsecondary ready?
- Are there special considerations for the workforce or higher education in your region of the state?
Please contact Samantha Long, SB 212 project manager, with any questions, and feel free to share this event with others you think might be interested. We hope you will be able to join us in this important conversation.
For More Information, Contact:
Samantha Long
Office of Learning and Results
Phone: 303-866-3801
Email: long_s@cde.state.co.us
Sunday, May 3, 2009
All Student Gathering
ALL STUDENT GATHERING
Please Join us for the second Animas High School, All Student Gathering. Students and staff will come together to address key questions related to our school’s IDENTITY. Who are we and what is our role within AHS? What does a Culture of Excellence look like and how do you figure into that? How do individuals find their voice within our greater community?
We’ll explore these questions and more this Monday night! This event is open to all enrolled Animas High students, perspective AHS students and their invited guests. Expect good times, sti mulating conversations, fun activities and most likely a surprise or two.
When: Monay, May 4, 2009 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Where: The Durango Discovery Museum at the Durango Powerhouse
Questions or Concerns? Contact Michael Ackerman at 970-403-4827 michael@animashighschool.com
Please Join us for the second Animas High School, All Student Gathering. Students and staff will come together to address key questions related to our school’s IDENTITY. Who are we and what is our role within AHS? What does a Culture of Excellence look like and how do you figure into that? How do individuals find their voice within our greater community?
We’ll explore these questions and more this Monday night! This event is open to all enrolled Animas High students, perspective AHS students and their invited guests. Expect good times, sti mulating conversations, fun activities and most likely a surprise or two.
When: Monay, May 4, 2009 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Where: The Durango Discovery Museum at the Durango Powerhouse
Questions or Concerns? Contact Michael Ackerman at 970-403-4827 michael@animashighschool.com
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wrapping Up a Very Busy April...
Temperatures are going up, enrollment is going up and spirits at Animas High School couldn't be higher! As we welcome in the wonderful month of May, I wanted to report on recent happenings at AHS. We accomplished many things in April and the final week of the month was no exception.
Claire Bradshaw, Executive Director of the Durango Discovery Museum and Michael Ackerman take a second to celebrate the opening of the Powerhouse.
It was great to attend a celebration for Durango Discovery's Powerhouse Museum this past week. Animas High School is currently shaping a long term partnership with the Discovery Museum. We were honored and excited to have that relationship highlighted at this well attended community event. Together with the amazing team of scientists and educators at the Powerhouse, Animas High students will partner for work on museum exhibits, ongoing research projects and community programs. Whether we're dissecting a solar panel, testing water quality or mentoring elementary school science students, the opportunities for collaboration are endless. Thanks to Joe, Claire and everyone at the Powerhouse for such a wonderful experience and we look forward to working together with you all in the future!
AHS students will get a sneak peek inside the Powerhouse on Monday, May 4th when the Discovery Museum shares their facilities with us for our second ALL STUDENT GATHERING!
Michael Ackerman presents at an Animas High School info session earlier last week.
On Tuesday, Head of School Michael Ackerman spent the afternoon meeting with parents and students in Ignacio, CO. Word is out and the promise of a 21st Century education is receiving a tremendous amount of attention in the world beyond Durango. It was wonderful to take the time to meet students, parents and community members all interested in and supportive of AHS. Look for information on future Animas High School outreach events in our weekly email updates.
Never one to miss a free meal, HOS Michael Ackerman enjoys the local fare in Bayfield Wednesday evening.
Speaking of outreach, I'm never one to miss a free meal and Wednesday night was no exception. I was fortunate enough to attend the community dinner and meeting at the Heartwood Co-Housing Community in Bayfield, CO. Heartwood residents welcomed us with open arms and the conversation and food couldn’t have been better. Following a delicious dinner of meat loaf, fancy potatoes and local greens, I was honored to act as the evening's quest speaker. Addressing an audience of about forty people, I spoke of all the great things manifesting for AHS. After a brief slide presentation, we opened it up for questions and conversation which took us to about 9:30 PM! How terrific it was to see and feel all the support from Heartwood households and residents of greater Bayfield. Your questions, our conversations and the evening's overall turnout were spectacular! Appreciations go to John Sheedy, Rachel Ackerman, Jim Judge, Holly Jobson, Sue Lawton, Phil Settles and Randy DeHoff for attending the event, helping field questions and assisting with our outreach efforts. A special thank you goes out to Katie Waller and her family for helping promote, host and facilitate this experience. Together, we are all accomplishing amazing things!
I rounded out this busy week by meeting with a very important policy maker and member of the state board of education. Marcia Neal represents the 3rd Congressional District and was in town to meet with leaders of Durango’s educational programs. We enjoyed rich conversation about High Tech High, Animas High School and traded ideas related to the future of education in Colorado. Ms. Neal is a supporter of charter schools and I updated her on our journey to date. I concluded our time together by extending an invitation to come back this fall and visit with the Animas High School community. She said she was eager to return and we look forward to seeing her again.
State Board of Education Member Marcia Neal and Animas High School's Michael Ackerman meet recently to discuss educational programming in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District.
Claire Bradshaw, Executive Director of the Durango Discovery Museum and Michael Ackerman take a second to celebrate the opening of the Powerhouse.
It was great to attend a celebration for Durango Discovery's Powerhouse Museum this past week. Animas High School is currently shaping a long term partnership with the Discovery Museum. We were honored and excited to have that relationship highlighted at this well attended community event. Together with the amazing team of scientists and educators at the Powerhouse, Animas High students will partner for work on museum exhibits, ongoing research projects and community programs. Whether we're dissecting a solar panel, testing water quality or mentoring elementary school science students, the opportunities for collaboration are endless. Thanks to Joe, Claire and everyone at the Powerhouse for such a wonderful experience and we look forward to working together with you all in the future!
AHS students will get a sneak peek inside the Powerhouse on Monday, May 4th when the Discovery Museum shares their facilities with us for our second ALL STUDENT GATHERING!
Michael Ackerman presents at an Animas High School info session earlier last week.
On Tuesday, Head of School Michael Ackerman spent the afternoon meeting with parents and students in Ignacio, CO. Word is out and the promise of a 21st Century education is receiving a tremendous amount of attention in the world beyond Durango. It was wonderful to take the time to meet students, parents and community members all interested in and supportive of AHS. Look for information on future Animas High School outreach events in our weekly email updates.
Never one to miss a free meal, HOS Michael Ackerman enjoys the local fare in Bayfield Wednesday evening.
Speaking of outreach, I'm never one to miss a free meal and Wednesday night was no exception. I was fortunate enough to attend the community dinner and meeting at the Heartwood Co-Housing Community in Bayfield, CO. Heartwood residents welcomed us with open arms and the conversation and food couldn’t have been better. Following a delicious dinner of meat loaf, fancy potatoes and local greens, I was honored to act as the evening's quest speaker. Addressing an audience of about forty people, I spoke of all the great things manifesting for AHS. After a brief slide presentation, we opened it up for questions and conversation which took us to about 9:30 PM! How terrific it was to see and feel all the support from Heartwood households and residents of greater Bayfield. Your questions, our conversations and the evening's overall turnout were spectacular! Appreciations go to John Sheedy, Rachel Ackerman, Jim Judge, Holly Jobson, Sue Lawton, Phil Settles and Randy DeHoff for attending the event, helping field questions and assisting with our outreach efforts. A special thank you goes out to Katie Waller and her family for helping promote, host and facilitate this experience. Together, we are all accomplishing amazing things!
I rounded out this busy week by meeting with a very important policy maker and member of the state board of education. Marcia Neal represents the 3rd Congressional District and was in town to meet with leaders of Durango’s educational programs. We enjoyed rich conversation about High Tech High, Animas High School and traded ideas related to the future of education in Colorado. Ms. Neal is a supporter of charter schools and I updated her on our journey to date. I concluded our time together by extending an invitation to come back this fall and visit with the Animas High School community. She said she was eager to return and we look forward to seeing her again.
State Board of Education Member Marcia Neal and Animas High School's Michael Ackerman meet recently to discuss educational programming in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District.
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