Charter School

I got letters from the Charter School last week saying that Anna is now #1 on the waiting list and Joshua is #3. This is a minor miracle as I have done the lottery drawing for three years now and we've never got in. Last year Anna moved up to #24 and Joshua was around #60. I am really excited about this "possibility" - not a done deal, of course. I took a tour of the school in February.
What I love about it is:
-they teach a foreign language,
-they have music class where students can also learn an instrument,
-their academics are more rigorous, every child does an individual spelling test (one example)
-they have art classes with actual art mediums (not just crafts and painting)

I know there is more, but I can't remember right now. I do remember sitting in one class watching the students and feeling like crying because it really seemed like such a wonderful school. It seemed like the kind of school that every child should get to be in. Yes, of course, I know there are schools that are much better, but I could be happy with Anna and Josh in this school.

I was also looking at charts they had up on the wall recording the student's "ARE" reading points and the points were triple/quadruple what they are in Anna's current class at Joe Michell which tells me the students are more motivated and challenged. The lowest score was 70. In Anna's class, the highest is 32 with a lot of 0's "non-participants".

I guess if they don't get in this year, I can be grateful that Anna and Josh will be able walk home together after school because they will get out at the same time. (Hurray, no more pick-up/drop-offs 3 x a day) The charter school is 1 mile away, which is too far for them to walk and it is close to the high school and I don't trust those teenage drivers :)

I think it is interesting that ever since the Charter School opened 3 years ago, the other local schools seem to be trying harder to be "in the running" with the Charter school - A good thing for all involved, it seems. There are a few people in our ward that are really against the Charter school and resent it for "taking funds" away from their school, but I think it is good to have some healthy competition. I personally like having a choice.

The bad part is that for Claire and Eliza to get a spot in 2009 I'll have to do the lottery again - so one might get in, but not the other...........but I think it would be worth it.