Define childbirth--exhaustion, weight gain, and frequent bathroom visits, followed with pain. The only reason why people choose to go through this multiple times is because of the miraculous end result--baby!
This is the best analogy I can give you to answer why someone would become a repeat charter school founder. Lorrie Grove from North Star Academy (NSA) is one of those.
When she tells the tale of the NSA genesis and its growing pains, she is describing a labor of love (minus the kankles and weak bladder).
The North Star story begins with a quest of Highlands Ranch families to create another charter option in that community. Curiously I ask the obvious--why is North Star not in Highlands Ranch?
"The building," Lorrie answers. "We did not have a facility to open our school in. The Parker location presented itself and it became a concept of moving our school fifteen miles away or not opening at all."
She continues illustrating the labor pains.
"Nearly all the original enrollment was from Highlands Ranch until we announced the Parker location. About 25% of our current NSA families are from Highlands Ranch who commutes to the school."
I think about the die-hard families that stay dedicated through re-location of a school. What about winter driving? What if you forget the lunch box? What about April, when you are burned out and take the kids to school like a drone? I bet 30 miles round-trip are really long then. NSA is like Elvis--it has a devoted fan club.
Douglas County has a wonderful charter school culture. Parents here are famous for their involvement in the public schools and charters are a natural extension of this. Gems like the founders of NSA participate in expanding our public schools into programming that compliments the school district's already existing offering. Thanks to the NSA starting posse more than 475 elementary students are getting an excellent education with a Core Knowledge foundation.
You may wonder what makes North Star different from the other Core knowledge charter schools in Douglas County.
What stands out is their thorough integration of a Spanish program.
While DCSD does not have a Spanish requirement until high school, North Star Academy teaches it in Kindergarten throughout.
Spanish is not just treated as another subject, it is a curriculum highlight, as an integrated component. Let's say the children are learning about the lifecycle of a frog, they may also learn the lifecycle of a frog in Spanish.
Studies that show language as a component in brain development and accelerated learning come to mind. NSA's
CSAP track record supports such data.
The cultural focus of the school NSA attracts a diverse crowd. I ask Lorrie about the possibility of additional languages I get an optimistic smile.
In a charter school there are less regulations that apply so adding to proven success is rarely a question of will, but an issue of finance.
North Star Academy has purchased the land behind the current school and is constructing a building extension to the campus to provide progression into middle school for the 09/10 school year.
The Board is also planning for a West Campus, with the location anticipated in Highlands Ranch. Well, NSA is almost three years old. I guess it's time for a sibling.
But school construction is not free and NSA has secured necessary funds through independent bond financing. Although NSA has that tangible feel of being a longtime existing school, they are a new Douglas County charter school. As such NSA is only participating in nominal bond or mil moneys, which will discontinue shortly.
To be able to finance all of this along with staff, learning materials, and every other applicable operational cost on just the per-pupil-revenue plus grant income deserves copious credit.
This is credit that Lorrie will not accept without adding a long list of NSA crew members and volunteer families. The top of the list include fellow Board members, Kendra Sheffield, curriculum director for NSA and co-founder, plus Cynthia Haws, the school principal.
While building construction is top priority for NSA at the moment, you can see the twinkle in Lorrie's eyes as she muses over the future of the new schools. Just like a proud parent.
For More Information about North Star Academy visit
www.nstaracademy.org
North Star is currently accepting open enrollment for both campuses.