Six N.J. charter schools get final approval
Elementary charter schools in Camden and Burlington Counties were among six proposals that received final approval yesterday to open in September.
Elementary charter schools in Camden and Burlington Counties were among six proposals that received final approval yesterday to open in September.
New Jersey Education Commissioner Lucille Davy signed off on the Institute for Excellence Charter School in Winslow Township and the Riverbank Charter School of Excellence in Florence Township, as well as schools in Union, Hudson, Essex, and Cumberland Counties.
The Institute for Excellence plans to open on Route 73 with 240 students in kindergarten, first, and second grades. It is at 90 percent capacity and still taking applications for first and second grades, said director Antoinette Thompson. The kindergarten is full.
The school will focus on citizenship and character development, according to its mission statement. Celebration of diversity and multiculturalism will be infused into the curriculum, Thompson said.
"Students need to be prepared for the 21st century workplace," she said.
All students will be housed in the same building for the first school year. Construction on a building to house third, fourth, and fifth graders will begin in September at the same location. The school plans to add a grade each year, ending in 12th grade.
In four years, the charter must be renewed, a Department of Education spokeswoman said.
Thompson said the renewed charter proposal would include the location of a building to house sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade classes, as well as a high school.
Riverbank Charter School of Excellence, on Hornberger Avenue in Florence, also will start with kindergarten, first, and second grades. Third grade will be added for the 2010-11 school year, which will complete the school, principal Beth Kelley said.
Applications are being accepted for all grades, she said. Kindergarten and first grade have three or four openings each, and 18 spots are available in the second-grade class.
The elementary school's mission statement is "to provide students with opportunities to develop their intellectual, emotional, and social potential through the implementation of a dynamic curriculum that fosters learning through a cooperative effort involving home, school, and community."
Riverbank will host its first community and family open house from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The six approvals raise the total number of New Jersey charter schools to 68.
"Starting a charter school is a complex process that involves attention to many details," Davy said. "Ensuring that these children receive a high-quality education is our highest priority."