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Principal welcomes the curious
to check out charter school in Nibley
By Alison Baugh
March 9, 2007 | NIBLEY -- A "wide-open door"
welcomes all parents and visitors of Thomas Edison Charter
South School, according to Principal Eldon Budge.
Misunderstandings about charter schools are common
and Budge says this open-door policy allows anyone interested
in learning about the school to have a hands-on experience.
The Thomas Edison Charter School South Campus (TECS)
is in its second year and was built after the north
campus exceeded the demand in the valley for this type
of school.
While charter schools are in their own district, they
are public schools that anyone can attend. Budge said
the school's 500 students are from all over the southern
part of Cache Valley. As they are a public school many
people believe they take money away from public schools,
but the truth is that the money follows the students,
he said. When a student leaves another public school,
there is usually a new student to take his or her place.
In districts where this isn't the case, the school doesn't
lose money because it is no longer providing the student's
education.
Parents who want their children from kindergarten
to seventh grade to attend TECS must go through an observation
period to make certain they want their child in such
an environment. If the classes aren't full they can
enroll their children, but if they are, the names are
put in a lottery and drawn at random.
Homework is guaranteed four nights of the week at
TECS. Budge says this is just one area of consistence
for the students. They are taught the same curriculum
as other public school students, but the same subject
programs and style of teaching are used throughout the
school. The subjects are also being taught in each classroom
at the same time, as students are more alert in the
mornings and ready for harder subjects such as math.
A tight discipline program is also in place to help
teachers keep control and maintain a calm learning environment.
The biggest difference between regular public schools
and charter schools is the level of academia, according
to Budge. Charter schools are made with the intention
of finding new ways to teach students more effectively
and sometimes more efficiently according to FAQ's by
American Preparatory Academy. Budge believes that within
five to seven years the Thomas Edison Charter schools
will have the highest level of academic achievement
in the valley.
"We talk about what we should do in education and
we are doing it," Budge said.
Parents who have students attending the schools also
believe there children are being educated at a higher
level due to the controlled environment and consistent
teaching programs used throughout all grades.
"My own children couldn't get [solid] success anywhere
else," said Melani Kirk, director of curriculum and
parent of a first-grader and upcoming kindergartener
at TECS.
While charter schools are the minority in Utah, and
Budge believes they will always be, they are filling
an ever-growing niche for parents who want their children
educated in a more consistent and controlled environment.
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