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Charting a New Course for Education with Proposed Andrew Rural Academy
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
A group of parents and community members came together several months ago to begin initial discussions about potentially starting a public charter school in the Village of Andrew.
Those talks began even before Elk Island Public Schools board of trustees made its final decision to close Andrew School on May 4. Jason Tkachuk, who heads the nine member committee, told the Vegreville News Advertiser they filed to become a society two and a half months ago with the charter schools application department with Alberta Education.
Tkachuk said it’s just a matter of the paperwork being processed. “The way it works is that you have to be an official society to file paperwork to buy the building. But in terms of getting everything ready, we’re still getting it ready in good faith.”
Both the Village of Andrew and the Andrew Agricultural Society are in support of the committee and its mission to operate a charter school in the community. “We’re currently in talks with the village, figuring out what entity would purchase the school. Either way, we’re in complete agreement between the village and the society. It’s just a matter of the exact legal framework we’re going to go with.
We’re looking at forming a third non-profit entity that would simply own and operate the building to the benefit of the town and the school. But again, it’s a legal technicality. Everyone from our board and council understands.”
He pointed out that, “The Charter is our legal authority to educate children. So, we’re working out that and exact details about a long-term lease and repairs. Right now we’ve sent out letters to everyone in village and surrounding area. As part of the application process we need an official show of support.
We need confirmed numbers to reach the targets so that the province will let us go ahead. We’re hoping to have 75 students the first year, which satisfy all the first year criteria, and we hope to expand to the 120 range before too long.
We have a private day care provider who has expressed interest in running a full day care and out of school facility. Also, we struck a deal with premier hockey league so the school will have the rights for the region to run a hockey program.” Tkachuk said they can also offer a curling program.
The overall goal, added Tkachuk is to provide a “rural specific education” focused on meeting the needs and interests of every student. “We have a small school base so we want to make sure every student has the skill base to go to the next stage of their life. “We’re working on an agreement with post-secondary options in the area to allow children to begin their studies in high school so they can blend into what- ever programs they want.
Letters of interest went out last week to families of former students and others who have expressed an interest in having their children attend the school. “At this point, anyone interested, from birth to Grade 12 next year. Depending on what those letters say, will determine whether seek K-12 or K-9. Since this will be a public charter school.”
Tkachuk said the provincial government will provide about 85 percent of the funding for operations that will include transportation. He also said there is a granting process available for equipment and supplies.
The building needs $1.1 and $1.5 million worth of work, but we also have to keep in mind that this building also houses the town rec centre, and town office that would help mitigate our costs. There are other granting programs that are available for infrastructure. We haven’t yet applied for them, but we have been in touch with their MLA about that process.”
In terms of timeline, Tkachuk said they’d like to meet enrolment criteria this September, allowing committee members to finalize their application and then begin attracting corporate sponsors and obtain grant funding for the charter school.
