New charter school to open in Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS – Elementary school students in east Idaho will have another education option this fall.

A new charter school, Alturas International Academy, aims be the fifth charter school in Idaho Falls. The Idaho Public Charter School Commission in Boise approved the school’s charter this month, securing its opening date for fall 2016.

The new school boasts it will be the only school with the prospect of International Baccalaureate status. Phil Harper, Alturas board chairman, said IB programs are more stringent compared to other standard educational systems.

“It’s got a more rigorous curriculum. The culture and the value system in what they stand for is completely aligned with (what we want to accomplish), which is (having) a group of life learners,” Harper said. “It’s more preparing them for an actual job future in a project-based, realistic environment.”

Former public school instructors, parents, and members of the public began plans for the charter school earlier in 2015.

Michelle Ball is an instructor at Forrester Academy, the interim home school for prospective students of Alturas Academy. Ball, a former Idaho Falls School District 91 teacher, said this charter school aligns with her vision of education.

Ball said children will be given a chance to learn at their instructional levels and be mentors and leaders.

“If a child’s in first grade and they have the ability to do second-grade math, they do second-grade math. It just depends on where they are at academically,” Ball said.

Multi-age classrooms, small group learning, and project-based assignments will make up the regimen for teaching, said Ball.

“Children are natural inquirers,” Ball said. “It is essential that they take responsibility and ownership for their learning, with a high level of support from the teacher and their community of learners.

Idaho Public Charter School Commission Director Tamara Baysinger said the incoming charter school seems to have a high chance of success.

“Well, the idea of a public charter school is that they exchange increased autonomy for increased accountability,” Baysinger said. “They get to use taxpayer money to create a school that explores a new educational option, making that available to the community.”

She said charter schools offer students, teachers, and parents a different perspective on education.

Alturas Academy will host multiage classrooms. Both Harper and Ball said these classrooms are essential in helping younger students adapt to a learning environment.

The school is eventually planning to host kindergarten through eighth grades and is anticipating an enrollment of 250 students. To begin, Alturas will offer kindergarten classes, multiage classrooms of grades first through third, and fourth through sixth.

Alturas plans to be funded through state educational funds and private donations. Officials said the school currently has $250,000 in private donations. A building is not yet secured for the facility. Harper said the school administration is considering several options including O.E. Bell or a former Melaleuca building.

Harper said the charter school is not part of a local school district, but it’s still free. Students from Districts 91, 93 and Shelley are welcome to sign up.

For more information go to the Alturas International Academy Facebook page. Registration will begin Feb. 15.