Vision Charter starts first year
kmurrant@idahopress.com
Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
Education: Ceremony inaugurates school’s challenge to overcome
obstacles, open its doors
CANYON COUNTY — Despite the numerous obstacles that stood in the way, Vision Charter School has become a reality.
The charter school opens its doors at 8:15 a.m. today and begins its first year of teaching. The school has 234 enrolled students from kindergarten through seventh grade. A few slots are still available, and Vice Chairperson Jody Benson said parents are still free to fill out applications for their children’s enrollment.
For more information about Vision Charter School, visit their Web site at www.visioncharter.net
“This school has been defined by volunteers and incredible dedication,” Vision’s vice chairwoman Jody Benson said at the school’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday night. “We have worked long and hard to open this school in the face of many obstacles.”
Obstacles mounted to the point that just a few months ago, it looked as though the school would not be able to pull together in time for this school year, according to Vision Charter administrator Wendy OldenKamp.
The temporary school grounds, located near Woodgate Subdivision off Ward Lane, boast a fully landscaped, multi-building campus, much of which was constructed under a tight deadline with labor and material donated by OldenKamp’s family.
Many of the students and parents also contributed volunteer labor to get the school ready for its opening.
“People have lived here since we broke ground six weeks ago,” Benson said. “We were literally here in the eleventh hour getting this open.”
Benson said Vision parents and students even designated shifts to come water the newly laid sod when the school’s sprinkler system malfunctioned.
“The servanthood has just been incredible,” Benson said.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Ton Luna attended the school’s opening, along with other political representatives, and commended the hard work it took to get the school off the ground.
“I’ve watched this effort begin and run into stumbling blocks, and I’ve seen the determined (efforts) to see it through,” Luna said.
Luna lamented the difficult hoops charter schools must jump through in Idaho and stated his favor in offering parents more choices for their children’s education.
“I have far more confidence in parents choosing where their children attend school than bureaucrats in Congress or in Boise,” Luna said.
The school plans to offer a curriculum based in the liberal arts with hands-on methods to teach science, music and language along with the typical public school standards. Spanish lessons are taught at every grade level, and the school offers all-day kindergarten classes.
“We will be challenging and educating your children,” OldenKamp said. “The rock upon which this school is built is solid.”
