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THE VALLEY SCHOOL New Medford charter school sprints toward funding deadline Must raise another $50,000 by June 30 to open Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 30, 2015 at 11:25 AM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 30, 2015 at 11:25 AM » Social News A group of parents and educators got their wish for approval of plans to open a charter middle school in Medford. Now they're in a race against time to double the $50,000 they've raised so far to meet the requirements set by the Medford School Board. Supporters of The Valley School of Southern Oregon, which will focus on a math, science and technology curriculum taught in a Montessori style, must raise a total of $100,000 by June 30 in order to open, the board said in tentatively approving a contract for the school. Charter schools operate largely independently, with their own boards, but must be sanctioned by a school district. School board members initially balked over the new school's lack of funding and concerns that it would target gifted students now in the district's schools. But organizers of The Valley School say they are confident they can raise the money and note that, as with other charter schools, students will be admitted through a lottery. The exception to that would be in the first year, as students are being admitted on a first-come, first-served basis because the enrollment cap of 75 students has not been reached. Information on the school and the enrollment process are available on its website at thevalleyschool.education . Board members say they have a location for the school selected in downtown Medford and hope to have a lease signed in the coming week. Andrea Dabbs-Partsafas, chairwoman of The Valley School board, called the school board's approval of the contract a "huge relief." "It was a great vote of confidence to have the school board believe in us enough to let us open a school," said Dabbs-Partsafas. "That was more important to us, to have their approval, than getting the rest of the money piece figured out. Not that the money isn't a big deal, it is. But the district support is huge." The vote to approve the contract was 5-1, with one board member absent. The lone opposing vote on the board came from outgoing member Sally Killen, who said she voted against the contract primarily due to the funding gap. Julie Evans, director of elementary education and liaison for district charter schools, said the district and charter school boards were nearing negotiations on the final contract as the charter school secures the remainder of needed funds. "The next step is for us to develop a charter contract and, within that contract, it will state that by June 30 they have that amount of money or they will not be opening in the fall," Evans said. Valley School board member Amy Maukonen said the board was excited to move beyond garnering district support to focus on securing a building lease, establishing lesson plans and enrolling interested students. Maukonen said three to four dozen families have already expressed interest in enrolling students in the school. Supporters say the STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — focus of the school fits well with a nationwide push to ensure that students are equipped to pursue higher education and careers in those fields. "I think a lot of people feel like the district has been kind of a one-size-fits-all model for a long time and this model is going to get students more engaged and draw them back in and get them excited," said Maukonen. "We've been asked why are we going through all this trouble," she added. "Why not do a private school? But we are public educators that believe in this and a private school education doesn't provide an education to everyone fairly." Dabbs-Partsafas said there's a high demand for variety in local schools. "I'm pretty sure there are waiting lists at every charter school in the area. We've had lots of calls from parents who are looking for options for their kids," she said. "It's really empowering as a parent to feel like you get a choice." Dabbs-Partsafas said The Valley School would be the first Montessori-style middle school in the state. Montessori schools differ from traditional schools in several ways, including a focus on self-directed and hands-on learning, multi-age classrooms and a reduced emphasis on testing and grades. The Medford school will not be an official Montessori school, but will follow a similar style of education. The Valley School's 519-page charter proposal, which includes the school's mission, curriculum overview, enrollment policies and proposed budget, can be found on the Medford School District's website, www.medford.k12.or.us , under "Quicklinks" in the right column. In addition to its website, thevalleyschool.education , information on the school is available on its Facebook page at The Valley School of Southern Oregon. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 30, 2015 at 11:25 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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