The Trenton Times published the following article on April 4, 2013. To read the full article, click here.
Three groups apply to open charter schools in Mercer County
By Erin Duffy/The Times of Trenton
on April 04, 2013 at 7:35 PMTRENTON — Applications to open three new charter schools in the Trenton-Ewing area were filed with the state this week as hopefuls try to get concepts such as a high school focusing on math, science and civic engagement and an international academy off the ground.
The state Department of Education received nearly 40 applications for new charter schools on Monday, including three in Mercer County.
Local applications vying for DOE approval propose a Trenton STEM-to-Civics Charter School, a high school proposed by Leigh Byron, the head of school for Trenton’s Village Charter School, an International Academy of Trenton Charter School in Ewing or Trenton for grades kindergarten through 6 proposed by Larry Chenault, the executive director of a North Jersey nonprofit that merges academics with martial arts training and Trenton Turning Point Academy Charter School for grades kindergarten through 12, the brainchild of Mount Laurel-based Foundations Inc., an education nonprofit that provides professional development and other consulting services to schools.
If approved, the schools would open in the 2014-15 school year. The DOE will decide by September to approve or reject this round of applicants. Any schools that receive preliminary approval from the state will still have to pass a preparedness review before the DOE grants a final charter allowing them to open.
Byron said his proposed school, Trenton STEM-to-Civics Charter School, would use a curriculum steeped in the science, technology, engineering and math fields to get students more engaged in current events and the world around them.
“They have to have an awareness and understanding of issues in their community, in their country, in the world and we want to use STEM subjects as a motivator to get people involved,” Byron said.
He said he’s forging partnerships with Princeton University and its Pace Center for Civic Engagement, Liberty Science Center and the state Department of Environmental Protection to help provide programming at the school. Parts of the proposed curriculum could also be taught at Village Charter School this fall, he said.
Contact Erin Duffy at (609) 989-5723 or eduffy@njtimes.com