Charter
school starts year at temporary site
Monday, September 20, 2004 • By F. DAVID
HOFF • The Express-Times
FRELINGHUYSEN Twp. -- The Ridge and Valley Charter
School opened its doors in temporary quarters Sept. 8,
trustees of the alternative school said.
Warren County's first charter school began classes with
about 90 kindergarten through eighth-grade students in the
Presbyterian Conference Center in Frelinghuysen Township
pending completion of the permanent building on Route
94.
Dave McNulty of Hardwick Township, a co-founder and
trustee who has two children enrolled, said excessive
rainfall during construction has been mostly responsible for
the delay. He said the new school is expected to be
completed in mid-October.
"We've been waiting for this school and looking forward
to it for a long time," said Eric Heinz of Knowlton
Township, who also has two children enrolled. "The small
class sizes and special attention to children's personal
learning styles will be great for my sons and for all the
kids in the school."
The school's program is described as being based on
hands-on outdoor education, a child-centered curriculum,
earth literacy and sustainability.
"We're very excited to join Warren County's other fine
schools in expanding the range of educational options for
families and students,'' said co-founder and trustee Kerry
Barnett.
Students will spend at least 25 percent of their
learning time outdoors, the founders say. The curriculum
integrates the students' academic subjects and they get a
detailed review of their work, instead of letter
grades.
McNulty said the school's program "will meet all the
core academic curriculum requirements that every other
public school must meet" and students will take more than
the required number of standardized tests.
"This is a school dedicated to high academic standards
as well as creative problem-solving, a strong connection
with the natural world and broad perspective of responsible
civic participation," McNulty declared.
( Information on enrollment may be obtained by calling
the school office, 908-362-1114 or the school's Web site,
ridgeandvalley.org.
Reporter F. David Hoff can be reached at 908-475-2174.
Copyright 2004
The Express-Times. Used with permission.
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