If you're a parent of a 6th or 7th grader in Montclair, you may have received a brochure and letter from Quest Academy. Quest Academy is the name of a possible charter school for high school students in Montclair.
Tracey Williams, a certified school counselor and parent of a Montclair High School student, and Archer W. Dong, an educator and former NYC principal, along with teachers, parents and community members, are leading the effort to get state approval for Quest Academy. The process of starting a charter school consists of designing a complete plan for the school. That plan includes the school's philosophy, instructional methods, job descriptions for hiring all staff, and school policy. The process also involves getting enough signatures of support on a petition.
When I asked Tracey her reason for supporting a charter school in Montclair, her first response was, "I feel it is a good idea if parents had a choice in their child's high school education." When asked how Quest Academy will differ from Montclair High School, she explained, "There will be smaller class sizes, more personalized attention and interaction between students and teachers, and a rigorous academic program with very high standards, along with the support students will need to excel."
The goal is to open Quest Academy's doors in September 2011 for 9th and 10th grade students. As the school grows, it will also include 11th and 12th grades to be a complete high school. The state of NJ allows 500 students maximum at charter schools. Tracey said Quest Academy would like to have between 200 - 250 students max.
You can get more information about Quest Academy and fill out the Letter of Support on their website. For more information about charter schools read here and here.
What are your thoughts about a charter school option in Montclair?
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Comments (20)
Where would it be located?
Are students from other townships allowed to attend? Does the Charter School pay taxes to Montclair?
Agreed. The first question would be location.
The second would be how much the tax payers would be expected to foot for this. After reading the State's "fact sheet" linked to above, it looks like the answer is "all of it".
The BOE already gets over 60% of the town's property tax dollars and taking away 250 (or even 500) students surely wouldn't justify building another school, staffing it with teachers, janitors, etc.
Another question to ask is: How will children be accepted to the school? By to-date academic achievement? That oh-so-wonderful magnet system we currently use? Will families who "donate" more to the school get preference (since they can't charge actual tuition, I see these "donations" being a probable work around)?
Some charter schools (like those set up to help "troubled" children get the basics for life instead of just dropping out) are a great idea. But, in this case, it seems like a thinly veiled attempt to establish a private school with public funds.
Then again, this is Montclair: The town that just can't say no to special interest groups.
Who came up with "Quest Academy?" Worst. Name. Ever.
CHOICE????
We have 4 High Schools already: 2 private-- MKA & Lacordaire Academy,1 public- MHS, 1 Catholic-- Immaculate Conception.
And considering that MHS graduates attend the best colleges and universities in the Country, I struggle to see the need for yet another school. Sure, the school doesn't rank as high as some, but as I've written here a number of times, with our diversity comes students that do not score as high as those in similar, but non-diverse communities.
However, our best and brightest, are the best and brightest around-- AND they have the added benefit of being from a diverse and progressive community.
But open it-- just don't ask me for any tax dollars!! Because if it's such a great idea, won't folks pay for it?
Charter schools in theory make me smile. Charter schools in reality make me cringe.
How many students are at MHS now anyway?
prof, what makes you think the "best & brightest" in the charter school won't have that same diversity?
prof, what makes you think the "best & brightest" in the charter school won't have that same diversity?
Paz,
The very fact that charter schools needs to maintain higher average grades & testing scores (unless they are set up to be a school for kids who would otherwise drop-out or are too violent for "regular" school) means they will probably do everything in their power to prevent "under achieving" students from entering the school.
Statistically speaking this means a very fiscally limited mix of students would get in which, in turn, would probably also mean less diversity, racially speaking.
PAZ dear friend,
My point is: why do these folks think we NEED a charter school? This ain't Newark.
And the last thing we need is a syphoning of our top students.
For those new to town, you may not know about the fight many years ago over the World Lit program.
I won't bother with a recap, other than to say having our best and brightest in class with those who are not, but have a desire to learn, helps both. And us as a community.
Taking our best out of the school leaves those others alone.
Again, WHY do they think we need this?
I support vouchers for poor and inner-city schools, but this ain't one.
I too wonder about the need for a charter school. I thought they were mainly for those really underperforming districts where all the public school options were pretty bad (i.e. something like Newark). Say what you will about MHS, it is far from the typical school in one of the poor urban areas.
As for possible location, isn't the plan for Rand School to move to the new building being built on Washington, then Renassaince school to move to the Rand building, leaving the Immaculate Conception building that currently houses Renaissance empty. So I suppose Quest could lease that building.
But how about work with the school you have, rather than start a new one - at tax payer expense?
From what is on their website-sounds similiar to the High school of the 70's...they had smaller schools at MHS called the "TEAM school" and the "Alternative School"-which were housed in the Rand School Building. They did not have normal classes & schedules and the students worked more one on one with the teachers. For some of the students it was great-others were just potheads who didn't want to deal with real school & I know some who do regret it somewhat later in life....
Didn't know about that mtcgrown, thanks for the history.
I guess what's old is new again.....
If you would like to hear from people who were students at the Team School in the 70's, there is a great page for it on Facebook.
Search for "Montclair Team School"
There are many, many people with very fond memories of the Team School & it's teachers.
"Say what you will about MHS, it is far from the typical school in one of the poor urban areas"
Then why did they hire the new principal that they did who comes from just such a school? It it's not yet fully urban it soon will be. As for diversity give me a break, the town is 30% but the HS is 60% what does that tell you?
Oh, so Montclair should only have hired someone from a leafy suburb?
This can't possibly be an argument.
And rather than ask me what your stats mean, why don't you tell me what you think they mean (I'm having a hard time wading through the tortured prose...)
According to Tracey Williams, they do not have a space yet, but have several locations that they are interested in. They are putting together facilities committee work on it.
While it is clearly much easier to fall into a nasty rant about the potential abuses of the public trust by a charter school than to wade through the regulations that govern it, I nonetheless recommend wading through this:
http://www.state.nj.us/education/chartsch/cspa95.shtml
It pretty clearly spells out additional cost to taxpayers (none) and which students must be accepted (all).
I think looking into this option is a positive move, whether you would put your kid there or not.
I think MHS might have around 1700 students.. Too large for my taste: too many get neglected and fall through the cracks.
There is always a need for a charter school, particularly in progressive towns like Montclair. New Roots in Ithaca, NY, is starting their first year in September for ninth graders. They are doing really well with a required enrollment of 50 kids, they have 120 to start and a waiting list. Since Howard Gardner highlighted his multiple intelligences theories to the world, it is common knowledge that children learn in different ways and have varied needs. If you a realistic, a cynic or an idealist (or anything else!), you should support educators that are willing to volunteer their time for this cause and the children of Essex County! I agree Quest is not the best name. Sounds too much like a Star trek movie. While I don't think it would ever happen, the Quest educators should talk to the educators at the Montclair Cooperative School. The education model is similar and perhaps it would be easier to convert a private school with a track record into a new charter school.