Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -The Stephen F. Austin State University Charter School is seeking applicants to fill approximately 70 student slots, which will become available in fall 2009 when the school moves to its new facility.
Applications will be accepted between Jan. 5 and Jan. 30 and are available online at http://www.sfasu.edu/charter_school/application.asp and from the office of the school's existing location at 1620 Raguet St. An informational meeting for all applicants will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 8 at the same location. Meeting attendance is optional.
"We encourage everyone who is interested to apply," Principal Lysa Hagan said. "Since our population will grow substantially as we move into our new building, this is the most openings we expect to have in a given year."
The charter school's capacity will increase from 154 to approximately 220 students when it makes the move across the SFA campus to the new Education Research Center. The $30.8 million facility, which also will house SFA's Early Childhood Lab and the Department of Elementary Education, is now under construction.
If more applications than can be accepted are received, a lottery drawing will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 4, in accordance with state laws governing enrollment at charter schools, Hagan said. If a lottery drawing is necessary, a waiting list for the remaining applicants will be created with the names placed on the list in the order in which they were drawn.
The SFA Charter School has received the highest rating of "Exemplary" from the Texas Education Agency. It is the only such school in Texas directly linked with a research laboratory and offers instruction for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Like all public Texas schools, charter schools are monitored and accredited under the statewide testing and accountability system. According to the Texas Education Code, the purposes of charter schools include improving student learning, increasing the choice of learning opportunities within the public school system, and encouraging different and innovative learning methods.
For more information, call (936) 468-5899 or visit http://www.sfasu.edu/charter_school/index.asp.