Dr. Thomas Lubben, who will chair the Board of Directors, announced this new elementary school during a July 22 news conference at the racquetball club. He was joined by other Directors, including business leaders like Lee Butz and Dennis Coffin, fitness consultant Cyndi Po, dance advocate Janet LaCava and educator Beth Peters.
With this elementary school, the Lehigh Valley now has arts schools from Kindergarten through high school. The Arts Academy Charter Middle School is located in Salisbury Township, and the Charter High School for the Performing Arts is located in Bethlehem. Though unaffiliated, it is expected that many who attend the Arts elementary school will wish to continue with the Arts Academy middle and high schools.
Beginning in September of 2014, as many 500 students in grades K-5 will trickle into what were once 16 racquetball courts. Those will be converted into 30 class rooms. Class sizes will be small. Kindergarten and First Grade will be about 15 students per class. Second through fifth grade will be approximately 20.
This school will mean 50 new jobs for fully certified teachers and other personnel. Applications are being taken now.
The charter will be sought from the Allentown School District, but students will be sought from surrounding school districts.
Calling the location "truly ideal," Dr. Lubben noted its location near the Baum School of Art, Allentown Museum, Community Music School and the Parkettes. In addition, a 75-space parking lot will make bus drop off and pick-up much easier than at other schools.
The school will lease, instead of owning the facility with a 30-year lease with rent starting at $400,000 per year and growing to $550,000.
In addition to their regular curriculum, arts academy students will have two hours instruction each week in dance, theatre, visual art, and both instrumental and vocal music. At least once a month, they'll also visit the Steel Ice Center for figure skating.
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| Janet LaCava, Beth Peters, Lee Butz, Tom Lubben, Cyndi Po and Dennis Coffin |
15 comments:
Funding another art school in the area is a waste. Why not a stem based school? Or chinese language school?
Who owns the building, John Brinson?
Is he OK with taking government / taxpayer dollars?
The building is owned by some corporation, which I assume (perhaps incorrectly) is his. But I don't have much respect for Brinson. It's not his conservatism, which I could respect. He is a religious bigot.
After governments went into the health club business and squeezed his market, its funny he's now collecting rent from government - and lots of it. Good for him. Don't bounce the checks.
The rent seems awfully high, just another typical Allentown deal.
Sounds like a bullshit charter school to me sucking even more money out of public education.
The teachers' union speaks.
If you want to make that accusation, you;'ll have to sign your name.
Not a teacher. I just value public education and don't feel we need to suck public funds to teach 6 year olds how to dance.
It's a money grab.
If public teachers provided a sound education charter schools would not be needed. Public school teachers don't seem to answer to anyone.
I'd have to agree... charter schools wouldn't be needed in Allentown if public education wasn't so bad....we need more passionate educators in which these charter schools are providing.
how can one enroll their child!!! i'm definitely interested!
Performing Arts Charter Schools have proven themselves to be good. Students who hate to go to school, or have an interest in the arts, which we know helps improve academic scores, do well in such schools. There is a proven record in this. It's a shame in our country, that the arts are not considered important in schools. They just dabble in them. In much of Europe, the arts are more integrated into the school. I hope that this school opens. I know ,from my own experiences, that this type of school works and is needed. If the public school system supplied such things, then maybe charter schools will not be needed. But that's why they are called public school. It's for the general public. It doesn't fit every child. You need to do whatever it takes to educate children and get them to stay in school.
Performing Arts Charter Schools have proven themselves to be good. Students who hate to go to school, or have an interest in the arts, which we know helps improve academic scores, do well in such schools. There is a proven record in this. It's a shame in our country, that the arts are not considered important in schools. They just dabble in them. In much of Europe, the arts are more integrated into the school. I hope that this school opens. I know ,from my own experiences, that this type of school works and is needed. If the public school system supplied such things, then maybe charter schools will not be needed. But that's why they are called public school. It's for the general public. It doesn't fit every child. You need to do whatever it takes to educate children and get them to stay in school.
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