|
How do I enroll
my child at the DaVinci Charter School?
Is the Kindergarten half-day or full-day?
When does the school day begin and end?
Will bus transportation be available?
Will the school be providing lunch?
Will the DaVinci Charter School charge a fee for attendance?
What grades are served by the DaVinci Charter
School?
How many students does the DaVinci Charter School serve?
Where is the DaVinci Charter School located?
Is the
DaVinci Charter School part of a local school district?
What kind of educational program does the DaVinci
Charter School use?
Will my child get a solid education in
reading and math?
Will parents be expected to volunteer at the school?
What can I do to help now?
Who initiated the effort to create this school?
Why should Garden City have a school?
Are charter schools private or public?
Why was it decided to develop a charter school in Garden City?
Who does the
DaVinci Charter School serve?
What impact does a Garden City charter school have on existing schools?
When did the DaVinci Charter School open?
Why was the school name changed to DaVinci Charter School?
How do I enroll my child in the
DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School) (GCCS)?
Contact the school office for more information at (208) 377-0011 or see
the Enrollment Information page.
(return
to top of page)
Is the Kindergarten half-day or full-day?
The kindergarten program offers an AM class only, and
lunch is not available for the Kindergarten class.
AM session: 8:45-11:45
(Kids should arrive at school by 8:40 AM and must wait in the playground area
until school begins.)
(return
to top of page)
When does the school day begin and end?
Classes begin at 8:45AM and end at 3:20PM. Students should arrive at school by 8:40 AM and wait in
their class line in the playground
area until their teachers greet them for "Great Morning
Starts" at this time.
(return
to top of page)
Will bus transportation be available?
Yes. Bus transportation will be provided within Garden City for those
students who live outside of walking distance to the school.
(return
to top of page)
Will the school be providing lunch?
Yes. We have a lunch program at the school. Lunch is served Monday
through Thursday. Friday is a sack-lunch day; all students will need to
bring their own lunch on Friday. Eligibility for free-
and reduced-price meals will be determined by family income with
confidential forms available with the bookkeeper.
(return
to top of page)
Will the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
charge a fee for attendance?
No. Charter schools cannot charge tuition fees.
Some years we have a "Special
Program Fee" that must be paid for each enrolled student, which is $75 for
Kindergarten & $150 for grades 1-8. This fee helps us continue our arts integration
and environmental focus that make our school so unique. In the past, all costs
were covered by a federal grant, which ended in spring 2009. This fee will help
replace some of the costs for supplies and equipment. We continue to apply for
grants to help with these expenses. To arrange payments for this fee, complete
the Special
Programs Fee Payment Plan form.
(return
to top of page)
What grades are served by the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)?
The school currently serves grades K-8, but hopes to eventually add the
high school grades.
(return
to top of page)
How many students does the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
serve?
As of February 2011, we have an enrollment of 131.
(return
to top of page)
Where is the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School) located?
The school is now located at 5655 N Glenwood St in Garden City, ID
83714.
(return
to top of page)
Is the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
part of a local school district?
No. The school’s charter petition was forwarded from the Boise School
District to the Idaho Charter School Commission, which approved the
petition in June 2005. This means that the school does not operate as
part of a local school district. It is classified as a Local Educational
Agency (LEA) and is considered its own school district.
(return
to top of page)
What kind of educational program does the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
use?
The educational model for the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
was designed
from scratch, based on the needs of the community and the best available
knowledge about how children learn. It is considered closest to the
construtivist method with the addition of arts integration. We also incorporated proven methods
that fit with the core philosophy of the school. The result is a model
that is learner-centered and highly integrated. Key features of the
model include:
• Emphasis on
the “5R’s of respect, responsibility, resourcefulness, responsiveness,
and resiliency (see "About Us" for more details).
• An emphasis in
the early years on making sense of the world, developing the
languages and skills for exploring, creating, communicating,
problem-solving, working with others, and self-guidance.
• For older
learners, a Collaborative Learning Design process in which students
and teachers together design integrated units around the personal
and world concerns of students, crossing the boundaries of
traditional subject areas.
• A balanced
approach to literacy and mathematics.
• Multi-age
classrooms that better fit the developmental needs of all students.
• Portfolios
that document student work, along with authentic and
performance-based assessments to measure true understanding and
skill.
• Arts that are
integrated into the regular classroom.
• A positive,
solution-based, school-wide discipline system based on mutual
respect and responsibility. Adlerian psychology is the basis of our
behavioral plans.
• A governance
system that involves the whole community in critical issues and
decision-making regarding the school.
• Partnerships
with other agencies and service providers in Garden City to benefit
Garden City and to maximize support for families and the learning
experience.
(return
to top of page)
Will my child get a solid education in
reading and math?
Yes. The DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School) uses highly effective approaches
to literacy and math while developing deep understanding, critical
thinking skills, and the ability to deal with real-world challenges.
(return
to top of page)
Will parents be expected to volunteer at the school?
The school relies on parent volunteers to help make the school a
success. Volunteering not only will help the school, but it will help
parents be more involved in their child’s education. Parents may even
advance their own education in the process. While we cannot require that
parents volunteer, we request that parents will commit to volunteer at
least a minimum of five hours per month.
(return
to top of page)
What can I do to help now?
You can volunteer. There are many aspects of the creation of this school
that you can help with. See the Volunteer page on this web site for more
information and complete a Volunteer
Application.
• You can make a financial
contribution to the school. There are many expenses associated with
a charter school.
• Tell others about the school.
(return
to top of page)
Who initiated the effort to create this school?
The effort to create a charter-based school was
initiated by a small group advocating for new approaches to the design of
education. The initial coordinator for the effort was Matthew Shapiro, a
local educator and organizer who had been developing a community-based
educational design process for eight years prior to the founding of
Garden City Community School (now named DaVinci Charter School). The Boise-based Mary Parker
Follett Foundation paid for the initial survey and provided
technical assistance for the Participatory Educational Design process.
Volunteers assisting with the project included: Garden City parents and
other residents, parents from outside of Garden City, and current and
former educators. The Mayor and City Council of Garden City
provided support for the effort as well.
(return
to top of page)
Why
should Garden City have a school?
Schools serve as centers of community and can help to create the future
of the neighborhoods that they serve. Garden City is a very diverse city
with a growing population. It has unique challenges and unique
potential. However, there have been no public schools in Garden City.
Garden City children have had to attend several different schools
outside of the area, reducing the opportunity for interaction among
residents. The leadership of Garden City sought to have a school created
within city boundaries, and there was much public support for the idea.
(return
to top of page)
Are charter schools private or public?
Charter schools are public schools. They are created with the approval
of the local school board or the Idaho Public State Charter Commission.
Charters must conform to laws governing education, they are funded by
public tax dollars, and they cannot charge tuition or operate for profit.
Charters must provide their own facilities. DaVinci Charter School
is under the charter
commission and is considered its own school district. They must provide
their own contract services for special needs children and are not
allowed to share monies raised through bonds passed within the city or
nearby school districts.
(return
to top of page)
Why was it decided to develop a charter school in Garden City?
The school districts that served Garden City chose to not build a school
in Garden City. The charter route allowed citizens to create one by
their own initiative. Another reason why the charter route was desirable
is that it provides greater freedom in the design of an educational
program.
(return
to top of page)
Who does the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
serve?
The core attendance area for the school is Garden City. Children from
outside of Garden City can attend if there are available seats.
(return
to top of page)
What impact does a Garden City charter school have on existing schools?
The impact on schools that currently serve Garden City children
depends upon the proportion of children drawn from different areas of
Garden City. In general, financial resources follow the student.
However, it is important to keep in mind that the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
does not “take resources from public schools.”
DaVinci Charter School
is a public school that uses resources in a different way.
The school has minimal impact if it draws from all areas of Garden City
since Garden City is served by both Meridian and Boise school districts. If the Garden City school
were to draw heavily from one area in particular, an individual school could be impacted heavily enough
to cause changes in attendance boundaries or even a shift in school
programs. However, this is not the case.
(return
to top of page)
When did the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School)
open?
The school opened September 5, 2006.
(return
to top of page)
Why was the school name changed to DaVinci Charter School?
The GCCS
Board of Directors voted unanimously to accept
changing the school's name to DaVinci Charter School,
and the name has been approved by the Idaho
Department of Education and the Idaho Public Charter
Commission.
GCCS COMMUNITY
COUNCIL RE: PROSPECTIVE GCCS NAME CHANGE
During
their meeting October 28, 2010, members of the GCCS Community Council
agreed that if the school were to incur the trouble and expense of a
name change, the new name should meet the following strategic goals:
Goal
1: The
school name should better represent the core competencies and
differentiation of the school, namely arts integration, academic rigor,
learner-centered classrooms, and environmental sciences.
Goal
2: The
school name should eliminate some confusion about the school (a free,
public K-8 charter school rather than a private school with tuition or a
community/technical college)
Goal
3: The
school name should be appealing enough to prospective families as to be
included in their consideration sets.
Goal
4: The
school name should be unique amongst other charter schools in the state
(per legal requirement) and competing schools in the Treasure Valley.
Additionally,
the name should adhere to some principles of good branding, including:
•
Evoke positive associations
•
Be easy to pronounce and remember
•
Suggest product (ie: educational) benefits
•
Be distinctive
After
consideration of the previously compiled list of names, it was nearly
unanimously agreed that the name “DaVinci Charter School” meets all
stated goals.
Depending
on the individual, “DaVinci” immediately evokes either an
association with the arts or an association with science/history.
As a true Renaissance man (painter, sculptor, architect, musician,
scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist,
cartographer, botanist and writer), Leonardo DaVinci’s enormous
accomplishment in all academic fields and his acclaim as an artist
speaks to the school’s belief that creative expression is a holistic
component of high academic goals. Even if prospective families or
community neighbors are unfamiliar with the life and accomplishment of
Leonardo DaVinici, the “DaVinici” name has generally positive
academic associations.
Additionally,
the name is distinctive among others in the consideration set.
Though there are DaVinci schools in other states, there are none in the
Treasure Valley or in Idaho. Moreover, the name is a “stand
alone” brand that doesn’t require the speaker to recite the entire
name. (“What is the name of that charter school with the arts
focus?” “DaVinci!”) The name is short, appealing, and
easy to pronounce.
While
additional nouns were considered for the latter half of the name, it was
believed that “Charter School” was simpler and more approachable
than “Academy” or “Conservatory” and better reflected our
essential nature: a tuition-free public school.
In
summation: the Community Council is supportive of a name change to
“DaVinci Charter School.” We assert that “DaVinci Charter
School” succinctly and boldly embodies the school’s commitment to
arts, sciences, and curiosity about the natural world.
Additionally, we believe this name to be less confusing and more
appealing to the general public and prospective families.
Respectfully,
The
Community Council
submitted
by Parent Rep to the Board, Michael Tetrault/written by Melanie Folwell,
parent
"Leonardo
is the one artist of whom it may be said with perfect literalness:
“Nothing that he touched but turned into a thing of eternal beauty.
Whether it be the cross section of a skull, the structure of a weed, or
a study of muscles, he, with his feeling for line and for light and
shade, forever transmuted it into life-communicating values."
--art historian Bernard Berenson, 1896
(return
to top of page)
Revised:
11/01/11
|