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.)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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How many students does the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School) serve?
As of February 2011, we have an enrollment of 131.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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When did the DaVinci Charter School (Garden City Community School) open?
The school opened September 5, 2006.

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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

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FAQs

Revised: 11/01/11