Frederick Co. Parents Hope to Open Charter School
By: Dawn White
Updated: April 21, 2010
FREDERICK, MD - Some parents may think there's not enough choice in their child's education, but a group of Frederick County parents are organizing a proposed charter school to create the options they are looking for.
Sue Middleton and Elizabeth Thackery play with their children in the suburbs of Frederick. They didn't think the county had enough options for their kids education, so they decided to organize their own charter school with 22 other families.
"Parents wanted more for their child," says Middleton. "They wanted to be more involved in how their child is educated, the curriculum used and using the classical approach to education. We have found something that we feel is the best choice for our children.
Rather than change what already exists, the moms and dads founded the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School which would be a tuition-free public school.
"It's just going to enrich the school district itself and give parents a choice to send their kids to something that may work better for their children," says Thackery.
The school would use a classical model of education, dividing kids into three groups. Kindergarten through fourth grade is known as the "grammar stage," grades five through eight is the "logic stage" and high school grades are the "rhetoric stage."
The Monocacy Valley Montessori School is the first charter school in Maryland and the only charter school in Frederick County. Supporters of the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School hope bringing a second option to the county would give parents options for choosing their child's education.
"If parents are looking for something different, this offers a completely different alternative than some things that are already out there," says Middleton.
The group is looking for a building, raising money, holding informational nights at schools and hoping their plans soon become a reality.
"We are going before the Frederick County Board of Education this summer, and they need to review everything that we've done," says Middleton.
If the BOE approves the program doors will open in the fall of 2011.
Click here to learn more about the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School.
Sue Middleton and Elizabeth Thackery play with their children in the suburbs of Frederick. They didn't think the county had enough options for their kids education, so they decided to organize their own charter school with 22 other families.
"Parents wanted more for their child," says Middleton. "They wanted to be more involved in how their child is educated, the curriculum used and using the classical approach to education. We have found something that we feel is the best choice for our children.
Rather than change what already exists, the moms and dads founded the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School which would be a tuition-free public school.
"It's just going to enrich the school district itself and give parents a choice to send their kids to something that may work better for their children," says Thackery.
The school would use a classical model of education, dividing kids into three groups. Kindergarten through fourth grade is known as the "grammar stage," grades five through eight is the "logic stage" and high school grades are the "rhetoric stage."
The Monocacy Valley Montessori School is the first charter school in Maryland and the only charter school in Frederick County. Supporters of the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School hope bringing a second option to the county would give parents options for choosing their child's education.
"If parents are looking for something different, this offers a completely different alternative than some things that are already out there," says Middleton.
The group is looking for a building, raising money, holding informational nights at schools and hoping their plans soon become a reality.
"We are going before the Frederick County Board of Education this summer, and they need to review everything that we've done," says Middleton.
If the BOE approves the program doors will open in the fall of 2011.
Click here to learn more about the proposed Frederick Classical Charter School.
