Charter School: A story from ViroquaBy borges, Section School House
The La Crosse Tribune report, on charter schools in that city, highlighted a new school initiative that has a focus on international studies. In an age of misunderstanding and war on the international scene and division in our own country, this is positive.
What some may not realize is that in early 2001 the Viroqua Area School District applied to receive funds for a similar school and was turned down by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI.) Waysmeet School, if funded, would have opened the fall of 9/11. More details below the fold...
The school was envisioned as a Peace school, but the parents who were on the committee to create the school decided on the name "Waysmeet School" to emphasize how children need to cope with difference and appreciate diversity. This was a school where various "ways" would "meet" and use conflict resolution as a central organizing principle. World history and religion would be part of the core curriculum. The education standards were envisioned as highest level, so children would be capable of entering the world stage with no fear of performing below global standards of academic achievement.
About 20 parents from the area collaborated on the preparation of the planning grant. As proposed the school would be multi-age education, project-based learning, a cooperative environment. The parent group, in cooperation with the Superintendent of the district, planned this to be located as a "school-within-a-school" at Liberty Pole rural school. This small facility was in need of higher enrollment numbers in 2000, and this school eventually closed in 2004. In February of 2001 the administrator of the charter school program at DPI communicated that "there were no new ideas in the grant. Any school can implement those programs, you don't need a charter school to make it happen." And as a result the Waysmeet School idea was dropped by the Viroqua Area School District. Perhaps the past few years has cast a new light on the need for these kinds of schools for the next generation and our future. La Crosse is now taking the lead. |
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