Local School Celebrates National School Choice Week

VISALIA, Calif. - Jan. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Parents and others community members interested in learning more about school choice and how to choose the best educational environment for students gathered on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 for a special Information Meeting to learn about Sycamore Valley Academy (SVA) -- the only independent charter school for students in grades K – 8^th in Tulare County offering an academically accelerated program including differentiated instruction and project-based learning. Timed to coordinate with SVA’s open admissions period, the event will also raise awareness of the importance of educational options for children and families in the region. Sycamore Valley Academy is currently accepting applications for grades K – 8^th for its third year, 2014-15, now through February 20, 2013.

Chartered by the Visalia Unified School District, SVA is a tuition-free, public school serving students in grades K – 8^th. Opening in Fall 2012, SVA serves an academically, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse student population. Planned enrollment for the 2014-15 school year is 279 students. SVA served approximately 133 students in its first school year (2012-2013) and currently serves 225 students.

California was the second state in the country (after Minnesota) to enact charter school legislation when lawmakers passed the Charter Schools Act of 1992. The intent was to allow groups of educators, community members, parents, or others to create an alternative type of public school. Charter schools expand choice within the public school system and schools like SVA enable local community members to work together to design programs that cater to the individual needs of students and the local community.   Charter schools in California are publicly funded but function somewhat differently from traditional public schools. They operate independently under a performance agreement with a chartering authority, which is typically a school district but can also be a county office of education or the State Board of Education.

“SVA is about preparing students for life, both in our local community and beyond,” said Ruth Dutton, Founder and Principal / Superintendent of SVA. “We are all responsible for our public schools, regardless of whether we have children in the school system. A quality education is a right for every child and every family, in every community and every state. It’s common sense . . . no matter where you call home, effective, motivating schools with teachers that challenge our students to learn is what a quality education is all about.”

SVA’s philosophy of education is rooted in a fundamental belief that all students can learn, and that all students deserve a quality educational experience. By offering differentiated instruction – an organized, yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning methods to accommodate each child's learning needs and preferences in order to achieve his or her maximum growth as a learner – SVA ensures all students are included and can be successful in learning.

In addition to differentiated instruction, SVA’s multi-age classroom offers student a three-pronged approach to enrichment that includes academic, creative and service-learning units as well as project-based learning that challenges students to not only acquire knowledge and skills but also to think and solve problems about the kind of knowledge and skills need to successfully complete a project.

WHAT

§  Information Meetings about Sycamore Valley Academy

WHO

§  Organized by Sycamore Valley Academy

§  Attended by parents and guardians of prospective students who are interested in obtaining more information about SVA, teachers and concerned citizens

WHEN

§  Tuesday, January 28, 2014; 6:00 – 7:00 PM

§  Monday, February 10, 2014; 6:00 – 7:00 PM

WHERE

§  Sycamore Valley Academy -- Cafeteria

§  6832 Avenue 280 Visalia, CA 93277 (Corner of Caldwell Avenue and Road 68)

EVENT NOTES

§  This event is open to the public and to the media.

§  For more information about this event, visit http://www.sycamorevalleyacademy.org.

For more information about National School Choice Week, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com.

# # #

About Sycamore Valley Academy:Founded in 2011, the mission of Sycamore Valley Academy is to provide a rich, meaningful education in a nurturing environment, where students are continually challenged and their natural curiosity, creativity, and talents can thrive. Sycamore Valley Academy is a collaborative community of educators and families working together to help our students grow into virtuous, courageous, and intelligent citizens, equipped with a love of learning and a love of life, and eager to contribute to a better world.