Charter Renewal

Dear Parents,




On Monday Academics Plus presented our charter renewal application to the State Board of Education. We were successful in that we obtained a three year renewal agreement with the State to operate Academics Plus Charter School. We are disappointed that we did not receive a longer renewal agreement or a student cap increase, but we are happy that the State Board of Education has entrusted us with the students of the Central Arkansas Area for an additional three year.



Currently we have 650 students enrolled for the 2012-2013 school year with 121 students on the waiting list. The growth of our school and the waiting list is a positive testament to the success of our school. We want this trend to continue and we want to make additional improvements to meet the needs of all Academics Plus students.



Some of the initiatives we are doing in order to meet the students’ needs are as follows:



1. Remediation/Intervention during the instructional day for students needing additional help.

2. Expansion of our concurrent credit and advanced placement program offerings.

3. Spanish instruction for all K-6 students.

4. An additional 75 minutes of daily instruction as compared to traditional schools.

5. An additional ten days of instruction more than traditional schools.

6. Use of NWEA MAP tests to determine student strengths and weaknesses and help guide instruction.

7. Lego Robotics Program.

8. Title I small group instruction for struggling students.

9. Numerous clubs and activities at the high school. Many of which are conducted during the school day.

10. All students in grades 6-12 must have ten hours of community service per year.



As you know Academics Plus is a college preparatory school. In order to fulfill the mission there are several advancements we are putting into place for our upcoming (2012-2013) eighth grade class. They are as follows:



1. Eighth grade students will take physical science. (A year ahead of traditional schools).

2. The 2013-2014 ninth grade students will take biology. (A year ahead of traditional schools).

3. Next year’s ninth grade students will take Spanish I and then the following tenth grade students will take Spanish II.



4. The Board of Trustees has adopted the following graduation standards above the state standard for the graduating class of 2017:



a. Four years of science. (The state standard is three years).

b. Two years of foreign language. (There is no state standard for foreign language).

c. Two completed credits of concurrent credit or advanced placement courses.



As I am sure you are aware this is the testing season for all Arkansas Schools to include Academics Plus. It is extremely important that the students take these tests seriously and do their best. These tests many times determine the classes students will take next year. If a student does not do well then he/she must take remediation and possibly repeat the class or grade level. One thing for certain is if the students do not perform well on the state mandated tests they most likely will not perform well on the ACT or SAT tests for college entrance. The students that do not do well on the mandated tests will also have to take college remediation if they are fortunate enough to even be accepted into a college. So, as a college preparatory school it is extremely important that students do their best during the tests and also work hard all year long so they have the skills to perform well on the tests.



Thank you for entrusting your students with us at Academics Plus Charter School!



Sincerely,







Rob McGill

Executive Director