The public got a glimpse Tuesday night of the intermediate charter school that could open at Christ the King Regional High School by the 2013 school year.
If approved by the Department of Education (DOE), the Middle Village Preparatory Charter School could take 360 students into a intense study program featuring double math and English periods plus three years of Latin.
At Tuesday’s public hearing on the proposed school, Michael Michel, president of Christ the King Regional High School (CTK), outlined the plan.
The prep school would be designed to help kids get into the specialized high school of their choice by giving them a strong math and English foundation.
He touted the idea for using space that’s currently available and unused in the 280,000 square foot CTK campus to house kids from crowded District 24.
“By us taking some students that will help alleviate some space,” he said.
Michael Michel, president of Christ The King Regional High School, briefed Community Education Council 24 and the public about plans to start a charter school in the high school's building. Forum Newsgroup photo by Jeremiah Dobruck.
Eventually the school would house 360 students. The first year would start with 120 sixth-graders and add a new crop each year for two years.
The local Community Education Council 24 mostly threw their support behind the idea.
Nick Comianni, president of the CEC, said the panel has historically been opposed to charter schools but because Michel and the 20 or so parents organizing this school have been so up-front and open, he’s for it.
“Speaking for myself, I was very happy with it,” Comianni said.
He noted the facility at CTK is perfectly designed to house separate schools. The charter school is able to be completely separate from the high school because CTK was originally built as a separate boys and girls school.
Some parents objected to the length of the proposed school day that would run from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Michel, however, said the idea is to prepare the students for specialized high schools they could pick from throughout the city.
“Our job at Middle Village Prep is to try to get every child eligible to pick the top high schools be they private or public,” he said.
The school would be filled through applications, with students from CEC 24 given priority.
Michel said applications would be available online if the school is approved by the DOE.
The school’s website is middlevillageprep.org.
By Jeremiah Dobruck
j.dobruck@theforumnewsgroup.com
