Environmental academy seeks charter renewal
The Wizards Ecology Day and Inventors Faire asked students to develop a project to benefit the environment, said the principal of a charter school in Dobbins in the Sierra foothills.
"It was our take on the science fair," Bruce Helft said, citing student interest in the Harry Potter books and the event last school year at the Yuba Environmental Science Charter Academy. A student project on the resting heart rate of a horse won an award.
Today, a public hearing will be held by Marysville Joint Unified School District trustees on the academy's try to win approval for a five-year renewal of the charter at the school that opened in August 2008.
"We are making a big difference in the lives of children in the foothills and elsewhere," Helft said. "If we were in Sacramento or Yuba City, we'd have a waiting list."
Projected to have an enrollment of 115 students, the school known as YESCA has about 100 youths attending, he said.
The charter academy has received $840,300 in grant awards, Helft noted, including about $72,000 in funds the state provided to 20 charter schools in California. About 800 charter schools are in the state.
The charter academy is awaiting a review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of a two-year program grant for $43,000 to study the environmental impact of development on native species in the area, the renewal petition notes.
"I'll wait to see what we hear at the board meeting," Marysville Joint Unified Trustee Jim Flurry said. "We'll look at all the results we're given."
The petition states a truism about education: "Teachers are the school."
"One of YESCA's strengths is its ability to attract and retain talented staff," the petition adds.
Helft said the environmental focus of the curriculum helps account for the success of the school 25 miles northeast of Marysville.
In October, every child received a waste watcher's home audit and survey to be completed with their family.
The principal said he is optimistic about the charter renewal.
"There's a great temptation on a financial end to get our students in the Marysville Joint Unified schools close by," Helft added, citing enrollment issues he said those schools face.
Trustees are expected to decide at their Feb. 9 meeting whether to accept or reject the renewal request. They meet at 7:30 p.m. today in the district board room at 1919 B St. in Marysville.
Also scheduled is a public hearing on the proposed charter for the Paragon Collegiate Academy, whose backers say will provide academically rigorous classes at a "civic minded, character rich" charter academy in Marysville.
Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmccarthy@appealdemocrat.com.
