Focused on Science

Jan 03, 07:07 PM

City district studies charter school

A new charter school designed to sharpen students' science and math skills may open next fall in Lancaster city.

Backers of the proposed Lancaster Science Academy are seeking School District of Lancaster's approval to open the secondary school on Harrisburg Avenue for the 2008-09 year.

The school would enroll 330 students in grades six through 12 by its fifth year and have an annual operating budget of about $2.6 million. Funding would come from district, state, federal and private sources.

"Companies are saying we need more math, science and technology in the 21st century to compete," Mary Ressler, a member of Science Academy's executive board, said.

The school would be "positive for the students, positive for the economy and positive for local companies," she said.

Science Academy would teach all state-mandated subjects and offer advanced science, technology and engineering math courses.

Every student would receive a laptop computer, and class sizes would be limited to about 15 pupils per teacher, Ressler said.

The school is the brainchild of Steve Sablak and Sait Onal, natives of Turkey who were educated at American universities and "wanted to give something back" by improving public school opportunities for American students.

"We have seen lots of U.S. students struggle with science and math," said Sablak, a senior researcher for Bosch Security Systems in Lancaster. "Also, our children have had similar problems, too.

"Instead of blaming some other people, we felt we had to do something as educated people."

He and Onal immigrated to the United States in 1993 and live in Lancaster Township.

About three years ago, they began investigating the possibility of opening a school. Since then, they have gathered more than 1,200 signatures from city residents who support the proposal, along with letters of support from Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray, state lawmakers and city community leaders.

Science Academy plans to lease space for the school in a vacant office building at 240 Harrisburg Ave., near North Prince Street.

But before it can open, the school must get its charter approved by the SDL board.

Science Academy officials appeared before the board Dec. 20 to outline their plans. A second public hearing on the charter request will be held next month.

Board members then will have about 30 days to approve or deny a five-year charter for the school. If they vote against the charter, Science Academy could appeal the decision before the state Department of Education.

SDL board president Patrick Snyder and acting superintendent Stephen Iovino said it's too early to say if the board supports Science Academy.

At the Dec. 20 meeting, board members expressed concerns that Science Academy would enroll only "the cream of the crop" - SDL's strongest math and science students.

But charter school officials stress enrollment would be open to all district students, and applicants would not be screened. If there are more applicants than open slots, a lottery would determine who gets in.

Onal and Sablak said they targeted SDL students because of the need.

"Lancaster city needs the most help, we believe, as far as educational opportunity," Onal said. "We don't want to fix something that's not broken."

Science Academy will provide an alternative for families that lack the resources to send their children to private schools, he said.

Tuition at Science Academy would be free. Under state law, charter schools are funded primarily by the districts in which their students live. SDL would pay about $6,500 for each regular- education student attending the school.

Science Academy also would receive a state reimbursement of about $1,000 per student, Onal said, and is eligible for about $165,000 in federal grants in each of its first two years of operation.

The school has pledges of about $350,000 from private companies and individuals to cover startup costs, including the $220,000 it plans to spend to install a physics lab and complete other renovations, he said.

In its first year, Science Academy would enroll about 150 students in grades six through eight, adding a grade each year until it reached full capacity in 2012-13.

The school would follow the SDL academic calendar but would establish its own operating hours and provide after-school tutoring until 5 p.m. each day, Ressler said. Tutoring would be mandatory for struggling students.

Every student would have a personalized education plan, she said, and teachers would earn bonuses if their students exceeded academic targets.

"Teachers will be held accountable," she said. "I think the whole key is to hire motivated people."

Students would wear uniforms and be responsible for keeping classrooms clean.

Science Academy also plans to post all student homework assignments, test scores and grades online so parents can keep tabs on their children's progress.

Onal said the school is negotiating with Internet service providers and computer companies to provide free computers and Internet access to families that don't have them.

The school also has partnerships with IBM, Penn State, Millersville University and other companies and colleges to provide classroom instruction, mentoring, job shadowing and internship opportunities for students.

High school students would be required to take at least four years of math - one year more than required at most other schools. And students would be encouraged to participate in science and technology competitions.

"We promised the school board that we will get medals, but not necessarily in basketball," Onal said. "We will get medals from science and math Olympiads and science fairs."

In addition to a teaching staff of 26, the school would have a principal and a director, whose main responsibility would be fundraising. Its operations would be overseen by the school's executive board and the SDL school board.

In the coming weeks, Science Academy officials plan to hold public information sessions on the school in the city's Hispanic, African-American and Asian communities.

Ressler, a former SDL middle school teacher, said public response to the school has been overwhelmingly positive.

"People want to see change in education," she said. "What's so amazing is that people have asked us, When are you going to open an elementary school?' "

More information on Lancaster Science Academy is available at www.scienceacademy.us or by e-mailing executive board members at info@scienceacademy.us.

E-mail: bwallace@lnpnews.com

Originally published by Intelligencer Journal Staff.

(c) 2008 Intelligencer Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved. Focused on Science
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