Open Classroom may grow into school

The Open Classroom in Salt Lake City may morph to a K-8 charter school that would allow for growth along with a building of its own if district officials approve.

Currently the program is housed at Washington Elementary where it also shares an administrator. The OC, a K-6 district optional program, requires parents to volunteer in the classroom each week and allows for more individualized learning and parental involvement.

Laura Lockhart, a vice chairwoman on the OC steering committee, said leaders want a charter conversion in order to be able to go K-8 and have their own building. They want the ability to continue to expand while staying together as one body, and they want their own administrator.

As it stands, the OC shares a principal with Washington Elementary, but leaders say it would be best to have an administrator dedicated to the OC.

"We have a terrific administrator at Washington, but the OC is a difficult fit with neighborhood schools because it has such a different focus."

Currently the school has around 250 students. But if approved the OC will expand to 500 students by the 2009-10 school year.

The school's charter application is being reviewed by the school board and will be voted on later this year.

Meanwhile the board gave the nod to adding a seventh grade for next school year, allowing the OC to go forward with the middle school planning along with keeping the sixth-graders it has now.

Three years ago the district allowed the OC to add an extra classroom to each grade K-3. Then the plan was that part of the program would break off and continue to grow housed at another school. But under the new charter the school would continue to expand under one roof.

Already the school is run much like a charter school. OC parents' roles go beyond helping in the classroom. Though it is overseen by Washington the program operates under a steering committee of parents who also help write the education plans.

"I don't think it will be a lot different once it's a charter since it is an established district program," said Christy Bills, the OC publicity chairwoman. "The district has been good with letting us operate fairly autonomously."

The OC has thrived at Washington nearly 30 years and attracts parents who want to play a highly active role in their children's education.

Pamela Foster, chairwoman of the steering committee, said she enrolled her child in the OC because she liked the idea of a lot of parent involvement and addressing the whole child.

"Kids are getting more individual attention with four or five extra adults in the classroom," Foster said. "We are able to develop a learning community with kids learning from teachers, other adults and their peers."

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com