Guadalupe seeks to grow as charter school

Guadalupe School representatives were among the last to present their case before the State Charter School Board Thursday, hoping for a charter approval that will allow them to expand.

School leaders say the public-private hybrid school is not only an established institution but also comes with a 36-year history of success — something that would be a perfect model for a charter.

Even so, the chances of the school being granted approval for the 2007-08 school year could be slim.

Fifteen schools are vying for charter approvals for fall 2007. Eric Olsen, board chairman, said they have at least six superb applications and many others also are above par.

But because the Legislature put a cap on new charter schools for 2007, only three slots remain.

Schools with arts, service and even autism programs have presented their school plans before the board — most of them new schools.

Guadalupe has existed for more than three decades but leaders want to see it expand. Now offering pre-K through third grade, they want to serve students up through sixth grade, a move they are not able to do while under Salt Lake City School District.

As a charter school, Guadalupe would have the funding to expand and broaden the school's model.

Currently the program serves disadvantaged children, many of them immigrants with non-English-speaking parents. It is funded partly through private donors while Salt Lake City School District picks up the rest of the tab.

Parent-educators coach parents and their children from birth on how to read with their children. Parents are coached and taught how to create literacy-rich environments for pre-kindergarten students, while elementary-age students have one-on-one reading and studying time with school volunteers.

But after third grade students must transfer to their neighborhood school — something that can be a challenge for a fourth-grader.

"Our parents over the years have said that they'd like the kids to go to the sixth grade — things are a little scarier when you are 9 (years old)," said Vicki Mori, Guadalupe director. "But when you are 12 years old, you are older and are making the move with all the kids so you're not the new kids on the block."

If approved, the school will add a new grade each year up to sixth grade and would possibly build a new facility.