Andover resident and School Committee member David Birnbach hopes that next school year Andover kids will have a new option for high school.
Birnbach and his team of educators and technology and health sciences experts have submitted proposal to the Massachusetts Department of Education for a new charter school for high school students, and he's spoken with Andover's superintendent, principals and School Committee.
Charter schools are public schools supported with public funding but with the ability to shape their own curriculum.
The proposed school is called STEAM Studio, and "STEAM" stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics.
"Our aim is to collaborate with the Andover Public Schools and build a relationship that's a win-win for students and the community," Birnbach said.
The school would be open to any Andover student in grades 9 to 12. There would be no tuition, but standard high school fees would apply.
"The proposed open date is September 2014, and the school can grow to a maximum of 450 students," Birnbach said. In the first year, the school would only have 9th grade students. By the fourth year it would have grades 9 to 12.
The school, as you may guess by its name, would focus on technology. Students would work in teams, called "guilds," and learning would be project based.
A location for the school has not yet been determined.
The State assessment process will be from September 2013 to February 2014.
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