The state board of education has approved two applications for charter schol in Mercer County, including the Mercer Arts Charter High School, targeted for West Windsor. ##M:[more]##Founder Barbar Taylor, whose application was rejected last year, said “I’m very excited. It’s an awesome responsibility. Now the real work begins.”
MACHS will combine general studies with arts education in a student’s chosen discipline: music, theater, dance, or visual arts.
Taylor expects to have to conduct a lottery to determine which students will get the chance to be among 300 freshmen and sophomores who will be the school’s first students. Initial enrollment, for students from WW-P, Hopewell Valley, Lawrence, Princeton, and Trenton, lasts until February 15. Enrollment for students from the rest of Mercer County runs from February 16 until March 17.
Taylor says several locations are potential sites for the school, but in particular she would like to use an undisclosed Alexander Road location. Says Taylor: “It has 22,”000 square feet, large, open spaces, it’s fully wired with air conditioning. We are in negotiations but haven’t finalized anything yet.”
Taylor says interest in the school has been great. “I’ve spoken with over 500 parents since we sent in the application last summer. Now that w’ve been approved, the phone is lighting up,” said Taylor, who is an art teacher in the Plainfield school district.
Taylor has a group of parent-founders who now will begin recruiting students. “They’re going to various K-8 private schools to distribute information,” said Taylor. (Euna Kwon Brossman, columnist for the News, is among the parent-founders.)
Taylor’s proposal involves “arts infusion” with students in school from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. They will take part in core curriculum classes in the morning, taught by half-day history, English, and math teachers. The afternoon will be devoted to the students’ artistic medium. In the time between, morning teachers will meet with afternoon teachers to discuss integrating their lesson plans with their artwork.
The school is also seeking teachers. Taylor says they have a particular need for experienced music teachers and for teachers of math, science, language arts and history.
After the inital application was rejected, Taylor revised and expanded her application. She included the results of a needs study conducted by Braun Research on interest in the idea of the school, and outlined potential partnerships she has begun to form with area arts organizations, such as McCarter Theater. The study and application revision was funded by a $30,”000 federal grant.
The state now gives charter schools 90 percent of a district’s per-pupil cost for every student that attends. WW-P’s cost per high school student last year was $12,”653. For each WW-P student that goes to Mercer Arts or any other charter school, the charter will get $11,”387, and the public school keeps $1,”265.
Taylor is a visual artist herself and worked on the White House Conference on Children and Youth during the Carter Administration. She graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts. For more information, contact Taylor at 609-216-4816 or at www.mercerarts.org.
