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Charter schools are a combination of public and private school idea.
A charter school receives public money, but is governed by a local School Board that is comprised of community leaders and parents. Charter schools give parents a choice in public education for their child.
You can view a Comparison of Charter Schools to Public and Private Schools.
How are charter schools financed?
Charter schools are financed through public money, similar to other public schools. Most of the funding comes from the state government. Additional funding for special programs comes from the federal government.
A charter school may not charge tuition or require students or parents to pay fees. Charter schools are also subject to the same rules regarding school fees as other public schools. Parents are always welcome to make donations to the school.
What is the Wasatch Peak Academy's Charter Focus?
Wasatch Peak Academy is a public charter school in North Salt Lake for students in grades K-6.
Wasatch Peak Academy focuses on three areas:
Academic Excellence for each student
Service Learning
Spanish Instruction
Academic Excellent – Wasatch Peak follows research-based best practice to help all students achieve academic excellence. We focus on implementing the instructional practices that work best to accelerate student learning. We teach surface, deep, and transfer knowledge in core subjects so students are successful with the increasing demands on their cognition for: 21st century global economy. Our teaching staff receives ongoing professional development to keep them current with the latest and most effective instructional practice. We believe teachers make a significant impact and we work to maximize this impact for all students.
Service Learning – We believe that children learn through service. A service learning program provides educational experiences that are integrated into the student’s academic curriculum, providing structured time for a student to think, talk, and write about what the student did during the service activity. The interaction of knowledge and skills with experience is key to the learning process. Service to the community gives students the opportunity to grow intellectually as well as socially, and develop a civic responsibility that will follow them throughout their lifetimes
Spanish Instruction - Wasatch Peak Academy’s commitment to a dual language learning program demonstrates its firm belief that learning more than one language is important for every child. Learning two languages promotes cognitive growth in children and can be a marketable skill to them later in life. It also creates an opportunity for increased cultural sensitivity and heightened understanding of the global nature of human relations. Students participate in Spanish classes and other cultural events, exposing the child to multiple educational disciplines in both languages
This dual-language program is different than bilingual instruction. In bilingual programs, bilingual teachers and guides are available to respond to a child in whichever language the child is most comfortable. Used by itself, the bilingual approach limits exposure of a child to a new language while creating few incentives for learning it. It is the mission of Wasatch Peak Academy that the child is educated in both languages by being exposed to both English and Spanish in multiple contexts.
Wasatch Peak Academy is located in the Foxboro neighborhood of North Salt Lake, Utah.
414 N. Cutler Drive
North Salt Lake City, UT 84054
Yes. All teachers are certified by the state unless they are obtaining their license through ARL, in which case, they are being monitored by the school principal and the state office of education. Any specialists or counselors hired also meet all federal and state requirements.
Parents have the right to request and receive information on the qualifications of their child’s teacher. If you have any questions or want more information please contact the school’s principal.
Where do the teachers come from? Do they have tenure?
We advertise open teaching positions in many places. We are committed to having a balance of teachers at all levels in their career. All teachers go through a rigorous interview process before they are offered a position at Wasatch Peak Academy. Anyone interested in working for Wasatch Peak Academy may visit the Teacher-teachers.com or visit our website for more information. We provide opportunities for teachers who are not yet certified to become certified through Alternative Routes to Licensure through the Utah state office of education.
Does Wasatch Peak Academy offer day care or after school care?
There are some optional after-school activities, but Wasatch Peak Academy does not provide regular day care or after school care.
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If I don't live in Davis County, can my child still attend?
Yes, It doesn’t matter which school district you live in as long as you can provide your own transportation to and from school each day.
No. Transportation to and from school is the responsibility of each family. We can assist you in finding other families in your area to carpool with. Please fill out a Carpool Form to share your carpool availability with other parents.
How can I be more involved in my child's education at Wasatch Peak Academy?
Parents of students attending Wasatch Peak Academy are each a voting member of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The membership elects a President and President Elect, who then appoint a Secretary and Treasurer, completing the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee solicits chairs for committees such as fundraising, volunteerism, school involvement, and others. In addition to the Executive Committee and the Committee Chairs, we need parents to participate as committee members and classroom volunteers. The president of the PTO also serves as a member of the Wasatch Peak Academy Board of Directors, which is directly responsible for governing the school and creating school policy.
All parents are encouraged to volunteer hours per academic year. The PTO recruits a volunteer motivator from each class who disseminates information on volunteer opportunities. The motivator keeps in mind varying work schedules for parents, thus making the appropriate recommendations. There are many volunteer opportunities, even for parents who have young kids at home or parents who work full-time. Please watch the Volunteer link for more information.
Parents are encouraged to participate in the service-learning projects, which is an integral part of our curriculum. We believe that helping our students to become civic minded citizens is largely dependent on how parents model civic-minded actions to their children; therefore, parent participation is a vital component to our program. Parents with varying talents and skills are encouraged to administer before and after school clubs.
Does Wasatch Peak Academy have a dress code policy?
Yes. Students are required to adhere to the Dress Code Policy. Parents are expected to follow the Dress Code Policy. All dress code regulations are detailed in the Parent Handbook as well. Teachers are required to wear professional dress.
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Service-Learning is not an add-on or additional program. The following definition is from the National Service-Learning Exchange: "Service-learning is a method of teaching that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools or communities through careful integration with established curricula." We believe that children learn through service. A service learning program provides educational experiences that are integrated into the student’s academic curriculum providing structured time for a student to think, talk, and write about what the student did during the service activity. The interaction of knowledge and skills with experience is key to the learning process. Service to the community will allow students the opportunity to grow intellectually as well as socially, and develop a civic responsibility that will follow them throughout their lifetimes.
Can you give a concrete example of service learning?
Judy Drummond and her class at Horace Mann Academic Middle School decided to address a shortage of accredited history in the Mission District of San Francisco. They did this by talking to the very people who influenced the community’s development. Driving down Valencia Street, you can't miss their documentation, a brightly colored mural depicting 28 “heroes” of the District, including political and community activists, educators, artists, a policeman and a firefighter. Partnering with a professional mural artist, students wrote a project budget using math and multiplication tables, helped develop grant proposals for funding using writing and research skills, learned interview techniques from an investigative reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, practiced phone skills by inviting community members to speak to the class, worked on multiple writing competencies by compiling biographies and writing letters to community members, and used their math skills again in creating graphs that allowed their smaller drawings to be represented in proportion on larger mural panels. Alex, a student participant, says it changed the way he thinks and acts toward others. “Because of this project, I know people in my neighborhood better. If I see something happen in my community, I will react.”
Is the core curriculum taught in Spanish?
No, the core curriculum is taught in English. Spanish is taught to the students, and they get some exposure to Spanish every day. Wasatch Peak Academy’s commitment to a dual language learning program demonstrates its firm belief that learning more than one language is important for every child. Learning two languages promotes cognitive growth in children and can be a marketable skill to them later in life. It also creates an opportunity for increased cultural sensitivity and heightened understanding of the global nature of human relations
Spanish is the most prominent second language in Utah. Wasatch Peak Academy has a high number of qualified teachers fluent in both English and Spanish.
What are the General Learning Practices?
We teach surface level, deep level, and transfer levels of knowledge to maximize academic success for all students. We also provide challenge through clear learning intentions, peer interaction, and student feedback. We build self-efficacy by providing explicit instruction and modeling examples, providing criteria for success, and student-centered problem solving. We provide success criteria through instructional clarity, learning-mastery goals, social collaboration and cooperative grouping, interesting texts, clear evaluation guidelines for performance, and integrated curriculum.
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Charter schools are a combination of public and private school idea.
A charter school receives public money, but is governed by a local School Board that is comprised of community leaders and parents. Charter schools give parents a choice in public education for their child.
You can view a Comparison of Charter Schools to Public and Private Schools.
How are charter schools financed?
Charter schools are financed through public money, similar to other public schools. Most of the funding comes from the state government. Additional funding for special programs comes from the federal government.
A charter school may not charge tuition or require students or parents to pay fees. Charter schools are also subject to the same rules regarding school fees as other public schools. Parents are always welcome to make donations to the school.
May a charter school limit its enrollment to certain students?
No. A charter school is part of the public education system and must be open to all students, without discrimination, on the same basis as other public schools. If the number of students applying to enroll in a charter school exceeds the capacity of the school or of programs, classes, or grade levels within the school, then those students to be admitted are chosen at random from among the applicants.
Are charter schools subject to the same laws and regulations as other public schools?
As a general rule, yes. Laws and regulations relating to religion in the schools, school fees and tuition, health and safety, civil rights, annual reports, prohibitions against advocacy of unlawful behavior, screening of potential employees or volunteers for competency and fitness, and most other matters are the same for both charter schools and other public schools. The State Board may waive any of its rules for a charter school or other public school, if the school applies for a waiver and the State Board finds that the waiver would not violate applicable law or cause harm to students or the school. A charter school is exempt from existing negotiated agreements relating to the hiring, employment, and dismissal of employees. A charter school’s governing body may determine the level of compensation and the terms and conditions of employment for its employees. Charter schools may only employ educators who hold valid teaching certificates or who meet State Board requirements for alternative certification or authorization.
How are charter schools held accountable for what they do?
A charter school must make the same annual reports as other public schools, including an annual financial audit and monthly budget report. Additionally, the charter school must participate in the statewide testing programs. Charter schools submit all reports to the Utah State Board of Education.
Where can I get additional information about charter schools?
Find more information on charter schools at:
www.usoe.k12.ut.us/charterschools
www.uscharterschools.org
www.educationevolving.org
www.charterschoolsusa.com
