Sedona Charter School

Sedona Charter School (SCS) is a Montessori-based school for approximately 160 students in grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade. All of the grades are located at one location in Sedona, AZ, behind the [http://sedonalibrary.com Sedona Public Library] , except the Kindergarten, which is located nearby.

History

Sedona Charter School was founded in 1995 by 14 people as the second charter contract issued in the state of Arizona and is now the oldest charter school in Arizona. The school spent six years (1995-2001) in ten temporary locations while a permanent campus was built.

Academics

In September 2007, [http://schooldigger.com Schooldigger] ranked it #145 out of 941 public elementary schools in Arizona, giving it a 4-star ranking for its test scores. According to parents' reviews on [http://www.greatschools.net greatschools.net] , it has been rated a 9 out of 10 overall for its teachers and staff.

Students

As of 2006, 138 (81 percent) of the students are White/Caucasian, 21 (12 percent) are Hispanic, 8 (5 percent) are Asian/Pacific Islander and 4 (2 percent) are African American. The highest year of enrollment was in 2005, when a total of 185 students were enrolled.

Community Involvement

The students at Sedona Charter School have been involved in many different events throughout the community, including the constructing of the Oak Creek Canyon tent-house replica, at the [http://www.sedonamuseum.org/|Sedona Historical Society] in Jordan Park, Sedona, AZ. They have also been competitors in the Arizona Archery in the Schools State Championships. The school has been a main contributor to the Sedona St. Patrick's day parade and the Sedona Marathon, for which the school had the largest group running in the event. Students in the school have also competed in local and regional spelling bees and science fairs.

Sedona Charter School has also taken the 8th grade class on a field trip to New York, six of the students will be delegates in the Model United Nations delegation in New York City, New York. During this time, the six students will discuss current issues and debate over issues that are affecting the world.

Other Information

*Sedona Charter School is a member of the American Montessori Society.

*Sedona Charter School has a functioning Student Council, Builder's Club (associated with Kiwanis), and National Junior Honor Society.

*The students are classified into three main groups, The Lower Elementary, which teaches grades 1-3, the Upper Elementary, which teaches grades 4-6, and Middle School, which teaches grades 7 and 8.

*Unlike other Montessori-based schools, SCS does not have a main principal, but has a "principal educator" in each classroom, who serves as a leader in their classroom in addition to teaching.

*Sedona Charter School owns the oldest log cabin in Sedona, The Purtymun Cabin. The cabin is the second oldest building in Sedona and was designated an historic landmark on September 4, 2007. The school currently maintains the cabin and rents it as a residence.

External links

* [http://www.sedonacharterschool.com/aboutscs.htm SCS Home Page]
* [http://www.schooldigger.com/go/AZ/schools/0008901063/school.aspx Schooldigger]
* [http://www.sedonamuseum.org/ Sedona Historical Society]
* [http://www.greatschools.net Greatschools.net]
* [http://www.sedonapubliclibrary.com Sedona Public Library]

References

*http://www.schooldigger.com/go/AZ/schools/0008901063/school.aspx
*http://www.sedonacharterschool.com/aboutscs.htm
*http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/achievement/az/2104#stanford9
*http://www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/i_e/archery/2007StateChampionshipresults.pdf
*http://www.ilovesedona.com/Directory/sedona_marathon.htm