Skyview Charter School Proposed For Niwot

BY LIZ EMMETT-MATTOX
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If the proposal for a K-8 charter school for gifted students is accepted by both parents and the SVVSD, Skyview Charter School will open its doors somewhere in the Niwot/Gunbarrel area in the fall.

Organizers can’t say for certain where the new school will be located until they get final approval from the district, but they are currently looking at options in the Monarch Park/Tech Center area of Niwot.

Kathy Payne, one of the school’s organizers, said there are many gifted students whose needs are not being met in the current schools. “Even when the schools can meet their academic needs, they are missing the social and emotional needs of gifted students.” 

Furthermore, she said traditional schools often fail to address the special needs of students who are “twice gifted” i.e. students who may be precocious in some areas and deficient in others, or whose academic development is uneven.

The organizers of Skyview have come to St. Vrain with what they say is a very different and much stronger proposal than the one that was turned down in Boulder.

One of the reasons Boulder Valley School District gave for rejecting the proposal was that it seemed that the organizers were trying to recreate a private school (Rocky Mountain School for Gifted and Creative) as a public charter school.

When asked about this, Payne said that the connection between the two is minimal. “There are two parents, and I’m one of them, whose kids used to go to Rocky Mountain on the board [of Skyview]. But we share no facilities, no staff and no programs with the previous school.”

In fact, said Payne, she believes that because Skyview has a comprehensive program and philosophy for gifted education in place, it will be a stronger school than Rocky Mountain was. One of the key differences in the proposal rejected by Boulder Valley School District and the one submitted to St. Vrain is the addition of Nancy Radkiewicz as the principal of the school. Radkiewicz has a masters degree in gifted education and many years experience as a teacher and administrator in programs for gifted students.

According to Radkiewicz, what will distinguish Skyview is that all the teachers will be trained in meeting the needs of gifted students. In academic terms this means an accelerated pace, and fewer repetitions than might be found in a traditional classroom.

For reading and math classes, students will be assessed and then grouped by ability level, not grade level. Frequent evaluation will give students the opportunity to move up as their skills improve. “Choice Theory” from the William Glasser Institute will be used to address the social and emotional needs of the students.

Skyview organizers are also planning to offer students access to enrichment opportunities via Rinzuli Learning which is a collection of online activities. 

Radkiewicz said they plan to open with about 200 students. They are planning for two classes each for K-4 and one class each of grades five and six. Of course, the actual configuration will depend on the students who apply for admission.

While it is targeted at gifted students, the school will follow the district’s open enrollment policies and will have no entrance requirements. Radkiewicz said she is committed to reaching into the community to find students who might not ordinarily be identified as gifted, including non-English speaking students.

Although the charter school’s proposal has been submitted to the district, it may be some time before organizers get a final answer and are ready to accept applications.

In the meantime, parents who are interested in finding out more about Skyview are encouraged to visit the school’s website and fill out a survey/petition of support or attend one of the informational meetings that are being held throughout the fall.

For more information, see www.skyviewcharter.org.