Neighborhood Notes

A group of North Portland parents, educators, and business owners have submitted an application to the Portland Public School District to start a charter school in North/Northeast Portland, Emerald Charter School. This organizing group will hold a public informational meeting to share information about the school and to gather community feedback and interest. This meeting is open to the public and free of charge. It will be held at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center on Saturday, November 22, at 2 PM. This meeting will consist of a 20-30 minute introduction and presentation followed by a question and answer session. Childcare is available upon request. A Spanish interpreter will also be available for the presentation.

EMERALD CHARTER SCHOOL:
Our mission is to provide students and educators with an inquiry and community-based educational program that will build on children's natural desire to investigate the world. Children are intelligent, creative, and resourceful, and we aim to foster their innate scientific explorations.

Emerald Charter School students will actively participate in the learning process, connecting the community with their educational experiences and bridging the link between children as contributing members of society. Teachers will encourage children to ask authentic questions and to develop and pursue meaningful, real-world investigations. Teachers will assist students in linking knowledge with their new ideas and information. Reading, writing, math, social studies and art will be integral to the children's experiences as they cycle through the scientific method. Emerald is planning a kindergarten through eighth grade elementary school to open in 2009 in N/NE Portland.

For more information about Emerald Charter School visit; http://emeraldcharterschool.blogspot.com