ANSER Receives Award from J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation
ANSER Public Charter School announces a $125,000 award from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. The grant is part of the Foundation's "Know Where 2 Go" initiative that focuses on expanding school choice options for Idaho's students. The 2009-2010 school year saw ANSER expand by 67%, creating 119 openings for new students. The expansion included the purchase of a facility, producing a new and permanent home for the school. The current student body is 317 students, kindergarten through 8th grade. ANSER will expand again with the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, adding a 4th junior high classroom.
Administrator Suzanne Burton said, “The award is very welcome and much appreciated because it will partially reimburse the many start-up costs we incurred associated with our expansion. The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation has been such a wonderful partner to education in this state; we are honored to once again be a part of that. We are extremely grateful for the support.”
ANSER is just one of many charter schools receiving support from the Foundation. "The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation believes that every Idahoan deserves educational choices that fit their needs, whether that be through public, private or charter schools," said Jamie MacMillan, the Foundation's executive director. "We are supporting educational choice by providing charter school expansion grants to high-performing, high-quality schools that demonstrate value added and have experienced increased demand for services. By helping these schools succeed, we hope to reduce the 7,000-student waiting list for Idaho charter schools and help all students in the state by providing more options to students and their families."
ANSER’s lottery for the 2010-2011 school year will be held on February 19th at 1:00 p.m. For more information please call 426-9840.
ANSER Public Charter School Finds a Home!
On January 21, 2009 ANSER Board President Tim Martin and Facilities Committee chair Pat Madigan announced that ANSER has signed a purchase/sale agreement with the Community Christian Center to purchase their building and property located at 202 E. 42nd Street in Garden City.
Upon making the announcement, Tim Martin said, “This is the beginning of ANSER’s next great decade. We as a board are so grateful to the parents for all their support in every area of our community. They have made our vision of a permanent home for ANSER, a reality.”
At 35,000 square feet, the building is large enough to allow ANSER to grow to a student population of roughly 300 students. ANSER Education Director and Principal, Dr. Suzanne Gregg is thrilled to be able to offer our innovative, successful education to more students in the Treasure Valley. “This is an exciting adventure! Being a founding member of the school, I have experienced growth within the school several times; each time has provided positive opportunities for our community as well as the broader community. I am looking forward to all the possibilities that will exist in our new building, with our new and existing families and staff, and to embrace and educate our new neighbors in the ANSER philosophy of serving and partnering with others.”
“We are very pleased to find such a great location for ANSER,” said Pat Madigan, who has led an exhaustive search over the last several years. “It’s a great building, has ample playground area, and is still close to many things that are important to ANSER; including the Boise River, downtown Boise, and the foothills. That it's located in Garden City so close to ANSER's current location is a real bonus.”
The property is just under three acres. The original church building was completed in 1971 and in 1996; the larger school portion of the building was added. The building and grounds are in terrific shape. ANSER will enlarge existing classrooms and reconfigure the church side of the building to create a junior high wing.
ANSER’s Capital Campaign, Our Students Change the World, has been the key to positioning ANSER’s ability to acquire a building. We are currently half way to our $1 million campaign goal. Reaching our next benchmark of $750,000 will make it possible to close on the building in the late spring, and provide funding to remodel and move in prior to the first day of school September 8, 2009.
Press Release, January 21, 2009
