Sam Houston State University is expanding its education opportunities to elementary students by opening three charter schools this fall in northwest Houston.
The elementary schools will be run out of pre-existing daycare centers.
Two of the new schools are in Spring and one is in Klein - located at Precious Moments Academy off Veteran's Memorial Drive in Houston, Cypress Trails United Methodist Church off Aldine Westfield Road and at Greengate Academy, off Kuykendahl Road in Spring.
The schools will start with kindergarten through second grade and will add a new grade each year, up to fifth grade. The enrollment will be about 20 students per grade.
The charter school will help the university "develop model classrooms where we can take the theoretical things we are teaching at the university and put them into practice," said school superintendent Ronny Knox.
The schools will be able to leverage all the resources of Sam Houston State University, Knox said. Professors are helping to develop the school curriculum, he said.
The schools will have innovative curriculum and focus on project-based and inquiry-based learning.
"The most immediate goal of the SHSU Charter School is to have a positive impact on the lives and learning of students," said Stacey Edmonson, dean of the College of Education at Sam Houston State University.
The hope is that the charter schools helps to grow "innovative practices that stimulate learning in new ways (and) develops models that can be shared with other schools and educators," Edmonson said.
The schools, which are open enrollment public schools, will be operate on a year round school calendar.
The teachers at the schools all have at least five years teaching experience. And the schools will be open to Sam Houston State University student teachers to gain classroom experience.
"We are hiring experienced teachers so they can mentor the students teachers we will have there," Knox said.
Other Texas universities have opened charter schools, including the University of Texas at Austin, Stephen F. Austin and the University of Houston, but they are often located on or near the campuses.
Sam Houston State is utilizing childcare centers in the Houston region that are well established and have open space they use for after school programs that are vacant during the school day.
"The reception from the community has been great," Knox said.
Prior to opening the new charter schools, Sam Houston State visited with area districts to make sure they were okay with the schools opening in the districts and begin district partnerships.
"We want to setup research based teaching methodology that has been tested in the classroom and can be easily replicated in our partner districts," Knox said.
Enrollment at Sam Houston State University Charter School runs through June 20.
"We can still take first and second," Knox said. "Kindergarten is filling up fast."
Want to know more?
For more information or to enroll in Sam Houston State University Charter School, call 936-294-3347.
Locations of the schools in northwest Houston:
Precious Moments Learning Academy, 11944 Veteran's Memorial Drive, Houston
Greengate Academy, 18490 Kuykendahl Road, Spring
Cypress Trails United Methodist Church, 22801 Aldine Westfield Road, Spring
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