Schools
Beacon Academy Delays Plans for Grade Expansion
Input from a recent PTO meeting and discussions at this week's school board meeting influenced the decision.
For the last few weeks, school board members at Maple Grove’s Beacon Academy Charter School have been exploring the idea of implementing a grade expansion.
In a letter to parents on Feb. 20, Principal Jordan Ford said that a grade expansion would mean adding another section for each grade or extending grades through high school.
Ford met with about 50 parents at a recent PTO meeting to collect feedback about the grade expansion, which he said would help achieve the board’s goal of “expanding excellence.”
During the meeting, which was held on Feb. 12, parents identified the pros and cons of grade expansion. According to Ford’s letter, parents felt concerned about expanding to include a high school curriculum, and had questions about staffing and building space.
After collecting feedback, on Feb. 21, the school board decided to delay conversations about grade expansion for the next year.
“The board is still collecting and analyzing data to determine how and when to consider grade expansion,” Ford said in a letter sent Friday. “This means there will be no ninth grade pilot in this facility for next year.”
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