Literacy-focused charter school secures Lebanon building for renovation – Valley News

Executive Summary

A new public charter school, Cornerstone Charter School, is set to open in Lebanon, New Hampshire, with a specialized focus on literacy. By securing a facility and planning for a fall launch, the institution aims to advance several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 4 (Quality Education). The school’s model emphasizes inclusive and equitable learning opportunities, particularly for students requiring alternative instructional methods. Its establishment involves the sustainable redevelopment of an existing property (SDG 11), a commitment to reducing educational inequalities (SDG 10), and a framework for collaboration with the broader educational community (SDG 17).

Project Overview: Cornerstone Charter School

Mission and Educational Focus

Cornerstone Charter School is a public, tuition-free institution chartered to provide an alternative educational approach centered on literacy. The school’s core pedagogical strategy is the Orton-Gillingham method, a structured, multisensory approach designed to build foundational reading skills. This methodology is particularly effective for students with dyslexia and directly addresses the need for systematic language decoding skills, contributing to improved educational outcomes.

Operational Plan

1. Facility: The school has secured a lease for 12,000 square feet at 325 Mount Support Road in Lebanon, with plans to expand into the full 27,000-square-foot building as enrollment increases.
2. Timeline: Renovations are scheduled to begin in January, with the school opening to students in the fall.
3. Enrollment: Operations will commence with grades K-3, adding one grade each subsequent year to eventually serve students through grade 8. Initial enrollment is projected at 64 students, with plans to double by the 2029-30 academic year.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

The school’s mission is fundamentally aligned with ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Its contributions include:

• Target 4.1 (Universal Primary Education): Offering a free public school option for primary grades, ensuring access to quality foundational education.
• Target 4.5 (Eliminate Disparities in Education): Providing specialized instruction tailored for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, thereby ensuring equal access for vulnerable children.
• Target 4.6 (Universal Literacy): Implementing a proven, systematic method to ensure all students achieve literacy, a cornerstone of lifelong learning.
• Target 4.a (Effective Learning Environments): Upgrading an existing facility to create a safe, inclusive, and effective learning environment for children.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

By establishing a tuition-free model, Cornerstone Charter School directly addresses educational and economic inequalities.

• Target 10.2 (Promote Universal Inclusion): The school offers a high-quality, specialized educational alternative to families regardless of their economic status, removing financial barriers that often prevent access to such programs.
• Target 10.3 (Ensure Equal Opportunity): The focus on foundational literacy aims to reduce inequalities of outcome by equipping all students with the essential skills needed for future academic and professional success.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The project contributes to sustainable community development through its infrastructure strategy.

• Target 11.3 (Sustainable Urbanization): The school is repurposing an existing commercial building constructed in 1964, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable development by adapting existing infrastructure rather than pursuing new construction.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Cornerstone’s operational philosophy includes a strong emphasis on collaboration to enhance the regional educational ecosystem.

• Target 17.17 (Public-Private and Civil Society Partnerships): The school plans to work with district schools to strengthen education for all children. Initiatives include offering literacy instruction workshops and collaborating on the implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), fostering a partnership model to “lift all boats” in public education.

Financial and Governance Structure

Funding Model

The school’s financial viability is based on a multi-faceted approach:

1. A federal grant of $1.5 million is covering initial start-up costs.
2. Per-student public funding of approximately $9,000 to $10,000.
3. Active pursuit of private donations to fund renovation costs and supplement public funding.
4. Application for state-level grants, such as the SAFE grant for security enhancements.

Governance and Leadership

The school is guided by a nine-member board composed of experienced educators and administrators. Co-founders include Lynne Howard (Executive Director), Adam Bristol (Board Chairman), Lindsay Wadleigh, and Hollace Bristol. The board’s composition ensures a strong foundation in educational best practices and administrative oversight.

Community Impact and Future Outlook

Addressing Educational Needs

Cornerstone Charter School emerges in a context of declining public school enrollment and national debates over literacy instruction. The school provides a targeted solution for families seeking an alternative to traditional educational models, particularly those whose children are not thriving with conventional teaching methods. By offering a specialized, evidence-based curriculum, the school aims to address a critical gap in the local educational landscape.

Projected Growth

The school’s strategic plan includes phased growth, expanding from an initial K-3 offering to a full K-8 institution. This gradual expansion allows for sustainable development of its programs and facilities, ensuring it can effectively serve a growing student body and make a lasting contribution to the community’s educational infrastructure and the achievement of global sustainability goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Cornerstone Charter School highlights issues and initiatives that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus on providing accessible, specialized education links to the following SDGs:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The entire article revolves around the establishment of a new school focused on improving literacy, providing an alternative educational model, and ensuring quality instruction for primary school students.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article emphasizes that the school is a “tuition-free, public school option” created specifically to avoid being a “barrier for some families.” This directly addresses the goal of reducing inequalities by ensuring equal access to quality education regardless of economic status.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The school’s strategy includes collaboration with the wider community. The article states that Cornerstone plans to “offer workshops in literacy instruction, collaborate with public schools on IEP implementation… and engage with district and regional school leaders,” which aligns with the goal of fostering partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the details provided in the article, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.” The Cornerstone Charter School is a free public school for primary grades (initially K-3, expanding to K-8) with a clear focus on achieving effective learning outcomes in literacy.
• Target 4.2: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.” The school will open with grades K-3, providing foundational education that is critical for future learning and development.
• Target 4.6: “By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.” The school’s core mission is to focus on literacy, using the Orton-Gillingham method to teach reading and language structure, directly contributing to this target.
• Target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers…” The article mentions that “The school will start hiring teachers in the spring,” indicating a direct action to supply qualified educators for its specialized curriculum.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome…” The school aims to provide an alternative for students “for whom the traditional school system is not working.” By offering a specialized, tuition-free program, it works to ensure equal opportunity for a quality education tailored to different learning needs.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The school, a public charter, explicitly plans to “work together with district schools to strengthen education for all children.” This is demonstrated through planned initiatives like offering workshops and collaborating with other public schools.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Indicator for Target 4.1: The article implicitly refers to the need to improve reading proficiency by mentioning that “student reading scores on standardized tests have declined.” The success of the school’s literacy program, measured by its students’ reading proficiency levels, would serve as a direct indicator.
• Indicator for Target 4.2: The number of students enrolled is a direct indicator of access. The article specifies the initial enrollment capacity: “16 students in each grade for a starting enrollment of up to 64 pupils.”
• Indicator for Target 4.6: The implementation of the Orton-Gillingham method is a key process indicator. The ultimate measure of success would be the literacy rate of the students who complete the program.
• Indicator for Target 4.c: The number of teachers hired by the school in the spring will be a direct measure of the increase in the supply of teachers for this educational initiative.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Indicator for Target 10.3: The primary indicator is the school’s operational status as a “tuition-free” institution, which is a policy measure to ensure equal opportunity. The enrollment numbers (“up to 64 pupils”) also serve as an indicator of how many students are being provided with this alternative educational opportunity.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Indicator for Target 17.17: The progress can be measured by the number and nature of collaborative activities undertaken. The article specifies these planned activities: the number of “workshops in literacy instruction” offered, the number of “collaborations with public schools on IEP implementation,” and the frequency of engagement with “district and regional school leaders.”

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: vnews.com