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Enrollment soars at Indian Peaks Charter School " Granby

Katie Looby
klooby@skyhidailynews.com
Granby, Colorado

As more students flock to Indian Peaks Charter School in Granby, educators are searching for a new principal and looking at ways to expand classrooms.

Last year 36 students enrolled in the school, and eight eighth graders went onto high school. This year 57 pupils are enrolled, an increase of about 58 percent.

“Now that our enrollment is back up we’re hoping to hire another individual to be principal,” said Principal Polly Gallagher. “If I am teaching full-time I can’t really jump in and do other things.”



This will create a separate principal position. Indian Peaks has started its principal search, and a job fair is planned. The school also could hire additional full or part-time staff.

Only three students are expected to leave the school next year to attend high school.



“Our ultimate goal is to have 15 students per grade level,” Gallagher said. “So we’re just about at that point with our classes. Based on our current enrollment and possible projections for next year, we’ll have to start breaking up some of those classrooms.”

The school could separate the seventh and eighth grade. More space is available in the charter school’s library, multipurpose or French room, she said.

The combined seventh and eighth grade class has 13 students, and another student is expected to enroll. Indian Peaks expects to have 18 seventh- and eighth-graders enrolled next year.

The charter school recently applied for a $384,000 BEST funds grant for covered entrances, paved pathways, electric line relocation, and hydrant. School officials are waiting to find out if they will receive it.

Indians Peaks Charter is expanding its checkbook project to more grade levels.

Through the program, students earn play money for good behavior or school work.

Right now fifth- through eighth-graders participate in the project.

Students balance their checkbook daily and can also cash it in to participate in expeditionary trips, a monthly field trip where they learn about the community, Gallagher said.

“Since we’ve been studying credit and investment in the seventh and eighth grade class, we had some students who actually took out loans with low interest rates or applied for credit,” she said.

Many students at the school volunteer, and so staff decided they would do a monthly volunteer program, such as sending valentines to the Cliffview Senior Center. It’s giving their time for the community, which is great,” Gallagher added.

Kim Hanna, Brent Quinn, and Willa Moore were re-elected on the school board. Dianan Desmarais is on her second year of term. Angelina Medina resigned for family reasons, and Scott Merrell, a kindergarten parent, will fill that position.

“Katie Looby covers government and education for the Sky-Hi Daily News. You may reach her at 887-3334 ext. 19601 or klooby@skyhidailynews.com.


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