Proposal approved for new charter school

 by Jolene Toves

Guam - iLearn Academy Charter School in Yigo along with Guahan Academy Charter School council members held a conference this morning to formerly announce the approval of the school's charter. Board of trustees chairman Francis Sabtos told KUAM News, "We are excited to be given this opportunity which I think is a big thing for our island to see a different type of system come forward and more importantly it's to give our kids the opportunity to use electronic media now a new way to learn."

The iLearn curriculum will utilize e-books, Lego education and Lego robotics, as well as the Achieve 3,000 Program to supplement their curriculum offering different levels of online instruction for all students. "At the beginning of the term each student will be assessed with this program and what it does which is exciting is that it goes in and meets each individual student at their specific level, and continues to progress with them throughout the year," stated board member Rachel Aguero.

With 13 classrooms the iLearn Academy's maximum capacity for students is 358 and according to Perez will be accepting students in the elementary level from kindergarten through the 5th grade. "We will be reaching out to all the students in the elementary levels here in this area but it will be open to all students and with the collaborative effort that we have had with the council and now we are taking the next step over to the Legislature," Santos explained.

And with the approval of Guam's second charter school Vice Speaker BJ Cruz has introduced Bill 419 to amend current legislation addressing charter school funding. While iLearn anticipates an enrollment of 358 elementary students funding has capped enrollment at 250, Santos said, "We saw that when it was first proposed by the vice speaker and since then talked and said the capacity for this facility would take you'll see is really so we are going to ask for the maximum of 358 to get the funding for that."

Perez says they are going to ask the Legislature to not put a cap on the lower level but instead provide that funding will be available up to 358 students. He anticipates that with this new educational concept they will reach their maximum capacity adding that in the future the school does intend to move to a larger facility within in the next two years.