Operation Phoenix School?

By Robert Rogers
SAN BERNARDINO - They have stable jobs doing what they love. The smooth road would be to continue for another decade or two, change thousands of lives, and sail off into a retirement.
But for five relatively young and boldly ambitious Hillside Elementary School teachers, the real rewards in life come to those who take on risk.

"It's a dream, but it's one worth going for," said Kristin Kraus, a 35-year-old kindergarten teacher. "As educators, we want to create our own learning environment, to have our own choices."

Kraus and four other women teachers in their 30s and 40s hope to launch the SOAR Charter Academy, a charter school they envision with initially 160 students in kindergarten through third grade.

Although the San Bernardino Unified School District is notoriously selective in granting charters to independent schools - Kraus said only two charters have been granted to date - SOAR has some heavyweight support.

Mayor Pat Morris and Operation Phoenix Director Glenn Baude have written letters of recommendation to the school board.

Both city officials argue in part that the school's proposed location, mission and philosophy tie directly to the city's anti-crime and poverty efforts, a sort of educational prong to add to the suppression, intervention and prevention modality on which Morris' Operation Phoenix anti-crime initiative is based.

"I support their mission and vision as it ties directly with Operation Phoenix," Morris wrote.

The proposed site for the school is the First Church of the Nazarene, which sits in the heart of the Operation Phoenix 20-block corridor and the site of a Phoenix youth center that opened Oct. 1.

During an Oct. 11 site tour with Nazarene Pastor David Rhone, who also penned a letter on the school's behalf, the five teachers said there are a variety of ways in which their school could integrate educational, service learning and recreational curriculum with Phoenix programs.

After-school programs at the Phoenix Center are also an option, the founders say.

"It can range from parenting classes and family nights to the community service aspects of our program," said Trisha Lancaster, a second-grade teacher who would serve as the school's chief administrator. "We've already talked to Mike (Miller, Phoenix center manager), and he's willing to partner with us any way he can."

Lancaster paused for a moment, thinking of the alignment circling around the proposal.

"Timing is really on our side," she said.

According to a 30-plus page proposal submitted to the school district board for review, the school will emphasize small classes and a curriculum heavy on social fluency and character development.

If approved, Lancaster would serve as executive director while the other four founders serve in hybrid administrative and teaching positions. Four additional teachers would be hired, for a total of eight teachers, Lancaster said.

As for funding, charter schools get most of their funding from the state, calculated by the number of students enrolled. In addition, Kraus said grant writers working for the Operation Phoenix anti-crime program will work to steer in more money, a process that should be aided by the school's role in an anti-crime initiative.

The school could also be a boon to the church, which has at least eight empty classrooms after the stunning end of the 57-year Valley Christian School, which the church's board shuttered this fall after years of losing money.

Parents of kids at that school had alleged that Rhone helped closed it to clear the way for more lucrative Phoenix programs, a charge Rhone says is baseless.

"There is absolutely no truth to that," said Rhone, who added that the SOAR teachers did not contact him until after Valley Christian's closure.

Regardless of the past, SOAR could benefit the community more than Valley Christian ever did with a service learning component and potentially a higher percentage of students from the immediate area.

Respect for, and service to, the surrounding impoverished community isn't typically part of the test-heavy public school curriculum, but it will be at SOAR, the teachers say.

"Character education is integrated into every aspect of language arts and other curricular areas" and students will apply the character virtues through community service projects, the proposal reads.

If the school district denies their initial application, the SOAR founders can augment their proposal and re-apply. The county, which has been more liberal in granting charters, would be the next option.

"We'll keep pressing until we can make this work," said Renee Nunez, a 34-year-old kindergarten teacher.

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HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT: SOAR Charter Academy, a school proposed to work in collaboration with Operation Phoenix, Mayor Pat Morris' anti-crime initiative north of downtown.

WHEN: SOAR Academy's 30-plus page proposal comes before the San Bernardino Unified School District Board on Nov. 20 for review.

WHERE: First Church of the Nazarene, 1605 N. Sierra Way

Quick facts about the school: The brainchild of five local teachers, SOAR is proposed to start with 160 students in kindergarten through Third Grade. The academic emphasis will include character development, community service learning, heavy writing and usage of technology - all in addition to state-mandated academic progress in basic fields.

For information, including enrollment: Kristin Kraus, (909) 553-5568.