About JHCS

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Charter schools provide:

o Accountability: Charter schools are held accountable for how well they educate children in a safe and responsible environment, not for compliance with district and state regulations. They are judged on how well they meet the student achievement goals established by their charter, and how well they manage the fiscal and operational responsibilities entrusted to them. If they fail, they are closed.

o Choice: Parents, teachers, community groups, organizations, or individuals interested in creating an alternative educational opportunity for children can start charter schools. Local and state school boards, colleges and universities, and other community agencies interested in fostering innovation and excellence in schools sponsor them. Students choose to attend, and teachers choose to teach at charter schools.

o Autonomy: Charter schools are freed from the traditional bureaucracy and regulations that divert a school's energy and resources toward compliance rather than excellence. Educators can focus on setting and reaching high academic standards for their students.

o Parental involvement: Parents are required to be involved in their children's education in a variety of ways that can include:

Governing board: Comprised of parents, educators, community leaders.

Curriculum: This school will have a sound educational base using the Core Knowledge Sequence by E.D. Hirsch Jr.

Our Mission Statement:

In partnership with parents, the community and in co-operation with the Alpine School District, it is the mission of John Hancock Charter School, to provide a continuously challenging curriculum in a safe and nurturing learning environment. Our primary goal is to instill the love of learning and to prepare students to become responsible citizens and productive members of the community.

Belief Statements:

· We believe all students can learn.

· We believe education is the shared responsibility of students, parents, school staff and the community.

· We believe that a school should be a safe, nurturing environment.

· We believe that the cultural and fine arts are necessary and important to the growth of a child.

· We believe all children are entitled to an education that is challenging and gives them a feeling of success.

· We believe teachers with high expectations affect student performance.

· We believe that learning is a life-time process and it is our responsibility to build a strong foundation based on academic and social skills.

· We believe that students have the right to learn something new every day.

Purpose:

· Foster the growth and development of children to their full potential.

· Inspire the heart, mind and soul.

· Develop self-esteem and self-motivation in our students.

· Develop a sense of responsibility and respect in our students.

· Provide a small school setting which allows for a more intimate learning environment.

· Provide a small classroom size, that will allow teachers to address individual learning styles and provide more one-on-one instruction time.

· Provide parents with an unprecedented opportunity for hands-on involvement in the structure and operation of their children's education and school.

Goals:

· Instill the love of learning.

· Prepare students to become responsible citizens and productive members of the community.

· Provide a solid academic foundation for future learning.

· Instill an appreciation for the cultural and fine arts.

· Ultimately become an official Core Knowledge School.

We will use the Core Knowledge Sequence, which will set us apart from other public schools in Utah County (there are currently two private schools in the state of Utah which are using the Core Knowledge Sequence). The Core Knowledge Sequence is a grade-by-grade sequence of specific content guidelines in history, geography, mathematics, science, language arts, and the fine arts. This sequence is the result of a long research process developed by the nonprofit Core Knowledge Foundation and E.D. Hirsch Jr. 

Our Charter Contract with the State

Original Application - this is the applications that was submitted to the Alpine School District and the State Board of Education.

Approved Contract - this is the approved application. It does have some modifications from the original application..

Links to More Information about the JHCS Curriculum and Educational Elements

Core Knowledge Foundation

Saxon Publishers

Spalding Education International

Character Counts