Frequently
Asked
Questions

Grant
Application
Summary

Town Hall
meeting
November 6

Triangle Lake
Schools website

Hey, everybody – Blachly School District #90 has approved the Charter Proposal!

What does this mean? It means that come September 2010, we will open as Triangle Lake Charter School. We will become the 11th single-school district in the state of Oregon, and we are very excited about some of the changes coming to our school.

As a result of our new Charter status, we will be offering a board member, teachers, classified staff, and YOU a position on our Charter Board!

We are currently seeking applicants for the Community Member Position on the Charter School Board. If you would like to apply, please fill out the application (download it here), attach a letter telling us why you are interested in the position, and make sure to attend the March 17, 2010 School Board Meeting.

The Charter Board will be responsible for putting the Charter Contract in place, making sure the changes are integrated into the school, and ensuring that the contract is followed. It will also create and launch a marketing campaign inviting new students to our school. This means a fair amount of work for Charter Board Members and quite a few meetings at first. However, this also means that we all can have a direct voice concerning the changes taking place at our school.
The District Board will make its selection from all applications received. Triangle Lake Charter will provide training for new Charter Board members.
If you need an application or want to know a little more about the Charter School, check out this website and maybe look at the Charter Proposal. You can also pick up a copy of either the Proposal or the application at the Triangle Lake school office. If you have questions you can contact your School Board representative, or call Lisa Wagner at 541-927-3222, or e-mail tlcharterschool@yahoo.com, or call the School District Office at 541-925-3262.

Download a PDF file of our full proposal here

Read the proposal online here

Who are we? Why do we want to go charter?

We are a group of parents, educators and board members from the Triangle Lake School District who want to ensure the existence, success, and growth of our school. We see “going charter” as a way to do this. We want to see our school continue its excellence while offering even more opportunities to our students. We want to find a way for our school to succeed in these tough economic times. Here is the vision as articulated in our successful grant application:
"As the engine of economic and community vitality in the rural, Lake Creek Valley, the mission of Triangle Lake Charter School (TLCS) is to partner with parents and a nurturing community to unlock the unique potential of each student, regardless of aspiration; to develop healthy, creative, life-long learners capable of meeting the challenges of tomorrow yet ready to seize the opportunities of today.

What is a charter school?

A charter school is basically creating a different kind of school within a school district. It is a public school and it is created with the sanction of the district board. Federal and State law encourage charter school creation as a way to foster academic innovation and improved educational outcomes. Charter schools must provide an outline of student performance goals and educational services but they are free from many rules and statutes of regular public schools.

What are the primary pro’s and con’s associated with becoming a charter school?

Pro’s:
• District borders no longer an enrollment limiter
• Higher level of accountability for results
• Offers some relief from state mandates and more flexibility in achieving academic goals.
• Encourages academic innovation
• Comes with approximately $500,000 in grant funding over a 3-year period to implement.

Con’s:
• Open borders mean that existing students can attend other schools without having to pay out-of-district tuition.
• With increased state requirements (e.g. additional board and expanded reporting requirements, etc.) come additional administrative burdens.
• Change can often be difficult…and sometimes disruptive.

As a small school located in the Coastal Mountain Range of Oregon, we relish the close community atmosphere of our school. The beautiful isolated environment here attracts diverse mixture of people and ways of thinking. Our school district currently serves about 120 students Kindergarten through 12th grade, but we’d enjoy welcoming more new students.

As a charter school, we would like to encourage each and every one of these students by serving their needs and abilities in more individualized ways. We are looking to serve those needs through improved technology resources, implementing programs that encourage healthy minds and bodies, and utilizing our natural resources while offering more green options for our students. We want to give high school students more support for their chosen vocational or college tracks and all grades a chance to experience more hands-on learning through field trips and service learning projects.

photos circa 2005