Vida Charter School

The Pennsylvania Department of Education defines charter schools as “self-managed public schools that are approved by local school districts… They are created and controlled by parents, teachers, community leaders, and colleges or universities. Charter schools operate free from many educational mandates, except for those concerning nondiscrimination, health and safety and accountability. Charter Schools offer alternatives in education using strategies that may save money and improve student performance.”

No. While there are many cyber charter schools, there are more that are “brick and mortar” schools, or schools that are in buildings with teachers. Vida Charter School will be a brick and mortar school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Because charter schools are public schools, they are tuition-free.

Charter schools are paid for with tax dollars like other public schools. Student funding follows them to the charter school. Also, charter schools often secure grants and donations to put special programs in place.

Charter schools give parents a choice in where their children are educated. It used to be that only affluent families could choose their schools by choosing what school district to live in or by paying for a private school. Now, charter schools afford all families the ability to choose the education that is best suited for the child and the family.

Vida Charter School is offering several approaches to education that are not available in the surrounding schools. They include:

-Dual Language Immersion (also known as Two-Way Immersion)

-Healthy Lifestyles

-YogaKids

-Peaceful People

Any child in Pennsylvania in the grades enrolled is eligible to go to Vida Charter School. While the school is chartered through Gettysburg and Hanover school districts, all students can apply for enrollment. First, students from Gettysburg and Hanover school districts first placed in available slots. Next, students from other districts are then put into any remaining places. When there are more applicants than positions, a lottery will be used to choose enrollees. Siblings are given preferences for spots, so if one of your children in currently enrolled in Vida Charter School, any siblings are saved seats.

Vida Charter School believes in preparing children for life by nourishing the students’ minds and bodies. Literacy and numeracy, taught in English and Spanish, will foster success in a diverse world while an emphasis on health, physical fitness, and character education will ensure a holistic approach to a rigorous curriculum.

Charter schools, like other schools, are required to have students participate in standardized state testing (PSSAs). Scores are reported to the state and chartering districts and are posted for parents and community members to see. Charters then are held to additional accountability standards; their charters state what they intend to accomplish. Chartering districts re-evaluate charter schools every five years to determine their success. School choice offers yet another form of accountability; families must be please with the results of the school to continue to choose to enroll their children in the school. In these ways charter schools are held to more forms of accountability than traditional public schools.

Dual immersion is a form of education that ensures that students are biliterate and bilingual by focusing on two languages throughout the school day. In Vida’s schedule, students will have reading classes in both languages, and rotate academic units in English and Spanish. Students at Vida Charter School will be required to master both languages while also learning new curricular material. Children will have two teachers- one who works with them in English and one in Spanish. Material will build but not be repeated in each language. For example, second grade students might begin learning about how multiplication is a form of grouping in math one week in English, and the next week they will add to that concept by matching math problems to manipulatives, while discussing it with their groups in Spanish.  

The school will be staffed with Highly Qualified, Pennsylvania certified teachers. Half of the teachers will teach in Spanish and half in English. Teachers who understand language acquisition and holistic approaches to education will be recruited and trained to work at Vida Charter School. Because of the highly focused mission of the school, all staff will be required to embrace the school mission and vision. A special education teacher and Physical education teacher will also be key components in realizing the school’s mission.

Because Vida will only go to sixth grade, children will then transition back to their home districts (or another school in which their parent may enroll them). While Vida Charter School will use different approaches to education than the traditional public schools in the area, its entire curriculum is aligned to Pennsylvania state standards, like other public schools.  Vida will work with the schools to make sure that they transition is comfortable for everyone and kids know what to expect. The skills that they learned at Vida will be lifelong- they can take them with them!

Vida Charter School believes that embracing children for their strengths and focusing on the positive minimizes behavior problems. When children are engaged in the hands-on activities they are also less likely to misbehave. The Peaceful People curriculum will address non-violent conflict resolution to teach students appropriate skills to deal with problems. When problem behaviors occur, teachers will redirect students without diminishing them. If more severe behavior problems occur, parents will be contacted to partner with the school to determine the function of the behavior and put a plan in place to support the child in learning more appropriate replacement behaviors.

Children will have daily physical activity that includes Physical Education and Yoga. Music, Art, and Technology will be integrated throughout the curriculum, rather than taught in isolation. The school will also establish afterschool programs that focus on the arts.

Vida Charter School has embraced the notion that it is the responsibility of the school to support parents and children in promote healthful living- this includes meals. Vida Charter School intends to prepare healthy meals on site. Additionally, the school will use local foods in providing meals. There may be a period during the start-up when the school does not provide meals prepared on site.

Maximum size for Kindergarten and First grade is 22 students. For  second to sixth it is 25. Classroom assistants and support staff will considerably lower the staff to student ratio to about 1:10.

Vida Charter School will have outdoor space for the children to play.

Please send us an email with questions to vida-cs@hotmail.com or call us at (717) 339-8224.

Fill out an enrollment form and send it in. An enrollment form lets the school know that you are interested in enrollment, but students will not be enrolled until a lottery is performed and they are offered a space.