Upper Carmen Public Charter School is a public charter school serving 90 students, grades K-12, established in 2005 to meet the needs of children that need repetitive exposure to curriculum in order to master given goals, as well as students who learn quickly and become bored with school.  Each student at Upper Carmen Public Charter School is given the opportunity to work at their ability level.

Contact INFORMATION

Upper Carmen Public Charter School
PO BOX 33
Carmen, Idaho 83462


Phone: (208) 756-4590
E-mail: uppercarmen@yahoo.com or uppercarmencharter@yahoo.com

ABOUT THE SCHOOL...

Upper Carmen Public Charter School was founded in 2005 to complement the existing public school system by providing an alternative learning environment to enable more students from Lemhi County to be successful.  Upper Carmen Public Charter School began in 2005 with Kindergarten through third grade; in 2008, it expanded through fifth grade.  Most recently in 2010, we added grades six through eight, enabling students to attend through middle school. Research shows that multi-graded classroom can only be effective if they do not become too large.  We have a grade cap of 10 students per grade and a school cap of 90 students.
National statistics show that 85% of students receive the foundation they need to advance into a variety of career options. This means 15% of our American students have a difficult time in the regular school setting.  These students can be described by two general categories: 

1. Students who learn quickly and become bored in school; these students can become disruptive and interrupt the learning process.
2. Students who do not learn easily for a variety of reasons and need repeated exposure in a setting that does not label them or remove them from their peers.

Upper Carmen Public Charter School strives to meet the needs of all students by emphasizing individualized instruction.  Our mixed age classrooms (K-3, 4-5, 6-8) allow students to work with others of similar abilities.  Advanced students continue to be challenged, while students that need more repetition receive a variety of meaningful experience until they have mastered their learning goals.

ABOUT THE CLASSES...

Upper Carmen Public Charter School is structured K-8 grade education with multi-grade classrooms. Research supporting multi-grade classrooms, those that teach a variety of ages in the same classroom, indicates that students learn more efficiently and are also more prepared for dealing with the outside world (Lomasi, 2007).
Multi-grade classroom have shown that they enhance the following:

• Learning Environment ~ Students can teach and learn from one another in a natural, family age setting.
• Leadership Skills ~ Older students are looked up to as role models with teachers encouraging older students to help younger students.
• Students work at Personalized Ability Level ~ Multi-grade classrooms allow students to work with a peer group of their own ability level while exposing them to curriculum before expected mastery.
• Socialization ~ Students interact with other students of different ages, older students in the classroom model expected behaviors.

All students are appreciated for their talents and abilities as each has skills to offer to the class. Social skills acquired in this learning family, will establish a gateway to responsible citizens at home and in their communities.  In a multi-grade classroom, the stigmatism of "grade level" work is eliminated. All children learn at different rates, each student according to their own ability and pace.  Students are encouraged to progress at a pace appropriate for their abilities and maturity level. Responsibility for work and respect of others is encouraged and taught, emphasizing necessary skills for the work force.  In keeping with the multi-grade classroom approach, Upper Carmen Public Charter School facilities provide for this instructional model. Upper Carmen Public Charter School initially utilized a 990 square foot, open room classroom for grades K-3. This facility was constructed in 2003, and has been formally inspected each successive year. The facility is available for a long term lease agreement with below market value lease fees.

APPLY TO UPPER CARMEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

Application K-8

Application 9-12