New Charter School in the Works

Navigator Schools, based in Hollister, is working to open a new charter school to be called “Watsonville Prep” in Watsonville in time for the 2019 school year. Navigator Schools already operates two campuses, Gilroy Prep, which opened in 2011, and Hollister Prep established in 2013. Navigator has not yet found a location for its Watsonville school.

The proposed K–8 school, Watsonville Prep, would start with two kindergarten, two first and two second-grade classes, for a total of 180 students. It would add another grade every year until it had an eighth-grade class.

According to the navigator Website (https://www.navigatorschools.org) it uses a model of data driven instruction and blended learning, and is dedicated to increasing high quality educational opportunities for students in California’s Central Coast region. All students are welcome including those with limited English skills, special needs or learning challenges.

Navigator teachers are dedicated to helping students develop the strong fundamental language arts and mathematics skills that any and every child needs to succeed throughout their educational experience.

Navigator Schools Director of Community Outreach Kirsten Carr said the company has held several meetings with parents, who have shown interest in the proposed school.

Charter school applications are made through local school districts which have 30 days to respond, and 60 days to either approve or deny the applications. Navigator Schools officials are currently preparing a charter school application to submit to PVUSD. The Application addresses 16 program elements that include the organization’s financial plans, admission requirements and the school’s education plan.

Charter schools must also collect the signatures of either 50 percent of the teachers interested in working at the school, or 50 percent of the parents of students expected to enroll, in the form of a petition according to the California Department of Education.

The district is already home to nine “alternative/charter” schools, which are considered “dependent” charter schools whose finances and educational requirements are more tied to the district.

Independent charter schools such as the proposed Watsonville Prep, on the other hand, won’t have the control and oversight that allows PVUSD officials to govern the district’s current 35 schools.

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Navigator Schools 650 San Benito St. Suite 230, Hollister, CA 95023 831-217-4880