Agriculture charter school in the heart of the city?

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Becky Meyer, Academy for Science and Agriculture (AFSA) High School Director, explains what will make the AFSA Middle School different: small class sizes, rigorous curriculum and community engagement. (Photo by Margie O'Loughlin)[/caption]

By MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN

A new charter school is moving to the Monitor delivery area: the Academy for Science and Agriculture (AFSA). The middle school will occupy the former Church of the Holy Childhood parochial school located in Como at 1435 Midway Pkwy. The incoming fifth, sixth and seventh graders will come from more than 20 school districts throughout the metro area when the doors open on Tues., Sept. 2.

Why are students preparing for work as farmers in the middle of a major metropolitan area? They’re not!

At the AFSA middle school, and the AFSA high school which has existed in Vadnais Heights since 2001, students are preparing for careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.

There are over 300 career choices in agriculture, which add up to nearly 20% of all the jobs in this country. Careers in agriculture include food science, plant science, environmental science, animal science and engineering.

WHAT IS A CHARTER SCHOOL?

If you aren’t familiar with charter schools, you might wonder how this all works.

Charter schools fill a niche between public and private schools. Charters are funded with public money and are an alternative to traditional public schools. A group of people can submit an application to the Minnesota Department of Education and get approval for a charter to run their own school.

Charters are usually initially given three to five years to demonstrate academic achievement, during which the new school is monitored for academic performance.

In 1991, Minnesota led the nation in passing legislation to create the first charter school. There are now more than 150 charter schools operating throughout our state.

WHAT MAKES AFSA DIFFERENT?

Becky Meyer has been director of the AFSA High School for the past 13 years. Describing the school philosophy, Meyer says, “We are preparing life-long learners who have high skill levels, care for others, and are prepared to thrive in their jobs and in their communities.”

Toward that end, they do some things differently at AFSA. The class sizes are small (a maximum of 25 students per class is expected at the new middle school), the curriculum is more rigorous than what state standards require, and community engagement is a core value.

Each year AFSA students create an original science project and, as part of the academic requirement, present it before a panel of three judges and the broader community. They explore scientific inquiry, critical thinking, and the process of presentation and public speaking.

This type of integrated learning encourages development of the whole child, and challenges students to sharpen not just their knowledge of science but also their artistic and social skills.

Meyer described a former student who was so shy during her first year at AFSA that she could barely introduce her science project. By the time she graduated, she had become president of the student leadership club and was chairing all-school meetings and assemblies.

One of the school mottos is “A place where students can fit in and stand out.” Because of the small class size, college preparatory curriculum and hands-on approach to learning, each student is given a real chance at achieving their own personal potential.

Three public presentations are required of students each year, as are 12 hours of community service related to agriculture and the environment.

Activities for students at AFSA Middle School will include student council, robotics club, choir, band, National Honor Society, Destination Imagination, cooking club, yearbook, drama, art, gaming club and cooperative athletic teams.

If you are interested in learning more about AFSA Middle School, please contact the incoming director John Gawarecki by email at jgawarecki@afsahighschool.com or telephone at 651-209-3910. Becky Meyer, long-time director of the high school, can be reached by email at bmeyer@afsahighschool.com or telephone 651-209-3915.

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