HANDOUT #1 05-08-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TO: Lori Johnson - Elk River City Administrator Elk River City Council Mayqr Stephanie Klinzing jf~.~ ,5~ft: MAY 032006 ~ BOYS & GIRLS CWB FROM: Duane Howard - Executive Director RE: Charter School information - and request to visit with Council Date: May 1,2006 Of Elk River Inc. First, thank you for all your support to the Boys and Girls Club. We are continuing to serve kids with traditional well received programs and activities at the Club, but are also adding new curriculum offerings. We are open until 8:00, every other Friday night, and are adding more curriculum pieces relating to setting goals and workforce career planning. Youth are learning how to be good future employees in these new programs. We also spoke to Bill Maertz and presented a proposal in which the Club would give the city free gym for Executive Director community kids, both during the day and after school into the night. The Club offered to pay ff ~ tho d k d Mr M if th. . h d taff al . thi Duane Howard one sta lor IS, an as e . aertz e CIty WIS e to pay one s so III S Executive Director partnership offree gym space. Our thinking is that if the gym is empty at various times, we Email: howardd@sherbtel.net would feel good tfthe city wanted this air conditioned. space during the summet~ especially. Boys & Girls Club Of Elk River Inc. 905 6th Street Elk River, MN 55330 763-241-5000 Fax: 763-274-2197 The purpose of this update is to give you the latest on a Charter School proposal that would be located at the Club building. This similar plan was approved by the city council and department heads about a year and half ago. That plan was presented by a smaller group of charter school parents at th~t time, and didn't quite take off. A charter school in Rogers, has now expanded into a high school charter school that wishes to start up in Elk River. Both their board and the Club board have approved this partnership. It makes a good partnership, because instead of having our building empty until 2:00 most days, it would be bustling with activity, and many kids would stay for after school activity as well. We are working on a two year lease, maybe an option for three years, then they would like to build in Elk River area, as they would outgrow the Club. They would start with about 68 high school youth, around the middle of August this year. We may have to create one or two additional classrooms in the end of the game room with sound proof dividers. The building capacity is rated at 581, but we believe approximately 120 students would be a maximum capacity for this purpose. Both the Club and the school carry insurance. The Club would be the renter, receiving about 1200 per student per year, or around $70,000 in rental for the year. This partnership may also help us serve more community youth. We would have a state school facilities expert examine the building also, and ensure that the Club meets public compliance requirements in all aspects. Attorneys would help us create a specific lease. The charter School would have their food catered to the Club. Their school day is the same schedule as Elk River, so at the time their day ends, after school Club activities would begin on the same schedule as now. The charter school has begun work with the zoning and planning commission, and their evaluations should be ready. A charter school is a public school, with a major difference that schools can levy for new buildings, but charter schools can only receive rent revenue from the state, which would transfer the Club. Both a charter school representative and myself, would like to come to your council meeting to give you an update of information, and to be available for questions. We hope this can be~ arranged as soon as possible. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, ~/ _ . /J ~~~ Duane Howard - Execu 've Director , The Positive Place For Kids o A United Way Agen~;