The mission of each Springs Charter School is to empower students by fostering their innate curiosity, engaging their parents, and promoting optimum learning by collaboratively developing a personalized learning program for each student.
Springs’ Magnolia Student Center families enjoyed a family day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, reported Susie Carpenter, program facilitator. About 80 families went to the October event, she said, pleased they had the chance “to hang out with their friends and meet one another’s families while having an educational day at the Safari Park.”
Magnolia Student Center’s CIF girls Varsity Volleyball had a “tremendous” season, reported coach Tori Cantu. They ended their season 12-11, and were the number one seeded team in their CIF division for playoffs. They are losing only one senior, Tori said, so next year’s team “looks promising.”
Springs Homeschool’s annual math extravaganza drew nearly 200 for “a high-energy day of play-based learning,” reported Nikkole McAdoo, events and community engagement coordinator. Students TK-8 participated in 12 rotations of hands-on math games “building creativity, confidence, and perseverance—proving that math is more than numbers, it’s an adventure.”
Springs hosted five Homeschool SPREEs (Student Parent Regional Educational Events) in Santa Ana, Temecula, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, and virtually, reported Nikkole McAdoo, events and community engagement coordinator. Education coaches Michelle Sullivan and Kelly Harrel delivered a “winning workshop,” Nikki noted, “equipping parents with fresh plays for homeschool success, building strong team connections, and earning credit toward the Parent Certification Program.”
Springs’ Rancho Cucamonga Student Center has launched a cybersecurity program for grades 6-8 run in partnership with Tomorrow’s Talent, reported Principal AmandaDeniston. The program focuses on staying safe online, protecting personal information, using strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links, and practicing kindness and responsibility on social media and gaming platforms.
Vincent Timpe is a new English teacher for Springs Journey Homeschool High School, teaching at the Santa Ana Learning Center. He has been a teacher for eight years, teaching at a variety of grade levels in middle and high school, covering such subjects as English, journalism, speech and debate, Model United Nations, and yearbook.
Charter schools are independent public schools with rigorous curriculum programs and unique educational approaches. In exchange for operational freedom and flexibility, charter schools are subject to higher levels of accountability than traditional public schools. Charter schools, which are tuition-free and open to all students, offer quality and choice in the public education system.
The charter establishing each such school is a contract detailing the school’s mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. In California, charters are granted for five years. At the end of the term, the entity granting the charter may renew the school’s contract. Charter schools are accountable to their authorizer, and to the students and families they serve, to produce positive academic results and adhere to the charter contract.
Like traditional public schools, charters receive state funding based on a formula for each child enrolled in the school. Many charters also do additional fundraising to obtain grants and donations to pay for programs that are not fully funded by state or school district formulas. When lawmakers passed the Charter Schools Act of 1992, California became the second state in the country (after Minnesota) to enact charter school legislation. The intent was to allow groups of educators, community members, parents, or others to create an alternative type of public school.