McKenna registration begins

Providing alternative education for teens in the local community, Richard McKenna Charter High School started to register students from the local area Monday morning.

With its first day of classes scheduled to start Aug. 1, this marks the second year the charter school will open its curriculum to all students preparing to enter grades 9 to 12.

During a meeting in 2009, the McKenna school board voted to open its doors to any student in the local area to provide even more students with this form of "safe, respectful, tuition-free" education, said school director Larry Slade.

In year's past, the school's campus served the needs of approximately 50 at-risk high school students. Meanwhile, an additional 700 standard education and at-risk students across the state received their education through its online programs.

Accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, the Idaho public charter high school formed in 2004 by the state's public charter school commission. Over the years, the school's faculty helps students become self-reliant by focusing on critical learning and thinking skills with added emphasis on interpersonal communication and mutual respect, according to school officials.

Besides teaching standard academic subjects like math, geography and language arts, the school's curriculum includes more unique classes, like alternative energy, Native American history and astronomy.

In addition, the school encourages civic involvement and volunteer service throughout the year. During the previous school year, campus students invested 1,276 hours conducting a variety of volunteer projects in the Mountain Home community.

Starting its third full year at its new campus at 675 South Haskett Street, the school remains open for student registration from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

For more information, call 580-2449, extension 1.