Blending traditional values in a safe environment, for the pursuit of accelerated learning.

BOISE DISTRICT APPOINTS FORREY TO HIDDEN SPRINGS PRINCIPALSHIP

The Boise School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Brett Forrey as Principal of Hidden Springs Elementary School, effective in the 2009-10 school year. Mr. Forrey is currently the Principal of Shadow Hills Elementary School.

Mr. Forrey taught in the Boise District for 5 years at Koelsch Elementary and served as an Elementary Intern in the District prior to becoming Principal at Highlands Elementary in 2000. In 2004, Mr. Forrey took over as Principal at Shadow Hills.

"Brett brings a wealth of experience as an instructional leader to the position at Hidden Springs," said Boise Quadrant Area Director Matt Kobe. "He also has outstanding skills in working with parents and other community members."

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The Board of Directors at HSCS thanks Dr. Montgomery for his two years of service as Principal of Hidden Springs Charter School.

HIDDEN  SPRINGS  CHARTER  SCHOOL May 11, 2009                                                     Stakeholders Hidden Springs Charter School 5480 West Hidden Springs Drive Hidden Springs, ID 83714     Dear Stakeholders:   In November of last year the Board voted to explore the possibility of consolidating HSCS into the Boise School District. Due diligence teams were formed with representatives from Hidden Springs Charter School, the Boise School District and Bank of America (the entity that holds the loan on the building); these teams have worked together over the past 6 months to determine what a consolidation would mean to all parties and how it might be achieved prior to the upcoming school year. Throughout this complex process, everyone involved shared the common goal of coming to a solution that was in the best interests of our students.   We are very pleased to announce that on Monday May 11, 2009 the Board of Trustees for the Boise School District voted to approve entering into a lease agreement with Hidden Springs Charter School Inc.  This agreement enables  the Boise School District to operate a school in the HSCS facility for a renewable term of two years with the right to purchase the building at the end of the lease.  The agreement is a win-win: it meets the goal of providing students and families a quality, uninterrupted education experience while also working within the confines of time and the current budgetary and economic conditions.  Although this means that our school will no longer operate as a Charter School, it sets the stage for there to be an elementary school in Hidden Springs for many years to come.   I have included a press release, created by BSD that will be sent out to all of the news organizations today. In addition, an initial information session with the HSCS Board is scheduled for Tuesday May 12th, at 6 pm in the HSCS gymnasium. This is to provide you with more information and to try and answer questions you may have.  A subsequent meeting will be scheduled soon with representatives from the Boise School District to discuss operational details for the new Hidden Springs Elementary School.   Thank you for your patience through this process.   Sincerely,     Joe Saucerman Chairman, Board of Directors ♦NEWS RELEASE♦ BSD REACHES AGREEMENT TO OPERATE SCHOOL AT HIDDEN SPRINGS Boise, ID  -- 05/11/09 --  Hidden Springs Charter School (HSCS) and the Boise School District (BSD) have reached an agreement to keep the doors to the school open past this current school year.  During its regular Board meeting held on Monday, May 11, 2009, members of the Boise School Board voted unanimously to approve leasing the existing school facility and provide elementary educational services at the beginning the 2009-10 school year.   District officials describe the lease agreement as a win-win situation for students and taxpayers.  "This is an agreement that will not only continue to provide quality educational services to HSCS students, but also provide affordable educational services at a time when existing budgets are extremely tight," explained Dr. Stan Olson, Superintendent, Boise School District.    Facing serious financial difficulties threatening the existence of the school beyond this school year, HSCS approached BSD and requested the District investigate the possibility of purchasing the school facility and taking over operation of the Hidden Springs school.   Details of the agreement call for BSD to pay $250,000 annually for leasing of the school facility. However, the District estimates approximately $1.8 million in state revenue will be generated to the District by providing educational services to the current HSCS elementary students (448 students).  The lease agreement is for a two-year term and will allow the District to continue discussions with the bank about possible purchase of the facility.   "We strongly believe this is the best solution for all parties involved," said Olson.  "We are legally obligated to educate children who reside within our boundaries and the majority of HSCS students reside within our boundaries."     BSD looked at a number of different options, including absorbing HSCS students into existing BSD schools. Recognition of the District's current fiscal limitations, as well as the cost of providing regular bussing, portable classrooms and splitting-up families to attend existing schools outside of the Hidden Springs community led the District to determine this the most appropriate option for providing educational services to these students.   HSCS currently serves the community of Hidden Springs, a rural residential neighborhood in the northwest section of the Boise School District. The school building was constructed in 2005.  Boise School District is the chartering entity that originally approved the petition creating Hidden Springs Charter School in 2001. Under the agreement, HSCS will no longer operate as a charter school. Instead, BSD will operate the school as a thematic elementary school maintaining the Harbor Method pedagogy.   News media needing a visit to the school site are welcome to contact HSCS Board Chair Joe Saucerman at 941-3204 to make arrangements.