The Anne Arundel County (Maryland) school board has approved a proposal for a new charter high school in Annapolis that will offer an alternative approach to learning.
The Annapolis Patch reports that the New Village Academy hopes to open in fall 2024. The school is considering leasing a space in a mall in Annapolis.
The school board voted 7-0 to okay the charter school.
"We were thrilled that the Superintendent and the Board members recognized that New Village Academy fills an important need in our community, whether or not they support charters on a policy level," New Village Academy founder Romey Pittman said.
The Capital Gazette reports that Pittman is the sister of Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman.
New Village Academy is targeting an enrollment of 150 to 250 students. Students can apply through a lottery, which will prioritize Annapolis communities with low incomes. There will be no selective admissions.
"Our small size will enable us to be more nimble than a larger school system and provide an incubator for new strategies to inspire and challenge students who are not thriving in larger traditional high schools," Pittman said in a news release.
The charter school says it will prioritize experiential and project-based learning over lecture time.
Students will spend one or two days per week in a work setting learning career skills. Small groups will also meet frequently with a mentor to discuss their academic and personal goals.
New Village Academy is set to open in fall 2024 with 150 students. It will operate with small class sizes; each student will be part of a 14-member “crew” with an adviser who stays with them all four years.
The school is in negotiations to lease space in the Westfield Annapolis Mall.
