A former men's department store in Concord, N.H., is being converted into a charter school that will open next month.
WMUR-TV reports that the new Capital City Public Charter School will welcome students on Sept. 4 to a space in the Steeplegate Mall that used to house a Bon-Ton store.
Bon-Ton declared bankruptcy earlier this year and closed all its stores.
The founder of the Capital City School, Stephanie Alicea, showed prospective students and parents how the store's clothing racks and fitting rooms are being converted to classrooms, a theater and a library.
“It's a testament to the innovation of our school; you’ve got to think outside the box,” Alicea says.
The New Hampshire Department of Education approved the alternative public school for grades six through eight. It plans to start with about 60 students and gradually expand to more than 300 and all high school grades.
The charter school plans to combine traditional classroom lessons with community service. School officials say there will be two teachers for every 30 students, along with staff, and that students from across the state are eligible to attend.
VIDEO from WMUR-TV:
