"I am very proud that we have a very eclectic group of
kids here who are from a wide socioeconomic range
and find connections despite their diversity through
their academic projects."
~Jane Davin
Not Your Parents' Public School
River Heights Charter School is a member of the EdVision
Cooperative, which was founded in 1994 by educators in the
Minnesota River Valley. The 13-school cooperative is based on
educational entrepreneurship as an alternative to formal, highly-
regulated agreements with traditional school districts. Initially,
EdVision also sponsored River Heights.
"I appreciate the atmosphere of the EdVision Cooperative,"
Davin said. "It encourages innovation in the schools, rather than
replication and standardization. We want our school to be a green
school and more of an arts-and-music-minded school."
The school today has a $750,000 budget overseen by a seven-
member board, which includes three parents. About $525,000
comes from the state based on average daily attendance; the
remainder comes from lease funds, state money paid based on
facilities and student numbers, as well as from grants and fund-
raising.
The school is on the second floor of an office building shared
by other businesses, including a physical therapy center and an
insurance company. Office-open partitions separate River Height's
classrooms and offices, which include an arts and presentations
studio, advising areas and administrative space. The student body,
more than 15 percent Hispanic, many of whom enjoy the luxury
of living nearby, fits comfortably in the facility. The school's nine-
member staff includes five licensed teachers, including Davin, who
teaches language arts, two educational aides, a student-staff liaison,
and an administrative assistant.
Since 2007, River Heights has been sponsored by the Audubon
Center of the North Woods, which serves in an overseeing position,
financially and strategically, and it is a partner in mission definition
for the school's emerging environmental focus.
Educating the Mind and Soul
When typical discipline problems emerge, one of the consequential
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