Four years ago my children enrolled at the first magnet school in the state of Idaho, Christine Donnell School of the Arts. Since then, the choices for public education have increased at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Harbor, charter, magnet, K-8: these are terms used to describe public school options available to students in the Treasure Valley.

Magnet Schools

        Both magnet schools and charter schools are public schools, so no tuition is charged. A magnet or alternative school is run by a school district and receives funding through state and property taxes. A magnet school is designed to attract learners who want a unique instructional approach, a specific school calendar, or a particular area of emphasis.

        Three of my children attend Christine Donnell School of the Arts, one of several magnet schools in the Treasure Valley. Our family was attracted to the arts curriculum, the offering of kindergarten through eighth grade, and the stability of remaining at Donnell even when our home-school boundary changes.

        Dehryl A. Dennis Technical Education Center is a magnet school run by the Boise School District and available to high school students within the Boise, Meridian, and Kuna School Districts as well as private school students in Ada County.  It offers part-time technical programs such as construction, health science, and auto tech.

        Khoa Nduyen, a senior at Timberline High School in Boise, attends the Technical Center for a class in Information Technology. What attracted him first to the Center was the IT class, but what excited him to keep taking classes was the leadership training he received. Once a shy student, he is now outgoing and not afraid to speak in public. The training at the Technical Center also allows him to receive college credit through concurrent enrollment (a program through the schools and local colleges) and will help him advance in any career he chooses.

Charter schools

        A charter school is established and maintained by its own school board and operates independently within the public school system. Charter schools receive approval from the state and are public schools funded by the state; no local property taxes are used.

        One of the many Treasure Valley charter schools, The Meridian Medical Arts Charter High School is for students interested in pursuing a health care career and offers a professional-technical approach in several disciplines.

        MiKylee Melis, a sophomore at MMACHS, likes the small classes, one-on-one attention from teachers, and the friendly atmosphere. She will graduate with college credits and a certificate as a Certified Nursing Assistant or Emergency Medical Technician.

Harbor Method

        A Harbor School can be either a magnet school run by a school district or a charter school run by its own school board.

        The Harbor Method was developed by Nampan Rebecca Stallcop from her belief that... "When students are given a learning environment with low threat to their personal safety and self esteem and [with a] highly challenging academic content, the inevitable outcome is accelerated learning." Susan Luke, a teacher at Compass Charter School says, "These schools create a low-threat environment and safe harbor with a unique character education curriculum that focuses on kindness and taps into each child's innate need to know boundaries, while protecting every child's dignity."

        There are several Harbor schools in the Treasure Valley. Most are charter schools. One is a magnet school or school of choice in the Boise School District, Owyhee-Harbor Elementary School. Nolene Weaver, the principal at Owyhee-Harbor, believes the school has the best of both worlds. In addition to the benefits of the Harbor Method, it also uses school district facilities and programs such as building maintenance, an on-site counselor, a special education teacher, and music classes.

        Brooke Cohen was impressed with her tour of Liberty Charter School, the school begun by Stallcop in the fall of 1999. She enrolled her children at Owyhee-Harbor Elementary in Boise until Compass Public Charter School in Meridian opened in the fall of 2005. The Harbor Method at Compass meets the needs of both of her children, even though they have different learning styles: the curriculum is challenging for Andrew and has the repetition needed by Ben.

K-8 Schools

        Falcon Ridge Public Charter School in Kuna and Christine Donnell, Galileo, and Siena in the Meridian School District all offer kindergarten through 8th grade. The benefits of a K-8 school are fewer students per grade level, one less transition between school levels, and increased parental involvement.

        Waiting lists exist for most charter and magnet schools. Many accept applications in the late winter and early spring and conduct a lottery after the deadline. Some magnet schools require testing. Check the school and district websites for information. Plan on attending an open house and visiting schools.

        Whether your child is beginning elementary school or nearing high school graduation, there are schools of choice for all ages. To choose, look at the school philosophy, calendar, grades offered, attendance boundaries, location, and transportation. Check out district websites and profiles, the Idaho Charter School Directory, csi.boisestate.edu/icsn.htm, and Treasure Valley Family Magazine's extensive list of schools beginning on page 22, and archived at treasurevalleyfamily.com.

        Decide what is best for your child and your family, and be involved wherever your child attends.

Docena Holm is a stay-at-home mom of five children, ranging in age and grade level from a freshman at Mountain View High School to a busy two-year-old.