Permanent Campus for Journey School
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Journey School is an innovative public charter school based in Southern California. We are growing at a fast pace, yet facing substantial rent costs. This long-term campaign is to help us to secure a permanent campus that will accommodate our growing student body. We need a permanent location to secure our future as an exceptional educational institution and community member.
Journey is a tuition-free publicly chartered school which follows the Waldorf education method and currently serves 400 students in grades K-8.
The school is currently located in Aliso Viejo, California on land which is leased from the school district through 2020. The current lease provides the option of an "early out" if Journey School is presented with a permanent campus solution. Due to past short term leases, Journey has been forced to relocate 5 times since 2000.
Nevertheless, the school is thriving. A permanent campus will enable Journey to provide a stable environment and continue to deliver a quality education to children for generations to come.
There are hundreds of children on our wait lists who want to attend Journey School. We have been able to meet the high demand for our unique educational offerings, but the need for increased square footage is costing us in the form of rent.
Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are required to pay their facility lease expense from their operating budget. This creates a funding gap and difficulty projecting future cash needs. For example, the current lease expense was $159,880 in 2013 and will be $293,544 in 2015. This increase and has a direct impact on the cash available for the actual delivery of a quality education.
It would be a tragedy to see this exceptional school falter due to rising rent costs. Please support the children who attend Journey School by donating to help make our dream of a permanent campus a reality.
Further Reading...
In spite of considerable challenges due to relocation, the school has delivered admirable results and has garnered strong community support. Educational achievements during the past five years include, but are not limited to:
- Academic Performance Index (API): Journey experienced a net gain of 106. In 2013-14, 82% of all students scored Proficient or Advanced in Science, far exceeding State averages.
- Environmental Education: On Earth Day 2013, U.S. Secretary of Education selected Journey School as a national U.S. Green Ribbon School for its exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education.
- Physical Fitness: Journey students performed astoundingly well on the most recent State Physical Fitness Exam. All Grade 5 & 7 students’ results ranged from 92.3% to 100%.
- Social Literacy: Journey’s Compassionate Campus Project was initiated in 2010 to hone students’ empathy skills. Out of 700 international schools, Journey was selected in 2012 as the winner of the prestigious Townsend Press Prize and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize for activating empathy.
- Science, Technology, and Ethics: Journey has pioneered a renown
- Digital Media Literacy Project to prepare students to enter high school equipped with the skills to be ethical, confident, and empowered digital citizens. Since 2010, no incidents of cyberbullying have been reported and in 2014, corporate, educational and civic leaders belonging to the OC Tech Alliance and CA State Assembly both recognized Journey School for Educational Innovation in Science, Math, and Technology.
- Arts-Infused and Creative Education: Subjects often considered “extras” in other schools are still prioritized in Journey’s curriculum, including classes in: art, handwork, physical education, foreign language, gardening, experiential learning, and music.
“School of the Future”
In 2013, dignitaries from the U.S. Department of Education described Journey as “an exemplary school of the future.” Journey was among a handful of schools across the nation to host the U.S. Secretary of Education’s “Built to Last” tour across the nation. Dozens of educational and civic leaders gathered to see the students and staff in action and to explore promising educational reform efforts that might be scaled-up.
Over the past 6 years, Journey School has transformed its current campus creating several outdoor classroom areas and numerous gardens that are used for meaningful lessons in Eco-Literacy, Native American studies, wood working and more.
We have proudly achieved a 100% teacher retention rate.
Please support us in making our dream of a permanent campus a reality so we can continue offering an exceptional education for generations to come.
Journey is a tuition-free publicly chartered school which follows the Waldorf education method and currently serves 400 students in grades K-8.
The school is currently located in Aliso Viejo, California on land which is leased from the school district through 2020. The current lease provides the option of an "early out" if Journey School is presented with a permanent campus solution. Due to past short term leases, Journey has been forced to relocate 5 times since 2000.
Nevertheless, the school is thriving. A permanent campus will enable Journey to provide a stable environment and continue to deliver a quality education to children for generations to come.
There are hundreds of children on our wait lists who want to attend Journey School. We have been able to meet the high demand for our unique educational offerings, but the need for increased square footage is costing us in the form of rent.
Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are required to pay their facility lease expense from their operating budget. This creates a funding gap and difficulty projecting future cash needs. For example, the current lease expense was $159,880 in 2013 and will be $293,544 in 2015. This increase and has a direct impact on the cash available for the actual delivery of a quality education.
It would be a tragedy to see this exceptional school falter due to rising rent costs. Please support the children who attend Journey School by donating to help make our dream of a permanent campus a reality.
Further Reading...
In spite of considerable challenges due to relocation, the school has delivered admirable results and has garnered strong community support. Educational achievements during the past five years include, but are not limited to:
- Academic Performance Index (API): Journey experienced a net gain of 106. In 2013-14, 82% of all students scored Proficient or Advanced in Science, far exceeding State averages.
- Environmental Education: On Earth Day 2013, U.S. Secretary of Education selected Journey School as a national U.S. Green Ribbon School for its exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact, promote better health, and ensure effective environmental education.
- Physical Fitness: Journey students performed astoundingly well on the most recent State Physical Fitness Exam. All Grade 5 & 7 students’ results ranged from 92.3% to 100%.
- Social Literacy: Journey’s Compassionate Campus Project was initiated in 2010 to hone students’ empathy skills. Out of 700 international schools, Journey was selected in 2012 as the winner of the prestigious Townsend Press Prize and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize for activating empathy.
- Science, Technology, and Ethics: Journey has pioneered a renown
- Digital Media Literacy Project to prepare students to enter high school equipped with the skills to be ethical, confident, and empowered digital citizens. Since 2010, no incidents of cyberbullying have been reported and in 2014, corporate, educational and civic leaders belonging to the OC Tech Alliance and CA State Assembly both recognized Journey School for Educational Innovation in Science, Math, and Technology.
- Arts-Infused and Creative Education: Subjects often considered “extras” in other schools are still prioritized in Journey’s curriculum, including classes in: art, handwork, physical education, foreign language, gardening, experiential learning, and music.
“School of the Future”
In 2013, dignitaries from the U.S. Department of Education described Journey as “an exemplary school of the future.” Journey was among a handful of schools across the nation to host the U.S. Secretary of Education’s “Built to Last” tour across the nation. Dozens of educational and civic leaders gathered to see the students and staff in action and to explore promising educational reform efforts that might be scaled-up.
Over the past 6 years, Journey School has transformed its current campus creating several outdoor classroom areas and numerous gardens that are used for meaningful lessons in Eco-Literacy, Native American studies, wood working and more.
We have proudly achieved a 100% teacher retention rate.
Please support us in making our dream of a permanent campus a reality so we can continue offering an exceptional education for generations to come.
Organizer
Journey School
Organizer
Aliso Viejo, CA
