School Awarded $600,000 in Grant Money
Posted on 08/17/2021
The Founders Academy Public Charter School Awarded $600,000 in Grant Money
On Wednesday, August 11, 2021, Cassie Hayes, Dean of School at The Founders Academy Public Charter School in Manchester, NH received word from the New Hampshire Department of Education that Founders was selected to receive $600,000, the highest amount possible for an expansion grant, from the federal public charter school grant program. The Founders Academy’s grant proposal was reviewed and scored against 14 other programs in the state vying for the 7 available grants. Expansion grants provide funding for schools to expand enrollment, grade levels and educational programming.
“We’re excited to expand our program and welcome 5th graders into our community for the 2022-2023 school year. Founders students are the leaders of our future and starting this journey in 5th grade will give students more opportunities for character development and academic success,” said Cassie Hayes, Dean of School.
On July 8, 2021, the New Hampshire Department of Education granted The Founders Academy’s request to amend its charter to expand its program offerings to include 5th grade. The Founders Academy will use this expansion funding to open 5th grade to New Hampshire families beginning in September 2022. Preparations for 5th grade will begin in the next few months using the funding available through this grant award. “This funding will be used to develop the high-quality academic rigor our families expect when they enroll their children in The Founders Academy,” commented Deb Gauvin, Assistant Dean at The Founders Academy.
“We are excited to be able to award these grants for these innovative public education programs,” stated Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education. “It was a robust competition with 14 programs applying for the funds. The expansion of high quality public education programming across our state serves our students and our families well.”
In total, the New Hampshire Department of Education awarded $6.8 million in funding in this first round of grants. The grants are for new public charter schools as well as expansion and replication grants for existing schools and are part of a $46 million federal public charter school grant the Department of Education in New Hampshire was awarded in a 2019 grant proposal.
“Having worked in public charter schools for the last two decades, I know the positive influence that an education program that fits the child can be,” stated Tal Bayer, state charter school administrator. “We are working with all our programs to bring excellent and innovative education opportunities to all students.”
The Founders Academy is a public charter school for students in grades 6 through 12 that is free and open to all New Hampshire students. The Academy develops leaders who understand and apply the lessons of the past, demonstrate exceptional character and lead by example. The Academy recognizes the importance of balance in the development of the whole person, and respects each student's journey.
Principled leadership is fostered by means of a curriculum of classical studies that includes analyzing the lives of great men and women of history, mining the rich classical ideals of the Western tradition, and tracing the evolution of the precious and costly idea of liberty.
The Founders Academy is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about The Founders Academy or to apply for admission, visit www.thefoundersacademy.org.