- November 26, 2024
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This week, students at the Global Outreach Charter Academy celebrated spirit week by wearing crazy hats, their favorite sports teams' apparel, and then wrapped it all up with a Friday night dance.
The charter school, which caters to students kindergarten through eighth grade and is in its first school year in Flagler County, focuses on a global approach to education. By offering language classes in Russian, Spanish and soon American Sign Language, the goal is to give students a competitive edge and to expose them to other cultures.
“The misconception is that this is a Russian school, and it’s totally not that,” Principal Kathleen Stow said. “I would say maybe 10-15% of our kids are from Russian families. We’re exposing kids to foreign languages, and studies show that if you have a second language, you’re usually a top-performing student. We’re trying to create well-rounded kids who can compete in a global world.”
Stow, who is originally from New Smyrna Beach, came to Flagler County from Tampa for her second role as a charter school principal.
Besides introducing students to the cultures of the world, the school also offers a gifted and talented class for those students with gifted Individualized Education Programs. The school also offers classes for students who just miss the cutoff.
“Here, we have maybe five or six kids with the actual gifted IEPs, but maybe 20 kids who are level four or level five top-performing students,” Stow said. “Those students who missed the cutoff are obviously still needing a challenge, and we want to provide enrichment for them as well. We want to see them constantly growing.”
The school's charter allows for 1,000 students and, as enrollment grows, administration plans to move to a larger facility. For now, the building at the Flagler County Airport provides the classrooms needed, while the airplane hangar doubles as a gymnasium and a cafeteria.
“In Flagler County, because of the challenges with some of the charter schools that weren’t performing, I think we have a lot that we need to prove here,” Stow said. “But the initial buzz is great — kids love it.”
Fall Festival
The Global Outreach Charter Academy will host a Fall festival and Trunk or Treat open to the public 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the school, 1000 Aviation Drive. Parents and businesses who would like to set up a trunk for the event are asked to contact Dolores Mkos at [email protected] or call the school at 313-8322.
