1/16/12 – Registration begins Wednesday for the new charter school in the former Fox Lake Elementary School. The building was closed following the 2008-2009 school year in a budget cutting measure. In 2010, the Waupun School Board unanimously approved a proposal put together by an ad-hoc committee made up mostly of Fox Lake residents to begin a charter school. The conversion into a charter school became a reality last August when the district received a $200,000 planning grant from the state. Waupun School District Superintendent Don Childs says the only new costs the district will have to absorb come from operating costs, utilities and day-to-day operating costs. The acronym for the school is “SAGES” which stands for “School for AGriculture and Environmental Science.” Childs says the school will teach all subject areas, with a focus on agriculture and environmental studies, and with emphasis on hands-on field work and learning through project-based learning. During the first year, the school will teach grades Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. If successful, they will add Seventh Grade in year two and Eighth Grade in year three. Childs says the school will not be able to open its doors if there are less than 50 students enrolled for the upcoming school year. Conversely, if there are more than 125 registrations, all students will be put into a lottery to determine who gets in.
