A Message from the School Principal Frontier Charter Academy (FCA) opened in the 2017-18 school year with a mission to prepare students for the 21st Century. ​The purpose of education is to equip every student with the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to be competitive in an increasingly more technology-driven economy and to become future problem-solvers of real-world issues. A meaningful education is one that creates flexible, critical, and responsible risk takers who can adapt to a rapidly changing world. This education should prepare students to understand their world and the challenges they will inherit and be able to use technology to collaborate with others on a global scale. The role of the educator has changed. The internet has made rote memorization less important, and skills like the ability to navigate the internet, and synthesize information more crucial. For those reasons the educator has to assume the role of facilitator and guide, leading students through meaningful experience, modeling netiquette, collaboration, excitement, and wonder. Educators create curriculum aligned to Common Core State Standards that guide students to use critical-thinking skills to guide their use of information and evaluate real issues in their community. FCA had a goal to have an average enrollment of 125 students in its inaugural year. In large part due to word-of-mouth from our families, FCA averaged 142 students in grades five through nine, including 17% of students on IEPs. FCA also demonstrated a 73% retention rate moving into year two and a 96.7% attendance rate; these traditionally are difficult areas for virtual charter schools. With a strong first year, FCA is excited about the future. Our parents asked us if we would add grades kindergarten through fourth grade to our program and we did that for the 2018-19 school year, and planning to show similar results. Thank you,
Beau Neal PrincipalÂ
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