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Forrest M. Bird Charter School
Dr. Forrest Bird, an internationally known inventor, aviator and innovator.
Forrest M. Bird Charter School
A Hands-On Approach to Learning
Article by Patty Hutchens
W
hen the charter school first opened in Sandpoint in 2002, there were many misconceptions about what exactly a charter school was. Some thought it was a private educational institution while others believed it to be a school for troubled children. Since that time people in the community have learned that neither of those perceptions could be further from the truth. While the school does require uniforms of polo shirts and slacks, they are a public school with an individualized approach to teaching. “Sandpoint is lucky to have choices in public education,” said Audra Mearns, an administrative assistant at the newly renamed Forrest Bird Charter School. “The school works closely with the other public schools and the Lake Pend Oreille School District.” Although charter schools are public schools, there are definite differences when it comes to funding. “The State of Idaho allocates a per student allotment which pays for the teachers, buildings and all other fees associated with a school,” explained Mearns. “The state reimburses 85% of bussing; the other 15% comes out of the student allotment as well.” It should be noted that charter schools in Idaho do not benefit from any school levies – the only additional money they can receive comes from grants. At Forrest Bird Charter School, the approach and focus is on the individuality of each student, recognizing that each child learns and communicates differently. “We hold each student to a high academic standard,” said Mearns. A hands-on, project-based philosophy means the instructors integrate several of the subjects that the students study into a project. The goal is to encourage independent research that incorporates many subjects and how they interrelate to one another. 54 Sandpoint Living Local | www.livinglocalmagazine.com
Both the Forrest Bird Middle School and High School are located on one campus in two separate buildings in south Sandpoint. The school initially instructed students in the sixth through eighth grades and had just 40 students its first year. In the fall of 2009 it expanded to include a ninth and tenth grade and subsequently added 11th and 12th, a move that was driven by the needs of the community. According to School Administrator Alan Millar, research shows that once children reach high school years they prefer to remain in the same school setting where they have been for the previous years. So when parents of the middle school students began to inquire about options for high school, a group of five teachers and four community members did the research and presented their plan to the Lake Pend Oreille School Board which voted unanimously to expand to include high school. Until recently the school had been called Sandpoint Charter School. This year, however, the school was renamed Forrest Bird Charter School in honor of Sagle resident Dr. Forrest Bird. Dr. Bird is known worldwide for his invention of the Fluid Control Device; Respirator; and the Pediatric Ventilator Respirator, which have saved countless lives. He was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 1995 and throughout his career worked diligently in research and innovation ultimately changing the course of medicine throughout the world. In late 2008 and in recognition of his life-altering inventions and his desire to give back to the world, Bird was honored by President George W. Bush in a ceremony at the Oval Office where he was presented with the 2008 Presidential Citizens Medal. The decision by school officials to rename its school after Dr. Bird was driven by the belief that his name will inspire generations of students