HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-14-11 PC Agenda Packet4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA
MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2011
City Council Chambers
6:00 p.m.
Call Meeting to Order:
2. Approval of Agenda:
3. Consider Approval of January 10, 2011 Meeting Minutes:
4. Public Hearings:
A. No public hearing is scheduled.
5. Old Business:
A. None.
6. New Business:
A. #EP 11-103 Fountain Hills Charter School. Charter School Property Solutions has submitted an
application for a concept plan for the property located at 4385 Fountain Hills Drive NE. The concept
involves possible scenarios to allow a charter school in an existing building in the C-2 (General
Commercial) Zoning District. The property is located south of County Road 42 and west of Pike Lake
Trail NE, in the Fountain Hills development.
Announcements and Correspondence:
8. Adjournment:
LAI l FILES\I I PLANNING COMMISSION\I I AGENDAS\031411 Agenda.doc
Phone 952.447.9500 / Fax 952.447.4245/www.cityofl)riorlake.com
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2011
Call to Order:
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2011
Acting Chairman Fleming called the January 10, 2011, Planning CommissioJ?:.meeting to order at 6:00
p.m. Those present were Commissioners Roszak, Perez, Billington, Flemirfg=itd Howley, Community
Development & Natural Resources Director Danette Parr, Assistant Citys5ngineef Larry Poppler,
Planner Jeff Matzke and Development Services Assistant Joe
2. Approval of Minutes:
5
MOTION BY BILLINGTON, SECONDED BY HOWLEY TO.APPROVE THE OCTOBER 25, 2010
MEETING MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
VOTE: Ayes by Howley, Billington, Fleming, Perez add*..* 9gzak. thp.,motion carried.">a
3. Appoint 2011 Chair: Deferred until later in the
4. Public Hearings:
A. #EP 10-121 Bluffs of Candy Cove. Je
related to building setback, lot area, <
acres of land to be subdivided into 3
of Candy Cover Trail,, north of TH 13.
B. #EP 10-122
preliminary
lots for sinc
Parr stated
removed fn
delay and r
the project
meeting.
Comments
MOTION BY BILL]
AGENDA.
VOTE: Ayes by H
5. Old Business: None
6. New Business:
nitted16ist Olication for Variances
a site ct�ffsisting of approximately 1.07
i,gorrips This property is located east
Candy`t 8ve. Jason Miler has submitted an application for a combined
plat coai�ting of approxjipately 1.07 acres of land to be subdivided into 3
homes.s�This property is 10 gfed east of Candy Cover Trail, north of TH 13.
r'r¢ ta�sted'tl fff; (1Q B]offs of Candy Cove development application be
d n$fi5nsidered af'"fke current meeting. The applicant requested that the
I varitcerbe heard at a future meeting. The applicant will incur all costs
J: pry futu"re> a '1ication. Due to MN Statute notification and timing
b��4heard ri4%Sooner than the February 14, 2011 Planning Commission
None
DED BY HOWLEY TO REMOVE ITEMS 4-A AND 4-B FROM THE
, Fleming, Perez and Roszak. The motion carried.
A. #EP 10-125 Eagle Creek Estates. Equity Properties LLC has submitted an application for a
concept plan for a development to consist of approximately 45 acres of land to be subdivided
into 79 lots for single family homes, park, and future commercial sites. This property is located
011 PILES\I1 PLANNING COMMISSIONU I MINUTES\MN01101 Ldoc
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2011
northeast of Credit River Road/CR 21, west of Markley Lake, and commonly known as the Snell
property.
Matzke presented the concept for the proposed Eagle Creek Estates development. Matzke shared
how the proposed concept would provide connections for Fish Point Road from the north and the south
and Credit River Road from the east and the west. The majority of the site is located outside of the
Shoreland District; however there is a portion within. A 1.18 acre park addition would be made to the
existing Brooksville Hills Neighborhood Park as a part of the development. The developer is proposing
the development be a Planned Unit Development. The quantity and size ofJhe proposed residential
lots are the primary reason for requesting the PUD. The proposed minimuffi're9jdential lot size is
10,000 square feet, whereas the minimum R-1 Zoning District standarJJs:: 2,000'sq. ft. 19 lots meet
the minimum size requirement for lot width and area, while 60 lots d.9;' ,meet the minimum
requirements.
Ray Brandt, 1713 Southcross Drive West, Burnsville,
acreage proposed to be changed to Community Retail
the property owner and staff, he proposed changing th
road and connecting it with the adjacent eastern propf
Brandt stated that he'd had parties express an interest in
convenience store or gas station. Brandt noted that a gas
future growth in the eastern area of Prior Lake;
Matzke reminded the Planning Commission
formal action taken at this time.
Howley was uncertain
convenience store or F
the proposed Eagle Cr
Matzke answered that th
active park land. Matzke
system.
Inea a tra
:r with sta
see more
warranted
is very s
most he
Asked
road from a
;ial lots of the pr
pharmacy would
Office Park
meeting with
sac to a thru-
t for a
beneficial to
plan, and there is no
opment. He supported a
about the city owned land north of
that there is no intention to turn it into
was a trail on the site to connect the trail
ieGif park land. Howley thought the layout of Eagle Creek Estates
1ga` I '''not think that smaller lots would be beneficial. Howley
of the�ral resources in the case of a PUD.
Billington sdj potted the gene(M,'concept of the plan. Billington noted the terrain could be challenging
for the drainage'ai%tl::ayetlandS. t'>}
Brandt acknowledgetfak;t)ie topography of the site is difficult. Brandt stated that he initially did not
include the eastern secfiifi f the site in the concept, but included it at the request of the developer.
Brandt indicated that initially he created a concept plan that was entirely residential, and later became
aware of the comprehensive plan which included a planned commercial section on the property.
Brandt stated that the demand for commercial development is not the healthiest. Brandt stated that he
had an interested party in the single family lots. The buyer suggested Brandt explore the option of a
convenience store and that the developer requested the 71' foot wide lots.
Billington asked Poppler about the drainage and natural resource aspect of the concept.
LAI I FILESU 1 PLANNING COMMISSIONU I MINUTESWN011011.doo 2
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
January % 2011
Poppler stated that as the concept plan progresses it will have to meet the City standards for drainage.
The stormwater and wetland delineation will be reviewed when the developer submits an application for
platting.
Perez asked about what kind of impacts a change in lot widths would have on the number of proposed
lots.
Brandt stated that some of the lot widths had been altered on the northern side of the development and
that it didn't impact the number of proposed lots. /�S
Perez stated that the concept could work as PUD, but there are still issues"to address. He
•.
acknowledged that the development of Fish Point Road being develQpr'tl,�•the developer's cost is
beneficial to the City. Beyond the development of Fish Point Rrezdd.not see any additional
benefits for the City in exchange for a PUD. Perez asked staffswEi'a�ithe des:tt`,e.f,Qr parkland would be.
Parr answered that she had spoken with Al Friedges, ParjCs'"`nd deet Supervis6r;f,.eyarding the park.
She acknowledged that the current park site is not the mloesirable with the curreijt rades found on
the site and the play structure. Parr noted that the de (('o� ted park lasrld would not meet'::II ark land
acreage dedication required by city standards and cash d@ (GVtion�001d be required in�2ddition. Parr
added that the Planning Commission may want to also proVi s thgIdeveleper no staff With their
thoughts regarding the Comprehensive Plan Amendment thaJ'. J� be required for the proposed
concept. The area is currently guided for CLQ (Business Office F{arkJ. and would Iikely provide higher
caliber jobs than what would be offered for jof in;GCC (Commurif(y ?ntaif Shopping).
Perez asked if the cash instead of land for pares wad`-"a1eYnefit or negativr� for the concept PUD.
Parr answered that it's even, meaning that the c(5' bination offgffl_€:;grid cash dedication would meet the
minimum park dedication ratjUlr t}j$nt, but not exc��a1it as is oftPj'the case with PUD's.
Perez said he sha
challenging due to
creation of the Cor
changing the sijW
Roszak stated that he•§1)'pp�orl
pres�ed;cd
,,,Roszak had n�e'
comhieri#I"I t� t.
Fleming stAE 4, hat a detailed
that the commis§'o>ters had er
�....
stated that the othe"rr��eas ofd
natural resources of ffite f
neighbors and adjacent�j XopeI
conbeim regarding theratural resources. He acknowledged that it is
of lot�►jeing requestedtzPerez added that a lot of time was spent on the
%PJi 'd
,an 4bat:.the Coudif would need to look closely at the possibility of
9011 ice *PY )t°iunity Retail Shopping.
sd the neraI plan. He expressed a desire to see more wooded area
>hs regfi' it g the small lot sizes, and the right turn lane for the
ffic study will be provided as the plan moves forward. Fleming noted
§ssed concerns regarding lot sizes and their benefit to the City. He
cern were regarding, ponding, drainage and the preservation of the
ming encouraged the developer to continue working with city staff,
owners to achieve a plan that benefits all.
Billington asked how sensitive the project is regarding the number of proposed lots.
Brandt answered that the number of lots helps keep the price down. A traffic study is underway but
was not available for tonight, as it was not required.
Billington asked how many lots would be necessary to make the project achievable.
LAI1 EILESV I PLANNING COMMISSIONU I MINUTES\MNOI 101 I.doc
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
January 10, 2011
Brandt answered that changing the lots to be in conformance with the City standard would require him
to revise the plans to determine how the concept would be affected. He noted that the drainage to
Markley Lake shown in the concept plan is adequate.
Howley asked Poppler why the County did not include a right turn lane onto Fish Point Road when
County Road 21 was reconstructed.
Poppler agreed that a turn lane will be necessary for a future project.
Howley asked if the County conducted any forecasting for a right turn laneotlto•.Fish Point Road from
County Road 21. f'l
Poppler answered that he was unsure, but would look into it.
7. Appoint 2011 Chair:
Parr stated a new Chairman for the Planning Commissio•would need to be app oiriiezia;Parr asked if
any of the Planning Commissioners wanted to volunfeer Q the positron or nominate a' 9
•>.,�..,
Commissioner. "' �Vz::.. ,,:,f•x:,<, I:�>
Perez presented himself as the most senior member of the I
he'd be ok with Commissioner Fleming serving_ as the Chair.
Fleming indicated that he'd be honored to
MOTION BY PEREZ, SECONDED BY BILLI
THE PLANNING COMMISSION:.,,.
VOTE: Ayes by Howley, Bjlljp9ij;Fleming,
8. Announcements
Commission, but indicated that
Chair.
AS THE CHAIRMAN OF
motion carried.
Parr announced that two wdfiK ; gssi4ri6pre,.ptanned: T.06 City Council will discuss the C-2, General
Business Zoniog,,..0 nce afli'lo tlment`''s'•(E:Yej t l to restaurants, clubs and lodges serving alcohol
adjacent tcj#9Id6iti9l uses on Tcf60ay, January' -25, 2011 at 6:30 p.m., in the Parkview Conference
Room a<0`•ify Hall..,.,
A second W�rk session withI City COO'] to discuss the County Road 21 scenarios is scheduled for
Monday, Fetal„ry 7, 2011 fro %4:30 to 55 in the Parkview Conference Room at City Hall. The three
scenarios inch% e;.,a pedestriaffdossing across County Road 21, constructing a bridge over County
Road 21 at Mairi'Av, ue or a rgalignment of County Road 21. The work session is not a public hearing
but is open for genei?trlformton and the Planning Commission is invited.
Parr also announced th'(tjffi6 January 24, 2011 Planning Commission meeting will be cancelled. Staff
anticipates that the nex0l'lanning Commission meeting will be held on Monday, February 14, 2011.
8. Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Joe Sortland, Development Services Assistant
LAI I PILEW I PLANNING COMMISSIONU I MINUTEMNIN011011.doc
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM: 6A
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION OF A CONCEPT PLAN FOR A
CHARTER SCHOOL ON A SITE LOCATED AT 4385
FOUNTAIN HILLS DRIVE
PREPARED BY: JEFF MATZKE, PLANNER
PUBLIC HEARING: _YES X NO -N/A
DATE: MARCH 14, 2011
INTRODUCTION
Charter Property Solutions & JB Realty have submitted a concept plan for a charter school to
be located at 4385 Fountain Hills, south of 140th Street/CR 42 and west of Pike Lake Trail.
The site is approximately 3.5 acres. A 45,000 square foot showroom/warehouse building
currently occupies the site. This property is zoned C-2 (General Business Commercial) and is
designated as C -CC (Community Retail Shopping) on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Land
Use Map.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this item is to discuss the conceptual development of a charter school to
occupy the existing building on the site, and to allow the Planning Commission an opportunity
to voice any particular concerns or ideas about the proposed development. This discussion is
for informational purposes only. This concept plan, along with any Planning Commission
comments will be forwarded to the City Council for their consideration.
For discussion purposes, the staff has identified the following issues:
Land Use:
The site is currently guided (C -CC) and zoned (C-2) for commercial uses. A school is not a
permitted use in a commercial district. In order for the school to be allowed in the proposed
location, one of the following processes must occur:
1. A Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change the land use designation from a C -CC
commercial designation to a residential designation, followed by an Amendment to the
Zoning Map to rezone the property from a C-2 commercial use district to a residential
zoning use district which would permit a school under the Educational (Academic) land
use.
2. An Ordinance Text Amendment to allow Educational (Academic) land uses to be
permitted within the C-2 Zoning District.
While no formal recommendations are provided for concept plan reviews, City Staff does
believe that if a process to allow the charter school is conducted for the proposed site, option 1
Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / nivw.cityofpriortakc.coni
is more appropriate. Option 1 has a more defined impact on City regulations by changing the
land use regulations for the specific site and impacts to the surrounding area only. Option 2,
on the other hand, would cause change to the entire C-2 Zoning District Ordinance, allowing
schools to be permitted on all C-2 zoned property throughout the City. If Option 1 is pursued it
seems most appropriate to consider Urban High Density (R -HD) and High Density Residential
(R-3) land classifications for the site since these land uses are immediately adjacent to the
south and east of the site.
Commercial Area Impacts:
All properties directly accessed from Fountain Hills Drive are commercial businesses. A
school use will impact the area in different ways due to the nature of the site. Additional traffic
safety measures for the students may need to be addressed along the corridor such as
crosswalks at the intersection of Fountain Hills Drive and Fountain Hills Court and additional
sidewalks/trails along the street at the time of future development. These safety measures
would be further evaluated with through site plan review and/or building permit applications.
In addition, per the City's Liquor Control Ordinance, grounds for denying the issuance, transfer,
or renewal of a liquor license include that "the premises to be licensed is located within 300
feet of any church or school" (Section 301.600 (9)). Therefore, the presence of a school in the
commercial area would restrict nearby properties from the development of restaurants, clubs,
liquor stores and other establishments which may require either an on -sale or off -sale liquor
license. The map exhibit included in this report illustrates these areas within 300 feet of the
site.
Economic Development:
The area along Fountain Hills Drive includes over 22 acres of the approximately 149 acres of
C-2 commercially zoned property in the City. Besides the 3.5 acre showroom/warehouse site,
a 2.0 acre motor fuel station and convenience store, and a 1.5 acre day care facility are
currently located in the Fountain Hills Development. The building on site has previously been
used as a showroom, warehouse, and office for a retail center, but currently remains vacant.
The City Council has emphasized the need for increased economic development of
commercial areas within the City. While allowing a school to occupy the site could be a quality
reuse of the existing vacant building in the short-term, it will eliminate the possibility of utilizing
the site for a commercial development to increase economic development of the area and
contribute to the City's tax base, while also further limiting the uses of the directly adjacent
parcels.
City staff contacted the Scott County Assessor to verify the tax implications of a school utilizing
commercial space. The County Assessor indicated that in most cases a school is tax exempt.
However, in cases where a school leases a commercial space, there are two determining
factors: 1) Does the school pay market rate for leasing the space, or are they given a discount
because they are a school? 2) What is the structure of the lease? According to the County
Assessor, a school that leases space is often given a discount and their lease agreement is
specialized to their use as a school, which in this case would justify tax exempt status.
However, if the property owner rents space to the school with no differentiation from the use of
the school from that of other commercial user, the property owner would be taxed at the same
rate as any other commercial entity leasing the space. In either case, it's noteworthy that a
lease agreement and the status of property ownership could change and thus change the tax
implications.
The Planning Commission may wish to address the following:
➢ What are the positive and negative aspects of the site being utilized for a school use vs.
a commercial land use?
➢ What are the full economic development implications of the concept plan?
➢ Would the proposed concept plan support the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan and 2030
Comprehensive Plan?
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Planning Commission is not required to take any formal action at this time. The Planning
Commission will want to provide the applicant with any comments or concerns. However,
neither the Planning Commission nor the City Council's comments will be binding and the
applicant should not rely on any statements made by individual Planning Commissioner or
Councilmember. Any future plans must be processed with the appropriate hearings and public
participation.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Location Map
2. Liquor License Restriction Map
3. Concept Plans and Developer's Narrative
FOUNTAIN HILLS SHOWROOM
LOCATION MAP
LIQUOR LICENSE RESTRICTION MAP
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CONCEPT PLAN
Aspen Academy
4385 Fountain Hills Drive * Prior Lake, MN 55372
CURRENT SITE:
Currently the property at 4385 Fountain Hills Drive is vacant and has been foreclosed by the Lender.
The property is a 45,000 sf showroom/wareshouse that was home to a lighting store. It is divided into 4
bays and the north bay has a mezzanine. Currently the site is zoned C2.
PROPOSED RENOVATION/USE:
Charter School Property Solutions is proposing the purchase the site from the Lender and renovate it for
Aspen Academy. The interior of the building will be demolished and a new layout of classrooms, offices,
multi-purpose rooms and storage will be rebuilt. After renovation, it will have 23 classrooms and a suite
of administrative offices. There will be a gym/cafeteria for the student to have physical education
classes as well have lunch.
All the renovation will happen in the interior of the premises and there will be minimal exterior work.
There are two existing entrances that will be blocked off with materials to match the existing exterior
finishes.
ZONING OPTIONS:
There are a couple of zoning options that we would like to explore:
❖ Ordinance Amendment to allow for a charter school to operating in a C2 zoning.
❖ Ordinance Amendment with some site specific restrictions to allow for a charter school to
operating on this specific site
❖ Comprehensive Plan Amendment/Rezone from a C2 zoning to an R zoning which allows for
educational uses.
ASPEN ACADEMY:
Aspen Academy is a core knowledge tuition -free public charter school located in Prior Lake. I was
started in 2008 by Prior Lake parents. The parents, students and staff of Aspen Academy have worked
hard at building a school that is reflective of the value of it community. The test scores of its student
have consistently met of exceeds those of its peers in the area.
With this new site, it will allow Aspen to better meet the needs of its current student population and
offer an expanded enrollment for other interested students.
ASPEN ACADEMY
General Information
Introduction to Aspen Academy
Aspen Academy is a core knowledge tuition -free public charter school located in Prior Lake,
Minnesota serving the Twin Cities Southern suburbs but is open to all students regardless of the
district in which they live.
Aspen Academy's mission is to provide students with a well-rounded, Core Knowledge-based
education which meets the intellectual, creative, and social needs of each child.
Aspen Academy's vision is to prepare their students for future educational opportunities and life
in a global society by creating an academically rigorous, literature -rich environment where class
sizes are small, and a strong sense of community is built and valued.
Founded by a group of parents and community members of the Prior Lake/Savage wanting to
provide an academically rigorous education option in the Southwest Suburbs with a goal of
providing an educational experience where class sizes remain small (20-22), parent involvement
is high, and all students are encouraged to excel. Aspen Academy received a K-8 Charter from
the Minnesota Department of Education and opened its doors in September 2008. There are
currently two or three classrooms each for grades kindergarten through fourth and one classroom
for grade five. They will expand with one additional grade per year until grade eight.
Student enrollment at Aspen Academy
Based on year-end totals for the 2009-2010 school year, Aspen Academy saw a strong increase
in Student enrollment.
Enrollment numbers for this year are as follows:
Kindergarten 59 (3 classes) 96% attendance
First Grade 45 (2 classes) 96% attendance
Second Grade 41 (2 classes) 96% attendance
Third Grade 40 (2 classes) 97% attendance
Fourth Grade 21 (1 class) 97% attendance
Total 206 students
For School Year (SY) 2010-2011, student enrollment increased to 266 students. This enrollment
number could have been higher, but due to the lack of physical space, it was capped at this level.
Currently Aspen Academy has a rolling waiting list of between 70-80 students.
An enrollment comparison is shown below that includes the following years and data:
• 2008 / 2009 — opening year, based on year end student enrollment totals
. 2009 / 2010 — second year of operations, based on year end student enrollment totals
• 2010 / 2011 — projected totals based on completed registration packets returned to the school
It is important to note the growth within grade levels for each successive year, but also that each
class, as it moves from one year to the next has increased its enrollment until allkiel�
operating at or nearly at class limits set by the Aspen Board of Directors. �� S nt5
1'_I
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Increases in enrollment are due to several factors:
• The addition of a third kindergarten class in 2009-2010. In turn, meaning the addition of a
section of first grade in 2010-2011 as these three Kindergarten classes move up.
. Regular prospective parent tours and regular contact with local media about events in the
school
• Small class sizes and strong test scores
• Holding open current year enrollment longer than last year. All names drawn in the lottery
went on a wait list and Aspen Academy continued to accept enrollments for 2010/2011 through
May instead of February.
Other demographic information relating to Aspen Academy's student body:
Limited English Proficiency 0%
Free and Reduced Lunch: 3%
Special Education 4%
Native American 0%
Asian 2%
Black 1%
Hispanic 1%
Caucasian 96%
Curriculum at Aspen Academy
In an effort to educate children in a way that fosters cultural literacy and an understanding of the
world around them, we implement a curriculum using the Core Knowledge Scope and Sequence
(www.coreknowledge.org ). The Core Knowledge Sequence allows students to go beyond a
basic awareness of various events or people that have been essential to the development of the
culture in which they live and the global culture that surrounds them. The topics covered in the
Science and Social Studies curriculum at each grade level promotes a better understanding of the
significance of these people and events, creating a larger, shared knowledge of a broad range of
topics important to create a culturally literate individual. The implementation of the Core
Knowledge Sequence also helps prepare students for the knowledge that lies ahead, and
eliminates any repetitions or gaps that many students experience through the sequential building
of knowledge and the cyclical arrangement of the topics covered. The Core Knowledge
Sequence builds on what came previously, allowing the student to understand the introduction of
new material because it is built on a solid foundation. It has four main components:
• Solid — it builds on a body of lasting knowledge in core subjects rather than the current
educational fad. There is a heavy emphasis on literary classics and literacy skills permeate all
subject areas.
• Shared — it helps students gain familiarity and understanding with a broad range of knowledge
taken for granted by speakers and writers.
• Sequenced — it provides a clear outline of content to be learned grade by grade. This sequential
building of knowledge not only helps ensure that children enter each new grade ready to learn,
but also helps prevent the many repetitions and gaps that characterize much current schooling.
• Specific — Rather than vague standards that say students will demonstrate knowledge of people,
events, and ideas of a particular topic, Core Knowledge specifies important knowledge in
language arts, history and geography, math, science, and the fine arts. Because Core Knowledge
covers all curricular areas (as opposed to districts that purchase each curriculum from a different
company) cross -curricular connections are built in. When our second graders are reading Greek
myths in Literacy, they are learning about Greek history in Social Studies, and studying Greek
architecture in Art.
Language Arts
Aspen Academy uses a phonics -based program to teach students to reading and decoding
skills and then uses chapter books as soon as possible so students know the joys of reading from
real books instead of reading anthologies. We place an emphasis on spelling, grammar,
vocabulary, and handwriting. Students are taught the Six Traits of Writing. A Language Arts
program is being developed by the Core Knowledge Foundation and will be used at each grade
level as it becomes available. There is also an extensive read -aloud program the teachers use to
share literature with the students.
Singapore Math
The Academy uses the Singapore Math curriculum as its mathematics component. This system is
designed to build a foundation of arithmetic theory into students that will position them for more
advanced math. The way Singapore Math does this is by first introducing students to a few key
concepts with concrete examples and pictures. Then, the student is led progressively and
logically to understand the abstract concept. (This Asian model is a direct inverse to math
educational practice in the U.S. where many concepts are taught during the early years
progressing to just a few by the upper elementary and middle school levels.) Singapore Math is a
pleasing balance between drill and creative problem solving. Those who have compared
Singapore Math with other math curricula report that Singapore Math moves the students more
quickly and rationally toward abstract concepts. There is an emphasis on homework and practice,
and an effective mix of word problems, drills and mental calculation. Instruction is paced to the
needs of each individual student.
Second Language Instruction
We believe that the study of a second language will enhance the students' perspective of the
world around them, as well as facilitate their participation in it though the understanding of
people from another culture, and promote an ability to communicate with many people in their
own neighborhood. Thus, Spanish will be introduced to students at Aspen beginning in
Kindergarten. In addition, Latin study will be introduced in 4th grade as a way to increase the
understanding of the English language and compliment the study of other languages.
Music and Art
In an effort to help each child achieve a balanced, well-rounded education, we will integrate
Music and Art as stated in the Core Knowledge Sequence. Our introduction will encourage
creativity within a structured atmosphere. Together, our music and art program will both impact
and compliment each child's academic achievement, stimulating the cognitive skills required for
full development. The specialists work with the classroom teachers at each grade level to
complement the activities taking place in the general ed classroom
Physical Education
The Physical Education program will balance personal fitness and individual activities with team
games. Participation and good sportsmanship will be emphasized. There will also be instruction
on health and wellness.
Technology
All classrooms at Aspen Academy have Smart Boards --interactive white boards that connect to a
computer and allow students to "drag and drop" items that relate to their lessons. An example
would be Kindergarteners who drag the names of each of the seven continents across the board
to match them up with the picture of each continent. The Smart Board also allows the teacher to
download thousands of intemet videos that complement classroom topics through "United
Streaming". Each classroom also has several computers and we have a computer cart with
laptops each teacher may check out for student use.
Academic Rigor
Our focus will be on academic rigor and helping each child be successful. Accelerated
achievement at all levels of academic ability will be encouraged through the in-depth and
rigorous study of Core Knowledge topics. Each child will be offered an education that ensures
the fundamental skill -sets and knowledge for higher education and instills a desire for life-long
learning. Aspen will also hire staff members trained to provide specialized learning programs to
ensure that no student is left behind, regardless of ability. All staff members will receive
comprehensive and ongoing training in Core Knowledge, Singapore Math, and other course -
relevant instructional components to help provide the best possible learning opportunities. To
that end, it will be especially important to integrate nonverbal forms of human communication
including Art and Music, which will enhance the Core Knowledge based curriculum and allow
our students to grow into well-rounded, thoughtful, and insightful human beings. As opposed to
graduates of many more traditional schools, students will leave the Academy with an educational
foundation that will leave them in good stead as they pursue further education and educated
lives.
Test Scores for Aspen Academy
The tables below show the comparison in MCA scores between Aspen Academy and surrounding elementary schoolsthe number
&sled in each box is the percentage of students who met or exceeded profic" in Moth and Reading. As you read across each
line, the highest score is highlighted in green, the second highest score in yellow, and the third highest score in pink.
Prior Lake
ASPEN
Edgewood
Five Hawks
Glendale
Granwood
Sellers Pond
Red Tail
West Wood"
MATH V
100
Kindergtit
66.04
88.78
78.46
88.57
School
90.38
MATH V
85.36
0 .
87.34
87.50
87.50
83.33
does not
93.24
MATH AVG
90.32
Students
79.60
84.11
76.35
85.57
have two
91.10
BONG 44
100
do not
83.72
73.63
73.83
84.76
yews of
86.53
RONO 34
92,86
take
81.01
85.57
85.57
86.13
comparative
90.54
RONG AVG
95.16
MCAs
80.39
80.99
80.29
8518
data
90.54
- TLoludes Sage Academy for Gifted and Talented
Lakeville
ASPEN
Cherry-
view
Crystal
Lake
East-
view
Huddle-
Ston
Kennedy
Lake
Mv9on
Lake-
view
G1tk Bills
Orchard
Lake
M7TH4'
100
91.57
73.41
67.50
80.28
88.23
94.56
99.36
65.71
8161
MATH r
65.36
96.73
86.20
%.90
93.75
95.78
93.06
97.16
93.75
95.08
MATH AVG
90.32
92
78.12
90.90
80
87.37
94.22
93.05
90
84.21
RONG 41h
100
82.10
74.69
82.90
83.09
86.66
87.09
89.28
82.05
7413
RONG 3"'
92.86
93.47
68.75
85.85
82.35
95.78
80.46
91.58
89.02
92.30
RUNG AVG
95.16
86.55
75
86.95
81.25
8741
87.3",
88.42
86.69
82.82