Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School
Encyclopedia
Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School is a charter school
founded in 2005. It is located at 201 Forest Street in Marlborough
, Massachusetts
, U.S.
, in a remodeled office building.
The school is widely recognized for its academic achievements, consistently scoring in the highest percentile among Massachusetts schools in the English, math and science MCAS
exams.
As a charter school, AMSACS receives funding from school districts in which its students reside. According to the Massachusetts Department of Education, $69,669,262 ($10,270 per pupil) will be withdrawn from the local aid accounts of sending towns to fund the school. Students and their families have no direct costs other than uniforms and the fees for extra activities that have become common among most of Massachusetts
' public schools.
Admission includes completing an application, attending an open house, and taking math and language arts tests that are solely used to determine placement in the right level of classes. Preference for the limited spaces is given first to siblings of current students regardless of residence, then to residents of Marlborough
, Hudson
, Clinton
, and Maynard
, and finally to any resident of Massachusetts
.
The school is currently divided into a lower school (grades 6-7) and an upper school (grades 8-12) thus making a distinction between two parts of one continuous school.
The school finally opened on September 6, 2005, in time for the first day of school. The original class consisted of 250 sixth and seventh graders. In each successive year, one additional class of 6th graders was added to the school. Following the 2010 school year, the school's charter was renewed for another five years. On June 12, 2011, AMSA graduated its first class.
s (Maynard, Hudson, and Marlborough) charged that the Massachusetts Department of Education failed to observe its own rules in granting the charter. The municipalities lost their case when the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that municipalities have no right to judicial review of the chartering process. The MetroWest Daily News reported that local school districts have no role in the granting of a charter, that the State Board of Education has "the final decision" on granting charters.
effective of the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
Interscholastic sports currently known to be offered are:
Fall Season
Winter Season
Spring Season
(*) -- Denotes Co-ed teams
(|) -- Denotes separate boys and girls teams
With more coming in the following seasons/years
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
founded in 2005. It is located at 201 Forest Street in Marlborough
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in a remodeled office building.
The school is widely recognized for its academic achievements, consistently scoring in the highest percentile among Massachusetts schools in the English, math and science MCAS
Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, commonly shortened to MCAS , is the Commonwealth's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993, in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year...
exams.
As a charter school, AMSACS receives funding from school districts in which its students reside. According to the Massachusetts Department of Education, $69,669,262 ($10,270 per pupil) will be withdrawn from the local aid accounts of sending towns to fund the school. Students and their families have no direct costs other than uniforms and the fees for extra activities that have become common among most of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
' public schools.
Admission includes completing an application, attending an open house, and taking math and language arts tests that are solely used to determine placement in the right level of classes. Preference for the limited spaces is given first to siblings of current students regardless of residence, then to residents of Marlborough
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,499 at the 2010 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the...
, Hudson
Hudson, Massachusetts
Hudson is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,063 at the 2010 census. The town is located in central Massachusetts, about a 40-minute drive, or about , west of Boston, and about a 20-minute drive, or about , northeast of Worcester.Before its...
, Clinton
Clinton, Massachusetts
Clinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,606 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton , Massachusetts....
, and Maynard
Maynard, Massachusetts
Maynard is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 10,106.- History :Maynard, located on the Assabet River, was incorporated as an independent municipality in 1871. Prior to that it was known as 'Assabet Village' but was legally...
, and finally to any resident of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The school is currently divided into a lower school (grades 6-7) and an upper school (grades 8-12) thus making a distinction between two parts of one continuous school.
History
On February 24, 2004 the Massachusetts Department of Education granted the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School a five-year charter. Throughout the entire process there had been a lot of controversy surrounding the school and founder (Julia Sigalovsky). Opponents of the school managed to delay the opening of the school by a year by filing numerous law suits against the school. The school had to convince lawyers to wait until the school's funding to recoup over $30,000 in legal feesThe school finally opened on September 6, 2005, in time for the first day of school. The original class consisted of 250 sixth and seventh graders. In each successive year, one additional class of 6th graders was added to the school. Following the 2010 school year, the school's charter was renewed for another five years. On June 12, 2011, AMSA graduated its first class.
Mission statement
The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) creates a learning environment that celebrates knowledge and where children of all backgrounds and abilities will excel in all subjects, especially math, science and technology, enabling them to succeed in the workplace of a modern high-tech world.Legal challenges
A lawsuit filed by three local school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s (Maynard, Hudson, and Marlborough) charged that the Massachusetts Department of Education failed to observe its own rules in granting the charter. The municipalities lost their case when the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that municipalities have no right to judicial review of the chartering process. The MetroWest Daily News reported that local school districts have no role in the granting of a charter, that the State Board of Education has "the final decision" on granting charters.
Lower school
The lower school Eagles currently participate in interscholastic Cross Country, Soccer, Baseball, Softball, Basketball, Wrestling, Fencing, Track and Lacrosse with other sports coming soon.Upper school
The upper school Eagles are members of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic AssociationMassachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , comprising 365 high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, is an organization that sponsors activities in more than thirty sports. The MIAA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations , which writes the rules...
effective of the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
Interscholastic sports currently known to be offered are:
Fall Season
- Cross-Country (*)
- Soccer (*)
- Volleyball
Winter Season
- Basketball (|)
- Fencing (*)
- Wrestling (*)
Spring Season
- Track and Field(*)
- Baseball
- Softball
- Golf
- Swimming
- Lacrosse(*)
(*) -- Denotes Co-ed teams
(|) -- Denotes separate boys and girls teams
With more coming in the following seasons/years
External links
- Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School homepage
- AMSA Charter filed with Massachusetts, November 14, 2003
- Article from Christian Science Monitor, June 7, 2006
- Charter school suit seen, Boston Globe, March 21, 2004
- Hostility inflames charter school debate, Boston Globe, February 22, 2004.
- http://www.wickedlocal.com/marlborough/news/education/x1098981466/AMSAs-Joel-Wilner-heads-to-state-Geography-Bee