When my oldest child started kindergarten eight years ago, I chose open classroom, a public school with a philosophy that supported our family’s educational priorities, such as parents involved in the classrooms, project-based learning, multiage classrooms, hands-on learning and a daily conflict-resolution forum called “circle.”

My oldest child started traditional seventh-grade middle school this year because the district doesn’t offer a comparable middle school. And I have to say that I’m not thrilled about it in any way, and neither is my child.

Why does our district offer only traditional middle school?

It seems to me that while Conejo Valley Unified School District has in the past been skeptical of new ideas, they’ve lately become more forwardthinking. They opened EARTHS (Environmental Academy for Research Technology and Earth Sciences) Magnet School last year, so I hope that CVUSD will be supportive of the new Bridges Charter School.

Bridges Charter School is founded by teachers and parents from the open classroom and is based on a whole child education philosophy in a safe, caring and healthy environment.

With the new K-8 Bridges Charter School, the district has the opportunity to approve Conejo Valley’s first public alternative to traditional middle school. Some parents might be skeptical about having big and small kids at the same campus, but think about it as a family. Parents who have or have had their kids at open classroom can attest to its benefits.

Children at Bridges will be like family to each other, and the philosophy of having the older kids mentor the younger kids, of doing projects across the classrooms and of having multi-age classrooms all reinforce this relationship. Children can work together and enjoy each other no matter the age, and it’s very healthy and beneficial for all.

I wish for my children to attend a school where they’re being cared for all the way through middle school. That is why I’m in favor of Bridges Charter School, which I hope will open next year. Helle Rasmussen Newbury Park