Bridges Charter School (K-8) is planning to open next fall. It’s offering parents in Thousand Oaks an educational choice for their children.

The school intends to enroll 220 students from across Thousand Oaks and surrounding areas. Grades kindergarten through third will have about 20 students per class, and fourth-through-eighth will have about 30 students per class. As a public school, no tuition will be imposed on students, and it will be responsible for meeting state and federal standards. (It will, however, have no connection to Conejo Valley Unified School District.)

Bridges believes that parent choice and engagement at every level is a necessary component of innovation. The school size, together with a smaller number of students per class and parent volunteers, will allow for an evolving curriculum to meet the needs of students. Creativity and flexibility are key instruments in world-class education, and that’s our goal.

The Bridges board of directors will be elected by parents, and teachers will be accountable to them when reelection occurs yearly.

In large school districts such as CVUSD, the most crucial decisions that affect students in the classroom are made by individuals who are far removed from the classroom. Bridges is intended to function differently.

Site-based, shared decisionmaking will be utilized. By allowing parents and teachers to have a larger role, the school will empower those who work directly with students, thus creating a more dynamic educational environment for the young minds that we’re shaping.

Please support Bridges Charter School (K-8) a “choice” for an innovative, high-quality public school to meet the needs of more students in our community.

Thank you. Kerry O’Shea Thousand Oaks