The verdict is in and we have lost the appeal. This has caused us some concern for the future. One of the primary reasons that we lost the appeal is that we couldn't show the support or interest, of parents, in EPIC. Because of this, and the sheer amount of work a small few have put in, we have chosen to go on hiatus through the winter.
Losing the appeal does not mean that EPIC has ended. It shows us that we just didn't have the support to begin EPIC in 2010. Our next meeting will be April 19, 2010 at the Rathdrum Library at 5:30pm. We invite you to attend.
I will continue posting information as I can and I will respond to telephone, email, or written inquiries into EPIC and our plans for the future. We would be very interested in beginning a parent support group, containing parents that see a need for EPIC and other members in the community. This potential group will hopefully grow to become the PTA group that is associated with EPIC. If you have ideas on where or when to meet or want to help get this going, please either email or call me. (dbpickett1@gmail.com or (208) 704-2659).
Thank you again for all of your support. We hope to talk to you soon! Danelle Baumgarten-Pickett, Chairman
THANK YOU for all of your support and assistance!!! We couldn't have gotten this far, if we didn't have the support that has been shown! Thank you, Thank you!!!
Thank you again for your support!! ~Danelle Baumgarten-Pickett
Go HERE for our survey!
GREETINGS AND WELCOME TO EPIC ACADEMY!!
Thanks for stopping in and checking us out! As you can see by the above notice, we are definitely moving forward in our pursuit of an approval of our Petition to be a new Public Charter School! We are excited to go before the Hearing Officer to explain why we should have been approved and not denied. To prevent the grass from growing under our feet, we have simultaneously re-presented our Petition to the Lakeland School District. They chose not to give us an immediate answer, but decided that they need to consider our proposal further. This is good news everyone! We would be thrilled to become a part of their already successful program!
I am still receiving emails from parents expressing interest in EPIC and they want to know how to help. Right now the biggest help would be volunteers! We need fundraising ideas and the terrific people needed to pull of a successful fundraising event. If you have time or services that you could donate to help us out, please let us know (I'm a good contact or email Marcia Dettmann @ marciamd0526@gmail.com).
We appreciate your support!!
Danelle Baumgarten-Pickett
EPIC Academy intends to provide a “Life Prep” environment for students in grades six through nine with an emphasis on students with upper level learning disabilites (such as ADHD, Autism, OCD, & Dyslexia), initially, and to gradually expand our program through grade twelve. After achieving grade twelve, we plan to re-evaluate the needs and interest of our community and resources of our program before determining further expansion into the elementary school environment.
We believe students learn best when their individual learning styles are understood and their environmental needs are met. The program will be focused on improving skills in reasoning, problem solving, self-exploration, communication, and understanding/coping with emotions. Students will experience a variety of challenging and enriching activities to develop individual strengths. This attention to individual strengths and challenges in a small classroom will allow each student to progress at his/her own rate, thus encouraging more ownership over the educational process. Students should participate in education, not just observe it. Upon completion of our program, students will have experienced multiple situations that adults contend with on a day to day basis in a structured environment, creating the coping skills and personal tools necessary for our students to strive for independence and success in today’s society.
Our next meeting is scheduled for November 2, 2009 at 5:30pm at the Rathdrum Public Library. Please shoot us an email if you need directions! We look forward to seeing you there!!
Webmaster: dbpickett1@gmail.com
