Idaho open charter school for kids with learning disabilities

From FOX 12 in Idaho:

The Idaho Learning Center inspired the school through eighty minute, one-on-one tutoring sessions that help students like Sarah Kelzer excel at her favorite subjects.

"My favorite subject is reading and language arts," said Kelzer.

The director of the center, Connie Risser, contacted Kyle Maschek with the idea. "'We need to start a charter school, what do you think?' and I said, 'Well of course we do," Maschek remembers. "To our surprise, the Nampa School District said, 'Yes we believe in what you're doing and we wanna help you do it.'"

Maschek is now Chairman of the Board for Owl and has a personal commitment to the cause. The center helped his daughter, who suffers from dyslexia.

"There are a lot of families that are going through the same thing we went through with our daughter, but they can't find the answer," he said. "We think we have a program that can help enhance the educational program and give an opportunity and alternative for parents with students who are struggling."

For others kids with a learning disability, Kelzer has this advice: "Just do your best, try your hardest, don't give up." She is too old to attend Owl in the next school year, but still receives tutoring from the Idaho Learning Center.

However, ten-year-old Hayden Neville will be at the charter school, along with his two brothers. His Mother, Lara, said only Hayden has a learning disability, but she knows that all three of her sons will benefit from the school's teaching methods.

The Nevilles are part of the Founding Families, a collection of people who will be enrolling their children, and are volunteering time and energy to see the first day of classes in the fall.

"I'm just looking forward to him enjoying school," said Lara Neville about her son Hayden.

The school has three possibilities for their location right now, but they are looking for more support.

They are taking students through an enrollment lottery, and will be serving students in Kindergarten through Fifth grade.