WE NEED YOU:
Please help us with the following:

Please consider contacting your state legislators regarding equal funding for our students. We receive about $5000 less than other local public school students. There are many places to cut back during these economic times, but equal funding is an issue of equal rights. 

UPDATE:
    The obstacles continue!!!
Due to the budget crisis and our elected officials' reluctance to use stimulus funds to stop cuts in education, the State will most likely continue to cut per pupil funding across the board. It means cuts for every district and every student, not to mention cuts in staff and programs. For those of us sponsored by the statewide charter district, it means that start up programs will not be possible. Our students already receive half the amount as the students in CCSD, and to make further cuts reduces any chances of us receiving loans or paying for quality staff. Why start a district without any funding? You will have to ask our legislators why they choose not to support choice and innovation in our state. Or why do they only seem supportive of charters during elections? Although I understand the benefits of fiscal conservative ideals and policies, I simply cannot agree that cutting the educational quality for our students is a good practice - especially since our state continues to lag behind the rest of the nation and the world. For an administration that claims it supports charter schools, South Carolina officials have done very little in practice to make this movement a reality.
Only with  more pressure from the parents and the public will these politicians get the message that our children deserve better choices. This means serious funding of the charter school district and supporting a mechanism that allows for start ups to become operational.
Meanwhile, we are still searching for investors. We have 80% of the building financed, but still need $1 million to complete the campus. Therefore, we cannot begin building facility as planned.  We are currently considering options such as a opening in a temporary facility, possibly sharing space with an exisiting program, beginning with 6th graders only, or postponing until the 2010-2011 school year. 
I want to thank all of our supporters for your patience! Everything is in place and ready to go, except for the financial setbacks. We are obviously disappointed, but we are still dedicated to our vision. If anyone has any ideas or options, we are certainly open to suggestions and assistance. We feel that our state legislators made promises that they are now not keeping. We apologize for failing to achieve our dream for yet another year, but please know that we have done everything in our power to open this year. It seems the system wins this round, but we remain confident in our program and philosophy. We will continue to provide updates as decisions are made.

Horizon Middle Academy is a public charter middle school set to be developed on Johns Island for August 2008. The school is sponsored by the South Carolina State Charter School District and not CCSD. Therefore, the school will not receive any local funding used by CCSD schools. The school will use innovative and proven instructional methods found in the best public and private schools in the country. The development of this school offers parents a true choice for grades 6, 7, and 8.  

The school will offer a more individualized and holistic approach to education. We believe in educating the whole child and fostering a positive sense of self while providing a challenging curriculum based on individual needs and interests. There will be a strong emphasis on project-based learning, technology, the arts, environmental stewardship, and community service.

The school hours will be 8:00 -4:00 (instructional day is from 9:00-3:00). The student population will be limited to 350 students. The school will serve students on Johns Island and students residing in Charleston County.  
WHAT IS ON YOUR HORIZON?