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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Richard Milburn Academy (RMA)?
2. What is a charter school?
3. If charter schools are not governed by the school district, how is RMA governed?
4. How is RMA different from other charter schools
and alternative programs?
5. Who is eligible to attend RMA?
6. Does RMA offer services to students with special
needs or disabilities?
7. How much does it cost to attend RMA?
8. Do other high schools accept credits earned at
RMA?
9. Is it possible for a student who has fallen behind
to graduate on time?
10. How safe is RMA?
11. What are the teachers like at RMA?
12. How involved are parents at RMA?
13. How does a student enroll at RMA?
14. Why is RMA the right choice?
What is Richard Milburn Academy (RMA)?
Richard Milburn Academy is a public charter high school
for students who have not been successful in a traditional
public high school setting. RMA motivates and challenges students
to achieve academic excellence, employment success and social
responsibility by providing a nontraditional educational program
that helps them increase their self-confidence, self-worth,
self-discipline and self-acceptance. RMA believes that all
students are capable of achieving success in a positive educational
environment that stimulates their interests, channels their
energies and develops their abilities. RMA helps students
succeed in high school and in life.
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What is a charter school?
A charter school is a public school that is independently
operated by an entity other than the school district. Parents,
community members, teachers and management companies are just
some of the groups that may run a charter school. Because
a charter school is not operated by the district, it has the
freedom to shape its curriculum and services to better accommodate
its students. Charter schools are designed to enhance learning,
to provide parents with more educational choices for their
children and to establish an alternative learning environment
that ensures academic improvement and accountability. Charter
schools do not compete with public schools or try to manage
them; they partner with the public school district to provide
quality academic programming and to increase the number of
options available to students. During the 2005/2006 school
year, more than 1 million students enrolled in approximately
3,625 charter schools nationwide (Source: The
Center for Education Reform). The first charter school
opened in Minnesota in 1992.
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If charter schools are not governed by the school district,
how is RMA governed?
RMA has a five-member governing board that holds open meetings
at the school throughout the year. Three board members are
elected to the board and two are appointed. The board is responsible
for ensuring that RMA implements its charter in full accordance
with the law. Additionally, the board has fiduciary responsibilities
and oversees school operations including selecting and providing
guidance to the school director, setting policies, approving
annual budgets and approving school procedures. The board
is also responsible for evaluating the policies the school
adopts. The board does not supervise teachers. Parents are
encouraged to serve as school board members.
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How is RMA different from other charter schools and alternative
programs?
RMA offers students a safe, supportive, friendly environment
in which to earn their high school diploma. Students receive
individual attention from certified teachers who are committed
to helping them achieve personal and academic success. RMA’s
school-to-work courses, small class sizes, support services
and nontraditional environment help students accomplish their
goals and prepare for a successful future. Flexible scheduling
makes it possible for students to fulfill personal responsibilities
while attending school. More than 85% of RMA students achieve
success, meaning they stay in school or graduate. Students
often say that their success was made possible by their teachers’ dedication, the flexible, adaptive nature of the program and
their personal determination to earn their high school diploma.
Richard Milburn Academy offers students a safe, supportive
environment in which to achieve personal and academic success.
RMA is more than a school to its students and staff members;
it is a family.
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Who is eligible to attend RMA?
RMA is designed to assist students who have experienced
difficulty in a traditional public high school as exhibited
by a variety of situations including but not limited to failing
courses, being suspended, having poor school attendance or
being retained in a grade during the past four years. RMA
also serves students who lack demonstrated proficiency in
English, perform better with fewer distractions, have earned
low scores on standardized tests or are transitioning from
other alternative learning environments.
Richard Milburn Academy does not discriminate on the basis
of sex, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability,
academic, artistic or athletic ability or the district the
child would otherwise attend in administration of its educational
policies, admissions policies, athletic programs and other
school-administered programs. No student shall be denied the
rights, privileges, programs and activities RMA offers based
on any of these factors.
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Does RMA offer services to students with special needs or
disabilities?
RMA accommodates students who are considered to have special
needs or disabilities as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) in its current or reauthorized form.
To ensure that students with special needs or disabilities
receive the appropriate public education to which they are
entitled, RMA provides counseling and tutorial services, employs
bilingual staff members to assist students whose first language
is not English and hires teachers certified in Special Education
to address the needs of each student’s Individualized
Education Plan (IEP).
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How much does it cost to attend RMA?
As a public school, Richard Milburn Academy does not charge
tuition or enrollment fees.
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Do other high schools accept credits earned at RMA?
Students may transfer the credits they earn at RMA to a
traditional public high school, a private school or another
public charter school. Many students who enroll at RMA with
the intention of recovering credits and transferring them
back to their home school decide to stay and graduate from
Richard Milburn Academy.
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Is it possible for a student who has fallen behind to graduate
on time?
RMA’s unique program allows students to work at a
pace that is comfortable and appropriate for them to achieve
their graduation goal, whether it is to graduate from their
home school or to earn a diploma directly from RMA. Many students
who once struggled in school excel at RMA and graduate on
time or ahead of schedule.
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How safe is RMA?
The safety of its students and staff is one of RMA’s
top priorities. All RMA staff members are assigned Hall Duty
shifts to ensure students are in their classes and that no
visitor is unaccompanied. Where appropriate, RMA has on-site
security guards and works with the local police department
to maintain the safety of all students.
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What are the teachers like at RMA?
RMA carefully selects dedicated, qualified professionals
to instruct its students. All teachers at RMA are certified
or eligible for certification. RMA teachers recognize the
students’ need for nontraditional methods of instruction
and design their lesson plans accordingly. Small class sizes
allow teachers to work one-on-one with students, giving them
the opportunity to identify students’ strengths, weaknesses,
learning styles and needs. RMA’s teachers are compassionate,
innovative instructors who are committed to helping students
achieve success.
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How involved are parents at RMA?
RMA welcomes and encourages parental involvement in the
school. Parents’ support of and involvement in their
child’s education is one of the biggest indicators of
student success. Parents are invited to visit the school to
speak with the staff and voice their opinions and concerns
at any time. Parents are encouraged to run for election to
the charter school board and are invited to attend all board
meetings. RMA constantly seeks to increase parental involvement.
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How does a student enroll at RMA?
Applications for enrollment are available at the school.
Potential students will be admitted to RMA based on the date
of the application for enrollment up to the maximum capacity
of the school as stated in its charter. If a school is at
its maximum capacity a waiting list will be established respective
to the date and time at which a student registers. If more
students apply than there are spaces in the school, RMA is
required by state law to hold a lottery in accordance with
the procedures set by the state.
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Why is RMA the right choice?
Every child has the right to a quality public education,
but the traditional public school does not work for every
student. Richard Milburn Academy is an option for students
who need things that other schools do not offer; flexible
scheduling, individual attention from teachers and a smaller,
family-like environment are just a few program components
RMA offers to help ensure student success. RMA is not just
a choice; it is an opportunity for a student to change his
or her life.
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