It may seem quiet around these parts, but we are still busy working on making Pathfinder a reality. As you know, we spent the better part of the summer months with the arduous task of preparing and submitting an application for a federal Non-SEA grant. This grant was highly competitive and sought after by not only charter schools like ours, but well established school districts throughout the country. The criteria were extremely difficult to meet, and although our grant writer and charter advisor felt we had a solid request for funds, we did not get awarded for this year. The Federal Education Department’s Office of Innovation and Improvement informed us that nearly all of the applicants scored very high, exceeding the baseline score, which raised the bar considerably. Because of this valuable experience and the enormous amount of research required for the federal grant process, we are confident that our next grant application to be submitted to the Oregon Department of Education next summer will be successful.
We have changed the target opening date for Pathfinder Montessori Charter School to September of 2013 and are actively pursuing other resources for funding through organizations and foundations that will support the work ahead. We are continuing our community outreach through public meetings (the next one being in mid-December) and our search for suitable facilities is underway.
If you are interested in volunteering with Pathfinder in any capacity please click on the link to the right and fill out the volunteer form. Also, keep your eyes open for information on the upcoming community events.
