Pivot North Valley Featured in Story from the Chico Enterprise Record

Sunday, January 08, 2012

New charter school offers online instruction, local site

By BARBARA ARRIGONI-Staff Writer

Posted: 01/08/2012 12:11:56 AM PST

BUTTE VALLEY - A new charter school is open in Butte County, offering full-time, online instruction for students in grades 6-12, and a new elective program sponsored through the Civil Air Patrol.

The school is Pivot Charter School North Valley. It was approved by the state as a charter last year and is under the local authorization and oversight of Golden Feather Union Elementary School District in Concow.

Golden Feather Superintendent and Principal Jennifer Metherd said the school was originally open through the Chico Unified School District, but closed last year and went to Golden Feather.

Pivot opened through Golden Feather District last September, and is getting ready for an information session during its open enrollment for the spring semester.

Pivot Charter's administration office is still in Chico at 2550 Lakewest Drive, suite 30.

Metherd said the school is a combination of online and onsite learning, though the students will mostly be working online.

The Spring Valley School on Pentz Road, near Highway 70, will be used as a resource center for students. It's a central location for students who live in Oroville, Paradise and Durham, Metherd said. The site will be used for group activities such as preparing for the California High School Exit Exam, yearly standardized testing and for study groups.

"There will be times students come in and meet with an instructor," Metherd added.

Although the charter is for kindergarten through 12th grade, the school's primary group is junior high and high school ages.

Pivot is also offering a Civil Air Patrol program. Metherd said the program used to be out at Oroville Airport, but the space was too small. That program will rent space from Golden Feather, also using Spring Valley School.

The Civil Air Patrol program will provide elective credits and give students an opportunity to develop leadership skills and learn about aviation.

Metherd said Pivot Charter School currently has about 20 students enrolled.

Under the charter, it's a direct-funded public school, meaning it gets its funds directly from the state.

For information, call 1-877-544-1423 or visit the website, www.pivotnorthvalley.com/index.html.

Staff writer Barbara Arrigoni can be reached at 533-3136 or barrigoni@orovillemr.com.