The Long Beach Unified School District unanimously approved a new Charter Middle School called the Intellectual Virtues Academy Tuesday night. The school will service middle-schoolers, grades 6 through 8 in Long Beach.
The decision came after the Department's comprehensive review of the application for the new school. This review included a rigorous analysis of the proposed school’s education program, business plan, and governance structure. The Long Beach Unified School District and Intellectual Virtues Academy Board of Directors also agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding.
"We’re delighted that the board found merit in our proposal," said Dr. Jason Baehr, Board Member and visionary of the Intellectual Virtues Academy. "Much hard work lies ahead, but we are eager to meet the challenge."
IVA will be based on an “intellectual virtues educational model,” which is a model aimed at fostering intellectual character virtues like curiosity, wonder, attentiveness, intellectual autonomy, intellectual carefulness, intellectual thoroughness, creativity, open-mindedness, intellectual humility, intellectual autonomy, and intellectual perseverance. The John Templeton Foundation has awarded a $1 million dollar, three-year grant to Dr. Baehr to develop and apply this educational model. Over $600K dollars of the Templeton Grant will go directly to IVA.
Intellectual Virtues Academy plans to open its new school in fall 2013, welcoming two incoming classes of 50 sixth-graders. IVA will add one grade each subsequent year until it reaches 150 students in three grades.
The location has not yet been determined, but we are working to identify several workable and attractive options, IVA Board Member and visionary Dr. Steve Porter said.
Intellectual Virtues Academy, or IVA, is a public charter school. It does not charge tuition. Long Beach Unified students will have priority in registration. IVA Board Member Mynor Montiel said if applicants exceed available space, the school will hold a lottery.
Intellectual Virtues Academy is a public charter middle school serving grades 6-8 in Long Beach, California. The school’s charter was approved by LBUSD on October 9, 2012, and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2013 with two sixth grade classes of 25 students each. Registration will begin in the spring of 2013.
Press Contact:
Rebecca Irwin
Intellectual Virtues Academy'
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.