Welcome from our founders: Marybeth Childers and George Coccarelli

Welcome to The Magellan Charter School. Magellan was founded on the premise that learning is a dynamic process that is on-going, interactive, and fun. We wanted this place called "school" to be filled with a flurry of purposeful activity and challenging thought, a place where students are enlivened by a desire to learn, and where exceptional teachers bring content to life, skillfully showing how what students learn has meaning and application in the real world. We also envisioned a place where parents were a welcomed and integral part of school life and where an enthusiasm for knowledge would infect us all.

Through the tireless efforts of many, The Magellan Charter School has become just such a place. There's an old saying that goes, "If you find a turtle sitting on a fence post, you can guarantee he didn't get there by himself." Magellan is a joint venture. It's the school that "WE" built; students, staff, parents, and the community. All of us at Magellan invite you to take an informational tour through our web site and discover what our school is all about. Welcome!

Welcome from our Administrator: Mary Griffin

Come sail with us on an educational voyage for highly motivated learners at The Magellan Charter School. At Magellan, students journey through their middle grades in a diverse program that balances direct instruction, exploration, collaboration and experiential learning. We believe it is our responsibility to empower students with the desire to know more.

The goals we have set for our students are accomplished by providing a nurturing, non-threatening environment in which they feel free to take risks in their learning. Students work in small classes where they can establish collaborative relationships with their classmates and teachers. Because of our small class sizes, teachers are intimate with each student’s academic stature and are therefore able to make sound instructional decisions. Our students thrive in an environment where peers believe that excelling in school is “en vogue.”

The teachers at Magellan are extremely innovative and knowledgeable in their curricular area. They are nurturing, creative, energetic and dedicated to the educational and social development of middle school age children. Our teachers have been carefully selected with the mission of the school in mind.

Our strong core of parent and community volunteers enriches The Magellan Charter School experience. Magellan Partners in Education (MaP) is an organization comprised of parents and staff who work diligently to insure smooth passage for the students each year. MaP provides numerous services for the school including an extensive parent volunteer program. By being in the school on a daily basis, parents become an integral component in their children’s education at Magellan.

When The Magellan Charter was established in 1997, we set out to provide continuity during a time of rapid growth and development for third through eighth graders. It was believed that this continuity would help students maintain their focus on academics. Today, Magellan is home to approximately 400 successful students.

Our vision has become a reality!

A Brief History of Charter Schools

Today approximately 500,000 students in over 2000 schools across the country are educated in charter schools. In North Carolina there were 99 charter schools in operation as of the 2001-2002 school year. North Carolina legislation law allows 100 schools to be chartered. More than 16,000 students are currently enrolled in charter schools across North Carolina.

Just like all public schools, charter schools may not charge tuition. In addition, they are open to all North Carolina students. Charter schools are founded by individuals or groups with a common educational vision. Each school has a specific mission and many are designed to serve a certain target population. Therefore, it is important for parents to be familiar with the programs and goals of a school to determine its suitability for their child. While the small class sizes offered by charter schools are enticing, small classes cannot substitute for an appropriate program for any child. Charter schools are highly accountable for producing results.

By definition, charter schools lose their funding and cease to exist if they do not deliver the educational action promised in their initial proposal. Most are measured by the state's ABC's Accountability Model used to assess all public schools. A school's performance on these measures can be useful information as parents examine their choices. Charter schools add a new level of choice to the public school system. They also allow teachers, parents, and students the opportunity to have a great deal of involvement and influence in our public schools. However, the reality of bringing vision into action can test the patience and perseverance of even the most dedicated individuals. Consequently, charter school families cannot be reminded too often that the rewards that come with being educational pioneers can take several years to come to fruition. Charter schools are not for the impatient, inflexible or faint-hearted. Those who are willing to embark on this educational journey--roll up their sleeves to help make it work--are rewarded with a wonderful new form of public education that will serve this and future generations of North Carolina students very well. For more information about charter schools in your area, visit their web site: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/charter_schools/background.html .
(excerpts from Parents Guide to NC Charter Schools, published by The NC Charter School Resource Center.)

A Brief History of Magellan Charter School

In 1996 the North Carolina State Legislature passed Charter School legislation allowing for the creation and establishment of independent public schools. These schools would be "chartered" by a local or state board of education and be locally implemented and administered. In response to this legislation and a pressing need to provide a different approach to educating students in the middle years, two highly motivated teachers from Wake County, Marybeth Childers and George Coccarelli, filed an application for a charter school that would serve children in grades four through eight. It was their belief that children in these middle grades would benefit from a small, personal, and hands-on environment. They asserted that providing continuity during a time of rapid growth and development helps students maintain their focus on academics--the number one priority at Magellan.

In March of 1997, the North Carolina State Board of Education approved Magellan's charter, and for the next six months the Magellan Board of Directors and a multitude of dedicated parents worked diligently to open the school. On August 25, 1997, Magellan became a reality and opened its doors to 294 new students.

Today Magellan is home to approximately 400 students. These students are served by a team of thirty exceptional teachers. A familial atmosphere encourages collaboration between the school and our families. Learning experiences at The Magellan Charter School are supported by close relationships between involved parents, dedicated students, and caring teachers. The students' learning, both inside and outside of the classroom, is experiential in nature and reflects real world experiences that will move the student toward being a productive member of our community. To achieve this goal, we believe our teachers must have the opportunity to use innovative, yet soundly researched teaching methods, without restriction to traditional methods. We are a school in which decision making at all levels focuses on one singular issue--What is the best for the education of our children?