About
Welcome to Forest Charter School (FCS), a TK–12 Personalized Learning Program. As director of Forest Charter School, I see parents, supervising teachers, administration, support staff, and most importantly, your student, as a dynamic and collaborative team that works together to inspire a lifelong love of learning. At Forest Charter School we value the individuality of your student.
Mission Statement
Forest Charter School commits to nurturing the love of learning within our school community. Our dedicated staff pledges to provide an environment of educational excellence that honors the student’s individual learning style. Through positive collaboration between students, parents, and educators, Forest Charter School supports each student’s educational goals by offering personalized options in the selection and implementation of curriculum to prepare them for future success.
Academics
Our Program
FCS is a TK-12 WASC accredited school that offers a variety of educational approaches directly overseen by a highly qualified California credentialed supervising teacher. Some of the approaches available to students include the following:
- Individualized programs
- Home schooling support
- Cooperative classes
- Small group instruction through block classes
- Tutoring
- Online courses
- CTE and Education Employment
- Community college classes for high school students
- College and career advisors
- Field studies and field trips
Our Professional Affiliations
Forest Charter School is proud to be a member of the following organizations
APLUS+
Who We Are
School History
Inspired Beginnings
Forest Charter School opened its doors in the fall of 2002 upon the invitation of then sponsoring district, Twin Ridges Elementary School District. In July 2007 Forest Charter left Twin Ridges and, along with five other charters, joined together under the sponsorship of Nevada County Superintendent of Schools (NCSoS), an innovative leader in the charter school movement. These charters forged a unique concept of a charter cooperative, creating the Nevada County Charter Cooperative (NCCC).
Forest Charter School entered the charter school arena with a new, innovative, alternative model of education called Personalized Learning. Personalized Learning has its roots in the homeschool movement, where, for decades, parents have privately tailored learning for their children according to their individual needs and preferences. Prior to the 1990s in California, parents had few choices for their children’s education: the public school system, a private school, or private homeschooling. In 1992, California’s elected officials enacted California’s Charter School Act, which established public charter schools as an option for parents, students, teachers, and community members to design self-governing schools within the public school system to meet the needs of their community. Charter schools were envisioned to provide new, better, and more flexible and innovative opportunities for California students within the public school system.
Innovative Growth
As the charter school movement grew in California, so also evolved a partnership between members of the private homeschool community and public educators who saw great educational potential and value in learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Through the flexibility and innovation provided through Charter School law, teachers, parents, students, and administrators have successfully demonstrated that an effective learning “classroom” goes well beyond the walls of a standard public school building. The “hybrid” or “multi-strand” approach of the Personalized Learning model enables students to pursue learning choices that optimize their learning potential according to their individual needs.
Today, Forest Charter School fosters a nurturing educational environment with personalized care and attention for every student in each of our Learning Centers. We prioritize connection over discipline to boost and encourage our students and inspire their love of learning from Kindergarten through high school.
Connecting students, parents, and educators
Forest Charter Leadership
Collaboration is key to the success of Forest Charter School. This special school was created as the result of educators, parents, and students who held a vision for an entirely unique model of education that focuses on the gifts of the individual. A model for respectful communication in this diverse population has contributed to this supportive environment, one that encourages shared leadership.
In addition, parents realize their input is important in how FCS educators create classes and programs. This model of education is in response to the needs of the school community. Your voices are important.
Supporting FCS
About FCS Education Foundation
The Forest Charter School Education Foundation is a non-profit public benefit corporation that is committed to supporting Forest Charter School. The Foundation’s goal is to raise funds for Forest Charter School through activities such as fund drives, fundraising efforts, and grant writing.
We welcome anyone who is interested in getting involved in supporting Forest Charter School. Space permitting, parents and/or community members are encouraged to join the board and/or focus on raising funds for your specific Learning Centeror program. Please contact the FCS office before beginning any fundraising so we can support and help coordinate your efforts.
To get involved with the Foundation, please contact the main office at (530) 265-4823.
Other Ways to Support FCS
Forest Charter School relies on donations from our community of friends and families to enhance the day-to-day work that we do for our students. Last year our fundraising efforts helped to fund a new Forest Charter Scholarship, buy books, and hire a new art class aide. This year, our goal is to raise enough funds to allow us to buy more art supplies and science equipment, buy more books for our library, and boost our scholarship program.
To make a donation, please make checks payable to “Forest Charter School Education Foundation” and send it to the main office in Nevada City. All donations to the FCS Foundation are tax deductible.
Fundraising Opportunities
There are many more ways to raise money for Forest Charter School. The following programs will let you raise free money for FCS with little to no changes to your normal monthly budget!
eScrip
eScrip is a fundraising program where participating business partners contribute a percentage of your grocery loyalty cards, credit card, and debit card purchases to FCS. eScrip partners with merchants to give back a percentage of the purchases made by you to the organizations you care about. Go to www.escrip.com for more information and a complete list of participants.
AmazonSmile
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support FCS every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to FCS. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you will be prompted to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping – just search for Forest Charter School.
Buy a Sweatshirt
Show off Forest Charter pride by sporting a FCS sweatshirt! Buy yours today in the main office.
