A Public School of Choice for Franklin County
Four Rivers Charter Public School is a college preparatory middle and
high school for Franklin County. The school opened in 2003 and is
approaching full enrollment of 212 students in grades 7-12. There are
openings each year for the entering 7th grade, with limited spaces
available in 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. The school is free and
has no admission requirement -just an application. With small classes,
committed teachers, high expectations, and a powerful mission, Four
Rivers offers a fresh public school choice where each student can grow
strong in heart and mind.
The school has excellent facilities built on an historic farmstead in
Greenfield, close to Greenfield Community College and accessible from
all of Franklin County. Four Rivers is affiliated with Expeditionary
Learning Schools, a national non-profit organization that partners with
schools to improve student achievement, build student character, enhance
teacher practices, and instill a positive school culture. The school's
approach promotes rigorous and engaging curriculum; active,
inquiry-based pedagogy; and a school culture that demands and teaches
compassion and good citizenship.
What is a charter school?
Charter public schools were created by the MA Education Reform Act of
1993 to provide educational choice for parents, expand educational
opportunity for their children, and promote change in public schools. In
exchange for specific freedoms (in organizational structure, mission,
and academic program), charter public schools are held to high levels of
accountability; they must successfully manage school finances and
operations, and they must demonstrate student achievement.
Are charter public schools private schools?
No. We are founded by parents and community leaders who believe there
are educational needs that can best be met by a mission-driven, small,
highly focused public school of choice. We are overseen by the state
Board of Education. Charter schools are public schools, authorized by
the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. They operate
independent of the local school district. Often charter public schools
are organized around a specific mission, theme, or curricular focus.
There are 64 charter schools in Massachusetts.
High School at Four Rivers: Learning to make a difference
The high school program at Four Rivers offers a blend of challenging coursework leading to a solid preparation for college and increasing opportunities for independent work. Service at school or in the community is required each year. By 11 th grade, students have internships with professionals in an area of interest. Eligible juniors and seniors may take courses at nearby Greenfield Community College and propose independent study options. In 12 th, every student designs a Senior Expedition involving an essential question, extensive research and field work, and a culminating product. Guided by our college counselor and their advisors, the seniors develop clear post-secondary plans. They carry their Four Rivers experience into the world, learning to make a difference.
Our Mission
Four Rivers Charter Public School is dedicated to educating young people for lives of learning and service. The school offers a rigorous college preparatory program aligned with the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks and an emphasis on character development for moral and social responsibility. Three central themes -– nature, technology and community -- guide teaching and learning at the school, engaging students and teachers in a fundamental question of our times: How do we find the healthy, sustainable interrelationship of the natural world, technology in its many forms, and the human community? The school works closely with parents and seeks both to serve and to learn from the many resources of Franklin County. |
