By LAURA QUEZADA News Review Staff Writer– “We’re a public school of choice,” says Supervisor Donald Beene. “Most charter schools are public schools, which means that we have the same expectations, the same legal requirements, the same education code that we follow as any other traditional public school. The charter has to spell out what makes you unique. All charter schools have to offer something that’s not offered in the neighboring district.”
REALMS is an acronym for Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, and Science. The school encompasses grades TK to sixth grades. “The language is Spanish language. We have an instructor that pushes into the classrooms and will be teaching that two to three times a week all across the grade levels.
“The M is our music program. Michelle Britt is returning. She’s an avid musician in the community and she’s been around for a few years now. She teaches music from TK all the way to sixth grade. Every class in the school has an opportunity to come down to her music room twice a week. The lower kids from TK to second grade have two 30-minute sessions and third through sixth grade have two 45-minute sessions. There’s some instruments for them to practice on from homemade kind of drumstick type things to ukuleles and recorders for the little kids. There’s all the equipment for a band and an orchestra. And then every week on Fridays, they have an opportunity to play for the whole school. “Part of the elementary experience is exploring things, finding things that are of interest to kids. So we try to offer a variety of things within our school day to accommodate those interests.
“The S in REALMS is our science program. In addition to the state adopted curriculum that we use across the school for teaching science a couple of days a week, we also have a program called ‘Project Lead the Way’ and that’s project-based learning in science. There are kits or modules for each grade level, adjusted to the standards and expectations of the students in that grade level. And once a week for one hour, they do this project-based learning.”
In addition the school offers English Language Arts, math, social studies and physical education. Moore says, “So all of that in addition to the language music and science makes for an exciting experience.” Their charter has additional features including a dress code designed to level the playing field among the students from different financial backgrounds.
Assistant Supervisor Nancy O’Sullivan teaches REALMS teachers new strategies and methods to help prepare students to engage better and learn.
Assistant Supervisor Nancy O’Sullivan tells us, “We’re excited about the new teachers as well as the veteran teachers that are coming back and we have a full week of professional development next week (July 29 to August 2). We are getting ready for that new school year, which starts August 5, the following week. So we’re excited about all the professional development and the workshops we’re doing next week with the teachers to get them up and ready for the new year.”
Supervisor Beene joined the administrative staff in December 2022 and assumed the Supervisor position on May 20, 2024 (See News Review, May 3, 2024. REALMS Charter School recently recruited new leadership). “I was one of the founding teachers of Ridgecrest charter school, so I have a long vested interest in this particular school and site. REALMS opened in 2001, as I said, and I went from teaching fourth grade there to third grade, eighth grade, first grade, second grade. All of that experience provided me a broad overview of education, and helped me to now be in this position to lead a staff of people understanding a lot of what happens in many different grade levels.”
Assistant Supervisor Nancy O’Sullivan joined on July 1, 2024. “I have over 20 years of experience in mostly Catholic schools, but most recently I was the principal at Lone Pine High School. I was hired here as the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction. And basically, I’m here to help the teachers be better teachers, to ensure that we’re doing all we can do for our students and our families. And I’m excited; it’s a real family feel here. The people here are just wonderful. In the few weeks I’ve been here we worked very collaboratively and I think that will bring an essence to the staff and to the teachers and to the families and they’ll see how we work together. I have met many of the teachers and so it’s really a great school, and I’m really pleased and proud to be here.”
“We like to open our doors to our community, not only our parent community, but to the greater community,” Says Beene. “We’re always looking for opportunities to build a rapport with agencies outside of the school. We’re establishing a working relationship with Cerro Coso to look at recruitment opportunities and people that can continue to work and develop the school. I recently joined the Rotary Club, and we’re going to work with them as another nonprofit organization to see how we can do that. We’ve coordinated with the Chief of Police recently, he just offered that he’s happy to have the law enforcement come in and talk with kids and meet the kids. During our summer camp, we set up a connection with the Chamber of Commerce. Every day in the month of July for three weeks, they sent a different chamber member to share things with the kids from ponies to armored vehicles.
“We’re trying to go beyond just being a public school to really a place that’s part of the greater community. And part of that, of course, will be also working with our different different subgroups. We have foster youth, we have some homeless youth, we have low income families. We want to find resources in the community to help assist them. And that’s one thing that all public schools are striving for. Because of our size and our ability, we can act quickly on these things and really hone in on what those needs are to help any kids in the community that have needs.
“It’s just all part of the greater picture of what REALMS is trying to do for the community. The community gives a lot to us, you know, we take taxpayer dollars, we’re a public school, and as a result, we want to give a lot back and so we’re always looking at opportunities for volunteers within the school and ways that we can give back to the greater community as well.’
To learn more about REALMS, they give tours year round. Schedule a tour by calling 760-375-1010. To enroll visit us online at https://www.rcrealms.org/
