'Classical' charter school approved in St. Lucie three weeks after one gets OK in Martin County

Editor's note: This story has been revised from its original version to reflect Hillsdale College's relationship with Independence Classical Academy.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A second “classical” charter school has been cleared to open its doors on the Treasure Coast next fall.

The St. Lucie County School Board Tuesday unanimously approved a charter for Independence Classical Academy, a “classical, liberal arts and sciences” school.

The academy is associated with the Hillsdale Barney Charter School Initiative, the same organization behind Treasure Coast Classical Academy, which received a charter in Martin County three weeks ago.

More: School Board clears new charter school in Martin County, but not without some hesitancy

Independence Classical Academy, however, will not be an official Barney school like the campus in Martin County, but will use facets of its curriculum, training and philosophy.

No one in the audience Tuesday spoke for or against the charter school, and it was not discussed by the board.

The district had no interest in protesting the new charter school, said board member Kathryn Hensley.

“We try to pick our battles very carefully,” Hensley said.

"We have to make sure the focus is on what we’re doing for our kids, and giving them the best chance to succeed in all ways. We can’t do much about the other."

The vote Tuesday was in stark contrast to an April 17 meeting in Martin County, where residents went back and forth for hours over the benefits and drawbacks of the classical academy before it ultimately was approved 4-1 by the board.

Opponents in Martin County argued the school is attempting to drive conservative and religious ideologies; supporters say the classical academies are a welcome alternative to traditional public schools.

Hillsdale College is a private liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan. The school is a “nonsectarian Christian institution," according to its website. The Chicago-based Barney Family Foundation is a charitable intuition that helps fund the charter-school initiative.

More: Charter namesake explains rationale behind new Martin County school | Gil Smart

History is the driving force behind a classical education, according to the Independence Classical Academy charter application.

Students will learn Latin beginning in elementary school, study primary sources and train in skills such as such as time management, organization, note-taking and research, according to the application.

St. Lucie’s classical charter application was submitted by Sandra Krischke, a local parent a founding member of College Preparatory Academy of the Treasure Coast, according to her resume.

Krischke also serves on the Indian River State College Board of Trustees.

Independence Classical Academy is much-needed in St. Lucie County, Krischke said. Aspects of a classical education, particularly less benchmark testing, will resonate with parents, she said.

The academy will not be featured as a Barney school because its founding board sought to focus more on the community than the organization typically does, Krischke said.

This includes planned dual-enrollment and agriculture programs, Krischke said.

"It's definitely different," Krischke said. "I think it's what’s missing in education."

Krischke is joined on the Independence Classical Academy board of directors by Jeremy Theisen, as assistant division manager for a multimillion-dollar construction material company, and Courtney Purnell, an instructor at a private college based in Salt Lake City with a Ph.D. in educational leadership, according to background information submitted to the school district.

Krischke and Theisen each ran for St. Lucie County School Board, in 2010 and 2014, respectively.

Independence Classical Academy requested a five-year contract beginning in fall 2019, according to board documents.

The school intends to open with kindergarten through eighth grade — 440 students — next year before maxing out at 796 students in all grades by 2023-24.

The board of directors wants to build a school in western Fort Pierce, Krischke said.

Charter schools in Florida are funded as are public schools, through state money for operating based on full-time student enrollment.

St. Lucie County has four charter schools: Imagine School Nau Campus, Renaissance Charter School of St. Lucie, Somerset College Preparatory Academy and Renaissance Charter School at Tradition.