As a charter school, PBES must raise own funds
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Submitted photo PBES student Benton Byrd participates in Susan Mcleod's writing program. McLeod's students learn effective writing skills and then tutor lower grade levels.

Pensacola Beach Elementary School (PBES) has had a history of doing more with less, sometimes with even nothing at all.

April 29 through May 5 was set aside as National Charter Schools Week by Presidential proclamation to recognize the approximately 4,000 charter schools across the country. Because PBES is a charter school it does not receive funding from the Escambia County School District and must rely on grants, fundraising and donations. However, despite their need for charitable hearts and deep pocketbooks, PBES teachers and administrators are given some flexibility in planning their curriculum.

Charter schools are public schools that provide families with a valuable educational alternative" President George Bush said in a prepared statement. "Because they are not bound by many regulatory requirements, charter schools have the flexibility to innovate in ways that will best meet students' academic needs."

Submitted photo LEFT: Kiley Finkbone takes instruction at Pensacola Beach Elementary

PBES Principal Jeff Castleberry agreed that charter schools give parents more education choices saying his school can accept and child that is a Florida resident on a space available basis. Castleberry said the flexibility does come at a price, as the school had to purchase its own school bus, at accost of over $72,000, with donation funding in 2006.

"We're a very small school and we're very cohesive," fourth and fifth grade language arts teacher Susan McLeod said of the 121-member student body facilitated by six teachers and a handful of administrative personnel. "We all work very closely together and there aren't any gaps from one grade level to the next."

McLeod authored a writing program to teach her kids to write on demand for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and other standardized exams.

"When you write within a time frame it's referred to as 'on demand', McLeod said, adding her system cuts down learning time by weeks.

"The planner helps get their initial thoughts down," McLeod said. "That allows more instruction time. It's easier, faster and it works to help keep students focused on their topic."

"We're very aware of the FCAT, but our real goal is to make them better writers and to meet the standards of the FCAT," she said. "We take [writing] across the curriculum and apply it in science and social studies."

For more information about the school, visit them online at www.pbes.org.