Relocating to Southwest Florida? - Helpful Information About Bonita Springs Charter School

In Southwest Florida the population continues to grow despite the recent downturn in the economy. If you are relocating from out-of-state to unfamiliar territory, it is almost impossible to really know which school is right for your child. As a parent, your objective is to reduce the stress for your child and get them settled into a stable school environment where they can quickly feel at home and make new friends. Not to mention how important it is for your sanity to close this stressful chapter of the relocation and know that your child is safe, happy and learning.

The first thing that shocks most newcomers is that Lee County has "school choice". Unlike your Northern school districts, you do not necessarily go to the school in your neighborhood. In fact, you are not even guaranteed a spot in the school that may be one block from your home. This situation is an outcropping of the Court's Order regarding segregation. Looking on the positive side of this situation, your neighborhood school may not be the best one available. You have the option of requesting any school within the large district that best suits your child's educational needs or interest. The other options available are the Charter Schools within the district which are schools funded with taxpayers dollars, but managed by a private company. In the case of Bonita Springs Charter School (BSCS), it is operated by Charter Schools USA. Today, I will help you decipher if BSCS would be right for your child.

BSCS educates grades K-8 with a student population of approximately 1,300 at any given time. The campus is approximately four years old with two buildings. One building houses the K-5 levels and the other houses the 6-8th grade levels (middle school). The school is located off of Old U.S. 41 approximately one mile North of downtown Bonita Springs. Uniforms are required and a strict dress code is enforced. Strict discipline is also enforced at this school.