The release of hundreds of blue and white balloons into the air just as the sun finally broke through a cloudy sky helped the Orcutt Union School District's first charter school open on a high note Wednesday.

Orcutt Academy will offer research-based education for kids in kindergarten through 12th grades, earning it the added distinction of being the district's first high school.

The celebrations for Orcutt Academy marked the realization of a dream for those who helped conceive of the school, as well as the end of a long year of planning.

“I'm just so relieved we finally got this rock going downhill,” Assistant Superintendent Ken Parker said with a laugh.

The school boasts small class sizes and a curriculum focused on “learning by doing.”

Sixty-eight students are enrolled in the elementary school, and approximately 120 students are in the high school.

Fifty-three students are enrolled in the Academy's hybrid independent-study program.

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The high school curriculum includes both a vocational track and a traditional college-preparatory track. The college-prep track comes complete with International Baccalaureate classes that count toward college credits.

While the advent of Orcutt Academy gave birth to the district's first high school, it also gave new life to a struggling elementary school in danger of being shut down because of low enrollment numbers.

The lower-division school, grades K-8, is housed at the former Casmalia School District's only campus, Winifred Wollam School.

In July, the Orcutt district absorbed the 14-student Casmalia district, and, by extension, Wollam School.

The arrangement allowed Wollam to stay open, and its students to automatically became Orcutt Academy students if they wished.

Several former Wollam School faculty and staff members also signed on with Orcutt Academy, including Chae Meadows, who once served as Wollam's superintendent, principal and sole teacher.

Meadows now teaches sixth through eighth grade at Orcutt Academy, and is the elementary academy's principal.

Orcutt Junior High School Principal Alan Majewski doubles as the principal of the Orcutt Academy High School.

By mid-morning Wednesday, students at the Casmalia campus were already hard at work.

Teacher Dona Kintzi led her third- through fifth-grade combo class through a music lesson.

Sticks, tambourines and triangles rounded out the “orchestra,” and kids played their instruments on cue at Kintzi's direction, creating a tune that sounded a bit like an old country banjo song.

Fourth-grader Robert Johnson, 9, said he initially wanted to stay at his old school, but was getting used to Orcutt Academy life already.

“We have basketball hoops and grass,” he said.

Sebastian Galvez, 9, also a fourth-grader, formerly attended Wollam school.

“It's different because there's more kids and we can make a lot more friends,” he said.

Meadows agreed.

“There's a lot more energy,” he said.

Earlier in the day, a crowd gathered at Orcutt Junior High to witness the grand opening of the Orcutt Academy High School.

Dave Spark gave his first official address as the president of the Associated Student Body.

“I'm excited to see how this school year plays out. I'm excited to be part of Orcutt Academy ... I'm really excited for a terrific year,” he said.

Zachary Bihr, 14, said he was a little nervous about starting high school, especially at a brand new school, but he was up for the challenge.

“I'm feeling good, happy that I'm here with friends and a new school,” he said.

As the festivities wound down, Majewski dismissed the crowd so classes could begin.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. We've got to roll up our sleeves and get to work,” he said. “We have a high school to tend to.”

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

August 21, 2008