New Horizons Charter School Society, Ardrossan, AB

New Horizons School is a public school serving more than 200 students from Kindergarten through Grade 9. Located in Ardrossan, just minutes east of the City of Edmonton, the school serves students primarily from Sherwood Park and rural Strathcona County, although some students commute from other communities throughout the Greater Edmonton area. Like all charter schools in Alberta, New Horizons is designed to address the needs of a particular group of students through a specific program or teaching/learning approach, while following the Alberta Program of Studies. In our case, we focus on meeting the needs of academically-gifted children in a congregated setting and on providing our students with an environment that supports their unique intellectual, social and emotional needs. New Horizons School was established in 1995 as Canada’s first public charter school. Operated by the New Horizons Charter School Society (a non-profit charitable society made of of parents, teachers and interested community members) and governed by an elected Board of Directors, the school is funded by the Government of Alberta and therefore does not charge tuition fees. The Society operates under the terms of a charter, or agreement, with the Minister of Education for the Province of Alberta. School Mission Statement The mission of New Horizons Charter School is to meet the special academic needs of gifted learners in a congregated setting in an environment that is low-anxiety, positive, and supportive of the individual. Gifted students need opportunities to be challenged, to think alternatively, and to pursue learning according to their own learning styles.