By Keighla Schmidt, Staff Writer 

Seeing the actual fruits of hard labor is a colorful sight.

That’s exactly what Misty Schutrop of Savage has her eyes focused on now that her idea for a charter school has tangibles.

Aspen Classical Academy, a brand new charter school, now has a location and a director.

The Savage City Council approved a building permit for Bethesda Lutheran Church, located on the border of Savage and Prior Lake, near the intersection of Highway 13 and 150th Street, to add classrooms to their church. Part of the addition will be used for classroom space for Aspen Classical Academy when the school opens in September.

“I knew it was a school waiting to happen out here and everything is finally coming together,” said Schutrop, who has fostered the charter school idea along for the past two years. “It’s so gratifying. It doesn’t happen often that a community comes together to support an idea.”

The school will occupy eight classrooms in the church.

Last summer, Aspen Classical Academy was approved for sponsorship by Friends of Ascension, a nonprofit that also sponsors Seven Hills Academy in Bloomington and Paideia Academy in Apple Valley. Charter schools must have a sponsor – usually a nonprofit organization or a private higher education institution – which keeps the school accountable for its finances and curriculum. Per-pupil dollars from the state follow students in Minnesota, so a child enrolled in a charter school would take that funding with him or her. Funding also comes from grants. The school has been approved for K-3 for its first year of sponsorship and it will be able to add a grade each year up to eighth grade. The maximum enrollment once it reaches K-8 will be 360 students – or two classrooms of 20 students each for each grade.

Schutrop said the partnership of the church and Academy was one waiting to happen. The church intended to build educational space and the Academy needed space.

“This allowed them to build sooner,” she said.

The school will employ classroom teachers, as well as physical education, music, art, Spanish and special education teachers. The classrooms, despite not being yet built, are already bursting at the seams.

“Kindergarten is full with a wait list,” Schutrop said. First grade is also full and there are limited spots in both second and third grade.

The hiring begins

“Seeing people hired, the people that will be in the school – teaching, directing – putting faces into what was just an idea before,” is what Schutrop calls the most exciting aspect of her work right now.

Cynthia Sherar has been hired as the director and comes to the Academy with a background in both non-profit organizations and teaching. Currently a third-grade teacher in Mahtomedi, Sherar also has a K-12 administrative license, has worked with curriculum development and has helped both struggling and gifted students excel. Additionally, she’s worked with La Leche League.

“When we met her, she was so warm,” Schutrop said of Sherar upon the first meeting. “We knew we wanted her to be the one in the office dealing with the kids every day.”

Sherar also mentioned the seemingly instant connection.

“I’m really in sync with the board of directors in their philosophy for the students,” she said. “I’m very, very happy with the fit.”

After being sought out by the Aspen Classical Academy Board of Directors, Sherar found similarities that made accepting the job easier.

Sherar home schooled her daughters using the same curriculum the Academy plans to use. She also said she feels the board of directors has made her job easier by preparing in advance.

“They really thought things out; they’ve been doing a lot of planning and preparation. A lot of leg work has been done,” she said. “We’re in a really good place to open in September.”

The board has a few more teachers to hire, Schutrop said, but many are excited to begin. The teachers will be in their classrooms beginning Aug. 1 to make sure everything is ready.

Sherar, said her main role will be supporting the teachers and the willingness of teachers to show up early is indicative of the dedication they already have to the school.

 Keighla Schmidt can be reached at kschmidt@swpub.com.