Oak Hill Charter School celebrates grand opening

Aug. 17—LENOIR — Charter schools are free public schools open to all North Carolina students regardless of their zip code and/or county of residence.

Oak Hill Charter School is a grassroots charter school formed by concerned local community members who believe that every child, parent, and teacher deserves a choice in curriculum. Oak Hill Charter School offers a rigorous back-to-basics education through Core Knowledge (not Common Core), Saxon Math, Shurley Grammar, and Core Essentials Character Education.

"You find more diversity in charter schools because you don't have those district and county lines," said Kelly McIntyre, Oak Hill Charter School board chair. "We are allowed certain flexibilities."

The Oak Hill Charter School pulls students from six different local education agencies (LEAs) that span across Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and Alexander counties.

"We're using community bus stops to make that happen and to meet the needs of those kids that need help with transportation to school," McIntyre said.

On Sunday, July 31, Oak Hill Charter School, located at 4603 Oak Hill School Rd. in Lenoir, celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the school's gym.

"We're fortunate that the community is behind this," McIntyre said. "That gym was packed, I was overwhelmed. It was amazing to see so many people come out and support what we're doing."

As the original Oak Hill school was in the process of closing down, McIntyre saw the potential for a different kind of school to take its place.

"It was hard to watch the community school close, but I knew this could be an opportunity for other things and an opportunity to bless more than our community," said McIntyre. "Here in Caldwell County, compared to other counties, if you can't afford to send your child to a private school, or if home-schooling isn't an option, you're out of luck. It's a one-size-fits-all education system. But by having more choices, parents are empowered to make the best decisions for their children. As a parent I am so excited. We have an excellent curriculum."

The new principal for Oak Hill is Charmion Frizsell. She is a native of Caldwell County who graduated from South Caldwell High School and later earned her Masters in School Administration from Appalachian State University.

"I am so excited to work together with parents, school staff, and the community while striving for excellence in every area for our students," Frizsell wrote on her principal page, which can be found at the Oak Hill Charter School website: www.oakhillcharternc.org.

Over 400 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, from teachers, parents, and members of the community to county commissioners and even U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC).

Representative Foxx spoke further about Oak Hill Charter School in her address to Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the house floor.

"I rise to congratulate the staff, volunteers, and board members of Oak Hill Charter School in Caldwell County, North Carolina," Foxx said. "Recently, I received a heart-felt email from Kelly McIntyre, the board chair of the school. She marveled at how God has guided the journey of everyone involved at Oak Hill and how, along the way, the right people and resources came together in perfect harmony. Kelly, I agree with you wholeheartedly. God's hand has been in your work every step of the way. Right now, nearly every single class at Oak Hill has a waiting list. Families are beyond enthusiastic at this opportunity for their children."

"The outpouring of support from the surrounding community must also be recognized," Foxx continued. "Donations of furniture, school supplies, and other essential items continue to stream in on a weekly basis. Volunteers continue without delay to see projects through ... It's clear that these committed citizens are also working in the will of God."

Foxx finished her address by saying, "The work you undertake and the opportunities you will provide to our next generation of leaders in the coming months and years will be nothing short of spectacular. May God continue to bless you in your mission of serving the Caldwell County community."

Today, Thursday, Aug. 18, Oak Hill Charter School will host an open house from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Oak Hill students will receive a welcome gift bag which includes a school spirit T-shirt that they can wear during school spirit days.

"There aren't two children who learn the same," said McIntyre. "One of the things we love is having a close-knit, family-oriented school. We're still going to keep that. We know that when children and families and parents feel valued, when kids feel academically confident, they grow, so we want to keep that community connection going."

Classes will start on Monday, Aug. 22.

Visit www.oakhillcharternc.org to find additional information about the school and its enrollment process.

Oak Hill Charter School is fully supported by state and local tax dollars.