Officials cut ribbon for North Chicago charter school

LEARN North Chicago Campus held a formal ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 2 to celebrate the opening of the school. The school began classes Sept. 4 on the site of the former Naval Hospital Corpsmen School at Naval Station Great Lakes (NSGL).  Assembled to cut the ribbon were staffers representing both U.S. senators from Illinois; Navy officials; LEARN Charter Schools officials, teachers and students; and State of Illinois, Lake County, and City of North Chicago officials.
    The facility became vacant in July 2011 with the move of the Corps School to the Medical Education and Training Campus at Fort Sam Houston, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
    "For almost 100 years, this was a corpsman school," said Capt. Randy Lynch, NSGL commanding officer. "Now it is a facility that will be an academic center of excellence for North Chicago."
    Lynch thanked everyone in the room for their efforts to make the school a reality, including NSGL School Liaison Officer Anne Kondziela. "The most important thing is that it was for the kids," said Lynch.
    The Navy offered the former Naval Hospital Corps School to District 187 as a potential site for a charter school with the intent to increase educational opportunities for all students in North Chicago, both military dependents and local residents. 
    The district and the Illinois State Board of Education accepted the offer for the building after the charter initiative was approved, and the Navy and the LEARN organization negotiated a lease that was inked in June.
    "The charter school was a long time coming," said Jennifer Saba, legal advisor, Illinois State Board of Education. "We appreciate the collaboration."
    The charter school "helps to make North Chicago a little better in the opportunities to educate our children," said Mayor Leon Rockingham of the City of North Chicago.
    "LEARN is continuing to accept applications for the wait list to fill slots that may open up due to military families PCSing out," said Anik Zampini, principal of LEARN North Chicago Campus. "For the 2012-2013 school year, the charter opened with grades K-2 and 6-7.  There is no guarantee of when a seat may open up, or at what grade level.  Should one of your children be accepted this year, any sibling who is entering a grade being offered in Fall 2013 is automatically accepted in if space is available and will not have to enter the lottery.  In 2013, LEARN will serve students in grades K-3 and 6-8." 
    Zampini asks that interested parents submit the application in person to Anabel Peray, admissions, at the school's front office.  For further information contact her at 847-377-0600 or e-mail aperay@learncharter.org.
    LEARN North Chicago is housed in Bldg. 130H, 601 D Street Great Lakes, IL  60088.  The charter school can be accessed off Sheridan Road south of Gate 3. To download the form and get more detailed directions, visit their website at  www.learncharter.org/campuses/learn-north-chicago.