Enrollment rises at Pingree Grove charter school

More than a year after losing about 20 percent of its student population, the Cambridge Lakes Charter School is growing again.

The Pingree Grove school expects to have more than 525 students in the fall, up from about 490 this year.

Because of the enrollment spike, the charter school is at or near capacity in some grade levels, and school leaders have again begun discussing expansion plans.

"Our enrollment is the highest it's ever been," said Sylvia Polletta, director of admissions for the school.

Polletta attributed the growth to interest in the school's preschool, full-day kindergarten and personalized learning as well as growing awareness of the school - which is open to families throughout Community Unit District 300 - well beyond Pingree Grove's borders.

In coming months, charter school officials will study the capacity of Cambridge Lakes' three existing buildings and determine the school's future needs, Polletta said.

Larry Fuhrer, executive director of the corporation that runs the charter school, said in a news release that school leaders would like to construct another academic building next year.

The charter school's long-range building plans call for four additional buildings, including three academic units and a gathering hall.

The renewed expansion plans are a marked change from October 2008, when new construction was put on hold because of declining enrollment after an initial year racked by labor unrest and parent complaints about inadequate communication.

The District 300 school board last year approved Cambridge Lakes' request to renew its charter for another five years - thereby ceding control over curriculum and the day-to-day management of the school to Fuhrer and Northern Kane.

Families still can apply for a spot at the charter school for the fall. Applicants for grades that are full will be placed on a waiting list. To apply, call Sylvia Polletta at (847) 464-5300.