Local News

Grants Pass School District Seven today authorized Three Rivers School District’s use of the Gateway Seventh-Day Adventist Church, which is located within District Seven’s boundaries, to establish an interim base of operations for the Woodland Charter School.

The church, located at 4335 Williams Highway, is within a stones throw of the southern most boundary of District Seven according to District Seven Superintendent John Higgins. Three Rivers District plans to eventually relocate the school to a more permanent location on a 13-acre parcel on the Hidden Valley High School campus. Construction has lagged behind the projected opening date for the school so that is why the church was chosen as an interim location. Locating the school within District Seven’s boundaries was merely an oversight.

Teena Jo Neal, the Outreach Committee Chair for Woodland Charter School, says the school is tuition free and will be one of five schools in Oregon utilizing the Waldorf teaching method. “The difference with Waldorf education, and this isn’t strictly a Waldorf school but a Waldorf method school, which is really kind of a child development centered approach. So really, teaching kids where they are at, inspiring a love of learning and getting the kids excited about learning as opposed to being really focused on achievement of a certain standard by a certain time,” Neal said.

The school has until Dec. 31 to move to the Hidden Valley location and Neal says they hope to be moved by Thanksgiving break.

Students begin their first day of school at Woodland Charter tomorrow.