By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – While many Western New York school children head back to the classrooms this week, students at the new Enterprise Charter School in Buffalo are about to begin their third week of classes.
Director Gary Stillman proudly walks the halls of the Enterprise School, showing how the transformation continues to turn office space into more classrooms, a full-service cafeteria and a school gym. After 22 months of planning, more than 400 charter school students are settling in to their new surroundings at the Advanced Training Center Building on Oak Street in downtown Buffalo.
Stillman says they managed to transform the building into a classroom setting in just four weeks. The board of directors decided in May on the final Oak Street site instead of the former AM&As building on Main Street, ending a great deal of controversy.
The charter school offers six special programs, after school dance and band. First and Second Grade teacher Amy Kelder says the Enterprise School also uses Project Base Learning. It allows students to interact within the community as part of the learning process. Children also attend a longer school day from 9 until 4:15.
Stillman says the biggest challenge right now is making sure construction continues on schedule. By November, he wants a new cafeteria complete so the school can offer three meals a day.
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