ST. CLOUD -- Less than a year after a St. Cloud charter school announced they would be closing for good, they now have a much brighter future. STRIDE Academy just received approval from its new authorizer Pillsbury United Communities for a five-year contract.

STRIDE will operate under their current Authorizer Friends of Education until July 1st.

Last April Friends of Education said they wouldn't renew the school's contract due to low test scores, forcing the school to announce its closure. However, they got a one year reprieve when they found the new authorizer.

Executive Director Eric Williams says, now that they know they'll be open for the next five years, they can start planning for the future.

In the next two months, we'll be working with the greater STRIDE community, our staff, the administration, and the board of directors to chart our a five-year strategic plan.

STRIDE has 305 students this year in grades kindergarten through sixth. Williams says they want to grow in the coming years but grow slowly.

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