Local Parents Learn About New St. Cloud Charter School

ST. CLOUD -- Parents were invited to an informational meeting on Tuesday night to learn more about Athlos Academy, a new charter school being built in St. Cloud.

Athlos Academy, a K-6 charter school that emphasizes health and athletics, broke ground on a 90,000 square foot building at 3701 33rd Street South in St. Cloud in October and is currently accepting enrollment applications.

"Tonight gave us a chance to meet with parents to get a sense of what the program is like and answer their questions," says Jenn Thompson, Director of School Success for Athlos.

"We had a great turnout -- standing room only again, which is awesome -- great questions and excited parents, which is what we like to see."

Kelly Nelsen, a St. Cloud mother of a second grader, was one of the dozens of parents to attend the meeting at the Great River Regional Library.

"The athleticism and the activity interests us in the program because children learn better with more movement," Nelsen says.

"The fact that [Athlos] has gym class for 45 minutes four days a week really is exciting because right now it's every third day at my son's school, and that's not enough."

Thompson says the school will follow the District 742 calendar, and expand to include 7th grade next year and 8th grade in two years.

"Parents are excited to see it go forward," Thompson says. "The idea of a school that's thinking about the needs of the whole child is really appealing to families and parents and we're excited."

Athlos Academy will open its doors in August of this year.