Micron gives Boise School District $1 million to launch a new school this fall devoted to math and science.

A $1 million donation from the Micron Technology Foundation will give the Boise School District seed money to launch a new school this fall devoted to math and science.

The Idaho Statesman

The Boise District is partnering with Meridian School District to open the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center to serve 150 seventh- and ninth-graders at, initially, Riverglen Junior High in Northwest Boise. School officials plan to build a new, separate building for the school – probably in Southwest Boise – within 24 months.

Two-year start-up costs for the school are expected to total $4 million, all of which will come from business donations and grants. It would serve eighth- and 10th-graders in fall 2005, and add 11th- and 12th-graders in subsequent years.
The $1 million is the largest grant to a K-12 public school program in the history of the Micron Foundation, said Kipp Bedard, the foundation president.

“The Micron Foundation is excited to have the opportunity to be involved in a program that provides even greater opportunities for advanced learning in the areas of science and math,” said Bedard.

Said Stan Olson, the Boise district superintendent: “This generous donation from the MT foundation to suppose the start-up will further enhance the excellent education opportunities we offer to area students.”

School officials say that the school would have 40 percent Boise students and 40 percent Meridian students. The other 20 percent would come from other districts, private schools and home-schoolers.

Committees of educators and industry representatives will oversee the school’s operation, including the selection criteria; admission will be competitive and open only to the districts’ top science and math students.

Students would be bused to the school to spend a half-day on science and math center; they would take conventional courses at their regular school.

The school will follow the pattern of such academies in many other states, including Michigan. Olson helped start a similar academy when he was superintendent at Kalamazoo, Mich.

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