Incentivizing growth: Southwest-area charter school with plans to expand hosts open house

Zaréyah Rodriguez is relatively new to Solare Collegiate Charter School.

The seventh grader is in her first year at the school near Gibson and Unser SW, which is near where she lives. But already, Rodriguez likes it more than her previous school, touting Solare’s smaller community because it provides her with more one-on-one attention than before.

“Here, there’s a lot more help,” she said.

Solare, which is recruiting more students and expanding its offerings, hosted an open house for community members Thursday morning, when students guided guests on tours throughout the school and explained what life at the school looks like.

Founder and Head of School Rachael Sewards said Solare has plans to expand the grade levels it offers over the coming years. Currently, Solare offers grades five through eight, but eventually plans to become a K-8 school.

Sewards also plans to almost double Solare’s enrollment from roughly 315 students to about 624. Many of those new students, she hopes, will come from the South Valley.

Solare faced a rocky start, opening its doors just before the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But being new at a time when everyone was re-imagining how to educate students, Sewards said, was in some ways an advantage.

“It was kind of an equalizer in a lot of ways, because nobody was prepared for what to do,” she said.

Solare draws extensively on social-emotional learning, Sewards said, and employs restorative practices, which include regular circles that students take part in where they talk about how they’re feeling and show appreciation for people in their lives.

Staff also employ different methods to get students to strive for success. For example, based on whether they meet their individualized growth goals on tests they take throughout the school year, students can earn the right to wear Solare hoodies rather than the required uniform.

“We try to incentivize growth,” Sewards said.