Who Was Edward Bok? Born October 9, 1863 in Helder, the Netherlands Died January 9, 1930 in Lake Wales, Florida
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Frequently Asked ????? Questions ????? A li!le background Campus basics Joining the student body When did Bok Academy open? How big is Bok Academy? Who should apply? Classes began August 2008. We opened with 350-375 students, but We want students who have a proven now we have a population of about 540 academic record or students who are What makes this school different? students in grades 6-8. ready to become scholars. We need Edward Bok Academy (Bok) is part of students who are curious about life and the Lake Wales Charter Schools (LWCS) Where is the school? learning, students who seek a high level system and has more freedom to create Bok Academy is located at 13901 S. of achievement, and students who believe academic programs to meet the needs of Hwy. 27 across from the main campus of it is possible to change the world! our student population: Warner University. (Bok is on property We want students who are willing to • We are small enough to know all our previously owned by Warner.) We are on help improve the Lake Wales community. students and address their needs in a beautiful Crooked Lake. We want students who started asking, more personal manner. “Why?” before kindergarten and have not • We have a global perspective. When does school start each day? stopped. The students we seek are kids • Our connection with the LWCS enable How long is the school day? who want to have unique adventures. We us to make quick course corrections, if We start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:52 p.m. want students who will have fun, but who needed. know that good behavior is expected. Our goal is for the student body to be • We provide more access to technology Is there transportation? much more diverse than most magnet than most schools currently operating Yes. LWCS provides bus transporta- schools. We are seeking students who in Polk County. tion for Bok. Eligibility is the same as represent all ethnic groups, neighbor- • We use architecture and design as an the Polk County Public Schools district, hoods, and students from across the integrating device throughout the cur- which follows state guidelines that socio-economic spectrum. riculum. students must live 2 miles or more from • Our focus requires all students to be school to be eligible to ride the bus. involved with community service We have bus routes throughout the Who is eligible to attend? work. greater Lake Wales area, as well as All students in the greater Lake Wales • Bok’s organic garden projects and one route into southeast Winter Haven community who are interested in a rigor- global curriculum provide hands-on (Thompson Nursery/Lake Ruby area). ous program in grades 6-8 are eligible to opportunities. attend. (We also can accept students from • We work with the Lake Wales CARE other communities.) Does Bok follow the same calendar Center to improve the lives of families It is important for parents to clearly in need. as other Polk public schools? understand Bok’s mission and purpose • Bok has a direct connection to a na- All LWCS schools currently follow the before encouraging their child to apply. tional treasure: Bok Tower Gardens. Polk County calendar. Becoming a part of the Bok community • Civility is a core component of the comes with responsibility and a full curriculum. Is there a school lunch program? family commitment to support the staff’s • Bok has a Center for Science & Nature Yes. We work with the Polk Food Ser- efforts to live up to the ideals outlined in on our waterfront campus. vice Department to provide school meals. the Bok Charter. Eventually, we expect to have our own full kitchen facility. Can I still apply? we follow the Polk County Public Schools’ K-12 Comprehensive Yes! Students will be admitted on Reading Plan. We will raise the bar significantly. a space-available basis or added to the For more details, read the Bok Charter: waiting list, once all spaces are filled in www.lwcharterschools.com/edwardbok/Home1.html that grade level. Applications are available at any Are there extended learning opportunities or work- Lake Wales Charter Schools elementary shops for students? school or Bok Academy. Completed Yes, there will be extended opportunities for students. We will applications must be returned by mail or hold an orientation for new students to become familiar with the hand-delivered to Bok Academy, 13901 “Bok Way of Life.” Our alliance with Warner University enables Hwy. 27 South, Lake Wales FL 33859. us to offer unique workshops for students and teachers. Do I have to accept or decline the Are there single-gender classes? offer if my child gets in? Yes. We are working with educational experts from Stetson Yes, failure to accept or decline the University, who have successfully worked with other schools to offer will result in losing your student’s implement single-gender classes. space. You can accept or decline by returning the postcard you receive with Will some courses be eligible for high school credit? your student’s acceptance letter. We want to ensure that advanced students can progress as After the winter Open Enrollment rapidly as possible. We will look at each student’s needs and period, we mail out notification letters. abilities, and develop an appropriate plan, which may include (Students who apply after the winter vitual on-line coursework. Open Enrollment are applying on a space-available basis, or being added to Do you have a traditional sports program? the waiting list.) We have basketball, volleyball, track, soccer and golf. Bok also has martial arts, a mountain bike program, and kayaking. How will Bok enrollment proce- dures shape the Bok student com- Do math and science have a special emphasis? munity? Yes, we have rich math and science programs that spiral Bok’s Charter clearly states that this through every aspect of our curriculum. Our math curriculum is school will create a community where based on the work of Mike Bell and the ACALETICS math pro- students from different socio-economic grams that have been featured in the Miami Herald and Educa- groups will have an equal chance for academic success and full tion Week. access to a rigorous educational opportunity. Bok’s student body We use the Organic Farming Project (Bok Farms) as a key reflects the rich diversity found in the Lake Wales community part of our agri-science curriculum, with its gardens and small and serves as a research base for Warner University’s lab school. animals, including goats and rabbits. Students also may participate in robotics and Rocket Club. Foundation for learning What other type of programs are offered? Will we have to study a lot? Bok has steel drums, band, chorus and strings music pro- Yes! In order to take a plunge into substantive learning, stu- grams. The strings program is coordinated by Meg Smith. Band dents must be committed to building a foundation of knowledge and chorus are closely associated with the LWHS Highlander that will become the basic framework for all other studies. Hav- Music Program. We also have a dance program. ing an authentic desire to learn is the first step for Bok scholars. Will character education be taught? Will students have ESE and gifted services? Absolutely! Bok offers an education that strengthens the Our curriculum is perfectly suited for gifted students. While character and ethics of our students. The program is not a pre- we have services for ESE, all students need to be on track for a packaged program, but one pulls from many sources to advance standard diploma. Our technology component enables us to offer the notion that a life should be lived at full engagement and with students independent/online study opportunities. The collabora- a high degree of integrity and authenticity. tion with Warner University and our other partners enables us to Resources that will be used to support this effort: enrich our curriculum in many creative ways. • Key philosophers with special emphasis on the works of Plato – his thought that everything in life falls into three What is the curriculum? Bok Frequently categories: knowledge, conduct, and governance. The baseline curriculum • Moral Leadership by Robert Coles. Asked Questions follows the Sunshine State • Biographies of lives of merit, current and historical. Page 2 Standards and all the related • Dr. Benjamin Carson’s Think Big program. curriculum requirements dic- • The Essential 55 – bestselling book by a National Teacher of ? tated by the state. In addition, the Year. • Guiding principles that are common in all religions. around the 50 miles surrounding Lake “Tectonics Behavioral Program” brings about authentic and Wales and to see all the possibilities. The deep structural changes in the behavior in students. We will problem will be trying to decide which expose students to the notion that individual patterns of behav- of these resources will be the most ben- ior shape their lives and help them to control their future. In eficial to our educational purpose. conjunction with these offerings, Bok’s Martial Arts program Warner University has an area called reinforces self-discipline and self-respect. HEART, which was designed to teach Bok will have a Visiting Scholars Program that will teach missionaries to go anywhere in the world Ethics and Leadership. and survive and make a life. We have access to this camp and will use it as What does architecture and design have to do with a a way to build self-sufficiency in our middle school curriculum? students. Already this year, our eighth Using architecture and design as an integrating device brings graders have taken an expedition to the a global perspective to the curriculum.