Fort Smith charter school gets $1.2 million

FORT SMITH — The Future School of Fort Smith has been awarded $1.2 million from the Windgate Foundation, which will go toward the expansion of a ninth-grade class in 2021.

The Future School, a tuition-free, public charter high school, is expanding its “innovative internship and advising-based approach” to serve more students in 9-12th grades after tripling enrollment in its three years since opening, a Wednesday news release states.

“The Windgate Foundation’s investment in our school provides a fitting facility for us to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow and continue to serve as a model for modern education,” Future School Superintendent Boyd Logan said. “We are incredibly grateful for their continued support for and belief in us.”

The Windgate Foundation had previously provided a $300,000 matching grant to the Future School, which the release states supported the renovation of its downtown historic campus. This helped create a permanent learning space for 230 students in 10th12th grades, as well as rent modular buildings as temporary classrooms.

“We are pleased to partner with Future School as they continue to grow and provide forward-thinking personalized learning for their students,” Windgate Foundation Executive Director Pat Forgy said. “Congratulations on the campus expansion groundbreaking.”

Future School will start offering classes for ninth-grade students on its expanded campus in 2021-22, the release states. Construction will begin later this month, and will be completed in the summer of 2021.