School plans to add 6th, 7th grades

Downtown charter set to expand next year

An elementary charter school in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City will expand to middle school next year, which will be located inside the Myriad Botanical Gardens.

John Rex Charter Elementary opened in 2014 in a new school building across the street from the gardens.

On Thursday, the John Rex board of directors approved the addition of sixth grade, with seventh grade likely to be added in 2019.

“Families of current JRCES students have repeatedly asked the school to create a path for their children from pre-K all the way through high school,” said Joe Pierce, the John Rex head of school. “We are thrilled to expand our launch pad of learning and discovery in the gardens.”

When John Rex first opened downtown, leaders saw it as a major step forward in making downtown Oklahoma City a livable community, especially as more housing units continue to open and attracted more families to the urban core.

Nearly 28 percent of current John Rex students live downtown, according to beginnin-go-fthe-year enrollment figures from the school.

John Rex leaders had long said there was a plan to add more grades in order to eventually serve students all the way to 12th grade.

Approximately 80 seats will be available for sixth-grade students next year, which will be located in event space at the Myriad Gardens.

A $1 million grant from the Inasmuch Foundation will fund the space’s transformation into classrooms, along with school-specific security features.

“A major catalyst for John Rex Elementary’s early success was its partnership with the downtown community” said Inasmuch president Bob Ross. “On any given day, you can see Rex Rockets walking to the downtown

library, Oklahoma City Museum of Art or Film Row. The partnership with Myriad Gardens will further John Rex’s roots in the community and continue a truly unique urban education.”

Over 530 students now attended John Rex, an increase of nearly 200 since the school first opened.

Even though most students do not live in down-

town, nearly all (89 percent) are students from the Oklahoma City Public Schools district.

Students living inside the downtown attendance boundaries are granted automatic enrollment, just like any public neighborhood school.

Students living outside the boundaries are admitted through a lottery system.