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New charter school aims to reach rural Idaho students

by Savannah Cardon, Idaho Press

MIDDLETON — A new public charter school aimed at providing education to underserved rural Idaho counties is slated to open this fall.
Forge International is a K-5, year-round public charter school that will bring international baccalaureate education to students in Canyon, Gem and Payette counties. International baccalaureate education is an internationally recognized program designed to bring intercultural understanding and respect to students around the globe, according to the IB website.
“I’m excited to just bring high-quality learning in a fun atmosphere back to a small town,” said Micah Doramus, rural Canyon County native and head of Forge International. “I’m ready to go back our roots.”
The charter school will offer Spanish instruction beginning in kindergarten, as well as a combination of integrated arts, health and physical education classes. Next year, Doramus said Forge International plans to expand through 8th grade.
The 38,000-square-foot school, which broke ground last month, is intended to be a rural replica of Sage International School, a public K-12 charter school in Boise, said Doramus, who previously served as the principal of Sage International for three years.
Forge is scheduled to open in September and will serve about 200 students in its first phase. At full build-out in the next several years, the school will be 65,000 square feet and serve about 650 students in grades K-12.