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The Mariposa County school district shut down Catheys Valley Elementary in May to save money. But this week the school board approved a petition to start a charter school at the closed campus.
Now organizers are busy preparing to open the new Sierra Foothill Charter School next fall. That includes hiring four teachers and two other full-time staff members to work with nearly 90 students. They also plan to create a more hands on curriculum than some traditional public schools.
The charter school has agreed to pay the district $100 thousand in rent for the first year and $75 thousand a year after that.
