HomeMy WebLinkAboutCover Letter 060823minton
engineering
June 8, 2023
300 North on Drive
Cabot, AR 72023
(501) 941-5559
Mr. Torrence Thrower
City of Little Rock
Department of Planning & Development
723 W Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72201
Re: Conditional Use Permit, David O Dodd Elementary, Little Rock, Arkansas
Mr. Thrower:
We are requesting a conditional use permit for the David O Dodd Elementary school
located at 6423 Stagecoach Road. The CUP will allow for a Charter School, operated by
Academies of Math and Science, to operate at the existing elementary school. Below is a
description of how the property will be used.
Property Use Description:
The purpose of the Academies of Math and Science (AMS) is to equip students with atop -
quality education that empowers them to succeed in both their academic and personal lives.
Founded in 2002 with just 30 students, AMS has since grown to 8500 students across 9
schools in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. As a network, we exclusively bring our proven
program to communities in need with high free and reduced lunch populations. Of our 8500
students, 79% are eligible for free and reduced lunch. We intend to identify and serve
similarly low-income communities in Pulaski County starting with one K-8 school that opens
with 500 students and grows to 800 gradually.
Our program emphasizes teaching students to:
• Produce, comprehend, and analyze the written and spoken word.
• Calculate, compute, and model complex mathematical equations and scenarios.
• Leverage technology to maximize impact and increase efficiency.
To ensure AMS students matriculate from our program ready for high school and beyond:
• We constantly leverage data to impact students in real-time including through regular
individualized intervention.
• We invest in high -quality, adaptable curriculum to ensure that we address all student needs.
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• In addition to our STEM focus and rigor in core subjects, we offer engaging electives, so
students have a dynamic K-8 experience that inspires them.
The David O Dodd facility will be a great asset in helping us achieve our goals here in
central Arkansas. The existing space and systems will be fully renovated to meet current
facility standards as well as our program needs. The school will open with a cap of 600
students, and will be designed for a maximum of 700 students.
The parking lots, playgrounds and site in general will also be enhanced We will be adding a
10,000 sgft gymnasium space in the Phase One with approximately 8,500 sgft of additional
future classroom space planned.
�iSsh Minton, PE
Project Engineer
Cc: John McMorran —Lewis Architects