Capital Lyceum, an independent and non-sectarian secondary school was announced by Mayor Brian Stratton, Schenectady County Legislators and local college officials on Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. at 423 Franklin St. in Schenectady.
Capital Lyceum will be based off of the college preparatory schools of the Greater New York City region and will take a liberal arts approach by creating synergy with cultural organizations, local colleges, universities, the YMCA and museums to enrich the experiences of the students.
I’m convinced when students are presented with a challenge they will meet that challenge, said Executive Director of Capital Lyceum and Associate Head of Brown School Marc Meyers. `I was approached by parents who wanted to fill a gap, a non-sectarian school in Schenectady. Another option than the public schools, and different from the religiously affiliated schools of the area. That was two years ago`
The school will sublet 423 Franklin Street from the Schenectady Light Opera Company, who is acquiring the former St. John the Baptist property in order to create a new regional performing arts center in the downtown area. This new center will help the nonprofit theater company to become a part of the downtown arts and entertainment district, supporting the revitalization of downtown Schenectady. The school has also been given a building faCade grant of $60,000 from the Schenectady Metroplex Corporation for the proposed location of the main 418 Liberty St. location of the school.
Capital Lyceum has been issued a provisional charter by the New York State Board of Regents, Department of Education and will open its doors to 30 ninth graders in the fall of 2010. The school will have a total of 150 students in ninth through twelfth grade, to be realized, by the 2013-2014 school year.
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