Polaris Charter School

www.polarischarterschool.org

Charter School 120 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Polaris Charter School, located in Manchester, New Hampshire, is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in grades K–8. The school is built upon the educational philosophy of Expeditionary Learning (EL Education), which emphasizes project-based, hands-on experiences that connect classroom curriculum to real-world challenges. By focusing on interdisciplinary "expeditions," Polaris encourages students to become active participants in their own learning, fostering academic rigor alongside character development and community engagement.

The school is known for its close-knit, inclusive culture that prioritizes social-emotional learning as much as academic achievement. With a commitment to small class sizes and personalized instruction, Polaris strives to create an environment where every student feels known and challenged. By integrating fieldwork, community experts, and public presentations of work, the school aims to cultivate critical thinkers who are prepared not only for secondary education but also to make meaningful contributions to their local and global communities.

120

Total Students

9.8

Full-Time Teachers

12.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

20.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Polaris Charter School
Demographic	Student Count
White	71
Hispanic	15
Black	8
Asian	9
Two or More	17

White
71 (59.2 %)
Two or More
17 (14.2 %)
Hispanic
15 (12.5 %)
Asian
9 (7.5 %)
Black
8 (6.7 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Polaris Charter School
Phone:	(603)634-0034
Website:	http://www.polarischarterschool.org
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	120
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	9.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.2
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	25
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 24

Grade 1 21

Grade 2 21

Grade 3 15

Grade 4 21

Grade 5 18