This story was updated at 10:33 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, with more information.
The Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence High will have a new home in Alton Park in the next academic year.
Launched in August, the school has been temporarily housed at the Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence Middle location off Willow Street.
Next, the program will move to the site of the former Franklin Middle School, a property sold by Hamilton County Schools to an individual in 2008, district spokesman Steve Doremus said in an email.
Marcia Griffin, co-founder and CEO of the Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence, said in a phone call the charter organization purchased the property in 2021 and renovations have since been ongoing.
The renovations include a state-of-the-art STEM lab, a 12,000-square-foot gymnasium and an 8,400-square-foot performance theater with a seating capacity of over 800, according to a news release. STEM is short for science, technology, engineering and math.
"A strong STEM curriculum, which includes flight and drone technology, laser technology and robotics is also offered," the news release said. "We will launch our music program in the 2023-24 school year; it will include a steel drum band, a vocal program as well as choreography."
(READ MORE: Hamilton County charter schools' contracts lack performance metrics)
The school also features extra-large classrooms, but class sizes will be capped at 25 students.
As a public charter, there is no tuition, and applications are open to any student living in Hamilton County. Students will be admitted by lottery, and those selected will be provided free busing.
Applications are open for rising ninth and 10th graders. There are 125 spaces for ninth grade students and 85 for 10th grade students. One grade will be added each academic year until the school reaches capacity at 12th grade, a total of 500 students. Students already enrolled at the middle school will have priority due to an agreement between the two schools.
Those interested can apply online at chattanoogacharter.com or in person at the middle school location.
"We're happy that we can bring life back into the community," Griffin said. "Diversity is our strength."
The school falls within the same zone as The Howard School, which is at 180% capacity. District officials are reviewing immediate and long-term solutions to relieve the school's overcrowding.
Though the charter school's close proximity may incentivize more Howard School families to apply, they will be competing with others from all over Hamilton County.
By law, public charter schools cannot be zoned and must be open to all students living within county lines, Doremus said.
"We're aware of the overcrowding in the district, and we are another option," Griffin said, adding that while the building has a capacity for more than 500 students, keeping classes small provides students with the best learning environment.
The high school building, located at 201 E. 37th Street, will host an open house on Jan. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will be available for tours from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 18, Jan. 25 and Feb. 8.
Contact Carmen Nesbitt at cnesbitt@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @carmen_nesbitt.