MicroSociety Academy Charter School Finds New Home

The MicroSociety Academy Charter School of Southern New Hampshire has announced plans to occupy the former Dartmouth-Hitchcock clinic at 591 West Hollis street for its first year in September.

The K-8 charter school opened student enrollment in January, but did not have a location lined up until just now.

“We are very excited about finally concluding our eight-month long search for an appropriate, safe home for our school in Nashua,” MACS Board Chairman Marc Sylvester said in a June 17 statement.

Following the MicroSociety theme, the tuition-free public charter school will teach students core academics paired with how to apply studies to operating agencies, businesses and institutions of their own miniature society.

Sylvester said the MACS Board of Trustees followed a tumultuous road to find a location in Greater Nashua, but is now completing final negotiations with a developer.

“The Board strongly feels that when renovations and necessary school safety upgrades are completed, this building will be a top-notch school facility for our K-8 students,” he said.

The building, at 591 West Hollis Street near exit 5 of the F.E. Everett Turnpike, has more than 18,000 square feet and space outside for a future playground.

Sylvester said he expects the lease to be finalized within a week, with MACS as the sole occupant. The facility has been on the market about three years since Dartmouth-Hitchcock clinic moved to a new building on Southwood Drive.

The charter school wants to open in the fall with 120 K-5 students, ultimately growing into a K-8 school with 180 students.

“There are still some limited K-5 seats available in some of our MACS classes,” said Sylvester, adding the MicroSociety-themed charter is the first of its kind in the state.

“Student acceptance at MACS is now on a first-come, first-served basis. So parents are encouraged to send in their child’s application and required documentation ASAP,” he said.

If students are not immediately accepted, they can sign up for the waiting list in case space becomes available over summer, he said.

Applications are on the school’s site, macsnh.org, and more information and news can be found on MACS Facebook page, facebook.com/nhmicroschool, or by messaging nhmicroschool@gmail.com.

“Reaching this goal also could not have come about without the hard work of a dedicated team of our voluntary board members, consisting of founding parents, educators and community members and partners, as well as the persistence of our local real estate agent, Kathy DeMello, of Verani Berkshire-Hathaway Realtors,” Sylvester said.

MACS plans to announce personnel decisions, including the hiring of a school director, in the near future.