Teachers start taking salaries after nearly three years

CASTLE ROCK - Four teachers had a dream. They wanted to leave their charter school jobs to build Woodlands Academy - a program which catered to smart students who somehow struggled in class. They all agreed to put in their own money and work without getting paid.

"There are other kinds of pay and seeing the kids learn is pay. That is compensation," said Terry Martin, founder and languages teacher. "Seeing kids who were just totally turned off to school get excited, that's good pay. That's very good pay."

Martin says public schools often overlook the above-average student who may not qualify as gifted.

"A lot of our kids have eccentricities, you might say, that we're okay with," Martin said. "But, they don't do very well in the regular classroom."

The teachers started Woodlands Academy to catch the students who have fallen through the cracks, they say. And, Welby Nalls, Karen Bertsch, Martin and Jonie Kitching knew they had to make big sacrifices to keep the school financially afloat in its first three years.

"I do it because this is my dream," said Nalls, founder and math teacher. "It's what I want to do for the rest of my life."

Nalls has been working three jobs at more than 90 hours a week.

"It's that strong of a commitment for us, that we feel it and we're willing to do that," said Nalls.

Last April, the school had 22 students enrolled. One year later, the school has grown to 34 kids who pay tuition around $6,000 per year.

"We have no debt," said Nalls. "All of our expenses are covered."

The financial stability has allowed the three remaining founding teachers to take a small stipend this semester for the first time.

"Roughly equivalent to minimum wage for half the time we put in," said Martin. "It's not a lot, but it's better than nothing."

Nalls still decided to divert his pay back into the classroom budget continuing his work without a paycheck.

"I don't want to get paid," said Nalls. "I want to make sure we're financially solvent."

The teachers gamble may be finally paying off. Next year, Woodlands Academy is projected to have possibly 45 students next fall which may be enough to pay full salaries to all the teachers.

"We're at that point now where we've already started looking for other buildings," said Nalls. "We think we're going to outgrow this location."