GRCS Staff

Please select a Gold Rush Charter School staff member from the list to read a little about them, get their contact information and the subject(s) they teach. For student grades and assignments visit www.mygradebook.com. Contact the student's teacher to obtain the user name and password to access this site.

CHARIS CAUGHEY

Phone and Fax (209) 536-0509
Email theeducationoption@msn.com

Instructor:
The Education Option

About Me

Hi! My name is Charis Caughey. I am a sixth generation, Sonoran resident. My family came here in 1849, along with the rest of the gold rush! I attended Curtis Creek Elementary School, Sonora High School, and then went to Columbia College after that. I graduated from Columbia College with an AA in Liberal Studies in 1993. I then went on to continue my studies at Stanislaus State University. I graduated Cum Laude in 1995, and completed the Credential Program in 1996.

I began teaching that year, in Atwater, CA. I taught a K-1 multi-age class, and also taught reading in Spanish to the bilingual students. Due to the long drive, I accepted a position at Jamestown Elementary School the following year. While teaching in Jamestown, I had a 1,2,3 combination class for one year, and taught a first grade class the other two years. I was lucky enough to have two beautiful baby girls, while teaching in Jamestown, and took a year off to be with them. The following year, I had a great opportunity to teach at Soulsbyville Elementary School. I taught Kindergarten there for the next two years, before I came to Gold Rush Charter School.

I came to Gold Rush Charter School in the fall of 2002, because I didn't feel like I had any options for the education of my soon to be kindergarten daughter, Alyssa, and my younger daughter, Megan. I wanted something more than the one teacher to 20-30 students in the classroom. I also wanted my children to learn at their own pace, not the pace of the classroom. Therefore, I began The Education Option; a program where every child learns every subject at their fullest potential (not too hard, not too easy). Their grade has nothing to do with the level they are placed at; every child is assessed and placed accordingly. I have been running The Education Option Program for over 7 years now, and have had great success! The students are thriving, and the parents are happy to know their children are being challenged to their potential, and are in a safe, comfortable environment. However, not all my students are enrolled in The Education Option Program.

While employed by Gold Rush, I work with many homeschooled children. As their credentialed teacher, I meet with them every 20 days (or up to once per week if they want), to go over their new assignments, teach the parents how to use the curriculum, and review work from the prior learning period. I also do extensive assessments with all my students, to ensure they are all progressing the way they should.