I learned some good news today: While Colorado K-12 public schools expect to receive $160 million in Edujobs money to save more jobs than were lost and to preserve the status quo, some good news arrived: Colorado also will receive a 3-year, $40.8 million federal grant to help innovative charter schools with start-up expenses. Denise at Colorado Charters has posted the official CDE press release.

While certainly some of the new schools I’ve highlighted will be eligible for funding, there’s another new school featured today in the Fort Collins Coloradoan:

Wednesday was the first day of classes for approximately 200 students at Liberty Common High, 2745 Minnesota Drive. The high school is an extension of Liberty Common School, a tuition-free charter school contracted through the Poudre School District.

For now, seventh- through 10th-grade students inhabit the building, a 27,000-square-foot facility with 14 classrooms, a library and a large space being used as the gym, auditorium and lunchroom, said Bob Schaffer, director of secondary schools for Liberty Common. The building, which formerly housed a now-defunct charter school, underwent some minor renovations during the summer to get it ready for students this fall, Schaffer said.

Liberty Common School will expand into a K-12 school by the fall of 2012, Schaffer said. Students in kindergarten through sixth grade will continue to attend classes at the other Liberty Common facility, 1725 Sharp Point Dr.

Yes, THAT Bob Schaffer — current chairman of the State Board of Education, among many other things.

I don’t know who wrote it, but you really have to read the news from Liberty Common High School. Entertaining, informative, encouraging, optimistic, compelling… all in one! On the surface at least, this looks like a successful school in the making (following in the tradition of Liberty Common K-8). Can’t wait to see the results!