Where We Came From

Alma del Mar is an inclusive, K-8 Expeditionary Learning school that puts New Bedford children on a college trajectory and challenges them to be service-minded leaders. By engaging in a rigorous academic program with an emphasis on meaningful work, our students will master essential skills and content, take ownership of their learning and think boldly while addressing complex academic and community issues. 

Founder Will Gardner conceived of the idea for Alma del Mar while running an afterschool program for middle school students in New Bedford.

“We were making a real impact,” he reflects, “but I kept wondering what our students could do if they were provided with more challenge and more support beginning at an earlier age. Once I began talking with parents about the idea of starting college preparation in kindergarten, we all got really excited.”

This initial excitement inspired Will and a small group of parents and community leaders to begin the process of designing the school and applying for its charter. Over the course of two years, Will and a dedicated group of volunteers crafted the vision for Alma del Mar by identifying areas of educational need in New Bedford and seeking out like-minded educators who were already addressing similar needs successfully. With an initial proposal in hand, the team went door-to-door throughout New Bedford to pitch the idea to parents and hear from families about their educational needs and aspirations. The tight-knit community among Alma families began with the founding group’s conversations with New Bedford parents in living rooms and kitchens. 

Alma del Mar was granted a charter in early 2011, one of the most competitive years for charter applications in Massachusetts’ history. In March, Alma del Mar held its first public lottery to admit 120 founding scholars in grades K-2. After hiring its founding team and reaching an agreement with then-Mayor Scott Lang to lease a former district building, the Sarah D. Ottiwell school, Alma del Mar opened its doors in August.

In its second year of operation, Alma served about 160 scholars in grades K-3. Alma served about 200 scholars in grades K-4 in its third year of operation. In its fourth year of operation, Alma served about 240 scholars in grades K-5. Alma del Mar was cited as an exemplary school in the areas of Access and Equity, and Culture and Family Engagement, by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 

In a landmark collaboration between a municipality and a charter school, Alma del Mar purchased the school site and its 2.3 acres from the City of New Bedford for only $102,000. Construction began on a two-story, 43,000 square foot building that would provide a home worthy of our hard-working scholars.

The late Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester approved a renewal of Alma del Mar Charter School’s five year charter. The renewal came without conditions. Alma was also recognized for exceeding the state’s expectations in the area of parent engagement.

Following a community celebration of the Sarah D. Ottiwell school building, the crumbling facility was demolished to provide for a playing field, green space, off street staff parking and a dedicated bus lane

Alma del Mar was granted an additional 90 seats to up its enrollment capacity to 450 scholars. The additional scholars were added over the next several years by creating new sections of scholars in grades K-1 and by adding additional scholars to existing classrooms of subsequent grades.

In a memo to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the late Commissioner Chester pointed to significant improvements in Alma scholars’ performance on the latest PARCC tests as one indicator of Alma’s successful academic program. These measures were used to help determine Alma del Mar’s status as a “Proven Provider,” which is required by state law for a school to be considered for additional seats.

  First 8th grade scholars graduate from Alma del Mar. Poised to make a broader impact by serving even more New Bedford children, Alma del Mar applies for 1,188 additional charter seats to open two new schools. The application went through an extensive review process and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received hundreds of letters and emails from families who wanted their child to have the opportunity to receive an Alma education.

       Thanks to the efforts of interested scholars and teachers, Alma del Mar put together it's first ever Flag football team in the fall of 2018, and began playing games in the Spring of 2019. With a team of only 15 scholars the team began practice in late September of 2018 and practiced until November. Experiencing a brief hiatus during the winter, the team returned in the Spring of 2019 to face the only other Charter School with a team in the city, Global Learning Charter Public. 

         Since the 2019 season our program has grown to serve over 100 scholars grades 5-8. Due to the expansion of the Alma network, development of Alma del Mar Douglass, and assistance of other schools in the Southcoast area we are now proud to have a multi-game season facing off against other