To provide significant educational benefit for students in grades K-8 with a thorough and enriched start to their educational careers, ensuring their academic success through high school and beyond into college and/or careers. FPCS will provide a comprehensive, high quality instructional program that stimulates student achievement and a love of learning. The core program will address academic, social and developmental needs of students. The school is based on four pillars that respond directly to the essential and historical needs of the children of Poughkeepsie: literacy in all academic areas; involvement of families; involvement of the community, and character education. Four Pillars Charter School believes that all children are capable of learning and will succeed in school if they are supported by an academic program that is strongly committed to early mastery of reading and math literacy, an integrated curriculum that reinforces learning in all disciplines, a highly trained core of school leaders, teachers and faculty, strong collaboration with the local community, a deliberate character education program, and positive family involvement. This is true especially in a community such as Poughkeepsie where limited school choice has not responded adequately to the needs of all of its students. Families in the city of Poughkeepsie must have choices as to where their children receive an education, and must have input into that process. In this urban community, the levels of poverty, the lack of school choice and the uncertain outcomes for students create palpable but covert messages of inferiority and defeat for so many families. The families of Poughkeepsie require an option that brings hope for success for their children. The school day will be enhanced by after school and Saturday morning activities available to all the students enrolled in Four Pillars Charter School. These activities will include academic tutoring and enrichment, activities led by school faculty and community volunteers, and internships in local community organizations.