Is Charter School of the Dunes a good school?

Charter School of the Dunes ranks in the bottom 1.9% of Indiana elementary schools.

How many students attend Charter School of the Dunes?

In the 2023-24 school year, 674 students attended Charter School of the Dunes.

What is the racial makeup of Charter School of the Dunes?

Students at Charter School of the Dunes are 88% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% White.

Charter School of the Dunes

Summary:

Charter School of the Dunes is a public charter elementary school serving grades K-8 in Gary, Indiana, with 684 students as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school faces significant challenges, including low academic achievement, high poverty, and extremely high chronic absenteeism rates.

Charter School of the Dunes has consistently ranked near the bottom of Indiana elementary schools, receiving 0 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates on the ILEARN assessments are very low, with only 13.65% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 5.95% proficient or better in Math. This is well below the state and nearby school averages, such as Wallace Aylesworth Elementary in Portage, which has 25.11% proficiency in English Language Arts and 26.01% in Math. Additionally, 97.08% of Charter School of the Dunes students receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a very high-poverty student population.

One of the most concerning issues at Charter School of the Dunes is the extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 36.5% in 2022-2023 to 59.4% in 2020-2021. This is significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 12.7% to 28.6% chronic absenteeism. The school's racial makeup is also predominantly African American (89.77%), while the nearby schools have more diverse student populations. Despite the high-poverty student population, Charter School of the Dunes spends less per student than the nearby schools, suggesting the school may be underfunded or struggling to allocate resources effectively. Addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and providing additional support and resources should be a top priority for the school.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

7300 East Melton Rd
Gary, IN 46403

(219) 939-9690

District: Charter School of the Dunes

SchoolDigger Rank:
991^st of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,995

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 674

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.1%

Two or more races:

5.5%

Hispanic:

4.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.1%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Charter School of the Dunes to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Charter School of the Dunes ranks worse than 98.1% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.66. (See more...)

Compare Details Charter School of the Dunes ranks worse than 87.8% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.77. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (88.1%), two or more races (5.5%), Hispanic (4.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Charter School of the Dunes is 15.6. (See more...)

Compare Charter School of the Dunes employs 43 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Charter School of the Dunes is $9,995.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Charter School of the Dunes was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Charter School of the Dunes 426^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Charter School of the Dunes in the ranking list.)

Charter School of the Dunes:

SchoolDigger ranks Charter School of the Dunes 355^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Charter School of the Dunes.

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Rank History for Charter School of the Dunes

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	0.22	959^th	959	0.0%
2006	1.13	956^th	961	0.5%
2007	0.81	978^th	985	0.7%
2008	2.63	980^th	996	1.6%
2009	10.93	935^th	1003	6.8%
2010	4.84	982^nd	1009	2.7%
2011	1.32	1018^th	1025	0.7%
2012	5.19	982^nd	1015	3.3%
2013	9.59	983^rd	1035	5.0%
2014	4.84	999^th	1036	3.6%
2015	8.71	977^th	1040	6.1%
2016	10.29	971^st	1046	7.2%
2017	2.71	1006^th	1033	2.6%
2018	4.38	992^nd	1027	3.4%
2019	2.80	1016^th	1031	1.5%
2021	6.46	970^th	1016	4.5%
2022	4.50	1007^th	1020	1.3%
2023	5.66	991^st	1016	2.5%
2024	5.66	991^st	1010	1.9%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Charter School of the Dunes

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2006	1.53	372^nd	375	0.8%
2007	0.83	380^th	382	0.5%
2008	0.52	390^th	392	0.5%
2009	6.42	402^nd	423	5.0%
2010	9.58	405^th	428	5.4%
2011	2.31	439^th	451	2.7%
2012	1.89	439^th	447	1.8%
2013	9.87	419^th	444	5.6%
2014	1.07	461^st	470	1.9%
2015	7.35	449^th	485	7.4%
2016	14.32	433^rd	494	12.3%
2017	6.10	442^nd	472	6.4%
2018	8.97	437^th	473	7.6%
2019	6.88	446^th	470	5.1%
2021	6.74	462^nd	483	4.3%
2022	6.37	477^th	490	2.7%
2023	9.52	451^st	489	7.8%
2024	12.77	426^th	485	12.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)

33%

Reviews:

by a principal
Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Charter School of the Dunes is an excellent place to work and be a part of. Staff are compassionate about the success of students. Leadership is flexible and willing to participate in the community and help families in need. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, July 8, 2013

Sad situation at this school. Kids get passed along all the time and end up in the eighth grade on a second grade reading level. Very unsafe environment. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Charter School of the Dunes

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	9	421	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	436
2005	11	430	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	442
2006	23	487	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	514
2007	13	444	0	8	1	n/a	n/a	24	490
2008	10	393	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	28	437
2009	11	306	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	8	329
2010	11	317	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	13	342
2011	9	343	0	2	0	0	10	0	364
2012	11	348	0	3	0	0	16	0	378
2013	17	418	0	9	0	0	20	0	464
2014	17	475	0	20	1	0	21	0	534
2015	23	559	0	17	0	0	25	0	624
2016	21	436	1	17	0	0	29	0	504
2017	19	392	1	24	1	0	26	0	463
2018	27	492	1	18	1	0	31	0	570
2019	16	533	0	22	4	0	29	0	604
2020	17	572	1	35	2	0	31	0	658
2021	18	588	1	38	2	0	37	0	684
2022	15	603	1	39	7	0	35	0	700
2023	8	614	0	21	5	0	36	0	684
2024	11	594	0	29	3	0	37	0	674

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Charter School of the Dunes

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	436	22.0	19.8	48.4
2005	442	25.0	17.7	n/a
2006	514	35.0	14.7	64.4
2007	490	n/a	n/a	70.2
2008	437	24.0	18.2	70.7
2009	329	17.0	19.4	77.9
2010	342	20.0	17.1	79.3
2011	364	19.0	19.1	76.4
2012	378	13.0	29.0	64.6
2013	464	n/a	n/a	69.6
2014	534	26.0	20.5	76.6
2015	624	24.0	26.0	47.6
2016	504	24.0	21.0	89.5
2017	463	25.6	18.0	87.5
2018	570	34.0	16.7	91.8
2019	604	30.0	20.1	92.7
2020	658	29.0	22.6	95.1
2021	684	29.0	23.5	94
2022	700	42.0	16.6	96.9
2023	684	38.0	18.0	97.1
2024	674	43.0	15.6	95.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Charter School of the Dunes

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	436	22.0	19.8	48.4
2005	442	25.0	17.7	n/a
2006	514	35.0	14.7	64.4
2007	490	n/a	n/a	70.2
2008	437	24.0	18.2	70.7
2009	329	17.0	19.4	77.9
2010	342	20.0	17.1	79.3
2011	364	19.0	19.1	76.4
2012	378	13.0	29.0	64.6
2013	464	n/a	n/a	69.6
2014	534	26.0	20.5	76.6
2015	624	24.0	26.0	47.6
2016	504	24.0	21.0	89.5
2017	463	25.6	18.0	87.5
2018	570	34.0	16.7	91.8
2019	604	30.0	20.1	92.7
2020	658	29.0	22.6	95.1
2021	684	29.0	23.5	94
2022	700	42.0	16.6	96.9
2023	684	38.0	18.0	97.1
2024	674	43.0	15.6	95.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Charter School of the Dunes

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,769 (21.8%)	$6,335 (78.2%)	$8,104
2020	$2,433 (29.7%)	$5,755 (70.3%)	$8,188
2021	$2,153 (25.6%)	$6,245 (74.4%)	$8,398
2022	$1,936 (19.4%)	$8,059 (80.6%)	$9,995

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Charter School of the Dunes

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1016^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 991^st of 1016 Elementary schools	1%
Ranks 446^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 451^st of 489 Middle schools	2.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	4.6	6.6	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	4.6	6.6	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	20	6.6	13.4%
3rd Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	20	6.6	13.4%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	9.7	12.1	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	9.7	12.1	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	10.6	0.7%
4th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	10.6	0.7%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Charter School of the Dunes)	3.2	9.2	6%
4th Grade Science (Charter School of the Dunes)	3.2	9.2	6%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	8.9	2.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	8.9	2.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	0	11.3%
5th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.3	0	11.3%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Charter School of the Dunes)	5.7	1.8	3.9%
5th Grade Social Studies (Charter School of the Dunes)	5.7	1.8	3.9%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	12.1	6.4	5.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	12.1	6.4	5.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	9.1	3.9	5.3%
6th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	9.1	3.9	5.3%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Charter School of the Dunes)	4.5	5.2	0.7%
6th Grade Science (Charter School of the Dunes)	4.5	5.2	0.7%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	19.6	11.3	8.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	19.6	11.3	8.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	8.9	6.5	2.5%
7th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	8.9	6.5	2.5%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	37.2	18.2	19%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Charter School of the Dunes)	37.2	18.2	19%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.6	12.1	0.5%
8th Grade Math (Charter School of the Dunes)	11.6	12.1	0.5%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	604	684	13.2%
African American	533	614	15.2%
American Indian	4	5	25%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	22	21	4.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	16	8	50%
Two or More Races	29	36	24.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92.7%	97.1%	4.4%

Schools Near Charter School of the Dunes

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)							ILEARN Math (2024)							ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Charter School of the Dunes	Public, Charter	K-8	7300 East Melton Rd	Gary	46403	Lake County	Charter School of the Dunes	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 939-9690	674	43	15.6	95.1%	11 (1.6%)	594 (88.1%)	29 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.5%)	5.7	991^st of 1010 public elementary schools	1.9%		5.7	991^st of 1016 public elementary schools	2.5%		3.7	11.1	9.2	11.1	23.5	22.2	13.7	13.6	4.8	4.7	3.3	3.7	4.2	6.0	7.7	$9,995	$1,936	$8,059
Banneker Elementary at Marquette	Public	K-5	6401 Hemlock Ave	Gary	46403	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 321-8545	276	18	15.7	69.9%	5 (1.8%)	259 (93.8%)	10 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	8.8	945^th of 1010 public elementary schools	6.4%		9.7	917^th of 1016 public elementary schools	9.7%	28	14.8	11.1	13.3				13.1	16.7	14.6	15.6				15.6	7.1	$17,067	$5,475	$11,592
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School	Public	K-5	2100 Union St	Lake Station	46405	Lake County	Lake Station Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-1302	303	20	14.9	80.5%	117 (38.6%)	30 (9.9%)	123 (40.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.2%)	16.2	858^th of 1010 public elementary schools	15.0%		18.5	830^th of 1016 public elementary schools	18.3%	28	18.4	13.5	19.2				17.3	36.7	18.9	21.3				26.3	10.6	$11,306	$1,666	$9,639
Alexander Hamilton Elementary School	Public	K-5	2900 Lake St	Lake Station	46405	Lake County	Lake Station Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-1824	227	18	12.3	77.5%	70 (30.8%)	27 (11.9%)	119 (52.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.8%)	29.6	732^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	27.5%		39.3	642^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	36.8%	90	30.3	8.3	39.1				27.0	30.3	22.2	21.7				24.4	32.6	$11,695	$2,024	$9,670
John I Meister Elementary School	Public	K-5	3300 Jay St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	River Forest Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-1103	364	24	15.4	73.6%	123 (33.8%)	36 (9.9%)	164 (45.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.4%)	31.8	711^th of 1010 public elementary schools	29.6%		39.5	640^th of 1016 public elementary schools	37.0%	71	17.8	13.0	52.0				26.0	23.3	5.7	54.0				26.7	32.7	$10,716	$1,281	$9,434
Mary M Bethune Early Child Dev Center	Public	PK-K	2367 E 21st Ave	Gary	46407	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 886-6542	253	9	28.1	27.3%	1 (0.4%)	241 (95.3%)	10 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)								(n/a)																$20,900	$12,454	$8,446
George L Myers Elementary School	Public	K-5	3100 Willowdale	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8035	332	20	16.6		186 (56.0%)	19 (5.7%)	99 (29.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.8%)	32.7	697^th of 1010 public elementary schools	31.0%		33.4	694^th of 1016 public elementary schools	31.7%	3	30.0	46.8	30.0				35.0	25.5	48.9	16.7				29.1	15.0	$11,230	$1,346	$9,885
Wallace Aylesworth Elementary	Public	K-5	5910 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8010	433	26	16.6		189 (43.6%)	81 (18.7%)	128 (29.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (7.6%)	23.1	782^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	22.6%		31.6	710^th of 1016 public elementary schools	30.1%	72	17.5	22.4	37.3				25.1	26.3	25.0	26.9				26.0	19.4	$10,411	$1,335	$9,076
Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	2825 Russell St	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8015	419	24	17.8		198 (47.3%)	64 (15.3%)	127 (30.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.4%)	21.8	792^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	21.6%		21.1	813^th of 1016 public elementary schools	20.0%	21	27.0	19.7	22.9				23.1	49.2	18.2	17.1				27.6	12.9	$10,933	$1,490	$9,443
Crisman Elementary School	Public	K-5	6161 Old Porter Rd	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8020	353	23	15.6		166 (47.0%)	63 (17.8%)	97 (27.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.1%)	41.5	608^th of 1010 public elementary schools	39.8%		36.4	667^th of 1016 public elementary schools	34.4%	59	33.9	33.3	37.0				34.9	55.9	29.8	34.3				39.7	23.3	$10,070	$1,286	$8,784

Charter School of the Dunes

Charter School of the Dunes:

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Rank History for Charter School of the Dunes

Rank History for Charter School of the Dunes

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Enrollment information for Charter School of the Dunes

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Charter School of the Dunes

Student/Teacher Ratio Charter School of the Dunes

Per Pupil Expenditures for Charter School of the Dunes

Impact of COVID-19 on Charter School of the Dunes

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Charter School of the Dunes