HAMMOND | Organizers of a charter school in the city of Hammond were thrilled when they heard their school had been approved.

Spokesman Tom Dabertin said he received an e-mail on June 9 from Larry Gabbert, director of the Office of Charter Schools at Ball State University, which said "Congratulations. You have been approved for a charter."

Dabertin said this had been the culmination of a three-year process that was first envisioned by Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott in 2006.

Dabertin also released a statement from McDermott, who said he is extremely pleased with Ball State's decision to charter in downtown Hammond.

"I believe the school will bring about positive change to our downtown area and to students from Hammond. It will serve to raise the bar for education throughout Northwest Indiana," McDermott said.

While organizers are pleased, they said there is still a lot of work to be done to get the school ready to open in the fall of 2010.

They say the Hammond Academy for Science and Technology won't be the typical school. It's going to be heavily focused on project-based education in which students will learn according to national- and state-required standards, experience working with a team and apply that to everyday life.

Organizers say the new school will be in session an hour longer every day of the week except Friday, when school will let out about noon, giving teachers an opportunity for staff development.

The school is expected to open with 320 students in grades six through nine, growing each year until it reaches a student body of 550 students through 12th grade.

The academy board has partnered with Purdue Calumet in Hammond to develop the curriculum and instruction. Purdue also will be required to train teachers.

Ball State University has approved 29 charter schools to date. President Jo Ann Gora considered a charter in Hammond as well as a charter in Chesterton.

Hammond School Board President Anna Mamala said the new charter school will give children and their parents another option to further their education. It means parents can send their children to public, parochial, private, Montessori and a charter school, she said.

Hammond school officials have done a preliminary look at how a new charter school could affects its budget.

Rob James, director of business services for the School City of Hammond, said the district currently has 72 youngsters who attend charter schools in the area. The charter schools took $185,845 away from the school city. James said that comes out to about $2,600 per student based on the property tax rate.