North Valley Academy charter school has moved into its new building in Gooding and invites the public to attend an open-house tour from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 25.

NVA purchased the Gibbons Building from the Gooding School District — which had most recently been used as an alternative high school — for $685,000 late last year.

An additional $100,000 was borrowed for painting, electrical and plumbing updates,asbestos removal and mold abatement. Kitchenand cafeteria restoration is being completed with another $100,000 from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

The school currently serves 250 K-12 students and anticipates an additional 25 to 40 students in the fall. Bus rides are also available to students from Jerome and Wendell.

Many people in the community have expressed concern about the charter’s role. Deby Infanger, the board chairwoman, addressed the issue.

“Our high school expansion has been slow and mostly out of district, which has helped us to manage the growth and kept the Gooding School District from feeling much impact,” Infanger said. “It appears that we may be able to peacefully coexist, after all.

“That is my hope.Charter schools were intended to be incubators for new ideas. We havetried to offer curriculum and extra-curricular choices not offered in neighboringdistricts … We will always be small, by design.”

Open enrollment for fall 2010 started last month and ends March 31.