PALMER -- Emotions were kept in check Thursday evening as Horizon Charter School parents met with seven representatives of the Mat-Su Borough School District and Board to review options their home-schooled children now have within the district.

"I think everybody here is angry about Horizon being dissolved, but we have to move forward with our kids," said Horizon parent Anna Roys.

Some parents voiced frustration with the board's decision to terminate the school's contract earlier this month, leaving around 180 students enrolled without a school. Despite that frustration, the meeting's atmosphere seemed relaxed -- parents and school district representatives focused on what the district is offering Horizon students to ensure no credits or classes are lost. "We're going through every student's records, we are making sure every student gets credit," said Ken Klunder, an advisor at the district's correspondence school.

Transcripts, grades and other records will be sent to each family to ensure every student can easily transfer to another education program.

Any Horizon student involved in a Horizon-sanctioned summer program has until Dec. 1 to finish all course work in order to receive credit. While Horizon, a charter school, served students statewide, the district's correspondence home-school program is only available for Mat-Su student residents. In-district students and parents interested in continuing home schooling within the district may enroll in the district's "Track II" program through the correspondence school.

Students living outside the district will no longer have a Mat-Su education program available to them after Horizon summer course work is complete.

Horizon teacher Ron Roper has moved to the Track II program, and any family with Horizon students living in the Valley that wishes to enroll in the program has been promised Roper as its teacher advisor.

"The Track II home-school program is very similar to what Horizon was doing -- the biggest difference is it is a Mat-Su District-only program," Roper said. "It is going to look an awful lot like Horizon."

Roper and Klunder will meet with willing parents one-on-one all this week, to ensure each family fully understands what options are available.

"Everything you have been doing can move seamlessly to the new program," Klunder assured the dozen or so parents who showed up for Thursday's meeting.

Anne Marie Acord, a Horizon parent who was quite vocal in opposing the school's termination, expressed a thumbs-up attitude about the Track II option.

"I was in Mat-Su correspondence for my first year of home schooling and they did an excellent job," Acord said.

Contact Jen Ransom at jen.ransom@frontiersman.com.