VISTA -- Officials working to open a construction-themed charter school in Vista next year recently found out they would get a big boost -- more than a half-million dollars from the state to help with startup costs.

The California Department of Education let organizers with North County Trade Tech High School know last week that the school will receive $600,000 over the next three years as part of a state grant for new charter programs, said Doreen Quinn, executive director of the nonprofit Newhaven Youth and Family Services, the group that is opening the school.

"It just allows us to do things the way we would like to do them," Quinn said about the grant. "I'm breathing a lot easier."

Vista-based Newhaven will receive $250,000 this year for planning and startup costs for the school, as well as $200,000 next year and $150,000 in 2009, Quinn said.

The school will feature a project-based curriculum focused on preparing students for jobs in the construction industries, organizers have said.

"It's about giving kids an opportunity to leave high school with the skills necessary to open doors right away … not excluding college," said Steve Gronke, a Vista councilman, teacher and adviser to the school.

Organizers have said they expect to open the school in September 2008 with 100 freshmen, and expand over the next three years to serve as many as 400 students in grades nine through 12.

There's plenty of interest for the school and nearly 100 students have already expressed interest in signing up, Quinn said.

Investors are also excited about the school, she said.

Including the state grant, organizers have raised nearly $1 million so far to help pay for opening and running the school, Quinn said.

Some of the money from the state grant will go toward leasing a building, Quinn said. The rest will go toward getting the school ready to open, she said, including ordering equipment.

Since Vista Unified School District trustees approved the charter in December, organizers have faced several setbacks as they searched for a location. Initially, the school was expected to open this year, but organizers still haven't finalized an agreement for a site.

"It has been a rather frustrating experience," Gronke said of the search for a location.

Quinn said Thursday they are looking at a couple of viable options. She said she hopes to close a deal on a site by the end of the year and start preparing early next year for an August opening.

"We are going to open," Quinn said emphatically. "We're coming and we're here to stay."

Organizers have already hired an interim principal -- Charlie Cafferty, formerly an administrator with Boston Public Schools-- to focus on preparing the academic side.

They will hold an informational meeting for parents Oct. 16 to let them know about the school and its programs.

"I want them to come in and experience what Trade Tech is going to mean for children," Quinn said. "This is our kickoff."

More information on the school is available online at www.tradetechhigh.org.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 901-4009 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.