Today, Excel Charter Academy hosted a high school options meeting, with NHA President and CEO, Jeff Clark. Right from the beginning, the outlook was a disappointment, in that, we heard much the same as we have heard in the past. So, when Jeff began by stating that NHA believes their focus should remain K-8 education, the groan from the audience was audible. It's not that we don't believe NHA has provided a quality educational system, but he was talking with people who've already been sold on the concept. We've been told "we are looking into/seeking outside support/strategizing for a future high school". Once again, tonight, we were told that a high school could be about 2 years away. New messenger, same message. The people were hoping for a better answer and Jeff just couldn't provide what the audience wanted.
Reasons for no high school so far, include but are not limited to: Academic quality, financial, reputation of NHA and sustainability of the charter itself. On further discussion, Jeff said the main issue is in the delivery of the service/education. Not the "what" so much as the "how". Okay, we get it. It's a very different thing to offer a high school rather than a K-8 program. The audience repeated over and over again, that NHA has our confidence, support and belief that if anyone can do a high school, the folks at NHA and their associates could. Several parents invoked the morals taught in NHA schools as reasons why it is now time to move forward: perseverance & courage were heard, in relationship to the fact that now that NHA has started this educational revolution, it's time to carry on and finish what has begun! Fear of failure seems a silly excuse to parents who've stepped out year after year to not only cart our kids across town to and from school, and defended charter education to the steaming-hot public school regime that we all run into in our daily lives. It's difficult enough to send our kids to a regular public high school after 8th grade. Then, our kids have to deal with the retribution at the hands of those same unionized, tenured teachers for having been a charter school kid, in the first place. I realize not all public school teachers are this way, but the lot of them are, and with attitude.
As the meeting came to an end, there was also some talk of how to convince NHA to do the right thing, and start a high school: Pulling your child out on "count day" was one idea. While this might make a statement, it would only hurt our child's education, so, PLEASE don't do this! I believe from what I've already been hearing that there is going to be enough people pulling their kids out earlier-than-later for good, that NHA will feel the heat in their bottom line. Sadly, for NHA, as the news trickles out that the hope of a high school is again delayed, many will move on, to make sure that they at least get their children into their 'School of second choice'.
When asked when we could expect to hear an update, Mr. Clark said he would be able to report his progress on this issue back to us by the end of June. It still wasn't clear by the end of the meeting, what was to happen. And, there was no set time line for what would come after that. While it is unfortunate that there is no high school on the immediate horizon, Jeff was trying to be as truthful as possible, by saying so. This leaves us no choice at this time, but to continue to petition NHA, and to look for a high school solution, whether by NHA or not. You must do what you know is the right thing to do for your child. That is what got us here in the first place. I will add more posts to this blog as information becomes available to me.
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I, unfortunately, came in a little late due to not getting out of work until 5PM. However, I can tell by this summary that I didn't miss much even with my late arrival. How incredibly sad! We've been hearing this diatribe for all these years, and still no budging from NHA on a 'future high school', 'two years away'. It sickens me, as was stated here, that we (the parents) are obviously sold on the NHA concept and have faithfully driven our kids to and from school. We’ve been very involved moreso than many in the general public school model, and yet we're still met with what happened yesterday.
Someone please bring me up to speed on this; wasn't there something written about IF we send our kids to a charter school, we'd be first in line for schools of choice? Due to 'alternative' thinking parents, perhaps eventually sending our kids to private or perhaps homeschooling, and the public schools wanting to retain, for monetary reasons, our children enrolled in the public schools? Perhaps this was something that was more 'stated' than a 'matter of fact'. If anyone could shine some light for me on this area I'd appreciate it. If it was more than just a 'stated' comment, could there be any legal action taken to have our children be first in line for schools of choice, even when met with what's happened recently with East Kentwood? I would hate for something to be so ugly as take legal action, but it's what might have been agreed to, either written or stated, about our children's education that's act stake here.
Thanks to whoever it is that started this blog. How wonderful!
Thanks to Excel for hosting.
There needs to be a sign in at any future meeting to assist in organizing efforts.
Even if they can't give us the answer we want, NHA would be much better served having some specific actions to take. Mr. Clark should have staff available at any future meetings that have name/numbers of legislators, KISD members and contact names etc. Also, MAPSA is a lobbying group for charter schools and the local contact is trying to organize parents to address this issue.
Additionally, don't forget the media. I wrote a letter to the Public Pulse in response to the last headline on School of Choice. I expected to be joined by many others, but this was the only letter I saw! People pay attention to the letters to the Press! Use the media!
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