Just saw this article on M-live and found it completely interesting given the struggle we had last year trying to get our message of CHANGE through to Grand Rapids School Board and its Superintendent. It's amazing what can happen when ideas are given time to metabolize...
National Heritage Academies interested in GRPS building
by Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press
Thursday September 18, 2008, 6:51 PM
GRAND RAPIDS -- The head of for-profit National Heritage Academies says he would rent one of the Grand Rapids Public Schools' buildings for a new charter high school -- if the city schools would let him.
And the district's spokesman says not only are they open to a deal with their top competitors, they would welcome it.
Speaking at the West Michigan Regional Policy Conference on Thursday, National Heritage founder J.C. Huizenga told a room of movers-and-shakers that he doesn't understand how public schools spend the roughly $200,000 in state aid generated by a typical 25-student classroom.
Former Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus pointed out that the vast majority of Huizenga's schools are for students in grades kindergarten through eighth, and asked if high schools are too expensive to run.
"If Superintendent Bernard Taylor will lease me one of his schools, I'll put a high school there," Huizenga responded, drawing an audible reaction from the crowd of about 70 people that included educators, business leaders and state Attorney General Mike Cox.
Huizenga said after the session he didn't want to comment further until after the conference wraps up.
District spokesman John Helmholdt was in the audience and told Huizenga after the session that he would meet with him anytime he wants.
Helmholdt said educators have given serious thought to approaching Huizenga about opening a school through the district's "centers of innovation" plan.
The first school under the plan, the Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, was opened this fall by a group of business leaders. The program operates like a hybrid charter school using district employees but with more freedom than traditional schools.
"If National Heritage has a model that they think can work, we absolutely want to talk to them," Helmholdt said. "If they have an idea that is sustainable and backed by research, bring it on. Because there are many ways that we can both benefit by working together."
The for-profit management company this fall opened its first area high school, the Grand River Preparatory High, in the former Kelloggsville Christian School. Grand River Prep's enrollment is expected to grow to 400 by 2011.
E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com
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