Avoyelles School Board to consider charter applications

 

By RAYMOND L. DAYE
 
Although they believe the result is already determined, proponents of two proposed public charter schools are awaiting the Avoyelles School Board’s decision on whether they will become the public school district’s two newest schools. That decision is expected to come at a rescheduled board meeting  June 1.
 
Red River Charter Academy and Avoyelles Children’s Charter School both submitted proposals last year that were rejected by the School Board. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education also refused to approve either school’s application. Officers of both schools say any shortcomings in their initial applications have been resolved and they are confident of a positive outcome this year.
 
They hope that positive outcome is delivered June 1, when the School Board is required to vote yes or no on the charter applications. The School Board will meet on the first Monday of June instead of the first Tuesday to meet that deadline for action.
 
New Millennium -- the same consulting firm that evaluated the applications last year -- will deliver its evaluation report at the June meeting.
If the expected “No” is handed down, it will be back to BESE to seek to become a state-sanctioned -- rather than local-sanctioned -- charter school in Avoyelles Parish.
 
Officials with Avoyelles Children’s Charter did not return calls seeking additional information on their proposal and update on their plans for a new school. The school proponents had indicated last year that it was proposing an elementary school in the Hessmer area.
 
RED RIVER CHARTER
Of the two applicants, Red River Charter Academy appears to be further along. Its website looks like one for a school that has been in existence for many years -- not one that is, at this point, only a dream that has already been dashed twice this past year. Red River also has a school site lined up, should the School Board approve the new charter.
 
“We have been in negotiations for the old Garan building,” RRCA board president Pat Ours said. “It will serve well for that purpose.”
 
The 80,000 sq. ft., 18-acre site is large enough to cover future growth of a school, including a gymnasium at some point.
 
“It would be developed in three phases,” Ours said.
 
The school organizers would have a lease-purchase agreement with property owner Bill Belt, which would kick in after the school’s viability was assured. RRCA has also been taking “pre-applications” for students and has been interviewing for teachers for the proposed school. The school is envisioned to be a junior high charter school, for grades 6-8, and has a target opening date of August 2016.
 
As of early May, the proposed school had 45 pre-applications from students that would be of the appropriate age to enroll in the school if it opens for the 2016-17 school year.
 
Pleased with response
“We are pleased with that response,” Ours said. “We know that people don’t want to sign up for a school that doesn’t exist. Right now we are reaching out to church congregations, civic groups and businesses who are interested in what we are trying to do.”
 
There have been several teachers who have expressed an interest in joining the faculty if the school becomes a reality.
 
The school’s total enrollment would be 156 the first year as a three-grade middle school. Plans at this time are to add a grade each year and increase maximum enrollment by 56 students per year, Ours said. Current plans do not call for having elementary grades at the school, but “in three or five years, if there is a demonstrated need and interest from parents, we might add the elementary grades one year at a time, starting with 5th grade.
 
Ours said there is no connection or agreement between RRCA and Avoyelles Children’s Charter.
 
“Of course, we support each other’s efforts and wish each other success in our applications,” she said. She said there is no agreement that ACC elementary students would automatically be enrolled in RRCA upon completion of 5th grade.
 
Ours said comments that RRCA would be affiliated with a national charter school “company” are untrue.
 
“We are a local non-profit, just local people with a goal to improve education in Avoyelles Parish,” she continued. “We came to the conclusion that if you sit back and do nothing, you will keep getting the same result. We have decided not to sit and do nothing.”