ENCINITAS: Academy to restructure in response to district notice
Four board members to submit resignations
By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | ∞
ENCINITAS ---- Four board members of the Theory Into Practice Academy were expected to submit their resignations during a late night meeting Wednesday as school leaders fight to keep the two-year-old institution open.
Also during the 9 p.m. meeting, board members were scheduled to discuss the budget, table a proposed education materials contract and start a review of the school's bylaws. All of these items are in response to a "notice to remedy" order issued by the public charter school's sponsoring district, said a school employee, who declined to be identified.
None of the four board members ---- Lisa Bishop, Kathleen Blough, Deborah Hazelton and Chris Manis ---- could be reached for comment Wednesday. A school employee told a reporter that all four had been advised by lawyers not to speak to the media until after the meeting.
Another board member, newly appointed member Jake Bartow, said he would speak generally about his view of the situation, but would not go into details until after the votes are taken.
"I am pleased at what we're trying to put together and what we're trying to do in the little time that we've had to respond (to the district's remedy order)," he said, stressing that he and other parents want to do everything in their power to keep the school open.
The Encinitas Union School District ordered the academy earlier this month to provide a series of documents as part of its investigation into allegations of fiscal mismanagement and employee conflicts of interest. The paperwork submission deadline is Friday.
If the charter school can't disprove the allegations, the district could eventually revoke its charter, district officials have said.
Among the allegations are that several charter school board members have had a financial stake in the decisions the board makes. Three of the four people planning to step down Wednesday night are employed at the school --- Hazelton is the principal, while Blough and Bishop are teachers. However, all them were considered "nonvoting members" of the board, Hazelton has said.
Manis, the fourth person on the departure list, is a voting member. His wife is employed at the school, but school administrators have stressed that he has not voted on employee raises or other issues that would benefit his wife directly.
Encinitas Union Superintendent McLean King said he was waiting to see what paperwork the school would submit to the district after Wednesday night's meeting.
"What we're really waiting for is the response to the (district's) notice to remedy and their corrective action plan," he said.
The academy is among nearly 700 publicly funded charter schools in the state. These have special status within the state education code. They receive taxpayer funding, but they don't have to follow some of the requirements placed on regular public schools. They get this special status because they're considered incubators for innovative teaching techniques.
Founded by a group of parents interested in the needs of intellectually gifted children, the academy has roughly 280 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. It shares a campus on Melba Road with Ocean Knoll Elementary.
Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com.
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Too little too late wrote on May 28, 2008 4:48 PM:What about Mikey?
TIP wrote on May 28, 2008 7:07 PM:Too little, too late
Mike wrote on May 28, 2008 8:14 PM:Maybe you'll get it right next time around. Or maybe not.
Question wrote on May 28, 2008 8:16 PM:Is a TIP board member a paid position? If so, I might be interested. I promise I have no relatives working there.
And Ron wrote on May 28, 2008 8:16 PM:What about Ron? His wife works for the school, too. Conflict of interest all over the place!
Unders wrote on May 28, 2008 9:19 PM:I suspect that Mike is staying on the Board and will resign from his current position at the school
Thanks to TIP Teachers wrote on May 28, 2008 9:48 PM:On a brighter note... Tonight my family and I attended the Poetry Cafe at TIP Academy where the students read poems that they had created to a huge group of parents. It was really amazing to see such a great group of kids take such pride in their work.
I just want to give great praise to the teachers at TIP and say Thank You for all that you are doing or our children.
Pro Choice wrote on May 28, 2008 11:27 PM:TIP represents educatinal choice in the City of Encinitas. It must be allowed to continue even at the expense of some founding board members. What they created and its value to the children is more important than their ongoing presence which gives license for critics to accuse wrongdoing. And of their legacy they can be proud.
CAncer wrote on May 29, 2008 6:28 AM:With multiple issues going on throughout California with charter schools - finances, mismanagement, enrollment issues, and conflict of interest - isn't it time that California takes a closer and more supervisorial look into the charter school business? Should there really be less oversight and regulation over charter schools as oppose to school districts? Has is really created more choice and competition? Have they improved test scores overall? And is it OK to take the small amount of money spent on education to put in the pocketbook of individuals "all in the name of children"?
To Pro Choice wrote on May 29, 2008 7:03 AM:Are you kidding me?
Live for the Moment wrote on May 29, 2008 7:35 AM:I say in about 3 years TIP scores will drop to the 700's just like their sister Guajome Park. Scrapping bottom but somehow adored by the parents.
How do these kids do in college? If they even graduate from high school.
What is the turn over rate in these local charter schools?
to Pro Choice wrote on May 29, 2008 7:47 AM:Kudos! You are spot on!
to And Ron wrote on May 29, 2008 7:50 AM:Who is Ron's wife???
Lets Dig in our Heels wrote on May 29, 2008 11:32 AM:Right on, Pro Choice! Yes, and let's rename our school Machiavellian Academy because we believe that the ends justifies the means. So what if our founding leaders broke state laws and profited by it? We shall praise them for "their legacy" of which "they can be proud!" So what if we drain money away from thousands of EUSD children? That's fine with us as long as OUR's can have a private-type school at the public's expense?
It's all good because OUR handful of kids benefit, or at least we must convince ourselves they do.
Tired of the Lies wrote on May 29, 2008 12:11 PM:Let's Dig in our Heels,
You are misinformed about how charters work. They are funded by the state and not the districts so EUSD is not losing money. How are the EUSD students suffering as a result of TIP or any other charter's existence? It amazes me how shamefully the TIP parents/anti-charter people have conducted themselves on these blogs.
to Live for the Moment wrote on May 29, 2008 3:59 PM:Based on your post it's evident that you could add educating yourself on the issue in addition to living for the moment.
TIP is not Guajome or any other school. The situations are not the same. The scores will most likely improve because these people care about their children and are involved in their education, both in the classroom and at home.
But living in your moment doesn't involve reality, so live it up.
Who Is Misinformed wrote on May 29, 2008 5:57 PM:Is this the new tactic, to call all who question TIP "misinformed" and "uneducated?" Tired of the Lies, you are the one who is misinformed. Let's Dig in Our Heels is correct. Charter school law states that as a basic aid district, EUSD gets only 70% funding per pupil from their home districts, and EUSD gets none if they're from basic aid district. So EUSD must make up for the loss of revenue, which negatively impacts the other students of EUSD.
And to to Live for the Moment: To say that TIP parents care more about their children and are more involved in their education than Guajome parents is elitist and divisive.
Live for the Moment wrote on May 29, 2008 6:20 PM:Are you saying that the TIP teachers are the ONLY teachers that care about kids?
So California schools are failing because the PUBLIC SCHOOL teachers don't care about the kids?
By the way how are you going to get away from teaching to the California standards? Clearly charter schools HAVE TO teach to the California standards. The difference is that they have FLEXIBILITY in the way the standards are taught.
Good luck you are going to need it, it is not as easy as it looks.
Phil wrote on May 29, 2008 6:56 PM:Great we are all happy.. now we can drink cool aid and have cookies together.
sunny wrote on May 29, 2008 8:01 PM:What about the kids, isn't that the most important point,if you are a parent and are unhappy, leave! let the rest of us try to rectify the situation if there was any wrong doing.
Im STILL happy at TIP wrote on May 29, 2008 9:18 PM:Yes you read that right!!! My child is a student at TIP and I have no problem telling anyone who ask. Its a bump in the road. This will get put behind us and next year we will hit yet a new bump. Just deal with it we are here to stay, bumps and all!
to Who Is Misinformed wrote on May 30, 2008 6:50 AM:Sometimes facts are divisive. Get used to it!
Who Is Misinformed wrote on May 30, 2008 9:54 AM:Indeed, facts can be divisive. But could you please cite the study that proves the "fact" that TIP people care more and are more involved than those at Guajome and other schools?
Bye bye Mike wrote on May 30, 2008 4:02 PM:Response to NTR is on TIP's website.
Mike is history - yay!!!!!!!!!
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