Letter to the Editor

The Parent Trigger/HB 123 - Does It Make Any Sense?

Elizabeth Hooper offers her opinion on legislation she says uses failed practices of No Child Left Behind.

Does anyone remember the constitutional Amendment battle last year? The battle where our Republican leadership wanted us to pass an amendment which expanded the role of government in Georgia and removed local control by giving it to an appointed State Charter Commission? We bought that one hook, line and sinker. Republicans convinced Republicans – some, not all – to forget about the other part of the party platform that talks about limited government and local control. The same group is back at it in the legislature trying to pass more bills which will eventually destroy our open public schools (vs. closed charter public schools – try moving here in January and getting into one).  Why? Because promoting charter schools and vouchers is also…

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Proposed Charter School Would Serve All Counties

International Charter School hosting town hall on Tuesday.

A proposed charter school in Forsyth County that would be open to all children in the state is hosting a Town Hall to introduce itself to the community on Tuesday. Following the November election in which voters approved an amendment giving the state the power to approve charter schools, a group of parents and educators have filed an intent to launch the International Charter School of Atlanta. The group says that the school would be the first and only triple-language immersion K through 8th grade school open to all children in Georgia. "We've had way more intents to apply than expected," so far, said Christina Crumbley, one of the school's board members. She said the school has seen 160 intents and "we haven't even held our first town …

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Former Milton Principal Will Take Over at Riverwood for the Interim

Tesch says he will stay at the Sandy Springs high school until a new principal is hired. Milton High School became an award-winning institution during his 12 years there.

  Provided by Anne Boatwright Former Milton High School Principal Ron Tesch has been named interim principal at Riverwood International Charter School.  Former principal Chris Triolo resigned earlier this month. He worked closely with Tesch before his departure.  Tesch, a Michigan native, has led administrations for many high schools, several of them Blue Ribbon schools, such as Ann Harbor Huron High School in Michigan, suburban Chicago Highland Park High School, and Edina High School in suburban Minneapolis. Milton High School became an award-winning institution during his 12 years there. Many of Milton’s faculty members and staff have received recognition, and Tesch took the school community through a successful new building project. He …

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Wells Fargo Sues Fulton Science Academy, Partner Schools

The bank claims the schools are in default on an $18.9 million loan.

Three schools are being sued in federal court by Wells Fargo over an $18.9 million loan default. Fulton Science Academy, Fulton Sunshine Academy and Fulton Educational Services (which operates Fulton Science Academy High), are named in the civil suit filed in U.S. District Court on Dec. 17, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported. On. Nov. 1, 2011, the defendants entered an agreement that appointed New York Mellon as trustee of bonds to finance a project to buy land and build a new school. On March 30 2012, Wells Fargo took over as trustee. A real estate deed was used to secure the debt. "Defendants have failed to meet their repayment obligations for those funds under the terms of the Note. The Note has been accelerated with payment in …

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Hearing Tuesday on Fulton Science Academy High's Charter

The Fulton County Board of Education considers the possible end of the school's charter.

Fulton Science Academy High School will have its hearing on the possible termination of its charter on Tuesday, Dec. 18.  The hearing will be 10 a.m. at the school system’s Administrative Center, located at 786 Cleveland Avenue SW in Atlanta. On Dec. 4, Superintendent of Schools Robert Avossa delivered an audit report to the school board at their work session. Based on the audit report, Avossa said he would recommend terminating the public charter school's contract,. That would close the school at the end of the current school year. A week later, on Dec. 11. the school board voted to pursue terminating the Fulton Science Academy High charter. The school's governing board was offered the opportunity of a hearing on Dec. 18. On Thursday, …

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Affluent North Fulton Backs State Charter Schools Amendment

Amendment One gained plenty of support in the communiy for its eventual passage.

More than 1,000 people who voted last Tuesday said "No" to state charter schools. But 1,777 voted "Yes," giving the amendment an edge it held in all Alpharetta and Milton precincts. Nowhere in the two cities was the vote even close. But head south into Atlanta, and away from Buckhead, and the story is quite different. In precincts such as Dunbar Neighborhood Center and Virginia Highland Church, voters overwhelmingly rejected the amendment. That gives credence to those who say the vote was divided along socio-eonomic lines.

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Georgia Charter Schools Amendment: What Will My Vote Mean?

Tuesday's ballot includes a Georgia constitutional amendment to re-establish a state commission to approve charter schools. Your job is to decide if that's a good idea.

There aren't a lot of statewide issues on the ballot Nov. 6, but one has the potential to affect school districts, parents and children throughout Georgia. It's Amendment 1, and the ballot will say it "Provides for improving student achievement and parental involvement through more public charter school options." The question voters will answer yes or no to is, "Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?" So what does a yes vote mean? If the amendment passes, the state will create a commission that can approve charter schools in local communities, even if local school boards oppose them. Supporters of the amendment believe this is necessary …

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Charter School Amendment is All About Money and Control

Kelly Cadman, the vice president of School Services at The Georgia Charter Schools Association, and a former founder of a charter school, says districts are spending big bucks in central offices.

By Kelly Cadman There has been an awful lot of energy expended by opponents of the Charter Amendment. The opposition to the Amendment claim that the state can “already” act as an appeals body for charter schools. Those supporting the Amendment wonder, if the state can already approve charters, why is the Education Establishment fighting THIS hard against affirming that on the ballot on November 6?  Most of the arguments posed against the Amendment are related to the enabling legislation, which establishes a Commission. The ballot question, however, ONLY reaffirms the state’s role in K-12 general education, so why the nasty battle against the Amendment? At the heart of the argument employed by the school districts and affiliate associations…

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Charter Schools Give Students Opportunities

Speaker Pro Tem says she trusts parents more than government to make the best decisions for children.

By Jan Jones As a mother of four children currently enrolled in or graduates of Fulton County Schools, I care deeply about public education in my community and Georgia. I know public education changes lives by giving young people opportunities to fulfill their potential and achieve the American dream. In this regard, I support Amendment One on the Nov. 6 election ballot to give Georgia's students more educational options through public charter schools. I support all the ways that our young people can get a leg up, including charter schools, traditional schools, dual enrollment at technical schools and colleges, virtual schooling, homeschooling, and private schools. I trust parents more than I trust government to make the best decisions for…

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Monty Brewster

6:04 am on Wednesday, November 7, 2012

You're about to see a lot of innovation from teachers... as they look elsewhere for employment. Good luck, Georgia. Monty out.   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Charter School Parent Wants Voters to Educate Themselves

Local control is required by Georgia Code, amendment supporter says.

Dear Editor, I feel that it is time to speak up for Amendment One as a parent and citizen of Georgia. My child attends Pataula Charter Academy in Edison, GA and, I fully support the amendment to the constitution for charter schools. I hate that outright lies are being spread to make people vote no for this amendment.  This is my child’s education on the line and I don’t want to stand by anymore without pointing out specific facts and addressing these lies. I find it very interesting that the opposition has NEVER mentioned the children or had a student speak out in favor of their traditional public school. The opposition continues to focus their campaign on money, power and control. The proponents continue to focus our campaign on parents, …

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