Top school district officials recommend against granting Gulf Coast's Academy's request to extend the time allowed to open for classes at the county's first charter school.
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published July 26, 2003
Top district officials have recommended that the School Board stick to its agreement with the founders of what would be the county's first charter school and reject a request to extend the time allowed to open for classes.
In a memo to the board, superintendent Wendy Tellone and board attorney Karen Gaffney noted that charter school co-founders Joe Gatti and Nevin Siefert did not object to the deadlines when the board set them July 1. Neither did Gatti and Siefert question the timelines when communicating with district staff members on July 8 or July 10.
Only when the men refused to sign a contract, which board chairman John Druzbick already had executed, did it become clear that they wanted more time, Gaffney and Tellone wrote.
"Board approval is not recommended" when the board considers the issue next Tuesday, they concluded.
Jim Malcolm, the board's most vocal advocate for Gulf Coast Academy, said he "regrettably" had come to the same conclusion.
"My understanding is they did not pull the first permit, or attempt to . . . until a week ago. I find that disappointing," Malcolm said. "I think that puts their schedule way behind something I'm comfortable with."
He observed that a delay in the opening day of school could create problems in several areas, including student transportation and teacher contracts. The charter contract calls for a year of planning if Gatti and Siefert could not meet their deadlines, starting with having permits in hand by last Friday, Malcolm said.
"You don't at the last minute refuse to sign a contract," he said. "It was all out there on the first. The board bent. . . . They did not meet their obligations."
Board vice chairwoman Sandra Nicholson suggested Gulf Coast Academy's timeline to open never was realistic, and it would not be even if the board granted another extension.
"The whole thing takes a lot of time and effort to do it properly, and I don't think they've allowed enough time," Nicholson said.
She said she might be willing to let the school open late, but only with concrete assurances that the state would allow it and the school district would be held harmless. Still, she remained hesitant.
"How many times are they going to change their minds about everything and then say it's us?" Nicholson wondered aloud. "There's a reason (the state allows) six months to finish the contract."
Druzbick also would not rule out the idea of compromise with Gatti and Siefert. He, too, had "major concerns" about the feasibility of the project with time ticking away, though.
"They have to find out whether the state is going to let them open that late," he said. "What are they doing about transportation? What are they doing about food? And what are they doing about teachers?"
This issue needs resolution no later than next week, Druzbick said. That's only fair to all involved, he said.
Board member Robert Wiggins agreed. He said he might be more charitable to the school if the parents who want to send their children there make some commitments in writing to drive their kids to school and provide bag lunches when the rest of the school district is closed but Gulf Coast Academy is open for classes.
Gatti expressed frustration that the administration had recommended against his request for more time. He said he told the board on July 1 that getting permits by July 18 was "impossible," and that the district staff did not include any flexibility in the proposed contract.
"The contract tried to place us into a situation where we would be open for planning and development purposes only," Gatti said. "Everyone in that meeting knew the purpose was to open in the fall. The contract would have put us immediately in breach."
The building owners are "ready to pounce" on the construction project as soon as the permits are ready, he continued, with the goal to open as close to Aug. 11 as possible. But without a contract, he said, the school cannot spend money, including for renovations.
"We need a commitment," Gatti said. "It's very difficult to operate in limbo."
- Jeffrey S. Solochek covers education and politics in Hernando County. He can be reached at 352 754-6115 or solochek@sptimes.com[Last modified July 26, 2003, 02:18:07]
