STARS Board Works to Address Problems

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Communication is now the key word for the STARS school board, its teachers and parents of students.

After receiving complaints from parents and teachers about the board's unwillingness to respect term limits and to properly hold open meetings, the N.C. Office of Charter Schools found the board to be out of compliance with its own bylaws and placed it on "governance probationary status" July 16.

The status requires the board to comply with its bylaws by June 30, 2011, by providing the Office of Charter Schools with information that is normally required by the state open meetings law, such as proper notice of regularly scheduled and specially called meetings, along with making meeting minutes available.

The board is also required to take steps to implement proper term limits. All of the board's members have exceeded their maximum of two terms on the board. Each term lasts two years.

During a meeting held Friday afternoon at Sandhills Business Park in Aberdeen, Jack Moyer, director of the N.C. Office of Charter Schools in the Department of Public Instruction, lead a training session to address board conduct, open meetings law and compliance dealing with governance.

"We're all aware that there are a lot of issues going on," Moyer said to the board and the parents lining the walls in the small conference room.

Moyer described a perceived "founder's syndrome" at STARS, saying that it is common for founding charter boards to find difficulty relinquishing their authority and passing it on after being in office for a long time.

Several parents of STARS students agree.

Amy Stonesifer, a parent and former employee at STARS, is a parent who has been very vocal about the board's actions. Stone-sifer said that though the board has been making significant personnel changes at the school, it has not made its deliberations accessible to teachers or parents.

Meetings were often scheduled without proper notice at times of day that make it hard for working parents and teachers to attend. Meeting locations also did not effectively accommodate the public and were sometimes not handicap accessible.

"They needed to come into compliance and respect other people's views," she said. "They shouldn't treat us like we're not in a democracy here."

Stonesifer and other parents called and e-mailed the Office of Charter Schools after becoming frustrated with the board's indifference to their requests.

"It just really led to this," she said. "Parents felt like they needed to stand up for the teachers because the teachers really had no voice."

Moyer added that a lot of misinformation from both parents and the board have fueled the situation. He said that regaining compliance would be a step toward more open lines of communication for both parties.

"If the board doesn't know, that's their responsibility to find out what's going on," Moyer said.

Board Under Gun

Board treasurer Bonnie McPeake said the board was taking on its responsibility to find out what was going on when it began intervening in school business.

According to McPeake, the board began noticing odd things happening during the previous school year.

"The appearance of our leadership at the school was not good, so we came down on everybody," McPeake said. "We put new policies in place and new procedures with financial and reporting, and we started getting on top of everything."

McPeake said the board had to seize a school credit card from an employee and discovered the hiring of several staff members that were not approved by the board along with a conflict of interest issue in the hiring of a family member by an administrator.

Simultaneous-ly, the board was trying to implement new strategies for improving the school's end-of-grade test scores.

McPeake said that parent and teacher complaints came about because the board began restructuring.

"The people directly affected got it stirred up, and all the attention was diverted to the board," she said.

State Denies Changes

The board first learned that it was out of compliance with term limits back in May, when Jean Kruft, a representative from the Office of Charter Schools, instructed the board to make amendments to its bylaws in order to regain compliance.

"As soon as we realized it, we made amendments to our bylaws to make us in compliance," McPeake said.

During its June meeting, the board made several amendments to the bylaws, including the extension of each member's term by two to four years. The board also eliminated the parent and teacher representative positions, reducing the size of the board from nine to six members, including the chairman, who would only vote to break a tie.

Board members extended their term limits in order to begin the process of rotating off old members that would, in their view, allow them to comply with the bylaws and also adhere to the requirement that only one third of the board members be replaced at a time.

To officially amend charter bylaws, boards must have their amendments approved by the State Board of Education. The amendments made at the June meeting were not approved because they were board members serving with expired terms who voted on them.

Also, the removal of a STARS teacher representative from the board was in direct violation of the bylaws, which requires that a staff member always hold a seat on the board.

During the training session, Moyer recommended that the board reinstate the two board members eliminated at the June meeting, since the State Board of Education did not approve the bylaw amendment eliminating the position.

He also recommended that one board member resign, and that the three remaining members rotate off.

This process would allow the board to maintain three members that have a year left in their terms, while also having one vacant position to fill, along with six other positions that will become available.

The whole process would allow the board to become compliant with the Office of Charter Schools by October.

Moyer also recommended that the board establish grievance policies for parents, teachers and administrators, to ensure that there are forums for discussion between the board and the school community.

'Favoritism Going On'

STARS parent Dilles Walker said he doesn't believe that the board is the main problem for the charter school. He feels that poor end-of-grade test scores are more important than a board overstaying its term limits.

"This was misdirected," Walker said. "I honestly believe instead of being directed at the problem, it was being directed at the solution."

According to preliminary end-of-grade test scores, STARS missed its Annual Yearly Progress goal, an assessment mandated by No Child Left Behind, by three targets for the 2009-2010 school year.

"I honestly believe that there was favoritism going on, which was not necessarily teachers hired for the intent of the children," Walker said. "It was teachers hired for the intent of other people within the program."

Walker expressed serious concern for the well-being of his son, who will be a fourth-grader this year. He said that though his son did well on his end-of-grade tests, many of his classmates did not.

Walker also said that because his son never brought homework home during the school year, he had no way of monitoring his son's progress in school.

"I can't say that he can't do it because he passed," Walker said.

'True Colors'

After the meeting, Moyer said he realizes that the board's members care about what goes on at STARS, but he said the board is still accountable for implementing proper procedure.

"I don't think that [the board is] trying to do things wrong," he said. "I just think it's a case of they weren't on top of reading their own bylaws and staying on top of those things. They can't blame the state for that. They can't blame anybody for that."

Moyer went on to say that the Office of Charter Schools grants charter school boards the autonomy they seek, but, in return, the office expects schools to meet their primary goal of effectively educating students.

"Our job is not to control the schools," Moyer said. "We don't micromanage the schools. Our job is to monitor and make sure they're within compliance and then it's up to the school as to whether they're going to perform or not perform."

After the meeting, parents asked Moyer what they could do to make sure that similar situations with the board do not arise again. He stressed the importance of open communication between the board, administrators, teachers and parents.

"You have to work with the school and the administration to try and continue to have the goals that they've set out to take place," Moyer said.

Though a lot of uncertainty still remains before the start of a new school year Aug. 24, Stonesifer feels a little more optimistic about the situation now that the board is under pressure to change, but she refuses to let her guard down just yet.

"I think that things are going to change now, at least I hope so," Stonesifer said. "But I can definitely tell you that they showed their true colors."

Contact Hannah Sharpe at hannah@thepilot.com.

More like this story

SLA007 2 years, 9 months ago

This article has quite a few misleading statements in it, and it looks like the board has intentionally misled the writer. Very interesting that Board treasurer Bonnie McPeake said the board was "taking on its responsibility to find out what was going on when it began intervening in school business." She is not clear about what the "odd things" were, but the board basically got all their information about the "appearance of the leadership" from the school's bookkeeper, who works not even on campus but in a condo across the street from the school. The new financial policies and procedures were developed to give the bookkeeper more and more control - even more than the principal. The "conflict of interest issue in the hiring of a family member by an administrator" actually refers to the hiring of the school's bookkeeper - who was hired in 2003, and if the board has allowed that conflict of interest to continue all these years, that's the board's responsibility. The conflict of interest did not come about through a deceptive hiring by an administrator.

Vinnie 2 years, 9 months ago

Parents did not get "stirred up" because of the restructuring. Word got out that the board was abusive to the administration in meetings, and parents came to see what the fuss was about. It was obvious that certain board members were not happy to see the parents there. Any parent who was at the June 15 meeting was horrified to see how disrespectful certain members of this board were to certain members of the administration, one in particular. When they went ahead and just changed their by-laws without state approval, and seemed to be completely ignorant of what their own by-laws state, parents became further alarmed - not just by their arrogance and attitude, but also by an obvious lack of competence. Test scores are critical to keeping the school's doors open, but we parents do not think the board is capable of putting together a plan that will achieve that goal. We are very concerned!

Grammato2 2 years, 9 months ago

Parents want to know what the "new strategies for improving the school's end-of-grade test scores" are. It's obvious that here we are, in the middle of the summer, and all the staff, parents, and students are still waiting to hear what's going to happen this year. Even the best principal in the world with the best history of improving test scores is at a disadvantage coming in this late. But from what we can tell, the board plans to hire an assistant principal with no experience being completely in charge, who no one in Scotland County will hire because he's not capable. This "principal search" was initiated by Al Haltiwanger who hired his brother-in-law Rick Watkins (conflict of interest) to conduct the search, and this decision must have been made in a secret meeting, not a legal and open one, as there is no public record of this being authorized by the board.

smblack 2 years, 9 months ago

As a long time elected member of a public school board I am empathetic to the problems at STARS. Unlike many of my constituents on other public school boards, I am not hostile to the Charter School movement. I do find it hard to give up much needed funds for our public schools to Charters but I see the solution to that being more adequate funding from the legislature for both. I respect the parents and staff who wish to provide something different for their students. It's no small task providing an education to children. I feel that all the children deserve the best education we can provide and we're all in this together. I would like to volunteer some of my time to helping the board if they wish to focus on their roles as members and the relationship that should exist between the board and the administration to make it work smoothly. You may reach me at smblack123@yahoo.com Sue Black, Member, Moore County School Board

Well_U_Asked 2 years, 9 months ago

About time someone is saying something. My kids went to that school. There was issues left and write , we contacted the school via phone, attempted to have meetings , emails (still have the emals) and the responses I did get eventually and as well as writing the Charter School board in Raleigh. And nothing ever got done. This school is ran on a buddy system. This school told my Children if they did not go to a certain church cause Most of the ones running the STARS charter school attend the same church. But informed several kids mine and others they would go o Hell for not attending the church the board members / principal and others there . I transfered my children to that school ahead of there class by 2 years and when we left that school they were behind academically by nearly three years. I know a large family that their kids go there now and they are all way behind. If you have a child under the 4th grade you are fine . But over 4th grade there is a joke. I know a mother who sends her kids there now only because out of fear her kids will flunk in regualr public schools due to the fact that none of her kids not even her 16 year old can read much past 1st grade level.

1starmum 2 years, 9 months ago

Well U Asked. How untrue are your statements. You have gramatical errors and typos all over the place. Religion has never been discussed amoung my child's class. We don't go to church at all. Everyone does not go to the same church at the school. I am very involved and have put in many volunteer hours I have never heard such nonsense. As for the grades and performance levels perhaps that is your children's own personal problem. Not a problem here. My child and her friends are really excelling in all that they do. The issue is the board. It seems like you have personal problems.

1starmum 2 years, 9 months ago

Attention Board:

The STARS family demands answers! Do you realize many parents are planning to withdraw the kids from school if you do not give us answers right away? Be courteous write a letter, send an email, make a phone call, call a meeting. Respond to the post . We need to know what is going to come of the school. Perhaps you could have the nerve to post here or to our website or on the FaceBook group. WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GET OUR CHILDREN EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. WE DEMAND ANSWERS. I suggest you take the advice of Sue Black named above as well as Mr. Moyer! COMMUNICATION IS KEY!

LaurieB01 2 years, 9 months ago

I agree 1starmum - I have seen no indication of religious preference by any of the teachers or administration. I happen to know many of the faculty and staff are Christian but it has never been an issue, and the teachers certainly don't push their faith on any child. Ridiculous. My grandkids are in the lower grades, but I haven't seen any indication of the upper level kids have problems in learning. They are learning differently, that's all. In many instances they are learning by applying, not simply sitting and listening to a lecture. How do you measure that type of education on a standardized form? You can't, but I guarantee that later in life, the kid who learned to apply his education instead of just regurgitating words and numbers will be much better off. At STARS EVERYTHING is a learning opportunity. This past fall each and every child spent time planting flowers in the new flower beds, even the kindergartners (botany lesson). The older children helped to plan and layout the garden (geometry, biology, botany). When the children put on a play, the often write the script (English language and comprehension, composition, creative writing, expository writing, possibly history), the plan and build the sets (math, geometry, drafting and design), every child - no child is left out - learns his/her part, and performs on-stage (again English language and comprehension, public speaking). This is just a very brief breakdown of what these children are learning daily through their experiences at STARS. This doesn't even touch on art, dance, or music, nor does it address the actual classroom learning that does take place just like in any school. I would MUCH prefer my grandchildren to learn in this type of environment. Learning is not just cerebral. True learning is in the doing and I don't care what some ridiculous EOG scores say; they demonstrate nothing other than kids are capable of remembering what's been drilled into their heads for 6 months.

LaurieB01 2 years, 9 months ago

Oh, and as an aside to Mr. Walker... Sir, if you were that concerned about your son's education, perhaps you should have contacted his teacher and asked why he was not bringing homework with him daily. I know of one teacher who stopped sending it home because the parents were not having their children do it. This teacher began devoting some time each morning to having the kids do their homework in class where the teacher could make sure it was being done properly. Homework isn't just the teacher and child's responsibility, it is the parent's, especially in the early grades. When our grandkids didn't have homework, they would do worksheets from books that are readily available for various grade levels. Walmart carries them. You can also print out grade-level work sheets online.