New Application Hearing for High School of Health Sciences Leadership Charter: January 22, 2020

District Finds Deficiencies Throughout HS2L Application

by Lynda Rubin

The School District held the second of two hearings for new charter applications on Thursday January 22. The High School for Health Sciences Leadership Charter  hearing began at 2 PM. Representing the charter’s founding coalition were Tim Matheney, Incorporator, Founding Coalition leader, and proposed Board Member; Geordie Bracken, Founding Coalition member and educational consultant; Michael Whisman, CPA from Charter Choices, Inc., an educational consulting firm advising charter investors and operators; and Attorney Kathleen Nagle.

District Chief of Charter Schools Christina Grant read a summary of the Charter Schools Office (CSO) application evaluation. 

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Defenders of Public Education Speak before the BOE, January 30, 2020

BOE

Testimonies have been listed by topic.  Click on the individual’s name to read a transcript of his or her testimony.

Charter Renewal and New Applications

Deborah Grill

Lisa Haver

Karel Kilimnik

Maddie Luebbert

Janet McHale

Bob Nelson

Diane Payne

Ilene Poses

Lynda Rubin

Consulting Contracts

Joan Fanwick

Kristin Luebbert

Tasaday Messina

School Libraries

Barbara McDowell McDowdall

Toxic Schools

Rachel Boschen

Kathleen Butts

Eliezer Gottlieb

Emily Pugliese

Ella Schwalb

Joan Myers Brown Revised Application Hearing: January 22, 2020

by Lynda Rubin

Third Attempt for String Theory, Significant Community Opposition 

Hearings on this year’s new charter applications–High School for Health Sciences Charter and Joan Myers Brown/String Theory–were held on Wednesday, January 22, 2020. PA Charter Law stipulates required procedures and timelines for new charter applications submission and decision. This includes two public hearings and the timeline by which the Board must issue its decision. Although both hearings were open to the public, testimony by supporters and/or opponents could be given only at the first hearing, held on Friday, December 20, 2019 at 4 PM. No public testimony was allowed at the January 22 hearing.

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Ears on the Board of Education: January 30, 2020

by Diane Payne

This jam-packed Action Meeting convened at 5:00 p.m. and adjourned at 10.  As expected, many speakers lined up to address the ever-expanding toxic schools crisis.  Made explicit from the testimonies of staff, administrators, and parents: there is a serious disconnect between what the District claims it is doing to address this public health crisis and what students and staff see happening. Speakers cited the lack of consistent, thorough, and clear communication; the failure to involve stakeholders in decisions and plans; and a lack of compassion and humanity in addressing parent, student, and staff needs.  Those who stuck it out until the very end included members of the Caucus of Working Educators (WE) of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) and members of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators (CASA). Some saw as disrespectful the Board’s failure to acknowledge the presence of CASA President Robin Cooper or to bring her up to the table sooner.

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