County Education Board Approves Bridges Charter School
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PDF versionVentura County Star - 17 February, 2010 by Marjorie Hernandez
Parents who fought to open a charter school in Thousand Oaks that they say would provide a unique choice for families now have the chance to establish their program in the fall.
The Ventura County Office of education board voted 4 to 1 to approve Bridges Charter School, with some trustees praising petitioners’ vision for a constructivist, whole-child learning environment.
“I don’t view it as the tearing apart of the educational fabric,” said Trustee Dean Kunicki. “This has led to competition and it becomes a wake up call (for school districts) when they lose students. I am pleased to offer my support for this charter.”
Conejo Valley Unified School District board initially denied the charter in November, citing “major deficiencies” in the application, including components within the charter’s special education and home school plan.
On Tuesday, Associate Superintendent Roger Rice said the charter could address such concerns by agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding with the county Board of Education to ensure those criteria are met.
Parents at the Open Classroom Leadership Magnet at Conejo Elementary said they fought to establish Bridges Charter School because they want autonomy to expand what, they say, will be a special K to 8 program for families.
More than 70 Bridges supporters, all dressed in green, packed the county board room in Camarillo Tuesday night and burst into applause after trustees announced their individual votes.
“I’m elated and ready,” said teacher and Bridges Charter lead petitioner Lori Peters as she wiped tears from her face. “I am proud that the county was behind us. I just really appreciate our community and families who have stood behind us.”
Marty Bates, the only trustee who voted against the charter, said Bridges did not offer a unique program as petitioners have claimed.
“It appears to me that the charter will only replace a program already in place in the (Conejo Valley Unified School District),” Bates said. “I think the CVUSD has indicated that they are willing to expand the Open Classroom program and they have done an outstanding job in educating students in the Conejo Valley. This allows too many groups to come in and usurp its elected board and will deteriorate the Conejo Valley.”
Conejo Valley Unified officials said opening the charter would cost their district at least $1 million in facilities improvements and a loss of about $750,000 in daily student attendance funding the district receives from the state.
“The other 21,000 plus students and their parents would have to accept the impact, even though they are already suffering from the worst budget crisis in memory,” said Conejo Valley Unified Superintendent Mario Contini.
Conejo Valley Unified Trustees have already approved the Horizon Hills School campus on Greta Street in Thousand Oaks as the site for the Bridges Charter.
Contini said charter officials have until March 1 to respond to their site offer.
Bridges officials, however, said they still would like to establish their program at the University School campus on Atlas Avenue in Thousand Oaks.
“Now the real work begins,” said Bridges supporter and parent Jon Baker.