Posted June 13, 2017 - see June 19 update below.
I just got this memo below which indicates a plan to setup a charter school in North Tavares, FL.
It is from the marketing rep for the big new integrated 1000-home village approved by the Tavares City Council that will be north of Waterman Hospital. They are the very organized Swiss firm that built Avalon Park community in Orlando. I have attended 3 meetings where they presented to the City of Tavares including their open house and sales office in downtown Tavares. I am guessing they plan to build this K-8 school within their development right by the hospital and use it as a draw for home buyers. They are a very organized firm like I saw in Southern California when I lived there. Their website is: http://www.avalonparkgroup.com/development-portfolio/ Here is their press release about the Tavares project which will be called “Avalon Park North”. http://www.avalonparkgroup.com/smaller-version-avalon-park-development-planned-tavares/
“The group’s plans submitted to City of Tavares include more than 1,000 residential units, including 300 single family homes, 300 multifamily units, 100 townhomes, and 330 senior living residences. There is also space for a K-12 private or charter school,”
It seems the threat of high performing charter schools siphoning off students from Lake’s public school system is ramping up with this proposal. Just last night (June 12) , the Lake County school board rejected a charter school application for the Clermont area due to several reasons – in my opinion, the applicant firm was not respectful, is out of this area, and didn’t even show up at Board meetings. They could file a state allowed appeal and lawsuit over the denial, but the Board resisted the idea of approving an apparently badly run charter school, even though it may incur legal costs. Once a charter school starts, it can float along for five years before reporting requirements kick in that could show it was badly run and should be closed.
Update: June 19, 2017: The School Board reviewed this same charter school today at a workshop with some proposed legal changes and the entire Board still requested the Attorney file paperwork to deny the charter school. None of them (in my opinion) felt confident in the ability of the proposed charter school organizers in performing well. ADDITIONALLY, the Board was notified another charter group just bought a building in south Lake County. That news threw a kink into plans to build a K-8 school in the four corners area due to growth. Why build it if a charter school can fill the capacity needs? The Board will know more in 2+ months.
Vance Jochim
Lake County, FL Fiscal Watchdog
FiscalRangers.com
[email protected]
From: Mara Hunt
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 1:39 PM
To:
Subject: A New K-8 Tavares School of Arts and Technology
New School Survey
Tavares Community Leaders & Parents,I am part of a local volunteer group that has formed to help establish a new tuition-free K8 public charter school in Tavares. As we all know, a quality education for our children is a primary key to the future of our families, our city and our community.We are planning the Tavares School of Arts and Technology that will offer our students, from kindergarten to eighth grades, an extended arts and technology curriculum, as well as courses in the performing arts, dance, band, chorus, orchestra and digital music production. Our school will be a replication of the award-winning Ivy Hawn Charter School of the Arts in Volusia County. Ivy Hawn (http://ivyhawnschool.org/ ) is an A-rated school that has an outstanding faculty comprised of Ph.D. educators and 100% certified teachers. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (“SACS”), and Ivy Hawn’s 2017 test scores represent some of the top scores out of all Volusia County schools.However, for our school to be built in this community, we need your support. We hope you will take 30 seconds to answer the few questions in our brief stakeholder survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q3YRVFN. Include your email, and we’ll let you know about any community meetings, announcements and other news regarding the development of our new schoolThank you for your time and commitment to our community.Sincerely,
Mara Hunt, Director of Development
Cell: 321-278-7040 | [email protected]
PS: For more information about tuition-free Florida public charter schools, you might want to visit: http://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/charter-schools/charter-school-faqs.stml .
