SCHOOL'S OUT-TROUBLES AT OMNI PREP CHARTER SCHOOL LEAVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS IN LIMBO AND RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE REGULATED; April 14, 2011; Memphis Flyer (TN)
…[Courtney] Eskew and another kindergarten teacher called the meeting to explain why they had resigned from Omni Prep lower school the preceding week, only eight weeks before the end of the academic year. The following Monday, April 4th, three more teachers would resign…
Omni Prep North Pointe charter school was founded last year by Cary Booker [Newark mayor Cory Booker’s brother] and Marc Willis and opened last August…
News outlets and Omni Prep administrators alike reported that the five teachers left because Omni Prep told teachers in mid-March that they would only receive one-third of their paychecks. (This was not the first time Omni Prep had been unable to pay teachers; they skipped a pay period in July, which was made up in back pay.) But the former teachers have since come out in defense of their resignations, citing a host of concerns about the overall functioning of the school…
Teachers agree that the school's plan was exciting and inspiring on paper, but they soon became apprehensive about how the vision would work in practice. For Eskew, doubts began when teacher training was cut short so teachers could commit themselves to recruiting students.
"I think the fact that I started to work for a school that had no students — that was my first moment of doubt," Eskew says. "We were told, Training is stopping because we don't have our quota. We asked, How many students do we have? They said five. And two of them were one of the principal's own kids."…
Teachers also expressed concern over not being fingerprinted, a standard safety procedure for working with children in the Memphis City Schools system. They were similarly uneasy about their training being cut short…
But the former teachers' complaints don't stop there. No books, no curriculum, no consistency, and no recourse for their concerns were among the top grievances. Many teachers complained about the way students were grouped by ability: basic, proficient, and advanced. At the beginning of the year, Eskew says, "I was asked to divide my students into three groups based on ability — no instruction as to how to do that. Just 'group them by the end of the day.'"…
"I can't say that the administration, as far as Marc Willis and Cary Booker, was aware of all the problems we were having as a lower school," she says. "They were very rarely present, unless giving tours to members of the board or visitors or potential donors."…
Because Omni Prep did not get the enrollment numbers the founders expected and did not receive the state funds they budgeted for, financial worries were present from the beginning…
[Memphis City School Board member Tomeka] Hart believes charter boards should be required to go through school board training, just like the Memphis City School Board does. "If the board is doing what a board should do, it would be the first to know the issues that a charter school may face. Part of it is making sure that those boards are present and accountable, the same way we have to be…
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Watch the FOX TV news report HERE.
2 comments:
I really wish I'd seen this as it happened. Omni Prep Academy is the school my little girl goes to, and we were shocked when the teachers walked out. We knew there were issues with the teachers, but the way they handled themselves was shameful. The money was coming and the problem was with the city, not with private funders paying out. We've had trouble with the city not paying what they owe the Memphis City schools as well as the charter schools. The superintendent and the school board are just as embarrassing, trying to hold the schools hostage this year demanding money early that they will just mismanage as usual. I LOVE Omni Prep. My daughter has autism, and the school has handled her special needs brilliantly. I had no problem with Ms. Eskew, although I was never a big fan of her discipline methods, but when she told us we should withdraw our children because the school was closing she caused so much more pain than the school itself. Many of my daughters friends left because their parents thought they had no choice. We stuck around because I believed and still believe in the founders. I hope the school is open again this year, but what with the funding being botched from the city again they may not even re-open, but it won't be because of THEIR failings.
I hope you'll allow this to stand from a parent with a very good experience at the school. I don't have any accounts to sign in with so I'll stick with "anonymous" but my email address is CDStephenson2112@Gmail.com.
I understand you are exposing bad charter schools but this one got a lot of press because the teacher, Ms. Eskew, called the Flyer herself and told a few lies because she was angry. And I understand, she didn't get paid and that isn't right, but the school simply hadn't received the funds from the city that they were told to expect. Money started running out mid-year because they were waiting for funds. They eventually received them but not until after this mess. My daughter finished out the year with two wonderful substitute teachers who showed her just as much love and support. They combined classes to do it, and the gym class and music had to be put aside somewhat, but THEY stuck with the children until the end, and they should be commended for this. Also, the issue with not having an on-site nurse was because they were told by MCS that a nurse would be provided but that was changed as well and they were told there just weren't funds. Very few Memphis City Schools have a full-time nurse these days so there's no reason to admonish Omni Prep for something that the city schools weren't doing either. I do know that my daughter's therapists came when they were supposed to and she was given adequate care every day.
Sorry I've written a lot here but I feel like we were all duped by disgruntled teachers and that if we'd all come together (those of us left behind DID THIS) we could have found some solution that didn't involve lying and abandoning the students without more than a phone call before they walked out.
Nevermind my first comment. Since the time I wrote that I have since withdrawn my daughter because I felt the school had become INSANELY mismanaged. Since enrolling her in a public school I've found her old school was deceptive in their claim that they were more advanced. She is so far behind! I'm just lucky she's smart because it's been hard playing catch-up.
Again you can reach me at CDStephenson2112@gmail.com
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