Petersen believes the money problems with Schenectady contributed to ICCS's demise and that the state should take a loser look at the payment arrangements.
I believe this to be true. I mean come on...does anyone actually thing that Mr. Ely and the City School district can do any better than the Charter school? At least the kids that went to the charter school were in a better environment regarding local. The Schenectady School system, although it may show some merit from time to time is not the school I would want my children to attend. I don't trust nor do I believe the findings that caused the demise of the Charter school. I believe it is all about the $$$$$$$.
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"We don't owe them nothing," Petersen said. "The Schenectady school district and ICCS are probably test-case bunnies for how you close down a charter school."
"We don't owe them nothing"? Shouldn't it be we don't owe them anything, or we owe them nothing? We don't owe them nothing actually mean you must owe them something. I see Paul Nelson pounced on the opportunity to quote a charter school official using bad grammar. I'm sure Paul could have written the article without that quote, obviously he was trying to make Tracy Peterson look stupid. Showing Paul's bias in favor of the public schools position.
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow is too lazy to form an opinion."-Will Rogers-
EDITORIALS School district should stop harassing charter
The Schenectady City School District is still playing games with the International Charter School. Though it grudgingly agreed to transfer $485,000 worth of state aid to the charter earlier this week to cover students from the district who are enrolled there, charter officials say the payment — based on enrollment figures it has provided the district — should have been nearly double. Meanwhile, the charter still hasn’t received the $520,000 it claims was owed from March. For that money, it has filed what is known as an intercept with the state Education Department, as it had to do when the district withheld parts of two prior bi-monthly payments, in November and January. On those occasions, the charter got its money directly from the state (two months late in both cases), but its request from March is still pending. The school district continues to do its best to harass the charter school operation, which seems more inexcusable than ever now that the SUNY Board of Trustees has decided to shutter the underperforming school at the end of the current year. With all the hoopla surrounding the charter’s fate, hasn’t this been enough of a disruption for the charter’s students already? Meanwhile, it is the state Education Department’s contention that enrollment disputes like this should be settled at the end of the school year, not in the middle — which is why it continues making intercept payments every time the charter files for one. Since the school district has filed suit over this, why not just make the payments and settle the matter in court, once and for all?
Schenectady charter school asking $7.5 million for building Tuesday, May 13, 2008 By Michael Goot (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — The International Charter School of Schenectady’s closure committee voted Monday to list its school building with Prudential Blake-Atlantic Realtors of Albany at a price of $7.5 million.
“The building will go on the market posthaste,” said ICSS board President Tracy Petersen.
The school is closing at the end of the academic year and still has nearly $7 million in outstanding debt.
“We are just trying to clear what we owe our creditors,” Petersen said, adding that the building was appraised at $9 million in November, when school officials obtained a line of credit from First Niagara Bank.
ICSS bought the former Draper School in 2005 for $1.5 million and spent millions more on renovations. The goal is to find a buyer by the end of the calendar year.
As part of its agreement with ICSS, Prudential would earn a 5.5 percent commission on the sale.
I drive past this every once in a while, and while I'm not in the market for such a building, I must say that it really does look rather nice from the outside.
I still have to agree with Senders. It should be a nursing home. I'm sure it won't go to waste since the boomers are on their way up. It should be privately owned and not another county beast like Glendale. OR make it a Hospice only facility. There are hospice rooms designated at all medical facilities. Why not just pull them all, which would make additional room for other residents/patients and consolidate all hospice patients to one location.
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Parents at loss at charter closing Some express reluctance to send their children to Schenectady city schools
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Tuesday, June 24, 2008
ROTTERDAM -- Parents at the International Charter School of Schenectady crowded in front of the school's auditorium stage Monday morning cheering and taking pictures of their beaming children who, decked out in sundresses and tiny suits, were graduating from kindergarten. But beneath the giddiness lay a sadness for many. It was the last time their children would attend the school. This is the charter school's last graduating kindergarten class.
In March, Schenectady's school became the seventh charter school in the state to be closed by the state's SUNY board of trustees. The board cited the kindergarten through eighth-grade school's revolving-door leadership and declining enrollment as the reasons. The school, open in 2002, most recently occupied the former Draper school building in Rotterdam. The school will officially close Monday.
Parent Kathy Sullivan of Schenectady got out a tissue before the ceremony after reading a poem on the back of the program from the school's kindergarten teachers that said in part, "I can't believe the end is here. I hate to see you go."
"It's very sentimental," said Sullivan about the ceremony, which shepherded the school's 95 kindergartners into first grade. "It's a double-edged sword."
"It's a shame," she said. "(the school) really started something good."
Each class took turns on stage singing a song, fiddling with their small black caps and tassels and getting a diploma from their teachers. Most of the children were unfamiliar with the graduation tradition of shaking hands when taking their diplomas and teachers told them which hand to raise and what to do with it.
"Despite all that's happened at this school," said teacher Nicole Izzo to her students and the hundreds in the audience, "I'll never forget this year and I'll never forget these kids."
After the ceremony, students and family members gathered in the school's small gym for cupcakes and brownies. Chaina Porter, holding her 8-day-old daughter, and husband Robert waited for their kindergartner, Rhaymi, to return with her plate of goodies.
The Porters, who said they put their daughter in the charter school because they don't have much faith in Schenectady city schools, said the school's closing won't affect them because they are moving to Scotia.
Many parents said they have negative feelings about city schools, and worry about where children will now attend classes. The International Charter School of Schenectady was the city's only charter school. Many kids will now go to city schools.
"I was so comfortable here, my son was comfortable here," said parent David Torres, whose daughter, Jaicha, was in the kindergarten ceremony. Her brother, Tristian, was a charter school first-grader. "The teachers were great. They should have given it a chance."
Stanforth can be reached at 454-5697 or by e-mail at lstanforth@timesunion.com.
ROTTERDAM — With tears and hugs, students exited the International Charter School of Schenectady for the last time this morning.
While nearly all students look forward to summer vacation, the last day of school was bittersweet for these students because it was the last day for this school ever.
“I feel like crying,” said 8-year-old third-grader Kayuska Soliveras.
She said she will miss the happiness, friendships and math. DailyGazette.com video
To view a video report of this story, click here.
In March, the SUNY Board of Trustees voted not to renew the school’s charter, citing poor academic performance. Some 50 or so students already transferred back to the Schenectady City School District schools, leaving the school with an enrollment of about 532.
Acting Director Shirley Reed said the staff is pleased because they were able to raise test scores on the state tests. However, in spite of that, school is still closing.
The charter school trustees are trying to find a buyer for the Draper School building. It has listed the property at $7.5 million.
Those poor kids. Now they have to go to the snake pits in Schenectady.
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