School Board acts on flawed evaluation; refuses discussion during meeting
The Monroe City School Board voted 5-2 on Tuesday night not to renew Excellence Academy’s charter for the 5th year. The District’s middle school has been in operation since 2013 and currently hosts 195 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students.
At it’s meeting on Tuesday night, the board convened into an executive session to receive information from a third-year evaluation report. The report addresses the character, professional competency and fitness of individual board members and administrators of Excellence Academy.
Without comment the Monroe City School Board agreed to shut down its only charter school based in part on the findings of an evaluator’s report that showed Excellence Academy with a “D” state report card grade.
Most inner city schools in the district have “D” grades. Excellence is a middle school, that ranks second among the district’s four middle schools followed by Carroll Jr. High and Martin Luther King. Lee Jr. High is the district’s top middle school.
The evaluation was done by Kathleen Padian of New Orleans through her company, Ten Square, LLC.
At Tuesday’s meeting the board did not hear from Ten Square, LLC but retired to an executive session and returned to vote to shut down the school without hearing from the school’s leaders, who were present.
“We came to hear the report and give our response,” said Robert A. Tanzy, Sr. president of the Excellence Academy School Board. That opportunity never came because as soon as the board made its decision it abruptly adjourned.
Ten Square, LLC spent less than two hours at the school in February. They did not talk to me, the board president or any administrative staff of the school with knowledge of its history, records and operations,” said Roosevelt Wright, Jr., founder of Excellence Academy.
Wright said it came as a surprise because the school’s contract with the district requires written notice of any reasons for closure and a chance to rebutt them prior to any vote to close the school.
Next week Excellence students begin state testing after which the school will close for the year on May 12.
Wright said closing down a $2 million operation and returning all inventory to the district in 30 days will be a challenge.
The board deliberated in executive session and when it came back into the board chambers, a motion was made by Board Member Jennifer Haneline.
“Mr. President I make a motion that we accept the recommendation of Ten Square on the evaluation of Excellence Academy that we not renew the charter for the fifth year,” Haneline moved.
Haneline’s motion was seconded by Board Member Brenda Shelling. There was no discussion on the motion by board members. There was no one present from the public that signed to speak for or against the matter. Board President Bishop Rodney McFarland called for a roll call vote. As the roll was called: Mrs. Jennifer Haneline- In Favor, Mrs. Vickie Dayton- In Favor, Mr. Bill Wilson- Against, Mr. Darryl Berry- No, Mr. Brandon Johnson- In Favor, Mrs. Brenda Shelling- In Favor, Bishop Rodney McFarland- In Favor.
