As Gilroy Prep School founder Sharon Waller put it, the fiscal
climate for opening a brand new educational institution probably
couldn’t get any worse.
”
But it’s not going to get any better,
”
she said. Despite trying times, Waller reiterated GPS
administrators are resolved to finish what they started.
As Gilroy Prep School founder Sharon Waller put it, the fiscal climate for opening a brand new educational institution probably couldn’t get any worse.
“But it’s not going to get any better,” she said.
Despite trying times, Waller reiterated GPS administrators are resolved to finish what they started.
As California’s massive state deficit threatens jobs, classroom sizes, scholastic programs and teachers’ paychecks, Gilroy Unified School District trustees are preparing to announce statutory layoffs by March 15.
Everything has since come under scrutiny by staff, parents and the public – including the necessity of opening a brand new charter school next fall.
With loss of positions and specialized programs becoming more imminent, Waller said one parent even approached a GPS board member with concerns GPS would be responsible for cuts to school sports programs.
“We could kind of become the whipping boy for some of the problems,” she said. “Sports are ideal, but what matters is that we start reforming education in a faster rate.”
Right now, GPS leaders are waiting to see if a $575,000 start-up California state grant will come through.
If this happens and GPS opens in August, GUSD could lose $1,057,000 in unrestricted funding according to Kirsten Perez, director of fiscal services for GUSD.
“Generally the funding for schools follows the students, so the larger number of students who attend Gilroy Prep Charter, the more Gilroy Unified revenues would decrease,” she said.
In a recent e-mail, Perez explained GUSD would have to reduce six teaching positions next year due to loss of enrollment to GPS. This would save a projected $390,000, but the GUSD budget would still be negatively affected by $667,000, she wrote.
Currently there are there are 220 students enrolled in GPS for the 2011-12 school year, according to Waller.
She reminded about 110 of those students are kindergartners, and during the first year, GPS will only cater to 60 students in each of the kindergarten, third and second grades.
Still in the wake of uncertainty, financial hurdles and ensuing minutiae that accompanies the opening of a brand new school, Waller maintained there is no such thing as an ideal time for change.
“If it doesn’t work out this year, I’m not going away,” she said. “We’re committed no matter what. Things need to change.”
For the veteran educator and speech therapist at Luigi Aprea Elementary School, it’s a matter of seeing what works, taking note of what doesn’t and having the freedom to create an academic environment where teaching styles aren’t entirely defined by bureaucratic red tape.
“GPS will be a great addition to the district and will be good investment in the long term,” she said.
Waller, who has been working towards opening a charter in Gilroy for more than 10 years, explained the independently designed format of a charter allows administrators to incorporate innovative curriculums and tailor programs to specific learning needs.
“The beauty of a charter is that it’s a small system,” said Waller, explaining administrators can examine what the essential elements are, then decide what to cut.
She said she knows GUSD is bound up by its own largeness; an element GPS aims to get away from.
“We have the opportunity to provide the model of an efficient, effective education, and it’s got to start somewhere,” she said. “It’s really an opportunity to show that under dire economic circumstances, kids can still receive an excellent education.”
With GUSD facing a $3.3 million gap if temporary tax extensions pass in a special June election – or a $7.3 million gap if they don’t – GUSD trustees have asked staff and community members for suggestions on saving money.
“Yes, GPS is a big hit on the general fund,” said GUSD Superintendent Deborah Flores during a Feb. 10 school board meeting as she addressed some of the comments coming in through the district’s online suggestion forum.
“But the board could not deny that petition because of the hit it would have on our finances,” she explained. “The petitioners met all the requirements of the law.”
Waller said GPS leaders – which includes Karen Humber, Kristyn Corley and Eliot Elementary Principal James Dent – are not immune to this tension, but added they will not abandon their commitment in pursuing what they feel is a necessary addition to the education offerings in Gilroy.
“I would encourage people that have questions to find out what charters schools are really all about,” said Humber. “We are a public school, and we are serving GUSD children.”
Waller brought up the fact GPS is modeled after two charters that have similar demographics to Gilroy: The Rocketship system in San Jose with its Mateo Sheedy Elementary school posting a 2009 API of 930, and Sixth Street Prep School in Victorville, which has an API of 938. The scores came from the schools’ websites.
According to Flores, California’s goal for all schools is an API of 800.
In a message posted by Flores to parents on the district’s website, six GUSD schools had API’s in the mid-700s or above, two more are fast approaching the 800 mark and four exceeded the state’s goal with Gilroy Early College Academy reaching 894.
Waller emphasized maintaining a good relationship with GUSD is a paramount priority.
“Education reform of any kind comes with a cost, and unfortunately, the timing again is bad,” she said. “But we’re committed. The education of our children needs to change.”
