Charter school gets okay from the county

After nearly five hours of testimony and a split vote, the Ventura County Office of Education school board approved development of a Conejo Valley charter school after the local trustees denied it.

Many of the nearly 150 MATES supporters cried happy tears and celebrated with one another after the decision. Marlo Hartsuyker, president of Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School (MATES), said she was thrilled.

"I'm just so elated," Hartsuyker said. "We have been so pleased with the process and impressed with the board. We are totally looking forward to working with them."

The Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) Board of Education voted last year to close two elementary schools, Meadows and University, in response to financial concerns.

Shortly after Meadows was named, parents mobilized, first fighting for a magnet school, and then a charter, to open on the Meadows campus.

The board voted 3-2 for the petition. It was a suspenseful hour as board members battled with their decision openly and struggled to avoid considering the fiscal impact of the school on the district, which lawyers said shouldn't be taken into account.

"The public voted (to elect) their trustees to handle their financial responsibilities," said trustee Mary Louise Peterson. "This is really putting them in a tough spot."

There was some discussion about whether MATES parents were more concerned about retaining the Meadows site than about developing a charter program.

"It's not about the four walls and the ceiling and floors," said trustee Chris Valenzano. "I'm making my decision based on that; even if you don't get offered the site, you stay committed to this program, even though you haven't said that."

There's some ambiguity in the law that determines if a conversion charter school must be offered the home site for its program. A court case currently being fought will establish the precedent. MATES board members believe they will have the legal right to stay at Meadows, while CVUSD Superintendent Mario Contini said the district won't offer the Meadows site unless required by law.

Sheri Polisini, a MATES board member, said when Meadows teachers signed on to teach at MATES, they did so with the understanding that they would stay at the site.

"The teachers have to be considered," Polisini said. "These people have put in time, their careers and a great deal of their teaching life into this process."

Polisini said before they committed to the possibility of setting up MATES at a different site, they needed to talk with the teachers.

Trustee Lee Elder said he believed there wasn't enough innovation in the program. He voted no because he didn't see a "radical departure" from what was already being done in CVUSD.

Members of the county board said they wished the CVUSD school board would have passed the charter.

"My wish is that CVUSD would have issued the charter and they still had involvement with MATES," said trustee Marty Bates, who represents the Thousand Oaks area on the county board. "The reason I believe in charter schools is because I believe the (education system) has stopped listening to parents."

The nearly 30 speakers were roughly split down the middle in opinion. CVUSD board members, principals and parents from CVUSD elementary schools spoke in opposition, while Meadows parents and MATES board members fought for the charter.

"Nothing short of keeping Meadows school open was acceptable to this group," said CVUSD board member Dolores Didio. "This could have all been avoided if the Meadows parents would have accepted a proposal for a magnet school at a site more physically suited for this," Didio said. "They have met neither the spirit nor the letter of charter law. Your approval of this charter would undermine the concept of local control."

MATES parents said they have nearly 400 students whose families have signed intent-toenroll forms.

Valenzano issued a closing warning to the packed room. "While I was listening (to audience speakers), I was thinking'It's parents versus principals,'"

Valenzano said. "This is a victory for the kids at Meadows, buit's not a victory for the community. Don't let this issue divide your community."