Posts Tagged ‘Indiana charter schools’

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association (IPCSA) is hosting Charter 101, a basic introduction to the process of starting a charter school in Indiana, on March 7, 6 p.m., at the IPCSA office, 407 Fulton St., Suite 301. There is no charge to attend this session.

“Starting a charter school is a rigorous and daunting process requiring a team effort, diverse skills and talents, commitment and hard work. It is imperative that school developers understand the attributes of a quality school and build a strong foundation from the beginning,” says Russ Simnick, president of IPCSA.

“The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association is committed to the development of high-performing public charter schools and offers Charter 101 as an introduction to these processes,” Simnick adds.

Some of the topics to be covered during the free session include Indiana’s charter school law, the relationship between the authorizer and organizer, funding and timelines. Light appetizers will be served.

For more information about public charter schools in Indiana or to find events near you, visit INcharters.org.

Kevin Davis

Indiana Public Charter Schools Association President Russ Simnick is pleased to announce that Kevin Davis has been named vice president and chief operating officer. Davis will oversee new school development operations and support for existing charter schools.

“Kevin brings many years of expertise in traditional public and charter school management to our organization,” says Simnick. “Kevin’s position marks the beginning of significant growth for the IPCSA,” adds Simnick.

Previously, Davis was co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Options Charter Schools in Carmel and Noblesville. During his tenure, Davis co-authored the conversion charter school application for Options Charter School in Carmel and co-authored and led the team through the new school application in Noblesville.

Prior to his time at Options Charter Schools, Davis served as a principal and teacher in the Carmel and Speedway traditional public school systems.

Davis completed a B.A. in English from Ball State University and an M.S. in secondary administration from Indiana University. He continues his education by taking graduate-level coursework.

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association (IPCSA) is pleased to add several new member services to its variety of operational and support services.

Effective governance is critical to the success of any organization, especially charter schools. The IPCSA now offers aboveBOARD, a comprehensive program to strengthen each charter school board at any stage of its development. The aboveBOARD consultants will provide the essential knowledge that every charter board member and school leader must have about charter governance, then work directly with the governing body and school leadership to assess and develop the board into a high-quality, effective governing unit. Made possible through a partnership with the Indiana Youth Institute, aboveBOARD can be scheduled by contacting the IPCSA.

In addition, the new IPCSA Legal Help Desk offers the security and convenience for members to access attorneys for knowledgeable legal advice. Legal challenges can impact an institution’s reputation in the community, break the budget or threaten the school’s existence. To access the Legal Help Desk, IPCSA members can visit INcharters.org.

“There has never been a more important time to join the Association,” Russ Simnick, IPCSA president, says. “IPCSA membership is the first step for schools to deliver and support the high-quality education all Indiana students deserve,” adds Simnick.

Additional new member services include professional development, public relations support, document solutions, new school leader mentor program and Charter U for new schools.

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association offers services, advocacy and support for Indiana’s 70 public charter schools. Nearly 32,000 students attend public charter schools in Indiana. The Association web site is www.INcharters.org.

Paula Jackson-Eaglin

Indiana Public Charter Schools Association President Russ Simnick is pleased to announce that Paula Jackson-Eaglin has been named director of member services and new school development.

Before joining the IPCSA team, Jackson-Eaglin was national membership director for the Association of American Educators (AAE). During the time she oversaw membership recruitment efforts for AAE, the country’s largest national non-union educator organization experienced record growth.

Jackson-Eaglin traveled the country to promote AAE as a non-union alternative for educators seeking professional development, teacher advocacy and liability protection. Additionally, she built relationships and partnerships with a host of education reform entities, both nationally and within Indiana.

“We are delighted that Paula has joined the Association as director of member services and new school development,” says Simnick. “Her vast experience and expertise will be an asset to our current and future members.”

Preceding her time at AAE, Jackson-Eaglin served as the director of field development and lobbyist for the Kentucky Association of Professional Educators (KAPE), an independent educator association based in Lexington, Ky. In that role she was responsible for membership recruitment, government affairs, public relations, marketing, pre-service teacher training and outreach at professional conferences.

Prior to her extensive work with KAPE, Jackson-Eaglin worked as an elementary school teacher for seven years, teaching first, third and fourth grades. While teaching in the traditional public school setting, Jackson-Eaglin earned the distinction of becoming a National Board Certified teacher. During this time, she presented regularly at local and state level teaching and learning conferences.

Jackson-Eaglin also has significant experience in higher education, where she began her career. She served as an admissions counselor at Morehead State University, where she taught collegiate-level student success courses and advised several student organizations. She also served as coordinator/assistant director of alumni activities and director of university licensing, during which time she became a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy and was inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective honor society for all academic disciplines.

Jackson-Eaglin’s work in higher education was not limited to working as a university administrator. She expanded her expertise in the field as director of portfolio programs for the International Organization for Student Success, where she managed all aspects of the company’s college textbook program and conducted faculty training workshops all over the country to teach universities how to implement student success programs.

(FORT WAYNE, IND. – DEC 19, 2011) Russ Simnick, president of the Indiana Public Charter Schools Association (IPCSA), today announced that the IPCSA has filed a lawsuit to stop a transfer of title of a vacant school building to the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority (“Airport Authority”) because it violates a new state law.

The IPCSA, a membership organization of Indiana public charter schools, filed the complaint in Allen County on behalf of its member school, Timothy L. Johnson Academy, and any charter school that may be interested in the building. The IPCSA contends the law gives charter schools the right to lease or purchase vacant school buildings.

A new law passed this year by the Indiana General Assembly, Public Law 91-2011, requires school districts to report vacant school buildings to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and make those buildings available to public charter schools. Timothy L. Johnson Academy stated its interest to IDOE to lease or purchase the vacant Pleasant Center Elementary School, 2323 West Pleasant Center Road, from Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS).

IDOE notified Fort Wayne Community Schools that Timothy L. Johnson Academy could occupy the building and that the two parties should coordinate Timothy L. Johnson Academy’s acquisition of Pleasant Center Elementary. However, the board of the Fort Wayne Community Schools voted Monday, December 12, to instead transfer Pleasant Center Elementary School to the Airport Authority rather than make it available to the Timothy L. Johnson Academy.

Simnick says this is a violation of the law. “When a district closes a building, the new law clearly states that a public charter school has the right to use the school building for the reason taxpayers built it – to educate children,” said Simnick.

“Governor Daniels and the Indiana General Assembly were adamant that taxpayers paid for these buildings to be used as schools. Neither this district, nor any other, has the right to give the building away to someone else just so a charter school can’t use it to educate public school children. Indiana taxpayers should not stand for this, and neither will we.”

The Indiana Public Charter Schools Association offers services, advocacy and support for Indiana’s 65 public charter schools. More than 23,000 students attend public charter schools in Indiana. The Association web site is www.INcharters.org.

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