School board rejects MAST charter school application

peal BoardK

At the March N8 meeting, several residents spoke against the school board’s vote to keep MaST out of the districtK

Charles Alfonso of Middletown Township claimed that WKH dHFLsLRn wDs EDsHd Rn finDnFLDO FRnsLdHrDWLRns EHFDusH the board did not want to turn over to MaST the ANO,MMM it costs to educate a student in NeshaminyK

As a solution, Alfonso proposed that MaST accept the same A9,MMM per student fee that the Philadelphia School aistrict now pays the charter schoolK

iarry Pastor, also of Middletown, suggested that Neshaminy instead team up with MaST to help bolster Neshaminy’s own STEM EScience, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsF programK

“I can envision a deal that can work,” he stated, “that wRuOd EHnHfiW 1HsKDPLny Dnd WKH sWudHnWs.”

Meanwhile, Holly himball of ievittown tearfully told the board how her son, who has a learning disability, had to be sent to a private school because Neshaminy had IDLOHd WR RIIHr sROuWLRns IRr KLs rHDdLng dLIfiFuOWLHs.

According to himball, her son is now thriving and using technology that was unavailable in NeshaminyK

She said that a technology-oriented school, such as MaST, would greatly help himK

“It’s great to have on paper what you’re supposed to have, but you don’t have it in reality,” she contendedK

oesident aeb Parker also criticized the school board for rejecting MaSTK

She claimed that Neshaminy students often play games during their computer lessons, while MaST students use the time to practice typing, organizing spread sheets, and learning other more advanced computer skillsK

However, Steve Pirritano of ceasterville stated that the decision to deny the charter school’s application was the right oneK “I’m still willing to give Neshaminy a chance,” he saidK Board member Mark Shubin, who voted to accept the findLngs RI IDFW, sDLd WKDW WKH vRWH wDs FORsH, Dnd wDrnHd if there is a teachers’ work action next September, that the board’s support of the MaST charter school could changeK

Irene Boyle, who also voted to deny the application, said that the vote was “not taken lightly,” and stressed that MaST is “well regardedK”

“te need to try to preserve the public school system as it is,” she explained, noting that she still believes in the MaST’s overall philosophy and the right of parents to have school choiceK

Boyle said that if there is a lottery to choose who would attend MaST, she worried that “a lot of kids would be left behindK”

But board member Mike Morris, one of the four school directors who supported MaST, said, “It would be great if we could ever do itK”

“I believe in competition and I think that’s the way we’re going to straighten anything out with the NcT ENeshaminy cederation of TeachersF,” he said, alluding to the current stalled teacher contract talksK

In the past, one reason that several board members had indicated that they were concerned that if MaST were approved, there would be two charter schools competing for students in the Neshaminy districtK

iast year, the board had reconsidered its denial of a 6FKRRO LDnH CKDrWHr 6FKRRO’s (6LC6) DSSOLFDWLRn Dnd finDOOy grDnWHd D fivH-yHDr FKDrWHr IRr LW WR RSHn D .-12 IDFLOity in the districtK

However, SiCS-Neshaminy has had a considerable setback because in securing a locationK

The school district’s recent sale of former Eisenhower Elementary School site at NTMM toodbourne ooad in Middletown Township to SiCS-Neshaminy for AOKO million has apparently fallen throughK

Currently, the N4-acre area is used by the school district as a maintenance facility, with an adult day care center operated by aelta Community Supports, IncK also occupying the former elementary school site which was closed in N9TSK

In its lease with Neshaminy, aelta was given the right RI firsW rHIusDO WR Euy WKH SrRSHrWy Dnd nRw SODns WR dR sR, wKLFK nuOOLfiHs WKH sDOH DgrHHPHnW wLWK 6FKRRO LDnH.

In a statement, SiCS-Neshaminy said this leaves it without a buildingK School iane’s CEl and Principal haren Schade said, “te will continue to look for a locationK”

At one point during the March N8 school board meeting WHPSHrs flDrHd wKHn rHsLdHnW CKDrOHs $OIRnsR, Ln suSSRrWing MaST, was denied more time to speak after his threeminutes of public comment were up because he started to personally attack board member Mark ShubinK

Shubin supports consolidating several elementary schools and building a new one at the Tawanka site on Brownsville ooad, which Alfonso opposesK

After Alfonso left the podium, he walked past Shubin, who uttered a derogatory termK

Alfonso then shouted “what did you call me, did you call me an ‘EbleepF,’” and demanded an immediate apology from both Shubin and the board while being escorted to his seat by another residentK

At the end of the meeting, Shubin extended an olive branchK

“I would like to offer an apology to the board and the community for the comment I made,” he saidK “Things roll off the tongue and I apologizeK”