High school closes to switch to fully virtual education
Avondale Academy to be restructured; Teachers laid off
This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week — but, for the seven teachers at Avondale Academy, they just found out they’re being laid off.
On Monday, the Avondale Board of Education voted to close Avondale Academy and to restructure it as the Avondale Diploma and Careers Institute Virtual School – a fully online alternative high school.
Social studies teacher Paul Sandy said he is horrified by the board’s decision. He created the petition “Save Avondale Academy” and, as of Tuesday evening, it has more than 500 online signatures.
“It’s a central truth that all children deserve real teachers — not virtual teachers who can’t see them, talk to them, hand them fruit snacks out of their big Trader Joe’s bag, buy them art supplies or talk to them out in the hallway between classes,” said Sandy. “All students deserve an education that is hands-on and involves physical activity, social interaction and authentic, real learning.”
Avondale Superintendent Dr. James Schwarz said he will work to get job interviews for the laid-off Avondale Academy teachers where they are certified within the school district. He added that this decision was not an easy one to make and that it came after years of implementing different interventions to try and improve the school.
Schwarz said there’s been chronic attendance issues at the school, with only 60 to 65 percent of students showing up for class on a given day, declining enrollment and subsequent financial issues.
“If we invest more money (into the Academy), the question becomes, ‘Where do you take it from? … What other group of students are we going to disadvantage to make that happen? What group of employees is going to take compensation hits to make that happen?’ I bet there’s probably nobody raising their hands. But it’s got to come from somewhere. And why are we going to continue to fund a failing model?” said Schwarz.
“This issue boils back to Lansing. Everybody is coming at the district when, in fact, these issues are systemic funding issues that start in Lansing. … We really need legislators to prioritize a funding model that addresses these needs in districts. We’ve begged, we’ve pleaded, we’ve protested, and it’s been on deaf ears.”
Schwarz said many districts have decided to shut down schools that have these kinds of issues. If this happened, he said, “Avondale resident students would go to Avondale High School and any school of choice students would go back to their home district. … We chose not to do that. It’s not all about the money, but it is somewhat about the money. It has to be because we can’t create something we can’t sustain.”
As part of the decision, the Diploma and Careers Institute will provide all Avondale Academy students with their own Chromebook, and a resource center would be open Monday through Thursday, staffed with an adult mentor, for students who need in-person support. There would continue to be opportunities for breakfast and lunch, transportation and counseling for the students.
According to Frank Lams, assistant superintendent for Financial Services, this decision will save the district a substantial amount of money.
“The district would pick up 20 percent of the enrollment (from per-pupil state funding) and the net revenue. DCI would pick up the cost for the counselors and mentors, as well as all the hardware and software necessary for the program. So, there’s a shift of about $180,000 positive. This is based on 115 pupil enrollment for the Academy,” said Lams.
The online board meeting attracted nearly 150 attendees — a record number for the board. Teachers, parents, students and experts from Michigan universities and organizations all joined together to argue for the future of the 115 students at Avondale Academy. They addressed the board for about two hours in total during the public comment potion of the meeting. One of the speakers was State Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac).
“I was board president of Pontiac School District when the Academy came into existence. … To hear the inspirational stories from the teachers at the Academy, it really inspired me to go to Lansing and fight even harder for equitable education,” said Carter.
“What I’d like to say is this: What everybody should be hearing is the passion of the teachers who realize that no child should be truly left behind because of financial circumstances. … Give this school the opportunity to do what it promised the parents in Pontiac when they left Pontiac School District in hopes of finding a better education for their children in this Academy.”