Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
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Ruskin to house former charter school
The city school board Tuesday entered into what may be a first-of-its-kind partnership when it inked a deal to absorb an independent charter school but allow it to operate independently under the district’s control.
Construction of the district’s new Ruskin Elementary School in the Twin Towers neighborhood is nearing completion, but East End Community School had operated in a nearby district-owned school and draws many students from that neighborhood.
East End is an independently run and sponsored charter school founded in 2002. Under the agreement, the school board will have ultimate authority for the school but its day-to-day operations will be overseen by a five-person committee with two representatives from the school board. School officials said they believed the deal is the first such partnership in Ohio.
The school, with about 200 students, will roughly double in size when it moves to Ruskin. Its students will become part of the district’s enrollment count for school funding and the students’ state test scores will count toward the district averages.
Dayton schools made a similar move two years ago with the World of Wonder charter school. That school was independently-run but had always been sponsored by the school board and operated out of a district school building from its inception in 1999. But it converted completely to a district school through a similar agreement.
At Tuesday’s school board meeting, a group of East End students asked the board to allow the school to keep its name and “eagle” mascot rather than return to the Ruskin name and its “ram” mascot.
School board president Yvonne Isaacs said the board made a commitment to the neighborhood to bring back Ruskin, so that will be the school name.
However “an East End community school” will be added to the school sign to honor the new school’s charter school heritage, she said.
“We will bring the community to agreement on the name and mascot,” said board member Joe Lacey, who will serve on the site committee for the new school. “I will be happy if that is our biggest problem.”
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Charter Schools and School Choice, Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By no longer charter husbank
July 16, 2008 1:07 AM | Link to this
My wife was one of the EEACS teachers that lost their jobs because of the merger. She heard from another teacher today that they still hadn’t found out their fate yet. With DPS starting in less than a month, and other districts not far behind, it won’t be easy for many to find jobs. Making our family’s situation worse though is my wife gave birth about 2 weeks ago, and we found out about the loss of her job last Saturday, and now face all of her 6 week postpartum appointments without insurance. But unlike some of the EE teachers, we know about it now.By charter mom
June 28, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
East End has been an awesome school from the start. My children and other family members have learned more from this charter school than they ever did in a Dayton Public School and yes we are taking the new building and are proud to do so. East End has the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure to know and they truly care for the children and their education. I don’t like the fact my children will be involved with DPS, but I trust these teachers. If they leave, so do my children.By Charter Husband
May 22, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
The building was commissioned before the latest rounds of cuts, when it started construction, DPS didn’t know they were going to be in the position they found themselves in. East End was in another one of Dayton’s buildings this year, with the roof caving in by the stage, where DPS determined it wasn’t worth more than roping off since the building is slated for demolition. At any rate, even if 100% of the EE staff moved to Ruskin, there would be more teacher needed for the school. But since some plans seem to indicate that Ruskin will be k-6 and EE was k-7 this year, as well as the ‘director’ (they didn’t have a principal, and the director didn’t have an admin license) as well as staff that would hold no purpose (like the liaison between EE and DPS which would be unneeded…)By charterschoolhater
May 21, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
The fact that we paid for a new building to house a charter school is just another case of this board of ed doing what they want instead of what we the people want. After all the schools belong to we the people not just the out of touch gang of 7. That what elections are for. Next time throw the bums out and vote in people who will do the peoples bidding. Not their own bidding. A very sad day indeed. Just another case of the total lack of regard for tradition that this board has. Ruskin had a very long and proud past. It is ashame it is no more. Replaced by East End Charter school. That name just has no pizazz to it. Totally lacking in any creativity at allBy Charter Husband
May 21, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this
None of the teachers at East End have been offered contracts for next year as of yet. That may be determined soon, or not until the end of July. Nobody is really sure yet.By DPS Parent
May 21, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
Your both wrong. The charter school is becoming a DPS school. I will run as a DPS school. Your tax dollars did not pay for a new building for a charter school. Ruskin was going to open this year any way. There would not have been enough staff to run the school, so they hired teachers from the charter school to fill those positions.By Husband of EECS Teacher
May 21, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
My wife is one of the East End teachers who, like most of the other teachers at her building, doesn’t know if she will have a job for next year. Some of the teachers at that building used to be DPS teachers, others have always been private. Seniority of the charter teachers was explained as being defined by number of years paying into STRS, as such my wife would get an extra year, and some of the others that taught at private schools will lose years. As to which teacher are staying on, only time will tell but not even those at the charter school are currently safe. Not to mention many students there are only there because the parents didn’t want them in DPS, or they were pulled out of DPS for other reasons.By DPS TEACHER
May 21, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
You got it! And current DPS teachers who want to go to Ruskin are being limited to make space for the charter school teachers who will enter the district as first year teachers. Make any sense? Sounds like giving our jobs to charter teachers. So much for our seniority rights. Another stupid move by DPS.By Appalled DPS Teacher
May 21, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
Let me get this straight…Dayton taxpayers and the State of Ohio have built a brand new building so that a privately-owned group can operate a charter school?! Is this correct?!