DOVER–Parents made emotional appeals at a hearing Monday night in a final effort to save the troubled Reach Academy for Girls from closure by the state. But their pleas may not be enough to sway Delaware Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery.
The hearing was a final step in the state's formal review of the Claymont charter school, which focuses on leadership skills for more than 200 girls in kindergarten through eighth grade. Since its opening last fall, Reach Academy has been rocked by scandal within its own leadership as well as financial and budgetary problems. The upheaval at Reach has focused attention on the management and oversight of Delaware's 19 charter schools.
The state's Charter School Accountability Committee has recommended that the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) revoke Reach's license. Lowery will issue her recommendation at a state Board of Education meeting on July 21. If the board accepts her recommendation and votes for closure, the decision is final and there is no opportunity for appeal.
In the past, the “accountability [committee's] recommendation is what the secretary recommends,” said John Carwell Jr., director of the Charter Schools Office at DOE.
Many of the 20 parents, community members, and teachers who filled the Townsend Hall hearing room have fought to preserve the school throughout most of its first tumultuous year. Beth Conrad, whose daughter Samantha attended kindergarten at Reach, said her daughter sleeps poorly at night now because of the turmoil. Conrad worries about how her “soft spoken” daughter, who thrived at Reach, will fare at a larger school.
“My daughter has a new love of learning," Conrad said, with her voice breaking. "Her favorite subject is math. The school has taught her so much more than academics. She is able to go beyond what she believed is possible. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up. And because of this school she will be able to face that challenge and succeed. We just want you to give us a chance. We can succeed if you just give us a chance.”
Jodi O’Ferrall, a board member and a parent of a Reach student, echoed Conrad’s words. “We’re ready, able, and willing to make this happen. All we need is the opportunity,” she said.
Duane Werb, an attorney for the school, asserted that the issues that triggered the state's review have been remedied. He noted that Reach has replaced its leadership, created a citizens' budgetary committee to oversee finances, and established partnerships with the Brandywine School District. Werb then presented a petition with 330 signatures asking that Reach remain open.
“The concept of learning flourishes at Reach Academy and will continue to do so in the future," he said.
