Thursday, April 4, 2013

PROPONENTS COMMENTS AFTER THE VOTE RESULTS

                                      March 7th 2013


Islander News Report of Election results:

Proponents Letter to Editor :

 

 

 Round One is over. Now we can change the law to make it better more responsive to parents not teachers union or school boards on behalf of all Florida's parents. 

Proponent's Comments  at the Media Center after the vote was tallied March 1 (appx. 10:35 am) : 

I addressed Assistant Superintendent for School Choice Tiffany Pauline, Sharon Watson of MD-PTA, a School Board Attorney, District officials, K8 Center Principal Silvia Tarafa and (3) KB-PTA executive board members:   (not verbatim)


"I wanted to thank the District for allowing me to exercise my right as a parent, to call a vote to convert-to-charter as per state statute 1002.33. I strongly suggest the District Superintendent seriously consider rebuilding the K8 Center to welcome more Key Biscayne students. I am sorry our teachers can not realize they deserve and have earned a state of the art facility and our village community should open this school to more students . If not the same experience of anxiety you felt as teachers thus far this year and disappointment I feel today will be experienced again as I will re-submit the Trigger letter next year. But I believe the 2004 Parent Empowerment law's text will not be the same next time. 

I would not have ventured into this effort if I did not know that the Governor's office and many elected state officials were watching closely. The vote results clearly demonstrates that the Parent Trigger Letter Law has many flaws and without the proponents for charter able to present the merits of their proposal on school grounds while The District can present their opposition , the vote to convert can never materialize. I look forward to Round Two."

Thank You. O' 

A message from Principal at KEY BISCAYNE K-8 CENTER:

Good evening.  This is Ms. Tarafa reporting on the results of the charter conversion.  On January 8, 2013, I received a letter from two parents requesting a vote to convert Key Biscayne K-8 Center to a charter school. Pursuant to Section 1002.33(3)(b), F.S., and State Board Rule 6A-6.0787, F.A.C., the District was required to initiate the ballot process within 60 days to determine whether support exists for conversion. “Support” is defined as a majority of eligible parents and teachers. The voting began on February 21, 2013, and concluded on February 28, 2013. The official tally and public announcement was conducted by Ms. Heidi Brito, President, Key Biscayne Community School PTA, on March 1, 2013.

There were 899 parents and 84 teachers eligible to participate in the voting process. Of the eligible voters, 566 (63%) parents and 84 (100%) teachers cast votes.  The voting results overwhelmingly indicated a lack of support to convert Key Biscayne K-8 Center to a charter school.[1] (See chart of voting results below.)
  

Support for Conversion has failed:
Parents: YES 31 (5%)  NO 533 (94%)
Teachers: All 83 voted NO *

*(1 Teacher/Parent invalid ballot) (100%) 
 
Should have any questions, please call the school .
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.


[1] State Board Rule 6A-6.0787, F.A.C., stipulates that only one conversion vote may be initiated per school year.


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