HUFFINGTON POST Introduces Racism into Windham School's Problems

The Huffington Post featured Windham Schools in an article May 25th. It's bothersome that the author, Michael Melia, screwed up the chronological details of budget votes but he blew my soxs off when he introduced racism into Windham's education problems with a quote from Superintendent Annie Ortiz

Read the full article

Part 2: Special Master Adamowski, Miracle Man or Magician ?

Scroll down to Part 2 if you have read the introduction

Introduction

Steven Adamowski

Ron Robillard writing two weeks ago in the Chronicle's Album hit the nail on the head. He  explains that writing can be hard work but the fun part is doing the research. Robillard says,

 " Done right, research takes you to places you didn't know existed. When you start look­ing for information about one topic, you invariably run into something unexpected — and often more interesting than your initial topic."

That has happened to me in my short (maybe100 paragraphs) writing career. In October of 2012 I set out to paint a bleak financial picture of Windham suffering through the worst recession in modern times. Instead I found that Windham was riding out the storm quite admirably. See Riding Out the Recession Storm  

 The Conn Mirror announced the impending selection of a charter school for Windham on June 4, 2013. "The charter school will be run by Our Piece of the Pie, a Hartford-based nonprofit that helps and provides tutoring and counseling for vulnerable urban students.The school will be known as the Path Academy.

Going through the OPP's 650 page charter application two sentences stood out;

"In the event that this location (former Jillson Movie Theaters) is no longer available for acquisition or not prepared for school opening in Fall 2014, Windham Public Schools has preliminary agreed to provide space within an approved school building."

Just out of curiosity  I contacted Windham Schools Central Office. According to projections  space would be opening up at Kramer for the 2014-15 school year. Also the high school operates at half capacity with no appreciable student increases for the foreseeable future. I asked where, might, the new charter school be housed? Central office's reply; 

  "Where did you hear this bit of information?"

 Something started to smell fishy. 

"Could there be a story here?"

For two weeks a dozen emails bounced back and forth between myself and Central Office. I had two questions; Who in the Windham School organization committed to provide space, to Path Academy, and where was that space located?

What did I get? One spin after another. Stuff like:

"No one has ever doubted the need in Windham for the educational services that OPP provides, including our Board and Dr. Adamowski. There are many students in this community that could benefit. By our Board not endorsing it, they are simply not involved in any of the educational operations, decisions, etc of the school. It’s a completely separate entity from Windham Public Schools and that is why we are not involved. OPP has not even presented their proposal to our Board, they have only approached the Windham community."

Another day:

"The decision to come to Windham was made by OPP and was approved at the state level. Windham Public Schools has nothing to do with it even if administration and the Board has acknowledged that the charter school could be beneficial to this community. I can only speak on behalf of Windham Public schools, its administration and our Board. If you have further questions about why OPP’s proposal was approved for Windham you would have to direct them to the state or OPP."

It was like I was amidst a pack of frenzied figure skaters.

OPP's Bob Rath

June 10, 2013, I contacted Bob Rath, CEO of Our Piece Of the Pie. I explained the predicament. I asked him about Windham's commitment providing space in one of Windham's school facilities. He said it was a verbal commitment. I asked who made the verbal commitment? Rath wouldn't name names. He said, "lets just say a senior school official"  

June 11, 2013, I contacted Windham School's central office with Rath's comments and  asked again who made the verbal commitment? The reply:

"Will mention this to the Superintendent. Both she and the board have yet to endorse the PATH academy and have not had anything to do with determining space for it. I have also been told that no WPS space has been offered up to host the Academy should one of the proposed sites not pan out. So I’m in the dark on who the “senior official” is that is making verbal agreements.May I suggest that you attend one of the upcoming Board of Ed meetings (there is one tonight at 7pm) and ask this question during public comment."

So now they have me dancing through hoops. It's not only the spinning it's going to board meetings too. I know the board won't be helpful even if they know what is going on.

On June 19th I give it one last try. I send my final request:

"I would like a letter (email is fine) from The Master or The Superintendent stating that there has never been communications, verbal or written, concerning WPS granting Our Piece of the Pie and its President/CEO Bob Rath temporary or permanent use of any Windham Public School's facilities to house The Path Academy."

On June 29th, after waiting for a reply I dropped off a FOI request to Windham School's central office.

Someone was misrepresenting the truth. Was it Windham Schools or did the charter management company, Our Piece of the Pie, lie on their charter application?

Next, As Ron Robillard said in his Album story, " Done right, research takes you to places you didn't know existed." He was absolutely spot on.

Part 2 Special Master Adamowski's Attempted Coverup
September 24, 2013
John monaghan

Going through the OPP's 650 page charter application two sentences stood out;
"In the event that this location (former Jillson Movie Theaters) is no longer available for acquisition or not prepared for school opening in Fall 2014, Windham Public Schools has preliminary agreed to provide space within an approved school building."
Out of curiosity I contacted Windham Schools Central Office. According to projections, space would be opening up at Kramer for the 2014-15 school year. Also the high school operates at half capacity with no appreciable student increases for the foreseeable future. I asked where, might, the new charter school be housed? Central office's reply;

"Where did you hear this bit of information?"
Something started to smell fishy.
"Could there be a story here?"
After weeks of getting the run around , I presented a FOI request on June 29th to Windham Public Schools. I was determined to find who made the commitment of Windham school space to Our Piece of the Pie and its CEO, Bob Rath.

On July 23, 2013 we sat at a conference table, in the old Kramer building, in front of four inches of material requested via FOI. Virginia Ereshena, a retired Windham Middle School teacher, volunteered to go through the information with me. She split the pile in half and handed me two inches. Our mission was to find who committed and why they committed district school space to the charter group, Our Piece of the Pie.

We never found the smoking gun but the question quickly became inconsequential.

There it was, on the first page. Windham's central office staff was trolling for letters of recommendation to be included in the 650 page charter application that was to be submitted by the charter company,Out Piece of the Pie, due at the State Dept of Education on April 1,2013.

Karen Lewis, secretary to Superintendent Ana Ortiz, was tasked with coordinating the effort to recruit letters of recommendation from influential community leaders and prominent state figures. This day's targets included Mayor Ernie Eldridge, School board chairman Murphy Sewell and State Senator Andrea Stillman, chair of the State Education Committee. Dozens of emails between Central Office personal flowed back and forth. In the end none of the three committed to recommend the Charter proposal.


In the first dozen pages we found what we expected, Steven Adamowski was up to his eye balls attempting to bring a charter school, specializing in rehabilitating overage under-credited students, to Willimantic. 

We found that several top management central office personnel and middle managers devoted thousands of man hours during the 2012-2013 building a charter application, time taken away from from their normal duties of educating our students. . Those involved:

• Steven Adamowski 
• Superintendent Ortiz  
• Deputy Superintendent Kate England 
• Director of ESOL, Beth Brunet
• Director of Curriculum, Pam Cavanaugh 
• Director, Family and Community Partnerships, Wm Stover Steven 

Adamowski began putting together the charter application in September 2011, a month. after arriving in district. Our Piece of the Pie, a charter school management company. recruited by Adamowski ,out of Hartford, was the vehicle needed, by state law, to apply for the charter school and eventually manage it. OPP was awarded a no bid contract.

At a September 20, 2012 meeting Adamowski told those present that;

"Although there are still some barriers to making this school a reality the stars were beginning to align."
Not being familiar with adult and alternative programs offered by East Conn I contacted Rich Tariff. director of East Conn's adult programs. East Conn offers an extensive assortment of alternative educational programs....from Zumba exercise classes to job retraining programs and alternative high school diploma programs. East Conn's alternative diploma program graduates (Held at Windham High) 200 students yearly from 21 participating towns. At any given time there are approximately 1,000 enrolled students in East Conn"s various alternative education programs. Windham's BOE has utilized East Conn's adult recuperative programs for decades.

Windham High School entertained an alternative program up to three years ago when it was discontinued for budgetary reasons. It catered to approximately 30 students.

Question: Why would Adamowski go to the trouble, time and expense to create a multi -million dollar charter school in the heart of Willimantic's business district? Why would he change the way Windham and 20 other Eastern Connecticut school districts have educated those students that have not attained goal in a mainstream program? Why would Adamowski discontinue Windham's adult education relationship with East Conn? Those question were answered Sept. 20, 2012. A meeting led by Dr Adamowski and attended by the full cadre of WPS senior staff and senior members of the charter management company, Our Piece of the Pie, Adamowski gave his reasons for proposing a charter school to serve over age under credited student in Willimantic.. It comes down to money and statistics:

• If Windham High was to set up a recuperative program within the high school the $15,000.00 - $18,000.00 cost per student would not be fiscally unrealistic for Windham Public Schools.Using a charter school would bring Windham's cost down to $3 - $4,000.00 per student because recent legislation would reimburse, the charter company, OPP up to $11,00.00 per student. (actually $10,700.00 FY 20013-14) 
• There are approximately 90 under credited over age students in Windham at any one time. When these students enroll in the districts Adult Ed.(East Conn) program it negatively impacts the district. (when students enroll in a East Conn program the state considers them WPS drop outs) If they enroll in in the OPP charter they are considered still enrolled in WPS) 
• By creating an off campus charter school, high school administration can segregate disruptive student with emotional and behavioral problems. Adamowski is quoted in a September 13, 2013 Chronicle story: "One of the reasons for their (trouble making students) behavior is they are frustrated." Many of these students may fall into the overage, under-credited catagory of youths who will be admitted to the Path Academy charter school set to open on Main St.

The Special Masters claims that using a charter school with the revenue benefits the state provides will cost the district $3,00.00 - $4.000.00 per student. He apparently does not take into consideration the services that the district will/must provide:

• Student transportation 
• Health services 
• Food service off location and delivery
• Child care services
• Special Ed services 
• ELL services

Adamowski kept the citizens of Windham, teachers and most troubling The Windham Board of Education in the dark while orchestrating, for nearly two years, a Willimantic Charter School. Members of Windham's BOE found out about the charter developments through a State Board of Education press release.   Ending an email to Windham's Board members on April 5, 2013 with an apology, Adamowski wrote:

"I regret that apparently you have not received adequate on-going information on the district/charter partnership."

 On April 5, 2013 Murphy Sewall, chairman of of Windham's Board of Education wrote to fellow members:

"This proposal has been developed and submitted entirely independently of any school district including ours. They haven't asked for our advise or participation . I have made it clear to our legislative representatives that we are concerned about any possibility that this  proposed school would rely of any funding that would otherwise be directed toward the needs of the Windham School District.

Evidently, Dr Adamowski asked Bill Stover to ast as a liaison with Our Piece of the Pie which I find a bit odd because OPP has not invested any effort in communication with us.

In fact that there over age under credited students are in need of services, However, we are a significantly under resourced district with a number of other population that are also in need. As long as OPP continues to function as a loose canon, they operate outside of any rational effort to set priorities and manage resources in any rational way."

 Also, on April 5, 2013 Luz Osuba BOE member wrote:

"I have serious concerns with the new charter school.First and foremost  why was this not presented to the full board? Why will this school not be overseen by the board? They are claiming but I want to see data? In addition they are not going to bring the same program they have in Hartford."

Trying to placate an outraged BOE, Ana Ortiz's wrote on April 8, 2013 reminding the members of the board the proposed charter school was mentioned at a retreat back in July of 2012

As recently as July 10, 2013 Tracey Lambert , board member, wrote:

"Wait what ?!?!?! These people want a letter of recommendation on a proposal we know nothing  concrete about.

No presentation to the board, no finical accountability an they have already changed locations from their original plan.

I'm against a letter supporting a plan that I personally know little to nothing about. I am aware that you  perused, but nothing has been directly shared with the board.

How many students? What is the qualification exactly for enrollment? How are they able to deal with ELL students?

I say know no, until we know the whole picture."

We never found the smoking gun, the closest we came was a statement found in the minutes of a Sept. 20, 2012 meeting that states:

"Dr Adamowski has assigned Fryer Associates to work on a feasibility plan for the new location." (Former Jillison Cinemas)

The Fryer Associates feasibility study was paid for through the special master's discretionary funds provided by the State Board of Education.

Special Master Adamowski would like people think that a quick talking charter school salesmen representing Our Piece of the Pie showed up one day at Windham's Central Office selling  charter schools. It is obvious this is not true. Adamowski has been and is up to his eye balls creating a charter school, in Willimantic, specializing in reabilating overage under-credited students. 

A more detailed look at the proposed Path Academy  
Path Academy Application for Charter
Original story from Conn Mirror

Ct board of education to review schools suspending 6 yr olds

A math teacher at Achievement First's middle school in Hartford works
with a student

"If in Doubt, send them out

The State Board of Education plans to review the suspension and discipline policies of two charter schools run by Achievement First -- which manages the majority of charters in the state -- and decide this month whether to renew the contract for the schools in Hartford.

This follows disclosure that the discipline procedures Achievement First Hartford Academy outlined in the manual for their charter schools -- “If in doubt, send them out” -- have led to twice the rate of suspension of elementary and middle school students than for students attending traditional public schools.

Story From
Connecticut Mirror
By Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

The State Board of Education plans to review the suspension and discipline policies of two charter schools run by Acheivement First -- which manages the majority of charters in the state -- and decide this month whether to renew the contract for the schools in Hartford.

This follows disclosure that the discipline procedures Achievement First Hartford Academy outlined in the manual for their charter schools -- “If in doubt, send them out” -- have led to twice the rate of suspension of elementary and middle school students than for students attending traditional public schools. It also follows its Hartford middle school settling a complaint with Greater Hartford Legal Aid that addresses the impact its policies have on students with disabilities and special education needs.

                             __________________________________________________

                                  Q & A: On Child Suspensions at Windham Schools
                             __________________________________________________

“I imagine [discipline policies] will play a significant role in our decision,” said Allan B. Taylor, chairman of the state education board. Achievement First “really had a high rate [of suspensions]. It is something the board should be, and will be, concerned about.”

The State Department of Education reports that one in two students who attend the middle school in Hartford will be suspended at some point during the year, the highest rate in the state.

Of the 6,500 students enrolled in charter schools across the state, the majority attends one of the nine schools operated by Achievement First in Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven.

Stefan Pryor, the state’s education commissioner, who opened the first Achievement First charter school in the state, said Wednesday that because of his past involvement, he does not comment on situations related to the network.

Dacia Toll, the co-president of Achievement First, said that while each of her schools in the network have individual discipline strategies, it has become apparent that changes are necessary at many of her schools to curb suspensions.

"We believe in high levels of expectations and high levels of support, but what has happened is there are high expectations and uneven levels of support," she said during an interview. "We admit suspension rates are too high. That's the bottom line."

But the Hartford attorney who represents a handful of students affected by the schools' policies think the problem may be statewide.

"Based on information and belief, the network utilizes a consistent discipline policy, with minor variations across all of its charter schools,” the complaint reads.

In New Haven, where hundreds of students attend Achievement First charter schools, a lawyer representing students from low-income families says these discipline issues exist there, too.

“They are very strict,” said Erin Shaffer, an attorney with New Haven Legal Assistance, who has represented some students attending the schools. “I have been told, ‘We can’t change our discipline policy for one student’… I see parents being told the school is not appropriate for their student and hope they withdraw from the school.”

The school system denies this.

"Our schools do not encourage struggling students to leave," reads a brief by Achievement First on the system's use of discipline.

After it became clear that the Hartford school would not be changing anytime soon, Cochrane said she was left with no option but to file a complaint with the federal Office of Civil Rights.

“It was an ongoing tango. After waiting a year it just seemed like we weren’t making any headway. We weren’t changing anyone’s mind over there… They wanted their policies to apply to the disabled students the same way,” Cochrane said of the school’s “no excuses” motto.

The filing of the complaint led the Hartford middle school to voluntarily enter into an agreement that lays out steps for the school to change its approach. The federal office will oversee those changes over the next nine months.

Toll said the complaint and state department report putting several Achievement First schools at the top of the list for rates of suspensions was a wake-up call.

"We need to look at alternatives for suspension. If a kid misbehaves they should get more class time, not less class time," she said. Suspension rates "will be lower a year from now."

A discipline policy on display

After not completing his homework, Cochrane’s client “B” was disciplined. After putting his head down on his desk in class after he fell behind with no help from the school, he was again disciplined.

The problem, his lawyer said, is that the homework was not modified to accommodate his special education needs, as required by his education plan.

“B grew increasingly anxious and depressed over the difficulty of work at [Achievement First], and the constant fear of earning demerits,” the complaint reads.

This student was subsequently suspended for multiple days and failed every one of his classes during the 2011-12 school year.

The complaint details four other instances of similar “discriminatory practices” involving other students at the middle school.

Achievement First’s discipline policies are based on the use of “demerits” and pulling students out of class into “Isolation” or suspending students from school for nonviolent, non-safety-related issues.

The network's School Culture Manual reads, “We trust your gut, better to refer than to ignore. If unsure, please refer. If in doubt, send them out.”

The complaint says that once a student is pulled out of class into “isolation,” there is no proof that any instruction is provided. State law significantly limits when school officials are able to suspend students from school, and the lawyers at Greater Hartford Legal Aid think the charter schools rely too heavily on this method of discipline.

In a statement, Jeff House, the principal of the middle school, said, “We recognize that during the founding years of our school we have struggled at times to develop services to best support some of our most challenged students. We have worked to support all of our students, with and without disabilities, in good faith, but nonetheless we recognize that there are times where we have fallen short and students’ academic experience has suffered as a result.”

Part of the agreement the school entered into with the Hartford lawyers includes training staff on educating special needs students and obligations the school has. The school also agreed to better track the use of discipline given to students.

Finding a state solution

Several members of the State Board of Education last week said they were “alarmed” by the rate of suspensions of the state’s youngest students, including kindergarten students. In an attempt to curb unnecessary suspensions, the board decided that discipline policies would be a key factor when determining whether to renew a charter school’s five-year contract.

Aside from Hartford’s charter, which is set to expire before the end of the month, many charters have years before their contract will need to be renewed by the state board. (See renewal calendar).  Achievement First's schools in Bridgeport and New Haven won't need to be renewed until 2017.

Toll said she welcomes a more regular review of the network's suspension rates.

"The department could raise this with us at any time," she said.

Pryor, the state's education commissioner, during a board meeting last week when disscussing the issue of suspensions broadly he said he is working to create a sysem to routinely track and detect problems.

"We cannot lose our sense of alarm and our sense of outrage," he said, adding that a tracking system will be developed over the summer.

Read Achievement First's contract that is up for renewal (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4)

RELATED LINKS

State Education Department: Charter schools suspend elementary students twice as much

School suspension rates drop, but minority students still over-represented

Hundreds of kindergarten students suspended from school