Nicolle M. Hutchinson, the CEO and director of education at Gillingham Charter School, said Thursday she’s been working with Pottsville Area School District officials to set up a hearing to allow the public voice its opinions on Gillingham’s charter proposal.
“I anticipate it will be in either April or May. We’re talking about that with Pottsville Area right now,” Hutchinson said at the March meeting of the charter school’s board of trustees at the school house.
On Dec. 3, 2015, the Pottsville Area school board rejected Gillingham’s proposal for a second five-year charter, citing a list of reasons in a five-page resolution. Pottsville Area will hold a public hearing on the matter, consider comments made at the hearing and vote again on the charter proposal.
“The way that we’ve been told that it works is that they get 30 days after the hearing to make a decision. Our charter expires on June 30,” Hutchinson said.
If Pottsville Area once again rejects the charter school’s proposal, Gillingham can take the matter to the state appeals board.
In other matters regarding Pottsville Area, the Gillingham board of trustees Thursday rejected a “waiver” regarding Pottsville Area’s next vote on the charter proposal.
“There was a request to waive a deadline for Pottsville Area School District to issue its decision after the rechartering hearing,” Gillingham board of trustees President Marsha Chwastiak said.
“This is what I can say about it. I don’t know if it clarifies it. We’re currently working with the Pottsville Area School District to determine the dates to hold the rechartering hearing. The waiver relates to a suggested date, and the board decided not to agree to that particular waiver,” Hutchinson said.
Chwastiak read the motion aloud at Thursday’s meeting:
“Can I have motion to approve a waiver of the June 30 deadline for Pottsville Area School District’s decision on our rechartering application?”
“Nay,” trustee Mindy Heppe said.
All other trustees present voted “nay” as well: Daniel Kurtz, Annette Stoudt, Susan Tallman and Chwastiak.
“The minutes should reflect that the request to waive the June 30 deadline for Pottsville Area School District’s decision on the rechartering application of the school has been rejected,” Chwastiak said.
Chwastiak was reluctant to offer further details on the matter or explain the origin of the waiver.
“We can’t discuss it at this point. It involves legal issues. I’m not sure how it came before the board, but that was the request,” Chwastiak said.
“We’ll be in further discussions with the district to finalize the dates,” Hutchinson said.
When called for comment on the matter Thursday night, Scott R. Thomas, a Pottsville Area school board member, said Pottsville Area school board is mindful of the rechartering process.
“I am confident that the Pottsville Area School District and the Gillingham Charter School will come to an agreement on the date and time of a public hearing. And, as the chairman of Pottsville Area’s special education, alternative education and charter school committee, it will be my goal, rest assured, to meet the needs of both Gillingham students and Pottsville Area students in a timely manner,” Thomas said.
In other matters at Thursday night’s meeting, the board of trustees voted to pay a law firm, Latsha, Davis, Yohe & McKenna, Exton, Chester County, a January rechartering fee of $7,247 and a February rechartering and legal defense fee of $12,869.50.