Mount Jewett Charter School Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Mount Jewett Charter School Coalition exists in Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania
, United States
. They formed after the Kane Area School District
voted to close the Mount Jewett Elementary School at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Their immediate goal is to organize a charter school
to provide education for the children of Mount Jewett and any of its surrounding areas for grades k-5. Due to the closure of the town's school their elementary students must travel via bus about 15 miles west to the borough of Kane, Pennsylvania
in order to attend the Chestnut Street Elementary School.
"The Mt. Jewett Area Charter School for Academic Excellence exists to inspire each
student to academic greatness using both traditional and innovative means and
resources, community involvement and individualized attention to create a unique
and focused educational opportunity that will equip students with analytical thinking
skills, a passion for learning, leadership skills and a solid foundation of knowledge."
in McKean County--a territory surrounding the borough and belonging to neighboring Smethport Area School District
. However, due to tax structures, Kane
claims the town for their school system. Because of this fact, one school board member on the Kane Area School Board must be from Mount Jewett. That same member voted against opening the school.
On the other side of the equation is the Mount Jewett Borough Council. Former Mt. Jewett Council President and educator Dick Danielson said in March 2007 "I encourage you . . . I commend you for doing this for Mt. Jewett and for the kids of Mt. Jewett." For one of the initial public meetings, nearly 175 people showed up at the Mount Jewett Firehall to mostly support this idea. The census of 2000 listed 1,070 people (young and adult) residing in the borough, so 175 people accounts for a large percentage of the adult population in the town. The school, if opened, would also be legally allowed to draw from school districts not associated with Kane, such as Smethport Area School District--which is about the same distance away as Kane. The towns of Bradford, Pennsylvania
and Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania
are also nearby. Economically, the feeling of the people of Mount Jewett is that a school would not just help educate their children but stimulate their economy. The members of the coalition plan to open their doors in August 2008 for the 2008-2009 school year. Since the Kane Area School Board did not grant them permission to use the old elementary school, the charter school may relocate to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in the center of town. In the mean time, the coalition continues to raise funds for their project from donors and to gain momentum.
On April 24, 2008 the coalition successfully challenged the Kane Area School Board's decision. By presenting a petition to Judge John Cleland in McKean County court in Smethport, Pennsylvania
containing 359 signatures of adults residing in the Kane Area School District, they more than fulfilled the required 125 signatures. The figure of 125 individuals "represents two percent of the district residents who are at least 18 years old." This gave the state of Pennsylvania the authority to accept or deny the plan for the new school. The next step in the process warranted the state Charter School Appeals Board to allow or disallow the intentions of the Mount Jewett Charter School Coalation.
At the beginning of the summer of 2008, the Coalition decided to postpone the process of beginning any kind of new endeavor at starting their school during the 2008-2009 school year. This is because they needed more time. In the Saturday October 4, 2008 edition of the Kane Republican Newspaper, it was reported that the "Mt. Jewett Charter Coaltion submitted their Amended Charter School Application Friday, Oct. 3 to the Kane Area School District." The decision was made to modify their application, so that either the Kane Area School District or the PA Charter Appeals Board could approve them. Now, the plan is to open the school during the 2009-2010 school year.
The proposal was vetoed by the state and could not operate in 2009-2010.
Kane Area School District officials have applied for the Race to the Top
federal grant which will bring the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation in the Race to the Top Program requires the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to relax its charter school regulations to permit more charter schools to be established.
Mr. Thomas L Brown, Proposed CEO
Charter School Officers:
Skye Ognen, President
Missy Swanson, Vice President
Rhonda Chilson, Secretary
Tony DeSio, Treasurer
Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania
Mount Jewett is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,070 at the 2000 census. The students of the borough attend school in the Kane Area School District, even though the borough is surrounded by Hamlin Township--belonging to neighboring Smethport Area School...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They formed after the Kane Area School District
Kane Area School District
The Kane Area School District is a small, rural, public school district located in southwestern McKean County and parts of Elk County in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States, near the Allegheny National Forest. They are known as the Kane Wolves...
voted to close the Mount Jewett Elementary School at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Their immediate goal is to organize a charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
to provide education for the children of Mount Jewett and any of its surrounding areas for grades k-5. Due to the closure of the town's school their elementary students must travel via bus about 15 miles west to the borough of Kane, Pennsylvania
Kane, Pennsylvania
Kane is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie. It was founded in 1863 by Civil War general Thomas L. Kane at an elevated site 2210 feet above sea level. In the early part of the twentieth century, Kane had large glassworks, bottle works, lumber mills, and manufactures of...
in order to attend the Chestnut Street Elementary School.
Vision Statement
Their vision statement, taken from their website reads:"The Mt. Jewett Area Charter School for Academic Excellence exists to inspire each
student to academic greatness using both traditional and innovative means and
resources, community involvement and individualized attention to create a unique
and focused educational opportunity that will equip students with analytical thinking
skills, a passion for learning, leadership skills and a solid foundation of knowledge."
Controversy
The idea of opening a school has drawn criticism from the Kane Area School District's board and others. "If 100 children from the district would attend the proposed school, Business Manager Steve Perry projects a net loss of between $530,000 and $600,000 in the district’s annual operating budget. Students do not pay tuition to attend a charter school. Instead, the school district would be obligated to pay $8,100 for every district child attending the proposed school in Mt. Jewett. The state would reimburse the district 30 percent or $2,400 per student, leaving a net loss of $5,700, according to figures compiled by Perry." Most people of Mount Jewett largely support the idea, though some do not. For example, Mount Jewett is located in the heart of Hamlin TownshipHamlin Township
Hamlin Township may refer to the following places in the United States:* Hamlin Township, Audubon County, Iowa* Hamlin Township, Eaton County, Michigan* Hamlin Township, Mason County, Michigan* Hamlin Township, Minnesota* Hamlin Township, Pennsylvania...
in McKean County--a territory surrounding the borough and belonging to neighboring Smethport Area School District
Smethport Area School District
Smethport Area School District is a public school district located in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. Situated in the north central part of the state, it overlooks the borough of Smethport, which serves as the county seat. The district has its entire complex in the borough of...
. However, due to tax structures, Kane
Kane Area School District
The Kane Area School District is a small, rural, public school district located in southwestern McKean County and parts of Elk County in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States, near the Allegheny National Forest. They are known as the Kane Wolves...
claims the town for their school system. Because of this fact, one school board member on the Kane Area School Board must be from Mount Jewett. That same member voted against opening the school.
On the other side of the equation is the Mount Jewett Borough Council. Former Mt. Jewett Council President and educator Dick Danielson said in March 2007 "I encourage you . . . I commend you for doing this for Mt. Jewett and for the kids of Mt. Jewett." For one of the initial public meetings, nearly 175 people showed up at the Mount Jewett Firehall to mostly support this idea. The census of 2000 listed 1,070 people (young and adult) residing in the borough, so 175 people accounts for a large percentage of the adult population in the town. The school, if opened, would also be legally allowed to draw from school districts not associated with Kane, such as Smethport Area School District--which is about the same distance away as Kane. The towns of Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
and Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania
Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania
Johnsonburg is a borough in Elk County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh and south of Buffalo, New York, in a productive farming and lumbering region. Paper mills were once common here, and Domtar still maintains a paper mill there today. In 1910, 4,334 people lived here...
are also nearby. Economically, the feeling of the people of Mount Jewett is that a school would not just help educate their children but stimulate their economy. The members of the coalition plan to open their doors in August 2008 for the 2008-2009 school year. Since the Kane Area School Board did not grant them permission to use the old elementary school, the charter school may relocate to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in the center of town. In the mean time, the coalition continues to raise funds for their project from donors and to gain momentum.
On April 24, 2008 the coalition successfully challenged the Kane Area School Board's decision. By presenting a petition to Judge John Cleland in McKean County court in Smethport, Pennsylvania
Smethport, Pennsylvania
Smethport is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The current mayor is Ross Porter. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKean County.-History:The U.S...
containing 359 signatures of adults residing in the Kane Area School District, they more than fulfilled the required 125 signatures. The figure of 125 individuals "represents two percent of the district residents who are at least 18 years old." This gave the state of Pennsylvania the authority to accept or deny the plan for the new school. The next step in the process warranted the state Charter School Appeals Board to allow or disallow the intentions of the Mount Jewett Charter School Coalation.
At the beginning of the summer of 2008, the Coalition decided to postpone the process of beginning any kind of new endeavor at starting their school during the 2008-2009 school year. This is because they needed more time. In the Saturday October 4, 2008 edition of the Kane Republican Newspaper, it was reported that the "Mt. Jewett Charter Coaltion submitted their Amended Charter School Application Friday, Oct. 3 to the Kane Area School District." The decision was made to modify their application, so that either the Kane Area School District or the PA Charter Appeals Board could approve them. Now, the plan is to open the school during the 2009-2010 school year.
The proposal was vetoed by the state and could not operate in 2009-2010.
Kane Area School District officials have applied for the Race to the Top
Race to the Top
Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
federal grant which will bring the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation in the Race to the Top Program requires the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to relax its charter school regulations to permit more charter schools to be established.
Current Administration
The Mount Jewett Charter School Coalition has appointed its own board of directors and CEO, despite the Kane Area School Board's unanimous decision to not grant approval for its opening.Mr. Thomas L Brown, Proposed CEO
Charter School Officers:
Skye Ognen, President
Missy Swanson, Vice President
Rhonda Chilson, Secretary
Tony DeSio, Treasurer