Schools
Despite Looming Supreme Court Case, Charter School Presses Forward
A case that could impact schools such as Cherokee Charter Academy has not been resolved, but that hasn't stopped the county's first charter school from hiring a principal and selecting its inaugural crop of students.
Cherokee Charter Academy continues to advance with plans for its inaugural year despite an unresolved state Supreme Court case that could bring the venture to a halt.
That case, resulting from a controversy between Gwinnett County Schools and the Georgia Charter Schools Commission, will determine who has the power to fund and open public charter schools.
Seven local districts have expressed the shared perspective that a law which allows the state to reconsider rejected charter school applicants is unconstitutional.
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The court extended its term to render an opinion in the case after failing to do so by March 31. The case could impact schools such as Cherokee Charter, which was approved by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission after the denied its charter application.
Still, the school plans to open in the fall at the site of , the Sixes Road private school that has endured mounting debt, foreclosure and other problems in the last few months.
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Last Wednesday, Cherokee Charter officials announced the hire of its founding principal.
Vanessa Suarez, an assistant principal at Woodstock High School for the past four years, will lead the academy as principal during the inception of the school’s history.
According to , this is not the first time Suarez has been affiliated with Charter Schools USA. After teaching English at Coconut Creek High School in South Florida for seven years, she became an assistant principal at Coral Springs Charter School, another of Charter Schools USA’s many campuses.
In her administrative roles, Suarez has directed such programs as curriculum development, teacher mentoring, and career technical and agricultural education programs.
“We are very excited to have Ms. Suarez return to Charter Schools USA," said Sherry Hage, vice-president of education at Cherokee Charter. "Her professionalism and caring attitude toward the students was an asset when she worked with us before and will continue to represent a high value to the students and parents at Cherokee Charter Academy."
The school will serve students in kindergarten through seventh grade during the first academic year, with eighth grade being added to the school in 2012-2013.
According to Charter Schools USA spokeswoman Colleen Reynolds, the school website will continue to provide additional details for students and families selected to attend the school as well as those still interested in applying.
Updated information will include faculty information, school supply lists, academic programs available and links for parents to use the S.I.S system, an online system granting parents access to personal and relevant school information.
Open enrollment, which has now ended, brought approximately 1,400 interested applicants to the school, Reynolds said. The school is looking forward to a student body of roughly 700 students for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Because the number of applicants exceeded that number, the school will have to hold a lottery to determine who will get an acceptance letter and who won't. The specific date of the lottery has yet to be determined, but it is anticipated to occur around the middle of this month.
While families may still apply to the school for the upcoming year by visiting the school website, applicants who have applied after open enrollment are not eligible for the initial lottery. Instead, those prospective students will be added to a waiting list for enrollment and will be offered slots in order of the waiting list should they become available.
Professionals interested in teaching at Cherokee Charter may apply for available positions on the school website. Reynolds said the principal was selected first so school administrators could have a say in staffing selections.
Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court could announce its decision soon.
“Since the last court term was extended specifically for this case alone, it is very likely that a decision will come during this term,” long before the new school year begins, court spokeswoman Jane Hansen said.
FAST FACTS
For more information about the Cherokee Charter Academy, visit the school website, www.cherokeecharter.org.
