daVinci Institute

“Former da Vinci Institute teacher sentenced to five to 20 years inprison.” MLive.com (MI), 8/22/2012

JACKSON, MI – A former da Vinci Institute teacher is going to prison for five to 20 years for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student.

Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain sentenced Matthew Lusby, 28, Wednesday morning for first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Lusby pleaded guilty to the charge in July.He admitted to having oral sex with the girl early this year. She was then a student of Lusby, who worked as a math teacher at the public charter school in Summit Township...

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“Former da Vinci teacher pleads guilty to first-degree criminal sexualconduct.” MLive.com (MI), 7/24/2012

JACKSON, MI – A former da Vinci Institute teacher who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a single count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct...

Da Vinci hired Lusby in the summer of 2009. He resigned on Feb. 23 to take a substitute teaching position at another school, but did not reach an agreement with the other district.

When hired, Lusby passed a criminal background check.

This is his first brush with the law, Rezmierski said.

At da Vinci, Lusby was told he needed to improve classroom control and a “passive aggressive nature toward students,” and once had to apologize for throwing a referees flag at a football game.

Last fall, the principal and superintendent told him he should not be giving the girl a ride to school, especially when alone...

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EPIC Academy Charter School

“Ex-basketball coach pleads not guilty to sex assault, wants lower bond.”FOX32, 3/12/2013

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“Bond set for coach accused of student sex assault.” WLS-TV (IL), 1/25/2013

January 25, 2013 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Bond has been set at $500,000 for a basketball coach at EPIC Academy Charter School in Chicago accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old student he offered a ride home.

Police say Kevin Jones, 33, was giving the victim a ride home from school when he assaulted her in the car. He had also given a second girl a ride home, but she left before the alleged assault took place, police said.

Jones, who is a husband and a father of two, faces two counts of criminal sex assault, and one count of attempted criminal sexual assault. He coached the varsity boys basketball team.

He has been suspended from EPIC...

"There were other instances of inappropriate incidences by the coach," [Brad Cosgrove, victim's attorney] said...

Jones also worked as a physical education teacher at LEARN Charter Schoolon the South Side. On Friday, he was fired from that job...

Jones is the process of getting his master's degree and is a deacon at his church...

An attorney for EPIC Charter School said the school is cooperating with police and prosecutors. The South Side charter school opened in 2009...

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Excel Leadership Academy, f.k.a. Life Skills Center of Palm Beach

“Charter school has day in court today to fight closure by school board.” The Palm Beach Post, 5/13/2013

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“West Palm Beach charter school appeals closure decision.” The Palm Beach Post (FL), 3/27/2013

A West Palm Beach charter school that the Palm Beach School District is trying to close has appealed, arguing the school district has no right to shut its doors because the district didn’t do enough to help the school...

The school board voted 5-1 on March 6 to close Excel starting next school year. A district report recommending the closure cited 13 alleged failures by the school to comply with state rules and its charter contract with the school district. The alleged Excel failures ranged from academic problems such as not having all the required core subjects for a reading program to having “deteriorating financial conditions,” with a $38,000 deficit found by auditors.

Excel filed its appeal on Friday stating that it disputed the facts of each of the alleged failures cited by the district “in whole or in part.” The appeal also argued that the school district is obligated to provide support and services to charter schools under state law and additional support to low performing charter schools under the district’s own policies...

District Senior Counsel Bruce Harris said the district does not comment on pending litigation. He said the state would set a date for the appeal hearing within 60 days.

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“Palm Beach County saves two charter schools, closes one.” Sun Sentinel (FL), 3/6/2013

... But after hours of emotional testimony from more than 50 parents, students and school staff, the board voted to close only Excel Leadership Academy, a high school in West Palm Beach...

The school was slated for closure in part for receiving two “F” grades since 2009. Teachers were not adhering to the correct state benchmarks and using outdated requirements...

Meanwhile, district officials said Excel Leadership Academy is in a state of financial emergency, struggling with declining enrollment and failure to provide an adequate reading curriculum to students. The school board voted 4-2 to not renew the school’s contract, set to expire in June.

“These are basic compliance issues,” said board member Chuck Shaw. He said rejecting the renewal would still give the school an opportunity to overcome its financial challenges and reapply another year...”

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Imagine School of North Port

“Imagine School fight ends; principal to leave.” Herald-Tribune (FL), 5/9/2013

NORTH PORT - The agreement came at 1 a.m. Thursday for the two sides fighting for Imagine School at North Port after nearly 16 hours of talks...

It was an ending to the charter's contentious legal fight, which began in February when the North Port school tried to fire its parent company and become independent...

In February, Matthews and the local officials complained about paying hefty management fees with public tax dollars every year to the nonprofit company. The board voted to break off from Imagine Schools — one of the largest charter school companies in the nation — and run its own school, a move that the corporation viewed as a coup détat.

Almost immediately, Imagine Schools sued Matthews and the local board for more than $15,000 in Sarasota County Circuit Court and accused them of several charges, including breach of contract.

The high-profile legal battle was fused by multiple court hearings, back-and-forth contradictory emails to parents and a petition to support Matthews that supporters passed around the school parking lots...

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“All eyes on charter fallout.” WWSB ABC 7 (FL), 3/13/2013

SARASOTA COUNTY - Tuesday a judge ruled the principal of Imagine School in North Port could keep his job. However, it looks as though it will be a long fight over the future of the school.

Wednesday we talked to school board and legal experts who say the case moving forward may just impact the future of charter schools across the country.

The future of a local independent charter school and educating more than 1,000 children in it was in a court room this week. "It is not a healthy situation." The judge now suggesting the local school district get more involved. Sarasota County School Board member Caroline Zucker says it's a gray area. "There is no clear cut understanding of who owns what and who is responsible for what."

The fight between the Imagine parent company and the local governing board it appointed will likely continue through the court system. It may also have a bigger impact then just here...

As officials get ready for the upcoming year at Imagine School at North Port, its legal team will prepare for court...

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“North Port charter school breaks off from Imagine Schools.” Herald-Tribune (FL), 2/19/2013

... The drama comes after the local charter school's governing board voted unanimously last week to end its management contract with Imagine Schools, its out-of-state parent company.

“It looks like we're going to war with our former management company,” said principal Justin Matthews, who has led the school since it opened in 2008...

Matthews announced that the school's new name would be Sarasota Preparatory School...

But Imagine Schools isn't willing to let go so easily.

Within hours, the Virginia nonprofit had filed a lawsuit seeking more than $15,000 in Sarasota County Circuit Court.

The complaint says Matthews and the North Port school defamed Imagine Schools with their comments to parents, the School Board and the public.

Imagine Schools also alleges that Matthews violated his non-compete contract when he abandoned his post at Imagine School at North Port and created a rival institution...

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“Imagine School, North Point students arrested after gun found on campus.” WPTV (FL), 1/302013

NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) -- Police arrested two students at school in North Port after a gun was found on campus.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune ( http://bit.ly/WPsZ6q0 reports officials were tipped off about the 9 mm handgun when a student told a teacher Tuesday afternoon at Imagine School...

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Quest Academy (Utah)

“Former teacher to stand trial for sex abuse of student.” ABC4 (UT), 5/14/2013

FARMINGTON Utah (ABC 4 Utah) - A high school teacher will stand trial for sexually abusing a student.

Steve Niedzwiecki was fired from his teaching position at a charter school in West Haven...

Niedzwiecki was charged with eight counts of forcible sodomy, two counts of forcible sexual abuse and attempted rape.

Niedzwiecki was a former teacher and basketball coach at Quest Academy and Jefferson Academy. He was terminated from his teaching position at Quest Academy after he was charged in December.

The victim says she befriended the teacher and worked on a project together. But according to the probable cause statement, the girl and the teacher were trading emails and text messaging. In court she testified that their relationship turned physical and became sexual. She claimed Niedzwiecki promised to marry her after their relationship turned sexual.

"He was a trusted teacher, a coach and was very manipulative," said the victim's aunt Kathy Carver...

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Lee Alternative Charter High School

“Lee Alternative Charter shuts down in Lehigh.” Lehigh Acres Citizen (FL), 1/9/2013

Most of the 149 students at the Lee Alternative Charter School, off of Taylor Lane in Lehigh Acres, are in classes in other schools in Fort Myers this week.

The students and their parents were forced to find other schools because the Lehigh school, which was owned by Richard Milburn Academy Schools of Southwest Florida, was forced to close due to financial problems.

It is the third charter school that is a part of the Milburn Academy of Schools that has been forced to close its doors over the past six months.

The school was located in what had been a multi-screened movie theater and later a church. The building was built about a dozen years ago...

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Legacy Charter School (Idaho)

“Former Legacy principal: Charter violated procedure.” Idaho Press-Tribune (ID), 3/14/2013

NAMPA — Former Legacy Charter School co-principal and teacher Monika Gangwer said she was fired after she blew the whistle on an effort to jump a student ahead on a post-lottery waiting list.

A lawsuit, filed March 8 in Canyon County, names the school, Harbor School Method creator Rebecca Stallcop and Legacy Charter Board Chairman Bart McKnight.

The 21-page lawsuit says Gangwer refused to let the student, known as “Jane Doe,” attend the Legacy kindergarten class, even though Stallcop said the student should be admitted because of an error in the lottery process...

According to the lawsuit, Gangwer also had become concerned in early 2012 that Stallcop seemed to operate Legacy, Liberty and Victory charter schools as one, even though each school is a distinct and separate entity.

The complaint alleges that Stallcop illegally transferred money and property among the schools, without proper documentation or board approval...

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