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Iii.

By JANINE UNGVARSKY Times Leader Correspondent
 Wednesday, January 05, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 5A 





Calling it ``at best a duplication of services,'' the Wyoming Valley West
School Board on Tuesday unanimously voted against an application for a
proposed charter school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 About 30 people crowded the small conference room in the middle school.
Superintendent August Piazza read the report of a team of district employees
who were charged with reviewing the third and final application for the
proposed arts-based Helen Murray Charter School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The report cited numerous deficiencies related to the planned school's
building, its curriculum and finances. Topping the list were concerns about
support for a school with only 14 students pre-enrolled, inadequate budgeting
for staff benefits and insufficient provision for safety and structural
improvements needed to the former St. Hedwig's School, the planned site for
the charter school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Other concerns centered on the curriculum, which school founders say will
be 60 percent core subjects such as math and science and 40 percent fine arts.
The crowd bristled when Piazza read the committee's assessment that the
curriculum put too much emphasis on arts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Duh ... it's an arts school,'' one audience member muttered. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The report also cited lack of support services such as remedial instruction
and drug and alcohol education. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After the meeting, charter school advocate Kevin Greenberg said he was not
surprised the district said no. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Charter school supporters will make one last bid to have the school
approved. Greenberg said they have 60 days to gather at least 1,000 signatures
on petitions supporting the school and take their case to the Luzerne County
Court of Common Pleas. ``After three years of work, it comes down to 60
days.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Greenberg disputed a number of findings, including the building safety
issues. ``We had our own engineers walk through there and tell us what it
would need. We've done our homework,'' Greenberg said. ``How can I take them
seriously when they complain about the building being in a flood plain? What
school around here isn't?'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Greenberg said there is adequate support for the school. ``At last count,
we have 63 students pre-enrolled,'' he said. He added the charter school has
established a council of local arts professionals willing to offer their life
experience and guidance in support of the school. ``They believe what we
believe, what has been proven time and again, that arts curriculums help
students do better in math and sciences,'' Greenberg said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wvw Rejects Arts-based Charter School Plan