Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/84916
Sarasota News Leader September 28, 2012 brought to the School Board over the years had not offered anything new. "We're very pleased to hear that and appreci- ate your support," Neil Phillips replied. In response to board questions, members of Phillips' group explained they had discussed the proposal for the school with the staff of Newtown Redevelopment Office as well as representatives of Girls Inc., Every Child and Forty Carrots Family Center, among other or- ganizations. Regarding the plans for all males at the school, Phillips added that research had shown it was critical to have teachers who understood how boys communicate at young ages," including actions "that may or may not be allowed in a traditional classroom setting." "You are the only [charter] school [this year] that submitted [an application] to us that par- tially meets the curriculum plan," Todd told him, adding "my compliments to you …" Nonetheless, she said, she had some concerns about the proposed services for Exceptional Children's Education. Phillips told her the group appreciated the op- portunity it was being accorded, like the other groups, "to shore up that part of the applica- tion." THE REST OF THE GROUP In the four other cases, Todd asked most of the hard questions, specifically in regard to applications' deficiencies in complying with state curriculum standards — from reading and language arts to Exceptional Children's Education and English Language Learners. Page 14 The other proposed charter schools are as fol- lows: • Sarasota Academy of the Arts, which would serve students in grades K-8. This proposal calls for the closing of those grades at Ju- lie Rohr Academy in Sarasota. Current stu- dents would not be given an enrollment ad- vantage at the new school, if it is approved, Julie Rohr McHugh, director of the acade- my, explained to the School Board. She added that the plan called for marketing the school to all children. "We want a nice mix of all of the ethnicities that are in Sarasota County." • The Florida Center for Early Childhood Starfish Academy, which would serve stu- dents in prekindergarten and kindergarten "as they acquire the necessary social-emo- tional, language, literacy, and cognitive foundations in a developmentally appropri- ate research based learning environment," according to the application. Kathryn Shea, president and CEO of The Flor- ida Center, said she and her staff had seen the increasing need for such a school over the past three years. Charter funding would allow the center to provide more resources to children, Shea said, adding that she understood the level of work entailed in running a charter school, "but we think the kids need it and we think that they deserve it." • The Classical Academy of Sarasota, which would serve students in grades K-8 at the outset and add on another level each year until it had grades 9-12 as well. Proposed by Josh and Harmony Longenecker, the school