A proposed innovation charter school that Hamilton Southeastern School officials had been working toward with international nonprofit Opportunity Education since August will not move forward after OI officials withdrew the application from consideration.
HSE Superintendent Patrick Mapes sent an email Nov. 20 to HSE families and staff announcing the news, noting that a planned Nov. 21 community forum about the proposed charter school was canceled.
Mapes quoted some of Opportunity Education's withdrawal letter, which stated, "Opportunity Education and our founder, Joe Ricketts, proposed to serve the teachers and students of the HSE District with unprecedented philanthropic investments in school facilities and an excellence-focused school model built on student ownership of their learning and readiness for college and career. We saw exciting synergy between our philanthropic mission and your district leadership's commitment to student future-readiness.
"While we believe this synergy still exists, we also understand that this may not be an optimal time for the community to undertake such an innovation effort, particularly one that challenges accepted assumptions about what schools can be, with a focus on putting student interests first. We deeply value the time and thoughtful consideration you have provided during the exploration of this opportunity, and we have been impressed by your district leadership's vision and collaboration throughout this process."
Mapes stated that OI's withdrawal marks a missed opportunity.
"Hamilton Southeastern Schools will continue to explore all possibilities to enhance educational opportunities for our students while emphasizing open and transparent communication with all stakeholders," he stated.
During a Nov. 13 public hearing on the charter school application, 20 people spoke strongly against the proposal. Some school board members also expressed reservations. A final vote on the application had been scheduled for the board's Dec. 11 meeting, but that item will no longer be on the agenda.
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