INC NEWS - contact info for Durham's Senators and Reps & State Bd of Education

[Melissa Rooney]

The email addresses for Durham's Senators and
Representatives in the NC General Assembly are below.
When you sign the petition for Kestrel, consider
cutting and pasting your comments in an email to these
guys.

Boba at ncleg.net, Floydm at ncleg.net,  Larryh at ncleg.net,
Paull at ncleg.net, Mickeym at ncleg.net, Winkiew at ncleg.net

Also, the website says to use this email address to
reach the state board of education members:
jworsham at dpi.state.nc.us 

Thanks!
Melissa

--- sherrymkurtz at aol.com wrote:

> 
> As Melissa mentioned in her e-mail about growth and
> overcrowding at Creekside.  DPS is struggling to
> keep up with the growth in schools in this area of
> the county.   
> 
> If you have children and are interested in having an
> option of choosing a charter school for your child
> please read the letter which I copied below from the
> administration at Kestrel Heights Charter School. 
> Our 6th grade son goes to Kestrel Heights and has
> had a very good experience there.  While our
> younger son attends Creekside Elementary, we like
> having the option of making a choice of the charter
> school for middle school.  
> 
> You can send a letter if you want this choice
> available to Durham students.  One of the important
> things to remember about Charter schools is
> that because they receive money from the state
> Kestrel does not charge any tuition but they also do
> not get Durham money so building the school did not
> cost Durham taxpayers ...unlike the recent approved
> bond.
> 
> We had planned to send our children to public
> schools.  When we investigated the "Schools of
> Choice" in Durham we learned that, especially for
> Middle and High school, our "choice" was to apply to
> be in the lottery.  Many children do not get in
> their school of choice.  That means that they must
> attend the school where their neighborhood is zoned.
> 
> I like having a choice for my children and I don't
> like the state (and DPS which has fought charter
> schools) limiting that choice.
> 
> Sherry Kurtz
> 313 Wendover Ct.
> 
> 
> Letter to Kestrel Community:
> December 7, 2007Â 
> 
> Â Â 
> 
> Dear Kestrel Community,
> 
> Â 
> 
> Kestrel Heights School has been serving our
> community since 1998. We have provided thousands of
> children with a superior educational experience with
> a focus on citizenship and effort. As you know, a
> little over two years ago, we moved into a new
> 40,000 square foot facility near RTP, after
> struggling for eight years to operate out of the
> Lakewood YMCA and a converted clothing store.   In
> the last two years we have grown from 165 to 425
> students in grades 6 through 12. We are very excited
> that we will graduate our first class of seniors
> this June! The original mission of Kestrel was to
> create a safe learning environment for all students
> using the Paideia method of instruction. I am
> pleased to report that we are fulfilling the mission
> and that we are getting closer to becoming the model
> public Paideia School in North Carolina we dreamed
> of over ten years ago.
> 
> Â 
> 
> This past Wednesday, Grace Marsh, a Kestrel Board
> member, Mr. Dugan, Mr. Mitchell and myself, attended
> a committee meeting of the State Board of Education
> to get the committee’s approval of our long sought
> after elementary school and to ask that our charter
> be renewed for another ten years. We did not get to
> speak.  Unfortunately, it was clear from the
> comments of the committee members, and especially
> the chairperson, that the committee will NOT
> recommend to the State Board of Education that we
> get the elementary school. Furthermore, it is likely
> that the committee, for the first time in charter
> school history, will deny a successful charter
> school a ten-year renewal.   It looks as though
> the committee will recommend the SBE approve a
> charter renewal for only one or two years. If this
> occurs, the school will have considerable difficulty
> obtaining funds to increase the educational
> opportunities for our students and to acquire our
> own athletic fields. It was quite clear from the
> comments made by the committee members that they are
> anti-charter and hold charter schools to higher
> standards than the traditional schools. The trend is
> to keep charter schools small and eventually close
> Kestrel and many other charter schools unless they
> are in,  what the State Board determines to be, 
> the top echelon of schools in North Carolina based
> solely on the State’s ABC testing.   
> 
> Â 
> 
> It is IMPERATIVE that you write a letter, call, or
> e-mail members of the State Board of Education and
> all of our Durham elected state officials describing
> your reasons for choosing Kestrel and your child’s
> experience at our school. Let them know that YOU
> think we are the right choice for your child. Please
> send them the message that thousands of families in
> Durham have chosen Kestrel over traditional public
> schools and that you like having a CHOICE!   It is
> clear that if we do not flood the State Board of
> Education with letters, e-mails and telephone calls
> by the end of next week, December 14, 2007, they
> will not approve the elementary school and will only
> grant Kestrel a two year charter renewal, adversely
> affecting the long-term viability of the school. 
> This is an extremely critical year for the future
> success of Kestrel.  PLEASE do not think someone
> else will take care of this.  If you want Kestrel
> to survive, YOU must act NOW!  Unless you speak up
> and get the State Board of Education to change their
> minds, you will soon not have a choice in your
> child’s education. 
> 
> Â 
> 
> Please send an email to Tim Dugan at tddugan at aol.com
> with a copy to Padkins305 at aol.com.  Please title
> the email, “Kestrel Heights Expansion and Charter
> Renewal Request to the SBE.”  Please address your
> comments to the State Board of Education in the body
> of your email.  We would also like each of you to
> sign a copy of you email and mail or bring it to the
> school.  We plan to mail a copy of the emails to
> each of the Board Members at their home address.  
> 
> Â 
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Â 
> 
> Tim Dugan
> 
> Director
> 
> Philip S. Adkins,
> 
> Chairman, Board of Directors
> 
> Â 
> 
> 
>
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