UNCHARTERED TERRITORY

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August 4, 2011 - 12:00 AM

USD 257 administrators may seek a charter school grant from the federal government if they can get the paperwork together and the grant request written in time.
Recent economic conditions have meant dwindling funds for education, so when an opportunity for free money comes along, said Superintendent of Schools Brian Pekarek, a school district has to act.
The USD 257 board and district administrators are in the process of reviewing a federal charter school grant for $200,000 over three years. A charter school is a school created by a contract between a sponsor and an organizer, in this case the school board and federal government. Charter schools typically have a nontraditional focus, such as technology, agriculture or fine arts.
“It’s my job to let everyone know what options we have,” Pekarek said. “If we have to ask people for more in (property tax) mills then we need to let them know we’re trying to get funds other places, too.”
So far, the administration has narrowed the charter school’s potential focus to three choices: Health, technology and fine arts. Although a decision to put the money toward one building or multiple buildings is still up in the air, Pekarek said he’s gotten signals that limiting it to a single building might have the best outcome.
“The overall goal is to make a center of academic excellence,” Pekarek said. “If we can focus our energy, we can do a lot of good stuff.”
Pekarek said if the administration chooses to pursue the health charter, the district will look to partner with area health organizations such as REACH Healthcare Foundation or Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City for additional funding. Because the grant funds expire in three years, a partnership would help secure long-term funding.
“If we do this, it’s about sustainability,” he said. “If (another organization) could give us a commitment, that would help out not only in the financing but also in actually acquiring the grant.”
This week USD 257 turned to its neighbor to the south for help with navigating uncharted charter school waters. In 2008 the Humboldt school district utilized grant funds to upgrade technology in its elementary school. Tuesday, nine USD 257 administrators and faculty spent time at the Humboldt school talking with Kay Bolt, principal of the Humboldt elementary and middle schools.
“If you’re going to do it you have to be fully committed,” she told the administrators.
To further assist, Bolt agreed to supply USD 257 with a copy of the very grant request letter she used to secure $460,000 three years ago.
But time is a major hurdle. The formal grant request is due Aug. 30.
“If we’re going to do this, we have to move,” Pekarek said, adding that having Humboldt’s actual grant letter could have an impact on the route USD 257 takes.
“With the timeline we’re under, having a successful grant letter to look at could help tremendously,” he said. “Since that letter was for technology, that’s the way we’re leaning.” 
If USD 257 administrators are able to solidify a plan, Pekarek said he will ask the board to approve a $750 expenditure at the Aug. 8 meeting to pay Greenbush education service center to write the request letter, which often can be more than 50 pages in length.
“Yes, it’s $750, but think about the options and return on our investment,” he said.   

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