Staffers of nine charter schools are heading to the shuttered Lagniappe Academies campus to pick-up teaching material, equipment and furniture left behind by the closed school.
The 5-year-old charter school shut its doors May 8, one month earlier than planned, and teachers are collecting their final paychecks this week.
In March, the state school board voted not to renew the school’s charter amid concerns of special education violations. The school’s board of directors is tying up loose ends now and must dispose of the school’s property before auctioning off its modular buildings June 8.
Selling what could be public property seemingly is new territory for the Recovery School District, which oversaw Lagniappe. But the RSD gave the charter school approval to do so in an April 30 letter. Presumably, that’s because they don’t want to deal with the trailers’ missing hitches and the approximately $900,000 in debt they carry.
In the meantime, KIPP, ReNEW, and Firstline schools, along with other schools from across the city will be picking up material donations at the site.
Consultant Joseph Daschbach said the material donation plan doesn’t cover all items in the school.
“So, beginning on Tuesday, other Type 5 schools that are not specifically named will be invited to come to the campus,” he said.
Teacher Thomas Mickley-Doyle, who voluntarily assumed much of the closing responsibility after the school’s three top leaders resigned, said the RSD wants to see a paper trail of all donated items.
But when the buildings are gone, and they must be removed from the leased property by the end of June, that will put the homeless nonprofit in a bit of a bind.
They need a space for auditors to perform the yearly audit required of all charter schools.
Board member Dan Henderson said they are still working on finding a space, and they just need a room for the auditors to work plus a couple filing cabinets.
Despite the plan to auction the modulars, the school may not be able to cover its debts.
“The school so far will not cover all of its indebtedness,” Henderon said. “And so, we’re working prudently to minimize any damage that might come up later on regarding costs.”
After completing the audit and other requirements the board will most likely dissolve the nonprofit.
This seems typical of the lack of oversight, improper procedure and improper use of taxpayer funds under the oversight of the RSD aka BESE. I, for one, will be filing a public information request for all accounting of funds and all properties. There is no excuse for this school being in debt as they are funded not only w MFP money but dubious grants funneled through the ever present “non profits” like NSNO. It is ludicrous for anyone to disparage the return of RSD schools to OPSB claiming its record of fraud and graft when RSD is the alternative. Wake up N.O. taxpayers.
Lee, I am in awe. Oh wait – what am I saying!? I am not in awe. I am in GUFFAW! This Lagniappe nonprofit (Ray Smart – look closer at what yo’ money has done – a charter surprisingly !!! Ha! approved whilst that ##$ Pastorek was the superintendent) has been operating in the closed Winn-Dixie parking lot on St. Louis Street for the past five years. That’s half of a decade, RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard (Pastorek’s go-fer), and now it needs a place to conduct an audit. Which firm has been conducting the audits for the past five years? Let them bad A$$e$ figure that out! BAD AUDIT(s) BAD AUDIT(s) what you gonna do? what you gonna do when they come for you? The LLA Office is a sham. That is not where the problems will arise. 05/30/2015 1:11 AM DST USA
Patrick Dobard, the RSD superintendent, could put the Lagniappe Charter portables on his RSD AMEX card. He is authorized for well over that amount. Why should Louisianians pay auctioneer fees for portable buildings that it/they didn’t pick out! He (Patrick) “don’t leave” Gonzalez Louisiana (home) without it (AMEX). Gawd knows the state of Louisiana is good for it! Right, you all? 05/30/2015 1:29 AM DST USA
Put all the Lagniappe stuff out in a pile in the Winn Dixie closed parking lot. Teachers will flock to the area. They will fight over three-legged broken desks. BUT, that does not absolve you, BESE, nor does it absolve the State of Louisiana, the Governor’s office, or the State Superintendent of Education for wrongdoings that have been done in the name of “good intentions.” 05/30/2015 2:13 AM DST USA
Yeah, well you all might want to get on over to the 1 of 2 “new” “new” OPSB-authorized charter schools, Foundation Prep, in the east. The CEO/head of school is an attorney (no professional education credentials) and the board is “leasing modulars.” No, it is not in a closed Winn-Dixie parking lot like Lagniappe – but this may be worse than Lagniappe. Could this be possible? Foundation Prep will be housed on the archdiocesan-leased site that VIET-NO CEO, Cyndi Nguyen, leases. “What goes around really goes around.” Cyndi Nguyen, et al. was sued in 2007 because yo’ girl thought she was the board president of Einstein Charter School and did her damndest, and her sister, Lorna Hoang’s damndest, to get Einstein evicted from the Cannes Street site. “CALL PAUL.” Now, the OPSB seems to be alright with this – or is it “the messenger” they got problems with —- again?
07/05/2015 11:10 PM DST USA
Somebody throw something – “nickelndime” and ASP are waiting to comment on #2 of #2 of the NEW-NEW-NEW NEW ORLEANS OPSB-authorized charters – Cypress – WE DON’T need no board meetings (but yes, we are opening) and head CEO is from the RSD.
07/06/2015 11:07 PM DST USA
When THE LENS says that other charters will get materials from the closed Lagniappe Academies (did we
miss something – was there more than one), does that mean that the leased “modulars” are “up for grabs at a cheap price”? You (collectively speaking, do know that WE are – expletive deleted – with you, collectively speaking).
07/07/2015 4:53 AM DST USA
Just wait. This is going to catch
on like a wildfire! The public is slow. You’ve got to work with them. Eventually they catch on that you mean “them and their children” no harm. They are like gypsies. Oh look! I have lost interest myself. That human “chip” is very difficult to override.
LMAspO! 07/07/2015 5:07 AM DST
USA
ASP has subscribed to THE HECHINGER REPORT – I couldn’t stop him. ASP is poisonous, you know. There is a thin line between “pet” and “BFF.” This was all a result of the Milestone Charter article by Felton – which (the school) was Leslie’s “baby” way before Katrina – BESE-authorized – Leslie said “GO FORTH WITH SABIS…” and that was good enough for that last BESE crew (well, they each have their own problems). 10 years+ for Milestone – you explain it – there is a whole other story that goes back to Jacobs and Pastorek – but the current (story) will “do.”
There is a LDOE spokesperson named “Pastorick.” PLEASE STOP PAUL – you has us dyin’ over here. U take da cake, baby.
07/15/2015 12:15 AM DST USA
RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard, Pastorek’s/not LDOE spokesperson, Pastorick’s, former (fill in the blank), could have put the Lagniappe Academies “leased modulars” AND all of the broken school lights in the City of New Orleans on his RSD AMEX card, but no…Big Man Guido, let D’Juan use his AMEX card instead. LMAspO! 07/15/2015 2:25 AM DST USA
D’Juan used his RSD MILESTONE CHARTER AMEX card to buy “things that a child would steal.” (tulane u., plane fare, lorraine’s, zulu maid, etouffe’ and crab cakes).
Maybe Ken Carter needs to talk to his son-in-law BOLD-ly and tell him that this don’t look good, but maybe this is the “trade off” for Tara. Karen ain’t no “gem” either.
07/15/2015, 2:46 AM, DST USA
ASP is talking “double baggers,” but being the “voice of reason,” that is way too cruel, IMO. But ASP is poisonous, as we all know, and which Cleo knew all too well and used to her advantage. However, sometimes it is best to just let my ASP “go,” which is what I am doing.
07/15/2015 3:03 AM DST USA
This is DEJAVU “all over again” except it is Foundation Prep, Inc. (not Lagniappe Academies – there is no Ray Smart – it’s not RSD – it’s the OPSB – it’s not in the closed Winn-Dixie parking lot. It’s in the parking lot of VIET – Je sus’ H. Hispanic Holy Christ – leased from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Would somebody like to tell me how Foundation Prep is going to turn ten applications into 104! Are we talking about “loaves and fishes”? This will be a gaddam OneApp miracle.
07/25/2015 3:57 AM DST USA
The Blessing of the Book Bags will be held in Metairie on August 8. This is the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Je Sus’ H. Holy Hispanic Christ. ASP is on the floor gASPing. Why? Who? What? WE know When and Where, but again, WHY? This makes New Orleans look sane – and that is hard to do! 07/26/2015 3:35 AM DST USA
Quick! Get us a book bag. If there is going to be a blessing, WE sure as hell need one. Does the book bag need to be mesh or see-thru – like in New Orleans – or is you, yo Reverend Graf, going to bless EVERYBODY wit a book bag? Well yeah, I is “carrying” – it’s ASP (my pet snake).
07/26/2015 3:44 AM DST USA
ASP has been around since “The Garden of Eden,”
and the irony is IS that his relatives ain’t had to bite anybody to “make a point.”
Buf you humans, you gots “issues.”
You put yo youngerns in daycare and you think dey ain’t gonna gef bit,
PAUSE,
ASP is laffnfg his (exoletive deleted) ASP off.
07/26/2015 4:33 AM DST
USA