As president of the Tremé Charter School Association’s board of directors, Roslyn Smith is used to overseeing the faculty and staff of McDonogh 42, an open enrollment, public charter school educating students from Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade with almost 450 students an enrollment in 2011-2012 of 527 students. But as of July 1, she found herself […]
Author Archives: Marta Jewson
Marta Jewson covers education in New Orleans for The Lens. She began her reporting career covering charter schools for The Lens and helped found the hyperlocal news site Mid-City Messenger. Jewson returned to New Orleans in the fall of 2014 after covering education for the St. Cloud Times in Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with majors in journalism and social welfare and a concentration in educational policy studies.
Jewson has covered New Orleans schools for 15 years through the nation's largest education reform experiment. She was a founding member of the outlet's Charter School Reporting Corps and was instrumental in holding schools accountable to sunshine laws during the rapid expansion of charter schools in the city.
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Warren Easton’s board of directors supports hiring grant writer in light of financial loss, expected increases in expenditures
Warren Easton High School Financial officer Mike Greer said the school recorded an overall loss of $184,680 on the fiscal year. The school had $9.1 million in reserves at the end of May. President David Garland said Warren Easton is anticipating spending $200,000 on new textbooks for incoming ninth-graders. The mandated switch to common core […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Choice Foundation board discusses plans to take over McDonogh 42
Choice Foundation, the charter management organization that currently runs Lafayette Academy and Esperanza Charter schools, discussed its takeover of McDonogh 42 at its June 29 board meeting. Choice’s Executive Director Mickey Landry cautioned the board that the upcoming year would be one of “massive change.” In addition to the implementation of state common core standards […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Treme Charter School Association fails to reach quorum at possible final meeting
The Treme Charter School Association, which did not have its charter to manage McDonogh 42 renewed for the 2012-2013 school year, turned over control of the school to the Choice Foundation on June 30. Additionally, the organization failed to reach a quorum in its June 30 meeting. The board had three action items on its […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Ben Mays Prep budget shows shortfall
At the Ben Mays Preparatory School’s board of director’s retreat on June 27 the talk of the day was an anticipated budget shortfall. “Bad news is we need some additional funding to the tune of $140,000,” said Director of Finance Brent Washington. A significant increase in transportation costs and the end of Public Charter School […]
Posted inSchools
CEO of New Beginnings charter network stepping down this week
The chief executive officer of New Beginnings Schools Foundations, one of New Orleans’ largest charter-school operators, announced her resignation today, just a month after the organization lost another top executive. The Capital One New Beginnings network is now searching for a chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Chief Executive Officer Vera […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Crocker Arts and Technology School sees 15 percent budget increase
Crocker Arts and Technology School’s preliminary operating budget of $2.2 million for the 2012-2013 school year is a 15 percent increase from the previous year’s. In addition to an increase in student population, the school will be moving into a new building. The school anticipates a $240,000 increase in operational costs as a result of […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
[Correction] ReNEW considers chartering more schools as performance scores rate at the "F" level
ReNEW’s board of directors learned at its June meeting that two of the network’s three elementary schools will likely meet their internal school performance score targets. Chief Executive Officer Gary Robichaux said SciTech Academy and Reed Elementary are predicted to score 71 and 65, respectively. Robichaux’s predicted score of 63 for Batiste Cultural Arts Academy […]
Posted inSchools
New Beginnings chief operating officer takes state education job
An executive staffer with one of New Orleans’ largest charter school networks has accepted a position with the Louisiana Department of Education. Stephen Osborn, former chief operating officer of the Capital One-New Beginnings Charter School Network, left the organization in mid-May to become assistant superintendent of student programs in the state education department. Osborn is […]
Posted inCharter Schools, Schools
Moton postpones budget hearing
Robert Mussa Moton Charter School has canceled its public budget hearing, according to principal Paulette Bruno. A Lens reporter went to review the school’s budget, by law made publicly available 10 days in advance of the hearing, to find there was no copy available for public review. Bruno said the budget was not available and […]