Keystone working on 8-year charter extension from Bay Mills

After months of preparations and paperwork, Keystone Charter Academy in Sumpter Township is taking the final steps in having its charter renewed by Bay Mills Community College.
Eight years is the maximum for Bay Mills and Keystone is at that level, indicating Bay Mills officials are satisfied with the level of education at Keystone.
Keystone was founded in 2003 with 357 students in grades K-5. Now the school offers classes for Young-5s to 8th grade and there are 799 students. It is a public school managed by National Heritage Academies.
At its regular meeting May 9, the Keystone Academy Board of Directors tabled a document, just received, on the Terms and Conditions of the charter, referring to changes in the law. It will be considered at the June 13 meeting of the board after board members have time to review it.
Also there were five other documents tabled on agreements with Bay Mills and NHA set for votes in June.
In other business at the May 9 meeting, the board:
• Approved reelection of the same officers for the 2019-20 school year: President Vesta Losen, Vice President Darren Hickonbottom, Treasurer Charlene Derrick, and Secretary Connie Shull. The board members also appointed the National Heritage Academies representative as the FOIA Officer, the NHA Director of Construction as the AHERA (asbestos) contract; and Principal Jorvonna Drain as the Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 Contact;
• Passed a resolution on the appointment of the Board Legal Counsel — CS3 Law — that indicates NHA can send her legal papers directly without first getting board approval;
• Discussed the Annual Education Report, covering 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years, that goes to the state. It states Keystone outperformed local districts as well as the State average in all subjects and grade levels, according to the 2016-17 M-STEP results. Average daily attendance is 94.2%, exceeding the State’s goal by almost 5%. Board President Losen said, “The only reason we have the charter is because there wasn’t a good performing school. We had to fight for the charter.” Principal Drain said for the last five years, Keystone has outperformed other local districts. “I think the other districts improved because of us,” Losen said;
• Approved a detailed School Improvement Plan, as presented by Principal Drain;
• Held the second HIV/STI Lesson Plan Hearing and discussed how the subjects will be taught in fifth and eighth grades, as required by law, and approved the lesson plans presented;
• Tabled until June consideration of the 2018-19 Final Amended Budget and the 2019-20 Initial Budget Proposal public hearing and discussion. The new NHA budget of $6,966,045 has been constructed with the following assumptions: 768 offered capacity for fall 2019, 28 classrooms utilized, and $8,977 per-pupil funding;
• Learned the cardigans embroidered with the names of school employees for Teacher Appreciation Day was not as expensive as expected;
• Approved $1,000 out of board funds for the scholarship to a graduating high school senior who had attended Keystone. The topic of the essay is “Perseverance” and the judging of the candidates is under way. The scholarship is from the PTO and the school board. The PTO has been giving out awards for Perfect Attendance, as well; and
• Learned the founder of NHA, J.C. Huizenga, recently invested $1 million and set up a special NHA department to write lesson plans for a renewed emphasis on the teaching of moral focus. The lessons will be taught three days a week for 15 minutes each and will be in the master schedule. Principal Drain said next school year, these moral focus lesson plans will be taught from 8 to 8:15 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
April 11 meeting
At its April 11 meeting, the Keystone board discussed the new state Next Generation Science Standards that schools must be full transitioned into by the spring of 2020, when students will be tested on them by the state.
It was said to be hands-on, more than textbooks.
Jeff Henders of NHA said Michigan has not done well with science.
The theory of creation was discussed and it was suggested the teachers should teach the age of the earth as theory, but telling the students it will be on their state test as fact.
“The method you take is up to the school,” Henders said.
Board president Losen said when Mount St. Helen exploded they found stones that tested to be much older than expected.
Principal Drain she would talk to the teachers in grades 6, 7, and 8 about this.
Board director Patricia Kirkpatrick asked about the teaching of climate change and Henders said he didn’t think it was taught that way.
Kirkpatrick asked how much leeway the teacher has in presenting the lesson and Principal Drain said the teacher can’t express opinion. She said the State of Michigan used these standards, so it’s not a problem.
Losen said they are talking about middle school lessons and the students will know they have to put this on the test, even if they don’t believe it
In other business at the April 11 meeting, the board:
• Approved the audit letter of engagement with Plante & Moran for the year ending June 30 at a cost of $5,560 for the basic financial statements and $4,695 for the single audit (if applicable);
• Discussed how to honor administrative assistants in April and teachers in May and what gifts to purchase;
• Approved the Reauthorization Questionnaire from Bay Mills, containing questions regarding finances, conflicts of interest, and contracted services;
• Approved the 2019-20 school calendar, with the first day of school Sept. 3 and the last day of school June 12, with 1,172 instructional hours and 180 school days;
• Approved a bylaws amendment to allow board members serving in the military to participate in meetings by long distance phone calls, as state law requires; and
• Learned a new Line Drive student drop off and pick up procedure was to start the next week. Principal Drain said it has been used in 30 schools successfully. It is especially needed in the afternoon when some parents park and come inside the school to talk to teachers. There are 65 cars from employees parked in the lot and it may be necessary to expand the parking area, she said.