For the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts two hurdles were cleared last week. The Richmond School Board voted 8-1 on Monday to allow PHSSA to hire its first principal -- Pamela L. Boyd. On Sunday, the day before, officials representing what will be Virginia’s third charter school had signed a lease to use classrooms at a church until the school building is deemed ready.
Thus, barring the appearance of a new obstacle, kindergarten through fifth grade classes are set to begin in August. And, classes will be held at Woodland Heights Baptist Church until the first phase of renovations is completed at the school building. The modifications to the 90-year-old school building must meet contemporary standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The church is located at 611 W. 31st St., a 10 minute walk from the eventual home for this experiment in public education at 3411 Semmes Ave. While they are being schooled at the church the students will use the school building’s playground for recreation.
That building was closed by the School Board in 2006, owing greatly to the expensive problems it had complying with ADA standards. The movement to create a charter school was started by people who lived near the shuttered public school building, who thought it was a detriment to the neighborhood for the building to stay closed.
However, when the lottery was held in March to select the students -- there were more applications than slots available -- the children of parents who had worked to found the school were given no preference. Students from any part of town were eligible.
So, the original concept has grown over time, as each hurdle was cleared. The determination of the group that has PHSSA scheduled to open in August has been remarkable. At several times it seemed to many observers that the PHSSA project was doomed.
“We did get an extremely important vote on Monday that Pam Boyd will be hired by July 1st as PHSSA principal,” said Kristen Larson, Director of Public Relations with PHSSA. “She is now working with [Richmond Public Schools] on all things related to the school -- meals, testing, finances, staffing, etc.”
From PHSSA website (http://www.patrickhenrycharter.org/index.htm):
“In her most recent administrative position, she served as the principal of Charles City High in Charles City, Virginia, for four years … Boyd brings a wealth of experience from the classroom and administration, and was most recently employed at Henrico, Virginia, at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico, Virginia, as a technology teacher. Prior to that she also served as dean of students, and as an administrator-in-training at Meadowbrook High School, Chesterfield County, Virginia. Boyd also spent 17 years in public education in Maryland and North Carolina.”
Now the teachers for PHSSA are being hired. Over 90 applications have been received for what will be nine teaching positions.
About that 8-1 vote by the School Board, Chandra Smith was the lone dissenter. But what has been perceived, by some, as a stubborn resistance to the very concept of charter schools by the board was less in evidence with this vote. The last important vote, to let PHSSA use the church until the work on the school building is completed, was a five-to-four split.
The political angles to the PHSSA story have been complicated, with many agendas in play. But the new charter school has a sure friend in Gov. Bob McDonnell, who has donated $25,000 to PHSSA.
McDonnell wanted take the approval powers for charter school contracts away from local school boards and hand them over to the Virginia Board of Education. Since local school boards are elected and the governor appoints the members to the VBE that idea didn‘t set so well with the education establishment. A compromise was stuck in the General Assembly, leaving the final say-so with local boards, after allowing the applications to be vetted by the state board.
“We still need to finish negotiating the Patrick Henry building lease with [the] RPS Board,” Larson said, “Patrick Henry is on schedule to open for the first day of school on August 11th. Right now we have 150 student enrolled. Nearly all of the staff have been selected. Books and furniture are being ordered.”
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