Parents of students enrolled in the Cherokee County School District's NorthStar Tippens Education Center are upset about the district's plans to provide direct oversight of it.
The North Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency previously oversaw the facility, which is housed in the former Tippens Elementary School in Canton. Both Cherokee and Pickens students attend the facility.
North Georgia RESA is part of the Georgia Network of Educational Therapeutic Services, which provides psychoeducational services to children with moderate to severe special needs.
Rhonda Gawlowski of Canton said her daughter has thrived while at NorthStar for the last two years. Before enrolling, Ms. Gawlowski said Abbie was in a self-contained classroom and would wet herself during class.
Since being at NorthStar, Ms. Gawlowski said Abbie has been on the A-and-B honor roll and was the first student at the school to earn the President's Award for Educational Excellence.
"This program has done amazing things for her," she said, adding they moved to Cherokee because of the school.
Ms. Gawlowski said she is concerned about whether the school district will be able to provide the level of support now given to NorthStar by North Georgia RESA.
"It won't be the level of support these kids are used to having," she said, adding she is eager to know how the school district will staff the facility with professionals who want to work with special needs children.
North Georgia RESA also serves Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, Murray, and Whitfield County Schools, Dalton City Schools, Dalton State College, Chattahoochee Technical College's Jasper campus and the Northwest Georgia Regional Library Board. The change in oversight means students living in Pickens would have to enroll into their home school districts.
Parents were informed of the change in a letter from Larry Harmon, executive director of North Georgia RESA.
Harmon said the Cherokee school district "wanted to go a different route," and the decision was a cost-cutting measure. No other districts have pulled out the network, he added.
Harmon said he doesn't think the change would negatively impact the support each student and their parents receive.
"I don't anticipate any drop in services," he said.
During its budget review process, the Cherokee school district determined having direct oversight would help run the program more effectively and efficiently, according to a memo issued Wednesday by county Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo.
Petruzielo said the district will use federal stimulus dollars to operate the program this year and will use state funding beginning next year for operations.
The superintendent said the district can save money by consolidating NorthStar's current satellite classes, two of which are at Hasty Elementary in downtown Canton and one at Freedom Middle near BridgeMill, into its students with disabilities program.
Paraprofessionals at NorthStar who don't meet the district's current qualifications will have one year to gain the skills necessary to remain employed.
The change, he said, also would allow for better communication with NorthStar parents and other stakeholders.
Petruzielo said the district had a "lack of open communications" with GNETS, which contributed to "inappropriate and confusing interactions" between parents, staff and the community at large.
Academic progress and data collection at NorthStar, he said, will be monitored to make sure they comply with federal guidelines. Records, file management, staff work hours and calendar days all will be in compliance with district protocol.
The district also will form a student, parent, staff and community advisory committee to assist in the development and oversight program.
To help with the transition, the district additionally will recommend an "experienced" special education administrator to supervise the staff and run the facility. The recommendation will be up for approval by the county school board during its June 17 meeting.
Dr. Carla Cohen, the Cherokee school district's assistant superintendent for educational programs, student support and professional development, said services will improve as a result of the change.
Having direct oversight of the facility, Dr. Cohen said, would "save overhead expenses that can be better used to address the direct education and therapeutic needs of students."
The district not only already maintains the facility, provides school bus transportation and food and custodial services, but also kicks in an additional $720,000 in direct monetary support for the facility. Little to no financial support is given to the facility by the state government, she added.
"The services provided at NorthStar Tippens are provided because of the [school district's] involvement, not in spite of it," she said.
Originally named Mountainbrook Comprehensive Academy, the program started in the old R.M. Moore Elementary School building in Waleska. It later moved to Tippens Elementary, which was renamed the L.R. Tippens Education Center. In 2008, the facility was again renamed as the NorthStar Tippens Education Center.
The district now is referring to the facility as L.R. Tippens Education Center.
On the last day of school in May there were 85 children enrolled at NorthStar.
Wendy McCoy's 13-year-old son, Jonathan, is one of the 85 students who will be affected by the change.
Jonathon, Mrs. McCoy said, suffers from separation anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
While he is considered special needs, Mrs. McCoy said her son's IQ is "up there" and that he loves the school.
Before he enrolled at NorthStar, Mrs. McCoy said Jonathon would often run away from his former school, R.M. Moore Elementary.
Since he's been at NorthStar, Mrs. McCoy said her son only has run away from the facility once. He also is at the top of his class and routinely makes A grades.
Mrs. McCoy said she was "bothered" by the letter Harmon sent out and has talked with district staff about how they planned to provide adequate care for the children.
"I'm concerned that the kids won't know anyone," she said. "How they will adjust?"
Mrs. McCoy said she's "hoping and praying" her son will continue to thrive at the school.
The program at NorthStar, she said, has been effective because of the trained staff.
"It's like a family," she said while choking back tears.
Kellie Roberts
Good luck CCSD god knows you will need it. I'm afraid you have made a terrible mistake, but we all know that would never be admitted.
Northstar staff you provided a safe haven for this children and for that you will never be forgotten.
NorthStar absolutely has been the "poster child" for the way to have a GNETS program implemented. Others around the state looked to this program for the how to's, the withitness, the ways to set their students up for success. What an awful tragedy that Dr. P would throw away a blue ribbon program!