The fate of Chesapeake Science Point Charter School now rests with the school board. One month ago, Superintendent Kevin Maxwell gave the Hanover school until Feb. 23 to “cure” several shortcomings at the school, including hiring and retaining a qualified special education teacher and submitting plans on how it utilizes program spaces.
“I think it?s certainly fair to say there?s been significant progress in the last month and increased communication with the school,” said school system spokesman Bob Mosier on Friday.
School system officials are now analyzing the progress to determine what the school has actually accomplished.
The school, which opened in 2005 and enrolls 218 sixth- through ninth-graders, has been on probation since the 2006-2007 school year.
Maxwell will now formulate a recommendation for the school board to consider on March 5, ranging from keeping the school on probation to closing the school.
Regardless of the decision, the school will remain open at least through the end of the year, Mosier said.
School spokesman Spear Lancaster remains optimistic that the school has addressed the school system?s concerns. The school, for instance, has hired two part-time special education teachers for about five students with special needs.
“We?ve got them pretty much covered,” he said.
Besides improving special education, the school needed to provide plans on how they utilize their current building, and submit documents for a new facility they hoped to attain to expand to ninth and 10th grades.
Lancaster said next year?s plans to acquire a new building or even expand the building, however, were abandoned for cost concerns.
The school will now only enroll middle school students in sixth through eighth grade next year, thus eliminating the need for building documents.
Parents share Lancaster?s enthusiasm at the school?s potential for staying open.
“It was a wake-up call to the Chesapeake Science Point governing board,” said Cheri Winterton, of Severn, parent of a sixth-grader at the school. “Now, it?s time to go back and focus on the education at the school.”
