Somebody isn't happy...too bad

Seems like some people need to figure out that this blog and this fight aren't going to go away.

No matter how much certain people want to bully, try smear tactics, or harass.

There are more  people in this neighborhood fighting this fight than just the one person being singled out. And she isn't intimidated. Keep that in mind.

Funny...

On the Windsor Prep PTA's they refer to the staff/school as A++ . LOL. Last I checked it was still an "F" school. HahahaHaHa. Well, at least they have a good sense of humor.

Dangerous Dogs

 Has anyone seen those huge, scary looking German Shepherds  that run loose occasionally? They were running in the drop off circle the other day.
 Can you imagine if  dog that size were to have bitten or knocked down a child or a teacher?!
 They are a real menace, and potentially very dangerous.
 My neighbor tells me they run loose all the time and have even knocked someone down before, injuring them.
  Seems the owner ( if he was the responsible type..or at least the type who could handle large dogs like that) would care more.
  Wonder if animal control, or the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office would care????

Same old, same old

It's nice to know that things never change with the assholes at the "F" school Windsor Prep :)

I only wish we had all been told that the inconsiderate staff and parents bought our neighborhood when they started taking our tax dollars to fund their failure charter school.

Typical

 Was talking to a neighbor who recounted a fairly typical experience that happened to them Thursday.
  Seems they were driving home around 1p.m, maybe a little before. When they were waiting at a stop sign (three way stop) to turn onto 46th st, a small yellow hatchback was approaching the opposing stop sign.
 In typical "F" school Windsor Prep Academy parent/driver fashion, the yellow car blew through the stop sign, nearly clipping the front end of said neighbors car ( who had right of way). The yellow hatchback then proceeded to roll through the stop sign turning off of 46th st onto 52nd ave., and then rolled through the stop sign turning off of 52nd. st. onto 45th street.
  Now kids...can we all guess where they were headed? Ding ding ding..winner winner chicken dinner...you guessed right. They went straight into the "F" school Windsor Prep's parking lot.
  I wonder if  the "I own the road so rules don't apply to me" yellow car's driver drives like that when they have their child in the car, or if they just save that behavior for when they are driving alone, and disrespecting other people's neighborhoods?
  Thank goodness it was during school hours so no kids were out, but there could easily have been one of the many elderly neighbors walking, or perhaps the gentleman who walks his grandchild in the stroller, or folks walking their dogs...any number of people or situations...and the obnoxious little yellow car would probably just keep rolling right on up into the obnoxious "F" school Windsor Prep's parking lot.
The sad thing is if one of these inconsiderate jerks were to hit someone, would the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office even care? Probably not ( unless there was a way to garner some positive publicity for the agency)  since they haven't cared so far.

It finally happened.....

Well, the inconsiderate, all about me and my kid parents who clog our street daily in order to drop their kids off at "F" school Windsor Prep Academy finally did exactly what all the neighbors have been concerned they would...they hindered the ability of a Sunstar ambulance to respond into the neighborhood to attend to the Cancer Patient on the last culdesac.

 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED IN BLOCKING THE ROADS AND INTERSECTIONS, AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO THE PRIZEWINNER IN THE SMALL WHITE CAR THAT WAS PARKED ACROSS BOTH LANES WAITING TO GET THROUGH THE GATE, BLOCKING THE AMBULANCE. CLEARLY YOUR NEED TO DROP YOUR KID OFF IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN STAYING IN YOUR LANE WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE AMBULANCE TO GO AROUND YOU. DARN INCONVENIENT OF THE CANCER PATIENT,RIGHT? I MEAN REALLY...HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY DURING MORNING DROP OFF.

What adds to the special is the INCONSIDERATE IDIOTS like this, who parked across the curve to drop their kid off because they don't want to wait in the drop off line. Now what if the ambulance was leaving at that point ( I mean they had their patient loaded by then It was just luck that they weren't trying to get out right then) ? Oh that's right...they would have to have waited while the idiot in the SUV did his or her three point turn up onto the neighbors grass 

Oooh..I'll skip the line and cut in here

Apparently they own the road

Who needs a driveway when I can use the grass?

Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE AGENDA WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2014

Here's a link to the agenda of the MPO meeting on Oct 1, and School Transportation & Enhanced Pedestrian Safety Committee Agenda for September 17, 2014, from 9:00a.m. – 11:30a.m.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/mpo/agendas/STSC_Meeting/Sep%202014%20STSC%20Agenda.pdf

Most of it can be skipped over. Starting on pg 65 some interesting items pop up. In the notes it states:
"Another big issue that needs to be looked at who is responsible for the frontage of Charter School sites. There are a total of five Plato Academies. Windsor Academy is in process of redevelopment and they are anticipating 650 students. We are not the legal guardians of Charter Schools. Marshall shares that we are looking at zoning to remain the same for our next school year. District is hoping that with the re- opening of Gulf Beaches and Kings Highway as technology attractors, we can pull some of our students back in our schools. We still hope that since we have changed the Agenda it may encourage others to come and participate. We are a unique group and as we see annexations continue, there will be a sharing of jurisdictional boundaries. They would also have the opportunity to add items for new business and decide to leave at that point or stay for the additional information from STEPS. "

Further down, in site specific open studies, they note: 

Windsor Academy Travel to School concern # 13142 & 13144

Looking for Crossing Guards, speed regulations, traffic signs for school that is shoehorned 

in at the dead end of street. 175 vehicles moving in and out. Increase to enrollment 

projection. No secondary egress on this property. Looking at putting No Parking signs. Will 

not be able to complete driveway and expansion plan. Not sue of completion date yet.

Speed signs need to be put on 45th Street and 54th Ave N. Will test Collaborative agreement. 

Signal Warrant Study at 45th St and 54th Ave. 

Robert left message with asst. principal about contacting his parents to look at other means of 

access. Major construction in place.

* note that they have an inaccurate count of vehicles. That was the first year vehicle count, and is not reflective of the increase in enrollment over the last two years. The current year enrollment is over 580 students with an informal traffic count of over 400 vehicles going in and out morning and afternoon. This is a LOW number as neighbors have not yet been able to be out there before school starts, so a large number do not get counted. Of course it's on the agenda lol*

On page 108, it shows Charter School tracking and notes East Windsor Middle 

Location-Type # Relocatable units or permanent classrooms- 25
Owner - Lease Rent (from who???)
Year Started or Scheduled- 2014
Student Stations- 154
Students Enrolled- 154 ( this may have adjusted with lottery debacle lol)
Years in Contract- 1
Total Charter Students projected for 2018 - 2019 - 396

(So if current Windsor Prep enrollment stays at 580, and east Windsor meets the target of 396 enrolled by the 2018/19 school year, that will make a total of 986 kids, which is almost double the current enrollment, and will most likely double the number of cars coming in and out of the neighborhood each morning and afternoon. Really makes you look forward to school holidays and summer break now doesn't it?)

Column on Charters

Here's a link to a column written just three weeks into the school year by John Romano with the Tampa Bay Times:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/some-charter-schools-cant-even-last-a-day-taxpayers-are-the-losers/2196738

Naples Daily News article/series

The Naples Daily News ran a great three part series on Charter Schools. I like how they do touch on the few aspects of Charter schools that work, ways that they could be improved, and really brings home and shines a light on the far too many ways Charter Schools fail..not just the kids, but the communities in which they serve, as they are raking in $MILLIONS and $MILLIONS of our tax dollars.
I really think this is a great read...

Day one: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/education/shuttered-day-1-florida-failed-charter-schools-cracks-system

Day two: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/education/day-2-florida-failed-charter-schools-few-dollars-little-sense-doom-dozens-of-charters-shuttered

Day three: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/education/day-3-florida-failed-charter-schools-at-low-performing-students-fall-behind-shuttered

Like I have said before. Research this school..research Charter Schools. Research your elected officials and don't be afraid to make your voice be heard. These people are getting rich off of our tax dollars.

Connecting dots one at a time......

  Remember back in August, when all the lies and the misleading of the kids and families enrolled at East Windsor Academy finally caught up with the schools Principal, Jessica Clements? You remember, she had continued to enroll students, despite knowing the school would not be ready on time for the start of the school year, and then quite abruptly, and without any thought to the hardship it would create on those poor kids and their families, told them they were not going to be able to go there after all.  All this when it was painfully obvious to even the most casual observer that this 41,500 sq foot monstrosity was not going to be finished by the start of the school year. ***Oh, and she encouraged these families to buy their uniforms, etc, despite the fact that a lot of these families are underprivileged, so when they couldn't get their kids in there they were left not only scrambling for a new school on two days notice, but also with trying to scrape up the funds for new uniforms and supplies. Nice of her, huh? Now wanna try telling me it isn't about the $$$$?  

Well, let's start looking a little bit more at all of this...shall we?

refresher here:  http://www.wfla.com/story/26305370/new-school-construction-issues-create-big-problems-for-parents-and-neighbors

In the article it states: "A representative of Charter School properties that is building the new school for Windsor Prep says they are working to complete the new facility as soon as possible, but he would not say when it's expected to be finished." 

( Just for fun, here's a link to another story about another Charter Schools USA school in Hillsborough County: http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/complaint-targets-hillsborough-school-operated-by-charter-schools-usa/2174380http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/complaint-targets-hillsborough-school-operated-by-charter-schools-usa/2174380  and  http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/letters-reveal-nasty-turn-in-hillsborough-charter-schools-usa-fight/2191149 )

 Not for nothing, but Charter Schools USA is a for-profit management organization headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A related company, Red Apple Development, develops and manages facilities used by many of the Charter Schools USA schools.   Most of the schools operated by Charter Schools USA are located here in Florida, but they also manage schools in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, and North Carolina. 
 The company is led by Jonathan Hage,  a previous research director for Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future. Hage also served on Governor Rick Scott’s education transition team. Tina Bennett, wife of former Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, also works for the company.  ( you can read more on Mr Hage here: https://bobsidlethoughtsandmusings.wordpress.com/tag/jonathan-hage/ ) 
google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=Jonathan+Hage&oq=Jonathan+Hage&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8  )

Political Connections:   According to the Tampa Bay Times, Charter Schools USA paid out over $200,000 in political contributions during the 2012 election cycle. The company also contributed $50,000 to a Georgia PAC to expand charter schools in the state. 

Good reading showing some of the connection politically too: http://cashinginonkids.com/corporate-profiles/charter-schools-usa/

Tell me now, who really believes the kids are the most important thing here?? $$$$$$$$$$

This right here shows why it's so important to research where the clown running for office are getting their money, and what they have been involved in previously. Getting ready to post on two in the next day or so...Kathleen Peters, and Jeff Brandes. 

If politicians all have ties to Charter School Companies, and/or accepted campaign contributions from them, do you think it is really YOU they will be representing if elected?

Haven't disappeared

I've been so busy working on something that I have slowed down a bit. Rest assured progress is being made on something and it takes a lot of my attention. I still have to load the videos and pictures I have and I have a good post coming up.
There should be some good activity this weekend.
Meanwhile...has anyone noticed the ugly paint scheme. While the colors didn't look so awful on the one story building, on the two story you really can see how similar the tan/golden color is to baby poo at certain times of day. Perhaps it didn't seem so bad on the smaller building because it was shaded by trees. Unfortunately all the trees had to be bulldozed so that the eyesore could be constructed. 41,500 square feet of baby poo  and burgundy hideousness. Lol.
Also...when did the "F" school, Windsor Prep's fearless leader Mrs Jessica Clements promise these parents that the building would be ready? Because we are well into October and the property and building are still a mess. Just wondering.

Reminder

 I have previously posted a link to this article, but it's worthy of reposting, so here's the text.
 I mean seriously, out of 168 or more schools, these four get yanked up because they suck, and have no meaningful plan for improvement, Windsor and NewPoint are affiliated. Does this not give anyone pause for thought?

This is the entire text from the article, which you can find here: tampabay.com

LARGO — The point of charter schools is to do greater for students. They have the freedom to feel outside the box, innovating with longer school days or years, gender-segregated classrooms and a lot more, all in the name of delivering superior alternatives for youngsters than the conventional program can.

But four Pinellas County charter schools came under fire this week from the School Board immediately after standardized test scores indicated subpar student functionality.

University Preparatory Academy, Windsor Preparatory Academy and Newpoint Pinellas Academy all earned F grades last school year, when Alfred Adler Elementary earned a D grade.

Newpoint is in Clearwater, whilst the other 3 charters are in St. Petersburg.

The schools have been needed to present plans for improvement to the board, which reviewed them at a Tuesday workshop.

Adler's principal, Greg DeCosmo, mentioned his 89-student college supplied a nurturing environment. The school performed improved than the district average in reading, but under the typical in math and far below it in writing. Just 9 percent of students showed proficiency on the FCAT writing test.

DeCosmo mentioned this was an location the college was targeting. They would also devote this year attempting to bring up the achievement of its lowest performing students in all topic places.

"We're not tucked away in an affluent suburb," he mentioned. "We're ideal in the middle of St. Petersburg, and that's simply because that is exactly where the actual educational challenges are that will need to be resolved."

College Board members have been skeptical of Adler's improvement program, saying it lacked the particular methods to make its targets a reality.

"The 'how' is not there for me," board member Robin Wikle mentioned.

Board member Rene Flowers mentioned she wanted to see "what it is that you strategy to do, actions A, B and C" whilst board chairwoman Carol Cook mentioned she wanted to see Adler name employees members responsible for making each and every aim occur.

Christopher Wiand, the director of Newpoint, stated the Clearwater middle school desires to enhance the number of students taking algebra 1. He also hopes to boost FCAT scores, and thus the school's grade, by better monitoring data throughout the school year.

Windsor Preparatory Academy also took tough inquiries from board members right after principal Jessica Clements stated the charter college had decided to use the standard college system's curriculum this year.

"What are you undertaking differently than we're performing in Pinellas County schools? You're working with the exact same curriculum, doing the identical testing," said Cook.

Clements stated that Windsor Prep's approach to instruction differed from the school system's simply because they typically broke students into smaller groups.

Just after the charter school leaders left, School Board members said they have been unsatisfied with some of the responses to their questions, like Clements'.

"I consider your query at the finish was profound, and it wasn't answered," stated Wikle, although Flowers stated, "We do significant groups and little groups, that's what we do."

Superintendent Mike Grego agreed, saying he was "glad" he wasn't the one to have to say it. "The complete notion (of charters) was once an innovative, let's see what we can discover from them circumstance," he mentioned. As an alternative, "in numerous techniques we're studying together."

All credit to Lisa Gardner at the Tampa Bay Times: Speak to Lisa Gartner at lgartner@tampabay.com. Adhere to @lisagartner.

Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.

Today's Joke

How many teachers does it take to make Windsor Preparatory Academy a D, C, B, or A school?

Who Knows? They haven't hired them yet.

Hahahahahaha

***** Windsor Prep "F" School extraordinaire*****

Another neighbor fighting back a bit

Here's what some of us have to do to ensure that we are able to get out of our driveways. We park at the ends of them:

Guess fire hydrants don't matter to F school Windsor Prep parents

What is wrong with these people

Another fine example of a Windsor Prep ( F school remember) parent caring more about whatever they want than they do about anything else.

I guess if one of our houses catches on fire he won't be concerned...

The law states you must stay back 14 feet from a hydrant. Every second counts when a fire is raging, and extra time taken to "shove cars out of the wasy" as Depputy Dressback said, or for the crew to break a window costs precious seconds that could cost lives and property.

 We called Pinellas County Sheriff's Office...let's see if they bother to do anything...they usually don't after all. **Note, they drove right past***

Hmmmmm

This is a 2012 article but it discusses a great point...who owns this school? Who owns the building?
http://jaxkidsmatter.blogspot.com/2012/02/florida-charter-schools-under-scrutiny.html Who is profiting? Seems a lot of these schools engage in some shady dealings regarding the purchase and leasing of properties. While I'm not saying that the "F" School Windsor Prep is engaging in underhanded dealings, Charter schools in general have been a great cause for for concern.

The Federal Government is even investigating a Charter School Group in South Florida.( http://nepc.colorado.edu/blog/charter-schools )

"In Florida, a local news outlet investigating charter school operations found millions of taxpayer dollars misdirected from classrooms and students to management companies. The report pointed to charter school chain Charter Schools USA that makes “tens of millions” by operating as, essentially, a real estate firm.

CUSA uses tax-exempt bonds to build schools that it then rents to CUSA-affiliated schools. Then the CUSA schools are saddled with rent payments back to CUSA and its management company at rates considerably higher than those charged to other non-CUSA schools in the area.

One CUSA school will pay “more than $2 million this year in rent” – a 23 percent share of its budget. “That’s money that won’t be spent in classroom resources or teachers,” the report noted.

Education historian Diane Ravitch, writing on her personal blog, recently highlighted a report from the Florida League of Women Voters that explained how these charter school real estate schemes work across the state:

After receiving a variety of grants, loans and tax credits for building a charter school, the for-profit chain charges ever escalating rents and leases to the school district, paid by taxpayer education dollars. The for-profit then reaps the profits when the building is sold in a few years. Meanwhile the properties with high, non-taxable, values based on claimed ‘commercial’ revenue streams from public taxpayer dollars are leveraged to borrow additional funds to build more school buildings.

The League’s report noted, “The high per student management fees (around $450 ) plus rent/lease fees (at least 20 percent of the total school budget) mean that there is less funding available for ‘instruction,’ including teacher salaries, books, etc.” The Tampa Bay Times ran it as well http://www.tampabay.com , and here's the link to the study: http://www.lwv-spacecoast.org/charterschools.pdf

The charter school racket goes beyond real estate deals.

http://ourfuture.org/20140626/will-anyone-stop-charter-school-corruption-2

Sunshine State Scam

A new investigation by the Orlando Sun Sentinel found, “Unchecked charter-school operators are exploiting South Florida’s public school system, collecting taxpayer dollars for schools that quickly shut down … virtually anyone can open or run a charter school and spend public education money with near impunity.”

Examples cited in the series include a man who received $450,000 in tax dollars to open two new charter schools just months after his first collapsed. The schools closed in seven weeks. Another example: A man with “a history of foreclosures, court-ordered payments, and bankruptcy received $100,000 to start a charter school.” It closed in two months.

Sun Sentinel reporters found an elementary charter school that “sometimes had no toilet paper, soap or paper towels in the student bathrooms … Students sometimes ate hours after their designated lunchtimes, often from fast-food restaurants.”

School districts have little to no recourse when charters fail to submit financial reports – “some don’t file them or turn in unreliable paperwork.” And management companies that run two-thirds of South Florida’s charter schools add to the problems of transparency and financial disclosure.

Despite these problems, charter schools continue to “pop up within blocks of each other – or in the same building – offering similar programs as neighboring schools. With such wild growth, district officials say, many new charters no longer fill a niche or offer innovation. Yet Florida lawmakers repeatedly have declined to tighten charter-school regulations.”

Florida’s score in the CER ranking: 2.

http://dianeravitch.net/2014/06/27/florida-weak-charter-laws-permit-self-dealing-waste-of-public-dollars/

This is another great article citing Charter School Shenanigans:
http://jonathanturley.org/2013/03/16/charter-schools-and-the-profit-motive/

I like the clear example he gives of what so many of them do:
"Gonzalez focused his research on the city of Albany—which, he wrote, “boasts the state’s highest percentage of charter school enrollments.” He provided an explanation of how lucrative investments in building new charter schools can be:

What happens is the investors who put up the money to build charter schools get to basically or virtually double their money in seven years through a thirty-nine percent tax credit from the federal government. In addition, this is a tax credit on money that they’re lending, so they’re also collecting interest on the loans as well as getting the thirty-nine percent tax credit. They piggy-back the tax credit on other kinds of federal tax credits like historic preservation or job creation or brownfields credits.

The result is, you can put in ten million dollars and in seven years double your money. The problem is, that the charter schools end up paying in rents, the debt service on these loans and so now, a lot of the charter schools in Albany are straining paying their debt service–their rent has gone up from $170,000 to $500,000 in a year or–huge increases in their rents as they strain to pay off these loans, these construction loans. The rents are eating-up huge portions of their total cost. And, of course, the money is coming from the state. " ...

*****White Hat Management

In a 2011 Pro-Publica article titled Charter Schools Outsource Education to Management Firms, With Mixed Results, Sharona Coutts wrote about charter schools run by White Hat Management in Ohio:

Since 2008, an Ohio-based company, White Hat Management, has collected around $230 million to run charter schools in that state. The company has grown into a national chain and reports that it has about 20,000 students across the country. But now 10 of its own schools and the state of Ohio are suing, complaining that many White Hat students are failing, and that the company has refused to account for how it has spent the money.

The dispute between White Hat and Ohio, which is unfolding in state court in Franklin County, provides a glimpse at a larger trend: the growing role of private management companies in publicly funded charter schools.

Coutt reported that about one third of the charter schools in this country are now run by management companies, which can be either for-profit or non-profit, and not run locally. These companies not only have the right to hire and fire staff—they can also develop curricula and discipline students. She added that while the “shortcomings of traditional public schools” have been under scrutiny in recent years—“a look at the private sector’s efforts to run schools in Ohio, Florida and New York shows that turning things over to a company has created its own set of problems for public schools.” She said that government data on charter schools suggest that those with “for-profit managers have somewhat worse academic results than charters without management companies, and a number of boards have clashed with managers over a lack of transparency in how they are using public funds.”

The Ohio Department of Education joined the lawsuit in the fall of 2010..."

**remember former Imagine Schools, and  White Hat employees are involved in Windsor and Newpoint (more to come on that)** look:  http://newpointeducation.com/

Now, this is the 2013 Windsor Report on audited statements. Look at the 20year lease agreement they have and the rent agreement, and who they "lease" from. Wellington Crossings LLC which was filed as a Florida Limited Liability in the State of Florida on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 

http://www.myflorida.com/audgen/pages/chschools_efile%20rpts/2013%20windsor%20charter%20school.pdf

 So while I'm not saying "F" School Windsor Prep is doing anything shady, I am saying that I am definitely going to start digging. So far, here's what I have off of the County Tax Collector: https://www.pinellas.county-taxes.com/public/real_estate/parcels/R27250

Property Appraiser: http://www.pcpao.org/?pg=http://www.pcpao.org/general.php?pn=163103000002200101

and Corporation Wiki: http://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Boca-Raton/wellington-crossings-llc/101173912.aspx

http://www.corporationwiki.com/Florida/Boca-Raton/charter-school-properties-inc/108725584.aspx

Meanwhile, car counts stay right around 405 and up every morning, and higher in the afternoon. I think that may be because of after care club vehicles coming to pick kids up. All I know is it's worse in the afternoons. 

Well, this is a long one, so I'll stop for now. But of course....

MORE TO COME!!

Just a couple of pictures

Does this look fake to you?

Does this look fake? Pictures and truth

Tit for Tat

  Another fun thing in dealing with the "F" grade charter school Windsor Preparatory Academy is how the staff, and a couple of the parents seem to relish the idea of "getting you back" for speaking out against this school, and standing up for your neighborhood.

Has anyone noticed that the school has built the Dumpster containment practically in the next door neighbors front yard? The cafeteria will be in the new building, so logic would dictate that the dumpsters would be better over on that side of the school, perhaps back by the exit so that it would be easy for the Garbage trucks to reach them, and so the unpleasantness would be removed from both the residential area, and from the drop off/pick up circle.  Now the neighbors have the noise of the truck to look forward to, along with the accompanying stench, and possibly rodents that the dumpsters will bring or attract. NICE HUH? Do any of you people who hate us neighbors want that in your yard? Volunteers? No? 

  To make it even better, neighbors have had Code Enforcement called on them, property damaged that the school now refuses to repair and which they caused, harassment at work and in our yards, lies told about us to County Officials, and to parents at the school. It's been quite the roller coaster ride...and for what?

  Because no one wants to admit there is a traffic issue?  Because they feel they should not have to do anything to integrate peacefully into this neighborhood?  Because they don't want to just do the right thing and help the neighborhood they chose to invest in? Because the people who have lived in this neighborhood for years...well before this school, or any other even existed, do not matter? Because they are not concerned for the safety of the children who walk to the school either? Because selfish, self absorbed people do not care what they do to others? Or is it because they just don't want to be decent? It just proves money is the only bottom line that matters for the school...in fact for all Charter Schools.

  They post on their Facebook page  (  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Windsor-Prep/229033617173599?ref=br_tf  )  all of these rules and please don'ts, such as no parking in the culdesac across the street, yet that is where staff direct parents to "stage during afternoon pick up". They say if parents don't follow these rules then they will face consequences...and yet they do not even attempt to enforce them or chastise parents who break the rules. So clearly they do not care. When they direct people to stage in the culdesac, it literally traps people who live on the culdesac from getting out, and prevents  us from being able to get in. That is NOT right, no matter how you look at it.

  Pinellas County dropped the ball when they didn't do any kind of impact study, or seek input from the residents of the surrounding neighborhood.  The school purchased the property they are on, and charged full steam ahead with the construction/expansion, knowing full well the limitations of the property, and how the limited roadways would be impacted. They did not care. Now there is not even a sports field for the older kids, let alone parking space to accommodate the influx of cars. It's wonderful when there's a school event and the cars line our roadways, block us in, etc.

We neighbors along 53rd avenue, 52nd avenue, and on the two culdesacs are now banding together to stand up to this. Sharing our stories has been enlightening to say the least. What this school, and some of the parents have put us through is unbelievable. Elderly, and sick people literally threatened and insulted for asking people to not block their driveway or to not park in their yards!? How is that right?!

  What is especially sad is that  someone in the neighborhood, who's in the position to have helped, or who could at least have referred our concerns to the right people, had a neighbor emailing him pictures and imploring him to help with the traffic and parking issues through the agency he works for. Sadly, he could not have cared less  than his agency does. Of course his child attends the school too.

  So, now it's tit for tat, neighbors at odds, harassment, personal attacks, heels dug in. Remember that ALL of us have at least a little glass on our houses..even those who think they have an advantage. And when you are snapping pics over fences in the middle of the night, and using old contacts to try and get someone in trouble or fired, making people move their landscapes of thirty years or more, etc, it pretty much shows your character. What a shame that's how some are choosing to be. After all, at the end of the day character is what matters. Did  you stand up for what's right? Did you care about, or help your friends, neighbors, and community? No you did not. 

 And all of this over a glorified traffic complaint that the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, and the school, could have mitigated last year before it got so out of hand.

Another article regarding Pinellas County scrutinizing Windsor Prep the "F" School

I just read this column regarding Charter Schools. I think it's a good read. I really like how he points out:

"It goes on to say that a school’s charter is reviewed periodically and can be revoked if guidelines on curriculum and management aren’t followed or if certain standards aren’t met. At a recent meeting of the Pinellas County School Board, four charter schools — University Preparatory Academy, Windsor Preparatory Academy, Newport Pinellas Academy and Alfred Alder Academy — were examined closely and put on notice that their performances were below average at best.

According to the Florida Department of Education, there are now nearly 600 charter schools in the state with a collective enrollment of more than 200,000 students. Following the movement started by former Gov. Jeb Bush, the Legislature has been supporting “school choice” to give parents alternatives when they’re not satisfied with traditional public schools. Bush also supported vouchers for students if they had attended an F school the previous year, which even could be used for private schools, but a court decision put a halt to it — for now."

Does this mean you can get vouchers to not attend Windsor Preparatory Academy? It is after all an "F" school. 

From the article:

"Which is why I’m glad the Pinellas school board is keeping a close eye on the county’s charters, especially those that perform no better than any other D or F public school.

Superintendent Mike Grego conceded that the whole concept of charters “was once an innovative, let’s-see-what-we-can-learn-from-them situation.”

Indeed, charter schools are a work in progress, but if the students aren’t  progressing any better than they would in a traditional public school, why bother?"

Yes, why bother? How is this school going to bring up it's grade? Recently a lot of charters have been scrutinized for their practice of dis-enrolling ( is that even a word?) kids. They kick out the underperforming, problem kids ( watch out you parents with kids who act up or are ADHD), etc. Public schools can't do that. They have to work with your child and develop a plan to help them. Charter Schools like Windsor Prep don't have to.

You can find the article here:

http://tbo.com/list/columns-jbrown/second-look-at-charter-schools-20140928/?fb_comment_id=fbc_698194286942836_698298456932419_698298456932419#f34a395a88

Interesting article

I found this blog, cashinginonkids.com just today. They have a lot of interesting things to say about Charter Schools. I will research them more, but did want to share this link to an interesting article about Windsor Prep:

http://cashinginonkids.com/blogs/charter-school-kicks-dozens-students-days-school-year-begins/

Again, I'll have to do some research, but this discusses a parent company I wasn't aware of. I knew about Newpoint...clearly I need to keep digging.

More to come!!!

Link to Youtube

There is only one video posted so far

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7uYXgmgqC2XrJSv4dcwwkA

There are other videos posted by another person on this youtube page:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyzVsTa1JpO57Vjd7SfEUCg

And if you have videos or pictures you would like to share email me at
Standinguptowindsorprep@gmail.com

Did I mention Windsor Preparatory Academy is an "F" School????

What you're going to read below makes them sound like a great school, but keep reading.

Windsor Prep states on their website :
What is a charter school?

Charter schools are independently-operated public schools. Parents can choose to send their children to a public charter school outside of their “zoned” public school. There is no charge or tuition to attend a public charter school. While charter schools have flexibility in choosing curriculum and developing innovative teaching practices, charter schools must test students and report results, just like the government-operated public schools, as required by federal and state laws.

What can you tell me about the schools’ curriculum?

Project Based Learning (PBL) with technology integration is a central focus at Windsor. Students are actively engaged in various projects and educational pursuits, while at the same time learning the essential knowledge and skills as outlined in the Common Core standards

Project Based Learning is defined as “a systematic teaching method that engages students in learning essential knowledge and life-enhancing skills through an extended, student-influenced inquiry process structured around complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.

Testing and Assessment

Windsor students participate in  the state assessment -FCAT as well as other school and district assessments

What sets Windsor Prep apart from other schools?

Windsor offers a choice for parents and students within the public school system. Windsor is often referred to as a private school without the tuition. We place  high emphasis on parent involvement and require parent participation. Our curriculum offers small group learning , allowing the teacher to focus on the needs of the individual child. Students learn PBL ( Project Based Learning) with a focus on technology.

Windsor Prep has:

• Rigorous academic standards
• Grade level Looping
• An average of 18 students in each K-3 classroom
• An average of 22 students in each 4-5 classroom
• Integrated Technology into each project or lesson
• Promote diversity and cultural awareness through a Multicultural Enrichment Class
• Offer after school clubs i.e. karate, dance, musical instruments, , drama, engineering, spanish and cheerleading
• Student involvement in community projects
• School Uniforms
• Community business partnerships
• Parent involvement through volunteering or similar activities
• Enhanced learning environment with a strict discipline policy

(And most of those extra curricular activities are fee based/parent paid access or arrangements made with local dance, gym, martial arts businesses)

http://www.windsorprep.org/content/curriculum :

Curriculum

Our Curriculum:

At Windsor Prep, our philosophy and approach to education is to provide an academic experience that exceeds all other school offerings. Windsor currently utilizes curriculum that is rich in current common core standards and expectations for all students. Our teachers have been extensively trained in their curriculum areas, as well as in common core.Windsor staff not only partake in District professional development, but also school level trainings as they pertain to our program.

Windsor Prep is known for its focus on PBL- Project Based Learning. This is critical in a child's world as we teach them how to problem solve and develop critical thinking skills, all while learning to use and incorporate technology. The focus of PBL allows for each child to be provided with an individual learning experience that is tailored to their learning needs.

Windsor Prep believes in hands-on, interdisciplinary learning methods. Windsor's leaders and teachers have experienced this first hand in public, private and charter school environments.  Most schools and teachers have also witnessed the benefits of hands-on learning through individual and group projects, and know the value of engaging, challenging projects and interdisciplinary activities that enrich classroom instruction and curriculum.

Learn more about the background and overview of Project Based Learning.

View an example of Project Based Learning.

Character Education

PBS

What is School-wide Positive Behavior Support?

PBS is our school-wide discipline plan and the way of work to monitor behavior. The PBS goals are to increase the number of students being successful and to reduce the number of students receiving numerous referrals. Students need to be TAUGHT the correct behavior and this is best done through modeling and repeated practice. Paw prints reward students when they are showing the correct behavior. Achievement scores also increase when students are actively listening and participating in class. Paw prints are used to buy rewards throughout the year, whether it be a special show or popcorn or in the school store.

PBS...
•    Is a collaborative assessment-based process to developing effective interventions for problem behavior
•    Aims to build effective environment in which positive behavior is more effective than problem behavior.
•    Emphasizes the use of preventative, teaching, and reinforcement based strategies to achieve meaningful and durable behavior and lifestyle outcomes.

What does PBS look like in our school? 
•    Uses schoolwide expectations and rules in specific settings to teach students appropriate behavior.
•    Reward system (Paw Prints) to encourage and model appropriate behavior, and effective consequences to discourage inappropriate behavior.
•    Wildcat assemblies to reward appropriate behavior and learning gains.
•    Big events to reward students with no referrals and events that students have saved their paw prints to attend.
•    Use data from referrals and minor infractions to target problem behavior.

Levels of PBS are: 
•    School-Wide: Procedures and processes intended for all students, staff, in specific settings across campus.
•    Classroom: Processes and procedures that reflect school-wide expectations for student behavior coupled with pre-planned strategies applied within classrooms.

That all sounds pretty good, huh? But then there's this:

http://www.ledgerdata.com/grade/pinellas/windsor-charter-school/527301/

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pinellas-charter-schools-come-under-scrutiny/2198333

http://tbo.com/list/columns-jbrown/second-look-at-charter-schools-20140928/

But why would they come under such scrutiny? They are a charter after all which is supposed to mean they are better than public school, right? Windsor Prep is supposed to be like a private school education without the cost. Funny thing that...private schools don't teach the same exact curriculum as the Pinellas County Public School system does, and in an alarmingly similar way. And what especially amazes ( or alarms) me is that

 A- this highly educated, supposedly qualified Principal, Mrs. Clements had no answers for the School Board when questioned.

 B- She has worked for another struggling school in the recent past ( Imagine Schools)

 C- Another school cited is affiliated with Windsor Prep- Newpoint ( investigate people!!!) http://newpointpinellas.org/sites/newpointpinellas.org/files/forms_downloads/Minutes%20-%20January%207th,%202014.pdf

Their Charter agreement states they can only fail two out of the five years of the charter grant:

http://pinellasschool.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=4607  ( hope this link works, if not google the Windsor Prep Charter Agreement)

More people need to step and fight for legislation regulating Charter Schools like Windsor. Our tax dollars pour into these. Windsor was paid more than $3million of our tax dollars for the elementary students they have enrolled this year, and more that $700,000 for the 65 middle school kids they can't even house on site. Here they are, an F school, and they are approved to open a second school. The same principal will oversee both...how, if she can't get one school to meet standards, will she manage both? And if they do fail, they still own the property and any assets they have acquired. 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pinellas-to-review-its-charter-school-contracts-after-east-windsor-calamity/2193196

http://pinellasschool.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1167&MediaPosition=8483.393&ID=4311&CssClass=

Seriously...google East Windsor Middle School charter agreement and charter clarification. Search for Windsor Preps charter agreement. Do searches on the school, the parent company, the staff...it's eye opening to say the least.

MORE TO COME!!!!!! 

Here are some news articles regarding "F" school-Windsor Prep:

Look at what they did to three neighbors yards and fences when they decided to seize the right of way. Two of the neighbor yards have pools, and when the school tore down the fences they did not  replace them. How safe is that for small kids? And since Windsor has Pre-K students,  ( as young as three years old, and they didn't want a fence separating them from a swimming pool?!?!?!? ) shouldn't that have been a concern? 

 Imagine what this meant for the neighbors involved, people who have lived in their homes for decades. To "rectify" the situation, they slapped up one of those loose, saggy, construction/temporary fences which is an eyesore in and of itself, and really not an overly effective barrier, esp. considering the school itself is no longer fenced in. Boy isn't that great for Campus Security too? You can't tell any of us that they couldn't have afforded to put up wooden fences to replace the ones they tore down. It would have been the decent and right thing to do.  But Windsor Prep doesn't do decent.
  http://www.wfla.com/story/26305370/new-school-construction-issues-create-big-problems-for-parents-and-
neighbors  

Now on to the traffic..it's still like this every day, twice a day, and it isn't due to construction- it's the volume of cars and students in a limited access area:

   http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/8/19/charter_school_caugh.html

  And how about all those kids and their families that they lied to? Allowing people to register, buy school uniforms, buy required, branded supplies all the while knowing the school wouldn't be ready is reprehensible.  They only started construction at the very end of last school year. You can not say they actually thought a 41,000+ square foot building would have been completed by August 18th. That's four months. You can't build a house in four months...geez. In the interim, the principal of the "F" school, Mrs. Clements great plan was to stick 130 middle school kids in the school gymnasium until the building was done. The county said NO..so she blames them for her troubles. Nope...that responsibility lays squarely on her shoulders. Can you imagine finding out two days before school starts that you don't have school for your child?!?!? Or that all that money you poured into more expensive than average uniforms, and the branded school supplies they had to purchase is now wasted?

http://www.wfla.com/story/26301617/students-head-back-to-school-on-monday-but-not-some-at-windsor-preparatory-academy

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pinellas-charter-schools-new-lottery-leaves-parents-searching-for-spots/2193044

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/construction-delays-windsor-preparatory-in-st-petersburg-causing-problems-for-student

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-south-pinellas/st-petersburg/some-st-pete-parents-left-scrambling-to-find-a-new-school-for-their-kids

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/8/15/east_windsor_academy.html

Here is when the charter expansion was being approved to help with the timeline:

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/east-windsor-middle-academy-likely-to-be-approved/2180590