Strong Arm Tactics

  So, the hot mess that is Windsor Prep/ East Windsor Middle Academy may have caught a wee break, in that the Pinellas County school district's director of charter schools and home education, Rick Wolfe, is trying to win them an extension until May 18, to submit their "Corrective Action Plan. 

  Remember, they were given until yesterday, April 5, to come up with an acceptable "fix it plan",or face the districts' withdrawing its sponsorship of the charter

   Apparently the drafts they submitted Friday were too vague ( i.e. poorly done) when it came to detailing how they correct things, other than that they were trying to disassociate from Newpoint Education Partners.

  Shocker...
   In an article yesterday in the Tampa Bay Times , Mr Wolfe, citing the pending School Board ordered audits, stated "We’re trying to determine the short-term and long-term financial stability of the schools, (These) plans are insufficient in demonstrating that."

He added, "We kind of collaborated and agreed that the audit would give more information."

  I'm just enjoying the show as they spin in circles trying to figure it all out. 

  What really intrigues me though, is how the schools are going to decide on the New Management Company. As I posted yesterday, WFLA reported last week :

"  On March 8 Newpoint made a surprise announcement that it was selling its company to Alliance in what Lucas described Tuesday night as a “confidential” business deal.

  Alliance doesn’t have a phone number listed on its website. Both Lucas and her partner Justin Mathews have full-time jobs running two other charter schools, making Alliance is a side business for both of them.

   If Windsor balks at Alliance’s takeover, Lucas told parents the school will be stuck with the $1.5 million debt. There is no obvious way to pay back that money. Lucas said parents would have to “work out a corrective action plan on their own.”The hand off from Newpoint to Alliance was reportedly brokered by former Newpoint CEO David Stiles. Many parents and some board members hold Stiles responsible for creating the current financial crisis facing Windsor Prep, Windsor Academy and two other Newpoint-managed schools in Clearwater, Newpoint Pinellas High School and Newpoint Academy.

The so-called “loans” from NEP have been perplexing Windsor parents and board members for weeks. 8 On Your Side revealed two weeks ago that NEP has not been able to provide a single signed document saying the school owes anything. At 8 On Your Side’s request, NEP handed over a series of unsigned promissory notes that are legally unenforceable to back its claim of $800,000 in loans to the school.

Lucas insists the “loans” amount to unsolicited cash advances by NEP to cover school expenses and management fees that the company deferred because there wasn’t enough money to pay the bills. She claims the proof is in ledgers held by Massa Financial Services, an accounting firm hired by Newpoint.

Frustrated Windsor board members have been trying without success to obtain complete financial records from Massa. Board member Chris Wenzel said he can’t even get a phone number to call Massa."

Loans without paperwork and Board members signing off on them...Former White Hat. now Newpoint founder David Stiles cherry picking Alliance to save the day... deadlines, audits...Seriously, you can not make it all up.

And now Jennifer Lucas threatening saying accept the deal, or pay the price, Wow. 

  Isn't this ringing warning bells? Firing off warning cannons?  Making your heads spin? 

 No company...no one...will eat $1.5million in debt out of the goodness of their hearts. 

Think about that.