This is not to be confused with the deficit that Muskegon Heights Public Schools continues to carry from before it outsourced educational and other services to Mosaica Education in 2012.
A PSAP, or Personal Student Achievement Plan, will be reviewed with each student plus teachers and parents every 10 weeks through the year to see what goals are being met adjustments should be made.
Open gym, weight training and other athletic preparation can start once building principals are hired, according to Metcalf. Eidelman indicated some principals would be hired by Thursday and the rest would be in place by Monday.
Dr. Donald Weatherspoon indicated he would have an answer from the Michigan Department of Treasury around August 1 regarding restructuring of the district’s debt.
“The goal is to pour as many resources in the schooling as possible in the first year instead of building surpluses or deficits,” said Mosaica vice president for school finance Roger Gray.
More decisions would be made at next Monday’s 4 p.m. board meeting, followed by a district unity gathering at the high school at 5:30. The hiring process will begin starting tomorrow, according to Mosaica’s president.
Key provisions of the multi-part settlement appear to revolve around the short notice of termination of health benefits and the disruption of the Weatherspoon’s short timeline to enact any educational plan before the start of the coming school year.
Once a private management company is selected, Dr. Weatherspoon will appoint a three-member charter board, who will oversee the company’s operations. The publicly elected Board of Education will serve as an advisory role to Weatherspoon and the charter board.
Key to the plan is a request to continue the current tax assessed on the residents of Muskegon Heights to pay for the building of the high school over a decade ago. This tax expires in 2013, but Weatherspoon will propose to continue it beyond that date. Those funds would go toward paying down the district’s debt.
Between academic and facilities improvements, Dr. Weatherspoon believes the tide of students leaving can be stemmed or even reversed. He repeatedly stated Wednesday that academic improvement is inextricably tied to the district’s financial woes.