Gillingham Charter School elected five new members and chose officers for its board of trustees Thursday, and then passed next year's budget in a crowded classroom at the school as parents and local residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Before the meeting, the board had been operating with only four members: Lori Quinn, vice president and director of public relations and marketing, Sharon Klinger, Fred Anderson and Rick Werkheiser. Klinger had served as acting president since the resignation of then-president Mary Rushanan in April. Rushanan was also one of the founding members of the charter school.
The school's charter states it will have nine board members.
On Thursday, the four members - which Quinn said constitutes a quorum - elected Marsha Chwastiak, Mindy Heppe, Marlene Rowe, Annette Stoudt and Lisa Haldeman to fill the vacancies. They were then sworn in.
The nine-member board then elected its officers: Chwastiak, president; Klinger, vice president; Quinn, treasurer; and Anderson, secretary. Each officer received unanimous votes.
"I am absolutely honored to be asked to serve as president and I hope to help the school however I can," Chwastiak, Saint Clair, said after the meeting.
Each position has a one-year term. The board modified the starting dates of the officers to today instead of July 1.
The board also passed its preliminary budget that was presented at its May 16 meeting.
The board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. July 1 to take action on teacher contract renewals and hires.
The board recently decided not to renew the contracts of six teachers for the 2013-14 school year. Two of the teachers, Maureen Challenger and Heather Shollenger, spoke with The Republican-Herald earlier this month. Both teachers had been at the school for two years and said they were not officially notified of the decision until they received a letter from the school dated June 6.
The letter thanked them for their time at the school but no reason was given for their contracts not being renewed. Board members have not commented on the decision.
Nicolle M. Hutchinson, director of education and CEO of Gillingham Charter School, said that personnel contracts are private and confidential matters the board is not at liberty to discuss them.
Hutchinson did not attend the meeting Thursday.
Challenger said the school lost seven teachers last year, which means that 13 teachers have left the school in only two years. Not all of these teachers were let go by the school, however, as some left to pursue other job opportunities.
Teachers at the charter school do not belong to a union and can be terminated without notice. Although it operates independently of the local school district, Gillingham receives public money based on enrollment.
Christie Werkheiser, Minersville, the school's director of organizational development and wife of trustee Rick Werkheiser, said Thursday that Gillingham had been in the media spotlight lately and wanted to share some positive things going on at the school.
Werkheiser said 82 percent of the staff and faculty at the school are returning next year and enrollment has gone up 10 percent in the past two weeks.
"We have received such an outpouring of encouragement and want to thank you all who have sent letters, emails and calls," Werkheiser said. "We want to express our thanks to each and every person in the Gillingham community who have offered their unyielding support. It speaks volumes that the parents made a special trip to the school just to ask how can I help."
Werkheiser concluded with a quote from Abraham Lincoln: "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts."
The floor was open to the public on three different occasions Thursday but the board did not comment or answer questions. The board recommended those with questions to schedule an appointment with board members.
Amy Everett, Frackville, said Thursday that the recent loss of teachers has been a "red flag" for her as she considers her child's future at the school.
"I'm really afraid of the stability of this school," Everett said. "A lot of turnover with the teachers scares me - teachers that I know are good. It's scaring me that the school isn't going to be around and my kid is going to have a tough adjustment."
Jeff Becker, Orwigsburg, who has two children attending the school, said the board has not been transparent with the parents.
"I want to know if there's nothing to hide, why not have a public forum with Mrs. Hutchinson and the board and let us ask questions and let us get honest answers. Honesty is what we want as I make the decision whether or not my kids come back next year."
There were also parents in the audience Thursday who disagreed and said the board has answered all their questions.
John Albertini, Pottsville, has three children at the school and said he scheduled a meeting with the school and talked about the issues he had with Hutchinson.
"Whenever I had a concern, they were able to address it to my satisfaction," he said.