Charter School Movement Revving Up at Clayton Valley

More than 70 parents and staff members crowded into a classroom at on Thursday for a short but information-packed meeting that looked at the benefits of converting the school to a charter high school.

CVHS teachers Pat Middendorf and Neil McChesney—who are co-chairing what they call the “conversion” efforts—took their lunch break to make a presentation about why the school community should embrace the conversion to a charter school.

“Basically, it’s like taking the jump from being a renter to being an owner,” Middendorf said. “There are a lot more responsibilities, but a lot of flexibility and freedom, as well.”

She said that the school would function as its own district, essentially controlling everything from the school calendar to custodial services.

“If we get to make decisions for ourselves, we can be very cost efficient,” McChesney said. “And in California, there are many grants available for charter schools that we could benefit from.”

Most of the presentation was a side-by-side comparison between the vision of the school and the realities of the cash-strapped Mount Diablo Unified School District.

Issues such as teacher retention, furlough days and low API scores were cited as reasons to make the change. “Basically, the MDUSD budget is broken,” Middendorf said.

Earlier this week, the MDUSD board approved three furlough days for May in an effort to save money. In the next two years, Middendorf said the district has planned seven furlough days.

If anyone knows about the constraints of the MDUSD budget it’s Middendorf, who is president of the United Mount Diablo Athletic Foundation, which is working to keep high-school sports thriving in the district.

She said that the conversion is supported by “100 percent” of the staff senate, the group elected to represent CVHS teachers. In addition, most of the parents at the meeting were enthusiastic about converting to a charter school.

“I am very interested (in a charter school)” said Concord resident Shermane Verduzo, whose daughter will be a CVHS freshman next year. “She is currently at King’s Valley, where it is very structured and organized. I know she will do well in a similar situation, where the community has more control over the environment.”

McChesney said that CVHS Charter School would be a public school and held to the same academic standards as public schools throughout the state. But it would receive more per-student funding, he said.

Middendorf was quick to point out that the process is just beginning, and it will take a year to develop the charter—or plan—for the school, then it must be approved. But she said the group would solicit community input.

A community meeting will be held Monday at 7 p.m. at the Clayton Library.

There is also a Facebook page dedicated to the CVHS charter high-school efforts.