Board decides: No third grade for Marblehead Charter School

MARBLEHEAD-The Marblehead Community Charter Public School will not be adding third-grade classes to its Grade 4-8 program.The decision came after a lengthy MCCPS board meeting discussion Thursday evening and according to Emil Ronchi, who described himself as “the outgoing chair,” the difficult decision was based on “the financial risk and other uncertainties, combined with a satisfactory but relatively tepid (survey) response from the community.”?Plans for expansion have ended,” Ronchi said in a statement to the community. “The Expansion Task Force, chaired by Laura Jalbert, has completed its purpose.” Ronchi singled out Nancy Buczko for her work as coordinator, and the Development Planning Task Force, chaired by Eileen Perry, for its “in-depth review” of the way other schools approach the subject of development and funding, areas the MCCPS will work on in the future.?Our financial standing appears to be about as good as it?s ever been,” Ronchi said. “The concerns we have center more around future uncertainties.” He and Clerk John McEnaney will step down June 30. The Board elected Cindy Canavan as chair, with the understanding that she is able to serve for no more than several months, and Cathy Vaucher as vice chair, Dr. John Sullivan as treasurer and Matt Cronin as clerk.Ironically that decision came as the Marblehead School Committee went on record as opposed to the addition of the third grade classes.On a 3-2 vote the committee approved a letter opposing the third grade, signed by Chairman Patricia Blackmer. Blackmer was joined by committee members Eurim Chun and Kathy Leonardson in favor, with Jonathan Lederman and Dick Nohelty opposed.The letter was written in response to the MCCPS survey request, but Blackmer also said she wanted to get the committee on record on the expansion.Contacted by The Item Friday evening, Blackmer said she was surprised to hear the news. The letter had not been sent out Friday.It pointed out a disparity in cost – the MCCPS would get $440,000 if 44 Marblehead third graders attended the MCCPS, but those 44 third graders would cost the town only $156,000 to educate in Marblehead elementary schools.Nohelty and Lederman expressed concerns about two paragraphs in the letter, discussing a lack of “official oversight” of public funds at the MCCPS and the educational impact on children who leave the district schools to attend MCCPS. The motion to approve the letter deleted the funding oversight paragraph but kept the paragraph about educational impact.