Dear Loyal Otay Ranch Students, Parents, and Staff,
I am delighted to announce that our program was unanimously approved by the San Diego County Board of Education (SDBOE) last night!
This means we will be able to continue our Otay Ranch Academy for the Arts and homeschool programs uninterrupted. Many, many thanks to all families and staff who attended board meetings, wrote letters, called board members and otherwise advocated for parent choice in education to help make this win possible.
As you know, last year changes to legal interpretation for our type of charter school required that we seek local authorization. We petitioned to Chula Vista Elementary District and we were denied in August. We appealed this decision to the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). The SDCOE staff reviewed our petition with a fine-tooth comb, met with our leadership, and visited our classrooms. The Chula Vista Area representative on the SDBOE, President Guadalupe Gonzalez, came to visit our site and meet the kids herself. We appreciate the efforts of the county office to learn firsthand about the quality of our beloved school. We are proud that the SDCOE staff recommended approval, even after a contentious public hearing last month, and that the board unanimously ratified our approval. This is a big win for the student choice in San Diego County.
In closing, I’d like to remind all of you that public school choice is a hot-button issue in California right now. Please keep school choice in mind as you make decisions about political candidates and laws. When we elect charter-friendly school board members, mayors, governors, city council members, etc, we break the traditional district public school monopoly and provide competition that improves the quality for all public school students.
Thanks again for getting involved and CONGRATULATIONS! Your new charter school will be called “Pacific Springs Charter School” which will include homeschool, homeschool learning center and Otay Ranch Academy for the Arts Programs.
Best regards,
Dr. Kathleen Hermsmeyer
Superintendent, Springs Charter School
