Volume 3, Number 16, April 28, 2000
A Publication of the Resource Center for Charter Schools
Phone 210-348-7890 Fax 210-348-7899
© Resource Center for Charter Schools All Rights Reserved

Patsy O'Neill, Executive Director; Jimmie Driver, Assistant Director;
Sally Friedli, Office Manager; and Sara Murphy, Administrative Assistant
                      

FOURTH ANNUAL
TEXAS CHARTER SCHOOL CONFERENCE

April 9th & 10th, 2001
Renaissance Hotel
Austin
9:00 a.m. - 5:00p.m.

Jim Nelson

Commissioner of Education
Keynote Speaker

Evening event will be a
Six Flags Gala at the UT Alumni Center
Monday, April 9, 2001
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

We expect approximately 700 attendees, so please call 512-343-2626 to
make your room reservations as soon as possible. To receive the $109 room rate,
let them know you are with the Charter School Conference. If you use your
credit card to make your reservation, your card will not be billed until you occupy
the room in April.

Many of you have called requesting the conference dates because you
are planning your 2000-2001 school calendars. You may want to schedule staff
development days on April 9-10 so many of your teachers will be able to attend.

OPEN RECORDS REQUEST It is our understanding that many of the charter directors received an open records request for the charter school's 1998-99 Annual Audit and each of the "six weeks district summary attendance reports submitted to TEA for funding for the school year." As you may know, there is a statutory deadline to respond within 10 business days, and certain confidentiality policies must also be followed. You are strongly encouraged to seek the guidance of your attorney concerning any open records request you may receive.

Additional information may be found at the website for the Office of the Attorney General that provides information concerning the requirements of the Texas Public Information Act (formerly known as the Texas Open Records Act). The address for this website is www.oag.state.tx.us. Click on the prompt for the Open Government section on the lower lefthand corner of this website. The Public Information Act Handbook can be accessed through this section (click on Open Government Publications). This handbook addresses the obligations of governmental bodies regarding open records requests. The text of the Public Information Act itself is also provided in this handbook. (The Public Information Act can also be found in Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code or page 873 of the 2000 Texas School Law Bulletin (the new red edition).

The Attorney General's office also offers a hotline, 512-478-6736, for questions concerning compliance with Open Records Requests. Additionally, the website for the General Services Commission sets forth the rules regarding charges for copying public records in response to open records requests. The web address for the General Services Commission is www.gsc.state.tx.us. Click on the Open Records prompt to access the rules.

Also, the Open Records Administrator at the General Services Commission may be contacted at 512-475-2497 for questions regarding charges. Although this information is available for your review, it does not substitute for legal advice. You are strongly encouraged to seek the guidance of your attorney concerning any open records request you may receive.

The following charters have informed us of celebrations scheduled during National Charter School Week, May 1-5, 2000.

  1. Rapoport Charter and Waco Charter have planned a variety of events at the Rapoport campus on May 2, 2000 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For additional information contact Nancy Grayson at 254-799-4191.

  2. Change of Location: Pegasus Charter School is hosting a Metroplex Charter School Awareness event on May 3, 2000, 5:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. at St. Mathew's Cathedral, 5100 Ross Avenue, corner of Ross and Henderson, in Dallas. Contact Alim Ansari at 956-969-3092.

  3. Technology Education Charter School, in Weslaco, will host a Texas Charter School Celebration on May 4th, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. For additional information contact Alim Ansari at 956-969-3092.

  4. Academy of Skills and Knowledge will host an Open House on Wednesday, May 3, 2000 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For additional information call 903-581-2890.

  5. Burnham Wood Charter School is hosting a presentation on the Importance of Charter Schools on Tuesday, May 2nd in El Paso. For more information please call Jose A. Lopez at 915-584-9499.

  6. Gulf Shores Academy will host an International Festival on Friday, May 5th from 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. For more information call Rochell Pollard at 713-723-3494.

  7. Guardian Angel Performance Arts Academy is presenting a Seven Steps to Healthy Parenting Workshop and Open House on Thursday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m. and a Career Day and Recruitment Fair on Friday, May 5th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. For more information call 210-650-9140.

    Academic/Accountability Academies

    June 26 - 29, 2000
    Monday - Thursday
    9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.    		 School of Excellence in Education
    1950 Bandera Road
    San Antonio
    210-431-9881
    RSVP to Sara, 210-348-7890, by Monday, June 19, with number of attendees each day.
    July 10 - 13, 2000
    Monday - Thursday
    9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
    		 Varnett Charter School
    5025 S. Willow Drive
    Houston 210-431-9881
    RSVP to Sara, 210-348-7890, by Monday, July 3, with number of attendees each day.
    July 24 - 27, 2000
    Monday - Thursday
    9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
    		 Location to be announced
    Dallas
    RSVP to Sara, 210-348-7890, by Monday, July 17, with number of attendees each day.
    CSRCT Assistant Director, Jimmie Driver, and consultants Barbara Graham, Laura Middleton, Candy Cheney, Lynne Barry, and Abigayle Riddle will lead the following workshops. Training will be conducted on the subjects listed below. The same schedule will be followed at every location. Workshops and lunch are provided by the Resource Center for Charter Schools at no cost to the charters. When you RSVP please indicate which workshops you and your teachers will attend.


  8. Monday
    		9.  DEC Training
    (Administrators/Lead Teachers) A DEC file box with 98 colored-coded indicator
    folders will be available for each charter school as well as sample documentation.
  9. Tuesday
    		10.  TAAS Reading- Elementary
    TAAS Reading - H.S. Exit Exam
    (These are two separate workshops)
  10. Wednesday
    		11.  TAAS Math - Elementary
    TAAS Math - H.S. Exit Exam
    (These are two separate workshops)
  11. Thursday
    		12.  Active Learning Strategies for
    At-Risk Students - Grades 6-12

    ACADEMIC/ACCOUNTABILTIY ACADEMIES will be held this summer in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas for all Texas charter schools. Topics to be covered will be DEC visits, TAAS, and Strategies for At-Risk Students. See attached for times, dates and agendas. Please RSVP to the Resource Center at 210-348-7890.

    CONGRATULATIONS to Technology Education Charter School who has been accepted as a participant and scholarship recipient for the Eleventh Summer Institute on Spanish Language and Culture at the University of Burgos in Burgos, Spain. Congratulations to Alim Ansari.

    CONGRATULATIONS to Nancy Grayson, founder of Rapoport Academy Charter, who was honored last night as Woman of the Year 2000 by the Altrusa Club of Waco.

    CONGRATULATIONS to Caitlin Howell from Star Charter School who won First Prize and a scholarship in the Celebrate Texas High School Essay Contest and sixth grader Charles Mallia who won the USA Gymnastics Men's Team Class IV Regional Championship.

    CONGRATULATIONS to Burnham Wood Charter School who placed third in the El Paso High School mathematics competition for the C. H. Gladman Scholarship.