WMAAA board president resigns

Thu, May 8, 2008

FERRYSBURG — A divide among staff, administration and board members over a land purchase offer has led to the board of directors president's resignation at West Michigan Academy of Arts & Academics.

The public charter school's board president, Andrew Catlin, e-mailed a letter Monday announcing his immediate resignation.

"I believe that there are sharp and irreconcilable differences between my views on the WMAAA board's role, responsibilities, and relationship to its community of stakeholders, and those views of the other board members who have expressed opinions in these areas," Catlin wrote. "This has created a division which is not in the best interest of the school or its stakeholders going forward."

"I believe strongly in the mission of the school, and the importance of this mission to the families ... (and) wish the board the best success in serving this mission going forward," he added.

Catlin said he had no other comment on his resignation. Parent and strategic planning board member Janet Taylor said Catlin's resignation was both a "surprise and disappointment."

"It's a huge blow to the school," Taylor said. "He was a very well-respected and trusted board member."

Catlin's resignation came less than two weeks after a heated board meeting, during which parents and staff expressed discontent toward the board and academy Director Floyd Strandberg, and pressed for Strandberg's termination.

According to unapproved April 22 meeting minutes, several parents and staff members were displeased with news the charter academy made a $1 million cash offer purchase for the former Ferrysburg Elementary School property without the knowledge of parents, staff or the board.

Ferrysburg Elementary School, located about a half-mile north of the academy, was last used by Grand Haven Area Public Schools during the 2005-06 academic year. The city of Ferrysburg purchased the property for $950,000 in June 2006.

According to the charter school's proposal, the site would be used to expand existing operations at the academy's current site, 17350 Hazel St. The former Ferrysburg Elementary School, 17290 Roosevelt Road, would "house additional students and continue to expand and integrate the arts educational focus," the proposal states.

According to the April 22 school board minutes, parent Brigit Lewis, the wife of former academy director David Lewis, called for Strandberg's termination during the meeting, saying the director's actions placed the academy in financial jeopardy.

"A lot of people were up in arms, saying, 'You don't make a cash offer in this economy,'" Taylor said.

When one parent asked questions regarding the offer, academy board Vice President Judy Bregman clarified that it was "an offer to make an offer," according to the minutes.

However, city officials say the proposal is clearly a $1 million cash offer.

"It was an offer," City Manager Craig Bessinger said Wednesday.

The city made no decision on the offer during its April 21 council meeting, and has not convened since. Bessinger said no further negotiations have been made since the city received the offer.

Meanwhile, Lewis has started an online petition for Strandberg's immediate termination, which has 27 signatures.

"His actions have ... overtly threatened staff retention, (he) misled or withheld information from the Board and administrative team, and risked the loss of student attendance ...," the petition states.

The petition says that during his two-year tenure as director, Strandberg "has displayed inappropriate and sabotage behavior that has destroyed trust and credibility with the staff, jeopardized the reputation of the school and its future as a quality educational institution and former Summit state awarding winning (sic) charter school."

The petition gives objections to making the offer for the former school and property, including depletion of a $1.15 million cash reserve by purchasing the former Ferrysburg Elementary School, and potentially using a loan to pay teachers salaries for the 2008-09 school year.

The petition also cites Strandberg's "excessive absenteeism" and an "awareness that the Director has been addressed by the management firm for activities involving potential employee harassment and questionable decisions involving state count day process."

Parent Gail Rorhs signed the petition, leaving the comment: "As a former staff member and parent, I am saddened and disheartened to learn that in a very limited amount of time the negligent actions of the current director have completely undermined all the years of progress WMAAA has accomplished."

Proponents for Strandberg's termination point to his failure as director at the now-closed Lakeshore Public Academy in Hart.

According to Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, Strandberg's administrative license was publicly reprimanded in October 2004 for "gross neglect of duty and gross unfitness." The reprimand states Strandberg "failed to demonstrate a commitment to use professional judgment regarding a contract with a soft-drink company and the disbursement of high school student activity funds" while he was principal of Brookings-Harbor High school in Brookings, Ore.

Despite discontent and feelings of mistrust, Taylor says WMAAA parents are still behind the school.

"I hope people don't take this one incident and let it reflect what is otherwise an awesome school," Taylor said.