AGENDA DATE: 9/12/2018
TITLE: Yancey School Community Center Education Transformation Centre
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Board approval of lease agreement with Education Transformation Centre
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Henry, Kamptner, Herrick, Freitas, Russell
PRESENTER (S): Michael Freitas
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: At the Board of Supervisor’s June 6th meeting, the Board endorsed the Yancey Advisory Committee’s long-term recommendations for use of the Yancey School Community Center, which included a recommendation for the allowance of leasing for dedicated, long-term uses of the space. The Yancey Advisory Committee, through its community outreach and deliberative processes, identified and supported the Education Transformation Centre (ETC) as a candidate for long-term use of the space.
The Education Transformation Centre is a 501(c)(3) organization and alternate education course designed to prevent encounters with the justice system and reduce frequent instances of detention and suspension (Attachment A). Staff has determined that having an educational component in the form of a private school, such as ETC, is an appropriate use, similar to the Field School in Crozet.
The County has, on a case-by-case basis, leased excess property to private sector entities when there was no immediate government need/use identified. Rents for such leases are typically based on market rates which helps in recouping the cost of maintaining those facilities. Staff has calculated an appropriate rental rate for the Yancey School Community Center spaces. Details on the annual rate for the Education Transformation Centre are provided in Attachment B.
The proposed lease agreement (Attachment C) includes six classrooms Monday-Friday and daily use of the cafeteria and gym for a period of one hour each. ETC leadership is invested in partnering and collaborating with other prospective occupants in the Community Center and with the larger Esmont community where appropriate. Outreach has already begun to potentially neighboring organizations in the Yancey School Community Center on how partnering activities may be developed.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Educational Opportunities: Provide lifelong learning opportunities for all of our citizens; Engaged Citizens: Successfully engage citizens so that local government reflects their values and aspirations
DISCUSSION: Research shows that inappropriate, delinquent, anti-social, and defiant behaviors put teenagers at risk for drug use and dependency, school drop-out, incarceration, early pregnancy, and adult criminality. The Education Transformation Centre describes itself as an innovative, “short term-high impact” program designed to increase academic achievement, reduce dropout rate, prevent encounters with the justice system and reduce frequent instances of suspensions and detentions over the span of six weeks.
ETC explains that its unique alternative education program (Attachment D) has a three-fold focus:
1. life skills of conflict resolution, self-control, and anger management;
2. passion identification to identify gifts and to formulate a plan to exercise them; and
3. targeted counseling to explore behavior modification.
ETC states it will provide services to students from the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the surrounding localities. Its Board members include:
• John Baldino, retired Director of Blue Ridge University,
• Adam Hastings, Principal, Walker Elementary,
• Mary Frye, retired vocational high school teacher, and,
• Dr. Dolores Carr, (Doctorate in Education: curriculum and instruction), Founder, Education Transformation Centre, Adjunct for Liberty University and Piedmont Community College.
Initial operational funding for the program has been provided by private donations and will support the rental agreement for the Yancey School Community Center space. Future funding will come from student enrollment. Relationships have been established with social workers, school superintendents, and law enforcement in all counties served, as well as Charlottesville. ETC leadership has had conversations with the Albemarle County Police Chief and Charlottesville’s Juvenile and Relations District Court judge regarding the potential to have first time offenders of minor offences sent to the Education Transformation Centre instead of detention and will continue to engage on this issue.
ETC leadership anticipates enrolling student towards the middle or end of October pending approval from the Board of Supervisors. Initially, the program will operate with a certified lead teacher endorsed in special education who will supervise tutors (former educators and current students in education) (Attachment E). ETC is in contract negotiations with Wahoo Tutors to fulfill this need. As student enrollment is solidified, tutors will be replaced with full-time certified teachers.
BUDGET IMPACT: The FY 19 Budget includes $147,349 for the operation of the Yancey school building. The $48,458.61 annual rental rate paid by ETC would offset some of those operational costs.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached resolution (Attachment F) to approve a lease agreement with the Education Transformation Centre.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: ETC Brochure
Attachment B: ETC Rental Calculation
Attachment C: Agreement of Lease
Attachment D: Alternative Education Comparison
Attachment E: Daily Schedule
Attachment F: Resolution