By DAVID BOYLE
At the April 3 Anchorage School Board meeting, District Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt told the public that the Family Partnership Charter School principal, Jessica Parker, would remain in place.
He also stated that the dean of students and the business manager would also remain.
He said it is a matter of trust between the district and the FPCS parents.
Here is the exact wording from the Frequently Asked Questions the district provided to Family Partner Charter School parents:
“It is our intent for the Principal, Dean of Students, and Business Manager to remain in their positions. District leadership will support these individuals through the process of transitioning to ASD collective bargaining agreements.”
The district last week sent an email to FPCS parents notifying them that principal Parker will only serve until the end of this school year, which is May 24.
It appears Bryantt has gone back on his word.
Note that the newly organized “Academic Advisory Council” of the charter school met on May 11, after the decision to replace the current principal had been made by the district. The district should get the parents’ input on a new principal before the hiring process begins. This suggests that the selection process may be predetermined.
The email to the parents of school also says that the principal position would be posted on May 8. But that was not true. Here is the post stating the position is advertised beginning May 5, the same date as the parent notification above:
Bureaucrats are incredibly talented at parsing. It appears Superintendent Bryantt’s words were carefully chosen. What parents heard, however, was much different than his intent.
What other aspects of his promises to the FPCS school parents will be broken or parsed in the future?
Perhaps it’s time for parents to take their FPCS students to the MatSu School District so they can achieve as they have in the past.
Trust is a contract. Will we believe Superintendent Bryantt when he says “Trust me” the next time?
DAVID BOYLE is Must Read Alaska’s education writer.
