Good Things Happening in Our Schools:

Arbor Academy students send Flat Stanley around the world
Lesa Hecht’s first grade class at Arbor Academy in Battle Creek have been learning even more about geography through the travels of Flat Stanley, a paper doll from the book Flat Stanley. In early February Hecht read the story to her class during free moments and while students ate lunch. She then wrote letters to more than 100 people around the world and the students colored their own Flat Stanley’s. The paper dolls were then sent out and the students eagerly waited to hear the stories of his adventures. Soon they began to receive responses from the many people they sent to including, President Obama, TV star Miranda Cosgrove and many others from around the United States. “This project has turned into such an amazing learning experience,” Hecht said. “I didn't think it would be as big as it is; but my students continue to be curious and want to continue learning about everywhere he's traveled. We are excited to get more Stanley's and learn about the many places he's visited.”

Click here to read more from the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Arbor Academy is managed by Foundation for Behavioral Resources and authorized by Grand Valley State University.

Understanding the “Mitten Icon”
Beginning with agreements that are entered into or renewed after March 28, 2012, if a PSA’s board of directors enters into or renews a management agreement with an educational management organization to carry out the operations of the PSA, the agreement must require the organization to annually report to the board all of the information that a school district is required to disclose under Section 18(2) of the State School Aid Act (“mitten icon”), for the most recent school fiscal year that the information is available. The agreement also must require the board to make all of this information available through a link on the PSA’s website’s homepage, as prescribed by the Department within 30 days after receiving it.

Section 18(2) of the State School Aid Act requires a district to disclose:

• Its annual operating budget and subsequent budget revisions;
• A summary of district expenditures;
• The total salary and fringe benefits for the superintendent and for each employee whose salary exceeds $100,000;
• The annual amounts spent on dues paid to associations and on lobbying; and links to collective bargaining agreements, health care benefits plans offered to employees, the most recent audit report, and the bids required under the Public Employee Health Benefits Act.
• Section 18 does not require traditional schools to report all contracted services individually.

Legally, it is unlikely that there are any significant additional requirements placed upon charter schools by this requirement. However, some believe that since all the information that is in question for the “mitten icon” is subject to FOIA, schools may want to disclose it on the icon in a substantially similar manner as traditional schools do for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is perception, especially the perception that a school is hiding something. Unions looking to organize the school can exploit that perception. Putting the information out before a request is submitted allows the schools to control the information and create footnotes in the charters to explain the difference between how charters report such spending and how traditional schools report it.

Please contact Alicia Urbain, Vice President of Government and Legal Affairs with any questions or concerns at aurbain@charterschools.org.