In The Matter Of:The State of Delaware

Department of Education

ITMO: Kuumba Academy Charter School

October 23, 2013

Wilcox & Fetzer, Ltd.

1330 King Street

Wilmington, DE 19801

email: depos@wilfet.com, web: www.wilfet.com

phone: 302-655-0477, fax: 302-655-0497

Original File hrng102313Kuumba.lh.txt

Min-U-Script® with Word Index

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THE STATE OF DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION .. .. .. .. .. .. -- PUBLIC HEARING -- IN THE MATTER OF: ) ) Kuumba Academy Charter School ) .. .. .. .. .. Department of Education The Townsend Building 2nd Floor Cabinet Room 401 Federal Street Dover, Delaware 19901 Thursday, October 23, 2013 5:00 p.m. .. .. .. .. .. .. BEFORE: John Carwell, Charter School Officer Department of Education

Barbara Rutt State Board of Education ATTORNEY: Catherine Hickey, DAG .. .. .. .. .. ..

-- Transcript of Proceedings --

WILCOX & FETZER 1330 King Street Wilmington, DE 19801 (302) 655-0477 www.wilfet.com

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1 MR. CARWELL: Good evening, everyone.

2 My name is John Carwell with the Department of

3 Education. And I declare this public hearing to be

4 open.

5 We are going to proceed in the

6 following order: We are going to do the Kuumba

7 Academy Charter School, Positive Outcomes Charter

8 School, Newark Charter School, and then Reach

9 Academy.

10 So what I am going to do now is put a

11 sign-up sheet for Kuumba Academy, and I'm actually

12 going to -- there are two sign-up sheets here, one

13 for speakers and one for non-speakers. So if folks

14 from Kuumba Academy could sign in now who desire to

15 speak, we will get started with that public hearing.

16 The speaker one is highlighted in yellow.

17 Good evening, everyone. I declare this

18 public hearing to be open. My name is John Carwell,

19 Jr. I am the Education Associate in the Charter

20 School Office at the Department of Education. And I

21 have been appointed by the Secretary of Education to

22 conduct this public hearing.

23 Kuumba Academy has filed an application

24 to renew its charter. As is required by law, the

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1 matter was referred to the Charter School

2 Accountability Committee for investigation and

3 report.

4 This joint public hearing is being held

5 by the Department of Education and the State Board

6 of Education to receive public comments prior to the

7 issuance of the final report of the Accountability

8 Committee.

9 I would like the record to reflect the

10 notice of the time, date, and place of today's

11 public hearing was published in the News Journal on

12 October 9, 2013, and the Delaware State News on

13 October 9, 2013. In addition, notice was posted at

14 the Charter School Accountability Committee's place

15 of business, the Department of Education's official

16 website, and the State Public Meeting Calendar on

17 the State's official website on October 9, 2013.

18 Further, the school was personally notified of the

19 time, date, and place of today's meeting on

20 October 7, 2013.

21 A court reporter is present so that a

22 record of this hearing can be made. It will be

23 necessary for each speaker to clearly identify his

24 or herself before beginning to speak so that the

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1 court reporter will be able to identify who you are.

2 A record of this hearing will be provided to the

3 Secretary of Education and members of the State

4 Board of Education together with any written or

5 electronic comments received at or before this

6 hearing. We have not received any written comments

7 for this hearing.

8 So we will proceed in the following

9 manner: First, we will hear from any

10 representatives of the charter school who wish to

11 comment. Then we will take comments from anyone

12 else who desires to speak. And I believe everyone

13 has signed up, correct, for Kuumba Academy? Okay.

14 I intend to be as liberal with time as

15 possible. And at this moment I will take comments

16 from representatives of Kuumba Academy Charter

17 School.

18 MS. MALDONADO: Shall we all come up at

19 one time if we are going to speak?

20 MR. CARWELL: That's fine. Yes.

21 MS. MALDONADO: I do have a parent and

22 student who are also on their way.

23 MR. CARWELL: So first on the list we

24 have --

5

1 MS. HICKEY: Do you know how to sign

2 your name? (Speaking to Brendan Smith)

3 BRENDAN SMITH: No.

4 MS. HICKEY: Okay.

5 MR. CARWELL: First we will hear from

6 Ms. Maldonado.

7 MS. MALDONADO: Good evening. Thank

8 you for the opportunity to speak this evening on

9 behalf of the board members, staff, parents, and,

10 most importantly, the students of Kuumba Academy

11 Charter School.

12 The idea for Kuumba Academy was born in

13 1997 by an empowered group of pre-K parents that

14 joined forces with artists, volunteers, teachers,

15 and community representatives from the Christina

16 Cultural Arts Center in response to an outcry from

17 parents from the City of Wilmington who wanted more

18 for their children.

19 They were not satisfied with low

20 expectations, ordinary curriculum, and the

21 disconnected school environment. They were

22 frightened by the odds against urban children, and

23 they demanded more.

24 They demanded a school where children

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1 would be recognized as an individual who can meet

2 interests, passion, strength, and struggle. They

3 demanded a school community that celebrated

4 creativity and innovation, prepared their child for

5 college, honored their culture, but, most

6 importantly, loved them like family.

7 They demanded a school that valued the

8 arts. They demanded a school where teachers would

9 not take no for an answer and would go above and

10 beyond to ensure their child's success. They

11 demanded a school where their own voices would

12 count.

13 Kuumba scholars are quantifiable

14 evidence that, regardless of skin color and Zip

15 Code, every child can succeed in the right

16 environment. In our 12-year history, we

17 accomplished a great deal with our students and

18 family, and we have many success stories to

19 celebrate, but our work is not done. We look

20 forward with great excitement and anticipation to

21 the opportunities that lie ahead for Kuumba Academy

22 as we embark on our expansion and move into the

23 community education building. We look forward to

24 serve an expanded number of students in the City of

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1 Wilmington. Thank you.

2 MR. CARWELL: Thank you, Ms. Maldonado.

3 Next is Ms. Connell.

4 MS. CONNELL: Thank you. Good evening.

5 My name is Samantha Connell, and it is my privilege

6 to speak on behalf of the staff at Kuumba Academy.

7 This is my fifth year with Kuumba as a

8 teacher, but it is also the place where I began my

9 career as an educator. Kuumba Academy is a

10 wonderful place with a wonderful culture where

11 leaders, staff, students come together to develop

12 their knowledge, creativity, and character. This

13 unique and motivating environment helped me to

14 become the teacher I am today, a teacher who

15 genuinely loves Kuumba.

16 Every day I'm inspired by the

17 persistence of the students, families, and staff of

18 Kuumba where every moment is an exercise in

19 bettering ourselves.

20 I do look forward to Kuumba's charter

21 renewal and expansion so that we can spread this

22 message of hard work, dedication, and creativity to

23 more of Delaware's children.

24 MR. CARWELL: Thank you, Ms. Connell.

8

1 MS. CONNELL: Thank you.

2 MR. CARWELL: We'll take a few more

3 signatures. Thank you.

4 MS. HICKEY: Mr. Smith is the next one.

5 BRENDAN SMITH: Good evening. My name

6 is Brendan. I am a third grade student at the

7 Kuumba Academy Charter School. I have attended

8 school since kindergarten. I plan on staying here

9 until twelfth grade.

10 I really love my school. I think my

11 school is very different than other schools. We

12 have to work hard to get smart. Our teachers

13 believe we can do anything. All of my teachers push

14 me to do my best, not just in reading and in math,

15 but in drama class too.

16 I love learning all subjects,

17 especially reading. My math teacher helps me get

18 closer to my goal every day. I am reminded every

19 day to try my best and not to give up when things

20 get hard. I love the arts at my school because it

21 makes learning exciting.

22 The best thing about going to school at

23 Kuumba is they allow me to be creative in many ways.

24 Last year I wrote a poem and read it in front of the

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1 whole school. That really made me proud.

2 MR. CARWELL: Thank you.

3 BRENDAN'S MOTHER: I'm Brendan's mom.

4 He values the arts at Kuumba so much that he wanted

5 to share some of the artwork that he did last year.

6 (Holding up art. Applause)

7 MR. CARWELL: Well done. Mr. Cuffy.

8 MR. CUFFY: Good evening. Hello.

9 Thank you for allowing me to represent my peers and

10 tell you why Kuumba Academy is a very special place

11 to all of us.

12 So this is my sixth year teaching at

13 Kuumba, and I have to say that I have enjoyed each

14 and every year. The success of our school has come

15 from the staff's dedication to our kids, families,

16 and believing that we are preparing our students to

17 change the world.

18 Each and every teacher sets a bar that

19 we expect all of our students to reach. No matter

20 how much money your parents have, what side of town

21 you are from, what ethnicity you are, when you walk

22 into our classroom, we expect the best from all of

23 our students.

24 Kuumba provides a place for students to

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1 feel safe about being smart. Our students believe

2 that they can achieve anything through hard work.

3 MR. CARWELL: Thank you, Mr. Cuffy.

4 Ms. Lyons.

5 MS. LYONS: Yes. Hi, I'm Tahira Lyons,

6 and I am a parent at Kuumba Academy. It's been a

7 great experience. I have a fourth grader and a

8 second grader.

9 When I went to pick my son up today,

10 for instance, he was very excited to tell me

11 everything that he learned today in school, all at

12 one time, but he was very excited. This is the type

13 of enthusiasm that I'm very excited for my children

14 to have about their education. I know there is so

15 much in the news about education.

16 I just want to make sure that they are

17 presented with the best opportunity from their

18 education. I think they are getting a great

19 education at Kuumba Academy. The work is rigorous.

20 The teachers are phenomenal.

21 I just sent an e-mail to a teacher,

22 probably making me a little late to get down here

23 today, thanking them for really helping my second

24 grader who was having some problems phonetically.

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1 And he is doing an outstanding job right now. I'm

2 so very proud of him, as well as my daughter.

3 The arts integration part of Kuumba has

4 just expanded and given them both such great

5 confidence. I have never seen my children not be

6 nervous about being on a stage or being in front of

7 an audience like I am right now.

8 Their confidence level has just been

9 boosted, just because they know what they can do in

10 the classroom. When they can see -- when they bring

11 home their paperwork for us to review from the week

12 on a Friday and I see the grades that my children

13 are getting at school, I know it's only through the

14 hard work and dedication of the leadership which

15 trickles down to everybody underneath, from the

16 leadership on down. I know it's that they are just

17 working with the children every day.

18 And the children are so grateful. I

19 have even seen some children from being on school

20 class trips and so forth where I say, "Wow, that kid

21 is a little busy." You know how you say that. And

22 I have seen that kid even excel, I mean, and their

23 parents just being overwhelmed at their achievement.

24 And our school is a family school. It

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1 is family. We feel like family. Our parents feel

2 like family at our school. Our children are just --

3 it's just -- it's a rough time right now. We hear

4 of school shootings. We hear of so many bad things

5 going on at school. I'm just so glad that my

6 children are in a safe environment, that they are

7 learning about even bullying, and things even just

8 developing character traits.

9 I'm very proud. I'm very proud about

10 that, very proud. I want as much confidence as I

11 see they have standing up in front of a crowd or

12 sitting down speaking.

13 But I just feel like Kuumba has been a

14 blessing to my family. I remember going a couple

15 years back, the first day coming there for parent

16 orientation. And I remember kind of walking out of

17 the building and crying because I felt like, from

18 what I heard from Dr. Schiffen, who is the head of

19 school at that time, all the things that she laid

20 out that the school had to offer my children, it was

21 overwhelming to me as a parent. It was very

22 overwhelming, and I thought this is just such a

23 great opportunity.

24 And I can tell you that it's been like

13

1 that ever since. I mean report card time, I'm in

2 tears. And it's because of going to school,

3 learning to get smart, or whatever -- I think that's

4 their motto at the school. But they are going,

5 learning to be smart. And I'm so just proud of

6 them. I'm proud of the school. I just applaud our

7 principal and all the teachers. You guys are doing

8 such a phenomenal job in the community of

9 Wilmington, setting our community afire. And I'm so

10 grateful and thankful just to be a part of it.

11 Thank you so much.

12 MR. CARWELL: Thank you, Ms. Lyons.

13 And Ms. Price? Oh, I'm sorry. I see. Okay.

14 Genesis. I'm sorry.

15 GENESIS LYONS: Hi. I'm here today

16 with my mom. And I wanted to say about Kuumba, it's

17 a really great school because we get to share each

18 other's differences, and we get to share each

19 other's cultures.

20 And I really think that -- I feel like

21 I'm really special in the school, because all the

22 teachers and all the staff and everything, they all

23 help me and push me to be the best that I can.

24 And me and my mom, we are really happy

14

1 because, I mean, without Kuumba we wouldn't be able

2 to share our differences with other people.

3 And me and my brother are really happy

4 to be in this school, because it has really been a

5 great year. I have been there for five years since

6 kindergarten, and I have loved every day of school.

7 And when I get home, I love to share to

8 all my parents what I did. And I'm really happy I'm

9 here right now, because this year in my classes, my

10 teachers always try and help me do my best. Like I

11 said, in math and in reading, social studies, all

12 sorts of things. And all these teachers here, they

13 all supported me to be the best that I could.

14 MR. CARWELL: Thank you.

15 (Applause)

16 MR. CARWELL: Are there any others who

17 desire to speak on behalf of Kuumba Academy Charter

18 School?

19 If not, I want to thank you all for

20 participating today. The Accountability Committee

21 will consider your comments. In addition, the

22 Secretary will consider your comments in his

23 decision, which is then communicated to the State

24 Board of Education.

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1 This hearing is now closed. Thank you.

2 (Concluded at 5:17 p.m.)

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1 CERTIFICATE

2 I, Lorena J. Hartnett, a Notary Public and

3 Registered Professional Reporter, do hereby certify that

4 the foregoing is an accurate and complete transcription

5 of the proceeding held at the time and place stated

6 herein, and that the said proceeding was recorded by me

7 and then reduced to typewriting under my direction, and

8 constitutes a true record of the testimony given by said

9 witnesses.

10 I further certify that I am not a relative,

11 employee, or attorney of any of the parties or a

12 relative or employee of either counsel, and that I am in

13 no way interested directly or indirectly in this action.

14 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my

15 hand and affixed my seal of office on this 30th day of

16 October 2013.

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20

21

22 ___________________________

23 Lorena J. Hartnett Registered Professional Reporter

24

The State of Delaware Department of Education

ITMO: Kuumba Academy Charter SchoolOctober 23, 2013

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The State of Delaware Department of Education

ITMO: Kuumba Academy Charter SchoolOctober 23, 2013

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(17) excel - non-speakers

The State of Delaware Department of Education

ITMO: Kuumba Academy Charter SchoolOctober 23, 2013

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14:20passion (1) 6:2peers (1) 9:9people (1) 14:2persistence (1)

7:17personally (1)

3:18phenomenal (2)

10:20 13:8phonetically (1)

10:24pick (1) 10:9place (7) 3:10, 14,19 7:8,10 9:10,24plan (1) 8:8pm (1) 15:2poem (1) 8:24Positive (1) 2:7possible (1) 4:15posted (1) 3:13pre-K (1) 5:13prepared (1) 6:4preparing (1) 9:16present (1) 3:21presented (1)

10:17Price (1) 13:13principal (1) 13:7prior (1) 3:6privilege (1) 7:5probably (1)

10:22problems (1)

10:24proceed (2) 2:5 4:8proud (7) 9:1 11:2 12:9,9,

10 13:5,6provided (1) 4:2provides (1) 9:24public (8) 2:3,15, 18,22 3:4,6, 11,16published (1) 3:11push (2) 8:13 13:23put (1) 2:10

Q

quantifiable (1)

6:13

R

Reach (2) 2:8 9:19read (1) 8:24reading (3) 8:14, 17 14:11really (10) 8:10 9:1 10:23 13:17,20,21, 24 14:3,4,8receive (1) 3:6received (2) 4:5,6recognized (1) 6:1record (3) 3:9,22 4:2referred (1) 3:1reflect (1) 3:9regardless (1)

6:14remember (2)

12:14,16reminded (1) 8:18renew (1) 2:24renewal (1) 7:21report (3) 3:3,7 13:1reporter (2) 3:21 4:1represent (1) 9:9representatives (3)

4:10,16 5:15

required (1) 2:24response (1) 5:16review (1) 11:11right (5) 6:15 11:1,7 12:3 14:9rigorous (1) 10:19rough (1) 12:3

S

safe (2) 10:1 12:6Samantha (1) 7:5satisfied (1) 5:19Schiffen (1) 12:18scholars (1) 6:13School (42) 2:7,8, 8,20 3:1,14, 18 4:10,17 5:11,21,24 6:3,7,8,11 8:7, 8,10,11,20,22 9:1,14 10:11 11:13,19,24, 24 12:2,4,5, 19,20 13:2,4, 6,17,21 14:4, 6,18schools (1) 8:11second (2) 10:8, 23Secretary (3)

2:21 4:3 14:22sent (1) 10:21serve (1) 6:24sets (1) 9:18setting (1) 13:9Shall (1) 4:18share (5) 9:5 13:17,18 14:2, 7sheet (1) 2:11sheets (1) 2:12shootings (1) 12:4side (1) 9:20sign (2) 2:14 5:1

signatures (1) 8:3signed (1) 4:13sign-up (2) 2:11, 12sitting (1) 12:12sixth (1) 9:12skin (1) 6:14smart (4) 8:12 10:1 13:3,5Smith (4) 5:2,3 8:4,5social (1) 14:11son (1) 10:9sorry (2) 13:13, 14sorts (1) 14:12speak (7) 2:15 3:24 4:12,19 5:8 7:6 14:17speaker (2) 2:16 3:23speakers (1) 2:13Speaking (2) 5:2 12:12special (2) 9:10 13:21spread (1) 7:21staff (5) 5:9 7:6, 11,17 13:22staff's (1) 9:15stage (1) 11:6standing (1)

12:11started (1) 2:15State (5) 3:5,12, 16 4:3 14:23State's (1) 3:17staying (1) 8:8stories (1) 6:18strength (1) 6:2struggle (1) 6:2student (2) 4:22 8:6students (10)

5:10 6:17,24 7:11,17 9:16, 19,23,24 10:1studies (1) 14:11

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(18) notice - studies

The State of Delaware Department of Education

ITMO: Kuumba Academy Charter SchoolOctober 23, 2013

subjects (1) 8:16succeed (1) 6:15success (3) 6:10, 18 9:14supported (1)

14:13sure (1) 10:16

T

Tahira (1) 10:5teacher (6) 7:8, 14,14 8:17 9:18 10:21teachers (9) 5:14 6:8 8:12,13 10:20 13:7,22 14:10,12teaching (1) 9:12tears (1) 13:2thankful (1) 13:10thanking (1)

10:23third (1) 8:6thought (1) 12:22today (6) 7:14 10:9,11,23 13:15 14:20today's (2) 3:10, 19together (2) 4:4 7:11town (1) 9:20traits (1) 12:8trickles (1) 11:15trips (1) 11:20try (2) 8:19 14:10twelfth (1) 8:9two (1) 2:12type (1) 10:12

U

underneath (1)

11:15unique (1) 7:13up (6) 4:13,18

8:19 9:6 10:9 12:11urban (1) 5:22

V

valued (1) 6:7values (1) 9:4voices (1) 6:11volunteers (1)

5:14

W

walk (1) 9:21walking (1) 12:16way (1) 4:22ways (1) 8:23website (2) 3:16, 17week (1) 11:11whole (1) 9:1Wilmington (3)

5:17 7:1 13:9wish (1) 4:10without (1) 14:1wonderful (2)

7:10,10work (6) 6:19 7:22 8:12 10:2,19 11:14working (1) 11:17world (1) 9:17Wow (1) 11:20written (2) 4:4,6wrote (1) 8:24

Y

year (7) 7:7 8:24 9:5,12, 14 14:5,9years (2) 12:15 14:5yellow (1) 2:16

Z

Zip (1) 6:14

1

12-year (1) 6:161997 (1) 5:13

2

2013 (4) 3:12, 13,17,20

5

5:17 (1) 15:2

7

7 (1) 3:20

9

9 (3) 3:12,13,17

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(19) subjects - 9

Schedule A ReporterIndex Number Index112-year (1)1997 (1)

22013 (4)

55:17 (1)

77 (1)

99(3)

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CCalendar (1)can (10)card (1)career (1)CARWELL (15)celebrate (1)celebrated (1)Center (1)change (1)character (2)Charter (13)child (2)child's (1)children (13)Christina (1)City (2)class (2)classes (1)classroom (2)clearly (1)closed (1)closer (1)Code (1)college (1)color (1)coming (1)comment (1)comments (7)Committee (3)Committee's (1)communicated (1)community (5)Concluded (1)conduct (1)confidence (3)Connell (5)consider (2)count (1)couple (1)court (2)creative (1)creativity (3)crowd (1)crying (1)Cuffy (3)Cultural (1)culture (2)cultures (1)curriculum (1)

Ddate (2)daughter (1)day (6)deal (1)decision (1)declare (2)dedication (3)Delaware (1)Delaware's (1)demanded (6)Department (4)desire (2)desires (1)develop (1)developing (1)differences (2)different (1)disconnected (1)done (2)down (4)Dr (1)drama (1)

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Iidea (1)identify (2)importantly (2)individual (1)innovation (1)inspired (1)instance (1)integration (1)intend (1)interests (1)into (2)investigation (1)issuance (1)

Jjob (2)John (2)joined (1)joint (1)Journal (1)Jr (1)

Kkid (2)kids (1)kind (1)kindergarten (2)knowledge (1)Kuumba (28)Kuumba's (1)

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Yyear (7)years (2)yellow (1)

ZZip (1)