With the Guam Academy Charter Schools Council losing its chairwoman on Friday and currently lacking enough members to hold a quorum, a work session has been scheduled Monday, June 17 among charter school heads and members to ease the transition.
There are four current members to the Charter Schools Council appointed in 2017. However, with four empty seats on the council and their chairwoman’s effective date of resignation set for June 21, it is apparent that the council will be unable to make quorum unless those empty seats are filled. And unless those seats are filled, no charter renewals can be approved.
In her letter to the governor, chairwoman Amanda Blas stated: “To assist with the transition, I have scheduled a work session with the council for Monday, June 17th, 2019 at 5:30 pm at SiFA Academy Charter School. If I can assist with the transition in any other way, please let me know.”
With the resignation, Guahan Academy Charter School Administrator Dr. Judi Won Pat, who is also the author of the initial legislation that created charter schools on Guam, said during Mornings with Patti that there is a need to expedite the process of appointing members to the council.
“The Vice Speaker, Senator Nelson sent a letter to the Governor requesting that the governor empanel the school board and also to, you know, appoint somebody like an executive director to the council,” Won Pat said.
She added: “I really don’t know where the administration is coming from but I hope they do understand the urgency now to do it, if Bill 106 is gonna go through, and more importantly because every one of us has indicated that there should be greater responsibility for the council.”
As of this past Friday, only one appointment has been made by the Leon Guerrero -Tenorio administration and sent to the Speaker’s Office.
##
