URGENT Hyde Park Schools UPDATE - this is THE week! You're gonna want to read this....
Hello friends and alumni of Hyde Park Schools,
Thank you again for your support. This is shaping up to be THE week multiple answers are revealed, so we wanted to update you. First off, we have another opportunity on Thursday to share this petition and our number of supporters with the Mediator, retired Judge Jeff Rose, who will be mediating both court cases that involve parents and past Board members, Hyde Park Baptist Church and our new Church lead School Board that is suing parents who are past Board members and currently serve on the School’s Foundation Board. Yes - we agree. It’s confusing. Essentially everything will come down to Thursday and ALL the governance issues and Foundation funds are on the table. So PLEASE share this petition with 1 more HPS family, alumni, friend, grandparent and let’s see if we can get to 1000 people before Thursday. It will matter to the mediator!
Unfortunately our accreditation with ACTABS is still on probation. The last approved period ended on Monday and they are re-evaluating things now. Mrs. Messer emailed parents that she has a meeting with them on Tuesday, after which we hope to know more. While the FUA appears to have been reduced by approximately $150,000 a year from the Church’s demand and fully executed, we have concerns about some of ACTABS’ other compliance requirements, including the appropriate appointment of parents to the Board. There are also still members serving with clear conflicts of interest, including Church employees and close relatives of employees. They just won't let go of this control and won't disclose why.
Now for the GOOD NEWS: The defendant parents on the Foundation Board got a HUGE win in court last week. Judge Karin Crump ordered the School Board suing them has to pay their defense costs upfront. This will make it much easier for them to stand strong and defend their cause with very good lawyers on board.
Additionally re-enrollment contracts have been sent out and our incredible administration invited every qualified student back, whether they were involved in the lawsuits or not. This was over the objections of the Church leadership that now controls our School Board. Contracts are due Friday - the day after mediation. Are you starting to see a pattern here? Us, too.
Finally, with your support, we have already gotten a few things accomplished. While we are still on probation with our accrediting org, ACTABS, they agreed with us that HPS parents deserve representation on our School Board and have insisted that the Church and School agree to work in harmony with our Head of School and to honor the historic election of Board members with fairness to parents, Church and admin staff. As you know, every HPS Board up to now has been ALL parents plus the Continuity Director. After the Church’s Board takeover, we had one whose term will end in August. After we filed suit over this and ACTABS' Director's testimony supported us, the Church, Board and Head of Schools met and agreed on one more parent Board member. The Church later agreed to add 2 more handpicked parent members. That’s is where things stand now.
Our new agreed to parent member has spearheaded an effort to host 2 Town Hall meetings between the current Board and parents. Those will happen on Wednesday, the day before Mediation. We are excited about that opportunity for open and honest questions and answers.
So as you can see, there is a LOT riding on Mediation this week. Like everything. We are thrilled that the Foundation parents will not have the burden of legal fees going forward. However, the parent Plaintiffs and ousted HPS Board members who were brave enough to speak up and take on the Church for the benefit of all parents do not have that luxury. A single parent is footing the current bills through Mediation to be sure we have a seat at the table. And we have a significant balance of past due bills for the legal work that has gotten us this far. That burden should not fall on one parent or the lawyers who have come to our aid - they are parents themselves with kids in school. The progress we have achieved already is benefitting ALL parents and alumni who don't want their alma mater to disappear.
The mediation fee alone is $2,000. If every person who has signed this petition donated $100 to our Go Fund Me campaign, our past due bills would be paid and our mediation fee covered. Our leadership could fully prepare for mediation without also trying to raise the money to pay for it. Can you help us get there? No donation is too small so far we have had gifts from $50-$5000 from every single grade level, young HPS alumni, grandparents, former parents, HPS Staff And former staff. Everything helps. You can donate anonymously.
Please help us get our bills paid before mediation this week. We need to go in strong to this very important event that has the potential to solve everything. Thank you for your support. We love our incredible faith based school and want to keep it, just like you do. Include us in your prayers this week and we will keep you posted!
We know God has gotten us this far. He will continue to bless us.