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Updated: 7:31 AM Feb 7, 2012
Bay Haven Addresses Concerns over Its Racial Demographics
Growing concerns over Bay Haven Charter School’s racial demographics has caused some Bay District School officials to take a second look at the issue, but Bay Haven administrators say they are on par with other area schools.
Posted: 7:08 PM Feb 6, 2012Reporter: Kavontae Smalls Email Address: kavontae.smalls@wjhg.com Bay Haven Charter Academy Demographics');">  |
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Lynn Haven -- Bay Haven Charter Academy is one of the highest performing schools in Bay County. A recent request from the charter school to increase its enrollment, led to concerns over its student intake process.
“According to statute and according to our contract, we are to be within the range racially, and the range in Bay County is from 5% to 69%. We are within that range at 18.3%” said Larry Bolinger, Bay Haven Charter Academy Principal.
Bay Haven principal Larry Bolinger says the school uses a blind lottery system. Parents apply and those applications are placed in a database, and on decision day, names are pulled. Bolinger says all they know is a name and the child’s name when they pull names.
“It comes down to a little slip of paper with a child’s name on it, and it goes into a bowl and on March 8th, I’ll be picking out each one of those names and putting them on a list, and that’s how we get the list for the students and that’s how we match it up against the eligible spots” said Bolinger.
Bay Haven’s minority enrollment has increased 5.7% over the past six years. When compared to other area schools, Bay Haven’s 18% minority population places it in the middle.
“About half the schools in elementary and middle have fewer minority students than we do so we really find ourselves basically in the middle” said Bolinger.
Bolinger says their recruiting strategy includes traditional media, flyers, mail outs and visiting community centers in areas such as Glenwood, Callaway and Springfield. They attribute their success to the school’s teachers and parental involvement. Bolinger says teachers are all certified by the state and then sits before other teachers to answer interview questions before hire. Parental involvement is required at Bay Haven as a member of the child’s family must serve at least 20 volunteer hours with the school per year.
“Our teachers, and the research will bear that out and our parental involvement and the child centered right there in the middle with a clear vision, learning is going to take place” said Bolinger.
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I am sure you may have read, the Bay Haven system does offer public school bus service, you just have to get picked up a little earlier and change over buses at your local high school and take the middle school bus route home. It is a longer day but there are some families that utilize this option.
Instead of having our Florida law makers deciding on whether or not to allow students off campus for lunch, how about making parents spend 20 hours per year at their children’s school. That’s less than 1 hour per week.
Ok.. so who raised the question about the racisim? I just see statements from Bollinger? But here is the thing. Where are the statements from parents whose kids were'nt chosen? Where is the proof behind the alligations? I mean seriously you call this a news report? They do have a blind lottery as most charter schools do. If they dont have enough black students that is not BHC's fault. It's the fault of the parents who havent attempted to enroll their kids in the school. Unless someone can show otherwise where more black students or other ethnic students were rejected more than white students.. but seriously.. why are we even doing that? Yay for BHC for high scores. Maybe other schools can take their lead and learn parental involvement its VITAL! And yes parents.. its your fault your kids arent performing in school not the schools fault. They give the information, you are the motivation. So get to work and quit whining
