Pepin Academies is planning a new charter school on the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, between the magnet high school and a new public Kirkland K-8 planned on that site.
The Pasco County School Board approved a contract with Pepin Academies during its Nov. 8 meeting to seal the deal on the unique partnership.
Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told the school board: “Today, the board is doing something that’s never been done in the state before.
“We are going to support the building of a charter school, Pepin Academies. “We’ve met with them. You have a contract on your agenda today,” Gadd said.
The deputy superintendent described Pepin Academies as “an independently owned charter school that specializes in working with kids that are unique, relative to their abilities, very talented kids.”
He also noted that “Pepin has an incredible reputation throughout the Tampa Bay area.”
Gadd is obviously enthused about the new venture.
“I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have this kind of partnership, and to be working with the kind of people that are involved with these children at Pepin Academies.
“This is an exciting partnership — a lot of learning ahead of us to figure out how to navigate some of the rules and regulations that the state puts on us, relative to our relationship, but really looking forward to it,” he said.
Jeff Skowronek, executive director of Pepin Academies, stepped to the podium to address the board, and the audience.
“Thank you for your vision, Mr. Gadd. Thank you all for your support,” Skowronek said. “I think fitting today, for Election Day, we are electing to choose and vote for collaboration over competition, and students over division.
“And I couldn’t be more excited, more honored and more humbled to lead Pepin Academies into Wesley Chapel and see where it goes from there,” the executive director added.
Background materials in the board’s agenda packet call for Pepin to operate a charter school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, at the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation campus, at 9100 Curley Road, in Wesley Chapel.
The goal is to open the new Pepin school in 2024.
Background materials in the board’s agenda packet say that Pasco County Schools staff has determined “that it is in the best interest of the district to facilitate the construction of this school.”
The school construction must meet all state requirements, and Pepin and the school board have agreed to fund the construction of the school using impact fees.
The school board approved a memorandum of understanding, as well as step-in agreement for the district to take over the school, should the charter school cease operations.
Pepin Academies are full-time exceptional student education day schools that offer a standard diploma option for students with learning and learning-related disabilities in grades three through 12, according to Pepin’s website.
Pepin Academies operates a Pasco campus in New Port Richey, one in Tampa and one in Riverview.
Pepin provides individualized instruction, focused on providing academic and social achievement, its website says.
In other action, the school board is considering changes to a district policy that’s intended to raise the level of respectful behavior — both from parents and from district staff — when disputes arise on school buses, on school campuses and in district offices.
The board received significant pushback regarding the proposed policy from speakers during its Nov. 8 meeting.
Numerous speakers described the policy as a violation of the constitutional right to free speech and said it is intended to stifle critics who are dissatisfied with the school system’s operation.
They also said that provisions within the proposed policy are subjective and vague, and pressed the board to provide more precise definitions regarding what constitutes a violation.
School board members told Superintendent Kurt Browning that language that pertains to social media posts should be stripped from the proposed policy changes.
Board members told the audience it is not their intention to stifle feedback or free speech.
Rather, they said, they are trying to protect bus drivers, school secretaries and others who are being subjected to verbal attacks by people screaming at them.
Browning told board members that amendments will be made to the policy before it is brought back for board action, expected in December.
At that point, the board will accept additional public comment before taking a vote on the policy, according to Cynthia Armstrong, the school board’s chairwoman.
Published November 16, 2022
