Thursday, February 25, 1999
Parents, students back charter school
Harmony may face state investigation
BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Parents and students at a Bond Hill charter school gathered Wednesday night to defend the school after hearing the state plans to investigate its operations.
Harmony School is expected to be investigated by the Ohio Department of Education after accusations of questionable financial practices and records accessibility were made against it. There are fears Harmony could be closed if the state finds it violated Ohio law or its contract.
Wednesday night, about 130 people gathered at the school, a former Swifton Commons mall retail outlet, promising to fight to keep Harmony. Many suggested the accusations against school administration are nothing more than “sour grapes” from a former school board member.
“I am one parent who will fight to keep this school open,” said Debi Edgecomb of Hartwell.
The charges are part of an internal squabble and have been blown out of proportion, said Cheryl Evans of Kennedy Heights. Her 17-year-old daughter, Sapphire Evans, is a student at Harmony. Since enrolling her daughter, Ms. Evans has seen a major improvement in her daughter's interest in schoolwork.
She attended Wednesday's meeting, called by concerned parents, after hearing about the planned state inquiry. She was encouraged by the show of support from parents, as were the staff and teachers, said Dan Mooney, Harmony principal.
The accusations against Harmony were made by a former school board member and a volunteer “accountability overseer,” who complained that Harmony Director David Nordyke makes many decisions without input or approval from the school's board.
Mr. Nordyke has said the accusations against his school are a retaliation. A board member and volunteer were fired for ethical and business conflicts.
Louis Oates, the fired board member who is also assistant dean in the University of Cincinnati's College of Education, and Linda McIntyre, who chaired Harmony's “accountability cabinet,” have said Mr. Nordyke refuses to give them records and school board members don't vote on expenditures, hirings and firings and other business.
Harmony School, which opened in September, enrolls about 200 students in junior and senior high.
State regulators are expected to visit Harmony in the coming weeks to investigate.
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