Through evaluation of Birch Grove Community School’s student, fiscal and operational performance, Volunteers of America Minnesota has determined to renew its contract with the school for four years, the maximum number of years allowed. Birch Grove Community School in Tofte is one of the two schools whose evaluation determined they be given a four-year contract with Volunteers of America (VOA). VOA authorizes 18 schools throughout Minnesota.
VOA has been the Birch Grove authorizer (known as sponsor before 2010 legislation increasing charter school oversight) since the school charter was founded in 2004.
“The contract renewal process was somewhat grueling,” said Birch Grove Co-Director Diane Blanchette, “but we are pleased with the final evaluation and with our new contract of four years. We are happy that VOA extended us the maximum contract allowed, letting us breathe a little easier for a while.
“However, this doesn’t mean that the work is done; we still have an evaluation process every year, it’s just not as intense. The contract with our authorizer (VOA) requires us to be accountable to them and to the Minnesota Department of Education continually, not just annually, as we should be. We will continue to do our best here at Birch Grove Community School.”
The school received the VOA-Minnesota Award of Excellence in Financial Management and Oversight in 2010. And, announced just this week by the Minnesota Department of Education, Birch Grove Community School received the School Finance Award for the sixth year running! Of 555 schools eligible for the award, 129 received it.
Birch Grove Community School has agreed to host an All-School VOA conference. The school is looking forward to that event in early August.
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