The Delaware County Journal

Aug
12

2020

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The Delaware County Journal
OAKS
CONTINUED FROM A1
In following CDC direc-
tives, busses will travel
with the windows open
to maximize airflow and
students will wear masks
on the bus.
The cafeteria has been
divided and seating is
separated to meet social
distancing directives.
Colcord’s virtual
classrooms will actually
be Colcord programs, as
Colcord has been previ-
ously working on virtual
classrooms models even
before COVID struck.
Simmons pointed out
that online schools like
Epic Charter are “really
for-profit corporations”
and their graduation rate
is a paltry 30%.
Even with those results,
he said Epic has picked up
40,000 new students.
He is confident that
Colcord’s virtual classes
will be much better, as the
teachers will be Colcord
teachers who have a
personal interest in their
Colcord students.
Kansas Public Schools
(KPS), like Jay and Col-
cord, are also beginning
on August 13.
Kansas will offer tradi-
tional in classroom classes
as Option 1 with Option 2
being a blended learning
on site, offering courses
that KPS doesn’t offer.
Finally, Option 3 is
virtual/online educa-
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
tion, with KPS providing
technology and inter-
net, supervised by KPS
teachers.
They will have “re-
mote learning days”
set up in case of COVID
outbreak or if a student
has exposure/illness that
keeps them from attend-
ing classes.
Kansas will also follow
all CDC guidelines to
keep students and teach- RICK THIELEN / DELAWARE COUNTY JOURNAL
ers safe. Students and parents enjoying fish dinner in the shade at the Oaks Mission open house
The fall of 2020 will and fish fry.
absolutely be unique and
more challenging than their campuses and staff sanitation, trained on students, whether it be in
anything students, par- to best teach the return- virtual education, trained person or virtually.
ents and teachers have ing students. taking temperatures and Students and their par-
faced, thus far. When one considers recording them…oh, ents, for the most part,
Every Delaware Coun- the continuing sanitizing and they have to squeeze are anxious to get back
ty school has scrambled of classrooms, cafete- lesson planning in there, to some semblance of a
all summer to prepare rias, tables, desks, bus- somewhere. normal school routine.
ses, athletic equipment We have a dedicated They’ve missed their
and the myriad other group of educators and friends, their activities
surfaces in a school, the administrators in Dela- and if they’re honest,
staffs have their work ware County schools and they’ve even missed their
cut out for them. they are ready to take on teachers.
They have trained on the educating of their It is time for school.
 The Anadarko Daily News
Stephenson s purse to retrieve those
Oklahoma County judge fines
Aug Epic Charter Schools’ nonprofit
14
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An
2020 Oklahoma County district judge
Page
imposed a $500,000 fine on the
002 nonprofit overseeing Epic Charter
Clip Schools for filing a libel and slan-
resized
91% der lawsuit against Sen. Ron Sharp,
who alleged the virtual charter
school unlawfully counted student
enrollment and misused taxpayer
dollars.
Judge Cindy Troung decided the
nonprofit was subject to a fine
under Oklahoma Citizens Participa-
tion Act because the law sanctions
plaintiffs who file meritless law-
suits intended to silence critics, ac-
cording to The Oklahoman.
Community Strategies Inc.,
which oversees Epic, sued Sharp in
December for a minimum of
$75,000, arguing the state senator
knowingly made false and defama-
tory statements against the virtual
charter school system.
Truong threw out the lawsuit and
said Sharp’s public comments
about Epic did not rise to the level
of actual malice, which is the stan-
dard to prove libel and slander
against a public entity.
Epic Charter Schools was under
investigation last year for artifi-
cially inflating the number of stu-
dents and pocketing millions of
dollars illegally. In July, their en-
rollment numbers skyrocketed
amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
from Dollar General property.
An Oklahoma State Bureau of In-
vestigation agent wrote in an affi-
davit for a search warrant that the
school’s two founders, David
Chaney and Ben Harris, recruited
and enrolled “ghost students” who
received little to no instruction.
Epic has denied any wrongdoing
and no charges have been filed.
Border Patrol agent
in Arizona accused
of drug trafficking
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A U.S.
Border Patrol agent assigned to the
Tucson Sector Ajo Border Patrol
Station has been accused of drug
trafficking, authorities said Monday.
Federal prosecutors said 53-year-
old Carlos Victor Passapera Pinott of
Buckeye was arrested Sunday on
suspicion of multiple counts of con-
spiracy and possession with intent to
distribute controlled substances.
Passapera had his initial court ap-
pearance Monday in Tucson. It’s un-
clear if he has a lawyer yet.
Prosecutors said Passapera left his
home early Sunday and drove to a
remote area of the border west of the
Lukeville Port of Entry.
Passapera then drove to Phoenix
Sky Harbor International Airport,
where he allegedly loaded two duffel
bags into another vehicle.
Law enforcement agents stopped
 Clip
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Alva Review-Courier
Oklahoma County judge
n ÀQHV(SLF&KDUWHU
6FKRROV·QRQSURÀW
s- OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
G An Oklahoma County district
d judge imposed a $500,000 fine
on the nonprofit overseeing Epic
d- Charter Schools for filing a libel
a- and slander lawsuit against Sen.
s- Ron Sharp, who alleged the vir-
tual charter school unlawfully
y, counted student enrollment and
d misused taxpayer dollars.
o Judge Cindy Troung decided
the nonprofit was subject to a fine
n under Oklahoma Citizens Partic-
e ipation Act because the law sanc-
tions plaintiffs who file meritless
o lawsuits intended to silence crit-
6
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
ics, according to The Oklahoman.
Community Strategies Inc.,
which oversees Epic, sued Sharp
in December for a minimum of
$75,000, arguing the state senator
knowingly made false and defam-
atory statements against the vir-
tual charter school system.
Truong threw out the lawsuit
and said Sharp's public comments
about Epic did not rise to the lev-
el of actual malice, which is the
standard to prove libel and slan-
der against a public entity.
Epic Charter Schools was un-
der investigation last year for ar-
tificially inflating the number of
students and pocketing millions
of dollars illegally. In July, their
enrollment numbers skyrocketed
amid the coronavirus pandemic.
An Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation agent wrote in an
affidavit for a search warrant that
the school's two founders, David
Chaney and Ben Harris, recruit-
ed and enrolled "ghost students"
who received little to no instruc-
tion.
Epic has denied any wrong-
doing and no charges have been
filed.
 Clip
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14 A001 86%

The Clinton Daily News

A-B enrollment near same

Arapaho-Butler Public
Schools had its first day
back on Thursday and
enrollment is nearly the
same as last year accord-
ing to Superintendent
Jay Edelen.
“We lost a few families
to virtual charter schools students have chosen the
like Epic, but we expect virtual learning option.
for them to return after “We have lots of good
the pandemic,” Edelen protocols in place for this
said. year,” Edelen said.
This year 473 students A-B has partnered with
have enrolled for in-per-
son classes, while only 11 See SCHOOL, page 3

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Clinton Daily News

Aug
14

2020

Page
A003
Clip
SCHOOL: Lost a few
resized
94%
From FROM PAGE 1 reach out to them
A001
to ensure that they
Edmentum, a ser- have all the re-
vice that provides sources they need.
online learning pro- Edelen said that
grams, to be able the virtual learning
to better serve the option is meant to
virtual students. carry the students’
For virtual atten- learning through
dance, Students will the pandemic to
need to log-in daily where they will not
to be counted as be behind.
present and to stay Overall, Edelen is
on track with the positive about the
in-person students. upcoming school-
According to Edel- year.
en, if a student fails “I’m excited to
to log-in for several have everyone back
days, their prospec- on campus,” he
tive principal will said.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Enid News & Eagle

Aug
14

2020

Page
Oklahoma County judge fines
A006
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resized
113%
Epic Charter Schools’ nonprofit
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma County
district judge imposed a $500,000 fine on the nonprofit
overseeing Epic Charter Schools for filing a libel and slan-
der lawsuit against Sen. Ron Sharp, who alleged the virtual
charter school unlawfully counted student enrollment and
misused taxpayer dollars.
Judge Cindy Troung decided the nonprofit was sub-
ject to a fine under Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act
because the law sanctions plaintiffs who file meritless
lawsuits intended to silence critics, according to The
Oklahoman.
Community Strategies Inc., which oversees Epic, sued
Sharp in December for a minimum of $75,000, arguing the
state senator knowingly made false and defamatory state-
ments against the virtual charter school system.
Truong threw out the lawsuit and said Sharp’s public
comments about Epic did not rise to the level of actual
malice, which is the standard to prove libel and slander
against a public entity.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Stillwater NewsPress

Stillwater News Press

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Stitt announces
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policy adviser
OKLAHOMA
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terms as the Senate cord
leader before stepping at th
down in 2016 because Cou
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vast experience to tive
partner with the Leg- with
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ment. the
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Stitt’s former chief of and
staff Michael Junk, A
who announced his term
resignation last stol
month. Cou
– AP wire reports stol

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Clip
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McCurtain Daily Gazette

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