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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The parents made an addendum regarding situations uncovered after their report was made to the State Board of Education.
An uncertified kindergarden teacher was found. "The certified kindergarden teacher was told to put both sets of kindergarden names in her classbook (attendance book) before the GISD audit too place. "
After the PTO voted to not have uniforms, parents were informed the Warwick Academy School Board had voted to have school uniforms. Parents were then told the vote took place at a special meeting which was never posted, a violation of the Open meeting Act. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 4:29 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| A "Special Investigative Report" was made y Sandra Rademacher, licensing Consultant, of the Division of Child care day Care Licensing, after an anonymous complaint against Warwick Point Academy was made on March 4, 1999. The complaint alleged te morning latchkey program had too many children in a very small room with one caregiver. "It was also alleged there was no structure to the program and the environment was very chaotic. It was also alleged some caregivers were under 18 years of age. Over the next several weeks additional complaints were received regarding the same and additional issues. Additional complaints involved a caregiver bringing her infant with her to the latchkey program, the program was not safe for children, underage staff were supervising children, lack of appropriate supervision, an incident of two boys fighting on the playground." |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 4:39 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Rules allegedly in noncompliance:
400,5105(4) A center shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.
400.5106/400.5303- A center shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.
400.5106- For each child a center shall have a minimum of 35 square feet of indoor activity space.
400.5202-he ratio of caregivers to children present at any one time in the center for infants/toddlers ages 2 weeks to 2&1/2 years shall be at least I caregiver for every 4 children,
400.5302-The ratio of caregivers to children present at any one time in the center shall be 1 caregiver for 20 children ages 6 to 12 years. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 4:52 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Two unannounced visits were made. One by Rademacher on 4/1/99 and a second by Rademacher and another consultant, Karen Shaffer, on 4/20/99.
First Visit:
There were 24 school age children with one adult caregiver. The caregiver stated attendance varied and she had as many as 30 on some morning sessions. She was the only caregiver.
Not all of the children had been signed in to the attendance sheets. The consultants saw children being dropped off in the driveway, and not accompanied into the building and signed in. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:03 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The program used two adjoining rooms and one was identified as housing the kindergarden program.
After reviewing the licensing, only one of the rooms had been approved for childcare. Measurements were taken a the second visit and the 2 room space contained 602 square feet of usable space, enough room for a maximum of 17 children.
Children were wandering around without any activity. Only 4 were involved in a coloring/worksheet activity. Only kindergarden appropriate materials were available and there were no age appropriate materials available for the older children. There were 3 children in an alcove and out of view of the caregiver for several minutes. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:12 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Numerous complaints were called in and faxed in to the department between 03/19/99 and 05/12/99 and were consistent with the observations of the consultants.
The expiration date for the center's certificate of approval was 3/18/99. The renewal packet was due 3/1/99 but an incomplete packet was received on 3/22/99. The department had not been notified that there was a change of program director.
The license was extended until a renewal visit could be made and completion of the special investigation. Another unannounced visit by 2 consultants observe at least 115 children on the playground There was1 caregiver with an infant in a papoose carrier. Other staff members appeared, but they were not listed on the staffing plan. There were 3 high school students who arrived as additional staff and 2 were 16 years old and 1 was 18. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:26 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The only space being used was the playground. Besides a few balls, there was only some outdoor climbing structures and swing sets.
"In studying the field file", wrote Rademacher, :Warwick Academy has a history of violations, noncompliance's and complaint investigations dating back to 1988." The same rules were consistently cited in noncompliance reports.
"Any further noncompliance with the rules were to be considered willful and substantial in nature. The center was placed on provisional status with increased supervision and unannounced visits. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:35 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Captain Compeau had obtained copies of previous noncompliance reports which detailed property maintenance and safety issues. Emergency exits were blocked, basement doors were not secured to prevent falls, toxic chemicals in low cabinets,
fire alarms that were non-functional and needed a screwdriver to work were only a few of the problems cited.
On April 17,2000, Central Michigan University attempted a review and analysis of the reported issues and concerns. Complications began almost immediately when the review team was unable to review records because they were maintained off-site at the private business office of the Academy's Business Manager's corporate office. The review team was never given the opportunity to review the records. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:05 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The review team had to wade through the corporate and partnership records of at 8 different business that use the nomenclature.
Page 4 of the report stated "In several instances these several and various entities contract with each other. Billings, invoices and payments were not easily or readily traced to a specific corporation, co-partnership, L.L.C., or proprietorship."
"This issue of multiple similar business names was found particularly troublesome when attempting to trace financial dealings. While the Review Team had the assistance of a number of CPA's, they did not do formal tests normally associated with audit work; in many instances they were unable to determine exactly which of the previously mentioned entities were conducting business transactions on behalf of the academy. Further, competing, conflicting and contradictory statements were presented verbally and in writing throughout the course of the review regarding various questions and financial matters." |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:24 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The review team had difficulty finding completed criminal background checks for the school. Eventually most of the documentation was presented by the business manager.
The bids for accounting/bookkeeping services were just as elusive. After being told by Karl Haiser, that he had no contract with the school, some contacts slowly began to appear. The original bid of $ 400 per month in February of 1997 was $966 beginning in July 1997. Other requested materials were never presented.
(page 9) While the Charter School Advisory Board of Directors adopted 2 sets of different policies on procurement, purchasing, and competitive bidding for equipment, supplies, materials, and services, the team could not ascertain if the policies had ever been completely followed. " It appears that the policies were seldom utilized and that there may have been attempts to circumvent the policies by keeping total costs below the official Michigan Department of Education thresholds." |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:42 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The review team found the procurement issue to be of particular concern as "the Board appears to be undertaking the purchase of lands and the construction of new school buildings."
"Academy administrators also appear to have committed the Board and the Academy for expenditures for such diverse items as copiers , fax machines, telephones, construction, renovation and improvement of buildings and other items with disregard of the Board's procurement/purchasing policies. In one instance this may trigger an audit of "state-administered federal funds" by the national and state Department of Education for computer hardware, software peripherals and related items"
page 10 |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:51 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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In May of 1996, the Board adopted an ETHICS policy to prohibit entering into ..."any transaction that would result in personal benefit". The review team noted several transactions which may have violated the policy.
In truth there was no policy on complying with the Freedom of Information Act.
The Board President was given a leased car in November of 1996 and the lease stated the car was to b used for "personal, family or household." The business manager said the car was for business use.
Not all bid packages were provided to the review team as requested. The team did not review grant materials from the Michigan department of Education to determine if the computer and office equipment purchases were appropriate. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:06 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The Review team noted an expenditure of $1,276 described s "Sewer & Water" and made out to Grand blanc Township and listed on the fixed asset list. The invoice received by the Academy from the Township appeared to be for Nextell phones. The $299 phones were purchased by the Township and then billed to the Academy. Even the monthly charges were billed to the Township and then billed back to the Academy. The phones were assigned to Mary, Gretchen, and Hugh/Bill.
In addition, there was an expenditure of $9,425 to the Warwick Pointe Co-Partnership (the Delaneys) on 12-22, 1997 for (1) $3,800 for a hand held radio from AERO Communications (2) $4,900 for a 1989 John Deere Riding Tractor, Mower and Snow blower fro Genesee County Road Commission and(3) $725 worth of Lumber from James lumber. The team wss not provided with contract between the partnership and the Academy nor an authorization for the purchases. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 9:59 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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By the time of the review, amendments to the building leases had not been submitted as required by contract stipulation.
April of 1997 the first amendment f the leases amended the rate from $800 per student with a 5% accelerator and extended the lease to 2011.
The second amendment (Jan 2000) assigned the lease from a co-partnership (The Delaneys) to an LLC. It also changed the rate of calculation to a rate per square foot. For 1999-2000 the leased space cost including janitorial and maintenance would be approximately $23.80 per square foot for a 10 month lease. For 12 month lease the cost would be $27.80 with janitorial and maintenance. |
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Sat Dec 03, 2016 10:42 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Since "portions of the leased space have been and continue to be used for child day care services" and alleges to be a private service, the Review Team said the records do not show the Academy receiving any financial reimbursement.
After this finding, the "business manager" notified the Review Team of an approximate $221,000 "underpayment" for the 18 months prior to December 31, 1999.
The August 15, 1998, Academy Board minutes the Board authorized the sale of the 7.79 acre parcel adjacent to the west of the current school grounds. There was no independent appraisal and the sale was based on a single appraisal from the previous owner, Although at least part of the land was designated wetland, "the size, extent or nature of the wetland" was not determined by the board. (pg 16-17) The property was owned by Board President , Dr. Kalyani Misra according to a Flint Journal story on April 29,2000.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Sun Dec 04, 2016 6:04 am |
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