Young Scholars Charter School Approved, on its Way to Baldwin Township

"The issue we have before us tonight is a zoning issue only, and as long as they meet the zoning requirements, regardless of how we feel or whatever other information there may be, that's irrelevant."

Those were the words of Nick Pellegrino, a Baldwin Township Board of Commissioners member, before Pellegrino joined his fellow board members in voting, 4-0, on Tuesday night in favor of approving the Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania Charter School's application to open a tuition-free public charter school in the township.

The township's board is made up of five members, but board member Bob Downey was absent on Tuesday.

"Personally, I've looked into it," Pellegrino said, "and I'll reserve my personal opinion. It's a zoning issue tonight ... regardless."

Unlike , in which a representative from Young Scholars went through different interviews with the township's planning commission and board, public commenters were permitted to speak freely at Tuesday's meeting, even though no one was being interviewed.

Township resident Jim Fandray was mostly silenced at the March 28 meetings when many of his questions were aimed at Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania's relationship with its "sister school" in State College, Pa. Those types of questions, however, were entertained by the township on Tuesday before the board put the matter to vote.

Fandray, though, did not attend Tuesday's meeting. A neighbor said that Fandray was feeling ill.

Still, plenty of other township residents expressed their concerns over a board approval of the charter school, including Gary Moeller, of 701 Highview Road, who brought up the same topic as Fandray did on March 28.

Moeller – and members of the board – discussed a Centre Daily Times article that was published on March 22. The article said that the Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School, which the Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania calls its "sister school," is part of a federal investigation as to whether or not some charter-school employees are kicking part of their salaries back to an Islamic political movement.

Much like that article, though, the board and Tuesday's meeting attendants could not offer definitive proof that a federal investigation of the "sister school" was actually under way.

"There has never been an acknowledgement by the government that there is actually any investigation," said Tom McDermott, township solicitor.

Township resident Karyn Carr, of 516 Highview, expressed concerns that a charter school would take students away from schools sponsored by the and cause district taxpayers to instead pay to send students to Young Scholars.

Largely because of those reasons, according to Baldwin-Whitehall school board member Kevin A. Stiffey, who attended Tuesday's meeting, the B-W school board, in February of last year, rejected Young Scholars opening in its district. The school board was overruled, however, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Carr and Melissa Richards, of 886 Newport Drive, also expressed concerns that Young Scholars could target specific students, especially due to the relatively high number of .

Carr was also worried that the charter school could target uncertified teachers who might be willing to kick back salaries.

Each township board member said that, should the board become aware of such practices, Carr's and Richards' concerns would be taken to the Baldwin-Whitehall school board and then to the Pennsylvania Department of Education – which granted accreditation to the Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania – if necessary.

"If we do see something that we don't think is right," township Vice President Darrell Bichler said, "we'll be coming to the (school) board."

The township's board stressed, however, that the issue before the township on Tuesday was merely whether or not Young Scholars is in compliance with municipal zoning code.

The 4-0 vote by the board says that Young Scholars is, and with that hurdle cleared, Young Scholars is now able to rent the proposed township property (600 Newport Drive) from its owner to operate a public school.

The 600 Newport Drive lot is the former Rolling Hills Manor property. The company "Newport Drive Properties" will now own 600 Newport. Newport Drive Properties is owned by "Dream Schools, Inc.," and functions solely for the purpose of owning 600 Newport and leasing it out to Young Scholars.

Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania hopes to enroll students in kindergarten through fifth grade this coming fall with the intention of eventually adding students up to eighth grade.

"The school will be for primarily Baldwin-Whitehall students," said Melih Demirkan, a Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania board member, on March 28, noting that Young Scholars would only enroll students from outside of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District if it could not fill its classrooms with exclusively B-W students.

Demirkan said that the school's classrooms would not exceed 20 students each.

He said that, other than a student being a Baldwin-Whitehall resident, students would not be given preference for selection.

"It's like regular public school," Demirkan said.

Young Scholars hopes to enroll 120 students its first academic year, followed by more students each year after that until it reaches 180 by 2015.

"Students will have to apply," Demirkan said. "If there are more than 120 applications (for this coming fall), then there will be a lottery process.

"There is (sic) no selection criteria," he said, except that, for the school's first academic year, it would only be open for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

"Any student who is enrolled in any school district in the greater Pittsburgh area can apply.

"There is (sic) no criteria. We cannot do that, because this is a public school."

The school is currently accepting admissions applications on its website and is listing open house sessions. However, those sessions will not be held on Newport Drive, according to that website. Instead, they will be held at 4143 Brownsville Road, Suite No. 6, in Brentwood Borough.

The open house sessions begin Thursday, April 7.