Interim superintendent Witt sent an email to staff and families Friday, saying Third Future Schools no longer intended to submit a charter application. It’s unclear what negotiations had been happening behind the scenes that may have led to this.
Mike Miles, the founder of the Third Future network of charter schools in Texas and Colorado, appears to be considering opening another charter school, this one in Woodland Park. On Saturday 1/15, Illingworth and Witt gave him tours of several district buildings – Columbine Elementary, Gateway Elementary, and the Middle School (well, what’s left of it after it was carved up for Merit Academy). Board President Rusterholtz was unaware of this and no announcement was made, and it was only through keen observation by community members that we were even made aware of it.
His two local schools are Coperni 2 and Coperni 3, both in Colorado Springs. Witt helped bring Coperni 2 to that district through his work at ERBOCES (though back then it was called Colorado Digital BOCES).
KRDO’s coverage…read the article here, and watch the video segment below.
The Gazette has a pretty extensive article covering the hiring of Ken Witt. A sad day, to see the board take an action so many opposed. It’s going to be an interesting 2023.
Coloradopols has a story covering our district’s decision to hire Ken Witt, check it out here.
They sum up the situation perfectly with this quote:
Hiring Ken Witt with the baggage he brings is nothing less than a provocation.
If the parents, students, and teachers of Woodland Park respond like Jeffco did, it could be a very bad bet.