Corbett Community Forum

Here is a letter from Mr. Dunton (Director of the Charter School and former Superintendent of Corbett Schools )


From: Bob Dunton <bdunton@corbettcharter.k12.or.us>
Date: December 16, 2013 at 9:00:53 PM PST
Subject: News from the Duntons


Dear Friends,

This job sometimes feels a bit like climbing up through a waterfall.  There is always something else, and usually something fairly urgent.  But this week we are determined to do some long-term communication along with everything else.

Sheri and I have been deeply involved in thinking about schools beyond Corbett.  We will continue to do so.  This work, crowded into late nights, weekends, and vacations, has been a source of some uncertainty for some of our friends and absolutely 'certain' rumors from others!  Among the rumors is that we are 'gone' next year.  Not so fast...

Here is the scoop on the Duntons:

If Corbett Charter School is authorized to operate in Corbett next year, a question that I fully expect will be answered in the affirmative within a very few weeks, then Sheri and I will be at our posts in Corbett, fully committed (as we have been for well over a decade now) to another great school year. My role will be somewhat reduced, as befits a retiree, but I will continue to bear responsibility for school operations, finances, executive leadership and such.  It is likely that my teaching load will be significantly reduced, but that is the only change that will be noticeable.  (The grey hairs will continue to be clipped down to plausible ambiguity.) (Oh, and I won't be able to dunk.)

Corbett Charter School is submitting its application for renewal this week, and it is up to the Corbett School District Board of Directors to determine whether we have delivered the student achievement and fiscal soundness that are necessary for us to continue.  (We must also be found to have complied with charter laws and with the terms of the charter agreement.  We are confident on both counts and have heard nothing to indicate otherwise.)  We should hear back from the District by the end of January, right about the time that applications for next year are scheduled to close.  (We have already received nearly 160 new applications for next year, and we anticipate have room for about 40, with 24 of those being Kindergarten.  So we have some evidence of an ongoing demand for our program.)

So that's the scoop on the Duntons.  We appreciate the honor of serving you and fully anticipate continuing to do so, wind and all!

Have a safe and pleasant holiday!
--
Regards,

Bob Dunton, Director
Corbett Charter School