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Saturday, May 25, 2013
Covering Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Falls City and surrounding areas since 1868
October 30, 2012
KINGS VALLEY -- Officials of Kings Valley Charter School and Philomath School District will take their dispute to mediation on Thursday at Willamette University's College of Law in Salem.
The two sides agreed after their last meeting on Oct. 8 to have a third party assist with hashing out issues surrounding the district's notice of intent to shutter the school unless alleged charter violations were addressed.
"I'm hopeful and believe this is a chance to get this matter closed," said Mark Hazelton, KVCS director. "I have a feeling of anticipation that we can get done with this and move on."
The dispute centers on KVCS hiring a nonprofit, People Sustaining Kings Valley, to handle educational duties at the school, and how Philomath should distribute $335,000 in rural schools funds.
Originally, the charter was to have been terminated on Oct. 18; the district pushed that date back to Nov. 19. The mediation will be conducted by Sukh Singh, associate director of Willamette's Center for Dispute Resolution.
Each side's legal counsel, one administrator and a board member will attend.
Hazelton said there are no further mediation meetings scheduled -- at least as of press time. Philomath's next school board meeting is on Nov. 19.
"They could either vote to close or not," Hazelton said.
A hearing on the rural school funds will be held in Benton County Circuit Court on Dec. 5.
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