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Medford School Board could vote to renew Madrone charter, despite challenges By Kevin Opsahl Jan 09, 2023 12:15 AM A A The Medford School District’s Board of Directors is likely to approve Madrone Trail School’s request to renew its charter, despite tension over the past year between the school’s own board, its former leader and an ethics investigation. Medford School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at the North Medford High School Commons. At that meeting, a public hearing will be held and a recommendation for approval will be presented to the board. Documents released ahead of next week’s meeting show district officials and Madrone have been going back and forth over the past few weeks, with the district “requesting more clarification/information” about Madrone’s new charter. “(The district) notified Madrone Trail that some of the requests will require further discussion,” Medford School District Assistant Superintendent Jeanne Grazioli stated in a memo to the board. Madrone requested the district renew its charter Dec. 20 and followed up with requested changes for the Medford School Board to consider Dec. 28. If Medford School Board votes for the request to renew the charter, negotiations to finalize a new charter could take months. In publicly available documents, the district shed light on a visit a team of officials made to Madrone, the district’s oldest charter school, founded in 2007. A memo from Grazioli said some of the team’s “positive feedback” included applause for “dedicated teachers,” success with graduation rates and upgrades to the library. Suggestions the team had were for Madrone leaders to develop “multiple streams of funding,” a “long range facilities plan,” installing security cameras and considering “a succession plan/continuity plan to assist with future transitions.” “Turnover in office/admin has caused challenges for operational continuity,” Grazioli stated in the memo. John Bissey, the school’s former executive director, was not rehired last year after his contract expired. Madrone’s board said it had concerns about Bissey’s performance but did not follow state law regarding executive sessions. Bissey subsequently launched a complaint with the Oregon Ethics Commission. Over the summer, the Ethics Commission issued a stipulated final order, stating the offending school board members of Madrone Trail Public Charter School were not “willful or intentional” in violating the state’s public meetings law, but issued letters of education to each informing them of the law. The letters did not mandate training, but the board chair requested it anyway. After the ethics complaint wrapped up, Bissey filed a civil rights complaint with the state Bureau of Labor and Industries, alleging the Madrone board fired him for lodging the ethics complaint. Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.