Vision fulfilled: DOE approves Newberry Community School Charter
Press release from Newberry Community School Board
NEWBERRY, Fla. – After more than a year of dedication, perseverance, and overwhelming community support, the Newberry Community School has officially received final approval from the Florida Department of Education to become Newberry Community School. This marks a historic achievement for the families and educators of Newberry who have worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life.
The approval by the Florida Charter Review Commission on January 16, 2025, and today’s final vote by the Florida Department of Education confirm that this community-led initiative is now a reality.
The Newberry Elementary School teachers have been at the heart of the planning process. Their insights and expertise have shaped the school’s structure, ensuring that their voices are heard and respected as we transition into a conversion charter school.
“The support from Newberry’s families and educators has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Derek Danne, Chairman of the Newberry Community School Board.
“This has always been about the community—parents, teachers, and local leaders—coming together to provide a high-quality, innovative education for our children. Today, we celebrate this victory together.”
Parents like Tiffany Holt are celebrating the win. “We wanted a school that would truly reflect our values and serve every child in our community. The fact that we all came together to make this happen is incredible. This is what Newberry is all about.”
Next Steps
With approval secured, the focus now shifts to launching the school successfully. The immediate priorities include conducting a search for the founding principal, negotiations with the Alachua County School Board, and laying the groundwork to welcome our first students in Fall 2026.
“We look forward to working together with the Alachua County School Board to ensure a seamless transition and a strong partnership that benefits all students,” added Danne.
Today is a day of celebration, but it is only the beginning. With the continued support of the community, Newberry Community School will soon open its doors, offering a high-quality, STEAM-focused education for Pre-K through 5th-grade students.
I see anything that removes funding and power from Alachua County School Board as a win. They are not responsive to parents or taxpayers and have repeatedly squandered funds are so top heavy. So glad the teachers will be well paid in Newberry. Responsive supportive administrators will attract the best talent. I hope they make certain results matter!
They will squander more funds fighting this in court, unfortunately
If you are so dedicated to your community, use your own funding to build your own school. Great job stealing from taxpayers.
Hope you’ve been sharing that with the other locally elected officials. I’m confident they’re equally culpable at stealing from taxpayers, or should we say, utility users.
This is not a well-written news article.
The community is very divided about this shift and this piece covers it without mentioning any pertinent details like timing and process now, nor does it address the elephant in the room, largely that many are against this whole thing happening. Half the teachers and staff left (most all of them by choice) when the news of the charter even started because they know the debacle that awaited them.
If you’re gonna claim to be a reputable news source, at least *try* to be unbiased.
It’s clearly labeled as a press release. Our article is still in the works.
Seeing this is a press release (stated at the beginning of the article), I’d say your criticism of the AC isn’t valid.
I am sure AC would appreciate help, since you think you can do a better job you should volunteer.
“STEAM” focused? They can’t even write a coherent statement. I wish I’d known how backwards this town was before moving here.
STEAM-based learning is an educational approach that integrates science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). It’s designed to help students develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills
If you came to Newberry with far left ideologies, I’m sure most of Newberry hopes you leave.
There’s lots of homes in Gainesville and they’re much more welcoming for those types…and homeless, crime, high utility rates, high taxes.
LOL….that’s how I feel about ACPS
Please leave and go back to what ever jerk water place you crawled out of
Not every community member even got to vote. I hardly call that a win for the community it serves.
Sounds a bit like GRU customers who don’t live in Gainesville city limits.
And with removing the yourselves from the ACPS, also removes all additional support from your children and teacher resources. All Gifted, ESE, 504, ELL, etc. any additional support your child need or receive was all services through the school board and charter school/private schools do not follow those, stay updated on their meetings, nor provide service and accommodations. Although the school board was needed improvements, the educational system in general as a whole needs it desperately!! But removing your children from all additional support, taking them away from all their pull-out/push-in services, and accommodations, YOU as the parent will be responsible for going all the way to Gainesville to get those services and pay for it on your own dime, since now the ACPS isn’t involved and providing it. That is if you even think they would take your child. They don’t have to take anyone they don’t want and because they don’t have those resources, I can assure they will NOT want any students with any extra learning and/or behavior accommodations needed! But remember, you get what you voted for!!
So in statement above, Charter School will start back hosting PK- 5th
So that will allow more room at Oakview Middle School once 5th grade has transitioned back to Elementary.
i wonder if shane andrews is available
I bet Mike Vogel gets hired as a bus driver. He needs a new city job.
He’s likely enjoying that fat severance package he received.
I hope all you parents realize that charter schools can accept and denied any student they want too. Even if you live next door to the school you can be denied.
That is not true.
Really? I have worked around charter schools for over 20 years. So mark my words this will happen. I have seen it happen over and over. If a child has behavior issues and or does not have good grades, They have every right to denied that student from coming to their school.
You are 100% accurate!!!
They were painting this picture like a car salesman or realtor and you all bought into it without the knowledge and truly knowing the bigger picture. You want zero part of the ACPS, you absolutely got it but that means zero room for extra help for speech, language, OT, PT, ESOL or any extra help. The teachers and staff all have support and training from the district and other support from trainings. Charter schools still use a lot of our tax payer resources from the schools but get to make up their own rules as to who they want and what they follow. If one of your three children is slightly autistic and/or needs speech and language but gets frustrated in school because they’re not receiving the appropriate attention and accommodations and they start to act out a little so now is a slight behavior issue, back to the zoned public school. Oh wait, you don’t have one because you all have confiscated the school house that these children went to! So off to somewhere in Gainesville you go! Which is not where you wanted to go and surely not one of the three of your children but they do not care! I can assure you! The school I worked at was right next to a charter school and I enrolled siblings all within different years due to their behavior and grades and what the school felt worked in their favor. Thankfully for them the schools were right next to each other so it wasn’t an inconvenience to the parents to split the kids for a handful of years until all of them were asked to go back to their Public zoned school. Again, if you do not know all of the details from every side, you should genuinely ask questions and ask the people in the settings that see it day to day. You just voted on something for your kids that you’re going to end up regretting and wanting to take back! Maybe not all of you but a good majority! This is so exclusive which is why the vote is fixed to those that benefit from it and not everyone! Whatever, not my circus! I am sorry for the children, for they are the ones who will truly suffer!! And all the teachers that they know they just screwed over!
And remember teachers and staff whatever promises they make you are also not guaranteed. Whatever they are selling you that seems so wonderful, you’ve worked hard and almost of you a lot of years into the system. Don’t throw it away and play roulette with your livelihood.
It’s only a matter of time before police beats and the headlines snatches more of their faces!! Trust!
Are you trying to insinuate that more of them are like Searby? I really hope not, because that is absolutely grotesque.
If one of their kids has to go back to public, they’ll have to bus them like they expect the rest of us to do to make room for new development. It seems like no family in this county is guaranteed access to their nearby public school. It’s all subject to rezoning and new development. They’ll be screwed like the rest of us.
They’re all friends and colleagues. You can’t possibly tell me that for years his and other’s behaviors out in that “oh so glorious Newberry community” continue to go on, the head of it is completely oblivious. No, absolutely not! Either just turning a blind eye due because friendships mean more to him than children or because he also partakes in such activities. Either way, I’m not buying all the BS!
Also for all of those saying political statements, “this isn’t democracy,” and for all of those excited this is happening. He was registered actually Democrat and then changed to “Florida Forward Party.” Again, everyone do your research, thoroughly! If you don’t know what that party represents by all means, please enlighten yourself and look it up and then let it all sink in!
He’s a crooked as it comes!
Well then, you might as well implicate his wife and kids too, because they lived with him. Surely they were at least aware of or partook in his disgusting proclivities? Can you possibly see how asinine that is? To accuse people without a shred of evidence because they were close to him?
The man fooled a lot of people, including his wife as well as friends who let him coach their underage children
Say what you want about the mayor– and the new mayor, because it looks like the dem’s vote will be split– but base what you say on actual evidence, please
Have you read the statute? What you are saying is not true. If that happened as you say, it was illegal.
Yay ! The kids with behavioral issues is the parents problem so good !!!!
I think that’s the point. As a person who is very familiar with the public school system (pros and cons), I would pull my kid from it. Teachers and staff aren’t getting raises but required to deal with violent and destructive students whose behavioral issues are protected because of 504s and IEPs. So for the 21 students are who are constantly victimized by the 1 kid in their class who is disruptive to the teaching and effectively prevents the teacher from keeping on track.. and then those mandatory tests that don’t take into account the constant pressure, stress, fears, disruptions, and so on because, by God, they have to be given by a certain time even though “everyone learns different”.
This IS the dumbing down of our future because we give excuses to bad behavior. And no I’m not talking about those with autism and Ese, the parents who care about their kids will find proper placement. The kids who attend schools without the resources who are in desperate need of them are failing because of their parents and lack of that support. The parents choosing to put their children into a charter school are fully aware of their child’s learning abilities/deficiencies and sick of the BS that their child has to deal with when a behavioral issue gets pushed from one school to the next without holding the parents accountable. And my issue isn’t with the kids, it’s with the parents and lack of schools holding parents accountable. So from a parent who did pull their kids from public schools because they were routinely bullied and abused by the same kids who were protected because of an ADHD diagnosis, I stand with the 21 other kids whose parents instilled manners and kindness. Don’t blame the parents and others who wanted to protect their children, place the blame on the rightful owners. My kids won’t be guinea pigs so everyone can keep their pennies. I’ll gladly hand over lots of money so other children don’t have to grow up with the traumas of a peer repeatedly punching them and calling them fat yet getting a max of 10 days suspension in the school year because well “ADHD made them do it.” Ok getting off my soap box.
Another win for fascism
Fascism is anything a liberal doesn’t like.
Get used to it. The country is finally moving back to the Right!
Question is, will it be the right move?
I’m not convinced yet.
Well, with only 2% of the city voting yes for the charter, it certainly isn’t democratic at all. Oh, and the vote failed regardless so….
Don’t you know “taxation without representation” is a mainstay in this county? Ask anyone on GRU outside of Gainesville city limits…
I get why some in Newberry did this but I really wish they had started their own charter system instead of taking over valuable western alachua county real estate.
Newberry stole a school by getting the rules changed midstream… it’s rotten. And I won’t even mention the guy sitting in jail.
This was not supported by the majority of citizens, I believe it was closer to a 50/50 split.
The Newberry Mayor and Commissioners fought against half their citizens and pushed their ideas to fruition, in a rush.
This was not given the proper time for discussions and research by citizens. The few city meetings that issues were brought forth, they were ignored or told they were wrong and didn’t understand the process. Or threatened by commissioners after and during meetings.
The Mayor of Newberry and every single commissioner should be ashamed of themselves.
You’re better politicians than you are people.
You do not represent this city, you represent your beliefs and the people that fit into them.
I will be voting against every single one of you.
You’ve already destroyed this small town, and now you’re after its schools.
Shame on you all.