Providence Creek Academy had what many parents will say is their worst week ever in their 12 years of operation. After the first article about the bizarre issues with security at the school and then very concerned parents on their Facebook page and then the very strange defense of the school from some parents the school appears to be calming down. The following letter was sent home to parents on Thursday indicating the changes that took place:
November 6, 2014
Dear Parents,
As follow up to the parent forums that were held on Monday, I am writing to inform you of the status of security items mentioned at that meeting.
- Identification will be requested from adults upon entrance to both the lower and upper school during morning drop off. Please have ID available for staff.
- All exterior door locks have been changed. The new locks are keyed for security reproduction only and can’t be reproduced at a local key cutting vendor. Distribution of these keys is limited.
- Repair of current cameras is in progress and additional cameras are being installed.
- All exterior lighting is functioning and additional lighting is in the process of being installed.
- Clayton Police Department has had an officer on campus daily. Our School Resource Officer will continue to be in attendance on his scheduled days.
- A Safety Committee has been formed. If you are interested in participating on this committee please contact Mr. Chuck Taylor at taylor@pca.k12.de.us
As other measures are instituted, information will be shared with our families. If you have specific questions regarding any of the above, please feel free to contact Mr. Taylor or myself.
Thank you for your input and I look forward to continuing to make PCA an even better school.
Thank you,
Audrey M. Erschen
Head of School/Principal
Hopefully these changes can soothe the troubled hearts many parents had a week ago. However, a few parents I spoke to since these changes took place indicate the new security measures are more cumbersome than helpful. One parent likened it to a police state. Another stated the police presence has increased dramatically. This parent said a police care is waiting at the school every morning now (which would be on 11/6 and 11/7).
It also appears Chuck Taylor is taking a much more active role in the school. It was announced he was coming back on a transitional basis until a new head of school is picked to help the school with their declining standardized test scores. But he has been an active participant during the school’s crisis, attending the parent forums and heading up their safety committee. The only official school notes about his abrupt exit our notes in their board minutes from May 2013 indicating they received a request for his retirement. Circumstances regarding his exit are as shrouded in mystery as whatever the recent threat to the school was. As many know, Taylor serves as President of the Delaware Charter School Network.
I have since learned many parents actually requested the school closed on 11/5 at their parent forum on 11/3 due to worries about the threat on that day. The school did honor that request. No official word has come out about the exact nature of the threat.
Parents have stopped commenting on the school’s Facebook page which became very heated at times in the past week.
PCA did celebrate their Spirit Day on Friday, 11/7.
The Season Of Myths 