Soner Tarim of Unity School Services is no longer the contract CMO provider for LEAD Academy #Gulen

Soner Tarim Unity School Services Contract With LEAD Academy #Gulen from Gulen Cemaat

Montgomery's first charter school faces yet another hurdle as the education service provider for LEAD Academy ceased operations at the school several months ago. Unity School Services, a Texas based non-profit, signed a five-year contract with LEAD to provide services that are similar to a central office, including completing the school's payroll, ensuring compliance standards are met and conducting student assessments. Board President Charlotte Meadows confirmed Tuesday morning that Unity stopped providing services to the school around early December. "It’s not totally clear what's going on but they have decided to pull their operations from LEAD Academy almost two months ago," Meadows said. According to the contract with Unity, the company was being paid 13% of all gross revenue (federal, state and local) received during the school year, equaling about $30,000 a month. Payments to Unity have ceased, Meadows said, and LEAD is currently in the process of trying to dissolve the contract. She declined to comment on the details of what led to the split. In November, following the termination of former LEAD Principal Nicole Ivey, Meadows said that there were generally two to three Unity staff members at the school most days, as well as Unity's owner, Soner Tarim, about three days per week. Tarim, who established the Texas charter school network Harmony Public Schools, is also leading the effort to open another charter in Washington County. The school has had to postpone its opening because of various issues, including a lawsuit filed by the Washington County Education Association against Tarim and Unity. Alabama Supreme Court rules in favor of LEAD Academy, overturns circuit court decision Montgomery's Realtor association gifts $200,000 to LEAD Academy State overrides MPS board ruling to provide LEAD food services Historic day: Montgomery's first charter school welcomes students LEAD Academy principal: Charter school not in compliance with state laws After the charter's contract was approved by the charter commission in February 2018, a lawsuit was filed by the Alabama Education Association. A local judge sided with AEA that LEAD did not receive enough votes by the commission to open. Then, the ruling was appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court and the court approved the school's original application in March 2019. From that point, LEAD had two months to hire a principal, selecting Ivey, who was then the principal at Park Crossing High. Less than two months after opening, Ivey was asked to leave her position with the school. A vote by the board to terminate her followed, and in response, Ivey filed a lawsuit against LEAD. In the suit, 14 complaints were documented, including allegations that Tarim was not fulfilling the duties outlined in his contract. LEAD is still working to settle the suit with Ivey and her attorneys, which includes the AEA. LEAD replaced Ivey with Abrahim Lee as principal, who was a member of the Charter Commission when LEAD's application was approved. Other changes in the school's leadership include one board member, Mary Margaret Kyser, resigning, citing personal reasons. Since, an attorney has been appointed to the board as well as two people who have children or grandchildren attending the school. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/education/2020/01/28/unity-school-services-ceases-operations-lead-academy-charter-school-montgomery-alabama-soner-tarim/4596053002/