The Delaware County Journal

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12

2020

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The Delaware County Journal

OAKS and their graduation rate

is a paltry 30%.
tion, with KPS providing
technology and inter-
CONTINUED FROM A1
Even with those results, net, supervised by KPS
In following CDC direc- he said Epic has picked up teachers.
tives, busses will travel 40,000 new students. They will have “re-
with the windows open He is confident that mote learning days”
to maximize airflow and Colcord’s virtual classes set up in case of COVID
students will wear masks will be much better, as the outbreak or if a student
on the bus. teachers will be Colcord has exposure/illness that
The cafeteria has been teachers who have a keeps them from attend-
divided and seating is personal interest in their ing classes.
separated to meet social Colcord students. Kansas will also follow
distancing directives. Kansas Public Schools all CDC guidelines to
Colcord’s virtual (KPS), like Jay and Col- keep students and teach- RICK THIELEN / DELAWARE COUNTY JOURNAL
classrooms will actually cord, are also beginning ers safe. Students and parents enjoying fish dinner in the shade at the Oaks Mission open house
be Colcord programs, as on August 13. The fall of 2020 will and fish fry.
Colcord has been previ- Kansas will offer tradi- absolutely be unique and
ously working on virtual tional in classroom classes more challenging than their campuses and staff sanitation, trained on students, whether it be in
classrooms models even as Option 1 with Option 2 anything students, par- to best teach the return- virtual education, trained person or virtually.
before COVID struck. being a blended learning ents and teachers have ing students. taking temperatures and Students and their par-
Simmons pointed out on site, offering courses faced, thus far. When one considers recording them…oh, ents, for the most part,
that online schools like that KPS doesn’t offer. Every Delaware Coun- the continuing sanitizing and they have to squeeze are anxious to get back
Epic Charter are “really Finally, Option 3 is ty school has scrambled of classrooms, cafete- lesson planning in there, to some semblance of a
for-profit corporations” virtual/online educa- all summer to prepare rias, tables, desks, bus- somewhere. normal school routine.
ses, athletic equipment We have a dedicated They’ve missed their
and the myriad other group of educators and friends, their activities
surfaces in a school, the administrators in Dela- and if they’re honest,
staffs have their work ware County schools and they’ve even missed their
cut out for them. they are ready to take on teachers.
They have trained on the educating of their It is time for school.

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Anadarko Daily News

Stephenson s purse to retrieve those from Dollar General property.

Oklahoma County judge fines

Aug Epic Charter Schools’ nonprofit
14
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An An Oklahoma State Bureau of In-
2020 Oklahoma County district judge vestigation agent wrote in an affi-
Page
imposed a $500,000 fine on the davit for a search warrant that the
002 nonprofit overseeing Epic Charter school’s two founders, David
Clip Schools for filing a libel and slan- Chaney and Ben Harris, recruited
resized
91% der lawsuit against Sen. Ron Sharp, and enrolled “ghost students” who
who alleged the virtual charter received little to no instruction.
school unlawfully counted student Epic has denied any wrongdoing
enrollment and misused taxpayer and no charges have been filed.
dollars.
Judge Cindy Troung decided the Border Patrol agent
nonprofit was subject to a fine in Arizona accused
under Oklahoma Citizens Participa-
tion Act because the law sanctions of drug trafficking
plaintiffs who file meritless law- TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A U.S.
suits intended to silence critics, ac- Border Patrol agent assigned to the
cording to The Oklahoman. Tucson Sector Ajo Border Patrol
Community Strategies Inc., Station has been accused of drug
which oversees Epic, sued Sharp in trafficking, authorities said Monday.
December for a minimum of Federal prosecutors said 53-year-
$75,000, arguing the state senator old Carlos Victor Passapera Pinott of
knowingly made false and defama- Buckeye was arrested Sunday on
tory statements against the virtual suspicion of multiple counts of con-
charter school system. spiracy and possession with intent to
Truong threw out the lawsuit and distribute controlled substances.
said Sharp’s public comments Passapera had his initial court ap-
about Epic did not rise to the level pearance Monday in Tucson. It’s un-
of actual malice, which is the stan- clear if he has a lawyer yet.
dard to prove libel and slander Prosecutors said Passapera left his
against a public entity. home early Sunday and drove to a
Epic Charter Schools was under remote area of the border west of the
investigation last year for artifi- Lukeville Port of Entry.
cially inflating the number of stu- Passapera then drove to Phoenix
dents and pocketing millions of Sky Harbor International Airport,
dollars illegally. In July, their en- where he allegedly loaded two duffel
rollment numbers skyrocketed bags into another vehicle.
amid the coronavirus pandemic. Law enforcement agents stopped

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Alva Review-Courier

Oklahoma County judge

n ÀQHV(SLF&KDUWHU
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s- OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — ics, according to The Oklahoman. tificially inflating the number of
G An Oklahoma County district Community Strategies Inc., students and pocketing millions
d judge imposed a $500,000 fine which oversees Epic, sued Sharp of dollars illegally. In July, their
on the nonprofit overseeing Epic in December for a minimum of enrollment numbers skyrocketed
d- Charter Schools for filing a libel $75,000, arguing the state senator amid the coronavirus pandemic.
a- and slander lawsuit against Sen. knowingly made false and defam- An Oklahoma State Bureau of
s- Ron Sharp, who alleged the vir- atory statements against the vir- Investigation agent wrote in an
tual charter school unlawfully tual charter school system. affidavit for a search warrant that
y, counted student enrollment and Truong threw out the lawsuit the school's two founders, David
d misused taxpayer dollars. and said Sharp's public comments Chaney and Ben Harris, recruit-
o Judge Cindy Troung decided about Epic did not rise to the lev- ed and enrolled "ghost students"
the nonprofit was subject to a fine el of actual malice, which is the who received little to no instruc-
n under Oklahoma Citizens Partic- standard to prove libel and slan- tion.
e ipation Act because the law sanc- der against a public entity. Epic has denied any wrong-
tions plaintiffs who file meritless Epic Charter Schools was un- doing and no charges have been
o lawsuits intended to silence crit- der investigation last year for ar- filed.
6

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The Clinton Daily News

A-B enrollment near same

Arapaho-Butler Public to virtual charter schools students have chosen the
Schools had its first day like Epic, but we expect virtual learning option.
back on Thursday and for them to return after “We have lots of good
enrollment is nearly the the pandemic,” Edelen protocols in place for this
same as last year accord- said. year,” Edelen said.
ing to Superintendent This year 473 students A-B has partnered with
Jay Edelen. have enrolled for in-per-
“We lost a few families son classes, while only 11 See SCHOOL, page 3

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 The Clinton Daily News

Aug
14

2020

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SCHOOL: Lost a few
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to ensure that they
Edmentum, a ser- have all the re-
vice that provides sources they need.
online learning pro- Edelen said that
grams, to be able the virtual learning
to better serve the option is meant to
virtual students. carry the students’
For virtual atten- learning through
dance, Students will the pandemic to
need to log-in daily where they will not
to be counted as be behind.
present and to stay Overall, Edelen is
on track with the positive about the
in-person students. upcoming school-
According to Edel- year.
en, if a student fails “I’m excited to
to log-in for several have everyone back
days, their prospec- on campus,” he
tive principal will said.

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 Enid News & Eagle

Aug
14

2020

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Oklahoma County judge fines
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Epic Charter Schools’ nonprofit
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma County
district judge imposed a $500,000 fine on the nonprofit
overseeing Epic Charter Schools for filing a libel and slan-
der lawsuit against Sen. Ron Sharp, who alleged the virtual
charter school unlawfully counted student enrollment and
misused taxpayer dollars.
Judge Cindy Troung decided the nonprofit was sub-
ject to a fine under Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act
because the law sanctions plaintiffs who file meritless
lawsuits intended to silence critics, according to The
Oklahoman.
Community Strategies Inc., which oversees Epic, sued
Sharp in December for a minimum of $75,000, arguing the
state senator knowingly made false and defamatory state-
ments against the virtual charter school system.
Truong threw out the lawsuit and said Sharp’s public
comments about Epic did not rise to the level of actual
malice, which is the standard to prove libel and slander
against a public entity.

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 Stillwater NewsPress

Stillwater News Press

A
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judge fines Epic Th
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Truong threw out Okl
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investigation last year Mus
for artificially inflat- and
ing the number of by t
students and pocket- mem
ing millions of dollars W
illegally. In July, their be a
enrollment numbers leas
skyrocketed amid the s
coronavirus pandemic. conv
An Oklahoma State ated
Bureau of Investi- case
gation agent wrote pers
in an affidavit for a may
search warrant that rulin
the school’s two found- in p
ers, David Chaney re-p
and Ben Harris, re-
cruited and enrolled
“ghost students” who
received little to no
instruction.
Epic has denied
any wrongdoing and
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no charges have been

d
filed.

Stitt announces
new chief of staff,
policy adviser
OKLAHOMA
CITY – Oklahoma
tr
Gov. Kevin Stitt an-
nounced Thursday By D
the hiring of an Okla- CNHI N
homa City banker as
his new chief of staff M
and a former state ties
Senate leader as his am
chief policy advisor. elud
Stitt’s new chief awa
of staff will be Bond tors
Payne, the co-founder a st
and chairman of Her- in n
itage Trust Co. Also Cou
joining the staff is for- C
mer Senate President Jaco
Pro Tem Brian Bing- 33,
man, who will serve was
as Stitt’s chief policy mot
advisor. alte
A former longtime an o
mayor of Sapulpa, conc
Bingman served three ing
terms as the Senate cord
leader before stepping at th
down in 2016 because Cou
of term limits. Ja
“I am excited to use Bra
Senator Bingman’s Thu
vast experience to tive
partner with the Leg- with
islature to make our Cou
state a better place to A
live and work for all 4 Cou
million Oklahomans,” Mor
Stitt said in a state- izen
ment. the
Payne replaces abou
Stitt’s former chief of and
staff Michael Junk, A
who announced his term
resignation last stol
month. Cou
– AP wire reports stol

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McCurtain Daily Gazette

u juice, choice of milk. Lunch: and cheese biscuit, fruit, juice, milk. Lunch: beef and bean g y
it, baked ham, mixed vegetables, choice of milk. Lunch: super burritos, chili, tossed salad, No menu received.

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Ex-cop’s video captures crowd’s

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