A renegade board has formed in an apparent attempt to wrest control of the Cesar Chavez North charter school in Colorado Springs from the network that created it, the network board chairman said Saturday.“We need to find out what they’re wanting and what they’re trying to do,” Dennis Feuerstein said. “My goal is to get this resolved as quickly as possible.”The Cesar Chavez School Network, which runs charter schools in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver, has come under fire in recent months because of high salaries paid to its leadership team and because of alleged irregularities during the administration of the Colorado Students Assessment Program (CSAP) tests.The Colorado Department of Education has ordered a financial audit and an audit of testing practices.In the meantime, the network consolidated its two Colorado Springs schools onto one campus, angering parents who said they weren’t informed about the plans.The merger onto the campus at 3115 Larkspur Drive was approved in June by the Colorado Charter School Institute, which chartered the Colorado Springs schools.Feuerstein said the Cesar Chavez network still holds the charter to the consolidated school and the building lease, manages the budget and owns the curriculum.“We are not freezing any of their money,” he said. “They can still run the school.”However, he said, the network will hold the school accountable for its practices and wants to ensure that its policies are sound.He said a site-based board at the school has been in the works for some time but there is confusion about what authority it should have.The issue came to a head last week when the Colorado Springs group met, installed new board members and reviewed bylaws. Those involved in the Wednesday meeting could not be reached Saturday for comment.When the network board heard that a meeting was scheduled, it called its own executive session on Tuesday to discuss the dispute, Feuerstein said. He said he could not say whether the network would consider relinquishing the school’s charter.“We want what’s best for these children,” he said, adding that the network wants to ensure the school adheres to high academic standards and follows policies.The network’s attorney, Dolores Atencio, sent a letter on Aug. 31 to Kevin Light, identified as the president of the renegade board, warning him that last week’s meeting would be “in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding between CCSN and the Colorado State Charter School Institute,” and demanded it be cancelled.Feuerstein said he is seeking a meeting this week between his board the charter institute board to try to resolve the issues. He said he has asked to exclude the network executive director, Lawrence Hernandez, and the charter institute director, Randy DeHoff from that meeting.Although no announcement has been made, DeHoff’s contract was discussed in a recent executive session of the charter institute board and a notice to fill that position is on the CSI Web site.Feuerstein said DeHoff was advising the renegade group and attended their board meeting on Sept. 2.

The Southwest Auto lot at 2444 Platte Place. Photo by KIRK SPEER, THE GAZETTE FILE

KIRK SPEER