Morgan Hill K12 charter school closes

A Morgan Hill charter school is closing its doors due to a terminated contract and financial troubles, which means almost 250 students will have to enroll in new schools before the start of the academic year, Santa Clara County education officials said Wednesday.

Silicon Valley Flex Academy at 610 Jarvis Drive served 240 students between grades six to 12 and opened in 2011 under a countywide charter, county education officials said.

In November, Santa Clara County’s Board of Education had renewed the academy’s charter for another five years from 2016 to 2021, according to the county office.

On Monday night, the academy’s board told the county the academy would close because of “fiscal unsustainability” after its service provider, K12, cut their contract, county officials said.

Classes for the new school year were set to begin on Aug. 11, according to the school’s website.

The county office is working with the charter school’s board along with Morgan Hill Unified School District and its Superintendent Steve Betando to register the students for the 2016-17 academic year.

The district’s first day of school is scheduled for Aug. 16.

“Our first and highest priority is always the wellbeing of the students,” county Superintendent of Schools Jon Gundry said in a statement.

“Since learning of this impending action, I have been in close contact with Superintendent Steve Betando to ensure students and families will have options and opportunities following this decision by the Silicon Valley Flex Academy board,” Gundry said.

The school “boasted a blending learning model by combining an online K12, Inc. curriculum with offline lessons and small-sized breakout sessions,” according to the academy’s Parent Teacher Organization website.

Staff members from the academy and county’s Charter Schools Office are working to ensure they meet requirements to close the charter school under the state Department of Education and education code, county officials said.

Parents can speak to staff about the closure at the academy today and next week, according to county officials.

The district has scheduled an information meeting on the transition for academy parents and students at 7 p.m. on Aug. 4 at the Ann Sobrato High School theater on campus at 401 Burnett Ave. in Morgan Hill.