Green Valley Charter School CEO resigns
Tisha Blackwood-Freitas has resigned as the CEO of Foundations Public Schools Green Valley Charter, she confirmed this week.
Blackwood-Freitas, who is a founder of Foundation Public Schools, confirmed her resignation Tuesday in an interview but declined to comment on her reason for stepping down.
“I just care so much for the students and I feel for them,” she said.
Blackwood-Freitas’ name and information were taken down from the Foundations Public Schools website as of Wednesday morning.
Chief Financial Officer Alexis Neves is the acting officer of the charter school district.
Blackwood-Freitas attended a Foundations Public Schools board of directors meeting Tuesday when board members Victoria Ferreira-Allen and Matthew Cutler voted to table a measure approving employment agreements for the CEO and principal positions until the next meeting.
Ferreira-Allen and Cutler, who make up the board of directors, declined to comment on the matter, describing it as a personnel issue.
However, an agenda for a May 19 board meeting included a discussion about Blackwood-Freitas’ resignation as CEO and a strategic plan to hire a new CEO.
Ferreira-Allen said the board will soon make an official statement.
About 30 people attended the board meeting Tuesday, with many standing because all the chairs were taken.
The only two board members were present at Tuesday’s meeting, leading some in the audience to question whether the board had the legal authority to make decisions.
“How do you guys vote with two board of directors?” said Matt Frietas, Blackwood-Freitas’ husband. “How do you have a quorum? How do you have a majority?”
Ferreira-Allen said board members have been trying to expand the board.
“It’s something we’ve been working on all the time,” Ferreira-Allen said.
But when pressed further about the ability of the board to operate with two members, the board didn’t respond.
“Under California law, we can’t respond,” Cutler said. “We’ll have a staff member respond to you in the near future.”
According to past meeting agendas, the board has operated with a maximum of three voting members.
Other public commenters questioned why a board attorney wasn’t present. Ferreira-Allen and Cutler didn’t respond to those comments.
Foundations Public Schools is a Waldorf education-based charter school system that includes Green Valley Charter School in Los Banos and the Manzanita chapter in Modesto.
This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 9:16 AM with the headline "Green Valley Charter School CEO resigns."