Navigator supporters show up to MCOE meeting

Administrators for Navigator Schools, the charter operator based in Gilroy that wants to expand into Monterey County, say they had about 100 supporters attend their appeal hearing last week.

"We had over 100 Navigator supporters from both our schools and from Salinas," Sharon Waller, director of expansion, wrote in an email. "We chartered two buses that picked up folks from both places. It was so exciting to see so many supporters in the audience and to hear them (about 30 speakers) speak favorably about Navigator coming to town.

Navigator petitioned to open a charter school at the Alisal Union  and the Salinas City Elementary  school districts. They were both rejected by the trustees, and Navigator administrators opted to appeal the process with the Salinas City Elementary. Trustees with the Monterey County Office of Education are expected to vote on the appeal on Dec. 3.

It will be interesting to see how that goes. Navigator officials say they plan to have lots of supporters on the date of the vote as well. Stay tuned.