Headmaster Of New Tulsa Charter School Resigns, Board Votes In Interim Headmaster

The Headmaster of a new Tulsa charter school resigns, leaving some parents wondering what’s next.

The board of Tulsa Classical Academy near 101st and Sheridan held a meeting Friday night to name a new interim Headmaster and talk about the search to find a permanent replacement.

The parents still don’t know why the headmaster resigned, but several of the parents say they’re hopeful the school will find the right replacement.

Tulsa Classical Academy opened this fall after three years of working to get the school off the ground.

That’s why parents say they were shocked to see headmaster Jason Poarch resign before the first semester ended.

“There’s a lot of questions that obviously we don’t have answers to,” said William Robinson, a parent. “I understand that some of it we’re not privy to. It is private between our headmaster and his employer, and as parents, we just want the best for a new school that we chose.”

Nathan Phelps, the chair of the board, says the board did not ask Poarch to resign.

“He resigned on his own accord, Halloween night. I actually went to sleep pretty early that night, so I woke up to some text messages from my board members at 3 a.m. and was surprised to see that,” said Phelps.

Phelps says there was some miscommunication between the board and Poarch surrounding a $50,000 grant given to the school and how the money was being spent.

Phelps says that money will be used to help with teacher training.

One teacher says she believes the school will get back on track quickly.

“It was kind of surprising, but I’m hopeful that our school can push through and we can become the school that our community needs,” said Rachel Morris, a teacher.

Parents say this hasn’t made them reconsider sending their kids to Tulsa Classical Academy.

“You expect in the first year of a school being open that you’re going to have all kinds of issues,” said Paige Taliaferro, a parent. “You expect there to be hiccups and bumps in the road, and so yes, we were fully prepared. I think this was a bigger hiccup maybe than what we’d hoped for, but not one that we can’t overcome, not one we’re not excited to see where the road takes us.”

The board voted tonight to put in place a committee to find the headmaster’s replacement that will include board members, teachers, and parents.

News On 6 reached out to Poarch through social media but did not hear back.