Letter to Public
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 15, 2025
Contact:
Dr. Arleana Waller
Founder
Willie J. Frink Charter School
TEXT ONLY: 661-532-8417
COMMUNITY STATEMENT: Willie J. Frink Charter School Effort Comes to a Close
Dear Community Members, Supporters, and Friends,
It is with deep respect and heavy hearts that we share an important update: the Willie J. Frink Charter School will not be moving forward.
Since receiving formal notice from the Panama-Buena Vista School District, our Board and Founding Team have worked diligently to explore every possible path to preserve the vision for the school. Over the last several months, we pursued alternative authorizers, searched for facilities, and evaluated whether restarting the petition process from the beginning was a viable option. Unfortunately, we have now reached the end of what is realistically possible at this time.
Despite more than five years of work, two years of tireless commitment, strategic planning, and deep community engagement, we were unable to overcome several critical barriers. These included the inability to secure a facility by the deadline given, minimum to no oversite with the Panama-Buena Vista School Board, and limited transparency in the review process. Which resulted in us getting a long list of outstanding items at the same time the public received them. These challenges—compounded by increasing uncertainty and budget cuts in public education under the current federal administration—ultimately prevented us from realizing our vision for the Willie J. Frink Charter School, or from reasonably exercising the option to start the petition process all over again.
We want to be clear: this decision was not made lightly. The Willie J. Frink Charter School was envisioned as a culturally responsive, community-rooted educational model designed to serve, affirm, and uplift students who have historically been underserved by traditional systems. It was a school born from love—for our children, our culture, and our future.
We know that many families were excited about enrolling their children. Others attended town halls, wrote letters of support, and volunteered their time and talents to bring this vision to life. We are especially grateful to you. Please know how much your belief in this mission has meant to us. While we may not be opening the doors to this school, your advocacy has built something powerful that will outlast this chapter.
How We Stewarded Funding
We are also grateful to the funders and partners who invested in this effort. Every dollar entrusted to us was used in alignment with our mission and development plan—including outreach, staffing, legal and consultant support, application development, and foundational operational planning.
As part of our legal and ethical responsibilities, any unspent funds will be managed in compliance with IRS regulations governing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. If the nonprofit corporation is dissolved, all remaining assets will be distributed to a mission-aligned 501(c)(3) organization, as required by law. This ensures that any remaining resources will continue to support educational and community advancement efforts in the spirit of our original vision.
Looking Ahead
We recognize the disappointment and grief that may come with this news. We share those emotions with you. We poured our hearts, time, and resources into this work because we believe our children deserve more. That belief has not changed.
Though this chapter has closed, the need for bold, culturally affirming, and equitable educational models remains. We are proud of what we attempted to build together, and we will carry forward the lessons, relationships, and inspiration that this journey has offered.
We’ve attached the formal letter we received from the Panama-Buena Vista School District for full transparency. If you have any additional questions or would like to remain connected for future efforts, we welcome your outreach.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the families, community members, and supporters who believed in this vision and walked alongside us in this endeavor.
At this time, my team and I will not be offering further public comment and ask that our decision be respected.
With deepest appreciation,
Dr. Arleana Waller
On behalf of the Board
Willie J. Frink Charter School