Springboard Suspension

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow so they said they did background checks but apparently did not?

My guess is they did for some but not for all, and got lazy about it and desperate for staff.

[Anonymous]

Anyone want to explore a class action lawsuit? I paid for a service with the expectation they complied with background checks. They made $ off me on that basis.

[Anonymous]

I just sent an email asking for a refund for this week, they’ve been canceled at my DC Charter.

Why weren’t they asked to produce background checks prior to now??

[Anonymous]

This also really sucks for the staff who presumably won't get paid. I'm sure most of them are pretty decent and would have passed any background check Springboard had offered.

[Anonymous]

Does this relate to the Springboard group that runs the summer school programs?

[Anonymous]

What is the incident to get DC police involved to begin with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the incident to get DC police involved to begin with?

Yes—wondering the same. Seems like there was an incident at Logan, either the Principal or the police wanted to look into the childcare provider’s paperwork, and then the paperwork was revealed to be insufficient, and then ALL Springboard paperwork was revealed as such. But there was some initial incident that must have been significant enough to inspire some curiosity into the childcare provider’s background check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the incident to get DC police involved to begin with?

Yes—wondering the same. Seems like there was an incident at Logan, either the Principal or the police wanted to look into the childcare provider’s paperwork, and then the paperwork was revealed to be insufficient, and then ALL Springboard paperwork was revealed as such. But there was some initial incident that must have been significant enough to inspire some curiosity into the childcare provider’s background check.

Agree. I think parents have a right to know. Any news org on this?

[Anonymous]

At DCPS schools they should have gone through the DCPS background check process. Shouldn’t DCPS have access to that?

To volunteer at my kid’s school I needed to go through the same process.

[Anonymous]

Springboard was terrible at SSMA a couple years ago and luckily SSMA responded by creating their own aftercare program. The school still uses Springboard for before care since there aren't many other before care programs in the DC area. Springboard aftercare was terrible with some of the employees yelling and screaming at the kids for even moving an inch. Definitely made me uncomfortable even though my kid was never one of them that was being screamed at, but contemplated reporting it a few times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the incident to get DC police involved to begin with?

Yes—wondering the same. Seems like there was an incident at Logan, either the Principal or the police wanted to look into the childcare provider’s paperwork, and then the paperwork was revealed to be insufficient, and then ALL Springboard paperwork was revealed as such. But there was some initial incident that must have been significant enough to inspire some curiosity into the childcare provider’s background check.

Agree. I think parents have a right to know. Any news org on this?

DC crime map doesn’t show any serious offenses near Logan within the last 60 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Springboard was terrible at SSMA a couple years ago and luckily SSMA responded by creating their own aftercare program. The school still uses Springboard for before care since there aren't many other before care programs in the DC area. Springboard aftercare was terrible with some of the employees yelling and screaming at the kids for even moving an inch. Definitely made me uncomfortable even though my kid was never one of them that was being screamed at, but contemplated reporting it a few times.

Similar situation at our charter. I did escalate. The on-site manager yelled at me and kept repeating "you will not disrespect me!". Refused to give me her manager's contact. When I finally tracked down the "manager" she kept telling me to "calm down". I was calm, but pissed. I demanded her manager's contact info. She gave me contact for someone in SB's Boston area corporate office. After some research it turns out that she gave me the contact of her friend, not her boss. Ultimately the 32 year old person who was "in charge" at corporate refused to give me management contact (no email, no phone #, no nothing).

Long story short, they didn't care then and they don't care now. Background checks cost money. Multiply that cost times the number of staff and that is more $$$$ to go into the profit numbers for the private equity that owns them. Who cares if convicted offenders or others with serious issues get unfettered access to our kids. Their profit #s went up...

[Anonymous]

It's hard to believe that Springboard did not conduct background checks at all. If that's so... I don't have words.

I wonder if all of the charters using Springboard are aware that there are issues?

For the sake of the kids, I'm hoping Springboard was just sloppy and couldn't produce the background check asap for the one staffer but that it was done for him/her and for all of their employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Springboard was terrible at SSMA a couple years ago and luckily SSMA responded by creating their own aftercare program. The school still uses Springboard for before care since there aren't many other before care programs in the DC area. Springboard aftercare was terrible with some of the employees yelling and screaming at the kids for even moving an inch. Definitely made me uncomfortable even though my kid was never one of them that was being screamed at, but contemplated reporting it a few times.

Similar situation at our charter. I did escalate. The on-site manager yelled at me and kept repeating "you will not disrespect me!". Refused to give me her manager's contact. When I finally tracked down the "manager" she kept telling me to "calm down". I was calm, but pissed. I demanded her manager's contact info. She gave me contact for someone in SB's Boston area corporate office. After some research it turns out that she gave me the contact of her friend, not her boss. Ultimately the 32 year old person who was "in charge" at corporate refused to give me management contact (no email, no phone #, no nothing).

Long story short, they didn't care then and they don't care now. Background checks cost money. Multiply that cost times the number of staff and that is more $$$$ to go into the profit numbers for the private equity that owns them. Who cares if convicted offenders or others with serious issues get unfettered access to our kids. Their profit #s went up...

Outrageous. My kid is starting at Logan this fall, and I really hope the school is able to find another aftercare provider. Any advice for steps I could take?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this relate to the Springboard group that runs the summer school programs?

No, that is a totally different organization that unfortunately has the same name.