An Atlanta charter school threatened with closure after the alleged theft of more than $600,000 could remain open, but the school's principal has been removed from her post.
The reason for her removal are unclear.
The founder of the school — Latin Academy — had been named last year as a suspect in the alleged theft. Under his leadership, Latin Academy also took out $600,000 in loans with without the school board's authorization, according to legal and financial records.
Earlier this year, the school's board considered closing the school, saying the missing money and financial mismanagement put the school in dire financial conditions. They gave students and staff a month to raise the hundreds of thousands of dollars necessary to keep the school open.
“Encouraging progress has been made” in fundraising efforts, board chairman Kaseem Ladipo wrote in a letter to parents Monday.
His announcement came after a post on the school’s Facebook page announced that an anonymous donor had pledged more than $1 million to the school “contingent upon board action.” The school’s board is expected to consider the school’s future at their meeting Thursday.
In his email, Ladipo also told parents that principal Aja Kweliona had been placed on paid administrative leave “due to a number of factors.”
In response to questions from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Ladipo declined to comment on pledge or Kweliona. Kweliona has not responded to messages from the AJC.
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