Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School (see table below)
Authorizer
New York State Board of Regents
Term of charter
7/1/2012 to 6/30/2017 (second renewal for a five-year charter). The initial charter was granted in 2003 for five years. The first renewal was for 1/15/2008-6/30/2012.
District
Syracuse City School District
Location/Website
Elementary grades located at 4837 S. Salina St., Syracuse. Secondary grades located at 1001 Park Ave., Syracuse; http://www.sascs.org/
SASCS began as a 7-12 school. It received permission from the Board of Regents to add elementary grades in 2010. In 2011, a site for the elementary school was purchased by Terra Science and Education Foundation for $375,000. SASCS rents this building for ~$20,000/mo. (info on Terra below).
BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
ACTIVE: opened 2004
Non-profit
Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School (see table below)
Authorizer
New York State Board of Regents
Term of charter
7/1/2012 to 6/30/2015 (second renewal for a short-term three-year charter; did not receive a five-year renewal due to academic concerns). The initial charter was granted in 2004 for five years. The first renewal was for 1/12/2009-6/30/2012.
Director 2011-12: Mustafa Ersoy (worked at Horizon Science Academy-Cleveland, a Gulen charter school in Ohio)
Notes
Original school site was at 15 Jewett Parkway. The school leases its current site from Apple Education Services (see below). AES purchased the building in 2006.
ROCHESTER ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
ACTIVE: opened 2008
Non-profit
Rochester Academy Charter School (see table below)
Attempt #1: Mehmet Ozhabes (lead), Hasan Erkan, Mithat Gashi, Serigne Gningue, Muhammed Ozdemir, Turgay Erguk. Attempt #2: Mehmet Ozhabes (lead), Hasan Erkan, R. Gul Tiryaki Sonmez, Serigne Gningue, Genevieve Yarrell-Harris, Mithat Gashi, Madeline Gomez, Mithat Gashi, Mustafa E. Ozbudak, Selcuk Eren, Joseph Viggiani. Attempt #3: Mehmet Ozabes. Attempt #4: Mehmet Ozhabes (lead), Genevieve Yarrell-Harris, Serigne Gningue, Hasan Erkan, Mithat Gashi, Madeline Gomez, Mustafa E. Ozbudak, Selcuk Eren, R. Gul Tiryaki Sonmez, Lawrence R. Sykes.
History
WASCS has made four attempts. In 2009, an application was submitted in July but was withdrawn in November. In 2010, an application was submitted but was not approved. In 2011, a letter of intent for 7-12 school to open Fall 2012 was submitted. In Feb. 2012, an application was submitted for 6-12 school to open Fall 2013.
Notes
2010 prospectus: “WASCS’ education program replicates that of Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School.” Mehmet Ozhabes has been involved with Truebright Science Academy and Central Jersey College Prep Charter School (GM-network schools in PA and NJ)
UTICA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
PENDING: initial application submitted for 6-12 school in Feb. 2012 was incomplete and rejected; UASCS plans to resubmit application in June 2012 (school to open Fall 2013).
Non-profit
Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School (see table below)
“The proposed Utica Academy of Science Charter School (UASCS) will be a replication of Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School (SASCS), whose board members will be the founding board members of UASCS.” Damkaci is a founding board member of the Pioneer Charter School of Science (Gulen charter school in MA).
CAPITAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
INACTIVE: A 2003 application for K-12 school to open Fall 2004 was not recommended for approval. A 2004 application for 6-11 school to open Fall 2005 did not progress.
Authorizer
Charter Schools Institute of the State University of New York (SUNY)
“The organizers of the Capital Academy charter School in Troy center around a group of researchers and alumni of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University at Albany, said spokesman Murat Yuksel, an RPI research associate and lecturer.The group came together over concern about the quality of education in Troy and surrounding school districts.”
BINGHAMTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
INACTIVE: First attempt in 2009 (application withdrawn 7/2009). Second attempt for school w/grades 7-12 to open in fall 2011. Prospectus submitted 8/2010 but school did not advance.
Authorizer
New York State Board of Regents
District
Binghamton City School District
Individuals involved
First attempt: Birol Kanik (lead), Galymahan Kirbassov, Holly Gobelez. Second attempt: Galymzhan Kirbassov (lead), Tolga Hayali, Mine Ozer, Slobodan Tanusevski, Janelle Smith
Notes
“School design of BASCS draws directly on Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School model…”
BRENTWOOD ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
INACTIVE: One attempt; withdrew application in Nov. 2009
Authorizer
New York State Board of Regents
District
Brentwood Union Free School District
Individuals involved
Kerim Gulyuz (lead), Bernadette Marson, Michael Deluise, Muzaffer Ozcelik, Mary A. Gubitosi, Recep Ornek, Cem Kuscu
CITY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Status
INACTIVE: Attempt to open a 7-12 school in Fall 2009; Another attempt to open a K-12 school in Fall 2010 (withdrew application in Dec. 2009)
Authorizer
New York State Board of Regents
District
NYC CSD tbd on first attempt; NYC CSD 24 (Queens) on second attempt
Individuals involved
First attempt: Sinan Asa (lead): Second attempt: Furkan Kosar (lead, principal of Brooklyn Amity School, a private Gulen school), Hakan Baydere, Isseta L. Henderson, Claude Louis, Ercan Sevkat, Mehmet Ozbilgin
Notes
Applicant’s leaders failed to show up for public hearing in 2009; claimed they “weren’t aware.”
DIGITAL ARTS & TECHNOLOGY CHARTER SCHOOL (DigiTech K-12)
Status
INACTIVE: prospectus submitted Jan. 2011 for K-12 school to open Fall 2012; did not advance
INACTIVE: letter of intent submitted Jan. 2011 for 7-12 school; not followed up w/proposal, or was withdrawn or deemed insufficient,
Authorizer
Charter Schools Institute of the State University of New York (SUNY)
District
NYS CSD 31 (Staten Island)
Individuals involved
Zafer Akin (lead applicant; board member of Brooklyn Amity School, a private Gulen school)
Notes
Apple Education Services listed as partner organization
PARENT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
SYRACUSE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Federal Tax ID
EIN 043739991
History
Founding members: Ehat Erkanli, Yildiray Yildirim, Bulent Cetinkaya, Patricia Ann Coban (married to Mustafa Coban), and Selami Tezcan.
Individuals involved
Additional names on Form 990s from 2002-2009: Ahmet Ay, Akin Ozturk, Birol Ozturk, Fehmi Damkaci, Hakki Karaman, Hasan Dalan, Huey Morgan, Linda Spencer, Mustafa Coban, Sherman Dunmore, Tolga Hayali.
BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL
Federal Tax ID
EIN 200723492
History
“…the Science Charter School organizers, several of whose members are University at Buffalo professors.” (“State board approves 2 charter high schools.” Buffalo News, 12/12/2003
Individuals involved
Names on Form 990s from 2003-2010: Baris Civelek, Catherine Oldenburg, Erica [sic Erika] L. McLean, Ismail Unlusoy, Jack C. Anthony, Kameylah Hakim, Levent Kaya, Linda Kunz, Murat Demirbas, Mustafa Gokcek, Shigeji Fujita, Teyfik Kosar, Yunus Kumek
ROCHESTER ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
Federal Tax ID
EIN 262041512
History
Unknown; no local news articles have yet been located
Individuals involved
Names on Form 990s from 2008-2010: Alfred Geier, Cheryl A. Sampson, Ercan Tozan, Ibrahim Unal, Mahmut Gedemenli, Marat Khafizov, William D. Middleton
250 Moonachie Road, 2nd Fl. Moonachie, NJ; previously located at 545 Interstate Plaza, Carlstadt, NJ.
Services
From 2009 Form 990: “Student database software integration into school operations scheduling, guidance program, consulting, testing, professional development for teachers, these services are provided for at least 10 public charter schools.”
Individuals involved
Names on Form 990s from 2006-2010: Mesut Sahin, Faruk Apaydin, Melih Yildirim (board members); Erdinc Karabulut (tax preparer). Advisory board members: Mesut Sahin, Raif Rustamov, Yavuz Ulusoy, Makoto Yoshida
Notes
Apple Education Services is associated with Ivy Learning (a.k.a. Ivy League Learning Center); both are SES providers. Apple’s Carlstadt address has been used by other Gulen movement-related organizations: Interfaith Dialog Center (renamed Peace Islands Institute), Helping Hands Relief Foundation, and Lotus Media Productions. Ivy Learning opened a secondary center in Brooklyn in 2012 at a site previously occupied by Brooklyn Amity School, a private Gulen school.
1001 Park Ave., Syracuse, c/o Mustafa Coban; same address as SASCS
Services
From website: “TERRA Science and Education Foundation is a non-profit organization. Its board consists of volunteers who are scientists and educators who would like to provide educational and scientific services to K-12 schools and schools board.”
Individuals involved
From 2010 Form 990: Fehmi Damkaci (from SASCS), Murat Demirbas (from BASCS), Mahmut Gedemenli (RACS)
See these CASILIPS pages for more evidence of affiliation:
