To the relief of many teachers and parents who attended the meeting Tuesday, the Kissimmee Commission directed staff to negotiate a renewal of Imagine Schools’ contract at the city-owned Kissimmee Charter Academy for two more years.

The decision comes after the school had a more favorable financial audit of the school, which commissioners praised during a school update Nov. 3. Previously, there were several financial disparities at the school, which prompted concern from commissioners. Most were corrected at a meeting earlier this month.

“If that hadn’t happened, I would feel far different about the renewal than I do right now,” Mayor Jim Swan said.

Also, the charter school was rated with a grade of “A” last year, an improvement from the “C” it previously had.

Still, the possibility of the commission going out to bid for a new management contract caused apprehension among the faculty at the charter school, many of which showed up Tuesday to speak favorably of the current managing company.

Teacher Elizabeth Ballard said she has been working for Virginia-based Imagine Schools for six years, including five years at Canoe Creek Charter School, which Imagine Schools managed until the end of last school year. Ballard said she chose to leave Canoe Creek and join the staff at Kissimmee Charter Academy because she felt strongly about the Imagine Schools philosophy.

“At this school, I’m allowed to use my strengths. I know that I can make a difference, and that’s important,” she told the commission. “I also see the same kind of changes in our students. They’re stepping out as leaders not afraid to make decisions and to have an educated opinion.”

The two-year extension would coincide with a 2012 payoff of school debt, taken on in the early part of the decade due to a shortage of state funding. The charter contract itself isn’t set to expire until June 30, but the decision came to the commission early to allow city staff the time to negotiate a new contract. The contract agreement would then have to be officially approved by the commission once it’s finalized.

Commissioner Cheryl Grieb asked about a writing assignment she had heard about, in which students were to write an essay explaining why the city should keep the Imagine Schools as a management company.

School Leader Lori McCarley explained that the school staff had talked Friday about what they could do proactively in regard to the contract renewal. She had offered that teachers write letters to the commissioners and have their students write letters as well, McCarley said.

“It was a choice. It was not mandatory. Some teachers did it and some teachers did not,” McCarley said in regards to the student assignment.

Ballard said that some of her third-grade students did write letters to the commission, which were delivered Monday, about what Imagine Schools meant to them. Some were previous students of Canoe Creek Charter School and had already been through the process, she said.

That issue cleared up, Grieb said the recent improvements at the school encouraged her to renew the current contract.

“I think right now, especially with the economy the way it is, stability may be what’s needed,” she said.

Commissioner Carlos Irizarry asked to have the Osceola County School Board’s input into the matter. However, Swan said the issue was “none of the School Board’s business,” adding that the city should make its own decision on the matter.

Swan also praised McCarley’s efforts to improve the school in the last year.

“If you have been here (before), we wouldn’t even be having this discussion this long,” Swan said. “But Imagine could decide to move you next week, so understand my nervousness. I’d rather keep Imagine’s feet to the fire.”

McCarley, the former principal at Canoe Creek Charter School before its transition from Imagine Schools, said after the meeting that she was “not going anywhere,” adding that she was thankful for the contract renewal.

The commission briefly discussed selling the school, possibly to the Osceola County School District, but agreed to delay that decision until after the two-year period.