MERRIMACK – With the Academy for Science and Design close to finalizing a search for a new home, the chairman of the charter school’s board of trustees publicly squashed any rumors that the school is in danger of closing.

“The school is going to be in business next year,” Thomas Frischknecht said at the board’s monthly meeting, held Wednesday. “For the record, ASD is not closing.”

Frischknecht said he has been “bombarded” with inquiries from teachers and staff asking whether rumors of the school closing next year were true. Frischknecht said he doesn’t know how the rumors started but wanted to clear up any confusion.

The school is working to get back on track with its required financial reporting to the state Department of Education. Michael White, the school’s treasurer, said the school should have the past three years’ worth of independent audits to the state by mid-July.

Public charter schools are required to submit annual independent audits and quarterly financial reports to the state, but the school had fallen behind in its reporting.

The school, located on Daniel Webster Highway since opening in fall 2007, has applied to the state to renew its charter, a process that is required every five years.

Board members also are searching for a new director and negotiating a lease for a new location for the 2012-13 school year. Frischknecht said news on both fronts would be released to the public soon. The board met in a nonpublic session at the end of the meeting Wednesday to discuss both issues.

Board member Kim Lavalee said the board has narrowed its search to three buildings and is in the process of hammering out lease terms. The school has the ability to stay in its current location, but the goal is to find a new home for the school next year, she said.

“We hope to have an answer by the end of the week as to a new location,” Lavallee said.

It’s not known whether the school will be staying in Merrimack. Lavalee said the most important factor when considering new locations was to create the minimal amount of disruption for the school’s current families.

With an enrollment of 295 students, the school’s current space in an office building is no longer suitable, school officials have said.

Frischknecht said the board has narrowed the selection of a new director down to two finalists. Frischknecht expected a finalist to be named publicly within the next two weeks. There would be an opportunity for the school community to meet the finalist, he said.

The school is scheduled to hold a public lottery April 14 to determine which students will get in to the school next year. Lavalee said there are approximately 200 applicants, but it’s not yet known how many spaces will be available next year.

Acting Director Jennifer Cava said the school’s charter renewal application packet would be submitted to the state Department of Education by the end of the month. The process will include a site visit by the renewal team and a meeting with the state Board of Education. Cava said the process should be finished by September.

Michael Brindley can be reached at 594-6426 or mbrindley@nashuatelegraph.com.

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