Gardiner's Camelot fee is in addition to the hundreds of thousands that he has collected from companies tied to Philadelphia Academy Charter in the Northeast, where he remains on paid leave as a consultant.
Gardiner's status at the charter he founded in 1999 will come up tonight when the school's attorneys present results from an internal investigation of allegations of conflicts of interest, mismanagement, and nepotism.
The school district's inspector general has been looking into the same issues at the school, which has 1,200 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, for the last month.
Gardiner's relationship with Camelot began in 2004, when he was instrumental in helping the company navigate the Philadelphia School District and obtain its first contract, said Todd Bock, Camelot's senior vice president for education services.
"He does consulting," Bock said. "He knows a lot of people."
Albert S. Dandridge 3d, Gardiner's attorney, yesterday said neither he nor Gardiner would comment on Gardiner's ties to Camelot.
Camelot arrived when Paul Vallas, then the district's chief executive officer, was expanding alternative and disciplinary programs with the School Reform Commission's approval.
"The arrangement was, 'If you can help us negotiate the school district and get us in front of the right people to pitch our program, we will enter this contract with you to provide services to Camelot,' " Bock said.
Bock said Gardiner helped Camelot maintain and expand its programs in the city.
Gardiner's arrangement with Camelot is similar to contracts Camelot has in other cities in which it does business, Bock said.
