October 6, 2000
Members, Board of Education,
and
Dr. Beverly Hall,
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
201 Pryor Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Dear Dr. Hall and Members of
the Atlanta Board of Education:
A charter school is a commitment by a community to all of
its children. This commitment is
based on the belief that parents/guardians and the local community hold the
primary responsibility to ensure that all children in their neighborhood
school, regardless of race, economics or culture have access to, and success
in, public education. As one
community, the residents of Grant Park, Ormewood Park and the surrounding
neighborhoods are prepared to meet this responsibility through the
establishment of the Neighborhood Charter School.
The mission of the
Neighborhood Charter School is to provide a learning environment for all
students that demands high educational standards and high levels of
parent/guardian involvement and responsibility. In
partnership with Atlanta Public Schools, Zoo Atlanta, The Alliance Theater and
other community organizations, the Neighborhood Charter School will provide new
learning opportunities for students, teachers, and families to better
understand their school and community environments. To achieve this mission the community has agreed to specific
assumptions that will guide the school in its development and success:
§
Importance of Parents, Guardians and Family:
Education impacts the student and the student’s parents/guardians
and extended family. Conversely,
parents, guardians and family impact each child’s educational
progress. The Neighborhood Charter
School recognizes the value of parents/guardians and extended family and will
work to actively involve family members in their child’s learning
experience.
§
Importance of Community: More than just parents matter. The Neighborhood Charter School is the
responsibility of all community members and all members will be welcome
participants in the education process.
The community as a whole, parents, children, teachers, administrators,
businesses and citizens are all learners and will be respected as such.
§
Importance of Focus: By
working closely with Zoo Atlanta and other community organizations such as The
Alliance Theater, the Neighborhood Charter School will offer a focused,
consistent, progressive curriculum to meet the highest standards. All students and teachers will be part
of these partnerships and will have new opportunities to learn math, science,
language arts, social studies and visual/performing arts through interaction
with community leaders and other educators.
§
Importance of
Philosophy: Successful schools are focused and grounded in specific
educational philosophy. The
Neighborhood Charter School will be organized around a constructivist philosophy
that recognizes that students learn primarily by direct engagement with ideas
and materials rather than through passive transfer of information from books or
teachers; a philosophy that promotes a learning community in which students
assume an active role in their own learning; a philosophy that sees teachers as
skilled professionals whose role it is to assist and guide students in
developing higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills along with a deeper
understanding of important facts and
concepts.
§
Importance of
Leadership: Leadership includes the principal, the governing board,
parents/guardians and teachers.
All stakeholders in the school’s success will have regular
involvement, input and engagement in curriculum, leadership and directional
decisions.
In developing this charter the
community met with education experts, sought advice from Atlanta Public Schools
personnel and Board of Education members, the State Department of Education,
and both traditional and charter schools around the state. This charter affirms our belief in
public education and that we are
prepared to work for its success.
To this end it is important that several issues about the development of
this charter be remembered:
§ This has been a true grassroots effort. Three years in the making, this charter petition has survived the struggles that are inherent to a true democratic process. This charter has survived leadership changes, community tension and miscommunications. In the end, however, the community emerged united and determined to enthusiastically support this charter for the benefit of all children.
§
This charter is about
supporting public education. The
parents within this community want the school to reflect the racially,
economically and culturally diverse neighborhoods it serves. To accomplish that, we seek to make
public education the first choice of all families, by creating a true
neighborhood school in which all our children will learn from one another.
It is with great excitement and commitment that we submit this petition to you.
Respectfully,
Philip S. Andrews,
Chair, The Neighborhood Charter
School Committee
I. Academic Design
Grant Park, Ormewood Park and the
surrounding neighborhoods are evolving, eclectic communities composed of people
with diverse ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Together these neighborhoods are
building the Neighborhood Charter School, a research-based, innovative,
learning environment that celebrates and explores the unique diversity of all
students, families and communities.
Through
a constructivist framework, a conservation focus and standards-based
curriculum, the children, families and community of the Neighborhood Charter
School will embark together on a journey to educational excellence. The mission of the school is to develop
in each child the love of learning, the ability to engage in critical thinking,
and mastery of the academic building blocks necessary for a successful
future. The Neighborhood Charter
School envisions a dynamic, community-oriented, inclusive school that
recognizes and nurtures all human intelligence so that students and staff from
varied backgrounds will achieve their full intellectual and social
potential. The diversity of this
community is one of its greatest strengths. The Neighborhood Charter School seeks to honor, celebrate
and embrace that strength for the benefit of all students.
Serving children in grades
kindergarten through fifth grade who reside in the designated attendance zone,
the Neighborhood Charter School will foster academic and personal growth and
success through the constructivist philosophy of teaching. Constructivism is a theoretical model
stemming from the areas of philosophy, philosophy of science, psychology,
anthropology, and sociology.
Constructivism has its roots in the field of educational philosophy in a
number of paradigms, including those of Piaget, Dewey, Vygotsky, and
Montessori. Students learn by
doing, and Constructivism finds its foundation in this idea. Activities should be relevant and varied,
encouraging active participation.
Educational research has made it very clear that traditional didactic
teaching is not the most effective method.
For a more detailed description
of Constructivism, please see Appendix A.
One of the Neighborhood Charter School’s most valuable
resources is its community. Zoo
Atlanta--located within walking distance from the Grant Street school site--has
committed to working with the new school to develop a model partnership focused
on integrating conservation and environmental themes throughout the
curriculum. The Zoo will continue
to work in partnership with other Atlanta Public Schools, but its relationship
with the Neighborhood Charter School will be a consistent, progressive and
creative use of both community and school resources. The school will open in 2002 following at least the current
level of partnership that the Zoo offers to other schools. Each year, however, the partnership
will grow until it includes all grade and academic levels, professional development,
and a fully integrated zoological curriculum.
In
addition to Zoo Atlanta, the Neighborhood Charter School seeks creative and
progressive partnerships with all existing partners of the original three
elementary schools (Slaton, West and Guice). The Alliance Theater will be a critical partner in
developing and meeting the artistic and creative needs of all students. The Neighborhood Charter School will
actively seek additional partnerships with community organizations to address
and support student, family and community issues and concerns.
For
more information on future programs and partnerships see Appendix B.
The Neighborhood Charter School will
address the diverse academic needs of all learners within an educational
framework that aligns standards-based teaching with research-based
practice. Teaching and learning
models will vary based on individual student’s needs, but the standards
themselves will remain consistent.
The staff, administration and community will work together to ensure
every child has the support necessary to advance academically and
socially. Education should be an
adventure, and through the Neighborhood Charter School, the students,
parents/guardians, families, and staff in this community will embark on this adventure together.
For more information on the NCS mission and educational
program see Appendix C.
Successful schools have focus and consistency. To meet the diverse needs of its students, the Neighborhood Charter School Committee explored several different philosophies around which to organize the school. The community selected Constructivism because of its focus on students as active learners and its recognition of teachers as professional facilitators of students’ educational experience. Curricula at the Neighborhood Charter School will be delivered following a student-centered constructivist paradigm. Within this constructivist paradigm:
§ Greater attention will be given to the acquisition of higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills, with less emphasis on the assimilation of a large body of isolated facts.
§ Basic skills will be learned not in isolation, but in the course of undertaking (often on a collaborative basis) higher-level real world tasks whose execution requires the integration of a number of such skills across subjects and disciplines.
§ The student will assume a central role as the active architect of his or her own knowledge and skills, rather than passively absorbing information proffered by teachers.
§ Students will undertake substantial, authentic tasks, presented in a realistic context that requires the self-directed application of various sorts of knowledge and skills for their successful execution.
§ Activities will involve student-initiated inquiries driven at least in part by the student's own curiosity, and will be designed to motivate students in a more immediate way than is typical of traditional curricula based largely on the transmission of isolated facts.
§ Group activities will be designed to facilitate the acquisition of collaborative skills of the sort that are often required within contemporary work environments.
§ Initial
purchase and replacement of textbooks will not necessarily correspond with the
state adoption cycle, and the Neighborhood Charter School reserves the right to
use textbooks/resources which may not appear on the state adoption list.
Guided by this constructivist approach, the Neighborhood Charter School will
implement a standards-based curriculum based on the core academic content areas
included in, but not exclusive to, standards set by: the Georgia Quality Core
Curriculum, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National
Science Education Standards and the International Reading Association. The
Neighborhood Charter School will open using the existing Atlanta Public Schools
curriculum as its foundation. During the course of the charter, the
teachers, principal, governing board and community will work with Zoo Atlanta
to develop an instructional model that integrates conservation/environmental
themes within the curriculum. Teachers will determine additional curriculum
enhancements based on students’ interest, performance and needs and
community resources.
A summary of key GQCC objectives, standards and
approaches with which NCS will base and align its curriculum standards and
objectives is attached hereto as Appendix D.
The
diversity of these communities includes diversity of income, family structures
and health issues. The
Neighborhood Charter School is committed to supporting, encouraging and helping
all children faced with daily challenges beyond their control. The Neighborhood Charter School
Governing Board and the Parent/Teacher/Community Association (PTCA) will
investigate appropriate curriculum and learning opportunities that have proven
successful in helping students in at-risk situations succeed.
Zoo Atlanta, and more specifically, its Education
Department, is a leader in providing quality educational programs to students
and teachers. The mission of the Zoo’s Education Department is to: Impart
awareness of conservation issues in hopes of inspiring others to environmental
action by providing engaging, educational and entertaining experiences. As an extension of this mission, Zoo Atlanta will play a major
role in the development and execution of the Neighborhood Charter
School’s curriculum. Environmental issues will be integrated within the
curriculum to encourage students to become responsible global citizens. Zoo
Atlanta will serve as an exciting extension of the charter school’s
classrooms and an outstanding resource for its educators.
Although Zoo Atlanta has been a successful partner with
many Atlanta Public Schools, including Slaton Elementary, its partnership with
the Neighborhood Charter School will have a different focus and dimension. The
collaboration between the school and Zoo Atlanta will enable educators and
staff from the zoo to take part in the development of programs, lesson plans
and curriculum. Although this type of relationship is not new to many
zoological parks in the United States, it is unique for the state of Georgia.
It is our intent to build a model of collaboration, not only with our partners,
but also with our student’s families and the larger community. During the
first year of the charter, Zoo Atlanta will adapt its existing education
programs for students of the charter school. Staff and the community will begin
the collaboration that will lead to the utilization of zoo resources at all
grade levels. Conservation, as a
thematic focus of the school will not be limited to science curricula, but will
be woven throughout all disciplines. The definition of conservation will not be
limited to environmental conservation, but will include historical and
community conservation issues that can be explored through the arts and social
sciences. During the 2002 2003
school year, Zoo Atlanta will choose from its existing programs and adapt them
for implementation to students at the charter school. Zoo Atlanta is committed
to being an active partner for curriculum development for the Neighborhood
Charter School.
Samples of existing Zoo Atlanta activities are included
in Appendix E.
The Neighborhood
Charter School has committed to utilization of the Elementary Science Education
Partners (ESEP) inquiry based kits to complement the resources provided by Zoo
Atlanta. Both programs utilize a constructivist approach and both have a
successful record of partnership and engagement with students and staff in the
Atlanta Public Schools. The charter school intends to utilize fully the
materials and experience of these resources to assist in the development of an
integrated curriculum. NCS will
confer with the APS science office about the ESEP (science kits) program. We will follow whatever procedure other
APS schools follow for being able to participate in the ESEP program. Our expectation is that NCS will be
treated as any other APS school with regard to system wide distribution of
special materials, special funding or programming, such as the ESEP program,
which are made available to other APS elementary schools. The funds for purchasing ESEP kits, if
needed, would come from the budgeted funds for instructional materials, as will
all other expenditures for needed materials and supplies.
In addition,
reading instruction will be enhanced by the use of leveled science books that
promote the reading engagement essential for long-term achievement. As funding
is available, instructional staff will be trained in the use of expository text
through a Concept Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) workshop.
For a description of CORI, see
Appendix F.
Teachers will participate in vertical, across grade-level communication, and team-based grade- level planning to ensure that all students’ academic needs are met. Intensive and continuous professional development will be conducted in unit planning, based on the standards-based curriculum and content exploration in all content areas. To support teacher development, interaction and performance, the Neighborhood Charter School professional practices will:
§ Use a peer-coaching model where teachers will observe one another in a non-threatening environment to encourage effective collaboration on teaching strategies.
§ Establish study groups to examine content areas as well as effective pedagogy, which will include all instructional and administrative staff.
§ Base professional development on implementing the standards-based curriculum and current educational research.
§ Provide opportunities and required funding for consultant visits to ensure that the curriculum and teaching practices benefit from current research and remain in accord with the highest national standards.
§ House in the Media Center a library of materials to support the professional development of all staff members.
§ Provide mentors for all first and second-year teachers as well as those with identified deficits.
§ Offer instructional support through Student Support Teams (SST) that will make recommendations for modifying a child’s individual instructional plan, based on observed or documented difficulties.
The curriculum will be based on the
national standards for each core subject area and aligned with the Georgia
Quality Core Curriculum objectives (QCC).
Instructional strategies will be based on a student-centered
constructivist paradigm, which will help students construct their own meaning
based on prior knowledge and current experiences. Technology will be integrated across the curriculum as a
student resource and a teaching tool, allowing all students to know and
understand the powerful role technology plays in our society. In addition, the Neighborhood Charter
School will require that all educators follow the Georgia Department of
Education’s recommendations for integrating technology. Each staff member will be trained on
the currently state supported In-Tech model.
The technological
infrastructure for the Slaton facility will be planned along with other needed
renovations to the Slaton facility if that is the option APS chooses. InTech training can take place through
any of the state’s Educational Technology Centers, like the one at
Kennesaw State University, through contract services with an instructor, or
locally if the principal determines an instructional technology specialist
position will be part of the staff.
The NCS petition budget includes $20,000 for training and staff
development during the planning year and $10,000 each year thereafter. It is
the intention and desire of NCS to substantially supplement that funding
through grants and other sources over the life of the charter.
Remaining
true to our belief that all children can and will learn when given the
appropriate environment and instructional/emotional support, we will implement
and maintain an effective Student Support Team and design additional strategies
for students for whom referral may not result in additional services based on a
designation as learning disabled. The
Neighborhood Charter School recognizes that children who encounter at risk
academic situations require swift and effective interventions. In keeping with our commitment to a
high level of academic engagement of all children, we will focus on early
identification and intervention.
§
Instructional staff will
be trained in the use of differentiated instruction strategies to assure that
standards-based instruction is taught to a wide range of learners by employing
a variety of teaching and learning models.
§
Teachers will be
expected to monitor students for early identification of all children who may
experience continued low academic performance and/or behavior problems. In compliance with state regulations,
we will develop a Student Support Team to identify and plan alternative instructional
strategies for these students prior to or in lieu of referral to special
education. The SST will be
comprised of teachers, pupil services personnel and other persons with
expertise in school reform.
§
Upon identification for
SST referral, extensive support to teachers, students and parents/guardians
will be provided. In collaboration
with parents, the classroom teacher and SST committee, students will receive
immediate intervention that will include, but is not limited to, teaching
strategies tailored to the student’s needs, mentor volunteers, and
referral to the school counselor.
§
Students identified to
be performing below expectation in reading will be referred to a reading
specialist for individual or small group reading instruction at least twice a
week during the SST process. This
will be in addition to the reading instruction provided by the student’s
regular classroom teacher. The reading specialist will also confer with the
classroom teacher to share strategies that support the academic progress of the
identified student.
§
If the student does not
qualify for services under federal regulations, the reading specialist will
continue to provide individual or small group instruction as noted above until
the student is able to read at or near the grade level to which he or she is
assigned. If scheduling allows,
this supplemental reading instruction will be given in the classroom during
language arts instruction.
§
If the student is
identified in accordance with federal regulations to be eligible for special
services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), The
Neighborhood Charter School will comply with all applicable requirements of
Part B of this act. In accordance
with Federal regulations, children with disabilities who attend the
Neighborhood Charter School and their parents/guardians retain all rights under
Part B of the IDEA.
In addition, during the 2001-2002 school year, an informal
committee of educators will be established to research the advisability of
establishing a K-Plus or 1-Plus level for primary students determined to be too
emotionally and/or academically immature to advance to the next full grade
level. This represents the intent
of the Neighborhood Charter School to explore the
advisability and feasibility of such a grade, not a commitment to its
establishment.
Further information regarding the SST plan
to be adopted by NCS is attached hereto as Appendix G.
1.
Children with Disabilities
The Neighborhood Charter School will focus on early identification and intervention of children with learning, physical and behavioral difficulties. In accordance with federal regulations, the Neighborhood Charter School will comply with all applicable requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Children with disabilities who attend the Neighborhood Charter School and their parents retain all rights under Part B of the IDEA. For example, all children with disabilities attending the charter school will receive services in accordance with a properly developed Individualized Education Program (IEP), all procedural safeguards will be met in terms of provisions such as parental consent and written notice of meetings, child-find efforts will be developed to identify students with disabilities, and special education services will be provided by qualified personnel.
In order to ensure that the requirements of IDEA are
met, the Neighborhood Charter School will involve a representative of the
Atlanta City Special Education Department in the development and review of all
IEPs for students with disabilities.
All identified special education students will have a current
eligibility report developed according to state and federal regulations.
The Neighborhood Charter School, in compliance with state regulations, will develop a SST to identify and plan alternative instructional strategies for students experiencing academic and/or behavioral problems prior to or in lieu of a referral to special education.
In meeting the needs of special-needs students, the
Neighborhood Charter School will design and implement, with the help of staff,
a comprehensive strategy to meet student needs that incorporates the following
ideas:
§
Focus on early
intervention and identification of needs.
§
A process that moves
quickly, to the benefit of the student, reducing the delay for testing.
§
Professional development
for “regular” education teachers that supports accommodating
various student needs through instruction modifications.
§
Inclusion in the regular
classroom whenever possible.
§
Expectation that each
child will be given the opportunity to return to the general population when it
is developmentally and academically appropriate for the student.
§
Special Education staff
will be given the necessary resources and support to do their jobs well.
§
Professional staff and
the Curriculum and Instruction Subcommittee will identify and implement a
research supported study skill program to assist students with comprehension in
content areas.
§
Traditional classroom
teachers are an important part of the education process for these students, and
they will be active participants in all aspects of meeting the instructional
needs of all students.
2. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
The Neighborhood Charter School will provide an ESOL
program in accordance with Georgia Department of Education guidelines to meet
the needs of qualifying students in the attendance
zone. However, given the size
constraints of the school, the Neighborhood Charter School will not serve as a
cluster school for ESOL students residing outside of the attendance zone.
For more information about NCS' plan for identifying and
addressing the needs of ESOL students, see Appendix H.
3. Gifted Programs
In compliance with rules and
regulations of the state of Georgia and Atlanta Public Schools policy, the
Neighborhood Charter School will provide quality gifted program services to all
eligible students.
For more information about NCS'
strategies for gifted/talented instruction, see Appendix I.
Character Education
The
Neighborhood Charter School will use the state character education program to
deliver the curriculum to all students.
The Governing Board reserves the right to change the delivery method of
the character curriculum as long it meets Georgia and APS qualifications. One method currently under
consideration is the I Can Problem Solve Curriculum. A discussion of this curriculum is included in Appendix B.
The
Neighborhood Charter School will open with a new student body and faculty. The School Improvement Plan will be
developed according to APS guidelines by the end of the first year of operation to allow the school time to gather baseline data
and set realistic plans and goals as a community. While we respectfully request this postponement of the first
formal plan until the 2003 - 2004 school year plan is due, we believe that this
charter application focuses on the establishment of the environment and
strategies that will lead to high academic achievement. As our first year nears its end
we will be better informed to refine and extend our curriculum to further
improve instruction. Specifically,
the Neighborhood Charter School has made the following commitments that we
believe will enhance student learning during our first year, as well as in
years to come:
§
Commitment from the
community and staff to be actively engaged in the operation of the school;
§
Focus on constructivism
to engage all students in active learning;
§
Standards-based,
differentiated instruction to provide a learning environment that challenges
all children, but leaves none behind;
§
Determination to have
the expertise of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National
Science Foundation and the International Reading Association guide our
instructional strategies;
§
Partnerships with Zoo
Atlanta and The Alliance Theatre to complement and extend curriculum;
§
Early intervention for
all struggling students;
§
Professional work
environment for educators that assures daily, uninterrupted planning time,
encourages extensive involvement in the development of school curriculum and
expects excellence;
§
Professional development
that supports instruction and facilitates implementation of the Neighborhood
Charter School’s constructivist philosophy; and
§
Assurance that diversity
training and respect for diverse perspectives will be an integral part of the
culture of the school
§
A unique charter/APS
relationship that will enhance community support for public schools.
Assessment
refers to all activities
undertaken by teachers--as well as their students--which provide information
that will be used to modify teaching and learning activities. Students at the Neighborhood Charter
School will be assessed using a variety of methods. Assessments will include the four core areas of reading/language
arts, science, math, and social studies but will be more comprehensive than
that. Methods of assessment
will include, but are not necessarily limited to:
·
Stanford-9, complete battery,
Grades 3, 4, 5
·
Criterion Referenced
Competency Tests, all grades/subjects that tests are available
·
Georgia Writing Test, Grades
3 & 5
·
NCS will explore the
possibility of giving beginning and end of year tests in mathematics and
language arts, all grades
Formative/Authentic Assessment
Formative
assessment can benefit all students, but it yields particularly good results
with low achievers. The
Neighborhood Charter School’s teachers will use a variety of assessment
tools to inform instruction and strengthen the ability of our students to develop
the habits necessary for lifelong learning. In keeping with the school’s philosophy that children
learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process, teachers
will use alternative/formative assessment to inform instruction and more fully
engage students in understanding their own learning. Instructional staff will work to develop a classroom culture
of questioning and deep thinking, in which pupils learn from shared discussions
with teachers and peers. The
formative assessment strategies below will be viewed as an integral part of
instruction.
§
Portfolio
Assessment.
Portfolios will be established and
maintained for all students. They
will contain samples of students’ work that illustrate their effort,
progress and degree of proficiency.
Portfolios will be used to help students assess their performance,
assist teachers in making instructional decisions and provide parents and
guardians with an opportunity to view students’ work.
§
Performance
Assessment.
Student performance will be evaluated
based on pre-established criteria.
These may include an oral presentation, conducting an experiment,
teaching a skill or concept to other members of the class or acting out a story
in sequence.
§
Journals.
Journals will be part of the instructional
strategies used to assist students in self-observation, goal setting, and
articulation of strategies.
§
Conferences.
In addition to teacher/parent conferences,
teachers will engage students in thoughtful, reflective, focused dialogue to
explore student understanding and encourage them to express their ideas.
§
Peer
Assessment.
Students will be encouraged to evaluate
themselves based on teacher or student created rubrics, and will take part in
group discussions to evaluate each other.
§
Running
Records.
Informal evaluations of student progress
in reading will be done by all classroom teachers as an integral part of
reading instruction.
In
addition to the above, a school-wide assessment tool will be chosen by the
staff to evaluate student reading levels, reading comprehension, sight word
mastery, phonetic awareness and reading strategies. These will be maintained as
part of students’ permanent portfolio information.
The Neighborhood Charter School will participate in all
state-mandated accountability efforts.
The school will use accountability standards set by the State Office of
Accountability as annual benchmarks for progress. Until those standards are set, the Neighborhood Charter
School will set its performance goal for the first year of operation following
the baseline data gathered at the beginning of the school year. It is expected that the goal for Year 1
will be to have 50% of students performing at or above grade level in each
curriculum area.
II. Governance and Management
The effort to submit a charter school
petition began in 1997 in Grant Park.
The small group of parents that began talking about schools and the
impact it would have on their pre-school-aged children has grown to include
parents, community members, and educators in four neighborhoods. Over the last three years there have been numerous
people involved in the development of the charter. In drafting this document, the community sought advice and
guidance from numerous educators in traditional and charter schools, as well as representatives
from the Atlanta Public Schools, the Georgia Department of Education and the
Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Please see Appendix J for a list of all community members
who have contributed to the charter petition, attended meetings, filled out
surveys or participated in the process in other meaningful ways.
At the time of the submission of this document, there is a
Steering Committee comprised of parents and educators from each of the four
neighborhoods, an Advisory Board comprised of neighborhood parents and
education experts, and a Charter Writing Team comprised of volunteers from the
neighborhoods. Full resumes and references for each of the teams are
included in Appendix K.
The Neighborhood Charter School is about community, and
consequently, the school will depend on the involvement and expertise from the
business, nonprofit and community-based organizations that surround the
school. Wanting to continue the
strong relationships built by Slaton, West and Guice Elementary Schools, all
existing business partners have or will be approached about continuing their
relationship with the new school.
Zoo Atlanta has made an important commitment to the Neighborhood Charter
School to be a full partner engaged in developing ideas, curriculum and
opportunities for the school. A
formal commitment has been received from The Alliance Theater to continue the
relationship they currently have with the Anne E. West Elementary School. Everybody Wins!, a one-on-one reading
program that
involves community volunteers, has also agreed to partner
with the Neighborhood Charter School.
Letters of
commitment from the Alliance Theater and Everybody Wins! are included in
Appendix L.
A copy the
certificate of incorporation and the articles of incorporation of Grant Park
Neighborhood School, Inc. showing the name change to Neighborhood Charter
School, Inc. are attached hereto as Appendix M. Also included in Appendix M is a letter from the district
director of the Internal Revenue Service indicating the Grant Park Neighborhood
School (now Neighborhood Charter School) is exempt from federal income tax as
an organization described in section 501(c)(3).
The Governing Board will model the Neighborhood
Charter School’s commitment to parental and community involvement, which
will ideally reflect the diversity of the neighborhoods served by the
school. The Governing Board will:
§
Provide leadership for
the school and community in providing high-quality instruction and learning
opportunities for all students.
§
Promote high achievement
and academic excellence for students through a school-wide improvement plan.
§
Ensure that as a
neighborhood school, The Neighborhood Charter School serves and reflects the
racially, economically, and culturally diverse student population residing
within its boundaries.
§
Proactively pursue
increased participation and leadership by community members served by the
school.
§
Ensure that the
Neighborhood Charter School meets the conditions outlined within its charter
contract.
§
Hire, evaluate and
supervise the School Principal.
§
Address all
parent/guardian and community concerns in a timely and respectful manner.
§
Set hiring criteria and
evaluation standards for all staff in partnership with the School Principal.
§
Build an innovative
partnership with Zoo Atlanta that can serve as a model for other APS schools'
relationships with Zoo Atlanta and other community partners.
§
Approve all personnel
policies and ensure adherence to them.
§
Set, approve and meet
annual budgets.
§
Investigate and initiate
fundraising efforts.
§
Promote school-based
management through shared decision-making among staff, parents/guardians, and
administrators on issues supporting school-wide improvement.
§
Promote a free flow of
communication among staff, students, parents, and administrators.
§
Promote a positive
school climate and a sense of ownership of school improvement goals.
§
Establish formal
procedures for gathering and reporting information aimed at identifying problems,
making decisions, and suggesting solutions.
§
Establish appropriate
liaison groups, task forces and committees to ensure that the needs of all
groups (faculty, staff, parents/guardians, students, families and community)
are being met or addressed.
The Governing Board will make collaborative decisions through a formal, public, voting process. A simple majority will be required for a motion to pass. A quorum of at least nine members must be present for a vote to take place. The Governing Board’s primary role is the establishment of school policies, and the facilitation and coordination of faculty, staff, parent/guardian, and student involvement in the identification and resolution of issues and concerns. Thus, the Board will design a plan to address issues that surface through standing
subcommittees, liaison groups, task forces, faculty forums, personnel initiatives, student council, and leadership initiatives.
The responsibilities of the Governing Board are limited. The Board will be restricted from acting in areas that are the responsibility of the school system and not the local school; areas that are personal or individual in nature (unless these can be shown to have clear ramifications for the school as a whole, without prejudice to the individuals involved); areas falling within the realm of normal day-to-day operations (administrative or instructional) which are the responsibility of the school staff, unless it is established that consideration by the board is necessary to attain the goals of this charter. The board recognizes that the professional staff in place at the school must be fully empowered to manage the regular operations and educational programs of the school.
The Governing Board will include 13 voting members and
one ex-officio member from the Neighborhood Charter School community. The
membership of the Board will include:
§
Seven (7) parent or
guardian representatives, including at least two parents/guardians with a child
or children in grades K-2 and at least two parents/guardians with a child or
children in grades 3-5.
§
One (1) Zoo Atlanta
representative.
§
Three (3)
teacher/support professionals (media, counselors) representatives with at least
one teacher from grades K-2 and one teacher from grades 3-5.
§
Two (2) community
representatives (1 from the Grant Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA) and 1
from South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development (SAND).
§
The School Principal
will serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board.
Governing Board members, except for the Zoo Atlanta, GPNA and SAND representatives, will be elected to staggered two-year terms by the Parent, Teacher, and Community Association (PTCA). Please see the table below for an overview. One of the parent/guardian representatives must be the current PTCA President.
It is the intent of NCS to ensure full representation of all communities and families in the NCS community on the Governing Board. Our goal is to have a Governing Board that is culturally, economically, geographically, and racially diverse. To that end, the Transition Board will aggressively recruit from the families of the entire student population for nominees to serve as the parent representatives on the inaugural Governing Board. The seven parent/guardian representatives, each of whom must have a child attending NCS, shall be elected to the board at the second monthly meeting of the NCS Parent, Teacher and Community Association. The three NCS teachers will be elected by the staff of the NCS at a time determined by the School Principal during the first month of the school year. One of the seven parent/guardian representatives must be the PTCA President, who also will be elected at the second monthly meeting of the PTCA.
After the first year of operation, expiring Governing Board positions will be filled through an election at the final PTCA meeting of each previous school year.
The representatives from Zoo Atlanta, GPNA and SAND will be selected by their respective organizations. The Governing Board reserves the right to specify desired qualifications for the Zoo Atlanta, GPNA, and SAND representatives.
The first Governing Board meeting will occur within 30 days of the election at which time the Transition Board will turn over all information and authority to the newly elected Governing Board. At its first meeting each year the Governing Board will set a schedule of meetings for the year at varied times and on varied days to accommodate the needs and encourage the participation of parents and families with diverse needs and concerns.
The Governing Board shall be subject to the provisions of Open Meetings Law, O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1, and Inspection of Public Records Law. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70.
Governing Board Structure
|
Member Group |
Number of Reps |
Term Length |
Elected By |
|
Parents/Guardians |
7 |
2-Years staggered. Of the 7 elected in the first year, three (3) seats, to be
designated prior to the vote, will serve one 1-year term. The designated
seats must include one representing grades K-2, and one representing grades
3-5. Those seats will be filled
again in year two for full 2-year terms. |
Parent, Teacher, Community Association. In year one election will take place
in first month of school. For
years 2-5, elections will take place at the final PTCA meeting of the school
year. |
|
Zoo Atlanta |
1 |
None |
To be determined by Zoo Atlanta |
|
Teachers/Support Personnel |
3 |
2-Years staggered. Of the 3 elected in the first year, 1 (1) seat, to be
designated prior to the vote, will serve one 1-year term. The seat will be
filled again in year two for a full 2-year term. |
Parent, Teacher, Community Association. In year one election will take place
in first month of school. For
years 2-5, elections will take place at the final PTCA meeting of the school
year |
|
Community Representatives |
2 |
None |
To be determined by GPNA and SAND. |
|
Principal (ex-officio, non-voting) |
1 |
None |
By virtue of position |
Should a vacancy occur on the Governing Board, the
Governing Board must ask the appropriate liaison group, which will be defined
in the planning phase prior to school opening, to elect a replacement. All members of the Governing Board
shall serve staggered two-year terms with the exception of the principal and
the representatives from GPNA, SAND and Zoo Atlanta. Parent/guardian and
teacher representatives shall serve no more than two consecutive terms. The
Governing Board will review the membership composition of Board committees and
the schoolwide subcommittees on an annual basis.
All instructional staff (teachers and paraprofessionals), other than those who are members of the Governing Bo