Community-wide Planning Session Stakeholder Conversations Welcome - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

B.E.S.T. Academy and CSKYWLA Community-wide Planning Session

Stakeholder Conversations

Welcome and Introductions

• Angela Smith, Facilitator
• Sid Baker, Associate Superintendent
• Dr. Timothy Jones, Mr. Hajj Womack, Dr.

Shaundra Fears, and Dr. Dione Simon, Principal Facilitators

• Cluster Planning Team

2

Who is on your Cluster Planning Team?

Principals

• Mr. Hajj Womack, BEST MS
• Dr. Timothy Jones, BEST HS
• Dr. Dione Simon, CSKYWLA MS
• Dr. Shaundra Fears, CSKYWLA HS

Community Representatives

• Mr. Bernard Porche – B.E.S.T. Academy

LSC member

• Ms. Stephanie Bailey – CSKYWLA PTSA

member

• Ms. Carla Christian – B.E.S.T. Academy

PTSA member

• Dr. Robert Nerem (or designee from

GA TECH) – CSKYWLA Partner

• Ms. Zola Shannon Mullen – CSKYWLA

LSC member

• Dr. Folami Prescott-Adams, Metro

Atlanta KIPP

• Ms. Gymiah Whitaker
• Dr. Howard Grant

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Why are we here today?

• Present an overview of Cluster Planning and

the Charter System Application processes

• Receive feedback, to include:
• the strengths and challenges of your cluster

as they relate to your cluster’s mission, vision and priorities

• the options for the Charter System local

school governance teams

4

Agenda

• Cluster Planning Overview
• Cluster Data, Strengths, and Concerns
• Draft Mission, Vision, and Priorities
• Charter System Overview
• Local School Governance Team Overview
• Activities throughout the evening to

encourage engagement

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Let’s Agree To

• Assume good intentions
• Listen actively
• Share the air
• Avoid jargon and acronyms
• Respect our time together and each other
• Silence cell phones

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Converging to Develop a Charter System

Strategic Plan 2015-2020 Cluster Planning

Charter System Application (Operating Model)

Atlanta Public Schools Planning Work Streams

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Advisory Committees

Employee Feedback Student Feedback

Cluster Planning Teams Formal APS Community Meetings Charter System Advisory Committee

Community Participation in the Charter System Application Development

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Cluster Planning Overview

Sid Baker Associate Superintendent

What is Cluster Planning?

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Purpose

• To build stronger schools and clusters to ensure consistent high

quality academics and focused programming exists across the district

Context

• The goals of Cluster Planning are to enhance the alignment of

schools within a cluster and increase the levels of flexibility and autonomy from the district-level to the cluster and school levels.

• Each cluster has a Cluster Planning Team made up of principals and

community representatives.

• The cluster plan will guide the academic direction for students

within each cluster.

• The cluster plans will inform the FY16 and FY17 Budget and the

Charter System Application.

A website will publish minutes, dates, locations, and other information about the meetings

Doc Documented

Cluster Planning Team Meetings will be open to the public for

• bservation

Op Open

Meetings will be respectful, collaborative, constructive and positive

Col Colla laborative

Cluster Planning Team Meetings

Cluster Planning Teams are made up of the principals from the cluster and community representatives.

Meeting Norms

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Angela Smith

The World Cafe´

The World Cafe´

• Generate input, share knowledge, stimulate

innovative thinking, explore action possibilities

• Create a dense web of connections in a short

period of time as threads of conversation reveal new patterns

Purpose of the World Café

The World Cafe´

• Focus on what matters
• Contribute your thinking
• Speak your mind and heart
• Listen to understand
• Link and connect ideas
• Listen together for insights and deeper

questions

• Play, doodle, draw (note: each table has a piece of chart

paper and markers for participants to respond to each question)

Café Etiquette

The World Cafe´

Instructions

Round 1 & 2 (15 minutes)

• Sit at a table with 5-6 other people you don’t know
• Respond to Questions 1 & 2 by discussing with your

group and writing, doodling, or drawing your thoughts, ideas, and questions on the tablecloths. Round 3 (15 minutes)

• Respond to Question 3 by discussing with your

group and writing, doodling, or drawing your thoughts, ideas, and questions on the tablecloths. Round 4 (5 minutes)

• Complete survey.

The World Cafe´

Question 1

What makes BEST Academy and CSKYWLA strong?

B.E.S.T. Academy and CSKYWLA

Strengths Concerns

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• Leaders who are committed to single

gender education

• Rooted in the current geographic

community

• Family-like environment
• Robust partnerships
• Collaborative leadership team across

the four schools

• Resourceful team & partners
• Supportive and knowledgeable about

the students and their families

• Program offerings - students actively

take advantage of the offerings

• Students coming to 6th grade reading many

grades below grade level

• Parents need skills and strategies to support

their child(ren)

• Disproportionality in many areas, intensifies

certain issues (Special Education needs, Math, Science, Reading, wrap-around services, social/emotional needs, literacy)

• Seen as “taking” students from the traditional

middle and high schools in the zone

• Lack of resources in the community (nutritional

food, professionals such as doctors and dentists)

• Low participation in parent conferences, special

events, PTSA, local school council, etc.

• Social and emotional well-being of our children

– a threat to our enrollment and staffing (impacts achievement, attendance, discipline and perception)

• Unique professional development needs.

Cluster Data

Shaundra Fears, Ed.D. and Dione Simon, Ed.D.

Attendance and Discipline Data

English Language Arts and Reading Achievement (CRCT)

BEST Middle CSKYWLA Middle

Math and Science Achievement (CRCT)

BEST Middle CSKYWLA Middle

English Language Arts Achievement (EOCT)

BEST High CSKYWLA High

Science and Math Achievement (EOCT)

BEST High CSKYWLA High

Draft Mission, Vision, and Priorities

• Mr. Hajj Womack and Dr. Timothy Jones

Our vision is to create a high-performing single gender exemplar that produces transformational leaders who contribute to the community.

Our Draft Vision

 Our mission is to provide a caring, collaborative

and rigorous single gender environment where the community of learners empowers scholars to be college and career ready.

Our Draft Mission

What does the community survey data say about Signature Cluster Vision 1st Choice?

Other Responses 2% International studies and languages with an emphasis on business and commerce to include the study of languages such as Spanish, French and Chinese 2% Dual immersion bilingual education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages

N=49 Participants: 80% Teacher/Staff Member 14% Parent or Guardian 2% LSC Member 2% Community Partner 2% Non-profit Partner

What does the community survey data say about High School Career 1st Choice?

Other Responses 3% Human Services 3% Energy 3% Government & Public Administration 3% Hospitality & Tourism 3% Finance

N=49

Our Draft Priorities

Draft Priority Potential Strategies Focus on the whole child  Implement the Seven Habits framework (The Leader in Me) to build skills needed to succeed in life (eg. leadership development)  Implement social and emotional learning opportunities and strategies Implement STEM  Improve math, reading and science performance  Target disproportionality  Certify teachers to meet STEM school requirements  Ensure facilities meet STEM requirements Increase Student Enrollment  Develop and implement a communications plan  Build a BEST/CSKYWLA Brand  Leverage district support  Remove barriers (eg. general transfer process) Increase Parent and Community Engagement and Partnership  Build advocacy across the community  Develop and implement a communications plan  Engage and enhance the PTSA/LSC  Build partnerships (eg. Engineering associations, higher education institutions, non- profit organizations) Strengthen the Single-gender Learning Environment  Improve facilities to enhance single-gender learning (eg. space planning, room design)  Develop a schedule aligned to single-gender best practices  Institute rites of passage  Determine policies and procedures needed to succeed in a single-gender learning environment Develop and Implement a Transportation Strategy  Develop and Implement a Transportation Strategy Improve Talent Acquisition and Development  Develop and implement a recruiting strategy for teachers, specific to single-gender learning environments  Provide and obtain ongoing professional development related to single-gender best practices for all staff

The World Cafe´

Question 2 Are there any additional priorities that should be considered to fully address the BEST/CSKYWLA challenges?

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Douglass and BEST/CSKYWLA Data (Census)

Family Configurations

77% of children are being raised in single parent

households, compared to 47% across the district

… of single parent households earn below the poverty level

Income

20% 28% 22% 19% 16% 14% 18% 22% 23% 23%

0% 10% 20% 30% <$10K $10k to $25k $25k to $50k $50k to $100k Over $100k

Douglass Cluster: Household Income Ranges

Douglass APS

Education

Douglass Cluster Area Atlanta Area

… of the adults over the age of 25 attained the education level of graduate degree or more … of the adults over the age of 25 attained the education level of high school or less

86% 85%

75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100% B.E.S.T. Academy CSKYWLA

Percent Economic Disadvantage

… of the housing in this cluster is vacant

Housing

Why Single-Gender Education?

• Enhances student success when teachers use

techniques and instructional strategies geared to the gender of their students

• Girls and boys attending single gender schools

are significantly more likely to attend a 4-year college compared with scholars attending coed schools

• Single Gender schools provide structures that are

beneficial to the mental, physical, and emotional development of adolescents.

What is STEM?

• STEM driven clusters will support

the Pipeline by increasing STEM activities such as:

• Partnerships with collegiate to help

facilitate more rigorous STEM based lessons.

• Partnerships with SECME, CEISMIC,

and others for increased engineering challenge

• pportunities.
• Students enter the STEM pipeline

at high school graduation and exit the pipeline as STEM professionals

• Participation in activities such as:

– Discovery Education STEM Camp opportunities for 9th grade students (summer break- annually).

The goals of the STEM cluster concept are as follows:

• Integrate learning targets across multiple disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math)
• Foster critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration, creativity, inquiry, real-world connections, and

increased student engagement

• Provide project-based learning, problem-based learning, and inquiry-based learning for students
• Enable students to develop innovative and independent research projects
• Trans-disciplinary integration occurs

throughout core content by utilizing STEM lessons to increase student learning and engagement

• Partnership with STEM Connect/STEM

formation for after school and summer enrichment programs in the area of STEM

• Partnerships with local corporations (Coca

Cola, Home Depot, & Georgia Power) and colleges (Georgia Tech & SCAD learning

• pportunities)
• Participation in activities such as:

– School-based robotics teams/clubs – Discovery Education STEM Camp

• pportunities for 5th grade students

(summer break- annually) – Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge (December – annually)

• Discovery Education STEM Camp
• pportunities for 6th – 8th grade

students (summer break- annually).

• Increased teacher professional

development on STEM related instructional methodologies

• Create partnerships with area

collegiate schools such as Georgia Tech, Georgia State University.

• Participation in activities such as:

– STEM career day – Ten80 Race Car challenge – Increased STEM Challenge Activities

Elementary School Middle School High School

Next Steps

• Cluster Planning Teams will use the feedback from

today to update the mission, vision and priorities for the cluster

• Cluster Planning Teams will start developing plans

for 2015-2016

• Hard copy and online surveys are available for

additional feedback

• We will meet again next week for further

conversation (Thursday, May 7th @ Harper Archer)

Charter System Application

Angela Smith

APS Charter System Application Timeline and Activities

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Date Activity

November 2014

• Board Vote on Submitting Letter of Intent (LOI) for

Charter System December 2014

• Submit LOI to Georgia Department of Education with

request for FY16 waivers needed for operation January 2015 – May 2015

• Application Development

January 2015 – June 2015

• Stakeholder Engagement

February 2015 – April 2015

• Community Meetings

January 2015 – June 2015

• Charter System Advisory Committee Monthly Meetings

May 2015

• Conduct Public Hearings

June 2015

• Board Approval of Charter System Petition

June 2015

• Submit Charter System Petition to Georgia Department
• f Education

After Submittal

• Georgia Department of Education makes approval/denial

to State Board of Education If Approved

• Execution of Contract between the district and State

Board of Education

Charter System Video Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle

Charter System — Basic Components

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Charter System

Commitment to Innovation and Changing District Culture To innovate, District Requires Flexibility from State Law, Policy and District Policy Freedom and Flexibility in Exchange for Increased Accountability Goals Required Distribution of Substantial Autonomy to School (LSGT)

The Charter System Philosophy: A district must want to truly change how it does business and believe that, in

• rder to increase student achievement, schools must be operated in a different way, with greater parent and

community buy-in at every single school. Schools are empowered to develop solutions free from the established educational bureaucracy of legislature-driven education mandates, State Board rules, and even the district’s own policies and practices. With this freedom from the law, the district and its schools in turn agree to be held accountable for significant increases in student achievement.

Charter School

• Governed by non-profit

board of directors

• Contract is between school,

school district and state

• The Governing board can

contract with an independent

• perator to manage and run

the school

• Schools are independent and

have flexibility from state and district policies

Charter System

• Governed by Board of

Education

• Contract is between system

and SBOE

• Local School Governance Team

has decision-making authority in certain areas

• Schools are not independently

responsible for all goals stated in charter contract

• Not privatization

Commonalities

• Public
• Operate under a

charter contract

• Receive flexibility from

certain state laws

• Subject to GA statewide

accountability assessments

Charter System vs. Charter School

Charter System Model Discussion

• Today’s focus: Local School Governance Teams (LSGTs)
• Understanding LSGTs and their roles in a Charter

System

• Examples of LSGT Authority

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Local School Governance Teams

Angela Smith

What exactly is an LSGT?

• An LSGT is a school-level body that has delegated power from

the Superintendent in:

• Personnel Decisions, including recommending the

principal or school leader for selection by the local board of education;

• Financial Decisions and Resource Allocations, school

budget and the number and type of personnel, curriculum costs, supply costs, equipment costs and maintenance and operations costs;

• Curriculum and accompanying instructional materials;
• Establishment/monitoring of School Improvement

Goals, including approval of the school improvement plan and oversight of its implementation; and

• Any School Operations that are consistent with school

improvement goals.

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What Makes a High Quality LSGT?

The GADOE defines these as the building blocks of High Quality Charter System School Governance as:

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LSGT composition reflects the diversity of the community Meets regularly and complies with Open Records and Open Meetings Laws LSGT focuses on governance and stays

• ut of management

Substantial autonomy from local district in designated areas Receives regular updates on academic

• perational, and

financial progress of the school Participates in regular governing council training each year

How do LSGTs Compare to Other School Organizations?

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Characteristics LSGT LSC PTA/PTO Structure Voting Body: LSGTs have defined input and autonomy in certain areas whereas LSCs could

• nly advise.

Advisory Body Supporting Body Primary Purpose Set strategic direction and empower decision making at school level Advise and make recommendations to school leadership Support the School Required? Mandatory for charter systems Mandatory for traditional systems (replaced by LSGT in charter system) Optional Legal Status Legally a part of the district Legally a part of the district Legally distinct from district Membership Must have parents & community in majority Minimum requirements Requirements established by individual bodies

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Fulton

• 10 members ES &

MS

• 12 members HS
• Principal
• 3 elected parents
• 2 elected teachers
• 2 nominated

community members

• 2 students (HS
• nly)

Floyd

• 7 members
• Principal
• 2 elected parents
• 2 appointed

community members

• 2 elected staff

Marietta

• 7-11 members
• Principal
• 2 elected parents
• 2 core subject

teachers

• 1 nominated

school staff

• 1 nominated

community member

• Students to

committees ad hoc

LSGT Member Composition Examples

Considerations for LSGT Size

Benefits: More ideas, distribution

• f workload, more

diversity of voices, more community buy-in and representation Cons: Rallying interest, too many cooks, can lengthen meetings Benefits: Cohesion may be easier to achieve, management of schedules, rallying interest Cons: Less knowledge when board turns over, less capacity for projects and committees, less representation

Larger LSGT Smaller LSGT

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Autonomy to LSGT

Consider Delegation of Authority

A charter system must

• maximize school level governance and the involvement
• f parents, teachers, and community members in such

governance

• grant decision-making authority in personnel decisions,

financial decisions, curriculum and instruction, resource allocation, establishing and monitoring the achievement

• f school improvement goals, and school operations

per O.C.G.A. 20-2-2062 and 20-2-2063

LSGT A Shift in Authority

Role of Governance at the Local School Level

• To govern means to represent the public trust by

ensuring that an organization carries out the purposes for which it was established and as expressed in its mission statement.

• Governance teams should direct the school towards

achieving their mission and makes sure the school’s efforts and resources are properly focused towards that goal.

Proposed LSGT Member Structure

LSGT Structure 9 voting members* (size may vary to 7 or 11) Principal is a nonvoting member 4 Parents elected by parents 3 Teachers elected by staff 2 Community members nominated by the principal 1 HS/MS student is a nonvoting member Principal and LSGT Chair collaborate on agenda setting 2 year terms with a maximum of 2 terms(following initial staggered terms of 1 and 2 yrs.)

Stakeholder Input on LSGT Member Structure

LSGT Composition 9 voting members* can be increased through SBS process Principal is a nonvoting member 3 Parents elected by parents 3 Teachers elected by staff 2 Community members nominated by the principal 1 HS/MS student is a nonvoting member* can be amended to vote through SBS process 1 "Swing Seat" to be filled by Parent/Community Member depending on skills needed Principal and LSGT Chair collaborate on agenda setting 2 year terms with a maximum of 2 terms(following initial staggered terms of 1 and 2 yrs.)

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Clusters in the APS Charter System Model

DISTRIBUTE APS must distribute meaningful autonomy and decision-making power to local school governance teams (LSGTs). BALANCE APS must consider the role, responsibilities, and grant authority to LSGTs within its new cluster planning framework. MAINTAIN APS must maintain its ability to effectively manage and oversee the work of its schools and clusters.

Maintaining an emphasis on cluster organization while distributing autonomy to the school level

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Clusters in the APS Charter System Model

Each Cluster will have a

Cluster Advisory Team

Membership Principal + LSGT Rep from each School within Cluster May add community member seats, with a cap. Duties to LSGT Advisory Team reviews and recommends LSGT school-based solutions that implicate cluster plan as part of district- vetting process. Provides support to LSGTs on membership, solutions, issues. Duties to District Advisory Team reviews district-wide initiatives and provides input to district. Is the keeper of the cluster strategic plan and will periodically update it.

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The World Cafe´

Question 3

How will the proposed governance structure impact decision making at your school and as a cluster?

Community-wide Public Hearings and Cluster Break-outs

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Tuesday, May 5, 2015 North Atlanta Cluster Sutton Middle School Wednesday, May 6, 2015 Mays Cluster, Therrell Cluster Benjamin E. Mays High School Thursday, May 7, 2015 Douglass Cluster, Washington Cluster, B.E.S.T. / Coretta Scott King Y.W.L.A. Harper-Archer Middle School All meetings are held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, 2015 Grady Cluster, Jackson Cluster Maynard H. Jackson High School Thursday, May 14, 2015 Carver Cluster, South Atlanta Cluster South Atlanta High School Join us to provide feedback on the Charter System application and hear what the clusters are planning for 2015-2016. www.atlantapublicschools.us/strongschools