believe application

8/11/2019 Believe Application

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Executive Summary Believe Public Charter School

Vision/Mission

The vision of Believe Public Charter School is that Children are our future. We Believein their success. The Mission of our Administration, Faculty, Staff, Parents and

Community of Believe Public Charter School is to provide a caring environment in whichevery child is respected and is given the opportunity to develop character, attitudes andvalues; to acquire skills necessary for contemporary society; to adapt to change andremain open to progressive techniques. The curriculum is designed to serve theeducational, physical, social and emotional needs of every child, to create a positiveatmosphere and to provide superior academic education so that each child will becomea productive member to society.

Educational Focus

The school will serve students in Kindergarten though 8 th grade from Wards seven,eight and beyond. The school will be based in the knowledge that children areinherently good and have a desire to learn, that every child can be successful and thatchildrens energy, talents and individualality are not obstacles but assets. We believethat providing a strong preparation in all the core content areas with strong emphasis inReading and Language Arts is the best way to ensure that our students will besuccessful during their high school years and beyond. We will build in our students astrong foundation of knowledge and skills in the Liberal Arts so that each child canexplore the possibilities afforded by each area.

We also recognize that the No Child Left Behind legislation has caused manyeducators to focus only on the tested areas of reading and mathematics, but at Believe,we believe that reading and mathematics are the keys that open doors to othercontent areas. We will include rich programs in science, social studies, and the arts atevery grade level, integrating content across subject areas as much as possible.

We also understand that many of our students will come to our school below gradelevel, lacking self-confidence, and with tremendous gaps in their knowledge base andskill sets. However, a school working together with families and community partners,can work together to create a culture of achievement and commitment to learningnecessary for academic success. We see parental and community involvement asessential ingredients for student success. We feel that our school design promotes

positive student outcomes, and is the key to teaching students with varied learningstyles and abilities to be prepared for success in the future.

We recognize the importance of precision in oral and written language throughout theearly years of learning. We will use a phonics-based approach to teaching reading andwill include explicit instruction in grammar, sentence structure (including diagramming ofsentences), writing, and mechanics. We will employ a rigorous approach to mathinstruction that combines the best of direct instruction in basic operations and


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algorithms, as well as mathematical reasoning, problem solving with real worldapplications of operations. By mastering essential literacy and numeric skills, ourstudents will move seamlessly from learning to read to reading to learn and they willapply these skills in all content areas throughout the grades.

Believe will implement four design principals; 1) every student can achieve and meethigh academic standards regardless of their learning styles, abilities or socio-economicstatus; 2) parental and community involvement as essential ingredients for studentsuccess; 3) small school design promotes positive student outcomes; and 4) teachingstudents with varied learning styles and abilities to be prepared for high school andbeyond.

Our curriculum is aligned to the DC Public Schools Learning Standards and will outlinegrade and subject performance goals to ensure student readiness for promotion.

Goals

Students will master content in Reading & Literature, Communication and Language Arts along with Math, Science and Social Studies. Students will learn how to apply theirknowledge to relevant and current situations, problems and experiences; they willbecome divergent thinkers and will learn the skills necessary to become productivemembers of society. Students will learn there are positive and negative consequencesfor their behavior. We will teach students to think beyond their actions and make thebest choices for all situations in life. The Believe Code of Conduct will describeexpectations of behavior as an enrolled student and the students will understand theconsequences for not following the rules and rewards they can earn for positivebehavior.

Logistics

The instructional day will run from 8:15am to 3:30pm, with 30 minutes for lunch and 30minutes for recess daily. We will offer before care beginning at 7:00am and anextended day until 5:00pm. Teacher hours will be from 7:30am until 4:30 pm to ensureproper time for planning and collaboration.

Founding Group

Our Founding Group is comprised of educators, parents, nonprofit leaders, legalcompliance, business leaders and community members. This eclectic group cametogether with one goal in mind; to provide students in the Southeast region of theDistrict an excellent learning alternative.


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Believe Public Charter School

Being the very best I can be rests within me

Vision - Children are our future. We Believe in their success!

Mission Statement The mission of the administration, faculty, staff,

parents and community of Believe Public Charter School is to provide acaring environment in which every child is respected and is given theopportunity to develop character, attitudes and values; to acquire skillsnecessary for contemporary society; to adapt to change and remainopen to progressive techniques. The curriculum is designed to serve theeducational, physical, social and emotional needs of every child, tocreate a positive atmosphere and to provide superior academiceducation so that each child will become a productive member ofsociety.


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A. Education Plan

1. Mission and Purpose of the Proposed Public Charter School

1. Educational Needs of the Target Student Population

Believe Public Charter School will serve students in grades Kindergarten througheighth grade who reside in Ward 7 and 8 in the District of Columbia and beyond.These wards are predominately African American (90% and above), and over a thirdof the children and households in these wards live at or below the poverty level.Research shows that students living in households at or below the poverty line are atgreater risk of academic failure than their peers who live in households above the

poverty line. 1 These statistics show a clear picture of some reasons for the obstaclesthese children/students must overcome as they enter the school door. (see table 1,Profile of Selected Demographic and Socio Economic Indicators or Characteristicsfor Ward 7 and Ward 8).

The District of Columbias poverty rate is the highest in nearly a decade. Theschools are underperforming and not meeting the needs of its students. The incidenceof teen mortality through violence is epidemic, and the unemployment rate forAfrican Americans and Black adults (the largest population group in Washington, DC)is at an all time low. A chart of selected demographics illustrates these assertions andfurthermore finds that the residents (and most particularly the children and families)of Wards 7 and 8 are impacted negatively and disproportionately on all of theindicators required for success in school. In DC, 26% of children live in householdsunder poverty level, 43% live in families in which neither parent has a full-time year-round employme nt, and 22% live in families where the head of household is a high

school drop-out.2

Approximately 15% of DCs students are from homes wherelanguage other than English is spoken. Though this can make the work of educatorsmore difficult, poverty, in and of itself, is not a cause of educational failure. Lowincome children can achieve at the same levels as their more affluent peers. The wideachievement gaps are primarily the result of the choices that educators make at thesystem, school, and classroom levels. The poor academic performance of many ofthese children can also be attributed to factors related to poverty (e.g. eligibility forTANF, Medicaid, Food Stamps and free or reduced lunch). The picture that emergesfrom the data is one of many school age students who are and will continue tounderachieve or not reach the (NCLB) No child Left Behind definition of academic

proficiency by 2014.

Our goal for these students, our target population, is not only that they leave ourschool prepared for high school and beyond, but also that they become good citizens,willing and able to thrive as active members of their communities, both now and as

1 Jean Le Tendre, Title 1 School wide Program: Improving Schools for all Children. Journal for StudentsPlaced at Risk, Vol. 1, 1996, pg. 109-1112 DC Kids Count Collaborative for Children & families. 2009. Every Kid Counts in the District ofColumbia: 16 th Fact Book 2009. Washington, DC: DC Childrens Trust Fund


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they reach adulthood. Our school therefore offers a rigorous academic preparationwhile also nurturing in our students the essential attributes of self-discipline, courtesy,honesty, consideration for-and acceptance of the rights of others.

Studies confirm that the quality of a students early childhood education relates

directly to his/her academic achievement in later grades.3

Early reading expertssuggest that before entering first grade, children should have more than 1,000 hoursof experience with books (i.e., exposed to print a nd writing in their daily lives, taughthow to handle books, and read to by and adult). 4 One large-scale study of enteringkindergarteners noted that differences in cognitive skills between high-income andlow-income children is, on average, 60 perc ent a gap that widens withoutintervention as students progress through school. 5 These disparities cause significantdifferences in childrens receptive and expressive language skills (e.g., the ability toidentify beginning sounds and letters, colors, and numbers). Children in poverty alsotend to have limited access to the informal informational resources that increasecontent knowledge, an imp ortant aspect of successful comprehension and higher

order thinking in later grades.6

As in other urban districts, many of our students will come to us without that pre-literacy exposure to books; we will close that gap through our literacy interventionand enrichment programs. As Mem Fox wrote If you want our children to learn howto read anything let alone to read more diverse or more difficult material it helpsimmeasurably if we give them as much experience of the world as possible.

All children come to school willing and able to learn; because of this, every student possesses the ability to think critically, learn and understand information, and solvecomplex problems. Students should spend their time in school engaged in these kindsof activities in order to be the leaders, thinkers and doers of future generations.Teachers must possess the ability to adjust their instructional methods so that eachchild can develop according to his/her potential. Differentiated instruction becomesthe norm rather than the exception. As Maria Montessori wrote Focus on theindividuality of each child in respect of his or her needs or talents. If a student showslittle progress, teachers must hold themselves accountable to find a way to teach thatchild that works for him/her.

3 [add cites: Lyon, Moats, Nrp]4 Research-Based Practices in Early Reading Series: A Focus on Vocabulary (Lehr, Fran; Osborn, Jean,Hiebert, Elfireda H.) [Other Cites]5 (Lee & Burkam, 2002)6 [Cite: Willinham, Core Knowledge Studies]


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b. Vision, Mission Statement and Philosophy

Vision Children are our future. We Believe in their success!

Mission StatementThe mission of the administration, faculty, staff, parents and community of BelievePublic Charter School is to provide a caring environment in which every child isrespected and is given the opportunity to develop character, attitudes and values;to acquire skills necessary for contemporary society; to adapt to change and remainopen to progressive techniques. The curriculum is designed to serve the educational,

physical, social and emotional needs of every child, to create a positive atmosphereand to provide superior academic education so that each child will become a

productive member to society.

Philosophy

Our philosophy is to affirm each childs sense of self-worth, to educate him/her byusing exacting educational methodologies, and to teach by example that excellence isachievable when best efforts are applied. We Believe that each student can becomea better thinker and a more independent learner. We Believe learning is maximizedwhen it takes place in an environment enriched with support and encouragement,encouragement to meet academic challenges with openness, enthusiasm, and awillingness to solve problems. We will employ an intensive curriculum that values,scholarship, perseverance and responsibility through which we will enable ourstudents to contribute to their community in meaningful and positive ways.

Core ValuesWe Believe the three core values of scholarship, perseverance, and responsibility,when applied to all aspects of their lives, will enable our students to succeed in anytask they may undertake. These values are an intricate part of the education thestudents will receive at Believe Public Charter School.

Scholarship suggests the high quality of academic work that will be encouraged atBelieve PCS. Our students will be provided with an environment that will nurturetheir learning and allow for them to excel. The high quality of work is an expectationfor all students in all grade levels.

Perseverance is a very important character trait to be successful in life. It meansdetermination to work hard, regardless of any odds or obstacles that may exist. Wewill teach students that in life, things may not always go our way and that sometimeswe will falter or fail, but also that we must stick to the task to eventually overcomeobstacles and be successful.


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Responsibility speaks not only to the importance of a students efforts andinvolvement in their academic pursuits, but also to their role in a school and homecommunity. Student responsibility is the key to all development and learning.Positive academic outcomes are tied to the effort that students put into their work andthe degree to which they are involved. Believe will promote an environment in which

students learn to take a shared responsibility for their learning.

c. Educational FocusBelieve Public Charter School believes that providing a strong preparation inReading and Language Arts is the best way to ensure our graduates will be successfulin high school and beyond in our increasingly global society. We believe thathaving this strong foundation of knowledge and skills will enable our students toexplore the possibilities afforded to them. We will use a phonics-based approach toteaching reading and we will emphasize the importance of precision in oral andwritten language throughout the grades by including explicit instruction in grammar,sentence structure (including diagramming of sentences), writing and mechanics.

Our educational focus on the language arts will be standards based. We havereviewed many national content standards and found DC to be extremely rigorous notonly in the Language Arts, but in all core content standards. We will employee arigorous approach to math instruction that combines the best of direct instruction in

basic operations and algorithms, as well as mathematical reasoning and problemsolving with real world applications of operations. By mastering essential literacyand numeracy skills, our students move seamlessly from learning to read toreading to learn and they apply these skills in all content areas throughout thegrades.

Learning at Believe Public Charter School will not be limited to the classroom.Through partnerships with local arts and other cultural institutions, we will build oncore classroom instruction by expanding students opportunities for applied learning.Taking learning beyond the classroom into the nations capital the best classroom inAmerica can help students develop critical reasoning and communication skills byseeing how all language, history, mathematics and science come alive in one of theworlds most exciting cities. We have also contacted four (to start) large companieslocated in the district who have a strong employee emphasis on education. Thesecompanies have agreed to allow their employees two hours per week for volunteeringat Believe Public Charter School (if granted a charter) for the purpose of Literacyimprovement. The volunteers will be assigned one student that they will work withthroughout the students educational experience at Believe on Literacy. Assigningthe one student to each volunteer allows for the student to form a lasting relationshipthat extends beyond a single school year.


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Believe PCS will also focus on the need for Autonomy in school-age children.Schools of today often place a lot of energy on the appearance of order and control-rather than on the skills of self-regulation. In classrooms today a childs movement isrestricted, talk is prohibited, and childrens work is prescribed down to the last detail.We believe that learning environments should be emotionally and physically safe

places, with rituals and routines in place, but we also believe that too much emphasison control hampers a childs cognitive, social, linguistic and physical development.

d. Performance Goals

The goals of Believe PCS stem from the schools mission to provide a caringenvironment in which every child is respected and is given the opportunity to developcharacter, attitudes and values; to acquire skills necessary for contemporary society;to adapt to change and remain open to progressive techniques. Believe has set clearlyarticulated student goals, non-academic goals, professional goals and organizational

goals and expectations for all members of the school community. We will measurethe schools success in meeting the needs of the students and families we are projecting to serve through these goals.

Student Goals

The goals for our students will be centered around three principals that incorporate both academic and non-academic goals:

Scholarship

Reading and Literature : Students will comprehend and analyze age-appropriate literature and nonfiction text. Communication : Students will communicate powerfully through writing,

speaking, and the arts. Math : Students will solve math problems using both procedural fluency and

conceptual understanding. Science and Social Studies : Students will demonstrate understanding of the

complexity of the social and scientific worlds. Students will apply content knowledge to relevant and current situations,

problems, and experiences. Students will be intellectually and physically active, self-directed learners. Students will demonstrate the skills of a researcher: reasoning, generatingquestions, collecting and analyzing information and proposing solutions.


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Perseverance Students will demonstrate the dispositions of a researcher: ongoing

intellectual curiosity and collaboration; an internal motivation to learn;

wonder; keen observations; and attention to detail, data, and possibilities forfurther investigations. Students will exhibit the skills of divergent thinkers: the courage to create; the

ability to generate ideas and devise solutions; the ability to overcomeobstacles and be successful.

Students will exhibit resourcefulness, ingenuity and optimism when facedwith an unfamiliar challenge or opportunity

Responsibility Students will demonstrate the skills and dispositions necessary to function as

members of a democratic society; honesty; the ability to stand up for ones beliefs; the confidence to make decisions according to ones value system;the ability to listen to, learn from, respect, and problem solve and learn fromothers; and empathy, compassion, and strong ethics.

Professional Goals for TeachersBelieve will not only serve as a learning site for students, but also for teachers. Wewill hold our teachers to a high standard of excellence and professionalism. Goalsfor our teachers are:

Teachers demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the subjects they teach Teachers rely on Believes approach to instruction, assessment and the

knowledge of how children learn. Teachers will constantly reflect and improve on their instruction in order to

achieve the schools mission. Teachers form strong and positive relationships not only with the students,

but with the families and the community.


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Organizational GoalsBelieve recognizes that schools must manage and operated professionally. ThreeOrganizational performance goals will be used to measure the fiscal affairs andand governance activities of the schools Board of Trustees. These goals are as

follows: The Board of Trustees will ensure that Believe is financially viable and

demonstrates fiduciary responsibility for all monies The Board of Trustees will ensure that Believe has access to appropriate and

quality human and capital resources to support the education program. The Board of Trustees will ensure that Believe maintains and enforces its

fiscal and organizational policies.


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2. Charter School Curriculuma. Student Learning Standards

At Believe Public Charter School (Believe PCS) we believe it is our job toserve the educational, physical, social and emotional needs of every child, tocreate a positive atmosphere for learning, and to provide a superior academic

education so that all our students will become productive members of ourdiverse and complex society. The Believe PCS curriculum will combine therigor of high academic standards with a progressive curriculum that buildsconceptual understanding while also fostering the skills and values ourstudents need for success in the 21 st century. To accomplish this, we willemploy research-based instructional methods that integrate direct instructionwith inquiry-based learning and community engagement. Central to our

philosophy is the notion that all of us adults and children must be 21 st century learners. Believe PCS will be a place of rigorous, engaging, andcontinuous learning for every member of our community.

The foundation of our curriculum will be the District of Columbia LearningStandards. We have examined the standards of other states, and have chosenthose of our own district for their clarity and rig or. Our choice is validated bya recent Thomas Fordham Foundation analysis, 1 which awarded the Districtof Columbia (and only two other states) an A for ELA content standards. Thedistrict (and only four other states) also received an A for Mathematicscontent standards. Further bolstering our choice, our curriculum willnaturally align with the DC Comprehensive Assessment System, which is

based on the DC standards.

Its important to note, though, that we view the DC learning standards, solidas they are, as just the starting point of our educational plan. Learningstandards typically describe the content knowledge students are expected tolearn in the course of their schooling. Our curriculum framework must domore than outline what students must know; it must also describe the values,skills, and dispositions that our students need to thrive amid the challengesand complexity of modern life. In addition, our curriculum will be deliveredunder the framework of 21st century skills allowing students to learn in anengaging and real world environment.

Furthermore, we hope to instill in our students an appreciation and respect forothers within our diverse and democratic society, a tolerance for ambiguity,and an ability to strive and learn through adversity. We want our students tostand up for their beliefs and face unfamiliar challenges with optimism,resourcefulness, and ingenuity. We will guide them to listen to, learn from,and problem solve with others with passion and compassion. We will fosterthese values through a strong engagement with the members of our larger

1 Thomas Fordham Foundation, July 21, 2010. The State of State Standards--and the Common Core--in 2010. http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/the-state-of-state.html


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we believe that reading establishes the foundation for all other learning, ourcurriculum will emphasize literacy development. As it is likely that some ofour students will come to our school behind in literacy skills, all our educatorsare expected to be skilled at supporting struggling readers and writers acrossall grades K-8, and in all core subjects.

To support the development of reading skills in early grades, teachers ingrades K-4 will use a phonics-based approach to reading and will includeexplicit instruction in grammar, sentence structure (including diagramming ofsentences), writing, and mechanics. Through the mastery of essential literacyskills, our students will move seamlessly from learning to read to readingto learn and be able to apply their skills across all content areas in all grades.

We also believe students must develop facility in the new literacies that is,they must be fluent communicators in todays visual and digital technologies.As 21 st century writers and readers, Believe PCS students will be able to:

Use communication tools and technologies with fluency Design and share information with diverse audiences to meet a varietyof purposes

Manage, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information from a widevariety of sources

Use media expressively and creatively to convey meaning Be aware of and respectful of the rights and f eelings of others in

communicating and using digital information 2

To further support our students in developing skills and habits that areessential for active participation in college, career, and civic life, our thinking

curriculum will also incorporate elements of an internationally recognizedframework from the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, (P21). P21, thenations leading advocacy group for 21 st century student readiness, hasrecently become part of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).Its framework describes student outcomes that contribute to 21 st centurysuccess, as well as the educational support systems necessary for achievingthose outcomes.

The pace of societal and technological change and the heightened competitionof a global economy make the incorporation of 21 st century skills a necessityin school systems today. Yet, until recently, such skills were rarely

intentionally incorporated into school curricula. We believe that all studentstoday must master complex thinking and expert communication to be able toadvance to higher education and to desirable careers. In college and in theworkplace, students and workers alike must be able to work independently,think critically, problem-solve creatively, communicate effectively, and work

productively with other people of diverse backgrounds. As Ken Kay (2010),

2 adapted from NCTE, AASL, and the Center for Media Literacy guidelines


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the founder of the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills notes, 21 st century skillsare crucial for our nations competitiveness, as well as our strong democracy,international leadership, and lasting prosperity. 3 We also believe these skillsare essential to the future health, wellbeing and economic prospects of ourstudents, and so we are integrating the P21 Framework into our curriculum.

Endorsed by thousands of educators and employers, and adopted by 15 states,the P21 Framework has been embraced by hundreds of high-achieving schoolsacross the country and the globe. As we develop our curriculum this spring,we will be looking closely the work of successful schools and school districts(such as Newport News, VA; Virginia Beach, VA; Syracuse-East Minoa, NY,Rye Neck, NY, and Catalina Foothills, AZ) that have constructed theircurricula around 21 st century skills. While the P21 Framework encompasses awide range of student outcomes and school support systems, the Believe PCScurriculum will focus primarily on the core components known as the 4Cs,which are as follows:

Critical thinkingo effective reasoning and decision-making based on thoughtful

analysis and evaluation of evidence, arguments, and claimso gathering, synthesizing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions

from informationo reflecting critically on learning experiences and processeso solving problems in both conventional and innovative wayso asking significant questions that lead to better solutions

Creativityo analyzing, evaluating, and communicating ideas in order to

improve their effectivenesso

being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectiveso viewing mistakes as an opportunity to learno understanding that the creative process requires iteration,

persistence, and efforto being able to generate and act on creative ideas that make a

tangible and useful contribution to their field Communication

o conveying information effectively using oral, written, andnonverbal communication skills

o listening effectively to decipher meaningo tailoring communication strategies for a range of purposes and

in varied contexts (including speaking languages other thanEnglish)o knowing how to use media tools and technologies effectively

and appropriately Collaboration

3 Kay, K. 21 st Century Skills: Why They Matter, What They Are, and How We Get There in Bellanca, J.& Brandt, R., eds. (2010). 21 st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn. Bloomington, IN: SolutionTree Press.


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o working effectively and respectfully with diverse individualso being flexible in making necessary compromises to accomplish

a common goalo taking shared responsibility for collaborative work, and valuing

the contributions of each team member

We also believe that values education is a critical part of our mission. Thesevalues will be cultivated in partnership with our students parents and otherfamily members, as well as with members of the larger Believe PCScommunity of civic and business partners. We want our students to be

positive forces for change in their community and to behave in ways thatshow an awareness of the consequences of their actions. Working togetherwith our families and community partners, Believe PSC will create a cultureof achievement and commitment to academic success. To reinforce thesevalues, we will meet with all admitted students and their families to introducethem to Believe PCSs vision, mission, student motto, curriculum and to

ensure that parents/guardians fully commit to supporting their childseducation.

Furthermore, we are developing the Believe Code of Conduct for educators,students, and families that will describe the expectations we hold asindividuals to ourselves and as members of a learning community to eachother. Our Student Affairs team, chaired by our Principal, will also play aimportant role in Believe PCS values education. The Student Affairs team,comprised of behavior specialists, school social worker and GuidanceCounselor, is charged with making recommendations regarding discipline,

behavior, classroom management, school culture and climate and thus, will be active in shaping the values we uphold and impart to our students.

We will develop our curriculum fully in the months following approval of our proposal. Thus, an important early hire for Believe PCS will be our Directorof Curriculum, Instruction, and Development. This person will work closelywith our Executive Director and our Principal, and our external consultants,The EdVenture Group of Morgantown, WV, in building a curriculum that will

bring our educational mission to life. We will use Understanding by Design methodology to guide us in the development of our K-8 curriculum.Originally developed in 1998, Understanding by Design (UBD) is a highlyregarded approach to curriculum development that has been tested andvalidated in thousands of classrooms across the country. Starting with the endin mind, in a process known as backward design , the UBD process focuses onenduring outcomes, essential questions, and key facets of understanding toenrich student learning and ensure higher levels of student achievement.

b. Resources and Instructional Materials


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A variety of curricular materials will be used to support our rigorousintegrated curriculum. We have been reviewing instructional materials andresources to ensure the inclusion of: High academic expectations

Engaging activities for all students Teacher flexibility to accommodate individual learning needs Balanced approaches to acquiring factual and conceptual knowledge 21st century skill development Opportunities for continuous learning Behaviors and habits needed for 21st century success

This set of requirements will provide the framework for the selection ofspecific resources that best serve Believe PCS students. Our curricular focuson the 4Cs will provide students the opportunity to practice real-world skillsand learn in real-world environments. Students will collaborate,

communicate, and think critically and creatively across all areas of thecurriculum, and in doing so, will model the learning that takes place in highereducation, the workplace, and civic life today.

We have conducted a preliminary review of textbooks, and will be makingfinal resource decisions in conjunction with the full build of our curriculumthis spring. Our early review has revealed two promising resources that wewill want to investigate further (as noted below). As we continue to developour curriculum, we will continuously seek resources that are research-based,classroom-proven, and mission-aligned.

Pearson http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZiYr

Textbooks and curriculum-based assessments from Pearsons 21st centurylearner curriculum solutions are being considered for K-8 Math, Science,Reading and Social Studies, as they are aligned with 21 st century skillsdevelopment, an integral part of Believe PCSs instructional goals. Thesetextbooks include: Investigations in Number, Data, and Space 2nd Edition2008, Reading Street 2011, Connected Mathematics 2 (CMP2) Grades 6 8, and My World Geography. The curriculum within these texts is research-

based and has been determined to be effective through independentevaluations.

The Pearson texts align with the Understanding by Design methodology thatBelieve PCS will employ in its own curriculum development. For its MyWorld Geography and Reading Street series, Pearson has entered into anexclusive partnership with Grant Wiggins, the co-author (with Jay McTighe)of Understanding by Design . The textbooks alignment with our curricularapproach would ensure that there is consistency across all the elements of our


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curriculum from our framework, pedagogy, and lesson plans, to our learningactivities and student assignments.

Scholastichttp://teacher.scholastic.com/products/digital_curriculum/expertspace/index.ht

mScholastics Explore Space provides accessible, leveled content-areainformation and interactive, personalized learning tools for grades 4-12. Weare excited about the potential of this series to enrich our inquiry-basedassignments and activities. It shows strong potential to help our students planand complete projects, while developing 21 st century research and medialiteracy skills. We feel that resources such as these would enable our students,some of whom may lack access to the latest technology at home, to explore awealth of digital resources in a safe and inviting online environment.

While we are excited about the potential of these and other textbooks, we

believe that educational resources should serve as guidelines, not templates,for instruction. While commercially available instructional materials will beused at Believe PCS, our teachers, in conjunction with our curriculumspecialists and our Instructional Team, will be responsible for tailoring thesematerials to the classroom. Our teachers will design grade-appropriate directinstruction as well as problem-based approaches that enable students toengage with authentic problems and real-world issues on a daily basis. Byemploying these integrated instructional methods, our teachers will be able to

provide strategies, activities, and interventions to match the unique learningneeds, readiness levels, and talents of every student in our learningcommunity.

We also believe technology must be an essential part of teaching and learningtoday, reflecting the same key role it plays in the lives of students and adultsoutside of school. Each Believe PCS classroom will be equipped with asmartboard for daily instruction. In addition, updated labs for computer andscience use will be available for students at all grade levels. Our students willhave access to multi-media educational resources to further engage them ineach of the subject areas. These resources include but are not limited to:videos, online computer software, and Internet-based activities. Our studentswill also benefit from extended day programs that build their media andinformation literacy skills and promote their use of digital media for creativeexpression. A comprehensive technology plan will be part of our full-scalecurriculum build-out once our application has been approved.

In addition to focused direct instruction in each subject area, our students willalso benefit from interdisciplinary projects and activities in which 21st centuryskills are used to address a real world challenge or question. To further this,we will design the Believe PCS curriculum to take full advantage of thewealth of cultural, scientific, and business resources in the D.C. metro area.


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Our extended day will permit us to use after-school hours to enrich ourcurriculum through beyond the classroom opportunities that connect ourstudents to working professionals, cultural site, workplaces, and othereducational setting, in person and online. We will add rigor to thoseexperiences through robust interdisciplinary instruction and activities that

extend and deepen factual and conceptual knowledge, while also building lifeand career skills. Curriculum samples that demonstrate this integratedapproach can be found in the Appendix A. Examples such as these will serveas models for the development of the Believe PCS curriculum.

c. Methods of InstructionA 21 st century curriculum depends on teachers who think and act as 21st century learners. As noted curriculum expert Lynne Erickson states, 4 If amajor goal is the development of student intellect, then the importance of theteachers ability to think critically, reflectively, creatively, and conceptually

goes without question. Believe PCS will be a place where teachers, as wellas students, learn and grow in the spirit of continuous improvement.

We believe a strong instructional program should draw on the best methodsfor any given instructional task. To achieve the high standards we are settingfor our students, Believe PCS will encompass the strengths of both traditionaland progressive methods of instruction. We value traditional teacher-centeredinstruction, especially in developing the critical basic skills of literacy andnumeracy on which other learning rests, and in conveying the essential factualknowledge that serves as the foundation for deeper conceptual understanding.We also value inquiry-based learning that provides opportunities for studentsdevelop and demonstrate the 4Cs of critical thinking, creativity,communication, and collaboration and that spurs them to investigate realworld issues and design well-reasoned and well-researched solutions.

At Believe PCS, direct instruction and inquiry-based instruction will not be incontention with one an other. Rather, like noted teacher-educators DougFisher and Nancy Frey 5, we see them as part of the scaffolding of learning inwhich the learner progresses from:

1. focused, teacher-directed lessons to2. guided instruction featuring cues and prompts to3. collaborative tasks with peers under teachers direction to4. independent learning that extends new knowledge through self-

guided exploration.

4 Erickson, L. (2007). Concept-based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. ThousandOaks, CA: Corwin Press.5 Fisher, D. & Frey, N. Preparing Students for Mastery of 21 st Century Skills in Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R.,eds. (2010). 21 st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.


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At Believe PCS, our curriculum will focus on outcomes on not just whatstudents are expected to know, but what they are expected to understand and

be able to do with that knowledge. Thus, student performances ordemonstrations of understanding will be a key part of our instructional andassessment strategy. Believe PCS integrated instructional design will

integrate direct instruction to establish foundational literacy and mathematicalskills as well as core factual knowledge, and build toward inquiry-basedindependent learning in order to motivate students deeper understanding ofcontent and build their critical thinking, creativity, communication, andcollaboration skills. The chart below provides a very simple example of howthe factual, conceptual, and 21 st century skills components of our curriculumwill reinforce one another and contribute to higher-level and more enduringstudent achievement.

Subject Factual

Knowledge

Conceptual

Knowledge

21 st Century

Skills

How Assessed?

Science Direct instructionguided by theteacher using video,text, computer andother instructionalresources to helpstudents master

facts such as:

Metamorphosis isthe process bywhich an animalchanges its shapeover its lifespan.

Frog experiencemetamorphosis asthey develop fromeggs to tadpoles tofrogs.

Frogs areamphibians.(and so on)

Teachers will frame the unitwith EssentialQuestions suchas:

Why do someanimals changeform

dramaticallyover the courseof their lifespan?

What causesindividualvariance indevelopment?

21 st Centuryskills will bedeveloped as

follows:

Critical thinkingin design ofexperiment andin assessing

results of theexperiment

Creativethought inconsideringwhy varianceoccurs.

Communicatingresults in labnotebook.

Collaborationwith lab

partners.

Research,observation and

Students, workingin teams, conduct

preliminaryresearch on frogdevelopment, andmake predictionsabout the stages atadpole will gothrough in

becoming a frog.Each team thenobserves severaltadpoles makingcareful note ofchanges over timeand takingmeasurements ofthe changes theyobserve. Eachteam charts theirdata and graphsthe results. Theclass comparesthe aggregate dataand theninvestigates whyvariance mighthave occurred.


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data keepingskills.

Teams will present theirfindings andconclusions to theclass. This

activity might beenriched by a visitto a local sciencemuseum, or witha conversationwith a local

biology professor.

Other examples of 21 st century curriculum units, similar to those we will design atBelieve PCS, can be found in Appendix A.

To spur the development of powerful educational experiences for Believe PCSstudents, we believe that teachers must be given the authority and investedwith the trust to make decisions that are the best for their students. Becauseteachers know their students and because research shows that teachers havethe greatest impact on student achievement, Believe PCS teachers will havestrong voice in instructional decision-making. In addition to being on ourBoard of Directors, lead teachers (all of whom will be highly qualified asdefined by the No Child Left Behind act) will serve on our InstructionalLeadership Team. Led by Principal and Executive Director, the ILT will beresponsible for all decisions that affect teaching and learning in the school,

including curriculum, assessments, use of data, school schedules, parentoutreach, discipline policies and procedures and individual plans for students.

Part of the ILTs work, and indeed the work of all teachers in our school, will be the active creation of curriculum and learning experiences that arecustomized to their students, such as the standards-based lessons found inAppendix A. Our teachers will also work closely with student data fromformative and summative assessments to understand where studentachievement may be falling short. They will work with the ILT and with eachother to develop appropriate and timely interventions to address any learninggaps. By giving our teachers flexibility to co-create curriculum and

collaboratively monitor student progress, we allow those who are closest toour students to develop strategies and instructional interventions that willencourage our students to strive and enable them to thrive.

To provide structured time for this work, teachers will have significant andregular blocks of time to collaborate. Teachers will work together in grade-level teams and across grade levels to make instructional decisions, evaluatestudent work and assessment data, and share best teaching practices. The


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Principal will serve a key role in ensuring that the schedule allows ample timefor teacher learning and collaboration. Using the best practice of professionallearning communities, our teachers will collaborate in the analysis of studentwork and assessment data, devise effective interventions, and consult withtheir peers and school specialists, as well as with external experts. In doing so,

they will deepen their professional knowledge and increase their value to ourschool and to our students.

We believe sustained, authentic, and mission-aligned teacher professionaldevelopment (PD) is vital to the success of Believe PCS. To provide the besteducation to our students, our teachers must themselves be 21 st centurylearners who continue to grow throughout their professional career. Based onour own experience and that of our consultants, we know that a commitmentto continuous professional learning is key to teachers growth. Over thecoming months, we will build a professional development plan that will serveour teachers in multiple delivery modes, using in-school and out-of-school

formats. We will utilize the latest technologies and the best personalassistance available. Our teachers will also receive professional developmentin the use of technology to ensure they are comfortable in employing it as atool inside and outside the classroom. Believe PCS will be a place of constantlearning for educators, as well as students.

Professional development consultants from The EdVenture Group will workwith school leadership to design a robust on-going program to serve theteachers of Believe School. In addition to this customized face-to-face

professional development and classroom coaching, we will also draw onexternal resources that help teachers promote high levels of learning through21 st century skills development. EdVenture consultants recently conducted acomprehensive evaluation of nationally available PD programs that supportteachers in teaching the 4Cs. Believe PCSs Leadership Team and ILT willgive careful consideration to these programs, some of which are listed inAppendix B, as we put together our professional development plan in thecoming months.

As our special subject teachers (i.e. art, music and physical education) will beexpected to coordinate their instruction with curriculum in classrooms, theywill be included as much as possible in collaborative professionaldevelopment opportunities. Our daily schedule will also take advantage ofstudent time with specialists and in special subjects to provide grade-levelteachers with time during the school day for team meetings and collaborative

planning.

We believe that every adult in the building is an educator for our students. Non-instructional support staff will be included, as much as the scheduleallows, in staff meetings and conversations about progress toward the goalsand mission of the school. To enable the school as a whole to engage with the


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Believe PCS mission, and to identify and support our collective commitmentto continuous improvement, we will conduct a retreat for the entire staff twicea year.

d. Students with Exceptional Needs

Nationally, about 12% of students are classified as having exceptional needs.We anticipate the percentage of Believe students with IEPs will be higher.We will employ best practices in our screening of students, using well-regarded and commonly used instruments such as the Wechsler IndividualAchievement Test (WIAT-III) to determines academic achievement, gradeand age equivalent, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV)to determine if there is a discrepancy between the student's aptitude andability, which may indicate a learning or other disability. We also anticipatethe need to screen for language and speech delays. Many different tools areused for such screenings, such as Goldman Fristoe-2, ExpressiveReceptive One Word Picture Vocabulary, PLS-4 and PLS-5 (in English and

Spanish), Pre-School CELF and CELF-4 (in English and Spanish), PeabodyPicture Vocabulary, and Dunlap. Students will be assessed in their nativelanguage, as guided by D.C. policy.

We will operate on an inclusion model with push-in services as warranted bythe needs of our students. Our curriculum, with its emphasis on whole childlearning, naturally lends itself to cultivating the unique talents and abilities ofevery student, including those with exceptional needs. Our instructionaldesign, which combines guided instruction with project-based learning in thecontext of supportive, safe, and caring environment will enable ourexceptional students to make exceptional learning gains. In addition toinstruction during regular school hours, we will also employ the After SchoolExcellent (ASE) curriculum (see section 3.f., Strategies for ProvidingAcademic Support, below) to provide additional support and enrichment toour students with exceptional needs.

Our Special Ed-ELL Coordinator will oversee the development of anappropriate educational plan for each child, in conjunction with the childsclassroom teacher and our special education teachers. We will share the planwith the childs family so that they may be full partners in supporting theirchilds academic success.

To oversee these efforts and more, we will hire a Special EducationCoordinator with the following qualifications:

Experience in and commitment to the inclusion model of SpecialEducation

Experience with English Language Learners (ELL) Experience as a program coordinator and in supervising staff Experience as a senior-level special education teacher with expertise in

monitoring and supporting special needs students in general education


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classes, designing services, developing IEPs and administering annualIEP testing

Special Education Certificate

In addition, we will hire up to three special education teachers in our first

year, contingent on student enrollment figures.

e. English Language LearnersCurrently the number of English Language Learners (ELL) in our targetcommunity (Wards 7 and 8) is not significant (


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potential learning or social/emotional issues early on. As a team, Believe PCSeducators will then devise timely and effective solutions that enable studentsto quickly recover and continue to make academic progress.

Working closely with Lead Teachers, specialists and the school counselor will

determine the best support plan for students in need. These services mayinclude in-classroom and pull-out services that best support each childsunique learning, social, and emotional needs. The support team willcoordinate with our classroom teachers to provide those services directly, ormay determine other methods that are best suited for the student.

In addition, Believe Public Charter School will utilize a program of proveneffectiveness in boosting student achievement to provide additional academicsupport to students in need. The After School Excellence (ASE) program has

been used in numerous schools and after-school settings. The model hasshown significant improvement in pre- /post-assessments for students in K-3

reading and grades 1-8 math.The ASE curriculum utilizes many different visual, auditory and tactileresources to accommodate all types of learners. These include hands-onactivities, manipulatives, 21 st century tools, educational software, and onlineactivities, all of which also benefit students with learning disabilities. ASEassessments include large fonts and graphics, and provide sufficient space forwork and answers accommodating students who read with difficulty. Thedelivery of the ASE curriculum allows for special attention from instructors aswell as peer support for students with special needs or students who are inneed to additional academic support. Specific strategies for assisting studentswith special needs or who are behind grade are also addressed duringinstructor trainings on the ASE curriculum. For more information on ASE,

please see Appendix C.

3. Student Performancea. Student Progress and Achievement

We believe in measuring what we set out to do. With a strong accountabilitysystem, we can be assured that our students are making progress and that weas a school are achieving our mission and goals. As required, the BelievePublic Charter School will use DC-Comprehensive Assessment System toassess our students achievement as defined in the DC Learning Standards.

In addition, we will use other assessment tools to measure student and overallschool performance that are aligned with our unique mission and educational

plan, including the DRA2 (Developmental Reading Assessment 2), theTorrance Tests of Creative Thinking, and assessments from the publishers ofour adopted textbooks. We will also actively use classroom-based teacher


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developed assessments to monitor student learning. As noted earlier, ourteachers on a regular basis will collaboratively review data from theseassessments to improve instruction and offer suitable interventions. The datawill also be shared with administration, the student, and the students

parents/guardians so that, together, we can form the most accurate picture of

the students performance, and collaborate on the most appropriate strategiesto further his or her growth.

The DRA2 (Developmental Reading Assessment 2) is a research basedreading assessment tool that allows teachers to accurately assess a studentsreading abilities. This information allows teachers to address areas of concernwith student reading at an early stage and to make the best decisions abouttheir future instruction. Textbook assessments and other classroom-basedmeasures will also be used to determine overall student achievement inreading, writing, and English language arts.

We will give special care, too, to measuring our progress in 21st

century skills.Some educators feel that assessment of the 4Cs is too difficult. We do notagree. We will use both externally and internally created tools to help us learnhow well our students are learning these skills. Because fostering creativity isa key aspect of our curriculum, we plan to use the Torrance Tests of CreativeThinking, the worlds most widely used creativity tests. The Figural TTCTtest is appropriate for learners from Kindergarten through adult, while theVerbal TTCT for learners in Grade 1 to adult, so both are suitable for useacross Believe PCS grade levels. The Torrance tests identify creativitystrengths such as expressiveness, originality, humor, ability to synthesize, andvisualization.

We also believe that to develop productive 21st century citizens, we mustassess our students learning in new ways. Acco r ding to Douglas Reeves,founder of The Leadership and Learning Center 6, 21st century assessmentsrequire a different set of tools than what those used to measure factualacquisition of knowledge. Reeves work supports the idea that assessmentsmust be variable rather than standardized, may occur in teams rather than justindividual test taking, and will rely on the creation and presentation ofauthentic work products rather than just recall of content knowledge.

We believe that high standards and rigor must be at the heart of our 21 st century assessments. When measuring 21 st century student work such as

projects, team assignments, presentations, performances, and other work products that draw heavily on the 4Cs, we will use thoughtfully andthoroughly developed rubrics that measure factual knowledge, conceptualunderstanding, and 21 st century skill mastery. Rubrics will be developed by

6 Reeves, D. (2010). A Framework for Assessing 21 st Century Skills in Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R., eds.(2010). 21 st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.


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our teachers with support from the ILT and Lead Teachers. Furthermore, professional development in creating strong rubrics will be offered to all ourteachers. An example of a rubric on the 21 st century skill of collaborationmay be found in Appendix D.

Teachers will collaboratively review student performance as measured by both formative and summative assessments throughout the school year andfrom one school year to the next. Student work and student assessment datawill be used both formally and informally to shape overall instruction, totarget specific interventions, and to establish individualized academic and 21stcentury skills goals for each student.

b. Gateway MeasuresStudents will be expected to successfully complete coursework in the followingareas for each grade.

Grades K-4 Grades 5-8Reading ELA (non-fiction and fiction)

Math MathGeneral Science (K-5) Earth Science (grade 6)

Social Studies Physical Science (grade 7)World Language (Spanish) Life Science (grade 8)

Phonics Social StudiesSpelling World Language (Spanish)

Health

Promotion will be dependent upon a variety of measures beginning with teacherrecommendations. The Principal will be involved with every teacher and studentserving as a true instructional leader of the school. The Principal will work witheach teacher as decisions and recommendations are made. The Principal mustapprove each promotion based on review of the student's portfolio and onmultiple assessments.

As students are likely to come to us below grade level, their promotions will be based on significant growth toward grade-level proficiency. Students who showsignificant growth but do not meet grade level proficiency may still be eligible for

promotion. These students will be carefully monitored to ensure they are on trackfor meeting their individual achievement goals. The Believe PCS administration,teachers and parents will consider each child's individual social and academicabilities to determine promotion from one grade level to the next.

An alternate Certificate of Completion will be offered to students for attending asummer school course in the deficient subject and completing it with at least Caverage. Students will only be eligible for this alternate certificate of completion


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if they failed only one core subject. If a student fails more than one core subjectcourse, they will not be promoted to the next grade.

c. Leading Indicators

Once a student is selected for admission to Believe PCS, an admission meetingwill take place between the parent/guardian, student and Director. At that time, parents will sign an agreement indicating their commitment to stay engaged intheir childs education. We believe that the support a child receives at home can

be as important to their education as what happens during the school day. Wealso recognize and believe that parents/guardians are often unsure as to how tosupport their child because of experiences that may not have been positive in theireducation. We feel that this initial meeting and involvement sets the stage for the

positive relationships that we want to have with our students and their externalsupport systems.

Believe Public Charter School will employ PowerSchool, a student informationsystem (SIS), to input and store all student data, such as attendance, reportcard grades, health records, and the like. We have chosen PowerSchool as itallows the entire student support team to keep a close watch on every childs

progress. PowerSchool will be compatible with the DC Charter Boards school performance management systems. Prior to enrollment and when applicable, theschool will obtain student records and assessments results from a students

previous school. Enrollment forms will include the opportunity for parents toauthorize the release of the students records from a previous school.

All data collection will be used for internal purposes, as well as to record anddisseminate student information as required by the DC School Reform Act, PartsB and D, and other applicable laws, including DC Code sec. 31-401 et seq.(Compulsory School Attendance); DC Code sec. 31-501 et seq. (Immunization ofSchool Students); DC Code sec. 31-601 et seq. (Tuition of Nonresidents); and DCCode sec. 29-501 et seq. (Non-profit Corporations). The school will work closely,as necessary, with the DCPS and others sending LEAs to secure all relevant

background student information.

While we understand that not all families have access to the latest technology(i.e., email and internet access), the school will make available importantinformation via the Believe PCS website and e-newsletters. Teachers will haveschool email accounts. Their email addresses will be made available to familiesand families will be asked to provide theirs in turn, where available, to facilitateopen communication between home and school.

Our absentee policy will be to call home after the 3rd consecutive day of absenceto check on the student. If a student is absent, he or she must bring a note fromhome in order for the absence to be excused. If a student has more than 8unexcused absences in a trimester, he or she will receive an "F" on their reportcard. If a student misses 40 or more days of school in a school year without a


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valid medical excuse, he or she will be held back. We will also track studenttardiness, and will count six late days as equal to one unexcused absence.

Students may withdraw from the school at any time. When a notice ofwithdrawal is received, the school will hold an exit interview with parents orguardians of the withdrawing student to collect as much information as possibleabout the reasons surrounding the withdrawal. The information gathered duringthe exit interview will be used to guide changes and improvements to BelievePCS.

Believe Public Charter School will make every effort by working with familiesand student to re-enroll, where appropriate. The primary focus will be on retainingstudents and helping them succeed at the school. We believe that our smallstudent-to-teacher ratio will allow for a more individualized approach to studentlearning, will increase students chances for success, and minimize the need forwithdrawals.


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4. Support for LearningThe approach of Believe PCS is rooted in the belief that the whole child must beconsidered when providing education. Learning does not occur in isolation. All of theschools systems and supports set the stage for student success. In this section, wedescribe our proposed approach to key supports for student learning: parental

involvement; community participation; school organization and culture; extracurricularactivities; safety, order, and discipline; professional development; and the structure of theschool schedule.

a. Parent InvolvementThe most effective teachers and schools rely on communication and extensivecooperation with parents and guardians. The school will work diligently to providecommunication, support, and parent education to families, to build our parentinvolvement. As outlined below, parents will play a strong role and have significant

presence in the school, including providing feedback to staff, attending studentexhibitions and performances, reviewing student portfolios and providing volunteer

services. Specific strategies to involve parents will include:Parent OrientationOnce students are enrolled in the school, parents and families will be required to attendan extensive orientation program. The program will include the standard topics of schoolorientation (i.e. attendance policies, homework policies, discipline, calendar, ect.) as wellas an exploration of the schools mission and philosophy, its approach to instruction andinvolving the community in the school. While it is expected that families will have astrong understanding of the school from the recruitment and enrollment process, thesuccess of the school and the creation of the school community will rely on a deepunderstanding and investment from parents and families.

Parent Advisory CouncilThe school will establish a parent advisory Council, with membership open to all parents.The council will serve in an advisory capacity to the schools leadership on mattersrelated to such things as curriculum, student services, parent and family events, school-home communication and school schedules and calendar.

Parent WorkshopsThe school will offer workshops for our parents. These workshops will help themunderstand more clearly our instructional approach. This will help them with their childseducational experience and will help to build their connection with the school.

Access to TeachersAn important component of effective parent involvement is access to teachers. Believesschool schedule has built in time for regular parent-teacher communication. Every day ofa teachers schedule will include a period of 30 minutes that will be dedicated to informalcommunication with parents, if needed.


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Volunteer OpportunitiesParent will be welcome volunteers at all school functions, as well as in the classroom.Teachers will be expected to develop a list of specific volunteer opportunities within theirclassroom for parents, to be included in the parents orientation material. The schoolleadership will develop and publicize volunteer opportunities for school-wide needs and

events.

Regular Communication from the School to ParentsWe will also communicate with parents through parent/teacher meetings, phone calls andwritten communication. At a minimum, we will send home a monthly school newsletterto the parents. We will hold three formal parent-teacher conferences through-out theschool year, which will fall six weeks into each trimester. The conference will includediscussion of any deficiencies (given to any student working at a C- or below in anysubject) the student may be receiving and any parent or teacher concerns.

Any information that needs to go home to families about classroom and school events

(i.e. student work, field trips, class projects, assemblies, parent meetings, ect.), we plan tosend home a Bi-Weekly Folder which all student work and school information will be placed. Through the software Power Schools all school information and student progress will be also be available online.

b. Community ParticipationWashington, DC is home to numerous organizations that provide wonderful opportunitiesfor children. We have contacted many such organizations in hopes for partnerships to

provide support to students during the school day and with after-school and/orextracurricular activities. We will also build a relationship with our neighborhood ANCand ask for suggestions as to community organizations, businesses and services thatwould be valuable partners for educating our students about their community.

Below is a chart outlining the organizations we have contacted and have agreed to provide support for our schools vision and mission.

Organization/Contact Activity Support for MissionCity Blossoms Gardening projects with students Reinforce curriculum

objectives and school goals Opportunity to involve local

community in school

Capital Hill Arts Workshop Arts programs for students Reinforce curriculumobjectives

PlayWorks Opportunities for safe and inclusive playthroughout the day and recess

Connect with curriculum goalsand provide support for recessand after school activities

Live it Learn it Rigorous, academically-focused tripsDCs world class resources to supplementclassroom instruction

Reinforce and supplementcurriculum goals through fieldtrips

EdgeWorks Dance and educational programming in-school, after-school and summer

Connect with curriculum and provide in-school, after-schooland summer school

programming


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c. School Organization and CultureThe vision, mission and philosophy of Believe is built on the belief that every childshould be respected and given the opportunity to develop character, attitudes and values;to acquire the skills necessary for contemporary society and to be open to progressivetechniques. The organization and culture at Believe will reflect the following beliefs:

A school must be a safe, welcoming place where everyone is a learner, everyoneis respected and his/her contributions are appreciated.

Every child can reach high levels of academic achievement and make a significantcontribution to the school and community.

Literacy is recognized as a critical skill for the success of children beyondelementary and secondary education.

Families are an integral part of a childs and schools success. Diversity must be implicit in every aspect of the school Academic and behavioral expectations should be clearly stated, regularly

reinforced, fairly and appropriately implemented and success acknowledged andcelebrated.

Non-Instructional Learning EnvironmentAt Believe PCS we Believe in order to carry out our vision, we must maintain smallclassroom settings, therefore capping our enrollment at 225 students. Our students willwork on ideas both in the classroom and outside the classroom. We Believe thatinnovative approaches to school culture and organization can greatly increase studentefforts and teacher effectiveness.

We Believe that positive school and organizational culture will help build partnershipswith community leaders and organizations. We Believe that organizational cultureconnects to attitudes, experiences and beliefs. The members of our community will help

think, innovate, collaborate and make personal commitments to share in our future.

In an effort to incorporate a successful tie between organization and culture, weBelieve that modeling a successful learning community is vital to our future success.This learning community will produce several benefits to students, faculty and staff byincreasing academic achievement, improved retention rates and increased self-motivation.

Each day will begin with Morning Reflection through a morning assembly or morningannouncements (depending on the facility) where the Executive Director will welcomethe students and prepare for the school day. We envision it as a time that engages

students for an academically enriching day where they will have an opportunity toreflect on their daily goals, their belief in themselves, upcoming events within the schooland community. This will be an opportunity for the Director to share Student Moments(sharing outstanding student work, essays, art, music, theatre) with the rest of the student

body. The Executive Director Believes this will emerge as another method forimproving the quality of the students overall experience. This hands-on approach will

provide an introduction to school culture and extend the pride of being a Believe PublicCharter School student.


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Instructional Learning EnvironmentA Believe learning community will provide students with opportunities for deeperunderstanding and integration of the subject matter. We will incorporate student tostudent and student to teacher interactions though-out the learning day.

The three students goals (Scholarship, Perseverance and Responsibility) and BelievesPillars of Excellence (monthly character goals) will serve as the guiding principals for theteachers, students and families. In all contexts, the school community will consider howits choices help meet these goals for the students. Decisions concerning curriculum, fieldtrips and teacher professional development topics will all be made with the goals in mind.

We will use instructional methods to prepare and help students reach grade level goalseach year. Students will receive instruction to help prepare them for standardized testsand high school placement tests. Our learners will be empowered with the appropriateknowledge, skills and attitudes.

Our teachers will have an active approach to teaching that is learner-centered, inquiry and project based, standards and assessment driven, applied, interdisciplinary and authentic.

MentoringWe will develop a corporate literacy program that will work directly with identifiedcorporations who allow their employees to volunteer hours. These corporations stresseducation to their employees, specifically Reading and Language Arts. We are

partnering with these corporations for our mentoring program, where the volunteers arematched with a student and spend 2 hours per week with that student at our school. Thevolunteer is matched with their student throughout the students time with Believe.

RoutinesFamilies/students will be clear about class start times, transitions, requesting help andmaterials, working noise, raising hands, seating and leaving the room. Teachers willtake advantage of all available time to reinforce learning experiences.

Attention-Redirection-DisciplineTeachers will complete clear expectation-settings for the students and continue toreinforce them though-out the school year. Teachers will use a range of attention-gettingstrategies effectively to gain, maintain and regain students attention. Disruptive

behavior is quickly and effectively addressed (see Parent/Student HandbookDiscipline Code). Teachers will use logical consequences to help build students goodacademic and social habits. Teachers will discuss and support Believes Pillars ofExcellence (monthly character goals). Teachers will be positive, caring and firm withtheir affect, language and tone.

SpaceRelevant student work is neatly and brightly displayed. Classrooms are warm and well-organized. Seating arrangements are flexible and conducive to learning objectives andgoals. Class schedules are posted for all students and parents to view. Homework


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assignments shall be displayed everyday along with project due dates, test dates andspecial events. The school calendar, school and classroom rules, Believes Pillars ofExcellence and fire drill procedures will be posted in the classroom.

Discipline Code

Believes Discipline Code will delineate school-wide expectations for student, faculty andstaff. It will state how members of the school community will behave in school andwherever they are representatives of Believe. It will provide the structure for disciplinarydecisions, from Kindergartens fighting over a toy to an 8 th graders use of profanity. Itwill be based on respect for others, taking responsibility for ones own actions andscholarship (commitment to learning and excellence). The Discipline Code will containclear behavioral expectations and will appear in the Parent/Student Handbook. TheDiscipline Code will also be displayed in all classrooms and will be discussed on aregular basis by teachers and during school assemblies.

d. Extracurricular Activities

Believes extracurricular activities will reflect the vision and mission of the school,reinforce its academic and community goals and provide new and exciting opportunitiesfor students. We plan to contract with an after school provider who is accredited by the

National After School Association/Council on Accreditation After School. The programwe will to look to adopt will need to offer:

Opportunities, services and support that focus on the whole person helpingstudents seek ways to meet their basic physical, emotional and social needs and

build the competencies necessary to succeed in adolescence and adulthood. Focus on scholarship, perseverance and responsibility our three student goals Provide our students with opportunities to learn healthy behaviors, promote

development that gives them the full range of skills and motivation they need to

adopt healthy lifestyles and succeed Emphasize building students competencies and strengths, challenging them in

ways that build their academic, social, civic, cultural, creative, physical andmental health skills.

Empower students to assume leadership roles in programs and provide them withskills and opportunities to make and implement decisions and assume ownershipfor outcomes.

Reflect the participation and leadership of students themselves, as well as theirfamilies, peers, other caring adults and community.

Promote social growth in students by providing opportunities for sharing withothers.

The after school program will be offered each afternoon that the school is in sessionfollowing the end of the school day (3:30pm) and run until 6:00pm.

We plan to organize a Student Association which will organize Student Clubs, throughwhich students can explore areas of interest and gain leadership skills outside theclassroom. Although the Clubs may change from year to year, specific clubs such asStudent Council, Yearbook and Newspaper will be consistent established clubs.


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As our initial facility may not be feasibly conducive to an athletic program, we plan to partner with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation to give students an opportunityto participate in organized sports. It is our goal that by year five we have a facility thatwill accommodate a fully functioning and self-supporting athletics program.

e. Safety, Order and Student DisciplineBelieve will provide support for all of our students and expect an environment conducivefor safe, orderly working instruction and learning for all. Students will be expected tofollow the Believe Pillars of Excellence and are not allowed to physically or emotionallyabuse other students or bring harm to the community of Believe. We value our studentsand as such expect they will uphold the Discipline Code.

The primary objective of the Discipline Code at Believe is to instill a sense ofresponsibility and self-discipline in all students. Students are expected to enter the schooleach day ready to learn and demonstrate respect and cooperation toward other membersof Believe. It is everyones responsibility to build and support the school community

through positive behavior.When a student breaks a rule allow the student to receive consequences for their behaviorwhile at the same time teaching the student they are in fact responsible for their actions.Students learn there are consequences, positive and negative for their actions allowing thestudent to reflect beyond the action in order to make the best choice for all situations inlife. This method of discipline puts more responsibility on the student to take ownershipof their behavior and to be active participants in solving the problem as well as repairingthe harm they have caused. Students learn how not to make the same mistake in thefuture, they learn coping skills, making better choices and expressing their feelings in asocially appropriate manner. Students learn responsibility which empowers them tocreate change in themselves and in their school community.

At Believe, we believe there are key factors of importance regarding discipline.Classroom teachers will be expected to be primarily responsible for discipline. First,through engaging instruction that meets students needs, it is expected that discipline

problems can be kept to a minimum. Second, all faculty and staff will be trained andfamiliar with conflict resolution techniques so that conflicts that do arise can be resolvedfully and to the satisfaction of all parties to prevent conflict from returning. Finally,should conflict escalate to the point where the emotional or physical safety of otherchildren in the classroom is in jeopardy, school administrators will become involved.Students will have full understanding of the schools expectations and the positive andnegative consequences they can earn based on their behavior.

Parents will be informed whenever their child chooses to disrupt the educationalenvironment or threatens the safety of any school member in the community and theconsequence administered. Repeated or major infractions will result in a parentconference, referral to the Executive Director, detention, suspension and depending onthe severity of the incident may warrant immediate expulsion. Parents will be informed ofsuspensions or expulsions. In cases of expulsions, parents may request a meeting with


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the Director to discuss the case, if still not satisfied may appeal to the Schools Board ofDirectors. The appeal must be in writing and a hearing may be requested. The decisionof the Board of Directors will be final.

Disciplinary decisions for Special Education Students

The Principal and student support services will decide disciplinary actions for specialeducation students on a case-by-case basis according to IDEA Guidelines.

f. Professional Development for Teachers, Administrators and Other School StaffOur goal is to create a collaborative professional community that acknowledges the needfor teachers and staff to be learners: and learned. Believe expects all personnel tocommit to continuing their education to show students that learning never stops. We willhold trainings directly related to our mission and goals.

We expect peers to play a significant role in one anothers professional development.

Each teacher will have a lead teacher with common planning time together to discusstechniques, critiques of lesson plans, shared reflection on student work or research anddiscussion of new content or approaches. Each teacher will be required to develop aPersonal Learning Plan and establish personal and professional goals for improving theirknowledge and skills in content and pedagogy. The Lead Teachers and the Principal willconsult with teachers regularly regarding their PLP progress as it relates to professionaldevelopment, and will be used as part of the teachers annual evaluation. We Believe

providing individual support to our teachers will be crucial to Believes success

At the beginning of each school year, there will be a two week orientation and trainingfor all staff and faculty. This time will be spent for learning instructional techniques,classroom management, differentiated instruction and data driven decision-making.Finally, it will include time for curriculum mapping and development, for teachers tocreate and consider the best practice they would like to integrate into their classroom.

Believe will employ an early release on Fridays to ensure that every Friday from1:00-4:00PM the staff will have a block of several hours of uninterrupted time for grade-level planning, curricular planning and professional development, have guest speakersand workshops to enhance instruction, professional dialogue, morale and personalwellness. We will also have three full day staff development days built into the calendar.Planning time for teachers will also be made available by scheduling specialsthroughout the week. Examples of specials include art, music, P.E., computers andSpanish.

g. Structure of the School Day and Year

School DayBelieves doors will open at 7:30am for Morning Reflection and Student Moments.Classes will start at 8:30am and end at 3:30pm. Teachers will arrive at 7:30 am and willwork until 4:30pm. After Care will begin at 3:30pm until 6:00pm. On Fridays, all


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students will be dismissed at 12:30pm, and after-care will begin immediately. Fridaysfrom 1:00pm -4:00pm will be set aside for structured, planned teacher professionaldevelopment and data review and analysis. Specials will ensure planning time at leastthree times a week. A sample schedule for third grade is provided below.

3rd

Grade Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday7:30-8:30 MorningReflection

MorningReflection

MorningReflection

MorningReflection

MorningReflection

8:30-9:30 ReadersWorkshop

ReadersWorkshop

ReadersWorkshop

ReadersWorkshop

ReadersWorkshop

9:30-10:30 LanguageArts

LanguageArts

LanguageArts

LanguageArts

LanguageArts

10:30-11:00 Music Phonics Phonics Art Phonics11:00-11:30 Spanish Spanish Spanish Spanish Spanish11:30-12:00 Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess12:00-12:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

12:30-1:30 ScienceExplorations

ScienceExplorations

Computers ScienceExplorations

Dismissal -12:30pmMove toaftercare

1:30-2:30 Math Math Math Math ------------2:30-3:30 History P.E History History ------------3:30-3:45 Move to

aftercareMove toAftercare

Move toAftercare

Move toAftercare -------------

Fridays 1:00 4:00PM Teacher Professional Development Block

School YearBelieve will follow a trimester system with report cards distributed in December, Marchand June. This allows for more instruction time between reporting periods. Totalacademic school year will be 182 days of classroom instruction. A sample schoolcalendar is attached.


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D. Mission Accomplishment Plan

1. Goals against Which the Schools Success Will Be Judged

The goals of the Believe Public Charter Sc

believe application

Documents