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International Academy of Smyrna – Charter Renewal Application of 74

International Academy of Smyrna

Cobb County Public Schools

Board of Education

Public Charter School Renewal Application

IAS is seeking an additional charter term of five (5) years, commencing on the first day of the

fiscal year which will run from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2017.

IAS will be organized and operated as a separate nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of

Georgia. This will be operated by the Learning Center Foundation of Central Cobb Inc.

(Appendix I2 contains a copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the nonprofit corporation.) The

primary contact for the petitioner is listed below.

Mrs. Cheryl Wilson,

1507 Wedmore Court

Smyrna, GA 30080

678-556-9898 (o)

770-757-1415 (c)


International Academy of Smyrna Charter Application

Table of Contents

Overview of School 4

History 4

Mission 5

Innovations 8

Target Student Population 9

Parental and Community Involvement 9

Target Class Size/Pupil-Teacher Ratio 11

School Calendar 12

Terms of the Charter 13

Extracurricular Activities 13

Remediation and Tutoring 14

Accountability and Evaluation 14

Student Assessment 14

Rates of Academic Progress 16

IAS Improvement Plan 17

Performance Objectives 18

Admission of Students 25

Recruitment of Students 26

Admissions Timeline 26

Admitted Student Reporting 27

Student Withdrawal Process 27

Curriculum and Instruction 28

Educational Philosophy 28

Standards-Based Curriculum 29

The International Baccalaureate Program 30

Character Education 32

Instructional Methodologies 33

Instructional Interventions for Students with Reading Deficits 40

Facility Plan 41

Description of Facility 41

Compliance with Codes 42

Financial Plan 43

Risk Management 45

Plan for Audit 46

Budgets 47

Planned Fundraising Efforts 47

Food Service 47

School Governance 48

Governing Board 48

School Advisory Council 51

. Resolving Conflicts/Addressing Complaints 52


Instructional Technology/Technology Infrastructure 53

Overview of Instructional Technology 53

Acquisition and Distribution of Technology 53

Instructional Technology Plan Development 53

Insurance 54

Legal Proceeding 55

Operation 55

Non-Discrimination 55

Resolving Conflicts/Addressing Complaints 56

Personnel 56

Human Resources Policies 58

Professional Development 59

Special Needs Students 60

Identification 60

Assurances 61

Evaluations 61

Individualized Educational Plans 61

Procedural Safeguards Notice 62

Least Restrictive Environment 62

Teacher Certification 62

Related Services Personnel 62

Screening Forms 62

Treatment of Student Records 63

Supplemental Educational Services and Remediation 63

Release of Information 63

English Language Learners (ESOL) 63

Gifted Program (Accelerated Learners 66

Student Conduct 66

Safety and Order 66

Student Discipline 67

Counseling Services 68

Transportation 69

Waivers of State and Local Provisions 69

Annual Report 73

Appendices 74


OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL

History

The International Academy of Smyrna (IAS) is a tuition-free, public charter school serving

students kindergarten through eighth grade. The school came into existence through the

expressed desires of the community, when a concerned parent contacted Imagine Schools about

the possibility of opening a charter school in Mableton. On November 17th

, 2005, an

informational meeting was held, with approximately thirty parents from the community in

attendance. Three weeks later, the second meeting was held, and over one hundred fifty families

from the geographic areas of Mableton and Smyrna attended and expressed their desires to have

a charter school in their respective communities. For the third meeting, held on February 23,

2006, the response was overwhelming – more than 400 families were represented. Because of

the expressed desires and support from the community, Imagine Schools announced that, not one

but two, schools would be funded: the Imagine International Academy of Mableton and the

International Academy of Smyrna.

The initial show of interest from the community has not diminished for the International

Academy of Smyrna. During the fall of 2006, more than four hundred fifty families registered

children to attend IAS. These families had approximately three hundred forty-four children

interested in beginning the 2007 school year at IAS and an additional two hundred sixty-seven

children to follow in subsequent school years as they become eligible for kindergarten. That is a

total of six hundred eleven children whose families were seeking educational alternatives to

public schools.

At the end of the 2010-2011 school year, the decision was made to separate from Imagine

Schools. Therefore, the International Academy of Smyrna is transitioning the management of

the school from outside management to in-house management in the belief that this move is in

the best interest of the school and all of the students and families the school represents.

Prospects for the future of the school are so promising that financing is being established to

acquire and improve the facilities.

The City of Smyrna, known as the “Jonquil City”, has been an ideal setting for the charter

school. Smyrna, for more than a decade, has been in the business of reinventing itself.

Through grants and other creative funding sources, the city has created a beautiful,

architecturally harmonious city center which includes government buildings, a library, police

and fire facilities, an impressive community center and retail and business office space. This

development, along with other revitalization efforts, have given the city the reputation of being

a forward-thinking community, and it is recognized as one of the most desirable places to live

in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. Because of these appealing features, Smyrna was recently

awarded the Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence.

Smyrna has long been an integral part of the growth and development of Cobb County It offers

a “small town” atmosphere, which is appealing to families, yet it’s close proximity to the City


of Atlanta makes daily commuting less difficult than in most suburban communities. As a

result, Smyrna has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and has attracted a

diverse population.

The International Academy of Smyrna is well positioned to meet the demands of the

community’s growth and diversity, and the demonstrated community support and involvement

in the school continues to demonstrate the need and relevance of IAS. The academy’s program

will enhances the learning opportunities already offered throughout the county and will offer

Cobb County parents another option for schooling.

The permanent home of the school is located at 2144 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna, Georgia

30080.

School Phone Number - 678-370-0980

Board Chair- Cheryl Wilson.

Mission

The International Academy of Smyrna was created in keeping with the legislative intent that

charter schools “increase student achievement through academic and organizational

innovation.” The mission of the school is listed below.

“The International Academy of Smyrna is a community partnership with a mission to provide a nurturing environment and rigorous, relevant curriculum that fosters the development of critical thinking skills and produces graduates who are well-rounded, caring world citizens. “

The two most basic principles of the mission statement, creating a nurturing environment and

delivering a strong curriculum, promote the legislative philosophy and form the cornerstones of

the academy’s program.

1. Nurturing Culture Each International Academy of Smyrna student is valued for his uniqueness and the

cultural diversity of our community and student body are explored and celebrated. The

parents/guardians, students and educators, work together to create a positive, warm,

caring environment in which students can reach their full potentials, both academically

and socially.

2. Rigorous Curriculum

Students participate in instruction that follows the guidelines set by the International

Baccalaureate Organization’s (IBO) Primary Years Program (PYP) and Middle Years

Program (MYP). Incorporated into this strenuous curriculum, and beginning at age five,

will be daily instruction (four days per week) in a second language. The goal of this

approach is to encourage students to develop into global thinkers and lifelong learners.


The staff of IAS fosters learning that allows students to compete on state and national levels.

The curriculum framework is based on Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) objectives and

strands. During the upcoming school year, in keeping with the national movement to adopt and

implement Common Core Standards (CCS), staff members will begin the process of

transitioning curriculum from GPS to GPSCCS as decided by the Georgia Department of

Education. The intention is to create exceptional opportunities for all students by delivering the

curriculum through an international approach.

How the Academy will Accomplish its Mission

The mission of the International Academy of Smyrna will be delivered by incorporating the

following key elements.

Nurturing Environment

The high level of parental support and involvement will help to create partnerships

between the school and home. Parents will be welcomed, frequent visitors to the school,

and seamless communication lines will be established.

Members of the community will be encouraged to volunteer at the school, mentor

students and become a part of the school “family’.

The decentralization of services and the incorporation of shared decision making

principals will foster ownership and leadership among staff members.

Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum

An international approach to education will be made available to students through the use

of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IBPYP), and the International

Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP).

Second language instruction (LOTE) will be included in the curriculum, and direct

instruction will occur daily.

All Georgia Performance Standards and Common Core Standards will be incorporated.

Using the eight areas of concentration outlined in the Georgia Keys (Georgia School

Standards), the school will maintain a strategic focus on the essential elements effective

schools use to deliver quality instruction and increase student achievement.

Curriculum

Assessment

Instruction

Planning and Organization

Student, Family and Community Involvement and Support

Professional Learning

Leadership

School Culture

The essence of the School Keys (Georgia School Guidelines) is quoted below.

The School Keys: Unlocking Excellence through the Georgia School Standards is the

foundation for Georgia’s comprehensive, data-driven system of school improvement and


support. Correlated to several well-known and respected research frameworks, the School

Keys describe what Georgia’s schools need to know, understand, and be able to do, in the

same manner that the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) describe what Georgia’s

students need to know, understand, and be able to do. Through the Georgia Assessment

of Performance on School Standards diagnostic process (GAPSS Analysis), a variety of

data are collected from multiple sources to assess the status of a school on each of the

standards. The data are combined to inform the results of the GAPSS Analysis, which, in

turn, informs the development and implementation of school improvement initiatives,

including high impact practices, in a school. A Memorandum of Agreement with the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School

Improvement (SACS/CASI) details conditions under which the School Keys and GAPSS

Analysis may count for a SACS/CASI Quality Assurance Review and accreditation visit.

These School Keys are intended to serve as a descriptor of effective, high impact

practices for schools. In identifying these School Keys, the Division of School and

Leader Quality of the Georgia Department of Education along with its collaborative

partners aligned the School Keys with the research by Dr. Robert Marzano in the meta-

analysis, What Works in Schools (2003), School Leadership that Works, (Marzano,

Waters, and McNulty, 2003), and the Standards of the Southern Association of Colleges

and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. The eleven factors

identified by Dr. Marzano and similar terms and statements from the other research

documents were combined until eight broad strands were determined to encompass the

research: Curriculum; Instruction; Assessment; Planning and Organization; Student,

Family, and Community Support; Professional Learning; Leadership; and School

Culture. The eight strands have been further developed and defined into performance

standards, linguistic rubrics, and elements/descriptors to assist schools in the process of

school improvement. The School Keys serve as a tool for all schools in the state. The

document was field-tested during the 2004-2005 school year. Data from the field test

were used to revise the School Keys for the 2005-2006 school year. An external

validation study of the School Keys was conducted by the Georgia Partnership for

Excellence in Education. This external validation included responses from and critiques

by a national panel of experts in school improvement. Based on input from the external

validation, further refinements were made to the School Keys, including clarification of

language and the development of linguistic rubrics to guide the standards application

process.

The School Keys can be utilized best when combined with data collected using the

Georgia Assessment of Performance on Schools Standards (GAPSS Analysis)

instruments. The GAPSS Analysis provides the instruments and tools that can be applied

to the School Keys strands to determine school needs and, based on quantitative and

qualitative data collected from a variety of sources, chart the progress of the school.

Using formative data, the School Keys also can be used as a guide for continuous

improvement at the school level as schools identify the next level of growth, develop

plans to assist them in reaching full implementation of each strand, and tracking their

progress. The School Keys will serve as the summary document to identify a school’s

level of implementation in each of the eight strands and correlated standards. At the

conclusion of the GAPSS Analysis, the team members will identify the levels of


implementation on each standard by use of the linguistic rubrics. With these summary

results, analyzing the information for school improvement will follow a logical sequence.

Information is available to readily discuss areas of need with school and system

personnel. The Georgia Department of Education encourages the use of the School Keys

and the GAPSS Analysis by schools, systems, and Regional. Educational Service

Agencies (RESAs) as tools to assist in measuring, guiding, and facilitating the constant

growth that occurs as a school strives for continuous improvement.

INNOVATIONS

The International Academy of Smyrna will seek to meet the challenge of the Georgia Legislature

to “increase student achievement through academic and organizational innovation” by providing

a program that includes the following unique features.

1. Daily Language Other Than English (LOTE) Classes

With the choice of the international approach to curriculum delivery and the multi-ethnic and

very diverse population supporting this petition, coupled with the growing need in the United

States for multi-lingual speakers, IAS will offer daily LOTE classes with an initial focus on

Spanish. The Georgia Department of Education includes on its website the following statements

concerning the importance of becoming fluent in a second language.

Today foreign language skills are vital to national defense, law

enforcement and economic security. It is therefore the goal of the

Georgia Department of Education to enable all students to graduate from

high school fluent in one language other than English. Acquiring this

kind of skill in a second language is a long and arduous process,

demanding hard work and motivation on the part of the student, and a

combination of linguistic and pedagogical skill on the part of the teacher.

Further, replicated research has shown significant gains in language arts and math skills when

foreign language is taught as early ages. For these reasons, daily foreign language instruction

will be a critical element of the curriculum.

2. International Baccalaureate Program

The academy is completing steps to become an official International Baccalaureate school. As

of the 2010-2011 school year, no other traditional elementary schools in the Cobb County Public

School System utilized the IB programs. Further, all academy students will receive this level of

instruction, which is a different approach from most public schools.

The International Baccalaureate program was selected after careful review of literature

concerning various curricular and instructional approaches. Additional factors that influenced

the decision are listed below.


IB offerings have increased throughout Georgia and the nation, indicating that the

approach is a sound vehicle for raising learning expectations for students.

In his fiscal 2007 budget request, President Bush proposed a major expansion of a

federal incentive program that encourages schools to launch or expand both the IB

and AP programs, and prepare more teachers to teach those courses.

3. Balanced Calendar

As an organizational innovation, the academy will operate on a year- round schedule that

includes a longer school day, for students and staff, than that in most public schools. This

structuring of the school day and year is being done to better equip IAS students for the

rigors of high school and college without extended “down time” during the summer.

Community support and belief in the benefits of a balanced calendar were evidenced through

recent polls conducted by the Cobb County Board of Education.

Target Student Population

The International Academy of Smyrna will provide free public education that is non-sectarian,

non-religious and non-profit in nature as an alternative to students and families in its primary and

secondary attendance zones. All students, grades Kindergarten through eight, who live within

the Cobb County Public Schools (CCSD) attendance zone, are eligible to attend the International

Academy of Smyrna (IAS). IAS will not accept students whose primary residence is outside the

CCSD attendance zone. The school will accept students with special needs and disabilities,

including gifted and talented and ESOL students. Programs and services provided for these

students are detailed in the Special Education section of this petition.

Parental and Community Involvement

Parental and Community Involvement in Development of Renewal Application

As stated earlier, the academy was created in response to the expressed needs of parents, and

parents have continued to be actively involved in IAS. Throughout the development of the

renewal application, all stakeholders had opportunities to provide input to ensure that the next

charter term continues to develop IASs academic program and meet the needs of the community.

School faculty and staff were instrumental in analyzing the original charter application and

providing input on how to make the next charter term even more rigorous and relevant for IAS

students. Further, the parental advisory council and the Governing Board are included in the

school’s decision making process, and they were directly and substantially involved in the

development of this petition.

Continued Parental and Community Support

Since opening its doors in 2007, IAS has experienced high levels of parental and community

involvement through volunteering, PTA, and governing board meetings and representation.


Enrollment continues to grow, which is a testament to community and parent satisfaction. The

city of Smyrna also continues to be a strong supporter of IAS. (See Appendix N for letters of

community support.)

Parental and community support and involvement in the school are critical elements of the total

IAS program. Members of the community, other interested persons and parents are invited to

visit the school often, and their involvement is sought for such activities as mentoring, tutoring

and monitoring.

Additionally, IAS established a PTA to encourage parent participation and advocacy. The

organized structure of the PTA provides program ideas, resources, support and volunteer

leadership training. IAS, through the PTA, established consistent communication channels

between parents, teachers and administrators using a variety of proven techniques and methods.

All parents and guardians are encouraged to participate in the PTA to make sure that the needs of

the students and their families always come first.

Student achievement also relies on the joint efforts and teamwork of the entire Smyrna

community. Neighborhood businesses, local residents and others interested in our students’

success are welcomed partners at IAS. The school maintains close relationships with local

business and civic groups to serve as Partners in Education. Community volunteers, including

local high school students and senior citizens, are utilized as classroom aides and mentors for

students. It is our belief that diversity adds to our strength, so significant efforts are made to

ensure the school is an inclusive environment for those who want to participate. Our goal is to

design programs that create a sense of cooperation, trust and shared experiences that will

transcend life at school and help to improve the entire community in which we live. (See

Appendix N for a list of business partners.)

IAS also holds high expectations for parents/guardians. Beginning upon acceptance into the

program, it is the philosophy of IAS that a contract between the home and school has been

established. IAS has the responsibility of providing a safe and nurturing environment where

each student will feel valued and where he will be able to learn to his highest ability level.

Parents are expected to be actively involved in their children’s schooling. Some of the services to

parents and responsibilities of parents are listed below.

Address Verification

IAS will ask parents to state their address on the registration form and to mark a checkbox

indicating they are residents of Cobb County. Parents will be required to sign an affidavit stating

that all information they provide on the enrollment form is true and correct. IASIAS also

requires parents to provide two forms of address verification identification, such as a utility bill,

a driver’s license, or a lease and will follow the guidelines for address verification used by the

Cobb County Public Schools.


Orientation Meeting

An orientation meeting will take place prior to the IAS beginning of each school year. The

orientation meeting will serve to acquaint students and parents with the facility, introduce school

policies and procedures, and provide information that will be of benefit on the first days of

school.

Enrollment Package

Parents of students who enroll in IAS will receive an enrollment package containing information

about the school and the forms necessary for registration. The enrollment package includes the

IAS registration forms (Appendix D); the Department of Health’s Cumulative School Health

Record form; an Emergency Dismissal form designed to indicate where the student should go in

the event that school is dismissed at an unscheduled time due to any unforeseen circumstances;

and a Clinic Information card designed to indicate emergency contacts and the doctor that should

be called in case of an accident. Parents will be given a copy of the Student Handbook, which

will be based on the current Cobb County Board of Education discipline policies, and parents

and students will be required to sign an acknowledgement form indicating that they have

received the handbook and will read its contents. The form will be kept in the student’s

permanent file. The Student Handbook includes descriptions of the policies and procedures that

will be utilized to ensure student and parent due process rights are protected.

Family Contract

The intent of establishing a Family Contract is based on the demonstrated success of programs

where families are actively involved in their children’s education. Research has shown that

students attending schools with strong parental involvement perform better and achieve at higher

levels. To contribute to the student’s and school’s success, parents and/or legal guardians will be

expected to volunteer at least thirty (30) hours (multiple caregiver household) or 15 hours (single

adult caregiver household) per household, per school year. These hours can be met through both

“in” and “out” of school volunteer opportunities. IAS will ensure that these opportunities are

varied and available during the day, evening and weekends to accommodate the busy schedules

of families. The adult caregiver/s of any student who is unable to meet this requirement will be

encouraged to bring this to the attention of the principal, who will coordinate a meeting with the

members of the Governing Board. To ensure that this requirement does not negatively impact a

decision to enroll at IAS and to prevent this requirement from being misapplied should there be

extenuating circumstances, IAS has the exclusive ability at its sole discretion to modify or waive

the family commitment contract for an individual family.

Target Class Size/Pupil-Teacher Ratio

The student population at IAS will not exceed 1,200 students during the next five-year charter

term. Assurance is given that class sizes will not exceed state mandates, and target class sizes

have been set as follows.

Kindergarten 20


Grades 1through 3 23

Grades 4 – 8 25

The rational for maintaining this pupil-teacher ratio is based on two major factors.

1. Student Achievement – Review of school achievement data for years 2007-2010; staff

and parent feedback; review of literature (particularly Tennessee's Project STAR, North

Carolina’s study in Burke County, and the Wisconsin SAGE project); and research of

best practices from other schools, including private, traditional public and public charter

2. School Financial Sustainability - The school cannot sustain operations with under

enrolled classes.

School Calendar

IAS will be aligned with CCSD’s approved calendar for testing and FTE dates. The school

calendar will observe a 180-day school year for students and a contract year of no fewer than 190

days for staff. Hours of operation will be reviewed and established by the Governing Board

annually, but will typically be 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. A sample school year calendar is located in

Appendix R.

A sample daily schedule is shown below.

Elementary (K-5)

Reading 60 minutes

Math 60 minutes

Language Arts 60 minutes

Science 45 minutes

Social Studies 45 minutes

Core Total 4.5 hours (270 minutes)

Recess 15 minutes

Lunch 30 minutes

Specials 30 minutes

Spanish 60 minutes

Transition 15 minutes

Non-core total 2.5 hours ((150 minutes)

Total 7 hours (420 minutes)


Middle School (6-8)

Reading 56 minutes

Math 56 minutes

Language Arts 56 minutes

Science 56 minutes

Social Studies 56 minutes

Core Total 4.6 hours (280 minutes)

Lunch 30 minutes

Spanish 60 minutes

PE/Health 50 minutes

/Specials

Total 7 hours (420 minutes)

Terms of the Charter

IAS is seeking an additional charter term of five (5) years, commencing on the first day of the

fiscal year which will run from July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2017.

Accountability and Evaluation

IAS applied for and received accreditation with the Southern Association for Colleges and

Schools (SACS-CASI) in June, 2010, during the third year of operations and was granted the

maximum five-year accreditation term. (See Appendix B) IAS will participate in a two year

review from SACS AdvancED March, 2012 and will continue to maintain accreditation

throughout the existence of the school.

Assurances

IAS, as a charter school, shall be subject to all federal, state, and local rules, regulations, court

orders, and statutes relating to civil rights; insurance; the protection of physical health and safety

of school students, employees and visitors; conflicting interest transactions; and the prevention

of unlawful conduct.

Extracurricular Activities

The school has continued to seek quality extracurricular programs led by staff and outside

businesses. Activities are added based on student, parent and staff requests. The PTA and

Afterschool Program coordinators have oversight of the program, and in selecting the

organizations allowed to offer programs for our students. Program offerings currently include

the following activities.


Soccer Tai Kwon Do African Dance

Tap/Ballet Hip Hop Dance Chess

Garden Club Kids Art Character Council

Drama Basketball Band

School Newspaper Tutoring

Staff and parents agree that students who have more opportunities to participate in organized

activities have elevated levels of self-confidence and self-esteem. Students with commitments to

organized activities are more likely to comply with school rules and to be good school citizens.

Students are also less likely to participate in bullying behavior, be bullied or to passively observe

bullying behavior without intervening.

Remediation and Tutoring

IAS will fully participate and provide supplemental educational services (SES), pursuant to

SBOE Rule 160-4-5-03 and remediation in required cases pursuant to SBOE Rules 160-4-5-03,

and 160-4-5-01. The Student Support Team will oversee and monitor student progress and

receive recommendations from staff and review assessment data to determine students eligible.

Staff will attend CCSD required trainings and receive oversight from EIP coordinator to

establish yearly plan for students identified.

After school tutoring allows teachers to focus on more individualized instruction. Teachers K-8

design specific programs for students afterschool based on academic performance and need.

Student tutoring groups are kept small from 2-10 children and target specific academic deficits

(i.e. reading fluency or problem solving). Student performance is monitored and tutoring can be

expanded or reduced based on student progress. Research studies show that students with

academic deficits often become classroom distracters due to inability to perform on grade level.

After school tutoring improves individual achievement and also impacts overall classroom

instruction in a positive way.

Accountability and Evaluation

Student Assessment

Assessment is a process to guide teaching and learning. IAS expects students to learn and apply

Standards-based knowledge, strategies, and concepts from various disciplines. Only through

accurate and ongoing assessment of student learning can teachers know the impact of their

teaching activities and make adjustments needed to ensure success. It is in the best interest of the

public that all schools provide a learning environment that allows for high academic achievement

and character development. Schools that yield high performing students provide a benefit to

society by producing high performing individuals that make individual contributions to the local,

national and global community.


Assessment is expressed as feedback that identifies progress made, determines current needs and

guides future decisions about teaching and learning. IAS emphasizes data-driven decision

making with two complimentary assessment processes: 1) formal assessments, which are large

scale standardized assessments, and 2) classroom-based assessments, which are selected or

designed and implemented by the classroom teacher.

IAS will participate in all mandated CCSD and State assessments, including the student and

stakeholder surveys, and will follow the same schedule for administration as does the county.

IAS will receive materials from CCSD for state mandated testing; return materials to CCSD;

participate in all trainings required by CCSD; abide by all protocols established by CCSD; and

report results directly to the CCSD Accountability office at the end of the year. Only state

licensed educators will be allowed to administer tests as required by GADOE and CCSD.

IAS will receive assessment results directly from the CCSD Accountability office and report to

Board, parents and stakeholders the results and school performance within ten school days of

receiving the results. Grades to be tested will those mandated by Georgia Department of

Education (i.e. 2010 CRCT grades 1- 8, 2011 CRCT grades 3-8, 2014 CCGPS Assessment

grades TBD)

Baseline data will be established by comparing test year averages from 2008, 2009, 2010 to

those of 2011. The school is a start-up charter and will have completed a three year cycle spring,

2010. The School Improvement Plan will expand targets to include year to year comparisons

beginning spring, 2011, in addition to working towards meeting Annual Measurable Objectives,

as required by NCLB. The school targets should exceed those of Smyrna area elementary and

middle schools in CCSD. The year 2011 Attendance, Reading/ELA and Math CRCT scores will

be the assessment used to gauge student achievement. Beginning Spring 2012 and each year

after, IAS will use AYP AMO’s or those based on CCGPS to determine student progress and

overall academic performance for the school.

Formal Assessments

Standardized tests, taken by each student annually, are used to plan improvements in

program delivery. The state and district tests will be administered according to the

provisions of the district’s policies and the state’s educational legislation. Student

participation in state/local assessments may include, but not be limited to: CRCT, ITBS,

SAT 10, CoGat, Renzulli’s, ACCESS, EOCT and the Georgia Writing Exams for 3rd

, 5th

and 8th

grades.

Diagnostic Base-line Tests are given to collect base-line information in order to assess

academic levels for instructional placement decisions. These tests are re-administered

after instruction has taken place to re-evaluate a student’s academic level. Grades 3-8

utilize a comprehensive, computer-based testing system to measure student ability levels.

Grades K-2 makes use of benchmark testing to measure achievement in reading and

mathematics skills.


Classroom-based Assessments

Performance-Based Assessments: Rubrics describe the specific criteria used to assess projects and/or performances.

Observation Checklists identify the critical attributes of specific activities and indicate

the levels of mastery individual students have gained.

Student Journals demonstrate how well students express ideas, organize thoughts,

interpret data and apply skills. Students keep journals for independent reading, writing,

science notes and observations.

Anecdotal Records describe observations of student interactions, participation, learning

styles and strategies.

Student – Teacher Conferences highlight strengths and weaknesses in student

performance and provide suggestions for growth and remediation.

Baseline data for student achievement was collected and evaluated during the 2008-2011

CRCT administration cycles. The results are charted below.

Year

Met AYP

% Meet & Exceed

Math

% Meet & Exceed

Reading/ELA

2008 YES 69.2 88.1

2009 YES 76.1 92.9

2010 YES 71.8 94.7

The school will continue to align the assessment program with the state and the district mandates

(CCSD and SDOE). IAS will follow the accountability provisions found in O.C.G.A. §20-14-30

through §20-14-41 and will meet and follow any legislative and district school accountability

changes and/or initiatives.

Rates of Academic Progress

Rates of progress will be based on comparable measurements, and the results from IAS will be

compared with those from other schools. IAS will apply a range of acceptance of plus or minus

five percent (±5%) or plus or minus 0.5 (±0.5) standard deviations from the mean when

comparing student populations. Comparable populations will be determined by the following

variables: ethnicity; gender; school size (student population); Special Education and Free and

Reduced Lunch populations; and similar academic achievement based on the same assessment


instruments at the same grade level in reading, writing, and mathematics. The data will also be

analyzed by Cobb County Schools annually to evaluate and determine progress.

The intent of the assessment program is to provide a continuous flow of information to teachers

about the academic progress of their students so that appropriate instructional processes are

implemented. These measuring standards will not waive the accountability provisions of

O.C.G.A. Sections 20-14-30 through 20-14-41. IAS will follow all rules and regulations of the

Cobb County School District regarding posting of student scores in the students’ permanent

record. Specifically, the school will utilize the CCSD student information system that will record

all state and district mandated student information. The system will host all the student outcomes

from the IS sponsored assessments.

IAS Improvement Plan

IAS files an annual School Improvement Plan (SIP), and a copy has been provided in Appendix

C. The objectives included in the SIP are aligned with the Georgia School Accountability

Indicators. The goals are firmly aligned to performance-based goals and objectives that shall

result in improvement of student achievement and shall comply with the Single Statewide

Accountability System in accordance with O.C.G.A. §20-2-2063. Data on achievement of these

specific charter objectives will be collected and reported to the CCSD at the end of each year.

Minimally, the SIP includes an objective in reading, mathematics and writing. Additionally, an

objective in reading is earmarked for the lowest performing group at the school. The SIP aligns

fiscal and human resources in order to meet the stipulated objectives; and it includes detailed

action plans for each of the stated objectives. Moreover, strategies addressing the academic

needs of the subpopulations stipulated by the No Child Left Behind legislation will be

incorporated. The implementation of the SIP is monitored by the IAS staff (Principal, staff, and

governing board to gauge progress and to provide technical assistance to the school. A formal

mid-year check and end-of the year evaluation will be conducted annually to determine adequate

progress.

The SIP is a document that is shared with the stakeholders and an annual report will be generated

documenting the progress made by the school in meeting the stated objectives. The report,

including the annual assessment results, will be submitted to the Cobb County School Board and

shared with IAS’s stakeholders. Summer review of data will be conducted and shared with

Charter School Liaison and the final plan with timelines for action steps will be completed by

September 30th

each school year. IAS agrees to work with CCSD to develop an Annual

Evaluation Plan that will establish the precise levels of achievement the school will meet or

exceed on the State and District student assessments, student and stakeholder surveys, student

and staff retention and unique charter-based objectives.

The school improvement process at IAS is based on a continuous improvement model and will

be driven by a student/school data collection system, ongoing assessment, a data interpretation

system, and continuous data analysis that will enable the instructional and administrative staff to

make informed decisions and to develop educationally sound action plans.


Performance Objectives – Academic, Financial, Board Governance

Academic

IAS Performance Objectives will be measured by multiple assessments and data analysis which

include, but are not limited to ITBS (3rd

, 5th

, 8th

), Georgia Writing Assessment 3rd

, 5th

& 8th

,

CRCT, STAR Reading and Math Assessments, GKIDS, teacher developed pre/post assessment

for each standard and EIP Checklists. The overall goal is to develop a progress plan for each

individual student to track 1 year + 1month of academic growth for Reading, Math and Writing

each academic year. Individualized student plans and focus will yield strong academic school

wide results.

Teachers will begin and end each school year with data analysis. Targets will be directly aligned

with action item tasks and timelines to effectively drive progress monitoring. Teachers will

work collaborative in grade level teams and vertical teams to evaluate student performance and

redirect instructional focus as evidenced by both formal and informal assessments.

ITBS BENCHMARK DATA/PERFORMANCE GOAL TARGETS

ITBS 3rd 5th 7th 2010

Benchmark Data

Reading 66%

Language 66%

Math 67%

Reading 61%

Language 67%

Math 57%

Reading 52%

Language 54%

Math 54%

2011 Performance Goal

Targets

Reading 85%

Language 85%

Math 85%

Reading 85%

Language 85%

Math 85%

Reading 85%

Language 85%

Math 85%


Targets

Reading 89%

Language 89%

Math 89%

Reading 89%

Language 89%

Math 89%

Reading 89%

Language 89%

Math 89%


Targets

Reading 92%

Language 92%

Math 92%

Reading 92%

Language 92%

Math 92%

Reading 92%

Language 92%

Math 92%


Targets

Reading 100%

Language 100%

Math 100%

Reading 100%

Language 100%

Math 100%

Reading 100%

Language 100%

Math 100%


Georgia Writing Assessment 3rd

, 5th

& 8th

Georgia Wtg 3rd 5th 7th 2010

Benchmark Data

98% 86% 93%


Targets

100% 100% 100%


Targets

100% 100% 100%


Targets

100% 100% 100%


Targets

100% 100% 100%

CRCT PERFORMANCE MEASURES

CRCT Reading/ELA Math Science 2010

Benchmark Data

3rd

-8th

grades

88% 71.7% 70.75%


Targets

95% 80% 80%


Targets

98% 85% 85%


Targets

100% 89% 89%


Targets

100% 100% 100%

GKIDS Data

Content Area/Strand ELA Mathematics Non-Academic Personal/Social

Development

2010 92.8% 93.7% 83.2% 81.8%


Targets

98% 98% 98% 98%


Targets

98% 98% 98% 98%


Targets

100% 100% 100% 100%


Targets

100% 100% 100% 100%


IIAS Spring 2008

Annual Measurable Objective for spring 2008 NCLB Average Math 59.5% IIAS Average 72.6 % NCLB Average Reading 73.3% IIAS Average 88.3%


IIAS Spring 2009

Annual Measurable Objective for spring 2009 NCLB Average Math 59.5% IIAS Average 75.7% NCLB Average Reading 73.3% IIAS Average 92/5%


IIAS Spring 2010

Annual Measurable Objective for spring 2010 NCLB Average Math 67.6% IIAS Average 747% NCLB Average Reading 73.3% IIAS Average 93%

STAR Reading and STAR Math

Increased student achievement is guided primarily by quality instruction. Data Analysis is a primary

tool needed to improve quality instruction and address individual student learning. IAS will begin use

of STAR Reading and Math Fall 2011 to help teachers gauge, track and monitor student progress. The

following chart indicates use/target goals

STAR Fall Mid Year Spring Math Individual Student

Baseline

Increase of .5

academic growth

Increase 1.1 year

academic growth

Reading Individual Student

Baseline

Increase of .5

academic growth

Increase 1.1 year

academic growth


School Wide Target

STAR 2011 2012 2013-15 Math 90% of students meet

or exceed individual

growth plan

95% of students meet


growth plan

100% of students

meet or exceed

individual growth

plan

Reading 90% of students meet


growth plan

95% of students meet


growth plan

100% of students

meet or exceed

individual growth

plan

K-1 Students

Content 2011 Baseline 2012 2013-2015

Math

Early STAR

Goal 85% or better

On or above grade

level

Goal 90% or better

On or above grade

level

Goal 100% or better

On or above grade

level

Reading

Early STAR

Reading A-Z

(Fluency/Running

Records/Comprehension)

Goal 85% or better

On or above grade

level

Goal 90% or better

On or above grade

level

Goal 100% or better

On or above grade

level

Students, teachers and parents will review Individual Learning Plan for academic progress.

Teachers will review data as received to determine instructional focus and direction. Teachers

will work in collaborative teams to develop instructional plans that clearly are driven by

GPSCCS, data analysis from the STAR program, Fall/Winter and Spring writing assessment

practice assessment.

We believe that all children can excel if given the opportunity. Our Comprehensive Assessment

Plan will have built-in safeguards to ensure that students are performing according to the defined

standards. These include timely assessments to gauge students’ levels of standards mastery;

performance tests, including pre- and post-testing measurements (GPSCCS); monitoring of

journals and portfolios; observations; teacher-designed tests; and evaluation of writing samples

that focus on the development of expository, persuasive, and analytic writing skills.

Collaborative Teams will track student performance for each content standard by standards to

expand student strengths and to develop areas of academic weakness.

Where corrective action is necessary, because student achievement has fallen below established

standards, we will use one or more of the following procedures as necessary:


Early Intervention Program

Increase use of Running Records, Fluency Practice,

After-school tutoring and mentoring

Computerized instructional programs to track student progress and provide practice on

skills needed

Small group instruction, emphasizing individual learning styles

Parent and home-learning programs

IAS will work with the school district to develop and submit an Annual Report (Evaluation Plan)

to Cobb County Public Schools. Analysis of the data and the required comparisons will be

conducted by the CCSD and reported to IAS in the same manner as other schools in the District.

The plan will set forth the levels of achievement that IAS will meet or exceed on the State and

District student assessments, student and stakeholder surveys, student and staff retention and

unique objectives. IAS recognizes that, in addition to student achievement results, IAS will be

evaluated on the number of students who enroll and complete the school year and the teachers

who remain on staff. These data will be maintained at the school and reported to the CCSD at the

end of each academic year. The report/plan will identify projected levels of achievement on

student assessments, results of student assessments, results of the annual student and stakeholder

surveys, information regarding student and staff retention, as well as an update on the charter

objectives. This information will be maintained through the CSIS database at the school and

reported to CCSD at the end of each year. (Note- All reporting to CCSD will be done in the

format required by the district). The Full Academic Year (FAY) rates will be reviewed in the

annual report provided to Cobb County no later than October 1st of each school year. The FAY

students will be verified on the DOE AYP portal annually. Staff reporting will continue through

the office of Personnel and Human Resources of Cobb County. Reporting will continue to

include, but not be limited to CIP, Highly Qualified and Unsatisfactory evaluations provided

during the same time frame as all other Cobb County Schools to the appropriate Cobb County

Administrator. All data reporting required by Cobb County Schools will be submitted by

deadlines provided by Cobb County School Departments (Assessment, Personnel, Finance and

others).

Financial Performance Measures

IAS will continuously monitor budget expenditures and revenue to generate a surplus

annually with an increasing contingency fund and expanded fundraising efforts.

IAS will implement sound retention and enrollment policies to ensure capacity of

building within 8% of projected capacity numbers.

IAS will complete an annual audit and outside review of Georgia Charter School

Association

Board Governance Performance Measures

Board will broaden relationship with Cobb County Liaison by hosting meetings with

Board officers on quarterly basis for review and feedback.


Board will develop a strategic training plan to ensure all Board members are

knowledgeable of school operations and Board duties & responsibilities. Annual Board

retreat will be scheduled each summer prior to school opening.

Board will broaden communication with stakeholders to receive monthly reports from the

parent directed School Advisory Council.

Charter schools are accountable to the public as are all other public schools. The performance

measures are in the public interest in that the stakeholders and tax payers of Cobb County should

hold the public charter schools to no less standard of measurement than traditional public

schools. The Performance measures for IAS are the same as those of any public schools. Tax

payers and stakeholders should be presented with annual evidence that IAS is meeting high

levels of academic achievement, being fiscally responsible for tax dollars and is being governed

by a knowledgeable and committed Board,

Admission of Students

The International Academy of Smyrna (IAS) is a tuition-free, public charter school serving

students kindergarten through eighth grade. Cobb County School District’s age requirements

will be followed.

In accordance with the Georgia Charter Schools Act of 1998 (as amended July 1, 2005), any

student living within the attendance zone of CCSD is eligible for admission, including students

with special needs and disabilities. IAS will comply with any redistricting that may occur during

the next charter term. Revisions undertaken as a result of a change in CCSD Attendance Zone

will not require a revision to the charter or approval of the School Board, so long as the original

intent is maintained,

Eligible students, those living within the Cobb County School District, must submit a timely

application as specified in the Admissions Timetable section below. All applying students will

be admitted unless the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level

or building. In such case, all applicants, except those given enrollment preference shall have an

equal opportunity of being admitted through a random selection process. Enrollment preference

is given to students in one of the two following categories, with the first receiving top priority.

1. A sibling of a student who is already enrolled in or accepted to IAS

2. A student whose parent or guardian is a member of the Founding or Governing Board of

IAS or is a full-time employee at IAS

Student who resides outside of the Cobb County School District will not be allowed to enroll in

the school unless they meet the criteria in O.C.G.A. 20-2-293(b), which states, “a student shall

be allowed to attend and be enrolled in the school in which a parent or guardian of such student

is a full-time teacher, professional, or other employee, notwithstanding the fact that such school

is not located in the local unit of administration in which such student resides.”


During the random, public lottery, once the available spaces have been filled, remaining names

will be drawn and placed on a waiting list in the order the names were drawn and not in the order

of submission date. If a student from the lottery results list does not register or chooses not to

attend the school, the first person on the ordered waiting list will be given the opportunity to

register. Should the ordered waiting list be exhausted, students will be selected randomly from

the general waiting list. This procedure will continue throughout the school year. The waiting

list will only be in effect for one school year; students must reapply each year for open spaces in

the school.

Recruitment of Students

The recruitment of students is a responsibility of the charter school. IAS, during the first charter

term, has been able to consistently recruit students and is currently near building capacity. IAS’s

strong academic record has made recruiting a smooth process. During the past two school years,

IAS has held a lottery to randomly select students for admissions. The need for a lottery

demonstrates that IAS consistently delivers a program that is eagerly sought out by families in

Smyrna and all of Cobb County. However, recruitment efforts will continue throughout the term

of the charter.

Recruitment for IAS will be supported by all stakeholders. Open House Tours, Special events

(i.e. Summer Solstice Party, Community Market), Orientation sessions and advertising in local

media will all be considered as recruitment strategies. IAS will continue to solicit parents,

students and staff to present to interested families. IAS will continue to participate in local

events to advertise and inform the general public about our school. Local groups will continue to

include, but not be limited to JCCPTA Council, City Council of Smyrna, Smyrna Golden

Kiwanis, Smyrna Rotary, 30+ Smyrna Business Partners, Georgia International Soccer

Association, and Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Further, the Governing Board will provide full

disclosure of school performance, programs, services and amenities available at the school via

website and during public meetings. Enrollment numbers will transition each year as students

move up from grade to grade. Enrollment will be maintained through school performance with

student achievement and smaller class sizes. Attendance rates have consistently held at over

95%. Parent communication and education will support continued success with high student

attendance rates. Class size will ultimately be based on two major determining factors (1)

financial sustainability and (2) academic achievement. The Board will continuously review

projections for enrollment, costs per classroom and optimal class size for teaching and learning.

The Board fully understands that under populated classrooms do not support the overall financial

health of the school; further, the Board fully understands that the over populated classroom can

hinder the academic achievement of students.

Admissions Timetable

IAS acknowledges that the recruitment of students is the responsibility of the school.

Jan 1 – January15 Disseminate accurate and up-to-date information about the

school’s educational program, services, amenities, application


procedure, and the admissions process through a variety of sources

that may include, but are not limited to:

Local newspapers,

Open Houses at IAS facility,

IAS website, and

Emailed alerts & E-newsletters.

January 15- February 15 Online/Walk-in Pre-enrollment

February 15 A application submission deadline

February 15 – February 19 Review applications for completeness and eligibility of students

(e.g. appropriate grade levels, attendance zone, non-district

applicants, etc.)

February 20: Advise parents of the status of their application, student eligibility,

date of lottery, and date of final notification.

February 28 Conduct public lottery. Announce names of admitted students and

waitlisted students.

March 1 Notify parents, in writing, of child’s admission to the school or

placement on waiting list.

Admitted Students Reporting

IAS will complete registration for the upcoming school year and will provide the names and

addresses of all accepted students to the CCSD no later than April 1st, prior to the year for which

the students have been accepted. In order to provide the CCSD with necessary data for state

funding reporting and enrollment monitoring, IAS will use the CCSD’s student information

system in accordance with CCSD specifications.

Student Withdrawal Process

Students may withdraw from the school at any time and enroll in another public school as

determined by Cobb County Public School’s Board policy. The principal or designee will meet

with the parents of a student who wishes to withdraw from IAS to discern the reason for the

withdrawal and to review options for continuing the student’s education. This Exit Interview

will also serve to ensure that students are not coerced to withdraw from the school. The

outcomes of the Exit Interviews will be forwarded to the Cobb County Public Schools

representative upon request and will be summarized in IAS’s Annual Report.


Curriculum and Instruction

As required by all public schools, IAS will follow NCLB guidelines and participate in the state

mandated Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)with the understanding that the state of

Georgia and 47 other states have adopted the national Common Core Standards June 2010. In

keeping with Cobb County School District implementation plan, IAS will provide a series of staff

development during the 2011-2012 school year to assist teachers with preparing to fully

implement Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) by school year 2012-2013.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Program will be the delivery method for instruction and

curriculum development. The IB Program does not supersede the state and national

requirements for student learning requirements and student achievement goals.

Educational Philosophy

At the International Academy of Smyrna, we believe that educational reform calls on educators

to modify their instructional programs so that every student achieves high academic standards.

Teacher instructional methods, the structure of the learning environment, and complex and

relevant ideas and materials can stimulate curiosity, creativity, and higher-order thinking in

children. At IAS, learning will be a process of discovery and constructing meaning from

knowledge, information, and experience.

The International Baccalaureate Program will be the primary delivery model for instruction, and

the curriculum will be standards-based. The IB “Units of Inquiry” will be aligned to Common

Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) beginning Fall 2012. Staff members will

continue with professional learning for IB and CCGPS each year to ensure proficient

understanding and implementation. Teachers will participate in GADOE offered trainings,

CCSD offered trainings and IB in-house trainings provided by certified IB trainers (CASSIE

program). Board members will seek the use of CCSD’s Pinnacle and Blackboard for teachers to

utilize curriculum maps, lessons templates, and resources. Should the request to CCSD be

declined, teachers will continue to revamp in-house constructed Curriculum maps and lessons.

“Learning for Leadership”

International Academy of Smyrna students will:

Develop a strong foundation in the basic skills;

Integrate curriculum across subject areas;

Create project-based activities;

Integrate computer technology and interdisciplinary activities;

Participate effectively in collaborative groups;

Infuse global and cultural literacy;

Exercise critical thinking skills; and

Practice problem-solving concepts.


Standards-Based Curriculum

IAS will use a standards-based curriculum, which is characterized by challenging academic

standards that provide opportunities for high achievement for all students. The IAS curriculum

is fully aligned with the Georgia Performance Standards and is implemented at each grade level,

building upon a solid content base in each academic subject. Students expand prior knowledge

through a scaffolded curriculum, focusing on inquiry and project based applications of key

concepts and universal ideas. Instructional practices vary, ensuring that teachers meet the needs

of students with diverse learning styles. Integrated units engage students in creative activities and

encourage them to make mental connections between disciplines. The four academic subjects of

reading and language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science are divided into strands that

organize them into essential information and skills needed by all students. Permeating the

strands of each subject are unifying concepts that provide links between the content that is

introduced and taught in each strand, enriching the delivery of the standards-based curriculum.

The curriculum provides students and teachers with world class learning opportunities, with a

focus on the following.

Learner centered results

Authentic and challenging materials and activities

Critical thinking and creative problem solving

Technology as a learning tool

A hands-on, minds-on approach to learning

Personal and global perspectives

Reflection and exchange of ideas

Interdisciplinary thematic units

Engaging students in a rigorous standards-based curriculum is essential to student achievement

and success. The curriculum characteristics allow for flexibility, yet maintain high and

appropriate expectations for all. The curriculum ensures that students enjoy the moment, and

learn for a lifetime.

Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS)

Georgia joined forty seven other states well over a year ago to develop a set of core standards for

K-12 in English language arts and mathematics. On June 2, the Common Core State Standards

were released. These standards provide a consistent framework to prepare students for success in

college and/or the 21st century workplace. These standards represent a common sense next step

from the Georgia Performance Standards. The Georgia State Board of Education adopted the

CCGPS on July 8, 2010.

CCGPS Timeline:

June 2, 2010 - CCSS Released

July 8, 2010 - Adopted by SBOE


2010-2011 - Communication and Administrator Training (Crosswalks GPS/CCSS)

2011-2012 - Teacher Training

2012-2013 - Classroom Implementation

2014-2015 - Projected Date for Common Assessment

IAS teachers will follow the above timeline, and an implementation plan will be developed to

ensure that all standards are incorporated into the curriculum.

The International Baccalaureate Program

Since opening in 2007, IAS has completed the first step required to be identified as an

International Baccalaureate Program school. The school is implementing the International

Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IBPYP) and the International Baccalaureate Middle

Years Program (IBMYP) and is considered an IBO Candidate school. (See Appendix A for

more information about the IBPYP/MYP). In the IBPYP/MYP, teachers plan activities, engage

students in the learning process, assess the success of their students in reaching the goals

established, and then reformulate the plan according to the results. IBPYP/MYP planning

documents further this thoughtful approach.

The IB Primary Years Program is designed for students of ages three to twelve and focuses on

the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world

outside.

The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Program’s written

curriculum is the six trans disciplinary themes. These themes are about issues that have meaning

for, and are important to, everyone. The program offers a balance between learning about or

through the subject areas and learning beyond them. The six themes of global significance are:

who we are; where we are in place and time; how we express ourselves; how the world works;

how we organize ourselves; and sharing the planet. These themes create a trans-disciplinary

framework that allows students to step beyond the confines of learning within subject areas.

The six trans-disciplinary themes help teachers to develop a program of inquiries–in-depth

investigations into important ideas, identified by the teachers, and requiring a high level of

involvement on the part of the students. These inquiries are substantial, in-depth and usually last

for several weeks.

Assessment is an important part of each unit of inquiry as it both enhances learning and provides

opportunities for students to reflect on what they know, understand and can do. The teacher's

feedback to the students provides the guidance, the tools and the incentive for them to become

more competent, more skillful and better at understanding how to learn.

The IB Middle Years Program is for students ages eleven to sixteen, and it provides a

framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the

connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective

thinkers. It is designed to: 1) help students find a sense of belonging in the ever-changing and

increasingly interrelated world around them, and 2) to foster a positive attitude to learning.


The program consists of eight subject groups integrated through five areas of interaction that

provide a framework for learning within and across the subjects. Students are required to study

their mother tongue, a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical

education and technology. In the final year of the program, students also engage in a personal

project, which allows them to demonstrate the understandings and skills they have developed

throughout the program.

Assessment is criterion-related, so that students around the world are measured against the same

criteria for each subject group. Teachers may modify these criteria to be age-appropriate in the

earlier years of the program.

.The IB program seeks to develop a positive attitude toward learning by encouraging students to

ask challenging questions, to critically reflect, to develop research skills, to learn how to learn

and to participate in community service. The “student as learner” is at the center of this

framework. Therefore, “outcomes” for this program are that the students should be/become:

Inquirers: Their natural curiosity has been nurtured. They have

acquired the skills necessary to conduct purposeful,

constructive research. They actively enjoy learning.

Thinkers: They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills

critically and creatively to make sound decisions and solve complex

problems.

Communicators: They receive and express ideas and information

confidently in more than one language, including the

language of mathematical symbols.

Risk-takers: They approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and

have the confidence and independence of spirit to

explore new roles, ideas and strategies.

Knowledgeable: They have spent time in our schools exploring themes

which have global relevance and importance.

Principled: They have integrity, honesty and a sense of fairness and

justice.

Caring: They show sensitivity towards the needs and feelings of

others. They have a sense of personal commitment to

action and service.

Open-minded: They respect the views, values and traditions of other

individuals and cultures.


Well-balanced They understand the importance of physical and mental

balance and personal well-being.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning

and analyze their personal strengths and weaknesses in a

constructive manner.

The “student as learner” is at the center of the IB framework. Therefore, “outcomes”

are that the students should develop the following traits.

Inquirers: Their natural curiosity has been nurtured. They have acquired the

skills necessary to conduct purposeful, constructive research. They

actively enjoy learning.

Thinkers: They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and

creatively to make sound decisions and solve complex problems.

Communicators: They receive and express ideas and information confidently in more

than one language, including the language of mathematical symbols.

Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and have the

confidence and independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and

strategies.

Knowledgeable: They have spent time in our schools exploring themes which have

global relevance and importance.

Principled They have integrity, honesty and a sense of fairness and justice.

Caring They show sensitivity towards the needs and feelings of others. They

have a sense of personal commitment to action and service.

Open-minded They respect the views, values and traditions of other individuals and

cultures.

Well-balanced They understand the importance of physical and mental balance and

personal well-being.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and analyze

their personal strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner.

Character Education

Understanding that the K – 8 grades are the most critical for helping students develop positive

character traits, IAS will provide interdisciplinary lessons that teach and guide students toward

the following attitudes: 1) appreciation, 2) commitment, 3) confidence, 4) cooperation, 5)


creativity, 6) curiosity, 7) empathy, 8) enthusiasm, 9) independence, 10) integrity, 11) respect,

and 12) tolerance.

The overarching program to guide student thinking and interactions concerning character

education is the “Bucket Filler for Life Program,” developed by Dr. Donald O. Clifton who co-

authored “How Full Is your Bucket”. The “bucket” program correlates and aligns to the twelve

Character Attributes for IB, and it offers a simplified metaphor for students, parents and staff to

easily adopt, implement and follow.

“We all carry an invisible bucket. This bucket contains our feelings. When our

bucket is full, we feel great; when it’s empty, we feel empty. A bucket filler is

someone who says or does nice things for other people. By doing this, they are

filling other people’s buckets and filling their own bucket at the same time. On the

other hand, a bucket dipper says or does things to cause other people to feel bad.

This simple but profound philosophy applies to every aspect of life.”

Both IB Attitudes and the Bucket Filling program foster innovative approaches to increase

positive behavior and positive student and staff interactions. Both programs promote teaching

and practice opportunities to allow students to take responsibility for their behavior, to self-

correct and to work toward positive, responsible behaviors.

Instructional Methodologies

Instructional methodology makes a major difference in the quality of the educational process.

At IAS, teachers are expected to use a variety of research-based instructional methods in their

classrooms, and these methods should be determined after careful review of formal and informal

assessments. The school’s expectations, specifically, include the following elements.

A focus on higher-order thinking competencies

A central set of essential methodologies that are used in all classrooms at all grade levels

A repertoire of supporting methods that enable effective individualization and adjustments

based on data-driven decision making processes

The use of 21st Century methodologies for learning.

Higher-Order Thinking Competencies

Mastery of a rigorous standards-based curriculum and success at performance-based assessment

requires that students be engaged in active learning and higher-order thinking skills as a routine

part of their school experience. For all age groups, IAS teachers are expected to choose

instructional methods that infuse growth in thinking and construction of meaning as part of the

academic experience.


Central Set of Essential Methodologies

A central set of research-based practices will be infused into the instructional program at IAS.

These include cooperative learning, critical thinking, home learning and practice, questioning

methodologies, choosing learning goals, summarization, and note-taking competencies.

Classroom activities become meaningful experiences only when students think and act upon

them. IAS’s instructional methods are designed to promote active involvement and engagement

in learning. Research shows that active learning methods are critical to student success. The

following methods will be implemented in all IAS classrooms.

Cooperative Learning

While many challenges in life are faced using one’s individual abilities, two important realities

must be faced by any effective school:

Employment opportunities in an information age favor people able to work effectively

with others

Research on effective organizations reveals that team learning - the process of people

sharing strengths and solving problems as a team - is an essential element

Students will not be prepared for the 21st century unless they master these essential workplace

competencies as a routine part of their school experience. For these reasons, IAS will infuse age

appropriate cooperative learning processes into every classroom.

Critical Thinking Strategies

Research shows that students are more engaged and make better connections between existing

and new knowledge when they have recurring opportunities for generating and testing

hypotheses. Through applying these methods across the curriculum by predicting what happens

next in a story, hypothesizing why an historical event occurred, or testing ideas about what will

happen in a science experiment, students will practice and apply tools necessary to generate and

test hypotheses.

Specific Feedback on Home Learning and Practice

IAS students will have home learning and homework responsibilities. They will all be required

to practice essential skills and competencies in order to develop proficiency. Specific and timely

feedback will always be provided to students on their home learning efforts and the impact of

their practice. Students will understand that home learning is a time to both improve proficiency

and to generate questions. Home learning activities will be followed up in the classroom to

provide students with specific feedback.

Questioning Methodologies

IAS’s teachers will use a variety of question formats to engage students with differing learning

styles. Question variations will enable students to remember, reason, relate, and imagine.


Students will be taught questioning techniques to guide clarification processes and focus on

problem solving behaviors. Students will be taught to recognize cues to understanding in both

written and oral contexts. Through a variety of methods such as concept maps, time tables, flow

charts, and time lines, they will learn to organize their work and focus attention on key issues.

Choosing Goals and Objectives and Systematic Feedback

Becoming a life-long learner requires early student engagement in selecting learning objectives

and seeking feedback on the quality of one’s understandings and performance competencies.

IAS’s instructional methodologies guide students in the process of selecting learning goals to

which the student makes a personal commitment. We teach students to clarify their learning

objectives for the tasks assigned. Our students will be taught to seek out and make use of

feedback from others to improve the quality of their understanding and performance skills.

Student learning portfolios will be used to enable students to focus on priority objectives and

gather work products, which will serve as a basis for feedback reflecting growth toward mastery

of their targeted objectives.

Summarizing and Note Taking

Comprehension is a critical element in successful learning. Comprehension is accelerated by

recurring opportunities for students to summarize the essential meaning of the subject under

study. Students will be taught note-taking techniques so that key points are recognized and

recorded as tools for later review and study. The use of summaries and note taking enhances

students’ ability to recognize key concepts, think, and express themselves in writing while

expanding their vocabulary in the academic disciplines being studied.

Supporting Methods

The general practice methods described will set a basic pattern to the learning activities typical in

an IAS classroom. Teachers will use assessment information and direct observation of student

performance to select additional and supplementary instructional methods to enhance student

achievement. They will select strategies from a well-defined research-based repertoire of

methods, which includes individualized instruction and group learning processes. Some methods

will be used across the curriculum and others are specific to particular academic disciplines.

Parental Involvement Activities: IAS will encourage a “curriculum of the home” that is

linked to and supportive of the student’s responsibilities at school. The methods that

involve parents effectively in the child’s education include daily parent-child

conversations about what is happening at school, encouraging student reading (academic

and leisure), and parent-child discussion about the leisure reading. It includes thoughtful

parental monitoring of television watching. It involves active support and interest in the

student’s schoolwork. IAS will encourage these parent-child relationships and provide

support to parents in nurturing the home-school connection.

Time on Task – As a Curricular Focus: Learning tasks are centered on the standards-based

core curriculum. As a general rule, the more time students spend on core academic


disciplines, the higher they will achieve. IAS’s teachers will design activities that focus

student use of time on academic content. Attention will be directed to the content and

performance skills that should be mastered at specific grade levels and ages. Learners

who are actively engaged in learning tasks that focus on explicit instructional objectives

make more progress toward achieving those objectives.

Direct Teaching: An approach to learning requires that students construct knowledge and

meaning. Application of a constructivist strategy to a standards-based curriculum requires

a balance of student inquiry and direct teaching. IAS’s teachers will use direct teaching to

enhance student ability to construct knowledge and make content connections. These

include:

Daily review of essential concepts, homework, and re-teaching;

Engagement with new content/skills, but in small steps;

Guided student practice with careful teacher monitoring;

Clarifying feedback and reinforcement of success;

Individual practice;

Weekly and monthly reviews of key content/skills.

Teaching/Learning Strategies: Students will be taught to monitor and manage their own

learning. This includes learning to plan, allocate time, and review prior learning. This

will be accomplished by:

Teachers modeling these behaviors for students;

Guided practice where students plan learning strategies with teacher help;

Independent student application of learning strategies to master specific

instructional objectives.

Tutoring: Students learn at different rates. Individualized assistance helps focus student

effort and provides additional time on task. Teachers at IAS provide additional

assistance, through tutoring, as needed.

Competency-Based Learning: IAS’s instructional methodologies are not designed to

“cover” the curriculum, but to enable students to master it. Competency-based or

mastery learning focuses on clear identification of the concepts to be mastered, on-going

assessment to measure actual learning, and adjustments in instruction based on

assessments. Feedback systems and re-teaching processes will be used to help students

until mastery is accomplished. This process is documented through Individualized

Learning Plans that are developed for each student at IAS.

1. A focus on higher-order thinking competencies

Mastery of a rigorous standards-based curriculum and success at performance-based

assessment requires that students be engaged in active learning and higher-order thinking

skills as a routine part of their school experience. For all age groups, our teachers choose


instructional methods that infuse growth in thinking and construction of meaning as part of

the academic experience.

2. A central set of essential methodologies that are used in all classrooms at all grade levels

A central set of research-based practices will be infused into the instructional program at IAS.

These include cooperative learning, critical thinking, home learning and practice, questioning

methodologies, choosing learning goals, summarization, and note-taking competencies.

Classroom activities become meaningful experiences only when students think and act upon

them. IAS’s instructional methods are designed to promote active involvement and engagement

in learning. Research shows that active learning methods are critical to student success. The

following methods will be implemented in all IAS classrooms.

Cooperative Learning

While many challenges in life are faced using one’s individual abilities, two important realities

must be faced by any effective school:

Employment opportunities in an information age favor people able to work effectively

with others

Research on effective organizations reveals that team learning - the process of people

sharing strengths and solving problems as a team - is an essential element

Students will not be prepared for the 21st century unless they master these essential workplace

competencies as a routine part of their school experience. For these reasons, IAS will infuse age

appropriate cooperative learning processes into every classroom.

Critical Thinking Strategies

Research shows that students are more engaged and make better connections between existing

and new knowledge when they have recurring opportunities for generating and testing

hypotheses. Through applying these methods across the curriculum by predicting what happens

next in a story, hypothesizing why an historical event occurred, or testing ideas about what will

happen in a science experiment, students will practice and apply tools necessary to generate and

test hypotheses.

Specific Feedback on Home Learning and Practice

IAS students will have home learning and homework responsibilities. They will all be required

to practice essential skills and competencies in order to develop proficiency. Specific and timely

feedback will always be provided to students on their home learning efforts and the impact of

their practice. Students will understand that home learning is a time to both improve proficiency

and to generate questions. Home learning activities will be followed up in the classroom to

provide students with specific feedback.


Questioning Methodologies

IAS’s teachers will use a variety of question formats to engage students with differing learning

styles. Question variations will enable students to remember, reason, relate, and imagine.

Students will be taught questioning techniques to guide clarification processes and focus on

problem solving behaviors. Students will be taught to recognize cues to understanding in both

written and oral contexts. Through a variety of methods such as concept maps, time tables, flow

charts, and time lines, they will learn to organize their work and focus attention on key issues.

Choosing Goals and Objectives and Systematic Feedback

Becoming a life-long learner requires early student engagement in selecting learning objectives

and seeking feedback on the quality of one’s understandings and performance competencies.

IAS’s instructional methodologies guide students in the process of selecting learning goals to

which the student makes a personal commitment. We teach students to clarify their learning

objectives for the tasks assigned. Our students will be taught to seek out and make use of

feedback from others to improve the quality of their understanding and performance skills.

Student learning portfolios will be used to enable students to focus on priority objectives and

gather work products, which will serve as a basis for feedback reflecting growth toward mastery

of their targeted objectives.

Summarizing and Note Taking

Comprehension is a critical element in successful learning. Comprehension is accelerated by

recurring opportunities for students to summarize the essential meaning of the subject under

study. Students will be taught note-taking techniques so that key points are recognized and

recorded as tools for later review and study. The use of summaries and note taking enhances

students’ ability to recognize key concepts, think, and express themselves in writing while

expanding their vocabulary in the academic disciplines being studied.

21st Century Methodologies as Learning Tools

Students will apply strategies they will be expected to perform in the workplace. Our students

will learn to use the following elements:

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Students will be trained to use systems thinking,

continuous process improvement methods, and data analysis tools for problem solving.

Students will apply these concepts to their schoolwork to prepare them for the workplace

and higher education.

Learning Organization Paradigm: Research has identified the behaviors and

characteristics of people in highly successful organizations. Schools must foster the

emergence of these characteristics such as personal mastery, shared vision, mental models,

team learning, and systems thinking in students. IAS’s teachers will model these learning

organization behaviors for students and parents. Our instructional methods enable our

students to learn the skills needed for effective participation in the workplace.


Project-Based Learning: Projects are a central part of the IAS’s multidisciplinary

instruction. Teachers will plan projects that support grade level themes. Students will be

required to develop individual and group projects every nine weeks. Project-based

learning is an effective strategy to extend student learning. Projects allow students to

investigate, construct knowledge, problem solve, and use multiple forms of creative

expression. Technology is an integral part of student presentations and displays. Students

will work individually or in groups to prepare presentations, produce products, or extend

knowledge. Projects help students build conceptual understanding and provide

opportunities to engage students in meaningful, creative activities.

Learning Centers: A learning center contains a collection of activities or materials

designed to teach, reinforce, or extend a particular skill or concept. Centers motivate

students’ exploration of topics. Our centers will focus on important learning concepts,

contain materials that promote individual student growth toward goals, and include

activities that address specific learning levels or learning styles.

Flexible Uses of Time and Variable Grouping Strategies: Students, working in small

learning teams, will use a variety of competencies as learning tools. Groups will rotate

from task to task based on teacher and student developed schedules. Different groups may

be doing different tasks. For example, a small group may be working with a teacher in a

directed learning activity while other groups work on personal learning projects

cooperatively agreed upon by student, teacher, and parent, while others work on

technology supported instruction. Yet another group may be engaged in cooperative

learning projects while others work on portfolios related to school or personal learning

goals to share with parents.

Personal Learning Goals: One of the core purposes of education is to enable the students

to take over their own education and become lifelong learners. Like other skills, you must

“do it” to master it. Therefore, every IAS student, in addition to routine school selected

objectives, will have personal learning goals. Such goals, selected by the student in

consultation with teacher and parent, will focus on something the student sees as a

valuable or interesting thing to learn. Portfolios, shared at intervals with parents and

teachers, will share student progress on these learning agendas.

Technology Literacy: Students will be engaged in mastery of the use of technology as a

learning tool of the Information Age at all grade levels. Grade appropriate activities will

be provided in each major strand of technology literacy:

Basic operations and concepts

Social, ethical, and human issues

Technology productivity tools

Technology communications tools

Technology research tools

Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools


Internet access: Classrooms will have computer workstations with Internet and

worldwide web access, on-line access to reference resources, and access to the school’s

instructional software collection.

Multimedia production for targeted objectives: Teachers and students will develop

multimedia lesson banks and projects in core academic disciplines. Students will have

access to software to review information or to prepare individual and group assignments.

Individualized software supplementation: Students are prescribed specific curriculum

support software based on identified individual needs and each student’s learning style

and learning goals. As possible, computer training for parents will be available.

Instructional Interventions for Students with Reading Deficits

Current intervention research shows that appropriate early direct instruction seems to be the best

way to address reading concerns. Reading is not developmental or natural, but is learned.

Reading disabilities reflect a persistent deficit, rather than a developmental lag in linguistic

(phonological) skills and basic reading skills. Children who fall behind at an early age (K and

grade 1) fall further and further behind over time. These findings contradict the prevalent notion

that children will begin to learn to read when they are "ready." The concept "developmentally

appropriate" should not suggest delaying intervention, but using appropriate instructional

strategies at an early age—especially in Kindergarten. In accordance with educational principles,

only reading instructional methodology that has been identified as successful scientific research-

based practices (such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension)

will be employed coupled with a census administration of a standardized test in reading (such as

the Stanford) in the fall during the second week of school for grades 1-5. Information from the

test and previous information from the statewide assessment program will be used to identify

students with reading deficits. In each of the five areas of reading instruction there are proven

strategies for teaching reading skills. Effective phonemic awareness instruction teaches children

to notice, think about, and work with sounds in spoken language. Children will be taught how to

manipulate phonemes by using the letters of the alphabet as well as focusing on phoneme

manipulation. Instruction will also focus on the connection between phonemic awareness and

reading. Phonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters of written

language and the individual sound of spoken language. Teachers use systematic and explicit

phonics instruction tools in the classroom and provide ample opportunities for children to apply

what they are learning about letters and sounds to the reading of words, sentences, and stories.

Teachers will review and assesses phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and

comprehension.

In addition, Fluency Instruction in the classroom will include modeling, student-adult reading,

choral reading, tape-assisted reading, partner reading, and readers’ theatre. With vocabulary

instruction many words are learned indirectly through reading as well as directly by teaching the

concept of a word. Classroom instruction will include using word parts to identify the meaning

of a word, context clues, as well as providing reference material in the classroom. Students will

engage daily in oral language, listen to adult read to them and also read on their own to develop

vocabulary independently. Students will also be explicitly taught both individual words and


word learning strategies directly by the teacher. Comprehension strategies will be taught through

explicit instruction and cooperative learning. Teachers will include direct explanation, teacher

modeling, guided practice, and application in their reading instruction.

Facility Plan

Description of Facility

IAS is located at 2144 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna, Georgia, 30080. A Facility Map is included

in Appendix This building is part of a commercial center and is in compliance with all building

code standards and regulations and fire, safety, environmental and accessibility requirements.

The Board will seek to purchase the property before the end of the Charter (2017), but will

continue to lease the property for the amount outlined in the five year forecast. The Board will

seek to expand the site by renovating the top floor of the school to offer additional classrooms,

expanded media center and technology labs by 2017. To complete this project, the Board will

seek financing and use funds raised through grants and donations. Neither the land nor the

building is provided by CCSD, but the system has full inspection rights throughout the term of

the charter. No later than 135 days prior to the proposed opening date of the school, IAS will

submit for review and approval all needed information to CCSD.

If the facility undergoes construction or renovation prior to occupancy or during the term of the

charter, IAS will contract directly with, and pay for the services of, appropriate design

professionals, i.e., architects registered in the State of Georgia and experienced in school design,

and engineers registered in the State of Georgia and experienced in their respective disciplines,

to:

prepare schematic designs and complete construction documents meeting all applicable

codes and the requirements of all applicable code-enforcing agencies having jurisdiction

over the project;

obtain full permits for land disturbance, erosion and sediment control, traffic control

measures, civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, mechanical

and fire protection, etc., as required by the scope of work necessary to obtain from the

appropriate jurisdiction a valid Certificate of Occupancy for the intended educational use;

and

Provide full “contract administration services,” i.e., oversight of the construction project

from conceptual design through issuance of the final Certificate of Occupancy.

It is understood that CCBOE has determined it will not include start-up charter schools in its

building program, provide charter schools with facility, land for a facility, or funding for a

facility. For all renovation, expansion or construction projects deemed necessary for the success

of the academic program, the IAS governing board will publish a Request for Proposals (RFP)

and will follow non-profit industry standards throughout the bidding process to ensure maximum

transparency. All construction and renovation projects undertaken prior to the opening of the

school or during the term of the charter will be carried out by experienced and appropriately

licensed and insured construction professionals who will perform all work in accordance with the


construction specifications, drawings and other documents, as directed by the design

professional.

IAS will obtain the Certificate of Occupancy, demonstrating compliance with all building code

standards, regulations, and accessibility requirements; fire marshal's approval, and state

environmental and safety approvals in no later than 60 days prior to the first day of school or

upon request by CCSD. The certification shall include, but not be limited to, a valid Certificate

of Occupancy for the intended educational use, endorsed by the local authority having

jurisdiction in the political subdivision where the proposed facility is located. Failure to submit

the required certification at least 60 days prior to the proposed opening date of the school will

result in the delay of the school’s opening until the following school year. Additionally, the

School System staff will be able to inspect the facility prior to school opening and throughout the

term of the charter. CCSD staff will be allowed to inspect the facility prior to opening and

throughout the term of Charter. Cobb County Program support will continue for Special Needs,

ESOL, Gifted, EIP and others as needed. CCSD Staff and Charter Liaison will continue to

interface monthly with IAS staff to ensure all federal and state guidelines for programming are

met.

Copies of deeds, leases, construction contracts, drawings and other documents relating to the

facility will be provided to the CCSDCCSD within 5 business days of final execution.

Compliance with Codes

The facilities for IAS will meet all building codes, safety standards and other regulations

applicable to public charter schools in Georgia. The principal or designee will have oversight of

building maintenance both day to day and long term improvements. Annual inspections and

checkups will be performed as required by all state operated schools. All major areas of facilities

will be maintained to meet building code requirements from the state of Georgia and the county.

The list will include, but not be limited to annual Fire Marshall inspections, fire distinguishes,

smoke detectors, HVAC, plumbing and kitchen. Contractors will be used for major projects and

maintenance. A janitorial company or in-house staff will be employed to provide a clean and

sanitary school environment.

No later than 60 days prior to the proposed opening date of the school, IAS will provide

certification that the facility is in compliance with all building code standards and regulations

and fire, safety, environmental and accessibility requirements? IAS understands that failure to

submit the required certification at least 60 days prior to the proposed opening date of the school

will result in the delay of the school’s opening until the following school year.

IAS will prepare a safety plan in accordance with O.C.G. 20-2-1185 and submit and obtain

approval from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency by September 1, 2011.


Financial Plan

The Board of Directors and staff members will be responsible for the financial

management of IAS. Staff members will be trained on the process and procedures for

money management. The Board of Directors will review the financial transactions of

the school on a monthly basis. The business manager, principal, and check signers

will follow the standard practices outline for schools to ensure appropriate segregation

of duties.

During monthly reviews of the budget, the Board and staff will make adjustments

throughout the year to ensure that the budget is balanced at the end of school fiscal

year. Action items will be researched and reviewed by the Board to determine which

strategies will be employed that are most beneficial to the school and least disruptive

to avoid deficits at the end of each fiscal year.

Any deficit occurring during or at the end of a fiscal year will be eliminated within the

next fiscal year. A detailed plan and budget for the next fiscal year must be provided

to and approved by the CCSD. No CCSD funds will be allocated to the charter school

the next fiscal year until the Superintendent or designee approves such plan and

budget.

.

IAS is currently transitioning from its former outside manager, Imagine, to an in-house

management corporation named The Learning Center Foundations of Central Cobb, Inc. One of

the major reasons for making this change was to establish a more fiscally sound foundation for

the school. The Board of Directors, made up of well-respected, business-savvy members of the

community, will have autonomy over budgets and expenditures. However, staff members,

parents and the community will provide input. Board member’s resumes, including addresses

and occupations, are located in Appendix J. Governance and corporate documents are included

in Appendix I: Appendix I 1 By-Laws, Appendix I 2 Articles of Incorporation, and Appendix I 3

Conflict of Interest Forms.

The operation and support of IAS will be the sole function of the Learning Center Foundation of

Central Cobb Inc., and the corporation will not raise funds for any other purpose. Further The

Learning Center Foundations of Central Cobb, Inc., will hereby:

a) Operate and support the charter school as the sole function of the corporation;

b) Not raise funds for any other purpose;

c) Submit a copy of the IRS application for tax exempt status or the letter of determination

confirming the nonprofit’s tax-exempt status;

d) Obtain tax exempt status with the first 18 months of incorporation to retain the nonprofit

corporation’s charter; and

e) Submit copies of the IRS Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax

for each year of operation.


The principal, with the business manager, will prepare and submit monthly financial statements

to the governing board. The financial statements will include a balance sheet and a statement of

revenues and expenditures reflecting a year-to-date comparison with the Annual Budget. IAS

will submit a monthly budget to Cobb County Public Schools in a format acceptable to the

District no more than forty-five days after the last calendar day of the month. The budget will

clearly indicate monthly debt repayment and will include a detailed schedule of all loans and

associated interest. IAS has consistently submitted these monthly statements to CCSD’s Chief

Financial Officer, Mike Addison, since IAS began operation.

IAS uses rigorous internal control policies based on the IAS Finance Manual. The manual will be

filed onsite with the school Business Manager who is designated a chief financial officer and

possess credentials in accordance with the Guidance accompanying the rule (O.C.G.A § 20-2-

2065(b)(7) for the purpose of developing and adhering to generally accepted accounting

principles. These policies will be reviewed by the governing board and principal to ensure that

these policies address legal compliance, conflicts of interest, signature authorities, government

access to records, accounting procedures, cash management, and budget development, financial

reporting, property management, and procurement. The policies will be reviewed annually and

updated as needed.

IAS uses a student information system for its own internal management purposes. This is a

proven software package designed to integrate the tracking of financial data with that of student

data that is used by ISNP. In addition, the academy plans to use this system to generate financial

accounting data in the format required by the State of Georgia and the Cobb County School

District. All student records will be fully automated and available for audit as required.

Cumulative files will also be available onsite for auditing purposes. IAS will comply with all of

Cobb County School District’s fiscal requirements.

IAS adheres to all of the statutory and regulatory requirements of managing federal funds and

will comply with all financial and performance reporting requirements set forth in the Office of

Management and Budget Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal

Governments and Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit

Organizations.

Any surplus funds remaining at the close of one fiscal year will be used to enhance the IAS’s

academic performance the following year, and a report detailing the uses of the funds will be

submitted to CCSD at the end of the fiscal year. Any deficit occurring during or at the end of a

fiscal year will be eliminated within the next fiscal year. IAS understands it will be solely

responsible for all debts incurred and gives assurance that the school will not contractually bind

the CCSD with any third party contracts the school may enter.

IAS will expect to receive all funds from the State and Cobb County School District to which it

is entitled under the CHARTER SCHOOLS ACT OF 1998 (as amended July 1, 2005) and any

other subsequent amendments. These will pertain to, but not be limited to, FTE funding, and all

such funding for transportation, food, school nurse, facilities and student life and encompass all

sources and opportunities for funding available for public schools federally and in the state of

Georgia. Accordingly, IAS will be subject to the control and management of the Cobb County


Board of Education in a manner consistent with the Charter Schools Act of 1998, as amended,

and the Georgia Constitution.

The financial reports to the Cobb County Public Schools may include, but are not limited to, the

following information.

Balance Sheet

Income Statement

Statement of Cash Flow

BVA (Budget versus Actual)

Notes regarding any extraordinary items

Monthly budget, versus Actual Statement, and balance sheet in a format acceptable to

the District within 45 days after the end of each month.

The IAS governing board is responsible for maintaining a system of internal controls in order to

provide reasonable assurance that IAS’s assets are safeguarded against loss from unauthorized

use or disposition, and that transactions are executed in accordance with management’s

authorization and recorded properly in the financial records. The IAS Finance Manual will be

used as the basis for establishing these controls, and it will be available on site for CCSD

inspection. . Individual’s responsibilities in areas such as the following will be delineated.

Financial Work Flow

Finance Transition

Segregation of Duties

Segregation of Duties by Job Title

Benefits Worksheet

Corporate Invoicing

Monthly Closing Checklist (includes the need to run FRX and review with personnel)

Year-End Entries

1099’s

Specifically, controls will be established in the following areas. Revenues, accounts receivable, and cash receipts Payroll Expenditures, accounts payable, and cash disbursements Budgeting and financial reporting Risk management School inventory

Financial policies and procedures will be available at the school and will be made available to CCSD upon request.

Risk Management

IAS currently retains Marsh USA, Inc. as the company’s insurance broker. Marsh USA is one of

the largest insurance brokers in the United States. A risk profile is developed for each school

and adequate insurance is provided to mitigate the consequences of identified risks. Risks

include those arising in the construction and development stage through to the opening and

operation of the school. The members of the IAS team are trained in Employer Practices to

mitigate those liabilities that may arise from inappropriate behavior. The IAS team will


continually monitor the operations of the school. Any and all end of year surplus funds will be

earmarked for the next year in order to improve school program based on end of year evaluations

and School Improvement Plan goals.

Below are examples of some of the identified school-level risks and their associated methods of

mitigation.

Property Casualty: Insurance; Maintenance Program; teacher supervision

General Liability: Administrator and teacher training; student supervision; Insurance

Employer Practices Liability (including Teacher-Student Interaction): Administrator

and teacher training and retraining; insurance

Employee Theft: Background checks, fingerprinting and drug testing; bonding of

employees who handle cash

Financial Reporting Misstatement: Monthly internal budget vs. actual reviews;

annual external audit

Attendance and Student Files Statistical Data: Random review and audit of student

files; daily review of attendance reports; spot checking of class counts.

Proof of insurance will be provided on an annual basis to CCSD.

In the unlikely event that IAS may cease operation, the board of IAS will notify the CCSDCCSD

immediately if IAS is contemplating the cessation of operations, and will cooperate with the

CCSD to the extent necessary to provide an orderly return of the students to their local schools.

If IAS ceases operations for any reason, IAS personnel and its governing board will cooperate

fully and be responsible for appropriately safeguarding and distributing the school’s assets and

winding up the school’s business and affairs. Should this occur, and IAS does not have sufficient

funds to pay its entire bill at the time it ceases operation, the CCSD will not be responsible for

IAS’s unpaid bills. The charter school will be solely responsible for all debts it incurs and will

acknowledges that it shall not contractually bind Cobb County Schools with any third party

contracts.

Plans for Audit

IAS’s fiscal year will run from July 1

st through June 30

th. Within 180 days prior to the end of

IAS’s fiscal year IAS will issue a Request for Proposals for independent accounting services

licensed in the State, according to the same guidelines applicable to public school systems in

Georgia. The cost of the independent audit will be borne by IAS. This annual financial audit of

the school’s accounts and records will be completed within 3 months after the end of its

respective fiscal year by an independent certified public accountant and copies of the audit will

be submitted to the Cobb County Board of Education. The Independent Auditor’s Report is

intended to be included in the Annual Audit Report, which is submitted to the GADOE, Office of

Charter Schools Division. If the Independent Auditor’s Report is not available prior to the

deadline set by CCSD, it will be sent to the CCSD as a supplement when available and included

as an amendment to the Annual Audit Report. Cobb County Public Schools will forward the

Annual Audit Report to the GADOE, unless otherwise directed by the GADOE.

IAS is subject to audit by the Cobb County Public School’s (CCSD) Internal Audit Services as

the CCSD deems appropriate. IAS understands that the Charter may be revoked or not renewed


by the Cobb County Board of Education if the Board determines that IAS failed to meet

generally accepted standards of fiscal management as described by the CCSD Financial Services

Division. IAS also understands a CCSD Internal Audit Report issued during the school year is to

be included with the Annual Independent Auditors’ Report when submitted to the GADOE,

Office of Charter School Compliance. Once the Annual Audit Report(s) has been approved by

the CCSD’s Superintendent and School Board, it will be forwarded to the GADOE by CCSD,

unless otherwise directed by the GADOE. IAS will furnish a financial statement to the CCSD

that discloses the projected cost of administration, instruction, and all other spending categories

for the charter school that is understandable to the general public and that will allow comparison

of such cost to other schools or other comparable organizations in a format acceptable to the

District.

All equipment with an original acquisition cost of $1,000 or more (as well as all computers,

printers, LCD projectors, and interactive whiteboards, regardless of cost) will be identified and

reported to CCSD each year.

Budgets

A five-year financial plan, presented in budget format is included in Appendix E, Financial Plan.

This Attachment includes, on separate sheets, a financial plan for the first fiscal year and a five

year budget. The financial plan includes an estimate of all public and private dollars available per

student and a monthly cash flow projection. State, federal, and local funding will provide the

primary sources of revenue for IAS; Cash Flow projections are located in Appendix E2.

Planned Fundraising Efforts

IAS will endeavor to obtain revenue for IAS from such sources as grants, contributions, fees for

use of the school facility, and fees for auxiliary programs at the school facility. Further, the

Board of Directors is investigating the issuance of tax-exempt bonds and is working with RBC

Capital Markets, the most active underwriter of tax-exempt bonds for charter schools. (See

Appendix E 1: Memorandum of Understanding with Financial Institution)

Upon approval of this application, the IAS will apply for Title X and any other funding grants

under the Public Charter Schools Program of the Elementary and Secondary Education

Food Service IAS intends to contract with a reputable food service purveyor other than CCSD to prepare meals

off-site and deliver them to the school. The cost for this service will be borne by the school and

expensed out to the participating families. Meals will be provided at a cost to the parents who

choose to participate in the breakfast and/or lunch program.


Since nutrition is important for high academic achievement, all food service operations,

including breakfasts, lunches, morning and afternoon snacks, vending machines, student stores,

school marketing classes, and fundraisers should offer food choices that provide the opportunity

for students to select products that reflect the nutrition principles taught in the health curriculum.

School meals will be wholesome, nutritious, and appetizing. The meals will meet the Dietary

Guidelines for Americans and other federal nutrition requirements. Several vendors have been

contacted and have given estimated costs to students ranging from $1.80 - $2.50 for breakfast

and $3.25 - $4.50 for lunch.

If the student population falls within the guidelines to be eligible to participate in the federal free

and reduced price lunch program, the school will continue to participate in that GADOE

program. The application for free and reduced meals will be included in the Student Enrollment

Package. Further, IAS will continue to: report to CCSD student participation for free and reduce

lunch; submit an independent application to GADOE for free and reduced lunch reimbursements;

and be responsible for accurately counting meals and submitting financial reimbursement claims

to the State Department of Education for meals meeting specified nutrient standards.

IAS features a designated area for food service that is architecturally designed to meet all

applicable health regulations. The food service area will be available for inspection by the Cobb

County Public Schools and the GADOE, and it will comply with all state and local policies,

procedures and requirements. A copy of the nutrition program’s audit results is contained in

Appendix F.

School Governance

Governing Board

IAS will be subject to the control, management and supervision of the CCSD Board of Education

in accordance with the Charter Schools Act of 1998, as amended and the Constitution of the

State of Georgia. IAS has elected to utilize a governing board as provided for in O.C.G.A. § 20-

2-85, or another similar board, which shall be subjected to the provisions of O.C.G.A § 50-14-1,

et seq. (Open and Public Meetings) and O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, et seq. (Inspection of Public

Records). IAS will be organized and operated as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the

State of Georgia. Meetings of IAS’s governing board will be open to the media and public and

will comply with the Georgia Open Records Law and the Open Meetings Law and related

regulations unless confidentiality is required by law.

The [Learning Center Foundation Central Cobb, Inc.] is organized and will be operated as a

nonprofit corporation under the laws of Georgia. [Learning Center Foundation Central Cobb,

Inc.] shall at all times maintain itself as a Georgia not-for-profit corporation capable of

exercising the functions of IAS under the laws of the State of Georgia, shall remain in good

standing under the laws of the state of Georgia, and shall timely make all required filings with


the Georgia Secretary of State. The Articles of Incorporation can be found in Appendix I2. The

Official Certificate of Incorporation has not yet been received from the state. The IAS governing

board will maintain by-laws that are reviewed and updated annually as needed.

Board member’s resumes, including addresses and occupations, are located in Appendix J.

Governance and corporate documents are included in Appendix I: Appendix I 1 By-Laws,

Appendix I 2 Articles of Incorporation, and Appendix I 3 Conflict of Interest Forms.

The IAS governing board will delegate the daily operations of the school to the principal. The

school's teaching and administrative staff report to the principal, who provides status and

information reports at the regularly-scheduled governing board meetings. All required paperwork

and documentation that is delivered to CCSD Board of Education will be written and/or

approved by the governing board.

Organization Chart

International Academy of Smyrna affirms that neither entity will discriminate against any

candidate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, national origin, age or disability in its

recruitment, selection, training, utilization, termination or other employment-related activities.

This structure provides IAS the best opportunity to fulfill our goal of providing a high-quality

education to the children of the area. The makeup and structure of IAS’s governing board will

reflect the interests of all community members, including parents and other stakeholders. The

IAS governing board shall have the responsibility of governing IAS as defined by the state laws

of Georgia for non-profits and charter schools.

Governing Board community representatives will serve staggered three year terms to further

insure that the continuity of the vision of the petition is maintained as outlined in the operating

Cobb County School Board

International Academy of Smyrna Governing Board

IAS Principal and Staff Parent-Community Advisory Council


agreement. Each new Board Member will undergo an orientation to clarify board member roles

and board standards. The Board will serve as the governing body of IAS. Procedures for

instituting and replacing Governing Board members are set forth in the Articles of Incorporation

of the organization and by resolutions adopted by the organization. Board members will elect a

Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. Each member of the Governing Board will be

fingerprinted, and members will not receive compensation from IAS for their services.

No member of the Governing Board of IAS shall sell, lease, or receive payment for providing

textbooks, supplies, services, equipment, facilities, or land to a charter school or other public

school in this District. To avoid any current or future conflicts of interest, board members will

receive training on this and annually will complete “Conflict of Interest” forms which will

remain on file at IAS. (See Appendix I 3)

The governing board will focus on policy issues and entrust the day-to-day management of the

school to the principal who will in turn be accountable to the Board for the performance of the

school and the teachers.

The Governing Board will be responsible for:

Maintaining the mission and vision of International Academy of Smyrna;

Managing the business, property, and affairs of the corporation;

Approving of the principal to administer and operate IAS;

Completing an annual evaluation of the school principal (using Georgia Keys

Rubric);

Setting overall curricular policy, including veto control over all elements of the

curriculum; (Other curricular matters will be the responsibility of the principal,

teachers and other staff members.)

Measuring accountability goals and objectives;

Establishing an overall policy for IAS;

Approving the annual budget of anticipated income and expenditures, and the

causing of the preparation of the annual financial audit report;

Filing an annual report to the School Board, to be made available to all parents of

all students of IAS

Reviewing the annual School Climate Survey and assessment data to evaluate the

effectiveness of IAS Improvement Plan*;

Interacting with the School Advisory Council (see below) to address the concerns

of teachers, parents, students, and community members with respect to IAS

affairs;

Maintaining written records of attendance and minutes of Board meetings;

Nominating community replacements when member terms expire;

Reporting to the chartering authority; and

Selecting management oversight to assure checks/balances for academics, fiscal

matters and board governance.

*Results of the survey will be reviewed by staff/administration, School Advisory Council, PTA

Board and School Board each June to determine what adjustments are required. Changes in the

program, schedule, and school operations shall be evaluated based on the percentage of families


expressing the need for change. Major changes will not be considered without a majority,

defined by the Board based on year to year enrollment, of parent support.

The Board has selected Education Planners, 61 Atlanta Street, Marietta, Georgia 30060.

www.edplanners.org to support and review progress with academic achievement, fiscal duties

and responsibilities and Board governance. (See Appendix O) This relationship is critical to

IAS as it is transitioning from outside management to in-house management. Assistance has

been received in negotiating the move away from Imagine, reevaluating facility costs and needs,

insurance, the general operation and management of the school.

School Advisory Council

A School Advisory Council will be established with subcommittees for each division. The

council will consist of parents, principal, teachers and community members and shall be a link

between the school, the community, and the Governing Board. It is designed to give parents a

voice in the operations of the school. The council will make recommendations and/or provide

key information and materials to the Board, provide advice to the school leadership, present

concerns from parents and communicate with and mobilize the larger school community. The

School Advisory Council will not have authority to dictate policies of the school nor issue

directives. It will include representation of parents at each grade level, and meeting topics will

include such things as the volunteer needs of the school, advice on issues regarding the

educational program (e.g., curriculum, extended day, use of technology), and the school

atmosphere and culture. It will also provide leadership on fundraising for the school, but this will

not be its primary function. In addition, the council may also coordinate "town forum" meetings

twice a year to get parental input and serve the needs of parents for information or discussion.

It is the intention of the Governing Board to provide an effective avenue of communication

directly between parents and the Board in an effort to maintain an adequate information

exchange and to assist in creating a culture of family involvement. The Governing Board will

ensure in-service training for School Advisory Council members in the areas of duties,

responsibilities, the Georgia Open Records Law and the Open Meetings Law and related

regulations (O.C.G.A § 50-14-1, et seq. and O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, et seq.

The rules and policies for operation of IAS will be set forth in the school’s Family Handbook

and Faculty Handbook. These handbooks, along with a Code of Conduct, will be developed by

the principal and approved by the governing board.

The educators at IAS work collegially to develop a school culture that promotes leadership at all

levels. The principal encourages and enlists teachers in the school leadership process to create a

more dynamic, effective, and democratic school environment. The school structure to be

implemented at IAS promotes leadership and professional growth opportunities as an integral

part of the vision and mission of the school.

The Governing Board is responsible for ensuring the Charter is implemented as submitted in this

application. They will provide oversight of the principal’s management of IAS. All school

http://www.edplanners.org/


personnel will receive training in and will comply with the constitutional rights of students

including, but not limited to, due process, prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures,

and First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and religion. IAS will meet state and

federal requirements for student immunizations, food inspections, hazardous chemical, and other

health and safety issues by regularly insuring that the school is in compliance by conducting

monthly (at a minimum) appropriate inspections in these areas.

A School Climate Survey will be performed annually and will allow parents, teachers and older

students to provide input about the school and its management. The survey results will serve as a

guide for improving school services. CCSD surveys will be used for staff, parents and students.

IAS will participate in all CCSD Stakeholder surveys, following the same guidelines and

timelines as all other Cobb County Schools. The Board and principal will meet annually with

Cobb County Charter School Liaison to review and analyze survey data, and the results will be

utilized to make improvements in the school program.

Resolving Conflicts/Addressing Complaints

The appeals process to be used for resolving Charter School employee and stakeholder

complaints or grievances will be based on the chain of command established at the school and

will be clearly stated in the employee handbook. (Appendix G) Employees will meet with the

principal to address a concern, and if necessary, the principal will take the issue to the

determined committee at the local school site for review. This may then go to the governing

board.

The policies and procedures for resolving complaints will be presented at orientation meetings,

parent organization meetings, School Council meetings, and Open Houses. All complaints and

grievances will be addressed in a timely fashion. Student – student conflict will be addressed by

a school counselor or administrator. Staff – staff conflict will be investigated and addressed by

school principal or designee. For parent –teacher conflict, the parties will be required to have a

face-to-face conference to discuss and attempt to resolve the conflict prior to engaging the

principal or principal’s designee. Staff complaints will be directed to the principal for review

and investigation. All criminal allegations will be referred to the Board attorney, who will

complete the initial investigation and contact authorities, if needed. Parents, staff, and

community members may also report to LEA Charter School Liaison to ensure timely review of

complaints and appropriate review of action taken to address the issue. The governing board will

speak as one voice. Stakeholder complaints will be directed initially to the principal. Should the

conflict remain unresolved, the Board will listen to the complaint in an open, scheduled Board

meeting. The nature of the complaint will determine Board response. Should the Board

determine that policies were violated, appropriate action will be taken to address and resolve the

concern brought forward. If a policy needs to be written to address the issue, the Board will

write a policy such a policy. It is understood that all complaints will not require further action

from the Board. It is further understood that all stakeholders who have a complaint will have an

opportunity to lodge such a complaint during a Board meeting after the person(s) have met with

the principal.


Instructional Technology/Technology Infrastructure

Overview of Instructional Technology

Technology is used as a tool in the school to enhance teacher instructional efforts. We believe

technology is best used to reinforce classroom learning and for assessment. In addition to using

technology to support learning, as age appropriate and specified in standards, students learn how

to master the use of specific technologies.

Technology Literacy: Students will be engaged in mastery of the use of technology as a

learning tool of the Information Age at all grade levels. Grade appropriate activities will be

provided in each major strand of technology literacy:

Internet access: Classrooms will have computer workstations with Internet and worldwide

web access, on-line access to reference resources, and access to the school’s instructional

software collection. All access for students is in compliance with the Children’s Internet

Protection Act. All students must have a signed Internet Use Agreement completed by their

parents at the start of school. Staff members teach students how to access programs and

utilize the internet with a focus on internet safety from predators, inappropriate sites and care

for equipment.

Multimedia production for targeted objectives: Teachers and students develop multimedia

lessons and projects in core academic disciplines. Students have access to software to review

information or to prepare individual and group assignments.

Acquisition and Distribution of Technology

The Board anticipates completion of 501 (c) 3 application by June, 2011 and approval by

November, 2011. During the 2012-2017 Charter, the Board will apply for technology grants on

the state and national level. Funding from the budget allotment for technology, combined with

state and federal grants, will allow the school to achieve three major objectives: (1) strategically

replace outdated hardware/software, (2) expand use of technology with purchase of new

hardware/software, and (3) outfit/update classrooms, technology labs, portable labs, and

classroom teachers with equipment and software.

Instructional Technology Plan Development

The development of an Instructional Technology Plan provides specific direction for the support

of a technology enriched school environment with technology integrated into the curriculum.

This plan is framed within the rubric for technology plans provided by the Georgia State

Department of Education (GADOE) and then submitted to the GADOE for approval to make

sure it has met the standards of the rubric. The protocol for all use of the internet will be

compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).


develop a Technology Task Force comprised of 8th

grade students, parents, staff and community

members (not to exceed 10 persons) to update the school Technology Plan and provide research

data to the principal for IAS instructional technology needs. The Task Force will be required to

submit an annual report and present findings to the Board on an annual basis after reviewing end

of year data (test scores, surveys and climate assessments).

The development of an adequate instructional technology program depends, in part, on the

infrastructure support provided to the school and classrooms. To that end, the school maintains a

comprehensive, standard local area and wide area network (LAN/WAN) plan, including wired

and wireless network access.

IAS will continue to fulfill the following duties.

Provide each of the K-8 classrooms with an appropriate network access.

Provide the inter-school, and Cobb County Public Schools infrastructure connectivity that

will interface with the school network(s)

Complete all reporting to CCSD through whatever system CCSD requires

Continue to update and revise, as needed, the strategic plan for acquiring and distributing the

technology needed to support the overall instructional program

Provide the technology needed to support the student information system provided by CCSD

The principal will serve as the point of contact and support for the technology infrastructure.

Insurance

IAS will arrange for all necessary and applicable insurance policies for the school, its employees

and board members.

Errors and Omissions Insurance - $3 million

Officers and Directors of Liability Insurance- $3 million

Fidelity Bonds - $100,000 (crime insurance)

Commercial General Liability Insurance - $ 1 million per occurrence, $2 million

aggregate plus $9 million umbrella

Automobile Liability Insurance – Non owned auto $1 million

Employees Liability Insurance

Bodily injury by Accident - $500,000

Bodily injury by Disease - $500,000 (policy limit)

Bodily injury by Disease - $500,000 (each employee)

Property – Dependent upon facility and contents

IAS’s administrators and governing board will be appropriately bonded. The levels of insurance

and bonding described in the petition will remain in effect and in full force throughout the term


of the charter, unless changed by a charter amendment. Proof of insurance will be provided to

Cobb County Public Schools on an annual basis. All workers compensation is administered

according to Georgia State statutes.

The insurance company providing coverage has a rating of “A” or better and financial size

category of “VII” or better, according to A.M. Best Company. Complete policy binders detailing

the terms and conditions of the policies will be provided to Cobb County Public Schools upon

request.

All insurance and bonding of Board members will be reviewed annually by Business Manager

and Board Personnel Committee. There will be no lapse of insurance for the school, staff or

Board members at any time during the school’s existence.

Legal Proceeding IAS is responsible for providing its own legal services and understands that the school cannot

use the CCSD’s attorney unless agreed upon by the Cobb County Board of Education and the

Governing Board of IAS. Should a third party name the Cobb County Board of Education or the

Cobb County School District as an adverse party in any legal proceeding arising out of any

action or inaction on the part of IAS, its governing board, its employees, its affiliates, or any

party with which IAS has contracted, IAS shall consent to join that legal proceeding as a party

alongside the Cobb County Board of Education. IAS will indemnify and hold harmless the Cobb

County Board of Education, the Cobb County School District, and any officer or employee for

liability for any action or inaction on the part of IAS

The Board has selected Education Planners, 61 Atlanta Street, Marietta, Georgia 30060.

www.edplanners.org to support and review progress with academic achievement, fiscal duties

and responsibilities and Board governance. (See Appendix O)

Operation

Non-Discrimination

The International Academy of Smyrna will be nonsectarian and nonreligious in its programs,

admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations. The Academy shall not

charge tuition, and shall not discriminate against any student on the basis of race, ethnicity,

national origin, religion, gender or disability. The school will not violate the anti-discrimination

provisions of any state or federal law.

Any discrimination complaints may be filed directly with:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

http://www.edplanners.org/


Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 1000 Alabama Street SW, Suite 4R30, Atlanta, Georgia

30303 – Telephone Number 404-562-6800 And/or The US Department of Education Atlanta

Office for Civil Rights 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 19170, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-31204

Telephone 404-562-6350.

Questions concerning policies and practices of the school may be addressed to the principal,

International Academy of Smyrna, 2144 South Cobb Drive, Smyrna, GA 30080. 678-370-0980

Resolving Conflict/Addressing Complaints

The appeals process to be used for resolving Charter School employee and stakeholder

complaints or grievances will be based on the chain of command established at the school and

will be clearly stated in the employee handbook. Employees will meet with the principal to

address a concern, and if necessary, the principal will take the issue to the determined committee

at the local school site for review. This may then go to the governing board.

The policies and procedures for resolving complaints will be presented at orientation meetings,

parent organization meetings, School Council meetings, and Open Houses. All complaints and

grievances will be addressed in a timely fashion. Student – student conflict will be addressed by

a school counselor or administrator. Staff – staff conflict will be investigated and addressed by

school principal or designee. For parent –teacher conflict, the parties will be required to have a

face-to-face conference to discuss and attempt to resolve the conflict prior to engaging the

principal or principal’s designee. Staff complaints will be directed to the principal for review

and investigation. All criminal allegations will be referred to the Board attorney, who will

complete the initial investigation and contact authorities, if needed. Parents, staff, and

community members may also report to LEA Charter School Liaison to ensure timely review of

complaints and appropriate review of action taken to address the issue. The governing board will

speak as one voice. Stakeholder complaints will be directed initially to the principal. Should the

conflict remain unresolved, the Board will listen to the complaint in an open, scheduled Board

meeting. The nature of the complaint will determine Board response. Should the Board

determine that policies were violated, appropriate action will be taken to address and resolve the

concern brought forward. If a policy needs to be written to address the issue, the Board will

write a policy such a policy. It is understood that all complaints will not require further action

from the Board. It is further understood that all stakeholders who have a complaint will have an

opportunity to lodge such a complaint during a Board meeting after the person(s) have met with

the principal.

Personnel

Hiring Procedures

The International Academy of Smyrna obtains the services of the finest teachers and

administrators available for IAS. To accomplish this goal, IAS will disseminate materials in

order to ensure that properly credentialed individuals apply for positions. Each applicant will be

screened by a team of professionals trained to identify individuals suited to the philosophy of


IAS. Extensive background reviews, including criminal background checks, are performed on

employees and sub-contractors working on the premise to verify past experiences and to insure

the safety of our students (criminal history background check to include both GCIC and NCIC).

Background checks are completed, or at least being processed, before the employee begins work.

This process includes the fingerprinting of all employees and others serving in an official

capacity and/or who have contact with students during the school day. IAS reserves the right to

mandate whatever testing of employees that is deemed necessary to protect the students.

Minimum findings that warrant exclusion include: any felony conviction, any drug conviction,

any crime against children, and any sex-related conviction. These criminal record checks and

fingerprinting will be conducted by an outside vendor, Georgia Applicant Processing Services

(GAPS). Copies of fingerprint cards are kept in the employees’ files, and the results of these

checks will be provided to CCSD upon request

In addition, mid-year vacancies, should they occur, will be filled using available advertising

resources. The hiring method and background screening process for mid-year hires reflects those

used prior to the beginning of the school year.

The qualifications of the teachers hired are within the mandatory guidelines of section 3.2 of the

SACS-CASI document Accreditation Standards for Special Purpose Schools. The teachers

employed by IAS will be fully certified, and IAS will comply with NCLB requirements for

highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals. Employment applications will have specific

screening language to ensure the quality of applicants, and certified applicants will be required to

answer the following four questions.

1. Have you ever received an unsatisfactory annual evaluation?

2. Have you ever failed to have a teaching contract renewed, been terminated from

employment, or been asked to resign?

3. Have you ever been sanctioned by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission?

4. Are you currently under investigation for any unethical conduct?

In addition, as part of the background check IAS performs on all new employees, we confirm

that their certification is valid with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. IAS will

not employ an individual to provide instructional services if the individual's certificate or

licensure as an educator is suspended or revoked by this or any other state.

IAS may employ or contract with skilled, selected non-certified personnel to provide

instructional services (such as after school programs) or to assist instructional staff members as

teacher aides. Background and fingerprint investigations will be conducted on such staff

members, as well.

To ensure the safety of students and the integrity of the school, fingerprint and background

checks will be conducted on all persons serving in a leadership capacity. The principal and

Governing Board members have agreed to be fingerprinted and to have a criminal record check;

a credit check and reference checks run prior to the CCBOE approval of this charter petition.


Within the first three days on the job, new employees are required to complete appropriate

immigration and federal income tax paperwork. They will also be required to attend a benefits

orientation. Employees are given a copy of an employee handbook (Appendix G) and are

required to sign an acknowledgement form indicating that they have received the handbook and

will read its contents. The acknowledgement form will be kept in the employee’s file. The

employee handbook includes descriptions of the policies and procedures that will be utilized to

ensure employee due process rights. The Employee Handbook to be used at IAS will comply

with Georgia law. A copy of the Employee Handbook will be forwarded to the Cobb County

School District upon its completion. See Appendix G for the Employee Handbook.

IAS expressly reserves the right to discharge employees after exhausting an internal due process

hearing. The school will include in the employment contract thorough, consistent, and even-

handed termination provisions that include appropriate due process procedures.

The governing board of IAS has legal counsel available to provide information and guidance

regarding employment issues. There will be a comprehensive system put in place by the

governing board to address employment related issues, employee grievances and termination

procedures. The Personnel Committee for the Governing Board will present candidates for hire

and termination during Executive Session of Board meetings, and voting will be conducted in

open meetings.

Human Resources Policies

All IAS employees are employed by the Learning Center Foundation Central Cobb, Inc.

Teachers’ salaries will take into consideration their experience, degree, and past employment

history. Guidelines for anticipated salaries are set forth in the financial projections for the

school. Staff will be hired on a year-to-year basis, with contract extensions recommended on an

annual basis.

The principal or designee will formally evaluate all teachers to determine whether the quality of

their performance is sufficient to continue as IAS employees. The principal will conduct

frequent informal teacher observations to identify strengths and professional growth targets.

Additionally, the principal or designee will formally observe teachers in the classroom annually

or twice a year, depending on the teacher’s level of experience. Informal collegial dialogue

about systematic improvement of student work will be ongoing throughout the year. The

principal will be responsible for directing performance improvement or taking disciplinary action

for IAS employees. The IAS governing board will evaluate the principal annually.

Should IAS experience a decrease in enrollment that necessitates a reduction in staff, certain

contracts may not be renewed.

Comprehensive health, dental, life, and disability insurance plans will be available as part of the

benefits package that will be offered to employees of IAS. IAS Board will seek to participate in

the state Health Benefit Plan as provided pursuant to O.C.G.A. §20-2-880 and §20-2-910 et seq.


All employees will be paid on a bi-weekly basis with a one-week waiting period. IAS uses ADP

to manage the processing of W-2 forms and paychecks for employees of IAS. Direct deposit is

offered to all employees. IAS’s business manager will be responsible for processing the

necessary paperwork for wage garnishments, 1099 forms, liens, student loan defaults, subpoenas

and court appearances, and vacations. All employee files will be maintained at the local school

site. IAS will manage time sheets for employees who are hired on an hourly basis and process all

information at the local school site.

As all Charter School employees are employed by IAS, they will not be subject to employee

collective bargaining. All teachers shall be members of the Georgia Teachers Retirement System

per Attorney General’s opinion No. U99-4.

IAS will comply with the provisions of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1903.2 (a)(1)

and will place all the requisite Occupational Safety and Health Administration posters and

related information in conspicuous areas, such as the Faculty Lounge and the main office of IAS.

Professional Development

Opportunities for professional development are an important component of IAS. Teachers

receive appropriate training prior to the start of the school year, with a focus on the delivery of

the PYP or MYP approach as well as IASs’ standards-based curriculum and the development of

integrated content units. On-going training and support will be provided throughout the school

year in response to needs assessments completed by teachers as well as needs identified by IAS

staff. Teachers are also trained to identify and respond to different learning styles. Knowing

their own learning styles and those of their students enables teachers to implement a variety of

teaching strategies and assessments and helps to insure the academic success of all students.

Staff Development will be aligned to addressing recommendations from the SACS Quality

Assurance Review Team Report and the IB consultant visit report, along with adoptions required

by the GADOE and Cobb County Public Schools.

The primary foci for staff development are listed below.

Vertical Planning and Collaboration

IB PYP & MYP implementation training

Reading Literacy Program (i.e. Lindamood Belle or other nationally researched program)

Math Literacy Program (endorsed by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics)

Interdisciplinary Instruction

Differentiated Instruction

Teaching Strategies That Work (i.e. Marzano)

Effective Classroom Management

Character Education


Special Needs Students IAS accepts students who require special education services and provides appropriate programs

based on students’ Individualized Learning Programs (IEPs) in the least restrictive environment.

IAS provides a full continuum of services to disabled students to the same extent as other schools

in Cobb. It is understood that some students may qualify for dual services (ESOL, EIP, Gifted

and Special Education). The master schedule will be reconstructed annually to accommodate

and provide appropriate segments for students who require dual service for special programs.

Identification

Students are identified for services as IAS in two ways.

1. Enrollment Process

Once a student has been accepted to IAS, parents are required to inform the Enrollment

Specialists if the student has been receiving services at his/her prior school and provide

IAS with a copy of the student’s current IEP. The IEP is then shared with the Special

Education Team and an IEP review is scheduled according to state and federal rules and

regulations under IDEA. IEPs are developed using CCSD Data portal (Goal View)

allowing CCSD full access to all IEPs.

2. Response to Intervention (RTI) Process

Students experiencing behavioral and/or academic difficulties in the classroom may be

referred to RTI. With the RTI requirements of IDEA, teachers are required to implement

strategies and interventions with fidelity for any student identified as experiencing

difficulties.

Student with emerging difficulties in school are first given Tier 1, universal support. If that help

is not sufficient, they are provided with Tier 2, more targeted interventions. If sufficient

progress is not evident at this point, the student may move on to Tier 3 for more intensive

interventions. Students with significant academic delays who do not respond to Tier 3

interventions may be eligible for Tier 4, special education services. When the RTI team refers a

student to Special Education, and all required documents have been completed and submitted,

the RTI coordinator provides parents with a Parental Consent to Evaluate form. The complete

file is then shared with the school psychologist and the Special Education lead. An Educational

Psychological Evaluation is then administered. After the evaluation, IAS requires the student to

be taken through the IDEA eligibility process. Should the student be deemed eligible, IAS will

provide special education services.

IAS will establish a Student Support Team (SST) and support team procedures. The SST will

address student learning and/or behavioral issues that may place students at risk of failure. The

SST will discuss reasonable classroom interventions, sufficient duration of interventions that

have been attempted, appropriate documentation, and data that has been collected. Based on the


outcomes of interventions through the SST process, the SST may deem it necessary to refer the

student to special education to begin the process of evaluating and determining eligibility.

Assurances

To the same extent as other schools in the CCSD, IAS will:

provide a full continuum of services to disabled students;

require teachers and administrators to attend the CCSD’s special education training

programs;

implement the same identification, evaluation, placement, reporting and due process

procedures and use the same special education forms;

submit to program review by state and local officials;

house all IEP;s on CCSD data portal (i.e. Goal View);

provide free transportation and other related services when required by a student’s IEP;

indemnify CCSD in the event the District is held liable for IAS’s failure to provide eligible

disabled students with the special education, related services, program accommodations

and due process to which they are entitled under state and federal law.

Evaluation

A. Initial Evaluation: After written parental consent has been obtained, an initial evaluation will

be conducted by a multidisciplinary team composed of those personnel required by law. This

initial assessment will serve to determine whether the student meets the criteria for disability in

accordance with 20 USC Sec. 1400, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and its

amendments.

B. Reevaluation: IAS will act in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act Amendments of 1997 Sec. 614 (a) (2) and, after written parental consent has been obtained,

will perform a reevaluation if conditions warrant a reevaluation or if the child’s parent or teacher

requests a reevaluation, but at least once every three (3) years.

Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)

The written individualized educational plan for each child will include a statement of the child's

present levels of educational performance; annual goals; measurable short-term instructional

objectives; the specific special education and related services to be provided to the child; a

description of the extent to which the child will be able to participate in regular education

programs and the extent to which the child will be able to participate with non-disabled children

in nonacademic and extracurricular activities; the projected dates for initiation and the

anticipated duration of services; objective criteria, evaluation procedures, and schedules for

determining whether instructional objectives are being achieved on at least an annual basis. .

Copies of all IEPs will remain at IAS.


Procedural Safeguards Notice

IAS will provide a copy of the procedural safeguards to the parents of a child with a disability

upon initial referral for evaluation, each notification of an IEP meeting, reevaluation of the child,

and receipt of a request for due process. The procedural safeguards notice will include a full

explanation of all of the procedural safeguards available (e.g. prior written notice; parental

consent; access to educational records; opportunity to present complaints to initiate due process

hearings; and child's placement while due process hearings are pending).

Least Restrictive Environment

IAS will ensure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities are educated

with children who are non-disabled and that special classes or other removal of children with

disabilities from the regular educational environment will occur only if the nature or severity of

the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and

services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. If the IEP dictates that IAS cannot provide the

appropriate services in the least restrictive environment, IAS SST will work in conjunction with

the District to determine the appropriate placement of the student. It is the intention of IAS to

work with CCSD to determine the very best placement of students with special needs. IAS

understands that, as with other Cobb County Schools, it may not be the appropriate school for all

students and will work with CCSD to utilize the most appropriate setting as it is understood that

every Cobb County School does not offer each specialized program for students with Special

Needs. IAS will indemnify CCSD in the event the District is held liable for IAS’s failure to

provide eligible disabled students with the special education, related services, program

accommodations, and due process to which they are entitled under state and federal law.

Teacher Certification

IAS will employ teachers who meet all licensure and/or certification requirements that apply to

the area in which the individuals are providing special education services. All special education

staff and administrators will participate in training, workshops and meetings related to special

education services, testing, as required by all Cobb County Schools Personnel.

Related Services Personnel

All personnel who provide related services (e.g., services provided by a speech-language

pathologist; assistive technology, psycho-social counseling provided by a psychologist,

occupational therapy, social worker, or mental health professional) to students in IAS will meet

all required licensure and/or certification requirements pertaining to their area of related service.

Screening Forms

IAS will develop screening forms to ensure that all federal requirements are met regarding

identification, referral, due process, evaluation, individualized educational plans, and procedural


safeguards. The forms will incorporate guidelines for assisting staff and parents in

understanding the nature of disabilities.

Treatment of Student Records

IAS will adhere to all confidentiality requirements and parent and student rights provisions

specified in federal laws. Upon request, IAS will provide parents with a list of the types and

locations of education records collected, maintained, or used in our school. A parent who

believes that information in the education records collected, maintained, or used is inaccurate or

misleading or violates the privacy or other rights of the child may request the information be

amended. IAS will decide whether to amend the information in accordance with the request

within a reasonable period of time of receipt of the request. If IAS refuses to amend the records,

the parent will be notified in writing of the refusal and advised of the right to a hearing.

IAS will designate an official custodian of student records who will be responsible for ensuring

the confidentiality requirements. Employees who will utilize the records will receive instruction

regarding the procedures for handling and managing confidential material and the custodian will

maintain a listing of employees with access to the records and a logbook of each individual who

has had access to the records. Student records will be available for audit at any time during the

year to ensure that funds are properly allocated. IAS will require a request in writing at least one

week in advance of the audit to ensure that the custodian and the principal are available to assist

with the files. We will also require auditors to provide proper identification and sign the

logbook.

Supplemental Educational Services and Remediation

IAS will fully participate and provide supplemental educational services (SES), pursuant to

SBOE Rule 160-4-5-03 and remediation in required cases pursuant to SBOE Rules 160-4-5-03,

and 160-4-5-01. The Student Support Team will oversee and monitor student progress, receive

recommendations from staff, and review assessment data to determine students’ eligible. The

staff will attend CCSD required trainings and receive oversight from the EIP coordinator to

establish yearly plans for students identified.

Release of Information

IAS will not release information from education records to participating agencies without

parental consent unless authorized to do so by federal law. Parental consent will be obtained

before personally identifiable information is disclosed to anyone other than officials of

participating agencies collecting or using this information in accordance with state and federal

laws.

English Language Learners (ELL/ESOL)

IAS will fully participate in the Cobb County ESOL (English to Speakers of Other

Languages) Program which is a state funded instructional program for eligible English


Language Learners (ELLs) in grades K-12 (Georgia School Law Section 20-2-156 Code 1981,

Sec. 20-2-156, enacted in 1985). IAS utilizes The Georgia-adopted WIDA (World Class

Instructional Design and Assessment) English Language Proficiency Standards and the English

language proficiency test, known as ACCESS for ELLs (Accessing Comprehension and

Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners).

IAS’ ESOL Program is transitioning from a discrete skills curriculum to a standards-based

curriculum which emphasizes social and academic language proficiency. The program’s

overarching goal is that students will use English to communicate and demonstrate academic,

social, and cultural understanding. To reach this goal, it is critical that instructional approaches,

both in ESOL and general education classes, accommodate the needs of IAS’ linguistically and

culturally diverse student and parent populations. To the extent practicable, IAS utilizes the

home language as a means of facilitating instruction for English language learners and

communication with their parents. IAS will continue to participate with the IWC. The primary

focus of the Cobb County International Welcome Center (IWC) is to facilitate communication

between the school and home. The IWC staff of trained language facilitators manages a network

of support services specific to the needs of the refugee/immigrant/migrant families and schools.

http://www.wida.us/

http://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS/index.aspx

http://www.cobbk12.org/esol/esol/iwc.htm


State Approved Delivery Models

The chart below outlines models of ESOL instruction. The choice of delivery model is under the

discretion of the local school principal and often is determined by personnel and scheduling.

http://flesolcobbcentral.typepad.com/esol/2009/08/cobb-articulation-of-state-approved-delivery-models-.html


Gifted Program (Accelerated Learners)

State mandated criteria are used to identify and qualify Gifted students for differentiated service.

These students are served through a resource class, cluster grouping and/or collaborative

teaching. IAS will select the delivery model(s) to be used. Any combination of models may be

used, depending on the unique needs and characteristics of the students.

New students (2-8) will be assessed in the fall upon entering school using the CCSD timeline,

requirements and assessment tool. IAS staff members will work with assigned CCSD supervisor

to ensure proper administration of the assessment process, scheduling of student services, and

notification to parents, testing accommodations, and parent education. Staff members will

participate in all required CCSD meetings and trainings.

Student Conduct

Safety and Order

Safety is the first concern for students, staff and parents at IAS. To ensure the safety of the

building and grounds, IAS utilizes state of the art security cameras and remote entry pads; access

to the school is limited. Staff, students and parents are involved in annual and quarterly safety

reviews to ensure a safe school setting. The School Safety Plan (Crisis Management Plan) will

be reviewed annually by Board and staff. The completed plan will be submitted to CCSD and

GABOE in accordance with O.C.G.A.20-2-1185 no later than September 30th

for each school

year.

IAS is in full compliance with all fire safety codes and regulations and the building has proper

accessibility to emergency exits. Evacuation drills are conducted for students and school staff on

a regular basis. The building is fully accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance

with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of Rehabilitative Act of 1973, and other

applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Students and staff practice drills monthly for fire and/or severe weather. The drills are logged on

the State of Georgia Fire Marshall portal. The staff reviews safety procedures for PE and recess

to preclude “stranger” danger. In the fall of each year, the Smyrna Park Police are invited to

present to staff and share concerns for the community and specific information that helps staff

supervise students in a city park.

IAS is in full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local health and safety laws and

regulations. IAS complies with the provisions of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part

1903.2 (a)(1) and will place all the requisite Occupational Safety and Health Administration

posters and related information in conspicuous areas, such as the Faculty Lounge and the main

office of IAS.


The safety and security of students and staff is ensured through the proper implementation of the

Cobb County School Districts’ policies and through effective staff training in the processes and

procedures for maintaining a safe and orderly school environment. IAS has its entire staff

available to monitor the classrooms, hallways, and school grounds before, during, and after

school.

Internet security is of the utmost importance. All school computers are updated regularly with

state of the art firewalls to preclude student access to inappropriate websites. A software

packages was installed to refresh computers nightly to limit access of computer pirates.

To create a school climate in which students feel safe and nurtured and are free to learn and

explore, the following learning environment characteristics will exist.

There is a warm, caring climate built on trust and open communication.

The school is a safe place, drug and violence free.

Students and staff are treated with courtesy and respect.

A sense of community is fostered in each classroom.

Students' creativity and curiosity are encouraged.

Students have time to summarize and reflect.

Students are involved in thinking skills that examine, relate and evaluate all aspects of a

situation or problem.

Students and staff work in an environment that promotes high academic standards.

Teachers and staff have a genuine concern for students.

Teachers are trained in conflict resolution/peer mediation techniques.

Selected students are identified and trained to serve as mediators.

Students are encouraged to teach their peers.

Student Discipline

It is the intention of IAS to use unique or innovative behavior management methods suggested

through the PYP and MYP approach which may include a “Peace Table”, peer mentoring and

debate techniques and any other successful strategies employed by teachers in other international

schools. The major focus will be to provide continued opportunities for students to increase their

individual level of compliancy in order to be good citizens who positively contribute to the

learning environment and positive school climate.

IAS adopted all current Cobb County Board of Education School District’s discipline policies,

including those dealing with due process, suspension and dismissal procedures. These policies

will be implemented to their fullest capacity, reserving the right to go beyond their scope as the

need arises. IAS will adopt and abide by all current student policies (“J Policies”) set forth by

the Georgia Board of Education. A copy of the Student Code of Conduct is located in Appendix

L.

In the event that a student with a disability should engage in behavior that violates the discipline

policies and results in dismissal or change of placement for more than ten (10) days, IAS will


immediately notify the student’s parents of the need for a manifestation determination meeting.

The student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) team will conduct a manifestation

determination meeting in accordance with the requirements of IDEA to determine the

relationship between the student’s disability and the behavior subject to the disciplinary action.

If the result of the review is a determination that the behavior was not a manifestation of the

student’s disability, the disciplinary procedures applicable to students without disabilities will be

applied. Otherwise, the IEP team will review the student’s plan and modify it, as necessary, to

address the behavior.

IAS follows the Cobb County School District procedures for recording student attendance in the

Cobb County Public School’s mainframe computer system. When truancy issues arise, IAS

follows the current Cobb County School Districts’ discipline policies and takes the appropriate

steps to correct unacceptable behavior. When a student is subject to long-term suspension (more

than ten (10) school days) or expulsion, IAS follows the procedures set forth in the current Cobb

County School Districts’ discipline policies and notifies the Cobb County School District of its

intention to proceed with the disciplinary action. If a hearing is requested, IAS requests

assistance from the Cobb County School District in establishing a hearing panel; if this is not

possible, IAS contracts with retired administrative judges from the community to serve as third-

party mediators on the hearing panel. None of the panel members will be employees of IAS or

will have a student enrolled at IAS.

Behavioral as well as academic conditions are required for student participation in

extracurricular activities. Special needs students are disciplined according to their IEPs and

modifications are made in school activities, if applicable. Newsletters, interim reports, report

cards, and e-mail are used to assist teachers and administrators in maintaining communication

with parents and families. In addition, student behavior is monitored through day-to-day

interaction with peers, teachers, and administrators.

Counseling Services

An integral part of IAS is the school guidance counselor. The counseling program at IAS

provides social, emotional, physical, and moral support to all of its students. The counselor has

contact with all students, whether in groups or during individual counseling. Different programs

are provided for students from kindergarten through eighth grade, depending on their needs.

Small group counseling sessions are conducted covering some of the following topics.

Feelings

Anger

Grief

Behavior problems in class

Absenteeism

Children of divorced families

Children of alcoholic or drug abusing parents


The counselor facilitates parent involvement and assists parents in locating and utilizing

resources in the community. Parents and staff work together to ensure that every child’s

potential is met.

Programs and activities such as “Red Ribbon Week - Say No To Drugs” will be supported with

activities organized by the counselor.

Transportation

IAS does not provide general transportation. Parents will be encouraged to carpool or have their

child walk or ride (via bicycle) to the school. IAS is centrally located, and, we are therefore

confident that most students either live close to or have convenient access to the school and do

not necessarily need a school bus to attend.

The IAS governing board and school leadership team will periodically evaluate the need for

providing transportation. However, the current enrollment indicates that the lack of school

provided transportation is not negatively impacting the school.

Waiver of State and Local Provisions

The International Academy of Smyrna seeks to exercise broad flexibility in terms of local and

State Board of Education rules, policies, regulations and procedures and or from provisions of

Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, except where it has been noted within this

application or that are not allowed by law.

The IAS recognizes that State law does not allow the following provisions to be waived:

(a) IASs Act (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2061 through §20-2-2071);

(b) the accountability assessment program (O.C.G.A. § 20-14-30 through §20-14-41);

(c) the Open Meetings Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1 through §50-14-6) and the Open Records Act

(O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 through § 50-18-79);

(d) federal, state, and local statutes, rules, regulations, and court orders relating to civil rights;

special education; insurance; the protection of the physical health and safety of students,

employees, and visitors; conflicting interest transactions; and the prevention of unlawful

conduct;

(e) laws relating to unlawful conduct in or near a public school;

(f) laws prohibiting the charging of tuition or fees to attend a public school, except as may be

authorized by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-133;

(g) the reporting requirements of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-320; and

(h) the brief period of quiet reflection provision of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1050.


IAS seeks to renew broad flexibility per O.C.G.A 20-2-2065(a). Having broad flexibility to make

swift decisions about such issues as hiring or class size restrictions allows our school to make the

best decisions for our students. Although we understand our ability to lay out a set of requested

waivers, we want to ensure that we are waived from any present or future laws that may impede

our ability to implement our model properly.

IAS will comply with all the requirements of the Single Statewide Accountability System. To

avoid any confusion that might be related to a “blanket exemption”, IAS specifically wishes to

identify particular sections of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia that is included in this

blanket exemption. The identification of these specific sections is in no way intended to replace

the blanket exemption, but simply to set forth specific examples that are of particular importance

to the school. Sections of Title 20 not listed herein are still considered to be waived under the

blanket exemption as permissible by law.

A. Waivers from Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia

1. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A. § 20-2-86 (Local school councils)

A. Designate the performance to be improved:

IAS will not utilize a school council, but will use a similar board, a Governing Board. The

Governing Board shall be composed of seven (7) members. The number of meetings to be held

annually will be determined by the Governing Board.

IAS supports the intent of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-85 and O.C.G.A. § 20-2-86 to have parent,

community and business involvement in decision making.

B. Describe how the charter will measure the improvement of such performance:

Achievement of the stated goals and objectives of IAS will indicate the effectiveness of the

Governing Board in providing guidance for the school. The level of parent involvement will be

another indicator of the effectiveness of this model.

C. Demonstrate how any such waiver does not undermine the intent of the waived state and

local rules, regulations and policies:

The model selected by IAS for business and parental involvement is consistent with the intent of

Local School Councils as prescribed in 20-2-85 and 20-2-86.

2. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-182 (i) (relating to Maximum Class Size (State Board of Education Rule

160-5-1-.8 Class Size) (Appendix A), and Cobb County School Policy School Policy IEC

(Class Size))


Maximum flexibility in class size will enable IAS to provide a program that best meets the needs

of its student population. The intent will be to keep classes small, well within state and local

mandates. Extensive use of technology will enable the school to deliver instruction in unique

ways.



Student achievement data will provide an objective measure of the appropriateness of class size.



The leaders of IAS understand the importance of small class size for student/teacher interaction

so that individual students receive maximum attention and assistance. Class sizes will be

determined by student needs, curriculum and methods of instruction to be used in a particular

class. IAS has developed its budget based upon a student / teacher ratio of 25 to 1. The maximum

individual class size will be 25.

3. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200 (Regulation of certificated professional by Professional Standards

Commission (Professional Standards Commission Rule 505-2-.09 1a))


IAS will work to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. While many of our teachers will

meet Georgia certification requirements, some staff members who work in specials areas will

have industry certification or comparable training and experience. Other sources we will explore

for highly qualified teachers will include the military and the university communities.


IAS will demonstrate that flexibility in staffing will result in improved student achievement as

we annually assess student progress and report that progress to the CCSD.

• Both state-mandated assessments and school-selected assessments will be utilized to

demonstrate improved student achievement.

• Teacher evaluations will indicate improvement in teachers’ professional skills and

knowledge.



In the spirit of the No Child Left Behind Legislation, IAS will aggressively seek the best

qualified teacher for every classroom. Depth of knowledge of content will be important as we

seek teachers who can teach to rigorous standards and are willing to be accountable for high

levels of student achievement. IAS reserves the right to employ uncertified, yet highly-qualified

and competent teachers.

4. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-201 (c) (relating to other appropriate organizations to provide in-

service or continuing education)


Ongoing professional development for IAS faculty will be a priority. Staff development will be

tightly aligned with the school curriculum, and its effectiveness will be measured in terms of

improved student achievement. IAS will look to a variety of providers in both the business and

education communities for high-level training for its staff.



Because professional development will be based upon a needs assessment for this specific school

and tightly focused on meeting the objectives of the school, there can be ongoing measurement

of improvement. Site-based professional development allows for constant feedback and follow-

up. It also allows for cohort training tailored to train teachers in meeting the needs of the school

population. The most valid evaluation of professional training is student achievement.


local rules, regulations and policies.

It is expected that the professional training required of staff at IAS will exceed that required by

the Professional Standards Commission’s policies relating to certification. Highly qualified and

highly trained staff will be a prerequisite for achieving the goals of IAS.

5. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-942 (1.1) (School Administrator)


IAS will be led by an experienced school administrator who has served as a high school teacher

and assistant principal.


The school leader will be ultimately accountable for the accomplishment of IAS’s goals. The

effectiveness of the school leader will be measured in terms of the overall success of the school,

including academic success, fiscal soundness, community involvement, and post-graduation

success of students (will be tracked through a longitudinal study).



The organizers of IAS understand the importance of strong, effective leadership in implementing

their vision for a unique, high performing school. Therefore, the board has sought a highly

qualified leader with relevant training and experience who has a proven track record of success.

6. O.C.G.A. § 20-20-1010 (State Board to prescribe textbooks) and CCSD Policy IFAA

(Textbook Selection and Adoption)


IAS requests flexibility in the selection of textbooks in order to implement a rigorous curriculum.

Depth of content will be considered in the selection of textbooks.


Textbooks will be one of the tools utilized to teach the curriculum. Therefore, student

performance data will provide a measure of the appropriateness and quality of textbooks that are

selected.




IAS will, in many instances, utilize textbooks adopted by the Georgia Board of Education. The

list will provide a basic resource for our selection committee. However, we request the flexibility

to go beyond that list in order to enhance our curriculum.

7. Terms definitions as related to sections in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-750 thru 20-2-759, specifically

definitions set forth in 20-2-751 (1) “expulsion” and (2) “Long-term suspension”


IAS will follow CCSD rules and regulations concerning discipline, suspension and expulsion

(see Appendix L). As a charter school, IAS will not have the authority to impose a long-term

suspension from the CCSD or to expel a student from District schools. IAS will fully cooperate

with CCSD in pursuing any action against a student that the District believes is appropriate. A

student’s decision to withdraw from IAS (since attendance at a charter school is voluntary) will

initially result in a referral of the student back to the District office.

IAS will follow the legislative mandates regarding student behavior as set forth by the State of

Georgia. As a charter school, IAS will not have the power as previously described above to

make certain disciplinary decisions about its students.


IAS will create a culture of high expectations for student behavior. Because teaching

work ethic is a major component of the curriculum, standards for student behavior will be

assessed along with academic competencies. Students will be expected to meet the highest

standards of behavior. IAS will maintain records of disciplinary actions in order to make

necessary reports to CCSD and the Georgia Department of Education.



Because a charter school does not have the authority to impose long-term suspension or

expulsion, IAS will cooperate fully with CCSD in pursuing action against a student who has

committed an offense for which long-term suspension or expulsion is designated as appropriate.

It is the intent of IAS to implement a discipline code consistent with that of CCSD.

Annual Report

IAS will provide an annual report to parents/guardians of students attending IAS, the local board,

and the State Board of Education. IAS shall make copies of the annual report available to the

community. The annual report will indicate the progress made in the previous year in meeting

the performance-based goals identified in this charter and include all state-mandated assessment

scores and state-mandated accountability indicators.


Appendices

Appendix A. International Baccalaureate Program

Appendix B. SACS-CASI Accreditation Letter

Appendix C. School Improvement Plan

Appendix D. Student Admissions Forms

Appendix E. Five-Year Budget

Appendix E1: Memorandum of Understanding with Financial Institution

Appendix E2: Cash Flow Projections

Appendix F. Nutrition Program Audit Results

Appendix G. Employee Handbook

Appendix H. Certificate of Occupancy

Appendix I. Governance and Corporate Documents (Appendices I 1 through I 3

Appendix I 1. By-Laws

Appendix I 2. Articles of Incorporation

Appendix I 3. Conflict of Interest Forms

Appendix J. List of Current Governing Board Members and Resumes

Appendix L. Student Code of Conduct

Appendix M. Facility Map

Appendix N. Community Partnerships

Appendix O. Transition Consulting Agreement

Appendix P. Cobb County School District Charter Application Rubric

Appendix R. Sample Calendar