Charter School Annual Site Visit Report Charter School Office BRONX COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL ANNUAL SITE VISIT REPORT APRIL 2010

Transcription

1 Charter Schl Annual Site Visit Reprt Charter Schl Office BRONX COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL ANNUAL SITE VISIT REPORT APRIL 2010 CHARTER SCHOOL OFFICE 52 Chambers Street, New Yrk, NY 10007

2 Part 1: Executive Summary Schl Overview and Histry: Brnx Cmmunity Charter Schl is an elementary schl serving apprximately 150 students frm kindergarten thrugh grade 2 in the schl year. 1 The schl pened in 2008 with kindergarten and grade 1 and plans t grw t serve students in kindergarten thrugh grade 5. 2 It is currently hused in a private facility in District The schl ppulatin cmprises 29% Black, 54% Hispanic, 5% White, and 2% Asian students. 77% f students are designated as Title I. 4 The student bdy includes 5% English language learners and 7% special educatin students. Bys accunt fr 46% f the students enrlled and girls accunt fr 54%. 5 The schl has nt yet received a DOE Prgress Reprt. The average attendance rate fr the schl year was 90% 6. The schl is in gd standing with state and federal accuntability. 7 Annual Review Prcess Overview: The NYC DOE Charter Schl Office cnducts an annual site visit f New Yrk City Department f Educatin authrized charter schls in rder t assess three primary questins: is the schl an academic success; is the schl a viable rganizatin; and is the schl in cmpliance with applicable laws and regulatins. The visits are cnducted by representatives f the New Yrk City Department f Educatin Charter Schl Office Accuntability Team and last the duratin f ne schl day. The annual site visit begins with a meeting with the principal and schl leadership team. Subsequently, the reviewers visit classrms and hld brief meetings with available administratrs, teachers, and students. Areas f evaluatin include, but are nt limited t: academic gals and missin; curriculum and instructin; schl culture and learning envirnment; assessment utilizatin; parent engagement; gvernment structures and rganizatinal design; cmmunity supprt; special ppulatins; and safety and security. The fllwing experts participated in the review f this schl: - Sylvia Rabiner, Educatin Cnsultant 1 NYC DOE ATS system 2 NYC DOE ATS system and charter agreement 3 NYC DOE Lcatin Cde Generating System database 4 Demgraphic Date drawn frm NYC DOE ATS System; Title I percentage frm 2008 NY State Reprt Cards 5 Student Demgraphic data is inputted by schl staff int the ATS enrllment database and summarized by NYC DOE staff. 6 NYC DOE Schl Prgress Reprt. This dcument is psted n the NYC DOE website at and is als included in Part 7 f this reprt. 7 New Yrk State Educatin Department - 1

3 Part 2: Findings What the schl des well The schl has high academic expectatins and emplys strategies fr the full range f students served, including special needs and English Language Learners. The schl has an inquiry prject based apprach t instructin as stated in the schl missin. Curses supprting this apprach are Reading and Writing Wrkshp, TERC mathematics, prject based Scial Studies and FOSS science. Examples f the prject-based apprach were bserved in the Kindergarten Engineering Prject, the Kindergarten Family Study, and the secnd grade Neighbrhd Study. The inquiry apprach with an emphasis n critical thinking and prblem slving was bserved in 2 nd grade Reading Wrkshp where students analyzed the behavir f characters in stries, in 1 st grade math where students slved math prblems using manipulatives and in Kindergarten Reading Wrkshp where students were figuring ut hw t prnunce wrds. The schl utilizes differentiated instructin and an integrated curriculum t prmte cntent prficiency and actively engage students. Every class is taught by tw teachers. In additin, the literacy and math specialists frequently visit classes t prvide additinal supprt. Students were actively engaged in small grup instructin, pairs r individual instructin in all classes bserved. Students in need f academic interventin are prvided with additinal small grup r individual instructin prvided by the Special Educatin teachers. A wide variety f multilevel texts and materials are available in all classrm libraries. The schl fsters a safe and cmfrtable learning envirnment which encurages bth student academic prgress and teacher prfessinal develpment. Teachers are prvided with cmmn planning time; ne and a half hurs weekly t plan, prepare and implement curriculum. In additin, the full staff meets frm 2-4pm every Friday t wrk with a cnsultant n a variety f schl issues. There is a tw week planning blck in the summer prir t the pening f schl. Once a mnth grade teams meet with the cunselr, math and literacy specialists and the directrs fr an in depth child study. Expectatins fr student behavir are cnsistent and evident acrss the schl. A scial curriculum is implemented in all classes by the schl cunselr. There is a lunch grup fr students wh need additinal supprt with behavir. Targeted students are als given a daily reprt card linked t their academic prgress which is shared with their families. Student vice and direct actin are encuraged by writing letters t members f the schl and wider cmmunity n issues f imprtance. Classrms are clean, attractive and well-rganized with an abundance f student friendly teaching tls, timeframes, and agendas t keep students fcused and n task. The schl emplys an effective assessment system and data tracking tls t mnitr student perfrmance and infrm teaching and learning. The schl emplys the Develpmental Reading Assessment which is given twice a year t Kindergarten students and three times a year t 1 st and 2 nd graders t mnitr reading prgress. 2

4 Math Assessments are embedded in the TERC math curriculum t mnitr student prgress. A writing sample aligned with New Yrk State standards is given twice a year t assess student writing prgress. A sight wrd inventry is given peridically ver the curse f the year. The Terra Nva Assessment is given in math and reading in the fall and spring. Multiple data surces, including teacher-develped assessments, are used t place students in flexible guided reading grups, math grups, and t identify students in need f further academic interventin. The schl maintains a cnsistent cnnectin t parents and mbilizes parents within the schl cmmunity as cnduits fr student success. The schl cnducts a curriculum night nce a year fr parents t meet with teachers. The directrs send a mnthly newsletter t families. Teachers send a weekly newsletter t families. The schl prvides mnthly family wrkshps n a variety f tpics f interest t parents. The PTA is an integral part f the Cmmunity Cuncil. The schl hlds academic prgress cnferences with parents and children. Schl activities are designed t engage family members, fr example, the pening schl parade and Winter Arts Festival. What the schl needs t imprve The schl shuld explre efficient glbal systems fr tracking schl data t insure cntinued attentin t verall schl trends and individual student prgress. The schl is encuraged t incrprate mre prfessinal develpment t supprt cteaching as all classes are taught by tw teachers. The schl is encuraged t cntinue its cllabrative wrk in curriculum planning and crss grade cnversatins t articulate the cntent f the additinal grades they will serve. 3

5 Part 3: Framing Questins FRAMING QUESTIONS: Thrughut the Renewal Prcess and the life f each schl s charter, the NYCDOE Charter Schl Office uses the fllwing framing questins t mnitr Charter Schl success: 1. Has the Schl Been an Academic Success? 2. Has the Schl Been a Viable Organizatin? 3. Has the Schl Been in Cmpliance with All Applicable Laws and Regulatins? Annual Site Visit Rubric: 1. Has the Schl Been an Academic Success? Academic Gals and Missin Schl cmpnents and curriculum align tgether and hlistically supprt the missin. Schl has high academic expectatins and emplys strategies fr the full range f students served by the schl, including thse at risk and thse with special needs. Curriculum and Instructin The educatinal plan is flexible and is adjusted t meet the perfrmance levels and learning needs f all enrlled students. Schl implements prgramming t address the needs f students with disabilities and ELLs. Teachers demnstrate the use f differentiated instructinal techniques t supprt the varying ways by which students learn. Schl has implemented prgramming fr students wh need remediatin r acceleratin. Schl Culture The culture is strng, intentinal, supprtive and sustainable and prmtes student learning. The schl mtivates all students and respects the diversity f learners and cultures in the cmmunity. Schl ffers prgrams, activities r supprt services beynd academics t address students scial and emtinal needs. Schl calendar and day are set t prvide extra supprts t ensure that students are able t meet and exceed academic gals. Schedule fr cmmunicatin t parents/students is timely and allws fr due prcess, includes strategies t prepare students fr transitins and strategies fr thse students wh are nt n schedule, presents a clear and fair system that cmplies with students due prcess rights. Structures that fster the develpment f authentic, sustained, caring, respectful relatinships amng all stakehlders within schl. Behaviral expectatins and scial supprts that reflect the schl s missin and cmply with all applicable laws and regulatins. Assessment Establishes a culture f cntinuus imprvement and accuntability fr student learning. Develps assessments that shape and infrm instructin n an nging basis and develp data that's used t gauge student, teacher and schl prgress thrugh frmative and summative assessment. Student learning measured with multiple frms f assessments/metrics. Develps educatinal gals and perfrmance metrics that are SMART Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reflect the Missin and Time-Specific. Develps assessments that are apprpriately aligned with curriculum, instructin, and adpted standards. 4

6 Prvides evidence f hw data will influence instructin, prfessinal develpment and curricular adjustments. Parent Engagement Parent engagement strategies that integrate and mbilize parents within the schl cmmunity as cnduits fr student success. Capacity t cmmunicate effectively with parents and families. Parent engagement strategies that integrate and mbilize parents within the schl cmmunity as cnduits fr student success. 2. Is the Schl a Viable Organizatin Gvernance Structures and Organizatinal Design Schl has articulated apprpriate rles, respnsibilities, and decisin-making structure fr schl cmmunity members (including Bard f Trustees and schl leadership). An accuntability structure that prvides effective versight f the educatinal prgram and fiscal cmpnents f the schl is in place and utilized. Bard regularly reviews a data dashbard f student achievement and fiscal management that frms the basis fr Bard discussins and decisins. Bard has diverse skill set that lends itself t strng educatinal / peratinal versight. Bard has an articulated prcess fr nging plicy develpment, Bard member develpment and self-evaluatin. Organizatinal charts are aligned with missin; rles and respnsibilities are clearly defined. Bard has develped essential strategic partnerships with rganizatins that supprt the missin f the schl. Cmmunity Supprt Schl Leadership demnstrated respnsiveness t the unique needs and interests f the cmmunity t be served. Schl has established a presence in the cmmunity and has buy in frm cmmunity members. 3. Is the Schl in Cmpliance with Applicable Laws and Regulatins Special Ppulatins Well-defined plan and sufficient capacity t service the learning needs f Special Educatin students, English Language Learners. Schl adequately addresses the academic and nn academic needs f students in need f remediatin, students with disabilities, students with interrupted frmal educatin, and gifted students. There is a cherent plan fr meeting the nn-academic needs f students with disabilities, students with interrupted frmal educatin, and ther ppulatins. Schl emplys a prcess t identify students at risk f nt meeting expectatins and creates interventin plans and fllws up. Schl demnstrates a cmprehensive recruitment, enrllment and retentin apprach that is sensitive t the diverse needs f students. Schl admissin plicy and lttery preferences serve t create a student bdy that reflects cmmunity demgraphics and give a preference t cmmunity schl district residents. Safety and Security Schl is well maintained. Transitins and student gatherings are rderly and well supervised. Expectatins fr student behavir r well knwn and are enfrced fairly. Schl is current with all safety recruitments and drills. AED machines are in peratin and schl staff is trained in CPR. 5