Innovation School Application 201718 - Board Docs
Post on 20-Mar-2023
1 Views
Preview:
Transcript
1
Innovation School Application 201718 Inspire Elementary Design Team: Amber Bailey Stockhausen, Emma Cardillo, Sarah Cohen, Brie Glahe, Pam Jubis, Jennifer Knowles, Andy Leighton, Ahila Livingston, Garrett Mason, Melanie Moreno, Javier Munoz, Khara Munoz, Chinyere Onyewuenyi, Camille OsbourneRoberts, Maggie Tisdale, Margaret Torres, MichELe Sanders, Chantel Vogel, Joe Amundsen, Jack Becker, Monica DiltsNurrenbern, Sherry Martin, Troy Garner, Robin Greene, Katherine Goebel Inspire Elementary Founding Staff: Marisol Enriquez Ph.D., Sarah Fuller, Jenna Sherman, Sarah McCarty, Ansley Young, Megan Gaudette, Ashley Stidham, Lisa Ordway, Talia Parsell, Haley Figueroa, Claudia Roberts
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Page – for Colorado Department of Educaon (CDE)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enrollment Projecons: Student Demographics: Inspire Elementary School need for Innovaon Status OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL PLAN
A. CULTURE: Vision: Inspire Elementary prepares children to posively impact their future. Mission: Inspire Elementary leverages children’s passions, talents, and learning styles to create an educaon that culvates the whole child. Values: Inspire, Innovate, Impact
B. LEADERSHIP C. EDUCATION PLAN Inspiraon
The Stanford School Stanley Brish Primary Expedionary Learning (Tollgate Elementary School) High Tech High (HTH) K‐12 Schools Inspire Elementary’s Strategies 1) Inquiry 2) Personalizaon 3) Use of Space 4) Community 5) Use of Time 6) Unique Curriculum and Pracces
Curriculum Assessmen t
7) Educators and Students as Designers: D. TEACHING E. GOVERNANCE F. BUDGET
3
G. EXPECTED OUTCOMES
SECTION I: CULTURE A: VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS Vision: Inspire Elementary inspires children to posively impact the future. Mission: Inspire Elementary leverages children’s passions, talents, and learning styles to create an educaon that culvates the whole child. Values: Inspire, Innovate, Impact B: TARGETED STUDENT POPULATION C: SCHOOL CULTURE & STUDENT LEADERSHIP D: STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICY E. STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT F. STUDENT ATTENDANCE G. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS H. ONGOING PARENT/GUARDIAN AND STUDENT INVOLVEMENT & SATISFACTION
SECTION II: LEADERSHIP A: LEADERSHIP TEAM (LT) PERSONNEL TEAM SPECIALIST LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN B: LEADERSHIP TEAM COACHING AND EVALUATION LEADERSHIP TEAM PRINCIPAL TEACHERS C: SCHOOL PERSONNEL STRUCTURE INDICATORS THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS: STAFF 2017‐18: D. EMPLOYMENT POLICIES E. OPERATIONS‐ Transportaon F. Operaons ‐ Safety and Security G. Operaons – Food Services
SECTION III: EDUCATION PROGRAM PEDAGOGY
1) INQUIRY 2) PERSONAL STUDENT‐CENTERED LEARNING 3) USE OF SPACE 4) COMMUNITY 5) USE OF TIME
4
6) CURRICULUM 7) TEACHERS AS DESIGNERS
B. CURRICULUM SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
C. SCOPE AND SEQUENCE D. CLASS SIZE E. SCHOOL SCHEDULE AND CALENDAR F. PROGRESS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT G. PERFORMANCE GOALS H. ACADEMIC INTERVENTION AND ACCELERATION I. PROMOTION AND RETENTION POLICIES J. ENGLISH LEARNER (EL) STUDENTS
Idenficaon K. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES L. GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS
SECTION IV: TEACHING A. TEACHER RECRUITMENT, HIRING, & RETENTION B. TEACHER RETENTION C. TEACHER COACHING D. TEACHER EVALUATION E. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT F. BUILDING A TEACHER PIPELINE
SECTION V: SCHOOL GOVERNANCE & FINANCE A: SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL COMMITTEE B. BUDGET & POLICY NARRATIVE C. FACILITY
Secon VI. WAIVERS
DPS Policy Waivers
Collecve Bargaining Agreement Arcles Waivers
State Statute Waivers
5
Cover Page – for Colorado Department of Education (CDE)
Innovaon School Name: Inspire Elementary
Locaon (address): 5500 Central Park Blvd., Denver, CO 80238
Plan Contact (name and posion): Marisol Enriquez Ph.D., Principal
Email: Marisol_Enriquez@dpsk12.org
Phone: 720.424.4850
Please answer the following quesons to help us review the innovaon plan as efficiently as possible.
Is this plan for a new school or an exisng school (circle one) ? New School
If this plan is a new school, is the new school (check one) : New School
Has the school submied a request for to CDE for a new school code, grade change, name change, etc.?
Yes
If so, when was the request made and what was it for? April 2017
Has the school been granted status as an Alternate Educaon Campus (AEC)? No
If the school does not have AEC status, does the school plan on subming an applicaon for AEC
status before opening? (Please note that the deadline is July 1 st . ) No
Is the school in Priority Improvement or Turnaround? No
Is the school a recipient of the federal School Improvement Grant (10039g))? No
Will the school be seeking a waiver for graduaon guidelines? No
Please indicate in the plan if the school will follow district requirements and include the district
graduaon policy as an appendix. The school will follow district graduation requirements.
7
May 22, 2017 Dear Denver Public Schools Board of Educaon and Colorado State Board of Educaon, A community of educators, parents and community members designed Inspire Elementary School. by coming together to learn, dream, collaborate and create. We challenged ourselves to examine the nuances that made our personal learning experience meaningful. We believe students need to posively impact the world we live in and the world we have yet to know. We tested our ideas against the queson: Is this what I would want for my own child? In fact, many of us designed Inspire Elementary as a place for our own children. I am honored to have worked with such an inspiraonal group of diverse community members. It is because of the collecve work of Joe Amundsen, Amber Bailey Stockhausen, Emma Cardillo, Sarah Cohen, Monica Dilts‐Nurrenbern, Brie Glahe, Pam Jubis, Jennifer Knowles, Andy Leighton, Ahila Livingston, Sherry Marn, Garre Mason, Melanie Moreno, Javier Muniz, Khara Muniz, Chinyere Onyewuenyi, Camille Osbourne‐Roberts, Maggie Tisdale, Meg Torres, Michelle Sanders, Katherine Goebel and Chantel Vogel that we were able to put forth our best thinking. We now have the gi of refining this plan with the Inspire Elementary Founding Staff: Marisol Enriquez Ph.D., Sarah Fuller, Jenna Sherman, Sarah McCarty, Ansley Young, Megan Gaudette, Ashley Stidham, Lisa Ordway, Talia Parsell, Haley Figueroa, Claudia Roberts. “Imagine schools as incubators for a new generaon of designers that will remake the human presence on Earth in ways that re‐generate ecologies and create the foundaon for a fair, decent, and prosperous post‐carbon economy. Imagine schools that foster the kind of thinking that bridge the chasms of ethnicity, naonality, religion, species, and me. Imagine a world made sustainable because we first taught every child to overcome hatred and fear and educated them to be ecologically competent. Imagine schools that draw forth the very best from each child.” This school is designed for our “own” children using inspiraon from research in 1
educaonal pracces and borrowing from models we admire including: High‐Tech‐High schools in San Diego, CA, Stanley Brish Primary in Denver, CO, The Stanford Design School in Palo Alto, CA, and Tollgate School of Expedionary Learning in Aurora, CO. A special thanks to the Denver Public Schools team members who supported the development of Inspire Elementary: Jack Becker, Ashleigh Madonna, Tory Garner, Robin Greene, Marie Palomo, Amber Callender, Ivan Duran, Evan Mellman, Brian Eschbaucher, Briany Burton, Judy Casco, Tom Boasberg, Sonny Zinn, Liz Tencate, Jill Corcoran, and Amy Gile Ph.D. I look forward to realizing our dream together. Regards, Marisol Enriquez, Ph.D., Principal of Inspire Elementary
1 Inc. OWP/P Cannon Design (2010‐03‐01). The Third Teacher: 79 Ways You Can Use Design to Transform Teaching & Learning (Kindle Locaons 90‐96). Abrams. Kindle Edion.
8
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Name of School Inspire Elementary Grade Configuraon (Year‐1) Kindergarten2nd grade Grade Configuraon (Full Build) ECE5th grade Model or Focus Expeditionary Learning: Inquiry, Individual,
Community, Global Region and Neighborhood Near Northeast
Primary Contact Marisol Enriquez Ph.D., marisol_enriquez@dpsk12.org 3034835408
Enrollment Projections: GRADE 201718 201819 201920 202021 202122
K 50 75 100 100 100 1 25 50 75 100 100 2 15 25 50 75 100 3 0 15 25 50 75 4 0 0 15 25 50 5 0 0 0 15 25
Total # students 90 165 265 365 450
*We are working with Denver Public Schools to add ECE in the Fall of 2018.
Student Demographics: Diversity and equity are fundamental goals of educaon, valuable to all students and vital to democracy, the global posion, and the well being of the United States. Inspire Elementary is commied to inclusive excellence, bringing the benefits of a quality educaon to all students, and working toward a more diverse, informed, and acve civic society. We are in full alignment with Goal 5 of Denver Public School’s Denver Plan: “All of our students deserve access to educaonal opportunies that allow them to achieve at the highest levels. This means raising the bar for all students while acknowledging a persistent gap between the performance of our white students and our African American and Lano students. We believe it is crical to shine a light on the issue of race and the achievement gap that persists for our students of color. It is crical to put in place a goal that focuses on the opportunity gap.” In response, Inspire Elementary grants priority enrollment consideraon to students who are typically underrepresented in academic equity and excellence including racially diverse students, English Learners (ELs), Special Educaon students, Gied and Talented students, and students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL). The demographics in the following table model current paerns at High Tech Elementary the closest neighborhood school. These demographics will become increasingly diverse through our commitment to inclusive excellence for ALL students. FRL
% SPED %
EL % Hispanic/ Latino %
African American %
White %
Other %
*Student Demographics
11% 7% 1.5% 14% 9.3% 63% 13%
9
Inspire Elementary School need for Innovation Status In order to be implemented effecvely, the school design requires flexibilies in the following areas:
Curriculum ∙ To implement a Personalized Learning model.
∙ To allow the school autonomy over the educaon program including selecng curriculum and textbooks, unit planning, pacing guides etc.
Professional Development
∙ To direct more PD me for teachers and administrators to effecvely implement the personalized learning program at their school, and provide targeted staff development.
∙ To allow the school to determine the PD of its staff and allow teachers to refuse parcipaon in district required PD that is not aligned with the school’s priories.
∙ To allow peer evaluators or other designated evaluators to conduct staff evaluaons. To allow for a minimum of one full LEAP observaon and one paral.
∙ To allow the principal flexibility from aending district PD.
Time ∙ To modify the annual calendar for staff to access more intensive PD offerings and extend student learning me, to implement the school’s model.
∙ To set collaborave planning me; extend school day with pay.
Human Resources
∙ To recruit and select teachers that demonstrates characteriscs of the model.
∙ To recruit and make offers to applicants outside the district hiring meline & process.
∙ To make Reducon in Building (RIB) decisions based on performance, professionalism, seniority.
∙ To allow refusal of direct placement of teachers from the district.
∙ To not require a teaching license for supplemental and enrichment instrucon (not core instrucon).
∙ To allow the school to create unique job descripons based on the needs of the school.
∙ To allow DPS HR to remedy a grievance with representaon instead of an arbitraon.
∙ To provide coaching and evaluaon that is aligned to the model and makes use of peer observaons and evaluaons.
∙ To use annual contracts for all teachers, with appropriate supports to address poor performance.
Governance & Finance
∙ To merge responsibilies & membership of school commiees into one group (CSC and SLT into one), provide CSC principal selecon authority.
∙ To implement a leadership model to maximize innovave leadership capacies.
∙ To allow schools to seek financial sponsorships, create associated accounts, and seek 501C3 non‐profit status.
∙ To determine extra compensaon for extended me, addional responsibilies, incenves.
10
∙ To direct adequate resources to classroom instrucon and budget on actual teacher salaries. The school will realize an addional $50,000‐$150,000 at full build based on budgeng on actual salaries.
OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL PLAN
A. CULTURE:
Imagine a generaon of students inspired for learning and adventure. Imagine a generaon of students who learn with empathy and opmism. Imagine students who seek soluons and possibilies in a constantly changing world that is complex, unpredictable, and unknown. Our school mirrors the real‐world. Our approach engages students in meaningful work in which they are challenged to try things, take risks, and make connecons.
11
Vision: Inspire Elementary prepares children to positively impact their future.
Mission: Inspire Elementary leverages children’s passions, talents, and learning styles to create an education that cultivates the whole child.
Values: Inspire, Innovate, Impact
Inspire: Children think critically, engage in collaborative projects, and become creators, not just consumers, of their world; children learn responsibility, resilience, and grit while developing growth mindsets; children think, create, innovate, and become engaged as learners; children set individual goals, make decisions about how to spend time, and access resources in order to personally challenge themselves and achieve standardbased competencies.
Innovate: Educators draw upon educational best practices and the latest tools, focus on conceptual understanding, and empower students to learn by doing; inquiry is leveraged to empower students to understand people and communities at a very human level; children learn to develop emotionally meaningful as well as functional solutions to positively impact; design thinking provides an integrated approach to solutions—balancing empathy , intuition, and inspiration with rational and analytical thinking; classroom space and time is used flexibly to engage children in a joyful, authentic, and playbased learning environment.
Impact: Learning opportunities are vehicles used to create solutions that make a difference; educators realize the future depends on our ability to improve educational opportunities for ALL students in an
increasingly diverse community; children engage in learning through a humancentered designbased approach which helps them explore and develop personal interest areas while creating solutions for local, community, and global situations.
B. LEADERSHIP At full build, the leadership team will be comprised of the Principal, Senior Team Lead, and Team Leads. However, during the Year‐1, the leadership team will include the Principal and all teachers as there won’t be an Assistant Principal or Senior Team Leads. Inspire Elementary will implement the DPS Teacher Leadership Collaboraon Model empowering the Senior Team Lead and Team Leads to contribute their leadership and experse by making key decisions while connuously improving their cra in the classroom once the staff grows. Inspire Elementary’s school leaders must demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit; possess a drive and focus to excel; arculate and model a clear vision of the school; promote parent and community involvement; commit to serve a diverse student populaon; celebrate strengths and diverse student talents; strive for connuous improvement, crically consume a variety of assessment data and use it to elevate student achievement; be relaonship driven; have a desire to lead in the educaonal landscape and make posive contribuons to the field; value the establishment of a professional capital pipeline through the culvaon of partnerships; have experience teaching or leading or an interest in a school of Innovaon; and have a minimum of five years of leadership experience and five years of classroom experience. [Although five years of leadership experience is best pracce for the founding principal(s), this will not apply to team leads and may not apply in future succession planning.] Inspire Elementary proposes a distributed leadership model comprised of the Principal and Assistant Principal focused on school design and community outreach. The Senior Team Lead spends half of the day teaching and the other half collaborang with the team to conduct observaon/feedback, data meengs, Professional Learning Communies (PLCs), professional
12
development etc. as part of the Leadership Team (LT). Team Leader(s) not only facilitate learning for students but also lead and co‐design professional development and learning experiences for colleagues. Inspire Elementary will recruit aspiring teachers by creang a pipeline of pre‐service teachers in in the Boecher Teacher Program, these interns learn the praccal lessons of teaching while they earn a master’s degree and teacher licenses from a university. Inspire Elementary will post jobs as they become available, and use unique job descripons to target the best fit candidates. This ability is crical to the recruitment strategy as it enable the school to stay staffed with a highly funconing team aligned to the school’s mission and vision year‐round. Residency programs, which usually run two years, offer a stark contrast to the tradional four‐year program teacher college model, which usually only requires a semester of student teaching. We will also hire 4 hour paraprofessionals that are in the University of Northern Colorado Center for Urban Educaon program which empowers paras to gain experience in the classroom while obtaining their bachelor's degree and teaching credenal. Aspiring teachers are a vital piece of Inspire Elementary’s school puzzle. These partnerships lower adult to student raos and enable us to implement a more personalized learning environment for students while fostering a model of connuous improvement, learning, collaboraon. Teachers in these programs will be given priority consideraon and the opportunity to interview for open posions. Marisol Enriquez Ph.D. is the Inspire Elementary planning year and founding Principal. This posion holds primary responsibility and accountability for the implementaon of the plan resulng in student growth and student achievement. Dr. Marisol Enriquez brings more than 18 years of extensive educaonal experience to public educaon as a teacher of literacy, math, and science in Spanish and English. Prior to returning to Denver Public Schools, Dr. Enriquez spent five years opening two buildings—a preschool‐8th grade and a high school called Vista PEAK Campus in Aurora Public Schools as principal. While at Vista PEAK Campus in Aurora Public Schools, Dr. Enriquez worked relessly to improve student academic achievement and acvely involve the enre community in the learning process. Under her leadership in collaboraon with a team of educators, the schools experienced notable, student academic growth and performance. Dr. Enriquez implemented a strategic plan that empowered, staff, community members and students to contribute to the success of the campus. Vista PEAK Preparatory School was rated a performance school. Addionally, she ensured that all students grew academically, developed healthy habits, were supported, engaged, challenged, safe and socially/emoonally intelligent. Dr. Enriquez’s philosophy for school success is dependent on ensuring that students’ needs come first. By movang all school community stakeholders to become involved partners, Dr. Enriquez enables the best opportunies for student growth and development, both academically and personally. With formal educaon spanning experse in bilingual educaon, assessment and educaonal leadership, Dr. Enriquez brings a pragmac and thoughul leadership approach, one that insists upon collaboraon between students, staff, families and the community. Dr. Enriquez celebrates inclusive excellence for all students, staff and the school community. She has spent a significant part of her professional career serving students whose first language is not English, and has built incredible rapport with students and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Dr. Enriquez received her Doctor of Educaon degree from the University of Denver. Once the school leadership team determines the need for an Assistant Principal, the Assistant Principal will meet the requirements outlined for school leaders with a minimum of five years of teaching experience and demonstrated ability to take on leadership roles. They will work with the
13
principal to build the capacity of team leads and teachers to ensure all students engage in joyful, rigorous, and personalized learning and demonstrate high academic achievement. They will help select, retain and grow a highly effecve team of teachers and/or leaders, developing a team culture of connuous learning that maximizes staff and student morale and performance. Teachers at Inspire Elementary play an acve role in making decisions about curriculum, schedule, budget allocaons, and key aspects of actualizing the vision and mission of Inspire Elementary. Teachers should ulize design thinking. They will contribute to and develop a posive, inclusive school community that supports the development of the Whole Child and meaningfully engage students, families and community members. Addionally, during the first year, all teachers will be members of the Instruconal Leadership Team. The Senior Team Leads represent the interests of students and staff and ensure involvement and input into important decisions relave to instrucon, assessment, student learning outcomes and success, as well as monitoring the strategic/Unified Improvement Plan (UIP). They develop a team of teachers’ ability to deliver joyful, rigorous and personalized instrucon that leads their students to high academic achievement. They will invest others in the school’s vision through strategic planning, change leadership and innovave pracces. They will support efforts to grow key talent and develop a culture of connuous learning that maximizes staff and student morale and performance. The Collaborave School Commiee (CSC) meets all criteria outlined in Board policy as well as applicable state accountability laws. CSC is the representave group that provides guidance and input on key decisions of the school. The CSC seeks broader parent and community input to ensure decisions relate to the school’s goals and are reflecve of the priories and needs of the larger community. The CSC monitors the school’s Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) and supports organizaonal and operaonal goals. The CSC monitors and supports the implementaon of a sustainable, viable and adapve financial plan. The CSC merges the dues of the STL into the CSC for streamlined decision making and process to ensure all stakeholders are coordinated in one governance structure. A DPS Instruconal Superintendent evaluates the principal in alignment with District policies and processes. Since the principal’s primary role is to support student achievement, evaluaon is focused on student achievement and growth. The principal may also implement an annual 360 degree evaluaon process to inform ongoing input from staff and parents. Succession Plan – Successful implementaon and sustainability of the Inspire Elementary vision and mission cannot hinge on a single leader. The intent and expectaon is to develop leadership skills and capacity for all staff. Partnerships with a variety of individual and community partners supports the ongoing development of the school. Distributed and shared leadership is a cornerstone of Inspire Elementary. Staff is involved in leadership roles by represenng colleagues on the Leadership Team (ILT), leading and parcipang as members of Professional Learning Communies (PLCs), serving on or leading school commiees, and facilitang professional development. Inspire Elementary staff is commied to connuous growth as professionals while creang innovave approaches to educaon, facilitang professional development, engaging in data analysis, increasing instruconal understandings and pedagogical pracces, honing decision making skills, and parcipang in, collaborave, and reflecve dialogue. Staff engages in connual growth and takes responsibility for
14
the success of students and the school. Staff ownership and growth leads to teacher retenon and expanded leadership capacity beyond the Principal. In the event a new Principal is needed, the list of leadership requirements described within this applicaon will serve as a starng point. Inspire Elementary staff, along with student and parent groups, will review and revise these leadership requirements, which include desired leader knowledge, skills, character strengths, and atudes in relaon to the school vision, mission and values. The flexibility to empower the CSC during the principal hiring process is crical to the sustainability of the Inspire Elementary vision and educaonal model. An interview team will be selected with input from the Leadership Team (LT), the Parent Teacher Associaon (PTA) and the CSC. This interview team will include parents, teachers, students, current school administraon and district leadership and will collaboravely develop interview quesons and “look fors”, which align with the revised list of leadership requirements. Finalists will be idenfied through a rigorous and thorough interview process. Internal school candidates who are part of the established staff team will be granted priority hiring consideraon. Parents, staff, and community members will be able to meet and ask quesons of the finalists at a public community event and provide input at the conclusion of the event. Final recommendaon for hire will be the responsibility of the Superintendent and Board of Educaon.
C. EDUCATION PLAN
The profile of today’s learner has changed. According to McWilliam , there are pockets of innovaon 2
sproung up throughout the country in an aempt to address the top down authority in the classroom. We are innovave educators that challenge ourselves to prepare students to posively impact the future. The current demands of the workplace require we develop learners that can seek informaon and tackle novel challenges with increasing sophiscaon. We place ourselves in student's shoes and know that engagement is essenal to student learning and we recognize that we must design the learning experience differently.
Inspiration
The design team engaged in a research and shared learning on best pracces, innovaon and educaon. Some group members also had an opportunity to conduct school visits to see best pracces in acon. As a result of our learning together, various reading, arcles and instuons (described below) influenced the design of Inspire Elementary.
2 McWilliam, E. (2009). Teaching for Creavity: From Sage to Guide to Meddler. Asia Pacific Journal of Educaon, 29:(3), 281 – 293.
15
The Stanford School 3
Founded in 2005 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, teaches students to use design methodology to tackle problems in their own fields. The school works with approximately 350 students from law, business, educaon, medicine, and engineering. The program was founded to prepare a generaon of innovators to tackle complex challenges and develop innovave, human‐centered soluons to real‐world challenges. School draws on methods from engineering and design, and combines them with ideas from the arts, tools from the social sciences, and insights from the business world. The process brings teammates together around a common goal: making the lives of the people they’re designing for beer. Design Thinking is a mindset—the confidence that everyone can be part of creang a more desirable future, a process to take acon when faced with a difficult challenge. That kind of opmism is much needed in educaon. Classrooms and schools across the world are facing design challenges every single day, from teacher feedback systems to daily schedules. The challenges with which educators are confronted are real, complex, and varied. As such, they require new perspecves, new tools, and new approaches. Design Thinking is one of them.
Stanley British Primary
An independent school located in Denver, Colorado, Stanley Brish Primary learning goals state: 4
“What we teach is as disnct as how we teach. Our teachers and our instrucon approach give children the opportunity to reach their full potenal academically, socially, emoonally, creavely, and physically. We achieve this by delivering a highly effecve and meaningful curriculum”. The following aspects of the school resonated with the design team: highly differenated curricular instrucon, learning developmentally aligned to a child’s appropriate stage; integrated curricular units across subject areas; creave, flexible and evolving inquiry based focus designed to tap into a child’s natural curiosity; and a social and emoonal emphasis. In addion, Stanley Brish Primary applies principles that incorporate our proposal for use of me, use of space, teacher residents, mul‐age classrooms and play based learning.
Expeditionary Learning (Tollgate Elementary School) 5
Tollgate Elementary School is an Expedionary Learning School in Aurora Colorado. Expedionary Learning Schools (ELS) is a naonal, non‐profit organizaon that partners with schools to improve student achievement, build student character, enhance instruconal pracces, and foster a posive school culture. The aspects of Tollgate Elementary that resonated with the design team include: rigorous and engaging curriculum based on state and naonal standards; acve, inquiry based learning strategies; a school culture that demands and teaches compassion and good cizenship; engaging topics and rich learning experiences that result in high quality products and presentaons of learning; real world learning and field experiences; students taking a more acve role in seng learning and achievement goals; students showcasing their work through public presentaons and performances.
3 hp://dschool.stanford.edu/ 4 hp://www.stanleybps.org/pages/Stanley_Brish_Primary_School 5 hp://tollgate.aurorak12.org/
16
High Tech High (HTH) K12 Schools 6
This network of schools exemplifies many aributes of student‐centered learning, in which educaon extends beyond the tradional school calendar and classroom walls. Students are required to take shared responsibility for learning in a variety of sengs and real‐world situaons while teachers act as coaches and guides. The adult world connecon is reflected in school projects and culminates with 11th and 12th grade internships with the network of business partners. Internships are tailored to student’s individual interests but are focused on real‐world problems and developing soluons that contribute to the mission of the company. To develop a shared intellectual mission, HTH's curriculum features project‐based learning and student presentaons and relies heavily on teamwork—among students and faculty. The school does have leer grades and standardized tesng, but also ulizes performance‐based assessments of group projects and presentaons.
Inspire Elementary’s Strategies
Inspire Elementary’s school design ulizes seven strategies to realize of our vision to prepare students to posively impact the future.
1) Inquiry: Through robust integrated student projects, students engage in deeper learning and authenc experiences that maer or make an impact both locally and globally. Children learn how to think crically, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, solve problems, create products, and interpret findings. Interdisciplinary learning that integrates language arts, math, science, history, and humanies supports children in making natural connecons. Projects become increasingly student driven and personalized as students master the process of organizing and execung projects. Mulple entry points benefit students on the spectrum of learners. Students have opportunies to discuss and self‐assess their work on a regular basis and engage in Presentaons of Learning (POLs) to share learning with authenc audiences. Real‐world learning happens across disciplines and areas of study. Cross‐curricular projects allow students to delve deeply into their interests and passions while developing personal connecons to their work within the classroom and beyond. We educate students through relevant, inspiring, imaginave, and challenging experiences. Students are encouraged and supported to try new things, take risks, make connecons, and care about others. Our model includes best pracces of inquiry drawn from Design Thinking, Project‐Based Learning (PBL), Expedionary Learning (EL), and service learning. We are focused on making school more inspiring, geng kids ready to do what's real, and supporng each other along the way. “Design Thinking”is a human centered problem‐solving inquiry process for educators and students to employ with real problems, situaons, and opportunies. These problem are based on student interests and a posively impact our community and the larger world. Design Thinking operates with the axiom that everyone can be part of creang a more desirable future and delineates a process of acon when faced with difficult challenges.
6 hp://www.hightechhigh.org/?show=schools
17
2) Personalization: Inspire Elementary recognizes that a one‐size‐fits‐all educaon does not serve our vision. Inspire’s model is student‐centered with an expectaon that students are invested parcipants in their educaon. Each student is acvely involved in co‐creang a Learning Plan (LP) using a Learning Management System (LMS) focused on student collaboraon, lesson planning, resource sharing and parental engagement. Learning Plans (LPs) include input and ongoing communicaon from all stakeholders, including students, parents, and educators. Students self‐monitor their progress toward mastery of learning (competency based instead of seat‐me) through self‐assessment and reflecon. In addion, educators and students use common rubrics, assessments, performance based criteria, observaon, and Presentaons of Learning (POLs) to help inform them on student mastery of academic and whole child competencies. Student porolios provide students with a forum for eding, reflecng on, and celebrang their work and growth. Students are flexibly and fluidly grouped and regrouped based on mastery of concepts and individual needs. Teachers facilitate learning experiences to help students reach their goals in potenally mul‐age, heterogenous, flexible and fluid small groups within classrooms. Although students are assigned a home room, there is an understanding among teachers that every student belongs to every teacher, and a collaborave, interacve, and flexible structure allows for mulple teachers to affect students’ experience. In addion to opening students to diverse relaonal opportunies with the adults who support them, this shared ownership of students allows teachers to contribute dynamically in their parcular areas of experse while sll learning and growing from colleagues who can support them in areas of less comfort. With the goal of supporng the “whole child”, students have opportunies for experiences in world‐language, arts, health and wellness, open choice, and social‐emoonal development.
3) Use of Space: The Inspire Elementary facility is a model for 21st century teaching and learning, reflects a non‐tradional, vibrant space designed to nurture students, and invites curiosity and exploraon by ulizing:
mul‐purpose classrooms that encourage acve learning community gathering spaces with a central commons which facilitate both formal and
informal, large and small group meengs clustered classrooms that create an interacve community environment adaptable for
individual or group study a Maker’s Space supplied with tools to explore, discover, and innovate that encourages all
students to create products and prototypes large window openings with views in and out of learning and gathering spaces that capitalize
on Colorado’s pervasive natural light and outdoors flexible furniture and adaptable fixtures which allow for flexible use of space ubiquitous technology that prepares students to navigate a new age outdoor courtyards that extend learning beyond the classroom
18
display of student work, presentaons of learning and exhibions that rotates and/or becomes a permanent part of the facility
4) Community: Inspire Elementary is a resource for the local community and partners to provide experiences for students. We share responsibility for learning in a variety of sengs including real world situaons and extended learning beyond the tradional school calendar and walls. We encourage learning that contributes to deeper understanding and quality work. These learning experiences are varied and take place in and out of the classroom and through discussions, parcipaon, interdisciplinary acvies, small group lessons, fieldwork, learning expedions, case studies, projects, and service learning. We inspire students to emulate the thought processes and work in the field with and like professionals. We surround children with teachers, peers, and community members who share a passion for learning and a respect for each other and who allow children to feel confident in expressing themselves and working toward their full potenal .
5) Use of Time: We provide long stretches of me for children to explore, inquire and play which supports individual learning differences. We arrange teacher me flexibly to support our educaon plan. Inspire Elementary meets the district’s day equivalent on teacher contracts while organizing schedules and delivery based on the total number of hours instead of the number of days. Inspire Elementary provides personalized instruconal me while providing also providing flexibility for teachers to engage in ongoing professional learning and collaboraon. The scheduling structure equals the number of hours required in a standard teacher‐contracted work year. Extra dues beyond required expectaons for compensaon are supported through spends. Our schedule allows me for staff to engage in intensive professional development; collaboravely develop, deliver, and monitor deeper personalized learning; collect and analyze data, progress monitor students, and thoughully plan and prepare for extended learning experiences and expedions outside of the classroom. This innovaon plan includes waivers from the school day and annual calendars to allow the school to leverage additional time for deeper learning and teacher professional development.
6) Unique Curriculum and Practices
Curriculum:
Our curriculum, scope, and sequence aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) but requires flexibility and autonomy from district direcves. Passion projects are co‐created/adapted by teachers and students and meaningfully tap into a child’s natural curiosity. Curriculum is developmentally aligned and focus on the whole child—consider both the minds and hands (learning by doing) of individual students. We focus on obtaining mastery of standards in a creave, flexible, and 7
non‐prescribed way. Learning is approached using real world, authenc opportunies that help to reify concepts and encourage students to understand, act on, and improve the world. Although we
7 hp://www.joomag.com/magazine/ngl‐toolkit/0520260001434511936?short
19
do access the DPS recommended relevant curricular resources, we also supplement from many other resources and materials that support our inquiry, project‐based, and personalized learning model. The curriculum ulmately prepares students not only to address standards, but also to crically think, create, collaborate, and innovate.
Assessment: Formative/Summative/Student Portfolios/Presentations of Learning (POL)
We implement recommended DPS Interim assessments however, we may choose to supplement with addional tools that strategically assess student progress. Inspire Elementary knows that a balanced assessment approach best serves student needs. We use formave, summave and performance based assessments. Educators use common rubrics to review student work and determine proficiency to plan for instrucon. Assessments incorporate a variety of modalies allowing students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways and stretch students to think about content and outcomes differently. All phases of project work, including dras and final products, are documented in student porolios to emphasize our recognion that the process of learning is oen as important as final outcomes. Presentaons of Learning (POL) empower children to share creave soluons to problems with authenc audiences. Formal exhibions and curaon of student work sets expectaons for and creates movaon to work toward and achieve high standards. Assessments serve as a forum for revision, reflecon and growth that foster ownership and personalizaon and help determine next steps for student learning.
7) Educators and Students as Designers:
The Design Thinking process is used by both students and educators to design soluons to challenges. Inspire Elementary empowers teachers to design integrated (Humanies, Reading, Wring, Math, Science, and Art), mul‐disciplinary academic curriculum as well as design passion projects. Teachers also are partners in making key decisions surrounding scheduling and budget allocaons. Teacher teams of two‐four educators remain consistent and “loop” with academic learning teams of groups of students comprised of 50‐100 students. Teachers engage in a construcvist approach to learning in which they mostly act as facilitators, coaches, and guides instead of largely imparng informaon. Educators build strong respecul relaonships and a personalized school culture, which is supported externally by a network of community members, parents, and professionals.
D. TEACHING Inspire Elementary provides opportunies for educators to grow and embrace innovave teaching pracces, while sharing their understanding of best pracces throughout the school and the educaonal community. Support for our teachers focus on providing excellent professional development and avenues to closely progress monitor students. The Inspire Elementary plan includes close monitoring of teacher performance using the LEAP evaluaon tool. We closely follow individual teacher growth data as well as other measures of
20
student achievement growth. Connued employment at Inspire Elementary is conngent upon teachers meeng both student achievement targets and professional pracce targets. Professional development for teachers must be differenated based on need. A standardized duty day for all teachers and staff does not allow the flexibility needed to provide innovave enrichment (without sacrificing regularly scheduled core academic me) and learning opportunies during the regular school day. Our schedule opmizes learning and enrichment opportunies and maximize learning me for students, as well as ensures me for staff planning and professional development. All staff fulfill mulple roles to best support students and are willing to acvely support a variety of Define the addional roles teachers will fulfill. areas in the school. Within an environment of distribuve leadership, teachers and staff are offered leadership responsibilies. Inspire Elementary adheres to the DPS salary schedule, but the school may compensate teachers with spends for addional dues and responsibilies, as budget allows. Non‐teaching staff are compensated for any addional hours in accordance with Fair Labor Laws.
E. GOVERNANCE The governance structure is comprised of a Collaborave School Commiee (CSC) and a Leadership Team (LT) as described in the leadership secon of this plan. The collaborave structure emphasizes relaonships and values the input of all members of the educaonal community—students, staff, parents, and community members. The purpose of CSC is to enhance student achievement, parent engagement, and school climate through collaboraon.
F. BUDGET Inspire Elementary ulizes flexible budgeng to align personnel allocaons, professional development, and material resources with student achievement goals—in support of the vision. To provide real‐life applicaons to students, the school controls its budget to allocate resources—including apporoning funds to idenfy and purchase supplementary student‐based curriculum, support community outreach, and to support the vision and mission. The Inspire Elementary budget is based on average salaries. The aached Inspire Elementary budget is balanced based on the ancipaon of addional school start up funds, $222,000 in year one a $90,000 carryforward from year zero, and $160,000 in year 2. School Name: Inspire Elementary 201718 201819 201920 202021 202122 Number of Students
90 165 265 365 450
Per Pupil Revenue
504,751 835,968 1,309,285 1,749,603 2,121,428
Other Sources (DPS Start up & Savings
312, 000 204200 62, 200 87,800 109,800
21
from actuals) Total Revenue
844,951 1,040,168 1,371,485 1,837,403 2,231,228
Admin Full Time Staff
1 1 1 1 1
Teaching Full Time Staff
7.05 11.05 15.55 21.95 27.45
Pro Tech Full Time Staff
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Full Time Expenses
647,781 919,509 1,223,765 1,658,475 2,030,346
Non Salary Expenses
13,004 16,924 120,659 147,720 200,882
Distributed Budget Total
844,951 1,040,168 1,371,485 1,837,403 2,231,228
Total 0 0 0 0 0 *We expect savings to be realized due to budget flexibilities, however this budget conservatively does not rely on these savings. Teachers will be compensated for additional days via a spend that is determined by the principal in consultaon with the CSC annually beginning in the fall of 2018. Teachers will be compensated during the inaugural summer of 2017 at the Teacher, Hourly position rate of $23.72. Extra Duty Pay hours will be submitted via a timesheet that will be processed in June, July and August. G. EXPECTED OUTCOMES Inspire Elementary increases student academic performance through an inquiry, project based, personalized approach that involves a larger community. Students engage in an acve and reified learning process in which students show not tell, focus on human values, and culvate a mindset where experimentaon is encouraged and mistakes are embraced as part of the growth cycle. Staff culvates genuine and supporve relaonships with students and families. A posive school culture is supported by proacve measures that ancipate and respond to students’ needs. Vigorous unit designs that meet the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are connected to real world experiences and supported by a school‐wide commitment that improves teaching and leadership pracces. All of this results in an experience in which students recognize the value of coming to and parcipang in school.
With the lack of baseline data on major assessments, our best esmate for future outcomes is that we will meet or exceed current regional averages. Regional data has been used to make the following predicons, but these esmates will likely need to be adjusted based on the outcomes of first year tesng results.
22
Inspire Elementary expects to achieve the following academic goals:
In compliance with current legislaon, Colorado joined the PARCC consora as a governing member in August 2012. PARCC is a mul‐state assessment consorum that is developing shared English language arts/literacy (ELA/L) and mathemacs assessments. We rely on the PARCC assessment system for grades 3‐5 and will exceed the average Proficiency and Growth (MGP) of our similar schools cluster in Denver Public Schools in 2018.
Expected (MGP) PARCC/CMAS Literacy (Grades 3rd‐5th)
Expected (MGP) PARCC/CMAS Math (Grades 3rd‐5th)
Expected (MGP) WIDA‐Access
Early Literacy % Students on Grade Level
Year 1 N/A N/A 60th 70%
Year 2 60th 60th 60th 75%
Year 3 60th 60th 60th 80%
Year 4 60th 60th 60th 85%
23
SECTION I: CULTURE
A. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS Vision: Inspire Elementary inspires children to positively impact the future. Mission: Inspire Elementary leverages children’s passions, talents, and learning styles to create an education that cultivates the whole child.
Values: Inspire, Innovate, Impact
Inspire: Children think crically, engage in collaborave projects, and become creators, not just consumers, of their world; children learn responsibility, resilience, and grit while developing growth mindsets; children think, create, innovate, and become engaged as learners; children set individual goals, make decisions about how to spend me, and access resources in order to personally challenge themselves and achieve standard‐based competencies.
Innovate: Educators draw upon educaonal best pracces and the latest tools, focus on conceptual understanding, and empower students to learn by doing; inquiry is leveraged to empower students to understand people and communies at a very human level; children learn to develop emoonally meaningful as well as funconal soluons that lead to posive impact; design thinking provides an integrated approach to soluons—balancing empathy, intuion, and inspiraon with raonal and analycal thinking; classroom space and me are used flexibly to engage children in a joyful, authenc, and play‐based learning environment.
Impact: Learning opportunies are vehicles used to create soluons that make a difference; educators realize the future depends on our ability to improve educaonal opportunies for ALL students in an increasingly diverse community; children engage in learning through a human‐centered design‐based approach which helps them explore and develop personal interest areas while creang soluons for local, community, and global situaons.
To best provide learning experiences, Inspire Elementary needs flexibility to organize me, staff, and students. To maximize learning opportunies and to beer implement our vision and mission, we are requesng waivers from DPS policies, the Bargaining Agreement, and the State for areas that include (but are not limited to) organizaon of instrucon, school design, curriculum, instruconal materials, Denver Public Schools (DPS) interim assessments, hiring processes, employment statuses, teacher job descripons, unique “non‐teaching” job descripons, teacher evaluaon criteria, student and staff schedules, field experiences, professional staff training, workshops, and conferences.
B. TARGETED STUDENT POPULATION Enrollment Projections:
GRADE 201718 201819 201920 202021 202122
24
K 50 75 75 100 100 1 25 50 75 100 100 2 15 25 75 75 100 3 0 15 25 50 75 4 0 0 15 25 50 5 0 0 0 15 25
Total # students 90 165 265 365 450 FRL % SPED % EL % Projected Demographics
10.7% 7% 6%
Location: Inspire Elementary will be temporarily located at Northfield High School for the 201718 school year.
C.SCHOOL CULTURE & STUDENT LEADERSHIP Inspire Elementary culture aims to promote a posive and rigorous academic environment that reinforces student intellectual and social development. Students, families, teachers, staff, administraon and community members will share school culture norms and expectaons. Inspire Elementary aims to to be inclusive of all students and we put systems into place to ensure that students with special needs, those receiving special educaon services, English Learners (EL's), and any students at‐risk of academic failure thrive in our environment. This model begins with our community expectaons and lead into our staff, student, and parent expectaons of excellence for all. In addion, a posive academic environment is fostered by a rigorous curriculum combined with small group personalized instrucon where each student is known by all teachers and staff. Inspire Elementary is commied to building and maintaining posive relaonships with our enre school community. As part of this innovaon planning process we determined a need for greater outreach to families and community members. In parcular we idenfied a need to build relaonships between the school and families in the Stapleton community. We also recognize that connued outreach and communicaon to build and maintain trust with our school staff as parents/guardians is of utmost importance. Community: The foundaon of Inspire Elementary school’s posive culture and climate starts with the shared vision that sets a high standard for student and staff performance. During the course of the design team meengs and through various community events, feedback overwhelmingly indicated that Inspire Elementary provide educaonal programming that educates and celebrates the whole child. Community members are knowledgeable of student, staff and parent/guardian expectaons and are willing to uphold the expectaons Staff: The staff at Inspire Elementary play an important role in establishing and maintaining a culture of high expectaons and strong relaonships with students and parents. Teachers and support staff take part in summer on‐boarding and a staff retreat before each school year. Along with professional development on curriculum and instruconal planning, this summer training will align thinking around school culture and high expectaons for all. This training takes place prior to the start of
25
school, over the summer and more specifically around how to implement and support the structures necessary for creang and maintaining a posive school culture.
Hours Topics Goals and Acon Steps
24 hours Team building: Relaonship and team building Develop a shared mental model
of school vision and values Establish Norms Personality Assessment
Cohesive team that establishes systems to meet the school vision and values.
8 hours Social and Emoonal Learning Connuum of universal and targeted approaches
Understand SEL curriculum/resources & principles and plan for school‐wide implementaon
8 hours Planning Curriculum Assessment Mastery objecves Scope Anchor acvies
QUALITY LESSON PLANS: • DATA‐DRIVEN: Aligned to DDI Acon Plan and frequent checks for understanding • CURRICULUM‐DRIVEN: objecves are driven by curriculum plan • PD‐DRIVEN: Teacher is implemenng PD goals within the lesson plans • DETAILED WHERE IT MATTERS MOST: each teacher has the necessary detail they need to implement effecvely • REPLICABLE: another teacher could pick up the plan and use effecvely
8 hours Professional Development Structures PD Planning PD Delivery PD Follow‐up/Accountability
8 hours School Culture & Staff Culture Focus on implementaon and incorporaon of all school culture and student discipline elements
26
16 hours Data Driven Instrucon (DDI) Data‐Driven Culture Assessments Analysis Acon
8 hours Leadership Teams Devoted to seven levers of leadership Leadership team is proficient on
instruconal leadership rubric Focus on one lever as leadership
team’s key areas for improvement.
8 hours Observaon Feedback Structures for effecve feedback
9‐15 Days Coaching 12 Days of Professional Development
Expedionary Learning (EL) Cohort consists of 4‐5 schools that are implemenng EL's ELA Curriculum Modules Strategic Planning
June 21, 2017 Leadership Professional Development
July 10, 2017 Teacher training
August 4, 2017 August 14, 2017 August 15, 2017 Blue/Green Days on DPS
2017‐18 Approved Calendars Coaching
August 22nd Addional dates TBD
Strategic Planning Direct Teacher PD Coaching of Teachers Meta‐Coaching of School‐Based
Coaches Implemenng EL's Comprehensive
English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum Modules
Facilitated Learning Walks Cohort conference for teachers and
leaders from across Colorado
16 hours Inquiry Based Learning/Design Thinking
Understanding the design thinking process and planning for school implementaon
Teachers will have a self‐facilitated workday to further develop inquiry based learning experiences using the design thinking process ed to interdisciplinary units
16 hours Subject Specific Training‐Social Studies, Math, Literacy, Science, English Language Development (ELD), Special Educaon, Art, Physical Educaon etc.
Understanding and planning for implementaon of adopted curricula
Connecng to the Inspire Elementary instruconal program
27
During the school year, staff are evaluated on how well they contribute to a posive school culture at Inspire Elementary by using the ‘Professionalism’ secon of the LEAP framework including elements such as how well staff members a) encourage students to be the best they can be, b) hold students accountable in a consistent fashion, c) create connecons with both students and their parents on a consistent basis. Physical and Social Environment School culture and engagement is driven through personalizaon, choice, play based learning and interdisciplinary units. The physical space as well as the social space we create for students impacts learning. In fact, Inspire Elementary believes the learning environment acts as “the third teacher,” 8
and can either greatly enhance or detract from the kind of learning that opmizes student potenal to respond creavely and meaningfully to future challenges. Use of space, furnishing selecons, accessibility of materials, and mobility of students all play a role in the school’s culture and subsequently impact student engagement. We ulize the school environment as the third teacher to support students. This not only helps to inform the larger community about student learning, but by prominently displaying student work in purposeful and thoughul ways, we deliberately honor students’ thinking and efforts. This helps to connect them to their learning environment. Student displays of work change and grow to reflect current student learning. In addion, some student work is “curated” and displayed permanently as a record of past learning experiences. Inspire Elementary implements play based learning that is physically acve and allows children to test and develop all types of motor skills. It promotes significant health and well‐being benefits through:
a daily schedule that includes acve indoor and outdoor physical play integraon of music, movement and creave expression adult‐child interacons that model moderate to high levels of physical acvity
One of the greatest benefits of playing is the development of social competence. Children can build relaonships, learn to resolve conflicts, negoate and regulate their behaviors. The disposions for learning, such as curiosity, openness, opmism, resilience, concentraon, and creavity are developed in play. Playing is linked to the development of resilience and the beginnings of empathy as children begin to understand other points of view. However, not all play is kind or inclusive, so educators have to act accordingly to ensure that play is not harmful. 9 10
8 Fraser, 2012; Helm et al., 2007; OWP/P Architects et al., 2010 9 Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. J. (2005). Uniquely preschool: What research tells us about the ways young children learn. Educaonal Leadership, 63(1), 44‐47 . 10 Lester, S. & Russell, S. (2008). Play for a change. Play policy and pracce: A review of contemporary perspecves.
28
Systemic Social Emotional Learning (SEL) The Collaborave for Academic, Social and Emoonal Learning (CASEL) guidelines are used to implement Social and Emoonal Learning (SEL) for all students. Inspire Elementary Integrates evidence‐based SEL programs and pracces with student‐centered instrucon, curriculum, and assessments that are standards‐based. Social and emoonal learning involves the processes of developing social and emoonal competencies in children. SEL programming is based on the understanding that the best learning emerges in the context of supporve relaonships that make learning challenging, engaging, and meaningful. We recognize that social and emoonal skills are crical to being a good student, cizen, and worker; and many different risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying, and dropout) can be prevented or reduced when mul‐year, integrated efforts develop students’ social and emoonal skills. This is best done through effecve classroom instrucon, student engagement in posive acvies in and out of the classroom, and broad parent and community involvement in program planning, implementaon, and evaluaon . CASEL has 11
idenfied five interrelated sets of cognive, affecve, and behavioral competencies (see Figure 1). The definions of the five competency clusters for students are:
11 Bond & Hauf, 2004; Hawkins, Smith, & Catalano, 2004; Naon et al., 2003; Weare & Nind, 2011
29
Selfawareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emoons and thoughts and their
influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitaons and possessing a well‐grounded sense of confidence and opmism.
Selfmanagement: The ability to regulate one’s emoons, thoughts, and behaviors effecvely in different situaons. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, movang oneself, and seng and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.
Social awareness: The ability to take the perspecve of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relaonships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicang clearly, listening acvely, cooperang, resisng inappropriate social pressure, negoang conflict construcvely, and seeking and offering help when needed.
Responsible decision making: The ability to make construcve and respecul choices about personal behavior and social interacons based on consideraon of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realisc evaluaon of consequences of various acons, and the we‐being of self and others.
D.STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICY A Safe, Organized and Caring Environment Posive student behavior support begins with a compassionate, safe, and organized environment. The greatest source of posive behavioral reinforcement is caring, culturally responsive relaonships supported by thoughul and engaging curriculum and instrucon, acve teaching of self‐regulaon skills, and opportunies to experience autonomy through choice. In order to develop and maintain a safe and organized environment, Inspire Elementary works with students annually to develop and arculate schoolwide and classroom agreements and guidelines related to: • care for self • care for others • care for property/environment Inspire Elementary applies the following pracces in order to develop and maintain a safe and organized learning environment for all students:
30
Classroom and Larger Community Meetings Daily classroom meengs are a chance for planning, problem solving, and celebraon. In‐class meengs provide opportunies for students to ask classmates for problem‐solving assistance. In addion, smaller or schoolwide community meengs with stories, celebraons, lessons and discussions occur throughout the school year. Calming Spaces All classrooms include a calming space. Students are taught how to use this space to calm and to help them effecvely prepare to resolve conflicts. Calming Space tools are available in student‐friendly language/pictures and include developmentally appropriate materials to help students calm themselves and/or prepare to effecvely resolve emoons and conflict. Behavior Management and SelfRegulation We believe that students can and should play a part in creang the guidelines that govern their school and classroom communies. Doing so helps them own their decisions and encourages others to do the same. Being an integral part of creang community guidelines and behavioral norms facilitates a safe and producve school environment for everyone, which is crical in supporng powerful teaching and learning across academic, social, and emoonal domains. School Discipline Policy Inspire Elementary follows JK‐R‐Student Conduct and Discipline Procedures including the DPS DISCIPLINE LADDER and DISCIPLINE MATRIX . This policy states that schools may adopt individual policies that reflect the culture of the school. Discipline Policy The culture is centered around the “team” not the “Individual”. Students are given
opportunies to take acve roles in their classrooms, school, and community. Teachers and adults include students in establishing norms, and adults model the posive
behaviors reflected in the DPS Parent/Student Policy Handbook. This is a guide to Board of Educaon Policies for Parents and Students. A complete list of Board policies may be found on the DPS Policies site. 12
Expectaons AND consequences are clear, fair and consistent for all students. Consequences are paired with meaningful instrucon and guidance, including correcve
feedback and re‐teaching. Data‐driven planning provides the plaorm for connuous quality improvement and a
proacve approach to student discipline. Adequate challenge and support directly leads to more engaged students and minimizes the
need to administer discipline. Discipline policies are primarily focused on providing students with an opportunity to develop
skills/strategies to make posive choices.
12 https://www.dpsk12.org/policies
31
Any violaon results in a ‘restorave’ outcome where students are given the opportunity to make restuon to the school community.
Individual accountability among students is a major goal Discipline data is monitored for each student in the community. At the same me, the staff as a whole regularly examines data to ensure students are engaged and acve members of the school community. When there is a disconnect between actual and expected results, staff develops appropriate intervenons and implements changes. The structure of the schedule is built to ensure me for review, reflecon and response. In addion to mely, consistent responses to discipline incidences, through the work of the Leadership Team (LT), community meengs, data teams, parent and student engagement, our discipline data targets can be monitored and met. Because of the innovave and posive environment for learning, students experience higher levels of engagement and movaon for learning. The leadership at Inspire Elementary is commied to closely monitoring our behavioral systems to idenfy and addressing any pracces that appear disproporonate. Teachers will be required to keep detailed records of disciplinary acons. At least once per month leadership will meet with teachers to review disciplinary acons, ensure minority scholars, ELs and those with special needs have not been disproporonately disciplined and that we are in full compliance with SB 46, the School Smart Discipline Law. Daily responsibility for discipline at Inspire Elementary will rest with the teachers. Teachers will monitor daily student behavior reports, will flag students for whom there is concern, will work with students, parents and support personnel to dra individual behavior plans for students who have had three or more behavior infracons, and will monitor compliance with those plans. In addion, we will have a team of staff members who meet at least quarterly to review how discipline is working at the school and to discuss measures that might be taken to improve student behavior overall. Ulmate responsibility for behavior will rest with the principal of the school. Teachers will take serious concerns about behavior to the principal who will help problem solve and intervene when necessary. In addion, the secretary and eventually the assistant principal will be responsible for collecng discipline records from the teachers and then entering those records into Infinite Campus.
E. STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT While Inspire Elementary has already aracted strong student and family interest, our recruitment efforts will connue unl opening day. Specific outreach acvies planned for the year prior to our opening will include: Parcipaon in the Stapleton School Fair Parcipaon in the district school fair Direct mail and social media and earned media campaigns Yard signs Facebook
Because we are focused on reaching a diverse student populaon, we recognize that direct, personal outreach will be a crical element of our enrollment plans and will target areas in and around the school as well as close diverse neighborhoods. As menoned above, we have already reached 800+ homes through a door‐to‐door campaign in our target neighborhood and will connue these on‐the‐ground efforts unl we reach full enrollment. Aer approval, we will direct parents to the DPS
32
School Choice system and will assist them with compleng the choice forms. As a parcipant in the School Choice system, we will priorize students in the following order: (1) Siblings, (2) Children of Founding Families, (3) Children of staff and Board members, (4) DPS students, (5) All other students. We recognize that as a parcipant in School Choice, we will not maintain a wait list aer October 1st, and that we will be required to fill any vacancies that occur aer October 1st with students who wish to transfer into the school. While we do plan for some natural arion from year to year, we strive to reach a re‐enrollment rate of 90%. If re‐enrollment rates fall significantly below this level we will aim to recruit students into later grades, but our hope is to focus recruitment efforts on younger grades and then retain students at high levels. Ongoing recruitment efforts in the years following our opening will include open houses, outreach through our community partners, direct mail, adversing in community publicaons and a robust social media campaign linked to a detailed website. All staff and Board will be involved in recruitment, but coordinaon and direcon for recruitment will come from the principal, who will be ulmately accountable meeng enrollment targets.
F. STUDENT ATTENDANCE Students are excited and engaged learners who want to be at Inspire Elementary because of our core values to innovate, impact and inspire students. Teaching encourages curiosity about the world by creang learning situaons that provide something important to think about, me to experiment, and me to make sense of what is observed. Learning groups are smaller with a caring adult who monitors progress and acts as an advocate for each student. Our students learn from authenc, real‐world projects, each other, experts and service, in addion to learning from texts. As part of the inquiry model, students use their natural curiosity of the world around us as impetus for purposeful learning connected to academic work. Students become acve invesgators, applying research tools, techniques of inquiry, and standards of presentaon used by professionals in the field. Our goal is to have an average aendance rate of at least 95%. Aendance data is be available in Infinite Campus and collected and monitored along with engagement reports that are analyzed by leadership on a weekly basis. We will score at least 90% posive on Student Percepon Surveys. Aendance, parcipaon and learning targets are monitored for each student in the community. At the same me, the staff as a whole regularly examines data to ensure students are engaged and acve members of the school community. In the case of dissonance between actual and expected results (including results of student sasfacon surveys), staff develop appropriate acons and implement changes. Our secretary monitors student aendance and alerts the administrave team and teacher so appropriate acon can be taken. Community Aendance Review Boards (CARBs) incorporate a team of professionals, oen including a mental health specialist. The team meets with the parents and child to discover the impediments to school aendance for that parcular child. The team will dra a jointly wrien agreement lisng the student’s, the parents’, and the school’s responsibilies. CARB is the resource that supports Inspire Elementary to idenfy steps and responses if aendance targets are not met. 13
At Inspire Elementary, we plan instrucon such that each day at school is crical for student success. Accordingly, Inspire Elementary clearly communicates to all students and families that daily aendance is non‐negoable. All students are expected to be present and on me every day. This
13 hp://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED491290.pdf
33
expectaon is communicated in family orientaon meengs, through our family handbook and in parent conferences.
G. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS We value and encourage community input into the school design. We connue to engage with the community throughout the planning year and beyond. To date a variety of strategies were used to engage the community: One thousand postcards were distributed door‐to‐door in the local community, inving the community to parcipate in the planning process by filling out a survey, signing up for updates via a social media tool‐Remind 101 or by speaking to the principal on Tuesday mornings from 7‐11 AM at the local coffee shop.. Postcards were also posted at the Sam Gary Library, community centers, Bladium, the neighborhood Starbucks, the recreaon centers, and distributed to all the builders in the neighborhood. In an effort to specifically reach potenal parents of young children, postcards were also dropped off at all of area preschools: Paddington Staon, Goddard, Acacia, Primrose and Montessori Children's House of Denver. The principal parcipated in the Paddington Independent School Fair to talk with prospecve new parents and make a connecon early in the planning phase, and she met with local Stapleton community groups to assess needs and collect feedback that informed school design. In order to collect views of the wider Stapleton neighborhood, the principal held open invitaon drop‐in meengs (from 8‐11 at a local coffee shop) which provided community members and parents a weekly forum to ask quesons, learn about the planning process, and provide input and ideas. The principal also met with the Stapleton United Neighbors (SUN) President and the Master Community Associaon (MCA) and used the survey data SUN conducted in February 2015, in conjuncon with survey data collected from the local community, to drive the planning process. As a follow‐up, the principal distributed a new survey to idenfy what educaonal components were currently important to local families, and over 300 responses were received. Please see charts below for survey results.
In addion to meeng with MCA and SUN, the principal reached out to The Greater Stapleton Business Associaon and the Park Hill Neighborhood Associaon to gather addional perspecves. The MCA and SUN electronic newsleer were leveraged to call for design team members, to name the
34
school and to solicit ongoing communicaon, input, and engagement. Social media tools, including Remind101, Linkedin, Stapleton Connect, FaceBook and Next Door, were all used in an effort to inform and encourage parcipaon of the community in the planning process. Finally, the principal and other school representaves aended the SUN school fair in early November, 2015 and the Denver Public Schools School EXPO to talk with prospecve parents about the school's vision and mission and to answer other related quesons. Founding Staff The founding team of staff were contributed to wring this Innovaon Plan. Staff had the opportunity to review the school plan during the hiring process. During a staff planning meeng staff was divided into teams to work on different secons of the Innovaon Plan to include waivers. While the vision for the school had been established since 2015 with the Design Team, the staff has weighed in on the details of “how”/the acons steps that will lead us to realizing our vision. Collaborative School Committee (CSC) While we have been working to engage the community for a long me, Inspire Elementary is excited to formalize the CSC Commiee. The CSC was created by taking nominaons from all of the parents of students and the staff. A leer was sent to all parents with ballots and results were posted on our website. A meeng was conducted to review the innovaon plan on June 1, 2017 and the school plan has been posted on our website since November of 2015. Dr. Enriquez has had one on one meengs with parents and group meeng to gather feedback on the innovaon plan. The following persons were selected for our CSC: Parent/business/employer or community representave(s): Robyn Broghammer, Melissa Browne, Parker Fleming, Eileen Johnson, Katelyn Leighton, Tony Jackson, Jerry Osei‐Tutu and Meredith Pogonyi. Parent Teacher and Student organizaon adult representave(s): Tim Beresford, Brie Glahe, Hope Miller, Ricardo Pineda, Adrienne Ptacek, Karen Shapiro Teacher representave(s): Haley Figueroa, Sara Fuller, Sarah McCarty, Lisa Ordway, Jenna Sherman, Ansley Young In addion to the individual meengs with CSC members the following events were conducted to present our school plan, answer quesons, and gather feedback on the school plan, innovaon and the facility design of Inspire A total of 6 Design Advisory Group (DAG) Community Meengs were conducted with a final meeng for the community at large on February 7, 2017 Inspire Informaon/Feedback/Tours: January 25, 2017, February 15, 2017, March 15, 2017, April 19 2017 and May 19, 2017. Community Events: May 3, 2017, May 30, 2017, July 7, 2017 and August 12, 2017
35
Parent Organizaon: During the spring of 2017 a group of parents created a Facebook social media group and began to aend other Stapleton school parent organizaons. Formal Parent Organizaon Meeng dates include: April 5, 2017, April 19, 2017, June 1, 2017, June 7, 2017. See below for summary data of some of the key groups who have formally evidenced support for Inspire Elementary: Administration Approval: On June 8, 2017, the school administraon consisng of 2 members approved the innovaon plan with 100% approval. Teacher Approval: On June 8, 2017, eight Inspire teachers voted via secret ballot to approve the innovaon plan with 100% approval. CSC Approval: On June 8, 2017, the school CSC consisng of 11 members approved the innovaon plan with 100% approval.
H. ONGOING PARENT/GUARDIAN AND STUDENT INVOLVEMENT & SATISFACTION Once we have third grade students, in the 2017‐18 school year, we will administer the required DPS student sasfacon survey on an annual basis. Given the high level of engagement we will have with students we ancipate high rates of sasfacon. Our goal is to have a sasfacon rate of 90% or higher on all survey quesons. If the response rate is lower than this, we will convene a school commiee comprised of staff, students and parents to address the specific issues that received unsasfactory scores. Teachers will be responsible for administering the student sasfacon surveys, for analyzing the results, and if necessary, designing appropriate intervenons. The Collaborave School Commiee reviews the student sasfacon survey results and considers the outcome as one component in their annual review of the administrave team. Inspire Elementary is a service and a resource to the local community. We share responsibility for learning in a variety of sengs and real world situaons and we extend learning beyond the tradional school calendar and classroom walls. We encourage learning in and out of the classroom, discussions, parcipaon, interdisciplinary acvies, small group lessons, fieldwork, learning expedions, case studies, projects and service learning to inspire students to think and work as professional do, and contribung to deeper learning and quality work. We surround children with teachers, peers and community members who share a passion for learning and a respect for each other which allows children to feel confident in expressing themselves and working toward their full potenal.
We are commied to serve the needs of our community—parcularly parents, family members, and supporters of Inspire Elementary. All members of the school community are invited and acvely encouraged to parcipate in decision‐making and operaon of the school and are respected as
36
valuable contributors. Given our deep belief in community we intend to connue to involve interested pares right away with tools such as the following Google Form to find out how they can support our vision for students. We will conduct surveys during our parent involvement events to ensure high turnout rates. Our goal is to achieve at least 90% sasfacon by the end of the first school year, equang to a rang of “Exceeds” on the School Performance Framework. We use feedback from parents to engage in a connuous improvement process. Data is organized and monitored (with staff) by the Collaborave School Commiee to ensure fidelity of applicaon and implementaon. If involvement and sasfacon levels are not met as ancipated, the enre staff will conduct an analysis and develop appropriate plans for improvement. By including our parents in the core values of the school and by consistently valuing creavity and crical thinking from all our stakeholders, we ensure that parent and community input connues to influence and improve our school. To ensure a high response rate, surveys are made available during school‐wide events yielding high levels of parent aendance (e.g., parent‐teacher conferences, student performances etc.). In addion to the parent sasfacon surveys, enrollment data is reviewed to inform planning, goal seng and strategies for improvement. The school places emphasis on a proacve approach to parent sasfacon. The school should NOT be learning of parental dissasfacon through parent survey or social media but rather the community is encouraged to share quesons or concerns directly with school leadership, teachers, support staff, or through other appropriate channels. Though every parent may not get what they want, they should feel that they have been heard and respected. Decisions are made in service of Inspire Elementary’s Vision and families are our partners in the educaon of their children. We make families welcome, develop relaonships, and engage
them acvely in the life of the school. The school hosts events that focus on developing personal relaonships and building capacity in parents and community members to support our students’ academic, social, emoonal, and physical growth. Parents/guardians serve on the Collaborave School Commiee (CSC) and engage in a variety of volunteer opportunies such as: evening from‐home opportunies (grading, copying, stuffing folders) for parents/guardians that work during the day; office and classroom volunteer posions for those who are available during school hours; and opportunies for those who cannot give their me but can contribute supplies, materials etc. Parents/guardians buy into the methods being used at school and understand them so that connuity is fostered between home and school. The framework Inspire Elementary uses to engage families and community
members is the Epstein's Framework of Six Types of Involvement
37
SECTION II: LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP TEAM (LT) PERSONNEL Specific academic and program areas are distributed based upon each member’s areas of strength (see Marisol Enriquez Ph.D. receives feedback from her staff (AP, Senior Team Leads, Team Leads, Team Specialists, classroom educators, parents, and students). Addionally, the LT and Collaborave School Commiee (CSC) facilitate 360 evaluaons as needed to add to the body of evidence. These reviews shape and inform a connuous growth plan with monthly targeted professional growth goals. Dr. Enriquez’s annual evaluaon and professional growth plan will follow the DPS LEAD Framework. Other LT members receive coaching and feedback from the principal, each other, and the Instruconal Superintendent (IS). Like the principal, all leadership team members undergo annual evaluaons using the LEAP/ LEAD Frameworks in order to idenfy strengths and next steps.. Lastly, each leadership team member engages in an ongoing and in‐depth professional development strands that relate to her or his leadership area. The purpose of LT professional development is to ensure that Inspire Elementary school leaders remain up to date on best pracces in educaon including but not limited to: Curriculum, Personalized Learning, Project‐Based Learning, Innovave Pracces, Deeper Learning and Design Thinking. Observaon‐Feedback cycles lead to incremental progress on long term goals and strong implementaon of key programs. The senior team lead and team leads support the implementaon of our strategic plan including: inquiry based learning, personalized learning, community connecon and real‐world applicaon. The feedback of these leads Is aligned to the School Leader’s Professional Growth Plan (PGP) and the School Unified Improvement Plan (UIP). All Inspire Elementary school leaders must: Demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit, drive and focus to excel Arculate and model a clear vision of the school and promote parent and community
involvement Commit to serve a diverse student populaon Celebrate strengths and diverse student talents Strive for connuous improvement, crically consume data, and use data to elevate student
achievement Be relaonship driven Have a desire to lead innovaon in educaon and make posive contribuons to the field Have experience teaching or leading inquiry strategies such as Deeper Learning, Play Based
Learning, Expedionary Learning, Project‐Based Learning and Design Thinking Have a minimum of five years of leadership experience and five years of classroom experience
In addion, consultants or partners that support the vision and mission of the school are ulized on occasion. The Inspire Elementary principal serves as the school’s instruconal expert and leader. She chairs the Leadership Team, working in concert with Denver Public Schools (DPS) to: Build an inclusive school culture that demonstrates integrity, diversity, risk‐taking,
accountability, and an urgent and relentless pursuit of academic achievement Eliminate achievement gaps across demographic subgroups at Inspire Elementary Ensure safe and smulang environments, indoors and out, for students, staff, and families
38
Lead a professional learning community that examines curriculum and instrucon with an eye on connual improvement
Use student achievement data (gender, race, income, nave language, etc.) to effecvely refine and improve students’ learning and growth
Manage the needs of ALL Inspire Elementary students, fully embracing an inclusive model of academic and emoonal support and compliance with state and federal mandates including: Individual Educaon Plans (IEP) preparaon/processes and IDEA requirements; monitoring programming and compliance related to English Learners and Gied and Talented students
Dr. Marisol Enriquez, a veteran principal with 18 years of experience, has been hired as the planning principal and is requested by the design team to be the primary principal/instruconal leader moving forward. She has a track record of success‐ opened two buildings on a campus in Aurora serving students from preschool through high school and college courses that went from Turnaround to Performance on the state rangs. Dr. Enriquez has led schools with diverse demographics, is knowledgeable about inquiry based learning and is passionate about providing engaging, innovave educaonal alternaves to all students. Marisol is commied to raising student achievement through deep and consistent implementaon of the school’s plan As a support to the principal, the assistant principal shares responsibility for communicang and implemenng the mission and vision of Inspire Elementary; creang, communicang, and implemenng Inspire Elementary procedures and policies; the evaluaon and support of all staff; contribung to the Inspire Elementary professional learning community; data‐driven decision‐making; defining assignments and dues of specialized staff; recommending the best possible candidates for teaching posions; organizing staff for maximum effecveness and high morale; making budgetary recommendaons; being knowledgeable of potenal sources of outside fiscal support and developing proposals; being the main go‐to person for coverage and dues in the absence of other professional staff.
The comprehensive nature of the Inspire Elementary mission and vision requires the leadership team to commit to the academic and social‐emoonal well‐being of every student and to make meaningful connecons with parents and community. Leadership is viewed as a shared responsibility. The Inspire Elementary leadership model is designed and organized to support its vision. The model ensures that leadership is distributed and sustainable to provide the guidance and direcon of connuous improvement in instruconal pracce and alignment with its goals. Decisions are made consistently, backed with solid reasons and compelling data, and always embrace what is best for students.
TEAM SPECIALIST The Team Specialist supports collaborave team me. From a teacher perspecve, supports are more evenly balanced between collaborave team ming and 1:1 coaching and evaluaon. From a design perspecve, decisions about roles are made based on the content needs of the team, as well as scheduling needs for teaming acvies.
LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN Successful implementaon and sustainability of the Inspire Elementary vision and mission does not hinge on a single leader. The intent and expectaon is to develop leadership skills and capacity for all staff. Partnerships with the various partners support the ongoing development of the school’s instruconal leaders. Distributed and shared leadership is the cornerstone of Inspire Elementary. Staff is involved in leadership roles in a variety of ways. Teachers are on the Leadership Team (LT),
39
lead and parcipate as members of data teams, serve on or lead school commiees, and facilitate professional development. In addion, Inspire Elementary provides opportunies to learn/improve facilitaon skills, develop outstanding data analysis skills, deepen instruconal understandings, develop strong communicaon skills, and strengthen collaboraon and decision making skills. Teachers connue to grow and take on higher levels of responsibility and crical posions within the school, leading to beer teacher retenon and a succession for leadership. At the juncture when a new principal is needed, the principal search model will begin with staff compiling a list that delineates the knowledge, skills, and atude desired in the new leader. An interview team will be selected with input from the Leadership Team and the CSC which will include parents, teachers, current school administraon and district leadership. Interview quesons and “look fors” will be developed by the interview team, which align with the list of knowledge, skills, and atudes. Staff members who are already on the Inspire Elementary Staff will be given priority consideraon. Finalists will be idenfied through an interview process, which may include a building walkthrough. Parents will be able to meet and ask quesons of the finalists at a public community event and provide input at the conclusion of the event. The interview team will forward no less than two finalists to the Superintendent. Leadership candidates will be idenfied in collaboraon with the school staff to ensure philosophical alignment with Inspire Elementary vision, mission, values, and educaonal approach. Final recommendaon for hire will be the responsibility of the Superintendent and Board of Educaon.
LEADERSHIP TEAM COACHING AND EVALUATION
LEADERSHIP TEAM The Inspire Elementary Leadership Team (LT) is composed of the principal, assistant principal, senior team lead and team specialists and team leads. Each person on the LT is responsible for operaonalizing the Inspire Elementary mission, vision, operang principles, and core values. LT members are responsible for focusing on student achievement and connuous improvement, and align all acvies in the school to that vision. Leaders use data wisely, shape school structures to best meet student needs, celebrate joy in learning, and build a school‐wide culture of trust and collaboraon. The LT collects and analyzes data on student achievement and teaching pracces to make informed decisions. Members of the Leadership Team lead data inquiry teams, analyze and disaggregate various data to determine paerns of performance. These teams emphasize collaborave inquiry as the keystone for producve data use. They use mulple sources of data, beyond test scores (e.g., classroom assessments, student work, student engagement indicators, and student surveys). Inspire Elementary invests in the capacity of every teacher to access, understand, and use data effecvely. Our leadership strategy goes beyond a single person or team; it is an expectaon for all members of Inspire Elementary staff. Staff ensures that curriculum, instrucon, and assessment are ghtly aligned to high standards for student achievement, the Leadership Team represents the interests of staff and ensures their involvement and input into decisions relang to: Instrucon, assessment, student learning outcomes, and student success Management and monitoring the Unified Improvement Plan Professional culture and development
40
The Leadership Team uses an agenda‐driven discussion and decision‐making process designed to foster producve, proacve dialogue on the areas idenfied above. This process begins with the development of team norms and operang agreements that include expectaons for member parcipaon and interacon, meeng facilitaon, record keeping/reporng, and process refinement. Team members receive training on the strategies needed to be high funconing team.
PRINCIPAL As a DPS innovaon school, the Principal/Instruconal Leader is supervised and evaluated by a DPS Instruconal Superintendent against the LEAD School Leadership Framework. The school leader’s primary role is to support student achievement. The principal’s evaluaon is focused on student achievement and growth. At least 50% of the evaluaon is based on student achievement data. The District’s School Quality Framework secon on leadership supports the vision and mission of our school. The Framework for Effecve School Leadership includes rubrics for cultural and equity leadership and instrucon that is aligned with our focus. This resource expands leadership capacity and sets high expectaons. Coaching and professional growth opportunies are provided to the school leader. All LT staff members are evaluated by the principal using: the School Leadership Framework for the assistant principal and the Framework for Effecve Teaching (LEAP).
TEACHERS Inspire Elementary uses inquiry based, personalized, learning with the community to make a posive impact locally and globally and recruit and retain qualified teachers. Addionally, Inspire Elementary focuses on improving student achievement by developing quality teachers through intenonal professional development provided by the school’s Leadership Team. High quality, job‐embedded professional development is a crical component of inquiry based learning schools. This aids in recruing and retaining exceponal teachers and building the capacity of staff to ensure successful implementaon of the model. Inspire Elementary priorizes building all teacher’s capacity, and all teachers parcipate in regular coaching and data‐driven feedback cycles to improve teacher pracce and student learning. Inspire Elementary use the content of the LEAP Framework as the primary teacher performance and feedback tool but reserves the right to customize the LEAP evaluaon process, including training, calibraon and melines. The school does not use prior LEAP scores earned at other schools as a basis for employment at Inspire Elementary. Inspire Elementary recognizes the value of mulple avenues of feedback for all first‐year novice teachers. Peer observers are not assigned by the district however may be leveraged on a case by case basis.. Teachers do not earn non‐probaonary status based on LEAP scores or any other measure. Ulmate decisions regarding connuaon of employment at Inspire Elementary lie solely with the principal. Inspire Elementary follows the District’s Basic Fairness and Due Process Guidelines in issuing correcve acon.
SCHOOL PERSONNEL STRUCTURE Inspire Elementary hires team members that possess passion, commitment, creavity, and drive for supporng inquiry based learning and the mission and vision of the school. Inspire Elementary uses the following set of indicators in addion to the Colorado definion of Highly Qualified: In accordance
41
with federal law, Colorado defines Qualified Teachers as teachers that are fully licensed and able to demonstrate subject maer competency in each core content area in which they are assigned. This definion applies to both general and special educaon teachers that are responsible for providing instrucon in core content subject areas. No core operaons are outsourced to third pares or consultants. The school has the flexibility to hire non‐licensed teachers for non‐core courses. All K‐12 core content teachers are highly qualified.
INDICATORS: Proven ability to execute standardsbased instruction and progress monitoring strategies to promote student achievement; alignment with the vision and mission of Inspire Elementary; knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy; ability to plan for and implement a variety of instructional techniques and strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners; desire to hold all students to high expectations; autonomy in instructional design and accountability for meeting high professionalism expectations; ethic of excellence and craftsmanship; openness to feedback and coaching; desire and ability to work effectively as part of a team; demonstrated ability to work well with parents and build positive relationships with students from diverse backgrounds; demonstrated ability to analyze data and measurements of achievement; commitment to ongoing professional development and lifelong learning; desire to foster innovation and creativity; excellent communication skills; strong classroom management skills through instructional systems and structures; a sense of humor, flexibility, and adaptability. Preference is be given to teachers who possess or are pursuing a Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CLDE) State endorsement, Special Education endorsement, or Gifted Education endorsement, National Board Certification as well as teachers with inquiry based learning experience.
THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS: During the fall of 2017‐18 we will partner with 3 district community partners to provide the following specials to students: music/drama, Spanish, STEAM. Inspire Elementary is commied to recruing and retaining a world‐class staff that is capable of providing a rigorous educaon as a well as a warm and supporng environment to its students. At full build‐out, the school may include the following posions:
STAFF 201718: Principal (1 FTE). Secretary II (1 FTE)
Manage and maintain front desk coverage Supervise aendance compleon and run necessary reports; manage aendance; manage
student informaon system (Infinite Campus); manage student record systems
42
Manage school and class level ordering; manage and maintain copy room inventory and machines; manage internal funds collecon & tracking; create bank deposits weekly
Manage and maintain staff files Instructional Staff (7) 2017 4 Classroom Teachers Year 1 Teacher Leadership and Collaboraon (TLaC) (0 FTE‐Spends)
Team Specialist New Teacher Ambassador
Mild Moderate Teachers (. 5 FTE) Intervenonist (.5 FTE) Elecve Teachers (1.2 FTE) Mental Health (.4) Nurse (.2)
The planned phasein for the positions at Inspire Elementary is:
School Year 2017‐18 2018‐19 2019‐20 20209‐21 2021‐22
Principal 1 1 1 1 1
Assistant Principal
0 .5 1 1
Secretary II 1 1 1 1 1
Pro‐Tech Staff Budget Analyst
0 0 0 .25 .25
Secretary I 0 .5 .5 .5 .5
TLC 0 .5 .5 .5 1+
Classroom Teachers
4 7 11 15 18
Mild Moderate Teachers
.5 1 1 1.5 2
Mental Health Psychologist and Social Worker
.4 .6 .6 .8 .8
Nurse .2 .2 .2 .4 .4
43
D. EMPLOYMENT POLICIES Inspire will follow district employment terms and policies as required by state statute, collecve bargaining agreements, and district policy except for those explicitly waived as part of this Innovaon plan. The staff and CSC team has idenfied the following school‐based flexibilies required to design and implement human resource policies and procedures that align with the vision, mission and educaon plan of the school. These flexibilies include:
Recruing and hiring all staff, including teachers, administrators, and other support personnel, using pracces that will ensure employee fit with the school‘s plan
Ulizing annual employment contracts for teachers Posng all vacant posions, recruing and hiring all staff as the need arises, even if such need
falls outside DPS‘s standard hiring cycle and process Creang non‐tradional job descripons, which may include adding roles and responsibilies to
any job Establishing the calendar, work year, work week, work day, job assignments, and teaching loads
to align with the plan Creang a governance and leadership structure that aligns with the needs of the school
community Partnering with community organizaons, without licensed educators, to provide students more
enrichment opportunies during the day Establishing addional compensaon rates and other methods of rewarding performance as
needed. Salary ranges and employment benefits for all employees, as well as any incenves or reward structures that are part of the compensaon system are aligned and consistent with DPS. Spends are provided as compensaon for any work that is performed beyond the contract and will be paid at a rate determined annually by the school leader and CSC. There are no other modificaons to employment benefits (such as health insurance and pension systems), and there are no modificaons related to holidays and leave payouts. Such flexibilies will be limited only by federal law, the statutes, the Collecve Bargaining Agreement provisions and District Board policies not waived through any future waiver process.
E. OPERATIONS Transportation Inspire Elementary uses district‐provided buses for transportaon of students. The principal collaborates with the Transportaon Department to set appropriate bell mes.
F. Operations Safety and Security The secretary, in consultaon with the Principal and DPS Office of Safety and Security maintains an Emergency Response Crisis Management (ERCM) plan for the school. Key components of the ERCM include: emergency drill logs, staff preparedness training, the School Emergency Response Team and their roles, ensure readiness of all ERCM equipment such as two‐way radios and megaphones. The Principal, Secretary Facility Manager and founding Leadership Team members take part in the DPS 4 module ERCM video trainings and pass all 4 quizzes included in the trainings. Monthly fire drills one
44
lockdown and a shelter‐in‐place drill per semester are documented and feedback is provided to teachers and students. Ongoing safety is ensured using electronic and video controlled intercom door openers and video cameras located on the exterior and interior of the building.
G. Operations – Food Services Inspire Elementary parcipates in DPS food services program, which complies with state and federal rules and regulaons (including free and reduced lunch procedures). Breakfast is served to all students. Healthy choices are served to all students at lunch.
45
SECTION III: EDUCATION PROGRAM
A. PEDAGOGY Many highlight the importance of innovaon, entrepreneurship and creavity in an age of globalizaon and rapid technological development; others emphasize the importance of communicaon skills and crical thinking. All concur that developing high levels of literacy and mathemacal proficiency are foundaonal for success. At the heart of our school design is a belief that students should be provided with work that maers, large blocks of me for exploraon, project‐based integrated curricular units across subject areas, tapping into the student’s natural curiosity, competency based learning, and opportunies for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Rather than subscribe to one method, Inspire Elementary ‘s educaonal program is centered around four strategies: inquiry, individual, community and global. Each of these strategies connects to the broad mission of leveraging children’s passions, talents and learning styles to create an educaon that culvates the whole child.
Inspire Elementary has idenfied Crical Success Factors (CSFs) or areas we need to focus on to achieve an inquiry based, personalized learning environment in concert with the community to make a posive impact locally and globally: Inquiry, Personalized, Use of Space, Community, Curriculum, Teachers and Students as Designers. Our values to Inspire, Innovate and Impact serve as the foundaon for all of our work at Inspire Elementary and are the essence of our culture. Our values bring us together and drive how we interact with each other in pursuit of our vision, these values shape our shared and guide our decisions to meet our goals.
1) INQUIRY An old adage states: "Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand." The last part of this statement is the essence of inquiry‐based learning. The word inquiry implies involvement of the learner that leads to deep understanding. Involvement in the learning process implies one has the processing skills and atudes that permits one to seek answers to complex problems while construcng new knowledge. Effecve inquiry is much more than just asking quesons. It is a complex process involving individuals in aempng to integrate informaon and data into useful knowledge. In order for inquiry based learning to be effecve it requires: a context for quesons, a framework for quesons, a focus for quesons, and different levels of quesons. A well‐designed inquiry based learning process produces knowledge formaon that can be widely applied. 14
14 http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
46
Through the process of inquiry, students construct understanding of the natural and the human‐designed world. Inquiry is not about seeking the right answer but rather seeking appropriate resoluons to quesons and issues that arise. Inquiry is essenal in educaon because the fund of knowledge is ever changing and increasing. It is a shi in emphasis from “what we know” to “how we know.” The broad concepts of how the world is organized, how the world changes, how it is interrelated and how we communicate about it provides broad concepts, quesons and issues one will face throughout the course of their lives. These concepts can help organize the content of the curriculum to provide a relave and cumulave framework for effecve learning. Well designed inquiry‐learning experiences should be set in a conceptual context in order to help students accumulate and synthesize knowledge as they progress from grade to grade. Inquiry in educaon should lead to a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Inquiry, Deeper Learning, ProjectBased Learning, Design Thinking 15
We imagine a generaon of students inspired for learning and adventure; students who learn with empathy and opmism; and students who seek soluons and possibilies in a world that is complex, unpredictable, and unknown. Students engage in hands‐on, authenc and deep learning experiences that inspire them to be lifelong learners. Empathy: Learn about the audience for whom you are designing, by observaon and interview. Who is my user? What maers to this person? Define: Create a point of view that is based on user need and insights. What are their needs? Ideate: Come up with as many ideas as possible. Wild ideas encouraged! Opmism is essenal Prototype: Build a representaon of one or more of your ideas to show to others. How can I show my idea? Remember: A prototype is just a rough dra! Test: Share your prototyped idea with your original user for feedback. What worked? What didn’t? We provide students ample opportunies to move around the room, talk about their ideas, and showcase their thinking in varied ways. Rooms and learning spaces are designed with flexibility and comfort in mind, and students are allowed extended blocks of me to pursue deeper learning. This
structure allows and encourages deep thinking, thoughul discussions and me to explore areas in depth and without the disrupons that oen accompany a more tradional schedule. Integral to this model are natural and mulpath connecons to 21st century skills. Teachers and students take on a “beginner’s mindset” when addressing content and engaging in problem solving. This mindset
15 How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington DC: National Academy Press [National Research Council]. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2009).
47
recognizes that each person can be, oen simultaneously, a novice and a master in the learning paradigm. As a novice, the beginner’s mindset allows the learner to be have quesons and gives them space to operate in the vulnerable, inquisive, and somemes clumsy mode of a learner instead of the more restricve “knower” construct. Alternately, the mindset sll expects the master to invesgate and be open to new and unfound ways of thinking about areas of experse rather than mired by exisng knowledge. The beginner’s mindset promotes unlimited generave possibilies and fosters curiosity, openness, enthusiasm and eagerness for learning. Design Thinking is used across professions and all disciplines and incorporates best pracces as well as divergent thinking. Refer to the diagram below for illustration .
Growth requires an expectaon and acceptance of struggle and failure as part of the learning process. We view failures as opportunies for growth and we embrace and teach students to develop the mindsets to be successful. We learn from our mistakes and recover quickly by grounding ourselves in the work of Carol Dweck regarding developing a Growth Mindset. 16
Inspire Elementary ensures the following principles are incorporated in units of learning: Principle 1: All learning acvies are focused on using informaon‐processing skills (from observaon to synthesis) and learning is set within a larger conceptual context Principle 2: Inquiry learning puts the student at the center and is an acve learning process, and the systemic elements such as the teacher, instruconal resources, technology, etc. are aligned to support the student Principle 3: The role of the teacher becomes one of facilitator. The teacher also becomes a learner by finding out more about the student as a learner in the process of inquiry learning. Principle 4: What is assessed is what is valued. Emphasis is placed on assessing the development of informaon‐processing skills, habits of mind, and conceptual understandings in addion to the content. We use a research based facilitaon in inquiry based learning units. Habits of Mind: rules of the discipline being taught observaon skills, research skills, synthesis
skills, etc.
16 hps://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol‐dweck‐mindset
48
Conceptual: themes that connect to the lesson or previous lessons and important ideas in the framework of the discipline
Specific Content: Content the students need to know by the end of the lesson and standards addressed
Potenal roadblocks to learning: challenges and possible soluons Inquiry aributes already possessed by learners: guide for pre assessment and taking the
students further in their learning Quesons: Main quesons that the teacher hopes students will explore (inference, quesons
about hypothesis, etc.) Ongoing Assessment: Once students have begun to explore the quesons and the content of
the lesson the teacher will observe, examine student work and assess progress toward goals and expected outcomes
Appropriate sources and resources to effecvely monitor progress: Teachers will idenfy the ways to assess students at the end of the unit
Professional Preparaon: Teachers will list what they will need to find out before starng the units
Long‐range, medium‐range and short‐range goals: Overall learning goals for the year, for the unit of study and for the specific learning experience or unit of study.
Plans advance learners to go deeper and to help students who haven’t mastered the objecve.
2) PERSONAL STUDENTCENTERED LEARNING Giving students a voice provides them a chance to share their opinions about something that is important to them and to parcipate in and eventually own and drive their own learning. According to Eric Toshalis and Michael J. Nakkula in their report “Movaon, Engagement, and Student Voice,” learner voice demonstrates a commitment to the facilitaon of agency and to the creaon of policies, pracces, and programs that revolve around the learner's’ interests and needs. Inspire Elementary 17
uses a competency based approach where emphasis is placed on what students learn, rather than where or how long the learning takes place. The design allows students to learn at their own pace and the focus is placed on demonstraon of learning outcomes. Student porolios provide students 18
with a forum for eding, reflecng on, and celebrang their work and growth. Performance based assessments are used in conjuncon with ongoing formave and summave assessment through frequent Presentaons of Learning (POLs) and formal exhibions/curaon of student work. Common rubrics are developed and used to assess student work and next steps for learning are idenfied collaboravely between the student and teacher and parents. Students monitor their progress toward mastery of learning goals. All phases of project work, including successive dras of wrien pieces and final products are produced using a wide variety of media. Students are empowered
17 Mitra, D.L. 2009. “Student Voice and Student Roles in Educaon Policy Reform.” In D. Plank, G. Sykes, & B. Schneider, eds. AERA Handbook on Educaon Policy Research. London, UK: Routledge ‐ See more at: hp://www.personalizelearning.com/#sthash.uWBKcIUf.dpuf 18 http://www.cael.org/whatwedo/competencybasededucation
49
which fosters ownership, personalizaon. Through student displays students witness increasingly higher standards for student work. Student projects are scored not only on mastery of state standards, but also for their demonstraon of skills that are harder to quanfy—such as creavity, problem solving, decision making, me management, informaon gathering, responsibility, and collaboraon. To achieve the highly personalized instrucon that Inspire Elementary envisions, 19
students can move in and out of a variety of acvies throughout the day. As described in detail below, some of those acvies are for individual learning and some are for group instrucon. Students work groups are designed to be heterogeneous or homogeneous depending on the objecve. This fluid dynamic is not aligned with the tradional classroom structure of 20 to 30 students with one teacher. Students may be in mul‐age groups for some porons of the day and the teachers loop with the community. Students’ groupings are based primarily on their academic, social and emoonal readiness for the content. This allows us to provide exactly the right supports, to the right students at the right me regardless of age or “seat me.” Student instruconal groups change frequently throughout the school year based on formave assessment data analyzed by Professional Learning Communies (PLCs) coordinated by the Leadership Team (LT).
At Inspire Elementary instructional groups:
... may be multiage. We believe students have more important things in common than their age. It is crical that students receive instrucon at the right level for them regardless of age. As an example, at Inspire Elementary a student who is seven years old and struggling in reading but advanced in math may receive his/her core reading instrucon with a small group of students aged five to seven and math instrucon in a larger group of students aged seven to nine. Students will have a 45 minute block daily (refer to the orange column in the student schedule) that is grouped based on needs and/or interests including: Passion Projects, Extended Inquiry, Centers, Reading Foundaons Skills Block, English Language Development (ELD), Gied and Talented etc. ... are dynamic. Students advance at different rates in different content areas so Inspire Elementary reevaluates its groupings at regular intervals throughout the year and makes data‐driven adjustments. Students who have the same level of preparaon for a learning objecve are grouped together to work on that objecve but may not be grouped together to work on it the next if they are not equally prepared for it. Groups are heterogeneous when it is the right fit for the objecve. ... meet on an “as needed” basis. At Inspire Elementary students who are advanced in one content area are not only grouped with students at a similar level, but they also may not meet as frequently with their content teacher. Teachers spend more me meeng the needs of all students including: students who are struggling, and students who need enrichment and acceleraon.
3) USE OF SPACE Inspire Elementary offers classroom communies that nurture students through a beauful and funconal environment that invites curiosity and exploraon. Classrooms are equipped with flexibility and acve learning arrangements. A high degree of transparency in the school facilies creates an atmosphere in which students feel free to navigate their school with increased
19 http://www.codmanacademy.org/pdf/timefordeeperlearning.pdf
50
independence. Student learning is always on display at Inspire Elementary. High quality student work is showcased and curated as key student projects become permanent fixtures at the school. Centrally located common areas are used for formal, informal, large and small group learning where student work and prototypes are displayed. Spaces are available for formally supervised and un‐programmed individual and group work to take place. In our 21st century learning environment the life and work of the school is visible, coherent and changes with acvity and excitement. Regular exhibions and presentaons of student work are woven into the culture of Inspire Elementary. Authenc learning happens within and beyond the classroom. Outdoor courtyards are available for students in order for learning to extend beyond the four walls of the classroom.
4) COMMUNITY Inspire Elementary and the larger community benefit with and from each other. Inspire Elementary believes in shared responsibility for learning, therefore, teams of teachers with 75‐100 students help develop a sense of connuity, community, engagement and accountability. Parents are partners by contribung as: volunteers, vising panelists for Presentaons of Learning (POLs), hosng “power lunches” as vising professionals, helping parent day, planning events and informaon sessions, fundraising and parcipang in the CSC, etc. Business and community organizaons parcipate acvely in the life of the school as mentors, presentaon panelists and project collaborators. Field studies are opportunies that bring students in the community and connect them with adult professionals and mentors. By connecng students to members of the larger community, students begin to think and work as professionals do. Projects are connected to challenges or issues that are of interest or concern in the local community. Educaon, commercial, business and cultural organizaons provide a foci for field study experiences.
5) USE OF TIME Stretches of choice me for student play and exploraon during the day provides opportunies for students to spend me with each other and with their ideas, quesons and challenges. Inspire Elementary uses a modified block schedule to facilitate small pull out group to differenate instrucon. We leverage computer based programs for self‐paced instrucon when needed.
Content Area Recommended Time Inspire Time
Literacy Primary (K‐2) 140 minutes per day 165
Intermediate (3‐5) 150 minutes per day N/A Math 80 minutes per day 80
Science/social studies 45 minutes per day 45
51
English language development 45 minutes per day (required) 45 Physical educaon 45 minutes per week 60
Arts(music, visual arts, theatre, and dance) 135 minutes per week
180
Year1
Sample School Day Schedule
6) CURRICULUM Our curriculum taps into students’ natural curiosity, is developmentally aligned, is flexible, and is mastery based. Learning is demonstrated through formave, summave, and performance based assessments. Teachers work collaboravely to develop integrated inquiry units of study aligned Common Core State Standards. Learning opportunies are designed to engage the hands and minds of our students. Teachers at Inspire Elementary are program and curriculum designers. They design curricula and inquiry based units using a variety of resources to meet the needs of our unique students.
52
Five major components of deeper learning drive and shape learning me. These priories are: 20
1. Building a posive learning environment 2. Using an interdisciplinary, project‐based approach 3. Engaging in “authenc” formave and summave assessments of learning and skill
development 4. Connecng students to the “real world” 5. Encouraging teachers to work collaboravely and as deep learners themselves in pursuit of
excellence National Center on Time & Learning TIME FOR DEEPER LEARNING
Curricular Resources
Language Arts EL Curriculum: The curriculum addresses an expanded definion of student achievement—building students’ academic knowledge and skills, habits of character, and high quality student work. The enhancements in the curriculum incorporate feedback from teachers around the country and include robust support for English learners and an addional support block for literacy. Grades K‐2: Our brand new grades K‐2 curriculum honors primary learners' needs for movement, stories, and imaginaon and comprises a full year of instrucon for three hours per day. Students are engaged in content‐based lessons that build literacy skills as they learn through the deep study of compelling topics. The third hour of instrucon focuses on explicit phonics instrucon.
Humanies TCI: Social Studies Alive! programs teach students about the world around them and how our cultures were created through interesng and engaging acvies and lessons. You probably already know that elementary kids don’t get excited by sing at a desk and listening to a lecture, quietly reading from an elementary school social studies textbook, taking notes, and then having to take a test. While there’s a me for every type of learning, there are beer (and certainly more fun) ways to go about teaching our children about history.
Science FOSS: The Full Opon Science System™ (FOSS) philosophy is to engage students in science through acve learning. Every FOSS invesgaon follows a similar design to provide mulple exposures to science concepts. The design includes these pedagogies:
Acve invesgaon, including outdoor experiences Recording in science notebooks to answer the focus queson Reading in FOSS Science Resources Assessment to monitor progress and movate student reflecon on
learning.
20 http://www.codmanacademy.org/pdf/timefordeeperlearning.pdf
53
In pracce, these components are seamlessly integrated into a connuum designed to maximize every student's opportunity to learn. An instruconal sequence may move from one pedagogy to another and back again to ensure adequate coverage of a concept. This latest edion of FOSS was developed to meet the requirements of the Next Generaon Science Standards. This edion offers three modules at each grade level, with specific offerings at each grade. The edion makes more explicit to teachers and students the connecons to science and engineering pracces, crosscung concepts, disciplinary core ideas, and Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Math.
Math Bridges: Bridges in Mathemacs is a comprehensive K–5 curriculum that equips teachers to fully implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathemacs in a manner that is rigorous, coherent, engaging, and accessible to all learners. The curriculum focuses on developing students’ deep understandings of mathemacal concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex and novel problems. Bridges blends direct instrucon, structured invesgaon, and open exploraon. It taps into the intelligence and strengths of all students by presenng material that is as linguiscally, visually, and kinesthecally rich as it is mathemacally powerful .
Addional Guided Reading Plus: Okapi, Rigby leveled books; Social Emoonal Curricula
7) TEACHERS AS DESIGNERS Teachers are provided me and opportunity to meet in order to collaborate, generate and implement ideas, discussing academic progress, social/emoonal needs of individual students, and curricula/scope and sequence alignment. At Inspire Elementary what we teach is just as important as how we teach. We achieve this by developing and delivering a highly effecve and meaningful curriculum. Our curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of students and reflects best pracces in the field of early to adolescent educaon. Our curricular standards take into account both the Common Core Standards. Inspire Elementary recognizes that a one‐size‐fits‐all educaon is an anquated concept. Inspire’s model creates an expectaon that students are invested parcipants in their educaon and, as a result, students are acvely involved in co‐creang learning plans that are connuously monitored and supported by staff. Learning plans include input from stakeholders, including students, parents and educators. Teachers facilitate students’ learning experiences to help them reach their goals. Although students are assigned a home room, there is an understanding among teachers that every student belongs to every teacher, and a collaborave, interacve and flexible structure allows for mulple teachers to affect students’ experience. In addion to opening students to diverse relaonal opportunies with the adults who support them, this shared ownership of students also allow teachers to contribute dynamically in their parcular areas of experse while sll learning and growing from colleagues who can support them in areas of less comfort. The world is rapidly evolving and Inspire Elementary recognizes the importance of creang students with flexible
54
thinking and minds that can effecvely analyze and incorporate exisng knowledge while simultaneously traversing beyond the already known to the construcon of unfound knowledge and divergent ways of thinking. Ulizing long‐term, in‐depth studies, emphasis is given to developing conceptual rather than rote understanding of academic content. These deeper conceptual understandings are embedded in the curriculum and encourage transference in ways that transcend me, place and situaon. Rather than merely focusing on facts, emphasis is given to making sense of informaon and how it relates to the world around us, organizing and making sense of both old and new ideas, and ulmately using knowledge to arrive at soluons to challenges. Research has shown that concept based learning creates higher‐order thinking, which assists learners in discerning paerns and interrelaonships. . Concept based learning helps learners gain a deeper understanding 21
and promotes a generalizing and transferring of knowledge between disciplines, enabling students to create bridges between what they currently know and what they can learn. Teachers are program and curriculum designers and work in interdisciplinary teams to design the experiences they teach. In keeping within the ideals of Design Thinking, they acvely and connuously engage in acon research in regard to educaonal pracce. They have the responsibility to lead staff meengs and acon groups addressing school issues. They parcipate in crical decisions regarding curriculum, assessment, professional development, hiring, and other significant areas of the school. The schedule supports team teaching, and teachers have ample planning me to devise integrated projects, common rubrics for assessment, and common rituals by which all students demonstrate their learning and progress. This structural and curriculum focus is in line with Michael Fullan’s meta‐research on change 22
leadership, in which he advises the top four successful educaonal reform pracces are: 1. Capacity building ‐ The centerpiece of learning in which intrinsic movaon in fostered in
educators and students. 2. Group work/Collaboration ‐ Emphasis on Social Capital in which collecve teamwork is
fostered and inspired. 3. Pedagogy ‐ In which educators and students engage in connuous improvement of instrucon
and learning. 4. Systemic Solutions ‐ in which systems are created and maintained that will posively affect all
educators and students. Inspire Elementary espouses the concept of The Third Teacher Whether this year’s kindergarten 23
student merely survives or posively thrive in the decades to come depends in large measure on the experiences she has in school. Those experiences are shaped by adults, by peers, and ulmately by places, by the physical environments where she does her learning. United in the convicon that
21 Thomas, J., (2010). A Review of Research on Project Based Learning. The Autodesk Foundaon, 1‐49. 22 Fullan, M.., Hewes, C., Curess, A. Kilcher, S, (2005). 8 Forces for Leaders of Change. Naonal Staff Development Council, 54‐64.. 23 O'Donnell Wicklund Pigozzi and Peterson, Architects Inc., VS Furniture., & Bruce Mau Design. (2010). The third teacher: 79 ways you can use design to transform teaching & learning. New York: Abrams.
55
environment is our children’s third teacher, we begin anew a vital mission: designing today’s schools for tomorrow’s world. Embedded in student learning are opportunies to find relevance in content 24
standards by connecng learning to real world situaons through field studies, community service, mentor opportunies, and consultaons with outside experts. Students rounely have opportunies to gain knowledge from experts in their fields of study and create work for authenc audiences. Expanded experiences naturally lend themselves to differenaon and enrichment for all students. Our approach to educaon is to design a more holisc educaonal experience that integrates academic standards with student learning goals. In order to accomplish this goal, we design instrucon to foster inquiry, dynamic problem solving, a sense of student efficacy, and a proacve approach that creates a powerful learner in the 21st century. Inspire Elementary ulizes materials from the district recommended resources while augmenng with addional resources. Research has shown that inquiry learning is an effecve, engaging and purposeful way to learn, however, Inspire Elementary also recognizes that research indicates the need and the place for direct instrucon . We believe that a blended model of inquiry and more 25
structured instrucon is necessary and curriculum choices reflect this blend. Clandinin & Connely 26
shi the role of teacher to that of curriculum maker. “Work that maers” has significance beyond classroom walls; it’s work that is created for an authenc audience who might enjoy it or benefit from it even in a small way. It’s work that isn’t simply passed to the teacher for a grade, or shared with peers for review. It’s work that potenally makes a difference in the world. A teacher's role is well 27
beyond that of transmier or implementer but rather that of an integral part of the curriculum construcon and enactment in the classroom. By involving teachers in the curriculum construcon, they can move away from the convergent‐thinking tasks that are pervasive in the current system to ones that are dependent on instrucon that engages students in divergent thinking in order to generate mulple and varied approaches to authenc problem solving. We regularly evaluate the 28
24 OWP/P Architects, VS Furniture & Bruce Mau Design, 2010 25 Willingham, (2013). Improving Students’ learning with Effecve Learning Techniques: Promising Direcons From Cognive Educaonal Psychology, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, pp. 14‐158. 26 Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (1992). Teacher as curriculum maker. In Jackson, P. (Ed.), Handbook of research on curriculum. New York: Macmillan, pp. 363–401. 27hp://ww2.kqed.org/mindshi/2014/04/30/what‐if‐we‐assigned‐students‐work‐that‐maers‐outside‐of‐school/ 28 Hardiman, M. (2010). The Creave‐arsc Brain. In Souza, D. (Ed.), Mind, Brain, and Educaon: Neuroscience Implicaons for the Classroom. Bloomington, IN: Soluon Tree.
56
curriculum based on its alignment with our mission, vision and values.
Technology
Although Inspire Elementary is grounded in the construct of experienal hands‐on learning, we also recognize that technology, when used as developmentally appropriate, strategically and thoughully, can support and differenate learning. We explore different plaorms that supplement, extend and personalize curriculum.
Research Based While the Inspire Elementary instruconal model is innovave and unique, it is firmly grounded in research. There is clear evidence that our approach to flexible grouping, inquiry based learning and small group learning can provide students from all backgrounds, and parcularly at‐risk students, with the tools they need to achieve at high levels. Below is the research we have found to inform our instruconal methods.
Classes Mulple studies have supported the use of flexible groupings of students. Some of the most compelling research used a teacher rang scale to assess children's prosocial, 29
aggressive, and friendship behaviors in mixed‐ and same‐age classrooms. Confounding variables such as the child's age and sex, the teacher's educaonal level, and classroom pracces, were stascally controlled. Post test findings suggested a significant posive effect on children's prosocial behavior as a result of parcipaon in a mixed‐age classroom context. Fewer children appeared to experience social isolaon in mixed‐age classrooms than in same‐age classrooms. Aggressive and negave behaviors were significantly less likely to be noted by teachers in mixed‐age than in same‐age
29 McClellan, Diane E., and Susan Kinsey. "Children's Social Behavior In Relaonship To Parcipaon In Mixed‐Age Or Same‐Age Classrooms." (1997)
57
classrooms. Another study compared the task acvies and social interacons of 10 five‐year‐old 30
kindergarten children in a mixed‐age (MA) classroom of children age 4 through 6 to those of ten 5‐year‐old kindergartners in an organizaonally equivalent same‐age (SA) classroom. Compared to children in the SA class, kindergartners in the MA class remained engaged in their classroom acvies for longer periods of me and exhibited more prosocial behavior.
Inquiry Based Learning 31
The purpose of this study was to investigate how sixth graders develop inquiry skills to construct explanations in an inquiry‐based learning environment. The researchers designed a series of inquiry‐based learning activities and identified four inquiry skills that are relevant to students’ construction of explanation. These skills include skills to identify causal relationships, to describe the reasoning process, to use data as evidence, and to evaluate explanations. Multiple sources of data (e.g., video recordings of learning activities, interviews, students’ artifacts, and pre/post tests) were collected from two science classes with 58 sixth graders. The statistical results show that overall the students’ inquiry skills were significantly improved after they participated in the series of the learning activities. Yet the level of competency in these skills varied. While students made significant progress in identifying causal relationships, describing the reasoning process, and using data as evidence, they showed slight improvement in evaluating explanations. Additionally, the analyses suggest that phases of inquiry provide different kinds of learning opportunities and interact with students’ development of inquiry skills. Cultural Relevance Classroom that are culturally relevant enable each student to relate course content to his or her cultural context inclusive of home language, family life, community context, beliefs, and values. Students of all backgrounds, ethnicies and cultures are encouraged to aend our school. Geneva Gay has idenfied characteriscs of culturally relevant teaching. These important characteriscs are 32
connected to the LEAP framework and becomes part of our culture, instruconal planning and delivery.
1. Validating and Affirming: Culturally relevant teaching is validang and affirming because it acknowledges the strengths of students’ diverse heritages.
2. Comprehensive: Culturally relevant teaching is comprehensive because it uses “cultural resources to teach knowledge, skills, values and atudes.”
3. Multidimensional: Culturally relevant teaching encompasses many areas and applies mulcultural theory to the classroom environment, teaching methods, and evaluaon.
4. Liberating: Culturally relevant teachers liberate students. 5. Empowering: Culturally relevant teaching empowers students, giving them opportunies to
excel in the classroom and beyond. “Empowerment translates into academic competence, personal confidence, courage, and the will to act.”
30 Winsler, Adam. "The Social Interacons And Task Acvies Of Young Children In Mixed‐Age And Same‐Age Classrooms: An Observaonal Study." (1993). 31 Hsin‐Kai Wu a* & Chou‐En Hsie h. “Developing Sixth Graders’ Inquiry Skills to Construct Explanaons in Inquiry‐based Learning Environments”: Internaonal Journal of Science Educaon. (2006). 32 hp://www.uwec.edu/COEHS/upload/Paee‐Arcle.pdf
58
6. Transformative: Culturally relevant teaching is transformave because educators and their students must oen defy educaonal tradions and the status quo.
In an increasingly diverse world, we strive to make our instrucon as culturally relevant as possible. We launched our school design team in 2015 to advise Inspire Elementary’s leadership and staff on how to make our program relevant to the community. The Inspire Elementary’s Design Team consists of the principal, future parents and community members. Cultural relevance is a formal part of our teacher evaluaon rubric, and all staff parcipate in a professional development session in culturally responsive pracces, equity and excellence in educaon, instuonal racism etc. at the start of each year. To aid our teachers in culturally relevant instrucon we select instruconal materials that highlight a range of diverse cultures. Most importantly, because much of the learning at Inspire Elementary is self‐directed, students are encouraged to learn more about one another’s cultures through the books these choose to read for independent study, to write and share authenc stories from their lives, and to work together on projects to serve their community.
59
B. CURRICULUM
Expeditionary Learning: EL for literacy block
Key Features The EL Education K5 ELA Curriculum: Is comprehensive: explicitly teaches and formally assesses all standards and strands of the new
ELA standards. Is content based: students read, think, talk and write about meaningful topics. Fosters habits of character Balances rigor and joy: honors student engagement and the needs of primary learners Challenges and engages all students; includes supports for students not meeng grade level
standards and extensions for students ready for more challenge Fosters collaboraon and rich student discourse
60
Math Bridges 33
Bridges in Mathemacs, second edion, is a comprehensive K‐5 curriculum that equips teachers to fully implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathemacs in a manner that is rigorous, coherent, engaging and accessible to all learners. The curriculum focuses on developing students’ deep understandings of mathemacal concepts, proficiency with key skills, and ability to solve complex and novel problems. Bridges blends direct instrucon, structured invesgaon, and open exploraon. It taps into the intelligence and strengths of all students by presenng material that is linguiscally, visually, and kinesthecally rich as it is mathemacally powerful. Writing Inspire Elementary uses a workshop approach which grows out of a pedagogical theory that prides itself on being in step with the natural development of writers and children respecvely. Wring is a process, a series of decisions and steps that every writer makes and takes, despite the length, the deadlines or even the genre. Students need to be explicitly taught the process that good writers use‐draing ideas, revising, eding, and publishing. When we involve the students in the process, we can help them become more acve in their own educaon and encourage them to write extensively about themselves and their observaons. Science At Inspire Elementary, teachers focus on supporng students to read, write, think and work as sciensts. They use curricular units, case studies, projects, problem‐based content, collaboraon with professional sciensts and engineers and interacve instruconal pracces to foster inquiry and enable authenc student research. When possible, student research contributes to the school community or broader community which supports our vision of human‐centered design. Students
33 hp://www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges
61
learn to noce and ask quesons about the world around them, to be logical in making assumpons, to be accurate when collecng data, insighul when drawing conclusions, and unbiased when supporng statements with reliable scienfic evidence. Social Studies At Inspire Elementary, teachers of social studies priorize students’ understanding of enduring concepts so that they can apply that understanding to the modern world. Teachers view social studies as a way to develop students’ capacity to interpret their world crically and engage producvely in it. They help students understand the big picture and meline of the elements that make up a culture or civilizaon, teachers support students to appreciate and understand diverse cultures and connecons between ancient and modern cultures. To help animate history, teachers choose compelling case studies that intertwine history, government, economics, geography, and culture and illuminate enduring themes. Students oen invesgate and address social issues in their local community and become compassionate community members in the process. While learning social studies, students act as social sciensts – they analyze primary sources, consider mulple perspecves, conduct research, and draw their own conclusions. Explicit literacy instrucon is a focus for students at all grade levels. Students learn to read, write and think as historians. Arts At Inspire Elementary, the arts in all forms are celebrated as a foundaon of culture and a central aspect of learning and life. Arsc skills are understood as intelligences, and arsc achievement is valued as academic achievement. Student exhibions of learning feature the arts along with other subjects. Design Thinking schools are filled with student artwork, which is displayed in a way that honors the work. Arsc performances are points of pride for the school, serving also as outreach to the broader community. Fitness and Wellness Given the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and the link between physical acvity and academic performance, parents and schools must work together to make quality daily Physical Educaon (PE) a priority in our schools. Our children also need more opportunies to be physically acve during the school day. • We meet the recommended PE standards of 150 minutes per week for elementary. These standards apply to all students all year long • Provide 10 to 15 minute aerobic physical acvity breaks during class me every day • Integrate physical acvity into the curriculum • Provide me for unstructured physical acvity during recess • Promote acve recess • Promote walking and biking to school • Listen to parents. A 2005 survey conducted by the naonal Acon for Healthy Kids found that parents believe the following are important and should be required as a way to encourage physical acvity – daily P.E. – daily recess – a variety of other daily opportunies for kids to be acve during the school day – aer‐school programs that promote healthy snacks and physical acvity. 34
Inspire Elementary promotes wellness in students and school staff members. Healthy eang, exercise, stress reducon and healthy relaonships – the key elements of physical and mental health – are
34hp://www.aconforhealthykids.org/storage/documents/parent‐toolkit/partner‐resource‐pdfs/ResourceKit‐CanDo.pdf
62
included as part of the school’s wellness approach. The physical educaon program places a strong emphasis on personal fitness, nutrion and character development. Physical acvity and outdoor me are woven into the school day whenever possible and appropriate. Physical challenges push students to pursue excellence and assume responsibility for their own learning. Teachers help students understand the connecons between physical challenge and academic challenge. Inspire Elementary teachers and students emphasize the importance of wellness and are stewards of a climate of social and emoonal safety for students. School staff models healthy lifestyles and a healthy school culture. Students have a variety of opportunies daily for brain breaks, play and physical exercise. World Language Students have a dedicated class regularly that supports them in developing as global minded students. In order to prepare students to make a posive impact in an increasingly diverse world we offer world language as part of a student’s educaonal experience. Early Childhood Education Inspire Elementary ECE program is evaluated and maintain compliance with all State of Colorado DPP, CPP and Qualistar rang requirements throughout each academic year. Inspire Elementary 35
maintains a maximum of a 16:1 student‐teacher rao in every ECE classroom. Each class meets for 1 half day. ECE staff interacons with students are purposeful, giving students the opportunity to develop self‐understanding, efficacy, social competence and individuality. The Inspire Elementary curriculum for ECE is based on Teaching Strategies GOLD and is aligned and consistent with the 36
inquiry, project based model, with student‐directed work and units as the vehicle for the standards. English Language Development (ELD) Inspire Elementary uses the EL Achieve curriculum for the ELD block and support connuous language development through sheltered instrucon and best pracces for all English Learners. These resources align with the mission and philosophy of Inspire Elementary by providing opportunies for crical thinking and knowledge/skill acquision across curricular areas. All materials support the integraon of best pracces. Professional development is embedded within all of the resources selected, empowering teachers as decision‐makers and instruconal experts. Materials support and prepare teachers to effecvely differenate learning experiences for all students including ELs, students with special needs and Gied and Talented. Teachers ensure that students demonstrate mastery of content ed to the Common Core State Standards.
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Lucy Calkins Units of Study 37
At the heart of Lucy Calkin’s philosophy is the concept that children should be given a voice and empowered to discover and refine their own personal wring style. Students should be encouraged to generate their own texts, using stories from their own lives. Her method to teaching wring
35 hp://www.cde.state.co.us/cpp/download/QualityStandards/QualityStandards2008.pdf 36 hps://www2.teachingstrategies.com/page/GOLD‐assessment‐online.cfm 37 hp://www.unitsofstudy.com/
63
advocates that teachers regularly engage in conferences with students to encourage both the aspects of wring that can be taught but also the creave process. Goudvis and Harvey: Strategies That Work and Comprehension Toolkit 38
Reading comprehension comprises more than answering literal quesons. It is an ongoing process of evolving thinking. Readers carry on an inner conversaon with the text. Good readers queson the text, argue with the author, nod their heads in agreement, make connecons with the text, and draw inferences to beer understand and learn from what they read. We want students to to be challenged and excited about what they read. We want them to recognize how important they are as readers when interacng with the text. We want readers who think crically about what they read. We want our teachers to think out loud for students as a means of instrucon. We want students to have many opportunies to pracce using strategies in their own reading. We want to build stamina in our readers. We have chosen to use the research of Goudvis and Harvey: Strategies That Work and the Comprehension Toolkit as a framework for teaching reading comprehension. William and Mary 39
Grounded in the Integrated Curriculum Model, William and Mary curriculum offers materials with advanced content that incorporate higher level processes and product development and ulizes interdisciplinary concepts, issues and themes. The curriculum is based in 20 years of curriculum development and research work of the Center for Gied Educaon and has produced posive outcomes in student achievement and teacher use of differenated strategies. Junior Great Books 40
Junior Great Books creates reading discussion programs for students in the convicon that literacy and crical thinking help students become more knowledgeable, reflecve and engaged cizens. Junior Great Books teach children how to think crically‐sparking a passion for literature and ideas through the discussion of ficon, poetry, drama and nonficon. Junior Great Books provides instrucon that uses a Shared Inquiry, a method of teaching and learning that promotes close reading, careful quesoning, acve listening and respecul exchange of ideas. Science William and Mary 41
Grounded in the Integrated Curriculum Model, William and Mary curriculum offers materials with advanced content that incorporate higher level processes and product development and ulizes interdisciplinary concepts, issues and themes. The curriculum is based in 20 years of curriculum development and research work of the Center for Gied Educaon and has produced posive outcomes in student achievement and teacher use of differenated strategies.
38 hps://www.stenhouse.com/sites/default/files/public/legacy/pdfs/0310guid.pdf 39 hps://educaon.wm.edu/centers/cfge/curriculum/documents/WhatWorks.pdf 40 hp://www.greatbooks.org/tag/junior‐great‐books/ 41 hps://educaon.wm.edu/centers/cfge/curriculum/documents/WhatWorks.pdf
64
Social Studies William and Mary 42
Grounded in the Integrated Curriculum Model, William and Mary curriculum offers materials with advanced content that incorporate higher level processes and product development and ulizes interdisciplinary concepts, issues and themes. The curriculum is based in 20 years of curriculum development and research work of the Center for Gied Educaon and has produced posive outcomes in student achievement and teacher use of differenated strategies.
C. SCOPE AND SEQUENCE Our core curriculum is adopted by the Denver Public schools. While the district uses EL Curriculum in grades 3‐5, Inspire will also ulize grade K‐2 now available (June 2017) as our core literacy curriculum. Inspire Elementary uses the DPS Standards Toolkit (and any revisions made for 2017‐2018), aligned 43
with the Standards as a resource for scope and sequence for literacy, science, social studies, the arts, physical educaon, and the WIDA Standards. Inspire Elementary teachers and school leaders work together to ensure that a set of school‐wide, standards‐based curriculum maps act as the foundaon for all planning and instrucon. The maps incorporate all required standards and college readiness skills and are revised as needed over me. The maps describe a vercal sequence of learning experiences and projects, and they define the key content and skills that need to be addressed at each grade level and discipline. The maps guard against unnecessary repeon of content across grades to assure that instrucon is aligned with the rigor of the CCSS. 44
D. CLASS SIZE The class size and structure of our classes promote differenaon, language acquision and deep, rigorous learning. We strive to have classes of approximately 25 students in each classroom. In our ECE classes, we aempt to limit our classes to 16 students maximum. All classrooms have a second educator due to our partnership with the Boecher Teacher Residency Program, who provides highly‐qualified, well‐prepared professionals, who assist in differenaon and in decreasing the student‐teacher rao.
E. SCHOOL SCHEDULE AND CALENDAR Inspire’s school calendar will align with the DPS calendar in the 2017‐18 school year and will include 173.5 days of instrucon for students, with two addional weeks of summer PD for staff onboarding as well as training in the fall in Year‐1 and every year thereaer. Literacy and math instrucon are extended in order to provide adequate me for individualizaon via intensive academic intervenon or acceleraon. Instruconal contact me in core areas are grade dependent due to increasing demands in content over me, parcularly in math. Students in K‐5 have between 100‐160 minutes of literacy
42 hps://educaon.wm.edu/centers/cfge/curriculum/documents/WhatWorks.pdf 43 hp://standardstoolkit.dpsk12.org 44 Learning and teaching early math: The learning trajectories approach. New York: Routledge. Crick R. D., McCombs B., & Haddon A., (2007)
65
instrucon a day, 60‐100 minutes of math instrucon a day, 45‐50 minutes of interdisciplinary social studies and science instrucon, and a 45 minute English Language Development (ELD) block for idenfied ELs. In all future years, the principal will work with the CSC to idenfy the school calendar for the following school year and will post the calendar my May 1st.
Example of Inspire Daily Schedule
F. PROGRESS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT Inspire Elementary School uses data from external and internal assessments to drive personalized learning. A variety of standards‐aligned assessments are analyzed and evaluated by teachers, coaches and administraon. Inspire Elementary uses highly advanced student assessment systems to monitor student progress. Data collecon of baseline, interim, formave and summave assessments guides teaching. The most important of these are formave , in‐class assessments and performance based assessments that help teachers monitor the effecveness of their day‐to‐day instrucon. Our leaders, teachers, and students embrace the power of student‐engaged assessment pracces to build student ownership of learning, focus students on reaching standards‐based learning targets, and drive achievement. This approach to assessment is key to ensuring that Inspire Elementary students achieve educaonal equity. Students connually assess and improve the quality of their work through the use of models, reflecon, crique, rubrics, and work with experts. Inspire Elementary faculty
66
engage in ongoing data inquiry and analysis, examining everything from paerns in student work to results from formal assessments, disaggregang data by groups of students to recognize and address gaps in achievement. Cohort data is analyzed to ensure connuous progress over me. Addionally, student porolios contain assessment data (as well as behavioral data, project, etc.) and serve as a way to share assessment results with families. The school administers summave and formave assessments, as outlined below, and include state‐mandated assessments. Informaon gathered for learning plans determine the necessary accommodaons to be made.
Assessment Who will be assessed? When will assessment occur?
PARCC 3rd‐5th grades End of year
ACCESS K‐5, English Learners January ‐ February
READ Act K‐5 Three mes a year (middle of the year only for new students)
TS Gold K Three mes a year
Literacy Interim 3rd‐5th Three mes a year
Math Interim 3rd‐5th Three mes a year
Unit assessments K‐5 Every six weeks
The effecve use of data systems to effecvely guide instrucon is a common feature of the highest performing schools in the country and is consistently supported by research as an effecve pracce. 45
Inspire Elementary uses modificaons of data‐based models developed by Paul Bambrick‐Santoyo in Driven by Data: A Praccal Guide to Improve Instrucon. Features of Paul Bambrick‐Santoyo’s 46
methods include: interim assessments, regular data analysis, explicit planning and opportunies for reteaching, use of the Response to Intervenon model where students are assessed and flexibly grouped every 6‐8 weeks according to pre‐unit assessments and a data‐driven school culture. As previously menoned, each lesson developed with explicit standards, learning targets and assessments. Our school structure allows me for Inspire Elementary staff to monitor the aainment of these learning targets. Inspire Elementary administers required assessments according to the DPS tesng schedule; the school complies with all state requirements and DPS approved assessments ed to the Read Act. Ongoing data team meengs are a structure used to analyze formave assessments, pracce tests and sample items from the new assessments. Overall class and grade level progress are reported out every 6‐9 weeks.
45 Goodwin, B. Changing the Odds for Student Success: What Maers Most (2010), Mid‐connent Research for Educaon and Learning (McREL). 46 Bambrick‐Santoyo, P. Driven by Data: A Praccal Guide to Improve Instrucon (2010), San Francisco, CA, Jossey‐Bass.
68
G. PERFORMANCE GOALS DPS School Performance Inspire Elementary Annual Achievement Student Growth Over Time Toward State Standards
Inspire Elementary students in grades 3‐5 that have been connuously enrolled for more than one academic year, will have growth percenles between the 50th and 75th percenle, in math, reading and wring.
Gaps in Academic Growth
Students who are not proficient will grow more than one year’s growth in one year's’ me (above 50th percenle) and students who are proficient will meet their growth percenles to “keep up” or “move up” as measured by the Colorado Growth Model.
Student Achievement Levels and Growth Targets
All student demographic subgroups will meet the School Performance Framework targets set across all tested areas. Based on DPS approved Read Act Assessments, on average,K‐2 students will demonstrate 1.5 years of growth in reading comprehension and decoding.
Student Engagement
90% of students will be observed fully engaged in personalized, relevant learning. Acve engagement differs from passive engagement and compliance as students demonstrate high levels of commitment, independence and self‐regulaon. Because student engagement in meaningful work is key to the educaonal philosophy at Inspire Elementary, school leaders and teachers work collaboravely to determine effecve measures of student engagement.
Progress Monitoring The Leadership Team is responsible for facilitang data meengs using progress‐monitoring data to inform instruconal decisions. Inspire Elementary uses a variety of assessments combining daily formave assessment, diagnosc tests and survey assessments aligned with CCCS Standards to provide insight into our students' knowledge of literacy and mathemacs. Student porolios document student growth and achievement. Staff members engage in ongoing data inquiry and analyses, examining everything from paerns in student work to results from formal assessments, disaggregang data by groups of students to recognize and address gaps in achievement. Quality assessment and student‐engaged assessment are hallmarks of Design Thinking. Teachers cra quality assessments, aligned with standards‐based learning targets in order to collect meaningful, accurate and mely informaon about student learning. Student‐engaged assessment teaches learners to connually assess and improve the quality of their work. Inspire Elementary plans on administering DPS approved reading assessments provide teachers with explicit informaon regarding each student’s reading level, allowing teachers to select appropriate instruconal texts for each child and to monitor students’ progress over me, as the assessment levels are consistent across grade levels but the expected performance varies by grade. Teachers and school leaders create or select interim assessments that meet or exceed the rigor of state assessments to regularly monitor progress and inform instruconal improvements. PARCC is administered to students in grades 3‐5 providing growth
69
and achievement data. Addionally, Inspire Elementary uses standards, targets and student work aligned with each expedion to assess student performance. Inspire Elementary uses the standards‐based, DPS report card in year one but plans are in place to develop a reporng system aligned with DPS requirements but that will beer meet the needs of students and families in relaon to our vision and mission. Infinite Campus houses student informaon. The Principal works closely with the Leadership Team to ensure that all reports are clearly presented and provide detailed data that may be used to make instruconal decisions. Inspire Elementary uses a “Plan, Do, Check, Adjust” model and the “Teaching/Learning Cycle” to ensure connuous quality improvement in order to meet or exceed our achievement goals. This process is as follows:
1. Plan: The staff at Inspire Elementary will meet on a regular basis to collaboravely plan quality instrucon and create common formave assessments. Specifically, teachers will idenfy the unit’s learning objecves based on the CCSS. They will strategically group and regroup students, select the instruconal approaches, choose the best resources for the unit and create authenc performance‐based assessments.
2. Do: Teachers will implement the instruconal approaches and performance tasks created in the planning stage of the process. They will gradually release support for the students as new learning occurs.
3. Check: Teachers will collect informaon about the progress of their learners. They will collaboravely assess student work to establish inter‐rater reliability and analyze the data gathered from the assessments. Students will receive descripve feedback that allows them to focus their learning and adjust their performance. Teachers must be able to answer the following quesons about each student 1) What does the student know? 2) What can the student do? 3) What does the student need to do next?
4. Adjust: Teachers will adjust their instrucon and assessments based upon data that they accumulated in the previous step. They will strategically re‐group students based on performance data. Those students that need addional me and aenon with parcular learning objecve will be allowed that me using a different instruconal approach in a more individualized seng. Those students that demonstrated proficiency with the previous learning objecve will be able to move on to their next learning objecve.
H. ACADEMIC INTERVENTION AND ACCELERATION Inspire Elementary staff uses universal screening tools and informal assessments (student wring samples, running records, comprehension assessments, etc.) to idenfy students in need of intervenon and acceleraon. Inspire Elementary ulizes a MTSS (Mulple Tiers Student Support) model in accordance with state and district guidelines to differenate and support each individual student’s academic and behavioral needs. The Inspire Elementary Team ulizes data to idenfy students at right for poor learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence‐based intervenons, adjust the intensity and nature of those intervenons depending on a student’s responsiveness, and idenfy students with learning disabilies. The Inspire Elementary ‘s model is built upon a foundaon of rigorous, robust Tier I classroom instrucon; ulizing achievement data to inform all decisions; regular progress monitoring; regrouping students based on data; collaboraon between teacher and parents/guardians, and the three Tiers idenfied by the Colorado Department
70
of Educaon. Inspire Elementary staff stays apprised of all individual students’ needs in weekly PLC meengs and strives to be proacve, parcularly in the primary grades, in addressing concerns before students are referred for special educaon evaluaons. Grade‐level team teachers make adjustments in their classrooms for each individual student based on weekly meeng and assess the impact of those adjustments together to determine the next course of acon. When teacher acons fail to address the problem adequately, a Student Intervenon Team representave invites the teacher to the weekly Student Intervenon Team (SIT) meeng to discuss possible next steps, including tesng the student to determine if he or she is eligible for special educaon. Students who need addional Tier II support in a specific area (e.g., phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, number sense, etc.) receive support in small groups sengs in and out of the classroom. Classroom teachers and Intervenon Specialists (SPED, EL, Literacy teachers) work collaboravely to deliver instrucon in small group seng and ulize technology when appropriate to support targeted students achievement goals. Tier II intervenons for reading and math are intensive, explicit, and systemac, as is associated with posive impacts. For reading difficules, discreet foundaonal reading skills are addressed in small groups several mes each week. For math, intervenons include a variety of instruconal strategies shown by research to be effecve with students who are struggling with math, including teachers modeling their problem solving and thought processes, as well as providing guided pracce, correcve feedback, and frequent cumulave review. Other effecve strategies for math intervenons focus on solving word problems.
Mul Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)/Response to Intervenon (RtI) at Inspire Elementary Tier III Interventions Overview: Intervenons provided in one‐on‐one instrucon. Projected # of Students: Approximately 10% of student populaon Who Provides Intervention: EL teacher, SPED teacher, Literacy intervenon specialist(s). What it Looks Like: The Literacy Intervenon specialist works directly with a student struggling with decoding and comprehension. The Math Intervenon specialist works directly with struggling students.
Tier II Interventions Overview: Addional targeted support through small group and/or one‐one‐one instrucon in reading and/or math; use of soware to provide addional pracce in phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension, number sense, computaon, or problem‐solving. Projected # of Students: Up to 15% of student populaon. Who Provides Intervention: EL teacher, SPED teacher, Literacy intervenon specialist(s), teachers; Interns. What it Looks Like: A SPED teacher or Literacy intervenon specialist works directly with students struggling. A SPED teacher or Math Intervenon Specialist works directly with students struggling in math in small groups with targeted intervenons. Tier I Interventions Overview: Use of research‐based math instrucon and reading instrucon which emphasizes the five crical elements of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). Differenaon across lessons. Re‐teaching strategies, and addional applicaon and pracce to support skill mastery. Mulple opportunies for pracce and revision. Mulple pathways for students to demonstrate what they have learned. Teaching of both foundaonal and higher‐order thinking skills across the curriculum. Projected # of Students: ALL Inspire Elementary Students Who Provides Intervention: All teachers
71
What it Looks Like: Classroom teachers take different flexible groups of students for guided reading or other intervenon. The 2nd grade SPED teacher works with the classroom teacher to differenate lessons for both math and literacy to meet individual student needs using small group instrucon, manipulaves, and graphic organizers. Resources (Internal and External) Inspire Elementary daily schedule provides me for effecve Tier I instrucon as well as Tier II and Tier II instrucon without missing core instruconal me. “Schools with the largest gains make dramac changes in their schedules.” Inspire Elementary ulizes the following systems and 47
structures to ensure the success of SPED students: growth and achievement goals, common instruconal me for small group instrucon based on needs, common planning me (including release me) for grade level teams, increased instruconal me for students who are below grade level, and common intervenon block to allow all teachers, special educaon teachers and enrichment teachers to support intervenon services. Inspire Elementary uses resources such as Intervenon Central to determine highly effecve and research‐based intervenons for struggling 48
learning. Other intervenons may include online supports such as Dreambox and TenMarks for 49
mathemacal support. Inspire Elementary connues to closely monitor effecveness of intervenons and resources and make adjustments as necessary to support growth and achievement goals.
I. PROMOTION AND RETENTION POLICIES Inspire Elementary uses the district policies for promoon and retenon. Parents are informed of these policies in wring, at coffees, during conferences and at various school events. J. ENGLISH LEARNER (EL) STUDENTS
DPS Language Development Goals
EXPECTED RESULTS/GOALS ELA PROGRAM TYPE
All EL students will be on track with their language proficiency as measured by the ACCESS On‐Track Report
English as a Second Language (ESL) Pull Out (Reading, Wring, Speaking, Understanding English)
In a commitment to support the needs of our English Learners and celebrate their idenes as emerging bilinguals, Inspire Elementary implements data‐driven pracces to understand each student’s needs, effecve literacy and English language instrucon, focused professional 50
development, and frequent communicaon with parents. Inspire Elementary believes it is our moral obligaon to ensure the success of each and every child. Inspire Elementary develops and
47 Percy (2006). https://portfolio.du.edu/downloadItem/192148 . 48 Intervention Central: http://www.interventioncentral.org/ 49 DreamBox (can be used for Tier I support as well as Tier II): http://www.dreambox.com/ and TenMarks (can be used for Tier I support as
well as Tier II): http://www.tenmarks.com/ 50 Institute of Education Sciences. Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Language Learners in the Elementary Grades (2007). What Works Clearinghouse. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguide .
72
implements language instrucon in accordance with federal, state, and local requirements, including the DPS ELA Language Allocaon Guidelines, which provide specific guidance on the programming and instruconal environments for serving DPS students. 51
The EL Program at Inspire Elementary will: Ensure that ELs, including immigrant and refugee children and youth, aain English proficiency,
develop high levels of academic content knowledge, and meet state achievement standards. Focus on the development of skills in core academic subjects. Develop a high quality, standards‐based language instrucon program. Focus on professional development that builds capacity to provide high quality instruconal
programs designed to prepare ELs to enter all English instruconal sengs. Promote parental and community parcipaon in language instrucon educaonal programs Create a strong relaonship with our parent community and a strong management of the
Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Effecvely chart the improvement in English proficiency and core academic content knowledge
of English Learners. The goal of the Inspire Elementary ESL program is to use efficient and effecve educaonal methods to provide students with the English language skills they need to meaningfully parcipate in academic content and gain the communicave competencies to fully engage in their society. Inspire 52
Elementary also works to build capacity within all staff to best meet the needs of our diverse students and families, and all classroom teachers will have the district required ELA‐E training, and mulple other teachers on the team will have the Culturally and Linguiscally Diverse Endorsement. This will ensure that ELs will receive high quality instrucon not only with the ESL teacher but also with mainstream classroom teachers. The school provides an opportunity for English Learners to fully parcipate in their classrooms while receiving 45 minutes of English Language Development (ELD) daily (see schedule), where students can be grouped according to their language levels, thereby maximizing language acquision. Inspire Elementary will establish an ISA team that will serve the following key funcons: • Idenfy and correct EL idenficaon and placement Issues • Ensure collaboraon with Special Educaon team to address the language needs of ELs idenfied as Students with Disabilies (SWDs) • Review English language proficiency and academic progress of all ELs (including those who have declined services) and ulize this data to inform teacher professional learning and coaching • Monitor ELs in need of intervenon to address instruconal needs • Recommend placement, ELA program, and services for ELs (program entry, eligibility, redesignaon, monitoring of redesignated students and re‐entry) • Communicate with parents regarding ELA program decisions and/or concerns • Use a current body of evidence to support decision making
51 http://ela.dpsk12.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/Language_Allocation_Guidelines_final.pdf
52 Brown, H.Douglas. (2007, 2006). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy : Principles of Language Learning and Teaching .
73
• Connue to monitor students for two years aer redesignaon‐‐use body of evidence to determine if student is making appropriate progress or needs to return to ELA program services One ISA team member/expert will also serve on the MTSS team to ensure that ELs are not overly recommended for tesng when it may be a language issue. Addionally, this person will serve as the expert to ensure that appropriate strategies are being ulized to support ELs in the classroom. Identification Inspire Elementary follows all guidelines set forth in the DPS Consent Decree for idenficaon process and programming for English Learners. Inspire Elementary expects to be above the near NE region for percentage of ELs and has placed special emphasis on reaching these diverse learners. Below is a flowchart which shows registraon to student placement and programming following DPS guidelines. 53
HLQ and PPF · Parents/Guardians registers child and fills out Home
Language Quesonnaire (School registraon personnel collects DPS Home Language Quesonnaire) ∙ Parents/Guardians fill out a Parent Permission Form (PPF1 or PPF2) if another language is present on the HLQ.
At me of registraon
Inial Status and Placement
· Inspire Elementary registraon personnel schedule student for inial ELA services based on HLQ (signifying primary language other than English) ∙ Inspire Elementary registraon personnel nofy ELA specialist and/or ELA‐S teachers of HLQ with primary languages other than English ∙ Inspire Elementary ELA specialist and/or ELA‐S teachers administer W‐APT placement assessment within 10 days of student registraon
First 10 days
Final Placement and
Parent Noficaon
· Inspire Elementary ELA specialist nofies registraon personnel of any changes to ELA service placement based on results of W‐APT and ISA team determinaon. ∙ DPS parent noficaon leers sent home (language that parents will understand) upon receipt of W‐APT results
Within first 30 days or 15 days aer the beginning of the
school year
(Waivers) Communicao
n and Collaboraon
· Upon receipt of Noficaon Leer, parents may opt out or waive services for ELD ∙ Meeng with parents, ELA specialist, and EL Designee to review placement data, ELD programming, and answer any quesons
Aer compleon of W‐APT Tesng
(within first
53 Denver Public Schools. From Compliance to Commitment: Program Guidelines for English Language Acquisition (2013).
74
∙ Opt out/waiver of services indicated by requesng another Parent Permission Form to indicate opt‐out (PPF3)
30 days or 15 days aer the beginning of the school year)
ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT Correct idenficaon ensures each EL receives programming needed to be successful. Our ISA team will review each provisional EL carefully before making a final determinaon. The W‐APT, or WIDA ACCESS Placement Test is one part of the Body of Evidence the ISA Team uses to make the final idenficaon decision. Aer a student has been provisionally idenfied as an EL, they will take the W‐APT within 10 calendar days (4 aer the beginning of the school year) to determine their English language proficiency level. ALL provisional ELs will be provisionally placed in ELA classes (based on PPF) pending a review of the W‐APT results and Body of Evidence (BOE) by the ISA team. The ISA team has 21 calendar days (excluding school holidays) to collect and review a Body Of Evidence and make their idenficaon decision. ISA Teams are to complete Idenficaon forms (via Infinite Campus) for all provisionally idenfied K‐12th grade students. The ISA team must review a BOE for each of these students. Upon registraon, the parent or guardian fill out a Home Language Quesonnaire which indicates if there is a primary language other than English. These and other forms are delivered in the parent's’/guardian's’ primary language. A child, whose parent or guardian responds with a language other than English to any quesons on the quesonnaire (is given the W‐APT (state approved assessment) placement test within ten days of registering at Inspire Elementary. In order to ensure that all students idenfied as having a primary language other than English as per the HLQ are administered the W‐APT; frequent reports from Infinite Campus (IC) are reviewed by the EL Administrator Designee and the ELA specialist. During this 10‐day window, children who have a language other than English as signified by any queson on the HLQ are inially placed into ELA programming. Aer the administraon of the W‐APT placement test, the EL Administrator Designee, ELA specialist, and/or an Instruconal Leader (ISA Team) collaborates with parents/guardians to ensure proper noficaon, according to the communicaon language indicated at registraon, and adjust schedule to reflect final placement. It is the ISA Team’s responsibility to ensure that students are placed in classrooms according to their PPF selecon and their individual needs. If your school does not offer the program selected by a parent, the ISA Team should provide the parent informaon about ELA Zone Schools, where students can receive ELA services not offered at their school of residence. During the placement process, the school collaborates with parents/guardians to idenfy instruconal opons, and complete the Parent Permission Form to complete the placement process. Inspire Elementary helps support parents/guardians in making the most informed decisions for their student. If a parent/guardian chooses to opt‐out or waive services, the Inspire Elementary team ensures that a parent conference or phone call is conducted to inform parents about the importance of ELA supports.
75
Ongoing evaluaon for the needs of the individual student supports the transion to English. Evaluaon may indicate the need for intervenon or a change in program. Student PPF needs to match program and teacher designaon. The ISA team will run the EL List to ensure program match. This list is a report that idenfies all current English Learners idenfied in a parcular school who have requested services. All students on the main EL List are eligible and will receive ELA Program Services. Students idenfied as ELs based on a BOE will be placed in ELA‐S or ELA‐E classrooms/courses and provided with daily, dedicated ELD instrucon as well as integrated sheltered content instrucon in English. Collaboration with ISA Team At Inspire Elementary the EL Administrator Designee and the ELD specialist work on and with the Instruconal Services Team (ISA Team) to collaborate to make recommendaons for: Program Entry/Eligibility of Students Redesignaon of Students Student Re‐entry to Program (as needed) [ELA] Services
Inspire Elementary understands the roles and responsibilies of the school’s ISA Team are to: Review of services provided to newly idenfied ELs; including Newcomers Monitoring idenficaon of ELs to idenfy potenally inappropriate idenficaon and
placement. Review of English Language Proficiency (ELP) and Academic Progress of all ELs (including those
who have declined services). Idenfy ELs in need of intervenon, as indicated by objecve data and collaboraon with
appropriate staff, to address the student’s instruconal needs. 54
In the fall of 2017, the opening school‐year for Inspire Elementary, building representaves will be nominated using the DPS criteria and process. A full ISA Team will be established prior to the fall of 2017 to ensure that all members are in place in me to start program entry, monitoring and engage in ongoing meengs for review, analysis, and to make recommendaons for redesignaon and exit. The ISA Team will change over me as students and FTE are added. A possible ISA Team structure may look like: Aer the ISA Team is established, members aend DPS district ISA Team Orientaon, create a calendar of standing meengs for the year and crical submission dates to align with DPS ELA department, establish norms and roles, determine systems to collect, maintain and communicate informaon and data. The ISA Team keeps a running roster of all ELs at Inspire Elementary and carefully monitors growth and achievement of all ELs. The ISA Team supports working to establish close lines of communicaon with parents/guardians; correcng placements when/if the need arises; making recommendaons for re‐designaon based on state approved criteria which is reliable, valid and objecve; and readming students into ELA programming to include ELD and sheltering. The ISA Team works closely with Inspire Elementary and district Special Educaon teams to support students who are EL and also idenfied with having a disability.
54 DPS: From Compliance to Commitment; http://ela.dpsk12.org/wpcontent/uploads/2009/02/08122012_ISAGuidebook.pdf
76
The Inspire Elementary ISA Team ensures that parent/guardian communicaon is ongoing and that parents/guardians are partners in their student’s success. Inspire Elementary ensures that parents who are not proficient in English have access to translators for their preferred language of communicaon. Frequent school to home communicaons (reports of progress and achievement) are sent in the parent’s/guardian’s preferred language of communicaon and documented in the student’s ELD profile. The ISA Team or selected representaves (EL Designee and ELD specialist in most cases) meet with parents to review data including: W‐APT placement results, yearly ACCESS reports, TCAP/PARCC reports/data, DRA and EDL assessments, teacher created assessments and other measures and samples of student work (wring samples) or student porolios of work. Assessment Sources and Monitoring Tools Consistent with Inspire Elementary’s instruconal programs and our MTSS model, Inspire Elementary uses a data‐driven approach for idenfying, monitoring and exing our EL students. The W‐APT placement test is used in conjuncon with READ Act/DPS selected literacy assessments, PARCC, CMAS, ACCESS, formave assessments, and embedded assessments within each unit to monitor the effecveness of instrucon and evaluate student progress across all four language domains in relaon to proficiency standards and state criteria for exit. Both quantave and qualitave data comprises the Body of Evidence (BOE) to monitor and ensure student growth and achievement status. Educaonal programs are responsive to students’ specific needs and in compliance with state and federal guidelines. Three mes a year (at minimum) Inspire Elementary’s ISA Team meets to collect data on students who are in year one or year two of exing the ELA program to review language development within the four domains of language according to WIDA and partner with parents/guardians to ensure all pares are well‐informed and are able to help with programmac decisions for the student. Inspire Elementary’s EL Administrave Designee and the ELA‐E teacher(s) meet frequently to meet the day to day needs of ELs in addion to working with the ISA Team. Program Design and Curriculum At Inspire Elementary, English Learners have access to high quality English through a ESL/ELA‐E programming for all English Learners. 55
Component Definition
Certification/Training Requirement
English Language Development
Block
Systemac instrucon in reading, wring, listening, and speaking to accelerate students’ development of both social and academic language in English.
Culturally and Linguiscally Diverse Educaon (CLDE) Endorsement/ELA‐E
Supported Content
Instrucon in English
Grade‐level content instrucon in English with sufficient supports to facilitate successful content learning for students. Literacy instrucon that builds on developing the four domains of language through language‐sensive content instrucon.
ELA‐E (or working toward ELA‐E requirements)
55 Denver Public Schools. From Compliance to Commitment: Program Guidelines for English Language Acquisition (2013).
77
In addion to ELA programming, all ELs have access to intervenons, accelerated and/or gied programming, and other curricular opons afforded to nave English peers. Inspire Elementary use DPS approved curriculum to effecvely implement an English Language Development block. Dually Idenfied ELs (student who is idenfied as EL and requires special educaon services) have a legal right to both language services and special educaon services and Inspire Elementary ensure students receive both in appropriate and legal programming. EL students are an essenal part of our school community. Students are fully integrated into a supporve school culture with nave English peers during daily programming. Teaching ELD Staff and Programming Once students have been idenfied as needing support to aain English proficiency, appropriate instruconal pracces will be ulized including but not limited to: Sheltered Content Instrucon in English, delivered by classroom teachers who meet the DPS
requirements for ELA‐E programming and teaching. Explicit English Language Development (daily) by trained ELA‐E staff. Sheltered Content Instrucon in English Explicit English Language Development structures
The Inspire Elementary teachers will possess a Culturally and Linguiscally Diverse Educaon (CLDE) Learner endorsement and/or masters and possess experse in planning and teaching lessons to support full implementaon of State Standards, establishing posive classroom culture, ulizing assessment to support student learning and achievement, and engaging families to support students’ success through outreach and effecve communicaon. ISA Team reviews total enrollment numbers, number of ELs in ELD programming and number of Spanish speaking ELs to determine needed nave language supports to recommend addional staffing to inform programmac changes per DPS Language Allocaon Guidelines. The school will be responsive to student language needs, designing staffing supports based on results of the W‐APT. Relevant language proficiency of staff members and necessary nave language supports will be determined based on needs of the populaon and recommendaons of the ISA Team. At Inspire Elementary we believe that language, any language, should be acquired while studying something of interest or authenc to the world. Wrings in the field of brain research and standards‐based instrucon reinforce that by integrang the content areas and directly teaching metacognive strategies, learning is made more relevant and meaningful, thus ensuring more efficient and effecve learning. These strategies foster a risk‐free, cross‐culturally sensive environment in which students are able to acquire academic language and concepts. All teachers will obtain an ELA‐E endorsement or higher, ensuring that language development will be supported throughout the school day. Students will receive explicit language development during a designated ELD block in addion to being supported in English during all other content areas. The language and literacy program integrates oral language acquision, literacy development, and content learning while ulizing resources such as Robert Marzano’s Six‐Step Vocabulary Process. It is 56
56 SixStep Vocabulary Process: Explain, Demonstrate Understanding, Show and Write, Reflect and Refine, and Apply in Learning Game.
78
structured in units, which will be aligned to school expectaons. Inspire Elementary ulizes best pracces associated with posive outcomes for English Learners including ongoing monitoring to ensure the aainment of their 6‐8 week goals. Another aspect of curriculum for ELs is to ensure deep exposure and ulizaon of strategies and techniques that support Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and to use the WIDA (CO ELD standards) to support students in meeng the language demands required in CCSS. English Learners complete the same curriculum and meet the same learning targets as their classmates. Inspire Elementary believes that teachers who are well prepared and receive high‐quality professional development and connuous feedback on their pracce have the capacity to design and implement instrucon to reach high standards for ELs. Inspire Elementary provides aligned and differenated professional development for all instruconal and administrave staff. Teachers and administrators engage in connued study and use of sheltering techniques (including SIOP and experienal‐based language development‐‐Language Experience Approach) in order to support English Learners in meeng expectaons for a parcular grade level in Math, Science and Humanies (Social Studies and Language Arts). In addion, teachers parcipate in the required district ELA professional development to be highly ELA teacher qualified. Teacher feedback and the LEAP evaluaon instrument includes a strong focus on English language development and ensures that training prepares staff members to effecvely implement ELA strategies as measured by student achievement. In order for Inspire Elementary to support students in becoming competent communicators and reach FEP/Exit status, teachers engage in literacy pracces which may focus on the forms and funcons of language and take into consideraon Text Complexity as outlined by the CCSS and supported by 57
literacy experts in the field. As teachers connue to refine and hone their skills and as Colorado 58
connues to shi to the new CCSS, the Inspire Elementary model of leadership and educator effecveness support connual growth and learning. An inquiry based learning model provides regular opportunies for EL students to work together with peers of different ability levels or English proficiencies, a structure which has been associated with gains in achievement for EL students. Inspire Elementary curriculum includes a strong component of 59
student collaboraon, with students connually working together on cross‐curricular projects. This aspects of inquiry based learning encourages students to support and learn from one another, regardless of their language background. Further, many of the projects that students work on require invesgaons into their local community and include gathering informaon from a wide variety of real‐world sources. Inquiry also encourages another strategy shown effecve with English Learners: 60
57 Halliday, M.A.K. & Matthiessen, Christian. (2006). Constructing Experience Through Meaning: A LanguageBased Approach to Cognition 58 Common Core Appendices A & B. http:www.corestandards.org/ELA Literacy. 59 EL Rubric for analyzing LT alignment planner and expedition design: http://blog.colorincolorado.org/2014/02/27/commoncorecurriculumrubricmeetingtheneedsofELs/ 60 Gersten, R., baker, D.K., Shanahan, T., LinanThompson, S., Collins, P., & Scarcella=. (2007) Effective literacy and English language instruction for English learners in the elementary grades: A practice guide (NCEE 20074011). Washington, DC: National Center for Education
Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides .
79
the use of authenc reading materials. These authenc materials are funconal texts from real 61
world contexts which students rounely engage with during their invesgaons. Families are key partners in the educaon of their children. Students and staff make all families welcome, know them well, and engage them acvely in the life of the school. We explicitly recognize that families care about their children’s educaon, bring their own unique strengths, and add value to the community. Inspire Elementary provides regular communicaon and mulple opportunies for parcipaon, and encourages families to be strong partners in their children’s learning. In addion, Inspire Elementary builds and sustains partnerships with community organizaons and cultural instuons. Key strategies for high levels of parent engagement include:
1. All families are encouraged and supported to parcipate in school events through mulple strategies (e.g., scheduling events outside of the school day, assisng with transportaon, providing translators).
2. School leaders and teachers learn about and respect the cultures, backgrounds and values of their students’ families.
3. School leaders and teachers create an annual calendar of events that involves families in a variety of ways.
4. The school has a variety of ways for families to parcipate in the school community (e.g., governance, tutoring, classroom experts, and porolio panelists).
5. Interacve family educaon nights are held throughout the year (e.g., open house, and workshops to show how students are learning in the various disciplines).
6. Exhibions of student learning are regularly held at the school, showcasing the work of students and their reflecons as learners for families and community members.
Addional parent outreach strategies for parent engagement are determined based on parent input and the needs of the community. Exiting/Redesignation Inspire Elementary believes we are partners in educang children, and to facilitate communicaon, parents/guardians have access to all essenal informaon in a language and/or manner they can understand. This supports them in making well‐informed decisions regarding parcipaon in school programs and services in accordance with district and state guidelines. According to the CDE Guidelines: “A parent may decline ELD services but can not decline the English Learner designaon if the district has made that decision based on state guidelines. Furthermore, even if parents decline services, all idenfied ELs must parcipate in the annual ACCESS for ELs assessment. Declining services for ELD support does not exempt a student that is NEP or LEP from mandated state assessments. In addion, as previously stated, parents can¹t decline the idenficaon of their child as an English learner."(ELG‐book page. 90). 62
Inspire Elementary ulizes the gradual release model and workshop approach in all components 63
and language sengs; ulize a variety of interacve strategies to promote Listening, Speaking,
61 Pegrum, Mark. (2000, August). The outside world as an extension of the ERL/ESL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, VI (8). Retrieved from http://itselj.org/Lessons?pegrumOutsideWorld.html 62 http://www.cde.state.co.us/sites/default/files/ELsGbook.pdf
63 Lucy Calkins. The Reading and Writing Project; Columbia College: New York.
80
Reading, and Wring; and take into account students’ background knowledge, literacy opportunies 64
and language proficiency levels. Teachers provide supplemental materials so that English Learners can assess content (e.g., visual cues, materials wrien in the student’s home language, culturally relevant materials). Modificaons are developed based on specific student needs with the intenon of achieving rigorous outcome possible for the student. Addionally, Inspire Elementary reading and wring structures provide all students with access to explicit vocabulary instrucon, which has been found to support the academic success of ELs. Students are redesignated when their assessment scores and other evidence demonstrates that they are Fluent English Proficient (FEP). Redesignaon marks the point at which an English learner is proficient in English and can meaningfully parcipate without ELA supports. Their classroom placement may not change; however, the ELD support will be removed. Redesignaon is disnct from Exiting in that redesignated students are monitored and may be re‐entered into ELA services if needed. 1. ELs are eligible for redesignaon to Fluent English Proficient (FEP) when they meet the redesignaon criteria. 2. Once a student is eligible for redesignaon, the ISA team considers a Body of Evidence ( BOE) on which to base its redesignaon decision. This recommendaon is made by using valid, reliable, and objecve data that measures the four language domains. 3. Redesignated students are monitored by ISA Team for two years to ensure the student is successful, and may be re‐entered into the program if necessary. Students are eligible for redesignaon when their overall ACCESS score is 5 or above and their ACCESS literacy (reading + wring) score is 5 or above. All redesignated students are monitored for two years aer redesignaon. If the student is redesignated in the Fall semester, their monitoring for will be completed at four points: Semester 1, Semester 2, Year 1 and Year 2. If the student is redesignated in the Spring semester, the monitoring form will be completed for Semester 1, Year 1 and Year 2. On the monitoring form, the ISA Team confirms that students are parcipang meaningfully and equally by entering a BOE in IC and electronically signing to confirm the decision. Aer students have been redesignated and monitored for two years, they may be formally exited from the ELA program. This is a key decision point for the ISA Team, as students are no longer eligible to receive ELA services once they have been exited. If the ISA Team decides that a redesignated student is not making progress at any point before the Year 2 monitoring / Program Exit form has been completed, the student may be re‐entered into ELA services.
K. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The School and District recognizes that school complies with the District’s obligaons to comply with all obligaons under the Individuals with Disabilies Educaon Act (“IDEA”), the federal IDEA regulaons, the Colorado Exceponal Students’ Educaonal Act (“ECEA”), or the Colorado Rules for the Administraon of the Exceponal Students’ Educaonal Act.
64 These four language domains are monitored and assessed by the ELD specialist and used to exit/redesignate students in Inspire ELA program.
81
Inspire Elementary provides a Free and Appropriate Public Educaon (FAPE) to all students with disabilies and complies with all federal and state laws, including the Individuals with Disabilies Educaon Act (IDEA), the Colorado Exceponal Children’s Educaonal Act (ECEA), Secon 504 of The Rehabilitaon Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilies Act (ADA). The school recruits students with special needs through the promoon of its open and inclusive school environment, as well as its promoon of highly qualified staff. Students specific needs do not factor into admission decisions. Recruitment materials and acvies will address the resources available at Inspire Elementary in an aempt to aract students with mild/moderate needs; these students will be enrolled through the DPS Choice Process. If a student with severe needs and a center based program selecon on their IEP is placed at Inspire Elementary through the DPS Choice Process, the principal will enlist the support of the DPS SPED Partner to facilitate an enrollment hearing with the family and sending school in order to determine whether or not Inspire Elementary can provide the FAPE mandated by the IEP. Inspire Elementary is willing to work with DPS to host a center based program for students with severe disabilies in the future. Identification and Monitoring Inspire Elementary is an inclusive school community and maintains high expectaons for all students. Inspire Elementary’s staff work together to ensure that learning and achievement are accessible to all students. Inspire Elementary’s educaonal program includes a variety of instruconal styles and flexible groupings. Inspire Elementary offers students frequent feedback and mulple points of entry into the curriculum and is well suited to accommodate a diverse group of learners. Instruconal units which allow students to pursue individual tasks toward a larger class and/or team objecve, allow for students of differing abilies to engage in appropriately challenging tasks involving the same content. Inspire Elementary’s Least Restricve Environment (LRE) ensures students are provided the rigor, scaffolding, accommodaons, and modificaons to support their highest achievement. (Rigor is defined by Vygotsky ‐‐ Instrucon within a Student’s Zone of Proximal Development means rigor for each individual student.) Students with disabilies are idenfied using several avenues. First, families are asked to provide IEPs for those students who have previously received special educaon services. Addionally, special educaon and general educaon teams, potenally including the SIT team, meet to determine the amount and type of support individual students need. They work collaboravely to create a research‐based and individualized plan to meet the needs of each designated student in the least restricve environment. If an IEP has not been created and one is needed, a team works with parents or guardians to do so. Students with disabilies are progress monitored to evaluate their response to instrucon and intervenon. They are evaluated through interim assessments, READ Act requirements and classroom‐level assessments. When progress monitoring, the school considers the following: Access to material Screening for the same measures or comparable alternaves Making adaptaons that maintain standards and fidelity
82
Strategies to minimize barriers Eliminang duplicaon of assessments
Inspire Elementary complies with all state and federal laws governing special educaon. These include Title II of the Americans with Disabilies Act (ADA) of 1990, Individuals with Disabilies Educaon Act (IDEA) of 2004, and Secon 504 of the Rehabilitaon Act of 1974. In accordance with 65
these statues, Inspire Elementary provides a Free and Appropriate Educaon (FAPE) in the LRE with their classmates without documented disabilies as deemed appropriate and allowed by each student's’ Individualized Educaon Plan (IEP). When students register at Inspire Elementary, part of the registraon documentaon asks whether students have been idenfied in the past as requiring special educaon services. If so, all pursuant records are collected and the student will receive special educaon services as dictated by the previous IEP. The Inspire Elementary Special Educaon teacher is responsible for a caseload of students by grade‐level; they track IEP progress, oversee and plan the annual review process; and communicate with classroom teachers on a regular basis about IEP goals and student accommodaons. In order to support an inclusive environment and curriculum, the special educaon teacher collaborates with other content teachers in the design of learning expedions, projects, and assessments. Special Educaon Teachers work within an inclusive, integrated, co‐teaching model to accommodate extra support opposed to a pull‐out model. The special educaon teacher collaborates with DPS Office of Student Support Services, including collaboraon with DPS 504 Compliance Officer, to generate and oversee 504 Accommodaon Plans. In order to idenfy students who may demonstrate disabilies, Inspire Elementary screens all students for potenal reading and mathemacs difficules at the beginning of the year and again in the middle of the year, as is supported by current research in the field. Early intervenon provides 66
appropriate support to students before gaps in achievement potenally grow. Collaboraon between school personnel, including special educaon teachers, classrooms teachers, and specialists, is crucial to the success of intervenons for students with disabilies. Inspire Elementary has available a 67
muldisciplinary team including school psychologists, occupaonal therapists, speech/language pathologists, special educaon teachers, general educaon classroom teachers, school administraon, and DPS staff, and, as appropriate, all or parts of these human resources, along with parents, work together to idenfy students with special needs and determine appropriate intervenons and progress monitoring tools to ensure significant gains in achievement for all students. This deliberate and rigorous process avoids the misidenficaon of students. Inspire Elementary uses guidance from CDE in accordance with IDEA to determine idenficaon of a
65 “No otherwise qualified individual with disability in the United States, as defined by Section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely on reason of his or
her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program of activity
receiving Federal financial assistance…” [29 U.S.C. §794(a), 34 C.F.R. §104.4(a)] 66 Gersten, R., Compton, D., Connor, C.M., Dimino, J., Santoro, L., LinanThompson, S., and Tilly, W.D. (2008). Assisting students struggling
with reading: Response to intervention and multitier intervention for reading in the primary grades: A practice guide. 67 AndersonButcher, D. & Ashton, D., (2004). Innovative models of collaboration to serve children, youths, families, and communities. Children
and Schools, 26(1), 3953.
83
disability. Inspire Elementary special educaon teachers and intervenon specialists ulize Specific Learning Disability (SLD) criteria including strategically targeted and documented intervenons which demonstrate a lack of response from the child over me. The process to idenfy students follow a school‐wide system and structure: Team Meengs, MTSS process—including Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervenons and ulmately idenficaon of special educaon when all other resources have been exhausted. Inspire Elementary uses DPS special educaon evaluaon protocols to help determine if lack of progress is related to a disability and to idenfy intensive intervenons for an IEP. Inspire Elementary’s high quality programming and growth data aract students with diverse needs. Special educaon teachers and specialists review the IEP supports and services to determine how Inspire Elementary can adequately meet the needs of the student. Progress Monitoring and Assessment of Students with Disabilities Our special educaon teacher monitors progress of students weekly, keeping a record of all me spent and interacons with students, classroom teachers, and parents in relaon to specificaons in IEPs. The special educaon teacher organizes and runs all IEP meengs in conjuncon with family, administraon, and classroom teachers. Inspire Elementary uses district recommended assessments and benchmarking tools, to systemacally and comprehensively monitor and adjust instrucon and inform annual review criteria. IEP goals are monitored by highly trained and qualified staff through ongoing progress monitoring and thoughul data collecon procedures. Staffing and Professional Development The Inspire Elementary Special Educaon teacher(s) are responsible for a caseload of students by grade‐level; they track IEP progress, oversee and plan the annual review process, and communicate with classroom teachers on a regular basis about IEP goals and student accommodaons. In order to support an inclusive environment and curriculum, the special educaon teacher collaborates with other content teachers in the design of learning experiences, projects, and assessments. The special educaon teacher also collaborates with DPS Office of Student Support Services, including collaboraon with DPS 504 Compliance Officer to generate and oversee 504 Accommodaon Plans. Special Education Teacher Qualifications and Training All special educaon staff are hired in accordance with DPS policies and guidelines. Special educaon teachers are appropriately licensed and qualified. Inspire Elementary also seeks individuals who have experience in the Design Thinking model and inquiry‐based instrucon with a track record of growth and achievement for his/her students. The Office of Student Services at DPS support training of all special educaon staff. Special educaon staff also parcipate in Inspire Elementary professional development and all ongoing professional development throughout the year. Program Plan Instruction for Students with Disabilities Inspire Elementary is grounded in inquiry based learning. Whether or not a students has been idenfied with a learning disability or not, students should be encouraged to be acve parcipants in the learning process. If students are to be involved in their own learning, they must construct their own meaning, reflect and evaluate their work, and engage in design of authenc problems. These goals are especially important for students with learning disabilies; students who are too oen passive in the learning process. According to Okolo research and evidence leads us to conclude that 68
68 hp://ldx.sagepub.com/content/29/5/450.short
84
acve parcipaon in the learning process changes the atude and percepons of students with learning disabilies toward their success as a learner. Other research shows that students with learning difficules and learning differences benefit from explicit and direct instrucon with visual structures to support their learning. Students with special needs benefit from mulple opportunies to pracce newly taught skills and concepts and small group instrucon. Students with special needs also benefit from scaffolding in the classroom to access content in a general educaon seng. Instruconal programs are craed on an individualized basis based on the student’s need. Built into the learning experiences are inquiry‐based, hands‐on exploraons of content. Each unit is built to develop both and conceptual understanding through a mulmodality approach including: fieldwork, visual and graphic supports, engaging with experts, reading, wring, listening, and speaking within the context of the content being explored. Inspire Elementary students have mulple opportunies to demonstrate understanding and proficiency toward standards and receive direct and small group instrucon through a workshop approach as a structure for me and for assessment. Inspire Elementary uses team and meeng structures to 69
support weekly progress monitoring for determining whether students are at risk and require addional instrucon and/or behavioral supports, or need acceleraon. Student Intervenon Team (SIT) meengs help ensure that student needs are idenfied early, intervenons are idenfied and implemented, and progress is monitored specific to the delivered intervenon. As an addional level of support, Inspire Elementary staff support family literacy nights, family math nights, and academic support evenings to reach parents and guardians who may need informaon regarding academic 70
support at home and how the school‐home connecon can be strengthened collaboravely. Inspire Elementary also conducts parent/guardian workshops to support a clear understanding of the manifestaon of disabilies, taking into account cultural differences in the percepon of disability. Inspire Elementary teachers connually reevaluate services to be sure student needs are adequately addressed and evaluated on a regular basis whether teacher professional needs are being met in the areas of special needs students. Student Recruitment Inspire Elementary’s high quality programming and growth data aracts students with diverse needs. Special educaon teachers and specialists review the IEP supports and services to determine how Inspire Elementary can adequately meet the needs of the student.
L. GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS We recognize that students oen do not follow an age‐level or grade‐level learning path and have different trajectories in their development of concepts and skills. Our emphasis on inquiry, creang a plan for each learner, flexibility in curriculum choices and the structural component of flexible groups using targeted data is highly conducive to gied and talented students’ advancement. Many of our curriculum choices have been selected because they are effecve with a gied and accelerated populaon. To beer support this populaon of students, we also look for teachers with a Colorado
69 Bennett, Samantha. (2008). That Workshop Book: New Systems and Structures for Classrooms That Read, Write, and Think 70 Model and system is similar to WestEd model of APTT,
http://www.wested.org/service/academicparentteacherteamsapttfamilyengagementineducation/
85
endorsement in Gied and Talented instrucon. Connuing professional development, both internal external, in both the nature and needs and differenated instrucon are an ongoing part of all teachers’ professional environment. Teachers teach with the construct of planning for the high and differenang material downward rather than targeng instrucon to the middle and then differenang two separate direcons. An emphasis on planning for the academically high not only beer assures strong learning trajectories for this populaon of school, but also creates elevated trajectories for all learners. According to research by Clements and Sarama, teachers vastly underesmate what their students know and can learn. D.H. Clements and J. Sarama, Learning and Teaching Early Math: The Learning Trajectories Approach (New York, NY: Routledge, 2009) . By 71
planning for the high learner and differenang downward, teachers beer assure that they are providing material that cognively engages their learners. The research surrounding what is oen referred to as the Pygmalion or Rosenthal effect, in which expectaons are closely ed to outcome and the phenomenon where higher expectaons lead to increased producon, has been widely studied and supported since the 1968 publicaon of Rosenthal’s seminal book Pygmalion Effect In The Classroom. Teachers assess and evaluate individual needs of students on an ongoing basis. This may 72
lead to content acceleraon or compacng material, but, again, according to Clements and Sarama, it does not necessarily mean always providing content that is pushed down from higher grades. Rather, it relies more on smulang creave and flexible approaches to thinking and learning. In addion, we recognize that gied learners are capable and oen movated by deeply understanding informaon (the whys and the hows instead of merely the whats), and emphasis is given to inquiry, analysis and understanding of the structures that are behind the knowledge being acquired. Identifying Gifted and High Potential Students We recognize that students oen do not follow an age‐level or grade‐level learning path and have different trajectories in their development of concepts and skills. Our emphasis on inquiry based design thinking, creang a personalized plan for each learner, flexibility in curriculum choices and student groupings based on data collecon and analysis is highly conducive to gied and talented students’ advancement. Many of our curriculum choices have been selected because they are effecve with a gied and accelerated populaon. To beer support this populaon of students, we also require all classroom teachers receive a Colorado endorsement in Gied and Talented instrucon within 2 years of their hiring date. Connuing professional development, both internal external, in both the nature and needs and differenated instrucon are an ongoing part of teachers’ professional environment. Teachers teach with the construct of planning for the high and differenang material downward rather than differenang material in two separate direcons. Inspire Elementary idenfy highly gied, gied and talented, talent pool and “watch list” students following the definion and guidelines provided by DPS and in accordance with HB 1244‐07. Because all students are working under personalized instrucon plans, a student does not necessarily need a formal evaluaon or idenficaon to have needs recognized or addressed. All students are expected to make at least one year’s growth, even if they are starng above grade level. Inspire Elementary recognizes that gied students include a large scope of students. Gied students are represented in all cultural and ethnic groups, and we are commied to idenfying and serving students who are typically in underrepresented populaons. Addionally, not all gied students are
71 https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200903/BTJ_Primary_Interest.pdf 72 http://www.duq.edu/about/centersandinstitutes/centerforteachingexcELence/teachingandlearning/pygmalion
86
cognively or academically advanced in all areas and some gied students have learning challenges and differences that may also require intervenon support. Inspire Elementary is commied to providing an excellent educaon for all students and work closely with the GT department to idenfy, support and provide adequate staffing for students. Gied and High Potenal students are idenfied by a GT staff member and a muldisciplinary team to best determine services. Data inquiry and analysis teams review data three mes per year immediately following school‐wide progress monitoring tesng, such as the Naglieri, state assessments, and a body of evidence provided by the classroom teacher(s). The idenfied GT specialist and classroom teachers idenfy high potenal students. These students are placed on watch and teachers begin compiling a body of evidence (including both qualitave and quantave measures) looking at mulple criteria from behavioral, academic, and creave domains, to capture evidence of students’ needs. An Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) is developed for qualifying students in accordance with the Exceponal Children’s Educaon Act (ECEA). Inspire Elementary also recognizes that parent educaon is an important part of serving the gied and high performing populaon. We are commied to helping parents learn how to best support their learner by providing a variety of educaonal forums and resources. Educational Acceleration In order to meet the needs of students who are idenfied as GT Inspire’s design focused on having the right mix, number, and intensity of educaonal intervenons. Educaonal acceleraon is an intervenon that moves students along individualized path. Individual differences maer and we aim to implement a responsive teaching model that moves students at a pace commensurate with their rate of learning. “All students deserve to learn something new each day, and if academically talented students desire to be accelerated and are ready for it, the long‐term evidence clearly supports the intervenon”. Inspire Elementary also recognizes the unique social and emoonal needs that oen 73
accompany gied children, and we are commied to supporng the whole child. All teachers are trained in social/emoonal aspects of gied learners and the school has staff to provide assistance to both students and teachers. Instruction Program and Strategies The Inspire Elementary’s model supports the engagement and academic achievement of Gied and High Potenal students. Using Inquiry & Design Thinking we provide opportunies for in‐depth study and exposure to local experts. Addionally Gied and High Potenal students have opportunies to explore independent and collaborave passion projects, accelerated subjects, and small‐group enrichment acvies, all of which aim at developing creave and high‐level thinking skills. Inspire Elementary ulize fluid movement for reading and math; including within‐class grouping and cross‐grade grouping, to adjust teaching to match students’ achievement or ability. 74
Inspire Elementary ulizes a common math block to provide opportunies for content acceleraon. Dreambox and TenMarks can also be ulized as an intervenon for Gied and High Potenal students due to the adapve nature of the soware. There are mulple opportunies for teachers and students to raise the ceiling off the classroom and allow for student choice and individualized goal
73 https://tip.duke.edu/resources/research/publications/researchbibliography
74 Kullick, J.A. (2003). Grouping and Tracking. In. N. Colangelo & G.A. Davis (Eds). Handbook of Gifted Education (3red ed.; pp.268281). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
87
seng aligned with learning targets and the CAS and CCSS standards. Within units, teachers may ulize strategies such as curriculum compacng, and ering in order to meet the students’ ALP. School‐wide reading celebraons also encourage and acknowledge independent reading goals. Students are able to engage in inquiry into topics and case studies that are of deep interest. The school culture, focused on achievement and academic rigor, encourages such acvies and inspires students in engage in a variety of challenging academic endeavors. Schedule to Support G&T Our schedule is designed to meet the needs of our G&T students. Assessment System Inspire Elementary evaluates the effecveness of the Gied and High Potenal program through analysis of student work samples and assessments as well as solicing feedback from student and parent surveys. In the event that Inspire Elementary’s Core Pracces do not adequately challenge a Gied or High Potenal student, selected Inspire Elementary staff, parents and the student collaboravely cra an individualized plan. Such a plan might include alternate classroom placements, special interest projects, or opportunies for guided independent study. Qualified Staffing Inspire Elementary provides professional development to teachers on meeng the needs of GT students in the regular classroom through differenated work, flexible grouping, and fluid movement. Inspire Elementary hires a GT specialist based on the recommendaons of DPS and ulize coaching structures to support teachers with idenficaon, assessment and best pracces to support learners idenfied as GT. Acon research projects may also be targeted at serving special populaons. The GT intervenon specialist ulizes high quality professional development offered through DPS to connuously learn current pracces and changes in the law. Professional development opportunies are offered through outside experts in the field and aendance at state conferences. All staff is qualified and has Colorado licenses in Elementary Educaon or Early Childhood Educaon. Professional Development Inspire Elementary trains and develops capacies for teachers who meet the needs of all students including exceponal students. Parcipatory Acon Research projects may also be targeted at serving special populaons. Professional development opportunies are offered through outside experts in the field and aendance at state conferences. In order to build the capacity of all teachers, the GT intervenon specialist work with teachers during expedion planning to expand understanding and support teachers in gaining an eye for characteriscs that may demonstrate Giedness and High Potenal. Inspire Elementary understands the unique nature of supporng Gied and High Potenal students and works to accurately idenfy and determine structures to best develop the whole student. L. SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAMMING Inspire Elementary works to select an appropriate matrix of enrichment vendors, on all school days. Potenal vendors include: Alliance Francaise de Denver, Arul Journey, City Strings Guitar, Creave Dance Kids, Denver World Music Studio, Execuve Arts, jumpNrope, KidStage, Kinder Kixx, Mad Science in Colorado, Movement Madness, Omniform Karate, Pi Q Math, Play‐well TEKnologies,
88
Radiant Beginnings Yoga, Science Maers in Colorado, Small Hands Art, Spanish Instute, Scky Fingers Cooking, Tickled Ivories, Way of the Wild, and Young Rembrandts.
89
SECTION IV: TEACHING
A. TEACHER RECRUITMENT, HIRING, & RETENTION Teachers and staff hired at Inspire Elementary exhibit qualies that align with the school’s vision and core values. All teachers are fully licensed and meet state and federal qualificaon requirements. Teachers are evaluated using LEAP per DPS guidelines. Qualies in a candidate may include: ability to make sense of assessment data and ulize it in effecve ways understand and value interpersonal relaonships and communicaon understand that learning takes place in mulple sengs and does not look the same for all
students embrace the school’s core values/vision able to set clear expectaons for classroom conduct that ensure posive experience for all
learners able to set short term goals and long term goals to ensure all students make a minimum of
one year’s growth able to give immediate, clear appropriate feedback to students teachers work collaboravely, are valued and supported to maintain a high level of retenon
Inspire Elementary focuses on improving student achievement by developing quality teachers. Educators must learn to teach in a way that is innovave and approach instrucon with creave new perspecves to facilitate a successful learning environment. Our teachers have the ability to execute standards‐based instrucon and progress monitoring strategies to promote student achievement; knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy; excellent communicaon skills; ability to plan for and implement a variety of instruconal techniques and strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners; strong classroom management skills; alignment with the vision, mission, and operang principles of Inspire Elementary; desire and ability to hold all children to high expectaons; commitment to exceeding expectaons and going the extra mile to ensure the success of all students; an ethic of excellence; professionalism; desire and ability to work effecvely as part of a working team, EL with parents and students to build posive relaonships; ability to analyze data and measurements of achievement, and commitment to ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.
Teachers must meet the Colorado definion of “highly qualified.” In addion, preference is given to teachers who possess or who are pursuing a Linguiscally Diverse Learner endorsement, Special Educaon endorsement, or Gied Educaon endorsement. Experience in Design Thinking is preferred.
Inspire will recruit teachers through mulple avenues including posngs on the “Teacher in Denver” DPS job board, district and state educaon job fairs, relaonships with local educaon departments at colleges and universies, professional networks (ACSD, CASE, CDE, etc.), and social media. The essenal goal in teacher recruitment is to demonstrate why the Internaonal Academy of Denver is an excellent place to teach and lead, therefore these elements will strategically embedded in all recruitment materials:
Hiring Process includes: Inial screening by principal
90
Observe candidate in classroom with students (live or video) Data team with peers where candidates are asked to work on a mock data team and analyze
data, come up with intervenon plan for students and determine next steps, assessments etc. ‐ this ensures candidate has deep understanding of effecvely analyzing data and using it to monitor student progress and ensure appropriate academic growth and shows how candidate interacts with colleagues
Parent interview ‐commiee formed by a few parents from community given very specific quesons and rubric to rate candidate ‐ this gives the community a chance to be a part of process in a structured way
Candidates are asked to take data of a class (for example reading levels) and create small instrucon groups that show how small differenated groups would be ulized in classroom for literacy and math content
Candidate creates a parent newsleer (hard copy, via website, ) to show how he /she would communicate with parents
B. TEACHER RETENTION Inspire sets a goal of 90% teacher retenon. Inspire Elementary encompasses values related to nurturing the development of professional capital for the educaon profession. Inspire Elementary faculty embraces the crical importance of culvang, preparing and retaining educators who view teaching as a profession. As Fullan and Hargreaves (2012) have noted in Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School, “To teach like a pro…is a personal commitment to rigorous training, connuous learning, collegial feedback, respect for evidence, responsiveness to parents, striving for excellence, and going far beyond the requirements of any wrien contract” (p. xiv).
By invesng fiscally, intellectually, and emoonally in their teachers with pracces that are supporve and aligned, Inspire Elementary secures a return on their investment in their faculty and staff.
C. TEACHER COACHING The Leadership Team (LT) supports teachers to plan alongside teachers assist in analyzing data plan and deliver professional development plan grade level meengs/data teams model lessons and co‐teach research acvies/resources to support students, teachers informal feedback
give construcve and specific feedback to support teachers in instrucon, including small group instrucon and professional learning ‐
planning support classroom management and organizaonal support
coaches are visible, not just planning in an office ‐ students know them, they are part of the school community
support tesng and assessment
91
coaches support differenated learning and model for teachers what effecve small group instrucon looks like
evaluate the professional development programming to assess whether it is meeng teachers’ needs and being implemented with fidelity in every classroom
Teachers receive informal feedback as well as formal feedback that aligns with LEAP from evaluator. Feedback is directly connected to the school’s UIP goals, teacher’s SLOs and the classroom/school’s data.
D. TEACHER EVALUATION In order to align with State and District idenfied teacher effecveness standards, Inspire Elementary uses the LEAP evaluaon framework, including student achievement indicators, the observaon framework, student percepon data, and professional standards. The teacher evaluaon system and standards are aligned with the DPS LEAP framework and the school plan pracces. The principal (or licensed designee) has primary responsibility for evaluang teachers and aligns the data, observaons, and tools to provide clear aconable feedback. Evaluaons include at least one comprehensive evaluaon per year but the me may vary from the LEAP directed melines. Individual performance goals, aligned with school‐wide goals, are developed collaboravely; achievement and growth data is used for 50% of the evaluaon process in alignment with SB 191. Unsasfactory performance is addressed immediately in a manner that maintains the dignity and respect of the individual. The principal collaborates with the teacher to create improvement goals and the cycle for progress monitoring towards these goals to promote the success of the teacher. Although thoughul formal evaluaon processes such as LEAP drive improvements in teacher effecveness and student achievement, it is really the informal daily observaons, interacons, wrien feedback, and instruconal conversaons that take place every day between teachers and between teachers and administrators that truly drive teacher effecveness and increase student achievement. Teachers are provided with differenated professional development that individually tailored, targeted and focused. Coaching, feedback from administraon and other recommended supports help teachers grow and improve against specific goals.
E. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT While students are at specials (art, music, Spanish, STEAM, P.E.) teachers have collaborave planning and professional development as outlined below. In addion, early release days Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
92
Planning Data Team Professional Development
Professional Learning
Communities
FLEX (Student Learning Objectives (SLOs, ProComp,
Mandatory Reporting, Unified Improvement Plan
(UIP) etc.
Inspire Elementary professional development is developed, monitored, evaluated by the principal in consultaon with the learning organizaons and partnerships established with the school. At the same me, Inspire Elementary does intend to parcipate in district‐sponsored staff development that is aligned with our vision and mission. Inspire Elementary intends work in collaboraon with DPS Student Services and the ELA department to parcipate in district professional development as needed. Through the Inspire Elementary / Boecher Teacher Residency partnership and drawing on BTR highly personalized Professional Development approach, Inspire Elementary will provide high degrees of support to novice and experienced teachers. Layers of support will include a network of educaonal leaders; including feedback from a mentor, mentor facilitator, advisor, and director. Addionally, Boecher Teacher Residency will provide teacher interns with high degrees of support. Educators at Inspire Elementary share best pracces and unpack standards, curriculum and instruconal approaches within a community of supporve, innovave colleagues. Inspire Elementary teachers will need extensive onboarding for year 1 and will be paid to aend an addional professional development during the summer. School leaders take primary responsibility for coordinang on‐site professional development aligned with the school’s professional learning plan. The principal aligns professional development, feedback and coaching with formal evaluaon systems in order to promote the professional growth of every teacher and promote school‐wide excellence. Teacher development is paramount to the success of Inspire Elementary and waivers from district calendar and the bargaining agreement allow addional opportunies for regular, job‐embedded PD. A PD calendar and development cycle will be developed by the principal and Design Thinking partner once the inial staff has been hired. Each summer, teachers parcipate in a retreat focused on team‐building, inial orientaon to the guiding principles for Inspire, and an overview of summer professional development commitments. Professional development in core curriculum is offered to all new hires prior to the start of the school year. In a week long professional development teachers are trained in the common expectaons and school‐wide cultural pracces that will be an integral part of the success of Inspire. In addion Professional Development will occur 1‐2 mes a month during the school year. Professional development during the first year will be closely documented to idenfy potenal needs for the following year. This first year data will also serve as a blueprint for the professional development supports that will need to be in place for any new staff hired in the years that follow.
93
Topics and Information Covered for PD School Wide Rituals and Rounes Building School Community and Culture Staff Team Building Grade Level Teams, Team Building Professional Learning Community Common Planning Protocol Data Team
Protocols Planning and Implementaon Body of Evidence
Social Emoonal (Peace for Kids) LEAP Process Mulcultural Awareness/Equity Training/Implicit Bias Staff roles and responsibilies Building and surroundings, resources Emergency Procedures Procedures Drop‐Off ‐ Pick‐Up School Organizaons Overview ‐ CSC, PTA, student organizaons Aer School Enrichment DDI ‐ Structure/Protocol:
All formalized professional development sessions will require teachers to complete exit tasks to demonstrate their learning during the session and for teachers to set goals for classroom implementaon. These goals will become a key focus in the next administrave observaon.
Student data will be analyzed to draw connecons between parcular instruconal pracces that have been foci of professional development and their impact on student growth.
Teachers will parcipate in ongoing surveys to provide leadership with insight and feedback on the effecveness of PLC structures and professional development opportunies.
School‐wide targeted walk‐throughs will be conducted by the school leadership team, looking specifically for teacher pracce in areas of school‐wide professional development.
The instruconal methodology for Inspire will be closely aligned with the descriptors located in the LEAP Frameworks for effecve teaching. Teachers will ulize the Expedionary Learning (Literacy) and Bridges (Math) daily lesson plan template which will be reviewed by leadership team on a regular basis.
Our working agenda for two weeks of professional development Summe of 2017 is available at: hps://docs.google.com/document/d/1IAa6f9‐GLa_BuS6rSkdzdvbAVjP_Uh88yY87_gb1Rw0/edit?ts=5936ecb9#
94
F. BUILDING A TEACHER PIPELINE As noted in Teaching Talent: A Visionary Framework for Human Capital in Education (2010), “successful schools, especially in inner cies, require sufficient stability of staff to build a posive culture of high expectaons and a set of collegial norms for good instruconal pracce” (p.115). Boecher Teacher Residency and Inspire Elementary will work collaboravely to support an educator preparaon partnership that supports school culture and character, curriculum, instrucon, assessment, and leadership to enhance student growth and achievement. Inspire Elementary will ulize a residency staffing model whereby teachers and school leaders learn through Gradual Release of Responsibility. Inspire Elementary will promote opportunies for educaonal leadership along a teacher’s developmental connuum. As demonstrated via current and past partnerships with Tollgate, RMSEL, Odyssey, Academy 360 and DDES, Boecher Teacher Residency is philosophically and pragmacally aligned to our vision, instruconal leadership, curriculum design and implementaon. Inspire Elementary will nurture the development of educators along their career trajectory, offering career laces to experienced and highly effecve educators so that they may connue learning and leading through their career. Inspire Elementary will provide career laces for teachers, serving as a model for nurturing and sustaining educators in the field of educaon. Through its partnerships with Boecher Teacher Residency Program, Inspire Elementary will provide career laces for teachers, serving as a model for nurturing and sustaining educators in the field of educaon. Several potenal laces for lead teachers will include, but not be limited to becoming mentor, model and master teachers. Residents at Inspire Elementary will receive Master's in Educaonal Psychology through Boecher Teacher Residency Program’s partnership with UCD. The MOU between Boecher Teacher Residency and UCD declares that “the School of Educaon and Human Development recognizes that the alternave licensure program developed by Boecher Teacher Residency Program is rich and substanve.” Inspire Elementary also accesses current research and connuous feedback on pedagogy through the Boecher Teacher Residency Program’s MOU with Colorado Department of Educaon and Colorado Department of Higher Educaon. Boecher Teacher Residency Program’s best pracces in the preparaon of residents are being captured and disseminated through this partnership with the Rose Community Foundaon’s Ed Preparaon Project. Our Boecher Teacher Residency partner is 75
recognized as a cung edge program with over 20 years’ experience represenng a “clinically‐based model of excellence for the preparaon of high quality teachers” (as cited by the Colorado Department of Educaon). It has been in a highly successful partnership with Denver Public Schools for over 20 years. In the context of a collaborave professional learning community, the program provides preparaon in effecve instruconal approaches that result in dramac, measurable student growth across diverse sengs. The mission of the program is to serve the need for excellent innovave teachers in DPS; retain exemplars in the field and deliver a strong return on investment by producing clinically prepared educators who because of their efficacy remain in the field far longer than the naonal average.
75 Boecher Teacher Residency Program brochure; www.stanleybps.org
95
SECTION V: SCHOOL GOVERNANCE & FINANCE
A. SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL COMMITTEE Inspire, as an Innovaon School, governed by the Denver Public Schools Board of Educaon and the Principal will report to a District Instruconal Superintendent. The School Leadership Team and School Collaborave Commiee will be replaced with the Collaborave School Commiee. The CSC will comply with State Law on School Accountability Commiees. The membership of the CSC will include at least 7 vong members, with parents constung the largest group. Posions assigned by the principal:
1 Principal (or designee) 1 Others oponal (Support Staff/ Classified Staff Member(s), parent(s) to ensure equity, parent
associaon member(s), local community or business person) Posions elected by majority vote (serving 1 year terms):
3 Teachers (selected by a vote of teachers) 4 Parents (selected by a vote of parents)
The CSC shall have the following responsibilies: Meeng at least once a month Recommending at least 2 final candidates to DPS for the principal posion (when a vacancy
exists) Providing advice and recommendaons to the principal regarding all responsibilies of the CSC
detailed in Policy BDF‐R4 in addion to the following: Advising on the school’s annual budget Advising on the school’s master calendar and schedule Making recommendaons regarding the school’s curriculum and instrucon, culture and
behavior, services for special populaons, and use of school facilies
B. BUDGET & POLICY NARRATIVE Inspire Elementary strives to ensure that our budget closely supports and aligns to our mission, vision and educaon plan. In addion to what DPS tradionally funds in the zero‐year planning, funds for the following items are necessary to ensure that the school's educaon plan is fully developed by 2017‐18 school year.
Copying and prinng of promoonal and communicaon materials and a website upgrade for providing effecve communicaon to the community about the school.
Teacher extra pay for a new faculty workshop in June or July prior to Year 1. New computers for the staff
96
Parent engagement acvies that support the communicaon and involvement of parents. In the succeeding years, the following funds have been priorized to ensure the full implementaon of our mission, vision and educaonal plan. Teachers receive spends to compensate for the extended year calendar. Addional funds have been allocated. Over a five year period support staff will be strategically added to sustain the high level
emphasis on specialized instrucon necessary to support educaon plan. In order to support and manage the school budget, a secretary is hired who is cerfied in LAWSON, Cayenta and other budget programs used by the district. The principal meets regularly with the secretary to review expenditures to ensure spending is within the DPS guidelines and the budget is balanced. We work closely with our DPS budget partner to review spending, balancing and future planning of the budget. Our School Finance Act revenue assumpons found within our budget were made using project student demographics. In zero‐year, Inspire Elementary acvely pursues private revenue sources including contribuons and grants. One way we plan to increase revenue will be to apply for a waiver through innovaon status to budget for actuals instead of averages when calculang salary. We are ancipang funding support through our partnership with the DPS Blended Learning Department. Currently we are not planning to contract out for any services. Inspire Elementary follows all State policies, regulaons, and procedures related to procurement and spending of funds. The principal holds final budget authority; however, the CSC reviews the budget and ensures a direct alignment to the vision and mission of the school. Inspire Elementary’s human capital management plan including professional development, educaonal plan, and strategic allocaon of me and opportunity for learning are the key factors in driving financial decisions and allocaon of funding. The autonomies for staffing on actuals, paying teacher and staff spends, supplemenng instruconal resources, scheduling required professional development me, and strategically organizing me for students and teachers support the budget development process and align with a focus on student achievement. Revenue is derived from the allocaons provided by Denver Public Schools. Although other funding sources, including grants and partnerships, are aggressively sought, the operang budget is based on the district allocaon. Inspire Elementary expects to receive its fair poron of district grants if we agree to adopt the funded iniave. The principal directly manages and oversees the budget and is the person responsible for developing and monitoring the budget although input is sought from other groups including the Leadership Team and the CSC. Outside sources of funding from grants, partnerships and foundaons are be aggressively pursued to supplement the budget. We follow DPS policies and pracces relevant to donaons, grants management, leases and contract agreements.
C. FACILITY Inspire Elementary’s permanent facility will be located north of 56th St. between Dallas and Galena and is slated for compleon in the fall of 2018
98
Section VI. WAIVERS
Waivers Requests and Replacement Policies DPS, DCTA, and Colorado State Statutes
DPS Policy Waivers
Policy Waived Area of Impact
WAIVER REQUESTS DPS BOARD POLICIES School Proposal
BDFR4: Collaborative School
Committees
Governance
Policy
There shall be at each school a Collaborative School Committee (CSC). Membership: Each CSC shall consist of at least: three parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the school one teacher who provides instrucon at the school the principal or the principal's designee one person from the community one adult member of an organizaon of parents, teachers and students recognized by the school The number of members of each CSC shall be determined by the principal. If the CSC has more than the above‐described members, the CSC shall ensure that the number of parents elected to the commiee exceeds the number of representaves from the group with the next highest representaon. A person may not serve more than one of the required membership roles on the CSC. If, aer making good‐faith efforts, a principal or an organizaon of parents, teachers and students is unable to find a sufficient number of persons who are willing to serve on the CSC, the principal, with advice from the organizaon of parents, teachers and students, may establish an alternate membership plan for the CSC. Such alternate plan shall reflect the required representaon stated above as much as praccable. To the extent praccable, each CSC shall represent a cross‐secon of the school community that it represents in terms of sex, race, age, occupaon, socioeconomic status, geographical locaon and other appropriate factors. Election of Members: Each school shall hold elecons in the month of May for the following school year or within the first two weeks of school in order to appoint the parent/guardian and teacher members to the CSC. The community member shall be appointed by the other members of the CSC. If a vacancy arises on the CSC, the remaining members of the CSC shall fill the vacancy by majority vote. Duties: In accordance with state statute, the CSC shall: 1. Act as the school accountability commiee for the school. 2. Recommend to the principal priories for spending school moneys. The principal shall consider the CSC’s recommendaons regarding spending state, federal, local, or private grants and any other discreonary moneys and take them into account in formulang budget requests for presentaon to the Board of Educaon, if the school is a District‐run school, other than a charter school, or in creang the school budget if the school is a charter school. The CSC for a District‐run school shall send a copy of its recommended spending priories to the District Accountability Commiee and the Board of Educaon. 3. Advise the principal, and if the school is a District run school, the Instruconal Superintendent, concerning the preparaon of a school improvement plan, and submit recommendaons to the principal and the Instruconal Superintendent, if applicable, concerning the contents of the school improvement plan. 4. Advise the Board of Educaon concerning the preparaon of a school priority improvement or turnaround plan, if either is required, and submit recommendaons to the Board of Educaon concerning the contents of the school priority improvement or turnaround plan, if either is required. 5. Provide input and recommendaons on an advisory basis to the District Accountability Commiee and the Instruconal Superintendent concerning principal development plans for the principal and principal evaluaons. 6. Increase the level of parent engagement in the school, especially the engagement of parents of students in the populaons described in C.R.S. 22‐11‐401(1)(d) . The commiee's acvies to increase parent engagement must include, but need not be limited to: Publicizing opportunies to serve and solicing parents to serve on the CSC. In solicing parents to serve on the CSC, the CSC shall direct the outreach efforts to help ensure that the parents who serve on the CSC reflect the student populaons that are significantly represented within the school;
99
Assisng the District in implemenng at the school the parent engagement policy adopted by the Board of Educaon; and Assisng school personnel to increase parents' engagement with teachers, including but not limited to parents' engagement in creang students' READ plans, in creang individual career and academic plans, and in creang plans to address habitual truancy. The CSC will not: 1. parcipate in the day‐to‐day operaons of the school; 2. be involved in issues relang to individuals (staff, students, or parents) within the school; or 3. be involved in personnel issues (the School Personnel Commiee will stand alone according to the current DPS/DCTA contract). Meetings The CSC shall publicize and hold a public CSC meengs at least every quarter to discuss whether school leadership, personnel and infrastructure are advancing or impeding implementaon of the school’s performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan, whichever is applicable. If applicable, the CSC will publicize a public hearing to discuss strategies to include in a public school priority improvement or turnaround plan and to review a wrien public school priority improvement or turnaround plan. A member of the CSC is encouraged to aend the public hearing regarding the wrien priority improvement or turnaround plan.
Replacement Policy
The School Leadership Team and School Collaborave Commiee will be replaced with the Collaborave School Commiee. The CSC will comply with State Law on School Accountability Commiees. The membership of the CSC will include at least 7 vong members, with parents constung the largest group. Posions assigned by the principal:
1 Principal (or designee) 1 Others oponal (Support Staff/ Classified Staff Member(s), parent(s) to ensure
equity, parent associaon member(s), local community or business person) Posions elected by majority vote (serving 1 year terms):
3 Teachers (selected by a vote of teachers) 4 Parents (selected by a vote of parents)
The CSC shall have the following responsibilies: Meeng at least once a month Recommending at least 2 final candidates to DPS for the principal posion
(when a vacancy exists) Providing advice and recommendaons to the principal regarding all
responsibilies of the CSC detailed in Policy BDF‐R4 in addion to the following:
Advising on the school’s annual budget Advising on the school’s master calendar and schedule Making recommendaons regarding the school’s curriculum and instrucon,
culture and behavior, services for special populaons, and use of school facilies
School Proposal
KHBA: Sponsorship Programs
Governance / Budget
Policy
The district may maintain a corporate sponsorship program designed to provide a mutually beneficial relaonship between the district and the business community. It is the goal of this program to achieve addional revenues to support district programs in a manner that will limit the commercial exposure associated with this program and comply with district policy KHB, Adversing in Schools/Revenue Enhancement. The program may also be used in school cafeterias related to the Food Services program.The Superintendent or his designee shall have the authority enter into sponsorship agreements. Official sponsors will receive certain rights and opportunies that may include the right to be an exclusive provider of services or products for the period of me addressed by the sponsorship agreement. All sponsorship agreements will allow the district to terminate the agreement at least on an annual basis if it is determined that it will have an adverse impact on implementaon of curriculum or the educaonal experience of students. Revenue derived from the sponsorship program will be formally idenfied as consideraon for adversing rights or as sponsorship
100
revenues. Rights and benefits in addion to adversing may be granted to individual sponsors. The rights will become
part of the negoated sponsorship agreement. All sponsorship acvies will comply with district policies.
Replacement Policy
The school has the authority to collect revenue directly from sponsorships, subject to District oversight through roune reporng to the Office of Budget. The School shall have the ability to request and secure school‐based sponsorships independent of the district according to the following policies:
1. The sponsorship must not compromise or show inconsistency with the beliefs, values of the district and school.
2. The sponsorship will not alter any district owned resources unless permission is granted by the district.
3. The sponsorship does not create a real or perceived conflict of interest with school administrators or staff.
4. The sponsorship agreement will be reported to the district budget office at least 30 days before an agreement is to take effect. The budget office will have the ability to refuse the agreement only in situaons where said agreement will adversely impact funding arrangements for other schools in the district more than it would benefit the School or because it would be in conflict with exisng fund regulaons (such as federal grants).
5. The Innovaon School may establish a 501c3 to apply for grants and support school‐determined priories.
School Proposal
IKE / IKER: Promotion, Retention, and
Acceleration of Students
Education Program
Policy
The Board of Educaon recognizes that high expectaons and standards for student achievement are necessary to ensure that students are well prepared for the next level of their educaon. The Board believes that early idenficaon of students who are not making adequate progress toward achieving standards and effecve intervenon are crucial. Definitions “Promoon” means the process of advancing a student to the next grade at the end of the current school year. “Retenon” means the process of having a student repeat a grade. “Acceleraon” means the process of moving a student ahead one or more grades. Individual Learning Plans Teachers shall assess the teaching and learning process on a connual basis and idenfy students early in the school year who are not making adequate progress toward achieving the District's academic standards. Teachers may choose to implement an individual learning plan for each student who is not making adequate progress toward achieving the District’s academic standards. Promotion/Retention/Acceleration Before considering whether to retain or accelerate a student, District staff shall consider and document each of the following factors: Academic skills; Maturity; Evidence of academic growth; Chronological age; Language proficiency; Special educaon status; aendance record/truancy; Transiency; Previous grade retenon or acceleraon; and Likely success in compleng the academic work at the next grade level. Aer considering and documenng the above factors, the principal shall make a recommendaon whether to retain or accelerate the student, however, a student shall not be retained or accelerated unless the principal has made such a recommendaon and the student’s parents/guardians agree with the recommendaon. Retenon and acceleraon shall be used sparingly when special circumstances warrant, and retenon due to social, emoonal or physical immaturity shall be used on a very limited basis. A student’s parents may appeal a principal’s decision to retain or accelerate a student in accordance with regulaons adopted by the Superintendent. The procedure to retain a student in kindergarten, first, second, or third grade due to the student’s significant reading deficiency shall be in accordance with Board Policy ILBC, Superintendent Regulaon ILBC‐R, and applicable law.
Replacement Policy
Retenon and promoon decisions for students performing below or above grade‐level will follow the DPS district policies.
School Proposal
GCF/GDF: Staff Recruitment/ Hiring Teaching:
Human Resources Management: Hiring
101
Policy
Hiring There shall be no discriminaon in the hiring process on the basis of genec informaon, race, color, gender, sexual orientaon, gender identy, transgender status, religion, naonal origin, ancestry, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. All candidates shall be considered on the basis of their merits, qualificaons and the needs of the school district. For teaching and paraprofessional posions, the Board directs that recruitment procedures will give preference to candidates who meet the definion of highly qualified pursuant to the Elementary and Secondary Educaon Act. All interviewing and selecon procedures shall ensure that the administrator directly responsible for the work of a staff member has an opportunity to aid in the selecon and that, where applicable, the school principal has an opportunity to consent to the selecon. The Superintendent shall have the authority to make employment decisions, including hiring, for all district employees, except for teaching personnel and school leaders. Nominaons of teaching personnel and administrators shall be made at meengs of the Board of Educaon. The vote of a majority of the Board shall be necessary to approve the appointment of teachers and administrators in the school district. Upon the hiring of any employee, informaon required by federal and state child support laws will be mely forwarded by the district to the appropriate state agency. Background checks Prior to hiring any person, in accordance with state law the district shall conduct background checks with the Colorado Department of Educaon and previous employers regarding the applicant's fitness for employment. In all cases where credit informaon or reports are used in the hiring process, the district shall comply with the Fair Credit Reporng Act and applicable state law.
Replacement Policy
The Innovaon School will follow District Policy GDF/GCF; however, the Innovaon School will have autonomy to recruit staff and make offers to candidates outside of
the traditional district hiring calendar . The principal or his/her designee will work with the district Human Resources
office to post teaching posions through the district website. The school will also engage in independent outreach efforts to recruit candidates outside of the centralized recruitment channels, but will require that any interested candidates apply through the district site. All eligible applicaons for posted teaching posions will be provided to the school principal for selecon using locally‐designed processes.
The principal or his/her designee will consider candidates from the direct placement process; however, the school shall not be required to select or accept teachers through direct placement or to alter the hiring schedule or selecon process in a way that gives preference to direct placement teachers (with the excepon of ADA placements) Teaching posions that are responsible for noncore subject supplemental or
enrichment instruction will not require a teacher certificate . All core content teachers shall meet the federal Highly Qualified (HQ) requirements. Core content teachers shall possess a valid Colorado license and subject maer competency for their assignment. (ESEA). Core content areas under ESEA include: English, reading or language arts; mathemacs; science; foreign languages; social studies (civics, government, history, geography, economics); and the arts (visual arts, music).
102
The principal will consult with district HR staff and incorporate hiring best pracces at the school level where it is found to be appropriate. Background checks will be administered using the exisng systems and processes for the district. The School shall conduct reference checks.
Collective Bargaining Agreement Articles Waivers WAIVER REQUESTS DCTA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
School Proposal
Arcle 1‐7: Definion of “School Year” Educaonal Program: Calendar & Schedule
Policy The term "school year" as used in these Arcles shall mean the officially adopted school calendar.
Replacement Policy
The term “school year” as use in these Arcles shall mean the school calendar as it is established by the innovaon school. This definion will include both an idenficaon of days and a typical daily schedule.
School Proposal
Arcle 2‐4‐1: Request for Waivers Governance: Management
Policy Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, requests for waivers from this Agreement shall be made by the principal and the Associaon Representave to the Board of Educaon and the Associaon.
Replacement Policy
The school shall seek waivers from the Agreement through approval through the Innovaon Schools Act.
School Proposal
Arcle 5‐4: School Leadership Team Governance: Management
Policy
Each school will have a School Leadership Team (SLT) consisng of the principal, the associaon representave, a teacher appointed by the principal, and a minimum of 3 teacher representaves … elected annually by a majority of the faculty vong by secret ballot. The SLT will make decisions by consensus. A consensus is either a unanimous decision or a majority decision that the enre SLT, including the dissenters, will support.
Replacement Policy
The School Leadership Team and School Collaborave Commiee will be replaced with the Collaborave School Commiee. The CSC will comply with State Law on School Accountability Commiees. The membership of the CSC will include at least 7 vong members, with parents constung the largest group. Posions assigned by the principal:
1 Principal (or designee) 1 Others oponal (Support Staff/ Classified Staff Member(s), parent(s) to ensure
equity, parent associaon member(s), local community or business person) Posions elected by majority vote (serving 1 year terms):
3 Teachers (selected by a vote of teachers) 4 Parents (selected by a vote of parents)
The CSC shall have the following responsibilies: Meeng at least once a month
103
Recommending at least 2 final candidates to DPS for the principal posion (when a vacancy exists)
Providing advice and recommendaons to the principal regarding all responsibilies of the CSC detailed in Policy BDF‐R4 in addion to the following:
Advising on the school’s annual budget Advising on the school’s master calendar and schedule Making recommendaons regarding the school’s curriculum and instrucon,
culture and behavior, services for special populaons, and use of school facilies
School Proposal
Arcle 8: Professional Standards Sets Teacher Calendar, Work Year, Work Day, Class Size and Teaching Load
Educaonal Program: Calendar & Schedule
Arcle Summary
Arcle 8 ‐ Professional Standards School Leadership Team. Each school will have a School Leadership Team as described in 5‐4. The SLT will be responsible for making decisions as noted in Arcle 8. Decisions may be made by the SLT to alter the length of the lunch period (Arcle 8‐2) …only aer conducng a confidenal vote of the majority of the faculty. Changes will not be made to the length of the lunch period or secondary teaching load without a posive majority confidenal vote of the faculty. Informaon about such changes will be sent to the Instruconal Issues Council for tracking purposes. 8‐1 Contract year. The contract year shall be one hundred eighty‐four (184) days. If a teacher is required to extend his/her contract year…he or she shall be paid at their regular scheduled rate per day. Regular scheduled rate per day is the teacher’s salary divided by the number of days in the contract year. 8‐1‐1 In addion to the one hundred eighty‐four (184) days, newly hired teachers may be required to aend pre‐session orientaon meengs and shall be paid in accordance with Arcle 32… 8‐1‐2 …non student contact days shall include the equivalent of four and one half (4.5) full self‐directed teacher planning days to be distributed in meaningful increments, and three (3) full professional days to be directed by the principal and one parent conference day. If the District connues the benchmark assessment program, three (3) or more days shall be set aside to grade and analyze data from benchmarks and other related assessments… 8‐1‐2‐1 The assessment day will be used to administer, grade and analyze data from benchmarks and other related assessments. 8‐1‐2‐2 Schools may modify the daily schedule on the parent/teacher conference days. 8‐1‐3 There is an expectaon that teachers will aend beyond the contract year for professional development determined by the principal if: a. the program needs to be scheduled outside the contract year, b. no programs will be scheduled for the last two weeks of June and the first two weeks of July, c. wrien noce is given ninety (90) days prior to the end of the school year, d. the educaonal reason is sound, e. teachers aending are paid in accordance with Arcle 32, f. adequate alternate opportunies are provided. 8‐1‐4 Evening Meengs. Each teacher may be required to aend three (3) evening events approved by the SLT per school year, as part of the contracted me. 8‐1‐5 Special Condions of Employment. Any special condions regarding the assignment of any teacher will be an addendum to the inial employment contract. 8‐2 Forty (40) Hour Work Week. The work week shall be forty (40) hours and shall include: 1. Lunch Periods…a minimum standard 45 minute daily lunch…duty free. 8‐2‐1 The principal shall have authority to permit teachers to diverge from the regular school day. 8‐2‐2 The District’s scheduled student school contact day will not be extended without applying the due process of collecve bargaining. 8‐3 Planning Time. Each elementary/ECE/K‐8 school teacher shall receive a minimum of three hundred (300) minutes of self‐directed instruconal planning me per week. Within the three‐hundred‐minutes per week, each teacher shall receive a minimum of forty (40) minutes of uninterrupted, self‐directed instruconal planning me per day scheduled during the student school contact day. If that is not possible, some of the uninterrupted block of forty (40) minutes may be scheduled outside the student contact day. 8‐7 Non‐Teaching Dues.
104
8‐7‐1 Assignment of teachers to non‐teaching dues not done by aides will be rotated so that no teachers will have the same assignment for more than four (4) consecuve semesters, unless the teacher agrees to such assignment.
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
Provisions specified in Arcle 8 will not apply to the School. The school leader in consultaon with the CSC will make decisions as described in the innovaon plan.
The School has the authority to establish its own calendar and daily schedule , provided it meets or exceeds minimum statutory standards.
The School has the authority to establish class sizes and teaching loads that support the Innovaon Plan.
The School has the authority to establish or replace any necessary committees that support the Innovaon Plan.
8‐1‐Contract Year: The contract year for teachers may be extended to include addional mandatory professional development days prior to the start of the school year. In addion, the contract year for some teachers may be extended to provide a summer school for students. Teachers will be compensated for additional days via a spend that is determined by the principal in consultaon with the CSC annually. Teachers will be compensated during the inaugural summer of 2017 at the Teacher, Hourly position rate of $23.72. Non student contact days, planning days, assessment days, and professional development days will be determined by the principal in consultaon with the CSC annually, as part of the adopon of the school calendar. Student school contact days may be extended to increase instruconal me and the teacher work week may be extended beyond 40 hours, with input from the CSC, to include extended student me as well as addional collaborave planning and professional development me. 8‐2: The principal shall have authority to permit teachers to diverge from the regular school day. Evening meengs can be scheduled, as necessary, to implement the innovaon plan. 8‐3: Teachers will be given a minimum of 200 minutes of undirected teacher planning me per week, and an addional directed common planning me. 8‐7: Teachers will be assigned non‐teaching dues, as necessary with the intent being to maximize the me that the most effecve teachers spend teaching students.
School Proposal
Arcle 10/ PAR MOU: Teacher Evaluaon: Describes the Evaluaon Process for Teachers
Leadership: Human Resource Management: Teacher Evaluaon
Policy
10‐1‐6 “Evaluator” means school principal or administrave supervisor who is responsible for the evaluaon. Principals are responsible for all evaluaons in their building, but may designate other qualified administrators to assume evaluaon responsibilies. Student Services Managers are responsible for evaluaons of their personnel as determined by the District. 10‐2 Types of Evaluaons. The school district has 3 (three) types of evaluaon: 10‐2‐1 Probaonary Evaluaon. Probaonary evaluaons are conducted on an annual basis during the teacher’s probaonary employment. Probaonary teachers are those contract teachers who hold a valid Colorado teacher license and are in the first three years of teaching or service with the district. Teachers with authorizaons or emergency licenses shall follow the probaonary evaluaon process and shall not be considered probaonary unl such me as they hold a Colorado professional teaching license. Probaonary teachers receive a minimum of two documented observaons. At least one of the observaons is formal.
105
10‐2‐2 Non‐Probaonary Evaluaon. Non‐probaonary evaluaons are conducted once every three years for teachers who have successfully completed their probaonary period. Non‐probaonary teachers receive a minimum of one documented observaon. At least one of the observaons is formal. 10‐2‐3 Special Evaluaon. Special evaluaons are conducted when a supervisor determines that a teacher requires assistance in a non‐evaluaon year. Managers can recommend to an evaluator that a Student Services Professional be put on special evaluaon. 10‐3 Timeline for conducng professional evaluaon. Probaonary teachers are evaluated yearly while designated as probaonary and in the first year of non‐probaonary status. Thereaer, evaluaons are to be conducted every three years. The excepon to this is special evaluaon, see arcle 10‐8. 10‐3‐1 Compensaon as it relates to evaluaon, Arcle 31‐11 and ProComp Agreement, Arcles 7.4.3 and 7.4.4 10‐4 Evaluators. The school principal is responsible for all evaluaons in the school building and to use of the appropriate standards/criteria/rubric and form. When a teacher is assigned to more than one building, the home school principal must coordinate the evaluaon with the appropriate principals or qualified managers. As necessary, the principal will idenfy a designated evaluator for each teacher, as well as other administrators who may be asked to conduct classroom observaons. Designated evaluators work at the direcon of the principal and they are responsible to the principal. Student Services Personnel are responsible for evaluaons of their personnel as determined by the district, using the appropriate evaluaon tool. 10‐4‐1 To the extent required by state law, evaluators must hold a state principal/administrator license, be trained in evaluaon skills that will enable him or her to make a fair, professional, and credible evaluaon of the personnel whom he or she is responsible for evaluang.
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
10‐1: Evaluator refers to a supervisor who is responsible for the evaluaon of personnel. While the principal will oversee all evaluaons in the building, other evaluators as determined by the principal will have primary evaluation
responsibilities for some personnel. The principal has the authority to identify,
prepare, and designate schoolbased evaluators to conduct staff evaluations.
10‐2: The school has only one type of evaluaon which applies to all teachers. The School may modify aspects of the LEAP framework appendices to align with the Educaonal Program. 10‐3: Timeline: All teachers will be evaluated at least once annually . 10‐4: The principal will oversee all evaluaons to ensure the appropriate standards are being used. As necessary, the principal will idenfy a designated evaluator for each teacher in addion to the school principal. 10‐4‐1: Evaluators will receive approved teacher evaluaon training but will not be required to hold a state administrator license. Plan for Improvement When the school leader determines that a teacher is not meeng performance expectaons, the Principal may choose to place the teacher on a Plan of Improvement. The duraon of the plan of improvement will typically be thirty (30) days, but may be extended beyond the (30) days as determined by the Principal and/or Assistant Principal. The teacher will be required to show improvement under the Principal and/or Assistant Principal’s supervision within the designated period of me. The plan of improvement will list the areas for improvement that the teacher will be required to improve on to the sasfacon of the Principal and/or Assistant Principal. Resources and supports will be made available to the teacher in an effort to assist the teacher in correcng the performance concerns by the Principal and/or Assistant principal. If, at the end of the plan, the principal deems, in his/her sole discreon, that the teacher has
106
failed to make sufficient improvement, then the teacher may be dismissed from employment. An improvement plan is not an entlement or employment right. 10‐5‐3: Formal full observations are recommended to last one class period (typically 45‐60 minutes) and do not require advance noce or a pre‐observaon conference. Addionally all teachers may be videotaped within the classroom and the video will be used solely for professional development and coaching purposes.
School Proposal
Arcle 11: Complaints Against Teachers/Administrave Leave/Correcve Acon
Leadership: Human Resources Management
Policy
11‐2 Administrave Leave. If a principal decides to place a teacher on administrave leave for…the principal or designee shall meet with the teacher to give specific allegaon(s) and the basic reason why the administrave leave for invesgaon is necessary, when possible. 11‐2‐1 The meeng shall take place at the end of the school day or whenever it is appropriate.11‐2‐2 The principal shall provide the teacher a copy of the administrave leave checklist and review it with the teacher. The teacher shall sign the form only as acknowledgement of receipt..11‐2‐3 At the teacher’s request a meeng will be held within three (3) school days...to give the teacher an opportunity to respond. The teacher may have Associaon representaon at the meeng. 11‐2‐4…If an invesgaon must extend beyond seven (7) calendar days…the teacher and the Associaon will be nofied by phone calls…[with]…the reasons for the extension and the expected date of compleon…11‐2‐5 During the invesgaon, the teacher…will… receive full pay. 11‐2‐6 Following compleon…the principal or designee shall…share the results…and give the teacher an opportunity to respond…11‐2‐7 Administrave leave should be considered as an opon to be used only when necessary to protect the students or staff or to conduct an appropriate invesgaon…There will be no record of the leave in a teacher's personnel file…11‐2‐8 The Agreement Review Commiee (ARC) will review on an annual basis administrave leaves for the prior year to ensure that the above procedures have been implemented appropriately. 11‐3 Correcve Acon. Before taking a correcve acon against a teacher, the principal shall invesgate the situaon,
meet with the teacher and give the teacher an opportunity to respond.
Replacement Policy
The school will follow the district’s basic fairness and due process guidelines in handling complaints against teachers, administrave leave, and in issuing correcve acon to employees at the Innovaon school.
School Proposal
Arcle 13‐7 Hiring melines Teaching: Human Resources Management: Hiring & Staff Assignments
Arcle Summary
13‐7 Timelines. The Human Resources Department shall determine the start date of the open market staffing cycle as early as praccable aer schools have submied their staffing vacancies and needs… Key dates and acvies: • Teachers verify consideraon group… • Teacher requests for Intent to Vacate, Early Rerement Incenve, move to part me/job share, Extended Leave of Absence, and Return from Leave noce submied. • Recommendaon for non‐renewal of probaonary teachers. • In‐Building Bidding and Reducon in Building Staff interviews conducted by Personnel Commiees. (Arcles 13‐10,13‐15) • Schools report vacancies. (Arcle 13‐17) Vacancies are posted. • Teachers apply to transfer for vacancies. (Arcle 13‐18) • Schools review qualified applicants’ applicaons and resumes, schedule interviews, extend offers. Schools nofy unsuccessful transfer applicants. (Arcles 13‐19, 13‐20) • Assignment of unassigned non‐probaonary teachers. (Arcle 13‐194) • End of open market staffing cycle.
107
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
13‐7. The innovaon school will not adhere to the district staffing cycle . It will post vacancies when they become open. The school will work with the
district Human Resources office to post posions through the district website. In addion to this posng, the school will engage in independent outreach
efforts to recruit candidates outside of the centralized recruitment channels. The school will consider all eligible applicants, including teachers who apply to
transfer for vacancies, but will uphold district policy in requiring agreement from both principals for approving internal transfers aer the district specified date. Transfers will not receive priority consideraon.
Teachers who leave the innovaon school that has implemented annual or at‐will contracts in order to return to a district school will be subject to the District policies for implementaon of SB 191 with regards to determining probaonary or non‐probaonary status.
School Proposal
Arcle 13‐8 Personnel Commiee & 13‐10 Reducon in Building Staff (RIBS)
Teaching: Human Resources Management: Hiring & Staff Assignments
Arcle Summary
13‐8 Personnel Commiee. 13‐8‐1 Each school shall establish a Personnel Commiee to select candidates for vacancies and Reducon in Building Staff (RIBS) at the school building. 13‐8‐2 The Personnel Commiee will be composed of the principal and three (3) teachers chosen by a vote of the faculty, and may have no more than two (2) parent(s) as member(s) appointed by the Collaborave School Commiee. 13‐8‐3 Teacher members will be chosen by the faculty. 13‐8‐4 The Personnel Commiee will make decisions by consensus… 13‐8‐5 The decision or results of the Personnel Commiee shall not be grievable. The failure to comply with the procedure contained in this Arcle is subject to grievance… 13‐8‐7 The Personnel Commiee shall operate during the school year. Outside of the school year the principal may fill posions without consultaon. 13‐10‐1 The Collaborave School Commiee will charge the Personnel Commiee with the task of conducng a Reducon in Building Staff upon receipt of informaon that reduced the number of teaching assignments at a school, or when a Collaborave School Commiee decides fewer teaching assignments are needed in a department, grade level or ELA/specialty area. 13‐10‐2 Following a determinaon of staffing needs including all arion (resignaons, rerements, teacher declaraon of vacancies, and employees returning from leave) and declaraon of consideraon group, the Personnel Commiee shall establish the group of teachers to be considered for reducon. The determinaon of staffing needs should include idenficaon of all teachers who would volunteer to vacate a posion. 13‐10‐3 The consideraon group may be a grade level, department or specialty area. The consideraon group shall be defined as narrowly as possible based on program needs. The Personnel Commiee shall nofy the affected consideraon group as soon as possible. Teachers will not be required to re‐interview for their posions if they are not in an affected consideraon group. 13‐10‐3‐1 For the purpose of establishing consideraon groups, teachers serving in more than one department, grade level or ELA/specialty area shall annually declare the department, grade level or ELA/specialty area in which they choose to be considered no later than the compleon of the third week of school.
108
13‐10‐3‐2 Each teacher may reside in only one consideraon group. 13‐10‐3‐3 Excluding job share teachers, contract teachers who are assigned to a school less than full‐me, shall be accorded the same transfer rights as other teachers in the consideraon group. 13‐10‐4 Teachers on approved leaves where their posions are being held in accordance with Appendix B shall be considered equally for the purpose of reducon. 13‐10‐5 The Personnel Commiee shall establish and make available to all faculty members a wrien procedure that will be followed when determining the teacher(s) to be reduced from a building. In developing the procedures for 44 of 99 Reducon in Building Staff, the Personnel Commiee shall include the following: ∙ Teachers in the consideraon group may choose to vacate an assignment. ∙ Teachers in the consideraon group should be allowed to interview for any vacancy in the school that is posted through the in‐building bidding process. ∙ All members of the consideraon group must be interviewed by the Personnel Commiee. 13‐10‐6 The Personnel Commiee shall aempt to reach consensus on the candidate most suitable to be reduced. If the Personnel Commiee is unable to reach consensus, the principal will decide which candidate will be reduced. 13‐10‐7 Any teacher transferred during the school year by the District may be provided with up to two (2) days of non‐pupil contact planning me in order to permit the transferred teacher to make an orderly transion between the two (2) assignments. 13‐10‐8 Teachers who are involuntarily transferred are expected to acvely parcipate in the teacher staffing process. The District may pursue consequences for teachers who are directly placed for three (3) consecuve years who have not acvely parcipated in the teaching staffing process. 13‐10‐9 Leaves/Job Share/Rerement. See related Arcles 22, 25 and 31‐16.
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
13‐8. The school leader shall be responsible for hiring all staff and shall implement a hiring process that best meets the needs of the innovaon school. Whenever possible, the school leader shall establish a hiring commiee which will be constructed by the principal in consultaon with the CSC to provide input into hiring decisions. To the extent possible, the hiring commiee shall include representaves from staffing areas that will be affected by the new hire. 13‐10. The principal, with consultaon from the CSC, will make decisions related to the criteria the school will use in making Reducon in Building Staff (RIBS). Once the principal determines that the school will undergo a RIBS, all candidates currently in the posion being reduced will be considered and the principal and the principal will make RIBS decisions based on school determined criteria including performance and professionalism.
School Proposal
Arcle 14‐1: Summer School Teaching Posions
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Hiring & Staff Assignments
Policy
14‐1 Summer School and Evening School. Summer and evening school programs shall be provided flexibility of design and implementaon following the guidelines set forth below. 14‐1‐1 Staffing. The purpose of all staffing procedures is to find the most suitable candidates for the teaching posions needed to run the summer school. 14‐1‐1‐1 Summer school teaching posions shall be posted. 14‐1‐1‐2 Posngs shall include the following basic components: descripons of any teaching posion that may be included in the summer school, and an explanaon of the selecon process.
109
14‐1‐1‐3 All teaching posions in summer school programs will be filled first by teachers currently in the District. 14‐1‐2 Compensaon. Teachers will be paid for summer and evening work as provided in Arcle 32.
Replacement Policy
The Innovaon School will fill summer school posions with its own teachers to the extent possible. Should addional teachers be necessary, the school will fill those posions with the best possible candidates, not necessarily teachers currently in the District. Teachers will be compensated for summer school me as determined by CSC during the budgeng process.
School Proposal
Arcle 20: Procedures for Conducng Reducon in Force
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Staffing
Policy
20‐2 No new staff members shall be employed by the District so long as there remain employees of the District whose contracts have been canceled unless those employees do not have proper cerficaon, endorsement and qualificaons to fill the vacancies which may occur. Such priority consideraon will be for a period of three (3) years following the reducon. 20‐2‐1 Teachers will be hired in reverse order of reducon provided the teacher is cerfied and endorsed for the vacancy. 20‐2‐2 The District will send a registered or cerfied leer to the teacher's last known permanent address. It shall be the teacher's responsibility to nofy the District of any change in their permanent address. 20‐2‐3 Teachers must accept the assignment within ten (10) days of the postmark date of the recall noce, or the posion will be offered to the next cerfied and endorsed teacher. The liability of the District to recall employees whose employment contracts have been canceled shall terminate if the employee does not accept reemployment. 20‐2‐4 When the former employee is re‐employed, all accrued benefits at the me of the non‐renewal shall be restored, including all eligible credit on the salary schedule.
Replacement Policy
The Innovaon School will not participate in the district Reduction in Force process and will not be required to accept direct placement of district employees who have been reduced. New staff members will be employed at the school based on their qualificaons and posion requirements.
School Proposal
Arcle 32: Extra Duty Compensaon Teaching: Human Resources Management: Compensaon
Arcle Summary
See Extra Duty Compensaon schedule in Arcle 32 Various tables that specify compensaon levels for acvies that include: substute pay, hourly rates, acvity salaries with steps and schedules.
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
The School has the authority to determine its own compensation structure for
additional work provided the school submits a replacement policy to their CSC and HR for annual review ensuring sustainability, transparency and equity.
The School has the authority to establish its own compensaon system to provide stipends as necessary for all employees. The School will meet or exceed the rates of pay set in the DPS/DCTA Collecve Bargaining Agreement.
The principal, in consultaon with the CSC, will determine extra duty compensaon rates for extended day and year as well as any new or addional roles and responsibilies and merit pay. School leadership will work with the DPS HR department to ensure that all necessary processes are followed in these
110
areas and is consistent with the innovaon plan. In no event shall this determinaon be made later than the date of the final budget submission for the following school year, on or around April 1 st .
School Proposal
Arcle 7: Grievance Policy Teaching: Human Resources Management
Arcle Summary
6 pages. Secons include: 1. Definions, Purpose, Procedure (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 Mediaon/arbitraon), Rights of teachers to representaon, miscellaneous
School’s Replacemen
t Policy
The school shall maintain the following Grievance Policy: 7‐1 Definions. 7‐1‐1 A "grievance" shall mean a wrien complaint by a school staff member that there has been a violaon, a misinterpretaon, or inequitable applicaon of any of the provisions of the School’s Employment Contract or the School’s Employee Handbook. 7‐1‐2 Unless provided otherwise in this Agreement, all administrave procedures, pracces and wrien personnel policies that affect staff are grievable. 7‐1‐3 The term "grievance" shall not apply to any maer as to which (1) the method of review is prescribed by law, (2) the Board is without authority to act, or (3) a grievance is specifically prohibited or limited by the terms of the Employment Contract or School Handbook. 7‐1‐4 An "aggrieved person" is a school staff member asserng a grievance. 7‐2 Purpose. The purpose of this grievance procedure is to secure equitable soluons at the lowest possible administrave level to problems that may arise. To this end, grievance proceedings will be kept informal and confidenal and both pares will work toward a resoluon to avoid ligaon. 7‐3 Procedure. Since it is important that grievances be processed as rapidly as possible, the number of days indicated at each level is a maximum, and every effort should be made to expedite the process. The me limits specified may, however, be extended by mutual agreement. Informaon. The School agrees to make available to the aggrieved person and the aggrieved person’s representave, all pernent informaon not privileged under law, in its possession or control, and which is relevant to the issues raised by the grievance. The grievant agrees to make available to the School and its representaves, all pernent informaon not privileged under law in its possession or control, and which is relevant to the issue raised by the grievant. Timing. No grievance shall be recognized by the District or the School unless it is presented at the appropriate level within fieen (15) school days aer the aggrieved person knew, or should have known, of the act or condion on which the grievance is based. No grievance shall be recognized at Level Two unless it is filed with the Department of Human Resources within at least twenty (20) school days aer the act or condion upon which it is based occurred. Grievances not mely presented will be considered as waived. 7‐3‐1 Level One. A grievance first will be discussed with the aggrieved person's principal to aempt to resolve the maer informally, at which me the aggrieved person (1) may discuss the grievance personally, (2) may be accompanied by a District Human Resource Representave, or (3) may request that the District Human Resource Representave act on behalf of the aggrieved person. No wrien documentaon of the grievance or administrave response will be required if the grievance is seled at Level One.
111
7‐3‐2 If the aggrieved person is not sasfied with the results of the informal conference, the aggrieved person may then file a grievance in wring on the proper form with the principal or supervisor within seven (7) school days. The grievance must refer to the specific Arcles of the Employment Contract and/or School Handbook and explain how they were violated and indicate the reason why the Level One decision is unsasfactory. The principal shall also have the opportunity to provide comment related to the Level One in wring. The grievant shall send a copy of the wrien grievance and the principal response to the Department of Human Resources. All known documentaon related to the grievance must be provided prior to the Level Two meeng. 7‐3‐3 Level Two. The Human Resources Director or Instruconal Superintendent will go to the school and meet with the teacher and principal to facilitate a resoluon. Such meeng will take place within seven (7) school days aer receipt of the wrien grievance by the Department of Human Resources. Any resoluon determined by the Human Resources Director or Instruconal Superintendent will be considered final. 7‐4 Rights of Teachers to Representation. All teachers who file a grievance shall do so with full knowledge and assurance that they are entled to be represented by the Associaon and/or the Associaon's designee(s) if they so choose. Level One representaon will normally be provided by the Associaon's building‐level Associaon Representave. 7‐5 Miscellaneous. If the me limits for processing a grievance are not met by the administrator responding to the grievance, the grievance may be moved to the next level at the request of the aggrieved. The Department of Human Resources may take appropriate acon on whether to grant the grievant’s requested remedy based on its review of the situaon.
State Statute Waivers WAIVER REQUESTS – COLORADO STATE STATUTES
School Proposal
Colorado State Statutes: Secon 22‐9‐106: Local Board Dues Concerning Performance Evaluaon for Licensed Personnel
Leadership: Human Resource Management: Teacher Evaluaons
Policy
(1.5) (a) A local board or board of cooperave services may adopt the state model performance evaluaon system established by the rules promulgated by the state board pursuant to secon 22‐9‐105.5 or may develop its own local licensed personnel evaluaon system that complies with the requirements established pursuant to this secon and the rules promulgated by the state board. If a school district or board of cooperave services develops its own local licensed personnel evaluaon system, the local board or board of cooperave services or any interested party may submit to the department, or the department may solicit and collect, data related to said personnel evaluaon system for review by the department. (4) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsecon (4), no person shall be responsible for the evaluaon of licensed personnel unless the person has a principal or administrator license issued pursuant to arcle 60.5 of this tle or is a designee of a person with a principal or administrator license and has received educaon and training in evaluaon skills approved by the department of educaon that will
112
enable him or her to make fair, professional, and credible evaluaons of the personnel whom he or she is responsible for evaluang. No person shall be issued a principal or administrator license or have a principal or administrator license renewed unless the state board determines that such person has received educaon and training approved by the department of educaon.
Replacement Policy
The School will implement the district licensed personnel evaluaon system (LEAP) and may make modificaons that comply with the requirements established in State law.
The School in consultaon with the District LEAP team and HR partner shall have the ability to develop and implement a modified LEAP Framework as the tool for teacher evaluaon and growth.
The principal has the authority to idenfy, prepare, and designate school‐based evaluators to conduct staff evaluaons. Principal designated evaluators of professional staff members may or may not possess an administrave cerficate issued by CDE. All evaluators will receive approved training in evaluaon skills by the district personnel or school’s principal. The school’s evaluaon system will meet the standards of Colorado Senate Bill 10‐191.
Evaluaon instruments for all non‐licensed evaluators who evaluate school staff including professional educators shall indicate on the evaluaon whether or not the evaluator possesses an administrave cerficate. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall review all evaluaons conducted by non‐licensed administrators when necessary and shall discuss with them procedure and form.
All teachers will receive at least one formal evaluaon each year and will receive the minimum number of observaons necessary to generate an end‐of‐year LEAP score.
The school’s principal shall receive an annual evaluaon by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
School Proposal Section 2232109(1)(f): Local Board
Duties Concerning Selection of
Personnel and Pay
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Staff Hiring, Compensaon
Policy
22‐32‐109. Board of educaon ‐ specific dues. (1) …each board of educaon shall have and perform the following specific dues: (f) (I) To employ all personnel required to maintain the operaons and carry out the educaonal program of the district and to fix and order paid their compensaon...A board of a district of innovaon…may delegate the duty specified in this paragraph (f) to an innovaon school
Replacement Policy
Pursuant to state law, the DPS board will delegate the duty specified in this paragraph to the innovaon school.
The principal, in consultaon with the CSC, will select classroom teachers directly. The school shall ulize the negoated salary structures for all posions that are part of a bargaining unit and shall also have the right to establish stipends and incentives that exceed the negotiated salary scales provided the school submits a replacement policy to their CSC and HR for annual review to ensure sustainability, transparency and equity.
113
For all unique job descripons, the Principal in consultaon with the CSC and HR shall determine the rate of pay during the budget cycle each Spring for the following year.
The school will use support staff posions that have been established by the Board, when applicable. When unique support staff roles are needed to effecvely implement the innovaon plan, the School will establish new
positions and create job descriptions for these roles. The school principal or his designee will consult with the district Human Resources department on the language of the job descripon. The job descripon will set forth the qualificaons for the job, a detailed list of performance responsibilies and any required physical capabilies. The school shall also set the salary or hourly wage for the unique posion in consultaon from the district Human Resources department. The school may create, revise, or remove any unique job descripons necessary to implement the school’s innovaon plan.
School Proposal Section 2232109(1)(g): Handling of
Money Governance: Budget
Policy (g) To require any employee or other person who may receive into his custody moneys which properly belong to the district to deliver such moneys to the treasurer of the district, or to deposit such moneys in a depository designated by the board;
Replacement Policy
The School has the authority to manage its receipt of money and will meet performance expectaons provided by the District.
In accordance with the innovaon plan, the school may receive moneys and deposit such moneys into a school account.
The School will establish an account to manage receipt of locally raised money and will have autonomy in making deposits in and withdrawals from the account when such acons are taken to further the academic achievement of students at the school.
The school will account for all moneys that it receives directly and will report to the DPS board by providing quarterly trial balances to their DPS budget partner.
School Proposal Section 2232109(1)(n)(I): Schedule
and Calendar Educaonal Program: Calendar and Schedule
Policy
(n) (I) To determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of me which the schools of the district shall be in session during the next following school year, but in no event shall said schools be scheduled to have fewer than one thousand eighty hours of planned teacher‐pupil instrucon and teacher‐pupil contact during the school year for secondary school pupils in high school, middle school, or junior high school or less than nine hundred ninety hours of such instrucon and contact for elementary school pupils or fewer than four hundred fiy hours of such instrucon for a half‐day kindergarten program or fewer than nine hundred hours of such instrucon for a full‐day kindergarten program. In no case shall a school be in session for fewer than one hundred sixty days without the specific prior approval of the commissioner of educaon. In extraordinary circumstances, if it appears to the sasfacon of the commissioner that compliance with the provisions of this subparagraph (I) would require the scheduling of hours of instrucon and contact at a me when pupil aendance will be low and the benefits to pupils of holding such hours of instrucon will be minimal in relaon to the cost thereof, the commissioner may waive the provisions of this subparagraph (I) upon applicaon therefore by the board of educaon of the district.
114
Replacement Policy
The School has the authority to determine its own annual calendar and daily schedule , provided it meets or exceeds minimum statutory requirements.
School has the authority to determine the number of professional development days, days off, and late starts/early release days.
In accordance with the innovaon plan, the school’s principal, in consultaon with the CSC shall determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of me the school will be in session during the next school year. The school shall submit their calendar to the district in a meframe as requested by the district in order to meet requirements for alignment with hiring/onboarding, transportaon, facilies and other service provision.
The actual hours of teacher‐pupil instrucon and teacher‐pupil contact shall meet or exceed the minimum hours set by the district and state for public instrucon.
School Proposal Section 2232109 (1)(n)(II)(A):
Actual Hours of TeacherPupil
Instruction and Contact
Educaonal Program: Calendar and Schedule
Policy
(II) (A) The actual hours of teacher‐pupil instrucon and teacher‐pupil contact specified in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (n) may be reduced to no fewer than one thousand fiy‐six hours for secondary school pupils, no fewer than nine hundred sixty eight hours for elementary school pupils, no fewer than four hundred thirty‐five hours for half‐day kindergarten pupils, or no fewer than eight hundred seventy hours for full‐day kindergarten pupils, for parent‐teacher conferences, staff in‐service programs, and closing deemed by the board to be necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of students.
Replacement Policy
The School has the authority to determine teacher pupil contact, which will meet or exceed the minimum standards of the District and state.
In accordance with the innovaon plan, the principal, in consultaon with the CSC shall determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of time the school will be in session during the next school year. The school shall submit their calendar to the district in a meframe as requested by the district in order to meet requirements for alignment with hiring/onboarding, transportaon, facilies and other service provision.
The actual hours of teacher‐pupil instrucon and teacher‐pupil contact shall meet or exceed the minimum hours set by the district and state for public instrucon.
School Proposal Section 2232109 (1)(n)(II)(B):
School Calendar Educaonal Program: Calendar and Schedule
Policy
(B) Prior to the beginning of the school year, each district shall provide for the adopon of a district calendar which is applicable to all schools within the district…A copy of the calendar shall be provided to the parents or guardians of all children enrolled…Such calendar shall include the dates for all staff in‐service programs…[The] school administraon shall allow for public input from parents and teachers prior to scheduling …staff in‐service programs. Any change in the calendar…shall be preceded by adequate and mely…of not less than thirty days.
115
Replacement Policy
The school has the authority to develop its own annual calendar that aligns with the Innovaon Plan and that meets or exceeds the minimum standards of the District and state.
No later than May 1st before the end of the school year , the principal in consultaon with the CSC will determine the following year's school calendar and school day schedule that meets or exceeds district and state determinaons of the length of me during which schools shall be in session during the next school year.
Input from parents and teachers will be sought prior to scheduling in‐service programs and other non‐student contact days. This calendar and schedule shall serve as the academic calendar and schedule for the school. All calendars shall include planned work dates for required staff in‐service programs. Any change in the calendar except for emergency closings or other unforeseen circumstances shall be preceded by adequate and mely noce of no less than 30 days.
A copy of the upcoming school‐year calendar and school day schedule shall be provided to all parents/guardians of students who are currently enrolled. The approved upcoming school year calendar and school day hours will be placed on the school’s website prior to May 1 of the prior academic year and a copy shall be provided to the school’s Instruconal Superintendent.
In no case shall changes to the schedule or calendar violate teacher rights provided in the replacement policy for Arcle 8 of the DCTA contract.
School Proposal Section 2232109(1)(t): Determine
Educational Program and Prescribe
Textbooks Educaon Program
Policy (t) To determine the educaonal programs to be carried on in the schools of the district and to prescribe the textbooks for any course of instrucon or study in such programs;
Replacement Policy
The DPS Board authorizes the school to develop an educational program that aligns to
the mission and vision of the school and enables the school to implement the innovaon plan. The school’s curriculum will provide a program of instrucon that enables students to meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its educaon program and make changes to curriculum content, instrucon, and assessments.
Curriculum development will be carried out by school personnel, consistent with the school’s innovaon plan, using all available resources, including replacement core instruconal textbooks where textbook waivers are granted.
The school curriculum will provide a program of instrucon that enables students to meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its educaon program and make changes to curriculum content, instrucon, and assessments.
The district will evaluate the impact of the school’s educaon program as part of its 3 year review of the school’s innovaon plan in addion to the annual UIP review by the CSC.
116
Substanve interim changes must be approved by the Principal and District Staff.
School Proposal
Section 2232109(1)(aa): Adopt
Content Standards and Plan for
Implementation of Content
Standards
Educaon Program
Policy (aa) To adopt content standards and a plan for implementaon of such content standards pursuant to the provisions of secon 22‐7‐407 ;
Replacement Policy
The DPS Board authorizes the school to develop an educational program that aligns to
the mission and vision of the school and enables the school to implement the innovaon plan. The school’s curriculum will provide a program of instrucon that enables students to meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its educaon program and make changes to curriculum content, instrucon, and assessments.
Curriculum development will be carried out by school personnel, consistent with the school’s innovaon plan, using all available resources, including replacement core instruconal textbooks where textbook waivers are granted.
The school curriculum will provide a program of instrucon that enables students to meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its educaon program and make changes to curriculum content, instrucon, and assessments.
The district will evaluate the impact of the school’s educaon program as part of its 3 year review of the school’s innovaon plan in addion to the annual UIP review by the CSC.
Substanve interim changes must be approved by the Principal and District Staff.
School Proposal Section 2232109(1)(jj): Identify
Areas in which the Principal/s
Require Training or Development
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Professional Development
Policy
(jj) To idenfy any areas in which one or more of the principals of the schools of the school district require further training or development. The board of educaon shall contract for or otherwise assist the idenfied principals in parcipang in professional development programs to assist the idenfied principals in improving their skills in the idenfied areas.
Replacement Policy
In accordance with the innovaon plan, the Principal will parcipate in district‐provided coaching and professional development except when such
coaching or professional development contradicts the successful implementation
of the innovation plan and/or the mission /vision of the school. In determining the Principal’s PD and coaching schedule, the Instruconal Superintendent will collaborate with the Principal to ensure that district PD and coaching supports the school leader and/or leadership team in implemenng the goals of the innovaon plan. The standard district offered professional development for members of the Professional Development team will be aended in the instances in which it
117
supports the implementaon of the innovaon plan and/or the mission and vision of the school. District professional development for teachers, teacher leaders, and other instruconal or operaonal leaders will be aended when the school’s
principal determines that such professional development is in the best interest of
the school to successfully implement the innovaon plan.
School Proposal 2232110(1)(ee) Local Board
PowersEmploy teachers' aides and
other noncertificated personnel
Teaching:
Human Resource Management: Hiring Teacher
Aides
Policy
(1) In addion to any other power granted to a board of educaon of a school district by law, each board of educaon of a school district shall have the following specific powers, to be exercised in its judgment: (ee) To employ on a voluntary or paid basis teachers' aides and other auxiliary, nonlicensed personnel to assist licensed personnel in the provision of services related to instrucon or supervision of children and to provide compensaon for such services rendered from any funds available for such purpose, notwithstanding the provisions of secons
Replacement Policy
The DPS board grants autonomy to the principal, in consultaon with the CSC, to make staffing decisions consistent with waivers for district policies GCF and GDF. The school may employ nonlicensed personnel to provide instruction or supervision of children
that is supplemental to the core academic program.
School Proposal 2232110(1)(h): Local Board Powers
Concerning Employment
Termination of School Personnel
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Staff Dismissals
Policy
(1) In addion to any other power granted to a board of educaon of a school district by law, each board of educaon of a school district shall have the following specific powers, to be exercised in its judgment: (h) To discharge or otherwise terminate the employment of any personnel. A board of a district of innovaon, as defined in secon 22‐32.5‐103 (2) , may delegate the power specified in this paragraph (h) to an innovaon school, as defined in secon 22‐32.5‐103 (3) , or to a school in an innovaon school zone, as defined in secon 22‐32.5‐103 (4) .
Replacement Policy
In accordance with the innovaon plan, the DPS board delegates the power specified in statute to the school leader.
All dismissals that occur during the school year must follow procedures established in District policy GDQD and regulaon GDQD‐R. Teachers may be non‐renewed at the end of the school year for a lawful reason.
School Proposal 2232126: Employment and
authority of principals Leadership: Management
Policy
(1) The board of educaon may employ through wrien contract public school principals who shall hold valid principal licenses or authorizaons and who shall supervise the operaon and management of the school and such property as the board shall determine necessary. (2) The principal shall assume the administrave responsibility and instruconal leadership, under the supervision of the superintendent and in accordance with the rules and regulaons of the board of educaon, for the planning, management, operaon, and evaluaon of the educaonal program of the schools to which he is assigned. (3) The principal shall submit recommendaons to the superintendent regarding the appointment, assignment, promoon, transfer, and dismissal of all personnel assigned to the school under his supervision. (4) The principal shall perform such other dues as may be assigned by the superintendent pursuant to the rules and regulaons of the board of educaon.
118
(5) (a) The principal or the principal's designee shall communicate discipline informaon concerning any student enrolled in the school to any teacher who has direct contact with the student in the classroom and to any counselor who has direct contact with the student. Any teacher or counselor who receives informaon under this subsecon (5) shall maintain the confidenality of the informaon and does not have authority to communicate the informaon to any other person. (b) Each school district shall include in its discipline code adopted in accordance with secon 22‐32‐110 (2) procedures to inform the student and the student's parent or guardian when disciplinary informaon is communicated and to provide a copy of the disciplinary informaon to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The discipline code shall also establish procedures to allow the student and the student's parent or guardian to challenge the accuracy of the disciplinary informaon.
School’s Replacement
Policy
In the event of a change in leadership, the priority is maintaining building leadership that supports the mission and vision of the school and ensures that student achievement is supported. Members of the school community, including staff, parents and community members will be involved in the principal hiring process.
Principal candidates are provided to the CSC and superintendent or his/her designee from the district’s principal hiring pool using the LEAD in Denver evaluaon process.
The district superintendent or his/her designee will manage the principal selecon process in collaboraon with the CSC and shall recommend at
least two final candidates to the superintendent for hiring.
The superintendent (or his/her representave) may redirect the CSC and his/her designee to connue the search for beer qualified candidates should none of the proposed candidates meets his/her approval.
In the event that the principal posion is vacant, the superintendent (or his/her representave) may appoint an interim principal unl such a me that the above described hiring process results in a principal candidate that is agreeable to the CSC and the Superintendent or his/her designee.
Interviews and selecon follow the DPS Human Resource hiring procedures.
School Proposal
Teacher Employment,
Compensation and Dismissal Act of
1990 Section
2263201: Employment License
Required – Exception
Teaching:
Human Resource Management: Hiring and
Teacher Qualifications
Policy
( 1) Except as otherwise provided in subsecon (2) of this secon, the board of a school district shall not enter into an employment contract with any person as a teacher, except in a junior college district or in an adult educaon program, unless such person holds an inial or a professional teacher's license or authorizaon issued pursuant to the provisions of arcle 60.5 of this tle. (2) (a) The general assembly hereby recognizes that many persons with valuable professional experse in areas other than teaching provide a great benefit to students through their experience and funconal knowledge when hired by a school district. To facilitate the employment of these persons and comply with the requirements of federal law, the general assembly has statutory provisions to create an alternave teacher license and alternave teacher programs to enable school districts to employ persons with experse in professions other than teaching. These provisions enable a school district to employ a person with
119
professional experse in a parcular subject area, while ensuring that the person receives the necessary training and develops the necessary skills to be a highly qualified teacher. The general assembly strongly encourages each school district to hire persons who hold alternave teacher licenses to provide a wide range of experience in teaching and funconal subject maer knowledge for the benefit of the students enrolled in the school district. (b) A school district may hire a person who holds an alternave teacher license to teach as an alternave teacher pursuant to an alternave teacher contract as described in secon 22‐60.5‐207 . (3) The board of a school district may enter into an employment contract with any person to serve as an administrator based upon qualificaons set by the board of the school district. Nothing in this arcle shall be construed to require that an administrator, as a condion of employment, possess any type of license or authorizaon issued pursuant to arcle 60.5 of this tle.
Replacement Policy
The school will employ licensed teachers for teaching of core content. Core content teachers that are the primary provider of instrucon will be highly qualified in their parcular content area(s), Language Arts; Math; Science; Foreign language; Social Studies (Civics, Government, History, Geography, Economics); Arts (Visual Arts, Music). The school may employ nonlicensed teachers for supplemental and enrichment
instruction consistent with the innovaon plan and the DPS board may enter into employment contracts with non‐licensed teachers and/or administrators at the school as necessary to implement the school’s innovaon plan. All teachers will, at a minimum, hold a bachelor’s degree.
School Proposal
Teacher Employment, Compensation
and Dismissal Act of 1990 Section
2263202: Contracts in Writing Duration
Damage Provision
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Hiring, Contracts and Employment Offer Leers
Policy
(1) Except for a part‐me or substute teacher, every employment contract entered into by any teacher or chief administrave officer for the performance of services for a school district shall be in wring. (2) (a) A teacher or chief administrave officer and the board may mutually agree to terminate the teacher's or chief administrave officer's employment contract at any me. (b) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this secon shall contain a provision stang that a teacher or chief administrave officer shall not terminate his or her employment contract with the board without the agreement of the board unless: (I) If the teacher or chief administrave officer intends to terminate his or her employment contract for the succeeding academic year, the teacher or chief administrave officer gives wrien noce to the board of his or her intent no later than thirty days prior to the commencement of the succeeding academic year or, if a school district operates an alternave year program, not less than thirty days before the commencement of services under the employment contract; or (II) If the teacher or chief administrave officer intends to terminate his or her employment contract for the current academic year aer the beginning of the academic year, the teacher or chief administrave officer shall give wrien noce to the board of his or her intent at least thirty days prior to the date that the teacher or chief administrave officer intends to stop performing the services required by the employment contract. (b.5) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this secon shall contain a provision stang that a teacher or chief administrave officer shall accept the terms of the employment contract for the succeeding academic year within thirty days of receipt of the contract, unless the teacher or chief administrave officer and the district have reached an alternave agreement. If a teacher or chief administrave officer does not accept the terms of the employment contract within thirty days of receipt, the district shall be authorized to open the posion to addional candidates. (c) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this secon shall contain a damages provision whereby a teacher or chief administrave officer who violates the provision required by paragraph (b) of this subsecon (2) without good cause
120
shall agree to pay damages to the school district, and the board thereof shall be authorized to collect or withhold damages from compensaon due or payable to the teacher or chief administrave officer, in an amount equal to the lessor of: (I) The ordinary and necessary expenses of a board to secure the services of a suitable replacement teacher or chief administrave officer; or (II) One‐twelh of the annual salary specified in the employment contract. (c.5) (I) The general assembly finds that, for the fair evaluaon of a principal based on the demonstrated effecveness of his or her teachers, the principal needs the ability to select teachers who have demonstrated effecveness and have demonstrated qualificaons and teaching experience that support the instruconal pracces of his or her school. Therefore, each employment contract executed pursuant to this secon shall contain a provision stang that a teacher may be assigned to a parcular school only with the consent of the hiring principal and with input from at least two teachers employed at the school and chosen by the faculty of teachers at the school to represent them in the hiring process, and aer a review of the teacher's demonstrated effecveness and qualificaons, which review demonstrates that the teacher's qualificaons and teaching experience support the instruconal pracces of his or her school. (II) Repealed. (III) (A) Any acve nonprobaonary teacher who was deemed effecve during the prior school year and has not secured a mutual consent placement shall be a member of a priority hiring pool, which priority hiring pool shall ensure the nonprobaonary teacher a first opportunity to interview for a reasonable number of available posions for which he or she is qualified in the school district. (B) When a determinaon is made that a nonprobaonary teacher's services are no longer required for the reasons set forth in subparagraph (VII) of this paragraph (c.5), the nonprobaonary teacher shall be nofied of his or her removal from the school. In making decisions pursuant to this paragraph (c.5), a school district shall work with its local teachers associaon to develop policies for the local school board to adopt. If no teacher associaon exists in the school district, the school district shall create an eight‐person commiee consisng of four school district members and four teachers, which commiee shall develop such policies. Upon noce to the nonprobaonary teacher, the school district shall immediately provide the nonprobaonary teacher with a list of all vacant posions for which he or she is qualified, as well as a list of vacancies in any area idenfied by the school district to be an area of crical need. An applicaon for a vacancy shall be made to the principal of a listed school, with a copy of the applicaon provided by the nonprobaonary teacher to the school district. When a principal recommends appointment of a nonprobaonary teacher applicant to a vacant posion, the nonprobaonary teacher shall be transferred to that posion. (C) This subparagraph (III) shall take effect at such me as the performance evaluaon system based on quality standards established pursuant to this secon and the rules promulgated by the state board pursuant to secon 22‐9‐105.5 has completed the inial phase of implementaon and has been implemented statewide. The commissioner shall provide noce of such implementaon to the revisor of statutes on or before July 1, 2014, and each July 1 thereaer unl statewide implementaon occurs. (IV) If a nonprobaonary teacher is unable to secure a mutual consent assignment at a school of the school district aer twelve months or two hiring cycles, whichever period is longer, the school district shall place the teacher on unpaid leave unl such me as the teacher is able to secure an assignment. If the teacher secures an assignment at a school of the school district while placed on unpaid leave, the school district shall reinstate the teacher's salary and benefits at the level they would have been if the teacher had not been placed on unpaid leave. (V) Nothing in this secon shall limit the ability of a school district to place a teacher in a twelve‐month assignment or other limited‐term assignments, including, but not limited to, a teaching assignment, substute assignment, or instruconal support role during the period in which the teacher is aempng to secure an assignment through school‐based hiring. Such an assignment shall not constute an assignment through school‐based hiring and shall not be deemed to interrupt the period in which the teacher is required to secure an assignment through school‐based hiring before the district shall place the teacher on unpaid leave. (VI) The provisions of this paragraph (c.5) may be waived in whole or in part for a renewable four‐year period by the state board of educaon pursuant to secon 22‐2‐117 , provided that the local school board applying for the waiver, in conjuncon with the superintendent and teachers associaon in a district that has an operang master employment contract, if applicable, demonstrates that the waiver is in the best interest of students enrolled in the school district, supports the equitable distribuon of effecve teachers, and will not result in placement other than by mutual consent of the teacher in a school district or public school that is required to implement a priority improvement plan or turnaround plan pursuant to arcle 11 of this tle. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (c.5), a waiver shall not be granted for a request that extends the me for securing an assignment through school‐based hiring for more than two years. (VII) This paragraph (c.5) shall apply to any teacher who is displaced as a result of drop in enrollment; turnaround;
121
phase‐out; reducon in program; or reducon in building, including closure, consolidaon, or reconstuon. (d) The department of educaon may suspend the license, endorsement, or authorizaon of a teacher or chief administrave officer who fails to provide the noce required by paragraph (b) of this subsecon (2) and who abandons, fails, or refuses to perform required services pursuant to an employment contract, without good cause. (3) A teacher may be suspended temporarily during the contractual period unl the date of dismissal as ordered by the board pursuant to secon 22‐63‐302 or may have his or her employment contract cancelled during the contractual period when there is a jusfiable decrease in the number of teaching posions. The manner in which employment contracts will be cancelled when there is a jusfiable decrease in the number of teaching posions shall be included in any contract between the board of educaon of the school district and school district employees or in an established policy of the board, which contract or policy shall include the criteria described in secon 22‐9‐106 as significant factors in determining which employment contracts to cancel as a result of the decrease in teaching posions. Effecve February 15, 2012, the contract or policy shall include consideraon of probaonary and nonprobaonary status and the number of years a teacher has been teaching in the school district; except that these criteria may be considered only aer the consideraon of the criteria described in secon 22‐9‐106 and only if the contract or policy is in the best interest of the students enrolled in the school district. (4) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of secon 24‐72‐204 (3) (a), C.R.S. , upon a request from a school district or a school concerning a person applying for a posion as a teacher, a school district may disclose to the requesng school district or school the reason or reasons why a teacher le employment with the original school district. Upon the specific request of a school district at which a teacher has applied for employment, a school district may disclose any pernent performance record or disciplinary record of a teacher that specifically relates to any negligent acon of the teacher that was found to have endangered the safety and security of a student or any disciplinary record that relates to behavior by the teacher that was found to have contributed to a student's violaon of the school district's conduct and discipline code. The informaon disclosed pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall only be disclosed to personnel authorized to review the personnel file in the school district or school and to the person applying for a posion as a teacher. (b) No employment contract executed pursuant to this secon shall contain a provision that restricts or prohibits a school district from disclosing to another school district or school the reason or reasons why a teacher le employment with the original school district or from disclosing to another school district any of the teacher's disciplinary or performance records pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsecon (4).
Replacement Policy
All teachers will be employed pursuant to an annual contract . The annual contract expires at the end of each contract year. All contracts will be in wring. If an employee intends to resign from their posion aer the beginning of the academic year, the employee shall give wrien noce of his or her intent at least thirty days prior to the date that he or she intends to stop performing the services required by the employment contract.
Dismissal of a teacher mid‐contract will follow the dismissal procedures outlined in the DPS policy GDQD and GDQD‐R. In all situaons related to teacher dismissal, a teacher on an annual contract may only be dismissed mid‐year for cause.
End of the year employment decisions will be made pursuant to the non‐renewal process.
Teachers do not acquire or lose non‐probaonary status while at the school. Teachers leaving employment at the school and transferring to a posion in
another District school shall be subject to the District's policy regarding transfers from innovaon schools in determining their probaonary or non‐probaonary status.
122
The school principal has the authority to make employment offers to qualified candidates. The school will not provide first opportunity to interview rights to priority hiring pool candidates, but will consider them for employment. The school will not contribute teachers to the district hiring pool. The school has the right to refuse direct assignments or mandatory transfers of teachers from the district (with the excepon of ADA placements).
School Proposal Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal
Act of 1990 Section 2263203: Renewal and
Nonrenewal of Employment Contract
Teaching: Human Resources Management: Dismissals
Statute Descripon
(1) (a) Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this subsecon (1), the provisions of this secon shall apply only to probaonary teachers and shall no longer apply when the teacher has been reemployed for the fourth year, except as provided for in paragraph (a.5) of subsecon (4) of this secon. This paragraph (a) is repealed, effecve July 1, 2014. (b) For any school district that has implemented the performance evaluaon system based on quality standards pursuant to secon 22‐9‐106 and the rules adopted by the state board pursuant to secon 22‐9‐105.5 , the provisions of this secon shall apply only to probaonary teachers and shall no longer apply when the teacher has been granted nonprobaonary status as a result of three consecuve years of demonstrated effecveness, as determined through his or her performance evaluaons and connuous employment. (2) (a) During the first three school years that a teacher is employed on a full‐me connuous basis by a school district, such teacher shall be considered to be a probaonary teacher whose employment contract may be subject to nonrenewal in accordance with subsecon (4) of this secon. A school district may also consider a teacher employed on a part‐me connuous basis by such district and by a board of cooperave services to be a probaonary teacher whose contract may be subject to nonrenewal in accordance with subsecon (4) of this secon. An employment contract with a probaonary teacher shall not exceed one school year.
School’s Replacement
Policy
Teachers are hired on an annual contract even if they acquired non‐probaonary status in the District prior to being hired at the school . The district HR office will work with the school to ensure teacher contracts are consistent with the approved innovaon plan.
School Proposal Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal
Act of 1990 Section 2263206: Transfer of Teachers Compensation
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Direct Placement of Teachers
Statute Descripon
(1) A teacher may be transferred upon the recommendaon of the chief administrave officer of a school district from one school, posion, or grade level to another within the school district, if such transfer does not result in the assignment of the teacher to a posion of employment for which he or she is not qualified by virtue of academic preparaon and cerficaon and if, during the then current school year, the amount of salary of such teacher is not reduced except as otherwise provided in subsecons (2) and (3) of this secon. There shall be no discriminaon shown toward any teacher in the assignment or transfer of that teacher to a school, posion, or grade because of sex, sexual orientaon, marital status, race, creed, color, religion, naonal origin, ancestry, or membership or nonmembership in any group or organizaon. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsecon (1) of this secon, a teacher who has been occupying an administrave posion may be assigned to another posion for which he or she is qualified if a vacancy exists in such posion, and, if so assigned, with a salary corresponding to the posion. If the school district has adopted a general salary schedule or a combinaon salary schedule and policy, the board may consider the years of service accumulated while the teacher was occupying the administrave posion when the board determines where to place the teacher on the schedule for the assigned posion. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsecon (1) of this secon, the salary of a teacher who has received addional compensaon for the performance of addional dues may be reduced if said teacher has been relieved of such
123
addional dues. (4) A teacher may enter into an agreement for an economic work‐learn program leave of absence with a board of educaon that shall not affect the teacher's employment status, posion on the salary schedule if the school district has adopted a general salary schedule or combinaon salary schedule and policy, or insurance and rerement benefits. (5) Nothing in this secon shall be construed as requiring a receiving school to involuntarily accept the transfer of a teacher. All transfers to posions at other schools of the school district shall require the consent of the receiving school.
School’s Replacement
Policy
The school may refuse direct placements or mandatory transfers of teachers from the
district . District teachers who are qualified for a vacant posion at the school may apply for the posion, and, if hired, will be compensated with a salary corresponding to the posion and the years of service using the district salary schedule as a base. The school will accept transfers that are being placed under District compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
School Proposal Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal
Act of 1990 Section 2263301: Grounds for
Dismissal
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Dismissals
Policy
A teacher may be dismissed for physical or mental disability, incompetency, neglect of duty, immorality, unsasfactory performance, insubordinaon, the convicon of a felony or the acceptance of a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere, or a deferred sentence for a felony, or other good and just cause. No teacher shall be dismissed for temporary illness, leave of absence previously approved by the board, or military leave of absence pursuant to arcle 3 of tle 28, C.R.S.
Replacement Policy
All teachers are employed on annual contracts, even if they acquired non‐probaonary status in the District prior to being hired at the school or the school converng to Innovaon status
Annual contracts can be non‐renewed at the end of the contract term for lawful reasons.
In all situaons related to teacher dismissal, a teacher on an annual contract may only be dismissed mid‐year for cause in accordance with DPS policy GDQD and regulaon GDQD‐R.
School Proposal
Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal
Act of 1990 Section 2263302: Procedure for
dismissal judicial review
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Dismissals
Statute Descripon
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsecon (11) of this secon, a teacher shall be dismissed in the manner prescribed by subsecons (2) to (10) of this secon. (2) The chief administrave officer of the employing school district may recommend that the board dismiss a teacher based upon one or more of the grounds stated in secon 22‐63‐301 . If such a recommendaon is made to the board, the chief administrave officer, within three days aer the board meeng at which the recommendaon is made, shall mail a wrien noce of intent to dismiss to the teacher. The noce of intent to dismiss shall include a copy of the reasons for dismissal, a copy of this arcle, and all exhibits which the chief administrave officer intends to submit in support of his or her prima facie case against the teacher including a list of witnesses to be called by the chief administrave officer, addresses and telephone numbers of the witnesses, and all pernent documentaon in the possession of the chief administrave officer relave to the circumstances surrounding the charges. Addional witnesses and exhibits in support of the chief administrave officer's prima facie case may be added as provided in subsecon (6) of this secon. The noce and copy of the charges shall be sent by cerfied mail to said teacher at his or her address last known to the secretary of the board. The noce shall advise the teacher of his or her rights and the
124
procedures under this secon. (3) If a teacher objects to the grounds given for the dismissal, the teacher may file with the chief administrave officer a wrien noce of objecon and a request for a hearing. Such wrien noce shall be filed within five working days aer receipt by the teacher of the noce of dismissal. If the teacher fails to file the wrien noce within said me, such failure shall be deemed to be a waiver of the right to a hearing and the dismissal shall be final; except that the board of educaon may grant a hearing upon a determinaon that the failure to file wrien noce for a hearing was due to good cause. If the teacher files a wrien noce of objecon, the teacher shall connue to receive regular compensaon from the me the board received the dismissal recommendaon from the chief administrave officer pursuant to subsecon (2) of this secon unl the board acts on the hearing officer's recommendaon pursuant to subsecon (9) of this secon, but in no event beyond one hundred days; except that the teacher shall not receive regular compensaon upon being charged criminally with an offense for which a license, cerficate, endorsement, or authorizaon is required to be denied, annulled, suspended, or revoked due to a convicon, pursuant to secon 22‐60.5‐107 (2.5) or (2.6). If the final disposion of the case does not result in a convicon and the teacher has not been dismissed pursuant to the provisions of this secon, the board shall reinstate the teacher, effecve as of the date of the final disposion of the case. Within ten days aer the reinstatement, the board shall provide the teacher with back pay and lost benefits and shall restore lost service credit. (4) (a) If the teacher requests a hearing, it shall be conducted before an imparal hearing officer selected jointly by the teacher and the chief administrave officer. The hearing officer shall be selected no later than five working days following the receipt by the chief administrave officer of the teacher's wrien noce of objecon. If the teacher and the chief administrave officer fail to agree on the selecon of a hearing officer, they shall request assignment of an administrave law judge by the department of personnel to act as the hearing officer. (b) Hearing officers shall be imparal individuals with experience in the conducng of hearings and with experience in labor or employment maers. (c) Expenses of the hearing officer shall be paid from funds of the school district. (5) (a) Within three working days aer selecon, the hearing officer shall set the date of the prehearing conference and the date of the hearing, which shall commence within the following thirty days. The hearing officer shall give the teacher and the chief administrave officer wrien noce of the dates for the prehearing conference and for the hearing including the me and the place therefor. (b) One of the purposes of the prehearing conference shall be to limit, to the extent possible, the amount of evidence to be presented at the hearing. (c) The pares and their counsel shall be required to aend the prehearing conference with the hearing officer. (6) (a) Within ten days aer selecon of the hearing officer, the teacher shall provide to the chief administrave officer a copy of all exhibits to be presented at the hearing and a list of all witnesses to be called, including the addresses and telephone numbers of the witnesses. Within seven days aer the teacher submits his or her exhibits and witness list, the chief administrave officer and the teacher may supplement their exhibits and witness lists. Aer compleon of the seven‐day period, addional witnesses and exhibits may not be added except upon a showing of good cause. (b) Neither party shall be allowed to take deposions of the other party's witnesses or to submit interrogatories to the other party. The affidavit of a witness may be introduced into evidence if such witness is unavailable at the me of the hearing. (7) (a) Hearings held pursuant to this secon shall be open to the public unless either the teacher or the chief administrave officer requests a private hearing before the hearing officer, but no findings of fact or recommendaons shall be adopted by the hearing officer in any private hearing. The procedures for the conduct of the hearing shall be informal, and rules of evidence shall not be strictly applied except as necessitated in the opinion of the hearing officer; except that the hearing officer shall comply with the Colorado rules of evidence in excluding hearsay tesmony.
125
(b) The hearing officer may receive or reject evidence and tesmony, administer oaths, and, if necessary, subpoena witnesses. (c) At any hearing, the teacher has the right to appear in person with or without counsel, to be heard and to present tesmony of witnesses and all evidence bearing upon his proposed dismissal, and to cross‐examine witnesses. By entering an appearance on behalf of the teacher or the chief administrave officer, counsel agrees to be prepared to commence the hearing within the me limitaons of this secon and to proceed expediously once the hearing has begun. All school district records pertaining to the teacher shall be made available for the use of the hearing officer or the teacher. (d) An audiotaped record shall be made of the hearing, and, if the teacher files an acon for review pursuant to the provisions of subsecon (10) of this secon, the teacher and the school district shall share equally in the cost of transcribing the record; except that, if a party is awarded aorney fees and costs pursuant to paragraph (e) of subsecon (10) of this secon, that party shall be reimbursed for that party's share of the transcript costs by the party against whom aorney fees and costs were awarded. (e) Any hearing held pursuant to the provisions of this secon shall be completed within six working days aer commencement, unless extended by the hearing officer on a showing of good cause, and neither party shall have more than three days to present its case in chief. Neither party may present more than ten witnesses at the hearing, except upon a showing of good cause. (8) The chief administrave officer shall have the burden of proving that the recommendaon for the dismissal of the teacher was for the reasons given in the noce of dismissal and that the dismissal was made in accordance with the provisions of this arcle. Where unsasfactory performance is a ground for dismissal, the chief administrave officer shall establish that the teacher had been evaluated pursuant to the wrien system to evaluate licensed personnel adopted by the school district pursuant to secon 22‐9‐106 . The hearing officer shall review the evidence and tesmony and make wrien findings of fact thereon. The hearing officer shall make only one of the two following recommendaons: The teacher be dismissed or the teacher be retained. A recommendaon to retain a teacher shall not include any condions on retenon. The findings of fact and the recommendaon shall be issued by the hearing officer not later than twenty days aer the conclusion of the hearing and shall be forwarded to said teacher and to the board. (9) The board shall review the hearing officer's findings of fact and recommendaon, and it shall enter its wrien order within twenty days aer the date of the hearing officer's findings and recommendaon. The board shall take one of the three following acons: The teacher be dismissed; the teacher be retained; or the teacher be placed on a one‐year probaon; but, if the board dismisses the teacher over the hearing officer's recommendaon of retenon, the board shall make a conclusion, giving its reasons therefor, which must be supported by the hearing officer's findings of fact, and such conclusion and reasons shall be included in its wrien order. The secretary of the board shall cause a copy of said order to be given immediately to the teacher and a copy to be entered into the teacher's local file. (10) (a) If the board dismisses the teacher pursuant to the provisions of subsecon (9) of this secon, the teacher may file an acon for review in the court of appeals in accordance with the provisions of this subsecon (10), in which acon the board shall be made the party defendant. Such acon for review shall be heard in an expedited manner and shall be given precedence over all other civil cases, except cases arising under the "Workers' Compensaon Act of Colorado", arcles 40 to 47 of tle 8, C.R.S., and cases arising under the "Colorado Employment Security Act", arcles 70 to 82 of tle 8, C.R.S. (b) An acon for review shall be commenced by the service of a copy of the peon upon the board of the school district and filing the same with the court of appeals within twenty‐one days aer the wrien order of dismissal made by the board. The peon shall state the grounds upon which the review is sought. Aer the filing of the acon for review in the court of appeals, such acon shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by rule 3.1 of the Colorado appellate rules. (c) The acon for review shall be based upon the record before the hearing officer. The court of appeals shall review such record to determine whether the acon of the board was arbitrary or capricious or was legally impermissible.
126
(d) In the acon for review, if the court of appeals finds a substanal irregularity or error made during the hearing before the hearing officer, the court may remand the case for further hearing. (e) Upon request of the teacher, if the teacher is ordered reinstated by the court of appeals, or upon request of the board, if the board's decision to dismiss the teacher is affirmed by the court of appeals, the court of appeals shall determine whether the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal lacked substanal jusficaon. If the court of appeals determines that the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal lacked substanal jusficaon, the court of appeals shall determine the amount of and enter a judgment against the nonprevailing party for reasonable aorney fees and costs incurred on appeal to the court of appeals. Any judgment entered pursuant to this paragraph (e) may be subject to stay as provided in rule 41.1 of the Colorado appellate rules. (f) Further appeal to the supreme court from a determinaon of the court of appeals may be made only upon a writ of cerorari issued in the discreon of the supreme court. Upon request of the teacher, if the teacher is ordered reinstated by the supreme court, or upon moon of the board, if the board's decision to dismiss is affirmed by the supreme court, the supreme court shall determine whether the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal to the supreme court lacked substanal jusficaon. If the supreme court determines that the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal to the supreme court lacked substanal jusficaon, the court shall determine the amount of and enter a judgment against the nonprevailing party for reasonable aorney fees and costs incurred on appeal to the supreme court. Any judgment entered pursuant to this paragraph (f) may be subject to stay as provided in rule 41.1 of the Colorado appellate rules. (11) (a) The board of a school district may take immediate acon to dismiss a teacher, without a hearing, notwithstanding subsecons (2) to (10) of this secon, pending the final outcome of judicial review or when the me for seeking review has elapsed, when the teacher is convicted, pleads nolo contendere, or receives a deferred sentence for: (I) A violaon of any law of this state or any counterpart municipal law of this state involving unlawful behavior pursuant to any of the following statutory provisions: Secons 18‐3‐305 , 18‐6‐302 , and 18‐6‐701, C.R.S. , or secon 18‐6‐301, C.R.S. , or part 4 of arcle 3, part 4 of arcle 6, and part 4 of arcle 7 of tle 18, C.R.S.; or (II) A violaon of any law of this state, any municipality of this state, or the United States involving the illegal sale of controlled substances, as defined in secon 18‐18‐102 (5), C.R.S. (b) A cerfied copy of the judgment of a court of competent jurisdicon of a convicon, the acceptance of a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere, or a deferred sentence shall be conclusive evidence for the purposes of this subsecon (11).
Replacement Policy
The School will follow District Policy GDQD and regulaon GDQD‐R if it is necessary to terminate a teacher’s employment during the school year. In all situaons related to teacher dismissal, a teacher on an annual contract may only be dismissed mid‐year for cause in accordance with DPS policy GDQD and regulaon GDQD‐R.
School Proposal
Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal
Act of 1990 Section 2263401:Teachers Subject to
Adopted Salary Schedule
Teaching: Human Resource Management: Compensaon
Policy
(1) The board of a school district shall adopt by resoluon a salary schedule that may be by job descripon and job definion, a teacher salary policy based on the level of performance demonstrated by each teacher, or a combinaon of the salary schedule and salary policy. Such salary schedule, salary policy, or combinaon schedule and policy shall be adopted in conjuncon with or prior to the adopon of the budget for the following fiscal year. The schedule, policy, or combinaon schedule and policy shall remain in effect unl
127
changed or modified by the board. All teachers employed by the district shall be subject to such salary schedule, policy, or combinaon schedule and policy.
Replacement Policy
The School will meet or exceed the DPS salary schedule set in the Collecve Bargaining Agreement. The School’s Principal, in consultaon with the CSC, has the authority to develop a supplemental compensaon system separate from district policies to reimburse employees for extra duty pay, and compensang employees based on school priories including acvies such as, but are not necessarily limited to addional me, addional responsibilies, coaching, tutoring, professional development or for performance incenve pay. This flexibility will be granted provided the school leader submits a replacement policy annually to CSC and HR for review to ensure sustainability, transparency and equity.
Non‐teaching staff will be compensated for any addional hours in accordance with Fair Labor Laws.
School Proposal 2263402. Services disbursements Teaching: Human Resource Management: Teacher License
Policy
No order or warrant for the disbursement of school district moneys shall be drawn in favor of any person for services as a teacher, except for services performed for a junior college district or in an adult educaon program, unless the person holds a valid teacher's license or authorizaon from the department of educaon. Such license or authorizaon shall be duly registered in the administrave office of the school district wherein the services are to be rendered. A teacher shall hold a valid license or authorizaon during all periods of employment by a school district. A person who performs services as a teacher without possessing a valid teacher's license or authorizaon shall forfeit all claim to compensaon out of school district moneys for the me during which services are performed without the license or authorizaon.
Replacement Policy
The school may employ either licensed or non‐licensed teachers for non‐core subject areas. All core subject area teachers will be licensed under the requirements of state law. School district moneys will be used to pay both licensed and non‐licensed teachers hired to perform services consistent with the innovaon plan. Prior to hiring any person, in accordance with state law the district shall conduct background checks.
School Proposal 2271207:Advancement – decision – parental
involvement
Educational Program:
Promotion, Retention and
Acceleration of Students
Policy
(1) Within 45 days before the end of the school year prior to the student’s fourth grade year, a teacher finds that a student has a significant reading deficiency, personnel of the local educaon provider shall provide to the student’s parent the wrien noce… (a) except for students with disabilies substanally impacng their progress developing reading skills; (b) the student is a student with limited English proficiency … and the deficiency is due primarily to the student’s language skills; (c) the student is compleng a second school year at the same grade level. (2) Wrien noce to parents shall include:
128
(a) noficaon of serious implicaons to a student entering fourth grade with a significant reading deficiency and a meeng request… (b)…work with the parents to schedule a meeng… (c) if the parent does not aend the meeng, the teacher and personnel of the local educaon provider will decide whether the student will advance to the next grade level in the next school year. (4) specific informaon that should be discussed with parents: serious implicaons of aending fourth grade without reading proficiency, importance of achieving reading proficiency by end of third grade, the student’s body of evidence and the likelihood that the student, despite having a significant reading deficiency, will be able to maintain adequate academic progress at eh next grade level, the increased level of intervenon instrucon the student will receive in the next school year regardless of whether the student advances to the next grade level, the potenal effects on the student if he or she does not advance to the next grade level, (b) …the parent, teacher, and other personnel shall decide whether the student will advance to the next grade level in the next school year. If the parent, teacher and other personnel are not in agreement, the parent shall decide whether the student will advance to the next grade level unless otherwise specified in the policy adopted by the local educaon provider. (5) parents will be given wrien noficaon of the decision to retain or not retain the student… (6) …beginning in 2016‐17…if the superintendent, or his or her designee, or the principal… does not approve the decision to advance the student, the student shall not advance to fourth grade in the next school year. … (7) Each local educaon provider shall … oral and wrien communicaons to a parent… in a language that the parent understands.
Replacement Policy
The school will follow the school’s replacement policy IKE/IKE‐R regarding retenon and promoon of students. Retenon and promoon decisions for students performing below or above grade‐level in core content areas will be made based on reading and math achievement levels as determined by performance on standardized assessments. The principal, deans, teacher, and parents will confer at least three months prior to the end of the school year about the student’s progress, with addional meengs at least every 6 weeks thereaer. If students are making insufficient progress, an academic plan will be prepared and grade retenon or promoon may be recommended to school leadership by any member of the school community.
If school leadership approves the grade retenon or promoon of a student, the student will be retained or promoted.
All retenon and promoon decisions will be finalized by May 1st. The school will regularly communicate student performance to parents/guardians.
School Proposal
2263403, C.R.S. Teacher employment,
compensation and dismissal act of 1990;
payment of salaries
Teaching: Payment of Salaries
129
Policy Districts are required to pay teachers according to a schedule or according to a performance policy. Salaries are not to be changed unl the end of the year. Individual teachers cannot have their salaries cut unless all teachers have salaries cut.
Replacement Policy
The school will use the district salary schedule for determining pay for teachers and staff; however, they will have discreon on how the budget is impacted for paying staff (actuals vs. averages). The school principal reserves the right to develop a supplemental compensaon system to reimburse employees for extra duty pay as it may arise for mandated extended school year, mandated PD outside of school year, mandated addional me, or spends for school idenfied priories. This may also include acvies such as coaching, tutoring, external professional development or for performance incenve pay. This flexibility will be granted provided the school leader submits a replacement policy annually to CSC and HR to ensure sustainability, transparency and equity.
School Proposal 2233102(1) Definition of "Academic Year" Educaon Program: Calendar
Policy
As used in this arcle, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Academic year" means that poron of the school year during which the public schools are in regular session, beginning about the first week in September and ending about the first week in June of the next year, or that poron of the school year which constutes the minimum period during which a pupil must be enrolled.
Replacement Policy
“Academic year” refers to the year as it is established by the innovaon school’s developed academic calendar for the School. The calendar will be posted publicly by May 1 st for the following school year. The school’s CSC will provide input into the calendar.
Compensation Philosophy
The school will offer spends for certain roles, responsibilies, and staff qualificaon guided by their compensaon philosophy. The compensaon philosophy can be revised annually with school leadership developing school compensaon replacement policy in collaboraon with their HR partner. Upon revision, the CSC will review and provide feedback on the school compensaon replacement policy. When changes are made, the school will submit its revised compensaon replacement policy to the district (HR) for review and to ensure legal compliance.
top related