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Whole School PaperCommunity Day Charter School:
By Sheila Balboni, Executive Director And Susan O’Neill, Director of Development
Community Day Charter School, Lawrence, MA
Massachusetts Charter School Association 2002
1. HISTORY Community Day Charter School is located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a densely populated city of 72,000, located 35 miles north of Boston. A planned city built for the manufacture of textiles in the 1840s, it has been home to generations of immigrants who sought employment and a better way of life. Its most recent immigrants, from the Caribbean, Central and South America, represent 60% of the city’s population (U.S. Census 2000). Recent city elections have highlighted this growth; for the first time Hispanics were elected to serve as members of the City Council, School Committee, and State Legislature. Whether new arrivals to the city, or generations removed, the parents, teachers and community leaders who founded Community Day Charter School share a common experience as children of immigrants who are proud of this city, its rich history and its cultural diversity. The founders were determined to provide a safe and academically challenging public school option at a time when the city’s financial situation was so bleak that it was placed under the watchful eye of a state-mandated financial oversight board, and the public school district was faced with a state takeover based on low tests results, high dropout rate, and loss of accreditation for its only high school. Since the demise of the local textile industry in the 1950s, the residents of Lawrence have suffered from high rates of unemployment and poverty. They continue to grapple with serious urban problems including drugs and the violence associated with them, poverty, unemployment, teen pregnancy, and lack of decent, affordable housing. The founders of CDCS fervently believed that the provision of a high quality and rigorous academic education for the children of Lawrence was integral to the economic resurgence and revitalization of the city. Community Day Charter School was among the first charters granted by the Massachusetts Board of Education. The school opened in 1995 with an initial enrollment of 112 students, kindergarten through grade three. In the spring of 2000 its charter was renewed for an additional five years. In September 2001 the school began its seventh year with an enrollment of 280 students in kindergarten through grade 8. One hundred percent of the student population is from Lawrence; 77% of the students are Latino; 18% are white; 4% are African American, and 1% are Asian, reflecting the demographics of the city as a whole. 2. VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Our mission at CDCS is to draw upon the collective expertise of our community and develop and implement a standards-based curriculum in an inclusive learning environment. The faculty and staff of CDCS share the belief that each student has special characteristics and unique learning styles ready to be discovered and supported. Support services are designed to help low-achieving students meet curriculum standards; learning plans are established that incorporate the child’s strengths in counterpoint to the areas that need remedial help. Students are heterogeneously grouped in multi-age classrooms and are taught by a team of two teachers. Services provided by Title 1 teachers, learning specialists, Spanish teachers, science teachers, and assistant teachers provide extensive individualized instruction. In response to the needs of our students the school’s initial educational objectives were highly focused on the development and implementation of strategies to facilitate English language fluency. Implementation of an English Immersion Model, with native language support provided by Spanish-speaking teachers, has yielded substantial progress in this area. The majority of our second language learners attain oral fluency in their first year at CDCS. The mission of CDCS indicates, in part, that our "curriculum will be embedded in the reality of city life and will reinforce the positive aspects of our city: its culture, art and economy, its working class history and strong work ethic" (CDCL 1994, 3). Many resources to support achievement of this mission exist outside of the schoolhouse. For example, each Labor Day Weekend the St. Alfio Society sponsors the Feast of the Three Saints, a celebration of the city’s Italian American community. On Labor Day, the Bread and Roses Festival celebrates the important role that Lawrence played in the organized labor movement through its participation in the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912. Each June, Hispanic Week (Semana Hispana) celebrates the diversity of Latin cultures, through food, dance, and music. Talented professional artists affiliated with the Essex Art Center provide lessons and host exhibits for CDCS students. By taking advantage of community resources, and especially the arts and cultural communities that make Lawrence unique, CDCS helps to strengthen the relationship between and among students, parents, and faculty. 3. SUCCESS The elements that have been critical to the success of CDCS are highlighted below. Management / Educational Leadership A number of studies indicate that Charter Schools are more likely to be successful when they form close relationships with the schools and well-established, non-profit organizations. CDCS benefits greatly from its relationship with its management entity, Community Day Care Center, Inc., a private, non-profit organization that has delivered quality childcare and educational programs in Lawrence and its surrounding communities since 1970. Over the years the agency has consistently grown and expanded, but its mission has remained the same: to create, manage and nurture high quality programs focused on education and related services that support families (CDCL 1970). Annually CDC provides direct services to more than 1,000 children, from birth to adolescence. After school programs accredited by the National School-Age Care Alliance serve children ages 5 — 12. Preschool programs accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children serve children from ages 2 years 9 months through age 6. CDC’s Family Child Care System offers culturally diverse, developmentally appropriate childcare for youngsters ages three months to five years in the homes of licensed childcare providers. CDC’s Child Care Circuit maintains an extensive database of information about licensed child-care providers, manages the state’s subsidized childcare voucher program and provides an extensive array of outstanding professional development opportunities for approximately 7,000 childcare teachers, administrators, and family childcare providers each year. The agency enjoys a well-established reputation as a leader in the early care and education field. CDC managers have served on numerous state-level task forces and planning committees and have worked in programs in support of the Commonwealth’s families; they have been at the forefront of advocacy efforts to adequately fund quality childcare and early education programs in Massachusetts. One full-time Executive Director oversees both Community Day Care Center of Lawrence, Inc. and Community Day Charter School. A shared central administration delivers the following services: accounting and finance, building maintenance and repair, data management and analysis, fundraising and program development, human resources, information technology, special projects, and public relations. This cohesive management structure facilitates collaboration at all levels of the two organizations. Policy Development and Implementation Community Day Care is linked to CDCS through overlapping Board Membership. Board members include educators, parents, and professionals in the fields of law and finance. Board members have worked diligently to ensure that the school’s policies and procedures contribute to its sound operation. In addition, the charter school’s bylaws stipulate that the members of the School’s Parent Advisory Board (PAB) serve on the school’s governing board, giving parents an active and influential voice in the governance of the school. The PAB meets regularly, addresses a range of issues from academics and curriculum to fundraising, and seeks to represent the concerns of parents of all children at the school--special needs, at-risk, limited English proficient, and high achievers. Spanish translation is provided at PAB meetings. The CDCS Code of Conduct sets high expectations for behavior and citizenship and focuses on the core values of respect for oneself and others. The Code of Conduct applies to all members of the CDCS community: students, all members of the faculty and staff, parents, and other family members (see Appendix A). Moreover, in an effort to eliminate "status dressing" and "to create a group identity for the school," all CDCS students must follow a uniform dress code, a direct result of parent recommendations and involvement in the governance structure. At CDCS student success is a responsibility shared by teachers, parents, and the students themselves. The practice of establishing Personal Educational Goals, or PEGs, reinforces this concept. The PEG is unique to each student and has a number of components. The narrative portion of the PEG describes the student’s achievement (in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies; toward meeting Community Standards; etc.) and provides details on the rubric numbers each student is assigned (ranging from "0" for unsatisfactory to "4" for excellent, above and beyond) for each subject standard listed on the PEG. Classroom teachers are responsible for writing PEGs, based on ongoing assessment of student achievement, for every student in their classroom, and Learning Specialists who work with specific students contribute pertinent information for those students’ PEGs. Teachers, parents, and students develop the Action Plan portion of the PEG during PEG conferences (see Appendix B). Based on the needs of the student, the goals can be specific to one particular subject area skill, or they may be more general. Parents, teachers, and students sign an agreement to work toward achieving the PEG goals, and PEGs are updated three times each year. Competency of Staff CDCS has been able to attract and nurture the development of qualified, talented educators who take responsibility for each student’s success. They have greatly contributed to the school’s impressive track record of achievement. The school has been awarded grants by the Massachusetts Board of Education to disseminate its best practices and train other teachers throughout the state. The Braitmayer Foundation awarded a grant to support our exemplary Mentor Teacher Program. The CDCS model pairs new teachers who are transitioning from college to the classroom (or teachers who do not have much teaching experience) with an experienced Mentor Teacher. The Mentor Teacher supports the new Teacher as he or she learns how to:
The Mentor instructs new teachers in the creation and implementation of thematic, standards-based lesson plans that are aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Mentors familiarize new teachers with the school’s assessment process and help them incorporate the assessments into daily lesson plans and written performance records that become a part of each student’s portfolio. Mentors also work with new teachers to strategize and plan courses of action that address the needs of students who are not achieving at the articulated standards. Mentors have responsibility for their own classrooms, but as the first year progresses, the new teacher advances from teaching a single subject (often an area of specialization) to a small group of students within a class, to teaching larger groups and additional subjects, as their skill development evolves. In most cases, new teachers are able to move to a more independent role in their second year with the school. Implementation of the mentor model contributes significantly to the professional growth and competence of faculty and staff. Rigor of Educational Program To provide a framework for evaluation of course content and skill attainment, Community Day Charter School initially adopted standards, "acknowledged to be among the most rigorous and knowledge-based" (SchoolWorks 1999, 3) of the Modern Red Schoolhouse and E.D. Hirsch’s Core Knowledge Sequence. The MRSh model was adopted by CDCS prior to the establishment of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Because MRSh is standards based, it provided a framework for skills development, delineated by grade and performance levels related to each subject area. The model also provided a method of organizing teaching content and skills around specific units that included goals, activities, and assessment; as such it put CDCS ahead of the game when the learning standards connected to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks were formulated. As the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks have been approved and revised, members of the faculty have worked to align the Modern Red Schoolhouse/Core Knowledge standards with those Frameworks. They have created multi-week teaching units and have written their own performance levels for each grade level in every subject area, and they have ensured compliance with statewide objectives, while at the same time retaining many of the features of the original standards-based unit model developed by MRSh. At CDCS standards-based curriculum units that incorporate assessment strategies, which measure student mastery of learning standards, are developed and revised on a continuous basis. All curriculum units follow a standardized unit format and are saved as computer documents readily accessible by all members of the faculty. During an annual professional development institute that is conducted each August, A Unit Development Orientation is conducted for all new teachers. Each new teacher receives a resource guide (Information and Data for Teachers), developed by CDCS, containing:
This approach to curriculum development was recognized by the independent team who completed an extensive evaluation of CDCS in 1999, in connection with the school’s application for a second five-year charter. The evaluation team concluded in its Renewal Inspection Report, that, "Every instructional activity at CDCS is carefully referenced against the standards of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Assessments are similarly aligned and the curriculum scope and sequence insures both breadth and depth of coverage" (SchoolWorks 1999, 8). Eager to share their success with other schools, the faculty and staff of CDCS successfully secured a Charter School Dissemination Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Education to develop and implement a weeklong professional development institute titled, Master Concepts And Succeed (see Appendix C). Incorporating a Training of Trainers model, the institute was designed to be delivered by teachers for teachers. The institute’s primary objective is that each teacher participant completes the institute with a Standards-based Curriculum Unit that will be implemented in his/her classroom. As of this writing, the institute has been offered for two summers and covers the following topics:
Participants are asked to come to the institute with ideas for units they wish to develop. Each participant receives a Resource Guide designed to be used as a tool for ongoing curriculum development. Throughout the week time is provided for participants to conduct research and receive technical support from CDCS faculty and staff as they develop standards-based curriculum units. Teachers utilize an array of resources, including resources in the school library, computers to conduct on-line research, as well as Community Day Care’s extensive library of theme-based curriculum kits. Participant responses to an evaluation give the institute high marks. Although a number of individuals indicated that at the beginning of the institute they were concerned that the tasks and timelines were perhaps too ambitious, they noted that "…Once given the tools to accomplish the goal of writing a unit (they felt)…much more comfortable and confident." One respondent indicated, "It was one of the best workshops I’ve been to. I enjoyed …the opportunity to share ideas and resources." Many respondents gave high marks to the Resource Guide, specifically its, "…breakdown of standards by grade level and suggested outline for unit construction." Without exception, the respondents said they would recommend participation in the series to their peers. In fact, several teachers, after returning to their schools, later called CDCS to ask how they could implement similar professional development activities for all teachers at their schools. Members of CDCS faculty who served as facilitators/presenters were equally positive about their experiences. Developing the curriculum units during the institute increased their knowledge of content and reinforced their working knowledge of the Standards. They enjoyed the opportunity to develop their network of peers for future collaboration, and their confidence in their ability to present information in a meaningful way increased. The CDCS facilitators and presenters look forward to continued dissemination of this curriculum development model to other schools. Parent Involvement CDCS works to involve and support parents, especially those who in the past may have had limited involvement in their children’s education. The Parent Advisory Board is one such means of involving parents (see "Policy Development and Implementation") as are parent workshops and services (described in "Meeting Needs of Children and Families"). Because the parents of so many of our students have a greater comfort level communicating in Spanish, CDCS has worked with its managing organization, Community Day Care of Lawrence, to access the services of a Bilingual/Bicultural Parent Liaison who supports the implementation of a number of activities to involve parents, including:
These efforts have helped make parent involvement a key element in the school’s success. Parents serve as members of the Parent Advisory Board and contribute many volunteer hours in a variety of school activities. They support school programs financially through fundraising activities such as the annual Jazz Brunch, Pot Luck Supper, and through the operation of the School Store. CDCS parents consistently achieve 100% participation at Parent Teacher Conferences. Meeting the Needs of Children and Families Community Day Charter School has benefited from the extensive experience of its management entity, Community Day Care, Inc., whose staff develops and implements a wide-range of quality education programs and services that support Lawrence families. The close working relationship with Community Day Care has helped to make the school a community resource that extends beyond the academic day and school year. The school day at CDCS, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., is longer than that of most schools. The talented food service staff prepares breakfasts, lunches, and nutritional snacks that reflect the cultural preferences of our students and families. In addition, extended-day programming is offered before and after regular school hours. These programs provide additional opportunities for academic support (MCAS Prep and Homework Club), as well as enrichment and recreation activities (Suzuki violin instruction, dominoes club, Legos club, basketball, cross country, etc.). Students from Phillips Academy, retired professionals from GROUP (the Gillette Retiree Outreach Program), and musicians from the Northshore Youth Symphony Orchestra all provide services that supplement those provided by school staff. Summer Academy is a full-day program (8:30 AM — 4:00 PM, Monday — Friday during the month of July) that combines intensive remedial support in the critical academic areas of English language arts and mathematics each morning, with outdoor recreational experiences, each afternoon. Community Day Charter School teachers provide academic instruction. The afternoon day-camp activities involve collaboration with Community Day Care’s nationally accredited school age, childcare program and include utilization of the Rolling Ridge lakeside campsite in the nearby town of North Andover, Massachusetts. Extended-day and summer programs help meet the needs of working families who rely on CDCS to engage their children in activities that will keep them healthy and safe. Bilingual/Bicultural Parent Educators from Community Day Care of Lawrence offer CDCS parents an outstanding array of parent education workshops in English and Spanish. These workshops address a variety of topics of interest to parents, including: child growth and development; what children need to succeed; dealing with problems; building cooperation; active communication; teaching responsibility; and effective nonviolent discipline techniques. Community Day Charter School families are able to avail themselves of the services offered by Community Day Care’s Lawrence/Methuen Family Network, one of forty-two family networks serving 162 communities and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education. The Lawrence/Methuen Family Network is a partnership of parents, public schools, childcare and family service agencies, health providers, and community groups that provide no-cost programs and services for families with young children, pre-natal to age four. Network programs and services are highly accessible and are delivered with the utmost respect for the culturally diverse families that are served. The Network’s Resource Center contains books, videos, and developmental curricula materials available on loan to families and child care professionals. The Center runs playgroups for infants and toddlers, prenatal classes, parent support groups, and field trips that encourage families to take advantage of the cultural and educational resources that support family literacy and school readiness. Identifying / Developing Community Resources CDCS Board Members and Administrators share a deep affection for, and commitment to, the city of Lawrence. They have successfully raised private and government funds to renovate three historically significant buildings and utilize these as schools. This work contributes to the economic revitalization of neighborhoods. Two buildings located on the top of the city’s Prospect Hill house the Upper School (grades 5 — 8) and the Lower School (grades 1 — 4). The Upper School building is a renovated Victorian mansion, on property owned originally by Charles Storrow, a founder of the city and its first mayor. In 1954 the house became a convent for the Venerini Sisters Religious Order. The Venerini Sisters constructed a single story brick building next to their convent and opened a Catholic Elementary School that for decades served the children of Italian immigrants. This building now houses the Lower School. In the fall of 2001, the Community Day Charter School Early Learning Center, originally housed in the lower school building, moved to the Olde Library Building where additional space enabled an increase in enrollment. The Olde Library Building was constructed in the 1890’s to serve as the city’s public library. It was built in the Richardson Romanesque style with a red brownstone exterior. A 75-foot high tower dominates the northeast side of the building, and a carved arch of Ohio stone shelters the main entrance. Its many-gabled roof is slate. Inside the building, original leaded glass windows provide a dramatic entrance into the spacious reading room with a 16-foot high ceiling and large beams of varnished oak extending across the room. There is a dramatic curving stairway leading to the third floor. This building served as the public library until the city opened a new library in 1973. For nearly a decade it remained vacant until it was sold to a private developer, who was eventually forced into bankruptcy. Community Day Care purchased the building and mounted an aggressive and successful campaign to raise private and government funds to renovate and restore the building, which included converting a once blighted and abandoned lot into a playground. Located in the center of Lawrence, the building borders the city’s economically distressed plains and lower tower hill neighborhoods. These efforts at restoration have saved a treasured landmark and infused the neighborhood with a new vitality that will stimulate more improvements. In recognition of her efforts to preserve these three Lawrence landmarks, CDCS Executive Director Sheila Balboni accepted the Third Annual Eartha Dengler History Award in behalf of the Board of Directors. This award, presented by the Immigrant City Archives and Lawrence History Center, honors those who contribute to the preservation of historic structures that create environments in which to nurture and educate. Efforts to teach CDCS students about the importance of being responsible citizens and preservers of Lawrence history are enhanced, as students observe the model behavior of their parents, teachers, board members, and administrators who have worked diligently to preserve and protect important community assets. 4. SCHOOL-WIDE ASSESSMENT Success at CDCS is measured in a variety of ways, including: Standardized Test Results At CDCS standardized test results (MCAS and Terra Nova) are demonstrating academic success.
Student performance on standardized tests has brought Community Day Charter School recognition at both state and national levels. In a newspaper article concerning MCAS results (Griffin 2000, 2) Massachusetts Board of Education Chairman James Peyser stated, "(CDCS is) not only one of the better schools in the state, but also one of the better schools in the country." In a 2001 publication titled Dispelling the Myth Revisited: Preliminary Findings from a Nationwide Analysis of "High-Flying" Schools, the Education Trust, a national, independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the high academic achievement of all students, kindergarten through college, recognized Community Day Charter School as one of only 13 "high-flying" schools in Massachusetts. High-flying schools are defined as those with an enrollment of 50% or more African American, Latino and/or economically disadvantaged students that academically perform among the top third of schools in their state (Craig, 51). Secondary School Placement and Performance The expectations of CDCS students and parents reflect those of the faculty and staff and these expectations are high. Concerned about the quality of education available in the district’s one public high school, which has been unaccredited since 1995, the majority of CDCS graduates are enrolling in private high schools. In June 2000 CDCS graduated its first class of grade 8 students. Sixty percent of the graduates from the classes of 2000 and 2001 (20 of 34) are attending private, academically challenging secondary schools, including Phillips Andover, the Pingree School, Governor Dummer Academy, Brooks School, and Central Catholic High School. Thirty-five percent (12) of the graduates attend regional technical high schools or public high schools in other communities that participate in the Massachusetts School Choice Program. Five percent (2) of the graduates attend Lawrence’s district high school. Follow up results indicate that CDCS alumni are succeeding, many at some of the most academically competitive schools in the country. The percentage of all graduates earning a C average or better is: 80% in English, 95% in Math, 85% in History, 75% in Science, and 100% in Spanish. Parent satisfaction A number of indicators show the confidence parents have in CDCS. Applications for admission via the lottery system far exceed available seats. For a number of years, the wait list has exceeded five hundred children. CDCS’s annual retention rate averages 97-98% (children leave only when the family moves out of the city), and no formal complaints have been made to the Board of Directors. Parent responses to surveys (a regular part of CDCS’s school-wide assessment) have consistently shown a high degree of satisfaction with the quality of teaching, school management, accessibility, school-home communication, class size, and curriculum. Parents’ responses to open-ended survey questions point to a range of programs and services to explain why CDCS has been the right choice for their children. In spring of 2002, one parent responded, "The teachers and administrators are always available, and so dedicated to their students. My child leaves in the morning and returns in the afternoon with a smile. When asked how is school going she happily replies, excellent! Her grades are good. She is happy. What more could a parent ask?" Another parent, also responding to the 2002 survey, indicated, "I have received a lot of positive feedback from friends and relatives who have learned of my daughter’s acceptance this year at the best high school in the land. They say you must be proud. I say I am more grateful than proud. CDCS has nurtured her …she’s always been happy and challenged…the environment, these loving teachers, have helped her reach great heights." Early each spring when parents are required to submit an application for enrollment at CDCS, the annual lottery for available seats takes place. Entire families attend this public event. Tears of joy and sorrow flow at the news that a child’s name has been selected, or not selected, for an available seat. The extensive wait list at CDCS is testament to the parents’ belief that CDCS offers children the opportunity to receive a high quality education. 5. CHARTER SCHOOL STATUS Operating as an independent public charter school in Massachusetts presents both benefits and challenges. The autonomy accorded to charter schools facilitates the decision-making process, as decisions are not subject to the approval of an elected body. The simplified administrative and management structure of charter schools enhances the implementation of school-based management principles and encourages educators to develop and implement innovative methods of instruction. CDCS has a decentralized approach to management and administration in that each set of grades, K-4 (Lower School) and 5-8 (Upper School) has its own management team. This model is often used in independent schools. While the executive director reports to the Board and supervises both Lower and Upper Heads of School, many decisions affecting school life are made by managers very close to the issues at hand. Because of the intensity of school life and the individual attention paid to each student, smaller organizational units, a strength in charter school administration, work well in supporting school goals and holding personnel accountable. There are also significant challenges that must be addressed in order to successfully operate a charter school, including:
These challenges can divert attention from our most important task, that of educating all students and ensuring that they meet the high standards of academic achievement established by the Massachusetts Board of Education. CDCS also faces the same challenges as many urban schools: the effects of poverty and lack of education among the population we serve and with whom we work. Unlike schools in neighboring towns, CDCS teachers cannot take student vocabulary for granted, nor can they assume children will have had the life experiences that provide a framework for academic success. Teachers must work to build foundations for learning and cannot expect that children will come to school prepared in the way that many middle income, well educated families prepare their children. Remedial work is a necessity, and the consistent challenge of achievement as measured by standardized testing (MCAS) requires an extremely motivated teaching team, well-developed teaching strategies, clear and consistent standards, more time spent in the classroom, and inspired leadership, all of which require time and money. The challenge to provide it all is daunting!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Sheila Balboni, Executive Director, Community Day Care Center of Lawrence, Inc. and Community Day Charter School Sheila holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Newton College, a Master’s in Education from Framingham State College, and a Master’s in Education, Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University. She has been the Executive Director of Community Day Care for more than 25 years during which time she has overseen the continued growth of the agency and the establishment of its reputation as a leader in the early care and education field. Sheila has served on numerous state level task forces and planning committees concerning policies and programs in support of families, most recently the Governor’s Commission on School Readiness. In November 2000 Sheila received the Merrimack Valley Athena Award from the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce for her work helping professional women reach their leadership potential. In November 2001 she was recognized by the Immigrant City Archives (Lawrence History Center) for her commitment to the preservation of the physical and human assets of Lawrence. Sheila is an original founder of Community Day Charter School and has been its Executive Director since its inception; she is the current president of the Massachusetts Charter School Association. Susan O’Neill, Director of Development, Community Day Care Center of Lawrence, Inc. and Community Day Charter School Susan joined Community Day Care Center and Community Day Charter School in November 2000. Susan has more than twenty years of experience as a grant writer, grants’ administrator, teacher and counselor for public schools and private, nonprofit agencies. She holds a Master’s in Education from Salem State College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Brandeis University.
CONTACT INFORMATION Community Day Charter School
Appendix A: Code of Conduct Community Day Charter School CODE OF CONDUCT Community Day Charter School holds the highest expectations for students, faculty, and parents in personal behavior and citizenship. Teachers do not hit, embarrass or humiliate children. Teachers use discussion and conversation to encourage and support behavior that is acceptable to the school community and to parents. Community Day Charter School staff have received training pertaining to the indicators of child abuse and neglect and follow established procedures for notifying the Head of School about any issues of suspected child abuse. It is Community Day Charter School's belief that children need the security of knowing that the adults are in control and have the knowledge and skills necessary to support children. Children will learn skills related to the development of self-control, conflict resolution, problem solving and respect for others. We are aware that given the complex issues of today's families and society, there are individuals who need additional supports and services to be able to function as members of a group. If we find that our strategies and resources are not sufficient to create success for the student in our learning environment, we will work with the family and student to determine if we need to alter the setting, curriculum or strategies for children who require modifications. The following code of conduct applies to behaviors in many school settings, including:
Appendix B: Personal Educational Goals Community Day Charter School Personal Educational Goals
Community Day Charter School has standards driven curriculum based upon integrated skills and standards related to each subject taught at the school. Subject content supports the skill development of students. Progress in understanding subject content as well as progress in developing skills are assessed at regular intervals. This progress is essential to the student’s growth as a learner.
Progress Report / Reporte de Notas
Language Arts / Lenguaje
Math / Matemática
Science / Ciencia
Social Studies / Estudios Sociales
Spanish / Español
Physical Education / Educación Física
Arts / Artes
Community Standards / Normas Comunitarias
Comments
Modifications (if needed) / Modificaciones (si es necesario)
Goals for Next Term / Metas para el Próximo Período
Action Plan / Plan de Acción
Signature of Teacher(s)
Signature of Parent(s)
Signature of student
Appendix C: Master Concepts and Succeed Community Day Charter School
Overview This five-day professional development institute presented by the talented faculty and staff of Community Day Charter School provides teachers and administrators with a model for curriculum development that addresses the learning standards of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, kindergarten through grade eight. What Does It Offer?
Works Cited
Community Day Care of Lawrence (CDCL). 1994. Application for Charter School. Community Day Care of Lawrence (CDCL). 1970. Mission Statement. Lawrence, MA. Duplicated. Jerald, Craig D. 2001. Dispelling the Myth Revisited: Preliminary Findings from a Nationwide Analysis of High-Performing Schools. Washington, D.C.: The Education Trust. Griffin, Rebecca. 2000. Language Approach Affecting Scores? The Eagle-Tribune. 30 November. SchoolWorks. 1999. Renewal Inspection Report, Community Day Charter School,
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