text: KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE CHARTER APPLICANT INFORMATION SHEET Name of Proposed Charter School: KIPP Academy Boston Charter School School Address (if known): TBD School Location: Boston, Massachusetts Primary Contact Person: Josh Zoia Address: 25 Bessom St. City: Lynn State: MA Zip: 01902 Daytime Tel: (781)598-1609 Fax: (781)598-1629 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com 1. The proposed school will open in the fall of school year: 2012 School Year Grade Level Total Student Enrollment First Year K 72 Second Year K-1 144 Third Year K-2, 5 280 Fourth Year K-3, 5-6 412 Fifth Year K-4, 5-7 536 2. Grade span at full enrollment: K-8 3. Total student enrollment when fully expanded: 588 4. Age at entry for kindergarten, if applicable: 5 years of age 5. Will this school be a regional charter school? No. If yes, list the school districts (including regional school districts) in the proposed region. If no, please specify the district's population as reported in the most recent United States census estimate for the community the school intends to serve: 645,169 (based on 2009 Census data). 6. For all proposed charter schools, list the districts that are contiguous with the proposed school's district or region. Please only list districts that are included in Appendix B. (Use additional sheets if necessary.) Quincy Milton Dedham Needham Revere Brookline Cambridge Watertown Somerville Newton Winthrop Chelsea 1 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 7. Is the proposed school to be located in a district where overall student performance on the MCAS is in the lowest 10 percent, as designated in Appendix B? Yes. 8. Will the proposed school be located in a district or districts in which the 9 percent net school spending cap is, or could be, exceeded by 2010-11 applications? Yes. 9. Is the applicant group currently the board of trustees of an existing charter school? Yes. 10. Is the applicant group/board of trustees intending to create a network of schools? Yes 11. If the applicant group/board of trustees is intending to create a network of schools, how many applications is the group submitting in the 2010-11 application cycle? 1 12. Do members of the applicant group currently operate or are they employed by a private or parochial school? No. 2 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE COMMONWEALTH CHARTER SCHOOL CERTIFICATION STATEMENT Proposed Charter School Name: KIPP Academy Boston Charter School Proposed School Location (City / Town): Boston, Massachusetts I hereby certify that the information submitted in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief; that this application has been or is being sent to the superintendent of all the districts from which we intend to draw students' and further I understand that, if awarded a charter, the proposed school shall be open to all students on a space available basis, and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, or proficiency in the English language, and academic achievement. This is a true statement, made under the penalties of perjury. Signature of Authorized Person _________________________________ Date ______________ Print / Type Name: Josh Zoia Address: 25 Bessom St. City: Lynn_______________________________ State: MA______ Zip: 01902______ Daytime Tel: (781)598-1609 Fax: (781)598-1629 3 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 4 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 5 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 6 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 7 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 2010 PROVEN PROVIDER INFORMATION SHEET – FINAL APPLICATION REQUIRED SUBMISSION WITH FINAL APPLICATION This form is required for applicants applying as proven providers in districts that have performed on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in the lowest 10 percent statewide for two consecutive previous years and where the 9 percent net school spending cap has been or is expected to be raised. Applicants, or a provider with which the applicant group proposes to contract, must meet the definition and qualifications of proven provider as outlined in 603 CMR 1.00. Proven provider status will be determined as a component of the review of final applications for charter schools. These pages do not count toward the page limit for the final application. Name of Proposed Charter School: KIPP Academy Boston Charter School Name of Person(s) or Organization Proposed as Proven Provider: KIPP Massachusetts Primary Proven Provider Contact: Josh Zoia and Caleb Dolan Address: 25 Bessom Street City: Lynn State: MA Zip: 01902 Daytime Tel: 781.598.1609 Fax: 781.598.1639 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com I. Category of Proven Provider Check the appropriate category of proven provider as described below. All information provided in response to the criteria that follow should provide evidence of the proven provider's qualifications. We believe that KIPP qualifies as a proven provider according to the definitions provided for Category 1, 2, and 3 below. Category 1: Two or more persons who had primary or significant responsibility serving, for at least five years, in a leadership role in a school or similar program that has a record of academic success and organizational viability. Category 2: A non-profit education management organization, in operation for at least five years, that has a record of academic success and organizational viability; or A non-profit charter management organization, in operation for at least five years, that has a record of academic success and organizational viability. Category 3: The board of trustees of an existing charter school that has a record of academic success and organizational viability. II. Qualifications to Achieve Proven Provider Status A proven provider applicant must submit evidence satisfactory to the Commissioner that demonstrates that the proven provider has significant management or leadership experience with a school or similar program that is an academic success, a viable organization, and relevant to the proposed charter. For applicants with a current or previous relationship to a Massachusetts charter school, the Commissioner may consider all information related to such school's performance, including evaluations in connection with each renewal of its charter. The information provided to address the criteria listed below are the basis on which proven provider status will be determined. All applicable criteria must be addressed in alignment with at least one category chosen above. These pages do not count toward the page limit for the final application. Proven Provider Category 1 ONLY: 8 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Describe in detail the individuals' roles and responsibilities at the successful school(s) or program(s). Provide evidence to link the proposed proven provider's roles and responsibilities to the success of the school or program. Attach resumes or any additional documents that provide evidence of the individual's roles and responsibilities at the successful school(s) or program(s). Roles and responsibilities: Josh Zoia is the Executive Director of KIPP Massachusetts. Josh is the founder of KIPP Academy Lynn and was the principal through 2009 when he moved into the Executive Director position to lead KIPP's efforts in the Bay State. KIPP Academy Lynn has been recognized nationally for its outstanding academic results, joyful culture, and low student attrition. Caleb Dolan will be the Chief Academic Officer of KIPP Massachusetts. Caleb was the founding principal of KIPP Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, NC. He led the school for eight years and has seen 100% of the first two graduating classes earn multiple college acceptances. In 2009 Caleb moved home to the northeast to direct KIPP's national professional development for principals and to lead teacher development at KIPP Academy Lynn. Evidence of link to school success: As Executive Director Zoia will be responsible for strategic vision and outreach for KIPP Academy Boston. He already spends a significant portion of his time working with the political, education, and business leaders of Boston. Zoia will make certain the school has the necessary resources to serve its students and families and he will handle the external challenges that might otherwise take the principals' and teachers' attention away from teaching and learning. Dolan will mentor and manage the KIPP Academy Boston school leaders. He will also be responsible for the vertical alignment of teaching, learning, and culture at KIPP Academy Boston. While he will continue to work with the leaders of KIPP Lynn, he will work from KIPP Academy Boston to maintain daily oversight of the school's development. List of attachments: Josh Zoia's Bio and Resume Caleb Dolan's Bio and Resume Press about the accomplishments of KIPP Academy Lynn and KIPP Gaston College Preparatory including: ―48 out of 48‖ and ―What works‖ Proven Provider Categories 2, 3, and 4: Describe in detail the qualifications of the proposed proven provider. Additional documentation may be included as an appendix; Describe in detail the proposed proven provider's roles and responsibilities in the successful school(s) or program(s); Provide evidence to link the proposed proven provider's roles and responsibilities to the success of the school or program. Qualifications: KIPP has provided the leadership training and support for 99 charter schools (24 elementary schools, 50 middle schools, and 15 high schools) serving over 26,000 students under-served communities across the country. The pillars of KIPP's Model are: High Expectations. KIPP schools have clearly defined and measurable high expectations for academic achievement and conduct that make no excuses based on the students' backgrounds. Students, parents, teachers, and staff create and reinforce a culture of achievement and support 9 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE through a range of formal and informal rewards and consequences for academic performance and behavior. Choice & Commitment. Students, their parents, and the faculty of each KIPP school choose to participate in the program. No one is assigned or forced to attend a KIPP school. Everyone must make and uphold a commitment to the school and to each other to put in the time and effort required to achieve success. More Time. KIPP schools know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to success in academics and life. With an extended school day, week, and year, students have more time in the classroom to acquire the academic knowledge and skills that will prepare them for competitive high schools and colleges, as well as more opportunities to engage in diverse extracurricular experiences. Power to Lead. The principals of KIPP schools are effective academic and organizational leaders who understand that great schools require great school leaders. They have control over their school budget and personnel. They are free to swiftly move dollars or make staffing changes, allowing them maximum effectiveness in helping students learn. Focus on Results. KIPP schools relentlessly focus on high student performance on standardized tests and other objective measures. Just as there are no shortcuts, there are no excuses. Students are expected to achieve a level of academic performance that will enable them to succeed at the nation's best high schools and colleges KIPP's School Leadership Program (KSLP) is nationally recognized for its results in training effective leaders to found and sustain achievement gap closing schools in under-resourced communities. KSLP has grown from training three founding principals in 2000 (Dolan was a member of the first class of Fisher Fellows) to now training over 200 leaders a year for roles from grade level chair to Executive Director. Both KIPP Academy Boston's elementary and middle school leaders will go through the Fisher Fellowship as part of KSLP. The Fisher Fellowship is a one-year program that will prepare KIPP Academy Boston's leaders to found and lead a new KIPP school in Boston's highest need community. The Fellowship includes intensive summer coursework in an academic setting, residencies at KIPP schools, and individualized coaching from experienced KIPP staff to provide in-depth support and insight into the processes and best practices involved in school leadership—ranging from charter authorization to facilities improvement, student and teacher recruitment to curriculum development and community outreach. The program culminates in the summer as the Fellows open their schools to their first classes of students. As Fisher Fellows, participants leverage KIPP's School Leadership Competency Model (described in the appendix) to identify the essential qualities, skills, and knowledge needed to be successful in a leadership role at KIPP. The curriculum for the Fisher Fellowship has been specifically designed to empower participants to: • Shift their perspective from teacher to leader • Think intentionally about who they are as leaders and how others view them as leaders • Gain tools and expertise to navigate leadership as a set of decision-making processes with inherent trade-offs • Understand what makes high-performing organizations successful •Explore facets of instructional leadership •Connect with the members of their cohort as learning partners and a support community The year-long Fisher Fellowship Program includes: 10 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Orientation: Extensive overview of the program year Summer Institute: Five weeks of intensive coursework in a university setting led by industry experts and KIPP staff that lays the foundation for the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to begin crafting a detailed School Design Plan Residencies: Ten week residencies at KIPP and non-KIPP schools to fully immerse Fellows in school culture and decision-making processes through interactions with students, parents and teachers Intersessions: Three professional development meetings of one to two weeks for continued coursework. School Design Plan: Ongoing feedback on the Fellows' comprehensive business plan for school leadership coaching Foundation Support: Ongoing feedback on leadership skills and development with bi- weekly individualized leadership coaching Evaluation: Three formal evaluations based on a competency-aligned Individualized Leadership Plan Fisher Fellows receive an annual stipend based on previous salary (ranging from $60K to $80K), along with a complete benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan. Additionally, all travel, housing and coursework is paid for by the KIPP Foundation. As the Fisher Fellows transition into active school leadership they will receive ongoing support from KIPP nationally in a number of ways (detailed in the attached Network Supports guide). As part of a national community of school leaders the KIPP Academy Boston. The staff, students, families and Board of KIPP Academy Boston will benefit greatly from being a KIPP Network school in other ways. Some of the benefits include: Teacher Training Programs: The KIPP Foundation regularly convenes teachers from across the network to focus on codifying and sharing expertise in an array of educational areas. These training programs convene on such topics as: Math, Science, Special Needs, English Language Learners, Early Childhood/Elementary Education. Regional and School Leader Training programs: As with its programming for teachers, KIPP Foundation convenes school and regional leadership four times a year for professional development and knowledge sharing. It also organizes national retreats focused on specific functional areas such as teacher recruiting, business operations, etc. Communities of Practice: Coordinated by the Foundation, staff from across the network (teachers, leaders, operational staff, foundation staff) regularly reach for support from and share out to each other on key subject areas. KIPP SHARE: During the 2010-2011 school year, KIPP will have nearly 2,000 teachers in its schools. KIPP Share is an internet-based initiative to capture and share teacher resources across our national network to support teaching excellence and continual learning for both new and experienced staff. It allows teachers to connect and share curriculum, lessons, assessments and teaching methods by subject and grade. In addition, we have identified approximately 15 of KIPP's best teachers and asked these teachers to allow us into their classrooms to document (via video) their teaching practices and to capture their story (what makes them a good teacher) and to collect the supporting materials they use in their classes (lesson plans, unit plans, homework, class work, etc.). This is an ongoing initiative whose content will continue to grow in scope and quality over time Healthy Schools and Regions (HSR): (Please see ―Process for Seeking Feedback from the School, Staff, Parents and Larger Community When Setting Policy‖ in this section for a description) In house Subject Matter Experts to provide consulting, expertise and content in a broad array of areas, including: 11 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Finance Management and Financial Board/Governance Controls/Compliance Real Estate / Facilities Marketing Legal / Regulatory Information Technology Staff Recruiting Staff Development Growth / Strategic Planning Staff Retention Organizational Design KIPP Through College and Alumni Services: The KIPP foundation is developing centralized and regional resources and programs practices to serve the network including a centrally hosted alumni database and knowledge share database of best practices that can be scaled throughout the KIPP network. At the regional level KIPP Massachusetts's management team will ensure that principals and teachers can focus on teaching and learning. The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership and management for the entire organization. The Chief Academic Officer will manage the principals and support the vertical alignment of KIPP Academy Boston's academic and character curriculum. Roles and responsibilities: KIPP is responsible for the training of KIPP Academy Boston's leaders. KIPP will also provide ongoing support through professional development, national communities of practice, and shared resources. These resources include national advocacy, partnerships with organizations such as the United Negro College Fund and Jack Kent Cooke Scholars, and teacher/leader recruitment. The regional organization KIPP Massachusetts is responsible for the governance and management of KIPP Academy Boston. The regional organization will leverage economies of scale and operational efficiencies that will make KIPP Academy Boston viable and sustainable. KIPP Massachusetts will also facilitate the sharing of best practices between the existing schools in Lynn and the new school in Boston. Evidence of link to school success: The impact of KIPP schools on academic achievement across the country is detailed in the Mathematic report referenced above. KIPP received fifty million dollar I-3 grant from the federal government to scale up the KIPP School leadership Program. List of attachments: KIPP School Leadership Program One Pager KIPP Network Services Guide Executive Summary of the Mathematica Report on KIPP Schools Executive Summary of the MIT Report on KIPP Academy Lynn All Proven Provider Categories: 12 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE A. Provide comparison data that demonstrates the academic success of students in school(s) or program(s) served by the proposed proven provider: as compared to Massachusetts statewide averages in English language arts and mathematics in comparable grades; for at least a three year period for cohorts of students. The data must include, but is not limited to: proficiency levels in the aggregate, on the MCAS or equivalent assessments for all students tested; proficiency levels for one or more targeted subgroups, as defined in M.G.L. c.71, § 89(i)(3); attendance, retention, and attrition data; and graduation and dropout data; student performance on other standardized tests, if available. With 99 KIPP schools across the country in 20 states and the District of Columbia, we know the KIPP model works. A recent study by Mathematica Research Policy, Inc. in June 2010 provided the most rigorous report to date on KIPP middle schools, and highlighted the tremendous success of the KIPP model. The key findings from the report included: The students KIPP attracts are no more or less able than those at neighboring public schools. KIPP schools typically have a statistically significant impact on student achievement. Academic gains at many KIPP schools are large enough to substantially reduce race and income- based achievement gaps. Most KIPP schools do not have higher levels of attrition than nearby district schools. KIPP Academy Lynn (KAL) is our local success story. As highlighted in the data on ‗Proven Provider Information Sheet', the 8th grade students graduating from KAL are making tremendous academic progress. The 2009 cohort (8th grade graduates) upon entering KAL in the 5th grade, had MCAS proficiency rates of 23% in math and 25% in ELA. By the time this cohort graduated from KAL four years later, they had average MCAS proficiency rates of 78% in math and 85% in reading. This magnitude of academic gains is consistent across multiple cohorts, and is just one of many indicators that KIPP Academy Lynn's ecuational model works. KAL's student population also closely aligns with that of Boston. As highlighted in our Proven Provider Information sheet, 87% of KAL students live at or below the poverty line, and 80% are Latino and African American. There is significant evidence to indicate improved student performance. In February of 2010, researchers at Harvard and MIT conducted a historical study called, ―Who Benefits from KIPP‖. They analyzed KAL students' MCAS results over the past five years. The researchers of this study compared students who signed up for the KAL lottery and attended KAL with students who signed up for the KAL lottery, were not able to attend KAL, and therefore went to Lynn Public Schools. The researchers argue that this eliminates the ―selection bias‖ because both groups of parents wanted their students to attend KAL. Thus, by comparing the MCAS scores of these two groups, researchers identified the gains in MCAS that result from attending KAL. One of the researchers who conducted the study said he would not have believed the results if he had not seen them himself. The findings were the following (for context, improving one standard deviation is equivalent to moving from the 25th to the 75th percentile.) In Math, KAL students improved 1.2 deviations in their 4 years at KAL. 13 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE In English, KAL students improved .5 deviations in 4 years. Students who entered KAL classified as English Language Learner (ELL) had the greatest gains over 4 years, improving 1.8 deviations in Math and 1.5 deviations in English Language. Students with IEPs had the next highest gains, 1.76 deviations math over 4 years and 1.16 in ELA Overall, KAL had the most success with our most challenging students (the students who were in the bottom quartile in MCAS coming in made the largest gains while at KAL). In addition to KIPP Academy's success at closing the achievement gap academically, KIPP Academy Lynn has also led the KIPP network by reducing student attrition to 2.8% during the 2009-2010 school year. KIPP Academy Boston intends to achieve the same high rates of parent and student satisfaction with correspondingly low rates of student attrition through similar programmatic decisions: weekly professional development for teachers, a strong advisory program, and an extensive parent outreach. The results of the first KIPP elementary school KIPP SHINE Prep in Houston Texas illustrate the achievement gap-closing potential of early childhood education. 96% of the students at SHINE receive free/reduced lunch, and 59% are classified as English Language Learners (ELL). By the fourth grade,more than three quarters of students at KIPP SHINE are in the top quartile nationally in math and over 40% are in top quartile in reading. Similar results are being achieved at KIPP elementary schools across the country. At KIPP Raices in Los Angeles, where 87% of the students receive free/reduced lunch and the majority of students are English Language Learners, 77% of the kindergarten students scored in the 75th percentile or higher in Reading on the Stanford-10. At KIPP DC: LEAP Academy, which serves 99% African American students, 85% of whom receive free/reduced lunch, 59% of the first graders are in the 75th percentile or higher nationally in Reading. We believe that adapting KIPP's national elementary school resources to the needs of Boston's children will lead to even greater outcomes in our community. B. Provide evidence that the school(s) or program(s) for which the proposed proven provider was responsible: serves a student population similar to the population to be served by the proposed charter; that the program to be offered at the proposed charter school is similar to the successful school or program; or the program represents a reasonable modification of the successful school or program, including details of what is proposed as a reasonable modification. If the grade span served by the school(s) or program(s) differs from the proposed charter school, please explain the applicant group's capacity to serve the proposed grade span. Student Population: KIPP Academy Lynn serves a similar demographic to the neighborhoods of Boston we intend to work in. We have higher populations of students receiving free/reduced lunch and special education services than the Lynn Public Schools. Demographic group Boston Public Schools KIPP Academy Lynn Hispanic 40% 57% Black 37% 24% Free & Reduced lunch 75% 84% SPED 20% 19% LEP 20% 17% Similar Program: KIPP Academy Boston will build on the success of KIPP Academy Lynn and the 14 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP elementary programs across the country. KIPP's pillars and leadership training will ensure that KIPP Academy Boston builds on prior success. Additionally KIPP Academy Boston will be able to draw on the elementary school curricula, strategies, and models that produce the most transformative results across the country. Reasonable modification of school or program: The decision to start KIPP Academy Boston with Kindergarten rather than middle school is based on the success of KIPP elementary schools across the country where students are exiting the fourth grade into middle school already above the national averages in reading and math. This strong start will further KIPP Academy Boston and the larger KIPP movement's mission to dramatically improve our student's success in college and life. Capacity to serve the proposed grade span, if different: Although this will be the first KIPP elementary school in Massachusetts, KIPP has founded twenty-four elementary schools across the country. The results from these schools demonstrate the achievement gap closing power of a strong early childhood and elementary education. The founder of the first KIPP elementary program in Houston, Aaron Brenner, is a member of KIPP Academy Boston's advisory board. C. Describe the extent to which the proposed proven provider is responsible for the organizational viability of the school(s) or program(s). Provide evidence of the organizational viability of the school(s) or program(s) for which the proven provider was responsible, including but not limited to: effective governance, organizational management, financial management, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Extent of responsibility for organizational viability: As proven leaders of achievement gap closing schools, Zoia and Dolan are dedicated to the success of the students of KIPP Academy Boston. KIPP nationally is responsible for providing the best school leadership training in the country. KIPP Massachusetts will provide the governance and management necessary for KIPP Academy Boston to thrive. Evidence of effective governance: The board of KIPP Academy Lynn will become the board of KIPP Academy Boston and the umbrella KIPP Massachusetts organization. The board of directors has a strong array of skills and governance experience. As a mature board of a highly functioning school the board has the capacity and desire to govern KIPP Academy Boston. Evidence of organizational management: KIPP Massachusetts will create a clear and purposeful management structure. A clean org chart is only part of the battle when the task is creating a strong network of schools. The structures must be paired with excellent practices. As part of KIPP's national mission to be the gold standard for school leadership training, KIPP Massachusetts's organizational leaders have received extensive training in performance management. The organization will be grounded in effective practices such as goal-setting, regular one on one check-ins, coaching, and feedback. These practices will be found at all levels of the organization from 15 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE the Executive Director to the grade level chairs to the bus monitors. Evidence of financial management: Since its founding, KIPP Academy Lynn has maintained excellent financial management practices and clean audits. In order to continue and expand these practices KIPP Massachusetts will hire a Chief Operating Officer. The COO position will maintain operational and economic efficiency throughout KIPP Massachusetts allowing more money and time to directly benefit the students. The COO will be managed by the Executive Director and overseen by the board's finance committee. Evidence of compliance with applicable laws and regulations: KIPP Academy Lynn has maintained compliance with all applicable laws and regulations since its inception. To ensure that this compliance continues at KIPP Academy Boston, the regional organization will hold a position dedicate to oversight of the Special Education and ELL programs. KIPP Academy Boston will be able to use the use the existing knowledge and skills of the regional back office for other compliance and reporting programs such as Child Nutrition and federal grants. Other: 16 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mission The mission of KIPP Academy Boston Charter School is to create a school environment where students develop the academic skills, intellectual habits and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. Educational Program Our educational program is based on the following elements: High-Quality Instruction - to ensure our students develop the academic and intellectual, and interpersonal skills and habits that will allow them to become responsible and successful adults. Character Development–a consistent and fair Student Management System that rewards positive student behavior and reinforces strong character traits. More Time on Task - KIPP students attend 50% more school than their public school peers, completing 6 years of school in 4 years. The Success of KIPP: Offering enhanced options for students With 99 KIPP schools across the country in 20 states and the District of Columbia, we know the KIPP model works, and we know that the success demonstrated by KIPP Academy Lynn is replicable in and adaptable to Boston. Our successful experience with the following four measures means that we are prepared to replicate this success in Boston. 1) MCAS gains: Our MCAS gains year-over-year speak for themselves. Lynn Public Schools have MCAS averages that closely mirror those in many Boston Public Schools. Given the remarkable gains made by KIPP Lynn students who came to us from LPS, we have proven our ability to provide any remediation necessary to turn largely under-performing populations of students into students who primarily test at or above grade level. For example, the 2009 cohort of KIPP Academy Lynn (KAL) graduates had average 4th grade proficiency rates of 23% in Math and 25% in ELA before entering KAL. By the time this cohort graduated from KAL four years later, the cohort had average MCAS proficiency rates of 78% in Math and 85% in Reading. This magnitude of academic gains is consistent across multiple classes, and is just one of many indicators that KIPP Academy Boston will provide the same remarkable opportunities for Boston students as KAL has for the students of Lynn. 2) Demographic Similarities: KIPP Academy Lynn has been successful with a similar population of students that exist in Boston. KAL educates a student population that is 87% low-income, and 87% minority, a demographic makeup that closely mirrors that of Boston. We are prepared to serve the Boston communities that are in most need of high quality school options. 3) Academic gains particularly for most challenging populations: We are uniquely prepared to serve not only the mainstream population of students in Boston, but particularly the populations who are at highest risk of failure: Special Education students, English Language Learners, and those in the bottom quartile of testing. As proven by a recent longitudinal study conducted by researchers at Harvard and MIT, KIPP Academy Lynn was able to help these highest-risk groups of kids make the greatest gains in year-over-year MCAS scores. The findings were: In Math, KAL students improved 1.2 deviations in their 4 years at KAL. In English, KAL students improved .5 deviations in 4 years. 17 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Students who entered KAL classified as English Language Learner (ELL) had the greatest gains over 4 years, improving 1.8 deviations in Math and 1.5 deviations in English Language Students with IEPs had the next highest gains, 1.76 deviations math over 4 years and 1.16 in ELA Overall, KAL had the most success with our most challenging students (the students who were in the bottom quartile in MCAS coming in made the largest gains while at KAL 4) KIPP Academy Lynn is part of a very large, highly successful national network. Having begun in 1999 with two KIPP schools in Houston and New York City, the KIPP network has grown to 99 schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 26,000 students. We have the resources, the experience, and the expertise to expand in the most strategic, responsible way possible. We know how to grow, and are well prepared to grow the KIPP Massachusetts network to include Boston. Community Support for KIPP Currently, the waitlist for charter schools in Boston (estimated at 10,000) indicates that parents and families of students in low performing schools want more options. This increased demand clearly indicates the need for academically rigorous schools that will prepare these students for success in high school, college, and life beyond. Perhaps the greatest indicator of support for KIPP is the parent response. On the most recent survey conducted with KIPP Academy Lynn families in May 2010, parents made their support for KAL clear. When asked, "Would you recommend KIPP Academy Lynn to another family?" 99% of respondents (238 families) reported 'Yes'. Parents report strong levels of satisfaction across a multitude of other performance measures, indicating that the KIPP model has been and continues to be very well received by the community we serve. Founding Group's Ability to Make the School a Success Since its opening in 2004, the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School has been remarkably successful in educating its students and preparing them for success in high school, college and life. Many Board members have deep personal commitments to the Boston community, and are similarly concerned about the limited number of high quality school options in many Boston neighborhoods. The Board of Trustees for KIPP Academy Boston is highly qualified to lead a successful expansion effort. Several of our members have extensive experience with growing companies as well as expanding schools. Since its formation in 2003, the board has effectively governed the operation of an academically successful and operation. The KIPP Academy Boston management team includes two former KIPP school founders with substantial history of leading schools that produce transformative outcomes for kids. PUBLIC STATEMENT The mission of KIPP Academy Boston Charter School is to create an environment where the students of Boston develop the academic skills, intellectual habits and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. KIPP Academy Boston Charter School is modeled after the highly successful and nationally recognized KIPP Schools, and is governed by the same Board of Trustees as the highly successful KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. 18 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP Academy Boston Charter School Table of Contents I. Charter School Mission, Vision, and Description of the Community(ies) to be Served A. Mission Statement 1 B. Vision Statement 1 C. Description of the Community(ies) to be Served 2 II. How will the school demonstrate academic success? 4 A. Educational Philosophy 4 B. Curriculum and Instruction 7 C. Promotion and Graduation Standards 15 D. Assessment System 18 E. School Characteristics 19 F. Special Student Populations and Student Services 24 III. How will the school demonstrate organizational viability? 29 A. Enrollment and Recruitment 29 B. Capacity 32 C. School Governance 34 D. Management Structure 42 E. Facilities and Student Transportation 50 F. School Finances 52 Fiscal Management 52 Budget and Budget Narrative 52 G. Action Plan 53 IV. How will the school demonstrate that it is faithful to the terms of its charter? A. Process 54 B. Goals 54 C. Narrative 55 D. Dissemination 55 V. Attachments: Required and Additional A. Draft Recruitment and Retention Plan 56 B. Network of Schools Action Plan 62 C. Special Education Staffing Plan 71 19 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE D. Sample By-Laws 72 E. Resumes of Founding Team Members 77 F. Letters of Commitment and Support 101 G. I-3 Grant Project Abstract 119 H. Healthy Schools Surveys 125 I. Action Plan 127 20 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE I. CHARTER SCHOOL MISSION, VISION, AND DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY(IES) TO BE SERVED A. MISSION STATEMENT The mission of KIPP Academy Boston Charter School is to create a school environment where students develop the academic skills, intellectual habits and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. We wish to serve the students and families in Boston's most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and wherever the achievement gap currently persists. We will continue the work begun at KIPP Academy Lynn by seeking to serve student demographics that mirror those of neighborhood schools in terms of race, socio-economic status, English Language Learners, and Special Education students. Our promise to students and families is that their children will enter college able to thrive academically due to their literacy, numeracy, and core knowledge in science and social studies. We also promise that our students will develop the zest for learning and grit necessary to persevere as they climb the mountain to and ultimately through college. These students will be able to return to their community as citizens, teachers, leaders, and architects of continued growth in Boston. B. VISION STATEMENT Our vision is realized when ALL of our students recognize their full potential in life. KIPP Academy Lynn has successfully worked with a student population with similar demographics to Boston (see the proven provider form for more detail). KIPP Academy Boston will partner with our students and their families to ensure that they are not only accepted into college, but that they successfully graduate from college. This will ultimately offer students the opportunity to live a life of choice. Through high quality teaching, discipline, and positive reinforcement, our students develop the skills, habits, and mindsets necessary to not only improve their own circumstances but to also play a significant role in improving their communities. In KIPP Schools across the country our alumni are returning to their communities to lead the next generation of KIPP students to even greater impact in their communities and the world beyond. We are committed to keeping all of our students. At KIPP Academy Lynn in SY 2010, we had a 2.8% student attrition rate. We work with some of the most at-risk students and they don't leave. Our vision of successful adults depends on creating a school that kids and families trust, one that genuinely cares about their achievement, their well-being, and their character. As the second KIPP school in Massachusetts, KIPP Academy Boston intends to build on the success achieved by KIPP Academy Lynn in helping its SPED and ELL students achieve transformative academic gains in a joyful school culture. We see our school as part of a broader movement, a partnership between the charter system and the traditional school system, both of which seek to make Boston a city where kids grow up without an achievement gap. This partnership may take a number of forms. We hope to share effective KIPP practices in leadership and teacher development with other traditional public school and charter school educators. We also hope to leverage some of KIPP's national partnerships with organizations such as the United Negro College Fund, Deerfield Academy, and the Jack Kent Cooke Scholars to directly benefit our students and their families. Teachers at KIPP Academy Boston will have access to national professional development opportunities through the KIPP School Summit and content area retreats. Emerging leaders at KIPP Academy Boston and its partner organizations will be able to participate in the KIPP School Leadership 21 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Programs which recently received a fifty million dollar scale up grant from the United States Department of Education. As national movement one of KIPP's pillars is Power to Lead. Each KIPP school leader is empowered to build a school that meets the needs of the students and their families. In Lynn, Josh Zoia founded a school serving a predominantly immigrant community with forty-five countries represented in the student body, and as a result developed a strong parent education program that now brings over 150 adults into the school twice a week for ESL, citizenship, and technology classes. In the rural North Carolina community of Gaston, Dolan's school developed a strong education as social justice theme emanating from the area's history of slavery, emancipation and the civil rights movement. KIPP Gaston also supplemented missing community services with music and drama classes for all students. We recognize that the make-up of our student body in Boston could vary from a majority African-American to largely Latino immigrants depending on the neighborhood. Regardless, we are committed to serving the students most in need. We have seen the power of KIPP elementary school across the country for both students and parents. Parents develop a high degree of comfort and faith in the schools and the students build achievement-gap closing academic skills and character habits. As current director of KIPP Principal Development, Dolan teaches many of the elementary leaders and reviews their school design plans. We also have access to a wealth of curriculum and wisdom from successful KIPP elementary schools. Our vision is that KIPP Academy Boston will model KIPP's pillars of strong leadership and joyful, outcomes driven teaching and learning. By starting in Kindergarten, our students will enter middle school above the national averages in reading, writing, and math, preparing them to excel in a rigorous college preparatory middle school curriculum. The success of our mission is not realized until our students graduate from college and lead empowered lives. There are a number of high quality public and private high schools for our students in Boston. As our middle school opens we will re-evaluate the best high school option for our students and families. C. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY(IES) TO BE SERVED Boston is a wonderfully diverse community, ethnically, economically and culturally. Similar to most urban communities across the US, academic underachievement within the city of Boston is highest in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty, crime, and violence. In addition, the consistent underperformance of schools and students in these areas for many years has created a culture of low expectations among teachers, parents and the community at large. Because of the lack of academic success, many children who represent the future of Boston will have limited in opportunities to succeed in college and in life. A December 18, 2009 column by Renee Loth describes the growing inequalities within Boston. From 2005 to 2007, the median household income for the census area covering Roxbury, Mattapan, Mission Hill, and Dorchester was $28,000, compared to $61,000 for West Roxbury, Roslindale, and Hyde Park. And the riches are concentrated: the top 5 percent of the city's population had 25 percent of the wealth. This state's economic profile - heavily dependent on brainpower for success - also tilts its gains more dramatically to one side of the societal divide. "The upside is that our economy rewards education and skills,'' said Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation. "The downside is that you are starkly punished if you don't have those skills.'' The stark punishment that Grogan talked about will affect the nearly 55% of Boston Public School students who are not reading at proficient levels, and nearly 66% who are not proficient in Math. The 2009 high school graduation rate of 61%is equally disconcerting. The drastically low high school graduation rate and standardized testing scores are not simply a reflection of underperforming high schools, but also an indication that some Boston students are not receiving necessary academic, 22 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE intellectual and character development during their K-8 years. Without the foundation of a strong K-8 education, students simply cannot succeed in high school and post-secondary education. This reality is illustrated by the 2008 report ―Bachelor's Degree Attainment by Age 24 by Family Income Quartiles, 1970 to 2008.‖ 1 In particular, ELL and Special Education students are struggling. According to an October 2010 Boston Globe article 42%2 of the district's nearly 11,000 English language learners were not receiving legally required help3. The Boston community is seeking strong options for these students and their families. We intend to serve communities with high need for a KIPP school to increase the number of students earning college degrees. Mattapan is emblematic of the communities within Boston that we wish to serve. The neighborhood has a growing school age population, a large ELL population (primarily French-Creole and Spanish) and significant social challenges. Mattapan's per-capita income is just $14,800 - barely half that of nearby West Roxbury. The poverty has led to the city's highest rates of overcrowding and crime in the city of Boston. There are also numerous strengths within the community that we could draw upon. These strengths include strong community development organizations, Boston's largest Haitian and Cape Verdean communities, and a new local library. Starting with the elementary program in Boston will allow our students to build foundations in literacy and numeracy that allow for advanced achievement in the arts and sciences during middle school, high school, and college. Most achievement gap-closing middle schools including KIPP Academy Lynn devote a tremendous amount of time and energy to remediating reading, writing, and math skills for their fifth grade classes. If our elementary school fulfills its promise as KIPP elementary schools across the country are doing, then our future middle school students will be able to devote the time that currently goes to reading and math remediation to their science fair projects, jazz band practice, or engineering elective instead KIPP offers access to a national movement whose commitment to students is not just to high school graduation and college acceptance but ultimately, success through college and into empowered lives. Students and families who commit to KIPP will have resources for college counseling, financing, and support. A national database of all KIPP alumni allows us to track and constantly work to improve college graduation rates. This same database will make it easy for the young KIPP students of KIPP Academy Boston to meet up with the KIPP students from across the country attending college in New England. This exposure to strong role models with a shared experience is a powerful resource that KIPP Academy Boston hopes to bring to our students and their families. The current Board of Trustees of KIPP Academy Lynn is proposing to replicate our school in Boston because we have proven, both locally and nationally, that our educational model is effective. With 99 KIPP schools across the country in 19 states, we know the KIPP model works. A recent study by Mathematica Research Policy, Inc. in June 2010 provided the most rigorous report to date on KIPP middle schools, and highlighted the tremendous success of the KIPP model. A separate report by MIT The key findings from the report are included in the proven provider section of the application. The Board of KIPP Academy Lynn is committed to the mission of providing rigorous, high quality, college preparatory schools for students of Massachusetts. Many Board members have deep personal commitments to the Boston community, and are similarly concerned about the limited number of high quality public school options in many Boston neighborhoods. The Board members realize that they are positioned to establish an exceptional school for Boston students. They know that the KIPP model will expand options for students through innovative methods that are not available in Boston Public Schools or in many existing Boston charter schools. These innovative and successful school methods include: 1. Increasing the amount of time students are in school engaged in rigorous academic instruction. 1 Tom Mortenson www.postsecondary.org. 3 Http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/10/01/feds_boston_schools_settle_english_learner_probe_1285961895/ 23 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP Academy Boston Charter School students will attend school for nine and a half hours per day, compared to six hours per day for Boston Public Schools. This will lead to higher academic achievement and keep the students in a safe and engaging environment during the hours of 3pm to 5pm, a time when many of the crimes committed by youth occur. 2. Facilitating partnerships between school, students and their families to address student behavior outside of the school. Teachers and administrators will actively engage parents and families by conducting home visits at the beginning of the school year, and making themselves available to students and parents via cell phone until 9:00 at night, seven days per week. The partnership formed between the school and the parents widens and strengthens each student's safety net. In addition, KAL is open three nights per week until 9:00 PM for parent programming. Eighty-five of our 225 families are involved in one or more of our weekly English, computer, or citizenship classes- programming that we believe is directly linked to our low 2.8% student attrition rate. We are committed to creating similar programming for our future KIPP Academy Boston families. 3. Providing students with in-depth structured character education. The research of Carol Dweck and Martin Seligman has provided significant insight into the mindsets and character traits that are necessary for students to lead successful, fulfilling lives. KIPP Academy Boston's leaders and teachers will develop these mindsets through profession learning about their own character development and dual purpose curriculum and lesson planning. Character development will not be an elective or a program at KIPP Academy Boston; character development is central to the mission and success of our students and school. Everyone in the building, from kindergarteners to lunch staff to members of the leadership team will share a common language for character development and a common passion for modeling it. On the most recent family survey conducted in May 2010, parents made their support for KAL clear. When asked, ―Would you recommend KIPP Academy Lynn to another family?‖ 99% of respondents (238 families) reported ‗Yes'. Parents report strong levels of satisfaction across a number of measures we use to assess school performance. An example of the survey and additional KIPP Academy results is included in the appendix. Boston has always been home to a thriving community of educators. We believe that many of these teachers and leaders will benefit from access to the national resources of KIPP. Teachers who commit to KIPP gain access to national retreats and an on-line portal sharing videos and documents illustrating best practices. Leaders who wish to further their development have access to KIPP's nationally recognized leadership training which was recently awarded a fifty million dollar federal I-3 scale up grant. A Commonwealth charter is needed to implement the educational programs featured in this school. The autonomy to control the school's budget, set school hours, and hire and fire staff is necessary to implement the school's extended school day, week and year schedule. Additionally, practices such as home visits and teacher accessibility via cell phone can be implemented under the parameters of a Commonwealth charter. II. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS? A. Educational Philosophy The educational philosophy of KIPP Academy Boston Charter School will be modeled upon the nationally recognized, tested and proven Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP). KIPP has grown from two schools in Houston and the Bronx to 99 schools (24 elementary, 60 middle, and 15 high schools) serving over 26,000 students across the country. The KIPP model has expanded from its original middle school focus to found some of the nation's highest performing elementary and high schools in under- resourced communities. Detailed results from KIPP elementary programs are included in the proven provider section of the application. For both elementary and middle school grades, three key elements of our educational program that will produce these outcomes are: (1) High Quality Instruction, (2) Emphasis on Character Development, 24 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE (3) More Time on Task. These are the cornerstones of our educational philosophy. These elements support the school's mission of creating an environment where ALL students of KIPP Academy Boston will develop the academic skill and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in college and the world beyond. Although there are several important factors that contribute to student achievement, research has demonstrated that the quality of instruction in the classroom has twice the impact on student achievement4 as school-wide policies regarding curriculum, assessment, staff collegiality, and community involvement. Experience at KIPP schools has indicated that high quality instruction consists of two components: What is taught and How it is taught. The content of the educational program at KIPP Academy Boston will be driven by developing the academic, intellectual and character skills of students. Academic skills include the fundamental skills and knowledge articulated in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. The focus on fundamentals is especially important in the communities KIPP serves where low standardized test scores suggest that many students have poor mastery of these fundamental academic skills and knowledge. This is especially true for the subgroup of minority students, students qualifying for free and reduced price lunch, and special education and limited English proficiency students. Developing intellectual skills in our students is a key component of KIPP Academy Boston's mission. In accordance with findings from Benjamin Bloom's ―Taxonomy of Educational Objectives,‖ as the fundamental academic skills are known and comprehended, students will be increasingly required to apply their skills and knowledge to new situations, as well as analyze, synthesize and evaluate the information they are learning. To ensure that our students develop the necessary intellectual skills, we have developed a curriculum that will push students to extend their fundamental academic skills and knowledge into exploring more complex and abstract concepts. The curriculum can be found in appendix. At KIPP we have learned that high quality instruction is a result of proper planning, varied instruction techniques, and methods that are relevant to students. Both Zoia and Dolan have done extensive training with Jon Saphier and Research for Better Teaching-one of the pre-eminent organizations in the field. Based on experience and research, KIPP Academy Boston will take a four part approach to quality instruction: Quality Instruction is Meticulously Planned. Teachers at KIPP Academy Boston will be required to plan lessons over the summer in the school's week-long curriculum development and professional development workshops. All lessons must be planned at least 24 hours in advance and follow a common lesson plan format. The format for middle grades5 will include the following components in each hour- long lesson: the lesson's aim, a review activity, motivation/purpose for the lesson, key vocabulary/rules/facts/ideas that the students must learn, questions that the teacher does not want to forget to ask, two to three teacher-guided activities, two independent activities, criteria for lesson evaluation and assigned homework. Elementary lessons may include more discovery learning in the lesson plan format, while ensuring that learning is focused on specific objectives and content standards. Since students must engage with ideas and skills in a number of ways, teachers must plan for a number of different interactions with each concept. Lessons will incorporate auditory, visual and kinesthetic activities in order to improve retention for all students. A lesson on the form and function of the organs of the human circulatory system might include a rap to help memorize the circulatory parts and their functions (auditory), a student-created diagram of the circulatory system (visual), and students enacting the journey of food through the system in a skit (kinesthetic). Quality Instruction is Executed Intentionally with a Growth Mindset. Teachers are KIPP Academy Boston know that developing a large repertoire of instructional strategies is on only part of their challenge. Teachers must also strategically match strategies to the students' needs. Our teachers will develop their skill sets for explaining, questioning, building relationships and responding to student 4 ―Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Student Academic Achievement‖ Sanders and Rivers 5 KIPP Annotated Lesson Plan Format 25 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE answers6. The teachers whose students achieve the greatest growth tend finely hone these skills7 to build a classroom where every student is invested and challenged. These teacher skills must be delivered by teachers with a growth mindset rather than fixed mindset.8 A teacher with a growth mindset believes that effort is the key factor for student success and that intelligence is malleable and not a predetermined quantity. Research has illustrated that students in classrooms that cultivate a growth mindset grow and achieve at significantly faster rates than those in a classroom that reinforces a traditional fixed mindset. Quality Instruction is Relevant to Students. One of the most powerful principles of learning articulated by Madeline Hunter and reiterated in ―The Skillful Teacher‖ by Jon Saphier is that students acquire knowledge faster and retain more of it when teaching and learning is grounded in examples and contexts that are meaningful to students' lives9. Meaningful instruction establishes both a connection between the student and the content or skill and establishes the urgent need for the student to learn. Quality Instruction Focuses on Results for Kids. At KIPP we believe that there is not quality teaching if students aren't learning. In order to assess attainment of the school's mission, it is essential that we commit to a focus on results for kids. Teachers must assess student understanding constantly, in both formative daily checks and summative assessments such as writing pieces, science projects, and tests. The school leaders must foster a staff culture that talks openly about student outcomes where teachers seek help from each other and from the leaders when kids aren't learning. The focus on outcomes will empower our students to compete at the nation's best high schools and elite colleges and ultimately become responsible citizens. The experience of countless educators and parents is supported by the research10. Achievement and happiness increase when certain character traits are cultivated. Our school will achieve this clarity and common vision by basing our character skills development program on a set of core values. These values will be aligned to virtues, by which we mean the specific words, actions and visible daily habits that our students will cultivate each day. The core values for KIPP Academy Boston will be tailored to reflect the culture of the leadership, staff and specific community where KIPP Academy Boston is located. Some examples of core virtues from other successful KIPP schools include: 1) Tenacity – Never giving up; 2) Excellence – Always putting forth your best effort; 3) Adventurous Spirit – Willingness to push oneself beyond comfort; 4) Teamwork – Acting in the best interest of others and yourself; 5) Respect – Treating others as they would like to be treated; 6) Self-Reliance – Developing the inner strength to act by oneself when needed; and 7) Creative expression – Nurturing the creation of original ideas and works. The vertical progression of the values curriculum over a child's experience at KIPP Academy Boston will resemble the work from KIPP Shine in the appendix. Students need more than academic and intellectual skills alone in order to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. In the words of David Levin, founder of KIPP Academy New York, ―The experiences of KIPP Academy New York and KIPP Academy Houston have taught us that academics without character are useless; students will have the skills but lack the motivation to use them. Character without academics is hollow; students will have the motivation but not the ability to use it. Together, they have the power to transform lives.‖ At KIPP Academy Boston high quality instruction aims to ―maximize the number and depth of dual purpose experiences."11 Skillful teachers simultaneously develop academic skill and character traits. Unlike artificial add-on programs, dual purpose instruction seeks to intentionally interleave the teaching of character and content. A math teacher reinforces perseverance as students struggle with word 6 The Planning and Clarity chapters of the Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier 7 Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov 8 Mindset and School Achievement from Mindset The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck 9 The Principles of Learning Chapter of the Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier 10 Primer on Positive Psychology 11 From "General Thoughts on Teaching Character" by David Levin KIPP Summer Institute Binder 26 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE problems. A kindergarten teacher reads the story of John Henry to practice fluency and celebrate hard work. Given the school's numerous learning goals and the fact that many students will arrive at KIPP academically behind their peers from middle class and more affluent communities, a longer school day, year, and mandatory summer school is necessary. In several studies, the KIPP model has shown that longer hours on task are invaluable to helping students make academic gains at accelerated levels. Since students learn at different speeds, the extra time allows staff to do remediation for those students who need to ―catch up,‖ and to accelerate those students who are advancing at a faster pace. More time can be wasted but more time on task means that all students are learning and engaged at all times. The aim is to maximize each of the 570 minutes the staff has with the students each day. More time on task means that the school routines and systems must be extremely efficient at the basic housekeeping level. This means the daily tasks of the school (hallway transitions, lunchroom entrance and dismissal, collection of parent letters). Every moment is saved by having effective systems in placecan transform into more opportunities for joyful learning inside and outside the classroom. These systems can include a kindergarten teacher whose assigned classroom jobs include a ―homework checker‖ and a student ―substitute‖ teacher12 who allows the teacher to work with intervention groups, ora middle school teacher who conducts a lightning fast attendance check in morning meeting to ensure class time is not wasted on that task. These thoughtfully engineered systems and routines must be paired with a culture where rigor and joy are connected rather than opposing goals. We will demand a great deal from ourselves, our teachers, and our kids and we will do it in an environment filled with opportunities for students to develop passion for content and expand themselves through arts, sports, and travel. More time on task means the school does not have to cut PE, arts, or school celebrations in order to make academic gains. More time on task means teachers have more time to build strong relationships with students and their families because the time-wasting behaviors of students and adults have been minimized. One particularly powerful example of the power of more time on task is in the arena of vocabulary development. The research shows a strong relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension level; moreover, that relationship grows stronger as students progress through school (Snow, Porche, Tabors, & Harris, 2007). Because students who know many words can comprehend what they read, they continue to increase their vocabularies and content knowledge through reading. The opposite holds true for students with limited vocabularies, especially English language learners (Blachowicz, Fisher, Ogle, & Watts-Taffe, 2006)13 There is not enough time in a traditional school day to eliminate this gap. KIPP Academy Boston will have the time to teach vocabulary intentionally at every level in every subject. Students will have numerous opportunities to practice their new vocabulary in classroom activities, games, reading, and writing. The corresponding impact of intensive vocabulary acquisition on college readiness will be profound particularly for English Language Learners. B. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION The two big academic goals of our curriculum build to the larger goal of our mission: 100% of our students are able to go to and through college to a fulfilling life. Character goals are included in the accountability plan later in the document. Big Goal #1: Students' academic performance meets or exceeds local, state, and national standards. 12 See Kim Underwood's "Substitute" routine at http://kipp.betterlesson.org/lessonfiles/view/56843 13 "Closing the Vocabulary Gap"http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational- leadership/mar10/vol67/num06/Closing-the-Vocabulary-Gap.aspx 27 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Each year, 75 percent of K-2 graders will perform at or above grade level in English Language Arts as measured by Fontas and Pinnell running records. For Kindergarteners this equates in a level B by the end of the year, a level H for 1st grade students and a level L for third graders. The Fontas and Pinnell running records will assess students' vocabulary, comprehension and phonics skills in order to appropriately determine a reading level. Each year, 75% of K-2 graders will perform at or above grade level in Math (?)by mastering at least 80 percent of the Massachusetts standards. Mastery is determined by beginning, middle and end of the year diagnostics for each grade level and interim assessments to determine mastery of each state standard. Mastery of a standard is defined by 80 percent or better on the math assessments which will be developed internally by teachers and adapted from the math curriculum. Each year, 75 percent of Kindergarten through 2nd grade students will perform at or above grade level in reading, as determined by teacher created interim reading assessments. Each year, 75 percent of Kindergarten through 2nd grade students will perform at or above grade level in mathematics, as determined by teacher created interim math assessments. Big Goal #2: Students' academic performance improves every year at KIPP Academy Boston. For years 2 through 5 of the proposed charter, each grade-level cohort of the same students (i.e. students who are in the school for two years in a row) will reduce by one-half the gap between the baseline and the goal, where the baseline represents the percent of students at or above proficiency on the previous year's Massachusetts ELA, Math, or Science exam and with the goal being that 75 percent of students will test at or above proficient on the current year's State ELA, Math, or Science exam. For grade K-2 grade, the ―at or above grade level‖ status will be determined by the Fontas and Pinnell reading levels and students at or above 80 percent mastery of Massachusetts math standards. The same calculations apply for all grades, in that the number of students below each of these standards will be decreased by ½ each year. If the number of students scoring above proficiency in a grade level cohort exceeded 75 percent on the previous year's ELA, Math, or Science exam, we will demonstrate some growth (above 75 percent) in the current year (relevant for schools serving grades 3-8). For example, if 35% of a school's students score proficient in year 1, the school must ensure that at least 55% of the same students who took the test at the school in year 1 are proficient the following year, thereby reducing by half the gap between the first year's performance of 35% proficient and the goal of 75% proficient (or whatever level the school sets above 75%). Beginning in kindergarten, KIPP Academy Boston students will take the NWEA test in September, January, and May. KIPP Academy Lynn piloted the NWEA during the 2008 – 2009 school year with its middle school students. After viewing the September diagnostic, teachers will set goals for percentage growth for students and their class as a whole. As a team, we will also develop school- wide minimum standards for our students to reach by the May assessment. The curriculum for the elementary grades (K-4) is modeled after the proven curriculum and instructional strategies of existing, successful KIPP elementary programs. While some elements of the elementary school curriculum will be finalized during the planning year starting in September 2010, KIPP Academy Boston has already begun to establish an elementary school curriculum based upon interviews with KIPP network schools and Massachusetts charter school peers. There will be a specific emphasis that will continue from pre-kindergarten through 4th grade. In reading and language arts, there will be an initial emphasis on building a foundation of reading for each and every learner. The curriculum will include phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, sound and letter recognition, and oral expression and articulation. Instruction will place an overall emphasis on a meta-cognitive approach to literacy. Fourth graders will develop a ―toolbox‖ of 28 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE reading and writing strategies that they will use to access any text before them and to clearly express themselves for the remainder of their lives. In mathematics, there will be an emphasis on developing numeracy skills for our earliest learners; with an emphasis on one-to-one correspondence, number awareness and patterns. Instruction will also focus on the concepts behind the facts and on problem solving. The young mathematicians will always know (or be able to find out) the why behind each math concept. In social sciences, the emphasis on instruction will be on discovery based learning that centers around units of study aligned to our standards. The social studies curriculum will also emphasize strong, moral leaders from history and in our current society. In science, instruction will emphasize the scientific method and its relevance to discovery and learning through hands-on experiments. All of the core subject teachers will be asked to enhance their lessons with musical, artistic, and theatrical elements in order to make the learning engaging and exciting, and to differentiate instruction for each type of learner in the classroom. A sample outline of our K-4 curriculum, including a description of content, skills and curriculum resources, is included in appendix. The college preparatory curriculum for KIPP Academy Boston's upper school (grades 5-8) is based on the rigorous and highly successful curricular models implemented at KAL and the other 55 KIPP middle schools across the country. The curriculum has been tailored to ensure alignment with the standards of the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. Our curriculum has been designed to prepare all graduates for the most competitive high school programs within Boston and across the state. It is rooted not only in the state frameworks but also in rigorous KIPP eighth grade exit standards have been successful in preparing dozens of KIPP alumni for prestigious public and private high schools. A sample outline on the following pages describes the curriculum that will be used in the school across subject areas and grade levels. The academic curriculum is intertwined with the character curriculum. In middle school the character curriculum is delivered in a number of ways. In the elementary grades character education will be driven through the teaching of actionable values. KIPP SHINE founder Aaron Brenner (an advisor to KIPP Academy Boston) made the school's values (Seek, Honor, Imagine, Never give up, Everday) into an ongoing series of character lessons that were taught in morning meeting, afternoon circle and whole school celebrations. The students were taught to describe, illustrate, and act out the value. They then shared individual examples of the value in action and described examples of the value in stories and in their teammates. Teachers used the value language to name and celebrate students' behavior. ―I love how Carlos is seeking more knowledge by getting another book.‖ ―We are doing a good job of honoring our teammates by listening.‖ This intensive, holistic approach to character development fostered an incredibly vibrant school culture and amazing achievement. While we may not use the exact same language, we will bring this approach to KIPP Academy Boston. In middle school we will continue to emphasize and teach character development as students wrestle with the challenges of adolescence. In grades 5-8 we will use three main avenues for the direct teaching of character dual purpose lesson planning where teachers help students make explicit connections between the content and character strengths., student advisory groups that meet weekly to focus on students' character development and weekly whole grade and whole school celebrations of student character strengths. Elementary Kindergarten- First Grade Second Grade- Third Grade- School Sense and Number Sense Number Sense and Number Sense and Math: Operation and Operation Operation Operation 29 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE CONTENT Students will explore The unit will build Before students move into This unit will be how numbers work students' fluency more complicated algorithms both a review of the in the world around in number in subtraction and addition skills acquired in the them and the manipulation and they will need fluency in lower grades as well meaning they bring. how rules in math basic addition and subtraction as an extension into can be applied. facts. This unit will build a set more complex of rules and mental math algorithms with strategies so that students can addition and quickly compute facts. subtraction. SKILLS Count up to nine Student will look Some of the strategies will Students will use and associate for patterns to include: their knowledge of numbers with Discover odd double facts fact families to solve quantities. and even fact families, basic facts quickly. Identify Patterns numbers as well commutative property with colors, blocks, as create patterns The number stories motions or rules than can in the unit will Perform finger be applied. require students to counting Count a mixture distinguish between Identify everyday of coins (dimes, operations and will numbers associated nickels, and have multiple steps. with address, pennies), and phone numbers, begin to calendars, body understand the height patterns of a comparisons, etc. clock. Adding and Subtracting on a Number Line ENGLISH: Kindergarten First Second Third Beginning Reading Beginning Reading Beginning Beginning Reading Reading CONTENT All About Me. Through In Who Are We, What makes me, In Leaders of Our picture rich text, writing reading, writing, me? World students will journals and books, listening and speaking In What Makes Me, continue with the genre telling stories to their have been integrated into Me? Students will of Biography. As the teammates and listening a thematic unit in order explore listening, students move into 3rd to stories told by their to have students explore reading, speaking grade, they will study classmates, students and master skills through and writing skills the positive leaders of will gain a greater sense the topic of the and concepts our world and those of self and expression. individual. In first grade through biographies that led in a negative The reading content and students will explore of famous people direction as well. This performance indicators syllables, blends, writing and their unit will be integrated have been arranged to personal narratives, teammates. with our character fit within the theme of sharing in groups, and development as we All About Me. listening to others truly start to delve into Therefore, the skills will through their own the lesson that with be taught contextually, biographies, their great power comes which will allow the community members' great responsibility. students to grasp them biographies as well as SStudents will truly at a deeper level. For those of notable people. step from learning to example, reading own read into reading to 30 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE name and that of family learn in third grade. and friends, ties in nicely when students are writing and reading stories. SKILLS Phonological and Phonological and Decoding Decoding Including Phonemic Awareness Phonemic Awareness Including Phonics Phonics and Isolate individual Identify letter-sound and Structural Structural Analysis sounds within correspondences, Analysis Use knowledge of spoken words including consonants Identify and letter-sound (―What is the first and short and long produce all letter- correspondence to sound in can?‖) vowels sound blend sounds when Phoneme Isolation Blend sounds using correspondences, reading unfamiliar, Listens to one- knowledge of letter- including but decodable, grade- syllable words and tell sound consonant level words the beginning or correspondences for blends/digraphs Fluency ending sounds decoding. and vowel Sight-read Print Awareness Print Awareness digraphs/ automatically grade- Identify the parts of a Identify parts of a diphthongs level high-frequency book and their book and their Blend sounds words and irregularly functions purposes including using knowledge spelled content Distinguish between identification of of letter-sound words letters and words. author, illustrator, title correspondences Background Alphabet Recognition page, table of contents in order to decode Knowledge and and Phonics and chapter headings unfamiliar, but Vocabulary Identify some decodable, Development consonant letter- multisyllabic Study categories of sound grade-level words words to learn grade correspondences level vocabulary Recognize letter- sound matches by naming and identifying each letter of the alphabet History and Kindergarten First Second Third Geography CONTENT All About School and Changes in the Way Political Systems in Economics & Me We Live Action Geography Where Students will begin to Students will explore Students will You Live learn more about the geography and the investigate political Students will use the school environment and effects it has on the systems and what lens of community their place in it. They way we live. At the end makes them effective life through the ages will explore the physical of the unit students will or ineffective. By the to study how people environment of the be able to explain that end of this unit organize geographic school, take mini field knowing the students will be able and economic trips through the characteristics within a to explain that in a systems to produce hallways, make region helps people to democracy, people flourishing cultures. observations on the satisfy their wants and create governments to Students will go into playground and map out choose their location provide order, depth as they explore the different parts of the for living. security, and protect the geography and building. individual rights. economy of Boston and the State. 31 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Science Kindergarten First Second Third Weather and Seasons Weather and Seasons Why does matter The Power of Water Students will begin to Students will begin to matter? In this unit, students focus on the weather focus on the weather Students will explore will explore the power and how it changes and how it changes different properties of of water. Water is the during the different during the different matter and evaluate most important seasons. They will seasons. They will how it changes and substance on Earth. begin to look for clues begin to look for clues varies among objects. Water dominates the as to what the weather as to what the weather Students will look into surface of our planet, is going to be using the is going to be using the the multiple forms that changes the face of the natural signs around natural signs around matter and energy can land, and defines life. them. The them. The take and to give These powerful, investigations will investigations will students experience pervasive ideas are provide opportunities provide opportunities with the transfer of introduced here. for young students to for young students to energy from one form Students explore explore the natural explore the natural to another. Students will properties of water, world by using simple world by using simple conduct and observe changes in water, tools to observe and tools to observe and chemical reactions and interactions between monitor change. We monitor change. We are introduced to atoms water and other earth will delve into weather will delve into weather and elements. Students materials, and how forecasts and recording forecasts and recording will start to relate the humans use water. By data. data sun's energy to its the end of this unit, effect on all living students will be able to things on earth as well explain the connection as possible of water to the land, environmental the life of living things implications. and the longevity of their environment. SKILLS Students will: Students will: Students will: Students will: Develop a curiosity Seek out texts that Measure, compare Observe and about the living things further their and record physical explore properties that are part of their knowledge of weather properties of objects of water in liquid, world. and air using standard solid, and gaseous Make observations Make observations (metric) and states. and ask questions about the weather and nonstandard units, Describe the about the world notice trends and and appropriate tools changes that allow around them patterns (e.g., rulers, for water to Collect samples of Observe and describe thermometers, pan change states living things from the weather conditions balances, spring Observe the world around them for that occur during scales, graduated expansion and promotion of study each season cylinders, beakers) contraction of within the classroom Master vocabulary Describe and compare water as it warms Identify the basic (e.g., rainy, windy, the physical and cools. needs of organisms to sunny) for different properties of matter ( Compare to the survive types of weather Observe energy freezing and Determine the Experiences air as a sources doing work cooling of other difference between material that takes up and learn how energy objects living and thriving space and can be (light, heat, motion, Describe the compressed into chemical, electric) physical properties smaller spaces can be converted from of water: one form to another. The continuous refinement of curriculum will occur with the guidance of the School Principals and Chief Academic Officer, will continue to review and refine the school curriculum to ensure alignment 32 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. For instance, each of the 78 KIPP Academy Boston English Language Arts index standards will be aligned to the 27 Massachusetts English Language Arts General Standards, in addition to their more discrete Learning Standards. This alignment will take place annually during the two weeks of staff development, prior to the start of summer school. An example of this alignment can be seen in the appendix. The teaching staff will also ensure lesson plans are mapped to curriculum standards through a rigorous and ongoing curricular planning process that is structured in the following manner: Create big goals Develop standards Break standards into objectives Map objectives Create unit essential questions, enduring understandings, and end of unit assessment Plan week assessments Create weekly and daily lesson plans. Boston has a significant population of families that are not native English speakers. Nearly 20% of the students attending public schools in Boston are English Language Learners; many of these are of Cambodian, Caribbean, South American and Mexican descent. English Language Learners will benefit heavily from the school's emphasis on English mastery. The school's curriculum affords all students with over two hours of instruction in reading, writing and speaking the English language on a daily basis – nearly twice the amount of instruction most students receive in Boston Public Schools. This extra time will be critical to those students learning the English language. At KIPP Academy Lynn, the actual proves what is possible. 17% of our student comes to us classified as ELL. Students classified as ELL made the greatest MCAS gains of any students in our school. These results from a five-year study conducted by researchers at MIT and Harvard of KIPP Academy Lynn's MCAS scores are reported in more detail in the proven provider section of this document. Students with special needs will also receive a continuum of services that will meet their individualized educational plans (Please see the ―Special Student Populations and Student Services‖ section for a full description of special needs services). The fact that tutoring is part of the regular education program for all students reduces stigma (with the students) and discrepancies between the school's regular and special education program. Students who enter below grade level, or below developmental milestones, will benefit from the extra instructional time. At KIPP Academy Lynn, 19% of our student comes to us with an IEP. Students with IEPs made the second greatest gains in reading and math of any students in our school. These results can also be seen in more detail in the Proven Provider section of this prospectus. KIPP Academy Boston will adapt many of the successful strategies used in KIPP elementary and middle schools across the country. Methods of instruction at KIPP Academy Boston will include but not be limited to the workshop model, small group direct instruction, circle/calendar/class meeting time, and learning centers. As we evolve into our middle school years we will use and seek to constantly expand our repertoire for skillful teaching of adolescents. The key instructional strategies that KIPP Boston will use include the following: Focus on literacy as the foundation of all learning: Our class schedules will include double blocks of literacy at every level as well as small group guided reading. All classrooms will be text rich environments with intentional vocabulary development and text choices, including opportunities for writing and speaking across all subject areas. Standards-Based Unit and Lesson Planning: The teachers at KIPP Boston Academy will dedicate significant attention to developing and implementing well crafted lesson plans that are aligned to teaching standards. Grade levels will follow the same scope and sequence and any thematic units as agreed upon by the team, but pacing and lesson plans may differ. Lessons will clearly align to standards and levels (introduction or mastery) within each unit. All teachers will adhere to the unit plan in terms of standards taught to mastery within a given time period, although lessons and delivery may vary from classroom to classroom. Units will include interim assessments to evaluate student mastery of standards, and to inform the need to revisit content and differentiate instructional strategies. 33 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Collaborative Data Analysis and Reflection: Teachers will participate in weekly grade level meetings of 1 hour on Wednesdays from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. that will be focused on data analysis and student work samples. Focus on meeting emerging special education needs of elementary students: KIPP Academy Boston will offer a series of individualized supports in an effort to meet the needs of all of our students. In order to uphold KIPP Academy Boston's mission for students with disabilities, our special education program will be primarily structured as an inclusion model with pull-out services and other resources provided to students as needed. We have used this model at KIPP Academy Lynn and have found it to be highly successful. More detail on our special education philosophy is included in that section A strong teacher development and evaluation plan dedicated to improving the quality of teaching is the most powerful way to achieve transformative student outcomes. We also believe that teaching is an art and a science. In fact, as John Steinbeck says, ―it may be the greatest art because the medium is the human mind and spirit.‖ Our teacher selection process will rigorously and relentlessly screen for beliefs and expectations that align with our mission and vision. Once a teacher is selected, we are committed to that person's development. Teachers will receive ongoing, job-embedded professional development to support their growth as professional educators. We will drive this growth through what Research for Better Teaching 14has labeled the most powerful means of school improvement. 1. School Based Study of Skillful Teaching: Each week the school will hold an early release day (likely on a Friday) for professional development. These classes will be taught by the Chief Academic Officer, principals, or teachers with a particular base of skill on knowledge. This model has been used at both KIPP Academy Lynn and KIPP Academy Gaston to produce a measurable impact on teacher effectiveness and retention. 2. A Strong Leadership Team: From its inception KIPP Academy Boston will cultivate strong, distributed leadership. At full capacity the elementary and middle school principals will each have a leadership team including a vice principal and grade level chairs. The grade level chair position is funded by KIPP's I-3 scalability grant. This grant enables KIPP schools to develop substantial bench depth so leadership transitions can occur thoughtfully without impacting student growth and achievement. 3. Regular Public Teaching: As discussed in the management section, a strong leadership team reduces the number of direct reports for the principal and ensures that every teacher receives frequent observation, conferencing, and feedback on planning. 4. Subject or Grade Level Teams Doing Error Analysis: The interim assessment cycle requires teacher teams to do in- depth analysis of student errors and plan re-teaching. We believe that strong performance management systems will help our teachers fully realize their potential for kids. The performance management system will include the following components: Each staff member will go through a yearly goal setting meeting with his or her manager. These goals will include student performance and individual development goals. Each staff member will have a one- on-one meeting with his or her manager every 1-2 weeks. These one-on-one meetings will provide feedback on progress towards goals, brainstorm interim steps, and provide an opportunity for the manager and staff member to develop a strong working relationship. 14 Research for Better Teaching Course "The DNA of Effective Communication" 34 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Each teacher will receive a mid-year and end of the year review that provides feedback on his or her performance. The reviews will include student achievement and growth data from classroom assessments, interim exams, and standardized tests as well as data from observations and student/family surveys. In addition to the school-based professional development around teaching and learning, KIPP Academy Boston will also provide professional development in the ―soft skills‖ that form the interstitial tissue of collaborative, high functioning teams. Topics will include ―how to have a difficult conversation with a co-worker‖ and ―effective time management for insanely busy teachers‖. KIPP Academy Lynn has fostered an extremely positive workplace through this type of training and KIPP Academy Boston will attempt to do the same. Every Friday will be an early release day for students so that teachers can participate in weekly staff development to augment and expand instructional knowledge. Teachers will be observed at least twice a month by the KIPP Academy Boston principals or Chief Academic Officer. As the school grows, observations will also be performed by other instructional leaders. Observations will be formative in nature and will inform individualized professional development plans for teachers. Teachers will also receive professional development through teacher training and leadership development programs coordinated by the KIPP Foundation, including the annual KIPP School Summit that takes place in the summer, as well as content and skill-specific training programs that take place throughout the year. Teachers will receive formal performance evaluations at least twice yearly by the school principal, or other administrative leaders. These formal evaluations will include pre- and post-conference meetings. These performance evaluations will center on student growth and achievement on a variety of measures (MCAS, teacher created assessments, MAP, our character rubric/report card). The evaluations will also reflect the degree to which the teacher achieved his or her individual professional development goals. In addition to KIPP's extensive work with Research for Better Teaching, Director of Principal Development Caleb Dolan designs and teaches courses to current KIPP principals on the implementation of effective professional development. C. PERFORMANCE, PROMOTION, AND GRADUATION STANDARDS KIPP Academy Boston will issue report cards on a quarterly basis. The grading scale for elementary school is as follows: E = Excellent (Student is exhibiting mastery in that subject matter) S = Satisfactory (Student is exhibiting proficiency in that subject matter) N = Needs Improvement (Student is working on a basic level in that subject matter) U = Unsatisfactory (Student is working below basic in that subject matter) Our middle school students will move to a more traditional grading scale. Numerical Grade Means… Score 90-100 A This student's work including tests and performances demonstrates complete understanding and mastery of the content and skills and student is able to apply the understanding or skill in novel contexts. 80-89 B This student's work including tests and performances demonstrates complete understanding and mastery of the content and skills and student is able to apply the understanding or skill in multiple contexts. 70-79 C This student's work demonstrates acceptable understanding of the content or 35 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE skill but additional practice is necessary to achieve mastery. Below 69 NR The student needs re-teaching of this content or skill because he or she has not yet developed understanding or mastery. Selected Exit Standards for Elementary (4) and Middle school grade (8) MATHEMATICS GRADE 4 GRADE 8 Students use number sense and Students use mathematical numeration to develop an modeling/multiple representation to Sample understanding of the multiple uses provide a means of presenting interpreting, Promotion of numbers in the world, and the communicating and connecting Benchmark use of numbers in the development mathematical information and of mathematical ideas. relationships. 1) Understand the 1) Solve equations involving simple to interrelationships among complex transformations with whole, integer, rational and real variables on one or both sides of the number systems. equation. 2) Express rational numbers as 2) Know and understand the Pythagorean fractions, non-repeating theorem and its converse and use it to decimals and percents and find the length of the missing side of a Sample Exit convert between these right triangle and the lengths of other Standards representations. line segments. 3) Apply algebraic techniques to 3) Simplify polynomial fractional solve rate, ratio and proportion equations, transform and solve the problems (e.g., percent equations, and factor as necessary in mixtures, rate of work, unit problem situations. rates, rates of change, speed, density, scale drawings, similar triangles.) SOCIALSTUDIES GRADE 4 GRADES 7 and 8 Students will demonstrate their Students will demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, understanding of how the United States themes, developments, and turning and other societies develop economic Sample points in the history of the world. systems and associated institutions to Promotion United States, Canada, Latin allocate scarce resources and how an Benchmark America, and the state of economy solves the scarcity problem Massachusetts. through market and non-market mechanisms 1) Construct various timelines of 1) Describe the economic benefits of key events, people, and periods specialization and exchange of the historical era being 2) Locate and analyze information about studied and explain the people, places, and environments relationships among them. using a variety of geographic tools. Sample Exit 2) Describe the aims and impacts 3) Describe the political, religious, and Standards of the Western expansion and economic aspects of North American settlement of the United States. colonization 3) Describe the Ancient Civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China 36 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE and their contributions to later civilizations ENGLISH GRADE 4 GRADES 7 and 8 Sample Writing – Students will write with a Writing – students will organize ideas in Promotion clear focus, coherent organization writing in a way that makes sense for their Benchmark and sufficient detail. purpose. 1) Write stories or scripts 1) Organize information into a coherent containing the basic elements essay or report with a thesis statement of fiction. Sample Exit in the introduction, transition 2) Write a short explanation of a Standards sentences to link paragraphs, and a process that includes a topic conclusion. statement, supporting details, 2) Organize ideas for writing and a conclusion. comparison-and-contrast essays. Performance standards will be established to clearly indicate progress towards mastery of certain knowledge and skills. For instance, in the sixth grade, students will study ancient civilizations such as India and China in their social studies class. After covering units on the geography, main religions, culture and history of ancient India and China, students will be asked to synthesize and apply their knowledge by writing a two-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting both civilizations. Sample Performance Standards: Comparing and contrasting ancient India and China Grade Performance Standard A Essay clearly identifies two to three similarities and differences between India and China, organizes them logically into a two-paragraph structure, and provides a detailed explanation using concrete evidence. The language used is above grade level, and the evidence is full. There are few, if any spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. B Essay identifies two or three similarities and differences between India and China, organizes them into a two-paragraph structure, and provides a general explanation using some evidence. The language used is on or above grade level. The evidence presented is not as detailed and well explained as it should be. There may be a few minor spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. C Essay identifies one or two similarities and differences between India and China, and provides a limited explanation. The evidence presented is minimally sufficient. The organization of the topics into essay structure is a bit unclear and/or illogical. The language used is on grade level. There are a few minor spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. (This is also the highest possible score for a late assignment. D Essay identifies one or two similarities and differences between India and China, and provides a minimal explanation of them. The organization of topics into essay structure is not clear. The evidence given is weak, and the language may be below grade level. There are major spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. F Response is incomplete and / or shows little effort or understanding. Promotion and retention decisions are incredibly important and challenging for students, families, and schools. The critical factor in the success of all these decisions is early and ongoing communication with families about academic and behavioral struggles. The developmental continuum for primary age children will make retention a necessity only in a few cases where extreme academic or social challenges present themselves. 37 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE - The school will seek input from teachers, parents, and other school staff before making promotion decisions. - The school will share promotion-in-doubt status with parents at Report Card Nights each quarter. - The school's administrative team (and ultimately the principal) have full authority to make all promotion decisions. - The school does not ―socially promote.‖ That is, students will not be promoted to the next grade simply because they are ―old enough‖ to be in that grade. (The school may also choose not to promote a student even if he or she has been retained before.) Promotion to the next grade is earned by demonstrating mastery of the rigorous academic standards and the responsibility necessary to come to school on time every day, demonstrating behaviors that show the school's reach values, and doing homework and other assignments reliably. - If a student's IEP sets specific criteria or targets for promotion, the school will use these criteria; without such criteria specifically outlined on an IEP, the school will hold all students – including those in special education – to the same rigorous academic and behavioral standards – and promotion criteria. - The school sees it as its job to help all students meet promotion criteria. There are times when a student simply needs another year to be able to fully tackle the work, and the school is committed to ensuring that a student's second year in a grade involves a clear plan to provide the student additional supports. - Based on the experience of other KIPP elementary schools we will retain early elementary students (K- 2) who are not meeting our rigorous standards. It has been our experience that early elementary students who are retained are often able to get the extra time and support they need to meet our rigorous standards, thus setting them up for long-term academic success. A strong elementary education should help to dramatically reduce the number of retentions that are necessary in middle school. This will have a corresponding positive impact on high school and college graduation rates. In order to be assured promotion to the next grade level, students must meet the following promotion criteria: ___ The student scored at Proficiency or higher on MCAS: Score of Proficient (3) or Advanced (4) on MCAS Reading, Math, and Science Test Students may be considered for promotion if they score at basic, but two years in a row at basic will generally result in non-promotion. Students who score at level 1 in any subject area are generally candidates for non-promotion. ___ The student had nine or fewer absences during the school year. Five tardies equals one absence for promotion decisions. Students who have extreme medical conditions or other extraordinary mitigating factors may be considered for promotion, but students must consistently make up all work when they are absent to be eligible for promotion. Students with 10-15 absences will only be promoted if their other academic and behavior results are strong. Students who miss more than fifteen days in a school year will not be promoted to the next grade unless the child has had a sustained, medically-documented issue; in these cases, if the school deems that the child has missed too much instruction and is too far behind (even with a medically-documented reason), the child will not be promoted. ___ The student did not have a year-end grade of F (69 or below) in reading, writing, math, science, or history class (grades 3-8 only).Students who fail one class and who have other indicators (attendance, homework, test scores) that are not robust may not be promoted. Students who fail two or more core classes will not be promoted. ___ The student's Fountas & Pinnell (or STEP) reading level meets grade l level minimums A. ASSESSMENT SYSTEM KIPP Academy Boston will use a wide variety of data to make decisions about curriculum and instructional strategies. All of our curriculum and interim assessments will be aligned to the Massachusetts state standards. We will engage in intensive backwards design of instructional units prior to the school's opening. Teachers will develop standards-aligned interim assessments, and will be 38 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE responsible for analyzing student data to inform re-grouping, re-teaching, and sharing of effective practices across teams. In elementary school these assessments may happen on a weekly basis while the middle school assessments may assess a larger period of teaching and learning. The MCAS is the nation's most rigorous standardized exam. Strong student growth and proficiency on the MCAS will be one of KIPP Academy Boston's major goals. Therefore, we will align our interim assessments to the MCAS content starting in third grade. The Chief Academic Officer will coordinate assessment efforts across the schools through the planning and facilitation of Analysis and Action Professional Development Days where the staff examines assessment results to determine which skills need to be re-taught or remediated and which students need additional support or challenge. Through open, critical, and forward thinking dialogue about student performance the school will engage in an ongoing cycle described in Paul Bambrick-Santoyo's Driven by Data. Align Interim Assessments to Standards. Analyze the interim results on a deep individual student and individual question level. Action plan re-teaching and remediation. This cycle treats the interim results as a tool for constantly honing our insights about kids' progress. Ultimately teachers' daily formative assessments will align to the action plan. Thus a teacher whose students struggle with cause and effect relationships in reading will design oral questions, short non- graded quizzes, and other checks for understanding to get a constant pulse for the kids' improvement in that skill. We will supplement our state and school based assessments with the nationally normed MAP (Measured Academic Progress) tests in order to directly compare our student progress to KIPP schools and other students across the country. We will also administer the KIPP Healthy Schools surveys to our students, teachers, and parents. These surveys will provide insight into the satisfaction and concerns of our stakeholders. KIPP Academy Boston's emphasis on literacy will lead us to use the the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System or STEP literacy both which have been field tested in schools nationwide. The F&P Benchmark Assessment System assesses the National Reading Panel's five elements of reading (phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) as well as student motivation and interest in reading. Specifically, Fountas & Pinnell assesses students' independent reading readiness and reading in the following areas: comprehension within, beyond, and about the text, writing about reading, fluency, phonemic awareness, letter names, early literacy behaviors, phonics and word analysis, high frequency word reading, and vocabulary knowledge. KIPP Academy Boston will administer the F & P four times each year (August, November, February, and May). We will pull from several elementary mathematics curriculums that are used in KIPP schools across the country. We will model our assessments on the interims used in high performing elementary schools in KIPP Washington, DC, KIPP LA, and KIPP Newark. We will provide students and parents with consistent feedback on academic and character progress. In elementary school this may be a daily sticker chart marking student's effort and self-control. In middle school we may use a weekly ―paycheck‖ as a means of reporting on student's character and academic development, while allowing them to earn opportunities for fun. In order to maintain informed and active parents, KAB will expect parents to review and sign all student tests, student assessments, and behavior monitoring reports. In addition, students and family members will have access to teacher cell phone numbers and will be encouraged to directly contact their teachers with questions and concerns. Similarly, teachers will actively communicate with parents about the challenges and successes that students are experiencing at school. E. SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS 39 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP Academy Boston will operate daily from 7:30-5:00 for 195 school days a year. KIPP Academy Boston will serve students from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Entering Kindergarten students must be age 5 by September 1. We will seek partnerships with community organizations that support our students and families. We currently have no plans for bringing in external programs for instruction. The KIPP Academy Boston Elementary school will adapt the organizational model of KIPP SHINE and several of the other high performing KIPP elementary schools. There will be three classes per grade level. Each classroom will have a lead teacher and a co-teacher. The co-teacher is a college graduate who wants to become a master teacher. The KIPP elementary schools that use this model have achieved outstanding results for kids and have built a pipeline for teaching talent and development. The co- teaching model will extend through second grade. In middle school KIPP Academy Boston's teachers will focus on a content area and students will begin to rotate between teachers. The traditional school day forces most schools to choose heterogeneous or homogeneous grouping of students. Our extended day allows students to be grouped in several different ways throughout the day. The dangers of tracking are well-established.15 In order to foster a growth mindset in teachers, parents, and students our classes will typically be grouped heterogeneously. Our special education and ELL specialists will provide extensive inclusionary support. During our extended day periods students who had a heterogeneously grouped math or reading block earlier in the day could be re-grouped according to their current skill level. This would allow for guided reading groups along each level of Fontas and Pinnel or a group of high performing math students to work on advanced content. The strategies we employ on a day to day basis at KIPP elementary and middle schools across thecountry are research-supported techniques for reaching many different learners. The techniques that we use for English Language Learners often benefit all students. Examples of instructional models16 that may be employed with ELL students at KIPP Academy Boston can be found in the appendix. Our experience as school founders and leaders has taught us that great instruction must be paired with a strong culture for truly transformative student outcomes. A positive and strong school culture begins with establishing a clear, shared vision for the end in mind. The table below highlights the kind of intentionality we will bring to the school culture. Culture building will occur in every corner of the building and every interaction we have. What does the culture of KIPP Academy Boston Why is the culture this way? How is this look, sound, and feel like? positive school culture created? The cafeteria will be filled with exuberant buzz that The cafeteria (whether it's an actual space or an shuts off like a light switch when someone signals for idea) is the ideal setting for students to see and attention. Students are responsible for cleaning up hear key messages about responsibility and their places and have assigned roles for maintaining community. Rotating assigned seats encourage the common spaces. students to talk to a variety of other kids. Limited space will likely lead us to need quiet lines. Teachers will also spend extensive co-planning This may involve kindergarteners in a line with time at their grade levels engineering their puffed cheeks (―the bubble‖) learning self regulation systems and norming their expectations. We will as they walk down the hallway to stop at the blue teach the purpose behind all of our procedures square. Middle school students will have the and practice each of them. opportunity earn conversation time between classes 15 R. Tauber, Good or bad, what teachers expect from students they generally get! (Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education, 1998). http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/files/teacherexpect.html 16 Suzanne F. Peregoy and Owen F. Boyle, Reading, Writing, & Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for K-12 Teachers (New York, NY: Longman, 2001). 40 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE and periodic ―high school days‖ with passing periods. Middle school students seek opportunities to help Through multiple intentional formal and informal elementary students pestering their teachers for interactions we will cultivate middle school chances to interact and help. Elementary teachers are students' empathy for and sense of responsibility able to share stories of students' growth and progress to our younger students. Tutoring, sharing their with the middle school students. own experiences from field lessons and class projects, and serving as elementary teachers' assistants will all be means to this end. Every classroom has a clear big goal for student The four key messages are sent at all times by the growth and achievement. The emphasis on character teacher and ultimately by all students: development and effective effort is also evident in the 1) This is important17; celebrations of student work. A teacher will post 2) You can do it; tests that display visible thinking and palpable effort, 3) I will not give up on you; multiple drafts of writing projects. There will be no 4) We will help each other. secrets about the varying levels of skill within the room because all of us will be focused on growth whether we are reading at a first grade level or are just learning English. Teachers will celebrate growth and achievement with equal passion. You can't enter the school without being greeted. One of the most important skills we teach outside Kids will lead tours and explain what is happening in of traditional curriculum is how to interact in a every room. Kids explain not only what is happening diverse world. We also want all of our students but the ―why‖ behind it. to develop a sense of pride and ownership for the school's mission, vision, values, and results. The school will be packed. The letters, calls, and KIPP Academy Lynn's low student mobility rate other reminders lead to 85% or better parent is due to a focus on communication with parents attendance at all our events. Once our vision is clear, we will methodically plan how to teach the culture to our students. The script included in our appendix 18 illustrates the attention the intentionality, joy, and planning behind successful KIPP school culture building. The strong school cultures established at KIPP Academy Lynn and other KIPP schools around the country help create an environment where societal paradigms are flipped on their heads. At KIPP Academy Boston kids and adults will feel safe to share their struggles and celebrate their progress. The power of the culture does not however mean that we do not need effective student behavior management and discipline. At KIPP Gaston and KIPP Academy Lynn, Dolan and Zoia built schools where student misbehavior rarely disrupted learning and where teachers saw discipline situations as an opportunity to develop character and relationships. In an elementary setting, effective student management and discipline requires teachers who are warm and demanding19. Not only will we discipline our students firmly and lovingly, we will also approach each discipline situation as a opportunity to teach students excellent behavior, self control, and to build relationships. At KIPP Academy Boston we will develop rigorous and fair student behavior management systems. An orderly classroom is a prerequisite for an effective lesson. A large factor in KIPP's academic success has been the absolute clarity of expectations and the implementation of a consistent and fair 17 The first three messages are from The Skillful Teacher, by Jon Saphier (Acton, MA: Research for Better Teaching, th 6 ed., 2008) 18 Adapted from KIPP SHINE Prep School Design Plan 19 Elizabeth Bondy and Dorene Ross "The Teacher as a Warm Demander," Educational Leadership (September 8, 2008), p. 54 – 58. 41 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Student Management System that reinforces positive student behavior. For instance, for middle grades, KIPP Boston Academy will implement ―Paychecks‖ as a key school-wide classroom management system. The Paycheck system is modeled directly from what has been successfully implemented at KIPP Academy Lynn and other KIPP schools throughout the country. Paychecks are a weekly point system used to measure students' social and academic skills. Based upon daily teacher comments on their paychecks, students are awarded ―KIPP Dollars‖ for behaviors aligned with core virtues. Each student and his or her family will sign a Commitment to Excellence form during enrollment. This signing will occur during a home visit. The principal or teacher on the visit will facilitate a conversation with the family about the expectations at KIPP Academy Boston. The goal is that students and parents develop a clear vision for behavior and workload at KIPP Academy Boston. Prior to this home visit the staff will devote a large portion of their pre-opening professional development norming expectations for behavior and expanding their repertoire for responding to students who make poor behavioral choices. The first days of school will reflect a similar degree of intentional design. Each desired behavior will be taught, modeled, practiced, and have its purpose explained to the students. This means that the principal and teachers will plan several lessons on the expectation for SLANTing (Sit-up, Listen, Ask and Answer questions, Nod your head, Track the speaker) and then will relentlessly reinforce this expectation until it becomes a habit for the students. Parents will receive the cell phone number of each teacher and the understanding that we will communicate regularly about their child's progress and the progress of the school. Each week the principal will write a newsletter that parents will be asked to read and sign (which will be sent home in multiple languages) to keep a steady stream of contact between school and home. Teachers will call home frequently to provide positive and adjusting feedback on a student's academic performance and behavior. In addition to traditional events such as the open house and report card conferences, KIPP Academy Boston will hold celebrations of student performance and regular adult education classes in order to get parents into the school building as often as possible. Parent satisfaction will be gauged in a number of ways. A weekly letter from the principal will go home to parents describing the school's progress. The KIPP Healthy Schools survey will be used to gather parent information. These results will be shared back to parents with celebrations of success and actions plans in the areas of growth. Students enrolled in KIPP Academy Boston will spend over 50% more time in school than their peers in Boston Public Schools. A longer school day (7:30-4:00 for K-4 grades, and 7:30 – 5:00 for 5- 8 grades), a longer school year (220 days including Saturday sessions), and mandatory summer school (three weeks) mean more time for students to develop the academic skills, intellectual habits and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college and the world beyond. The length of day is shorter for students in the lower grades (K-4) vs. upper grades (5-8) to reflect the developmental needs of students. The typical day for students in lower grades (K-4) might look like: Time Student Activity 7:30 – 8:00am Arrival at school/Breakfast/Morning Work Time 8:00 – 8:30 Morning Circle/Class Meeting/Calendar Math 8:35 – 10:30 Balanced Literacy Block – Doors to Discovery lesson; Literacy Centers; Writing 10:30 – 11:30. Art/Music/PE 11:30-12:00pm Lunch 12:00-12:45 Read Aloud/Nap/Rest Time 12:45 – 2:15 Math Block – Everyday Math Lesson; Math Centers 2:15 – 2:45 Recess/Snack Break 2:45 – 3:30 GK Time/Project Time/Choice Center Time 3:30 - 4:00 Afternoon Circle/Review of the Day 4:15 to 4:55 Explorations: Music, Team Sports, Dancing & Creative Movement, Library Time 42 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 4:55 + Dismissal The typical day for students in upper grades (5-8) might look like: Time Student Activity 7:30 - 7:55am Arrival at school/Breakfast/Morning Work Time 8:00 – 8:30 (Thinking Skills): Students work independently and cooperatively on math, reading, logic, and critical thinking skills through a variety of cross-curriculum problem-solving activities. 8:30am – (Core Academic Subjects): Students engage in the standard curriculum areas of 3:00pm reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and novel reading. All KIPP middle school students receive at least 90 minutes daily of instruction in reading/writing and 90 minutes of math. Grade levels are departmentalized. Additionally, resiliency and advisory classes are built into the schedule in order to teach character and provide students with the opportunity to build social skills. Students also have a daily 40-45 minute lunch period. 3:00 - 5:00pm All 5th-8th graders participate in a co-curricular activity which includes physical education. They participate in such activities as football, volleyball, basketball, cross country and soccer. The actual days of the PE instruction vary by grade and schedule. Other co-curricular offerings during this block include drama, dance team, band, choir, school newspaper, spoken word and service projects. This programming is required of all students. After 5:00pm (Homework / Extra Tutoring) Students may stay after school to receive homework help and/or extra tutoring. Programming is not mandatory. KIPP Academy Boston will place a strong emphasis on team teaching. Our teachers will work together to refine, share, and develop effective teaching strategies and strong cross-curricular units. Students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 will be organized into three classes of 24 students. Each grade will have six teachers (three teachers and three co-teachers). A lead teacher will lead each class with the assistance of a co-teacher. The co-teachers will provide additional capacity to support small group instruction, and provide interventions for struggling students. Each middle school grade will have a full time content area teacher. The full staffing plan is described in the management section. We will work tirelessly to create a joyful school climate that builds community, encourages students to take risks, and develops an effort-based mindset. The success of KIPP Schools across the country begins with acculturating students into a school environment where hard work and kindness are valued far more than cuteness, athletic prowess, or wealth. KIPP provides a haven for students, teachers, and parents who subscribe to the philosophy that THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS to success and happiness in life. KIPP Academy Boston will also focus on changing the structure, framework, and expectations of the community to institutionalize success. Building the foundation upon which the KIPP family rests begins in the spring before the students' first year at KIPP. Each new student receives a home visit from the principal or teachers. It is at this time that the expectations of parents, teachers, and students are discussed as they read through The KIPP Commitment to Excellence Form. This document outlines the behaviors vital to individual student success and overall school success. Adherence to the Commitment to Excellence leads to mutual respect between teachers, students and parents as well as the creation of a strong team that has the ability to propel students toward academic and social success. Consequently, KIPP has a 98% parent participation rate at parent-teacher conferences and significant participation in school-wide and grade specific family dinners, celebrations and performances. Important parent contributions, such as checking homework and making sure that children arrive on time, will happen daily at KIPP Academy Boston. Parents and students will reaffirm their commitment and choice at each level of the KIPP program, signing the Commitment to Excellence Form upon a student's entrance into the school at Kindergarten, 5th grade, and any other point at which a student may join the KIPP family. 43 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Our primary points of entry into the school will be Kindergarten and 5th grade. Kindergarten students must turn 5 years of age by September 1 of the current school year in order to be admitted to the school. We will backfill students at all grades in the event of attrition. However we seek to replicate KIPP Academy Lynn's remarkably low student attrition (2.8% in 2009-10). Once a family enters KIPP Academy Boston we hope to work with them through college. Unlike CMOs where governance and school design are centralized, KIPP schools are locally governed and designed by the school leadership. In Boston we will take many of the lessons learned at KIPP Lynn and the 22 KIPP elementary schools across the country to create a school where student achievement and growth thrives. Our first and most important change from the design in Lynn is to start work with our students in elementary school. The evidence from across KIPP is that by starting in Kindergarten with strong literacy, numeracy, and character development, the achievement gap is erased by middle school. This will allow our middle school to focus on college readiness instead of remediation. Additionally, by starting in elementary school, we have a powerful opportunity to work with our parents from the start of their child's schooling. KIPP Academy Lynn's Director of Multi-cultural Affairs and Family Outreach Mike Brown, who did his principal training in Boston Public Schools, will coordinate these efforts. Although all instructional and enrichment programs are provided by internal staff KIPP Academy Lynn has partnered with a number of external groups to provide services to its students including elective classes, girls' health classes, and student leadership development. At the national level KIPP has formed a number of partnerships. One of the most exciting for our students and families will be the pilot program between KIPP, Citi Foundation, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) to develop the power of combined savings, academic and financial counseling, and scholarship assistance in order to increase the graduation rates of low-income and minority students. There are a wealth of exciting programs, initiatives, and educators working with kids all the time in Boston that we will tap into while maintaining our core focus on excellent teaching. F. Special Student Populations and Student Services Our founding group is united by one vital, common belief: that all students, regardless of family background, native language, income, race, religion, disability, gender, or health can and will learn. At KIPP Academy Lynn the percentage of students designated as ELL is equivalent to that of the Lynn Public Schools. We anticipate this also being the case at KIPP Academy Boston. KAB will hold all students, including English Language Learners (ELL), to rigorous standards. As previously mentioned, KIPP Academy Lynn Middle School has had real success working with students who are classified as ELL. The aforementioned MIT study found that students who entered KAL classified as English Language Learners (ELL) had the greatest gains of any of our students over 4 years, improving 1.8 deviations in Math and 1.5 deviations in English Language Arts. At KAB, we plan on replicating the best practices of KAL for our middle school students as well as the best practices of the twenty-two KIPP elementary schools such as KIPP SHINE, in Houston, where 59% of the students are classified as English Language Learners. By the fourth grade in KIPP SHINE more than three quarters of SHINE's students are in the top quartile nationally in math and over 40% are in top quartile in reading. KAB will be dedicated to providing our students with an exceptional education and transitioning them into English proficiency as soon as possible. However, KIPP Academy Boston will also recognize the importance of valuing students' native languages, and will reinforce an appreciation for the cultures, customs and languages of all of its students through the school's core curriculum, enrichment programs, and life skills curriculum. Identification, Assessment & Placement Process: In accordance with state and federal laws, KIPP will require students who do not speak English, or whose native language is not English AND who currently 44 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE cannot perform ordinary classroom work in English, to receive instruction that is specifically designed to assist them both in learning English and in learning subject matter content. When a new student enters KIPP, a licensed ESL teacher (or candidate for licensure or trained LAU evaluation administrator) will determine if the student has limited English proficiency. State law, G.L.c.71A, requires that most ELLs be educated in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI), consisting of both sheltered subject matter instruction in English and English language instruction. The following is a graphic representation of how KAB will make the determination of whether or not a student is limited English proficient. Step 1 Administer a Home Language Survey. Step 2 Assess English Proficiency. Step 3 Notify Parents and Obtain Permission for Placement. Step 4 Place Students in Appropriate Instructional Programs. (see appendix for a detailed description of each of these steps) 45 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Criteria Used to Determine LEP Classification and English Proficiency Level: For students who have participated in the IPT or LAS or English language proficiency assessment, classroom observations, teacher input and the following test data is used to determine LEP classification. Initial Assessment Initial LEP Classification Criteria LAS* Pre-LAS levels 0-3 Pre LAS level 4 with low pre-literacy LAS-O, Levels 1-3 LAS-O Levels 4 with Level 1 or 2 in R/W IPT/IDEA* All LES levels for oral assessment FES level D-E with limited Reading and/or Writing *Since the results of these assessments may be unreliable or inappropriate when administered to students with diagnosed communication disabilities, alternative data may be used to determine language proficiency. LEP Students Who Transfer Into to KIPP: Linguistically diverse students who transfer into KAB from other US schools will participate in the IPT or LAS assessments if the Home Language Survey indicates possible limited English proficiency. In the upper grades, KIPP will generally follow the previous school/district's LEP classification even if the student achieves higher LAS or IPT scores than indicated on the above LEP classification criteria. The ESL teacher will review the data sent from a transferring student's previous school/district. Language assessment results (MEPA, MELA-O, IPT/IDEA, WIDA etc.) and recommendations will be considered part of the classification criteria. Description of Support Services: When planning appropriate instruction for ELLs, KIPP educators will use the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO). Sheltered English Immersion: ELLs who attend KAB will receive English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Development (ELD) and limited sheltered content instruction. ESL and content teachers will consider the DESE September 2009 guidelines for using MEPA to plan instructional programs, the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO), assessment results and educational history when planning instruction for ELLs. The amount of ELD each student receives will be dependent upon English proficiency levels in reading, writing, speaking and listening. ESL teachers will communicate regularly with content teachers and offer support for teachers who have not yet completed SEI professional development (SEI Categories 1-4) training. Content teachers will use language and content objectives that facilitate the rapid acquisition of English and employ approaches, strategies and assessments designed for educating ELLs. Description of Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Services: Materials, texts and resources will be written in English. ESL and content teachers will plan lessons using the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO). SEI services will be provided with English as the social and academic language. Students may receive some first language clarification, if necessary and available. Instructional grouping may involve small pull-out groups or one-on-one tutorials. In addition, the ESL teacher and content teachers may co-teach for the purpose of students' practice with acquisition of cognitive academic language. Mainstream teachers will attend SEI professional development courses and use language and content objectives when planning instruction. SEI for Beginning Level ELLs: ESL and sheltered content lessons will focus on developing English oral language skills while introducing students to classroom routines, and basic vocabulary needed for literacy, math, social studies and science. 46 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE SEI for Early Intermediate ELLs: ESL and sheltered content lessons will focus on developing English literacy/pre-literacy, oral language skills, vocabulary acquisition, syntax and rephrasing/editing for clarity. SEI for Intermediate ELLs: The ESL and sheltered lessons will focus on sustained conversation skills, academic discourse and speaking /writing with complex structures appropriate for age and/or grade level. E SEI for Transitioning ELLs: ELLs will receive ESL support for oral language, presentation and literacy skills as recommended after the review of assessments and classroom performance. ESL Program Self Evaluation: The school will conduct yearly self-evaluation surveys of parents and staff on the effectiveness of services provided and their satisfaction with the amount and type of supports available. We will analyze MCAS scores, and the types of ESL supports being provided, to determine if inclusive practices are effectively implemented, Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): At KIPP Academy Lynn the percentage of students with IEPs is equivalent to that of Lynn Public Schools. We anticipate this also being the case at KIPP Academy Boston. KAB will hold ALL of our students to rigorous standards. As previously mentioned, KIPP Academy Lynn Middle School has had real success working with students with IEPs. The aforementioned MIT study found that students at KAL with IEPs had the second highest gains (behind those classified as ELL), 1.76 deviations in math over 4 years and 1.16 in ELA. Identification & Pre-intervention Strategies: KAB will use several strategies to identify students who may be in need of additional supports. All incoming students take a baseline assessment in reading and math. In addition, during weekly grade-level meetings, the grade level chair will lead discussions about the academic and social concerns about particular students who do not have IEPs. These concerns will be brought to the attention of the parents/guardians. They will employ a 3-tier Response to Intervention (RTI) system to ensure that all students are properly screened for learning difficulties and supported in the general education classroom. Tier 1. All students in Tier 1 will receive high quality, scientifically based instruction, differentiated to meet their needs. The grade level team will create a plan that will involve an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the student, and possible research-based strategies for accommodations such as small group work, oral presentations as opposed to only written work, and extra time to complete assignments. The faculty will make the proposed adjustments in classroom instruction and periodically assess the impact of these adjustments, reporting the results to other faculty members and to families. Tier 2. In Tier 2, students not making adequate progress in the core curriculum will be provided with increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs such as re-teaching of concepts in small groups while the class moves on to more challenging concepts, targeted homework assignments to allow extra practice in a particular skill or study guides to assist in supplementing instruction based on levels of performance and rates of progress. The first two tiers are a general education initiative. Students will be referred to Special Education only after Tier 2 services have been exhausted and the RTI team agrees to move the child to the next step. Tier 3. In Tier 3, students will receive individualized, intensive interventions such as direct and explicit instruction with opportunities for re-teaching, intensive instruction to address missing content, drill on missed concepts or modified content that targets the student's skill deficits for the remediation of existing problems and the prevention of more severe problems. At this level, the learning specialist becomes involved to provide specially designed instruction. 47 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Assessment & Placement of Students Entering KAB Without an IEP: After the aforementioned interventions, if the student does not make expected progress in a reasonable time frame, a team meeting will be held, directed by one of KAB's Learning Specialists, to determine the appropriate course of action. During this meeting, parents and regular academic teachers will discuss the adjustments that have been made up to this point and the progress that resulted. If the lack of expected progress is believed to be the result of a disability, assessments will be identified that might reveal the student's needs. Assessments will be conducted with parental consent. Once these assessments have been completed, the Team, consisting of the parents, a Special Education administrator, regular education staff, and a learning specialist, will come together to determine eligibility for Special Education. A licensed school psychologist, licensed occupational therapist, reading specialist, licensed speech/language pathologist, physical therapist, behavioral specialist, nurse, therapist, and autism spectrum consultant will be added to the Team as needed. The Team will meet and review the evaluation. If the Team determines that a student needs special education services, the Team will develop an IEP or a 504 plan for that student, which is then sent home for parental consent. Placement of Students Entering KAB with a Pre-existing IEP: Once all of the students have been enrolled into KIPP Academy Boston, all prior school records, including IEPs for all students, will be obtained. When a student record indicates that a child has previously received special education services, our Learning Specialist, the school's administrator certified in special education, will meet with the parents and teachers. The aim of this initial review is to determine the appropriate services to be delivered at KIPP Academy Boston. In all instances, KIPP Academy Boston will work with the Team to ensure that all services recommended by the IEP allow the student to advance appropriately towards attaining the annual goals, to become involved in then general curriculum, and to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities in their least restrictive environment. Description of Support Services: KIPP Academy Boston will provide comprehensive special education services to all eligible students in accordance with state and federal regulation as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). While ensuring that every special education student receives the necessary services outlined in their Individual Educational Plan/Program (IEP), we will look to educate students with disabilities in their least restrictive environment, integrating them with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent that is appropriate. Special education students will be expected to master the curriculum to the maximum extent possible with the use of assistive technology and other services as outlined in their IEP. In the regular education classroom (inclusion setting), we will use a wide range of techniques needed to engage students who are challenged by traditional lectures, reading and writing. For example, regular classroom instruction will engage students' musical, visual, kinesthetic and social intelligences. Our Learning Specialists, certified special educators, will work closely with classroom teachers to develop and implement appropriate instructional plans and assessments for an inclusion setting. In addition, when appropriate, a one-to-one aid will be assigned to work with a particular student throughout his or her classes. While we will integrate our special education students into our regular programming as much as possible, students with special needs may require focused support outside of the regular education classroom. Special education services will typically be provided outside of time allocated for core academic subjects. Our special education staff will ensure the success of all of our special education students by providing the services of specialists such as speech, language pathology, audiology and occupational therapy as well as providing eligible students assistive technology such as tape recorders, 48 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE books on tape, text with large print and larger writing tools as needed. We will have a therapist and nurse on site as well. Addition services include: Child Find: We will put together a school/community wide process of public awareness activities, screening and evaluation designed to locate, identify and refer as early as possible all young children with disabilities and their families who are in need of Early Intervention services. SPED PAC: We will offer membership to all parents of eligible students and other interested parties. In collaboration with PAC we will offer at least one workshop annually on the rights of students and their parents and guardians. This will include information related to A) assisting parents in understanding the special needs of their child B) providing parents with information about child development and C) helping parents to acquire the necessary skills that allow them to support the implementation of their child's IEP. 504 Coordinator: KAL will have a 504 coordinator who oversees all steps of the Civil Rights law- Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). We also have nursing staff to oversee all medical plans. Program Self Evaluation: The school will conduct yearly self-evaluation surveys of parents and staff on the effectiveness of services provided and their satisfaction with the amount and type of supports available. We will analyze MCAS scores, the types of IEP/504 supports being provided, and discharges from IEP/504 supports. We will also and track the participation of students with disabilities in school activities to determine if inclusive practices are effectively implemented. Nutrition: KIPP Academy Boston is dedicated to nurturing and strengthening our students creativity, knowledge, character, thinking skills and physical well-being, preparing them to excel academically, physically, socially, and spiritually in the nation's finest schools, colleges, and in life. When students select unhealthy snacks from vending machines or are given cafeteria meals with a lack of nutrition, they are increasing their chances for long-term health problems and early death. Specifically, KIPP Academy Boston is taking the following steps in creating a nutrition program. Healthy snacks in place of junk food will be a constant. By introducing fruits, granolas, milk, cheese, water, juice, low-fat crackers, and nuts as regular snack options, the students, and school as a whole, will start to develop a preference for healthy eating habits. Family-style, nutritious meals in the cafeteria: To cut down on waste and promote slow, healthy and communal eating habits, KIPP Academy Boston will focus its breakfast and lunch program on having nutritious, family-style meals. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat and poultry, fish, nuts, and low-fat dairy will be emphasized. Promote non-food rewards in the classroom: pencils, erasers, stickers, crayons, watercolor paints, books, extra computer time, extra opportunities to perform class songs and chants , rather than candy, chips, bubble gum, soda, and pizza. Inventory school vending machines and install machines which carry more nutritious fare such as granola bars, graham crackers, skim milk, pure juice, baked tortilla chips, trail mix and raisins. Focus on sponsoring activity-based, non-food fundraisers such as jumpathons, Frisbee golf tournaments, soccer tournaments, basketball tournaments, car washes, walkathons, golf tournaments, and softball tournaments. III. How will the school demonstrate organizational viability? ENROLLMENT AND RECRUITMENT KIPP Academy Lynn has been successful at recruiting students from a similar demographic and academic profile as the sending district of Lynn Public Schools as well as that of Boston Public Schools. Please see the proven provider worksheet for these demographics. Our enrollment projections are below: Year 6 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 (full) 49 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Kindergarten 72 72 72 72 72 72 1st Grade 72 72 72 72 72 2nd Grade 72 72 72 72 3rd Grade 72 72 72 4th Grade 68 68 5th Grade 64 64 64 64 6th Grade 60 60 60 7th Grade 56 56 8th Grade 52 Graduating 8th 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 TOTAL 0 72 144 280 412 536 588 The Founding Team of KIPP Academy Boston has chosen the aforementioned enrollment size in an effort keep the school small enough to know every student and family. In addition, we believe that classrooms of twenty-four students in K-4th grade and 32 students in 5th-8th grade is the right balance between small enough to reach every student and big enough to generate enough income to be able to hire a teacher and teaching fellow for each class, grades K-2nd, as well as a full time ESL teacher and a full time Learning Specialist assigned to each grade K-8. Given the student population we plan to serve, this level of staffing is essential to truly serve every child without regard to race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or in a foreign language, or prior academic achievement. Although our enrollment projections max out at 588 students, we are asking for (600 seats) in order to protect against over-enrollment due to a lower than predicted yearly student attrition rates. We have conservatively projected a 5-7% annual attrition rate in 5th -8th grades. Last year the student attrition rate at KAL was 2.8%. Over the past fifteen years KIPP schools across the country have learned a tremendous amount about how to grow out schools effectively. One of the keys to success is to balance slow and thoughtful growth with the need to effectively serve as many students as possible as quickly as possible. Based upon the experience of 99 other KIPP schools, the Founding Team of KAB believes that adding one grade per year for the first two years and then two grades per year during year 3-6 strikes this balance. It gives KAB two years to get off to a solid start adding one class per year. By year 3 the Founding Team of KAB feels confident that we will have the capacity to add two grades per year until we are fully grown. Adding a fifth grade class in year 3 also ensures that the founding group of Kindergarten students will have an established middle school to enter when they reach the 5th grade. There are several facts that convince the Founding Team of KIPP Academy Boston that there will be a strong demand for our school. There are 10,000 plus students on charter school waiting lists in the city of Boston. We have a 3-1 demand for seats at KIPP Academy Boston with a similar demographic and academic profile to the students of Boston. KIPP Academy Lynn has been fully enrolled, without exception, each year since it opened in 2004. KAB will draw upon the student recruitment best practices of KIPP schools across the country. KAB, like KAL, will be open for adult education classes at least three nights per week starting in our first year. The demographic and academic profile of the students of KAL proves that we know how to recruit and retain students of families that may be less informed about their educational options. Even in the seventh year of our school our students' demographic and academic profile remains unchanged from our first year. We have been successful through systematic student recruitment efforts. At this point the KAL team could sit back and let students come to us. Instead, we actively outreach to families who need us the 50 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE most. Each year the staff of KAL employs the following strategies and The founding Team of KAB will employ similar recruitment and retention strategies : KAL conducts information sessions for potential families and students at organizations that provide after school services using vouchers such as the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, Girls Inc., and the Gregg Neighborhood House. This ensures that we are getting the word out to the low income students of our community. KAL takes current students with us to recruit fourth grade students at the local housing projects in order to access students who come from families who are receiving housing vouchers. KAL recruits students from the local religious institutions that serve low income families. KAL recruits students at businesses such as Laundromats and supermarkets where low income families tend to go to. KAL has established a network of DSS and DYS workers, Special Education advocates, therapists, police officers, hospitals, new immigrant centers, and other social service agencies providers who direct their most needy students in our direction. KAL advertises our lottery in the local newspapers and publications that families tend to read in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Khmer. KAL has developed ongoing relationships with several LPS teachers who send us their most needy students. KAL has ensured that our building is fully accessible to students with physical handicaps. KAL has put all of our enrollment forms on our website. If KAB request for a charter is granted we will begin recruiting students in November of 2011. We will use the strategies for recruiting students and families of a similar demographic and academic profile to BPS listed above to apply for the lottery. We will hold a public lottery by the DESE mandated date in mid-March. Students will be allowed to apply for any grades we serve at the time or will be serving the following academic year. At this lottery, we will invite an impartial member of the community, who is not currently or previously associated with the school in any way, to draw names in a blind lottery. There will be separate drawings for each grade we serve or are going to serve in the upcoming academic year. For our Kindergarten class the first 72 students to be chosen, who are entering Kindergarten in the upcoming academic year, will be given the opportunity to enroll for the upcoming academic year. In March of 2014, going into our third year, the first 64 current fourth grade students will be given the opportunity to enroll in our fifth grade class for the upcoming academic year. Students applying for grades other than kindergarten or fifth grade will enter the lottery for the grade that they will be entering in the upcoming academic year. Once names are chosen for the given number of available seats in a given grade, we will then draw names for our waiting list. Students will be placed on the waiting list in the order they are chosen. Any students who sign fill out an application for KAB after the lottery date will be put into our second lottery. We will then hold a second waiting list lottery in June. Students' names will be drawn at a public lottery by an impartial party in a similar fashion to our lottery that is held in March. If students, who ―win‖ the lottery decide not to attend KAB the following year, we will offer the opportunity to enroll to students from the waiting list in the order in which they were picked in the lottery. If a student leaves during the academic year before February 15th, we will fill her / his space with a student from the previous year's waiting list in the order in which they were chosen. We will fill any seat mid-year made available in grades K-4th. We reserve the right to choose whether to fill a seat mid-year from grades 5-8th. We will not enroll students from the second waiting (from the June lottery) until all of the students from the first waiting list (March lottery) are offered the opportunity to enroll. Once a student is chosen in the lottery, we will actively outreach to the family help them enroll. In order to enroll our most at-risk students, we will employ several strategies to facilitate their enrollment. Some strategies include: We will send out multiple mailings setting up appointments to meet with our team to enroll. 51 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE We will make multiple phone calls home to set up an enrollment appointment. We will make home visits to facilitate enrollment. We track how the student / family found out about KIPP so we can use these contacts to reach the family to facilitate setting up an enrollment appointment. B. Capacity The KAL Board was formed in 2003 with a mission to address the lack of quality school options in the Lynn community by providing a rigorous, high quality, college preparatory middle school for students and families. Since its opening in 2004, the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School has been successful in educating its students and preparing them for success in high school, college and life. Many Board members have deep personal commitments to the Boston community, and are similarly concerned about the limited number of high quality school options in many Boston neighborhoods. For several years, the Board members of KIPP Academy Lynn have discussed the possibility of opening a KIPP school in Boston. KIPP Academy Lynn has been successful in working with students of a similar demographic to that of Boston Public School students. We want to share what we have learned with another group of students and families who we believe would benefit greatly from a KIPP education. When the Massachusetts charter law was amended in January 2010 to allow for charter school cap expansion in low performing districts, the Board members began more specific discussions with the KAL leadership team about the opportunity. These discussions included input from the KIPP Foundation, which is in support of KIPP school expansion in the Boston community. In February 2010, the Board members met with Executive Director, Josh Zoia, and Chief Academic Officer, Caleb Dolan, and requested that they lead the effort to prepare a Letter of Interest, Prospectus and full charter application with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If our KAB charter is granted the board will be represent all of KIPP Massachusetts. In addition to the current BOT of KAL, there are four non-Board members of the Founding Team of KAB. Each of them brings knowledge of education in Boston through a variety of experiences. The Board of KAL knows that local knowledge is essential to designing and rolling out a successful school in any community. If the charter is granted, the KAB Founding Team will be offered the opportunity to join the KIPP Academy Massachusetts Board which will hold both the KIPP Academy Lynn and KIPP Academy Boston charters. Members of the KAL Board meet approximately once per month for regularly scheduled Board meetings in order to perform the governance responsibilities for the existing KIPP Academy Lynn. For the past nine months, there has been time allotted at each of these meetings to discuss the strategic issues involving the governance, management, fundraising, political outreach and growth plan of KAB as well as KIPP Massachusetts. We have also leveraged the Board's knowledge of the Boston community to meet with key community leaders throughout Boston. Last August, the KAL Board and management team began reaching out to members of the Boston community to get involved as non-Board members of the KAB Founding Team. They have played and will continue to play an advisory role in thinking through all of the issues involved with the planning and start up of KAB. The entire Boston Founding Team will meet monthly, in addition to regularly scheduled KAL Board meetings. Yet the role of a Founding Team member is not limited to monthly meetings. The entire team will continue to leverage their resources, networks and experiences to help set KAB up for success every chance they can. Mr. Dolan, the CAO and Mr. Zoia, the Executive Director, are the primary authors for this application, with substantive guidance from the Boston Founding Team and Alex Cortez, a growth manager from the KIPP Foundation. In addition, Mr. Dolan and Mr. Zoia have consulted with school leaders from other KIPP schools in the national network to leverage the success and lessons learned from other schools. In particular, we have worked with school leaders from other successful KIPP elementary 52 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE schools such as KIPP SHINE Prep (Houston), and KIPP LEAP Academy (Washington DC) to identify best practices for KIPP school development. Experience and Qualifications of KAB Founding Team: (Resumes and biographical summaries of the proposed board are included in Appendix A.) Thomas Fredell, Board President (4 years on board) - Mr. Fredell is a serial entrepreneur who has created companies in the Internet and Software-as-a-Service space. Most recently, he cofounded a new media company that is innovating in the online marketing space. Prior to his new company, he created the world's first "virtual dataroom" for mergers & acquisitions transactions. Jennifer Davis, Board Vice President (5 years on board) - In 2007, Ms. Davis became the President & CEO of the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), an organization dedicated to expanding and modernizing the American school calendar to meet the needs of student in the 21st Century. Mike Kendall, Board Treasurer (1 year on board) - Michael Kendall, a partner in Goodwin Procter's Private Equity and Technology Companies Groups, focuses his corporate finance and securities practice on private equity and venture capital transactions, mergers and acquisitions, public securities offerings and representing emerging growth companies. Danielle Boudreau, Board Secretary (2 years on board) - Ms. Boudreau is Director of Investor Relations for New Profit Inc., a national venture philanthropy fund that provides financial and strategic resources for social entrepreneurs seeking to scale their innovations across the country. Prior to New Profit, Ms. Boudreau served in fundraising positions at Babson College and Providence College. Barbara W. Goldman, Board Member (2 years on board) – Ms. Goldman is a partner in Plan B Ventures, providing funding to emerging Cleantech companies. She is the co-founder and former Executive Director of Friends of Yemin Orde, the US support organization for the Yemin Orde Youth Village in Israel, home to more than 500 disadvantaged youth. She is the former Director of Development for Cohen Hillel, a Jewish Day school in Marblehead, MA. Scott Sarazen, Board Member (3 years on board) - Mr. Sarazen is the Global Life Sciences Markets Leader for Ernst & Young, managing the firm's global marketing, communication and go-to-market strategies for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medtech industries. He has extensive real estate development experience having project managed the build out of over 5 million square feet of space for Genzyme. Nathan Sanders, Board Member (Joined June 2010) – Mr. Sanders is a Director at Bain Capital, a global investment firm. Prior to joining Bain Capital, he was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company's Palo Alto office, where his client work focused on strategy/growth and corporate finance topics. Frances McLaughlin, Board Member(Joined in March 2010) – Ms. McLaughlin is the Chief Operating Officer at Education Pioneers and a seasoned leader in the education sector. Prior to joining Education Pioneers in 2009, Frances was a Senior Director at the Broad Foundation, an L.A. based venture philanthropy organization. KAB Founding Team Non-Board Members Josh Biber: A former award winning teacher, Mr. Biber is now the Executive Director of Teach for America in Boston. Amanda Hillman: Ms. Hillman is a Dorchester native, former teacher, and current head of Teach for America's alumni efforts in Boston Juleby Hirsch: Mr. Hirsh is a financial analyst and strategic consultant who has done extensive work in the education and for profit sections. Aaron Brenner: Mr.Brenner is the Head of Primary Schools, KIPP Houston Early Childhood and Elementary Founder, KIPP SHINE Prep. He is also currently an Aspen Fellow. 53 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KAL & Proposed KAB Management Team Joshua Zoia, Executive Director, KIPP Academy Lynn, ex officio Board Member (6 years on board) - Having successfully founded and led the outstanding success of KIPP Academy Lynn, Mr. Zoia was appointed by the Board of Trustees as Executive Director of KIPP Massachusetts in June 2010, in order to lead the growth of KIPP schools in the greater Boston area. Caleb Dolan, Chief Academic Officer – Mr. Dolan was the founding school leader for KIPP Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, NC. During his eight years as Principal of KIPP Gaston College Preparatory, the students made exemplary growth on the state's standardized tests every year. COO-We are currently late in the search process for a COO who will supervise the back office of both KAL and KAB. We will have a COO in place by January 15, 2011. C. School Governance The table and chart that follow provide detail for the governance of KIPP Academy Boston. Abrv. Title Abrv. Title Abrv. Title ED Executive Director DA Development DSS Director of Student Associate Support CDO Chief Development DF Director of Finance KALES KIPP Academy Lynn Officer Elementary School COO Chief Operating BM Business Manager KALMS KIPP Academy Lynn Officer Middle School CAO Chief Academic DOHR Director of Human KABES KIPP Academy Officer Resources Boston Elementary School DOR Director of RA Assistant Director of KABMS KIPP Academy Recruitment Recruitment Boston Middle School DKTC Director of KIPP ADKTC Assistant Director AP Assistant Principal Through College KIPP Through College DCO Director of Community AEC Adult Education GLC Grade Level Chair Outreach Coordinator CCO Coordinator of Dept. Department Chair Community Outeach Chair 54 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 55 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE The organizational chart above represents KIPP Massachusetts at its proposed full size. Internally, KIPP MA views the Lynn charter as three schools with four principals and the Boston charter as two schools with two principals. The organizational structure is designed this way for two reasons. One is that each school will be small enough to know each child and family. The second reason is to ensure cultural and instructional consistency and accountability throughout the organization. All of these schools and staff will be supported and supervised by a central office. The Executive Director will supervise the Chief Development Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Academic Officer, the Director of Recruitment , the Director of KIPP Through College and the Director of Community Outreach. The Board of KIPP Massachusetts will supervise the Executive Director. Each arrow indicates the reporting relationship. The arrow points to each staff's supervisor. Supervisors will be held accountable by the person they report to for the performance of all of their direct reports. For example, the Executive Director will be held accountable by the Board of Trustees, the CAO by the Executive Director, the Principals by the CAO, the Assistant Principals by the Principal, and the teachers by the Assistant Principals. Thus, the Board of Trustees will hold the Executive Director accountable for success in all aspects of the organization. KIPP Academy Lynn is and KIPP Academy Boston would be part of the KIPP Network. There are currently ninety-nine KIPP schools across twenty states. KIPP Foundation will not hold the charter for either of these schools and has no role in governing the KIPP MA Board. The only leverage KIPP Foundation has over the KIPP MA Board is that it could take away the KIPP name. The school would remain open on without the KIPP name. This has happened on a handful of occasions when a school is not performing well and is not making the necessary changes. It is similar to the process of a school losing its charter. KIPP Foundation believes that each school should be tailored to fit the needs of each community it serves. The partnership is designed to support this philosophy. The KIPP Network is more of an affiliation of like-minded schools. KIPP MA will be required to pay a licensing fee of $50,000 annually to KIPP Foundation. KIPP Foundation contact information is included in the appendix. KAL has found the partnership with KIPP Foundation to be extremely fruitful. Working with 99 other like-minded schools offers our teachers, students, parents, Board members, and administrators access to an incredible resource of experience and materials. The Board of Trustees will hold the charter and is held accountable by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the operation of the school. Section 89 of Chapter 71 of the Massachusetts General Laws states: ―The board of trustees of a charter school, upon receiving a charter from the secretary of education, shall be deemed to be public agents authorized by the commonwealth to supervise and control the charter school.‖ In addition to upholding a duty of care to the school and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Board of Trustees shall have the following responsibilities: Define and refine the school's mission and vision; Evaluate the performance of the Executive Director; Approve the school's annual budget; Ensure the school maintains ethical and legal integrity; Establish and maintain all policies related to school governance; Ensure adherence to the mission and goals outlined in this charter; Provide support to the school for additional fund-raising, marketing & other services as needed; Participate in the resolution of disputes that are brought to the Board's attention, especially those disputes arising in the areas of expulsion and long-term suspension; and Advocate on behalf of the school by working to establish partnerships with community organizations, institutions of higher learning, nonprofit foundations and corporate entities that support education through noncommercial relationships. 56 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE The Board of Trustees will delegate all day-to-day operational decisions to the Executive Director including: includes overseeing the hiring and management of school personnel, development of curriculum, disciplinary issues, parent consultation, and vendor curriculum. The Executive Director will provide reports to the board during monthly board meetings. The Executive Director will collaborate with the Board Treasurer to prepare an annual budget which will be presented to, and approved by the Board prior to the commencement of each new fiscal year. Each member of KAL's Board of Trustees is aligned with the mission that all students deserve the opportunity to have an excellent education. They all believe deeply in our students and families. Each of them has spent his / her lifetime committed, directly or indirectly, serving youth. Please see their bios in the ―Capacity Section‖ of this application for more details. Adding the Boston Founding Team members to the Board of KIPP MA would bring several additional advocates with a more specific knowledge of public education in Boston. The criteria and process for choosing the school leader ensures that KIPP school principals are provided significant autonomy to manage the day-to-day activities of the school. This includes oversight of all teachers and staff in the building. The school principal is the chief instructional leader of the school, and is responsible for ensuring the quality of the overall educational program. S/he must also be an effective ―leader of leaders‖, who is able to cultivate and empower distributive leadership throughout the school. The principal must possess a powerful vision of a high-achieving public school based on KIPP's Five Pillars, and must have the ability to execute strategies to realize that vision. The Board of Trustees will work with the Executive Director to identify an exceptional individual that is accepted into the KIPP Foundation's year long principal preparation program, the Fisher Fellowship. The Foundation maintains exceptional standards for admittance to the Fisher Fellowship program. In addition to cultivating essential competencies and skills necessary to lead a KIPP school, the fellowship is also an opportunity for the school leader to establish a mission, vision for the new school that is tailored to the unique needs of the school community. The Board of Trustees of KIPP MA will choose the Executive Director. The KIPP MA Board will then give the Executive Director the authority to hire the Principals. The ED will be held accountable for the Principals' performance by the Board of Trustees. As one of the requirements for being part of the KIPP network, KIPP Foundation requires that all KIPP Principals go through a six week summer training program before they become the a Principal of a KIPP School. They make exceptions for exceptional situations. The Board of Trustees conducts an annual review of the Executive Director to evaluate his or her performance in fulfilling the schools' mission and meeting its agreed-upon goals. It is a 3-step review process that consists of: 1) Establishing Annual Performance Goals. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the Board will meet with the Executive Director to determine performance goals for the year. These goals will be tied to the goals outlined in the charter and any other goals deemed necessary by both parties. 2) Mid-Year Review. Six months into the year, the Board will meet with the Executive Director to discuss progress towards the agreed upon goals. A formal, written review plan will be used to document the Executive Director's adherence to the schools' values and to document any proposed plans that will expedite the achievement of the schools' goals. 3) End-of-Year Review. At the end of the year, the Executive Director's annual performance will be discussed. At this time, the Board will make decisions related to employment, bonus compensation and professional development opportunities for the Executive Director The Executive Director will go through the same process with each of his direct reports. The Chief Academic Officer will go through the process with each of the principals. The Role Distinctions Between the Board, the Executive Director, the CAO and the Principals are clearly outlined. KIPP Academy Boston will be governed by the KIPP Massachusetts 57 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Board of Trustees, which will be responsible for setting all school policy; approving the annual school budget; commissioning the annual fiscal audit; preparing the annual report and all related financial statements; approving all student expulsions; handling complaints; evaluating the Executive Director; and serving as the legal liaison with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as the official holder of the school's state charter. The Board will delegate all day-to-day operational responsibilities to the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for evaluating and supporting KIPP regional office staff. The CAO is responsible for evaluating the school Principals. School Principals are provided significant discretion and authority for setting the daily schedule, making personnel decisions, implementing and revising the school's curriculum and disciplining students. The KIPP Foundation serves as an advisor, resources provider and monitor of adherence to the KIPP Five Pillars. The only ex-officio Board member is the Executive Director Joshua Zoia. He is a non-voting member of the Board. All other current members of the Board of Trustees of KIPP Massachusetts are voting members. The non-Board members of the Boston Founding Team will become voting Board of Trustee members of the KIPP Massachusetts Board, if KAB receives its charter. President of the Board of Trustees General Responsibilities: The chair is the senior volunteer leader of the Charter School who presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and other meetings as required. The Chair is an ex officio member of all committees of the organization. The Board Chair oversees implementation of board and school policies and ensures that appropriate administrative practices are established and maintained. Succession Plan: The President of the Board of Trustees is voted on annually at the Board retreat in August. Our current Board President, Thomas Fredell has been Board President for three years. There is a six consecutive year limit on the amount of time one person can be Board President under our current bylaws. There are several current KAL Board members, including the current Vice President, who would be excellent Board Presidents. Sample Section of Bylaws: KIPP Academy Boston will have identical bylaws as KIPP Academy Lynn. Please see a sample section of the proposed bylaws in the appendix. KAL's Board of Trustees has developed and implemented a formal process for policy development. Proposed recommendation are drafted and presented to the board at a regularly scheduled Board meeting by the Executive Director on behalf of school leadership, faculty, administration, individual Principals, board members, and board committees. Discussion ensues and feedback is provided. Revisions and recommendations are incorporated, and the policy is presented for vote at a subsequent Board meeting for final approval. This process is illustrated by reviewing how we currently create our annual and multi-year budgeting for KIPP Academy Lynn. The Executive Director, the Director of Operation and Finance as well as the school Principal sit down together in January of each year to start the budgeting process for the next fiscal year. The management team creates a first draft of the budget using the historical numbers to create projections. We then create a list of any new expenses associated with additional positions or programming. This draft is given to the Board Finance Committee who vet it, and look at the numbers in the broader context of our long-term strategic vision. They generate questions, give suggestions, and provide feedback. The school's management team will then create a second draft taking these questions, suggestions and feedback into consideration. The process continues until March when the Board votes to approve the ―Provisional Budget‖ which allows management to hire new employees, start ordering supplies etc. The iterative process continues between March and June as per pupil numbers solidify, staff is hired and salaries are negotiated etc. In June, the Board votes whether to approve a final version of the budget for the next fiscal year. KIPP Academy Lynn has had significant historical success with budgeting. We have maintained strong programming and solid results while always remaining in the ―black‖. We will 58 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE take a similar approach with our multi-year budgeting. The only difference is that it will involve the Strategic Growth Committee of the Board. The multi-year budget is revisited each fall in preparation for the annual budgeting process. The KIPP Massachusetts Board is deeply committed to collecting and using feedback to drive our decision making. KIPP Foundations' ―Healthy School Survey‖ is an incredible tool to receive feedback from all of our stake holders. The Healthy Schools and Regions (HSR) initiative at KIPP provides data for measuring school and regional health through a series of school outcomes (student, teacher retention, leadership development, etc.) and related metrics and performance goals that help schools determine how well they are realizing their missions. KIPP is able to match this outcomes data with input data (examples include understanding impact of school culture on student achievement, which staff satisfaction survey questions are best predictors of teacher retention, etc.) to identify those inputs that have the greatest impact on student outcomes. The survey is given to our students, our staff and our families in January. Legal Counsel & Independent Auditors: KIPP Massachusetts plans to use the same legal counsel and an independent auditor we have used as the Board of KIPP Academy Lynn. New Board Member Orientation Process: New Board member orientation begins during the recruitment and selection process. All prospective Board members must first visit the school and meet with Executive Director Josh Zoia for an orientation to KIPP. This includes a tour of the school, the chance to meet staff and students, as well as a conversation about the strategic vision of KIPP Massachusetts. After that they meet with the President of the Board to review the roles and responsibilities of a Board member of KIPP Massachusetts. They are then given a Board orientation packet which includes the Board packets from the past six months, a copy of ―Robert's Rules‖, as well as a dvd provided by our Board consultant, ―The High Bar‖ that further orients them to the roles and responsibilities of a charter school Board member in Massachusetts. Process for Board Self Evaluation and Development: The Board of KIPP Massachusetts will use the same process for self evaluation it has used in recent years as the Board of Trustees of KIPP Academy Lynn. We recently contracted with a new Board development consulting company called High Bar. It was founded by Marci Cornell Feist, who has worked with over eighty charter school Boards across the country. At the end of each fiscal year, KAL's Board of Trustees will complete a board self evaluation provided by a High Bar that focuses on: the role of individual Board members (as perceived by each member him/herself), the role of the Board as an entity (as perceived by the members), and the future of the Board as envisioned by the member including capabilities that may be necessary or desirable in newly recruited board members. During our yearly summer board retreat the Board will use the evaluation to drive our board level goals. Board Evaluation of School Academic Progress: The Board of Trustees and administrators will continue to evaluate the success of the new school in the same way they have for the past six years for KIPP Academy Lynn. School evaluation occurs every single Board meeting as well as at the end of the year with a full review of the school's academic, operational, and organizational progress. This review includes a 360 review of the school leadership, analysis of test results, a review of actual budget numbers, analysis of KIPP Foundations Healthy Schools and Regions data and a systematic internal review of each aspect of our school by the relevant Board committee. The results of these reviews are used to create board level goals as well as management goals during our yearly retreat each summer. In addition to monitoring the academic progress and organizational viability of the new KIPP Boston school, the Board will also be responsible for ensuring that the school adheres to the school design articulated in the Charter Application submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as well as the Five Pillars that are deemed to be essential elements of all KIPP 59 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE schools. The Board will participate in the following activities in order to ensure consistency of the school model: Regional Leadership Support: The Executive Director for KIPP Massachusetts will be responsible for the oversight and support of school principals at KIPP Academy Lynn, as well as the new KIPP Academy Boston . The Executive Director will be responsible for ensuring that KIPP Academy Boston is operating an academic program that is aligned to the KIPP school design elements that have been essential to the success of KIPP Academy Lynn. The Executive Director will also be responsible for assembling a Regional team that provides academic and operational supports to KIPP Academy Boston. School Quality Reviews: the Board will work with the KIPP Foundation to conduct comprehensive ‗School Quality Reviews' during Years2,4, and every 2 years thereafter. The review process includes at least 5 experienced educators that spend multiple days at the school reviewing academic, cultural and operational aspects of the schools in order to provide formative feedback on areas of strength and improvement. The Board of Trustees of KAL uses the following process for recruiting and selecting new members: Activity Who Timeline 1 Identify the needs of the KAL Board BOT members Yearly retreat in August 2 Board to submit nominations for candidates BOT members Week 1 fitting the criteria identified in step 1 above. 3 Nominee to meet with the Board Chair / School Nominee, Thomas Week 1,2 &3 Leader / Chair, Governance Committee Fredell, Josh Zoia, Danielle Boudreau 4 Board to share Roles and Responsibilities with GC Chair and/or BOT Week 4 the Nominee, providing insight into what's nominator expected of Trustees. 5 Nominee to submit official request to join the Nominee Week 5 Board. 6 Board votes on nominee. BOT Next Board mtg. after step 2-5 Potential Modifications to Board Member Composition: The current members of the founding board for KIPP Academy Boston all have strong ties to the Boston community and a strong and diverse set of professional experiences to provide effective governance for the new charter school. Although no changes to Board membership are pending at this time, the Board will consider adding members from the KAB Founding Team to the KIPP Massachusetts Board that have connections to the specific Boston community where the new school is located. Network of Schools: KIPP Massachusetts is hoping to be one Board that holds both the KIPP Academy Lynn and KIPP Academy Boston charters. Please see the narrative in Appendix_____ Capacity of the Board of Directors Manage an Additional Charter: KAL's Board is uniquely positioned to guide the growth of our schools. Seven out of the nine members have led the growth of companies or organizations from start up through expansion. The Board members have extensive experience setting strategy, creating the policy and managing the outcomes necessary to successfully grow an organization. Please see the ―Capacity‖ section for their bios. In addition, the KIPP MA Board plans to leverage the knowledge of the KIPP Network. There are nineteen other KIPP Regions who have already grown into multiple schools. KIPP Foundation does an excellent job of capturing and sharing best practices with regards to how to successfully grow. KIPP 60 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Foundation has assigned our region a ―growth manager‖, Alex Cortez, who spends 1/3rd of his time supporting our growth planning and implementation. The Board also recognizes the need to grow. The aforementioned Boston Founding Team will be made KIPP MA Board members, if KIPP Academy Boston's charter is granted. This will increase our Board size and capacity by nearly fifty percent. Changes to the Organization Structure: The Board of KIPP MA has made several changes to KAL's organizational structure to prepare for growth (please see org chart at the beginning of the Governance section). The Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Academic Officer will help ensure quality and consistency throughout the KIPP Massachusetts schools: Core Functions of the Board: The core functions of the KIPP Massachusetts Board are as follows: 1. Determine the mission and purpose of our 7. Determine, monitor and strengthen the schools and keep it clearly in focus programs and services 2. Select the Executive Director 8. Enhance KIPP MA's public standing 3. Support and review the performance of the 9. Ensure legal and ethical integrity and Executive Director maintain accountability 4. Ensure effective organizational planning 10. Recruit and orient new board members and 5. Ensure adequate resources assess board performance 6. Manage resources effectively Timely Reporting: One of the core functions of the KIPP MA Board is to monitor and strengthen the programs and services of both KIPP Academy Lynn and KIPP Academy Boston. Currently the Board of KIPP Lynn meets monthly. The first agenda item each meeting is a review of the organizational dashboard by the Executive Director and school Principal. The academic section of the dashboard includes monthly items such as: student enrollment, attendance, test scores on interim assessments, QRI reading level scores, and % of students earning paycheck trips. There is also space for any important information that may be reported out less frequently than monthly such as MCAS scores, MAP scores, Healthy Schools Survey Results, staff retention etc. If KIPP MA is granted a charter for KAB, the Board will require each school to present a monthly dashboard at the Board meetings. In addition, the KAL Board has recently contracted with a Board development consultant The High Bar. They have developed an on line version of this Board dashboard so Board members can go on it at any time and review the progress on each key academic metric for each school. Ensuring Consistency Between Schools: The KIPP MA Board has undertaken several steps to ensure consistency of the KIPP model between schools KIPP Foundation has played and will continue to play an active role in guiding the KAL Board to prepare itself for growth. It is imperitive to the KIPP mission and to our students and families that all KIPP schools grow very thoughtfully and successfully. KIPP Foundation brings with it the collective wisdom of growing in nineteen regions across America. It has an eight person ―growth management‖ team. Each growing region is assigned a ―growth manager‖ who works with a maximum of three regions. The growth management process at KIPP is meant to be suppportive, but it is also evaluative. There is a rigorous approval process. KIPP Academy Lynn will not be able to expand as a KIPP school without the greenlight from KIPP Foundation. They require extensive strategic business planning as well as capacity building before they will greenlight growth. Board Oversight: As previously mentioned, the KIPP MA Board has created tools, such as the monthly dashboard, and metrics for tracking the progress of each school and changed the organizational structure to create more robust management team oversight. The Board has also created strong Board committees which meet monthly, and often more frequently. There are five standing committees, finance, facility, development, academic, and strategic growth. These committees are staffed with at least two Board 61 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE members and two members of the management team. Thus, each committee has an intimiate knowledge of a particular aspect of the organization and is able to report out any concerns, or ideas to the whole Board. School Leadership Evaluation: Please see ―Criteria & Process for Evaluating the Executive Director‖ above in this section. Developing Annual Budget: Please see ―Policy Development‖ section above in this section for a description of KAL's annual budgeting process. Monitoring School Finances: As required by Massachusetts state charter law, the KIPP Massachusetts Board has contracted with an outside firm to conduct an independent financial audit of the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. The school has passed the financial audit in each year of its existence and has run an operating surplus each year. The school is current with all DESE reports and meets its financial obligations in a responsible manner. Financial oversight from the Board of Trustees is an essential reason for the sound financial management of the school. We anticipate following the same process for KIPP Academy Boston. Conducting Long-term Financial and Strategic Planning: As evidenced by resumes and biographical summaries, the KIPP Massachusetts Board members have significant professional experience in financial and strategic planning for a wide range of industries. The Board dedicates significant time to shaping the long-term strategic plans of the charter school. The Board participates in an annual summer retreat to review academic and operating performance data, assess opportunities and threats to continued growth and success, reaffirm commitment to organizational mission and vision, and revisit the strategic goals for KIPP Academy Boston. We will provide executive coaching for all sitting school leaders. In addition, KIPP Share has created a place to share artifacts that all schools use. For example, every region's budget is accessible to any other KIPP administrator. These supports and best practice sharing platforms lead to a culture of collaboration that creates an informal network of school administrators who are able to regularly connect to consult on challenging decisions. Please see the subsection, ―Role of KIPP Foundation‖ in the ―Governance‖ portion of this application for a more detailed explanation of each of these KIPP Foundation programs. D. Management Proposed Organizational Structure: KIPP Academy Massachusetts based the proposed organizational structure (outlined in the ―Governance‖ section) upon the ten years of experience of the nineteen KIPP Regions that have grown before us making alterations to meet the needs of our student population. An example of a unique aspect of KIPP MA's organizational structure is the creation of a Director of Community Outreach along with a two person team. As referenced throughout this application, Both Lynn and Boston have incredibly diverse student populations. We currently have students from forty-five countries represented at KAL. Given that the majority of our current and anticipated student populations are first generation immigrants, it is essential that we provide a strong adult education program. Key Organizational Decisions Please reference the section titled ―Governance Structure Narrative‖ in the Governance portion of this application to review the reporting relationships of the proposed organizational structure. The Executive Director will supervise the Chief Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and the Chief Academic Officer. The ―C‖ level executive and her/ his team will make key organizational decisions with input from the Executive Director, the relevant Board committee / the entire Board, and other departments and stakeholders as is appropriate. Administrative Roles and Responsibilities & Role Distinctions: Executive Director (Josh Zoia): The role of the Executive Director is to coordinate and execute on policies and practices across all KIPP Charter schools in the greater Boston area and provide a clear articulation of the overall school strategy for the board to review, add to and approve. The Executive 62 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Director is directly responsible for the evaluation and development of the Chief Development Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Academic Officer the Director of Recruitment, the Director of KIPP Through College and the Director of Community Outreach. Chief Operating Officer (COO): The COO will oversee all KIPP Massachusetts school operations including: vendor management, human resources, information technology, finance, and facilities management. School Principals will collaborate with the COO and have significant input in decisions regarding resource allocation to ensure appropriate investment in academic programming. The COO will be held accountable by the ED for all aspects of operational excellence from buses running on time to effective fiscal management. Chief Academic (Caleb Dolan): The CAO will supervise all of the Principals as well as the Director of Student Support. He will provide scalable instructional program leadership to all school leaders, with specific responsibility for the planning, development, implementation, assessment, and improvement of instructional programs across all KAL and KAB.. He will also be responsible for creating systems and structures that allow the instructional component of KAL and KAB to be brought to scale in a timely and efficient manner while maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality and exceptional student achievement results. Chief Development Officer (Jennifer Parkos): The CDO is responsible for developing and executing the short and long term strategic development plan. She will have a team of two development assistants. Principals: The proposed organizational structure frees up the Principal to be a true instructional leader for her / his school. S/he will set and promote the instructional vision of her / his school, plan, with the support of the CAO, and deliver all professional development sessions, observe and support four to eight teachers, manage the grade level chairs, instructional coach, assistant principals, department chairs, and building office staff. The Principals, with the help of the Director of Recruitment, will make all hiring decisions for the instructional staff in her / his school. The Board of KIPP MA believes that Principals should have the full authority to make all the key decisions about teaching, learning, instruction, staffing, and discipline in her/ his building given that s/he will be held accountable for all of the key outcomes. Director of Student Support Services (Sue Bacieski is the proposed DSS): The DSS is responsible for supervising the ELL Coordinator, SPED coordinator, and 504 coordinator, nurses and adjustment counselors in each school. The ELL & SPED coordinators will be responsible for supervising the ESL and Learning Specialist in his/her school. The DSS is ultimately responsible for ensuring that every student with additional needs is being serviced effectively and in accordance with state and federal laws. She will be held accountable by the CAO. This role is especially important given the student population KAL serves in Lynn and are anticipate serving in Boston. Developing, Supervising, Coordinating, and Assessing Educational Content and Approach: The development and supervision of teachers, pedagogy, and curriculum is described in the teacher development and curriculum sections. Qualities & Attributes of the Instructional Leader: Please see ―Criteria and Process for Choosing School Leader‖ for the description of how the Executive Director and the Board will use to choose KAB's principals. Administrative Staffing Chart Position Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 (2012-13) (2013-14) (2014-15) (2015-16) (2016-17) FTE FTE FTE FTE FTE (K) (K,1) (K-2 & 5) (K- (K-7) 3,5&6) Administrative (Professional) 63 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Executive Director .2 .2 .2 .3 .3 Chief Operating Officer .15 .15 .2 .2 .2 Director of Finance .1 .15 .2 .2 .2 Chief Development Officer .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 Total Admin (Professional) .65 .5 .8 .9 .9 Administrative (Support / Clerical) Administrative Assistant 1 1 1 2 2 Business Manager .5 1 1.5 2 Accounting .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 Tech Support (Has been outsourced) Secretary for DSS .1 .15 .2 .25 .3 Total Admin / Support 1.2 1.75 2.3 3.85 4.4 Instructional: Other (Professional) Chief Academic Officer .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 Elementary School Principal 1 1 1 1 1 Elementary School Assistant Principal 1 1 1 1 Middle School Principle 1 1 1 Middle School Assistant Principal 1 1 Director of Student Supports (SPED / .1 .15 .2 .25 .25 ELL) ELL Coordinator (ESL teacher w/ stipend) .1 .15 .2 .25 .3 SPED Coordinator (LS teacher w/ stipend) .1 .15 .2 .25 .3 Literacy Coach 1 1 1 Total Instructional: Other .7 2.75 4.9 6.05 6.15 Other Admin: Student Services Nurse .5 .5 1 1 1 Adjustment Counselor (Therapist) .25 .5 1 1.5 2 Lunch Specialist .3 .3 .5 .5 Director of Community Outreach .1 .1 .1 .2 .2 Adult Education Coordinator .3 .3 Custodian / Maitenance .5 .75 1 1 1 Total Admin: Student Services 1.75 2.15 3.4 4.5 5 There are a few key assumptions & facts behind the staffing projections above that help to clarify the numbers: The Founding Team of KIPP Academy Boston has created staffing positions, roles and responsibilities to meet the needs of a student population with identical demographics and academic profiles as BPS. We have made all of our staffing decisions with this in mind. The elementary staffing projections are based upon the experience of the twenty-two KIPP elementary schools across the country. The middle school staffing projections are based upon the experiences of KIPP Academy Lynn. All of the positions in the ―administrative staff chart‖ and the ―classroom teacher staffing‖ chart are in line with the proposed budget, organizational chart, and ―students of special populations staffing chart‖. The Executive Director, the Chief Academic Officer, Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Finance, Chief Development Officer, the accountant, the Director of Student Supports, the secretary for the Director of Student Supports, and the Director of Community Outreach will all be supporting both KAB and KAL. Typically, the FTEs in the chart are proportional to the number of students at KAB versus KAL. There are several notable exceptions which are worth highlighting: 64 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE o Executive Director: In year 1, the ED will spend a disproportionate amount of time supporting KAB during its start up year. In year two, the time will be proportional to the number of students. This will allow the ED to spend more time in Lynn as the proposed Lynn Elementary school starts up. In year 3, the ED will again spend a disproportionate amount of time supporting KAB as it opens 2 grades in the same year for the first time. o CAO: In year 1 the CAO will spend 30% of his time working closely with the founding staff of KAB. This is a disproportionate amount of time given that the student population of KAB at that time will only represents 10% of the total KIPP Massachusetts schools' enrollment. In year 2, the CAO will again spend 30% of his time working with KAB, although the students at KAB will still represent significantly less than 30% of the total students enrolled in KIPP Massachusetts schools. The reason for this is that KAB will still be the only KIPP school in Boston. It will benefit greatly from the support and supervision of a seasoned leader (our CAO, Caleb Dolan, ran a KIPP school for eight years). The KIPP Elementary school in Lynn will be more closely supported by the ED as well as the seasoned leadership team of KIPP Academy Lynn middle school. KIPP Massachusetts has made these types of time allocation decisions based upon the experience of several other KIPP schools following similar growth patterns. o COO: In year 1, the COO will spend a disproportionate amount of time working on behalf of KAB. This allocation has been made in order to prepare for the numerous operational challenges of start up. Several of the operational issues associate with running a school will be handled by a central office that will serve both KAB and KAL. KAB will receive a proportional amount of time (determined by student enrollment at KAL compared to KAL) and is budgeted to pay a commiserate proportion of the central office costs. The central office will handle operational issues that can be centralized such as negotiating with the land lord, food vendor, as well as handling all HR issues. The Business Manager will work at KAB and will handle all of the operational issues that are best handled on site such as managing the day to day maintenance and cleaning of the facility, purchasing, and teacher reimbursements. KAB is able to bring on an Assistant Principal a year early in both year 2, for the elementary school, and year 4, for the middle school, due to KIPP Foundation receiving the 50 million dollar i3 funding grant to support bringing on administrative leadership before schools could otherwise afford to. The ELL and SPED coordinator will both be teachers at KAB. They will receive a stipend for their additional work. Classroom Teachers Staffing Plan Position Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 (2012-13) (2013-14) (2014-15) (2015-16) (2016-17) FTE FTE FTE FTE FTE (K) (K,1) (K-2 & 5) (K-3,5&6) (K-7) Classroom Teachers Classroom Teachers K-4 3 6 9 12 15 Math teachers 1 2 3 English teachers 1 2 3 Social studies teachers .5 1 1.5 Science teachers .5 1 1.5 Total classroom teachers 3 6 12 18 24 Assistant teaches (K-2nd grade) Assistant teachers 3 6 9 12 15 Total assistant teachers 3 6 9 12 15 Staff for students of special pop. 65 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Learning Specialists 1 2 4 6 8 ESL teachers 1 2 4 6 8 OT/PT/Speech – contracted out Total staff for students of SP 2 4 8 12 16 Electives Teachers Arts (art & music)teacher .25 .5 1 1.25 1.5 Music teacher .5 1 Spanish teacher .5 PE teacher 1 1.5 2 Total electives teachers .25 .5 2 3.25 5 . As mentioned before, the Founding Team of KIPP Academy Boston has designed a staffing plan to support a student population with identical demographics and academic profiles as BPS. We have made all of our staffing decisions with this in mind. A few examples of this are: KAB's ELL and SPED percentages will be aligned with those of BPS. Thus, we have budgeted for one learning specialist and one ESL teacher to be assigned to each grade. There is one teacher and one aid assigned to each Kindergarten, first and second grade classroom. This will help to ensure that each student receives individual and small group attention. Staff Recruitment, Advancement & Retention: Please see the, ―Addressing Potential Human Resource Challenges‖ section further down in the ―Management‖ portion of this application. Staff Advancement: Please see the description of teacher professional development in the, ―Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development‖ section the in ―Curriculum and Instruction‖ portion of this application. Please see the ―Staff Professional Development‖ section of the ―Management‖ portion of this application for information about administrative opportunities for professional development. Beyond professional development, the opportunities for staff advancement only multiply as we add an additional school and students. The cultivation of the mentality of KAB and KAL being one organization and the regular meetings and professional development with both schools will facilitate KIPP MA's ability to move staff between KAL and KAB. Staff Retention: KIPP MA believes that the key to staff retention is offering all staff meaningful opportunities to improve their practice, creating a work load that allows for ―rich‖ life outside of school (Please see the ―Working Conditions and Compensation‖ below for more details), creating opportunities for staff advancement, and fairly compensating staff (Please see the ―Staff Salaries and Evaluation‖ section below). Addressing Potential Human Resource Challenges: Please see the description of teacher professional development in the, ―Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development‖ section the in ―Curriculum and Instruction‖ portion of this application. Working Conditions & Compensation Packages: KAB is committed to making teaching and working at KIPP a sustainable life style. High staff retention is essential to our students' academic success. It is all too common for teachers to work a charter schools for a few years and then burn out exactly when they are hitting their stride as a teacher. KAL has had success in keeping our most effective teachers and staff by making KIPP a place a person can work and have a ―rich‖ life outside of work. KAL has achieved this through several methods: Teachers a KAB will have a minimum of three hours of planning time per day. Flexible working hours are very common at KAL especially for staff who have children or are going to graduate school. Middle school teachers typically teach one subject to one grade. This allows teachers to focus all their energy on creating one excellent lesson per day. KAB will have a vacation and professional development days scheduled strategically. 66 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE o KAB will take a full week vacation during the Thanksgiving Break and two full weeks during the winter holiday in December. o KAB will schedule ten professional development days typically the day after vacations and before all report card conference weeks. KAB will pay 100% of the health care costs for individual health care plans and 75% of the cost for staff with family health care plans. Paying these percentages is rare. Staff Salaries and Evaluation: KAB's base salaries and increases will be competitive with BPS and other charter schools in Boston. For teachers, KAB will look at years of experience and base its salary scale on the charter school salary survey for the 2009-10. For administrators, salaries will be negotiated individually based upon the salary survey. The salaries below have been advanced for inflation to 2012- 13 dollars. Years of Proposed Teacher Position Proposed Salary Experience Salary Range Range 0 $44,000-$47,000 Principal $80,000-$90,000 2-4 $47,000-52,000 Assistant Principal $60,000-$70,000 5-8 $52,000-62,000 Business Manager $50,000-$60,000 8 Up to $75,000 Admin. Assistant $35,000-$40,000 In addition, there will be several opportunities for staff to earn extra money for taking on extra responsibilities such as grade level chair, ELL coordinator, SPED coordinator, and department chair. These positions are assigned according to staff performance on the staff evaluations described below. Staff Evaluations: Teachers will be evaluated by their supervisors (either the Principal, Assistant Principal or Instructional Coach) according to the outline explained in the, Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development‖ sub-section the in ―Curriculum and Instruction‖ portion of this application. Non-teaching staff will be managed and evaluated using a similar performance management system as the teachers: Each staff member will go through a yearly goal setting meeting with his or her manager. These goals will include performance and individual development goals. Each staff member will have a one on one meeting with his or her manager every 1-2 weeks. These one on one meetings will provide feedback on progress towards goals, brainstorm interim steps, and provide an opportunity for the manager and staff member to develop a strong working relationship. Each teacher will receive a mid-year and end of the year review from her / his manager that provides feedback on his or her performance. The reviews will include data from the metrics established to measure her/ his performance, as well as data from observations and student/family surveys. All staff will receive formal performance evaluations at least twice yearly by his / her direct supervisor. The evaluations will also reflect the degree to which the staff member has achieved his or her individual professional development goals. Staff Professional Development: Please see the description of teacher professional development in the, ―Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development‖ sub-section the in ―Curriculum and Instruction‖ section of this application. Administrators Professional Development: KIPP Foundations support for leadership development is one of the greatest benefits of the being part of the KIPP network. KIPP Foundation offers administrator professional development such as a six week intensive KIPP School Leadership Training Institute at 67 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE NYU for new school leaders, ongoing professional development for sitting leaders at the Regional School Leader Retreats that occur four times per year, and executive coaching for all sitting school leaders. In addition, KIPP Share has created a place to share artifacts that all schools use. For example, every region's budget is accessible to any other KIPP administrator. These supports and best practice sharing platforms lead to a culture of collaboration that creates an informal network of school administrators who are able to regularly connect to consult on challenging decisions. Please see the subsection, ―Role of KIPP Foundation‖ in the ―Governance‖ portion of this application for a more detailed explanation of each of these KIPP Foundation programs. Qualifications & Attributes of the Ideal Teacher: The qualifications and attributes of the ideal teacher for KAB include: Two or more years of full-time teaching experience (preferably in an urban school setting) Commitment to KIPP, our team, and our mission Strong classroom management ability and knowledge of subject area Ability to connect with students A willingness to receive feedback and commit to personal and professional growth Excellence, Respect, Enthusiasm, Community, Integrity, and Perseverance (school values) Teachers Hours and Responsibilities: Every teacher will have three to four hours of core teaching responsibilities per day. In addition, they will have two to three hours of additional responsibilities per day including things like lunch duty, homework center (a time at lunch to make up missing homework), recess duty, electives, tutoring, reading groups, advisory, and /or DEAR time. No teacher will have more than six and one-half hours of responsibility in a nine and one-half hour day. This leaves a minimum of three hours of planning time per day. Changes in the Organizational Structure: Please see, ―Changes to the Organizational Structure‖ section in the ―Governance‖ portion of this application for highlights of the changes. In addition, please refer to the, ―Governance Structure Narrative,‖ section and the ―KIPP MA Organizational Chart‖ in the ―Governance‖ portion of this application for a description of the lines of authority and communication among organizational and school leadership. Leveraging KAL Team's Expertise to Successfully Open and Sustain KAB: This topic has been referenced several times throughout this application. KIPP MA will leverage the best practices of the schools of the KIPP network in operating successful schools over the past fifteen years as well as growing regions, KAL's seven years of operating experience, and the significant experience of the ED, Josh Zoia, who founded and operated KIPP Academy Lynn, the CAO, Caleb Dolan, who founded and operated a KIPP school in Gaston, North Carolina for eight years, and the extensive experience of the KIPP Academy Lynn Leadership Team members such as Anna Breen, who has worked at a KIPP school for twelve years and is the current KAL principal. Involvement of KAL Staff in the Development of KAB: In addition to leveraging the experience of KAL's leadership team, KAB will benefit from the experience of KAL's teachers and staff through the aforementioned regular weekly and bi-weekly regional meetings of the KIPP teachers and staff. The purpose of these meetings is to share best practices and ensure consistency throughout the KIPP MA region. KAL teachers and staff will also be intimately involved in developing and teaching professional development sessions about their area of expertise. KAL's Management Team's Involvement in Management of KAB: As previously mentioned, KIPP MA will foster and model the belief that KAB and KAL are part of the same team. KIPP MA has proposed a regional leadership structure to supervise the running of both KAL and KAB. The Executive Director, the Chief Academic Officer, Chief Operating Office, the Director of Finance, Chief Development Officer, the accountant, the Director of Student Supports, and the Director of Community Outreach will all be supporting both KAB and KAL. Their involvement is detailed in the, ―Staffing Plan‖ narrative discussed early in this section. 68 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE The Executive Director, the Chief Academic Officer, the Director of Finance, Chief Development Officer, the accountant, and the Director of Community Outreach all currently work at KIPP Academy Lynn in some capacity. Their reduced capacity to support KAL will be addressed through promoting and hiring additional staff to fill their roles. For example, the Executive Director, Josh Zoia, was formerly the Principal of KAL. Anna Breen, the former Assistant Principal, has been promoted to Principal of KAL and a senior teacher has been promoted to fill Anna Breen's role as Assistant Principal. Several other positions such as the COO, and the Director of Student Services (DSS) still need to be hired. KIPP MA has engaged the recruiting firm On Ramps to conduct its COO search. We are currently in the final stage of interviews and will have a COO in place by January. KIPP MA has an exceptional candidate, Sue Bacieski, for the roll of DSS who is a licensed school psychologist with fifteen years of experience. She has agreed to move into this roll if the KAB charter is granted. Addressing Potential Human Resource Challenges: KIPP Massachusetts believes that the ability to recruit, train and retain excellent staff is the most important variable influencing student outcomes. One of the greatest benefits of being part of the KIPP network is that the KIPP name draws teachers and leaders from around the country want to work at a strong urban charter school. The majority of staff at KIPP Lynn first applied to KIPP because of the national reputation. KIPP Foundation also actively recruits teachers and leaders for all of the KIPP Regions. For example, KIPP Foundation has a four person recruitment team for potential school principals. KAB and KAL are uniquely positioned to take advantage of these services due to Boston being a city that draws educational talent and to the fact that KAL is one of the highest performing schools in the KIPP network and a school where fun and joy are prevalent throughout the school. Yet, the KIPP MA Management Team and Board are aware that KIPP Foundation's help is not enough. KIPP MA will employ several strategies to find, train and keep our staff: Use multi-year growth plan to develop internal candidates for school leadership positions Maintain deep talent bench, and initiate formal succession planning for leadership positions Continue to cultivate relationships with the local Graduate Schools of Education Continue to cultivate relationships with MATCH and TFA which are sources of new teachers Continue to budget for outsourced consultant to administrative burden for teacher hiring process Building Organizational Capacity, Sharing Resources and Best Practices, and Ensuring Consistency Between Schools: Maintaining consistency between KAB and KAL is one of the top responsibilities of the KIPP MA management team. It is a challenge that the nineteen KIPP Networks across America have been grappling with for over ten years. There have been many lessons learned. In addition, there is significant experience at KAL with putting infrastructures put into place to help create consistency between classrooms and throughout the school. KAL has achieved this through effective professional development and creating infrastructures that facilitate sharing expectations and work. The KIPP MA Management Team looks to build off of both of these knowledge bases. The KIPP MA management team will ensure consistency between schools and build organizational capacity by following the lessons learned by both the KIPP Network as well as the Leadership Team of KAL. For example each summer, there will be three weeks of professional development for all new staff. The first week is spent on acculturating them to the norms of KIPP. All of the returning staff attends the second two weeks of summer professional development where the focus is building staff culture and launching the yearly instructional, organizational and operational initiatives. The CAO will meet weekly with the principals for an Instructional Leadership Team meeting to discuss instructional challenges faced by both schools, to norm instructional expectations, and to facilitate best practice sharing. The CAO will supervise the schools' Principals in the creation of consistent weekly professional development. 69 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE The CAO will ensure that the both KAL and KAB's document their curriculum and share best practices. The CAO will facilitate quarterly subject / grade level area retreats to share best practices and develop a common teaching approach. The ED will meet with the Regional Leadership Team (KIPP MA management team plus the school Principals) twice per month to discuss issues affecting both schools, to norm expectations across both schools, and to facilitate best practice sharing. The COO will meet weekly with her /his Operational Leadership Team. This team will consist of the Director of Finance, Director of HR, Director of Operations, Director of Technology and the business managers from each school. These meetings will foster a sense of being one team, disseminate network initiatives, and give an opportunity for the business managers to share practices. E. FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION KIPP Boston has engaged the service of charter school real estate consultant Bob Baldwin to guide us in facility identification. Mr. Baldwin, who has helped more than twenty (Commonwealth Charter Schools realize their facility ambitions over the past ten years, (most of these in the city of Boston), is also advising KIPP Academy Lynn on our 68,000 square foot new school project in Lynn Given that occupancy for KAB is not scheduled to occur until the spring of 2012, no specific facility has been secured at this time, but KIPP and Mr. Baldwin are confident in the school's ability to obtain highly suitable and financially feasible school space accessible to the target student population from Mattapan. Definition of Need: In order to knowledgably evaluate and act up on potential facility opportunities, the first step is to realistically define the program needs for both the early start-up years and the stabilized enrollment years. Based upon detailed metrics for Boston charter schools, we know that at the full enrollment of 600 students, KIPP Academy Boston will want 50,000 - 60,000 square feet, including a gymnasium. This need can be divided into two facilities if necessary. More importantly, the immediate need over the first three years is quite different, as shown in the table below: Space Year 1 Size Year 2 Year 3 # Sq Ft # Sq Ft # Sq Ft Classrooms 750 4 3,000 7 5,250 14 10,500 Break Out/SPED 250 4 1,000 4 1,000 6 1,500 Special Classrooms 900 0 - 1 900 2 1,800 Library/Media Ctr. 1,250 0 - 1 1,250 1 1,250 Cafeteria 2,250 0 - 0 - 1 2,250 Health 300 1 300 1 300 1 300 Administration n/a 900 900 900 Teacher Work 400 1 400 1 400 2 800 Storage Areas 500 1 500 1 500 2 1,000 Total Net SF 6,100 10,500 20,300 Gross Factor 25% 1,525 2,625 5,075 Total Gross SF 7,625 13,125 25,375 Enrollment 72 144 280 SF Per Student 106 91 91 The ideal location would be in the neighborhood of Mattapan, but given that the neighborhood is densely populated with residential development and has a very low ratio of commercial and institutional space, the acceptable locations will include parts of Roxbury, Roslindale and Hyde Park, where a 70 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE significantly greater number of suitable spaces can be found. It is assumed that, in the early years of KAB's existence, the school will use off-site or parking lot-based recreational space (gym and/or playground) as has been done in Lynn. Definition of Financial Capacity: The primary facility-related financial challenges for start-up charter schools are (1) paying for space while enrollment is well below capacity, and (2) lack of credit to finance necessary improvements or long term leases. KIPP Academy Boston has two meaningful advantages to address these challenges in that (1) the real estate market is soft enough to negotiate rent concessions or reservation of growth space during ramp-up years, and (2) as a spin-off of a proven organization, KAB has access to credit through national KIPP programs as well as local banking relationships. This allows for greater flexibility around implementing any required improvements and committing to long-term leases. The application's financial model demonstrates KIPP's capacity to lease the above amounts of space assuming that the net rental rate (excluding taxes and all operating costs) is $18.00/SF. This rental rate, which assumes that the space is finished and ready for move-in, is consistent with the current market. While it is unknown whether tenant improvements would be financed and performed by the landlord or the school, the amount would be about the same from a market and cost basis: Cost Basis Assumption Per SF Cost Base Market Rent in Target Neighborhoods $7.50 Investment for Improvements $100.00 /SF Amortization Term (fixed term no more than 5 yrs.) 15 yrs. Interest Rate 6.00% Annualized Cost of Investment $10.30 Total $17.80 Site Identification Process: Once KAB identifies its needs and financial capacities, including credit access, we can seek and confidently act upon the appropriate space. The methods for identifying prospects are many and include contacting multiple brokers, networking with neighborhood leaders, property owners, government officials, and non-profit developers, and driving the area. Promising leads are quickly evaluated and prioritized based on location, outdoor space, building dimensions and code issues, neighborhood setting and zoning, building condition, growth capacity, cost basis, and ownership. Short-listed opportunities are subject to a visit by KIPP's architect and building code consultant prior to engaging in bona fide lease negotiations. Site Development: Regardless of whether the required improvements are performed by the landlord or by KIPP itself it will be KIPP's responsibility to ensure that zoning approvals are secured, that the design satisfies KIPP's educational program needs and meets all code requirements, and that construction is performed according to all applicable public construction laws. Therefore, KIPP will engage its own architect, code consultant, legal counsel, community liaison, and project representative to oversee the process. A sample schedule is as follows: Preparation 10/10 - 1/11 Search & Evaluation 1/11 – 311 Charter Approval 2/11 Lease Negotiations 3/11 - 5/11 Financing 5/11 - 8/11 Zoning Approvals 5/11 - 10/11 Design 8/11 - 11/11 Construction 12/11 - 6/12 Occupancy 7/1/2012 71 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Site Prospect: Although a space has not yet been secured, a survey of neighborhoods has been performed. As an example of the promising sites that may be available, KIPP presents the following description of 150 American Legion Highway: Location Intersection of Mattapan and Roxbury, across from Franklin Park Description: Use: Former school, most recently used for childcare and community center. Building Size: Approximately 45,000 SF on three floors plus an attached gymnasium Land: Outdoor space includes playground, basketball courts, green space and ample parking. Condition: Unused for number of years. Good base condition, but requires some upgrading. Ownership: Lena Park Community Development Corporation, which has expressed interest in utilizing building for charter school and community center. Photographs: See Appendix We will provide busing service for students that are not in walking distance of the school. Students with disabilities will be provided appropriate transportation to the school according to state or federal law. We estimate that we will provide one bus route per grade level each year at a cost of $33,000 per bus route. F. School Finances KIPP Academy Boston Financial Management: Our guiding principle in budgeting is to spend money in the ways that most directly impact student achievement. Fancy educational technology and gorgeous buildings are wonderful but they do not teach kids. Enacting this philosophy means we will operate with a culture of thrift where everyone from the Executive Director to the bus drivers finds ways to save money in the administrative and operational areas that can be re-directed towards teaching and learning. We will also leverage the economies of scale and resources of our local KIPP Massachusetts network and the national KIPP movement. MAJOR BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS: We will grow from a Kindergarten class of seventy two students to a full capacity K-8 campus serving five hundred eighty four students. These calculations include an annual cost of living increase for salaries. This is based on historical averages at KIPP Academy Lynn and keep salaries in line with our estimates for inflation. OPERATING REVENUES: Our tuition estimates come from a review of other Boston charter school budgets with student demographics that mirror our target population – we have used the per pupil Boston tuition from Boston Renaissance as our benchmark, which is a blended rate for elementary and middle school students (and thus makes our revenue estimates in our initial years more conservative, as we will begin with elementary only in years 1 and 2). We assume a conservative 1% annual increase in foundation rates. Our federal Title grant and state grant estimates are built upon the KIPP Academy Lynn budget, and reflect a 1-year lag in reimbursement for Title I. Our private grants and fund-raising line items incorporate the following assumptions. As a member of the KIPP network, KIPP Academy Boston would receive two major entitlement grants to support school start-up and scale up: start-up funding per ‗school' (elementary, middle) from the Walton Foundation, and I3 federal funding awarded via the Vice Principal). Our additional fund-raising revenue assumption is based on a typical year at KIPP Academy Lynn (in 2009/10, we raised $464,113 in private individual and grant funding just for Lynn, and expect to be able to raise funds aggressively for Boston). Year O Year One Year Two Year Three 72 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP Entitlement: Walton Foundation NA $160,000 $90,000 $250,000 KIPP Entitlement: I-3 NA $22,500 $15,000 $74,754 Federal Start-up Grants $200,000 NA NA NA Total Federal and KIPP New School Grants $200,000 $182,500 $115,000 $324,252 Local Grants (Foundations) $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 Individual Donors $150,000 $155,000 $225,000 $225,000 Total Fundraising Need $250,00 $255,00 $325,00 $325,000 We do project a surplus in fundraising for pre-opening, which we will hold as a reserve in addition to our annual contingency. OPERATING EXPENDITURES Administration: Administrative costs include the start-up costs for office equipment and supplies as well as annual audit, payroll, professional development, and other fees. There is a significant budget for advertizing and recruitment during the founding years of the school. The investment in recruitment reflects our commitment to teaching excellence and our target student demographics. We will work exceptionally hard with KIPP's national teacher recruitment community and locally to find the best teachers for our kids. We will also use the recruitment budget for outreach to the students and families of our community. Administrative costs also reflect allocation of senior KIPP regional management time to Boston, including the Executive Director, COO, Director of Finance, Director of Development, and accounting support. It also reflects a front-off position and a business manager starting in year 2. Instructional Service: We will pay teachers, co-teachers, and principals a competitive salary and provide benefits in line with Boston Public Schools. The Chief Academic Officer and Director of Student Supports will devote a large percentage of their time to KIPP Academy Boston. The KIPP I-3 grant allows us to fund a vice principal position early in the school's development. The principal and later vice principal will teach daily PE classes in the first two years of the school. This serves the dual purpose of allowing them to build a strong school culture while saving costs until the middle school starts (at which point a Physical Education teacher will be hired). Other Student Services: Our instructional supplies and equipment budgets are benchmarked from typical expenditures at other KIPP elementary and middle schools. This section of the budget also includes providing every teacher with a laptop and cell phone service so parents and students can contact the teacher after school. These numbers recognize that start-up costs for elementary school furniture and supplies is often more expensive than similar start up in middle school. We plan to contract with an outside provider for our breakfast, lunch, and snack programs. Our transportation budget assumes that we use bussing from Boston Public Schools. We do plan to hire bus monitors for each route. Those costs are included here. The cost of purchasing student uniforms is included as well. The families purchase the uniforms at cost and this item zeroes out. Operation and Maintenance of Plant: This figure builds on the assumption of ninety square feet per student at eighteen dollars a square foot. Utilities, renovation expenses, cleaning/maintenance costs, and real estate tax estimates are based on Boston averages from our facilities consultant Community Services (Including Dissemination): This budget includes a percentage of the salary for KIPP Massachusetts's Director of Multicultural and Family Affairs, Mike Brown. Mr. Brown is the architect of KIPP Academy Lynn's parent education programs and he will work with the KIPP Academy Boston principal to build similarly successful programming in Boston. It also includes funding to support outreach events to share our experiences at KIPP with the larger education community. Please see section the appendix for more details on our program model for community engagement. Contingency: Our budget assumes a contingency of at least 3% of total funding. . This percentage is higher during our pre-opening period to account for potential expenses like unexpected facility renovations. G. Action Plan: Our action plan for startup is included appendix. 73 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE IV. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS FAITHFUL TO THE TERMS OF ITS CHARTER? Process for Creating KAB's Accountability Plan: KIPP Academy Accountability Plan will be created by the end of our first year of operation. The KIPP MA Board, ED, CAO, and the KAB Principal will work together to create the accountability plan. The KIPP MA Board will be responsible for defining and overseeing the creation of the accountability plan. The ED, CAO, and the KAB Principal will be responsible for writing a draft based upon their experiences in operating KAB during its first year. They will create a draft, based upon KAL's Accountability plan, and present this to the Board for approval. It will then be sent to the DESE for final approval. Once the plan is approved, the KAB Principals, with oversight from the CAO and ED, will be responsible for collecting, and analyzing the data to evaluate KAB's progress towards accountability plan objectives each year. KIPP MA's Management Team will then present the data to the Board of KIPP MA. The accountability goals are listed below: Academic Success: The big goals for academic success can be found in the curriculum section of the charter. Organizational Viability Goal 1: KIPP Academy Boston will maintain sound organizational viability by maintaining strong parental support and commitment to the school. Communication Measures: 95 percent of parents will read, sign and return their child's weekly report (elementary) or weekly paycheck (middle school). 100 percent of parents will participate in at least one conference at the school. Attendance Measures: Each year the average daily attendance rate at KIPP Academy Boston will meet or exceed 95 percent. Parent Survey Measures: 70 percent of KIPP Academy Boston parents will return an annual parent survey, in which over 80 percent of responding parents will grade the school's effectiveness in communicating with parents, and teacher effectiveness at a 4 (satisfied) or higher on a scale of 5 (very satisfied) to 1 (very unsatisfied). Enrollment Measures: Each year the school will demonstrate community support by filling 100% percent of available seats prior to the start of the academic year. Student Attrition Measures: The school's annual student attrition rate will be equal to or less than 7%... Parent Involvement Measures: 80 percent of KIPP Academy Boston families or guardians will attend a school-sponsored event over the course of each year. Organizational Viability Goal 2: KIPP Academy Boston will maintain sound organizational viability by demonstrating sound fiscal and administrative practices. Balance Sheet Measures: Annual balance sheets will show that the school is fiscally sound and maintains adequate cash reserves equal to two months of operating expenses, plus a line of credit equal to one and one half months operating expenses. Audit Measures: The completion of an annual financial audit with an unqualified opinion. The completion of the annual audit with no reported significant deficiency findings or material weaknesses. Organizational Viability Goal 3: KIPP Academy Massachusetts will have 100% Board of Trustees' participation in the planning, fundraising and governance of the school. Each board member will contribute to the organization financially and/or by making in-kind donations. Each board member will attend at least 75% of board meetings. Each board member will participate in at least one school event during the year. 74 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Faithfulness to charter Goal 1: KIPP Academy Boston will create an environment where the students of KAB will develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college, and the world beyond. At least 60 percent of the grade-level cohort will earn the end-of-year trip. Faithfulness to charter Goal 2: KIPP Academy Boston teachers will be recognized as professional educators committed to continuous learning and professional development. 100 percent of KIPP Academy Boston teachers will be deemed highly qualified Faithfulness to charter Goal : Students at KIPP Academy Boston will be consistently reminded and encouraged that they are on the path to college. Every student, at least once per year, will participate in a school-organized college visit. At least once per year, every student will participate in a school-organized college preparatory high school visit. C. NARRATIVE When the inspection team visits KIPP Academy Boston evidence of student learning should be overwhelming. Kindergarteners will engaged in texts, third graders will be independently reading chapter books, student writing and problem solving will cover the walls. The student work will provide a first-hand account of what the test scores corroborate; KIPP Academy Boston's students are exceeding their Big Goals. The inspection team will observe dynamic teaching in every classroom. The quality of the teaching will suggest the degree of planning, professional development, and collaboration expected for all teachers. Not only will the academic achievement be clearly evident in student work and actions the power of the school culture and emphasis on character development will be palpable. Students will greet you upon entering any classroom with a handshake, smile, and clear explanation of the day's objective. The students will be able to describe their individual struggles, goals, and the common mission of all KIPP Academy Boston's students. D. DISSEMINATION KIPP Academy Lynn has had significant success in disseminating best practices with Lynn Public Schools, local graduate schools of education, KIPP schools around the country, charter schools in Massachusetts, as well as with visitors around the country. The following are some highlights KAL's dissemination efforts. KIPP Academy Boston will replicate many of these best practices. Executive Director as a Community Leader: A significant amount of Executive Director Josh Zoia's time involves advocacy and dissemination of KAL educational practices through speaking engagements, meetings with municipal department heads and elected officials, and various partnerships. Two examples are as follows: a. Lynch Foundation & Lynch School of Education: The Lynch Foundation and the Lynch School of Education at Boston College are in the process of building a comprehensive training program for aspiring principals in urban school districts. Josh has been invited to serve on the board in order to help build the program's full curriculum. b. Traditional Public School System Outreach: The superintendent of the Lynn Public Schools and members of her leadership team recently visited KIPP Academy Lynn requesting a tour, best practice advice, and evaluation of why and how the KAL program has been successful. The ED and CAO of KIPP MA have met with Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson on two occasions to discuss potential partnerships with BPS. External Visitors: Over 600 visitors toured KAL during the 2009-10 school year including public and charter school faculty college students from many renowned academic institutions. Massachusetts DESE Dissemination Grant: KAL received year one of this grant in FY' 08. Our 5th, 6th, & 7th grade math curriculums were documented. 75 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP Academy Boston Charter School Final Application I. Required Appendices Draft Recruitment and Retention Plan Student Recruitment Plan List of recruitment activities for each demographic group Demographic Group # 1 KAB will use a third party mail house to send home information Choose A or B from the list about KAB in at least the four most prevalent languages spoken by above: Limited English-proficient BPS students and families. students KAB will conduct information sessions for potential families and students at organizations that provide after school services using vouchers such as the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, health centers, new immigrant centers and other local non-profits that serve the families of our potential students. We will provide translators at these events as needed. KAB will take students / parents who have already expressed interest in applying to KAB with us to recruit other fourth grade students at the local housing projects, in order to access students who come from families who are receiving housing vouchers. KAB will recruit students from the local religious institutions that serve as a place of worship for non/limited-English speaking families. KAB will recruit students from places of business such as laundromats and supermarkets where non/limited-English speaking families tend to go to. KAB will establish a network of DSS and DYS workers, special education advocates, ESL advocates, education lawyers, therapists, police officers, hospitals, new immigrant centers, and other social service agency providers who work with non/limited-English speaking families. KAB will outreach to the local police precincts asking them to direct us to families that are ―known‖ to the police and are limited/non-English speaking. KAB will reward students who are applying to KAB with gift cards to the GAP, one of our supporters, for recruiting friends and families. KAB will advertise our lottery in the non-English local newspapers, radio, and television stations that non/limited-English speaking families tend to read, listen to and watch. KAB will develop ongoing relationships with several BPS teachers from organizations like Teach Plus who will send us students who are non/limited English speakers. KAB will ensure that our information / advertisements are written in at least the four most common languages spoken by our potential students. KAB will put all of our enrollment forms on our website in at least the four major languages of our potential students. Host or participate in charter school student recruitment fairs 76 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE targeting non/limited-English Speaking families. KAB will ask Romero from Jammin' 94.5, who is a strong supporter of KIPP, to promote our school on the air. KAB will outreach to the local city and state politicians asking them to send students from non/limited-English speaking families to KAB. KAB will request that Dr. Johnson encourage her teachers and administrators to tell students and families from non/limited English speaking families about KAB as an educational option. KAB will actively seek out coaches to pass out information about KAB to their players. Demographic Group # 2 KAB will use a third party mail house to send home information Choose C through G from about KAB to all BPS students. the list above: Students eligible KAB will conduct information sessions for potential families and for free lunch students at organizations that provide after school services using vouchers such as the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, health centers, new immigrant centers and other local non-profits that serve the families who receive day care / after school care vouchers / Mass Health etc. KAB will take with us students / parents who have already expressed interest in applying to KAB with us to recruit other fourth grade students at the local housing projects, in order to access students who might not otherwise hear about us. KAB will recruit students from the local religious institutions that serve as a place of worship for predominantly low income families. KAB will recruit students from places of business such as Laundromats and supermarkets where low income families tend to go. KAB will establish a network of DSS and DYS workers, therapists, police officers, hospitals, new immigrant centers, special education advocates, ESL advocates, education lawyers, and other social service agencies providers who work with low income families. KAB will outreach to the local police precincts asking them to direct us to families that are ―known‖ to the police. KAB will reward students who are applying to KAB with gift cards to the GAP, one of our supporters, for recruiting friends and families. KAB will advertise our lottery in the local newspapers, radio, and television stations that low income families tend to read, listen to and watch. KAB will develop ongoing relationships with several BPS teachers from organizations like Teach Plus who work at schools where the majority of students who receive free or reduced lunch. KAB will ensure that our information / advertisements are written in at least the four most common languages spoken by our potential students. KAB will put all of our enrollment forms on our website in at least 77 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE the four major languages of our potential students. KAB will ask Romero from Jammin' 94.5, who is a strong supporter of KIPP, to promote our school on the air. KAB will outreach to the local city and state politicians asking them to send students from low income families to KAB. KAB will request that Dr. Johnson encourage her teachers and administrators to tell students and families from low income families about KAB as an educational option. KAB will actively seek out coaches to pass out information about KAB to their players. Demographic Group # 3 KAB will recruit students from this demographic category in a Choose C through G from similar fashion as we do for students from demographic category the list above: Students eligible #2 for reduced price lunch Demographic Group #4 KAB will emphasize that we work with ALL students regardless (optional) of their academic achievement in all of the aforementioned Choose C through G from outreach efforts. the list above: KAB will request that Dr. Johnson encourage her teachers and Students who are sub-proficient administrators to families of students who struggle academically (as determined by a previous score about KAB as an educational option. of ―needs improvement‖, ―warning‖, or ―failing‖ categories gories on the mathematics or English La nu Language Arts examinations of the MCAS for the previous two) years) Demographic Group #5 (optional) Choose C through G from the list above: II. Retention Plan List the strategies the school will use during the upcoming school year to maximize the number of students who successfully complete all school requirements and to prevent students from dropping out. An example of KIPP commitment to retaining students can be best understood by reviewing a pivotal moment in our quest to reduce student attrition. Two years ago, KAL's Leadership Team identified the goal of reducing student attrition. In past years KAL had a 7% student attrition rate. Although this number is within the norm for charter schools and KIPP schools across the nation, we believed it was far too high. To address this, KAL performed a deeper evaluation of the root-causes for student attrition in the 78 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE previous five years. KAL first compiled information on every student who had left since we opened, and then drafted a list of reasons students were not successful at KAL. We looked at the following categories: (a) Were these students academically successful? (b) Was there parental buy in for KIPP (we answered this subjectively) (c) Did the student buy in to the culture of KAL? (we answered this subjectively) (d) Did the student have a supportive relationship with a staff member? (e) Was the student successful in an activity outside of the classroom? KAL's staff found that the strongest correlation with students who left were, in order: (a) they didn't have a strong relationship with an adult in the school, (b) lack of parental support, and (c) lack of success in an activity outside of the classroom. Based on this analysis of root-causes, KAL has since developed a set of strategies to increase retention. To address the lack of a strong relationship with an adult in the building, KAL has increased the number of home visits at the start of the year, created more time for advisories, systematically taught KAL teachers how to run successfully advisories, and had all teachers teach an elective in order have the opportunity to build stronger relationships with students outside the classroom. To address the issue of lacking parental support, KAL has created a more robust adult education and community outreach program. We knew that many of the barriers preventing parents and other adults from seeking out learning opportunities for themselves were fixable. Our comprehensive approach aimed to address any barrier that might prevent our adult students from striving for a better future. We worked hard to encourage parents and other course participants to feel comfortable walking through KAL's doors for any reason, whether to pick up a child, attend a school play, attend a class/workshop, or seek one-on-one conversation and advice. Our staff members maintained an open-door policy and aim to engage each and every participant individually. From these interactions, they built lessons that were culturally and personally relevant to our student body. Research shows that students whose parents are involved in their educational goals have higher grades and test scores, better attendance, a more positive attitude, and greater enrollment in post secondary education. Additionally, students whose parents remain involved have improved attitudes towards their own potential. When families are encouraged to come to school (and treated well when they do come to school), both parents and their children internalize the message that they are worthy of attention and that people will notice when they work hard.20 Studies also prove the undisputed benefits of Adult Education for the parents themselves. One longitudinal study of parents from a similar demographic as KAL families concluded the following results a year after completing a Basic Adult Education course: 20 Taken from Hawaii Department of Education summary of A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement, edited by Anne T. Henderson and Nancy Berla, Center for Law and Education, Washington, D.C., 1994 (third printing, 1996). http://www.k12.hi.us/~konawahs/summary_of_research_on_parent_engagement.htm 79 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE An increase in rate of employment and overall satisfaction with financial situation An overall increase in self-esteem Increased involvement in community organizations (religious, PTA, social/sports, voter registration) Increase in the number of people who thought a book was a good gift for a child21 The Parent and Community Outreach Program now offers two types of programming. The Adult Education program offers classes such as ESL, Computer Literacy, and Personal Finance. The Parent Program offers parenting workshops on topics such as single parenting, bullying, and gender dynamics. We also offer book clubs and social gatherings such as potluck dinners. To address the issue of not being successful in an activity outside of the classroom, KAL increased the number and types of elective offerings, which now includes 20 different electives ranging from basketball (both boys and girls teams were the charter cup champions), soccer, cross country, cross training, Latin dance, ballroom dance, African dance, jazz dance, a step team, knitting, karaoke, a literary magazine, art, choir, technology, literary magazine, short story writing, sports, and Tae Kwon Do. The results have been incredibly positive. For the academic year 2009/10 KAL has had a year to year attrition rate of 2.8% (10 students out of 353). Seven left during the summer and 3 have left since September. We believe this example demonstrates our commitment to tackle the tough issues head on. Student Retention Plan Goal for student retention. Less than 5% annual student attrition Retention Activity 1: KAB will create a robust adult education program. We will start it the first year Adult Education of operation. We have budgeted for a percentage of KAL's Director of Multi- cultural and Community Affairs time to be spent developing and running these programs. In addition we have budgeted the money to provide these programs. At KAL we have found this to be an incredible vehicle for creating a trusting relationship with families. This leads to honest dialogue when students are struggling and thinking about withdrawing. Retention Activity 2: KAB will create several non-academic electives and classes such as art, music, Opportunities for PE etc. that will provide the opportunity for students to develop their non- students to be academic talents. The necessary staff has been budgeted for. For many of our successful outside of students the opportunity to be successful at something outside of the classroom the classroom builds confidence which then can be leveraged inside of the classroom. For many of our students at KAL being part of a successful team (our girls basketball team is 72-0 in the last 3 seasons) is makes them get up in the morning and want to come to school. A team becomes a student's support network and a peer group that holds him / her accountable. 80 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Retention Activity 3: KAB will create an advisory system starting in Kindergarten to ensure that an Create opportunities adult is keeping track of every student in KAB. We will also ask each of our for students to teachers to teach an elective. This creates the chance for teachers and students to develop positive get to know each other in a different way. When teachers share a passion or skill relationships with with students, their relationship takes on a different nature which they can then staff members outside leverage in the classroom. We also go on home visits to each new student's home of the classroom before s/he enters KIPP. This helps to create a trusting relationship with the student and family. Retention Activity 4: KAB will track each students progress through a variety of methods: Tracking each Interim assessments to highlight which students are struggling and students' academic identifying what they are struggling with. This allows staff to create more and character effective interventions. development progress Weekly ―paychecks‖ highlight a student's progress on character development and behavior. Each day teachers make a comment about each student on his / her paycheck. Students earn ―KIPP dollars‖ which they use to buy supplies in the school store as well as ―pay‖ for reward trips. A student can earn up to $50 KIPP dollars per week. If they average $35 KIPP dollars per week they earn ―reward trips.‖ In addition, the paycheck goes home each week so the parents can track their child's progress and reach out to teachers when things are not going well. Retention Activity 5: One of KAL's core values is ―fun‖. We believe that learning should be a joyous ―Having fun‖ act. This starts in the classroom with fun and engaging lesson, but also has several other aspects. At KAB we will have recess every day. We will also have electives every day. On Fridays we will stop our academic day early and have a whole school assembly called ―songfest‖ where we will sing, dance, have friendly competitions between the grades etc. In addition, KAB will take a minimum of 10 reward trips per year with each class. These trips are earned through paychecks. If a student earns more than $35 per week on average, s/he earns the upcoming paycheck trip. At KAL, approximately 75% of the students earn these trips. Each quarter, a student's paycheck average starts fresh. Thus, there is an element of starting fresh each quarter. These trips are non-academic in nature. They are meant to be pure fun. At KAL these trips have included going to the local park or beach, going to the movies, going on a duck tour, going skiing or snow tubing, or going roller skating. At times we also have random surprises like an ice cream or pizza party. Our experience is that if students are having fun and looking forward to going to school, they are more likely to stay. 81 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Network of Schools Action Plan Development of Infrastructure for Growth Transitioning from a single school serving 375 students to a network of schools when full grown (2017- 18) will serve nearly 2,100 students is a true challenge. The Board of KAL (moving forward referred to as KIPP MA)feels two strong forces pulling in different directions. The Board is committed to serving more students and also committed to maintaining the quality of KAL. The experience of the nineteen KIPP regions has taught us that significant changes to the management and leadership infrastructure are required to ensure that KAL can both grow and maintain quality. Fortunately, the KAL Board, with significant guidance and support from KIPP Foundation, has been systematically preparing for this type of growth for the past eighteen months. Engaged in a strategic business planning process with the guidance of KIPP Foundation to plan for KIPP Massachusetts long term growth. Hired an Executive Director (Josh Zoia) who was a teacher at KIPP Bronx for four years and then founding Principal at KIPP Academy Lynn for five years. Sent current Principal, Anna Breen to KIPP Foundations KIPP School Leadership Program (KSLP). Hired a Principal (Anna Breen) to replace Josh Zoia. Anna taught at KIPP Bronx for 5 years and then was a founding teacher and Assistant Principal at KIPP Academy Lynn. Sent current Assistant Principal, Emily Stead, to KSLP this past summer to facilitate her transition into the role. Andrea DeAngelo was selected for the Fisher Fellowship, KIPP Foundations year-long training program for Principal's founding schools. She will be the Principal of KIPP Lynn Collegiate High School. Hired a CAO (Caleb Dolan) who was the founding Principal of Gaston College Preparatory Charter School (GCP) in Gaston, North Carolina. GCP was from the first class of KIPP replicated schools. He worked there for eight years. Under Dolan's leadership, the school had the 3rd highest writing scores in the state of North Carolina. KIPP Foundation assigned KAL a Boston based ―growth manager‖, Alex Cortez, a former consultant with Bridgespan, who spends one-third of his time working with KAL. Hired a new Chief Development Officer (Jennifer Parkos) who has significant development experience with WGBH, City Year and the Boston Food Bank. Will hire a new COO by January 15th, 2011. We are in the final rounds of interviews with three candidates all of who have more than fifteen years of experience working with non-profits and businesses. Successfully secured new twenty-six million dollar facility for the middle and high school in Lynn. o Completed five million dollar capital campaign Critical Path through August 2012 The KIPP MA Board is confident that the key infrastructure is in place to grow while not jeopardizing the quality of KAL. There are several additional ―critical path‖ items that lie ahead. The chart below only highlights items that have not been previously discussed in the KAB ―Action Plan‖ above. 82 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE For KAL High School For KIPP Academy Boston For KAL Elementary School Proposed KIPP HS Complete and submit final September – December – principal enters year long charter application Recruit and hire COO Fisher Fellowship Community outreach to Fall – DESE decision about Secure financing for recruit Boston Founding requested amendment construction Team Members Secure temporary facility Recruit future elementary for KAL HS year 1 (before school Principal of KAB so permanent facility is s/he can apply for the Fisher September 2010- complete) Fellowship December 2010 Construction begins on new HS and MS facility Finalize program design Finalize curriculum design Recruit founding staff for HS Recruit founding class of students Complete any necessary Interview with DESE with Recruit & hire KAL lower renovation for temporary KAB Founding Team elementary school principal HS facility Founding Principal applies to to work at KAL middle Construction on permanent Fisher Fellowship school for 2011-12 school January 2011 – June 2011 facility for MS / HS KIPP Foundation approves year continues KAB Fisher Fellow KAL Board & management HS staff prepares for team create an execution plan opening for elementary school expansion HS opens doors to Founding Principal enters ES team conducts school founding class Fisher Fellowship visits July 2011 – December Recruit teachers for HS Recruit & hire founding Curriculum design 2011 year 2 teachers Program design Recruit 2nd class of HS Recruit first class of students Kindergarten students 83 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE For KAL High School For KIPP Academy Boston For KAL Elementary School Permanent facility is Finalize items from DESE Proposed ES principal applies completed May 2012 start up checklist (see Action to KIPP Foundation's Fisher January 2012 – June Plan above) Fellowship Program (required 2012 for all leaders of KIPP Schools) KAL MS / HS moves into 1st day of school year 1 is Secure facility for Year 1 of new facility August 13th ES Recruit teachers for HS Proposed Lower ES principal year 3 enters year-long Fisher Recruit 3rd class of HS Fellowship students Hire proposed principal of Upper ES (grades 2-4) to July 2012 – December work as a teacher at the 2012 Lower ES in year 1 Curriculum design Hiring of founding ES staff for 2013-14 school year Student recruitment for founding class of kindergarten Finalize o Curriculum design January 2013 – June o Finalize program 2013 design o Hiring o Student recruitment Open kindergarten July 2013 – August 2013 KIPP Massachusetts Enrollment Projections 84 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB KAL KAB Kindergarten - - - - - 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 1st Grade - - - - - - - 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 2nd Grade - - - - - - - - - 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 3rd Grade - - - - - - - - - - - 72 128 72 128 72 128 72 4th Grade - - - - - - - - - - - - - 68 128 68 128 68 5th Grade 96 - 128 - 128 - 128 - 128 64 128 64 128 64 128 64 128 64 6th Grade 96 - 96 - 128 - 128 - 128 - 128 60 128 60 128 60 128 60 7th Grade 87 - 89 - 92 - 122 - 122 - 122 - 122 56 122 56 122 56 8th Grade 83 - 83 - 85 - 88 - 116 - 116 - 116 - 116 52 116 52 9th Grade - - 68 - 68 - 68 - 68 - 92 - 92 - 92 - 92 - 10th Grade - - - - 64 - 64 - 64 - 64 - 86 - 86 - 86 - 11th Grade - - - - - - 60 - 60 - 60 - 60 - 80 - 80 - 12th Grade - - - - - - - - 59 - 59 - 59 - 59 - 78 - TOTAL 362 464 637 930 1281 1565 1839 2039 2058 Total KAL Lower Elementary School (K-1) - - - - - - 128 - 256 - 256 - 256 - 256 - 256 - Total KAL Upper Elementary School (2-4) - - - - - - - - - - 128 - 256 - 384 - 384 - Total KAB Elementary School - - - - - 72 - 144 - 216 - 288 - 356 - 356 - 356 Total Elementary Enrollment - - 72 272 472 672 868 996 996 Total KAL Middle School 362 - 396 - 433 - 466 - 494 - 494 - 494 - 494 - 494 - Total KAB Middle School - - - - - - - - - 64 - 124 - 180 - 232 - 232 Total Middle School Enrollment 362 396 433 466 558 618 674 726 726 Total KAL High School - - 68 - 132 - 192 - 251 - 275 - 297 - 317 - 336 - Total High School Enrollment - 68 132 192 251 275 297 317 336 85 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 86 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Description of Curriculum For Grade Levels Beyond Those Covered in Application Math FIFTH GRADE SIXTH GRADE SEVENTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE STRANDS Problem Solving and Reasoning, Mathematical Tools, Communication and Putting Mathematics to Work. CONTENT Addition, subtraction, Patterns, functions, Scientific notation, Factoring, unit multiplication and division statistics, probability, translating from words to conversions, direct and of signed numbers, ratios, measurement, whole algebraic expressions, inverse variation, percents, mixed numbers, number concepts, mental order of operations, unit Pythagorean theorem, decimals, geometric math, negative numbers, conversions, place value, simultaneous equations, formulas, exponents. geometry. proportions, divisibility, algebraic proofs, linear geometry. graphs, quadratic graphs, properties of real numbers, exponential growth SKILLS Add, subtract, multiply Classify familiar plane and Use mathematical Relate representations of and divide rational solid objects and see language, numbers, quadratic functions, such numbers in problem relationships among them symbols, charts, graphs, as algebraic, tabular, situations. according to their tables, diagrams, and graphical and verbal Express rational numbers geometric attributes. models to explain descriptions. as fractions, non-repeating Understand the mathematical reasoning. decimals and percents and interrelationships among Use an algebraic convert between these whole, integer, rational expression to find any representations. and real number systems. term in a sequence. 87 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE ENGLISH FIFTH GRADE SIXTH GRADE SEVENTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE STRANDS Reading, Literature, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Conventions and Grammar. CONTENT Narrative fiction, drama, Epic and Classical Novels, short stories, Plot elements, literary short stories, biography, Mythology, narrative bibliographies, Latin, analysis, characterization, famous speeches, fiction, persuasive Greek, autobiography, symbolism, short stories, and expository writing, reasoning, grammatical essays, speeches, tone, persuasive essays. vocabulary, grammar. accuracy, poetry, drama. diction. SKILLS Recognize and use Recognize and identify Identify basic Latin and Interpret impact of author's common frequently meter, iamb, couplet, and Greek roots of English decisions regarding word misused verbs: sit, set; rhyme schemes in poetry. words. Identify various choice (tone and diction), rise, raise; lie, lay. sentence types and content and literary elements. distinguish independent Consider the function of point and dependent clauses. of view on persona and analyze its effect. SCIENCE FIFTH GRADE SIXTH GRADE SEVENTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE STRANDS Earth Science, Physical Science, Space Science, Life Science CONTENT Life, Physical and Earth Life, Physical and Earth Life, Physical and Earth Space Science and Physical Science Pollution, pond Science Fungi, human body, Science DNA, plants, Science Astronomy, the Earth, life, erosion, rocks and oceans, solar energy, earth processes, and Moon and Sun, Newton's Toy minerals, simple machines, weather forecasting, flight chemical interactions. Box. colors and light. and rocketry, electromagnetism, lenses and mirrors. SKILLS Structure questions that Relate the structures of Explain the reasoning Name and describe bodies in can be answered through sense organs (including the used by Darwin in his the universe including the sun, scientific investigation. eye and the ear) to their conclusions that natural stars, planets and galaxies and Collect and record functions. selection is the the differences and similarities information using tools Identify characteristics that mechanism of evolution. amongst them. including microscopes, distinguish plant cells from Describe the layers of the balances, graduated animal cells, including earth (crust, lithosphere, 88 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE cylinders and spring scales. chloroplasts and cell walls. mantle, core). RESOURCES / TEXTS HISTORY FIFTH GRADE SIXTH GRADE SEVENTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE STRANDS U.S. History, World History, Religion, Politics, Government and Geography. CONTENT Geography, American Early Man, Mesopotamia, Meso-American Geography, Russian Revolution, U.S. Egypt, China, Africa, Civilizations, European Revolution, World War I Constitution, Levels of Southeast Asia, Socialism, exploration and conquest, and II, Great Depression, Government, Early Capitalism, French Colonial life, immigration, Civil Rights Movement, Presidents and Politics. Revolution, Renaissance, Industrialization, Civil War, Middle East, Cold War, Medieval Europe, South and Reconstruction. and end of apartheid in America. South Africa. SKILLS Describe political Trace the triangular trade Write a three-paragraph Describe the economic philosophies and concepts routes that contributed to essay contrasting Aztecs, benefits of specialization of government that the spreading of the the Mayans, and Mound and exchange. became the foundation for African Diaspora. Builders, and their the American Revolution contributions to later and US Government. civilizations. 89 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 90 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 91 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 92 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 93 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Staffing for Student of Special Populations Year # Total Estimated # of Estimated # Staffing Qualifications Total Total salaries Student students with of students Additional SPED & ELL Enrollment IEP classified non-full time FTE ELL staff salaries* (20% of total population) (21% of total population) Year 1 72 15 15 1 FTE SPED – Learning All learning specialists $26,833 $52,000 / Specialist will be ―highly staff 1 FTE ELL - ELL teacher qualified‖ =$104,000 Year 2 144 30 30 2 FTE SPED – Learning $43,936 $52,000 / Specialist All ESL teachers will staff 2 FTE ELL - ELL teacher be certified in/eligible =$208,000 Year 3 280 56 59 4 FTE SPED – Learning for certification in ESL $70,711 $52,000 / Specialist or ELL staff 4 FTE ELL - ELL teacher =$416,000 Year 4 409 82 86 6 FTE SPED – Learning Speech / OT / PT will $103,971 $52,000 / Specialist be certified staff 6 FTE ELL - ELL teacher =$624,000 Year 5 531 106 112 8 FTE SPED – Learning SPED Coordinator will $132,972 $52,000 / Specialist be certified staff 8 FTE ELL - ELL teacher =$832,000 Director of Student Support will be SPED & ELL certified *Please refer to budget to see details behind these salary calculations 94 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 95 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 96 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 97 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE KIPP ACADEMY BOSTON CHARTER SCHOOL BYLAWS 1.1 Name and Structure. The name of the School is KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School (the ―School‖). The School is a subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts created and operated pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 89, as now in effect or as may hereafter be amended. The School is a public school chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1.2 Mission. The School's mission is to create an environment where the students of Boston will develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in high school, college, and the world beyond. 1.3 Charter. The name and purposes of the School shall be as set forth in its Charter, as amended from time to time. The Charter is hereby made a part of these By Laws, and the powers of the School and of its Board of Trustees as defined in Section 2.1 below and officers, and all matters concerning the conduct and regulation of the affairs of the School, shall be subject to such provisions in regard thereto, if any, as are set forth in the Charter. In the event of any inconsistency between the Charter and these By Laws, the Charter shall be controlling. All references in these By Laws to the Charter shall be construed to mean the Charter as from time to time amended. 1.4 Location. The principal office of the School shall be 25 Bessom Street, Lynn, Massachusetts. The Trustees may change the location of the principal office in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; provided, however, that no such change shall be effective until the appropriate certificates or other documents are filed with the Secretary of State and/or the Secretary of Education of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts specifying the street address of the new principal office of the School in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trustees may establish other offices and places of business in Massachusetts or elsewhere as is permitted by law. 1.5 Fiscal Year. Except as from time to time otherwise determined by the Trustees of the School, the fiscal year of the School shall begin on July 1 and shall end on June 30 of the following calendar year. ARTICLE II BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2.1 Powers. A Board of Trustees (the ―Board‖) shall manage the affairs of the School and shall have and may exercise all the powers of the School, except as otherwise provided by law, by the Charter or by these By-Laws. The exclusive powers of the Board of Trustees shall include but not be limited to the power to: (i) purchase or sell real property, (ii) pledge, assign, create liens on or security interests in the real or personal property of the School, (iii) establish or modify investment policies, (iv) determine the general policies of the School in compliance with federal and state law, (v) manage the financial affairs of the School; (vi) approve the annual budge of the School; (vi) appoint or remove the Executive Director (as defined in Section 7.1) (vii) make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, and (viii) delegate, from time to time, powers to the Executive Director in accordance with these By-Laws except as otherwise provided by law or by the Charter, all in compliance with state and federal laws. The Board is a public entity, with individual Board members considered special state employees. The Board holds the Charter from the state and is therefore responsible for ensuring that the School and Board members comply with all applicable laws and regulations and further ensuring that the school is an academic success, organizationally viable, faithful to the terms of its charter, and earns charter renewal. The Board has no authority to exercise managerial powers over the day to day operations of the School. 2.2 Number of Trustees. The Board shall consist of no fewer than seven (7) and no more than fifteen (15). 2.3 Term of Office. The terms of individual Trustees shall be a maximum of two consecutive and fixed three-year terms. Within the Board, terms shall be staggered so that not all terms are renewed at the same time. 98 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 2.4 Election of Trustees. Trustees shall be elected by the Board at any meeting of the Board by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Trustees then in office. A Trustee elected to fill an unexpired term shall have tenure only to the end of such term. 2.5 Qualifications. Whenever possible, board members shall be sought who bring the skills, expertise, perspective and qualifications as established by the Board and delineated in an annual Board recruitment plan. 2.6 Rights and Responsibilities. All Trustees shall serve the School with the highest degree of undivided duty, loyalty, and care and shall undertake no enterprise to profit personally from their position with KIPP Academy Boston. All Trustees are bound by the State Conflict of Interest Law (Massachusetts General Laws ch. 268A), as may be amended from time to time, or any successor statute. The Board may not discriminate against potential members on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, national origin, ancestry religion, marital status or non-disqualifying handicap or mental condition. 2.7 Resignation. Any Trustee may resign at any time by delivering a written resignation to the Chair of the Board or to the School at its principal office. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless it is specified to be effective at some later time. To facilitate the election of new trustees, the School formally encourages trustees intending to resign or to decline nomination to provide notice of the trustee's intent as much in advance of the annual meeting as possible. 2.8 Removal. Any Trustee may be removed from office with or without cause by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Trustees then in office. A Trustee may be removed for cause only after reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard by the Board of Trustees. No entity other than the Board has the authority to appoint or remove a Trustee. 2.9 Vacancies. In accordance with nominating and election process set forth by the Governance Committee, any newly created trusteeships and any vacancies of the Board, arising at any time and from any cause, may be filled by a formal vote at any meeting of the Board in which a quorum is present. However, if the number of Trustees then in office is less than a quorum, the vacancies shall be filled by the affirmative vote of (a) a majority of the Trustees then in office or (b) a sole remaining Trustee. A Trustee so elected shall serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is elected and approved by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education. ARTICLE III MEETINGS 3.1 Open Meeting Law. All meetings of the Trustees and its appointed subcommittees shall be held in accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law (Massachusetts General Laws 30A, §11A ½), as amended from time to time, or any successor statute. 3.2 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Board shall occur in the last quarter of the fiscal year at a date, time and place fixed by the Board, for the election of Officers and Trustees and for the transaction of such business as may properly come before the meeting. 3.3 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board shall occur at least 8 times a year at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board. 3.4 Special Meetings. In accordance with 3.1, special meetings of the Trustees may be held at any time and place when called by the Chair of the Board or upon written request of one-third of all the Trustees then in office. 3.5 Notice of Meetings. Public notice of meetings of the Board shall be given as required by law. In addition, notice of the date, time and place of all regular and special meetings of the Board shall be given to each Trustee by the Chair or the Secretary or, in case of the death, absence, incapacity or refusal of the Chair or the Secretary, by the officer or one of the Trustees calling the meeting. Such notice shall be given to each Trustee in person or by telephone, telegram, facsimile transmission or email sent to such Trustee's usual or last known business or home address at least twenty four (24) hours in advance of the meeting, or by mail addressed to such business or home address and postmarked at least forty eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting, unless shorter notice is adequate under the circumstances. Except as required by law, notice of any meeting of Trustees need not be given: (i) to any Trustee who, either before or after the meeting, delivers a written waiver of notice, executed by the Trustee which is filed with the 99 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE records of the meeting; or (ii) to any Trustee who attends the meeting and who, either prior to the meeting or at its commencement, fails to protest the lack of such notice. Except as otherwise required by law, the Charter, or these By Laws, a notice or waiver of notice need not specify the purpose of any regular or special meeting unless such purpose is (i) the amendment or repeal of any provision of the Charter or these By Laws or (ii) the removal of a Trustee or an officer. 3.6 Quorum and Voting. A majority of the Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may, without further notice, adjourn the meeting to any other time. At any meeting of Trustees at which a quorum is present, the vote of a majority of those Trustees present shall decide any matter unless the Charter, these By Laws or any applicable law requires a different vote. In accordance with Massachusetts Open meeting law, trustee participation must occur in person for the purposes of a quorum or voting. 3.7 Recusal. The Trustees shall recuse themselves from any vote regarding transactions and shall not participate in any discussion of the merits of transactions during any meeting of the Board if so required by law. 3.8 Rules of Order. Except where they may be in conflict with these Bylaws, the rules of order in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the School. 3.9 Minutes. Proper meeting minutes will be kept for each Board meeting. Minutes should be adopted and kept including the time, date and location of the meeting, the members present or absent, and all actions taken at the meeting, including formal votes taken. ARTICLE IV COMPENSATION, INDEMNIFICATION, INSURANCE 4.1 Compensation. Trustees or members of a Board committee shall not receive any salary, compensation or honorarium for their services. From time to time the Chair of the Board may propose to reimburse Trustees for select expenses incurred by them in carrying out their duties as Trustees. Said reimbursement must be voted on by the Board. 4.2 Indemnification. The School shall indemnify Trustees as required by law. In addition, by vote of the Board at its sole discretion, the School may indemnify Trustees as permitted by law. 4.3 Insurance. The School shall purchase and maintain a Directors and Officers Liability Insurance Policy. ARTICLE V OFFICERS 5.1 Number. The Officers of the School shall be a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other Officers, if any, as the Board of Trustees may from time to time appoint. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, provided that no individual may act in more than one capacity where action of two or more Officers is required. 5.2 Election and Term. The Governance committee shall present a slate of Officers to the Board. All Officers shall be elected by the Trustees at their annual meeting and shall hold office for the term of one (1) year. Each Officer shall continue in office until his or her successor shall have been elected and approved by the DESE or until his or her death, resignation or removal. A Trustee may serve more than one (1) term in the same office, but no more than four (4) consecutive terms in the same office. 5.3 Resignation, Removal and Vacancy. An Officer may resign by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Board Chair. Any Officer may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority vote of the Board. A vacancy in any office shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the Board. 5.4 Board Chair. The Board Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board. Pursuant to the terms of these bylaws, he or she shall have the power to sign alone in the name of the School all contracts authorized either generally or specifically by the Board of Trustees and to execute and deliver other documents and instruments. The Chair shall also have such other powers and perform such other duties as the Board of Trustees may from time to time prescribe. In the event that the office of the Chair becomes vacant, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair for the unexpired portion of the term. In the event 100 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE that the office of Vice-Chair, Secretary or Treasurer becomes vacant, the Chair shall appoint interim Officers to fill such vacant offices until a scheduled meeting of the Board can be held. 5.5 Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair shall, in the absence or disability of the Chair, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chair. The Vice-Chair may have such powers and perform such duties as may be delegated thereunto by the Chair or prescribed by the Board. 5.6 Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and maintaining the minutes of all meetings of the Board; maintaining minutes recorded by committees of the Board; serving or causing to be served all notices of the School; maintaining records (other than financial) of the School such as the Bylaws and the Charter; authenticating the records (other than financial) of the School; and performing all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Board. In the event of absence or disability of the Secretary, the Board may appoint an Assistant Secretary to perform the duties of the Secretary during such absence or disability. 5.7 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall oversee the general financial affairs of the School, subject to the direction and control of the Board. The Treasurer shall have such other powers and duties as are usually incident to that office and as may be vested in that office by these By Laws or by the Trustees. 5.8 Other Officers. Other officers shall have such duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees. ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES 6.1 Committees. The Trustees may elect or appoint such committees (which may include individuals who are not Trustees of the School) as they may from time to time determine necessary or advisable, and may delegate, to the extent permitted by law, the Charter or these By-Laws, such powers and duties thereto as they may deem advisable; provided, however, that any committee to which the powers of the Trustees are delegated shall consist solely of Trustees; and further provided, that all committees shall be chaired by a Trustee. There shall initially be a governance committee, a development committee and a finance committee. At any meeting of a committee a quorum for the transaction of all business properly before the meeting shall consist of a majority of the elected members of such committee. Any committee may, subject to the approval of the Board, make further rules for the conduct of its business. However, unless otherwise provided by vote of the Board or by rules established by the Board the members of any committee shall serve on such committee at the pleasure of the Trustees. 6.2 Governance Committee. There shall be a standing committee, known as the Governance Committee. This committee shall be composed of a minimum of (2) persons recommended by the Chair and elected by the Board at its annual meeting. The duties of the Governance Committee shall be (a) to study the qualifications of candidates and present a slate of the best qualified as nominees for the vacant Trustee positions on the Board, (b) to present a slate of nominees for Officers to the Board for election at the annual meeting, (c) to recommend candidates to the Board to fill vacancies that arise outside the regular nominating process, (d) to provide ongoing orientation to Trustees, (e) to ensure Board policies are being observed, (f) to oversee a Trustee assessment process to ensure optimum performance. ARTICLE VII STAFF 7.1 Executive Director. The Board shall employ, on behalf of the School, a person who shall act as Executive Director or chief staff administrator, having charge of the day to day affairs of the School, subject to the annual policies, work plan, and budget as voted by the Board and subject to the management of and evaluation by the Board. The Executive Director shall manage all other School staff and will serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board. The Board retains the right to select, appoint, evaluate and/or remove the School Leader but has no right to select, appoint, evaluation and/or remove the school staff other than the School Leader. ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 101 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Joshua W. Zoia 23 Nichols Street Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 710-5246 Experience July 2004 – present KIPP Academy Lynn Lynn, MA School Founder & Director Gained charter approval and opened school in anti-charter political environment with a full class of 80 students in 2004. Recruit and manage growing staff, guiding professional development and personal growth of each team member. Build and maintain solid parental, student, and community relations. Manage student discipline and academic issues. Continue to teach science and Life classes to both fifth and sixth-grade students. July 2003 – July 2004 KIPP Foundation San Francisco, CA Fisher Fellow One of nine fellows selected out of over four hundred applicants for the 2003 KIPP School Leadership Program. Participated in six-week training institute at the Haas School of Business, two KIPP residencies and conferences for school design and startup preparation. 2001-2002 KIPP Academy New York Bronx, NY Dean of Students Managed student discipline issues Taught science and history to sixth grade Supervised and mentored new teachers Designed technology curriculum Supervised breakfast and lunch Moderated fifth and sixth grade level meetings Planned and led ten-day trip to Utah with fifty students and ten adults 1998-2001 KIPP Academy Bronx, NY Sixth-Grade Teacher 102 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Taught science and history to sixth grade Developed Life Science curriculum for sixth grade Developed World History curriculum for sixth grade Taught Tae Kwon Do in after-school program Designed Outward Bound after-school program Designed and purchased two full computer labs 1996-1998 C.E.S. 53 Bronx, NY Fourth-Grade Teacher Taught self-contained fourth grade class Developed an after-school curriculum and managed its implementation Education June, 1995, B.A., Psychology University of Penn. Philadelphia, PA 103 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 104 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 105 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 106 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 107 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 108 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 109 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 110 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Michael S. Brown Jr. 167 Lebanon St. Melrose, MA. 02176 Phone (757) 927-1082 Professional Objectives To continue to build and maintain our communities through the education of our youth, the mending of our families, and the empowering of its citizens. Summary of Qualifications Over 10 years of diversified experience ranging from education to administration 2010-Present University of North Carolina-Ashville Consultant-Black College Student Attrition 2009- Present K.I.P.P Academy Charter School (Lynn, MA.) Director of Multicultural & Community Affairs Founder/Director of Rites of Passage Manhood/ Womanhood Training Program 2009-2010 Orchard Gardens K-8 (Roxbury, MA) Coordinator- Boston Public Schools ―10 Boys Initiative‖ (Orchard Gardens Chapter) 2008-2009 Brighton High School (Boston, MA) Supervisor-Boston College Student Teacher Program 2007-2009 K.I.P.P Academy Charter School (Lynn, MA.) 8th grade Social Studies Teacher Founder/Coordinator of ―Amistad De Caballero‖ (Male Leadership Program) 8th grade Advisor Parent Organization Coordinator 2002-2007 Toano Middle School 7th grade U.S. History Teacher P.A.C.E. Program for Academic and Character Enrichment 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Teacher/Coordinator WJCC Rites of Passage Manhood and Womanhood Training Program 111 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Co -Founder/Director A 24-week Saturday program that focuses on teaching how to use coping mechanisms to help deal with the responsibilities and pressures of growing up in today's society School Climate and Safety Committee Co-facilitator This committee's charge is to create a safe environment for students and faculty while maintaining a high morale throughout the school year Assistant Football Coach Lafayette and Jamestown High Schools Step Coach ―Chaotic‖ Step Team – an award winning performance group (won two first place trophies in the state of Virginia) Provides positive activities for young men and women during and after school. This group promotes community interaction while performing for various organizations throughout the county 2001 – 2002 Berkeley Middle School 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher Organized the Lunchtime Chess Club for Boys ―Stomp Out Loud‖ Step Team – Coach Education Master's Degree in Educational Administration-Boston College Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Hampton University Certificates and Licenses The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Principal's License The Commonwealth of Virginia Educator's License (Middle School English, Math and History) Community Affiliations: "The Place" Co-founder and Owner of Community Arts Center and Reception Hall A non-profit organization established to build self-esteem and positive self- images of youth through the art of dance, music, step, and vocal technique. This establishment also serves the Williamsburg youth by hosting events such as ―Gospel Fun Night‖, ―Night at the Movies‖ and Holiday Dances "My Brother's Keeper" Co-founder and Co-Owner of Consultant Firm As the lead consultant, I present workshops on the following topics: 112 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Creating your own Rites of Passage Program, educating the African-American Male Student, and the power of positive peer pressure. Minority Student Achievement Task Force Committee Leader Seeks to close the educational achievement gap between minority and non- minority students in WJCC schools Implements programs and services to serve the unique needs of minority students in the WJCC school system and encourages students to reach their maximum potential. "Men of Caliber" Founder of Organization Organization of dedicated men across the Tidewater Area assembled to promote community development through improving the quality of education in the schools, strengthening families, and providing the basic needs of citizens in the local areas. Public Speaking Engagements Harvard University's Educational Panel Roxbury Community College Educational Panel M.I.T.'s Delta Sigma Theta Conference William & Mary's Men's Conference William & Mary's Annual Men's Luncheon Williamsburg/James City County Head Start Graduation Tidewater Area Virginia Social Workers Fall Meeting St.Matthew A.M.E. Church Annual Parent Conference 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Boston College-College Bound Program St. John's Prep Diversity Workshop 113 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 114 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 115 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE 116 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE BARBARA W. GOLDMAN 436 ATLANTIC AVENUE MARBLEHEAD, MA 01945 Tel: 781-639-1772 / Email: email@example.com PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PLAN B VENTURES, LLC, Marblehead, MA Partner 2007 to Present Providing equity funding to emerging cleantech and life science projects in the US and Israel. LAW OFFICE OF BARBARA W. GOLDMAN, Lynn, MA 2004-2007 Established solo law practice concentrating in family law and probate. Experience with business valuation. Certification, Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council. COHEN HILLEL ACADEMY, Marblehead, MA Director of Development 2000–2003 Professionalized the development function and dramatically expanded private support for Jewish day school. Increased overall fundraising from $200K to $500K in 18 months Developed high quality View Book, yearly Annual Reports and full complement of fundraising and marketing materials Managed Raiser's Edge database; created reports for fiscal and fundraising management Initiated a grant-writing effort and won grants for new school initatives Supported volunteers in fundraising, special event management and board development FRIENDS OF YEMIN ORDE, INC., Marblehead, MA Executive Director 1995–1999 Spearheaded fundraising for non-profit supporting disadvantaged and immigrant youth in Israel. Co-founded charity in 1990, managed all aspects of operation for 9 years and raised $5 million. $1 Million in annual contributions vs. $110,000 in total overhead Built extensive national board of directors and network of major donors Translated diverse needs into articulated and marketable programmatic requests Facilitated production of national PBS documentary about our work and coverage by other national media outlets Created high profile print and multimedia presentation materials Developed all systems for database, administrative and fiscal management GOLDMAN & GOLDMAN, Swampscott, MA Estate Planning Attorney 1993-1994 Built private practice with specialty in estate planning. BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, New York, NY Corporate Lending Officer, Middle Market Division 1984-1988 Developed and managed banking relationships with diverse businesses. Oversaw loan portfolio of $50 million. Analyzed, structured and negotiated leveraged transactions. 117 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW Juris Doctor Degree, February 1992 HARVARD LAW SCHOOL Visiting Student, Spring and Fall 1991 THE WHARTON SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance, May 1984 Recognition: Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma, magna cum laude Admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 118 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE FRANCES A. MCLAUGHLIN 149 Kimball Road, Amesbury, MA 01913 Home: 978-388-8508 Cell: 978-837-2738 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EDUCATION EXECUTIVE with extensive leadership experience in entrepreneurial, industry-leading non-profit, for-profit, and philanthropic organizations, all focused on advancing the field of education. Reputation for building strategic partnerships, identifying new opportunities and leading initiatives to capitalize on new business. Keen business sense, strategic bent and operational know-how. Known for developing deep relationships, leading high-functioning teams and inspiring cooperation. Frequent, strategic level interaction with CEOs, Superintendents, Boards of Directors, major philanthropists, and U.S. Department of State and Department of Education staff. Track record of exceeding revenue, sales, and grant-making targets. Business turn-around and crisis management experience. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Education Pioneers Education Pioneers is a entrepreneurial non-profit which trains, connects, and inspires young education leaders dedicated to transforming our K-12 public education system. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (2009-Present) Boston, MA Reporting to the Founder and CEO, manage operations and program functions at $5.5 million non- profit. Responsible for program management, finance, information systems, human resources, and seven sites nationally. The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation Founded in 1999, the Foundation's mission is to dramatically transform urban K-12 public education through strategic grant-making in leadership, district strategy and operations, and policy. SENIOR DIRECTOR (2006-2009) based in Amesbury, MA Reporting to the Managing Director, responsible for the Foundation's leadership development investments in national non-profits and school districts including The Broad Center, Education Pioneers, KIPP Foundation, New Leaders for New Schools and Teach For America. Exceeded annual grant-making goals; responsible for nearly 50% of 2008 financial commitments. Orchestrated largest education investment in the Foundation's history. Honed the Foundation's investing strategy for school principal training and development. Represented the Foundation on boards of two major education reform organizations. Acted as spokesperson for Foundation with media and at national events. Council on International Educational Exchange CIEE is the leading non-profit, fee-for-service international education organization, administering the largest Exchange Visitor Program for the U.S. Department of State, and over 100 study, volunteer, work and teach abroad programs for U.S. students. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CIEE (2005) Boston, MA Reporting to the CEO, responsible for development of new business activities and product expansion at the corporate level. Internal mentor and coach to senior operations management. 119 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER/EVP, Exchanges Division (2000-2004) Boston, MA and London, England Led global Exchanges Division ($50 million in revenue and 50,000+ student customers annually). With CEO and board, set strategic direction. Responsible for marketing and distribution, operations, and product management. Managed country offices in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. Post-9/11, managed staff, bolstered morale and kept operation afloat; initiated downsizing and other critical cost saving measures to preserve profitability. Initiated project to automate and ―webify‖ key business functions including enrollment, Exchange Visitor visa process and student hosting resulting in US Department of State commendation and enhanced customer service. Transformed global distribution model from retail to wholesale to achieved 60% reduction in operating expenses and strategic alignment with organization's core competencies and systems. Initiated development of innovative web-based systems to improve customer service. VICE PRESIDENT, Exchanges Division (1997-1999) New York, NY Responsible for U.S. and European operations of Exchanges division: secondary, work exchanges, and volunteer program areas, finance and information systems. Developed a more customer-friendly, sales-oriented culture resulting in sales growth and increased customer satisfaction. Led successful merger of acquired high school exchange company into CIEE's operations. Spearheaded pricing strategy and efforts to define product offerings and introduce new products. Established systems, programs, and standards for managing and developing staff still in use today. DIRECTOR, LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS (1995-1997) New York, NY Led expansion of exchange activities at the secondary level in the U.S. Operated summer campus centers for short-term English language training. EF International Language Schools Founded in 1965 in Sweden with offices in over 40 countries, EF Education is the world's largest privately-owned educational organization. DIRECTOR, NORTH AMERICAN MARKETING AND SALES (1992-1995) Cambridge, MA Negotiated and serviced EF's largest multi-million dollar language training contract with a foreign government in 1993, a contract that lasted for more than 10 years. Prior experience includes managerial and academic staff roles at Teach For America (1991), Phillips Exeter Academy and Columbia University (1987-1990) and editorial roles at Lake Isle Press and Stonesong Press (1986-1988). AFFILIATIONS AND INTERESTS Currently serve on the boards of KIPP Lynn Academy, a charter school serving primarily low-income students, and School Leaders Network, a national non-profit focused on building learning communities among school principals. Active member of the Rainwater Leadership Alliance. Other interests include theories and practice of organizational leadership, gardening, skiing, and coaching youth sports. EDUCATION 120 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York, NY Senior Executive Program (1999) COLUMBIA COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York, NY B.A. in History (1987) with a Year Abroad at the University of Edinburgh (1985-86) JENNIFER DAVIS President National Center on Time & Learning One Beacon Street, 34th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Phone: (617) 378-3942 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com The National Center on Time & Learning President & Co-founder 2000 – Present Co-founded Massachusetts 2020 in 2000, an education organization dedicated to expanding learning opportunities for children across Massachusetts. Led the creation of eight strategic initiatives impacting over 25,000 children in Massachusetts including the After-School for All Partnership, the largest public-private partnership dedicated to children in Boston's history, the After-School Literacy Coaching Initiative, Keeping Kids on Track in partnership with five United Ways across Massachusetts and the Transition to Success Initiative in Boston to track the impact of extra learning programs on high poverty students. In partnership with the legislature, Governor and State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, launched in 2004 the Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative (ELT) – a research, policy, and technical assistance effort to redesign public schools to expand their day and year to include at least 300 additional hours for all students in participating schools. Nineteen schools are currently participating and showing promising education results. In 2007, created a national operation, the National Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), to advance the time and learning education agenda nationally through policy and research and by providing technical assistance to state and district leaders across the nation. Mayor Menino's Boston 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative 1998 - 2000 Executive Director Developed and implemented a strategy to expand high-quality, affordable, after-school learning opportunities for youth ages 5-18 in communities across Boston. Forged Partnerships between Boston Public Schools and nonprofit providers in order to open new programs in school facilities and leveraged new resources to expand programming. Convened, with Mayor 121 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE Menino, high level task force and published 10-year report. Secured the support of Bain and Company to develop a strategic plan for doubling the number of students served. Designed state program and secured funding in the state budget. U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Intergovernmental 1997-1998 and Interagency Affairs Special Assistant to Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley 1993-1997 Deputy Assistant Secretary: Served as the Secretary's point person for working with state and local elected officials on the Administration's education priorities including efforts to raise academic standards and put in place voluntary national tests, expanding educational technology, school-to-work initiatives, charter schools, and teacher quality programs. Speaking engagements included the education and training committees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Association of Counties. Testified before, and provided technical assistance to, several state legislative committees and state agencies. Served as a liaison on education reform issues to national business organizations including the Business Roundtable and the National Alliance of Business. Proposed and helped to organize 1995 meeting between President Clinton and eight CEOs (including the CEOs of IBM, TRW, Whirlpool, and Procter and Gamble) to discuss business support for federal initiative to raise academic standards in schools. Develop strategic vision, oversee staff and budget of three divisions within the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs. Special Assistant to the Secretary: Helped design and implement the strategy for passage of the Administration's leading education legislation to raise academic standards, the Goals 2000: Educate American Act, signed into law in 1994. Served on senior staff team responsible for the Education Department's Congressional budget strategy. National Governors' Association (NGA), Washington, D.C. 1989-1992 Special Assistant to the Executive Director Advised the Executive Director on policy, management, and political issues impacting the nation's 50 Governors. Served as liaison to the Bush White House, Congressional offices, and state and local organizations. Assisted with the development of NGA's major initiatives, including the 1989 Education Summit and the development of the National Education Goals. Tracked priority issues, including the federal budget, education, health care, welfare reform, economic conversion, child care, transportation, and the environment. Cities in Schools, Inc. (CIS), Washington, D.C. 1986-1988 Education Consultant and Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President Developed four case studies on CIS programs designed to encourage at-risk youth to complete 122 KIPP Academy Boston New Charter School Application, submission to Massachusetts DESE their education in Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. These model programs integrate a variety of community resources--both public and private--through the schools to provide additional support to students. Wrote public and private funding proposals, and quarterly reports to the Department of Justice and other funding agencies. Helped to developed a management information system and a strategy to computerize the national and regional offices. Coro Foundation for Public Policy, St. Louis, Missouri 1984-1985 Policy Fellow Selected through national competition to participate in leadership training program in public affairs. Project assignments included the office of St. Louis Mayor Vincent Schoemehl, the United Auto Workers Union, the Richard Beard for Attorney General campaign, Centerre Bank, and St. Louis County Hospital. Co-directed study on corporate philanthropy in St. Louis that was published by the Monsanto Corporation and featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Boards and Committees Over the years, Jennifer has served on numerous boards and committees including several U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation advisory boards, Harvard's Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency Advisory Board, the executive committees of Boston's After- School for All Partnership, Boston After School & Beyond, and the boards of two charter schools. She currently serves as the Vice President of KIPP Academy, Lynn (MA). Education The Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California M.P.P, 1987 Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut B.A., 1983 123 124 125 DANIELLE BURKE BOUDREAU 9 HILLSIDE ROAD NEWTON HIGHLANDS, MA 02461 (617) 947-8656 email@example.com Professional Experience New Profit Inc. March 2005-present Director of Investor Relations • Manage a portfolio of New Profit's "top 20" investors-investors with commitments ranging from $1,000,000 to $25,000,000+ • Responsible for the satisfaction and engagement of New Profit's entire investor (donors) community (55 investors) • Crafting, managing, and executing an annual events schedule and engagement opportunities for investors • Act as liaison between investors and New Profit's portfolio organizations (grantees), ensuring that information about the organizations' results are communicated efficiently and effectively back to New Profit's investors • Coordination between investor interests/ goals and opportunities to work with social entrepreneurs for engagement and learning • Manage all communication (mass communication and individual correspondences) to/from investors ensuring that investors are receiving timely and relevant on their investment • Development of new marketing and communications collateral and maintenance of existing materials Babson College Advancement Office February 2004-March 2005 Gift Officer, Office of Parent Programs • Responsible for revenue generation and participation among parents, focusing on gifts ranging from $ 1, 919-$500,000 • Work with Major Gift Team to establish, implement, and manage Parents Fund • Identify, cultivate, and solicit Major Gift prospects • Solicit and track an assigned group of President's Society and major gift prospects • Track the progress of the Parents Fund and statistical and provide regular statistical reports and updates • Develop all necessary volunteer manuals and training programs • Assist with strategic plan development to support the initiatives of the college • Design and supervise comprehensive solicitation plan for all Parent Fund programs and volunteers Babson College Advancement Office Coordinator September 2002-February 2004 Davenport Capital Ventures Manager of Administration November 200- August 2002 Providence College Alumni/Development Office Program Assistant August 1999- November 2000 Volunteer Experience KIPP Academy Lynn Member, Board of Directors February 2008 - Present Young Professionals Breakfast Group May 2006- Present EDUCATION F. W. Olin Graduate School of Business Babson College Masters of Business Administration; Cum Laude Wellesley MA class 0f 2005 Providence College Bachelor of Arts in Art History; Magna Cum Laude Minor: History Providence RI Class of 1999 College International de Cannes Cannes , France January-May 1998 References available upon request Michael K. Tooke 126 Private Investment Banking 50 Beacon Street #4 Boston, MA 02108 (617) 720-0786 email@example.com Mr. Mitchell D. Chester November 2, 201 0 Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Massachusetts Department of Education 75 Pleasant S t r e e t Malden. MA 02148 Dear Commissioner Chester. I am writing in support of KIPP Academy Boston's application to open a K-8 charter school serving the students of Boston. I know about the success of KIPP Academy Lynn and the national reputation the organization has for student academic performance. Test scores and KIPP alumni college graduation. KIPP'S commitment to the kids of Boston will impact their entire school experience from kindergarten through college. I am excited that KIPP will create a new academy in Boston and particularly that they plan to work effectively with Superintendent Carol Johnson and the Boston school district to bring new ideas and teaching techniques to our city. KIPP's nation-wide network of resources and partnerships will provide an amazing amount of support for students on the long journey towards a college degree. I welcome the KIPP application and hope you w i l l a p p r o v e i t . P l e a s e c o n t a c t m e i f y o u have any questions. Sincerely, Steering Committee Member Boston Leaders for Education The Boston Leaders for Education (BLE) was founded in late 2008 in the belief that a group of visible business people could- and should- help drive more rapid student proficiency and school accountability for Boston school children. Focused primarily on the Boston Public Schools, we expect BPS to create high performance for illl schools and, thereby, achieve significantly higher academic results for students. This expectation will require a concerted effort by all constituencies: the district and its teachers, political and business interests, parents and the community. BPS must rectify underperforming schools and classrooms, restructure systems and teaching approaches, and share best practices and efficiencies with the best district, charter, parochial and private schools to the benefit of all Boston children. 127 The Whitlock Group 6 University Road Cambridge, MA 02138 5 November 2010 Mitchell D. Chester, Commissioner MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 Dear Commissioner Chester: I am writing in ardent support of the establishment of a KIPP Academy in Boston to serve students in grades K-8. I have long admired the mission, pedagogy, and academic outcomes of the KIPP Academies nationwide. As the immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, I know the importance of providing young people with a strong academic foundation, positive adult role models, engaging co-curricular activities, an emphasis on character development, and access to a broad range of physical and mental health interventions. KIPP's model is predicated on this broad-based approach to learning, and includes significant family engagement among its array of expectations for enrolled students. For several years, I was honored to have been on the Selection Committee for the America's Best Leaders program at US News & World Report. Because of KIPP's compelling ―story,‖ as evidenced by its impressive high school and college graduation rates, its success with English Language Learners and special education students, and its ability to adapt its model to the needs of students and families in its individual districts, our Committee enthusiastically selected KIPP's national founders as honorees. Because of the demonstrated effectiveness of the KIPP model and the urgency of providing students and families in Boston with access to high quality educational options, I am very enthusiastic about the possibility of bringing KIPP's highly effective model to Boston. I urge you and the Department to grant a Charter to KIPP Academy Boston. Thank you for your time and consideration of my request. Sincerely, Linda Whitlock Principal The Whitlock Group 128 129 130 131 Juleby A. Hirsch 6 Red Coach Lane Winchester, MA 01890 (781) 369-1539 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Juleby Hirsch. I am a Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. I am committed to serving on the Development Committee and/or Board of Trustees that will continue to oversee KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School and, if granted the opportunity, would also oversee the development and running of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. As the founding Director of Operations and Finance for KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, and former Portfolio Manager for New Profit Inc. venture philanthropy, I worked directly with low-income students and families as well as the leaders of education and nonprofit organizations committed to improving outcomes for low-income families and their communities. Having experienced firsthand the remarkable impact of an excellent education on these students, their families, and their local communities, I am very excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in Boston. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Juleby A. Hirsch 132 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 November 5, 2010 Dear Commissioner Chester, I write today to commit my energies and personal time, to KIPP Academy, in support of their hopeful expansion to Boston. If given the opportunity to open a K-8 KIPP school, I have agreed to serve on the founding team of advisors in Boston. As Executive Director of Teach For America in Massachusetts, I have seen firsthand the unlimited potential of all of our students to succeed in school and in life, when they are given the support, expectations, and opportunities to do so. But as you know, far too few of the students growing up in low-income communities are provided the educations they need to overcome the injuries of poverty. It is with this painful contradiction in mind – the great potential of our students juxtaposed to the persistent disparity in their outcomes – that I have become so committed to enabling schools like KIPP to serve more and more of our students. They have proven time and again, both across the country, but with particular success in neighboring Lynn, that we can radically transform the educational outcomes of our students through great teaching, strong leadership, and the highest expectations. In expanding their efforts to Boston, not only will KIPP serve many students, but I know they are excited to foster strong relationships with other schools, teachers, and educational organizations in the district and in the city. Furthering meaningful collaboration and communication will only cascade to help more students. As a leader of an educational organization that is deeply rooted in Boston schools, I hope that I can be particularly useful in helping KIPP build strong partnerships in the community, so that KIPP can both learn from the successes of the great teachers and schools already in Boston, and so that they can contribute their own best practices to help ensure that we create many, many more exceptional places of learning. Finally, I have known Josh Zoia for nearly 5 years now, know many of the teachers at KIPP Lynn (many of whom have come through Teach For America), and am inspired by the enduring commitment and love they show for all of their students. Our community would be lucky to have their partnership in Boston. Thank you for your consideration. I am proud to be a part of these efforts, and welcome you to call me anytime if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Joshua Z. Biber 617.956.0924 x17101 firstname.lastname@example.com 133 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Amanda Hillman. I am a native of Boston, and a proud graduate of Boston Public Schools. As someone who cares deeply about the educational opportunities available to children in the city of Boston, I have joined the founding group of the proposed K-8 KIPP school in Boston. I was born and raised in Dorchester, where I was exposed to the limited prospects available to children battling the effects of poverty. More importantly, I was also exposed to the power of high expectations and rigorous instruction to overcome these adversities and cultivate motivated, college-ready students. By lending my support to the proposed K-8 KIPP school in Boston, I am reaffirming my belief that all children have not just the potential to succeed, but the right to an environment where they can be supported, challenged, and fully prepared to complete college. I believe a KIPP school in Boston will go far in making this a reality for even more students in the city. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like additional comments or have any questions. Amanda Hillman 134 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 July 20, 2010 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Joshua Zoia. I am the Executive Director of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. I am committed to continuing my role as Executive Director for KIPP Academy Lyn, and if granted the opportunity, would also oversee the development and running of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. I am very excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in Boston. I have had the privilege seeing firsthand the inspirational growth of the students and families of KIPP Academy Lynn. I sat on their couches in 2003 and promised our students and their families four year college graduation. Although our middle school and future high school will significantly increase the percentage of our students who are graduating from college, we cannot escape the trap of the ―Catch up mode.‖ Last year two-thirds of our students came into fifth grade reading below a third grade level. One-third came in at or below a first grade level. Given the data about the importance of early learning, we see an elementary school being the key to truly helping our students develop the character, habits and skill needed to persevere through college. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Josh Zoia 135 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 July 15, 2010 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Caleb Dolan. I am the KIPP Foundation Director of Principal Development and KIPP Academy Lynn Dean of Instruction. If our charter application is approved I would serve as Chief Academic Officer and help KIPP Massachusetts's teachers and leaders deliver top quality teaching and learning. I had the honor of founding and leading KIPP Gaston College Preparatory in Gaston, NC from 2001-2009. Our first fifth grade students are now college sophomores. I know the incredible gains our North Carolina students made academically and personally in our school and I believe we can create even more lasting change by starting with our Boston students in a KIPP elementary school. As a native New Englander and Boston resident I want to be part of a school that ensures Boston's students are the best educated young men and women in our nation. Additionally I hope we are part of a broader educational movement that models collaboration between the district and high performing charter schools. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Caleb Dolan KIPP Principal Development Director KAL Dean of Instruction 136 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 July 15, 2010 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Thomas Fredell. I am the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. I have been given permission from each Board member to write to you on behalf of the entire KAL Board of Trustees. We have all committed to serving on the Board of Trustees that will continue to oversee KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School and, if granted the opportunity, would also oversee the development and running of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. We are very excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in Boston. We have seen firsthand the inspirational growth of the students and families of KIPP Academy Lynn. KIPP is truly transforming lives and we are doing it serving students with similar demographics to the students of Lynn Public Schools. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Thomas Fredell 137 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 Dear Commissioner Chester, 03 November 2010 My name is Michael J. Kendall and I have the honor of serving on the Board of Trustees for the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. I have been on the Board for two years and I intend to remain very much engaged with this incredible organization as we continue our mission of providing the most deserving of children a pathway to college. All of us on the Board are excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in the City of Boston. We believe that all children deserve the best possible education and whereas we do not suggest that the KIPP approach is the only way, we can testify to the measurable, positive impact realized by the children of Lynn who have attended our school. I believe that applying the same, proven approaches with children from similarly challenged demographics in Boston will provide a critical component to the City's overall education strategy. I thank you in advance for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Michael J. Kendall 138 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 03 November 2010 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Scott Sarazen and I have the honor of serving on the Board of Trustees for the KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. I have been on the Board for four years and I intend to remain very much engaged with this incredible organization as we continue our mission of providing the most deserving of children a pathway to college. All of us on the Board are excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in the City of Boston. We believe that all children deserve the best possible education and whereas we do not suggest that the KIPP approach is the only way, we can testify to the measurable, positive impact realized by the children of Lynn who have attended our school. I believe that applying the same, proven approaches with children from similarly challenged demographics in Boston will provide a critical component to the City's overall education strategy. I thank you in advance for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Scott D Sarazen 139 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Mike Brown, and l have been a member of the KIPP family for 4 years while presently serving as the Director of Multicultural & Community Affairs here at KIPP Academy in Lynn. It has been an honor to be able to build up and support my community through the empowerment of its young people and their families. It is an extended privilege to join my fellow colleagues who have also answered the call to education in establishing a KIPP school in Boston. Boston has been an active and fulfilling part of my life as a student-teacher supervisor at Brighton High school, a program director of the Orchard Gardens "10 Boys" initiative, a church member in Mattapan, and a recent graduate of the Boston College Lynch School of Education Graduate program in Administration. I am excited about the idea of bringing KIPP and all of our family services to the Boston community ranging from daily adult education classes and weekly adult book clubs to monthly parenting workshops. We understand that our goals of supporting our students to and through college heavily revolve around effectively preparing their entire house and community for the college experience, and that is what KIPP intends to do. Thank you once for this historic opportunity. Mike Brown Director of Multicultural & Community Affairs KIPP Academy Lynn 757- 927-1082 140 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 November 1, 2010 Mitchell Chester Commissioner of Education Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name Nathan Sanders. Earlier this year, I joined the Board of Trustees of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. I have been supporting the school financially and with my time for the past few years. During this time, I have been impressed with the results the school has helped students achieve and with the quality of the staff and other Board members. Like my fellow Trustees, I am committed to continue overseeing KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School and, if granted the opportunity, would also oversee the development and running of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. We are all energized about the potential opportunity to open a new KIPP K-8 program in Boston. KIPP Lynn is truly transforming lives, and we are doing it serving students with similar demographics to the students of Lynn Public Schools. KIPP has been a sought-after option for families in Lynn, and we are excited about the prospects of generating similar levels of excitement in Boston. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call me if you would like to discuss further. I can be reached through KIPP Academy Lynn or at 978-388-8508. Sincerely, Nathan Sanders Nathan Sanders 141 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 November 1, 2010 Mitchell Chester Commissioner of Education Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 Dear Commissioner Chester, My name is Frances McLaughlin. I am a Trustee of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School. Along with my fellow Trustees, I am committed to serving on the Board of Trustees that will continue to oversee KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School and, if granted the opportunity, would also oversee the development and running of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. My fellow Trustees and I are very excited about the possibility of opening a new KIPP K-8 program in Boston. We have seen firsthand the dramatic academic improvement of the students at KIPP Academy Lynn and the deep commitment of their families. KIPP is truly transforming lives, and we are doing it serving students with similar demographics to the students of Lynn Public Schools. Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. I can be reached through KIPP Academy Lynn or at 978-388-8508. Sincerely, FA McLaughlin Frances McLaughlin 142 25 Bessom Street Lynn, MA 01902 Phone: (781) 598-1609 Fax: (781) 598-1639 November 5, 2010 Mitchell Chester Commissioner of Education Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148 Dear Commissioner Chester, As a member of the Board of Trustees of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School for more than two years, I would like to express my commitment to continue to oversee and support KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School and, if granted the opportunity, to oversee the opening and operation of a K-8 KIPP school in Boston. I have seen firsthand the blossoming of our program in the Lynn community, with extraordinary results in terms of MCAS and more importantly in terms of the character and enthusiasm of our youngsters--KIPP is truly transforming lives! I am eagerly looking forward to KIPP being able to provide the same exciting opportunities to students in the City of Boston. Many thanks for your consideration of our application. Sincerely, Barbara W. Goldman 143 144 145 SUB-GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Assistant Principals EXCERPT FROM GRANT APPLICATION …Activity 1b. Significantly expand the pool of principals-in-training by staffing the assistant principal role sooner in a school's development. The assistant principal role is a direct training ground for future principals. Because KIPP schools consistently receive less funding per pupil than traditional public schools and take several years to grow to full enrollment, most KIPP schools do not staff an assistant principal role until the fourth year of a school's existence, which impedes KIPP's ability to support positions that give aspiring principals the real-world experience they need to open and successfully lead high-need schools. Grant funds will enable KIPP to hire assistant principals earlier in a school's life, thereby accelerating the development of a strong pipeline of future principals… The following criteria outline eligibility requirements for sub-grant funding for Assistant Principals: DEFINITION OF ROLE The responsibilities of the Assistant Principal must include: Manage a team of teachers and/or grade level chairs Provide instructional leadership, coaching, and professional development for teachers and/or grade level chairs Interpret, analyze, and apply data Assist in teacher recruitment, hiring, and termination Serve as liaison for parent concerns and communication Manage student discipline issues Act on behalf of School Leader and school on school-wide issues In addition, the Assistant Principal must: Have successfully completed the KSLP Leadership Team or Principal Prep Program o 2010–2011 sub-grant recipients may attend KSLP in 2011–2012 Be 100% dedicated to generalist AP role Serve in a school where enrollment is on track in Year 2 146 SUB-GRANT CRITERIA AT A GLANCE Award Assistant Principals Site Eligibility New KIPP schools in Years 2 and 3 of operation* Eligible Expense Salaries and Benefits Length of Award 2 years** Amount of Award Year 2 75% of salary/benefits Year 3 50% of salary/benefits Type of Award Reimbursement 147 SUB-GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Directors of Leadership Development (e.g., Chief Academic Officers, etc.) EXCERPT FROM GRANT APPLICATION …Activity 1c: Advance effective local practices to support the development of principal pipelines. Members of the KIPP Foundation's national training team *KSLP Team+ will work with local Directors of Leadership Development to create training modules that can be implemented locally so that more aspiring principals have access to rigorous and high-quality leadership training. Grant funds will enable *regions to hire+ Directors of Leadership Development to enhance KIPP's ability to identify, support, place and evaluate talent… The following criteria outline eligibility requirements for sub-grant funding for Directors of Leadership Development: DEFINITION OF ROLE The responsibilities of a Director of Leadership Development must include: Oversee leadership development, including coaching and mentoring, of emerging leaders throughout the region; and/or Support and/or manage principals on issues related to instruction, pipeline development, professional development, curriculum, and assessment SUB-GRANT CRITERIA AT A GLANCE Award Directors of Leadership Development (e.g., CAO, etc) Site Eligibility KIPP regions Eligible Expense Salaries and Benefits Length of Award 3 years* Amount of Award Year 1 75% of salary/benefits, not to exceed $75K Year 2 50% of salary/benefits, not to exceed $50K Year 3 25% of salary/benefits, not to exceed $25K Type of Award Reimbursement Please Note: * Three-year sub-grants will be disbursed as follows: Year Approximate Number of Sub-grants 2010-11 10 2011-12 15 2012-13 5 148 SUB-GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Performance Evaluation Manager (e.g., Director of Student Data and Accountability, Director of Talent Development, Director of Assessment, Data Analyst, etc.) EXCERPT FROM GRANT APPLICATION …Activity 2c: Enable principals to effectively use performance management tools. To truly leverage these tools, principals need to understand not only who is achieving the greatest results in key areas, but also how these outcomes have been attained. Grant funds will allow local leadership to hire Performance Evaluation Managers who will play an essential role in supporting principals to effectively implement performance evaluation systems by handling one or more of the following responsibilities: management of assessments and other data collection; data analysis, reporting and coaching; and performance reviews…. Through the work of local Performance Evaluation Managers in concert with local leadership, the performance evaluation processes associated with the Leadership Competency Model and the Healthy Schools and Regions Framework will become common operating procedures… The following criteria outline eligibility requirements for sub-grant funding for Performance Evaluation Managers: DEFINITION OF ROLE The responsibilities of a Performance Evaluation Manager must include at least one of the following: Manage assessments and other data collection Conduct data analysis and reporting Coach principals and/or teachers on the use of data to improve outcomes Organize and administer various aspects of a performance management system The performance evaluation manager can be regional or school-based, depending on local needs. Possibilities regarding the structure of the position include, but are not limited to, the following: A Director of Student Data and Accountability focused on data collection, analysis, reporting, and coaching associated with using student data A Director of Talent Development focused on HR-related activities associated with development, such as managing the performance review process, and/or using data to 149 manage recommendations on professional development content, candidate sourcing strategies, and pipeline development SUB-GRANT CRITERIA AT A GLANCE Award Performance Evaluation Managers Site Eligibility KIPP regions and single-sites Eligible Expense Salaries and Benefits Length of Award 4 years* Amount of Award Years 1/2 75% of salary/benefits, not to exceed $60K/ yr Years 3/4 50% of salary/benefits, not to exceed $40K/ yr Type of Award Reimbursement Please Note: * Four-year sub-grants will be disbursed as follows: Year Approximate Number of Sub-grants 2010–11 10 2011–12 15 2012–13 15 (*sites that trigger their grant in this last year will receive a 3-year sub-grant, following the Years 1-3 schedule above) 150 151 152 153 ACTION PLAN Prior to March Responsibility Responsibilty March 19th th th th th Secondary August 13 March 12 March 26 August 6 May 21st th th April 2nd th th th th th April 9th th th July 2nd Primary th April 16 April 30 th June 11 June 18 June 25 May 14 May 28 th July 16 July 24 June 4 May 7 July 9 P BOT =Board of Trustees, ED = Executive Director, MT= Management Team of KAB, COO=Chief Operating Officer ILT = Instructional Leadership Team, T=teachers, BM= Business Manager, OM= Office Manager, CAO = Chief Academic Officer CDO= Chief Development Officer, DCO=Director of Community Outreach, DSS = Director of Student Supports, DL=DESE Liaison Governance Submit org chart ED Board recruitment BOT ED x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Approve Board BOT ED X x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x members Financial BOT ED x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Disclosure forms Self assess bylaws BOT ED x Board approve by BOT ED X laws Board calendar for BOT ED X X year Student Recruitment & Enrollment Prepare ED MT X Enrollment Policy Self assess MT ED X Enrollment Policy Board approves BOT ED x Enrollment Policy Submit Enrollment ED DL x Policy to DESE File Pre- BM COO x enrollment Form Parent info. MT ED x sessions Collect Enrollment OM BM x Applications Hold Lottery MT ED x Send enrollment BM COO x list to DESE Request student OM MT x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x records Acquire student OM MT x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x records Assess student DSS MT x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x services 154 Orientation for MT T x x x enrolled students Issue Family MT ED x x x Handbook Student Learning Time Prepare school MT ED x calendar Prepare student MT CAO x schedule Prepare student MT CAO x learning time form Board approves 3 BOT ED x above Submit 3 above ED BOT x Code of Conduct, Student Handbook, and Recommended Policies Prepare code of MT ED X conduct Self assess code of MT ED X conduct Board approves BOT ED x code of conduct Submit code of ED BOT x conduct Facilities Submit official OM MT x contact info. Submit signed COO ED X x lease Assess BM COO X programmatic accessibility Submit assurance DL BM x of accessibility Design Multi- COO ED X Hazard Evac. Plan Submit Muli- DL COO x Hazard Evac. Plan Submit Certificate BM COO x of Occupancy Submit Fire BM COO x Inspection Cert. Submit Building BM COO x Safety Cert. Submit Flammable BM COO x Compounds Cert. Submit Health BM COO x Inspection Cert. Submit Asbestos BM COO x 155 Inspection Report Submit Lead Paint BM COO x Assessment Acquire furniture, BM COO x x x Equipment & Mat. Obtain Property COO BM x Ins. Hire janitor BM COO x CORI Policy & Mandated Criminal Records Check Create CORI Policy BOT ED x & Board approves Conduct CORI BM COO x x x x x x x x x x x checks on all staff Submit assurance DL BM x that CORI compl. Financial Organization Develop Fiscal Pol. COO ED X And Procedures Board approves BOT COO x FP& P Submit FP&P DL COO x Open bank COO BM x account Implement payroll BM COO x service Budget and Cash Flow Update budget for COO BM x x x first 3 years Create cash flow COO BM x x x x for first year Board approves BOT COO x budget Submit budget DL COO x and cash flow Audit Engage COO ED X independent audit Insurance Policy Submit evidence DL COO x of insurance cov. Title I Program Plan: Schoolwide or Targeted Assistance Determine school COO BM x or targeted Submit plan DL COO x Personnel 156 Finalize job MT ED X descriptions Finalize staff MT ED X handbook Hire Principal CAO ED X Hire staff MT ED x x x x x x x x x x x Staff summer PD MT CAO x x x Massachusetts Retirement System Determine BM COO x x x x x x x x x x x eligibility of staff Set up BM COO x contribution syst. Submit payroll BM COO x x x summary Evaluation of School Leader, Administrators and Teachers Design Eval.plan CAO ED x for Principals Design Eval plan ED COO x for non-teachers Design Eval. Plan CAO MT x for teachers Self assess Eval ED MT/ x plans COO Submit all 3 DL ED x Professional Development for School Administrators and Teachers Design PD plan for ED COO x administrators Design PD plan for MT CAO x teachers Self assess plans MT CAO x Submit both plans DL CAO x Curriculum, Teaching & Learning Review and MT CAO x complete stand. Create scope and T MT x x x x x x x x x x x sequences Create lesson T MT x x x plans for summer Outline interim MT CAO x assessment sched. Purchase instruct. BM MT x materials Special Education Identify SPED OM DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x students Acquire SPED OM DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x records 157 Conduct mtgs. T DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x With parents Review IEPs and T DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x define services Hire contract DSS ED x providers Identify and DSS BM x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x purchase mater. Submit SPED DSS DL x Program Plan Hire highly MT DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x qualified teachers Gather prof. BM DSS x x x x x x x x x x x x credentials of staff Submit summary DL DSS x of teacher qualif. Hire qualified ED BOT x SPED Administr. Food Service Plan Identify food BM COO x x x x vendors /quotes Sign food vendor COO BM x contract Identify free / OM BM x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x reduced lunch st. Inform parents of OM BM x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x F&R status Transportation Service Plan Create transport. BM COO x x x x x plan Self assess plan BM COO x Submit plan DL BM x Mail info about OM BM x busing to parents Health & Safety Hire nurse MT ED x Submit evidence DL MT x of nurse hiring Set up nurses BM COO x x office Complete student OM MT x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x medical records Staff first aid MT ED x training Appoint safety MT ED x officer Install building BM COO x safety equipment 158 Develop fire drill MT ED x protocal Establish physician ED DL x relationship Submit document DL ED x of relationship Create School ED DL x Health/ Med. plan Create school ED DL x Wellness plan Board approve BOT ED x Wellness plan Submit Wellness DL ED x Plan Request app. BM COO x From NSLP Submit assurance BM COO x re: NSLP Communications Enter student data OM BM x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x into SIMMS Develop filing OM MT x system for st. rec. Define informat. MT BM x Flow routes / Proc Train staff in proc. MT BM x Design visitor OM BM x tracking system Set up website COO ED x Select internet BM COO x provider Set up computer BM COO x network Set up phone BM COO x system Complaint Procedures Create Complaint ED DL x Procedures Self assess CP ED EL x Board appr. CP BOT ED x Submit CP DL ED x District Curriculum Accommodation Plan Design and adopt MT ED x DCAP Self assess DCAP MT ED x Submit DCAP DL ED x 159 160