Legends Academy

LEGENDS ACADEMY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2016-2017

Our School Improvement Plan is a dynamic document that we revisit multiple times throughout the school year. This first phase of our school improvement process defines the current strengths and weakness of our instructional program. It allows us to identify areas in which we should invest time, resources and garner further instructional support.

1. Mission Statement of the School

The mission of Legends Academy is to educate and empower children who are marginalized. Its design exemplifies the belief that the school acts as the hub of its community by engaging community resources and offering a range of on-site programs and services that support the success of students and their families.

o Educate and empower communities to address the academic, social-emotional and physical needs of its children.

o Educate and empower teachers to be responsive to the academic, social-emotional and physical needs of each student.

o Educate and empower families to create environments in which their children will thrive academically, socially-emotionally and physically.

o Educate and empower children to be responsible for their academic, social-emotional and physical well-being.

2. Academic Data for the most recent 3 years

Legends Academy has been open for one academic year. We opened KG – 5th grade. Therefore, the 2016 FSA is the first set of accountability data that we have received.

FSA SPRING 2016 ELA Mat Math ELA Lowe h Gains Scien Tota Grad School Name ELA Gain Math st Gai Lowest ce l e s 25% ns 25% LEGENDS 23 38 64 17 19 17 29 207 F ACADEMY Our data shows that our math achievement scores and lack of growth in math significantly impacted our overall letter grade. Strengthening our instructional program in those areas will improve the academic progress of our students.

3. Student achievement objectives included in the charter contract or most recent sponsor approved School Improvement Plan

“Good Cause” for non-renewal or termination of our contract includes a ‘specific written notice and a six month opportunity to cure any deficiency(ies), notwithstanding any other provision, it is fully acceptable for School to perform at or above the performance of schools that serve a similar demographic group. The table below compares the academic achievement of Legends Academy to similar schools in Orlando’s Urban Corridor. They were selected because they serve a similar demographic of student – based on an internally calculated needs index. Currently, we are performing comparably to similar schools in reading and science but below in math.

FSA SPRING 2016 Comparison School Report ELA Mat Math ELA Lowe Mat h Gains Scien Tot Grad School Name ELA Gai st h Gai Lowest ce al e ns 25% ns 25% LEGENDS ACADEMY CHARTER 23 38 64 17 19 17 29 207 F NAP FORD COMMUNITY CHARTER 47 44 … 57 53 … 33 … C CATALINA ELEMENTARY 30 43 42 32 45 36 24 252 D PINE HILLS ELEMENTARY 26 41 26 34 43 26 27 223 D ROCK LAKE ELEMENTARY 32 42 31 40 55 41 37 278 D ROLLING HILLS ELEMENTARY 20 23 13 15 22 33 11 137 F IVEY LANE ELEMENTARY 29 46 37 34 41 11 32 230 D ECCLESTON ELEMENTARY 27 41 28 19 23 23 17 178 F WASHINGTON SHORES ELEMENTARY 24 33 47 36 57 66 33 296 C PINELOCH ELEMENTARY 45 51 38 57 59 30 47 327 C ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 54 52 40 52 54 44 56 B

4. Analysis of student performance data including academic performance by each subgroup.

We have a very homogeneous population at Legends Academy; with nearly 100% of our school population being Black and more than 95% of students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch. In addition, we have fewer than 10 students classified as ESE or ESOL in assessment grades. Disaggregating data by race/ethnicity/free/reduced lunch, ESE and/or ESOL may potentially identify particular students. 5. Detailed Plan for addressing each Identified deficiency in student performance, including specific actions, person responsible, resources needed, and timeline

Based on our significant deficit in math achievement, we have put specific systems and measures into place in order to increase the math performance of our students. Planning began over the summer, during which our Executive Director, Dr. Jennifer Porter-Smith, Director of Teaching and Learning at Legends Academy, Ms DeSheila Rumph-Wallace and Director of Teaching and Learning at Nap Ford Community School, Dr. Heather Pearson met to discuss curriculum resources and instructional practices to best meet the needs of our students. New resource materials were ordered to address the rigor of the Florida Standards for Math. In addition, procedures and processes are in place to maximize instructional time and improve the instructional practices of our staff.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, we used the pacing guide from Orange County Public Schools to make our instructional focus calendars. We are using a variety of resources for each Tiered level of instruction. These include Go Math, iReady and Investigations. Beginning the Week of September 12th, after initial assessments have been given and basic skills have been reviewed from the previous grade we will begin to incorporate hands-on learning and discovery, as well as the eight mathematical practices associated with the new standards.

In order to gauge where students are at the beginning of the year, a Beginning of the Year Assessment will be given as a baseline. This will be completed by September 7th. In addition, an Inventory of Prerequisite Skills will also be given by this date, which will help identify any gaps that need to be filled in from the previous grade level during math intervention and small group instruction. Data will be monitored throughout the year in data meetings involving the teacher, Ms. Wallace, and Dr. Porter-Smith. These meetings will be held every three weeks. Ongoing formative and summative assessments will be given during and at the conclusion of each unit.

Dr. Wallace, Director of Teaching and Learning, is responsible for coaching and modeling in mathematics, as well as providing support with instruction. Dr. Porter-Smith and Ms Wallace are both responsible for monitoring student progress through data meetings. Teachers are responsible for implementing best practices consistently and being open to feedback and coaching when needed. 6. Identification of each component of school’s approved educational program that has not been implemented as described in the school’s approved charter application or charter contract.

We have implemented the educational programs described in our approved charter application.

7. Detailed plan for addressing each identified deficiency noted in subparagraph (4)(a)6. Of this rule,

including specific actions, person responsible, resources needed, and timeline

Due to the fact that our population is very homogeneous as indicated in section 4, this section is not broken down by subgroup. Plans to target deficiency areas of Mathematics for the school as whole have been outlined in section 6. In addition to the academic needs of the children addressed above, we are also working on building the social-emotional capacity within our children through culturally responsive classroom plans that include such strategies as morning meetings.

8. Identification of other barriers to student success, with a detailed plan for addressing each barrier including specific actions, person responsible, resources needed, and timeline.

Staff Professional Student Motivation and Development – Deliberate Engagement and Reflective Instructional Practices

Family Empowerment Community Partners – Seeking Support from Removing Barriers that individuals, groups, businesses that want to inhibit families from being improve the public educational system by involved in their child’s increasing the academic achievement for children in education our most under-resourced communities We have identified four target areas to address this year that may be impeding student success. These include a need for staff professional development through deliberate and reflective instructional practices, student motivation, and engagement, family empowerment, and a need for support from community partners.

Professional Development

Establishing and fostering the growth mindset through the on-going professional development of our staff is a crucial factor in the success of our school. This growth mind-set began at pre-planning when teachers reflected upon areas where they would like additional development and in which they need to grow. A common thread that arose was effective small group instruction, as well as managing the rest of the classroom while working in small groups.

The Daily 5 and Daily 3 teaches students routines and procedures for Reading and Math Workshop so that the teacher is able to focus on the students within the small group. Teachers received initial training at pre-planning. The feedback thus far on how this has impacted their classroom management has been extremely positive. Teachers will receive coaching, modeling, and professional development workshops on The Daily 5 and Daily 3 throughout the school year as an ongoing professional development. In addition, Ms Wallace will provide modeling in every classroom and provide teachers with a clearly identified outline of what to do during each lesson segment.

Professional development will also include several sessions focused on the new Florida Standards, as well as effectively using the curriculum resources that we have chosen to help teach those standards. We will continue our implementation of the Evidence Project and analysis of student work to help measure whether students have mastered particular standards. Teachers will track, monitor, and reflect upon their growth throughout the year at strategic points, such as October, December, March, and May.

Student Motivation

Regular routines that are in place within our school to increase motivation include school assemblies, daily morning meetings to build community, school wide positive behavioral support systems, individual student goal setting, and class and group goal setting. After school clubs and enrichment opportunities are also available. Family Empowerment

Legends Academy is a place that welcomes and values families. It is our goal to make family members an active part of their children’s education and feel like our school is a place that they can reach out to in times of need.

Great power and strength lies within the members of our school community and the opportunity for that to be tapped into will be at the forefront this year. While in graduate school, Dr. Pearson conducted a study on collaborative learning between children and their caregivers at a different school and found that the results were astounding. She will bring the same program to Legends Academy in which children and adults work together on collaborative learning skills to increase the home-school connection and the self-efficacy of the caregivers in helping their children with schoolwork. These sessions will be held once every nine weeks. Creating this welcoming environment is also an opportunity for caregivers to share their thoughts and ideas while empowering them to help in the ways that they desire.

Community Partners

It is impossible to provide a quality education and provide the necessary opportunities that allow for children to be successful in school without the help of community partners. Our school’s Executive Director, Jennifer Porter-Smith, is responsible for identifying and securing partnerships that provide much needed resources to our school.

9. Specific student achievement outcomes to be achieved

With the State’s adoption of new standards and a new assessment it is difficult to set specific goals. The implementation of more rigorous standards will certainly require adjustments and corrections during the next several years. Our goals are based on improving our letter grade to a ‘C’ FSA SPRING 2016

Math ELA Math Gains 2016 ELA Scien Tot School Name ELA Lowest Math Gain Lowe Grad Gains ce al 25% s st e 25% LEGENDS ACADEMY 23 38 64 17 19 17 29 207 F ORANGE COUNTY 54 52 40 52 54 44 56 B PUBLIC SCHOOLS FSA SPRING 2017 – GOALS

Math ELA Math Gains 2017 ELA Scien Tot School Name ELA Lowest Math Gain Lowe Grad Gains ce al 25% s st e 25% ↑18p ↑21p ↑33pt ↑11pt ↑12pts ↑2pts … LEGENDS ACADEMY ts ts s s 35 40 50 35 40 50 40 290 C