FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment 1 MAINE VIRTUAL ACADEMY
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FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment MAINE VIRTUAL ACADEMY (MEVA) FY 19 SELF-ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE MAINE CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION (MCSC) March 20, 2019 Pages Components of the Report: Page 2 Introduction Page 3 Academic and Organizational Successes Challenged and Opportunities Page 7 Governance Successes, Challenges and Opportunities Page 7 Financial Successes, Challenges and Opportunities Page 8 Educational and Other Service Providers Successes, Challenges and Opportunities Page 8 Appendix A – Professional Development Page 11 Appendix B – Field Trips and Activities Page 18 Appendix C – Essay by Emma Paradis, Class of 2019 Page 20 Appendix D – Media Page 21 Appendix E – Broad Actions in Response to the Independent Third-Party Evaluation Report (January 2019) 1 FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment Introduction With a deep commitment to providing the best possible service to our students and families, the Maine Virtual Academy (MEVA) team is excited about renewing our mission and vision after completing four inspiring years. As always, we are dedicating significant efforts to ensuring that every student and family is receiving our continuous attention and responsive communications, helping them thrive in our virtual learning environment. Continuing to improve the excellent experience of our students and families is our highest priority, as echoed in our school’s mission and vision, as follows: Mission Maine Virtual Academy’s (MEVA) mission is to develop each student’s full potential with learner-centered instruction, research- based curriculum and educational tools and resources to provide a high-quality learning experience for grade 7-12 students who are in need of alternative educational options. MEVA will develop an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) with specific learning goals to meet each student’s needs. MEVA’s rigorous curriculum is aligned to the eight Maine content areas, the Maine Learning Results, the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. MEVA will demand the highest level of accountability from our Maine-certified teachers, our educational management system and our nationally recognized provider of educational services. The MEVA Board will contract with K12 Virtual Schools LLC for educational products and selected support services. Vision MEVA will be a leading 21st century public charter school in Maine and will improve student learning outcomes through individualized instruction, as evidenced by student academic proficiency, student academic growth, post-secondary readiness, and the demonstration of 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and self-direction. MEVA will empower students to acquire the academic and life skills needed to succeed in post-secondary education and career opportunities. Our graduates will be prepared for college or other postsecondary career training opportunities. MEVA is serving students in need of alternative educational options by meeting them where they are and by providing them with individual supports within a vibrant learning community. MEVA is facilitating/developing 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and self-direction, as well as encouraging friendships and constructive relationships, which are paramount to our success. Students benefit from frequent teacher-student interactions inside and outside the virtual classrooms. (Appendix B details our impressive list of 2018/19 activities.) To support students, teachers are continuously delivering standards and objectives and collecting students’ evidence of mastery. Teachers are analyzing data to inform their instruction. They are refining their practices by participating in recurrent professional 2 FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment development sessions. MEVA is striving to improve its academic outcomes by providing differentiated courses and lessons for diverse learners, and by creating opportunities for students to collaborate and interact within our virtual classrooms. Students who have studied with us for all four years include Mary Smith (pseudonym), a homeschool student, who enrolled at the beginning of her seventh (7th) grade year. Passionate about music and community service, Mary has applied herself to improving her math skills, advancing from the sixtieth to the ninetieth percentile (60th to 90th %ile) on the NWEA Math, from the seventh to the tenth grade (7th to 10th grade). This year, as a tenth (10th) grader, Mary is taking advanced courses and is pursuing Early College. This year’s graduating class (June 2019) will contain students who have spent their four years of high school at MEVA. One of these seniors is Emma Paradis ‘19 writes about the self-discipline, self-advocacy, and communication skills that she has developed by navigating her virtual courses at MEVA. (See Appendix C for Emma’s essay.) As a result, Emma argues that she is prepared for what lies ahead. An award-winning writer, she is thankful for the opportunity to attend a virtual school. MEVA valedictorian, Lana Mavor ’19 is pursuing national level tennis in conjunction with her high school studies. Earning NCAA approval for her coursework, Lana is attending Division-1 North Carolina State as a member of their elite tennis team. She is an outstanding student, as well as an athlete. Lana is the recipient of MEVA’s 2019 Maine Principal’s Award. We are serving students who are finding MEVA a safe place to get a great education, to build their confidence and to establish a positive direction. (Appendix D includes links to our students’ stories in the media.) Students are sometimes managing significant health challenges, while finishing high school and making plans to enter the workforce and community college. They are taking advantage of our creative course options such as Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Engineering Design, Virtual Design and Innovation, Fashion Design and Interior Design and many others. MEVA is utilizing every school day to prepare its students for their future higher education and fruitful employment/careers. Academic and Organizational Successes, Challenges and Opportunities The MEVA team is encouraging students’ academic achievement and progress, while focusing on accommodating their unique challenges and meeting their individual needs. We are developing teachers who believe that it’s their primary responsibility to build relationships with families, engage students, use data to customize instruction, and who have a clear understanding of the state’s and charter commission’s expectations for MEVA students. Our focus on continuous professional growth is essential given that nearly all MEVA teachers are new to virtual education when they arrive. 3 FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment What follows is an accounting of MEVA’s 2018/19 successes, challenges and opportunities within regular education, special education, Title IA, gifted & talented, and postsecondary planning programs. Academic Successes Challenges Opportunities Programs Regular • Increased the regular education • Students’ achievement and • Upcoming spring Education teaching faculty by two fulltime progress on the MEAs and assessments offer Program positions. NWEAs. opportunities to realize gains • Developed/implemented • Credit deficiencies of newly from practice improvements instructional maps and pacing enrolled high school students. and to reassess academic and guides in all core academic professional development courses. needs. • Increased instructional time in • Credit recovery courses and the academic schedule. methods to help students close their credit gaps. Special • Increased the special education • Intaking special education • Continuously reviewing our Education teaching faculty by one fulltime students from diverse locations. practices, procedures and Program position. • Documenting a process for documents to ensure high • Implemented systemic internal handling multiple incoming quality results at all levels. improvements that increase the special education students’ • Offering comprehensive team’s performance. transitions. professional development to • Completed the MDOE’s help our teachers. corrective actions three-and-one- half months ahead of the compliance deadline. • Developed leadership on the special education teaching team, by supporting teachers’ growth towards 035 Asst. Admin. Certification. Title IA • Increased the Title IA faculty by • Co-ordinating multiple Title IA • Offering professional Program three positions. teachers’ efforts. development in effective co- teaching practices. 4 FY 19 MEVA Self-Assessment • Supported below basic students • Team building meetings and with targeted supplementary communications. instruction in math and English. • Offered a third, six-week summer program to prevent students’ losses. Gifted & • GT academic students are • Organizing face to face GT • Project based learning Talented accessing advanced courses and events in an expansive opportunities for GT Program Early College. geographic area. students. • GT art students are participating in a rigorous talent development program. Postsecondary • Developed/maintained • Motivating seniors to engage in • Rigorously monitoring Planning GradPlans for students in grades the postsecondary planning students’ graduation progress 8-12 to encourage their process. by utilizing the GradPlan persistence in earning a high • Addressing students’ credit dashboards/data and regularly school diploma. recovery needs and possible communicating with students • Offered a required College & delays in earning diplomas (e.g., and families.