CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School Merged Application 2019 When I completed my residency, I spent three years teaching medical students and residents. I then opened a private practice and specialized in adolescent care for 27 years. After retiring, I became a substitute teacher, and am now enrolled in a graduate program to get my master’s in teaching science. Education has played a huge roll in my life, as well as my children’s lives. They have studied to become an engineer, an American history teacher, and a computational biologist. It would be an honor to promote the STEM careers to students who ordinarily don’t go into those fields. Heather Jordan (proposed Trustee Board Member) Bio: I am showing interest to this school from a professional educator’s stand point. I worked in the Syracuse City School district for 18 years from 1994-2012 and have notice a drastic decline with: educational material, lack of educators, and lack of funding it requires to succeed. Our educational system has greatly changed through the influence of social media like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Facebook. The support for a stronger education is a necessity. Our young people demand the proper guidance, instruction and leadership that a charter school can bring for success. I would like to continue to learn more and actively participate in our youth’s future. I feel my background in education, Human Research and Business will be a benefit to the CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School. Samuel Lim (proposed Trustee Board Member) Bio: R-24- 7 CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School Merged Application 2019 Samuel Lim is a secondary education professional and 2018 Teach for America Corps Member based in Atlanta, GA. A member of the high school social studies faculty at the S.T.E.A.M. Academy at Carver High School, a part of Purpose Built Schools Atlanta, Mr. Lim is also the founding executive director of Pridefull Pedagogy LGBTQ+ Education Consulting. In the Atlanta community, Mr. Lim serves as a part of the founding leadership team for the Teach for America Metro Atlanta Prism Coalition, the GLSEN Atlanta Revival Chapter, and as the youngest Committee Member of Atlanta Pride, Inc. Prior to teaching he performed as a classical singer and actor across the United States, having trained with internationally acclaimed tenor Vinson Cole. Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, Mr. Lim holds a B.A. in Languages & Literatures with a concentration in French from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Candace Johnston (proposed Trustee Board Member) Bio: Candice Johnston is an entrepreneur, homemaker who has may ties to community leaders in Syracuse, NY. She participates on PTO Boards and is interested in improving the educational experience of all children in the Syracuse area. She understands business aspects and the importance of running a profitable business. She is interested in helping CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School becoming a strong educational institute in Syracuse, New York. Namdi Shakir Muhammad (proposed Board Member) Bio: R-24- 8 CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School Merged Application 2019 44% Blacks 32% Hispanics U.S. Census Bureau (2019) data, on the other hand, indicate a disproportion of graduation rates between educational attainment and lifetime earnings. Furthermore, the emphasis given to Math/Science, lead students whose inclinations are in other fields such as the arts and athletics to abandon prematurely an environment that do not motivate them or do not feel challenged. In Syracuse, 7.5% of the 2007 cohort graduated with a Regents diploma with Advanced Designation and 9.0% met the ELA/Math APM – compared with an overall graduation rate of 48.4% (OMS, NYSED, 2012). In addition, continued concerns regarding budget reductions in school districts demand the elimination of curricular areas such as the arts. As far back as 2011 the Syracuse Post Standard reports: “The 21,000-student district’s arts and music staff will be down from last year by 11.3 music teachers and 10.8 art teachers.” (2011/08/post_468). Officially, the figures according to the School District indicate: • 6.4% cut in the 2011-2012 budget, with a $22 million loss • 538 positions cut including 200 teachers • 1.6% cut of open positions • 8 of the 59 music-teaching positions eliminated • $1.3 million cut from the fine arts • Increase in class size due to a loss of teachers On the other hand, athletics had suffered the impact of budget reduction in the Greater Syracuse area. North Syracuse, the second largest district in the county, Cicero- North Syracuse and Liverpool school districts had adopted strategies reducing sports and coaches among other school personnel. Currently, the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) has partnered with Say Yes to provide additional and better academic, health, financial, and social services to students in SCSD. “The loss of expected revenue, combined with structural cost increases due to contractual and legal obligations and the commitment to fund the strategic SYTE initiatives, have resulted in a R-24- 10 CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School Merged Application 2019 projected gap between revenues and expected expenses2 of nearly $47 million (or 14 percent of the FY11 operating budget).” (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED541788.pdf, 2019.) Historically, for the past 7 years Syracuse City School District has concerns regarding budget reductions in athletics programs. As quoted in the 2012-13 budget reports, “Are there anticipated reductions to modified athletics programs?” Another participant expressed: “It is not clear to me however how budget changes are going to affect things like middle and high school athletics. I note a significant reduction in inter-school bussing funds for athletic programs but did not see a reduction in coaching FTE's. Will athletic programs be cut this year?” this type of reduction continues to be a concern even in 2019 (http://www.syracusecityschools.com/budget/ 2012 -13.) Budget cuts have not only created an uncertain climate in the school community, but also a genuine concern on the part of CNYIAPCS founders regarding limiting students whose interests particularly center in the arts and sports. For these reasons the need to offer alternative education in a non-traditional format has motivated the founder to bring this effort to Syracuse, one of the Big 5 School Districts of the state, introducing The Central New York Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School. CNYIAPCS educational framework has been designed to integrate the Arts and Athletics in the curriculum as a major component. In addition, most current Syracuse statistics indicate: Per capita income: $20,594 Median family income: $32,704 Median male income: $20,566 Median female income: $24,644 Median income of a renter: $21,738 Median income of a home owner: $60,559 Population to be served: While focusing on athletics and visual/performing arts the student body would be diverse, including: typical students, Special Education, handicapped and English Language Learners. Most students would qualify for free or reduced lunch, but enrollment would R-24- 11 CNY Institute of Academics & Performance Charter School Merged Application 2019 picture in the book Game Face: What Does Female Athletes Look Like, forwarded by actress Penny Marshall; and honored with an Unsung Heroine Award for her work as an Olympic style weightlifter by the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.). She is also a mother of two male students who, at one point, had been registered with the Syracuse City School District (SCSD), one attending elementary school, the other attending high school. The school would use a least restrictive environment model to encourage all students, regardless of ability, to be challenged in rigorous curriculum that assumes their ability to go on to higher education or a job after graduation. Lessons would be designed to connect with the sports and arts being studied and subject area teachers would align their curriculums to support approaches to learning that help students retain what they have studied and achieve mastery of the state standards. Working with an eclectic model, teachers would develop curricula that reflects diverse learning modalities and aligns to youth development principles. The creation of school-wide assessments would set standards of expectation based on the New York State standards for all subject areas and the Regents exams. Several benchmark assessments would test the skills students are practicing towards mastery, and the analysis of them would inform instruction and individual conferencing with students. In addition, CNYIAP charter school plans to implement a STREAM Education program to utilize during enrichment activities. Students at CNYIAPCS will require more than the traditional content area to be promoted and to obtain their Regents Diploma. Portfolios, Internships and performance/competitions will give students the opportunity to excel in the field of their choice, create a resume, and explore a variety of perspectives in their field of choice to debunk myths regarding the arts and sports. Need for the Proposed Charter School: Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School is the only high school in the category that currently exists in the area serving the school age population CNYIAPCS is also pursuing. Nevertheless, their school curriculum focuses on Math, Science and Technology. CNYIAPCS do not perceive will be competing for the same students given that its curriculum will center in the Arts (visual/performing) and Athletics. The CNYIAPCS founders do not intend to recruit the same student population, rather to attract a population that currently does not have an academic option to develop their personal interests. The chart below reflects a considerable graduation gap between the alternative private and public schools. The percentage of students who come from limited income households in Syracuse exceeds the NY state average, 68% v.