Memphis Merit Academy Charter School
Amended Charter Application
Respectfully submitted to Shelby County Schools on behalf of the founding team of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School by Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School Lakenna Booker July 26, 2018 Table of Contents GENERAL INFORMATION ...... 1 ASSURANCES ...... 3 Signature ...... 3 SECTION 1: ACADEMIC PLAN DESIGN AND CAPACITY ...... 4 1.1 School Mission and Goals ...... 4 (a) School Mission ...... 4 (b) Vision and Goals ...... 4 (c) Prescribed Purposes of Memphis Merit Academy ...... 12 (d) Alignment with Authorizer Priorities ...... 13 (e) Specific Barriers/School Need ...... 14 (f) What Success Will Look Like...... 14 1.2 Enrollment Summary ...... 15 (a) Community Profile ...... 15 (b) Rationale for Proposed Community ...... 18 (c) Academic Performance of Schools in Target Communities...... 19 (d) Target Population...... 20 (e) The Memphis Merit Academy Advantage ...... 21 (f) Existing Operator (Not applicable) … ...... 23 (g) Enrollment Summary and Anticipated Demographics ...... 23 1.3 Academic Focus and Plan ...... 23 (a) Academic Focus ...... 23 (b) Academic Plan ...... 24 (c) Key Characteristics of Academic Plan and Philosophy ...... 35 (d) Description of Research Supporting Academic Plan ...... 38 (e) Curriculum and Basic Learning Environment ...... 39 (f) Propose Instructional Goals, Methods, and Academic Benchmarks ...... 39 (g) Alignment with Target Population ...... 40 (h) Alignment of Academic Plan with Tennessee Academic Standards(TAS) ...... 40 (i) Blended Learning ...... 41 1.4 Academic Performance Standards ...... 43 (a) Annual and Long-Term Academic Achievement Goals ...... 43 (b) Process for Setting, Monitoring, and Revising Academic Achievement Goals ...... 46 (c) Plan for Corrective Action ...... 47 (d) Description of Student Attendance Goals ...... 47 (e) Student Matriculation Through Memphis Merit Academy ...... 50 (f) Memphis Merit Academy’s Exit Standards ...... 52 (g) Approach to Remediation and RTI2 Model ...... 64 1.5 Phase-In/Turnaround Planning: Not Applicable ...... 66 1.6 High School Graduation and Postsecondary Readiness: Not Applicable ...... 66 1.7 Assessments ...... 66 (a) Primary Interim Assessments ...... 66 (b) Measuring and Evaluating Academic Progress ...... 69 (c) Testing Coordination ...... 71 (d) Collection and Analysis of Student Academic Data ...... 71 (e) Responsibilities for Collection and Analysis of Assessment Data ...... 72
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School i (f) Process for Collecting and Interpreting Data ...... 73 (g) Training and Support for Data Analysis ...... 73 1.8 School Calendar and Schedule ...... 73 (a) Academic Calendar ...... 73 (b) Academic Calendar Rationale ...... 73 (c) Daily Schedule ...... 75 (d) Schedule Rationale ...... 81 (e) Typical Day in the Life of a Memphis Merit Teacher and Student – Year 1 ...... 82 (f) Extra-Curricular Activities ...... 87 (g) Saturday School and Summer School ...... 87 1.9 Special Populations and At-Risk Students...... 87 (a) Comprehensive Plan to Serve All Students ...... 87 (b) Capacity to Serve All Students ...... 90 (c) Anticipated Need and Staffing Plan ...... 91 (d) Data-Informed Decision-Making ...... 94 (e) Special Education ...... 96 (f) English Learners ...... 98 (g) Students at Risk ...... 99 (h) Gifted Students ...... 99 1.10 School Culture and Discipline ...... 101 (a) Student and Family Handbook ...... 101 (b) School Culture ...... 101 (c) Creation, Implementation, and Sustainability of School Culture ...... 101 (d) A Culture for All ...... 104 (e) Discipline Policy ...... 104 (f) Philosophy of Discipline ...... 104 1.11 Marketing, Recruitment, and Enrollment ...... 110 (a) Enrollment Policy ...... 110 (b) Informing Parents and Families ...... 110 (c) Recruitment ...... 110 (d) Equal Opportunity ...... 112 (e) Community Organizations ...... 113 (f) Student Recruitment ...... 115 1.12 Community Involvement and Parent Engagement ...... 115 (a) Parent and Community Demand ...... 115 (b) Community Engagement ...... 117 (c) Family Orientation ...... 118 (d) Family Programming ...... 118 (e) Letters of Support ...... 119 SECTION 2: OPERATIONS PLAN AND CAPACITY ...... 119 2.1 Governance ...... 119 (a) Governance Philosophy ...... 119 (b) Composition and Size of Governing Board ...... 120 (c) Board Evaluations ...... 124 (d) Development of the Board ...... 125 (e) Transition of Founding Board to Governing Board ...... 126 (f) Board Development and Professional Development ...... 127
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School ii (g) Response to Complaints ...... 128 2.2 Start-Up Plan...... 128 (a) Start-Up Plan ...... 128 (b) Anticipated Challenges ...... 132 2.3 Facilities...... 133 (a) Facility Plans ...... 133 (b) Description of Facility Needs ...... 133 (c) Our Capacity and Experience ...... 135 (d) Identification, Securing Facilities, and Acquisition Process ...... 136 (e) ADA, Safety, and Health Compliance ...... 138 (f) Timeline for Facilities Selection, Requisition, and Occupation ...... 138 (g) Facilities Contingency Plan ...... 138 2.4 Personnel/Human Capital ...... 139 (a) Proposed Leadership Structure ...... 139 (b) Leadership Capacity ...... 139 (c) Hiring and Evaluating the Head of School ...... 140 (d) Staff Recruitment...... 141 (e) Development and Support of Teachers ...... 142 (f) Future Leadership Capacity ...... 143 (g) Unsatisfactory Performance and Evaluation ...... 143 (h) Hiring and Dismissing Staff ...... 144 (i) Compensation System ...... 145 (j) Contracts ...... 145 (k) Employee Manual ...... 146 2.5 Professional Development ...... 146 (a) Overview of Professional Development Plan ...... 146 (b) Person(s) Leading Professional Development ...... 147 (c) Core Elements of Professional Development Plan ...... 148 (d) Proposed Onboarding/Orientation Schedule ...... 149 (e) Cultivation of Leadership Capacity ...... 150 2.6 Insurance ...... 150 (a) Types and Levels of Insurance Coverage ...... 150 (b) Plan for Coverage ...... 151 (c) Other ...... 151 2.7 Transportation ...... 151 (a) Transportation ...... 151 (b) Transportation Plan ...... 151 2.8 Food Service ...... 151 (a) Food Service Plan ...... 152 (b) Low Income Students ...... 152 (c) Information Collection ...... 152 2.9 Additional Operations ...... 152 (a) Technology ...... 152 (b) Student Information Management ...... 153 (c) School Health and Nursing Services ...... 153 (d) Safety and Security ...... 153 (e) School Maintenance ...... 154
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School iii (f) Additional Operations ...... 154 (g) Contracts ...... 154 2.10 Waivers ...... 154 SECTION 3 FINANCIAL PLAN AND CAPACITY ...... 156 3.1 Planning and Budget Worksheet (Attachment O) ...... 156 3.2 Budget Narrative (Attachment P) ...... 156
Attachment Title Page Attachment A Annual School Academic Calendar 157 Attachment B Student and Family Handbook 158 Attachment C Student Discipline Policy – Found in Attachment B 158 Attachment D Student Enrollment Policy 166 Attachment E Letters of Support 167 Attachment F Board Governance Documents 194 1. Articles of Incorporation 194 2. Non- Profit and Tax-Exempt Status 197 3. By-laws 202 4. Code of Ethics 207 5. Conflict of Interest Policy 208 6. Board Member Resumes 212 7. Board Policies 229 Attachment G School Organization Chart 235 Attachment H School Leader Resume 237 Attachment I Employee Manual 238 Attachment J Insurance Coverage 244 Attachment O Planning and Budget Worksheet Attachment P Budget Narrative 246
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School iv GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of proposed school: Memphis Merit Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy”)
Projected year of school opening: 2019 Charter authorizer for proposed school: Shelby County Schools
Sponsor/Sponsoring Agency: Memphis Merit Academy, Inc.
The sponsor is a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status: Yes _No In Process X
Model or focus of proposed school: A college preparatory grades K-8 charter school
Name of primary contact person (this person should serve as the contact for follow-up, interviews, and notices regarding this application): Lakenna Booker
Mailing address: 8460 Kamin Lane, Memphis, TN 38125
Primary Telephone: (_901 ) 240-1009 Alternate Telephone: ( )
Email Address: [email protected]
Names, current employment, and roles of all people on school design team (add lines as needed):
Full Name Current job Title and Employer Position with Proposed School Lakenna Booker Fellow, Building Excellent Schools Proposed Head of School Angelia Allen Consultant, Alliance PM, LLC Proposed Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair Angelia Brumfield Instructional Support Advisor, Shelby County Proposed Board Chair, Governance Schools Committee Chair Kacy Dixon Senior Human Resource Analyst, Hilton Board Member, Governance Worldwide Corporate Offices Committee Kathy Gibbs Director of Student Academic Support Services Board Member, Academic and Inclusion, University of Tennessee Health Achievement Committee Science Melisa Moore Attorney, Burch, Porter & Johnson, PLLC Board Member, Governance Committee Brad Schmiedicke Associate Principal Owner and Project Manager, Proposed Vice Chair, Finance Pickering Firm, Inc. Committee Jack Vuylsteke Executive Director, Memphis Rise Board Member, Academic Achievement Committee Mary Kaye Welch Registered Dietitian and Health Educator Board Member, Academic Achievement Committee Darron Williams Senior Communications Specialist, Federal Proposed Secretary, Finance Express Corporation Committee
Name of proposed school leader (if any): Lakenna Booker Proposed school leader’s current employment: Fellow, Building Excellent Schools
City or geographic community: Memphis, TN
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 1 of 250 for-profit education service provider? Yes No x
If yes, identify the CMO or other partner organization:
Does this applicant have charter school applications under consideration by any other authorizer(s)?
Yes No x
If yes, complete the table below, adding lines as needed:
State Authorizer Proposed School Name Application Due Decision Date Proposed Date opening year
Indicate Applicant Type: New-Start Applicant
New-Start Applicant Existing TN Operator Proposing New Focus/Grade OR Existing non-TN operator OR Existing ASD operator Existing Tennessee Operator Proposing Exact Focus/Grade Structure
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 2 of 250 ASSURANCES As the authorized representative of the sponsor, I hereby certify that the information submitted in this application for a charter for Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is true to the best of my knowledge and belief, realizing that any misrepresentation could result in disqualification from the application process or revocation after award; and if awarded a charter, the school: 1. Will operate as a public, nonsectarian, non-religious public school, with control of instruction vested in the governing body of the school under the general supervision of the chartering authority and in compliance with the charter agreement and the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act; 2. Will follow all federal, state, and local laws and regulations that pertain to the operation of a public school, unless waived according to T.C.A. § 49-13-105; 3. Will provide special education services for students as provided in Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Chapter 10, Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; 4. Will adhere to all provisions of federal law relating to students who are limited English proficient (LEP), including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, that are applicable to it; 5. Will follow all federal and state laws and constitutional provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services; 6. Will utilize this application as a contract with the authorizer, if no other agreement is signed, pursuant to Tennessee Attorney General Opinion No. 10-45; 7. Will comply with all provisions of the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act, including, but not limited to a. employing individuals to teach who hold a license to teach in a public school in Tennessee; b. complying with Open Meetings and Open Records laws (T.C.A. §§ 8-44-101 et seq.; 10- 7-503, 504) (guidance is available from the Office of Open Records Counsel); c. not charging tuition, except for students transferring from another district to the school pursuant to the local board’s out-of-district enrollment policy and T.C.A.§ 49-6-3003; d. following state financial (budgeting and audit) procedures and reporting requirements according to T.C.A. § 49-13-111, 120, and 127; e. requiring any member of the governing body, employee, officer, or other authorized person who receives funds, has access to funds, or has authority to make expenditures from funds, to give a surety bond in the form prescribed by T.C.A.§ 8-19-101; and 8. Will, at all times, maintain all necessary and appropriate insurance coverage.
Signature Lakenna Booker______Printed Name of Authorized Signer
Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School Title of Authorized Signer
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 3 of 250 1.1 School Mission and Goals
(a) School Mission ______Through rigorous academics, high-quality instruction, and character development, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School educates all students in kindergarten through eighth grade for success in high school, college, and life. (b) Vision and Goals______“Students’ success with early literacy sets the stage for their success throughout their academic career and beyond. Students who are proficient readers at the end of third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school than their non-proficient peers.” - Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report1 Vision National studies and local priorities echo the same reality: an early literacy foundation is critical to school and life success, and the measurable literacy rates of children as early as third grade are bellwethers of future performance and the probability of the children those rates represent leading lives of promise and opportunity. It is upon such studies and priorities that Merit Memphis Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy”) is proposed. Our vision is one of educational excellence, starting in kindergarten, and one that matriculates eighth graders into high school ready for and inspired towards a rigorous college preparatory course of study in pursuit of their life’s dream. ACT Research and Policy (2013) stated that “[g]etting students off to a good start in preschool and the elementary grades is vitally important for several reasons: (1) Learning takes time; (2) Learning is cumulative; (3) Student interests often develop at an early age; (4) Empirical evidence shows the difficulty of catching students up in middle and high school.”2 Memphis Merit Academy proposes to give families in Memphis the ability to choose a high-quality, seamless3 K-8 public school option that prepares their children for entrance to the high school of their choice and access to an honors and Advanced Placement course of study within that choice. Students who graduate from our school will have a clear picture of what college looks like and will be able to articulate what is required for entrance, and they will have the content knowledge, skill, and test scores that position them to build the high school transcript that will open those college doors to them. Aligned to the priorities of Shelby County Schools which holds as it 2025 Goal that “90% of SCS third graders are reading on grade level”4and the State of Tennessee which further holds that “Districts and schools in Tennessee will exemplify excellence and equity such that all students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to successfully embark upon their chosen path in life.”5 The State of Tennessee also holds that “75 percent of Tennessee third graders will be proficient in reading by 2025.”6 Memphis Merit Academy believes that a rigorous, high-quality, college preparatory education is a civil right for all children. At the heart of the civil rights struggle in our country, we believe that regardless of socio-economic status,
1 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017. 2 Dougherty, Chrys. “College and Career Readiness: The Importance of Early Learning.” ACT Research and Policy (2013):1-2. 19 March 2018. < http://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ImportanceofEarlyLearning.pdf>. 3 According ACT Research and Policy, research studies have addressed the value of allowing sufficient time per topic for students to adequately master the topic. This implies that subject-matter learning should be spread out over many years to permit a range of topics to be addressed in adequate depth.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 4 of 250 household income, ethnicity, native language, household educational level, or race, all children have the right to receive a high-quality education on which each child can build a future of possibility and promise. Memphis Merit Academy will set all students on the path to college from the beginning of kindergarten by providing rigorous curriculum thoroughly aligned to state and national standards, high-quality instruction that intentionally places every child on a measurable track of success, and character development that will nurture our children and our communities and allow them to grow and thrive. Proposed to open in August 2019, eight years later we will be fully enrolled in all grades K-8, meaning that in 2027, in response to the challenges and goals outlined in “Destination 2025,” 540 Memphis students will be receiving a public K-8 education that ensures that they are (a) reading on or above grade level by grade three as measured by state and national assessments, (b) responding to rigorous grade level text as measured by those same assessments, and (c) have the literacy foundations of fluency, comprehension, and expression that puts them firmly on the path to college. On the road to 2027 we will hit multiple milestones as we build out the vision for Memphis Merit Academy. After one year of enrollment, in the spring of 2020, at least 80% of our students will demonstrate at least 2 years of growth on the Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) assessment. In the spring of 2022, at least 50% of all 3rd grade students who attend for four consecutive years will read and do math on or above grade level with the performance category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. In the spring of 2024, at least 60% of all fifth graders will read on or above grade level after five consecutive years. In August 2027, 60 ninth graders will enter high school reading and doing math on or above grade level, understanding their progress towards college entrance. To provide an excellent K-8 educational option to Memphis families and students who do not currently have access to one, we will strategically target economically disadvantaged, majority African-American and Hispanic students residing in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. As outlined below, at the center of our vision are three core components of our instructional program: Rigorous Academics Our instruction will foster the critical and analytical thinking necessary to meet Tennessee Academic Standards and Common Core State Standards. Critical thinking is not only for high-achieving students but can and should be taught to all students. From kindergarten, students will learn to support their answers and assertions with textual evidence in reading and explain their work in mathematics, both verbally and in writing. They will learn diverse problem-solving strategies to break down complex problems. High-Quality Instruction Our curricular design and instructional strategies are rooted in scientifically-based research and successful practices of high-poverty, high-performing schools. Vertically-aligned lesson planning vetted by the Head of School (Years 1 - 2) and Dean of Academics (Years 3 - 4) with the oversight of the Head of School (Year 3) and Director of Lower School (Year 4 - Full scale), will allow teachers to be ready to deliver high-quality instruction. Further, the Student Supports Coordinator (Year 1 - 3) and Dean of Student Supports (Years 4 - 6) and the Director of Student Supports (Year 7 - Full scale) will support teachers in addressing students’ needs based on their IEP. This strategic staffing coupled with powerful execution and instruction by teachers will lay a solid foundation in literacy and math for our students in the Lower School (K-4) to ensure access and mastery of diverse content and knowledge in the Upper School (5-8). Character Development To navigate college successfully as well as in their daily lives, students must develop strong character informed by values. Memphis Merit Academy will provide (a) intentionally developed, sequential lessons
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 5 of 250 on positive character qualities throughout the year, (b) daily Morning Motivations that reinforce values- based actions, and (c) weekly Community Circles (MERIT Fests) that celebrate students’ demonstration of our core MERIT values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. In alignment with the three core components that propel our mission, five core principles guide our vision. 1. College begins in kindergarten. To ensure students are firmly on the path to college, we believe that college preparation must begin on the first day of kindergarten. As a college-focused community with high expectations for all, we are guided in all school design elements by the mandate of our mission as well as by the Destination 2025 goal that “[b]y 2025, 90% of SCS third graders are proficient in reading and language arts (RLA).”7 This goal provides the platform on which future college readiness will sit, especially for those living in our city’s low-income communities. Our vision is further informed by the research which shows that “college readiness isn’t a conversation that can wait until high school. It’s not even reasonable to wait until middle school. It’s a conversation that needs to begin in the foundational years of elementary school.”8 Memphis Merit Academy students will engage in a rigorous curriculum from the first day of kindergarten to ensure they have the grade-by-grade knowledge and skills that will prepare them to excel in high school. High poverty, high-achieving schools demonstrate that all students can and will learn at high levels when given a structured and joyful environment, rigorous academics, and high-quality instruction. We start the road to college in kindergarten because “[m]any children raised in poverty enter school a step behind their well-off peers…These deficits have been linked to underdeveloped cognitive, social, and emotional competence in later childhood and have been shown to be increasingly important influences on vocabulary growth, IQ, and social skills.”9 Starting early in our students’ education with rigorous academics is necessary to reach the third grade reading proficiency goal of Destination 2025 and to mitigate the cognitive impacts of poverty.10 Students will compete with students across the city to gain opportunities for selective high schools, which will prepare them for the college of their choice. To support all of our students in accessing rigorous academic content from the beginning of kindergarten, we will provide robust supports including daily small group instruction informed by individualized data from the NWEA MAP Learning Continuum reports.11 Supports will include differentiated instruction, Response to Intervention (RTI2), extended mathematics and literacy blocks, and individual tutoring based on student needs during Choice Time. Leadership will create grade-level benchmark profiles for student mastery of literacy and numeracy for all grades, using the TN Academic Standards that correspond with Common Core Standards, as well as college readiness determinants such as ACT benchmarks and NWEA scores. We will use NWEA data to predict student performance on ACT Aspire tests, identify students at risk of failing to meet required standards, and target instruction and resources to better support every student’s academic performance and goals12 and allow us to determine the degree to which students are achieving at levels sufficient for college readiness, standard by standard, grade by grade, year by year. Part of preparing students for college from the first day of kindergarten will be building students’ analytical and critical thinking skills. In literacy, students will engage with texts at and above their reading level. Teachers will ask text-based questions that require students to think critically and make connections to deepen their learning. In math, students will approach problems varying in rigor using the cognitively guided instructional (CGI) approach that builds conceptual knowledge along with algorithmic skill by
7 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017. 8 Hjalmarson, Fran. “College Readiness: It’s Elementary.” ASCA School Counselor. November-December 2007. 9 http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects-Behavior-and-Academic-Performance.aspx. 10 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017. 11 https://www.nwea.org/content/uploads/2015/09/MAP-Learning-Continuum-Brochure-JUL16.pdf. 12 https://www.nwea.org/resources/linking-the-act-aspire-assessments-to-nwea-map-assessments/.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 6 of 250 building on students’ schema and applying it to real world story problems.13 For literacy and numeracy, inquiry will be at the center of rigorous daily lessons. Teachers will be coached and developed through 30 annual days of professional development (PD) and 2.5 hours of weekly PD, and 1 hour of individualized weekly coaching and support to (a) craft questions to address students’ misconceptions and (b) push their thinking and ability to express that thinking daily. Productive intellectual struggle14 coupled with the support of teachers will allow students to build the skills necessary to be on the path to college. Starting in kindergarten, we will foster a growth mindset in our students, teaching them to engage with rigorous curriculum in an environment where making mistakes is safe and we learn from them. As Carol Dweck writes, “A growth mindset isn’t just about effort…. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve.”15 Our development of a growth mindset will be key in helping students build the resilience they need to succeed at Memphis Merit Academy and later in high school and college. Given the large challenges that our students will face, it is critical for all our stakeholders to understand the urgency of starting to think about college in kindergarten. We will talk about college in all parts of the day and in all outreach to parents and the community. All classrooms in the school will be named after colleges, with college paraphernalia in every part of the school. Students will learn chants about their classroom’s college to motivate them to start their daily lessons. On the walls of the school will be placards displaying NWEA MAP score correlations to college entrance requirements, so that students and parents can easily translate their current performance to college aspirations. Memphis Merit Academy scholars will not question if they will go to college; instead, they will ask where they will go to college. 2. Literacy is the foundation of all learning. A core component of high-performing urban charter schools is an increased and prioritized focus on literacy instruction in the early grades. We know that literacy is the foundation upon which all academic success is built, opening access to challenging subject matter and critical thinking in later grades. Research shows, for example, that students who are proficient readers at the end of third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school than their non-proficient peers.16We prioritize literacy acquisition within our extended daily schedule (in K-2, 195 minutes Monday -Thursday and 155 on Friday) per day as compared to 90 minutes per day in a local traditional school for elementary). The extra literacy time provided by our extended school day will aid students in the transformation from learning to read in K to 2, to reading to learn in grades 3 to 5, to understanding complex texts in grades 6 to 8.17 Our consistent use of small group instruction18 across all grade levels, with a ratio of 10 to 1 (students: teacher), will allow all students to access our rigorous literacy instruction and demonstrate high levels of literacy proficiency on state and national assessments. (For more detail on our accountability goals and assessment system, please see Sections 1.4 and 1.7, respectively.) To ensure all students thrive in high school and postsecondary education, they must have strong language skills. We anticipate a 33% English Language Learner (ELL) population and an 8% special education
13 https://macmillanmh.com/FL/mathconnects_econsultant/assets/rscrharticles/cgi_classroom.pdf. 14 In the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice, the first standard states that students should “make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, according to NGA Center for Best Practices (2010). Perseverance, or continuing forward irrespective of struggle or difficulty, is an essential element in problem solving because the first or second approach or strategy may not result in a reasonable solution. As students engage with a task, they must be mindful about the strategy they employ and assess whether it is productive. When they find they are at a dead end, they must be willing to abandon one strategy for another. When students labor and struggle but continue to try to make sense of a problem, they are engaging in productive struggle. < http://interactivestem.org/wp- content/uploads/2015/08/EDC-RPC-Brief-Productive-Struggle.pdf> 15 http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/23/carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset.html. 16 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017. 17 http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Policies/Learning-to-Read-Reading-to-Learn-At-a-Glance/Learning-to-Read-Reading-to-Learn-Full-Report- PDF.pdf. 18 Memphis Merit Academy students will participate in a total of 17-hours (K-2), 8-hours and 55 minutes (grades 3-4), and 3-hours and 45 minutes (grades 5-8) each week with small group instruction.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 7 of 250 population, based on similar demographic need in local public schools within our proposed community. Recognizing the deep connection between language, literacy, and opportunity, Memphis Merit Academy will provide significant time (935 minutes per week) for students to develop their verbal communication skills. Through vocabulary development, frequent opportunities to verbally engage with peers in all classes, and the development of Habits of Discussion (please see Section 1.3), students will become active, capable communicators. We will ask students to explain what they know and how they know it; we will teach and then require students to explain how their knowledge complements, expands, or differs from that of their peers; and we will require students to ground their thinking in logic and text-based evidence. Our literacy program will address the changing needs of students as they move from our Lower School (K- 4) to our Upper School (grades 5-8). In kindergarten through grade 2, our literacy program will build students’ foundational skills through extended instructional time in phonics, standards-based reading comprehension, and guided reading. In grades 3-8, students will engage in a text-rich curriculum across all genres to build knowledge across content areas. Students will analyze rigorous fiction and non-fiction texts and make written and oral claims grounded in evidence. In alignment with Common Core requirements, students will continuously build knowledge through reading primary fiction texts supported by several non-fiction texts, and through content-rich non-fiction.19 Our literacy instruction will completely address all Tennessee Academic Standards (TAS) and include regular assessment to measure student progress. For more detail on our assessment system, please see Section 1.7. Students in all grades will listen, read, write, and respond to text across content areas. In alignment with the ambitious goals of Shelby County Schools and national research that continues to reinforce the critical need for early literacy skills, Memphis Merit Academy has set the goal that all students will read on grade level by third grade because of the known implications of below grade-level proficiency at 3rd grade. For more detail on our Accountability Goals, please see Section 1.4. Our small-group literacy instruction with a two-teacher model ensures all children learn in a 10:1 students to teacher ratio when learning to read, and thus receive the attention needed to access our rigorous literacy curriculum. Students will develop a foundation in phonics, reading comprehension, written expression, and oral language. Students will progress through three literacy rotations during literacy blocks: one phonics group, one guided reading/reading comprehension group, and one group working independently or using adaptive instructional technology such as Lexia. One teacher will deliver phonics instruction to all three groups during the rotating literacy blocks, and the other teacher will deliver the reading comprehension lesson. Small groups will be leveled by student reading levels and needs. Weaving literacy instruction across all content is vital to our students’ success. In alignment with the revised Tennessee Academic Standards, students will use their literacy skills to build knowledge from nonfiction text in content areas such as science, social studies, and math. In addition, students will use these same skills to explain their thinking in math and communicate with peers. We will select texts based on the knowledge students need for their grade level and to build wide knowledge exposure for our students. For example, in the social studies classroom, teachers will use Document-Based Questioning as an approach for students to gain new information about history and understanding the scope of history by middle school. In all content areas, students will use an inquiry approach to learn their subjects by exploring texts with targeted questioning from teachers. Moreover, teacher will implement school-wide research-based literacy strategies in all content to improve our students’ literacy skills. For more detail on our instructional approaches, please see Section 1.3. 3. High-quality instruction yields high-quality results.
19 https://achievethecore.org/category/419/the-shifts.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 8 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy believes that high-quality instruction comes from well-planned lessons, targeted coaching and professional development for teachers, and focused collaboration among teachers and instructional leaders. We know that the most important factor in a student’s learning is the quality of his or her teachers. For a school to be excellent, all classrooms must be led by excellent teachers. As an organization, we will invest in our teachers, spending considerable time and resources in finding, developing, and supporting top talent to ensure the highest-quality education for every student. With transformational leaders and teachers at the heart of student outcomes, a prioritized focus will be on identifying and recruiting high-capacity, mission-driven educators. We will develop our staff through schoolwide, expansive professional development (30 days each year) and targeted development and support for each teacher (frequent coaching and feedback cycles). We will create an ambitious, professional work environment with an intensive summer training program, 150 minutes of weekly professional development, and a weekly instructional feedback loop that includes live-coaching conducted by the Head of School in Years 1-3, Director of Lower School in Years 4-7 with the support of the Head of School for upper grades, and Director of Upper School (Year 8-forward). We will retain outstanding staff through our commitment to them and their professional growth, our strong school culture, and our professional and values-based work environment. We will uniformly train and individually coach all teachers to successfully plan and deliver rigorous, standards-based lessons. Using Tennessee Academic State Standards and Common Core State Standards to design lessons, our instruction will support students to become capable of critical and analytical thinking, ensuring that they are able to infer, question, problem-solve, debate, and develop materials themselves. Teachers will use nationally normed assessments, formal assessments, exit ticket data, and state assessment results as we reach testing grades to anticipate student misconceptions during planning and to intellectually prep for scaffolds to challenge and support continued learning. We know that teachers will need the structure and time to do this work. Our school’s schedule prioritizes increased time for teachers to work collaboratively (60 minutes per day) and with instructional leaders to ensure lesson quality through deliberate practice. Before the school year starts, we will give our teachers 17 days of professional development including intense modeling and practice of core taxonomies and academic strategies. Additionally, during the school year we will provide teachers with 2.5 hours of weekly professional development as well as 13 full days during the school year. For more detail on our annual calendar and teacher schedule, please see Section 1.8 and Section 2.5, respectively. We envision a school in which teacher planning time will follow a deliberate structure to give teachers practice in all necessary skills and content. Teachers will intellectually prep for lessons with grade-level colleagues and/or instructional leaders to ensure the quality of lessons is consistent across classrooms. Overseen by Head of School in Years 1-2 and by Dean of Academics in Year 3-forward, intellectual prep will ensure that all scripted lessons are aligned with the end-of-year academic profiles for each grade level and subject, set out by the instructional team before the year begins and that all teachers have clear understanding of delivery of such lessons. For more detail on our staffing plan, please see Attachment G. 4. Intentional decision-making drives academic performance. We believe high-quality instruction is based on the intentional use of data in all decision-making. Teachers will know all scholars’ individual academic needs and tailor instruction to those needs. We will use data to inform the decisions we make around daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly instructional priorities and needs. Teachers will be taught to gather real-time data throughout each class period to adjust instruction for students in all subjects. Operational, financial, and cultural decisions will also always be informed by data collected through a variety of systems. To ensure rigorous, responsive instruction that achieves excellent academic results, we will implement a
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 9 of 250 clear and consistent system for collecting, analyzing, and action planning around data. We will analyze student performance, including the monitoring reading fluency and comprehension through Strategic Testing of Educational Progress (STEP) Literacy assessments conducted approximately every 6-7 weeks for grades K-3 and Fountas and Pinnell assessment for grades 4-8, and adjust instruction as needed; and provide individualized tutoring and small group instruction to ensure all students achieve mastery of every critical skill taught. Teachers will engage in weekly data analysis during our 2.5 hours of Friday professional development and have 6 Data Days throughout the year reserved for data analysis and action planning following our interim assessment windows. For more detail on our professional development plan, assessment schedule, and annual calendar, please see Sections 2.5, 1.7, and 1.8, respectively. Our professional development plan will give us the necessary time for regular reflection on our practices. Our school schedule includes early release for students on Friday afternoons (1:15pm) to allow teachers the time to engage in deliberate practice of instructional taxonomies and lesson delivery and our feedback model will follow the structure described in Leverage Leadership: The Six Steps to Effective Feedback.20 Teacher coaching will be differentiated by content, individual needs, and collected data. Our instructional leadership will observe teachers frequently (at least 3+ a week) to improve their practices, and teachers will meet weekly with their coach (60 minutes) to discuss observation feedback and practice key skills. At Memphis Merit Academy, we will give students academic feedback regularly through daily aggressive monitoring, which means that teachers will give specific feedback based on core criteria of success, provide support, and gather data on student understanding whenever students are completing work. For more detail on aggressive monitoring, please see Section 1.3. Codifying our practices will help us to ensure that instruction across all our classrooms is equally rigorous. All teachers will create exemplar responses for each part of their lessons, so that they know what they are looking for from students as they provide feedback. (For more detail on our intellectual preparation protocol, please see Section 1.3. In alignment with the State of Tennessee RTI2 model for academics and behavior, we will address student needs with robust supports. By implementing RTI2 with fidelity, we will ensure students have at least 30 to 45 minutes of daily intervention, provided individually or in small groups. Students will also have opportunities for extended intervention as needed, and RTI2 will be for both academics and behavior. 5. A values-based community produces transformational leaders. Memphis Merit Academy will develop our students’ characters and leadership capacity. To help our students navigate daily life and to begin preparing them for college, we will focus on our five core MERIT values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. We will provide (a) intentionally developed, sequential units of study on specific character traits through the year, (b) daily Morning Motivation block that reinforces behavior that reflects our values, and (c) weekly Community Circles (MERIT Fests) to celebrate students that demonstrate these core values. Students will have deliberate instruction and practice with the core values through vehicles such as Morning Motivation, Community Circle (MERIT Fest), Choice Time (K-4), and the Advisory Block (grades 5-8). We believe that a strategic focus on these core values will position scholars to use their rigorous academic experiences to develop into future leaders in their communities. Culturally Responsive Environment. Our five core values are culturally responsive, and through them we: Empower our students. During each Morning Meeting our students will recite chants comprised of lines from poetry from famous African American and Hispanic authors. Morning Meetings and Community Circles highlight and award students for their actions. We uplift students with their peer to empower them to be exactly who they are within our school community. Expose our students. We expose our
20 http://www.uncommonschools.org/our-approach/thought-leadership/leverage-leadership-book-paul-bambrick-santoyo-doug-lemov.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 10 of 250 students to local, regional, and national leaders that look like them that have exemplified our core values. Each day students see the faces of leaders like, but not limited to, Barack Obama, Cesar Chavez, Maya Angelou, Ellen Ochoa, and Roberto Clemente. Our students will know that people who look like them achieve and have achieved in the past. The walls of our schools will have quotes posted of famous leaders reflecting our students’ cultures. During all instruction, students will be commended for demonstrating core values to encourage an inclusive environment for all learners. Encourage and equip our students. Students learn to be resilient and mindful and express their thoughts and learn how to cope with external adverse factors.21 We recognize our students are subject to the adverse impact of high poverty levels in the community and high crime environments; we teach them coping strategies to handle these stressors such as having mindful moments during snack time, where students pause to do a quick stretch and breathing exercise to produce calmness. As students progress in grades, mindfulness is expressed as true reflection on their actions and about their school work to improve their overall behavior and academics. Teachers understand how to support students through positive affirmations. have intentionally selected these core values with the needs of our student population and outcomes we plan for them to achieve. Our students will internalize values-driven behavior that is explicitly taught and modeled beginning in kindergarten. As students progress from kindergarten to grade 8, they will gain more autonomy over responsibilities such as self-management, organization, and time management, with increasingly higher expectations for each as students move into the middle school grades. Because it will be critical that our students develop the confidence and resilience required to thrive in any academic or social situation, in grades 5-8, we will support students through their increased autonomy in Advisory Block, in which specific adults will be assigned to students to help them navigate and prepare for increasingly independent high school and postsecondary experiences. We believe that strong character leads to long-term success. We know that exceptional academic performance is not enough to ensure our students’ success in college and in life. Through daily Morning Motivation block, weekly Community Circles (MERIT Fests), common school-wide language on values- based character, consistent and values-based behavioral accountability, and daily application and reinforcement of our values, students will develop the personal skills that build school and life success. Goals To measure the effectiveness of our academic program and progress towards our mission, Memphis Merit Academy proposes a series of ambitious academic goals using absolute, comparative, and longitudinal measures. All goals are designed to ensure our students are firmly on the path to college and therefore positioned to lead lives full of opportunity. The following goals will guide Memphis Merit Academy towards accomplishing our mission: 1. Students will be proficient in English Language Arts. 2. Students will be proficient in Mathematics. 3. Students will be proficient in Science. 4. Students will be proficient in Social Studies. 5. The school will make progress with all subgroups (1. economically disadvantaged students; 2. students from major racial and ethnic groups; 3. children with disabilities; and 4. English
21 37.7% of children in 38118 are under the age 6 and 54.2% of these children are living in households below the poverty level https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 11 of 250 learners.) 22 6. The school will demonstrate fiduciary and fiscal responsibility. 7. The school will be fully enrolled, with high levels of attendance and re-enrollment. 8. Parents will demonstrate satisfaction with the academic program and communication. 9. The Board of Directors will provide effective and sound oversight of the school. These goals, and our measures for tracking progress towards them, are fully detailed in Section 1.4. To achieve our mission our students must be academically proficient in all core subjects as outlined in goals 1-5 and our school must be fiscally and structurally sound, as outlined in goals 6-9. (c) Prescribed Purposes of Memphis Merit Academy______Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is intended to address the six purposes for charter school creation in Tennessee set forth in T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a): 1. Improve learning for all students and close the achievement gap between high and low students; 2. Provide options for parents to meet educational needs of students; 3. Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods, and provide greater decision- making authority to schools and teachers in exchange for greater responsibility for student performance; 4. Measure performance of pupils and faculty, and ensure that children have the opportunity to reach proficiency on state academic assessments; 5. Create new professional opportunities for teachers; and 6. Afford parents substantial meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children. T.C.A. Purposes (1) and (2). In accordance with purposes (1) and (2) in T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a), Memphis Merit Academy proposes a school model to address the achievement gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students and to provide an opportunity for parents to have an educational choice that will allow them to meet the educational needs of their children. Our intense focus on literacy and math supported by robust intervention for struggling students will allow us to address the needs of all students. In the 38118-zip code, there is: no access to a private school option; no access to an elementary, middle, or high school option with literacy levels above 20%; and no existing charter school options authorized by Shelby County Schools (SCS).23 We will offer parents a high-quality, seamless, and college preparatory K- 8 elementary and middle school that prepares their children for entrance and success in the high school of their choice. Unlike existing school options in our targeted communities of Parkway Village and Oakhaven, our goal is for students to achieve scores at or above the benchmark for college readiness on college entrance exams by the end of eighth grade. Our eighth-grade graduates will have a clear picture of what college looks like and will be able to articulate what is required for college entrance. More detail on our target community is provided in Section 1.2. T.C.A. Purpose (3). In accordance with T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a)(3), Memphis Merit Academy’s school design
22 In §1111(c)(2) ESSA requires that statewide accountability systems include the following subgroups of students: 1. economically disadvantaged students; 2. students from major racial and ethnic groups; 3. children with disabilities; and 4. English learners. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/TN_ESSA_State_Plan_Approved.pdf. 23 Wooddale Middle School is managed by ASD operator Green Dot Public Schools and is in 38118.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 12 of 250 encourages the use of innovative teaching strategies such as literacy rotations via small groups, habits of discussion, and a balanced literacy model to provide a solid foundation for literacy in K-8. We leverage cognitively guided instruction and other instructional strategies focused on literacy to encourage students’ critical thinking skills. In exchange for this autonomy, we understand that we have increased accountability under Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for all students including subgroups. T.C.A. Purpose (4). In accordance with T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a)(4), Memphis Merit Academy has designed our goals to ensure pupils have the opportunity to reach proficiency on state academic assessments, as well as nationally normed assessments, and to sustain academic performance growth over time. More detail on our goals is provided in Section 1.4. T.C.A. Purpose (5). Memphis Merit Academy’s school design will support teacher development in accordance with T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a)(5). Our school design will support teachers before the school year starts with 17 days of professional development, coaching throughout the year, and ongoing development to provide opportunities to learn and grow in our school. Detail on our PD plan is provided in Section 2.5. T.C.A. Purpose (6). Our partnership with parents and community members will allow Memphis Merit Academy to fulfill T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a)(6). Among other parent participation opportunities, detailed in Section 1.12 of this application, parents will have the opportunity to meet with teachers throughout the year and attend University Night, field trips, and weekly and monthly Community Circles (MERIT Fests) to participate meaningfully in their children’s education. We will expect all parents new to Memphis Merit to attend orientations before the start of the school year, and all parents (new and returning) to attend quarterly parent-teacher conferences. In addition, parents will have many opportunities to volunteer in the school. More detail on our parent involvement is provided in Section 1.12. (d) Alignment with Authorizer Priorities ______Shelby County Schools has identified five Priorities in its Destination 2025 Report.24 Memphis Merit Academy proposes a college preparatory K-8 school that will respond to all priorities. Figure 1.1 (d) – Priority Alignment Shelby County Schools Priorities Memphis Merit Academy Alignment with SCS Priorities Priority 1: Intentionally designed school design based on other proven school models25 Strengthen Early Literacy with college preparatory curriculum that prioritizes early literacy. Priority 2: Mission of educating K-8 students for college through rigorous academics, high- Improve Post-Secondary Readiness quality instruction, and character development.
Priority 3: Extensive PD that includes 17 days before start of school, 13 days during the Develop Teachers, Leaders, and Central school year, and 2.5 hours of weekly development. Office
Priority 4: Model responsive to needs of Parkway Village and Oakhaven where families do Expand High-Quality School Options not have a high-quality public-school option.26 Priority 5: Strategically designed community and family engagement plan centered on Mobilize Family and Community community needs to realize our mission. Partners
Despite the growth of some successful charter schools across the City of Memphis in recent years, none of these options exists within the 38118-zip code. For more detail, please see Section 1.2. Memphis Merit
24 http://www.scsk12.org/2025/files/2016/Destination%202025%20Report_2015.pdf. 25 Memphis Merit Academy’s school design is based on the model of schools like Purpose Preparatory Academy, which is in the top 5% of TN schools for academic performance. 26 In the 38118-zip code, 8 of 13 schools are in the bottom 10% of TN schools (cusp list).
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 13 of 250 Academy proposes to establish a high-quality option for all K-8 students residing within 38118, and we have intentionally selected a grade span to support students’ academic and character needs for nine years to adequately prepare them to enter the high school and eventually the college of their choice. (e) Specific Barriers / School Need
There are specific barriers that may impact student achievement such as: (a) 30-Million-Word Gap27 upon entrance to kindergarten and the impact of poverty28 on kindergarten readiness.29 We will ensure that students overcome these barriers by providing a literacy-focused and college preparatory K-8 school. We believe that every minute matters, and we will leverage our extended day (540 instructional minutes per day M-Th and 360 instructional minutes on Friday) and extended year (183 days) to provide students with remediation and interventions as needed to ensure that no student falls through the cracks and our extended professional development program to ensure teachers can support ours students’ academic growth and ultimate achievement results. In alignment with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts, Memphis Merit Academy will prepare our students to become strong readers as measured by state and national assessments. Our school design is based on the model of other high-performing charter schools across the nation that serve a similar population, such as North Star Academy Elementary in Newark, NJ and BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville, TN, which both use the same literacy-focused model we are planning, and whose students are far exceeding their peers on assessments.30 For letter of support from Purpose Preparatory Academy, please see Attachment E. (f) What Success Will Look Like ______When we are achieving our mission, all students in grade three will be reading on grade level, and all 8th grade students will be prepared for the college preparatory high school of their choice as evidenced by school transcripts and high school entry exam scores. After 5 years of attendance, our students will demonstrate academic achievement in the top 5% of TN schools on TNReady assessments, thus replicating the success of BES schools such as Nashville Classical and Purpose Preparatory. We recognize that not all students will enroll in our school’s starting grades of K and 1, and that over time some students will join us in the upper grades. The absolute, comparative, and longitudinal goals outlined in our Accountability Plan (please see Section 1.4) evidence our commitment to all students outperforming the local public schools in all years, making measurable academic progress year to year, and demonstrating mastery in the core subjects of ELA and Math after three years of enrollment. Regardless of the specific grade-entry point of any individual child, we are committed to their success as such goals and measures on state, national, and literacy inventories indicate. All ELL students will: receive high-quality instruction from certified ESL endorsed teachers; progress in English Language Development; and exit the ELL program within three years of services; achieve at high levels in grade level proficiency comparative to all other students. In alignment with the goals of the State of Tennessee for all ELL students, we will: (1) decrease the percent of students not exiting ESL services within six years, (2) increase the percent of ELs with initially strong oral language production skills who exit within three years, (3) increase the percent of ELs making sufficient growth toward English
27The Early Catastrophe: 30 Million Word Gap by Betty Hart and Todd Risley explains that “In four years, an average child in a professional family would accumulate experience with almost 45 million words, an average child in a working-class family 26 million words, and an average child in a welfare family 13 million words. < https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/TheEarlyCatastrophe.pdf> 28 The Urban Child Institute reports greater than 2000+ children under the age of 3 in 38118 live in poverty.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 14 of 250 proficiency, and (4) increase the percent of former ELs who score on track on content assessments (ELA, math, science, and social studies). We are committed to being and designed to become the first high-performing charter elementary school in the top 5% of TN schools for academic achievement located in the 38118-zip code. We will measure our academic progress by both absolute performance and academic growth on nationally normed and state assessments to ensure we are fulfilling our mission. When we are achieving our mission, our graduating eighth graders will have: (1) successfully taken the ACT at least one time, with an average score of at least 17; (2) passed the Algebra I end-of-course state exam; (3) successfully completed at least one year of laboratory science courses; and (4) performed in the 66th to 75th percentile in reading and 70th to 84th in math31 on the NWEA MAP demonstrating they are On Track for college readiness. 1.2 Enrollment Summary
(a) Community Profile______Memphis Merit Academy seeks to address the sense of hopelessness and the need for academic results that co-exist in the Oakhaven and Parkway Village communities. According to census data, 34.4% of community members in 38118 live in poverty, including 65% of children under the age of 5 living in poverty.32 The Urban Child Institute reports 38118 amongst other zip codes has one of the largest percentages of children under age six living in poverty, where 20-24% of new mothers here did not graduate from high school.33 Approximately 60-79% of students live in single parent households, which puts them at risk for experiencing greater behavioral and emotional problems than their peers with two- parent households.34 Children in high-poverty neighborhoods are at higher risk of health problems, behavioral difficulties, teen pregnancy, dropping out of high school, and substance abuse, even after accounting for family characteristics.35 The sense of hopelessness in the 38118 community is rooted in the high-poverty, high crime, and low educational attainment experienced by community members. These factors have lead multiple families with whom we have met and continue to meet during our extensive community outreach (see Section 1.12 Community Involvement and Parent Engagement) to express to our Lead Founder their need for hope for something better for their children. Families continuously expressed that their hope for a better future was aligned with the mission and vision for Memphis Merit Academy which will allow their children to break out of poverty and build a life of promise for themselves and the next generations of their families. Maranja May, a longtime resident, parent, and graduate of schools in 38118, expressed in a letter of support for the school, “As a resident of the 38118 community for over 20 years I would like to see this neighborhood thrive. There have been many resources snatched from this area and a high-quality education should not be one of them. As an educator and a parent, I want to see option for education being brought to this community. Our children deserve a chance at the best education possible…” Ms. May’s comments reflect sentiments of other parents in the 38118 community (see Letter of Support) for more detail.
31 These measures are based on the 2015 achievement norms for MAP, that corresponds to students being on track for receiving a 24 on the ACT. This benchmark takes into consideration the college admissions profile of enrolled students in major state university across the country, is more stringent than the widely-circulated ACT college readiness benchmark of 22.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 15 of 250 Before examining the profile of those communities, it is helpful to see them within the context of our city as a whole. The 38118-zip code has the following school zones surrounding 38118: 38116, 38131, 38132, 38114, 38111, and 38117. Our primary recruitment area will be within the 38118-zip code due to the lack of access to high quality schools and high poverty rates. We will also anticipate recruiting in the contiguous zip codes of 38111, 38115, and 38114 as those communities also demonstrate lack of such access and similar demographic need.
Figure 1.2 (a) Recruitment and Assigned School Zones for Memphis Merit Academy Target Zip codes Assigned School Zones 38118 (Parkway Village and Getwell, Goodlett, Knight Road, Evans, Cromwell, Oakhaven, and Sheffield Elementary; Oakhaven) American Way, Oakhaven, and Wooddale Middle. 38111(Sherwood) Sharpe and South Park Elementary; Sherwood Middle Belle Forest Community School; Fox Meadow, Hickory Ridge, Newberry, and Windridge 38115(Hickory Hill) Elementary; Hickory Ridge and Kirby Middle 38114 (Orange Mound) Alcy, Bethel Grove, Charjean, Cherokee, Dunbar, Magnolia, and Rozelle Elementary
Our City Memphis has a significant population living in poverty; a particularly dense concentration of poverty exists in these two communities. According to the 2017 Memphis Poverty Fact Sheet,36 the City of Memphis has an adult poverty rate of 26.9% and childhood poverty rate of 44.7%. In broad view, Figure 1.2 (b) details the poverty rates across subgroups and different parts of the city compared to national rates. Figure 1.2 (b) – Diverse Poverty Rates in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, and the United States37 Non- Non- Under 2016 Poverty Rate Overall 18-64 Over 65 Hispanic Hispanic Latino Asian 18 White Black United States 14.0% 19.5% 13.2% 9.2% 10.0% 23.8% 21.0% 11.8% Tennessee 15.8% 22.6% 15.0% 8.9% 12.5% 26.3% 27.7% 12.2% Shelby County 20.8% 34.5% 17.5% 9.6% 8.3% 29.2% N/A N/A Memphis city, TN 26.9% 44.7% 22.6% 11.4% 13.3% 32.3% N/A N/A Memphis, TN-MS-AR 19.4% 30.8% 16.8% 9.5% 9.4% 28.3% 30.1% N/A Metro Ar.
The Fact Sheet shows that Memphis is the poorest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States with a population over one million people. Despite some economic growth for some subgroups, the black population continues to be the most impoverished in the City of Memphis: “The poverty rates for blacks and Latinos (although decreasing for Latinos) are higher than the overall poverty rate, and poverty rates for minorities are higher in every age category than poverty rates for non-Hispanic whites.”38
According to The Urban Child Institute, there are over a quarter of a million children in Shelby County and over 48,000 children under the age of five. The data also show significantly more minority children live in poverty compared to their white peers. According to the 2016 Census, the economic disparities in childhood poverty disproportionately affect black students, as displayed above.39 Figure 1.2 (c) shows Memphis’ rank in poverty in comparison to other metropolitan cities across the nation.
Figure 1.2(c) - Memphis’ Rank in Poverty Rates40
36 http://www.memphis.edu/socialwork/research/2017povertyfactsheetwebversion.pdf. 37 http://www.memphis.edu/socialwork/research/2017povertyfactsheetwebversion.pdf. 38 Ibid. 39 https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. 40 http://www.memphis.edu/socialwork/research/2017povertyfactsheetwebversion.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 16 of 250 Memphis 2015 2016 Poverty Poverty Rank Poverty Rate Poverty Rank Rank Change Among Cities w/ Overall 26.2% 4TH 26.6% 3RD +1 Populations Greater than Under 18 43.0% 2ND 44.7% 2ND ---- 500,000 (34 Cities) TH TH Among Cities w/ Overall 18.4% 11 19.4% 5 +6 Populations Greater than Under 18 28.8% 6TH 30.8% 5TH +1 500,000 (107 MSA) Among MSA with Overall 18.4% 1ST 19.4% 1ST +1 Populations Greater than Under 18 28.8% 1ST 30.8% 1ST ----- 1,000,000 (53 MSA)
The poverty rate for African Americans in Memphis was 32.3% (132,969 people) in 2016, up from 30.1% (121,371) in 2015. In 2016, the white poverty rate was 14.8% (26,263), down from 15.9% (30,292 people) in 2015. Of cities with similar population sizes, Memphis was rated 4th highest for poverty in 2015, with nearly a third of its population in poverty when compared to cities with populations greater than 500,000.41 The Institute for Social Change lists Memphis as the city with the highest childhood poverty rate in the nation with 43% living in poverty.42 In our target communities, the rate is even higher: 49.9% (or 13,130) children under 18 who live in homes with insufficient income to meet their basic needs. 43 Our Target Community The map in Figure 1.2 (d) shows our target area of the Oakhaven and Parkway Village communities. In 1970, Oakhaven and Parkway Village were mostly a suburban region, the former home of Getwell Gardens and the Walter Simmons Housing Projects. Located in Figure 1.2 (d) - Map of Oakhaven and Parkway Village the south-central portion of Shelby County, it is bordered on the north by I-240 and Nonconnah Creek and on the east by Hacks Cross Road. The area accounts for 7.7% of the acreage of the City of Memphis; its zip code is associated with one of the highest-poverty rates at 31.3%. Memphis Merit Academy assumes a 77% Free and Reduced Lunch, 8% Special Education population, and 33% English Language Learner percentage based on the averages of elementary schools in the 38118-zipcode. The Oakhaven and Parkway Village communities have a higher population of children living in poverty than Memphis as a whole. Figure 1.2 (e) compares the childhood poverty rates of the 38118-zip code to that of the Memphis metropolitan area, Shelby County, the State of Tennessee, and our nation. Students living here face poverty at a greater rate than students across the city of Memphis, and when looking at the population of Hispanic children in 38118, these children face poverty at a rate of 6 out of 10 children, or nearly double the poverty rate for the overall population of Memphis.44 In the African American community, 3 out of 10 children live in poverty, while 1 out of 10 white children are living in poverty.45
41 Ibid. 42 The Institute for Social Change with the University of Memphis compiled socioeconomic data on the status of Memphis in the Poverty Fact Sheet in 2016. < http://www.memphis.edu/socialwork/research/2017povertyfactsheetwebversion.pdf> 43 Ibid. 44 https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/memphiscitytennessee/PST045216. 45 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 17 of 250 Figure 1.2 (e) - Poverty Levels in Memphis46 2015 Poverty Rate Overall Under 18 18-64 65+ White Black Hispanic Asian United States 14.7% 20.7% 13.9% 9.0% 10.4% 25.4% 22.6% 12.0% Tennessee 16.7% 24.2% 15.7% 9.8% 13.8% 25.4% 30.7% 10.3% Shelby County 20.1% 32.4% 16.8% 10.9% 8.9% 26.4% N/A N/A Memphis, TN 26.2% 43.0% 22.0% 12.9% 13.0% 30.1% N/A N/A Memphis Metro 18.4% 28.8% 15.8% 10.2% 9.1% 25.9% 33.4% N/A 38118 31.3% 49.9% 23.0% 19.1% 20.9% 27.7% 58.6% 15.7%
(b) Rationale for Proposed Community______Memphis Merit Academy considered four main factors in selecting the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities for our proposed community: It (1) has high poverty; (2) lacks strong school options; (3) has overcrowded school options; and (4) has current students seeking General Choice Transfer. Figure 1.2 (f) – Factors Contributing to Proposed Community Consideration Alignment to the Parkway Village and Oakhaven Communities The 38118-zip code has an overall poverty rate of 31.3%. The poverty rate for children under High Poverty 18 is 49.9%.47 In the 38118-zip code, there are 13 elementary, middle, and high schools. Of the 13 options, 9 rank among the lowest-performing in the state: Getwell ES - 2.9, Knight Road ES - 7.5, Oakhaven ES - 9.9, Sheffield ES - 3.1, American Way MS - 2.6, Wooddale MS - 2.6, Oakhaven HS - 3.2, Wooddale HS - 9.4, Sheffield HS - 3.2.48 These percentiles designate 7 schools as on Lack of Strong School the state’s cusp list. Wooddale MS is an ASD school and is in the bottom 5% of the state’s Options schools. Average ACT score for all high schools here is less than 15. Based on state assessment data (Spring 2015), 68% of third-grade students in SCS were below proficient in reading.49. TNReady Assessment data from Spring 2017 further demonstrates 78.6% of SCS third graders are not proficient in English & language arts (ELA). 50 According to the SCS’s Considerations for Opening School Facilities by Region,51 all elementary school options here are over capacity and do not have the ability to enroll students because of limited space. SCS plans to build a new elementary school to Overcrowded School accommodate students attending Goodlett ES and Knight Road ES due to lack of space and Options expensive aging buildings, but the new school will not be built in 2018-2019 as originally proposed.52 The new school construction 53 has deviated from original plans of opening in 2018-2019 and rather allowing Goodlett Elementary School to remain open during the construction of the new building.54 In 2016, over 9,100 students here applied for transfers through the General Choice Transfer process (almost 50% increase over the prior year), and 73% of applicants received their first- Current Students Seeking or second-choice school.55 If all families with students who meet specific admission General Choice Transfer requirements take advantage of this option, approximately 3 out of 10 may not get into a school of their choice outside of their community.
46 Ibid. 47 Ibid. 48 https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/education/2018/01/27/fewer-shelby-county-schools-rank-bottom-5-percent-state-new- data-shows/1070127001/ 49 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017. 50 Destination 2025: Annual Report 2017. Annual Report. Memphis: Shelby County Schools, n.d. Document. 20 3 2018.
51 http://scsk12.org/charter/files/2017/SCS%20Supplement_Exhibit%203_Schools%20Regional%20Data.pdf. 52 https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2017/01/23/vote-approaches-on-closing-two-memphis-schools-while-cost-of-hopsons-plan-grows/. 53 https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2017/05/08/new-memphis-school-buildings-get-green-light-on-design-funds/ 54 https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/Archive/ViewFile/Item/5582 55 http://memphisschoolguide.org/how-do-i-enroll/scs-general-choice-transfers-guide/.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 18 of 250 Over 70% of elementary students in Oakhaven and Parkway Village cannot read on grade level and over 98% cannot do math on grade level.56 All seven elementary schools have reading proficiency rates between 6.6% and 20%.57 TN has a high school graduation rate of 89.1%; that dips to 79.6% for Shelby County Schools. Within our primary zip code of 38118, that rate dips further to 70.5%, and varies from 79.7%, to 85.9% and 69.7% for the zip codes of 38111, 38115, and 38114, respectively.
Families in 38118 are seeking a high-quality K-8 option, but with no SCS managed charter presence, private school presence, and district school options demonstrating reading levels above 20% proficiency of state standards, they do not currently have one. SCS has identified one elementary school in the community, Sheffield Elementary, for increased intervention and support by classifying it as an I-Zone school. This still leaves approximately 3,154 students in this community without a high-quality option. Further, SCS has identified the need for more quality options for families through the General Choice Transfer.58 (c) Academic Performance of Schools in Target Communities______According to Destination 2025 (2017 Annual Report), in 2017 79.6% of students graduated from high school in Shelby County;59 77.0% of those students were not college-ready as measured by the ACT.60Currently, all seven elementary options for families in the 38118 community are underperforming, according to the Tennessee State Department of Education. Figures 1.2 (h) demonstrates the academic crisis in the 38118-zip code and Figure 1.2 (g) shows the percentage of students on track for mastery of ELA and math standards in elementary schools in 38118. Figure 1.2 (g) - Elementary School Options - Southeast Memphis, 201561 % On Track/ % On Track/ Student High-Needs Student School School Mastered Mastered Demographics Populations Population Type Reading Math 81.8% African 76.4% Economically Cromwell American, Disadvantaged, 14.3% 537 Public 13.2% 19.8% Elementary 16.0% Hispanic ELL, 13.4% SWD62 65.3% African 78.5 % Economically Evans American, Disadvantaged, 26.2% 478 Public 10.6% 24.9% Elementary 31.2% Hispanic ELL, 6.3% SWD 81.9% African 79.7% Economically Getwell American, Disadvantaged, 386 Public 8.9% 11.5% Elementary 17.9% Hispanic 11.1% ELL, 13.7% SWD 55.9% African 76.6% Economically Goodlett American, Disadvantaged, 35.3% 490 Public 20% 20.4% Elementary 43.1% Hispanic ELL, 8.0% SWD 55.4% African 77.1% Economically Knight Road American, Disadvantaged, 44.4% 572 Public 7.8% 11.3% Elementary 42.8% Hispanic ELL, % SWD 9.3 73.0% Economically 80.1% African Oakhaven Disadvantaged, 16.9% 663 American Public 9.5% 17.3% Elementary ELL 7.5% 18.3% Hispanic SWD Sheffield 66.9% African 78.3% Economically 626 Public 6.6% 13.2%
56 https://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/tnready/ 57 Ibid. 58 General Choice Transfer is a process where SCS families have the opportunity to apply to schools of their choice. 59 http://www.scsk12.org/2025/files/2017/Annual%20Report%202017.pdf. 60 The percentage of students who meet the 21 composite on the ACT was 23%; this ACT score qualifies Tennessee students for the HOPE Scholarship.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 19 of 250 Elementary American, Disadvantaged, 25.1% (I-Zone, I-Zone-2017 31.8% Hispanic ELL, 5.8% SWD 2017)
Students in 38118 have a graduation rate and ACT score significantly below that of their more affluent peers, the district, and state. After students leave elementary and middle schools in the community, they attend high schools where 96-99% of students are not performing math on grade level63 and less than 10% are reading on grade level.64 While SCS is graduating students at an overall rate of almost 80%, students in Parkway Village and Oakhaven graduate at rates as low as 57.5% at Wooddale HS. Oakhaven HS has a graduation rate higher than Shelby County Schools and close to that of the state, yet 7.3% of students are graduating able to read on grade level based on Tennessee Academic Standards and it has an average ACT score of 14.9.65 All high schools in 38118 demonstrate that over 97.8-96.8% of students are not college ready upon graduation based on the percentage of those who met the 21 composite on the ACT; this ACT score qualifies students for the HOPE Scholarship.66 All high schools in 38118 rank among the lowest-performing high schools in Tennessee. Figure 1.2(h) shows the current achievement levels in the three high schools available to students in 38118.67 SCS is reviewing future plans for American Way Middle School to improve the educational options to families in the Parkway Village community, new construction for Goodlett Elementary, and has designated Sheffield Elementary as I-Zone. However, it remains urgent that we provide families, currently lacking a choice as set forth in T.C.A. § 49-13-102(a), with a college preparatory elementary and middle school with doors set to open August 2019.
Figure 1.2(h) High School Achievement Levels in 3811868 Student % On Track/ School Student Demographics High-Needs Populations Population Mastered Reading69 91.9% African 68.0% Economically Oakhaven American, Disadvantaged, 3.0% ELL, 369 7.3% HS 7.3 % Hispanic 14.9% SWD70 75.2% African 63.8% Economically Sheffield American, Disadvantaged, 17.9% ELL, 745 8.4% HS 24.0% Hispanic 13.0% SWD 80.8% African 62.4% Economically American, Wooddale HS Disadvantaged, 9.5% ELL, 859 12.8% 17.0% Hispanic, 1.9 % 16.9% SWD Asian
(d) Target Population______
Memphis Merit Academy has strategically selected K-8 students as our target population of students in the Oakhaven and Parkway Village communities. With greater than 96% of students not on track for college, based on an ACT benchmark of 21,71 we have selected this grade span to address the need for students to be prepared for the high school and college of their choice. Our proposed demographics
63High school math levels in 38118 are Sheffield High (0.6%), Oakhaven High (0.4%), and Wooddale High (3.9%), based on performance on the 2016-2017 TNReady state assessment. https://www.measuretn.gov:444/ReportCard/Main/CurrentReportCard#/academic-snapshot 64 High school literacy levels in 38118 are Sheffield High (8.4%), Oakhaven High (7.2%), and Wooddale High (12.8), based on the TNReady 2016- 2017 results. < https://www.measuretn.gov:444/ReportCard/Main/CurrentReportCard#/academic-snapshot>. 65 https://www.measuretn.gov:444/ReportCard/Main/CurrentReportCard#/academic-snapshot 66 Ibid. 67 2016-2017 reporting categories changed performance terminology across the state. The new achievement levels for high schools are: Mastered (Level 4), On Track (Level 3), Approaching (Level 2), and Below (Level 1). https://www.tn.gov/education/data/tcap-results-at-a-glance.html.
68 https://www.measuretn.gov:444/ReportCard/Main/CurrentReportCard#/academic-snapshot. 69 https://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/tnready.html. 70 SWD indicates “Student with Disability” on the Tennessee State Report Card. 71 https://www.measuretn.gov:444/ReportCard/Main/CurrentReportCard#/academic-snapshot.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 20 of 250 mirror those of our target community, in which there remain chronically high levels of academic underachievement and limited access to high-achieving public K-8 schools. We proposed Memphis Merit Academy in alignment with (1) Shelby County School’s Destination 2025 which outlines the immediate and critical need tor third grade reading readiness for all students in order to put all children on the path to high school graduation and future life success and (2) the stated purposes of TN Charter Law 49-13-10, and specifically to (a) improve learning for all students and close the achievement gap between high and low students and (b) provide options for parents to meet educational needs of students. For more detail, please see Section 1.1 (a), (b), (c) and (d).
One of our core beliefs is college begins in kindergarten. We firmly believe that the work of preparing students for college begins early.
Memphis Merit Academy’s current academic plans include rigorous academics that require students to think critically in content areas. High-quality instruction facilitates the delivery of a college preparatory instructional environment. Our academic plan includes a focus on literacy which allows for extended time for students to practice and receive instruction to become proficient readers. The school design also includes extended time for math instruction for students to build procedural, conceptual, and application skills to be proficient mathematicians. We will support our students with a character development program that will ensure students can demonstrate resilience in a college preparatory school culture because we strongly believe demographics should not determine the destiny of our students.
(e) The Memphis Merit Academy Advantage______
To ensure our students achieve dramatically better outcomes than students currently are reaching in our community, we will implement the best practices of successful schools serving populations similar to ours under trained and mission-driven leadership. We propose a K-8 school because we believe, and research supports that the roots of underachievement levels in high school have their roots in the earliest years of a child’s education and there are proven models here in our state and across the country demonstrating how to build a school of high achievement in a high-risk community, starting in Kindergarten. Our foundational literacy model is designed after the high-performing K-4 model of BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy (for letter of support, please see Attachment E) and other high-performing charters such as Memphis RISE Academy (grades 6-12) and Freedom Preparatory Academy (PK-12) serving the families of Southeast Memphis. Both Memphis RISE and Freedom Preparatory Academy are among Tennessee’s most distinguished schools for student growth, designated as Reward Progress Schools.72 Purpose Preparatory Academy reached the top 5% of schools on the Tennessee Academic Standards in 2016. Our structure, support, and approach to literacy will place our students at an advantage and allow us to build success for students within a high-risk, high-need community.
Figure 1.2 (i) - Memphis Merit Academy’s Principles of Design and Core Components Mission Through rigorous academics, high-quality instruction, and character development, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School educates all students in kindergarten through eighth grade for success in high school, college, and life. Principles of Design • College preparatory K-8 curriculum from modeled after the proven models of high-performing Rigorous Academics charter schools serving high-poverty urban student populations across the country. • Literacy instruction designed to provide a firm foundation in reading.
72 Reward Progress schools are schools whose data demonstrated making significant strides to help students grow. http://www.tnchartercenter.org/sites/554/uploaded/files/TCSC_Annual_Report_201617.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 21 of 250 • Instruction informed by data from meaningful assessments to determine students’ needs and yield high-quality results. High-Quality • Explicit and codified practices to provide instructional support to all learners. Instruction • Interventions that continuously monitor student growth and performance with attention to local, state, and national comparisons. • Every classroom led by an engaging, highly-skilled, strategically supported, and effective teacher. • Core values-based culture to support student academic performance in a rigorous K-8 academic Character environment that produces students who can grow into transformational leaders. Development • School culture that celebrates teachers, students, and families through demonstration and development of our core values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. Core Components • Grade Span. K-8 model divided into the Lower School (K-4) and Upper School (5-8) to deliver a strong foundation necessary for success in high school. Focus on college mission for all students. • Literacy Focus. Extended school day 195 minutes(K-2), 180 minutes (3-5), and 100 minutes (6-8) of literacy instruction. Research-based literacy strategies integrated across content areas. • Intervention. Tier 3- 45 minutes and Tier 2- 30 minutes allotted in our schedule for the daily delivery of targeted math and literacy enrichment and interventions through our RTI2 model for all learners. • Math Instruction. Math instruction focused on developing students’ critical thinking and conceptual understanding of numbers. • Science Instruction. Science instruction every day aligned with Next Generation Science Standards using the BSCS 5E Model for instruction.73 Hands-on experiences in science to help students understand complex science topics. • Teacher Support and Professional Development. Annual schedule of 30 full days of professional development for teachers and school leadership. • Continuous Development. 2.5 hours of professional development weekly focused on data-driven support for our school- wide priorities: academic accountability, culture and behavior management, and pedagogy and deliberate practice. • Character Education. Deliberate positive character development focused on core values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork.
At the core of our design is our focus on literacy and mathematics. We will ensure that all students develop the academic skills and knowledge as well as the character foundation necessary to reach ambitious state and national academic standards and be firmly on the path to succeed in high school, college, and life. Our school community will focus on developing students with the traits needed to succeed in our modern economy, including becoming powerful readers, critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, productive collaborators, and sophisticated communicators. Through our core values and commitment to supporting all learners, we intend to develop students who serve as positive change agents for themselves, their families, and our world.
Memphis Merit prioritizes literacy instruction, offering 195 minutes (K-2), 180 minutes (3-5), and 100 minutes (6-8) per day. Our schedule emphasizes our belief that literacy skills are the foundation of a strong education and a successful life. Research shows that whether or not a scholar will graduate from high school can be largely determined by whether or not that scholar can read proficiently by the end of third grade.74 In K-2, 195 minutes will be broken into several different blocks including Read Aloud, small group phonics, reading comprehension and guided reading, oral language, vocabulary development, and writing.75 This balanced approach between print and language-rich activities is seen as best practice by top reading experts across the country.76 For details on our literacy program, please see Section 1.3.
74 Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Learning to Read: Early Warning: Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters.” 2010. 75 This approach has been applied and proven effective at other high-performing urban charter schools including Purpose Prep in Nashville, TN and NorthStar Vailsburg in Newark, NJ. 76 Honig, Bill. Teaching our children to read. NY: Skyhorse, 2014.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 22 of 250 (f) Existing Operator: Not Applicable
(g) Enrollment Summary and Anticipated Demographics______
Memphis Merit Academy will enroll any student within the Shelby County Schools District based on the projected enrollment detailed in Figure 1.2 (j).
Figure 1.2(j) - Comprehensive Memphis Merit Academy Projections for Enrollment at Scale Number of Students Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 At Capacity Grade 2018- 2019- 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023- 2024- 2025- Year 8 Level 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2026-2027 K 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 1 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60
2 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 3 60 60 60 60 60 60 4 60 60 60 60 60 5 60 60 60 60 6 60 60 60 Planning Year 7 60 60 8 60 Total 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540
Memphis Merit Academy will follow a slow-growth model that will start with 120 students in grades K and 1 in 2019. We will add one grade level each year until we reach capacity in 2026-2027. Our school structure will be split into 2 schools, the Lower School (K-4) with 300 students and the Upper School (5-8) with 240 students. Each grade-level cohort will contain no more than 60 students. In grades K to 4, we will divide students into 2 classes of 30 students each, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:10 during our two-teacher literacy rotation blocks. In grades 5-8, the teacher-student ratio, at 1:20, will also be lower than the maximum class size allowed in Tennessee. The rationale for our small cohort model is to allow daily small- group instruction. Our small school, with 540 students will ensure that our teachers and school leaders all know students by name and their academic needs. Figure 1.2 (k) shows the demographics we anticipate.
We will backfill any available seat in our school and commit to the academic progress and success of all every student that transfer into our school, aligned to the number of years that student is enrolled with us. (See Section 1.4 Academic Performance Standards for more detail on our accountability for the academic success of all students.) Recruitment will be a continuous process. Our Office Manager and Dean of Operations will maintain monthly interactions with our waiting list candidates to sustain interest in our school. Our bilingual Office Manager will ensure all families have access to fully expressing the needs of their children in our school and to support the enrollment process. Figure 1.2 (k)- Projected Demographics of Memphis Merit Academy77 Race Percentage Identified Category Percentage African American 70% Economically Disadvantaged 77% Hispanic 28 Special Needs 8% White 1% English learners 33% Other 1%
1.3. Academic Focus and Plan
(a) Academic Focus______
77 The projected demographics of each category were drawn as an average of surrounding schools in Parkway Village and Oakhaven.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 23 of 250 Our academic focus is college preparatory, with a focus on literacy as the foundation for all learning and includes a complimentary focus on developing students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills through a research-based model for science and math curriculum and instruction. In accordance with T.C.A. § 49-13-104, our purpose is to improve learning for all students and close the achievement gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students. We will use teaching methods and curriculum from proven models such as those implemented at BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy (top 5% of TN schools78). We will maintain a prioritized focus on foundational literacy skills in K-4 and advanced literacy skills in grades 5-8. Students will enter needing support in vocabulary and literacy, and we will work relentlessly to close the gap between our students and their more affluent peers across the state. Aligned with the goals of the Tennessee Academic Standards and using the Understanding by Design (UbD)79 framework backwards mapped from state and national assessments by, our literacy curriculum will set students up to be strong readers able to gather information from the world around them. In every grade level, we will teach students to understand words through word study and build to the study of etymology by grade 8. (b) Academic Plan______As an ambitious, college preparatory K-8 school, our academic plan is aligned with our mission and Shelby County School’s priorities. All curriculum will be selected and developed in alignment with the Tennessee Academic State Standards, Common Core State Standards, and TNReady Assessments, and all instruction will challenge and support students to measurable grade-level proficiency or mastery. Curriculum Development and Materials The curriculum for each grade level and each subject will be backwards-mapped from the academic profile of what students must be able to know and do by the end of each grade level. The Head of School will select curriculum for our rigorous academic program and lead any adaptations needed to the curriculum. The Head of School will ensure that selected and developed or adapted curriculum is aligned to CCSS and Tennessee Academic Standards, always selecting curriculum with the following priorities: Aligned or ability to become aligned to CCSS and TAS; Ability and accessibility of curriculum materials; and Adjustability of curriculum to school design and model. With our core belief that literacy is the foundation of all learning, we will implement a balanced literacy program using a two-teacher model for K-4. In K-2, the literacy program will be inclusive of distinct small group instruction where students have daily practice in reading comprehension/guided reading, phonics, and independent work within blended learning, classroom-based technology. After grade 2, students will maintain this structure, but instruction will shift to deeper textual analysis. In grades 3-4 literacy blocks, small group instruction will focus on regular practice in: (a) narrative textual analysis; (b) informational textual analysis; and (c) independent, accountable reading.80 Our 195 daily minutes of literacy in grades K-2 also include read aloud, writing, and oral language. With this strong foundation in literacy established in the Lower School (K-4), content in grades 5-8 will be departmentalized, focused on novel study and development of vocabulary, writing, and oral language skills. Curriculum Choices. To deliver high-quality instruction, Memphis Merit Academy will integrate both purchased and internally created curriculum. Curriculum for all subjects is outlined in Figure 1.3 (a).
78 www.purposeprep.org. 79T
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 24 of 250 Figure 1.3 (a) - Curriculum Selections Across Core Content Areas Grade Literacy Math Science Social Studies Fluency/ Phonics: SRA Reading Mastery. Full Option Math Fluency- Every Day Reading Comprehension: Internally Science System Math Counts Calendar Internally created and adapted from Uncommon (FOSS) adapted to Math. Procedural, Created by Schools and Purpose Preparatory include the 5E Conceptual, and Application HOS and Academy. Guided Reading Texts: Reading Science K math skills: EngageNY82 with adapted from A-Z. Writing: Lucy Calkins Writing Without instructional internally created supports resources from Tears. Text Selections: Internally selected model and aligned to leverage the use of Uncommon texts adapted from Uncommon Schools to TAS and CCSS Cognitively Guided Schools. and Purpose Prep Academy. Blended by Head of School Instruction (CGI). Learning Program: Lexia Core 581, ST Math (HOS) Fluency/Phonics: SRA Reading Mastery. Reading Comprehension: Internally Math Fluency- Every Day Full Option created and adapted from Uncommon Math Counts Calendar Science System Internally Schools and Purpose Preparatory Math. Procedural, (FOSS) adapted to Created by Academy. Guided Reading Texts: Reading Conceptual, and Application include the 5E HOS and 1 A-Z. Writing: Lucy Calkins Writing Without math skills: EngageNY with Science adapted from Tears. Text Selections: Internally selected internally created supports instructional resources from texts adapted from Uncommon Schools to leverage the use of model and aligned Uncommon and Purpose Preparatory Academy. Cognitively Guided to TAS and CCSS Schools. Blended Learning Program: Lexia Core 583, Instruction (CGI). by HOS ST Math Fluency/Phonics: SRA Reading Mastery. Reading Comprehension: Internally Math Fluency- Every Day Full Option created and adapted from Uncommon Math Counts Calendar Science System Internally Schools and Purpose Preparatory Math. Procedural, (FOSS) adapted to Created by Academy. Guided Reading Texts: Reading Conceptual, and Application include the 5E HOS and 2 A-Z. Writing: Lucy Calkins Writing Without math skills: EngageNY with Science adapted from Tears. Text Selections: Internally selected internally created supports instructional resources from texts adapted from Uncommon Schools to leverage the use of model and aligned Uncommon and Purpose Preparatory Academy. Cognitively Guided to TAS and CCSS Schools. HOS Blended Learning Program: Lexia Core 584, Instruction (CGI). by HOS ST Math. Full Option Internally Internally created by HOS. Science System Created by EngageNY with internally Text Selections: Literature and (FOSS) adapted to HOS and created supports to leverage 3 information text elections made based on include the 5E adapted from the use of Cognitively Purpose Prep. Blended Learning Program: Science resources from Guided Instruction (CGI). Lexia Core 585, ST Math. instructional Uncommon model and aligned Schools.
81Based on research provided by Lexia Core 5, over half of students (53%) who started Core5 working on skills two or more grades below their grade level substantially reduced their risk for reading failure, ending the school year working on skills in their grade level or reached their end- of-year, grade level benchmark in Core5. Lexia Core 5 is a research-proven adaptive computer software program and provides explicit, systematic, personalized learning in the six areas of reading instruction, targeting skill gaps as they emerge.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 25 of 250 to TAS and CCSS by HOS Full Option Science System Internally Internally created by HOS. Text Selections: (FOSS) adapted to Created by EngageNY with internally Literature and information text elections include the 5E HOS and created supports to leverage 4 made based on Purpose Prep. Blended Science adapted from the use of Cognitively Learning Program: Lexia Core 586, ST instructional resources from Guided Instruction (CGI). Math. model and aligned Uncommon to TAS and CCSS Schools. by HOS Full Option Science System Internally Internally created by HOS. Text Selections: (FOSS) adapted to Created by Literature and information text elections include the 5E HOS and EngageNY with internally 5 made based on Uncommon Schools North Science adapted from created supports Star Middle. Blended Learning Program: instructional resources from Lexia Core 587, ST Math. model and aligned Uncommon to TAS and CCSS Schools. by HOS Full Option Science System Internally Internally created by HOS. Text Selections: (FOSS) adapted to Created by Literature and information text elections include the 5E HOS and EngageNY with internally 6 made based on Uncommon Schools North Science adapted from created supports Star Middle. Blended Learning Program: instructional resources from Newsela, ST Math. model and aligned Uncommon to TAS and CCSS Schools. by HOS Full Option Science System Internally Internally created by HOS. Text Selections: (FOSS) adapted to Created by Literature and information text elections include the 5E HOS and EngageNY with internally 7 made based on Uncommon Schools North Science adapted from created supports Star Middle. Blended Learning Program: instructional resources from Newsela, Khan Academy. model and aligned Uncommon to TAS and CCSS Schools. by HOS Full Option Science System Internally Internally created by HOS. Text Selections: (FOSS) adapted to Created by Literature and information text elections include the 5E HOS and EngageNY with internally 8 made based on Uncommon Schools North Science adapted from created supports Star Middle. Blended Learning Program: instructional resources from Newsela, Khan Academy. model and aligned Uncommon to TAS and CCSS Schools. by HOS
Curriculum Development. To allow instructional coaching to focus on excellent lesson execution, we will provide teachers with robust resources and materials. This will include all scope and sequences (S&S), end-of-year assessments, complete unit plans, texts used in plans, and interim and final assessments for all units. Teachers will analyze sample items from the TNReady practice assessment and the NWEA RIT range sample items, allowing teachers to understand what students must accomplish at each grade level,
86Ibid. 87Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 26 of 250 so they can successfully prepare scaffolds to support students in achieving mastery. In addition to aligning all materials to TN Academic State Standards (TASS) and CCSS, the Head of School, Dean of Academics (Y3), and instructional team88 will use scope and sequence and curriculum development materials from high-poverty, high-performing charter schools across the nation to further develop curriculum choices. We will adopt best practices and curriculum from Reading Reconsidered, Great Habits, Great Readers, and the Great Minds Institute-EngageNY89 as supporting resources for excellent math and ELA instruction. Curricular materials will provide teachers with a clear picture of rigor and will be the standard for all internally created materials. Coaching support and guidance will be provided to the instructional team and teachers on internalization of the curriculum from the Head of School in Y 1-3 of the school and Dean of Academics Y3 and all subsequent years with the support of the HOS (Y3), Director of Lower School (Y4-beyond), Director of Upper School (Y8 and beyond). In Y6 and subsequent years, two Dean of Academics will be available to coach and support teachers. We will review and adjust curriculum each year to ensure alignment with TASS and CCSS. Our Lead Founder and proposed Head of School has established a relationship with Purpose Preparatory Academy’s Head of School to continue to be developed through an additional residency at Purpose Prep and plans to visit the campus during the planning year. For science, Memphis Merit Academy has selected FOSS as the curriculum. The HOS will engage in continued professional development before the school’s opening to adjust curriculum to align to that of other high-performing charter school curriculum.
Special Populations. Curriculum development includes best practices for SPED and ELL, with a focus on the following shifts in literacy: (1) Regular practice with complex text and its academic language; (2) Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from text, literary and informational; and (3) Building knowledge through content rich non-fiction. Our Student Support Coordinator, licensed in special education and gifted services, with the support of the HOS, will review and revise selected curriculum to ensure modifications and accommodations outlined in every student’s IEP are addressed. The Coordinator will ensure all teachers receive professional development on best practices for special education in an inclusive environment for our students. Considerations for the review and revision of selected curriculum include: (1) SPED student proficiency levels and progress monitoring data in comparison to the general population; (2) IEPs goals and requirements; (3) differentiation strategies to allow access to the curriculum; and (4) licensed staffing for inclusion and pull-out services to meet the needs of all students. Our Head of School and ELL teacher will review selected curriculum to ensure attention language development in every literacy lesson. The ELL teacher and HOS will train teachers on how to adequately prepare for teaching ELL students using WIDA ELP (English Language Proficiency Standards) standards. Considerations for the review and revision of selected curriculum include use of WIDA’s standards (1) to outline progression of English language to teach academic language within the context of content area instruction and (2) for WIDA levels of language proficiency; use of WIDA’s CAN Do descriptors to define what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in teaching and learning in academic contexts; and (3) ELL student performance and proficiency levels and progress monitoring in comparison to the general population. While ELL instruction is traditionally focused mainly on literacy, ELLs will have the opportunity to receive core instruction from a dually certified general education and ELL teacher throughout the school day and have access to additional pullout services, as needed by our ELL staff.
88 Head of School (Y1-4), 1 Teacher Representative at each grade level, Dean of Academics (Year 3-forward), Student Supports Coordinator (Y1- 3), Dean of Student Supports (4-6), Director Lower School (Year 4-forward), and the Director of Upper School (Year 8). See Attachment G - Organizational Chart and Section 2.4- Personnel/Human Capital. 89 https://greatminds.org/events/l/upcoming-pd-institutes.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 27 of 250 Teachers will engage in the lesson internalization process each week to ensure each daily lesson has adequately considered the needs of all students prior to instruction. For details about the implementation of our SPED and ELL program, see Section 1.9 (e) Special Education and (f) English Learners.
Two-Teacher Model. To provide our students with the necessary foundational literacy skills in K-2, we will use a two-teacher model in all classrooms The partnership of two teachers will allow us to ensure that all students receive literacy instruction in small groups with a ratio of 1:10. Our balanced literacy approach will be delivered through 195-minute literacy rotations in K-2, and within these rotations independent practice of the skills gained will occur using a Blended Learning model.90 During literacy rotations, students move between phonics (K-2 only), guiding reading/reading comprehension, and independent work either through adaptive technology or through independent, accountable reading. Each teacher will lead a small group of 10 students on a similar level during literacy rotations. Literacy K-2. Literacy instruction in K-2 is modeled after high-performing schools Purpose Prep Academy in Nashville, TN and Uncommon Schools’ Leadership Prep Carnarsie in Brooklyn, NY. A two-teacher model will be used in K-2 classes to replicate the proven model of literacy rotations including phonics, guided reading, and independent reading with blended learning supports. Rotations engage small groups in 45- minutes of sustained, regular practice with foundational reading fluency via phonics practice, reading comprehension and guided reading, and independent reading/blended learning strategically aligned to STEP Assessment levels.91 Our literacy program focuses on the development of comprehensive literacy skills, reading comprehension skills, writing, and oral language. The writing program will explicitly teach students how to communicate their ideas and thoughts in pictorial and written form and Habits of Discussion92 will be utilized across all class activities and conversations. Components of our literacy program are detailed below. 1. Read Aloud: To introduce new literacy skills and develop student vocabulary, we will use Read Aloud instruction. For example, when students are introduced to theme, it will primarily be introduced during our Read Aloud block. Students will have the opportunity to practice Habits of Discussion during Read Aloud and it will be practiced and reinforced during the time set aside for Reading Comprehension and Guided Reading. 2. Literacy Rotations: A full description of each component is provided in Figure 1.3(b).
Figure 1.3 (b) – Components of Literacy Rotations LITERACY ROTATIONS DESCRIPTION Students engage in guided reading/reading comprehension groups with leveled- text at their instructional level. Reading strategies and behaviors are modeled and practiced. Skills such as identifying character traits, character’s motivation, Reading Comprehension/ theme, and main idea are practiced. Each session focuses on a particular Guided Reading objective or purpose for the reading established by teachers from observation of students’ needs and data from STEP Assessments. Students are guided to independently practice skills; teacher intervenes to support through prompts and questions. Students receive explicit phonics instruction using a research-based program such Phonics as SRA Reading Mastery. Students build phonemic awareness, word-solving skills, and reading fluency, and they learn sight words, word families, vowel rules, etc.
90 Lexia Core 5 for grades K-5 will be used with students during literacy rotations.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 28 of 250 Students practice literacy skills and concepts at their target level through a program, such as the Lexia Core 5 Program. Students work independently on an Independent Work adaptive computer program (blended learning opportunity) to move them further in literacy. This time is also protected for students to complete written responses from reading comprehension/guided reading and to read independently.
3. Writing: Lucy Calkins curriculum will guide writing instruction. Kindergarten students begin practicing letters and handwriting skills and develop understanding of the writing process through representing stories by picture, then shifting to writing complete sentences. In grade 1, students gradually release from pictorial story maps to writing longer, more narrative and persuasive writing. In grade 2, students continue to build writing skills and progress to writing expository, narrative, and persuasive essays. 4. Oral Language: Our oral language time is built into the rest of our literacy program through Habits of Discussion93 Reading Comprehension, Guiding Reading and Read Aloud. Literacy Grades 3-5. We will continue to be a two-teacher model; one teacher focuses on narrative text analysis and the other on informational text analysis. Reading and writing become more complex and requires readers to engage in more rigorous analysis and discussion. Writing at this grade level require students to include evidence from texts to support an argument. Students use schoolwide annotation codes and strategies across content to analyze texts. In grade 5, students spend more time in independent work with text, conducting textual analysis in response to standards-based writing prompts. Literacy Grades 6-8. In grades 6-8, students will practice the foundational reading skills learned in K-5 to meaningfully engage with above grade-level text. Students will engage daily with complex text94 from a variety of genres to answer and ask questions, participate in collegial discussions, respond in writing, and closely read all based on the text’s complexities. Given supports provided in K-4, we anticipate supporting a small population of students for remediation in phonics instruction by grade 5. This remediation will mainly be addressed during RTI2 Implementation. For grades 6-8, RTI2, phonics curriculum we will use Corrective Reading to continue to support students that struggle with decoding and phonics. Corrective Reading is aligned to the instruction students received in K-2 SRA Reading Mastery instruction. During core instruction, students will be supported by teachers’ aggressive monitoring of skills, small groups within the class, explicit instruction, and multiple opportunities for student practice. Just as in K-3, students’ reading fluency and comprehension will be strategically and regularly assessed. In grades 4-8, students will be assessed using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Systems95 to measure incoming student’s fluency. The Fountas and Pinnell system Across grade levels we collectively leverage a focus on literacy across all grade levels in many ways. Content across subjects is developed from research-based practices for literacy instruction that focus on building a strong foundation in reading in K-2 and strong analytical thinking and response to text in grades 3-8. Students will complete independent reading during class and at home on their independent reading level to build the stamina they need to be college ready. We will have leveled libraries for all students to have access to books on their independent reading levels. Mathematics Instruction. Students receive a comprehensive program that provides grade-appropriate foundational computational skills, deep conceptual knowledge of the content, and application of
93 Paul Bambrick-Santoyo states that “[w]hen you change how students talk in class, you change the way they think.” Habits of Discussion explicitly teaches students how to interact in discussion and have meaningful conversations about their learning. 94 Teachers in 6-8 drive instruction based on the qualitative complexity of text to support textual analysis. The qualitative features within text teachers examine are meaning, structure, language, and knowledge. Student work is aligned to overall complexity of the text. 95 Using F&P Benchmark Assessment Systems to determine students’ independent and instructional reading levels according to the F&P Text Level Gradient, teachers are able to observe and quantify student reading behaviors for students’ instructional and independent reading levels.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 29 of 250 mathematical topics to real-world problems. Aligned with the CCSS and TAS, our math program requires students to explain their thinking through the representation of models, for example. Students at every grade level brainstorm and discuss multiple ways to solve every problem. Our math program uses internally created curriculum adapted from the of other high performing charter schools and using the Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) Approach.96 Oral literacy skills continue to be developed across content areas with the intentional use of Habits of Discussion when talking through various solutions in math. CGI is a strategy used by teachers to support students in problem-solving tasks. Teachers provide students with scaffolding questions while they work to solve contextual problems, for example, in math. Students are then allowed to share their solutions with peers and examine the multiple solutions. Students in K-2 engage in Everyday Counts Calendar Math to build pattern recognition and develop other foundational math concepts and skills.97 All students successfully completing Algebra 1 in grade 8. Science Instruction. Students take a robust science class every day in all grades which includes hands-on experiences. The science curriculum is aligned with TAS and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well as the demands of science reasoning skills required on the ACT. NGSS will come to life in the classroom with internally created and adapted curriculum by our HOS and K-8 Full Option Science System (FOSS) curriculum and tool kits to provide students with laboratory experiences from kindergarten. Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem, a high-performing charter school in NY, engages students from Kindergarten in laboratory science every day to ensure students gain an understanding through inquiry- based instruction. We will immerse students in science everyday as observed at Neighborhood Charter98 and employ inquiry-based practices to help students learn science. The facilitation of the lesson will occur using the 5E Model for Inquiry-Based Science. Integrated into our science program are high-quality content-specific informational texts and writing assignments to reinforce and support both our literacy program and our inquiry-based approach to mathematics instruction. These texts will include relevant articles, textbook excerpts, and grade-appropriate books to build students’ knowledge of a topic. The science program will strongly support inquiry-based learning and content literacy across all grade levels. Social Studies Instruction. In K-2, teachers will integrate social studies texts into literacy instruction to build students’ historical knowledge. Beginning in the grade 3, students will read informational texts independently. Students will have a 30-minute social studies block built into their day alternated99 with enrichment classes100 in K-2, allowing regular practice with complex text to gain historical knowledge. In grades 3-4, students will have 40 minutes of social studies instruction alternated with enrichment classes. In grades 3-8, students will be expected to use the skills gained from literacy instruction to write about historical concepts in texts with 40 minutes of daily social studies instruction. Using Habits of Discussion (for more detail, please see Figure 1.3 (d) and Figure 1.3 (e), students will further develop their speaking and listening skills as outlined in CCSS and TAS. Enrichment. At full capacity, we will have three enrichment teachers – one each in the areas of Spanish, Physical Education, and STEM. To support our comprehensive literacy model and deliver on our mission, we will offer Physical Education101 (beginning Y 1), Spanish (beginning Y 4), and STEM (beginning Y 5) to all students at full scale. Offering students recess has been associated with improved cognitive skills such
96 Empson, Susan. What Does a CGI Classroom Look Like? Retrieved from: http://hbcsd.org/view/11425.pdf. 3 October 2017. 97 http://nycdoeit.airws.org/pdf/Every%20Day%20Counts%20Math.pdf. 98 Lead Founder conducted site study on September 28, 2017. Neighborhood Charter School Harlem scored in the top 17% of charter schools city-wide on the 2015-2016 state tests. 75% of NCSH 3rd and 4th graders passed the 2015-2016 state math exam. Student demographics reflect 82% FRL, 59% African American, 35% Hispanic, 3% White, 1% Asian, 2% Other, 3% ELL, and 4% Special Needs. 99 In K-2, students will receive Social Studies instruction Mon, Wed, and Fri. Students will take enrichment courses on Tuesday and Thursday. 100 At full-scale, enrichment course offerings are Spanish, Physical Education, and STEM. 101One study found that overall classroom behavior was better for students who had at least 15 minutes of recess every day.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 30 of 250 as time on task, attitudes, and academic behavior.102 For Spanish, we offer students access to foreign language intentional designed to build connections to word study instruction from K-2 and Latin Foundations in 3-5103 to allow students a deeper understanding of etymology and engage in conversational Spanish with their peers. Our STEM course offered beginning in Y 5 will allow students to exercise problem-solving and critical thinking skills developed in daily science instruction in K-5 and cultivated in 6-8 with students enrolling in physical science in grade 8. Our STEM course offers supports in science and engineering practices to help students learn science by doing science, thus combining knowledge with skill.104 While STEM is a course in our school, science and engineering practices are differentiated at each grade level from K-8. Our STEM course would focus on providing students increased opportunities of developing the innovation and design thinking, computer skills, engineering practices, and inquiry-based learning needed to promote STEM literate students that are college ready. Instructional Methods To meet the needs of diverse learners, teachers will use a variety of instructional strategies to maximize every minute of instruction. We will draw heavily from strategies outlined in Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion 2.0 (Figure 1.3(c)),105 Bambrick-Santoyo’s Great Habits, Great Readers106 and Driven by Data,107 Cowhey’s Black Ants and Buddhists,108 and Farr’s Teaching as Leadership.109 Based on best practices from high-performing schools110 significantly shrinking the achievement gap across the country, and to ensure differentiated instruction for all learners, the following are key components of our instructional plan: Extended Time, Two-Teacher Model in Literacy111, Small Group Instruction, Data Driven Decisions112, Rap, Rhythm and Rhyme, Kinesthetic Learning, Flexible Ability Grouping, Guided Relaxation/Mediation, Goal Setting, Habits of Discussion, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Data-Driven Instruction.
Figure 1.3(c) – Core Components of Memphis Merit Academy’s Instructional Plan Best Practice Description We provide 183 days of instruction, from 7:15am to 4:15pm Monday -Thursday and 7:15- Extended Time 1:15pm Friday, resulting in an additional two (2) years of instruction for students enrolled K-8. Extended time has high impact on academic outcomes for low-income students. We have two certified teachers for our literacy block in K-4 in addition to blended learning Two-Teacher Model in computer stations and independent practice rotation. This ensures a ratio of 10:1 during all Literacy blocks when children are learning to read. We have time daily for targeted group re-teaching and individual remediation of skills and Small Group Instruction concepts. We use assessment data to inform formal/informal tutoring. Data-Driven Decision To ensure rigorous, responsive instruction within students’ zone of proximal development,
102 Ibid. 103 See Section 1.8 for details on the daily schedule across grade spans. 104 The goal is to allow students to discover how scientific knowledge is produced and how engineering solutions are developed.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 31 of 250 Making teachers and staff leverage data from on a quarterly, weekly, and daily basis to adapt instruction in response to students’ needs. Rap, Rhythm and Chanting/rhyming creates energy and excitement about learning, and help students remember Rhyme113 key concepts. We use this method to engage and excite young learners. Physical activity maintains student engagement and is fun. Students learn new concepts with Kinesthetic Learning hand signals and support one another with snapping and other friendly, ritualized gestures to build teamwork, engagement, and peer support. This allows for more individualized instruction and ensures students are reading and learning at Flexible Ability Reading proximal levels. Groupings are used in literacy instruction small reading groups are flexible and Groups114 responsive, changing with testing cycles and student needs. Strategically incorporated between longer academic blocks and following high- intensity Guided moments of the day (i.e., following enrichment), we participate in guided meditation to teach Relaxation/Mediation115 students key relaxation techniques, including deep breathing and visualization and giving them the tools to calm down in moments of stress. We support students, classes, and grades in setting, monitoring, and meeting academic and non- Goal Setting academic goals by setting and reflecting on goals daily. We will explicitly teach students how to maintain effective, scholarly discussions with one another, beginning in Kindergarten during the literacy block. Habits of Discussion will be used and reinforced in all classes and across all grade levels, as teachers will provide students with sentence stems to support them to develop strong discussion skills. As our students move Habits of Discussion through the higher grades, the sentence stems will expand to reflect their more developed language skills, allowing all classes to have consistent expectations for how students effectively participate in academic discussions. Habits of Discussion require students to explain their thinking, agree and disagree with one another, and build on the ideas of their peers. Figure 1.3(d) conveys a calendar of the implementation of Habits of Discussion for K-3. We will use the 5 E Model for Science Inquiry-Based Instruction in science. Students will also continue text analysis in science and social studies. In social studies, students will complete Inquiry-Based Learning Document-Based Questions (DBQs) in alignment with state and national standards and in math we will build students’ conceptual understanding of math and problem-solving skills through Cognitively Guided Instruction. We will have 6 Data Days116 throughout the year, held after each assessment cycle, during which teachers and leaders deeply analyze performance data by standard, cohort, and student. As a school, we will use this time to Look at Student Work117 and norm on Feedback Codes118 and Academic Feedback.119 Looking at Student Work is a process where teachers and leaders analyze student work samples through unpacking the standard addressed, reviewing what the student should know to be proficient in response, and analyzing what the student is showing in their work. The teacher and leader create exemplars, determine trends from multiple student Data Driven Instruction responses, identify an area of focus for remediation of misconceptions, and devised an action plan for next steps for instruction. At the classroom level, data is also always visible and utilized to inform our decisions. In grades K-4, there will be a chart displaying anonymously the number of students at specific STEP levels in the room, the attendance rate for the room, and homework completion rates for the cohort. At grades 5-8, NWEA data will be posted to show the percentage of students at or above specific RIT levels, the attendance rate for the cohort, and the homework completion rate for the cohort. Inside of every core classroom, teachers will have
113 Observed use of Rap, Rhythm, and Rhyme at Purpose Preparatory Academy (Nashville, TN) in August 2017, North Star Academy Valisburg (Newark, NJ) in September 2017, and January 2018, Vista College Prep (Phoenix, AZ) in December 2017 during literacy instruction. 114 Ibid 115 On November 10, 2017 HOS studied Circle City Prep (Indianapolis, IN), led by Megan Murphy observed students during snack time participate in brain breaks and breathing exercise between literacy and math block. 116 The 13 professional development days in our calendar are comprised of 6 Data and 7 Professional Development days. See Attachment A. 117 On January 8, 2018, HOS observed Purpose Prep’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction lead teachers in “Looking at Student Work” after the administration of the winter interim assessment. 118 At two high-performing charter schools: North Star Academy Valisburg, on September 26, 2018 and Purpose Prep, on August 23, 2017, Feedback Codes were posted on walls and used in both oral and written feedback to students for math and literacy school-wide. Specific symbols are related to the feedback received from teachers to students. This Feedback Code is shared with parents during Parent Orientation at Purpose Prep and revisited during University Nights (per HOS observation on January 25, 2018). 119 Academic Feedback is delivered to students based on the specific standard focus for the lesson. Feedback to students using the language of the standard and scaffolding questions to support students’ thinking.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 32 of 250 Student Portfolios which have sections that contain student historical and recent report cards, progress reports, student work samples, STEP results, interim and unit assessment results, and Learning Continuum from NWEA. The Student Portfolio will also house an action plan for each student that teachers revisit and update at minimum during the 6 Data Days including in our school calendar to ensure we have thoughtfully designed instruction to meet every student’s needs. Teacher leaders on each grade level will facilitate professional learning communities (PLCs) as part of our weekly professional development held each Friday from 1:30 to 4:00pm, grounded in data.120 One final way we will use data to inform our decisions is through facilitation of Aggressive Monitoring during student independent work times. Teachers will make notations about student responses and provide students with direct academic feedback in alignment with pre-created exemplars for quality student work that demonstrates mastery on skill and/or content.
Memphis Merit Academy Core Taxonomies
High Behavior Expectations. To deliver rigorous academics, we must have high behavioral expectations and teachers must be able hold students accountable for these expectations. We will do this by using core behavioral taxonomies from Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion. These strategies are grounded in extensive research and used by multiple high-performing charter schools. The four primary taxonomies we will use to uphold high behavioral expectations are: Sweat the Details, What to Do, Do It Again, and 100 %.
High Academic Expectations. High academic expectations are essential for our rigorous academic program for all students. The two core academic taxonomies that we have chosen to focus on from Teach Like a Champion are: No-Opt Out and Culture of Error. Figure 1.3(e) details the 6 core taxonomies that we will ensure all staff use with fidelity at Memphis Merit Academy.
Figure 1.3 (e) – Six Core Instructional Techniques121 Skill Type Description Example Teacher asks students to raise hands to answer Sweat Approach that encourages teachers to enforce question, expecting all raised hands to be straight. the Behavioral compliance with every expectation, including If a student’s arm is not straight, teacher corrects it Details aspects that may seem minor. using a verbal reminder or, if repeated behavior, provides more formal consequence. Teacher provides specific, concrete, sequential and Teacher narrates the behavior he/she wants to observable directions. Teacher uses consistent What To Behavioral see, instead of instructing scholar what not to language each time he/she expects the same Do do. behavior. Teacher integrates a nonverbal gesture when giving the direction. During whole class transition from carpet to tables, Technique in which a teacher instructs a silent procedure, three students make noise. students to complete a procedure or process Teacher stops class and asks them to return to the Do It Again that has been practiced and has students Behavioral carpet, so they can do transition again. Excitedly, he repeat the process if it is not done well or by says, “Let‘s see if we can be at our seats in 15 all students. seconds!” Behavior. Method in which teachers Teacher asks students to sit in STAR so she Behavioral expect full participation to complete task or can give directions and she waits to speak for two & activity associated with learning and will not students whose eyes are not on her. “When there 100 Academic continue instruction until all students have is 100%, we are ready,” she says in a calm, yet Percent complied. assertive tone. Academic. When responding to an answer Teacher makes following statement after scanning in class the teacher holds out for an answer room during Read Aloud, "I need your eyes on me, that is 100% right. so you can learn.” Teacher scans room again for
120 DuFour, Richard. Learning by Doing. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2006. Print. 121 Lemov, Doug, 1967-. Teach Like a Champion 2.0. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2015. Print.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 33 of 250 students in compliance.
Process in which student who answers Teacher calls on Lakesha during Reading Mastery incorrectly is not able to give up on learning and asks her to read aloud the word “bead” process. We have high expectations for during individual turns. Lakesha does not know student performance and teacher should not answer. After prompting, teacher calls on another No Opt student to give “two vowels go walking” rule Academic accept “I don’t know for an answer.” Teacher Out prompts student to attempt to answer. If (when two vowels go walking, the first one does student genuinely does not know answer, the talking). Teacher then calls on Lakesha to do teacher calls on another student to assist, and another “two vowels” word. Lakesha gets correct then student is asked same question or is answer and gives rule. Teacher congratulates given similar one to answer correctly. Lakesha on correct answer. Example phrases from teacher to foster Culture of Error: (1) Expect Error. “I’m really glad that you made the mistake. It’s to help me to help you.” After scanning room to check which answers students picked, teacher says excitedly, “We have a lot of Technique used to create a classroom culture disagreement on this one!” (2) Withhold the through words and actions of both the teacher Answer“I see several students picked answer choice Culture and the students. Four key components of the X and that several others picked answer choice Y. of Academic strategy are: 1) Expect Error, 2) Withhold the How can I defend my answer whether I picked X or Y? Error122 /Advanced Answer, 3) Manage the Tell, and 4) Praise Risk- I heard some snaps and I hear some stomps. College Taking. discussion. Be ready to defend your answer.” (3) Manage the Tell. Teacher delays revealing whether answer is right or wrong until after class discussed it, and perhaps an alternative. The teacher retains suspense, keeps students productively engaged and avoids distractions of “Did I get it Right.”
The following is a sample of how other taxonomies will be taught during professional development and cycled throughout the school year to ensure our successful implementation.
Figure 1.3 (f) – Instructional Techniques Cycle Taxonomy 100% (The 100% cycle) Cycle 1 Strong Voice Positive Narration What to Do Do It Again Cycle 2 Precise Praise Warm/Strict Joy Factor Cold Call Positive Framing What to Do Cycle 3 No Opt Out Control the Game Right is Right At Bats Cycle 4 Turn and Talk
122 In a rigorously academic environment, we foster a Culture of Error described by Doug Lemov as “shaping how students respond to one another’s struggles.” This underpins our high expectations environment for academics and we will proactively teach students the expectations for behavior when someone struggles, with rationale. Lemov, Doug. Culture of Error. n.d. e-Book. 23 March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 34 of 250 Call & Response Targeted Questioning Habits of Discussion
(c) Key Characteristics of Academic Plan and Philosophy______These elements of our school design are critical to our school achieving its educational outcomes; for more detail, please see academic goals found in Section 1.4 (a). Memphis Merit Academy’s academic plan is based on the following beliefs: (1) All students deserve a high-quality education regardless of their demographic background. (2) Rigorous academics prepare our students for success in high school, college, and life. (3) High-quality instruction based on high-performing models across the country drives results. (4) Character development supports our students in a rigorous academic environment. With these beliefs, we have structured our academic model and design on the following principles.
Figure 1.3(g) – Principles of Design Our Guiding Principles for Design Our Core Components
Grade Span. Unique K-8 model divided into the Lower School (K-4) and Upper School College begins in Kindergarten. (grades 5-8) to deliver a strong foundation necessary for success in high school. Focus on college mission for all students.
Literacy Focus. Extended school day with 195 minutes(K-2), 180 minutes (3-4), and Literacy is the foundation of all 100 minutes (5-8) in literacy instruction. Research-based literacy strategies learning. integrated across content areas.
Intervention. Tier 3- 45 minutes and Tier 2- 30 daily of targeted math and literacy enrichment and interventions through our RTI2 model for all learners. Math Instruction. Focused on developing students’ critical thinking and conceptual High-quality instruction yields high- understanding of numbers culminating in grade 8 Algebra 1. quality results. Science Instruction. Daily lessons aligned to Next Generation Science Standards using the BSCS 5E Model for instruction. Hands-on experiences in science to help students understand complex science topics.
Supporting Teachers. Annual schedule of 30 full days of professional development for leaders and teachers including summer training (17 days) and the school year (13 days). Continuous Development. 2.5 hours of weekly professional development Intentional decision-making drives focused on supporting our school-wide priorities driven and supported by data: academic performance. academic accountability, culture/behavior management, and pedagogy and deliberate practice. (13 Full days comprised of 6 annual Data Days and 7 Professional Development days throughout the school year).
A core values-based community Character Education. Deliberate positive character development focused on core produces transformational leaders. values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork.
Rigorous Academics. Given the high expectations we hold for all of our students, we use TAS, directly aligned to the CCSS, as the foundation for our curriculum. To ensure our students can compete academically with their peers nationally, we have designed our curricula with the academic content and rigor needed to support our students to perform on national assessments such as MAP NWEA, at the 60th percentile or above. According to MAP Growth College Readiness Benchmarks: An Addendum with Preliminary Results Keyed on SAT, “College readiness benchmarks for fall and spring terms of 5th through 9th graders on MAP Growth mathematics and reading, which are statistically anchored on SAT’s college readiness cut-scores of 530 and 480 respectively, were obtained from examining more than 210,000 test events from 29,440 4th to 12th graders from 150 schools in 5 districts across the US. The study finds that middle and high school students in grades 5 through 9 are likely to be on-track in the preparation for
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 35 of 250 college if they performed between the 60th to 70th percentiles, or above, in mathematics or between the 40th to 50th percentiles, or above, in reading.”123 Our Upper School (5-8) will use this data to “[g]uage a student’s level of preparedness during 5-8 grade to “[h]ave some time to course-correct appropriately.”124 Using the backwards-planning approach,125 beginning with clarity of grade level expectations, we know exactly what students must be able to do by the end of the year in each subject. With this information, we utilize standards-aligned assessments to determine the level of mastery we want our students to gain by the end of each year. We plan our curricular sequence, inclusive of scope and sequences, units, daily lessons, weekly assessments, and interventions to move our students through our rigorous curriculum. To ensure students are mastering standards-aligned benchmarks, our rigorous curriculum expand beyond lesson activities. For example, students will be engaged in conversations between teachers and peers that incorporate rigorous vocabulary derived from specific vocabulary lists,126 consisting of over 7,000 high frequency and multiple meaning vocabulary words which characterize mature language uses and are important for reading comprehension.127 Focus on Literacy. Students will enter needing support in vocabulary and literacy; we will work relentlessly to close the gap between more affluent students and our students. Aligned with the goals of the TAS and using Understanding by Design framework backwards mapped to state and national assessments, our literacy curriculum will set students up to be strong readers able to gather information from the world around them and make use of it. In every grade level, K-8 students will be taught how to understand words through an intentional focus on word study that builds to the study of etymology by grade 8. High-Quality Instruction. We provide 30 full day professional development days including summer (17 full days) and sequenced throughout the school year (13 full days). Teachers will observe the highest performing schools upon which Memphis Merit Academy is designed to inform their vision of instructional excellence. Teachers promote a culture of achievement in their classrooms and employ high-yield instructional strategies, such as asking high-level questions, scaffolding literacy cues, reinforcing effort, and providing recognition; all strategies are research-based and practice-proven to have the greatest positive effect on achievement for all students, in all subject areas, at all grade levels. Instructional strategies and techniques are planned into lessons, and teachers are observed weekly and provided immediate written and verbal feedback by the Memphis Merit Leadership Team to continuously increase their instructional effectiveness and maximize student achievement results. Intellectual Preparation Protocol. To have transformational results, we will ensure all teachers engage in intellectual preparation before they deliver their daily lessons.128 We believe that “[t]eachers are coaches of understanding, not mere purveyors of content knowledge, skill, or activity. They focus on ensuring that learning happens, not just teaching (and if what was taught was learned); they always aim and check for successful meaning making and transfer by the learner.”129 Teachers will be coached and supported to engage in a unit internalization and lesson internalization protocol to ensure they are fully prepared to
123 Thum, Yeow Meng. MAP Growth College Readiness Benchmarks: An Addendum with Preliminary Results Keyed on SAT. Portland, 21 June 2017. Report.
124 Ibid. 125 Backwards planning is the practice of looking at student outcomes to design curriculum units, performance assessments, and classroom instructional methods. This approach is informed by the UBD framework designed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. 126 On January 9, 2018, HOS observed the use of specific vocabulary instruction during literacy rotations at Purpose Preparatory Academy. The vocabulary words were tiered based on reading groups. 127 Beck, I., M. McKeown & L.Kucan. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. NY: Guildford. 128 Intellectual prep is a term used for the work teachers must engage in metacognitively to prepare to teach students. 129 Mctighe, Jay and Grant Wiggins. Understanding by Design Framework. Alexandria, 2012. Document. 24 March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 36 of 250 deliver excellent instruction that anticipates misconceptions. In Y 1-2, this protocol will be led by the Head of School (HOS). The Dean of Academics (beginning Y 3) with the support of the HOS, Director of Lower School (beginning Y 5), and Director of Upper School (beginning Y 8), will lead the internalization protocol. We have included in our staffing structure two Dean of Academics roles at full scale. Our unit and lesson internalization protocols are based on resources from high-performing, urban charter schools, more specifically those from Uncommon Schools’ North Star Academy where a scripted curriculum is used. To be prepared to deliver excellent instruction, teachers will engage in professional development that includes our intellectual preparation protocol to fully understand the lesson’s objective, possible misconceptions, and exemplar responses that demonstrate mastery. Teachers will submit weekly lesson internalization templates and related student work and materials to their respective coach (Head of School Y 1-3) and Dean of Academics (beginning Y 3) for feedback.130 Detailed in Figure 1.3(h), our feedback cycle will be internally created and informed by the three stages from Understanding by Design: Desired Results, Assessment Evidence, and the Learning Plan. Stage 1 outlines established goals, scholar understandings, essential questions, and a clear description of what students will know and be able to do by the conclusion of the lesson. Stage 2 requires teachers to examine what authentic performance tasks students will have the opportunity to present their learning on and what evidence will be captured in the upcoming unit and lesson to demonstrate students’ mastery of the standards. Teachers review and analyze the exemplar responses for student responses and student work required throughout the lesson, which will then position them to be able to compare student work, oral and written, against such pre-established exemplars and thus also be positioned to provide precise and targeted feedback to grow students’ mastery of the content and the expression of their understanding. After successfully completing the Desired Results and Assessment Evidence stages, teachers transition to the Learning Plan. In Stage 3, teachers will gather the learning materials for students based on the scripted lessons provided to them. Figure 1.3(h) - Lesson Internalization Feedback Cycle Timeline Deliverable Teachers submit weekly lesson internalization of daily Tuesday by 8pm lessons for following week to Head of School (Y1-3) and/or (1.5 weeks from date of execution) Dean of Academics (beginning Y3). HOS or Dean of Academics provides targeted feedback for Friday by 8pm revisions to teacher. Teacher reviews and applies feedback and resubmits to Tuesday by 8am his/her coach. Teacher meets with coach for targeted practice of key levers identified in feedback or high frequency of anticipated Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday misconception on data from previous assessments. This develops automaticity/supports internalization of lessons.
Teachers will use a lesson internalization template to internalize scripted lessons for an upcoming unit. During weekly professional development sessions, teachers will work with their grade level peer to make adjustments or add supplements for additional intervention based on student data from the STEP assessment and NWEA MAP. We will provide scripted lesson plans to increase the amount of time teachers spend in intellectual preparation and practice, scaffolding learning for students, and preparing exemplars to give targeted feedback and gather data. Our process for intellectual preparation directly aligns with the rigor shifts of the Common Core Standards and the TAS.
130 The internalization of daily lesson is common practice used in Uncommon schools such as North Star Academy Valisburg (observed on September 26, 2017) and Purpose Prep (observed on January 5, 2018) in the BES Fellowship.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 37 of 250 Positive Character Development. Students learn how to behave well and work hard because our school is structured, disciplined, consistent, and joyful. At the start of each school year, teachers outline explicit procedures and expectations for how students should engage in every component of their school day, ensuring students know precisely what to expect and what is expected of them. We invest students in being a good community member of Memphis Merit Academy, and we explicitly teach students how to represent our MERIT core values of Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Team. Students are taught that their effort directly correlates to their achievement, and they are recognized and celebrated for their hard work and academic success. Celebrations, including Morning Motivation each day, Community Circle (MERIT Fest) weekly, Choice Time (MERIT Block for K-4), and Advisory Time (MERIT Block 5-8), and Achievement Assemblies every quarter to provide the forum for students to receive public praise and recognition for working hard, mastering academic skills and content, and representing the MERIT core values in their daily actions. A description of our values appears in the chart below:
Figure 1.3(i)– MERIT Core Values Mindfulness Knows where s/he is going and can reflect when to adjust the path. Approaches each day and new challenges with enthusiasm, remains optimistic, and puts his/her best Excellence effort every single time. Understands mistakes are evidence of learning and learns from them; has personal goals both short- Resilience and long-term and perseveres through challenges to achieve them. Integrity Operates with honesty and a strong moral code, even when others are not watching. Teamwork Supports others and takes initiatives to assist others and collaborate; empathetic and compassionate.
(d) Description of Research Supporting Academic Plan and Closing Achievement Gaps______The instructional practices and teaching methods adopted by Memphis Merit Academy come from proven models across the country that have consistently demonstrated successful results in high-poverty communities. Douglas Reeves’ “High Performance in High-Poverty Schools: 90/90/90,”131 outlines the necessity of the following to achieve high results for high-risk students: Replication of the best practices of other high-performing schools achieving high student achievement results; Focus on literacy; Frequent and meaningful assessments; and High-quality instruction. Reeves’ study on 90/90/90 schools, studied schools where 90 or more of students are in the following categories: (1) qualify for free or reduced lunch; (2) classify as minority in regard to ethnicities; (3) perform at high levels. Reeves found distinct characteristics true for schools that were classified as 90/90/90. The academic plans of Memphis Merit Academy are aligned to the model of other high poverty, high performing charter schools; a strong focus on literacy; an intentional decision-making driven by frequent and meaningful assessments; and the facilitation of our academic model through high-quality instruction. Reeves further explains techniques used by such schools as: (1) Techniques are persistent. Despite their economic backgrounds, more than 90% of students in these schools continue to meet or exceed state standards. (2) Techniques are replicable. The number of 90/90/90 schools have increased in the United States based on replication of best practices. (3) Techniques are consistent with their emphasis and core design. Informed by this research and under the national support and training of Building Excellent Schools (BES), we intend to implement the best practices, instructional pedagogy, and curriculum found in BES schools Purpose Preparatory Academy and Nashville Classical and many other schools that have consistently achieved successful results with high-poverty students. To successfully adapt Memphis Merit Academy’s curriculum to TAS and CCSS, our proposed Head of School has completed leadership residency at Purpose
131 Reeves, Douglas. High Performance and High Poverty Schools: 90/90/90 and Beyond. n.d. Document. 24 March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 38 of 250 Prep Academy and will continue with additional residencies at the school in the summer and fall of 2018. Informed by the study of 90/90/90 schools, our academic plan will enable our school to close achievement gaps across all subgroups of learners, specifically using the following elements:
Figure 1.3 (j) – Qualities Adopted from 90/90/90 Schools by Memphis Merit Subject Component of Design Students will have 195 minutes(K-2), 180 minutes (3-4), and 100 minutes (5-8) in literacy Focus on Literacy instruction per day with frequent opportunities to write, read, and speak across subjects. Literacy is integrated across subjects. Frequent and STEP Assessments (K-3) and Fountas & Pinnell (4-8) are prescribed literacy assessments Meaningful given 6 times throughout the school year with 6 annual data days throughout the year to Assessments analyze data and continuously measure student performance in literacy, for example.132 Teacher collaboration uses real student work as focus; teachers provided standards- High-quality aligned scope and sequence documents, unit and lesson plans, aligned to national and Instruction state standards; all teachers taught and supported in Intellectual Preparation Protocols. Core to our instructional practices will be the taxonomies outlined in Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion.133 To scaffold teacher development, we will group taxonomies into four focus cycles that we will progress through over the course of the year and we will supplement our professional development cycle with the scope and sequence laid out in the Get Better Faster scope and sequence.134 (e) Curriculum and Basic Learning Environment______Our school design includes a Lower (K-4) and Upper School (5-8). The Lower School will have a primary focus of laying a strong foundation in literacy; the Upper School will build on those literacy skills to ensure students are able to enter 9th grade reading at or above grade level. We ensure curriculum and the learning environment for math is focused on the major work of the grade and leverages inquiry through CGI. We ensure students engage in science coursework daily from kindergarten to prepare for the opportunities in STEM-related fields. We foster a Culture of Error where students feel comfortable to productively struggle and enhance their learning through questioning. We intentionally selected to offer Physical Education (beginning Year 1), Spanish (beginning Y 4), and STEM (beginning Y 5) to students to build on students’ learning and create an academic program that prepares them to excel. Each cohort will have 30 students per class and 60 students per grade level in K-4. We are submitting a waiver to have the increased classroom size at the elementary level. Our two-teacher model allows the teacher-student ratio to be 15:1 and with the inclusion or literacy rotations that include blended learning stations in every classroom that ratio during all have 195 minutes(K-2) and 180 minutes (3-5) of literacy instruction will be 10:1 Monday-Thursday; students will participate in 155 minutes (K-2), 150 minutes (grades 3-4), and 90 minutes (grades 5-8). We will move to a departmentalized model with subject-specific teachers in the Upper School (5-8). (f) Proposed Instructional Goals, Methods, and Academic Benchmarks______Our instructional goals will help us achieve excellent results for our students. GOAL 1: Students will be proficient in English Language Arts. GOAL 2: Students will be proficient in mathematics. GOAL 3: Students will be proficient in Science. GOAL 4: Students will be proficient in Social Studies. GOAL 5: The school will maintain consistent good standing under the state’s ESSA plan. These goals ensure that all learners are supported and prepared to matriculate to high school on track to successfully graduate and matriculate
132 See Attachment A: Annual School Calendar for details on STEP testing windows scheduled throughout the year. 133 Lemov, Doug. “Teach Like a Champion 2.0.” San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2015. 134 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Get better faster: a 90-day plan for coaching new teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2016.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 39 of 250 to college. Students will participate in Algebra I EOC and ACT Aspire to track and monitor high school and college readiness as a part of our program. We have selected to use methodologies commonly used across high-poverty, high performing schools to ensure our practices set students on the path to college. Methodologies are described in Figure 1.3(c) and listed as: Extended Time, Two Teacher Model (K-4), Small Group Instruction (all grades), Data-Driven Decision Making,’ Rap, Rhythm, and Rhyme, Kinesthetic Learning, Flexible Ability Reading Groups, Guided Mediation, Goal Setting, Habits of Discussion, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Data-Driven Instruction. Our academic benchmarks towards these goals are as follows: (1) All students will demonstrate academic growth at a rate of at least 1.5 grade levels each year in reading and in math on the NWEA, until they are reading and performing math on or above grade level. Once students reach proficiency, they will continue to show academic growth of at least 1.0 grade level each year. See Section 1.4 for more details on our academic accountability plan. (2) We will promote students based on their academic readiness as conveyed on assessments aligned with the Tennessee Academic Standards. More details on our academic benchmarks and promotion standards are found in Section 1.4. (g) Alignment with Target Population______Memphis Merit Academy’s challenging curriculum - aligned with national and state standards and informed by the successes of high-performing elementary and middle schools in Tennessee and across the country - will prepare students to match the achievement results of their wealthier peers in such communities as Germantown and Collierville. Our primary recruitment area will be within the 38118-zip code due to the lack of access to high quality schools and high poverty rates. We also anticipate recruiting in the contiguous zip codes of 38111, 38115, and 38114 as those communities also demonstrate lack of such access and similar demographic need.The goals and instructional strategies employed have been proven to be effective in the top-performing schools in TN and across the nation. We anticipate more than a quarter of our total population will be English Language Learners, a 77% FRL classification of students, and an 8% population of students with disabilities. We built an academic program to address these needs through the following: Focus on Literacy to beginning in kindergarten; Leverage community organizations and form partnerships across the City of Memphis to benefit our students (See Attachment E for pledged letters of support.); Two-Teacher Model (K-4) to ensure students develop a strong foundation in literacy regardless of their demographics. Through the BES Fellowship, our proposed Head of School has studied and completed a full immersion in a high-achieving, high-poverty school, Purpose Preparatory Academy, and will continue that relationship going forward. For letter of support from Purpose Preparatory Academy, please see Attachment E.
Figure 1.3(k) - Purpose Prep Reading Performance on TNReady Comparisons 2016-2017 TNReady Reading Performance
100 68.3 58.4 46 35.8 33.8 25.5 14.5 18.8 0 Purpose Prep Davidson CountyWilliamson CountyState of Tennessee
All Students Economically Disadvantaged Students
(h) Explanation of Alignment of Academic Plan to Tennessee Academic Standards (TAS) Our academic plan is aligned with TAS and CCSS. Our Founding Board of Directors include members which
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 40 of 250 have worked and currently work in a capacity leading school programs aligned to Tennessee Academic Standards. There are three members who have worked through the transition of Tennessee state standards, adoption of CCSS, to now-TAS. To ensure our school maintains student achievement, we will ensure our academic program is explicitly aligned to TAS.135 We will use the TN RTI Implementation Guide to inform the processes, planning, implementation, and data-driven decision-making for all Tiered Interventions. For Tiers II and III, we will (a) address the needs of struggling students, (b) provide additional time beyond afforded time for core instruction, (c) provide high quality instruction to match each student’s area of need, and (d) ensure instruction is provided by highly trained staff. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/rti/rti2_implementation_guide.pdf See Section 1.4 (g) for more detail about our RTI2 Implementation. Our program design is backwards-planned based on the skills students need to know at the end of each grade level as outlined in those standards. We are grounded in the knowledge and skills students must have to succeed in high school. Our academic plan focuses on building students’ critical thinking and problem- solving skills to help them find solutions to problems across content. Each component of our academic model relating to literacy reflects the CCSS for English Language Arts. Our robust approach to literacy instruction ensures: regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary; reading and writing grounded in evidence from literary and informational text; and building knowledge through content-rich literary and informational text. Our instructional approach to mathematics, CGI, encompasses the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice.136 Regular practice within the following are a part of our instructional approach: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; Attend to precision; Look for and make use of structure; and Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. Given our academic model’s foundational literacy approach, students receive regular practice with communication in math that employs literacy skills in reading, vocabulary, speaking, listening, and writing in alignment with the TAS.137
(i) Blended Learning______Memphis Merit Academy will provide blended learning for students during core instruction in the Lower School (K-4) during the literacy rotations and RTI2 Implementation. When examining highly successful charter schools, particularly in TN, that serve a similar demographic and which have demonstrated strong academic growth and achievement for all students and a diversity of learners, one key component of their academic program is the use of blended learning to meet the individualized needs of all students. These schools include BES schools Purpose Preparatory Academy and Nashville Classical, both of which rank in the top 5% of school performance in TN. Our selected blended learning program is a technology-based instructional program that provides students with the explicit instruction needed to continue to accelerate in the mastery of their reading skills during literacy rotations.138 We have strategically designed
135 Tennessee Department of Education: Academic Standards. n.d. Website. 24 March 2018. https://www.tn.gov/education/instruction/academic-standards.html>. 136 “Tennessee Department of Education.” n.d. Mathematics: Standards for Mathematical Practice. 24 March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 41 of 250 blended learning to be a part of our literacy instruction to ensure when students are not in small group instruction, learning continues to happen on an individualized level for every student.139
During literacy rotations in K-4, when students are not engaged in the teacher-led small groups, they are working with blended learning software adaptive to the skill levels of each student. In the Upper School (5-8), students will be required to use digital content aligned to the needs of each student during core instruction to remediate deficit skills. Just like in the Lower School (K-4), Upper School (5-8) students will engage at varied levels across RTI2 Tiers with digital content to remediate deficit skills when not working directly with a teacher.
During daily literacy rotation blocks, using our two-teacher model, students will be broken into three groups. These three groups allow teachers to work with small groups to deliver phonics and reading comprehension (K-2) and informational textual analysis and literary textual analysis in (grades 3-4). The third group of students during literacy rotations will be engaged in blended learning using adaptive technology to continue regular practice at their specific reading level and on learning objectives determined by STEP and MAP assessments. In grades 6-8, students will work more independently on grade level content, and pulled into small group instruction with the teachers based on individual needs. The blended learning program in 5-8, uses current events across content areas and translates articles by Lexile levels for all students to access nonfiction text at their level. The role of the teacher during this time is ensure students are engaged in reading articles at their independent Lexile levels via Newsela.
Our blending learning program, Lexia Core5, will support all students, including special populations of students by offering individualized instruction, has been reviewed favorably by the Council of Administrators Special Education (CASE),140 and has gained an official CASE endorsement. To meet the needs of ELLs, at-risk, gifted and students with IEPs and 504 plans, blended learning provides individualized, adaptive learning for all students and differentiation for students who are at-risk, on grade level, or advanced to improve their reading ability. Lexia Core5’s detailed data will allow us to monitor students’ continual growth and adjust instruction and supports in response to students’ individual needs.
Memphis Merit Academy will incorporate the use of adaptive computer software to ensure we maximize every minute with students to close achievement gaps. We have selected to use Lexia Core 5 (part of core instruction K-5 reading), Newsela (reading 6-8), ST Math (math K-6), Khan Academy (math- grades 7-8), i- Ready for math and reading (daily RTI2 K-8). The role of the teachers within the blended learning environment is to ensure students are engaged with blended software, analyze data from software platforms, and communicate student progress. This approach will drive academic gains and aid in the closure of achievement gaps across subgroups of students. Our blended learning platform will allow individualized instruction to continue while teachers work with students in small group instruction. Our enrichment course offering, STEM141 (Y4) will allow students to use blended learning software to learn a variety of skillsets and exposures in STEM. We have built and will continue to build partnerships with key organizations across the city and nation focused on using technology to create personalized learning for students. See Attachment E for letters from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and
139 Mastery of skills (90-100% accuracy) is required for students to advance to the next level in the blended learning platform. Progress is evaluated weekly, monthly, and quarterly by the classroom teachers with the support of the HOS. 140 Ibid. 141 Lakenna Booker, proposed HOS, worked as Founding Dean of Instruction at Nexus STEM Academy Middle School, and led the start-up of a STEM course offering using Republic CODE as blended learning curriculum. Republic CODE’s curriculum is from the BES school, Republic Schools in Nashville, TN. She has previously successfully formed a partnership with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and been a participant in the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network and Black Girl’s CODE, Inc.-Memphis.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 42 of 250 Black Girls CODE, Inc. -Memphis. The STEM course will connect STEM professionals to students virtually to create exposure for students to gain the computer science skills needed to be successful in life. Section 1.4 Academic Performance Standards (a) Annual and Long-Term Academic Achievement Goals ______Memphis Merit Academy proposes the following ambitious academic goals for our charter term, as well as for our terminal 8th grade class, using absolute, comparative, and longitudinal measures that support the goals outlined in SCS Destination 2025, the TAS, and the federal ESSA. We recognize that not all students will enroll in our school starting in grades K and 1, and that over time some students will join us in the upper grades. The absolute, comparative, and longitudinal goals evidence our commitment to all students outperforming the local schools in all years, making measurable academic progress year to year, and demonstrating mastery in the core subjects of ELA and Math after three years of enrollment. Regardless of the specific grade-entry point of any individual child, we are committed to their success as such goals and measures on state, national, and literacy inventories indicate. Indicators for success for a child before their third year of enrollment include a minimum of 5% annual growth on the NWEA MAP assessments in Reading and Math and 3 levels of reading growth on the STEP Reading Assessment; all academic scores on state assessments, inclusive of all students regardless of the initial grade-point of enrollment with us, will allow us to earn good standing under TN’s ESSA accountability system. Measure 5.1 is rooted in our commitment to every student, regardless of their starting point in our school. In addition, Absolute Measure 1.2, Growth 1.4, 1.6, 2.3, 3.3, and 4.3 also reflect our measurement of students regardless of their starting point. We have set these goals to ensure our students are achieving at levels meeting or exceeding the district, state, and federal accountability expectations.
GOAL 1: Students will be proficient in English Language Arts. • Absolute Measure 1.1: In each testing year, at least 50% of all students who have attended for three142 consecutive years will read on or above grade level with the performance category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. At least 60% will read on or above grade level after four consecutive years. At least 80% of all students who have attended for five consecutive years will read on or above grade level with the performance category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. • Absolute Measure 1.2: Each year, as measured by the STEP Assessment, at least 70% of kindergarten students will read on a Step 3 by the end of the year, demonstrating first-grade reading readiness. Each year, as measured by the STEP Assessment, at least 80% of first-grade students will be a Step 6 by the end of the year, demonstrating second-grade reading readiness. As measured by the STEP Assessment, at least 90% of second-grade students will be a Step 9 by the end of the year, demonstrating third-grade reading readiness. • Comparative Measure 1.3: In each testing year, students who have attended for three consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate at least 10 percentage points higher than the district average on the TN Ready Assessment. Students who attend for four consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate that equals or exceeds the state average. Students who have attended for five consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate in the top 25% of schools in Tennessee. • Growth Measure 1.4: In a cohort analysis of longitudinal growth, the average annual percentile
142 This measure captures our first testing grade, when we grow our first 3rd grade cohort and captures all future cohorts in other years.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 43 of 250 increases among Memphis Merit Academy students on the Reading Comprehension section of the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) will average a minimum of five (5) percentiles of growth per year until the average percentile score reaches 75. • Growth Measure 1.6: Each year, at least 80% of students will grow a minimum of 3 STEP reading levels (one grade level) as measured by the STEP Assessment. GOAL 2: Students will be proficient in mathematics. • Absolute Measure 2.1: In each testing year, at least 50% of all students who have attended for three consecutive years will perform math on or above grade level with the performance category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady.143 At least 60% will perform math on or above grade level after four consecutive years. At least 80% of all students who have attended for five consecutive years will perform math on or above grade level with the reporting category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. The proficiency rate of students taking the Algebra I EOC assessment, who have attended for nine consecutive years, will match or exceed the proficiency rate of the highest-performing district in Tennessee up to 85%. • Comparative Measure 2.2: In each testing year, students who have attended for three consecutive years will, on average, attain On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate at least 10 percentage points higher than the district average on the TN Ready Assessment. Students who have attended for four consecutive years will, on average, attain On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate that equals or exceeds the state average. Students who have attended for five consecutive years will, on average, attain On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate in the top 25% of schools in Tennessee. • Growth Measure 2.3: In a cohort analysis of longitudinal growth, the average annual percentile increases among Memphis Merit Academy students on the mathematics section of the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) will average a minimum of five (5) percentiles of growth per year until the average percentile score reaches 75.
GOAL 3: Students will be proficient in Science. • Absolute Measure 3.1: In each testing year, at least 50% of all students who have attended for three consecutive years will perform in science on or above grade level with the reporting category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady.144 At least 60% will perform in science on or above grade level after four consecutive years. At least 80% of all students who have attended for five consecutive years will perform in science on or above grade level with the reporting category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. Memphis Merit students in grade 8 who have attended for at least for five consecutive years will, on average, attain a score on the science section of the ACT Aspire in the 70th percentile or greater. • Comparative Measure 3.2: In each testing year, students who have attended for three consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate at least 10 percentage points higher than the district average on the TN Ready Assessment. Students who have attended for four consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate that equals or exceeds the state average. Students who have attended for five consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate in the top 25% of schools in Tennessee. Students who have attended for seven or more consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate that equals or exceeds the top 10% of schools in Tennessee.
143 Ibid. 144 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 44 of 250 • Growth Measure 3.3: In each testing year, overall performance in science, as measured by the TNReady, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency in each tested year equal to or greater than that of similar schools.145 GOAL 4: Students will be proficient in Social Studies.
• Absolute Measure 4.1: In each testing year, at least 50% of all students who have attended for three consecutive years will perform in social studies on or above grade level with the reporting category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. At least 60% will perform in social studies on or above grade level after four consecutive years. At least 80% of all students who have attended for five consecutive years will perform in social studies on or above grade level with the reporting category of On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) on TNReady. • Comparative Measure 4.2: Students who have attended for three consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate at least 10 percentage points higher than the district average on the TN Ready Assessment. Students who have attended for four consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate that equals or exceeds the state average. Students who have attended for five consecutive years will, on average, achieve On Track (Level 3) or Mastered (Level 4) at a rate in the top 25% of schools in the Tennessee. • Growth Measure 4.3: In all testing years, overall performance in social studies, as measured by the TNReady, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar 146 schools. GOAL 5: The school will maintain good standing under TN ESSA accountability system. • Measure 5.1: Under the state’s ESSA accountability system,147 the school will maintain consistent good standing. The state will never identify the school as a Priority School or determine that it has met the criteria to be identified as a school at risk for closure based on inadequate academic progress or achievement. Memphis Merit Academy will be in good standing with performance for all students’ (including subgroups148) performance.149 ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS GOAL 6: The school will demonstrate fiduciary and fiscal responsibility. • Measure 6.1: Each year, as evidenced by external annual audit reports, Memphis Merit Academy will demonstrate that it meets or exceeds professional accounting standards. • Measure 6.2: Each year, the school will present and follow a balanced budget, demonstrating the effective allocation of financial resources towards the fulfillment of our mission. GOAL 7: Memphis Merit Academy will be fully enrolled, with high levels of attendance and re- enrollment. • Measure 7.1: The school will meet projected enrollment targets and will maintain this enrollment throughout the year. • Measure 7.2: Of the students who successfully complete the year, at least 90% will re-enroll for the
145 Similar schools are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar percentages of FRL students. 146 Similar schools are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar free and reduced lunch populations. 147 Tennessee’s ESSA Plan. (2018, March 21). Retrieved March 25, 2018, from Tennessee Department of Education: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/TN_ESSA_State_Plan_Approved.pdf. 148 Memphis Merit Academy will ensure progress in achieving English language proficiency (ELPA), student achievement gap closure across subgroups (ELL, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and at-risk populations), according to TN’s ESSA Plan. 149 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 45 of 250 following year, with exceptions for families who move out of the district or who lose access to transportation. • Measure 7.3: The school will maintain an average daily attendance rate of at least 95%. GOAL 8: Parents will demonstrate satisfaction with the academic program and school-to-home communication. • Measure 8.1: Each year, parent satisfaction surveys will indicate 80% or more of families are satisfied with the school’s academic program with at least 80-85% of families responding. • Measure 8.2: Each year, parent satisfaction surveys will indicate 80% or more of families are satisfied with the school’s communication with at least 80-85% of families responding. GOAL 9: The Board of Directors will provide effective and sound oversight of the school. • Measure 9.1: The Board will conduct a formal annual review of the school leader. • Measure 9.2: The Board will conduct an annual self-evaluation to assess the Board’s strengths and weaknesses. • Measure 9.3: The Board will conduct a formal annual review of bylaws and policies. • Measure 9.4: The Board will conduct an annual review of organizational strengths and weaknesses. (b) Process for Setting, Monitoring, and Revising Academic Achievement Goals We have selected three types of goals to monitor progress: absolute, comparative, and growth. Our absolute goals inform us on the explicit progress we must make each year, despite comparative data. We will uphold these outcomes, regardless of the performance of surrounding schools’ student achievement. We will use our absolute measures to determine the percent of students on track or above Tennessee’s proficiency level. We expect each year students are consecutively attending our academic program, the level of proficiency improves, just as Tennessee aims to improve proficiency at the state-level each year.150 Comparative measure is included as a part of our measurement for student achievement to ensure we are delivering on our mission of being a high quality educational option for families. We have set forth in our charter petition to be increase the options of high quality schools available to families in 38118. Therefore, our results must demonstrate student academic achievement performance higher than the surrounding schools and district. Our comparative measures ensure we monitor progress towards our mission in this capacity. The growth measure we have included as a component to convey if students are not only achieving in our program but whether they are growing each year. Given an anticipated 77% FRL population, 33% ELL population, and 8% students with disability population, we anticipate many students arriving on the first day with deficits 151 in kindergarten readiness and academic performance on grade level for 1st grade. Our growth goals ensure we must grow all students faster than the national norm to close the existing achievement gaps and move students to their appropriate grade level performance. In addition to closing achievement gaps, we believe in ensuring all students experience continuous growth in our school. We will continue to measure value added growth as a part of our goals even after we meet both absolute and comparative goals for students’ academic achievement. The Board will revisit our goals annually to ensure our goals are rigorous and include measurements we
150 Tennessee’s ESSA Plan. (2018, March 21). Retrieved March 25, 2018, from Tennessee Department of Education: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/TN_ESSA_State_Plan_Approved.pdf 151 Hart, B., & Risley T. (2003). “The Early Catastrophe: The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3.” American Educator, 1-9. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/TheEarlyCatastrophe.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 46 of 250 need to properly evaluate the school design and the Head of School’s effectiveness, prior to the start of each school year. The Board of Directors will be informed on the progress towards our academic goals through each monthly board meeting and direct oversight of the Academic Achievement Committee. The Academic Achievement Committees responsible for overseeing the school’s progress via the Academic Data Dashboard, and providing a plan of action to the HOS, if the school student academic achievement data is struggling. Upon annual review of student academic achievement goals, we will not revise goals based on the performance of students to lower our academic performance goals, but the Board may elect to set higher goals if we are consistently meeting our goals as written. In addition, if there are changes to Tennessee Academic Standards or state testing, we will revise our goals as needed to align with new requirements during the annual review. (c) Plan for Corrective Action if School Falls Below District or State Achievement Expectations In the event we fall below district or state achievement expectations, we will follow any authorizer requirements for taking corrective action. Whether required or not, our Board will review the school’s accountability data and devise a plan of action for school improvement to provide to Shelby County Schools. The Head of School (HOS) will be responsible for leading the school in implementing the plan and monitoring progress based on assessments and other relevant data by the Board. The HOS will communicate to the Board monthly with updates to keep the Board consistently and measurably informed on the school’s progress towards academic goals. Once we have made sufficient progress toward accomplishing goals outlined in the corrective action plan, the Board will focus on data once every two months. If the school does not continue sufficient progress after two months, the Board will revert to biweekly monitoring and may ask the HOS to revise the original corrective action plan. The Board, through its Academic Achievement Committee, will continue biweekly monitoring of progress towards goals with formal monthly reports to the Board, and if by the fourth consecutive month, improvement is insufficient, the Board will help the HOS select a task force of internal and/or external individuals to ensure the HOS gets student achievement on track. At the end of the academic year, if the HOS has not achieved sufficient progress, the Board will determine whether to re- hire the HOS. During this process of corrective action, if student progress is on track, the Board will resume it normal monthly monitoring of the Academic Data Dashboard. Upon completion of the BES Fellowship, the proposed HOS will participate in Follow On Support from BES during the planning year, Year 1, and Year 2. BES Follow On Support offers the following benefits to the HOS:152 Regular check-ins with an experienced leadership coach who conducts visits to the school and gives regular feedback for school improvement; Ensures the school active voice remains ahead of corrective action protocols that are enacted; Access to professional development for leadership and teachers and other supports as necessary. (d) Description of Student Attendance Goals We believe it is vital to partner with families to ensure students succeed in our academic program. We have discussed in Section 1.12 the efforts and plans we have to partner with families and the community through our community engagement plan. Immediately after authorization of our school, we will continue the work of engaging and partnering with families in and around the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities to provide more insight of our school design and why Memphis Merit Academy is strategically designed to meet the needs of all students.
152 For Letter of Support from BES, please see Attachment E.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 47 of 250 Our goal is to maintain a 96% attendance rate or better throughout the school year and across all years. To support high attendance, we will provide incentives to individual students and to classes at each grade level. We will highlight individual students by recognizing them in Community Circle (MERIT Fest) for weekly perfect attendance. We will highlight the class with best monthly attendance rate at our Community Circle at the end of each month. Each quarter, we will celebrate students with perfect attendance during our quarterly honors programs. Our Community Circles (MERIT Fest) occur at the culmination of each school week, but we reserve the last Community Circle (MERIT Fest) for members of our community to join us in celebrating our students and parents for meeting and exceeding our expectations in partnership. We believe parents are our partners. Therefore, we will leverage four (4) Family/Parent Orientations for parents/families to orient families to our expectations. We also commit to conducting home visits with families from January to May to meet with each newly enrolled student. We will explain to families the rationale for our 96% attendance goal and what this means for their child. In K-2, Monday-Thursday, students receive 195 minutes of literacy instruction, 120 minutes of math instruction, and 210 minutes of targeted small group instruction (including RTI2) that a student would not be able to engage in if absent. In grades 3-4, Monday-Thursday, students receive 180 minutes of literacy instruction, 100 minutes of math instruction, and 110 minutes of targeted small group instruction (including RTI2) that a student would miss if absent from school. In grades 5-8, each day students receive 100 minutes of literacy instruction, 100 minutes of math instruction, and 45 minutes of targeted small group instruction that a student would miss if absent. Our school design leverages every minute to meet the needs of all students and close achievement gaps of students. The Kickboard system will give parents access to student attendance information and serves as an instant way for parents to notate daily attendance for their child. Teachers can communicate with the family about missed assignments. Teachers will communicate personal notes home to the parent about attendance and request a conference about attendance concerns in Kickboard and on daily behavior logs. Kickboard will generate a weekly paycheck (MERIT Report) for students based on their performance with our core values with attendance being a quantifier for earning. In the Upper School (5-8), students will take home a daily paycheck detailing their progress towards school expectations with daily attendance counted as a factor in paycheck amount. Students will earn “merits” towards their weekly paycheck (MERIT Report) as a part of our daily incentives for attendance. Each day at by 7:45am, the Office Manager will communicate with any student’s family that is absent or tardy via phone and/or email. This is to ensure we monitor student attendance as quick as possible and provide supports for families, if needed. We will remind parents during our call or through email of our attendance policy and that upon their student’s return to send with them the proper documentation for an excused absence. After a student is late 4 times in a quarter, the parent/guardian will be sent a tardy concern letter. If the student is late up to 8 times within a quarter, the parent/guardian will receive a phone call from the Office Manager (or designee) to discuss implementing an arrival plan. If a student is late 10 times in a quarter, the parent/guardian must attend a meeting with the Head of School to revisit the arrival plan before the student is permitted participation in other extracurricular activities. We will adopt the Shelby County Schools attendance policy. In accordance with such policy the following grant an excused absence: (1) Personal illness, homebound, hospitalization of student, injury, pregnancy, circumstance; The Head of School may request a conference with the Student Support Coordinator to determine if additional supports are needed for the student due to absences after ten days have been accumulated throughout the year. A doctor's note must accompany any additional absences for the students thereafter. (2) Serious illness or death of a student’s immediate family. (3) Student participation in school sponsored activity, high school visit, or college visit as a student representative. (4) Religious
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 48 of 250 holidays and special regularly observed holiday by specific faith groups. Students are excused for absences of class or school day due to religious observance of a holiday deemed sacred by a religion of the student. The student will be allowed to make-up any missed work without penalty. (5) Absences due to court orders, subpoena, or court summons are excused. (6) Circumstances beyond the student’s control at the discretion of the HOS may be excused. (7) Deployment of the students’ parent or guardian enlisted in the United States Armed Forces, inclusive of the National Guard or Reserve called to active duty. (a) The student shall be given one day of excused absence for deployment and one absence for the return for deployment of the parent or legal guardian. (b) Students may be given excused absences for up to ten (10) days to visit student’s parent or guardian if the parent is granted rest and recuperation leave and is also stationed outside of the country. (c) Students may be given excused absences for up to ten (10) days of accumulation throughout the school year for visitation during deployment of parent or guardian. The total excused absences for deployment related reasons may not exceed 10 cumulative days. A student may be given an excused absence when participating in a non-school sponsored event or activity at the discretion of the HOS. The parent or guardian must provide documentation to the Office Manager of proof of participation in the activity. The documentation must be in writing at least 7 business days prior to the student’s absence. Once the documentation is received parent or guardians will fill out a request for excused absence which shall include, student full name, school ID, grade, dates of the anticipated absence, reason for the absence, signature of both student and parent. The HOS or designee will approve the request and notify the parents in writing of their status of excused absence. To ensure all students are receiving the learning and support they need to be successful in life. The HOS may cap the number of non- school related activities deemed as excused absences. The HOS shall not excuse more than 10 absences annually for students participating in non-school related activities. Any absence not outlined above shall be considered unexcused absences. Any student absent from school not for the above reasons will be considered an unexcused absence. If a student has excessive unexcused absences he/she will be deemed as truant. We will follow Tennessee State Law (TCA 49-6-3007 when reporting truancy. For unexcused absences, the following actions will be taken by the school based on policy 6016 Truancy District: (1) Parents will be notified by phone on the first and second day of missed absence and documentation of these calls will be recorded. (2) 3rd and 4th unexcused absence will result in warning letter sent to parents informing them of the truancy laws and the consequences of noncompliance and requesting parent teacher conference. (3) 5th unexcused absence, the first official letter will be generated by SCS District and sent to the parent/guardian informing them of noncompliance with attendance laws and consequences for failing to comply. The letter will also detail the request for a meeting of the Student Attendance Review Team (SART).153 This team is formed to identify the cause of unexcused absences to bring parent in compliance with attendance laws. Phone calls will also be made to parents and documented. The SART will develop a Parent/Student Action Plan (PSAP) to address the causes of unexcused absences. This information will also be communicated with the school’s RTI2 Team to further support the student’s interventions. All communication to parent/guardian will be documented. (4) Once a student has accumulated ten or more unexcused absences, there is a final letter and any additional letters will be from the District Attorney’s Office and automatically generated by the District and sent to the parent/guardian. Letters will mandate the parent/guardian bring their child for appropriate services. The Board will then decide the leading factor to truancy and refer the child and parent for services. The Head of School shall notify the Superintendent (or designee) when they withdraw a student who has at least 10 consecutive days of unexcused absence. Parent/guardians may appeal any unexcused absences to the Head of School (or designee). The appeal must adhere to the following: (a) Written and include documentation to support the appeal. (b) Submitted within 5 business days of the first official generated
153 In Y1-3, team will consist of HOS, Student Support Coordinator, at least one classroom teacher, and the student.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 49 of 250 attendance letter by the District. (c) Grounded with a rationale allowable in 6016 Truancy District policy. The HOS (or designee) will review the appeal within 5 business days, meet with the parent or guardian and provide a decision. Students with more than 15 days of accumulated absences in a school year whether excused or unexcused must participate in a parent conference with the HOS and teachers to determine eligibility and readiness for promotion. The HOS will review RTI2 data (ROI, gap analysis, and progress monitoring), NWEA data, STEP assessment, and behavior data to make a final decision on retention or promotion in each case. Any student issued an excused absence may have the opportunity to make up any missed school work. All students will be expected to make-up work to receive credit for missed classwork within 10 days of the initial missed absence. Students will be provided extra support on missed work during extracurricular time, recess, and choice time until the work is made up. For unexcused absences, students may have one day of makeup work time to complete missed assignments for each day missed for up to 10 days. If absences exceed 10 days, the family must attend a meeting with the HOS to determine a plan for make- up work and support for the student to be on track for the rest of the academic year. (e) Student Matriculation Through Memphis Merit Academy Our promotion policy is rooted in a balance of understanding that while students learn at different rates and may experience plateaus at different times as they grow, mastery of grade level academic standards is the best measure for promotion to the next grade. We have developed a promotion and retention policy reflective of our mission and academic goals (see Section 1.4). It ensures a student can be successful in the academic challenges of the next grade level. Grade-level promotion is determined based on attendance, mastery of content as depicted in final grades, and final exam requirements. As we anticipate a student population performing below and potentially significantly below grade-level, we have added a growth metric to our policy in grades K-3. Figure 1.4 (a) outlines our grade level promotion requirements. Figure 1.4 (a) - Promotion Criteria for Memphis Merit Academy (K-8) Figure 11: Promotion Criteria Grade Attendance Grade Component STEP Level Level Requirement Requirement K = STEP 3 or higher Math coursework 1st = STEP 6 or higher K-2 Absent ≤ 15 days average ≥ 70% 2nd = STEP 9 or higher OR 5 STEP Levels of growth Math coursework STEP 12 or higher OR 3 Absent ≤ 15 days average ≥ 70% 5 STEP Levels of growth
All course average 4-8 Absent ≤ 15 days ≥ 70% (ELA, Math, NA Science, and Social Studies)
We provide students multiple tiers of support during our extended day and extended year program, including daily tutoring, to ensure that students have the supports they need to master the skills necessary for promotion. Daily attendance is vital to student success, allowing us to support students as they pursue academic success and simultaneously teach students to take responsibility for their educational future. Thus, students who miss more than 15 days of school may be retained. We adhere to all regulations regarding extended illness which does not impact attendance averages. We communicate regularly with families to ensure that every student can meet our attendance requirement, including using weekly
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 50 of 250 progress reports, three formal report cards, and the requirement for all teachers to communicate with families regularly. Our Office Manager closely monitors attendance, and all daily attendance averages are part of our Academic Accountability Dashboard monthly report to the Board. Memphis Merit Academy students will receive grades in class to determine absolute mastery of grade level standards. Our curriculum is aligned to Tennessee Academic Standards and Common Core State Standards and driven by the assessments we have created to measure mastery towards such standards. Absolute measures for literacy for our students are determined in grades K-3 by the STEP Assessment, due to the impact of students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. All students must read on STEP 12 by the end of third grade to be promoted (exceptions apply for those students which have exceptions outlined in their IEP or demonstrate growth equal to five (5) STEP levels in one academic year). In grades 4-5, we will use Fountas and Pinnell Assessments to determine reading mastery. Figure 1.4 (b): Proficiency Levels as Measured by STEP and Fountas and Pinnell (K-5) STEP Fountas & Pinnell (Reading) (Reading) End of Kindergarten STEP 3 End of 1st Grade STEP 6 (or three levels) End of 2nd Grade STEP 9 (or three levels) End of 3rd Grade STEP 12 (or three levels P (or five letters) End of 4th Grade S (or five letters) End of 5th Grade V (or five letters) Promotion and Retention Decisions In K-3, students not meeting the appropriate STEP level for promotion, and demonstrating mastery (M) of at least 70% of grade level standards in math may be retained. If students do not meet the requirements for promotion, the HOS will consider the following: (1) current skill level in math and reading (2) student’s age (3) RTI2 progress monitoring data (4) previous performance (5) number of absences (6) previous retentions (7) standardized test results and (8) maturity level of student. We will provide summer remediation opportunities for students in grades 4-8. In grades 4-8, if students average between 60-69% in one or two core subjects, they will have the opportunity to take two weeks of intense summer school in that subject. The student can re-take the final comprehensive assessment in the class(es) s/he failed and must earn a minimum of 70% on that assessment to earn promotion. Students earning less than 60% in their annual average in one or more classes do not demonstrate sufficient proficiency for summer remediation opportunities and would best benefit from additional teaching and learning before earning promotion to the next grade. We have detailed in Section 1.7 of this application which measures we will use to determine students’ achievement. In compliance with IDEA, all students with IEPs and 504s will need to meet all promotion criteria unless their IEP indicates separate goals content areas. If this is the case, satisfactory meeting of those goals will satisfy that component of the promotion criteria. If there is an indication the student may need to be retained, the HOS will meet with the student and family to discuss a course of action, including interventions, additional supports, or mandated tutoring as soon as possible to best ensure all students can be successful. If interventions are not leading to the growth necessary, the recommendation to retain will be made by classroom teachers; final promotion decisions will be made by the HOS. If there is an indication the student may need to be retained, the Head of School will meet with the student and family to discuss a course of action, including interventions, additional supports, or mandated tutoring as soon as possible to best ensure all students can be successful. If interventions are not leading to the growth and improvement necessary, the recommendation to retain will be made by the classroom
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 51 of 250 teachers, and final promotion decisions will be made by the HOS. We will provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to all students. FAPE mandates that the school provides access to general education and specialized educational services. It also requires that students with disabilities receive support free of charge as is provided to non-disabled students. It also provides access to general education services for children with disabilities by encouraging that support and related services be provided to children in their general education settings as much as possible. We will provide a variety of special education programs for students identified as having a disability as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). A student may receive special education services only through the proper evaluation and placement procedure. Parent/Guardian involvement is required. More importantly, we encourage the parent to be an active participant. A parent or guardian who believes his/her student may have a disability that interferes substantially with the student’s ability to function properly in school should contact the HOS. (f) Memphis Merit Academy’s Exit Standards To ensure students are prepared to excel in high school, we will closely monitor their progress towards mastery of grade 8 standards; these standards are outlined in Figures 1.4(c)1, 1.4(d), 1.4(e), and 1.4(f). Figure 1.4 (c)1 - English Language Arts Exit Standards154 Grade 8 Reading Standards for Literature Key Ideas and Details 1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. 3. Analyze how particular lines or dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. Craft and Structure 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. 5. Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. 6. Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. Integration of Knowledge 7. Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays and Ideas faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. 8. (Not applicable to literature) 9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. Reading Level and Text 10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and Complexity poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Grade 8 Reading Standards for Informational Text Key Ideas and Details 1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of
154 Common Core State Standards Initiative: Preparing America’s Students for College & Career. (2018, March 25). Retrieved 2018, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/8/.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 52 of 250 the text. 3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). Craft and Structure 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. 5. Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text, including the role of particular sentences in developing and refining a key concept. 6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints. Integration of Knowledge 7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or and Ideas digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or text. 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced. 9. Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation. Reading Level and Text 10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the Complexity grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Grade 8 Writing Standards Text Types and Purposes 1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Establish and maintain a formal style. f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structures event sequences. a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 53 of 250 language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events. Production and Distribution 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style of Writing are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.) 5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 8 on page 53.) 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. Research to Build and 7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated Present Knowledge question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. 8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new”). b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced”). Range of Writing 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Grade 8 Speaking and Listening Standards Comprehension and 1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and Collaboration teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. c. Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, ideas. d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented. 2. Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation. 3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced. Presentation and 4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner Knowledge of Ideas with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 54 of 250 5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. 6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 53 for specific expectations.) Grade 8 Language Standards Conventions of Standard 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage English when writing or speaking. a. Explain the function of verbs (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in specific sentences. b. Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice. c. Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood. d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood. 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break. b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission. c. Spell correctly. Knowledge of Language 3. Use knowledge of language and conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact). Vocabulary Acquisition and 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and Use phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g., overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to meaning of a word or phrase. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede). c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech. d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). 5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context. b. Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words. c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute). Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Figure 1.4 (d) - Grade 8 Exit Standards -Algebra I155 Domain Cluster Standard
155 Common Core State Standards Initiative: Preparing America’s Students for College & Career. (2018, March 25). Retrieved 2018, from http:// http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/HSA/introduction/.
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V = ) 12t through viable argument to justify a solution method. reasoning and explain Solve equations 3. Solve linear equations and inequalities in one variable, including and inequalities in equations with coefficients represented by letters. one variable 4. Solve quadratic equations in one variable. a. Use the method of completing the square to transform any quadratic equation in x into an equation of the form (x – p) 2 = q that has the same solutions. Derive the quadratic formula from this form. b. Solve quadratic equations by inspection (e.g., for x 2 = 49), taking square roots, completing the square, the quadratic formula and factoring, as appropriate to the initial form of the equation. Recognize when the quadratic formula gives complex solutions and write them as a ± bi for real numbers a and b.
Solve systems of 5. Prove that, given a system of two equations in two variables, replacing one equations equation by the sum of that equation and a multiple of the other produces a system with the same solutions. 6. Solve systems of linear equations exactly and approximately (e.g., with graphs), focusing on pairs of linear equations in two variables. Represent and 10. Understand that the graph of an equation in two variables is the set of all its solve equations solutions plotted in the coordinate plane, often forming a curve (which could and inequalities be a line). graphically 11. Explain why the x-coordinates of the points where the graphs of the equations y = f(x) and y = g(x) intersect are the solutions of the equation f(x) = g(x); find the solutions approximately, e.g., using technology to graph the functions, make tables of values, or find successive approximations. Include cases where f(x) and/or g(x) are linear, polynomial, rational, absolute value, exponential, and logarithmic functions. 12. Graph the solutions to a linear inequality in two variables as a half- plane (excluding the boundary in the case of a strict inequality), and graph the solution set to a system of linear inequalities in two variables as the intersection of the corresponding half-planes. Understand the 1. Understand that a function from one set (called the domain) to another set concept of a (called the range) assigns to each element of the domain exactly one function and use element of the range. If f is a function and x is an element of its domain, then function f(x) denotes the output of f corresponding to the input x. The graph of f is the graph of the equation y = f(x). notation 2. Use function notation, evaluate functions for inputs in their domains, and interpret statements that use function notation in terms of a context. 3. Recognize that sequences are functions, sometimes defined recursively, whose domain is a subset of the integers. For example, the Fibonacci IF) - sequence is defined recursively by f(0) = f(1) = 1, f(n+1)= f(n) + f(n-1) for n ≥ 1. Interpret 4. For a function that models a relationship between two quantities, interpret functions that key features of graphs and tables in terms of the quantities, and sketch arise in graphs showing key features given a verbal description of the relationship. applications in Key features include: intercepts; intervals where the function is increasing, terms of the decreasing, positive, or negative; relative maximums and minimums; context symmetries; end behavior; and periodicity.
Interpreting Functions (F Interpreting Functions 5. Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes. For example, if the function h(n) gives the number of person-hours it takes to assemble n engines in a factory, then the positive integers would be an appropriate domain for the function. 6. Calculate and interpret the average rate of change of a function (presented symbolically or as a table) over a specified interval. Estimate the rate of change from a graph.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 57 of 250 Analyze 7. Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the functions using graph, by hand in simple cases and using technology for more complicated different cases. representations a. Graph linear and quadratic functions and show intercepts, maxima, and minima. b. Graph square root, cube root, and piecewise-defined functions, including step functions and absolute value functions. 8. Write a function defined by an expression in different but equivalent forms to reveal and explain different properties of the function. a. Use the process of factoring and completing the square in a quadratic function to show zeros, extreme values, and symmetry of the graph, and interpret these in terms of a context. 9. Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions). Example: given a graph of one quadratic function and an algebraic expression for another, say which has larger maximum. Build a 1. Write a function that describes a relationship between two quantities. function Determine an explicit expression, a recursive process, or steps for calculation that models from a context. relationship
between BF)
- two quantities Build new 3. Identify the effect on the graph of replacing f(x) by f(x) + k, k f(x), f(kx), and f(x + Building functions from k) for specific values of k (both positive and negative); find the value of k given the
Functions (F existing functions graphs. Experiment with cases and illustrate an explanation of the effects on the graph using technology. Include recognizing even and odd functions from their graphs and algebraic expressions for them. Construct and 1. Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions compare linear, and with exponential functions. quadratic, and a. Prove that linear functions grow by equal differences over equal exponential intervals, and that exponential functions grow by equal factors over LE)
– models and solve equal intervals. problems. b. Recognize situations in which one quantity changes at a constant rate per unit interval relative to another. c. Recognize situations in which a quantity grows or decays by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another. 2. Construct linear and exponential functions, including arithmetic and geometric sequences, given a graph, a description of a relationship, or two input-output pairs (include reading these from a table). 3. Observe using graphs and tables that a quantity increasing exponentially eventually exceeds a quantity increasing linearly, quadratically, or (more generally) as a polynomial function. Interpret 5. Observe using graphs and tables that a quantity increasing exponentially expressions for eventually exceeds a quantity increasing linearly, quadratically, or (more functions in terms generally) as a polynomial function of the situation
Linear, Quadratic, and Exponential Models (F Exponential and Linear, Quadratic, they model. Summarize, 1. Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms,
represent, and and box plots). ID)
- interpret data on a 2. Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare single count or center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) measurement of two or more different data sets. Data (S Categorical Categorical Interpreting Quantitative variable 3. Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in context of data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points(outliers).
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 58 of 250 Summarize, 5. Summarize categorical data for two categories in two-way frequency represent, and tables. Interpret relative frequencies in the context of the data (including interpret data on joint, marginal, and conditional relative frequencies). Recognize possible two categorical and associations and trends in the data. quantitative 6. Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and variables describe how the variables are related. a. Fit a function to the data; use functions fitted to data to solve problems in the context of the data. Use given functions or choose a function suggested by the context. Emphasize linear, quadratic, and exponential models. b. Informally assess the fit of a function by plotting and analyzing residuals. c. Fit a linear function for a scatter plot that suggests a linear association. Interpret linear 7. Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data. 8. Compute (using technology) and interpret the correlation coefficient of a linear fit. 9. Distinguish between correlation and causation. Major Content Supporting Additional Content Content Figure 1.4 (e) - Grade 8 Exit Standards -Science156 Grade 8 Science Exit Standards Disciplinary Core Idea Standards 8.PS2: Motion and Stability: 1) Design and conduct investigations depicting the relationship between magnetism Forces and Interactions and electricity in electromagnets, generators, and electrical motors, emphasizing the factors that increase or diminish the electric current and the magnetic field strength. 2) Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact. 3) Create a demonstration of an object in motion and describe the position, force, and direction of the object. 4) Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object. 5) Evaluate and interpret that for every force exerted on an object there is an equal force exerted in the opposite direction. 8.PS4: Waves and Their 1) Develop and use models to represent the basic properties of waves including Applications in Technologies for frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed. Information Transfer 2) Compare and contrast mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves based on refraction, reflection, transmission, absorption, and their behavior through a vacuum and/or various media. 3) Evaluate the role that waves play in different communication systems. 8.LS4: Biological Change: Unity 1) Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the and Diversity existence, diversity, extinction, and change in life forms throughout Earth’s history. 2) Construct an explanation addressing similarities and differences of the anatomical structures and genetic information between extinct and extant organisms using evidence of common ancestry and patterns between taxa. 3) Analyze evidence from geology, paleontology, and comparative anatomy to support that specific phenotypes within a population can increase the probability of survival of that species and lead to adaptation. 4) Develop a scientific explanation of how natural selection plays a role in determining
156 Tennessee Department of Education. (2018, March). Retrieved March25, 2018, from https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/stateboardofeducation/documents/massivemeetingsfolder/meetingfiles4/10-20-17_III_J_Non- Substantive_Changes_to_Math_ELA__Science_Standards_Attachment_3_-_Science.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 59 of 250 the survival of a species in a changing environment. 5) Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the technologies that have changed the way humans use artificial selection to influence the inheritance of desired traits in other organisms. 8.ESS1: Earth’s Place in the 1) Research, analyze, and communicate that the universe began with a period of rapid Universe expansion using evidence from the motion of galaxies and composition of stars. 2) Explain the role of gravity in the formation of our sun and planets. Extend this explanation to address gravity’s effect on the motion of celestial objects in our solar system and Earth’s ocean tides. 8.ESS2: Earth’s Systems 1) Analyze and interpret data to support the assertion that rapid or gradual geographic changes lead to drastic population changes and extinction events. 2) Evaluate data collected from seismographs to create a model of Earth's structure. 3) Describe the relationship between the processes and forces that create igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. 4) Gather and evaluate evidence that energy from the earth’s interior drives convection cycles within the asthenosphere which creates changes within the lithosphere including plate movements, plate boundaries, and sea-floor spreading. 5) Construct a scientific explanation using data that explains the gradual process of plate tectonics accounting for A) the distribution of fossils on different continents, B) the occurrence of earthquakes, and C) continental and ocean floor features (including mountains, volcanoes, faults, and trenches). 8.ESS3: Earth and Human Activity 1) Interpret data to explain that earth’s mineral, fossil fuel, and groundwater resources are unevenly distributed as a result of geologic processes. 2) Collect data, map, and describe patterns in the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes related to tectonic plate boundaries, interactions, and hotspots 8.ETS1: Engineering Design 1) Develop a model to generate data for ongoing testing and modification of an electromagnet, a generator, and a motor such that an optimal design can be achieved. 2) Research and communicate information to describe how data from technologies (telescopes, spectroscopes, satellites, and space probes) provide information about objects in the solar system and universe. PS= Physical Sciences, LS= Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences (ESS), Engineering Technology, and Applications of Science (ETS)
Figure 1.4 (f) - Grade 8 Exit Standards -Social Studies157 Grade 8 Social Studies Exit Standards Colonization (1607-1750) Students will examine the European settlement of North America, geographic features that influenced early colonies, and the social, religious, political, and economic reasons for colonization. 1. Explain the founding and development of Jamestown as the first permanent English colony, its early struggles, the economic and political structure, and role of the Powhatan people. ( C, E, G, H, P) 2. Explain the founding and development of the Plymouth Colony, including the significance of: the Mayflower Compact, interactions with Squanto, and the role of religious freedom. (C, G, H, P) 3. Explain the founding and development of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, including the significance of: a. Anne Hutchinson b. Role of theocracy c. Salem Witch Trials d. Town meetings (C, G, H, P) 4. Explain the motivation for and the founding of the Rhode Island and Connecticut Colonies, including the roles of Roger Williams and Thomas Hooker. (C, G, H, P) 5. Analyze the economic motivation for the Dutch founding New Netherlands, the diverse population of the colony, and the transition to the English colony of New York. (C, E, G, H, P) 6. Analyze the founding of Pennsylvania as a haven for Quakers and the tolerance that drew many different groups to the colony, including the significance of:
157 Tennessee Department of Education. (2018, March). Retrieved March25, 2018, from https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/stateboardofeducation/documents/massivemeetingsfolder/meetingfiles4/7-28- 17_IV_C_Social_Studies_Standards_Attachment_REVISED_7-28.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 60 of 250 a. William Penn b. Philadelphia c. Relationship with American Indians d. Role of women (C, E, H, P) 7. Explain the reasons behind the settlement of the Georgia Colony, including: its designation as a “debtor” colony, its function as a “buffer” colony, and the role of James Oglethorpe in its founding. (C, E, G, H, P) 8. Locate and identify the Thirteen Colonies, and describe how their location and geographic features influenced regional economic development. (E, G, H, P) 9. Compare and contrast the locations and goals of British, French, and Spanish settlements in North America. (C, E, G, H, P) 10. Identify the origins and development of slavery in the colonies, overt and passive resistance to enslavement, and the Middle Passage. (C, E, G, H, P) 11. Describe the significance of the First Great Awakening, including its role in unifying the colonies and the growth of religious tolerance. (C, H) 12. Explain the Navigation Acts and the policy of mercantilism. (E, G, H)
The American Revolution (1700-1783) Students will explore the growing tensions between Great Britain and its colonies as well as the major events and outcomes surrounding the American Revolution. 13. Explain the significance of the Ohio River Valley leading to the French and Indian War and the events and consequences of the conflict, including: the massacre at Fort Loudoun, the Treaty of Paris of 1763, war debt, and the Proclamation Line of 1763. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 14. Explain the political contributions of Benjamin Franklin to the U.S., including the "Join or Die" cartoon and Albany Plan of Union. (C, E, H, P) 15. Analyze the social, political, and economic causes of the events and groups of the American Revolution, including: The Quartering Act, 1765,The Stamp Act, 1765,The Declaratory Act, 1766,The Townshend Acts, 1767,The Boston Massacre, 1770, The Boston Tea Party, 1773,Intolerable/Coercive Acts, 1774, Sons of Liberty(C,E,G,H,P) 16. Explain the historical purposes and consequences of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. (C, H, P) 17. Locate and explain the significance of the battles of the American Revolution prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, including Lexington and Concord and Bunker (Breed’s) Hill. (C, E, G, H, P) 18. Explain the historical and present-day significance of the Declaration of Independence. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028) – (C, G, H, P) 19. Compare and contrast the points of view of Loyalists and Patriots. (C, G, H, P) 20. Locate and explain the significance of the following during the American Revolution: Struggles of the Continental Army, Battles of Trenton and Princeton, Battle of Kings Mountain, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Yorktown, Guerrilla warfare. (C, H, P, T) The New Nation (1775-1800) Students will explore the foundation of U.S. government, the principles of the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution, and the individuals who played influential roles in the development of the new nation. In addition, students will examine the steps taken by Tennessee to achieve statehood and the initial development of government. 21. Students will explore the foundation of U.S. government, the principles of the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution, and the individuals who played influential roles in the development of the new nation. In addition, students will examine the steps taken by Tennessee to achieve statehood and the initial development of government. (E, G, H, P, T) 22. Describe the roles of James Madison and George Washington during the Constitutional Convention, and analyze the major issues debated, including the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028)- (E, H, P, TCA) 23. Examine the principles and purposes of government articulated in the Preamble and principles stated in the Constitution, including: the separation of powers, federalism, and checks and balances. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028)- (H, P, TCA) 24. Describe the conflict between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the ratification of the Constitution, including the protection of individual rights through the Bill of Rights and concern for states’ rights. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028)-(H, P, TCA) 25. Analyze the major events of the administration of President George Washington, including: the precedents he set, Whiskey Rebellion, and ideas presented in his farewell address. (E, G, H, P) 26. Explain how conflicts between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton resulted in the emergence of two political parties by analyzing their views on foreign policy, economic policy, a national bank, and strict versus loose interpretation of the Constitution. (C, E, G, H, P)
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 61 of 250 27. Explain the controversies that plagued the administration of President John Adams, including: the conflicts with Great Britain and France, the XYZ Affair, and the Alien and Sedition Acts. (E, G, H, P) 28. Identify how westward expansion led to the statehood of Tennessee and the importance of the first state constitution (1796). (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028)-(G, H, P, T, TCA) Growth of a Young Nation (1800-1820) Students will analyze the strengthening of the judicial branch, the major events of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, the War of 1812, and the role of the U.S. on the world stage. 29. Analyze the significance of the election of 1800 and Chief Justice John Marshall’s opinion in Marbury v. Madison. (H, P) 30. Explain the major events of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, including: Conflict with the Barbary pirates, Embargo Act, Lewis and Clark Expedition, Louisiana Purchase (E, G, H, P) 31. Explain the causes, course, and consequences of the War of 1812, including: Use of impressment and trade restrictions between the U.S. and Great Britain, Roles of Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison, Significance of the Treaty of Ghent, Rise in nationalism in the U.S. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 32. Identify and locate the changing boundaries of the U.S. as a result of the Convention of 1818 and the Adams-Onis Treaty. (G, P) 33. Analyze the purpose and effects of the Monroe Doctrine. (E, H, P) Sectionalism and Reform (1790s-1850s) Students will analyze the social, political, and economic development of the North and South during the early 19th century, including the growth of sectionalism and reform movements. 34. Describe the development of the agrarian economy in the South, the locations of the cotton- producing states, the significance of cotton and the cotton gin, and the founding of Memphis as a center for cotton and the slave trade. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 35. Analyze the characteristics of Southern society and its influence on the social and political conditions prior to the Civil War. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 36. Identify the conditions of enslavement and explain how slaves adapted to and resisted bondage in their daily lives, including Nat Turner's revolt. (C, G, H) 37. Explain the development of the American Industrial Revolution, including: Eli Whitney and interchangeable parts, Emergence of trade unions, Lowell System, Role of the textile industry, Samuel Slater. (C, E, G, H, P) 38. Describe how technological developments affected the growth of the industrial economy and cities in the North. (C, E, G, H, P) 39. Identify the push-pull factors for Irish and German immigrants and describe the impact of their arrival in the U.S. prior to the Civil War. (C, E, G, H, P) 40. Analyze the development of roads, canals, railroads, and steamboats throughout the U.S., including the Erie Canal and the National Road. (C, E, G, H, P) 41. Describe the significance of the Second Great Awakening and its influence on reform in the 19th century. (C, H) 42. Analyze the development of the women’s suffrage movement, including the Seneca Falls Convention, and the ideals of Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth. (C, H, P) 43. Analyze the significance of leading abolitionists, including William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Elihu Embree, and Harriet Tubman, and the methods they used to spread the movement. (C, E, H, P, T) The Jacksonian Era (1824-1840) Students will analyze the impact of John Marshall on the strengthening of the judicial branch and the major events of Andrew Jackson’s presidency. 44. Analyze the role played by Chief Justice John Marshall in strengthening the judicial branch, including the key decisions of the Supreme Court in Gibbons v. Ogden and McCulloch v. Maryland. (C, E, H, P) 45. Examine the importance of the elections of 1824 and 1828, including: the corrupt bargain, the spoils system, and Jacksonian Democracy. (C, G, H, P, T) 46. Examine President Andrew Jackson’s actions regarding the Bank of the U.S. and the Nullification Crisis, and analyze the effects of these events on the nation. (C, E, H, P, T) 47. Describe the impact of the Indian Removal Act and the struggle between the Cherokee Nation and the U.S. government, including the significance of Worcester v. Georgia and the Trail of Tears. (C, G, H, P, T) 48. Identify that the Tennessee Constitution of 1834 expanded voting rights for non-property owners. (T.C.A. 49-6-1028) – (H, P, T, TCA) Expansion and Division of the Nation (1820s-1860s) Students will analyze the social, political, and economic impact of expansion on the U.S., the growing tensions between the North and South, and how compromise sought to hold the country together. 49. Analyze the concept of Manifest Destiny and its impact on the development of the nation, and describe the economic incentives for westward expansion. (C, E, G, H, P) 50. Explain the reasons for and the provisions of the Missouri Compromise (i.e., Compromise of 1820) and its impact on
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 62 of 250 expansion. (G, H, P) 51. Describe American settlements in Texas after 1821, the causes of the Texas War for Independence, the roles of David Crockett and Sam Houston, and the legacy of the Alamo. (C, G, H, P, T) 52. Analyze the reasons for and outcomes of groups moving west, including the significance of: Fur traders, Mormons, Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail. (C, E, G, H) 53. Identify the major events and impact of James K. Polk’s presidency, including the annexation of Texas and the settlement of the Oregon boundary. (E, G, H, P, T) 54. Describe the causes and consequences of the Mexican War, including the controversy over the Rio Grande boundary and the Mexican Cession. (C, E, G, H, P) 55. Analyze the discovery of gold in California, its social and economic impact on the U.S., and the major migratory movement (including the forty-niners and Asian immigrants). (C, E, G, H) 56. Explain the reasons for and the impact of the Compromise of 1850 (including Henry Clay’s role as “The Great Compromiser”) and the Fugitive Slave Act (including Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influence with Uncle Tom’s Cabin). - (C, E, G, H, P) 57. Describe the significance of the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. (E, G, H) 58. Explain the motivations behind the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, and analyze the effects of the compromise, including: Rise of the Republican Party, “Bleeding Kansas”, Preston Brooks’ attack on Charles Sumner, John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry. (C, G, H, P) 59. Analyze the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision and the resulting split between the North and South. (C, H, P) 60. Explain the arguments presented by Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln on slavery in the Illinois Senate race debates of 1858. (C, H, P) The Civil War (1860-1865) Students will examine the political changes that sparked the Civil War, the differences in the North and South, and the key leaders, events, battles, and daily life during the war. 61. Describe the election of 1860 and its candidates (i.e., John Bell, Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and John Breckinridge), and analyze how the campaigns reflected sectional turmoil in the country. (C, G, H, P, T) 62. Describe the outbreak of the Civil War and the resulting sectional differences, including: Economic, geographic, and technological advances, Military strategies, Roles of President Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, Significance of Fort Sumter, Geographical divisions within states. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 63. Explain the significance of the following battles, events, and leaders during the Civil War, including: First Battle of Bull Run, Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Antietam, Battle of Gettysburg, Battle of Vicksburg, Sherman’s March to the Sea, Surrender at Appomattox Court House, David Farragut, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Robert E. Lee. (G, H, P, T) 64. Analyze the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. (H, P) 65. Describe African American involvement in the Union army, including the Massachusetts 54th Regiment at Fort Wagner and the 13th U.S. Colored Troops in the Battle of Nashville. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1006)- (C, G, H, T, TCA) 66. Analyze how the writings of Sam Watkins and Elisha Hunt Rhodes illustrated the daily life of the common soldier. (C, H, T) Reconstruction (1865-1877) Students will analyze the social, economic, and political changes and conflicts during Reconstruction, the events and lasting consequences of Reconstruction, and Reconstruction’s impact on Tennessee. 67. Analyze the immediate political impact of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson’s ascension to the presidency. (H, P, T) 68. Explain the significance of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. (E, H, P, T) 69. Analyze President Abraham Lincoln’s Ten Percent Plan, President Andrew Johnson’s Plan, and the Radical Republican Plan for Reconstruction. (C, E, G, H, P, T) 70. Identify the significance of the Tennessee Constitution of 1870, including the right of all men to vote and the establishment of a poll tax. (T.C.A. § 49-6-1028)- (H, P, T, TCA) 71. Analyze the conflict between President Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans, including Johnson’s veto of the Tenure of Office Act and his impeachment. - (H, P, T) 72. Explain the restrictions placed on the rights and opportunities of freedmen, including: racial segregation, black codes, and the efforts of the Freedmen's Bureau to address the problems confronting newly freed slaves. (C, H, P, T) 73. Trace the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and vigilante justice in the South and in Tennessee, including the role of Governor William Brownlow. (C, H, P, T) 74. Explain the roles carpetbaggers and scalawags played during Reconstruction. (C, E, G, H, P) 75. Explain the Compromise of 1877 and its role in ending Radical Reconstruction. (C, H, P) C= Culture, E= Economics, G=Geography, H= History, P= Politics/Government, T= Tennessee, TCA= Tennessee Code Annotated
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 63 of 250 (g) Approach to Remediation and RTI2 Model RTI2 Implementation. In alignment with SCS RTI2 Implementation policies and procedures, we will administer the NWEA MAP to K-8 students three times per year (Fall, Winter, Spring). We will use a triangulation of data to determine Tier groups for RTI2 placement and use Aimsweb, NWEA158, and easyCBM159 to compare data for placement of our students in the RTI2 model. We will review the easyCBM benchmark data within one week of administration; students performing at or below the 24th percentile in one or more area will then receive further assessment with easyCBM so that we can determine the Instructional Level in which to deliver interventions and monitor progress. The school will establish an RTI2 Team composed of RTI2 Coordinator,160 Head of School, Student Supports Coordinator, School Psychologist,161 ELL teacher, and classroom teachers. We will follow all guidelines outlined in the RTI2 District Implementation Guide162 to accelerate student growth through targeted support. Figure 1.4 (g) - Memphis Merit Academy Charter School RTI2 At a Glance Requirements RTI2-Academic RTI2-Behavior Review 360 Student Survey NWEA MAP - Fall, Winter, Spring Diagnostic Data Review 360 Teacher Survey AIMSweb Universal Screening – WHEN?? Kickboard Data Benchmarking Tool AIMSweb (only T2 and T3 scholars) Review360 (all scholars) Progress Monitoring Tool easyCBM (only T2 and T3 scholars) Review360 (only T2 and T3 scholars) Data Meetings Weekly on Fridays163 Weekly on Fridays Kept by Counselor & Student Support File Folders Kept by RTI-Academic Teachers Coordinator Head of School (Years 1-2) Director of the Lower School (Year 4-forward Student Supports Coordinator (Year 1-3) for grades K-4 once Director of Upper School is Dean of Student Supports (Year 4-6) RTI Coordinator on staff) Director of Student Supports (Year 7- Director of the Upper School (Year 8-forward forward) for grades 5-8) Dean of Academics (Year 3-Forward) Student Supports Coordinator (Years 1-3) Head of School (Years 1-2) RTI Lead/Chairperson Special Education Teacher (Year 4 Dean of Academics (Year 3-forward) forward) Conducted monthly by RTI2-Academic Conducted monthly by RTI-Behavior Fidelity Checks Coordinator and RTI Leads Coordinator and RTI Lead Intervention plans created by Counselor, Intervention plans created by RTI2-Academic an administrator, teacher, and parent by Creation of Intervention Team during data meetings 164based on NWEA completing a BIP (Behavior Intervention Plans data, easyCBM data, AIMSweb data Plan) during Support Team (S-Team) Meeting, documented in Review360 Collect minimum progress monitoring data Collect minimum progress monitoring Ineffective Intervention points, adjust intervention plan during data data points, adjust intervention plan Plan – Step 1 meeting during data meeting Ineffective Intervention If data continue to show that the adjusted If data continues to show that adjusted Plan - Step 2 intervention plan also is not effective, make intervention plan also is not effective,
158 A standards-based, universal screener is an assessment to determine student performance to grade-level standards and identify those who are potentially in need of greater levels of support. The NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is currently the District’s initial screener.
160 Head of School in Year 1, then role held by a teacher leader until the school is at scale, when this will become a full-time dedicated position. 161 We will engage a School Psychologist through contracted services at scheduled intervals to support in the evaluation of RTII2 data such as the rate of improvement, gap analysis, and initial instructional level determination. 162 http://www.scsk12.org/ci/uploads/rti/2016-17%20RTI2%20District%20Implementation%20Guide%20Final%20PDF.pdf?PID=965. 163 We will review RTI2 Data on a weekly basis although the requirement for implementation is monthly to monitor the progress of our students. 164 Individual Student Intervention plans will be created prior to the start of new intervention to describe and determine the needs of the students. Once a month in our weekly data team meetings we will re-evaluate individual student intervention plans.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 64 of 250 referral to S-Team during data meeting make referral to 2nd S-Team during data meeting Figure 1.4 (h) - Description of RTI2 Academic and Behavior Tier Implementation Requirements RTI2-Academic RTI2-Behavior Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS)165 Tier 1 BIP Daily core literacy and math instruction Tier 1 Code of Conduct Daily core literacy and math digital content Interventions MERIT Block Weekly Advisory/Character Development program Kickboard Demerits/Communications Summer PD Teacher Orientation Taxonomy Professional Development MMA Professional Development Release Day Teacher Investment Plans (monthly) Climate Surveys/Teachers and Students Memphis Merit Professional Development Tier 1 Staff Teacher Culture Observations & Coaching (Weekly) on Fridays Support Sessions Bi-weekly one-on-one Coaching between Teacher Character Development/Advisory Training & and coach Support Instruction/Planning Observations & Coaching Kickboard Sessions Tier 2 Math (Computational Skills): I-Ready Tier 2 Math (Concepts and Application): I-Ready Tier 2 Reading Fluency: research-based phonics program + small group Tier 2 Individual Counseling Tier 2 Reading Comprehension: I-Ready + small Interventions Group Counseling group Teacher to Student Ratio: Grades K-5: 1:5 or less Grades 6-8: 1:6 or less Monthly Fidelity Checks and Feedback Monthly Fidelity Checks & Feedback Tier 2 RTI-Academic Professional Development on RTI-Academic Professional Development on Staff Support Fridays (as needed based on Fidelity Check data) Fridays (as needed based on Fidelity Check data) Tier 3 Math (Concepts and Applications): Direct instruction using I-Ready lesson to provide small group instruction + digital content and individual instruction as needed Tier 3 Math Computational Skills: Direct instruction using I-Ready lesson to provide small Check-In Check Out system (CICO) group instruction + digital content and individual Individual Counseling Tier 3 instruction as needed Group Counseling Interventions Tier 3 Reading Fluency: Research-based phonics Other internally created interventions provided by program + small group instruction + digital content the Counselor and Student Support Coordinator and individual direct instruction as needed Tier 3 Reading Comprehension: I-Ready + small group Teacher-Student ratio: Grades K-5: 1:3 or less Grades 6-8: 1:6 or less Tier 3 Monthly Fidelity Checks and Feedback Monthly Fidelity Checks & Feedback Staff Support RTI-Academic Professional Development on Friday RTI-Behavior Professional Development on Friday Our instructional model will use small group instruction for literacy and mathematics in K-4 to give students a firm foundation in core subjects. Small group instruction during both literacy and mathematics includes a blended learning model permitting students to engage with adaptive, computer-based programming. MERIT Block166 will provide additional minutes of further differentiation, guided reading,
165 Students earn “dollars” on weekly “Kickboard Paychecks” for demonstrating core values, daily attendance, and exceptional character traits. 166 MERIT Block is a character development and academic block where students maximize time for homework and working on skill deficits.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 65 of 250 and targeted intervention on the day’s content and skills and/or is directly correlated to goals as outlined in IEPs or 504 plans. MERIT Block will also be a time for character development with our students and social intelligence learning in early grades, and as students’ progress to grades 5-8 it will be an advisory time for character development. Our approach to educating our special-needs populations is the same as our approach to students without special needs; high expectations delivered through structure and routines proven effective for students academically at risk.167 The RTI2 model provides for screening all students for educational difficulties. We will regularly monitor students found at risk, to assess their progress after implementation of high-quality instruction. Students who do not respond with adequate progress will receive targeted interventions to correct the area(s) of concern. Students will receive the necessary intensity of intervention based on their individual responses as they move through the tiers prescribed in the SCS RTI2 Implementation Guide. The RTI2 team will regularly monitor progress to make a collaborative decision about next steps for students., both through our weekly professional meetings each Friday as well as summatively each six weeks. Staff members will review collected data on student progress, share it with parents, and include a copy in the student’s formal RTI2 file. Staff training will include summer professional development, ongoing training through the year in response to fidelity checks, and monthly professional learning communities(PLC) days throughout the year. Head of School will train staff on diagnostic tools, progress monitoring tools, delivery of small group instruction, data collection, and implementation. We will objectively monitor these interventions to ensure fidelity to the SCS RTI2 Implementation process. To ensure students receive the help they need as soon as they need it, our frequent internal assessment program will quickly identify students struggling academically. On our Friday Early Release days each week, and the subsequent MERIT Blocks for the next instructional period. MERIT Blocks will be leveled to ensure all students have an appropriately leveled tutoring group to most directly meet their needs. In our first year of operation, the HOS will monitor student assessment data each week and after each scheduled assessment, meeting with teachers daily to discuss Do Now’s and Exit Tickets, weekly to discuss MERIT quizzes, and within 24 hours of interim and end-of-trimester comprehensive exams and will work alongside teachers to devise action plans with staff. In Year 3, this will be the joint role of Head of School and the Dean of Academics. The Student Supports Coordinator, who will be a licensed special educator, in collaboration with the Head of School and/or Dean of Academics, will prescribe interventions and document them in Student Portfolios.
1.5 Phase-In/Turnaround Planning: Not Applicable 1.6 High School Graduation and Postsecondary Readiness: Not Applicable 1.7 Assessments (a) Primary Interim Assessments ______We will measure academic performance and progress toward school goals by administering state- mandated assessments, nationally normed assessments in reading comprehension and mathematics, national literacy inventories, and standards-based internal assessments in the core subjects each year. Figure 1.7 (a) details the assessments we will implement to measure progress toward our accountability goals described in Section 1.4. and are aligned with the TN Department of Education’s State Assessment objectives.168 Cumulatively, our assessments will: (1) provide the Board, leaders, and teachers feedback
167 During BES Fellowship, in August and September 2017, Lead Founder and proposed HOS observed schools like BES schools Freedom Preparatory Academy, Nashville Classical, and Purpose Preparatory Academy use a high-expectations model for special education, ELL, and other students academically at risk. The achievement results in these schools show decreasing academic risk for students the longer they are attending the school. 168 https://www.tn.gov/education/assessment.html.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 66 of 250 on students’ academic progress and how assessments align with grade-level standards and selected curriculum; (2) provide SCS, the Board, leaders, teachers, parents and students a holistic perspective of student progress in comparison with peers across the district and state; (3) provide leaders, teachers, parents, and students information about students’ strengths and areas for improvements; (4) provide Shelby County Schools, the Board, leaders, teachers, parents, and students clear information about students’ college readiness according to TN Academic Standards; (5) inform leaders and teachers on areas to strengthen curriculum, instruction, and professional development; and (6) inform the Board and leaders regarding allocation of resources and professional development of teachers.
Figure 1.7 (a): Memphis Merit Academy Assessments Overview169 Type Grade Level(s) Title Frequency Purpose Data Collection & Use The purpose of the We will use the NWEA MAP NWEA MAP is to Student Progress Report to measure the determine each student’s RIT performance of our level. We will use the Three times students compared to Learning Continuum Report per year (Fall, their peers nationally. to provide individual support All NWEA MAP Winter, It is also used to for student skill gaps and to Spring) measure individual differentiate blended learning Assessment student growth over during Tier I instruction. Data one academic year will inform students’ national and over time enrolled ranking, part of our school’s Nationally Normed Referenced Normed Referenced Nationally in our school. accountability plan. The purpose of the We will use TNReady and
TNReady and Algebra I Once per Algebra I EOC data to plan assessments is to Grades 3-8 TNReady year; spring curricular priorities for measure students’ upcoming year and cohorts. progress toward Grade 8 EOC-Algebra I End of grade For Algebra I, data will show if mastery of the Assessments 8 scholars are on track for
State Mandated State Mandated Tennessee Academic success in high school math. Standards (TAS). The purpose of ANET We will review student
assessment is to performance by cohort and measure progress individual score reports to ANET Interim towards mastery of find trends and set Every 6 to 8 Assessments TAS and college-ready instructional priorities. We weeks (Four Grades 2-8 standards. It allows us will follow a data protocol, times per to evaluate student analyzing data on a year) achievement in designated data day. comparison to other Interim Assessments schools with similar demographics.
169 The assessment schedule is aligned with Shelby County Schools’ Office of Assessment.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 67 of 250 Memphis MeritAcademy Charter School 170
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and immediately identifying students at academic risk or ready for enrichment beyond their current grade level. This will be the precursor to our RTI2 process. In accordance with TN State Board of Education English As A Second Language (ESL) Program Policy 3.207172, we will administer the WIDA ACCESS to ELL students during the WIDA ACCESS test administration window to determine eligibility for students to exit the ELL program. Students scoring 5.0 or higher for composite and 4.0 or higher for literacy may be exited from ESL direct services. Students who exit ESL direct services shall be considered transitional ELLs for four consecutive school years and will be tracked and monitored by our ELL staff. During the transition, students will be served as needed during years 1-2. Transitional ELL students will be served in the general education classroom with a dually certified teacher (elementary and ESL endorsement) and will be monitored for two years to ensure a successful transition. Throughout the year, we will disaggregate subgroup data to adequately monitor all tiers (T1, T2, T3 and T4) of ELL students. If a transitional ELL student demonstrates difficulty in the general education classroom, he/she will receive targeted intervention from the ELL teacher for pull-out services. If the intervention-targeted intervention is unsuccessful for the student, the student will be reclassified as an ELL. If a student transfers into Memphis Merit Academy has exited from ESL services by another state or entity, we will uphold the current status and monitor the student for continued academic progress.
Figure 1.7 (b) - Measures of Student Academic Progress Levels of Measurement Description We will assess individual student academic performance and progress on absolute, Individual comparative, and growth measures through assessments listed above. We will measure the academic progress of student cohorts in each grade level and from Student Cohort year to year to identify trends among cohorts of students. We will measure subgroup academic progress on all assessments listed above. The Student Supports Coordinator will work with the Head of School (and School Directors as hired) to analyze the performance of particular subgroups (economically disadvantaged, students Subgroups with disabilities, English Language Learners, at risk, and gifted) in comparison to overall student performance and after each round of assessments within that particular assessment cycle. We will assess whole-school performance and progress on absolute, comparative, and Entire School growth measures through assessments listed in our Overview. Evaluation of Student Academic Progress. The Head of School and Student Supports Coordinator in Years 1-2 and the Dean of Academics (beginning Year 3) in subsequent years will lead teachers in analyzing data to support student learning. We believe in looking at student work alongside empirical and quantitative data to determine mastery of content and skills for students; we will tailor our remediation and reteaching to target specific gaps we see in the data. We will also analyze data to inform teacher development and coaching cycles. In compliance with RTI2 implementation, we will ensure ongoing collection of data for all students, which will ensure we are closing achievement gaps among subgroups (at risk, ELL, SWD, economically disadvantaged), individual students, and cohorts of students. Figure 1.7 (c) – Memphis Merit Response to Student Academic Progress Levels of Response to Description Student Academic Progress We will respond to individual student data on all assessments by adjusting and informing Individual curriculum and instruction. We will also provide students with the interventions and supports needed to close achievement gaps. We will respond to student cohort data on all assessments by adjusting and informing Student Cohort curriculum and instruction. We will provide students with interventions and supports to close
172 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 70 of 250 gaps. We will review cohort data for trends and provide support and professional development for teachers to effectively teach students. We will respond to subgroup data by performing a subgroup gap analysis to measure performance of subgroups in comparison to other students. The Student Supports Subgroups Coordinator will work with the Head of School (and School Directors as hired) to devise an action plan for support and interventions to all subgroups. The Board will monitor the subgroup’s academic progress monthly through the Academic Achievement Data Dashboard. We will respond to school’s student academic progress by using data to set annual academic priorities. We will determine support and professional development to ensure school is on Whole School track for meeting academic goals set forth in our charter. The Board will monitor the school’s student academic progress monthly through the Academic Achievement Data Dashboard and completes an evaluation for the school leader informed by student academic progress.
(c) Testing Coordination______The Head of School with the support of the Dean of Operations will be responsible for testing coordination of all state and national assessments with the support of the Head of School. Our Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School, Lakenna Booker, has more than five years of experience with testing coordination in the charter sector and has previously served as Building Test Coordinator at Gestalt Community Schools. The Dean of Operation will function as the school’s Testing Coordinator and will appoint a Testing Committee composed of the Coordinator and at least one teacher. The Committee will be responsible for assisting the Testing Coordinator with the delineation of duties. The Head of School (Y1-Y3) and Dean(s) of Academics (Y4- Full scale) will be responsible for the following: • Meet with Testing Committee at least six weeks before state test to determine needs • Meet with Committee at least three weeks before national test administration to determine needs • Order supplies and testing materials based on total number of students • Communicate with Student Supports Coordinator to ensure accommodations for IEPs and 504 plans • Train and deliver staff professional development on assessment delivery and test security • Create testing schedule aligned with the authorizer’s assessment schedule • Organize and distribute test materials to teachers and staff on test administration day • Secure and return test materials to vendor/authorizer in location designated by each test’s guidelines • Review and analyze assessment results • Lead teachers and staff in analysis of student results • Assisting Dean of Academics (beginning Year 3) with preparation of data report on schoolwide level • Communicate test results schoolwide and to all stakeholders (d) Collection and Analysis of Student Academic Data______Memphis Merit Academy will ensure the collection and analysis of student academic data, use data to inform and improve instruction, and report data to all stakeholders. Led y the Head of School and School Directors as hired, we will use Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction173 to define our approach toward the analysis of student academic data, and as based on the proven practices of high- performing charter schools across the nation.174 Teachers will administer rigorous assessments, as prescribed in our Assessment Portfolio, to inform high- quality instruction and student supports. The Head of School, and School Directors as hired, and the Dean
173 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2010. 174 Leaders who have been trained in this data-driven instructional model are now leading some of the highest-gaining or highest-achieving schools in eight cities across the country: Chicago, Baltimore, Oakland, New York, New Orleans, Washington, DC, Newark, and Rochester, NY. These are district schools and charter schools, small and large, elementary and high schools.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 71 of 250 of Academics will lead teachers in completing deep, after each assessment analysis of assessment results to make instructional changes that ensure higher student academic progress. Our Head of School has completed leadership residency at and has established an ongoing supportive relationship with BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville, a school that conducts these data analysis meetings, and has been trained in leading effective assessment analysis meetings with teachers and how to create a productive data-driven culture that defines a higher bar for rigor for all learners. For Letter of Support from Purpose Preparatory Academy, please see Attachment E. We will follow up data analysis trainings for teachers with observation and feedback, curriculum planning, and professional development based on the model observed by our Head of School at Uncommon Schools.175 In the classroom, teachers will use data to make decisions and inform future instruction through aggressive monitoring of student work during class, ongoing checks for understanding, daily exit tickets, and weekly assessments. We will administer STEP and content-specific interim assessments on a 6- to 8- week cycle to provide data needed to inform and improve instruction; assessments are aligned with the content, skills, and rigor of the TAS and TNReady. Teachers and staff will receive specific training in summer professional development led by the Head of School, School Directors as hired, and/or external experts to support their understanding of the purpose of each assessment, implementation of assessment tools, analysis of data collected, and communication of results and outcomes to our stakeholders. We will communicate our assessment data to our school community in the following ways: • Board of Directors – The HOS will report school academic data to the Academic Achievement Committee at two prior to the scheduled board meeting for review. The Academic Achievement Committee will report the data to the entire board for review and updates. • Families - Through our scheduled University Nights, parent meetings, Family Merit Council, Monthly Newsletter, and website, the HOS will be responsible for communicating school-wide data to families. The Board of Directors will produce an annual report containing the organizations growth towards its organizational goals, which include schoolwide academic achievement data. • The General Public - We will public overall schoolwide data to our website, report via our annual report as an organization, and monthly newsletters. • School Staff - The HOS will lead the staff in a review of schoolwide data during scheduled Data Days throughout the year reflected on our school calendar see Attachment A. (e) Responsibilities for Collection and Analysis of Assessment Data______School staff and leadership roles involved in collecting and analyzing assessment data are outlined below. Figure 1.7(d) – Memphis Merit Academy Data Collection Persons/Positions Responsibilities for Collection and/or Analysis of Assessment Data Collect and analyze classroom data, including but not limited to, daily exit tickets, checks for understanding, weekly assessments, unit assessments, NWEA MAP, STEP, and F&P. Analyze Teachers and apply student data to reteach lessons, inform reading groups, create interventions, and address skills students need to master. Collect and analyze schoolwide data, including but not limited to, daily exit tickets, checks for School Leadership (Head understanding, weekly assessments, ANET unit assessments, NWEA MAP, STEP, and F&P to of School, School develop instructional priorities for the school. Analyze student data to support, coach, and Directors, Dean of develop teachers. The Head of School will report summary data, disaggregated by subgroup, Academics, and Student monthly to the Board’s Academic Achievement Committee for review and monthly sharing with Supports Coordinator) the entire Board via the Academic Data Dashboard. The Academic Achievement Committee will review schoolwide data, including NWEA MAP, Board of Directors STEP, Fountas & Pinnell, interim assessment, and unit assessment data, and recommend
175 North Star Elementary conducts this cycle of delivering a data-driven culture with teachers. Nashville Classical and Purpose Preparatory Academy model their data-driven culture based on Uncommon Schools and have both achieved results in the top 5% of the state of TN.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 72 of 250 corrective actions if the Academic Achievement Data Dashboard shows consistent underperformance toward any goals. The Academic Achievement Committee Chair will lead the discussion with the Board of Directors in reviewing the monthly school achievement data. (f) Process for Collecting and Interpreting Data______We will facilitate continual data analysis of student academic progress through our 13 PD Days (which includes 6 Data Days); for more detail, please see our Annual Calendar in Attachment A. During these days, teachers will engage in a full day of analyzing schoolwide, cohort, subgroup, and individual student data. All teachers and leaders will develop an action plans responding to the trends and analysis of gaps in student academic performance. Teachers and leaders will emerge with a clear plan for intervention and reteaching opportunities for all learners. The Head of School and School Directors as hired will lead teachers through a deep-dive analysis of assessment questions to understand student data through the following series of questions: (1) What misunderstandings are revealed in the data? (2) Why do you think students failed to reach mastery? (3) What gaps in the instruction of the standard contributed to these misunderstandings? (4) What will you do to help students achieve mastery? (5) What support should we provide for these students? (6) What techniques will you use to address these standards? (g) Training and Support for Data Analysis______The Head of School in Years 1-3 and the Dean of Academics in subsequent years will provide teachers ongoing coaching and development in using student data to inform instruction. Teachers will participate in weekly coaching through one-on-one meetings with either the Head of School (Y1-Y3) or the Dean of Academics (beginning Year 3 and subsequent years). During weekly schoolwide professional development on Fridays, teachers will review student academic progress in weekly RTI2 Data Team meetings and receive training on interventions for all learners. Instructional staff will receive 13 days of professional development in analyzing, interpreting, and using performance data. These days are set aside for data analysis of student academic progress within our RTI2 model and for analysis of all assessments listed in the Assessment Portfolio Overview. Our weekly school schedule provides 2.5 hours of professional development and one-on-one coaching sessions. During 6 Data Days, teachers will analyze STEP and F&P assessment data. Teachers will create data action plans to immediately reteach and provide remediation for students showing low mastery and to adjust future instruction if needed. Our school leadership will also continue to engage in professional development with school leaders of other high-performing charter schools in the region, such as Founders and Heads of School Jack Vuylsteke of Memphis Rise Academy and Lagra Newman of Purpose Preparatory Academy. In addition, the Head of School will participate in Building Excellent Schools Follow On Support (FOS), where an assigned coach will support the Head of School directly on individual leadership needs to operate a high-performing charter school. The coach will continue to support the leader in understanding how to respond to student academic progress data and lead teachers in analysis and action planning. For Letters of Support from Purpose Preparatory Academy, Building Excellent Schools (BES), and the BES Leadership Coach, please see Attachment E. 1.8 School Calendar and Schedule (a) Academic Calendar______Please see Attachment A for Memphis Merit Academy’s Academic Calendar. (b) Academic Calendar Rationale______Memphis Merit Academy’s school calendar and schedule support our mission of ensuring all students in Kindergarten to grade 8 experience success in high school, college, and life. At Memphis Merit Academy,
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 73 of 250 our extended school year and extended school day allow students from diverse learning backgrounds the time to develop the academic foundation and skills needed for success in high school and college. We will begin our school year with Summer Training (MERIT Institute) for teachers for 17 days to deliver the high-quality instruction necessary to our mission. Summer professional development (PD) is necessary for us to build staff culture and train teachers to achieve our desired results. We will base our summer PD on the models of high-performing charter schools such as North Star Academy and BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy. During summer PD, we will norm and practice our intellectual preparation protocol for teachers to internalize their lessons. This professional development time will allow teachers to develop accuracy and precision in the delivery of instructional taxonomy practices vital to an academically rigorous school culture as discussed in Section 1.3 - Academic Focus and Plan. We will operate on a quarterly schedule with 183 calendar days. The first school day in Year 1 will be July 29, 2019 and the last day will be May 27, 2020. The official school day for Mondays - Thursdays runs from 7:15am to 4:15pm and on Fridays they run from 7:15am to 1:15pm. Students will arrive in our building each day at 7:15am to eat breakfast and complete brainwork. Instruction will begin at 7:45am each day after breakfast. Our academic calendar is organized on a quarterly and semester system. During the school year, we will provide 13 Staff Professional Development Days, which include 6 Data Days and 7 Professional Development Days, to ensure our teachers are consistently equipped to deliver high-quality, data-driven instruction in all classrooms. We will follow the holiday observances of Shelby County Schools for major holidays and vacations, including: Labor Day; October - Fall Break; Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Break; December and January - Winter Break; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; March - Spring Break; April - Spring Break II; Memorial Day. On Fridays, our school day is shortened to 7:15am-1:15pm and teachers participate in our Weekly Professional Development from 1:30pm-4:00pm. We will use Fridays as a regular assessment day in ELA and math for teachers to give assessments. We will ensure teachers have time to address student misconceptions and learning gaps identified in the data collected from assessments each week. We have protected time in teachers’ schedules to grade weekly assessments and to develop an action plan for the week to address student misconceptions, re-teach standards or missed skills, or conduct small groups with individual students based on student data. We believe strong school culture drives strong academics and conclude each week with a schoolwide community celebration, an enthusiastic celebration of student learning including chants from our college- themed homerooms. At Memphis Merit the entire school community will culminate the week with Community Circle (MERIT Fest). Once per month, we will invite families, community partnerships, and community organizations in to help us recognize and publicly praise both students and families. To deliver high-quality instruction every single day, we will be informed by frequent and high-quality assessments planned into the school calendar. As we believe that literacy is the foundation of all learning, we have selected the STEP assessment to be administered approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to measure student performance towards foundational literacy skills that must be developed in grades K-2 to ensure students are on track before taking the TNReady assessment in grade 3. We assess students’ mastery of foundational math skills through interim math assessments 3 times per year (Fall, Winter, Spring). We assess how our students are performing in comparison to their peers across the nation by administering the NWEA MAP three times per year (Fall, Winter, Spring). The NWEA MAP paired with other internally created, standards-based unit assessments176 will help us to continuously measure achievement and inform instruction, supports, and PD needs. Our assessment cycle, followed by data analysis on our data
176 The internally created assessments will be informed by the assessments of BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville, TN.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 74 of 250 days and action planning for reteaching and intervention, will allow us to provide the excellent instruction our students need to be successful in middle school, high school, and college. Our assessments will allow us to ensure all teachers are prepared to deliver the rigorous instruction our students need to be challenged and supported throughout their elementary education. During our 6 Data Days, teachers and leaders use data collected from the STEP assessment (K-2) and Fountas &Pinnell (grades 3-8), classroom-level data from aggressive monitoring and daily and weekly quizzes, and interim assessments, to action-plan and determine our next steps for adjusting curriculum and instruction. As part of our family engagement, our academic calendar includes frequent family events: annual Home Visits for all new families (March-May 2019), 5 University Nights177 throughout the year (first one will be used as a parent orientation and back to school night on July 26th), Parent/Family Orientations (April 18th, June 18th, and July 26th), and Parent Conferences.178 These events will give us the opportunity to inform parents of grade-level and school expectations, student progress, how to support their child’s learning at home, and high school placement after grade 8. Our Office Manager will communicate with all via robocalls, flyers, and external school signage so that families can engage in their child’s education. University Night is a time where we come together as a community with all stakeholders. Families, students, teachers, leaders, and community partners come together to celebrate student achievement and get information about how to support students on the path to college. For example, kindergarten parents will attend the first University Night and experience a reading lesson from the perspective of a student. Teachers will lead a Read Aloud lesson with guiding questions to model for parents how to do the same at home. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions, practice strategies with teachers, and review programs useful for home support. We have set aside this time to recognize the achievements of our scholars through the display of student work, showcase of student morning circle, inclusion of local college partners, core-values spotlights, and achievement award ceremonies. Families will attend parent conferences at the end of each quarter to keep informed of their child’s progress.179 (c) Daily Schedule______Our schedule reflects our core principles. (1) College begins in Kindergarten. Students engage in a college preparatory curriculum from Kindergarten to grade 8. (2) Literacy is the foundation of all learning. Students in K-2 have 195 minutes of daily literacy instruction Monday – Thursday and 155 minutes of literacy instruction on Friday. Students in grades 3-4 have 180 minutes of daily literacy instruction Monday – Thursday and 150 minutes of literacy instruction on Friday. Students in grade 5-8 have 100 minutes of daily literacy instruction Monday-Thursday and 90 minutes of literacy instruction on Friday. Across the curriculum, students use the strategies learned in reading to comprehend non-fiction subjects and understand word problems in math. (3) Intentional decision-making drives academic progress. During Literacy Rotations, students are grouped based on STEP assessment data (K-2) and F&P assessment data (3-4) for literacy rotations (small group instruction 10:1 ratio) based on identified needs. This will allow us to close achievement gaps and help students meet STEP and F&P benchmarks in literacy as seen in schools like BES schools Nashville Classical and Purpose Prep.180 (4) High-quality instruction yields high-quality results. Our daily schedule supports instruction through our two-teacher model (K-4) in literacy and extended time in literacy and math instruction. (5) A values-based school community produces transformational leaders. Our schedule provides time for explicit character education during Morning
177 July 26th, August 29th, January 27th, April 24th, May 22nd of the 2019-2020 school year. 178 Parent Conferences are scheduled for Sept 30, Dec 2, and Feb 18 for families to learn more about their child’s progress. 179 The last quarter parent meetings will be individually scheduled with families prioritizing students at risk for retention. 180 The school models of North Star Elementary, Purpose Prep, and Nashville Classical have similar school schedules and have achieved literacy levels where 67-68% of the students are able to read on grade level on the 2016-2017 TNReady assessments.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 75 of 250 Routines, Morning Motivation, movement breaks, Enrichment, and MERIT Block. Our schedule provides time to celebrate students’ demonstration of our values in Morning Motivation and MERIT Fest. Figures 1.8(a) and 1.8(b) show a sample kindergarten Monday-Thursday and Friday schedule. Grades 1 and 2 will follow the same schedule as Kindergarten.
Figure 1.8 (a) - Merit Academy Sample K Schedule, Monday-Thursday Sample K Schedule (Monday-Thursday) Time Mins Activity 7:15-7:30 15 Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Routines5 7:30-7:45181 15 Morning Motivation 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2 8:30-8:50 20 Read Aloud 8:50-9:35 45 Literacy Rotation 1 9:35-10:20 45 Literacy Rotation 2 10:20-10:30 10 Snack, Movement 10:30-11:15 45 Literacy Rotation 3 11:15-11:55 40 Writing 11:55-12:30 35 Science 12:30-1:00 30 Lunch and Conversation 1:00-1:20 20 Recess 1:20-1:40 20 Math Meeting: Calendar Math 1:40-2:20 40 Problem Solving 2:20-2:50 30 Math Computation and Skill 2:50-3:20 30 Math Small Group 3:20-3:50 30 Enrichment/Social Studies 3:50-4:15 25 MERIT Block: Choice Time and Tutoring 4:15-4:20 5 Dismissal Total Minutes 540
Figure 1.8(b) - Memphis Merit Academy Sample K Friday Schedule Sample K Student Schedule (Friday) Time Mins Activity 7:15-7:30 15 Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Routines 7:30-7:35 5 Morning Motivation 7:35-8:20 45 RTI2 8:20-8:40 20 Read Aloud 8:40-9:25 45 Literacy Rotation 1 9:25-10:10 45 Literacy Rotation 2 10:10-10:20 10 Snack, Movement 10:20-11:05 45 Literacy Rotation 3
181 Arrival after 7:30 am is considered tardy.
181 We recognize that an early dismissal day may be a burden for some parents. For those parents who cannot pick up their student(s) at 1:15pm on Fridays, we will work closely with neighborhood and community partners as well as local non-profits providing extension opportunities (such as coding, dance, the arts) to ensure all our students have a safe and productive environment following our dismissal.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 76 of 250 11:05-11:35 30 Lunch and Conversation 11:35-11:55 20 Calendar Math 11:55-12:25 30 Math Problem-Solving & Computation and Skill 12:25-12:55 30 Science 12:55-1:15 20 MERIT FEST: School-wide Community Meeting 1:15-1:20 5 Dismissal Total Minutes 360
In accordance with SCS policy 3.207, any students designated at the pre-functional, beginning, or intermediate level will receive one to two hours per day of direct ESL service from a teacher holding an ESL endorsement. Students at the high intermediate to advanced levels will also receive up to one hour of direct ESL service each day from a teacher holding an ESL endorsement. Services will be implemented through a push-in and pull-out model as needed for each student’s individualized learning plan182; the following schedule exemplifies how we intend to implement this model. See Figure 1.8(c) for details on how ELL students receive support in our academic model. Figure 1.8 (c) Memphis Merit Academy Sample ELL Support Schedule Sample K Schedule (Monday- Thursday)- ELL Support Time Minutes Activity Staffing Notes 7:15- 7:30 15 Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Routines 7:30-7:45 15 Morning Motivation 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2 8:30-9:35 65 Read Aloud and Literacy Rotation Instruction delivered by ELL endorsed teacher in small group; 1 Service Delivery = Collaborative/Push-in via dually certified ELL teacher 9:35-10:20 45 Literacy Rotation 2 Blended Learning LexiaCore5 See Section XX 10:20- 10 Snack, Movement 10:30 10:30- 60 Literacy Rotation 3 and Writing Instruction delivered by .5 ELL certified teacher 11:30 Service Delivery= Pull-out or co-teaching based on students’ ILPs 11:30- 25 Writing 11:55 11:55- 35 Science 12:30 12:30-1:00 30 Lunch and Conversation Conservational practice with peers 1:00-1:20 20 Recess 1:20-1:40 20 Math Meeting: Calendar Math 1:40-2:20 40 Problem Solving 2:20-2:50 30 Math Computation and Skill 2:50-3:20 30 Math Small Group 3:20-3:50 30 Enrichment/Social Studies 3:50-4:15 25 MERIT Block: Choice Time and Tutoring 4:15-4:20 5 Dismissal Total 540 Minutes
182Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 77 of 250 Figure 1.8(d) - K-2 Core Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Literacy Math Monday-Thursday 195 minutes 120 minutes Friday 155 minutes 50 minutes 935 minutes = 15 hours and 530 minutes = 8 hours and
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 35 minutes 50 minutes * Literacy data includes Read Aloud, Literacy Rotations 1-3, and Writing * Math data includes Math Meeting: Calendar Math, Problem Solving, Math Computation and Skill, and Math Small Group Figure 1.8(e) - K-2 Small Group Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Small Group Instruction Monday-Thursday 210 minutes Friday 180 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 1020 minutes = 17 hours * Small Group Instruction/Individual Instruction data includes RTI2, Literacy Rotations 1-3, and Math Small Group
Figure 1.8(f) - K-2 Total Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Total Monday-Thursday 435 minutes Friday 260 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 2060 minutes = 34 hours and 20 minutes * Total core instructional minutes data includes RTI2, Read Aloud, Literacy Rotations 1-3, Writing, Science, Math Meeting: Calendar Math, Problem Solving, Math Computation and Skill, Math Small Group, and Enrichment/Social Studies Figure 1.8(g) provides a sample schedule for grades 3-4 and Figure 1.8 (l) shows a sample schedule for grades 5-8. Our schedule for grades 3-8 shows our continued commitment to building literacy as a foundation for all learning and increased minutes spent in both literacy and math each day. Our schedule for upper grades will immerse students in language study with Latin as a part of daily instruction. We make intentional shifts in our daily schedule to provide in-depth study of diverse topics and content while maintaining a commitment to literacy and math. Most notably, we have thoughtfully planned increased time with informational text, sustained silent reading, and our Latin Foundations course in our Upper School. In grades 5-8, students engage with daily science and social studies, differentiated book clubs, and an elective (PE, Spanish, or STEM).
Figure 1.8(g) - Memphis Merit Academy Sample Grades 3-4 Student Schedule (M, T, W, Th) Sample Grades 3-4 Student Schedule (M, T, W, Th) Time Min Class 7:15-7:30 15 Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Routines 7:30-7:45 15 Morning Motivation (Character and Vocabulary) 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2 8:30-8:50 20 Class Transition and Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Literacy Rotation 1: Reading Comprehension/Guided 8:50-9:25 35 Informational Text Literacy Rotation 2: Reading Comprehension/Guided 9:25-10:00 35 Narrative Text 10:00-10:35 35 Literacy Blended Learning/Independent Practice 10:35-11:00 25 Word Study and Vocabulary 11:00-11:10 10 Snack, Physical Break 11:10-11:40 30 Writing and Grammar Workshop
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 78 of 250 11:40-12:20 40 Science 12:20-12:50 30 Lunch 12:50-1:30 40 Problem Solving/CGI 1:30-2:00 30 Math Computation/Skills 2:00-2:30 30 Math Blended Learning/Independent Practice/Tutoring MWF- Social Studies 2:30-3:10 40 TTH-Enrichment (PE, Spanish, STEM) 3:10-3:30 20 Recess 3:30-3:55 25 Latin Foundations 3:55-4:15 20 MERIT Block: Choice Time and Tutoring 4:15-4:20 5 Dismissal Total Time 540
Figure 1.8(h) - Memphis Merit Academy Sample Grades 3-4 Student Schedule (Friday) Sample Grades 3-4 Student Schedule (Friday) Time Min Class 7:15-7:30 15 Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Routines 7:30-7:45 15 Morning Motivation (Character and Vocabulary) 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2
8:30-9:00 30 Literacy Rotation 1: Reading Comprehension/Guided Informational Text
9:00-9:30 30 Literacy Rotation 2: Reading Comprehension/Guided Narrative Text
9:30-10:00 30 Literacy Blended Learning/Independent Practice 10:00-10:30 30 Word Study and Vocabulary 10:30-10:40 10 Snack, Physical Break 10:40-11:40 60 Math Skills and Computation 11:40-12:10 30 Lunch 12:10-12:30 20 Math Blended Learning/Independent Practice/Tutoring 12:30-1:00 30 Writing 1:00-1:15 15 MERIT FEST: School-wide Community Meeting 1:15-1:20 5 Dismissal Total Time 360
Figure 1.8 (i)-Grades 3-5 Core Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Literacy Math Monday-Thursday 180 minutes 100 minutes Friday 150 minutes 80 minutes 870 minutes = 14 hours
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 480 minutes = 8 hours and 30 minutes * Literacy data includes DEAR, Literacy Rotations 1-2, Literacy Blended Learning/Independent Practice, Word Study and Vocabulary, and Writing and Grammar Workshop * Math data includes Math Skills and Computation and Math Blended Learning/Independent Practice/Tutoring
Figure 1.8 (j) - Grades 3-4 Small Group Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Small Group Instruction Monday-Thursday 110 minutes
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 79 of 250 Friday 95 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 535 minutes = 8 hours and 55 minutes * Small Group Instruction/Individual Instruction data includes RTI2, Literacy Blended Learning/Independent Practice, and Math Blended Learning/Independent Practice/Tutoring
Figure 1.8(k) - Grades 3-4 Total Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Total Monday-Thursday 430 minutes Friday 275 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 1995 minutes = 33 hours and 15 minutes * Total core instructional minutes data includes RTI2, DEAR, Literacy Rotations 1-2, Literacy Blended Learning/Independent Practice, Word Study and Vocabulary, Writing and Grammar Workshop, Science, Problem Solving/CGI, Math Computation/Skills, Math Belnded Learning/Independent Practice/Tutoring, Social Studies/Enrichment, and Latin Foundations
Figure 1.8 (l) - Memphis Merit Academy Sample Grades 5-8 Grade Schedule (M,T,W,Th)
Sample Grades 5-8 Student Schedule (M, T, W, Th) Time Min Class 7:15-7:30 15 Breakfast 7:30-7:45 15 Morning Motivation 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2 8:30-10:10 100 Humanities (Reading/Writing) 10:10-11:50 100 Math (Problem Solving, Computation) Language/Speech (1 semester) 11:50-12:40 50 Technology (1 semester) 12:40-1:10 30 Lunch 1:10-1:25 15 Recess 1:25-2:15 50 Science Enrichment (STEM, PE, Spanish or Tutoring) 2:15-3:05 50 Character Education 3:05-3:55 50 Social Studies MERIT Block: Book Club 3:55-4:15 20 and Advisory (High School & College Planning) 4:15-4:20 5 Dismissal Total Time 540
Figure 1.8 (m) - Memphis Merit Academy Sample Grades 5-8 Grade Schedule (Friday) Sample Grades 5-8 Student Schedule (Friday) Time Min Class 7:15-7:30 15 Breakfast 7:30-7:45 15 Morning Motivation 7:45-8:30 45 RTI2 8:30-10:00 90 Humanities (Reading/Writing) 10:00-11:30 90 Math (Problem Solving, Computation) 11:30-12:00 30 Lunch 12:00-12:30 30 Science
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 80 of 250 12:30-1:00 30 Social Studies 1:00-1:15 15 MERIT FEST: School-wide Community Meeting 1:15-1:20 5 Dismissal Total Time 360
Figure 1.8 (n) - Grades 5-8 Core Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Literacy Math Monday-Thursday 100 minutes 100 minutes Friday 90 minutes 90 minutes 490 minutes = 8 hours and 10 490 minutes = 8 hours and 10
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] minutes minutes * Literacy data includes Humanities (Reading/Writing) * Math data includes Math (Problem Solving, Computation) Figure 1.8 (o) -Grades Small Group Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Small Group Instruction Monday-Thursday 45 minutes Friday 45 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours [1] 225 minutes = 3 hours and 45 minutes * Small Group Instruction/Individual Instruction data includes RTI2 Figure 1.8(p) - Grades Total Core Instructional Minutes Daily Minutes Total Monday-Thursday 445 minutes Friday 285 minutes
Total Weekly Minutes/Hours183 2065 minutes = 34 hours and 25 minutes * Total core instructional minutes data includes RTI2, Humanities (Reading/Writing), Math (Problem Solving, Computation), Language/Speech/Technology, Science, Enrichment, and Social Studies
(d) Schedule Rationale______
The above schedules are optimal for students in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities because our school design provides a strong foundation in literacy and math along with support and interventions to help meet students’ needs. The extended day allows for more time with students who need the most support. Data in our proposed community show that 8 in 10 elementary and middle school students do not meet Tennessee’s Academic Standards for reading. Our schedules will give our students the most time in literacy and math. For example, in grades K-2, students will engage in 195 minutes of literacy each day (Monday-Thursday) and 155 minutes on Friday. Literacy for grades K-2 includes small group instruction rotations, read aloud time, and a writing block.
The design of our daily schedule allows for students in K-2 to receive extended time in literacy instruction with two certified teachers. Our extended school day supports students in K-2 and grades 3-4 in receiving the dedicated time to develop a firm foundation in phonics, oral language, reading comprehension, reading fluency, regular practice with both narrative and informational text. In grades 5-8 students spend 100 minutes in reading each day to build strong readers that will be ready for the first day of high school. Also, this extended schedule allows for us to have extended time in math for all students and push
183 This time was calculated by multiplying the daily time by 4 (Mon.-Thurs.) and adding Friday’s instructional time.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 81 of 250 students at the appropriate level of rigor during small group instruction. Memphis Merit students engage in as much as 17 hours of small group instruction in K-2 each week, 8 hours and 34 minutes in grades 3-4, and 3 hours and 45 minutes in grades 5-8. We could not do this without leveraging an extended day and intentionally planned schedule built with student needs at the center. To close gaps in reading and math with all students, we employ extended time in math across grade levels with two-teachers. Our schedule leverages time each day for teachers to prepare for the next day of instruction through intellectual prep and collaborative planning with their colleague on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The daily schedule supports the collaboration and development of our teachers.
Students will have access to a CLUE teacher at the frequency articulated in their IEP through services provided by the Student Support Coordinator, certified in gifted education, and provided through pull-out instruction. Our schedule permits for pull-out services weekly during Enrichment/Social Studies and MERIT Block. Inclusion opportunities are also accessible during core instruction. The CLUE teacher will engage gifted students in the following, but not limited to, research-based strategies184 contingent on each student’s IEP: differentiation of lessons to ensure appropriate level of lesson complexity; textual analysis of books from research-based Reading Lists from John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth; within- class grouping, which often involves teachers assigning students to small homogeneous groups for instruction based on prior achievement or learning capacities; students grouped across grade levels for specific subjects See Section 1.9 (h) Special Populations and Students At-Risk for more details.
We have designed our schedule to include science daily for all students from the first day of kindergarten. Each day, our students will have a safe environment to socialize with their peers during lunch because we anticipate 33% of our students potentially being ELLs. At Memphis Merit Academy, we anticipate an at- risk population of ELL students, students with disabilities, gifted students, and economically disadvantaged students and will meet the needs of all learners. Therefore, we intentionally protect 45 minutes each day for our students to engage in Tier I, II, and III intervention through RTI2 implementation as outlined by the State of Tennessee’s RTI2 Implementation Guide.185
We ensure time for students to receive physical activity through 20 minutes of Recess daily in grades K-4 to allow for breaks during a rigorous instructional day. This will be enrichment time for students in the first year. We will provide a greater selection of enrichment options as enrollment grows each year. In future years, we plan to offer Physical Education, Spanish, and STEM enrichment to ensure our students are prepared for high school, college, and life.
On Fridays, students will participate in MERIT Fest186 to celebrate the work of the week. Student of the Month and other awards will be given during this celebration that all community members will be invited to attend. Our daily schedule provides time for students to participate in MERIT Block, a time for students to engage in a learning activity of their choosing or receive more support through tutoring. In the Upper School (5-8), this time will be used for Book Club and Advisory Block. Advisory Block is a time when students will work with their peers to discuss high school and college planning and will work on character development skills to help them succeed in a rigorously academic environment.
(e) Typical Day in the Life of a Memphis Merit Teacher and Student - Year 1 Figure 1.8 (p) shows a schedule for a typical day in the life of a kindergarten teacher in Year 1, with two
184 https://www.tn.gov/education/student-support/special-education/intellectually-gifted.htm 185 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/rti/rti2_implementation_guide.pdf. 186 MERIT Fest is a weekly school-wide celebration. We will invite parents, colleges, and community members to participate in this celebration of students being recognized for exhibiting excellence in our values: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. This is a time for colleges to be featured for students. Students will participate in chants and activities that reinforce learning and character development.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 82 of 250 teachers in each classroom. Teachers each day arrive at 6:50AM, to prep for a day of rigorous instruction. At 7:00AM promptly, all staff convenes in the cafeteria for Staff Morning Huddle. During the Huddle, the HOS opens the meeting with a recitation of the school’s vision from all staff. The Dean of Operations begins to lead the meeting with updates to schedules and test coordination announcements for the upcoming week. The HOS then leads the staff in a quick review of What to Do, TLAC strategy. The HOS models, the teachers practice the strategy with shoulder partners, and one pair of teachers volunteers to model the strategy to the whole group. The entire staff then has the opportunity to participate in three minutes of shout-outs/public praise for team members doing an excellent job demonstrating the school’s core values. At 7:12am, the Staff Morning Huddle ends promptly, and teachers report to their posts for morning arrival. The first students enter the building at 7:15am, teachers greet students with a smile and receive their Lifework folders. Once breakfast is over, teachers support the HOS in Morning Motivation by modeling the hand gestures and chants students are expected to do during Morning Motivation and correcting any behavior not meeting expectations. At 7:45am, students receive RTI2 through tiered groups from teachers for reading and math. If teachers are assigned RTI2 they will work with small groups of students to ensure gap closure in reading and math. After intervention, teachers lead students in a Read Aloud lesson that focuses on key reading comprehension strategies such as character’s motivation. After Read Aloud, teachers begin three 45- minute literacy rotations with 10 students that are grouped based on their reading needs. After teachers have given students a break and led students through physical movement and deep breathing exercises, they lead students in a Writer’s Workshop lesson. After the Writing lesson, the teacher supports the science teacher by setting up lab materials and asking scaffolding questions and open-ended questions to push students thinking. After an engaging science lesson, both teachers escort students to the cafeteria where the leadership staff, Dean of Operation, enrichment teachers, and HOS are waiting to monitor collegial conversations amongst students while teachers are released for lunch. At 1:20pm, teachers lead students to understand story problems through CGI. Teachers ask students to share their models of how they calculated their answer and how they arrived at such answer. The teacher encourages everyone to participate because s/he understands the value mistakes play in our Culture of Error. After math, both teachers engage in a reflection of the day’s lessons, and discuss the upcoming reading unit and intellectually prep. After the prep time, students return from enrichment, and one teacher monitors students during choice time and is then joined by the special education teacher to conduct small group tutoring in the same room for students needing additional support. The teacher prepares students behavior logs (MERIT Report) in their Lifework folder and ensures the MERIT Report reflects the color chart posted in the room. At 4:15pm, teachers prepare students for dismissal and reports to their duty post. Figure 1.8(p) - A Typical Day in the Life of a Memphis Merit Teacher
Kindergarten – Teacher A Kindergarten – Teacher B 6:50 Arrival at School 6:50 Arrival at School Staff Morning Huddle: Dean of Operations Staff Morning Huddle: Dean of Operations covers covers tweaks to the entrance process; staff 7:00 tweaks to the entrance process; staff gives shout-
gives shout-outs to each other; HOS debriefs on outs to each other; HOS debriefs on instructional 7:00 instructional practices to focus on today based practices to focus on today based on previous on previous classroom observations classroom observations Student Arrival: welcome students, collect HW, Student Arrival: greet each student by name 7:15 7:15 monitor breakfast in hallway and do a quick uniform check
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 83 of 250 Morning Motivation: Support HOS with students in Intellectual Prep (20 min): Planning time to 7:30 7:30 morning greeting, reflection, college chant intellectually prep for upcoming lessons Intellectual Prep (45 minute): Planning time to RTI2 Implementation 7:45 7:45 intellectually prep for upcoming lessons Read Aloud: Read aloud to students excited to learn Read Aloud: students excited to learn about 8:30 8:30 about hot air balloons from non-fiction texts community helpers from non-fiction texts Literacy Rotations: teach three 45-minute Literacy Rotations: teach three 45- minute rotations of guided reading to groups of 7 8:50 rotations of Reading Mastery to groups of 7, 8:50 students, grouped based on STEP data. grouped based on STEP data 11:15 Writing: Supporting Teacher A in lesson by 11:15 Writing: Guide students in Writing Workshop lesson aggressively monitoring students 11:55 Science: teacher performs vortex in a bottle to Science: Supporting teacher B during science; setting show students what a tornado looks like; 11:55 up lab materials and asking scaffolding questions students write weather observations in meteorologist journal, read story on tornadoes
12:30 12:30 Lunch: duty-free lunch Lunch: Duty-free lunch
1:00 Recess: monitor students on playground 1:00 Recess: monitor students on playground
Math: lead CGI lesson identifying solution Math: support CGI lesson by aggressively monitoring strategies to “less than” problem, lead 1:20 student responses and collecting data on student 1:20 lesson on pattern identification. progress. Scaffolding students through inquiry-based discussion Collaborative Planning (TTH): (Students in Collaborative Planning(TTH): (Students in Enrichment Enrichment TTH): work on intellectual prep for TTH): work on intellectual prep for Cognitively Guided Cognitively Guided Instruction co-planning 3:20 Instruction co-planning session 3:20 session Intellectual Prep MWF (30 min): Planning time to intellectually prep for upcoming lessons Intellectual Prep (25 min): Planning time to MERIT Block: Choice Time and Tutoring: Monitor intellectually prep for upcoming lessons students as they select activities of their choice such as
blocks, Legos, or puzzles. Special Education teachers 3:50 3:50 supports teacher and conducts small group in class with targeted students. Dismissal Duty: help students pack up and Dismissal Duty: help students pack up and 4:15 transition, monitoring safe and organized 4:15 transition, monitoring safe and organized Dismissal Dismissal Prep: Check in with grade-level team about next Prep: Check in with grade-level team about next day’s 4:15 day’s lesson plans, ensure room is 4:20 lesson plans, ensure room is prepared for the start of prepared for the start of the day tomorrow the day tomorrow
A Typical Student Day at Memphis Merit Academy: Kindergarten At 7:15am, Kennedy is dropped off by the daycare van at the school’s front door. As the Head of School waves to the van driver, students line up single file, left hands free, right hands with Merit Folder ready to be greeted. Shaking Kennedy’s hand and making eye contact, the Head of School warmly says, “Good morning, Kennedy. I’m so happy you’re here today. Are you prepared to learn today?” “Good morning, Mrs. Booker. Yes. I am!” beams Kennedy. Outside her classroom door, Kennedy is greeted by Mr. Johnson, one of her teachers in the University of Memphis classroom. Kennedy hands Mr. Johnson her Lifework (homework) folder and walks to her hook, where she hangs up her backpack and places her jacket on top. Doing a quick “excellence check as she has
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 84 of 250 been taught,” Kennedy tucks in her shirt and makes sure both shoes are tied, ready to start her day. “Thank you, Mr. Johnson,” Kennedy says as she takes her Lifework folder and heads to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is calm and quiet to ensure everyone is getting ready to focus on a productive day of learning. Kennedy’s classmates are busy eating and those finished are focused on completing their Brainwork. At precisely 7:25am the music stops and the cafeteria begins to sing, “Clean up, clean up…everybody do your share…clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere…” Teachers and students are putting trash into trash cans, and students are putting away their morning Brain Work. After finishing breakfast, Kennedy clears her work space, disposes of trash, and pulls out her Brainwork to practice her handwriting before class begins. At 7:30am, the HOS raises her hand and gives the students a signal. “Good morning Mrs. Booker!” the students say in their best college voices. Mrs. Booker then leads the students in a series of questions during Morning Motivation time to get them warmed up for a day of rigorous learning. “Who can tell me today’s date?” Darron answered the question with, “Today is Wednesday, September 4, 2019.” “Way to go Darron!” says the entire kindergarten class. After 15 minutes of coaching students to get ready for learning, it is time to go to class. Kennedy’s classroom is calm and organized, with classical music playing in the background. “Good morning, Kennedy!” says Ms. Jackson, “I can’t wait for you to hear our new story this morning. I think you’ll love it.” “Good morning, Ms. Jackson,” Kennedy replies as she shakes her teacher’s hand. Kennedy sits down at her assigned seat with three of her friends. “Jason, let’s go; it’s time for Intervention,” says Mr. Simpson, a Tier 3 RTI teacher at the school. Every student who has been identified for intervention goes to receive it during the first period, from 7:45am to 8:30am. Tier 2 students go with their assigned teachers, and Tier I students go with their assigned teachers to engage in extended blending learning on I-Ready. At 8:30am Ms. Jackson stops the classical music and rings her bell. “Good morning, University of Memphis!” says Ms. Jackson. “Good morning, Ms. Jackson.” Kennedy turns to her shoulder partner, wishing him good morning and asking how he is feeling today. After a quick check-in with friends, Kennedy’s class turns back to Ms. Jackson who talks to the class about what being a “good friend” looks like and asks University of Memphis how they can support each other throughout the day. After brainstorming a possible list (sharing crayons, saying “excuse me” when you bump into someone, picking up a friend’s paper that fell), Kennedy is excited for her favorite time of the day. STORY TIME! After the “Go Tigers Go” cheer, Kennedy transitions to the carpet, sitting down in her assigned seat “criss- cross-applesauce.” Ms. Jackson brings out a book on hot air balloons. University of Memphis had just wrapped up reading The Wizard of Oz yesterday and they were interested in learning more about the transportation Dorothy took home, so Ms. Jackson pulls a book from the local library on the subject. During Read Aloud, Ms. Jackson highlights the word altitude, having students complete hand motions to remember the definition. Kendrick, Class Secretary, quickly walks over to the Scholarly Word Wall and adds “altitude” with a quick drawing to remind his friends in class to remember to use this word. At 8:45am, Mr. Walker joins the UofM classroom and starts setting up materials for his phonics lesson while Ms. Jackson wraps up Read Aloud with a turn-and-talk, having partners discuss what they predict seeing if they were to take a hot air balloon ride in their neighborhood. Five minutes later, Ms. Jackson rings her bell and says, “Track Mr. Walker” and all students turn their bodies to look at Mr. Walker. “Good morning, Tigers!” exclaims Mr. Walker. “Good Morning, Mr. Walker!” responds Kennedy’s class in unison. “Grow Your Brain chant,” announces Mr. Walker. “Get Ready. Go!” The class stands up, starts chanting, and each student transitions to one of four spots in the room with six
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 85 of 250 of their peers, assembling in their assigned literacy rotation groups. Kennedy walks to the kidney table for the comprehension station in their morning literacy block. Ms. Jackson facilitates a 45-minute comprehension lesson where Kennedy and 9 other classmates practice identifying the main idea in short stories. Ten students are at computers, headphones on, working through Lexia, the adaptive literacy computer program. A third group of ten students is in a semi-circle around Mr. Walker on the carpet, quickly reciting sight words and practicing diagraph and letter sounds before starting their Reading Mastery lesson. After 45 minutes, Ms. Jacksons’ timer beeps and Kennedy and her classmates stand up at their stations and turn their bodies to the next station they will attend. After the second 45-minute station, Kennedy takes a break during movement and meditation time to dance to her favorite songs. As a few students rotate in and out of the classroom for bathroom break, Ms. Jackson brings students to their desks to engage in their five-minute meditation before completing their literacy rotations. In the next 45 minutes, Kennedy rotates to her final literacy station. Once she and her group complete their third literacy rotation, she puts her things away and transitions to the carpet. At 11:55am, it is time for science. The Tigers are engaged in a lesson on weather patterns and learning about becoming meteorologists. After writing observations about the weather for the day in her meteorologist journal, Kennedy sits on the carpet and listens to Ms. Jackson read a story on tornadoes. Jose silently signals that he has a connection to the text to make. After being called on, Jose shares that this reminds him of The Wizard of Oz. Students turn and talk with their partners making connections between the nonfiction text they just heard to the fiction text they recently read. At 12:30pm, Ms. Hill enters the classroom and Mr. Johnson waves goodbye to UofM. “You’ve got a lot of resilient students in here, Ms. Hill,” Mr. Johnson declares as he heads out the door. Kennedy gets ready for a quick bathroom break with Ms. Hill. Once the bathroom break is completed, Ms. Hill walks Kennedy and her classmates back to their classroom where the Dean of Operations, P.E. teacher, and parent lunch volunteers have already set their lunches at their tables. Students silently take their seats and wait for Ms. Hill to signal it is time to eat. After a healthy, filling lunch, Mario, the Table Captain, cleans up his trash, throws away his friend’s trash, and wipes down the table. Kennedy and the rest of the table continue to chat about times they struggled but have persevered. Ms. Hill transitions UofM to the playground for daily movement. At 1:20pm Mr. Walker asks Candace, UofM’s Math Magician, a title given to a student every day for showing resilience and mindfulness in math class the previous day, to lead Kennedy’s class through the calendar math routine. Candace, with her Math Magician cape on, walks to the head of the carpet, takes the pointer and guides the class through the date; chants about the days of the week, months, seasons, and weather; and helps her peers break down the secret number of the day. Mr. Walker walks through the day’s story problem, having students read it several times, having them close their eyes to visualize the events, and suggesting potential strategies to think about. As Kennedy’s class transitions back to their tables to find blank paper, tens cubes, pencils, and crayons to solve today’s word problem. Kennedy starts drawing a picture to conceptualize the events, while Jose across the table starts writing numbers on his pages. Mr. Walker walks around watching his class tackle the problem. Next Kennedy and her class head into a math lesson where they practice composing and decomposing numbers, leveraging mental strategies and manipulatives. Every math block ends in small group and independent practice time. As Ms. Jackson calls four students to the kidney table to review a previous lesson, Kennedy logs onto a class computer to work on ST Math, the adaptive math computer program. Today is enrichment day! As students jump into their kinesthetic warm-ups, Ms. Hill is talking to them about the resilience dancers show as they commit to long hours of practice and getting better. Kennedy anticipates jumping into the latest dance workout routine they will get to perform for their parents and
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 86 of 250 the rest of the Memphis Merit Academy’s community at next week’s MERIT Fest. The last 25 minutes of the day is “choice time” where Tigers have a range of activities such as letter writing, word sorts, computer program, and independent reading to choose from. Ms. Jackson is joined by Mr. Walker. Both teachers pull small groups of students to practice phonics skill. Kennedy is pulled into Mr. Walker’s group and practices reading words ending in diagraphs. At 4:10pm students gather around the carpet with their behavior logs and fill in their color for the day. Kennedy is excited to show her mom her “green” day when she gets home. Kennedy turns to her accountability buddy and tells her what her behavior color is and what she did or did not do to get there today. “I think getting sleep last night helped me stay resilient and focused today,” says Kennedy. A few minutes later, Kennedy boards her daycare bus knowing she can make each day a great day.
(f) Extra-curricular Activities______
The extra-curricular activities we will offer starting in Year 1 are focused on preparing all students to be strong communicators, innovators, and college-bound young people who will be able to secure a successful career. In the Lower School (K-4), students will engage in physical education as an enrichment activity to learn how to have a healthy lifestyle. We also provide a rich elementary foundation by ensuring students gain experiences in foreign language. Our budget reflects the growth to three enrichment teachers at full scale to include Physical Education (beginning Y1), Spanish (beginning Y4), and STEM (beginning Y5) enrichment. Community partnerships with The Place of Outpouring@Olivet Baptist Church offers independently, Memphis Athletics Ministries, where students can join basketball teams starting in grade 5. The McFarland Community Center also serves over 8,200 families in the 38118 community each month by offering multiple afterschool school programs and activities such as basketball, majorette, dance, cheerleading, karate, fitness, and tutoring for all ages. We will continue to work to build more relationships for students to be able to have increased exposure and opportunities such as collaborating with the Children’s Museum of Memphis. (See Attachment E for letter of support and collaboration). To continue to build on our mission to build college ready students, we will focus on STEM course on computer literacy, coding, and engineering practices. We plan to collaborate with organizations across the City of Memphis already offering extracurricular STEM experiences such as Black Girls Code, Inc., University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and TSIN.
(g) Saturday School and Summer School______
We have planned an extended calendar and daily schedule to ensure students receive the supports they need throughout the year, so we will not offer Saturday School or Summer School for our K-8 students.
1.9 Special Populations and At-Risk Students
(a) Comprehensive Plan to Serve All Students
Memphis Merit Academy will meet the needs of all students, including but not limited to, students with federally recognized disabilities, students with Section 504 Plans, English Language Learners, students identified as intellectually gifted, and students at risk of dropping out. We will ensure that we effectively serve our special populations and at-risk students through the following approaches: Regulatory Compliance; Leadership; Staffing; High-Quality Instruction; and Focus on Outcomes.
Regulatory Compliance. One of the three major responsibilities of our Founding Board is to ensure regulatory compliance as we provide a safe and suitable environment for all students. We will be guided by all laws, guidelines, policies, and best practices to educate our students with IEPs in compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and T.C.A.§ 49-13-102. We will serve students who have been identified with disabilities under the law or whom we suspect may have such disabilities. We
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 87 of 250 will provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and comply with all applicable state and federal statutes, including Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. We will educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) and with their general education peers to the extent appropriate and allowed by each student’s Individualized Education Plan. When a student is suspected of having a disability, we will ensure Child Find, in accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 300.111, as we (1) identify, (2) locate, and (3) evaluate children who need special education and related services.187 To ensure we meet the needs of all students, including ELL students, we plan to hire at least one dually certified general education (elementary education endorsement and ELL certification) teacher for each grade level in our two-teacher model to deliver our pull-out and inclusion model for ESL instruction. This means our school has the capacity to leverage at least one ELL teacher per grade level to deliver ELL services, as needed. In addition, our staffing model allows for contingencies that include the following: shift in Year 3 to a 1.5 Teacher Model in 3rd grade classes for literacy instruction to hire additional special education or ELL staffing, as needed. Memphis Merit Academy will not discriminate in our admission and enrollment process or practices against students having or suspected to have disabilities. To reach goals described in the accountability section of this application, we will educate students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers in the regular education classroom and only use a more restrictive environment only if the severity of their disability requires. All students will receive high-quality Tier I instruction and intervention in all classes. We anticipate enrolling a special education population of approximately 8.3%, greater than the Shelby County Schools (SCS), based on the average special education enrollment in all elementary schools in Parkway Village and Oakhaven.188 Please see Section 1.2 for more detail. As a local educational agency (LEA), we will follow and fulfill our obligations under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). We are guided by the belief that all students can and will achieve through a high-quality, equitable educational program and services. Leadership. Our Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School has developed a leadership structure that will strongly support all K-8 students, including those with special needs. The Head of School has more than 10 years of experience as a teacher and leader supporting, implementing, monitoring, and creating an environment that is inclusive for all students. She has the experience to train all school staff to address the diverse needs of all students and will be hire a robust support and instruction team. Staffing. To meet the needs of our diverse student population, we will ensure our staff includes: • Student Supports Coordinator, TN special education license, responsible for identification, monitoring, and coordination of services for students with disabilities and intellectually gifted students. We anticipate an 8% student with disabilities and intellectually gifted population which is approximately 10 students K-1. At full scale (Y8), staff for students with disabilities and intellectually gifted is (1) Director of Student Supports (supporting a caseload of students) and (1) Special Education. • ELL Teachers, hired based on anticipated needs, serving approximately 33% ELLs based on percentages in proposed community, number of teachers grows with school size and need, beginning with 0.5 FTE ELL teacher and 2 dually certified general education and ESL endorsed lead teachers in Y1 supporting 39 ELL students in our pull-out and inclusion model. Recruitment and incentives for
187 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text- idx?c=ecfr&SID=de74700d2717649b2cb5c4061e7e24d7&rgn=div5&view=text&node=34:2.1.1.1.1&idno=34%2334:2.1.1.1.1.2.39.12. 188https://www.tn.gov/education/data/report-card.html.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 88 of 250 dually certified staff allows for our school to leverage 2.5 FTE ESL endorsed teachers in Y1, 3.5 FTE ELL endorsed teachers in Y2, 5.0 FTE ESL endorsed teachers in Y3, 6.0 FTE ESL endorsed teachers in Y4, and 6.5 ESL endorsed teachers in Y5. • Special Education Teachers, hired based on anticipated SPED population, serving approximately 8% students requiring special education services, number of teachers grows with school size and need, beginning with SPED teacher in Y4, with the Student Supports Coordinator fulfilling special education services in years 1-3, approximately 19 students. • General Education Teachers, hired based on belief that all students can learn and will achieve at high levels, belief in collaborative and inclusive efforts to ensure all students learn, two fully licensed general education teachers in every classroom K-4. There will be one dually certified teacher on each grade level in general education and ESL. • All Staff, firm belief in high academic and behavioral expectations for all students. • Head of School, 10+ years of experience working in classroom setting inclusive for all students and as an administrator managing services for special populations of students. • Board of Directors, belief in and dedication to a college preparatory mission for all.
In the event our needs for special education and ELL services are greater than anticipated, our staffing model allows for contingencies that include the following: shift in Y3 to a 1.5 Teacher Model in 3rd grade classes for literacy instruction to hire additional special education or ELL staffing. High-Quality Instruction. All students will receive high-quality instruction and interventions across subjects and grade levels. Under ESSA, Tennessee has increased school accountability for the learning outcomes of special populations of students.189 At Memphis Merit Academy, we have designed our goals with the academic growth of our special populations subgroups in mind. We have explicit goals to ensure we are closing the academic achievement gaps between subgroups and their general-education peers. To prioritize meeting the needs of all learners, we provide the following in our school model for all students:
• Extended Time - Our school calendar includes 183 instructional days from 7:15am to 4:15pm Monday- Thursday and 7:15am to 1:15pm on Friday each week. This schedule provides more time for students to have regular practice with rigorous academics and more time for individualized supports. • Two-Teacher Model - The two-teacher model will account for serving ELL/ESL or SPED services in the following ways. (1) ELL Support within Two-Teacher Model: (a) direct Instruction provided by dually certified teacher for ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies with General Education and ESL endorsement in grades K-4; (b) ELL pullouts for direct instruction provided by ELL teacher for higher need ELL students; (c) lesson Internalizations/Plans created and reviewed by ESL certified teacher to anticipate student misconceptions to support instruction. (2) SPED Support within Two-Teacher Model: (a) direct instruction provided by two fully certified general education teachers with support of the Student Support Coordinator (fully certified special education teacher) through inclusion for ELA and Math, as prescribed by students’ IEPs; (b) small group pullouts provided by Student Support Coordinator for students requiring more intensive support outlined in their IEP; (c) co-planning with the Student Support Coordinator (SPED certified), dually certified ESL/general education teacher, and general education teacher to ensure lessons meet the needs of all students. In K-4, students receive literacy instruction with two fully certified teachers in the classroom. In grades K-2, students receive literacy instruction via three 45-minute rotations focused on the following: (1) phonics, (2) guided reading/reading comprehension, and (3) blended learning/independent work at individual student
189“ESSA: Building on Success in Tennessee.” 3 May 2017. Tennessee DOE. 27 March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 89 of 250 levels. In grades 3 and 4 our literacy rotations shift to focus on: (1) literary textual analysis and writing, (2) informational textual analysis and writing, and (3) independent work/blended learning. During our literacy rotations, teachers work in small groups on literacy with no more than 10 students. Students are grouped based on STEP Assessment data in grades K-3. In grade 4, students are grouped based on Fountas & Pinnell Assessment. • Intervention – We will enact intervention as outlined by the Tennessee Department of Education in its Response to Instruction and Intervention(RTI2) Implementation Guide.190 We will aggressively monitor student academic progress throughout the day and year with meaningful assessments to ensure we are responding as quickly as possible to students’ needs. (Our RTI2 Implementation and process are further discussed later in this section.) We have strategically built into our school day other opportunities for targeted tutoring during Choice Time and Advisory to provide additional student supports. As described in our assessment outline in Section 1.7, teachers will systematically and consistently use multiple forms of assessment evidence to identify students’ strengths and gaps.
Outcomes-Focused. Our goals keep us accountable for and focused on the success of all students. As part of our mission and accountability to the authorizer and our families, we will ensure all students are achieving and growing academically. We believe that “All means all,” one of the state’s key principles for district accountability under ESSA.191 Thus, we have designed academic goals to include absolute, comparative, and growth data. Our academic achievement goal for closing achievement gaps between our student subgroups and their general-education peers appears below and is also found in Section 1.4:
GOAL 5: The school will maintain good standing under TN ESSA accountability system.
• Measure 5.1: Under the state’s ESSA accountability system,192 the school will maintain consistent good standing. The state will never identify the school as a Priority School or determine that it has met the criteria to be identified as a school at risk for closure based on inadequate academic progress or achievement. Memphis Merit Academy will be in good standing with performance for all students’ (including subgroups193) performance.194
We will maintain a focus on historically underserved student groups, and will assess and monitor the progress of the following student groups: (1) All students, (2) Black/Hispanic/Native American students, (3) English Language Learners (ELL), (4) Students with disabilities (SWD), (5) Economically disadvantaged students (ED), and (6) Combined subgroups (including students across each of the four subgroups). 195 The Board understands that our accountability to the state and authorizer is based on data from all students (weighted 60%) and subgroups (weighted 40%).196 Given accountability and faithfulness to our mission, we will report performance data for the total population and present comparisons between subgroups.
(b) Capacity to Serve All Students______
Our founding team has extensive experience with educating special populations of students. Of the nine members of our current Founding Board, four have experience working directly with students with disabilities, ELLs, students with Section 504 plans, gifted and talented, and at-risk student populations.
190https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/rti/rti2_manual.pdf. 191 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/ESSA_district_accountability_fact_sheet.pdf. 192 Tennessee’s ESSA Plan. (2018, March 21). Retrieved March 25, 2018, from Tennessee Department of Education: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/TN_ESSA_State_Plan_Approved.pdf. 193 We will ensure progress in achieving English language proficiency (ELPA), student achievement gap closure across subgroups (ELL, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and at-risk populations), according to TN’s ESSA Plan. 194 Ibid. 195 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/ESSA_district_accountability_fact_sheet.pdf. 196 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/documents/ESSA_district_accountability_fact_sheet.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 90 of 250 Lakenna Booker, Lead Founder. Mrs. Booker has directly worked with ELLs, students with disabilities, intellectually gifted students, students with Section 504 plans, and at-risk students since 2007 in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. Mrs. Booker worked as a middle school math and science teacher in both traditional public schools and charter schools. As a teacher, Mrs. Booker worked collaboratively with the special education teachers to co-plan and create accommodations and modifications for testing and instruction and communicated with families on student academic progress. She worked with shared- services providers to ensure all students equal access to education and planned, implemented, evaluated, and adjusted daily instruction for special populations of students in grades 6-8. Mrs. Booker has five years of leadership experience as a Dean of Instruction in charter schools in Memphis, coaching teachers and creating, implementing, and managing programming to ensure all students received a free appropriate public education.
Angela Brumfield, proposed Board Chair. Mrs. Brumfield has taught in urban settings, including in an inclusion math classroom for ELL and SPED students. Mrs. Brumfield collaborated with ELL and SPED educators, modifying lessons and accommodating students based on specific needs, communicating with parents, and providing effective instruction to all students. Mrs. Brumfield currently serves as math instructional advisor for Shelby County School’s I-Zone school district, providing supports to leaders with significant ELL and SPED populations.
Kathy Gibbs, M.Ed., M.S., NCC, BCC, Founding Board Member. Mrs. Gibbs has directly worked with students with disabilities, intellectually gifted students, students with Section 504 plans, and at-risk students from kindergarten through post-secondary and professional school education. Mrs. Gibbs holds a national board certification in counseling, board coach certification issued by the Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc., and a behavioral intervention team certification issued by the National Behavioral Intervention Association. We will leverage her knowledge from these certifications and education to help provide adequate oversight to our school accountability. Her educational background includes a M.S. in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Memphis, M. Ed. In Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration on reading from the University of Memphis, and a B.S. in Speech Pathology with a minor in Psychology. Mrs. Gibbs brings 28 cumulative years of experience to our Founding Board as it relates to experiences with special populations through her experience as a Director of Student Academic Support, Inclusion Services (UTHSC)197, post-secondary instructor, behavior intervention team member, certified K-12 Speech Pathologist, and board chair of the behavioral intervention team with UTHSC. These experiences have allowed Mrs. Gibbs the capacity to coordinate services for special populations of students, implement IEP’s and Section 504’s for students, and manage, coordinate, and chair programs that support special populations of students.
Jack Vuylsteke, M.Ed., Founding Board Member. Mr. Vuylsteke has successfully founded Memphis Rise Academy Charter School and has worked as the Head of School since 2012. He has experiences with the oversight of the following components as it relates to student services for special populations of students: oversees the daily operations and academic support for a population of students where 51% are Hispanic, 44% African American, and 5% are white; 90% of students are free/reduced lunch; yet in its first year of operation, the school performed in the top 10% of Memphis charter schools in academic performance, while maintaining the second-highest population of ELLs in the city. Mr. Vuylsteke was a BES Fellow and has studied over 60+ high performing charter schools successfully educating special populations.
(c) Anticipated Need and Staffing Plan ______
Anticipated Need and Staffing. Post-authorization, the Head of School will search for a high-capacity,
197 The University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 91 of 250 mission-aligned, and certified special education teacher to serve as the founding Student Supports Coordinator. The Student Supports Coordinator will manage the special education teacher (Y2) and ELL teacher (Y1). The profile of the elementary Student Support Coordinator we are seeking includes: belief that all students can and will learn at high levels; TN special education license; at least three years of experience working directly with special-needs populations (students with disabilities and intellectually gifted students); Experience working in diverse and high-needs populations like schools in Parkway Village and Oakhaven; background with special-needs identification, progress monitoring, data collection, implementation, Section 504, and IEP process; Experience with RTI2 Implementation process as it relates to special populations; Experience and certification with serving ELL students The Student Support Coordinator will coordinate services for each student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) including managing service providers, nursing, and educational assistants with the support of the Head of School. The Student Supports Coordinator, special education teachers, and ELL teachers will be fully certified.
Under our current projection (anticipated enrollment of 8% special-needs students in our first year), we plan to hire one (1) Student Supports Coordinator198(certified special education teacher) and 0.5 FTE ELL teacher for Year 1. In our second year of operation, we will hire one (1) Student Supports Coordinator and (0.5) FTE ELL teachers. In Year 3 of operation, we will employ (1) Student Supports Coordinator and (1) FTE ELL. In Year 4 of operation, (1) Dean of Student Supports, (1) Special Education teacher, and (1) ELL Teacher. In Year 5 of operation, (1) Dean of Student Supports (certified in special education), (1) Special Education, and (1.5) FTE ELL teachers. In Year 6, (1) Dean of Student Supports, (1) Special Education teacher, and (1.5) FTE ELL teachers. In Year 7, (1) Director of Student Supports (certified in special education), (1) Special Education Teacher, and (1.5) FTE ELL teachers. In Year 8, when the school is at full scale, (1) Director of Student Supports, (1) Special Education teacher, and (1.5) ELL teacher. In the event our needs for special education and ELL services are greater than anticipated, our staffing model allows for contingencies that include the following: shift in Year 3 to a 1.5 Teacher Model in 3rd grade classes for literacy instruction to hire additional special education or ELL staffing.
If we exceed our anticipated population of special-needs students in the first year, the Head of School will work with our back-office provider to modify our budget to match our increased staffing need for an additional special education teacher. This budget will be resubmitted to the Finance Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. Similarly, if our population of students with special needs exceeds our projections in any year, we will adjust our budget and staffing plan to provide additional supports as needed for our students. Such adjustments could include adding paraprofessionals, ELL teachers, SPED teachers, or any other prescribed supported outlined in students’ IEPs.
Our Head of School and Student Supports Coordinator will provide PD for teachers on co- teaching/inclusive strategies, accommodations and modifications, behavioral intervention support, small group instruction, intervention, IEPs, and Section 504s. Figure 1.9 (a) shows staffing for Y1 through Y5.199
Figure 1.9 (a) - Personnel Start-Up Through Year 5 of Operation Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Staffing Types K-1 K-2 K-3 K-4 K-5 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Head of School Classified 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Director of Operations Classified 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 Dean of Operations Classified 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00
198 Denoted in budget template as Special Education Coordinator. 199 Full staffing structure can be found in Attachment G: Organizational Chart.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 92 of 250 Director of Lower School Classified 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 Director of Upper School Classified 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dean of Academics Classified 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Dean of Culture Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Student Supports Coordinator200 Certificated 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 Dean of Student Supports Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 Office Manager Classified 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Special Education Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 ELL Teacher Certificated 0.50 0.50 1.00 1.00 1.50 Enrichment Certificated 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 3.00 Kindergarten Teacher201 Certificated 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 Grade 1 Teacher202 Certificated 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 Grade 2 Teacher203 Certificated 0.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 Grade 3 Teacher204 Certificated 0.00 0.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 Grade 4 Teacher205 Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.00 4.00 Grade 5 Teacher206 Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 Grade 6 Teacher207 Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grade 7 Teacher208 Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grade 8 Teacher209 Certificated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Building Engineer 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Daily Schedule. Our daily schedule is designed to include the time necessary for all students to receive the services they need to be successful. Section 1.8 provides samples of daily schedules with RTI2 Implementation scheduled in every grade. We have placed this time at the start of the day, so our students will begin every day being pushed to excel in Tier I, II, and III intervention. This 45-minute block of time will allow for the following implementation in compliance with Shelby County Schools’ RTI2 Implementation plan, outlined in Figure 1.9 (b).
Figure 1.9(b) - Memphis Merit Academy RTI2 Tier Descriptions and Staff Support Tier RTI2-Academic Staff Support RTI2-Behavior Staff Support Tier 1 Students complete work Summer Professional Core Values Program Taxonomy PD on foundational Development standards directly Tier 1 Behavior Teacher Investment Plans
related to their needs as Weekly Professional Intervention Plan Development Climate Surveys identified by NWEA. Code of Conduct Weekly One-on-One Teacher Teacher Culture Observations Instruction/ MERIT Block & Coaching Sessions
Planning Observations & Character Development Character Development/ Coaching Sessions
200 Student Supports Coordinator will be certified in both gifted education and special education. 201 These numbers also reflect one dually certified Lead Teacher in general education and ESL. 202 lbid. 203 lbid. 204 lbid. 205 lbid. 206 lbid. 207 lbid. 208 lbid. 209 lbid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 93 of 250 Program Advisory Training & Support
Kickboard Tier 2 Math: I-Ready Monthly Fidelity Checks and Individual Counseling Monthly Fidelity Checks and Feedback Feedback Reading: Fluency – Group Counseling Phonics Program RTI-Academic Professional RTI-Behavior Professional Development Weekly as Development Weekly as Comprehension – I- needed needed Ready + Small Group
Teacher-Student Ratio: 1:5 or less 30 minutes daily (remaining 15 minutes will allow students DEAR and Read Aloud) Tier 3 Math: Direct instruction Monthly Fidelity Checks and CICO210 Monthly Fidelity Checks and using I-Ready lesson to Feedback Individual Counseling Feedback provide small group Group Counseling instruction + digital RTI-Academic PD Weekly as *other internally created RTI-Behavior Professional content and individual needed interventions provided by Development Weekly as instruction as needed Student Support needed Coordinator Reading: Fluency – Phonics + digital content and individual direct instruction as needed Comprehension – I- Ready + small group
Teacher-Student ratio: K- 5 = 1:3 or less, grades 6- 8 = 1:6 or less 45 minutes daily
(d) Data-Informed Decision-Making______
RTI2 Implementation for All. In alignment with the SCS RTI2 Implementation policies and procedures, we will use NWEA MAP211 and easyCBM to provide data comparisons to guide placement of our students in intervention. We will review the easyCBM benchmark data within one week of administration; students performing at or below the 24th percentile in one or more areas will then receive further assessment with easyCBM so we can determine the Instructional Level in which to deliver interventions and conduct progress monitoring. The school will establish an RTI2 Team composed of the RTI2 Coordinator,212 Head of School, Student Supports Coordinator, School Psychologist,213 ELL teacher, Special Education Teacher,214 and classroom teachers. We will follow all guidelines outlined in the RTI2 District Implementation Guide215 to accelerate student growth through targeted support. Figure 1.9 (c) outlines our RTI2 decision-making.
210 CICO is a check-in and check-out system for students to check in with designated staff such as the Student Support Coordinator to set goals for the day, re-set behavior, and check in on progress towards daily behavioral goals. The CICO system is used in top-performing schools like Excel Chelsea as a form of behavior intervention. 211 A standards-based universal screener is an assessment to determine student performance to grade-level standards and identify those who are potentially in need of greater levels of support. The NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is the District’s screener. 212 This will be HOS in Y1, then teacher leader in the school’s early growth years, and full-time dedicated position when the school is at capacity. 213 We will engage a School Psychologist from the SCS district at scheduled intervals to support in the evaluation of RtI2 data such as the rate of improvement, gap analysis, and initial instructional level determination.
215 http://www.scsk12.org/ci/uploads/rti/2016-17%20RTI2%20District%20Implementation%20Guide%20Final%20PDF.pdf?PID=965.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 94 of 250 Figure 1.9(c) Memphis Merit Academy RTI2 At A Glance Requirements RTI2-Academic RTI2-Behavior Kickboard Data NWEA MAP - Given in Fall, Winter, Spring Student Support Coordinator, Diagnostic Data AIMSweb Universal Screening216, easyCBM PowerSchool referrals, and HOS referrals,217 Student Reflection and Climate Survey Benchmarking Tool AIMSweb (only T2 and T3 scholars) done each semester Student Reflection & Climate Survey done Progress Monitoring Tool easyCBM (only T2 and T3 scholars) each semester (only T2 and T3 scholars) Data Meetings Weekly on Fridays Weekly on Fridays218 File Folders Kept by RTI2-Academic Teachers219 Kept Student Support Coordinator Student Support Coordinator, Counselor RTI2 Coordinator Lakenna Booker, Head of School at full scale RTI2 Team Chairperson TBD TBD Conducted monthly by RTI2-Academic Conducted monthly by RTI2-Academic Fidelity Checks Coordinator (HOS) and RTI2 Coordinator Coordinator (HOS) and RTI2 Coordinator Intervention plans created by HOS, Intervention plans created by RTI2-Academic Teachers, Student Support Coordinator Creation of Intervention Team during data meetings based on NWEA and parent by completing a Behavior Plans data, AIMSweb data, easyCBM. Intervention Plan (BIP) during Support Team Meeting, documented in Kickboard Collect minimum progress monitoring data Collect minimum progress monitoring Ineffective Intervention points, adjust intervention plan during data data points, adjust intervention plan Plan – Step 1 meeting during data meeting If data continues to show that adjusted If data continue to show that adjusted Ineffective Intervention intervention plan is still not effective, intervention plan is still not effective, make Plan - Step 2 make referral to 2nd Support Team during referral to Support Team during data meeting data meeting
The RTI2 model provides screening for all students for educational difficulties. Students who do not make adequate progress in response to high-quality instruction will receive targeted interventions and continued progress monitoring at regular intervals. The RTI2 Coordinator will monitor our interventions to ensure fidelity to the TN State Department of Education RTI2 process. Staff training will include summer professional development, ongoing training through the year in response to fidelity checks, and 7 PD Days throughout the year. This time will be used to train staff on diagnostic tools, progress monitoring tools, delivery of small group instruction, and data collection.
Memphis Merit Academy’s frequent internal assessment program will efficiently identify students who are struggling academically. On our Early Release Fridays, teachers will review weekly data in data team meetings. Interim assessment data is the focus of our quarterly data analysis. MERIT Block tutoring and literacy rotation groups are leveled according to interim data to ensure all students have an appropriately leveled group that most directly meets their needs. In Year 1, the Head of School will monitor student assessment data closely, meeting daily with teachers to discuss Do Nows and Exit Tickets, weekly to discuss MERIT quizzes, and within 24 hours of interim and end-of-semester comprehensive exams. When our staff is at full scale, this will be the joint role of the Head of School and the Director of Lower School
216 The NWEA MAP is the universal screener we will use to begin the initial process for Tier determinations. We will triangulate data with our STEP assessment data and AIMSweb to ensure an equitable process. 217 This process will consider the data reflection of referrals made to members of the leadership team; Kickboard behavioral data, and student conference notes, surveys, and questionnaires about school culture. 218 Although RTI2 Data team meetings are required monthly, we will examine data and documentation weekly. We will at each month interval review data related to consecutive progress monitoring. 219 To ensure all students are receiving the intervention they need, all teachers and leaders will be involved in the RTI2 Implementation. The HOS and Student Support Coordinator will be flexible to conduct fidelity checks, observations, and feedback during this time.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 95 of 250 and Director of Upper School. The Student Supports Coordinator, in collaboration with the Head of School and/or the Director of Lower School and Director of Upper School will prescribe interventions and document all action plans in Student Portfolios.220 Our process for referring students for special education services is described in part (e) below. We will review IEPs and student progress annually, or more often, as necessary. Professional development for all teachers will include annual special education compliance training, as well as additional trainings to maximize teacher effectiveness in preparing specific accommodations and instructional strategies that work with students who have specific disabilities.
(e) Special Education
Identification and Avoiding Misidentification. Once students enroll, we will perform intake activities with parents to determine if their student participated in special education services in their previous school. We will then request the records from the feeder schools to determine if the student has an IEP. Once we receive the record before the beginning of the school year, we will review the file and properly secure the document according to T.C.A.§ 49-13-102. The Student Supports Coordinator and Head of School will perform an initial review of all files and ensure the educational setting is prepared to deliver services and make any modifications and accommodations to the curriculum. If a student’s IEP needs to be reviewed for updated goals and services or to determine if the student is still eligible for special education services, the IEP team will meet for a review of the IEP. To identify students with disabilities that do not have an existing IEP, the Head of School and the Student Supports Coordinator will train all teachers in the identification of students with special needs. We will provide time in our weekly data meetings for staff members to monitor, discuss, and remain updated on the academic and behavioral progress of any student observed struggling academically or behaviorally.221 Our internal assessment schedule will generate a breadth of data we can use to improve our instruction and better meet the needs of our students. During weekly data meetings, we will review Student Portfolios to devise an action plan to best meet students’ needs. If it becomes clear that a student is not meeting either academic or behavioral expectations, we interpret this as a critical indicator of a potential larger issue and move to address it as quickly as possible. Based on data, for students not responding to intervention, the Head of School, Student Support Coordinator, RTI2 Chairperson, and leadership team will devise a proactive intervention plan using the RTI2 model. In accordance with the SCS RTI2 Implementation Guide, once Tier II and Tier III interventions demonstrate lack of progress in a student’s rate of improvement in response to intervention, the Memphis Merit Student Support Team as outlined in Figure 1.9(c) will conduct a data team meeting to analyze the next step of a special education referral. We will communicate with the family including written notification of the request for a special education referral. Our goal is to ensure correct identification of students with special needs, while ensuring we do not misidentify students. We will ensure our process is grounded in data-based decision-making that considers both academic and behavioral factors. Once the RTI2 team has verified a student is not making progress regardless of the changes to intervention, after the required timeframe in the RTI2 Implementation Guide, we will move forward with the referral process and avoid the following common errors that lead to misidentification.
Figure 1.9(d) - Common Issues with Identification Practices222 Common Misconceptions (national trends) Memphis Merit Academy’s Focus and Practices General and special education teachers participate together in PD focusing 1. Special education is viewed as “fixing” on curriculum, assessment, and instructional strategies, including special struggling students. education regulations. General and special educators become involved in analysis of data regarding interventions for struggling students.
220 Student Portfolio is a data folder each teacher uses to collect qualitative data and quantitative data. It may include, but is not limited to, archival data, report cards, NWEA Learning Continuum, classroom assessments, STEP assessment data, and writing samples. 221PD will include constant immersion in data review. We have time set aside for RTI2 (academic/behavioral) data monitoring and discussion. 222 http://www.calstat.org/publications/article_detail.php?a_id=128.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 96 of 250 2. Poor and racial/ethnic minority students Provide continual PD that addresses how to create culturally responsive are viewed as not “ready” for school. school environments via leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Provide targeted and embedded PD for teachers and district staff regarding 3. Limited information regarding response to intervention (RTI2), specifically research-based interventions, intervention strategies assessments, progress monitoring, and instructional support teams or teacher assistance teams.
If the Student Support Team (RTI2) Team determines a student is eligible to undergo an initial evaluation for special education services, it will make a special education referral. The special education referral will include but is not limited to the following to ensure an equitable process.
Figure 1.9 (e) - Memphis Merit Special Education Referral Considerations Referral Considerations Details Vision and Hearing Form Results from vision and hearing forms Documented frequent communication to families about progress in RTI2 Communication to Families and request for referral for services Unsuccessful Tier I, II, and III Interventions Documented and data-based determination, prescribed in SCS RTI2 Manual Intervention Logs from all previous Located in students’ RTI2 Folder interventions Based on SCS requirements 223 (intervention used, frequency, attendance RTI2 Student Folder logs, duration of intervention, progress monitoring, ROI224 calculations, gap analysis, survey-level assessments, fidelity checks) Binder containing all assessment data from year and previous years for Student Assessment Portfolio225 each child Data team meeting minutes documenting rationale for decision following Documentation of the Concern the Decision Tree outlined by SCS RTI2 Implementation Special Education evaluation components/Re- This is not limited to the input from a school psychologist with Evaluation components documentation of testing results.
In summary, we will take the following steps to ensure the process is fair and focused on each individual student’s success: (1) Perform an educational evaluation with parental consent. (2) If the student is eligible, develop an IEP. (3) IEP Team agrees on the goals, modifications, accommodations, and plan for the student to be successful at Memphis Merit Academy. (4) Continued progress monitoring of IEP goals.
We will ensure all students have access to high-quality education by, when appropriate, securing partnerships with related services such as nurses, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, behavioral counselors and others, based on the needs included in the IEP. We have designed our teacher schedules to ensure there is time for collaboration between general education teachers, special education teachers, and leaders. We will use collaboration time to prepare for lessons including plans for accommodations, modifications, scaffolds, differentiation, and special education supports. Our One-on-One coaching sessions led by the HOS (Y1-Y2) weekly will allow general education teachers to obtain the support needed for instruction with special populations. Beginning Y3, the Dean of Academics will resume the responsibility of coaching and supporting teachers as prescribed above.
Character development is equally a pillar of our mission. We believe a values-based school community leads to transformational results. Our daily communication with parents through behavior logs will help us keep parents informed about their child’s behavioral performance. The HOS, Student Support Coordinator, and teachers will record student behavioral data into Kickboard, our management and communication system. The staff will record color changes for students, parent communications, document conferences, CICO, and any student behavior data. This software will allow our team to pull
223 https://www.tn.gov/education/instruction/tdoe-rti2/rti2-rediect/rti-educators/tdoe3-rti-educators-implementation-guide.html. 224 ROI is the rate of improvement students are making in response to intervention and instruction. 225 Every child in our building will have a Student Assessment Portfolio. The contents will include every assessment the child takes during the school year. This is the classroom-level data binder for the student.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 97 of 250 reports and categorize behavior incidents to document in our RTI2 Behavior process.
(f) English Learners
ELL Identification and Avoiding Misidentification. We will abide by the following processes to identify students who are English Learners (ELLs): (1) We will use Home Language Surveys to screen all new students for potential limited English proficiency; (2) If the home language is other than English or the student’s native language is other than English, the Student Supports Coordinator or a hired interpreter will conduct an informal interview in the student’s native language and English; (3) If the student speaks a language other than English or speaks little or no English, we will administer W-APT and ACCESS for ELLs to assess the student’s language proficiency.226 ELL instructional supports provided by the ELL teacher will ensure all students are able to access the academic content and master performance and content standards like any other subgroup of students. We will employ 0.5 FTE ELL teacher in Year 1, and 1.5 ELL teachers and a Director of Student Support at full scale. In the classroom and throughout the day, teachers will observe students’ verbal and written performance and learning progress. We will ensure our teachers receive professional development training from the district and other experienced professionals on detecting English language deficiencies and in delivering effective instruction to students identified as ELL.
ELL Programming. We propose a program designed to meet the needs of our ELL population. We understand ELL students face particular educational disadvantages compared to their English-speaking peers.227 According to the SCS RTI2 Implementation Guide, ELL students in the WIDA range of 1.0-3.6 must receive daily English Language Development (ELD) instruction as a Tier 1 intervention. We will employ a Structured English Immersion228 model for EL instruction. In our school students will receive ELL services in English-only speaking classroom for instruction. Memphis Merit ELL teachers will be certified and possess either a bilingual education or ESL teaching credential and strong communication skills in the students’ primary language. In accordance with TDOE guidance, EL students scoring 3.6 or below on WIDA will receive one hour or more of Tier 1 language instruction with an ELL teacher daily. We will ensure that all ELLs will take assessments to measure their academic progress in English proficiency.
ELs identified by MAP for easyCBM who score at or below the 24th percentile in English Proficiency ON easyCBM will be given the WIDA ACCESS to determine whether Tier 2 intervention is needed or whether additional English Language Development is needed. The RTI2 Data Team and the ELL teacher will collaborate to determine the most appropriate intervention for each ELL student. ELLs at higher levels of English proficiency may receive Tier 1 ELA instruction from general education teachers with support from ELL teachers. We will monitor all interventions for effectiveness. Students who do not reach English Language Proficiency benchmarks (WIDA score above 3.7 results in classification of Intermediate Language Learner; WIDA scores below 3.6 result in classification of Beginning Language Learner) with the support of Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions may be considered for Tier 3 interventions. If a student has a score of 3.6 or below they will receive ESL interventions Just like in any other subgroup of students and measured by Goal 5 of our Accountability Plan in Section 1.4, we anticipate ELL student performance to demonstrate adequate academic progress in comparison to regular education students.
GOAL 5: The school will maintain good standing under TN ESSA accountability system. • Measure 5.1: Under the state’s ESSA accountability system,229 the school will maintain consistent
226 Tennessee English Language Identification and Placement Guidance Document. 2017. 27. March 2018.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 98 of 250 good standing. The state will never identify the school as a Priority School or determine that it has met the criteria to be identified as a school at risk for closure based on inadequate academic progress or achievement. Memphis Merit Academy will be in good standing with performance for all students’ (including subgroups230) performance.231
(g) Students at Risk______
Our constant analysis of data will make sure we promptly identify any students who are at-risk for academic failure. Our staffing at full scale will include two (2) Dean of Academics, one (1) Dean of Culture, and one (1) Director of Student Supports. We will hire staff with the capacity to meet the needs of students facing high rates of poverty and at risk of failure and will hire a staff that reflects our proposed population. According to a recent study from John Hopkins University, having at least one black teacher in third through fifth grades reduced a black student’s probability of dropping out of school by 29%. For very low- income black boys, the results are even greater – their chance of dropping out [of high school] fell 39%.
High-quality instruction allows for the delivery of a literacy-focused curriculum driven by STEP assessment data (K-3) and Fountas & Pinnell resources (4-8). When students are struggling, we will introduce Tier I Intervention immediately. All Memphis Merit students will participate in our RTI2 Implementation, so we can monitor student academic progress and ensure every student is growing in our building.232
Students who are at risk of academic or behavioral failure will participate in Tier I, II, or III interventions based on their individual needs. Figure 1.9 (i) details a timeline for target Kindergarten and 1st grade math and reading outcomes of our RTI2 program. As part of RTI2 Implementation, we will administer easyCBM benchmark assessments three times during the school year: September-October, January, and May.
Figure 1.9 (f) - K-1 Benchmark areas assessed with easyCBM233 Grade Letter Letter Phoneme Word Passage CCSS Names Sounds Segmenting Reading Reading Math Fluency Fluency
K-Fall ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ K-Winter & Spring ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1 -Fall ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1 –Winter & Spring ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
(h) Gifted Students______
According to a study by John Hopkins University, “Public schools are increasingly filled with black and Hispanic students, but the children identified as ‘gifted’ in those schools are overwhelmingly white and Asian.”234 Our mission is for all students to receive an excellent education. Intellectually gifted means a child whose intellectual abilities, creativity, and potential for achievement are so outstanding that the child’s needs exceed differentiated general education programming.235 Memphis Merit Academy has designed a college-preparatory curriculum with purposeful differentiation for the needs of learners during
230 Memphis Merit Academy will ensure progress in achieving English language proficiency (ELPA), student achievement gap closure across subgroups (ELL, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and at-risk populations), according to TN’s ESSA Plan. 231 Ibid. 232 “Shelby County Schools RTI2 District Implementation Guide.” January 2018. Document. 27 March 2018. http://www.scsk12.org/ci/uploads/rti/2017-18_SCS_RTI2_District_Implementation_Guide.pdf?PID=1257. 233 Ibid. 234https://www.google.com/search?q=GIFTED+CHILDREN+UNDERIDENTIFICATION&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS752US752&oq=GIFTED+CHILDREN+UND ERIDENTIFICATION&aqs=chrome..69i57.10337j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8. 235 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/eligibility/se_eligibility_intellect_gift.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 99 of 250 core instruction. Our K-8 model will ensure intellectually gifted students’ abilities are maximized for success. With the RTI2 Implementation for all students, during the RTI2 Implementation time in our daily schedule, intellectually gifted students not receiving Tier II and III interventions will receive instruction based on outcomes on the NWEA assessment, to enrich their skills and receive appropriately challenging learning objectives. The Student Support Coordinator, certified in gifted education, with the support of the Head of School, will facilitate the identification of gifted students. We will contract with the SCS district/shared services for the use of a school psychologist in the identification process.
Figure 1.9 (g) - Memphis Merit Evaluation of Intellectually Gifted Students Evaluation Procedures Description of Procedure Implement Procedure Establish and Implement Child Find procedures for identifying students RTI2 Data Team identifies potential intellectually gifted students through RTI2 Universal Screener data; (NWEA) performance; local norms taken into consideration in light of Background considerations national norms; language acquisition skills (except with ELL students); Vision/Hearing
issues; Past performance (exemplary performance on previous assessments); Cultural, linguistic, and ethnical diversity considerations where students are underrepresented; Child Find procedures, review of multiple data sources (TNReady scores, RTI2 screening data, teacher checklists of characteristics of gifted students and norm-referenced Screening assessments) to support evidence to of a need for further individual screening or comprehensive evaluation; RTI2 teams determine if individual screening is needed Assessment through multi- Individual evaluation of cognition. Educational performance. Creativity/characteristics modal identification process of giftedness.236
Documentation to capture academic information, characteristics of giftedness/creativity, social /emotional/pre-vocational skills, environmental considerations; Documentation Multiple sources of data collected data (NWEA, TNReady, teacher observation checklists, TN Parent Information Form, general education documentation of classroom intervention forms Step 1: Pre-Referral Background Considerations met Step 2: Parent Request for Referral and Evaluation Referral, Evaluation, and Step 3: Completion of the TN Assessment Team Instrument Selection Form Program Step 4: Determination if Evaluation is needed Step 5: If yes, team designs a program to meet the needs of student.
The Student Supports Coordinator will involve the following individuals in conducting the evaluation of intellectual giftedness237: (1) the parent; (2) the child’s referring teacher or a general classroom teacher; (3) a licensed special education teacher; and (4) a licensed school psychologist. At least one of the evaluation participants must be trained in the characteristics of gifted children. We will track the success of intellectually gifted students through our continual monitoring of student academic data.
As a part of our RTI2 Implementation, weekly data team meetings and Data Days will identify Memphis Merit students performing at or above the 85th percentile on nationally normed assessments. In the event, the student population is absent of students scoring in this percentile, we will use relative norms to identify students at or above the 90th percentile. Students identified as intellectually gifted will receive enrichment opportunities during our RTI2 Implementation time in our schedule and Choice Time to ensure they are receiving coursework that is adequately challenging such as, but not limited to differentiated tasks, enrichment, compacting, acceleration, grouping, independent study, supplemental learning materials, cluster grouping, multi-age grouping, extended learning projects, and assignments intentionally aligned to meet the needs outlined in their IEP. Differentiation of assignments and projects for students
236 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/eligibility/se_eligibility_intellect_gift.pdf. 237 “Intellectually gifted” means a child whose intellectual abilities, creativity, and potential for achievement are so outstanding that the child’s needs exceed differentiated general education programming, adversely affects educational performance, and requires specifically designed instruction or support services. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special- education/eligibility/se_intellectually_gifted_evaluation_guidance.pdf>.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 100 of 250 will be based on the students’ readiness and interests.238 We have developed relationships with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to offer STEM speakers (healthcare professionals, professors, and UTHSC students) to come in monthly to speak with students about health science related fields and field trip experience opportunities for students to develop skills preparing them for future STEM careers and building on the strong science foundation we formed from Kindergarten, see Attachment E for letter of support from UTHSC. We will encourage intellectually gifted students to take the ACT in the 7th grade to demonstrate their college readiness early and aid in qualifying them for programs.
Figure 1.9 (g) – Meeting the Needs of Intellectually Gifted Students Enrichment Program Offering Description Duke TIP’s Summer Program For 4th grade through middle school students specifically designed for gifted students. Offers interactive learning environment specifically designed for gifted students. Offers face-to-face or online program. Science Olympiad 239 Students work on extended learning projects to compete in Science Olympiad. Teams of students develop teamwork and problem-solving throughout the year in preparation for each of the events. Middle school teams initially compete in one- day regional tournaments that are held at several locations throughout Tennessee. The top 24 teams from each division advance to the state tournament held at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the spring. The winning team in each division then competes in the National Tournament generally scheduled in late May. Weekend and Afterschool Enrichment We will partner and collaborate with organizations in the City of Memphis such as through Community Partners Black Girls Code, Inc. (elementary/middle school girls computer science and coding); STEM Camps across City of Memphis to extend learning for our students.
1.10 School Culture and Discipline
(a) Student and Family Handbook______
Memphis Merit Academy’s Student and Family Handbook can be found in Attachment B.
(b) School Culture______
To achieve academic excellence for the students and families of Memphis, Memphis Merit Academy is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment where we maximize every minute of the school day for learning. Students and families have the right to attend a safe and orderly school, where students will learn and achieve. Our school culture will be based on explicit character education facilitated through our core values. Memphis Merit Academy scholars will learn to be mindful of their actions and think about how their actions impact others. We will create a structured environment that enables all students to thrive while engaging in challenging work that sets them on the path to college. We firmly believe mistakes are an opportunity to learn, and we understand that students need more than strong academics to realize the option of college. We will teach, model, and practice the behavior we expect through our schedule in our Morning Motivation, MERIT Block, and our weekly Community Circle (MERIT Fest). We will reinforce our expectations during the school day with strategies we have normed schoolwide. Five core values guide our character development program: Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. Cumulatively, we will promote a positive academic environment and reinforce our mission through the following commitments: Positive Character Development Education; Safe and Structured Environment; Intervention and Support for All Learners; and Professional Development for Teachers and Leaders.
(c) Creation, Implementation, and Sustainability of School Culture______
238“Intellectually Gifted Evaluation Guidance.” November 2017. Tennessee Department of Education. Document. 27 March 2018. < https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/eligibility/se_intellectually_gifted_evaluation_guidance.pdf>. 239 Science Olympiad is international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. https://tnscioly.utk.edu/.
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Positive Character Development Education. Our students will learn to meet behavioral expectations because our school is structured, joyful, and disciplined. We first teach students the school expectations and how to be a Memphis Merit Academy scholar through our student orientation (1) half-day on July 26, 2019 to acculturate students for the first time with both the excitement and explicit expectations needed to have a strong day 1 at Memphis Merit Academy and a focus in our first week on school practices that will underpin our daily work. Teachers will be taught and will practice these skills learned during their 17 days of summer professional development (MERIT Institute) and students in their school orientation to practice how to behave like a Memphis Merit Academy scholar. During orientation, students will learn our core values and how to show these values in everything they do in school. During the school year, character development education will be provided through Morning Motivation, teaching of core values integrated in our core instruction and enrichment classes, weekly MERIT Fests of core values, and consistent and clear feedback on behavior choices.
Figure 1.10(a) - Memphis Merit Academy Core Values Core Value Meaning Example of Behavior in School Thinks about personal goals in short and long-term; A student re-evaluating his math problem Mindfulness thinks about how each decision leads to bigger goals. before submitting it as his final answer. Gives best effort in everything they do and continues to A student putting forth his best effort during Excellence think about how they can continue to get better. class, going beyond expectations. During math instruction, a student Perseveres through challenges to achieve long- and Resilience continuing to ask questions when he is stuck short-term goals. on a math problem. A student putting forth his best work on his Operates with honesty and a strong moral code, even Integrity homework assignment even though an adult when others are not looking. may not be present. Supports others and takes initiative to assist others and A student sharing and collaborating during Teamwork collaborate; empathetic and compassionate. partner or group work.
We will acculturate parents to our schoolwide culture first through the information sessions held prior to the start of school. Parent Orientation will be held for parents throughout the summer prior to the start of school to outline school expectations and explain the school’s academic and behavioral expectations. Parents will be sustained in this culture by invitations to collaborate in our school community through events such as MERIT Fest (Community Circle) once per month formally and is also welcoming to support their child in our weekly core celebrations. Administrators in our school are acculturated to our schoolwide culture first through intense training with the HOS on what it takes to run a high-poverty, high performing charter school. The HOS will train founding members of the leadership staff through: (1) sharing seminal texts that describe high poverty, high performing schools; (2) school site visits to Purpose Preparatory Academy during the planning year; (3) video analysis of high impact strategies that will define our school culture of which they will coach teachers; and (4) leadership team meetings and coaching sessions to continue to develop what it takes to run a top performing school in TN.
Safe and Structured Environment. To ensure we achieve our mission, we will provide a safe and structured environment in which we maximize every learning opportunity for students. To maintain our structured environment, we will use a clear and equitable discipline policy for all learners. We will teach our students that making good decisions results in positive consequences and that making poor decisions results in negative consequences. We will hold students accountable for the decisions they make throughout the school. Students and teachers will be trained in our shared core values to know what positive behavior looks like and does not look like in our school. Within six months post-authorization, the Board of Directors will vote and approve policies such as the Student Discipline Policy which clearly outlines the expectations and consequences for misconduct in our school.
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Intervention and Supports for All Learners. Our disciplinary approach is based on the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Framework, a problem-solving model to prevent inappropriate student behavior through proactively teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors. We will devote as much time to assessing, monitoring progress, adjusting interventions, and communicating progress for our RTI2 behavior model as we do for our RTI2 academic model. PBIS is our Tier I response to student behavioral needs. Students demonstrating needs beyond our RTI2 model may qualify for more intensive interventions or special education services. To determine the intensity and level of support needed, the Student Support Team will conduct evaluations for students after the appropriate RTI2 progress monitoring and data team meetings have taken place. This will happen only after Tier I, II, and III interventions have not been successful for students.
Professional Development (PD) for Teachers and Leaders. During summer PD, MERIT Institute, our teachers will be trained for 17 days on the tools needed to maintain a structured and joyful environment. We will train teachers to use effective classroom management techniques and to implement school-wide expectations for behavior, systems, and routines. Staff will norm on the implementation of school-wide and classroom discipline systems outlined in our Student Code of Conduct. Teachers will internalize the school’s core values using college chants, MERIT songs, and the MERIT pledge to promote the mission of the school, so that they can effectively teach students our culture from day one. We dedicate significant time during our teacher training to school culture to ensure our teachers are equipped to train our students effectively in our school expectations, procedures, classroom routines, and common language.
Memphis Merit welcomes new students in our building at any time, if capacity permits, and works to support all students by absolutely responding to their needs. For students that transfer into Memphis Merit Academy after the start of school, our school will assess and orient each child’s behavior needs accordingly: (1) Review of new student record with attention to historical data such as conduct from previous schools, any RTI2 data, services, and any other behavioral data to determine if there are any behavior plans already in place for the new student. (2) Review of Student and Family Handbook with Parent and Office Manager (new student on school tour and participating in school day while this happens). (3) Review of Student Code of Conduct and school expectations with new student and Office Manager (parent on school tour and observation of a day in the life at Memphis Merit). (4) Attends the first school day as a half-day with a current Memphis Merit student as his/her ambassador to shadow. (5) Reflection with HOS of day with family on what a high-performing, high expectations environment looks like, and what it takes to make this happen each day. (6) Review and signing of the School, Family, and Student Contract see Attachment B for a copy of the contract. (7) New student receives room assignment, school uniform, and Lifework Folder to ensure they are set for an awesome first day of learning.
Our MERIT core values framework forms the base of our character development lessons and gives a common understanding of these core principles for students, staff, and families. Figure 1.10 (b) shows how our students demonstrate MERIT in our school daily.
Figure 1.10 (b) - Core Values in Action Core Value Tangible Student Actions Mindful “Stay focused on the goal - college.” I am alert and engaged during class. I read during all my guided/independent reading time. I work hard on all my work all the time without taking breaks and stay mindful of my goals. I keep my body still during learning so that my body shows Mindfulness. I use my time well. I don’t waste time or dawdle or go to the bathroom unless I really need to. I reflect on my work/actions to ensure I have put forth my best effort. I am aware what I do today impacts my tomorrow. Excellence “Excellence is a habit, not a single act.”
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 103 of 250 I make an effort to spell words correctly. I proofread all assignments before submission. I double-check my work. I produce neat work. I follow procedures with absolute precision. Resilience “Hard work makes anything possible.” I accept consequences without pouting or getting frustrated. I show that I control my moods and am in a positive mood. I do my Lifework every night without an adult having to remind me. I make my own choices instead of following others. I try my hardest on every assessment. I persevere through challenges and do not give up. Integrity “Do what’s right, even when no one is looking.” I tell the truth immediately any time someone asks me a question, even if the truth is hard to tell. I make good choices in the bathroom. I use it, flush, wash my hands with one squirt of soap/hand sanitizer, dry my hands with one paper towel, throw away the paper towel, and leave, and I do not talk in the bathroom. I can walk silently in the hallway by myself, and I walk with purpose, like a scholar. I am honest about what I know and what I don’t know. I judge people based on my experiences with them and not what others say. Teamwork “We all will succeed.” I work collaboratively with my peers. I look for the best in others. I am solutions-oriented. I participate in groupwork. I do my part each day to make sure my future is bright.
(d) A Culture for All______
Memphis Merit Academy’s culture will embrace students with special needs, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students at risk of academic failure by ensuring a research-based, data-driven process for supporting students’ behavior and academics. We will use a proactive, flexible approach to matching both academic and behavioral supports with every student’s level of need. In alignment with the RTI2 Framework for Tennessee, we will provide high- quality instruction and interventions that match student progress and student need. We also commit to monitoring student behavioral progress to make frequent decisions about accommodations and/or modifications to programming. We provide details about our RTI2 Framework in Section 1.9.
(e) Discipline Policy______
Memphis Merit Academy’s discipline policy is included in Attachment B.
(f) Philosophy of Discipline______
We propose a reflective, supportive, and equitable student discipline system, grounded in the philosophy that all students can learn and achieve at high levels. Our disciplinary approach is based on the RTI2 Behavior Framework, a data-based model to prevent inappropriate student behavior through decision-making grounded in data and interventions to support students’ needs. We will use evidence-based practices to support students in reducing challenging behaviors and helping them successfully make choices that lead to success. Our RTI2 Behavior Framework will help us to teach students appropriate behaviors instead of simply punishing inappropriate behaviors.240
Practices to Promote Good Discipline, including Penalties and Incentives. We will provide Tier I behavioral support for all students. Our teachers will consistently follow these three steps when giving
240 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/special-education/rti/rti2b_framework.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 104 of 250 directions to students: (1) Clearly communicate the explicit directions they need the students to follow; (2) Positively narrate student behavior to support them in following directions; (3) Take corrective action with students still not following directions. We will communicate our schoolwide expectations during our Parent/Family Orientation we hold prior to the start of school. This proactive approach will ensure that students receive the necessary information and support to be able to meet our behavioral expectations. The systems we have selected to communicate to our students, families, and teachers are the following:
• Color-Based Clip Chart - Corrective actions will be visibly posted through a color-based clip chart in K- 4 for students to see their progress throughout the day. Students will receive color changes up and down based on their behavior. Teachers will document student behavior in Behavior Logs (MERIT Report) that go home to families daily. Teachers will also record notes about student behavior infractions in Kickboard for data collection and progress monitoring of student behavior. • Kickboard – Kickboard is an online platform that we will use to document and communicate student behavior for grades 5-8. We will use data collected to inform our RTI2 Behavior Framework. • School Rules and Code of Conduct. We believe that a common system of rules and consequences consistently and fairly enforced by all staff will maximize student time on task and overall academic achievement. We have modeled our system after the school-wide discipline plans from BES schools such as Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville, TN; Excel Academy Charter School in Boston, MA; and Great Lakes Academy in Chicago, IL. • Core Value Behavioral Expectations. Be Mindful – Focus on your goals and what you need to do to get there. Be Excellent – Take ownership of your actions, your education, and your school. Be Resilient - Persevere through challenging times and learn from your mistakes. Show Integrity – Respect yourself, others, and school. Be a Team Player – Advocate for yourself and others appropriately. Joyfully engage in school.
The following chart displays our behavior management practices for our Lower School K-4).
Figure 1.10 (c) – Behavior Management System Lower School (Kindergarten – Grade 4) Management Element Description In Lower School (K-4), we leverage a physical clip chart to allow students to visually track their behavior throughout each day (in addition to hearing redirections/consequences). Our behavior system is color-based: Gold Exemplary model of MERIT core values Green Good day Yellow Some redirection needed; okay day Orange Student struggled to follow directions; Behavior Management System recorded in Kickboard Red Unacceptable; student required conferencing on behavior; recorded in Kickboard All students start the day on Green, with teachers moving the clip up and down colors based on each student’s behavior and resetting the tracker after lunch for a fresh start every afternoon. This chart follows students throughout their day and is used by all teachers and adults in the building. MERIT reports are sent home daily in students’ Take-Home Folders, identifying each student’s color for behavior in the morning and afternoon Daily Behavior Logs (MERIT Reports) and any additional notes from the teacher concerning behavior. Parents sign reports daily and can write messages back to their child’s teacher if needed. Our goal is to build habits of character and help students achieve success through positive behaviors. We will use positive narration, public praise and Reinforced Positive Behaviors recognition, and formal awards such as Student of the Week and Student of the Month to highlight students during our weekly MERIT Fest, where we will also praise college homerooms for reaching team goals such as best
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 105 of 250 attendance and strongest completion rates on adaptive computer programs.
When students exhibit positive behavior, we will reward them with incentives. The first incentive is moving up students on the behavior chart. We will reward continued positive behavior in the following ways: (a) 2 days in a week = Sticker on Friday; (b) 3 days in a week = Celebrated at MERIT Fest and a sticker on Friday; (c) 4 days in a week = Opportunity to pull from the Treasure Chest (box of small prizes), and celebrated at MERIT Fest and a sticker on Friday; (d) 5 days in a week = Special snack (healthy), opportunity to pull from the Treasure Chest, and celebrated at MERIT Fest and a sticker on Friday.
Students who end the day on Green or better at least four days out of every week have the opportunity to be named the Student of the Week in their class. Students receive certificates in front of their peers during morning circle on Fridays. Each month, we recognize the Student of the Month in each class out of eligible students with at least 20 days out of the month on Green or better. Student pictures are hung outside their classroom for the next month in celebration of their demonstration of MERIT values and habits of excellence. Students showing exceptional determination, responsibility, or enthusiasm either in class or in their studies may be named their room’s Math Magician (who has the opportunity to wear a magician’s top hat and cape for the day), MERIT Superhero (who has the opportunity to wear a mask and cape for the day), or a Robust Reader (who has the opportunity to wear costume glasses for the day).241 Our Upper School (5 – 8) behavior management system includes merits and demerits that students earn for positive and negative behavior, which are logged in our Kickboard system.
Figure 1.10 (d) Grades 4-8 Behavior Management System -Demerit/Merit System Stages Description of Behavior Consequence Not following directions after teacher; intentional disruption of class; no exhibiting core value values; violations of school rules; out of seat without Demerit in Kickboard (1-point deduction 1 permission; tardy to class; out of uniform; not tracking from Paycheck) the teacher; incomplete Lifework; Not participating in DEAR; talking out of turn; Demerit in Kickboard with notations and Repeat behavior in Stage 1; Inappropriate behavior details to parent; (student-teacher check- 2 rolling eyes, open defiance towards staff after in conversation for restorative redirection; insubordination; conversation); (2-point deduction from Paycheck) Repeated Stage 2; Engaging in name calling (noting that Demerit in Kickboard for core value repeated name calling may be considered bullying a violation (1st violation- phone call to 3 Stage 5 offense verbal argument with another student; parent + Mindful Moment in class for in unauthorized area without permission; Inappropriate reflection; 2nd violation – parent use of computer; conference and referral to HOS Repeat behaviors from Stage 3; Aggressive name calling, Demerit in Kickboard; Mandatory Parent use of profanity, stealing, reoccurrence of uniform Conference; Triggers review of RTI2B team violation, cheating, plagiarism; immoral remarks or 4 to review student behavioral data during contact non-verbal actions towards staff or student; weekly meeting; Referral to HOS; out of providing false statements; Theft under 500; Providing school suspension may be issued false statements Repeat behaviors in Stage 4; Hitting or inappropriately Demerit in Kickboard; Immediate removal touching another student, threatening of physical from learning environment and referral to 5 violence of others; Bullying; Theft at or above $500; HOS; Out of School Suspension; aggravated assault; aggravated assault; Fighting, Mandatory Support Team Meeting with possession of weapon; possession of drug Parent; Depending on violation the HOS
241 Examples are informed by Brooke Charter Schools and BES schools Nashville Classical’s and Circle City Prep’s character education programs.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 106 of 250 paraphernalia; gang activities; sexual harassment; may contact law enforcement weapons; Bomb threat With our Paycheck system, demerits accumulate with documentation of consequences for each student. Additional consequences for students receiving demerits are: (2 demerits in one class period = student-teacher conference with student; 2 demerits in one class = parent phone call/communication; 3 demerits in one class period=referral from class, loss of privilege; 5 demerits in one day = culture reset conversation with HOS or designee during advisory time (MERIT block)). For students demonstrating consistent use of our core values, they will receive a merit towards their paycheck for each positive entered into the Kickboard system.
Infractions and Consequences. Before the start of school each year, we will communicate our behavior expectations and systems to students, families, and teachers. There is a clear consequence tied to each color on the clip chart, both for positive and negative behavior. Green indicates a student has consistently exemplified MERIT values during the instructional day. When students go above and beyond behavioral expectations for that day, they may be moved to Gold. If a student makes a choice not aligned with the school-wide expectations, the teacher will move the student’s clip down on the color chart. For further explanation of how the color chart will be implemented see Attachment B.
Memphis Merit Academy will carry out the discipline policy adopted by the Board of Directors post- authorization to govern the discipline procedures used with all students. Our discipline policy defines suspensions and expulsions in the following ways.
Suspensions. Suspension is defined as any time a child is required to be excluded from the instructional environment and not in attendance at school. To create and maintain a safe, supportive, fair, and consistent school community and culture, Memphis Merit Academy will suspend students from school when there are serious breaches to the discipline code. A student may be suspended by decision of the Head of School (Years 1-3), and when the school is at full scale, by the Director of the Lower School or the Director of Upper School, as applicable. The Board will be notified of all suspensions longer than three days. In all cases, parents or guardians will be informed of a suspension and will be required to attend a conference to address the concern and work collaboratively with the Head of School (replaced by the Lower and Upper School Directors as hired), Student Supports Coordinator (Y1-3), and Dean of Culture (at full scale). We will create an equitable environment with consideration of students’ rights as prescribed by their disabilities, IEPs, Section 504 plans, or any other outlined special needs, accommodations, or modifications. To do so, we will implement the RTI2 Behavior Framework to evaluate a student’s trends in behavior and the impact it has on the student’s academic progress.
Expulsion. We reserve expulsions for students whose conduct constitutes a continuing danger to the physical wellbeing of other students and/or the staff. There will be zero tolerance for bringing a gun or deadly weapon to school or for any assault on school employees or students. A student may also be liable for expulsion for possession, use of, or selling of alcohol or controlled dangerous substances while on school property. A student with frequent suspensions and continued willful disobedience and/or open defiance of authority may also be at risk of expulsion. In any case, the possibility of expulsion will be an absolute last resort, to be considered only when we have exhausted all other efforts and the student has not responded to all other forms of discipline and support such as behavior modification plans, detention, suspension, advisor support, parental involvement, and counseling. For a student to be expelled, the process must be initiated by the Head of School and must include discussion with the entire faculty and a hearing with the student’s parents where the Head of School is present. A student who is expelled will receive due process under Tennessee state law. At Memphis Merit, due process will include the following (subject to legal review and Board approval): The Head of School follows standard disciplinary policies and procedures for investigating the facts, obtaining witness statements, and ensuring adherence to due process procedures. If the Head of School believes expulsion is warranted, the student will be expelled.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 107 of 250 The Head of School reports to the Memphis Police Department any documentable or suspected incident involving illegal drugs, firearms, explosives, or other weapons outlined in TCA 39-17-1309. Any decision to expel a student will require the Board’s approval, and families may appeal the decision to the Board.
Appeals Process of Suspensions and Expulsions
Parents reserve the right to appeal a suspension or expulsion decision first with the Head of School in writing. If the appeal is not resolved the parent reserves the right to appeal to the Board of Directors in writing within 10 days of the suspension or expulsion. Memphis Merit Academy has the following policy as a guide for parents and guardians to hear their appeal in the most effective manner. This policy serves as a guideline, but the HOS has the final decision in all matters that take place under the management of the school. The following procedure will be followed whenever a parent/guardian has an appeal: (1) The parent/guardian is to set an appointment to meet with the HOS within 48 hours of the suspension issuance. (2) HOS and Student Support Coordinator present evidence and data related to incidents hears the parent concern and appeal of suspension and/or expulsion. HOS and Student Support Coordinator, and family discuss the rationale for decision and come to a resolution to uphold or remove the decision. If the issue is not resolved, the parent/guardian may ask for a grievance process with the Board of Directors. (3) If the issue remains unresolved, the parent/guardian is requested to write a letter of grievance addressed to the Board Chair of Memphis Merit Academy’s Governing Board of Directors for final decision. (4) Parent notified about decision of upholding or removing the suspension or expulsion.
Student Code of Conduct
Our Code of Conduct outlines our tiers of infractions that violate our behavioral expectations and the corresponding consequences that result. We also employ a behavior incentive system, which ensures high behavioral expectations for every scholar and includes structured opportunities to reinforce desirable behavior and motivate scholars to continue to exemplify our MERIT values through their actions. Teachers are taught to deliver consequences with minimal disruption to the class. A redirection or consequence should not be insulting or embarrassing. At Memphis Merit Academy, our teachers use redirections as a pause, an acknowledgment of digression, a redirection, and a starting point for positive choices. When students violate the Code of Conduct, they face a clear series of consequences with appropriately laddered steps of school responses. Our disciplinary approach, policies, and procedures will be outlined clearly in our Student and Family Handbook (which we will give to families in their home language and discuss extensively with our students), as well as reported to the Division of Charter Schools. We have four tiers for infractions that students may commit in violation of our behavior system: Tier 0 – Behavior Addressed Through Teacher Management Strategies (Minor Infractions). Tier 1 – Core Value Violations (Moderate Infractions). Tier 2 – Conference Level Infractions/Repeated Tier 1- triggers informal review of RTI2 Behavior Framework Data Review. Tier 3 – Severe Infractions. For full details on our Code of Conduct see Attachment B – Student Handbook.
Protecting the Rights of Students with Disabilities
We will work in partnership with each student, family, and related services if necessary, to create an individualized behavior plan to support the success of any struggling student. Moreover, if a student accumulates more than 10 days of suspensions, we will hold a manifestation meeting to determine if the student’s behavior is a manifestation of any disability or special need. If a child’s suspension exceeds 10 cumulative school days, we will hold a manifestation determination meeting and provide the student with education services. Manifestation determination review meetings will be held after a 24-hour notice to parents have been made pursuant to TN Rules of State Board of Education 0520-01-09.15: Parent Participation. On or after the 11th day of a suspension, services provided will enable students to continue
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 108 of 250 participating in the general education curriculum. Manifestation determinations involve the following:
• Standard of Review – The Student Supports Team will review all relevant information including evaluation results, observations of student, IEP placement, medical information, report cards, and other relevant information supplied by the parent of the student to determine the following and documented in compliance with SCS’s Manifestation Determination Worksheets in EasyIEP: If the behavior in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the student’s disability; If the behavior in question was the direct result of Memphis Merit Academy’s failure to implement the IEP and/or behavior intervention plan; • The Student Supports Team will include the HOS, the parent and the Student Support Coordinator (as case manager) and any other individuals determined by both the school and parent. • If behavior is not a manifestation of the student’s disability the student is subject to discipline decisions the same as students who do not have disabilities. However, the student will continue to receive special education and related services and the ability to progress in the general education curriculum during the timeframe of removal. • If behavior is a manifestation of the student’s disability, the student may not be suspended beyond the ten (10) allowable days. At that time, the student will return to the placement from which he/she was removed, unless the Student Supports Team agrees to a change of placement. Memphis Merit will enact a functional behavior assessment and a behavior intervention plan. Exceptions to this procedure are the following: student carries or possess a weapon at school, on school premises, or at school function; knowingly possesses or uses illegal drugs, with the intent to sell at school or at a school function; inflict serious bodily injury on another person while at school or a school function.
We will hold a Student Support Team (SST) meeting with the family to develop a behavior plan that defines behavioral supports and increased communication between the family and school. The plan will specify rewards and consequences for behaviors and clear steps and information on potential trigger behaviors.
Description of Individuals Responsible for Carrying out Discipline Policies
The Head of School (HOS) will uphold, enforce, and oversee the discipline policies. In the first year of operation, the HOS will manage all tasks related to discipline and school culture. In Year 6, the Head of School will hire a Dean of Culture, who will then manage school discipline with the support of the HOS and Director of Lower School in Year 4. The Dean of Culture will be hired preferably from within the school staff to ensure our school vision is upheld with consistency. The Dean of Culture will work collaboratively with the Dean of Student Supports, Director of Lower School, Director of Upper School, and Dean of Academics. The leadership team (which also includes the Dean of Operations) will meet at least once per week to discuss the academic, behavioral, and operational progress of the school. In Year 4 of school operation, the Head of School will officially hire the Director of Lower School (K-4), who is directly responsible for managing the Dean of Student Supports, Dean of Culture, and Dean of Academics. The Deans will be responsible for managing teachers in both instruction and classroom management. The Dean of Operations and the Director of Lower School will report to the Head of School.
Informing Students and Parents
We will always communicate our discipline policy to families before the start of school year, during our student and parent orientation. Parents and students will receive a copy of the Student and Family Handbook each year in their home language. In accordance with our grievance policy to be adopted by the Board of Directors, any complaints and comments regarding the discipline policy, or regarding discipline actions or practices taken, will initially be addressed to and by the Head of School, Dean of Culture, or Director of Lower School and Director of Upper School, as applicable. Annually, the Head of
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 109 of 250 School will make final decisions on updates or changes to the discipline policy and will submit any such policy changes or updates to the Board of Director for final review and approval.
1.11 Marketing, Recruitment, and Enrollment
(a) Enrollment Policy______
Memphis Merit Academy’s enrollment policy is provided is Attachment D.
(b) Informing Parents and Families______
We have been informing and will continue to inform parents and other members of our proposed communities, Parkway Village and Oakhaven about Memphis Merit Academy in the following ways:
Pre-authorization. (1) School website www.memphismeritacademy.org; (2) community information sessions hosted by Founding Board and Lead Founder; (3) tabling events hosted by the Founding Board of Directors and Lead Founder; and (4) Founding Team attendance at community events in 38118; (5) social media: https://www.facebook.com/MemphisMerit/; (6) monthly newsletters - since January 2018 to inform about our progress and upcoming events; (7) Community Partnerships; (8) Local churches.
Pending Authorization. (1) School website www.memphismeritacademy.org; (2) community information sessions hosted by Founding Board and Lead Founder; (3) tabling events hosted by Founding Board and Lead Founder; and (4) Founding Team attendance at community events in 38118; (5) social media: https://www.facebook.com/MemphisMerit/; (6) monthly newsletters since January 2018 to inform about our progress and upcoming events; (7) continued conversations with community stakeholders; (8) establishment of community partnerships with local agencies to meet the needs of students.
Post-authorization. During our planning year, we will leverage our relationships with community organizations, local churches, McFarland Community Center, Greater Middle Baptist Church, Parkway Village Library, local business owners, and local early childhood facilities to help us inform parents and families about the opportunity for their child(ren) to attend a high-quality college preparatory elementary school focused on literacy. Our Founding Board and proposed Head of School have established relationships with 1/3 of the early childhood facilities in 38118. We will build on the relationships we have already established with families to continue to engage with more families in our target communities.
To inform families about Memphis Merit Academy, we will leverage the expertise of the Founding Board. Two members have extensive experience in start-up charter schools and marketing: Jack Vuylsteke, Founder and Head of School of Memphis Rise Academy and Darron Williams, Senior Communications Specialist at FedEx Corporation. Our marketing strategies will include: (1) door-to-door canvassing and boots-on-the-ground events to pass out flyers; (2) social media such as Facebook where we already have a supporter base of over 220 people; (2) radio ads and interviews; (3) tabling events; (4) information sessions and town hall meetings organized in partnership with community groups; (5) posting print material (i.e. flyers and postcards) in English and Spanish in local businesses about enrollment; (6) continuing to build relationships in the community. As a Founding Team, we fully understand that full enrollment will rely on energetic mobilization of the relationships and connections within our community.
(c) Recruitment______
Memphis Merit Academy’s plan to recruit students in our pre-opening year includes leveraging our Founding Team’s personal connections to the community, holding several events for families to learn more about our school, and extensive online and in-person outreach through flyers, social media, mailings, tabling, and door-to-door canvassing. Our Lead Founder is a native of the 38118-zip code. She attended elementary, middle, and high school in Parkway Village at Goodlett Elementary and Sheffield
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 110 of 250 High School (valedictorian, 2002), and is a former classroom teacher in legacy Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools in 38118 for seven years. Founding Board Member Angela Brumfield has taught within 38118 in legacy Memphis City Schools. Within six months post-authorization, the Board Chair will appoint a Community Engagement Task Force to reach our goal of applications at 150% of Y1 enrollment – allowing for 120 enrolled with 60 students on our waitlist.
Figure 1.11 (a) - Recruitment Plan and Timeline Activities and Events Responsible Timeline Benchmark/Outcome Description Parties/Supporters January 2018 Monthly newsletters to families/ Early expression of intent to • Head of School – Present supporters on proposed school. enroll from families Intent-to-enroll forms for at • Community least 50 families by May 30, Rotating weekly schedule of tabling Engagement Task Force September 2019. Recruit Spanish-speaking and parent meetings at daycares of Board (bilingual 2018 - Spring Board member or Advisory and 30 early childhood facilities in member on team), Lead 2019 Board member within 3 months 38118. Founder, Latino post-authorization connected Memphis -Translator. with 38118. Community Action Planning • Community End of Meeting with Building Excellent Engagement Task Force Vetted Community Action Plan September Schools Leadership Team. of Board with Feedback from BES 2018 Send home enrollment flyer to
families at daycares in 38118. • Community Engagement Task Force, McFarland October At least 10 intent-to-enroll Fall Family Info Session Community Center, 2018 forms completed by families Greater Middle Baptist Church, Parkway Village Library Clear outline for community November Build formal partnerships with key Community Engagement Task partnerships with at least 4 key 2018 community organizations242 Force organizations Mailers sent to potential families Communication with at least 10 December living in a 5-mile radius of 38118. • Community families about enrolling their 2018 Radio announcement about Engagement Task Force child in Memphis Merit upcoming enrollment. Academy • Community Engagement Task Enrollment of at least 5 families December Community Program with Force, Young Ladies of and posted school enrollment 2018 McFarland Community Center Change, McFarland information at McFarland Community Center • Community Communicate with early Engagement Task Total applications at this date supporters and partnerships of January 2019 Force, Founding Team, equals at least 50% of 150% Memphis Merit about strategy to Early partnerships and enrollment target enroll students; Canvassing events supporters Clean Memphis event coordinated with Councilwoman for American • Community Gain at least 20 supporters for January 2019 Way Park Clean-up coordinated Engagement Task upcoming community with other non-profit organizations Force, Founding Team canvassing events in Spring targeting 38118 January 2019 Town Hall Meetings offered in Community Engagement Task Sharing of mission and vision for
242 Possible organizations include: Memphis Athletic Ministries, The Place of Outpouring, Greater Middle Baptist Church, Streets Ministries, Latino Memphis, Young Ladies of Change, Inc. and other existing community and faith-based organizations.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 111 of 250 morning and evening held twice in Force, Founding Team, Early Memphis Merit Academy; January; One in Parkway Village at partnerships and supporters, Enrollment of 10 families Greater Middle Baptist Church and Head of School and Dean of one in the Oakhaven community Operations (newly hired) If all 120 seats are filled, we will Governing Board, Head of School, January 2019 Lottery Held conduct a lottery for equitable and Dean of Operations selection of students Literacy and STEM learning Head of School and Dean of sessions for families;243 sessions February - Operations, Community Secure at least 20 applications rotate through community March 2019 Engagement Task Force, through these efforts organizations willing to grant Founding Team access244 Head of School and Dean of Family Information Session at Operations, Community Cottonwood Apartment Leasing Secure at least 10 applications March 2019 Engagement Task Force, School Office targeting Hispanic by conclusion of session Staff (if hired at this stage), Latino population of students Memphis Tabling at McFarland Community Head of School, Dean of Center, Greater Middle Baptist Operations, Community April 2019 Secure at least 15 applications Church Sunday Service, Superlo Engagement Task Force, Latino Food Stores Memphis Memphis Merit Community Day - 2nd touchpoint with committed 20 additional families’ sign-up families – 2 events in April and May Head of School, Dean of for enrollment and placed on April-May in collaboration with University of Operations, Community waitlist; Home visits conducted 2019 Tennessee Health Science Center, Engagement Task Force, Latino by Head of School for secured McFarland Community Center, Memphis applicants Black Girls Code, Inc.-Memphis and Greater Middle Baptist Church Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Head of School, Dean of 10 additional families signed up May 2019 collaboration with local Hispanic Operations, Community for enrollment and placed on business owners on Perkins Engagement Task Force waitlist Head of School, Dean of 120 families enrolled and June - July Uniform Fitting Day/Wellness Operations, Greater Middle present to pick up uniforms for 2019 Screening Baptist Church, McFarland first day of class on August 1, Community Center, UTHSC 2019; 25 families on the waitlist 5 additional families identified through referrals from already enrolled families; 100% of Head of School, Founding School July 2019 Family Orientation families completed enrollment Staff packets. Summer Brain Work given to students to turn in on first day.
(d) Equal Opportunity______Memphis Merit Academy ensures that all students will have equal opportunity to attend our school. As a public school with open enrollment, we will accept all students as we have seats available. To ensure that all students in Memphis learn of the opportunity to attend, we will conduct extensive outreach, strategic marketing to our target population, and inclusive communication with community members. Outreach Plan. Based on the educational need and lack of choice existing in the 38118-zip code, we will target our recruitment primarily to the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. Goodlett and Knight
243 These are 60-minute activity sessions geared towards literacy and STEM to engage families and preview what to expect at the school. 244 Possible locations: McFarland Community Center, Happy Times Day Care Center, Porter Leath Learning Center, Parkway Village Library.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 112 of 250 Road Elementary Schools are overcrowded, with performance indicating that 2 in 10 finish elementary school able to read on grade level. To target this population, we will collaborate with local apartment complexes, Head Start programs, and daycares, as well as the McFarland Community Center to inform families of the upcoming opportunity to enroll in our school. In Oakhaven, we will target early childhood facilities to host family learning sessions where families can learn about our model and option. Strategic Marketing. From the start of our outreach efforts in August 2017, our Lead Founder has strategically planned community events with a service component such as our “Move with MERIT” event hosted in February 2018 to promote heart-healthy living. We have partnered with a mentoring organization, Young Ladies of Change, Inc., a local nonprofit organization in 38118 for girls and women in the community. We plan to host family learning sessions, where both the student and parent can experience components of our model, and parents will learn strategies to support their children at home. We have planned recruitment in this way to support academically low-achieving students, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students at risk of academic failure. An example of recruitment strategies targeting and benefiting specific populations are: (1) students with disabilities and students at risk of academic failure- free informal reading assessments/informal kindergarten readiness inventories and demonstrate strategies for parents to use at home with their children, and we will also partner with the McFarland Community Center to provide tutoring services to potential families during their summer 2018 and 2019 camps; (2) English Language Learners - our Lead Founder has built relationship with Latino Memphis to support addressing the needs of ELL students desiring to enroll in our school and will collaborate on community events scheduled by Latino Memphis. Inclusive Communication. We expect our school population to reflect the demographics of the schools in 38118, with, on average, 70% African American and 30% Hispanic students. Given this, we will carry out our recruitment and marketing efforts in English and Spanish, with all print materials and media in families’ native language. We will clearly communicate our plan to support all students: academically low- achieving students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other students at risk of academic failure; while we will accept applications from all students within Shelby County Schools District, we will target recruitment efforts in 38118 and surrounding zip codes.
(e) Community Organizations ______
As outlined below, our Founding Team has been working since August 2017 to strategically build relationships with local churches, businesses, organizations, nonprofits, and community groups across the city to support our mission. In alignment with T.C.A. 49-13-102, purpose of charter schools, Memphis Merit Academy proposes to offer families in Parkway Village and Oakhaven a high-quality option responding to students’ academic needs. Community organizations such Latino Memphis, the McFarland Community Center, Black Girls Code, Inc.-Memphis, The Place of Outpouring at Olivet Fellowship, and Greater Middle Baptist Church will allow us access to numerous families in our proposed community.
Figure 1.11(b) - Memphis Merit Community Engagement Alignment with Memphis Organization Mission Statement Status Merit’s Mission The mission of McFarland We are creating McFarland Community Community Center is to Partnership secured; Letter opportunities in 38118 for Center build a better community of Support in Attachment E. families. through service. The mission of Greater We are working to revitalize Partnership secured; Middle Baptist Church is to the community through Greater Middle Baptist Facilities Letter of "Greater Middle Baptist education. Greater Middle Church Commitment in Attachment Church: The Church That's Baptist was formerly led by E. Reaching Out and Impacting the late Benjamin Hooks and
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 113 of 250 the Community Around Us has been vital to the Civil with An Emphasis on The Rights Movement and Unchurched." education in Memphis. The mission of Latino Memphis is to assist Latinos in the Greater Memphis area Spoke with Mauricio Calvo, by connecting, collaborating Executive Director about and advocating for health, building a partnership to education and justice. We We are working to provide ensure we are creating a Latino Memphis envision a future in which access and opportunity for culturally responsive school every Latino in the Memphis the Hispanic community. and collaborating to reach metropolitan area has the potential families to enroll in opportunity and resources our school. to become an engaged and active member of the larger community. Met Dr. Geno Gibson, Senior The mission of the place of We are working to meet the Pastor of The Place of The Outpouring is to liberate needs of the families in the Outpouring @Olivet the 118 and we do this by 38118 community. The The Place of Outpouring Fellowship Baptist Church to Exalting Christ, engaging the Place of Outpouring houses start active conversations community and embracing the Memphis Athletic around opportunities for culture. Ministries Program. collaboration in the future. The mission of Young Ladies Lead Founder has attended Asheley Walker, Executive of Change, Inc. is to YLOC Information Session Director, Young Lady of empower girls ages 5-19 to and YLOC Mentor Sign Up Change, Inc., has attended become successful students, for YLOC to inform the several events with Young Ladies of Change, successful in life, and community about our Memphis Merit to Inc. successful leaders in their school. YLOC has also demonstrate a partnership community through peer collaborated with Memphis for mentoring girls in our mentoring, community Merit at our “Write the school. Ms. Walker is a engagement, and service Vision, Make it Plain” native of the 38118 learning. information session. community. We are working to develop partnership w/MAM to The mission of Memphis meet aftercare needs of Lead Founder discussed with Athletic Ministries exists to parents. If our Board votes Kelvin Bowen, Executive Vice help build godly youth in The Place of Outpouring as a President, MAM, about the Memphis Athletic Ministries under-resourced suitable facility, MAM would program housed at The neighborhoods by teaching be onsite for our aftercare Place of Outpouring@Olivet them to love God, love needs. If off-site, MAM Fellowship Baptist Church. others, and love themselves. could support as an aftercare service with bussing for students. Mission of the University of Kathy Gibbs, Founding Board Tennessee Health Science of Directors member Center is to bring the Memphis Merit Academy is secured a collaboration to benefits of the health working to build work with our students to sciences to the achievement partnerships and increase the pipeline of The University of Tennessee and maintenance of human collaborations as minority students interested Health Science Center health, with a focus on the enrichment experiences for in STEM related fields and citizens of Tennessee and all students and increase the teachers in professional the region, by pursuing an field experiences for gifted development for STEM best integrated program of students in our school. practices, as stated in the education, research, clinical Letter of Support in care, and public service. Attachment E.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 114 of 250 (f) Student Recruitment ______
In our planning year 2018-2019, we will leverage our community partnerships and collaborations to secure intent to enroll forms and interact with potential families in and around our proposed community. During The planning year we will do the following to secure enrollment: Intent Enroll forms - Beginning in September 2018 our Founding Team will work to secure intent to enroll forms from families to indicate the anticipation of families desiring to enroll in our school prior to our official application period. Community Partnerships/Collaborations – The Founding Team has already begun the work of building strong community partnerships for both teacher and student recruitment. See letters of support in Attachment E. Parent Information Sessions - We have planned in our recruitment plan to have at least 3 information sessions with families to inform them of our mission, vision, and expectations of our school. We have already held 3 information sessions to inform families in January 2018, February 2018, and March 2018 to have touchpoints with potential families. Building Relationships with Early Childhood Facilities Our Founding Team has surveyed our proposed community and has identified 30 early childhood facilities of which we will target for potential students. Our proposed HOS has already made introductions, spoken to center and spoken to center directors in at least 1/3 of facilities in 38118 to have a strong start with building early childhood partnerships. Hosting Community Events – Our Founding Team plans to host monthly community events to ensure touchpoints with families and collect intent to enroll forms. Canvassing - Our Founding Team will employ an all hands-on deck approach to do boots on the ground efforts to secure potential students for the upcoming year.
Student recruitment after the school has opened will differ from pre-opening because families will be able to experience our school in operation. We will begin recruiting students for the 2020-2021 school year in October of 2019. Our recruitment strategy will involve the following: A Day in the Life - Interested families will have a parent orientation led by our Dean of Operations and HOS. The potential student will then participate in the literacy block of classes to experience how we teach reading and experience the life of a Memphis Merit Academy student. University Night – Interested families will be invited to participate in our quarterly University Night events to see how our community focuses on college in early elementary. Early Childhood Partnerships - We will work to build partnerships with early childhood facilities in the area and invite affiliated families to attend events at our school and at early childhood sites.
We will actively recruit students year-round to make sure we are positioned to meet the needs of all students in our proposed community. Our goal is to maintain a 150%-of-capacity application rate so we will always have 100% enrollment plus a waitlist. The waitlist will ensure we can fill seats in the event an enrolled student moves or cannot attend our school for any reason.
1.12 Community Involvement and Parent Engagement
(a) Parent and Community Demand______
Our Lead Founder has engaged with parents and community members in person, by phone, via email, and social media since August 2017 to inform the vision and mission of Memphis Merit Academy. In accordance with T. C. A. § 49-13-102, Memphis Merit Academy will offer families the opportunity to meet their children’s educational needs and afford parents substantial meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children. To date, we have secured over 300 signatures through our online and paper petitions from community members, organizations, and parents desiring Memphis Merit Academy to open in 38118. We have 100 individuals signed up for our monthly newsletters and are engaging with over 219 followers on social media and 285 signatures on our online petition. We have hosted events in collaboration with local businesses and community organizations to engage with our proposed community and will continue to engage with our community in the planning year of 2018-2019 through
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 115 of 250 the following upcoming events: tabling events, canvassing, and meetings with potential partner organizations. In planning our enrollment strategy, we will leverage the expertise of our Founding Board member, Jack Vuylsteke, Founder and Head of School of Memphis Rise Academy, and best practices from other successfully enrolled schools with waitlists. Our Founding Team continues to work and plan ways to connect with the community to build parent and community support.
Figure 1.12 (a) - Memphis Merit Academy’s Community Interactions Date Organization Outcome Met with former administrators, teachers, and parents from 38118 to August 2017 Community Members communicate mission of Memphis Merit Academy. August- Invited 9 high-capacity individuals to discuss the mission and vision of November Community Members Memphis Merit Academy. 2017 September- Invited 9 Founding Board members based on community needs and diverse November Community Members backgrounds to serve as the Founding Board for Memphis Merit Academy. 2017 September Met with Special Projects Coordinator to share our mission and vision; Choose901 2017 learned about key organizations in Memphis vital to charter school success. September Met with members of the team from City Leadership to share the mission Teach901, City Leadership 2017 and vision of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School. September Shared our mission and vision; learned more about the mission of Hyde Hyde Foundation 2017 Foundation’s contribution to Memphis. September Met with interim staff and shared mission and vision of Memphis Merit Parkway Village Library 2017 Academy. November Shared mission and vision briefly with Memphis Director- Initial Stand for Children 2017 communication. Met with Director to launch our “Listening Tour” within 38118; listened to November McFarland Community the mission and vision of McFarland Community Center and shared our 2017 Center vision. November University of Tennessee Met with Director of Student Support about potential partnership for 2017 Health Science Center Memphis Merit Academy based on STEM component of school design. November Shared the mission and vision with Vice President, Southern region; sought Achievement Network 2017 advisory on academic needs existing in target community. Met with Associate Director of K-12 Partnerships for community December Southwest TN Community development, potential support Southwest TN Community College can 2017 College provide; shared our mission and vision. Board Member attended “What Makes a Good School?” Discussion panel including some of our city’s leading educational figures (Dr. Sharon Griffin, December STAND for Children Maya Bugg, and Karen Vogelsang) to learn more about the qualities of high- 2017 quality schools and SCS initiatives; shared our mission and vision with Executive Director in brief and provided handouts to give overview. December Shared mission and vision with Congressman Steve Cohen for target Elected Official 2017 neighborhood. December Black Girls Code, Inc. - Lead Founder shared the mission and vision of Memphis Merit; Lead 2017 Memphis Founder participated in Women of Color in STEM Panel. December Met with Executive Director to share the mission and vision of Memphis LITE Memphis 2017 Merit Academy. Met with three community members who formerly taught or currently December teach in the target community; discussed needs of English Language Community Members 2017 Learners; developed a list of key people and organizations to meet with in the future. Tennessee Charter School Attended Facilities Planning session for upcoming funding opportunities for December Center charters with collaboration of CDFIs. Memphis Athletic Conversation with Co-Founder about the current needs of the target January 2018 Ministries, MAM community and potential ways to support the school if authorized. January 2018 NetWorth, Inc. Grant writing workshop for professional development and engagement with
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 116 of 250 individuals with experience in grant writing; made connections with people who could support our organization with grant writing in the future. Hosted information session for community members in 38118 and allowed them to share their vision through vision board creation; community January 2018 Community Members members signed petitions and completed community surveys. “Write the Vision, Make it Plain” Met with Councilwoman, Patrice Robinson Learned more about the target February 2018 Elected Officials community and the current agenda for the community. Hosted information session where parents could participate in a free workout with a top personal trainer in Memphis; community members February 2018 Community Members completed the community input survey and signed the petition. “Move with Merit” Greg Spillyards, Executive Vice President, Community Shared mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy and discussed March 2018 Advisors-Cushman potential options for physical location of school. See Attachment E. &Wakefield Shared of mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy and discussed The Place of Outpouring- March 2018 potential partnerships for the school with church leadership. See Community Members Attachment E for letter of support. City Leadership and Second interaction of sharing of mission and vision to gain support and March 2018 Teach901 potential partnerships. See Attachment E for letter of support. Teach For America – Second interaction of sharing of mission and vision to gain support and March 2018 Memphis potential partnerships. Lead Founder and Founding Board members attended SCS board meeting to Shelby County Schools March 2018 be informed re: upcoming decision of American Way MS’s status for 2018- Board meeting 2019. Southwest TN Community Sharing of mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy and discussing College with Director of K- March 2018 potential partnerships for the school with Director of K-12 partnerships. See 12 Partnerships, Shawn Letter of Support in Attachment E. Boyd. Sharing of mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy and discussing March 2018 Shoemaker Financial potential partnerships for the school with Financial Advisor. December Requesting the support of the public to support Memphis Merit Academy 2017 – March Change.org Petition245 via online petition and secured 285 signatures to date. 2018
Engagement of Parents and Community Members from Approval to Opening
Memphis Merit Academy will engage parents and community members from the time of approval to opening through the following ways: (1) Monthly Community Events, (2) Collaboration with Early Childhood Facilities and community organizations in 38118; (3) Canvassing; (4) Tabling events; (5) Information Sessions and Town Hall meetings; (6) Monthly Newsletters; (7) Print Materials in English and Spanish and mailers; and (8) Social Media and Radio Media.
(b) Community Engagement______
Strong, ongoing family engagement is a vital part of our overall school design, organizational structure, and operational success.246 In accordance with T. C. A. § 49-13-109, we will ensure that within six months of operation that at least one parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in Memphis Merit Academy joins the Board of Directors. In addition, we will establish a Family Merit Advisory Council to work alongside our governing body and Head of School to ensure we are delivering the best possible education for our students. Our Family Merit Advisory Council will consist of no fewer than five (5)
245 https://www.change.org/p/shelby-county-schools-charter-schools-authorizer-memphis-merit-academy-bring-an-excellent-educational- option-to-memphis. 246 See Attachment G for the organizational charts.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 117 of 250 members including the Head of School, at least one teacher representative, and at least one parent/legal guardian. The purpose of the Council is to represent the interests, concerns, and input of the students and families at Memphis Merit Academy. The Council will host no fewer than three listening sessions throughout the school year to facilitate annual surveys and inform our Board and Head of School on parent satisfaction and suggestions or requests for improvement. We will use this information to review the effectiveness of our academic program and all activities and efforts.
The school will engage parents and community members in the life of the school through the following experiences, but not limited to: Volunteer opportunities during MERIT Fest (Community Circle) - informal weekly standing invitation and formal; University Nights – 5 University Nights on our annual calendar; Fundraisers – Parents lead the process of school fundraisers related to fundraising for school field trips through the Family Merit Advisory Council; Field Trips/Excursions – Memphis Merit Academy will welcome parent/guardian to attend field trips/excursions with their students as long as the venue does not have a capacity limit; Parent conferences - 3 Parent Conferences are included in our annual calendar and facilitate parent interaction with our staff; Community Service – Memphis Merit will partner with community organizations to collaborate on service efforts for the 38118 community and parents are invited to join us in this effort of being change in our community; Summer Engagement Opportunities - We will seek parent volunteers to help recruit new families, facilitate partnership summer enrichment programs, and more in during the summer months.
(c) Family Orientation______
We will inform all Memphis Merit Academy parents of all school policies and any commitments or volunteer opportunities the school will seek from, offer to, or require of parents, initially through our Home Visits and three Parent Orientation sessions held before the start of school for our newly enrolled families and our annual Parent Orientation session for all retuning families also held before the start of the school year. At the first orientation they attend, newly enrolled families will receive the Student and Family Handbook, which outlines all policies, expectations, commitments, and volunteer opportunities at our school; our annual Parent Orientation for all returning families will also include the distribution of the Handbook as updated for that year. New families will be expected to attend at least one (1) of the orientation sessions to learn information about the school and to complete the registration process (specifically pertaining to immunizations).247 The last orientation will take place July 26, 2019 before the start of school and will be for all families, sharing our key program details, distributing the Handbook, and outlining both expectations and volunteer opportunities. We will share our annual school calendar during these events, as well as, post all upcoming events and volunteer information on our website, social media, and in our monthly newsletter. After our founding year, we will continue to hold at least three Parent Orientation events (April, June, July) for each new school year. During the school year, we will send home weekly communication in each student’s Lifework folder, requiring a daily parent/guardian signature, to keep families informed of volunteer opportunities at our school. Teachers will check for parent signatures during morning routines and arrival and input Kickboard documentation. Our monthly newsletter will keep families informed of upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
(d) Family Programming______
Once per quarter, we will hold a University Night for parents and community members. University Night will benefit parents and community members in the following ways: (1) providing a chance for them to participate in learning activities and students’ experiences; (2) disseminating information about high school preparation and supporting students’ learning needs; (3) engaging community partners to assist
247 http://www.scsk12.org/registration/immunizations?PID=794.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 118 of 250 families with expressed needs; (4) showcasing student work; and (5) communicating schoolwide progress toward major goals. We will seek out community organization such as local high school and college options, nonprofit organizations in the 38118 community that could assist their families’ needs such as Latino Memphis, Dress for Success Memphis, University of Tennessee Health Science Center free health screening. The overall outcome for University Night is to expose both students and families to a collegial environment and share tools and supports for families to assist their children at home.
(e) Letters of Support______
Please see Attachment E.
SECTION 2: OPERATIONS PLAN AND CAPACITY
2.1 Governance Please see all required governance documents F1 through and including F7 in Attachment F.
(a) Governance Philosophy ______
Memphis Merit Academy will be governed by a Board of Directors that will maintain active and effective governance of the school primarily in their relationship with the Head of School, serving in a non-voting, ex officio capacity.
Memphis Merit Academy will be governed by a group of high-capacity professionals with diverse backgrounds and skillsets committed to the mission of providing an excellent education for the students of the City of Memphis. Memphis Merit Academy’s Board fully understands the accountability of a governing body and has established a plan for the organization’s successful oversight. The role of a Governing Board is defined through the following layers of our broadly defined accountability to our authorizer, Shelby County Schools, as adopted from Carpenter, Charter Board University: An Introduction to Effective School Governance:248 (1) Memphis Merit Academy produce measurable student achievement as defined by our school’s goals and authorizer; (2) Memphis Merit Academy properly manages and accounts for the taxpayer’s money, and; (3) Memphis Merit Academy complies with all applicable state, federal, and local laws, as well as authorizer requirements.
Memphis Merit Academy will adopt the best practices of top-performing schools in the country. We will establish high standards for student achievement for all students and maintain a laser-like focus on achieving those standards evidenced by our 30/30/30249 agendas for all Board meetings in which 30 minutes will be allocated to each of the following aspects: (1) How are the students performing academically? (2) Is the school operating effectively? (3) Does the Board have all skillsets needed to achieve the school’s goals? The Board will fulfill its accountability to the authorizer by maintaining a focus on high student achievement by all students and financial accountability. We will devote time in Board meetings at least annually to reviewing the requirements established in our charter to maintain a sound relationship with Shelby County Schools.
Memphis Merit Academy’s governance philosophy will maintain clear separation of the roles of governance and management to ensure our organization’s overall sustainability. The Board of Directors will hold the Head of School accountable for communication of the daily operations of the school including detailing the school’s progress towards all performance goals. As the charter is directly issued to the Board, it will ensure the attainment of goals explicitly outlined in the charter application. Memphis Merit
248 Carpenter, Brian. Charter School Board University Mt. Pleasant, Mi: National Charter Schools Institute, 2007. 249 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 119 of 250 Academy’s Board of Directors’ scope of responsibilities250 is outlined here: (1) Determine the school’s vision, mission, values, and purpose; (2) Select and hire the school leader; (3) Support the school leader, assess and hold the leader accountable for performance; (4) Ensure effective organizational planning; (5) Ensure adequate resources/raise money; (6) Exercise fiduciary responsibility and oversight; (7) Determine, monitor, and strengthen the school’s programs and services; (8) Ensure the school’s accountability for performance; (9) Enhance the school’s public standing; (10) Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability; and (11) Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance.251
(b) Board Composition and Size______
Memphis Merit Academy’s Founding Board is a group of high-capacity and devoted community leaders believing firmly in the mission of the proposed school. Starting in August 2017, Mrs. Booker began assembling the Founding Board, representing a cross-section of highly respected leaders from the education, law, finance, commercial real estate, marketing, community engagement/service, and board governance sectors of Memphis. Once selected, Founding Board members completed a screening with Building Excellent Schools (BES). This rigorous process was designed to ensure alignment to the mission and assess board governance capacity and meaningful skillsets. This process allowed for the communication of mutual expectations about how we will approach our work as a cohesive team to design the school proposal, engage the community, and prepare to govern and lead the proposed school. BES has supported the Founding Team and will continue to support the Governing Board in professional development on school design best practices, accountability requirements, tools and processes, the separation of governance and management, and community action planning.
Each Founding Board member received an invitation from the Lead Founder based first on their alignment to the mission and then on their ability to commit the professional skill sets the Board will need to engage the community in the founding stages and to establish policy and implement its accountability requirements as a governing body. Founding Board members understand the needs of the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities and demonstrate a desire to address such needs and brings the skill sets necessary for a diverse, high functioning Board. Since December 2017, the Founding Board has met monthly, engaged in community outreach, and reviewed and contributed to the charter application to ensure the successful start-up and operation of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School.
Figure 2.1 (a) - Identified Board Members of Memphis Merit Academy to Date FULL NAME CURRENT JOB AND EMPLOYER FOCUS/EXPERTISE* Proposed Head of School Lakenna Booker Fellow, Building Excellent Schools Ex officio, non-voting Proposed Board Treasurer Treasurer: Angelia Allen Consultant, Alliance PM, LLC Finance Community Development Proposed Board Chair Chair: Angela Brumfield Instructional Support Advisor, Shelby County Schools Education Senior Human Resource Analyst, Hilton Worldwide Personnel Kacy Dixon Corporate Offices Human Capital Director of Student Academic Support Services and Counseling Kathy Gibbs Inclusion, University of Tennessee Health Science Behavior Intervention Center Melisa Moore Attorney, Burch, Porter, & Johnson, PLLC Law
250 BoardSource adapted and defined the Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards from Richard Ingram. 251 Adapted from The National Association of Independent Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2018, from https://www.nais.org/Articles/Documents/Legal_Duties_of_An_Independent_School_Board_Sandra_Hughes.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 120 of 250 Proposed Board Vice Chair Associate Principal Owner and Project Manager, Vice Chair: Brad Schmiedicke Architectural Design Pickering Firm, Inc. Project Management Jack Vuylsteke Founder and Executive Director, Memphis Rise Educational Leadership Nutrition Mary Kaye Welch Registered Dietitian and Health Educator Community Service Proposed Board Secretary Senior Communications Specialist, Federal Express Secretary: Darron Williams Finance Corporation Communications Marketing
Lakenna Booker, MAT, Fellow, Building Excellent Schools (BES), brings the training and support of BES, a national nonprofit organization that trains and equips high-capacity individuals to found and lead high- performing college preparatory schools in underserved communities across the nation. Mrs. Booker, a native Memphian, is a fully certified school administrator and educator with more than a decade of experience in urban education in Memphis. Education reform in Memphis is not foreign to Mrs. Booker, from the seat of the student, teacher, leader, or parent as she has been all four. Mrs. Booker is a graduate of Sheffield High School, class of 2002 valedictorian, and was born and raised in the city. She attended grade school in the Parkway Village community at Goodlett Elementary and Sheffield High. During her high school tenure, Mrs. Booker was provided the opportunity through the philanthropy of the Memphis East Rotary Club to attend Phillip’s Exeter Academy, an elite boarding school in Exeter, NH where she studied Advanced Chemistry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin, Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis on Instruction, Curriculum, and Leadership, and Instructional Leadership License issued by the state of TN from Christian Brothers University. Mrs. Booker joined the founding staff of KIPP Memphis as a teacher leader, and Gestalt Community Schools as Dean of Instruction of Humes Preparatory Academy Middle and Nexus STEM Academy Middle. She published the teacher resource The 5Es of Inquiry Based Science with Shell Publications and coached fellow educators on a national level as a professional trainer for Teacher Created Materials/Shell Publication. Mrs. Booker believes in the relentless practice of intentional and deliberate data-driven decision making to accomplish student achievement goals.
Angelia Atkins Allen, CRCM, Consultant, Alliance, PM, LLC, is the proposed Board Treasurer. She is an experienced senior manager who has demonstrated the ability to lead diverse teams of professionals to improve business effectiveness distinguished by continuous achievement of business objectives. Mrs. Allen is an accomplished finance and operations professional with over 20 years of experience building, leading, and managing compliance programs through periods of rapid expansion and contraction. She has developed, implemented, and managed compliance programs in the financial services industry with a focus on consumer protection compliance and policies. Mrs. Allen received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Memphis. She also attended Emory University where she studied in the Graduate School of Risk Management American Bankers Association. Mrs. Allen is distinguished as a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM). Mrs. Allen maintains a strong network of community development intermediaries (including government agencies, non-profit and for-profit organizations) to promote a commitment to transforming communities. Mrs. Allen contributes a wealth of board governance experience. She was a founding board member for the Memphis Redbirds Foundation and was the former board chair of the Memphis Multi-Bank Community Development Corporation and the Memphis Community Development Partnership. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-South and served on the Finance Committee of Girl Scouts Heart of the South Council and was recently appointed to the Bartlett Arts Council by the Mayor. Some of Mrs. Allen’s most recent accomplishments include the successful collaboration with industry leaders and community stakeholders (as the lead financial institution) to launch a city-wide initiative to provide a coordinated response to individuals and neighborhoods impacted by residential
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 121 of 250 foreclosures. Mrs. Allen has been recognized for outstanding service in the community by the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and named as one of our city’s “Leaders in Corporate Diversity.” Mrs. Allen has a passion to leverage her knowledge in finance to further develop the educational options for families in Parkway Village and Oakhaven.
Angela Brumfield, M.Ed., Instructional Support Advisor-Mathematics, Shelby County Schools (SCS), is proposed Board Chair. She brings over a decade of experience in educational leadership, instructional design, initiatives outlined by SCS, and accountability measures. Mrs. Brumfield is a graduate of Belhaven College and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She later went on to obtain a Master of Education from Mississippi College. During Mrs. Brumfield’s tenure as a Master Teacher, she ranked in the top 10% of the district’s most effective teachers and named a district “Irreplaceable.” Mrs. Brumfield possesses an extensive background in instructional leadership and currently serves as an Instructional Support Advisor in Mathematics for Shelby County Schools. Mrs. Brumfield’s career as an instructional leader includes, but is not limited to, classroom teacher, master teacher, instructional facilitator, instructional curriculum coach, TN Common Core coach, and content specialist. Mrs. Brumfield thoroughly understands measures for teacher effectiveness given her exhaustive background with coaching and evaluating teachers using the TEM rubric. Mrs. Brumfield has a desire to have impact on the City of Memphis and joins the Founding Board with a commitment to be an example of excellence.
Kacy Dixon, B.S., Senior Analyst in Human Resources, Hilton Worldwide Corporate Offices, has more than 12 years of experience as an HR professional in the corporate sector. A graduate from Tennessee State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Mrs. Dixon brings to the team an extensive background in Human Resources best practices, functions, and federal and state employment compliance laws. Her background is inclusive of talent recruitment, payroll processes, management, worker’s compensation, FMLA, and onboarding of new-hires for companies across Shelby County. She has used her expertise to grow talent with the following companies and industries: Aerotek, Sitel, Jabil, and Hilton Worldwide. Mrs. Dixon currently serves a Senior Human Resources Analyst with Hilton Worldwide Corporate Offices. She is responsible for coaching and supporting other human resource professionals with their daily operations, and oversight of human resource practices for all corporate Hilton team members located in the United States. Mrs. Dixon is relentless about creating educational equity by offering a high-quality option for families in Memphis.
Kathy Gibbs, M.Ed., M.S., NCC, BCC, Director of Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center (UTHSC), is a National Certified Counselor, Board Certified Coach, and certified by the National Behavioral Intervention Association with a Behavioral Intervention Team Certification. She serves as Board Co-Chair of the Behavioral Intervention with UTHSC and brings a depth of knowledge surrounding inclusive organization initiatives. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology with a minor in Psychology from the University of Montevallo, Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Reading from the University of Memphis, and Master of Science in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Memphis. Mrs. Gibbs began her career as a certified Speech and Language Pathologist and evolved her role as a leader in student support services across secondary educational institutions in Shelby County such as Southwest TN Community College, University of Memphis, Christian Brothers University, and University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Mrs. Gibbs has held roles such as instructor, Director of Student Services, Educational Specialist, Counselor, and Behavioral Coach. Her honors are inclusive of the Student Government Association Executive Council Award, the highest honor given to a staff member by UTHSC students for dedication and involvement, and the Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award, given for demonstrating outstanding service and significant contributions to the University community. At the heart of Mrs. Gibbs’ work is to her desire to build partnerships with local schools within the community with
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 122 of 250 the intent to increase the number of African American males in medical school for post-secondary studies.
Melisa Moore, Esq., Attorney, Burch, Porter and Johnson, PLLC, is a native Memphian and graduate of legacy Memphis City Schools and the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis. She earned a Juris Doctor, cum laude, and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude. Mrs. Moore holds the designation as partner with Burch, Porter, and Johnson, PLLC. Her responsibilities are inclusive of Section 1983 Civil Rights litigation, commercial litigation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, landlord/tenant law, municipal law and insurance defense and coverage. Mrs. Moore has been named among Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 under 40 in 2014, Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2016 and 2017, and designated as an Equity Member at Burch, Porter, and Johnson, PLLC in January 2018. She has served on the Board for Community Legal Center and as Board Secretary for Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives. Mrs. Moore brings to the Founding Board her extensive background in law, volunteerism, and board governance. Mrs. Moore has used her expertise in law as a mentor at Grizzlies Academy Mentoring Program-Lunch Buddies Program, Veritas Charter School, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Memphis. Mrs. Moore comes to Memphis Merit Academy to continue to impact the City of Memphis and to afford students a high-quality educational option.
Brad Schmiedicke, AIA, Associate Principal Owner and Project Manager, Pickering Firm, Inc., is proposed Board Vice Chair. He brings expertise in project management and architectural design. Mr. Schmiedicke has 20 years of experience delivering well-crafted buildings through architectural design, project management, and facilities planning. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, magna cum laude, and Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of Germantown High School and grew up on the outskirts of the Greater Memphis Area, but it did not limit his knowledge of the inequalities existing 12 miles down the road. His work is highly recognized in Memphis and across the nation. Some of Mr. Schmiedicke’s work in the city includes, but is not limited to, Union Avenue Kroger-Midtown Memphis, Memphis Union Mission (Medical District), Nike Office (North Memphis), and the Airport Pedestrian Corridor (Memphis Airport). Mr. Schmiedicke is committed to the mission of creating a college preparatory school for students who currently do not have that option.
Jack Vuylsteke, M. Ed., Founder and Executive Director, Memphis Rise Academy Charter School. Mr. Vuylsteke, a 2012 Building Excellent Schools Fellow, is an educational leader in the City of Memphis who founded and leads a high-quality, college preparatory school for students in Raleigh, where before there was no charter presence. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in English and World Literature, with Honors Distinction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Education in Secondary Literacy Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Mr. Vuylsteke’s experience includes: managing and conducting a grassroots enrollment strategy, securing 91% capacity in Memphis Rise Academy’s first year of operation; managing a year-long site acquisition of facility; preparation of two successful charter applications to both Shelby County Schools and the Achievement School District; and the recruitment and development of a 10-member founding Governing Board. To date, Mr. Vuylsteke has grown Memphis Rise to 448 students, 43 staff, and has developed an active list of community partners to support the school’s future growth. Mr. Vuylsteke led the school to achieving academic performance in the top 10% of Memphis charter schools in academic performance, while maintaining the second-highest population of English Language Learners in the city among charters. He plans to use this skillset to ensure Memphis Merit Academy’s anticipated population of ELL students are receiving the best possible programming. His project management experience has allowed for the facilities growth of three buildings while in tandem performing principal and executive director duties at the middle school. He has managed the financial assets and an operating budget of $5 million, as well as other sources of revenue such as supplementary loan, grants, and other funds in excess of $3 million to date. Mr. Vuylsteke joins Memphis Merit’s Founding Board to continue to impact the educational
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 123 of 250 landscape in the City of Memphis by redefining educational outcomes for underserved students.
Mary Kaye Welch, R.D.N., Registered Dietitian, Methodist Healthcare, has worked for over 30 years in the medical field as a registered clinical dietitian. She holds an Associate of Science from Dixie College and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Food Science from the Medical Dietetics Coordinated Undergraduate Program. Mrs. Welch brings to the Memphis Merit Academy Founding Board an extensive background in nutrition, health education, and American Dietetic Association Certificated Training in childhood and adolescent weight management. Her experience has afforded her roles such as, but not limited to, Clinical Dietician, Nutrition Educator, and Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program Director which include several levels of leadership and management experiences. Her experiences with providing high-quality nutrition options for women and children living in poverty continues to drive her desire to leverage her skillsets for the families of Memphis Merit Academy. Mrs. Welch is uniquely attuned to what a high-quality education is given her experience as an Aviation Program Director for Culver Summer Schools and Camps where she oversees all aspects of the Aviation Program for students age 13-18. She believes all students are deserving of a high-quality education, and absolutely believe it starts with a strong foundation focused on college in the early grades.
Darron Williams, MBA, MS, Senior Communication Specialist, Federal Express Corporation, is the proposed Board Secretary. He grew up in Memphis facing the same realities of poverty as many of the students we propose to educate in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. He attributes his ability to overcome the odds of poverty by equipping himself with a high-quality education. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Master of Science in Statistical Mathematics, Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, and Master of Business Administration, all from the University of Memphis. Mr. Williams brings to the team a widespread background in Communication, Finance, Project Management, and Marketing, serving in senior level capacities during his tenure. He also brings to us experience as a professor with adult learners at various colleges such as The University of Memphis, Webster University, Dowling College, and others. Mr. Williams’s work with adult learners fuels his urgency to have an impact from the beginning of a student’s academic career. The capacities Mr. Williams has acquired have allowed him to gain experiences in management, leadership, accounting, auditing, project management, business, and financial planning. As a child that faced similar experiences with poverty, Mr. Williams is devoted to the mission of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School.
Upon the granting of charter, the Board will form four distinct committees and one task force: Academic Achievement, Finance, Governance, and Development Committees and a Facilities Task Force. The responsibility of the Board members will be to provide service on at least one committee. Please see Attachment F3 for our proposed By-laws which will govern the board and its committees, responsibilities, and structure. The composition of the Board will be 7 to 15 members through the time of its charter and will maintain an odd number of members for voting purposes. The primary role of the Board will be to conduct the academic and fiscal oversight of the school and to have oversight for the Head of School to ensure the school accomplishes its mission, is successful academically, and responsible with fiscal management. In addition, the job of the Board is to adhere to the school’s charter contract with the authorizer following all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
(c) Board Evaluations______
To ensure Memphis Merit Academy’s progress towards the goals set in the charter petition, the Board will have a formal process for evaluating the school leader which will be completed annually by an appointed subcommittee. The Board Chair will lead the subcommittee and the committee will contain at least 3 members inclusive of one member of the Academic Achievement Committee, one of the Finance Committee (typically the Treasurer), and the Board Chair. The school leader will be evaluated
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 124 of 250 on metrics directly aligned with accountability goals outlined in the charter petition which cumulatively measure the success of the school. The responsibility of the Board Chair and Governance Committee will be to enact a system for a Board self-assessment annually to measure the Board’s completion of mandatory activities for effective oversight of the school. As stated in our Accountability Section, the Board’s goal is to safeguard the success of the organization with sound evaluative tools for the Head of School in addition to an evaluation of the Board itself. Our goal regarding the Board appears below.
GOAL 9: The Board of Directors will provide effective and sound oversight of the school.
• Measure 9.1: The Board will conduct a formal annual review of the school leader. • Measure 9.2: The Board will conduct an annual self-evaluation to assess strengths and weaknesses. • Measure 9.3: The Board will conduct a formal annual review of bylaws and policies. • Measure 9.4: The Board will conduct an annual review of organizational strengths and weaknesses.
As indicated, each year, the Board will conduct a review of the school leader inclusive of the school’s annual academic performance as measured by the goals set in the charter contract. This review will include progress towards benchmarks, attendance and student enrollment, discipline data, parental engagement, fiscal management, efficient and regular reporting to the Board, and progress towards Memphis Merit Academy’s mission.
(d) Development of the Board______
Board development is a vital part of maintaining a high-performing school. This development will be ongoing to ensure the organization’s sustainability. Our Board has agreed to the needed investment of time and resources to function as a high-quality governing body and our By-laws require leadership on the Board as the following officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. To ensure sustainability over time and ongoing Board expansion, the Board will actively complete an ongoing gap analysis for skillsets to ensure there are Board members capable of fulfilling all leadership roles and ensuring all required skill sets and perspectives across its membership; this process will be done on a formal basis at least annually and more frequently as needed. The cultivation and acquisition of needed skills by the Board will occur via recruitment of Board prospects, continuous development and governance training with the support of BES, and the participation of members on designated committees of the Board.
As stated in our By-laws, the Governance Committee will have the responsibility for identifying Board prospects, presenting potential Board prospect profiles to the entire Board, the orientation of new members to the Board upon board approval, and ensuring new members agree to the policies of the Board and the school. The entire Board will leverage their personal and professional networks in support of Board membership; the Governance Committee will take on the responibility to vet those identified individuals and present candidates to the full Board for its consideration and approval. Additionally, to expand and informally cultivate potential Board prospects, the Board will develop support for the school in the form of volunteers, ad-hoc committee members, and high-capacity individuals who are involved and invested in Memphis Merit Academy. The strengths and areas of growth of the Board will be assessed via an annual Board self-assessment led by the Governance Committee.
We will always assess our needs for new Board members based on mission alignment, any skillsets we lack, and the need for connection to our community. In our search for new members we will always value individuals with experience in board governance and the potential to serve as an officer on the Board. Given our priority of ensuring Memphis Merit Academy is sustainable, we will always maintain at least two Board members with financial expertise to ensure the role of Treasurer could be assumed and as an added check and balance of fiscal management. All Board prospects must have: (1) an unwavering belief that all children can and will learn regardless of their demographics; (2) expertise in their profession and
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 125 of 250 alignment to our mission; (3) commitment to devoting their time, resources, and networks necessary to support the mission and serve on one or more Board committees.
The review of new Board prospects will be initiated by the Governance Committee and presented for review by the entire Board to ensure consideration for diversity in skillsets, how the individuals collectively add to the Board, and a demonstrated unwavering belief in the mission of Memphis Merit Academy. New Board members will receive training led by the Board Chair and Governance Committee to orient them to the mission and vision of the school, the need of the community, the separate roles of governance and management, our academic model and design, and to the committee structures of the Board. Pursuant to §T.C.A. 49-13-109, our Board of Directors shall include at least one (1) parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in Memphis Merit Academy. The Memphis Merit Academy Board of Directors shall appoint the parent representative within six (6) months of the school's opening date. Each year all members and upon joining the Board all new members will review the Board’s By-laws and Conflict of Interest Policy and complete a Conflict of Interest disclosure form.
(e) Transition of Founding Board to Governing Board______
Upon authorization, the Founding Board will transition to a Governing Board, comprised of up to no more than 15 members. The Governing Board will immediately vote and adopt proposed bylaws, conflict of interest policy, and establish the committee structure in the first meeting following authorization. The Founding Board of Memphis Merit Academy proposes Lakenna Booker to serve as the Founding Head of School. Once chartered, the Founding Board will establish evaluation metrics for, set the compensation of, and hire the Head of School to accomplish the mission of Memphis Merit Academy. The Head of School will be charged with all managerial decisions for the school, from all hiring to curricular decisions. The Board will set evaluation measures in place to monitor and report on the effectiveness of the Head of School, provide an annual written evaluation of the Head of School, and maintain this evaluation as part of the personnel file for the Head of School. Once authorized, the Head of School will serve in the capacity as an ex officio member of the Board, without voting rights. The Board will include four elected positions to meet specific organizational needs, outlined here.
Figure 2.1 (b) – Board Elected Officers Responsibilities of Board Elected Positions Chair Vice Chair ▪ Presides over all meetings of the Board and other ▪ In Chair’s absence, presides over all Board meetings; meetings as required. serves as ex officio member of standing committees. ▪ Coordinates with Head of School, other officers, and ▪ Works with Chair to assist in developing Board Committee chairs to develop Board agendas. agendas. ▪ Disseminates information to Board members. ▪ Advises Chair on appointing volunteers to key ▪ Reviews organizational efficacy and sets leadership positions. organizational priorities for future development. ▪ Supports and challenges Chair in responsibilities to ▪ Appoints Committee chairs. ensure organizational priorities and governance ▪ Monitors efficacy of Board’s governing processes; concerns are addressed. addresses deficits of Board operations. ▪ Conducts duties delegated by the Chair. Treasurer Secretary
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 126 of 250 ▪ Serves as Chair of the Finance Committee. ▪ Certifies and keeps both hard copy and electronic copy ▪ Ensures school complies with federal, state, and of up-to-date By-laws. other statutory reporting requirements. ▪ Records official minutes of all meetings. Minutes record ▪ Works with Chair, Head of School, and back office location, start and end time of the meeting, whether provider to ensure financial records are current and regular or special, how called, how notice was given, accurate. the names of those present or represented at the ▪ Vets and recommends external auditor to Board for meeting, and the proceedings thereof. annual financial audit. ▪ Keeps copies of agendas and minutes of all ▪ Works with administration to ensure complete meetings and committees and ensures these financial records available if requested by auditors. documents are available at the school’s main ▪ Reviews monthly financial statements prepared by office. school’s administration. ▪ Ensures that all notices are duly given as described ▪ Ensures required financial reports are prepared in the By-laws or as required by law. accurately and in a timely manner. ▪ Maintains Board records including agendas and ▪ Reports to full Board regularly to ensure Board minutes, and ensures timely appropriate notice for understands financial health of the organization. meetings, per Tennessee’s Public Access Laws. ▪ Co-signs any purchases exceeding $5,000 for ▪ Performs other duties incident to the Office of the school. Secretary.
(f) Board Development and Professional Development ______
Memphis Merit Academy will ensure the development and growth of the Governing Board, just as we are devoted to the growth and development of our teachers and students. The training and development the Founding Board has experienced to date is shown in the figure below.
Figure 2.1 (c) - Development and Training of The Founding Board of Memphis Merit Academy Date Session Name Content of Development Mission and Vision Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School led the Founding Board in December Overview understanding the mission and each of their reason for joining the Board. The 21, 2017 “Why? Why Here? Why Founding Team discussed the need for more high-quality options in the 38118 Now? Why You?” community. January 18, Community Engagement Founding Team devised community engagement plan to conduct listening 2018 Planning tours within the community to inform the mission and vision of the school. Founding Board members were led by the Lead Founder and BES Governance leadership team to study the following topics for the school: (1) Successful February Board Retreat school governance versus management; (2) Academic Model (focus and plan); 10, 2018 (3) School culture; 4) Finance and facilities;( 5) Community engagement; 6) Core design elements, Board responsibilities, and accountability February Weekly communications, Members of the Founding Board communicate weekly and meet monthly, 11- May 4, monthly meetings, and focusing on all elements of the school design, community engagement, and 2018 governance training sound board governance. Charter Application March 22, Lead Founder and Founding Board conducted a final read through of the Overview/Capacity 2018 Charter Petition to submit to District and State on April 2, 2018. Interview Lead Founder and Founding Board meet formally with elected officials, April 21, Community Action Planning community members, local churches, prospective parents to receive feedback 2018 and insight on school design, approach, and implement more best practices.
Every year as a part of our Governing Board’s development, they will participate in annual Board training in addition to the annual Board retreat. The training received by Board members will be aligned to T.C.A § 49-13-111 and certified by the Tennessee Charter Schools Association and reported to Shelby County School’s to ensure optimal operational practices. Moreover, Building Excellent Schools will deliver needs- based and governance-specific coaching to the Board after authorization from its Manager of Board Governance and as part of its Follow On Support that includes monthly coaching calls with the Board Chair and audit of monthly Board meetings, materials, and minutes. The Governance Committee will be responsible for ensuring the Governing Board receives continuous development and seeks the expertise
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 127 of 250 of other high-capacity individuals in areas vital to the success of the governance of the school such as assessment, fundraising and development, and finance. The Governance Committee will promote participation from every member of the Board on a commitment to continue professional development and build the leadership capacity of Board members. As a result, committee membership will be part of the annual Board self-assessment. Lastly, each year the Governance Committee and Board Chair will ensure each member of the Governing Board conducts a reflection on their personal activity on the board and will provide them with feedback and the opportunity for continued growth and development.
(g) Resolution Process to Complaints______
If a matter cannot be handled at the school by the Head of School, the Board has a formal grievance process. In most cases, the Board will direct parent complaints to the Head of School. The exception would be if there was a legal, ethical, or safety concern which the Board would address immediately and as appropriate. The Board will hear any formal complaints in accordance with our written Complaint Policy found in our Student and Family Handbook, updated, published, and provided annually free of charge to families in their home language during Parent Orientation or upon student enrollment. Families have the legal right to bring complaint and the Board is bound to act within the law in accordance with the written policy. Please see Attachment B for our Complaint Policy within our Student and Family Handbook.
If there are allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability related to identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a person, because of handicap needs or is believed to need special instruction or related services, pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, we will use the procedure outlined in the TN Department of Education’s Students’ Rights Brochure. Our Student Supports Coordinator will provide the brochure for families and staff in our main office. In the event any student or staff member of Memphis Merit Academy believes the organization has discriminated against or harassed him or her due to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in the school’s programs, services and activities, he or she may file a complaint with the Head of School. If any complaint made involves the Head of School, the complaint may be filed with the Board Chair. The Head of School or Board Chair will communicate with the individual(s) who filed a grievance. They will work to investigate the grievance and secure all documentation including interviews and statements related to the grievance. Furthermore, the Board Chair and/or Head of School will propose a resolution with the intent to stop the harassment or discrimination. Memphis Merit Academy will not tolerate discrimination and or harassment of any kind and will provide due process to alleged victims.
Any individual or group may bring complaints and/or objections to Board policies or decisions, administrative procedures, or school practices to the Board. Complaints should be submitted in writing to the Board at least one week prior to the next Board meeting. (No official documents are necessary for filing a complaint/objection but must be done so in writing either through the mail service, delivery to the school in a sealed envelope, or email.) Submitted complaints will be dealt with on an as-needed basis, with the Board responding at or prior to its next regular public meeting. Every effort will be made to address each matter to the satisfaction of the individual or group presenting the complaint. The Board, as necessary, may direct the Head of School or other responsible party(ies) to act upon the complaint and report to the Board. The Board shall render a determination in writing if appropriate or required.
2.2 Start-Up Plan
(a) Start-Up Plan______
Upon authorization, the Governing Board will officially vote to approve our By-laws, elect officers, and adopt committee structures for our Governing Board. In addition, the Governing Board will vote to hire Mrs. Lakenna Booker as the Head of School.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 128 of 250
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School submitted a conservative start-up budget that contains assumptions for compensation, contracted services, legal fees, benefits, supplies and materials, staff recruitment and development, and other necessary equipment for operation. For more details, please see Section 3.2 under School Startup Costs. Once authorized, Lakenna Booker as Head of School, will complete the following tasks: (1) curriculum planning; (2) recruitment of staff; (3) securing and executing a lease for a facility;252 (4) continued community engagement to recruit and enroll the first class of students. In addition, the Board will form its committee: Governance, Development, Finance, and Academic Achievement, and a Facilities Task Force. The Governance Committee will ensure the Board follows all accountability measures and will recruit other high-capacity individuals as prospects for Board membership. The Development Commitment will continue to build relationships with local foundations and donors to secure financial support for the school and will further develop a community engagement plan via a Community Task Force. The Finance Committee will ensure that we establish all financial reporting and accountability tools and processes. The Academic Achievement Committee will support the Head of School on curriculum selection, supply and materials allocation, and support plans for all learners attending Memphis Merit Academy, inclusive of students with special needs and English Language Learners. The Facilities Task Force will work with the Head of School to ensure that we secure the best facilities option not to exceed 10-15% of its total operational budget spent on facilities.
Curriculum Planning and Implementation
The Head of School will lead all curriculum planning, procurement, and developments efforts. S/he will be supported by the Academic Achievement Committee, Purpose Preparatory Academy, other charter school partners in the BES network, and Building Excellent Schools. The curriculum planning protocol detailed in Figure 2.2 (a) will be used. The team of collaborators will support the Head of School to evaluate curriculum, assessments, and intervention tools for the upcoming year based on anticipated needs and adjust to ensure the accomplishment of our goals. The Head of School will secure contracts with vendors for assessments such as STEP, and for curriculum, technology, blended learning, and library books by May 2019. Figures 2.2 (a) outlines our start-up plan in these key areas.
Figure 2.2 (a) – Curriculum Start-Up Plan Responsible Completion Action Item Description of Action Item Team Members Date HOS will make determination for math and literacy curriculum Determination of based on the usage of other high-performing charter schools. Curricula for Head of School August 31, She will review all curriculum to ensure alignment to Kindergarten and (HOS) 2018 Tennessee Academic Standards and Common Core State 1st Grade Standards. HOS will review curriculum documents from high-performing Create Internal charters and adjust to meet both the academic calendar and October 30, Head of School Assessments coverage of all assessed standards for Tennessee. The HOS will 2018 then create quarterly exams to measure student growth. HOS will review the unit plans and assessments of selected curriculum to assess alignment to Tennessee Academic Standards and make any necessary adjustments. These actions Review Unit Plans December 30, Head of School will take place if unit plans are provided. If the unit plans are and Assessments 2018 not provided, the HOS will create unit plans and assessments detailing the daily objectives and lesson structures of the school. Necessary Revisions Head of School, BES will review the plans created/adapted by the HOS. HOS February 28, to the Curriculum Academic will submit the revisions to BES with changes incorporated by 2019
252 The Head of School has secured a letter of commitment for a church co-location option; please see Attachment E for letter of commitment from the Greater Middle Baptist Church and The Place of Outpouring at Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church for facilities commitments.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 129 of 250 Achievement January 15, 2019 for feedback. HOS will incorporate all Committee, BES feedback by February 28, 2019. Head of School will follow-up on pre-planning conversations Securing of Head of School with vendors to seek out contracts for assessments such as May 31, 2019 Contracts STEP, NWEA MAP, and blended learning software.
Start-up Recruitment. The Head of School (HOS) will use connections with local schools of education, Teach For America, Teach901, Memphis Teacher Residency, BES, and others dedicated to teacher pipelines for Memphis. The HOS will hire a Dean of Operations and finalize an offer by December 2018 to begin part-time by January 2019 and full-time in June 2019. The HOS will hire all staff inclusive of founding teachers, Student Support Coordinator, Office Manager, and PE teacher and will finalize all offers by May 2019 to start employment on July 1, 2019. Figure 2.2 (b) details our start-up plan for staff recruitment.
Figure 2.2(b) – Recruitment of Staff Start-Up Plan Action Responsible Description of Action Completion Item Parties Item Date Head of School will draft complete set of Job Descriptions for all Head of positions for Year 1 of operation and submit to Board for review by Develop Job School, September 30, September 1, 2018; Board will approve or return for revision by Descriptions Board of 2018 September 15, 2018; Head of School will finalize Job Descriptions by Directors September 30, 2018 and acquire final board approval. Head of School will draft interview process, ensuring we follow Head of applicable laws and non-discriminatory practices. HOS will submit Create Interview School, September 30, process to board for legal review by September 1, 2018; Board will Process Board of 2018 approve or return for revision by September 15, 2018; Head of Directors School will finalize interview process by September 30, 2018 Post Job Head of Head of School will post Job Descriptions on school website and other October 1, Postings School job search sites 2018 Head of School will partner with local schools of education and teacher October Head of Recruitment preparation/recruitment programs to build relationships with pipelines 2018-April School for talent 2019 October Head of Head of School will execute interview process and report summary Interviews 2018-April School results of hiring status to Board 2019 Offer Head of Head of School will make offers based on strengths of By May 1, Positions School Interview 2019
Identifying a Facility. The search for a facility will be led by the Head of School and supported by the Finance Committee, Development Committee, Facilities Task Force, local architects, Community Advisors, and the TN Charter School Center. We will leverage skillsets of Board members Jack Vuylsteke and Brad Schmiedicke. Mr. Vuylsteke has successfully opened an independent charter school through startup phase and Mr. Schmiedicke has successfully overseen multimillion dollar construction projects. Figure 2.2 (c) details the actions taken by the Board and HOS to ensure facility readiness for students by August 1, 2019.
Figure 2.2 (c) - Memphis Merit Academy Facility Start Up Plan Task Responsible Person(s) Description of Task Anticipated Completion Head of School Facilities Strategic Planning, Preliminary Planning August 2017- March 2018 Board of Directors Project definition Identification of facilities Options; Selection of Head of School potential properties; Needs Finance Committee End of March 2018- Execution of Transaction Assessment for space and Facilities Task Force December 2018 Y1-Y3; Negotiation options Architect and actions; Final negotiations on facility
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 130 of 250 Head of School Facilities Task Force Design, Construction, Close- Project Implementation January 2019-June 2019 Construction Company out, Completion Architect
Recruitment of Students and Families. Recruitment for Fall 2019 will be led by the HOS and will be supported by the Academic Achievement Committee, which in the planning year will function also as a Community Engagement Task Force and other community organizations we have worked to build partnerships with such as the McFarland Community Center. Our goal is to reach 150% enrollment for the founding K-1 class. This means we will fill 100% of available seats and build a waitlist made of up 50% of our target enrollment. The lottery will be held if all planned seats are filled for enrollment on March 30, 2019. We will also identify partner organizations to ensure students are exposed to experiences that enhance their educational experience via mentoring organizations, before and after care pickup programs, and field experience opportunities.
Figure 2.2 (d) - Recruitment of Students and Families Start-up Plan Task Responsible Person(s) Description of Task Date of Completion Head of School will collect information about the census of children between Survey of Proposed HOS, Community ages of 3 to 4. The team will Add on to plans from pre- Communities Engagement Task Force identify businesses and authorization by July 2018 organizations who offer services to this population within 38118. Monthly collaborations with local organizations and hosting of events such as HOS, Community summer camp Community Engagement Engagement Task Force, and Pending authorization collaborations, Town Hall community members meetings, information sessions, and other partnerships. Begin social media campaign August 31, 2018 for families to complete
Social Media Campaign HOS letter of intent via website Ongoing campaign and Facebook to create
interest in future enrollment Head of School will look for HOS, Community contracts with branding and Communication, Marketing Engagement Task Force, and design companies to update August 31, 2018 and Branding community members the school’s website, expressing interest brochures, flyers, and print material for the school Post cards go out to families inviting them to our first monthly community HOS and Community Postal Marketing engagement event. The December 2018 Engagement Task Force mailers will go to families with children between the ages of 3-5. Host events, information HOS and Community sessions, with any of the 30 Early Childhood Facilities Engagement Task Force, and early childhood facilities in January 2019 Events and Collaborations any hired staff that 38118; Send print marketing volunteers to support home in student backpacks;
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 131 of 250 Begin application cycle on Jan. 2nd and close on Jan. HOS, and Community 31st to allow parents to Application Cycle Engagement Task Force, January 31, 2019 know results of acceptance Dean of Operations early enough to make school choice decisions. HOS, Community Lottery Engagement Task Force Host festive event where families receive student Uniform Fitting Day HOS, Dean of Operations uniforms and take pictures Feb, 2019 of their child in Memphis Merit gear
(b) Anticipated Challenges______
We anticipate facing several challenges in the start-up phase. As addressed in Section 2.2(a), our start-up plans are designed with these challenges in mind: curriculum, staffing, facilities, and student recruitment.
Figure 2.2 (e) - Anticipated Challenges of Start-up and Mitigation of those Challenges Anticipated Challenge Primary Challenge Mitigation Curriculum Identification of curriculum HOS has received training on STEP Assessment and begun aligned to CCSS and conversations with STEP to use this robust literacy assessment in Tennessee State Standards Y1. HOS will maintain the partnership with Lagra Newman, HOS and to rigorous assessments at Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville and 2011 BES Fellow, to ensure successful delivery of curriculum and program design. HOS will leverage partnerships with additional high performing charter schools in the BES network. The proposed HOS has experience in start-up charter schools and has strong background in curriculum and instruction. She has served as Dean of Instruction for last 4 years in Gestalt Community Schools and has Master of Art in Teaching with an emphasis on instruction, curriculum and leadership. Student and Staff In the City of Memphis there Teacher talent challenges will be mitigated by securing a Recruitment is a shortage of teacher talent successful relationship with local colleges and universities, and several schools in the Teach901, Teach For America, Memphis Teacher Residency, and district are under enrolled candidates through proposed HOS’ network who have expressed interest in Memphis Merit Academy. We will participate in recruitment events hosted by TN Charter School Center for teachers and students. We will leverage strong connections the HOS has to Memphis educational community to recruit mission- aligned, high-capacity, coachable, feedback oriented, passionate individuals. For anticipated challenges in student recruitment, we have identified 30+ early childhood facilities for pipeline for our K enrollment in August 2019 and have begun building relationships with those. Our Founding Team has worked to engage target community via events, monthly newsletters, online petitions, and social media. See Section 1.12 for more details. Facilities Limitations to start-up The Founding Board and Lead Founder have begun conversations funding and timeline for with Greater Middle Baptist Church as an option for housing our procurement and potential school in start-up and potentially long term. See Letter of renovation of facilities Commitment in Attachment E from Greater Middle Baptist Church and The Place of Outpouring @Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church in Attachment E. Our Lead Founder has begun conversations with Community Advisors - Cushman and Wakefield to discuss available real estate in the 38118 zip-code. We are also open to a co-location at one of the under-enrolled school sites in 38118 such as American Way Middle School.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 132 of 250 2.3 Facilities
(a) Facility Plans______
Projected Enrollment. Our facilities needs are based on enrollment of 540 students at full capacity. Mrs. Booker shared various options with the Board of Directors which led the Founding Team to determine the building simply needs to be able to facilitate our academic model in a safe environment for our students with adequate space for all learning needs. It was also determined that non-traditional school facilities which are ADA compliant did not mitigate the quality of education received by families in schools like Purpose Preparatory Academy and Memphis Rise Academy. Some of the most successful charter schools in this region such as Memphis Rise Academy253 and Purpose Preparatory Academy254 have opened in start-up facilities such as modular buildings and renovated business complexes.
Square Footage. The Founding Board has consulted with experts through Building Excellent Schools (BES) and locally to initiate our facilities search. The Lead Founder has spoken with a representative from the TN Charter School Center to evaluate potential options in 38118 and learn more about what kinds of buildings could be considered for conversion. We have leveraged the skillsets of two Founding Board members, Brad Schmiedicke and Jack Vuylsteke. In alignment with our conservative Y1 budget, we have estimated our space need at 70-100 square feet per student. Informed by industry practice, we estimated 80 square feet per student for our target facility of approximately 9,600 square feet.
Classrooms and Common Areas. For Y1 of operations we will minimally require four general education classrooms for two K and two first grade cohorts. We will require an indoor and/or outdoor space for PE and recess and a teacher workroom. Additional requirements include a common area to hold breakfast, lunch, and Community Circle (Merit Fest) and general office space.
Progress Towards Facility. We have secured a Letter of Commitment, included as Attachment E, from the Greater Middle Baptist Church and Place of Outpouring@ Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church for the potential of co-location, pending authorization, at which time we will be in a position to finalize a contracted agreement between Memphis Merit Academy and the church should this be the best option.
(b) Description of Facility Needs______
For our first year of operation, we require an ADA compliant building with four classrooms, an indoor or outdoor space for recces/PE, and common area to hold meals and school events, as well as modest office space. Other desired space, but not necessary to our operation, would be an office space for our Office Manager and administrative staff, a teacher work room space, a conference room to host professional development and student interventions (pull-out services), IEP meetings, Section 504 meetings, and RTI2 data team meetings. We have budgeted for a space of approximately 9,600 square feet or 80 square feet per student. The following chart describes the desired components of our facility for Year 1.
With one Letter of Commitment in hand, we continue to pursue our fullest set of options, as we plan to co-locate with one of the local churches in the 38118 community, starting in the planning year and which can house our growth to full scale with renovations to the existing sites. The requirements for our initial facility are outlined below.
Figure 2.3 (a) Description of Minimum Space Grade Enrollment Projections Level Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
253 Memphis Rise Academy (BES school) is a top performing school in Memphis for academic growth of students. Memphis Rise did the first 3 years in modular buildings and to conserve and build in the 4th year its high school. 254 Purpose Preparatory Academy (BES school) is in the top 5% of TN schools and is operating at full scale in a renovated business district.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 133 of 250 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 K 60 60 60 1 60 60 60 2 0 60 60 3 0 0 60 4 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 TOTAL 120 180 240 Core Classrooms #of classrooms 4 6 8 Sq. ft. per classroom 850 850 850 Total Space 3,400 5,100 6,800 Specialty Classrooms- Community Space # of classrooms 1 1 2 Size(sf) 2,000 2,000 2,000 Total Space 2,000 2,000 4,000 Total req’d class space 5,400 7,100 10,800 Administration Offices+ 2 3 4 Size (sf) 300 300 300 Total Space 600 900 1,200 Support Space (SPED/ELL Pull-out/Intervention) Bathroom +storage 2 2 3 Size (sf) 1,000 1,000 1,000 Total space 2,000 2,000 3,000 Total support space 2,600 2,900 4,200 Minimum Gross required SF 8,600 10,090 15,900
We have identified two potential options for our school facility, and both options provide what we believe to be an achievable route to procurement, as well as an option for long-term viability. Two members of our Founding team are experienced in commercial real estate acquisition and school start-up, Mr. Brad Schmiedicke and Mr. Jack Vuylsteke, respectively, and have been integral in the identification and assessment of these, and all, facility options for Memphis Merit Academy thus far. See Section 2.3 (c) for more details on the capacity of our team to procure a facility. We also informed our decisions from the guidance and input of experienced commercial real estate brokers, Greg Spillyards, Cushman and Wakefield. Our Founding team’s initial search for co-location options with local community-based organizations in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities has resulted in positive responses for future potential lease negotiations from two key community partners. Figure 2.3 (b) details facility options 1 and 2 and their ability to house our school full-scale:
Figure 2.3 (b) Memphis Merit Academy Facility Options255 Option 1 Option 2 Greater Middle Baptist Church The Place of Outpouring@Olivet Fellowship Church
255 See Attachment E: Letters of Support.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 134 of 250
Total Available Space Total Available Space 52,000 sq. ft. (without additional modular space) 58,000 sq. ft. (without additional modular space) Price negotiable and determined by lease options (term and space) Price negotiable and determined by lease options (term /space) Budget Assumptions Budget Assumptions Tenant improvements would be needed in the pre-opening Tenant improvements would be needed during the pre-opening period, and $5 per sq. ft. as the school grows and expands period, and $5 per sq. ft. as the school grows and expands every every year. We have a total of 24K budgeted for tenant year. We have a total of 24K budgeted for tenant improvements improvements each year for Year 1-5. each year for Year 1-5.
Length of Facility Viability Length of Facility Viability Full Scale Full Scale
Long Term Facility. Our long-term facility needs are inclusive of a space that allows our school to facilitate an educational program for 540 students. Both Greater Middle Baptist and The Place of Outpouring have the space capacity for our growth full scale. Our facility at full growth will need to accommodate 18 classes. In our startup years, our goal is to keep our facility cost under 15% of total operating cost to build a financial portfolio that would allow for new construction or renovation to facilitate our entire school in one location. We earmarked between 10% and 12% of overall spending for facility-related expenses, including furniture and equipment. A majority of this is driven by the working assumption of 80 sq. ft. per student, with 9,600 sq. ft. in Y1 and 28,800 in Y5. It includes base rent assumption of $5 per sq. ft. with 1.25% increase year over year. Tenant improvements of $7 per sq. ft. are budgeted for buildout during the pre-opening period and $5 per sq. ft. as the school grows every year. In combination with proven back office financial advising service EdTec, we established this tenant improvement budget based on what the school can currently envision affording in its start-up year. After initial assessment of the buildings’ floor plans and current condition, our ad hoc facilities team determined that this tenant improvement budget would be sufficient for providing necessary aesthetic and safety updates to the facility to support start up needs. Utilities are budgeted at $2 per sq. ft., along with custodial services at $2 per sq. ft. Waste and trash pick-up is budgeted at $200 per month. Ongoing maintenance is budgeted at $0.25 per sq. ft. These budgetary assumptions allow us to co-locate with Greater Middle Baptist Church or The Place of Outpouring at Olivet Fellowship long term. (See Figure 2.3 (b) for more details).
(c) Capacity and Experience in Facilities Acquisition and Management______
Our goal is to obtain the most programmatically and fiscally optimal facility to begin our operations as a high-quality school. Our Facilities Task Force includes proposed Head of School Lakenna Booker, Founding Board Member Brad Schmiedicke, Founding Board Member Angelia Allen, an architect with charter school
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 135 of 250 experience, a general contractor with charter school experience, and the Dean of Operations. Depending on the needs of the facilities acquisition, more members from within the school’s network will be leveraged to advise the facilities procurement process. We will gather information from the capacities of our Founding Board members with experience in facilities, law, finance, charter school start-up, and community engagement to identify and secure a facility that meets the school’s needs. We are considering using Cushman and Wakefield | Community Advisors, leading commercial real estate experts in Memphis, and specifically with Greg Spillyards, Senior Vice President, to guide our facility search. Our proposed Head of School has begun conversations with the Vice President to express our initial interest in advisement on facility selection and procurement. Given his background as an architect and experience as a project manager on major construction projects, Founding Board Member Brad Schmiedicke and our proposed Vice Chair will lead our Facilities Task Force. Founding Board Member Angelia Allen has an extensive background in community development, loan acquisitions, and requirements for charter schools, and banking practices for community development projects.
(d) Identification, Securing Facilities, and Acquisition Process______
We plan to lease a facility for Y1-Y3. We will select a property which will allow us to build a reserve to purchase a facility after our third year of operation. When evaluating sites, we will consider: (1) proximity to our target population; (2) transportation options and accessibility; (3) cost to lease, renovate, and maintain over time; (4) parking availability and outdoor playground options; (5) safety and security for students; (6) potential to increase leased space over time. All facilities decisions will be approved by the Finance Committee and Facilities Task Force of the Board and presented to the entire Board of Directors for consideration and approval. At the point of this application submission, we are considering Greater Middle Baptist Church as a potential facility for co-location. This is a unique opportunity, as it is a pillar of the Civil Rights Movement led by the late Benjamin Hooks. It satisfies our overall square footage needs with the potential to lease more space as our enrollment increases. This facility could function as our Y1- Y4 school site or longer if modular buildings were added. Substantial renovations may be necessary for school operation. Another potential option for co-location is The Place of Outpouring-Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church. We will consider this option because of its central location in the Parkway Village community. Please see Attachment E for the letter of support and commitment from The Place of Outpouring-Olivet Fellowship Baptist Church. Our Board and Lead Founder are continuing to work to generate more facility options. We will consider all the following: SCS school district co-locations, church co-location, business district renovations, and modular facilities options. The following chart details currently identified facilities options and considerations.
Ultimately, we will secure a facility that meets the needs of our academic program and is in proximity to our proposed communities. The facilities acquisition process will occur in three stages detailed in the charts below: Preliminary Planning Stage, Transaction Execution Stage, and Project Implementation Stage.
Figure 2.3(a) – Preliminary Planning Stage PLANNING STAGE GOALS/TASKS TIMELINE Lead Founder and Founding Board determined mission Assessment of requirements, and vision, needs for the academic program, and Fall 2017 objectives, budget anticipated budgetary needs. August Lead Founder and Founding Board identified proposed Discussion of facilities and market 2017- students to educate, researched historical demographic options February data, and determined availability of facilities in 38118 2018
Strategic Planning August Development of academic program Continuation of facilities needs assessment based on 2017- needs program development March 2018
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 136 of 250 Forecast growth of school Identify short and long-term needs of facilities Ongoing
February Make revisions and analyze facilities allow for the Reassess goals and program needs 2018 (Board implementation of our academic program Retreat)
Set goal date Set goal date for facilities procurement and occupancy Spring 2018
Project management of timeline based on goal date for
Project Definition Establishment of facilities timeline Spring 2018 facility procurement
Figure 2.3(b) – Facilities Procurement STEP STAGE GOALS/TASKS TIMELINE Review and survey of proposed Initial conversation with local real estate owners
Spring-Fall 2018 area (church, real estate brokers) and contractors Based on our goals and objectives, identify at least Creation of specific and strategic Identify Identify Options 3 facilities options to meet the needs of our August 2018 facilities options academic program for Y1-Y3 at minimum
Evaluate on basis of layout and conduciveness to Analysis and evaluation of educational environment. Evaluate building August 2018 facilities options systems and existing conditions
Select Engage architect to provide code, safety, and Potential Properties Final determination of site August 2018 accessibility feedback for each potential property Send lease proposals and RFP’s Submission of RFPs to identified potential August 2018 for identified property properties Compare actual cost and mission alignment; Review of RFP responses August 2018 consideration of impact on overall budget Estimation of construction cost based on Devise and illustrate floor plans August - interaction with architect that considers changes or
Planning for each location September 2018 Selection/ Space Selection/ improvement of facilities. Response to RFPs Finance and Facilities Committee responds to RFPs September 2018
Refine Evaluation and review of counter RFP’s by property September – Evaluation of counter proposals owners 2018 Facilities Task Force narrows facilities selection to Analyze facilities to reduce best facility option based on RFP’s, mission- October 2018 options alignment, and budget The Head of School, Finance Committee and Facilities Task Force, and hired real estate Devise negotiation strategy October 2018 consultants will devise a negotiation strategy to
Actions secure facility Draft and send Letter of Intent to 1st facilities October – Preparation of Letter of Intent choice to sign lease agreement November 2018
Negotiation Strategy andNegotiation Strategy Determination of other facilities Consult with property owner about other potential October – needs changes or needs for facility November 2018 Preparation of final terms and Prepare and review lease agreement with hired November - conditions consultant, Finance/Facilities, and Head of School December 2018
Outline of responsibilities and negotiation of terms Negotiation of lease agreement December 2018 of lease Negotiation of contracted Negotiation of contracted services letter for December 2018 services letter remodeling/reconstruction of building as necessary On or before December 15, 2018, completion of Completion of lease agreement December 2018
Final Negotiation lease agreement Documentation of additional Documentation of all provisions and additional December 2018 amenities with property site amenities on behalf of school and owner
Figure 2.3 (c) – Project Management Timeline PROJECT STAGE GOALS/TASKS TIMELINE
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term needs. We have spoken with other charter leaders who have proposed for the 38118 community and experienced facilities hardships. The initial response of the Board will be to engage our relationships with other local churches, institutions, and businesses to identify where we could most quickly change course for the opening or all of Year 1. We have secured a generous partnership with the Greater Middle Baptist Church which could house our school from Y1 through full capacity with renovations and modular buildings. If we need additional funding for a facilities contingency plan, we will engage our partners that the Founding Board has established and local foundations to raise the necessary support. Lastly, once a facility plan is agreed upon, the Lead Founder will notify parents and families of the change and reassure them that our facility was never the key to delivering a high-quality option. We also recognize the potentiality of utilizing a cost-effective modular building, constructed by and leased to Memphis Merit Academy by an organization such as Innovative Modular Solutions (IMS), who has worked with local SCS charter schools such as Memphis Rise Academy Middle School and Aurora Collegiate Academy. Founding Board Member Jack Vuylsteke, Executive Director at Memphis Rise Academy, has worked with IMS since 2014 and has already facilitated a relationship between Memphis Merit Academy and IMS Tennessee site manage Bob Spista, who is confident that IMS’ experience in Tennessee working with charter school will be a catalyst to providing our school with a strong option, on schedule, and within our budgetary constraints. The timeline from agreeing to terms on the construction of a modular building to the end of critical phase installation is traditionally between three and five months, with the majority of that time spent waiting for the buildings to be fabricated and shipped from the organization’s Georgia-based manufacturing center. If our lease negotiations and/or tenant improvement projections prove to be more challenging that we envision, we believe that we can amend the above action plan to execute the production of a modular designed to serve the same educational and administrative needs as mentioned above, while readying a pre-identified ground site in parallel such that installation and state/local compliance tasks can be completed before August 2019. Should we pursue this option, we would tentatively set late January 2019 as our timeframe to begin considering this contingency option, and will begin looking, with the support of Mr. Spillyards or another local real estate broker, for commercially zoned ground lease or purchase options in 38118 immediately upon authorization to accommodate this potential need. 2.4 Personnel/Human Capital (a) Proposed Leadership Structure______Memphis Merit Academy Year 1 and Full Capacity Organizational Charts are provided in Attachment G. The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight to ensure we accomplish our mission. The Head of School will report directly to the Board and follow all policies set by the Board. The Head of School will execute all tasks, inclusive of the management of teachers and leaders. In Year 1, the leadership team will be composed of the Head of School, Dean of Operations, and Student Supports Coordinator. The staff and leadership team will expand yearly with the enrollment of students and based on their needs. (b) Leadership Capacity______Lakenna Booker, Lead Founder and Proposed Head of School, has over a decade of education experience in the City of Memphis. Mrs. Booker started her career in legacy Memphis City Schools as a science and math educator and continued with the Shelby County Schools as a math and science educator in 38118. She served as grade level, science department, and math department chairs, professional learning community grade level and content leader, member of the School Improvement Planning Committee, and demonstration classroom teacher for the Memphis Striving Readers Grant. While presenting at the International Reading Association conference, Mrs. Booker was recruited with an international
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 139 of 250 educational publishing company, Teacher Created Materials, Inc./Shell Publications, to become a STEM presenter trainer which led to co-authoring “The 5E’s of Inquiry-Based Science256,” an instructional resource for science teachers K-12. After seven years of teaching in district public schools in 38118, Mrs. Booker joined KIPP Memphis and continued her path to educational leadership with Gestalt Community Schools as Dean of Instruction (ASD and SCS). Her experience as Founding Dean of Instruction at Nexus STEM Academy Middle School developed her capacity for founding a school, developing curriculum, RTI coordination, managing facility co-location, community engagement, enrollment, coaching teachers, and talent recruitment/retention. Mrs. Booker is a fully certified administrator by the State of TN. Mrs. Booker joined the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship this past year to further her comprehension of high- performing urban charter schools and increase her leadership capacity to deliver on Memphis Merit Academy’s mission. The BES Fellowship permitted Mrs. Booker to directly observe over 40 high- performing urban charter schools, spend more than 600 hours in rigorous training, coaching, development, and practice, and to recruit a team of mission-aligned, committed, and high-capacity individuals for the founding Board of Directors. Her resume is included as Attachment H. (c) Hiring and Evaluating the Head of School______The Head of School is hired by the Board to manage Memphis Merit Academy and is responsible for all financial, operational, curricular, and academic management, and all school-based decision-making. The Head of School sets the vision for the school and is responsible for ensuring the school meets the goals set forth in the charter petition. Qualifications/Competencies • Belief that all students can and will learn at high levels. • Commitment to the mission and vision of the school. • Experience in educational leadership and school management with teachers and students. • Knowledge of data analysis and ability to effectively utilize data to inform decisions. • Ability to plan and enact budgeting practices to meet the goals in the school’s accountability plan and sustain the overall health of the organization. • Ability to perform accounting and allocation of financial resources for the academic program. • Ability to communicate effectively across stakeholders both verbally and in writing. • Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities at once. • Optimistic, resilient, approaches work with excellence; takes personal and professional accountability • Receptive to feedback. • Ability to galvanize and inspire both a Board of Directors and school staff. • Strategic planner to ensure the school meets both long and short-term goals. • Deeply reflective and constantly seeks out ways to improve self, school, and overall organization. • Critical thinker and able to adapt make sound decisions under pressure. • Minimum Bachelor’s degree required in related field and Master’s degree in related field preferred Responsibilities • Manages Board relationships and all communications with the Board. • Leads and manages Leadership Team. • Makes all final decisions per hiring and termination of staff. • Develops evaluations in alignment with TEM257 rubric to evaluate all staff members.
256 https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/administrators/professional-development/presenters/. 257 The Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM) is the teacher evaluation system implemented in Shelby County Schools (SCS) system. The purpose of the TEM evaluation system is to ensure that all educators receive honest feedback about their practice to enable continuous improvement in their practice and ultimately high-quality instruction for our students. http://www.scsk12.org/tem/.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 140 of 250 • Create and foster a school culture that is inclusive and equitable for all staff, families, and students. • Establishes annual and long-term strategy and goals for the school with Board approval. • Develops educational program, including curricular, assessment, and enrichment programming. • Trains or coordinates training of all staff members, including teachers, leaders, and operations staff. • Selects and trains staff on assessment tools used by the school in addition to state tests. • Creates and maintains marketing and fundraising plans for school. • Works with the Finance committee and EdTec to create the annual budget for the school. • Coordinates and manages Dean of Operations to conduct enrollment lottery and waitlist as regulated in the T.C.A. 49-13-113. • Oversees and implements student discipline policy, behavior expectations, and Code of Conduct. • Reviews all student RTI2 data, report card data, IEPs, Section 504 plans, student support plans, student safety plans, and any plans related to monitoring the progress of all students’ academic growth. At full scale, responsible for the delegation of duties of school to ensure the continuation of monitoring student progress. • Communicates all reports and data to the Board of Directors as outlined in the By-laws of Memphis Merit Academy about financial, regulatory, and academic accountability of the school. • Works with back office provider, Dean of Operations, and other leadership team members to prepare, review, analyze, and submit required reports, evaluations, and documentation to the authorizer and/or external funders. • Provides supervision over the daily management of accounting, cash receipts, disbursements, payroll benefits, IRS documentation, and staff. Upon authorization, the Board will hold an organizational meeting to formally hire Mrs. Booker as Head of School. With consideration of the qualities and responsibilities required of the role, the Founding Board enthusiastically proposes Mrs. Booker as the founding HOS. Prior to the start of the first year of operation, the Board of Directors will officially adopt metrics for the evaluation of the Head of School. Evaluation of Head of School The Board will evaluate the HOS annually. The evaluation metric will include the following pursuant to TN State Board of Education Policy 5.201: 50% of the evaluation criteria shall be comprised of student achievement data, including 35% based on student growth data and 15% based on other measures of student achievement. The remaining 50% of the evaluation criteria shall be based on a rating using qualitative measures such as: (1) School climate and/or teaching and learning conditions surveys; (2) review of quality implementation of teachers’ evaluations; and (3) two on-site observations conducted by certified evaluators determined by the department of education. 258 (d) Staff Recruitment ______Each year our job postings will be posted by October 1st. The Head of School will be responsible for the hiring process. The application review and interview process for the posted jobs will be conducted throughout the school year on an ongoing basis according to the needs of the school. To deliver on our mission, we will recruit staff members via the following: Develop and maintain relationships with local, state, and national graduate schools and university career service centers; Tap into Lead Founder’s local and national connections in education through various organizations; Leverage national organizations such as Teach For America and TNTP’s alumni networks; Offer $200 “finder’s fee”259 for any recommendation that results in a job offer and acceptance; Build a social media profile, including
258 https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/stateboardofeducation/documents/5.201_Teacher__Principal_Evaluation_Policy_7-28-17.pdf. 259 This “finder’s fee” will come out of the teacher recruitment line item in our budget, amounting to $6,000 in our planning year.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 141 of 250 Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn; Advertise positions in monthly school newsletters (currently Memphis Merit Academy’s listserv consists of close to 100 community supporters, 220 on Social Media, and 285 signed our online petition); Engaging with the pool of like-minded professionals through BES. (e) Development and Support of Teachers ______Our school design is informed by the models of high-performing charter schools such as BES school Purpose Preparatory Academy in Nashville, TN and Uncommon Schools’ North Star in Newark, NJ. High- quality instruction measured by student performance is a vital element of these proven models, as it will be with Memphis Merit Academy. The Head of School and a growing leadership team over the course of our enrollment year to year will ensure the growth of teachers’ and leaders’ understanding of our academic model, content, curriculum, and research-based instructional practices. Teacher growth will be facilitated by regular observations, coaching sessions, evaluations, and celebrations. Each teacher will receive at least one full class observation per week. After the observation, teachers complete a self- assessment of the observed lesson. Following the self-assessment, each teacher will have a debrief meeting to discuss observation and receive coaching from the Head of School or Dean of Academics (beginning Y3), and from the Head of School, Director of Lower School (Y4), Director of Upper School, Dean of Academics (Y3), Dean of Culture(at full scale) , or Dean of Student Supports in following years. The leadership team members for the remainder of this section will be referred to as “coach.” In addition to weekly coaching meetings and informal evaluations, teachers will have formal observations in alignment with TN State Board of Education Teacher and Administrator Evaluation policy 5.201. Formal evaluations will include coach-collected notes, student performance data, classroom management and culture data, and a self-assessment completed by the teacher. The purpose of the evaluation system is to quantifiably convey a teacher’s strengths and growth areas for the categories of instruction (high-quality instruction), planning (intellectual prep), and environment (core taxonomies) to drive upcoming coaching meetings and professional development. The coach and teacher will meet to debrief evaluation results and to build a plan to meet their growth goals. Likewise, second semester formal evaluations will occur at the start of the third quarter and will have the same components as in the first cycle of evaluations. The formal evaluations will be a factor in determining a renewal contract for the following year. End-of-year evaluations and debriefs will occur during the last month of school and before the end of staff closeout. When staff members are excelling and positively responding to their professional development it is recognized as MERIT. We will evaluate excellence for our staff members by the following metrics: (1) Student achievement measured in lower elementary using STEP data and in all grades measured by the growth and achievement of students on NWEA MAP, interim assessments, and standardized state assessments; (2) Classroom culture measured by the teacher’s cultural data from observations and the teacher’s ability to effectively implement the school’s cultural procedures. (3) Core Character Values (MERIT) rubric will measure teacher’s ability to convey the core values; specific actions connected to each core value and teachers will be measured by actions like punctuality, collaboration with of other teachers, submission of lesson internalization/intellectual prep, and attendance. Non‐Instructional Staff Performance Evaluation. Non‐instructional staff members will report to either the Head of School or another designated leadership team member such as the Dean of Operations and will be evaluated on a quarterly basis in the areas of production and efficiency. The components of the evaluation will be individually designed to reflect the expectations of each role. Staff members who demonstrate satisfactory performance and contribution to the school’s operations and culture, the formal evaluations will serve as a transparent method to continue their development and will ultimately lead to an offer of contract renewal for the subsequent school year.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 142 of 250 (f) Future Leadership Capacity ______
Through our aggressive plans for coaching and supporting teachers, we will support the future leadership capacity of our school. During the one-on-one coaching sessions, school leadership will always be knowledgeable about the personal and professional goals of every staff member. To cultivate the long- term sustainability, we will make the development of our leadership pipeline a priority.
Our current staffing model and budget projections demonstrate our intent to promote from within the organization first and to develop the leadership capacity and potential that exists amongst our current staff members. Candidates the Head of School determines are on track for leadership roles based on observations and student data, will receive coaching to develop their instructional, operational, or cultural leadership. In the first year of operation, our Student Supports Coordinator and Dean of Operations will work alongside our Head of School. These two roles will develop into the Dean of Student Supports (Y4) and Director of Operations in Y4. From Y2 on, teachers with leadership potential will be made grade level and content chairs. Teachers serving in these capacities will be developed and coached in preparation for the (2) Dean of Academics (Y3) and Dean of Culture (at full scale) roles. In Y3, leaders in the capacity of Dean of Academics will be intentionally developed for the roles of Director of Lower School and Director of Upper School. This structure will enable teachers to gain leadership experience and development opportunities within the school structure. We firmly believe strong school leadership is grounded in demonstrated instructional effectiveness. Memphis Merit Academy’s proposed leadership structure demonstrates a pipeline for leadership capacity and overall sustainability of our school’s model.
(g) Unsatisfactory Performance and Evaluation______
Our systems, protocols, overall school structure, and school design are responsive to the needs of our intended students in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. Our high expectations of students are the responsibility of the adults to maintain and will require every adult to strongly believe every child can achieve at high levels. Teachers will receive professional development on both academic and behavioral strategies to support every student’s growth. Our regular observation and feedback cycle will permit coaching interactions to take place continuously. If a teacher demonstrates a consistent failure to meet staff expectations, the initial communication will be verbal from the coach, followed by a written warning and professional improvement plan. Examples of actions that could result in a written warning and professional improvement plan include: chronic tardiness to work, chronic absenteeism or tardiness to assigned duty posts, negligence to communication with staff or families, lack of adherence to deadlines, use of inappropriate language or tone when communicating with students, staff, or any other stakeholders, failure to comply with Professional Code of Conduct expectations outlined in the Employee Handbook, and any behavior detrimental to the mission of Memphis Merit Academy. “Chronic” is defined for this purpose as greater than three (2) occurrences during a two-week period. A written warning will be issued, with exceptions for circumstances approved at the discretion of the Head of School. After a written warning, both instructional and non-instructional staff members will have a two-week time period to show improvement in the area of concern. In the event the behavior is a repeat offense, the staff member may be placed directly on a professional improvement plan. If improvement is demonstrated by staff member based on the goals outlined in the professional improvement plan, the staff member will be released from the professional improvement plan. If improvement is not demonstrated by the staff member, the staff member is subject to termination at the discretion of the Head of School.
There are behaviors that warrant immediate written warnings such as failure to follow professionalism expectations or using inappropriate language or tone with stakeholders. The professional improvement plan will consist of the following components: Identified behavior to be corrected; Clear timeline behavior must be corrected; Support given to ensure development and correction; Staff involved in supporting the
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 143 of 250 staff member to reach the expectation; and Next steps if the staff member corrects the behavior or does not correct the behavior. We hold all staff to professional expectations outlined in the Employee Handbook. We also hold teachers and leaders accountable for the academic achievement and growth of students. Teachers whose students do not demonstrate progress as assessed by NWEA MAP, interim assessments, STEP, and TNReady assessments may not have their contracts renewed. Leaders not providing the support teachers need to be successful may also not be renewed.
In the case of gross underperformance of students along with the teacher’s lack of ability or willingness to change actions leading to underperformance, immediate dismissal may be warranted. The following are examples of situations that constitute as unsatisfactory student performance: (1) STEP assessment shows less than one-year growth in an academic year (2) MAP assessment shows less than one-year growth; (3) TVAAS260 evaluation from state shows less than level 3 student growth; (4) Student achievement deteriorates between interim assessment cycles.
Ultimately, the Board holds the Head of School responsible for making progress towards our school’s goals and mission. The Board will evaluate the Head of School on academic performance as measured by our goals and benchmarks, student enrollment and attendance, disciplinary issues, parent engagement, fiscal responsibility, and timely and regular reporting to the Board. The Head of School can be immediately dismissed for the following: unethical or illegal behavior, gross misconduct, mishandling of school funds, or gross underperformance of responsibilities. The chart below describes the actions the school will take in the event of an emergency leadership transition.
Figure 2.4 (a) - Emergency Leadership Transition Plan Action Step Description of Transfer of Responsibilities The Board Chair will be identified as the primary point of contact, notifying all board members of the transition, and leading the discussion on next steps. The Board Chair will send communication on circumstances and recommended plan of action to Board for approval and school staff for Communication information. Once the full Board has approved a plan of action, the Board Chair will send a message to the organization’s key stakeholders, e.g., the authorizer, funders, parents, and Building Excellent Schools detailing the plan. The Board will ensure ongoing access to key stakeholder contact lists and to critical passwords, such as those used for social media accounts. The Board will ensure that the Chair and Treasurer are signatories on the school’s checking accounts to enable business to continue in the case of an emergency Head of School transition. Financial Oversight The Board will ensure ongoing access to current contact details for all financial advisors, accountants and back-office providers, and key funders. Finally, the Board will ensure that a schedule of key activities and deadlines, such as the IRS Form 990 is current and accessible. In case of an emergency transition, Board will designate Leadership Team member as acting Head Interim Management of School. The acting Head of School has limited executive power. S/he will be appointed by Board to provide leadership during planning and/or implementation phases of executive search. The Board will immediately convene an ad hoc committee composed of the Chair and two other Executive Search Board members and chaired by the Chair.
(h) Hiring and Dismissing Staff______
In alignment with TN law, all teachers who serve in a classroom for over 20 days will be required to hold at minimum a bachelor’s degree and a TN license. After successful completion of our recruitment, application, and interview process, we will extend an offer of employment to qualified and successful applicants. Finalizing this process will include: (1) Verification of minimum TN teacher qualifications (2) Offer Letter - Sign and submit letter of agreement; (3) Payroll and Tax Forms - Complete direct deposit form (with check), Form I-9, Form W-4, TCRS Form Certified (4) Personnel Forms - Complete personal bio
260 The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) measures student growth year over year, regardless of whether the student is proficient on the state assessment. In calculating a TVAAS score, a student’s performance is compared relative to the performance of his or her peers who have performed similarly on past assessments. https://www.tn.gov/education/data/tvaas.html.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 144 of 250 and new hire sheet (5) Certification - As applicable, submit all certification documents and fill out forms as needed; register for PRAXIS tests as needed and enroll in additional coursework as needed; (6) Background Check and Fingerprinting - Complete criminal background check and fingerprinting. All employment offers will be contingent upon candidate providing all certification documents, registering for PRAXIS as needed, and enrolling in required coursework as needed. Upon completion of all of these requirements, an employment contract will be finalized. Dismissal may occur in the event of failure to comply with written warning, professional improvement plan, and/or specified behaviors not in alignment with our professional norms. Any behavior that is unethical, illegal, or gross misconduct in nature are grounds for immediate termination without warning for al staff members including the Head of School.
(i) Compensation System______
Memphis Merit Academy’s compensation for teachers is based on a three-tiered system. Starting salaries for new teachers are determined by three distinct categories: Emerging, Proficient, and Master teachers.
Figure 2.4(b) – Teacher Compensation Tiers Tier Description Emerging ● Starting salary set at $44,000 Teacher ● Joins with less than 2 years of teaching experience ● Starting salary set at $48,182 Proficient ● Joins with 2-3 years of measurable data showing student gains (acceptable forms include Teacher TVAAS, state assessments (TNReady), or national normed assessment data) ● Eligible to apply for grade level leader ● Starting salary set at $49,000 Master ● Comes with at least 3-5 years of measurable data showing student gains (acceptable Teacher forms include TVAAS, state assessments, or national normed assessment data) ● Eligible to apply for grade level leader positions, sets them on leadership pipeline track Dual Certified ● Additional $3,000 stipend in addition to Tier Teacher
The minimum qualification for all teachers and leadership staff is a bachelor’s degree. Compensation will not be determined by level of education; proven student performance in measurable data will play the greatest role in determining starting salary. We believe that supporting staff and then acknowledging their observed growth is vital to retaining talent at our school. While there is no way to compensate teachers enough for ensuring our students are successful in high school, college, and life, we will continue to work to attain funds through grants and private donations to always expand how we invest in the expertise of our teachers. This investment will include increased salary, more offerings of professional development, and opportunities for professional growth in leadership within our school structure.
(j) Contracts______
We classify all relationships with employees as “at will.” The employee or the school may terminate the employment relationship at any time with or without cause. No person other than the Head of School can enter any agreement for employment for any specified period; any agreement must be in writing. If a teacher or other staff member leave prior to the end of the school year, the Head of School’s priority is to fill the vacated position as soon possible. To ensure we continuously have access to a pipeline of qualified candidates in our school the HOS will maintain a teacher and other staff role candidate pool via online application process, host ongoing recruitment events and open houses, and maintain partnerships with local universities and teacher talent organizations.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 145 of 250 (k) Employee Manual______The employee manual for Memphis Merit Academy is provided in Attachment I. Figure 2.4 (c)– Personnel Start-Up Through Year 5 of Operation Position Start-Up Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Head of School 1 1 1 1 1 1
Director of Upper Academy 0 0 0 0 0 0
Director of Lower Academy 0 0 0 0 1 1 Director of Operations 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 0 0 Dean of Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dean of Culture 0 0 0 1 1 1 Dean of Academics 0 0 0 0 1 1 Dean of Student Support 0 1 1 1 0 0 Student Support Coordinator
Special Education Teacher 0 0 0 0 1 1 ELL Teacher 0 0.5 0.5 1 1 1.5 Enrichment Teachers 0 0.5 0.5 1 2 3 Lead Teachers (Classroom Teachers)261 0 8 12 16 20 25 0 1 1 1 1 1 Office Manager
We will employ 1 FTE dually certified general education and ESL endorsed teacher per grade level and 0.5 ELL teachers in Year 1 and Year 2. This will allow for 2.5 FTE ELL endorsed staff members in Year 1 and 3.5 FTE ELL endorsed staff members in Year 2, 5.0 FTE ELL endorsed staff member in Year 3, 6.0 FTE ELL endorsed staff members in Year 4, for example. 2.5 Professional Development (a) Overview of Professional Development Plan______Professional development is responsive to the needs of students and the coaching support of teachers to ensure high-quality instruction and student academic progress aligned to our ambitious goals. If academic progress is lagging, our weekly and cyclical professional development plans will adjust to topics to directly address the area of concern based on academic data.
Figure 2.5 (a) - Memphis Merit Academy Professional Development Structure
PD Type Description of PD Total Days Head of School leads summer PD on school culture, core taxonomies, Summer Training instructional practices, and delivery of academic model. Dean of Operations 17 days (MERIT Institute) trains teachers on all operational components of the school. Professional Teachers and leaders engage in PD based on data from teacher observations, 13 days
261 Lead teacher numbers reflect 1 dually certified general education and ESL endorsed teacher per grade level.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 146 of 250 Development student work, and assessments. Teachers practice strategies, daily lessons, and Days/STEPBack Days core taxonomies. STEP Back Days occur immediately after STEP Assessment windows for teachers to analyze STEP data and create action plans. Every Friday teachers participate in weekly PD from 1:30-4:00pm. This time will be used for RTI2 Data Team meetings, Deliberate practice Protocols, grade level Weekly PD 2.5 hr./ week meetings, and/or content PD led by Head of School and Student Supports Coordinator. Memphis Merit Academy has 30 staff only days of professional development and data analysis. The year will start with 17 days of professional development the weeks before students start school. We have strategically planned ongoing professional development throughout the year for teachers to engage in data analysis, content development, and plan intervention for the needs of our students. Teachers will also have 13 additional full professional development days/data days throughout the year. These days are planned strategically after our interim assessments to permit the facilitation of our data analysis protocol. In addition to full day professional development, we will provide the following: One-on-Ones (individual check-ins with the Head of School or other coach as our team grows with student enrollment and our staffing plan), weekly grade-level intellectual preparation and feedback meetings, content team professional learning communities, weekly coaching observation and feedback (delivered in one-on-one), and weekly and interim data team meetings. We will provide teachers with daily planning time to permit meetings to occur. In team planning meetings, teachers will participate in a Looking at Student Work262 protocol to gain qualitative data about student performance. Just like quantitative data review protocols, teachers and leaders will develop action plans to support student needs. The Head of School or designee will coach teachers during these processes to plan instruction that targets student gaps in understanding. Non-Instructional PD. Non-instructional staff will have the following PD opportunities. Vendor-related: Non-instructional staff will participate in PD related to specific vendor services such as transportation, PowerSchool, food service, and contracted service providers. Site-based: This will be led by the Dean of Operations to orient all non-instructional staff on the daily operations of the school prior to the start of school and weekly during early release days throughout the school year. Authorizer-related: Memphis Merit non-instructional staff will attend PD specifically related to the authorizer, as needed; Professional Skills: Staff members will continuously receive PD based on their needs in topics such as Microsoft Office, Inventory reporting, etc.; School Culture: All staff will receive PD on how to interface with students and families to ensure a school culture of customer service and excellence led by the HOS. (b) Person(s) Leading Professional Development ______The primary person responsible for professional development is the Head of School. In Year 1, the Head of School and Student Supports Coordinator will develop and lead all staff training. At full scale, the Directors of Lower and Upper Academies will plan and coordinate professional development for staff. PD will be delivered by the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, Dean of Culture, and Director of Student Support. With demonstrated exceptional performance and effectiveness, the leadership team has the discretion to select teacher leaders in the building to lead PD on designated topics. To ensure teachers are exposed to the highest quality PD, the Head of School will provide access to PD from outside of the school when necessary. The Head of School will maintain a collaborative relationship with the Head of School of Purpose Preparatory Academy, Lagra Newman (2011 BES Fellow) see letter of in Attachment E. The Head of School will maintain relationships with guest trainers from UChicago263 for delivery of the STEP Assessment and analysis of student literacy development. The Head of School will
262 LASW is a prescriptive and explicit manner of reviewing student work. This is a qualitative analysis of student achievement. 263 UChicago Impact is the only educational nonprofit that uses research-based tools, analytics, and expert training to help school systems and education professionals improve literacy, school effectiveness, and college completion. https://uchicagoimpact.org/why-uchicago-impact.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 147 of 250 provide access to PD from larger charter networks such as Uncommon Schools, particularly in the start- up year. The Head of School will build relationships with the Achievement Network to use their services starting inY2 when we will have a 2nd grade cohort. The Head of School has already participated in three years of leadership professional development with the Achievement Network. (c) Core Elements of Professional Development Plan______
Summer Training (MERIT Institute). The onboarding process for teachers will start with reflection on why each member of our team has chosen to join Memphis Merit Academy. As a staff, we will internalize our mission through a discussion of the demographics and academic needs of our students. Teachers will be introduced to the core taxonomies that we will use to build our positive school culture and deliver excellent instruction. All staff will engage in deliberate practice of these strategies as described in Section 1.3. As a staff, we will provide feedback to each other on delivery to ensure excellent instruction starting from day one. Teachers will also go through orientation for human resources, school policies, and school operations. Internal and external human resource staff and vendors, as needed, will be on site to provide necessary information. The proposed onboarding/orientation schedule is provided in the next section.
Weekly PD. On Fridays, PD will be used to refine our academic practices. Time will be provided for data analysis, action planning, practice of instructional techniques, and reflection on student interventions. Figure 2.5 (b) - Sample Weekly PD Schedule (Early Release Fridays 1:30-4:00PM) Time Outcome Facilitator This week in PD teachers will examine the data from Exit Tickets to analyze student mastery of standards. PD Teachers will engage in action planning based on data. The purpose of this exercise is the ensure the data we Overview look at daily is truly capturing standards-aligned scholar mastery and we are responding to it properly. TWBAT: participate in data conversations with HOS or designated staff member; create an action plan based on Objectives data from assessment items; plan for RTI2 groups based on data from progress monitoring. Updated RTI2 Student Intervention Plans, Action Plan to address whole class Standards-Mastery, Teach Back Deliverables Protocol Feedback 1:30- Announcements/Shout-outs/Sign-in ALL 1:35pm 1:35- “Data Driven Instructional Decisions” - Bring data from week’s Exit Tickets (ET), Bring 2:05pm HOS student data related to ET, Bring upcoming standards for work session
Student Supports 2:05- RTI - Academic Data Team Meeting: RTI folders; Scoring and Recording data; Review Coordinator 2:45pm of PM data, Benchmarks, Rate of Improvement (ROI), and gap analysis 2:45- Student Supports RTI- Behavior (Tier 2 plans and Tier 3 plans) 3:15pm Coordinator 3:15- Deliberate Practice Protocol on Grade Level Teams (Deliberate Practice): Focus on HOS 3:45pm Guided Reading Implementation due to observations from previous week. 3:45- Classroom Setup for the next day All teachers 4:00pm
Teach Back Protocol. Throughout the year, teachers will engage in regular practice of instructional techniques within a defined feedback protocol. Teachers may be expected to deliver portions of an upcoming lesson, receive feedback from their colleagues, and implement to improve their practice. We will employ deliberate practice protocol. The criteria for success for teachers for a Deliberate practice is the following: (1) Teach a lesson segment with colleagues present. (2) Receive feedback from colleagues. (3) Implement feedback from colleagues. (3) Develop clear next steps to improve future instruction.
PD Days and Data Days. PD days and Data Days happen when students are released so teachers can refine and improve their practice based on data. These 13 full release days consist of 6 Data Days where teachers analyze STEP assessment results. The teachers will use this data to determine next steps for intervention
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 148 of 250 and support in Tier 1 instruction. The Data Days occur after each STEP assessment window to ensure data is collected, analyzed and used to inform our practice and curriculum. The PD days are also used to provide PD based on current needs of the school, analyze data related to closing achievement gaps amongst sub- groups (RTI2 data), and teacher coaching via deliberate practice.
Coaching Cycle. Teacher and leader coaching will happen on a continuous and intentional basis. Teachers will receive daily live-coaching from their manager (Head of School in Y1). Live-coaching is when the coach gives feedback to the teacher for him/her to implement in the moment to push instructional practices. This may also include the coach modeling a strategy with students during class for the teacher. All teachers will meet one-on-one with their coach each week to discuss observation feedback, practice strategies and upcoming lessons, and check-in on professional development goals. At full scale, the leadership team (Directors of Lower and Upper Academies, Dean of Academics, Dean of Culture, Director of Student Supports, Director of Operations) will split the coaching load of teachers. Each leader on staff will be coached by the HOS and will participate in a weekly leadership team meeting to discuss goals for the school and individual leadership goals. (d) Proposed Onboarding/Orientation Schedule______Summer Training (MERIT Institute) focuses on preparing teachers to deliver a rigorous academic environment that fosters Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork. We prepare teachers to deliver on all cultural and academic expectations set forth in our charter. Based on practices of high-performing schools, we will incorporate deliberate practice towards precise outcomes each day. Figure 2.5 (c) - Memphis Merit Academy Onboarding Participants Leader Purpose Outcomes
- Teacher Investment Plans aligned to core values; Home Visits; Seminal text connections and rationale for why we Mission & Vision
All Staff Staff HOS do the work; Establishment of staff morning circle; HR staff (School Mission
Week 1 Investment orientation; Teacher and leaders demonstrate investment Orientation) Investment & Investment and understanding of the mission/vision Take a 3rd and 8th grade PAARC and practice TNReady
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Academics of Students analyze assessment items for all subjects to understand the level of rigor for daily instruction for all content areas. Teachers participate and demonstrate understanding of regulations and compliance to SPED, ELL, and Section 504 Student instruction; Teachers receive training on ESSA, IDEA, and All ELL, SPED, Gifted, Supports Child Find; Teachers receive mandatory training on Instructional Section 504, and At- Coordinator reporting suspected incidents of child endangerment and Staff Risk populations with HOS abuse to appropriate agency; Teachers have clear understanding of inclusion; Any remaining home visits will Quality Instruction Quality
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- Student RTI RTI Implementation; Teachers understand file All Supports Implementation for documentation required based on state requirements; Instructional Coordinator Academics and Teachers deliberately practice progress monitoring data Staff Week 3 with HOS Behavior analysis for ROI calculations; Any remaining home visits will be conducted in the last hour of the day.
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Week 4 - Character Development and School Culture Types and Levels of Insurance Coverage Coverage Insurance of Levels Types and Capacity______Leadership of Cultivation
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Automobile Liability and Physical Damage Including underinsured Combined Single Limit of $1,000,000 and uninsured as needed (at least) Workers $500,000 each accident/$500,000 disease – policy limit/$500,000 disease – Compensation/Employer’s Liability each employee (at least) Directors & Officers Liability (at $1,000,000 least) $5,000,000 each occurrence/$5,000,000 aggregate Umbrella/Excess Liability (at least) Cyber Liability/Identity Theft/Data $1,000,000 Breach Liability (at least) Crime/Fidelity Coverage $500,000 Student Accident Coverage Primary $25,000 base plan Other Depends upon exposure
(b) Plan for Coverage______We have contacted representatives of several insurance carriers that have charter school programs. We have also leveraged the members of our Board of Directors with charter school and insurance experience, Jack Vuylsteke and Angelia Allen. We look forward to designing an insurance program that meets Shelby County Board of Education and the needs of the school. We will ensure any carrier with whom we contract will abide by the 10-day cancellation provision, pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-13-107(b)(19). Attachment J conveys a timeline for securing the insurance coverage. 2.7 Transportation (a, b, c) Transportation Plans ______To ensure all students have access to our school, we will provide transportation. We have included in our budget one bus at $45,000 in Y1 and Y2 and two busses at $90,000 in Y3, Y4, and three busses at $135,000 Y5 and will maintain this structure over time. We will provide one bus route in the first two years; in all other years we will provide two bus routes and add additional bus routes as our school expands and transportation needs are demonstrated. Our bus routes will be operative during regular school days and not for afterschool activities. Buses will be provided for field trips or other activities that require transportation of students. To ensure all students receive a free and appropriate education, special transportation will be provided as specified in the IEP and/or Section 504. We will ensure that personnel and staffing directly related to the students’ transportations has the appropriate training regarding the needs of students with disabilities. In the event the cost of providing additional transportation impacts our budget, the Head of School will work with the Dean of Operations and back office provider to iterate and revise a budget that will provides for these additional costs. The Board of Directors will review the budget and determine if it is acceptable or if other plans need to be made to accommodate the increased costs associated with special transportation to ensure compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations. We plan to contract with a bussing company for the operation of all buses, and to work with the provider to form bus routes responsive to students’ needs. The Board will solicit competitive bids and approve vendor selection. The Director of Operations will provide daily oversight of the bussing company and ensure that the company adheres to all aspects of our contract. We will ensure that personnel for the transportation of students with disabilities will have training in compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations. 2.8 Food Service
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 151 of 250 (a) Food Service Plan______Memphis Merit Academy plans to contract with Shelby County School’s nutrition and meal service plan to have meals delivered to the school site. We will identify a location with warmers for the food and coolers for the milk to be stored at required temperatures. Contingent on the facilities space secured, breakfast and lunch may be served in a cafeteria or in classrooms. We will ensure compliance with all applicable district, state, and federal guidelines and regulations pertaining to food service in schools. The practices and regulations of handling food and drinks will be closely monitored. We will closely monitor how to discard waste and how to distribute food to students. In the event that we seek to select another food service provider, we will create an “invitation to bid” for meal services. The Board will evaluate the price per meal that will include: a reimbursable meal including milk, condiments applicable to the menu, serving utensils if applicable, packaging and containers needed to transport food in a sanitary manner, and transportation to and from the school. Vendors must submit milk in a variety of fat contents as defined by current regulations of the National School Lunch Program. Sample contract provisions and expectations include: (1) Maintaining Tennessee Health Department Bi-Annual Inspection with a Passing Score; (2) Having a HACCP program in place and be able to provide proof of such; (3) Maintaining daily Individual Meal Food Production Records; (4) Maintaining Daily Individual Meal Component Documentation; (5) Maintaining 21-day Monthly Cycle Menus; (6) Making accommodations for Food Allergies; (7) Ensuring hot meals maintained at 140 degrees or above and cold meals at 40 degrees or below prior to and during transport and delivery; (8) Providing meals that are individually packaged and sealed; (9) All meals will be priced as a unit, which meet USDA requirements; (10) Any provider shall implement the “Traditional Menu Planning Approach”; (11) All meals and menus will be appropriate to the age of Memphis Merit Academy students; (12) The provider substitutes food components for a student with disabilities that restricts their diet. The Dean of Operations will manage vendors. (b) Low Income Students______We will serve a majority low-income student population of approximately 77% of our total student body. We will ensure all families report household income earnings so that free or reduced-price lunch can be offered to all families who qualify. (c) Information Collection______To collect information on students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, Memphis Merit Academy will ask families to complete an income verification form as a part of our enrollment packet. The families may elect to complete the form to determine students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. 2.9 Additional Operations (a) Technology______To provide access to technology for our literacy program, state assessments, and RTI2 Implementation, we have included in our budget 40 Chromebook purchases per year until we reach a one-to-one Chromebook per student. The initial allocation of 40 Chromebooks will allow four classrooms of students to facilitate the literacy rotations with 10 students able to engage in blending learning with adaptive computer software at a time. During NWEA MAP, we will coordinate a schedule which provides the four classes a different time throughout the day. For RTI2 Implementation, benchmark testing and progress monitoring may require the use of Chromebooks with students. The Head of School and Student Support Coordinator will develop a schedule to ensure every child is tested during the benchmarking window using the Chromebooks. The Head of School will work to apply for grants to increase the amount of technology available to students each year. Our budget includes a laptop for every teacher and leader each year. In
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 152 of 250 addition, each teacher will receive a document camera and projector to deliver daily instruction. We have included in our budget the outfitting or the school facility with phones and wireless internet to effectively deliver instruction to our students. Staff at Memphis Merit Academy will have access to a copier, included in our budget as a copier lease. (b) Student Information Management______We will ensure compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)264and state regulations regarding student privacy and disclosure of student data and records by protecting student’s name and other information prior to enrollment, during enrollment, and after a child has completed our academic program or withdraws and during the lottery process. The Dean of Operations with the oversight of the Head of School will directly manage the Student Information Management system, PowerSchool SMS, and any other system housing student information and data. The Dean of Operations, Head of School, and Office Manager will be responsible for safeguarding students’ personally identifiable information. Student information will only be released with written permission from the parent/guardian to disclose any personally identifiable information from students’ records, in alignment with FERPA.265 Student information such as grades, evaluations, behavioral data, IEPs, Section 504, and health records. If student information is shared with permission, this information will be documented within the student file. The Head of School, Dean of Operations, and Office Manager will have access to PowerSchool SMS operated by Shelby County Schools to update attendance, grades, and promotional data. The Head of School, Dean of Operations, and Office Manager will proactively notify parents and students prior to disclosing personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. Teachers will have access to PowerSchool SMS and students’ physical files for accessing student information for parental contact or to support the analysis of academic progress. All staff members are prohibited from sharing any students’ information as outlined in FERPA without the consent of the families and the Head of School. In accordance with FERPA, if a student’s information is shared with the family or permissible entity, there will be documentation recorded in the student’s file that describes what information was disclosed and to whom it was provided. Students’ records will be kept and stored in fireproof storage in our facility with only the Head of School, Office Manager, and Dean of Operations having access. The Student Support Coordinator will have access to IEP and Section 504 files in a locked location and will maintain and oversee log entry for any staff or shared services reviewing student files. (c) School Health and Nursing Services______The Head of School and Board of Directors has included in our proposed budget template contracted services for Well Child to ensure alignment with the Coordinated School Health Program. If our student population has needs that exceed the services offered by Well Child, the Board will enact our contingency budget to reallocate resources to hire a school nurse with experience in the health services being outlined in students’ health plans or medical records. If the needs and services provided by the health provider exceed the cost allocated in our initial budget, the Head of School will collaborate with the Dean of Operations and back office provider to reevaluate the budget to meet the needs of all students. If the school nurse is hired on staff, the Dean of Operations with the support of the Head of School will supervise the School Nurse to ensure compliance with all health regulations. (d) Safety and Security______To ensure safety and security of students, staff, guests, and property, we will: Ensure security of the entry
264 https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/safeguarding-student-privacy.pdf. 265 Ibid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 153 of 250 points of facilities; Establish and enforce visitor guidelines for entry; Ensure a protocol and policy for visitors and tours in the building; Ensure security and policy establishment in drop-off and pick-up of students; Ensure background checks for all volunteers of Memphis Merit Academy; Create and enact a crisis and emergency plans tailored to our facility and needs of students; Properly train staff on all safety policies and protocols; Create drill and practice schedule for all safety and crisis plans. The Head of School will ensure all entry points of the school are locked at all times during school hours and that there is one main entry point where visitors have been given access by the Office Manager. Only persons named on the authorized list may pick-up a child from school after verifying their identity through a state issued ID card. If this list needs to change, the school must be notified in writing by the family to be reflected in our record. All building tours will be scheduled with the Office Manager at least 48 hours in advance, the guests must sign in at the front desk, denote purpose of visit, and provide state-issued ID to retain for our visitation records. All volunteers must be cleared by the Head of School and subject themselves to a background check prior to interacting with students. The Dean of Operations and the Head of School will work together to develop emergency plans and identify roles and responsibilities of member of staff to ensure the safety of all students within six months post-authorization. Two months prior to the start of school, the Dean of Operations and Head of School will revisit plans to ensure all student needs such as ADA considerations and supports are reflected in the emergency plans and the specifics regarding the actual facilities are taken into consideration. The Dean of Operations will develop a calendar of drills for the crisis and emergency plans, not limited to the following: (1) intruder in the building, (2) lockdown of facilities due to dangerous situation on the exterior of building, (3) evacuation/relocation, (4) fire, (5) tornado, (6) earthquake, (7) incident near school property, (8) serious injury, and (9) bomb threat. (e) School Maintenance______We will contract school maintenance in Y0-Y7 for custodial services and staffing. We plan to contract one person to be on hand during school hours for incidents, clean-ups, or maintenance throughout the day, and one contracted person for the evening to ensure the school is ready for the next day. If the facility has needs greater than we anticipated, the Dean of Operations and Head of School will work with the back-office provider to consider the cost impact of hiring a part-time building engineer earlier than Y8. At full scale, and with 540 students in K-8, we will hire a full-time building engineer to ensure the maintenance of our facility. (f) Additional Operations ______The Head of School and Board have developed a relationship with EdTec to support budget development and plans to contract with them upon authorization to continue to support on the following: (1) budget iteration and management, (2) monthly financial review and reports submitted to Head of School for submission to Board of Directors, (3) establishment of payroll logistics, and (4) assistance with contingency budget iterations and enactment. (g) Contracts______Memphis Merit Academy does not intend to contract with specific educational service providers, such as charter management organization (CMO). 2.10 Waivers In accordance with Tennessee Charter law, § 49-13-105, Memphis Merit Academy is requesting the following waivers of state statutes and board ruling upon the authorization of its charter to be able to fully implement its operational and academic plans.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 154 of 250 Figure 2.10 (a) - Requested Waivers for Academic Programming for Memphis Merit Academy Description of How this waiver will increase student T.C.A. Citation Proposed replacement policy or practice Statute achievement T.C.A. § 49-3- Licensed We will ensure our staff will be paid Recruitment efforts will be towards 306(a) Personnel Salaries appropriately, at regular intervals, and in a recruiting highest quality mission- timely manner, disclosed the start of each aligned teachers. Pay scale will be year. We have selected a fiscal year of July 1 commensurate of belief. Our to June 30. Salary ranges will be determined competitive compensation for by evidence of effectiveness based on teachers is based on student standardized tests, and nationally normed achievement rather than years of assessments. experience or advanced degrees. T.C.A. § 49-3- Capital Outlay We will ensure a facility that is ADA compliant The capacity to make a 311 and meeting all occupancy safety codes. We determination of our own facility have sought facilities in our proposed zip code gives us the ability to find locations and target community. We have provided that are fit both our financial letters of commitment for two potential projections and needs of our facilities as Attachment E. program. This will allow us to leverage our resources to for other program needs. T.C.A. § 49-5- Tenure Memphis Merit Academy will contract To maximize student academic 503 teachers and staff through an “at-will” status progress, we require more demand with the school. over staffing infrastructure to retain, recruit, and support the best talent. Memphis Merit Academy requests a waiver of We have use all minutes of the T.C.A. § 49-6- Safety Instruction the requirement of principals to teach road school day to support students’ 1003 safety instruction for fifteen (15 minutes) per needs through intense interventions week. using curriculum and instructional materials. T.C.A. § 49-6- Use of Our Head of School, Dean of Academics, To ensure that we can provide our 2206 Unapproved Directors of Lower and Upper Schools will students with the tools and Books and determine the curriculum necessary for each knowledge they need to be Instructional school year, which may include textbooks not successful in high school, college, Materials listed on approved books or approved and life, we will require a high instructional materials list. Our team will amount of flexibility in our ensure instructional material and books curriculum and instructional selected are aligned to TAS and students will materials. participate in the required state assessments. T.C.A. § 49-6- School Term Students will attend 183 days based on We understand impact high-quality 3004 annual school calendar. We have 17 PD days instruction and implications has for scheduled prior to start of school in the PD. We ensure students have a high- summer. Our schedule includes 13 PD days quality instruction and rigorous throughout the year, 6 data days and 7 PD academics through consistent, days where students are out, and teachers research-based, and data-driven are in for in-service. professional development. T.C.A. § 49-6- Formulation and Under direction of Head of School, Dean of Our college focused school culture is 4002 administration of Academics, Directors of Lower and Upper safe and supportive that focuses on behavior and Schools, and Dean of Culture, we will the academic and behavioral needs discipline formulate and administer discipline policy of all students. We understand codes that meets all students’ needs to produce behavior and academics are parallel learning environment conducive to learning and invest our time with character that is safe and supportive. disciplinary policy development of our students will ensure there is no discrimination by race, through our character education gender, religion, disability or any other program. demographic factor. State Board Description of How this waiver will increase student of Education Proposed replacement Rule, Policy or practice Rule or Policy achievement Rule or Policy 0520-01-03- Length of Day for We request to waive section (b) 2(i) under the To provide teachers with skills they
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 155 of 250 .02(1)(b)2(i) Students Length of School Day for Students, which need to be effective with meeting states that “Early dismissals shall not exceed needs for all students, we provide the equivalent of 13 days and shall not exceed 2.5 hours a week of professional 3.5 hours in any week.” We detail in our development to all teachers each academic calendar and weekly schedule early week. This flexibility will allow for dismissal on Friday at 1:15pm. ongoing PD of all teachers and staff. Our program projects to enroll 30 We request a waiver for class size students per class in K-3. By requirements which limit maximum class size 0520-01-03- Class size for expanding class size to 30 per class of students in K-3 (average class size =20, max .03(3) Grades K-12 rather than 25 in grades K-3 will 25), 4-6 (average class size= 25, max 30), 7-8 allow us to be able to leverage our (average class size=30, max 35). two-teacher model. We request waiver of mandate to provide We are dedicated to ensuring all duty-free lunch period of teachers, so students have academic foundation teachers may support during scheduled needed to excel in high school, 0520-01-03- Duty Free Lunch recess and lunch periods. Teachers will college, and life. K-4 Literacy .03(5) Period receive planning time throughout day, and rotations are key component of our teachers may be needed at lunch times and academic program and provide recess to assist with monitoring students, due students with proficient foundation to lack of using substitute teachers in school. in both reading and math. We will not have a library information Libraries inside classroom allow us to specialist in Y1-Y5 but will have leveled save resources and differentiate School Library 0520-01-03- classroom libraries in our classrooms, with reading across all levels of readers. If Information .07(1) general education teachers directly managing students are ready to access books Center the libraries and monitoring student usage of beyond their grade level, they may library materials. access books at other grade levels. Memphis Merit Academy will create a system Student achievement is our school’s of determining salary and bonuses of teachers purpose. We commit to hiring based 0520-01-02- Salary Schedules based on student achievement data at on effectiveness and ensuring the .02 Memphis Merit Academy or previous highest quality of individuals hold teaching experience. any positions in our school. 2.11 – 2.16 (inclusive) – Do Not Apply SECTION 3: FINANCIAL PLAN AND CAPACITY 3.1 Planning and Budget Worksheet______Please see Attachment 0 for Memphis Merit Academy’s Planning and Budget Worksheet.
3.2 Budget Narrative ______Please see Attachment P for Memphis Merit Academy’s Budget Narrative. 3.3 – 3.4 – Do Not Apply
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 156 of 250 ATTACHMENT A: Annual School Academic Calendar
2019‐2020 Memphis Merit Academy Academic Calendar
March 2019 April 2019 Key: Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Home Visits‐STEP Window 12 123456First Day of School/1st Quarter Begins 3456789 78910111213MERIT Institute (Teacher PD) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Observed Holidays 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Professional Development/Data Days 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 NWEA Testing 31 STEP Assessment Windows Home Visits Home Visits Math Interim Assessmnet Parent Conferences Parent/Family Orientation University Night May 2019 June 2019 Last Day of Classes Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1234 1 Important Dates 5678910112345678 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Mar.1‐May 31 Home Visits 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jul. 1‐Jul. 25 Merit Institute (Summer Teacher PD) 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Jul. 4‐5 Independence Day Holiday 30 Jul. 26 University Night/ Student Orientation (half day) Home Visits Jul. 29 First Day of School Aug. 9 Staff Professional Development (Students out) Aug. 12‐Aug. 15 NWEA MAP Testing July 2019 August 2019 Aug. 16‐Aug. 28 STEP Assessment Window # 1 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Aug. 29 University Night 123456 123Aug. 30 Data Day #1 (Students out) 7 8 9 10 11 12 1345678910Sept. 2 Labor Day Holiday (Staff and Students out) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Sept. 3 Staff Professional Development 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Sept. 27 Last Day of 1st Nine Weeks 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Sept. 27 Math Interim Assessment #1 Sept. 30 2nd Nine Weeks Begins & Parent Conferences 3 Instructional days, 17 PD Days 20 Instructional Days, 2 PD Days Oct. 9 Staff Professional Development (Student out) Oct. 10‐11 Fall Break (Staff and Students out) Oct. 21‐31 STEP Assessment Window #2 September 2019 October 2019 Nov. 1 Data Day #2 (Students out) Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Nov. 11 Veteran's Day (Staff and Students Out) 1234567 12345Nov. 20‐22 Thanksgiving Break (Staff and Students Out) 8910111213146789101112Nov. 29 Last Day of 2nd Nine Weeks 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dec. 2 First Day 3rd Nine Weeks & Parent Conferences 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Dec. 5 Math Interim Assessment #2 29 30 27 28 29 30 31 Dec. 6‐Dec. 18 STEP Assessment Window #3 19 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days 20 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days Dec. 19 Data Day # 3 (Students out) Dec. 20 Staff Professional Development /Administrative Day (Student out) Dec. 23‐ Jan. 3 Winter Break (Teachers return on Jan. 2nd) November 2019 December 2019 Jan. 2 Staff Professional Development Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Jan. 14‐ 17 NWEA MAP Testing 12 1234567Jan. 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (Staff and Students out) 3456789 891011121314Jan. 27 University Night 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Jan. 31 Last Day of 3rd Nine Weeks 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Feb. 3 First Day of 4th Nine Weeks 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 Feb. 4‐14 STEP Assessment Window #4 16 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days 13 Instructional Days, 2 Professional Development Days Feb. 17 Data Day # 4 (Students out) Feb. 18 Parent Conferences Mar. 9‐16 Spring Break (Teachers return on Mar. 16) January 2020 February 2020 Mar. 16 Staff Professional Development (Students out) Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Mar. 23 Math Interim #3 1234 1 Mar. 24‐ Apr. 3 STEP Assessment Window #5 5678910112345678Apr. 9 Data Day #5 ( Students out) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Apr. 10 Spring Break II Holiday (Staff and students out) 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Apr. 24 University Night 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 May 4‐7 NWEA Map Testing 19 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days 19 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days May 11‐26 STEP Assessment Window #6 May 22 University Night May 25 Memorial Day Holiday (Staff and students out) March 2020 April 2020 May 27 Last Day of classes and 4th Nine Weeks Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat May 28‐29 Staff Professional Development/ Data Day/Administrative Duties 1234567 1234 891011121314567891011 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 16 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days 20 Instructional Days, 1 Professional Development Days
May 2020 June 2020 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat 12 123456 3456789 78910111213 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31 18 Instructional Days, 2 Professional Development Days
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 157 of 250 ATTACHMENTS B & C: Student and Family Handbook & Student Disciple Policy
OVERVIEW Memphis Merit Academy Charter School will open its doors to 120 Kindergarten and first grade students in the Fall of 2019. We are committed to being one of the highest performing elementary public schools in the City of Memphis and our nation. We will achieve our mission by providing every student with the academic skills, knowledge, and ethical foundation to be set on the path to college from the very beginning of their education. SCHOOL, FAMILY, STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY Memphis Merit Academy has high expectations for our staff, families and students. We believe that a high-quality education requires the coordination and commitment of everyone involved in our students’ education. We will foster a supportive environment for both academics and behavior. We know that you have made a choice to attend our school and we promise to always prioritize your child’s education and future. We are a public charter school, therefore signing these contracts is not required for attendance in our school. We need to ensure there is clarity on our expectations at Memphis Merit Academy. The contracts below outline the expectations for the school, family and student to ensure accountability to our mission.
SCHOOL, FAMILY & STUDENT CONTRACT PARENT/FAMILY CONTRACT Attendance & Promotion 1. I commit to supporting Memphis Merit Academy’s rigorous academic program, high expectations of student behavior, and extended day and school year. 2. I commit to ensuring my child arrives at school on time, in the proper uniform, each day for a full day of learning. Exceptions are made if the child is sick or not able to participate in daily instruction due to a family emergency. Homework & Academic Support 3. I commit to reviewing and monitoring my child’s lifework, academic progress, and behavior reports regularly. 4. I commit to ensuring a calm and quiet place for my child to complete lifework and read each night. 5. I will sign my child’s Lifework folder and behavior log each night and support them when they need help and encouragement. 6. I commit to communicating and asking questions of Memphis Merit Academy when I need clarification about my child’s educational experience and attending the re Behavior & Dress Code 7. I understand my child will have consequences and/or lose of privileges if my child does not comply with rules and expectations of the school. 8. I understand my child’s behavior will be managed through the RTI2 behavior process, and a suspension may be issued for offenses outlined in our Student Discipline Policy. 9. I understand Memphis Merit Academy works to ensure a safe environment for all students and bullying will not be tolerated in any form. 10. I understand my child will participate in a character development program. 11. I commit to ensuring my child is in the proper uniform each day. Family Support and Communication 12. I commit to communicating and working aa part of the team to ensure my child excels both academically and behaviorally. I will review and sign daily behavior logs, progress reports, report cards, and any correspondence sent home by the school. 13. I have read and understand the Code of Conduct. 14. I commit to my giving my effort to these commitments to give my child the opportunities they deserve and need.
Parent or Guardian Signature: ______
STUDENT CONTRACT 1. I understand the core values, Mindfulness, Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork and will do my best to always follow them. 2. I commit to attending school every day unless I experience sickness or an emergency. 3. I commit to completing all of my assignment with excellence, giving my best work every time. 4. I commit to completing my lifework every night. The work will be neat, placed in my Lifework Folder, and submitted to my teacher daily. 5. I commit to adhering to the Code of Conduct at Memphis Merit Academy and all school functions. 6. I commit to following the Memphis Merit Academy uniform policy and dress code. 7. I commit to communicating on a regular basis with my parents/guardian about my progress including grades, assignments, goals, and my behavior. 8. I have read and understand the Code of Conduct. 9. I commit to making my best effort to these commitments to give myself opportunities I deserve and need.
Student Signature: ______Student Printed Name:______Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 158 of 250 SCHOOL CONTRACT High-Quality Instruction and Rigorous Academics 1. We commit to being fully prepared to teach each day by completing weekly prep, anticipating student misconceptions, and reviewing data for Tier I, II, III instruction (RTI2). 2. We commit to continuous professional development and desire to refine my practice to provide students with an excellent education. Respect and Equity 3. We commit to respecting every student and being responsive to their needs. I will ensure students respect each other at all times. 4. We commit to teaching Memphis Merit Academy’s MERIT values to develop each student’s character. I commit to communicating to families on each child’s progress towards the MERIT values. 5. We commit to recognizing and rewarding students that are excelling through our program and providing interventions for those struggling. 6. We commit to providing a consequence for behaviors that warrant one, as outlined in our discipline policy. Communication 7. We commit to communicating with families about each student’s academic and behavior progress regularly. 8. We commit to returning parent phone calls, emails, and conference request in a timely manner. Homework (Lifework) 9. We commit providing daily lifework to reinforce new learning. 10. We commit to communicating with families if a student needs more support or fails to complete lifework. Safety 11. We commit to providing a safe school environment inclusive of all students. We commit to adhering to ADA compliance and regulations annotated in Tennessee law regarding charter schools. 12. We have read and understand the Code of Conduct. 13. We commit to making our best effort to provide a high-quality education that provides all students with opportunities, regardless of demographics.
School Representative Signature: ______
ATTENDANCY POLICY Memphis Merit Academy students arrive for breakfast by 7:15 AM every day, Monday-Friday and remain at school until 4:15 PM except on Fridays. The doors open at 7:15am with the late bell ringing at 7:30am and convening Morning Motivation. On Fridays, students will be released early at 1:15pm. In the event a student is going to be absent, the parent/guardian must contact the office by 7:30 AM. We commit to a daily attendance rate at or above 96%. EXCUSED ABSENSES Excused absences are classified as the following: 1) Personal illness, homebound, hospitalization of student, injury, pregnancy, circumstance; The Head of School may request a conference with the Student Support Coordinator to determine if additional supports are needed for the student due to absences after 10 days have been accumulated throughout the year. A doctor's note must accompany any additional absences for the students thereafter. 2) Serious illness or death of a student’s immediate family. 3) Student participation in school sponsored activity, high school visit, or college visit as a student representative. 4) Religious holidays and special regularly observed holiday by specific faith groups. Students are excused for absences of class or school day due to religious observance of a holiday deemed sacred by a religion of the student. The student will be allowed to make-up any missed work without penalty. 5) Absences due to court orders, subpoena, or court summons are excused. 6) Circumstances beyond the student’s control at the discretion of the Head of School may be excused. 7) Deployment of the students’ parent or guardian enlisted in the United States Armed Forces, inclusive of the National Guard or Reserve called to active duty. a. The student shall be given one day of excused absence for deployment and one absence for the return for deployment of the parent or legal guardian. b. Students may be given excused absences for up to ten (10) days to visit student’s parent or guardian if the parent is granted rest and recuperation leave and is also stationed outside of the country. c. Students may be given excused absences for up to ten (10) days of accumulation throughout the school year for visitation during deployment of parent or guardian. The total excused absences for deployment related reasons may not exceed 10 cumulative days.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 159 of 250 8) A student may be given an excused absence when participating in a non-school sponsored event or activity at the discretion of the Head of School. The parent or guardian must provide documentation to the Office Manager of proof of participation in the activity. The documentation must be in writing at least 7 business days prior to the student’s absence. Once the documentation is received parent or guardians will fill out a request for excused absence which shall include, student full name, school ID, grade, dates of the anticipated absence, reason for the absence, signature of both student and parent. The Head of School or designee will approve the request and notify the parents in writing of their status of excused absence. To ensure all students are receiving the learning and support they need to be successful in life. The Head of School may cap the number of non- school related activities deemed as excused absences. The Head of School shall not excuse more than 10 absences annually for students participating in non-school related activities. Any absence not outlined above shall be considered unexcused absences.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES Any student absent from school not for the above reasons will be considered an unexcused absence. If a student has excessive unexcused absences he/she will be deemed as truant. Memphis Merit Academy will follow Tennessee State Law (TCA 49-6-3007 when reporting truancy.
MAKE-UP WORK Any student issued an excused absence may have the opportunity to make up any missed school work. All students will be expected to make-up work to receive credit for missed classwork within 10 days of the initial missed absence. Any missed work not made up during this time period may negatively impact a student’s class grade. Students will be provided extra support on missed work during extracurricular time, recess, and choice time until the work is made up. For unexcused absences, students may have one day of makeup work time to complete missed assignments for each day missed for up to 10 days. If absences exceed 10 days, the family must attend a meeting with the HOS to determine a plan for make-up work and support for the student to be on track for the rest of the academic year.
INCLEMENT WEATHER If there is inclement weather conditions such as, but not limited to, snow, Memphis Merit Academy will follow the direction of Shelby County Schools cancellation policies. We will make announcements of closure on social media, local television or radio stations, and on our school website.
EARLY DISMISSAL All parent/guardians must call the school in advance and provide a written note to the school to explain the early dismissal. Memphis Merit Academy discourages early dismissal unless for extenuating circumstances. The parent/guardian must sign out the student in the main office with the Office Manager before removing the student from the school. The school will document early dismissals as absent if the student is present for less than 3 ½ hours of instructional time on a given day.
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT In alignment to commitments signed in the parent/guardian contract, we expect our parents to participate in the child’s learning via the following ways, but not limited to: (1) University Nights, (2) Parent/Teacher Conferences, and (3) any requested meeting from school to enhance their child’s learning. Throughout the year, we will host activities to engage our students and families in their community such as Community Circle, community service events, Muffins with Moms, Donuts with Dad, and Grandparent’s Day.
HEALTH In the event a student becomes ill during school hours or is ill during the school day and not able to stay in class, the parent/guardian will be called to pick up the child for early dismissal. Therefore, accurate emergency contact information is needed on file for adequate communication. If a child needs to take any prescription medicine the parent/guardian must obtain the appropriate documentation from the doctor giving school staff permission to administer it to your child. If at any time during the school year your child contracts one of the following infectious Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 160 of 250 diseases, please seek medical attention and avoid bringing the child to school. The following diseases, but not limited to, apply: flu, chickenpox, conjunctivitis, strep throat, lice, stomach flu/virus, ringworm.
LIFEWORK (HOMEWORK) Lifework is a vital component of our program to academic program. Therefore, Memphis Merit Academy will assign homework every night, including weekends. We believe it is vital for parents/guardians to review their child’s homework each night. Life Work includes 15 minutes of required reading every night, including weekends, holidays, and vacations. All students will be given a Memphis Merit folder that includes the work that needs to be completed as well as a nightly Reading Log. If Life Work is consistently late, missing, incomplete, or of poor quality, the parent or guardian will be notified.
ASSESSMENTS In addition to traditional classroom assessment measures, we use a standard assessment system to determine students’ reading levels. The STEP Assessment will be administered five or six times a year in grades K-3. This one- on-one reading assessment gives teachers and parents important information regarding reading fluency, phonics development, and comprehension. These results will determine the reading grade level that will be noted on the report cards. Interim assessments in Math, Reading and Writing will be administered 4 to 6 times per year. All scholars take the NWEA MAP test 3 time annually, in fall, winter, and spring.
PROGRESS REPORTS, REPORT CARDS, AND SCHOOL-PARENT MEETINGS Teachers and staff will use daily MERIT progress reports and report cards to communicate students’ academic and behavioral performance. Report Cards must be signed and returned to school. Any student at risk for academic failure is required to have a parent-teacher conference to discuss supports.
PROMOTION POLICY Memphis Merit Academy’s promotion policy is rooted in a balance of understanding that while students learn at different rates and may experience plateaus at different times as they grow, mastery of grade level academic standards is the best measure for promotion to the next grade level. It ensures that a student can be successful in the academic challenges of the next grade level. Grade-level promotion is determined based on attendance, student mastery of content as depicted in final grades, and final exam requirements. Below is a chart for grade promotion at Memphis Merit Academy. Additionally, we consider the whole-child and may retain students who demonstrate significantly below grade level social development.
SPECIAL EDUCATION Memphis Merit Academy believes in providing a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to all students. FAPE mandates that the school provides access to general education and specialized educational services. A student may receive special education services only through the proper evaluation and placement procedure. Parent/Guardian involvement in this procedure is required. A parent or guardian who believes his/her student may have a disability that interferes substantially with the student’s ability to function properly in school should contact the Head of School.
SCHOOL CULTURE The practices Memphis Merit Academy employs for student behavior will provide Tier I behavioral support for all students. Our teachers will always follow these three steps when giving directions to students: (1) Clearly communicate the explicit directions they need the students to follow; (2) Positively narrate student behavior to support them in following directions; (3) Take corrective action with students still not following directions. This proactive approach will ensure that students receive the necessary information and support to be able to meet our behavioral expectations.
• Color-Based Chart - Corrective actions will be visibly posted through a color-based chart in K-4 for students to see their progress throughout the day. Students will receive color changes up and down based on their Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 161 of 250 behavior. Teachers will document student behavior in Behavior Logs that go home to families daily. Teachers will also record notes about student behavior infractions in Kickboard for data collection and progress monitoring of student behavior.
• Kickboard – Kickboard is an online platform that we will use to document and communicate student behavior for grades 5-8. We will use data collected to inform our RTI2 Behavior Framework.
• School Rules and Code of Conduct. Memphis Merit Academy believes that a common system of rules and consequences consistently and fairly enforced by all staff will maximize student time on task and overall academic achievement.
• Core Value Behavioral Expectations o Be Mindful – Focus on your goals and what you need to do to get there. o Be Excellent – Take ownership of your actions, your education, and your school. o Be Resilient - Persevere through challenging times and learn from your mistakes. o Show Integrity – Respect yourself, others, and school. o Be a Team Player – Advocate for yourself and others appropriately. Joyfully engage in school. Color Chart Sample Level Action/Consequence Color Description 1 Exemplary behavior Gold Student shows exemplary MERIT core values in their actions, language and/or behaviors. 2 Good behavior Green The student consistently showed MERIT values during the instructional day. Teacher has given an official warning to student as a reminder that he/she is not 3 First Warning Yellow meeting the expectations of the classroom. Consequently, the student’s clip is moved to yellow on the clip chart. Student has had two warnings and needs to be away from teammates to reset or cool down in the classroom. Classroom cooldowns should not take more than five Mindful Moment in classroom (5) minutes. When students are cooling down, they will sit in a designated seat and 4 Orange are expected to sit in the chair, lace their fingers, and sit silently until their teacher calls them back to rejoin the team. Student has not shown appropriate behavior and has failed to get back on track Conference and call home independently. Student automatically moves to red if he or she displays a severe misbehavior (this would include any instance of physical aggression such as hitting, spitting, etc.). Student will be removed from class and required to conference with 5 Red either the Head of School (Y1) or the Student Supports Coordinator These conferences are quick and direct and followed by an immediate call home. This may result in future loss of privileges (community celebrations, enrichment time, etc.). Grey The student has been removed from class at least two times and his/her behavior Student is sent home or completes school continue to be a significant disruption to the learning environment. The Head of 6 work with designee staff in Yr1 (HOS or School (Y1) or Student Supports Coordinator will contact a family member to pick Student Support Coordinator) up the student from school or complete work separate from his/her class with staff designee (HOS or Student Support Coordinator).
SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS To create and maintain a safe, supportive, fair, and consistent school community and culture, Memphis Merit Academy will suspend students from school when there are serious breaches to the discipline code. A student may be suspended by decision of the Head of School (Years 1-3), and when the school is at full scale, by the Director of the Lower School or the Director of Upper School, as applicable. In all cases, parents or guardians will be informed of a suspension and will be required to attend a conference to address the concern and work collaboratively with the Head of School, Student Support Coordinator (Y1-3), and Dean of Culture (at full scale).
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 162 of 250 We reserve expulsions for students whose conduct constitutes a continuing danger to the physical wellbeing of other students and/or the staff. There will be zero tolerance for bringing a gun or deadly weapon to school or for any assault on school employees or students. A student may also be liable for expulsion for possession, use of, or selling of alcohol or controlled dangerous substances while on school property. A student with frequent suspensions and continued willful disobedience and/or open defiance of authority may also be at risk of expulsion. For a student to be expelled, the process must be initiated by the Head of School and must include discussion with the entire faculty and a hearing with the student’s parents where the Head of School is present. A student who is expelled will receive due process under Tennessee state law. At Memphis Merit, due process will include the following (subject to legal review and Board approval): • The Head of School follows standard disciplinary policies and procedures for investigating the facts, obtaining witness statements, and ensuring adherence to due process procedures. • If the Head of School believes expulsion is warranted, the student will be expelled. • The Head of School reports to the Memphis Police Department any documentable or suspected incident involving illegal drugs, firearms, explosives, or other weapons outlined in TCA 39-17-1309.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT The Memphis MERIT Code of Conduct outlines our tiers of infractions that violate our behavioral expectations and the corresponding consequences that result. Parents will learn about the levels of infractions and consequences and Code of Conduct during our Parent Orientation prior to the start of school. When students violate the Code of Conduct, they face a clear series of consequences with appropriately laddered steps of school responses. We have four tiers for infractions that students may commit in violation of our behavior system: • Tier 0 – Behavior Addressed Through Teacher Management Strategies (Minor Infractions) • Tier 1 – Core Value Violations (Moderate Infractions) • Tier 2 – Conference Level Infractions/Repeated Tier 1- triggers informal review of RTI2 Behavior Framework Data Review • Tier 3 – Severe Infractions Levels of Infractions and Consequences Tier 0 – Behavior Addressed through Teacher Management Strategies (Minor Infractions) Infractions Consequences Not actively participating in class Not following directions For infractions of our classroom expectations, teachers enforce consistent after teacher; intentional disruption of class; no exhibiting classroom consequences and use consistent management techniques. These core value values; violations of school rules; out of seat consequences are explained to families during Family Orientation Sessions, without permission; tardy to class; out of uniform; not and include verbal or written warnings, a timeout, a seat change within the tracking the teacher; incomplete Lifework; Not participating classroom, loss of MERIT Rewards,1 written notice home, or loss of privileges, in DEAR; talking out of turn; including but not limited to scholars sitting silently or away from their peers during class or during snack time or lunch; participating in detention, either during or outside of school hours; and missing school events, trips, or activities. Tier 1 – Core Value Violations (Moderate Infractions) Infractions Consequences Disrespect of an adult, including rolling eyes, sucking teeth, If a student commits a moderate infraction of our expectations and core or other such body language, defiance, or rudeness; values, a student will receive an immediate Core Value Violation. The process Disrespect of a fellow student, such as name-calling, for disciplining Core Value Violations, which will be documented daily in insulting, or excluding; Disrespect of the school, such as Kickboard for parents to review student behavior. drawing on a table or book, taking school supplies without permission; Unsafe behaviors, such as hitting, kicking, biting, or throwing tantrums; Leaving class without permission; Use of inappropriate language; and disruption of class. Tier 2 – Conference-Level Disciplinary Action/Serious Infractions or Repeated Tier 1 Violations (Trigger for RTI2 Team to perform Informal Review of Previous Behavior Infractions) Infractions Consequences Gross disrespect of a fellow student, staff member, or school If a student commits an infraction at this level, the student may receive an property; Using or possessing over-the-counter medication out-of-school suspension. Before the student may return to class, the
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 163 of 250 inappropriately; Using or possessing tobacco products; student, his or her guardian, and Head of School will meet to address the Damaging, destroying, or stealing personal or school student’s behavior and plan for improvement. Furthermore, students will not property or attempting to do so; Committing sexual, racial, be allowed to return to class after a suspension without a signature from a or any form of harassment or intimidation; Bullying or parent or guardian on the suspension letter. cyberbullying; Skipping school or class; Using abusive, vulgar, or profane language or treatment; Making verbal or physical threats, empty or otherwise; Fighting, pushing, shoving, or unwanted physical contact; Setting off false alarms or calling in groundless threats; Gambling; Departing, without permission, from class, floor, building, or school- sponsored activity; Unauthorized use of the building elevator; Forgery of any sort, including parental signatures; Cheating or plagiarism, or copying of anyone else’s work; Repeated and fundamental disregard of school policies or procedures Tier 3– Severe Infractions Assault against an administrator, teacher, fellow student, or We have zero tolerance for behavior that constitutes danger to the physical member of the school community; Repeated or excessive well-being of students and/or staff. For severe infractions of this nature, out-of-school suspensions; Repeated and fundamental students may be subject to suspension and/or expulsion by the Head of disregard of school policies and procedures; Possession, use, School as detailed in the response on suspension and expulsion above. or transfer of drugs and alcohol; Destruction or attempted destruction of school property including arson; possession of any weapon or prohibited dangerous object
BUS CONDUCT The following are expectations for the bus: • Students must be seated in their assigned seat at all times. • Students must be respectful. • Students must keep their hands, feet, and all other objects inside the bus at all times. • Students must follow the code of conduct as in the classroom. Bullying behavior will not be tolerated. Fighting, harassment and any other behaviors creating an unsafe environment are forbidden. UNIFORM POLICY Memphis Merit Academy requires all students to wear a uniform in grades K-8th. We have included in our budget for all new students to receive the required polo shirt and navy pants. The uniform guidelines are outlined here. Uniform Item Girls Boys Shirt Grey polo shirt with Memphis Merit logo tucked in at Grey polo shirt with Memphis Merit logo tucked in at all times all times Undershirts must be white Undershirts must be white Bottom Navy pants, Navy Jumper dress, or Navy skirt Navy pants Shoes Black closed dress shoes Black closed dress shoes Socks Black, navy, or white socks-no athletic shoes Black, navy, or white socks-no athletic shoes Outerwear Burgundy Cardigan with Memphis Merit logo-optional; Burgundy Cardigan with Memphis Merit logo-optional; all all other outerwear will be removed upon entrance other outerwear will be removed upon entrance and stored and stored Accessories Small stud earrings only; 1 watch or bracelet may be Small stud earrings only; 1 watch or bracelet may be worn worn Friday Attire Memphis Merit school t-shirt, navy pants, black dress Memphis Merit school t-shirt, navy pants, black dress shoe, shoe, black-navy-or-white socks, optional Memphis black-navy-or-white socks, optional Memphis Merit cardigan Merit cardigan In the event a child comes to school out of uniform, he or she will be given the missing article of clothing from the school’s closet to borrow for the day before entering class. The family will be notified by phone and on the behavior log about the uniform violation.
SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY Memphis Merit Academy may take reasonable action against a student and/or parent/guardian for failure to follow school policies and procedures that may risk the safety and security of students, staff and school community, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 164 of 250 including dismissal from Memphis Merit Academy. Please refer to Memphis Merit Academy’s Code of Conduct.
VISITOR POLICY All visitors are required to report to the Front Desk upon entering the building and sign-in with the Office Manager. Visitors must wear a visitor badge on a school lanyard around their necks at all times. Any visitor, including a parent/guardian, who does not report to the office or is found in the building without authorization will be asked first to sign-in and second, if not compliant, to leave immediately.
FAMILY COMMUNICATION It is vitally important that Memphis Merit Academy have methods of contacting parents or other family members at all times. This is of critical importance in case of emergency, illness, or behavior requiring immediate family contact. Parents should notify the office of moves, changes of home or emergency telephone numbers, address and/or places of employment as soon as possible. In case of an emergency, parents or guardians should contact the Front Desk (Office Manager) either by phone or in person. Under no circumstances should parents or guardians contact students in their classrooms or attempt to withdraw students from the building without notifying and receiving permission from staff members at the Front Desk.
FAMILY MERIT ADVISORY COUNCIL Memphis Merit Academy will form a Family Merit Advisory Council consisting of the Head of School, at least one teacher, and at least 1 parent. The Family Merit Advisory Council will convene at a minimum of once per quarter, and as often as once per month. The primary purpose of the council is to engage families of the school, create opportunities for parents and families to be involved at the school, launch annual listening campaigns where the council actively seeks the input and parents and families, and find ways to support and encourage the teachers in school. At minimum, we ask all families to commit to the following: • Review annually, sign, and abide by our School-Parent-Student contract • Share concerns with school staff and support school decisions and policies; • Support students at home in completing lifework, reading assignments, and any other related school assignments; • Actively communicate with students regarding academic and behavioral progress and communicate with school about concerns; • Participate and attend in Parent Orientation, Student Orientation, University Night, parent conferences, and return phone calls from the school • Attend all requested family meetings, family conferences, and return phone calls from school. • Communicate student needs and changes in behavior for the school to effectively partner in monitoring student development; GRIEVANCE POLICY Memphis Merit Academy’s Board of Directors has the following Grievance Policy as a guide for parents and guardians to solve possible grievance issues in the most effective manner. This policy serves as a guideline, but the Memphis Merit Academy Board of Directors has the final decision in all matters that take place under the direction of its school. The following procedure will be followed whenever a parent/guardian has a grievance: STEP 1: The parent/guardian is to set an appointment to meet with the teacher or staff member involved in the grievance. The teacher and/or the parent/guardian may request that the Head of School or his/her designee be present. STEP 2: If the issue is not resolved, the parent/guardian may ask for a meeting with the Head of School. STEP 3: If the issue remains unresolved, the parent/guardian is requested to write a letter of grievance addressed to the Board of Directors of Memphis Merit Academy for a final decision. Board will review complaint and issue a response within 30 days of hearing the complaint. If Board does not address the complain to his or her satisfaction, individual may file complaint for Shelby County Schools School Board. A parent/guardian may file a complaint with Tennessee Department of Education at any time if he or she believes that the school has violated any federal or state law or regulation. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 165 of 250 ATTACHMENT D: Student Enrollment Policy
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY. In accordance with T.C.A § 49-13-107(b)(9) and our mission to educate all students, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy”) does not discriminate for enrollment into our school based on race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry, English proficiency, or need for special education services or disability of any kind. APPLICATION PROCESS. In compliance with T.C.A § 49-13-113(b)(1), we will enroll any eligible student who applies, in a timely manner, to our school if there are seats available based on capacity of our program, class, grade level or building. Any student residing in Shelby County is eligible for enrollment in our school. We accept applications for enrollment online, mail, or in-person for submission. Memphis Merit Academy staff will gather basic information from the application forms into a secure applicant database, student information system, so that we may communicate with families about their status. We will maintain original applications until the following year’s lottery in case students are later admitted. The application window will open on January 2nd, and the application deadline will be January 31 @ 5pm. Admissions Preferences. In compliance with T.C.A § 49-13-113(b)(2)(A), if applications exceed the planned capacity of Memphis Merit Academy, the following preferences shall apply: (1) Pupils attending public schools within the LEA in which Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is located, if those pupils would otherwise be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus; (2) Children residing within the LEA service area in which Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is located, but who are not enrolled in public schools, if those children would otherwise be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus; and (3) Children residing outside the LEA in which Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is located and whose needs would be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus. In alignment with T.C.A § 49-13-113(c), Memphis Merit Academy reserves the right to reserve up to ten percent (10%) or twenty-five seats, whichever is less, for preference of enrollment of children of teachers, sponsors, or member of governing body of the charter school if it is based on parent choice and parent submits a timely application. In alignment with T.C.A § 49-13-113(d), Memphis Merit Academy will give preference to siblings of a student who is already enrolled in the school. Enrollment Process. Once admitted to the school, all parents/guardians must complete and submit an enrollment packet that includes the following: Home language survey; Enrollment forms; Immunization records; Transportation needs and preferences; Medical history documents. Registration requirements: Two (2) proof of residence, TN Health Certificates must be filled out by medical providers for all Kindergarteners, seventh graders and any new students to Memphis Merit Academy. Physicals are required for all new students to Memphis Merit Academy. Kindergarten Eligibility: According to state law, students must be 5 years old on or before August 15, 2019 to enroll in kindergarten. Lottery. In compliance with T.C.A § 49-13-113(b)(2)(B), if applications received for enrollment by the end of our application period whose qualifications meet the preferences stated above exceeds our planned capacity, we will conduct a lottery-hosted by third party. The lottery will occur within twenty (20) days of the close of application period, on or before February 20, 2019, during which names will be randomly selected for each available seat. Within fifteen days, on or before March 7, 2019, notifications will be sent about the lottery through email and U.S. mail. Parents do not have to be in attendance at the lottery to be offered a seat in our school; all families will be notified after the close of the lottery. Any student that does not secure a seat based on the lottery will be granted a space on the waitlist. Parents/guardians will be notified by email and mail of their child’s waitlist status at the same time as students accepted into the school. Any student accepted from the waitlist will have 1 week from the date of acceptance to accept the available seat by submitting all required enrollment paperwork to the Office Manager. Memphis Merit Academy shall comply with the Family Educations Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232g) with respect to the publication of any list of students’ names before, during or after the enrollment and lottery process.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 166 of 250 ATTACHMENT E: Letters of Support
March 26, 2018
Re: Commitment of Start-Up Funds to Memphis Merit Academy Charter School
To Whom It May Concern:
We are pleased to inform you that the Walton Family Foundation, in partnership with Building Excellent Schools and the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, will make available $325,000 of start-up funds for the start-up year (fiscal year 2018-2019) of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School upon charter authorization. These funds will be characterized as a $325,000 grant.
The grant is given in support of the start-up needs of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School and will be contingent upon authorization of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School.
Sincerely,
Linda Brown Chief Executive Officer
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 167 of 250 901.489.3595 [email protected]
March 19, 2018
To Whom It May Concern:
At Sheffield High School (grades 7-12 located in zip code 38118) I was school counselor during the time that Lakenna Booker entered middle school. One of my life's joys is recognizing a student who in middle or high school demonstrates qualities of leadership, intelligence, and determination. The joy becomes even more special when one learns years later that this student is manifesting those qualities in the education profession. It gives me great pleasure and a good deal of satisfaction to write this letter on behalf of her quest to open Memphis Merit Academy Charter School in zip code 38118.
During the time that Lakenna attended Sheffield, she distinguished herself both in academic and social areas. She was valedictorian of her 2002 class. Her many activities included serving as a student tutor and heading student committees that performed many charitable acts for servingthe school and community. Her enthusiastic desire to lift up her fellow students was evident. She was extremely popular with faculty and students.
It is no surprise that Lakenna's formal education continued to such great heights after leaving Sheffield. Her education and experiences are noted elsewhere and support how stellar her achievements have been. Her practice of educating students and leading staff is informed by hands-on experience from more than 60 high-performing schools across the country. This included schools in diverse, data driven and research based programs. Lakenna's entire professional life has been spent developing an effective model to achieve success in educating children and leading teachers to ensure that learning takes place. It is evident to me, as well to all who know and work with her, that she is an individual of great ability with an insatiable desire to learn and pass on that learning to students and educators.
Our elected officials are actively seeking highly educated young people to return to Memphis and use their skills and leadership to help raise the quality of life for its citizens. Lakenna has a passion to do just that-especially in the area where her high quality school experience began. She can lead the change.
I am pleased to give my unqualified recommendation for approval of Ms. Booker as founder and her Memphis Merit Academy Charter School application. z�� Carrie L. Harris
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 168 of 250 March 23, 2018
Charter Authorizer Review Committee 160 South Hollywood Shelby County Schools Memphis, TN 38112
To the Charter Authorizer Review Committee, Shelby County Schools:
I am writing this letter in support of Memphis Merit to be led by Mrs. Lakenna Booker.
As a native Memphian and former charter school leader, I am excited to support Mrs. Booker’s efforts in providing additional high quality educational options for the students of Memphis. Memphis has always been a city with high poverty rates, yet low graduation rates; high socio-economics gaps, yet even more sizeable achievement gaps. I am quick to name that the challenges that many of our urban city schools families and students face are not solely because of them. However, I believe history has proven that these inequities persist and grow as a result of lack of opportunities for the people who live in these communities. I call this out because I believe Memphis Merit is uniquely positioned to help address these inequities given their focus on excellence in education. The school’s mission is to educate students in kindergarten through eighth grade for success in high school, college and life through rigorous academics, high quality instruction, and character development.
As a former school leader in Memphis, I appreciate people who commit their lives to better the lives of young people. I got to know Lakenna via her previous work in schools and I am convinced – she is both willing and capable of doing an excellent job! I would like to support the opening of Memphis Merit because I know they will contribute to our common goal of providing educational equity and excellence for the students of Memphis.
Sincerely submitted,
Kia L Young-Tate
Kia Young Tate, Ed.D.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 169 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 170 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner March 29, 2018
To Shelby County Schools: We are proud to support the charter application for Memphis Merit Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy”) and the outstanding leadership of Lakenna Booker as Lead founder and the school’s proposed Head of School. Building Excellent Schools (BES) is a highly selective, nationally recognized non-profit whose flagship program, the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, prepares outstanding candidates for urban charter school leadership. Lakenna is a high-capacity, well-trained, and visionary school leader who brings instructional leadership experience, charter school training, a leadership residency at Purpose Preparatory Academy Charter School (“Purpose Prep”), one of the highest achieving elementary schools in Tennessee, and during the start-up period will have the ongoing BES coaching support of Kait Troy, Founding Principal of Liberty Collegiate Academy, a BES school recognized for its academic outcomes and growth by the State of Tennessee. Through her strong relationship with the school’s Founder, Head of School, and leadership team, Lakenna will complete additional leadership residencies at Purpose Prep as well as at other high-achieving BES schools within the BES Network this summer and fall. Lakenna is deeply thoughtful and reflective, ambitious for and planning towards what it will take to deliver measurable results. She is thoroughly open and responsive to the executive coaching she has received thus far and will continue to receive through her planning year and first two years of school operation. Lakenna is focused strategically on the school’s mission and providing a proof point for what is possible for all children. We are confident that Lakenna will bring a high- quality, high-achieving K-8 school to the families and students of Memphis. Lakenna is also a focused and relentless champion of best practices as well as those innovations that will allow children to succeed. She engages people in her vision, firmly grounded in intellect and experience. She holds the bar high for herself and the school’s Founding Board. We are honored to work with Lakenna and look forward to supporting her and the Memphis Merit Academy team. We have complete confidence that her school leadership and the well- researched and practice-proven components of the public charter school design for Memphis Merit Academy will lead to strong student achievement for the students of Memphis.
Respectfully, Sue Walsh Sue Walsh Building Excellent Schools Chief Academic Officer
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 171 of 250 March 28, 2018
To Whom It May Concern,
The mission of Black Girls CODE is to introduce programming and technology to a new generation of coders, coders who will become builders of technological innovation and of their own futures, and, to bring awareness to the most underrepresented group in the field – women of color. I, Tecia Garrett Marshall, Memphis Chapter Lead, am committed to helping underserved children, across the city of Memphis, realize opportunities like their more affluent peers. Our organization had the opportunity to collaborate with Mrs. Booker during our Women of Color in STEM panel in November of 2017. We were able to learn, with the community, about the mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy, and the impact the school will have on underserved communities. The Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities deserve to have a school that prepares all students for success in high school, college, and life. Memphis Merit Academy’s unique approach to science and math instruction fosters inquiry and supports students’ ability to think critically. As a member of the STEM community, we need more schools providing students with a strong foundation in literacy and math, and that also focus on building students’ problem-solving skills. Mrs. Booker’s expertise in STEM instruction strategically provides the support needed to foster a rigorous approach to STEM within a K-8 model. The mission of Memphis Merit Academy is deserved by all students, “Through rigorous academics, high- quality instruction, and character development, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School educates all students in kindergarten through 8th grade for success in high school, college, and life.” Our organization looks forward to continuing to build a relationship with Lakenna Booker and Memphis Merit Academy. In alignment with our mission, we will work to ensure girls at an early age, are aware of their full potential by introducing them to coding in a structured, strategic, and supportive environment. It is without pause, I urge the authorization of Memphis Merit Academy. Sincerely,
Tecia Garrett Marshall
Tecia Garrett Marshall, Chapter Lead Black Girls CODE – Memphis | 901-864-8660 | [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 172 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 173 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 174 of 250 DnESS rOn SUCCEgS. MEMPHIS
Soiag Places. Eaing Strong"
March 13,2018
To Whom It May Concern:
Dress for Success Memphis has been an active participant in this coillmunity since 1988 and our involvement continues
today with serving women across the City of Memphis. We understand the importance of students receiving a high-quality education that sets them on the path to college and support the opening of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School.
My name is Rhonda Treadwell, Executive Director of Dress for Success Memphis, a successful non-profit
organization located in the 38118-zip eode. In this capacity, I have the privilege to dress, train, and recuperate women to move fiercely back out into the workforce. In addition to clothing and confidence,
we understand people need a high-quality education to be truly competitive in the workforce.
I met with Lakenna Booker, Lead Founder of Memphis Merit Academy, in the winter of 2017 about the mission and vision of providing a Kindergarten through eighth grade college preparatory school to
families in Memphis. Mrs. Booker's ability to articulate the need and her desire to change the outcomes
for families is in alignment to our mission. We discussed ways to potentially parbrer in the future to provide services for parents as the school grows. I look forward to continuing conversations with
Mrs. Booker about how we can collaborate services to provide a better qualrty of life in 3S118 and across the city.
It is without pause and much pleasure that I recommend authorization of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School for the City of Memphis.
Treadwell
2730 Colony Park Drive, Suite 7 ! Memphis, TN 38118 | 901.353.3100 www.dressforsuccess.org/memphis ! [email protected] I EIN# 62-1807383
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 175 of 250 March 8, 2018
Shelby County Schools Office of Charter Schools 995 S. Lauderdale Memphis, TN 38126
To Whom It May Concern,
As a Client Manager at Edtec, I am pleased to provide this letter of support of the launch of Memphis Merit Academy in Shelby County School District. Edtec provided charter application budget development services to the team at Memphis Merit Academy. Edtec is a social venture founded in 2001 to develop, support, and advance quality charter schools. Through our back-office service practice and consulting services in finance, operations, facilities and student information, we have helped support over 400 charter schools, CMOs, and charter support organizations across 11 states.
In collaboration with Lakenna Booker, the lead petitioner, our team built the budget and cash flow projections based on conservative estimates of the actual costs to implement Memphis Merit Academy’s program as described in the charter application. Assumptions driving our analysis are based on: - Historical financial and demographic data from similar charter schools throughout Memphis and Shelby County Schools - Projections from reliable sources, such as committed funders to the organization - Current rates from Shelby County Schools and the Tennessee Department of Education
School leadership estimated expenses based on research and statewide proprietary data on charter school expenditures. Expense assumptions increase in the multi-year projections to account for inflation, in addition to being increased for additional enrollment and staffing growth until full capacity.
As a back-office provider serving Tennessee charter schools since 2012, we feel confident in the numbers and underlying assumptions presented with Memphis Merit Academy. In our experience serving 15+ Tennessee charter schools, we have seen many schools successfully operate with similar plans. We are proud to support Memphis Merit Academy and eagerly await the approval of their charter application upon review.
Should you have any questions or need for clarification, please contact me at [email protected]
Thanks,
Nida Rab Client Manager
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 176 of 250 March 26, 2018
Dorsey E. Hopson, II Superintendent, Shelby County Schools 160 S. Hollywood Street Memphis, TN 38112
Dear Mr. Hopson:
I am writing in support of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School’s application for charter authorization through Shelby County Schools.
I have known Mrs. LaKenna Brooker, the Founder of Memphis Merit Academy for 3 years. She served as a Dean of Instruction for Gestalt Community Schools. During her tenure, she was able to coach teachers to meet the demands of the new TN standards. Moreover, she coordinated the Response to Intervention process, parent engagement, and student culture. Mrs. Booker is a leader who has a great command and skillset for operating a high performing charter school.
As Mrs. Booker embarks upon the potential of opening Memphis Merit Academy, her school will provide yet another high quality option for the Memphis families. Through rigorous academics, high quality instruction, and character development Memphis Merit Academy Charter School will educate its students in for success in high school, college, and life.
Gestalt Community Schools believe in the mission of the school and its potential to make an impact on the families and students in Memphis.
Sincerely,
Yetta Lewis Co-Founder and CEO
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 177 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 178 of 250 Greater Middle Baptist Church 4982 Knight Arnold Road Memphis, TN 38118 REV.WM.MCKINLEYJACKSON,PASTOR "Reaching The Lost At Any Cost"
March 28, 2018
Charter Authorizer Review Committee Shelby County Schools 160 S Hollywood St. Memphis, TN 38112
To Charter Authorizer Review Committee,
Greetings in the Name ·of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am William McKinley Jackson, Pastor and shepherd of Greater of Middle Baptist Church, located in the Parkway Village community. Greater Middle Baptist Church, is a ministry-driven congregation following the mission: "Greater Middle Baptist Church: The Church That's Reaching Out and Impacting the Community Around Us with an Emphasis on the Unchurched." Our Executive Board had the privilege of meeting with Ms. Lakenna Booker- Lead Founder, Angelia Allen-Treasurer, and Brad Schmiedicke-Vice Chair in February to discuss the mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School and how we may be able to wqrk together and impact the Parkway Village Community.
The mission and vision of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School aligns with both our historical roots and our current vision of community and educational activism. Our former leader, the late Dr. Benjamin Hooks, led change in the City of Memphis for many years in education and social injustices. Under my leadership, we plan to continue to focus on the community, the children and youth. By committing to engage in a potential lease, pending approval and facility needs, with Memphis Merit Academy Charter School, we would be positioning ourselves to be an anchor in this community by supporting families 1 spiritually, socially, and educationally.
Our facility has the capacity of school start-up operations for Memphis Merit Academy Charter School. As a church, we would be willing to discuss a facility needs assessment to ensure Memphis Merit Academy is ready to greet new students on August 1, 2019. Our campus, has an early childhood facility that could provide direct enrollment to Memphis Merit Academy each year. We are excited to be considered a facilities options for a school seeking to demonstrate positive results like other high• performing charter schools in the city and across the nation.
Facilities Description: Total Square Footage: Approx. 50,0001 Number of Classrooms: 18 Gymnasium, 1 Outdoor Play Area, 1 Common area for assemblies/cafeteria usage.
Phone: 901-367-0103 Fax:901-367 0193 Email: [email protected]'
Greater Middle Baptist offers this letter of commitment to Memphis Merit Academy Charter School.
It is without hesitation that we offer the facilities of Greater Middle Baptist Church to serve as the location for Memphis Merit Academy. We pray this future charter school will become a beacon of hope in a community where nine out of ten children are not reading at grade level upon completion of high school. We hope by connecting with Memphis Merit Academy we would be providing a space for children, youth and their families to engage in positive educational experiences.
Sincerely,
William McKinley Jackson, Sr. Pastor Greater Middle Baptist Church Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 179 of 250
1 Based on walkthrough with Brad Schmiedicke, Principal Architect, Pickering / Founding Board Memphis Merit. HYDE FAMILY FOUNDATIONS
17 WEST PONTOTOC AVENUE, SUITE 200MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE 38103 901.685.3400FAX 901.683.7478
March23, 2018
Shelby County Schools (SCS) Charter Authorization Review Committee
Dear Charter Authorization Review Committee,
On behalf of the Hyde Family Foundation, I am writing in support of Memphis Merit Academy's Charter Application.
Since2002,the Hyde Family Foundations have granted more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations in an effort to improve educational opportunities for all children in Memphis. Happily, the immense work in our city has also attracted the attention and support of countless others. The Hyde Family Foundation eagerly seeks to continue, as well as accelerate, the high -impact work that is underway in our city.
Through interactions with Lead Founder and proposed Head of School, Lakenna Booker,we are confident that Memphis Merit Academy will provide students in Memphis with a high -quality school option. Ms. Booker is an experienced Tennessee educator and licensed school administrator. Shewas on the founding team of KIPP Memphis and Gestalt Community Schools charter schools. Herareas of expertise are in literacy integration into core subjects as well as curriculum and instruction. Mrs. Booker has the skill set to lead a high -quality charter school with a foundation in literacy, which is much needed in our community, and a results -driven culture based on high quality instruction and high expectations. Moreover, she is currently a fellow with Building Excellent Schools (BES), where she has the opportunity to study the highest performing charter schools in the nation and access national best practices. BES will offer Ms. Booker ongoing support during the planning year and the first twoyears of operation in order to ensure its success. We are strong supporters of BES and we believe it is an outstandingprogram for recruiting top candidates who go on to lead top performing schools. BES Fellows have foundedsome of the highest -performing charter schools and CMOs in Memphis, including Freedom Preparatory Academy, RISE Academy and Aurora Collegiate. We have found that all charter schools in Memphis started by BES fellows have been high quality schools committed to high achievement, continuous improvement, and strong cultures of excellence.
Memphis Merit Academy's presence is critically needed in the city of Memphis, andwe support this application to the Charter Authorization Review Committee. Please do not hesitate to contactus at (901) 685-3400with any questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Holly Colean Program Director for Education Hyde Family Foundation
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 180 of 250 Leadership Preparatory Charter School 4190 Elliston Rd. ▪ Memphis▪ 38111▪ (901) 512-4495
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing this letter in strong support of Merit Memphis Academy Charter School, a proposed K-8 public charter school for Memphis.
As the Founder and Head of School of Leadership Preparatory Charter School, I am excited to write a letter in support of Merit Memphis Academy. Leadership Prep and Merit Memphis share a belief that the path to college must begin in kindergarten. Both school are committed to providing a rigorous, focused, and supportive learning environment. I believe that Merit Memphis will build in their students the skills necessary to succeed in high school, college and life.
I also support the leadership of proposed Merit Memphis Academy. Lead Founder, Lakenna Booker, a native of Memphis, is a fully certified school administrator and educator with more than a decade of experience in urban education in Memphis. With a desire to have a greater impact on the educational community, following her experience at turnaround schools in legacy Memphis City and Shelby County Schools, Mrs. Booker joined the founding staff of both KIPP Memphis as a teacher leader, and Gestalt Community Schools as Dean of Instruction of Humes Preparatory Academy Middle and Nexus STEM Academy Middle. Mrs. Booker believes in the relentless practice of intentional and deliberate data-driven decision making to accomplish student achievement goals. As a Building Excellent Schools Fellow, Mrs. Booker has studied numerous successful public charter schools.
As a former BES Fellow, my exposure to the nation’s highest performing schools during the BES Fellowship played an integral role in the initial design of Leadership Prep. Mrs. Booker’s exposure to many of the most high performing public charter schools in the country will undoubtedly help inform her school design and implementation. I am impressed by her passion and commitment for a high quality public charter school in southeast Memphis.
It is my great hope that a charter for Merit Memphis Academy is approved. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 901.512.4495.
Sincerely,
Valissia R. Allen Valissia Allen Founder and Head of School
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 181 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 182 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 183 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 184 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 185 of 250 Maranja May
4168 Arrowhead RD.
Memphis, TN 38118
March 20 ,2018
To Whom It May Concern:
As a resident of the 38118 community for over 20 years I would like to see this neighborhood thrive. There have been many resources snatched from this area and a high-quality education should not be one of them.
As an educator and a parent I want to see better options for education being brought to this community. Our children deserve a chance at the best education possible. The 38118 community has many public school options but no charter school options. As a parent of a young child it is an inconvenience to send my child to a school in another district and to a charter school that is several miles away.
I support the initiative of Memphis Merit Academy coming to the 38118 district. I have known Mrs. Booker for over 20 years and her passion for education is undeniably gratifying. Her pursuit for a better education option in this neighborhood is the element we need to restoring the community.
I stand with Memphis Merit Academy and I ask that you please consider the children that deserve and need better.
Thank you,
Maranja May
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 186 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 187 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 188 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 189 of 250 50 Peabody Place, Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38104
3/23/18 To: Charter Authorizer Review Committee
I address you today in regards to Memphis Merit Academy, to express my support for the charter school. Students in Memphis deserve the best in passion, supports, instruction, background, and assistance. Building Excellent Schools and Lakenna Booker embody the best of those characteristics. With the support of Shelby County Schools I firmly believe that Memphis Merit Academy will advance the education of every South Memphis student that enters it’s doors.
Mrs. Booker’s education experience in the classroom, in administration, and through her BES residency year gives her the perfect mix of training to understand the challenges and best practices of founding a school. Mrs. Booker’s deep relational capacity in South Memphis gives her a huge advantage for recruiting students and building community support.
I urge you to add Memphis Merit Academy as a Shelby County School and am available to speak further on the talents and investments of Mrs. Booker and future greatness of Memphis Merit Academy at any time.
Sincerely,
Luke J. Pruett Recruiting Director, City Leadership Memphis TN
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 190 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 191 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 192 of 250 Yもし暮強g紫索 票睡 J )「撫i・高・=-、・-・穴蜂l・・lぶ・く青色′▼.心-廿 も‾自白白子∴`.}i i _ヽし ヽ 置lこii〇・
lnspiring. T「ansforming. Success
To Whom It May Concem:
Young Ladies of Change, lnc. is a non-PrOfit organization originated in the 38118 community. The
mission ofYoungしadies of Change, lnc. is to empowe「giris ages 5-19 to become successful students,
SuCCeSSf両n Iife, and successfui leaders in their community th「ough peer mentoring, COmmunity
engagement′ and service learning. Our work is to ensure訓young ladies we encounter are given the
tooIs they need to successfuliy navigate life.
My name is Ashley WaIker′ Executive Director ofYoungしadies of Change′ inc., and l grew up in the Parkway Vi=age community. There is a need for high quality schooI options to exist in our city. We need
more schooIs w冊ng to t「uIy invest time in bu胴ng strong academics while fostering character development.
After attending Memphis Merit Academy′s information session heid at the McFarland Community
Center in 」anuary′ =eamed of how other schooIs across the nation are aIready achieving at high leveIs
despite students’demographics. 1 am fuIly confident in the passion, Skills, and vision of Lakenna Booker.
1 st「ongly beIieve Memphis MeritAcademy Charter SchooI w帥provide fam航es with choice in 38118.
i support the app「ovaI of Memphis MeritAcademy’s appIication, a decision which w紺greatIy benefit Memphis. Thank you for your consideration.
Si ncerely, 榊肌桝し Ashley WaIker Executive Director Young Ladies of Change, Inc.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 193 of 250 ATTACHMENT F1: Articles of Incorporation
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 194 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 195 of 250 Division of Business Services Department of State State of Tennessee 312 Rosa L. Parks AVE, 6th FL Nashville, TN 37243-1102 Tre Hargett Secretary of State Memphis Merit Academy, Inc. September 2, 2017 LAKENNA BOOKER 8460 KAMIN LN MEMPHIS, TN 38125-4426
Filing Acknowledgment Please review the filing information below and notify our office immediately of any discrepancies. SOS Control # : 000921345 Formation Locale: TENNESSEE Filing Type: Nonprofit Corporation - Domestic Date Formed: 09/02/2017 Filing Date: 09/02/2017 2:38 PM Fiscal Year Close: 6 Status: Active Annual Report Due:10/01/2018 Duration Term: Perpetual Image # : B0439-0478 Business Type: School Organization - Exempt Public/Mutual Benefit: Public Business County: SHELBY COUNTY Document Receipt Receipt # : 003559181 Filing Fee: $0.00
Registered Agent Address: Principal Address: LAKENNA RASHEEDAH BOOKER LAKENNA BOOKER LAKENNA BOOKER 8460 KAMIN LN 8460 KAMIN LN MEMPHIS, TN 38125-4426 MEMPHIS, TN 38125-4426
Congratulations on the successful filing of your Charter for Memphis Merit Academy, Inc. in the State of Tennessee which is effective on the date shown above. You must also file this document in the office of the Register of Deeds in the county where the entity has its principal office if such principal office is in Tennessee. Please visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue website (apps.tn.gov/bizreg) to determine your online tax registration requirements. If you need to obtain a Certificate of Existence for this entity, you can request, pay for, and receive it from our website.
You must file an Annual Report with this office on or before the Annual Report Due Date noted above and maintain a Registered Office and Registered Agent. Failure to do so will subject the business to Administrative Dissolution/Revocation.
Tre Hargett Secretary of State
Phone (615) 741-2286 * Fax (615) 741-7310 * Website: http://tnbear.tn.gov/ Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 196 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 197 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 198 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 199 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 200 of 250 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 201 of 250 ATTACHMENT F3: By-Laws
ARTICLE I Name, Office, Purpose and Objectives Section 1.1 Name. The name of the organization will be Memphis Merit Academy, Inc. (hereinafter “Memphis Merit Academy” or the “School”). Section 1.2 Principal Office. The initial principal office of Memphis Merit Academy will be located at 8460 Kamin Lane, Memphis, TN 38125. Section 1.3 Registered Office. The initial registered office of Memphis Merit Academy shall be 8460 Kamin Lane, Memphis, TN 38125. Memphis Merit Academy may also have offices at such other places as its Board of Directors (the “Board”) shall determine the business of Memphis Merit Academy requires, provided, however, that the registered office shall be registered with the Secretary of State of Tennessee and the agent so registered shall be located at the same address, or as otherwise provided by the Board. Section 1.4 Purpose. The purpose for which Memphis Merit Academy is organized is to establish and run a Charter School (the “School”) in Memphis, Tennessee, pursuant to the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act of 2002, as amended, supplemented or replaced, (“The Charter Schools Act”), under its Charter Agreement with Shelby County Schools and Shelby County, Tennessee (the “Charter Agreement”), with a stated mission of providing students in grades four through eight with the academic rigor, robust supports, and leadership development necessary to excel in high school, thrive in college, and lead lives full of opportunity. Section 1.5 Dissolution. If, for any reason, Memphis Merit Academy should dissolve, organization assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. ARTICLE II Board of Directors The Board of Directors shall have all powers and duties for the conduct of the activities of Memphis Merit Academy. Memphis Merit Academy shall not have members. While persons who associate with, or attend programs of, participate in, contribute to, or benefit from Memphis Merit Academy may be referred to as “members,” no rights, voting or otherwise, will inure to any such persons. Section 2.1 General Powers. The Board shall have the power to govern the business, affairs, and property of Memphis Merit Academy in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the state of Tennessee and any limitations in the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws. The Head of School will be an advisory, non-voting member of the Board (ex officio). As required by law (currently, TCA § 49-13-104), the Board shall contain at least one (1) parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in the School. The parent representative shall be appointed by the Board within six (6) months of the School’s opening date. Section 2.2 Number. The Board shall consist of at least seven (7) Directors and no more than fifteen (15) Directors. All Directors will have identical rights and responsibilities. Section 2.3 Qualifications. Directors will be selected who have the qualifications and diversity of expertise to fulfill Memphis Merit Academy’s mission and objectives. Section 2.4 Compensation. Directors shall serve without compensation.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 202 of 250 Section 2.5 Selection. The Governance Committee (defined at ¶ 6.2) shall present a slate of potential Directors and Officers for election by the Board. The Board shall approve a process for nominating Directors to the Board through the Governance Committee. There will be a meeting annually dedicated to the election of nominated Directors. Section 2.6 Tenure. Directors shall serve staggered terms to balance continuity with new perspectives. Directors shall serve a term of three (3) years from the date of their appointments, or until their successors are seated. A full three (3) year term shall be considered to have been served upon the passage of three (3) annual meetings following elections. After election, the term of a Director may not be reduced, except for cause as specified in these bylaws. No Director shall serve more than three (3) consecutive terms. Section 2.7 Vacancy. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors and any position to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of Directors may be filled, upon recommendation of a qualified candidate by the Governance Committee, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the seated Directors. A Director elected to fill the vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his/her predecessor in office. Section 2.8 Resignation. A Director may resign at any time by filing a written resignation with the Chair of the Board. Section 2.9 Removal. The Board may remove any Officer or Director for cause by majority vote of the entire Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board, if a statement of the reason or reasons shall have been mailed by Registered Mail to the Officer or Director proposed for removal at least thirty (30) days before any final action is taken by the Board. This statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time when, and the place where, the Board is to act on the removal. The Officer or Director shall be given an opportunity to be heard and the matter considered by the Board at the time and place mentioned in the notice. Section 2.10 Initial Board. The initial Board of Directors will serve staggered terms. The initial Board shall consist of at least two (2) Directors who will serve a one (1) year term, at least two (2) Directors who will serve a two (2) year term, and at least two (2) Directors who will serve a three (3) year term. Section 2.11 Members of the Board: (a) Shall receive no payment of honoraria, excepting reimbursement for expenses incurred in performance of voluntary Memphis Merit Academy activities in accordance with Memphis Merit Academy policies. (b) Shall serve with the highest degree of duty, loyalty, and care and shall undertake no enterprise to profit personally from his, or her, position with Memphis Merit Academy. (c) Shall be bound by the Board’s Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality policy statements. (d) Shall have no direct or indirect financial interest in the assets or lease of Memphis Merit Academy; any Director who individually or as part of a business or professional firm is involved in the business transactions or current professional services of Memphis Merit Academy shall disclose this relationship and shall not participate in any vote taken with respect to such transactions or services. (e) Shall be covered and Officers Insurance Provided by Memphis Merit Academy in amounts required by the Board in its reasonable discretion.
ARTICLE III Officers
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 203 of 250 Section 3.1 Number. There shall be four (4) elective Officers of the Board: a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Section 3.2 Election. The Governance Committee shall present a slate of Officers to the Board of Directors. The nominated Officers shall be drawn from among the members of the Board of Directors. The election of Officers shall be held at the annual meeting of the Board. Section 3.3 Tenure. The newly elected Officers shall take office on July 1 following the close of the meeting at which they are elected and the term of office shall be one year, or until respective successors assume office. A Director may serve more than one (1) term in the same office, but not more than three consecutive terms in the same office. Section 3.4 Chair Vacancy. 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 that the office of Vice-Chair or Secretary- Treasurer becomes vacant, the Chair shall appoint interim Officers to fill such vacant offices until a scheduled meeting of the Board can be held. ARTICLE IV Meetings Section 4.1 Regular Meetings. There shall be at least 10 regular meetings of the Board held each year. Notice shall be given to each Director thirty (30) days prior to the date of every regular meeting of the Board. Notice of any meeting to the public shall include the date, time, and place of a meeting and a statement or agenda specifying the nature of business to be conducted. The meetings of the Board are deemed to be “public business” and must be held in compliance with TCA §§ 8-44-101 et seq. Section 4.2 Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Board shall occur in the last quarter of the fiscal year. Section 4.3 Special Meetings. Special Meetings of the Board may be called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board filing a written request for such a meeting with the Chair and stating the object, date, and hour therefore, due notice having been given to each Director five (5) calendar days prior to the meeting. Notice of any meeting to the public shall include the date, time, and place of a meeting and a statement or agenda specifying the nature of business to be conducted. Such notice shall also comply with the requirements regarding the posting and notice of meetings to the public, pursuant to TCA §§ 8-44-101 et seq. Section 4.4 Quorum. One-half of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, except where otherwise required by these Bylaws. Section 4.5 Minutes. Minutes of each meeting of the Board of Directors shall be recorded in writing and kept with the records of Memphis Merit Academy. The contents of such minutes, as well as the provisions for providing the minutes to the public, shall comply with the provisions of TCA §§ 8-44-101 et seq. Section 4.8 Open Meetings. Meetings of the Board shall be public in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. Members of the public shall have an opportunity for input at meetings of the Board. Section 4.9 Absentee Board Member. An absentee Board member may not designate an alternate to represent him, or her, at a Board meeting. A member of the Board may be deemed to be present for purposes of achieving a quorum and may cast a vote if he, or she, grants a signed, written proxy to another
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 204 of 250 Board member who is present at the meeting. The proxy must direct a vote to be cast with respect to a particular proposal that is described with reasonable specificity in the proxy. No other proxies are allowed. Section 4.10 Regular Meetings. Notice of all regular meetings of the Board, an agenda of all items to be discussed at such meetings, and agenda support materials shall be circulated to all Directors prior to the meeting. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at any meeting also shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where the Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. ARTICLE V Conflict of Interest Section 5.1 Conflict of Interest. All Directors, Officers, and employees of Memphis Merit Academy shall be subject to the Conflict of Interest Agreement. ARTICLE VI Committees and Task Forces Section 6.1 Composition. A Board resolution shall appoint committees or task forces of the Board, except the Governance Committee. Committees may be composed of Directors or community members, or both, with the exception of the Governance Committee which shall be comprised only of Board members. The Board may prescribe the need and/or the composition such committees. Section 6.2 Governance Committee. There shall be a standing nominating committee, known as the Governance Committee. This committee shall be composed of at least three (3) persons recommended by the Chair and elected by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting. Each committee member shall serve a term of two (2) years and these terms shall be staggered to ensure continuity of committee membership. The committee shall elect its own chair. 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 Director 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 Board to fill vacancies that arise outside regular nominating process; (d) to provide ongoing orientation to Directors; (e) to oversee a Director assessment process to ensure optimum performance; and (f) to recommend appointment of past Chair to Board, if necessary, in the interests of continuity. Section 6.3 Finance Committee. There shall be a standing committee known as the Finance Committee. The committee shall be composed of at least two (2) persons elected by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting. Each committee member shall serve a term of at least two (2) years, and these terms shall be staggered to ensure continuity of committee membership. The Treasurer will serve as chair of this committee. Section 6.4 Academic Achievement Committee. There shall be a standing committee known as the Academic Achievement Committee. This committee shall be composed of at least three (3) persons elected by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting. Each committee member shall serve a term of two (2) years, and these terms shall be staggered to ensure continuity of the committee membership. The committee shall elect its own chair. Section 6.5 Quorum for Committees. There shall be no quorum requirement for any committee.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 205 of 250 ARTICLE VII Fiscal Year and Check Signing Section 7.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of Memphis Merit Academy shall begin on July 1 of each calendar year and terminate on June 30 of the following year. Section 7.2 Check Signing. The signature of both an Officer and the Head of School shall be required on any check in excess of $5,000. ARTICLE VIII Rules of Order In the event of a conflict or challenge, the rules of order in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings of Memphis Merit Academy. ARTICLE IX Amendments These Bylaws may be amended at a regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of all Directors then in office; provided that notice of the proposed amendment, together with a copy thereof, is mailed to each Director at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting at which the amendment is to be considered. ARTICLE X Indemnification Memphis Merit Academy shall indemnify each Director of the Board to the full extent permitted by the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act. Each Board member shall enjoy the protection and immunity provided by TCA § 48-58-601, as (and if) limited by The Charter School Act. A Board member or Officer shall not be personally liable to Memphis Merit Academy for damages for breach of any duty owed to Memphis Merit Academy, its beneficiaries, or the Board, except that nothing contained herein shall relieve a Board member or Officer from liability for breach of duty based on an act or omission: (a) in breach of such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation; (b) not in good faith or involving a known violation of the law; or (c) resulting in receipt of an improper personal benefit.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 206 of 250 ATTACHMENT F4: Code of Ethics
Memphis Merit Academy Code of Ethics1- Board of Directors The Memphis Merit Academy Charter School Board of Directors desires to operate in the most ethical and conscientious manner possible and to that end the board adopts this Code of Ethics. Each member of the Board of Directors agrees that he or she will and all members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation must: • Recognize the authority of the Board rests only with the Board as a whole and not with individual members and act accordingly. • Ensure, uphold, and abide by all laws, regulations, and rules pertaining to schools issued by the Tennessee State Board of Education, the courts, and any other relevant authority. • Support the delegation of authority for the day-to-day administration of the charter school to the Head of School and act accordingly. • Ensure and enact decision making grounded on the educational welfare and wellbeing of the children served by Memphis Merit Academy Charter School without consideration to race, religion, color, sex, income level, or any other irrelevant characteristic. • Ensure and encourage changes only through lawful and ethical processes. Use his or her independent judgment in reaching all decisions. • Refrain from using his/her position on the Board of Directors for personal gain or profit. • Periodically review and evaluate the effectiveness of policies on Memphis Merit Academy’s programs and performance. Work with other Board members to establish effective policies for the Memphis Merit Academy. Make decisions on policy matters only after full discussion at publicly held Board meetings. • Attend and participate in regularly scheduled and called Board meetings. Express opinions before votes are cast, but after the Board vote, abide by and support all majority decisions of the Board. • Comply with the Conflict of Interest Policy of the Board, all applicable laws and State Board of Education Standard, rules, and guidelines. • Exhibit personal conduct in that reflects positively on the school. • Make all reasonable efforts to support the school’s mission and personnel.
1 Adopted from https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Charter-Schools/Documents/2%20- %20Charter%20School%20Governing%20Board%20Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 207 of 250 ATTACHMENT F5: Conflict of Interest Policy
Article I: Purpose. The purpose of the conflict of interest policy is to protect the interests of Memphis Merit Academy, Inc. (“Memphis Merit Academy”). This conflict of interest policy is designed to support directors, officers and employees of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy”) in the event of pondering entrance into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of Memphis Merit Academy or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This conflict of interest policy is to help Board of Directors identify situations that present potential conflicts of interest and to provide Memphis Merit Academy with a procedure which, if observed, will allow a transaction to be treated as valid and binding even though a director, officer or employee has or may have a conflict of interest with respect to the transaction. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interests applicable to nonprofit and charitable organizations. Article II: Definitions. Section 2.1 Interested Person. Any director, principal officer, or member of a committee with governing board delegated powers, who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person. Section 2.2 Financial Interest. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial. A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family: 1. An ownership or investment interest, other than de minimis, in any entity with which Memphis Merit Academy has a transaction or arrangement, 2. A compensation arrangement with Memphis Merit Academy or with any entity or individual with which Memphis Merit Academy has a transaction or arrangement, or 3. A potential ownership or investment interest, other than de minimis, in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which Memphis Merit Academy is negotiating a transaction or arrangement. ARTICLE III: Procedures Section 3.1 Duty to Disclose. In connection with any actual or possible conflict of interest, an interested person must disclose the existence of a financial interest and be given the opportunity to disclose all material facts to the directors and members of committees with governing board delegated powers considering the proposed transaction or arrangement. Section 3.2 Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists. A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. A person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the appropriate governing board or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists. After disclosure of the financial interest and all material facts, and after any discussion with the interested person, he/she shall leave the governing board or committee meeting while the determination of a conflict of interest is discussed and voted upon. The remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists. Notwithstanding anything herein, a conflict of interest shall not exist and no review or action by any governing board or committee shall be necessary for one or more grants in an aggregate amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) or less in any single calendar year, from Memphis Merit Academy to an organization that is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, where a financial interest as described herein exists. (a) Procedures for Addressing a Conflict of Interest: (a) An interested person may make a presentation at the governing board or committee meeting, but after the presentation, he/she shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and the vote on, the transaction or arrangement involving the possible conflict of interest. (b)The chairperson of the governing board or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement. (c) After exercising due
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 208 of 250 diligence, the governing board or committee shall determine whether Memphis Merit Academy can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest. (d) If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the governing board or committee shall determine by a majority vote of the disinterested directors whether the transaction or arrangement is in Memphis Merit Academy’s best interest, for its own benefit, and whether it is fair and reasonable. In conformity with the above determination it shall make its decision as to whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement. (b) Violations of the Conflicts of Interest Policy (a) If the governing board or committee has reasonable cause to believe a member has failed to disclose actual or possible conflicts of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief and afford the member an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose. (b) If, after hearing the member’s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the governing board or committee determines the member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action. ARTICLE IV. Records of Proceedings. The minutes of the governing board and all committees with board delegated powers shall contain: a) The names of the persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have a financial interest in connection with an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the financial interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the governing board’s or committee’s decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed. b) The names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to the transaction or arrangement, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings. ARTICLE V: Compensation a) A voting member of the governing board who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from Memphis Merit Academy for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation. b) A voting member of any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from Memphis Merit Academy for services is precluded from voting on matters pertaining to that member’s compensation. c) A voting member of the governing board or any committee whose jurisdiction includes compensation matters and who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from Memphis Merit Academy, either individually or collectively, is prohibited from providing information to any committee regarding compensation. ARTICLE VI: Annual Statements Each director, principal officer and member of a committee with governing board delegated powers shall annually sign a statement which affirms such person: a) Has received a copy of the conflicts of interest policy, b) Has read and understands the policy, c) Has agreed to comply with the policy, and d) Understands Memphis Merit Academy is charitable, in order to maintain its federal tax exemption, it must engage primarily in activities accomplishing one or more of its tax- exempt purposes. ARTICLE VII: Periodic Reviews. To ensure Memphis Merit Academy operates in a manner consistent
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 209 of 250 with charitable purposes and does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews shall be conducted. The periodic reviews shall, at a minimum, include the following subjects: a) Whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable, based on competent survey information, and the result of arm’s length bargaining. b) Whether partnerships, joint ventures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to Memphis Merit Academy’s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes and do not result in inurement, impermissible private benefit or in an excess benefit transaction. ARTICLE VIII. Use of External Experts. When conducting the periodic reviews as provided for in Article VII, Memphis Merit Academy may, but need not, use outside advisors. If outside experts are used, their use shall not relieve the governing board of its responsibility for ensuring periodic reviews are conducted.
Conflict of Interest Defined. For purposes of this policy, the following circumstances shall be deemed to create Conflicts of Interest: I. Outside Interests. a. A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Merit Academy and a Responsible Person or Family Member. b. A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Merit Academy and an entity in which a Responsible Person or Family Member has a Material Financial Interest or of which such person is a director, officer, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative. II. Outside Activities. a. A Responsible Person competing with Memphis Merit Academy in the rendering of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party. b. Responsible Person’s having a Material Financial Interest in; or serving as a director, officer, employee, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative of, or consultant to; an entity or individual that competes with Memphis Merit Academy in the provision of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party. III. Gifts, Gratuities and Entertainment. A Responsible Person accepting gifts, entertainment or other favors from any individual or entity that: a. Does or is seeking to do business with, or is a competitor of Memphis Merit Academy; or b. Has received, is receiving or is seeking to receive a loan or grant, or to secure other financial commitments from Memphis Merit Academy; c. Memphis Merit Academy is a charitable organization operating in Tennessee; d. Under circumstances where it might be inferred that such action was intended to influence or possibly would influence the Responsible Person in the performance of his or her duties. This does not preclude the acceptance of items of nominal or insignificant value or entertainment of nominal or insignificant value which are not related to any transaction or activity of Memphis Merit Academy.
Article IX. Review of policy. a) Each new Responsible Person shall be required to review a copy of this policy and to acknowledge
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 210 of 250 in writing that he or she has done so. b) Each Responsible Person shall annually complete a disclosure form identifying any relationships, positions or circumstances in which the Responsible Person is involved that he or she believes could contribute to a Conflict of Interest arising. Such relationships, positions or circumstances might include service as a director of or consultant to a nonprofit organization, or ownership of a business that might provide goods or services to Memphis Merit Academy. Any such information regarding business interests of a Responsible Person or a Family Member shall be treated as confidential and shall generally be made available only to the Chair, the Head of School, and any committee appointed to address Conflicts of Interest, except to the extent additional disclosure is necessary in connection with the implementation of this Policy. c) This policy shall be reviewed annually by each member of the Board of Directors. Any changes to the policy shall be communicated immediately to all Responsible Persons.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School’s conflict of Interest reporting form is shown below. Conflict of Interest Information Form
Name: ______Date: ______Please describe below any relationships, positions, or circumstances in which you are involved that you believe could contribute to a Conflict of Interest (as defined in Memphis Merit Academy’s Policy on Conflicts of Interest) arising.
I hereby certify that the information set forth above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I have reviewed, and agree to abide by, the Policy of Conflict of Interest of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School that is currently in effect.
Signature: ______Date: ______
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 211 of 250 ATTACHMENT F6: Board Member Resumes ANGELIA A. ALLEN, CRCM 901.489.0849 | [email protected]
SENIOR COMPLIANCE AND RISK PROFESSIONAL
Strong regulatory and compliance expertise in financial services industry. Accomplished finance and operations professional with over 20 years of experience building, leading, and managing compliance programs through periods of rapid expansion and contraction. Leader with successful track record of improved regulatory performance, enhanced internal controls and heightened awareness of compliance risk in increasingly complex regulatory environment. Effective communication skills and ability to engage with all levels of management, business partners and staff.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
•Project lead for inaugural self-assessment of compliance performance which resulted in identification and implementation of critical compliance program strategies. Managed relationship with consultants and all phases of the self-assessment project including development of the project plan, project initiation, implementation and management reporting.
•Managed regulatory compliance examinations by two different prudential regulators within first six months into new role to achieve positive outcomes.
•Created and implemented enhanced operations model for consumer protection compliance program.
•Corporate compliance manager for consumer protection programs (CRA, Fair Lending and HMDA) during periods of rapid business expansion & contraction and changes in the regulatory and the economic environments.
•Collaborated with industry leaders and community stakeholders (as the lead financial institution) to launch a city-wide initiative to provide a coordinated response to individuals and neighborhoods impacted by residential foreclosures.
USAA FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK, San Antonio, TX 2015-2017
Compliance Director – Fair and Responsible Banking (3/2016 – 10/2017) Primary oversight for program management and administration of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) program for each bank affiliate of the Enterprise; Facilitated quarterly Bank Compliance Management Committee meetings; Enhanced performance monitoring and management reporting; Project manager for internal self-assessment which identified opportunities to mitigate compliance risk and help to drive strategic planning. As a member of the fair banking team focused on consumer protection law and regulations, interfaced regularly with team leads to share knowledge and leverage compliance expertise for Fair Lending, UDAAP, Service Civil Relief Act and military protections programs in addition to second line of defense lead for CRA compliance program.
Senior Compliance Advisor – Bank Regulatory Affairs (10/2015 - 3/2016) Lead point of contact for banking regulators during all phases of bank regulatory examination activities; Central point of contact for all exam activities with federal banking regulators which included regulatory information, governance, internal communications on regulatory issues and ongoing management reporting activities. Maintained insight into regulatory examination process and communicated industry trends and developments to management and board.
FIRST HORIZON NATIONAL CORPORATION, Memphis, TN 1988 – 2015
SVP & Corporate Compliance Manager, 2003 – 2015 CRA Officer for mid-size regional bank that had branching network in 20 states and operated one of the top 25 mortgage companies in the U.S (prior to 2008); Created annual community reinvestment program strategy designed to engage key internal and external stakeholders in support of the community investment priorities; Interfaced with regulatory agencies, business units and community stakeholders to develop and achieve strategic goals; Proven history of improving operations and increasing profitability; Experience developing and implementing governance, risk and compliance strategies in an Enterprise Risk Management environment; Revised and maintained compliance policies, procedures, materials and manuals; Developed compliance training; Managed compliance professionals and support staff. Collaborated frequently with Deposit, Credit, BSA/AML and Compliance Testing teams to insure compliance risk was within risk tolerance outlined in risk framework.
•Developed complaint process for CRA compliance program.
•Managed bank HMDA data collection and reporting as a compliance function; developed strategy for management reporting metrics; Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Primary Point of Contact for HMDA and CRA data software vendor.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 212 of 250 •In addition to managing the CRA and HMDA compliance programs, assumed responsibility for managing the Fair Lending program after the start of the regulatory examination; expanded Fair Lending program team, revised the business model and established a work plan which resulted in a successful examination report.
•Developed strategy for financial education program recognized by the Financial Literacy Commission for support of mission to increase financial literacy throughout the state.
•Expertise in community development financing, grant proposals and capacity-building for non- profit organizations; instrumental in nonprofit housing agency’s pursuit to secure single largest capital investment partnership; managed portfolio of Federal Home Loan Bank grant funding (most active in the state).
•Designated lead for business unit in partnership with Human Resources (Stretch Assignment) for project to create development tool for division; Resulted in enhanced staff recruitment, retention and professional development.
VP & Corporate Compliance Officer, 1994 – 2003 Community Development Officer responsible for identifying opportunities to expand knowledge of community outreach programs and maintain awareness of new and emerging engagement best practices, trends, and technologies within the company; Partnered with the Corporate Foundation to advise leaders on effective engagement tactics and ensure team alignment; Assisted senior management with the establishment of controls to mitigate compliance risks; Documented procedures, maintained compliance monitoring program and training; Assisted senior leader with preparation of regulatory compliance examination requests.
•Outlined and executed the compliance program plan and methodology per regulatory guidance based on business model.
•Managed professional and administrative staff; Lead for design and layout of department relocation.
•Supported senior leader in managing regulatory examination which resulted in the highest performance rating.
Executive Legal Assistant to the General Counsel and Government Relations Manager, 1988 –1994 Assisted General Counsel in corporate governance, including drafting board resolutions and maintaining corporate records; Managed engagement of outside counsel and legal spend; Helped drive execution of the government relations strategy including management reporting and metrics; Worked with Corporate Secretary to prepare for board meetings and maintain board documentation.
•Managed compliance activities for Government Relations manager including political contributions and lobbying disclosure requirements.
•Managed Corporate Legal Department annual budget; Reduced division expenses by restructuring contracts and third-party billing arrangements.
•Streamlined departmental operating processes by clearly defining roles and responsibilities for Para-professional staff.
EDUCATION
Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM)
Emory University - Atlanta, GA Graduate School of Risk Management American Bankers Association
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN Bachelor of Business Administration Area of Concentration: Finance
REFERENCES William E Stemmler VP/Business Development Officer Christy Kinard IBERIABANK General Counsel Debra Bennett 4894 Poplar Avenue Memphis Airport Authority Director of Compliance Memphis, TN 38117 901.922.8018 USAA 901-757-7174 [email protected] [email protected] 901. 634.7179
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 213 of 250 ANGELA BRUMFIELD 4578 MOLSONWOOD DRIVE, BARTLETT, TN 38135 901- 601- 8800 • [email protected]
SUMMARY Resourceful, forward-thinking instructional leader with success in turnaround schools through strategic planning, implementation of research-based practices and ongoing, data-driven collaboration. Adept in motivating teams, identifying growth opportunities, and enhancing operational effectiveness. Committed to ensuring that all students have access to high- quality educational opportunities.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Instructional Support Advisor, Mathematics July 2015 – Present Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN • Collaborate with principals and school leadership teams to identify school improvement priorities, analyze qualitative and quantitative data, develop aligned action plans and provide support for implementation of those plans • Conduct observations and co-observations with school personnel using the Instructional Practice Guide (IPG) to identify teachers’ areas of strength and areas for growth. • Work collaboratively with school administrators and content leads to build capacity by modeling effective instructional planning and feedback • Organize and facilitate professional development based on district, school and teacher needs to foster a deep understanding of content standards, share effective research-based practices and accelerate student learning
Instructional Curriculum Mathematics Coach March 2015 – July 2015 Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN • Conducted teacher observations and provide feedback related to content, pedagogy and student learning • Coached teachers one-on-one and in small group settings to help them become more reflective about their teaching practices and provide high quality instruction • Facilitated professional development based on based on individual school needs and trends across schools • Modeled effective teaching strategies and best practices to improve teaching practices • Served as interim Mathematics Support Manager in the mathematics manager’s absence
Instructional Facilitator, Mathematics Lead August 2014 – March 2015 Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN • Served as part of the leadership team to identify instructional needs and build capacity of teachers through professional development and facilitation of PLCs • Planned, organized and conducted parental involvement activities to ensure increased student achievement • Researched and modeled best practices to improve teachers’ delivery of mathematics content • Managed the school-based instructional programs/initiatives, including tutoring and ACT preparation programs • Completed informal teacher observations and TEM evaluations followed by effective feedback related to content, pedagogy and student learning
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 214 of 250 Mathematics Teacher, Master Teacher, Department Chair August 2009 – July 2014 Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN • Obtained Level 5 TVAAS rating and increased student achievement from 10% to approximately 97% proficiency on End of Course Algebra exam • Ranked in the top 10% of the district’s effective teachers and named a district “Irreplaceable” • Provided coaching and support to teachers in grades six through eight • Served as a member of the leadership team with duties that included interviewing teaching candidates, assisting leadership team with the School Improvement Grant (SIG) and providing resources for teacher support • Served as a member of the school data team to analyze and desegregate data as well as construct a plan for improvement
Mathematics Teacher August 2006 – July 2009 Jackson Public Schools, Jackson, MS • Successfully prepared Algebra students for state test with 100% passing and mean scores well above state average • Increased number of Pre-Algebra proficient and advanced scores on state assessment from 21% to 68% • Developed weekly and semester unit plans in accordance with district pacing guide and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program • Served on textbook selection committee and curriculum revision team
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE TN Mathematics Common Core Coach 2012 – 2014, 2016 TN Department of Education Charged with leading professional development to deliver content related to the standards across the state of TN
Range PLD Committee, Mathematics 2016 TN Department of Education Worked with educators across the state to develop grade-level, content specific descriptors linked to the state standards
Math Coach, TN Coaching Project 2016 - 2017 TN Department of Education Worked with Department of Education to develop state coaching model for teacher development
Content Specialist (Consultant) 2017 - present District-to-District (also known as D2D) Provide grade-specific professional development to enhance teachers’ mathematics content knowledge across the state of TN
LICENSURE TN Professional Educator License #546666 Areas of Endorsement: Mathematics (7-12), Business Education (7-12), Middle Grades (4-8)
EDUCATION Mississippi College, Clinton, MS December 2008 Degree: M.Ed. Business Education
Belhaven College, Jackson, MS December 2004 Degree: B.S. Business Management
REFERNCES
Raven Hawes Michael Henry Ben Gwynne Instructional Support Manager, Principal Director, K-12 Programs iZone Shelby County Schools EverFr Shelby County Schools 901-486-2096 314-384-6931 901-237-5004 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 215 of 250
Kacy Dixon 697 Stonedale Cove. 901.237.3548 (M) Cordova, TN 38018 [email protected]
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Hilton Worldwide (Corporate Offices) Memphis, TN Hospitality Corporation providing hotel, resorts, and timeshare services Sr. Analyst, Human Resources August 2016 – Current • Provide support to Human Resource Senior Manager in day to day operations • Administer leave of absence to all corporate team members located in the U.S. • Collaborate with outside counsel on managing and maintaining VISA documents. • Facilitate new hire orientation.
Human Resources Coordinator April 2014 – August 2016 • Provided support to the HR Consulting group. • Coordinated the new hire, transfer, termination and employees’ personnel change processes to ensure accordance with established policies and procedures and timeliness. • Provided support to HR Consultants by identifying reporting structure changes and updating information in PeopleSoft to ensure accuracy of data. • Facilitated New Hire Orientation and conduct tours for new and/or transferring team members. • Partnered with payroll department to investigate and resolve any payroll issues. • Conducted weekly and monthly reporting for the HR Consulting/Payroll/Recruiting team. • Interacted with HRIS to coordinate position modifications and reporting needs. • Conducted research/audits and compiles reports as directed. • Responsible for the administration of the Team Member Travel Passports and assisting with questions pertaining to the program as needed. • Coordinated all on-boarding activities for new and/or transferring team members. • Partnered with recruiting team to initiate background screens and reference checks for candidates. • Assisted HR Consulting Manager on managing Public Access Files (PAF). • Maintains personnel files, including departmental filing, creation of files, etc.
Jabil – AMS (After Market Service) (IQor) Memphis, TN Global manufacturing company specializing in 3rd party logistic solutions Human Resources Administrator June 2012- April 2014 • Assisted Human Resources Manager and Human Resources Generalists in daily HR functions. • Coordinated the on-boarding of all global corporate new hires. • Conducted new-hire orientation. • Provided weekly and monthly statistical reports on turnover, recruitment, site-headcount, and disciplinary tracking. • Assisted in employee relation issues and investigations to provide positive results. • Assisted employees seeking information and guidance concerning benefits, payroll, policies and procedures. • Prepared employees separation notices and related documents and conducts exit interviews. • Maintained employees’ files, records, and change of status. • Verified employment for current and former employees. • Carried out special project as assigned. • Processed workers compensation. • Tracked FMLA for non-exempt employees.
Aerotek Memphis, TN Staffing firm specializing in recruiting and staffing for contract, contract-to-hire, and direct placement employment On-Premise Manager (Priority Solutions International) July 2010 – June 2012 • Managed 60+ temporary contractors in a logistic warehousing environment. • Developed a collaborative relationship and maintained proactive involvement with client to ensure maximum business development, total client satisfaction and employee. • Coached and developed contractors to improve skill sets through analyzing and feedback from client. • Communicated and coordinated various aspects of on-site operations required to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures, as well as local, state and federal laws and guidelines (Worker’s Compensation, Unemployment, Human Resources, LOA). • Fostered a work environment that motivated and retained staff. • Developed and implemented an effective recruiting strategy to ensure the availability of qualified flexible/full time employees in order to meet current and anticipated needs. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 216 of 250 • Monitor attendance daily and perform weekly payroll using Pyramid Time Trax system.
Recruiter • Provided full-cycle recruitment for exempt and non-exempt positions for various clients. • Screened resumes, recruited applicants, and interviewed candidates, administered assessments, checked references and facilitated employment offers. • Generated a pipeline of strong candidates to be sourced, recruited and pre-qualified for reoccurring positions. • Fostered strong relationships with various clients and relevant hiring authorities in order to understand job descriptions/ profiles, culture and any additional information to successfully search for the perfect fit candidate. • Maintained working relationships with managers and contractors to ensure contractors were meeting or exceeding expectations. • Responsible for gathering lead information to promote company growth.
Sitel Memphis, TN Outsourcing call center Human Resources Generalist March 2006 – July 2010 • Recruited highly qualified candidates to staff for facility employing 900 associates. • Conducted phone screens interviews and administered testing. • Partnered with management to evaluate employment needs and develop creative recruiting strategies tailored to each department’s requisites. • Made recommendations for hire and extended offers of employment to customer service representatives, team managers, and learning specialists. • Coordinated and attended local job fairs to increase applicant flow. • Performed pre-employment background checks and drug screens to ensure potential employees met hiring criteria. • Maintained statistical reports using business objects and excel to monitor recruiting results and track employment activity. • Conducted new hire orientation and on-boarding for all new hires on company policies and procedures. • Conducted exit interviews to reveal strengths and areas of improvement. • Administered benefits, manage worker’s compensation and family medical leave. • Managed associates relations issues, conducted investigations, and provided positive results. • Ensured compliance with federal and state employment laws.
HRIS Administrator Payroll Coordinator • Served as liaison between site facility and corporate payroll. • Maintained and updated employee status (pay increases, employment history, hires, termination, disciplinary actions) through HRIS database Lawson. • Evaluated pay discrepancies and processed pay corrections by using pay cards or making adjustments to the next pay cycle. • Balanced and conducted time-keeping audits of changes made into to payroll system Etime and Kronos. • Responsible for entering incentives and bonuses for hourly associates into payroll system. • Effectively communicated with exempt and non-exempt employees of any changes made as it relates to payroll. • Reviewed and analyzed payroll reports from business objects and Kronos searching for errors and/or inconsistencies. • Managed referral and attendance bonus program. • Tracked quarterly and annually pay increases. • Received and processed garnishments, liens, and court orders. • Tracked retuned checks, stop payments and re-issued company checks. • Managed and tracked PTO accruals for all exempt staff. • Participated in roll-out of new time-keeping system (Kronos). • Conducted training for all new time-keeping systems users. • Conducted I-9 audits to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
Human Resources Assistant Receptionist
TECHNICAL SKILLS
SAP, PeopleSoft, Etime, Kronos, Lawson, Recruiter Work Space (RWS), Taleo, Pyramid Time Trax, Business Objects, SuccessFactors, PeopleNet, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) EDUCATION
Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN Bachelor of Science: Business Administration
REFERENCES: Lashunda Green, HR Senior Manager, Cortney Richmond, Director of New Product Sales Analyst, Hilton Corp, 901-374- Hilton Corporation, 901-374-5786 Development, Hilton Corp, 901-345-5097 5977 Derek Ryan Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 217 of 250 KATHY L. GIBBS, M.Ed., M.S., NCC, BCC 1889 Camberley Circle, Memphis, TN 38119 | (901) 763-1564 | [email protected]
EDUCATION
Masters of Science, 1992 Masters of Education, 1990 Counseling and Personnel Services Curriculum and Instruction, Concentration Reading University of Memphis University of Memphis
Bachelors of Science, 1979 Speech Pathology and Audiology Major, Psychology Minor University of Montevallo CERTIFICATION
National Certified Counselor Board Certified Coach National Board for Certified Counselors Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc. 1998 - Present 2012 – Present
Behavioral Intervention Team Certification National Behavioral Intervention Association (NaBITA) 2015 - Present HONORS Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award - One of three finalists IMHOTEP Award – the highest honor given to a staff member by chosen who have demonstrated outstanding service and/or who the students of UTHSC for their dedication and involvement in have made significant contributions to the University community student activities and initiatives. The award is presented only beyond that normally expected for their positions. during years when students believe someone deserves the recognition.
WORK HISTORY
DIRECTOR STUDENT ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES AND INCLUSION 2000-Present UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
• Develop, market and administer Student Academic and licensed professional counselors), student Support Services and Inclusion services for the workers, tutors and interns University (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Graduate • Consult with College admission officers and Health Sciences, Nursing, and Health Professions) committees • Retention Services – professional, doctoral, masters • Consult with College progress and promotion and bachelors level students committees • Learning Support Services – individualized and group • Develop and implement Orientation programs learning strategies and assessments • New student and parent • Student and Faculty Coaching • Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion • Board Preparation • Services for Students with Disabilities • Peer Tutoring • Coordinate and develop online materials for select • Personal Counseling curricular programs • Services for Students with Disabilities • Supervise independent study programs for select • Services for LGBTQ students in Colleges of Dentistry and Medicine • Resource Library • Co-Supervise and provide assessments, learning, • Certification and Licensure Examination Preparation coaching and counseling services to Tennessee • Ensure quality, state of the art approaches and Health Careers Program for under-represented techniques to support a diverse student body in students interested in the health science fields. continuing and graduating on time • Serve on campus committees, including Faculty and • Develop and manage operating budget Education Task Force, JED Campus Assessment • Supervise and manage Student Academic Support Team, Committee on Academic and Student Affairs, Services and Inclusion staff (educational specialists, search committees for campus administration positions educational technology specialist, administrative staff along with faculty and staff.
CO-CHAIR BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION TEAM 2014 – PRESENT UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER • Create programming and services focused on wellness and prevention
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 218 of 250 • Guide and coordinate a multidisciplinary team in detecting patterns, trends, and disturbances in individual or group behavior. • Coordinate investigations as needed, perform threat assessments, and determine the best mechanisms for support, intervention, warning/notification and response. • Provide training to faculty, staff and students to promote wellness and prevention on campus.
BEHAVIORAL COACH ABLETO, INC. 2014 - PRESENT • Provide health and behavioral coaching and education via online or phone for participants facing major life events or medical conditions. • Assist in the development of goals that impact participants in healthier choices and behavior.
CO-CHAIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE WELLNESS COUNCIL 2013 – 2016 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER • Lead a multidisciplinary team in planning activities, training and outreach to address prevention and wellness on the health science campus.
INSTRUCTOR CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY PART-TIME SOCIETY OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2009 - PRESENT • Develop application-based strategies and materials for SHRM professional certification.
EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE 1994 – 2000 HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER • Develop, implement and evaluate retention programs for students involving peer tutoring, academic counseling, outreach and workshops.
ASSESSMENT ASSISTANT JORDAN COUNSELING AND ASSOCIATES 1996 - 2000 • Score and prepare psychoeducational reports for psychological examiner.
COUNSELOR MEMPHIS MCNAIR PROGRAM 1996-2007 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER • Administer and interpret assessments, provide academic counseling and GRE preparation for students in the Ronald E. McNair Program, a TRIO Program.
EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE 1993-1994 HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER MINORITY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE GRANT • Administer and evaluate retention services targeting College of Pharmacy students. • Coordinate and present study skills workshops as part of a pipeline program for local high school students.
DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY 1991 - 1992 • Develop and implement a federal grant for the improvement of retention services and support for at-risk students. • Communicate campus resources and services to students and faculty. • Provide personal and academic counseling and tutoring.
INSTRUCTOR UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS 1989 - 1992 • Develop specific course-related materials and workshops for diverse groups of traditional and non-traditional students.
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS 1992-1993 • Provide speech and language assessment and therapy for students, preschool through ninth grade.
INSTRUCTOR – Adjunct, SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1989-2002 • Teach remedial reading, study skills and student success seminar courses.
DIRECTOR OF SINGLES GERMANTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PART-TIME 1990 - 1991 • Develop and coordinate programs, seminars, activities and support groups for single adults and their children.
REFERENCES
Richard Peppler, Ph.D. Cyndi Jordan, Ed.D., LPC, LSPE Lucy Robbins, M. A. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 407-823-4055 901-277-0949 901-619-5829/901-405-2952
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 219 of 250 Melisa Moore, Esq. 1302 Carr Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 (901) 491-1872 (c) (901-524-5147 (W) [email protected] (P) [email protected] (W)
Licensure: Licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee. Admitted to United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Admitted to United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Education:
The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Memphis, TN Juris Doctor, cum laude 2009 GPA: 3.27/4.0 Rank: Top 25%, Accomplishments: University of Memphis Law Review, Cali Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and Cecil C. Humphreys Fellowship Recipient.
The University of Tennessee at Martin Martin, TN Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude 2006 GPA: 3.93/4.0
Honors: Dean’s List, Most Outstanding Criminal Justice Student (2005), Harold Connor Scholar, Highest GPA in the Pre-Law Program (2002 and 2006), Phi Kappa Phi honors for academic achievements, and Board of Trustee Scholarship Recipient.
Professional Affiliations: Awards & Community Involvement: • Tennessee Bar Association • Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2016 & 2017 • American Bar Association • Memphis Business Journal, Top 40 Under 40, 2014 • Association for Women Attorneys • Community Legal Center-Board Member, 2013-2015 • Memphis Bar Association-Bench Bar Committee Member, 2012, • Grizzlies Academy Mentoring -Lunch Buddies Program-Mentor Summer Law Intern Program Committee Member since 2012, for middle school students at Veritas Charter School, 2011-2015 Leadership Forum, Class of 2013, Trial Academy, Class of 2013 • Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives (F.F.U.N) • National Bar Association, Ben F. Jones Chapter, Attorney • Board Member, 2017 to present Mentor for law school students • Secretary, 2017 to present • Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Memphis- since 2010
Legal Experience:
Burch Porter & Johnson, PLLC 8/15/11-present
Memphis, TN Attorney and Equity Member as of January 1, 2018 of 50 attorney business and civil litigation firm. Experience includes: Section 1983 Civil Rights litigation, commercial litigation, personal injury, workers’ compensation, landlord/tenant law, municipal law and insurance defense and coverage.
Leitner, Williams, Dooley and Napolitan, PLLC 3/22/10- 8/3/11 Memphis,
TN Associate Attorney of regional insurance defense law firm with over 100 attorneys. Practice areas included general civil litigation, insurance Refdefense,erencestrucking litigation and workers’ compensation.
Tannera Gibson, Esq., Burch Porter & Johnson, PLLC, 130 N. Court Ave., Memphis, TN 38103, 901-524-5152, [email protected] Eboni Wiley, Tennessee Higher Education Committee, 404 James Robertson Parkway, Suite 1900 Nashville, TN 37243, 901-336-4071, 615-741-8797, Tressa Johnson, Johnson & Bennett, PLLC, 1331 Union Ave, Suite 1226 Memphis, TN 38104, 901-570-0872, 901-402-6515, [email protected]
1
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 220 of 250 Brad Schmiedicke, AIA Architect, Project Manager, Assoc. Principal Owner
20 years of experience delivering well crafted places Overall design & project manager. Focuses on the big picture. Creative, organized & plays well with others. 1996 Masters of Architecture, Virginia Tech 1992 BS Marketing, University of Tennessee, Magna Cum Laude 1988 Germantown High School
Pickering Firm Memphis TN 9 years 10/08 - Present www.pickeringinc.com Associate Principal, Board of Directors, Designer & Project Manager. 120 person Architecture and Engineering fi rm with a focus on retail, commercial & industrial projects. Leads work on Retail, Commercial & Group Shelter projects. Marc Rubenstein Principal 901.726.0810
Looney Ricks Kiss Memphis TN 1 year 10/07 - 09/08 www.lrk.com Designer & Project Manager. 150 person architecture fi rm nationally recognized for planning and urban renewal. Led substance abuse rehab, condominium, airport renovation & bank projects. Rob Norcross AIA Principal 901.521.1440
Gelfand Partners San Francisco CA 4 years 08/03 - 10/07 www.gelfand-partners.com Designer & Project Manager. 20 person fi rm, a leader in sustainable design, schools and aff ordable housing. Led historic building, student housing, elementary/high school & aff ordable housing projects. Lisa Gelfand AIA Principal 415.346.4040
Turnbull Griffi n Haesloop San Francisco CA 2 years 01/02 - 7/03 www.tgharchitects.com Intern Architect. 10 person fi rm, the legacy of William Turnbull Jr. Nationally recognized for simple homes “rooted in their environment”. Contributed to elementary school and single family home projects. Stefan Hastrup AIA Principal 415.441.2300
BAR Architects San Francisco CA 4 years 07/97 - 11/01 www.bararch.com Intern Architect, Job Captain. 100 person fi rm best known for housing and hospitality. California AIA fi rm of the year in 2000. Contributed to multifamily, single family, higher ed. & master planning projects. Susan McComb AIA Principal 415.293.5700
Community Involvement Memphis TN 10 years 10/07 - Present American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, Chamber of Commerce Work Groups, US Green Building Council, Boy Scout Leader, Youth Sports Coach, Youth Chess Team Coach, Memphis Chess Club board of directors
bschmiedicke@pickeringfirm.com 901.692.6725
6775 Lennox Center Court Suite 300 Memphis,TN 38115
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 221 of 250 Union Avenue Kroger, Midtown Memphis 110,000 SF Supermarket, $20M, completed 2016 Architect & Project Manager, Pickering Firm Main Goals: Design a supermarket that engages the surrounding historic neighborhood, is a community gathering space, and is a point of pride for the neighborhood. Memphis Business Journal 2017 Winner, Building Memphis (New Construction, Medium)
Memphis Union Mission, Medical District 105,000 SF Emergency Shelter, $23M, currently in design Architect & Project Manager, Pickering Firm Main Goals: Build a men’s emergency shelter that feels welcoming, comfortable, and provides an opportunity for a clean break and fresh start. It must help restore guest dignity, and encourage community involvement.
Nike Offi ce, North Memphis 120,000 SF Offi ce, $30M, construction docs. complete Architect & Project Manager, Pickering Firm Main Goals: At Nike’s primary distribution center in the world, employees should feel immersed in Nike’s culture. Day to day experiences should reinforce the teamwork between offi ce & DC workers.
Airport Pedestrian Corridor, Memphis Airport 1,000’ x 70’ Exterior Improvements, undisclosed budget, completed 2013 Designer & Project Manager, Looney Ricks Kiss Main Goals: Develop a sheltered pedestrian corridor from a new ground transportation center, through existing structured parking, to the main air- port terminal. This approach to the airport front door should reduce stress and be a preferred alternative to off site parking.
SELECTED PROJECTS Brad Schmiedicke bschmiedicke@pickeringfi rm.com c: 901.692.6725 References Marc Rubenstein, Pickering, 901-726-0810 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 222 of 250 Rob Norcross, LRK, 901-521-1440 Lisa Gelfand, Gelfand Partners, 415-346-4040 Jack Vuylsteke 5221 Raleigh Lagrange Rd., Memphis, TN 38134 (901) 303-9590 [email protected]
Education ______
Master of Education, Secondary Literacy Curriculum and Instruction, University of Missouri- St. Louis (obtained 2011)
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, English and World Literature with Honors Distinction, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (obtained 2009)
Experience ______
Founder and Head of School July 2012- present Memphis Rise Academy Charter School Memphis, TN
• Oversaw the founding operations of a high-performing, college preparatory charter school, including but not limited to: o Recruitment and development of a ten-member founding governing board, inclusive of members of the finance, real estate, education, health, and non-profit communities in the greater Memphis area o Preparation of two successful charter applications, submitted to both Shelby County Schools and the Achievement School District, making the school the first in Tennessee history simultaneously authorized for public operation by two Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the same cycle o Recruited a founding staff of nine through conducting a local, regional and national search for high quality educators and administrative personnel, as well as oversaw their development as leaders of curriculum, school culture, and operations o Managed a year-long site search for the acquisition of facility to house our founding class of sixth grade students o Managed and conducted a grassroots enrollment strategy, enrolling the school to 91% capacity in its first year • Grown school community to include, to date, 448 students, 43 staff, and a strong subset of active community partners in support of the school’s future plans to grow to 650 students in grades 6-12 o Built school and catered ongoing recruitment efforts to specifically serve the underserved need of the Northeast Memphis communities of Grahamwood, Berclair, Highland Heights, Nutbush, Raleigh and South Bartlett o School is currently fully enrolled; school’s student demographics make it one of the city’s most diverse, at 51% Hispanic, 44% African-American, and 5% White; maintains waiting lists upwards of 40 students per grade level; school population is 90% free/reduced lunch due to socioeconomic eligibility o In its first year, school performed in top 10% of Memphis charter schools in academic performance, while maintaining the second-highest population of English Language Learners in the city among charters • Project managed the school’s facility growth of three buildings, from site search to permitting, located in Northeast Memphis o Oversaw the ground and facility lease negotiations and real estate development of a 16,000 sqft modular academic campus, developed from 2013-2015 o Working with local and national lenders, acquired loans totaling $5,000,000 to develop a 40,000 sqft high school campus on vacant land proximal to middle school; currently overseeing project management of high school, to be opened July 2017, in tandem with day-to-day principal and executive director duties at middle school • Managed the financial assets of the organization with a current yearly operating budget of $5,000,000, as well as school’s pursuit of supplementary loans, grants, and other sources of revenue in excess of $3,000,000 to date
Fellow July 2012- May 2013 Building Excellent Schools Boston, MA
• Selected for a highly-competitive (less than 1% acceptance rate) charter school leadership fellowship by a nationally- respected leadership incubation organization, responsible for supporting leaders of some of Tennessee’s highest performing charter schools • Toured more than 60 high performing charter schools nationwide, engaging with leaders to learn best practices of financial management, facility development, student recruitment, instructional practice, and operational efficiency • Received specialized training from Building Excellent Schools and other contracted organizations in areas specified above, along with grassroots community organizing, marketing, and education law/policy • Began work of founding Memphis Rise Academy in simultaneity, spending roughly two weeks a month in Memphis area, and two weeks traveling for purposes above
School Operations Manager June-July 2010, 2011 Teach For America- Chicago Institute Chicago, IL Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 223 of 250 • Managed Institute site operations for school teams across three schools (2010) and a single elementary and middle school site (2011) in areas such as scheduling, operational aesthetic setup and upkeep, classroom system and procedure management, data collection and reporting, and school site communications • Managed relationships with Institute site director, instructional staff, corps members, and Chicago Public Schools site-based personnel to ensure seamless daily execution of corps member training in accordance with summer school framework
10th/12th Grade English Language Arts Teacher June 2009- July 2012 Cleveland Junior Naval Academy Teach For America- St. Louis St. Louis, MO
• Taught multiple levels of high school English, including Advanced Placement courses, in a military alternative magnet high school • Exceeded school’s student growth target, as well as district averages, on 10th grade End of Course exams two of three years, managing the school’s transition to Common Core standards and testing in year 3 • Served on school leadership team for 18 months, helping to direct curricular and cultural decision making, data usage, family partnerships, and event planning • Created and managed the implementation of an advisory program for teacher-student relationship building, implemented at the school for two years, replicated in two other St. Louis high schools in the 2010-2011 school year
Relevant Volunteer Experience ______
Board Member, Tennessee Charter School Center – 2017-present Founding Board Member, Memphis Merit Academy Charter School – 2017-present Panel Participant, Tennessee Charter School Center’s 2016 Charter School Facilities Financing Summit
Related Skills and Experience ______
High level of experience in community public speaking to variant audiences Low intermediate-to-conversational Spanish Knowledge of architectural, civil engineering, and general contractor relationships, protocols, and working vocabulary Experience with governing board membership and work through executive leadership of founding/governing boards of Memphis Rise Academy and the study of other high performing boards Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Alumnus—Fraternity Educator, Executive Board (2007-2009) Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
References
Greg Thompson Program Officer, Pyramid Peak Foundation [email protected]
Dr. Luther Mercer Whole Child Initiative 901-359-9677
Chris Hamilton Board Chair, Memphis RISE [email protected]
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 224 of 250 MARY KAYE WELCH, R.D.N.
12330 Longhorn Dr [email protected] Arlington, TN 38002 (702) 499-2802 (cell)
Professional Experience Methodist Healthcare, Memphis, TN 2014-present PRN Clinical Dietitian: Conducts Medical Nutrition Therapy assessments for inpatients.
Culver Summer Schools and Camps, Culver, IN 2014-present Aviation Program Director: Oversees all aspects of the Aviation Program for students age 13-18. 2012-2013 Assistant Director of Aviation, 2008-2011 Unit Counselor
Summit View Health Services, Knoxville, TN 2013-present Consultant Dietitian: Provides in-home nutritional services for developmentally disabled clients.
Independent Contractor for the State of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 2011-2013 Consultant: Provided in-home nutritional services for developmentally disabled clients.
University of Nevada Extension Agency, Las Vegas, NV 2010-2013 Instructor: Supervised a calcium education curriculum in Clark County 8th grade health classes.
Boulder City Hospital, Boulder City, NV 2001-2013 Clinical and Long-term Care Dietitian: Provided nutritional assessments as well as education for patients and staff in acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term care.
Sierra Health Corporation, Las Vegas, NV 2005-2012 Health Educator: Taught group classes, provided individual counseling for wellness, weight management, diabetes, sports medicine, and specific disease management.
Southern Nevada Medical Weight Loss Program, Las Vegas, NV 2004-2009 Program Director and Dietitian: Coordinated a physician-supervised weight-loss program. Taught group sessions and provided individual counseling.
Canyon Ranch Spa Club, Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 1999-2003 Nutritionist: Created and presented staff and guest wellness lectures, provided personalized nutrition consultations for guests, and assisted with marketing.
Dixie Regional Medical Center, St. George, UT 1990-1998 Program Director for Wellness and Weight Management Services (1991 to 1998): • Coordinated wellness and weight management programs, taught weekly lifestyle classes. • Completed Intermountain Health Care’s advanced management training program in Continuing Quality Improvement (CQI) • Employee trainer for the corporate employee wellness program, Healthy Balance • Initiated and organized a new hospital-sponsored annual event, Walk-Onto-Wellness
Clinical Dietitian (1990 to 1991) Provided individual nutrition education, taught nutrition classes, conducted in-patient nutritional assessments, and provided home health consults.
Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Provo, UT 1989-1990 Nutrition Educator: Taught weight management classes and conducted individual consultations for weight management and lifestyle changes.
Mesa Lutheran Hospital, Mesa, AZ 1986-1988
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 225 of 250 Out-patient Dietitian: Taught and coordinated weight management classes and out-patient nutrition education, fulfilled hospital contract at two long-term care facilities, and performed clinical duties.
Mountainland WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program, Provo, UT 1983-1986 Program Coordinator: Supervised program staff of over twenty employees, opened second satellite site, managed all aspects of the program, including financial and personnel issues, and taught nutrition education classes.
Education Utah State University, Logan, UT Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition and Food Science, Medical Dietitics Coordinated Undergraduate Program, 1983. Dixie College, St. George, UT Associate of Science Degree, 1979.
Honors • Valedictorian for College of Family Life graduating class of 1983, Utah State University • Outstanding Student of the Year 1982-83, Department of Nutrition, Utah State University • Nominated for Utah State University Scholar of the Year Award, 1983 ______
Additional Professional Training • American Dietetic Association Certificate of Training in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management • American Dietetic Association Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management • 24-Hour Fitness Certified Personal Trainer • Required annual continuing education to maintain “Registered Dietitian” status with The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association)
REFERENCES
ALLISON KENT BRAY, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC DIRECTOR OF ADULT NUTRITION THERAPY METHODIST HEALTH CARE 1265 UNION AVENUE, THOMAS 613 MEMPHIS, TN 38104 901-516-8627
DOUG BIRD DIRECTOR OF SUMMER SCHOOLS AND CAMPS CULVER ACADEMIES 1300 ACADEMY ROAD CULVER, IN 46511 574-842-8206
ANNETTE DAWSON OWENS LEAD FOUNDER PROPOSED NEVADA STRONG ACADEMY 2632 SUNDAY GRACE HENDERSON, NV 89052 702-336-5149
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 226 of 250 Darron E. Williams [email protected] 4534 Biddlesdon Lane Memphis, TN 38125 Home: (901) 288-6116 Work: (901) 434-5150 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Business/Financial Planning • Analyzed employee's skills, job tasks, task significance, conflict areas, job satisfaction, career paths, and available systems to determine post go-live operational needs. • Submitted cost benefit analysis that showed the operational and financial benefits of incorporating E-Commence technology. • Implemented new performance metrics to measure actual performance due to changes in environment with negligible impact to budget, but increased employee relations. Involved collecting and analyzing data, consulting with departmental managers and employees, coordinating statistical and financial data, and designing appropriate financial model. • Key team member in the development of a detail strategic plan for contingency planning, which included financial, systems, and operational impact. • Developed quantitative, as well as qualitative analysis and recommendations that were consistently with in budget and assisted management in decision making. • Designed management reports and presentations that consistently met or exceeded management expectations, accurately and concisely communicating current status and future direction of projects. • Teach Finance on the University level.
Project Management • Coordinated all engineering projects to ensure all required data was entered in to Primavera (a planning and scheduling tool) for reporting of project cost, resource allocation, and performance evaluation. • Facilitated the design, testing and implementation of new initiatives affecting operations current performance metrics. • Adjusting or changing the performance metrics as required and determining impacts, financial and operational, due to changes. • Created project plans for management and provided management with weekly progress reports on current status and any identified issue impacting the on time delivery of the project.
Accounting/Auditing • Performed general ledger accounting • Managed day to day information including, accounts payables, accounts receivables, payroll, billing, and cash management. • Prepared vouchers, invoices, checks, account statements, reports, and reviewed for accuracy. • Implemented and set-up customer database to maintain a customer base of approximately 500 customers. • Compiled, recorded, and calculated all employee data such as time sheets, medical/dental information, expense vouchers, and vacation/personnel days. • Teach Accounting on the University level.
Management & Leadership • Manager of the Business Process Design team • Provided leadership and direction to peers in the development of statistical models for facilities planning, learning curve development, and performance metrics. • Hired, trained, and managed employees. • Accurately performed record keeping, scheduling, inventory control, and related acts to ensure productive operations. • Effectively interfaced with operations, planning, management and staff throughout all departmental levels. • Swiftly build rapport based on customer trust through sincerity and knowledge of customer's concerns.
WORK HISTORY
2012 to Present FEDEX CORPORATION, Memphis, Tennessee Senior Communication Specialist, (October, 2012 to Present)
2007 to 2012 FEDEX CORPORATION, Memphis, Tennessee Senior Marketing Specialist, (May, 2007 to October, 2012)
2005 to 2007 FEDEX CORPORATION, Memphis, Tennessee Senior Marketing Analyst, (June, 2005 to May, 2007)
2004 to 2005 NIKE, INC., Memphis, Tennessee Business Process Manager, (February, 2004 to June, 2005)
2002 to 2004 NIKE, INC., Beaverton, Oregon Senior Business Analyst, (August, 2002 to February, 2004)
2000 to 2002 NIKE TN, INC., Memphis, Tennessee Senior Financial Analyst, (April, 2000 to August, 2002)
1993 to 2000 FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION, Memphis, Tennessee Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 227 of 250 Senior Financial Analyst, (October, 1999 to April, 2000) Engineer, (June, 1997 to October, 1999) System Analyst, (September, 1995 to June, 1997) Handler, (July, 1993 to September, 1995)
THE UNIVERSITY of MEMPHIS, Memphis, Tennessee 1994 to 2002 Instructor, (January, 1994 to August, 2002)
1988 to 1993 MARRIOTT CORPORATION, Memphis, Tennessee Bookkeeper, (May, 1990 to November, 1993) Supervisor, (August, 1989 to May, 1990) Cook, (August, 1988 to August, 1989)
1984 to 1987 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, Sunnymead, California Medical Technician (February, 1984 to December, 1987)
EDUCATION
North Central University University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee Doctor of Philosophy in Business AdministrationMaster of Business Administration Concentration: Business Quantitative Methods Concentration: Finance Expected Graduation Date: ABD May, 1999
University of Memphis, Memphis, TennesseeUniversity of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee Master of Science Master of Science Concentration: Industrial Engineering Concentration: Statistical Mathematics August, 1997 December, 1995
University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Concentration: Computer Systems May, 1992 TEACHING EXPERIENCE WEBSTER UNIVERSITY, DOWLING COLLEGE, Memphis, Millington, Tennessee Tennessee 2004 to Present Adjunct Instructor, (March, 2004 to 2008 to Present Adjunct Instructor, (August, 2008 to Present) Present) THE UNIVERSITY of MEMPHIS, STRAYER UNIVERSITY, Memphis, Tennessee Memphis, Tennessee 1994 to 2002 Instructor, (January, 1994 to August, 2005 to Present Instructor, (January, 2005 to Present) 2002)
CLASSES TAUGHT Webster University – MBA Program Strayer University – Undergraduate/MBA Program Corporate Finance Basic Algebra Advance Corporate Finance Algebra Business Statistic Statistics Basic Finance/Accounting for Managers Quantitative Methods Capstone-Business Strategy
Southwest Community College University of Memphis – Undergraduate Program Basic Algebra Basic Algebra Algebra/Trigonometry Algebra Business Statistic Statistics Pre-Calculus Geometry
Dowling University – Undergraduate/MBA Program Algebra, Business Statistics, Operations Research, Quantitative Methods, Portfolio Management, Investment Analysis, Global Financial Policy
REFERENCES Pamela Payne Linda Parker 901-263-8496 901-434-5759
Annette Owens Rev. Edward Parker 901-332-2933 901-634-5127 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 228 of 250 ATTACHMENT F7: Board Policies
Overview. The Board of Directors holds the charter and is an organized group of volunteers who, collectively, are legally and ethically accountable to the community and the state for the health, vitality, and effectiveness of our organization. Governance encompasses legal responsibilities, general and academic oversight, planning and policy-making, and meeting fiduciary requirements. The responsibility of the Board are to: Support and advocate for mission and vision of the school. Evaluate and review the stated mission and purpose that articulates the organization’s goals, means, and primary constituents served. Select, support and evaluate the Head of School. Ensure the Head of School is qualified for the position, and ensure chief executive has the moral and professional support necessary to further the stated mission and goals of the school. Ensure effective planning. Actively participate in overall planning process and assist in implementing and monitoring the plan’s goals. Monitor and strengthen programs and services. Determine alignment of programming with mission of the school and monitor their effectiveness. Ensure adequate financial resources. Secure adequate resources for organization to fulfill mission. Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. Assist in developing the annual budget and ensure proper financial controls are in place. Build a competent board. Define prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and annually evaluate board’s performance. Ensure legal and ethical integrity. Ensure adherence of school to legal standards / ethical norms. Enhance the school’s public standing. Clearly articulate the school’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to public and garner support from community. The Board will establish a Board Policy Manual which contains policies used to effectively govern the organization to create a high-quality public charter school for students in Memphis. Section 1 - Mission, Legal Status, Non-discriminatory Policy 1.1 Mission, Vision, and Principles of Design. Through rigorous academics, high-quality instruction, and character development Memphis Merit Academy Charter School educates all students in Kindergarten through eighth grade for success in high school, college, and life. Memphis Merit Academy provides a rigorous academic environment supported by high-quality instruction. We ensure students are supported in a college-preparatory Kindergarten through 8th grade school by educating them on specific character development skills. All members of our community - leaders, board members, teachers, families and students – understand and are driven by the mission of college as a path to success. Memphis Merit Academy will prepare students to become proficient readers, writers, and thinkers so that they can be successful in high school and beyond. In Memphis, and more specifically in the Oakhaven and Parkway Village Communities, 1 in 10 students finishes high school able to read on grade level. Shelby County School’s 2025 Annual Report states that, “Students’ success with early literacy sets the stage for their success throughout their academic career and beyond. Students who are proficient readers at the end of third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school than their non-proficient peers.”1 We will ensure all our students are able to read on grade level by the end of third grade. We believe that a rigorous, high-quality, college preparatory education is deserved by all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, household income, ethnicity, native language, household educational level, or race. 1.2 School Legal Status. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is proposed to be a Shelby County Schools District charter school. Memphis Merit Academy will operate pursuant to a charter being granted by the Shelby County Schools District, a department of the Tennessee Department of Education, upon charter application approval. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School is a public school, and its status as a nonprofit corporation does not affect its status as a public school. However, for governance, finance,
1 Shelby County Schools. Destination 2025: 2016 Shelby County Schools Annual Report. Scsk12.org. Web. 27. Aug. 2017.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 229 of 250 and administrative purposes, Memphis Merit Academy operates as a Tennessee nonprofit corporation. The nonprofit’s Articles of Incorporation and non-profit status are provided as addendum to this manual. 1.3 Non-Discrimination Policy. The officers, directors, committee members, employees, and persons served by this corporation shall be selected entirely on a nondiscriminatory basis with respect to age, sex, race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation. It is the policy of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ancestry, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age physical ability, veteran’s status, political service or affiliation, color, religion, or national origin in admissions, hiring, selection or appointment to any office. Section 2 – The Board 2.1 Decision Making. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School has been created to serve students. All decisions by the Board of Directors and the administration should be made within the parameters of the mission and vision of the school, always keeping in mind the interest of students. 2.2 Policy Making. The Board shall be solely responsible for adopting, repealing or amending policies for Memphis Merit Academy Charter School. Action by the Board shall be accomplished as set forth in the bylaws. Except in cases of special need, the Board shall follow the following procedure in adopting, repealing or amending policies at Memphis Merit Academy: First Reading. The proposed policy shall be submitted for approval on first reading at a regular or special meeting of the Board called for that purpose. The proposed policy shall be contained in the Board packet distributed prior to the meeting. At first reading the Board shall receive public comment and comments from the sponsor of the proposed policy. A vote of the Board will be taken after the reading, and if the amendment receives a simple majority vote of the Directors present at the meeting, it will be placed on the agenda for a second reading at the next meeting of the Board. Second Reading. If the proposed policy is approved on first reading, it will be placed on the agenda and considered at the next regular or special meeting of the Board called for that purpose. No amendment shall be adopted at second reading unless the amendment receives a two-thirds vote of the Directors present at the meeting. If the proposed policy is adopted upon second reading it shall become a policy of Memphis Merit Academy, and the Policy Manual shall be amended accordingly. Special Need. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Directors present at a regular or special meeting called for that purpose, a special need may be declared. If a special need is declared, a policy may be adopted on first reading. A proposed policy should reference the policy provision it will be amending. Ideally, the entire policy will be reprinted with new language in all caps, and language to be deleted lined out. New policies should include the proposed table of contents, policy title, and code number. 2.3 Board Review of Administrative Procedures. The Board recognizes its role of ensuring the fiscal and organizational health of the school through oversight and continuous progress monitoring. The Head of School shall be responsible for day-to- day administration of affairs of Memphis Merit Academy and shall manage all activities of the school as prescribed by the Board. The Board need not review administrative policies and regulations in advance of issuance except as required by law. The Board should approve in advance any highly sensitive matters of policy and/or regulations that have the potential to impact its duties and obligations to Memphis Merit Academy and/or the Tennessee Department of Education. To that end, the Head of School shall exercise his or her discretion to identify and bring to the Board’s attention any such policies and regulations prior to issuance. Administrative policies and regulations should reference existing Board policy when applicable. The Board reserves the right to review administrative policies and regulations at its discretion. However, the Board shall revise or veto such regulations only when, in its judgment, such regulations are inconsistent with the Board’s policies.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 230 of 250 2.4 Summary of Tennessee Open Meeting Law. The Board will abide by the Open Meeting Law prescribed in Tennessee Law. The Open Meetings Act, commonly referred to as "Sunshine Law," is found in T.C.A. § 8-44-101 et seq. Any action taken in a meeting in violation of any of foregoing requirements is void. T.C.A. § 8-44-105. The requirements of this law are as follows: All meetings of any governing body are declared to be public meetings and must be open to the public at all times. T.C.A. § 8-44-102; Adequate public notice of all regular and special meetings must be given. T.C.A. § 8-44-103; The minutes of the meetings must be recorded and open to public inspection and at a minimum must contain a record of the persons present, all motions, proposals and resolutions offered, the results of any votes taken, and a record of individual votes in the event of a roll call. T.C.A. § 8-44- 104(a); and All votes must be by public vote, public ballot, or public roll call; secret votes are prohibited. T.C.A. § 8-44-104(b). 2.5 Board Attendance Policy. Purpose. This policy was developed with the recognition that Board membership is voluntary and that individual members contribute their time and energy in different ways. Because Board meetings are the only forum during which the Board can discuss and vote on major school policies and decisions, attendance at these meetings carries special importance. All Board members will receive a copy of this policy to ensure that everyone is properly informed about the expectations for Board attendance. Definitions. “Notified” Absence: For absence to be “notified,” a Board member must notify the person running the meeting (usually Chair or Vice-Chair) by 12:00pm the day of the meeting that s/he will be absent. “Un-notified” Absence: For absence to be “un-notified,” a Board member failed to notify the person running the meeting (usually Chair or Vice-Chair) by 12:00pm of meeting day that s/he will be absent. Unsatisfactory Attendance. If any of the following conditions exist, an individual board member will be considered to have unsatisfactory attendance: (1) the member has two “un-notified” absences in a row; (2) the member has three “notified” absences in a row; or (3) the member misses one third of the total number of Board meetings during one of their term years. Process for Responding to Unsatisfactory Attendance. The Board Vice Chair will keep track of Board member attendance through Board meeting minutes and will provide this information to the Chair. The Chair will directly contact a Board member at risk of potentially violating the policy to issue both verbal and written warning as well as discuss the problem. If a Board member does violate the policy, the Chair will bring this to the Board’s attention for discussion, after which point a majority vote will be held to determine possible Board termination. 2.5 Public Attendance at Board Meetings. Memphis Merit Academy will provide opportunities for any member of the community to express interest in and concern for the school. Accordingly, all community members will have access and be notified well in advance of all open meetings of the Board. A pre-scheduled time for public comment shall be a part of every regular Board meeting. The Board reserves the right to establish reasonable time limits for such public comment. Meetings are closed to the public only when the Board is meeting in executive session. An executive session may be called only to discuss matters not appropriate for public discussion, as defined under Tennessee law. An executive session may be called only upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the quorum present. No formal action of the Board may be taken in any executive session. Persons who wish to make requests, presentations, or proposals to the Board should direct any inquiry to the Head of School, who will respond according to the following procedures: The Head of School will consult with the Board Chair and, if appropriate, other Board members about including the request on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. If the item is included on the agenda, the Board will receive in their packet for the next regularly scheduled meeting written information directly from the person making the request. If specific Board action is being requested, that action should be in the written document. The person may present their information orally to the Board when the agenda item is discussed. The Board reserves right to establish reasonable time limits for public comment and presentations. Notice of meetings of the Memphis Merit Academy Board shall be posted in the school offices and on the school website at least 7 days prior to the meeting and in full compliance with all public meeting laws in the state of Tennessee.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 231 of 250 2.7 Standing Committees. Academic Achievement Committee will be responsible for reviewing school assessment policies and procedures and ensuring that those policies conform to district and state standards. The Committee is responsible for reviewing results of school assessment programs and reporting findings to the Board. Finance Committee will be responsible for reviewing and submitting an annual balanced budget to the Board and, after Board approval, making the budget available to the public. The Committee will oversee preparation of the annual report, including audited financial statements, and other exhibits required by the Tennessee Department of Education, and make them available to the public as stated in Tennessee law. Governance Committee will be responsible for setting criteria for Board election and identifying and evaluating candidates for the Board of Directors. The Committee will present a slate of candidates for election to the Board at least once annually. Election will be by a simple majority of the sitting Board and will conduct the Board self-evaluation, described in Section 2.13. 2.8 Ad-Hoc-Committees. The Memphis Merit Academy Charter School Board of Directors reserves, per its bylaws, the ability to appoint ad-hoc committees of an advisory nature regarding pertinent business of the board comprised of board members or community members appointed by the board. 2.9 Board Fundraising Policy. The Board of Directors is a 100% giving Board. Board members are expected to give an annual monetary gift to Memphis Merit Academy and are asked to make Memphis Merit Academy a priority in their personal giving. Board members are expected to be involved in fundraising by using their personal and business connections when appropriate, by soliciting funds when appropriate, by serving on fund-raising committees, and by attending fund-raising events. 2.10 Board Election Procedures. The Governance Committee shall prepare and submit to the Board a report of the nominees it recommends for election to the Board. The number of seats available shall be determined in accordance with the by-laws. Whenever possible, nominated board member credentials will be presented one meeting prior to their election. Board members will be elected by a 2/3 vote of the quorum present at the meeting during which elections are held. Each director shall serve from the next scheduled Board meeting after the election until the end of his or her term as determined by the Board. 2.11 Board Self Evaluation. Efficient and effective performance of the Board can have significant impact on the school’s success and is an essential component of good governance. The Board through the Governance Committee will conduct an annual assessment of its own work. This Committee shall determine the format of the assessment, but it must include a formal written survey/self-assessment tool. The evaluation process should be designed to encourage constructive feedback aimed at improvement. 2.12 Indemnification Policy. The school will purchase and maintain Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O), liability insurance payable to the directors and officers of a corporation, or to the organization itself, as indemnification (reimbursement) for losses or advancement of defense costs if insured suffers such a loss as a result of legal action brought for alleged wrongful acts in capacity as directors and officers. The corporation will not provide indemnification for items arising from individual’s participation in excess benefit or self-dealing transaction. Indemnification may be denied in a proceeding brought by or on behalf of the corporation (except for expenses), if it is determined that the indemnitee did not meet the standard of conduct required. This indemnification includes expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding if s/he acted in good faith and in a matter s/he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation. With respect to criminal action or proceeding, s/he must have had no reasonable cause to believe conduct was unlawful. Section 3 – Ethics
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 232 of 250 3.1 Confidentiality Policy. It is the policy of Memphis Merit Academy that directors and employees may not disclose, divulge, or make accessible confidential information belonging to, or obtained through their affiliation with Memphis Merit Academy to any person, including relatives, friends and business and professional associates, other than to persons who have a legitimate need for such information and to whom Memphis Merit Academy has authorized disclosure. Directors and employees shall use confidential information solely for the purpose of performing services as a director or employee for Memphis Merit Academy. This policy is not intended to prevent disclosure where disclosure is required by law. Directors must exercise good judgment and care at all times to avoid unauthorized or improper disclosures of confidential information. Conversations in public places, such as restaurants, elevators, and airplanes, should be limited to matters that do not pertain to information of a sensitive or confidential nature. In addition, directors and employees should be sensitive to the risk of inadvertent disclosure and should for example, refrain from leaving confidential information on desks or otherwise in plain view and refrain from the use of speaker phones to discuss confidential information if the conversation could be heard by unauthorized persons. At the end of a director’s term in office or upon termination of an employee’s employment, he or she shall return, at the request of Memphis Merit Academy all documents, papers, and other materials, regardless of medium, which may contain or be derived from confidential information, in his or her possession. Section 4 – Leadership 4.1 Head of School Policy. The Board shall rely on its Chair and the Head of School to provide professional and administrative leadership. The Head of School shall be hired by and report directly to the Board. The Head of School will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the school’s affairs and will manage and direct all activities of the organization as prescribed by the Board. The Head of School will have the power to hire and discharge employees of the school and will oversee and direct their activities in carrying out the work of the school. The Head of School is the Board’s only link to operational achievement and conduct, so that all authority and accountability of staff, as far as the board is concerned, is considered the authority and accountability of the Head of School. The Head of School will, directly or indirectly, supervise all other staff members employed by the school and is responsible for selecting staff members, conducting staff evaluations, and recommending compensation levels. Accordingly: (1) The Board will never give instructions to persons who report directly or indirectly to the Head of School. (2) The Board will refrain from evaluating any staff other than the Head of School. (3) The Board will use the performance of the school as a primary indicator of the school leader's performance. Annual Head of School Performance Evaluation. Charter schools receive autonomy over fiscal management and the academic program in exchange for accountability, which measures the school’s attainment of specific mission-oriented academic, operational, and governance goals. The Board of Directors’ key responsibility is to manage the school through the performance of the Head of School of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School. There are three core purposes of the evaluation: to recognize areas of particular strength and success, to identify areas for improvement and/or focus, articulate areas for improvement and/or focus, and to inform the board’s request for a plan of action from the school leader that addresses how the goals in the charter will be met. Annually, the Board will convene an ad hoc Head of School Evaluation Committee, to consist of three members to include the Board Chair, Treasurer, and member of the Academic Accountability Committee. The Committee will conduct the evaluation in accordance with its Head of School Evaluation Protocol (which provides guidelines for: how to gather information to inform the evaluation; a timeline for evaluation activities that aligns with the school year; and what to include in the written evaluation). 4.2 Leadership Sustainability Policy. The Memphis Merit Academy charter school will have a sustainability policy that: Ensures ongoing and continuous development of leadership capacity at the
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 233 of 250 Head of School and Board levels; Responds in a timely and effective manner to an emergency leadership transition; Responds in a timely and effective manner to a planned leadership transition. Section 5 – Media Policy 5.1 Media Policy. This Media Policy applies to all employees of Memphis Merit Academy as well as members of the Board of Directors. This policy covers all external news media including broadcast, electronic, and print. To ensure the quality and consistency of organizational information disseminated to media sources, the following policy shall be enforced: (1) All media contacts are to be handled by the Head of School, or his or her designee, regardless of who the media representative is or whom he or she represents or how innocuous the request. (2) All press releases or other promotional materials are to be approved by the Head of School or his or her designee prior to dissemination. (3) If a reporter, producer, or other news media person should contact an employee of Memphis Merit Academy or a member of the Board of Directors, the individual who is contacted should refer the media person to the Head of School. Section 6 – Finance and Accounting The Board will ratify, annually review and maintain a separate Fiscal Policy Manual to cover the robust breadth and depth of fiscal compliance and governance. This Policy Manual will contain clear policies to provide for legal compliance, best practices in alignment with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and best-in-class fiscal governance. To establish these policies, Memphis Merit Academy will consult with a back-office provider in creating a draft financial policy handbook which will ultimately be approved by the Board. The policies and procedures will detail the internal institutional controls necessary in reporting, procurement, purchasing, and all transactional approvals. The Head of School, Dean of Operations, and Treasurer will serve as the three chief financial agents of the organization; all processes requiring the disbursement and management of funds will require the proper segregation of duties and double approvals necessary to ensure fiscal oversight, and compliance with the law and GAAP. Minimally, the policies will outline: (1) Preparation of financial statements such as Balance Sheets, Cash Flow, YTD Actuals to ensure timely, accurate review by the Finance Committee and Board of Directors; (2) Budgeting creating and approval process which allow for thorough review by the Finance Committee and approval for timely submission to the authorizer; (3) Securing a reputable auditor, and engaging in an annual audit; (4) Bank account management and segregation of duties between issuing and signing checks, opening and closing accounts, and completing monthly reconciliations; (5) Petty cash management policy and deposit policy; (6) Contracting and RFP thresholds processes and policies; (7) Purchasing controls and segregation of duties. Management and the Treasurer will collaborate with a back-office provider to create a draft financial policy manual, to be reviewed by the Finance Committee and ultimately approved by the Board. Purchasing. Any equipment with an estimated value of $10,000 or more shall be purchased through competitive bidding or comparative pricing by at least three vendors whenever possible per Tennessee state legislation. Comparative pricing or competitive bidding should also be used periodically for regularly purchased materials, supplies, services, and insurance. (1) Property. The Board chair must approve the purchase or disposition of any asset with a value of $10,000 or less. The purchase or sale of any asset of higher value shall be approved by the Board. Purchase or sale of any real estate must be approved by the Board. (2) Risk Management Policy. Memphis Merit Academy is committed to protecting its human, financial, and goodwill assets and resources through the practice of effective risk management. The Board of Directors and management are dedicated to safeguarding the safety and dignity of its paid and volunteer staff, its clients, and anyone who has contact with the organization. To this end, the board will ensure that the organization has a risk management plan for the organization that is reviewed and updated on an annual basis.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 234 of 250 ATTACHMENT G: School Organization Chart
Y1 of Operations, 2019-2020 – Enrollment of 120 Students Year 1 will have 1 Head of School, 1 Dean of Operations, 1 Office Manager, 1 Student Supports Coordinator, one part-time ELL teacher, 8 General Education Teachers1 and one part-time PE teacher. All teachers will be fully certified general education teachers.
Y3 - 2021-2022 - Enrollment of 240 Students Year 3 will have 1 Head of School, 1 Dean of Operations, 1 Office Manager, 1 Student Supports Coordinator, 1 ELL teacher, 16 General Education Teachers2 and 1 PE teacher. All teachers will be fully certified general education teachers.
1 Includes 1 dually certified teacher in elementary education and ESL per grade level. 2 lbid.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 235 of 250 Y5 - 2022-2023 - Enrollment of 360 Students Year 4 will have 1 Head of School, 1 Director of Operations, 1 Dean of Academics, 1 Office Manager, 1 Student Supports Coordinator, 1 ELL teacher, 25 General Education Teachers3 and 1 PE teacher, 1 Spanish teacher, and 1 STEM teacher. All teachers will be fully certified general education teachers.
Y8. Enrollment of 540 Students Year 8 will have 1 Head of School, 1 Director of Operations, 1 Director of Student Supports, 1 Director of Lower School, and 1 Director of Upper of School, 1 Dean of Culture, 2
Dean of Academics, 40 general teachers4, 1 P.E. teacher, 1 Spanish, 1 STEM teacher, 4 special education teachers, 2 ELL teachers, 2 office managers, and 2 operations fellows.
3 Includes 1 dually certified teacher in elementary education and ESL per grade level. 4 Includes 1 dually certified teacher in elementary education and ESL per grade level. Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 236 of 250 ATTACHMENT H: School Leader Resume
[email protected] 8460 Kamin Lane, Memphis, TN 38125 901-240-1009
LAKENNA BOOKER ACCOMPLISHMENTS Mrs. Booker has visited more than 60 high-performing schools across the nation to inform her practice. Mrs. Booker is a published author of The 5E’s of Inquiry-Based Science with Shell Publications. She is a national professional development trainer with Teacher Created Materials, Inc. for literacy integration across content areas and STEM instruction.
PROFESSIONAL FELLOW, BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS EXPERIENCE August 2017 - Present Selected for a highly-competitive (less than 1-3% acceptance rate) charter school leadership fellowship by a nationally- nonprofit leadership incubation organization, responsible for supporting leaders of some of Tennessee’s highest performing charter schools and toured more than 60 high performing charter schools nationwide. Began work of founding Memphis Merit Academy in simultaneity, spending roughly two weeks a month in Memphis area, and two weeks traveling for purposes above.
DEAN OF INSTRUCTION, GESTALT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS October 2014 – August 2017 Coached teachers based on TEM rubric and Tennessee Academic Standards RTI2 Coordinator and data analyst for school-wide data on interim, nationally normed, and state assessments Developed and led school-wide professional development plan Analyzed curriculum choices and addressed gaps of curriculum selections Served as Building Test Coordinator for all assessments school-wide CLASSROOM TEACHER, SHELBY COUNTY / LEGACY MEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS May 2007 – July 2014 Taught in the Summer School Program for grades 3-8 in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies Served as Demonstration Classroom Teacher for Memphis Striving Reader’s Grant and presented findings at the United States Department of Education PUBLISHED AUTHOR/ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINER May 2008 – Published 2013 Presented around the nation to educators and districts on topics such as differentiation, content literacy, and STEM instruction. Researched effective STEM instruction to co-author The 5E’s of Inquiry-Based Science
EDUCATION CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY —MEMPHIS, TN —SCHOOL LEADERSHIP LICENSE 2013-2014 Concentration on Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership; Degree obtained in a the 3R’s program for professionals transitioning as STEM professionals.
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS —MEMPHIS, TN —MASTERS +45 2008-2010 Participation in The Memphis Content Literacy Academy (2008-2010) to receive focused training on content literacy. UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS —MEMPHIS, TN —MASTER OF ART IN TEACHING 2007-2008 Concentration on Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership; Degree obtained in a the 3R’s program for professionals transitioning as STEM professionals. UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEEE AT MARTIN —MARTIN, TN —BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY 2007-2008
REFERENCES CANDICE POLLAN TONYA RANDALL SUE WALSH OPTIONAL SCHOOL COORDINATOR Former Principal CAO, BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS EMAIL:SWALSH@BUILDINGEXCELLENTSCHOOL EMAIL: [email protected] Nexus STEM Academy Middle S.ORG 901-626-6390 Email: [email protected] 617-227-4545 X221 PHONE: 678-709-7362 Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 237 of 250 ATTACHMENT I: Employee Manual
Overview This employee manual outlines the policies and procedures governing employment with Memphis Merit Academy to help us deliver on our mission. This manual explains the Memphis Merit Academy’s basic employment policies and governs above any all implied policies. It may be necessary to modify, update, revoke, replace or possibly terminate policies outlined in the employee manual. At the discretion of Memphis Merit Academy’s Board of Directors and Head of School, we reserve the right to make changes without notice. The language outlined in this manual is for informational purposes only. The employee manual contains policies and practices of the school but is not a statement of all policies and practices. The policies and procedures listed below are not intended as a contract between Memphis Merit Academy Charter School (“Memphis Merit Academy” or the “School”) and its employees. This handbook is a general guide to the employment policies of Memphis Merit Academy. Refer to it when you have question or concerns about terms and conditions of your employment. After reading the handbook, if you have any questions, you are encouraged to discuss them with the Head of School. The Head of School is the only representative of the School having authority to authorize promises, representations, or statements concerning employment for a specified period of time or differences from the policies outlined in this handbook. This manual is applicable to all employees of the School, unless otherwise stated by the Head of School. The School remains solely responsible for the interpretation of the provisions in this manual and its applications.
PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 1.1. Equal Opportunity Employment Memphis Merit Academy is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and makes all employment decisions based on qualifications to perform the work without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other classes as protected by law. 1.2 Non-Discrimination Policy/Anti-Harassment Policy Memphis Merit Academy is committed to providing a work environment for all employees free from sexual harassment and other types of discriminatory harassment. All employees are expected to show respect to their co-workers and conduct themselves in a professional manner. The non-discrimination policy and anti-harassment policy covers all employees. Non-Discrimination Policy Memphis Merit Academy prohibits any form of unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. Anti-Harassment Policy Memphis Merit specifically prohibits any form of unlawful harassment based on race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. Harassment may include, but is not limited to, derogatory, vulgar or offensive comments or jokes, and distribution of written or graphic material containing such comments or jokes. Sexual harassment is considered to be the following: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and all other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual or otherwise offensive nature, especially when: Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individual’s employment; or such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 238 of 250 intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment;
Reporting of Discrimination and/or Harassment Any employee who has a complaint of sexual harassment or any other type of discriminatory harassment at work by anyone, including supervisors, co-workers, or visitors, should immediately bring the matter to the attention of the Head of School. In the event the harassment or discrimination involves the Head of School, the complaint may go directly to the Board of Directors via the Board Chair. If Memphis Merit Academy determines that a violation of this policy has occurred, it will take appropriate disciplinary action against the offending party, which can include warnings, suspension, or termination. 1.3 Accommodations of Individuals with Disabilities Any qualified individuals with a disability may make a request for reasonable accommodation to the Head of School. On receipt of an accommodation request, the Head of School will meet with the requesting individual to discuss and identify the precise limitations resulting from the disability and the possible reasonable accommodation(s) that Memphis Merit Academy might make to help overcome those limitations. Memphis Merit Academy may request medical certification from the individual’s doctor to verify the disability and the precise nature of the limitations. 1.4 Background Checks To help ensure that all staff members at Memphis Merit Academy are of the highest quality, we will conduct extensive checks of employment references, educational verification and Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) on all applicants prior to extending an offer of employment. Your employment with Memphis Merit Academy is contingent on your timely cooperation in and satisfactory results from background checks (both at the time of hire and from time to time during employment). 1.5 Employment at Will An employee’s relationship with Memphis Merit Academy is an employment “at will.” Accordingly, either the employee or the School may terminate the employment relationship at any time with or without cause. However, no person other than the Head of School has authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time and any such agreement must be in writing. 1.6 Performance Review To constantly improve as a School, staff members of Memphis Merit Academy must continuously reflect upon and work to progress their craft. Performance reviews and evaluations, both informal and formal, will be vital part of every staff member’s professional development.
2.1 Employment Classifications All employees of Memphis Merit Academy will be classified as either full-time or part-time, and either exempt or non-exempt. The School may also hire consultants and/or temporary employees. • Full-time employees: Full time employees are those who are scheduled to work the full-academic year and who work no fewer than 40 hours per week. All full-time employees are eligible to participate in the School’s benefits program. • Part-Time Employees: Part time employees are those who work fewer than 40 hours per week. Part- time employees are not eligible to participate in the School’s benefits program. • Exempt/Non-Exempt: Memphis Merit Academy will abide by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in determining whether an employee is exempt or non-exempt. Employees classified as exempt are not eligible to receive overtime pay. • Consultant: Consultants are independent contractors who work under a consultancy agreement. Consultants have no employee status and are not eligible for benefits.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 239 of 250 2.2 Work Day Schedules Memphis Merit Academy employees are expected to work as many hours each day as needed to contribute fully to the fulfillment of the School’s mission. Teachers begin employment on the first day of Summer Training (MERIT Institute) and end June 30 the following year. Unless otherwise agreed upon with the Head of School, all staff must arrive at School at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of morning work and remain at School until the completion of student dismissal.
2.3 Pay Schedule Employees are paid twice per month, on the 15th and 30th of the month (or last day of the month for February). All requisite contributions to benefits will be split evenly between these paychecks.
2.4 School Closings In the event of poor weather conditions such as heavy snow, ice or rain, please listen to local TV or radio stations for relevant information regarding School cancellations or delays. Memphis Merit Academy follows the delay and cancellation policies of Shelby County Schools. If SCS is closed or delayed, this Memphis Merit Academy will follow suit, accordingly.
2.5 Benefits The Employee is eligible to participate in the benefits program available to all full-time employees, including health, dental, life, and disability insurance benefits, subject to the terms and conditions of the benefit plans.
3.1 School Vacations and Holidays: Academic Year Employees Full-time academic year employees are not expected to work on days on which the School closes for School vacations and holidays; however, teachers will continue to receive their salary during School vacations and holidays.
3.2 School Vacations and Holidays: Calendar Year Employees Full-time calendar year employees are employed year-round, including during days when the School closes for vacations. However, they are not expected to work on the following major holidays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July. In addition to sick and personal days described below, full-time administrators receive ten (10) days of paid vacation each summer.
3.3 Sick Days Every full-time employee is entitled to nine (9) paid sick days per School year. If an employee is not able to report to work because of a sickness, or sickness to someone dependent on them for care such as a parent, spouse, partner, or child, it is expected that the employee will contact the Head of School with as much advance notice as possible, and by 5:30 am on the day of the absence, allowing enough time for Head of School to find substitute teacher or temporary help. Sick days will not roll over from year to year.
3.4 Personal Days Every full-time employee is entitled to three (3) paid personal leave days per School year beginning September 1 to be available for use through June 30. Employees with unused personal leave days by June 30 of each year will receive compensation for these days following June 30. Personal days need to be requested at least a week in advance and will be approved by the Head of School.
3.5 Bereavement Policy Full-time employees are entitled to take up to five (5) consecutive days off, with pay, to attend to a family death. Employees may be granted additional time without pay or may use unused personal leave days for additional bereavement leave.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 240 of 250 3.6 Military Leave The Unified Services Employment and Re-employment Act (USERRA) provides job-protected leaves of absence to employees who serve in the military for up to five (5) years (cumulatively) and who are honorably discharged at the conclusion of their service. Such leave will be granted whether the service is voluntary or involuntary.
3.7 Family Care, Maternity, and Adoption Leaves of Absence Full-time employees of Memphis Merit Academy who have completed at least ninety (90) days of continuous employment will be entitled to an unpaid leave of absence for family care, maternity or adoption. An employee may apply for a family care leave of absence to care for certain members of his/her immediate family (parents, children, spouse, domestic partner, siblings, and grandparents) due to the family member’s serious health condition. Family care leaves of absence also may be used to care for a newborn or newly adopted child as maternity leave, paternity leave, and adoption leave. Family care leaves of absence may be authorized for up to twelve (12) weeks. Proper documentation may be required for these leaves.
3.8 Returns from Leave If an employee returns to work at or before the scheduled expiration of a leave of absence and within twelve (12) weeks, he or she is entitled to return to the same or an equivalent job, if available, with no reduction in salary or benefits. If an employee requires more than one family care leave of absence in any rolling twelve (12) month period, then the employee’s job will be held for a total of ninety (90) days. The ninety (90) day period will include all leave time used in connection with all family care leave taken during the previous twelve (12) months, not just the leave time used in connection with the current leave. If an employee does not return to work at or before the scheduled expiration of the leave, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily resigned.
4.1 Dress Code All staff members are expected to wear professional dress to work each day. We set a positive example for students by dressing professionally when performing any duties associated with the School. Dresses and blouses may be sleeveless, but only in the most literal sense—any form of tank top is prohibited. The following items are considered to be inappropriate: jeans, shorts, tank tops, sweat suits, flip-flops or sandals, and leggings. In addition, ripped or soiled clothing is always inappropriate. Please note that if a staff member comes to school dressed in an unprofessional manner, s(he) may be asked to return home to find more suitable garments. Exceptions to this policy will be made on certain occasions (e.g. Field Trips, etc.), and for certain staff, such as the fitness instructor.
4.2 Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy Employees may not use any tobacco products on School grounds, anywhere off School grounds that is visible from School grounds, or anywhere that it could be reasonably expected to encounter students during or outside of the School day. Any violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action.
4.3 Drug-Free Workplace Policy In accordance with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act, which requires that Schools maintain a drug- free workplace as a condition of receiving federal grants and contracts, Memphis Merit Academy prohibits the possession, distribution or use of alcohol or any illegal narcotic, drug, or controlled substance on its premises or during any School activity. Employees who report to work under the influence of alcohol or of an illegal drug, narcotic, or controlled substance will be subject to disciplinary action, including immediate discharge. An employee taking prescription medicines as prescribed for that employee by a licensed medical doctor will not be in violation of this policy.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 241 of 250 4.4 Cellphone Policy During any act where staff are responsible for monitoring students, they are prohibited from using cellphones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) for any reason including phone calls, texting, or web access. This includes while staff are teaching, monitoring groups (e.g. lunch, breakfast, emergency drills, etc.) or while representing the School at official functions. Staff members who are issued School cellphones as part of their duties are exempt from this policy, but phones should be used only as needed to the fulfill functions objectives and of job.
4.5 Electronic Mail, Communications and Information System Policy The School’s email and other computer applications are intended for use by employees engaged in administrative or educational work. Employees who use these systems for personal communications are subject to the terms of this policy. The School reserves the right to review all email messages and Internet transactions, and users of the School’s systems have no right to privacy in messages either sent or received. The use of obscene or harassing language when sending email message is strictly prohibited. Similarly, employees may not use the Internet to send, access, display, download or print pornographic or sexually explicit materials, derogatory, racial or religious messages, or other material which a reasonable person would find offensive. Such conduct may be grounds for discipline, up to and including termination.
4.6 Communications Expectations Staff is expected to check email and voicemail a minimum of three times daily. All non-emergency emails and voicemails that require a reply should be responded to within 48 hours. Replies may let the party know that you will get back to them with further information at a specific, later time. All emails and their content should be treated confidentially. No papers, fliers, surveys or other information may be distributed in the School without written approval from an administrator.
4.7 Media Policy This Media Policy applies to all employees of Memphis Merit Academy as well as members of the Board of Directors. This policy covers all external news media including broadcast, electronic, and print. To ensure the quality and consistency of organizational information disseminated to media sources, the following policy shall be enforced: All media contacts are to be handled by the Head of School, or his or her designee, regardless of who the media representative is or whom he or she represents or how innocuous the request; All press releases or other promotional materials are to be approved by the Head of School or his or her designee prior to dissemination; If a reporter, producer, or other news media person should contact an employee of Memphis Merit Academy or a member of the Board of Directors, the individual who is contacted should refer the media person to the Head of School.
4.8 Confidentiality It is the policy of the School to ensure that the operations, activities and business affairs of the School are kept confidential to the greatest possible extent. If during the course of employment, the employee acquires confidential information or proprietary information about the School and its students, such information is to be handled in strict confidence and is not to be discussed with persons outside the School. Such confidential information includes, but is not limited to, the following: student records, compensation, certain policies and procedures and, and building and security-related information. Employees are responsible for the internal security of such information. Keeping all of the School’s proprietary information confidential is part of your employment arrangement with the School. This obligation shall remain in effect during your employment at the School and at all times thereafter.
4.9 Mandated Reporter Policy All School personnel are mandated reporters of suspected abuse and/or neglect. Mandated reporters are
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 242 of 250 required to report suspected child maltreatment immediately when they have “reasonable cause to believe that a child who is 17 years of age or younger and known to them in a professional or official capacity has been harmed or is in danger of being harmed –physically, sexually, or through neglect—and that a caregiver either committed the harm or should have taken steps to prevent the child from harm.” “Once you become aware that a student may be a victim of abuse or neglect, you MUST take the following steps: (1) Notify the Head of School of the situation. (2) Call the DCS hotline at 1-877-542-2873. (3) Complete an incident report.
The Head of School will assist you and the student in understanding the ramifications of the call and, when appropriate, will contact the parent/guardian. No one in the workplace, even a supervisor, is permitted to suppress, change, or edit a report of abuse. A mandated reporter who willfully fails to report suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect is subject to license suspension or revocation and commits a misdemeanor. Falsely reporting information to the hotline is also a misdemeanor.
4.10 Property and Workplace Searches Teachers may bring their own property to School for use in their classroom or desk. The School is not responsible for any property lost or stolen during, or outside of School hours. To safeguard the safety and property of our employees, students and Memphis Merit Academy, the School reserves the right to inspect any packages, parcels, purses, handbags, briefcases, or any other possession or articles carried to and from work areas. Therefore, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to items brought onto the School premises. It is considered to be part of each employee’s job at Memphis Merit Academy to cooperate fully with such searches. Refusal to cooperate may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
4.11 Outside Employment and Activity Policy Employment outside of the School is strongly discouraged. Any outside employment that an employee decides to pursue must not conflict in any way with staff responsibilities within the School. Employees may not conduct outside work or use School property, equipment or facilities in connection with outside work while on School time.
4.12 Being Alone with Students No staff member or other adult should be alone with any student, regardless of age or gender, behind a closed door or in any other isolated situation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF EMPLOYEE MANUAL
I have received my copy of the EMPLOYEE Manual, which outlines the personnel policies of Memphis Merit Academy Charter School. I will familiarize myself with the information in the Manual and agree to observe these policies in all aspects.
I recognize that the Manual does not constitute a contractual agreement and that either the School or I may terminate my employment at any time for any reason, with or without cause, and I understand that no manager or representative of the School, other than the Head of School has any authority to enter into any employment agreement for a specified period of time or to make any promises or commitments contrary to the foregoing.
Employee’s Signature
Date Employee’s Printed Name
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 243 of 250 ATTACHMENT J: Insurance Coverage
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 244 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 245 of 250 Scanned by CamScanner ATTACHMENT O: Planning and Budget Worksheet
New Charter School Application Budget Template Instructions
Template Tabs
1) Proposed School Information Enter proposed school name, contact information, and proposed year of opening 2) Student Assumptions Enter enrollment and key student demographic information assumptions 3) Pre-Opening Budget Enter budget details and assumptions for 12 month period prior to Year 1 4) Pre-Opening Cash Flow Enter cash flow details and assumptions for 12 month period prior to Year 1 5) Years 1-5 Staff Assumptions Enter staffing assumptions; assumptions will drive over tabs 6) Year 1 Budget Enter budget details and assumptions for Year 1 7) Year 1 Cash Flow Enter cash flow details and assumptions for Year 1 (July to June 12 month period) 8) Years 2 through 5 Budget Enter budget details and assumptions for Years 2 through 5 9) Summary Informational; enter a starting fund balance if applicable
Template Guidance
Input financial information into light yellow cells Input assumption information or notes into light green cells Provides additional information or instruction for specific tab or section of tab
Cells with red comment tag include additional guidance and instruction
Note: This is not a budgeting tool, but rather a standardized format for sharing key budget information for the proposed charter school. You may add additional worksheets to this workbook to otherwise supplement the information being provided on the existing worksheets.
Developed in partnership with
Template Version 02222017
1 of 10 Instructions Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Proposed School Information
Proposed School Name Memphis Merit Academy Lead Sponsor Name Lakenna Booker Lead Sponsor E‐mail Address [email protected] Lead Sponsor Phone Number 901‐240‐1009 CMO/EMO Affiliation N/A
Proposed Authorizer Shelby County Schools Proposed Opening Grade Level(s) Kindergarten & 1st Grade Proposed Final Grade Level(s) 8th Grade Proposed First Year of Operations 2019‐20
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Anticipated Enrollment 120 180 240 300 360 Note: These cells auto‐populate after completing Tab 2.
Proposed School Information 2 of 10 Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Student Assumptions
Enrollment Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Pre‐Kindergarten (Informational Only) 00000
Kindergarten 60 60 60 60 60 1st Grade 60 60 60 60 60 2nd Grade 0 60606060 3rd Grade 0 0 60 60 60 4th Grade 0 0 0 60 60 5th Grade 000060 6th Grade 00000 7th Grade 00000 8th Grade 00000 9th Grade 00000 10th Grade 00000 11th Grade 00000 12th Grade 00000
Total Enrollment (excluding Pre‐ Kindergarten) 120 180 240 300 360
Change in Net Enrollment 120 60 60 60 60
# of Classes By Grade
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Pre‐Kindergarten (Informational Only) 00000
Kindergarten 22222 1st Grade 22222 2nd Grade 02222 3rd Grade 00222 4th Grade 00022 5th Grade 00002 6th Grade 00000 7th Grade 00000 8th Grade 00000 9th Grade 00000 10th Grade 00000 11th Grade 00000 12th Grade 00000
Total # of Classes 4 6 8 10 12
Change in Net # of Classes42222
Other Key Assumptions Enter Estimated Percentages
SPED % 8% 8% 8% 8% 8% SPED Count 10 14 19 24 29
ELL % 33% 33% 33% 33% 33% ELL Count 40 59 79 99 119
Anticipated Paid % 23% 23% 23% 23% 23% Anticipated Reduced % 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% Anticipated Free % 67% 67% 67% 67% 67% Anticipated Paid Count 28 41 55 69 83 Anticipated Reduced Count 12 18 24 30 36 Anticipated Free Count 80 121 161 201 241 Total Free and Reduced Count 92 139 185 231 277
School Days 180 180 180 180 180 Attendance Rate 96% 96% 96% 96% 96%
3 of 10 Student Assumptions Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Pre‐Opening Budget
Revenue Assumptions
Year 0 2018-19
Federal Revenues Rate/Assumption Amount Assumption Notes
CSP Startup Grant ‐
Fundraising & Philanthropy Detail any private funding sources Walton Family Foundation $325,000 325,000 Board Contributions $10,000 10,000 board commitment for fundraising or donations Other ‐ Other ‐ Other ‐
Total Revenues 335,000
Additional Space to Provide Fundraising Details
Compensation Assumptions
Year 0 2018‐19
Administrative Staff FTE Count Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader 0.83 75,000 Head of School from September 2018 to June 2019 Assistant Principal 0.00 ‐ Special Education Coordinator 0.00 ‐ Deans, Directors 0.00 ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.50 30,000 Director of Operations from January 2019 to June 2019 Total Administrative Compensation 1.33 105,000
Instructional Staff Teachers 0.00 ‐ Special Education Teachers 0.00 ‐ Educational Assistants/Aides 0.00 ‐ Elective Teachers 0.00 ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 ‐ Total Instructional Compensation 0.00 ‐
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff 0.00 ‐ Custodial Staff 0.00 ‐ Operations 0.00 ‐ Social Workers/Counseling 0.00 ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 ‐ Total Non‐Instructional Compensation 0.00 ‐
Bonus ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐
Total FTE Count 1.33 Total Compensation 105,000
Employer Benefits & Tax Assumptions
Year 0 2018‐19
Base Assumption Assumption Notes Social Security 6.20% 6,510 6.2% of all wages during pre‐opening Medicare 1.45% 1,523 1.45% of all wages during pre‐opening State Unemployment $300 900 estimated $300 per employee per calendar (UI rate on first $7K per employee per calendar year) Disability/Life Insurance 0.00% ‐ N/A in pre‐opening Workers Compensation Insurance 1.00% 1,050 1.00% of all wages during pre‐opening Other Fringe Benefits 0.00% ‐ N/A in pre‐opening Medical Insurance $300 4,800 $300 per month per employee Dental Insurance $75 1,200 $75 per month per employee Vision Insurance $25 400 $25 per month per employee Other Retirement 0.00% ‐ N/A in pre‐opening
Total Employer Benefits & Taxes 16,382.5
Operating Expenses
Year 0 2018‐19
Contracted Services Assumption Notes Professional Development $13,000 13,000 $3K STEP Leader training + traveling to high‐performing schools within BES network; $10K BES Follow On Coaching Support Financial Services $2,000 12,000 $2K/month for bookkeeping and accounting services between January 2019 and June 2019 Audit Services $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Legal Fees $2,500 2,500 retainer Copier Lease and Usage $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Internet and Phone Service $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Cell Phone Service $50 500 $50/month between September 2018 through June 2019 Payroll Services $150 1,500 $150/month between September 2018 through June 2019 Health Services $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Transportation $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening IT Services & SIS $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Contracted SPED Services $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Response to Intervention $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Postal Charges $20 200 $20/month between September 2018 through June 2019 Bank Charges $20 200 $20/month between September 2018 through June 2019
Supplies & Materials Textbooks and Instructional Supplies $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Education Software $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Field Trips $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening SPED Materials $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Library Books & Enrichment Supplies $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Testing & Evaluation $475 4,275 STEP kits at $475/grade level (9 total at full size) Student Laptops $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Staff Laptops $750 1,500 $750 per laptop for 2 staff Office Supplies $300 300 start‐up related supplies (paper, staples, notebooks, etc.) Printing Paper $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Marketing Materials $6,500 6,500 $5K for website design/hosting; $1,500 other for social media ads Student Uniforms $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Gifts & Awards ‐ Students & Staff $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Custodial Supplies $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Parent/Community Meetings $300 1,500 $300/meeting for at least 10 parents each meeting; 5 total meetings
Facility Related Expenses Rent $5 12,000 $5/square foot for 9,600 square feet in Y1; prorated April 2019 through June 2019 to cover buildout period Utilities $2 4,800 $2/square foot for 9,600 square feet in Y1; prorated April 2019 through June 2019 to cover buildout period Custodial $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Waste $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Staff Furniture $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Student Furniture $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Internet/Network Equipment $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Other Equipment $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Building Decorum $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Tenant Improvements $7 67,200 $7/square foot for 9,600 square feet in Y1 Insurance $4,000 4,000 General Liability and D&O; limited property coverage for April 2019 to June 2019 Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Other Charges Staff Recruitment $500 6,000 $500 per hired staff member in Y1 excluding school leader Student Recruitment & Community Engagement $35 4,200 $35 per student in Y1 Background Checks $50 100 $50 per hired staff member during pre‐opening Authorizer Fees $0 ‐ N/A during pre‐opening Other $0 ‐
Debt Service Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Total Operating Expenses 142,275
Total Expenses 263,658
Pre‐Opening Budget 4 of 10 Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Pre‐Opening Cash Flow
Cash Flow Summary
Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0 2018-19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Beginning Cash ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 296,279 285,933 275,587 265,241 245,758 227,675 209,592 163,509 117,426
Revenues Federal Revenues ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Fundraising & Philanthropy 335,000 ‐ ‐ 326,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 335,000 ‐
Total Revenues 335,000 ‐ ‐ 326,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 335,000 ‐
Expenses Staffing 105,000 ‐ ‐ 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 105,000 ‐ Employer Benefits & Taxes 16,383 ‐ ‐ 1,406 1,106 1,106 1,106 2,443 1,843 1,843 1,843 1,843 1,843 16,383 ‐ Contracted Services 29,900 ‐ ‐ 13,490 490 490 490 2,490 2,490 2,490 2,490 2,490 2,490 29,900 ‐ Supplies & Materials 14,075 ‐ ‐ 5,855 830 830 830 1,580 830 830 830 830 830 14,075 ‐ Facility‐Related Expenses 88,000 ‐ ‐ 400 400 400 400 400 400 400 28,400 28,400 28,400 88,000 ‐ Other Charges 10,300 ‐ ‐ 1,070 1,020 1,020 1,020 1,070 1,020 1,020 1,020 1,020 1,020 10,300 ‐ Debt Service ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Expenses 263,658 ‐ ‐ 29,721 11,346 11,346 11,346 20,483 19,083 19,083 47,083 47,083 47,083 263,658 ‐
Operating Income (Loss) 71,343 ‐ ‐ 296,279 (10,346) (10,346) (10,346) (19,483) (18,083) (18,083) (46,083) (46,083) (46,083) 71,343 ‐
Changes in Accounts Receivable ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Changes in Accounts Payable ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Line of Credit Proceeds ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Line of Credit Repayments ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Balance Sheet Activity ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Ending Cash ‐ ‐ 296,279 285,933 275,587 265,241 245,758 227,675 209,592 163,509 117,426 71,343
Details of Cash Flow
Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Revenues Revenues Assumption Notes
Federal Revenues CSP Startup Grant ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Fundraising & Philanthropy Walton Family Foundation 325,000 $0 $0 $325,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 325,000 ‐ funded once approved Board Contributions 10,000 $0 $0 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 10,000 ‐ monthly between September & June Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Total Revenues 335,000 ‐ ‐ 326,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 335,000 ‐
Compensation
Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Compensation Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader 75,000 $0 $0 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 75,000 ‐ monthly between September & June Assistant Principal ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Special Education Coordinator ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Deans, Directors ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) 30,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 30,000 ‐ Total Administrative Compensation 105,000 ‐ ‐ 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 105,000 ‐
Instructional Staff Teachers ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Special Education Teachers ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Educational Assistants/Aides ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Elective Teachers ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Total Instructional Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Custodial Staff ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Operations ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly between January & June Social Workers/Counseling ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Total Non‐Instructional Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Bonus ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Non FTE Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Total Compensation 105,000 ‐ ‐ 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 12,500 105,000 ‐
Employer Benefits & Taxes
Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP Assumption Notes Social Security 6,510 $0 $0 $465 $465 $465 $465 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 $775 6,510 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll Medicare 1,523 $0 $0 $109 $109 $109 $109 $181 $181 $181 $181 $181 $181 1,523 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll State Unemployment 900 $0 $0 $300 $0 $0 $0 $600 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 900 ‐ 1st month each employee hits $7K in calendar year Disability/Life Insurance ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Workers Compensation Insurance 1,050 $0 $0 $75 $75 $75 $75 $125 $125 $125 $125 $125 $125 1,050 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll Other Fringe Benefits ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Medical Insurance 4,800 $0 $0 $343 $343 $343 $343 $571 $571 $571 $571 $571 $571 4,800 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll Dental Insurance 1,200 $0 $0 $86 $86 $86 $86 $143 $143 $143 $143 $143 $143 1,200 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll Vision Insurance 400 $0 $0 $29 $29 $29 $29 $48 $48 $48 $48 $48 $48 400 ‐ same schedule as associated payroll Other Retirement ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Total Employer Benefits & Taxes 16,383 ‐ ‐ 1,406 1,106 1,106 1,106 2,443 1,843 1,843 1,843 1,843 1,843 16,383 ‐
Operating Expenses
Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0 Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0Year 0 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 2018‐19 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Contracted Services Assumption Notes Professional Development 13,000 $0 $0 $13,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 13,000 ‐ September Financial Services 12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,000 12,000 ‐ Jan to June Audit Services ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Legal Fees 2,500 $0 $0 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 2,500 ‐ Sept to June Copier Lease and Usage ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Internet and Phone Service ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Cell Phone Service 500 $0 $0 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 500 ‐ Sept to June Payroll Services 1,500 $0 $0 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 1,500 ‐ Sept to June Health Services ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Transportation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ IT Services & SIS ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Contracted SPED Services ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Response to Intervention ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Postal Charges 200 $0 $0 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 200 ‐ Sept to June Bank Charges 200 $0 $0 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 200 ‐ Sept to June
Supplies & Materials Textbooks and Instructional Supplies ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Education Software ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Field Trips ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ SPED Materials ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Library Books & Enrichment Supplies ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Testing & Evaluation 4,275 $0 $0 $4,275 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 4,275 ‐ September Student Laptops ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Staff Laptops 1,500 $0 $0 $750 $0 $0 $0 $750 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 1,500 ‐ September & January Office Supplies 300 $0 $0 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 $30 300 ‐ Sept to June Printing Paper ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Marketing Materials 6,500 $0 $0 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 $650 6,500 ‐ Sept to June Student Uniforms ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Gifts & Awards ‐ Students & Staff ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Custodial Supplies ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Parent/Community Meetings 1,500 $0 $0 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 1,500 ‐ Sept to June
Facility Related Expenses Rent 12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 12,000 ‐ April to June Utilities 4,800 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 4,800 ‐ April to June Custodial ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Waste ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Staff Furniture ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Student Furniture ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Internet/Network Equipment ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Equipment ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Building Decorum ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Tenant Improvements 67,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $22,400 $22,400 $22,400 67,200 ‐ April to June Insurance 4,000 $0 $0 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 4,000 ‐ Sept to June Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Other Charges Staff Recruitment 6,000 $0 $0 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 6,000 ‐ Sept to June Student Recruitment & Community Engagement 4,200 $0 $0 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 $420 4,200 ‐ Sept to June Background Checks 100 $0 $0 $50 $0 $0 $0 $50 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 100 ‐ Sept & January Authorizer Fees ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Debt Service Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Operating Expenses 142,275 ‐ ‐ 20,815 2,740 2,740 2,740 5,540 4,740 4,740 32,740 32,740 32,740 142,275 ‐
Total Expenses 263,658 ‐ ‐ 29,721 11,346 11,346 11,346 20,483 19,083 19,083 47,083 47,083 47,083 263,658 ‐
Pre‐Opening Cash Flow 5 of 10 Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Year 1‐5 Staff Assumptions
FTE Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Fiscal Year 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Enrollment 120 180 240 300 360 # of Classes 4681012
Administrative Staff Principal/School Leader 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1 HOS Y1‐5 Assistant Principal 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 1 Dirctor Lower School Y4‐5 Special Education Coordinator 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 1 SPED Coordinator Y1‐3 Deans, Directors 1.00 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 1 Dn Ops Y1‐3; 1 Dn St Sprt Y3‐5; 1 Dn Acdmcs Y3‐5 Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 Director Operations Y4‐5
Total Administrative FTE 3.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 5.00
Instructional Staff Teachers 8.00 12.00 16.00 20.00 25.00 includes dual cert teachers: 2 Y1; 3 Y2; 4 Y3; 5 Y4; 6 Y5 Special Education Teachers 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 SPED Coordinator serves as SPED teacher Y1‐3 Educational Assistants/Aides 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Elective Teachers 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 3.00 PE and Enrichment teachers Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.50 0.50 1.00 1.00 1.50 Additional ELL teacher: .5 Y1‐2; 1 Y3‐4; 1.5 Y5
Total Instructional FTE 9.00 13.00 18.00 24.00 30.50
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Office Manager Custodial Staff 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Operations 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Social Workers/Counseling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Total Non‐Instructional FTE 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Total FTE 13.00 17.00 23.00 30.00 36.50
Compensation Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Annual Increase 0.00% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% Cumultative Increase 100.00% 101.25% 102.52% 103.80% 105.09%
Administrative Staff Base Assumption Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader $90,000 90,000 91,125 92,264 93,417 94,585 Head of School Assistant Principal $70,000 ‐ ‐ ‐ 72,658 73,566 Director of Lower School Special Education Coordinator $50,000 50,000 50,625 51,258 ‐ ‐ Coordinator through Y3; switched to Dean in Y4 Deans, Directors $60,000 60,000 60,750 123,019 124,556 126,113 Dn Ops Y1‐3; Dn Stdnt Sprt Y4‐5; Dn Acdmcs Y3 Other (Specify in Assumptions) $70,000 ‐ ‐ ‐ 72,658 73,566 Director of Ops starting Y4
Total Administrative Compensation 200,000 202,500 266,541 363,290 367,831
Instructional Staff Teachers $46,500 372,000 564,975 762,716 965,313 1,221,724 classroom, inclucing dual certified ELL teachers Special Education Teachers $46,500 ‐ ‐ ‐ 48,266 48,869 additioanl sped teachers (St Sprt Crdntor = SPED) Educational Assistants/Aides $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Elective Teachers $38,000 19,000 19,238 38,956 78,886 119,808 enrichment teachers Other (Specify in Assumptions) $38,000 19,000 19,238 38,956 39,443 59,904 additional ELL Teachers: .5 Y10‐2; 1 Y3‐4; 1.5 Y5
Total Instructional Compensation 410,000 603,450 840,628 1,131,907 1,450,305
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff $35,000 35,000 35,438 35,880 36,329 36,783 Office Manager Custodial Staff $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ contracted service Operations $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ see in adminstrative staff Social Workers/Counseling $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Total Non‐Instructional Compensation 35,000 35,438 35,880 36,329 36,783
ELL/Dually Certified Stipends 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 18,000 Stipends ELL dual certified classroom teachers Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Compensation 651,000 850,388 1,155,049 1,546,526 1,872,919
Employer Benefits & Tax Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 Base Assumption Assumption Notes Social Security 6.20% 40,362 52,724 71,613 95,885 116,121 6.2% of all wages Medicare 1.45% 9,440 12,331 16,748 22,425 27,157 1.455 of all wages State Unemployment $300 3,900 5,100 6,900 9,000 10,950 $300 per staff member Disability/Life Insurance 0.25% 1,628 2,126 2,888 3,866 4,682 0.25% of all wages Workers Compensation Insurance 1.00% 6,510 8,504 11,550 15,465 18,729 1.00% of all wages Other Fringe Benefits 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ N/A
Health Insurance Annual Increase 0.00% 4.00% 4.00% 4.00% 4.00% Cumultative Increase 100.00% 104.00% 108.16% 112.49% 116.99%
Medical Insurance $3,600 46,800 63,648 89,556 121,485 153,719 average employer contribution Dental Insurance $900 11,700 15,912 22,389 30,371 38,430 average employer contribution Vision Insurance $300 3,900 5,304 7,463 10,124 12,810 average employer contribution
TCRS Certified Legacy 9.27% 60,348 78,831 107,073 143,363 173,620 some staff may qualify for the hybrid TCRS Certified Hybrid 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ or classifed program; this is the max it will be TCRS Classified Legacy 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ TCRS Classified Hybrid 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Classified Retirement 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Retirement 0.00% ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
6 of 10 Year 1‐5 Staff Assumptions Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Year 1 Budget
Revenue Assumptions
Year 1 2019-20 Annual Revenue Increase 0.00% Cumultative Increase 100.00%
State Revenues Rate/Assumption Assumption Notes Basic Education Program $8,464 985,210 $8,464 per enrollment less 3% hedge through SCS BEP Transportation Component $199 23,164 $199 per enrollment less 3% hedge through SCS BEP Capital Outlay $300 34,920 $300 per enrollment less 3% hedge; received directly from the state of TN Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Federal Revenues $0 ‐ Title I $300 27,600 $300 per FRL student through SCS Title II $0 ‐ Title III $0 ‐ NSLP $0 ‐ E‐Rate $150 18,000 $150 per net change in student through USAC CSP Startup Grant $250,000 250,000 Max award $600K available; budgeted conservatively $300K for Y1 and Y2; school may be awarded more Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
School Activity Revenues Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Fundraising & Philanthropy Walton Family Foundation $0 ‐ Board Contributions $10,000 10,000 annual donations and fundraising activities Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Total Revenues 1,348,893
Compensation
Year 1 2019‐20
Administrative Staff FTE Count Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader 1.00 90,000 Head of School Assistant Principal 0.00 ‐ Special Education Coordinator 1.00 50,000 Student Support Coordinator Deans, Directors 1.00 60,000 Dean of Operations Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 ‐ Total Administrative Compensation 3.00 200,000
Instructional Staff Teachers 8.00 372,000 8 classroom teachers, including 2 dual certified in ELL Special Education Teachers 0.00 ‐ Educational Assistants/Aides 0.00 ‐ Elective Teachers 0.50 19,000 .5 PE teacher Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.50 19,000 .5 additional ELL teacher Total Instructional Compensation 9.00 410,000
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff 1.00 35,000 Office Manager Custodial Staff 0.00 ‐ Operations 0.00 ‐ Social Workers/Counseling 0.00 ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) 0.00 ‐ Total Non‐Instructional Compensation 1.00 35,000
ELL/Dually Certified Stipends 6,000 $3K per additional stipend per teacher dual certified in ELL x 2 teachers Other Compensation ‐ Other Compensation ‐ Other Compensation ‐
Total Compensation 651,000
Employer Benefits & Taxes
Year 1 2019‐20
Assumption Notes Social Security 40,362 6.2% of wages Medicare 9,440 1.45% of wages State Unemployment 3,900 $300 per staff member Disability/Life Insurance 1,628 0.25% of wages Workers Compensation Insurance 6,510 1.24% of wages Other Fringe Benefits ‐ N/A Medical Insurance 46,800 average employer contribution of $3,600 per employee Dental Insurance 11,700 average employer contribution of $900 per employee Vision Insurance 3,900 average employer contribution of $300 per employee TCRS Certified Legacy 60,348 9.27% of all wages; represents highest employer contribution rate for TCRS participants, but individuals may TCRS Certified Hybrid ‐ end up participating in the hybrid or classfied staff which would push the cost down TCRS Classified Legacy ‐ TCRS Classified Hybrid ‐ Other Classified Retirement ‐ Other Retirement ‐
Total Employer Benefits & Taxes 184,587
Operating Expenses
Year 1 2019‐20
Contracted Services Assumption Notes Professional Development $45,000 45,000 $27.5K ‐ STEP; $10K BES Follow on Coaching Support; $7.5K other spending for travel, conferences Financial Services $4,583 55,000 $4,583/month Audit Services $10,000 10,000 initial audit & 990 filing Legal Fees $2,500 2,500 retainer Copier Lease and Usage $700 8,400 $700/month Internet and Phone Service $500 6,000 $500/month Cell Phone Service $50 600 $50/month Payroll Services $300 3,600 $300/month Health Services $15 1,800 Well Child Services, $15/student Transportation $250 45,000 $250/day/bus; 1 bus in Y1 IT Services & SIS $9,600 9,600 $500/month for support; $30/student for KickBoard Contracted SPED Services $1,000 10,000 $1,000/SPED student Response to Intervention $50 6,000 $50/student for progress monitoring tool and intervention curriculum Postal Charges $2 240 mailers at $2/student Bank Charges $20 240 $20/month
Supplies & Materials Textbooks and Instructional Supplies $100 12,000 $100/student for classroom supplies, binders,pencils, lab supplies Education Software $100 12,000 blended learning software at $100/student Field Trips $50 6,000 $50/student for college visits, museums, etc. SPED Materials $50 500 $50 per SPED student for modified manipulatives and books Library Books & Enrichment Supplies $50 6,000 $40/student for library books; $10/student for enrichment supplies Testing & Evaluation $40 4,800 $40/student Student Laptops $250 10,000 $250/chromebook for 3:1 ratio Staff Laptops $750 8,250 $750/staff member (13) less what was purchased during pre‐opening Office Supplies $250 3,000 $250/month Printing Paper $40 4,800 $40/student Marketing Materials $1,000 1,000 website maintenance and upkeep Student Uniforms $30 3,600 MMA polo & khakis; subsidized at $30/student Gifts & Awards ‐ Students & Staff $3,975 3,975 $25/student for pizza parties, community circle, student of month; $75/staff for CORE value awards/other Custodial Supplies $40 4,800 $40/student for paper towels, soap, toilet paper Parent/Community Meetings $25 3,000 5 University Nights at $5/student each night
Facility Related Expenses Rent $5 48,000 $5/square foot; 9,600 square feet total Utilities $2 19,200 $2/square foot; 9,600 square feet total Custodial $2 19,200 $2/square foot; 9,600 square feet total Waste $200 2,400 $200/month Staff Furniture $3,000 12,000 $3,000/new classroom Student Furniture $100 12,000 $100/new student Internet/Network Equipment $8,000 8,000 Internet cabling, access points, WiFi setup Other Equipment $3,000 3,000 Office furniture and general equipment Building Decorum $2,000 2,000 Signange, posters, decorations Tenant Improvements $5 24,000 Additional buildout of 4,800 square feet added in Y2 at $5/square foot Insurance $125 15,000 $125/student approximation for General Liability, D&O, and Property Insurance Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Other Charges Staff Recruitment $15,000 15,000 2 TFA @ $5K each; $5K other expenses (postings, fairs, travel, stipends to recruit dually certified staff) Student Recruitment & Community Engagement $35 4,200 $35/student for advertising, school swag, and event expenses (bounce houses, gatherings) Background Checks $0 ‐ Authorizer Fees 3% 31,299 The lesser of 3% of state and local allocations or $35,000 Other $0 ‐
Debt Service Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐ Other $0 ‐
Total Operating Expenses 503,004
Total Expenses 1,338,590
Year 1 Budget 7 of 10
Page 1 of 1 Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Year 1 Cash Flow
Cash Flow Summary
Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Beginning Cash 71,343 71,343 13,995 9,497 23,392 12,887 14,882 73,776 79,771 84,426 145,980 142,635 38,090
Revenues State Revenues 1,043,293 ‐ 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 104,329 ‐ 104,329 1,043,293 ‐ Federal Revenues 295,600 51,500 1,500 58,400 1,500 1,500 58,400 1,500 1,500 58,400 1,500 1,500 58,400 295,600 ‐ School Activity Revenues ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Fundraising & Philanthropy 10,000 5,000 5,000 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 10,000 ‐
Total Revenues 1,348,893 56,500 110,829 162,729 105,829 105,829 162,729 105,829 105,829 162,729 105,829 1,500 162,729 1,348,893 ‐
Expenses Staffing 651,000 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 651,000 ‐ Employer Benefits & Taxes 184,587 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 184,587 ‐ Contracted Services 203,980 7,182 7,182 58,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 13,462 23,462 203,980 ‐ Supplies & Materials 83,725 11,383 22,733 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 4,961 83,725 ‐ Facility‐Related Expenses 164,800 45,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 8,650 16,650 16,650 16,650 164,800 ‐ Other Charges 50,499 ‐ 3,130 3,130 15,630 3,130 3,130 3,130 4,470 4,470 4,470 1,340 4,470 50,499 ‐ Debt Service ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Expenses 1,338,590 133,847 111,327 144,835 112,335 99,835 99,835 99,835 101,175 101,175 109,175 106,045 119,175 1,338,590 ‐
Operating Income (Loss) 10,303 (77,347) (498) 17,895 (6,505) 5,995 62,895 5,995 4,655 61,555 (3,345) (104,545) 43,555 10,303 ‐
Changes in Accounts Receivable ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Changes in Accounts Payable 20,000 (4,000) (4,000) (4,000) (4,000) (4,000) ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Line of Credit Proceeds ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Line of Credit Repayments ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Balance Sheet Activity ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Ending Cash 13,995 9,497 23,392 12,887 14,882 73,776 79,771 84,426 145,980 142,635 38,090 81,645
Details of Cash Flow
Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Revenues Revenues Assumption Notes
State Revenues Assumption Notes Basic Education Program 985,210 $0 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $98,521 $0 $98,521 985,210 ‐ based on BEP schedule BEP Transportation Component 23,164 $0 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $2,316 $0 $2,316 23,164 ‐ based on BEP schedule BEP Capital Outlay 34,920 $0 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $3,492 $0 $3,492 34,920 ‐ based on BEP schedule Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Federal Revenues Title I 27,600 $0 $0 $6,900 $0 $0 $6,900 $0 $0 $6,900 $0 $0 $6,900 27,600 ‐ quarterly drawdown Title II ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Title III ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ NSLP ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ E‐Rate 18,000 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 18,000 ‐ can request to be applied to tech bills monthly CSP Startup Grant 250,000 $50,000 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $50,000 $0 $0 $50,000 250,000 ‐ 20% initially, then quarterly drawdown Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
School Activity Revenues Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Fundraising & Philanthropy Walton Family Foundation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Board Contributions 10,000 $5,000 $5,000 10,000 ‐ 2 monthly contributions Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Total Revenues 1,348,893 56,500 110,829 162,729 105,829 105,829 162,729 105,829 105,829 162,729 105,829 1,500 162,729 1,348,893 ‐
Compensation
Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Compensation Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader 90,000 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500 90,000 ‐ monthly Assistant Principal ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Special Education Coordinator 50,000 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 $4,167 50,000 ‐ monthly Deans, Directors 60,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 60,000 ‐ monthly Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly
Total Administrative Compensation 200,000 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 16,667 200,000 ‐
Instructional Staff Teachers 372,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 $31,000 372,000 ‐ monthly Special Education Teachers ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Educational Assistants/Aides ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Elective Teachers 19,000 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 19,000 ‐ monthly Other (Specify in Assumptions) 19,000 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 $1,583 19,000 ‐ monthly Total Instructional Compensation 410,000 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 34,167 410,000 ‐
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff 35,000 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 $2,917 35,000 ‐ monthly Custodial Staff ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Operations ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Social Workers/Counseling ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Total Non‐Instructional Compensation 35,000 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 2,917 35,000 ‐
ELL/Dually Certified Stipends 6,000 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 6,000 ‐ monthly Other Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Other Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Other Compensation ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly monthly Total Compensation 651,000 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 54,250 651,000 ‐
Employer Benefits & Taxes
Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP Assumption Notes Social Security 40,362 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 $3,364 40,362 ‐ monthly Medicare 9,440 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 $787 9,440 ‐ monthly State Unemployment 3,900 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 3,900 ‐ monthly Disability/Life Insurance 1,628 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 $136 1,628 ‐ monthly Workers Compensation Insurance 6,510 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 $543 6,510 ‐ monthly Other Fringe Benefits ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ monthly Medical Insurance 46,800 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 $3,900 46,800 ‐ monthly Dental Insurance 11,700 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 $975 11,700 ‐ monthly Vision Insurance 3,900 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 $325 3,900 ‐ monthly TCRS Certified Legacy 60,348 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 $5,029 60,348 ‐ monthly TCRS Certified Hybrid ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ TCRS Classified Legacy ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ TCRS Classified Hybrid ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Classified Retirement ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other Retirement ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Total Employer Benefits & Taxes 184,587 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 15,382 184,587 ‐
Operating Expenses
Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 2019‐20 Total Budget July August September October November December January February March April May June Total AR/AP
Contracted Services Assumption Notes Professional Development 45,000 $0 $0 $45,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 45,000 ‐ September Financial Services 55,000 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 $4,583 55,000 ‐ monthly Audit Services 10,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 10,000 ‐ June Legal Fees 2,500 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 $208 2,500 ‐ monthly Copier Lease and Usage 8,400 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 $700 8,400 ‐ monthly Internet and Phone Service 6,000 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 6,000 ‐ monthly Cell Phone Service 600 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 600 ‐ monthly Payroll Services 3,600 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 3,600 ‐ monthly Health Services 1,800 $0 $0 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 $180 1,800 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Transportation 45,000 $0 $0 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 $4,500 45,000 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag IT Services & SIS 9,600 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 $800 9,600 ‐ monthly Contracted SPED Services 10,000 $0 $0 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 10,000 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Response to Intervention 6,000 $0 $0 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 6,000 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Postal Charges 240 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 240 ‐ monthly Bank Charges 240 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 $20 240 ‐ monthly
Supplies & Materials Textbooks and Instructional Supplies 12,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 12,000 ‐ monthly Education Software 12,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 12,000 ‐ monthly Field Trips 6,000 $0 $0 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 $600 6,000 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag SPED Materials 500 $0 $0 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 $50 500 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Library Books & Enrichment Supplies 6,000 $0 $6,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 6,000 ‐ August Testing & Evaluation 4,800 $0 $0 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 $480 4,800 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Student Laptops 10,000 $0 $10,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 10,000 ‐ pay in August Staff Laptops 8,250 $8,250$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0 8,250 ‐ pay in July Office Supplies 3,000 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 3,000 ‐ monthly Printing Paper 4,800 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 4,800 ‐ monthly Marketing Materials 1,000 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 $83 1,000 ‐ monthly Student Uniforms 3,600 $0 $3,600 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 3,600 ‐ pay in August Gifts & Awards ‐ Students & Staff 3,975 $0 $0 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 $398 3,975 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag Custodial Supplies 4,800 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 $400 4,800 ‐ monthly Parent/Community Meetings 3,000 $0 $0 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 $300 3,000 ‐ 10 month Aug to May with 1 month lag
Facility Related Expenses Rent 48,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 48,000 ‐ monthly Utilities 19,200 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 19,200 ‐ monthly Custodial 19,200 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 $1,600 19,200 ‐ monthly Waste 2,400 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 $200 2,400 ‐ monthly Staff Furniture 12,000 $12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 12,000 ‐ July Student Furniture 12,000 $12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 12,000 ‐ July Internet/Network Equipment 8,000 $8,000$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0 8,000 ‐ July Other Equipment 3,000 $3,000$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0 3,000 ‐ July Building Decorum 2,000 $2,000$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0$0 2,000 ‐ July Tenant Improvements 24,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 24,000 ‐ July Insurance 15,000 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 $1,250 15,000 ‐ monthly Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Other Charges Staff Recruitment 15,000 $0 $0 $0 $12,500 $0 $0 $0 $500 $500 $500 $500 $500 15,000 ‐ TFA fees in October; staff recruitment in spring Student Recruitment & Community Eng 4,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $840 $840 $840 $840 $840 4,200 ‐ Feb to June Background Checks ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐ Authorizer Fees 31,299 $0 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $3,130 $0 $3,130 31,299 ‐ aligned with BEP schedule (netted from BEP) Other ‐ $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 ‐ ‐
Debt Service Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Operating Expenses 503,004 64,215 41,695 75,202 42,702 30,202 30,202 30,202 31,542 31,542 39,542 36,413 49,542 503,004 ‐
Total Expenses 1,338,590 133,847 111,327 144,835 112,335 99,835 99,835 99,835 101,175 101,175 109,175 106,045 119,175 1,338,590 ‐
8 of 10 Year 1 Cash Flow Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Year 2 Through 5 Budget
Revenue Assumptions
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019‐20 2020‐21 2021‐22 2022‐23 2023‐24 Annual Revenue Increase 0.00% 1.50% 1.50% 1.50% 1.50% Cumultative Increase 100.00% 101.50% 103.02% 104.57% 106.14%
State Revenues Assumption Assumption Notes Basic Education Program $0 985,210 1,499,982 2,029,975 2,575,531 3,136,997 $8,464 per enrollment less 3% hedge through SCS; increased year over year by 1.5% BEP Transportation Component $0 23,164 35,267 47,727 60,554 73,755 $199 per enrollment less 3% hedge through SCS; increased year over year by 1.5% BEP Capital Outlay $0 34,920 53,166 71,951 91,288 111,188 $300 per enrollment less 3% hedge through state of TN; increased year over year by 1.5% Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Federal Revenues Title I $0 27,600 41,700 55,500 69,300 83,100 $300 per FRL student through SCS Title II $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Title III $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ NSLP $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ E‐Rate $0 18,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 $150 per net change in student through USAC CSP Startup Grant $0 250,000 50,000 ‐ ‐ ‐ Max award $600K available; budgeted conservatively $300K for Y1 and Y2; school may be awarded more Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
School Activity Revenues Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Fundraising & Philanthropy ‐ Walton Family Foundation $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Board Contributions $0 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 annual donations and fundraising activities Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Revenues 1,348,893 1,704,114 2,234,153 2,830,673 3,444,040
Compensation
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019‐20 2020‐21 2021‐22 2022‐23 2023‐24
Administrative Staff Assumption Notes Principal/School Leader 90,000 91,125 92,264 93,417 94,585 Head of School Assistant Principal ‐ ‐ ‐ 72,658 73,566 Director of Lower School Special Education Coordinator 50,000 50,625 51,258 ‐ ‐ Coordinator through Y3; switched to Dean in Y4 Deans, Directors 60,000 60,750 123,019 124,556 126,113 Dn Ops Y1‐3; Dn Stdnt Sprt Y4‐5; Dn Acdmcs Y3 Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ ‐ ‐ 72,658 73,566 Director of Ops starting Y4 Total Administrative Compensation 200,000 202,500 266,541 363,290 367,831 ‐ Instructional Staff Teachers 372,000 564,975 762,716 965,313 1,221,724 classroom, inclucing dual certified ELL teachers Special Education Teachers ‐ ‐ ‐ 48,266 48,869 additioanl sped teachers (St Sprt Crdntor = SPED) Educational Assistants/Aides ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Elective Teachers 19,000 19,238 38,956 78,886 119,808 enrichment teachers Other (Specify in Assumptions) 19,000 19,238 38,956 39,443 59,904 additional ELL Teachers: .5 Y10‐2; 1 Y3‐4; 1.5 Y5 Total Instructional Compensation 410,000 603,450 840,628 1,131,907 1,450,305
Non‐Instructional Staff Clerical Staff 35,000 35,438 35,880 36,329 36,783 Office Manager Custodial Staff ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ contracted service Operations ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ see in adminstrative staff Social Workers/Counseling ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other (Specify in Assumptions) ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Total Non‐Instructional Compensation 35,000 35,438 35,880 36,329 36,783
ELL/Dually Certified Stipends 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 18,000 Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Compensation ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Compensation 651,000 850,388 1,155,049 1,546,526 1,872,919
Employer Benefits & Taxes
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019‐20 2020‐21 2021‐22 2022‐23 2023‐24
Assumption Notes Social Security 40,362 52,724 71,613 95,885 116,121 6.2% of all wages Medicare 9,440 12,331 16,748 22,425 27,157 1.455 of all wages State Unemployment 3,900 5,100 6,900 9,000 10,950 $300 per staff member Disability/Life Insurance 1,628 2,126 2,888 3,866 4,682 0.25% of all wages Workers Compensation Insurance 6,510 8,504 11,550 15,465 18,729 1.00% of all wages Other Fringe Benefits ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ N/A Medical Insurance 46,800 63,648 89,556 121,485 153,719 $3,600 per staff member employer contribution inflated by 4% year over year Dental Insurance 11,700 12,168 12,655 13,161 13,687 $900 per staff member employer contribution inflated by 4% year over year Vision Insurance 3,900 4,056 4,218 4,387 4,562 $300 per staff member employer contribution inflated by 4% year over year TCRS Certified Legacy 60,348 78,831 107,073 143,363 173,620 9.27% of all wages; represents highest employer contribution rate for TCRS participants, but individuals may TCRS Certified Hybrid ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ end up participating in the hybrid or classfied staff which would push the cost down TCRS Classified Legacy ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ TCRS Classified Hybrid ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Classified Retirement ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other Retirement ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Employer Benefits & Taxes 184,587 239,487 323,202 429,037 523,229
Operating Expenses
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2019‐20 2020‐21 2021‐22 2022‐23 2023‐24 Annual Expense Increase 0.00% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% Cumultative Increase 100.00% 101.25% 102.52% 103.80% 105.09%
Contracted Services Assumption Notes Professional Development $0 45,000 45,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 phase out of BES after Y2; not likely to need STEP past Y3 Financial Services $0 55,000 55,000 60,000 60,000 65,000 pricing for multiyear agreement Audit Services $0 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 pricing for multiyear agreement Legal Fees $0 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 retainer Copier Lease and Usage $0 8,400 8,505 8,611 8,719 8,828 $700/month plus inflation Internet and Phone Service $0 6,000 6,075 6,151 6,228 6,306 $500/month plus inflation Cell Phone Service $0 600 608 615 623 631 $50/month plus inflation Payroll Services $0 3,600 3,645 3,691 3,737 3,783 $300/month plus inflation Health Services $0 1,800 2,734 3,691 4,671 5,675 $15/student plus inflation Transportation $0 45,000 45,000 90,000 135,000 135,000 add a 2nd bus line in Y3 and 3rd in Y4 IT Services & SIS $0 9,600 11,543 13,532 15,570 17,656 $500/month for IT support plus $30/student plus inflation Contracted SPED Services $0 10,000 14,175 19,478 24,911 30,477 $1000/sped student plus inflation Response to Intervention $0 6,000 9,113 12,302 15,570 18,917 $50/student plus inflation Postal Charges $0 240 365 492 623 757 $2/student for mailer plus inflation Bank Charges $0 240 240 240 240 240 $20/month
Supplies & Materials Textbooks and Instructional Supplies $0 12,000 18,225 24,604 31,139 37,834 $100/student plus inflation Education Software $0 12,000 18,225 24,604 31,139 37,834 $100/student plus inflation Field Trips $0 6, 000 9,113 12,302 15,570 18,917 $50/student plus inflation SPED Materials $0 500 709 974 1,246 1,524 $50/SPED student plus inflation Library Books & Enrichment Supplies $0 6,000 9,113 12,302 15,570 18,917 $40/student for library books plus $10/student for enrichment supplies plus inflation Testing & Evaluation $0 4,800 7,290 9,842 12,456 15,134 $40/student plus inflation Student Laptops $0 10,000 5,063 5,126 5,190 5,255 $250/chromebook plus inflation for new students for 3:1 ratio Staff Laptops $0 8,250 3,038 4,613 5,449 5,123 $750/new staff member plus inflation Office Supplies $0 3,000 3,038 3,075 3,114 3,153 $300/month plus inflation Printing Paper $0 4,800 7,290 9,842 12,456 15,134 $40/student plus inflation Marketing Materials $0 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 website maintenance/upkeep Student Uniforms $0 3,600 5,468 7,381 9,342 11,350 $30/student plus inflation subsidized Gifts & Awards ‐ Students & Staff $0 3,975 5,847 7,919 10,120 12,335 $25/student and $75/staff plus inflation Custodial Supplies $0 4,800 7,290 9,842 12,456 15,134 $40/student plus inflation Parent/Community Meetings $0 3,000 4,556 6,151 7,785 9,459 $5/student plus inflation per night for 5 University nights
Facility Related Expenses Rent $0 48,000 72,900 98,415 124,556 151,336 $5/square foot plus inflation; growing from 9,600 square feet to 28,800 in Year 5 Utilities $0 19,200 29,160 39,366 49,823 60,534 $2/square foot plus inflation; growing from 9,600 square feet to 28,800 in Year 6 Custodial $0 19,200 29,160 39,366 49,823 60,534 $2/square foot plus inflation; growing from 9,600 square feet to 28,800 in Year 7 Waste $0 2,400 2,430 2,460 2,491 2,522 $200/month plus inflation Staff Furniture $0 12,000 6,075 6,151 6,228 6,306 $3,000/new classroom plus inflation Student Furniture $0 12,000 6,075 6,151 6,228 6,306 $100/new student plus inflation Internet/Network Equipment $0 8,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 additional $1K/year to add capacity Other Equipment $0 3,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 additional $1K/year for incidental equipment replacement Building Decorum $0 2,000 500 500 500 500 additional $500/year for growth of building footprint Tenant Improvements $0 24,000 24,000 24,000 24,000 24,000 additional buildout of space as square footage is expanded 4,800 square feet each year at $5/square foot Insurance $0 15,000 22,781 30,755 38,924 47,293 $125/student plus inflation Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Other Charges Staff Recruitment $0 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 2 TFA @ $5K each; $5K other expenses (postings, fairs, travel, stipends to recruit dually certified staff) Student Recruitment & Community Engagement $0 4,200 2,126 2,153 2,180 2,207 $25/new student recruited plus inflation Background Checks $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Authorizer Fees $0 31,299 35,000 35,000 35,000 35,000 Max of 3% of BEP or $35K Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Debt Service Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Other $0 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Operating Expenses 503,004 566,970 697,195 844,172 952,410
Total Expenses 1,338,590 1,656,845 2,175,446 2,819,735 3,348,557
Year 2 through 5 Budget 9 of 10 Memphis Merit Academy New Charter School Application Budget Template Year 0 & Years 1 through 5 Summary
Revenue Assumptions
Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2018‐19 2019‐20 2020‐21 2021‐22 2022‐23 2023‐24
Starting Fund Balance ‐ 71,343 81,645 128,914 187,621 198,559
State Revenues ‐ 1,043,293 1,588,414 2,149,653 2,727,373 3,321,940 Federal Revenues ‐ 295,600 100,700 64,500 78,300 92,100 School Activity Revenues ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Fundraising & Philanthropy 335,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 Total Revenues 335,000 1,348,893 1,704,114 2,234,153 2,830,673 3,444,040
Staffing 105,000 651,000 850,388 1,155,049 1,546,526 1,872,919 Employer Benefits & Taxes 16,383 184,587 239,487 323,202 429,037 523,229 Contracted Services 29,900 203,980 214,501 256,302 313,390 330,770 Supplies & Materials 14,075 83,725 105,262 139,575 174,030 208,102 Facility‐Related Expenses 88,000 164,800 195,081 249,164 304,572 361,331 Other Charges 10,300 50,499 52,126 52,153 52,180 52,207 Debt Service ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ Total Expenses 263,658 1,338,590 1,656,845 2,175,446 2,819,735 3,348,557
Net Income 71,343 10,303 47,269 58,708 10,938 95,483
Ending Fund Balance 71,343 81,645 128,914 187,621 198,559 294,043
10 of 10 Summary Attachment P: Budget Narrative
Introduction. This narrative is for proposed financial activity for Y0 – Y5. It details enrollment and student population assumptions, a summary of revenue and expense assumptions, a discussion of sustainability, cash flow, and finally, contingency plans. Enrollment and ADM Assumptions. We have assumed the following enrollment plan below when creating a five-year outlook:
Grade Level Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 K 60 60 60 60 60 1st 60 60 60 60 60 2nd 0 60 60 60 60 3rd 0 0 60 60 60 4th 0 0 0 60 60 5th 0 0 0 0 60 Total 120 180 240 300 360
We plan to locate in Southeast Memphis in the 38118-zip code, and recruit students primarily from surrounding neighborhoods. Between each school year, we will backfill any attrition from the previous year to ensure each grade level maintains enrollment aligned with the table. For Basic Education Program (BEP) projections, we have taken a conservative approach, hedging enrollment assumptions by 3% each school year. This provides the school some cushion should enrollment not meet the projections above. The effective ADM each year is summarized as the following:
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 ADM 115 173 230 288 346
To remain conservative with expense projection purposes, we used total enrollment, not ADM, as the driver for expenses. By differentiating these two drivers for BEP and student-driven spending, we conservatively estimate revenue while planning for the entire expense of a fully enrolled school. Other Demographic Factors. We anticipate demographics to be consistent with neighboring SCS in 38118. For budgeting, we have assumed: 77% FRL; 33% ELL; 8.3% have an active IEP. Revenue Assumptions. During the planning year, we anticipate two main sources of funding: (1) The Walton Family Foundation (WFF) startup grant of $325,000. We have received a letter of commitment from Building Excellent Schools in partnership with WFF with funds characterized as a $325,000 grant for the start-up year; see Attachment E. This source will cover the school leader + planning year staff’s salary and benefits expenses and other start-up expenses including preparing a facility for students, student and staff recruitment, professional development, and general school planning. (2) Commitment from our founding Board to raise $10,000 in the planning year. Each Board member has committed to either donate or fundraise $1,000. Although not essential for start-up year expenses, it does represent what the school believes is a reasonable commitment. During the first operational year (2019-20), we anticipate the following four public sources of funding:
Revenue Rate Driver Source of Rate Assumption
BEP $8,464 ADM SCS via TN DOE website for FY 2018
BEP Transportation $199 ADM SCS via TN DOE website for FY 2018 Supplement
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 246 of 250 Historical allocations from SCS to other Title I $300 # of FRL Students charter schools
BEP Capital Outlay $300 ADM TN DOE
CSP Grant $300,000 Fixed amount TN DoE
In Y2-Y5, we assumed a conservative 1.5% year-over-year increase of BEP, BEP Transportation Supplement, and BEP Capital Outlay, to account for observed growth in per pupil funding. Title funds were budgeted at a flat $300 per FRL student. CSP Planning and Implementation funding has been included in the proposed plan; funds are awarded once the charter approved; a majority of applicants are typically awarded funding. The current funding cycle provides for up to a $600,000 award per applicant; to remain conservative and to account for increased demand for funding, we have only included a $300,000 assumption in budget projections, concentrated in Y1 and Y2. There is no assumption of any National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program funding because we intend to secure food services through SCS. Due to the Community Eligibility Provision status of SCS, we anticipate a net cost of zero. Board fundraising and giving is expected to be a meaningful part of the budget each year, with $10,000 in private funding in Y1, growing by $5,000 each year, until it reaches $30,000 in Y5. Given the amount of philanthropic resources in the Memphis area and the dedication of a 10-member Board, we believe the $100,000 to be raised over five years is realistic. We anticipate total revenues for Y1 to approach $1.35 million. Annual revenues are anticipated to increase each year primarily due to the addition of a new grade each year. Revenues increase year over year, to a much lesser degree, due to the 1.5% increase assumption. By Y5, anticipated revenues should approach $3.45 million.
Expense Assumptions Staffing. The staffing plan outlined below establishes a foundation of administrative positions in Y1 along with a first cohort of teachers to serve grades K and 1. After Y1, specific student-related positions scale with the size of the student body, as reflected below:
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Head of School 1 1 1 1 1 Dean of Operations 1 1 1 0 0 Director of Operations 0 0 0 1 1 Director of Lower School 0 0 0 1 1 Office Manager 1 1 1 1 1 Student Supports Coordinator 1 1 1 0 0 Dean of Student Supports 0 0 0 1 1 Dean of Academics 0 0 1 1 1 Lead Teachers1 8 12 16 20 25 Support Teachers (SPED, ELL, Enrichment) 1 1 2 4 5.5 TOTAL STAFF: 13 17 23 30 36.5
This pattern of growth will continue each year as we continue to grow beyond Y5. We expect to reach scale in 2026-27 as a fully operating K-8 school. We will employ 1 FTE dually certified general education and ESL endorsed teacher per grade level and 0.5 ELL teachers in Year 1 and Year 2. This will allow for 2.5
1 Includes 1 dually certified general education and ESL endorsed teacher per grade level.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 247 of 250 FTE ELL endorsed staff members in Year 1 and 3.5 FTE ELL endorsed staff members in Year 2. In all additional years, we will continue to leverage the recruitment of dually certified teachers and offer $3,000 stipends to those teachers in addition to their Tier salary.
Several critical areas of operation that would otherwise have a school staffing requirement are budgeted via contracted services from established local vendors and contractors. These include financial services, custodial services, legal counsel, and IT support.
Compensation. Salaries for certificated and support staff members are based on existing trends in similar Memphis charter elementary schools. Leadership roles (i.e. Head of School, Director of Lower School, Dean of Academics) are aligned to market rates for those roles. A Student Supports Coordinator is budgeted with potential to morph into a more highly compensated Dean of Student Supports. A Director of Operations is budgeted to also potentially move into a more highly compensated Dean of Operations. For the largest staffing category, teachers, defined as teachers who have had teaching experience in A Title I school with certification in their respective subject matter, we budgeted a starting salary of $46,500 in Y1. Teachers in later years begin with a starting salary of $46,500, subject to their previous experience and credentials; we may be able to offer a salary less than $46,500, while other more experienced teachers may be offered a salary above $46,500. Other support teachers roles include a part-time ELL and Enrichment teacher during Y1, budgeted at $19,000, respectively. Support staff numbers increase in Y2 - Y5 with full-time ELL and Enrichment teachers starting at a salary of $38,000, and SPED teachers at a starting salary of $46,500. Dually certified teachers in general education and ESL will receive an additional $3,000 stipend, in addition to their assigned tier. A 1.25% COLA increase is applied to all future year salaries. While not a guaranteed compensation increase, it covers rising costs and inflation in the industry. Resources permitting, we will evaluate opportunities to increase compensation beyond this set-aside, along with benefits package, to remain competitive.
Employer Benefits and Liabilities. We assume the standard 6.2% and 1.45% on all wages each year for Social Security and Medicare employer contributions, respectively. State unemployment is budgeted at $300 per FTE. Workers compensation insurance, usually purchased in conjunction with general liability and D&O insurance, is estimated at 1.25% of total compensation. Disability and life insurance premiums are estimated at 0.25% of all wages. To estimate employer contributions to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS), we assume a 9.27% employer contribution for all staff; depending on certified or classified status and prior TCRS participation before July 1, 2014, the employer contribution may vary by individual, between 9% and 9.27%. Medical, dental, and vision insurance employer contributions are approximated at $4,800 per FTE. We plan to use the same insurance plans as SCS, but will continue to research other health insurance options to ensure employees receive the most ideal benefit packages at the lowest cost possible. There may be different costs associated for certified and classified insurance programs depending on plan type participation (single, single+1, and family). The $4,800 per FTE represents our proposed financial capacity to contribute towards insurance costs. Given the number of drivers that will go into the final cost, we have conservatively prepared to incur costs for all FTEs. Each sub sequent year, a 4% year-over-year increase is assumed to reflect potential health insurance cost increases that may be realized in future years. Salaries and benefits, in total, represent anywhere from 65% and 71% of the school’s operating budget.
Contracted Services. These are expected to grow as we grow. Starting at ≈ $200K in Y1, this will increase to ≈ $33K in Y5. Major expenses in this category in Y1 are: $45,000 – assumes $27K towards STEP Program, $10K towards BES coaching, $47,500 in other PD expenses; $45,000 – assumes $250 daily rate per bus; $55,000 – assumes flat estimate for financial services provided by back-office provider in lieu of hiring CFO; $10,000 – audit fees; $10,000 – contracted services for SPED students; $8,400 – copier lease and usage; $9,600 – IT and SIS licensing; $6,000 – RTI program. We plan on incurring additional expenses that,
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 248 of 250 while minimal in materiality to the budget, remain critical to the school’s successful operation. These contracted expenses include, but are not limited to: payroll fees, phone and internet services, legal counsel, postage, and student health services. Supplies & Materials. Y1 has ≈ $83K budgeted in supplies and materials, instructional and non- instructional and includes staff and student computers. By Y5, this category totals ≈ $208K. As % of the overall budget, this category represents 6% of total spending, which aligns with the trend observed at other charter schools. These expenses, depending on the line item, are driven by the number of students, number of new students, number of classrooms, or staff. We have been thoughtful about distinguishing recurring vs. one-time costs within this part of the budget. Other Expenses. We budgeted $125 per student in each year for general liability insurance, including directors and officers, building content, and umbrella insurance. We budgeted $50 per FTE, for background checks for all staff members per LEA requirements. We included the authorizer fee, calculated as the smaller of 3% of BEP funds or $35,000. Facilities. We earmarked between 10% and 12% of overall spending for facility-related expenses, including furniture and equipment. A majority of this part of the budget is driven by the working assumption of 80 sq. ft. per student, with 9,600 sq. ft. in Y1 and 28,800 in Y5. This includes a base rent assumption of $5 per sq. ft. with 1.25% increase year over year. Tenant improvements of $7 per sq. ft. are budgeted for buildout during the pre-opening period, and $5 per sq. ft. as the school grows and expands every year. Utilities are budgeted at $2 per sq. ft., along with custodial services at $2 per sq. ft.. Waste and trash pick- up is budgeted at $200 per month. Ongoing maintenance is budgeted at $0.25 per sq. ft. Financial Sustainability. Reviewing projected operating income over the first five years, we experience positive operating incomes in all five years with a growing fund balance year over year. Between Planning Year and Y1, we see operating incomes of ≈$71K and $10K, respectively. In Y2, we see a decrease in operating income totaling ≈$47K for that fiscal year. In Y3, 4, and 5, Memphis Merit Academy is positioned to post operating income gains of ≈$59K, $11K, and $95K, respectively. The preliminary financial plan is strong, with the fund balance approaching the $294K mark by Year 5 or roughly a 10% reserve. Cash Flow. A cash flow has been provided for the periods between September 2018 and June 2019, and July 2019 through June 2020. Revenue and expenses have been aligned to their typical schedules of distribution, and where possible, schedules have been differentiated to reflect the nature of how Tennessee charter schools receive and spend money based on the time of the year. Cash flow assumes the major following assumptions: We receive WFF Grant by September 2018; CSP funds are funded at 20% of the allocation in a given year, with balance drawn down in quarterly installments; BEP funds are distributed in 10 payments August through June, with exception of payment in May (state-mandated distribution schedule); Other sources like Title I have been projected conservatively at the quarterly interval to account for processing of funding requests, any compliance documents, etc.; All staffing and benefit expenses are projected over 12 months; Most expense categories are aligned to 12-month schedule with some targeted spending to occur in front part of year to align with expenses incurred when school is opening; Expenses related to school activities, such as transportation, are budgeted to align with the 10 months of instruction. There will be some periods of time, particularly in the beginning of Y1, when the cash flow will call for the school to manage the outflow of payables and in some cases delay timing of those payments, but it otherwise not outside of what other charter schools have to deal with. Though there is not a Y2 cash flow available, we could potentially face a cash flow issue in the beginning of the second operating fiscal year. Given the known issue with BEP payments not disbursed in July, the school will be faced with meeting all July operating expenses with its ending cash balance. These numbers would indicate the school will face an operating cash shortfall at the beginning of Y2. We would plan on using the following to bridge this potential cash shortfall: Establish a line of credit; similar schools have been
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 249 of 250 able to secure lines of credit in excess of $150,000 before entering Y1; Negotiate extended payment terms with vendors; here are considerable sums in Technology, Equipment, and Furniture for Y2; Secure short- term private loans from philanthropic individuals; Negotiate a delayed or deferred payment structure into the lease during the summer months. Any potential cash shortfall would be manageable based upon the above techniques. These techniques have been utilized at other charter schools with success. Contingency Planning. While creating a budget, there must be an evaluation of hypothetical, yet realistic situations regarding what the school would do should certain revenues not materialize, expenses run higher than the current budget projections, or the cash flow runs into issues. From a planning perspective, wherever possible, we have tried to take the approach of under-estimating revenue and over-estimating expense by using ADM count (97% of total enrollment) as our BEP revenue driver and total enrollment as a driver for our per student expenses. This hedge, built into the current budget outlook, is the first line- of-defense should there be additional developments take place that worsen the financial picture. We have taken the strategy of not assuming any additional resources beyond WFF grant monies and Board donation commitments in its Planning Year. We have not budgeted significant sums of money outside of public resources (CSP, BEP, Title I allocations). Post-authorization, we plan on establishing rapport with local Memphis philanthropic funders who have historically aided other Memphis charters to strengthen our budget outlook. We have conservatively assumed that we can grow into a facility and pay rent on an “as utilized” basis. This has been successfully implemented in several existing Memphis charter schools and is the ideal method through which we would execute our facility plan. If we cannot come to terms on a lease that operates on an “as utilized” basis, the model has conservatism built in that would allow us rent a facility that would fit our needs for 2-3 years and then require a move to expand the square footage available. The budget developed is a feasibility analysis based on the program and school design being proposed, not necessarily the final operating budget; the budget will continue to undergo many revisions post-authorization and into the next year. If there were a material revision on the revenue or expense side (any change in excess of 20%), the budget would have to be reevaluated, redeveloped, and reapproved by the Board. The startup budget might have to be tailored to align with the available startup resources or be reduced to generate a larger startup year carryover into Y1. Given its % of the budget, the staffing plan would likely need to be reevaluated. Positions might have to be reduced to part-time or delayed to a later start date, or even delayed to the following school year. Certain equipment and furniture purchases might have to be delayed. Service contracts might have to be renegotiated for a reduced scope. Looking at the five-year outlook, we will face the largest financial challenge in our first year of operation. However, we are committed to having a positive fund balance all five years, and that commitment is what will drive budget decisions and revisions to address any potential shortfalls. With the ending cash balance in Y1, we will evaluate all financing options available. In addition to pursuing a line of credit, the Head of School and Governing Board will pursue all avenues of cash flow financing, including but not limited to, vendor credit, credit cards, and any options available that can improve cash.
Memphis Merit Academy Charter School 250 of 250