“To Find Your Place, Seek a Better World.”
NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Application for a Massachusetts Charter Submitted July 28, 2015
800 Pleasant Street, Suite 1605, MA 02740-6148 Phone 774-255-3624 ▪ www.newbedfordcheironeum.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
REQUIRED MATERIAL Applicant Information Sheet ...... i Certification Statement ...... iii Executive Summary ...... iv I. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE FAITHFULNESS TO CHARTER?
A. Mission ...... 1 B. Key Design Elements ...... 1 C. Description of the Community(ies) to be Served ...... 1
II. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS? A. Overview of Program Delivery ...... 1 B. Curriculum and Instruction ...... 1 C. Student Performance, Assessment, and Program Evaluation ...... 1 D. Supports for Diverse Learners ...... 1 E. Culture and Family Engagement ...... 1
III. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE ORGANIZATIONAL VIABILITY? A. Capacity ...... 1 B. Governance and Management ...... 1 C. School Finances ...... 1
IV. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS A. Questionnaire and Resume from Each Member of Founders Group ...... A-1 B. Curriculum Scope and Sequence for Grade Levels ...... B-1 C. Draft Organizational Chart ...... C-1 D. Draft Operating Budget (Pro Forma) ...... D-1 E. Proven Provider Request ...... E-1
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
COMMONWEALTH CHARTER APPLICANT INFORMATION SHEET
This information is included with all submissions. The application, including this form, will be posted on the Department website. Applicants are advised that the primary contact person may be contacted by the public and/or media with questions about the proposed school.
Name of Proposed Charter School: New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School
School Address (if known): To be determined
School Location (City/Town REQUIRED): New Bedford
Primary Contact Person: Richard T. Porteus
Role or relationship of contact person to proposal: Lead Founder
Address: 800 Pleasant St., Unit 1605
City: New Bedford State: Massachusetts Zip: 02740-6148
Daytime Tel: (774) 255-3624 Secondary Tel: (774)
Email: [email protected]
1. The proposed school will open in the fall of school year: 2016-2017 ■ 2017-2018
School Year Grade Levels Total Student Enrollment First Year 6, 7 288 Second Year 6, 7, 8, 9 576 Third Year 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 720 Fourth Year 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 864 Fifth Year 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 1,008 Add additional rows as needed to show planned growth to reach full proposed grade span and maximum enrollment.
2. Grade span at full enrollment: 6-12
3. Total student enrollment when fully expanded: 1,008 4. Age at entry for kindergarten, if applicable: Not Applicable
5. If applicable, the proposed Horace Mann charter school is: Not Applicable
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6. If applicable, the proposed type of Horace Mann charter school is: Not Applicable
Questions #7-10 are for applications for a Commonwealth charter school ONLY.
7. If applicable, will this proposed Commonwealth school be a regional charter school? Yes ■ No
If yes, list the school districts (including regional school districts) in the proposed region. Please only list districts that are included in District Information on Enrollment Projections for New Applications and Expansion Amendments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/new/?section=app when posted. (Use additional sheets if necessary.) ______
If no, please specify the district’s population as reported in the most recent United States census estimate for the community the school intends to serve: 95,072 The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall not approve a new Commonwealth charter school in any community with a population of less than 30,000 as determined by the most recent United States census estimate [available at http://www.census.gov/], unless it is a regional charter school. (MGL c. 71 § 89(i)(1).
8. For all proposed Commonwealth charter schools, list the districts that are contiguous with the proposed school’s district or region. Please only list districts that are included in District Information on Enrollment Projections for New Applications and Expansion Amendments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/new/?section=app when posted. (Use additional sheets if necessary.) Acushnet Freetown Lakeville Dartmouth Fairhaven
9. Will the proposed Commonwealth charter school serve a district where overall student performance on the MCAS is in the lowest 10 percent, as designated in District Information on Enrollment Projections for New Applications and Expansion Amendments or in any updated analysis performed by the Department? ■ Yes No
10. Will the proposed Commonwealth charter school serve a district or districts in which the 9 percent net school spending cap is, or could be, exceeded by 2015-2016 applications? ■ Yes No
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
11. Have members of the applicant group previously submitted a prospectus or final application that did not result in a charter? ■ Yes No If yes, is the present submission related in content to the previous application? ■ Yes No If yes, please indicate the name of the previous proposal and the year submitted.
New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School 2011-2012
12. Is the applicant group currently the board of trustees of an existing charter school? Yes ■ No
If answered YES, please explain why the group is not using the charter application designed for use by a current board of trustees.
13. Do members of the applicant group currently operate or are they employed by a private or parochial school? Yes ■ No
14. Are any members of the applicant group present or past members of a charter school board of trustees, school committee, or other type of public governing body? ■ Yes No
If yes, please indicate the person’s name; the charter school name and school location, or school committee district; and dates of membership.
Richard T. Porteus Sturgis Charter School (Hyannis) 1998-1999
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COMMONWEALTH CHARTER SCHOOL CERTIFICATION STATEMENT (COMPLETED IN ONLINE TOOL AND ORIGINAL HARD COPY WITH SIGNATURE PROVIDED TO ESE) Note: Applicant group submits an updated certification statement with the final application, if invited to submit.
Proposed Charter School Name:
New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School
Proposed School Location (City/Town):
New Bedford
I hereby certify that the information submitted in this prospectus/final application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that this prospectus/application has been or is being sent to the superintendent of each of the districts from which we expect to draw students. Further, I understand that, if awarded a charter, the proposed school shall be open to all students on a space available basis, and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language, or academic achievement. I further understand that the information submitted in this prospectus/application serves as an initial application for start-up assistance funding under the federal Charter Schools Program grant. This is a true statement, made under the penalties of perjury.
Signature of Authorized Person______Date July 28, 2015
Print/Type Name Richard T. Porteus
Address 800 Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Daytime Phone 774-255-3624
Fax ______
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Welcome to The New Bedford Cheironeum Out of wonder, curiosity. Out of challenge, discipline. Out of experience, wisdom.
The New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School ("the Cheironeum") is a proposed co-ed secondary school (grades 6 through 12) for 1,008 students, to be located in the historic port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, adjacent to the Acushnet River, with access through Buzzards Bay to the Atlantic Basin. The target date for the opening of this ocean-based, tuition-free, urban Commonwealth Charter School is August 1, 2017.
The Cheironeum seeks a diverse student body proportionately representative of the New Bedford student- age population. Enrollment is open to any student residing in Massachusetts, with New Bedford students receiving preference. Admission to the Cheironeum is by lottery.
Motto: "To Find Your Place, Seek a Better World."
Mission: The New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School, exists to prepare the rising generation to thrive in a world of accelerating societal, economic and environmental change. Drawing on the maritime heritage, marine environment, and diverse coastal culture of "The City That Lit the World," the Cheironeum employs experiential education and responsible rites of passage to empower learners, to: 1. Meet, as curious, disciplined, and independent thinkers, world-class standards of academic achievement; 2. Participate, as responsible citizens, in an increasingly global society; 3. Conserve, as thoughtful stewards, a complex global ecosystem; 4. Create, as innovative entrepreneurs, personal options for future success in an emerging global culture; and 5. Contribute, as effective collaborators, to the credit, resources, and reputation of their community.
Model: The Cheironeum and the Hero's/Heroine's Journey, challenging mind and body, heart and hand; guiding the transition from pre-teen to adolescent, adolescent to young adult; ensuring initial mastery of the five roles of the contemporary hero/heroine (enumerated above); and culminating in responsible rites of passage.
Design: Key elements of the Cheironeum whole-school design include experiential education, systems thinking, and openness, with an emphasis on equity, plenitude, and sustainability as strategies for adapting to societal, economic, and environmental change.
Themes: Major themes include the Theory of Knowledge (disciplinary understanding); the Unity of Knowledge (“consilience”); Cosmic Evolution (a scientifically grounded creation story); the Human Journey (a universal Odyssey, leading from cradle to grave, from African origin to the Anthropocene); Humankind's Struggle with Nature (a contemporary Iliad); and the Human Web (from scattered bands to the global Internet).
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Features: The Cheironeum supports and participates in the development of an expanding list of public assets, public events, and public venues for educational use. Public assets include a student-run 152-ft. research vessel; a student-run 75-acre island research station; a student-run 1.5-acre urban market garden; a student-curated 1.5-mile historic urban walking trail; and a student-run 200-seat Shakespearean-style theater. Public events include Shakespeare-by-the-Sea, an annual Shakespeare festival featuring competing regional troupes of student actors; "Biophilia!” a celebration of life's diversity, timed to coincide with the Summer Solstice; and the "Melville Cup/New Bedford Whaleboat Challenge", New Bedford's multi-day, waterborne Iditarod. Public venues include three student-curated seasonal museums: "New Bedford Youth and the Sea", "New Bedford Youth at Work", and "New Bedford: YOU Are HERE!".
Learning at the Cheironeum will be student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based, experiential, authentic, and passion-directed with the goal of transforming apprentice learners into "expert amateurs," ready for college, career, and a full life, as well as mature individuals, both conscious and responsible. The Cheironeum approach to learning will emphasize the evolution and neuroplasticity of the human brain: "You are what you think, so be what you wish to become, do and learn."
The Cheironeum Curriculum will integrate the humanities and the sciences in a coordinated, transdisciplinary program involving each of seven core disciplines throughout all of seven years:
Literature and Composition (the power of narrative and the importance of voice) Language (multilingual study of the four major languages of the Atlantic World: English, Portugués, Español, and Français) Geography-History (with emphasis on the Atlantic World) Science (with emphasis on life science, including evolutionary, microbial, marine, and synthetic biology, and incorporating technology, and engineering) Mathematics (including navigation) and Computer Science The Arts (studio, performing, and applied) The "Seventh Discipline" (Self-Discipline) including social-emotional learning focused on self, other, and systems
A Co-Curriculum (including health, fitness, and athletics), as well as Extra-curricular Activities will complement the academic program during an extended day, week, and year.
Cheironeum Standards will meet/exceed Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (MCF), Common Core State Standards (CCSS); Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); and National Geography Standards (NGS); as well as the standards of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme® (IBMYP) and Diploma Programme® (IBDP). In addition, Cheironeum Standards will be used to assess learning that is specific to the Cheironeum.
The New Bedford Cheironeum is a grass-roots multi-year effort by a growing number of New Bedford residents and other members of the Buzzards Bay community, as well as institutions supporting ocean education and the life sciences, to establish a tuition-free, open admission, secondary school that uses experiential education and project-based learning to offer a different path to success in college, career, and life. The Cheironeum will seek out and serve those New Bedford students with the greatest need, least resources, and fewest options, those students most vulnerable to a shifting economy, and whose true talents are regularly left untapped.
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COMMONWEALTH CHARTER PROSPECTUS
I. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE FAITHFULNESS TO CHARTER?
A. MOTTO, MISSION, AND VISION MOTTO: To Find Your Place, Seek a Better World.
MISSION: The New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School, exists to prepare the rising generation to thrive in a world of accelerating societal, economic and environmental change. Drawing on the maritime heritage, marine environment, and coastal culture of “The City That Lit the World,” the Cheironeum empowers—through experiential education and responsible rites of passage—a diverse and inclusive community of learners to:
1. Meet, as curious, disciplined, and independent thinkers, world-class standards of academic achievement; 2. Participate, as responsible citizens, in an increasingly global society; 3. Conserve, as thoughtful stewards, a complex global ecosystem; 4. Create, as innovative entrepreneurs, options for success in an emerging global culture; and 5. Contribute, as effective collaborators, to the credit, resources, and reputation of their community.
VISION: Out of wonder, curiosity; out of challenge, discipline; out of experience, wisdom.
Educational Model: The Hero’s Journey
The Cheironeum mission statement enumerates the five roles of the contemporary hero/heroine: thinker, citizen, steward, entrepreneur, and collaborator. Seeking out and grappling with contemporary real-world challenges, while trying on new roles, transforms disinterested students into apprentice problem-solvers.
Operating Metaphor: The Seaborne Quest
Situated on the coast, against the backdrop of the sea, the Cheironeum will emphasize education as a voyage of discovery, channeling wonder into curiosity, transforming questions into quests, using experience to develop a useful world view. This operating metaphor also reflects the underlying reality of regular student engagement with the ocean environment.
Symbol: The Sailing Ship and Its Crew
Better than acronyms or speeches, symbols and stories communicate culture, enabling stakeholders to share a common and consistent understanding of the Cheironeum’s mission and key design elements.
Destination: College, Career, and a Respected Role in the Community
A Cheironeum education enables learners—while still secondary students—to build equity in their community, to assume increasing responsibility for their community’s success, and to help shape their community’s future. Such experience confers on learners immediate social and emotional rewards, while preparing them for longer-term success in college, career, and life.
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B. KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
Cheironeum founders believe that any consideration of education must begin by answering fundamental questions about its nature and purpose. A “lifeworthy” education (Perkins, 2014) is about more than being accepted to college or landing a first job, as important as these opportunities are. Learning and teaching are basic instincts in humans, reflecting our evolution as eusocial organisms. Education is the effort of mature generations (adults and elders) to convey to the rising generation the mindset, habits of mind, and world view considered necessary to adapt, survive, and thrive in a world of uncertainty and change, while still recognizing the rising generation’s need to find its own way. The uniqueness and neuroplasticity of the individual human brain grant us, as a species, the diversity of perspective and thought necessary to evolve culturally and intellectually in the face of change. Contemporary research has highlighted the “wisdom of crowds” (Howe, 2008) and the superiority of “cognitive diversity” (Page, 2007) in arriving at sound decisions or solving seemingly intractable problems, arguments for educating all members of an increasingly global community to their potential. In a truly free society, the most appropriate general education is a “liberal education,” capable of transforming a free person (Latin, liber, “free”) into a fully participating citizen of that society. In modern times, liberal education has come to mean education in the core disciplines of the humanities (languages, history, arts) and the sciences (including mathematics, the “language of science”). Together, these disciplines provide a citizen with the intellectual tools required to pose and to answer important questions about the issues confronting self and society. At the secondary level, a liberal education is the best means of expanding a learner’s options in life. (While a liberal education by no means precludes or obviates the need for vocational, technical, or professional training, neither do these more specialized approaches substitute for it.) It is in the best interest of a democracy to educate every citizen (and potential citizen) to his or her fullest potential, since each may be expected to cast a ballot, to sit on a jury, to defend his or her country, to live within the law, to produce and consume in a manner consistent with his or her values and beliefs, and to represent his or her culture, community, and country in interactions with the rest of the world. The best educational methods play to our strengths as survivors over millions of years. In a popular work, the director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research formulates “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School” (Medina, 2008):
#1 Exercise boosts brain power #2 The human brain has evolved, too [learning=survival] #3 Every brain is wired differently #4 We don’t pay attention to boring things #5 Repeat to remember [to improve short-term memory] #6 Remember to repeat [to improve long-term memory] #7 Sleep well, think well #8 Stressed brains don’t learn the same way #9 Stimulate more of the senses #10 Vision trumps all senses #11 Male and female brains are different #12 We are powerful and natural explorers
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These twelve brain rules make a powerful students’ bill of rights, as well as clear commandments for students and teachers to live by and useful guidelines for planning and critiquing instruction. CORE BELIEFS
The Cheironeum’s mission and philosophy support an educational program that is empowering, relevant, liberating, of high quality, and well-suited to the requirements and preferences of the developing individual human brain. The Cheironeum’s core beliefs support an educational program emphasizing experiential education, project-based learning, high standards, interdisciplinary connections, multi- sensory engagement, differentiated instruction, and concern for the whole child. Given proper understanding and support, all children can learn. “Intelligence is mutable and can be improved” (Nisbett, 2009). Moreover, each individual has open to cultivation multiple kinds of intelligence of potential value to the individual and his or her community (Gardner, 2006; Goleman; 2012); therefore, the education that best addresses an uncertain future is that which cultivates the full potential of each individual’s mind and body, heart and hand, maximizing strengths and strengthening weaknesses, while focusing on “lifeworthy” knowledge and skills (Perkins, 2014).
Education, formal and informal, should support the learner’s quest for autonomy, mastery, and purpose—the “drive” (Pink, 2009)—to find one’s place in the world. Responsible rites of passage can help safely transition learners from the dependence of adolescence to the increasing independence of young adulthood by recognizing mastery and rewarding purpose with increasing autonomy (Bell, 2003; Siegel, 2013).
Mastery of six core academic disciplines1 for the intellectual tools they offer expands the human capital and lifetime options of ALL students, not simply those easiest to teach.
Out of experience, through mindfulness and reflection, comes wisdom. “Experiential education,” as practiced by the Cheironeum is student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based, passion-directed, and connected to the real world of changing circumstances, complex conditions, shifting outcomes, and real consequences, rather than confined to the artificial environment of the classroom, with its fixed circumstances, simple conditions, pre-arranged outcomes, and artificial or unrelated consequences.
Shared narratives create our common culture (Cozolino, 2013). Over millennia, the individual quest for autonomy, mastery, and purpose has found universal expression in the archetypal monomyth of the “Hero’s Journey” (Campbell, 1973), a readily understood template for experiential education.
VALUES
The challenge of the so-called “Anthropocene” is finding one’s place in a world of accelerating societal, economic (Friedman, 2007, 2008; Schor, 2011), and environmental change (Wilson, 2013; Earle, 2010) when the pace, force, and impact of these changes preclude the role of innocent bystander. Understanding and supporting the self-balancing systems centered on the values equity, plenitude, and sustainability provide Everyman (and Everywoman) with the opportunity to become a hero (or heroine).
These values correlate to the more familiar-sounding values of life (environmental sustainability), liberty (societal equity), and the pursuit of happiness (plenitude), as well as the social and emotional concerns of
1 Literature and composition; language acquisition; geography/history; science; mathematics; the arts.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School system thinkers for self (plenitude), other (equity), and systems (sustainability) (Senge, 2008; Goleman, 2012).
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS
From a chartering authority’s perspective, “key design elements” are aspects of whole-school design that make a charter school “unique” and “distinct” from other educational options available to the youth of the district or region. These key design elements, expressed in terms of SMART2 objectives, are used to hold a charter school accountable for the promises it has made.
From a governance perspective, these same key design elements also comprise the basic instruction set that determines the Cheironeum’s future growth, the genetic code that allows the Cheironeum to grow organically, responsive to changing conditions, while staying true to its mission and anchored in its niche. Expressed as objectives, the key design elements provide waypoints by which to chart a course.
From an administrative perspective, the key design elements, divided and subdivided into increasingly specific subordinate goals, provide the means of navigating an agreed upon course.
Finally, from a reporting perspective, the key design elements, expressed in terms of nested goals and progress toward those goals, enable all stakeholders—students, parents, faculty, leadership team, trustees, supporters, suppliers, collaborators, partners, and the wider community—to assess the health of the whole and how each stakeholder stands in relation to it. To this end, the key design elements allow the co- voyagers to triangulate an up-to-date fix on their position relative to their goals and expectations.
True to its operating metaphor of a seaborne quest, the Cheironeum adopts these seven key design elements to steer by.
The seven (7) key design elements of the Cheironeum are:
1) Educate for Change 2) Build on Community Strengths 3) Undertake the Hero/Heroine’s Journey 4) Ensure a Diverse and Inclusive Community 5) Embrace Openness 6) Practice Systems Thinking 7) Rethink Time, Space, and Place
2 “Specific, measurable, achievable, results oriented, time-delimited, and trackable.”
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Key Design Element #1: EDUCATE FOR CHANGE
Link(s): “…to prepare the rising generation to thrive in a world of accelerating societal, economic, and environmental change…” (mission) Equity, Plenitude, and Sustainability (values)
Rationale: In educating students to thrive in a world of change, the Cheironeum emphasize the system-balancing values of equity, plenitude, and sustainability.
Examples: Equity: Restorative justice. “The Golden Rule.” Plenitude: Satisfaction, not satiety. Sustainability: A “one-planet” life-style.
Goal: Establish Equity as the basis of order within the Cheironeum community. Objective: Annually, by June 30, all incoming learners—including faculty, trustees, and willing parents—shall qualify as initial practitioners of “restorative justice.” Measure: All incoming learners shall participate in three one-hour seminars and complete (min. score proficient on a short assessment, a three-page case study, and a one-page reflection. Data: Attendance records, graded assessments, three-page case studies, one-page personal reflections. Source: Presenting teams collect data. Keeper of the Log aggregates, maintains, communicates.
Goal: Establish Plenitude as the basis for self-management within the Cheironeum community. Objective: All second-voyagers will conduct a study in their first year of a week’s worth of consumption and waste in their home kitchen or a kitchen of their choice. Measure: All second-voyagers will score proficient on a rubric evaluating the analysis and written commentary of their research projects. Data: Rubrics and scoresheets. Source: Supervising teachers will collect and score the studies. Log will aggregate, record.
Goal: Establish Sustainability as the basis for consumption within the Cheironeum community. Objective: All first-year third-voyagers will calculate their carbon footprint vs. green handprint over the course of each September. Measure: Complete, to-scale representations of both footprint and handprint, with supporting data, calculations, and written reflection, scoring proficient. Data: Projects and scoresheets. Source: Supervising teacher will collect and score. Log will aggregate, record.
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Key Design Element #2: BUILD ON COMMUNITY STRENGTHS
Link(s): “Drawing upon the maritime heritage, marine environment, and coastal culture of ‘The City That Lit the World’…” (mission)
Rationale: The Cheironeum will build on community strengths by contributing to the development of public assets, resources, practices, and events that expand and enhance the cultural and educational resources of New Bedford. New Bedford, its environments, and related locales offer a superior “classroom without walls.”
Examples: The Cheironeum will collaborate with Massachusetts Maritime Academy (and complementary institutions), to position the schooner Ernestina-Morrissey as “the flagship for 21st century ocean education.” Means to this end include, but are not limited to: 1) working with the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Commission; 2) developing transdisciplinary curricula; 3) programming a schedule of annually recurring experiential education for the months of June, July, and August; 3) creating both traveling and permanent exhibits to share the vessel’s story and highlight its contemporary significance; 4) building a consortium of secondary schools committed to active long-term involvement in the schooner’s educational mission; and 5) identifying and obtaining the scientific instruments to equip an 8’X10’ marine laboratory.
Goal: All members of the Cheironeum community will be capable of accessing safely the ocean environment. Objective: Each June, all Cheironeum students and faculty will work together to plan and complete a swim of 1.2 miles. Measure: Open-water course from New Bedford to Fairhaven/ 80 laps in YMCA pool. Data: Recorded finishes. Source: Coalition for Buzzards Bay, or YMCA, collected by supervising teacher.
Goal: All first-year third-voyagers will be able to describe how the Ernestina-Morrissey uses wind and water to move from one location to another. Objective: In a written, oral, or visual explanation, students will identify the forces at work. Measure: Proficiency in written, oral, or visual explanation. Data: Rubric and scoresheet. Source: Supervising teacher, recorded by Log.
Goal: “Study Nature, not iPads.” Objective: Incoming first-voyagers will describe their expedition in terms of questions for further research, such as “Why is the sky most often blue, sometimes red?” Measure: Proficient notes, sketches, photographs, and specimens supporting thoughtful questions. Data: Field notes. Rubric and scoresheet. Source: Supervising teacher collects and scores. Log records.
Goal: Understand the life of plants. Objective: Students will demonstrate proficiency by predicting growth under various conditions. Measure: Notebooks scored by rubric. Data: Rubric and scoresheets. Source: Supervising teacher collects and scores. Log records.
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MARITIME HERITAGE
State-owned, 121-year-old, 152-ft., Ernestina-Morrissey is undergoing a $7,000,000 all-ocean restoration in Boothbay Harbor, ME, and is scheduled to return to her homeport of New Bedford by 2020. She currently has no plan for an education program involving secondary students, despite similar programs in Rhode Island, New York, and Maryland.
MARINE ENVIRONMENT
State-owned, 75-acre Penikese Island, was home to the first shoreside marine research station in America, founded by renowned naturalist Louis Agassiz in 1873 as a program for science teachers. Only 16 miles from New Bedford, en route to Cuttyhunk, the island is a world apart and a portal to close observation of sea-land interaction. Currently, few, if any secondary students visit or study its island ecosystem.
COASTAL CULTURE
Ten percent of this city-owned, 1.75-acre parcel is lightly used as a seasonal community garden. Only a short walk from downtown, this parcel has the potential to become a productive student-run urban farm helping to alleviate food insecurity in New Bedford while providing a multidisciplinary learning resource.
HAZELWOOD PARK
This 26-acre city park is home to two decaying historic landmarks. Students could lead the way in researching, planning, and assisting in a restoration.
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Key Design Element #3: MAKE THE HERO’S/HEROINE’S JOURNEY
Link(s): “the Cheironeum empowers, through experiential education and responsible rites of passage…” (mission) “Out of wonder, curiosity; out of challenge, discipline; out of experience, wisdom.” (vision)
Rationale: The Cheironeum will use the Hero’s Journey as its model for experiential education and responsible rites of passage that empower each student to assume the roles of thinker, citizen, steward, entrepreneur, and collaborator.
Example: Starting with the observation that we inhabit one earth, united by water, endowed with life, and shared by all, the journey begins with three essential questions—Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going? This line of inquiry, applied to self, others, and systems ultimately lead to the questions—Why? Why not? What if? What next?
Goal: Meet, as curious, disciplined, and independent thinkers, world-class standards (mission) Objective: Students will meet world-class standards of academic achievement in six subjects. Measure: All students will complete all IB requirements for both the MYP and Diploma Programme Data: Completed exams, projects, papers, reflections moderated or scored by IB examiners. Source: IB Coordinator at the Cheironeum.
Goal: Participate, as responsible citizens, in an increasingly global society (mission) Objective: Demonstrating their understanding of geography, as well as working knowledge of a second language, all students will complete interdisciplinary projects focused on problems of social justice, while collaborating with peers elsewhere in the Atlantic community. Measure: Students will collaborate on a video presentation for cross-cultural assessment. Data: Video, rubric, scoresheet. Source: Video posted on CHEIRON, the Cheironeum’s wiki, with comments by evaluators.
Goal: Conserve, as thoughtful stewards, a complex global ecosystem; (mission) Objective: Demonstrating their understanding of biology as a discipline, all sixth-year students will complete a marine or terrestrial research project related to the Atlantic basin or coast. Measure: All students will demonstrate proficiency in creating a museum-style exhibit. Data: Rubric, scoresheets. Source: Supervising teacher collects. Log records.
Goal: Create, as innovative entrepreneurs, options for…an emerging global culture (mission) Objective: Recognizing the Cheironeum community as a large-scale consumer of goods and services, all sixth-year students will create a proposal for meeting one of the needs of that market. Measure: Consumer evaluation of product or service via rubric. Data: Rubric, scoresheets. Source: Supervising teacher collects. Log records.
Goal: Contribute, as effective collaborators, to the credit, resources, and reputation of their communities (mission) Objective: All seventh-year students will plan and execute a project that contributes to community resources. Measure: Citizen satisfaction, as determined by observed use. Data: Observation data. Source: Supervising teacher collects data. Log records.
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Why the Hero’s Journey? Humankind is a story-telling animal. We use narrative to make sense of and communicate our experience. “Stories connect us to one another, help to shape our identities, and serve to keep our brains integrated and regulated. The human brain co-evolved with story-telling, narrative structure, and the tale of the heroic journey…” (Cozolino, 2013). Our shared stories define our common culture, teaching the values that each generation hopes will enable the next to adapt, survive, and thrive. One story—from Gilgamesh to Moby-Dick, to Star Wars and Harry Potter—has repeatedly captured the human imagination: the archetypal monomyth, the “Journey of the Hero.” (Campbell, 1949; Vogler, 2007).
We teach it to our children… Identify the conventions of legends and epics (e.g., the hero, quest, journey, seemingly impossible tasks) in historical and modern literary works. (Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, 2011)
…we use it to find common ground… The journey metaphor can serve as a facilitation tool to help groups create a shared vision and the action plan needed to achieve it; build commitment to implement a vision that already exists; and initiate a rapid response complex problems where no coordinating group, common language or shared vision now exist. (Brown and Moffett, 1999)
…and we use it to find meaning in our lives…
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. (Dickens, 1850)
…because we value its theme of individual excellence combined with community service. A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. (Campbell, 1949)
The Cheironeum envisions education as the “Hero’s Journey,” a voyage of discovery with learners as “heroes,” business as usual as the” world of common day,” school (wherever learning takes place, whether school desk or schooner deck) as the “region of supernatural wonder,” the seven disciplines (six academic disciplines plus self-discipline) as the “fabulous forces,” mastery of these disciplines as the “decisive victory,” unity of knowledge (“consilience,” i.e., transdisciplinary understanding) as the “power to bestow boons,” and humankind—now other life-forms, as well—as the hero’s “fellow man.” This vision of a student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based quest into the unknown—experiential, authentic and passion-directed—a quest with the goal of making a positive and measurable difference for oneself and others, provides the model for a Cheironeum education.
The “Call to Adventure” “There are three ways of trying to win the young. There is persuasion. There is compulsion. And there is attraction. You can preach at them; that is a hook without a worm. You can say, ‘You must volunteer.’ That is the devil. And you can tell them, ‘You are needed.’ That hardly ever fails.” (Hahn, 1960).
“Humanity’s long-term survival depends on acquiring answers to these and many other related questions about our home planet. Time is growing short…Now I’ll repeat what I said when I began these letters: You are needed.” (Wilson, Letters to a Young Scientist, 2013).
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Key Design Element #4: ENSURE A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
Link(s): “…a diverse and inclusive learning community…” (mission)
Rationale: The Cheironeum will ensure a diverse and inclusive community by building bridges to all potential stakeholders, removing barriers to their participation, and creating supports for their continued involvement.
One of the most powerful and genuine approaches to creating new relationships of mutual trust is to simply and sincerely ask for help or to willingly extend needed help before someone in need has to ask for it.
Example: Students and their families “adopt” teachers who are committed to learning the students’ home languages. (Every teacher at the Cheironeum is required to study and progress in acquiring a language he or she cannot yet speak fluently.)
Employ Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies for making the curriculum accessible to all learners.
Goal: Give families a respected and valued role in formal education that democratizes the learning process. Objective: Create a sense of equality and equal mission for students, parents, and teachers Measure: “Adoption rate” of faculty members. Data: Attendance by families at event where faculty must publicly demonstrate what they have learned of a language new or less familiar to them (e.g., a song, a story, a skit, a speech) Source: Joint faculty/parents committee collates data. Log records.
Goal: Create opportunities to learn that are accessible by all students. Objective: Implement UDL in all classrooms. Measure: Faculty involvement in professional development. Review of lesson plans according to agreed-upon rubric. Data: Lesson plans. Rubric and scoresheets. Student surveys. Source: Director of Curriculum and Instruction will compile. Log will record.
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Key Design Element #5: EMBRACE OPENNESS
Link: “ Contribute, as effective collaborators, to the credit, resources, and reputation of their community” (mission)
Rationale: The Cheironeum will embrace openness by sharing resources and by seeking and disseminating “best practices” and “next practices” within education.
Examples: The Cheironeum will maintain a public wiki, posting all curriculum, including lesson plans and student work, for the purpose of encouraging exchange of ideas among educators and students at different schools.
The Cheironeum supports and participates in the development of an expanding list of public assets, public events, and public venues for educational use. Public assets include a student-run 152-ft. research vessel; a student-run 75-acre island research station; a student-run 1.5-acre urban market garden; a student-curated 1.5-mile historic urban walking trail; and a student-run 200-seat Shakespearean-style theater. Public events include Shakespeare-by-the-Sea, an annual Shakespeare festival featuring competing regional troupes of student actors; "Biophilia!” a celebration of life's diversity, timed to coincide with the Summer Solstice; and the "Melville Cup/New Bedford Whaleboat Challenge", New Bedford's multi-day, waterborne Iditarod. Public venues include three student-curated seasonal museums: "New Bedford Youth and the Sea", "New Bedford Youth at Work", and "New Bedford: YOU Are HERE!”
Goal: The Cheironeum (located in the “Bay State”!) will share its ocean-based science curriculum with other schools in Massachusetts, across the US, and abroad. Objective: Cheironeum faculty and students will present at conferences of the Massachusetts Marine Educators and give access to student projects through CHEIRON, the Cheironeum’s wiki. Measure: Reviews of presentations. Visits and links to wiki. Data: Videos of presentations, webpages. Source: Supervising teacher will collect data. Log will record.
Goal: The Cheironeum will build bridges to other schools by inaugurating events of mutual interest and educational significance. Objective: Establish Biophilia! as an annual event of educational significance. Measure: On the Sunday closest to the summer solstice and before the end of the school year, co- host a parade and festival along Purchase Street to convey the story of cosmic evolution and the splendor of diversity. Drawing on inspiration from medieval miracle plays to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, students will design costumes, floats, stage sets, and walking exhibits to convey key principles of life on earth, with annual additions. (Elementary school students as atoms and plankton. An All-Darwin band. A scale model of the solar system, using 800 Pleasant St., New Bedford’s tallest building (15 stories) to represent the sun. Data: Participation records. Source: Organizing committee. Log records.
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Key Design Element #6: PRACTICE SYSTEMS THINKING
Link: “A sailing ship and its crew” (vision)
Rationale: The Cheironeum will use systems thinking (Meadows, 2008) to develop itself as a learning organization (Senge, 2008) committed to continual improvement and renewal. Just as a sailing ship is a system designed to complete with all hands a voyage to an important destination while taking into account the forces, predictable and unpredictable, that it is likely to encounter en route, the Cheironeum must also safely convey all of its stakeholders to the shared outcome that inspired their signing on.
BUILD the Community through shared values, beliefs, practices, concerns, and issues
SHAPE the Culture through shared practices, customs, ceremonies, symbols, metaphors, stories, (Symbols and stories communicate more clearly than acronyms and speeches.)
INSPIRE the Curriculum by selecting, refining the best available and making it relevant locally, creating a bridge to the larger world
ENGAGE the Learner through student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based education that is experiential, authentic, and passion-directed while preventing disengagement through personalized instruction and support…
Who, once engaged, helps to BUILD the Community, etc.
Example: Professional development of the faculty
Goal: Build the Community Objective: Build the “professional capital” (Hargreaves, 2014) of the faculty Measure: All faculty will complete training in the Universal Design for Learning and apply UDL principles to lesson design. Data: Peer-reviewed lesson plans, with reviews moderated by external experts in the field. Source: Director of Curriculum and Instruction will collect reviews. Log will record.
Goal: Inspire the Curriculum Objective: Develop the faculty’s ability to help students succeed in the IB programs. Measure: Completed semi-annual IB workshops, peer reviews of lesson planning and delivery, moderated externally. Data: Lesson plans, rubrics and scoresheets. Source: Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
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Source:
CREATING A
LEARNING ORGANIZATION A SYSTEMS APPROACH
SHAPE the BUILD the CULTURE COMMUNITY through shared through shared values, experiences, practices, beliefs, practices, traditions, customs, concerns, and issues ceremonies, symbols, metaphors, stories
ENGAGE the INSPIRE the LEARNER CURRICULUM (and prevent by creating, selecting, disengagement) through refining the best available personalized instruction and making it relevant and support locally
Example of “reinforcing causal loop”
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Key Design Element #7: RETHINK TIME, SPACE, AND PLACE
Link(s): “Create, as innovative entrepreneurs, options for success in an emerging global culture” (mission)
Rationale: Can a school that doesn’t innovate, teach innovation? The Cheironeum will rethink traditional use of time, space, and place by turning the calendar upside down, the classroom inside out, and integrating the cultural and community life of the city within the buildings it adapts for educational purposes.
Examples: Time: Begin the academic year with summer Space: During the school day, make “homeroom” home for each crew of 24 students. Regularly use the external world of city and for a “classroom without walls.” Place: Create a sense of place shared within the community.
Goal: Turn the calendar upside down. Objective: Begin the year with summer by beginning the new year’s curriculum in late spring and aligning the experiential education provided by summer expeditions and projects to stimulate student curiosity and form connections between subject matter and application. Measure: Student engagement with new material as measured by journals and projects. Data: Rubrics and scoresheets for journals and projects. Source: Supervising teachers. Log will record.
Goal: Turn the classroom inside out. Objective: Give students the responsibility for organizing, equipping, and maintaining a space for their own learning. Measure: Each crew of 24 students will draw lots for the “anchorage” they will use during their stay of one to three years on each of the Cheironeum’s three intended campuses. Students will host teachers. Teachers, not students, will travel from classroom to classroom during the course of the school day, minimizing the stress of setting an entire student body set in motion at the sound of a bell and allowing students to relax in more mindful ways between scheduled classes. Students will research and configure the ideal learning space. Data: Checklist of classroom criteria. Plan and description of design. Source: Operations manager will keep on permanent file.
Goal: Create a shared sense of place Objective: Involve families and the larger community in the programming of culturally significant buildings adapted for educational and civic use. Measure: The Cheironeum will adapt existing structures of cultural significance, contributing to New Bedford’s sense of community by hosting events and creating exhibits and experiences that tell the story of New Bedford as a multicultural community: “Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?” Data: Visits to student-run participatory museums. Attends at events. Rubrics. Source: Supervising teachers. Log will record.
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11 WILLIAM STREET (Access) For sixth-grade introductory year (“First Voyage”) Significant for its location within the historic district, adjacent to the Whaling Museum and under the windows of the National Park Service, this current retail property can be transformed into a school that hosts a student-run, “participatory,” seasonal summer museum dedicated to Youth and the Sea and featuring exhibits highlighting the history and significance of the Ernestina-Morrissey.
620 BELLEVUE AVENUE (Understanding) For seventh and eighth grades (“Second Voyage”) Site of “child labor” documented by the photographer Lewis Hines and of the famous Strike of 1928, this former mill complex was also home to the Buzzards Bay Coalition. With a wet lab and frontage on the Acushnet, this potential campus offers obvious support for science, history, and waterborne activities, while allowing space for a needed student-run “participatory” museum to tell the story of New Bedford’s transformation from whaling capital to industrial city.
695 PLEASANT STREET (Adaptability) For ninth through twelfth grades (“Third Voyage”) Named, by Act of Congress, after an educationally significant hero of the local Cape Verdean community, this downtown building is one block from the main branch of the public library and three blocks from the historic district, the ideal site for classrooms and a student-run museum dedicated to the theme of “New Bedford: YOU are HERE!” documenting the diversity of current residents.
NEW BEDFORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY Rather than create its own school libraries less than three blocks away, the Cheironeum will contribute to the support and success of New Bedford’s culturally significant main branch, growing students into supportive patrons. Among other treasures, the NBFPL contains a $6million collection of works by the artist-naturalist John James Audubon, a visitor to New Bedford.
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A SHARED DESTINATION: What the Cheironeum Will Achieve for Its Stakeholders Cheironeum Students: By bringing to New Bedford a proven international provider of an effective multi- disciplinary academic program, the Cheironeum will expand options for New Bedford students beyond an emphasis on vocational and work-related tracks. Goals (5yr): 100% IB participation.
By cultivating in students a sense of mastery, autonomy, and purpose, the Cheironeum will impart the momentum to succeed in college and beyond. Goals (5yr): 100% college acceptance. (The Cheironeum will track and support college persistence and degree completion.)
New Bedford Students: By proving that New Bedford students can meet world-class standards of academic achievement on the pre-university level, the Cheironeum will help recalibrate expectations for all New Bedford students, including those from low-income households (75%) and English Language Learners new to the community (36% and rising rapidly). Goals (5yr): 85% MCAS proficiency; 100% completion of all IB requirements in preparation for college (junior- and senior-year exit exams in all six core disciplines; extended essay of 14-16 pages, Theory of Knowledge course; creativity-action-service hours); 100% of students qualifying for one or more IB certificates, with an annually increasing number of IB diplomas.
Public Education: By developing new facilities, resources, partnerships, connections, and programs to be shared with secondary schools throughout Southeast Massachusetts (and beyond), the Cheironeum will leverage taxpayer support for public education. Goals (5yr): Schooner Ernestina shoreside museum, onboard marine laboratory, and seagoing curriculum; Hazelwood Park/Serenity Garden Urban Farm and Cultural Center; New Bedford Textile Museum; Museum of the City of New Bedford; Fort Rodman Shakespeare Festival; “Trying Out Moby-Dick,” (an initiative to foster inclusion of the American epic in every secondary curriculum); the Cheironeum Wiki, an open-access repository for Cheironeum curriculum and student work. All initiatives effectively begun and underway before charter renewal.
New Bedford: By pioneering new and innovative educational approaches that result in higher student achievement, the Cheironeum will contribute to the effort to rebrand New Bedford from an “educational laggard” to an “education leader.” Goals (5yr): All school venues to reflect “school as museum” strategy for interactive learning spaces that go beyond electronics to include museum-quality exhibits, synchronoptic displays, working models.
Parents and Community Leaders: By providing students with responsible rites of passage into adulthood, the Cheironeum will assist parents and community leaders with raising mature (conscious and responsible) members of the community. Goals (5yr): Students will assume gradually increasing responsibility for project management of community-related Cheironeum projects, becoming project leaders in senior year.
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C. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY(IES) TO BE SERVED The Cheironeum will serve a student population that is proportionately representative of the student population of New Bedford. The proposed charter school would serve and the needs of that population. The Cheironeum will seek out and serve, beginning in Grade 6 and extending through Grade 12, those New Bedford students with the greatest need, least resources, and fewest options, those students most vulnerable to a shifting economy, and whose true talents are regularly left untapped. Greatest Need: More than three-quarters of New Bedford students qualify as “low-income” while a rapidly growing number are English language learners. District-wide in 2010, 51% of white students, 69% of African American, and 69% of Hispanic/Latino scored less than “proficient” on the MCAS. A study3 disaggregating the data and examining recent trends reveals that achievement in elementary school drops sharply in middle school (specifically, Grades 7 and 8), and continues to decline in high school (particularly Grade 10). The drop-out rate for grades 9-12 of 8.1% in 2010 (compared to 2.9% for the state) may obscure the full extent of the problem. District aggregate CPI data in the 2014 DART report show continued need for improvement among Low Income, ELL and former ELL, and Students with Special Needs, though with modest year to year improvement. Given an increasingly competitive world economy with increasing educational standards throughout, New Bedford students in Grades 6-12 need the curriculum, instruction, support, motivation, and means to meet or exceed world-class standards of academic achievement. Least Resources: Since 1999, the New Bedford school district has seen an increase of 22.8% in the number of low-income students as measured by enrollment in federal free- and reduced-price lunch (FRP) programs. In 2010, low-income students amounted to 65.6% of the district, although there were sharp contrasts among schools: Only 7 of 24 had fewer low-income students than the average for all schools. In 2014, the low-income percentage district-wide had increased to 75.6%. Two of the three middle schools in 2010 reported figures of 77.0% and 77.9% (with the third reporting 55.6%). At 44.9%, the high school may merely reflect fewer FRP applications than students who qualify. In 2011, the percentage of low-income students has increased district-wide to 71.2% Since 1999, the district has experienced an increase of more than 40% in the number of students for whom English is not their home language. In 2010, students whose first language was not English and students who were limited English proficient (LEP) amounted to 25.5% of the total enrolled in the district. Not only do these students face greater challenges in the classroom than their English- speaking peers, but the students’ families must overcome a language barrier in order to advocate. Fewest Options: To that extent that individual MCAS scores are a meaningful measure of a student’s preparation for the world of work or of further study, scoring less than proficient indicates a lack of preparation, a need for time-consuming costly remediation, and an uphill struggle if the student expects to find his or her own way after graduation. In addition, low-income families, whose means (and often limited parental education) cannot assure the typical advantages of a middle-class household in terms of cultivating a student’s background knowledge (Lareau, 2003), cannot easily
3 “Analysis of MCAS Performance: New Bedford Public Schools.” January 2011. The Urban Initiative, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
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pay for supplemental tutoring or tuition at a private or parochial school that might offer more in- school enrichment or attention. Among the free public options available to New Bedford parents, regardless of means, are only two existing charter schools that will serve both middle and high school level and places are very limited. The Cheironeum founders selected New Bedford because of their desire to make a difference in an area of great need in a city they know well.
1. As group and individually, the founders have longstanding ties to the New Bedford community, a combination of personal, professional, and cultural interests that include education, social service, history, maritime and marine affairs, conservation and preservation issues, cultural and athletic activities (Refer to Appendix A.)
2. The founders are united in their belief that all students can learn and that universal, tuition-free, public schools should offer an education second to none: New Bedford’s uncomfortable standing near the bottom of the MCAS rankings suggests to them that more can be done and that a fresh perspective is warranted.
3. The founders believe that times of sudden and sweeping change—like the present rapid rise, world- wide, of the Information Economy—demand bold innovation and responsive adaptation by communities that want to participate in the benefits, not just suffer the consequences, and that diverse structures and approaches are an indispensable part of a community’s successful evolution rather than guaranteed extinction.
4. The founders believe that the maritime, marine, and cultural resources of New Bedford’s people, history, and location can be more effectively tapped in support of public education and are prepared, qualified, and equipped to delve into a “lower layer” of inspiration and support in recognition of the students’ great need and the city’s limited finances.
5. The founders believe that the students of New Bedford can become the champions of their city, as well as guarantors of their own future, by demonstrating that New Bedford residents value rigorous education, that New Bedford students will rise to the occasion of world-class standards, and that these same students, given adequate opportunity and support, can achieve at high levels.
The Cheironeum will enhance and expand the educational options of local students using innovative methods that differ from the local district..
1. The Cheironeum will dramatically and publicly recalibrate academic expectations for and among New Bedford students. The IB Diploma Programme is recognized by tertiary institutions around the world as a world-class standard of academic achievement for students aspiring to college. All Cheironeum students will be enrolled in the full IB program, beginning with the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 6th grade and extending through the Diploma Programme (DP) culminating in 11th and 12th grade. The Diploma Programme requires participants to sit for six exams in a minimum of five disciplines, compose an original research paper of 4,000 words, and pass a course in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Currently, New Bedford’s one comprehensive high school enrolls 16% of juniors and seniors in at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course.
2. A secondary school (grades 6-12) of modest size (432 middle school students and 576 high school students) will expand parental and student choice by offering a smaller school environment with a highly focused academic mission. Currently, New Bedford has three middle schools of 815, 919, and 1,021 students, and a high school of 2,457. However successful on their own terms, none offers
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an intimate learning environment for all students. Rather than customize academic offerings for various levels of student engagement and aspiration, The Cheironeum will offer one challenging course of study for all students and differentiated instruction to provide multiple paths to a shared destination. The International Baccalaureate’s curricula emphasize the learner’s active involvement in his or her own learning.
3. Beginning in middle school, all students will prepare for a required high school course-load of four years of all six core disciplines: English, geography/history, math, science, the arts, and three additional languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and French). Four years of math and science are considered markers of thorough preparation for college (Adelman, 2006).
4. In addition to making efficient use of the traditional school day and calendar, The Cheironeum will make use of an extended day, a longer school year, a half-day Saturday apprenticeship for studio, performing, and applied arts, and a summer session of six weeks. Research has shown that students from lower SES households benefit from efforts to close the “summer learning gap.”
5. Given the opportunity as a new school to shape its own physical environment, The Cheironeum will adopt the model of “school as museum” and seek to adopt the best practices in design and programming from local museums such as the New Bedford Whaling Museum and museums further afield, like the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The Founders of The Cheironeum are particularly interested in adding to the richness of the students’ school environment by using visual and spatial means of conveying information and reinforcing memory, such as Gothic cathedrals attempt to do with their floorplan and iconography or modern supermarkets with their use of every available space and surface. The Cheironeum will also explore, with the students’ help, use of the school building as a “memory palace” (Yates, 1996; Foer, 2011), specifically as a mnemonic device for reinforcing the Cheironeum’s overarching themes of cosmic evolution and the human journey. Students will also work on “synchronopticons,” three- dimensional multi-sensory timelines that resolve history into memorable, engaging patterns that aid memory and understanding.
6. To attract, support, and retain students, the Cheironeum will use the operating metaphor of a functioning vessel to organize students and faculty into tightly knit groups. Each student will be part of a grouping of 3, 6, 24, 72, and 144, using numbers derived from lookouts, boat crews, ships’ watches, and ships’ crews. Social activities and school responsibilities will revolve around these groupings, assuring that no student—like no man overboard—is ever ignored or abandoned. Occasionally mixing these groups in new configurations for specific tasks or occasions will allow faculty—and students—to test theories about best practices.
7. The Cheironeum will draw on New Bedford’s maritime heritage and marine environment to view and affirm education in new ways, above all as an adventure.
a. Signing the Ship’s Articles (also known historically as the “Whaling Contract”) committed oneself as a seaman or whaler to a specific ship and voyage. Given that The Cheironeum’s years of schooling are conceived of as three voyages, ceremonies marking both signing on and signing off, as well as observances of waypoints as they are reached, will figure prominently in school life. A student entering The Cheironeum in Grade 6 and remaining
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through Grade 12 will participate in three such voyages of increasing duration (one, two, and four years), challenge, and reward.
b. The Gam was a meeting of two or more whaleships on the open ocean, followed by a get- together of captains and crews. Given the IB universe of approximately 3,000 schools worldwide, the opportunity is readily available to cultivate open lines of communication—in more than one language—among students (and teachers) elsewhere in the world, an initiative the Cheironeum will energetically pursue.
c. The Reckoning was the final accounting for a whaling voyage, as measured in barrels of oil and ambergris, pounds of bone and baleen, all translated into dollars, with expenses subtracted and shares of the profits (if any) apportioned. To highlight the commitment that students of the Cheironeum are making to world-class standards of academic achievement, the Cheironeum will conclude each class’s three voyages with a reckoning of its accomplishments, translated into an index comparable to past and future years’ classes, and appropriately celebrated and commemorated. The index will be based on 3,000, the capacity in barrels of oil, of the Charles W. Morgan.
d. Finally, the Lay System vested every participant of a whaling voyage in the fruits of that voyage. To supplement the budget for “experiential education during the summer session and allow student expeditions to travel further afield for longer periods of time, the Cheironeum will identify typical school expenses—for example, the cost of externally enforced discipline, or some aspects of maintenance and food service—that might be reduced or eliminated by the students’ removing the need or taking responsibility for the solution, a practice common among Japanese students (Rohlen, 1983; Stigler, 1999).
8. While integrated study of six core academic disciplines—English, additional languages, history, science, math (the language of science), and the arts—shapes the academic program of the Cheironeum, the seventh discipline is self-discipline, without which there can be neither individual nor collaborative success.
9. Given recent research linking exercise to brain function and lifetime health (Medina, 2008), the Cheironeum will require of all students mandatory three-season participation in sports or comparable fitness training, providing students with a choice of teams and programs.
The Cheironeum will address the educational needs of the diverse New Bedford population through student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based education that is experiential, authentic, and passion- directed.. The Cheironeum will: 1) instill “habits of mind” and a “disciplinary understanding”; 2) inculcate self-discipline; 3) build “academic resources” that favor “college completion”; and 4) increase “social capital” as alumni of the well-established, rapidly growing, internationally active IB program, considered to be the “gold-standard” in secondary education credentials . Provide a description of how the founding group has assessed parental support within the proposed sending district(s)/region for the proposed school. Over the course of 18 months, members of the Founders’ Group have been meeting with parents informally from one end of the city to the other, including representatives of most subgroups. Parental support has been highly positive. In preparation for the final application, the founders will collect signatures and letters of support indicating sufficient
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Explain why a Commonwealth charter is necessary in order for this school to exist or succeed. Challenging goals require a single-minded focus, a purposeful community, and a supportive culture. The Cheironeum will be one of very few schools in North America committed to helping all students through the rigors of seven years of IB education, a highly ambitious goal. An independently chartered school can create that focus, community, and culture in ways that an experimental program within a large comprehensive high school simply cannot.
Re-ordering district resources to support the Cheironeum model would be politically unfeasible. The costs of having all students participate in the IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme will approximate $50,000 per year. In 2010, New Bedford had an unemployment rate of 14.6% and today has the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. among Hispanics. The average weekly wage in 2009 was $778, and the tax levy remains close to the maximum allowable. To many voters and taxpayers, a multi-year financial commitment to a new and unfamiliar academic program may be hard to accept or sustain. As an independently governed charter school, the Cheironeum has direct control over its own budget and can structure its expenses to support its priorities, accepting and absorbing the inevitable trade-offs and consequences, while finding resolve in its mission.
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II. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS?
A. OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM DELIVERY More Time
Extended Learning Time (ELT), used wisely, has proven successful in meeting the needs of diverse learners, especially those from lower-income households or households speaking a first language other than English. (Gabrieli & Goldstein, 2008; Von Drehle, 2010; Traphagen et al., 2011).
Given these advantages, the Cheironeum gives careful thought to maximizing the use of time, extends time where advantageous to do so, and commits to continually evaluating whether time is well-spent in light of gains achieved. Having made this commitment to effective use of time, the Cheironeum requires learners and their parents/guardians to commit to an extended academic day, week, and year as a condition of enrollment.
The Cheironeum Calendar
Using the academic year 2016-2017 for illustration (see p. ), the Cheironeum calendar consists of 247 days, divided into a summer session (15 days for incoming sixth graders, 30 days for other classes), and two semesters (107 and 110 days, respectively, including Saturdays, when scheduled). The difference between the Cheironeum calendar of 247 days and the required state minimum of 180 days is an additional 67 days. This is the sum of a summer session (30 days), certain Saturdays (31 days), and an extra six days spread over September and June. (In addition to operating according to the calendar, the Cheironeum will commit to staffing certain facilities during non-schooldays to permit the continued voluntary involvement of students in projects that hold deep interest for them.) Five days (June 26-30) are allotted for snow days.
While an academic year of this length may seem excessive, even draconian, appearances can be deceiving. A summer session is an opportunity to conduct major expeditions and undertake complex projects that cannot fit within the confines of the semester schedule, as well as an opportunity to keep active and build upon the academic skills that such expeditions and projects are designed to entail. In addition, the longer and warmer days favor outdoor activities and make possible greater family involvement than do the shorter, colder days of fall and winter. Complicating spring semester is the heavy testing and written assignment schedule that builds to a crescendo at that time of year. Summer is ideal for exploring, recharging, trying new experiences, and acquiring new skills, which is why families of means routinely pay for such experiences for their children during the summer, and why their children routinely look forward to them.
Regarding the appeal of attending classes on Saturdays, most boarding schools, working with students 24/7, routinely schedule Saturday morning classes during the academic year, reserving the rest of Saturday for athletics or other co-curricular or extra-curricular activities. At the Cheironeum, Saturday mornings are reserved for studio, performing, and applied art, which benefit from longer sessions and the freedom to get dirty working with materials or to work up a sweat practicing dance. In students’ eyes, Saturdays can be good or bad depending on how they are spent.
The Cheironeum calendar (and weekly schedule) are planned to be manageable, engaging, and enjoyable by all students and minimally disruptive, preferably beneficial, to families. The calendar and schedule are designed to: 1) respect the biological needs of growing adolescents; 2) vary the pace and rhythm of the day, week, and year; and 3) provide the opportunity for students to become more deeply engaged in activities of high need or interest, whichever is appropriate for that particular student, at that
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School particular time. For this reason, the Cheironeum calendar and schedule look at the totality of the year and week to understand how Cheironeum requirements can connect with the rest of a student’s life and what support may be needed.
Academically, the calendar is not what it appears. In terms of learning, the arc of the year actually begins in each discipline after the conclusion in the spring of the major assessments (MCAS, etc.) for that year. Rather than lose focus or drift for the balance of the year in anticipation of a long summer vacation, the waning months of the spring semester are the ideal time to begin the next academic year, ahead of the traditional academic calendar. These months can be used to: 1) preview the subject matter for the next year; 2) give students an overview of how this subject matter relates to the discipline; 3) introduce new concepts and terms; and 4) actually engage with the first unit of the new curriculum before the start of the next semester. These months can also be used to review and apply concepts and skills acquired—but not fully mastered—and to link new learning with old. Summer reading, projects, and lessons can build in engaging ways on this late-spring introduction of next-year material, making September appear less of a blank slate. In this view, the summer session is not just an opportunity to limit summer learning loss, but an opportunity to turbo-charge learning for the upcoming semester.
Culturally, for First, Second and Third Voyagers on the “first leg of the passage out” (i.e., rising 6th, 7th, and 9th graders), the summer term provides each crew of 24 students within the grade the opportunity to move into a new building that signifies their advancing status, to customize their quarters within that building, and to begin to bond with a new group of teachers who will loop with (accompany them) throughout the voyage.
Incoming “First Voyagers” (6th-graders), experience in August a shortened and intensified three-week version of the summer term, one that functions as an orientation to Cheironeum culture and an overture to their seven-year apprenticeship as junior authors, linguists, geographers, historians, scientists, mathematicians, and artists. They will prepare for and undertake an expedition to Penikese Island, 16 nautical miles from New Bedford, where Louis Agassiz in 1873 established the first shoreside research station in the Americas (intended to prepare teachers to teach science). Agassiz’s posted dictum, “Study nature, not books,” will be updated as “Study nature, not iPads.” Students will learn to rely on their five senses and powers of observation and concentration to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the natural world, recording their impressions on paper, sketchpad, and film. After the subsequent two-week vacation, these first-voyagers will return to the Cheironeum already familiar with their teachers and ready to learn.
Departed Third Voyagers (recent 12th-graders who have graduated), of course, have no obligation to attend a further summer session, but may volunteer or be hired to work as counselors, tutors, etc.
The Cheironeum Weekly Schedule
The Cheironeum weekly schedule starts Monday morning and ends Saturday afternoon (with the exception of Saturdays preceding a Monday holiday or vacation day). Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are similar, while Wednesday and Saturday end classes at noon to allow for extra tutoring, special projects, team travel, etc. (The academic day is sacrosanct: teams will not depart before the end of classes. Away games will be scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.)
The 24/7 overview of the Cheironeum calendar is intended to coordinate discussion among students, parents, and faculty about competing demands on one’s time and the need for time management.
The Cheironeum Daily Schedule
The Cheironeum daily schedule is strategic, providing a default, but allowing for much variation. The school day begins at 0800 and ends with dismissal at 1730. Attendance at and assistance with breakfast
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School and lunch are required. Faculty and students will take these meals seated together, with assigned seating that rotates on a regular basis. Meals are scheduled to last approximately fifty minutes.
From a Student’s Perspective
After breakfast, the first class period of the morning begins promptly at 0900 and ends at 0955. The second period begins at 1000 and ends at 1055. The third period begins at 1100 and ends at 1155.
According to the default schedule, the Cheironeum will devote the three hours of class-time in the morning to the study of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
After lunch, the first class meeting of the afternoon begins promptly at 1300 and ends at 1355. The second period begins at 1400 and ends at 1455. The third period begins at 1500 and ends at 1600.
According to the default schedule, the Cheironeum will devote the three hours of class-time in the afternoon to the study of geography/history, science, and mathematics.
Within each stretch of time, morning and afternoon, the order of subjects taught will rotate throughout the week (with the exception of Wednesday), so that no one subject consistently begins or ends the day or immediately precedes or follows a meal.
Wednesday mornings grant individual students increasing freedom, as they mature (i.e., become conscious and responsible) and prove themselves capable, to structure their own time, choosing among tutoring, enrichment, art, or special projects related to their studies. Wednesday afternoons are set aside for field trips, away games, special projects, etc. that are part of the school curriculum.
Saturdays mornings (by no means all Saturdays mornings) that the Cheironeum is in session are devoted to the arts, with a three-hour block of time allowing for close engagement with a variety of studio, performing, and applied arts, under the tutelage of local artists and artisans, in settings resembling a college of art or a working artist’s studio. Saturday afternoons may include athletic competition.
From a Teacher’s Perspective
Teachers are required to attend a minimum number of scheduled meals and invited to attend more with the goal of developing relations of knowledge, mutual respect, and trust with their own students and others of the same grade. (Looping will enhance this relation).
All teachers teach three consecutive classes of 55 minutes, with a five-minute break between. The remainder of the day is available for lesson planning, evaluating student work, collaborating with other teachers, coach/advising, and fulfilling administrative responsibilities. Since any one teacher is responsible at one time for no more than three classes of 24 students, all studying the same subject at the same level, the teacher need only “prep” for one class per day; however, the similarity of subject matter allows time for “engaging the learner” (by differentiating and personalizing delivery of the lesson), as well as time for “inspiring the curriculum” (by collaborating with colleagues and others).
The schedule is strategic in that twelve teachers will be assigned to each grade of 144 students, with two teachers per discipline, each teaching 72 students ( half the students in that grade), in classes of 24 students, grouped heterogeneously. On a short-term basis, each pair of teachers may combine classes (team teach) or redistribute students as their professional judgment dictates, especially in the case of re- teaching to meet competency-based standards. Teachers in more than one discipline at the same grade may also agree to redistribute time (and students), again on a short-term basis, as their professional
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School judgment dictates. For different grade levels in the same location, teachers at those different levels may also redistribute students across grades for specific subjects, when feasible and in the student’s best interests.
By fixing on a curriculum that exceeds the distribution requirements of MassCore, meets the distribution requirements of the International Baccalaureate, and engages all students in study of the same six core disciplines, teachers can focus time, energy, and talent on preparing the most inspiring lessons and sharing them in the most engaging way. By simplifying the course of study, the teaching load, and the number of preparations, as well as limiting the number of student relationships and having them continue from year to year, the Cheironeum allows teachers to focus on the unique needs of individual students.
In addition, the weekly schedule commits teachers to working with students on Wednesday morning in tutorials and mini-classes that devote extra time to addressing a student’s weaknesses or encouraging his or her strengths. Through informal and formative assessment early in the week, teachers can make mid- week interventions on Wednesday morning that respect the student’s time spent studying and effort to learn.
In the fishing fleet, a fisherman hauling in a fish too large to handle him- or herself will call for “All hands and the cook!” to assist in meeting that particular challenge. The Cheironeum’s default schedule maintains the availability of Wednesday mornings for such all-out concerted action by any and all members of the Cheironeum community, not only teachers, but parents and other volunteers, depending on the nature of the subject.
A TYPICAL STUDENT SCHEDULE (Typical Week, Default Schedule) DAY/HRR MON. TUES. WEDS. THURS. FRI. SAT. SUN. 0000- 01000100- 02000200- 03000300- PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL 04000400- TIME TIME TIME TIME TIME TIME 05000500- 06000600- 07000700- 08000800- BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST BREAKFAST 09000900- ENGLISH PORT/SPAN INTENSIVE FRENCH ENGLISH 10001000- FRENCH ENGLISH INTENSIVE PORT/SPAN FRENCH ARTS PERSONAL 11001100- PORT/SPAN FRENCH INTENSIVE ENGLISH PORT/SPAN TIME 12001200- LUNCH LUNCH BUFFET LUNCH LUNCH LUNCH 13001300- GEO/HIST SCIENCE MATH GEO/HIST 14001400- SCIENCE MATH GEO/HIST SCIENCE CO- CO- 15001500- MATH GEO/HIST SCIENCE MATH CURRICULUM CURRICULUM 16001600- CO- CO- CO- CO- 17001700- CURRICULUM CURRICULUM CURRICULUM CURRICULUM 18001800- DINNER DINNER DINNER DINNER DINNER SUPPER 19001900- ICA* ICA PERSONAL ICA ICA PERSONAL 20002000- TIME TIME 21002100- PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL 2200
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2200- TIME TIME TIME TIME 23002300- *Independent,2400 collaborative, or assisted study. The Cheironeum will remain open during these hours, staffed by teachers able to answer questions or assist in any way. The Cheironeum will also enlist parental help in identifying those locations within the city, e.g., libraries, where students can study and
receive help. Finally, the Cheironeum will focus on addressing problems of evening transportation.
S
S S 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25
S S S 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24
F F F 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30
T T T 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29
MAY
JUNE
APRIL
W W W 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28
T T T 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27
2017
M M M 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26
-
2016
S S S 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 5 12 19 26
S S S 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 4 11 18 25
F F F 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 3 10 17 24 31
T T T 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 2 9 16 23 30
MARCH
JANUARY
W W W 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 23 1 8 15 22 29
FEBRUARY
T T T 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28
M M M 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 6 13 20 27
S S S 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25
S S S 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31
F F F 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30
T T T 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29
OCTOBER
W W W 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28
DECEMBER
NOVEMBER
T T T 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27
NEW BEDFORDFORD CHEIRONEUM ACADEMIC CALENDAR ACADEMIC CALENDAR NEWCHEIRONEUM BEDFORDFORD
M M M 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26
S
S S 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25
S S S 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24
JULY
F F F 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
T T T 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29
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W W W 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28
T T T 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27
M M M 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 Shaded areas = No school. Boxes= federal holidays
CO-CURRICULUM
The Cheironeum will a co-curriculum emphasizing universal participation in fitness training and sport, with the goal of improve health awareness, body and brain function, and the opportunity, if desired, to compete in competitive athletics.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMMING
The Cheironeum will support a weekly program of extracurricular activities that relate to student interests as they develop.
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B. CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Provide research on the curriculum and instruction that demonstrates it may result in high academic achievement and include citations. Identify which individual(s) on the school’s organizational chart will be responsible for the following processes and procedures regarding curriculum. The Director for Curriculum and Instruction will have overall responsibility for the development, evaluation, and alignment of the curriculum. He or she may delegate portions of these tasks to the IB Coordinator, team leaders, and department chairs, but the director remains accountable for the completeness and quality of the result.
Explain the process utilized to identify the curriculum that will be used by the school and provide reasons why the curriculum was chosen for the school. The founders of the Cheironeum value the intelligence, potential, needs, and desires of Cheironeum students—free citizens within a global society— and seek to provide a secondary education second to none. Reflecting on the nature and purpose of education (see pp. 7-8), the founders sought programs and concepts that affirm the founders’ core beliefs and values about education, selecting those that complement each other, form a comprehensible whole, and offer a comprehensive view of the world. The programs and concepts selected support the ethos of the Cheironeum and its operating metaphor of a ship on a voyage of discovery. The curriculum— combined with the co-curriculum and extra-curricular activities—satisfies the following needs:
The “Big Picture.” To prepare students to participate in their world as “curious and disciplined thinkers” (Goal #1), “responsible citizens of a global society” (Goal #2), and “thoughtful stewards of a complex global ecosystem” (Goal #3), The Cheironeum will focus over the course of six years of study on four overarching concepts. These four concepts will infuse all subjects, as well as receive extra emphasis through exhibits, events, and special programs of varying duration. The founders selected these four because of the perspective they offer today’s students on what are likely to be the major issues of this century. The four concepts are: 1) “Consilience,” the unity of knowledge underlying the various disciplines comprising the humanities and sciences (Wilson, 1999)—including “Co-evolution,” how environmental change favors adaptation of both genes and culture; 2) “Big History,” the interrelation of natural and human history (Christian, 2004); 3) the “Human Journey” out of Africa, across the planet, and beyond (Wells, 2002); and 4) the “Human Web,” human communication and interaction from the Paleolithic to the present (McNeill & McNeill, 2003).
Why are these themes important? The “Human Journey,” for example, combines human geography over long expanses of time with language and linguistics, adding in population genetics to create a compelling and memorable narrative with far-reaching implications for global citizenship. While the story comprises the migration of Homo sapiens out of Africa and across the earth, local connections include the pre-Columbian inhabitants of Southeastern Massachusetts, as well as much more recent arrivals to New Bedford. Furthermore, the theme of the “Human Journey” leads to consideration of the anthropological and literary concept of the “Hero and Heroine’s Quest,” to the question of how that archetypal journey reflects the biological path of a human life, and finally, to the unfolding narrative of one’s own life. (In addition, emphasizing the “Human Journey” welcomes to the classrooms of the Cheironeum, on equally warm terms, descendants of passengers aboard the Mayflower, the Ernestina, and the most recent arrivals via air, land, or sea.)
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“Habits of Mind” (Sizer, 1997) and “Disciplinary Understandings” (Gardner, 1999).
To support the study of the broad, cross-disciplinary concepts that constitute the “Big Picture” (and to ensure world-class standards of academic achievement), the Cheironeum will obtain authorization to use the curriculum, standards, and assessments of the International Baccalaureate® and will implement the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and IB Diploma Programme (DP). The Cheironeum will be the first educational institution in the SOCO area to offer either IB program, although a number of district and charter schools in “Gateway” communities throughout the state (Barnstable, Brockton, Malden, Springfield, Worcester), already offer the Diploma Programme as a means of boosting student achievement and raising community pride.
The founders also considered the capacity and continuity of the IB as a “school support organization,” ranking it considerably higher than other alternatives currently in use.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation, motivated by its mission, focused on the student. Our three programmes for students aged 3 to 19 [including the optional primary years program] help develop intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalizing world. Founded in 1968, we currently work with 3,285 schools in 141 countries to develop and offer three challenging programmes to over 985,000 students. [From the International Baccalaureate® website, July 12, 2011.]
Moreover, becoming an “IB World School” means becoming part of an international learning community with considerable opportunity for interaction among students and teachers world-wide. The IB is headquartered in Geneva, with offices/representatives in Bath, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Cardiff, Geneva, Mumbai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver, and Washington, DC. IB of the Americas, a regional center, is located in Washington, DC. The Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast (covering NY, NJ, eastern PA, CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, and ME) is centered in New York, with a “Hub” in New England. Currently fourteen schools in Massachusetts—a combination of district, charter, and private—are approved to offer the IB curriculum, up from zero a dozen years ago.
Furthermore, the IB’s opportunities for professional development offer abundant choice of time, topic, and venue, including in-house and online. The international, regional, and northeastern IB associations all offer regularly scheduled workshops and conferences for IB teachers and administrators, while encouraging student-led initiatives for contact and interaction among schools on the student level. In addition, all the above organizations maintain websites, while the headquarters in Geneva sponsors an intranet for the exclusive use of IB teachers. The IB maintains an “Online Curriculum Center, while publishing online and print guides to curriculum and administration. Additional unofficial guides are published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and Pearson Education. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education has funded the development of MYP and DP curriculum maps “in order to increase participation and success in the Diploma Programme by strengthening the MYP-Diploma Programme articulation in the traditional 9-12 high school model.”
Meetings these needs—for the “Big Picture,” “habits of mind,” and “disciplinary understandings”— through the curricular and instructional approach supported by the IB, comprises a “liberal education” as defined by the American Association of Colleges and Universities,
Liberal Education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. A liberal
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education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings (2011).
The Cheironeum will align its curriculum to meet the requirements of the MCF and IB. Working online, teachers will map contents and skills from the MCF (or ultimately Common Core) across to the IB MYP and IB DP. Approaching this task online—via a wiki—allows for the greatest possible collaboration within the Cheironeum and with other public IB World schools in Massachusetts (or for Common Core, across the U.S.) facing the same task. Sharing the results openly online also means transparency regarding the rate and quality of work being done. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction, working with the in-house IB Coordinator and department chairs, will lead this effort among teachers. The Cheironeum schedule has teachers teaching three classes in the same subject, at the same level, concentrated in the morning or afternoon. This teaching load, which includes no more than 72 students per teacher, and loops at the middle and high school levels, is precisely intended to provide teachers with the time they need to collaborate effectively with peers inside and outside of the Cheironeum. The Cheironeum’s wiki, CHEIRON, allows near effortless communication and collaboration.
Non-academic goals for students are consistent with the Cheironeum’s stated mission, academic program, and educational philosophy. Although Goal #1 of The Cheironeum’s mission statement is explicitly academic, Goals #2, 3, 4, and 5 each have an academic component, even if they do not involve formal testing of such. Ideally, these requirements illustrate how academic study is empowering. Goal #2, “participate as a responsible citizen in a diverse global society,” requires completion of a faculty- approved project demonstrating productive engagement within the international sphere. An example of such a project might be assessing and meeting the needs of an elementary classroom on the island of Brava. Goal #3, “conserve as a thoughtful steward, a complex global ecosystem,” requires completion of a project, or term of service, studying, reporting on, and advocating for a different species, perhaps earthworms in Broadlawn Park. Goal #4, “create personal options for future success in an evolving global culture” requires satisfying three objectives: 1) health; 2) nutrition; and social interaction, as measured by competence matrices. Finally, Goal #5, “contributing to the credit, resources, and reputation of New Bedford,” requires a measurable contribution of time, energy, and talent to a significant local project of arguable importance.
A clear plan and curricular components facilitate ongoing development, improvement, and refinement of the curriculum. The IB reviews every course every five years on a continuous five-year cycle—of review, revision, testing, amendment, and adoption—with the assistance of university specialists and the input of all IB World teachers who care to contribute. In addition, all Cheironeum teachers “loop” with their students for the duration of one-, two-, and four-year “voyages,” so all teachers in the same subject area on the same voyage cover the same ground at different intervals. Since the Cheironeum will conduct “lesson study” as part of its ongoing curricular review, all lesson plans will be posted online, accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Although teachers may have different approaches to the same unit or lesson, these approaches appear as alternatives alongside any others. Assessment results, teacher reflections, other teachers’ comments, and student feedback provide a rich and useful commentary to an online portfolio of lessons. Hypotheses are tested, conclusions drawn, and curriculum improved on a regular basis. The goal of this “extended learning community” is to improve learning.
The Cheironeum will evaluate whether the curriculum is effective and successfully implemented. Ultimately, the main academic purpose of the Cheironeum is to “provide the curriculum, instruction, support, motivation, means, and opportunity” for students to accomplish five major objectives by the end of their third voyage. One of those goals is “meet or exceed world-class standards of academic achievement,” as measured by the IB’s external assessments. Therefore, the Cheironeum’s curriculum is effective if, all else being equal, students are meeting (passing with a score of 3) or exceeding (with
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School scores of 5 to 7) the standards tested by each of the six exams the students take. Although the Cheironeum will work hard to disaggregate, understand, and address all the other variables that may affect academic performance, ultimately it is the performance that matters most. After establishing baselines in the first year of the program, the Cheironeum will look for trends, then ways to improve upon those trends. A related issue is retention, since obviously students who withdraw short of taking an exam yield no insight into how they would have fared.
Clear research findings support the effectiveness of the IB curriculum in raising the achievement of low- income students in the US at the middle and high school levels, particularly in mathematics and science (Wade, 2011).
Recent research shows the effectiveness of the IB program with ELL students (Aldana & Mayer, 2015).
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IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Model “The Octagon”
Over the course of the MYP (middle school and the first two years of high school), students:
Study six core disciplines, plus physical education and technology
Group 1: Literature and Composition (English) Group 2: Language acquisition (Español, Portugués, and Français) Group 3: Geography/History Group 4: Science (emphasizing the life sciences and their connection to water) Group 5: Mathematics Group 6: Art (studio, performing, and applied) Group 7: Physical Education (wellness education, fitness training, and athletics) Group 8: Technology
Engage in five areas of interaction between and among the disciplines, allowing teaching and learning to focus on attitudes, values, and skills: Approaches to Learning Community and Service Health and Social Education Environments Human Ingenuity
Complete a Personal Production that reflects the student’s ability to manage and direct his or her own inquiry and the other skills learned through the MYP experience.
For more complete information, see Appendix B
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IB Diploma Programme (DP) Model “The Hexagon”
Over the course of their junior and senior years, Cheironeum students:
Continue their study of six core disciplines in greater depth Group 1: Literature and Composition (world literature and composition in English) Group 2: Language Acquisition (Español, Portugués, and Français) Group 3: Geography (emphasizing the Atlantic World) Group 4: Sciences (Biology) Group 5: Mathematics Group 6: The Arts (Studio, Performing, and Applied)
Complete an Extended Essay (EE) of 3,500-4,000 words (approx. 14-16 pages) on a research topic in any discipline, selected by the learner, approved by the Cheironeum, and developed by the learner into an argument in defense of a thesis.
Complete a course in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) or “ways of knowing.”
Design, complete, document, and reflect in writing upon a personal program of Creativity-Action- Service (CAS) that satisfies the following eight goals: 1) increase awareness of strengths and areas for growth; 2) undertake new challenges; 3) plan and initiate activities; 4) work collaboratively with others; 5) show perseverance and commitment; 6) engage with issues of global importance; 7) consider ethical implications; and 8) develop new skills
NOTE: Three of the six courses must be Higher Level (HL), denoting greater breadth and depth; three may be Standard Level (SL). IB course materials and examinations are available in English, Spanish, and French.
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Group 1: Literature and Composition (in English)
Find Your Voice, Tell Your Story.
All students will study literature and language throughout their seven years at the Cheironeum. In keeping with the Cheironeum’s emphasis on universal themes uniting humanity across time and space, the syllabus of American, British, and world literature, both ancient and modern, will include creation stories (including the modern scientific creation story); the archetypal Hero’s Journey; nation-defining epics; and the long and varied development of literature addressing social and personal themes. Learners will also develop, beginning in grade six, the argumentative and rhetorical skills they will need to complete with confidence the IB Extended Essay (EE) of 3,500 to 4,000 words in their junior/senior year. Each grade will perform a play by Shakespeare as part of an annual student-run festival. Finally, classic and contemporary works of maritime fiction and nonfiction will form a thread throughout a student’s years at the Cheironeum, with students required to record, analyze, and interpret their own response to the sea.
IB Middle Years Programme Grade 6: English – Many Voices Designed to complement World Geography, students read texts from around the world, comparing experiences, point of view. Students cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Grade 7: English – The Oldest Tales Students will compare various forms of story—origin story, national epic, heroic legend, popular fable folk tale from Greece and other ancient civilizations and their impact and relevance today. Students will learn to analyze words by means of their Latin or Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Students will be able to structure an argument in support of an opinion. Students will begin to diagram sentences.
Grade 8: English – The Author Emerges Students will analyze how authors use the selection and arrangement of detail to create meaning in the mind of the reader. Emphasis on word choice, figures of speech, tone, imagery, and allusion.
Pre-IB Diploma Programme Grade 9: English – Self and Society Students will examine works of fiction and nonfiction that portray individuals at odds with their surrounding societies. Emphasis on forming text-based arguments and communicating with clarity and precision.
Grade 10: English – American Literature Designed to complement US History I & II, this course will examine the literary icons that shape American culture, as well as voices outside the mainstream. Emphasis on literature as a source of historical evidence. Students will analyze authorial opinion and how it is expressed in fiction and nonfiction. Students will hone their essay and interpretation skills in preparation for MCAS.
IB Diploma Programme Grade 11/12: English – World Literature, IB SL1,SL2 For students preparing for the IB Standard Level exam. Over two years students will examine selected works of world literature, developing further skill at close reading and forming appropriate (textually supported) analyses.
Grade 11/12: English – World Literature, IB HL1,HL2
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For students preparing for the IB Higher Level exam. Students will tackle a larger number of complementary works in prose and poetry, allowing for greater comparative analysis in oral discussion and written compositions of both style and theme.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Expand the conversation.
Over the course of their seven-year secondary education, ALL Cheironeum students will study the major languages of the Atlantic Basin, i.e., English, Portugués, Español,and Français, with the goal of attaining by graduation proficiency in two (including English) and a working knowledge of a third and fourth. (Several Cheironeum founders speak three, four, five, even six languages as a result of having studied abroad during their youth or having migrated to the United States from foreign homelands, and they are passionate advocates of multilingual education. More to the point, the New Bedford community has a high number of citizens, typically foreign-born, who speak three or more languages. The Cheironeum intends to celebrate their accomplishment as a means of inspiring Cheironeum and other students.)
Embedded within the IB curriculum and uniting the IB World community are extensive resources dedicated to multilingual communication and cross-cultural understanding:
. to aid language acquisition, including faculty and student intranets linking different linguistic communities. All students must demonstrate the ability to communicate in a second language when meeting the second of the “Five Challenges” (CITIZEN).
Building on a rich history of successful immersion schools and programs across the US, but also in Canada and Europe, the Cheironeum will offer an immersion program built on the major languages of the Atlantic Region--Spanish, Portuguese, French and English with support for the understanding of Cape Verdean Kriolo. Students will learn language through immersion with language used to introduce and understand content and not as the focus of instruction. Teachers will use strategies such as total physical response, oral language development and enrichment, building on native language understanding and literacy and teaching through language (as a medium) rather than teaching language (such as a foreign language class). Since many students will have family languages other than English, the Cheironeum will offer considerable flexibility in assigning students to appropriate levels of instruction in order to maintain, build upon, and complement their existing ability. The Cheironeum will also draw on the rich cultural diversity of New Bedford in structuring opportunities for students to learn through immersion outside of school and beyond our shores. Many New Bedford residents speak two or three languages, while a not insignificant portion of the population speaks four, five, or even six.
IB Middle Years Programme
Grade 6: Spanish, Portuguese, French - Students perform simple communicative tasks using single words and short phrases to name and describe
Grade 7: Spanish, Portuguese, French - Students use sentences, strings of sentences, and recombinations of learned words, phrases, expressions.
Grade 8: Spanish, Portuguese, French - Students use simple and some complex sentences in oral and written communication.
Pre-IB Diploma Programme
Grade 9: Spanish, Portuguese, French – Introductory (for new 9th graders) or Intermediate (for all others) Designed to develop basic proficiencies in Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Culture.
Grade 10: Spanish, Portuguese, French – Intermediate
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Designed to develop proficiency in all verb tenses and moods in spoken and written communication.
IB Diploma Programme
Grade 11, 12: Spanish, Portuguese, French – IB SL1, SL2 For students preparing for Standard Level exam; emphasis on grammar, vocabulary, content
Grade 11, 12: Spanish, Portuguese, French – IB HL1/HL2 For students preparing for Higher Level exam; emphasis on composition and discussion.
The motto of the Cheironeum is “To Find Your Place, Seek a Better World.” For many students struggling in New Bedford Public Schools today, a better world would be one that would recognize their strengths, often found in a language other than English, and a world in which schools were able to communicate directly with their parents in their home language for spoken and written communication, and in spoken only for parents that may not have home language literacy. The Cheironeum seeks to provide this better world for these and many other struggling students in New Bedford.
The two most spoken languages other than English in New Bedford Public Schools are Spanish and Cape Verdean Kriolo (a creole language closely linked to Portuguese with strong roots in a variety of African languages).
By teaching several subjects (through multidisciplinary projects) using the school focus languages of Spanish, Portuguese and French (particularly through the Cheironeum’s active involvement in urban farming and daily food preparation)—staff, students and parents will have opportunities to converse in languages that are native or near native for the majority of English Language Learners in the New Bedford Public Schools.
Everything taught and learned at Cheironeum will incorporate the importance of learning the four major languages of the Atlantic World: English, Portugués, Español, and Français. While students will choose a language of focus for initial language instruction, the nature of multidisciplinary learning projects and urban farming activities will allow all students exposure to the other Atlantic Basin languages. The curriculum, the instructional design, the learning environment, the materials, the choice in teaching staff, the teaching methods and the research on which the program is based, including the considerable empirical research establishing the success of language immersion programs, are all based on students learning the languages of the Atlantic World.
Studies of immersion and dual-immersion programs routinely show that children’s English development is not impaired by time spent learning and speaking another language; in fact, studying another language often improves a child’s English (Cummins, 1998) (Genesee, 1985) (Meltzoff & Carlson, 2008) (Safty, 1991).
The importance of maintaining an immersion atmosphere, both for subject matter mastery and for developing language fluency, is well documented in research (Carrigo, 2000) (Cummins, 1998) (Christian, 1996) (Dagenais, Walsh, Armand, & Maraillet, 2008) (Cavanagh, 2005) (El Dinary & Uhl Chamot, 1999) (Meltzoff & Carlson, 2008) (Potowski, 2004) (Stewart, 2005) (Thomas & Collier, 2003) (Zehr, 2002).
Learning more than one language allows children to increase their vocabularies and to understand abstract terms (Bae, 2007) (Barik & Swain, 1976) (Barik & Swain, 1976) (Cavanagh, 2005) (Christian, 1996) (El Dinary & Uhl Chamot, 1999).
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To stimulate belief in global, linguistic (explained above) and cultural diversity, Cheironeum students will learn about the contributions of speakers of each of the four Atlantic World language groups in their studies of geography, history, economics and civics. They will learn about the contributions speakers of each language group have made to society, how they have influenced other societies and the ways in which other societies have influenced and been influenced by these language communities, particularly within the Atlantic Basin.
Not only will Cheironeum students enjoy the many benefits of multilingual skills, but they will also acquire the academic skills necessary to participate in a culturally and globally diverse society (Collier, 1995) (Met, 2008) (Lambert & Cazabon, 1994) (Nicoladis, Taylor, Lambert, & Cazabon, 1998).
The alignment of the Cheironeum’s curriculum with both the International Baccalaureate and the Common Core is supportive of the intense language instruction in the four languages of the Atlantic Basin. The official teaching languages of the IB are currently English, French, and Spanish. This means that students who favor French or Spanish can sit for exams in those languages. The IB is absolutely committed to bilingualism, encourages trilingualism, and allows for efforts to achieve a working command of a fourth language, as well. The IB approach is particularly supportive of the language learning focus of the Cheironeum. The Middle Years Program highlights language acquisition in its curriculum,
The study of additional languages in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides students with the opportunity to develop insights into the features, processes and craft of language and the concept of culture, and to realize that there are diverse ways of living, viewing and behaving in the world. (http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/middle-years-programme/curriculum/language-acquisition/)
For those students seeking an IB Diploma, not only will they enjoy entry into almost any US University with sophomore standing, but the IB Diploma Program’s curriculum is uniquely structured to support the mix of native and non-native speakers of each of the focal languages—French, Spanish and Portuguese,
The main emphasis of modern language courses is on the acquisition and use of language in a range of contexts and for different purposes while, at the same time, promoting an understanding of another culture through the study of its language. Three subjects are available to accommodate students’ interest in and previous experience of language study. The first two subjects are offered in a number of languages. Language ab initio courses are for beginners (that is, students who have little or no previous experience of learning the language they have chosen). These courses are only available at standard level. Language B courses are intended for students who have had some previous experience of learning the language. They may be studied at either higher level or standard level. (http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/diploma- programme/curriculum/language-acquisition/)
In meeting the Common Core Standards in English Language Arts, Cheironeum students will likely exceed the production of their peers in monolingual English programs, merely because they will have access to much broader content for both reading and for citing text when writing. Further, Cheironeum students will be reading and writing across languages, allowing them to note differences in writing approaches between the focal languages and English and thus become better critics of what they read and thus allowing their broader and more diverse reading base to inform how they write. As the Common Core Standards highlight,
To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events. They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an
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external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and they begin to adapt the form and content of their writing to accomplish a particular task and purpose. They develop the capacity to build knowledge on a subject through research projects and to respond analytically to literary and informational sources. To meet these goals, students must devote significant time and effort to writing, producing numerous pieces over short and extended time frames throughout the year. (http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/W/)
Many of the multidisciplinary projects that the Cheironeum will undertake will incorporate the need to research a subject (again across languages) and then to support their findings in writing with text-based citations and to defend their perspectives by writing to a variety of external audiences (including those able to influence policy and make critical decisions regarding the topic on which students choose to focus their writing on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Group 3: Individuals and Societies (History, Geography)
All students will study History/Geography throughout their years at the Cheironeum. A continuing focus will be the geography of the Atlantic Basin and the history of the Atlantic Community.
Grade 6: World Geography – The World Beyond Our Shores Students study the world outside of the United States and North America, continent by continent, following the rise and development of river valley and maritime civilizations. This course prepares students for the study of Ancient and World History in grades 7 and 8. Students will use map and globe skills to interpret different kinds of projections, as well as topographic and other types of maps. Students will distinguish between absolute and relative location. Students will be able to explain the calculation of time in different zones and the history of navigation. Students will learn to orienteer, to map, to survey, and to construct sundials and other instruments that connect space and time.
Grade 7: Ancient History – From the Early Humans to the Fall of Rome Students study the origins of humans in Africa and the rise of the earliest civilizations. Students will compare information available on maps, use chronological abbreviations correctly, construct and interpret timelines, distinguish between primary and secondary sources, identify multiple cause and effect, describe ways of interpreting evidence in the absence of written records.
Grade 8: World History – From the Fall of Rome to the Enlightenment Students study the development of world civilizations after the fall of Rome, including Ottoman, Moghul, Chinese, Byzantine, and pre-Columbian. Students study the development of Christianity and Islam, and ultimately the development of democratic, scientific, and secular thought in European history.
Grade 9: US History I – The Revolution through Reconstruction 1763-1877 Students study US historical and intellectual origins during the Revolutionary and Constitutional eras with particular attention to the search for freedom and dignity in local, regional, and Atlantic history.
Grade 10: US History II - Students will analyze the causes and consequences of the Industrial Revolution and America’s increasing diplomatic influence; the goals and accomplishments of the Progressive movement and the New Deal, and the history of 20th-century conflicts involving the US, from WWI to the Cold War and beyond. Studies will include local and regional fieldwork.
IB Diploma Programme
Grade 11, 12: Geography – IB Geography SL1/SL2 Students study core themes of patterns and change (populations in transition, disparities in wealth and development, patterns in environmental quality and sustainability, patterns in resource consumption); global interactions(measuring global interactions, the shrinking world, economic interactions and flows, environmental change, sociocultural exchanges, political outcomes, global interactions at the local level); and optional themes (freshwater issues and conflicts, oceans and their coastal margins, extreme environments geography of food and health, urban environments). Students learn to ask geographic questions; acquire, organize, and analyze geographic information. Two-year course requires successful completion of extensive fieldwork.
Grade 11,12: Geography – IB Geography HL1/HL2 Taken at the Higher Level, IB Geography involves more in-depth research and selection of a greater number of options.
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Group 4: Sciences
“Armed with five senses, humankind explores the universe and calls this adventure ‘Science.’”
All students will study Science throughout their years at the Cheironeum. The Cheironeum will lead students in extensive fieldwork making use of all waterways and bodies of water accessible from New Bedford.
Grade 6: Science – First year Cheironeum students will focus on examining the structure and function of the world around them. These students start with a framework that investigates both form and processes of the macro (e.g. plate tectonics, continents) and the microscopic (e.g. cellular function, mixtures) world and introduces scale and time to these concepts. By integrating earth, life, and physical sciences with technology/engineering, students will experience relevant and engaging opportunities with natural phenomena and design problems that provide the foundation for more abstract and complex topics through grade 7 and 8.
Marine debris is both a local and a global problem that is clearly caused by human actions. The items that find their way into the ocean can be very large, such as discarded ‘ghost’ fishing nets that are hundreds of feet long or very small, like the microplastics in facial scrubs. All of these items, no matter their size have a negative impact on aquatic life, and occasionally on businesses and property. Students in grade 6 will utilize the macro and micro aspects of marine debris to better understand degrees of scale and will work on potential solutions for reducing the amount of waste in the ocean.
Grade 7: Science – Students in grade 7 focus on systems and cycles to build a systems perspective using their understanding of structures and elements developed in earlier grades. A focus on systems requires students to interpret information and apply concepts and skills in the broad context of the discipline, and thus make connections between different domains of knowledge. Standards in grade 7 highlight interdisciplinary connections within and across domains since most natural and designed systems and cycles are complex and interactive. Students begin a process of building expert knowledge, moving from a more concrete to an abstract perspective and creating a foundation for exploring cause and effect relationships in more depth in grade 8. They have experience in observing structure of cells, body systems, matter, the Earth, measuring changes in energy, and applying these ideas to systems and cycles that span domains.1
Grade 8: Science – Grade 8 students use more robust abstract thinking skills to explain causes of the more complex phenomena and systems. Many causes are not immediately or physically visible to students. Students wrestle with the “why” of science, to deal with unseen mechanisms at work, to make predictions about future events, and to explain patterns. In grade 8 these include, for example, causes of seasons and tides, causes of plate tectonics and weather or climate, the role of genetics in heredity and natural selection, and understanding interactions of atoms and molecules (from a more general particulate model in prior grades). Being able to analyze phenomena for evidence of causes and processes that often cannot be seen, and being able to conceptualize and describe those, is a significant cognitive transition for students in grade 8.1
Climate change may be the defining environmental issue of our generation. It is thus increasingly necessary for every member of the global community to understand the basic underlying science of Earth’s climate system and how it is changing in order to make informed, evidence-based decisions about how we will respond individually and as a society. Students in grades 7 and 8 will explore the intricate
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School interconnection between Earth’s ocean, atmosphere and climate. They will be better prepared to tackle the complex issues surrounding the causes and effects of climate change and evaluate some possible solutions. This exploration will increase their understanding of systems and cycles, and cause and effect.
Grade 9: Integrated Science I – Biology, Chemistry, and Physics within the Ocean Environment Based on the MCAS Frameworks for biology, with examples drawn from the marine environment. Primary emphasis on biology, with related topics from chemistry and physics.
Grade 9: Integrated Science I Freshman at the Cheironeum will experience learning opportunities across life, physical, & earth sciences (e.g. diversity of organisms, energy transfer, nature of atoms) by participating in engaging, authentic experiences in the interdisciplinary connections which bridge science and society. Integrated Science is rich with inquiry-based laboratory activities, where students collect, analyze, and share data with each other. These labs enable students to continually develop and apply problem solving strategies to gather and interpret data, and to then communicate their findings using different technologies. Assessments will include authentic, problem-based learning activities where students will be exploring rigorous science concepts as they relate to their everyday lives.
Grade 10: Integrated Science II This course will offer students accelerated learning opportunities across the curriculum in the field of science. Students will be expected to apply effective strategies for problem solving by gathering information, analyzing and interpreting data, thinking critically, and communicating solutions. The topics will include the most recent discoveries in biology including bio-molecules, cell structure, energy conversion, and utilization in cells, cell reproduction, movement of bio-molecules in cells, the structure of nucleic acids, protein synthesis, genetics, organic evolution and ecology. This will include identifying research problems and topics, developing basic research skills and data collection techniques, and developing hypotheses relating to a particular research problem. This course will also teach students how to apply skills toward the development of a scientific paper, project, product, and an oral defense. In addition, students will investigate contemporary issues in marine science and conduct a forum. At the completion of this course, students will have successfully undertaken a basic research project on their own.2
Grade 11: IB Biology SL1 The International Baccalaureate Standard level Biology course content is spread over two years, including 20% practical component and completion of an interdisciplinary Group 4 research project. The Standard level and the Higher level Biology courses have a common core, but the HL course has additional material. Two options must be studied as a part of each course. It is intended that by studying Biology, students will develop their problem solving skills and understanding between structure and function and of the universality and of the diversity within the genes. Discussions about epidemics and human activities affecting the world will lead to understanding that the species, including ourselves, are connected and interdependent. The topics of the first year are in order: nature of science, biochemistry, cells and organelles, cell energetics, nucleic acids and proteins, cell reproduction, genetics, evolution, ecology, and applied plant and animal science. IB assessment criteria will be used to evaluate student work. At the end of the course the students will take the Standard Level IB Biology exam.
Grade 11: IB Biology HL1 The IB Biology Higher Level is a rigorous two - year course designed to give highly motivated students a broad understanding of the field of Biological Science. The course includes a 25% practical component
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School and an interdisciplinary Group 4 research project. The standard level and the higher level courses have a common core, but the higher level has additional material on each curriculum topic as well as in the two mandatory Options. The curriculum stresses the importance of inquiry, analytical thinking and the use of the scientific method. The topics of the first year course in order are: nature of science, biochemistry, cells and organelles, cell energetics, nucleic acid and proteins, cell reproduction, genetics, evolution, ecology, and applied plant and animal science. IB assessment criteria will be used in evaluating student performance in exams, labs, quizzes, and field work. At the completion of the course, the students will take the High Level IB Biology exam. 3
Grade 12: IB Biology SL2 The International Baccalaureate Standard Level Biology course requires analytical thinking and the use of the scientific method. Good organizational skills are needed for the 20% practical component of the course. The topics of the second year course are: anatomy and physiology of the human body, international epidemiology and the challenges of the global society. Two Options from the IB syllabus will be studied as well. IB assessment criteria will be used to evaluate student work. At the end of the two year course the students will take the Standard Level IB Biology exam. 3
Grade 12: IB Biology HL2 The IB Biology Higher Level stresses the importance of inquiry, analytical thinking and the use of the scientific method. The practical component or the so called “internal assessment” counts for 25% of the student’s overall grade and requires good organizational skills. Two Options from the IB syllabus will be studied in both SL and HL courses and the core topics are the same, but the HL students will learn each topic in more depth and detail. Student success requires 90 more hours of study than the SL, well developed reasoning and self-motivation. The topics of the second year course in order are: anatomy and physiology of the human body, international epidemiology and the challenges of the global society. IB assessment criteria will be used in evaluating student performance in exams, labs, quizzes, and field work. At the completion of the second year, the students will take the High Level IB Biology exam. 3
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Group 5: Mathematics
Mathematics is the language of science. Adapted from Galileo “Mathematics is the science of patterns.” Prof. Keith Devlin, Stanford University
The Cheironeum requires all students to engage with mathematics for all seven years of their secondary education. Great emphasis will be placed on using mathematics to model our understanding of the world and to support the advancement of knowledge in other disciplines, such as GIS systems in geography and the current revolution in biomathematics. As students mature in their understanding of the power of mathematics, more and more complex problems will be drawn from everyday life, to illustrate the ability of numbers to convey information in ways that enlarge our understanding of the world.
During First and Second Voyages, students will follow the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and discover the relevance of mathematics to the urban cityscape of New Bedford, from storm drains to cell towers.
Grade 6
Students will: Understand ratio concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems. Apply and extend multiplication and division to divide fractions by fractions. Compute fluently with multi-digit numbers and find common multiples and factors. Apply and extend understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers. Apply and extend arithmetic to algebraic expressions. Reason about and solve one- variable equations and inequalities. Represent and analyze quantitative relationships between dependent and independent variables. Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume.
Grade 7 Students will: Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems. Apply and extend operations with fractions to add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers. Use properties of operations to generate equivalent expressions. Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations. Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them. Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume. Use random sampling to draw inferences about a population. Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.
Grade 8:
Students will: Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers. Work with radicals and integer exponents. Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations. Define, evaluate, and compare functions. Use functions to model relationships between quantities. Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software. Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem. Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones and spheres.
At the start of the Third Voyage, Cheironeum students will follow the MCF Model Integrated Pathway.
Grade 9:
Students will: Reason qualitatively and use units to solve problems. See Structure in Expressions. Interpret the structure of expressions. Create equations that describe numbers or relationships. Understand solving equations as a process of reasoning and explain the reasoning. Solve equations and inequalities in
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School one variable. Solve systems of equations. Represent and solve equations and inequalities graphically. Functions Interpreting Functions. Understand the concept of a function and use function notation. Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of the context. Analyze functions using different representations. Build a function that models a relationship between two quantities. Build new functions from existing functions. Construct and compare linear, quadratic, and exponential models and solve problems. Interpret expressions for functions in terms of the situation they model.
Grade 10: Students will: Extend the properties of exponents to rational exponents. Use properties of rational and irrational numbers. Perform arithmetic operations with complex numbers. Use complex numbers in polynomial identities and equations. Interpret the structure of expressions. Write expressions in equivalent forms to solve problems. Perform arithmetic operations on polynomials. Create equations that describe numbers or relationships. Solve equations and inequalities in one variable. Solve systems of equations. Functions Interpreting Functions. Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of the context. Analyze functions using different representations. Build a function that models a relationship between two quantities. Build new functions from existing functions. Construct and compare linear, quadratic and exponential models and solve problems. Prove and apply trigonometric identities. Prove geometric theorems. Understand similarity in terms of similarity transformations. Prove theorems involving similarity. Define trigonometric ratios and solve problems involving right triangles. Understand and apply theorems about circles. Find arc lengths and areas of sectors of circles. Translate between the geometric description and the equation for a conic section. Use coordinates to prove simple geometric theorems algebraically. Explain volume formulas and use them to solve problems. Understand independence and conditional probability and use them to interpret data. Use the rules of probability to compute probabilities of compound events in a uniform probability model. Use probability to evaluate outcomes of decisions
Students entering the third year of their Third Voyage will prepare for the IB exam in Mathematical Studies (Standard Level).
Grade 11, 12: IB Mathematical Studies (SL)
Students will work with linear, quadratic, exponential and trigonometric functions and equations; inequalities; operations with polynomials; sequences and series; operations with functions including inverse and composition of functions; probability and statistics (to include correlation, regression formula, and chi-squared test); and triangle trigonometry, before tackling the trigonometry of three-dimensional shapes, logic and truth tables, a short introduction to differential calculus, and the mathematics of finance.
The second year of IB Mathematical Studies (SL) includes an independent project.
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Group 6: Art (Studio, Performing, and Applied)
According to a recent analysis, New Bedford—home of the UMass Dartmouth Center for the Visual and Performing Arts—is the seventh most hospitable city in the United States for artists. This means that the Cheironeum is at the center of a large community of artists in all media, as well as performers and craftsmen.
The Cheironeum will build its art program organically and opportunistically, tying it to student interest and structuring it around Wednesday and Saturday morning studio sessions in which all students learn will learn the basics of drawing, painting, sculpting, and ceramics, as well as musical and theatrical performance, through studio classes with local artists and performers.
The Cheironeum defines the scope of its arts program as “studio, performing, and applied,” applied referring to the opportunities to for students to pursue interests in such local traditions as furniture design making, boatbuilding, and glassmaking, to name a few of the more historically prominent and currently popular.
The purpose of the Cheironeum arts program is to help each student explore new forms of self-expression before becoming an apprentice to an experienced practitioner. As evidence of the Cheironeum’s commitment to the arts, the school will involve students in the design and construction of the interiors and exteriors of its buildings whenever feasible to do so.
In addition to Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Cheironeum will make every effort to support open studios beyond the school day or calendar. In a very real sense, these are “maker spaces” that meets the needs of curious youth.
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INSTRUCTION
The Cheironeum’s approach to instruction is student-centered, inquiry-drive, project-based experiential, authentic, and passion-directed. Project-based learning is well-known for its effectiveness with low- income (Jensen, 2013) and otherwise disengaged students (Boss, 2015; DeLisle, 1997; Larmer, Mergendoller & Boss, 2015; Laur, 2013; Lenz, Wells & Kingston, 2015).
The Cheironeum has embraced the operating metaphor of a “ship” for many reasons, but most important is the requirement, true of both Cheironeum and ship, that many isolated parts, operated by many hands, must work in concert to keep the school/vessel upright and headed in the right direction, at the right speed. Nowhere is this more important than in designing, providing and supporting instruction. Describe the pedagogy or instructional methods that will be used to deliver the curriculum model(s). The Cheironeum’s overall concern with instructional methods is that they remain within the “brain’s performance envelope” (Medina, 2008) as it has evolved throughout our species’ existence. (See Medina’s list of “brain rules” on p.8 of this prospectus). For this reason, the Cheironeum opts for instructional methods that combine experiential education, problem-based learning, high standards (because they are not boring), interdisciplinary connections, multi-sensory engagement, differentiated instruction, and concern for the whole child. The “sail plan” opposite page illustrates this commitment.
Describe how these instructional methods support high standards of achievement and are accessible and appropriate for all students at all levels, including students with diverse learning styles, English language learners, special education students, students who enter below grade level, and other at-risk students who should be targeted in order to eliminate the achievement gap. The sine qua non of maximal achievement by all students is differentiated instruction combined with each student’s belief in the plasticity of the brain and his or her “will toward plasticity” (Erard, 2012). Students bring four traits to the classroom—readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect—and a teacher must be prepared to modify four classroom elements—content, process, product, and learning environment—to meet that student where he or she can be found and guide him or her to the farthest point possible (Tomlinson, 2003).
Explain how the school will ensure that teachers are proficient in delivering the chosen instructional methods. This question and the following two touch upon a subject of great concern to the Cheironeum: Can teachers be trusted to be professionals? If yes, then they are capable of forming a self-correcting professional learning community with standards that exceed what could be imposed. If not, then more time, energy, and resources must go into supervision and accountability, treasure better spent in the classroom than on the classroom. Finland treats its teachers as professionals, and currently, according to PISA, Finnish students rank first in the world (OECD, 2011). But the U.S. has no widespread tradition of similar treatment, and expecting professionalism at that level to take root overnight would be naïve. Therefore, Cheironeum founders are opting for a middle way. Like the Finns, treat teachers like professionals, but in a reasonable compromise, require that their activities and results be transparent. This prospectus has already described group “Lesson Study” as practiced by the Japanese, suggesting that publicly accessible wikis be the venue for such efforts. If, like MIT’s Open Courseware, these wikipages include audio/video in addition to lesson plans, study materials, and links, then professional pride will exert more influence than daily walk-throughs by an assistant principal. If, going one better than MIT, the Cheironeum’s wikipages allow comment and discussion (while requiring disclosure of identity), then suddenly the Cheironeum stands to benefit from “crowdsourcing,” (the retired teacher or scientist in Auckland who emails the perfect suggestion), and “cognitive surplus,” (that teacher is not alone, never too busy, and worth paying attention to.) Already, a district in Ontario has begun taking this approach.
Briefly explain the process for teacher evaluations. Self-reflection, peer review, administrative review of the teacher’s systemic contributions. Administrative focus should remain on the system; professional
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School focus on the professionals themselves and the peers they are assisting with their growth. If the system falters—as in producing less than satisfactory student achievement—then administration should look to the individuals within the system. Describe how the school will determine the professional development needs of the staff. Eighty percent based on the needs prioritized by the faculty as a whole as areas of opportunity or challenge. Twenty percent (like Google) on whatever an individual teacher values.
C. STUDENT PERFORMANCE, ASSESSMENT, AND PROGRAM EVALUATION Performance Standards
Evaluations will be based on the seven-point scale used by the International Baccalaureate. Credit will only be given for progress toward mastery. Effort, behavior, extra credit will not enter into the process of evaluation. (Marzano, )
Promotion Standards
Students must achieve proficiency in a given course before being promoted to the next level. Proficiency is considered to be 80%.
Graduation/Exit Requirements
Academic Coursework—7 years of each of the SIX DISCIPLINES, plus all FIVE CHALLENGES met.
MCAS—In compliance with Massachusetts DESE, all students must pass the MCAS to graduate from the Cheironeum.
Homework
Homework will be a feature of a Cheironeum education, as it is of every successful college education. Teachers will co-ordinate assignments so as not to overload students and impair their success. Homework at the Cheironeum is an opportunity to develop self-management, not a matter of triage.
Interim Assessments
To measure the performance of individual students, cohorts of students, and the Cheironeum as a whole, and to track these results over time, the Cheironeum will implement a schedule of common interim assessments based on the end goal of the Cheironeum for its students, that is working backwards from “proficiency” on the IB Diploma Programme assessments, whose exam questions and marking schema are available to all members. (Bambrick-Santoyo, 2010). Interim assessments will be the first dates set on the school calendar each year and adequate time will be given to teachers to score, compare, and interpret the results on these common assessments for the purposes of re-teaching. Interim assessments will occur six times a year with informal bi-weekly assessments and regular short quizzes offering additional feedback to students and teachers.
The process outlined in Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction (Bambrick-Santoyo, 2010) is the model the Cheironeum will adopt.
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ASSESSMENT AS NAVIGATION: “Piloting,” “Dead Reckoning,” and “Celestial Navigation”
The metaphor of the Cheironeum as a ship at sea makes clear the analogy between navigation and assessment. With the movement nationally toward tying teacher performance evaluations to student performance, it is important to avoid making assessment an onerous and potentially threatening task, but rather a routine and rewarding source of feedback on instructional strategies that can and should be continuously improved. By tying assessments to “Lesson Study”—the kind of in-depth group study, by teachers, with regular feedback solicited from students, of the effectiveness of instructional strategies— teachers can maintain a sense of ownership over the process, even if the data is being used for multiple purposes by multiple recipients. “Lesson Planning” is universal in Japan and the offered explanation for a “teaching gap” favoring Japanese over American practices (Stigler, 1999). “Lesson Study” has the additional benefit of giving focus and voice to teachers’ personal reflections on practice. Posting such studies on a wiki can invite student and parent input.
Navigation, as practiced on the water, is of three types: “piloting” for feeling one’s way around a harbor by frequent, informal visual checks; “dead reckoning” for determining current and future position based on heading and speed; and “celestial navigation,” for fixing one’s position through reference to the position of heaven bodies. These techniques may be symbolized by binoculars, compass, and sextant and correspond well—in the classroom—to informal checks for understanding, regular formative assessments, and occasional, or periodic, summative assessments.
Indicate which individual(s) in the school have primary responsibility for overseeing the assessment system. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction (DCI) will be responsible for the design and implementation of the assessment system, subject to the information needs of The Cheironeum’s various stakeholders and any external authorities such as the Massachusetts DESE, the College Board, and the International Baccalaureate®. The DCI will also be responsible for the administration and analysis of formative and summative assessments and their validity as tools of measurement.
Describe how achievement data will be collected and how it will be used. Timeliness, ease of use, and usefulness will determine how and when data will be collected. The Cheironeum will investigate options for capturing this information electronically, to facilitate its use by multiple parties, over extended periods of time, including longitudinal studies. Just as important as timeliness and ease of use is the validity of the measurement. The Cheironeum will invest whatever is necessary to insure that its teachers are asking the right questions in the right way and interpreting the results correctly. The data will be used for a variety of purposes described below.
Indicate whether, in addition to administering the MCAS tests as required by state law, the school will use additional standardized assessment tools to determine and report student progress. In either case, explain why that decision was made for the targeted population and how the data will be used. The Cheironeum will administer standardized norm-referenced aptitude tests such as the SSAT, PSAT, SAT, and College Board Achievement Tests in order to facilitate comparison with a broad cross-section of the current student population nationally. In addition, it is the mission of the Cheironeum to prepare students for the criterion-referenced assessments of the International Baccalaureate. While the Middle Years Programme largely consists of internal assessments, subject to external quality control, the Diploma Programme consists of mostly external assessments, which comprise their own system of quality control on the level of instruction available through the school. The decision to use the IB assessment system was based on the goal of implementing a practical-to-administer world-class standard in local classrooms. Research has shown (Adelman, 1999), that the most significant predictor of college success (measured in terms of degree-completion within six years) is the rigor of a student’s high school courses,
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School with AP and IB exams being the two most widely accepted indications of rigor. The effect of rigor outweighs race, ethnic origin, and SES, and is highest for African-American and Latino students. The data from IB exams will be used to inform instruction, but also, and importantly, to demonstrate the challenge being offered Cheironeum students. Newsweek, the Washington Post, and U.S. News weight AP and IB exams heavily in their rankings of the best, as in “most challenging,” U.S. public schools. Include descriptions and/or examples of assessments that are consistent with the school’s mission, program, and high expectations of students, and that are based upon research. The IB requires a variety of assessments in evaluating a student’s grasp of content and skills, including quizzes, tests, oral and written reports, essays, extended essays (4,000 words), problem sets, projects, performances, and portfolios, as well as externally examined and moderated, criterion-based written exams.
Describe which internal/school-developed instruments will be administered in order to measure and report student progress. Explain why these particular assessments were selected for the targeted student population and how the data will be used. For each discipline, teachers from that department will collaborate on a series of regularly recurring assessments that consider a student’s achievement from multiple perspectives. Once again, quality, timeliness, and ease of use will be of importance. Whenever appropriate, rubrics will be used to guide student performance. The Cheironeum will adopt a 7-point scale that is aligned with the practices of the International Baccalaureate.
Define a meaningful and practical approach for measuring student progress toward attaining non- academic goals. The IB Diploma Programme specifies ways of measuring student progress toward non- academic goals such as its “Creativity-Action-Service” (CAS) requirement. In addition, The Cheironeum will use task completion and rubrics of quality as useful indicators of student progress towards the five goals detailed in its mission statement.
Provide a thorough, clear, measurable, externally credible, and conceptually sound design for measuring and reporting the performance and progress of the school as a whole and the academic and social development of each student to all relevant stakeholders. Indicate which audiences will receive this information and how often. As described in Section II C, under “innovative methods,” The Cheironeum will maintain for each class a “reckoning” of its achievements, to be reported out publicly at regular intervals in acknowledgment of the joint venture of school and community stakeholders that make the Cheironeum possible. Like the Dow Jones or S&P 500, the “reckoning” will be an index that can be disaggregated and analyzed at various levels of detail. The Cheironeum will also publish its “actual” versus “intended” course, based on formal assessments of student learning.
Describe how each of the following stakeholder groups will use student achievement data. Trustees will use summative data and longitudinal studied to guide policy and goal-setting and evaluate their Agent. They will require occasional access to other forms of data to better understand the assessment process. Administrators will use assessment data to monitor trends, plan professional development, and search for ways to refine the system of instructional delivery. Teachers will use data to guide them in their lesson planning and to ensure that no student falls behind. Students will use data to monitor progress toward their goals and indicate when extra help may be required. Parents will use data to encourage their children, form the basis for discussion with teachers, and inform how they parent.
Explain how the assessment system is linked to curriculum and instruction, facilitates decision making about necessary adjustments to the educational program, and informs any staff development plan that will support the goal of improved student learning. The Cheironeum’s ultimate goal is to enable teachers to improve their lessons continuously through “Lesson Study” involving their peers, helpful supervision and coaching, and prompt feedback from valid assessments, that can be easily be combined with other data. To facilitate “Lesson Study,” The Cheironeum will host an online Wiki (“Moby-Wik”) as
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D. SUPPORTS FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS
Describe the plan for a responsive, general education classroom and how the proposed school will provide students with disabilities and/or limited English proficiency access to the general education curriculum. A responsive general education classroom begins with acceptance of differences. It excels by celebrating and drawing inspiration from them. As a first step toward this goal, the Cheironeum will make every effort to avoid stigmatizing any student or any group of students based on their learning needs, while simultaneously doing whatever it takes to meet those needs, in and out of the classroom.
Second, consistent with the Cheironeum’s educational philosophy, specifically as it relates to the neuroplasticity and individual uniqueness of the human brain, the Cheironeum takes the position that ALL learners are differently enabled, rather than SOME learners are disabled by their differences. This scientifically valid approach allows the Cheironeum to maintain high expectations of all students. Different abilities sometimes require different paths to the same goal. For this reason, The Cheironeum is committed to differentiated instruction for all students, including but not limited to those with IEPs. (IEPs may require additional modification of learning objectives and assessments to support a student’s progress toward the standards of the general education program.) Moreover, the Cheironeum’s emphasis on experiential education and multi-sensory instruction will allow more students, including those with IEPs, to succeed. Finally, the Cheironeum will be a full-inclusion school. Students with IEPs will be taught alongside their peers in the general education classroom with the support of a special education teacher, or paraprofessional, and any other applicable related service providers. If a student requires additional support outside of the general education class, the extended school day and school year will allow time for remediation and extra instruction. Teachers will receive annual training in special education procedures. The Cheironeum anticipates and welcomes a large number of students of limited English proficiency, given both the current demographics of New Bedford and the Cheironeum’s emphasis on language acquisition. Students who are limited English proficient (LEP) will be taught in the general education classroom, with appropriate supports based on their identified level of need. LEP students will also receive support from an ELL teacher, who will work alongside the general education teachers to provide instruction toward the general education curriculum standards. All teachers at the Cheironeum will receive training in methods of differentiated instruction and co- teaching, as well as Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) categories I-IV. Training in differentiated instruction and co-teaching will take place on a continuous basis. on methods of differentiation geared toward As new teachers are hired, they will be put in a cycle to complete the SEI category trainings. The Cheironeum values FELP, LEP, and ELL students for their commitment to learning English as a second (in some cases, third or even fourth) language. By their presence, they model the courage to learn. Describe the processes and procedures, in compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations that the proposed school will employ to identify, assess, and serve students who are English language learner s. Include a description of support services to be offered, the settings in which these required services will be implemented, the qualifications of individuals who will implement these services, and how the program will be evaluated. At The Cheironeum, the Director of Student and Family Services (DSFS) will oversee the ELL program. Additionally, we will hire a licensed English Language Learner teacher ($45,000/yr.) to focus directly on the needs of ELL students. In addition to providing necessary classroom and office space for ELL instructors and learners, the Cheironeum will partner with the Department of Applied Linguistics at U. Mass. Boston to establish and evaluate an ELL program that will become second to none, while gradually training and certifying regular classroom teachers in ELL, part of
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School the Cheironeum’s strategy to make contact between regular classroom teachers and their students the most well-supported and productive possible.
The Cheironeum will use the following process to identify students who are limited English proficient and to assess their level of English proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening:
1. Administer a Home Language Survey to the families of all incoming students. 2. Based on the Home Language Survey, identify students who may potentially be limited English proficient and provide written notification to their families (in the home language whenever possible) that their children will be screened using the LAS Links Assessment System. 3. Administer LAS Assessments in the following: LAS Links (grades 5-12) 4. Provide written notification to families (in the home language whenever possible) of their children’s English proficiency level based on results of the LAS Links Assessment and if their child qualifies for Sheltered English Immersion services.
All LEP students who have not been granted a waiver will be placed in sheltered English immersion classrooms. The Cheironeum will provide LEP students with content instruction that is based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and ESL/ELD instruction that is based on the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks and Outcomes. Classroom teachers will receive high-quality professional development to provide sheltered content instruction. LEP students in grades 5-12 will also receive the services of a licensed ESL/ELD instructor for pull-out or push-in support in English language development. The frequency and duration of pull-out or push-in services will be determined based on each child’s grade level and English language proficiency level, but all LEP students will receive a minimum of 30 minutes of ESL/ELD instruction three times per week. Students from two adjacent grade levels may be grouped together for ESL/ELD instruction when they are at the same level of English language proficiency. The Cheironeum is committed to ensuring that LEP and FLEP students are given equal access to all programs and services including, but not limited to the following: • All academic programs, including tutoring support and enrichment classes • After-school and summer school programs • Counseling services • Special education services and 504 Accommodation Plans • Title I services LEP and FLEP students will not be limited in their use of the resources of The Cheironeum on the basis of their English language proficiency. This applies to their use of the school building and grounds as well as materials and services provided by the school. The LEP program will be evaluated on a yearly basis. All parents will be asked to participate in an annual survey of the program. Additionally, we will also use student achievement and progress toward academic goals as an indicator of our success.
Describe the processes and procedures, in compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations that the proposed school will employ to identify, assess, and provide specialized instruction to each student in need of special education services. Include a description of support services to be offered and how student identification and assessment will be conducted, including the development of individualized education programs. Include the settings in which these required services will be delivered, the qualifications of individuals who will be recruited to deliver services, and how the program will be evaluated.
The Cheironeum will designate a Director of Student and Family Services (DSFS) who will develop and oversee the special education processes. Initially, we will hire two special education teachers per grade, but this may change depending on student enrollment. Our protocols and procedures for identification and assessment of students will be clearly outlined in our Family Handbook.
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The DSFS will also serve as a member of the Instructional Support Team (IST) along with general education teachers, the Instructional Leader, and related service providers. Teachers who have concerns about a student’s academic progress will be able to attend these monthly meetings to discuss and review student’s profiles and come up with a plan to address the areas of concern. Some potential interventions and accommodations that may be implemented (depending on the student) include: additional academic remediation in math and/or reading, observation and suggestions from related service providers for handwriting etc., counseling or social skills group, and extended time on tests. These plans will be reviewed on a monthly basis and teachers will be expected to track data and progress of the student with the new accommodations in place. It is important to note that at any time, a parent’s request for an evaluation will be honored and consent for evaluation will be sent home within 5 days of the parent request. If the student continues to fail to make progress even with accommodations in place, the IST may recommend that the student be referred for an evaluation to determine if they have a disability. The evaluation will be conducted within state timelines, once the parent/guardian consents to the evaluation. The evaluation will assess all areas of concern and potential disability. Based on the evaluation results, if the team determines that the student has a disability and is eligible for special education services, the team will develop an appropriate IEP for the student. Services may include, but are not limited to, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and academic instruction or support. As it is appropriate for the student, all services will be provided in the least restrictive environment. Ultimately, The Cheironeum will hire a highly-qualified special education teacher for each grade. Depending on student need, we will also hire a licensed speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, social worker, and physical therapist. We will contract out psychological evaluation services until the need for having a school psychologist on staff is warranted by student need. The special education program will be evaluated on a yearly basis by an outside consultant. All parents will be asked to participate in an annual survey of the program and services. Additionally, we will also use student achievement and progress toward academic goals as an indicator of success.
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E. CULTURE AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
The Cheironeum will designate a Director of Student and Family Services (DSFS), who, in addition to overseeing the Office of Study Counsel (responsible for special education, ELL, tutoring, etc.), will oversee the Office for Family Outreach and the Parents’ Center. In support of the Cheironeum’s educational mission, the Office will ensure that every student has an active library card for the New Bedford Free Library; that all families have the means and incentive to engage with the Cheironeum’s nonprofit educational partners (New Bedford’s museums, symphony, theater, zoo, YMCA, etc.); and that the Cheironeum gives parents, guardians, and other interested adults the information, insights, and training necessary to support their students as they face the simultaneous challenges of adolescence and a demanding academic program.
The Cheironeum will hold social gatherings for school staff to meet families (sometimes just parents and guardians), with the goal of building a supportive, respectful, open, familiar, and enjoyable school community. The Cheironeum will also host “Crash Courses” for adults looking to support their students through a basic grasp of the content and skills required of them and, most importantly, why these content and skills matter and how learning them can be fun. (These crash courses should not be confused with a typical “Open House” or “Parent’s Night”.) The Cheironeum will also set aside space within its learning facility for a “Parents’ Center” where parents may access a school computer, review the curriculum (also available online and in print), volunteer, meet with teachers or other parents, or conduct the business of the parents’ association. The project-based, experiential learning model of the Cheironeum can foster use of parents as resources with a variety of practical skills, fostering respect for them from their children and others. Finally, for those parents themselves struggling with issues of literacy or numeracy, the Office of Family Outreach will seek or host classes or tutoring in the belief that parents continue to be important role models for their children, even as peer influence looms large. For students, the Cheironeum will maintain a job bank for those employers, sympathetic to the economic needs of low-income students, to post notice of term-time and summer employment compatible with serious schoolwork. In addition, the Cheironeum will maintain a discreet storeroom of clothing and supplies for students in significant need, as well as laundry facilities.
In compliance with state law, the Cheironeum will hire a School Nurse responsible for 1) administering all medication and treatment on school property; 2) overseeing required examinations (visual, auditory, fitness for athletics, etc.); 3) maintaining data on immunizations; 4) monitoring student health and wellness; and 5) communicating with the school community on health issues, particularly, but not exclusively, those of immediate concern to adolescents (i.e., some near-term choices involve long-term, later-life consequences). In addition, the School Nurse will build and maintain an active file of recommended medical, dental, and counseling practices (with expertise and interest in working with children from low-income families), making introductions wherever and whenever helpful. Finally, the Cheironeum will supplement its own student and family services by partnering with appropriate agencies with recognized expertise and additional resources, agencies such as New Bedford Community Connections Coalition, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, the Caring Network, Child and Family Services of New Bedford, Immigrants’ Assistance Center, and the SMILES Mentoring program.
To the greatest extent possible, the Cheironeum will ensure that language is never a barrier to obtaining proactive attention and follow-up services for students and parents, making available bilingual staff, volunteer or paid interpreters, and translations of published material as a matter of course. The Cheironeum’s curricular emphasis on language acquisition, the four major languages of the Atlantic Basin, provides an opportunity to engage parents as resources for students and staff to accelerate learning while also bolstering respect for parents and for the cultures of their families.
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For educational purposes, meal-time is “found” co-curricular time, during which education can continue without impinging on the time requirements of the Cheironeum’s core academic disciplines.
The Cheironeum will serve breakfast, lunch, and two snacks (mid-morning and extended day) to all students who opt not to bring these meals to school. The Operations Manager will oversee food service, which may begin with meals prepared by a local contractor, then as the Cheironeum develops the capacity, form part of a joint venture or be brought in-house, ultimately to become increasingly the responsibility of Cheironeum crews and their faculty mentors on a rotating basis, as part of the Cheironeum’s commitment to experiential education, urban farming, and using cultural foodways as a means of multidisciplinary learning. The Operations Manager will ensure that the Cheironeum fully complies with all local health and safety regulations regarding food service. To date, we have lined up the services of a former executive chef of Yale University to help us plan an innovative approach to involving students in planning and preparing meals. We have also benefitted from the advice of regionally and nationally known organic farmers, as well as field trips to sizable school gardens in this and neighboring states. We are encouraged by the success of Harvard’s teaching chemistry through visits by celebrity chefs and MIT’s offering “Italian with Your Mouth Full,” an introduction to the Italian language through a series of cooking lessons. We see merit in the argument by structural anthropologist Claude Levi-Straus that cooked food was the beginning of human culture, also in anthropologist Richard Wrangham’s argument that “cooking made us human.” The founders group looks forward to creating a highly innovative, multidisciplinary farm-to-table program with the Cheironeum.
The Cheironeum will take full advantage of federal (free and reduced-price) breakfast, lunch, and after- school snack programs. The Operations Manager will distribute, collect, and process the forms required of families that qualify, as well as ensure compliance with all federal and state regulations. (NOTE: The Cheironeum will be proactive in making sure that qualifying families understand their rights, experience no impediment to completing the form, and understand that they are contributing to the success of their children.)
Consistent with the Cheironeum’s mission statement, in particular, goals 3 and 4, the Cheironeum subscribes to the “Principles of Edible Education”: 1) Food is an academic subject; 2) School provides lunch for every child; 3) Schools support farms; 4) Children learn by doing; and 5) Beauty is a language (Waters 2008, 43). How is food an academic subject? “A school garden, kitchen, and cafeteria are integral to the core academic mission of the school, so that ecology and gastronomy help bring alive every subject, from reading and writing to science and art (ibid).”
The Cheironeum views communal meals—those that students help plan, source, provision, prepare, and serve—as opportunities to: 1) build community by nurturing student-teacher and student-student relationships through collaboration, sharing, and informal contact; 2) learn and practice proper nutrition; 3) develop social graces (“the arts of the table”); 4) gain insight into the role of food in human cultural evolution; 5) appreciate the cuisines of a variety of contemporary cultures, 6) reinforce classroom lessons through special meals and celebrations; and 7) involve parents and the community. Mindful of the immediate and lifelong effects of proper nutrition, the Cheironeum will, to the greatest extent practicable: 1) procure fresh organic vegetables, grains, and animal protein from local sources, and 2) prepare these in such a manner as to maximize their nutritional value, thereby meeting (exceeding) the “Nutrient Standards” of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Special Occasions Involving Families, Guardians, and Mentors Adapting the maritime practice of using a ship’s “articles” to define the destination, duration, and purpose of a voyage (and the crew’s signatures to affirm their assent), the Cheironeum’s statement of purpose serves as the preamble for the articles that all members of the Cheironeum community—students and teachers, parents and volunteers, staff and leadership, trustees and advisers, partners and funders—gather
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School to sign during a ceremony held at the outset of each student “voyage.” (Three such metaphorical voyages, of one, two, and four years’ duration, comprise grades 6 through 12, roughly equivalent to middle school, high school, and “early college.”)
Each set of articles establishes expectations for that particular voyage, uniting all members of the Cheironeum community in the pursuit of challenging near- and intermediate-term goals, goals co- operatively developed, collectively embraced, and consistent with the provisions of the Cheironeum charter granted to the trustees by the Commonwealth.
After the signing ceremony, the physical document is displayed within the special collection of insignia, artifacts, and accumulated souvenirs that accompany each cohort of students from one waypoint to the next during the students’ journey through the Cheironeum (see p. ). The document is a visible reminder of the obligations the students have voluntarily assumed and the support their community is extending. Upon completion of the voyage, and after a reckoning of their achievements, the students sign off, and the articles become part of their permanent alumni exhibit.
Restorative Practices All schools strive for the respectful, cooperative, and safe environment that school administrators, teachers and staff all know is critical to optimal learning, particularly when stress is a near-constant factor in the lives of some students. Unfortunately traditional methods of interaction, communication and discipline in schools are usually ineffective.
As a new school, the Cheironeum has the unusual opportunity to use “restorative practices” to create a school-wide paradigm of responsibility, respect and restoration from the Cheironeum’s inception, without having to undo the entrenched methods of traditional approaches to discipline.
The Cheironeum’s mission/vision is based on a foundation of community engagement and collaboration. It will be seen everywhere from the school micro-communities that students, teachers and staff share, to the family communities that the Cheironeum hopes to “partner” with in support of their children’s education and social-emotional growth, as well as to the larger New Bedford communities we will be learning from and contributing to.
In order for communities to thrive, mechanisms need to be in place to address the inevitable conflicts, and resulting harms, that surface anywhere that people are in relationship with each other. Restorative practices, school-based methods and processes that share the basic values of restorative justice, can provide that mechanism.
Most school discipline loosely reflects our criminal justice system, with a focus on these questions: What school rule was broken? Who was/were the perpetrator/s? What punishment do they deserve? The idea here is that the more discomfort, inconvenience and shame in the punishment, the more the offender will learn and change his/her behavior. We have seen over time that this approach, along with “zero- tolerance” ideology, doesn’t work, and often creates more harm.
With restorative justice and restorative practices, based on Howard Zehr’s pioneering work in the field we believe that when a violation or conflict of any size occurs, the response involves a totally different set of questions: Who was harmed? What are the needs of the harmed? How can things be made as right as possible, and by whom? How can things be changed for a better future for all individuals and communities involved? Restorative practices shifts the responsibility for the response to the violation from an abstract set of customs and rules and to those individuals most impacted. Understanding and trust
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While restorative practices are largely used as an effective response to specific violations and conflicts, Cheironeum will go beyond incident-based restorative responses to integrate restorative strategies into the fabric of the school culture. These strategies will include opportunities for students, teachers, staff, and in some cases, families, to participate in community-building circles on a regular basis as a way to increase and sustain connection, understanding, support and respect of all members of the Cheironeum community. These circles will be scheduled into the school-day curriculum and given as much priority as other areas of learning, with the belief that social-emotional learning and a sense of belonging, connection and accountability is not just necessary, but critical to this generation of young people.
The Cheironeum commits to providing time, funds, and attention to making restorative practices the underlying principle of the Cheironeum’s approach to discipline.
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III. HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATE ORGANIZATIONAL VIABILITY?
A. CAPACITY
The founders as represented by the proposed members of the Board of Trustees are a subset of the more than forty people within the New Bedford, southeastern Massachusetts, and broader education and related fields of interest who have worked informally with the principal author of this Prospectus and proposed Executive Director, Richard Porteus to articulate the whole-school design of the proposed school. A number of the founders know each other professionally and have worked together on boards, committees and in the community. The founders share their common interest in education reform as executive leaders and volunteers for New Bedford’s many nonprofit educational and civic organizations or as practitioners in science and science education. All have been individually involved in various aspects of education reform within New Bedford, the South Coast region, or Massachusetts. Repeated exchanges of views identified shared values regarding education and the needs of the diverse and educationally underserved students of New Bedford. Serious discussions translated these values into the desired results of schooling. Research, then further discussion, led to consensus on the means most likely to achieve these ends, based on reports of best practices and promising innovations. The organic growth, individual capacity, and balanced composition of the founders group; the inclusive process of deliberation; shared values; and the founders’ belief in the ability of this new model to enable disadvantaged New Bedford students to meet world-class standards of academic achievement unite the founders in their commitment to establish the New Bedford Cheironeum.
The founders group has been meeting informally in various combinations since April of 2010, and has grown as ideas have evolved and new perspectives have been sought. The lead author Richard Porteus, assisted by Chuck Smiler, has consulted with the proposed board members and with many others who have contributed significantly from their areas of expertise.
AMARAL-ZETTLER, Linda* Educator, microbiologist, director of MBL research lab FORTES, Gail* Ex. Dir., YWCA of Southeastern Mass., founding board member of Our Sister’s School HUGHES, Helena DaSilva* Ex. Dir., Immigrants Assistance Center, New Bedford, founding board member of Our Sister’s School PORTEUS, Richard** Teacher, fmr. financial professional, founder of another charter ROCHA, Robert* Dir. K-12 & Science Programs, New Bedford Whaling Museum, leader in state and national associations of marine educators ROSARIO, Maria* Ex. Dir., North Star Learning Centers, New Bedford SMILER, Charles B.* Fmr. corporate attorney and investment executive in real estate, insurance, finance; non-profit and cooperative board member ZETTLER, Erik R.* Educator, oceanographer, microbiologist, professor and associate dean, Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA
* Proposed board member ** Proposed Executive Director and board member ex officio
The Cheironeum expects to have a board of trustees numbering approximately fifteen with the likelihood that several will be identified before the final application deadline. Recruitment will focus on further enhancing the range of experience and affiliations represented on the board.
For individual resumes and questionnaires, see Appendix A.
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B. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Reporting Structure and Relationship
The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) is legally responsible for governance of the Cheironeum, regularly formulating and reviewing policy that determines the school’s direction, priorities, and parameters. The Board is ultimately accountable for the school’s faithfulness to the terms of its charter, its academic success, and its organizational viability. The Board delegates to the Executive Director, as school leader, management of school operations, subject to applicable law and regulations, the school’s charter, and the Board’s bylaws and policies. The Executive Director reports directly to the assembled board in open session, as required by law. “Speaking with one voice” through formally adopted and officially recorded statements of policy, the Board communicates to the Executive Director its understanding of the charter’s demands. To this end, the Board follows the “Policy Governance Model” (Carver, 1997). According to this widely accepted model, Board policies fall into one of four categories: 1) Ends: The organizational goals and objectives determined by the Board and their relative cost 2) Limitation on Executive Means: Principles of prudence and ethics set by the Board 3) Board—Executive Relationship: How authority is delegated to the Executive and its use assessed 4) Board Process: Rules for transacting Board business (other than bylaws), including self-review
Such an approach carefully distinguishes between the role of the Board and that of the Executive Director, eliminating the problem of “micromanagement” by the Board, while firmly fixing responsibility for the school’s performance on the Executive Director. The Board remains responsible for reviewing the performance of the Cheironeum against the promises contained in its charter; amending the charter, as necessary; overseeing the Cheironeum’s finances; monitoring its students’ academic progress, and hiring and assessing the performance of its Executive Director. The Board also assists the Executive Director in securing external support, including but not limited to strategic partnerships and additional funding. The Executive Director’s responsibilities include designing and implementing strategies to meet the organizational ends set by the Board and supervising the day-to-day operations of the school, including hiring and assessing staff, managing finances, developing community relations, and filing all documents required by state, federal, and other external authorities.
Under the Policy Governance Model, “the board’s sole official connection to the operating organization, its achievement, and conduct” is through the Executive Director. In turn, the Executive Director is uniquely responsible for reporting to the Board on school operations, including program and staff.
Leadership and Administration: Relationship and Reporting Structure
The Executive Director may delegate to administrative, teaching, or support staff (and/or qualified volunteers) authority to manage specific activities within the school; however, the Executive Director remains responsible to the Board for the conduct and success of these activities. Four administrators will be responsible for Curriculum & Instruction; Student and Family Services; Co-Curriculum & Extra- Curricular Activities; and Finance & Operations. These four administrators will report directly to the Executive Director, as part of his or her leadership team. The organizational chart on the following page shows the functional and reporting structure of remaining staff. With the exception of the Director of Finance and Operations, these leadership roles will be filled by members of the faculty.
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The proposed board supports Mr. Porteus as the Cheironeum’s founding executive director, based on his visionary leadership style, consensus-building approach to decision-making, familiarity with educational issues, ability to articulate with passion the Cheironeum’s unifying mission, and skill at identifying resources and making connections that extend the Cheironeum deeply into the New Bedford community and beyond. Mr. Porteus has also successfully taken an existing charter high school of the same size and scale, of similar purpose and in a similar coastal location from drawing board to fully inhabited classrooms. Mr. Porteus has been a highly qualified teacher of ELA (grades 8-12) in a variety of settings and with a range of students, as well as a veteran coach and director of a New England interscholastic athletic association. With a strong vision and visionary executive director in place, the Cheironeum will undertake extensive national and international searches for all staff positions, beginning with the director of curriculum and instruction. (With the exception of the Executive Director and Director of Finance, all other positions will be staffed by teachers competent and given time to fill those roles.)
The Board of the Cheironeum seeks talented individuals based on their personal and educational experience, professional expertise, community service, and commitment to education and educational equity. In recruiting candidates, the Board strives to balance gender, diversity, expertise, local involvement, and connections with strategic partners across a broad region. Potential board members are
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The Board ensures that all candidates, prior to election, are familiar with the responsibilities and procedures of the Board. This effort includes a briefing on a board member’s legal responsibilities as a public agent, as well as a review of the “Policy Governance Model” and an up-to-date copy of the policy manual itself. New Board members are selected on the basis of their commitment to the mission of the Cheironeum, the quality of their ideas, the reasonableness of their judgments, their ability to collaborate with others, their dependability, and the Board’s needs.
At the end of each academic year, with the help of an independent facilitator, the Board conducts a self- review that forms the basis for formal board development during a scheduled retreat.
C. SCHOOL FINANCES In creating a pro forma budget for the charter prospectus, the Cheironeum founders group’s has begun with its highest priority, giving teachers the time to cultivate the social-emotional connection with their students, concentrate on differentiating and personalizing inspired lesson plans, and carefully monitoring and guiding their progress.
The pro forma budget reflects the cost of twelve teachers per grade, each grade consisting of 144 students, divided into six crews of twenty-four students each. In addition, two special education teachers per grade and two ELL teachers per grade will assist the general education teachers.
In addition to budgeting for seven grades of 144 students, totaling 84 teachers and additional SPED and ELL teachers, the budget incorporates a summer session of six weeks.
The budget accounts for all payroll taxes and fringe benefits equal to 25% of salary.
To concentrate funds on the teaching obligations of the school, administrators have been kept to a minimum and teachers given the time and opportunity to develop in those roles.
Once the Cheironeum has been invited to submit a final application, the proposed school will be in a position to assess prospects for development. Given the school’s ambitions to use an internationally credible academic program to rebrand the educational reputation of this corner of the state, support should be significant. In addition, the Cheironeum’s alignment with the areas commitment to its maritime heritage, marine environment, and coast culture should attract additional support.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aldana, Ursula & Anysia Mayer. “The International Baccalaureate: A College Preparatory Pathway for Heritage Language Speakers and Immigrant Youth.” In Callahan, Rebecca M. & Patricia C. Gándara, editors. (2014). The Bilingual Advantage: Language, Literacy, and the US Labor Market. Bilingual Education and Bilingualism: 99. Toronto: Multilingual Matters. Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. (2010). Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bell, B.J. (2003). "The rites of passage and outdoor education: Critical concerns for effective programming." The Journal of Experiential Education, 26, 1, pp. 41–50. Boss, Suzie. (2015). Implementing Project-Based Learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Brown, John L., and Cerylle A. Moffet. (1999). The Hero's Journey: How Educators Can Transform Schools and Improve Learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Campbell, Joseph. 1973. The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Bollingen Series XVII). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ______. (1969). The Flight of the Wild Gander. Chicago: Regnery Gateway. “City Should Look Deeper into Value of IB Degree.” (April 10, 2005). The Decatur Daily. Editorial Quoting Michael Cohen, director of Achieve, Inc., praising IB as “gold standard.” Created by. US governors and business leaders, Achieve, Inc. produced the Common Core. Cozolino, Louis. (2013). Foreword by Daniel J. Siegel. The Social Neuroscience of Education: Optimizing Attachment & Learning in the Classroom. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Darling-Hammond, Linda. (2010). The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future. New York and London: Teachers College Press, Teachers College, Columbia University. DeLisle, Robert. (1997). How to Use Problem-Based Learning in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Dickens, Charles; (1850). Edited by Jeremy Tambling. (2004). David Copperfield. New York: Penguin Classics, Revised edition. Duncan, Arne, interview by Betsy Corcoran. 2012. Arne Duncan, Julius Genachowski: What We Need in Education. EdSurge Newsletter, (September 11). Dweck, Carol S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House. Earle, Sylvia A. (2010). The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean’s Are One. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. Farrington, Camille A. (2014) Failing at School: Lessons for Redesigning Urban High Schools. New York: Teachers College Press. Foer, Joshua. (2011). Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. New York: The Penguin Press. Friedman, Thomas L. (2007). The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. New York: Picador. ______. (2008). Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Gabrieli, Christopher & Warren Goldstein. (2008). Time to Learn: How a New School Schedule Is Making Smarter Kids, Happier Parents, and Safer Neigborhoods. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Gardner, Howard. (1999). The Disciplined Mind: What All Students Should Understand. New York: Simon & Schuster. ______(2006). Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice. New York: Basic Books. Goleman, Daniel, Lisa Bennett & Zenobia Barlow. (2012). Eco Literate: How Educators Are Cultivating Emotional, Social, and Ecological Intelligence. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Gregory, Kathleen, Caren Cameron, and Anne Davies. (1997). Setting and Using Criteria for Use in Middle and Secondary School Classrooms. Merville, British Columbia: Connections Publishing.
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Hargreaves, Andy. (2014). Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School. New York: Teachers College. Jensen, Eric. (2013). Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Design. Larmer, John; John Mergendoller; and Suzie Boss. (2015). Setting the Standard for Project-Based Learning: A Proven Approach to Rigorous Classroom Instruction. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriulum Development. Laur, Danya. (2013). Authentic Learning Experiences: A Real-World Approach to Project-Based Learning. New York: Routledge. Lenz, Bob, Justin Wells & Sally Kingston. (2015). Transforming Schools: Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Mager, Robert F. (1984). Preparing Instructional Objectives. Belmont, CA: David S. Lake, Publishers. Marzano, Robert J., Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ______(2000). Transforming Classroom Grading. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Mathews, Jay. (1999). Class Struggle: What’s Wrong (and Right) with America’s Best Public Schools. New York: Three Rivers. ______, Jay and Ian Hill. (2006). Supertest: How the International Baccalaureate Can Strengthen Our Schools. Chicago and LaSalle, Illinois: Open Court Publishing Company. Meadows, Donella H., edited by Diana Wright. (2008). Thinking in Systems. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green. Medina, John. (2008). Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle: Pear Press. Perkins, David N. (2014). Future Wise: Educating Our Children for a Changing World. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Pink, Daniel H. (2009). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. New York: Riverhead. Pollock, Jane E. (2007). Improving Student Learning One Teacher at a Time. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Ratey, John J., M.D. with Eric Hagerman. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. New York: Little, Brown and Company.Rohlen, Thomas P. (1983). Japan’s High Schools. Center for Japanese Studies. Berkeley: Center for Japanese Studies. Schor, Juliet B. (2011). True Wealth: How and Why Millions of Americans Are Creating a Time-Rich, Ecologically Light, High-Satisfaction Economy. (Previously published as Plenitude). New York: Penguin. Senge, Peter; Bryan Smith, Nina Kruschwitz; Joe Laur; and Sara Schley. (2008). The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World. New York: Doubleday. Siegel, Daniel J. (2013). Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain. New York: Penguin. Stigler, James W. and James Hiebert . 2009. The Teaching Gap: Best Ideas from the World’s Teachers for Improving Education in the Classroom. New York: Free Press. Traphagen, Kathleen et al. (Fall 2011). Strengthening Science Education: The Power of More Time to Deepen Inquiry and Engagement. National Center on Time & Learning. Van Loo, Mark and Kevin Morley. (2004). Implementing the IB Diploma Programme: A Practical Manual for Principals, IB Coordinators, Heads of Departments and Teachers. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Von Drehle, David. (August 2, 2010). “The Case Against Summer Vacation.” Vol. 176, No. 5. New York: Time Magazine.Vogler, Christopher. (2007). The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions. Wade, Julie. (2011). Student Performance and Student Engagement in the International Baccalaureate
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Middle Years Programme. Bethesda, MD: International Baccalaureate Organization. Willingham, Daniel T. (2009). Why Students Don’t Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions about How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wilson, E.O. (2013). Letters to a Young Scientist. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Yates, Frances A. (1996). The Art of Memory. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Language Acquisition
Abdulkadiroglu, A., Angrist, J., Cohodes, S., Dynarski, S., Fullerton, J., Kane, T., et al. (2009). Informing the Debate: Comparing Boston's Charter, Pilot and Traditional Schools. Boston: The Boston Foundation. Asher, J. J. (1969). “The Total Physical Response Approach to Second Language Learning. The Modern Language Journal, 3-17. Aspray, L. J. (2006). “State of Research on Girls and IT.” In Women and Information Technology: Research on Underrepresentation (pp. 3-54). Cambridge: MIT Press. Au, K., Carroll, J., & Scheu, J. (1997). Balanced Literacy Instruction: A Teacher's Resource Book. Christopher-Gordan Publishers. Bae, J. (2007). “Development of English Skills Need Not Suffer as a Result of Immersion: Grades 1 and 2 Writing.” Language Learning, 57 (2), 299-332. Barik, H., & Swain, M. (1976). “English-French Bilingual Education in the Early Grades: The Elgin Study through Grade Four.” The Modern Language Journal, 60 (1/2), 3-17. Barik, H., & Swain, M. (1976). “Update on French Immersion: The Toronto Study through Grade 3.” Canadian Journal of Education/ Revue canadienne de l’éducation, 1 (4), 33-42. Bialystok, E., Craik, F., & Freeman, M. (2007). “Bilingualism as a Protection Against the Onset of Symptoms of Dementia.” Neuropsychologia, 45 (2), 459-464. Blackmore, J., Hardcastle, L., Bamblett, E., & Owens, J. (2003). Effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to Enhance Learning for Disadvantaged Students. Deakin, Australia: Deakin Center for Education and Change. Bodmer, Frederick. Edited by Lancelot Hogben. (1944). The Loom of Language. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Brisk, M. E. (2007). Literacy and Bilingualism: A Handbook for ALL Teachers. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Publishers. Callahan, Rebecca M. & Patricia C. Gándara, editors. (2014). The Bilingual Advantage: Language, Literacy, and the US Labor Market. Biligual Education and Bilingualism: 99. Toronto: Multilingual Matters. Carrigo, D. (2000). Just How Much English Are They Using? Teacher and Student Language Distribution Patterns, between Spanish and English, in Upper-Grade, Two-Way Immersion Spanish classes. Cambridge: Unpublished dissertation: Harvard University. Cavanagh, S. (2005). “Elementary Youngsters in Russian Classes in Alaska School.” Education Week, 42 (18). Cazabon, M. (1993). Two-Way Bilingual Education: A Progress Report on the Amigos Program. National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Acquisition. Washington D.C.: Center for Applied Linguistics. Cazabon, M., Nicoladis, E., & Lambert, W. (1998). Becoming Bilingual in the Amigos Two-Way Immersion Program. Berkeley: Center for Research on Education Diversity and Excellence. Center for the Study of Education Policy. (2004). School/Home Communication: Using Technology to Enhance Parental Involvement. Normal, Illinois: College of Education, Illinois State University. Century, C. O. (2005). Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Future. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press. Chapelle, C. (2001). Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition: Foundations for Teaching, Testing and Research. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Christian, D. (1996). “Two-Way Immersion Education: Students Learning through Two Languages.” The Modern Language Journal, 80 (1), 66-76.
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Collier, V. (1995). Acquiring a Second Language for a School. Directions in Language and Education. Washington D.C.: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Courcy, M., Warren, J., & Burston, M. (2002). “Children from Diverse Backgrounds in an Immersion Program. Language and Education, 16 (2), 112-127. Craffey, J. (2009). An Evaluation of How the Arts Facilitate Language Acquisition through Multisensory Modalities. Arizona: Northcentral University. Cummins, J. (1998). “Immersion Education for the Millennium: What Have We Learned from 30 Years of Research on Second Language Immersion?” In M. C. Bostwick, Learning through Two Languages: Research and practice (pp. 34-47). Katoh Gakuen, Japan: Second International Symposium on Immersion and Bilingual Education. Dagenais, D., Walsh, N., Armand, F., & Maraillet, E. (2008). “Collaboration and Co-Construction of Knowledge during Language Awareness Activities in Canadian Elementary School. Language Awareness, 17 (2), 139-155. Darling-Hammond, L., Einbender, L., Frelow, F., & Ley-King, J. (1993). Authentic Assessment in Practice: A Collection of Portfolios, Performance Tasks, Exhibitions, and Documentation. New York: National Center for Restructuring Education, schools and Teaching. Demers, D. (2001). “Why Do We Reinvent the Wheel All the Time? Special Education and Second Language Immersion Programs. The ACIE Newsletter, Vol. 5, No. 1. DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and National Education Service. Eaker, R., DuFour, R., & Burnette, R. (2002). Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington: National Educational Service. El Dinary, P., & Uhl Chamot, A. (1999). “Children's Learning Strategies in Language Immersion Classrooms.” The Modern Language Journal, 83 (3), 319-338. Epstein, J. (1987). “Parent Involvement: What Research Says to Administrators.” Education and Urban Society, 19 (2), 119-136. Epstein, J. (2001). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CL: Westview Press. Erard, Michael. (2012). Babel No More: The Search for the World’s Most Extraordinary Language Learners. New York: Free Press. Fortune, T. W., & Menke, M. R. (2010). Struggling Learners and Language Immersion. Minnesota: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. Gaffney, K. (1999). “Is Immersion Education Appropriate for All Students? ACIE Newsletter, 2 (2). Genesee, F. (1985). “Second Language Learning through Immersion: A Review of US Programs. Review of Educational Research, 55 (4), 541-561. Goodman, Y. (1980). “The Roots of Literacy.” Annual Meeting of Claremont Reading Conference, (p. 43). Claremont. Harrison, L. G., & Salcedo, C. S. (2002). “The Effects of Song on Text Recall and Involuntary Mental Rehearsal in Foreign Language Learning.” Joint Conference of the Southern Conference on Language Teaching and the Louisiana Foreign Language Teachers' Association: Cyberspace and Foreign Languages: Making the Connection (pp. 91-102). Valdosta: Furman University. Harumi Kashiwgi, Y. X. (2009). “A Language Learning System Utilizing RFID Technology for Total Physical Response Activities. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 119-128. Jameson, Judith H. 2003. Enriching Content Classes for Secondary ESOL Students. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. King, Kendall, & Alison Mackey. (2007). The Bilingual Edge: Why, When, and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language. New York: Harper. Lambert, W., & Cazabon, M. (1994). Students' views of the Amigos program. National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Acquisition. Washington D.C.: Center for Applied Linguistics. Lavan, N., & Uriarte, M. (2009). Status of Latino Education in Massachusetts: A Report. Boston: University of Massachusetts: Gaston Institute. Levine, E. (2001). Big Lessons from Small Schools. New York: Teachers College Press.
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Lukan, J. (2009). Strengthening Accountability to Ensure Latino Success: An Analysis of NCLB Title I Regulations. Washington, D.C.: National Council of La Raza. Medina, S. L. (1990). “The Effects of Music upon Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. National Network for Early Language Learning, 6-8 (6). Meier, D. (2002). The Power of Their Ideas. New York: Beacon Press. Meltzoff, S., & Carlson, A. (2008). “Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children.” Developmental Science, 11 (2), 282-298. Murphey, T. (1987). “English through Singing, TPR, Walking Labs, and Music Matter. Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language. Westende, Belgium: Eric Document Reproduction No. ED 287 292. Nambiar, S. A. (1993). “Pop Songs in Language Teaching.” In J. W. Jr., Methods That Work: Ideas for Literacy and Language Teaching (pp. 335-338). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers. Nicoladis, E., Taylor, D., Lambert, W., & Cazabon, M. (1998). “What Two-Way Bilingual Programmes Reveal about the Controversy Surrounding Race and Intelligence. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 1 (2), 134-148. Ostler, Nicholas. (2005). Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World. New York: Harper Collins. Paratore, J. R. (2007). Classroom Literacy Assessment: Making Sense of What Students Know and Do. New York: The Guilford Press. Parker, S. L. (1969). “Using Music to Teach a Second Language.” Modern Language Journal, 95-96. Peña, D. (1998). Mexican American parental involvement in site-based management. ERIC. Peña, D. (2000). “Parent Involvement: Influencing Factors and Implications. Journal of Educational Research, 94 (1), 42-54. Penuel, W., Kim, D., Michalchik, V., Lewis, S., Means, B., Murphy, R., et al. (2002). Using Technology to Enhance Connections between Home and School: A Research Synthesis. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Potowski, K. (2004). “Student Spanish Use and Investment in a Dual Immersion Classroom: Implications for Second Language Acquisition and Heritage Langauge Maintenance. The Modern Language Journal, 88 (1). Quinn, H., Lee, O., & Valdés, a. G. (2013). Language Demands and Opportunities in Relation to Next Generation Science Standards for English Language Learners: What Teachers Need to Know. Palo Alto: Stanford University. Research, H. (October 2011). K-12 STEM Education Overview. District Administration Practices. Richard-Amato, P. (1988). Making It Happen in the Second Language Classroom: From Theory to Practice. White Plains: Longman Inc. Safty, A. (1991). “French Immersion in Canada: Theory and Practice.” International Review of Education/ Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft/ Revue Internationale de l'Education , 37 (4), 473-488. Salcedo, C. S. (2002). The Effects of Songs in the Foreign Language Classroom on Text Recall and Involuntary Mental Rehearsal. Louisiana State University. Spina, S. U. (2006). “Worlds Together... Words Apart: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Arts-Based Curriculum for Second Language Learners. Journal of Latinos and Education, 99-122. Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2005). “The Evolving Sociopolitical Context of Immersion Education in Canada: Some Implications for Program Development.” International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15 (2), 169-186. Thomas, W., & Collier, V. (1998). “Children's Learning Strategies in Language Immersion Classrooms.” Educational Leadership, 23-26. Thomas, W., & Collier, V. (2003). “The Multiple Benefits of Dual Language: Dual Language Programs Education Both English Learners and Native English Speakers at No Extra Cost.” Educational Leadership, October 2003, 61-64. Tsai, K.-C. (2010). The Effects of Total Physical Response on English Words Learning for Moderately Mentally Challenged Students in Elementary School. Masters Thesis, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Foreign Languages, Douliu, Yunlin, Taiwan,
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Republic of China. Villarreal, A., & Scott, B. (2008). “IDRA's Community of Learners Approach to Instructional Quality: Three Critical Questions that are Rarely Asked in a Curriculum Audit.” Intercultural Development Research Association Newsletter. Walker, C., & Tedick, D. (2000). “The Complexity of Immersion Education: Teachers Address the Issues.” The Modern Language Journal, 84 (1), 5-27. Zehr, M. (2002). “Early bilingual programs found to boost test scores.” Education Week, 22 (1). Zhao, Y. (2003). “Recent Developments in Technology and Language Learning: A Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.” CALICO Journal, 21 (1).
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IV. REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS - PROSPECTUS
APPENDIX A. APPLICANT GROUP MEMBERS Individual questionnaires and resumes from each applicant group member, indicating if a member is a proposed board member, proposed school leader, or proposed for any other position(s). Resumes indicates the individual’s prior experience as it relates to the charter application.
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Office of Charter Schools and School Redesignfc Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Linda Amaral-Zettler Marine Biological Laboratory, Associate Scientist Present Employer and Job Title Brown University, Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Associate Professor Education/Professional Training Ph.D. 2004-2010: Education and Outreach lead for the International Census of Marine Life Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School District, Higher Education Institution, 2012-present: Teaching for SEA Education Educational Management Organization, or Association's Marine Biodiversity and School Support Organization Conservation Semester. SEA delivers high quality academic programs to college and high school students from around the country. Town of Residence Falmouth, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? Through Rick Porteus, who invited me to serve on the board after hearing a lecture I delivered at the New Bedford Ocean Exploratorium. 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I am happy to serve on the board of the New Bedford Cheironeum to help guide its vision of educating the next- generation of scientifically astute, environmentally aware and culturally sensitive citizens. I anticipate being a long-term board member.
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3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. My undergraduate teaching outside of Brown has included serving as a lecturer and project mentor for the Molecular Methods in Microbial Ecology component of the MBL Semester in Environmental Science. I have also co-taught Oceanography at Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island (Cornell University, University of New Hampshire) as part of the Field Marine Science Course for several years and in 2007, helped develop and teach a new course in Field Microbial Ecology. I am also a faculty member and research mentor for the Partnership in Education Program (PEP) that brings college students from under-represented groups in marine science to Woods Hole each summer to study and complete an independent research project. In 2011 I helped co-teach the geological oceanography component of this course and the past two years, I co-taught the biological oceanography component. During all summers, I hosted students in my laboratory as part of the independent research component of the program. I was part of a successful NSF-TUES (Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Program) grant submission with colleagues at the Sea Education Association (SEA) in Woods Hole to develop a new curriculum in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (MBC). This is a project-based, field-intensive curriculum that employs modern molecular and classic morphological techniques to investigate the rapidly developing fields of marine biodiversity and ocean conservation. I serve on the Woods Hole Diversity Committee. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? Board member – I expect to serve for at least ____3____ years. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. As the daughter of immigrant and first generation parents with English as a second language, I am committed to bringing the opportunities afforded to me via education to the future students of the New Bedford Cheironeum. Having witnessed the very worst and the very best of high school public and private education in New England, I bring a unique perspective to the organization. Since my appointment as a scientist at MBL in 2002, I have mentored post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduates, and high school students in my laboratory. The advent of the Brown-MBL Joint Graduate Program allowed me to formalize my teaching and mentoring capacity and become a leading MBL scientist in forging interactions with Brown’s faculty members both through co-mentorship of students and teaching. 6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member4 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. Erik Zettler is my husband and colleague. We have worked, published, and taught together for over 20 years. I met Rick Porteus when I gave a talk in New Bedford. Since then he has invited me to participate on the board.
4 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
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7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest5 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. None 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would notify the school board's director immediately. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. No
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☒ Secondary Education Education ☒ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☐ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☒ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☐ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☐ Charter Schools ☒ Other: Hands on Field Education ☐ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
5 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
25 July 2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 5
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School 1. Linda A. Amaral-Zettler, Ph.D. Associate Scientist, Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA USA Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
2. Laboratory Address Lillie Laboratory 312; Office Lillie 305 Marine Biological Laboratory 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543
3. Education Sc.B., 1990 Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, Aquatic Biology Ph.D., 1996 Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Cambridge/Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Oceanography Advisor: David Caron. Thesis: A Molecular Approach to Questions in the Phylogeny of Planktonic Sarcodines
4. Professional appointments 1996-1998 Postdoctoral Scientist Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Advisor: Mitchell Sogin. Molecular Phylogeny of Eukaryotes
1998-2000 NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts Advisor: Mitchell Sogin. Eukaryotic Life in Alkaline and Acidic Environments 2000-2002 Staff Scientist I Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 2000 Adjunct Associate Research Scientist Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, New York 2002-2007 Staff Scientist II / Assistant Research Scientist Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 2005-2013 Assistant Professor in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department in the Brown-MBL Joint Graduate Program 2007-2009 Associate Research Scientist, Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 2009-2012 Assistant Scientist (Track 1) Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 2010-2013 Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 2012-present Associate Scientist, Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 2014-present Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI
5. Teaching Geomicrobiology, Brown University, Providence RI, (2011-2013)
Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA (2012-2015)
Partnerships in Education Program (PEP), Woods Hole Diversity Initiative, (Geological Oceanography, 2011); (Biological Oceanography, 2012, 2013)
Brown University, Reverse Ecology - 'Omics (2014)
Shoals Marine Lab (Cornell Univ./Univ. of New Hampshire); Field Marine Science (2005-2006), Field Microbial Ecology (2007)
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Susanna Theroux Ph.D., 2012 Geology, Brown-MBL Joint Program Victor Schmidt pre-doctoral candidate, 2011 IGERT Fellow, EEB, Brown-MBL Joint Program Yuan Xu Ph.D., 2013 visiting pre-doctoral student from Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China Yinsui Zheng pre-doctoral candidate, DEEPS, Brown-MBL Joint Program
Master’s Students: Gail Rosen 2010, EEB Brown University Master’s Program
Postdoctoral Scientists (current position): Woo Jun Sul, Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2009, (Assistant Professor) Elizabeth McCliment, Ph.D. University of Delaware, 2007, (Assistant Professor) Carmen Palacios, Ph.D. University of Valencia, 1997, (Associate Professor) Angeles Aguilera, Ph.D. Universidad Complutense Madrid, 1996, (Tenure Track Researcher) Felipe Gomez, Ph.D. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 1997, (Tenure Track Researcher)
6. Service i. Institutional MBL Buildings and Grounds Committee, 2004-2013 MBL Diversity Committee 2014-present Brown-MBL Joint Graduate Program Committee 2008 MBL Corporation Member 2007-2013 The MBL Society 2014-present MIT-WHOI Alumni Committee 2000-2008 MBL Communications Director Search Committee 2014-2015 MBL Safety Committee 2015-
ii. Professional Grant Review for: NASA Exobiology; NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts; NOAA Ocean Exploration; NSF programs in Environmental Biology, Biological Oceanography, CAREER, Office of Polar Programs, Population and Community Ecology; The Sloan Foundation; National Geographic Society; the European Science Foundation; Smithsonian Institution Journal Review for: Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, Protist, European Journal of Protistology, Biological Bulletin, Marine Micropaleonotology, Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution, Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Microbial Ecology, New Phycology, International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal, TREE, Frontiers in Microbiology, Molecular Ecology, Environmental Microbiology International Leadership: Secretariat (Program Manager) and Education and Outreach Lead for the International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM) project that was part of the Census of Marine Life program funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (2004- 2010) Life in a Changing Ocean Theme Leader, (2011) Observing and Predicting Change Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics and Biotechnology) EU 7th Framework Project Scientific Advisory Board Member (2011-present) Ocean Sampling Day (Micro B3) Task Force Participant (2015)
iii. To the community
JSOST Biodiversity Observing Network Steering Committee Member and Co-Chair (2010) Genomics Standards Consortium Board Member and RCN Board Member (2008 – present) GEO-BON Marine Ecosystems Working Group Participant (2012-present) ASTM International: Committee D20 on Plastics and Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmentally Degradable Plastics and Biobased Products (2014) United Nations World Ocean Assessment - chapter on Open Ocean Deep Sea contributor (2014) Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection: advisory board to the United Nations for Working Group 40: Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine Environment (2015).
7. Honors and Awards 1989 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Summer Fellowship
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School 1986-1990 Sc.B. with Honors in Aquatic Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI Brown University National Scholarship Arnold Bennett, Class of 1872 Award for excellence in Biology 1991-1996 National Science Foundation Minority Graduate Research Fellowship Scurlock Funds for research at the Bermuda Biological Station Grant-In-Aid Award for research at the Bermuda Biological Station American Museum of Natural History Lerner-Gray Fund for Marine Research Woods Hole Coastal Research Center Grant Award 1998-2000 NIH National Research Service Award 2008 Census of Marine Life Outstanding Achievement Award for Data, Knowledge and Visualization (ICoMM) 2014 Environmental Science and Technology First Runner Up for Best Environmental Science Paper of 2013 awarded to "Life in the “Plastisphere”: Microbial communities on plastic marine debris."
8. Languages Spoken/Studied
Mandarin Chinese (Modern and Classical, University Level Study, Major Equivalency) Spanish (Conversational/Reading/Writing) Italian (Conversational/Reading/Writing) Portuguese (Conversational/Reading/Writing)
9. Completed publications a. Chapters in books (3 total) b. Refereed journal articles (63 total) c. Non-refereed journal articles (4 total)
10. Research Grants a. Current grants: NSF: “Collaborative Research: Microbial community assembly in coastal waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula”, PI: Amaral-Zettler with Jeremy Rich (Brown University) (9/1/12 - 8/31/15), MBL Award: $191,029 NSF: “Collaborative Research: Microbial interactions with marine plastic debris: Diversity, function and fate”, PI: Amaral-Zettler with Tracy Mincer (WHOI) and Erik Zettler (SEA) (03/01/12-02/31/16-NCE), MBL Award: $506,195 NSF: “DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Is richer always better? Testing the biotic resistance hypothesis in ornamental fish microbiomes”, PI: Amaral-Zettler with Co-PIs Victor Schmidt and Katherine Smith: (07/01/2014-06/30/2016), MBL Award: $20,865 NSF: "Collaborative: RUI: Characterization of Marine and Freshwater Photosynthetic Consortia that Accomplish Cellulose Degradation and Nitrogen Fixation", PI: Amaral-Zettler (Substitute for Sheri Simmons) with Co-PI Jean Huang: (03/01/2013 - 02/29/2016), MBL Award: $204,697 John Templeton Foundation Big Ideas Generator: "Red Queens and Stolen Genes: How do pathogens emerge?", Co-PI Amaral-Zettler with Co-PI Howard Shuman: (05/01/2014 - 04/30/2016), MBL Award: $87,984
b. Completed grants: NSF: “Collaborative Research: Capturing the elusive 37:4 alkenone-predominating lacustrine haptophyte: alkenone biosynthesis, genetics and culture manipulation” PI: Amaral-Zettler with Yongsong Huang (Brown University) (09/15/11-08/31/14), MBL Award Amount: $108,978 NSF: “Collaborative Research: Microbial influences on Alexandrium populations” PI: Amaral-Zettler with Donald Anderson (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) (09/15/11- 08/31/14), MBL Award Amount: $255,033 Arthur Vining Davis Foundation: “New laboratory and research modules within the Semester in Environmental Science”, PI: Ken Foreman: (1/1/2012-12/31/2013), MBL Award: $150,000 NSF: “Biodiversity in the global ocean - incorporating molecular biology in field-based approaches to undergraduate studies in marine conservation”, PI: Amy Suida (SEA) (Amaral-Zettler PI subcontract), MBL Award Amount: $57,896 (Subcontract from SEA) RI NSF EPSCoR: “Understanding coastal environmental change, past, present, and future: A novel approach combining algal physiology, genetics and lipid biomarkers”Co-PI: Amaral-Zettler with Co-PI Tatiana Rynearson (URI) and PI Timothy Herbert (Brown University) (05/01/12-10/31/13), Brown Award: $199,940 NSF: “Facilitating US-China Collaborations and Student Training in Emerging Molecular
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Techniques for Identifying Potential Pathogens in Environmental Systems at the 2012 Biennial Conference”: Co-PI: Amaral-Zettler with PI Katherine Smith (Brown University) (03/15/12-02/14/13), Brown Award: $61,665 NSF: “Microbial Inventory Research Across Diverse Aquatic MIRADA LTERs,”9/15/07-9/14/11 - NCE, Lead PI, Total Award: $840,000 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation “International Census of Marine Microbes.” 1/01/10-12/31/10, Co-I with PI Mitch Sogin (w/3 Co-Investigators), Total Award: $450,000 NSF: “Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health,” 5/1/04-4/30/10 – NCE, Co-I with Rebecca Gast and PI John Stegeman, Total Award: $149,732. NIH/NIEHS: “Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health,” 2/16/04-12/31/10 – NCE, Co-I with Rebecca Gast and PI John Stegeman, Total Award: $459,532 NSF: “Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health,” 06/01/09-05/31/11, Co-I with Rebecca Gast and PI John Stegeman, Total Award: $562,346 Brown Seed Grant: “The dawn of a new era: Deciphering the past climatic and ecological changes using integrated DNA and lipid biomarker fingerprints,” 04/01/09-06/30/11 -NCE, Co-I with PI Yongsong Huang, Subcontract amount: $40,000 Brown Seed Grant: “Tracking disease spread through the wildlife trade: New techniques to identify infectious microbes in aquarium fishes,” 04/01/10-06/30/11, Co-PI with Katherine Smith, Total Award: $90,000 Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network: “From Molecules to Metadata: MIRADA LTERS follow-up working group meeting,” 1/01/10-12/31/10, Lead PI, Total Award: $11,935 NSF: “Microbial Inventory Research Across Diverse Aquatic MIRADA LTERs,” REU supplement, 8/14/10-9/21/10, Lead PI, Total Award: $10,468 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: “Roles of Rare Taxa”, 10/1/08-9/30/10 –NCE. Lead PI, Total Award: $56,000 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: “International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM) – supplement”, 01/01/10-12/31/10, Lead PI for subcontract, Total Award: $20,000 NASA/NAI: “From Early Biospheric Metabolisms to the Evolution of Complex Systems,” 11/1/03–0/31/08, Co-I with 11 Co-I’s and PI Mitch Sogin, Total Award: $3,806,368 (direct $2,766,532, indirect $1,039,836) NSF: “SGER: Microbial Pathogens in Lake Pontchartrain as a Result of Hurricane Katrina Floodwaters, 10/01/05- 09/30/06, Co-I with PI Gast (WHOI) and Co-I Polz (MIT), Total Award: $30,043 (direct $18,895, indirect $11,148) Alfred P. Sloan Foundation “International Census of Marine Microbes,” 10/01/04-09/30/06, Co-I with PI Mitchell Sogin, Total Award: $900,000 NSF Molecular and Cell Biology: “A Tropical Microbial Observatory: Collaborative Research on Microbial Diversity in Caterpillars,” 1/1/01-9/30/04, Co-I with PI Anna-Louise Reysenbach, Total Award: $80,081 NSF LExEn: “Adaptation of Unicellular Eukaryotes to Extremely Acidic Environments,” $109,693, 2/1/01-1/31/05, Senior Personnel with PI Mitch Sogin and Co-I P. J. Smith, Total Award: $474,995 NIH INRSA: “Eukaryotic Life on the Edge: Genetic Diversity and Mechanisms of Internal pH Maintenance in Alkaline and Acidic Environments,” Lead PI, 7/1/98-6/30/00, Total Award: $62,876 NIH: “Molecular Phylogeny of Eukaryotes,”9/1/89-6/30/01, Postdoctoral Fellow with PI Mitchell Sogin, Total Award: $895,211
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Gail M. Fortes YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts, Present Employer and Job Title Executive Director Masters Public Administration, Bachelor of Education/Professional Training Science, Physical Education Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School Founding Trustee, Our Sisters' School District, Higher Education Institution, Educational Management Organization, or 2007 to 2014 School Support Organization Town of Residence New Bedford, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? Fellow potential Board Member 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I wish to serve on the Board because I strongly believe in providing educational opportunities for youth in New Bedford. Born and raised in this community, I love to give back through volunteer service. At this time I can only commit to serving on the Board, but not as an officer. I am on several other Boards, three of which I am an officer at this time. I can commit to serving one term on the Board. 3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. For seven years I served as a Trustee for Our Sisters' School, a middle school for low-income middle school girls in New Bedford. Majority of the girls are also girls of color. As a founding Trustee and the past Vice-Chair, I was involved in two Head of School searches, served as Chair of the Personnel Committee, member of the Governance Committee, and member of the student recruitment committee. I also worked closely with the Head of School and Board Chair on a variety of school issues. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. Board member – I expect to serve for at least three years, but not as an officer. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. As a non-profit Executive Director I have vast experience in human resources, administration, financial management, governance, outreach and recruitment. 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 10
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member6 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. No 7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest7 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. No 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would meet with the Chair of Board to express my concerns and have a discussion about how to proceed with the information. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. No
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☐ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☐ Secondary Education Education ☐ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☒ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☐ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☒ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☐ Charter Schools
6 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
7 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School ☐ Other: ☒ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/20/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Gail M. Fortes
EMPLOYMENT YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts
Executive Director: September 2006 – Present Responsible for the overall administration and operation of the Association, including managing a budget of over $900,000. Responsible for administering the YWCA $5.6 million capital campaign to raise funds for building addition. Responsible for all Direct Services including: Adult Services, Health and Wellness, Residential Services, Advocacy, Economic Advancement, Racial Justice, Leadership Development and Youth Services. Staff liaison to the Board of Directors. Staffs administrative committees. Responsible for program development and coordination. Develops overall agency budgets. Hires, trains and directs staff. Represents the YWCA in various community groups, YWCA New England Region and the YWCA USA.
Interim Executive Director: October 2004 – August 2006 Responsible for the administration and operation of the Association. Responsible for all Direct Services including: Adult Services, Wellness for Women and Girls, Women’s Collaborative Project and Youth Services. Staffs administrative committees. Responsible for program development, coordination, program budgets and staff. Represents the YWCA in various community groups.
Associate Executive Director: July 2001 – September 2004 Assists the Executive Director with the administrative responsibilities of the Association. Responsible for all Direct Services including: Adult Services, Wellness for Women and Girls, Women’s Collaborative Project and Youth Services. Staffs some administrative committees. Responsible for program development, coordination, program budgets and staff. Functions for the Executive Director in her absence. 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 13
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Represents the YWCA in various community groups.
Wellness for Women and Girls Director: July 1998 – June 2001 Responsible for development, implementation, budgetary and data information for all program services and activities related to the Wellness for Women and Girls Department. Direct supervision of all staff, volunteers, interns, peer educators, consultants and facilitators. Served as Regional Outreach Coordinators for the Southeast Region for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Women’s Health Network. Served as chair for its Advisory Board. Chair of the YWCA ENCOREplus Massachusetts/Rhode Island Collaborative. Nationally certified trainer for the YWCA of the U.S.A.’s ENCOREplus Program. Program components include: breast and cervical cancer outreach, education, screening, support group facilitation and land/water exercise.
Adult Services Director: September 1996 – June 1998 Responsible for the development, implementation and budgetary information of all programs related to Adult Services. Responsible for oversight of the following programs: Friendly Visitors, Investment Club, Quilting, Senior Corner, Elder Peer Counseling, ENCOREplus, Widowed Persons Service and other periodic events and workshops. Direct supervision of all staff and volunteers.
ENCOREplus Program Manager: July 1994 – September 1996 Responsible for the development, implementation and budget information for the program. Plans and conducts educational presentations, community outreach and medical services for the early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Direct supervision of all staff and volunteers.
School’s Out/Camp-In Director: November 1993 – December 1995 Responsible for the development, implementation and budgetary information of after school and daily programs for children age 5 – 13. Direct supervision of all counselors and volunteers.
Dance Instructor; Miss Mary’s School of Dance: September 1986 – June 1998
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Responsible for planning, organizing and teaching Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Tumbling classes weekly for 100 students, as well as , planning an annual dance recital. Direct supervision of all instructors and student teachers. Provided clerical support to studio director.
Long-term substitute; Dartmouth Middle School: September 1993 – June 1994
Dance Instructor; Camp Cathedral: June 1989 – August 1993
Responsible for planning, organizing and teaching daily dance activities for summer program for girls ages 4 – 14. Direct supervision of all counselors-in-training.
EDUCATION Bridgewater State University Masters in Public Administration 2001 CONCENTRATION: Nonprofit Management Bachelor of Science Degree 1993 MAJOR: Physical Education CONCENTRATION: Recreation MINOR: Dance
Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston; Certification Program 1991
Leadership SouthCoast; Class of 2008
COMMUNITY Recognized as one of the top ten student leaders at Bridgewater State College; 1993
Special Project Award from the Massachusetts Division of the American Cancer Society for work done on a Breast Health Luncheon for Women of Color; 1997
Recognized by the Southeast Region of the American Cancer Society for outstanding work in the area of community outreach and education for breast and cervical cancer awareness; 2000
Member of the Volunteer Leadership Council of the American Cancer Society Greater New Bedford/Greater Fall River Units; Chair of the Nominating Committee; 1999 – 2004
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Board Member; United Way of Greater New Bedford; 2006 – 2007
Board Member; YWCA New England Region; 2006 – present; currently Vice-Chair
Board of Trustees; Our Sisters School; 2007 to 2014; served as Vice-Chair
Board Member; Lifestream Inc.; 2008 to present; currently serving as Chair
Board of Corporators; SMILES Mentoring Program; 2008 to present
Community Member; New Bedford Public Schools Superintendent Search Committee; 2008
Board Member; National Association of YWCA Executives 2007 to present; currently serving as President
Events Committee Member; Women’s Fund of Southeastern Massachusetts 2008 to 2014
Religious Education Teacher; Our Lady of Assumption Church; 2005-present
Co-Chair, Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women; 2009-2012
Board Member; United Front Development Corp., 2011 to present
Board Member; New Bedford Chamber of Commerce; 2011 to present
Advisory Board Member for Human Services Department at Bristol Community College; 2012 to present
Advisory Board Member; Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford; 2013to present; currently serving as Secretary
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Helena DaSilva Hughes Present Employer and Job Title Immigrants' Assistance Center, Inc. Education/Professional Training BS Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School District, Higher Education Institution, n/a Educational Management Organization, or School Support Organization Town of Residence Acushnet, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? Contact with Rick Porteus 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I believe in the mission of the proposed school. 3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. Created and implemented the AMIGOS project, which provides language support and family enegagement in three different public schools. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. Board member – I expect to serve for at least ___3______years. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. I have 30 years of experience in working with the Immigrant community, I am multi-lingual and have been the Executive Director of the Immigrants' Assistance Center since 1996.
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6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member8 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. I know other members of the Board on a professiona basisl and have served on other boards with some of the Board Members. 7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest9 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. No 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. would notify President of the Board of the School. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. No
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☒ English Language Learner ☐ Secondary Education Education ☒ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☒ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☒ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☒ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☒ Charter Schools
8 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
9 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
☐ Other: ☒ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/27/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School HELENA DASILVA HUGHES Acushnet, MA 02743
QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY: Twenty-eight years of executive level administrative and counseling experience within a human relations environment. An effective leader with the ability to prioritize, delegate and motivate. A reputation for taking the initiative and seeing a task through to completion. Bilingual/bicultural in the Portuguese language and knowledge of the Spanish language. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: IMMIGRANTS' ASSISTANCE CENTER, Inc. New Bedford, MA 1983-Present Executive Director — 1996-Present Executive Secretary/Social Worker — 1983-1996
Direct staff, volunteers and all daily operations associated with maintaining a successful Immigrants' Assistance Center, administrative, marketing, financial/budget preparation and fund-raising. Develop and implement marketing strategies; actively promoting programs through Television Talk Shows, and media telecasts, lecturing at community gatherings, Universities, conferences, etc. Instrumental participant in annual audit. Actively seek out available grants and write proposals in full support of the Board of Directors' policies and goals. Facilitate crisis counseling and community resource referrals, immigrant advocacy services, community outreach, interpreting and the translation of letters and legal documents.
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Selected to lecture before Congress concerning Immigration laws, issues and the impact on families.
Originated a Deportees Program with county correctional system to combat I.I.R.I.R.A. law of 1996.
Developed a pilot program of bilateral cooperation between the US and the Azores to create an informational link which will allow Azorean officials to be forewarned and forearmed about any possible difficulties arising from repatriated individuals.
Selected several times by the Azorean Government to lecture and moderate a conference in the Azores about the impact of deportation on the wives, mothers and children of deportees, entitled the "Unknown Victims of the Oklahoma Bombing".
As an Executive Director, tripled quantity of staff, operating budget and established a second and third location in support of ethnic outreach within the community.
Initiated the first student immigrant high school program focused on Citizenship and Civic involvement.
Spearheaded and implemented a successful Native Language Citizenship Tutoring program for the elderly In Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole.
Developed and implemented a Multilingual International Guidance Outreach Service (Amigos) project at Roosevelt Middle School for students whom English is not their first language and to connect their families to the school.
Co-founder of Women Immigrant Support Hub (WISH) EDUCATION NEWBURY COLLEGE, Brookline, MA Bachelor of Science: Business Administration/ Law - May 2000 Associate of Arts: Legal Studies and Management - May 1994 Computer Science and Management - 1983 —1985 UMASS DARTMOUTH Leadership SouthCoast — Class of 2009
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Candidate for Masters in Public Policy TUFFS UNIVERSITY, Medford, MA "Grant Writing" and "Women in Leadership" HOLY CROSS, Worcester, MA "Youth at Risk"
ADCARE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, Worcester, MA "Gender Roles'
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS South Coast Woman of the Year for 2002
Liberty Award, Mass Immigrant and Refugees Advocacy 2002
Portuguese American Women's Association, Woman of the Year 2001
Brotherhood Award, Prince Henry Society, 2000
Hispanic Recognition Award
PROFESSIONAL AFFILLIATIONS/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Advisory Board
New Bedford Adult Learning Education Advisory Board
Portuguese American Women Association Board of Directors
Governor's Advisory Council on Immigrants and Refugees
Our Sister School Board of Trustees
New Bedford Economic Development Council Board of Directors
Department of Transitional Assistance Advisory Board
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School fOffice of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Richard T. Porteus, Jr. Present Employer and Job Title Independent Researcher Education/Professional Training Tabor ’74; Harvard A.B. ’78; Simmons MAT ‘04 Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School District, Higher Education Institution, Volunteer CEO, Sturgis Charter School Educational Management Organization, or School Support Organization Town of Residence New Bedford, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? As Lead Founder, I recognized the need for such a school in New Bedford and sought out those who shared my belief in the possibilities. 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I want to contribute to the “rebranding” of New Bedford as an “educational Leader.” New Bedford has the maritime, marine, and cultural resources to nurture a world-class secondary school, an institution that could make a real difference in the lives of children growing up here. If granted a charter, I would like to serve as school leader in order to empower families, faculty, and the larger community to create a model school . 3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. I have been the lead founder and volunteer CEO of a charter school nearby, now nationally known and in its 17th year of operation. I have served as a volunteer in many capacities within public schools, and I have been a public school teacher in several diverse communities, working with a broad spectrum of students. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. I expect to serve as the School Leader and CEO for at least five and likely seven years. I also expect to serve as a board member ex officio during that period. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. I believe that “choice” is critically important to motivation in human endeavors, and that our greatest efforts are not inspired by “having to,” but “choosing to.” For students, particularly those in the formative years of middle and high school, I believe that choice of school promotes the growth of personal identity, as well as a
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School sense of community (and shared values) that is indispensable to successful learning environments. I further believe that encouraging choice in public education is the quickest, most certain path to differentiating instruction for the benefit of all students. For these reasons, I support the growth of the charter school movement, where schools are based on shared beliefs about worthy goals and best practices, rather than geographic and administrative convenience. I also believe that all students, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, prior preparation, or learning disabilities will achieve at a higher academic level when confronted with inspiring standards, student-centered support structures, and adults who believe in both them and the life-long value of a “liberal” education, literally the education indispensable to a “free” man or woman. I also believe that persistence, not innate ability, is the ultimate determinant of individual success, and that all students can achieve at high levels when appropriately prepared and motivated. Finally, I believe that the lifetimes of our younger children, those now in elementary school and those that come after, will demand a much higher level of individual, social, cultural, multi-cultural, and environmental awareness than any previous generation has had reason to cultivate. For the above reasons, I am committed to providing additional school choice within the historic City of New Bedford in the form of a charter school for grades 6-12, a school that prepares its students to meet world-class standards of academic achievement, while inculcating a deep-seated understanding of the essential unity of all knowledge, the interrelatedness of natural and human history, and the common heritage arising from the human journey. 6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member10 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. I know the proposed board members generally, having met most of them here in New Bedford of the past five years. I enjoy a healthy and mutually respectful working relationship with them. 7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest11 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. I have a personal loan from one of the other founders, but otherwise no. 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. I have been proposed as the school leader, which would be a paid position. 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would make certain of my facts, verify my interpretation, then ask the board as a whole to consider the matter, investigating as necessary.
10 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
11 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. To the extent my financial or external interests as a school employee conflicted with my role as a board member, I would recuse myself from any action of the board which affected those interests.
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☒ Secondary Education Education ☒ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☐ Human Resources ☒ Finance/Business ☐ School Improvement ☒ School Governance ☐ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☒ Real Estate ☒ Charter Schools ☐ Other: ☐ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/28/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School RICHARD T. PORTEUS, JR.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM, A COMMONWEALTH CHARTER SCHOOL (Proposed) New Bedford, MA (2010-Present) Lead Founder (Volunteer) Primary researcher/Lead author of charter school prospectus/application for secondary school of 756 students, grades 6-12, using ocean education to drive academic achievement.
THE WHALEBOAT PROJECT / MELVILLE CUP Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and New Bedford, MA (2009-Present) Volunteer Ongoing research, design, and promotion of multi-day international race using historic American whaleboats—an "Iditarod" for the SouthCoast and Cape & Islands— with the goals of contributing to regional economic growth, retracing the development of whaling, attracting youth to water, and raising funds for whale conservation.
DENNIS-YARMOUTH REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL Dennis-Yarmouth, MA (2007-2009) Teacher, English Language Arts Prepared curriculum and instructed students in Senior English, Journalism, Writing. Created, online portfolios, including group-written novellas. initiated Shakespeare competition for seniors (King Lear.) Upgraded print version of school newspaper; then led students to create new online version, with students researching, selecting, and learning to operate software used by top college dailies.
NANTUCKET HIGH SCHOOL Nantucket, MA (2005-2007) Teacher, English Language Arts Instructed students grades 9-12. Created "wiki" for online portfolios modeled after professional publishing industry. Introduced Shakespeare competition. Organized student participation in 10th Anniversary of Annual Moby-Dick Reading Marathon, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL Quincy, MA (2004-2005) Teacher, Project New Start for "at-risk" students Prepared alternative curriculum and instruction in English and Biology for adjudicated and repeat 9th graders. Using personal funds, introduced first hands-on interactive technology (SmartBoard) for classroom use in the system. Led students in redesign and renovation of self-contained classroom. 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 25
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Long-Term Substitute Teacher Taught Regular, Vocational, Special, and ESL classes in all subject areas including AP, Honors, Standard and ESL 9-12.
BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL Boston, MA (2003-2004) Teaching Intern Full-Year ELA Instructed 8th-graders and seniors. Initiated Shakespeare competition for 8th-graders (Julius Caesar). Used visual arts and electronic analysis of texts to introduce seniors to underlying patterns of structure in literature. Organized and led whale watch to Stellwagen Bank to complement reading of Moby-Dick.
CROSSTREE FINANCIAL ADVISORS Hyannis, MA (1999-2003) Certified Financial Planner
A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC. Centerville, MA (1985-1999) Financial Consultant (Registered Rep.)
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH Hyannis, MA (1983-1985) Financial Consultant (Registered Rep.)
HEAFITZ & CO. Boston, MA (1981-1983) Broker Commercial and Industrial Real Estate
OCEAN DRILLING & EXPLORATION COMPANY (ODECO) New Orleans, LA (1978-1980) Control Room Operator Secured and stabilized $73 million semi-submersible drilling rig operating in sub- arctic waters of Cook Inlet, Alaska.
F/V RENEGADE (COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSEL) Ketchikan, Alaska (1976-1977) Halibut Fisherman and Cook
EDUCATION
SIMMONS COLLEGE Boston, MA (2004) M.A.T. Secondary School English MA Initial License English 8-12
PIONEER INSTITUTE CHARTER SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY Boston, MA (1998)
HARVARD COLLEGE Cambridge, MA (1974-1978)
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School A.B. English and American Literature and Language
TABOR ACADEMY Marion, MA (1972-1974) Cum Laude Society, Harvard Prize Book
ROWING
NEW BEDFORD COMMUNITY ROWING Regatta Chairnan, "The New Bedford Chase" Fall Head-style Race on the Acushnet River New Bedford, MA (2012)
BARNSTABLE ROWING Founder and Board President/Head Coach Centerville, MA (1987-2007)
NEW ENGLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC ROWING ASSOCIATION (NEIRA) Worcester, MA (1987-2009) Chief Judge, Finish Line (1999-2009) Chairman (1993-1998) Treasurer (1989-1992)
HEAD OF THE CHARLES REGATTA Cambridge, MA (Beginning 1975, most recently 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) Stroke, Senior Masters Coxed Four (2009); Captain, Men's Quad (2010-2012)
HARVARD COLLEGE Cambridge, MA (1974-1978) Varsity Letterman, Member of undefeated Division I Crew
HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA Henley-on-Thames, UK (1973) Tabor Academy Boys' Four, Prince Phillip Cup
COMMUNITY AND CIVIC LEADERSHIP
Guest Speaker, Governor's Charter Award Ceremony, The Statehouse, Boston, MA (1998) Founder, Sturgis Charter School,
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Hyannis, MA (1996-1999) Member, Blue Ribbon Committee on School Governance, Barnstable, MA (1996) Member, High School Re-accreditation Committee, Barnstable, MA (1995)
Founder, Former Chairman, Beautification Committee, Centerville, MA (1994-1998) Founder, Old Home Week Celebration, Centerville, MA (1994-1996)
MEMBERSHIPS
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Design; American Museum of Natural History, Azorean Maritime Heritage Society, Buzzards Bay Coalition, Buttonwood Park Zoological Society, Fort Taber—Fort Rodman Historical Association, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Mystic Seaport Museum, New Bedford Art Museum, New Bedford Historical Society, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Ocean Explorium, Rotch-Jones-Duff House, Schooner Ernestina Morrissey Association, Whaling Historic Area League (WHALe).
INTERESTS
Big History, the Epic of Evolution, the Human Odyssey, the epic genre, maritime literature (in particular, Herman Melville), Elizabethan Drama, Science Writing and Journalism, gardening, cooking and cuisine, rowing, sailing, cycling, and Tango dancing.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Robert C. Rocha, Jr. New Bedford Whaling Museum, Dir. of K-12 & Present Employer and Job Title Science Programs B.S. Biology, U.M. Dartmouth, M.S. Env. Education/Professional Training Studies, Antioch Univ. New England Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School Science Teacher, Fairhaven High, Fairhaven, District, Higher Education Institution, Educational Management Organization, or MA 2003-2004 School Support Organization Town of Residence Acushnet, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? I became aware of the school via conversation with Rick Porteus. 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? The idea of a school that utilizes the ocean as a unifying instructional theme while connecting students to their natural resources and their history is one that is of great interest to me. 3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. I have been involved in informal education for 20+ year in an urban area; I created school programs that brought students into direct contact with their natural resources; I created an apprenticeship program for low- income high school students; I serve in leadership roles in MA Marine Educators and National Marine Educators Association. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. I anticipate serving on the Board of the school, with a focus on the aquatic and marine science education. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. I have been working with teachers, students and administrators in the New Bedford area for more than 20 years. In that time I have built a strong professional network and have taught students of nearly all age groups. I have a solid knowledge of the area’s natural resources and its local history, especially its historical connection to the ocean. I have serve, and continue to serve, in leadership roles on a local and national level in a professional
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School organization focused on making known the world of water. These professional experiences, my communication skills, and the opportunity to participate in implementing a school that combines my love of science, marine science, and history into an educational setting that will create engaged learners and stewards of the region will make it easy for me to get involved and stay involved. 6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member12 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. None 7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest13 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. None 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. None 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would put my concerns in writing (so there would be documentation of the issue(s)) and discuss the situation with the members of the Board’s Governance Committee (if such a committee is created), or with Human Resources and the Board Chair. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. None. I have no financial investments of personal connections or interests in any facilities/buildings that may be used.
12 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
13 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☒ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☐ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☒ Secondary Education Education ☒ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☐ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☐ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☐ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☐ Charter Schools ☐ Other: ☐ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/27/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Robert C. Rocha, Jr.
QUALIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Proven track record of developing effective public presentations, organizing events for a variety of audiences from small groups to several hundred, and writing for both scholarly and general audiences.
IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE: Strong working knowledge of cetacean taxonomy, anatomy and biology. Well-versed in New England coastal flora and fauna and implementation of state curriculum guidelines, proven ability to create educational programs appropriate for a variety of ages and learning skills.
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING: Extensive roster of regional, national and international colleagues and contacts that provides expanded access to educational resources, project collaborators, and advocates of ocean literacy and marine education.
BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION: Over 20 years of experience creating, implementing, promoting, presenting and evaluating both indoor and outdoor science-based education programs.
PROJECT AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT SKILLS: Experience devising long-range departmental and project plans; developing projects from concept to final product; managing fundraising events; developing community awareness. Experience in hiring, training and supervising assistants, interns, and volunteers, and coordinating activities of numerous volunteers. Excellent interpersonal skills.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM Director K-12 and Science Programs New Bedford, MA, August 2004 to present The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling. As part of its mission to educate and interest all the public in the historic interaction of humans with whales worldwide, the museum has expanded its programming and exhibitions to include whale biology and conservation.
Research, develop and present all aspects of Museum’s science-focused educational programs, events and activities, including themes, text, presentation materials, activities, preparatory activities for teachers and evaluation and assessment methods.
Recruit and schedule participant groups for science-focused programs. These groups include classes of students from public and private schools (elementary through high school), teachers, youth programs and drop-in visitors to the museum. Present programs to over 2,000 students per year.
Created, developed, launched and conducted apprenticeship program for economically challenged area high school students. Apprentices include students born in Cape Verde, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Research, develop and present all aspects of teacher recertification workshops offered at the Museum. Served as Lead Teacher for MITS (Museum Institute for Teaching Science) Southeast Region, a professional development summer institute.
Manage team of 100+ docents and volunteers; recruit and train new docents; provide periodic content review.
Supervised logistics for cleaning, preparation, articulation and public display of 2 North Atlantic Right Whale skeletons. Curated the Whaling Museum's first conservation issues exhibit. Successfully solicited artifact and image donations for two exhibits. Served as content expert on conservation aspect of major permanent multi-cultural exhibit.
th Researched and served as lead author for “Emptying the Oceans: A Summary of Industrial Whaling Catches in the 20 Century”, published in Marine Fisheries Review, a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by NOAA in 2014. Wrote several science articles for The Bulletin from Johnny Cake Hill, the Whaling Museum’s quarterly magazine.
Collaborated with Whale and Dolphin Conservation and RI Audubon Society to create ‘Face-ing Extinction’, a multi- 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 32
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School faceted social media, general audience and school curriculum program focused on the North Atlantic right whale.
Served as Co-Principal Investigator for New Bedford ECHO Project, administering several aspects of $1.5 million U.S. Department of Education grant, including end-of-year reports, tracking project budgets, yearly planning, partner meeting planning and periodic communication with other ECHO partners.
Organize and manage logistics for adult science education programs, including Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time lecture series, and training sessions for National Park Service volunteers.
Connect membership to current whale topics through use of Museum blog and Whales in the News bulletin board.
FAIRHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL, Science Teacher Fairhaven, MA, August 2003 to June 2004 Taught four classes of Integrated (Physics, Chemistry) Science and one class of Introductory Technology. Responsible for developing daily lesson plans and delivering them in a creative, engaging manner, as well as facilitating classroom lab activities.
BUZZARDS BAY COALITION Education Coordinator New Bedford, MA, November 1994 to June 2003 Non-profit organization dedicated to restoration, protection and sustainable use of the 432-square mile Buzzards Bay watershed located in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Designed and implemented all environmental and hands-on marine, coastal and terrestrial science curricula, materials and programs for students in grades K-12 in 13 Buzzards Bay watershed towns. As sole education staffer, took fledgling division and increased programs from 2 to 10. Increased program exposure from several local schools to over 6,000 students in nearly 40 area schools annually. All programs were designed in alignment with state curriculum frameworks.
Coordinated all logistical details of BBC’s major annual fund raising event, Swim Buzzards Bay, a 1.2 mile swim across New Bedford Harbor.
Collaborated with Development and Executive Directors to successfully secure grant awards, from a variety of organizations such as the Peabody Foundation, EPA, Jessie B. Cox Trust, Massachusetts Environmental Trust, Massachusetts Cultural Council, totaling approximately $55,000.
Coordinated all facets of CBB’s annual Winter Lecture Series, a series of 4 presentations focused on bay-related issues for the general public.
Created and presented Professional Development Programs for area teacher recertification.
Organized, promoted and led beach clean-ups, including annual Coastsweep clean-up.
AWARDS / RECOGNITION & AFFILIATIONS / PRESENTATIONS Adjunct Faculty, Cambridge College, March 2011 to present Executive Director, Massachusetts Marine Educators (Member of Board of Directors, July 2003 to present). President, National Marine Educators Association, (member 1999 to present) Chair, 2011 National Marine Educators Association Annual Conference. Chair, Acushnet Conservation Commission (Chair, 2006 to present; Member, 2002 to present). Annual workshop presenter at National Marine Educators Association Annual Conference since 1999. Education Alternate, Advisory Council, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, 2010 to present. Member, Oceans First Advisory Panel, Tabor Academy, September 2011 to present Chair, Education Committee, North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium
EDUCATION Master of Science in Environmental Studies, Antioch University New England, Keene, NH Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Massachusetts Provisional Certification, Biology and General Science, Grades 5-8, 9-12 Working towards fluency in Portuguese
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Maria A. Rosario Executive Director, NorthStar Learning Present Employer and Job Title Centers, Inc. BA, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (Dartmouth, MA) Education/Professional Training M.Ed., Counseling Psychology, Cambridge College Graduate School (Cambridge, MA) Advisory Council Member Past or Present Employment by, or Board Alma del Mar Membership in a Charter School, Public School New Bedford, MA District, Higher Education Institution, Educational Management Organization, or Founding member of an “innovation” school School Support Organization Renaissance Community School of the Arts New Bedford Public Schools Town of Residence New Bedford, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? I met with two of the founders and proposed trustees to discuss the proposed model, mission and vision of The New Bedford Cheironeum Charter School. After a lengthily meeting it was clear that the principles of the school are aligned with my philosophy and believe that "all" students deserve to achieve academic excellence. 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx in a single-parent Spanish-speaking household, I learned English when I entered school. Attending New Bedford High School, I was told by my guidance counselor that I wasn't "college material"--a designation, I realized later, that no student deserves. No student should be written off; each student deserves our best hope. Motivated and informed by my own uphill struggle to overcome the racial, cultural, language, and class barriers to succeeding in school, I have long focused on boosting educational attainment of New Bedford's children and youth, particularly students of color, English language learners, and students living in poverty. With a long-term commitment to improving educational outcomes among disadvantaged students, I would serve on the board as long as I was a contributing member and in capacities that harnessed my professional expertise and experience.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. In providing services and support to pregnant and parenting teens during 1993-2000, I encouraged them to complete their secondary education or equivalent and advocated for appropriate placement and resources for participants and their children. As Director of Youth Services (2000-November 2004), and Executive Director (November 2004-present) of NorthStar Learning Centers--a minority-led nonprofit based in New Bedford--I recognize that, inasmuch as education is the only viable route out of poverty, there is no more important part of my job than improving the educational outcomes of the young people we serve. Funded by the Eisenhower Foundation, NorthStar's Quantum Opportunities Program was a four- year afterschool and summer program for youth with low grades entering high school that increased high school graduation and enrollment in college and postsecondary training. As NorthStar's youth services director and now agency head, I have been successful in recruiting, retaining, and promoting well- educated, culturally diverse, multilingual staff, who in turn can serve as accessible role models and mentors and send a powerful message to children, youth, and families that they can succeed in NorthStar programs. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. Board member – I expect to serve for at least ____3_____ years. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. A member of a fast-growing cultural community that has not fared well in the New Bedford Public Schools or most schools across the country, I am acutely aware of cultural diversity and its impact on planning and provision of educational services. With an on-the-ground grasp of what works, I have been active for many years in my community in building support for strengthening the relationships between the schools, families, and the community at large. I played a key role in founding and winning approval of the newly- established Renaissance School of the Arts, an "innovation," charter-like school within a low-performing New Bedford elementary school. Recently, I was appointed to the redesign team to turn around New Bedford High School, identified as a failing school. 6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member14 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. I know professionally several of the other proposed board members whose organizations operate in the community and educational services field.
14 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest15 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. No 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. In exercising my board trustee's duty of oversight, I would use the school's reporting system to bring to light wrongdoing by one or more members of the school's board. Prior to exercising my individual responsibility to report any instance of wrongdoing, my initial imperative would be to ensure that the board exercised its collective responsibility at the outset to establish a comprehensive investigatory policy and process to address perceived wrongdoing by board members or school management. Having made a report of perceived wrongdoing, I would then be responsible for calling on the board to make sure that the school's investigatory processes were being followed in a timely manner. If an investigation found wrongdoing on the part of one or more board members, the board would have a collective responsibility to ensure appropriate reaction to and remediation of the wrongdoing. In short, passing on information of perceiving wrongdoing would only be the tip of the iceberg of my board responsibility to ensure good governance of the school. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. No
Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☒ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☐ Secondary Education Education ☐ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☒ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☒ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☒ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☒ Charter Schools ☐ Other: ☒ Other Innovative Public School
15 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/27/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Maria Angela Rosario
Work: NorthStar Learning Centers 53 Linden Street New Bedford, MA 02740 (508) 517-9349
Professional positions Executive Director, NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc., November 2004-present. Director of Youth Services, NorthStar Learning Centers, 2000-November 2004. Program Coordinator, Preschool Teacher Certification Program, United Front Child Development Programs/Wheelock College (Boston, MA), 2001-02. Program Coordinator, Services for Teen Parents and their Children, United Front Child Development Programs, 1997-2000. Case Manager, Young Parents Program, Child and Family Services (New Bedford, MA), 1993-97. Counselor/Shelter Advocate, Domestic Violence Program, Greater New Bedford Women's Center, 1989-93.
Education M.Ed., Counseling Psychology, Cambridge College Graduate School (Cambridge, MA), Psychology, 2006-2009. Leadership Development course, Massachusetts Leadership Empowerment Action Project/ Wheelock College, 1997. BA, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (Dartmouth, MA), 1996.
Current professional affiliations/civic involvement Educational Roundtable Member, Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts Board Member, Family Service Association, Fall River, MA Coalition Member, College and Career Readiness Family Engagement Center at New Bedford High School Advisory Committee for Excellence in Education, New Bedford Community Focus Group for Education Diversity/Equity Committee, Office of the Superintendent, New Bedford Public Schools Foster Care Task Force, New Bedford area office, Massachusetts Department of Social Services Parent Initiative Project, New Bedford Public Schools Steering Committee, New Bedford Community Connections Coalition (Massachusetts Department of Children and Families-sponsored neighborhood empowerment initiative) Strategic Planning Committee, United Way of Greater New Bedford
Selected awards Outstanding Achievement Award, Latino Public Radio, 2013 Award recognizing work supporting student success and dropout rate reduction, New Bedford Public Schools, 2007. New England Grantee of the Year, New England Minority Enterprise Development, 2002. "Men and Women of Our Village" Community Recognition Award, New Bedford Community Connections Coalition, 2000. State Senate Citation, 2000. Community Leader, Hispanic Advocacy Network, 1999.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015-2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Charles J. Smiler Present Employer and Job Title Captain Haskell’s Octagon House dba, owner Edgemont High School (Scarsdale, NY) Education/Professional Training Harvard College AB, Harvard Law School JD Past or Present Employment by, or Board Membership in a Charter School, Public School District, Higher Education Institution, NA Educational Management Organization, or School Support Organization Town of Residence New Bedford, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 1. How did you become aware of the proposed school? Personal contact with the lead founder, Richard T. Porteus 2. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I believe in the relevance and value of rigorous academic preparation for all students, not only the educationally gifted or economically well-off. I believe strongly based on my experience in the community that New Bedford’s diverse group of secondary school students do not have available an educational option which combines the academic standards of the International Baccalaureate programs, the engagement with the environment, cultures, resources and community of their home port and the marine, maritime and coastal cultures to which it connects, and the culture of respect, inclusion, collaboration and self-assurance for all students which can support and inspire them to achieve their full potential in school and beyond. I wish to bring my own experience and skills especially in the shaping and governance of organizations to contribute to the board’s role in guiding the building and growth of the school. 3. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. I graduated from a high quality public high school. My daughter attended public schools in a rural socio- economically mixed community in Vermont and worked in inner-city public schools before running school outreach programs for a major high-tech company. My wife, also a public school graduate, was a board member of my daughter’s elementary and high schools and the union region of which they were a part. My sister went to public schools and has worked in a not-for-profit organization providing mathematics enrichment programs to public school students under Title 1 and other federal, state and local funding to disadvantaged urban and other schools for more than forty years. I believe public schools are the only practical means of delivering high quality education to the vast majority of students and that public schools can do the best job, though they often fail, of integrating all students into the common society and economy.
In New Bedford, I have participated in the H.O.P.E. Collaborative, an anti-gang violence program which has elements reaching into the schools. I was a member of the New Bedford Superintendent’s Committee on Environmental Education and the committee created by the former Principal of the Roosevelt Middle School to create an exchange program with schools in Cabo Verde. I have supported the Immigrants Assistance Center which operates the Amigos Center at Roosevelt Middle School and New Bedford High School, the North Star Learning Center which runs after-school tutoring and other youth programs, 3rd Eye Unlimited which runs 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 40
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School positive engagement hip-hop programs for youth and with North Star revived the New Bedford High School Hip Hop Club (now House of Music). I spoke at public meetings in favor of the applications for two Innovation Schools in New Bedford. I have volunteered and contributed to the effort to restore the Schooner Ernestina as a culturally and historically significant platform for education for local students and have also contributed to other local institutions which serve public school students including the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Ocean Explorium, Zeiterion Theater, New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks, and Global Learning Charter Public School. I serve on the board of trustees of O.R.P.H., Inc. which seeks to restore the Orpheum Theater for public use including educational programming in the arts. 4. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. I will offer to the board to serve as its chair. I anticipate being a board member for at least three years and more likely six or seven years. 5. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. I am passionate about the need to serve all members of the upcoming generation with high quality, engaging education that will enable them to thrive in further education, careers and all aspects of their lives as individuals and in their families, communities and roles as citizens of the city, state, nation and the world. From my involvement in anti-discrimination work In high school through my participation in the New Bedford community especially among the Cape Verdean community, I have demonstrated my comfort and ability in working with people of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and gender connections. I have more than fifty years of experience in building, managing and changing organizations ranging from small not-for-profit organizations to a multi-billion dollar financial institution with more than a thousand employees, including serving in professional and executive management and as a board member and board chair. I have built or managed many practice, workflow, human resource, analytical, budgeting, and planning systems including performance measurements. I worked as a lawyer, executive, and board chair in highly regulated industries including financial services and a nine thousand member rural electric cooperative. I have proven ability to translate among the concepts and requirements of multiple disciplines and to articulate common understandings. My colleagues and contacts have generally praised my ability to treat others with respect and empathy regardless of their cultural, educational, professional or economic status or their race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. 6. Please indicate if you or an immediate member16 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. I have worked closely with Richard T. Porteus on the design of the New Bedford Cheironeum and the application for its charter. I have met and spoken with most of the proposed trustees, especially those who live locally. I have worked on committees or have engaged with a number of the prospective board members and persons who may become employees or service providers though none, except Mr. Porteus, has been specifically
16 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School identified as such at this time. I have contributed money to organizations in which several of the proposed trustees have executive roles or present or past board memberships. 7. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest17 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. I have extended a loan to Richard T. Porteus in several principal advances commencing on November 8, 2012, after we had begun working together on the design effort for the New Bedford Cheironeum. The loan was made for the express purpose of enabling him to self-fund his continuing work on the design and application for a charter for the school. Repayment of this loan is not explicitly tied to the granting of a charter or to his employment by the school, though his future employment earnings will indirectly provide a source for repayment. Full disclosure will be made to the board of directors at the time of approval or renewal of any employment contract with Mr. Porteus and in the event of any board action contemplating a change in his employment status or compensation.
I have made immaterial contributions to not-for-profit organizations which may become service providers to or in-kind collaborators with the school including without limitation New Bedford Community Connections, the Immigrants Assistance Center, the Old Dartmouth Historical Society, the Ocean Explorium, the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, Community Boating, the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks, 3rd Eye Unlimited, Inc., Massachusetts Schooner Ernestina Commission and Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association, Inc. 8. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 9. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would engage the member or members to ascertain whether they were aware of the import of their actions. Failing their cessation or appropriate modification of such actions, I would bring the question to the attention of the board so that it could consider appropriate action with the advice of counsel if needed. In the absence of board action, I would consider resigning from the board. If I felt the activity were unlawful, I would report it to appropriate authorities. 10. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. See the answer to Question 7 above.
17 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☐ Secondary Education Education ☐ Educational Leadership ☒ Law ☒ Human Resources ☒ Finance/Business ☐ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☒ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☒ Real Estate ☐ Charter Schools ☐ Other: ☐ Other Innovative Public School Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/27/2015 Signature Date Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School CHARLES J. SMILER New Bedford, MA 02740
Executive Summary EXPERIENCED BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL, LAWYER, LEADER, VOLUNTEER Investment, real estate, business management law economics and finance organization building Recognized top-level skills Leadership for change and Diverse relationship building productivity Communications in varied settings Negotiation and closing Systems and process creation Analysis and strategy Independent and collaborative Quick study and multi- action disciplinary
Work and Volunteer History SCHOONER ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY, New Bedford, MA 2005 ---- Member Programming, Vision and Planning Committees, strategic analysis and planning, outreach events H.O.P.E. COLLABORATIVE and predecessor NEW BEDFORD ACTS, New Bedford, MA 2005 ---- Public anti-youth violence collaborative, active participant in public meetings and collaborative discussions CAPTAIN HASKELL’S OCTAGON HOUSE, New Bedford, MA 2002 ---- (pet-friendly bed and breakfast accommodations in historic whaling captain’s home) OWNER AND MANAGER . marketing and service to guests from nationally and internationally diverse origins including engaging them in the history and significance of New Bedford and the region NEW BEDFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE 2011-2012 SUSTAINABLE GREATER NEW BEDFORD COMMITTEE, hosted by Greater NB C of C 2001-2002 REAL ESTATE SKILLS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 1990 -2002 (real estate, economics and energy consulting, investigation of real estate networked information services) FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL . strategic and technical trend analysis for real estate information tools . product design and marketing for fmr. head U.S. EPA Energy conservation programs . designed and negotiated financing alliance for Vermont weatherization program . obtained and conducted grant for Rocky Mountain Institute re: energy in investment real estate . organizer, panelist and presenter at energy efficiency conferences WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC., East Montpelier, VT 1993-1998 (nine-thousand member rural electric cooperative serving 43 towns) PRESIDENT (1997-1998), VP (1996-1997) and TRUSTEE . led board reorganization and board-staff strategic planning . improved staff morale through inclusion, information and dialogue . created performance measures and integrated planning and budgeting cycles
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School . lead role in demand side management programs, electric utility deregulation; initiatives for new cooperative alliances, products, power sources and member involvement . analyzed financings, merger and acquisition opportunities, generation purchases, DSM
NATIONAL PROPERTY ADVISORS CORPORATION, Montpelier, VT 1986-1990 (sub of National Life Insurance Company with about $300 million parent and client) EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT and COUNSEL 1989-1990 . led major downsizing, reorganization and revitalization of company with two others . led creation of information, analysis, financial, budgeting and reporting systems . portfolio management, client relations and marketing, law, analytical methods, valuations, product development, planning, law, auditor, lender and regulator relations SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT and COUNSEL 1986-1988 . law and senior management functions spanning corporate, product and property issues; environmental, tax, ERISA and regulatory affairs; litigation supervision . structured and negotiated unsecured bank lines of credit for real estate separate accounts . structured and negotiated multi-advisor pension real estate program with RCB Trust Company as sponsoring fiduciary . multi-state and multi-property portfolio purchases; sales to major national investment firms . redevelopment and construction projects NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Montpelier, VT 1973-1985 (major mutual life insurance company with full investment functions; real estate investment advisory and mutual fund management and distribution subsidiaries) HEAD of INVESTMENT DIVISION of LAW DEPARTMENT 1981-1985 . investment and securities matters directly and through staff of lawyers and paralegals . departmental personnel administration and development, budgeting and automation . departmental and corporate planning; corporate performance measure development . National Pension Properties program: product development, structuring with ERISA, tax, and securities issues, documentation, insurance regulatory approval, marketing
. led startup of secondary market purchases of individual jumbo residential mortgages
COUNSEL after intermediate levels starting at OFFICER 1974-1980 . real estate, joint ventures, mortgage and private placement lending . foreclosures, bankruptcy, workouts . insurance regulation, securities, regulatory matters and taxes . expanded use of paralegals and standardized document systems . integrated workflow with Investment Dept.
ONION RIVER ARTS COUNCIL, community arts presenter, Montpelier, VT approx. 1982-1888
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School BOARD MEMBER, VP AND TREASURER . created management accounting and reporting system . helped conduct strategic and development planning SULLIVAN & WORCESTER, Boston, MA 1970-1973 (large law firm concentrating in business, securities, tax and finance) ASSOCIATE - corporate, bankruptcy, financing, real estate, real estate securities, REITs, partnership and real estate taxation, nonprofit organizations, pro bono service to housing counseling agency
INTERNSHIPS during law school and college 1966-1969 RESEARCHER, U.S. HUD-funded projects at MIT and Harvard Law School HAMMER, GREENE, SILER ASSOCS., DC regional and urban economic consultants SCHUPACH A.G., Burgdorf, Switzerland, PRODUCTION COST ANALYST
Education HARVARD LAW SCHOOL 1970 JD cum laude with courses at Harvard Business School and Harvard Graduate School of Design
HARVARD COLLEGE 1967 AB magna cum laude with major in economics, Harvard College Honorary Scholarship 1966 and 1967
Bar admissions and organizations MASSACHUSETTS AND VERMONT State and Federal District Courts Chaired two life insurance industry, real estate law groups, ad hoc title forms committee National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries, active in research and risk management committees
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Office of Charter Schools and School Redesign Questionnaire for Proposed Board Member, School Employee, or Other Founding Member 2015- 2016 Biography *Please submit a current resume with this form. * Name Erik Zettler SEA Education Association, Professor and Present Employer and Job Title Associate Dean Education/Professional Training Ph.D. 1994-present- Working and teaching at SEA Education Association. We deliver high quality academic programs to college and high school students from around the country. 2013-2014 Advisor to the Sandwich School system STEM Academy 2004-2005-New England Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (NE-COSEE) Past or Present Employment by, or Board Ocean Science Education Institute (OSEI). Membership in a Charter School, Public School NE-COSEE is a National Science Foundation– District, Higher Education Institution, Educational Management Organization, or supported partnership dedicated to increasing School Support Organization New England’s capacity to provide high-quality ocean science education. Included working with Boston teachers and some classroom time. Past representative to WHSTEP, Woods Hole Science and Technology Education Partnership whose goal is to support STEM in the schools of Falmouth, Mashpee, and Bourne Town of Residence Falmouth, MA Questions Please answer each question as fully as possible. 11. How did you become aware of the proposed school? Through Rick Porteus, who attended a lecture I gave at the New Bedford Ocean Explorium
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School 12. Why do you serve as a member of this founding group? I am pleased to contribute as a member of the Cheironeum Charter School board of trustees and believe in their vision of education “as a student-centered, inquiry-based, problem-oriented quest into the unknown”. Many years ago I was inspired by a high school biology teacher and a college field course to pursue my interest in biology, and I think that incorporating field work into discovery based learning is the key to exciting students about any topic. I am willing to serve where I can contribute most. Being new to the charter school model, I anticipate serving in a support rather than leadership role until I learn more. I hope to be a long term member and to see the school evolve and succeed. 13. Provide specific examples of past actions that you have taken that demonstrate your commitment to public education and serving your targeted community. 2013-2014-Advisor to the Sandwich School system STEM Academy 2010-present-Partnership in Education Program (PEP) faculty member and mentor. PEP is a NOAA funded program supported by the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative that brings college students from under-represented groups in marine science to Woods Hole each summer to study and complete an independent research project 2012-2014 Affordable Housing Committee, Town of Falmouth, MA 2009-present Governing Council, New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative 2004-2005-New England Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (NE-COSEE) Ocean Science Education Institute (OSEI). NE-COSEE is a National Science Foundation–supported partnership dedicated to increasing New England’s capacity to provide high-quality ocean science education. Included working with Boston Public School teachers and some classroom time. 2003-2005 Executive Committee, WSTEP (Woods Hole Science and Technology Education Partnership) 1998 Board of Trustees, Woods Hole Library 1998-1999 Board of Directors, Oyster Pond Environmental Trust 1994 Steering Committee, Citizens for the Protection of Waquoit Bay 14. If a charter were granted, what anticipated role would you play within the school community? How long do you anticipate serving as a member of the board, an employee of the proposed school, or a partner organization? If a proposed board member, name the anticipated office you would hold if any, e.g. such as chair person or treasurer. If a proposed school employee, name the anticipated position you would hold, e.g. school leader, administrator, or teacher. If a proposed partner for contracted services, describe the scope of anticipated services to be provided to the school and your anticipated involvement if chartered. Board member – I expect to serve for at least _three (3)_ years. 15. Describe how your unique qualifications and anticipated role within the school community will support the implementation of the proposed school. As a practicing marine scientist for 30 years and an educator for over 20 years I can provide advice on marine science and what I find gets students excited about learning and science. The interdisciplinary approach and mission at SEA Education Association where I have worked and taught since 1994 is complementary to the goals of the Cheironeum: “SEA is an educational institution dedicated to exploration, understanding and stewardship of the oceans, and to the study of humanity's relationship with the oceans. SEA offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum, on shore and at sea aboard tall ships, that provides challenging voyages of scientific discovery, academic rigor, and personal growth.” Since as a student I benefitted from multilingual and multicultural opportunities growing up in 5 different countries overseas, I also recognize the value of the Cheironeum’s emphasis on geography and language as key disciplines. The multicultural students of New
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Bedford should view their home languages as an asset, not a liability. Our job is to provide a multidisciplinary, stimulating environment for these students that challenges them to learn by accepting and completing the five challenges: Meet, Participate, Conserve, Create, Contribute. I’d like to be a part of the team that makes that happen. 16. Please indicate if you or an immediate member18 of your family knows generally, and/or is disfavored by members of the proposed board, proposed school employee(s), or individual(s) affiliated with the proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable. Indicate the individual(s) and describe the nature of the relationship(s) if one exists. Linda Amaral Zettler is my wife and colleague. We have worked, published, and taught together for over 20 years. I've known Rick Porteus for a couple of years since he attended a talk I gave in New Bedford. Since then we have shared many interesting discussions about education, science, philosophy, and other topics! 17. Please indicate if you or an immediate member of your family has or may have a financial interest19 in the proposed school; proposed educational management organization or school support organization, if applicable; or individual(s) or any other company that may contract or provide service to the proposed school, if applicable. Please include employment, the possible leasing or selling of any real property, and the purchase of equipment or services for the proposed school. If yes, please explain. None 18. Have or will you or any member of your immediate family receive funds, gifts, loans, services, or any other benefit for any purpose from the proposed school, or any other company proposing to contract or provide services to the proposed school? If yes, please explain. No 19. Describe what you would do if you believed one or more members of the school’s proposed board was acting unethically or not in the best interests of the school. I would immediately bring it to the attention of the board chair. 20. [Proposed board members ONLY] To the best of your knowledge, are there any situations which may give the appearance of a conflict of interest or that would make it difficult for you to discharge the duties of a board member and make decisions that are solely in the best interest of the school? If yes, please explain briefly. Individuals are encouraged to contact the State Ethics Commission (http://www.mass.gov/ethics/) about how conflict of interest law applies to their situation. No
18 Immediate family is defined as the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse, and the parents, children, brothers, and sisters of the proposed school employee, board member, or other founding member and his or her spouse.
19 Financial interest is defined as anything of economic or monetary value.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Expertise Please indicate in which areas you possess professional expertise:
☒ Community Service ☐ Early Childhood/Elementary ☐ Special Education Education ☒ Fundraising ☐ English Language Learner ☒ Secondary Education Education ☒ Educational Leadership ☐ Law ☐ Human Resources ☐ Finance/Business ☐ School Improvement ☐ School Governance ☐ Management ☐ Blended/Virtual Education ☐ Real Estate ☐ Charter Schools ☒ Other: Science, Hands-on Field ☒ Other Innovative Public School Education Models (ELT, Innovation Schools, Magnet or Pilot Schools)
Certification I recognize that all information, except home address, personal email, or personal telephone, submitted with this questionnaire becomes a matter of public record, subject by law to disclosure to members of the general public. I certify that the information contained in this document and attached resume is true and complete to the best of my knowledge under the penalties of perjury.
7/27/2015 Signature Date
Original Signature Required on printed submission copy only. No Signature Required on electronically uploaded copy
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Erik Red Zettler
Professor of Oceanography Associate Dean, Institutional Relations Sea Education Association P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (508) 540-3954, ext. 29 fax (508)457-4673 Email [email protected]
Education B.S., magna cum laude, Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville, PA. Thesis: “Chemical defenses in aquatic plants.” Minor: Geology M.Sc., Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Thesis: “Plankton responses to a natural turbidity gradient in Lake Temiskaming, Ontario- Quebec.” Ph.D., summa cum laude, Biology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. Thesis: Extremophilic protists in the Río Tinto: The relationship between environment and the microbial community in a patchwork of geochemical “islands”.
Research Experience Laboratory Technician, Free-Col Environmental Consultants, Meadville, PA (summer 1982). Sample processing for AA analysis, soil extractions, bioassays. Research Assistant II (1985-87), III (1987-91), Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA. Duties included lab management, data analysis, help with grant and manuscript preparation, culture maintenance, operation of flow cytometer, cruise participation and logistics. Research Associate, Biology Department, WHOI, Woods Hole, MA (1991-94) Responsibilities as for Res.Assist. plus independent projects and manuscript preparation. Oceanography Faculty/Science Coordinator, Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA (1994- 2009) Develop procedures and manuals for equipment and sample processing, purchase and maintain scientific instrumentation and equipment on SEA vessels, hire and train Assistant Scientists, obtain research clearances, network administration, data archiving and coordination of outside collaborations, teach as a member of the oceanography faculty. Professor, Associate Dean of Institutional Relations and Research, Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA (2009-present). Curriculum development and periodic teaching. Liaison for collaborations and research with colleagues at academic and research institutions; responsible for archiving SEA data and coordinating SEA research plans.
Teaching Experience Allegheny College (Meadville, PA); Teaching Assistant (1980-82); Ecology and Limnology. University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Canada); Teaching Assistant (1983/84); Invertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology, Marine Biology Boston University Marine Program (Woods Hole, MA); Teaching Fellow, (graduate/ undergraduate Sensory Biology course) 1998/99. New England Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (NE-COSEE) Ocean Science Education Institute (OSEI). NE-COSEE is a National Science Foundation–supported partnership dedicated to increasing New England’s capacity to provide high-quality ocean science education. Included working with Boston teachers and some classroom time. 2004/5 Sea Education Association (Woods Hole, MA) faculty member (1994-present): Teaching in the classroom and in the field for high school and undergraduate programs in oceanography, marine biology, marine environmental history, and research methods. In I helped develop two of our semester programs: ‘Documenting Change in the Caribbean’ (DCC) designed to provide upper level credits in 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page A 51
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School humanities, and ‘Marine Biodiversity and Conservation’ (MBC) designed to provide upper level credits in biology and policy. Shoals Marine Lab (Cornell Univ./Univ. New Hampshire) faculty member, (2003-2010) Field Marine Science, oceanography component in a 4-week, 8-credit program for college students Field Microbial Ecology 2-week, 4 credit course covering theory and laboratory methods Partnership in Education Program (PEP) faculty member and mentor 2010-present. PEP is a NOAA funded program supported by the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative that brings college students from under-represented groups in marine science to Woods Hole each summer to study and complete an independent research project.
Awards and Grants 2012 Collaborative Research: Microbial Interactions with Marine Plastic Debris: Diversity, Function and Fate. NSF-OCE $300,311. PI Erik Zettler, with Co-PIs Tracy Mincer (WHOI) and Linda Amaral Zettler (MBL) 2011 Biodiversity in the global ocean - incorporating molecular biology in field-based approaches to undergraduate studies of marine conservation. NSF-TUES (Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science). $198,247. Co-I with PI Amy Siuda 2010 NSF Sonar Electronics replacement for vessels Corwith Cramer and Robert Seamans; NSF Oceanographic Instrumentation. $61,832. PI Erik Zettler. 2007 Documenting inherent optical properties along repeated cruise tracks in the Atlantic and Pacific by Sea Education Association's vessels. NASA Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program, $68,050. PI Erik Zettler.
Reviewer Journals: PLoS-One; Marine Biology; PALAIOS-Impact of Life on Earth’s History; Journal of Sea Research; Environmental Studies and Science; International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation (Revista de Biologia Tropical) Granting agencies: NSF- Antarctic Sciences Division, National Science Foundation
Additional Training Certified Wilderness First Responder (8 day wilderness medicine course including CPR) FCC Marine Radio Operator Recombinant DNA Methodology Workshop; Exon-Intron, Inc., Woods Hole, MA Isotope Use and Radiation Safety; Massachusetts Institute of Technology Culture Techniques for Marine Phytoplankton; Bigelow Laboratory, Boothbay Harbor, ME Transmission Electron Microscopy Course; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA Scanning Electron Microscopy and Confocal Microscopy training, MBL Electrochemistry training, Analytical Instrument Systems, NJ. NAUI Certified SCUBA Diver Marine Corps Officer Training, Quantico, VA
Professional and Public Service 2013- participant EarthCube Water Column Domain End-User Workshop hosted by the Biological and Chemical Oceanographic Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 2012-present Affordable Housing Committee, Town of Falmouth, MA 2009-2012 Executive Committee, International Society of Protozoologists, (Membership Secretary) 2009-present Governing Council, New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative 2003-2005 Executive Committee, WSTEP (Woods Hole Science and Technology Education Partnership) 2006 Steering Committee, INMARTEC International Marine Technician Symposium
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
1998 Board of Trustees, Woods Hole Library 1998-1999 Board of Directors, Oyster Pond Environmental Trust 1994 Steering Committee, Citizens for the Protection of Waquoit Bay
Language Skills I read and can communicate in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
Professional Societies American Society of Limnology and Oceanography International Biogeography Society International Society for Extremophiles International Society for Microbial Ecology International Society of Protozoologists RVTEC-Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee Sociedade Afonso Chaves (Azorean Studies) The Challenger Society for Marine Science The Oceanography Society
Research Station and Fieldwork Study of protistan pH extremophiles. Davis Mine, MA; Dec 1998 Cedar Point Biological Station, Ogallala, NE, and Yellowstone National Park, WY; July 1999. Rio Tinto, southwestern Spain; April 1999, Sept. 2001, Oct./Nov. 2002, Sept. 2003, Jan. 2004, Jan. 2005, Mar. 2006, Sept. 2009, May 2010 Azores, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Guanacaste National Park, Costa Rica; June 2000, May and Nov. 2001, June 2002, June 2003 Yellowstone National Park to contribute to microbial ecology field course Antarctica, USARP, McMurdo Station, 14 Dec. 1989 to 1 Feb. 1990. Heterotrophic vs. autotrophic protists under the ice and at the ice edge. Marine Stations: Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Feb. to Apr. 1989 - Flow cytometry of open ocean picoplankton; Sept. 1996. - sarcodine diving and research Discovery Bay Marine Lab, Univ. of the West Indies, Jamaica; 2007, 2008 as part of SEA Semester research. Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Univ. of the Azores, Faial, 2008 to sample and deliver a guest lecture Port Royal Marine Laboratory, Univ. of the West Indies, Jamaica; 2008 to donate a ROV Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station, Moorea, French Polynesia 2011 as part of SEA Semester research. Shoals Marine Lab, Cornell Univ. and Univ. of New Hampshire, Appledore Island, ME to sample and teach field courses 1995-2008. Wrigley Marine Science Center as part of SEA program Oceanography of the Southern California Bight.
Oceanographic Cruises Over 50 research and teaching cruises on various UNOLS (University National Oceanographic Laboratory System) vessels and all three SEA sailing school vessels (Westward, Corwith Cramer, Robert C. Seamans). Sailed as Chief Scientist on half of these trips. I also helped design and outfit the laboratories and scientific equipment on the SEA vessels.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Scientific Publications Over 25 research publications in peer-reviewed journals.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
APPENDIX B. CURRICULUM Description of the curriculum scope and sequence for grade levels beyond those required in the text of the application, including the content and skills to be taught in the core content areas.
.
NOTE: Given the integrated nature of the Cheironeum curriculum, the scope and sequence for all seven years appears in the body of the prospectus, arranged by discipline and grade level.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
APPENDIX C. DRAFT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
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APPENDIX D. DRAFT OPERATING BUDGET: PROJECTED REVENUES & EXPENDITURES
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School APPENDIX E. PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST
NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST
This submission includes requests for:
IB Americas, School Support Organization
Helena DaSilva Hughes, Individual Proven Provider
Gail M. Fortes, Individual Proven Provider
Maria A. Rosario, Individual Proven Provider
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST COVER SHEET FOR EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER All Proven Provider requests must include a Proven Provider Cover Sheet.
The following cover sheet must be submitted with the Education Service Provider’s Proven Provider request.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name of Proposed Education Service Provider (ESP): IB Americas
ESP Website: www.ibo.org
Authorized ESP Representative: Paul Campbell, Head of Regional Development, IB Americas
Address: 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200 West
City: Bethesda State: MD Zip Code: 20814
Daytime Telephone: 301-202-3112 Email: [email protected]
List of school(s) or program(s)20 operated, managed, or supported by the Education Service Provider: As of July 2014, the IB supports the education of 1,211,000 students in 3,856 schools in 148 countries, including 1,548 schools in the United States, among them, two Commonwealth charter schools in Massachusetts that have been offering the IB for more than 5 years.
Sturgis Charter Public School, Hyannis, MA Website: www.sturgischarterschool.org Mystic Valley Regional Charter Public School, Website: www.mvrcs.org Malden, MA NOTE: Additional lines may be created as necessary.
I hereby certify under the penalties of perjury that the information submitted in this Proven Provider request is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I further understand that if Proven Provider status is not granted by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, the applicant group cannot be invited to submit a final application.
20 If the ESP operates, manages, or supports multiple schools and/or programs, the ESP is encouraged to select a representative sample that best aligns with the proposed charter school and the governance model of Massachusetts charter schools.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Signature of Authorized ESP representative Date
PROVEN PROVIDER REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER A CMO, EMO, and SSO (Education Service Provider, ESP) are required to provide sufficient evidence to address all Proven Provider criteria. An ESP must have been in operation for at least five years in order to be considered for Proven Provider status.
I. Evidence of Academic Program Success A. Background Information about the ESP, the School/Program, and the ESP’s Services: Provide a brief narrative describing the ESP’s history, including its development and growth as an education service provider opening and operating high quality schools, and its interest in partnering with the applicant group.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non- profit educational foundation. A group of talented, forward-thinking teachers at the International School of Geneva, with assistance from several other international schools, created the IB Diploma Programme. What started life as a single programme for internationally mobile students preparing for university, has today grown into four programmes for students aged 3 to 19.
The programme in the early days consisted of a common pre-university curriculum and a common set of external examinations for students in schools throughout the world, seeking to provide students with a truly international education. Although the first IB schools were predominantly private international schools, they included a very small number of private national institutions and schools belonging to state education departments. This has changed over the years and today over half of all IB World Schools (authorized to offer one or more of our programmes) are state schools.
Although the first IB schools were predominantly private international schools, today over half of all IB World Schools are state schools. Carrying forward the ideals and dreams of the IB founders, the organization exists to provide high quality education for a better world, as expressed in our mission statement.
Mission and strategy The IB is more than its educational programmes and certificates. At our heart we are motivated by a mission to create a better world through education. We value our hard earned reputation for quality, for high standards and for pedagogical leadership. We achieve our goals by working with partners and by actively involving our stakeholders, particularly teachers.
We promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century. All of this is captured in our mission statement.
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
IB Strategy
The IB has seen tremendous planned growth in the past five years, delivering successful performance through a strong focus on quality, access and infrastructure. The new strategy builds upon our successes and ensures that the IB has a clear direction for the next five years. At its heart lies our ambition to establish the IB as a global leader in international education. To achieve this, the IB Board of Governors has endorsed the vision together with a set of strategic goals and strategic objectives. IB programmes continue to encourage this international- mindedness in students and educators through the IB learner profile—a set of values that represent our mission and principles. IB Learners strive to be:
INQUIRERS - We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.
KNOWLEDGEABLE - We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signifi- cance.
THINKERS - We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.
COMMUNICATORS - We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups . PRINCIPLED - We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.
OPEN-MINDED - We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.
CARING - We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.
RISK-TAKERS – We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.
BALANCED - We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives— intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School REFLECTIVE - We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.
The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
INTEREST IN PARTNERING WITH THE APPLICANT GROUP
IB Americas desires to partner with the proposed New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School (“the Cheironeum”) in order to expand access to the IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme to include a greater number and larger percentage of low-income and racially and ethnically diverse students in Massachusetts.
Assuming receipt of a charter in February 2015, the Cheironeum will be able to apply as a candidate school in March 2015 to begin offering the IB MYP in September 2015 to its first entering class.
Given the Cheironeum’s intended locale (New Bedford, MA), the socio-economic makeup of the city’s student population (75% low-income), the high racial and ethnic diversity of that population, and the steady and increasing stream of immigrant students, the Cheironeum will be eligible to apply for an IB Grant.
“The number of students from Guatemala and El Salvador enrolling in city schools has nearly doubled since 2012, while statewide the increase was just over 14 percent. In 2012, 56 children from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador enrolled in city schools. The number rose to 108 by 2014, a 93 percent increase. The number of new students from Honduras was stagnant at 10, while Guatemalan children led the pack with 57 enrolling in 2014 compared with 26 in 2012, and 41 Salvadoran children enrolled in 2014 versus 19 in 2012.” (Standard-Times, July 23, 2014)
IB Grants The International Baccalaureate (IB) provides short-term “IB Grants” for schools that are demonstrably increasing access to IB programs. These grants assist implementing schools (i.e., IB MYP or DP candidate schools) that can clearly demonstrate that they are significantly widening access to IB program(s) and/or that they will be significantly contributing to a more diverse, inclusive IB Community. Factors reviewed include a school’s locality, the socio-economic profile and ethnic makeup of its student body, as well as the percentage of the student body enrolled in the program(s). (The Cheironeum states that it intends to enroll 100% of its students in both IB MYP and IB DP.)
Nature of the grants Grants are short term, valid for one year with a possible extension to two years maximum. Funds can be used for the training of teachers and administrators, the payment of the IB annual school fee for one or more programs, or to support creative schemes to widen access and diversity.
Grants will take the form of a credit to the school's IB account. This will enable a rebate in annual fees or payment of workshop expenses in lieu of reimbursement of costs incurred through schemes to widen access and diversity. Schools will be expected to submit a report after the funds have been expended. (The amounts disbursed are generally in the USD5000 to USD15000 range except in exceptional circumstances for clearly defined cases.)
A school (or school district) that has previously been awarded an IB Grant is eligible to reapply three years after the date of the previous award. For example, should the New Bedford Cheironeum, A Commonwealth Charter School (“the Cheironeum”) be chartered by the Board of the Massachusetts DESE in February 2015, the Cheironeum would be eligible to register as a candidate school for the IB Middle Years
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Programme (IB MYP) in March 2015 and to apply for an IB Grant by September 2015 for disbursement in the school year 2015-2016. Three years later, the Cheironeum could reapply for an IB Grant to implement the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP).
IB Americas understands that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a program to reimburse low- income students for the cost of IB (and AP) exams. We appreciate this support for increasing access to our programs.
Finally, Rick Porteus, lead founder and proposed school leader of the Cheironeum, was the founder of a Massachusetts charter school committed to “IB for ALL,” and he has been long familiar to us. With respect to the Cheironeum, we have been in discussion with Mr. Porteus for the past two years as he has researched the possibilities in New Bedford. We have met with him in our regional headquarters in Bethesda MD. He attended (with a colleague) an IB informational conference at Brown University this past spring. He has availed himself of the information we could offer on IB programs serving similar constituencies elsewhere.
We are confident that, through Mr. Porteus, our informational conference, published materials, and our website, that charter applicant group from the proposed Cheironeum is aware of the authorization process and its demands. We wish them well as they undertake the chartering process, and we look forward to assisting them when a charter has been granted.
IB Americas understands the Massachusetts’ Commissioner of Education, Mitchell Chester, will be scheduling an interview with prospective “School Support Organizations,” such as the IB, in his Malden office, either August 17 or 18. We are prepared to send a representative to that interview.
Provide a summary describing the program(s) supported by the ESP. The summary should describe the key design elements of the program(s), including mission, curriculum model or whole-school design, grade span, and governance model. The summary should clearly reflect the implemented elements of the program(s) that are similar to the proposed charter school as well as any substantive differences. If key design elements of the program(s) differ from the proposed charter school, such as grade span, please provide additional evidence to demonstrate capacity to implement the proposed educational program(s).
The IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11, 12 (To be implemented at the Cheironeum in conformance to IB requirements)
The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme, has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.
The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they: develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from 6 subject groups develop the skills and a positive attitude toward learning that will prepare them for higher education study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page E - 6
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service
The Diploma Programme core The extended essay asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying. The world studies extended essay option allows students to focus on a topic of global significance which they examine through the lens of at least two DP subjects.
Theory of knowledge develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction.
Creativity, action, service (CAS) involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies throughout the Diploma Programme. Creativity encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. Action seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service with the community offers a vehicle for a new learning with academic value. The three strands of CAS enhance students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery.
The curriculum IB Diploma Programme students must choose one subject from each of five groups (1 to 5), ensuring breadth of knowledge and understanding in their best language, additional language(s), the social sciences, the experimental sciences and mathematics. Student may choose either an arts subject from group 6, or a second subject from groups 1 to 5.
Assessment Students take written examinations at the end of the programme, which are marked by external IB examiners. Students also complete assessment tasks in the school, which are either initially marked by teachers and then moderated by external moderators or sent directly to external examiners. The marks awarded for each course range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). Students can also be awarded up to three additional points for their combined results on theory of knowledge and the extended essay. The diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole programme and to satisfactory participation in the creativity, action, service requirement. The highest total that a Diploma Programme student can be awarded is 45 points.
Assessment is criterion-related, which means student performance is measured against pre- specified assessment criteria based on the aims and objectives of each subject curriculum, rather than the performance of other students taking the same examinations. The range of scores that students have attained remains statistically stable, and universities value the rigour and consistency of Diploma Programme assessment practice.
Quality assurance and professional development Any school, or group of schools, wishing to offer one or more International Baccalaureate programmes as an IB World School must first be authorized. The requirements are the same for all schools, and the procedure is designed to ensure that schools are well prepared to implement the programme(s) successfully. All IB World Schools are required to participate in an ongoing process of review and development, using the same programme standards and practices. As part of its ongoing commitment to the development of a highly skilled global learning community, the IB provides a wide range of high-quality professional development opportunities to
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School help new, experienced and expert school leaders and educators understand, support, and successfully deliver IB programmes reflecting IB standards and practices.
IB Middle Years Programme (Grades 6-10): Encouraging students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers.
The MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16. It provides a framework of learning that encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and the real world. It fosters the development of skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement - essential qualities for young people who are becoming global leaders.
The MYP is flexible enough to accommodate most national or local curriculum requirements. It prepares students to meet the academic challenges of the IB Diploma Programme (DP).
The IB Middle Years Programme (To be implemented by the Cheironeum in conformance with IB requirements) addresses holistically students' intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being provides students opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skillsthey need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future ensures breadth and depth of understanding through study in eight subject groups requires the study of at least two languages (language of instruction and additional language of choice) to support students in understanding their own cultures and those of others empowers students to participate in service within the community helps to prepare students for further education, the workplace
Evolution of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) The most ambitious programme redesign in the IB's 45 year history The IB is introducing its newly reviewed MYP for first teaching in September 2014. This innovative programme represents an evolution of almost 20 years of excellence and is an important milestone in IB history. New features include stronger connections with the IB continuum of international education for students aged 12–19 and optional external assessments. Maintaining the IB’s spirit of international collaboration, the programme was designed in consultation with educational experts and IB educators from over 100 pilot schools in 46 countries. The new MYP offers: greater flexibility for schools to combine the MYP with the requirements of national and state educational systems closer alignment across the IB continuum, offering an ideal preparation for students going on to study the IB Diploma Programme.
Quality assurance Any school, or group of schools, wishing to offer one or more IB programme must first be authorized to do so by the IB organization. The requirements are the same for all schools, and the procedure is designed to ensure that schools are well-prepared to implement the programme(s) successfully. All IB World Schools are required to participate in an ongoing process of review and development, using the same programme standards and practices.
Services and support for schools As part of its ongoing commitment to the development of a highly skilled global learning community, the IB provides a wide range of high-quality professional development opportunities to
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School help new and experienced school leaders and educators understand, support and successfully deliver IB Programmes. To further support professional development, IB educator certificates and IB leadership certificates are offered for completing an IB recognized course of study offered by a network of higher education institutions. School leaders and educators can also serve as IB workshop leaders, school visitors, consultants, examiners, moderators or curriculum developers. Other ways to participate in the IB community include sharing good practices in the online IB Journal of Teaching Practice and through blogs and other social media networks. Other IB services include: access to curriculum materials and related publications, marketing support, networking opportunities, assistance with university and government recognition.
Describe in detail the role and responsibilities of the ESP at the relevant school(s) or program(s) and a summary of the ESP’s history with the school(s) or program(s). The summary should clearly describe the scope and magnitude of services provided by the ESP to the relevant school(s) or program(s) as well as clearly distinguish between the responsibilities of the ESP, the governing body, and school leadership. The summary should clearly reflect which services received by the school(s) or program(s) will be provided to the proposed charter school as well as any substantive differences.
Professional Development
The IB requires continuous professional development by the teachers at IB World schools. The IB offers many professional development options and pathways, all of which are supported by a global architecture, consistent workshop materials and ongoing workshop leader training.
Face to face workshops offer: • 15-hour 2.5-day intensive immersions • collaborative learning experiences • opportunities to network and share best practice with peers • regional and global perspectives • a chance for sustained focus on professional growth and development without distraction • personal interactions with colleagues.
Online workshops offer: • cost-effective options • convenience • flexibility—can be accomplished without time out of school • opportunities to collaborate across time zones and nationalities • global perspectives with cohorts from all parts of the world • more time for reflection • sustained learning over time and enhanced ability for recall of knowledge.
Webinars offer: • brief and specific snapshots of different aspects of IB programmes • useful teaching advice • opportunities to collaborate and share best practice • convenience • affordability.
IB educator certificates offer opportunities to:
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School • interact with leading academics in a university environment • improve the quality of classroom teaching • demonstrate a deep understanding of and engagement in teaching and learning • increase your access to teaching jobs worldwide • establish a strong peer network for research and publishing consultation.
IB leadership certificates offer opportunities to: • embark on an innovative and rich journey into what it means to lead schools in an IB context. • inspire and guide a school community to implement and sustain IB programmes at IB World Schools. • affirm the principles and practices associated with leading in the wider community as well as within an IB World School. • interact with leading academics in a university environment.
In-school & district or cluster workshops offer: • PD to suit a variety of needs • training for the entire programme staff on site • flexibility—may be delivered over two days or during out-of-school hours.
Curriculum services Full access to a world-class curriculum that is comprehensively researched, and regularly reviewed and updated according to a published plan Eight subject groups, MYP projects and interdisciplinary learning Over 200 subjects and levels in the Diploma Programme Extensive teacher participation in the review cycle to ensure that the curriculum is up to date, relevant and reflects best practice from around the world A wide range of curriculum publications to support teachers Secure access to the online curriculum centre (OCC) for every teacher An online community of over 30,000 teachers from over 120 countries at the OCC Organized by curriculum area, with additional areas relating to librarians, special educational needs, academic honesty and research Contains news and information, IB curriculum and assessment publications, a teacher resource exchange and discussion forums Programme evaluation in schools A self-study process required every five years in all IB World Schools, supported by the IB with reports and school visits where appropriate A reflective exercise that involves the entire school community and aims to improve practice, identify strengths and weaknesses, and determine areas for future focus— reinforcing the support and commitment for the programme from all stakeholders in the community
Communications and recognition services Communication and marketing support Use of the IB World School name and logo to indicate a school's unique international status and involvement with the IB Four subscriptions to our official magazine, IB World, which is published three times a year to keep everyone informed about the news and events across the IB community A dedicated school page on the IB website, with your school details and links to your school website—over one million pages downloaded every month in English, French and Spanish
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Automatic inclusion in the schools directory section of the annual IB World School Yearbook, which is distributed to embassies, consulates and education ministries around the world Governance, representation and networking The opportunity to vote in regional elections of representatives to the IB governance structure Representation through a participative governance structure including the regional heads representative committees, regional advisory committees, the international heads, representative committee and the Council of Foundation The opportunity to attend international IB conferences, including regional conferences of IB World Schools and the biennial world conference of IB heads/principals Assistance with university and government recognition Regional offices continually seek to improve recognition of our programmes by universities and governments Support and advice Support from your regional office and IB headquarters by email and telephone on all aspects of being an IB World School Professional support in all parts of the curriculum and in cross-curricular areas such as special educational needs Access to IBIS (the IB extranet) for tasks necessary to administer the programmes.
By-request services In addition to the core services, the IB offers a number of optional services that schools can request when needed. In each case, a fee is charged. For example: Middle Years Programme The monitoring of assessment service—when a school sends samples of internally assessed student work and receives feedback from an experienced Middle Years Programme assessor in the form of a report Diploma Programme The enquiry upon results service—when a school or student has further queries about a result achieved in IB assessment The legalization service—where a country requires the IB diploma to be formally "legalized" in Geneva before it will be recognized by a university
IB School Enhancement Services Fostering collaborative change, empowering leadership The IB is introducing a new suite of School Enhancement Services to schools on a trial basis starting September 2014*. These services are to support schools in moving to the next level in curriculum planning, programme implementation and leadership. Four services will initially be trialled in schools that indicate their interest in receiving support in the following areas:
Curriculum Connections
Receive support in making connections and mapping curriculum between the IB framework and programmes and selected national, state, provincial or local curriculum requirements. Authorized and candidate schools may opt for this service. Initially offered to schools that offer or plan to offer the Middle Year Programme (MYP).
Building Quality Curriculum Receive expert, experienced feedback to support curriculum changes in MYP unit planning
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Authorized and candidate schools may opt for this service Initially offered to schools that offer or plan to offer MYP Make connections between a school’s (or group of schools’) IB programme(s) and other curriculum requirements in its locality. Depending on a school’s needs, the school may receive high-level relationship studies or detailed mapping. Identify potential gaps between an IB programme and local or national programmes/content. Receive additional support for diverse groups in a school’s community, for example, the school board, parents, or others new to IB programmes. This service is divided into three strands and is appropriate for leadership teams in candidate schools; teachers and coordinators in authorized IB schools; leaders at IB World Schools that must meet local and national requirements; school boards/government agencies: whole programme—for school development teams (programme philosophy, concepts, approaches to learning, the IB learner profile) single-subject or area—for school development teams (knowledge, content, skills, including scope and sequence documentation) whole programme for the school community—including responsible authorities, owners, the management team, board, parents (programme philosophy, concepts, approaches to learning, learner profile, university recognition)
Strengthening Leadership of Groups of Schools
Increase ability of leadership to advocate for schools and support their success Gain detailed knowledge and understanding about IB philosophy, standards, practices and expectations that will deepen understanding of IB schools and programmes For leaders responsible for groups of schools, both private and state Better understand the systems, staff and processes necessary for effective, consistent IB programme implementation within all schools in a group Prepare to serve as a compelling advocate for the IB among staff and community, and in a school’s state, country and network of peers This service is designed to support individuals who serve groups of schools in leadership positions. Identify and address implementation challenges in a group of schools Optimize implementation of one or more IB programmes in multiple schools Realize the benefits of implementing the IB continuum in multiple schools Beginning the IB journey—for leaders of groups of schools new to the IB, seeking to develop a strong understanding of IB programmes as well as support in planning for candidacy and authorization. Continuing and extending the IB journey—for leaders of groups of schools who have (at least one of the following): experience with the IB but are new to their role at least one school at candidate status at least one school with an authorized programme and who are considering moving to candidacy with more programmes or more schools. This service is appropriate for leadership teams at candidate and authorized schools that are parts of groups, including superintendents, CEOs, CAOs and others responsible for the leadership of groups of private schools, public school districts and/or groups aligned by common governance or association.
Building Quality Curriculum Receive structured feedback on MYP unit planning. Deepen understanding of the curriculum planning process and reflect on planning practices. Improve your curriculum to positively impact teaching and learning. This service is appropriate for MYP teachers from candidate or authorized schools who seek to improve their practice. 2015-2016 PROSPECTUS July 28, 2015 Page E - 12
The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Offered in two distinct levels: Self-guided on demand Using new IB-produced tools online, reflectively self-assess your own unit planners and course outlines. Interactive and facilitated Receive written feedback on your self-assessment
Optimizing Assessment Analysis (Diploma Programme) Gain deeper understanding of how to use assessment data and how to create interventions intended to increase student learning Understand how to close the gap between desired outcome and actual performance of Diploma Programme (DP) students through the use of new tools and resources For DP teachers, coordinators and others responsible for successful DP implementation in schools
Optimizing Assessment Analysis (Diploma Programme) Improve ability to analyse and interpret DP student assessment data Increase a school’s (or group of schools’) analytical expertise to better inform decision-making, positively impact student learning and drive school improvement? This service is designed to lift skills to levels that support goals as educators and as a school Use assessment data analysis to identify measures appropriate for a school (or group of schools) to strengthen DP implementation and make assessment more meaningful relative to student outcomes. Learn how to use data analysis as a means for self-improvement by identifying and addressing assessment challenges. Compare data between schools and identify trends across whole systems.
Offered in three distinct levels: Self-guided on demand An array of online resources help analyse assessment data, identify needs and generate ideas for adjustment to a school’s DP implementation. Interactive and facilitated Gain know-how from a combination of self-guided support, related resources and tools plus virtual interaction with a subject-matter expert. Customized consultative Study performance trends over time at a school through dedicated consultation with an IB subject-matter expert. This service also can help identify the professional development needs of a staff and is appropriate for DP teachers, heads of DP schools, heads of groups of schools that offer the DP framework, and other leaders responsible for DP implementation in your school or group of schools.
B. Academic Student Performance Data: Provide academic student performance data for the school(s) or program(s) operated, managed, or supported by the ESP. Evidence must include but is not limited to Proficiency levels (i.e. percent of students scoring proficient or advanced) and growth measures levels (i.e. student growth percentile21)
21Student growth percentiles (SGP) are percentiles (ranging from 1 to 99) calculated by comparing one student's history of MCAS scores to the scores of all the other students in the state with a similar history of MCAS scores. We refer to this group of all other students with similar score histories as a student's academic peers.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School of all students and one or more targeted subgroups compared to statewide averages in comparable grades on the English Language Arts and mathematics MCAS22 or an equivalent assessment for over no less than a three-year period (see template in Table 1). If submitting student data from an English Language Arts and mathematics assessment other than MCAS, please indicate and define the metric used, and if applicable, explain how the growth measure was determined. Targeted subgroups include, but are not limited to: - Students that require special education services (students with disabilities, SWD); - Students who qualify for free and/or reduced lunch (low-income), and - Students with limited English-proficiency (English Language Learners, ELL) If the number of students in one or more subgroups is below the threshold of students required for reporting23, please include a high needs24 student subgroup where student data is aggregated into a ‘super’ subgroup of students with high needs adjusted for enrollment. All submissions may include a comparison to the district(s) from which they anticipate enrolling students (sending district) in addition to the statewide average comparison. A district comparison should use comparable grades whenever possible. Requests may include data tables and visual representations of their own design and are not required to use the template tables provided for reference. Additional information may be submitted to support evidence of student achievement and growth on the MCAS or other standardized assessments.
The IB does not impose admissions standards on IB World Schools, leaving those decisions to state and school authorities. Some schools restrict access, some offer open access, and the reainder fall in between. The IB encourages wider access by making possible IB Grants to schools enrolling or intending to enroll significantly larger numbers of lower-income and racial and ethnic minority and linguistic minority students.
Research at a large urban high school in Southern California has shown that IB programs that include academic and social support can greatly benefit lower-income, racial/ethnic minority students, who are also members of a Linguistic minority or English language learners.
Mayer, Dr. Anysia P. “Paving the Way to College: An Analysis of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Serving Immigrant Students in California.” Chapter 4 of Linguistic Minority Students Go to College: Preparation, Access, and Persistence, edited by Yasuko Kanno, Linda Harkla. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED530729
C. Student Indicator Data: Provide evidence of program success for the school(s) or program(s) operated, managed, or supported by the ESP. Evidence must include but is not limited to: Submission of data related to attendance, retention, attrition, in-school and out-of-school suspension, graduation, and dropout rates may include a comparison to the rates for the state and the proposed sending district(s). Such comparisons may include student data in the aggregate as well as targeted subgroups and, whenever possible, comparable grades. Targeted subgroups include, but are not limited
22Only submit years of data that have been officially released by the Department. 23 For example, the Department does not report MCAS achievement percentages for subgroups with fewer than 10 students included, or MCAS growth percentiles for subgroups with fewer than 20 students included. 24 A student is high needs if he or she is designated as either low income, or ELL, or former ELL, or a student with disabilities. A former ELL student is a student not currently an ELL, but had been at some point in the two previous academic years.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School to: Submissions of data related to attendance, retention, attrition, in-school and out-of-school suspension, graduation, and dropout rates may include a comparison to the rates for the state and the proposed sending district(s). Such comparisons may include student data in the aggregate as well as targeted students that require special education services (students with disabilities, SWD); - Students who qualify for free and/or reduced lunch (low-income); and - Students with limited English proficiency (English language learners, ELL.) Similar to academic performance, submission may include a high needs student subgroup where student data is aggregated into a ‘super’ subgroup of students with high needs adjusted for enrollment. Requests may include data tables and visual representations of their own design and are not required to use the template tables provided for reference. Additional information may be submitted to support evidence of program success. The most well-documented study of the influence of the IB program on an urban, low-income, minority population comparable to New Bedford is: Mayer, Dr. Anysia P. “Paving the Way to College: An Analysis of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Serving Immigrant Students in California.” Chapter 4 of Linguistic Minority Students Go to College: Preparation, Access, and Persistence, edited by Yasuko Kanno, Linda Harkla. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED530729
II. Evidence of Serving Similar Student Populations: A. Student Enrollment Demographics: Provide evidence that the school(s) or program(s) operated, managed, or supported by the ESP served student population(s) similar to the population(s) to be served by the proposed charter. Evidence submitted must compare student enrollment in the school(s) or program(s) operated, managed, or supported by the ESP to comparable grades in the proposed sending district(s). Evidence must indicate the enrollment of the following targeted student population for over no less than a three-year period (see template in Table 3): students that require special education services (students with disabilities, SWD); students who qualify for free and/or reduced lunch (low-income); students with limited English-proficiency (English language learner, ELL); and students whose first language is not English25 (FLNE). Additional data may also be provided for other at-risk student populations who should be targeted to eliminate achievement gaps among different groups of students. In the event that any of the data required for submission is not available, please provide a narrative explaining its absence, and if applicable, include alternative evidence of serving a similar student population to the proposed charter school or the capacity to do so.
Requests may include data tables and visual representations of their own design and are not required to use the template tables provided for reference. Additional information may be submitted to support evidence of serving a similar student population.
Neither of the IB schools authorized for more than five years to offer the IB DP in Massachusetts are comparable to New Bedford demographically. For purposes of comparing New Bedford with a similar student population, see:
25 Indicates the percentage of enrolled students whose first language is a language other than English.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Mayer, Dr. Anysia P. “Paving the Way to College: An Analysis of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Serving Immigrant Students in California.” Chapter 4 of Linguistic Minority Students Go to College: Preparation, Access, and Persistence, edited by Yasuko Kanno, Linda Harkla. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED530729
III. Evidence of Organizational Viability: A. Effective Management and/or Governance: Provide evidence that the services provided by the ESP, and their associated outcomes, have supported the organizational viability of the school(s) or program(s) operated, managed, or supported by the ESP. The response should also include specific corrective actions taken by the ESP in response to any unfavorable conditions and the outcomes to such actions.
The summary should contain specific evidence of the ESP’s effective management and/or governance, as applicable, of the school(s) or program(s). Additional evidence may be required to be provided at the Department interview to substantiate information within the request submission, as applicable, such as: - board of trustees, school committee, or school council minutes; - an analysis of stakeholder survey outcomes; - teacher retention rates; - summary of trainings provided by the ESP; - summative history of performance evaluation(s) performed by and of the ESP; - summative history of any and all charter revocations, non-renewals, shortened or conditional renewals, or charter surrenders; - summative history of contract terminations by the ESP or a school/program; and - the record of compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. The summary should contain specific evidence of the ESP’s effective financial management, as applicable, of the school(s) or program(s). Additional evidence may be required to be provided at the Department interview to substantiate information within the request submission, as applicable, such as: tax returns and/or annual financial audit reports; grant awards and fundraising; loan agreements and debt repayment; - real estate acquisition and capital plans; and financial statements, e.g. annual budgets, year-end balance sheets, and cash flow statements. tax returns and/or annual financial audit reports; - grant awards and fundraising; loan agreements and debt repayment;
None of the schools authorized by the IB to offer IB programs in Massachusetts has encountered problems with viability. Such problems are extremely rare among IB World Schools.
B. Effective Implementation of Recruitment and Retention Plan (as applicable): If the request for Proven Provider status is based on an affiliation with a Massachusetts charter school since 2010, describe the ESP’s role in effectively implementing the recruitment and retention plan. Describe the progress made in attracting, enrolling, and retaining a student population that is demographically comparable to similar grades in schools from which the existing charter school(s) enrolls students. Describe the refinements made to recruitment and retention strategies within the plan to address challenges in this area of school performance. Both of the charter schools offering the IB Diploma Programme for longer than past five years were authorized prior to 2010.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School Table 1. Template for Proficiency and Growth Measures on the MCAS or Equivalent Assessment in English Language Arts and Mathematics ASSESSMENT: SUBJECT: Proposed Sending Grade Span: School or Program: State: District(s)26: -
Student % Adv/Prof27 Growth28 % Adv/Prof Growth % Adv/Prof Growth
Year group All
Students
SWD
Low-
20 income ELL High 29 Needs All
Students
SWD
Low-
income 20 ELL High
Needs All
Students
SWD
Low-
20 income ELL High
Needs Note: If submitting student data from an MCAS equivalent assessment, please indicate and define the metric used, and if applicable, explain how the growth measure was determined in request narrative. See Section IB.
26 Submission may include a comparison to the proposed sending district(s) averages for all students and for one or more targeted subgroups in comparable grades. 27 The Department does not report MCAS achievement percentages for subgroups with fewer than 10 students included. Please adhere to a similar policy, as appropriate, if reporting performance on a non-MCAS assessment. 28 The Department does not report MCAS growth percentiles for subgroups with fewer than 20 students included. Please adhere to a similar policy, as appropriate, if reporting performance on a non-MCAS assessment. 29 High Needs student subgroup may be included if the number of students in one or more subgroups is below the threshold of students required for reporting.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Table 2. Template for Attendance, Retention, Attrition, In-School Suspension, Out-of-School Suspension, and, if applicable, 4-Year Graduation, 5-Year Graduation, and Dropout Rates Grade Span: School or Program: State30: Proposed Sending District(s)31: -
Student group
Year Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate
All Students
20
All Students
20
All Students
20
Note: Additional lines are provided for data of other at-risk student populations who should be targeted to eliminate the achievement gap. See Section IC.
30 Submissions may include a comparison to statewide averages and for all students and targeted subgroups in comparable grades whenever possible. 31 Submissions may include a comparison to the proposed sending district(s) averages for all students and targeted subgroups in comparable grades whenever possible.
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Table 3. Template for Student Enrollment Demographic Percentages Grade Span: -
School or Program: Proposed Sending District(s)32: Student group
Year
SWD
Low-income
ELL
20 FLNE
SWD
Low-income
ELL
20 FLNE
SWD
Low-income
ELL
20 FLNE
Note: Additional lines are provided for data of other at-risk student populations who should be targeted to eliminate the achievement gap. See Section IIA.
32 Provide data only for students in comparable grades whenever possible.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
INDIVIDUAL PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST GAIL M. FORTES
EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM SUCCESS Our Sisters’ School, New Bedford, 145 Brownell Ave., New Bedford, Massachusetts Telephone (508) 994-1255
Our Sisters’ School is a tuition-free independent school for girls whose families qualify as low-income as defined by the annual Massachusetts fuel assistance guidelines at the time of their application. Our Sisters’ School first opened its doors in September of 2008 and has grown to now serve students in grades 5-8. During the 2011-2012 school year, enrollment was 54 students for the entire school, with 12 students in the 8th grade graduating that year. The school year runs for 180 days from late August or early September through mid-June each year. Students are assigned summer work in reading and mathematics which begins the summer before they enter 5th grade.
The school uses an extended day model, with students on campus from 7:15AM – 6:30PM Monday – Thursday and 7:15AM – 5:00PM on Friday, along with numerous community-based activities in the evening and on the weekend throughout the school year and summer months. Each year, students attend English/Language Arts, Mathematics or Advanced (Honors) Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Visual/Performing Arts as their academic core classes. In addition, students have one or two enrichment classes each day. These classes change each trimester and each year of school, and generally include: technology, health, Latin, world language, media literacy, financial literacy and SSAT Prep. Students also participate in after-school extracurricular programs 5 days per week, including 4 days of athletics and 1 day of clubs. Students currently in 8th grade are also completing their second year of small group lessons for musical instrument instruction on an instrument of their choice. The school day concludes Monday – Thursday with 1.5 hours of evening study where students complete homework assignments and receive additional tutoring from teachers and community volunteers.
Our Sisters’ School graduated the school’s first class in June of 2011. The graduates of OSS are continuing their educational voyage locally and afar. Alumnae frequently report being prepared for the challenges of high school, the triumphs on the sports field, trying out for plays, joining new clubs and groups and readiness to take advantage of new opportunities.
At Our Sisters’ School, prides itself on holding students to high standards and high levels of accountability for both their behavior, and also for their level of preparation for high school and beyond, including areas such as organization skills and self-regulation. To facilitate this process, OSS teaching faculty and staff issue detention slips to students for such things as Incomplete or late homework or long-term class assignments, lack of organization skills leading to missing work or school forms, behavior which is less than the OSS ideal of respect and honesty and requires reflection by the student, a plan for improvement moving forward. Beyond their first year, and especially the first few
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School months, students have generally adjusted to this new level of expectations and responsibility and only a few continue to struggle with taking complete responsibility for their organizational skills. Whenever possible, detentions and other staff interventions in these areas are designed to scaffold student’s independence and self-reliance in terms of planning and completing schoolwork, asking for help when needed, managing paperwork and school forms, and solving issues with peers and staff members proactively and respectfully.
OSS uses two different standardized assessment tools to measure and monitor student progress: the Stanford Achievement Test, 10th Edition and the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE)/Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GMADE), all commercially published by Pearson Education.
The Stanford 10 is administered once annually in the late spring to all students in each grade. OSS also tests students with the GRADE (reading) and GMADE (mathematics) tests administered three times per school year (fall, winter, spring).
Role in development and leadership of the school
The mission of Our Sisters' School is to educate and inspire middle school girls from the Greater New Bedford area to reach their full potential in a safe, supportive and challenging environment. The Board of Trustees is committed to advance the mission of Our Sisters’ School through the creation of a sustainable organization with the means to ensure its near and long-term viability. We believe that the integrity of what we hold in trust for these children is best exemplified by informed oversight in a culture of respect.
Gail M. Fortes, Executive Director of the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts is a founding trustee of Our Sisters’ School. Gail currently serves as Vice-Chair of the school and has served on the following committee: student recruitment, governance, and served as chair of personnel committee for six years. Gail also served on the Search Committee for both Head of School searches.
Educational Beliefs of Our Sisters’ School developed by the Board of Trustees: 1. The students of Our Sisters’ School maximize their potential in a physically and emotionally safe environment. 2. The culture of Our Sisters’ School embraces diversity. 3. All members of Our Sisters’ School’s community are held to high standards. 4. The curriculum of Our Sisters’ School allows students to develop:
h independent and collaborative situations -confidence
interdependence of humankind
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
5. The teachers of Our Sisters’ School are provided with resources, support, and continued professional development. 6. The adults and students of Our Sisters’ School build positive relationships that lead to the success of each student. 7. The families of Our Sisters’ School are partners with the school in the work that we do with our students. 8. The students of Our Sisters’ School will grow to become active members of their community and responsible citizens. 9. The students of Our Sisters’ School will become lifelong learners. 10. The students of Our Sisters’ School all have the ability to achieve excellence
Academic student performance data The following analysis was done by Charles Smiler, a founder and proposed trustee of the New Bedford Cheironeum, a proposed Commonwealth Charter School, using raw student performance data supplied by Our Sisters’ School administration.
Three or four years of Stanford 10th Edition data was available for three class cohorts, three years data for the class which graduated eighth grade in 2011, four years data for the class which graduated in 2012, and three years data for the class which completed the seventh grade in 2012. The attached tables present this data in summary form.
The class graduating in 2011 attained remarkable grade equivalency in their eighth grade year with median GE of 11.8 and 13 (post high school equivalency) in reading and math respectively. Their mean GE levels were 11.9 for reading and 11.5 for math. Their median percentile ranks on a national basis were 74.0 in reading and 77.5 in math. Due to their high initial level of achievement in reading as of the end of sixth grade, progress at the median in the two successive years equaled a modest 0.9 GE, while mean GE increased by 1.7. In math, on the other hand, their median grade level increased by 3.3 GE in two years, while the mean increased by only 1.0. Six of the ten students for who three years of data were available ended with post-high-school equivalence which for computational purposes was assigned as GE of 13. Three students appeared to have left the school after sixth grade, one with astoundingly high GE’s in reading and math and one well above grade level in both. The third was slightly below grade level. One student was retained in the sixth grade with a very low reading score and a math score about a half year below grade equivalency. The following year, her reading further declined while she achieved near sixth grade equivalency in math. Likely she was an ELL. She then left the school. One student from this cohort appears to have had a rough year in seventh grade dropping in GE in both reading and math and thereafter apparently leaving the school.
The class graduating in 2012 ended their initial fifth grade year with a median GE of 7.0 in reading and 7.1 in math, and percentile ranks of 49.5 and 51.5 respectively. The twelve students who are in the data for four years made extraordinary progress in the next two years leveling off somewhat in their eight grade year. They ended the eight grade with median GE’s of 11.7 in reading and 12.7 in math and median percentile ranks of 73.0 and 74.0 respectively. One student left this cohort after seventh grade with a GE
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School extraordinarily high GE’s in both reading and math having increased from well above grade at the end of fifth grade. In addition to the student from the previous cohort, one student left after seventh grade having progressed by 2.1 GE in reading and 3.4 in math over two years.
The cohort of eleven students who finished seventh grade in 2012, for whom eighth grade data was not obtained, made median progress over two years of 2.0 GE’s in reading and mean progress of 3.4 ending seventh grade with a mean GE of 6.7. In math, their median progress was 3.6 GE while their mean progress was 2.7 starting from a much higher mean GE of 7.4 at the end of their fifth year. While students in the middle appear to have given back in seventh grade some of their percentile gains in sixth grade, the group nevertheless increased their mean percentile rank in reading from 35.5 in fifth grade to 50.8 in seventh grade. The cohort also gave back some of their relative gains though not their absolute GE’s in math ending with both median and mean increases over two years of 5.5 percentiles. Two students left this cohort after fifth grade, one at grade level and one very far below in reading and nearly as far below in math. One student left after sixth grade having progressed from a very low reading level by 1.8 GE in one year while moving from modestly under to grade level in math. Another, possibly an ELL, left after sixth grade having improved in reading by 1.3 GE to only a half below grade while progressing 1.5 GE in math to more than three years GE ahead of grade. One very high achieving student attended during the seventh grade only.
Based on this data it appears that Our Sister’s School enables its students to make excellent progress especially in math. This fact may reflect its dedication and ability not to let reading and language arts challenges for those for who whom English is not their primary language or not spoken in the home hinder progress in math and likely other subjects. The considerably lower GE levels for the cohort which finished fifth grade in 2010 likely reflects progress in the school’s efforts to recruit students who are educationally needy as well as low-income by its chosen measure of qualifying for fuel assistance. That this cohort made very adequate progress in reading while accelerating its excellence in math indicates an effectively balanced program.
Student indicator data Retention of students within the analyzed cohorts was discussed in the section on student academic student performance. As summarized by the school, absence, tardiness and missed homework and project submissions fall off rapidly after the first few months of the students’ first year indicating success in building a culture of personal responsibility.
EVIDENCE OF SERVING SIMILAR STUDENT POPULATION Student population served Our Sisters’ School serves only female students. It has enrolled and maintained a stable student population that emphasizes service to low-income students in New Bedford. Photographs of classes reveal that students reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of New Bedford. For examples see www.oursistersschool.org. This diversity is easily seen as well in the roster of student names. An indicator of service to ELL students is seen in the percentage of fifth graders whose Stanford 10 reading GE is at or below 4.0 as of the end
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School of the fifth grade. For the classes finishing fifth grade in 2010 through 2012, these percentages are respectively 43%, 31%, 25%.
EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL VIABILITY Effective management and governance Our Sister’s School was founded by a group of local leaders well-respected in the community and with critical affiliations and trust of sources of both financial and volunteer resources. It operates as a not-for-profit corporations exempt from federal taxation under IRC Section 501(c)(3). The founders succeeded in gathering board members, finding a space, obtaining funding and Americorps services, hiring professional staff, and opening and growing the school. A number of the founding board members including this requestor have rotated off the board in an orderly fashion. The school has replaced its principal who left to take a position in the local school district as principal of a Level 5 elementary school under a State managed school improvement plan. Although dependent on fundraising and foundation support as an independent school, Our Sister’s School manages to offer tuition free admission to all its students.
Effective implementation of recruitment and retention plan See discussions under Academic Student Performance Data and Student Population Served. Our Sisters’ School expanded to and has maintained its planned enrollment of approximately twelve students per grade and has graduated three classes of successful eighth graders who have transitioned successfully to private schools on scholarship and to local high schools.
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Table 1 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort graduating eighth grade in 2012
2009 2010 2011 2012 Grade Equivalent 5th 6th 7th 8th 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 5 to 8 Reading Median 7.0 9.6 11.1 11.4 2.6 1.6 0.3 4.4 Reading Mean 7.3 9.0 10.5 10.9 1.7 1.5 0.5 3.7 Math Median 7.1 8.8 13.0 12.7 1.8 4.2 -0.4 5.6 Math Mean 7.8 9.6 11.1 11.5 1.8 1.4 0.5 3.7
2009 2010 2011 2012 Percentile 5th 6th 7th 8th 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 5 to 8 Reading Median 49.5 70.0 77.5 73.0 20.5 7.5 -4.5 23.5 Reading Mean 49.3 63.8 75.2 69.0 14.5 11.3 -6.2 19.7 Math Median 51.5 65.0 76.0 74.0 13.5 11.0 -2.0 22.5 Math Mean 52.1 68.8 71.0 71.7 16.8 2.2 0.7 19.6
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School
Table 2 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort graduating eighth grade in 2011
2009 2010 2011 Grade Equivalent 6th 7th 8th 6 to 7 7 to 8 6 to 8 Reading Median 10.9 10.9 11.8 0.0 0.9 0.9 Reading Mean 10.2 11.0 11.9 0.8 0.8 1.7 Math Median 9.8 13.0 13.0 3.3 0.0 3.3 Math Mean 10.5 11.8 11.5 1.3 -0.2 1.0
Percentile Reading Median 73.5 75.0 74.0 1.5 -1.0 0.5 Reading Mean 72.1 75.9 77.1 3.8 1.2 5.0 Math Median 70.5 80.0 77.5 9.5 -2.5 7.0 Math Mean 76.3 79.1 75.5 2.8 -3.6 -0.8
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Table 3 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort completing seventh grade in 2012
2010 2011 2012 Grade Equivalent 5th 6th 7th 5 to 6 6 to 7 5 to 7 Reading Median 4.8 6.8 6.7 2.1 -0.1 2.0 Reading Mean 4.9 7.5 8.3 2.7 0.7 3.4 Math Median 6.9 9.8 10.4 3.0 0.6 3.6 Math Mean 7.4 9.8 10.1 2.4 0.2 2.7
Percentile Reading Median 32.0 49.0 40.0 17.0 -9.0 8.0 Reading Mean 35.5 49.5 50.8 14.0 1.3 15.3 Math Median 62.5 70.0 68.0 7.5 -2.0 5.5 Math Mean 57.0 68.6 62.5 11.6 -6.2 5.5
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INDIVIDUAL PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST HELENA DaSILVA HUGHES
EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM SUCCESS Our Sisters’ School, New Bedford, 145 Brownell Ave., New Bedford, Massachusetts Telephone 508 994-1255
Our Sisters’ School is a tuition-free independent school for girls whose families qualify as low-income as defined by the annual Massachusetts fuel assistance guidelines at the time of their application. Our Sisters’ School first opened its doors in September of 2008 and has grown to now serve students in grades 5-8. During the 2011-2012 school year, enrollment was 54 students for the entire school, with 12 students in the 8th grade graduating that year. The school year runs for 180 days from late August or early September through mid-June each year. Students are assigned summer work in reading and mathematics which begins the summer before they enter 5th grade.
The school uses an extended day model, with students on campus from 7:15AM – 6:30PM Monday – Thursday and 7:15AM – 5:00PM on Friday, along with numerous community-based activities in the evening and on the weekend throughout the school year and summer months. Each year, students attend English/Language Arts, Mathematics or Advanced (Honors) Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Visual/Performing Arts as their academic core classes. In addition, students have one or two enrichment classes each day. These classes change each trimester and each year of school, and generally include: technology, health, Latin, world language, media literacy, financial literacy and SSAT Prep. Students also participate in after-school extracurricular programs 5 days per week, including 4 days of athletics and 1 day of clubs. Students currently in 8th grade are also completing their second year of small group lessons for musical instrument instruction on an instrument of their choice. The school day concludes Monday – Thursday with 1.5 hours of evening study where students complete homework assignments and receive additional tutoring from teachers and community volunteers.
Our Sisters’ School graduated the school’s first class in June of 2011. The graduates of OSS are continuing their educational voyage locally and afar. Alumnae frequently report being prepared for the challenges of high school, the triumphs on the sports field, trying out for plays, joining new clubs and groups and readiness to take advantage of new opportunities.
At Our Sisters’ School, prides itself on holding students to high standards and high levels of accountability for both their behavior, and also for their level of preparation for high school and beyond, including areas such as organization skills and self- regulation. To facilitate this process, OSS teaching faculty and staff issue detention slips to students for such things as Incomplete or late homework or long-term class assignments, lack of organization skills leading to missing work or school forms, behavior which is less than the OSS ideal of respect and honesty and requires reflection by the student, a plan for improvement moving forward. Beyond their first year, and
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School especially the first few months, students have generally adjusted to this new level of expectations and responsibility and only a few continue to struggle with taking complete responsibility for their organizational skills. Whenever possible, detentions and other staff interventions in these areas are designed to scaffold student’s independence and self-reliance in terms of planning and completing schoolwork, asking for help when needed, managing paperwork and school forms, and solving issues with peers and staff members proactively and respectfully.
OSS uses two different standardized assessment tools to measure and monitor student progress: the Stanford Achievement Test, 10th Edition and the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE)/Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GMADE), all commercially published by Pearson Education.
The Stanford 10 is administered once annually in the late spring to all students in each grade. OSS also tests students with the GRADE (reading) and GMADE (mathematics) tests administered three times per school year (fall, winter, spring).
Role in development and leadership of the school
As one of the original trustees of OSS I was involved in the creation and start up of the school at all levels including the hiring of the Head of School. In addition, I was involved in the outreach and recruitment of the students and had several information sessions at the Immigrants’ Assistance Center to speak to the non-English speaking parents about OSS. I also attended several community events to speak about OSS.
Academic student performance data The following analysis was done by Charles Smiler, a founder and proposed trustee of the New Bedford Cheironeum, a proposed Commonwealth Charter School, using raw student performance data supplied by Our Sisters’ School administration.
Three or four years of Stanford 10th Edition data was available for three class cohorts, three years data for the class which graduated eighth grade in 2011, four years data for the class which graduated in 2012, and three years data for the class which completed the seventh grade in 2012. The attached tables present this data in summary form.
The class graduating in 2011 attained remarkable grade equivalency in their eighth grade year with median GE of 11.8 and 13 (post high school equivalency) in reading and math respectively. Their mean GE levels were 11.9 for reading and 11.5 for math. Their median percentile ranks on a national basis were 74.0 in reading and 77.5 in math. Due to their high initial level of achievement in reading as of the end of sixth grade, progress at the median in the two successive years equaled a modest 0.9 GE, while mean GE increased by 1.7. In math, on the other hand, their median grade level increased by 3.3 GE in two years, while the mean increased by only 1.0. Six of the ten students for who three years of data were available ended with post-high-school equivalence which for computational purposes was assigned as GE of 13. Three students appeared to have left the school after sixth grade, one with astoundingly high
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GE’s in reading and math and one well above grade level in both. The third was slightly below grade level. One student was retained in the sixth grade with a very low reading score and a math score about a half year below grade equivalency. The following year, her reading further declined while she achieved near sixth grade equivalency in math. Likely she was an ELL. She then left the school. One student from this cohort appears to have had a rough year in seventh grade dropping in GE in both reading and math and thereafter apparently leaving the school.
The class graduating in 2012 ended their initial fifth grade year with a median GE of 7.0 in reading and 7.1 in math, and percentile ranks of 49.5 and 51.5 respectively. The twelve students who are in the data for four years made extraordinary progress in the next two years leveling off somewhat in their eight grade year. They ended the eight grade with median GE’s of 11.7 in reading and 12.7 in math and median percentile ranks of 73.0 and 74.0 respectively. One student left this cohort after seventh grade with a GE extraordinarily high GE’s in both reading and math having increased from well above grade at the end of fifth grade. In addition to the student from the previous cohort, one student left after seventh grade having progressed by 2.1 GE in reading and 3.4 in math over two years.
The cohort of eleven students who finished seventh grade in 2012, for whom eighth grade data was not obtained, made median progress over two years of 2.0 GE’s in reading and mean progress of 3.4 ending seventh grade with a mean GE of 6.7. In math, their median progress was 3.6 GE while their mean progress was 2.7 starting from a much higher mean GE of 7.4 at the end of their fifth year. While students in the middle appear to have given back in seventh grade some of their percentile gains in sixth grade, the group nevertheless increased their mean percentile rank in reading from 35.5 in fifth grade to 50.8 in seventh grade. The cohort also gave back some of their relative gains though not their absolute GE’s in math ending with both median and mean increases over two years of 5.5 percentiles. Two students left this cohort after fifth grade, one at grade level and one very far below in reading and nearly as far below in math. One student left after sixth grade having progressed from a very low reading level by 1.8 GE in one year while moving from modestly under to grade level in math. Another, possibly an ELL, left after sixth grade having improved in reading by 1.3 GE to only a half below grade while progressing 1.5 GE in math to more than three years GE ahead of grade. One very high achieving student attended during the seventh grade only.
Based on this data it appears that Our Sister’s School enables its students to make excellent progress especially in math. This fact may reflect its dedication and ability not to let reading and language arts challenges for those for who whom English is not their primary language or not spoken in the home hinder progress in math and likely other subjects. The considerably lower GE levels for the cohort which finished fifth grade in 2010 likely reflects progress in the school’s efforts to recruit students who are educationally needy as well as low-income by its chosen measure of qualifying for fuel assistance. That this cohort made very adequate progress in reading while accelerating its excellence in math indicates an effectively balanced program.
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Student indicator data Retention of students within the analyzed cohorts was discussed in the section on student academic student performance. As summarized by the school, absence, tardiness and missed homework and project submissions fall off rapidly after the first few months of the students’ first year indicating success in building a culture of personal responsibility.
EVIDENCE OF SERVING SIMILAR STUDENT POPULATION Student population served Our Sisters’ School serves only female students. It has enrolled and maintained a stable student population that emphasizes service to low-income students in New Bedford. Photographs of classes reveal that students reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of New Bedford. For examples see www.oursistersschool.org. This diversity is easily seen as well in the roster of student names. An indicator of service to ELL students is seen in the percentage of fifth graders whose Stanford 10 reading GE is at or below 4.0 as of the end of the fifth grade. For the classes finishing fifth grade in 2010 through 2012, these percentages are respectively 43%, 31%, 25%.
EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL VIABILITY Effective management and governance Our Sister’s School was founded by a group of local leaders well-respected in the community and with critical affiliations and trust of sources of both financial and volunteer resources. It operates as a not-for-profit corporations exempt from federal taxation under IRC Section 501(c)(3). The founders succeeded in gathering board members, finding a space, obtaining funding and Americorps services, hiring professional staff, and opening and growing the school. A number of the founding board members including this requestor have rotated off the board in an orderly fashion. The school has replaced its principal who left to take a position in the local school district as principal of a Level 5 elementary school under a State managed school improvement plan. Although dependent on fundraising and foundation support as an independent school, Our Sister’s School manages to offer tuition free admission to all its students.
Effective implementation of recruitment and retention plan See discussions under Academic Student Performance Data and Student Population Served. Our Sisters’ School expanded to and has maintained its planned enrollment of approximately twelve students per grade and has graduated three classes of successful eighth graders who have transitioned successfully to private schools on scholarship and to local high schools.
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Table 1 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort graduating eighth grade in 2012
2009 2010 2011 2012 Grade Equivalent 5th 6th 7th 8th 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 5 to 8 Reading Median 7.0 9.6 11.1 11.4 2.6 1.6 0.3 4.4 Reading Mean 7.3 9.0 10.5 10.9 1.7 1.5 0.5 3.7 Math Median 7.1 8.8 13.0 12.7 1.8 4.2 -0.4 5.6 Math Mean 7.8 9.6 11.1 11.5 1.8 1.4 0.5 3.7
2009 2010 2011 2012 Percentile 5th 6th 7th 8th 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 5 to 8 Reading Median 49.5 70.0 77.5 73.0 20.5 7.5 -4.5 23.5 Reading Mean 49.3 63.8 75.2 69.0 14.5 11.3 -6.2 19.7 Math Median 51.5 65.0 76.0 74.0 13.5 11.0 -2.0 22.5 Math Mean 52.1 68.8 71.0 71.7 16.8 2.2 0.7 19.6
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Table 2 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort graduating eighth grade in 2011
2009 2010 2011 Grade Equivalent 6th 7th 8th 6 to 7 7 to 8 6 to 8 Reading Median 10.9 10.9 11.8 0.0 0.9 0.9 Reading Mean 10.2 11.0 11.9 0.8 0.8 1.7 Math Median 9.8 13.0 13.0 3.3 0.0 3.3 Math Mean 10.5 11.8 11.5 1.3 -0.2 1.0
Percentile Reading Median 73.5 75.0 74.0 1.5 -1.0 0.5 Reading Mean 72.1 75.9 77.1 3.8 1.2 5.0 Math Median 70.5 80.0 77.5 9.5 -2.5 7.0 Math Mean 76.3 79.1 75.5 2.8 -3.6 -0.8
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Table 3 Stanford Edition 10 spring administered test results Student cohort completing seventh grade in 2012
2010 2011 2012 Grade Equivalent 5th 6th 7th 5 to 6 6 to 7 5 to 7 Reading Median 4.8 6.8 6.7 2.1 -0.1 2.0 Reading Mean 4.9 7.5 8.3 2.7 0.7 3.4 Math Median 6.9 9.8 10.4 3.0 0.6 3.6 Math Mean 7.4 9.8 10.1 2.4 0.2 2.7
Percentile Reading Median 32.0 49.0 40.0 17.0 -9.0 8.0 Reading Mean 35.5 49.5 50.8 14.0 1.3 15.3 Math Median 62.5 70.0 68.0 7.5 -2.0 5.5 Math Mean 57.0 68.6 62.5 11.6 -6.2 5.5
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PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST COVER SHEET FOR INDIVIDUALS All Proven Provider requests must include a Proven Provider Request Cover Sheet.
The following cover sheet must be submitted with each individual’s Proven Provider request.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name of Person Submitting Request: Maria A. Rosario
Address: NorthStar Learning Centers, 53 Linden St.
City: New Bedford State: MA Zip Code: 02740
Daytime Telephone: (508) 991.5907 Email: [email protected]
I hereby certify under the penalties of perjury that the information submitted in this Proven Provider request is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that Proven Provider is required to access seats available above the 9 percent net school spending cap in districts identified as performing in the lowest 10 percent of all operating public school districts. I further understand that if Proven Provider status is not granted by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, the applicant group cannot be invited to submit a final application.
7/27/2015 Signature of Proven Provider candidate Date
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INDIVIDUAL PROVEN PROVIDER REQUEST MARIA A. ROSARIO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NORTHSTAR LEARNING CENTERS
EVIDENCE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM SUCCESS AND OF SERVING SIMILAR STUDENT POPULATION New Bedford 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program: For more than a decade, NorthStar Learning Centers has been the primary community partner in the New Bedford Public Schools-led 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) initiative, which provides afterschool and summer academic support and enrichment programming for low-achieving students at the following ten district schools: Carney Academy Ashley Elementary School Gomes Elementary School Lincoln Elementary School Pacheco Elementary School Normandin Middle School Roosevelt Middle School New Bedford High School DeValles Elementary School Trinity Day Academy
As community partner, NorthStar Learning Centers has been heavily involved in program planning, implementation, and evaluation. NorthStar developed many of the forms, including a site facilitator’s guidebook, to help sites meet ESE’s rigorous recordkeeping requirements. To provide programs with model project-based learning activities, NorthStar developed three standards-based curricula that introduce elementary school students to sets of exemplary picture books as models for their own writing. In “Bookcraft/Biography,” students research, write, illustrate, “publish,” and share stories about themselves, family members, and community people they admire. This curriculum was highlighted at a statewide 21st CCLC grantees’ meeting. For the 2015 summer program, NorthStar developed “New Bedford Now and Then: Exploring Our Past and Present through Picture Books,” designed to introduce New Bedford second and third grade students to high-quality picture books as windows into the place where they live and the people they live with. In keeping with the New Bedford Public Schools’ adoption of Scott Foresman Reading Street as its core elementary school reading program, all three curricula use the 6-traits approach to improving writing skills.
Who does the 21st CCLC programs serve? Research indicates that students who would most benefit from participation in afterschool and summer programs—students of color, students living in poverty—are least likely to enroll. Using targeted recruitment strategies, New Bedford’s 21st CCLC initiative has been generally successful in recruiting from these target groups. Non-white students have been well represented in our school-year and summer programs—a project objective to help reduce the achievement gap between students of color and their white peers. Our programs have generally served higher percentage of students from low-income households than found in the district student population.
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Some sites enrolled students in special education at higher percentages than found in their school’s overall student population.
Benefits: The district’s 21st CCLC initiative has focused on reading and writing as its academic outcomes, since these are foundational skills that provide access to other content areas. Over the years, pre- and post-participation surveys have generally showed significant academic and social development gains. Survey results generally showed gains in “intermediary” outcome areas such as engagement in learning, problem-solving skills, and relations with adults. Survey results have showed that students with disabilities thrived academically and socially in the inclusive, supportive 21st CCLC settings. The project-based learning approach, coupled with a more relaxed, supportive environment, enabled students with disabilities to fully participate in learning activities.
Program attendance: One gauge of program effectiveness has been high participant attendance. New Bedford’s 21st CCLC programs have generally achieved state-established attendance goals. Elementary school programs have been consistently successful in meeting desired attendance levels. The specific strategies used to keep attendance high throughout the year have been the expectations of the programs and offering high-interest, hands-on, fun activities to support students’ academic and non-academic student outcomes. Program sites readjusted their program activity schedule of planned activities to meet students’ interests and needs—and to keep them coming. The correlation between “dosage” and participant gains also makes a strong case for the efficacy of our afterschool and summer programs.
Quantum Opportunities Program located at New Bedford High School: What is the Quantum Opportunities Program? In 2011, NorthStar Learning Centers partnered with the New Bedford Public Schools to open a new dropout prevention program for youth with low grades entering New Bedford High School. Funded by the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation, the evidence-based Quantum Opportunities Program was designed to help disadvantaged youth make a “quantum leap” up the ladder of opportunity through academic (e.g., homework assistance, computer-based instruction), developmental, (e.g., life skills, leadership, college planning), and community service activities offered to them throughout their 4 years in high school. Building close relationships with the students, program staff provided intensive case management, helping students make positive choices guided by a sense of opportunity and possibility—rather than harmful choices fueled by hopelessness. After an intense application and interview process, the Eisenhower Foundation chose NorthStar to be one out of seven sites funded nationally.
Of the 24 freshmen who gave the program a chance, 4 moved out of the district. One dropped out of the program. The 19 students remained engaged in the program.
What has been accomplished to date? Quantum participants were selected from struggling freshmen who had little hope of graduating. Three years later, 74% of the students increased their grade point average, and 12 of them made the honor roll in their last year. Quantum students who achieved or maintained a 95% attendance rate shot up from 35% to 100%. Linked to staying in school and staying out of trouble, participation in extracurricular activities increased from 10% to 63%. Participants’ school behavior improved, evidenced by the decline in their out-of-school suspensions from 50% to 16%. Program youth who reported having support from consistent non-family adults rose from 10% to
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100%. Staffs worked closely with UMass-Dartmouth to recruit interns and tutors. This newly formed relationship led to NorthStar being one of only two community agencies that UMass- Dartmouth chose to be part of its Lesson in Leadership program. The Lessons in Leadership program requires UMass students to participate in community service to maintain their full scholarships. During the four years of the program, no students were court-involved. Out of the 19 students, who graduated high school after being in the program for four years; 7 students enrolled in four-year universities, 4 attended community colleges, and 2 went on to trade schools, while 5 went on to work and 1 entered the military.
Why was program completion important? Beyond our commitment to providing quality, effective services, we respected the disadvantaged youth who took an enormous positive risk on the basis of our word and enrolled in a 4-year program. Participants turned their academic and personal lives around with the hope that this path would lead to a better tomorrow – that is what we promised them.
Secondly, the Quantum Opportunities Program served as a best-practice example of student support and success that helped to lift New Bedford High School out of its “underperforming” status. The Quantum program aligned with Superintendent Pia Durkin’s call for strengthening supports for struggling students in middle and high school and increased family involvement in their children’s education.
We operate several youth and family support programs funded through the Department of Children and Families: Our youth and family support program are youth-centered, family-focused, and strength-based – we look at the whole youth, in the context of the family and the family within the framework of the community assets. Our programs work to enhance the existing strengths of the family and help them find resources for those they don’t possess. For example, a sizeable extended family can provide a great deal of informal resources that can help the involved youth and parents create an environment of safety and well-being through youth care, transportation, joint meals, etc. Also, through encouraging connections to the community through spirituality, civic interest, activism, continued education and others we hope that families follow our lead and instruction for self- advocacy, resource identification and proactive decision making.
Our programs focus on reducing youth placements into foster care or residential settings. We also want to achieve: Improved school attendance, Improved attitude toward school, as indicated by fewer suspensions, Improved academic achievement, Higher self-esteem, Improved attitude toward social participation, Regular contact with a wider range of role models, Formulation of personal, educational, and vocational goals and a plan and attending timetable to achieve them.
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Our role is to provide the families with the supports necessary to keep the youth at home. Given our ties to the community, our organizational history and cultural makeup, our programs are best equipped to work with youth and families from impoverished, disenfranchised populations. We believe that effective wraparound services are culturally competent and build on strengths the family finds in its history, community, etc. Our programs communicate with parents in their home or preferred language as means to facilitate comfort, compliance and partnership. With that said, NorthStar recognizes that poverty, discrimination, unresponsive schools, and other institutional indifference have constituted barriers to personal, educational, and occupational advancement for many people and thereby generated a sense of disempowerment and hopelessness for the future. Therefore, we make concerted efforts to hire employees who understand the socio-economic and cultural issues important to our local linguistically and culturally diverse community. Hiring and promoting staff from the local community helps to build strong relationships with families and to send a strong message to consumers that the program is theirs and that they can achieve success in the program. NorthStar staff represent all the major cultural groups of New Bedford area DCF consumers – Latino, Cape Verdean, other African American, Portuguese, and other European American.
Measuring tools used in our youth programs: All of our youth programs utilized a Positive Youth Development approach. To measure personal growth in leadership, youth complete a leadership self-assessment, including baseline measurement of their leadership-related behavior from which future goals can be identified and improvements assessed. Further, service-learning projects involve youth in identifying and assessing tangible measures of project strengths, problems encountered, work accomplished, and impact—information that they can use to inform and improve their future service-learning projects.
Using OJJDP standardized performance measures that align with youth benefits from participation in quality, youth-led service-learning, we also look at changes in grades, school attendance, school behavior, positive out-of-school-time activities, and perception of social support. Explaining we are interested in aggregate results, we obtain parental and school consent to access school student records such as report cards and progress notes. Students document their service hours, pre- and post-involvement in out-of-school-time activities, and baseline and post-program perception of social support.
All our programs are informed by recent research and best practices emerging from innovative youth approaches from across the country. As a member of the National Wraparound Initiative, we have ready access to up-to-date resources to work with children, youth, and families.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM SERVING PRE-SCHOOL POPULATION Early Education and Care Program: NorthStar Learning Centers was recognized by Root Cause/Social Impact Research as one of 21 Recommended High Performing School Readiness Organizations in Massachusetts, selected from over 400 “school readiness” programs.
Since our establishment in 1975, we have identified our programs for young children as “early education”—as an opportunity to prepare low-income and at-risk children to succeed in school. This program focus aligns with the growing body of research on how and when children learn.
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Children make more learning gains during their first five years than in any subsequent period of their lives. In fact, 85% of who we are is developed by the age of five.
ROLE IN OPERATION OF PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATION I have been the Executive Director of NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc. since November, 2004, having previously served as its Director of Youth Services from 2002 until that time. As Executive Director, I am responsible for management of all aspects of the organization, including program design and delivery, negotiation of joint program agreements, grant funding and reporting, client relations, and community outreach. I report to the board of directors.
EVIDENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL VIABILITY Founded in 1974, NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc. has grown from one neighborhood-based preschool center to a multiservice organization that serves New Bedford area children from birth to adulthood. In recent years, it has expanded specific programs to include children in Boston, Randolph, and southeastern Massachusetts communities. In all our programs, we are committed to serving the underserved, reaching the "hard-to-reach," and treating the “hard-to-treat.” A 501(c)(3) and state-certified minority-led nonprofit, NorthStar Learning Centers is governed by a culturally diverse board of directors.
Our mission is: to help young people overcome poverty, discrimination, educational disadvantage, violence, and other adversity through learning essential competencies and hopefulness with which they can transform their lives and communities. In advocacy and public policy, we as a minority-led nonprofit organization advance diversity as a strength and resource to open pathways to create a better life.
We are a leader in hiring, promoting, and retaining staff who represent Greater New Bedford’s different cultural communities. Our staff diversity and fluency in the languages spoken in our community send a strong message to the people we serve that they can achieve success in our programs.
Funding sources. The Department of Early Education and Care has funded our early childhood programs for over 25 years and our year-round, full-day (during school vacations and closures) afterschool program since 1999. Our current contracts to serve low-income working, child welfare-involved, and homeless families. We have been in full contractual compliance, verified by Department monitoring.
Our other major funder is the Department of Children and Families (DCF), for which we have provided “supportive” child care services for over 25 years and which has funded NorthStar youth programs since 1998. Despite deep budget cutbacks, DCF continues to partner with us on creating new program models such as kinship care. Contracts are renewed yearly. Service delivery reimbursement rates are currently being reviewed for possible increases.
For over 25 years, we have received Department of Elementary and Secondary Education funding for our Child and Adult Care Food Program. Since 2003, we have been a major subcontractor for the New Bedford Public Schools’ Massachusetts 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool/summer program for low-achieving students. Additionally, in 2014 we started
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The NEW BEDFORD CHEIRONEUM A Commonwealth Charter School providing social/emotional supports to students attending New Bedford High School, Whaling City and the Parenting Teens Program. Other funding sources include: Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts United Way of Greater New Bedford Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Office of Housing and Community, City of New Bedford Parent fees Department of Public Health (DPH) Private foundations Individual contributions
No major findings have emerged from NorthStar’s annual audits. Revenues reported to the IRS on Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, were $2,685,170 with expenses of $2,613,591 and net revenue over expense of $71,579. Revenues and expenses grew from 2013 by approximately $170,000. There was a major increase in funding and programs of approximately $2.0 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.
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PURCHASE/LEASE for MIDDLE YEARS CAMPUS SHARE for JUNIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
NASHAWENA MILL, built 1909 AZOREAN WHALEBOATS Office and Power Plant, circa 1921 Racing in Clark’s Cove, New Bedford
ONCE THE HEART OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MILL, THROUGH CHEIRONEUM-SPONSORED MEMBERSHIPS THIS EXPANSIVE STRUCTURE IS EQUAL PARTS IN THE AZOREAN MARITIME HERITAGE SOCIETY, HOGWARTS, ROMAN BASILICA, AND GOTHIC STUDENTS WILL TRAIN AND COMPETE IN THE CATHEDRAL, WITH 14O FEET OF FRONTAGE ON THE SOCIETY’S TRADITIONAL WATERCRAFT, LEARNING HISTORIC ACUSHNET RIVER, IN VIEW OF A TEAM AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS WHILE PREPARING FOR FEDERALLY-FUNDED, FUTURE INTERNATIONAL OVERSEAS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. ROWING COURSE.
PURCHASE/LEASE for CLASSROOMS PARTNER for SAIL TRAINING and OCEAN RESEARCH
NASHAWENA MILL OFFICE BUILDING SCHOONER ERNESTINA-MORRISSEY Front Elevation (Detail of Above ) Official Vessel of Massachusetts, launched 1894
SITE OF THE FAMOUS STRIKE OF 1928, THIS FORMER CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A $7MILLION REFIT, THIS MILL COMPLEX (AND FORMER HQ OF THE BUZZARDS FORMER FISHING VESSEL AND POLAR EXPLORER, A BAY COALITION) OFFERS 25,000 S/F OF POTENTIAL SOVEREIGN GIFT OF THE CABO VERDEAN CLASSROOM SPACE, INCL. AN EXISTING WETLAB, GOVERNMENT AND THIRD MOST HISTORIC SAILING WITH OPTIONS FOR ADDING ON, SUBDIVIDING, OR VESSEL IIN THE US, IS DEDICATED BY STATUTE TO LEASING ADDITIONAL NEARBY SPACE. EDUCATION, WITH NEW BEDFORD AS HOMEPORT .
BORROW for SHAKESPEAREAN THEATER VISIT for MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
FORT RODMAN, begun c. 1850 SÃO MIGUEL, FAIAL, PICO, in the AÇORES Front Elevation View of Lomba Pedreia,, Nordeste, São Miguel
OFFERING THE ACOUSTICS, INTIMACY, AND OPEN AIR RANKED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AMONG THE TOP OF LONDON’S GLOBE THEATER, (IN A SETTING THREE ISLAND DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD, THE WORTHY OF ELSINORE), FORT RODMAN IS THE AÇORES SUPPORT EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION IN PERFECT VENUE FOR THE CHEIRONEUM’S ANNUAL BIOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY, MATHEMATICS, SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. LITERATURE, LANGUAGE AND THE ARTS.
A READY-MADE CAMPUS - To PURCHASE, LEASE, BORROW, SHARE, and VISIT (Key inside Back Cover)