Contact Information: Address: 424 State Rd. P.O. Box 1150 West Tisbury, MA 02575 Telephone: 508-693-9900 Fax: 508-696-9008 Website: www.mvpcs.org
INTRODUCTION Description:
Director: Robert M. Moore Grades Served: Kindergarten through Twelve Age Levels: Five through Twenty-one Student / Teacher Ratio: 1:8.4 School Day: 8:15 - 3:15 School began on September 4, 2008 and ended on June 24, 2009. There were 180 days of instruction.
The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter
School is a Regional Charter school
located in West Tisbury on the island
of Martha’s Vineyard and
serves 175 students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The school enrolls students from the towns of
Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, and West
Tisbury. The enrollment cap for the school is set at 180 students. Mission Statement It is the mission of the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School to create a public school that will cultivate lifelong learners in a multi-aged, project-based setting. Within an environment, that models interdependence as the foundation of society, The individual student will learn to direct his/her own learning. The group will make decisions together and recognize the unique contributions of each member. The community will support and interact with the school body.
Letter from the President of the Board of Trustees The
administration, teachers and staff did an excellent job nurturing an
environment for learning during the 2008-2009 school year. Project Based
activities were in evidence at all grade levels. Individualized learning was
actively encouraged through daily activities and education plans. The
administration and staff was consistent in its adherence to the original
charter, which was reviewed during the strategic planning meetings, staff
meetings and board meetings. The
Building Committee coordinated the construction of our final addition. This
addition adds key areas for art, music and additional classrooms and bathrooms.
Director’s Letter The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School had its largest enrollment (176) and its largest graduating class (9) this year. The school has seen applications for enrollment increase. The retention rate for students and teachers is above 90% which insures stability, collaboration and attention to our work. The school community is pleased with the three-year site visit report we received this spring. The site visits provide an opportunity to reflect on our continued effort to ensure that all students are reaching their greatest potential while under our care. The objectives we set for the 2008-2009 school year included expanding the arts program, integrating technology with the classroom curriculum, and writing the MVPCS Strategic Plan for 2010-2014. The community is pleased with the initial steps in the expansion of the art program as art “exploded” out of each classroom and was prominent throughout the school building. The theater program produced two productions during the school year, the Third and Fourth Grade Project with the Vineyard Playhouse and Grades 5-12 production of The Haunting of Will Shakespeare. Technology manifested itself in the form of videotaping interviews as part of a grade nine and ten US History course, web sites designed for grade five and six novel writing projects and implementing the use of Google Apps. in Grades 7 and 8 Social Studies classes. The 2010-2014 Strategic Plan is the product of a process that began in September 2008 asking for and receiving input and suggestions from teachers, members of the Board of Trustees, parents, and community members. The school year highlights included the eighth grade trip to visit our sister school and friends in San Giovanni Val d’Arno, Italy; the High School’s inaugural trip to Mexico to assist an orphanage; and the building of the school’s new wing, which includes four new classrooms. The staff and community are pleased with the accomplishments of the 2008-2009 school year. The MVPCS community is looking forward to opening our new wing in September 2009 and beginning to work on the 15th year charter renewal application for the fall of 2010. Robert M. Moore Director PERFORMANCE AND PLANS SECTION I. Faithfulness to Charter “It is the mission of the MVPCS to create a public school that will cultivate lifelong learners in a multi-aged, project based setting....Education is most meaningful when the student is invested in the studies by choice. The curriculum evolves out of student needs and student choice in conjunction with the MA Curriculum Frameworks.... At the core of the MVPCS educational program is the belief that self-directed learning is the deepest learning. The educational program of the MVPCS is designed to empower students to learn how to direct their own learning while sharing in the community’s resources. An environment of mutual respect is fostered where success is applauded and mistakes can be made during the daily process.” MVPCS Charter Summary of Performance Relative to Accountability Plan Objectives Objective One: Schoolwork will be project based. Measure 1 Each age group will host at least one Project Exhibition during both semesters each year. Summary: The school has met the measure. Since 2003, Project Exhibitions have taken place in each classroom each semester. Parents and community members are invited to these exhibitions, which are culminating events in units of study and the project work of the classrooms. Each age group had an exhibition each semester during the school year. The exhibitions included “Traditions” in grades 1/2, “Biography Exhibits” in grades 3/4, “Our Novels Project” in grades 5/6, “A Renaissance Fair” in grades 7/8, and Portfolio work completed by every High School student this year. Measure 2 Two 8-10 day, “Project Periods” will occur during each school year. One hundred percent of students in Grades 5 through 12 will actively participate in Project Period exhibitions, which may include oral, written or multimedia presentations and will take place at the end of each Project Period. Ninety percent of the students will exhibit their work according to the exhibition criteria. Summary: The school has met the measure. Active student participation has been a cornerstone of the school’s Project Periods. In fact, many students remark that Project Period is their favorite time of year and this love for learning is epitomized through the student’s hard work and remarkable achievements during these courses. For example, 12 students hiked over 20 miles in Vermont while learning about environment, ecology, and teamwork. Students participated in project period classes on Astronomy, Illustration, Movie-Making and Small-Scale Building as well. Fifteen students traveled to Mexico and seventeen students went to Italy during February’s Project Period. All teachers reported that all of their students exhibited their work according to the exhibition criteria. Objective Two: Students will make measurable progress in each of the categories articulated in the Charter Learner Assessment Tool: self-directed, interdependent, complex thinker, project based, and democratic member. Measure 1 Data from the “Charter Learner Assessment Tool” will indicate that more than 75% of students at the end of their two-year cycle in a particular classroom have achieved Apprentice or Practitioner levels in each of the categories (self-directed, interdependent, complex thinker, project based and democratic community member.)
2008-2009
2007-2008
2006-2007
Summary: The school has partially met this measure. Data from the Charter Learner Assessment Tool was formally collected school-wide beginning in January and June of 2005. Each classroom has developed age-appropriate criteria for assessing the Charter Learner categories of each student. The student is assessed individually based upon his or her performance in each category (self-direction, interdependent, complex thinker, project-based learner, and democratic member). The discussions that take place and procedures followed in each classroom help the students acquire the skills and understandings consistent with life-long learners and positive contributors in a community. The categories of “complex thinker” and “democratic community member” need analysis, especially for the 8th grade, based on the data. This will happen with faculty during the 2009-2010 school year. The faculty participated in a two day workshop led by a facilitator trained in the Positive Discipline approach. The need for continued participation in such workshops is evidenced by the Charter Learner results for Grade Eight. Students and teachers will continue to implement the Positive Discipline approach and, especially in Grades 7-12, during the 2009-1010 school year. Objective Three: MVPCS will instill in its students an understanding of and appreciation for the schools five “Rights”: 1. To feel safe in mind, body, and spirit. 2. To have personal property reserved for personal use, unless loaned or given to someone else. 3. To have needs, aspirations and responsibilities acknowledged and respected. 4. To be him/herself as long as s/he is responsive to others. 5. To have a clean, tidy and vandalism free campus. Measure 1 Every classroom will thoroughly explore, in developmentally appropriate ways, the definition of each right during the first month of school. The rights will be posted in every classroom. In school and out of school suspensions will be less than ten per year as a result of students’ understandings of their rights and responsibilities. Summary: The school has met the measure. This continues to be a school wide classroom focus during the first month of school. The rights are posted in every classroom. There were a total of nine suspensions during the 2008-2009 school year. Objective Four: Students will become invested in their education through making choices about their studies. Measure 1 One hundred percent of students in Grades 1 through 8 will
choose and participate in their Artists in Residence courses. Student self-evaluations will indicate that
90% of the students were satisfied/very satisfied with their work in those
classes. Summary: The
school has partially met the
measure. One hundred percent of
student in grades one through eight chose their artists in residence
classes. Student self-evaluations from
2008-2009 indicate that 85% of the students were satisfied/very satisfied with
their work in those classes. Measure 2 One hundred percent of the high school students will
successfully participate in an ongoing mentorship during each year of high
school. Summary: The school has met the measure. Mentorships are a vital aspect of the high school program. One hundred percent of the high school students have participated in mentorships during the 2008-2009 school year. Every year at least 25% of students ages 10-14 participate in mentorships that last through at least six sessions. Mentorship experiences from the 2008-2009 school year include work at a Veterinary Hospital, Carpentry, Clothing Design, Boat Building and Metal Working. Common School Performance Criteria Faithfulness to Charter Implementation of Mission, Vision, and Educational Philosophy The Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School has shown that individualized and carefully monitored progress can be attained in a public school.
Specific adaptable innovations of the MVPCS include the following:
• Community interaction and service • Student-driven curriculum • Flexible block scheduling • Real projects from meaningful practical themes • Authentic assessment • Collaborative teaching and learning • Democratic governance • Multiage grouping • Parent, student, and teacher partnerships The multiage, project-based school envisioned by the school’s Founders in the initial charter application fourteen years ago continues to be the foundation of the school, its daily work and the new five-year Strategic Plan for the school years 2010-2015. The teachers continually work with the students to develop their skills and understandings in becoming life-long learners. This process includes integrating the students’ passions and interests in authentic, project-based experiences and allowing students numerous opportunities to exhibit and discuss their work with their classmates and members of the school community. The Founders’ vision of providing a kindergarten through grade twelve public school option for the families on Martha’s Vineyard enters its fourteenth year this September. The school celebrated its ninth graduating class this past June. The continued strong interest and enrollment in the school allowed for the school’s Board of Trustees to approve a plan two years ago for a new addition to the facility which will be opened this September. This will give the school two new art classrooms and additional high school classrooms to enhance the academic opportunities for students and continue the work of the vision set forth in 1996. The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School has held true to its belief that every child deserves a caring, respectful and supportive environment in which to learn and grow each day. This educational philosophy begins with the celebration of each individual, his or her talents and unique abilities and further includes the importance of community and interdependence. The school day begins with “Morning Meeting” bringing together the whole community in a significant, but short, few moments to acknowledge the accomplishments of individuals, as well as the community as a whole. The teaching and learning in the classroom is of a constructivist approach integrating the curriculum, the students’ interests and the academic requirements of each individual through the differentiation of instruction. II. Academic Program Success Summary of Performance Relative to Accountability Plan Objectives Objective One: All MVPCS students will demonstrate competency as indicated by external measures in the curricular areas of Math, English Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. Measure 1 Each grade (3-8) will score in the top quartile (76-99 National Percentiles) in the tested curricular areas of Reading, Language, and Math according to the TerraNova Survey.
National Percentiles of TerraNova Survey Results 2004-2009 Scores 2009 Scores
2008 Scores
2007 Scores
2006 Scores
2005 Scores
2004 Scores
National Percentiles Annual School (Grades 3-8) Averages (2004-2009)
Summary: The school has partially met this measure.
The TerraNova Third Edition was used for the first time in March 2009 at
the MVPCS. The majority (61%) of the
scores in the grade level averages were in the upper quartile (76-99%) Fifteen
percent of the students in grades 3-8 showed significant growth from their 2008
results and 10 percent of the students showed declines. Reading
has continued to be an area of strength and math needs the most attention. The Language results for 2009 require close
scrutiny. The Grades 3 and 4 scores call
for interventions with individual students and programmatic and curricular
revisions starting in September 2009. Measure 2 Grades 3-10 will make or exceed state percentages of proficient/advanced scores on MCAS examinations in Math, English, Social Studies, and Science.
Summary:
The school has partially met the measure. The MVPCS exceeded the percentage of students statewide performing at the Proficient or Advanced levels in English, math and science in all grade levels except in math in grades 6 and 7. The classrooms will continue to implement strategies to improve math scores including more time on task and more practice with test taking. The staff will continue to participate in item-by-item analysis of test data to help prioritize and target areas that need the most attention. Measure 3 Eighty percent of third graders will score at or above grade
as measured by the Developmental Reading Assessment during the spring
evaluation session. Grade level Score is Level 34 2009 Class Average: 36 2008 Class Average: 40.5 2007 Class Average: 39 2006 Class Average: 40 2005 Class Average: 34 2004 Class Average: 36 2003 Class Average: 37 Summary: The school has partially met the measure. Ten out of the fourteen Grade Three students scored at or above grade level (34). This represents 71% of the class. Five students scored above 40 and one scored above 50. Measure 4 The MVPCS will meet Adequate Yearly Progress in all subject areas as indicated by the MCAS results. Summary: The school has met the measure. The MVPCS met AYP in all subject areas in 2007 and 2008 as indicated by the MCAS results. Objective Two: MVPCS students will demonstrate academic progress as indicated by the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School’s Internal Assessment Instrument in the curricular areas of Math and English Language Arts. Measure 1 A minimum of 90 % of students will reach Apprentice or Practitioner levels in Math and English Language Arts as indicated by the Internal Assessment Instrument at the end of their two-year cycle (Grades 4, 6, and 8). Percentage of Students Performing at Apprentice or Above English Language Arts
Mathematics
Summary: The school has partially met the measure. English Language Arts levels firmly fall in the 90% Apprentice/Practitioner range. The Math levels fall well below the 90% at the eighth grade level. The Internal Assessment Instrument Math levels will be examined and revised this year, particularly in grades 7 and 8, to ensure alignment between the MA Curriculum Frameworks and the classroom curriculum.
Common School Performance Criteria Academic Program Success Curriculum The curriculum at the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School follows the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in all grade levels, K-12, within a scope and sequence outlined by the school’s Curriculum Guide and Internal Assessment Tool. The curriculum’s focus is thematic based in the self-contained lower school classrooms and departmentalized, subject based throughout the upper school. All students (except in Kindergarten) experience a two-year cycled curriculum in the mixed grades (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12) classrooms. Each student engages with the curriculum through a variety of venues including project-based activities, thematic units, textbooks, teacher-directed activities, small and large group settings, and off campus experiences. The student’s course load includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Art, Spanish, Physical Education, and an array of electives courses. Everyday Math is the text used in the K-6 classrooms for Mathematics instruction and the Grades 7-12 Math program is individualized according to the needs of the students. The Accelerated Math program is an integral part of the Grade 5-12 classroom practice. Literacy Blocks, Guided Reading and phonological instruction, 6+1 Writing Traits, Author Study, Independent Reading, and ongoing assessment form the foundation of the K-4 English Language Arts program. The grades 5-12 English Language Arts program is focused on Writer’s Workshop, 6+1 Writing Traits, read-aloud, novel writing, independent reading, poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and research. Science and Social Studies follows the MA Curriculum Frameworks through a two-year cycle scope and sequence throughout the six mixed-grade groupings (Grades1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12). Science textbooks at the 7-12 grade levels include Biology (Prentice Hall), Science Spectrum (Holt, Rinehart, Winston); Physical Science (Holt, Rinehart, Winston) and Environmental Science (McGraw-Hill). Social Studies textbooks at the 7-12 grade levels include Facing History and Ourselves: the Holocaust and Human Behavior; World History for All of Us - an on line world history text; History of Our World (Pearson/Prentice Hall ) United States History (Pearson/Prentice Hall) . The Lower School (Grades K-6) Art classes included mixed media, painting and landscape design, collage, 3D quilt squares, Art History, Introduction to pastels, and cartooning. Grades 7-12 Art classes included introduction to two and three dimensional materials, clay and pottery, Stained glass, metal etching and jewelry. Conversational Spanish was the core component of the curriculum in grades K-6. Drama, role playing and conversation were key aspects. Paso A Paso was the test used in grades 7-12. The High School Spanish program was highlighted by a trip to Mexico. Physical Education classes concentrated on cooperative, small and whole group games and activities. Physical and social development through movement, individual and group goals, cooperation and healthy competition were the central elements of the program. The themes and subjects studied during the 2008-2009 school year in the Lower School included the topics of Community and Apples (Kindergarten), Patriotic Signs and Symbols, Heritage and Immigration, Simple Machines and the Human Body (grades 1-2); Massachusetts History, Biographies, Pond Study, and Weather, (grades 3-4); Gardening, Life Sciences, Solar Energy, World Geography, Westward Expansion, and Novel Writing (grades 5-6). Themes, subjects and literature in the Upper School included Poetry, Tall Tales, Physics, Chemistry, Global Studies, Number Sense, Operations, Patterns, Relations, and Algebra, Geometry and Measurement and Data Analysis, and Statistics and Probability (Grade 7-8), Romeo and Juliet, A Raisin in the Sun, US History, Civil Rights, Physics, and Chemistry, (Grades 9-10), and World History, Political Philosophy, Experimental Design, Portfolio, I-Search Research, Astronomy, and Experimentation and Statistical Analysis (Grades 11-12). Instruction Classroom instructional responsibilities are focused on the MA Curriculum Frameworks in multi-age, project-based learning environments. Each student engages in a weekly class schedule that includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Spanish, Physical Education, and the Arts. The lead teachers in Kindergarten through Grade 4 are responsible for the subject areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. The two grade five and six teachers divide the teaching responsibilities between Math/Science and English Language Arts/Social Studies. Teachers in grades 7-12 instruct according to the subject area of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Spanish or Art. Classroom numbers range from ten to fifteen students and classroom staffing consists of a lead teacher and usually one member of the support staff. Students and teachers work together in large and small group settings, work on individual skill building and concept understanding, and participate in cross-curricular projects, both individually and in groups. The approach to teaching and learning is grounded in differentiation of instruction. Differentiation includes levels of understanding and learning strategies that best match each student. Teaching strategies include teacher directed large and small group instruction, one-on-one individualized work, and verbal, visual, hands-on activities and written instructions and assessments. Textbooks, thematic units of study, a variety of literary forms and genres, student choice, technology, and individual and group projects play a role in the learning and teaching experience. The school’s literacy specialists, occupational therapist, and the speech and language therapist work with individual students and small groups, both in and out of the classroom. These educators provide for special attention to skill and concept building, as well as self-management development for some of the students. Drama, Art, Music, and Spanish take part, primarily, in classrooms and Physical Education takes place outside. Elective courses take place on and off campus. The High School mentorship activities take place mostly off campus. Lead teachers meet regularly (monthly) with the Director to discuss their practice, which includes teaching strategies (project-based, differentiation, curriculum, thematic units, assessment) and individual student achievement (course assignments, standardized test results, reading levels, interventions, work exhibitions). Monthly Divisional and Full Faculty meetings take place to discuss and share teacher practice, school-wide standards and expectations, and school culture and objectives. Program Evaluation External Standardized Tests The TerraNova Survey is administered once a year to all students in Grades Three through Eleven. The MCAS are administered as required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Internal Assessment In the spring of 1998, MVPCS began the process of creating an internal assessment instrument that would effectively chart student understanding in each discipline at a very detailed level. As such, the instrument would then guide instruction and curriculum development, serve as a vehicle for professional development and inform parents of the educational growth of their children. The MVPCS Assessment Instrument has been fully implemented during the last five years in each of the classrooms in the four curricular areas of math, social studies, English language arts and science/technology, and acts as the major component of both curricular planning and internal assessment of student progress. This performance-based measurement is aligned with the MA Curriculum Frameworks. It documents progress using such vehicles as teacher generated tests, portfolios, juried exhibitions, community evaluators, student self-evaluations, and teacher anecdotes for example, as a means of evaluating student performance. The Assessment Instrument delineates the performance objectives in each of the classrooms, and through it, teachers monitor the academic progress of all of the students in the aforementioned four curricular areas. Each teacher assesses student work and progress at each level using the performance indicators of the assessment tool. This assessment of student work is maintained throughout each student’s years at the MVPCS. The evaluation of the student work is formally reported in semi-annual progress reports. The January and June progress reports are both objective (norm-based) through the use of the performance indicators. In addition, a narrative component for each curricular area is included. The reports describe the course work expectations, how those expectations were met, and the teacher’s impressions of how the student’s work can be improved. The performance levels are taken from the MVPCS Assessment Instrument: Novice, Beginner, Apprentice, Practitioner and Flyer and, as stated earlier, correlate with the MA Curriculum Frameworks requirements in terms of student performance. The Director leads the faculty in program review throughout the year in order to make scheduling or instructional adjustments as needed. Monthly divisional meetings include analysis of standardized test results, internal assessment instrument performance and charter learner tool data. The lower school participates in Response to Intervention training at their divisional meetings as well. These meetings often result in concrete implementation of strategies to improve student performance including, for example, more time on task and targeted assistance for particular students. School Culture Respect for the individual and his or her interests as well as collaborative decision-making that recognizes the unique contributions of each community member, are at the foundation of our school culture. Community meetings, small and large, revolve around deepening an understanding of and appreciation for the school’s “Pillars” and the school’s “Rights”. The Pillars consist of: Freedom, Democracy, Cooperation, Responsibility, Respect, and Trust. The school’s Rights are: 1. To feel safe in mind, body and spirit. 2. To have personal property reserved for personal use, unless loaned or given to someone else. 3. To have needs, aspirations and responsibilities acknowledged and respected. 4. To be him/herself as long as s/he is responsive to others. 5. To have a clean, tidy and vandalism-free campus. Daily community morning meetings and advisory meetings focus on guiding students to become responsible members of the community. Responsive Classroom and Positive Discipline social curriculum models are implemented, or in the process of being implemented, throughout the school. These daily meetings and models, as well as the Personal Education Plan conferences that are held several times a year with the advisor, parents/guardians and students, allow for ongoing discussions about the school life for the individual, learning groups, and whole school community. Students are supported socially and academically through a variety of structures. Systems in place include Personal Education Plans (PEPs), Community Congress, small group advisories and learning groups. The Code of Conduct, School Rights and Pillars are described in the Family Handbook and reviewed at the start of the school year with all age groups, in developmentally appropriate ways. When addressing behavior, teachers and administrators return to the Pillars and Rights as the foundation for behavioral expectations. Preventive interventions involve advisors, the school adjustment counselor, the special needs administrator, and other members of the administration. Interventions follow a sequence of actions beginning with the advisor and parents/guardians and often involving the administration team. Occasionally, the interventions may result with in-school and out-of-school consequences for “offenses deemed very serious” as articulated in the school’s Code of Conduct. Diverse Learners The school has established and implemented accommodations that address the needs of diverse learners in a number of ways. Assistance is provided to regular education teachers through support personnel, professional development activities, and other structures. Every classroom in grades K-6 has a full time support person. Four full-time “learning facilitators” assist the classroom teachers in Grades 7-12. In addition to those positions, the school employs a full-time occupational therapist and speech and language therapist. These therapists work closely with the classroom teachers and the special needs administrator to review student progress, plan for classroom intervention, and design professional development activities to enhance both the educational program and the teacher’s capacity to provide effective instruction to all learners. The school’s literacy coordinator and English language learner coordinator worked with individual teachers, teacher teams, support personnel and students following a similar model of direct service, consultation and professional training. The school’s adjustment counselor meets with students in a variety of ways, supporting individuals and small groups within and outside of the classroom setting. As described below in the Professional Development section, many professional development activities center on meeting the needs of diverse learners including participation in ELL workshops, Response to Intervention (RTI) collaboration, and regular meetings with the special needs administrator. Other structures that support the needs of diverse learners include the school’s Pillars and Rights as described above. Teachers, students, parents and administrators call upon the Pillars and the Rights throughout the year when necessary to assist with group or individual learning opportunities. The whole school daily morning meeting, daily advisory meetings and regular personal education plan conferences support the needs of diverse learners by creating opportunities for frequent check-ins and feedback. Teachers and other support personnel create positive behavioral plans, make adjustments to student schedules, conduct parent meetings and refer to outside supports and evaluations when needed as a result of these meetings. Supervision and Evaluation of Teachers The teacher evaluation process is grounded in five areas of standards and performance: Classroom Environment, Communication Skills, School Program, Professional Responsibilities, and Personal Characteristics. The teachers meet formally each month with the Director to discuss their practice including the abovementioned standards as well as student achievement, curriculum, professional responsibilities, and professional growth. The Director makes a formal classroom observation in each teacher’s room, writes up the observation and meets with each teacher to discuss the observation. The areas which are observed during the classroom visit include teacher-student interactions, learning accessibility for all learners, the lesson plan, room organization, and delivery of lesson plan and curricular objectives. The results of annual teacher evaluations are included in narrative form in the spring of each school year and guide the professional development for each teacher. Professional Evaluation Process The objective of the MVPCS Professional Evaluation process is to encourage professional growth and show growth over time.
First Year (at MVPCS) Teacher Evaluation Process September – November 15 Pre-observation conference Classroom Observation Post-observation conference December 1- February 15 Repeat observation protocol March 1- March 30 Teachers complete evaluation instrument May 1- June 15 Written evaluation by Director and follow up discussion
Returning (to MVPCS) Teacher Evaluation Process September – February 15 Pre-observation conference Classroom Observation Post-observation conference May 1- June 15 Written evaluation by Director and follow up discussion Professional Development The professional development activities are divided into school-wide initiatives and individual growth opportunities. The school-wide professional objectives for the 2008-2009 school year were in the areas of English Language Learning, Positive Discipline, Support Personnel, Technology in the Classroom, and Curriculum Design. These initiatives were taken to provide training for the classroom lead teachers in ELL and to enhance the school-wide discussion on culture and community building though the Positive Discipline theory. Technology training took place to upgrade technology and curriculum connections. Curriculum Design work continued as part of the school’s ongoing work in updating and revising curriculum documents. Individual teachers chose to participate in professional development workshops through collaborative decision making between the teacher and administration. The school wide professional development plan for the 2008-2009 school year included English Language Learner training, technology and curriculum integration, centralization of curriculum, and collaborative approaches to student-teacher communication and understanding. Teaching strategies for English Language Learners were implemented (ELL training), curriculum documentation work continued (Understanding by Design), instruction and teacher communication was enhanced through technology (Google Applications) and Responsive Classroom and Positive Discipline approaches were agreed upon by the faculty to enhance teacher-student relationships. The school-wide and individual professional development activities for the 2008-2009 school year are included below: School wide June 2008 Two-day workshop to discuss aspects of our Charter School High School – Facilitator October, 2008-April, 2009 Monthly support personnel
professional development meetings with Administrator of Special Education October-December, 2008 ELL Training (With the Martha’s Vineyard School District) Google Application workshops – Presenter - Patrick Phillips pres Response to Intervention (RTI) workshops – Presenter – Deb Dunn Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Curriculum Design work using Understand by Design model Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 28-30, 2009 Positive Discipline Workshop – Presenter Teresa LaSala Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Curriculum Design work using Understanding by Design model Wednesday, May 20, 2009 Creating Safe Havens for gay Youth in Schools, Presenter Linda Goldman Individual Anna Cotton MCAS Science & Technology test question design, ELL Teacher Training, Farm to School Workshop
Jean Correira Master’s Degree (May, 2009 completion), ELL Teacher Training
Sally Callahan Master’s Degree (May, 2010 completion)
Louis Hall Master’s Degree (May, 2010 completion) Kathryn Harcourt Master’s Degree (Library and Information Science - May, 2010 completion)
Amy Reece ELL Teacher Training, Publishing Writing Workshop, Writing Skills for Kids (BER), Social Skills Training
Kim Komarinetz ELL Teacher Training, Writing Activities that Make a Difference (BER), Farm to School Workshop
Pam Echlin Masters Degree (May, 2010 completion), Portuguese Language Learning
Treather Gassmann ELL Teacher Training
Jane Paquet ELL Teacher Training
Lori DiGiacomo ELL Teacher Training
Jessica deBettencourt ELL Teacher Training
Ruthie Guilford ELL Teacher Training
Nichole Shank ELL Teacher Training
Roberta Kirn Building a Vocal Community Workshop
Susie DiRubio Mental Health in Schools Workshop
Hope Tripp Mental Health in Schools
Jonah Maidoff ELL Teacher Training III. Organizational Viability
Summary of Performance Relative to Accountability Plan Objectives Objective One: The MVPCS will maintain strong organizational viability by demonstrating sound financial practices.
Measure 1 Actual and proposed budgets for each school year will show effective allocation of resources to ensure effective school programs. Summary: The school has met the measure. Please see the Attachments to this report. Measure 2 Yearly balance sheets will show that the school is fiscally sound and maintains adequate (20% of total budget) cash reserves. Summary: The school has met the measure. Our balance sheet for the past five years has shown cash reserves of about 40% of our annual budget. It will decrease slightly this year due to some major capital improvements but will still be about 37%. As school spending of our surrounding districts decreases, we are continually challenged to balance our budgets and maintain our cash reserves. Measure 3 Yearly submission of audited financial statements will demonstrate that the school is responsible and prudent with public resources. Summary: The school has met the measure. We have submitted audited financial statements since 1997 and continue to use the same auditing firm, Powers and Sullivan. We have not had a negative management letter in the history of our school and work with the auditing team to complete the audits in a timely manner and in accordance with State requirements. Objective Two: The MVPCS will maintain a strong level of parent satisfaction. Measure 1 The response rate of the Annual Parent Survey will exceed 50% and indicate that a minimum of 80% of parents responding will “Agree” or “Strongly Agree” that they are satisfied with their experience at the MVPCS. The Annual Parent Survey sent to the community in April, 2009 resulted in the following responses: 1.
The MVPCS Administration is approachable and responsive to your family. Strongly Agree: 50% Neutral: 13% Agree: 35% Disagree: 2% 2. The MVPCS creates a culture based on the Charter School’s six Pillars: Trust, Freedom, Responsibility, Respect, Cooperation, and Democracy. Strongly Agree: 55% Neutral: 8% Agree: 35% Disagree: 2% 3. The MVPCS provides a safe learning environment for your child. Strongly Agree: 50% Neutral: 11% Agree: 35% Disagree: 4% 4. The MVPCS has an academic program that is of high quality in both content and expectations for your child. Strongly Agree: 40% Neutral: 8% Agree: 50% Disagree: 2% 5. The MVPCS communicates to you the academic expectations for your child in a clear and concise manner. Strongly Agree: 35% Neutral: 5% Agree: 45% Disagree: 5% 6. The MVPCS communicates to you your child’s academic strengths and challenges in a comprehensive and concise manner. Strongly Agree: 30% Neutral: 10% Agree: 50% Disagree: 5% 7. The MVPCS includes your child’s passions and interests in his/her education. Strongly Agree: 45% Neutral: 15% Agree: 40% Disagree: 0% 8. The MVPCS gives your child equal access to school resources and activities. Strongly Agree: 50% Neutral: 5% Agree: 45% Disagree: 0% Summary: The school has partially met the measure. While only 40% of families responded to the survey, the results indicate that the school experiences a high level of parent satisfaction. Measure 2 Parent and student participation in tri-annual Personal Education Plan Conferences will meet or exceed 95%. Summary: The school has met the measure. Parent and student participation was 95% during the 2008-2009 school year. Objective Three: Student enrollment and full-time faculty retention will be stable. Measure 1 Student applications to available openings will average a 2:1 ratio.
Summary: The
school has met the measure. Student
applications to available openings, especially when including wait list
numbers, have consistently exceeded a 2:1 ratio as evidenced by the data
reported in the annual reports from 2001 through 2009. Measure 2 The school will maintain full enrollment based on Net School
Spending cap restrictions, available spaces in specific classrooms,
and the original charter application cap enrollment figure, which is set at 180
students. Summary: The school has met this measure. Enrollment: 1999-2000 141 2000-2001 144 2001-2002 158 2002-2003 156 2003-2004 155 2004-2005 161 2005-2006 158 2006-2007 164 2007-2008 171 2008-2009 176 Measure 3 The five-year average of the annual student retention rate
in Kindergarten through Grade 8 and in Grades 9 through 12 will exceed 90%. Summary: The school has met the measure. As evidenced in data collected in the annual reports, annual student retention has exceeded 90% for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8. An average of 2.8 students left per year in those grades. Measure 4 The five-year average of the annual full-time faculty retention rate will exceed 90% for those teachers who are asked to return. Summary: The
school has met the measure. Full
time teacher retention rates have consistently exceeded 90% with an annual
average of one to two full-time teachers leaving at the end of the school
year. No full-time teachers left at the
end of the 2008-2009 school year. Measure 5 Over 80 percent of students will graduate four years
after starting high school at MVPCS. Summary: The school has met the measure. Eight of the nine 2009 graduates graduated after four years of high school; the other student graduated after five years. Measure 6 An average of seventy-five percent of the High School’s graduates will continue their studies at an institution of higher education. Summary: The school has partially met the measure. Four out of nine of the 2008 graduates applied to and were accepted to their first choice colleges. Three other graduates have plans to apply to college next year. Common School Performance Criteria Organizational Viability Policy Decisions The Board approved by-law revisions on November 5, 2008, that were recommended by the Department of Education. The board also reviewed the Graduation Requirements and the Harassment Policies. Constituencies form throughout the school meet to gather information and discuss policy that then goes to the board for review and approval. Amendments to the Charter No amendments to the Charter were made during the 2008-2009 school year. Complaints One family made a complaint to the board regarding the perceived harassment of their child by other children. A committee was set up by the board to examine and make recommendations for changes to the school’s current harassment policy. Oversight Every year the board distributes a survey regarding the Director’s performance to the whole community including teachers, parents and students. The board uses the results of this survey in their discussion with Director regarding his work. Board Planning The board and the director revised the Strategic Plan for the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School for 2009-2014. The document focuses on major topics which have come up time and again in various years in a number of forums. The plan does not address short-term programmatic issues regarding day-to-day operations. Rather, it addresses overarching themes that comprise the school. These themes are: The Institution, Community, Academic Program, and Finance. Family Satisfaction Please see page 22 of this document for results of the Family Survey. Financial Oversight The budget process begins with administrative meetings and
continues with meetings with staff, teachers and board members. The goal
is to allocate the school’s limited resources to meet the needs of the current
population and the anticipated enrollees for the following year. As a
result of the veteran administrative team working with the dedicated
staff, the school has achieved the goal of developing budgets that meet the
programmatic goals while also insuring the long-term financial viability of the
school. DISSEMINATION Student Work Exhibitions Student work was exhibited during the 2008-2009 school year at the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Museum and at the West Tisbury Public Library.
Professional Visit Three teachers from the Unity Charter School in New Jersey spent three days on the campus in 2008 visiting classrooms and with teachers learning about and observing our “best practices” including community building activities (Morning Meeting), school culture (Responsive Classroom model), and teaching practice (Project-Based Learning).
School Website The website regularly posts school to home to community communications including “Literacy Links”, Director’s Bulletin”, and a variety of postings regarding project-based learning classroom and school activities.
Differentiation in the Classroom This was a collaborative effort between the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School (9 teachers) and the Chilmark Elementary School (5 teachers) in the spring of 2006. Five Saturday workshops were held at the Charter School where sharing of differentiation strategies were shared and discussed.
Building Learning Communities in the Classroom Three Charter School teachers presented at the 2007 MA Charter School Association’s Annual Conference on classroom strategies to build community.
Professional Meetings The MVPCS Assistant Librarian, Literacy Coordinator, ELL Coordinator, Spanish teacher, School Nurse and School Counselor regularly met during the 2008-2009 school year with their professional colleagues from the Martha’s Vineyard School District to share best practices.
Professional Exchange A group of six teachers from the presented their work on an interdisciplinary Project-based curriculum at UMASS-Dartmouth in New Bedford in October, 2006 at part of the Connecting Oceans Academy.
The Charter School’s Administrator of Special Education attends the MA DOE Special Needs Summer leadership Academy each summer.
Curriculum Writing A Charter School teacher wrote a unit of study for the Williams Mystic Maritime History project in August, 2006.
Master’s Programs Four teachers shared our Charter School’s mission and teaching strategies (Project-based learning, Differentiation in the Classroom, Understanding By Design Curriculum) with their 2008-2009 Masters’ Program classmates in classroom discussions and assignments. FINANCIAL REPORTS
DATA SECTION
Mid Year Turnover: Five students left after October 1, 2008. Two students went to a local elementary school; three students went to the local high school. Seven students enrolled mid-year. Two were from the local high school, one was from an off-island high school and four were from the local elementary schools. End of the Year Turnover: Some students finishing eighth grade with the MVPCS have chosen to move on to different high school settings. Those students have reported that they left the MVPCS because of their desire to meet new kids and new teachers and to see how they “do” in a more traditional school setting. Eleven out of 24 eighth graders have chosen to continue with the MVPCS as ninth graders from 2009-2010. Two eighth graders are going to boarding school; one is moving off-island and will attend a public school and nine eighth graders will attend the other public high school on Martha’s Vineyard. Additionally, two sixth graders left at the end of the year to attend a private day school, one second grader and one fifth grader left to attend their local elementary schools, one 10th grader and one 12th grader (siblings) left to attend a private boarding school.
Organizational Chart Board of Trustees Administration Director: Robert Moore Assistant Director: Claudia Ewing Special Needs Administrator: Susie DiRubio Business Manager: Seth Mosler
School Adjustment Counselor: Hope Tripp Front Office Manager: Alex Taylor Activities Coordinator: Marie Larsen Administrative Assistant: Amanda Adams Technology Coordinator: Mario Lopez
Faculty Teacher / Advisors Literacy Coordinator Technology Coordinator Other Lead Teachers Librarians Learning Facilitators Teacher Assistants
Other Staff Service Personnel
ATTACHMENT A
ATTACHMENT B
ATTACHMENT C
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||