alcott college prep 5 year strategic plan...jun 17, 2013 · emphasizing learning through the...

Alcott College Prep 5‐Year Strategic Plan

As of April 10, 2013

‐ 2 ‐

Alcott College Prep – Introduction to Strategic Plan

I am tremendously excited about the opportunity we have at Alcott to build a neighborhood school, educating students from pre‐kindergarten all the way through 12th grade, which can serve as a model for CPS and other urban school districts. We can create a seamless, vertically‐aligned, rigorous curriculum that challenges our students at every level to best prepare them for success in college and beyond. It is this opportunity that drew me to Alcott from Oriole Park Elementary School, one of the top 15 elementary schools in the city as identified by Chicago Magazine. I want to make this opportunity a reality for Alcott students.

Establishing the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. In July 2012, I took the lead as Alcott’s new principal and immediately convened a strategic planning steering committee to start laying the groundwork for how we could take advantage of this opportunity. The Strategy Committee is comprised of the Assistant Principals, five teachers, and six parents (including representatives from the LSC and Friends of Alcott) from both campuses. Our goal was to identify the needs and requirements of our community and build a 5‐year strategic plan to help us align and prioritize our resources to achieve our goals.

Revising Our Mission/Values/Vision. As the first step in the process, the Strategy Committee wanted to ensure that our long‐term strategy reflected Alcott’s core values. To that end, the Committee gathered feedback from teachers, high school students, and parents. The stakeholders were surprisingly consistent in describing Alcott’s core values and vision for the future. We then developed a statement of our Mission/Values/Vision to guide the development of our long‐term strategy (see attachment). One of the key values that emerged was a desire to provide challenge and growth for all students and to educate them in the context of the whole student and the role they would play as global citizens. We also identified where we wanted Alcott to be in five years, along six dimensions: curriculum, extracurricular, achievement, technology, facilities, and identity.

Identifying needs and expectations. Our next step was to identify more specific requirements. We conducted a parent survey (see attached summary) and gathered input from the Instructional Leadership Teams from both campuses. There were several important priorities that emerged:

Differentiated learning College prep‐level academics and reputation Better technology integration Vertical and horizontal alignment of curriculum with common assessments A larger building for our high school to accommodate more academic and

extracurricular offerings

‐ 3 ‐

From this requirements‐gathering process, it became clear that there are two key strategic priorities that should drive our strategic plan: growth for all students and re‐branding as Alcott College Prep.

Growth for all students. The first key strategic priority is to ensure that every student is challenged appropriately. As over 92% of Alcott parents that responded to our survey are college‐educated, they expect their children to be exposed to an academically rigorous, vertically‐aligned curriculum that prepares them to successfully pursue higher education. Our philosophy is to teach to the top and provide support where needed. We will use data‐driven, differentiated instruction to meet each child where they are ready to learn. Our instruction will be experiential and project‐based, emphasizing learning through the application of concepts, within a framework such as IB or a similarly rigorous program.

Re‐ brand as Alcott College Prep. The second key strategic priority is to re‐brand our PK‐12 school as “Alcott College Prep” (ACP), with a particular focus on re‐launching the high school as a strong alternative to selective enrollment high schools. Our 8th graders, along with many others from similar academic backgrounds, need a clear path to strong high school options. We will re‐launch ACP to not only meet this need, but to take full advantage of the curriculum opportunities afforded us by being a PK‐12 college prep school to accelerate learning from the early years. An ACP pre‐school student should be able to finish 12th grade with college credits under his or her belt.

The strategic plan that follows is our long‐term guide to putting these strategic initiatives into action. It is a very aggressive stake in the ground as to what we would like to accomplish over the next five years – in many ways it is our ideal roadmap, but it will be constrained by the realities of time and budget. As we go through the budget process and better understand our fiscal constraints, the plan and its implementation will necessarily evolve. There will be a need to prioritize based on our two key strategic priorities.

Alcott has a very strong track record of success. As we strive to build on that success, and help our students to reach new heights, we will need our community to rally in support of our goals. Part of what drew me to Alcott was the tremendous passion and support of the community here – together we can make this plan a reality for our children.

Elias Estrada, on behalf of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee:

Navjeet Allen (Assistant Principal East) Jessica Marshall (West Teacher) Karen Corken (East Parent) Noreen McGowan (West Parent) Elias Estrada (Principal & Co‐Chair) Grace Moody (Assistant Principal West) Evelyn Fitzgerald (East Parent, LSC, & Co‐Chair) Tasha Seitz (East Parent & FOA) Dave Healing (East Parent) Heather Van Benthuysen (West Teacher) Donna Kaufman (East Teacher) Joe Wallace (East Parent & LSC) Heather Lannon (East Teacher) Dave White (East Teacher/ Union Rep)

‐ 4 ‐

Alcott College Prep – Mission and Core Values Mission Alcott’s mission is to educate students to become innovative leaders, engaged citizens and lifelong learners. Our students will be wise, creative, critical thinkers and will take responsibility for their own learning at every age. Our Core Values:

Challenge & Growth – We believe in challenging all of our students, no matter what level, and that educational progress is best measured by growth. We want our students’ growth to be goal‐oriented and our teaching differentiated.

The Whole Student – We believe in focusing on the whole student, including intellectual, social,

emotional, and character development. We want our students to be confident, and we want them to be happy.

Engagement & Exploration – We believe in engaging students by setting high expectations and

tapping students’ natural curiosity and creativity. We want our students to explore, take risks, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes.

Wisdom – We believe in cultivating wisdom in our students, so that they know how to ask the

right questions, where to get data, how to analyze that data, apply judgment and arrive at conclusions.

Collaboration – We believe in collaboration among and between students, teachers, parents

and community partners.

Community – We believe in nurturing community. We want our students to feel a sense of support, acceptance and belonging as well as a sense of responsibility to fellow students in our local and global learning communities. We value and celebrate diversity.

‐ 5 ‐

Alcott College Prep – 5‐Year Vision Statement

Vision

The vision of Alcott is to create an intimate educationally, socially, and emotionally rich community of lifelong learners in a seamless, integrated PK‐12 environment where students become accountable and responsible for their own education, reaching their full potential and graduating with the tools and experiences to both succeed in their own lives and to make a positive contribution to society. In the next 5 years, we will become a model for urban, public, neighborhood PK‐12 schools across the nation. To fulfill our mission and vision, we commit to achieving the following in 5 years:

Curriculum – We will have a rigorous, rich, comprehensive, and integrated college preparatory educational program providing a continuum of learning from PK‐12 that fosters creativity and innovation. We will provide a rich selection of elective courses, AP classes, and extended learning opportunities. {**The overall curriculum theme will be determined by Alcott’s Instructional Leadership Team and will be integrated across math, literacy, science, the humanities and the arts**}

Extracurricular – We will provide a broad selection of athletics, after school programs, and

student clubs.

Achievement – We will recognize and celebrate our students’ strengths and successes. Our 8th graders will want to continue to Alcott West; our high school graduates will be positioned for success in college and careers.

Technology – We will have integrated, modern technology capabilities to support differentiation and multiple modes of learning. Our students will be technology literate with 21st century skills.

Facilities – We will have classroom environments that foster learning and a high school facility

that accommodates 600 students in grades 9‐12.

Identity – We will have a consistent culture and "brand identity" from PK‐12.

‐ 6 ‐

Alcott Parent Survey: Key Takeaways

Over 260 Alcott families, representing 387 Alcott students from both East (elementary) and West (high school) Campuses, completed the voluntary parent survey in late 2012. This survey was offered online and via hard copy to all Alcott families. The key takeaways from the survey are listed below and are followed by a comment on how each takeaway is being addressed. Key Survey Takeaways and How They Have Impacted the 5‐Year Strategic Plan: 1) Differentiated learning is very important to Alcott Families

96% of parents feel differentiation is important Differentiation is a key component of Alcott’s Five Year Plan

2) College Prep Curriculum is highly favored by parents

84% of parents favor being a college prep school 92% of Alcott households surveyed have College Degrees or higher Alcott’s new curriculum will challenge every student and prepare each student for college. Alcott’s name has been changed to Alcott College Prep, which will signal to our community and

others what is expected of our students, teachers and administration. 3) East parents want West Campus to be an option for high school

54% of East parents would not consider sending their student to West Campus next year. 85% of East parents desire Alcott West to be a viable high school option for their child. Re‐launching the West Campus to focus on college prep is a key component of the 5‐Year Plan.

4) Parents want more integration of technology

84% of parents want technology integrated into learning 30% of parents are satisfied with current integration Integrating technology into the new curriculum is a key component of the 5‐Year Plan.

5) Extracurricular Activities

89% of parents want extracurricular activities 49% of parents are satisfied with extracurricular offerings Parents want more sports and academic offerings Additional sport and academic offerings will be offered starting in the Fall of 2013

6) West parents want a foreign language option in addition to Mandarin Chinese

69% of West parents want a language option other than Mandarin Chinese Less than 50% of East parents want a language option other than Mandarin Chinese Spanish and/or French will be offered at Alcott West starting in the Fall of 2013

7) East parents want a review of homework policy

More than 70% of West parents are satisfied with quality and quantity of homework Less than 50% of East parents are satisfied with quality and quantity of homework Evaluation of quality and quantity of homework will start in the Fall of 2013, with the goal of

implementing a homework policy that is more focused on quality over quantity

‐ 7 ‐

Glossary

Academic Pace: The rate at which students are introduced to new academic concepts. Academic Rigor: Instruction practices that focus on the quality, or depth, of the content more

than the quantity, or breadth. Authentic Assessment: A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real‐world

tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Common Core Standards: Standards developed to provide a clear and consistent framework to

prepare children for college and the workforce. Standards are clear; understandable and consistent; include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high‐order skills; build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards and are informed by other top performing countries.

Differentiated Instruction: Curriculum that offers several different learning experiences within one lesson to meet students’ varied needs or learning styles.

Horizontal Alignment: Curriculum aligned from classroom to classroom in any grade level. Inquiry‐Based Instruction: Instructional style based on the idea that learning may be facilitated

by giving students the opportunity to explore an idea or question on their own. To arrive at an answer or to better understand the concept, students often collect and analyze data.

Intervention Specialist: Certified teachers who assist classroom teachers to differentiate instruction.

Lexile Scores: Measure used to identify an individual’s reading ability or the difficulty of a text, like a book or magazine article.

Mel‐Con Writing Strategy: A guide to help teach students how to write better‐developed, clearer, more organized paragraphs in response to essay questions or any written assignment that requires explanation or persuasion.

NWEA (Northeast Evaluation Association): The nonprofit that creates the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment, the test that is given 2‐3 times per year to K‐8 students and is the basis for student growth numbers.

PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers): The new assessment that is replacing the ISAT for the 2014‐2015 school year.

REACH (Recognizing Educators Advancing Chicago Students): The new evaluation system for teachers.

Rubric: A document that indicates the expectations for an assessment by listing the criteria, expectations, and describing level or measures of quality from excellent to poor.

Understanding by Design® (UbD™): A framework for improving student achievement. Emphasizing the teacher’s critical role as a designer of student learning, UbD™ works within the standards‐driven curriculum to help teachers clarify learning goals, devise revealing assessments of student understanding, and craft effective and engaging learning activities.

Vertical Alignment: Curriculum aligned from one grade level to the next to minimize or eliminate overlaps or gaps in instruction.

‐ 8 ‐

(This page is intentionally left blank.)

“You can always amend a big plan, but you can never expand a little one.” Harry S. Truman Plan as of April 10, 2013. This is an ambitious plan on an aggressive timeline, which is intended to evolve based on the availability of funding, staffing, and volunteer time.

‐ 9 ‐

Alcott College Prep 5‐Year Strategy – As of April 10, 2013

Alcott’s strategic planning steering committee has spent the last nine months leading our community in the development of a 5‐year strategic plan to build a PK‐12 neighborhood school which can serve as a model for CPS and other urban school districts. We have identified two key strategic priorities for ACP:

1. Growth for all students 2. Re‐brand the school as Alcott College Prep, with an emphasis on re‐launching the high school as a strong alternative to selective

enrollment high schools

The strategic plan is divided into five core areas, each with a working group to advance specific initiatives: Curriculum and instruction:

o We will have a rigorous curriculum that is taught at an accelerated pace. Our instruction will be experiential and inquiry‐based. Each March, students will begin work on the next grade level’s curriculum.

o Our unique PK‐12 continuum provides ACP students with the opportunity to graduate from high school in 3 years, take more electives, or take college‐level classes in high school.

Technology and facilities: o ACP instruction and curriculum will integrate technology to support differentiated, personalized learning opportunities for all

students that will prepare our graduates for college and beyond. o Both campuses will have indoor and outdoor facilities that encourage collaboration and social development and provide more

opportunities for team athletics. High School re‐launch:

o We will: be a strong alternative to selective enrollment high schools. recruit students who seek a rigorous academic experience within the context of a strong, supportive community. secure a facility that will accommodate 600 students and enable us to provide more AP classes, electives, extra‐

curricular activities, and team athletics. Marketing and identity: We will establish new branding and initiate on‐going marketing and outreach to support the strategic plan. External partnerships and funding: We will secure funding and identify partnerships to support the strategic plan.

The strategic plan will be monitored and refined on a regular basis by the strategic planning steering committee, in collaboration with the working groups.


‐ 10 ‐

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION (Core Area 1): Our plan is designed to ensure growth for all students. We will increase the level of academic rigor and accelerate the pace in a vertically‐aligned PK‐12 curriculum that emphasizes experiential, inquiry‐based instruction. Our curriculum embraces enrichment programs that reinforce and support our core subject areas.

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 MATH CURRICULUM

1) Investigate a new Math curriculum which aligns to the common core standards. 2) Begin implementation of this new curriculum or methodology so that students will be prepared to begin in SY 2013‐14. (Summer packets will be provided as an optional activity for students to complete over the summer.) More conceptual and inquiry‐ based instruction with current Math curriculum to prepare students for new curriculum. 3) Summer 2013: Freshman Connection Classes offered to incoming Freshmen.

1) Begin to implement Singapore Math in grades K‐8. Determine gaps from previous curriculum to implementation of new curriculum and plan for the necessary supplementation to ensure student success during the transition to new curriculum. 2) Begin to move toward a well‐rounded conceptually‐based Math curriculum by including problem solving, geometry/spatial reasoning, deductive reasoning/logic, and writing in Math, on a weekly basis. This entails establishing a scope and sequence for ACP's Math curriculum to identify gaps in Singapore Math in the areas of problem solving, geometry or spatial reasoning, deductive reasoning/logic, and writing in Math. The

1) Weekly lesson plans & assessments to include components of problem solving, geometry/spatial reasoning, deductive reasoning/logic, and writing. 2) Science and Math departments meet to determine Math skills needed at each grade level to effectively complete inquiry‐based Science projects. As these skills are identified, amend the scope and sequence to include these skills at each grade. 3) Ideally, students begin Math instruction at least 1/4 into the grade level curriculum. (Ex: At the beginning of the school year, 4th graders begin the 4th grade Math book/curriculum 1/4 of the way into the book rather than at the beginning, as they should have already covered this material at the end of 3rd grade.) This ensures completion of the grade level Math curriculum by end of January or first of February, 2015. Students begin the next grade level’s Math curriculum in February, 2015.

1) Revise the scope and sequence as needed, identifying gaps and overlaps. 2) Teachers introduce more application‐based projects into the Math curriculum. 3) Teachers challenge students with more inquiry‐based Math instruction, while still maintaining the scope and sequence requirements of problem solving, geometry/spatial reasoning, deductive reasoning/logic, writing, and Math for Science.

Three teachers in each core department at the high school for Math. (This is also our goal for Science, English, and Social Science.) This will facilitate teachers teaching a maximum of two preps in order to build and improve curriculum and refine their craft, as well as build and improve the curricular focus of the school.


‐ 11 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 MATH CURRICULUM

4) Summer 2013: Accelerated Algebra (pre‐9th grade credit) in the summer for incoming Freshmen.

goal is to determine clear, unambiguous, and systematic instruction so students have mastered key prerequisite skills prior to advancing to the next grade level. 3) Begin to accelerate the instruction so that students are finished with the grade‐level Math curriculum by end of February or early March, 2014. Students will begin the next grade level's Math curriculum starting March, 2014. (For example, 4th graders will finish the 4th grade curriculum by early March, 2014 and begin on the 5th grade curriculum.) 4) Continue to use the intervention specialists to differentiate the instruction in the classroom. 5) Summer 2014: Accelerated Geometry will be offered to Sophomores.

4) Continue to use the intervention specialists to differentiate the instruction. At this point, our goal is to utilize the intervention specialists for support with students who may find the accelerated pace challenging. These students will get the additional small‐group support needed so they can return to the classroom setting and be academically successful. Classroom teachers continue to accelerate the instruction and provide the rigor in the classroom. 5) One more elective offered in Math at the high school for grades 10‐12. 6) Highest‐performing 8th graders will take 9th grade Math that will provide high school credit at ACP.

4) Continue with the acceleration. Our goal is for the 7th graders to take Algebra or at least a half year of Algebra. 5) Intervention specialists are becoming utilized more for support than enrichment; grade‐level teachers’ instructional practices continue to be accelerated and students are working on the next grade‐level's standards. 6) Two more elective options in Math for 10th‐12th graders.


‐ 12 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 LITERACY CURRICULUM

1) Develop an understanding of how to utilize Lexile scores for determining students' reading levels. 2) Teachers will begin to meet and discuss vocabulary development and the necessary sequential steps to implement a vocabulary curriculum that prepares students for PARCC testing and for college readiness. (This includes roots and affixes along with the vocabulary.) 3) Introduction to NWEA testing for teachers and students at the elementary campus. Teachers use the data to provide differentiated instruction.

1) Determine individual reading levels and goals for each student based on Lexile scores and other measures. 2) Incorporate at least 1 novel per quarter, read as a whole class, that exposes students to higher vocabulary, content, and context. Teachers across all grades will collaborate and devise a reading list of those books to be read at each grade level to avoid overlapping instruction. 3) Teachers will evaluate and determine the nonfiction text elements to utilize in the curriculum: magazines, online media, and/or nonfiction novels. 4) Classroom libraries upgraded to reflect new standards and differentiated needs of students. 5) Social Science teachers begin to evaluate nonfiction books that align with their teaching themes. 6) Teachers will create a cross‐curricular vocabulary curriculum (PK‐12) that prepares students for the PARCC and college proficiency.

1) Social Science teachers implement at least one nonfiction book per quarter that aligns with an existing Social Science theme. Social Science and Language Arts teachers will collaboratively work to align the nonfiction text components to common core standards. 2) In addition to the basal curriculum, students are reading novels at their determined Lexile scores and creating a project‐based assessment to measure understanding. (We’re thinking beyond book reports.) 3) Continue with vocabulary alignment and amend the vocabulary curriculum as needed. 4) One more elective offered in English for grades 10‐12. 5) Evaluate and discuss possibility of offering AP US History for grades 10‐12.

1) Students are reading, discussing, and creating application‐based projects on classroom books read each quarter to supplement the curriculum: one novel in Language Arts and one nonfiction book in Social Science. 2) Intervention specialists are becoming more utilized for support rather than enrichment; grade‐level teachers are enriching in the classroom as instruction is accelerated and students are working on the next grade‐level's standards.

Three teachers in each department in English at the high school. This will facilitate teachers teaching a maximum of two preps in order to build and improve curriculum and refine their craft, as well as build and improve the curricular focus of the school.


‐ 13 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 LITERACY CURRICULUM

4) Place intervention specialists into the classrooms to assist with differentiated instruction.

7) Begin to move students to read and master skills at least half‐way into the next grade level. This doesn't require more reading, but rather smart reading selections that expose students to grade level and above‐grade level skills. 8) Continue to utilize intervention specialists to differentiate the instruction. 9) Teachers from grades PK‐12 will vertically‐align the Literacy curriculum, including assessments. 10) Begin to evaluate assessments as a means to departmental instruction through evaluation / reflection of assessments. 11) By subject area, analyze and choose our curricula for text complexity. 12) PK‐12 teachers will learn (through training, PD and best practice sharing) and implement the MelCon writing strategy.

6) Highest‐performing 8th graders will take 9th grade English that will provide high school credit at ACP.

3) Two more electives offered in English for 10th‐12th graders.


‐ 14 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULA

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The primary focus of the strategic planning steering committee has been on the Math and Literacy curricula and how they intersect with Science and Social Studies. In the next phase of our strategic planning, we will further align our Science and Social Studies curricula across our PK‐12 continuum.

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 INQUIRY‐BASED INSTRUCTION AND Understanding by Design® (UbD™)

1) Teachers get PD on rubric development and utilization. 2) Develop lesson plans that are more inquiry‐based: a) promote essential questions, b) guided exploration, c) small group inquiry about open‐ended, debatable, and contended issues, d) work in groups to experience diversity of views, e) find or create information, f) investigative instruction, and g) application‐‐to name a few practices. 3) Teachers attend PDs on authentic assessments implementation in the classroom.

1) Teachers utilize grade level‐appropriate rubrics that provide clear and precise measures of student expectations. 2) Teacher instructional practices become inquiry‐based or use the UbD™ model. 3) Students are taking authentic assessments and teachers use more grade level‐appropriate rubrics to measure against expectations. 4) Homework promotes skills learned at school and is more focused on quality rather than on quantity.

1) Portfolio assessment required of students in grades 8‐12. Students will present portfolios to committees of peers, teachers, administration, college students, and college professors. 2) Rubrics will be utilized consistently to measure authentic assessments administered in the classrooms.

Seniors are able to: a) graduate by 11th grade, b) take additional electives their senior year to make them more marketable, or c) take college‐level courses in high school.


‐ 15 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 INQUIRY‐BASED INSTRUCTION AND Understanding by Design® (UbD™)

3) Begin looking into inquiry‐based instruction PDs. 4) Begin looking into rubric development and utilization across the curriculum and PDs available on this. 5) Evaluate our current use of assessments and determine what changes need to be made to implement authentic assessments. 6) Use REACH performance tasks to calibrate our own assessments.

4) Evaluate homework quantity and quality to determine the necessary changes. 5) Offer Accelerated English (pre‐9th grade credit) in the Summer to incoming Freshmen for students enrolled at ACP. 6) Provide PD for teachers to become instructional leaders.

3) Instruction/ assessment across the curriculum is focused on the real‐world and on problem solving. Instruction is planned based on the desired results—the big ideas, the concepts. Instruction and assessment should be enduring (i.e., have lasting, universal value and be transferable to other topics/disciplines).


‐ 16 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 CIVIC EMPOWERMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

Global citizenship is a key element of our mission and core values. We will integrate this civic empowerment (the knowledge and tools to find a meaningful way to give back and engage with our community) and civic engagement (the actual activities in which students will be involved to make a change in the community) theme across our core curriculum. 1) The ACP staff will inventory existing partnerships and projects that involve civic engagement and civic empowerment. This is to minimize or eliminate gaps and overlaps in civic programming

2) The ACP staff will create civic engagement working group 3) Conduct PD on civic empowerment

1) The ACP staff will work collaboratively to improve and increase communication between elementary and high school campuses, including instructional rounds

2) Formalize partnerships with organizations (ex., Mikva, Harris Fellows, Facing History, Service Learning/CPS, Global Citizenship Initiative) to create seamless integration from PK‐12

3) Conduct PD on civic empowerment

1) The ACP staff begins to integrate civic empowerment strategies in classes at specific grade levels

2) Humanities classes to develop units of study that include instructional practices with real‐world application and assessment

3) Hold high school civic empowerment event/project

4) Choose civic engagement theme for PK‐12 – students to research and vote

5) Departments to choose appropriate organization to support

1) The ACP staff begins to plan civic empowerment integration at all grade levels

2) Expand existing partnership networks

3) Hold PK‐12 civic empowerment event/project

1) The ACP staff includes community involvement lessons at all grade levels

2) Implement a curriculum that includes authentic, meaningful experiences related to civic empowerment


‐ 17 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 ENRICHMENTS

Enrichment programs are an important aspect of the academic experience, supporting our commitment to hands‐on, experiential instruction. We will focus on further integrating our enrichments curricula in support of our core curriculum. UNDER CONSTRUCTION: The primary focus of the strategic planning steering committee has been on the core curriculum. In the next phase of our strategic planning, we will further develop our enrichments curricula. World Language (Mandarin Chinese at both campuses and Spanish and/or French at the high school)

Art

Drama

Music

Physical Education


‐ 18 ‐

TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES (Core Area 2): ACP instruction and curriculum will integrate technology to support differentiated, personalized learning opportunities for all students that will prepare our graduates for college and beyond. To foster a safe and enriching environment for our students, both campuses will have indoor and outdoor facilities that encourage collaboration and social development and provide more opportunities for team athletics.

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 TECHNOLOGY Instruction Teachers complete PD for classroom web pages

1) Promote & support early adoption of technology‐integrated projects and instruction 2) Teacher PD

1) Encourage technology‐integrated projects and instruction to be in regular use 2) Teacher PD

1) Technology‐integrated projects and instruction mandatory part of instructional plans 2) Teacher PD

Curriculum Define student technology skills requirements, by grade

By 2nd quarter, implement new technology courses

1) One foundational class per grade 2) One advanced class per age group

1) Two foundational classes per grade 2) Two advanced classes per age group 3) Online classes options

Devices – Tech@School* 1) Develop pilot program plan for SY2013‐14 2) Purchase hardware & software for pilot

1) Complete pilot 2) Develop roll‐out plan for SY2014‐15 3) Purchase hardware & software for limited roll‐out

1) Limited roll‐out 2) Purchase hardware & software for full roll‐out

Full roll‐out

* Tech@School is an initiative to provide each student with his/her own technology device for classroom use


‐ 19 ‐

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 TECHNOLOGY Devices – Tech@Home^ 1) Develop pilot program

plan for SY2014‐15 2) Purchase hardware & software for pilot

1) Conduct pilot 2) Develop roll‐out plan for SY2015‐16 3) Purchase hardware & software for full roll‐out

Full roll‐out

^ Tech@Home is an initiative to ensure each student has access to computer and internet access at home for school‐related projects

Infrastructure 1) Conduct technology needs assessment at both campuses 2) Prioritize technology needs

1) Assess & upgrade infrastructure as required 2) Hire dedicated technology operations manager

1) Assess & upgrade infrastructure as required 2) Conduct new high school building technology needs assessment 3) Prioritize technology needs

Assess & upgrade infrastructure as required

Assess & upgrade infrastructure as required

FACILITIES Prioritize facility needs at high school (portable to new building)

Complete outdoor classroom pavilion at elementary school campus

Install turf field at elementary school campus

Install tot lot and bridge at elementary school campus

In Spring 2013, a “Tech Evangelists” team will be formed, comprised of staff from the high school, staff from the elementary school, administration, and parents, to promote and oversee the technology‐related activities.


‐ 20 ‐

HIGH SCHOOL RE‐LAUNCH (Core Area 3): We will re‐launch the high school as a strong alternative to selective enrollment high schools. We will recruit students who seek a rigorous academic experience within the context of a strong, supportive community. We will secure a facility that will accommodate 600 students and enable us to provide more AP classes, electives, extra‐curricular activities, and team athletics.

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 HIGH SCHOOL RE‐LAUNCH

Spring 2013 Develop recruiting strategy for incoming 9th

graders and upper grade transfers for Fall 2013

Develop recruiting plan for Fall 2014 Host meetings with ACP parents of PK‐1, 2‐4,

5‐8, and ACP students of 9‐12 to gather feedback and talk about future plans

Market summer camps to neighboring elementary schools

Develop plan to secure larger building Meet w/CPS to present options for new

building Summer 2013 Prepare for high school recruiting season:

collateral, outreach, events Meet with CPS’ Office of Access &

Enrollment re: high school application/admissions process

Secure commitment from CPS for new high school building

Run summer camps

Fall 2013 Conduct high school open house Host Shadow Day at high school Host an event series targeting

students, principals, counselors, and parents of prospective high school students

Develop plan for weekend enrichment programming

Assess new high school building for renovation needs and develop budget (CPS vs. ACP)

Winter 2014 Develop construction and

relocation plan for new building Host Admit Day at high school De‐brief ACP 8th graders and

parents Revise and implement plans for

admissions and recruiting

1) Revise and implement plans for admissions and recruiting

2) Relocate to new building for start of SY2015‐16

Revise and implement plans for admissions and recruiting

Revise and implement plans for admissions and recruiting


‐ 21 ‐

MARKETING & IDENTITY (Core Area 4) and EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS & FUNDING (Core Area 5): We will re‐brand ourselves as Alcott College Prep, to emphasize our rigorous, comprehensive, and integrated PK‐12 college prep program. We will work with external partners to support our strategic plan.

2012‐13 2013‐14 2014‐15 2015‐16 2016‐17 MARKETING & IDENTITY

Spring 2013 Create and implement marketing plan for ACP Established refreshed branding for ACP Vote to select new logo Develop new website and collateral Update exterior signs

Summer 2013 Implement marketing plan

Revise and implement marketing plan




EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS & FUNDING Spring 2013 Create plan for external funding support for strategic

initiatives Conduct research & create grant‐writing calendar,

complete with due dates & deliverables Create multimedia “ready‐to‐go” and easy‐to‐use

presentation & checklist to enable ACP community to address external funding opportunities as they arise

Create a centralized, easy‐to‐use online “microsite” with content/branding

Summer 2013 Explore external funding and in‐kind support for strategic

initiatives Develop workshop for teachers and administration on

using grants for enhancing curriculum

1) Develop “thank you”/re‐engagement package for funders – physical and digital 2) Identify and foster relationships with like‐minded organizations

1) Explore external funding and in‐kind support for strategic initiatives 2) Identify and foster relationships with like‐minded organizations



‐ 22 ‐

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I gratefully acknowledge the members of the Alcott College Prep strategic planning steering committee and the other parents and teachers who have contributed to the development of this strategic plan and volunteered to help in its implementation:

Administration and Teachers Parents Navjeet Allen* Jane Adams Grace Moody* Jeremy Agulnek Bridget Clarke Karen Corken* Jennifer Conn Holly Cox Joseph Jun Evelyn Fitzgerald* Donna Kaufman* Dave Healing* Michael Kolody Tomoko Ichikawa Heather Lannon* Doug Lovette Kristine Lantz Noreen McGowan* Melina Luna Linda Nitzsche Jessica Marshall* Kathryn Pierce Kerry Maxwell Laurie Anne Plax Beth Pfeiffer Leslie Sauer Amy Pinter Colleen Scrivner MaryAnne Pysson Tasha Seitz* Heather Van Benthuysen* Matt Shaw Jenny Vincent Libby Thompson Gregory Weipert Joe Wallace* Dave White* Karen Wallace Dan Wiseheart Bree Warren Scott Zagalak Yvonne White‐Morey Keli Wildermuth Elias Estrada, Principal * Member of the strategic planning steering committee

strategy part A.pdfstrategy part Bstrategy part C

alcott college prep 5 year strategic plan...jun 17, 2013 · emphasizing learning through the...

Documents