Parent OrientationSeptember 2009

Parent Orientation Overview

•Background – how did we get here….

•Mission and vision – what are we trying to do ….

•Governance model – how are we organizing roles and responsibilities…. – Communication Procedures

•Staffing and budget – where does the money come from and how are we spending it…

•Curriculum overview – how will our children learn …

•School operations and policies – how do things work …. – Handbook – Discipline Policy – Health & Safety: H1N1

•Volunteer program – how will we coordinate all of our efforts ….

What is a charter school?

Eligible for special funds for start up from the federal “No Child Left Behind Act”.

Non-sectarian in its programs, admission, and employment.

Federal and state educational statute compliant Title II (students with disabilities) Title VI (civil rights) Title IX (non-discrimination on the basis

of gender)

A public school, primarily supported by tax dollars

Tuition-free

Open to all Oregon resident children.

Operated by citizen groups granted a charter by local school districts or Oregon Department of Education to provide innovative and unique educational programs.

Though there is greater flexibility in charter school curriculums, students still must take mandatory state standardized tests to assess progress.

Who are Inavale Community

Partners?

•ICP is a community-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006. It is the parent organization of Muddy Creek Charter School.

•ICP Mission: To support and sustain the rural community living in unincorporated parts of South Benton County, Oregon; specifically, the area bounded by the towns of Corvallis, Philomath and Monroe.

•ICP Board:•Anita Grunder – President•Tanya Freeman – Vice-President•Kathleen Westly – Secretary•Payton James-Amberg – Treasurer•Christine Harvey Horning

•ICP membership is free and open to all. Contact Kathleen Westly if you would like to become a member of Inavale Community Partners and support its broader mission. All donations to the ICP are tax-deductible.

MCCS Timeline

• February 2006 – Corvallis School Board votes to close Inavale School at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

• March 2006 – First meeting of charter school founding group.

• May 2006 – Awarded Charter School Incentive Grant for development of school (additional start-up funds followed, upon approval of application by CSD)

• June 2006- Closure of Inavale School and incorporation of Inavale Community Partners.

• October 2006 – Charter school application submitted to Corvallis School Board.

January 2007 – Corvallis School Board votes to reject MCCS application (4 to 3).

• April 2007 – Revised application submitted, addressing Corvallis School District comments.• Charter proposal can be found at:

http://www.muddycreekcharterschool.org/documents.html

May 2007 – Corvallis School Board votes to approve MCCS application (4-3). Negotiation of charter agreement begins.

November 2007 – MCCS charter agreement signed. • Key provisions:

• 85 student cap• 20% of per State per student funding allotment goes

to the District.

January 2008 – MCCS student enrollment process begins.

• May 2008 – Teachers hired.

• July 2008 – Inavale Building lease signed and building available for use.

• August 2008 – Executive Director and support staff hired.

• September 3, 2008 – Muddy Creek Charter School opens!

October 1, 2010 - Charter renewal submission due

MCCS Vision

Muddy Creek Charter School is a rural public school dedicated to the integration of an outstanding academic program with its community - the land and its people. 

We offer a joyful and creative educational experience where engaged students practice now the skills they will need to be effective citizens and stewards in the future.  

Muddy Creek Charter School will serve as a model for preserving schools in rural communities.

MCCS Mission

Muddy Creek Charter School was founded to provide an outstanding public education program for children in grades K-5 who reside in and around the Muddy Creek Watershed.

The school will deliver a place-based, integrated arts and science curriculum grounded in its rural agricultural setting and commitment to community service.       MCCS will be supported in its efforts by forging and maintaining partnerships with local landowners and agencies, OSU researchers and the community at large.     Our success will be our children.  The students of MCCS will not only meet or surpass the state benchmarks but will also have a deeper understanding of their place in the world as demonstrated by portfolios of high quality projects, and they will be well prepared to transition into other schools for their continued education.

MCCS Governance ModelICP Board is responsible for:•Guiding the mission and vision of the school.•Fulfilling the terms of the charter agreement with the Corvallis School District.•Approving budgets and auditing finances.•Authorizing and approving hiring decisions.•Approving school policies.•Overseeing the MCCS Strategic Development Plan

MCCS Executive Director (John Knight) is responsible for:•Fostering the building of community within MCCS and with the larger community.•Implementation of school policies.•Management of school budget.•Submittal of required reports to Corvallis School District. •Staff evaluations.•MCCS parent and community outreach.

MCCS Head Teacher (Kriste York) is responsible for:•Development of curriculum to meet Oregon Department of Education Benchmarks and reflecting the unique objectives of MCCS.•Mentoring of teaching staff.•Student assessment and discipline (shared responsibility with Executive Director).

MCCS Governance Model: Communication Procedures

Efficient and clear communication within the MCCS community is a high priority. To create, maintain, and preserve our sense of community, Muddy Creek recommends following the procedures below.Parent-to-SchoolIn general, who you should contact first:•Your child’s teacher, communicate academic and behavioral concerns, inquire about activities and field trips, and ask about in-class volunteering.•The office (Chana), inquire about general school business, necessary paperwork, Records, procedures, and upcoming events.•The Executive Director (Mr. Knight), inquire about the facility, overall school business, approval for on-site activities, and coordinating with area resources, agencies, and 509J Corvallis School District.•For ongoing or long term issues, work with your teacher to communicate with Kriste York (Head Teacher) when she returns and with John Knight (E.D.) until then.School-to-ParentIn general, the following personnel will contact you via phone, email, or parent box:•Your child’s teacher, concerning your child and classroom-related affairs.•The office, concerning records, newsletter, and coordination with personnel.•The Executive Director, regarding school-wide news, efforts, and activities.

ICP Board MeetingsMCCS families and community members are welcome to attend all ICP Board meetings. A comment period will be held at the beginning of each meeting if you have any issues you would like the Board to consider. ICP Board meetings are held the first and third Thursday of every month, beginning at 7:00pm in the Community Room. See you tomorrow night!

MCCS Governance Model: Communication Procedures

Staffing and Budget

Operating costs funded by state per child education allotment (average daily membership weighted – ADMw). MCCS gets 80% of the ADMw and SFSF. The CSD keeps 20% for district overhead.

•ADMw is $5767, with different weightings for kindergarten (0.5), special education status, tag status, etc.•SFSF (State Fiscal Stabilization Fund) is $231

A number of grants have contributed to the funding of MCCS, both for start-up and for particular expenses. The primary grants have been:

•Charter School Incentive Grant, funded through federal No Child Left Behind Act ($~450,000) for charter school development and start-up expenses•Gray Family Foundation ($~17,000) for field trips and field study gear•Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District ($ 2,050) for field trips and field study gear•Clemens Foundation ($3,000) for cafeteria tables

Staffing and Budget

Current MCCS Staffing:

•1 full time Teacher for grades 4-5 (Michelle Reichelderfer) (Head Teacher Kriste York on medical leave)

•2 full time Teachers for grades 1-2-3 (Leah Gorman and Bridget Baril)•1 half time Kindergarten Teacher (Jenny Swanson)•2 part time Literacy Aides, Lunch & Recess Supervisors

(Angela Searcy & Shayna Huter)•1 half time Bookkeeper (Shayna Huter)•1 half time P.E. Teacher, Certified Math Teacher, Lunch & Recess Supervisor

(Seneca Walton)•1 half time Afternoon Adventures Leader (April Sadler-Nieman)•1 part time Custodian (Nikki Lancaster)•1 three-quarter time Executive Director (John H. Knight)•1 three-quarter time Administrative Assistant (Chana Van Orden)

MCCS Operations Support

And lots of volunteers …….

•Volunteer Program Coordinator – Kathy Brewer•Transportation Coordinator – Meredith Wade•Library Coordinator –Jenny Swanson•Safety Coordinator – Zach del Nero•Web Master and IT Coordinator – Lisa Yagoda•Fundraising Coordinator - ???•Grant Coordinator – Elisa Fairbanks•Scholastic Book Program Coordinator – Elisa Fairbanks•Linn, Benton & Lincoln County Ed Services Liaison – Linda Hentsch•Milk Program/Delivery Coordinator – Catherine Fisher•Garden Program Coordinator – Kari Slater•Testing Coordinator – Melanie Kelley•Multiple Hats Volunteer – Payton James-Amberg

Curriculum

The goal of MCCS is to provide a unique and innovative educational experience in a small school setting.

Classroom instruction in the morning:•Literacy•Mathematics•Social studies•Health and physical education

Hands-on, project-based education in the afternoon:•Multidisciplinary projects integrating arts, science, and social studies with skills and knowledge from the classroom.•Learning is place-based, with projects involving aspects of the rural landscape and community in partnership with local landowners and community organizations.•Service learning will be emphasized as part of the development of community.

Later in the year, we will host a Curriculum Night to provide more details about the MCCS educational program.

School Operations and Policies

•MCCS will follow the Corvallis School District calendar (see http://www.csd509j.net ).•In the case of severe weather, MCCS will follow CSD closures.

•School hours•School starts at 8:30 am. Students can enter classrooms starting at 8:15 am.

•If there are enough parents available to share in the volunteer supervision of the students in the program , we are considering before school care options. If you are interested and have not already done so, please sign up this evening.

•Kindergarten is dismissed at 11:30 am. Parents pick children up at the classroom.•Kindergarten extended care available from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm.

•School is dismissed at 3:00 pm.•Children will be outside with teachers for pickup. •Need to complete “Persons Authorized for Pickup” form. If someone that is not on the form is picking up your child, you need to contact the office in advance.

•Late Arrival •If a child arrives after 8:30 am, parents must come into the office and sign their child in on an attendance sheet and fill out a Late Arrival Pass for your child to take to his or her teacher.

•Early Pickup•If a child will be picked up from school before 3:00 pm parents must come into the office and sign their child out on an attendance sheet and fill out an Early Dismissal Pass to take to the classroom teacher. Teachers have been asked not to release any children that have not been cleared for dismissal through the office. This applies to Kindergarten Extended Care as well.

School Operations and Policies

•Office sign-in•If you are at the school for a reason other than normal pick up or drop off times or attending a school event, please sign in at the office. This allows us to know who is on campus as well as keep track of volunteer hours.

•Other school policies and procedures are available for viewing on the MCCS website and available for review in hard copy in the office. As new ones are adopted, they will also be posted. Please contact John Knight if you have any questions.

•Lunch Program•Phase 1 – Children bring their lunches•Phase 2 – Implement a milk purchasing program.•Phase 3 – Cold lunch (sandwich/salad bar) program.•Phase 4 – Hot lunch program.•Note – implementing Phases 3 and 4 will require lots of volunteer support for food preparation and planning, and is presently a “C” on the MCCS Strategic Development Plan

•Free and reduced lunch (FRL) status •MCCS is required by the state to document the number of families that qualify for FRL for grant purposes, so we will be asking all families to complete a form indicating whether this is potentially applicable.

School Operations And Policies: Handbook

A Muddy Creek Charter School Handbook is coming soon! The purpose of this handbook is to provide the MCCS community with information specific to MCCS operations.

It will contain exciting information about y/our school, including:

•The information covered tonight.•School Governance, Mission, and Vision.•Details about Communication within the MCCS community.•Curriculum Overview•Conduct and Discipline Policy•Health and Safety•Volunteer Program•and many more of your all-time favorites!

School Operations And Policies: Discipline Policy

Maintaining a positive environment to learn and grow as a community is also a high priority at Muddy Creek. We continually work to provide encouragement and support for all students in order to help them all become strong participants in the community.

The following steps are taken to ensure students develop academically and behaviorally at MCCS.

Proactive:•Setting ground rules and establishing expectations.•Developing and implementing a suitable social skills curriculum.•Establishing affirming communication with students.•Providing supportive outlets for students to voice their concerns.

Reactive:•Maintaining affirming communication with students.•Actively addressing which behavioral supports a student needs.•Develop methods for a student to resolve and improve a problematic situation.

Muddy Creek Charter School will follow the Corvallis School District Parent/Student Hand Book for the appropriate response to more serious incidents.

School Operations And Policies: Health & Safety: H1N1

As the CDC releases information to guide schools as they respond to influenza during the 2009-2010 school year, Muddy Creek is developing a plan to ensure the continuity of learning in the event of student and school dismissals. The following procedures will be included in any final plan.

•Procedures for selective dismissal(for vulnerable students), reactive dismissal (when a significant proportion of students have a documented fever), or preemptive dismissals (to proactively reduce risk).•Procedures for notifying families.•Procedures for extending learning opportunities to students who are at home.•Procedures to reduce the spread of flu through practice of good hygiene.•Procedures for conducting or connecting parents to optional immunization programs.

Recommendations from Benton County Communicable Disease •Stay home if you or your child is sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever.•Never cough or sneeze into your hands. Use your elbow or shoulder.•Wash your hands with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.

Please refer to www.co.benton.or.us/health, www.ed.gov/h1n1flu, and www.cdc.gov.

School Operations and Policies:Communications

Communications

•Email will be used for school communications as much as possible to reduce printing costs and paper waste.

•All MCCS families have a mailbox just inside the front entrance at the school. Hardcopies of all email communications will be placed in the boxes of those families who have indicated that they have infrequent access to email. The mail boxes will also be used for getting non-electronic information to families (receipts, etc.).

•We also want to facilitate communications between families.

•We will be publishing a school directory with contact information. We are in the process of verifying what information each family has authorized us to share.•The mailboxes can be utilized for communications between families, but please do not use for non-school related solicitations (no junk mail).•If you have information on community activities you want to share with other MCCS families, please bring flyers/brochures/posters to the office. John Knight will review them, and make a determination as to the appropriate place to post them (on the information bulletin board in the hallway, or the Community Room bulletin board).

Volunteer Program

Muddy Creek Charter School was created through the efforts of volunteers and will continue to rely on volunteer support for its successful operation.

Volunteer Policy:

•All volunteers must complete a volunteer information form and background check form.

•Volunteers who will be transporting children for field trips must have insurance documentation on file with the school.

•Volunteers must sign-in at the office during school hours. This allows us to know who is on site as well as track volunteer hours (important for certain grant applications). We will be preparing name tags for volunteers to wear while at the school.

•Volunteers need to practice confidentiality and should not discuss students with anyone other than school staff.  •Volunteers should direct discipline issues/concerns to school staff . They should not give consequences to students but instead be additional eyes and ears, helping to resolve minor conflicts and bringing anything major to the attention of staff members.

Volunteer Program

Volunteer Opportunities:

•Classroom - Teachers will be contacting interested classroom volunteers to set schedules.  Be sure to let your child’s teacher how/when you are interested in volunteering.  Some teachers would like to have room parents to help with coordinating and scheduling volunteers, field trips and other events.

•Lunch Supervision – Additional lunch/recess support supervision is always appreciated. If you can help, contact Chana with days you are available.

•Task Board – Volunteer tasks are posted on the bulletin board in the entry hall. If you have some time to volunteer, just look for something that fits your needs and interest.

Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Brewer if you have any questions or suggestions for the volunteer program.