frank locker educational planners welcome grand rapids christian schools elementary school...

FRANK LOCKER Educational Planners

WELCOME Grand Rapids Christian SchoolsELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

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SCHEDULECompleted

Oct 8-15: Start-Up MeetingsFive School Teachers/StaffFive School Communities

Oct 27/28: Educational Focus Group Workshops

To DoOct 29: All-School Teacher/Staff Meeting, 3:45

All-Community Meeting, 7:00Nov 17: Educational Focus Group WorkshopsNov 17: Report to GRCS Board of Trustees Nov 18: All-School Teacher/Staff Meeting, 3:45

All-Community Meeting, 7:00Dec 15: GRCS Board Trustees Meeting: Decision on Sites

Jan 5: Combined District-GRCS Board Meeting


PARENTS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, + UNIQUE ASPECTS

HOPES:

Educational programs (33)

Curriculum strengthened

Curriculum expanded

Improved academic standards

Gifted and talented

Improved physical plant (16)

Strong community of parents (13)

Reduced tuition (11)

Growth of the school (11)

Diversity of students and staff (10)

Maintain Evergreen’s distinctness (8)

Positive relationship with the neighborhood community (5)

Special needs/ accessibility (5)

Central location (5)

Rockford as part of GRCS (4)

Positive kid culture (3)

START UP MEETINGS


PARENTS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, + UNIQUE ASPECTS

CONCERNS:

Issues related to size of school (38)

Number of students at each grade and on campus

Development of/relationships leading toward a feeling of community

Class size

Effective integration of school communities

Financial issues (25)

Cost

Reduced tuition

Uniqueness of Evergreen (10)

Teacher Training

Calendar Issues

Preschool

Busing/ distance (6)

Staffing issues/ losing and hiring (4)

Perceptions of some programs (4)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLES

HOPES:Importance of staff collaboration/ teaming/ common planning time (5)Lower tuition cost (3)Increased diversity (3)Maintain special education/ inclusion (3)Building features/ issues (3)Staffing issues/ process (2)Smaller class size (2)Improved curriculum/ high quality teaching (2)Process/ four schools become one (2)Building appearance/architecture (1)ESL support/ issues (1)Hire more support staff (1)Sense of community in larger school (1)Safety/ access control (1)Fiscal issues related to building a new school (1)Continue/ expand environmental focus (1)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLESCONCERNS:Staffing issues/ process (3)Location (2)Size of school (2)Safety (1)Maintain grouping practices (1)Overall alignment of curriculum (1)Cost (1)Adequacy of library (1)Building supports programmatic needs (1)Fate of the Millbrook building (1)Rockford remains connected (1)Rockford not thought of as an option (1) Leadership for the new school (1)Impact of past practices on new school (1)How to work with library/ media specialist (1)Pre-K and K at Evergreen depends on working with older kids (1)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLESPOINTS OF PRIDE:Involved parents (4)Concern for/ acceptance of diversity/ inclusion (3)Neighborhood institution (1)Parents value Christian outlook (1)Positive school community (1)Highly integrated staff (1)High MEAP scores (1)Mission focus of school (1)Yearly “theme” for the school (1)Prayer circles (1)Hands-on learning projects (1)Differentiated instruction (1)Service projects (1)Praise dance (1)Spiritual growth week (1)Choice (1)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLESPOINTS OF PRIDE:Clarity (1)Student learning “out in the world” (1)UNIQUE ASPECTS:Intramural program (1)PTO Cultural Arts Committee (1)Friendship garden (1)Service projects (1)Summer camp (1)Summer tutoring (1) Positive approach to special education (1)Combined grades 1-2 (1)Combined grades preschool (1)Environmental focus (1)Before and after-school daycare (1)Middle school/ open access to performing arts (1) Positive relationship to local public schools (1)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLES

UNIQUE ASPECTS:

Different demographics than Grand Rapids (1)

Shares building with church (1)

Stable staff situation (1)

Familiarity with low SES kids (1)

Strong student community (1)

4th/5th grade “safeties” (1)

Circle of Friends (1)

Brain gym (1)

Spiritual depth of community (1)

For Evergreen, location is portable (1)

Extensive use of media center/ media coordinator at Evergreen (1)

INTANGIBLES:

Perception of schools as “rich”/ “elitist” (2)

Singular model of Christian life (1)

Staff focus on own objectives (1)

Message of building/ as functional and modest (1)

START UP MEETINGS


TEACHERS: HOPES, CONCERNS, PRIDE, UNIQUE ASPECTS, + INTANGIBLESINTANGIBLES:Evidence of parent labor in buildings (gardens, tree plantings) (1)Value of intergenerational model at Iroquois (1) Celebrate the value of each student (1)Simulation activities for each grade level (1)Need for experts in middle school consolidation (1)Relocate furniture (1)

START UP MEETINGS


EDUCATIONAL FOCUS GROUP WORKSHOP


ISSUES ADDRESSED21st Century Schools Characterize the Successful…

StudentGraduateSchoolTeacher

Review + Critique of Programs + Practices School Size: Opportunities + ChallengesDevelopmental Age of StudentsSchool Concepts

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED What is a Classroom?School OrganizationSchool Planning DiagramSite Specific Evaluations



PROGRAMS + PRACTICES DRAFT• BC-IB (Evergreen)• Service Learning• Minority Recruitment• Fundraising/Tuition Partnerships• Summer Camp (open to whole

community)• Chapels (place of worship, time)• Theme for the Year• Prayer Around the Grounds-

Spiritual Emphasis Week• Hot Lunch• Physical Building Issues• Pre-School• Buddies Program• Cultural Arts• Urban Environmental• Community/Parent Lounge• Spring/Christmas Programs for

Families


• Community Building Activities• Facility Use for Parents/Community• Gifted + Talented• Worship/Chapel• Language Immersion• Looping/Multiage• Before/After School• Tutoring• PTO• Shared Time• Teaching Teams• Inclusion• Staff Development• Chaplain/Worship Coordinator• Spiritual Emphasis Week• Buddies System• Service Learning Projects• Themes for the Year• Kindergarten Options• Intramurals


PROGRAMS + PRACTICES DRAFToihhhj



PROGRAMS + PRACTICES DRAFTMOST IMPORTANT TO THE ED FOCUS GROUP



SUMMARY OF SCHOOL CONCEPTS DRAFT1. Create a flexible school, adaptable to change, with a building to support

flexibility/adaptability2. School concepts should be focused on educational research

– Model for teaching needs to continue to evolve as students/generations change

– Current buildings are factory model3. School is a community of learners

– Families– Students– Teachers– Community members throughout the city

4. Be good financial stewards in the renovations5. Engage parents of preschool children in the whole school as they drop-

off/pick up their child



SUMMARY OF SCHOOL CONCEPTS DRAFT6. Reflect the primary reasons we are a Christian school:

– Educate– Build community– Intentional re: worship (worship space)– Ethic of hospitality

• Learner community• Local residences• City

7. Plan for + support parent involvement:– Parent room– PTO– “Latte”

8. Intentionally group students in Small Learning Communities– Not more than 200 students– Not less than 88 students

9. Position teachers to know students and families well– Community building

10. Include appropriate spaces to support learning, in addition to classrooms



SUMMARY OF SCHOOL CONCEPTS DRAFT11. Start ASAP with events, programs, and planning to build a strong, positive overall

community anticipation for the new school12. Continue this sharing process (ie, the Educational Focus Group) in appropriate forums

to foster understanding



SCHOOL CONCEPTS DRAFT


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