School Administrator
School District Policies
Staff Evaluation
Project Liaison for FNA
Student Competency Testing
Funding Allocation and Costs
Per Pupil Allocation
Annual Program Budget
Risk Management
Indemnification
Accounting Methods
Student Fees
Compliance with Current Accounting Laws
Recording and Reporting Requirements
Access to School Records
Facility Location and Description
Safety Codes and Inspections
Facility Lease Arrangement
Maintenance and Janitorial Services
Instructional Personnel
Names of Teachers and Principal
Teacher to Student Ratio
Support Personnel
Evaluation
FEA and ESSA Provision
Description of the Student Population
Teacher to Student Ratio
Number of Students Served (FTE & Head Count)
Annual Student Count, By Name
Student with Special Services
VII. TRANSPORTATION
VIII. FOOD SERVICES
APPENDIX Table of Contents
Section One: GOVERNANCE
I. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & COMMITMENT
The Organizing Committee
As early as 2002, a group of educators interested
in starting a charter school based
on a foundation of Alaska Native history and culture began meeting
to discuss
this possibility. The group included parents, teachers, elders, and representatives
from many
of
the agencies
and organizations
that serve
Native children
and
families. Several community meetings
were held in Fairbanks.
In December 2003, this group formed the Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee and
started to design
a school which would
be more
meaningful and effective
for these students.
At that time they
focused
on 6th, 7th, 8th
and 9th grade,
intending to solidly
prepare the students
for the difficult
transition from
Middle School
to High School.
The
organizing group envisioned
the charter
school as an
essential part
of the development
of Alaska
Native leaders.
Charter
school students will
emerge
from 9th grade
level as dynamic future
leaders – knowledgeable
of Native heritage,
traditions and values,
and skilled in the
basics of subsistence.
Academic
Policy Council
As plans
evolved so did the governing structure
of the
organizing
group of community
members.
The Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee
formed the
Academic Policy
Committee (APC)
as the vehicle
to eventually
formulate and govern
the school. With AS
14.03.250 (b) and School
District
policy
935.13
in mind, indications
of interest in serving
on the APC
were
solicited
from teachers interested
in working
at
the school,
from parents
interested
in having their
children attend the
school, and from
members of
the original Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee
who
met state
and district
criteria for
APC membership. Final
APC membership
was decided
by consensus among
Native Charter School
Organizing
Committee
members and
interested teachers.
Together
both Committees named
the new
school the Effie Kokrine
Charter
School
after a
prominent Athabascan
leader who
taught cultural education
for many
years in the
Fairbanks
North Star
Borough
School District
(School
District).
The
APC is made up of
educators,
parents,
Elders and
students within
the District
area. The
Charter School
will function
within the
legal structures
set forth by
the State of
Alaska,
the Department
of
Education,
and the local
School District.
All Committee
members
of the original
Native Charter
School
Organizing
Committee
and
the Academic
Policy
Committee,
are familiar
with Alaska
Statute
14.03.250 through
14.03.290,
with state
regulation
4 AAC
33.110, and
with School
District
Policy 935
on Charter
Schools.
During
the planning
and
implementation
stages,
the APC will
meet a minimum
of once
per month.
Everyone
is welcome
and
encouraged
to attend these
meetings.
Fairbanks
Native Association
In November
2004, after
much deliberation
about
the governance
of the Charter
School and
in
recognition
of State laws
and
School District
policies, the
APC made a
decision to
involve the
Fairbanks
Native Association
as leaders
in the
project. Therefore,
the
Charter School
is currently
a cooperative
project between
the
Academic Policy
Committee,
the Fairbanks
Native
Association
(FNA),
and Fairbanks
North Star
Borough School
District.
It
is the intention
of the FNA
Board of Directors
to
guide the
Academic
Policy Council
in their governance,
management,
and
fiscal oversight
responsibility
for
the Charter
School
during
the initial
years of operations
until the Academic
Policy Committee
attains legal
status as a
501(c)3 nonprofit
corporation.
The
Academic Policy
Committee membership
has since been
approved
by the FNA
Board
of
Directors and
are authorized
to
make decisions
to govern the
Charter
School in accordance
with FNA’s
responsibility
as a 501(c)3
obligations,
School Board
policies and
the laws
of
the State
of Alaska.
The President
and Chairman
of the FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
a member
of the APC
to assure such
compliance.
Any changes
in the membership
will also
be approved
by
the FNA Board
of Directors. Requested exceptions
from district
policies appear
in this charter
school
application,
with
the rationale
for the exceptions
provided in
pertinent sections.
Community
Advisory Committee
Interest
in helping with
the Charter
School as well
as in teaching
at the school
continues to grow
as word of the
developing charter school
has
spread throughout
Alaska’s
interior. Attached
are copies
of marketing
materials marked
as Appendix
XV – Outreach
Materials and
Flyers.
In
addition to
the Academic
Policy Committee,
the
Charter School
will develop
a
Community Advisory
Committee
made up of
people
interested
in developing
an
exceptional
educational
program for
Fairbanks.
Members will
be recruited
from
business partners,
agencies
that serve
families and
children,
educational
institutions,
community
leaders and
others who
are committed
to
the school’s
mission. Community
Advisory Committee
members will
be expected
to actively
support
the
school by helping
with
strategic
partnerships,
fund-raising,
long-term planning
or other needs.
The Community
Advisory
Committee
will have
seven (7) to
eleven (11)
members and
will meet
quarterly.
This committee
will not be
started
until after
the school
charter
is approved
by
the School
District and
the
Alaska Board
of Education
and Early
Development.
Basis
for the Curriculum
The Committees, with much community
involvement,
designed the
school around
the following
criteria established
as priorities:
• Teaching methods based in Native ways of instruction
and learning
• Active, project-based learning
• Curriculum based in Native knowledge of the world
• Presence and involvement of Native elders
• Use of broad community as a learning context
•
Building students’ pride in Native culture as an element in success
• Academic success
Project-based education is successful in small schools
across Alaska. Culturally appropriate
curricular and methods-of-instruction resources are available through
the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative
(funded by
the National Science Foundation
for ten years) and numerous other sources. The Charter
School
is
designed to
build on these
experiences and on the related resources in order to
immerse students in the knowledge,
values and
practices
of
Alaska Native
cultures. It is designed to help the
students experience
academic success
from within a cultural context. The Committee fully
accepts the
Alaska
State
Standards and related assessments as required measures of
that success.
In
Summary
As the school will be
operated and administered
by staff
members of
the Fairbanks North
Star Borough
School District,
it
is implicitly understood
that
the interests
of the School District
as well
as those
of the
Fairbanks Education
Association (FEA)
and the
Education
Support
Staff
Association (ESSA)
will be protected
and the policies
which have not been
waived
will be followed.
The Charter
School
administration and
the APC will
understand that
information
and technical assistance
to operate
a quality
school and education
system will be forthcoming
from the School District
throughout the life
of the school
as
long as the Charter
School is operated
within agreement
and charter of
the
School District.
The APC will
have
no less than seven
(7)
members
and
no
more than nine
(9) members.
As
per Alaska statute
and
district
policy,
the APC will
include
parents of students
attending
(or planning
to
attend) the school;
teachers
at the
school
(or persons planning
to
teach
at
the school); and
at least
one
other employee of
the school
(or
person planning
employment at the
school)
if
there is any
school
staff,
other
than teachers.
One seat is reserved
for
the principal /head
teacher.
One
seat will be filled
by
a Native
elder. One
seat
will be filled
by
a board member
from
the
Fairbanks
Native
Association.
One
seat will be
filled
by a University
of
Alaska Fairbanks
representative. Some
of the
four
specified seats
may
be held by members
also
meeting
the
need
for
parents
and
teachers. The
chair
may be a member
from
any seat except the
principal/head
teacher.
(Appendix
I –Committee
and
Board
Membership,
Appendix
II – APC
Member
Biographical
Sketches,
Appendix
III – EKCS
Bylaws,
and
Appendix
IV – Minutes
of
past
meetings,)
For
the
benefit
of
the
students,
the
Charter
School
as
an
educational
program
will
continually
be
evaluated
for
effectiveness
and
monitored
with
regard
to
its
compatibility
with
the
high
standards
of
education
in
the
State
of
Alaska.
II.
GOVERNANCE
Governing
Body
It
is
the
intention
of
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
to
guide
the
Academic
Policy
Council
in
their
governance,
management,
and
fiscal
oversight
responsibility
for
the
Charter
School
during
the
initial
years
of
operations
until
the
Academic
Policy
Committee
attains
legal
status
as
a
501(c)3
nonprofit
corporation.
The
Academic
Policy
Committee membership
has
since
been
approved
by
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
and
are
authorized
to
make
decisions
to
govern
the
Charter
School
in
accordance
with
its
responsibility
as
a 501(c)3
obligations,
School
Board
policies
and
the
laws
of
the
State
of
Alaska.
The
FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
comprised
of
nine
members
who
are
elected
by
the
membership
of
the
organization
which
is
the
Native
American/Alaska
Native
population
in
Fairbanks
and
surrounding
areas.
The
President
and
Chairman
of
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
a member
of
the
APC
to
assure
such
compliance.
Any
changes
in
the
membership
will
also
be
approved
by
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors. (Appendix
I – FNA
Board
of
Directors)
Policies
and
goals
for
the
Charter
School
are
set
by
the
Academic
Policy
Committee.
After
the
beginning
of
the
initial
school
year,
the
Academic
Policy
Committee,
which
includes
the
Charter
School's
principal
and
at
least
two
other
teachers,
will
meet
on
a
monthly basis
to
discuss
issues
related
to
the
governance
and
administration
of
the
school
and
at
least
four
times
yearly
to
analyze
and
discuss
the
progress
in
achieving
the
policies
and
goals.
Following
State law,
the principal
of the
Charter School
was selected
by the
APC and
will have
the authority
to select
and supervise
employees of
the Charter
School.
Section Two: EDUCATIONAL STRATEGY
I. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Vision
In the vision of its founders, all children choosing to attend the
Charter School will be successful. The students will be young people healthy
in body, mind and spirit. All students will be taught using individualized
preferred
learning style. They will be active participants in learning Alaska
Native heritage and culture – well on their way to becoming dynamic
leaders.
In this vision, school is a place of support, development and learning
for the whole child. It is a place where learning builds on who the children
already are and where they come from. It uses their cultural background
as
the foundation of who they are. On this foundation, the school
helps to develop each child into a fully contributing member of his or
her cultural community.
In this vision, students enter the school understanding
its special mission and wanting to be a part of it. When they leave, they
leave
as successful
students, proud of themselves, hard working, and responsible. Charter
School students will be able to perform well academically and interact
constructively
with their community.
Supporting Research
In contrast to this vision and the reason for this type
of Charter school, it is proven that many minority students do not succeed
as well as they might
in traditional western schools. Research both identifies why and
suggests constructive alternatives.
In a 2002 report on learning
and understanding from the National Research Council’s Center for Education,
the authors develop seven principles of human learning, the use of which
in educational
settings improves learning
results. Four of these principles are especially relevant to teaching
children with varying cultural backgrounds:
- Recognizing differences
among learners is important in fostering teaching and learning;
- A
learner’s prior knowledge is the starting point for
effective learning;
- The practices and activities in which
people engage during learning shape what is learned; and
- Learner’s
beliefs about their ability to learn affect their success in learning.
1
That traditional western schools do
not always effectively employ these principles for Native American students
is well documented.
Over a decade ago, while
serving on the U.S. Department of Education Task Force that produced
Indian Nations at Risk, J. Reyhner drew on related research for
conclusions regarding
high dropout rates for American Indian and Alaska Native students,
including, “Inappropriate
curriculum, lack of a culturally-relevant curriculum with materials
designed for AI/AN students,” and “Passive teaching
methods. Too often the complaint is made by AI/AN youth that
they are ‘bored out’ of
school. Active learning strategies should be employed, where
students are encouraged to interact with peers, instructors,
and their environment.” 2
The National Research Council report’s
authors explain, “Students
presented with vast amounts of content knowledge that is not
organized into meaningful patterns are likely to forget what
they have learned and . . .
be unable to apply the knowledge to new problems or unfamiliar
contexts.”3 Being
able to teach with “meaningful patterns” – while
also starting with students’ prior knowledge and using
their differences – requires
knowledge of, and the ability and willingness to teach within
the students’ cultural
backgrounds – where they’re coming from. And, given
that the practices and activities used during learning affect
the success
of that
learning, teaching well again requires activities with which
the students are familiar and at which they can excel.
Research
specific to rural school instruction in Alaska supports this.
In Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned: Teachers’ Reflections
on Schooling in Rural Alaska, Dr. Ray Barnhardt concludes that
participatory and process-centered
curriculum, rather than a subject-matter approach, better engages
the bored learner and is more appropriate to the community and
cultural environments
of Alaska Native students. “Using projects, planned tasks,
or problems for one or more individuals in the school (or out
of it) as a tool of this
curriculum will involve experiential or active learning.”4
The
new charter school designed specifically to support Native student
success will be based on this and related research that
offers constructive
alternatives
to traditional classroom-based schooling. The mission, philosophy
and organizing principles of the Charter School, as well as its
curriculum, instructional
methods, criteria for staff, and the facility itself to the extent
possible, are designed to support success for students who choose
to attend a school
founded on Alaska Native cultures. (For a more thorough discussion
of research addressing Native Alaskan children’s educational
needs and performance, see Appendix V,
the Charter School Feasibility Study.)
Mission
The mission of the Charter School is to provide educational opportunities
for students to succeed in the world by developing a strong sense
of purpose, identity, place and community through cultural and
academic empowerment.
The Charter School shall provide an educational
program that shall advance students' mastery of basic skill areas including
mathematics,
science, health,
reading, language arts and social studies, appropriate to the
age of students included in the program. Provision will also
be made
for Alaska Native studies,
language and culture; physical education; music, art, and instructional
technology within the educational program.
Educational Philosophy
The philosophy of the Charter School is that, for
students to achieve their educational goals, their learning must connect,
or resonate,
with
them. To resonate, the students’ learning must be embedded in a
meaningful context. To achieve a meaningful context, the learning must
be based in who the students
are and where they come from – their homes and their culture.
Therefore, the school makes extraordinary efforts to relate curriculum,
teaching methods
and every aspect of the school experience to the homes and social
communities from which the students come.
• Cultural Values as School Organizing Principles
Traditionally, Alaska Native cultures assume that people realize their potential,
not through individual effort, but also through fitting into
their physical environment and through a complex network of support from their
family
and
communities. In this cultural context, effective schooling for
children must therefore be embedded in place and community – concepts
which are intimately connected in Native cultures. To support its students,
therefore,
everything
the school does contribute to belonging-in-a-place and to developing
community.
•• Family
Family members of the Charter School are required to provide active support
for their children, and for all the children, in the school.
They are expected to respect, support and praise the students. Parents or other
family
members
are required to give at least one hour per week -- or comparable
service -- to school projects. In their active role as models for the children,
parents
and family members are expected to demonstrate healthy personal
choices as well as commitment to cultural involvement.
•• Tribe
For Alaska Natives, the tribe is the relevant political community. It is
intended that Interior Alaska Tribal organizations will contribute
by developing new activities for their participation, i.e. by helping the students
establish
school government based on tribal governance practices. Tribal
organizations are expected to welcome the children into on-going tribal activities
and
decision-making. Tribal members are expected to teach their ways
of establishing purposes and achieving goals to the children by modeling these
ways and by
involving the students as much as possible. Further, tribal members
are expected to model appropriate public behavior for the students.
•• Community
One factor contributing to the uniqueness of this school is that the lines
among the influences on students (families, school, physical
environment, community) are much more fluid than in traditional schools. It
will not be unusual to have community leaders in the school, for instance.
It will
not
be unusual that school staff mix socially with school parents.
In design and implementation, the Charter School intentionally blurs divisions
between
school and related communities, thereby enlarging the children’s
sense of belonging within community.
•• The School
As the community learns more about the school’s philosophy, it is envisioned
that more people will be come involved in various ways including
building the basis for a culturally strong curriculum. As part of their commitment
to the school mission, school staff will have or gain a Native
knowledge base as the basis for staff behavior and instruction. Within the
guidelines
and policies not waived of the local education associations,
the school has built into the curriculum the use of community leaders and cultural
teachers
as instructional resources. The school will prepare students
for
state benchmark assessments, while adding to this success the values of Native
cultural communities.
Educational Goals
Relying heavily on a strong network of community members,
program and organizations, the school will develop students who 1) enjoy
and stay in school;
2) acquire the knowledge and skills stipulated in the Alaska Cultural
Standards for
Students, as adopted by the Alaska State Board of Education
and outlined below; 3) take pride in themselves and their cultural
heritage; 4) contribute
to community and benefit from belonging to community; and
5) perform at acceptable levels of academic achievement as measured by state
assessments.
CULTURAL STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS
A. Culturally knowledgeable students are
well grounded in the cultural heritage and traditions of their community.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1) assume responsibility for
their role in relation to the well-being of the cultural community and
their life-long obligations as
a community member;
2) recount their own genealogy and family history;
3) acquire and pass on the traditions of their community
through oral and written history;
4) practice their traditional responsibilities to
the surrounding environment;
5) reflect through their own actions the critical
role that the local heritage language plays in fostering
a sense of
who they
are and how they understand
the world around them;
6) live a life in accordance with the cultural values
and traditions of the local community and integrate
them into
their everyday
behavior.
7) determine the place of their cultural community
in the regional, state, national and international
political
and
economic systems;
B. Culturally knowledgeable students
are able to build on the knowledge and skills of the local cultural
community
as a foundation
from
which to achieve
personal and academic success throughout life.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1)
acquire insights from other cultures without diminishing the integrity
of their own;
2) make effective use of the knowledge, skills
and ways of knowing from their own cultural
traditions to learn
about
the larger
world in which they live;
3) make appropriate choices regarding the long-term
consequences of their actions;
4) identify appropriate forms of technology
and anticipate the consequences of their
use for
improving the quality
of life in
the community.
C. Culturally knowledgeable
students are able to actively participate in various cultural
environments.
Students who meet this cultural
standard are able to:
1) perform subsistence activities in ways
that are appropriate to local cultural
traditions;
2) make constructive contributions
to the governance of their community
and
the well-being
of their
family;
3) attain a healthy lifestyle through
which they are able to maintain their
own social,
emotional,
physical,
intellectual
and spiritual
well-being;
4) enter into and function effectively
in a variety of cultural settings.
D.
Culturally knowledgeable students are able to engage effectively in learning
activities
that are
based on
traditional ways
of knowing and learning.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1) acquire in-depth cultural
knowledge through active participation and
meaningful interaction
with Elders;
2) participate in and make constructive
contributions to the learning
activities associated with
a traditional camp
environment;
3) interact with Elders in a
loving and respectful way that
demonstrates
an appreciation
of their
role as culture-bearers
and educators
in the community;
4) gather oral and written history
information from the local community
and provide
an appropriate interpretation
of its
cultural meaning
and significance;
5) identify and utilize appropriate
sources of cultural knowledge
to find solutions
to everyday
problems;
6) engage in a realistic self-assessment
to identify strengths and needs
and make appropriate
decisions
to enhance life
skills.
E. Culturally knowledgeable
students demonstrate an awareness and
appreciation of the relationships
and
processes of
interaction of all elements
in the world around them.
Students who meet this cultural
standard are able to:
1) recognize
and build upon the inter-relationships that
exist
among the spiritual, natural
and human realms in
the world
around them, as reflected
in their own cultural traditions
and beliefs as well as
those of others;
2) understand the ecology
and geography of the bioregion
they inhabit;
3) demonstrate an understanding
of the relationship between
world view
and the
way knowledge is
formed and used;
4) determine how ideas
and concepts from one knowledge
system relate
to those
derived from
other knowledge
systems;
5) recognize how and why
cultures change over time;
6) anticipate the changes
that occur when different
cultural
systems come
in contact
with one another;
7) determine how cultural
values and beliefs influence
the interaction
of
people from
different cultural
backgrounds;
8) identify and appreciate
who they are and their
place in the
world.
Curriculum Model
The curriculum for the
Charter School (see
the graphic representation
on
following page) is
structured around
twelve themes that
encompass the essential
cultural and academic
knowledge. These are linked to Native
cultural values
as
outlined
by the
Denakkanaaga Elders
and the Alaska
Cultural Standards
for Curriculum (listed
below). The themes
are organized
into a cumulative
series
of three-week-long
intensive
blocks in
which students participate
in classroom- and community-based
activities based on
the educational principles
and practices outlined
in
the Alaska
Standards for
Culturally
Responsive
Schools. A particular
emphasis is put on project-oriented,
culturally responsive,
place-based and experiential
curricular and instructional
strategies.
The three-week
intensive block schedule
is used
to allow greater
flexibility
in implementation
of the
curricular
and instructional
strategies and to
link with learning and experiential
opportunities in
the community. It will
also provide
a means for students
to acquire
credits and complete
requirements in smaller
increments than
a regular semester
schedule, based
on a performance-based
portfolio assessment
system. As the
Charter School develops
the block schedule
will provide
future
opportunities for
Charter
School students and
village high school
students to participate in exchange
programs.
A. A culturally responsive
curriculum reinforces the integrity of the cultural knowledge that students
bring with them.
A curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) recognizes
that all knowledge is imbedded in a larger system of cultural beliefs, values
and practices, each with its own integrity
and interconnectedness;
2) insures that students acquire not only the surface knowledge of
their culture, but are also well grounded in the deeper aspects of
the associated
beliefs and practices;
3) incorporates contemporary adaptations along with the historical
and traditional aspects of the local culture;
4) respects and validates knowledge that has been derived from a
variety of cultural traditions;
5) provides opportunities for students to study all subjects starting
from a base in the local knowledge system.
B. A culturally responsive
curriculum recognizes cultural knowledge as part of a living and constantly
adapting system that is grounded
in the past,
but continues to grow through the present and into the future.
A
curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) recognizes the contemporary
validity of much of the traditional cultural knowledge, values and beliefs,
and grounds students learning
in the principles
and practices associated with that knowledge;
2) provides students with an understanding of the dynamics of cultural
systems as they change over time, and as they are impacted by external
forces;
3) incorporates the in-depth study of unique elements of contemporary
life in Native communities in Alaska, such as the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement
Act, subsistence, sovereignty and self-determination.
C. A culturally
responsive curriculum uses the local language and cultural knowledge
as a foundation for the rest of the curriculum.
A curriculum that meets
this cultural standard:
1) utilizes the local language as a base from which
to learn the deeper meanings of the local cultural knowledge, values,
beliefs and practices;
2) recognizes the depth of knowledge that is associated with
the long inhabitation of a particular place and utilizes
the study
of “place” as a
basis for the comparative analysis of contemporary social,
political and economic systems;
3) incorporates language and cultural immersion experiences
wherever in-depth cultural understanding is necessary;
4) views all community members as potential teachers and
all events in the community as potential learning opportunities;
5) treats local cultural knowledge as a means to acquire
the conventional curriculum content as outlined in state
standards, as well as an
end in itself;
6) makes appropriate use of modern tools and technology
to help document and transmit traditional cultural knowledge;
7) is sensitive to traditional cultural protocol, including
role of spirituality, as it relates to appropriate uses
of local knowledge.
D. A culturally responsive curriculum
fosters a complementary relationship across knowledge derived from diverse
knowledge
systems.
A curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) draws parallels between
knowledge derived from oral tradition and that derived from books;
2) engages students in the construction of new knowledge
and understandings that contribute to an ever-expanding
view of the world.
E. A culturally responsive curriculum
situates local knowledge and actions in a global context.
A curriculum
that meets this cultural standard:
1) encourages students to consider the
inter-relationship between their local circumstances and the global community;
2) conveys to students that every culture and community
contributes to, at the same time that it receives from
the global knowledge
base;
3) prepares students to “think globally, act
locally.”
ALASKA NATIVE CULTURAL VALUES
The
following cultural values were drawn from sets of values adopted
by Alaska Native Elders from across the state and will serve as
the core values by which
the students and staff of the Charter School will engage with one another
and by which the curricular and instructional practices will be
implemented:
Respect for Elders
Love for Children
Providing for Family
Knowledge of Language
Wisdom
Spirituality
Responsibility
Unity
Compassion
Love
Dignity
Honoring the Ancestors
Honesty
Humility
Humor
Sharing
Caring
Cooperation
Endurance
Hard Work
Self-Sufficiency
Respect for Nature
Respect for Others
Peace
|
Thematic Curriculum, Resources and Standards
Each of the twelve themes
outlined in the SPIRAL curriculum model above is linked to one or more
of the State Content Standards as well as the Alaska
Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools, so that all
of the essential subject-matter knowledge is taught in a relevant cultural
context whereby
students acquire the full range of necessary academic knowledge
and skills at the same time that they acquire the appropriate cultural
knowledge and
skills associated with the unique place in which they are
situated. (Appendix VIII - Detailed Curriculum Outlines as aligned with
Cultural Standards and
state content standards.)
While each three-week module
will focus on a particular aspect of the curriculum as it relates to the
specific
level of each cohort of students, continuous
attention will be given across all themes to the core areas
of language, culture, literacy and numeracy. When individual
needs warrant, students will
be able to enroll in college courses and training programs
offered through the Interior Athabascan Tribal College,
the University of Alaska and other
educational providers from throughout Alaska. Sample lessons,
units and resource materials associated with the SPIRAL
curriculum are available through the
Alaska Native Knowledge Network and summarized on the charts
attached to the SPIRAL curriculum outline.
Instructional
Methods and Materials
The instructional practices and teaching behaviors
associated with the SPIRAL curriculum model outlined above are based
on the guidelines for culturally
responsive pedagogy as specified in the Alaska Cultural
Standards for Educators (listed below), and they are consistent
with the Alaska Teacher Standards.
CULTURAL STANDARDS FOR
EDUCATORS
A. Culturally responsive educators incorporate local ways
of knowing and teaching in their work.
Educators who meet
this cultural standard:
1) recognize the validity and integrity of the traditional
knowledge system;
2) utilize Elders’ expertise in multiple ways in
their teaching;
3) provide opportunities and time for students to learn
in settings where local cultural knowledge and skills are
naturally relevant;
4) provide opportunities for students to learn through
observation and hands-on demonstration of cultural knowledge
and skills;
5) adhere to the cultural and intellectual property rights
that pertain to all aspects of the local knowledge they
are addressing;
6) continually involve themselves in learning about the
local culture.
B. Culturally responsive educators use
the local environment and community resources on a regular basis to link
what
they are teaching to the everyday
lives of the students.
Educators who meet this cultural
standard:
1) regularly engage students in appropriate projects
and experiential learning activities in the surrounding
environment;
2) utilize traditional settings such as camps as
learning environments for transmitting both cultural
and academic
knowledge and skills;
3) provide integrated learning activities organized
around themes of local significance and across subject
areas;
4) are knowledgeable in all the areas of local history
and cultural tradition that may have bearing on their
work as a teacher, including the appropriate
times for certain knowledge to be taught;
5) seek to ground all teaching in a constructive
process built on a local cultural foundation.
C.
Culturally responsive educators participate in community events and activities
in an appropriate
and supportive
way.
Educators who meet this cultural standard:
1) become active members of
the community in which they teach and make positive and culturally
appropriate
contributions
to the well being of that community;
2) exercise professional responsibilities in
the context of local cultural traditions and
expectations;
3) maintain a close working relationship with
and make appropriate use of the cultural and
professional
expertise
of their co-workers from the local
community.
D. Culturally responsive educators
work closely with parents to achieve a high level of complementary
educational expectations
between home and school.
Educators who meet
this cultural standard:
1) promote extensive community and parental
interaction and involvement in their
children’s
education;
2) involve Elders, parents and local leaders
in all aspects of instructional planning
and implementation;
3) seek to continually learn about and
build upon the cultural knowledge that
students
bring with them
from
their homes
and community;
4) seek to learn the local heritage language
and promote its use in their teaching.
E.
Culturally responsive educators recognize the full educational potential
of each
student and provide
the
challenges necessary
for them to achieve
that potential.
Educators who meet this
cultural standard:
1) recognize cultural differences as
positive attributes around which
to build appropriate
educational experiences;
2) provide learning opportunities
that help students recognize the
integrity
of the knowledge
they
bring with them and
use that knowledge as a springboard
to new understandings;
3) reinforce the student’s
sense of cultural identity and
place in the
world;
4) acquaint students with the world
beyond their home community in ways
that expand
their horizons
while
strengthening
their own identities;
5) recognize the need for all people
to understand the importance of
learning about
other cultures
and appreciating
what each has to offer.
Scheduling
Requirements
The Charter School will operate at
all times designated in the Charter
School
seasonal
year calendar. The
school day shall be 6 hours long
with sessions starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending
at 3:00 p.m. based on the School District’s
Middle School schedule taking
into consideration the related transportation
schedule.
The Charter School will
be in session a minimum of 180 school
days per
year, organized
around
twelve three-week
modules, each module consisting of a minimum
of 60 hours of learning activities,
some as many as 8 hours of learning
activities.
One
of the modules will overlap
the student count days ending the fourth
Friday in October of each year. Additional
modules will be offered as inter-sessions
and in the summer, on an as-needed
basis. A minimum of one module
per cohort level will be offered
during
each three-week
block of
instruction. The scheduling of each module will
take into consideration the seasonal
appropriateness
of the theme and the potential
opportunities for experiential
activities available in the community/region.
Evaluation and state assessments
will be scheduled accordingly
and timely
as determined further by the
APC during the
planning year. (Appendix
VII – Proposed
Daily Schedule and Seasonal Calendar)
Evaluation
Procedures
Evaluation of the success
of the SPIRAL curriculum model in
achieving
the educational
goals
outlined for the Charter
School will be based on student
performance as it relates to
the Alaska Cultural Standards
for Students,
including
the state
Content Standards.
In addition to meeting all federal
and state assessment requirements,
Charter School students must
maintain a comprehensive
and cumulative
portfolio
documenting their work in each
curriculum module, by which their
proficiency
will be evaluated based on relevant
performance
criteria
defined
in the form of
rubrics spelled out in reference
to the learning goals for each
module (as they
relate to
the respective cultural and content
standards associated
with the
module). Each student starting
out as a freshman will have completed
44
of the
48 modules
satisfactorily to earn 22 credits
to graduate.
Teacher Professional
Development
Teachers (and all
staff) choosing to work at the Charter School
will be
expected
to be knowledgeable
in Alaska
Native cultures, Native knowledge
systems and Native ways of knowing,
as well
as the teaching
practices
associated with the Alaska Cultural
Standards for Educators (as indicated
above), along
with the Guidelines for Preparing
Culturally Responsive
Teachers, Guidelines for Nurturing
Culturally Healthy
Youth, Guidelines
for Respecting Cultural Knowledge
and the Guidelines for Strengthening
Indigenous Languages.
As a foundation,
teachers are encouraged to take the following
courses, which
also apply to Alaska
Department
of Education
and Early Development continuing
education requirements:
ED/CCS
610 – Education
and Cultural Processes (including
Old
Minto Camp)
ED 681 – Place-based
Education (oriented to Interior
Alaska)
CCS 608 – Indigenous
Knowledge Systems
A one-month staff development
course, the Native Culture
Immersion Course,
will be
held every
summer prior to
or overlapping the opening
of school, and all school staff
are required
to teach for it, or take it
as students, or both.
It will
be rigorous,
in-depth
professional growth in the
development of learning resources and their
integration into instructional
design. The course
content will
range from Native culture
and languages to the history
and founding principles of
the Charter School. Participating
teachers will
talk with elders
and other Native leaders,
so they know how to integrate
these people with their students.
Teachers
will get site-specific instruction
about all the Fairbanks
and Interior region
resources available to augment
classroom-based instruction,
so they know what they
can draw from and build on.
They will attend Native community
festivals, dinners, meetings
and other functions to come
to understand
Native
ways of being in the world.
Every
year, the products resulting
from the Native Culture Immersion
Course will
be the
basis for
curricular decisions
for the coming year. Teachers
will leave with numerous reference
materials and boxes of culturally-relevant
instructional
materials,
with “team-teaching” units
at least partially designed
with their instructional colleagues
in the community,
and a several-months’ start
on lesson plans. Teachers will
also leave understanding where
the state standards and required
assessments fit into
instruction, where they fit
into the annual school calendar,
and how they fit as important
benchmarks in their students’ lives.
Through the Native Culture
Immersion Course the teaching
and other
staff will fully
understand the mission
of The Charter School and the
many ways in which they are
invited and
required
to support
that mission.
Teacher Support
Working in a new charter school
can be stressful. There are
outside-the-classroom demands
on
teachers. Curricular
emphases are different
than elsewhere. Expectations of staff and students
are
high and may evolve. To
support the teachers and
to continue to involve them
as the culture of the new school “settles” there
will be regular, end-of-day “de-brief” sessions
during which teachers can discuss
what works and what doesn’t.
The school will also work especially
hard to obtain staff development
funds for those teachers
who wish to take advantage
of conferences and other professional
development
opportunities pertaining
to charter schools
or to schools focused on Native
culture.
II. LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT
AND ASSESSMENT
In addition to
meeting all federal and state assessment
requirements
associated with NCLB
and Alaska QSI
(per AS 14.03.075), students
enrolled in
the Charter School will maintain
a comprehensive and cumulative
portfolio documenting their
work in each of the
curriculum modules.
Their proficiency will be evaluated
in reference to relevant performance
criteria defined in the form
of rubrics associated
with the learning
goals
for each module, as they relate
to the Alaska Cultural Standards
for
Students and the state Content
Standards (see
SPIRAL
chart
and
Appendix
VIII
for theme
and standards alignments).
The performance criteria will be indexed to the thematic
cycle so
that proficiency
expectations
will be cumulative
as students move from one cohort
level to another. Students
will be expected
to achieve “proficient” or “advanced” standing
on the performance measures
associated with each module
before moving on to the next
level. The Charter School “report
card” will consist
of a rating of “advanced,” “proficient,” or “needs
improvement” for each
of the twelve thematic modules
each year. Graduation with
a high school diploma will
be based on a minimum rating
of “proficient” in
all modules through level 12
as well as achieving a passing
score
for each
section of the Alaska
High School
Graduation
Qualifying Exam.
Each three
week thematic module will equate
to 1⁄2
credit with specific modules
concentrating on English, math,
science, and
health as well as
physical
education. Students transferring
out of the Charter School to
attend another
district
school or another
place would
be able to carry credits on
the basis of modules completed.
Students
will
also graduate based on the
number of credits
earned which
may be in part
based on
modules completed and in part
based on credits earned in
other schools in the district
(if the
student transferred
in
or transferred
out during
their time in high school),
fully meeting the requirements
for
credits in English, math, science,
health
and physical education.
III.
ADMISSION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Admission
Process
Prospective attendees of the
Charter School will follow
a three-step process:
-
Student
applicant and a parent or guardian must attend
one Orientation
Meeting together.
Dates
for these meetings
will be posted
on the school’s
web page which is linked
to the School District site at
http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/.
Participation
in
an Orientation Meeting should occur
before completing the application so
that students
and
their families understand
what the school
requires.
-
Student
applicant and parent(s) or guardian(s)
will read, complete
and sign the
application.
Part 1 Student and
Parent or Guardian
Information
Part 2 Parent’s or Guardian’s
Letter of Support
Part 3 Parent’s or Guardian’s
Commitment of Time/Service
to the School
Part 4 Letter of
Recommendation
-
Student must submit Parts 1, 2 and 3
of the application,
with a
completed
lottery form.
If more students
apply than
can be
accommodated, applicants will
be drawn by lottery
for admission.
Lottery drawings
will
be held on April 15
each year. (Appendix
IX - Application
for Admission
Form)
Timeline
The Charter School anticipates
more applicants than the
allotted number
of students. All
students will be enrolled
following
a lottery process. Lottery
drawings will be held on
April 15 each year.
Applications will be available
and accepted following
approval of this charter
by the School District
and the Alaska Board
of Education.
Students Enrolled
in the Howard Luke Academy at end
of Current
Academic
Year
Students who completed
the current academic school year
at Howard
Luke Academy will
be required to
follow the
same application
process as other interested
students. No special preference
will be given.
Grade Level
Restrictions
Enrollment levels for each
grade level will be monitored
and controlled
to
meet intended
requirements
for the
teacher/student ratio of
1:20. As each grade level
from grade
7 through 12
fills to a
maximum of 30 students per
grade level (1.5 teachers
per level),
that
level will
be closed. However, if not
enough
applications come in to fill
some grade levels to the
maximum of
30 students,
enrollment
number may be increased
in the
other grade levels, keeping
within the 1:20 teacher/student
ratio.
Family Considerations
Because of the Charter School’s cultural philosophies
around family and extended family, special consideration
may be given to siblings of students accepted into the school. However,
it must
be noted that the
application process
must be adhered to in all
cases.
Continuing Enrollment and
Re-admission
Once enrolled
at the Charter School, students and parents
or guardians
will complete
an “Intent to Enroll” form
for the following year, and
are expected to notify the school of any change
in plans. If students withdraw
from the Charter School to
attend another school, they are required to complete the
application
and lottery
process again before readmission
to the school.
Nondiscrimination Disclosure
Attendance at The Charter School is voluntary.
As per AS 14.03.265 (b) the
school shall enroll all eligible
students who submit a timely
application.
In the event of too many
eligible applicants, the school will follow Fairbanks
North Star Borough School
District Lottery Procedures for Open Enrollment. The lottery
will be held on April 15
of
every spring,
for enrollment for the
following fall, and will
be conducted in accord with district policy.
The Charter
School will not discriminate by race or special needs
or other inappropriate criteria.
No student
shall be denied participation because of
a learning disability, handicapping
condition, or special need. However, due to budget and
facility restrictions the Charter School
must refer severely
handicapped students to the
School Districts Special Education Department where specialized
staff is available.
As per
AS 14.03.265 (a) the school is intended for and
will recruit
for those
students most
likely
to benefit from its
curriculum and teaching methods.
Within the eligibility criteria,
the school
will strive to achieve a
mix of students regarding
grade level and gender
balance.
Student Behavior
While behavioral guidelines at the Charter
School will be based on traditional child-rearing
and parenting practices in nurturing culturally-healthy
youth
in the contemporary world,
the Charter School will utilize and incorporate
the
School Districts
disciplinary
policies
regarding student discipline.
Within the context and constructs of the Alaska Standards for
Culturally Responsive Schools
the following information
is provided.
Guidelines for
Youth: Culturally-healthy youth take an active interest
in learning their heritage
and assume
responsibility
for their role as contributing
members of the family and
community in which
they live.
Youth can nurture
their own cultural well-being through
the following
actions:
-
Learn all you
can about your family, kinship relations,
community
history
and cultural
heritage.
-
Participate
in subsistence activities with parents,
Elders and other
members of the
community and learn
the stories
and lessons associated
with those activities.
-
Become actively involved
in local activities
and organizations that contribute
to the
quality of life
in your community.
-
Show respect to the Elders
in your community
by assisting
them
in any
way you can.
-
Get involved in regional,
state and
national issues
and organizations
that
impact your
community.
-
Make healthy choices in
your lifestyle
that
contribute
to
the wholeness
and well-being
of yourself
and those
around
you.
-
Always
be a
good role model,
show
respect and provide
support
to others.
-
Participate in apprenticeships
with
cultural
experts
in
the community
and
acquire
traditional
conflict
resolution
skills.
-
Seek
to
acquire
all
the
knowledge
and
skills
associated
with
the "cultural
standards
for
students" (published
in
the
Alaska
Standards
for
Culturally-Responsive
Schools.)
-
Use critical
judgment in
the selection
of popular
media for
reading, viewing
and listening
and make
sure it
is aligned
with your
aspirations as
an adult.
-
Associate with
friends who
can provide
healthy role
models that
will make
a positive
contribution to
your growth
and development
toward adulthood.
Guidelines
for Educators: Educators are responsible
for providing
a supportive learning
environment that reinforces
the cultural
well-being of the students
in their care.
Educators
(teachers, administrators, aides, counselors, etc.)
can help nurture culturally-healthy
youth
through the following
actions:
-
Learn traditional
child-rearing
and parenting practices to
link the knowledge
base of the
school to that
of the community.
-
Recognize that
students’ developmental
needs undergo
substantial
changes in
early
adolescence
that can
affect academic
performance,
so instructional
strategies
will need
to be adapted
accordingly.
-
Adopt curricular
and instructional
strategies
that connect
to the cultural
and physical
world in
which the students
are situated.
-
Make effective use of local
expertise,
especially
Elders,
as co-teachers
whenever
local cultural
knowledge
is
being addressed
in the
curriculum.
-
Take
steps
to recognize
and validate
all aspects
of the
knowledge
students
bring
with them and
assist
them
in their
ongoing
quest
for personal
and cultural
affirmation.
-
Develop the observation
and
listening skills
necessary
to
acquire
an
in-depth understanding
of
the knowledge
system
indigenous
to
the local
community
and
apply that
understanding
in
teaching practice.
-
Visit
the
student’s
homes
and
learn
about
the
parents’ aspirations
for
their
children
as
well
as
their
expectations
for
you.
-
Carefully review
all curriculum
resource materials
to insure
cultural accuracy
and appropriateness
and assist
students in
making similar
critical judgments
themselves.
-
Make every
effort to
utilize locally-relevant
curriculum materials
with which
students can
readily identify,
including materials
prepared by
Alaska Native
authors.
-
Serve as
a role
model for
students by
utilizing constructive
forms of
discipline over
punishment and
providing positive
reinforcement over
negative feedback.
-
Provide sufficient
flexibility in
scheduling Elder
participation so
they are
able to
fully share
what they
know with
minimal interference
by the
clock and
provide enough
advance notice
for them
to make
the necessary
preparations.
-
Align all
subject matter
with the
Alaska Standards
for Culturally-Responsive
Schools and
develop curriculum
models that
are based
on the
local cultural
and environmental
experiences of
the students.
-
Recognize the
importance
of
cultural and
intellectual property
rights in
teaching practice
and honor
such rights
in all
aspects of
the selection
and utilization
of curriculum
resources.
-
Participate
in
community
events
and activities
to acquire
the insights
needed to
develop
appropriate
motivation
and
discipline
practices
in the
school.
These are only
two examples of the Guidelines. Guidelines
for
parents,
elders, community
members and all other
learning resources
involved in the school
will also be used.
The importance
of these Guidelines
and their implementation
in the Charter
School will be
discussed and developed
in depth by the school
staff,
parents,
students and others
during
the Native Culture
Immersion Course,
during the first few weeks of
school where
expectations
are clarified, and
during other sessions during
which the school
culture is established.
(Appendix
XIII – Alaska
Standards for Culturally
Responsive Schools)
The
one month Native
Culture Immersion
Course
will be
offered to the initial
set of teachers
in order
to get
the Charter
School off to a good
start and will occur
during the
month prior
to initial opening
of the first year
of
school. The
planning grant
funds provided
by
the State of Alaska
will be used to pay
for the
training session
including teacher
stipends to attend
the training (paid
at the
B+0 – base
plus zero rate set
by the school district).
Thereafter the
same course will
be
taught through the
University of Alaska
and will be required
of
all teachers
teaching at
the school
or planning
to teach at the school
every
year thereafter.
The University course
will be made part
of the recertification
process
and will count
toward
the
Alaska Teacher recertification
plan.
Section Three:
ADMINISTRATION
I.
ADMINISTRATION
The Academic Policy
Committee through
the Fairbanks
Native Association
recognizes its
obligation
on behalf of the
Charter School to
act as trustee for
public
and private
funds
provided in
support of
the School. Therefore,
in keeping with this
obligation,
the
Charter School will
utilize the administrative
and
financial policies
and procedures provided
by
the School District.
School Administrator
The Principal of
the Charter School
selected
by the APC
is Eleanor
Laughlin who currently
administers
the
Alaska
Native
Education programs
for the School District.
Eleanor
has the credentials
and experience to
operate
and administer the
Charter School
to the satisfaction
and performance levels
of
the APC and the School
District.
The Principal
will be responsible for
the administration
and
management of
the Charter
School by making
hiring recommendations
to the School District
and by
providing
daily
operations oversight,
staff supervision,
project
coordination, and
communications between
the
Charter School and
the School District
as well
as the FNA
during
the initial
years.
School District
Policies
The School District,
as the chartering
agency for the
Charter School,
makes its policies
available
on its
web site and
provides pertinent
regulations and school
rules and
procedures in staff
and student handbooks.
Charter School will
adopt those
School District policies,
except as waived
in the contract
between it and the
School District,
and operate
in compliance with
the terms
of the contract.
As employees
of the School
District, all employees
of the school will
be guided
by School
District personnel
policies.
Staff Evaluation
The Principal will
evaluate classroom
teachers and
employees using
the evaluation system
specified by
the School District
and its union agreements.
Agreements negotiated by the School
District and the
FEA and ESSA will
determine evaluation
dates and timelines.
The teachers’ contracts
shall be issued in
a manner following
the negotiated agreements
and
current School District
policy.
Project Liaison
for FNA
The Principal
and the President of
the Academic
Policy Committee
will
report
to the FNA Board
of Directors
on the administration,
management, evaluation,
and fiscal operations
of the Charter School.
Student
Competency
Testing
The Charter
School will perform competency
testing
of its
pupils as specified
by the School District
and in
AS 14.03.075
and other state assessment
requirements.
II.
FINANCIAL POLICIES
Funding Allocation
and Costs
Actual student
enrollments in the Charter School
and the revenues
generated
from those enrollments
shall
be ascertained
in the same manner
that the State of Alaska uses to
determine student
enrollments and state
revenues generated
in
the School District.
Students
in actual attendance for twenty days including
the
fourth Friday in
October (count period)
shall constitute
the enrollment
number for the purposes
of budget allocation.
Expected
revenue generated
using the Base Student
Allocation
(BSA) uses Governor
Frank Murkowski’s
pledge of $4,880 per student enrolled
in the State K-12
education system
during
the
count period.
Per
Pupil Allocation
It
is expected the school will have
200 students
in attendance
during the
count
period. Therefore,
the
Charter School's
funding allocation
from School District
for purposes
of
creating the program
budget is
$976,000.
Should the BSA change
during
the current
legislative
session, the budget
will be adjusted
accordingly.
In addition,
revenues generated
for special
populations of
students, revenues
from grants, and
special
revenue funds
beyond the per-pupil
allocation may
be approved by the
School District.
(Appendix
VI – Proposed
Budgets for Year
One)
A
Charter School may
not charge tuition
to
students
who reside
within the borough
school
district.
Fees charged
to students
by the Charter School,
including but not
limited to supply
and activity fees,
shall
be retained
by the
Charter School and
included
in the school
program
budget.
Annual Program
Budget
The Charter School
will annually prepare
and
submit a balanced
school budget
to the School
District
based on
the projected
student enrollment
count, fees and grant funds, and
other funds made
available
to the School
District for school
support. (Appendix
VI – Annual
Budget)
All
costs for operating
Charter School shall
be assigned
to the Charter School
budget
except for
services by
district administration
as determined by
the State Department
of Education
indirect
cost
rate or otherwise
provided
for in the contract.
All supplies,
equipment,
and services provided
directly by the district
to Charter
School shall
be charged to Charter
School as the district's
cost.
All equipment and
supplies purchased
by Charter
School shall become
the property
of the District
upon the
completion or termination
of the Charter School
contract in accordance
with School
District Policy and
policies of
the
Alaska Department
of Education and
Early Development.
Risk
Management
The Charter
School will operate in a
manner to
minimize risk
of injury
or
harm to students,
employees
and others
and engage
in an active risk
management program.
All district
schools are provided
insurance through
the School District
insurance
fund. Charter School,
as a
charter school,
under School District
Policy
935.12(15) will be
required to purchase
liability
insurance to the
limit of $2,000,000.
An opportunity
exists to purchase
this liability
insurance from the
Borough's carrier.
Excess liability
and
officers and directors
insurance
will be
covered by the
Borough.
Indemnification
The Charter School
agrees to indemnify,
hold harmless
and
defend the Fairbanks
North Star
Borough School
District, its board
members, employees,
and agents
from any liability
arising through
the actions
and inactions of
the Charter
School, its Academic
Policy Committee,
teachers,
employees, volunteers
and students.
III.
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting Methods
All Charter School
funds will be allocated
for
the educational
purposes
of the
school and to those
purposes
required
by the School District.
The Academic Policy
Committee will require
appropriate and careful
fiscal
planning and
management and
it will periodically
examine
the school's compliance
with its policies
and
procedures
and those
of the School
District.
Student
Fees
Charter School may
elect to charge fees
to students
for unusual
special events
and special
programs
as established
by School
District Policy 1025.
Charter School will
appropriately account
for and report
any
such fees.
These fees
will be
retained
by the Charter
School and
included in the annual
budget. Charter School
recognizes
that application
of such fees may
impose a burden on
the
students
and their families.
Therefore,
Charter School will
exercise restraint
in the requirement
for such student
fees.
Compliance with
Current Accounting
Laws
The Charter School
will comply with
AS 14.17.910,
Restrictions
Governing
Receipt
and Expenditure
of District Money,
and conduct its business
activities using
the accounting principles,
standards and procedures
under the standards
of
Generally
Accepted Accounting
Principles
(GAAP).
All money,
including state aid, will be
received, held,
allocated,
and expended
by the Charter
School under
applicable local
law and state and
federal constitutional
provisions,
statutes, and regulations,
including those related
to ethical
standards and accounting
principles.
Recording
and Reporting Requirements
As requested through
this application,
the School District
will maintain
and provide
timely and accurate
financial
records to the Academic
Policy Committee
upon
the receipt
and disbursement
of state aid, money
acquired
from local effort,
and other money
received
or held by the
Charter School.
Notification
to School District on Grant
or Other Supplemental
Funding: Since
the academic
focus
of the Charter School
is on Alaska Native
heritage,
culture and knowledge,
the Charter School
will seek funds in
addition to the School
District
allocation for
its
operations. There
are considerable
opportunities
for supplemental
grant funding for
Alaska Native
programs.
If waiver of
the School
District
Policy 428.4 Supplemental
Funding is granted
to the FNA on behalf
of
the Charter
School
in
the contract, School
District will be
notified of the
application and
award of grant funds
and special revenue
funds to the Charter
School.
Granting
agencies
could require conditions
on their
grants
that could be
in conflict with
School District policies.
The
FNA will not accept
grants that
contain
such conflicting
requirements.
Payroll,
Purchasing and Property
Control: The
Charter School
will utilize the
services of
the School
District for payroll
and purchasing. Property
acquired by the Charter
School will be
appropriately recorded
in a property control
inventory ledger
including cost, vendor,
location, condition,
and
status. Annually
a report
will be prepared
and submitted
to the School District.
Biannually, Charter
School property
will
be physically inventoried.
Property considered
at the end of its
useful life, lost,
stolen
or damaged will be
removed from the
inventory list
using School
District
approved procedures.
Access
to School Records
All
school records will be made accessible,
physically
and electronically,
to the
School District for
the purposes of
auditing, inventory
control as well as
student assessment
during
regular
business hours throughout
and following the
close
of each School
District fiscal
year.
IV. FACILITIES
Facility Location
and Description
The
Charter School will be located in
the School
District’s
Howard Luke Academy
on Loftus Road in
Fairbanks, Alaska.
The facility supports
the culturally
responsive instruction
provided by the Charter
School. The building
and the location,
as the primary educational
environment, will
support and deepen
students’ learning
experiences. The
building will provide
not only a safe and
appropriate
environment,
but
is designed
to facilitate
those
educational activities
that move beyond
the classroom and
into
surrounding natural
and social
communities -- to
help foster place-based
education. The facility
design
will also help facilitate
an Elders-in-Residence
program
within the school
and classrooms.
The
school facility will
meet the following
minimum
requirements:
The facility
contains #
of square footage of
usable space (well
above
the space
recommended by the
national charter
school
association) for
a minimum of 150
students and maximum
of 200 students.
Safety
Codes and Inspections
As
the Howard Luke Academy is currently
a School
District instructional
facility maintained
by the
School District,
it currently and
will continue to
meet and
maintain federal
and state
building, fire, health
and safety requirements
applicable to public
buildings or other
public
schools in the district.
Utilizing the School
District’s
facilities management
program, the Charter
School assure appropriate
inspections and correct
any deficiencies
and will maintain code-compliance
throughout the school
years.
Facility Lease
Arrangement
The Academic
Policy Committee will negotiate
the lease
of the facility
with the School
District. As the
sponsoring organization, the FNA
Executive Director will work with
the APC President
to conclude
the
negotiation
with the School
District Superintendent
upon approval of
the school’s
Charter by the School
District School Board
and the State of
Alaska.
Maintenance
and Janitorial Services
The
Charter School is budgeted for one
custodian
position.
This position
is responsible
for coordinating the maintenance
and janitorial services
of the building.
V. PERSONNEL
Instructional Personnel
Teachers and other
instructional staff
(see Educational
Philosophy, Section
Two, p.
7) will be recruited
for their professional
expertise
and for their commitment to the
school mission. In
keeping with
the requirements
of the No
Child Left Behind
Act and for a strong
academic
program, “highly
qualified” teachers
will be a requirement.
Anticipated instructional
personnel include:
1
principal/lead teacher (with Type
B certificate
preferred)
2 senior level
teachers (regarding
experience,
qualifications, and
salary-level)
7.5 mid-level teachers
(regarding experience,
qualifications
and salary-level)
1 cultural coordinator
1 language tutor
1 teacher aide
Also utilized will
be Native Elders,
community
leaders,
interns from
the UAF School
of Education, parents,
and other community
representatives.
Names
of Teachers and Principal
Principal: Eleanor
Laughlin
Teacher: Elsie
Eckman
Teacher: Sheryl
M. Meierotto
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher: Pending
response from available
teachers
Teacher
to Student Ratio
Anticipated student
numbers and core
professional
instructional
positions now budgeted provide
for a ratio of
1:20. The teacher-to-student
ratio
will be kept
as low
as possible.
As has been
explained above,
professional
staff will be supported
by additional
instructional
resources that complement
the school
mission and curriculum.
These resources
include elders,
parents
and other
family members,
community leaders
and other community
representatives,
and others.
Support
Personnel
The support staff
position anticipated
at this time
is one administrative/financial
assistant
and one full-time
janitor.
Evaluation
Teachers and
all staff will
be evaluated
by
the principal/lead
teacher. The
evaluation process
will function
according to
the Professional
Goal Setting
Instrument and
the Classified
Evaluation
Instrument
currently in
use
by the School
District.
FEA
and ESSA Provision
All provisions
of the existing
negotiated
agreements
apply
to the staff
of the Charter
School unless
the FNSB School
Board and the
FEA
and ESSA have agreed to specific
exemptions. The
leadership of
both unions will
be
consulted concerning
this Charter
School application.
Results
of further research
and that discussion
will be
affixed
prior to final submission of this
application to the school
district. (Appendices
XII & XIII – Waivers:
FEA Negotiated
Agreement & School
District Policies)
VI.
STUDENT POPULATION
Description
of the Student Population
As required by
law, AS 14.03.265
Admission.
(b), the school
will enroll all
applicants who
submit
a timely
application
for which the
school has room.
As is also allowed
by law,
AS 14.03.265
(a), the school
program is specifically
designed “for
students who
will benefit
from a particular
teaching method
or curriculum.” The
school is intended
for, and will
recruit, students
particularly
pertinent
to its
mission
and design. The
curriculum and
teaching methods
are designed
for
students
who are expected
to learn best
through Native
ways
of instruction.
Obviously,
one
intention is
to recruit
Native students,
but non-Native
students interested
in learning about
and through
Native cultural
approaches
to life and
learning will
also
be admitted.
Most
outreach about
the school
is public
information
and
education. A
survey of parent
interest
was distributed
during March
2004 at Doyon
shareholders’ meetings
and at Tanana
Chiefs Conference
meetings and
it was mailed
to all parents
of Native 7 – 9th
graders in April.
Subsequently,
the committee,
with consultation
with the School
District Superintendent,
decided to add
10th, 11th, and
12th grades to
the Charter School.
Results from
the surveys revealed
interest in
the charter school
and a desire
for more information.
The school will
begin to recruit
actively after
its charter is
approved, focusing
on the ’05-’06
school year.
Through the School
District
outreach system
as well
as other
systems available
throughout the
community, parents,
teachers and
students
will be
notified of the
new school and
processes
are in place
to identify and
recruit
students.
The
school will recruit
220 students
for
its opening
year, in order
to settle into
the year
with at
least 200 students,
20 students in
some grades and
40 in
others, staying
with the
1:20
teacher to student
ratio. One approach
under
consideration
is to try to
recruit
heavily among
6th – 9th
graders who have
already dropped
out of
school, thereby
enlarging the
total student
pool. Some
of these former
students may
be comfortably
in correspondence
programs and
some
may be in the
villages with
family, but
for others,
getting back
into school
could be a
needed opportunity.
The school will
recruit a maximum
of 50 former
dropouts, or
up to one-third
of its
students. Finding,
enrolling
and
engaging these
students
may be difficult.
How
to find them
and how to integrate
a high number
of
former dropouts
into the student
body
is being
discussed.
Drawing
the remainder
from currently
enrolled students
means recruiting
from the School
District Native
student totals
of _____ seventh
graders, _____
eighth
graders,
and _____ ninth
graders,
a total of _____
available students.
Adding American
Indian
students
to this recruitment
pool raises the
total to _____.
So, about 220
students, or
between _____
percent of
all Alaska Native
and American
Indian students
in grades
7 through 12
will be recruited
for the new school.
This
means recruiting
_____students
from each of
the
district’s
four middle schools
and three high
schools or approximately.
This
is a significant
number, but the
students
remain
within the district,
as do the teaching
positions.
Finally,
these recruitment
figures
address only
Alaska Native
and American
Indian
students, and
recruitment
would focus
on other students
as well. Although
it may
be difficult
to identify
and recruit non-Native
students who
will benefit
specifically
from the charter
school
program,
recruitment will
be open to, and
the school will
welcome, all
students.
Teacher
to Student Ratio
As mentioned
in the Personnel
section
above, the teacher-per-student
ratio at the
Charter School
will be a maximum
of
one teacher to
20 students. However, as discussed
in the earlier
Section
Two: Educational
Strategy,
this school
will use many
additional “instructional
resources” like
elders, parents,
interns from
the university,
and other individuals
with expertise
in specialized
fields of study.
Instructional
methods at this
school involve
not only a close
relationship
with a teacher,
but active involvement
and varied
lessons from
many “teachers.” The
budget incorporates
the cost of teachers
as well as contractual
assistants
(Elders, parents,
interns) for
particular modules
within the program.
Number
of Students Served
(FTE & Head
Count)
As mentioned
in the discussion
of recruitment
above,
the school anticipates
200 full
time students
the
first year.
There is
no “head
count” as
yet, and active
recruitment will
begin following
approval of the
charter by
the School District.
Annual Student
Count By Name
At
this stage, the Charter
School has
not developed
a list of
registered students. Upon
final approval
of its
charter
and if requested
the school
will provide
to the
school district
a monthly
list of
students
who have applied.
Student with
Special
Services
As pointed
out earlier
in the
proposal,
no student
shall
be denied
participation
because
of a
learning disability,
handicapping
condition,
or special
need.
However,
due to
budget
and facility
restrictions
the Charter
School
must
refer
severely handicapped
students
to the
School
Districts
Special
Education
Department
where
specialized staff is
available.
VII.
TRANSPORTATION
Although
discussions
on
the
transportation
issue
is
continuing,
it
currently
appears
that
students
and
their
parents
will
have
to
be
responsible
for
getting
to
school
by
their
own
means
in
the
summer
months.
There
is
discussion
about
contracting
with
Laidlaw
to
run
a
summer
bus
schedule
for
us
depending
on
the
impact
of
the
certain
negotiated
rates
to
the
EKCS
budget.
The
local
public
transportation
has
also
been
contacted
and
those
discussions
have
not
been
completed
yet.
VIII.
FOOD SERVICES
No
food services
will be
provided. Students
will be
expected to
provide their
own meals.
The school
will, however,
consider allowing
food vendors
in the
school to
sell their food at cost.
APPENDIX Table of Contents
I. Names of Committee & FNA
Board Members
II. Academic Policy Committee Member Biographies
III. Academic Policy Committee Statement of Purpose & Bylaws
IV. Native Charter School Organizing Committee & APC Meeting Minutes
V. Charter School Feasibility Study
VI. Annual Budget
VII. Charter School Proposed Daily Schedule & Seasonal Calendar
VIII. S.P.I.R.A.L. Curriculum Thematic Summary: Curriculum Outline
IX. Application for Admission Form
X. Job Descriptions: Lead Teacher & Teacher
XI. Requested Waivers to the School District Negotiated Agreement
XII. Requested Waivers to the School District Policy Manual
XIII. Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools
XIV. Alaska Statewide Benchmarks
XV. Outreach Materials & Flyers
Effie Kokrine Charter School 