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Community ACTION Academy

 

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Community ACTION Academy

 

MISSION STATEMENT:

 

All students have hope for the future.

 

 

 


                                                                                                           

 

                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               

 

 

 

1. All students earn a score of 3 or higher for standards scores.

1.     No dropouts or expulsions.

2.     A survey done 3x’s per year
shows student growth.

3.     Attendance improves (better than 9th grade at Bal or dist?)

4.     One hundred participation in service activities.

5.     No babies, drugs, violence,

    or gangs – 100%

Strategies

 

Communication of Progress

 

·       Students keep a Personal Data Record which documents their scores for effort in all ACTION classes.  Effort is graded on homework, classwork, calendar maintenance, and DEAR. 

·       Students receive scores for each standard in a subject, measured by mastery work, which indicate if they are on grade level for that standard.

·       Students have a tutorial teacher (their 1st period teacher) who is the main point of contact with students and parents.  This teacher is the students’ advocate.

·       Students attend grade conferences with at least two ACTION teachers at the end of the first grading period of each semester (and as determined as needed by the ACTION team).

·       Effort grades are posted each week in each class.

·       Each teacher uses a day sheet communicating positive and negative behavior to other teachers, students and parents.

 

Relevant Teaching and Learning

 

·       All service learning activities are meaningful.

Ø    Allow for short units which are service-rich (food, housing, etc).

Ø    Tutorial action is constant; literacy-focused, but we may also tie in our classroom curriculum to our tutorial action (we can teach them about the environment, etc.)

Ø    After each service activity or other field trip, students participate in reflection activities.  A standardized reflection form is available for use each time.

 

·       Extra stamps are given for quizzes, small projects, etc.

·       Rubrics are designed to measure standards, not whole pieces of mastery work.

 

·       Students heighten their political, social and civic awareness.

·       Design lessons which are more fun (slide shows, speakers, performances, purposeful group activities).

·       Students increase critical thinking skills.

·       Find/manage  resources to help kids catch up (PACT, free tutoring, SF Schools Volunteers).

·       Allow for a flexible schedule (combining classes, blocking, etc.)

·       Teachers plan engaging lessons which support students at different levels.  We seek out professional development if we need to in this area.

·       All students have the opportunity to do things they like and have skills in, not necessarily in school.  The ACTION team helps students seek out opportunities to engage in activities they enjoy.

·       Students are introduced to role models, guest speakers of color including ACTION 2003 students, Bal graduates, activists, professionals, panels.  We want 20 people of color to come in to speak who are connected to the curriculum.

 

·       Create standardized classroom/academic practices; one teacher is responsible for training the others at dinners.  These strategies will be taught in one class but all classes will use them.

Ø    Cooperative learning (Lisa)

Ø    Note-taking (Cindy)

Ø    Public speaking

Ø    Discussion (Lisa)

Ø    Binder management (David)

Ø    Writing (Lisa)

Ø    Study skills/academic literacy (Matt)

Ø    Reading strategies (Matt)

 

·       Professional development/planning

Ø    Informal meetings once a semester

Ø    Have a PD plan

·       Systems

Ø    Work collection (set up file cabinet)

Ø    Portfolio (file cabinet, by tutorial, only include Mastery work, PDR)

Ø    Meetings once a week after school

Ø    Retreats, keep doing them

 

·       Life-map project (students create 5-year plans)

 

 

Safe School Environment

 

·       Program stability

 

Ø    Get support from Excelsior Cares.

Ø    Ensure that we can remove students who aren’t working in ACTION.

Ø    Have consistent substitutes for ACTION.

Ø    Ensure that ACTION is not a dumping ground, but actually reflects the population of Balboa.

Ø    Become a 501 (c)(3).

 

·       Tap into existing emotional support systems.

Ø    Clinic

Ø    Tutorial

Ø    Nate

Ø    Other programs

·       Create a small, supportive learning community

 

·       Engage in community building activities

Ø    Do something at the beginning

Ø    Have a BBQ one month in to school

Ø    Look into a ropes course field trip

Ø    Do a one-shot service trip in the second week(food bank, ropes course?)