Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

Community Montessori Charter School
Crossway Community, Inc. 3015 Upton Drive Kensington, MD 20895 T. 301.929.2505 F. 301.949.4741 www.crosssway-community.org
PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION COVER PAGE
Deputy Superintendent of Schools 850 Hungerford Drive, Room 129 Rockville, Maryland 20850 301-279-3474
Name of Proposed Public Charter School: Community Montessori Charter School School Address or Anticipated Location: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895 Student Location (City Town): Kensington-Wheaton, MD Name of Group or Organization Applying for the Charter: Crossway Community, Inc. And How Applicant Qualifications Are Met: Non-Profit, 501(c )(3) Contact Person (Primary): Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer Address: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895 Daytime Tel: (301 ) 929-2505 Fax: (301 ) 949-4741 E-mail: kguinan@crosswaycommunity.org Contact Person (Secondary): Ann Byrne, Deputy Director Address: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895 Daytime Tel: (301 ) 929-2505 Fax: (301 ) 949-4741 E-mail: abyrne@crosswaycommunity.org Are you requesting waivers? (See Attachment V) Yes If approved, the proposed school will open in Fall 2012 Projected Population Grades Served Average Age of Student Number of Classes Average Number Students /Class (Age 4-6 Grouping) Number of Students per Grade Total Number of Enrolled Students* Year 1 - 2012-2013 Pre-K K Primary 4-6 4 Gr. 1-3 Lower El 6-9 1 Year 2 - 2013-2014 Pre-K K Primary 4-6 4 Gr. 1-3 Lower El 6-9 2 Year 3- 2014-2015 Pre-K K Primary 4-6 4 Gr. 1-3 Lower El 6-9 3 Year 4- 2015-2016 Pre-K K Primary 4-6 4 Gr. 1-3 Lower El 6-9 4
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
100
22
100
50
100
72
100
88
122
150
172
188
Proposed Charter School Executive Summary

Crossway Community, Inc. is uniquely qualified to be a successful applicant in establishing a premier public charter school, The Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. is a pioneering, community-based non-profit organization that has been implementing innovative ways to end the cycle of generational poverty through education for over twenty years. This proposed charter school will reach fruition through the dedicated, visionary leadership of an active, resilient Board of Directors, Ms. Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs, their stellar Administrative Management Team and the continuing expansion of long-standing, fiscally strong and supportive community partnerships. Key features of the proposed Community Montessori Charter School include: Technical Capability: Numerous on-campus educational programs embody our vision and demonstrate that our capacity exceeds the technical requirements for successfully implementing the proposed Community Montessori Charter School. Evidence-based, Successful Educational Model: Montessori Education at both the preschool and elementary levels benefits children by ensuring the development of a high level of academic competency, a positive attitude towards school, and a greater chance of staying in school than their non-Montessori peers. Dedicated, well-trained staff: Community Montessori Charter School plans to follow the Baldrige Categories for Performance Excellence and Core Values/Best Practices in developing staff and organizing the school to achieve the highest standards possible for our organization. Wraparound support and Family Involvement: The Community Montessori Charter School will provide the wraparound and coordinated services found in a community school including differentiated instruction to address unique student needs, student service support, food service, transportation, and goods and services which are available on-site for all students. Ready Facility: Community Montessori Charter School is located in the Wheaton/Kensington area, an ethnically, socio-economically and culturally diverse neighborhood. Our facility is located at 3015 Upton Drive, and is easily accessible to parents from several different neighborhoods. Co-located with other educational programs, this former school building has had several strategic renovations and maintenance improvements and is poised to quickly begin operation as a charter school. Community Relevance: Community Montessori Charter School will serve children from pre-K to Grade 3 using Dr. Montessoris educational approach and will serve all children in our catchment area. In particular, Community Montessori Charter School envisions serving economically disadvantaged children. Parent engagement will be central to the education program. Cost Effectiveness: Community Montessori Charter School /MCPS partnership fills a need in the surrounding community for a new educational option that is cost effective and efficient. The attached application for Community Montessori Charter School provides expanded plans and clarification of items originally submitted in our charter application of March 1, 2010.
Crossway Community, Inc. is pleased to have the opportunity to present the proposed Community Montessori Charter School.
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Contents
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................1 Vision, Mission, Goals, Objective, Educational Philosophy..................................................1 1. State the vision for the proposed public charter school.......................................................1 2. Describe the mission for the proposed public charter school. Provide a clear and concise statement that describes the proposed school and the schools educational program. The mission statement should indicate what the school intends to do, for whom, and to what degree. Avoid jargon and technical terminology. Parents and community members who wish to know more about the school should be able to read the mission statement and get a clear sense of the school........................................................................................5 3. Describe the educational philosophy of the proposed school. Include a discussion of the instructional strategies to be used. Explain the research that substantiates this approach with the targeted audience and how the strategies will focus attention to student achievement...................................................................................................................7 Movement.............................................................................................................................10 Intrinsic Motivation and Concentration................................................................................10 Choice and Freedom within Limits......................................................................................11 Interests and Following the Child.........................................................................................11 Mixed-Age Classrooms/Learning from Peers and Meaningful Contexts for Learning .......12 The Role of the Teacher........................................................................................................12 4. What are the goals and objectives of the public charter school? Summarize the goals and associated performance measures in relation to academic performance, organizational viability, and specific school objectives......................................................................13 Curriculum...............................................................................................................................15 1. Describe the curricular program and how it will lead to improved educational outcomes.15 a. Describe the curriculum that will be used by the school, including the indicators, content, and skills to be taught in the different subject areas at each grade level and in each course............................................................................................................15 The Pre-K-K Program Overview...................................................................................16
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The Elementary Program Overview..............................................................................17 b. Outline the instructional and assessment methods and strategies that will be employed to enhance student learning, monitor progress, assess performance, and inform instruction......................................................................................................18 c. Explain how the curriculum encompasses the Maryland State Curriculum and the Core Learning Goals, aligned with Common Core State Standards, as applicable. Applicants must base their standards on the Maryland Content Standards and may adopt additional standards that exceed these state standards. The standards should give reviewers a clear sense of what students will know and be able to do.............23 d. Describe the criteria and procedures that will be employed for the selection of textbooks and other instructional materials..............................................................23 e. Describe how the school will meet the needs of special students, including English Language Learners, students with an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan, and all students covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Include how services such as screening, diagnostic and psychological testing, evaluation, identification; and instructional placements based on language proficiency; and health-related support to students will be provided in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.........................................24 Special Needs Students.........................................................................................................26 f. Describe how the schools academic calendar or length of school day will differ from that of MCPS, if applicable, and provide rationale for differences..........................28 g. Describe how the school will assess the level of success of its educational program (including the local, state, and federal assessment programs)..................................28 2. Describe the uniqueness of the program. Include concept design, techniques, and/or practices.......................................................................................................................29 3. Describe target population.................................................................................................31 a. Identify how many students will be enrolled each year over the years of the proposed initial charter term. Explain the rationale for selecting this particular school size...31 4. Explain the schools proposed grading, promotion, and retention policies. (These must be aligned with MCPS policies and regulations, unless a waiver is submitted and approved.)....................................................................................................................34 5. Describe how Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and federal assessment mandates will be met...................................................................................................35
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6. Provide strategies for students who are at risk of academic failure, advanced learners, and/or students not making reasonable progress.........................................................36 7. Describe how assessment information will be used to continuously improve instruction, student learning, and individual development, and how the school will engage students who are working above or below the schools performance standards.......................38 a. Outline strategies to assess and analyze student interests and needs..........................38 8. Describe student services...................................................................................................39 a. Describe the school culture. Explain the strategies the school will employ to develop a positive culture that is supportive of students, faculty, and families.....................39 b. Describe the schools philosophy regarding student behavior and discipline. Summarize the schools discipline policy or code of conduct..................................40 GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS.........................................................................................44 1. Describe how the board of directors will be chosen and what steps will be taken to ensure continuity between the founding organizers vision and that of the permanently established board of directors......................................................................................44 2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, including the relationship of the board of directors to teachers and administrators. Also describe the roles and responsibilities of the governing board of the sponsoring organization, if applicable.44 3. Provide names, background, experiences, and references of public charter school organizers and board members (attach rsums).........................................................46 4. Describe governance structure and its relationship to the school operation......................46 5. Outline the administrative management structure and specify the individual role each member plays...............................................................................................................47 6. Describe the role of parents in the decision-making process.............................................48 7. Describe business arrangements or partnerships with existing schools, businesses, and/or nonprofit organizations. Provide a list of organizations that may partner with the school and the nature of these partnerships. Include letters of support, if available. Describe the steps that have been taken to develop partnerships and the plans to develop additional community partnerships...............................................................................................48 8. Describe the school improvement process including school improvement team membership, school improvement plan development, monitoring, reporting, review, and revisions................................................................................................................49
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9. List, describe, and attach any waivers of state laws and regulations that the applicant obtained from MSDE. Explain how each of these waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)....................................50 10. List, describe, and attach any waivers of MCPS policies and regulations that the charter school is seeking. Explain how and why each of the waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)....................52 11. Provide the proposed timetable for charter implementation and specify the length of the initial charter term........................................................................................................52 12. Indicate the scope of community support or interest for the proposed school and its founding board. Document this community support among teachers, parents, students, business, and community members, as appropriate.....................................................52 Please see Attachment D.......................................................................................................52 13. Provide copies of community surveys and communications, including non-English languages as appropriate..............................................................................................53 14. If an educational management organization (EMO) has been selected, provide background information on the EMO, including financial statement, a list of the governing board members and their rsums, and oversight responsibilities and a copy of the proposed contract between the applicants and the EMO............................................................53 FACILITIES AND FINANCE REQUIREMENTS.................................................................54 Facilities....................................................................................................................................54 1. Describe the proposed facility, including funding, maintenance, and method of attainment. .....................................................................................................................................54 2. Outline proposed facility compliance with local/state building codes..............................55 3. Describe civil rights, health, and safety policy compliance..............................................55 4. Provide a detailed description of property-control procedures..........................................56 5. Provide the certification of asbestos inspection of the proposed facility..........................56 6. Provide documentation of radon testing of the proposed facility......................................57 7. Outline why this site would be suitable for the proposed school......................................57 Finance......................................................................................................................................57
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1. Provide details on financial management and internal accounting procedures including the ability to provide monthly financial reporting and year-end budget projections. Outline the internal controls that these procedures provide. Provide details on the fiscal oversight structure indicating roles and responsibilities..............................................57 Internal Accounting.......................................................................................................58 2. Provide a detailed school plan to address start-up funds that will be incurred prior to school opening, such as capital expenditures, supplies, materials, planning funds, etc.........59 3. Provide a detailed four-year balanced budget plan, including projected revenue sources and planned expenditures. (Attachment 3).........................................................................59 (August 2011 June 2015) .................................................................................................59 4. Provide a list of services the applicant intends to obtain through contract with MCPS (e.g., food services, transportation, ESOL, special education).............................................61 5. Describe the mechanisms and systems to be used to pay vendors and other creditors.....61 6. Provide the written financial policies, manuals and any other documented financial procedures of the organization. Include the conflict of interest and ethics policy(ies) as related to financial or fiduciary responsibilities..........................................................61 7. Explain the basis of any fees to be charged to students for extracurricular activities, music, athletics, field trips, etc., or confirm that any student fees will conform to all MCPS policies.........................................................................................................................62 8. Provide the plan for internal and external audit of financial management and the procedure for disclosing and responding to audit findings. Applicants must agree to permit MCPS internal audit staff access to all financial records with 48 hours notice. All financial records must be maintained and available for a period of no less than 5 years. MCPS is subject to audit by a variety of regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the Maryland State Department of Education, the Office of Legislative Audits of the State of Maryland, etc. Please indicate your understanding and acceptance that compliance is required for any audit requests from a regulatory agency...........................................62 9. Provide audited financial statements for the current and preceding three years, if applicable, including financial statements of a parent organization..............................................62 10. Outline plans to raise funds to supplement budget revenues...........................................62 11. List types and amounts of insurance coverage: liability, general and personal, catastrophic student accident, crime, motor vehicle, etc. Minimum acceptable amounts are: Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit, for bodily injury and
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property damage per occurrence), Automobile liability (if transporting students $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage coverage per occurrence including the following: owned, hired or non-owned automobiles). MCPS must be a named additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of insurance with MCPS as a named additional insured must be provided to MCPS prior to any school opening. Indicate the amount of any excess liability (umbrella) insurance. MCPS requires forty-five days written notice in the event of cancellation or nonrenewal of any insurance coverage. Any deductibles in excess of $10,000 must be disclosed to MCPS in advance of the coverage period. MCPS requires a Hold Harmless agreement or Indemnification agreement. Confirm agreement with these requirements. .....................................................................................................................................63 OPERATIONS REQUIREMENTS...........................................................................................65 1. Outline procedures for reporting and monitoring student enrollment and attendance......65 2. Describe any guidelines to be used in the recruitment of school staff, including compliance with all negotiated agreements, state and federal law (including Highly Qualified guidelines), and local Board of Education policies except where granted a waiver.. .68 3. Describe the schools staffing plan....................................................................................70 4. Describe the schools professional development and staff training plan including those related to the schools mission, performance goals, and school improvement plan....72 5. Provide a transportation plan.............................................................................................73 a. Provide the plan for transporting students to and from school, including MCPS contract services, if appropriate................................................................................73 b. Describe procedures that will help ensure that transportation is not a barrier to equal access for all students................................................................................................74 c. Describe the insurance coverage plan to be used if the MCPS transportation contract service is not used.....................................................................................................75 7. Describe the schools plan for building maintenance........................................................77 8. Describe the business continuity and disaster recovery plan of the organization.............77
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ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Vision, Mission, Goals, Objective, Educational Philosophy 1. State the vision for the proposed public charter school. Crossway Community, Inc. is a pioneering, community-based non-profit organization that has been implementing an innovative way to end the cycle of generational poverty through education for over twenty years. Crossway Community, Inc. is the applicant and uniquely qualified to successfully establish a public charter school, The Community Montessori Charter School. In 1990, Crossway Community, Inc., in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and the State of Maryland, Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), secured the funding to renovate a closed school in the Kensington-Wheaton neighborhood. In pursuit of its vision to end the cycle of poverty through education, Crossway Community, Inc. has raised millions of dollars from corporations, foundations, and individual donors. Crossway Communitys dedicated, tireless Board of Directors and staff leverage additional millions of dollars in in-kind donations and services for the citizens of Montgomery County. Since its founding in 1990, Crossway Community, Inc. has served over 600 families who have participated in its residential program and over 20,000 who have benefited from its educational and referral services. At the center of all Crossway Community, Inc. programs is the research and experienced-based belief that education is the key to success and that every family, regardless of income or other factors, deserves a dignified, safe community and the opportunity to succeed. Families who are living in poverty, who left school before receiving a high school diploma, who are homeless, who have lived in foster care, or who are English language learners, or have other special needs, deserve the opportunity to ascend from stigma and impediments to be a part of a community in which they will learn ways to become effective teachers for their children. At Crossway Community, Inc. students are both adults and children. In support of our students and the proposed Community Montessori Charter School, Crossway Community Inc.s role is to:
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Forge partnerships and build and maintain institutional relationships in support of our students and our learning communities; Develop operational and collaborative administrative systems that free our school leaders to concentrate on their primary purpose, the students and instructional outcomes;
Raise capital and complete special projects that enhance public response and support the programming our students need and deserve; Advocate locally and nationally in support of education, prevention, family development, and economic empowerment; and, Provide community outreach in collaboration with school system partners that embodies a broader understanding of the direct correlation between investment in single parents and children and the elimination of poverty.
Crossway Community, Inc.s mission of learning, creativity and community for all families is delivered through a variety of on-campus educational programs that embody our vision and demonstrate our capacity for successfully implementing the proposed Community Montessori Charter School. Brief descriptions of our programs and the core philosophy are described in this section because they demonstrate the depth of the commitment to the model being proposed for the Community Montessori Charter School. The Crossway Montessori Childrens Program is an early intervention center for children ages three (3) months to six (6) years and includes both MSDE accredited and DHR child care based programs as well as parent education and home visiting for enrolled families. Part of Crossway Community, Inc.s services include before and after school programs, summer programs, garden literacy program, and an evening child care program two nights a week. Crossway Community, Inc. successfully applies the educational approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori which is consistently supported by current educational research. Dr. Montessori developed her approach for economically disadvantaged children. Therefore, Crossway Community, Inc. has embraced this learning approach as the core philosophy for the Community Montessori Charter School.
The wraparound approach permeates Crossway Community, Inc.s educational program and makes it possible to think broadly about children and family needs. This community is a living example of a singular visionand once experienced by students and visitors alike, embodies the true meaning of a wraparound approach philosophy--to transform funding and thinking silos with a unified understanding that all problems and their solutions must be interrelated. Everyone in every department shares responsibility for all goals and understands how their actions impact on goal attainment. The Family Leadership School is a unique, on-campus housing (40 apartments), life-skill education program designed to give women who have experienced trauma, family violence and financial insecurity the tools they need to become effective parents and prepare them to succeed in college, in the workplace, and in the global economy. The Lifelong Learning Center, like a community school, is both a place and a set of partnerships between Crossway Community, Inc. and the community. The Lifelong Learning Center has an integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services and community development. Its curriculum emphasizes real-world learning for adult students through community problem solving and community service. By extending the school day and week, Crossway is able to reach families and community residents at times they are most able to attend classes. Classes include GED preparation, ESOL, college preparation and tutoring, workforce development, CPR and First Aid, nutrition and cooking, financial literacy, and parent/child development. The Lifelong Learning Center hosts civic, fraternal, educational and other groups for meetings and conferences. Over one hundred organizations participate as community partners to make the Lifelong Learning Center a hub for adult and family education. The Lifelong Learning Center maintains a food pantry, a clothing and diaper pantry and provides resource and referral services. The Crossway Montessori Childrens Program is an early intervention center for children ages three (3) months to six (6) years and includes both MSDE school accredited and DHR child care based programs as well as parent education and home visiting for enrolled families. Part of Crossway Community, Inc.s services include before and after school programs, summer
programs, garden literacy program, and an evening child care program two nights a week. Crossway Community, Inc. successfully applies the educational approach developed by Dr. Maria Montessori which is consistently supported by current educational research. Dr. Montessori developed her approach for economically disadvantaged children. Therefore, Crossway Community, Inc. has embraced this learning approach as the core philosophy for the Community Montessori Charter School. The wraparound approach permeates Crossway Community, Inc.s educational program and makes it possible to think broadly about children and family needs. This community is a living example of a singular visionand once experienced by students and visitors alike, embodies the true meaning of wraparound approach philosophy--to transform funding and thinking silos with a unified understanding that all problems and their solutions must be interrelated. Everyone in every department shares responsibility for all goals and understands how their actions impact on goal attainment. The U.S. Department of Education has acknowledged the level of coordination and partnership necessary to provide comprehensive educational opportunities in the Executive Summary of the Race to the Top initiative: Horizontal alignment, that is, coordination of services across schools, state agencies, and community partners, is also important in ensuring that high-need students have access to the broad array of opportunities and services they need and that are beyond the capacity of a school itself to provide. As a continuation of this vision, core philosophy and underlying purpose, Crossway Community, Inc. proposes to establish a charter school, Community Montessori Charter School that provides the essential mission of learning, creativity and community for all families. The proposed Community Montessori Charter School will serve Montgomery County children from Pre-K to Grade 3 using Dr. Maria Montessoris educational approach. In particular, Community Montessori Charter School envisions serving economically disadvantaged children. The Community Montessori Charter Schools curriculum is well-developed and research-based. The curriculum meets the academic needs of children and provides the necessary coordinated services so important to students and their families.
2. Describe the mission for the proposed public charter school. Provide a clear and concise statement that describes the proposed school and the schools educational program. The mission statement should indicate what the school intends to do, for whom, and to what degree. Avoid jargon and technical terminology. Parents and community members who wish to know more about the school should be able to read the mission statement and get a clear sense of the school. Community Montessori Charter Schools mission is to provide a comprehensive, highly individualized education for children from pre-K to Grade 3 in a nurturing, family-like environment using the Montessori approach to education. As one of Crossway Community, Inc.s learning communities, Community Montessori Charter School will be supported to achieve its educational goals. Guided by the well-documented century-old principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, the Community Montessori Charter Schools mission is to: prepare an environment that is responsive to each child's unique developmental needs, abilities and interests; and utilize a whole-child approach which fosters respect for oneself, for others and for the environment; supporting each childs development of their full potential; and through carefully assigned mixed-age groupings, provide an integrated curriculum, uninterrupted work periods, strong literacy and mathematics emphasis, manipulative materials, arts explorations, and freedom to explore within limits. The Community Montessori Charter School is being created to offer an exceptional Montessori education for families. Crossway Community, Inc. is located in the Wheaton/Kensington area, an ethnically, socioeconomically and culturally diverse neighborhood. The facility is located at 3015 Upton Drive, easily accessible to parents from several different neighborhoods. Studies of children in a Milwaukee public-school Montessori program by Takacs, Karnes, and Duax (1989) show that Montessori education at both the preschool and elementary levels benefit children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by giving them higher competence in basic skills, a better attitude toward school, and a greater chance of staying in school than their non-
Montessori peers (Duax, 1989). These results have been replicated time and again in Montessori programs throughout the United States and other countries. In Maryland, the State Department of Education has recognized and approved the Montessori curriculum as an effective educational instructional model. Over 269 interested families have expressed interest in the Community Montessori Charter School. To ensure that our school reflects the diversity and desires of our neighborhood, we canvassed our neighborhood, attended neighborhood events and worked with area Head Start programs, churches, schools, social service organizations and neighborhood and civic associations. Based on the children attending Crossway Community, Inc.s current Montessori parent-toddler program and infant/toddler classrooms, young students will benefit from the structure of our Pre-K/K classes to develop their ability to concentrate and interact appropriately with their peers. Furthermore, we know from those we currently serve that there are families who have children identified with developmental delays. Our focus on individualized early intervention in collaboration with teaching specialists, focused language development and social skills instruction, and the use of concrete, multi-sensory materials, will enable these children to be successful in our school. Current research supported by the Foundation for Childhood Development states that successful Pre-K-3rd moves beyond the crisis mentality that has repeatedly swung taxpayers and policymakers attention from one problem grade to another. The Foundation for Childhood Development calls for a coherent approach designed to sustain high-quality programs and reflects todays best understandings of how children learn in their formative early years. Decades of research including studies conducted by MCPS, have shown that high-quality Pre-K programs can boost later achievement if quality enhancements are carried forward. When schools link Pre-K education with elementary grades creating a common organizational structure and coherent sets of academic and social goals, the gains that children make in high-quality PreK programs are more likely to persist. Please see The Foundation for Childhood Development, Attachment X.
3. Describe the educational philosophy of the proposed school. Include a discussion of the instructional strategies to be used. Explain the research that substantiates this approach with the targeted audience and how the strategies will focus attention to student achievement. The educational philosophy of the Community Montessori Charter School is consistent with the Montessori educational approach, which is based on the premise that children will reach their full potential both academically and socially when given the freedom to explore their interests actively with concrete, sequential materials within a carefully prepared environment. Teachers engage with students and provide guidance to help children work on achieving the educational concepts. A multi-age Montessori classroom provides maximum opportunities for developing academic and social skills and the modeling of respectful behavior. Instructional strategies Our school will be based on the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, including but not limited to mixed-age groupings, integrated curriculum, and uninterrupted work periods. Our whole-child approach fosters respect for oneself, others and the environment. The Community Montessori Charter School will also have a strong academic focus, arts exploration, and the capacity for early intervention. Mixed-Age Groupings and Peer Tutoring In Montessori schools, children work together to care for the classroom. Children learn easily from their peers and flourish in a mixed-age group similar to a family. Students are grouped according to the developmental stages of childhood (3-6 and 6-8) as researched by Dr. Maria Montessori. Not only does the younger child benefit from older role models, the older child gets a chance to practice, refine and teach his/her newly found skills - the ultimate test of mastery. A stable and strong community develops as the children continue with the same teacher for three years. The teachers make a deep connection with the students (and the students with each other) so that they are already aware of each childs strengths and needs when starting a new school year.
Meaningful Contexts for Learning and Integrated, Open-Ended Curriculum Sometimes children learn skills or information without understanding how to apply this knowledge beyond a classroom test. Montessori education follows the childs interests and connects learning with real life experiences, creating more meaningful contexts. Since subject matter is integrated, the teacher is able to ensure that the children assimilate new information with ease. The Montessori teacher engages the childrens imaginations through stories that connect new information with prior knowledge. Studying a topic in depth enables children to transfer knowledge to real world contexts. Children move at their own pace within the openended curriculum, and the classrooms are equipped to extend well beyond typical grade-level work. This means that gifted children may continue to develop the knowledge and skills to perform at higher levels within their daily classroom environment. Some students may have uneven development. In the Montessori classroom, these children can move ahead in specific areas of strength while further developing weaker skill areas. The children are able to repeat activities as often as needed to master necessary skills and then move on to achieve at higher levels. Uninterrupted Work Periods A goal of Montessori educations is to develop self-discipline and to learn how to learn. Every morning and most afternoons there is a long uninterrupted work period in Montessori classrooms. The children are able to select work experiences appropriate to their abilities and interests and pursue these until completion. They use daily work plans to set goals, document lessons, check off completed work and reflect on their day/week. Although the children are required to accomplish certain work each week, they have choices in how and when they complete it. This affords the child the opportunity to work for long periods of time on specific projects of interest. Sustained periods of concentration enable the children to acquire the knowledge and skills for developing their full potential and strengthen their self-confidence, selfdiscipline and study habits. Educating the Whole Child and Peace Education Dr. Montessori believed that education is the avenue to world peace. She developed practical life exercises as the foundation for the classroom at all age levels. Learning how to work and
play together with others in a peaceful and caring community is perhaps the most critical practical life skill that Montessori teaches. The grace-and-courtesy lessons in the Montessori classrooms provide a model for the young child on how to proceed in life, collaborate with others, and develop respect for self and peers. Exploration through the Arts The Community Montessori Charter School recognizes the arts as a non-verbal language that is an important part of human communication. Every Montessori classroom will have an art area with an abundance of open-ended materials for the children to use at will. Engaging in visual and creative arts activities is another time to enhance concentration, problem solving, visual motor skills and creativity. Further, CMCS will strive to integrate the arts into the academic curriculum, to offer students ways to learn concepts with their whole mind, and create academic success for students who may otherwise struggle. Music education provides the structure necessary for the acquisition of language and mathematical skills. Music enhances auditory discrimination skills, which are crucial for learning to read. Sequencing, left to right progression and eye-hand coordination are essential for both music and written language. Mathematical concepts used in geometry, algebra and architecture (such as spatial and fractional relationships), have their roots and development in the study of music. Early Childhood Education and Early Intervention The Community Montessori Charter School program, similar to most Montessori schools, will begin with a summer experience for late threes to provide our youngest children with a strong foundation for pre-K. The focus on early childhood education will help each child develop the concentration, language, attention, organization, conceptual and motor skills necessary to be successful in the elementary grades. Given the right kind of environment, children from ages three to six can absorb more information than at any other time in their lives. We believe that offering an active learning environment that is responsive to each childs interests and abilities, closely monitored by teachers, will frequently eliminate the need for special education services.
Academic Design Educational Foundation/Methods and Student Content and Performance Standards The Community Montessori Charter School educational foundation as stated in our mission is based on the principles of Montessori Education, which is often referred to as Education for Life. Dr. Maria Montessori, who was the first female doctor in Italy, founded Montessori education in 1907. She identified universal human behaviors, such as intrinsic motivation and she designed educational materials and environments to encourage these traits. She field-tested the materials across ages, socio-economic backgrounds and different cultures. The Montessori philosophy embraces the whole child and his/her natural curiosity and love of learning. Children will reach their full potential, academically and socially, when given the freedom and structure to actively work with concrete, sequential materials within a carefully prepared environment. Teachers provide enough guidance to help the children work toward independence and selfdiscipline. A mixed-age classroom provides maximum opportunities for social and academic skills, peer tutoring and modeling respectful behavior. Montessori methods, supported by current educational research, are detailed below. Movement Dr. Montessori understood the important relationship between learning and movement. Movement is an essential part of the daily curriculum since it keeps the brain oxygenated, necessary for better brain function. Children are free to move as they choose their work; hence movement is a part of most activities. Studies highlighted in Angeline Stoll Lillards book, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius (Lillard, 2005), validate Dr. Montessoris theory of the importance of movement and how it improves memory and the integration of information in the brain. Intrinsic Motivation and Concentration One of Montessoris key discoveries is the idea that children are intrinsically motivated. They are driven by their desire to become independent and competent beings in the world. When provided developmentally appropriate materials in a carefully prepared environment, children are motivated to learn. Sustained, intense periods of concentration are central to Montessori education. In our advanced technological society, children are often sitting in front of computers
or TV screens. They have not developed the ability to concentrate, which is essential for academic achievement and success in life. Moreover, people are motivated and able to concentrate when given choices and presented with work related to their interests. Choice and Freedom within Limits Feeling that one has control and is able to make choices fulfills a persons need for autonomy and allows him/her a chance to thrive. Montessori children are free to choose work appropriate for their current stage of development. Being able to move and socialize within this structured environment enhances cognitive and social development. Although there is considerable freedom within the classroom, it is freedom within limits. The students are limited by the amount of material that has been presented and by the requirement to be constructive and responsible with materials and behavior. Learning to make good choices and becoming selfdisciplined is a major goal of Montessori education. Younger children or those with special needs may need to have more limited choices. This freedom only works with a carefully planned and prepared environment with a nurturing, observant, and well-trained teacher. In the elementary classrooms, the children will be required to accomplish specific work by the end of the week, based on their individual work plans. However, one child may choose to work all morning on a specific project that incorporates goals in all subject areas. The next day, for example, the same child may work on repetitive addition, for an extended period of time. If the child is interested in the task and working appropriately, then he/she needs to be able to complete the activity without interruptions to foster cognitive growth as well as self-confidence and concentration. Interests and Following the Child Similar to adults, the best learning occurs in contexts of interest. Dr. Montessori created situational interest by designing materials that appeal to childrens natural curiosity while teaching specific skills. In addition, Montessori teachers are specially trained to inspire children while presenting lessons and to observe childrens developmental levels and interests to plan the environment accordingly, termed following the child. The influence of interest on learning has been clearly demonstrated in current research studies as documented in Lillards book (Lillard, 2005). The goal of the Montessori environment is to allow each child to fully develop his/her
intellectual skills, not to push the child in order to meet some normative schedule of development. Hands-on Materials Through hands-on materials, the children are offered a range of sensory stimulation to facilitate mastery of the concepts inherent in the materials. Children with diverse learning styles can be successful with our multi-sensory approach. The concrete, sequential lessons give each child a strong foundation for more abstract concepts, which will lead to higher-level learning. Mixed-Age Classrooms/Learning from Peers and Meaningful Contexts for Learning The Role of the Teacher The Montessori teachers role is that of a facilitator, guiding the child within the instructional environment. The teacher assists the children in moving toward independence, while providing the necessary guidance to ensure that they make good decisions and engage in productive behaviors. The teachers role is to actively observe the children, maintain an inspiring learning environment, give new lessons at the appropriate time and intervene when children need guidance or structure. The Montessori teacher is a trained observer using anecdotal records for a more authentic assessment of a childs skills. They reteach lessons when necessary and provide additional challenges when children appear to have mastered the material and are ready for the next sequence. This educational philosophy also recognizes the critical role of the childs family in his/her educational development. Parents are acknowledged as the childs first and lifelong teachers and are engaged as active partners in their childs education. Meaningful participation of parents and community members in his/her education is essential for a child to learn. Research that substantiates the Community Montessori Charter Schools approach with the targeted population Brain research on gender differences as described in Michael Gurians book, Boys and Girls Learn Differently (Gurian, 2001), addresses the efficiency of Montessori methodology by indicating the need for the following classroom components to fit each individual child:
movement, teacher-student bonding, and hands-on materials for reading/writing. In Mariale Hardimans book, Connecting Brain Research with Effective Teaching (Hardiman, 2003), she too recommends incorporating these classroom elements which are fundamental Montessori methods: movement, student choices, the arts, active learning and application, and repetition for mastery. Authentic performance assessment, comparable to Montessori Educations tracking system, is an important piece of Hardimans brain-based teaching model. Further, the author emphasizes the importance of teaching from the big picture, similar to the Cosmic Education strategy described in the elementary Montessori curriculum. A study published in the journal Science (Lillard, 2006), compared outcomes for children at an urban public Montessori school with children who attended traditional schools. The results indicated that Montessori Education is effective in developing and supporting lasting academic and social skills. There are over 3,000 private Montessori schools and approximately 300 public Montessori schools across the country including two public magnet Montessori schools in Prince Georges County: Robert Goddard and John Hanson. Opened in 1973, these schools have long waiting lists and strong levels of achievement as evidenced by assessment outcomes. 4. What are the goals and objectives of the public charter school? Summarize the goals and associated performance measures in relation to academic performance, organizational viability, and specific school objectives. Student Content and Performance Standards Montessori standards are based on the typical needs of children in a mixed-age grouping. A detailed Montessori scope and sequence of student performance and content standards will be aligned with the Common Core State Standards published by MSDE by the CMCS Technical Advisory Committee during the planning year. As a school, we will continue to develop our curriculum, standards, and alignment with the Common Core State Standards and collaborate closely with the MCPS Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs.
Primary (Ages 3 6): The primary curriculum includes standards in the following areas: practical life skills, sensorial, language, math, and cultural studies. Three to six year olds are sensorial explorers who need to manipulate concrete materials to understand abstract ideas. They have a strong desire to acquire knowledge of the environment and to be independent. They go through sensitive periods of intense attraction to experiences involving language, order and movement. Therefore, through concrete experiences, the goals of the primary curriculum include the following, to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Develop a rich vocabulary and oral expression Develop a strong foundation in phonetics Develop a concrete impression of math quantities and processes that lead to abstract concepts Develop coordination and refinement of movement Build concentration to complete a task Increase confident awareness of ones own abilities Increase awareness of others and how to interact appropriately Strengthen and refine learning through each of the senses Develop fine motor skills (the pincer grasp in preparation for writing) Engage in a wide variety of cultural studies Stimulate childrens natural curiosity Explore the arts to foster creativity and self-expression
Lower Elementary (Ages 6 8): The lower elementary curriculum includes standards in the following areas: Speaking and Listening, Reading, Written Language, Word Study, Research, Number Concepts, Problem Solving, Geometry, History, Geography, Biology, Zoology, Botany, Ecology, Scientific Processes, Health, Art, Music, and Movement. Children at this age are oriented toward intellectual discovery as they begin to investigate the why and how. The childrens emergent reasoning mind is stimulated by Montessoris course of study. Their imagination drives their quest for knowledge. The children use hands-on experiences to apply their skills to a wide range of projects and activities. Therefore, the lower elementary goals are to:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Participate in group discussions or community meetings Use variety of phonetic skills/reading strategies to read unfamiliar words Read with increasing comprehension and fluency Develop and apply new vocabulary across the curriculum Work cooperatively in a small group Use Montessori materials to develop the concept of the four basic mathematical operations, including memorization of basic math facts and application to practical word problems.
7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16.
Recognize and construct geometric figures Express him/herself logically Follow oral and written instructions Develop fine motor control to write legibly Engage in creative and factual writing activities Make connections with prior knowledge to understand new concepts Research topics of interest Understand geography and the physical science in order to create maps and write simple reports Begin understanding of the relationship among all living things Explore the arts to foster creativity and self-expression
Curriculum 1. Describe the curricular program and how it will lead to improved educational outcomes. a. Describe the curriculum that will be used by the school, including the indicators, content, and skills to be taught in the different subject areas at each grade level and in each course. In the Montessori curriculum, content areas are organized as spiral plane of integrated studies, rather than a traditional model in which the curriculum is compartmentalized into separate content areas, with given topics considered only once at a given grade level. In Montessori education, lessons are introduced simply and concretely in the early years and are reintroduced several times during the following years at increasing levels of abstraction, depth and
complexity. Everything is interrelated. One lesson leads to many others. Montessori teachers always work from the big picture (macro) to increasing detail (micro). The Montessori course of study is an integrated thematic approach that ties the separate disciplines of the curriculum together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature and the human experience. While we provide a warm, supportive academic atmosphere, the typical response from the child is high level thought, work products, and mastery of content skills. The mixed-age classrooms are based on the aforementioned developmental planes. The children move at their own pace and the teacher serves as a guide to develop each childs full potential. Though the curriculum is integrated in the classroom, it has been broken down into specific goals and classroom activities for each subject area for a clearer understanding. The Pre-K-K Program Overview (Ages 3 6): The overall goal of the Montessori Primary curriculum is to provide a carefully planned environment that meets the developmental needs and natural tendencies of the 3 6 year old child (latter half of the 1st plane of development). The teacher carefully observes the children and plans the environment according to their needs and interests. Our curriculum is aligned with Marylands Pre-K/K Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as demonstrated by the materials and lessons available to cover the specific objectives and in many cases, go well beyond, as the children are ready. We strive to provide each young child a strong foundation so he/she will become confident and self-disciplined learners. Characteristics of the primary age child include: Sensorial exploration as the primary mode of adaptation/development An unconscious absorbent mind that effortlessly takes in the impressions of the environment and gradually moves toward greater consciousness An ability to concentrate for long periods A desire for independence A need for manipulation of concrete materials, which gradually leads to an understanding of abstract ideas
Observable sensitive periods of intense attraction to certain experiences; including sensitive periods for language, order and movement A strong desire to answer the question what and why? and acquire knowledge of the environment
The primary curriculum is divided into five basic areas: 1. Practical Life 2. Sensorial 3. Language 4. Mathematics 5. Cultural Studies including geography, science, art and music A detailed outline of Primary Level Curriculum can be seen in Attachment A. The Elementary Program Overview As in the Primary classroom, each child in the elementary classroom is followed as an individual. The Montessori teacher strives to challenge each child according to his or her developmental needs and abilities. The elementary curriculum continues to foster a love of learning and an acceptance of personal responsibility for intellectual growth as well as social interaction. The passage to elementary is the passage from the sensorial material level to the abstract. The children are exposed to an extremely broad and integrated curriculum. The integrated approach is one of the Elementary Montessori programs greatest strengths. Studies come alive through a variety of hands-on projects. The students are exposed to the realm of mathematics, earth science, biology, zoology, botany, technology, the world of myth, great literature, history, world geography, civics, economics, anthropology, and the basic organization of human societies. Their studies also cover the basics of traditional curricula: math facts, spelling lessons, vocabulary, grammar, sentence analysis, creative and expository writing and library research skills. The teachers use storytelling across the curriculum to convey information and to model the power of language. The Great Lessons are five key areas of interconnected studies that are
presented in the form of inspiring stories, related experiences and fun research projects. They include the story of how the world came to be, the development of life on Earth, the story of humankind and the development of language, writing and mathematics. They are intended to give children a cosmic (macro) perspective of the Earth and their place within it. Children learn to think for themselves and they are encouraged to discuss and share their ideas with one another and with the larger group. Instead of memorizing, feeding back and forgetting, the children are fully engaged in the learning process and they learn how to learn. The general objectives of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are covered in this curriculum. Specific assessments and instructional data addressing the CCSS will be incorporated into Montessori classroom activities. Staff development regarding alignment of the CCSS with the Montessori curriculum will take place prior to the opening of school and throughout the school year as part of the plan for ongoing professional development. Characteristics of the child in the Second Plane of Development (6 8 years): 1. Oriented toward intellectual discovery and exploration 2. Sensitivity to what is right/wrong, fair/unfair 3. Expanded boundaries for social experiences 4. Interested in the why and how 5. Ability for abstract thought, reasoning and imagination 6. Imagination drives the quest for knowledge A detailed outline of Elementary Level Curriculum can be seen in Attachment B. b. Outline the instructional and assessment methods and strategies that will be employed to enhance student learning, monitor progress, assess performance, and inform instruction. In accordance with Montessori philosophy, the children move at their own pace and the teacher serves as a guide to developing each childs full potential. Though our curriculum is integrated in the classroom, it has been broken down into specific goals and classroom activities for each content area, for clearer understanding. Staff development regarding further alignment of the
curriculum with the Common Core State Standards assessment and record keeping is planned for each school year. Performance indicators include the development of reading, writing, mathematics and vocabulary, as well as practical life skills including concentration, selfdiscipline and responsibility. Community Montessori Charter School will use a variety of formative assessment strategies, such as the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) for baseline and specific measurement of improvement, along with other daily and weekly formative measures, in concert with anecdotal records and portfolios. Authentic assessment of the whole child through the use of anecdotal reports is consistent with Montessori philosophy and teacher training. This approach to assessment will allow children with different learning styles to demonstrate their true knowledge and skills. Assessment of student progress will be made through both formative and summative tools as follows: Formative Assessments Formative assessments are given throughout a course of study to monitor student learning and adjust instruction. Examples of formative assessments are journal entries, quizzes, conferences, performance tasks, exhibits, demonstrations, unit tests and portfolio reviews. During the planning year, Community Montessori Charter Schools Curriculum Team will examine assessment tools utilized by MCPS, including MCPSAP-PR, to determine its suitability for implementation by Community Montessori Charter School. Montessori teachers typically observe their children at work or ask them to teach a lesson to another child to confirm their knowledge and skill. Informal oral exams or preparing a written test to be given individually are other ways to test acquisition of knowledge. Parents have an integral role in the success of the children. Periodically, parents will be expected to give feedback regarding their childs school experience. Acquisition of knowledge and skills will align with MCPS curricula requirements and the Common Core State Standards to document individual student and class achievement. Data will be collected on an ongoing basis.
Meeting the Needs of All Children Community Montessori Charter School. teachers will gather information regarding each students previous performance, relative strengths and current developmental needs by: Reviewing student records Meeting the child before the first day of school, through a home or classroom visit Talking with parents regarding previous experiences, student interests and goals Completing informal assessments for baseline information and classroom observation Students demonstrating strong abilities and skills will be encouraged to move ahead at their own pace in our open-ended curriculum. Students who enter the school performing below grade level will benefit from our Montessori curriculum in the following ways: The sequential procedure for reading and written language is actively taught and integrated throughout all content areas. Specific practical life activities are used for developing fine motor skills and writing skills. The children are allowed to use the materials repeatedly which leads to internalization of the abstract concepts. The sequential, manipulative materials give the child concrete experiences to maximize his/her mathematical understanding. Individualized and small group instruction geared to the childs specific developmental needs enables him/her to experience success and be willing to move on to more challenging tasks. Integrating arts into the academic curriculum offers the students numerous ways to learn concepts and create academic success for students who may otherwise struggle. A multi-sensory approach is utilized throughout the curriculum to facilitate success and high achievement for boys and girls with diverse learning styles. Materials and activities can be broken down into smaller chunks. There will be a classroom assistant in each classroom and volunteer reading tutors available to support instruction.
Peer tutoring in the mixed-age classroom will provide strong role models for students. Children use work trays and mats to define their space and maintain attention to task. Carrying materials helps the child develop motor control, organization and attention. Silence Game is an exercise to practice self-control and focus of attention. Student work plans to foster organization of work habits and opportunities for reflection. Classroom and activities are designed for movement and refinement of coordination. Step-by-step presentation so the teacher can formatively assess needs and plan instruction. Three-period lessons take the child through the normal stages of language development.
Summative Assessments Summative assessments will be administered annually to evaluate how well students are learning concepts and skills specified in the Common Core State Standards: The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) will be used to measure grade 3 students yearly progress in reading and mathematics. Special education students will be given the Alternate MSA (AltMSA) if required by the students IEP. Students who are enrolled in ESOL programs will take the Language Assessment System (LAS Links). Community Montessori Charter School second graders will take the Terra Nova 2 to assess reading, language mechanics, mathematics and mathematics computation. Summative assessments have value in providing feedback to both parents and the school regarding students achievement. Students taught using a rigorously applied Montessori approach generally do well on these assessments. In fact, information about the progress of children transitioning out of Crossways Montessori program into public schools indicates that former students achieve at high levels.
Below is a brief outline of the testing schedule, aligned with MCPS and MSDE requirements, to be used by the Community Montessori Charter School: Grade K-2 K-3 2 3 3 Test Montgomery County Public Schools Assessment Program Primary Reading Spring Administration Language Assessment System (LAS) Links Terra Nova 2 Maryland School Assessment in Reading, Mathematics, & Science Alternate Maryland School Assessment (for special education students)
Reporting Student Progress Student Self-evaluations: Students maintain a record of their progress and will prepare a monthly self-evaluation to share in a meeting with the teachers for feedback, observations, and planning. Portfolios of Student Work: Once per quarter, students will go through their completed work and make selections for their portfolios. They will prepare a self-evaluation of their work: what was accomplished, what they enjoyed; what was most difficult; and what they would like to accomplish in the next three months. Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences: Twice per year, parents, teachers and students will meet to review the childrens portfolios and self-evaluations and go through the teachers assessments. Teachers or parents may always request a conference at a mutually agreeable time. Narrative Progress Reports: Once or twice per year, Montessori teachers prepare a written narrative evaluation of the students work, social development, and mastery of fundamental skills and suggestions for future growth.
c. Explain how the curriculum encompasses the Maryland State Curriculum and the Core Learning Goals, aligned with Common Core State Standards, as applicable. Applicants must base their standards on the Maryland Content Standards and may adopt additional standards that exceed these state standards. The standards should give reviewers a clear sense of what students will know and be able to do. Alignment Process: When teachers pursue Montessori certification, they carefully document and sequence comprehensive lessons for each of the core curriculum subjects within a series of Portfolios. Our own preliminary review has confirmed that these Montessori lessons target many of the core learning objectives of the MCPS Curriculum Frameworks and the Common Core State Standards. During the initial planning year, a team of educators will work to address MCPS and Common Core State, content, standards, and Learning Objectives into a first draft of the Community Montessori Charter School Curriculum and Assessment Handbooks for Language Arts, Oral and Written Communication, Math, and Science. The Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS staff to cross-reference the Montessori curriculum with the MCPS Curriculum Frameworks & the Common Core State Standards to identify areas in need of revision. Revision of these areas will be supported through focused professional development and collaborative study among the professional staff during the initial planning year and subsequent years. d. Describe the criteria and procedures that will be employed for the selection of textbooks and other instructional materials. Textbooks and other educational materials will be selected in alignment with the Montessori curriculum and MCPS content standards. An emphasis will be placed on primary sources and reality-focused materials as in the Montessori curriculum. A selection committee, comprised of school and community stakeholders, will be convened by the Community Montessori Charter School Principal to recommend materials for adoption. The committee will include teachers,
parents, and community members. Once materials are identified, Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to MCPS regulations for the approval of instructional materials. e. Describe how the school will meet the needs of special students, including English Language Learners, students with an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan, and all students covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Include how services such as screening, diagnostic and psychological testing, evaluation, identification; and instructional placements based on language proficiency; and health-related support to students will be provided in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving stated performance standards are components of the Montessori method. Lessons are geared to each childs developmental level. Children who enroll with reading and other basic skills that are substantially below age level may have deficits or weaknesses in one or more of the following areas: attention, order, organization, motor skills, perceptual confusions, oral language development, learning written symbols or patterns of language, or problems with the abstractions of math. The Montessori method allows diagnostic teaching in all of these areas. Children who are performing below age level when they enroll in our Montessori program may need the following classroom modifications: Teacher nearby for greater time periods during independent work Direct assistance with attention/focus/and concentration Structure for behavior Guidance in selecting and performing tasks Specific and direct oral language development Direct teaching of written language and/or math symbols Pre-writing and writing practice with a multi-sensorial technique Visual Picture System Limit choices Language presentations modified with specific techniques.
Student Support Team (SST) Plan The plan for providing additional interventions (beyond those inherent in the Montessori Method as described above) to students who are not achieving the schools stated performance standards includes a continuing partnership with parents, use of reading tutors, additional support teachers and use of our schools Student Support Team (SST). Parents and teachers (and student when appropriate) will meet at the beginning, middle and end of year to develop goals and discuss their childs progress. Volunteer reading tutors will provide additional reading support as necessary. Community Montessori Charter School will use the Student Support Team (SST) model to support children who are experiencing academic challenges (including educational, behavioral, or interpersonal needs). Using this model, teachers will be able to identify children who are struggling or excelling within the classroom and refer them to the team for support as appropriate. The team may be composed of a general education teacher, a special educator, a school administrator, and a mental health/social worker or school psychologist. The childs parents will also be invited to participate on this team and give additional input regarding strengths and needs. The SST will review the childs previous records and current performance and develop first line interventions to address his or her individual challenges including modifying tasks and methods of instruction (e.g., additional visual cues for visual learners, onestep directions for children with attention difficulties, clear behavioral goals, limiting choices, and a system for reinforcing target behaviors). The teacher will use these educational supports and monitor the childs functioning for a number of weeks using the individual childs record form or classroom log. If he/she has not shown improvement within a specified amount of time, the SST will conduct a child study, which might include a review of work samples, classroom observations, behavioral analysis, teacher assessments of child, baseline evaluations where appropriate and parent reports about the childs functioning within the home. The results of the child study will help the team identify and document additional, individualized educational supports. If these interventions are not sufficient to help the child improve classroom performance, then he/she will be referred for additional assessments, possibly to the schools special education process.
Special Needs Students Community Montessori Charter School will function in full accord with federal (IDEA), state, and local laws and regulations with regard to children with special needs. We are committed to providing an inclusive learning community where every child develops his/her full potential and individual differences are respected and embraced. We plan to collaborate with MCPS to provide children identified with needs for special education and related services. If the SST finds that a child continues to make inadequate progress or shows significant deficits, he/she will be referred to the special education team for follow-up. This team of professionals, which includes the childs parents, will meet to discuss specific evaluations, determine eligibility, plan special education and related services and prepare an individualized education plan (IEP) that is reviewed at least annually. The team will consult with MCPS as needed during the process. Parental consent is required for all evaluations and services. Specific procedural safeguards and timelines must be followed throughout the process. For example, within thirty days of eligibility determination under IDEA, the team must meet to develop the IEP. Where special education services are deemed necessary, students will be provided with in-classroom interventions as a first step, followed by inclusion with push-in services by special education/related services staff, and finally pull-out services if previous interventions have not been effective (or where necessary due to domain-specific challenges in areas such as speechlanguage, occupational therapy, or emotional functioning). The school principal, the Vice President of Academic Programs, and special education staff will attend MCPS professional development regarding the special education process and provide professional development for teachers and Para educators. Community Montessori Charter School plans to identify its own special education and related services staff to be hired by the school system. We will consult MCPS for additional services as needed, such as evaluations of intellectual functioning completed by a psychologist. Special Education meetings will be located at and facilitated by our school principal with consultation from MCPS as needed.
Some modifications are naturally-occurring components of the Montessori classroom. Supplemental programs such as sign language, visual picture systems, Handwriting without Tears and Applied Behavioral Analysis may also be implemented to complement the curriculum and support each child in developing his/her full potential. Depending on our students needs, we will consult with The Shelton School in Dallas, Texas that utilizes Montessori methods for children with learning disabilities. In accordance with federal and state law, the school will not reject children with disabilities and will use an inclusion model to incorporate children with disabilities in the regular classroom setting where such a setting provides these children with a free appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Consistent with the current funding formula, it is our expectation that necessary services to address students IEPs will be supported by the County. Community Montessori Charter School will work to assist with MCPS to assist in identifying qualified staff to help deliver services when appropriate. Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to MCPS timelines, as well as State and federal guidelines for identifying students for special education services. English Language Learners (ELL) The Montessori system proves an ideal program for ELL students. All presentations are made first without language. The child may attend visually and observe the materials presented. After he/she is successful at perceiving and comprehending the sensory information that is part of the presentation, then language is attached to the object, functions, and attributes connected with the concept. The three period lessons take the child through the normal language development stages of Identity, Recognition and Recall. For each child, this process varies in length. This careful presentation of Identity-Recognition-Recall allows the ESOL child to expand his/her vocabulary and expression and develop more precise communication. ESOL students and families will be included in all Community Montessori Charter School activities. We will collaborate with MCPS, which currently provides services for ESOL students. The Community Montessori Charter School team is fluent in French, Spanish, Amharic, Hindi, Filipino, Russian,
and Korean, and can provide classroom support as well as assist in communicating with parents who are not proficient in English. We will have materials and literature that represent various backgrounds and cultures to help each child feel secure in our environment. Teachers and staff will participate in trainings as necessary to ensure their cultural sensitivity and to support children with limited English skills. Community Montessori Charter School will follow all legal requirements regarding the provision of instruction and assessment for ELL students. f. Describe how the schools academic calendar or length of school day will differ from that of MCPS, if applicable, and provide rationale for differences. Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to MCPS school calendar during the traditional academic year. In addition, Community Montessori Charter School will provide a full summer program for income-eligible students that follows the regular school day schedule including access to wraparound health, dental, and social services in collaboration with the Department of Human Services. g. Describe how the school will assess the level of success of its educational program (including the local, state, and federal assessment programs). Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to local and state assessment requirements and will ensure that the Montessori approach and curriculum are aligned with these measures. Compliance with MCPS During the planning year, a team of Community Montessori Charter School teachers along with the Principal and the Vice-President of Academic Programs will align the Community Montessori Charter School curriculum with requirements of the MCPS curriculum for Pre-K and lower elementary grades in order to establish benchmarks that track Community Montessori Charter Schools compliance with the MCPS curriculum. These benchmarks for CMCS students will be tracked through assessment outcomes on the Maryland Work Sampling System (MWSS), and the Early Childhood Observation Record (ECOR), the Pre-LAS Links, and the LAS-Links (ELL) assessments. Outcomes will be reported to MCPS, MSDE, Community Montessori Charter School faculty, families, and the community. Furthermore, any summative assessments mandated by the MCPS and MSDE will be administered such as the Terra Nova 2
(grade 2). Community Montessori Charter School will begin administering the MSA in the spring of 2013 Compliance with MSDE Community Montessori Charter School will comply with all state regulations and mandates. Reporting will occur for all data defined in COMAR and will be coordinated with policies and regulations per MCPS. (See compliance with MCPS above.) 2. Describe the uniqueness of the program. Include concept design, techniques, and/or practices. There are many reasons why Community Montessori Charter School is unique in design, technique and practice. Community Montessori Charter School will be part of the Crossway Community, Inc. organization that for twenty years has integrated three learning centers on its campus to serve economically disadvantaged families and others in Montgomery County. The Family Leadership School provides on-campus apartments, career counseling, lifeskill coaching, and educational support to 40 single mothers with very young children. The Lifelong Learning Center provides an array of educational, arts, recreational and life-skill classes, events and services to individuals and families throughout the region. The Crossway Montessori Program provides effective early educational intervention to children 3 months through kindergarten. Upon approval of this charter application, services will expand to serve children through grade three. Crossway Community, Inc. has engaged hundreds, if not thousands, of Montgomery County stakeholders over the past twenty years, who are the lifeblood of our organization. Crossway Community, Inc. will leverage a wide array of partnerships to support the planning, design and implementation of the Community Montessori Charter School. Community Montessori Charter School students and families will uniquely benefit from the wrap-around support supplied by the networks of people, wealth of experiences, collection of resources and connection to services that each unit of our organization brings to the table and contributes to the entire community free of charge.
This support includes but is not limited to: work-force development, college-prep classes, tutoring, health referrals, parenting classes and other instructional programs such as ESOL, GED, and CPR classes, Strathmore Hall Arts Center education department, Maryland Youth Ballet, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kensington Arts Theatre, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University, Montgomery College and various area high schools, United Way of America, Zero to Three, Inc., Latin American Economic Development Corporation for foreclosure prevention, the African American Health Program, and the Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of Commerce. See Attachment C. Crossway Community, Inc. through Community Montessori Charter School will continue providing high-quality education and support services in a wrap-around all-day, full-year program. By aligning with MSDEs Common Core State Standards, the Community Montessori Charter School, Crossway Community, Inc. will grow the school to third grade and bring additional, effective, innovative services to more income-eligible children and their parents. Crossway Community, Inc. creates a seamless system from birth through college through community-building for children and parents. The Community Montessori Charter School is the foundation of this effort. Crossway Community, Inc. creates programs to equip parents with the tools they need to become their childrens first teachers and to help their children succeed in school. Crossway Community, Inc. uses-its half-acre organic community garden as a platform for programs that foster stewardship of the land, outdoor education, nutrition, and physical exercise. The half-acre plot grows a diversity of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers of the highest quality. Key partners on this initiative are Albert Einstein High School faculty, parents, students, and Ruppert Landscaping. Community Montessori Charter School will use the Crossway Community, Inc. organic teaching garden in partnership with Ruppert Landscaping and Einstein High School to teach reading, language arts, math, nutrition and environmental science.
3. Describe target population
a. Identify how many students will be enrolled each year over the years of the proposed initial charter term. Explain the rationale for selecting this particular school size. In 1990, Crossway Community, Inc., opened a licensed childcare center to serve the families in the Family Leadership School. Many of the children were having difficulty concentrating or were identified with developmental delays. As a response and a strategy to improve outcomes for these children, we adopted a unified Montessori curriculum with AMI certified teachers. Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving their performance standards are natural components of the Montessori method. Within two months, using observational assessment, we found significant gains by using this approach. This effort was funded by the Freddie Mac Foundation. Community Montessori Charter School is centrally located in the Wheaton-Kensington area, such that the target student population will include students from among the countys diverse communities. The original Montessori mission was developed to support children living in the inner city and Community Montessori Charter School will bring this mission home to the diverse neighborhoods of Wheaton-Kensington. Our school will provide Montgomery County families with public Montessori Education, an education that has only been available in Montgomery County via private school attendance. We believe our school will complement current offerings within the school system and offer an additional public school choice. Additionally, nearby public elementary schools in the Wheaton-Kensington area, such as Oakland Terrace and Rockview Elementary School, are experiencing overcrowding. Oakland Terrace, for example, will be establishing a satellite location for Kindergarten classes at Sligo Middle School beginning in the fall of 2011 to offset the overcrowding. Rationale for size
Community Montessori Charter School will use mixed-age groupings based on the educational philosophy of Dr. Montessori. We plan to open in September, 2012 with four pre-K-K mixedage classrooms (3-6 year olds) and one lower elementary classroom (6-8 year olds). We will provide early intervention for children at-risk for learning difficulties affording each child the opportunity to develop a strong foundation for intellectual, physical and social skills. By year 4, we anticipate that our school will consist of mixed-age classes at every level: four pre-K- K classes (3-6 year olds) with 100 students, and four lower elementary classes (6-8 year olds) with 88 students. Each class will have up to 25 - 30 children, with approximately 8 to 10 children at each age level (sixteen to twenty per grade). By year 4, we project our total student body to be approximately 188 students. There will be one teacher and an assistant in each class. See chart below: Projected CMCS Program Enrollment * Projected Population Grades Served Average Age of Student Year 1 - 20122013
Pre-K K Primary Gr. 1-3 Lower El
Year 2 - 20132014
Year 3- 2014-2015
Year 4- 2015-2016
4-6
6-9
4-6 4
6-9 2
4-6 4
6-9 3
4-6 4
6-9 4
Number of 4 1 Classes Average Number Students 20-25 20-25 /Class (Age 46 Grouping) Number of Students per 100 22 Grade Total Number of Enrolled 122 Students*
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
100 150
50
100 172
72
100 188
88
*School year 2011-2012 will be a planning year. School year 2012-2013 will be the first year of the charter school for students.
b. Provide evidence of parental support for the proposed school (letters of support, parent signatures, etc.). Using an appreciative inquiry framework, Crossway Community, Inc. has surveyed the community to map our vision. Crossway Community, Inc. targets young mothers with children under the age of five to attend its bi-weekly introductory educational classes. Through our outreach and engagement efforts, Crossway receives 75-100 calls per month from young, economically disadvantaged mothers for resource and referral. Of these callers, about 25 attend our bi-weekly education classes. Young mothers have the opportunity to speak openly about needed services for themselves and their children. Crossway Community, Inc. has responded with appropriate interventions and resources based on their stated needs: workforce development program; life skills education programs; stable, residential life programs; and high quality early childhood education. Our effort to extend our early childhood education program with a charter school is in response to the stated need of these families with young children for high quality educational opportunities that will change their childrens future. Please see Attachment D, Support for CMCS. c. Provide detailed student recruitment and marketing plans for target population, including hard-to-reach families, culturally and linguistically diverse families, and families of students with disabilities. Our focus is to continue recruiting difficult to reach families and families with diverse backgrounds in the neighborhoods near the school. Community Montessori Charter School will actively recruit low-income families (that qualify for the free/reduced lunch program) in order to ensure our student body reflects the socio-economic diversity of this area. Community Montessori Charter School will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, economic disadvantage, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or foreign language, or prior academic achievement. Please see Attachment N.
We will reach these priority families through:
Our current bi-weekly introductory educational classes held at Crossway Community, Inc.; Our partnerships with other local organizations that serve these families; Articles featured in Washington Parent Magazine, one of our partners Public service announcements in neighborhood French and Spanish local media, English, Spanish, and French internet presence via updated website, Facebook page, local parenting Blogs, and email marketing
Posters in local libraries, supermarkets, coffee shops, Metro bus stops Presence in local area-wide events and festivals
(See a detailed Targeted Recruitment Plan under OPERATIONS Question 2 of this application.) 4. Explain the schools proposed grading, promotion, and retention policies. (These must be aligned with MCPS policies and regulations, unless a waiver is submitted and approved.) Community Montessori Charter School will be accountable for summative assessments that measure the extent to which students are proficient in reading and math skills. This includes being accountable for student attendance and participation in the testing process. Community Montessori Charter School will use multiple measures to judge student achievement: tests; student presentations including oral, multi-media, and written formats; as well as portfolios. Every effort will be made so that students who are weak in one area of the curriculum will not be penalized across all areas of the curriculum. Community Montessori Charter School will establish a series of standards across the grades served in the mixed-age classrooms so that student achievement can be measured and judged to be proficient. Standardized measures will be administered according to the schedule established by MCPS: The Terra Nova at Grade 2; The Maryland State Assessment (MSA) at Grade 3
If support measures are deemed appropriate to assist a students level of achievement in any area of the curriculum, Community Montessori Charter School will work with parents, students and teachers to assure that resources are put in place for the student. If a student needs additional time to utilize resources before moving to the next level of curriculum, an individual review process will be put in place by the SST. 5. Describe how Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and federal assessment mandates will be met. In order to comply with both local and state assessment requirements, both external and internal assessment measures will be used to track student achievement, inform classroom instruction, provide evidence about how the school is meeting its stated goals, and influence plans for school development. Summative (External) Assessments Those students who are five by September 1 of the school year will be evaluated using the Maryland Work Sampling System (MWSS) which provides a way for teachers to assess and document childrens skills, knowledge, behaviors, and academic accomplishments. Using developmental assessment guidelines, work samples, portfolios, and checklists, teachers will document childrens progress along seven domains of learning. The MWSS will be administered during the first two months of the school year and results will be reported to the State of Maryland by the end of November. Those children who are seven by September 1 of the school year will take the Terra Nova 2 in accordance with the MCPS Schedule of Student Assessments. The Terra Nova, as a nationallynormed achievement test, will provide information on student achievement in Reading, Language Arts, and Mathematics. The results will be used as diagnostic information about students academic strengths and weaknesses, which teachers may use to form students learning goals and influence planning for staff development.
Those students who are eight by September 1 of the school year will take the Maryland State Assessment (MSA) in accordance with the MCPS and State of Maryland Schedule of Student Assessments. The MSA will test students beginning in grades 3 and will track students reading and math skills related to Common Core State Standards. The students scores will be provided to parents. Formative (Internal) Assessments Classroom-based Assessments. Classroom-based assessments will be implemented with the youngest students. The Early Childhood Observation Record (ECOR) which is used to summarize observational data of performance assessments for Pre-K children in MCPS will be used for Pre-K students at Community Montessori Charter School. The ECOR will also be implemented for Kindergarten children along with the MWSS. School-based Portfolios: Community Montessori Charter School will use the planning year to develop integrated portfolios where students demonstrate mastery of the schools academic, personal, and social learning objectives. Portfolios will be exhibited at the end of the 3rd grade as a culminating experience. The Portfolio will allow students to demonstrate skills not assessed through Terra Nova 2 or MSA by giving students the flexibility to document their achievement through a variety of media and a more diverse representation of learning. 6. Provide strategies for students who are at risk of academic failure, advanced learners, and/or students not making reasonable progress. Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving to stated performance standards are natural components of the Montessori method. Lessons are geared to each childs developmental level. Children that enroll with reading and other basic skills that are substantially below age level may have deficits or weaknesses in one or more of the following areas: attention, order, organization, motor skills, perceptual confusions, oral language development, learning written symbols or patterns of language, or problems with the abstractions of math. The Montessori method allows diagnostic teaching in all of these areas. Children who are performing below age level when they enroll in our Montessori program may need the following classroom modifications:
Teacher nearby for greater time periods during independent work Direct assistance with attention/focus/and concentration Structure for behavior Guidance in selecting and performing tasks Specific and direct oral language development Direct teaching of written language and/or math symbols, Pre-writing and writing practice with a multi-sensorial technique Visual Picture System Limit choices Language presentations modified with specific techniques.
Community Montessori Charter School will use the Student Support Team (SST) model to support children who are experiencing academic challenges (including educational, behavioral, or interpersonal needs). Using this model, teachers will be able to identify children who are struggling or excelling within the classroom and refer them to the team for support as appropriate. The SST team and the childs parents will study the childs strengths and needs. They will review the childs previous records and current performance and develop first line interventions to address his or her individual challenges including modifying tasks and methods of instruction (e.g., additional visual cues for visual learners, one-step directions for children with attention difficulties, clear behavioral goals, limiting choices, and a system for reinforcing target behaviors). The teacher will use these educational supports and monitor the childs functioning for a number of weeks using the individual childs record form or classroom log. If he/she has not shown improvement within a specified amount of time, the SST will conduct a child study, which might include a review of work samples, classroom observations, behavioral analysis, teacher assessments of child, baseline evaluations where appropriate and parent reports about the childs functioning within the home. The results of the child study will help the team identify and document additional, individualized educational supports. If these interventions are not sufficient to help the child improve classroom performance, then he/she will be referred to the schools special education process.
7. Describe how assessment information will be used to continuously improve instruction, student learning, and individual development, and how the school will engage students who are working above or below the schools performance standards. a. Outline strategies to assess and analyze student interests and needs. Students achievement will be tracked through a variety of assessments, internal teacher records, and feedback from the instructional team. Baseline information will be collected on each student using the outcomes from the Maryland Model for School Readiness, ECOR , Terra Nova, and MSA. b. Describe how student progress will be determined, measured, and reported through a detailed outline of the schools approach to accountability. Students achievement will be documented through formative and summative assessments. Baseline information will be collected for each student using formative instructional tools and outcomes from system-wide and state assessments. Teachers will be expected to assess learning against required standards and instructional outcomes on a daily basis. c. Describe the schools proposed plan to assess student performance. Explain any internal and external measures that will be used to monitor individual student progress beyond the basic state and local testing requirements. Explain why particular measures have been chosen, how baseline achievement data will be collected, in which subject or development areas such data will be collected, and which assessment tools will be used. The teacher designed assessments (formative) permit teachers to determine where additional support is necessary, what needs to be taught, and to communicate this to the parents. These assessments provide the teachers insight into the childs rate of learning and will alert the teacher to any additional needs the child may have in an academic area. Age appropriate homework may be assigned so that parents can support school efforts. A review of homework will assist the teacher in learning how the child has mastered the skills. The Community
Montessori Charter School staff will be interested in discussing their ideas with MCPS as the program enters its planning stage. d. Include a plan for reporting assessment information and indicate which audiences will receive this information, as well as the frequency of reporting. Teachers and administrators will conduct classroom-based assessments to collect individual formative and summative data. Analysis and discussion of standardized assessments such as ECOR, Maryland Work Sampling School data (MWSS), Terra Nova and MSA will be collected and provided to all teachers and parents. School data will be published in school newsletters and other publications. Data will also be reported to MCPS and MSDE as required. All parents will receive information about their childs performance on these assessments. 8. Describe student services a. Describe the school culture. Explain the strategies the school will employ to develop a positive culture that is supportive of students, faculty, and families. The culture of CMCS will be based on the educational philosophy of Dr. Montessori and will foster a diverse environment of community, creativity, and learning so that each student will reach his/her educational potential. CMCS will value each child in the context of his/her family and will facilitate the involvement of parents, community members and organizations in the work of the school. CMCS will foster inclusion for all children and families in the school community focusing on assets and strengths. The school culture will support mutual respect for self, for others, and for both the indoor and outdoor environment building on the Montessori principle of grace and courtesy for all. In practice, CMCS will foster a prepared learning environment for all members of the school community through active engagement in the daily life of the school. School events during the school year: such as: seasonal celebrations, arts performances and exhibits, and end-of-the school year events, will provide a platform for all elements of the school community to work and celebrate together. Parents will be an integral part of enhancing classroom learning through
individual expertise and cultural enrichment and to contribute professional expertise and volunteer efforts to support the school and its goals. Parents will be engaged as partners in their childrens education. Regular and consistent communication between all school constituencies will be expected to insure the best educational outcomes for the students. Community organizations such as neighborhood civic associations, businesses, other nonprofit organizations, and public entities will also be part of the infrastructure that braids resources for the benefit of the CMCS. b. Describe the schools philosophy regarding student behavior and discipline. Summarize the schools discipline policy or code of conduct. Community Montessori Charter School is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment for our students. Teachers will actively model and instruct students regarding personal and group A student handbook will be developed by a team of Community Montessori Charter The Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to further develop their student conduct and parent engagement documents. Present strategies will be updated and revised in collaboration with MCPS, staff, and county, state and federal regulations. Our philosophy regarding student behavior, consistent with our mission and philosophy, is described in our code of conduct as follows: Code of Conduct: Each member of the Community Montessori Charter School learning community will take responsibility and show respect for themselves, others and the environment. Each classroom and common area in the school will have this posted. Teachers will guide the children to identify the meaning of key vocabulary terms in the code of conduct and how they apply to real-life situations. The following words need to be defined in each classroom: learning, community, responsibility, respect, others and environment. Depending on the age responsibilities with regard to citizenship. School members who will define these expectations.
level, this will be accomplished through grace and courtesy lessons, literature and role-play. Reading literature, including non-fiction, is a wonderful way to explore the meaning of respect and it can be modeled using role-play. The orderly environment that characterizes a Montessori classroom, with older peer models and choices to enhance motivation, helps most children develop self-control and self-discipline. Parent participation is encouraged through volunteer activities, parent education, and opportunities to serve on the Board, giving everyone a feeling of belonging. Community Montessori Charter Schools Parent Handbook will include the code of conduct with suggestions to use at home. Peace Education to help students understand and resolve interpersonal issues is an integral component of Montessori Education. Within the classroom, students are guided to use the peace table or peace rose for conflict resolution. Community meetings are held regularly to discuss classroom issues. Teachers will have buddy classrooms and adult mentors available to give each child the support that he/she may need. We will use the Positive Discipline methods of Jane Nelsen, Ph.D., a program teaching children how to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their communities. It teaches essential social and life skills in a manner that is deeply respectful and encouraging for both children and adults. All staff will participate in Positive Discipline workshops and we will hold information meetings for parents as well. Teachers will work in partnership with parents and maintain regular contact through classroom newsletters, work plans, conferences and student progress reports. Furthermore, if a student is disrupting the class on a regular basis, he/she will be referred to the Student Support Team. c. Provide details regarding the schools plans to build and maintain appropriate home-school partnerships that focus on strengthening support for student learning, improving communication, and encouraging home involvement in school operations. Forming a partnership with parents in their childrens education is one of our guiding principles. Teachers will begin developing this relationship through conferences at the beginning, middle and end of the year in addition to frequent contact and class newsletters. The school will foster this partnership through morning coffee discussions, evening presentations regarding Montessori
Education, regular newsletters, parent orientation and opportunities to volunteer in the school or through service on the Advisory Committee in collaboration with the MCPS Department of Family and Community Partnerships. We will have a parent-liaison that encourages parents to become involved in the school. Our aim is to create a family-like environment based on the principles of cooperation, courtesy and respect. d. Describe how staff, student, and parent surveys regarding school environment will be implemented and results reported. Parent and community surveys in English and Spanish will be conducted each year in collaboration with MCPS who also conducts similar surveys. A summary report will be prepared and posted on the Community Montessori Charter School website and in the school newsletter. The report will help create and refine the schools goals. In addition, there will be an open-door policy for parents to provide the opportunity for communication and to solicit parent feedback. Community Montessori Charter School will send out surveys to parents in order to solicit their input before major policy decisions are made. The School Principal will host regular informal chats to meet discuss items of interest to parents and to develop a sense of community. A series of community forums will be convened to discuss challenges to the charter school and to bring outside stakeholders into the school community. The Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to ensure that the school survey is aligned with the survey conducted by other MCPS schools. e. Provide examples of how community partners will play an integral part in the school. Crossway Community, Inc. has a long history of engaging community partners. Crossway Community, Inc. has learned that community partners are critical to the success of our entire organization. We have a long-standing relationship with the Latino Economic Development Corporation, the African American Health Program, and Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of Commerce. In addition we enjoy partnerships with Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Maryland Youth Ballet, Washington Parent Magazine, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kensington Arts Theatre, numerous universities including Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University and Montgomery College and various area high schools.
See Attachment C for a comprehensive list of our partners.
GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS 1. Describe how the board of directors will be chosen and what steps will be taken to ensure continuity between the founding organizers vision and that of the permanently established board of directors. The members of the Board of Directors for Crossway Community, Inc. were chosen from corporate and community leaders throughout the Washington metropolitan area. They were chosen based on their diverse experiences and support of our mission. We will continue to recruit community members and parents that share our vision. The directors are elected annually and serve in staggered three-year terms. A nominating committee presents a slate of candidates to the President and the Secretary. These candidates serve generally on at least one of the following advisory committees for three years before serving on the board: community relations, event coordination, long-term planning, operational support, and special projects. The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, Kathleen Guinan, serves as President of the Board. Members are a consolidation resource for the School Principal who in turn provides guidance for the teachers and students. See Attachment E, bylaws of Crossway Community, Inc. The Board meets regularly to develop policies and monitor the financial performance and operations of Crossway Community, Inc. and will continue to do so for Community Montessori Charter School once it becomes operational. The Boards oversight will ensure that Community Montessori Charter School progresses toward its stated goals, and that appropriate practices are maintained to assure the safety and security of the children. Please see Attachment Q for Articles of Incorporation. 2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, including the relationship of the board of directors to teachers and administrators. Also describe the roles and responsibilities of the governing board of the sponsoring organization, if applicable.
The Board is the legally responsible body for our fiduciary matters, school operations, and academic performance. The Board will assess the progress of the Community Montessori Charter School and the School Principals performance. The Board will provide legal and ethical direction without responsibility for day-to-day operations. Ann Byrne is the Vice-President of Academic Programs for Crossway Community, Inc. Nancy Sachitano, an attorney at Sachitano, Strent and Hostetter, is a member of Crossway Community, Inc.s Advisory Council. Ms. Sachitano will be our contract monitor and the contact person for MCPS. Members of the Charter School Advisory Committee include: Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs Community Montessori Charter School Principal, to be selected Teachers (2) Sharon Dubble, Director for the Center for Montessori Education, Loyola University, Maryland Tracy Manson, CPA, CFO Mark Turner, Founder & President , GreenSpur Development, Facilities and Grounds Serena Crawford, FLS Graduate & Community Parent Matthew Barry, General Manager, Westfield Shopping Center, Wheaton, Corporate and Workforce Development Emanuel Hildago, CEO, Latino Economic Development Corp, Pres. Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Rockview Parent Ellin Nolan, President, Washington Partners Robert McNulty, CEO. Partners for Liveable Communities, Partnership Development Kristin Moore, PhD, Child Trends, Evaluation and Research Robert Noble, Charter School Financing and Budgeting expert Andre Nicholas, GRI, MBA, ReMax, Parent Tia Rice, Community Parent
3.
Provide names, background, experiences, and references of public charter school organizers and board members (attach rsums).
The Board of Directors of the proposed Community Montessori Charter School is the original founding group of Crossway Community, Inc. A strong Board of Directors will be critical to the success of the Community Montessori Charter School. Our Board will make certain that Community Montessori Charter School stays focused on our mission and has the skills necessary to implement our charter proposal and maintain the safety and security of the children entrusted to our care. The Board will regularly review the charter schools performance in relation to its stated goals. Our Board will act as trustees on behalf of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to ensure that Community Montessori Charter School functions in a safe and prudent manner. Our Board will stay informed as to the needs of our students and their families and our adherence to any future regulation changes to insure a strong platform for the future of our school. The following people serve on Crossway Community, Inc.s Board of Directors: Peter Kirby, President, Board of Directors, President, Palisade Holdings Kathleen Guinan, CEO, Crossway Community, Inc. Lynn Fay Chalmers, Community Leader Angela Elkins, Secretary, MSW, Professor at University of Maryland Holly Fine, Principal, Fine Films, Editor and producer Donna Morea, President, CGI-AMS, US, India, Europe, and Asia John Nields, Partner, Covington and Burling Lester Poretsky, CEO of Poretsky Properties & Poretsky Management Co.
Please see Biographies under Attachment O. 4. Describe governance structure and its relationship to the school operation.
Crossway Community, Inc. is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine individuals (Bylaws state that there shall be no less than 7 and no more than 12 directors) who are passionate about our vision and have specific skills that are necessary for our schools mission. This Board will form the original founding group of the Community Montessori Charter School. The Board of Directors will be assisted by the Advisory Council in ensuring the success of the Community Montessori Charter School. Their responsibilities include: Legal responsibility for fiduciary matters, school operations, and academic performance Ensuring compliance with bylaws, administrative policies, legal requirements, and regulations related to MCPS and state/federal mandates Monitoring program for compliance with charter and success with identified goals Creating and monitoring a strategic plan for the future of the school Developing and adopting an annual budget Ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability Recruiting and orienting distinguished Board members Hiring and evaluating the School Principal in collaboration with MCPSs OHR Maintaining contact with MCPS for compliance assistance with charter requirements Reaching out to the community Development and fundraising Serving as an active member of at least one committee Regular attendance and participation in Board meetings
Please see Organizational Chart, Attachment G. 5. Outline the administrative management structure and specify the individual role each member plays. The Crossway Community, Inc. Board of Directors includes Ms. Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer. As a member of the Board and CEO, Ms. Guinan supervises the implementation of the vision, core values and principles of the organization. Supervised by Ms.
Guinan, Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs, is a member of the Charter School Advisory Committee of the Board and will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation, operation and accountability of Community Montessori Charter School. The School Principal will use a model of distributed leadership so teachers feel supported and empowered. The Loyola University, Baltimore, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori Training Directors at Loyola will provide ongoing training for our teachers. We will also work with interns from American University, University of Maryland, Trinity University, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Johns Hopkins Graduate School of Nursing. Parents will have input into decisions that affect the school through participation in the Parent Involvement Council and through volunteer opportunities. All decisions will be based on what is in the best interest of the child. 6. Describe the role of parents in the decision-making process.
Crossway Community, Inc. supports parent involvement by adhering to a philosophy that parents are the students primary teachers. We believe that it is essential that both parents and teachers be involved in the actions needed to keep motivation high and to ensure that plans are implemented. We will ensure that parents are afforded numerous opportunities for participation and involvement in decision making, including membership on our Board of Directors. We will encourage parents to join the Parent/Community Engagement Committee and the committees on fundraising, publicity, special events and enrichment/creative projects. We will have workshops and provide training specific to each committee. We will request a work commitment of 10 hours per year from each family. We know that dedicated parents and teachers provide the human capital to make Community Montessori Charter School a success. We will survey parents about their goals for their children and then help them reach those goals. 7. Describe business arrangements or partnerships with existing schools, businesses, and/or nonprofit organizations. Provide a list of organizations that may partner with the school and the nature of these partnerships. Include letters of support, if available. Describe the steps that have been taken to develop partnerships and the plans to develop additional community partnerships.
One of the core principles of Crossway Community, Inc. is collaboration and partnership development. Crossway Community, Inc. is both a place and a partnership between schools and communities. We have been in the Kensington-Wheaton area for twenty years listening to the needs of families and working to provide an integrated focus on academics, youth development, health and social services, and community development. We understand that collaboration is necessary for a small organization like ours to provide this diverse set of services. For this reason Crossway Community, Inc. has a long history of engaging County partners. Crossway Communitys partners are critical to the success of our entire organization. We have a long-standing relationship with the Latino Economic Development Corporation, the African American Health Program, and the Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of Commerce. In addition we enjoy partnerships with Strathmore Hall Arts Center department, Maryland Youth Ballet, Washington Parent Magazine, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kensington Arts Theatre, numerous universities, including Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University and Montgomery College, and various area public and private high schools. Please see Attachment C for a comprehensive list of our partners. 8. Describe the school improvement process including school improvement team membership, school improvement plan development, monitoring, reporting, review, and revisions. The Vice President of Academic Programs will collaborate with the Crossway Montessori Charter School Principal to implement a process by which all aspects of the school program may be continuously reviewed to ensure ongoing improvement. To this end, a process will be developed that may mirror the school improvement process generally defined for public schools in Montgomery County and other school systems throughout Maryland. The process adopted will assess all aspects of the school program, collect achievement and other related data, analyze this data and result in a plan of action to address identified needs and ensure accountability. All staff members, parents, and community stakeholders will have an opportunity to apply for and participate in the Community Montessori Charter Schools team activities. Approximately
10-15 applicants will be chosen for participation. Selection criteria will include the diverse character of our community, interest and skills, and willingness to be an active participant in our school. The school improvement team will work with Community Montessori Charter School administration, MCPS administration, parents, and community members to develop a focused plan using data and information studied by the team along with the Baldrige process that will lead the team to address root causes for areas of need. All elements of the school improvement plan will be monitored and individuals will be identified within the plan who will have the responsibilities for following each element. All elements of the school improvement plan will be reviewed on a schedule determined by the team. Those responsible for monitoring elements of the plan will be required to present an assessment of progress. The team will then discuss the salient features of the assessment and determine the need for any revision to the strategies supporting the assessed element of the plan. As the plan is put into action, the team will report on the plans progress quarterly or other time intervals as may be requested by MCPS and/or required by MSDE. The staff, parents, and community members will also receive progress reports. Once a particular plan has been completed, the team will review the process to effectuate other related strategic objectives. 9. List, describe, and attach any waivers of state laws and regulations that the applicant obtained from MSDE. Explain how each of these waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2) While the Community Montessori Charter School is committed to the adherence of the rules and policies described on the MCPS website, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/polindex.shtm and by MSDE, we respectfully request waivers of certain regulations and related provisions to enable us to efficiently meet our goals and accomplish our mission. The requested waivers are as follows: 1. Waiver of Educ. 4-103 (1) requiring the county board to appoint all principals, teachers, and other certificated and noncertificated personnel
The Vice President of Academic Programs will work with the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to identify and select appropriate candidates for the principals position per the MCPS Regulations defined in GEB-RA. Furthermore, we will direct the Vice President of Academic Programs to collaborate with OHR and the area superintendent or their designee, employee associations, to conduct interviews of qualified candidates. It is expected that any candidate considered for the principal of the Community Montessori Charter School would have the following qualifications: 1) hold a masters degree from an accredited college or university with emphasis on administration and early childhood or elementary education; 2) meet MSDE requirements for certification; 3) have demonstrated skills as described in the MCPS OHR job description for principals; and 4) have a deep knowledge of or experience with early childhood programs and the Montessori philosophy. 2. Waiver of Educ. 4-111(a)(1) each county board shall establish curriculum guides and courses of study for the schools under its jurisdiction The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has validated the Montessori approach for use in Maryland public (and Charter) schools, childcare, and other publicly financed educational programs. The Community Montessori Charter Schools intention is to teach this curriculum in the Pre-K-Grade 3 classes. The Community Montessori Charter School will ensure that the Common Core State Standards, established by the State of Maryland, and all related curriculum standards established by Montgomery County Schools will be the basis of all instructional planning. The Community Montessori Charter School will actively instruct all students and assess their progress according to the requirements mandated by the Maryland State Board of Education and the Montgomery County Board of Education. 3. Waiver of Educ. 9-102(3) that a charter school is open to all students on a space-available basis and on a lottery basis if more students apply than can be accommodated to allow students living in the designated area of the school and children of founders to have priority
Community Montessori Charter School is requesting a waiver to admit, on a priority basis, income eligible children whose parents are receiving services from and are in residency at Crossway Community, Inc. Remaining seats for the mixed-age Montessori classes will be filled by income eligible children (FARMS) residing in the Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton clusters by using a lottery. Income eligible families will always receive priority. Priority for low-income families is necessary to provide them with more choices and to ensure that our student body reflects the socio-economic diversity of our neighborhood. These waivers have been sent to Ms. Nancy Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, and Mr. James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr., President, Maryland State Board of Education, for their consideration. Please see Attachment V. 10. List, describe, and attach any waivers of MCPS policies and regulations that the charter school is seeking. Explain how and why each of the waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2) Not applicable. 11. Provide the proposed timetable for charter implementation and specify the length of the initial charter term. A timetable for Implementation of the Charter School is attached. Please see Attachment F. 12. Indicate the scope of community support or interest for the proposed school and its founding board. Document this community support among teachers, parents, students, business, and community members, as appropriate. Please see Attachment D.
13. Provide copies of community surveys and communications, including non-English languages as appropriate. Using an appreciative inquiry framework, Crossway Community, Inc. has surveyed the community to map our vision. Crossway Community Inc. targets young mothers with children under the age of five to attend its bi-weekly introductory educational classes. Through our outreach and engagement efforts, Crossway receives 75-100 calls per month from young, economically disadvantaged mothers for resource and referral. Of these callers, 25 generally attend our bi-weekly education classes. Young mothers have the opportunity to speak openly about needed services for themselves and their children. Crossway Community, Inc. has responded with appropriate interventions and resources based on their stated needs, i.e., a workforce development program; life skills education programs; stable residential life programs; and high quality early childhood education. Our effort to extend our early childhood education program with a charter school is a response to the stated need of these young families for high quality educational opportunities that will change their childrens future. Crossway Community, Inc. has accumulated interest surveys from English and non-English speaking families who have indicated their strong interest and support for the Community Montessori Charter School. Please see Attachment H. 14. If an educational management organization (EMO) has been selected, provide background information on the EMO, including financial statement, a list of the governing board members and their rsums, and oversight responsibilities and a copy of the proposed contract between the applicants and the EMO. Not applicable.
FACILITIES AND FINANCE REQUIREMENTS Facilities 1. Describe the proposed facility, including funding, maintenance, and method of attainment. There is ample room in Crossway Community, Inc.s existing 64,386 square foot facility to house the Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. is located in a renovated former elementary school located at 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, Maryland and is accessible to children with disabilities in accordance with ADA. The facility is located on 14 acres that includes M-NCPPC College View Park and is only a ten-minute walk from the Wheaton metro station. It is also accessible by other public transportation i.e., Ride On buses #34 and #35, and Metro bus L (during rush hour). The once-vacant school, owned by Montgomery County, was converted in 1988-90 to accommodate Crossway Community Inc.s programs which include 40 on-campus apartments for students of the Family Leadership School, an Intergenerational Learning Center and an Early Intervention Program for Children. Only minor renovations and purchases are needed in the Crossway Community, Inc. facility to accommodate Community Montessori Charter School classrooms and other projected needs such as upgrading existing kitchen facilities to address the needs of the charter school. Crossway Community, Inc. anticipates that all capital expenses for these renovations will be completely covered by and will not exceed the MSDE planning grant. Crossway Community, Inc.s Facility and Grounds Committee includes: Mark Turner, President of GreenSpur Developers; David Bagnoli, AIA, Cunningham/Quill; and Patricia Ruppert, Ruppert Landscaping. The committee has developed plans that maximize the available space to its full capacity. All contractors used by Crossway Community, Inc. are licensed, bonded and insured. Crossway Community, Inc. serves as the facility, property and program manager for the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) regarding the maintenance of the on-campus apartments. In this capacity, Crossway Community, Inc. is responsible for complying with all building codes and inspections, all facility maintenance and repairs, property safety and security, as well as all rent collections and monthly reports. The
building is inspected annually by the DHCD. As always, Crossway Community, Inc. is willing and able to discuss these items with MCPS staff and collaborate with adjustments that need to be made. Please see Attachment S for Program Management Agreement. 2. Outline proposed facility compliance with local/state building codes. Crossway Community, Inc. complies with local and state building codes including but not limited to fire codes, boiler and pressure vessels, elevator inspections, lead-free environment, and emergency evacuation procedures. Crossway Community, Inc. also complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Fire, disaster and related evacuation plans are in place. Drills are held as required by Montgomery County authorities. Please see certificates of inspection and evacuation plans, Attachment J. 3. Describe civil rights, health, and safety policy compliance. Crossway Community, Inc. abides by The Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, and physical or mental handicap. Crossway Community, Inc. is committed to providing equal access to educational services for all children and families. Crossway Community, Inc.s procedure for responding to individual discrimination complaints is guided by the regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Any employee or applicant for employment who believes that unlawful discrimination has occurred must consult with the Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee within a reasonable period of time following the alleged discriminatory action. The Chief Business Officer will then conduct an investigation and advise the employee or applicant of the findings, or any remaining steps that may be taken. CMCS will collaborate with MCPSs OHR staff for any issues germane to this section occurring at Community Montessori Charter School.
Crossway Community, Inc. currently complies with COMAR to ensure that all Health Performance Standards are met. This includes childrens immunizations and physical examinations. We have a system in place to ensure that medications are properly administered, that staff health requirements are met, and that all of the Crossway Community, Inc. staff has first aid certification and CPR training. Community Montessori Charter School will collaborate with the Montgomery County Health Department regarding any health issues that may arise. Please see health inventory and emergency forms Attachment K. Crossway Community, Inc. is also in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The facility is fully handicapped accessible. We maintain accessible parking spaces, passenger loading zones, curb ramps, bathrooms, and classrooms. Crossway Community, Inc. will function in full accord with federal, state, and local laws and regulations with regard to children with special needs. We are committed to providing an inclusive learning community where every child develops his/her full potential and individual differences are respected and embraced. 4. Provide a detailed description of property-control procedures. Crossway Community, Inc. has an inventory procedure in place. A list is made of all furniture, fixtures and/or office equipment in each room or office. These items are described and tagged and the inventory sheets are maintained and updated by our inventory coordinator. Storage areas such as the diaper closet, office supply closet, pantry and others, are listed with regular inventory sheets. Please see Attachment L. 5. Provide the certification of asbestos inspection of the proposed facility. Asbestos has been determined to be within acceptable ranges since the renovation of the property in 1990. Please see Attachment M.
6. Provide documentation of radon testing of the proposed facility. Please see Attachment M. 7. Outline why this site would be suitable for the proposed school. Crossway Community, Inc. (3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, Maryland) will continue to be an excellent location for a school because of the surrounding diverse population. The building was originally constructed as an elementary school and is utilized for our residential education program (Family Leadership School), our Montessori program, and for our Lifelong Learning Center. The building has the capacity for several additional classrooms over the next few years without necessitating expansion of the footprint. In 2014, we will form a committee to analyze usage of space. The Building and Grounds Committee will conduct an audit of building usage and the need for additional space anticipating continuation of the charter and additional growth by 2016. Please see Attachment W for architectural design. Finance 1. Provide details on financial management and internal accounting procedures including the ability to provide monthly financial reporting and year-end budget projections. Outline the internal controls that these procedures provide. Provide details on the fiscal oversight structure indicating roles and responsibilities. The Boards Treasurer chairs a standing Finance and Audit Committee. A certified Public Accountant (CPA) will be responsible for overseeing the day to day management of the funds of the school with technical assistance from MCPS Office of Budget and Management and oversight agencies. A monthly Statement of Transactions and other budget and accounting reports will be prepared for the Community Montessori Charter School management team and the designated MCPS oversight unit. The Finance and Audit Committee will choose a qualified independent auditor who will perform the schools yearend audit as required by Governmental Accounting Standards. The Finance
Committee will then be responsible for developing any corrective action plans addressing any relevant weaknesses cited by the auditor. Crossway Community, Inc. understands and is willing to comply with internal and external audit requests of the MCPS, MSDE and other regulatory agencies. The Charter School Principal will provide oversight for the day-to-day management of the funds and report to the CEO and MCPSs Department of Budget and Management. The Community Montessori Charter School will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds and financial activities of the school in accordance with the standards set by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for a special purpose governmental unit. These standards include, but are not limited to, implementing internal control policies (as described below) to provide the school with the foundation to properly safeguard its assets, providing compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations, and producing timely and accurate financial information. Additionally, the school will maintain accounting records and related financial reports on the accrual basis of accounting as required by the Statement of Governmental Accounting Standards No. 34. Internal Accounting During the start-up year, the Boards Finance Committee will develop fiscal controls and management policies that will serve as the framework of Crossway Community, Inc.s daily business operations. These policies will include such things as processing of cash receipts and disbursements, payroll and benefits, expense reports, inventory management, petty cash, procurement of goods and services, and budgeting. They will also detail such things as limits on check signatures, authority to enter into contracts, responsibility for cash flow and borrowing, reviewing investment and debt, review of monthly bank statements, and procurement practices. The resource for these controls will be the Marylands Department of Educations Charter School Offices Recommended Fiscal Policies and Procedures Guide. This guide, when modified to meet Crossway Community, Inc.s individual school needs, will become the official document for the accounting functions conducted by the school. This guide will be modified to ensure support of Crossway Community, Inc.s educational goals, consistency with the Board approved budget, and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The
annual independent audit will provide secondary assurance that the implemented controls and policies are consistent with GAAP. Fund Account: All money belonging to the Community Montessori Charter School shall be deposited in a separate account or accounts in banks organized under the laws of Maryland and the United States. The School Principal and the VP of Academic Affairs will be authorized to encumber and disburse funds according to budget guidelines established by MCPS and governing state regulations for public school funds. All deposits of money shall be secured in a prudent manner as determined by MCPS and the Crossway Community, Inc. Board of Directors. Funds maintained in Community Montessori Charter School accounts shall, by definition, be dedicated to the school program and not be commingled with the funds in use by other departments of Crossway Community, Inc. Please see Attachment P for tax exempt status. 2. Provide a detailed school plan to address start-up funds that will be incurred prior to school opening, such as capital expenditures, supplies, materials, planning funds, etc. The MSDE planning grant of $150,000 has been previously approved for the startup of Community Montessori Charter School. These funds will be spent for technical assistance to prepare a detailed implementation plan. Plans will be developed for staff recruitment and assignment, student enrollment, alignment of the Montessori curriculum, and the development of instructional programs. Additional planning will include a review of the design and physical layout of the instructional and administrative areas. 3. Provide a detailed four-year balanced budget plan, including projected revenue sources and planned expenditures. (Attachment 3) (August 2011 June 2015) Please refer to Attachment 3 - Charter School Expenditure Budget by Category and Projected Enrollment located in Attachment U.1
Crossway Community, Inc. aims to maintain a zero-deficit operational budget for each year. School operations will be supported through the per pupil allocation from MCPS. Per Pupil allocation is assumed constant at ninety eight percent (98%) of the projected per pupil allocation of $14,515 for MCPS for SY 2011 (Source: MCPS Budget). The remaining 2% will be used by the County for administrative costs such as monthly accounting reports. The 2% will also cover budget reviews, testing, auditing, and other items listed in the State Manual. The previously awarded federal planning grant of $400,000 will go towards implementation in Years 1 and 2. These funds will be used for equipment, library, and other instructional activity rooms for Science, PE, Arts, school administrative offices, and an institutional kitchen and cafeteria. A summary of enrollment and revenue projections is presented below. Projected Student Enrollment Pre-K/K Enrollment (4) Pre-K/K Classrooms(4) Lower Elementary Enrollment Lower Elementary Classrooms Total Enrollment Total No. of classrooms Revenue & Grants from State Sources Per Pupil Tuition (estimated @MCPS 2011 budget) MCPS: Total Per Pupil Tuition MSDE: Federal Planning Grant Total Revenue and Grants 2011-2012 2012-2013 Planning Year 1 Year Start Up 100 4 22 1 122 5 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Recurring Recurring Recurring 100 4 50 2 150 6 100 4 72 3 172 7 100 4 88 4 188 8
$14,515 @ 98% $150,00 0 $150,00 0
$14,225 $1,735,41 3 $250,000 $1,985,41 3
$14,225 $2,133,70 5 $150,000 $2,283,70 5
$14,225 $14,225 $2,446,64 8 $2,674,244 $2,446,64 8 $2,674,244
The budget expenditure items and key assumptions are summarized in Attachment U.2.
4.
Provide a list of services the applicant intends to obtain through contract with MCPS (e.g., food services, transportation, ESOL, special education).
The Community Montessori Charter School plans to contract with MCPS for the following: 5. School bus transportation Food services (MCPS or private contractor we are presently seeking bids for this service) Other school system services that may be required to address the needs of the students. Describe the mechanisms and systems to be used to pay vendors and other creditors.
Accounts payable are processed twice a month. Information is entered from approved invoice vouchers with all appropriate documentation attached. Reports are produced and reviewed. Disbursements are reviewed for accuracy by the accountant prior to presenting the checks for signature to authorized individuals. Internal Control Internal control over disbursements is best maintained when the authorization, processing, check signing, recording and bank reconciliation functions are clearly segregated. Invoices will be supported by receipts and/or approval indicating receipt of goods and services. The use of prenumbered checks ensures numerical control. Persons authorized to approve expenditures will be identified, and threshold limits established or double signature requirements defined. Authorized check signers will never sign blank checks. 6. Provide the written financial policies, manuals and any other documented financial procedures of the organization. Include the conflict of interest and ethics policy(ies) as related to financial or fiduciary responsibilities. Please see Attachment T.
7.
Explain the basis of any fees to be charged to students for extracurricular activities, music, athletics, field trips, etc., or confirm that any student fees will conform to all MCPS policies.
Students will not be charged for extracurricular activities. The Parent Engagement Committee will assume the responsibility for providing funds for extracurricular activities. 8. Provide the plan for internal and external audit of financial management and the procedure for disclosing and responding to audit findings. Applicants must agree to permit MCPS internal audit staff access to all financial records with 48 hours notice. All financial records must be maintained and available for a period of no less than 5 years. MCPS is subject to audit by a variety of regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the Maryland State Department of Education, the Office of Legislative Audits of the State of Maryland, etc. Please indicate your understanding and acceptance that compliance is required for any audit requests from a regulatory agency. Annual Audit: The Auditor of Public Accounts, or legally authorized representatives, shall annually audit the accounts of the Community Montessori Charter School, and the cost of such audit services as shall be required shall be borne by CMCS. The audit shall be performed at least each fiscal year, in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and, accordingly, will include such tests of the accounting records and such auditing procedures as are considered necessary under the circumstances. The Charter School shall furnish copies of such audit to the Crossway Community Board, MCPS and MSDE and other oversight or regulatory agencies as required. CMCS will comply with audit regulations and procedures. 9. Provide audited financial statements for the current and preceding three years, if applicable, including financial statements of a parent organization. For tax returns for 2007, 2008, and 2009, please see Attachment U.3. 10. Outline plans to raise funds to supplement budget revenues. The Community Montessori Charter School Parent Engagement Committee, with the support of the School Principal, will be responsible for the schools fundraising during the year. Examples
include selling gift wrap, bulbs, school pictures, and collecting script rebate box tops for students. The fundraising strategy will call for Crossway Community, Inc. to appeal to both private and corporate donors, as well as to national charitable organizations and foundations that have been identified as possible donors to charter schools. The fundraising strategy will place a strong emphasis on communicating the uniqueness of Community Montessori Charter School, and in particular its mission, which includes students becoming effective contributors to the community. Crossway Community Inc. has had a very successful history in securing and leveraging donations from a host of donors including individuals, corporations, foundations, and faith-based institutions. Crossway Community, Inc. has received past support from the Cafritz Foundation, Barbara Bush Foundation, Agnes and Eugene Meyer Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, George Preston Marshall Foundation, the Abell Foundation, as well as significant individual donors who have contributed gifts in the $50,000-$100,000 range. Crossway Community, Inc. has consistently raised on average more than $500,000 in donations, grants and individual gifts per year. Many of these grants have mobilized additional funders in supporting the organization and have enabled Crossway Community, Inc. to bring additional skills and resources to our work. These funds have also been instrumental in engaging the local community in our mission and making us a more effective organization. Crossway Community, Inc. is a member of the Wheaton-Kensington Chamber of Commerce which has committed its support to Community Montessori Charter School. This membership will aid Crossway Community, Inc. in establishing and maintaining a strong connection to other local community leaders and local business owners. 11. List types and amounts of insurance coverage: liability, general and personal, catastrophic student accident, crime, motor vehicle, etc. Minimum acceptable amounts are: Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit, for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence), Automobile liability (if transporting students -
$1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage coverage per occurrence including the following: owned, hired or non-owned automobiles). MCPS must be a named additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of insurance with MCPS as a named additional insured must be provided to MCPS prior to any school opening. Indicate the amount of any excess liability (umbrella) insurance. MCPS requires forty-five days written notice in the event of cancellation or non-renewal of any insurance coverage. Any deductibles in excess of $10,000 must be disclosed to MCPS in advance of the coverage period. MCPS requires a Hold Harmless agreement or Indemnification agreement. Confirm agreement with these requirements. Crossway Community, Inc. has contracted with Selective Insurance and Hartford Insurance Company for the organizations insurance coverage. The organization maintains general and personal liability insurance, automobile liability insurance for hired autos and non-owned autos, excess/umbrella liability, and workers compensation and employers liability insurance. We will add MCPS as an additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of insurance with MCPS as a named additional insured will be provided to MCPS prior to the opening of Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. has insurance to cover fire and water damage, theft, and product liability. Please see Certificate of Liability Insurance, Attachment I.
OPERATIONS REQUIREMENTS 1. Outline procedures for reporting and monitoring student enrollment and attendance. Community Montessori Charter School will comply with the guidelines set forth in COMAR outlined in the MCPS Student Recordkeeper Manual and MCPS Regulation JEA-RA for collecting and monitoring, and filing attendance/absences as well as submitting official reports to the MCPS Office of Shared Accountability. Community Montessori Charter School teachers will be responsible for recording student attendance in an attendance roster which will be considered a source document generated at the beginning of each week. After teachers record attendance on the roster, it will be returned to the attendance secretary who will enter the information into the Web-based Daily Attendance System. Source documents will be retained in the school for the current year. At the end of the current year, the source documents retained in hard copy form will be sent to Central Records where they will be retained for three additional years for auditing purposes. Electronic source documents will be placed on a compact disc by the Office of Information and Organizational Systems (OIOS) and sent to Central Records where they will be retained for three additional years for auditing purposes. It is our understanding that, the daily attendance records of each student will be electronically maintained by OIOS. An electronic copy of a school years cumulative Monthly Report of Student Attendance will be retained by Central Records for 3 years. Community Montessori Charter School will follow MCPS definitions of what constitutes an absence in accordance with the definition of Days Absent in the Maryland Student Records System Manual. Community Montessori Charter School Principal, in cooperation with the school faculty, will establish the schools procedures for follow-up on absences, and will annually submit the
procedures to the Community Superintendent for approval by July 1, and will distribute the approved procedures to parents and students at the beginning of each school year. At the beginning of the school year, Community Montessori Charter School Principal will request that parents notify the school when their child is to be absent for any reason on any given day. Whenever possible, parents of elementary school-age children will be contacted by noon of each first day of absence, if the parents have not previously notified the school of the absence. Elementary school students with excessive absences and/or tardiness, both lawful and unlawful, may be referred for appropriate intervention. At the discretion of Community Montessori Charter School Principal, students who have been absent ten (10) days by the end of the second quarter may be referred to appropriate staff and/or outside agencies for intensive interventions designed to increase regular attendance. The students record of absence will be reported to parents on the report card. Excused Absence: An absence will be determined lawful or unlawful based on the following criteria: A written explanation of each absence is required from the parent/guardian. Requests for late arrivals or early dismissals must be authorized by the parent/guardian.
Absences will be recorded using the Elementary School Absence Codes outlined in the MCPS Student Recordkeeper Manual. Students will be considered lawfully (excused) absent from school, including absence for any portion of the day, under the following conditions: Death in the immediate family Illness of the student (The School Principal may require a physicians certificate from the parent or guardians.) Student in cases in which a student has chronic or extended absences for an illness Court summons
Hazardous weather conditions (Hazardous weather conditions shall be interpreted to mean weather conditions which would endanger the health or safety of the student when in transit to and from school.)
Observance of religious holiday State emergency Suspension Failure to provide MCPS authorized transportation to eligible students (This does not include students denied MCPS authorized transportation for disciplinary reasons.) Other emergency or set of circumstances which, in the judgment of the superintendent or designee, constitutes a good and sufficient cause for absence from school.
Certain absences may be determined excused at the discretion of Community Montessori Charter School based on extenuating circumstances. Regular family travel will not be considered an excused absence. Attendance policies will be aligned with MCPS and MSDE policies and regulations for reporting. Certain other specific circumstances that prevent a child from being physically in the classroom, but still under the direct supervision of MCPS are considered excused absence. These include: Volunteer service/participation in MCPS outdoor education programs Sports participation Field trips Health room visits Home and hospital teaching In-school suspension
Students who are removed from school by their parent for more than 15 consecutive school days are to be withdrawn, and parents will be informed that the student will be withdrawn and that MCPS assumes that they will fulfill their responsibility to continue the students education at another location.
2. Describe any guidelines to be used in the recruitment of school staff, including compliance with all negotiated agreements, state and federal law (including Highly Qualified guidelines), and local Board of Education policies except where granted a waiver. Certification will be required. Recruitment of teachers will be done through collaboration with MCPS OHR (per Regulation GEB-RA) and Montessori Training Programs. All teachers must be fully certified in Maryland and be eligible for Highly Qualified status. Our People Effectiveness / Human Resource Committee, which includes the Vice President for Academic Programs, the School Principal, Montessori teachers and a parent will be responsible for creating and implementing the interview process. Recruitment of assistant teachers will be done through local publications and area colleges (i.e. University of Maryland, American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Catholic University, George Mason University, Loyola University and others). All employees will complete background check forms to be processed through MCPSs OHR. Our qualifications detailed below will help Community Montessori Charter School implement its vision and mission and achieve the goals of the charter. The MCPS Professional Growth System will be utilized to evaluate the performance of administrators, teachers, and support staff as well as supporting their professional development and needs. The Community Montessori Charter School will collaborate with the MCPS school system and the employee organizations to ensure appropriate training for staff. Guidelines for Teacher Qualifications Certification will be required for employment of professional staff in our school. The ideal candidate for our teaching positions will possess: Bachelors degree in applicable field of education MD State teaching certification AMI primary/elementary diploma Montessori classroom teaching experience, preferably in a public school setting Experience collaborating and working as a team
Experience utilizing classroom modifications to develop the full potential of each child Enthusiasm and commitment to our vision and mission Creative, energetic and nurturing personality Organizational and interpersonal skills Excellent oral and written communication skills Experience with families from diverse backgrounds Additional experience/training in special education, music, art, and/or physical education Fluency in a language other than English is a plus
While AMI Montessori teacher training with a mmasters degree in Education is currently not considered highly qualified under No Child Left Behind, we will be working with MCPSs OHR, MSDE, and area colleges to analyze our teachers transcripts to determine the required courses needed for certification. The ideal candidate for assistant teacher positions will possess: High School diploma and some college coursework Willingness to engage in staff development regarding Montessori Education Enthusiasm and commitment to our vision and mission Creative, energetic and nurturing personality Demonstrate initiative Team player Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills Additional experience/training in special education, music, art, and/or physical education Fluency in a language other than English is a plus.
3. Describe the schools staffing plan. Projected CMCS Enrollment* Projected Population Grades Served Average Age of Student Number of Classes Average Number Students /Class (Age 46 Grouping) Number of Students per Grade Total Number of Enrolled Students* Year 1 - 20122013
Year 2 - 20132014
Year 3- 2014-2015
Year 4- 2015-2016
4-6 4
6-9 1
4-6 4
6-9 2
4-6 4
6-9 3
4-6 4
6-9 4
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
20-25
100 122
22
100
50 150
100 172
72
100 188
88
*School year 2011-2012 will be a planning year. School year 2012-2013 will be the first year of the charter school for students. Community Montessori Charter School will use mixed-age groupings based on approved Montessori practice. The Community Montessori Charter School summer program will include income eligible 3 year olds who become 4 by September 1. School Organization: Please see Attachment G for a complete organizational chart.
The school staff will include the following positions: 1) School Principal 2) School Secretary 3) ESOL teacher (part time) 4) Special Education teacher (part time) 5) Science teacher (part time) 6) Foreign language teacher 7) Art/Music/PE teachers (part time) 8) Elementary teachers (5) 9) Assistant teachers (5) Please note the following: New classes and staff will be phased in over the four year charter period. We will open in August, 2012 with four preK-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds) and one lower elementary mixed-age class (6-8 year olds). In 2013, we will add another Lower Elementary class of 6-8 year olds and will hire another Lower Elementary teacher and assistant. In 2014, we will have four preK-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds) and three lower elementary mixed-age classes (6-8 year olds). In 2015, we will have four pre-K-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds) and four lower elementary mixed-age classes (6-8 year olds). During each year of the program, instructional support staff (including teachers, assistant teachers), childcare providers, and volunteers will provide before/after school programs which may include individual and group tutoring, structured play, and Arts activities.

Crossway Community, Inc. will accept Child Care Subsidy (CCS) vouchers (formerly POC), grants and private funding for this afternoon care. Community Montessori Charter School will work in collaboration with MCPSs OHR and the area Superintendent to ensure that all instructional positions are in place when CMCS opens for school.
We also plan to work in collaboration with MCPSs OHR to ensure part-time teachers for art, music and Spanish instruction are on staff by year two. 4. Describe the schools professional development and staff training plan including those related to the schools mission, performance goals, and school improvement plan. Community Montessori Charter School plans to follow the Baldrige Categories for Performance Excellence and Core Values/Best Practices in developing staff to achieve the highest standards possible for our organization. Our partnership with the Montessori Training Directors at Loyola affords us the opportunity for ample staff development for faculty, staff, board members and parents regarding Montessori Education. Loyola will provide an introduction or overview of the Montessori philosophy and methods to board members and school staff in late summer or early fall 2012, coinciding with the opening of our school. They will also provide ongoing consultation and classroom observations for our teachers. Our teachers will participate in the AMI Montessori Refresher Course that is held annually. In the first year of opening, Community Montessori Charter School will include staff development regarding Common Core State Standards, Montessori curriculum development, assessment and Positive Discipline. As needed in Years 2 and 3, based upon our schools progress on indicators and suggestions from teachers surveys, our staff development will include: reading strategies, special education, dispute resolution education and integration of art and music, strategies for differentiated instruction, and cultural sensitivity. The following is a timeline of available professional development opportunities that support our vision, mission, goals and design of our school. We may offer stipends for additional staff development during the summer. Community Montessori Charter School Principal will attend all required trainings related to MCPS processes, legal mandates and special education.
Schedule of Staff Training: 2012-2013 Aug/Sept Staff/Board: Overview of Montessori curriculum & collaborating with MCPS assessments, tracking data, reporting data) Faculty: Strategies for Differentiated Instruction Nov/Dec Faculty and Staff: Positive Discipline/Dispute Resolution (CCSS) Jan/Feb March/Apr May/June Faculty and Staff: Cultural Sensitivity Faculty: Curriculum Refinement and Standardized Assessment Faculty: Review of assessment results. Plan for 2013-2014. Faculty: Alignment of Montessori Curriculum with Common Core State standards Faculty: Curriculum & Assessment (overview, formative assessments, summative
5. Provide a transportation plan. a. Provide the plan for transporting students to and from school, including MCPS contract services, if appropriate. Community Montessori Charter School will be a community school serving children who may walk (walkers) or be transported. Walkers are defined as those that live within a one mile radius of our campus and will not be transported by school bus. (The one mile radius may be adjusted to allow for reasonable lines of demarcation.) Our facility is located in an area that is easily accessible to families from the following neighborhoods: Byeford Rock Creek Highlands, Capital View Park, KenGar, Kensington Estates, Kensington Heights, Kensington View, Parkwood, Rock Creek Palisades, and Oakland Terrace. When students live beyond the one mile radius, bus service will be provided. Community Montessori Charter School expects to draw its students from the Downcounty Consortium Secondary Schools base area. The high school clusters included in this area are Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton. Due to the large area we encompass, we plan to work with MCPS Department of Transportation and the Montgomery County Police Department to establish safe walking routes and centralized stops
from which children can be transported to the Community Montessori Charter School. If demand exceeds the number of available seats for any grade, we will conduct a random lottery which means a child could attend the Community Montessori Charter School from any of the areas noted above. Please see Attachment Y for the Downcounty Consortium Map. According to Todd Watkins, Director of MCPS Dept. of Transportation, Montgomery County will provide bus transportation for Community Montessori Charter School students at a cost to the school of $36 per hour for the driver plus $1.60 per mile. (These rates assume that the schools bell times will be accommodated to bus availability.) Community Montessori Charter School will operate both before-school and after-school programs, for which bus transportation will be considered if program size warrants. For those families who choose to drive their children to and from school, the Community Montessori Charter School will assist in organizing carpools. The Community Montessori Charter School has a parking lot with curb space to accommodate school buses and an area of egress for walkers and children who are dropped off by their parents. b. Describe procedures that will help ensure that transportation is not a barrier to equal access for all students. No child will be denied admission to Community Montessori Charter School based on a lack of transportation. Community Montessori Charter School will provide transportation as specified by federal law set forth in MCPS Regulation EEA-RA: a) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Transportation may be provided as a related service to a student with disabilities as specified in the students Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
b) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Transportation may be provided as an accommodation to a student with disabilities as specified in the students Section 504 Plan. c) No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) Under the revised Elementary and Secondary School Act of 2001, MCPS students who attend an MCPS Title I school identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring may be eligible to receive transportation to a designated MCPS school until the Title I school is no longer identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. d) McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 Transportation will be provided to a homeless student as required by the McKinneyVento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, as amended by NCLB. The Community Montessori Charter School may contract with a firm or individual for transportation of children who are unable to avail themselves of the contracted MCPS transportation. c. Describe the insurance coverage plan to be used if the MCPS transportation contract service is not used. Community Montessori Charter School plans to contract with MCPS for bus transportation. If MCPS is unable to accommodate the Community Montessori Charter School, a contract will be entered into with an independent bus company. A contract would reflect a proper level of insurance, training and certification by the driver, and a reasonable cost. The carrier must meet all federally required drug testing and employment standards. All vehicles would be required to pass inspections. COMAR related to student transportation (13A.06.07) and MCPS Department of Transportation regulations are applicable. This contract would be subject to the approval of MCPSs Director of the Department of Transportation.
6. Provide a food and nutrition services plan. Crossway Community, Inc. is devoted to the development of healthy children. Good nutrition and physical exercise form the cornerstone of the Montessori program.
Crossway Community, Inc. has long maintained a half-acre organic flower and vegetable garden as a platform for learning. Teachers assist the children in the planting, tending and harvesting of the garden. Students in Community Montessori Charter School will participate in the garden activities as part of the Montessori curriculum. Crossway Community, Inc. is currently in discussions with Revolution Foods as a potential food service provider. Revolution Foods provides natural, fresh meals for 300 education programs (including charter schools) across the country. Revolution Foods offers healthy meals which are reimbursable under the National School Lunch Program. Please see Attachment R for more information on Revolution Foods. Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS or contract with another service provider to ensure that our children receive the best nutrition available, thereby meeting or exceeding all United States Department of Agriculture guidelines. Additionally we will work with MCPS Food Services to ensure all food questions and procedures are resolved according to MCPS regulations, state and federal guidelines. Schedule of daily food services for children: Breakfast: Children will be served breakfast upon arrival at CMCS. Morning snack: A mid-morning snack will be served to all children who are 4 or 5 years of age. Lunch: Lunch will be served in two shifts (based on enrollment) at 11:30 a.m. and 12 noon. Food Storage: CMCS will have a designated area to receive and store milk and perishable food under refrigeration that meets all health department and USDA
requirements. Non-perishable foods will be stored in clean, sanitary storage conditions that meet all health department and storage requirements. Afterschool: Snack will be served for all students remaining after 3 p.m. 7. Describe the schools plan for building maintenance. Community Montessori Charter School shares the commitment of MCPS, Division of School Plant Operations (DSPO) to provide a healthy facility environment that is conducive to student learning, and employee productivity. We recognize our social responsibility to protect natural resources for future generations and will continue to educate our facility managers and building service staff to meet green housekeeping requirements. Community Montessori Charter School will strive to earn green cleaning & housekeeping innovation credit by complying with US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEEDTM requirements.
We will abide by the DSPO HHPC commitment to purchase and use cleaning and grounds care products and methods that reduce adverse impacts on public health and the environment. We will use cleaning methods set forth by the DSPO HHPC that remove indoor pollutants (including soils, particulates, microbes, etc.) while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all students, workers and other building occupants. Additionally, we will use cleaning methods that minimize the amount of product used as well as the amount of waste that is created using recommended cleaning products certified as environmentally preferable by independent organizations such as Green Seal. Community Montessori Charter School will also follow DSPO HHPCs best practices for accomplishing tasks such as Systematic Team Cleaning, Integrated Pest Management and the School Eco Response Team. Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to ensure that maintenance custodial procedures and requirements are met. 8. Describe the business continuity and disaster recovery plan of the organization. Crossway Community, Inc. maintains a current disaster plan by having its staff certified by the State of Maryland in Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. A six-hour course offered by the
Ayoco Educational Series in Rockville, Maryland, has been successfully attended and completed by two of Crossway Community, Inc. employees. The course enabled Crossway Community, Inc. to have an emergency plan in place in the event that a disaster occurs. Different staff members have been assigned to various emergency response points on the premises. Three evacuation locations have been designated; one in our community, one in our city, and one out of state. Disaster supply kits have been prepared as well as a telephone directory of local offices related to emergency services. Practice drills occur once a month with an impeccable response rate. Crossway Community, Inc. will be installing generators to back-up the computer system and maintain emergency lights in case of a power loss. In the event of a prolonged loss of power or damage to the building that would prevent classes from being held, Community Montessori Charter School will have classes in the Westfield Shopping Center offices. The Westfield Shopping Center is 1/2 mile from Crossway Community, Inc. and can be walked to in less than ten minutes. Matthew Barry, General Manager, Westfield Shopping Center, Wheaton, is on the Advisory Council for Crossway Community, Inc. and on the Charter Advisory Committee for the Community Montessori Charter School. Mr. Barry has agreed to provide space for the students in case of emergency or if the building is rendered unusable due to a natural disaster. A detailed description of the evacuation plan and map can be seen in Attachment J.

Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

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Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

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Community Montessori Charter School

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION COVER PAGE

Proposed Charter School Executive Summary

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3. Describe target population

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We will reach these priority families through:

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See Attachment C for a comprehensive list of our partners.

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