Lawrence Family Development Charter School (continued) Effective School Leadership/Principal’s Staffing Authority In FY’2013-14, the Charter School’s Founder, who served these past two-years as Principal, continued to demonstrate the power of partnerships with parents and with the community. Ms. Patricia Karl (now retired) led the School’s growing student population (657 for SY’14) as we once again celebrated recognition of LFDCS as a Level One School for MCAS achievement. To prepare for the Principal’s replacement for July 2014, a Search Committee spent almost one year recruiting, screening and selecting the new K-8 Principal. The new principal, Dr. Susan Earabino, who hails from the Lawrence Public Schools, will be charged with: LDFCS’ continued and planned expansion, supporting a new Head of School of the Academy for Early Academy Preparation, expanding efforts in the area of Teaching with Technology, leading full adoption of the Common Core standards and expanding STEM efforts. She will also work on supporting and expanding the beyond-the-school-day and high school transition programs, and defining with the Head of Science the curriculum and potential of the Lawrence Family Development Charter School’s STEM Center which encompasses new projects in science and nutrition. In addition to these staff changes and appointments of several new teachers, the Superintendent in the Summer of 2013 appointed Dr. Judith Marley as Director of Special Projects and New Initiatives. She is charged with more deliberately bridging grant projects between the Superintendent’s Office and the instructional areas. Also appointed this year was a new Special Education Director, Ms. Janis Brodeur, who was selected from the LFDCS faculty. Alignment of curriculum/Effective instruction /Student assessment/Tiered instruction and adequate learning time LFDCS expanded its Response to Intervention (RTI) model this year and appointed two teachers to CoChair all instructional interventions. For RTI support, LFDCS once again hosted Saturday Academy which provided twelve weeks of small group instruction in ELA, Math and Science for all Tier III students in grades 3-8. These interventions reduced Tier III students to less than 3.8% of the School’s total enrollment for the GMADE and 4.7% of the School’s total enrollment for the GRADE. LFDCS expanded the goals and number of students served in Summer Academy by providing a Summer Enrichment component integrating ELA, Math and Science. As confirmed in test score levels, all curriculum alignment, assessment and instruction were carefully planned, with curriculum content approved by the Curriculum Committee and monitored through the School’s extensive Teacher Induction &Mentoring Programs. Professional development and structures for collaboration This year LFDCS’ teachers grew in effectiveness through in-house sponsored professional development sessions, reflection on professional readings, teacher-led workshops and tuition reimbursement for pursuit of advanced degrees. Teachers gathered this year for reflection and sharing on monthly Book Talk sessions which next year will move to a focus on Personalized Learning and Teaching with Technology. The school year began with Teachers21 providing training for all teachers on assembly of a plan to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts New Teacher Evaluation System. The Charter School also hosted specialized training on the Woodcock Johnson Assessments, did sessions to build capacity assessing social skills development and offered onsite Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) training to assist our teachers to earn the Sheltered English Immersion endorsement in which twenty-three (23) LFDCS staff members successfully completed. LFDCS continued its stellar work with higher education community partners who brought additional learning and enrichment opportunities to our students while supporting growth and achievement. Our partners include: Phillips Academy, Andover, Pingree School and The Governor’s Academy (for summer enrichment and readiness for high school admissions) and 17
20 Publizr Home