The Lake Superior State Charter School Office Staff is pleased to... Newsletter, telling the stories of our Authorized Charter Schools. It...

The Lake Superior State Charter School Office Staff is pleased to... Newsletter, telling the stories of our Authorized Charter Schools. It...

Grand Rapids Ellington
American International
W-A-Y Flint
Bay City
Sarah Webber Media Arts
Tipton
Momentum
Grand Traverse
WSC
W-A-Y West
Macomb Montessori
innocademy
Advanced Technology
W-A-Y Detroit
Detour Arts & Technology
Regent Park Scholars
Concord Boyne
Detroit Service Learning
Concord Petoskey
Ridge Park
Charlton Heston
Innocademy Allegan
The Lake Superior State Charter School Office Staff is pleased to publish this Charter School
Newsletter, telling the stories of our Authorized Charter Schools. It is our desires to have each
academy showcase its uniqueness and individual mission by word and picture. Our hope is
that our academies will build relationships with each other and involve Lake Superior State
University in providing a quality educational program for their students and a readiness for
college and career possibilities.
Lake Superior State University has selected Thomas Pleger Ph.D.
of Wisconsin to be the eighth president of the institution.
Pleger is campus executive officer and dean of the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County.
He will replace current LSSU President Tony McLain, who is retiring.
“LSSU is an institution with remarkable history and tradition, geographic location, and commitment to quality, both in and out of the classroom. It is a time of great challenge and opportunity
in higher education, and I am looking forward to the work we will do together, to move this great
institution forward with a continued commitment to excellence and innovation.”
Pleger has been CEO and dean at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, a campus of the UW Colleges and
the University of Wisconsin System, since 2006. He is also a tenured professor in the UW Colleges.
Prior to taking the top position at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County, he was associate campus dean at UWFox Valley, where he was responsible for academic affairs and academic planning.
Pleger holds master’s and doctoral degrees in anthropology/archaeology from UW-Madison, and
a bachelor’s degree in political science from UW-La Crosse. He also studied abroad in the University
of Wisconsin in Scotland program. His research is focused on the archaeology and copper culture of
the western Great Lakes.
Pleger grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan in Marinette, Wisc., and his wife, Teresa, is from
western Wisconsin.
Ellington Academy offers student-­artists
a college campus experience
Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of
Arts and Technology maintained a
94% attendance rate during its first
year as a charter school in 2012-­13.
In the current school year, attendance
persistence is as high as 97% in most
grades. Ellington offers a unique
campus environment that affords
student-­artists the opportunity to go
outdoors into the fresh air between
class periods. This undoubtedly is
one factor that contributes to students’
commitment to be in school every
day. “I love that we transition outdoors
between classes” is a comment
made by Leah, an Ellington student-­
artist who maintains a near perfect
attendance.
Comparable to college campuses, our
school age student-­artists at all grade
levels transition outdoors between
classes for passing time, which breaks
up the hours Student Artists spend
in academic rigor. Student walking
paths surrounded by green space
provide an outdoor college-­campus
environment as students change
classes throughout the day. Ellington
Academy is located on the 17-­acre
campus, Kingdom Square. Ellington
Academy’s Elementary School,
Middle School and High School, as
well as three-­court athletic facility and
administration building are all located
on the Kingdom Square campus.
More than 420 students, pre-­k through
9th grade are enrolled in the Academy
for 2013-­14. Student-­atists are
being introduced to an open space
college campus experience as a
result of the generosity of Dr. Marvin
L. Sapp, Grammy Nominated Gospel
Recording Artists and Founder of
Ellington Academy, who provided the
Kingdom Square campus to Ellington
Academy at a $1 lease.
The campus environment also
provides access to outdoor learning
opportunities, particularly in science,
performing arts events, and physical
education. Like college campuses,
the academy has the facilities to bring
entertainment to our students and
provide free outdoor events. This
school year, members of teen R&B
boy band Mindless Behavior attended
the ‘Back to School Rally’ (sponsored
by its Education Service Provider,
GREAAT Schools, Inc.) to welcome
students and handout backpacks, an
event attended by well over 4,000
neighbors in the community. Amber
Riley, who plays Mercedes Jones on
the hit FOX TV show “Glee”, made
an appearance at the Broadway
BreakThru summer camp held at
Ellington Academy.
Additionally, the Academy provides
public transportation options, such
as bus tickets for students to ride
to and from school. The level of
independence and responsibility
expected of students align with the
Academy’s mission and instructional
design commitment to prepare
students for post-­secondary college
readiness. Ellington’s instructional
design is based on a fully integrated
technology and performing arts
curriculum that focuses on a multi-­
dimensional learner. Ellington
Academy’s vision is to cultivate
academic excellence in children
by inspiring minds and imagination
through the arts.
Cynthia Springer, CEO
GREAAT Schools, Inc.air
Teacher Evaluation at the American International Academy
The American International Academy,
located in Westland, will be using
Charlotte Danielson’s - A Framework
for Teaching as its teacher evaluation
instrument.
In this framework, the complex
activity of teaching is divided into
22 components clustered into four
domains: Planning and Preparation
(Domain 1), Classroom Environment
(Domain 2), Instruction (Domain 3),
and Professional Responsibilities
(Domain 4).
Levels of teaching performance
(rubrics) describe each component
and provide a
roadmap for the improvement of
teaching. The Framework may be
used for many purposes, but its full
value is realized as the foundation
for professional conversations among
practitioners as they seek to enhance
their skill in the complex task of
teaching.
The AIA believes that an effective
system of teacher evaluation
accomplishes two things: it ensures
quality teaching and it promotes
professional learning. The quality of
teaching is the single most important
determinant of student learning; a
school district’s system of teacher
evaluation is the method by which
it ensures that teaching is of high
quality. Therefore, the system
developed for teacher evaluation
must have certain characteristics: it
must be rigorous, valid, reliable, and
defensible, and must be grounded
in a research-based and accepted
definition of good teaching. The
Framework for Teaching provides
such a foundation.
In addition, however, the procedures
used in teacher evaluation can
be used to promote professional
learning. When teachers engage in
self-assessment, reflection on practice,
and professional conversation,
they become more thoughtful and
analytic about their work, and are in
a position to improve their teaching.
Evaluators can contribute to teachers’
professional learning through the
use of in-depth reflective questions.
By shifting the focus of evaluation
from “inspection” to “collaborative
reflection” educators can ensure the
maximum benefit from the evaluation
activities.
In many schools, teaching is a solitary
activity, with teachers working alone
to provide learning experiences
for their students. Teachers feel
isolated as they go about their daily
tasks, and rarely have the benefit
of learning from one another. The
Framework for Teaching provides
a common language and structure
for professional collaboration; with
a shared understanding of good
teaching, educators can engage
in productive conversation and
collaboration.
Meet Our New Lab Experts 2013-14
left to right are Michelle, Garrett, Nicole, Melissa, and Matt
WAY Academy of Flint has five brand new lab experts.
This group of dynamic individuals are all young,
innovative, and have a passion for education.
Michelle McNulty is our new Math Specialist and
Science Lab Expert. Michelle holds a bache-lor’s degree
in applied sciences from the University of Michigan-Flint.
Michelle enjoys photog-raphy, yoga, cooking and golf.
Garrett Burgett is our new Social Studies Lab Expert.
Garrett holds a bachelor’s degree in histo-ry and political
science from the University of Michigan-Flint. Garrett
enjoys music, fishing, hik-ing, and all sporting events.
Nicole O’Leary is our new English Language Arts Lab
Expert. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in English from
the University of Michigan-Flint. Nicole enjoys reading,
music, writing, and yoga.
Melissa White is our new Math Specialist. Melissa holds
a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University
of Michigan-Flint. Melissa enjoys reading, running,
camping, and spending time with family and friends.
Matt Fleming is our new Social Studies Lab Expert.
Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies from
Michigan State University. Matt enjoys reading historical
books, video games, and camping.
Project Based Learning at Bay City Academy
At Bay City Academy, Project Based Learning is a core
fundamental for our secondary program. By designing
and constructing actual solutions to real life problems,
students are actively engaged with their minds and
their hearts. Projects provide real worldrelevance that
will develop life long learners. Our students not only
understand contentmore deeply, but they are also
learning how to take responsibility, build confidence,
problem solve, work as a team, communicate ideas and
become creative thinkers. Students also learn how to
partner with experts outside of the classroom in the
community. This interaction with community experts
around the Bay City area gives more validity to what
the student is learning. They see these community
leaders as mentors. Building an awareness of life
beyond the classroom has the potential to paymany
dividends for the future of our students.
Spring Bike Project
An excellent example of Project Based Learning at
BCA is our spring bike project initiative. Creating
a free public bike system in Bay City has its own
unique challenges and real life learning experiences.
Students will be drafting business plans, researching
demographics, studying psychological behavior
patterns, and even fixing up and assembling 30
donated bikes. By working with private business
owners and local government agencies to coordinate
the logistics of the objective, it is our hope this project
becomes the capstone of their educational journey at
Bay City Academy in 2014.
Sarah J Webber Media Arts Academy
Launches Michigan’s 1st Elementary
Student-run Radio Station
Students in grades 2-5 currently
attending Sarah J Webber Media
Arts Academy in Pontiac, Michigan
have been attending classes in radio
broadcast since September 2013.
Students have been taught the history
of radio; the methods, modes, and
importance of communication; how
to write persuasively; how to speak
to evoke feeling; and lastly how
to produce “on-air” content. While
engaged in the class assignments and
activities students are mastering many
of the Common Core State Standards.
When it comes to educating our
students “We have found a way to
put the medicine in the food, if you
will.” states the school’s Marketing
and Media Specialist, Art McDonald.
During the class sessions, students
take on the role and responsibility of
on-air personalities, writers, editors,
producers, team leaders, etc.
WMAA Radio
will air
Grades 3-5 – Radio Broadcast
Program
Our standards-based integrated radio
broadcast curriculum and project-based
learning, as it is infused throughout our
core academic lessons and provided
as specialty courses, guides students’
learning to become intimately familiar
with the radio broadcast industry
from past to present. Our studentrun Internet-based radio station
provides
hands-on
opportunities
for students to understand, apply,
evaluate, analyze, and create radio
and broadcast journalism skills, which
include news and commentary writing,
PSA production, podcasting, on-air
announcing and interviewing, board
operation, and music programming.
Tuesdays
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
with a replay
on Thursdays
6-7 p.m.
The WMAA radio show is scheduled
to air its first segment on Tuesday,
March 4. The radio show will contain
on-air
features:
Public
Service
Announcements, “What Would You Do”
(a student advice feature), “College
Spotlight”, Local News, and “Jumpin’
Jokes” along with student (and parent)
developed playlists.
We encourage everyone to join us in
launching our internet-based radio
station at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 4.
Please check out our website at www.
WebberMAA.com for a link to our
station and/or additional information.
A Dream is Fulfilled
On September 3rd, the voices and
laughter of 173 students was music
to the ears of staff. Tipton Academy
was 5 years in the making and today
was the first day of school. The school
opened as a K-5 building and immediately added two full-day GSRP preschool rooms.
Students study ELA, Math, Science,
Social Studies, Spanish, Technology
and P.E. from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm,
but between 3:00 and 4:00 is when the
magic happens. That is enrichment
time at Tipton.
Students gather in mixed-grade classes to learn more about drama, music,
cooking and nutrition, arts and crafts,
hands-on science, and the school
newspaper. The picture above shows
a group of 3rd grade students learning about circuits during an exciting
hands-on science class.
local Christmas parade, wrote cards
to our troops, enjoyed movie night,
brought in our State Representative
as a guest speaker, are practicing for
the upcoming Charter School State
Spelling Bee, and plan to be a part of
our local Relay for Life in the spring.
Tipton students have been involved
as School Safeties, Girl Scouts, Boy
Scouts, and the older students have
been reading buddies for the younger
grades. Students have marched in the
The Tipton School family is growing
at a significant pace. Today we welcome 234 students each morning and
they love coming to school. Students
are focused on learning Reading and
Math, but they are also learning to
take personal responsibility for their
mistakes and to learn and grow from
them. Parents and students recognize
that our goal is not only to teach and
evaluate skills, but also to promote excellence for all.
High Academic Standard
Momentum Academy strives for high
academic standards by creating a
positive learning environment. Our
goal is to have all students achieve
academic success.
Preschoolers have been working on
learning the letters of the alphabet by
creating a class song. Several students
are counting to 20, know at least 6
color names and learning to write
their names. Classroom job charts
assign specific jobs to each student
as they learn about responsibility and
respecting each others feelings.
Kindergarteners are progressing right
along with learning most letters and
sounds. As these students listen to the
beginning, middle and ending sounds
of words, they are able to phonetically
spell their words and write in their
journals daily.
One of the many methods used in
monitoring the academic achievements
of first and second graders is through
Developmental Reading Assessments
(DRA’s). To date, several of our first
graders have reached their assessed
goal. In second grade, 91% of our
students have met or exceeded their
goals.
Winter Scantron testing has gone very
well with our 3rd through 6th graders.
Currently 12 out of 19 3rd/4th grade
students made their growth goals in
Reading or Math. 2/3 of our 5th/6th
grade students also achieved their
goals. We held an All School Spelling
Bee on February 4 for students in
grades 3 – 6. One of our third grade
students’ became the grand champion
with a 5th grader as the runner up. Both
students will complete against other
students in the State Charter Spelling
Bee.
With our supportive and proficient
teaching staff, our students continue
to make personal accomplishments
every day by challenging themselves
and creating a love for learning.
Character Education at Grand Traverse Academy
At Grand Traverse Academy, Character Education is not just a program
– it’s a process that starts in Preschool with our youngest students, and
continues through their graduation from High School. Our policies and
procedures are designed around the six character traits we emphasize,
and good character is taught, modeled daily by teachers and staff, and
assessed on a regular basis.
In Preschool and Kindergarten, the character traits
of Respect, Optimism, Getting Along, Work Ethic,
Responsibility, and Kindness are subtly woven
into every part of the day. At circle time, students
learn to listen to others, respect their teachers
and wait their turn to talk. When participating in
activities, they learn to share, respect each other
and take responsibility for putting playthings away.
Throughout the day, students are shown what
it means to respect their surroundings, to show
kindness to others and to be optimistic about their
role in the classroom and the world around them.
Walk down the Hall of Character on the way to the
Elementary Wing, and you can’t miss the reminders,
as the six traits are printed on the ceiling beams
(in English and Spanish, of course, as Spanish
instruction is a part of every student’s day). The
hallway walls are adorned with displays, created by classrooms on a
rotating basis, providing a visual representation of each of the six traits.
Once they reach Lower Elementary, students discuss character within
the curriculum, especially the social studies curriculum. They are also
introduced to rubrics defining what the character traits look like and what
it takes to earn an “A” (Always), “B” (Often) or “N” (Not Yet) for their
demonstration of the traits on their quarterly Character Report Cards,
which will continue through their senior year. These assessments
provide the opportunity for teachers, parents and students to celebrate
accomplishments and plan for improvement.
Upper Elementary students have a chance to put their character skills to
good use when they join Job Club and are responsible for respectfully
sharing in the upkeep of the school’s facilities. They develop work ethic
when they take part in vacuuming floors, dusting the tops of lockers,
emptying the recycling bins, cleaning windows and manning the Quality
World Café (the school’s coffee shop), among other duties. Class
businesses also give students occasion to exhibit work ethic and the
ability to get along with their fellow student-employees. Kindness is an
important part of the job description of “connectors,” who spend time with
younger students who need a temporary break from the classroom, and
reading buddies, who read with and to younger students.
In Junior High & High School, students were instrumental in determining
their own age-appropriate character traits on which to focus. These older
students are assessed on their display of Caring, Integrity, Interpersonal
Communication, Initiative, Optimism and Professional Work Habits. In
addition, they complete a self-assessment each quarter, in which they
give themselves a grade of “1” (Always), “2” (Usually), “3” (Sometimes)
or “4” (Rarely) for their demonstration of each trait. Students who earn
at least a 3.4 average on their Character Report Card earn a spot on
the Character Honor Roll. They set the bar high for themselves, so it is
not uncommon for students’ self-assessment grades to actually be lower
than the scores given to them by their teachers.
In addition to formal written assessments, we believe it is important to
also provide a more warm and personal form of feedback to our students
on their progress. Each one receives a Positive Contact from one of
their teachers on a monthly basis. The contact might be a phone call to
their home, a handwritten postcard in the mail, a clever message on their
locker or a note posted on the wall in the hallway. These
contacts not only help students feel loved and special, they
also serve to reinforce positive behavior and character
choices.
Perhaps the ultimate measure of the success of character
education might be the way students treat each other. At a
time when bullying appears to be on the rise nationally, this
behavior is seldom seen or experienced at Grand Traverse
Academy. We believe that the secret is our culture, which
is based on the Golden Rule and reinforced with our
emphasis on good character at every grade level. A select
group of our High School students serve on the Positive
Action Committee (PAC), whose purpose is to help maintain
the positive culture already present at Grand Traverse
Academy. They meet weekly with Junior High students in
their study skills classes to strengthen relationships and
assist these younger students in relating with each other in
a positive way. In the works is PAC Jr., a group of Junior
High Students who will provide similar direction and support to Upper
Elementary students.
It has been said that the true test of a man’s character is what he does
when no one is watching. Grand Traverse Academy students’ actions
reflect their good character no matter where they are. It is routine to
see students of any age opening doors for adults or fellow students or
offering assistance to visitors, and “please” and “thank you” are a regular
part of their vocabulary. On field trips, when many of our students
often have their first experience riding a school bus (as parents provide
transportation to and from Grand Traverse Academy), bus drivers have
actually written notes of praise to school administrators. One local public
school bus driver had this to say: “Your students are the most pleasant,
courteous and polite students I have ever driven. Each student greeted
me and then thanked me. I am very impressed!” On a recent trip to
Washington, DC by a group of our 8th and 9th graders, a tour guide told
the students, “You listened well and paid attention. This is a real tribute,
not only to you, but to your school, your teachers and your parents.”
As those same teenagers checked out of the hotel at the conclusion of
the trip, a member of the hotel staff approached a chaperone and told
her that it was such a pleasure having our students as guests that they
were sad to see them leave. She said, “It’s one thing to try to teach
young people to be polite and respectful but another thing to see them
learn and display these qualities.” Comments like these are the highest
compliment we could receive, and tell us that our Character Education
efforts are indeed paying dividends that will serve our students well their
entire lives.
Kathy Farrell
WSC Academy – A Step in the Right Direction
By Gina M. Escurel
WSC Academy, which has campuses
in Ypsilanti and Brighton, is now in its
second year of operation as a charter
school, but this school year has seen
many changes and improvements that
are benefiting its almost 200 students.
While the academy has grown over
the last couple of years, this year is
markedly different with the addition
of more highly qualified teachers and
the project based learning program.
This year, both campuses added more
teachers who are all highly qualified
in the core subject areas, which has
been a great benefit, according to the
students. “The teachers are more
available to help you… compared to
other schools where teachers just give
you packets to work on,” said Brandan
Epps, a first year junior at the Brighton
Campus, who added, “My grades at my
previous school were bad and I needed
help with graduating on time and getting
credits. I felt like [WSC Academy] was
a good choice for me, and it has been
a very good choice.” Alexus Roy, a
second year student at the Ypsilanti
campus agreed with Epps and said, “I
didn’t do well in public schools. Here
you get more one on one time with the
teachers.”
Epps and Roy are not the only
students who are enjoying the new
school year; Scoti Lewis, a second
year student at the Brighton campus,
said, “[This year] is more organized.
There are different content teachers to
help and it’s a friendlier environment.”
WSC Academy Principal, Travis Batt,
said “We want to ensure student
success. We felt that having a low
student to teacher ratio would help our
students gain the skills they need for
their futures.”
Not only has the academy added
more teachers, but it has also added
project based learning as an additional
option to credit recovery. Project based
learning is a learning strategy where
students solve real-world problems
through
task-oriented
activities.
Students at the Brighton campus
finished their first project in November,
where they started a campaign to “save
the bluebirds” in Michigan. Students
created an informational website that
outlined steps the community can take
to increase the population of bluebirds
in Michigan, and even included
instructions on how people can build
their own bluebird houses to attract
the birds to their yards. The project
culminated with students building four
bluebird houses to be located around
the Brighton area. “It’s hands on
and it’s fun!” said Brianna PettiboneDecoster, a first year student at the
Brighton campus, “I really like the art
and the creativity.” Students at both
campuses are currently working on a
project to start a school store offering
healthy snack options for students.
PBL is not a new strategy to get
students to think critically and to be
more active in their learning, but it is a
growing trend in many schools across
the state, including Milan High School’s
Milan’s Center for Innovative Studies
and Bloomfield Hills High School. “PBL
was instituted to give students a chance
to experience real-world, hands-on,
learning situations,” said Batt. This
year, WSC Academy also signed on for
numerous professional developments
for teachers delivered by the Buck
Institute, a leading organization in the
area of project based learning.
While students are benefitting from
the addition of more qualified teachers
and project based learning, they are
also benefitting from the technology
based curriculum and the ability to
work at their own pace. “I’m actually
focusing and paying attention to what
I’m reading, and not rushing to take
notes… I can work at my own pace,”
said Epps. So, while there have been
many changes to the school, and
more changes are sure to come, WSC
Academy seems to be moving in the
right direction for their students.
W-A-Y Academy West Attends the 28th Annual
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
W-A-Y Academy West celebrated
Martin Luther King Jr. Day by taking 10
of its young men to Eastern Michigan
University’s “Where Do We Go from
Here?” celebration. The bus left the
school at 6:30 a.m. The day’s activities
started with a full breakfast buffet;
the pancakes and scrambled eggs
were a hit! After breakfast, students
and staff members: Fletcher Daniels,
Tonya Hollis, and Director Madeline
Black, filled the front rows of the
Student Center Auditorium to hear the
Keynote Speaker, Geoffrey Canada
CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone.
The organization’s aim is to increase
graduation rates among youth in
Harlem.
Canada’s comments hit home with
students.
Canada discussed yearround schools; how much more it
costs to educate young persons vs.
imprisoning them, and other wellknown challenges within the education
system. Students laughed and nodded
with approval and agreement, with
many of his insights on education and
the struggle for quality, and meaningful
learning in urban cities such as Harlem
and Detroit.
After the Keynote, students attended
an elegantly prepared luncheon.
Students had the opportunity to eat and
converse with professors, EMU board
members, and various community
leaders. Students watched as Senator
Carl Levin and Rodney Slater received
the ‘2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Honor Award’. More relevant were
the awards and recognition that went
to high school and college students;
just a few years older than many of our
students.
After lunch, it was time for an interactive
theatre experience with the Crosstown
Theatre Troupe (CTT). Students actedout through improv scenes, addressing
various social ills, such as poverty,
drug abuse and violence.
They
added positive resolutions to these
issues through their improv with EMU
students, and other MLK celebration
attendees. Students let down walls
and threw shyness aside; joining with
the community atmosphere created
by the Crosstown Troupe. Teryn, an
extremely shy student performed with
excitement. It was amazing to watch
him come alive and interact with
others. Crosstown has expressed the
possibility of visiting WAY Academy
to share their program with more
students.
The day ended with students attending
a talk hosted by Emit Mitchell, of The
Milestones Agency. The focus of his
session was, “Survivor to Provider” and
the importance of entrepreneurship
and being leaders in the community.
All students and staff returned safely
to school, with expanded horizons,
possibilities and experiences. I believe
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have
approved and been proud of the young
men and the positive attitudes they
displayed throughout the day.
Madeline Black
W-A-Y Academy Director
Macomb Montessori Academy (MMA) is committed
to parent involvement within our school community. We
encourage our parents to spend as much time in our PreK
through 8th grade classrooms as possible. Every Friday,
parents are invited to visit their student’s classrooms to
experience all the wonderful activities taking place, and to
allow students to “teach” their parents what they are learning.
To further engage parents, they are invited in for coffee and
hot chocolate every day before and after school. We also
have Thursday Breakfast Club meetings where parents are
invited in for coffee, hot chocolate and breakfast with our
School Leader.
MMA also hosts Family Nights once a month welcoming
our families in to enjoy some bonding time together as a
family and as a school community. On January 31, 2014 we
held a Family Movie Night, where are families were invited
to eat popcorn, drink pop and cuddle up to watch a family
friendly film.
Global Learners and Thinkers
Innocademy is a rare type of school to find. Some
characteristics we are proud of are just right learning, global
learning, comfortable student-teacher relationships, an
open campus, multi-age interaction, and more.
At Innocademy, positive relationships between the students
and teachers are very important. We call this The Culture of
Caring. The teachers are eager to learn about the students,
and what interests them, and vice-versa. The students
th
nd
have a connection with the teachers. They don’t think of the
Innocademy is in its 7 year and its 2 year chartered.
teachers as just someone who’s doing this to get paid. They
Before we were chartered, we were a magnet school to
enjoy talking to them, and learning about the sad/funny
a local district. Innocademy is home to a little over 200
th
things happening in their lives. Innocademy’s unique not
students, kindergarten through 8 grade. Innocademy also
just because of its calendar, or its open school, but because
offers Spanish Immersion for children in kindergarten and
the teachers and students get along so well!
first grade. It will expand one grade every year
th
By embracing
up to 5 grade, to keep providing Spanish
Another thing that is unique about
innovation, we will
Immersion for elementary aged children.
Innocademy is that we have days called
inspire
our
students
Synergy Days. Synergy days are days we
Just right learning is where kids can be in a
to
become
global
have the day before a break. Kids partner up
learning group that doesn’t depend on their
leaders
and
thinkers
with their multi-aged groups from Pod and do
chronological grade. It is a benefit because the
who
positively
fun activities such as make cards for soldiers
child will be able to get the level of learning they
impact
others
at
and do stewardship work in the community
need. Whether a student needs help in an area
home
and
abroad.
like shoveling in local neighborhoods.
or needs to be challenged in an area, they can
Synergy days teach good sportsmanship,
move levels to learn where they need to.
and bring kids close together through fun games. The point
Multi-age grouping is when kids of all ages get together to
of a Synergy Day isn’t to just have fun, but to teach kids
learn together. A class in every Innocademy child’s daily
to work together, and have good sportsmanship to other
schedule is pod. Pod is 20 minutes when we go and do
students. At Innocademy, we love Synergy Days, and the
fun activities that teach us about current events around
concept of it.
the world and stewardship. We have groups with kids of all
Year-round learning is also a key part of Innocademy. This
ages (K-8th grade) that we pair up with where we put what
means that we have one month off in the summer (July)
we learned into action or just to think deeper about it.
and then have a break week every 6 weeks throughout
Another main part of Innocademy is Global Learning. We
the school year. This is a great thing to have in schools,
believe that global learning is a huge part of a student’s
because having 3 months off in the summer can cause kids
educational experience. For instance, we start traveling
to forget things that they learned in the previous year, and
experiences with the youngest friends (kids who learn
then have to spend weeks recapping what they learned the
kindergarten stuff) students. They will go places unique
year before.
to our community, like local grocery stores other places
The flexibility at Innocademy is also a great thing to have.
around community . The Younger Friends (kids who learn 1st
It is very easy for the kids to get their schoolwork over the
and 2nd grade material) will go places unique to our region.
internet. This means that kids who have traveling parents,
Middle friends, (kids around the 3rd-4th grade level) travel
or kids who enjoy traveling don’t miss out on a great
places such as Mackinaw Island, Detriot and Lansing. Older
opportunity of going out of the US, and also don’t need to
Friends,(5th and 6th grade level) travel to Washington DC
miss out on their education.
and the East Coast. Oldest Friends (7th and 8th grade level)
travel to places out of the US like Honduras and Mexico.
Innocademy is a great school. The teachers are great, and
The kids get to choose where in the world they want to go,
the students love everything about the school.
and then also get to help plan the trip. Field Experiences are
Written By:
very important to us because we try make an impact on our
Innocademy’s Journalism Elective 5th-8th Grade Students
world, and also make a difference. Advanced Technology Academy
(ATA) is the largest public charter
school authorized by Lake Superior
State University with nearly 1500
students in Pre-K through 12th
Grade. Over the past 14 years it has
provided 32 concurrent enrollment
credits free of charge to its diverse
student body. ATA’s
annual
budget exceeds over $14 million.
In 2014 it also opened the one of
Wayne county’s largest preschool
programs with 4 new state-of-theart classrooms.
To meet our nations rising
global
competitive
needs
Advanced Technology Academy
has redesigned its Pre-K – 12
infrastructure to prepare its students
for the 21st century workforce
through the development of
its
Business;
Pre-Engineering
and Technology; Health Care
Management Career Academies.
These academies were developed
through the assistance of Ford
Fund’s Next Generation Learning
Division. In January, 2014, the
model was recognized in Nashville
as a designated “Promise Zone”
by President Barack Obama for its
career-themed curriculum model
that uses corporate sponsorship to
make class work relevant. In order
to prepare students to be career and
college ready the Academy was
designated by State Superintendent
Michael P. Flanagan as an Early /
Middle College program providing
its concurrent enrollment program
to be expanded to offer more
courses during a student’s 13th year
of high school.
Concurrent enrollment courses are
college courses that are taught on
a high school campus and offered
free of charge to students. ATA
ensures that it provides the highest
quality program through its close
alignment to the National Alliance of
Concurrent Enrollment Partnership
standards.. Currently courses are
offered through Lake Superior State
University, Davenport University,
and Eastern Michigan University.
Participating students must not be
otherwise eligible for graduation
and must be enrolled in at least
one high school course during their
5th year. New legislation provide
this opportunity to students while
not adversely affecting “on-track”
graduation rates for accountability
and top to bottom rankings. The
Early / Middle College program is
the only one to date that offers such
a program.
In addition to its concurrent
enrollment program ATA works
closely with its university partners
in other capacities. This year Lake
Superior State University is offering
to continue its 14th year of offering
Health Care and Robotics camps
for students. The camps provide
tremendous exposure as they
introduce college life by having
students live and attend courses
on the campus for a week. Each
camp provides exposure to these
career fields by providing hands
on lessons with state of the art
equipment that is utilized by each
university program. University of
Michigan assists eleventh grade
students by preparing them to
take the Michigan Merit Exam and
ACT through its comprehensive
tutoring program. Davenport’s
Accounting Professor Brian Moore
visited ATA’s accounting class and
lectured about various concepts
they learned in class. Eastern
Michigan University has assisted
ATA with the implementation of its
Project Lead the Way (6-12th grade)
and Engineering is Elementary (2nd
– 5th grade) curriculum. Advanced
Technology Academy continues to
uphold its program and students to
high standards for high achievement
by ensuring that its curriculum is
relevant, relatable and rigorous.
FAFSA Night:
Getting College Ready at
W-A-Y Academy Detroit
Researchers (students) at W-A-Y (Widening
Advancements for Youth) Academy Detroit and their
parents recently participated in W-A-Y’s annual
FAFSA Night. Families came out for a night of food,
information and opportunity.
Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) is the 1st step to receiving financial
assistance for college; including scholarships and
grants. It is recommended that students complete the
FAFSA by March of their senior year to ensure that
universities have sufficient time to create financial aid
packages for all incoming freshmen.
The Accounting Aid Society (AAS) was on hand
providing detailed information about the financial aid
process and offering families free tax preparation
services. Accurate, up to date tax information is
required to complete the application process. The AAS
tax service gives families the opportunity to complete
this information sooner, and without any financial
loss.
Representatives from the Detroit Scholarship Fund
(DSF) were also in attendance informing families
about their scholarship, which will pay 100% of the
awardee’s tuition to a two-year college or certificate
program. The DSF scholarship is available for any
students who attend school and reside in the city of
Detroit.
With a turnout of 85% of seniors and their families,
W-A-Y Academy Detroit is on track to reach the goal
of 100% FAFSA completion by March 2014. This
aligns with W-A-Y’s goal of 100% college acceptance
for each of their graduating seniors. With such high
expectations and participation we can look forward to
great things from W-A-Y researchers in future.
DeTour Arts & Technology Academy Identified as ‘Reward School’
DeTour Arts and Technology Academy
(DATA), a public school academy, announced
the achievement of being identified as
a REWARD school by the Michigan
Department of Education last September.
Reward Schools are schools that make
adequate yearly progress (AYP) and achieves
one of three distinctions:
• Being in the top 5% of the Michigan
Top-to-Bottom ranking
• Being in the top 5% of schools on
the improvement metric in the
Top-to-Bottom ranking
• Being a school identified as
“beating the odds”
DATA has beaten the odds and made
significant progress with their elementary
student gains demonstrated on the yearly
MEAP assessment. The staff and students
have risen to this level in the three years
since the founding of DATA. Says DATA
superintendent Becky Farrell, “We are
attempting to build on our success and
are looking at all ways to increase student
achievement even more.”
DeTour Arts and Technology Academy
opened as a public school academy in
the fall of 2010 and is currently authorized
by Lake Superior State University. The
charter school covers the state-mandated
curriculum but does so with a focus on
the arts and technology. Each classroom
is equipped with a SMART Board and
every student has access to a Netbook or
an iPad. Students also have enrichment
classes such as music, visual arts,
technology and after school programs for
theatre, dance and LEGO Robotics.
DATA also has an on-line option for
students in grades 7-12 called UP
Blended Academy. This is a seat time
waiver program that is open to students
across the Upper Peninsula. Course work
is customized to the individual student’s
needs. Students can be full time and
earn the credits required for their high
school diploma from DATA’s UP Blended
Academy, or attend part time and take
the online classes as a supplement to
their regular coursework while attending
any middle/high school in the Upper
Peninsula.
RPSA - Highlights
Our success plan for this year includes many exciting
opportunities for students and staff. Morning Achievement
Club takes place from 7:15-8:00. Each grade level has chosen
5-8 students for this intensive morning intervention club. The
course content has a focus on important phonetic skills with
promotion of retention through practice, review and repetition.
We use an integrated teaching approach with a goal of increasing
reading comprehension. Instruction is in phonics, structural
word analysis, and vocabulary.
After winter MAP testing, the Library and Computer lab will
be open each morning prior to school starting and Monday and
Thursday afternoons from 3:30-4:30. During this time students
will be able to read Accelerated Reader preferred books, take
comprehension test, use RAZ kids computer program, and
check-out books.
We have a 1,095 Goal for all schools: Students will be on the
college readiness path within 3 years or 1,095 days. What does
it mean to be college ready? Students must: 1. Master core
content, 2. Have good thinking skills, 3. Take ownership of their
own learning, 4. Learn how to learn, 5. Acquire the privileged
knowledge to access higher learning. In other words, students
must be able to think, know, go and act.
RPSA students were honored by the Pistons Basketball team this
winter for improvement in academics and behavior. The Piston
organization took 50 RPSA students and sponsored them at a
game against the Miami Heat. Mr. Joe Dumars sent the Piston
team bus to pick up the students for the game. They were also
rewarded with dinner, a tee shirt and other items. Our students,
staff and parents enjoyed themselves tremendously and are
looking forward to future events for improvement.
The Fine Arts are in the Air at CAB!
Spring is in the air, and at Concord
Academy Boyne, that means the
countdown begins for our fine arts
performances! Fine arts has always
been our emphasis, as well as a point
of pride, and spring is the perfect time
to showcase all of the hard work that
our students have put in all year long.
With Spring Break quickly approaching,
and the high number of snow days
that we’ve experienced this year, this
will all be over before we know it, but
first, we hope to enjoy the fruits of
our labor, one performance at a time.
Our Advanced Choir, made up of a
small group of young women, starts
us off with a community performance
at Trinity Fellowship on Friday, March
21st at 7:00pm.
Following that, our middle school
band will be participating in our first
collaborative Band Day, March 25th.
They will be spending the day with other
area bands to show off each group’s
individual talents, but also combining
for a large group performance. This is
a collaboration that we hope continues
in years to come!
April showers will also bring our
elementary ORFF music concerts,
where our K-4 students demonstrate
their music knowledge through choir,
movement, and playing instruments.
This year, they are focusing on “Songs
of Travel”, from magic shoes and train
rides, to the old west and outer space!
Our performance is Thursday, April
17th, with K-2 beginning at 5:00pm, and
grade 3 and 4 taking over at 6:00pm.
May will hopefully bring flowers, and
will also serve as the grand finale to our
school year! Drama productions have
always been a point of pride at CAB,
and this year is no different. May 1
begins our 3-night production of “The
Wizard of Oz”. Come take a stroll down
the yellow brick road with Dorothy,
Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Cowardly
Lion as they search for their greatest
desire, and face the Wicked Witch
of the West to get Oz to grant their
wishes! Tickets will go on sale April 14,
and you won’t want to miss it!
Mid-May, our halls will be filled with
our K-12 Visual Arts show, just in time
for the rest of our shows. Our 5th-HS
Bands will perform on Thursday, May 8,
also at 7 pm, before our Dance Revue
on Friday, May 16. We will then finish
our year with our 5-12th grade Pops
Concert, on Tuesday, May 20, and our
6th and 7th grade Junior Broadway
production of “Annie”, on Friday, May
23.
Our fine arts program has grown
and changed through the years, and we
can’t wait to see what future endeavors
hold. As we prepare to enter our 20th
year, we hope that the programs that
we’ve developed continue to further
our students in all of their endeavors,
and give them the confidence they
need to reach their goals. For years,
we’ve had students talk about how our
fine arts experiences have changed
them, and we hope for the same as
we go into the future. There’s a quote
that states, “The EARTH without ART
is just, EH”, and at Concord Boyne, we
couldn’t agree more!
Recipe for Success
A collaboration between staff,
administration and parents is a
recipe for success! “When schools,
families, and community groups
work together to support learning
children tend to do better in school.
They stay in school longer and are
more likely to enjoy the benefits of
the educational process.” That is
the conclusion of a recent report
from the Southwest Educational
Development Laboratory. The
report a synthesis of research
on parent involvement over the
past decade goes on to find
that regardless of family income
or background “students with
involved parents are more likely to:
• Earn higher grades on test
scores and enroll in higher-level
programs;
• Be promoted, pass their classes,
and earn credits;
• Attend school regularly;
• Have better social skills, show
improved behavior, and adapt
well to school; and
• Graduate and go to postsecondary education
The Detroit Service Learning
Academy located on Detroit’s west
side is home to more than 1,200
students. DSLA has successfully
created a culture of engagement
and involvement through events
created to incite and stimulate
parent interest. One of these
events is the implementation of
Parent University. The Academy
is the host of several of these
events throughout the year.
These informative workshops help
participants learn to develop skills
and strategies that promote healthy
living, financial management, legal
advice, political awareness, and
more. In addition to these forums
DSLA provides a welcome space
for parent volunteers and the
PTA. The parent resource room is
furnished with a microwave, two
computers with internet access,
and a meeting table. This space is
exclusively open for parents to use
daily.
DSLA’s most successful event of
the year was the celebration of
National African American Parent
Involvement Day held on February
13, 2014. This event was promoted
to the students as “Bring your
Parent to School Day” and was the
5th annual celebration. Students
were asked to bring their Parent
to school with them to experience
a full day of classes. Parents
convened at the noon hour for
a catered lunch, special guest
speakers, and a raffle for a family
of 4 to vacation at Kalahari Resort.
This affair had over 253 parents in
attendance.
Over the last decade parent
participation and programs at
DSLA are always a work in
progress. Every school has a
unique population, focus and
mission. Finding an effective mix of
activities, incentives, and student
/staff buy- in has become one of
the Academy’s most challenging
best practices.
Advertising the Novel Way
As a school with a long and rich history in the performing
arts, sometimes even the yearly productions can seem
ordinary or usual. As the staff discussed upcoming events
and how to make them into good advertising for the
school, someone hit upon the idea of making a movie and
showing it in the park.
That has turned out to be a great idea. The middle school
drama class at Concord Academy Petoskey is preparing
their version of The Hobbit to be shown later in May in the
park in downtown Petoskey. We received permission from
the city and the students are working hard in learning
their lines and making their costumes. It will involve our
digital media class in the production of the video.
The advertising benefits should be phenomenal. People
who would not ordinarily show any interest or may not
know much about the school will be drawn to what is
being shown. And it’s free! We’re hoping that people will
take notice of the uniqueness of Concord and will want
their children and grandchildren in our school.
Ridge Park Academy World Party
Ridge Park has been in operation
since fall of 1998. It has grown from
a K-4 building with 90 students to
currently housing 670 students from
grades Young 5 to 8th grade.
One of the exciting things about
Ridge Park is the student diversity.
Ridge Park students are represented
by roughly 35 different countries!
In order to celebrate Ridge Park’s
rich cultural variance, we highlight
our various cultural backgrounds by
celebration of song, food, and dance.
For one full week, the classrooms are
immersed into a specific country where
they learn all about its country’s history,
demographics, religions, and culture!
Furthermore each classroom will
prepare food from their country, and
all families in the school attend each
classroom to “sample” a taste from
country represented. Other highlights
include a multi-cultural assembly to
celebrate international dance and a
fashion show where students wear
garments representing their country of
origin.
Being part of such a diverse
population is exciting; however it
is even more exciting when all 670
students get to experience roughly 28
different countries all within one week!
Charlton Heston Academy hires All-Star Lineup for football coach
During the regular board meeting
in February, Charlton Heston Academy Superintendent David Patterson
announced the formation of a football
team and introduced his all-start team
of coaches.
Patterson himself has some experience in the sports arena having played
Varsity Soccer as an All State Athlete,
All Conference Basketball player, Division 1 Soccer player, and climbing the
ranks to Semi-Professional Soccer for
2 years with the Palm Beach Pumas.
Additionally, Upper School Instructional Dean, Mark Church, also has
some notable experience in sports as
an All State receiver, College Baseball
and Basketball player at Alma and 12
years of experience in Coaching.
The coaching team introduced was
Steve Bednarik, Mark Huntley II, Sean
Patterson, Joe Leusby, and Merritt
“Mickey” Huntley.
Steve Bednarik played 5 years
Varsity Football, Division 1 Football,
was a college athlete, and coached
high school. Mark Huntley II was an All
State Receiver and coached JV Football for 2 years. Sean Patterson was
an All Area Linebacker and coached
JV for 4 years. Joe Leusby has been
an Athletic Director for a year and a
half. Merritt “Mickey” Huntley was an
All Area 3 year starter.
Church noted “I’m proud to see that
group right there and at the same time
David Patterson, Mark Huntley, Sean Patterson, Joe Leusby, “Merritt “Mickey” Huntley,
and Mark Church
it makes me feel kind of old because
I coached every single one of them in
high school and it makes me feel really
good to see those guys here. They’re
all about our community, all about our
kids and to instill pride and teaching all
the great lessons that come with that
game, life lessons. They will be good
for our community and our student
body.”
Patterson added “The camaraderie
that the five of them have together.
They have great rapport and great
friendship and I think you’re going to
see some dynamic things happening.
It’s really exciting.”
Patterson continued with, “These
programs support academics because
if you want to play you have to do a
good job in the classroom and these
five know how to do that.”
Board President Jennifer Jarosz
on behalf of the board welcomed the
team of coaches.
New Academy Joins LSSU Portfolio
LSSU is proud to announce the addition of Innocademy Allegan as its newest charter school. Innocademy Allegan,
located in Zeeland, just south of Holland, will open as a K-5 school in the fall of 2014.
Innocademy Allegan will join not only the family of LSSU academies, but also become the latest academy managed by
Innovative Education Services, Inc. (IES). Like its sister academies, iCademy Global (a K-12 cyber school opened in the
fall of 2013) and Innocademy Homestead (a K-8 school opened in the fall of 2012, Innocademy Allegan will feature a global
awareness emphasis.
Chad Zuber will be the lead teacher at the academy, which has adopted a truly teacher-led philosophy like each of the
other IES managed academies. Two other experienced teachers from Innocademy Homestead will transfer with Mr. Zuber
to form the backbone of the Innocademy Allegan staff.
Like its counterparts, Innocademy Allegan will be a year-round school with a “just-right-learning” model of classroom
instruction based on groupings of students rather than the more traditional grade levels.
LSSU welcomes Innocademy Allegan as its twenty-third public school academy as we all work together to provide excellent
educational opportunities for students in the Fennville community-at-large.
Charter Schools Office Team
Nick J. Oshelski, Executive Director, [email protected]
Bruce T. Harger, Deputy Director for Constituent Relations, [email protected]
Jenny Peterman, Administrative Assistant, [email protected]
Keith Krahnke, College and Career Readiness Coordinator, [email protected]
Jessica Savoie, Concurrent Enrollment/Middle College Coordinator, [email protected]
Glenn Bachman, Supervising Field Officer, [email protected]
Don Haist, Supervising Field Officer, [email protected]
Larry Kubovchick, Supervising Field Officer, [email protected]
Larry Lindquist, Supervising Field Officer, [email protected]
Charter Schools Locations
Detour Arts & Technology Academy
Charlton Heston Academy
Concord Petoskey
Concord Boyne
North Central Academy
Grand Traverse Academy
Grand Rapids Ellington Academy
Ridge Park Academy
Innocademy
iCademy
Innocademy Allegan
Bay City Academy
WAY (Flint)
WSC Brighton
WSC Ypsilanti
Sarah Webber Media Arts
Macomb Montessori
WAY (Detroit)
Detroit Service Learning
Regent Park Scholars
Momentum Academy
Advanced Technology
American International
Tipton Academy