Memphis Rise Academy Charter School - BES



Memphis Rise Academy Charter SchoolA Proposed Charter School for the City of Memphis Application for Charter ResubmissionJuly 25, 2013TABLE OF CONTENTS _Letter of Intent to Apply for a Public Charter School - 20131Assurances5I.Academic Plan Design and Capacity6I.1Mission and Goals6I.2School Development23I.3Academic Focus and Plan26I.4Special Populations and At-Risk Students57I.5Performance Standards/Assessments/School Culture69I.6Marketing, Recruitment and Enrollment96I.7Community Involvement and Parent Engagement100II.Operations Plan and Capacity102II.1Governance102II.2Personnel/Human Capital121II.3Professional Development128II.4Operations Capacity133III.Financial Plan and Capacity137III.1Budget Document Overview137III.2Budget Narrative Overview137III.3Financial Systems and Processes138III.4Contingency Plans for Meeting the Needs of All Students140III.5Financial Partner- Back Office Support140AttachmentsAttachment 1:Start Up Plan144AppendicesAppendix A: Draft Family Accountability Contract 242Attachment 2:Organizational Charts150Appendix B: Family Intent to Enroll Forms243Attachment 3:Governing Body Documents152Appendix C: Enrollment Policy246Attachment 4:School Calendar and Schedule182Appendix D: Marketing Brochure248Attachment 5:Student Discipline Policy188Appendix E:Leader Evaluation Primer249Attachment 6:Facilities Plan200Attachment 7:Transportation Plan206Attachment 8:Food Service Plan207Attachment 9:Public Charter School Budget208Attachment 10:Budget Narrative209Attachment 11:Insurance216Attachment 12:Waivers218Attachment 13:Community Partners224Attachment 14:Letters of Support224Letter of Intent to Apply for a Tennessee Public Charter School - 2013All applicants must file a Letter of Intent at least 60 days prior to the application deadline of April 1, 2013. This letter must be delivered to the local board of education and the Tennessee Department of Education no later than January 30, 2013.Send via email to rich.haglund@, fax (615.253.5706) or via mail:Director of Charter SchoolsState Department of Education, 5th Floor, AJT 710 James Robertson ParkwayNashville, TN 37243Chartering Authority (school district) for Charter School: Memphis City Schools Name of Proposed Charter School: Memphis Rise Academy Charter School Name of Sponsor/Sponsoring Agency: Memphis Rise Academy, Inc.Primary Contact Person: John (Jack) VuylstekeTelephone: (901) 303-9590Email: jvuylsteke@Mailing Address: 34 Danner Ct., Apt. 301, Memphis, TN, 38103Proposed Opening, Grade Levels and Student Enrollment:Proposed year of school opening: 2014-2015Grade LevelsTotal Student Enrollment (proj.)Year One6108Year Two6-7216Year Three6-8324Year Four6-9424Year Five6-10517Year Six6-11683Year Seven6-12683Year Eight6-12683Year Nine6-12683Year Ten6-12683Enrollment Note: For early financial health within our slow growth model, we will begin with an initial sixth grade cohort of 96 students, with four classes of 24 students each for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. To control for overall school size, beginning in 2016-2017 and each year thereafter our sixth grade cohort will become 72, with three classes of 24 students each. We reach a maximum school size of 552 students in Y7 of operation (including the first two cohorts of 96 students each), maximum size of 528 (including one cohort of 96 students) and a maximum and continuing size of 504 students in Y9 and beyond (reflecting all cohorts of 72 students each).Current LeadershipList all current and identified board members and their intended roles on the table below (adding rows as needed).Full NameCurrent Job and EmployerPositionJack VuylstekeFellowBuilding Excellent SchoolsLead FounderDominique AndersonPrincipal Manager Vida PR & MarketingFounding Board MemberStephen CrossTenant Representative Grubb & Ellis MemphisFounding Board MemberMadeleine DavisSenior Financial Analyst Mercer CapitalFounding Board MemberKeife HylandFormer Headmaster for Academic Affairs (ret.)Lausanne Collegiate SchoolFounding Board MemberChris HamiltonIn-House CounselGeneral Truck Sales and ServiceFounding Board MemberKori HamnerManaging Director of Teacher Leadership Development Teach For America-MemphisFounding Board MemberLayne McGuireSenior Financial Manager Dixon Hughes GoodmanFounding Board MemberBen ScottAttorneyButler Snow O’Mara Stevens & Cannada, PLLCFounding Board MemberBrian WhaleyAssociate Commercial Broker CBRE MemphisFounding Board MemberAPPLICANT ELIGIBILITYTennessee law limits who may sponsor a charter school and proscribes what type of entity may operate a charter school. T.C.A. § 49-13-104(7), 106(c). Please read the following statements and confirm eligibility to submit an application and verify the status of or plans for the governing body. The sponsor of this charter school is not “a for-profit entity, a private elementary or secondary school, a post-secondary institution not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[now AdvancEd], a religious or church school” and does not “promote the agenda of any religious denomination or religiously affiliated entity.”Charter schools must be operated by entities that have exemption from federal taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please check one of the following, as applicable:The sponsor of this charter school is a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status.The sponsor of this charter school is a not-for-profit organization and has applied for 501(c)(3) status. I will provide evidence of non-profit incorporation and 501(c)(3) status at the time of contracting with the chartering authority.The complete Tennessee Public Charter Schools Act is contained in T. C.A. §§ 49-13-101 through 137, and in § 8-35-242. You can access Tennessee laws here.Please provide an abstract for your proposed school (two pages maximum). Please address the following elements:The proposed academic focus and plan,The perceived need for the school,The potential target population,Community outreach completed or planned, andIndividual or organizational history of success/accomplishments in education Signature of Primary Contact Person John (Jack) VuylstekeDate 7/25/13 (resubmission) Charter AbstractPROPOSED ACADEMIC FOCUS AND PLANMission Memphis Rise Academy Charter School equips students with an exceptional 6-12 education, preparing them to pursue ambitious goals and succeed in college.Vision Memphis Rise Academy Charter School (“Memphis Rise”) is a proposed 6-12 charter school for the city of Memphis, TN. Each student who enters as a sixth grader will have access to an excellent public education, see their most ambitious goals as tangible realities, and develop a relentless focus on realizing these goals by working to do well in middle school, graduate from high school, and achieve a college degree at a selective four-year university. We will provide an outstanding foundational middle school education, preparing students for and as a school delivering a rigorous and well-rounded college preparatory curriculum in grades 9-12. We will offer students extended time in literacy and mathematics rooted in the Common Core State Standards, vertically sequenced across the grades and horizontally integrated across the curriculum to ensure a consistent and rigorous academic program. The Memphis Rise mission and vision are informed through examination of the best practices of high performing charter schools across Tennessee and the nation and our leadership is trained and supported through the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship. Our school’s framework, values, and vision are founded on eight core principles that drive our work:Academic excellence, driving towards college success, is possible for all students.A culture of high expectations for value-driven character, implemented by all members of the school community, underpins high academic achievement.Excellent teachers are critical to creating and sustaining a culture of academic excellence and value-driven character.Frequent assessments and critical reflection on data allow our school to best direct students to their highest levels of achievement.An extended school day allows students maximum opportunity to build the academic knowledge necessary for college preparedness.Advising students to short- and long-term goals, individually and collectively, creates the necessary support structure for closing the confidence gap.A seamless transition from middle school to high school to college relies on a conscious daily effort to build independent student ability and release control to our students as they mature into college-ready young mitment to working with the families and community which give our school constitution creates an essential partnership committed to our students’ success.PERCEIVED NEED FOR SCHOOL / POTENTIAL TARGET POPULATIONNeed and Target Population Memphis Rise will address the need for a quality college preparatory middle-high school option for the students of Memphis. The Grahamwood neighborhood, our target community, is home to the Treadwell school system within Northeast Memphis City Schools. Treadwell schools are identified as part of the bottom 5% of Tennessee schools in the 2012 TDOE Focus Schools report. Memphis Rise proposes to open within the Grahamwood neighborhood to provide an option for a highly diversepopulation which shares the challenges of low-socioeconomics and remains underserved by public education. We are motivated to increase the college matriculation and success of the students who currently struggle within the public school options in Grahamwood. Through our focus on foundational skills in literacy and mathematics in the middle school and on developing independent and competitive academic ability in the high school, through our character development, ambitious goal-setting and value-driven culture at all grade levels, and through our constant attention to data to ensure that each student is being served to capacity, we will address the educational need of students of Grahamwood and provide a quality educational choice currently unavailable to their MUNITY OUTREACH COMPLETED OR PLANNEDWe have worked closely with multiple stakeholders in the Memphis community, and have built a strong founding team across multiple sectors whose members bring deep knowledge of and commitment to the needs of families within our target community. The founding group has created a detailed community outreach plan to reach families within our target demographic, community development organizations, neighborhood associations, and non-profit partners, scheduled to be executed throughout the winter and spring of 2013. Additionally, Memphis Rise has engaged the support of numerous Memphis civic leaders and professionals who are in favor of a college preparatory middle- high school option in an underserved area such as Grahamwood.INDIVIDUAL / ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORYCapacity and Outreach Memphis Rise’s founding team, including Lead Founder and proposed school leader Jack Vuylsteke, shares a core belief in the power of strong, college preparatory educational options for students who desperately need them. Coming from various demographic and professional backgrounds in education, law, real estate, finance, marketing, communications, non-profit management, and human resources, all members have committed themselves to the cause of eliminating educational inequity for the students that Memphis Rise will serve. Each member brings to the board a specific expertise, as well as a specific network of colleagues and supporters, which combined will help Memphis Rise establish its foundations deep in the Memphis community and ensure its organizational and academic success and integrity into the future.Lead Founder and proposed Executive Director Jack Vuylsteke is an experienced urban educator and Fellow with nationally recognized non-profit Building Excellent Schools (BES), which trains high capacity individuals to design, found, lead and sustain high quality charter schools, including six in Memphis and five in Nashville. Through the BES Fellowship, Mr. Vuylsteke has studied over fifty highly successful charter schools. He is completing a charter school leadership residency at BES school Nashville Preparatory Charter School (“Nashville Prep”), one of the highest performing charter schools in Tennessee, has continued access to and the support of leadership at BES schools Freedom Preparatory (“Freedom Prep”) and Memphis College Preparatory (“Memphis College Prep”) Charter Schools here in Memphis, and, with the support and input of the founding team, has prepared a school design to directly reflect the best practices of these organizations which have produced nationally competitive results – and which we intend to bring to the students of Grahamwood.AssurancesAs the authorized representative of the sponsor, I hereby certify that the information submitted in this application for a charter for Memphis Rise Academy Charter School is true to the best of my knowledge and belief; and if awarded a charter, the school:will operate as a public, nonsectarian, non-religious public school, with control of instruction vested in the governing body of the school under the general supervision of the chartering authority and in compliance with the charter agreement and the Charter School Act;will follow all federal, state and local laws and regulations that pertain to the operation of a public school, unless waived according to T.C.A. § 49-13-105;will provide special education services for students as provided in Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Chapter 10, Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973;will adhere to all provisions of federal law relating to students who are limited English proficient (LEP), including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974, that are applicable to it;will follow all federal and state laws and constitutional provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services;will comply with all provisions of the Charter Schools Act, including, but not limited toemploying individuals to teach who hold a license to teach in a public school in Tennessee;complying with Open Meetings and Open Records laws (T.C.A. §§ 8-44-101 et seq.; 10-7-503,504) (guidance is available from the Office of Open Records Counsel);not charging tuition, except for students transferring from another district to the school pursuant to the local board’s out-of-district enrollment policy and T.C.A.§ 49-6-3003;following state financial (budgeting and audit) procedures and reporting requirements according to T.C.A. § 49-13-111, 120 and 127;requiring any member of the governing body, employee, officer or other authorized person who receives funds, has access to funds, or has authority to make expenditures from funds, to give a surety bond in the form prescribed by T.C.A.§ 8-19-101; andwill, at all times, maintain all necessary and appropriate insurance coverage.Signature Jack VuylstekeName of Authorized SignerLead FounderTitle of Authorized Signer I. ACADEMIC PLAN DESIGN AND CAPACITYMISSION AND GOALS MISSION Memphis Rise Academy Charter School equips students in grades 6-12 with an excellent education, preparing all students to achieve in middle and high school, pursue ambitious goals, and succeed in college. 1VISION To accomplish our mission, Memphis Rise Academy Charter School (“Memphis Rise Academy”) provides a highly structured, individually supportive, and academically rigorous school environment, and holds the highest expectations for student character as defined by our core values of Responsibility, Excellence, Ambition, Commitment, and Honesty.We are informed by the intent of T.C.A. §49-13-102 to “provide an alternative means within the public school system for ensuring accomplishment of necessary outcomes of education by allowing the establishment and maintenance of public charter schools that operate within a school district structure but are allowed maximum flexibility to achieve their goals.”2 We are further informed and inspired by the ambitious goals of the Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools merger, “in which the academic success and well-being of the students come first where students and educators are held tohigh expectations where parents are engaged and the community is invested, realizing everyone is inthis together.”3The goals of Memphis Rise Academy are to (a) build within our middle school students an academic and character foundation which allows them to (b) transition successfully into high school where they will build the depth of knowledge and independent habits necessary to (c) reach college matriculation, and (d) excel in competitive colleges and universities.As stated in our mission, the core of our work is to provide an excellent 6-12 education. Therefore, at the heart of our academic design are core beliefs that inform all academic and organizational decisions.Academic excellence, driving towards college success, is possible for all students.High expectations for value-driven character support high academic achievement.Mission-driven teachers create a culture of academic excellence and value-driven character.Frequent assessments and data reflection direct students to high levels of achievement.Extended school days4 allow maximum opportunity to build knowledge and skills.Advising students to short- and long-term goals provides individual attention, supports academic success and character development, and closes the underlying confidence gap.5Seamless transition from middle school to high school allows the school to build independent student ability and personal agency as students mature into college-ready young adults.1 As you will note, we have further refined the specific language of our mission statement since submission of our Letter of Intent.2 education/fedprog/fpcharterschls.shtml.3 Transition Plan for the Merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools. August 3, 2012.4 For more detail on our use of extended time, please see Daily Schedule and Annual Calendar in Attachment 4.5 For an explanation on the factor we term the “confidence gap,” please see Guiding Purposes and Priorities (p. 14).Families and community create essential partnerships as together we commit to student success.As educators, we embrace a no excuses philosophy. There can be no excuse that the school’s design and our implementation of it leave any child or any learner behind. There can be no excuse that the academic gap and parallel ambition gap with which so many of our students struggle are left unclosed. There can be no excuse for failing to build an inclusive, positive school community in which academic excellence and high character are paramount.While the term “no excuses” is often interpreted to apply primarily to students, Memphis Rise Academy’s interpretation of this model for student success is to primarily apply the term to ourselves as educators, working with families and students who depend upon the quality of the public education we provide. Faced with the challenge of providing an excellent education to all students, regardless of entry ability or learning challenges, we allow for no excuses within our staff which would create a culture of lowered expectations and limited academic achievement. Rather, we are inspired by this opportunity to create the school that our students and families need, complete with a commitment to the development of strong character, the implementation of supportive and clear school structures, and the execution of academic excellence and high character in every classroom, every advisory, every small support tutoring group, and every school community meeting.To prepare all students to achieve in middle and high school, building school community and developing student character is mission-critical.Self-efficacy. Students are challenged to own the power and promise of their education.Values. We use the core values of Respect, Excellence, Ambition, Commitment, and Honesty to build character which creates sustainable, self-driven success in college and life.Goal-setting. We build internal drive in our students to reach personal and collective goals, thereby creating a culture in which our students can see both their own growth and the growth of their community as they progress towards realization of ambition.To prepare all students to pursue ambitious goals, developing commitment to ambition fuels our community.Advisory.6 At Memphis Rise Academy, “it is important not to lower standards for students who are struggling, but to have tailored interventions that allow teachers and school leaders to help students bridge the gap between their current performance and their potential.”7 Therefore, we provide consistent time within our school day for teachers to build relationships with our students, and to gain individual knowledge of their struggles, their potential and their aspirations through our daily advisory program. Students learn the purpose and process of goal-orientation within the first weeks of the school year and begin to formulate meaningful goals for themselves, their advisory community, and the school community as a whole. These goals can be altered as the student continues forward at the school and begins to further understand the ambitions with which s/he most closely identifies, but the constant will always remain: At Memphis Rise Academy, all students and all advisories consistently are determined to, with support, rise to the6 An “advisory” or “homeroom” period has been observed by the Lead Founder at nearly every high performing charter middle school during the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship. While consistently present, advisory takes different shape at each successful charter school, from silent breakfast and daily preparation to strong discussion and culture building. Memphis Rise Academy advisory is informed by successful practices of KIPP Academy Lynn in Lynn, MA, Boston Preparatory Charter School (BES school) in Boston, MA, and Achievement Preparatory Academy (BES school) in Washington D.C., all three of which have produced significant academic results for students.7 Transition Plan for the Merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools. August 3, 2012 .p.50.goals they have set for themselves, and to confidently articulate those goals and ambitions to their school community.8Community meeting.9 At Memphis Rise Academy, “[t]he idea is . . . [to] make the kids feel as if the world is theirs, that there’s nothing to be afraid of, nothing that will oppress them, that the world is something they can own.” 10 Community meeting is the celebratory venue for our students to articulate their individual and collective goals to the entire school community. Aligned with our core values of ambition and honesty, students are given opportunity to speak in front of the school community about the goals they have for themselves as well as the tangible steps they are taking within the academic structure of the school to rise to meet those goals. Community meeting is the spark of our collective commitment to the value of ambition.Discipline and structure.11 At Memphis Rise Academy, “giving children enabling knowledge . .. accomplishes a lot more than just making them better behaved. They are better behaved mainly because they are absorbed in learning.”12 We define this enabling knowledge as both the academic ability necessary for success and the ability to succeed within a structured environment to best leverage that success. Students thrive and human character grows within clear and consistent structure. Our school provides a structured environment for students to have full, unabated access to an excellent education. Our philosophy for discipline and our reasoning for structure, shared with families and students, are necessary for an academic focus that opens up the promise of fulfilled ambitions and the necessity to have a school culture which best cultivates student growth towards personal ambitions and goals. 13Community outreach/family partnership. At Memphis Rise Academy, we recognize that “[i]n high-poverty schools, a lack of parental involvement is often the first excuse for poor performance. Effective principals overcome this excuse by extending the mission of the school into the home.”14 Our school will be an incubator for student ambition. We will involve and inform families and, increasingly at the high school level, the community at large regarding the goals our students are working to meet, and invite, support, and require our families to be actively informed partners with our school to help students continue pursuing these goals. We expect our students’ ambition and character to transcend the walls of the school; their ambitions should be the “fuel” for the engines that drive them towards success outside of the school building, and we will work with our families to actively ensure that fuel is always empowering our students forward. We will use a variety of practices focused on parental involvement and communication to ensure that families are constantly assisting in the pursuit of college realization.15To prepare all students to succeed in college, we must plan for our students to graduate from high school with the independent academic ability and strength of character necessary to excel in increasingly mature and independent post-secondary academic environments.8 For more detail on Advisory, please see School Culture in Section I.5.9 For more detail on community meeting, please see School Culture in I.5. Community meeting is informed by the practices of North Star Academy in Newark, NJ.10 Atkins, Norman. Co-founder of North Star Academy, Uncommon Schools, and Teacher U (now Relay). In Closing the Racial Achievement Gap. Abigail and Stephen Thernstrom. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2003.p.65.11 Memphis Rise Academy will draw heavily from the student handbook and codes of conduct of Nashville Preparatory Charter School, a BESschool, in Nashville, TN for its disciplinary code and interventions.12 Hirsch, E.D. The Schools We Need and Why We Don’t Have Them. New York: Anchor Books, 1996. p.26.13 For more detail on our approach to Discipline, please see Attachment 5.14 Carter, Samuel Casey. No Excuses: Lessons Learned from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools. Washington D.C.: HeritageFoundation, 2000. p.10.15 For more detail on Parent Engagement please see section I.7.Depth of academic ability. Assisted by the foundational skills of our middle school, our high school is designed to develop full, sustainable mastery of content for use at the next level of our students’ education. We supplement our high school curriculum with scaffolded, collegiately inspired independent projects, assignments, and extensions16 and an emphasis on student creation and revision over teacher-guided activities.Application of social development. Value-driven character, taught and modeled in high detail in our middle school, becomes internalized by our high school students. Our positive, ambition- driven school culture leads our students to build the internal ability to make our core values manifest in their social development. Students are given more autonomy over things such as time management, organization, and in-school self-management, but are held to similarly consistent high expectations for each.Sustainable confidence. As our students transition into an environment in which success is significantly more self-actualized, it is critical that students build the necessary confidence to approach any academic, social, or developmental challenges that may arise through post- secondary education. Our advisory system adjusts its approach accordingly, as students navigate this new layer of independence. By the end of high school, the confidence gap has been closed for our students, as they now see their most ambitious goals as attainable through academic focus matched with strong character, and that post-secondary progress is an attainable reality for them. The closing of the confidence gap manifests itself in the positive, achievement-oriented rhetoric our students use to describe themselves and their abilities, the continuing work ethic they apply to their education, and the motivated self-efficacy they have developed for themselves and for their community. That confidence will be supported through the building of well-rounded, college preparatory high school transcripts, the earning of competitive scores on national and state testing, and students’ underlying powerful belief in themselves and their futures.PREVAILING ACADEMIC CRISIS Far too often across our nation, the circumstances into which one is born determine the destiny of that individual. These circumstances create a broad disparity of opportunity which, when not acted upon, widens generation by generation.Regardless of one’s zip code of birth or zip code of residence, all children begin life with ambition and the right to pursue that ambition, but, in too many cases, options early in life are based on the realities of zip code or demographic. These realities begin to set too many children on a path which does not end at the possible realization of that ambition. Soon, children begin to tailor their once ambitious goals to reflect what they have learned as their reality.For every child growing up across our nation, including those whose lives are rooted within communities here in Memphis, students’ individual realities are often dictated by the education that they receive. Too often, and ironically, “[w]e give the kids with the greatest challenges the crummiest education and then say ‘poverty is destiny.”17In 1954, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision intended to remove the concept of segregation from public schooling in the now-historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling. Within Brown, the Court stated, “We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no16 Independent project curriculum at the high school level is modeled on the practices of Edward Brooke Charter Middle School for structure and Boston Collegiate Charter High School for rigor and scaffolding, both located in Boston, MA and both with state and nationally competitive academic results. Both schools were extensively studied and visited by Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke during the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship.17 Joel Klein, in a speech delivered at the Teach For America 20th Anniversary Summit, February 12, 2011.place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”18 Through desegregating the public school system, Brown was intended to be a watershed in social equality; today, despite that ruling, the achievement gap in education between affluent white students and disadvantaged minority students shows that desegregation and the inherent inequality spoken on in Brown still exist. The achievement gap, now generationally ingrained, exists mainly in a dangerous silence, and the students who receive their entire education in failing schools are not yet true victors of the Brown ruling.In Tennessee, between the years 2009-2011, the achievement gap between white and black students in reading increased from 27.3% to 28.3%; in mathematics, it increased from 20.6% to 24%. Between white and Hispanic students, the reading achievement gap grew from 20.5% to 20.9%, and mathematics from 12.9% to 14.5%.19 Despite interventions taken after Race to the Top, the achievement gaps between white and minority students continues to slowly grow. Even today, students in Tennessee who should have benefitted from the ruling of Brown now find themselves falling further and further behind.Students who begin to fall behind in their educational progress at an early age also begin to see their highest ambition as a fleeting dream which, based on the generational precedents before them and what is true for people in their neighborhood or in their school, will likely never be realized. These students lower their bar for success day by day, year by year, until it meets what they believe they can do with the education they have received. A great number of these students will not finish high school. In many cases, those that do graduate will neither be prepared to nor pursue a four-year college degree. As outlined in the Transition Plan for the Merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools, “[i]n the 2010–11 school year, 10% of MCS and SCS 11th grade students met the ACT College Readiness Benchmark (5% in MCS and 20% in SCS) As of 2010, 16% of MCS 2004 graduates had earned acollege degree—14% from a four-year program and 2% from a two-year program. “20The opportunity gap widens a bit more with each student who goes underserved, undereducated, and underchallenged.LOCAL SCHOOL NEED The Tennessee Charter School Law was enacted to serve the most at-risk children in our state. Memphis City Schools (MCS), now merged with Shelby County, serves a largely economically disadvantaged population, with approximately 85.1% of the MCS student population identifying as economically disadvantaged. These statistics describe the status of Northeast Memphis, where schools such as Kingsbury Elementary and Middle and Douglass Elementary and High Schools report 95% or more of their student population as economically disadvantaged.21For the purposes of this document, we define the area of Northeast Memphis as the general area highlighted in red on the map in Figure 1.01. The Treadwell, Kingsbury and Berclair systems of Northeast Memphis City Schools and their geocoded populations are located within this area; Douglass Elementary School is located just to the northwest of this area, although many students within these unofficial boundary lines attend the school. Through this application, we make specific mention of the Grahamwood neighborhood specifically, which serves as our ideal location and the site of much of our outreach since the summer of 2012.18 For more detail, please see .19 For more detail, please see .20 Transition Plan for the Merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools. August 3, 2012.p.36.21 1.01: Map of Geographic Area Referred to as Northeast Memphis2107260164465To serve the urgent need in this community, Memphis Rise Academy provides a rigorous, high quality educational option for middle and high school students, setting them on a path to pursue a college degree and the opportunities which lie beyond. Memphis Rise Academy is founded on the belief that demographics need not be the determinant of destiny, as proven by high performing charter schools serving low-socioeconomic populations across Tennessee and throughout the country.Currently, in Northeast Memphis, students’ futures are limited by the chronic low performance of its public schools. A quality education is the key variable in changing the realities of communities who have been underserved by their historic and current public school MUNITY TO BE SERVED As many elementary schools in Northeast Memphis and across the city terminate with the fifth grade, Memphis Rise Academy proposes to open in sixth grade to serve as a natural feeder for students transitioning into middle school enrollment. Based on research as well as the successes of schools like Power Center Academy, Freedom Preparatory Academy22, and The Soulsville Charter School, all beginning in the sixth grade, we will provide a foundational and heavily skills-driven curriculum to our incoming sixth grade students and, regardless of entry levels in reading and mathematical proficiency, prepare all students within the middle school years for a rigor-rich and independence-driven high school curriculum. Our culture of goal-driven ambition builds throughout the middle school years and drives our high school philosophy, designed for students who are closer to the point of setting long-term goals for personal educational opportunity, community involvement, and professional experience.Given the diverse characteristics of Northeast Memphis, we have the great opportunity to meet the needs of students coming from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Grahamwood residents identify as 30% Hispanic, 20% White, 20% African-American, and 30% Other.23 We are excited to provide a22 Freedom Preparatory Academy was founded through the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, and its founder Roblin Webb and internal school leadership have all been and continue to be trained and supported through Building Excellent Schools. Lead Founder of Memphis Rise Academy Jack Vuylsteke is training with and supported by Building Excellent Schools (BES). For more detail on BES, please see Section I.2 For a Letter of Support from Roblin Webb, Founder and Executive Director of Freedom Prep, please Attachment 14.23 Statistics taken from a study performed by Memphis Teacher Residency on the region described as “Graham Heights”: .seamless middle and high school college preparatory program which responds to this diverse reality and which attracts families of all demographics.Based on School Profile data compiled by the Tennessee Department of Education, the Treadwell schools, for example, currently serve 1,012 students, 261 of whom identify as Hispanic, or approximately 25% of the Treadwell demographic.24 The majority of Latino students at Treadwell Elementary and Middle are performing at either Basic or Below Basic levels. Expecting that Memphis Rise Academy will enroll a comparable demographic to one of Grahamwood’s most central neighborhood schools, and in full support of current educational priorities in Memphis and across Tennessee, we will address the needs of a significant population of English Language Learners.25 As spoken to in the Memphis City Schools priorities for charter school authorization, the district is in search of “schools with innovative and/or proven approaches to English language instruction with an emphasis on closing the achievement gap for ESL students.”26 We agree with the district’s urgency for the Northeast Memphis community, with one of Memphis’ most distinguishable Hispanic populations, to be provided with a college preparatory school that is designed to address this priority with proven methods.The Grahamwood neighborhood has a rich ethnic and racial diversity, and it has been tied together by two unifying factors, both influenced by the educational options available to the neighborhood: (1) the prevalence of poverty and (2) the lack of ambitious educational attainment. As recorded by the 2010 Census, 63.2% of the Memphis population is African American, a clear majority of citizenship in the city, relative to 30.7% White and 6.1% Hispanic.27 These groups represent the three largest racial demographics in the city. Among them is significant socio-economic disparity as well as a history of access to varying qualities of public educational opportunities, and thus educational attainment. For example, African-Americans across the city are reported to have more disparate variations of educational attainment as opposed to that of their White counterparts as illustrated in Figure 1.02.Figure 1.02: Memphis Population - Educational Attainment134787020440024 Information taken from 2012 TDOE Report Cards, located on TDOE website: For more detail on our approach to meeting the needs of English Language Learners, please see Section I.4.26 See “MCS Charter Guidelines” at . 27 American/47_Memphis%20city,%20Tennessee_ACS_Black_3YR.pdf .This disparity in educational attainment is a reflection of generational failure of many predominantly minority-populated public schools within Memphis. More directly, and as outlined in Figure 1.03, this correlates to the socio-economic realities and barriers to learning such realities can create.Figure 1.03: Memphis Population - Household Income (2010 Census)1292743238474In sum, and as is true throughout Tennessee and the nation, the income gap in Memphis has its roots in an education gap. But this gap is not limited solely to the African-American population, or even the minority population. It exists due to the presence of schools within geocoded areas which serve diverse populations, such as that in Northeast Memphis, that carry an historical culture of failure and complacency rather than ambition. This culture of failure transcends racial generalities.Nowhere is this more true than in the Memphis zip code 38122, housing the Grahamwood neighborhood.Due to racial and ethnic diversity but uniformly low socio-economic status, Grahamwood represents an outlier from the data regarding the generally accepted realities of Memphis’ racially-informed socio- economic demographics seen in Figure 1.02. As seen in Figures 1.04 and 1.05, a diverse Grahamwood population is tied together by a counter-intuitive, socio-economic reality.Figure 1.04: 38122 Racial Demographics28Race/EthnicityTotal ResidentsPercentage of Total PopulationWhite14.05663.35%Black or African American5,13823.16%American Indian and Alaska Native140.06%Asian7373.32%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander310.14%Other2,2139.97%28 .Based on the dangerous generalization that economic disadvantage in Memphis falls along racial lines, zip code 38122 can be generalized as likely not needing a high performing school option. Since the population of Grahamwood and, therefore, its public schools are diverse racially, one might expect a positive correlation between its somewhat White majority subgroup and the higher socio-economic status White Memphians appear to have at a macro level across the city. However, in 38122, economic disadvantage is the tie that binds together a racially diverse community. Figure 1.05 outlines the statistics.Figure 1.05: 38122 Household Income Levels29Income LevelTotal HouseholdsPercentage of PopulationLess than $15,0001,58116.41%$15,000 to $24,9991,33913.89%$25,000 to $34,9991,48715.43%$35,000 to $49,9991,82018.89%$50,000 to $74,9991,71117.75%$75,000 to $99,9991.03310.72%$100,000 to $124,9993964.11%$125,000 to $149,9991211.26%Figure 1.05 evidences that over 64% of 38122 households, or approximately 2/3 of families, earn less than $50,000 a year, 45.73% of which earn less than $35,000. These are the families who must entrust the public schools within 38122 and the surrounding area to educate their children; for economic reasons, they have no private choice. The schools of 38122 have a responsibility to provide the students here with an education which changes the generational reality that has driven so many families to and kept them at the poverty line.Memphis Rise Academy proposes to locate in the Grahamwood neighborhood of Northeast Memphis, with an ideal central location in the neighborhoods surrounding Summer Avenue and Graham Street, and to target a middle-high school student population currently served by Treadwell MS (6-8), Kingsbury MS (6-8), and Douglass ES (K-8), as well as Kingsbury HS (9-12) and Douglass HS (9-12).Memphis City Schools’ Northeast Region operates seven schools within the zip code of 38122. In August 2012, the Tennessee Department of Education (“TDOE”) released its most updated list of priority schools - a yearly list of schools which fall into the state-wide bottom 5% of academic performance, based on spring test data.30 The City of Memphis houses nearly 70 priority schools; additionally, it houses six focus schools, defined as the Tennessee schools which display the largest performance gap between racial demographics. Of the seven schools within 38122, serving generations of students from the Grahamwood neighborhood, one can find Treadwell Elementary and Treadwell Middle - both are 2012 priority schools. Another public school, Grahamwood Elementary, is a focus school, demonstrating the wide gap between its Optional Program students from throughout Memphis and Shelby County in contrast to its zoned students who, generally, do not take part in the Optional Program. Also serving elementary students in 38122, Berclair Elementary (K-5) has shown steadily declining progress since 2010, now receiving failing or near-failing grades in all tested subjects. In neighboring 38103, Douglass ES also makes the 2012 priority list.29 .30 .In large numbers, the children of 38122 begin their middle school education at Treadwell MS31; 348 students attend Treadwell Middle; 69% are African-American, 22% Latino 7% White and 2% Asian. Figure 1.06 shows the past three years of TDOE Report Card data available for Treadwell MS.Figure 1.06: Assessment Data for Treadwell Middle SchoolTreadwell Middle School(3 year average)201020112012CRTScoreGradeScoreGradeScoreGradeTrendMathematicsN/AN/A31F33FNCReading/LanguageN/AN/A25F27FNCSocial StudiesN/AN/A31F33FNCScienceN/AN/A26F27FNCOther students in 38122 may also attend Kingsbury MS32 starting in seventh grade; 557 attend Kingsbury MS and of them, 25% are African-American, 57% Latino, 16% White and 3% Asian. Figure 1.07 outlines the past three years of TDOE Report Card data available for Kingsbury Middle School.Figure 1.07: Assessment Data for Kingsbury Middle SchoolKingsbury Middle School(3 year average)201020112012CRTScoreGradeScoreGradeScoreGradeTrendMathematics40D40D43DNCReading/Language36F34F33FNCSocial Studies38F38F39FNCScience36F36F37FNCStudents slightly further north in 38108 likely attend Douglass ES33 for eight years; 364 students attend Douglass ES; 98% are African-American and 2% are Latino. Figure 1.08 outlines the past three years of TDOE Report Card data available for Douglass ES.Figure 1.08: Assessment Data for Douglass Elementary SchoolDouglass Elementary School(3 year average)201020112012CRTScoreGradeScoreGradeScoreGradeTrendMathematics33F35F37FNCReading/Language33F31F30FNCSocial Studies32F32F31FNCScience37F26F26FNCWhile other areas of our city with focus and priority schools have been addressed by charter operators, the Northeast Memphis area remains void of a college preparatory middle school option. If a student is zoned31 .32 .to the 38122 or the contiguous 38108 area, these three middle schools are their existing public education options. There is currently no other public middle school for families in this neighborhood even if they recognize the chronic underachievement in all of these options.Students who attend these middle schools typically attend one of two zoned high schools, Kingsbury and Douglass: 1,017 students attend Kingsbury34; 44% are African-American, 35% are Latino, 18% are White, and 4% are Asian. The ACT, a commonly accepted college success metric for high school students nation-wide, is that measure by which Tennessee high schools are evaluated for effectiveness. Figure 1.09 outlines the past three years of average ACT scores available for Kingsbury HS.Figure 1.09: ACT Data for Kingsbury High SchoolKingsbury High School ACT Scores (9-12)(3 year average)2010201120122012 StateComposite16.115.815.519.6English15.314.714.319.6Math1615.915.919.3Reading1615.615.219.7Science/Reasoning16.616.416.219.6At Douglass High School, there are 1,320 students35; 96% are African-American, 3% are Latino, and 1% are White. Figure 1.10 outlines the past three years of ACT performance for Douglass HS.Figure 1.10: ACT Data for Douglass High SchoolDouglass High School ACT Scores (9-12)(3 year average)2010201120122012 StateCompositeN/A14.514.819.6EnglishN/A12.813.419.6MathN/A15.215.519.3ReadingN/A14.214.219.7Science/ReasoningN/A15.215.519.6If the only options for students of the greater Grahamwood area when attending middle and high school are those shown above, it can be assumed that the majority of students in Northeast Memphis will not be afforded the chance to be prepared for, access, or attend a four-year university and thereby have real opportunity to break the historical poverty into which they and their families were born.As outlined in Figure 1.11, the overwhelming majority of the parents of students in Grahamwood - over 80% - do not have a college degree of any type, and, if the scores of the neighborhood schools in their current standing are any basis for generational prediction, one can surmise that the foundations of an excellent education able to create the opportunity to pursue a college education for their children continue not to be in place.34 1.11: 38122 Educational Attainment Statistics362010HighestEducationLevelAttained (Population Age 25+)Memphis, 381222 Total AdultsMemphis, 38122 Adult PercentageDid not complete HS3,24822.47%Completed HS5,05634.98%Some College3,29322.78%Completed Associates Degree7725.34%Completed Bachelor’s Degree1,3599.40%Completed Graduate Degree7265.02%The lack of public, rigorous, college preparatory educational options in Northeast Memphis has produced the low educational attainment of the residents of 38122 and the surrounding area. While some families of 3812237 have made the decision to transport their child(ren) to higher performing options outside of the neighborhood, many families do not have that option. As the charter landscape has expanded to the Frayser, Binghampton, Westwood, and South Memphis areas, Grahamwood remains a neighborhood in need. Memphis Rise Academy proposes to be the school which serves the families of this neighborhood who have long deserved a school to validate and make possible its children’s ambitions for success in college and life through the attainment of an excellent education at the middle and high school levels.GUIDING PURPOSES AND PRIORITIES Across the nation, here in Memphis, and, most particularly as outlined above, in Northeast Memphis and within the Grahamwood community, the chasm of the achievement gap manifests itself in three areas: the literacy gap, the mathematics gap, and the academic confidence gap.The guiding purposes and priorities of Memphis Rise Academy are clear - to eliminate each of these gaps.Literacy Gap: At Memphis Rise Academy, we recognize that “[f]irst and foremost, the research demonstrates that the middle grades matter—tremendously. During the middle grades, students in high-poverty environments are either launched on the path to high school graduation or knocked off-track. It is a time when they can close achievement gaps and enter high school ready or at least close to ready for standards-based instruction that leads to college readiness.”38 To ensure that our middle school matters, and to ensure that students are launched for success, Memphis Rise Academy makes attacking the literacy gap a foremost priority.We provide 165 minutes of direct literacy instruction four days per week in the core middle school curriculum and 90 minutes on Fridays, totaling 750 minutes per week, designed to constantly monitor reading growth through diagnostic assessments, tracking the granular levels of individual reading skills, and building a high-investment and closely monitored independent reading structure. Additionally, our focus on cross-curricular reading and writing extends the design elements of our literacy program to all areas of our curriculum, in both core classes and our character-driven advisory, with a strong focus on the development of writing skills. Our Saturday School on 16 Saturdays provides our middle school students an additional 180 minutes per session solely on math and literacy. In alignment with the mandates of the Common Core, and as educational researcher Douglas Reeves notes, “There are few activities that have a greater36 .37 Qualitative data based on conversations conducted in canvassing, specifically present in coversations in 38122 on February 4, 2013.38 Balfanz, Robert. Putting Middle Grades Students On The Graduation Path: A Policy And Practice Brief. Association For Middle Level Education. N.p., June 2009. 3. Web. 06 Aug. 2012.and more consistent positive impact on every other discipline than nonfiction writing. The overwhelming evidence is that more nonfiction writing - description, persuasion and analysis - helps students at every level of thinking, reasoning and analytical skills.”39 All students are taught, supported, and then expected to read, annotate, write, and defend in each core subject.Our high school builds a rigorous academic program designed with college excellence in mind; students in the first two years take World and American Literature courses designed at applying the foundational literacy skills of our middle school to deeply thematic and rigorous canonical texts, supported by non-fiction-oriented social studies courses in World and American History. Building on our Common Core aligned literacy toolkit for annotation and critical thinking, we build towards our students’ ability for cross-curricular construction of argumentation and evidence usage, supported by teacher-guided research projects in a variety of mediums which require students to use the breadth of their content knowledge and procedural skills to mirror the independent rigors of college. In the later high school years, as students transition to our Advanced Placement offerings or more specialized courses designed to prepare students with entry level post-secondary skills, teacher guidance begins to be replaced by a feedback cycle for independently created student work. This mirrors the collegiate structure our students will need for success. Students will leave high school with the literacy skills and aptitude for success in any post-secondary academic institution of professional environment.Mathematics Gap: At Memphis Rise Academy, we appreciate that the Common Core standards “stress not only procedural skill but also conceptual understanding, to make sure students are learning and absorbing the critical information they need to succeed at higher levels.”40 Memphis Rise Academy makes eliminating the math gap a foremost priority.We provide 120 minutes of mathematics instruction four days a week and 90 minutes on Fridays, totaling 570 minutes per week. Beginning our curriculum with grade-appropriate concepts of mathematical fluency ensures our students will build the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to excel in grade-level and above mathematics. Daily Focus tutoring Monday through Thursday provides 180 minutes (3 hours) of targeted intervention in ELA and Math per week41; Saturday School on 16 Saturdays provides middle school students an additional 180 minutes per session (2,880 minutes annually) on math and literacy;42 in high school, we provide ACT preparatory Saturdays with college tutors43 supplementing our own instructional team. Our cross- curricular emphasis on the implementation of math curriculum across content areas also supports math conceptual understanding and application in all classrooms, particularly in the analysis and usage of data – a strong focus of the Common Core.High school math curriculum builds upon our middle school foundations of conceptual and procedural knowledge by creating a highly application-based mathematics course of study, building math skills for academic and professional application. Our usage of data to inform math curricular maps continues throughout the high school. We challenge and support students to be fully fluent in core mathematical functions and algebraic principles, and we challenge ourselves to provide an engaging and rigorous high school math curriculum grounded in the complexity of real-world problem-solving. Students learn math best when procedure drives the rigor to application, and in our later high school courses such as AP Trigonometry and AP Statistics,39 Reeves, Douglas. "Doing the Right Work." The Leading and Learning Center Magazine May 2010.40 For more detail, please see For more detail on our Daily and Weekly Schedule, please see Attachment 4.42 For more detail on our Annual Calendar and Saturday School, please see Section I.4, specifically p. 66.43 A growing partnership with Dr. Russell Wigginton at Rhodes College has developed into conversations regarding Rhodes College studentsplaying an instructional/mentoring role throughout Memphis public schools; we look forward to further developing this partnership for our students, with the ACT tutoring area being a key area of support. For a letter of support from Dr. Wigginton, please see Attachment 14.students are exposed to depth of application they might find in collegiate engineering and economics, or any professional field in which math plays a primary role. This curricular focus ensures our ability to match our students’ academic and professional ambitions with the skills necessary to flourish.Confidence Gap: Memphis Rise Academy is clear regarding the role of confidence in students’ school and life trajectory: “As for the question of how helping kids develop grit and optimism might help them learn how to read Homer or learn geometry there’s pretty strong evidencein the psychological literature that if we can help young people improve their sense of self- efficacy – if we can help them develop what the psychologist Carol Dweck calls a growth mindset – they do better not just in the long run, but right away, in class.”44 Memphis Rise Academy makes bridging the confidence gap a foremost priority. The confidence gap limits a student’s potential by disallowing him or her from seeing their most ambitious goals as attainable, thus limiting their education progress. The confidence gap manifests itself in the rhetoric our students use to describe themselves and their abilities, the work ethic they apply to their educations, and the motivation to develop and exhibit self-efficacy. Memphis Rise Academy defeats the confidence gap by becoming the venue through which academic success is both possible for all students and inspiring for all students. We implement a goal-driven advisory program, in which students set, and make public, realistic and quantifiable goals for themselves and, in tandem with their advisor, keep track of their specific progress towards these goals in the short and longer terms. As students rise to meet the challenges they set for themselves, individually and collectively, through the acquisition of literacy and mathematical skills the ability to make their school community and community at large aware of their accomplishments of goals, they gain the confidence necessary to understand the power of personal and collective achievement, thus eliminating the confidence gap.MEASURING ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR PURPOSES AND PRIORITIES Performance standards, both external and internal, are the bar to which we quantifiably define our success. Our performance metrics are the measurable benchmarks by which we define our progress and performance in execution of our rigorous mission.In proposing a 2014-2015 opening, we are excited for the planned, full transition from the current Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) to Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, assessments for the 2014-2015 school year, as Tennessee begins to immerse itself in full Common Core implementation. As pilot begins next year, we will be paying close attention to district initiatives and data related to the transition to inform our performance standards going forward.In our performance standards below, we reference TCAP as our standing metric for gauging performance relative to state and district achievement levels; within this, we are anticipating a potential transition in language around testing by the beginning or over the course of the 10-year charter, and will adjust to the correlative language of the commonly administered state test which replaces or exists within the current TCAP assessment system.Our performance standards45 are driven by the mandate of our mission, and are quantified in absolute, growth, and comparative measures. As example, our achievement goal for literacy provides triangulated44 Tough, Paul. Author of How Children Succeed. In interview with Valier Strauss of The Washington Post. Oct. 23, 2012. For more detail, please see For more detail on our formal performance standards in all area, please see Performance Standards in Section I.5.metrics across criterion-referenced state assessments, norm-referenced national assessments, and comparative and longitudinal measures in both areas.GOAL 1: All students are proficient readers, speakers and writers of the English Language.Absolute Measure 1.01: At least 70% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years score in the Proficient or Advanced category in Reading/Language Arts on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). At least 80% of all students score Proficient or Advanced in Reading/Language Arts after their third year and at least 90% after their fourth year.Growth Measure 1.04: In a cohort analysis of longitudinal growth, the average annual increase of percentiles among students on the Reading Comprehension section of Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) average a minimum of five (5) percentiles of growth per year until the average percentile score reaches parative Measure 1.06: Overall performance in Reading, as measured by the TCAP, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar schools. 46We report on our performance metrics in the following ways:Annual ReportMemphis Rise Academy provides data on student performance and growth, as well as comparative and trend analyses; reporting includes all subgroups in an Annual Report. The Annual Report is distributed each year in August, after the close of our fiscal year, to the chartering authority, State Department of Education and others who request a copy. It provides: demographic data; school safety and climate for learning information; academic data (absolute, comparative, and growth measures); special population data (ELL, special needs, FRL); attendance data; class sizes; teacher and staff information; family survey data; post-secondary preparation information; fiscal and expenditure data; and Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) data.Family ReportingKeeping with our push for full transparency to students and their families, Memphis Rise Academy involves students and their parents in the analysis of work, noting progress, areas of strength, and plans to remediate any deficits and to assess progress to short- and long-term goals. Our weekly Rise Report47 system is a consistent means of small-scale reporting of gains towards students’ personal goals as well as the above stated goals for academic and behavioral performance. After each round of interim assessments, the school sends results of interims to families, and teachers share results with students. At these mini- conferences, teachers work with each student to set goals for the upcoming assessment and personalize an individual action plan, including small group instruction, tutoring, and/or Saturday School, as needed. State testing results also are sent to families. We host an annual parent meeting each summer to share the school’s progress toward school-wide goals and explain individual score reports from state-wide testing to students and their families. We hold formal family-teacher conferences at the end of trimesters one and two, and proactively build relationship and communication of outcomes through our advisory system.46 Similar schools will be identified by Memphis Rise Academy, and are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar percentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch.47 For more detail on Rise Reports, please see School Culture in Section I.5.Additionally, we measure our success through the consistent achievement of Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs), growth of our English Language Learners, college readiness, attendance, and family satisfaction. These goals, of equal importance to a school designed to serve the needs of its students completely, create a framework for how we will remain cognizant of our standing in relation to our mission. For more information on our Performance Standards, please see Performance Standards in section I.5.ENROLLMENT SUMMARY Memphis Rise Academy is a proposed 6-12 charter school for the City of Memphis, Tennessee. Our school will serve, at maximum capacity, 683 students, beginning with 108 students in grade six and employing a slow-growth model to build out to full middle-high school capacity by 2021.48We enroll a standard cohort size of 108 (four classes of 27 students each) to ensure fiscal health within a slow growth model. As outlined in Figure 1.12, we plan to enroll 108 sixth graders per year for the duration of the charter.We will enroll students in grades six through eight from our waiting list or, if no waiting list exists, through active recruitment as seats become available, maintaining a capacity of 108 at each grade level.We expect that many students will enter Memphis Rise Academy behind grade level and will be in need of significant remediation, which we provide at the middle school level. Our goal of college preparedness for all students centers on our ability to provide this foundational education in middle school to prepare them for the rigorous high school curriculum and methods which we detail throughout this proposal. Therefore, after honest reflection on our mission, we have decided to only matriculate students into our high school directly from the middle school. For financial conservancy, and as informed by the experience of similar schools with similar mission, we have based conservative budget projections for revenue stream to accommodate for 7% attrition annually after grade eight reflected in Figure 1.12.49Figure 1.12: Enrollment Plan with Projected AttritionGrade LevelNumber of StudentsYear 12014-2015Year 22015-2016Year 32016-2017Year 42017-2018Year 52018-2019At capacity 2020-2021610810810810810810871081081081081088108108108108910010010010939311861280TOTAL108216324424517683If there are more applicants than seats available, Memphis Rise Academy will conduct a public lottery50 to ensure that a random selection process is used to place students into the school. After all seats have been assigned, a waiting list will be established for the remaining students who have registered in the event that a seat should open up. Any additional students being enrolled will be placed at the end of the48 As you will note, we have updated our enrollment figures to ensure financial integrity within a slow growth model and to provide the widest degree of access for families within the community.49 Ibid.50 For more information on our lottery procedure, please see Appendix C.waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis. Subject to T.C.A. § 49-13-113, if the number of applicants exceeds the capacity of the school, then preference must be given to students in the following order:Pupils in attendance in previous school year at any public school that converts to a charter school;Pupils attending public schools within the school district in which charter school is located, if those pupils would otherwise be included in area in which public charter school will focus;Children residing within the school district but who are not enrolled in public schools;Children residing outside the school district whose needs are included in the area in which the charter school will focus.This waiting list will be the only official, legal document identifying names of grade-eligible students with applications to Memphis Rise Academy pending acceptance for the next school year, or when vacancies arise, based upon the order of random selection from the lottery following a recruitment period.Each student who enters our doors will be presented with the opportunity to attain an excellent education, to see their most ambitious goals as tangible realities, and to relentlessly focus on realizing these goals by working to do well in middle school, graduate from high school, and achieve a college degree at a competitive four-year university. Our school believes in and cultivates the ambition of all students. Beginning in sixth grade, we will enroll students still learning what their lives could become with a rigorous education and values-based character development. Our school will act as the lever for our students to raise their personal bar, day by day, year by year, until it is exactly where they desire it to be, where we know it can be, and we will begin do so by providing an outstanding foundational middle school education, preparing them for an exceptionally rigorous and well-rounded college preparatory curriculum in grades 9-12.SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPING THE CHARTER PROPOSAL Beginning in August, 2012, Lead Founder and proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke began the work of envisioning Memphis Rise Academy Charter School as a Fellow with Building Excellent Schools, a highly respected national non-profit that supports high capacity individuals to design, found, lead, and sustain high achieving charter schools in urban communities across the country.Active board recruitment began in September 2012. Regular communication continued on all components of the school’s development, and the design team - which we expect will become the founding governing board - began monthly meetings in November 2012. Members of the design team, or founding board, have met monthly since November, participated in active community outreach work, and have reviewed, informed, and supported completion of the charter proposal.DESIGN TEAM – ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND CONTRIBUTIONS Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Illinois and Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; he brings a depth of experience in urban education, school operations, and teacher development. He has been the lead writer of this petition, and has designed Memphis Rise Academy upon the best practices of high performing, college preparatory charter schools as studied and observed during the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship.Mr. Vuylsteke began his work in education as a secondary ELA teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. He expanded this role to include data coaching, teacher development, and leadership in school programming. In his work as a high school teacher, Mr. Vuylsteke used data-driven instructional analysis to surpass Adequate Yearly Progress targets in English II scores. In his first two years as a classroom teacher, Mr. Vuylsteke achieved results on English II State End-of-Course Exams which averaged 10% growth in the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced each year, including double digit growth in the number of students who tested as advanced in his first year in the classroom. Built on this success, he then coached a team of six teachers to similar capacity, culminating in all four content areas at his school surpassing AYP goals in 2011. Mr. Vuylsteke’s work as a data coach for other End-of-Course teachers in his building allowed him to bring these skills outside of his own school to over twenty district classrooms through his participation in Teach For America’s professional development team. Mr. Vuylsteke has also worked with Teach For America in an operational capacity, serving twice as an operational site administrator for the program’s summer training institutes. Additionally, during his time in the classroom, Mr. Vuylsteke created an advisory system for secondary students, replicated in three St. Louis Public High Schools in 2011 and 2012, focused on goal-setting, self-monitored progress, character development, and peer mentoring. This experience in finding ways to expand the impact of his academic results led Mr. Vuylsteke to the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship.The BES Fellowship is a highly selective and rigorous charter school leadership training program, designed to train passionate, high capacity education professionals to be leaders of startup charter organizations. BES Fellows study and observe a wide cross-section of the highest performing charter schools in the country; from August 2012 to April 2013, Mr. Vuylsteke has studied over fifty high performing charter schools in Tennessee, Louisiana, Washington D.C., New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, and Ohio. The BES Fellowship exposes aspiring school leaders to a wide variety of best practices to glean which best serve the local community need, transitioning their proposal from a developing vision to an operational and sustainable design. BES Fellows participate in ongoing training with BES staff on education leadership and school development. Additionally, BES Fellows are providedwith training from proven charter school support organizations in financial management,51 facility allocation and development, and board governance. BES has trained leaders of some of Tennessee’s most successful charter schools, including Roblin Webb of Freedom Preparatory Academy (“Freedom Prep”), Michael Whaley of Memphis College Preparatory (“Memphis College Prep”), and Ravi Gupta of Nashville Preparatory (“Nashville Prep”) Charter Schools. Mr. Vuylsteke completed a school leadership residency with Nashville Prep in Nashville, TN.52Memphis Rise Academy’s design is rooted in the no excuses model employed by high-performing BES middle-high schools such as Nashville Prep, Freedom Prep, and Liberty Collegiate Academy (“Liberty Collegiate”) Charter Schools. Additionally, Memphis Rise Academy development has been supported by the Tennessee Charter School Incubator (TCSI), which has provided critical technical assistance throughout the design process. Should the proposed school be authorized, both Building Excellent Schools and TCSI will continue to strategically support the work of start-up and implementation.The founding board brings a background in education, finance, law, project management, real estate, human resources and marketing. The team is collectively committed to the mission of Memphis Rise Academy and shares three core beliefs: (a) There is a serious and unaddressed need in Northeast Memphis for a college preparatory education option; (b) All students have ambition which drives their pursuit of success, and the cultivation of this ambition in an academic environment which prides itself upon academic excellence, high expectations for structure and character, and the ultimate goal of producing college-ready independent ability will develop each of our students into achievers of their most ambitious goals; and (c) The provision of excellent educational options is the absolute lever for the sustainable development of the Memphis workforce and, subsequently, its economic and civic development in the next generation.Upon charter approval, the board, constituted from members of the design team, is responsible for upholding and overseeing execution of the mission, purposes, and priorities of Memphis Rise Academy.All members commit to:Developing and providing oversight of policies and procedures for the schoolMaintaining unwavering focus on academic achievement and organization healthManaging resources effectivelyMonitoring educational program, ensuring alignment with mission and goalsSelecting, supporting and evaluating the Head of SchoolEnsuring effective long-term business and organizational planningSupporting the organization financiallyTaking initiative in connecting the organization with opportunities for fundingEnhancing the school’s image in the communityIn addition to Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke, Figure 1.14 identifies members of the design team, with affiliations and specific contributions. More detail on the founding team can be found in Governance, section II.1. Resumes for all members can be found in Attachment 3.Figure 1.14: Design Team Membership and Contributions51 As example, and as part of the BES Fellowship, Jack Vuylsteke received over 40 hours of financial training from Abacus Consulting Founder and CEO Michael Buerger.52 In its first operational year, Nashville Prep produced results which surpassed those of some of the Metro Nashville Public Schools’ highestperforming middle schools, as well as surpassed the results of affluent Williamson County in math on the 5th grade TCAP. For more information on Nashville Prep’s first year results, please visit their website: .Design Team MemberAffiliationSpecific Contribution(s)Stephen CrossTenant RepresentativeGrubb & Ellis MemphisReal Estate Acquisition, Financing, andDevelopmentMadeleine DavisSenior Financial AnalystMercer CapitalFinancial PlanningDana DorseyHuman Resources Manager Randstad USAHuman ResourcesJames Christopher HamiltonIn-House Counsel, Director of AccountingGeneral Truck Sales and Service, Inc.Non-profit legal experience Accounting/audit managementKori HamnerManaging Director of Teacher Leadership Development Teach For America-MemphisEducational LeadershipTeacher Recruitment and DevelopmentRegina HolmesSenior Regulatory Affairs SpecialistMedtronic Spine & BiologicsProject Management Community RelationsLayne McGuireSenior Financial Manager Dixon Hughes Goodman LLPFinancial Management GovernanceBrian WhaleyAssociate Commercial Broker CBRE MemphisReal Estate Acquisition, Financing, and DevelopmentCommunity RelationsACADEMIC FOCUS AND PLAN MISSION The mission of Memphis Rise Academy Charter School is to equip students in grades 6-12 with an excellent education, preparing all students to achieve in middle and high school, pursue ambitious goals, and succeed in college.53ACADEMIC FOCUS The college preparatory education and instruction we propose to provide for the students of Northeast Memphis consist of three elements, all outlined in the Memphis Rise Academy Charter School (“Memphis Rise Academy”) mission statement: (1) a strong middle school foundation with a seamless transition to high school, (2) the development of ambition, and (3) college preparation.Strong Middle School Foundation. With a curriculum designed to build a solid foundation in the essential skills of literacy and mathematics, horizontally prioritized across the middle school curriculum, Memphis Rise Academy students, regardless of incoming ability level, raise their proficiency in the core skills and knowledge necessary for success as they move forward into our college preparatory high school and beyond.Ambition. Memphis Rise Academy believes in the power of student ambition, manifested in our value-rich and goal-driven student advisory program, designed to create quantifiable benchmarks that drive us all towards closing the individual and collective confidence gap in our student population through the clear pursuit and attainment of academic goals.College Preparation. With the guiding question “What do our students need to be successful after high school graduation in order to excel at the college of their choice?” in mind, we backwards map a curriculum to the initial sixth grade year. Our curriculum builds foundational skills across the curriculum in the initial middle school years, quickly remediating academic gaps through extended time and targeted interventions, allowing for the gradual and strategic development of independent ability and critical thinking skills as students engage with a rigorous and comprehensive academic curriculum in our eighth grade and, subsequently, our high school.PROPOSED CLASS SIZE AND STRUCTURE Memphis Rise Academy plans to enroll 108 incoming sixth grade students each year, consisting of four cohorts of 27 students each. With six core teachers and one certified special educator54 to be staffed for each of our entry cohorts of 108 students, Memphis Rise Academy maintains an overall student-teacher ratio of approximately 15:1. We create heterogeneous ability groupings of both male and female students in each of our sixth grade cohorts, rather than create homogeneous ability-specific groups which can often create lower, unfairly differentiated student expectations from instructional staff and can fracture the concept of community culture throughout a school. We believe that heterogeneous groupings provide a unique opportunity for students to provide peer support and for teachers to created targeted student pairing and groups for “shoulder partner” work which further supports students working together towards full mastery during rounds of guided practice. Focus tutoring periods will have a fluctuant class size based on needs for the week, informed by data from the prior instructional cycle.53 As you will note, we have refined the language of our mission statement since submission of our Letter of Intent.54 We will adjust the number of teachers with special education licensure based upon the needs of students as they enroll into the school. All special education students will be further supported by fully licensed and credentialed service providers in areas such as but not exclusive tospeech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling. All costs are provided for within our projected budget and budget narrative in Attachments 9 and 10.A compelling study of many of the best practices of successful urban schools dramatically raising the academic bar for students living in poverty and who otherwise would be attending failing schools can be found in Roland Fryer’s Creating “No Excuses” (Traditional) Public Schools.55 Fryer examines the impact of five core components of highly successful “no excuses” charter schools — increased time, better human capital, more level differentiation, frequent use of data to inform instruction, and a culture of high expectations — in nine of the lowest performing schools (educating more than 7,000 students) in Houston, TX. Researchers performed an in-depth analysis of the implementation of these and other proven strategies for academic success in majority minority classrooms during the 2010-2011 school year. These classrooms had higher numbers of ethnic minorities, English Language Learners, and students qualifying for Free and Reduced Priced Lunch than district averages. Most strikingly, in math, researchers observed that the impact of creating a “no excuses” environment of consistently upheld high expectations for academic and behavior in public schools is large and statistically significant, dwarfing gains attributed to smaller class sizes, among other widely accepted standards for school performance such as financial incentive programs for teacher performance.Memphis Rise Academy class structures are designed to prepare students on a grade-level appropriate developmental gradient. In the sixth and seventh grades, students remain stationary within the classroom for all six core instructional periods, transitioning classrooms and student groupings only for the two supplementary daily classes, morning Focus and afternoon Book Club, as well as for Friday Physical Education and Community Meeting. Teachers transition between classrooms using supply carts for core instruction within these two grade levels. This approach creates strong cohort culture and develops a sense of small-group community which supports the collective goal-setting initiatives within our advisory program; it additionally removes the time lost in the instructional day for transitions, allowing for maximized educational impact of our extended school day. To prepare developmentally for the increasing and appropriate levels of independence in high school, students begin to transition between classrooms for all core and supplementary classes in eighth grade. Our advisory program reduces to three times per week in the eighth grade, and to twice per week in our high school.Our high school advisory program meets on Mondays and Fridays and focuses on guiding our students to self-efficacy in the creation and monitoring of our students’ goals. We also employ more appropriate social and behavioral lessons and discussions designed at strengthening school culture, community outreach and awareness, and building the necessary skills to plan for thoughtful selection of and success within college. High school advisory is designed mainly as a college preparatory counseling and advising model, aimed at our instructional staff playing an integral role in our students’ college choice and application process, as well as making the jump to college pragmatic and possible for all students. Our college preparatory advisory curriculum is informed by and based upon the successes of the Boston Collegiate Charter School’s Collegiate Skills curriculum.56MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE TARGETED STUDENT POPULATION Memphis Rise Academy Charter School is a proposed 6-12 charter school for the Northeast Memphis community, specifically the Grahamwood neighborhood. Beginning with 108 sixth grade students in55 Fryer, R. Creating "No Excuses" (Traditional) Public Schools: Preliminary Evidence from an Experiment in Houston. National Bureau of Economic Research. 2011.56 Boston Collegiate Charter School is a nationally recognized, high performing charter school serving first generation college-bound middle and high school students. For more detail, please see . Jack Vuylsteke has worked closely with Eileen Callahan, Directorof Academics at Building Excellent Schools and former Founding Teacher, Founding High School Director, and Chief Academic Officer at Boston Collegiate Charter School. Ms. Callahan developed the details of the college preparatory curriculum at Boston Collegiate, and will work closely with Mr. Vuylsteke in their adaptation for and implementation at Memphis Rise Academy.2014, Memphis Rise Academy will use a slow growth model by growing one grade of 108 students per year.57 We will reach our full grade span in the 2020-2021 school year.58Northeast Memphis houses a highly diverse population currently served by schools with failing ratings based on Tennessee Department of Education metrics. It is the charge of the founding team to provide a school for the Northeast Memphis community which serves a correlatively diverse population with college preparatory rigor, targeted supports, and high expectations for conduct and character. Our proposed location serves an area with schools in the Memphis I-Zone and Achievement School Districts, and targets Northeast Memphis’ ELL population - a district priority for charter school applicants.59All elements of our school design, described in fuller detail below, are informed by the needs of our community, the priorities of Memphis City and Shelby County Schools – particularly as informed by the work and findings of the Transition Steering Committee, and by an empirical and practice-proven research base calling forth the successful approaches from current studies on “what must change”60 and on schools demonstrating positive results from such change.Academic excellence, driving towards college success, is possible for all students.High expectations for value-driven character support high academic achievement.Mission-driven teachers create a culture of academic excellence and value-driven character.Frequent assessments and data reflection direct students to high levels of achievement.Extended school days61 allow maximum opportunity to build knowledge and skills.Advising students to short- and long-term goals supports academic success and closes the underlying confidence gap.Seamless transition from middle school to high school allows the school to build independent student ability and agency as students mature into college-ready young adults.Families and community create essential partnerships as together we commit to student success.RESEARCH BASE Memphis Rise Academy has the benefit of being informed by the training and network of Building Excellent Schools (“BES”), a highly respected national non-profit charter school incubator with a history of creating high performing and highly sustainable charter schools and networks across the country and of training high capacity individuals to lead those schools into academic and organizational success. Through the ongoing support of BES and the schools within its network, including Freedom Preparatory, Nashville Preparatory, and Liberty Collegiate Academy Charter Schools here in Tennessee62, Memphis Rise Academy leadership and staff have received and will continue to benefit from extensive training and exposure to the best practices of building a rigorous academic program, ready to meet the demands of the Common Core transition and national performance metrics. Memphis Rise Academy also creates a high- functioning operations structure to ensure an environment which maximizes our ability to provide our academic program. Memphis Rise Academy founding team members have performed approximately twelve community canvasses since late 2012, aimed at speaking with families of Northeast Memphis City Schools students and designing our school to respond to the needs and desires of the families we hope to serve. Their insights into our school design have provided invaluable affirmation in our decision-making,57 As you will note, since submission of our Letter of Intent, we updated our enrollment plan to ensure financial health within a slow growth model and to ensure greatest access for local families.58 For more detail on our Enrollment Plan, please see Appendix C..59 For more detail on Community Need, please see p. 10.60 For more detail, please see studies on education reform out of Johns Hopkins University at x.html.61 For more detail on our extended time, please see Daily schedule and annual calendar in Attachment 4.62 For more details on these schools, each of which has demonstrated strong academic outcomes as informed by similar practices, training, and supports, please see , , , and respectively.as parents continue to tell us that a structured environment that builds their children’s ambitions and school success is what they want for their community. Our mission and vision have been tailored to meet the diverse learning needs of the Northeast Memphis community, to close the confidence gaps within students which often preclude their ability to pursue their most ambitious goals, and to provide our students a seamless transition from middle school, to high school, to the college of their choice.SUPPORTING THE MISSION The primary belief which drives our mission is that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity or socio- economic status, deserve an excellent school. When provided with that school, all students can meet the highest expectations for academic rigor, value-informed character, and personal confidence in their independent ability.For our most at-risk students, such as those residing in a location like Northeast Memphis where an excellent school providing these core elements has not existed for their entire academic careers or for those of their parents and extended families, middle school is often the solidification of an irreversible decline into high school failure or a limitation of post-secondary options which can and must be prevented.We have designed our academic program to work relentlessly to provide the elements that are necessary for a comprehensively excellent and seamless middle and high school to young people in this community.INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS Alignment with Common Core and Tennessee State Performance IndicatorsWithin a conceptual framework, Memphis Rise Academy curriculum and lessons are focused on skill- building with significant class time for students to work and master the material. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (“Common Core”) is designed to create a seamless partnership between the acquisition of skills through conceptual understanding and the capacity to use these skills in a variety of academic mediums through procedural ability. Memphis Rise Academy develops students’ ability to engage with conceptual and procedural content at grade level across the curriculum.More particularly, the need for foundational literacy and mathematical skills drives the concept of Common Core. From Michael Horning, Jr., President of 3rd Learning63:Educators and consultants say the new standards will require a whole new level of collaboration among grade-level and interdisciplinary teams. It’s important to promote cross-curricular conversations among teachers and between them and those who write the curriculum, to see that curriculum does not occur in a vacuum . . . . The Common Core standards force these cross- curricular conversations among teachers. I’m not just teaching English, I’m not just teaching science, I’m not just teaching math.64In response to the Common Core transition initiative, supported by the understanding that foundational literacy and mathematics are essential to our mission of college readiness for all students, we have created a curriculum that is consistently cognizant at the annual, unit, and daily planning levels of cross-curricular infusion of literacy- and mathematics-based instructional components. Our extended time in literacy and mathematics instruction allows for students, from the outset of the school year, to ensure they are making63 3rd Learning, incubated by the University at Buffalo’s Center for Applied Technologies in Education at the University at Buffalo, leverages existing and emerging technologies to advance the overall access to quality education for all children. For more detail, please see .64 measurable progress necessary for this cross-curricular infusion and engagement. Our courses’ mastery bars will be aligned to the reflected Common Core standards beginning in sixth grade to ensure that this infusion is being reflected in our assessment and data analysis. Alignment to TN Common Core State Standards and PARCC Assessments ensures that our instructional team prepares students, on a developmentally appropriate gradient, for a full utilization of conceptual and procedural knowledge in the post-secondary setting.Middle SchoolMoving backwards from our mission, the first goal of our academic program is to know precisely our students’ entry levels in (1) foundational literacy skills and (2) foundational math skills, as well as to (3) maximize extended time where it matters most to propel student success in middle and high school andprovide a scope and sequence of study that propels students to high school graduation and college success.Foundational literacy skillsAt the middle-school level, students are taught the essential foundational reading skills to engage with grade-level and above grade-level texts in a meaningful way. This relies on students being given tools to engage with any text and the knowledge of how to use their tools to analyze a text to a grade-appropriate level of depth.First, we must be sure students can read with fluency and comprehension, remediating any phonemic gaps and efficiently developing core comprehension skills and vocabulary. To obtain an initial measurement on our incoming students’ fluency, as well as to obtain proof points on their comprehension in relation to that fluency, we administer the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessment System. All Memphis Rise Academy instructional team members attend training with experienced Fountas and Pinnell educators via in-house professional development or webinar in our summer professional development. Fountas and Pinnell testing is administered by the entire Memphis Rise Academy instructional team at the outset of the school year. The testing system provides an extremely close and in-depth analysis of the specific gaps in fluency and comprehension that exist within a student’s reading ability and provides valuable data for teachers to use when crafting their literacy curriculum and their plans for common remedial needs. We also administer the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) to all students upon entry into the school, which, through its self-administration by individual students on laptops, provides a faster, though less detailed, knowledge of reading levels based on vocabulary and comprehension. The SRI provides each student’s Lexile level; concurrently, our school library uses Lexile coding as it directly supports the usage of Accelerated Reader and is supported by the recommendations of Common Core.65 As our standard reading diagnostic, SRI is administered every six weeks during our daily Focus period (see Academic Focus and Plan for more detail on Focus) to all students, as it requires less time and human capital to administer and produces essential data for our school’s ongoing diagnostic process. We administer Fountas and Pinnell again at the close of the school year to each sixth grade student, and to the greatest degree possible using the same instructor as the outset of the year to control for calibration.66Using these metrics, Memphis Rise Academy’s instructional team members, students, and families will have transparent knowledge of their student’s reading ability—how it was found, how students will make growth, and how they can measure that growth over the course of the year.65 For students who enter after sixth grade, we will administer the start of year and end of year F & P assessment during their inaugural year at Memphis Rise Academy.Student mastery also relies on significant time in each class period to independently practice the skills and knowledge they are acquiring using rigorous texts which push their critical thinking. While reflected in the recent Common Core initiative, the concept of fusion between conceptual understanding and procedural ability in education is not a new one. “Critical thinking is at the heart of effective reading, writing, speaking and listening. It enables us to link together mastery of content with such diverse goals as self-esteem, self-discipline…and problem solving.”67 Good curriculum reflects critical thinking, problem solving, deep analysis, and the ability to perform in both objective and subjective measures. It allows for students to build the mental cognition to respond with a depth of quality in constructed response while also being able to make complex decisions in objective assessments using a hybrid of conceptual knowledge and procedural ability. In literacy, students need the conceptual knowledge of, for example, vocabulary and evidence location, along with the procedural ability of using vocabulary to create writing that develops syntactically strong arguments using detailed evidence. For example, we will push students towards the ability of analyzing fiction text for its context in the real world in order to analyze fiction from the lens of its author and time period, supported by non-fiction exposure and understanding in reading and social studies. Our literacy curriculum provides balance in procedural ability for analyzing fiction text using common textual analysis skills, as well as procedural ability for following developing arguments or evidence provided in dense non-fiction. These skills are not the same, and we teach them separately for students to be able to engage with any text at its deepest analytical level. Literacy skills that work together in this way build independent ability and help to close the confidence gap in our students’ pursuit of ambitious academic goals. Our students must be able to utilize literacy and mathematics in all subjects to bolster their independent engagement across the curriculum. Therefore, our reading, writing, social studies and science middle school courses push students’ reading strategies and provide them multiple opportunities to bring foundational reading skills onto grade level and then to engage with both fiction and non-fiction texts at an analytical level as required by the Common Core.Foundational math skillsOur middle school students need their procedural and conceptual math skills and fluency with mathematical essentials to first stabilize at grade level, and then to push those skills and that knowledge towards a position of readiness for rigorous high school courses in quantitative reasoning. Students will enter Memphis Rise Academy on a wide spectrum of mathematical abilities; through two daily math courses which prioritize both math skills and math problem-solving68, students are given ample opportunity to rise to the level of fundamental mathematical ability necessary to succeed in high school math and science. Additionally, we provide 180 minutes per week of tutoring, termed Focus, in which we provide time and targeted remedial and supportive instruction to prioritize high need mathematical objective mastery for all students as informed by data produced in our core math blocks. We also provide targeted interventions through 16 Saturday School sessions per school year focused entirely on Math and ELA instruction.Our students’ mathematical ability is first measured through a Common Core 5-6 Mathematical Standards-aligned assessment, testing for computational knowledge and accuracy on the four operations through grade-level place value, in both standard, computational format, as well as in translating between fractions, decimals, and percentages, analyzing word problems and constructing open-ended responses. Internal assessments of this nature will later be amended as needed by the formally hired Director of67 Chronicle of Higher Education, April 28, 1995, A-71. As cited in Hirsch, 136.68 In response to Common Core State Standards, Democracy Prep Endurance leader Margaret Marrer, trained as an Emerging Leader by Building Excellent Schools, has designed a mathematics curriculum which pushes for fluency, skills, application and real life problem solving in a dualblock setup. Lead founder Jack Vuylsteke has attended professional development led by Ms. Marrer and has also observed her math curriculum in action during an October 2012 school visit. Ms. Marrer has graciously extended the ability to fully access Endurance’s math curriculum, as well as to allow Mr. Vuylsteke access to her school in an extended residency during the 2013-2014 school year to deeply study and engage with the Democracy Prep Endurance mathematics curriculum. Memphis Rise Academy will employ this divided curriculum, adjusted for Tennessee state requirements. Please see Attachment 14 for a letter of support for Memphis Rise Academy from Ms. Marrer.Curriculum and Instruction in Y2. The results of this assessment, administered to every student prior to the beginning of formal math instruction, will guide our initial priorities for data analysis in mathematics. This analysis will drive the outset of our Focus tutoring and Saturday School programs as response metrics to any trend gaps in our students’ mathematical ability. Along with our extended time in core math classes throughout the day, Focus will provide ample time to increase our students’ practice with mathematical computation and necessary concepts, allowing us to increase our rigor on a responsive but accelerated gradient as the year continues.As with literacy, we believe that math can and should find a place within every core content classroom. Aligned with the Common Core initiative for cross-curricular planning, we will heavily integrate mathematics into our science and social studies curriculum through metrics such as data analysis, content- driven word problems, and formulaic operational objectives. Examples might include (1) predicting for a control variable’s effect in an experiment over time based on data in sixth grade science, (2) engaging with world market principles using basic algebra in seventh grade social studies, or (3) completing complex narrative word problems created by classmates in eighth grade writing. As math becomes increasingly necessary in any professional field, our students benefit from work in math application across the curriculum, preparing them for a breadth of post-secondary and professional options.Maximize extended time where it matters mostBecause we know college preparedness requires the utmost effort and commitment, our school schedule69 is based on an extended school day (7:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Thursday; 7:30 AM to 2:15 PM Friday) and year (187 total instructional days) for all students. During each school day, students receive all six instructional class periods—Reading, Writing, Math A, Math B, Social Studies, and Science—for a total of 1,620 core instructional minutes per week.70 Students receive 165 minutes of literacy per day (750 per week) in reading and writing skills, textual analysis, and vocabulary acquisition, 120 minutes of math per day (570 per week). Comparatively, our middle school model offers over 100 more minutes of these subjects than a student would receive in traditional Memphis City Schools, or close to 4,000 extra minutes per school year.71Informed fully by Tennessee Performance Indicators and the Common Core, students take both Math A and Math B every day for 60 minutes each Monday through Thursday, and 45 minutes each on Fridays. The classes do not differentiate between skill and application; rather, they provide extended time to ensure success in both skill acquisition and conceptual application. Our reading class will be 60 minutes of strategy-driven comprehension and analysis, teaching students the fundamentals of reading across the curriculum using an extensive toolkit of grade-level appropriate techniques, bolstered by a dedicated daily 60-minute writing class (each class is taken on Fridays for 45 minutes each). Middle school students are provided with social studies and science courses, for 60 minutes Monday through Thursday and 45 minutes on Friday, which continue to build upon student mastery of reading and math fundamentals as well as provide a content- and vocabulary-rich curriculum appropriate for each class at grade level. Bracketed by a morning advisory and a data-informed tutoring or Focus period, as well as a literacy- intensive afternoon Book Club, each school day provides students multiple opportunities to test and drive69 Memphis Rise Academy’s proposed Daily Schedule mirrors closely that of BES school Freedom Preparatory, a BES school and highly successful Memphis City School’s charter. In 2012, Freedom Prep, employing similar scheduling times and decision making, had over 70%, 43% above the district average, of its students as proficient or advanced in mathematics and 45% of its students as proficient or advanced in reading, 16% above the district average.70 At the time of submission, general schedules indicate that this is a conservative estimate for pre-merger numbers of instructional minutes provided. For more detail, please see our Daily Schedules in Attachment 4.71 Highly successful Tennessee charter schools such as BES schools Freedom Prep and Nashville Prep offer similar amounts of math and literacyinstruction per day, between 100-120, in the dual math block setup as well as the separation of reading and writing. Both schools serve students coming out of the natural elementary school breaks in their public schools systems, with all or nearly all students entering their schools multiple years behind grade level in both core subjects.each academic skill set to college-preparatory depth and utilizes their growing knowledge in a variety of ways, as well as ensures that they remain active members in our goal-oriented school culture. Within this daily and weekly schedule, we plan on wasting no instructional time within our extended school day and year. Our model is rooted firmly in high expectations for every student, expectations which translate to various facets of our mission of college preparation: character modeling, operational urgency and, most importantly, instructional rigor.Curriculum within this extended framework is designed to identify and remediate gaps swiftly and early in the middle school, and then to move strategically in the teaching and learning of content at or above grade level, pushed by pacing and supported by targeted interventions. This means that all classes have what is sometimes referred to as bell-to-bell teaching. In any given class of 60 minutes, for example, teachers will be coached to complete a reviewed entry activity, or Do Now, deliver introduction to new material and conduct a guided practice cycle within thirty minutes, leaving 20 to 25 minutes for students to engage in independent practice rounds of increasing rigor, as well as for the teacher to gather qualitative data throughout the classroom for individual student interventions or all-group re-teaching opportunities before administering a scaffolded exit ticket, or daily mastery quiz. This pace is supported for all students by our Focus program for depth-based re-teaching and practice-based tutoring, both informed by student assessment data. It also allows for Memphis Rise Academy instructional team members to ensure full coverage of planned standards and objectives throughout a unit cycle with enough time for targeted, in-class, data-informed review and/or extension beyond the designed rigor for that unit’s time frame.Scope and sequence of studyMiddle SchoolThe map for our middle school curriculum through eighth grade is outlined in basic form in Figure 1.15 through Figure 1.18 below. These figures are intended to show the types of skills and content with which all students will exit each foundational middle school course, preparing them for the rigors of our fully college preparatory high school curriculum. These curriculum maps are not intended to be consummate of all Tennessee Common Core Standards or Performance Indicators, but rather serve as a general overview of our curricular priorities in the middle school grades.Figure 1.15: Memphis Rise Academy Middle School Scope and SequenceSubjectGrade 6Grade 7Grade 8MathematicsDual focus on procedures (computation) and problem solving (application).Algebra and Geometry integrated.Pre-AlgebraAlgebra IReadingGuided reading, fluency, vocabulary comprehension strategies and genre characteristics, focus on phonics andphonemic awareness.Reading and textual analysis of literature and non-fiction text in a number of genres.Writing (Language Arts)Spelling, grammar, punctuation,paragraph writing,Spelling, grammar, punctuation,analytical, narrative, argumentative and persuasive essays, research papers, editing and revising. Evidence selectionediting/revising. Composing multiple- paragraph writing ofnarrative and expository texts.and usage.Social StudiesCulture,World Religion, Ancient History, Globalization of the Economy, Geography, Governance,World History to the Mongols, Renaissance, Reformation.Culture,World Religion, Domestic and Global Economic Systems, Spatial Organization of Earth’s Surface, Ecosystems, Global Governance Systems,Human Settlement and Cultural Identity.Cultures in Early Development of U.S , Fundamental Economics & Global Economy, U.S. Geographic Systems, Migration and Immigrationin Early America,U.S. History: Colonialism – Reconstruction.ScienceExperimental procedures. Atmospheric conditions.Testing/evaluation of prototypes and protocols. Interdependence.Solar system andrelationship to systems and cycles on Earth.Bioengineering. Biodiversity and change.Matter.Forces in Nature.Cells. Flow ofMatter and Energy. Heredity. Earth Processes. Newton’s Laws of Motion.Movement of Objects.Figure 1.16: Memphis Rise Academy Grade 6 Curriculum MapGrade 6MathematicsCompare/order positive/negative fractions/decimals/mixed numbers; solve problems involving fractions, ratios, proportions, percentages; utilize algebraic expressions/equations; apply order of operations; solve, graph, interpret simple linear equations; analyze/use tables, graphs, rules to solve problems; investigate geometric patterns; convert units of measurement, identify properties of angles and two and three-dimensional shapes; determine pi, area and circumference; analyze data sampling; theoretical and experimental probabilities; problem solve; think critically; compute perimeter, area, volume of common geometric objects.ReadingDetermine unfamiliar word meanings through use of Greek/Latin roots/affixes; determine meaning of figurative language; read aloud with pacing, intonation, expression; use textual evidence to identify author’s purpose; practice utilizing phonemic awareness and phonics skills as needed; utilize print/electronic dictionaries/thesauri; identify textual organizational structures; utilize literacy structures to engage with non- fiction; determine figurative language meanings; analyze how tone/meaning is conveyed in poetry;identify/analyze characteristics of nonfiction texts; identify characteristics of different forms of prose; identify/use structural features of popular media; analyze, compare-and-contrast texts.Writing (Language Arts)Identify/utilize parts of speech (adding interjection to previous list); use common phrases, clauses, simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences; use correct punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and subject- verb agreement; write expository compositions, research reports, speeches, responses to literature, and narratives employing specific details, voice, and effective word choice; develop vocabulary knowledge to bolster written and verbal expression; revise writing to improve level of detail; use various textual organizational structures; create outlines and logical notes; utilize books and the Internet to complete researchprojects; apply research steps for completing projects; create multimedia presentations; deliver formal presentations; write to explain fiction and its relationship to non-fiction.Social StudiesRecognize basic components of culture; recognize the world's major religions and their founders; recognize significant epics as historical sources (i.e., Iliad, the Odyssey). Identify major trade routes (i.e., silk roads, Persian trade routes, African trade routes; recognize the importance of economic systems in the development of early civilizations around rivers (i.e., Tigris and Euphrates); analyze how basic economic ideas influenced world events (i.e., supply and demand); identify the basic components of a world map (i.e., compass rose, map key, scale, latitude and longitude lines, continents, oceans). Compare and contrast civilizations and cultures by governance style, laws, religion, language, other cultural factors. Identify basic geographic forms (i.e., rivers, lakes, bays, oceans, mountains, plateaus, deserts, plains, coastal plains); identify the location of early civilizations on a map; recognize types of government; read a timeline and order events of the past betweenprehistory and the Renaissance; recognize the types of early communities (i.e., nomadic, fishing, farming). Recognize the forms of early world writing (i.e., cuneiform and Egyptian/Native-American Hieroglyphics).ScienceDesign simple experimental procedure with identified control and appropriate variables; interpret and translate data experimental error into table, graph, or diagram; classify organisms as producers, consumers, scavengers, or decomposers according to role in food chain or food web; interpret how materials and energy are transferred through ecosystem; identify biotic and abiotic elements of major biomes; identify environmental conditions and interdependencies among organisms found in major biomes; explain how relative distance of objects from earth affects how they appear; distinguish among day, lunar cycle, and year based on movements of earth, sun, planets and moon; identify analyze data to identify events associated with heat convection in atmosphere; recognize connection between sun’s energy and wind; distinguish among gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, and chemical potential energy. Interpret the relationship between potential and kineticenergy.Figure 1.17: Memphis Rise Academy Grade 7 Curriculum MapGrade 7Mathematics – Pre-AlgebraRead, write, compare rational numbers in scientific notation; convert fractions to decimals/percentages; differentiate between rational/irrational numbers; apply exponents, powers, roots/use exponents in working with fractions; understand pre-algebra concepts; use algebraic terminology, expressions, equations, inequalities, graphs; interpret/evaluate expressions involving integer powers/simple roots; engage with and develop probability through algebraic modeling; graph/interpret linear/nonlinear functions; apply Pythagorean theorem; use mathematical reasoning; problem solve; solve real-life mathematical problems using algebraic expressions and equations; beginning understanding of algebraic/geometric relationships including anglemeasurement, area, and formulas.ReadingUse knowledge of affixes/roots to determine meaning of content area words; use textual evidence to support facts/opinions; build upon previously developed skills analyzing various nonfiction texts; employ character and thematic analysis; identify, analyze, provide textual evidence of themes; identify genres of fiction; analyzecharacter/plot development; engage with non-fiction for evidence collection and in-depth analysis of content; interpret literary symbolism and its reasoning through non-fiction context.Writing (Language Arts)Write summaries, persuasive essays, autobiographical narratives, poems; apply research steps for completing projects; effectively utilize English language conventions; develop vocabulary knowledge to bolster written and verbal expression; support all statements/ claims with anecdotes, descriptions, facts, statistics, specific examples; use note taking, outlines, summaries to impose structure on drafts; revise writing to improveorganization/word choice; critique works in oral presentations; deliver well-organized formal presentations demonstrating standard American English.Social StudiesCompare and contrast the tenets of the five major world religions; recognize basic economic concepts; selectthe major resources, industrial, and agricultural products for the three grand divisions from a map of Tennessee; interpret economic issues as expressed with maps, tables, diagrams, and charts; locate on a map,specific lines of longitude and latitude; locate the Earth's major physical characteristics.; identify the location of Earth's major landforms and bodies of water; engage with non-fiction text regarding economics, world markets, and financial principles; recognize specific physical processes that operate on the Earth's surface;define the different types of governments; map large civilizations to discover the impact of water as a main reason behind society's founding.ScienceIdentify faulty interpretation of data that is due to bias or experimental error; predict population survival rates based on adaptation to particular environment; compare fossils found in sedimentary rock to determine relative age; recognize that all matter consists of atoms; identify common outcome of all chemical changes; classify common substances as elements or compounds based on symbols or formulas; compare particle arrangement and type of particle motion associated with different states of matter; apply equation to determine density of object based on mass and volume; distinguish among Earth’s magnetic field, magnet, and fields that surround magnet and electromagnet; distinguish between mass and weight using appropriate measuring instruments andunits; determine relationship among mass of objects, distance between these objects, and amount of gravitational attraction.Figure 1.18: Memphis Rise Academy Grade 8 Curriculum MapGrade 8Mathematics – Algebra IIdentify/use arithmetic properties of subsets of integers/rational, irrational, real numbers; solve equations/inequalities involving absolute values; solve multistep problems, including word problems, involving linear equations/linear inequalities in one variable; understand concepts of parallel/perpendicular lines and how slopes are related; add, subtract, multiply, divide monomials/polynomials; solve quadraticequation by factoring/completing square; apply algebraic techniques to solve rate problems, work problems, percent mixture problems; problem solve; think critically.ReadingKnow meanings of common foreign words used in English language; understand shades of meaning in words; identify speaker’s purpose/POV; compare/contrast fiction and non-fiction texts covering same topic; build upon previously developed skills analyzing various nonfiction texts; compare literature across genres for theme, character and symbolism; evaluate structural elements of plot; analyze how setting relates to problemand resolution.Writing (Language Arts)Identify significant literary devices that define writer’s style; write multi-paragraph essays with thesis statements, logical organization, detail, rhetorical devices, transitions, varying sentence structure; developvocabulary knowledge to bolster written and verbal expression; write short stories or narratives; support conclusions with analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions from authorities, comparisons, similarities.Social StudiesIdentify cultures that contributed to development of U.S.; recognize influence of science and technology on development of early American colonial cultures; recognize America's natural resources; recognize economic activities of early America.; interpret variety of economic graphs and charts with topics; analyze in economic terms why slavery flourished in South as opposed to North; identify and use key geographic elements on maps; interpret geographic map of early United States; recognize how topographical features such as mountain and river systems influenced settlement and expansion of U.S.; identify rights, responsibilities, and privileges of member of U.S.; identify purposes and structures of various systems of governance; recognize impact of major court decisions have had on American life; contrast characteristics of major native civilizations of Americas; recognize causes and consequences of conflict; examine demographic changes brought about by westward movement; recognize course of conflicts including major battles, alliances, strategy, leadership, resources, or technology using diagram for Revolutionary War; find evidence in a non-fiction sourcedocument for analysis/argument.ScienceDesign simple experimental procedure with identified control and appropriate variables; interpret and translatedata experimental error into table, graph, or diagram; identify tools and procedures needed to test design features of prototype; identify and describe function of major plant and animal cell organelles.; interpret chart to explain integrated relationships that exist among cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; explain basic functions of major organ system; compare chemical compounds that make up the reactants and of photosynthesis and respiration.; classify methods of reproduction as sexual or asexual; find evidence in a non-fiction source document for analysis/argument.High SchoolBuilt on the skill-driven foundations of the middle school model, high school curriculum and lessons push students to a collegiate level of cognition through value of depth over coverage.72 Driven by our mission, the ultimate goal of our middle school academic program is to prepare Memphis Rise Academy students with the fundamental skills needed to excel in a deeply demanding college preparatory high school curriculum, which will lead to our students being prepared for the rigors of college.73In the high school curriculum, students focus on full, sustainable mastery of content, supported by the strengthened foundational skills of middle school for use at the next level of their education in a wide breadth of specialized core subjects. Our high school curriculum is enriched by scaffolded, collegiately inspired independent assignments and extensions74 which focus on our students being able to use multiple facets of their academic knowledge outside of the classroom to create independent work with increasingly less structured support over the course of their high school career to model the rigors of a college curriculum. Building on our Common Core aligned literacy toolkit for annotation and critical thinking, we build our students’ ability for cross-curricular construction of argumentation and evidence usage, supported by teacher-guided research projects in a variety of mediums which require students to use the breadth of their content knowledge and procedural skills to prepare for the independent rigors of college. Additionally, we push for students to be able to present on the Common Core public speaking and media standards, with significant emphasis in the later high school years, in these cross-curricular research projects using skills in research, writing, speaking and presenting built foundationally in our middle school curriculum. These independent projects increase in rigor and decrease in teacher intervention as students move through the high school with the end goal of mirroring collegiate-level independent student ability by senior year.High school literacy and mathematics skills become more compartmentalized by subject, but continue to find their way across the curriculum in general application. For example, all high school courses involve reading and writing components to supplement the curriculum. High school geometry includes non- fiction reading on architecture or modern art, and subsequently requires students to analyze building blueprints or artistic renditions using mathematical principles. US Government has students writing data- intensive bills on various current event initiatives to practice both data application and persuasive writing. The foundational application skills built in the middle school support deep learning opportunities in the high school which rely on a variety of academic skill sets to engage with specialized and contextual content knowledge necessary for success in college.72 In trainings with Uncommon Schools Boston Managing Director Dana Lehman as provided through the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke has built the vision for middle and high school curriculum upon the foundational principles of the Curriculum Alignment Template process, backwards planned from a rigorous and aligned summative assessment into manageable teacher-created objectives. Uncommon Schools also relies on the ability to provide ample independent practice time during each lesson, a curricular staple of Memphis Rise Academy.73 In a conversation of North Star Academy High School principal Michael Mann in October, 2012, Mann stated that “if we hadn’t prepared ourstudents for high school during middle school, we would never have had the success we’ve had in using high school to prepare our students for college.” This serves as the justification for our attention to scaffolding of rigor and student ownership of that rigor moving forward into the high school years.74 Independent project curriculum is modeled off of the practices of Edward Brooke Charter Middle School for structure and Boston Collegiate Charter High School for rigor and scaffolding, both located in Boston, MA and both with state and nationally competitive academic results.Our high school graduation requirements as demonstrated in Figure 1.20 exceed, in many cases, those of the Tennessee Graduation Project, most notably being our requirement of four years of a foreign language. While we hope to be able to offer multiple languages at the high school level, currently we budget for one foreign language instructor hired to teach Latin, an extremely useful foreign language in a college-preparatory setting. Latin not only does it teach the elements of language and etymology that are essential to college aptitude testing, but it allows for a deep exposure to classical foundations in literature, music and art which translate to our high school global and American studies curricula. Our Latin curriculum will be designed to support collegiate vocabulary acquisition and word study, deep syntactical and written ability, and knowledge of classical history, literature and influence. We require four years of a foreign language to ensure that our students’ ability to be accepted at competitive four-year universities is not inhibited by a lack of required foreign language credits.We anticipate our high school’s elective offerings as denoted in Figure 1.20 to be taught mainly by our core instructional staff as it aligns to their certification. For example, due to the close alignment to our literature and social science curriculum, courses such as creative writing, journalism, and drama can be taught by our literature and social studies high school instructors. The curriculum of these electives, when taught by a directly related core curriculum teacher, becomes a content-enriched extension to the core curriculum; for example, creative writing taught by our high school English department serves as a venue for our English teachers to prioritize writing to a variety of audiences and in a variety of mediums, just as our separate Writing course in the middle school allows for the strengthening of our curriculum through extended, dedicated time. Personal finance can be taught by mathematics instructors to increase our students’ ability to apply algebraic principles to real-world problem solving. For more specialized courses, such as visual arts, music and PE/wellness, we plan to hire specialized elective teachers to positions built into the first three years of our high school staffing model. Our visual arts and music classes focus on being both a hybrid of technique and art history, where students are given the chance to contextualize their practice with various artistic and musical methods and procedures with their role in art and music history case studies. We will build more electives into our curricular offerings at the high school level as our high school grows to financially sustain these offerings, each designed to support our continued effort to build our students’ college readiness.Our graduation requirements, designed to exceed state requirements and build the skill, content, and transcript requirements to access competitive four-year universities, build within our high school graduates a college preparatory depth of content knowledge and critical thinking skill. Students take four years of English, four years of Mathematics, four years of science, four years of social studies, and four years of a non-traditional foreign language (Latin). Students also have access to three electives over the course of their high school career. The standard required map for our high school curriculum, with content aligned to Tennessee state graduation requirements, is outlined in Figures 1.19 and 1.20 below.Figure 1.19: Memphis Rise Academy High School Curriculum OverviewSubjectGrade 9Grade 10Grade 11Grade 12MathematicsAlgebra I (remedial needs only)Algebra IIPre-CalculusCalculusGeometryAP TrigonometryAP StatisticsMeets TN Diploma Project Graduation RequirementsMath: 4 Credits - Algebra I, II, Geometry and a fourth higher level math courseEnglishEnglish I World LiteratureEnglish II American LiteratureEnglish III British LiteratureEnglish IV African- American Literature andSenior Research ProjectAP English Language and CompositionAP Literature and Compositionand Senior ThesisMeets TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements English: 4 CreditsSocial StudiesWorld HistoryUS History and GovernmentWorld GeographyEconomicsAP US HistoryAP European HistoryExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements Social Studies: 4 Credits; 3 RequiredScienceBiologyChemistryPhysicsEnvironmental ScienceAP PhysicsAP BiologyExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements Science: 4 Credits; 3 Lab Courses; 3 RequiredForeign LanguageLatin ILatin IILatin IIILatin IVExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements 4 Credits; 2 RequiredElective OfferingsInitial offerings will include Personal Finance (semester), Introduction to Visual Arts (year- long), Introduction to Drama (year-long), Physical Education (semester), General Music (year-long), Music History, Journalism (year-long), Computer Literacy/Applications (giventechnology funding/budgeting), Creative Writing (year-long), Health (year-long) and grow appropriatelyFigure 1.20: Memphis Rise Academy High School Graduation Requirement MapSubject AreaUnits Required by TNUnits Required by Memphis Rise AcademyExamination RequirementsEnglish Language Arts44English I, English II, English IIISocial Studies44US HistoryMathematics44Algebra I, GeometryScience34Biology, Chemistry, PhysicsLanguages Other Than English24LatinSequence Courses or Electives34N/APhysical Education and Wellness1.51.5N/AFine Arts11N/ACapstone Experience11Senior Thesis or Research ProjectCURRICULAR RESOURCES Much of our middle school curriculum will be created in house to align to our teachers’ curriculum maps and support our gradual release lesson structure. We will, however, draw upon and employ curricular materials from the following sources, which will allow us to design a curriculum that is fully aligned with state and national standards and meets the academic needs of our student population in direct response to the mandates of our college preparatory mission. We do not plan to buy full textbook sets from the companies below, but rather supplementary resources, technology enrichment and assessment activities, teacher guides, and enrichment materials to inform and help design curriculum within our courses’ scope and sequence.Figure 1.21: External Curricular Resources and JustificationCourseExternal Curricular ResourcesJustification for PurchaseReadingFountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessment ProgramFountas and Pinnell provides close and in-depth analysis of the specific gaps in fluency and comprehension that exist within a student’s reading ability and provides valuable data for teachers to use to craft their literacy curriculum and plan for common remedial needs.ReadingScholastic Reading InventoryScholastic Reading Inventory is a quickly administered, computer-based diagnostic testing system which produces a reading level known as Lexile score, which we use to inform our students’ independent reading choices and Book Clubs. The SRI is a great tool to track ongoing reading growth, and its Lexile scoring system is recommended by theCommon Core for reading ability assessment through twelfth grade.ReadingAccelerated Reader Leveled Library and In-Class LiteratureAccelerated Reader (AR) is a well respected software program that tests comprehension and personalizes reading practice to each student’s current level and assesses students’ reading with four types of assessments: Reading Practice, Literacy Skills, Vocabulary Practice, and Textbook. Memphis Rise Academy will invest in building a Lexile-leveled school library of high interest fiction and non-fiction texts to bolster our students’ independent reading. We will also purchase novelsfor Reading and Book Club which push our students to grade level and above reading in rigorous literature.English Language LearnersPearson Education English Language Learning System: Words Their Way (beginner) and Keystone 6-12(intermediate)Our Pearson choices for ELL are based on research in several high- performing schools such as observed by the Head of School in the BES Fellowship; Words Their Way serves as an excellent beginning language proficiency curriculum focused on phonics, vocabulary and spelling for English Language Learners. Keystone 6-12 is designed for intermediatereaders to acquire oral and written fluency aligned to Common Core to support our students’ procedural abilities within the classroom.MathematicsPearson MathematicsPearson Mathematics’ creates rigorous Common Core aligned active learning activities, called “Math Lab” resources which are engaging, technology-driven supplements to our math curriculum and push our students’ application ability and critical thinking skills. Additionally, Pearson Mathematics creates Skill Builder guides which can be helpful supplements to our Focus curriculum, aligned to Common Core standards at each middle school grade. The proposed Head of Schoolengaged with and utilized Pearson Mathematics assessments during his residency at high-performing BES charter school Nashville Prep.WritingShurley WritingOur usage of Shurley Writing is also inspired by its successful implementation in outstanding BES charter schools, including Gold EPIC Award winning Columbus Collegiate Academy in Columbus, Ohio. Shurley Writing makes the process of writing clear and systematic to build procedural ability, and has demonstrated success with English Language Learner students in its ability to break down the writing process into clear formats such as question and answer or write with revision. Shurley Writing will be a significant driver for ourWriting curriculum and cross-curricular writing initiatives.ScienceMacmillan/ McGraw- Hill ScienceMacmillan/McGraw-Hill curricular materials provide interactive activities and activities which align with our proposed curriculum maps that go along with the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill unit structure which wewill utilize to an appropriate degree.Social StudiesMacmillan/McGraw Hill Social StudiesThe Social Studies curriculum also has a well-designed Common Core historical correlation to reading which we may use to design some of our cross-curricular literacy initiatives within our middle school socialstudies coursework.High School ResourcesOur high school courses will, in many cases, rely on textbook curricular resources, especially in social studies and science, to mirror the type of dense textual study necessary for college curriculum. As textbook curriculum is constantly in flux and we will purchase textbooks which contain the most current technology resources embedded and aligned with the recent movement towards the Common Core, we will assess high school textbook options when we near our high school opening.INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS Rigorous assessments and student work, aligned to cumulatively spiraled instruction at the grade level and vertically planned across the school, honestly and frequently evidence progress towards ambitious outcomes.75 A core value of Memphis Rise Academy, believed in and practiced by all students and staff,75 Paul Bambrick-Santoyo’s Driven By Data serves as the exemplar for the data-driven culture of assessment and reflection to which Memphis Rise Academy will closely adhere. The text details the data practices of highly successful public schools and synthesizes them into a manageable and executable action plan for schools to employ.is the commitment to honesty, aimed at ensuring we provide a learning environment conducive to student character growth and academic achievement as our mission-driven priorities.For this to be possible, both students and staff must know, at all times, our academic standing as a school community and as individual members within that community, and this is manifested at the classroom level in the frequent collection, sharing and usage of data.76 We employ a culture of formative assessment and data-informed direction in our classroom coaching. This includes daily and weekly formative assessments in each class (Exit Tickets and end-of-week standards-based quizzes), teacher- written summative assessments at the end of each trimester (comprehensive exams written during summer teacher training), and Achievement Network77 (A-Net) interim assessments, which align to the TCAP and are used as predictors of end-of-year goals by the strongest charter schools in TN, at the approximate mid- point of each trimester. It is from these interim assessments (internal comprehensive exams and A-Net assessments) that inform all classroom-based curriculum. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo calls the process of planning all (a) formative assessments, (b) lessons and (c) data interventions out of interim assessments the “ripple effect” as they strategically “influence every component of the teaching process.”78 All assessment data is transparent and accessible to students and families through weekly Rise Reports which outline key academic and behavior metrics.79 Specifically, Rise Reports contain (1) mastery data from each week’s core classes, (2) overall mastery percentages from each core course at this point in the trimester, (3) behavioral data from that week tracked in merits and demerits earned, along with reasons for each, (4) reports on Accelerated Reader progress for each student, and (5) individualized feedback written by advisers for each student and their families on their progress towards goals.Our classrooms employ a variety of instructional methods, the most standard in our middle school being the Gradual Release method of “I Do, We Do, You Do,” or slight variations of that structure. The strategy of teacher-led instruction, guided classroom practice, and individual practice for mastery has proven to be a highly effective instructional technique for ensuring all middle school students learn. Using this approach, lessons begin with the teacher demonstrating the lesson concept or skill - “I do.” After sufficient examples have been taught, the teacher provides opportunities for the class to learn and practice the concept together in formats which increasingly involve student participation and ownership - “We do.” This may be achieved through the formation of small classroom groups, for example, that work on a series of questions together and under the guidance of the teacher. Lastly, students practice the concept independently – “You do” - to further strengthen their understanding and develop individual mastery of the material being taught. In our 60-minute class structure, teachers are expected to execute with a pace that allows roughly 20 to 25 minutes for students to practice with the teacher, in peer groups, and independently, allowing the teacher ample opportunity to see the depth of students’ understanding or gaps in need of all-class review before the exit ticket.Families within our community canvasses have, in many cases, spoken about having teachers spend time practicing with students so homework is manageable and assessments are successful. Often, these families have expressed frustration with their students’ inability to develop a depth of understanding with teacher guidance and support. Our lesson model is designed to meet this need for our students and ensure that students have the ability to adequately engage independently with the material to identify and correct deficiencies with the support of a teacher, assisting students’ success and confidence when engaging with76 Data-driven planning and reflection takes the “ripple effect” approach as detailed in Bambrick-Santoyo’s Driven By Data. More information regarding the approach to this structure is detailed in Section II.3.77 The Achievement Network “is designed to provide schools effective data-driven strategies to identify and close gaps in student learning and embed those strategies into schools’ everyday routines.” The Achievement Network provides interim assessments aligned to state-specificCommon Core standards, data reports on a 48 hour turnaround on these interim assessments, and data-specific in-house professional development to schools within the network. In TN, schools such as Freedom Prep, Grizzlies Prep, KIPP Memphis, and Nashville Prep use The Achievement Network.78 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2010. p. 10-11.79 For more detail on weekly Rise Reports, please see Section I.5.homework or during an assessment. Therefore, we believe our frontloaded I Do, We Do, You Do model is an effective baseline strategy for our instructional team to build the foundational knowledge through sound teaching and ample student practice which also meets the desired quality bar of our families.This model and these devices can be altered for rigor by amplifying the pace, decreasing the instructor’s frontloading, or direct modeling and instruction, or pushing for application of multiple lesson objectives in student practice. We also extensively use variations of the “Think-Pair-Share” technique, such as “Think-Write-Pair-Share” or “Think-Pair-Ask-Share” to develop productive language, team building, and skill mastery in small and frequent classroom-based opportunities. When possible and productive, we employ group-based or project-based learning methods which built off our students’ baseline understanding and expand upon the standard frontloaded instructional model.We recognize that no one method of instruction can provide our students the depth of knowledge and ability necessary to fulfill our mission of college preparation. Therefore, we employ a variety of methods to build the skills necessary for students to become successful in the classroom, regardless of the setting or expectations. We use methods such as Socratic Seminar, unit-length project-based learning80 and lecture-discussion formats to mirror collegiate course expectations, heavily framed in the lower grades for frequent, in-depth usage in the upper middle and high school grades. These metrics become more prevalent at the high school level, and are framed and practiced in great detail in the middle school with appropriately leveled curricular materials to acculturate students to the usage of knowledge beyond standard lesson practice and daily assessment.We have deeply considered each element of our instructional program, none deeper than our culture of data and assessment. A consistent thread within great schools is their collective belief in a growth mindset. The best schools are never satisfied, but rather are always self-analyzing and identifying their most approachable areas of improvement. The identification of these areas for growth is only possible through the meticulous attention to detail possible through the collection of data, perhaps best collected in student assessment. We dedicate significant time to testing, with a week of diagnostic testing at the outset of the school year, ongoing exit tickets throughout our daily class periods, weekly quizzes in our Focus period, three Achievement Network testing days, three trimester comprehensive exams for each core class, and ongoing Scholastic Reading Inventory testing and Accelerated Reader quizzing. We understand that this is well above the average amount of testing in a standard public school format. However, each assessment serves as a vital data point to tracking the growth of our students and informing the development of our instructional team over the course of the school year.Assessment is an absolute motivator for a school which prides itself on the ability to make ambition a reality. At the highest levels of education, students are, in many ways, defined objectively by their ability to produce assessment results in heavily weighted collegiate and graduate entrance exams and content exams. Subjectively, our students their ambitions, their character, their abilities, and their identities are more important to us than their assessment results; however, we want our students to understand the reality of assessment and we will motivate and equip them to rise to the challenges of quantifiable and objective success while we cultivate them into great future college students and professionals who are also great test-takers. Memphis Rise Academy has an unwavering goal of building an environment which refuses to fail its students, and we ensure this through our purposeful culture of frequent assessment.From the outset of the school year, students are exposed to various in-house created and external diagnostics, such as the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessments for literacy and Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI). Students, families, and instructional team members begin each middle school year by knowing each student’s exact entry ability in all four core proficiencies as it aligns to the80 Project-based learning for the middle and high school classroom is based off of the research of Edutopia. For more information on Edutopia’s PBL initiatives, please visit of our curriculum; students use these levels to set quantifiable benchmarked goals for themselves under the supervision of an adviser. Benchmarks align to internal and external assessments, and to reading growth and mastery growth across the curriculum.In support of our mission and aligned with the prioritized needs of our students, curriculum is designed using Uncommon Schools’ Curriculum Alignment Template format to effectively backwards plan from interim assessments, invoking the “ripple effect.”Curriculum planning81 begins with the creation of comprehensive year-end exams, aligned to the Common Core State Standards for the appropriate grade level, in each subject, that assess the degree to which students have mastered a series of objectives tied to grade-level standards.We also use externally validated, standards-based assessments provided by the Achievement Network (A-Net)82 and given approximately four times per year. A-Net testing helps to inform our instructional team members’ curriculum maps at the outset of the school year and throughout each trimester, to align with benchmarked goals for A-Net testing, which is reflective of Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) testing.83 Additionally, A-Net data serves as a correlative proof point to gauge our internal assessments’ rigor and alignment. A-Net data will contribute to keeping our school directly calibrated to the honest strengths and weaknesses of our instructional program.Memphis Rise Academy writes its own trimester assessments, aligned to the Curriculum Alignment Template standards and objectives schedule set forth at the outset of the school year and tweaked for pacing and remedial needs throughout the year. In-house trimester assessments results are compared to those from the Achievement Network, first to ensure our alignment to Tennessee testing, and most importantly to best pursue our external accountability goals.We also employ the daily exit ticket format to collect quick data from each lesson, analyze daily trends, and help us prepare students for success on weekly quizzes and trimester assessments, thus holding ourselves to our core value of responsibility in giving our students the best opportunity to meet their personal goals.This frequent data collection and analysis leads to the best utilization of our built-in 45 minutes of daily (180 minutes weekly) tutoring time, termed Focus.84 Results from A-Net, interim, and daily exit tickets inform curriculum revision to re-teach content with which students are struggling, and are then addressed in our daily targeted tutoring period. Focus employs a weekly quiz which reassesses student growth on targeted spiraled assessment from our data analysis priorities.In high school, we continue to begin the year with the Curriculum Alignment Template process, but standards become more content-heavy than skill-driven. The SAT/SAT II subject tests, four content- specific ACT test sections and, in the cases of our most rigorous courses, AP exams provide our primary81 These curriculum planning methods, inspired by the development of Uncommon Schools, have been employed by highly successful BES schools Freedom Prep, Nashville Prep and Liberty Collegiate. All three also use The Achievement Network and have produced TCAP results that surpass their district averages.82 Achievement Network. . See previous footnote on A-Net and its usage in highly successful schools in TN.83 In proposing a 2014-2015 opening, we are excited for the planned, full transition from the current Tennessee Comprehensive AssessmentProgram (TCAP) to Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, assessments for the 2014-2015 school year, as Tennessee begins to immerse itself in full Common Core implementation. As pilot begins next year, we will be paying close attention to district initiatives and data related to the transition to inform our performance standards going forward.84 The Focus period which Memphis Rise Academy utilizes in its Monday through Thursday schedule is based upon the remediation lesson structure of BES school Nashville Prep. Data reflection “Strategy Rooms” are structured after the best practices of Susie Cannon, Principal atBES school Achievement Prep, and her instructional team in Washington D.C. In 2012, Nashville Prep posted results of 72% proficient or advanced in math, 58% above Davidson County averages, and 58.8% proficient or advanced in reading, 18% above Davidson County averages, and was recognized as the highest performing charter school in the state of Tennessee. Similarly, Achievement Prep students are two times more likely to be proficient in math than students at other DC public schools and are outperforming other DC public school in reading by 16%. More information on Achievement Prep can be found at their website: .guideposts for what students need to know to excel in college, as well as content standards for each of our high school courses as normed by Tennessee and Common Core’s development.EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT Teachers are the most critical lever for ensuring student growth and development, in values-based character and in academics. A study performed by the University of Tennessee finds that teachers who rank in the top 25% of effectiveness are able to make gains with students that are nearly four times those in the bottom 25%.85 This study affirms Memphis Rise Academy’s belief that without strong teachers in the classroom, nothing else matters.Because there is no time to waste in developing our students to be college-ready, we perform a wide- ranging search for teachers with a track record of success in urban communities serving a similar population and begin to develop our team immediately to successfully teach, support, and push students to rigorous academic expectations.86 Teachers have a penchant for producing clear mastery for all students, evident in track records on state assessments and a meticulous attention to classroom data, and have demonstrated experience adapting their pedagogy to account for the transition to the Common Core standards.87Based on the success of Lead Founder and proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke in developing strong data analysis and data-informed teaching and student support strategies for a team of teachers, we are also eager to grow young teachers quickly to high rates of success. In his previous work as a high school teacher and team leader, Mr. Vuylsteke used data-driven instructional analysis to surpass Adequate Yearly Progress targets in English II scores. In his first two years as a classroom teacher, Mr. Vuylsteke achieved results on English II State End-of-Course Exams which averaged 10% growth in the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced each year, including double digit growth in the number of students testing as advanced in his first year in the classroom.88 Built on this success, he then coached a team of six teachers to similar capacity, culminating in all four content areas surpassing AYP goals in 2011. Mr. Vuylsteke then widened his scope to coach a team of approximately twenty of Teach For America- St. Louis’ district and charter school teachers in secondary ELA curricular methods and data analysis, as well as planned and administered professional development for St. Louis Public Schools in Advanced Placement rigor and planning.We plan on hiring and developing a portion of our teachers from Teach For America-Memphis89, and, as possible per the organization’s placement requirements, Memphis Teaching Fellows and the Memphis Teacher Residency program. Though many of these individuals will be new to teaching and not bring the desired track record, we are committed to beginning their development upon onboarding and to quickly developing their capacity, beginning before teachers even enter Memphis Rise Academy for summer professional development. We recruit teachers who are comfortable challenging students at a level of rigor that pushes students to the brink of their abilities. The design for our curriculum goes beyond a85 Saunders, William L. and June C. Rivers. Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Student Academic Achievement. Research Progress Report. University of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment Center. November 1996.86 This hiring process and immediate push for cultural and professional development is informed by BES Fellow Ravi Gupta, Founder and SchoolLeader of Nashville Prep in Nashville, TN. Please see Letter of Support from Ravi Gupta in Attachment 14. At an October 2012 professional development conference as part of the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, as well as during the lead founder’s leadership residency within Nashville Prep during the BES Fellowship, Gupta detailed his hiring and onboarding process, which is also articulated in his application to Metro Nashville Public Schools. Memphis Rise Lead Founder and proposed School Leader Jack Vuylsteke will utilize Gupta’s hiring model, as it resulted in Nashville Prep producing the highest fifth grade TCAP scores for any charter school in Tennessee in 2011-2012.87 With the recent infusion of the Common Core in 2013, and our hiring cycle beginning in 2014, we will have early data on teaching candidates regarding how they adapted their instructional practices accordingly; we expect such data to become even more fruitful in 2015. HYPERLINK "" \h 88 munication%20Arts89 For a Letter of Support from Teach For America-Memphis, please see Attachment 14.standards-driven education to challenge students to become standards masters, content masters and masters of application. Our teachers’ focus on building replicable foundational skill sets and processes for our students in the middle school years supports students’ abilities to excel in a variety of disciplines at the high school level.Once selected, our teacher development officially and collectively begins with a three-week summer training90 before the arrival of students, focused on implementation of school culture and values as well as maintaining attention to cultural detail, planning daily lesson plans to effective pacing to building rigorous assessments, all supported through our coaching model and feedback structure. Our daily schedule and professional development schedule allow ample time for our instructional team to establish the touch points for cross-curricular alignment and to coach each other in role play and lesson modeling formats, including peer lesson plan review and our Best Lesson professional development structure.91 Our middle school teachers are highly team-oriented, beginning in our summer professional development which are heavily structured for team orientation and enculturation to our school’s value system. Memphis Rise Academy supports a staff culture which necessitates cross-curricular academic extensions through our horizontally aligned core and core support courses. This team orientation sets the stage for a highly cross-curricular high school setting which allow students access to multi-disciplinary academic extensions which leverage the breadth of their foundational skills.Our summer professional development builds staff culture, trains to the creation of our desired school culture, teaches and supports the curriculum alignment process, and provides practice execution techniques as found in Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion.92 During the school year, we plan for ten days of professional development; a common theme of our ongoing professional development and team collaboration focuses on teachers’ ability to best utilize formative and summative assessment data - how to understand and target areas of student weakness and correctly scaffold and spiral instruction based on data. Instructional teams hold a weekly data analysis and planning meeting on Fridays termed “Strategy Rooms,” within which we visually evidence the realistic and assessment-informed achievement levels of our students and the knowledge and skill mastery for which we are fighting throughout our daily and strategic work with students. Our goal in these sessions is to strategically design effective spiraling plans for not-yet-mastered objectives. Through Strategy Rooms, each instructional staff member deeply understands the academic progress of our students - their strengths, weaknesses, trends, and plans for growth individually and collectively. Within these meetings, instructional team members are trained in targeted data reflection and practice this concept to build data-usage capacity.DATA ANALYSIS AND THE MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMY STRATEGY ROOM Collaborative coaching and development sessions built around data train, support, and push administrators and teachers to find trends within student performance across the curriculum and to target specific and repeated areas of weakness to inform teacher coaching, curriculum development, and student support. A culture of assessment takes guessing out of the equation and pushes administrators, teachers, and students to the clearest understanding of their route to success. “Though often neglected or overlooked, the fundamental principles of assessment…invariably define the rigor of a school and, in doing so, determine what students will achieve.”93 There should be no surprises when it comes to our school’s performance on the TCAP or nationally normed assessments; we should know where our90 For more information on our summer professional development, please see Section II.3.91 For an in-depth explanation of our professional development, including Best Lesson, please see Section II.3.92 Summer professional development will be the beginning of formal staff development, but certain practices, such as the reading and discussionof Lemov’s Teach Like A Champion and advisory development, will start upon hiring of instructional staff. Summer development will take the form of the best practices of BES school Nashville Prep, as provided by BES Fellow, school Founder and Executive Director Ravi Gupta, as a time to practice both execution techniques in Lemov’s “Practice Perfect” format, as well as to work deeply with the curriculum creation process in Dana Lehman’s Uncommon Schools format.93 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2010. p. 27.students are standard by standard, day by day, and where our students need direct support to perform at their optimal level.We hold in high esteem the value of developing a staff which can work at high collaborative capacity to impact and accelerate student achievement. In the interest of our collective commitment to student success, our abbreviated Friday schedule dismisses students early to provide time for weekly staff professional development. This professional development often includes staff-created presentations upon best practices or analysis of artifacts from various high-performing charter schools, and always include a Friday data analysis and planning session, colloquially termed, and as informed by the vision of South Bronx Classical Charter School94, the “Strategy Room,” or data presentation and analysis room.This metaphor of the “Strategy Room” appropriately terms the attitude with which Memphis Rise Academy instructional leaders approach data analysis; as a group, we value deep strategy around the challenges of the achievement gap as well as the challenge of providing the most powerful education possible for our students and their academic challenges. Our ability to prioritize for the most immediate needs of our students happens together as a unit each Friday in the Strategy Room. Each individual Strategy Room session has three large-scale goals95: (1) to honestly assess the success of the Strategy Room plan of action from the previous week, as reflected in Focus data and spiraled in-classroom review data collected that week; (2) to determine lingering needs or areas of weakness from the previous plan of action and strategize for the necessary ongoing individual student targeting for the upcoming week to address those needs and weaknesses; and (3) to analyze new formative, summative or interim data and create a new plan of action for the upcoming week’s Focus periods and in-classroom remediation to best address the newly manifested needs of our student population at the individual, class, and all school levels. With a collective focus on data and multiple access points for our staff to honestly determine our students’ progress at all times, Memphis Rise Academy is set up for a “no surprises” end of each school year, which directly supports our core values and our mission of providing an excellent education that empowers our students to build the confidence and abilities to pursue their most ambitious goals.On Thursday afternoons, the Memphis Rise Academy team, leveraging the data input and rollout efficiency of our Operations Team, rolls up its data from the completed instructional period. An instructional period is determined by the needs of our Rise Report system and is set from the previous Friday to the current Thursday. Each Friday, we provide families with weekly report cards printed from our Kickboard database called Rise Reports, with mastery, behavioral and grade data, as well as teacher- reported progress towards individual goals; an instructional period consists of all data produced during the time between Rise Reports, which is the Friday of distribution to the subsequent Thursday before the next distribution. This data is inputted into student Rise Reports to be distributed the following day.96 After a standard instructional period, teachers will have new exit ticket data which reflects a variety of new objectives, as well as new data on previously introduced objectives spiraled into the instructional period’s exit tickets and Focus Quizzes. Data is tracked by teachers underneath larger Common Core standards. In a summative assessment week, teachers will be responsible for bringing their assessment data, tracked97 by Common Core standard, to the Strategy Room for analysis as well as for reflecting this data in the Rise Report.94 BES school South Bronx Classical Charter School (SBCCS) in The Bronx, NY was originally founded by 2004 BES Fellow Lester Long, who remains Executive Director. The SBCCS “War Room” is detailed in Bambrick-Santoyo’s Driven by Data (pgs. 30-34) and its “multilayered, real-time assessment structure” drives much of the framing for Memphis Rise Academy’s Strategy Room data collection and analysis. During a visit to SBCCS in October 2012, Memphis Rise Academy lead founder Jack Vuylsteke was able to observe the SBCSS War Room and engage with Long on the practices which drive it. SBCCS is a high performing elementary-middle school serving a high poverty community; more information on South Bronx Classical can be found at their website Strategy Room goals based on ”Results Meeting Protocol” developed by North Star Academy and detailed in Driven By Data (p. 91-93).96 We utilize operational fellows for data input across the school, and base this practice on that of BES school Nashville Prep.97 Teacher data trackers will be common across content areas and follow a standard-objective-remediation plan structure modeled off of the practices of BES school Achievement Preparatory Academy in Washington D.C.Teachers are first given opportunity to display their weekly data, individualized by student, to the entire instructional team and present the trends which they see and identify reasons for these trends from their instructional observations. Data will then be analyzed by the rest of the instructional team, to identify any gaps or trends the individual teacher may be missing. We begin by looking for trends in low mastery from recently taught standards, and trace them back to the skills which support their mastery from previous weeks or units; we continue by looking for outliers in our mastery data which present a high differentiall from the standard deviation for that objective, and identify if there are any underlying factors in our curricular materials or delivery which can be identified as the cause of those outliers. If the skills we identify as either weakly mastered or statistical outliers correlate in any way with skills in another content area, we determine that data to be useful in understanding student’s overall ability levels. Using the Common Core standards, Memphis Rise Academy curriculum will have many objectives, especially those rooted in literacy and mathematics, which can fall under several standards across the curriculum. Because of this, teachers should be able to provide cross-curricular perspective regarding student performance. Each teacher will present his or her data, and trends and gaps from each data presentation will be tracked publicly in a clearly consolidated format.With the Strategy Room objectives in mind, we will then begin the process of self-assessment of previously prioritized data-informed goals. Revisiting the goals from the previous week, this week’s data strengths and gaps are used to determine the instructional successes and lingering needs which may remain. This information assists in our planning for upcoming remedial efforts to help close both previously prioritized goals for instructional remediation as well as those which are newly identified through the most recent assessment data. Goals for the upcoming instructional period are addressed through two primary intervention techniques: Focus tutoring and in-class remediation. Gaps which present a more pressing need, mainly those which serve as foundational for multiple areas of the curriculum and remain un-mastered by large portions of students, are prioritized in Focus. Gaps which are either more recent and/or affect a smaller portion of students are prioritized through an in-class remediation cycle, particularly during the independent practice portion of the lesson when the teacher can provide mini-re-teaching lessons and individualized supports. For more information about these two responses to data analysis, please see the Focus and In-Class Remediation section below.Once academic gaps are identified as either Focus priorities or in-class priorities, the instructional team designs Focus priorities for the upcoming instructional period in a series of high-priority objectives. Students are then assigned by the instructional team to Focus groups for the following instructional period based on which group will be addressing each student’s highest area of need, with multiple teachers designing their Focus plans to address the most pressing data trends. For example, if a student trend shows low mastery of a recently taught analysis of evidence objective in reading/writing, then it will be prioritized in the following week’s Focus periods taught by the reading teacher, writing teacher, and social studies teacher.The long-term goals of the Strategy Room as a school-wide approach are to (1) build the capacity within each instructional staff member to see their students’ needs qualitatively as they develop, based on quantitative trends, and (2) to improve their ability to respond successfully and urgently to students’ instructional needs. In this cycle of instruction, assessment, data analysis and intervention, we remain constantly cognizant of how to best maximize our students’ time and close the literacy, mathematics and confidence gaps for each student. Our goal in the academic plan is to provide highly rigorous instruction, and relentlessly tailor support to ensure all students remain in pursuit of their ambitious goals and our collective mission. The focus on building the capacity of our instructional team ensures the efficacy of our Strategy Room data analysis professional development over the course of our school’s growth. We must ensure that our detail-oriented mindset and attention to individual student growth is not mitigated by the growth of our student body, and therefore, beginning in Year 2, will hold Strategy Room sessions bygrade level, employing the capacity of a proven Grade Level Chair for each grade level as leader of data analysis under the tutelage of the Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction.FOCUS AND IN-CLASS REMEDIATION The Focus tutorial program is informed by the best practices of Excel Academy Charter School, a highly successful Building Excellent Schools (BES) charter school in Boston, MA98 and 2009 Charter School of the Year as identified by the Center for Education Reform; the Excel Focus program is replicated successfully by two highly successful BES schools in Tennessee - Nashville Preparatory and Liberty Collegiate.Focus is a data-informed period of remedial tutoring (or, in some cases, content enrichment), offered Monday through Thursday mornings for 45 minutes each day, for a total of 180 minutes per week. Focus is designed for the re-teaching of lessons with ample time for differentiated student practice and individual or small group teacher support. Focus groups are altered at the beginning of each instructional period; students attend Focus with the same content teacher for four instructional days.Unlike standard content class periods, Focus has only one weekly assessment - the Focus Quiz - which incorporates all data-prioritized objectives from that instructional period. The priorities of Focus, in line with our academic foundation, are to further support primarily literacy and mathematics. Focus plans are designed to create review lessons and small group interventions that push for depth of content exposure using primarily math and literacy skills. Because Focus is taught by all six content teachers, it becomes a lever for teachers to think critically about how their content can be interwoven with the high priorities of literacy and mathematics.Science and social studies content mastery priorities are secondary in Focus to the provision of extended literacy and mathematics practice. However, our instructional team places low mastery students in science and social studies in a Focus group with the appropriate content teacher for more exposure to remediation opportunities, differentiated for rigor for different student groups. These content priorities are primarily intervened upon during the in-class remediation cycle within our science and social studies classrooms. End-of-week Focus Quizzes contain spiraled objectives that are specific to the teacher’s content and incorporate concepts of literacy and math and inform Friday data analysis.Focus also allows us time to work specifically with our ELL students outside of the Structured English Immersion environment to bolster language acquisition skills. If needed, we will have one Focus where our ELL students can receive direct instruction from our Student Supports Coordinator using our English Language Learner curricula, Pearson’s Words Their Way and Common Core aligned materials from Keystone 6-12 curricular materials, which are designed for both beginning and intermediate readers to acquire oral and written fluency. This provides ELL students a minimum block of 180 minutes per week to build foundational reading and speaking skills which support their success in the immersion classroom.Especially for our entry grade, we expect Focus periods to be significantly concentrated on remediation for students who need extended time in our core subjects. However, we are excited and prepared within Focus for the potentiality of our students rising to levels of mastery where they can be pushed beyond standard review or remediation, as well as for the potential to serve students who our team identifies as intellectually gifted. High-achieving students will have the opportunity to be exposed to deeper content,98 Excel Academy Charter School was founded through Building Excellent Schools, which trained its Founder and founding Executive Director Yutaka Tamura in 2002 and continues to work closely with the school through the BES Ongoing Support program. Excel Academy ranked first in the state on seventh grade math, eighth grade English and eighth grade math, with nearly 100% of students scoring advanced or proficient. Overall 93% of Excel Academy students scored advanced or proficient in English and math, and Excel continues to achieve within the top 6% of all middle schools across the state. For more detail, please see .logic, and problem-solving activities within Focus and will also be offered additional opportunities for early EXPLORE/ACT/SAT preparation.Gaps identified in weekly data analysis that are more recently developed and/or affect a smaller portion of students will be prioritized through an in-class remediation cycle during the last 20 to 25 minutes of the class hour, particularly during the independent practice portion of the lesson when the teacher can provide mini-re-teaching lessons and individualized supports to students in each heterogeneous classroom.ENRICHMENT From Monday through Thursday, from 4:25 to 4:55 PM, Memphis Rise Academy provides Enrichment activities for all students. Students sign up for a specific Enrichment activity at the beginning of each trimester. Teachers choose an enrichment activity which they would like to offer that suits their interests, skill sets, and the goal of enriching our students’ school experience. Sample enrichments may include sports or other forms of exercise, art/creative expression, music of various forms as resources are available, creative writing, computer science, or culinary arts. While the majority of Enrichment activities are taught by Memphis Rise Academy staff members, some may be taught by external instructors or volunteers. Along with advisory, Enrichment is designed to help our students build supportive relationships with their teachers on a less academically focused basis and to be rewarded for good behavior with a self-chosen activity which interests them, provided for free during the school day. Students who earn detention or Homework Club during a given school day are not eligible to participate in their Enrichment during that day.99HOMEWORK AND HOMEWORK CLUB Memphis Rise Academy’s mission of college preparation requires students have the practice time to reinforce skills taught in class, and for students to develop the self-discipline to manage academic responsibilities beyond the school day. Therefore, we teach, support, and then hold students accountable for the scholarly behavior and habits necessary for success in high school, college, and the professional world. Specifically, we provide approximately 90 minutes of nightly homework for our students to complete. Within these 90 minutes, we provide review of recently introduced objectives from our core classes as well as high-need spiraled review of challenging objectives identified in our data analysis. Also within this 90-minute period, students are required to read 30 minutes independently from a book supported by our independent reading program described below in this section. Homework is submitted each morning in advisory. Students who do not complete homework or do not meet the standard for completion will attend Homework Club, a 30-minute afternoon program offered at the same time as Enrichment, for them to finish incomplete homework and begin working on the next night’s assignments in a setting led by at least one content teacher or, in Year 2 and beyond, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, to ensure they receive the support necessary to meet our ambitious academic goals.INDEPENDENT READING PROGRAM Our mission of college preparation requires a gradual strengthening of independent ability in all curricular areas, the most important of which are reading and literacy. Memphis Rise Academy believes that all students, beginning in the sixth grade year, must begin to develop independent reading comprehension and analysis skills in grade level or above text. Therefore, independent reading growth is one of the most important metrics we use to set and monitor our students’ progress towards individual quantifiable goals.99 Students may also earn Detention through our demerit-based behavioral accountability system. If this is the case, students will not be allowed to attend Enrichment or Homework Club. For more information on Detention and our Code of Conduct as a whole, please see our Draft Student Handbook in Attachment 5.We put our students in a position to make this growth through the consistent implementation of Accelerated Reader and accountable, independent reading time built into the school day.Accelerated Reader (AR) is a well-respected software program that tests comprehension and personalizes reading practice to each student’s current reading ability level and measures students’ independent reading with four types of assessments: Reading Practice, Literacy Skills, Vocabulary Practice, and Textbook. Memphis Rise Academy will invest in building a Lexile-leveled school library of high interest fiction and non-fiction texts to bolster our students’ independent reading. Students check books out of a school library managed by the Student Supports Coordinator during advisory, lunch, or recess, then carry the book with them throughout the school day to use for independent reading during times such as class transitions, after exit tickets, or at lunch or recess. Students are required to read independently for thirty minutes per night along with completing their homework, and submit an Accelerated Reader (AR) Book Report100 to their advisory teacher for review before being scheduled to take an AR Quiz. To hold each student accountable for comprehension of independently read text, students in grades six through eight take a computer-based Accelerated Reader quiz and monitored during specified points of the day by the Student Supports Coordinator. AR Quizzes are taken after the completion of every text.The Accelerated Reader program informs our staff of students’ Zones of Proximal Development (ZPD) which create a clear reading range for students, as well as show independent comprehension and quantifiable numbers of words read and books completed. All metrics support our goal-setting initiative and serve to invest students in their reading growth beyond in-class mastery. AR is used only for independent reading; student reading growth is officially tested and tracked only through the usage of Fountas and Pinnell at the beginning and end of the school year in grade six and the Scholastic Reading Inventory at six week intervals throughout the year and throughout the middle school grades.BOOK CLUB Independent reading at its highest level is a balance between comprehension, language acquisition and activation, recognition and utilization of textual elements, and deep thematic analysis, none of which are easy to organically develop. These elements become more fluid for students when catalyzed by confidence and a true love of reading. We want our students to immerse themselves in the literature they read, which will increase their understanding and invest them in the concept of reading for pleasure. Even with our extended time in literacy and consistently monitored independent reading program, it is essential that we take the time to model for our students how to be great readers of long-form texts. As informed by training with Uncommon Schools’ Managing Director and educational author Doug Lemov, we recognize that strong guided reading strategies such as close reading, evidence-based questioning and comprehending misleading or purposefully resistant text must and can be explicitly taught and modeled for students. In a February 2013 Uncommon Schools training, Lemov pointed out that one of the greatest challenges of the transition to Common Core literacy for students has been that they are not being challenged, either enough or in the right ways, by the texts we as educators put in front of them. A school that truly develops deep literacy must assist developing readers through the challenges of rigorous text, especially those books which provide the most challenge.Therefore, we provide a 45-minute Book Club period Monday through Thursday, during which time students are divided into leveled reading groups and read a novel collaboratively. Each Book Club reads a book that is in the high ranges or even slightly above their median Zone of Proximal Development, as the reading is given in-depth teacher support and modeling. Above-ZPD reading with teacher support increases our students’ comfort level with pushing the rigor of their own independent reading. Book Club becomes a time, especially as we develop the system towards high school, for students to engage with literature beyond the standard high-interest texts within our AR Library, but rather classic, canonical100AR Book Report structured modeled from the practices of BES school Boston Preparatory Charter School in Boston, MA. Boston Preparatory is a Silver Epic Award winner, and a high performing 6-12 charter school. For more detail, please see ,literature which can, at times, be misleading, archaic, or purposefully resistant. Independently, these texts provide more challenge than Lexile leveling can inform due to the need for context and the high degree of challenging syntax. Book Club allows for our instructional staff to assist students in engaging with texts which better align with the rigors of Common Core and college preparation.In Book Club, best practices for reading are modeled by the teacher. The teacher performs a read-aloud or calls upon students to read and stops frequently to jot notes, ask discussion questions created by the text, activate prior knowledge, make predictions, or highlight an outside connection. Additionally, Book Club strengthens our ability to provide vocabulary instruction through context in a long form text. As we push to elevate our students’ performance in independent reading products such as book reports, vocabulary trackers, and textual annotation, we model these practices at a high level in book MON CLASSROOM COMPONENTS To ensure consistency across our school, each of our classrooms use the following visual components to support instructional and cultural programming. These components help to enforce the clear expectations for excellence throughout our mon Blackboard Configuration (BBC)Supported by the work of Dr. Lorraine Monroe, founder of the Frederick Douglass Academy, the BBC is an instructional accountability system that systematizes the manner in which expectations surrounding the scope and content of that day’s lesson are shared with students. Our BBC consists of the Aim, Do Now, Agenda, Homework and the prevailing “Big Idea” for each lesson, provided in question form, to guide students thinking towards application. The BBC strengthens our instructional team’s pacing, accountability and framing, as well as provides a transparent format for students to engage with the lesson.Content-Specific VisualsIn every classroom, teachers are expected to keep an updated bulletin board or comparable visual with their course’s goals, vocabulary, recent mastery data, and exemplary student work from that homeroom. This allows for classrooms to display our cross-curricular balance and goal-driven accountability visually to students. Additionally, teachers create clear visuals for high-usage academic procedures, such as a textual annotation toolkit or steps to finding slope in a coordinate plane. We believe that classrooms which surround students with academic content and goals to mastering it make the best use of the physical space, and we commit ourselves to creating a learning environment where students are surrounded by academics and ambition.Data TrackingIn line with our classrooms being environments surrounded by academic content, we want our culture of ambition to be manifested in honest, quantifiable results. Therefore, each of our content teachers will keep frequently updated, in either unit or trimester cycles, updated mastery data for students and the classroom as a whole which report the results of each advisory’s progress in each of their core classes. Students are able to see which objectives and standards they have mastered and which require extra attention. Additionally, supported by operational fellows that input data advisors oversee an AR Tracker to quantify students’ amount of books read and their quiz averages in each classroom. Our school’s push for data should be readily visible to students at all times, and we will ensure that our students have the same level of transparency about our strengths and areas for growth as we do.STRATEGIC PLAN TO BUILD INDEPENDENT STUDENT ABILITY101 It is the job of our middle school to provide the principles for academic and character that will allow our high school to provide “more varied and intensive strands of academic or vocational study according to [students’] interests or abilities,” rather than provide simply a remedial curriculum.”102 We remain conscious that the academic foundation and values-based character built in our middle school are the baseline for building inquisitive and self-driven high school students who can excel in a highly rigorous intellectual environment, and that our middle school, through the data-driven efforts described above, must bring students to grade level to ensure a purposeful, college preparatory high school experience.To build our students’ self-efficacy, we teach students in the upper middle school methods of self- assessment for them to be able to seek out opportunities for targeted remediation at the high school level. The extended school day in our high school will not include a built-in Focus period and will employ a twice weekly advisory to maximize the time students are able to access various academic courses, such as our Advanced Placement curriculum, teacher-designed electives, and foreign language, en route to finding their passions for college. The high school schedule will contain eight class periods, including a dedicated study period, per day to push for this depth and variety, each of which will contain homework, assessment and independent reading as appropriate, rather than unilaterally mandated. Courses will also include short-term and long-term syllabi for students to follow, broken down by unit and subsequent assignments, projects and assessments, preparing them for collegiate methods of course organization.By graduation, high school students will also be expected to create cross-curricular research projects with minimal teacher intervention to model the expectations of college curriculum; we will backwards plan for this independent ability starting in the sixth grade. Additionally, the academic organizational structures for students taught in the middle school to which students are held accountable are reduced greatly by the end of eighth grade, developing in students the ability to use an organizational system which fits their needs and student identity and they transition classrooms throughout the day, making this independent organization system necessary for preparedness. Structures and procedures of the middle school become streamlined into a truncated messaging of expectations, allowing students to exercise self-control and direct their own access to learning. Rise Reports at the high school level will be the area for students to receive more feedback on academic performance, quantified in their grade thus far in the course and the individual test, quiz, and homework grades which have created it, and less on behavioral adherence.Our middle school will always operate with cognizance of its gradual release of student control and its necessary building of student self-reliance in order to produce students who are confidently prepared for the challenges of our high school environment and, subsequently, the colleges they will attend.REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION To implement our academic program, Memphis Rise Academy requires the following components.Professional Development and ConsultingMany of the best practices employed by Memphis Rise Academy have been developed to levels of seamless implementation by some of the highest performing charter schools and educational networks across the country. For example, our data analysis methods are heavily informed by the work of Principal Susie Cannon at BES school Achievement Preparatory Academy Charter School in Washington, D.C. – a101 Former Boston Collegiate Charter High School instructional leader Eileen Callahan, now Director of Academics at Building Excellent Schools, has provided lead founder Jack Vuylsteke with extensive materials on messaging, systemic changes, instructional development, and lessons learned on growing a culturally similar high school out of a middle school. These documents will directly inform our efforts to build independent student ability leading up to and through Memphis Rise Academy High School.102 Hirsch, E.D. The Schools We Need and Why We Don’t Have Them. New York: Anchor Books, 1996. p.236.high performing, Tier 1 charter school serving a high poverty community103 - as well as the courageous, no excuses vision of BES Fellow Lester Long and school founder and Executive Director in the creation of his data-quantified visual displays of honest school performance to all staff members in the South Bronx Classical Charter School “War Room,” which inspires our Strategy Room. Our literacy curriculum is heavily informed by the format of BES school Endeavor College Preparatory Charter School in Los Angeles, CA – a California Distinguished School delivering strong outcomes for children living in poverty and many of whom do not speak English at home.104 Our math curriculum is designed and implemented by BES Emerging Leader and current principal of Democracy Prep-Endurance Margaret Marrer. Our Book Club program is designed and influenced by the Uncommon Schools Network based in NYC and its implementation at BES school Liberty Collegiate Academy Charter School in Nashville, TN – a seamless middle and high school that in its first year of operation is outpacing the district and the state on standards-based assessments.105 Our ELL programming, a priority for our school, is influenced by Liberty Collegiate as well, a school which has had extraordinary success using the Structured English Immersion program with limited ELL-specific staff support. Our developmental transitions from middle to high school academics, operations and advisory are modeled from the solutions-oriented practice of Boston Collegiate Middle and High School in Boston, MA. Our staff’s ability to observe these practices in action in their highest functioning environments will bolster our ability to apply them in Northeast Memphis.We will send a core section of our staff to four annual Building Excellent Schools Weekend Warriors Series events, which allow for high performing school visits and subsequent development on critical curricular and leadership topics throughout the school year, including but not limited to the extension of those listed above. To increase our capacity in executing the core components of the Memphis Rise Academy program, we will strategically benefit from the experience of the schools and leaders who have informed these elements of our design, either through school visits or internal professional development consulting. Additionally, because we plan on implementing a rigorous Common Core-aligned curriculum with cross-curricular depth, our staff will continue to sharpen their planning skills by attending Common Core-based professional development for curriculum and assessment. Due to our cross-curricular focus on literacy and mathematics, we will ensure our instructional team has consistent exposure to both in- house and external development opportunities in both core subjects to further their ability to augment all core subjects with these foundational skills.Yearly and Daily Academic Calendar Promoting School SuccessOur extended school year and extended school day promote a learning environment which allows for students from a variety of educational backgrounds to build the foundational skills and content knowledge necessary for college preparation. In the outset of our school year, we provide three weeks of professional development to build staff culture, train to the creation of our desired school culture, perform the curriculum alignment process, and train to its level of analytical depth and practice execution techniques as found in Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion. Our yearly calendar reflects a trimester system, with testing dates and subsequent staff-only professional development days for deeper data analysis and responses planned as well as the provision of high-need planning and execution development from either internal or external sources. Teachers have two 60-minute planning periods Monday through Thursday and two 45-minute planning periods Friday per our rigorous demands for lesson planning, data analysis and targeted response, and data entry from homework and daily assessment. We prioritize a design which is highly reliant upon cross-curricular planning and data analysis, requiring a good deal of professional development time built into the weekly and yearly schedule as well as a concerted effort to provide teachers with common planning periods for their curricular counterparts. For example, our two math103 For more detail on Achievement Preparatory and its results, please see .104 For more detail on Endeavor College Preparatory and its results, please see .105 For more detail on Liberty Collegiate Academy and its results, please see .teachers have at least one common planning period per day to share and analyze data and collaborate on future planning. Similarly, our reading and writing teachers have related data analysis and planning needs which our daily and weekly schedules serve. We provide 16 Saturday School sessions during the course of the instructional year for three hours, or 180 minutes, each, solely on Math and ELA. Each Saturday School will be staffed by a minimum of four instructional staff members with appropriate compensation.106Strong Communication Between Home and SchoolOur commitment to the families of our students as well as to the community and city at large is unwavering. Relatedly, we expect that our families stay committed to assisting in the fulfillment of the mission of Memphis Rise Academy for their students.107 Our core value of honesty plays itself out in our transparency with our families from our first communication. Our family accountability contract108 provides great detail on what families should expect in terms of student expectations and the role of the family in their student being a fully active and committed member of Memphis Rise Academy, and the frequency and methods of communication that families should hold the school to in regards to keeping families informed, supported, and well-oriented. We provide a detailed family orientation as well as home visits on the front end to ensure that each student and family understands our model clearly and receives individual time to ask the questions which most directly pertain to them and which allows us to build relationships with each family on behalf of their dreams for their children and our shared commitment to student success. We then provide ongoing monthly information sessions, first and second trimester parent-teacher conferences, and bi-weekly parent newsletters109 to keep lines of communication open and to inform our families of Memphis Rise Academy news, successes, areas for growth and opportunities for involvement. Additionally, we will seek out a strong parent advisory committee to support our efforts of serving the City of Memphis and help to create opportunities for us to empower more families to assist in school betterment projects and community service opportunities. We engage family participation in semi-annual feedback surveys to ensure we are getting the clearest and most complete feedback possible.Every Thursday, and using Kickboard (please see Technology below for more detail on Kickboard), Operational fellows prepare, administrators review, and teachers distribute weekly report cards, termed Rise Reports, for each student within their homeroom advisory. Rise Reports detail performance in the following quantifiable areas for that student, from the previous instructional period: disciplinary infractions, exit ticket scores, attendance, current grades in each core subject, and homework completion. Additionally, teachers add any necessary qualitative notes to that family explaining the data and how it relates to the student’s progress towards their individual goals. These reports are distributed Friday morning before Community Meeting and re-collected the following Monday with required family signatures. Students who do not return Rise Reports attend Homework Club after school until the Rise Report is returned. Rise Reports at the high school level are the area for students to receive more feedback on academic performance, focused on their grades in their courses thus far, and less on behavioral adherence. Therefore, our middle school operates with cognizance of its gradual release of student control and its necessary building of student self-reliance in order to produce students confidently prepared for the challenges of our high school and, subsequently, the colleges they will attend.Technology106 For detail on budget items, please see Attachments 9 and 10.107 One study finds that students from families with above-median parental involvement showed success rates 30% higher than those with below- median parental involvement, as measured by GPAs, math, science, reading, and social studies test scores, and retention rates. See Xitao Fan &Michael Chen, Parental Involvement and Student’s Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis, National Science Foundation (1999).108 For a Draft Family Accountability Contract, please see Appendix A.109 Newsletter system inspired by Liberty Collegiate Academy in East Nashville, Tennessee, founded by former BES Fellow Linda Lentz.Though our program does not rely heavily on the usage of technology, there is a standing need from the outset for at least 30 laptop computers or tablets, preferably in a transportable cart as opposed to a standing lab, for use in our literacy program and to support student research; we plan on increasing our student laptop purchases to meet the needs of our growing student body. The Scholastic Reading Inventory is a computer-based diagnostic program; due to its relatively frequent administration to all students during the reading class period or daily Focus, we would need enough computers for every student in a cohort to test at one time in their assigned classroom. Our Accelerated Reader (AR) independent reading program also relies on frequent quizzing in either a classroom or a designated space, likely our AR Library space. The mobility of our technology again comes into play to facilitate frequent quizzing throughout the school day as is most convenient and efficient for our staff and students.Due to a reliance on guided curricular materials and the regular modeling of textual annotation within our academic program, we also plan to purchase document cameras for each of our middle school classrooms. Document cameras make the “I do-We do-You do” model for classroom instruction far more seamless and allow for modeling student work, in particular writing and giving immediate, in-the-moment feedback. This supports our push for Common Core application through modeling high-level constructed response.As we transition to the high school, we will want to offer Computer Literacy and Applications at a minimum, which will likely involve building a high school computer lab, also available for study, content class periods, research, and cross-curricular project support. While this need is further down the line, it is likely an essential for the build-out of our high school to support the desired depth and rigor of content we anticipate providing to our students.A wireless network for internet access and shared files and media requirements for Common Core are essential to Memphis Rise Academy’s daily operations. We will use a technology-based data management system, Kickboard, which will inform weekly Rise Reports, Report Cards, and manage all attendance and discipline data. Due to the consistent need for data input on a daily and weekly basis, we will employ the usage of technology grading and data recording assistant GradeCam for quick data entry when appropriate. All team members will need a personal laptop provided by the school for curriculum planning and consistent upkeep of student data and records; additionally, the School Leader and Dean of Students will each be issued cellular phones to communicate with current and potential Memphis Rise Academy families, which will require basic service plans.Library ResourcesAmong the most necessary, ongoing needs for the implementation of our program is an extensive and regularly updated independent Reading Library. With 108 initial students reading on a likely range of reading ability levels from early elementary to early high school, we will begin with a library of at least 500 books, growing to a size of approximately 750-800 by the end of our first school year. This allows for our students to grow as readers with a comfortable number of available books in all grade ranges, with a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction titles from which to choose. As our students make progress through the titles available in their reading ranges over the course of the school year, it is essential that we meet their growth with the provision of new high-interest fiction and non-fiction titles, so as to not lose the momentum of interest or impede our students’ independent reading growth.Reliable, Predictive, Standards-Based Assessment Tools and Reading InventoriesTo ensure that we have the data to inform our instructional planning and implementation, and to drive our student supports, we must have assessment tools that provide actionable data. We will need such resources as the Scholastic Reading Inventory and Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessment Program, and training for using these tools. We will also need such tools as the interim assessments anddata reports, along with the professional development provided by the Achievement Network. Finally, we will need an internally created set of assessments that are externally reviewed by staff at Building Excellent Schools and network leaders of some of the highest performing charter schools here in TN and across the nation.SPECIAL POPULATIONS AND AT-RISK STUDENTS SPECIAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW and LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Memphis Rise Academy ensures that all students receive targeted supports and interventions for them to achieve academic success and meet ambitious goals - the core of our mission and vision for every student.In serving students who have been identified as having disabilities under the law or whom we suspect may have such disabilities, we provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and comply with all applicable state and federal statutes, including Title II of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974. We educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) and with their non-disabled peers to the extent appropriate and allowed by each student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).We do not discriminate in admission and enrollment practices against students having or suspected to have disabilities. To the greatest extent possible, Memphis Rise Academy educates students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers in the regular education classroom and only removes them from the classroom if the severity of their disability requires.Based upon local demographic data, we anticipate that 12% of our population will be students with disabilities.IDENTIFICATION and AVOIDING MISIDENTIFICATION After students are admitted to the school, we work with families to determine if their student has received special education services at their previous school and follow up with the feeder schools to determine whether the students have IEPs. Next, we ensure these records are transferred to Memphis Rise Academy prior to the beginning of the school year. We comply with all laws and provisions regarding students with IEPs. We implement IEPs as written, and if a student’s IEP needs to be reviewed for updated goals and services or to determine continued eligibility for special education, the IEP team will convene for a review of the IEP.To identify students with exceptionalities who do not have an existing IEP, school leaders train all teachers to carefully monitor individual student performance via daily and weekly classroom assessments, qualitative observation, and ongoing analysis of student-level performance data. The Memphis Rise Academy Student Supports Coordinator holds formal training for all staff at the beginning of each school year during staff orientation to review guidelines for the determination of student eligibility for special educational services, along with conducting a close review of modifications, accommodations, and the IEP Team Process, as outlined in the National Association of State Directors of Special Education Primer.The Student Supports Coordinator maintains ongoing professional communication with staff on proper identification and avoidance of misidentification of all potential student exceptionalities. Weekly, grade teams and whole-school staff meet every Friday during dedicated professional development time110,110 For detail on our weekly schedule, including Friday professional development, please see Attachment 4.allowing teachers, with guidance from the Student Supports Coordinator, to monitor, discuss, and remain updated on the academic and social progress of each student. If a student is not meeting the appropriate expectations for academic or social progress, we will interpret this as an important indicator of a potential larger issue and move to address the potential issue as quickly as possible.Memphis Rise Academy’s frequent internal assessment program provides an efficient means to identify students struggling academically and to take action proactively and immediately to reach the needs of each student. Weekly, each teacher reviews the progress of his/her students based upon their performance on homework, class work, exit tickets, quizzes, tests, and projects. School leaders monitor student assessment data at regular intervals, allowing students who are struggling with the class material to be identified quickly. If a student is not making sufficient academic progress, the Student Supports Coordinator, in consultation with school leadership (the Head of School in Y1 and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction in Y2 and continuing), develops a pre-referral strategy, Response to Intervention, that may include tutoring and/or other supports.For students who do not enter the school with an identified disability, and who are struggling academically or behaviorally despite the supports in place, Memphis Rise Academy will use the Response to Intervention (RTI) model for identification of students with Specific Learning Disabilities. The main purposes for RTI include: (1) provision of high-quality instruction; (2) provision of early intervening academic and behavioral services whenever educational problems occur; and (3) prevention of inaccurate classification and placement of students who do not have a disability. Essential to our RTI approach is ensuring that classroom instruction and behavior management are of high quality. In this way, ineffective instruction can be ruled out as the reason for substandard academic performance. High quality instruction always includes the effective use of research-based methods and materials. The effective use of materials and procedures always includes high-quality classroom management.In the RTI approach, all students are screened for educational difficulties. Those students found to be at risk of having problems are monitored on a regular basis after high quality instruction is implemented. Those students who do not respond with adequate progress are given interventions especially geared to correction of the identified problem. The process is set up in multiple tiers:Tier 1 – High Quality Instruction in the General Education SettingTier 2 – Additional Support for Students Whose Progress is InadequateTier 3 – More Intense Intervention (may include special education referral)Tier 4 – Even More Intense Intervention (special education referral)Students are given the necessary intensity of intervention based on their individual responses as they move through the tiers. Progress is monitored on a regular basis and data are collected and shared frequently with parents. Team-driven educational decisions are based on objective data from effective, research-validated interventions. Adequate staff training in the delivery of each intervention is provided during annual professional development to ensure effective implementation. Interventions will be objectively monitored to make sure they are being implemented with fidelity.Throughout the school year, Memphis Rise Academy’s frequent internal assessment program provides an efficient means to identify students who are struggling academically. Weekly, each teacher reviews the progress of his/her students based upon their performance on homework, class work, tests, quizzes and projects. This data becomes the focus of the data analysis in our Friday Strategy Rooms and the subsequent Focus periods for the next instructional period. Focus is leveled to ensure that all students have an appropriately leveled tutoring group which most directly meets their needs. The Head of School (Y1) and Director of Curriculum and Instruction (starting in Y2) monitors student assessment data atregular intervals, meeting daily to discuss Do Nows and Exit Tickets, weekly to discuss Focus quizzes, and within 24 hours of interim and end-of-trimester comprehensive exams to strategize before developing action plans with staff. This allows students who are struggling with the course material to be identified quickly. If a student is not making sufficient academic progress, the Student Supports Coordinator, in consultation with the Head of School and/or Director of Curriculum and Instruction, will develop a pre- referral strategy that may include tutoring and/or other supports. The effectiveness of the pre-referral strategy on the student’s progress will be carefully monitored for up to six (6) weeks. In addition, other information will be gathered to determine if a student may have a learning disability, such as parent questionnaires, classroom observations, analysis of work samples, and teachers’ anecdotal data.Use of the RTI model, however, should not be viewed as a rationale for delaying the referral of children for special education who have conditions or syndromes which will most likely result in them being candidates for special education services. When necessary to screen a student to determine whether a child’s academic, behavioral, or other difficulties may be related to a disability, the student will first be referred to the Student Supports Team (SST) and parents will be notified. Parents and teachers of students with special needs will attend a meeting led by our Student Supports Coordinator to determine appropriate services to be delivered at Memphis Rise Academy. If the SST process determines that general education services are not sufficient for meeting the needs of the child, the team will make a referral for special education evaluation.SECTION 504 Section 504 requires schools to provide students with disabilities appropriate educational services designed to meet the individual needs of such students to the same extent as the needs of students without disabilities are met. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Memphis Rise Academy adheres to all obligations under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Section504. We immediately evaluate and identify any students protected under Section 504. This includes any student determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) have a record of such impairment, or (3) be regarded as having such impairment. The Student Supports Coordinator serves as the Section 504 coordinator to ensure that students’ legal rights are met and that their special needs are effectively served.MEETING THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES If pre-referral strategies are unsuccessful, the student is not progressing academically, and classroom teachers or special education teachers believe a disability may exist, the student will be referred, in writing, to the Student Supports Coordinator for individual evaluation and determination of eligibility for special education programs and services. Referrals may be made by any professional staff member, to be reviewed by the Student Supports Team. Such referrals: (1) state the reasons for the referral and include any test results, records or reports upon which the referral is based; (2) describe any attempts to remediate the student’s performance prior to the referral, including any supplementary aids or support services provided for this purpose; and (3) describe the extent of parental contact or involvement prior to the referral. A copy of such referral along with the procedural safeguards notice described in 34 CFR§300.504 is sent to the student’s parents. The Student Supports Coordinator and Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Head of School in Y1) convene a meeting with the student’s parents to discuss the option of psycho-educational testing to determine the child’s special education eligibility and to secure written parental consent to conduct such testing. With written parental consent, the school then conducts such testing, either in-house or via the services of an expert consultant. Once the tests have been conducted and the results are received, an eligibility meeting is reconvened with the parents, the Student Supports Coordinator, student’s advisor, and other appropriate faculty; the student, if age eligible, is also invited to the meeting. At that time, a decision is made as to the student’s eligibility for special education services.If the student is eligible for special education services, an IEP for that student will be developed. All IEPs are evaluated and revised as needed at least annually. All assessments and evaluations are repeated at least once every three years.IEPs and student progress will be reviewed annually, or more often, as necessary. Professional development for all teachers will include annual special education compliance training, as well as additional trainings to maximize teacher effectiveness in preparing specific accommodations and instructional strategies that work with student who have specific disabilities.STAFFING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION Every member of the Memphis Rise Academy teaching staff receives extensive training to support the special educational needs of students with disabilities. In addition to summer professional development during which we annually review the IEP process, the differences between modifications and accommodations, and supporting the needs of all learners, staff receives weekly professional development targeted to a wide-range of research-proven supports for students with special needs. Our inclusion model requires that all staff receive extensive training to support excellence for all students in the classroom environment with pull-outs as needed. Given the challenges that other charter schools have faced, we intend to work with proven resources in the community for technical assistance in the implementation of systems and training for all teaching faculty, particularly in regards to the successful implementation of accommodations and modifications in a strong inclusion model with pull-outs as needed. We have planned for internal staffing needs during operational Y1-Y10 based on projected enrollment of students with special needs and will adjust our plans to appropriately meet student needs as they present.The Student Supports Coordinator, a fully licensed special educator, is responsible for coordinating and monitoring the school’s special education program and leading its delivery services. Specifically, the Student Supports Coordinator: participates in the engagement of qualified and where appropriate, licensed personnel to compose the school’s multidisciplinary teams which will conduct special education assessments and evaluations; ensures all services are provided in direct accordance with each student’s IEP in as efficient and effective a manner as possible – extending to ensure that any subsequent reevaluations are performed and all required special education and related services are provided and that all IEPs are appropriate; trains and supports instructional staff on issues relevant to special education; ensures all special education reporting requirements are met; retains, monitors, and secures all relevant data in a confidential manner in strict compliance with prevailing federal and state laws. Professional training and development of staff involved with the education of students with disabilities includes attention to the following: referral process to the Students Supports Coordinator, development of a student’s IEP, implementation of a student’s IEP, evaluation of a student’s progress toward meeting IEP goals and objectives, meeting reporting requirements to parents, and discipline of students with disabilities.Summer training includes specific focus on supporting our special education students, and ongoing weekly faculty development allows for support of teachers providing accommodations and modifications in support of students’ IEP goals. We will hire, as needed, any providers of speech language, occupational, physical or other therapy to work with students to ensure their success at the school. Figure 1.22 outlines the staffing plan to meet the needs of our special education students.Figure 1.22: Special Education Staffing PlanOperational YearAnticipated SPEDPopulationProjected Staffing Needs1112014-2015171 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1))2015-2016282 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-Certified Teacher(1))2016-2017373 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-CertifiedTeacher (2))2017-2018474 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator, SPED-certified Teachers(3))2018-2019564 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-CertifiedTeachers (3))2019-2020664 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-Certified Teachers (3))2020-2021755 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-CertifiedTeachers (3))2021-2022825 FTE (Student Supports Coordinator (1), SPED-CertifiedTeachers (4))RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, PRACTICES, and STRATEGIES Memphis Rise Academy implements an inclusive, heterogeneous educational model that serves all students in a manner that maximizes their academic potential and prepares all of them for achievement in middle and high school, pursuit of their ambitious goals, and success in college. Our goal is for all students, whenever possible, to take advantage of our heterogeneous classroom model through full immersion and support as necessary from our Student Supports Team. Our approach and design emulate high performing urban schools serving similar students with disabilities, language proficiency barriers, and/or special circumstances that put them at risk for academic failure. Based upon the research of Special Education expert Thomas Hehir of Harvard University112 and others, we provide an educational program that maximizes accommodations and minimizes modifications.Our primary model for the delivery of special education services is inclusion. To the greatest degree possible, all regular education and special education students take the same academic classes together. We always seek to provide students with additional accommodations prior to changing the level of expectations for our students.Students with special needs are supported with accommodations and modifications in accordance with their IEPs. Accommodations include adjustments to instructional structures and delivery methods while ensuring student mastery of the same skills and content. Modifications may entail adjustments to the curriculum itself, such as assigning a student a different book or exercise. To meet the needs of all special education students, teachers’ objectives, lesson plans, instructional methods, and assignments may be differentiated using a variety of factors:Size: Adapting the number of items the student is expected to learn or complete, or adjusting the amount of information a student is provided at one time.Time: Extending amount of time student has to complete task or demonstrate mastery.111 This projection includes full-time SPED teachers as well as other SPED certified teachers who cover SPED and non-SPED duties.112 Thomas Hehir, Ed.D., professor of Practice at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, is a leading scholar and advocate for children withdisabilities. He served as director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs under President Clinton from 1993–1999.Input: Adapting the way instruction is delivered by using variety of strategies and materials, including visual aids, concrete examples, or hands-on activities.Output: Adjusting type of work student produces, i.e. changing assignment to project, task, or presentation for student whose disability makes written expression difficult.Level of support: Increasing amount of individualized assistance student receives during a task.Participation: For students whose disability is intertwined with self-esteem, allowing for less public forms of participation to prevent student from shutting down to learning.PROMOTION / GRADUATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES All students must meet the school’s promotion and graduation requirements as outlined in Section II unless separate grade-level goals are specified in the student’s IEP. Students take all assessments as required internally, and as part of the state assessment system, with only those modifications as identified within the IEP. All students receiving special education services and their families receive progress reports with as much frequency as all regular education students and with details on progress towards all IEP goals.DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES The Memphis Rise Academy Code of Conduct113 supports and requires the good behavior of all students within our school community. In the case of a special education student, or a student who receives 504 accommodations, Memphis Rise Academy will ensure that it makes the necessary adjustments to comply with all mandates of State and federal laws, including the IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Plan of 1973, regarding the discipline of students with disabilities. Specifically, prior to recommending expulsion for a Section 504 student or special education student, the Head of School will convene a review committee to determine all of the following: whether the student’s misconduct was a manifestation of his or her disability; whether the student was appropriately placed and receiving the appropriate services at the time of the misconduct; and/or whether behavior intervention strategies were in effect and consistent with the student’s IEP or 504 Plan. If it is determined that the student’s misconduct was not a manifestation of his or her disability, that the student was appropriately placed, and was receiving appropriate services at the time of the misconduct, and that the behavior intervention strategies were in effect and consistent with the students IEP, the student may be expelled. If any element was not in place, the school will work with the student and his/her family to ensure that all protected rights are secured and the school will not continue with the disciplinary action.ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS OVERVIEW and LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Northeast Memphis contains one of the most significantly diverse populations in the city; in response, Memphis City Schools has created programming options such as Treadwell Elementary’s dual immersion system which respond to the culturally diverse population of these neighborhoods. Many Memphis City Schools have teachers specifically certified to teach English Language Learners. Memphis Rise Academy stands prepared to admit a correlatively diverse population and anticipates within this population to have a population of students who identify as English Language Learners (ELL) and to provide them correlatively appropriate services to ensure their ability to engage with our academic program in the heterogeneous classroom.Memphis Rise Academy complies with all applicable federal laws related to the education of language minority students as stated under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974. We follow the TN Board of Education ESL Program Policy (3.207), designed to set the minimum standards for TN school districts in providing services to non-English language113 See Code of Conduct in the Memphis Rise Academy Student Handbook, located in Attachment 5.background.ELL students are provided with equal access to and full participation in school activities. ELL students study the same content and are held to the same standards as other students. While all classes are taught in English, the level of English used for instruction, verbal and written, is modified as needed to facilitate ELL students’ acquisition of English.For students identified as English Language Learners (ELL), we use Structured English language immersion to accelerate academic progress. We eliminate or limit the separation of English Language Learners from the mainstream classroom, acknowledging the immersion method of language acquisition as the most expedited effective manner to educate ELL students.114 If a student’s English language proficiency is so severely limited as to render the student incapable of following the activities in a regular classroom, the school provides instruction in English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) for a certain period of time every school day, supported by Focus or, as needed, pull-out instruction during Book Club or other instructional periods, performed by appropriately certified members of our Student Supports Team. Because the objective is for the student to transition to fully English classes, the ELL student is expected to participate in part of the regular classroom schedule, where all students have the opportunity to hear and use English.We anticipate that approximately 12%-18% of our students will be English Language Learners (ELLs), as evidenced in local demographic details in our target community of Northeast Memphis and Grahamwood.ELL IDENTIFICATION We will use the following process for identifying students who are ELL: (1) Home Language Surveys will be used to screen all new enrollees for potential limited English proficiency; (2) If the home language is other than English or the student’s native language is other than English, appropriate Memphis Rise Academy faculty or a hired interpreter will conduct an informal interview in the student’s native language and English; (3) If the student speaks a language other than English/or the speaks little or no English, we will administer W-APT and ACCESS for ELLs. Results from these assessments will be used to inform instruction and ensure all students are able to access the academic content and master performance and content standards.Teachers will be responsible for observing students’ verbal and written performance throughout the class day with an eye toward detecting limited English proficiency. All teachers will receive professional development training from district and other experienced providers in techniques for detecting whether a student has English language deficiencies and in communicating effective instruction to students designated as ELL. Any suspected of having limited English proficiency will be tested to determine what level of services, if any, are necessary.MEETING THE NEEDS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS All Memphis Rise Academy instructional team members are trained to work with English Language Learner students during summer professional development and throughout the school year to ensure that the designed immersion program is effective in meeting students’ needs while holding students to a high standard. Professional development activities addressing literacy development for ELLs and Structured English Immersion is integrated into the school’s overall educational program, including professional development in first and second language acquisition, methods for teaching content to English Language114 Arizona Department of Education, July 2004, “The Effects of Bilingual Education Programs and Structured English Immersion Programs on Student Achievement: A Large-Scale Comparison” located at .Learners, and differentiated planning and instructional strategies. We will seek professional development externally from Memphis City Schools ELL staff and ELL educators from the charter sector with experience in delivering an instructional program similar to ours to a large ELL population.Our ELL program is built upon three central beliefs, grounded in research and best practice:English Language Learners benefit from vocabulary instruction.An important component in language acquisition is vocabulary development. According to Bill Honig, to be able to read and understand grade-appropriate material, students need to learn 3,000-4,000 new vocabulary words each year (approximately 70 new words per week).115 Without a cognizant push for vocabulary instruction in a variety of curricular contexts, our ELL students will not have the opportunity to reach this challenging developmental necessity. In the most effective schools, students are taught vocabulary through formal instruction and also learn words through use in language rich settings in and out of the classroom. At Memphis Rise Academy, there is formal vocabulary instruction using essential word lists and words in context across the instructional day in all subjects, with particular emphasis in reading, writing, social studies, and Book Club. We focus on both implicit and explicit vocabulary strategies within the classroom, through contextual language acquisition opportunities for all students in each of these settings, as well as structured weekly vocabulary lists in our Writing course. Our Writing course also explicitly focuses on teaching word parts (prefixes, affixes, roots, etc.) to support language acquisition and spelling for all students. We will employ Pearson Education’s Words Their Way curricular materials to bolster phonemic instruction for ELL students who enter with very limited language proficiency, administered during Focus and Book Club by our Student Supports Coordinator in English to our ELL students for a minimum of 90 minutes during the school day. As it becomes developmentally appropriate, as determined through literacy testing and ELDA progress, we transition students to Pearson English Learning curriculum (e.g. Keystone 6-12) as a second-tier learning tool for ELL students to expand their vocabulary acquisition, reading and speaking fluency, and Common Core aligned application of English abilities. We also begin to bring ELL students into our Book Club system upon their literacy improvement, to benefit from the deep guided reading strategies modeled during this time. ELL students can receive upwards of 360 minutes of dedicated language acquisition teaching a wee, with these vocabulary and writing-intensive curricula replacing less powerful academic structures, along with the benefit of our Structured English Immersion setting. When students’ language capacity allows them a stronger chance for success and benefit from our content support classes, we allow for a developmentally appropriate transition into content-driven Focus periods and Book Club.Because the objective is for the student to transition to fully English-speaking classes, the ELL student is also expected to participate in part of the regular classroom schedule, where all students have the opportunity to hear and use English. Our structured vocabulary program features student-friendly definitions and cumulative assessments to ensure regular review of all words learned. Additionally, for our ELL population, we support vocabulary acquisition though visual and symbolic recognition techniques. When needed and possible from our teachers’ capacity, we rely on the use of the native language to trigger or clarify words or concepts that are essential to student understanding. For ELLs to have academic success, they must develop cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP), and not simply the basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS) of social language. CALP includes the content area vocabulary specific to academic subjects and the sophisticated use of language necessary to carry out higher-order academic tasks such as comparing, synthesizing, and inferring. We integrate vocabulary development into instruction in all subject areas not only English language arts—and include explicit scaffolding of higher-order academic tasks.115 Honig, Bill. Teaching Our Children to Read. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2001.English Language Learners benefit from heterogeneous immersion.Our core instructional program is designed to meet the needs of our English Language Learner population and we believe that our intense focus on and exposure to literacy will accelerate all students to mastery of standard academic English. For students who come to Memphis Rise Academy learning English, teachers will use strategies effective in meeting their specific literacy needs, also known as Structured English Immersion (SEI) strategies, including: Pre-teaching of key vocabulary; Peer tutoring; Technology interaction; Total physical/kinesthetic response; Additional phonics, decoding, and fluency instruction; Metacognitive instruction on how to express answers with clarity; Graphic organizers; Alternative forms of aligned assessment; and Intervention-intensive academic support sessions during Focus and Book Club.Our heterogeneous classroom model allows for ELL students to work closely with other students to increase their exposure to and usage of the English language in a less formal academic context. Students improve their mastery of language through use. The Department of Education’s recommendation is that a minimum of 90 minutes a week should be dedicated to activities that allow students to work together to provide practice and extension of language skills. We implement the practice of “shoulder partner” seating in which the class is structured, in the entry grades, in student pairs, giving students the opportunity to respond to a question or prompt and discuss the topic with a partner. Although these interactions are brief, lasting from 30 seconds to three minutes, when used frequently throughout the day, there is a significant cumulative increase in authentic language practice. Our classrooms focus on maximizing opportunities to increase a high ratio of student “talk time” in formats such as these, as well as discussion models, “right is right” response formats, and answering in complete sentence cumulatively cultivate strong academic language. We also employ peer tutoring as appropriate within our Focus curriculum for students of high proficiency to work with students who may be struggling with content for any variety of reasons, including language proficiency.English Language Learners benefit from data-driven instruction.The federal recommendation is that an effective program for ELLs includes well-developed assessments for identifying student needs. This corresponds with Memphis Rise Academy’s focus on data-driven instruction. We assess students’ progress frequently and use assessment results to drive overall instruction and identify students in need of individual intervention. The Head of School, Student Supports Coordinator, and/or Director of Curriculum of Instruction oversee this process while working closely with teaching staff.Recognizing that ELLs are often at risk for reading problems, the strongest programs respond quickly to the results of formative assessments by offering small group reading intervention for struggling readers that augment the core reading program. As outlined previously, a key element of Memphis Rise Academy’s educational programming is daily tutoring, termed Focus, for students who are struggling in literacy. We use data analysis to inform our Focus grouping and ELL students with literacy struggles will be placed into groups in which remedial phonemic and vocabulary instruction is a primary objective, utilizing our aforementioned Pearson curricula.Our data-driven model not only allows us to best identify areas of growth and needs for progress within our student population, but also to differentiate appropriately. Due to our potentially high variance in student ability, our instructional team will make a consistent effort to differentiate lesson plans as supported by our professional development. In the case of differentiating for our English Language Learners, teachers will work in tandem with our Student Supports Team to create lesson materials and homework which relies on functional vocabulary, visual/graphic representation, and, when possible, adapted text. Our goal for all students is growth in independent ability to meet ambitious goals throughacademic ability; we want our independent materials to be accessible for all students to supply them with equal opportunity for engagement, especially in those areas such as homework which are intended to provide extended practice time to bolster procedural academic capacity.STAFFING FOR ELL SUPPORT We place a priority on hiring teacher(s) that speak Spanish and English and who can provide strong instruction within a Structured English Immersion classroom. Teachers receive extensive professional development on appropriate support for students designated as ELLs. Outside experts, both local and national, are hired to provide PD during our teacher summer training and throughout the year as appropriate and we expect to work with local organizations to enable our school to effectively partner with ELL families. Our entire staff will be trained on ELL instruction in the Structured English Immersion environment tin summer PD and throughout the year, in areas such as curricular differentiation, total kinesthetic response techniques, engagement with English Language Learner curricular materials to support our Student Supports Team and pre-teaching and contextual teaching of content vocabulary. A requirement of our Student Supports Coordinator, our main ELL interventionist in Year 1, will be dual experience and certification in both Special Education and Teaching of English as a Second or Other Language. In subsequent years, we will look to hire Student Supports Team members from teacher education certification programs throughout Tennessee and across the country, especially in areas such as Texas, California or Arizona which are known to be strong in ELL prep. In our current staffing plan, we do not have a position fully dedicated to ELL instruction; this is due to our belief in the power of Structured English Immersion, high levels of ELL instructional training for all staff members, and the dual hiring priorities of our Student Supports Team. If our ELL identified numbers prove larger than we anticipate, we will create ELL specific Student Supports positions as necessary to accommodate students accordingly.ASSESSMENT OF ELL STUDENTS Students who have been identified as ELL are assessed annually to determine improvement in English proficiency. Students who score above the established cut-off point are deemed no longer ELL.We regularly evaluate the progress of our ELL students, with such evaluations being informed by student performance on the Comprehensive English Language Learner Assessment (CELLA), and ongoing teacher observations with the consultation of the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Student Supports Coordinator, or Head of School. Performance will be assessed in the following way:ELL students are making strong academic progress as measured by instructor-developed assessments.ELL students are proficient in English in three years or less.ELL students are proficient in English/Language Arts as evidenced by proficiency on state and standardized exams.ELL students are advancing from grade level to grade level, evidencing mastery of core subjects on par with native speaking students.ELL students will be tested on a diagnostic basis using the English Language Development Assessment, or ELDA. Because ELDA does not provide granular data on students’ literacy gaps, we also rely on our internal literacy assessments, Scholastic Reading Inventory, and nationally-normed exams to provide us a clearer picture of our ELL students’ language development needs.STUDENTS PERFORMING BELOW GRADE LEVEL OR AT RISK OF DROPPING OUT Students who struggle in school, or who attend a school in anonymity, are at risk for dropping out of school before completing their high school studies or planning for next academic and professional steps as a young graduate. Our small middle school, consistently small student-teacher ratio and seamless transition to a small high school, each with an advisory system and close communication between home and school, provide the personally attentive setting that our students need to mitigate the risk factors for underachievement and potentially dropping out of school. Working closely with students, we anticipate that many of the issues students face will be strongly combatted by our structured and positive school culture; however, we realize that in some instances students may need additional professional supports. We will turn proactively to additional services (counseling, for example) through district and other local resources, decided upon in conjunction with the family.The best way for students not to struggle is to identify academic needs, address them, and grow academic success. Memphis Rise Academy anticipates that students entering our initial sixth grade year, and in all future cohorts, will bring a wide range of ability levels, and our program is prepared to reflect through our programs of ongoing diagnostic assessment, data-driven instruction, assessment and analysis, daily data- informed tutoring, Saturday School, goal-driven advisory and family communication.Diagnostic Assessment. We receive proof points from the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Diagnostic Assessment for reading fluency, Scholastic Reading Inventory for ongoing reading level information, and in-house diagnostic assessments for other content areas to identify our students’ entry point quantifiably and plan to adjust our entry curricular levels based on this information.116Culture of Data Analysis and Support. Utilizing a daily exit ticket format for our core classes, weekly Focus exit ticket for remedial objectives prioritized in tutoring, in-house unit assessments and trimester assessments, and interim assessments aligned to TCAP provided by The Achievement Network, Memphis Rise Academy builds a culture of assessment which does not allow us to fall into the dangers of guesswork when it comes to our students’ ability levels. This data is analyzed on a daily basis by teachers through consistent data entry and on a weekly level by all staff in Friday professional development aimed at building data analysis capacity, termed Strategy Rooms.117Saturday School. We offer 16 Saturday School sessions, attended by students who are performing below grade level or in need of further literacy and mathematics remediation.118Goal-Driven Advisory. From the outset of our time with our students, we want to instill in them the power of our most central and pivotal core value, ambition. We believe that all students, regardless of ability, have the ambition to succeed, often precluded by a confidence gap created through a history of poor performance or a fear of their response to challenge. Memphis Rise Academy’s advisory program is designed to mitigate and, through commitment to setting and reaching ambitious personal goals, eliminate the confidence gap that often goes without intervention in a program designed to prepare a student for full college readiness.119Family Communication. Perhaps our best method for intervention for students who are at-risk of dropping out is proactively creating relationships with all Memphis Rise Academy families which we can leverage with transparency and true partnership. Our commitment to our families and our community is unwavering, and it is best reflected in our consistent efforts for transparency regarding the programming we provide and our students’ response to our school’s116 For more detail on our Assessment System, please see Section I.5.117 For more detail on our use of the Strategy Room and Data Analysis, please see Section I.2.118 For more detail on our Annual Calendar including Saturday School, please see Attachment 4.119 For more detail on Advisory, please see School Culture in Section I.5.various elements. We provide this transparency primarily within the Rise Report format, in which all student data—academic, behavioral, and progress towards goals—is detailed in a weekly report card distributed on Fridays and provided to each family for review. Additionally, we include our next steps and the progress thus far from interventions taken for our most struggling students in the Rise Report, as well as in frequent phone communication with all families, with particular emphasis on those with struggling students.120 In home visits and community canvasses performed by the Memphis Rise Academy founding team thus far, families have expressed a desire to be equal partners with our school in getting their student to college, and have an initial understanding of the challenges that will lie on the path ahead. We look forward to further developing these relationships with consistent, honest, proactive communication.We are committed to students of all ability levels rising to meet the challenge of college preparation. We provide a culture of high expectations, first beginning with ourselves, to ensure that no student is left behind on the path to meeting that goal.INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED STUDENTS Under TN law, all intellectually gifted students are eligible for special education services. An “Intellectually Gifted Child” means a child whose intellectual abilities and potential for achievement are so outstanding the child’s educational performance is adversely affected meaning that the general curriculum alone is inadequate to appropriately meet the student’s educational needs.While we anticipate that most students will be appropriately challenged by our rigorous academic program, Memphis Rise Academy is committed to working with students who are performing above grade level and needing additional challenge.To identify students that are intellectually gifted, Freedom Prep will use a multi-modal identification process, wherein no singular mechanism, criterion or cut-off score is used for determination of eligibility that includes evaluation and assessment of: (1) educational performance (2) creativity/characteristics of intellectual giftedness, and; (3) cognition/intelligence; individual evaluation procedures that include appropriate use of instruments sensitive to cultural, linguistic, and environmental factors or sensory impairments; and multiple criteria and multiple assessment measures in procedures followed for screening and comprehensive assessment that include:Systematic Child Find and Individual Screening: (a) systematic child-find for students who are potentially gifted to include at least one grade level screening, and (b) individual screening of these students in grades K-12 in the areas of: i. educational performance, and ii. creativity/characteristics of giftedness; and (c) a team review of individual screening results to determine need for referral for comprehensive assessment;Comprehensive Assessment: (a) individual evaluation of cognition or intellectual ability; (b) individual evaluation of educational performance and creativity/characteristics of giftedness, the need for expanded assessment and evaluation in each of these areas to be based on results of Individual Screening; and regardless of specific criteria used to determine or identify the student with Intellectual Giftedness; (c) completion of assessment procedures in the three component areas (cognition, educational performance and creativity/ characteristics of giftedness) for program and services planning; and (d) documentation, including observation and/or assessment, of how Intellectual Giftedness adversely impacts the child’s educational performance in his/her learning environment.120 For more detail on communication with families, please see Section I.7..Information will be gathered from the following persons in the evaluation of Intellectual Giftedness: (1) the parent; (2) the child’s referring teacher, or a general classroom teacher qualified to teach a child of his/her age, who is familiar with the student (with a child of less than school age, an individual qualified to teach a child of his/her age, who is familiar with the child); and when appropriate, in collaboration with the ESL teacher, when the child is an English Language Learner; (3) a licensed special education teacher and/or a licensed teacher who meets the employment standards in gifted education; (4) a licensed school psychologist, licensed psychological examiner, licensed senior psychological examiner, or licensed psychologist; (5) other professional personnel, as indicated. At least one of the evaluation participants [(2), (3), (4), or (5)] must be trained in the characteristics of gifted children.PERFORMANCE STANDARDS/ASSESSMENTS/SCHOOL CULTURE TENNESSEE COMMON CORE IMPLEMENTATION In proposing for a 2014-2015 opening, we are excited for the planned full transition from the current Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) to Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC assessments for the 2014-2015 school year, as Tennessee begins to immerse itself in full Common Core implementation. As pilot begins next year, we will be paying close attention to district initiatives and data related to the transition to inform our performance standards going forward.In our performance standards below, we reference TCAP as our standing metric for gauging our performance relative to state and district achievement levels; within this, we are anticipating a potential transition in language around testing by the beginning or over the course of the 10-year charter, and will adjust to the correlative language of the commonly administered state test which replaces or exists within the current TCAP assessment system.GOAL 1: All students are proficient readers, speakers and writers of the English Language.Absolute Measure 1.01: At least 70% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years score in the Proficient or Advanced category in Reading/Language Arts on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). At least 80% of all students score Proficient or Advanced in Reading/Language Arts after their third year and at least 90% after their fourth year.Absolute Measure 1.02: At least 75% of all sixth grade students and 85% of eighth and eleventh grade students who have been enrolled at the school for two or more years achieve a score of at least a four (4) on the TN Comprehensive Assessment Program Writing Assessment.Absolute Measure 1.03: At least 80% of students read above grade level after year three and at least 90% after year four as determined by the Scholastic Reading Inventory.Growth Measure 1.04: In a cohort analysis of longitudinal growth, the average annual increase of percentiles among students on the Reading Comprehension section of Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) average a minimum of five (5) percentiles of growth per year until the average percentile score reaches 75.Growth Measure 1.05: Each year or exam administration period, all grade-level cohorts of students reduce by one-half the gap between the percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on theprevious year’s state Reading Assessment and previous administration of the TCAP Writing Assessment and 75% scoring Advanced/Proficient on the current year’s or administration period’s TCAP Reading and Writing Assessments. If a grade-level cohort exceeds 75% scoring Advanced/Proficient in the previous year, the cohort is expected to show a positive gain in the current parative Measure 1.06: Overall performance in Reading, as measured by the TCAP, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar schools. 121Comparative Measure 1.07: All students who have attended the school for two or more years, on average, attain a rate of proficiency at least five (5) percent higher than the surrounding district average as measured by the TN Comprehensive Assessment Program Assessments in Reading/Language parative Measure 1.08: Each year, the percent of all tested students who are enrolled in at least their second year and performing at Advanced/Proficient levels on the state Reading and Writing Assessments is greater than that of all students in the same tested grades in the local school district.GOAL 2: All students demonstrate proficiency in mathematical computation and application.Absolute Measure 2.01: At least 70% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years score in the Proficient or Advanced category in Mathematics on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). At least 80% of all students score Proficient or Advanced in Mathematics after their third year and at least 90% after their fourth year.Growth Measure 2.02: In a cohort analysis of longitudinal growth, the average annual increase of percentiles among students on the Mathematics section of the nationally-normed Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment average a minimum of five (5) percentiles of growth per year until the average percentile score reaches 75.Growth Measure 2.03: Each year, all grade-level cohorts of students reduce by one-half the gap between the percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the previous year’s TCAP Mathematics Assessment and 75 percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the current year’s TCAP Mathematics Assessment. If a grade-level cohort exceeds 75% scoring Advanced/Proficient in the previous year, the cohort is expected to show a positive gain in the current year.Growth Measure 2.04: Overall performance in Math, as measured by the TCAP, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar schools. 122Comparative Measure 2.05: All students who have attended the school for two or more years, on average, attain a rate of proficiency at least five (5) percent higher than the surrounding district average as measured by the TCAP in Mathematics.121 Similar schools will be identified by Memphis Rise Academy, and are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar percentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch.122 Similar schools will be identified by Memphis Rise Academy, and are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar percentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced parative Measure 2.06: Each year, the percent of all tested students who are enrolled in at least their second year and performing at Advanced/Proficient levels on the TCAP in Mathematics is greater than that of all students in the same tested grades in the local school district.GOAL 3: All students demonstrate proficiency in the understanding and application of science.123Absolute Measure 3.01: At least 70% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years score in the Proficient or Advanced category in Science on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). At least 80% of all students score Proficient or Advanced in Science after their third year and at least 90% after their fourth year.Growth Measure 3.02: Each year, all grade-level cohorts of students reduce by one-half the gap between the percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the previous year’s TCAP Science Assessment and 75 percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the current year’s TCAP Science Assessment. If a grade-level cohort exceeds 75% scoring Advanced/Proficient in the previous year, the cohort is expected to show a positive gain in the current year.Growth Measure 3.03: Overall performance in Science, as measured by the TCAP, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar schools. 124Comparative Measure 3.04: All students who have attended the school for two or more years, on average, attain a rate of proficiency at least five (5) percent higher than the surrounding district average as measured by the TCAP in parative Measure 3.05: Each year, the percent of all tested students who are enrolled in at least their second year and performing at Advanced/Proficient levels on the TCAP in Science is greater than that of all students in the same tested grades in the local school district.GOAL 4: All students demonstrate proficiency in Social Studies and History.125Absolute Measure 4.01: At least 70% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years score in the Proficient or Advanced category in Social Studies/History on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). At least 80% of all students score Proficient or Advanced in Social Studies/History after their third year and at least 90% after their fourth year.Growth Measure 4.02: Each year, all grade-level cohorts of students reduce by one-half the gap between the percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the previous year’s TCAP Social Studies/History Assessment and 75 percent scoring Advanced/Proficient on the current year’s123 As the local district fully adopts Common Core and PARCC, we anticipate that some assessment systems may be amended, deferred, or adjusted. We will revise goals and measures accordingly, while remaining true to the spirit of high expectations and full, measurable accountability to the authorizer and public.124 Similar schools will be identified by Memphis Rise Academy, and are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similarpercentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch.125 As the local district fully adopts Common Core and PARCC, we anticipate that some assessment systems may be amended, deferred, oradjusted. We will revise goals and measures accordingly, while remaining true to the spirit of high expectations and full, measurable accountability to the authorizer and public.TCAP Social Studies/History Assessment. If a grade-level cohort exceeds 75% scoring Advanced/Proficient in the previous year, the cohort is expected to show a positive gain in the current year.Growth Measure 4.03: Overall performance in Social Studies/History, as measured by the TCAP, will, on average, demonstrate growth in proficiency equal to or greater than that of similar schools. 126Comparative Measure 4.04: All students who have attended the school for two or more years, on average, attain a rate of proficiency at least five (5) percent higher than the surrounding district average as measured by the TCAP in Social Studies/parative Measure 4.05: Each year, the percent of all tested students who are enrolled in at least their second year and performing at Advanced/Proficient levels on the TCAP in Social Studies/History is greater than that of all students in the same tested grades in the local school district.GOAL 5: English Language Learners increase language proficiency levels.Growth Measure 6.01: At least 75% of English Language Learners will increase by at least one ELD level in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening as demonstrated by ELDA (English Language Development Assessment) scores and re-designation data.GOAL 6: Memphis Rise Academy students demonstrate mastery of college readiness skills.Absolute Measure 6.01: At least 75% of all students who have attended the school for two or more years receive a composite ACT score of 27 or higher.Absolute Measure: 6.02: At least 75% of all students who have attended the school two or more years receive a composite EXPLORE score of 17.Absolute Measure: 6.03: 100% of twelfth-graders graduate from high school.Absolute Measure: 6.04: 100% of twelfth-graders will gain admission to one or more four-year colleges.GOAL 7: Memphis Rise Academy students maintain high levels of daily attendance.Absolute Measure 7.01: Average Daily Membership is 95% or greater.126 Similar schools will be identified by Memphis Rise Academy, and are defined as similar grade schools within the district serving similar percentages of students eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch.GOAL 8: Parents are satisfied with the rigor, structure, and communication offered by the school.Absolute Measure 8.01: The school will receive average scores of “Satisfied” or higher on the mid-year and end-of-year parent satisfaction survey.PERFORMANCE REPORTING Annual ReportMemphis Rise Academy provides data on student performance and growth, as well as comparative and trend analyses; reporting includes all subgroups in an Annual Report. The Annual Report is distributed each year in August, after the close of our fiscal year, to the chartering authority, State Department of Education and others who request a copy. It provides: demographic data; school safety and climate for learning information; academic data (absolute, comparative, and growth measures); special population data (ELL, special needs, FRL); attendance data; class sizes; teacher and staff information; family survey data; post-secondary preparation information; fiscal and expenditure data; and Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) data.Family ReportingKeeping with our push for full transparency to students and their families, Memphis Rise Academy involves students and their parents in the analysis of work, noting progress, areas of strength, and plans to remediate any deficits and to assess progress to short- and long-term goals. Our weekly Rise Report127 system is a consistent means of small-scale reporting of gains towards students’ personal goals as well as the above stated goals for academic and behavioral performance. After each round of interim assessments, the school sends results of interims to families, and teachers share results with students. At these mini- conferences, teachers work with each student to set goals for the upcoming assessment and personalize an individual action plan, including small group instruction, tutoring, and/or Saturday School, as needed. State testing results also are sent to families. We host an annual parent meeting each summer to share the school’s progress toward school-wide goals and explain individual score reports from state-wide testing to students and their families. We hold three formal family-teacher conferences through the year, and proactively build relationship and communication of outcomes through our advisory system.Additionally, we measure our success through the consistent achievement of Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs), growth of our English Language Learners, college readiness, attendance, and family satisfaction. These goals, of equal importance to a school designed to serve the needs of its students completely, create a framework for how we will remain cognizant of our standing in relation to our mission.PROMOTION and RETENTION Promotion to the next grade is determined by satisfaction of Memphis Rise Academy’s academic program and attendance policy.127 For more detail on Rise Reports, please see School Culture in Section I.5.Promotion to the next grade is dependent upon sufficient mastery of all content standards. A solid academic foundation must be built in order for students to achieve success in high school and in college. A school’s design, with its tracking of student performance and tiers of student supports along with frequent communication with families should propel students toward successful completion of each grade’s requirements. If needed, however, performance-based retention is not a punishment; rather, we believe that promotion of a student who has passed some but not all of his/her classes would be a disservice and ultimately lead to the continued failure of that student.During the school year, all students have access to a three-tiered academic support system including daily Focus tutoring, Homework Club, and Saturday School. All families are informed of student progress, qualitatively and quantitatively, through weekly Rise Reports and three formal Report Cards issued at the end of each trimester.Students who earn 70% or higher in all academic classes earn promotion to the next grade.Students who earn below a 70% in one or two core academic class(es) are required to attend Summer Rise, offered for two weeks at the end of the school year, and must retake the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) necessary at the conclusion of the summer program. Students who attend Summer Rise may be promoted to the next grade by fulfilling all Summer Rise requirements and passing the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) taken at the end of the summer program, earning a 70% or better on each exam taken. If the student fails to fulfill the requirements of Summer Rise or does not pass the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) with 70% or better, he/she will be retained.Students who earn less than 70% in three or more core academic classes, or (b) who miss more than fifteen school days without a documented and reasonable concern that prevented attendance at school, will automatically be retained and, at the discretion of the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the applicable teachers, will be required to attend Summer Rise to prepare for success in the following year.In the event that a student does need to repeat a grade, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction will assemble a multidisciplinary team to plan an appropriate strategy for the following year.128 Based on an understanding of the reasons for the student’s lack of success during the previous year, the team will detail supports and processes for ensuring that he or she will be successful the following year. These interventions may include, but are not limited to, extra tutoring in August, after school or in mandatory Saturday School, a change in the student’s grouping or classroom assignment, or an effort to work with the student’s family to address personal or peer group issues. All promotion and retention policies will be part of the family orientation session prior to the start of school and will be written in clear detail in the Memphis Rise Academy Student and Family Handbook (please see Attachment 5).GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS As documented in the High School Graduation Requirement Map in Figure 1.23, Memphis Rise Academy High School meets or exceeds curricular credit necessities as outlined in the Tennessee Graduation Project. In addition, we outline all Exit Standards for Academics and Character in Figureand Figure 1.25. Our expectation for students exiting Memphis Rise Academy High School is that they are in alignment with requirements including, but not limited to, those below in Figures 1.24 and 1.25.128 The Head of School will lead this meeting in Y1 and Y2.Figure 1.23: Memphis Rise Academy High School Graduation Requirement MapSubject AreaUnits Required TNUnits Required Memphis Rise AcademyExamination RequirementsEnglish Language Arts44English I, English II, English IIISocial Studies44US HistoryMathematics44Algebra I, GeometryScience34Biology, Chemistry, PhysicsLanguages Other Than English24LatinSequence Courses or Electives34N/APhysical Education and Wellness1.51.5N/AFine Arts11N/ACapstone Experience11Senior Research ProjectEXIT STANDARDS Figure 1.24: Exit Standards - AcademicContent AreaExit StandardsELAReadingCite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from text, including determining where text leaves matters uncertain.Determine meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to power, persuasiveness or beauty of text.WritingDetermine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over course of text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.MathematicsAP StatisticsDescribe complex patterns and departures from patterns, including graphical displays of distributions and other univariate, bivariate, and categorical data.Understand various methods of data collection and sampling.Draw complex statistical inferences and test data for significance.All Seniors (Calculus Track)Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to problem solving, including testing cases, estimating, inductive and deductive reasoning, logic, and proofs,Move flexibly between multiple representations to solve problems, model mathematical ideas, and communicate solutions,Appropriately develop understanding of abstract mathematical ideas to facilitate problem solving,Employ reading and writing to the process of finding complex real-world solutions in tandem with mathematical understanding,Use mathematical language, symbols, definitions, proofs, and counterexamples correctly and precisely,ScienceAP Biology129Clear depth of knowledge and application ability of the following “Big Ideas”The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life.Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes.Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.Environmental Science130Explore the impact of technology on social, political, and economic systems.Demonstrate grade level appropriate knowledge of earth system, the living world, human populations, water and land, waste production, global change andcivic responsibility,Social StudiesAP European History131Clear depth of knowledge and application ability of European:Intellectual and cultural history,Political and diplomatic history,Social and economic history,Economics132Understand how values and beliefs influence economic decisions in different societies,Describe how the world economies are connected.Understand contemporary and historical data relevant to the field Of economics.Understand how historical events have influenced the economic development of the United States,Foreign LanguageLatin133:129 ,130 ,132 ,133 ,Read, understand, and interpret in prose and poetry; exhibit clear knowledge of vocabulary and syntax,Master and apply the rules of classical meter in reading poetry,Respond appropriately to idioms and more complex sentence patternsWrite compound and complex sentences,Recognize the geography of the Roman Empire,Know literary genres, authors, historical characters, and events associated with the Roman empire,Recognize and use elements of the Latin or Greek language to increase knowledge of a student’s own language,CapstoneResearch ProjectConduct research using a variety of print, multimedia and internet mediums, appropriately cited in written form on a topic of high interest,Create clear presentation of college-level length to board of instructional team members using structured and well-researched report as evaluated on common rubric,ThesisConduct, under the supervision of an academic advisor, a collegiate length research project in literature or history(25-30 pages) in written form, utilizing all appropriate citations and developing a wide research base of primary, secondary, and critical sources,Present thesis in an honors colloquium to members of a rigorous academic review board,Figure 1.25: Exit Standards - CharacterCore ValueExit StandardsResponsibilityManage an independent, detail oriented academic organization system,Demonstrate deep understanding of individual actions’ effect upon larger community,Commit to using developmentally appropriate speech in all social settings,Maintain an orderly personal space,Embrace the benefits of maintaining a welcoming and safe school environment,ExcellenceTake an active role in directing learning opportunities to enrich their education,Opt for more rigorous opportunities over simpler solutions,Be instruments of positive change,Be able to articulate clear and honest justification for their actions,Take pride in academic success and goal achievement while simultaneously demonstrating humility and further ambition,AmbitionIndependently set, monitor and alter progress towards individual goals,Actively pursue leadership roles within academic, extracurricular and community spheres,Use personal strengths to benefit others when possible,Actively work to keep others on track towards goals,Make clear connections between current actions and future success,CommitmentDemonstrate resiliency in the face of challenge,Use clearly developed problem solving techniques when faced with challenge,Show innately developed compass of value-driven character at all times,A clear and demonstrated track record of promptness and attendance,Be a positive ambassador for themselves, their school and their community in everyday interactions,HonestyMaintain integrity in all situations regardless of potential outcome or response,Uphold a mature commitment to the truth,Seek help when needed,Identify areas for personal growth and development,Identify areas of personal strength and how these can benefit others,ASSESSMENTS Memphis Rise Academy is built on the foundation of data and assessment. We refuse to fall into the trap of uninformed curricular delivery which widens achievement gaps and produces a variance in college preparation. We combat this potential reality with a culture of assessment, beginning in the outset of summer professional development and continuing throughout the school year. Our mission of college preparation relies on the instructional vigilance that is catalyzed through meticulous attention on data that defines Memphis Rise Academy. “Data-driven instruction is the philosophy that school should constantly focus on…’what was learned’ instead of ‘what was taught.’”134When teachers arrive in early July, part of training for staff culture is to deeply discuss the importance of our core values, termed in our school the REACH values: Responsibility, Excellence, Ambition, Commitment, and Honesty. Each of these values is reflected throughout our school, especially in our culture of assessment and data analysis.Responsibility: It is our responsibility as instructional staff to provide an excellent 6-12 school which executes our mission of college preparation. The most fundamental element of that great school is great teaching, which can only be informed by meticulous attention to data.Excellence: Our expectations for student performance, as evidenced in our transparent goal- driven culture and reporting systems, are very high. Due to these expectations for excellence, we take every precaution necessary to ensure that we can gauge precisely where we stand en route to our ambitious academic goals for students, to which it is our responsibility to lead our students.Ambition: There is no success without first realizing the desire for success, and this desire for success is fueled by high expectations for hard work and attention to detail. This hard work is evidenced in our assessment program and the attention to detail is evidenced in our response to the assessment system. If we want to cultivate ambition within our students to meet and exceed their goals, we must, without fail, provide rigorous metrics and supports for those metrics in our instructional program to ensure that their goals are mitment: Nothing worth achieving can happen without an unwavering commitment to its actualization. Our commitment to success manifests itself in the powerful challenge that achieving academic excellence poses to our entire school community and our granular strides to advance towards it.Honesty: The honest way to measure our progress is to assess at our desired level of rigor and respond to our student’s most honest efforts to reach that level of rigor. If a student is not performing to the level of his or her ambition, it is on the shoulders of the school to respond appropriately with the most direct and appropriate measure to increase that student’s possibility for success.134 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2010. p. xxv, xxxv.When we discuss our core values with staff in July, we discuss how they define anything that we consider important to our school’s growth and success. We agree with Paul Bambrick-Santoyo who writes in Driven By Data that “one of data driven instruction’s greatest strengths is that it does not require faculty buy-in – it creates it…Focus on the fundamentals, achieve results, and faith in the program will follow.”135 Bambrick-Santoyo’s work and research informs the data analysis plan of Memphis Rise Academy. The text will be provided to staff members upon onboarding, and discussion regarding the text will happen with the Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Y2) throughout the time between staff onboarding and July professional development, as well as heavily referenced and relied upon throughout professional development in the outset of the year and the rest of the school year as part of our ongoing professional development calendar.136Bambrick-Santoyo refers to the process of planning all assessments, lessons, and data interventions out of interim assessments the “ripple effect” to metaphorically demonstrate how interim assessments should “influence every component of the teaching process.” 137 The ripple effect at Memphis Rise Academy follows an assessment and analysis structure using the following path. From our mission of college preparation come our core values; from our core values come our culture of assessment; and from our culture of assessment comes first training towards and implementation of the Uncommon Schools’- inspired Curriculum Alignment Template process.In an initial PD session, school leadership presents a pre-made internal comprehensive literacy assessment. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction138 presents the assessment and begins to break down by question what skills, content knowledge, and vocabulary a student would need to have to answer a problem on the assessment.For example, in a sample question such as, “In which stanza does the author best display imagery which strengthens the poem’s theme?,” skills and content knowledge include: (1) find textual elements within poetry; (2) recognize concept of theme; (3) understand the types of details which create theme; (4) recognize the concept of imagery in poetry; and (5) contrast text sections for evidence of textual elements like imagery. Tier 2 vocabulary would include: (1) stanza, (2) imagery, and (3) theme.The Director of Curriculum and Instruction139 lists these clearly and then provide copy of grade-level (here sixth grade) specific Common Core State Standards contained within the sample exam. In this case, these skills are mostly housed under the CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 standard: “Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot.”140 This process will be modeled several more times. Created through the development of the above skills, content knowledge and vocabulary contained within the single assessment question inform daily objectives that a teacher of literacy would use to teach this Common Core standard. Therefore, instead of beginning with the standard, we begin with the pre-made comprehensive assessment to determine through backwards planning and curriculum alignment what needs to be taught in smaller, detailed form a student must be able to master, and then map our curricula to these plementing the in-depth analysis of assessment questions to create standards-aligned objectives, additional summer professional development topics in support of curriculum mapping include:135 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2010. p. xxxii.136 For more detail on on Professional Development, please see Section II.3.137 Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Driven by Data. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, 2010. p. 10-11.138 Head of School in Y1 and Y2.139 Ibid.140 spiraling, which looks at the most common skills across multiple standards for each content area and finds ways to use them frequently throughout the curriculum map in support of new standards and content, and how to fit spiraled objectives into Do Nows and Exit Tickets.Formative and summative assessment writing, focusing on both objective response for quick data collection and constructed response.Cross-curricular alignment, which suggests and models multiple methods for how to bring literacy and mathematics priorities into all curricular areas.Collecting valuable qualitative data through providing assistance during extended rounds of guided and independent practice and redirecting as necessary to ensure quick closure of developing gaps in student performance before collecting formative data.Administration and practice of Fountas and Pinnell literacy testing, provided by experienced Fountas and Pinnell assessment educators and coaches.Differentiation of student materials as appropriate to ensure all students full access to our curriculum, regardless of language or needs.Designing Focus curriculum to be both remedial and engaging in a way that ensures students close their outstanding mastery gaps.Using the Kickboard common tracking system to populate and calculate mastery data, which reflects teachers’ curriculum maps by breaking standards into objectives and allows for spiraling and cross-curricular objectives.Interpreting Accelerated Reader data so that all teachers can be in charge of monitoring the Accelerated Reader progress of their advisory, especially as it relates to reading growth goals.Literacy growth tracking to keep specific and easily manageable records of our students’ reading growth, using both Fountas and Pinnell and SRI informed data.Action planning from data analysis, so that we make strategic decisions and take impactful action steps to improve student achievement in real time with real time data.These sessions are bolstered by leadership working with staff in practice of Lemov’s techniques outlined in Teach Like A Champion in quick, “at bat” formats throughout professional development. Teachers are given multiple opportunities to practice executable, high student engagement skills. While these development sessions do not align directly to our data program, execution is essential to our ability to teach at the level needed to support our students’ optimal level of performance.Internal diagnostic assessments are provided to staff in week two of summer PD for review, and curriculum alignment maps are planned accordingly using the in-house assessments after professional development and ample practice with using the curriculum alignment method. Drafted curriculum maps, often referred to as scope and sequences, are provided to the DCI for review during July PD which account for all Common Core standards to be taught over the course of the year, benchmarked for trimester assessments. Teachers begin to make formative assessments and the accompanying lesson plans and student materials for the first unit of the school year per their curriculum maps, subject to amendment upon the results of our diagnostic testing. This materials creation continues throughout the first week of school as data from our diagnostics comes in.The first week of our school year with students - Rise Week - is focused only on two areas: diagnostic testing and setting student expectations for behavior, culture, and academic performance. Our cohorts are built heterogeneously and not by ability level. This is a significant cultural value-add for our Rise Week programming, as students get to spend Rise Week with their cohort. Please see the section Rise Week on in Section I.5 for more details on the cultural aspects of our student orientation. During Rise Week, the following diagnostics are administered to all students:Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessment Program provides in-depth baseline of our students’ reading ability. This testing, trained by experienced Fountas and Pinnell educators via in-house professional development or webinar, is administered by the entire Memphis Rise Academy instructional team at the outset of the school year. Fountas and Pinnell provides close and in-depth analysis of the specific gaps in fluency and comprehension that exist within a student’s reading ability and provides valuable data for teachers to use to craft their literacy curriculum and plan for common remedial needs. We administer Fountas and Pinnell again at the close of the school year to each sixth grade student, and to the greatest degree possible using the same instructor as the outset of the year to control for calibration. Fountas and Pinnell is a fairly time-intensive test to deliver, especially for new users, and requires ample scheduled time during Rise Week and a full-staff approach.Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) is administered to all students upon entry into the school, which provides a faster, due to self-administration, albeit less detailed knowledge of a student’s reading level based on vocabulary and comprehension. The SRI provides a student’s Lexile level; concurrently, our school library uses Lexiles aligned to Accelerated Reader. Our standard reading diagnostic, administered every six weeks during the reading class period or our daily Focus period (see daily schedule in Attachment 4 for more detail on Focus) to all students, will be the SRI, as it requires less time and human capital to administer.Internally created content diagnostics are developed and administered by content teachers based on a hybrid of the fifth and sixth grade standards, focused more on baseline items essential to the academic program of each class. These exams, shorter than comprehensives or trimester interims, produce valuable data points for all content teachers to begin differentiating their curriculum maps as needed to suit various student needs.Nationally-normed Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) exams are given in reading and mathematics. This provides a nationally-normed bar for our students’ entry level, which, along with Fountas and Pinnell testing, will only be administered again at the end of the year to track for nationally-normed student growth in our most foundational content areas of literacy and math.Using the knowledge and capacity built in July professional development, teachers use Rise Week to begin tracking entry data in preparation for the end of Rise Week, at which point we will hold our first all-staff professional development session, and action planning in the school’s data Strategy Room. Instructional teams hold a weekly data analysis and planning meeting on Fridays termed “Strategy Rooms” – data analysis and planning sessions within which we visually evidence the underachievement that we are combatting against and the knowledge and skill mastery that we are fighting towards throughout our daily and strategic work with students - with the goal of designing effective, spiraling plans for not-yet-mastered objectives and appropriate individualized supports as part of our extended day and week. Strategy Room sessions are held to ensure that each instructional staff member deeply understands the academic progress of our students - their strengths, weaknesses, trends, and plans for growth individually and collectively. Within these meetings, instructional team members are trained in targeted data reflection and practice this concept to build data-usage capacity. Each Strategy Room session will have three large-scale goals141: (1) To honestly assess the success of the Strategy Room plan of action from the previous week, as reflected in Focus data and spiraled in-classroom review data collected that week; (2) To determine lingering needs or areas of weakness from the previous plan of action and plan for the necessary ongoing individual student targeting for the upcoming week to address those needs and weaknesses; and (3) To analyze new formative, summative or interim data and create a141 Strategy Room goals based on ”Results Meeting Protocol” developed by North Star Academy and detailed in Driven By Data (p. 91-93).new plan of action for the upcoming week’s Focus periods and in-classroom review to best address the newly manifested needs of our student population at the individual, class, and all school levels.The Strategy Room structure, as first detailed in Section I.3, will be a staple of our Friday PD throughout the year. On Thursday afternoon, Memphis Rise Academy instructional team will roll up its data from the completed instructional period, the previous Friday to the current Thursday. This data will be inputted into student Rise Reports to be distributed the following day. After a standard instructional period, teachers will have new exit ticket data which should reflect a variety of new objectives, as well as new data on previously introduced objectives spiraled into the instructional period’s exit tickets and Focus Quizzes. Data is tracked by teachers underneath larger Common Core standards. In a summative assessment week, teachers will be responsible for bringing their assessment data, tracked by Common Core standard, to the Strategy Room for analysis as well as for reflecting this data in the Rise Report.Teachers are first given opportunity to display their weekly data, individualized by student, to the entire instructional team and present the trends which they see and the already self-identified reasons for these trends. Data will then be analyzed by the rest of the instructional team, to identify any gaps or trends the individual teacher may be missing. Using the Common Core standards, Memphis Rise Academy curriculum will have many objectives, especially those rooted in literacy and mathematics, which can fall under several standards across the curriculum. Because of this, teachers should be able to provide cross- curricular perspective regarding student performance. For example, a science teacher who has been using the order of operations as a necessary lesson component in converting Fahrenheit degrees to Celsius degrees should align to mathematics spiraling. Each teacher will present his or her perspective to a math teacher on the lingering gaps or firm successes in this area. Trends and gaps from each data presentation will be tracked publicly in a clearly consolidated format.With the Strategy Room objectives in mind, we will then begin the process of self-assessment of previously prioritized data-informed goals. Revisiting the goals from the previous week, this week’s data strengths and gaps will be used to make determinations on the instructional successes and lingering needs which may remain. This information will assist in our planning for upcoming remedial efforts to help close both previously prioritized goals for instructional remediation as well as those which are newly identified through the most recent assessment data. Goals for the upcoming instructional period will be addressed through two primary intervention techniques: Focus and in-class remediation. Gaps which present a more pressing need, mainly those which serve as foundational for multiple areas of the curriculum and remain un-mastered by large portions of students, will be prioritized in Focus, while gaps which are either more recent and/or affect a smaller portion of students will be prioritized through an in- class remediation cycle, particularly during the independent practice portion of the lesson when the teacher can provide mini-re-teaching lessons and individualized supports. For more information about these two responses to data analysis, please see further detail below.Once the gaps are identified as either Focus priorities or in-class priorities, the instructional team designs its Focus priorities for the upcoming instructional period in a series of high-priority objectives. Students are then assigned by the instructional team to Focus groups for the following instructional period based on which group will address each student’s highest area of need.In the outset of the year, using Fountas and Pinnell data, internal content diagnostic data, and Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) data, our primary goals are to create refined curriculum maps for each content area which have two main priorities: (1) pushing for a rigorous pace which meets students where they are while preparing them for the quick mastery of necessary foundational skills necessary to begin moving deeper into grade-level appropriate curriculum and (2) to find ways to push literacy and mathematics needs as evidenced through these diagnostic assessments into all classes right away. This process, spearheaded by the Head of School in Y1 and Director of Curriculum and Instruction starting in Y2, willinvolve looking at data points for each student cohort first for literacy using all three assessment metrics. MAP data reports142 take large skills such as “analyze text” or “computation and estimation” and break them down into smaller, state standard “sized” items. MAP provides detailed item analysis reports for each student and across a larger cross-section of students to easily find trends in student performance, and therefore serve as a good starting place for literacy and mathematics data analysis.From there, we cross-check our general MAP findings with our Fountas and Pinnell findings, then track trends for individual students based on Fountas and Pinnell data, which evidences a student’s thinking in response to questions on a leveled text. We find gaps in thinking which correlate to gaps in student ability on MAP and internal literacy assessments which align to essential foundational standards, and establish a literacy plan for the beginning of the school year which focuses on reading comprehension, analysis, strategy, vocabulary, and fluency to be addressed in our reading class and supplemented through cross-curricular methods for the highest priority foundational needs, such as adding grade-level texts with contextual vocabulary, comprehension-based questions and consistent implementation of a reading annotation toolkit to all curricula in the first six weeks of instruction to get our students more practice with all of the most essential “low-hanging fruit” for reading progress before the next SRI administration and the first summative literacy assessment.We perform a similar plan for mathematics, using Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) results as a general standards guideline to cross-check with internal diagnostics assessments. In science and social studies, we have only the data provided by the internal diagnostics to plan for and amend curriculum maps after Rise Week, but, as our culture of assessment continues, instructional team members begin to receive multiple data points from in-class formative assessments and Focus Quizzes.Our diagnostic assessments help us create our first Focus groups. Focus is a data-informed period of remedial tutoring (or, in some cases, content enrichment), offered Monday through Thursday mornings for 45 minutes each day, for a total of 180 minutes per week. Focus is designed for the re-teaching of lessons with ample time for differentiated student practice and individual or small group teacher support. Focus groups will be altered at the beginning of each instructional period143; students will attend Focus with the same content teacher for four instructional days. Focus is taught by all content teachers; groups are designed to address students’ highest areas of need based on a student’s data profile as presented by teachers in Strategy Room. Though we encourage cross-curricular content usage, at the outset, all Focus plans will be literacy- and mathematic-based to create the necessary momentum for increasing the rigor in these foundational subjects.Focus has one weekly assessment, called the Focus Quiz, which incorporates all data-prioritized objectives from that instructional period. The priorities of Focus, in line with our academic foundation, are to further support literacy and mathematics. Focus plans are designed to create lessons that push for depth of content exposure and practice using primarily math and literacy skills. Because Focus is taught by all six content teachers, it becomes a lever for our teachers to think critically about how their content can be interwoven with the high priorities of literacy and mathematics.Science and social studies content mastery priorities are secondary in Focus to the provision of extended literacy and mathematics practice, differentiated for rigor for different student groups. However, our instructional team makes every attempt to place low mastery students in science and social studies in a Focus group with the appropriate content teacher for more exposure to remediation opportunities. These142 instructional period in our schedule is determined by the needs of our Rise Report system and is set from the previous Friday to the current Thursday. An instructional period consists of all data produced in courses during the time between Rise Reports, which is the Friday of distribution to the subsequent Thursday before the next distribution.content priorities are primarily intervened upon in the in-class remediation cycle with science and social studies. Focus Quizzes contain spiraled objectives that are both specific to the teacher’s content as well as incorporate concepts of literacy and mathematics.Our standard content period utilizes the daily formative assessment, or exit ticket, format. Our instructional pacing model, supported by ongoing professional development and Lemov techniques, is designed to be quick in the teacher-modeling portion of the lesson to allow students to have ample time for practice and teacher intervention before the Exit Ticket. In any given class of 60 minutes, for example, teachers will be coached to complete a reviewed entry activity, or Do Now, deliver introduction to new material and conduct a guided practice cycle within thirty minutes, leaving 20 to 25 minutes for students to engage in independent practice rounds of increasing rigor, as well as to gather qualitative data throughout the classroom for individual student interventions or all-group re-teaching opportunities before administering a scaffolded Exit Ticket, or daily mastery quiz. This pace is supported for all students by our Focus program for depth-based re-teaching and practice as informed by student assessment data and our data-informed in-class remediation priority during students’ independent practice. It also allows for Memphis Rise Academy instructional team members to ensure full coverage of planned standards and objectives throughout a unit cycle with enough time for targeted, in-class, data- informed review and/or extension beyond the designed rigor for that unit time frame.Teachers enter Exit Ticket data into Kickboard, a data compilation software system which houses student data and is instrumental in creating weekly Rise Reports, on a daily basis. When a unit or trimester assessment is administered, this data also goes into Kickboard. This data is proactively analyzed by the Director of Curriculum and Instruction in preparation for Friday Strategy Rooms to create basic trend assumptions to provide as a framework for upcoming Focus needs and in-class remediation needs.Our ongoing data analysis throughout the year makes heavy use of Exit Ticket data and Focus Quiz data, especially in preparation for unit and interim assessments, which we write internally in alignment to our curriculum maps as benchmarks towards our end-of-year comprehensive exams. Additionally, we use the assessment services and development of The Achievement Network (A-Net) approximately four times per year. A-Net’s TCAP-predictive assessment tools provide an essential comparative data point for our data analysis, help us to determine our alignment to state metrics and to affirm our internal findings in standards-based data analysis. Moreover, the Achievement Network provides Common Core State Standard aligned assessment-creation resources and item banks for our teachers to use and norm their own assessment items on throughout the year. The comprehensive A-Net package is a significant value- add for our assessment program as well as our ongoing focus on producing honest and rigorous assessments for our students.These ongoing assessment metrics, combined with the Strategy Room analysis metric, lead us towards the implementation of our mission from the outset of the school year. There should not be a single instructional day in which we are not able to pull multiple data points from each student, all of which are analyzed to some level of detail on a weekly basis. This level of detail in our assessment and data analysis forces us to put our core values into action when it comes to our instructional priorities, and ensures that we do not lose sight of our mission of college preparation for all students at all times.HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND POSTSECONDARY REQUIREMENTS GRADING POLICIES Students at Memphis Rise Academy will earn grades based on their demonstration of mastery of Memphis Rise Academy curriculum standards, which have been informed by Tennessee State Standards, the Common Core and the AP, SAT and ACT exams. Grades will include student performance on in-class work, homework, assessments, and other components as applicable to each content area. Figureoutlines the ways in which letter, percentage, and rubric grades will be used at Memphis Rise Academy and what these grades mean in terms of a student’s level of mastery of the State Content Standards. Memphis Rise Academy employs the +/- system for grading to allow for more precise grading and transcripts for college application purposes, as well as to best reflect our students’ academic standing during the high school years.Figure 1.26: Grading MetricsLetterPercentageGrade PointCreditMeaningA93-100%4.0Student earning an A is consistently demonstrating advanced levels of mastery with the content standards.A-90-92%3.8B+88-89%3.4Student earning a B is consistently demonstrating proficiency with the content standards.B83-87%3.0B-80-82%2.8C+78-79%2.4Student earning a C is consistently demonstrating basic competency with the content standards.C73-77%2.0C-70-72%1.8FBelow 70%0Student earning less than 70% is not yet demonstrating a basic level of mastery w/ content standards and needs todemonstrate mastery of standards before credit is earned.There will be school-wide standards for grading, as denoted in Figure 1.26. Teachers will be trained by the Head of School during July professional development on the school’s policy and will work with the Head of School, Director of Curriculum and Instruction (starting in Y2) and teacher teams to ensure that grades are calibrated and assigned in a fair and consistent manner that corresponds with mastery of State Content Standards. Students who participate in highly rigorous Advanced Placement courses in their junior and senior years will have the opportunity for weighted grading on a 5.0 as the A scale, using correlative numbers for the above grade chart, as to remain competitive in merit-based grade point inflation recognized in the college admissions process. Unit courses that are worth less than a full unit of credit are balanced at 50% (or appropriate percentage) of a full GPA credit per calculations.Grading for students with IEPs will follow the objectives as specified within the IEP. When objectives are not specified, the standard school-wide grading policy will apply.High school transcript reporting will include detailed information on credits earned, in which courses, along with grades by trimester for each subject taken and overall Grade Point Average reflected in grades.Sufficient mastery in a subject is indicated by a grade of 70% or better. For the first and second trimesters, the work done each trimester - quizzes, tests, homework, and class work – account for 75% of the student’s overall grade for that trimester and the end-of-trimester comprehensive exam account for 25% of the overall grade for that trimester. In the third trimester, 100% of the student’s grade is calculated based upon the mid-trimester exam, quizzes, homework and participation. The final grade for the year is an average of the scores from the end-of-the- year comprehensive exam and the three trimester grades and each carry equal weight (each grade being 25% of the student’s final grade for the subject).144144Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, a public charter school and member of the UnCommon Schools Network, serves 195 Black and Latino students in grades 6 through 8 (70% of whom qualify for the federal free and reduced price lunch program) is one of the highest achieving charterOur graduation requirements exceed state requirements and build the skill, content, and transcripts to access competitive four-year universities, build within our high school graduates a college-preparatory depth of content knowledge and critical thinking skill. Students take four years of English, four years of Mathematics, four years of science, four years of social studies, and four years of a non-traditional foreign language (Latin). Students also have access to three electives over the course of their high school career.Our high school courses as denoted in Figure 1.27 translate to graduation requirements as demonstrated in Figure 1.28 exceed, in many cases, those of the Tennessee Graduation Project. In the cases where our requirements surpass those of the Tennessee Graduation Project, we have made the decision in to both ensure that our students are taking a well-rounded curriculum, delivered primarily by core teachers for which we clearly budget, as well as prepare themselves with a breadth of core academic knowledge and skills for the post-secondary environment. The most notable area in which Memphis Rise Academy High School exceeds state requirements is our requirement of four years of a foreign language. While we hope to be able to offer multiple languages at the high school level, currently we budget for one foreign language instructor hired to teach Latin. Latin is an extremely useful foreign language in a college- preparatory setting; not only does it teach the elements of language and etymology that are essential to college aptitude testing, but it allows for a deep exposure to classical foundations in literature, music and art which translate to our high school global and American studies curricula. Our Latin curriculum will be designed to support collegiate vocabulary acquisition and word study, deep syntactical and written ability, and knowledge of classical history, literature and influence. We require four years of a foreign language to ensure that our students’ ability to be accepted at competitive four-year universities is not inhibited by a lack of required foreign language credits.We anticipate our high school’s elective offerings as denoted in Figure 1.27 to be taught primarily by our core instructional staff as aligned to their certification. For example, due to the close alignment to our literature and social science curriculum, courses such as creative writing, journalism, and drama can be taught by our literature and social studies high school instructors. The curriculum of these electives, when taught by a directly related core curriculum teacher, becomes a content-enriched extension to the core curriculum; for example, creative writing taught by our high school English department serves as a venue for our English teachers to prioritize writing to a variety of audiences and in a variety of mediums, just as our separate Writing course in the middle school allows for the strengthening of our curriculum through extended, dedicated time. Personal finance can be taught by mathematics instructors to increase our students’ ability to apply algebraic principles to real-world problem solving. For more specialized courses, such as visual art, music and PE/wellness, we plan to hire specialized elective teachers to positions built into the first three years of our high school staffing model. Our visual arts and music classes focus on being both a hybrid of technique and art history, where students are given the chance to contextualize their practice with various artistic and musical methods and procedures with their role in art and music history case studies. We will build more electives into our curricular offerings at the high school level as our high school grows to financial sustain these offerings, each designed to support our continued effort to build our students’ college readiness.Figure 1.27: Memphis Rise Academy High School Curriculum OverviewSubjectGrade 9Grade 10Grade 11Grade 12MathematicsAlgebra I (remedial needs only)Algebra IIPre-CalculusCalculusschools in the nation according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement. See students in Roxbury Master the MCAS, Press Release, Dated September 28, 2005.GeometryAP TrigonometryAP StatisticsMeets TN Diploma Project Graduation RequirementsMath: 4 Credits - Algebra I, II, Geometry and a fourth higher level math courseEnglishEnglish I World LiteratureEnglish II American LiteratureEnglish III British LiteratureEnglish IV African- American Literature andSenior Research ProjectAP English Language and CompositionAP Literature and Compositionand Senior ThesisMeets TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements English: 4 CreditsSocial StudiesWorld HistoryUS History and GovernmentWorld GeographyEconomicsAP US HistoryAP European HistoryExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements Social Studies: 4 Credits; 3 RequiredScienceBiologyChemistryPhysicsEnvironmental ScienceAP PhysicsAP BiologyExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements Science: 4 Credits; 3 Lab Courses; 3 RequiredForeign LanguageLatin ILatin IILatin IIILatin IVExceeds TN Diploma Project Graduation Requirements 4 Credits; 2 RequiredElective OfferingsInitial offerings will include Personal Finance (semester), Introduction to Visual Arts (year- long), Introduction to Drama (year-long), Physical Education (semester), General Music (year-long), Music History, Journalism (year-long), Computer Literacy/Applications (given technology funding/budgeting), Creative Writing (year-long), Health (year-long) and growappropriatelyFigure 1.28: Memphis Rise Academy High School Graduation Requirement MapSubject AreaUnits Required by TNUnits Requiredby Memphis Rise AcademyExamination RequirementsEnglish Language Arts44English I, English II, English IIISocial Studies44US HistoryMathematics44Algebra I, GeometryScience34Biology, Chemistry, PhysicsLanguages Other Than24LatinEnglishSequence Courses or Electives34N/APhysical Education and Wellness1.51.5N/AFine Arts11N/ACapstone Experience11Senior Thesis or Research ProjectEspecially in the high school years, Memphis Rise Academy concerns itself with our students’ success in advancement through our rigorous academic program towards graduation and college matriculation. Students who struggle in school, or who attend a school in anonymity, are at risk for dropping out of school before completing their high school studies or planning for next academic and professional steps as a young graduate. Our small middle school and seamless transition to a small high school, each with an advisory system and close communication between home and school, together provide the small and personal setting that our students need to mitigate the risk-factors for underachievement and potentially dropping out of school. Working closely with students, we anticipate that many of the issues students face will be strongly combatted by our structured and positive school culture, however we realize that in some instances students may need additional professional supports. We will turn proactively to additional professional services (counseling, for example) through district and other local resources, supported by conversation with the family. Additionally, in the high school, we will leverage our instructional team’s relationships with our high school students for mentoring and informal counseling, and entrust them to alert our Dean of Students and Head of School to any potential at risk students for further interventions.SCHOOL CULTURE The strength of a school which allows it to successfully inspire and develop its students to their highest levels of achievement is the culture that defines its environment, beginning with a clear vision, executed upon by staff and designed for student ownership. A strong, achievement-oriented and goal-driven school culture, believed in and created by all members of the school community, propels high academic gains for students.Culture begins with the expectations set by the leader for the staff and is disseminated by the leader and staff to all students. Our culture centers on positive confidence in our school’s ability and our students’ ability to rise to personal and collective academic challenges.With staff, this concept is manifested and built through constant team reflection and communication, opportunities for targeted development, task collaboration and the collective work of keeping our core values present in all of our communications and interactions. This culture will then be transferred from staff to students with high expectations in mind. Our school year begins with three weeks of staff-only professional development, during which the main priorities are data analysis, teacher execution, and aligning staff members to our core value systems and how they will be implemented across our school through a variety of school rituals, routines, and procedures. These will range from lesson-planning protocols, writing effective Do Nows, Daily Goals, safety procedures, behavioral consistency, attendance reporting, and parent communication. One of our summer development’s most critical priorities is establishing consistency across our staff, most notably in our development of a consistent lens for the detail which creates our culture.Building a positive culture relies on our staff’s ability to set and maintain high expectations which manifest themselves in the fundamentals of success. Students must be able to be successful within our culture in order to believe in its ability to be a catalyst for their growth; this is accomplished through consistent attention to the details which create habits of success for our students. To build a transformative middle school that sets students on the trajectory of success, we believe in “sweating thesmall stuff”: daily uniform checks, 100% participation in homework and in-class academic efforts, consistently enforced classroom procedures and respectful behavior by all members of the school community. In our high school, expectations are similar, but interventions change; instead of a merit and demerit policy, students are expected to use self-corrective methods to identify and alter behavior as needed, under the guidance of their adviser, though expectations will be upheld though a detention system when self-correction and adviser intervention are proven ineffective.Our mission of college preparation relies upon our ability to be detail-oriented with our students in the outset to develop within them the personal lens for character and decision-making necessary for success in the independently rigorous environment of a four-year university. In the March 1983 Atlantic Monthly, George Kelling and James Wilson posed a now well-noted proposition entitled the “broken windows theory,” in which broken windows in a community stand as metaphors for how small-scale issues can become symbolically representative of a culture of inconsistently held expectations. “We suggest that ‘untended’ behavior also leads to the breakdown of community controls,” write Kelling and Wilson, “and people will modify their behavior accordingly.”145 It is therefore our job as a school to set and consistently maintain high expectations at all times and in all circumstances.In visit to BES school Freedom Preparatory Charter in Memphis, TN in October 2012, Principal Sundiata Salaam held a group of eighth graders after lunch for an extended period of time, after the group had violated the lunchroom noise expectation, to sit in silence. “I’ll do this all day, every day, if that’s what you all need,” said Mr. Salaam in a completely calm and mentoring tone. Mr. Salaam stated that the reasoning for his actions could be summated in one word: “Consistency.” Mr. Salaam followed up individually with students, who talked with him about the responsibilities they are increasingly carrying in successfully managing their independence and in evidencing positive character based upon common core values. Freedom Prep, a high performing charter school, has been noted by multiple external visitors and evaluators for its positive and respectful school culture, which is built upon such attention to detail, accountability, and leadership.Our students’ exposure to and embodiment of Memphis Rise Academy culture and standards for character are fostered by a manageable teacher-student ratio and the implementation of daily advisory, as well as through frequent community meetings focused on honest reflection on areas for growth as a community, as well as celebration of individual and collective successes. Our expectations for behavior are straightforward and consistently upheld by all members of the staff. When our students reach high school, they understand what expectations at Memphis Rise Academy are and how these approaches allow them to receive an excellent educational experience. Beginning on the first day of sixth grade, we provide and enforce a culture of positive and transparent structure with the gradient of its gradual release in mind, giving students every opportunity to constantly pursue their goal of college graduation.School culture, in combination with rigorous academic levers, is the driver for great schools. This culture, defined by values that produce positive school activity and mind-set, produces results that are essential to the maximization of student ability. As educators, we embrace a no excuses philosophy. There can be no excuse that the school’s design and our implementation of it leave any child or any learner behind. There can be no excuse that the academic gap and parallel ambition gap with which so many of our students struggle is left unclosed. There can be no excuse for failing to build a school community of values and character.As outlined earlier within this petition, while the term “no excuses” is often interpreted to apply to students, Memphis Rise Academy’s interpretation of this model for success is to primarily apply the term to ourselves as educators, working with families and students who depend upon the quality of the public education we provide. Faced with the challenge of providing an excellent education to all students,145 .regardless of entry ability, we allow for no excuses within our staff which would create a culture of lowered expectations. Rather, we are inspired by this opportunity to create the school that our students and families need, complete with the adherence to high character, structure, and academic excellence that is commonly associated with our model. In doing so, we ensure that our no excuses approach informs our school community and strategically meets the needs of our students. A disciplined school environment allows students to learn and teachers to teach. It is our responsibility to implement a culture of discipline, respect, and hard work every minute of every day. School staff explicitly teaches and models our core values to students, upholds them personally as defined in professional development, and expects their implementation from students in the daily actions. It is upon our core REACH values which Memphis Rise Academy is founded.REACH VALUES and A GOAL-DRIVEN CULTURE OF ACHIEVEMENT Memphis Rise operates with five core REACH values:146Responsibility. Every member of our school community has the responsibility to meet our high expectations every moment of every day. Our responsibilities are to constantly better ourselves as well as to constantly support each other’s efforts to do so.Excellence. We reject complacency and put no ceiling on our ability to excel. The unrelenting will to attain excellence in everything we do ensures our rejection of complacency.Ambition. At the center of the REACH values, ambition is the rock upon which our school is founded. It is our responsibility to have it, our right to set it proudly at an excellent level, requires commitment to realize, and a humble honesty to ensure it stays within our mitment. Nothing worth achieving can happen without an unwavering commitment to its actualization. Our commitment manifests itself in our belief in the powerful challenge that achieving academic excellence poses to our school community and our granular strides to advance towards it.Honesty. Honesty in the communication of expectations, progress, and development is central to the identity of our school community, and is an essential foundational value of our school culture.To build our culture, we ensure that the REACH values are visible and present in everything that we do, say, and expect from ourselves and our students. The following mechanisms are driven by the REACH value system and will support the creation of our culture of ambition and achievement.Rise Week147The first week of our middle school - Rise Week - is a cultural orientation for students to learn and begin to internalize our school’s core values. Along with learning how to act in accordance with the school’s core values through all community and advisory specific lessons written by the Head of School and advisory staff, students practice the procedures of the school that allow for the structure which creates our learning environment. By frontloading our procedures and standards for behavior in Rise Week and framing them in a way that helps students be successful, we are ensuring more efficient use of time going forward, maximizing our valuable instructional minutes. For example, an essential procedure of our school will be student materials transition upon one content teacher exiting the room and another entering. Students first are taught what materials are needed for each class, which transition and which do not, and also where student materials that are not in use are located in the classroom; depending on resources and146 REACH values are Memphis Rise Academy specific, but the messaging and upholding of our value structure will model the practices of North Star Academy as detailed by High School Principal Michael Mann.147 Student cultural orientation procedures are derived from North Star Middle School; orientation procedures for systems are derived from BES school Nashville Prep.facility limitations, this could be inside a desk or in a crate located along the back wall of the classroom. The procedure for transitioning these materials is modeled by a teacher, then a single student, then carefully by all students, increasing pace over the course of the week until students are transitioning materials with urgency and fluidity. This remains the expectation for student execution throughout the school year, and this process is followed to train students to all necessary procedures of Memphis Rise Academy during Rise Week. Students take all diagnostic assessments during this time, administered by rotating teachers to model our normal daily schedule for students and for students to get a chance to meet all teachers before the beginning of content curriculum the following week. Ultimately, students will meet their data-targeted advisories for the first time during Rise Week and be introduced to our goal- driven advisory, with the first goals set belonging to the advisory teacher personally and shared with the group in the format all students will be expected to use to share their personal goals with their advisory and the larger Memphis Rise Academy community. Students will also be introduced to the RISE block system for classroom level performance during Rise Week, and introduced to how students can gain and lose our RISE blocks within their advisory for weekly student competitions as created through our community meeting system. Students’ operational urgency and character development as developed during Rise Week will serve as the drivers for academic success from the first day at our school.Memphis Rise Academy Advisory and Goal Setting InitiativeMemphis Rise Academy is first inspired by the core belief that all students have ambition. We as a school exist to create an environment in which students can believe in the possibility of their own ambitions to become realities. We do this through a values-rich school culture and through students’ engagement with a rigorous, assessment-informed academic program. As stated in our mission, our culture is designed for students to see their ambition as the driving force to their success, The positive realization of personal ambition, met with the ability to express this ambition in a meaningful way, closes the confidence gap and, combined with academic ability, the achievement gap. Our school prides itself on being a venue in which this ambition is cultivated through strongly-built teacher-student relationships. One of the most essential and consistent elements of our culture, driven by our constant effort to build these meaningful relationships, is Advisory, offered for 30 minutes per day Monday through Thursday. Research shows that an active Advisory which provides students opportunities to participate in community and character building every day under the guidance of an advisor produces confidence and positivity. In a survey of nearly 5,000 charter school students from 39 different schools, 58.6% said that a main reason they “liked” their school was teacher quality; 38.5% said that teachers keep them from falling behind; 33.9% said they appreciated the individual teacher attention.148 Memphis Rise Academy Advisory provides exactly these three elements to our students on a regular basis. The goal of our advisory is to do what the name implies - to allow students the chance to be advised, and to engage with their teachers in a setting that ensures constant communication, specifically regarding the best route to progress towards self-set academic and, in some cases, behavioral goals. Students are able to engage in discussions regarding the school community and ways they can support each other.Our goal-driven advisory is bolstered by research into the benefits of setting measurable yet challenging goals to grow self-efficacy within students. In a 2001 study149, Edwin Locke and Gary Latham proposed that setting goals has four central positive effects on individuals in a well-supported environment.Goals are directive of actions which support performance. “They direct attention and effort toward goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities.”Goals are energizing. “High goals lead to greater effort than low goals.”148 Finn, Chester E., Bruno V. Manno, and Gregg Vanourek. Charter Schools in Action. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 2000. p.84..149 Locke, Edwin A. and Gary P. Latham. “Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35 Year Odyssey.” create commitment. “Hard goals prolong effort…Faced with a difficult goal, it is possible to work more intensely.”Goals create self-efficacy through the utilization of one’s entire skill set. “When confronted with challenging goals, people automatically use the knowledge and skills they have already acquired that are relevant to goal attainment.”Marisa Harford applies Locke and Latham’s study to the classroom in a 2008 article, in which she affirms that “reflection and goal setting establish motivation, ensure buy-in, and give students a personal stake in the direction of their course.”150 We firmly believe that goals create, as Harford calls it, the “sense of accomplishment and a feeling of self-efficacy”151 necessary to catalyze the closure of the confidence gap, which is essential to the full closure of the achievement gap for our students.In our high school, we expect students to be able to reflect on their long-term goals and set meaningful, achievable benchmarked goals for themselves without the direct support of an advisor. “When goals are self-set, people with high self-efficacy set higher goals than do people with lower self-efficacy. They also are more committed to assigned goals, find and use better task strategies to attain the goals, and respond more positively to negative feedback than do people with low self-efficacy.”152Our character development and core values are taught explicitly and deeply during our advisory period and use the same goal-setting structure for students to hold themselves and their group to the character standards which create college-ready individuals every day. Advisory will use both a lesson plan structure, interpreted by teachers for their students’ needs, as well as the ongoing goal structure. Advisory curriculum frameworks are created by the Head of School before the beginning of summer professional development and deliverables are altered to best meet the needs of individual advisories as the school year progresses. This is the only embedded time in the school day which does not have a solely academic focus, but rather focuses on the growth and development of students as ambition- motivated, value-driven individuals. The advisory model provides teachers an outlet to channel their commitment to individualized student development within a formal environment predicated upon that commitment. “Many teachers are committed to the education and welfare of children but find themselves stifled…Some give up. Charter schools afford teachers the opportunity to…take on new challenges and work ‘outside the box.’”153 This opportunity for teachers to build strong relationships with students based on a mutual desire for success drives our Advisory. Daily Advisory keeps students focused on their goals and provides a network of support (advisor and advisory community) that understands their goals and helps them work towards them. Through the creation of daily, short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals, collective and individual, Advisory is our students’ built-in time to see how each of their actions and decisions lead them to or deter them from their ability to reach their goals under the supervision of an advisor. Goals are set by students at the outset of the school year after being modeled during Rise Week and supported during the outset of Advisory curriculum. Personal goals are in categories including but not limited to the following, as best determined between the student and their adviser:Short-term: Content mastery and growth, behavioral improvement, attendance/tardiness improvement, independent reading progress, positive contributions to school and local community.Mid-term: Assessment results, words/pages/books read, reading growth, school leadership, positive contributions to school and local community.Long-term: College choice, career path, high school courses/grades achieved, community involvement.150 Harford, Marisa. “Beginning with the Students: Ownership through Reflection and Goal-Setting.” English Journal 98.1, 2008. p. 61.151 Ibid, 64.152 Locke, Edwin A. and Gary P. Latham. “Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35 Year Odyssey.” Finn, Chester E., Bruno V. Manno, and Gregg Vanourek. Charter Schools in Action. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 2000. p.89.A student is encouraged to state 1-2 goals in each category at a time, and each goal will be quantified through specific benchmarks appropriate for the goal, checking progress on specific dates or after specific assessments, and students are required to write a narrative regarding how each of their goals is supported by specific actions with align to each of the five REACH values. Each goal that a student sets is accompanied by the adviser’s review to ensure it is rigorous, ambitious and attainable for that student. The adviser modifies goals as needed in conversation with the student and provides the appropriate benchmarking. Students then write value narratives either in Advisory or as homework, and adviser approval is necessary before goals can be confirmed. Confirmed goals become parts of students’ weekly Rise Reports, along with all benchmarks and student value narratives, to be shared with families to encourage out-of-school support in achieving these goals. Students are encouraged by the entire school community to make their goals public in any number of ways: posted within the advisory classroom, posted with their picture and desired college of choice throughout the school, presented during Community Meeting in a standard spoken format, published in family newsletters as “Rise Spotlight” features, discussed with peers during Advisory, or publicized in features in homework or in-class curriculum. Our Advisory and Community Meeting curricula emphasize the support of student encouragement towards goals by keeping a running count of goals met throughout the year, with external investment items set at benchmarked levels for our students such as t-shirt days or snack parties/special lunches for the entire school community.Collective goals for each advisory are less formal, but remain tracked by the adviser on a short, mid- and long-term basis and announced as successes at Community Meeting. These are based on our RISE block system, providing a weekly external investment award for the advisory which earns the most RISE blocks over the course of the previous instructional period (Friday through Thursday). Advisers set AR goals for each week as appropriate for their group, quantified in words, pages or books read. Additionally, advisers will be encouraged to set behavioral and academic short, mid- and long term goals for their advisory to build culture around working towards collective goals and holding each other accountable to collective performance, as can be individually provided with external goals as developmentally appropriate.As we transition towards our high school, we want to make sure we are building independent capacity for quantifiable ambition. Advisory in our eighth grade transitions to three sessions per week, beginning to focus more on a discussion-based model towards personally set goals, the role of our core values within their achievement and the articulation of the challenges or success students are experiencing in pursuing them, among other developmentally appropriate topics prepared by the adviser. In our high school, advisory occurs twice per week on Mondays and Fridays and focuses on providing guidance on self- efficacy in the creation and monitoring of our students’ goals, social and behavioral lessons designed at strengthening school culture, community outreach and awareness, and building the necessary skills to plan for success in college. Our college preparatory advisory curriculum is based upon the successes of the Boston Collegiate Charter School’s Collegiate Skills curriculum.154Community Meetings155Friday mornings in middle school replace advisory with all-school Community Meetings for the sixth through eighth grades to give individual and group awards, discuss core value-driven topics that affect the school community and solidify its culture, and allow students the ability to present and engage in dialogue around their personal and collective goals. Our community meeting structure is heavily informed by the154 Former Boston Collegiate Charter High School instructional leader Eileen Callahan, now Director of Academics at Building Excellent Schools, has provided lead founder Jack Vuylsteke with the Boston Collegiate Charter School College Preparatory curriculum, and will work with Mr. Vuylsteke in its implementation at Memphis Rise Academy.155 In line with our modeling of North Star Academy’s methods for acculturating students to its value system, community meeting at North Star isa primary lever for value education and messaging. Our community meeting will, in many ways, model theirs, with our own touches, such as goal articulation and advisory-specific presentations.practices of North Star Middle School in Newark, NJ, Democracy Prep Endurance in Harlem, NY, Equitas Academy in Los Angeles, CA, and Freedom Preparatory Academy in Memphis, TN, all of which implement a format that weaves creative student investment techniques, a heavy integration of vocal student participation, academic content review, current events, character building, value driven concepts, and sharpening student lenses on school culture breaches of even the smallest size. Community Meetings are conducted primarily by the Head of School, with support from advisers and other Memphis Rise Academy team members. We begin with advisories entering and sitting in an assigned area of the Community Meeting space, announcing their presence through a chant or cheer, and greeting the rest of the school community. We immediately have a handful of individual students, predetermined by advisers, stand to proudly proclaim who they are, what goals they are working towards, and what they have done in the past instructional period to progress towards them, all of which are affirmed by a cheer or similar positive response by the school community and sometimes, depending on metrics such as magnitude of progress or clear display of pride, are presented with a merit or small external reward as a token of their success. The Head of School continues by asking the entire student body content-based questions provided prior to Community Meeting by the instructional team as a review from the previous instructional period(s). This allows for another opportunity for students to stand and proudly display academic ability and progress. From here, the Head of School, often in conjunction with one or more advisers, presents a lesson regarding one of the five Memphis Rise Academy core values, frontloaded in the beginning of each school year, or a summative lesson regarding a discussion topic posed throughout all advisories that week regarding character development or a pertinent school issue or current event. The lesson portion of Community Meeting remains heavily student participatory, using classroom tools such as short readings with stop and jots or open response items to share, have shoulder partner conversations, or provide reflection on school or social data. After the lesson, the Head of School gives the RISE block award to the advisory which earned the most RISE blocks from the previous instructional period, the Accelerated Reader award to the individual student and the individual advisory who showed the most progress in independent reading during the instructional period, and any other awards that serve as a reflection of our ongoing cultural and academic values. Teachers announce significant collective goals that their advisories reached that week. We close with a few more students being called upon their progress to goals within the past instructional period. As signaled by the Head of School, students rise collectively and return to advisory for the first instructional period. Community meetings celebrate the things of which we are most proud: our values, our goal-driven culture, our academic gains, our character building, and our collective commitment to success.RISE Blocks156Within each middle school advisory homeroom, we have a RISE Block system, modeled on the BES school Democracy Prep DREAM Block system. The RISE Block system aligns to our core REACH values in more specifically applicable ways to the individual class period.Respectful: All students maintain behavioral order and attention throughout the lesson, tracking the speaker and participating in ways which support an academic environment of high character.Inquisitive: Students show the ambition to ask questions and alert the teacher during appropriate times in the lesson of areas in which they are struggling to best prepare for our assessment programming at the formative and summative levels.Supportive: Students demonstrate responsibility to support each other during all steps of the lesson cycle when appropriate, especially during practice cycles and challenging156 In an October 2012 visit to three BES Democracy Prep visits in Harlem, New York, Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke derived and altered the system for classroom exhibition of core values termed “DREAM Blocks” by Democracy Prep into a Memphis Rise core value classroom system based on the REACH values. Rewards for acquisition of RISE blocks modeled off of system created by BES Fellow, school Founder and Executive Director Linda Lentz at BES school Liberty Collegiate Academy in Nashville, TN.lesson steps, and help each other show the commitment to remaining on task and aligned with behavioral expectations at all times.Engaged: Students stay committed to the lesson throughout the period, engaging with all lesson materials for the entire duration of class, from Do Now to Exit Ticket, and work through rigorous problems the their maximal ability before asking for the assistance of a teacher.Within every class period, there are multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate each of our core values based on their individual and collective choices. Teachers measure student performance in each of the five core values per class period, award blocks for each value shown by the class, and discuss with students how they either showed or failed to show each core value at the end of every period. Advisories keep track of their RISE Blocks per week for group rewards and incentives at Friday Community Meetings.Rise Reports157In Memphis Rise Academy’s community canvasses throughout the spring of 2013, families of students in Northeast Memphis City Schools have expressed a resounding desire for transparency and consistent communication from the school regarding their students’ performance. Our Rise Report system is an integral part of our school’s priority of establishing a strong partnership with our families in supporting our students’ ambitions for success. Every Thursday, teachers issue Rise Reports for each student within their homeroom advisory which detail performance in the following quantifiable areas for that student, and using the data management system of Kickboard, from the previous Friday to that day. Teachers input data throughout the week on a rolling basis, and disciplinary data is kept in Kickboard by the Dean of Students. Rise Reports contain (1) mastery data from each week’s core classes, (2) overall mastery percentages from each core course at this point in the trimester, (3) behavioral data from that week tracked in merits and demerits earned, along with reasons for each, (4) reports on Accelerated Reader progress for each student, and (5) individualized feedback for each student and their families on their progress towards goals. The Director of Operations manages the printing and distribution of all reports to teachers, employing Operational Fellows in the rollup and creation of each report from Kickboard. Teachers add any necessary qualitative notes to that family explaining the data and/or updating a student’s progress towards their individual goals. Rise Reports are distributed Friday morning before Community Meeting and are re-collected the following Monday in advisory with a required parent signature. Students who do not return Rise Reports with a signature attend Homework Club after school until the Rise Report is returned. Rise Reports are intended to serve as comprehensive data points to bolster the relationship between school, student and family, allowing for honest conversation directed towards holistic student prehensively, the Memphis Rise Academy culture is intended, in whole, for all students, regardless of ability level, special needs, English language proficiency, or academic standing. We do not anticipate altering our culture metrics significantly for students with any of these qualities.157 Designed by lead founder and current Executive Director of Excel Academy in Boston, MA and 2002 BES Fellow Yutaka Tamura, the PREP Report system for weekly school-family student performance transparency as observed at Excel is the basis for the Rise Report. For more information on Excel Academy, visit .MARKETING, RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT LEGAL DEFINITION Tennessee charter law regulates charter school enrollment per the following restrictions, to which Memphis Rise Academy is in full compliance:Participation in a public charter school shall be based on parental choice or the choice of the legal guardian or custodian.A charter school shall enroll an eligible pupil who submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building.If applications exceed the planned capacity of the public charter school, the following preferences shall apply:Pupils in attendance in the previous school year at any public school that converts to become a public charter school;Pupils attending public schools within the LEA in which the public charter school is located, if those pupils would otherwise be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus;Children residing within the LEA service area in which the public charter school is located, but who are not enrolled in public schools, if those children would otherwise be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus; andChildren residing outside the LEA in which the public charter school is located and whose needs would be included in the area in which the public charter school will focus.If enrollment within a group of preference set out in subdivision (b)(2)(A) exceeds the planned capacity of the school, enrollment within that group shall be determined on the basis of a lottery.Subject to the requirements of subsections (a) and (b), preference may be afforded to the children of a teacher, sponsor or member of the governing body of the charter school, not to exceed ten percent (10%) of total enrollment or twenty-five (25) students, whichever is less.Subject to the requirement of subsections (a) and (b), preference may be afforded to the siblings of a pupil who is already enrolled.A charter school shall provide to the department of education certification by an independent accounting firm or by a law firm that each lottery conducted for enrollment purposes complied with the requirements of this section. In lieu of such certification, a charter school may request that the department of education review and approve the lottery process.The charter school shall comply with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, codified in 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, with respect to the publication of any list of students' names before, during or after the enrollment and lottery process.The state board of education shall promulgate rules and regulations concerning enrollment lotteries to be conducted under this subsection. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.ENROLLMENT POLICY Memphis Rise Academy proposes to open in Northeast Memphis, specifically within the Grahamwood neighborhood, and aims to recruit a population of sixth grade students for the 2014-2015 school year. Per the legal definition above, we plan to target for enrollment students of the former Memphis City Schools district who are geocoded to a Northeast Memphis public middle school failing to make Annual Measurable Objectives, such as Treadwell, Kingsbury or Douglass, and who meet our areas of focus – students who have struggled or are behind grade level, students and families who are looking for ELL support, and students and families who have the desire for a rigorous college preparatory educational program.Memphis Rise Academy will begin formally accepting applications on the first business day Monday of January, which in 2014 will be January 6. We will begin advertising for open registration in the fall of 2013, at which point we will continue to collect intent to enroll forms158 from families of the Northeast Memphis community to follow up with when our formal enrollment begins. Families will also be invited to attend a series of community information sessions conducted by Memphis Rise Academy staff and board members, to learn about the culture, programming and expectations of our school. Applications to enroll sixth graders for the 2014-2015 school year will be accepted until 5:00 PM on the last business Friday in March, which in 2014 will be March 28. All applications to the school after this deadline will be added to our wait list post-enrollment lottery on a day-stamped and time-stamped basis. Pursuant to Tennessee charter law, should the number of applicants exceed the number of available seats, we will hold a random public lottery for student enrollment. The lottery will be governed on the following principles:All students who have submitted a formal application prior to the March 28 deadline will be allowed to enter the lottery.All students drawn in the public lottery will receive an offer for a seat in the school until all available entry grade seats are filled.Students who are drawn after all seats are filled will be added to an ordered wait list, and will come off of the wait list once seats become available in the order they are listed.Applicants who are siblings will be entered into a separate lottery by grade and drawn before non-sibling applicants for that grade. Sibling preference is designed to ensure that all students within a family are able to, if desired, attend the same school.The lottery will be conducted on the second Saturday of April each year.Applicant families will be notified of their student’s available seat or wait list position no later than five business days after the lottery. Families will then have a period of two weeks from notification to confirm their intent to enroll their student in Memphis Rise Academy. Any family who does not notify Memphis Rise Academy of their intent to enroll within this time frame will automatically relinquish their child’s seat within the school, and the seat will be offered to the next student on the ordered wait list. Wait listed families offered a spot within the school will have a period of five business days to confirm their intent to enroll, after which their spot will be relinquished and given to the next family on the ordered wait list. Memphis Rise Academy complies with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act with respect to the publication of lists of applicants, enrolled students, wait listed students, or any other student group before, during or after the enrollment and lottery process. Figure 1.29 provides a draft of our enrollment plan for the first five operational years of the charter, built to full capacity in 2020-2021.Figure 1.29: Enrollment Plan with Projected AttritionGrade LevelNumber of StudentsYear 12014-2015Year 22015-2016Year 32016-2017Year 42017-2018Year 52018-2019At capacity 2020-2021610810810810810810871081081081081088108108108108910010010010939311861280TOTAL108216324424517683158 For sample Intent to Enroll forms already collected in fall 2012/ spring 2013 canvasses, please see Appendix B.Please see Appendix C for our full enrollment policy, which includes all tentative dates for the application period and enrollment deadlines and procedures, including how the school intends to receive and process application forms.Please see Appendix A for a sample Family Accountability Contract.MARKETING FOR RECRUITMENT Our student recruitment plan is designed to build a solid infrastructure of interested families through a variety of methods. Our overall strategy is to continue our on-the-ground efforts, meeting families and northeast Memphis stakeholders after authorization as we have in the early months of 2013, supplemented by a significant marketing presence provided by our current marketing partner, Memphis-based Second 2 Nunn Design. 159 We believe there is no more powerful recruitment tool than an honest description of the type of environment our school provides to students and families, as well as our promise of a college- preparatory education through our rigorous academics and culture of high expectations. Many of the strategies listed below have proven successful in student recruitment for Liberty Collegiate Academy and Intrepid College Preparatory Charter School (“Intrepid College Prep”) in Nashville, TN, both serving correlatively similar demographics to northeast Memphis. Memphis Rise Academy founding team members have been collecting Intent to Enroll forms from interested families since December 2012, and engaging in conversations with Northeast Memphis families and organizations since September 2012. In our initial outreach, we have found the northeast Memphis community to be fiercely positive about a college preparatory option locating within their neighborhood. We will help families find our school through the following strategic methods.Word of Mouth. Throughout the founding process, Memphis Rise Academy founding team members have been building a network of support throughout the Memphis community, garnering support from professional organizations, youth programs, faith-based organizations, and other charter partners.160 We will continue to, throughout the founding process and into the recruitment period, lean on our founding team’s ability to spread the Memphis Rise Academy mission and vision throughout the Memphis community, focusing heavily on the Northeast Memphis area.Door-to-Door Canvassing. Continuing with the momentum built in the pre-application period, we will maintain a continuous effort to canvass in the Northeast Memphis community to meet families and introduce them to our school. We have found this to be an effective outreach strategy not just to inform our projected enrollment but also to learn how to best provide programming and educational services to the community in which we intend to locate. We have also made it a priority to visit and establish initial relationships with local churches and businesses to assure that they are aware of our desire to become a part of their community and are able to acquaint themselves with our mission and vision.161 We have been working with Charter School Solutions, a local community outreach partner, in door to door canvassing since December 2012 and will continue to employ their services as needed to continue spreading the word with targeted community munity Meetings. Leveraging the relationships of our Northeast Memphis community partners, we will hold a series of community meetings and informational sessions, beginning in159 Second 2 Nunn Design has worked in tandem with Aurora Collegiate Academy and other Memphis schools on branding, marketing and public relations. For more information on Second 2 Nunn, please visit their website: . For a copy of Second 2 Nunn’s initial marketing pamphlet for Memphis Rise Academy, please Appendix F.160 For more detail on Community Partners, please see Attachment 13; for Letters of Support, please see Attachment 14; for family signaturesand sample Intent to Enroll forms, please Appendix D.161 Ibid.fall 2013 and continuing through the end of our enrollment period. We will advertise these meetings in door-to-door canvassing, through the distribution of mailers and door flyers, and at local commercial hubs. We have discussed holding community meetings at Streets Ministries- Graham Heights, the Ira Samelson Boys and Girls Club, and the Gaisman Community Center. All three Northeast Memphis organizations have agreed to not only offer us their facilities for meetings and information sessions, but also to help us spread the word about our school to local families. We plan on leveraging these partners heavily to gain a strong foothold in our community and are extremely grateful for their support.Local Charter School Enrollment Fairs. We plan on fully participating in local enrollment fairs for enrollment conducted by the Tennessee Charter School Association, which have proven to be well-attended and productive for charter schools during the 2012 and 2013 enrollment cycles. According to Tennessee Charter School Association Executive Director Matt Throckmorton, the 2012 Charter School Enrollment Fair held in January at the University of Memphis had over 300 interested families and was over double the size of the 2011 event. With this type of excitement, the 2013 enrollment fair should prove to be a very productive event in assisting with our recruitment process.Direct Mail. With the help of the district, we will generate a list of names of age-eligible children in fifth grade, preparing, in many cases, for the last year at their current elementary schools. We will use direct mail to send marketing materials regarding basic information about our program, information about upcoming community meetings, and contact information for interested families to ask questions regarding our programming and how to enroll. Our direct mailers will be created by our marketing partner, Second 2 Nunn Design, and we will follow up our direct mail distribution with canvassing efforts to put a face to the information families receive in the mail and answer any and all questions they may have.Website. Our full informational website is set to launch upon authorization and contain intricate detail about our school’s mission, our projected programming, our location, how to enroll and our upcoming calendar of events. Currently, our landing page at contains our contact information, as well as our downloadable information brochure. We will greatly expand this website upon authorization. Many portions of our website will be available in Spanish, particularly those detailing our programming and how to enroll.E-Newsletter. Memphis Rise Academy has already begun distributing e-newsletters to our supporters and to families who have declared interest in our pre-application canvassing. The newsletter details elements of our programming, updates on our founding progress and how to be involved in Memphis Rise Academy as a family, staff member, or supporter.Newspaper/Online Marketing. We will create a series of print advertisements to be included in local newspapers and on local websites to link people to our website or provide them with more information about our school during the student recruitment cycle. Additionally, we will employ the usage of public relations marketing to spread news about our school’s milestones to generate excitement about our school, again supporting by Second 2 Nunn Marketing.Neighborhood Events. Our team plans to be active in Northeast Memphis community events throughout the 2013-2014 school year to meet families and students in a variety of settings, volunteering services where possible in conjunction with our committed community partners.We are deeply aware that many charter schools have had difficulty in reaching their targeted enrollments, especially in the first operating year. We believe that the above components of marketing and recruitment, combined with a relentless effort to leverage our on-the-ground community partnerships with youth organizations such as the Mason YMCA, Ira Samuelson Branch of the Memphis Boys and Girls Clubs, Streets Ministries of Graham Heights, Memphis Athletic Ministries, and growing partnerships with elementary schools will help us reach and exceed our enrollment target of 108 founding sixth grade students. Our desire is to become a fully functional part of the Northeast Memphis community and garner the trust of the families within it, allowing us to execute our mission with a full capacity MUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY From December to March of 2013, Memphis Rise Academy founding team members, in partnership with Charter School Solutions, conducted twelve community canvassing events in the Northeast Memphis community, focusing heavily on the Grahamwood neighborhood. We introduced families to our school model and received their feedback on that model, on the current quality of education in the area and what they believe creates that quality, and on the methods by which families have gone about procuring what they believe to be the best education for their child. Since the inception of our founding work, we have sought the advice of like-minded Memphis professionals and organizations, with particular emphasis on those in northeast Memphis, many of whom have written formal support letters for our school as found in Attachment 14. Our founding team, each committed to living and working in the Memphis community long-term, has worked professionally within the northeast Memphis community and has participated in the insight gathering which has informed this proposal, especially in the areas of school culture and meaningful community partnership. We also collected preliminary intent to enroll forms from over 40 families who stated that, if authorized and located proximal to our ideal location of the neighborhoods surrounding, to the north or south, Summer Avenue in 38122, they would be very interested in sending their child to our school in the fall of 2014.Memphis Rise Academy places a high priority on family involvement to strengthen and better inform our school’s connection to our target community. We will leverage our founding team and our committed community partners to hold information sessions, to which we will bring the families of students at other high-performing Memphis charter schools to speak to interested families; these families will represent the diverse cultural demographics of northeast Memphis to ensure we are providing appropriate perspective for all of our potential families. As documented throughout this petition, the honest advice of Northeast Memphis families we spoke with during canvasses, many of whom have submitted an Intent to Enroll form for their child to attend Memphis Rise Academy, have directly informed our design, affirming our choices for elements such as the Rise Report, extended practice instructional model, Structured English Immersion strategy, and daily Advisory. As we begin to enroll families, we will employ our families to continue to inform our design as it becomes increasingly pragmatic. Additionally, we will encourage families to serves as part-time volunteers in our canvassing and recruitment efforts to help us spread the word and speak to their commitment to our mission from a relatable perspective.We will distribute a semi-annual parent survey in which families will provide feedback on all aspects of our programming. We will create in the first operating year of the school a parent involvement group called Memphis Rise Academy Families for Success, to inform our leadership team of parent perspective and assist in further student recruitment and enrollment initiatives throughout the year. Our Rise Report system is designed to keep parents fully informed of student academic and behavioral performance, as well as on the progress to their personal goals. We will provide ongoing monthly information sessions,first and second trimester parent-teacher conferences, and bi-weekly parent newsletters162 to keep lines of communication open and to inform our families of Memphis Rise Academy news, successes, areas for growth and opportunities for involvement. Our high value on parent volunteerism will carry itself into the life of the school, providing opportunities to support our school operations throughout the school day, trained to by our Head of School, Dean of Students and Director of Operations. Additionally, we will leverage Memphis Rise Academy Families for Success to support our efforts of serving the City of Memphis and help to create opportunities for us to empower more families to assist in school betterment projects and community service opportunities. Pursuant to Tennessee law, the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors will bring on a parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in the MUNITY PARTNERSHIPS In the pre-authorization stage, and as outlined in Figure 1.27, we have engaged in conversations with the following organizations to discuss potential partnerships, both fee-based and in-kind, to enrich our relationship with the Northeast Memphis area and the greater Memphis community.Figure 1.27: Pre-Authorization Established Community Partners for School EnrichmentOrganizationPotential PartnershipIn Kind/For FeeBoys and Girls Club- Ira Samelson BranchAfter-school programming in athletics/fitness, character ed, thearts, health and life skillsFor FeeFacing History and OurselvesEnrichment EducationEitherGaisman Community CenterFacility usage, summer and afterschool programmingEitherJunior Achievement of Memphisand the Mid-SouthFinancial literacy curriculum andvisits to JA BizTownFor FeeMemphis Athletic MinistriesAthletic programming andenrichmentIn KindMemphis Public Library- Randolph BranchIndependent readingprogramming, after school reading spaceIn KindMemphis University SchoolScholarship Leadership and Athletics in Memphis (SLAM)ProgramFor Fee(potentially scholarship-driven)Rhodes CollegeCampus Visits/ToursIn KindStreets Ministries- GrahamHeightsAfter-School ProgrammingIn KindYMCA MemphisHealth Education/PhysicalEducation ServicesIn KindPlease see Attachment 14 for Letters of Support from our local partners.162 Newsletter system inspired by Liberty Collegiate Academy in East Nashville, Tennessee, founded by former BES Fellow Linda Lentz. II. OPERATIONS PLAN AND CAPACITYGOVERNANCE CHARTER LEGAL STATUS Memphis Rise Academy Charter School (“Memphis Rise Academy”) seeks to be an independent charter. Memphis Rise Academy will operate as a public, nonsectarian, non-religious public school, with control of instruction vested in the governing body of the school under the general supervision of the chartering authority and in compliance with the charter agreement and the charter school act.LEGAL AND NON-PROFIT STATUS Memphis Rise Academy is in the process of applying for recognition as a non-profit public benefit corporation and will function according to all legal and ethical standards related to operating as a non- profit entity. Memphis Rise Academy registered its name and filed Articles of Incorporation on December 17, 2012. A copy of our approved Articles of Incorporation and proposed Bylaws are both included within Attachment ERNANCE OVERVIEW Memphis Rise Academy will be governed by a Board of Directors that will maintain active and effective governance of the school primarily in their relationship with the Head of School, who will serve in a non- voting, ex officio capacity.The Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors will serve as the governing body of Memphis Rise Academy. The governance of Memphis Rise Academy is vested in the Board and all management decisions will be delegated to the Head of School who will be hired by, report to, and evaluated by the Board. The Board and its individual members are charged with upholding and overseeing fulfillment of the mission and purpose of Memphis Rise Academy. Board members commit to:Developing and providing oversight of policies and procedures for the schoolManaging resources effectivelyMonitoring educational program, ensuring alignment with mission and goalsSelecting, supporting and evaluating the Head of SchoolEnsuring effective long-term business and organizational planningSupporting the organization financiallyTaking initiative in connecting the organization with opportunities for fundingEnhancing the school’s image in the communityThe Founding Team has nine members, eight of whom intend to serve on the Governing Board and one whom we intend to name as Head of School. Members will transition to the governing body immediately upon charter authorization. This group has reviewed, contributed to, and supported all aspects of the charter application and school design. The Board continues to develop its membership, and is in productive discussion with additional candidates for the founding team.Upon authorization, the Governing Board, which will have no fewer than seven (7) and no more than fifteen (15) members, will hold the charter of Memphis Rise Academy and ensure accountability to its mission, financial viability, and adherence to the terms of the charter. The Board will maintain an oddnumber for voting purposes. Board members will serve randomly selected one, two, or three year terms and no more than two terms consecutively of any length. Pursuant to Tennessee law, the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors will bring on a parent representative whose child is currently enrolled in the school. Memphis Rise Academy’s Head of School will nominate a parent representative based upon their ability to provide insight into the furthering of the school’s mission from the perspective of the community, bolstered if possible by professional expertise they may bring to the board.OPEN MEETINGS and OPEN RECORDS Memphis Rise Academy Board meetings will take place at least once per month, ten months each year, and will operate in full compliance with the Tennessee Open Meetings Act. Additional meetings may be called as necessary, and will continue to abide by all provisions of the Tennessee Open Meetings Act.Agendas will be published in advanced and distributed to each governing board member and be posted near the school office and on our school website for public viewing at least one week in advance of the scheduled meeting.The Board’s Secretary will record notes during each meeting or establish a policy for rotating responsibility for recording minutes amongst members of the Board of Directors. Within 48 hours, minutes will be available at the main office for any interested member of the public.CONFLICTS OF INTEREST This conflict of interest policy is designed to help directors, officers and employees of Memphis Rise Academy identify situations that present potential conflicts of interest and to provide Memphis Rise Academy with a procedure which, if observed, will allow a transaction to be treated as valid and binding even though a director, officer or employee has or may have a conflict of interest with respect to the transaction. The policy is intended to comply with the procedure prescribed in § 48-58-302 of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, governing conflicts of interest for directors of nonprofit corporations. In the event there is an inconsistency between the requirements and procedures prescribed herein and those prescribed in the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, the statute shall control. All capitalized terms are defined in Part II of this policy.Conflict of Interest Defined. For purposes of this policy, the following circumstances shall be deemed to create Conflicts of Interest:Outside Interests.A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Rise Academy and a Responsible Person or Family Member.A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Rise Academy and an entity in which a Responsible Person or Family Member has a Material Financial Interest or of which such person is a director, officer, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative.Outside Activities.A Responsible Person competing with Memphis Rise Academy in the rendering of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party.Responsible Person’s having a Material Financial Interest in; or serving as a director, officer, employee, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative of, or consultant to; an entity or individual that competes with Memphis Rise Academy in the provision of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party.Gifts, Gratuities and Entertainment. A Responsible Person accepting gifts, entertainment or other favors from any individual or entity that:does or is seeking to do business with, or is a competitor of Memphis Rise Academy; orhas received, is receiving or is seeking to receive a loan or grant, or to secure other financial commitments from Memphis Rise Academy;is a charitable organization operating in Tennessee;under circumstances where it might be inferred that such action was intended to influence or possibly would influence the Responsible Person in the performance of his or her duties. This does not preclude the acceptance of items of nominal or insignificant value or entertainment of nominal or insignificant value which are not related to any particular transaction or activity of Memphis Rise Academy.Definitions.A "Conflict of Interest" is any circumstance described in Part 1 of this Policy.A "Responsible Person" is any person serving as an officer, employee or member of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy.A "Family Member" is a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child or spouse of a child, brother, sister, or spouse of a brother or sister, of a Responsible Person.A "Material Financial Interest" in an entity is a financial interest of any kind, which, in view of all the circumstances, is substantial enough that it would, or reasonably could, affect a Responsible Person’s or Family Member’s judgment with respect to transactions to which the entity is a party. This includes all forms of compensation.A "Contract or Transaction" is any agreement or relationship involving the sale or purchase of goods, services, or rights of any kind, the providing or receipt of a loan or grant, the establishment of any other type of pecuniary relationship, or review of a charitable organization Memphis Rise Academy. The making of a gift to Memphis Rise Academy is not a Contract or Transaction.Procedures.DisclosurePrior to board or committee action on a Contract or Transaction involving a Conflict of Interest, a director or committee member having a Conflict of Interest and who is in attendance at the meeting shall disclose all facts material to the Conflict of Interest. Such disclosure shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.A director or committee member who plans not to attend a meeting at which he or she has reason to believe that the board or committee will act on a matter in which the person has a Conflict of Interest shall disclose to the chair of the meeting all facts material to the Conflict of Interest. The chair shall report the disclosure at the meeting and the disclosure shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.A person who has a Conflict of Interest shall not participate in or be permitted to hear the Board of Directors’ or committee’s discussion of the matter except to disclose material facts and to respond to questions. Such person shall not attempt to exert his or her personal influence with respect to the matter, either at or outside the meeting.Responsible Persons who are not members of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy, or who have a Conflict of Interest with respect to a Contract or Transaction that is not the subject of Board or committee action, shall disclose to the Chair or the Chair’s designee any Conflict of Interest that such Responsible Person has with respect to a Contract or Transaction. Such disclosure shall be made as soon as the Conflict of Interest is known to the Responsible Person. The Responsible Person shall refrain from any action that may affect Memphis Rise Academy’s participation in such Contract or Transaction. In the event it is not entirely clear that a Conflict of Interest exists, the individual with the potential conflict shall disclose the circumstances to theChair or the Chair’s designee, who shall determine whether there exists a Conflict of Interest that is subject to this policy.VotingA person who has a Conflict of Interest with respect to a Contract or Transaction that will be voted on at a meeting shall not be counted in determining the presence of a quorum for purposes of the vote. The person having a conflict of interest may not vote on the Contract or Transaction and shall not be present in the meeting room when the vote is taken, unless the vote is by secret ballot. Such person’s ineligibility to vote shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting. For purposes of this paragraph, a member of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy has a Conflict of Interest when he or she stands for election as an officer or for re-election as a member of the Board of DirectorsA quorum is present if a majority of the directors on the board who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction vote to authorize, approve, or ratify the transaction.A transaction may not be authorized, approved, or ratified under this section by a single director.ApprovalA transaction in which a director or officer of a corporation has a conflict of interest may be approved if:The material facts of the transaction and the director’s or officer’s interests were disclosed or known to the board of directors or a committee consisting entirely of members of the board of directors and the board of directors or such committee authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction.The material facts of the transaction and the director’s or officer’s interest were disclosed and or known to the members and they authorized, approved or ratified the transaction.Confidentiality. Each Responsible Person shall exercise care not to disclose confidential information acquired in connection with such status or information the disclosure of which might be adverse to the interests of Memphis Rise Academy. Furthermore, a Responsible Person shall not disclose or use information relating to the business of Memphis Rise Academy for the personal profit or advantage of the Responsible Person or a Family Member.Review of policy.Each new Responsible Person shall be required to review a copy of this policy and to acknowledge in writing that he or she has done so.Each Responsible Person shall annually complete a disclosure form identifying any relationships, positions or circumstances in which the Responsible Person is involved that he or she believes could contribute to a Conflict of Interest arising. Such relationships, positions or circumstances might include service as a director of or consultant to a nonprofit organization, or ownership of a business that might provide goods or services to Memphis Rise Academy. Any such information regarding business interests of a Responsible Person or a Family Member shall be treated as confidential and shall generally be made available only to the Chair, the Executive Director, and any committee appointed to address Conflicts of Interest, except to the extent additional disclosure is necessary in connection with the implementation of this Policy.This policy shall be reviewed annually by each member of the Board of Directors. Any changes to the policy shall be communicated immediately to all Responsible Persons.Memphis Rise Academy’s conflict of interest reporting form is shown below.Conflict of Interest Information FormName: Date: Please describe below any relationships, positions, or circumstances in which you are involved that you believe could contribute to a Conflict of Interest (as defined in Memphis Rise Academy’s Policy on Conflicts of Interest) arising.I hereby certify that the information set forth above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I have reviewed, and agree to abide by, the Policy of Conflict of Interest of Memphis Rise Academy that is currently in effect.Signature: Date: POLICY DEVELOPMENT As a governing body, the Board is charged with establishing policy for the Board and for the school. The Founding Board will develop policies and guidelines to ensure the viability and productivity of the school and its own functioning. When the Founding Board transitions to the Governing Board upon authorization, it will move forward to adopt proposed Bylaws, provided as part of Attachment 3, under which it will operate. The Head of School will report and be directly accountable to the Board. The Board will first pass a set of drafted Bylaws to oversee its functions as a governing body. Additionally, the Board has identified a number of policies to be drafted, approved, and implemented including Board specific, ethics related, financial, personnel, and student specific policies. Figure 2.01 outlines the full slate of policies we have identified drafting and approving upon authorization. Draft policies, including the Open Meetings and Open Records Policy, can be found in Attachment 3.Figure 2.01: Sample Board PoliciesBoard SpecificEthicsFinancialPersonnel and StudentsStudent SpecificAttendance Board Giving Chief Executive CompensationExpense/Reimbursement FundraisingOpen Meetings/ RecordsConfidentiality Conflict of Interest General Ethics NepotismAcceptance of Gifts Borrowing Money Capital Expenditures Check Signing Endowment Funds InvestmentsRisk ManagementGrievancesInternet Acceptable Use Nondiscrimination Sexual HarassmentAttendance Discipline Dress Code Enrollment ExpulsionPromotion SuspensionA majority vote of those present at a Board meeting will constitute action by the Board. The Board may not act unless a quorum of the Directors is present. In drafting and approving school policies, the Board of Directors will adhere to the following decision-making process: conduct Board level discussion; assign committee to draft policy; write first draft of policy; and present policy to Board for approval.The Board shall be solely responsible for adopting, repealing or amending policies for Memphis Rise Academy. Action by the Board shall be accomplished as set forth in the bylaws. Specifically,Proposals for adopting, repealing or amending policies for Memphis Rise Academy may be made in writing by any member of the Board or by any parent or student submitted through anadministrator of the schools. When appropriate policy change proposals shall include adequate information concerning potential fiscal impact on the school.Except in cases of special need, the Board shall follow the following procedure in adopting, repealing or amending policies at Memphis Rise Academy.The proposed policy shall be submitted for approval on first reading at a regular or special meeting of the Board called for that purpose. The proposed policy shall be contained in the Board packet distributed prior to the meeting. At first reading the Board shall receive public comment and comments from the sponsor of the proposed policy. A vote of the Board will be taken after the reading, and if the amendment receives a simple majority vote of the Directors present at the meeting, it will be placed on the agenda for a second reading at the next meeting of the Board.If the proposed policy is approved on first reading, it will be placed on the agenda and considered at the next regular or special meeting of the Board called for that purpose. No amendment shall be adopted at second reading unless the amendment receives a two-thirds vote of the Directors present at the meeting. If the proposed policy is adopted upon second reading it shall become a policy of Memphis Rise Academy.Special Need. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Directors present at a regular or special meeting called for that purpose, a special need may be declared. If a special need is declared, a policy may be adopted on first reading.Proposed policies should reference the policy provision it will be amending. Ideally, the entire policy will be reprinted with new language in all caps, and language to be deleted lined out. New policies should include the proposed table of contents policy title and code number.BOARD TRAINING AND EVALUATION When operating at the highest possible level, a charter school board optimizes the school’s mission, cultivates organizational sustainability, and achieves outstanding results. High performing boards operate strategically, have strong working relationships with management, build institutional memory, measure success quantitatively, and align committee work to organizational goals.163 While securing final board members and creating an initial draft of the application, the Founding Board completed approximately 30 hours of training and these sessions have included studies of effective governance, discussions of effective school missions, and community canvassing. It has included training on Open Meeting Law and Open Record Law, which we will revisit at an annual organizational meeting to start the fiscal year.To fully comply with Open Meeting Law and Open Record Law, Memphis Rise Academy will attend a mandatory training certified by the Tennessee Charter School’s Association and implement a plan whose strategies require the board consider:Meeting dates: review for governmental and religious holidays.Meeting preparation: time needed for preparation and distribution of materials for consideration at meeting. All materials will be sent two weeks in advance.Agendas: clearly identify issues on which actions need to be taken – all board agendas will contain a short-hand column that denotes whether an agenda item has “action needed,” what the item is, who proposed it, what materials are required, and the time allotted.Record keeping: The secretary will promptly prepare minutes, circulate timely for review among the board and then post onto the school website.Notice: Memphis Rise Academy will post its board meetings on the school’s website, in its monthly newsletters, a bulletin board within the school, and a public advertisement at the start of the fiscal year.163 Research on high performing charter school boards comes from Layout: All board meetings will contain a physical layout conducive to guests present including guests with disabilities.Voting: All votes will be open to the public and will comply with state laws regarding quorum and electronic participation.Building Excellent Schools will support the board during its organizing stage and during the first two years of operation, and the Tennessee Charter School Incubator will financially support the board’s training during the start-up phase and in subsequent years. An annual self-evaluation will occur, supported by Building Excellent Schools. This tool will come at the end of each fiscal year and evaluate a board member’s attendance, committee participation, contributions to fund development, and feedback to increase the overall effectiveness of the Board of Directors contributing to the school’s achievement of academic, fiduciary, and organizational goals.FOUNDING TEAM The founding team is led by Jack Vuylsteke, Fellow with Building Excellent Schools, Lead Founder of Memphis Rise Academy, and proposed Head of School.Mr. Vuylsteke earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He brings a depth of experience in urban education, school operations, and teacher development. He has been the lead writer of this petition, and has designed Memphis Rise Academy upon the best practices of high performing college preparatory charter schools as observed during the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship.In his previous work as a high school teacher, Mr. Vuylsteke used data-driven instructional analysis to surpass Annual Measurable Objectives targets in English II scores. In his first two years as a classroom teacher, Mr. Vuylsteke achieved results on English II State End-of-Course Exams which averaging 10% growth in the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced each year, including double digit growth in the number of students who tested as advanced in his first year in the classroom.164 Built on this success, he then coached a team of six teachers throughout to similar capacity, culminating in all four content areas surpassing AYP goals in 2011.As member of the highly selective Building Excellent Schools Fellowship165, from August 2012 to April 2013, Mr. Vuylsteke has studied over fifty high performing charter schools in Tennessee, Louisiana, Washington D.C., New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, and Ohio. Additionally, Mr. Vuylsteke completed a school leadership residency with BES School Nashville Preparatory Charter School.166 Memphis Rise Academy’s design is rooted in the no excuses model employed by high performing BES schools such as Nashville Prep, Freedom Preparatory Academy (“Freedom Prep”), and Liberty Collegiate Academy (“Liberty Collegiate”) Charter Schools.With the national support of Building Excellent Schools, each member of the founding team was carefully chosen for his/her dedication to education, expertise and experience necessary for a governing body of a public charter school, service to the community, and unwavering belief in the mission and vision of Memphis Rise Academy. This committed Founding Board has the skill sets and experiences that together will enable Memphis Rise Academy to achieve academic excellence, financial sustainability, and full accountability to the authorizer and larger school community. HYPERLINK "" \h 164 munication%20Arts165 For more detail on the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, please see Section I.2.166 For Letter of Support from Nashville Prep, please see Appendix 14.Upon chartering, all Founding Board Members will transition to the Governing Board of Directors. In addition to Mr. Vuylsteke who brings strong educational leadership, all design team members, their affiliations and specific contributions to the work are outlined in Figure 2.02.Figure 2.02: Founding Team MembersDesign Team MemberAffiliationSpecific Contribution(s)Dominique AndersonPrincipal Manager VIDA PR & MarketingCommunications with Northeast Memphis communityManaging school brand and networkingStephen CrossTenant Representative Grubb & Ellis MemphisReal Estate AcquisitionReal Estate Financing Real Estate DevelopmentMadeleine DavisSenior Financial AnalystMercer CapitalFinancial PlanningJames Christopher HamiltonIn-House Counsel, Director of AccountingGeneral Truck Sales and Service, Inc.Non-profit LeadershipNon-profit Legal Representation Accounting/audit managementKori HamnerManaging Director of Teacher Leadership Development Teach For America-MemphisEducational LeadershipTeacher Recruitment and DevelopmentKeife HylandFormer Headmaster for Academic AffairsLausanne Collegiate SchoolEducation administration Building-level leadership Curriculum developmentFormer school governance experienceLayne McGuireSenior Financial Manager Dixon Hughes Goodman LLPFinancial Management GovernanceBen ScottAttorneyButler Snow O’Mara Stevens & Cannada, PLLCLegal foresightContract and policy reviewBrian WhaleyAssociate Commercial Broker CBRE MemphisReal Estate Acquisition, Financing, and DevelopmentCommunity RelationsAs outlined, the Founding Board brings extensive experience in strategy, startup operations, finance, law, grant management, real estate, secondary education, and training in charter school leadership.Dominique Anderson specializes in promoting and protecting brands, in English and Spanish, via social and traditional media for her firm, VIDA PR & Marketing Group. She also brings 9 years of teaching experience, as a Spanish teacher and Bilingual Cultural Mentor, with Memphis City Schools and the Memphis Academy of Health and Sciences (MAHS) Charter School. In her current role, Ms. Anderson specializes in crisis communications and strategic media placement for multimillion companies, in a variety of industries. She is also a Bilingual Public Relations Consultant for the Mid-South Quality Productivity Center (MSQPC), as well as a Global Crisis Communications Consultant with Berstein Crisis Management. She currently sits on the board of the Memphis Urban League Young Professionals, as the Public Relations Chair. Mrs. Anderson brings her blended education and PR background to help the Board develop its academic oversight, as well as create a strong, recognizable brand, especially within the Latino community of Northeast Memphis.Stephen Cross specializes in office and industrial tenant representation services for Grubb & Ellis Real Estate of Memphis and is serving in an integral advisory role as the organization transitions to NewmarkGrubb Memphis in spring 2013. Prior to joining Grubb & Ellis, Mr. Cross worked as an affiliate broker for Associated Realty Services, Inc., where he brokered $1.47 million in transactional sales. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the local Phoenix Club, which conducts fundraising and community outreach events for the Memphis area, including Boys and Girls Club of Memphis, to which Mr. Cross is the Phoenix Club’s primary point of contact. Mr. Cross completed the NEXUS Leaders program, designed to encourage and equip Memphis professionals with experiential opportunities for local community leadership, to further develop his capacity for organizational governance. Mr. Cross has already provided his depth of facility acquisitions and management knowledge to the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors and will be central in our facility undertakings in the future. Mr. Cross earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Alabama.Madeleine Davis is a recognized financial expert and author of several publications on financial advising and bank acquisition and serves as the Memphis Rise Academy Treasurer. Currently, she is a senior financial analyst for Mercer Capital Management, a national business valuation and advisory firm, providing valuation services for financial institutions. She serves as a senior member of Mercer’s Financial Institutions Group. Ms. Davis’ service in education began in high school, finding ways to volunteer at public high schools as a credit recovery tutor, and she has since continued to volunteer in school operations and community outreach at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy Charter School in Memphis. She is passionate about further involving herself in Memphis education as a member of the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors. Ms. Davis graduated summa cum laude from The University of the South with a bachelor’s degree in Economics.James Christopher Hamilton has practiced law in the Mid-South in a variety of contexts, legally advising and informing mergers and acquisitions to federal trademark application and maintenance to the formation and dissolution of various types of corporate entities. Mr. Hamilton currently oversees accounting and contracts as well as provides in-house legal counsel for Memphis-based General Truck Sales and Service, Inc., an organization with over 35 years of service to the greater Mid-South community, transitioning from the private practice of law at the Law Offices of Farris, Bobango and Branan. While in private practice, Mr. Hamilton was involved in non-profit legal work and brings experience to Memphis Rise Academy in both non-profit corporate governance and tax-exempt organizational planning. Mr. Hamilton is part of a family of lifetime Memphis educators and brings a passion for excellent education to his founding work and commitment to serving as member of the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors. Mr. Hamilton is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration as well as his J.D., and holds an LL.M in tax law from the University of Florida.Kori Hamner is an experienced educator and teacher development professional in the Memphis area and brings to our founding team a highly refined lens for teacher and school development. Ms. Hamner serves as the Secretary of Memphis Rise Academy’s Board of Directors. Ms. Hamner brings a teaching background from Charjean Elementary in Memphis City Schools. Ms. Hamner exceeded state benchmarks by 45%, leading students to read an average of 58 words per minute during the 2008-2009 school year, and led students to achieve significant academic gains in math by achieving 91% mastery on end-of-year math exams in 2007-2008, and 90% in 2008-2009. Ms. Hamner’s outstanding results as an educator eventually led her to her transitioning roles to expand her impact in the Memphis educational landscape, serving as Managing Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America- Memphis. In this role, she directly manages six teacher development coaches, working to develop over 150 teachers throughout the area charter schools, and special school districts. Ms. Hamner is also working to develop Teach For America’s first Memphis-specific summer training institute to train the 2013 Teach For America Memphis teacher corps in the same schools in which they will teach in the fall. Kori brings limitless passion for the education reform movement, social justice and the development ofgreat schools to the founding team of Memphis Rise Academy. Ms. Hamner holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama.Keife Hyland is a lifetime educator, working primarily in administration and curriculum direction for the Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, TN. Ms. Hyland brings forty years of experience in the field of education to the Memphis Rise Academy team, culminating in her 17 years of administrative experience at Lausanne, which grew from just over 200 students to its current size of over 800 students during her tensure. She brings a wealth of experience in school governance as well as an attuned perspective on school management and building-level decision making. Ms. Hyland is currently retired, serving as a substitute teacher in Shelby County Schools, including many of the legacy Northeast Memphis City Schools. Ms. Hyland holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and education from Edgecliff College and a master’s degree in education administration and policy from the University of Memphis.Layne McGuire currently serves as a senior manager of audit and advisory services at Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, as well as the Local Financial Institutions Group Leader, which provides audit, tax and advisory services to banks, insurance companies, credit unions and community organizations. Ms. McGuire serves as the Board Chair of Memphis Rise Academy. Coming from an extensive background in accounting and consulting at Ernst & Young, BDO Seidman, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Ms. McGuire stands to provide Memphis Rise Academy with sound financial governance. She serves as treasurer and board member for the River City Concert Band. In that role, she provides guidance on financial matters. In addition, she is the head of the finance committee and middle school religious education teacher for her church. Additionally, Ms. McGuire brings a background in education, serving as a middle and high school mathematics teacher for five years before beginning her career in public accounting. Her passion for education has led her not only to the Memphis Rise Academy founding team, but to the board of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South and involvement with Youth Villages. She is also a mentor with the Tennessee Achieves program which is focused on increasing the success of first generation college students. Ms. McGuire holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s of accountancy from the University of Mississippi. She also holds master’s degrees in history and Catholic studies.Ben Scott serves as Senior Counsel for Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC in Memphis. Mr. Scott currently sits on the boards of directors for the Christian Psychological Center and the Mid- South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Mr. Scott recently completed the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program. He has called Memphis home since 2004, is a member of Second Presbyterian Church, and brings a deep passion and interest in public education to the board of Memphis Rise Academy. Mr. Scott is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Law School.Brian Whaley works with CB Richard Ellis Memphis as a commercial real estate broker, focusing on strategic land use in commercial and urban development, and serves as the Vice-Chair of Memphis Rise Academy’s Board of Directors. Mr. Whaley’s current work has provided him the opportunity to manage the leasing and management of commercial property throughout the city of Memphis and has worked to lease, renovate, and maintain space for several major national and Mid-South corporations for location within the greater Memphis community. Since joining CBRE Memphis, Mr. Whaley has brokered approximately $5.7 million in total lease and sale transactions. He brings a depth of community involvement, working with groups such as the Memphis Urban League of Young Professionals, Mpact Memphis, and New Memphis Institute. Mr. Whaley is proud to serve as member of the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors. Mr. Whaley is a graduate of the University of Memphis in marketing management.For all founding team members’ resumes, please see Attachment 3.The Board of Directors’ primary responsibilities include:Establishing the school’s mission, long-range goals, and annual objectives.Establishing and approving school policies (i.e. Grading Policy, Promotion Policy).Monitoring student achievement and ensuring progress toward fulfillment of school’s mission.Approving the school’s annual budget and monitoring monthly cash flow statements.Ensuring the school has adequate resources for its educational program.Approving all major contracts, defined as contracts for amounts at or above $5,000.Hiring an independent auditor and reviewing audit results.Selecting, supporting, and establishing an ad hoc committee to evaluate Head of School.Ensuring compliance w/ nonprofit integrity standards and local, state, federal law and regulations.Participating in the dispute resolution process as needed.Appointing administrative panel to hear student expulsions and act on appeals as necessary.Adhering to the school’s Conflict of Interest policies.PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Active family involvement in school and learning is essential to meeting our mission. In support of§49-2-305 addressing parent communication and involvement in public schools and our commitment to communicating with families, we partner with families in the promotion their children’s academic success. We build relationships by proactively conducting comprehensive information sessions during the application process and for all new families after the lottery, should a lottery be required; conducting home visits for all enrolled students before the beginning of the school year; providing documents that inform families of the school’s commitments to them and clarifies the school’s expectations of students and families; sending home weekly Rise Reports to parents which they review, sign and return to the school; and creating cyclical rituals and events in which families are invited into the school to celebrate student work and the realization of their goals.In full compliance with TN Charter Law, Memphis Rise Academy will ask a parent to serve on its Board of Directors. Like every other member of the board, this parent will be vetted and approved by a vote of the Board, and will be accountable to the school’s mission, bylaws, and organizational goals. S/he will also serve as a member of a Memphis Rise Academy Families for Success; this family group serves in an advisory capacity to the Head of School and to the Board. The duties of the Family group will include providing ongoing feedback to management; supporting the distribution and collection of semi-annual Parent Surveys; joining canvassing and student recruitment events; organizing an emergency parent phone chain; and designing volunteer projects to support the school. While they will have ample opportunities to provide feedback and community with school management, the parent advisory council will not be responsible for developing or implementing school policies.BOARD OFFICERS As indicated by the school’s Bylaws1, the Board will include four (4) elected officers—Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasury and Secretary—to meet specific organizational needs. Each officer will serve a one-year term that is renewable for a maximum of three consecutive terms.1 Please see Attachment 3.The Chair is part of the leadership structure of the organization. The responsibilities of the Chair include:Presiding over all meetings of the Board of Directors and other meetings as requiredCoordinating w/school leader, officers, and committee chairs to develop board meeting agendasDisseminating important information to the other members of the BoardReviewing operational effectiveness and setting organizational priorities for future developmentServing as the chair of the Governance CommitteeServing as ex officio member on all committeesAppointing committee chairsMonitoring effectiveness of governing processes and addressing deficits of Board operationsThe Vice-Chair serves in the capacity of Chair of the Board of Directors in the event the Chair is absent:Attending all board meetingsCarrying out special assignments as requested by the Board ChairUnderstanding responsibilities of Board Chair and be able to perform duties in Chair's absenceParticipating as a vital part of the Board leadershipThe Treasurer is entrusted with the financial responsibilities of the Board which include:Serving as the Chair of the Finance CommitteeEnsuring that school complies with district, state, federal, other statutory reporting requirementsWorking w/Board Chair and Head of School to ensure financial records are current and accurateParticipating in the preparation of the annual budgetVetting and recommending an external auditor to the Board for the annual financial auditWorking with school’s administrative staff to ensure complete financial records are made available if requested by auditors, the authorizer, or other entitled partiesReviewing monthly financial statements prepared by the school’s administrative staffEnsuring that required financial reports are prepared accurately and in a timely mannerReporting to Board regularly to ensure Board understands organization’s financial healthThe Secretary is the chief record keeper for the Board. Specific duties of the Secretary include:Certifying / keeping hard and electronic copy of bylaws as amended or otherwise altered to dateRecording official minutes of all meetings of the Directors; meetings shall record the location, start and ending time of the meeting, whether regular or special, how called, how notice was given, the names of those present or represented at the meeting, and the proceedings thereofKeeping copies of agendas and minutes of all meetings of the Directors and committees and making these documents available at the school’s main officeEnsuring that all notices are duly given as described in the bylaws or required by lawPerforming other duties incident to the office of SecretaryAs outlined in Figure 2.03, the founding team has selected the Board of Director’s first accompaniment of officers, subject to the Board’s approval upon authorization.Figure 2.03: Proposed Board OfficersOfficer PositionProposed MemberChairLayne McGuireVice-ChairBrian WhaleyTreasurerMadeleine DavisSecretaryKori HamnerAs indicated by the school’s Bylaws,168 the Board will have a standing Governance Committee and additional Board committees or task forces may be added as needed by resolution of the Board. Committees may include members of the Board of Directors, staff members, parents, and community members as appropriate, as determined in the resolution creating the committee or task force. Upon authorization, the Board of Memphis Rise Academy will form the following committees to ensure successful start-up of the school:Governance. The purpose of this committee is to ensure the Board has the necessary strength to govern Memphis Rise Academy. The Governance Committee will create tools for evaluating the strength of the Board and provide development opportunities for members. The Governance Committee will also be responsible for the identification, recruitment, nomination, and (upon full Board approval by a 2/3 vote as outlined in the Bylaws) training of new members.Finance. The purpose of this committee is to closely oversee the financial management of the school and work with the Head of School and back-office financial provider EdTec169, once hired, to ensure fiscal responsibility and sustainability. The Finance Committee tasks will include reviewing monthly cash flow statements, preparing financial reports and presenting these reports to the Board, and taking the lead in hiring the school’s auditor and interpreting the results of the financial audit for the Board as a body.Facilities. The purpose of this committee is to continue the work of securing a suitable school site for our proposed opening and for facility needs over time. This group will work with real estate brokers, developers, project managers, and other contractors in order to ensure that we fulfill all building requirements and receive all of the necessary permits prior to opening and upon any facility expansion projects.Development. The purpose of this committee is to work with the Head of School to develop marketing materials, increase public awareness about the school, identify and support funding opportunities, and spearhead the board’s work of raising funds to support the school’s mission.Academic Accountability. The purpose of this committee is to work with the Head of School to analyze the academic progress of students and ensure that the school is meeting accountability goals as outlined in this charter petition, as well as any additional internal measures of success that the board and school leadership may establish. During the start-up phase of the school this committee will also support the recruitment and enrollment efforts of the school.Upon authorization, the Board of Directors will participate in an Organizational Meeting, to ensure a smooth transition from the founding board to governing board. This will include in-depth training on:Tennessee Open Meetings Act ComplianceParliamentary Procedure and Robert’s Rules of OrderBoard Officer ElectionsBoard Committee FormationBoard Policy Formation And ApprovalSchool Leader Hiring, Support, And EvaluationInternal Accountability GoalsDuring the meeting the Board will accomplish the following: Approval of Bylaws and Officers; Appointment of Head of School; Approval of Budget and Foundational Policies (see Attachment 3); Approval of Board Calendar; and Adoption of the Head of School’s Performance Report.168 For proposed Bylaws, please see Attachment 3.169 EdTec is a proven financial back-office provider to charter schools in Tennessee, and works closely with the Tennessee Charter SchoolIncubator in support of strong financial operations for several charter schools. For more detail on the role of back-office financial services provider EdTec, please see Section III.5.After the Organizational Meeting, the Board meets once more during a Strategic Planning Session to continue to review the distinction between governance and management, establish committee SMART (strategic, measurable, achievable, rigorous, and time-framed) goals, develop Accountable Action Plans for the 2013-2014 planning year, and create key tools for Board action and accountability. Thereafter, the Board of Directors meets monthly. All of these meetings are subject to the Tennessee Open Meetings Act and as such are open to the public.All governing board members will be required to actively participate in at least one committee during each annual board term. Board members will be encouraged to serve on committees which both support their strengths but also help them become stronger in their areas for growth, to ensure each stakeholder receives the opportunity to build governance capacity in every essential facet of our ANIZATIONAL CHART Our board is organized into committees which reflect our performance standards, in academic achievement and finance, as well as our desire for long-term sustainability, reflected in our governance committee, which ensures the health of the governing body and its adherence to all necessary Tennessee regulations, a facilities committee to be forward thinking about our ability to house a our desired number of students to maximize our impact in the northeast Memphis community, and a development committee built to ensure the presence of resources which allow us to build our programming. Figure 2.04 provides our organizational chart outlining these relationships at the governance level, and which evidences the relationship between the board and management. The Organizational Chart can also be found in Attachments 2 and 3.Figure 2.04: Full Governance and Management Organizational ChartSELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS A stable, committed and high functioning Board of Directors is essential to a school’s success. Due to the significant impact of each Board member, new members will be selected by a careful screening process and may only be added by vote of the current members, as outlined in the school’s Bylaws.Each member of the Memphis Rise Academy Board will share a commitment to our school’s college preparatory mission. All candidates for Board membership must demonstrate:Deep understanding of and commitment to the mission of Memphis Rise AcademyUnwavering belief that all children can achieve the highest levels of academic excellence regardless of the circumstances into which they are bornAvailability to participate meaningfully in the school governance processExpertise in education, law, facilities, architecture, real estate, financial management, marketing, fundraising, community organizing, governance, or strategic planningPersonal experience with entrepreneurship and working in diverse teamsWillingness to leverage personal and profession networks on behalf of the schoolA deep commitment to improving the quality of education for Memphis childrenThe Governance Committee will implement a seven-step process for adding members to Board:Each spring (or as needed due to unplanned vacancies), the Governance Committee will identify existing vacancies and identify members whose terms are about to expire and identify the skills, expertise and other qualifications necessary to complete the Board.Any member of the Board may identify potential members and submit a résumé for the candidate to the Governance Committee.The Governance Committee will review résumé for, have conversations with, discuss, and rank all prospective candidates.The candidate is provided with relevant documents to review prior to recommendation for membership to the Board for a vote.The Governance Committee will recommend candidates to the Board and bring the nomination to the Board for a vote at the next Board meeting.The Board will review the candidate’s resume and vote to approve new members.Once approved, new members receive a welcome packet and complete required documents, i.e. Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosure Forms.New members will be elected to the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors when a previous member’s term expires at an annual meeting occurring during the last quarter of the fiscal year. If vacancies occur mid-year or the Board wishes to grow in size between annual meetings, new members may be added at any Board meeting held for this purpose.SELF-EVALUATION BY BOARD Memphis Rise Academy’s Board of Directors is committed to providing sound governance through efficiency, proactive thinking and strong committee structures. Once annually, the Board of Directors will perform a self-evaluation through an internal survey and reflection upon external reviews provided by the Tennessee Charter School Association and Building Excellent Schools. Building Excellent Schools will support the board during its organizing stage and during the first two years of operation, and the Tennessee Charter School Incubator will financially support the board’s training during the start-up phase and in subsequent years. An annual self-evaluation will occur, supported by Building Excellent Schools. This tool will come at the end of each fiscal year and evaluate a board member’s attendance, committee participation, contributions to fund development, and feedback to increase the overall effectiveness of the Board of Directors contributing to the school’s achievement of academic, fiduciary, and organizational goals. Evaluations will focus on how well the board functioned as a unit, the productivity of each committee, success of the prior year’s development strategy, and the reflection of the school’s overall health upon the work of the Board. Self-evaluations will serve to inform the goals and priorities of the governing body going forward and better inform its collective practices to ensure constant growth in their ability to provide the governance Memphis Rise Academy needs to be successful.EVALUATION OF SCHOOL LEADER Memphis Rise Academy’s Head of School will be formally evaluated170 once annually by the Board of Directors on school performance metrics, teacher survey metrics, board communication, and overall leadership. The goal of the Head of School evaluation will be to the inform the Board of Directors and Head of School on which managerial practices have best delivered results for students, most benefitted and developed the staff, as well as the type of workplace the Head of School’s overall managerial style has created and the staff’s response. Our goal is to create a sustainable work environment where all staff feel comfortable developing as professionals in pursuit of our mission. The Head of School evaluation will be essential in gauging our success in the creation of this PLAINT PROCESS171 In the event that a stakeholder, defined as any student (represented by parent/legal guardian), staff, family, or affiliated community member, issues a complaint with Memphis Rise Academy which is not resolved through traditional methods within the school, our school puts in place a clear and defined process which is designed to encompass a variety of complaints which could potentially occur, some of the most common of which are defined in detail below. Timelines and evidence gathering may differ slightly based on the type of complaint received. If a stakeholder complaint is in regards to a Memphis Rise Academy staff member, it will be generally filed with and heard by the Head of School, who will apply one of the methods for resolution described below. If the complaint is with the Head of School or, in some cases, if the complaint is with a decision which was ultimately affirmed by the Head of School, the Chair of the Board of Directors will serve as the school’s final “Grievance Administrator,” and hear either the stakeholder’s complaint or appeal. Our complaint procedures are designed to be internally resolved within a timeline of no more than sixty (60) days, as evidenced in the sample procedures below, though many grievances should be resolved within a less extensive plaints of Discrimination or HarassmentMemphis Rise Academy seeks to provide all stakeholders with a positive and academically driven environment at all times, free of any discrimination or harassment. Any student or employee who believes that Memphis Rise Academy has discriminated against or harassed her/him because of her/his race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its services, programs, and activities may file a complaint with the Head of School. If the Head of School is the person who is alleged to have caused the discrimination or harassment, the complaint may be filed with the Chair of the Board of Directors (referred to below, for the purposes of this initial policy, as the “Grievance Administrator”). In the event the complaint consists of a student's allegation that another student is harassing him/her based upon the above-referenced classifications, the student may, in the alternative, file the complaint with the complaint manager (hereinafter referred to as "Building Complaint Manager"). The name of the Building Complaint Manager(s) is kept at the school and may be obtained from the main office.A person who alleges discrimination on the basis of disability relative to the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a person, who because of a handicap needs or is believed to need special instruction or related services, pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Chapter 766, and/or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, must use the procedure outlined in the TN170 For Memphis Rise Academy’s Leader Evaluation Primer, please see Appendix E.171 Much of Memphis Rise Academy’s Complaint/Grievance Policy draws heavily on the current practices of Nashville Preparatory Charter School in Nashville, TN.Department of Education's Students' Rights Brochure rather than this Grievance Procedure. A copy of the brochure is available from the Student Supports Coordinator.172Complaints under this Grievance Procedure must be filed within 30 school days of the alleged discrimination and must be in writing. The written complaint must include the following information:Name and school (or address and telephone number if not a student or employee) of the grievant.Name (and address and telephone number if not a student or employee) of the grievant's representative, if any.Name of the person(s) alleged to have caused the discrimination or harassment (respondent).Description, in as much detail as possible, of the alleged discrimination or harassment.Date(s) of the alleged discrimination or harassment.Name of all persons who have knowledge about the alleged discrimination or harassment (witnesses), as can be reasonably determined.Description, in as much detail as possible, of how grievant wants the complaint to be resolved.Respondents will be informed of the charges as soon as the Grievance Administrator deems appropriate based upon the nature of the allegations, the investigation required, and the action contemplated. The Grievance Administrator will interview witnesses whom s/he deems necessary and appropriate to determine the facts relevant to the complaint, and will gather other relevant information.Such interviews and gathering of information will be completed within fifteen (15) school days of receiving the complaint. Within twenty (20) school days of receiving the complaint, the Grievance Administrator will meet with the grievant and/or her/his representative to review the information gathered and, if applicable, to propose a resolution designed to stop the discrimination or harassment and to correct its effect. Within ten (10) school days of the meeting with the grievant and/or representative, the Grievance Administrator will provide written deposition of the complaint to the grievant and/or representative and to the respondent(s). Notwithstanding the above, it is understood that in the event a resolution involves disciplinary action against an employee or a student, the grievant will not be informed of such disciplinary action, unless it directly involves the grievant (i.e., a directive to "stay away" from the grievant, as might occur as a result of a complaint of harassment).Any disciplinary action imposed upon an employee or student is subject to applicable procedural requirements. All the time lines specified above will be implemented as specified, unless the nature of the investigation or exigent circumstances prevent such implementation, in which case, the matter will be completed as quickly as practicable. If the time lines specified above are not met, the reason(s) for not meeting them must be clearly documented. In addition, it should be noted that in the event the respondent is subject to a collective bargaining agreement which sets forth a specific time line for notice and/or investigation of a complaint, such time lines will be followed. Confidentiality of grievants/respondents and witnesses will be maintained, to the extent consistent with Memphis Rise Academy’s obligations relating to investigation of complaints and the due process rights of individuals affected. Retaliation against someone because he/she has filed a complaint under this Grievance Procedure is strictly prohibited. Acts of retaliation may result in disciplinary action, up to and including suspension or expulsion/discharge. If the grievant is not satisfied with a disposition by a Grievance Administrator, the grievant may appeal the disposition to the Board of Directors by writing to the Board Chair at a provided address.The Board of Directors will issue a written response on the appeal to the grievant within thirty (30) school days of receiving the appeal. Generally, a grievant may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of172 , Office for Civil Rights, (901) 416-1482 as follows: Within 180 calendar days of alleged discrimination of harassment, orWithin 60 calendar days of receiving notice of Memphis Rise Academy’s final disposition on a complaint filed through Memphis Rise Academy, orWithin 60 calendar days of receiving a final decision by the TN Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, orInstead of filing a complaint with Memphis Rise Academy.Employee Complaints and DisagreementComplaints from any Memphis Rise Academy regarding another employee other than the Head of School will be heard by the Head of School within an appropriate timeframe. In some cases, the Head of School will apply an informal method of conflict resolution between employees by hearing the grievance and, if justifiable, taking necessary action. Grievants will be asked to file a formal written complaint in the event that the grievance is subjective and requires an investigation by the Head of School. Once the grievance is filed, the Head of School will conduct interviews with appropriate stakeholders within a period of fivebusiness days, which could also include the gathering of more written statements as necessary, and inform all stakeholders, beginning with the grievant, of the result of the grievance and any subsequent action that will be taken. As referenced previously, if the grievant is uncomfortable with a decision which was ultimately affirmed by the Head of School, the Chair of the Board of Directors will serve as the school’s final “Grievance Administrator,” and can choose to hear either the stakeholder’s complaint or appeal. In the event that a Memphis Rise Academy staff member files a formal grievance with the Head of School, the Chair of the Board of Directors, serving as the school’s final “Grievance Administrator,” will perform a review of the Head of School which mirrors the process detailed above, but extends the five (5) day timeline to ten (10) days. An internal board review of the gathered evidence will be performed before informing the Head of School of any action taken in response to the plaints of Disciplinary Consequence DisagreementMemphis Rise Academy makes every effort to provide students and families with timely and transparent reasoning for any disciplinary consequences issued due to infractions of our school’s disciplinary code of conduct and character. A parent or guardian who believes that an issued disciplinary consequence was unwarranted after communicating with the Dean of Students and/or another Memphis Rise Academy staff member involved in issuing the consequence, the parent of guardian can, on behalf of the student, issue a formal complaint with the school if the consequence results in a student receiving a consequence greater than in-school suspension (e.g., out of school suspension, grounds for expulsion). In this event, families will be directed to file the complaint with the Grievance plaints under this Grievance Procedure must be filed within 30 school days of the alleged discrimination and must be in writing. The written complaint must include the following information:Name and school (or address and telephone number if not a student or employee) of the grievant.Name (and address and telephone number if not a student or employee) of the grievant's representative, if any.Name of the person(s) who administered the consequence in question.Date(s) of the consequence’s issuance.Name of all persons who have knowledge about the issued consequence (witnesses), as can be reasonably determined.Reasons for the parent or guardian’s disagreement with the issued consequence, in as much detail as possible.Description, in as much detail as possible, of how grievant wants the complaint to be resolved.Memphis Rise Academy’s Grievance Administrator will ask for a detailed report of the incident from the Dean of Students and/or the Head of School. Respondents will be informed of the charges as soon as the Grievance Administrator deems appropriate based upon the nature of the allegations, the investigation required, and the action contemplated. The Grievance Administrator will interview witnesses whom s/he deems necessary and appropriate to determine the facts relevant to the complaint, and will gather other relevant information. Such interviews and gathering of information will be completed within fifteen (15) school days of receiving the complaint. Within twenty (20) school days of receiving the complaint, the Grievance Administrator will meet with the grievant and/or her/his representative to review the information gathered and, if applicable, to propose a resolution designed to stop the discrimination or harassment and to correct its effect. Within ten (10) school days of the meeting with the grievant and/or representative, the Grievance Administrator will provide written deposition of the complaint to the grievant and/or representative and to the respondent(s). Notwithstanding the above, it is understood that in the event a resolution involves disciplinary action against an employee or a student, the grievant will not be informed of such disciplinary action, unless it directly involves the plaints of Academic Discrepancy or DisagreementMemphis Rise Academy also prides itself on its efforts to maintain transparent communication with families regarding their student’s academic progress through frequent phone calls, availability of all student data upon request and our weekly report card system termed the Rise Report. In some instances, a parent or guardian may simply request more information than what is provided in this report regarding a student’s current grade or other academic progress, which can always be provided by our instructional staff upon request and compiled in the method the family prefers, either in a more detailed written report compiled by our operational staff or a scheduled phone call or in-school academic conference with that teacher(s).In the case of an academic complaint, the final appeal process from a student, represented by their parent/guardian, lies with the Head of School, as it is our belief that academic issues should remain on the side of management for decision making. If, after communicating with the teacher(s), the parent of guardian can, on behalf of the student, issue a formal complaint with the Head of School to have the grade reviewed, only if the grade in question was issued on the trimester report card. During this time, the Head of School will ask to be presented with a detailed report of the student’s academic data and grades at the most granular level of detail available in the course(s) in question for review within ten (10) calendar days of the formal complaint; upon review of this report, the Head of School may also request samples of the student’s work from either the teacher or the student/family to assist in the review. In the event that this further evidence cannot be provided from either party, the student’s recorded academic progress will serve as the sole means of determination for the Head of School and, unless miscalculated, the issued grade will stand. The Head of School will be given a period of ten (10) calendar days to perform the grade review.If the Head of School determines that the grade provided at the trimester report card seems to be in contrast to the quality of the student’s work based on further subjective research and their analysis of what is known to be that student’s level of academic performance, he/she may issue a retroactive grade change on the student’s trimester report card. This grade change will be assessed by the Head of School; if called into question, the grade could be changed to be either higher or lower than the grade issued, depending on the Head of School’s determination of the student’s academic progress and the quality of his/her work. Families and involved instructional staff members will be notified of the Head of School’s decision and reasoning at the end of the ten day review process. Notwithstanding the above, it is understood that in the event a resolution involves disciplinary action against an employee or a student, the grievant will not be informed of such disciplinary action, unless it directly involves the grievant.PERSONNEL/HUMAN CAPITAL Our staffing plan has been developed to maximize student achievement, plan for organizational growth, and maintain sound fiscal health. All staff positions are at-will; no contracted staff will exist. All teachers will have a current valid Tennessee teaching license or meet minimum requirements for licensure as defined by the state board of education. Statutes or rules relative to licensure will not be waived. A copy of the draft Staff Manual is provided as Attachment 5. As outlined in the Staff Manual, Memphis Rise Academy adheres to each of the following:Equal Opportunity Employer. We will not discriminate against any potential or current employee based on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, disability, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable law.No Child Left Behind. We will comply with the provisions of the NCLB Act as they apply to highly qualified certificated personnel and paraprofessional employees of charter schools.Credentials. Teachers of core content areas (English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social sciences, Foreign Language, and Visual Arts) will be required to hold a Commission on Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would be required to hold. We will work to minimize our use of Emergency Credentialed Teachers. All teachers providing special education will hold appropriate and requires state special education licensure.Employee Records. We will comply with all State and Federal laws concerning the maintenance and disclosure of employee records. Copies of each teacher‘s credentials will be kept on file in the main office and will be readily available for inspection. School administration will review teacher credentials annually.Background Checks. We will comply with Tenn. Code 49-5-413 regarding the requirement to fingerprint and obtain background clearance of employees. Prior to the first day of work with students, Memphis Rise Academy will process all background checks. In addition, all employees must provide: Up-to-date medical clearance of communicable disease and a negative Mantoux Tuberculosis (TB) test; A full disclosure statement regarding a prior criminal record; Documents establishing legal employment status; Contact information for at least two (2) professional and one (1) personal reference.Employee Welfare and Safety. We will comply with all Local, State, Federal, and relevant District policies concerning employee welfare, health, and safety issues. These include, but are not limited to, the requirement for a drug- and tobacco-free workplace.Exempt vs. Nonexempt Employees. We may hire hourly employees to support the school’s enrichment program or office staff. All teachers are classified as full-time employees. All contracts will comply with TN and Federal Law and, in all cases, the school’s preference will be to hire a full-time employee.Terms and Conditions of Employment. All employees will be at-will employees. The terms and conditions for employment will be reviewed in detail during the interview process and reiterated in an offer of employment.We recognize the dual importance of successful literacy acquisition for English Language Learners and standards-based remediation for students who exited elementary school lacking the foundational skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Accordingly, we have staffed173 appropriately at each grade level so that the school can remain organizationally viable while providing173 For Organization Chart, please see Attachment 2.over three hours of literacy instruction every day for the identified needs of our target student community and our ambitious academic goals for them.We open with an administrative team including a Head of School, Director of Operations, Dean of Students, and the administrative team is supported by back-office provider EdTec. We grow the administrative team over time adding (1) a Director of Curriculum and Instruction in Y2 and (2) a Literacy Coordinator in Y4 and an additional Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the high school in Y5. Given the use of data in the school and associated operational requirements, we include operational fellows as full-time stipend employees hired on a half-year basis. In the middle school there are two English Language Arts teachers, two math teachers, one science, and one social studies in every grade. Physical Education is taught by the Dean of Students. Operational Fellows and classroom teachers will further support the physical education needs of the school as required. In high school, we add (1) foreign language and (1) visual arts teacher, and grow all positions out during the term of the high school and according to all needs. All teachers are appropriately licensed, “highly qualified” staff in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).The Student Supports Coordinator, a fully licensed special educator, works closely with all students with special needs, including ELLs, special education students and students performing above grade level to provide the supports needed to excel and guide classroom teachers to successfully meet student needs. We augment that position with additional special education FTEs as our populations grows, and as reflected in Figure 2.05 which outlines all staffing needs for the first five years of the charter term.Figure 2.05: Staffing Y1 to Y5- Full DetailY1Y2Y3Y4Y5Grades Served66-76-86-96-10AdministrationHead of School11111Director of Curriculum and Instruction01122Director of Operations11111Dean of Students11111Operational StaffOperational Fellows23344Instructional Team Core Subject TeachersMiddle School Teaching Staff612191919High School English Teachers12High School Math Teachers12High School Social Studies Teachers12High School Latin Teachers12High School Science Teachers12High School Visual Arts Teachers11High School PE/Wellness Teacher11High School Music Education Teacher01SpecialistsStudent Supports Coordinator (Director of Special Education andSpecial Education Teacher)11111Additional Special Education Teachers01234Literacy Coordinator00111Total1221304047Enrollment108216324424517Teacher : Student Ratio1:151:151:151:131:13Below are brief narratives of job descriptions required during the first year of the charter term.Head of School (Y1).. HOS oversees school performance and management and ensures viability. The HOS leads external issues - working with Board, reporting to/interfacing with authorizer, fundraising, public relations, overseeing finance/operations. HOS manages the relationship with outside vendors providing accounting and bookkeeping solutions. HOS manages the admin team and is the leader of the mission, culture, and academic program; HOS managed all members of the administrative team and works closely with the back-office financial support vendor. HOS is hired by, reports to, and is evaluated by the Board.Dean of Students (Y1). The DOS focuses on student culture, behavior, and discipline; establishes and maintains relationships with students and families to support the school’s behavior expectations; keeps records of reports, incidents, and communications with students, families, and administration; coordinates special student events and projects internally and externally; coordinates all non-academic meetings and ensures appropriate communications and confidentiality regarding student and family incidents; reports to and is evaluated by the HOS; leads Friday afternoon physical education.Director of Operations (Y1). The DOO is responsible for the operational, vendor and facility needs, ensures that all records are up to date, accurate, and meet all local, state, and federal requirements. S/he maintains facility, coordinates human resource needs, including documents, communications, and records, and supports classrooms with resource provision and technology service. The DOO oversees Operational Fellows and is evaluated by and reports to the HOS.Student Supports Coordinator (Y1). SSC maintains special needs records, oversees the IEP process, and ensures that special needs students receive accommodations (and/or modifications) within the classroom, and will be TN certified in special education. The SSC will provide direct special education services as needed. The SSC is hired by the ED, reports to the ED and is evaluated by the HOS.Teaching Staff (Y1). Teachers develop and implement curriculum and assessments and support all students in reaching clear academic goals. All teachers are Highly Qualified174 as defined by No Child Left Behind. Teachers are hired by the HOS and are evaluated by the HOS.Operational Fellows (Y1). Fellows are instrumental in the day to day operations of our school and its constant management. Fellows help manage academic data entry and reporting, external communication, internal document creation and distribution of documents and messaging, assist in the management of facility and technology, and serve as general office managers with phone and school email support.Accounting and Bookkeeping Vendor (Y1). Our back-office provider in accounting and bookkeeping, EdTec, handles all financial reporting to ensure segregation of duties. Works in tandem with the Head of School and Director of Operations to make sure that deadlines are met in a timely manner and financial planning takes place in anticipation of deadlines. Analytical review and trend analysis are done on a monthly basis to look for monthly irregularities and inconsistencies, and the vendor manages grant reporting in QuickBooks.Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Y2). Our Director of Curriculum and Instruction (DCI) works closely with teachers to modify any aspects of the curriculum map. The DCI ensures that all internally developed assessments align to all standards-based external measures and ensures daily lesson plans support mastery of skill and content being assessed. Works with the Head of School to create long-term data plan trajectories for TCAP and other internal, state and national assessments; leads weekly data planning and implementation for teachers. Leads classrooms observation model and subsequent coaching/evaluation protocol and subsequent professional development. Hired by, reports to, and is evaluated by Head of School.174 Coordinator (Y3). The Literacy Coordinator manages the independent reading and literacy development resources of the school. The Literacy Coordinator provides literacy support for students in the classroom as well as in pull-out classrooms as needed. Assists teachers with infusing literacy across the curriculum and supporting independent reading goals for advisory teachers. Provides ELL literacy and language acquisition support to the Student Supports Team. Reports to and is evaluated by the Head of School.Upon a decision of authorization, Memphis Rise Academy’s Board of Directors will vote and hire a Head of School; Memphis Rise Academy’s Board anticipates hiring proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke. The Head of School will be formally evaluated once annually by the Board of Directors on school performance metrics, teacher survey metrics175, board communication, and overall leadership. The Head of School will then begin recruitment and hiring of all staff, beginning with administrative positions and high quality veteran teachers for key literacy and mathematics roles. For information on Memphis Rise Academy’s start up timeline of events, please see Attachment 1. The Head of School will employ two part-time consultants in the planning year to provide operational support for school start-up and assist in student recruitment and community outreach. We will begin a national search for quality teachers in August 2013, with a goal of having teachers, including our Student Supports Coordinator, hired by April 2014. We will begin conducting a search for our Dean of Students and Director of Operations in August 2013 or earlier, with a goal of onboarding the Dean of Students in a part-time capacity by January 2014 and Director of Operations in March 2014. As staff is hired, the Head of School will begin frequent communication with each staff member to provide the necessary preparation for the beginning of the formal school year in Fall 2014.For staff leadership roles, Memphis Rise Academy will first look locally for a Dean of Students. Due to our dean position’s high level of external communication in Northeast Memphis, it is a necessity that we find an individual who has at bare minimum an intermediate proficiency in Spanish. Additionally, we are looking for an individual with experience in teaching who has clear talent and building and maintaining student relationships as a key lever to academic success, as well as a teacher who has made it a distinct priority to be transparent with families within his or her teaching career. Memphis Rise Academy truly values an individual for this position who is from the Memphis area or has worked in our city as an educator for a considerable amount of time, as this experience will prove invaluable in community outreach. We will set a goal of onboarding a Dean of Students, after a deep local recruitment and vetting process, by January 2014 at the latest. Our Operations Team recruitment archetype is less defined, as we are looking for an individual, with no prerequisite career experience though experience in education or charter schools is highly preferred, who has shown a high level of organization, detail orientation and efficiency for systematic execution in a previous job. We will conduct a more wide-ranging search for this role, similar to that described below in our teacher recruitment. For Operational Fellows, we hope to attract college graduates or graduate students who have strong ties to the Memphis area and area passionate about the Memphis educational landscape. We are looking for individuals with a similar but developing capacity for detail orientation who also are comfortable interacting with the community. We will consult local colleges and universities for this hiring, as well as generally advertise for the fellowship positions as we will our teaching positions. Our goal is to onboard both Operational Fellows by the beginning of July 2014, if not much sooner.We will perform a wide-ranging search for teachers with a track record of success in urban communities serving a similar population and will begin to develop them immediately to successfully teach, support, and push students to rigorous academic expectations.176 Our first priority is to conduct an exhaustive175 For Memphis Rise Academy’s Leader Evaluation Primer, please see Appendix E.176 This hiring process and immediate push for cultural and professional development is informed by BES Fellow Ravi Gupta, Founder andSchool Leader of Nashville Prep in Nashville, TN. At an October 2012 professional development conference as part of the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, as well as during the lead founder’s month-long residency within Nashville Prep during the BES Fellowship, Gupta detailedeffort to find teachers who have a penchant for producing clear mastery for all students, evident in track records on state assessments and a meticulous attention to classroom data, and will have demonstrated experience transitioning their pedagogy to account for the transition to the Common Core standards.To identify and recruit high capacity, mission driven teachers, we plan to leverage a variety of networks, beginning in August 2013. The Head of School will first contact regional Teach For America alumni networks and attend events throughout the Midwest, Mid-South, and South regions—Memphis, Nashville, Mississippi Delta, Atlanta, New Orleans, South Louisiana, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis, and others. Additionally, he will perform a similarly wide-ranging regional search throughout the charter school network for teachers looking to relocate or looking for a leadership trajectory position in a newly- founded school. New Leaders for New Schools’ and Ed Pioneers’ alumni networks and National Association of Black Educators will also be useful in providing potentially high capacity candidates for administrative or leadership trajectory instructional positions. We will utilize the newly developed Teach 901 network for teacher recruitment and post listings on educator search websites provided by district and local resources such as the Tennessee Charter School Incubator. By January, 2014, we plan to have located our three administrative team members and at least two of our seven proposed teachers, including our Student Services Coordinator. From there, we also plan on hiring and developing a portion of our teachers from Teach For America-Memphis177, and, as positions and partnerships become available, from Memphis Teaching Fellows and the Memphis Teacher Residency program. All hiring should be complete by April 2014, per Teach For America, MTF and MTR hiring timelines. Each teacher, prior to interview, will be screened for “highly qualified” credentials or their ability to obtain the necessary credentials prior to onboarding to be in full compliance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Though many of these individuals will be new to teaching, we are committed to immediately beginning their development upon onboarding and to quickly developing the capacity.The hiring of teachers involves a five-step process: (1) comprehensive resume screening, (2) two twenty- minute phone interviews—one each with the Head of School and Dean of Students and supported by Building Excellent Schools in Y1 and Y2, (3) observation of instruction at the teacher's current school (for local candidates) or a sample lesson at our school - each lesson is followed by a substantive debrief and discussion of feedback, (4) a re-teaching opportunity to assess the teacher's ability to implement feedback, and (5) a written and verbal offer of employment within 24 hours of successful completion of the hiring process for successful candidates. The dismissal of teachers mid-year only occurs following thoughtful and careful evaluation of the teacher's performance. Following observation of consistent low- level performance, teachers are placed on a 30-day Improvement Plan with clear and measurable goals to improve the area(s) in which the teacher is struggling as well as several check-ins per week with the Head of School. If a teacher fails to meet the goals laid out in the Improvement Plan despite instructional support from the leadership team, the school will terminate the teacher's contract. At the conclusion of each school year, school leadership will also use the evaluation process to make a determination regarding renewal of each teacher's contract based on yearly performance.All staff must possess a firm belief in our mission and core instructional beliefs, exemplary personal character, and critical professional qualifications. Ideal candidates for employment at Memphis Rise Academy, regardless of their position, will consistently demonstrate:Unwavering belief in and commitment to fulfill Memphis Rise Academy’s missionEmbodiment of Memphis Rise Academy REACH values—Responsibility, Excellence, Ambition, Commitment, HonestyClearly demonstrated desire for student success as a motivatorhis hiring and onboarding process, which is also articulated in his application to Metro Nashville Public Schools. Memphis Rise Lead Founder and proposed School Leader Jack Vuylsteke will utilize Gupta’s hiring model, as it resulted in Nashville Prep producing the highest 5th grade TCAP scores for any charter school in Tennessee in 2011-2012.177 For Letter of Support from Teach For America-Memphis, please see Attachment 14.Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasksAbility to effectively handle challenging situations with students, parents, and facultyDesire to work as a member of a collaborative teamWillingness to have frequent and honest dialogue about job performance feedbackModeling lifelong learning by engaging in individual professional developmentDemonstrated commitment to academic excellence and high standards—for themselves, their students, and their colleaguesExperience working with urban student populationsStrong oral and written communication skillsUse of data to inform decisions and drive continuous improvementComfort with basic Microsoft Office applicationsRegular, punctual attendance and professional appearanceAppropriate Tennessee credentials and qualifications required by No Child Left BehindKnowledge of Common Core State Standards, literacy testing/programming, cross-curricular instruction (preferable)Memphis Rise Academy is an at-will employer. The school’s policies and procedures are not intended as a contract between Memphis Rise Academy and its employees. The school may revise these policies and procedures, delete sections, or add additional components at any time. At minimum, all teachers earn a base salary which is roughly 10% higher than the market rate teachers working in traditional Memphis City Schools with five or less years of experience would earn under proposed changes in salary compensation for teachers, which would raise teacher salaries to $41,000.178 At Memphis Rise Academy, every teacher, regardless of years of experience, earns a minimum of $45,000 in base salary. Teachers who stay on staff for a third year receive a 10% salary increase after their completion of two years in the classroom, with more longevity-based salary increases and opportunities for leadership trajectory growth such as Grade Level Team leaders built in for employees who demonstrate sustained dedication to our school. All FTEs receive health coverage through MCS employee benefits plans through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System.179 Memphis Rise Academy fully intends to comply with state requirements as denoted in T.C.A. § 49-13-119, requiring full-time charter school staff to participate in the same insurance and benefits programs “in the same manner as teachers and other full-time permanent employees of the LEA.”Memphis Rise Academy will comply with all State and Federal laws concerning the maintenance and disclosure of employee records. Copies of each teacher’s credentials will be kept on file in the main office and will be readily available for inspection. School administration will review teacher credentials annually. Pursuant to Tenn. Code §49-5-413, we will comply with all requirements to fingerprint and obtain background clearance of employees. Prior to the first day of work with students, Memphis Rise Academy will process all background checks through V.I.S.A., Inc., a Grahamwood based organization.In addition, all employees must provide: Up-to-date medical clearance of communicable disease, required health records and current immunizations; A full disclosure statement regarding a prior criminal record; Documents establishing legal employment status; and Contact information for at least two (2) professional and one (1) personal reference.178 Rise Academy will comply with all Local, State, Federal, and relevant District policies concerning employee welfare, health, and safety issues. These include, but are not limited to, the requirement for a drug- and tobacco-free workplace.HIRING AND DEVELOPING THE SCHOOL LEADER Memphis Rise Academy’s Board of Directors anticipates hiring BES Fellow and proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke as our inaugural Head of School upon authorization of the charter. Mr. Vuylsteke has been the lead author of this petition and the leader of the Memphis Rise Academy founding team since August 2012. Mr. Vuylsteke brings a wealth of experience from his time as a classroom teacher, curriculum and data analysis coach, and operations manager in urban schools and has been trained as a Fellow with Building Excellent Schools, a highly respected national non-profit that supports high capacity individuals to design, found, lead, and sustain high achieving charter schools in urban communities across the country. The BES Fellowship exposes aspiring school leaders to a wide variety of best practices to glean which best serve their school vision and local community need, and take it from a developing vision to operational and sustainable design. BES Fellows participate in ongoing training with BES staff on education leadership and school development throughout the planning year and first operational year of the school’s charter. Additionally, BES Fellows are provided with training from proven charter school support organizations in financial management,180 facility allocation and development, and board governance. BES has trained leaders of some of Tennessee’s most successful charter schools, such as Roblin Webb of Freedom Preparatory Academy (“Freedom Prep”), Michael Whaley of Memphis College Preparatory Charter School (“Memphis College Prep”), and Ravi Gupta of Nashville Preparatory Charter School (“Nashville Prep”). Mr. Vuylsteke completed a school leadership residency with Nashville Prep in Nashville, TN and plans to complete several more leadership residencies with high-performing BES charter middle-high schools throughout Tennessee during the planning year, such as Freedom Prep, and Liberty Collegiate Academy (“Liberty Collegiate”) Charter School. Additionally, Memphis Rise Academy development has been supported by the Tennessee Charter School Incubator (TCSI), which has provided critical technical assistance throughout the design process. Should the proposed school be authorized, both Building Excellent Schools and TCSI will continue to strategically support the work of start-up and ANIZATION CHART Memphis Rise Academy’s full organization charts, including Board of Directors committees, year 1 staff, and fully developed middle-high school staff can be found in Attachment 2. Our initial staff organization chart is focused on ensuring that the three main components of a great school—quality instruction, seamless operations, and a strong school culture—are each accounted for in our staffing model. As we build to capacity, we add staff as needed to ensure that each element has adequate staffing to execute its role in our mission of college preparation through rigorous academics, support in achieving ambitious goals, and the creation of value-informed character for all students.In the first year, the school is led by the Head of School, and we hire a Dean of Students, responsible for supporting and maintaining the culture of the school, working closely with students, families, and teachers. The Director of Operations is in charge of ensuring the seamless operations and internal financial management which allow for our culture and academic programming to occur at their highest functioning levels. The Head of School will act as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the first academic year, ensuring that his primary daily focus remains the academic health of the school. Financially, our partnership with Tennessee vendor EdTec, our back office services provider, provides180 As example, and as part of the BES Fellowship, Jack Vuylsteke received over 40 hours of financial training from Abacus Consulting Founder and CEO Michael prehensive services to ensure our financial health over the long term. Our Student Supports Coordinator, hired in Year 1 to provide services to our Special Education and English Language Learner populations, becomes the leader of an increasingly larger Student Supports Team, beginning in Year 2 with the hire of an additional Student Supports Teacher, Year 3 with the hire of our Literacy Coordinator, and growing to a capacity of five Student Supports Teachers by Year 7. Similarly, our Operational Fellows team begins at two positions in Year 1, grows to three positions in Year 2 and, finally, caps at four Operational Fellows in Y3, which we carry throughout the term of the charter. Our staffing projections are again shown below in Figure 2.06 per state application formatting guidelines; for more detail on these positions, please see Figure 2.04.Figure 2.06: Y1-Y5 Staffing ProjectionsPositionYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Principal/School Leader (Head of School)11111Assistant Principal00000Dean(s) (of students)11111Additional School Leadership Position #1: Director of Operations11111Additional School Leadership Position #2: Director of Curriculum andInstruction01122Classroom Teachers (core subjects)612192429Classroom Teachers (non-core – special education, EL, foreign language, etc.)01356Student Support Position 1: Student Services Coordinator11111Student Support Position 2: Literacy Coordinator00011Specialized School Staff 1 (specify)n/an/an/an/an/aSpecialized School Staff 2 (specify)n/an/an/an/an/aTeaching aides or assistants00111School Operations Support Staff (Operational Fellows)23444PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Memphis Rise Academy strategically relies on internal and external professional development to ensure a full, seamless, and highly successful implementation of our rigorous academic program. We budget$1,000 per FTE for ongoing professional development purposes. Including July PD and May closeout PD, Memphis Rise Academy provides 26 days devoted solely to the professional development of staff, totaling over 230 hours of internal professional development. Combined with our Friday professional development, Memphis Rise Academy staff will have access to approximately 340 hours of internal professional development over the course of the school year.The three priorities of Memphis Rise Academy’s professional development are (1) creation and maintenance of an achievement-driven and goal-oriented culture and successful, consistent execution of classroom systems and structures that maximize instructional and learning time, (2) using data to drive college preparatory instruction and targeted academic supports for every student, and (3) increasing our capacity for cross-curricular instruction to meet the mandate of the Common Core - particularly in literacy and mathematics.Towards these priorities, we employ the following for professional development:Internal Summer PDTeachers arrive in early July (Y1 on July 10, 2014) for three weeks of professional development aimed at:acculturating all staff to Memphis Rise Academy’s REACH values and how they relate to all portions of the instructional program; (2) discussing and practicing student procedures, curriculum alignment and mapping, Lemov execution technique “at bats,” data analysis, and rigorous pacing of execution; (3) reviewing best ways to support our students with special needs through modifications and accommodations, provide effective ELL supports, and support the needs of all learners towards ambitious goals; (4) mapping curriculum from a rigorous, standards-based assessment system; and (5) developing the reading skills of all students through close analysis of reading skills and an ambitious reading program across the school.Fountas and PinnellWe bring in external Fountas and Pinnell educators during our summer PD to train all instructional team members on the best practices for administering the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarked Assessment Program. Fountas and Pinnell allows leadership and instructional staff to know the reading levels of students, and to guide strategically the selection of independent reading texts that promote reading growth and reading interest. Fountas and Pinnell provides consultants for fee; in addition, Memphis Rise Academy will likely look for teachers who have been implementing the system with students for an extended period of time who can speak with a more critical teacher lens.Friday Strategy RoomEvery Friday professional development session, held from 2:30-5:00 PM, will include an hour-long data analysis Strategy Room, in which all formative, summative and diagnostic data is cross-referenced to find trend gaps to highlight across our instructional program, in our daily Focus periods, and in our in-class reteaches. Friday Strategy Rooms also allow for grade level and content teams (Y2 onward) to meet to discuss planning, data trend responses, and curriculum mapping. We alternate within Friday PD to include internal professional development sessions on high need curricular, execution and school culture areas, as presented by the Head of School or another member of the instructional team. The Student Supports Coordinator contributes ongoing professional development in special education services and approaches. Finally, we employ two completely teacher-driven professional development items. (1) Our Best Lesson development sessions focuses on the Head of School or Director of Curriculum and Instruction’s choice of an exemplary lesson from that week, with clear strength in planning, rigor, cross- curricular constructs, and ability to execute, to be delivered to staff for observation and collaborative reflection. Best Lesson achieves a variety of goals in building our teachers’ capacity: it serves as an intrinsic investment for teachers to be chosen for Best Lesson and a clear validation of our teachers’ hard work; and it creates a clear and public win for teachers in a culture of constant push for growth through our observation debrief cycle and in-depth data analysis. Additionally, we employ Video Review181 sessions of all our classrooms throughout different points of the instructional day, mainly during core content delivery but including Focus, breaks, lunch, and transitions, to hone our practice, develop more consistency and push for better execution.Ongoing School VisitsMemphis Rise Academy leverages its partners within the BES network and charter community at large throughout Tennessee and across the nation to bring targeted instructional staff members to high performing school visits around the country who specialize in elements of our program. For example, our181 Video review sessions and format for operational execution are taken from the best practice of Nashville Preparatory in Nashville, TN. During his January residency at Nashville Prep, Lead Founder and proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke participated in three hour-long video review sessions with Nashville Prep staff, analyzing breaks, hallways, lunches, and in-class execution. These video sessions inform the design for Memphis Rise Academy’s Friday Video Review.Book Club system is informed by the practices of Liberty Collegiate Academy in Nashville, TN, led by 2010 BES Fellow and school founder Linda Lentz.182 Memphis Rise Academy literacy teachers would perform a deeply goal-intensive and structured school visit to Liberty to collect curricular artifacts, anecdotal evidence, and video from a wide cross section of Liberty’s reading ability grouped book clubs. Teachers would then return to present on their time within the school per how it can better inform our instructional practice using the artifacts taken during the visit.BES Weekend Warriors SeriesBuilding Excellent Schools (“BES”) provides four school visit-focused professional development weekend series throughout different spots in the country called the Weekend Warriors Series. We will send a core section of our staff to each Building Excellent Schools Weekend Warriors Series event, which allows for high performing school visits and subsequent development on critical curricular and leadership topics throughout the school year. To increase our capacity in executing the core components of the Memphis Rise Academy program, we will continue to benefit from the experience of the schools and leaders who have informed these elements of our design, either through school visits or internal professional development networking and consulting.Observation Feedback CycleThe Head of School and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction (DCI, hired after Year 1) work together to implement a biweekly formal observation cycle and daily feedback loop, designed at supporting teacher performance in classroom culture and instructional execution. Often, an observation feedback cycle can feel to instructional staff as micro-managed or evaluative, rather than supportive or designed for growth and success. Memphis Rise Academy’s instructional staff feedback cycle is designed with the teacher’s growth in mind and based on the best practices of charter schools which have developed outstanding teachers within their model.183In our middle school, there are 450 instructional minutes daily Monday through Thursday, and 300 instructional minutes each Friday. Each teacher receives a 45-minute debrief every two weeks from the Head of School or Director of Curriculum and Instruction.184 In Year 1, there are six teachers in the sixth grade for each of our six core instructional subjects. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Head of School in Year 1) provides 360 minutes of formal feedback per two week cycle, or 180 minutes per week in a formal biweekly observation-debrief cycle with three teachers per week. When the DCI is hired in Year 2, this bi-weekly observation-debrief cycle is taken over. The Head of School, however, observes each of the twelve middle school classrooms in Y2 for at least, in total, 20 minutes per day to take in more qualitative data and information about the teacher’s performance outside of the formal observation debrief cycle, as well as to provide areas of support on the daily level as needed to all instructional staff. This practice is altered and rotated as necessary as the school grows; the DCI still serves as the main instructional coach, but is supported by Grade Level Team chairs and the Head of School.Two weeks in advance of their lessons, teachers submit drafts of their weekly lesson plans in soft copy to instructional leadership by Saturday at 5:00 PM, formed on a common template for all Memphis Rise182 Liberty Collegiate has been recognized as one of the strongest charter schools in Tennessee, delivering strong results for students and boasting a positive, achievement-oriented culture after only one year. For more detail, please see “Charter incubator reports on successes of two Nashville schools: Fifth-graders’ scores at Nashville Prep, Liberty top Metro scores, some state averages.” and see In teacher surveys given between 2007-2011, Boston Collegiate Charter School teachers produced the following statistics: 99% strongly or somewhat agreed that BCCS offers an environment in which it is inspiring and motivating to teach.; 98% strongly or somewhat agreed that they are growing as teachers;98% strongly or somewhat agreed that the mission is alive and consistently articulated by the school leadership team184 Feedback in Y1 is provided by the Head of School; the Director of Curriculum and Instruction joins the staff in Y2.Academy instructional staff. Lesson plan review cycle is performed by instructional leadership and peer review cycles. First, instructional leaders provide soft copy review through informative comments, highlighted additions, questions, pushes for rigor and cross-curricular opportunities, vocabulary usage, and suggested alterations to or inserted activities. Teachers make changes to lesson plans as needed, then return the lesson plans, edited for review, to instructional leadership one week in advance of their lessons. One week before lesson plan delivery, teachers peer review a teacher of different content’s lesson plans for the evidence of the same metrics, and teachers then make final review based on peer suggestions to finalize and submit final lesson plans the week of delivery.The substance of the formal observation feedback comes from (a) this periodic observation of entire lessons, (b) frequent use of video recordings performed by operational fellows, (c) one full class period (60-minute) observation every two weeks for each teacher. All three substantive methods are used in the feedback cycle and formal 45-minute debrief conversation, including co-observation during the debrief of recent classroom instructional video when possible. Instructional leadership uses video to drive discussion to remove ambiguity in the observation process and build the capacity within our instructional staff to self-assess and monitor their progress. During the formal observation cycle, instructional leadership identifies areas of strength and areas for growth for each teacher, in the short and long term, as well as the appropriate achievable interventions for achieving that growth. Accompanied by the instructional leader’s guidance as well as their classroom data and feedback on classroom culture from the Dean of Students, the teacher decides upon a set of achievable short-term goals for growth in any of the observation metrics detailed below. These goals are prioritized in lesson plan review and further formal and informal observations throughout the next two week cycle and re-assessed at the next formal observation debrief with instructional leadership. After teachers have debriefed with instructional leadership, teachers have an opportunity to share their self-assessments and insights with the rest of the faculty during professional development days. We also encourage teachers to observe at least one classroom during a planning period per week and to bring their insights to our Friday PD.During observations, formal and informal, instructional leadership is looking for:Planning To Execute. Is the teacher staying on the lesson plan to drive the lesson forward? Does the plan meet students’ needs in reality?Pacing. How effectively is the teacher using our pacing model? Is the teacher using student feedback to inform their pacing? Does the lesson plan make good use of leadership and peer review feedback?Execution. Is the teacher using strong and practiced methods of execution? Have they found ways to become effective implementers of instruction through these methods? Are these methods consistently used as needed throughout the lesson?Rigor. Is this classroom challenging our students academically? Is the teacher actively moving students towards our core values?Support. Is the teacher providing adequate support throughout the lesson to ensure all students master the content?Classroom Culture. Are students showing the in-classroom RISE values? Are they showing our schools REACH values? Are they engaged in positive discourse with the teacher and the rest of the classroom community?Presence. Is the teacher comfortable within his/her role? Has he/she developed relationships with students?Beyond these categories, the instructional leader performing the observation will take note of any and all teacher and student actions of note in a “+/Δ” or positive and delta format, or a way of tracking what objectively observed actions/events would fall into a positive category, meaning the teacher shouldcontinue to use that practice or aim for that product, or the category of change, which are actions which will be problem-solved in the feedback cycle, especially if they are common areas for change throughout the lesson.Our professional development and observation cycle is designed for staff to be in frequent communication with each other in effort for growth. All teachers have the chance to be coached and developed on instructional and executable capacity, which we execute through Video Review, peer lesson plan feedback, peer observation, collaborative planning and Strategy Room data analysis presentation, as well as to present their successes, which often can come through the same methods and are bolstered by our such practices as our Best Lesson PD and community meeting structures. Our focus on engaging staff in our professional development delivery, school visits, external workshops, and feedback cycles is intended to build the capacity of our staff to self-assess and improve their own progress as well as contribute to the development of new staff. We ensure that our staff attends all mandatory district professional development, taking every opportunity to further their growth in our core areas, and to seek out opportunities for district professional development leadership in areas they have found innovative or consistently strong methods of success.RETAINING STAFF The best way to retain mission-aligned, high capacity individuals is to provide them with a team of similar driven and ability, and to equip them with the professional resources of time and development needed to deliver success. We are a team-driven professional organization, and work to recruit team members who genuinely enjoy the work with one another and across the entire team, and who bring a growth mindset to their work. We provide extensive professional training and support, and a schedule that allows teachers to build their craft and their relationships – two critical elements necessary for teacher satisfaction. We provide the resources of technology and a professional work environment, and for teachers building their career, a competitive salary scale which rewards longevity.EVALUATING STAFF Instructional StaffMemphis Rise Academy employs a consistent observation feedback cycle designed to coach all teachers towards success. We also provide frequent professional development aimed at creating a culture of constant growth in the areas which most directly benefit our staff’s ability to serve students. Once per trimester, we will evaluate each member of our instructional staff based on their overall performance in the areas of classroom execution, as defined by the metrics of our ongoing observations and coaching (see Observation Feedback Cycle in this section), contributions to staff development and culture, data analysis capacity as demonstrated in Strategy Room contributions and implementation in classroom and Focus, and adherence to all desired professional protocols.. Instructional staff evaluations will be conducted by the Head of School in Y1 and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction beginning in Y2. In the case of a teacher demonstrating satisfactory performance and/or making marked improvements through observation feedback, trimester formal evaluations will serve as a transparent method to continue the development cycle ongoing throughout the school year, and will ultimately lead to an offer of contract renewal for the subsequent school year. If unsatisfactory performance and/or inability to implement observation feedback is demonstrated, teachers are placed on a 30-day Improvement Plan with clear and measurable goals to improve the area(s) in which the teacher is struggling as well as several check-ins per week with the Head of School. If a teacher fails to meet the goals laid out in the Improvement Plan despite instructional support from the leadership team, the school will terminate the teacher's contract. At the conclusion of each school year, school leadership will also use the evaluation process to make adetermination regarding renewal of each instructional staff member's contract based on yearly performance.Non-Instructional StaffNon-instructional staff members report to either the Head of School or another designated leadership team member and are also evaluated on a trimester basis in the areas of production and efficiency (individually designed to reflect the expectations of each role), contributions to staff development and culture, and adherence to all desired professional protocols. In the case of a non-instructional staff member demonstrating satisfactory performance and contributions to the school’s operations and culture, trimester formal evaluations will serve as a transparent method to continue the development cycle ongoing throughout the school year, and will ultimately lead to an offer of contract renewal for the subsequent school year. If unsatisfactory performance and/or inability to implement observation feedback is demonstrated, non-instructional staff members are placed on a 15-day Improvement Plan with clear and measurable goals to improve the area(s) in which the staff member is struggling as well as several check- ins per week with the Head of School. It is essential that our non-instructional staff serves to support our ability to sustain a strong instructional culture; therefore, if non-instructional staff members demonstrate an inadequate capacity to help to create this environment, the termination of their contracts and immediate replacement of these staff members will become a priority. At the conclusion of each school year, school leadership will also use the evaluation process to make a determination regarding renewal of each non- instructional staff member's contract based on yearly performance.OPERATIONS CAPACITY Trained, Driven, High Capacity ManagementLead Founder and proposed Head of School Jack Vuylsteke earned a selective position as Fellow with Building Excellent Schools, a highly respected national non-profit that supports high capacity individuals to design, found, lead and sustain high achieving charter schools in urban communities across the country. He has received over 40 hours of training from Abacus Charter School Consulting, with focus on financial management. He has been the lead writer of this petition, and has designed Memphis Rise Academy upon the best practices of high-performing college preparatory charter schools as observed during the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship. Mr. Vuylsteke has produced strong results as a classroom teacher and teacher coach, as well as worked in school operations and professional development prior to the intense training of the BES Fellowship. His training will be ongoing throughout the school’s proposed planning year and beyond through the work and resources of the Tennessee Charter School Incubator.Mr. Vuylsteke has developed deep support for and strategic partnership with the community on behalf of Memphis Rise Academy. He has received support from Memphis civic leaders, youth organizations, local and city-wide business leaders, churches and faith-based organizations, education leaders and local philanthropic foundations, as well as from the neighborhoods of Northeast Memphis which Memphis Rise Academy stands ready to serve. Mr. Vuylsteke holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois and Master’s in Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis; he brings a depth of experience in urban education as a high school literacy teacher in an urban high school environment, a school-wide data coach and assessment planner, school operations where he managed relations between vendors, school faculty and staff, Teach For America trainers and teachers, district personnel, and families for training sites, and teacher development as part of St. Louis Public Schools as well as Teach For America, specializing in high school literacy instruction.Trained, Driven, High Capacity GovernanceThe Founding Board is a talented and diverse group of professionals who compositely bring expertise and background in education, finance, law, project management, real estate, human resources and marketing. Members have: overseen non-profit budgets in excess of $1,000,000; managed real estate projects in excess of 60,000 square feet; gained experience in non-profit corporate governance and tax-exempt organizational planning; and managed a team of educators to create gap-closing academic results for over 150 classrooms throughout the Memphis area. The team is collectively committed to the mission of Memphis Rise Academy and shares three core beliefs: (a) There is a serious and unaddressed need in Northeast Memphis for a college preparatory education option; (b) All students have ambition which drives their pursuit of success, and the cultivation of this ambition in an academic environment which prides itself upon academic excellence, high expectations for structure and character, and the ultimate goal of producing college-ready independent ability will develop each of our students into achievers of their most ambitious goals; and (c) The provision of excellent educational options is the absolute lever for the sustainable development of the Memphis workforce and, subsequently, its economic and civic development in the next prehensive, Targeted Professional DevelopmentMemphis Rise Academy dedicates, at minimum, 2.5 hours of professional development weekly (approximately 80 Friday PD hours) to best address the needs of our students instructionally, culturally and through targeted data analysis. Over the course of the school year, we also provide ten dedicated eight-hour professional development days (80 PD hours), and annually we estimate, with our dedicated summer professional development and end of year close out development, over 340 hours of additional professional development only for our staff, not including any external professional development opportunities individual staff members may be provided. The professional development builds the skills and experience necessary to implement the more structures and elements of our instructional and cultural program, to include execution of Fountas and Pinnell reading testing, standards-based and assessment— aligned curriculum planning in Memphis Rise Academy methods, Lemov high engagement teaching techniques, and data intake analysis, reflection and action planning. Professional development for Memphis Rise Academy is supported by Building Excellent School and the Tennessee Charter School Incubator. We frontload professional development to set our staff, and thus students, up for success, as we believe their time going forward serving the needs of our school and students is best served if we work to build and continuously shape our teachers’ capacity through professional development.Back Office Solutions VendorTo act as strong stewards of public dollars and to manage for financial health throughout start-up and growth, Memphis Rise Academy will utilize proven and highly respected back office support vendor EdTec. Founded in 2001, EdTec has singular focus - to drive quality in the charter movement by delivering the highest value charter school support services and expertise, bringing economies of scale to developers, independent charter schools and multi-site charter school organizations. EdTec was founded on the realization that, like any small business, charter schools need capable, experienced staff with specialized operational skills in a multitude of areas but cannot afford to bring that staff on board. By providing the benefits of scale, EdTec allows charter schools to focus more of their limited resources on classroom instruction and improving student achievement. EdTec's comprehensive services offering spans the entire charter school lifecycle—from charter application development support, school launch and operations, to board governance, strategic planning, student / school performance, and charter renewal. The overall EdTec service delivery is proactive, forward-looking and brings deep charter operations expertise to bear on behalf of its school partners. EdTec has provided operating services to successful Tennessee charter schools such as Liberty Collegiate Academy in Nashville, TN for the past school yearand has also worked with recently authorized schools such as Purpose Preparatory Academy and Nashville Classical Charter School in their planning years to ensure fully operational start-up. The Board will evaluate EdTec before the close of each fiscal year and determine whether it will continue to employ the organization’s range of services, as detailed in Figure 3.01 found in Section III.5 in the next section of this application.Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe Head of School, also serving as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction in Y1, Dean of Students, Director of Operations, and Student Supports Coordinator comprise the proposed administrative support team in the first year of operations, each with a unique yet overlapping role. These role overlaps and how they support the capacity of our school are shown below.Head of SchoolInstruction - Reviews lesson plan and provides feedback, Leads instructional PD, Leads formal observation cycle, Creates comprehensive assessments, Co-manages data with teaching faculty and operational fellows, Manages diagnostic schedule and deliveryOperations - Daily student intake/release management, Manages relationship with EdTec, Manages initial relationship with vendors, Creates and amends school calendars and schedules, Communicates with facility managementCulture/Family and Community Engagement - Participates in home visits and student recruitment events, Designs advisory curriculum, Leads community meetings, Leads family orientations, Manages relationship w/ board, Engages w/ families and community members via phone, email, in-person, Writes content for newsletter, Participates in behavioral interventionsSchool Development - Manages public relations and fundraising needs for the school, Manages relationship with LEA, Participates in ongoing student recruitment and family orientationsDean of StudentsInstruction - Observes classrooms for cultural support, Manages student behavioral cycle to support seamless instruction and students’ ability to be successful within classroom, Teaches PEOperations - Supports daily student arrival/dismissal, Manages student adherence to operational structuresCulture/Family and Community Engagement - Manages behavior and discipline needs, Maintains primary contact relationship with families, Co-leads family orientations, Keeps records of reports and incidents with students, families, or staff, Coordinates and designs all special events and investment for school, Participates in advisory and community meetings, Leads parent committee meetingsSchool Development - Manages student recruitment plans and application intake; Manages new student orientation for those who join mid-year; Participates as needed in public relations and fundraising opportunities with HOS.Director of OperationsInstruction - Provides classrooms and instructional staff with resources, Ensures properly functional technology, Manages school schedules and calendars, Manages Kickboard system and provides PD on usage;Operations - Manages daily student arrival/dismissal, Supports relationship with EdTec, Manages vendor relationships, Keeps records up to date, Manages purchasing/other financial documentation, Communicates with facility, Manages systems resets and surrounding communicationCulture/Family and Community Engagement - Co-leads family orientations, Manages parent visits schedule, Manages school visit schedule from family/community members, Manages parent committee meetings schedule and communicationSchool Development - Creates student records system, Co-manages application cycle with Dean of Students, Manages relationship with marketing partners for external relationsStudent Supports CoordinatorInstruction - Provides inclusion instruction to students with special needs, Provides PD on appropriate modifications and accommodations necessary for all students to succeed, Maintains special needs records and adherence to evaluation/family needs calendar, Manages Kickboard system and provides PD on usageOperations - Daily student intake/release managementCulture/Family and Community Engagement - Maintains open dialogue with supported families regarding student performance., Participates in advisory and community meetingSchool Development - Participates in dialogue with prospective special needs families around school services and student transitions, Manages records/documentation intake of incoming special needs students III. FINANCIAL PLAN AND CAPACITYBUDGET DOCUMENT OVERVIEW _ Please see the budget and financial plan for Memphis Rise Academy Charter School, provided as Attachment 9. As required, Memphis Rise Academy provides for all anticipated revenues and expenditure projections reflecting proposed growth over time. It supports all components of our school model and our commitment to delivering strong achievement results for all students. Memphis Rise Academy’s first year operational budget, along with cash flow and financial projections for the first five years can be found in Attachment 9; as required by T.C.A. § 49-13-111 (1), the required budget for Memphis Rise Academy is on the State Budget Form. We provide all student enrollment and BEP projections, as well as all anticipated funding sources, private fundraising, along with all anticipated expenditures including salaries and benefits, annual pay and expenditure increases. We also plan for compliance with state and federal accounting and reporting requirements, with the advisory services of EdTec as seen below in Figure 3.01.BUDGET NARRATIVE OVERVIEW _ Please see the budget narrative for Memphis Rise Academy Charter School, provided as Attachment 10.Memphis Rise Academy’s founding team is committed to sound financial management, ensuring sound oversight of public revenues and the school’s sustainable viability for the term of our charter and beyond.The annual budget and accompanying narrative align to the mission, academic program and priorities of Memphis Rise Academy, and demonstrate the school’s financial viability. Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors will create from its membership a Finance Committee, responsible for selecting an auditor to certify the accuracy and reliability of the financial statements, accounting systems, and methods of financial control of Memphis Rise Academy. Each spring, Memphis Rise Academy approves an annual budget, as well as establishes monthly cash flow projections and a multi-year financial projection.The Head of School and Director of Operations will prepare the annual budget in coordination with third party provider EdTec185 and work with the Finance Committee of the Board to ensure that the annual budget meets the programmatic needs of the school within the anticipated revenue. The annual budget will include all estimated revenues and expenditures for the year and provides for a positive cash balance at the end of each year as carryover, which allows the school to withstand unexpected financial challenges. Upon completion, a copy of the annual audit, prepared by certified public accounts, will be provided to local board of education, the special joint oversight committee on education, the Commissioner of Education and the Comptroller of the Treasury.As a public school, Memphis Rise Academy has the responsibility to manage its financial resources in a manner that ensures the public’s confidence and the integrity of the school. Memphis Rise Academy will develop internal financial controls and policies that are aligned with the requirements of Memphis City Schools186 and that provide Memphis Rise Academy with the foundation to properly safeguard its assets, implement the board’s and management’s internal policies, provide compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, and produce timely and accurate financial information.185 For more information on EdTec, please see Section III.5.186 At the time of the charter submission, there is not yet a public statement or policy regarding how a charter school will meet requirements of the merger between Memphis City Schools and Shelby County. We will adhere to all requirements as they unfold and are made available.The Board is responsible for providing financial oversight of the school. The Board will select a Treasurer with professional experience in finance and/or accounting, and will create a Finance Committee. The Treasurer and Finance Committee will ensure that the Board monitors the school’s finances and that the school has robust financial and accounting systems and procedures in place. The Finance Committee will work with the Head of School and financial back-office vendor EdTec187 to develop an annual budget (by May of the previous year) and present it to the full Board for review and approval. Monthly financial reports with analyses of actual revenues and expenses versus budgeted amounts will be submitted to the Board with an income statement and balance sheet. At the end of the fiscal year, the Board will contract with a CPA firm to conduct an audit as required by the charter statute.188 The Board will annually evaluate the services of the financial back-office provider and approve annual contracts for such services.The Board will be responsible for financial oversight; the Head of School will be responsible for the daily financial management of the school. As indicated, Memphis Rise Academy intends to contract with a third party back-office service provider EdTec to help manage the financial and accounting systems and reporting for the school. The Head of School and Board Treasurer, in partnership with EdTec, will issue monthly financial reports to the Board, and the School Director and Treasurer will hold monthly meetings with the Finance Committee. EdTec will provide continuous support to the school in analyzing, reconciling and adjusting the budget and cash flow projections and account balances, and to ensure the records are maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.The Board will create formal policies regarding the deposit of funds, investment procedures, and internal financial controls. The Board of Directors will conduct an annual internal administrative audit, consisting of: Board of Directors self-review; Board of Directors review of the Head of School; and Head of Schools’ review of the Dean of Students and Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Y2).FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES Accounting, Purchasing, and PayrollAs identified above, we intend to contract with third party back-office service provider EdTec to help manage the financial and accounting systems and reporting for the school, as well as supporting the purchasing and payroll needs of the school. Please see Section III.5 for a description of EdTec and an overview of the services they provide.The Head of School will hire a Director of Operations responsible for procurement of supplies, equipment and services; coordination of payroll services and benefits packages; cash-flow management and accounts payable; and monitoring of the budget and development of initial budgets and cash flow systems. The Head of School and Director of Operations will meet at least weekly to discuss all issues related to finances including the spending plan and the cash flow analysis (the “Operations Meetings”). EdTec will work to build the capacity of the Director of Operations to mitigate the need for the Head of School to be involved in the daily financial systems. The Head of School, Treasurer, and EdTec will issue monthly financial reports to the Board. The Head of School, and Treasurer will hold monthly meetings with the Finance Committee; EdTec will provide all financial documents for the committee meetings and the monthly board meetings. EdTec will provide support to the school in analyzing, reconciling and adjusting account balances, and to ensure the records are maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The Director of Operations provides all necessary information for the payroll processes managed by EdTec, and will review all payroll documents for accuracy per each pay cycle. EdTec will use a commercial accounting program such a Quick Books to keep all financial187 For more detail on EdTec, please see Section III.5.188 For more detail on the annual audit, please see Section III.5.records, accessible by Head of School and Director of Operations through password system that is changed regularly. The Head of School, Business Manager, and Treasurer will have sole access to these records and will use a password system that is changed regularly. Each week all financial records will be backed up and stored off-site.AuditsThe Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors has budgeted $10,000 per year for its annual audit to be conducted by a Certified Public Accounting firm. This annual audit is required by Tennessee state law. An inflation adjustment has been reflected for future years to ensure our financial viability to hire an external certified auditor to conduct this process.At the first Board meeting at the end of the academic year, the selected auditing firm will provide the Board with an overview of the audit process and timetable for completion, and respond to any comments or questions. This approach ensures that everyone involved is aware of the auditor’s needs and expectations, and avoids miscommunication or unnecessary disruptions of daily school operations.The Board of Directors will ensure that both internal and external controls are in place to ensure sound fiscal management and prevent any fiscal mismanagement. Preparation for the annual audit by the school will begin with the preparation, approval and adoption of the budget by the governing board. The Head of School and Director of Operations will work to make sure that the auditor has access to all needed financial and, where required, non-financial records and documents maintained by the school. The list of documents prepared, collected and provided to auditors to enhance the performance of the annual audit is subject to the request of the auditor.After the audit is complete, the Board’s Finance Committee will review any audit exceptions or deficiencies and report to the Board of Directors with recommendations on how to resolve them. The auditor will make full reporting to the entire Board at the next scheduled monthly board meeting, and be available within that public forum to answer questions. An audit finding will be considered major if it indicates a deliberate act of wrong doing, reckless conduct causes a loss of confidence in the abilities or integrity of the school, or jeopardizes the continued operation of the school. An audit finding will be considered minor if it indicates that problems can be addressed via existing mechanisms. Memphis Rise Academy’s key stakeholders will make the rectification of any audit findings a priority. When relevant, the Board will report a corrective plan to the authorizing body regarding how the exceptions and deficiencies have been or will be resolved.This internal review will involve a performance review and an opportunity to discuss ways of improving administrative structure and policies. For more information on our Board’s review of the Head of School, please see Appendix E.Team’s Qualifications for Financial ManagementIn the process of building our founding team, we searched for and selected individuals who have a background in financial planning, accounting, and corporate valuation. Three of the members of our founding board currently work in finance, including two senior level financial advisors and one with background in tax law and organizational bookkeeping.Our proposed Board Chair, Layne McGuire, specializes in financial project management for large clients, as well as audit and advisory services. Ms. McGuire holds Masters of Accountancy, History and Catholic Studies, certifications in CPA and CIA and has extensive experience in 404 documentation and has overseen budgets up to $65 million. She provides advice in risk management, corporate governance, andprocesses and controls to multiple clients, including Pfizer, Regents Bank, First Tennessee Bank, Fannie May, Bank of America, and PNC Bank. Our proposed Board Treasurer, Madeleine Davis, brings a degree in Economics and works as a senior level manager of business valuation and financial advisory. Ms. Davis has extensive experience in performing corporate valuations for tax compliance, transaction advisory, financial organization support, financial reporting. She works directly with the auditor and has worked successfully with other startup organizations to ensure their financial health. James Christopher Hamilton, a proposed member of our Finance Committee, oversees accounting, transactions and tax preparation for General Truck Sales and Service, Inc. Mr. Hamilton, who holds a J.D and LL.M in tax law, has worked with several non-profit organizations in tax-related services. Together, these individuals will constitute a strong framework for Finance Committee and the implementation of our financial model.As part of the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship, Lead Founder Jack Vuylsteke has received 40+ hours of financial training with Abacus Education Partners, formerly Abacus Charter School Consulting, LLC, on best practices in charter financial management and operational efficiency. He and the Memphis Rise Academy Finance Committee are in direct contact with EdTec Business and Development Specialists for Charter Schools. EdTec, a proven and highly respected back-office financial provider for charter schools, has partnership with the Tennessee Charter School Incubator, and will be part of the Memphis Rise financial team as a contracted vendor. More detail on EdTec can be found below in the section FINANCIAL PARTNER - BACK OFFICE SUPPORT, found in Section III.5 of this section.CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS _Memphis Rise Academy is determined to provide all students with appropriate programming to meet their needs. In the case of students who may need individual service providers or substantial external support, we will alter our budget as necessary to ensure these students are able to receive the services needed within our school. A number of contingency budgets will be prepared to provide a framework in the case of an unexpected increase in expenses or cut in revenue.For example, the school will work with EdTec during the planning year to develop sensitivity analyses for scenarios which might impact our anticipated financial resources. In the case of an unexpected expense or lack of anticipated revenues, our most substantial priority is to protect our academic programming and instructional staff. Though we are committed to operational stability created through a high functioning team, we would be able to maintain our operational capacity without the addition of our two planned Operational Fellows. An additional example of how we could create contingency scenarios to ensure our ability to fund the needs of students with significant disabilities may be that we would lean more heavily on external partnerships, such as that with Memphis Public Library as opposed to purchasing a significant amount of independent readers. Our Board, led by the Development Committee, also plans to create a targeted fundraising plan to create a contingency-safe surplus for unanticipated budgetary variances, which will serve to bolster our instructional programming, especially in curriculum supplementation and independent reading resources, if not needed to account for the variances.FINANCIAL PARTNER- BACK OFFICE SUPPORT To act as strong stewards of public dollars and to manage for financial health throughout start-up and growth, Memphis Rise Academy will hire proven and respected back office support vendor EdTec. Founded in 2001, EdTec realizes that like any small business, charter schools need capable, experienced staff with specialized operational skills in many areas but cannot afford to bring that staff on board. By providing the benefits of scale, EdTec allows charter schools to focus more of their limited resources on classroom instruction and improving student achievement. EdTec has provided operating services to successfully operating Tennessee charter schools such as Liberty Collegiate Academy in Nashville, TNfor the past school year and has also worked with recently authorized schools such as Purpose Preparatory Academy and Nashville Classical Charter Schools in their 2012-2013 planning years to ensure fully operational start-up. It is our intention to hire EdTec to provide financial and operational services. Through the resources of the Tennessee Charter School Incubator, we have worked with EdTec in the founding stage on budget creation to create our short and long term financial projections. The Board will evaluate EdTec before the close of each fiscal year and determine whether it will continue to employ the organization’s services, as detailed in Figure 3.01 below.Figure 3.01: EdTec Services and SupportsFinance & AccountingBudgetingAnnual and multi-year budgets with cash flowsBudget revisionsUpdated monthly budget forecastsFinancial StatementsMonthly year-to-date financial statements compared to budgetMonthly cash flow projectionsFinancial statement analysis summary presentationCustomized financial reports and analysisSupport in resolving financial issues (budget changes / identification of funding resources)AccountingSetup SACS-compliant chart of accounts, general ledgerCustomized account codesFund accounting (revenues and expenditures by fund)Training of school staff on accounting procedures, practices, record-keepingAccurate transaction recordingJournal entries and account maintenanceBank reconciliationAccounts for Capital Outlay ExpensesGenerate additional financial reports as neededAccounts Payable & ReceivableRevenue verificationRevenue discrepancy resolution with county/district, collectionAccounts Payable invoices, vendor issues, fund verificationPurchasingAssist with vendor selection recommendationsPurchasing assistance on big ticket itemsGovernment Financial ReportingPrepare preliminary and final budget reportsFiles preliminary and final budget reportsPrepare quarterly interim financial reports to LEAFile both quarterly and interim financial reports to LEAPrepare and file unaudited financial reportFile audited financial report (from auditor)Audit and Tax FilingsAudit support- preparation of documents, side-by-side work with auditorAudit compliance training for school leadershipAuditor referrals/discount on audit feesSupport in 990 preparationPayrollPayroll processingSupport for payroll-related payments/deductions, salaried/hourly employeesPayroll reportingEmployee payroll information/record maintenancePrepare and send W-2 and 1099 formsIRS, SDI, WC supportTCRS & other retirement plan administrationHuman Resources & BenefitsEmployee file proceduresEmployee file set up and complianceLive Scan procedures and supportTB test information and complianceCredential verification supportContractsHealth benefits procurement, re-quotes and administrationTeacher credentialing and “highly qualified” evaluation supportInsuranceInsurance quoting/procurement assistanceInsurance administration- assistance in communication with insurer to facilitate claims processingBusiness ConsultingBoard & School Leader Support with negotiations in facility, landlords, vendors, develop presentations and analysis to support school’s positionsStrategic budget development- scenario development and analysisFinancing support- prepare loan packagesLegal services management to keep costs downSpecial Projects- food service providers, analyzing transportation options, modeling growth scenarios, modeling facilities scenariosBoard Meeting SupportBoard meetings materials binder preparation and distributionBoard meeting agenda developmentBoard meeting materials collection, organization, collationBoard materials distribution- days in advanceBoard meeting attendanceAssist board in open meeting act compliancePrepare financial analysis presentationsPresent financial analysis reports to boardMinutes review, edits, and incorporationFacilityFacility proposal development for LEALEA facility negotiation assistanceCompliance & AccountabilityEmployee file templates, forms, proceduresEmployee file complianceMid-year on-site compliance auditNCLB compliance supportSPED compliance checklists and informationFunding requirements and compliance recommendationsLEA and state regulation complianceAnnual and monthly compliance calendar generation and maintenanceAttendance & Students Information SystemsAttendance procedures assistance and recommendationsQuarterly ADA analysisStudent Information System Evaluations and AssistanceCharter Development & Grants AdministrationCustomized financial reportsFund/grant accountingPlanning and implementation grant program reportingPrepare and file consolidated applicationStart-Up/SetupExtensive support including forms, instructions, expertiseState and Federal IDsCharter Number501(c)(3) supportPayroll information (I-9, TCRS, health, etc.)Account StaffingClient manager (primary account contact)Charter School Accounting/Finance SpecialistPayroll SpecialistAccounts Payable SpecialistAttendance Data/SIS SpecialistBoard Support Administrative SpecialistMemphis Rise AcademyHead ofSchoolBoardBESSept 2013Oct 2013Nov 2013Dec 2013Jan 2014Feb 2014Mar 2014Apr 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014Aug 2014Sept 2014Start Up PlanP= Primary; S= Secondary; C= ConsultantTask/ Planning Area/ TimelineHave new staff fill out Employee Information formsPPlan and hold staff orientationPFood ServiceIssue RFPPSDefine requirement (# of students- any religious/indiv req)PIdentify free/reduced lunch students- contact DOE/LEAPDetermine food service arrangementPCSelect vendor and draft contractPSign contractPDevelop food service policies - (menu, delivery time, logistics, etc.)PHealth and SafetyComplete all state reporting requirementsIdentify doctor/nurse resourcesPIdentify first aid resourcesPDevelop a system for record-keepingPDevelop policy for non-compliance by parentsPAcquire medical forms - from parents (included in application)PCheck for completenessPStaff first aid trainingPCreate and distribute health and safety handbookPurchase first aid resourcesPContact police and fire departmentsPUndergo fire inspectionPCUndergo building inspectionPContact Board of HealthPDevelop fire drill policy, schedule, routePCommunity PartnershipsIdentify community partnership opportunities (continuous)SPMeet with potential partner organizations - off site P.ESPDevise performance measures for each strategic alliance (continuous)SPParents and CommunityParent/Student Handook(s)Get and study models of schools doing it wellPCDraft contentPCEdit handbook(s)PCSecure a printerPSubmit edited copy to printerPSDistribute final copies to parents/students.PSCCommunicationWork with a graphic designer to create full websitePSSet up full websitePSSet up nonprofit mailing status with Post OfficePSDevelop filing system to store student recordsPSDefine how information will flow within school (ie.who is called when student is sick, who is contactedabout discipline infractions)PSDefine procedure for visitors entering buildingPSDevelop forms necessary to track and monitor visitorsPSSelect provider for Internet access (DSL, cable)PSSet up Intranet (so all computers are linked)PSDefine how staff will communicate (email, walkie talkie, phones)PSSet up phone systems and answering servicesPSMemphis Rise AcademyHead ofSchoolBoardBESSept 2013Oct 2013Nov 2013Dec 2013Jan 2014Feb 2014Mar 2014Apr 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014Aug 2014Sept 2014Start Up PlanP= Primary; S= Secondary; C= ConsultantTask/ Planning Area/ TimelinePurchasingCreate a comprehensive list of all items that need to be purchased through Dec. of your 1st yearPSPurchase classroom equipment and furniturePSPurchase office equipment and furniturePSPurchase postage meterPSPurchase restroom suppliesPSPurchase cleaning productsPSPurchase library materialsPSPurchase science lab materialsPSPurchase art materialsPSPurchase PE equipmentPSPurchase medical supplies & furniture (ie. couch)PSPurchase P.A. or other all-school communication systemPSPurchase office suppliesPSContract PersonnelHire necessary contracted student personnelPSTechnologyWrite tech planPCComputers for teachersPCCell phones for adminPCUniformsContract student uniformsPCContract student PE uniformsPCAttachment 2: Organizational Chart Memphis Rise Academy Charter School equips students in grades 6-12 with an excellent education, preparing all students to achieve in middle and high school, pursue ambitious goals, and succeed in college. Our initial staff organization chart is focused on ensuring that the three main components of a great school—quality instruction, seamless operations, and a strong school culture—are each accounted for in our staffing model. As we build to capacity, we add staff as needed to ensure that each element has adequate staffing to execute its role in our mission of college preparation through rigorous academics, support in achieving ambitious goals, and the creation of value-informed character for all students.In the first year, the school is led by the Head of School, and we hire a Dean of Students, responsible for supporting and maintaining the culture of the school, working closely with students, families, and teachers. The Director of Operations is in charge of ensuring the seamless operations and internal financial management which allow for our culture and academic programming to occur at their highest functioning levels. The Head of School will act as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the first academic year, ensuring that his primary daily focus remains the academic health of the school. Financially, our partnership with Tennessee vendor EdTec, our back office services provider, provides comprehensive services to ensure our financial health over the long term. Our Student Supports Coordinator, hired in Year 1 to provide services to our Special Education and English Language Learner populations, becomes the leader of an increasingly larger Student Supports Team, beginning in Year 2 with the hire of an additional Student Supports Teacher, and growing to a capacity of five Student Supports Teachers by Year 7. Similarly, our Operational Fellows team begins at two positions in Year 1, grows to three positions in Year 2 and, finally, caps at four Operational Fellows in Y3, which we carry throughout the term of the charter. Below are the organizational charts for our initial 2014-2015 school year as well as our fully developed organization chart for our middle-high school, to be finalized.Figure 1: Full Governance and Management Organizational Chart (Y1)Board ofDirectors (7-15)GovernanceCommitteeFinanceCommitteeDevelopmentCommitteeFacilitiesCommitteeAcademicAchievement CommitteeHead ofSchool (1)Director ofOperations (1)Dean ofStudents (1)StudentSupports Team (1)InstructionalStaff (7)OperationalFellows (2)Figure 2: Memphis Rise Academy Initial Staff Organization Chart (Y1)Board of DirectorsHead of SchoolDean of StudentsTeaching Faculty (6)Student Supports CoordinatorDirector of OperationsOperations Fellows (2)Board of DirectorsHead of School (Y1)Dean of Students (Y1)Director of Curriculum and Instruction- Middle (Y2)Director of Curriculum and Instruction- High (Y4)Literacy Coordinator (Middle/High) (Y3)Student Supports Coordinator (Y1)Director of Operations (Y1)Teaching Faculty (6 per year starting in Y1 and ending in Y3)Teaching Faculty (5 per year starting in Y4 and ending in Y7)Student Supports Faculty(1 in Y2; 1 in Y2; 2in Y3; 4 in Y4; 5 in Y7)Operations Fellows(2 in Y1; 3 in Y2; 4in Y4)Figure 3: Fully Developed Staff Organization Chart, Including Year of Initial Position CreationAttachment 3: Governing Body Documents _Non-Profit Status Memphis Rise Academy received incorporated status from the Tennessee Secretary of State on December 17, 2012. Due to the close alignment between our charter application writing and our filing for non-profit status, Memphis Rise Academy is finalizing its 501(c)(3) application with an anticipated submission date of April 5, 2013. For documentation of incorporated status and state-approved articles of incorporation, please see the pages of this attachment subsequent to our applicant team resumes.Board Relationship Organizational Chart Our board is organized into committees which reflect our performance standards, in academic achievement and finance, as well as our desire for our governing committee to concern itself with the long-term sustainability of our school. This sustainability it reflected in our governance committee, which ensures the health of the governing body and its adherence to all necessary Tennessee regulations, a facilities committee to be forward thinking about our ability to house a our desired number of students to maximize our impact in the northeast Memphis community, and a development committee built to ensure the presence of resources which allow us to build our programming.Board ofDirectors (7-15)GovernanceCommitteeFinanceCommitteeDevelopmentCommitteeFacilitiesCommitteeAcademicAchievement CommitteeHead of School(1)Director ofOperations (1)Dean ofStudents (1)StudentSupports Team (1)InstructionalStaff (7)OperationalFellows (2)Figure 4: Organizational ChartProposed By-Laws Memphis Rise Academy, Inc. ARTICLE IName, Location, Mission and ObjectivesSection 1: The name of the organization will be Memphis Rise Academy, Inc. (“Memphis Rise Academy”).Section 2: The initial principal location of Memphis Rise Academy shall be at:34 Danner Ct. #301Memphis, TN 38103Memphis Rise Academy may also have offices at such other places as the Board of Directors (Board) shall determine the business of Memphis Rise Academy requires; provided, however, that the registered office be registered with the Secretary of State of Tennessee and the agent so registered be located at the same address, or otherwise as provided by the Board of Directors.Section 3: The purposes for which the Memphis Rise Academy (“Memphis Rise Academy”) is organized are to equip students in grades 6-12 with an excellent education, preparing all students to achieve in middle and high school, pursue ambitious goals, and succeed in college.Section 4: If, for any reason, the organization should dissolve, upon dissolution of the organization assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.ARTICLE IIMembersMemphis Rise Academy does not have members. While persons who associate or attend programs of, participate in, contribute to, or benefit from Memphis Rise Academy may be referred to as “member,” no rights, voting or otherwise, will inure to such person.ARTICLE IIIBoard of DirectorsSection 1: The Board of Directors (“the Board”) shall consist of at least seven (7) Directors and no more than fifteenDirectors. All Directors shall have identical rights and responsibilities. The Head of School will be an advisory, non-voting member of the Board (ex officio).Section 2: Board members shall be sought who reflect the qualities, qualifications and diversity determined by the Board delineated in the Job Description of the Board of Directors.Section 3: The Memphis Rise Academy nominating committee, known as the Governance Committee, shall present a slate of potential Directors and officers for election by the Board of Directors. This slate shall be presented at the annual meeting of the Board.Section 4: Directors shall serve a term of three (3) years from the date of their appointments, or until their successors are seated. A full three-year term shall be considered to have been served upon the passage of three (3) annual meetings. After election, the term of a Director may not be reduced, except for cause as specified in these Bylaws. No Director shall serve more than two (2) consecutive, three-year terms. Directors shall serve staggered terms to balance continuity with new perspective.Section 5: The initial Board of Directors will serve staggered terms. The initial Board shall consist of at least two Directors who will serve a one-year term (ending in Spring 2015), at least two Directors who will serve a two-year term (ending in Spring 2016), and at least two Directors will serve a three-year term (ending in Spring 2017).Section 6: Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors and any position to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of Directors may be filled, upon recommendation of a qualified candidate by the GovernanceCommittee, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the seated Directors. A Director elected to fill the vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his/her predecessor in office.Section 7: A Director may resign at any time by filing a written resignation with the Chair of the Board.Section 8: The Board may remove any Officer or Director by majority vote of the entire Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board, provided that a statement of the reason or reasons shall have been mailed by Registered Mail to the Officer or Director proposed for removal at least thirty (30) days before any final action is taken by the Board. This statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time when, and the place where, the Board is to take action on the removal. The Officer or Director shall be given an opportunity to be heard and the matter considered by the Board at the time and place mentioned in the notice.Section 9: Members of the Board of Directors:Shall receive no payment of honoraria, excepting reimbursement for expenses incurred in performance of voluntary Memphis Rise Academy activities in accordance with Memphis Rise Academy policies.Shall serve Memphis Rise Academy with the highest degree of undivided duty, loyalty, and care and shall undertake no enterprise to profit personally from their position with Memphis Rise Academy.The Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality policy statements bind all participants in Board work.Shall have no direct or indirect financial interest in the assets or leases of the Memphis Rise Academy; any Director who individually or as part of a business or professional firm is involved in the business transactions or current professional services of the Memphis Rise Academy shall disclose this relationship and shall not participate in any vote taken with respect to such transactions or services.ARTICLE IVOfficersSection 1: There shall be four (4) elective Officers of the Board: a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.Section 2: The Governance Committee shall present a slate of Officers to the Board of Directors. The nominated Officers shall be drawn from among the members of the Board of Directors. The election of Officers shall be held at the annual meeting of the Board.Section 3: The newly elected Officers shall take office on July 1 following the close of the meeting at which they are elected and the term of office shall be one year, or until respective successors assume office. A Director may serve more than one (1) term in the same office, but not more than three consecutive terms in the same office.Section 4: In the event that the office of the Chair becomes vacant, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair for the unexpired portion of the term. In the event that the office of Vice-Chair or Secretary-Treasurer becomes vacant, the Chair shall appoint interim Officers to fill such vacant offices until a scheduled meeting of the Board can be held.ARTICLE VMeetingsSection 1: The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall occur in the last quarter of the fiscal year. There shall be at least 8 other regular meetings of the Board held each year. Notice shall be given to each Director thirty (30) days prior to the date of every regular meeting of the Board. Notice to the public of annual and regular meetings shall be given in accordance with Section 8-44-103 of the Tennessee Open Meeting Act.Section 2: Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board filing a written request for such a meeting with the Chair and stating the object, date, and hour therefore, due notice having been given each Director five (5) calendar days prior to the meeting. Notice to the public of special meetings shall be given in accordance with Section 8-44-103 of the Tennessee Open Meeting Act.Section 3: One-half of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, except where otherwise required by these Bylaws.Section 4: The Board shall select its own meeting format in any method allowed by the laws of the state of Tennessee. Any such meeting, whether regular or special, complying with Sections 1 or 2 of Article IV shall constitute a meeting of the Board of Directors and shall subscribe to the policies, procedures, and rules adopted by the Board.Section 5: Notice of all regular and special meetings of the Board, an agenda of all items to be discussed at such meetings, and agenda support materials shall be circulated to all Directors prior to the meeting. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at any meeting also shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.Section 6: An absentee Board member may not designate an alternate to represent him or her at a Board meeting. A member of the board may be deemed to be present for purposes of achieving a quorum and may cast a vote if he/she grants a signed, written proxy to another board member who is present at the meeting. The proxy must direct a vote to be cast with respect to a particular proposal that is described with reasonable specificity in the proxy. No other proxies are allowed.ARTICLE VICommittees and Task ForcesSection 1: A Board resolution shall appoint committees or task forces of the Board, except the Governance Committee. Committees may be composed of Directors or community members, orboth. The Board may prescribe the need and/or the composition of such committees.Section 2: There shall be a standing nominating committee, known as the Governance Committee. This committee shall be composed of at least three (3) persons elected by the Board of Directors at its annual meeting. Each committee member shall serve a term of two (2) years, and these terms shall be staggered to ensure continuity of committee membership. The committee shall elect its own chair.Section 3: The duties of the Governance Committee shall be:to study the qualifications of candidates and present a slate of the best qualified as nominees for the vacant Director positions on the Board;to present a slate of nominees for Officers to the Board for election at the annual meeting;to recommend candidates to the Board to fill vacancies that arise outside the regular nominating process;to provide ongoing orientation to Directors;to oversee a Director assessment process to ensure optimum performance; andto recommend the appointment of a past Chair to the Board, if necessary, in the interests of continuity.ARTICLE VIIFiscal YearThe fiscal year of the Memphis Rise Academy shall begin on July 1 of each calendar year and terminate on June 30 of the following calendar year.ARTICLE VIIIRules of OrderIn case of conflict or challenge, the rules of order in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings of Memphis Rise Academy.ARTICLE IXAmendmentsThese Bylaws may be amended at a regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of all Directors then in office; provided that notice of the proposed amendment, together with a copy thereof, is mailed to each Director at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting at which the amendment is to be considered.Initial Board Policies PurposeBoard Attendance PolicyThis policy was developed with the recognition that Board membership is voluntary and that individual members contribute their time and energy in different ways. However, because Board meetings are the only forum during which the Board can discuss and vote on major School policies and decisions, attendance at these meetings carries a special importance. All Board members will receive a copy of this policy to ensure that everyone is properly informed about the expectations for Board attendance.Definitions“Notified” Absence: For an absence to be “notified,” a Board member must notify the person running the meeting (usually the Chair or Vice-Chair) by 12:00pm the day of the meeting that he/she will be absent.“Un-notified” Absence: For an absence to be “un-notified,” a Board member failed to notify the person running the meeting (usually Chair or Vice-Chair) by 12:00pm of meeting day that s/he will be absent.Board Attendance ProblemIf any of the following conditions exist, it is considered a Board attendance problem:The member has two “un-notified” absences in a row.The member has three “notified” absences in a row.The member misses one third of the total number of Board meetings during one of their term years.Process for Responding to a Board Attendance ProblemThe Board Secretary will keep track of Board member attendance through Board meeting minutes and will provide this information to the Chair. The Chair will directly contact a Board member at risk of potentially violating the policy to issue both verbal and written warning as well as discuss the problem. If a Board member does violate the policy, the Chair will bring this to the Board’s attention for discussion, after which point a majority vote will be held to determine possible termination from the Board.Board Fund-Raising PolicyBoard members are expected to give an annual monetary gift to Memphis Rise Academy and are asked to make Memphis Rise Academy a priority in their personal giving. Board members are expected to be involved in fund- raising by using their personal and business connections when appropriate, by soliciting funds when appropriate, by serving on fund-raising committees, and by attending fund-raising events.Chief Executive PolicyThe Board of Directors may appoint a chief executive as a member of the staff. The chief executive will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the school’s affairs and will manage and direct all activities of the organization as prescribed by the Board. The chief executive will have the power to hire and discharge agents and employees of the school and will oversee and direct their activities in carrying out the work of the school. The chief executive is the Board’s only link to operational achievement and conduct, so that all authority and accountability of staff, as far as the board is concerned, is considered the authority and accountability of the chief executive. Accordingly,The Board will never give instructions to persons who report directly or indirectly to the chief executive.The Board will refrain from evaluating any staff other than the chief executive.The Board will view chief executive performance as identical to organizational performance, so that organizational accomplishment of ends policies and organizational operations within the boundaries established in board policies on executive limitations will be viewed as successful chief executive pensation of Board Members PolicyBoard members shall serve without compensation. Board members shall be allowed reasonable reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, including attendance at board-authorized meetings and conferences.Indemnification PolicyThe corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a trustee, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a trustee, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. This indemnification includes expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. With respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she must also have had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea or nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner in which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonably cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.Confidentiality PolicyIt is the policy of Memphis Rise Academy that directors and employees of Memphis Rise Academy may not disclose, divulge, or make accessible confidential information belonging to, or obtained through their affiliation with Memphis Rise Academy to any person, including relatives, friends and business and professional associates, other than to persons who have a legitimate need for such information and to whom Memphis Rise Academy has authorized disclosure. Trustees and employees shall use confidential information solely for the purpose of performing services as a trustee or employee for Memphis Rise Academy. This policy is not intended to prevent disclosure where disclosure is required by law.Directors and employees must exercise good judgment and care at all times to avoid unauthorized or improper disclosures of confidential information. Conversations in public places, such as restaurants, elevators, and airplanes, should be limited to matters that do not pertain to information of a sensitive or confidential nature. In addition, trustees and employees should be sensitive to the risk of inadvertent disclosure and should for example, refrain from leaving confidential information on desks or otherwise in plain view and refrain from the use of speaker phones to discuss confidential information if the conversation could be heard by unauthorized persons.At the end of a director’s term in office or upon termination of an employee’s employment, he or she shall return, at the request of Memphis Rise Academy, all documents, papers, and other materials, regardless of medium, which may contain or be derived from confidential information, in his or her possession.Conflict of Interest PolicyThis conflict of interest policy is designed to help directors, officers and employees of Memphis Rise Academy identify situations that present potential conflicts of interest and to provide Memphis Rise Academy with a procedure which, if observed, will allow a transaction to be treated as valid and binding even though a director, officer or employee has or may have a conflict of interest with respect to the transaction. The policy is intended to comply with the procedure prescribed in § 48-58-302 of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, governing conflicts of interest for directors of nonprofit corporations. In the event there is an inconsistency between the requirements and procedures prescribed herein and those prescribed in the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act, the statute shall control. All capitalized terms are defined in Part II of this policy.Conflict of Interest Defined. For purposes of this policy, the following circumstances shall be deemed to create Conflicts of Interest:Outside Interests.A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Rise Academy and a Responsible Person or Family Member.A Contract or Transaction between Memphis Rise Academy and an entity in which a Responsible Person or Family Member has a Material Financial Interest or of which such person is a director, officer, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative.Outside Activities.A Responsible Person competing with Memphis Rise Academy in the rendering of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party.Responsible Person’s having a Material Financial Interest in; or serving as a director, officer, employee, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative, receiver, guardian, custodian, conservator or other legal representative of, or consultant to; an entity or individual that competes with Memphis Rise Academy in the provision of services or in any other Contract or Transaction with a third party.Gifts, Gratuities and Entertainment. A Responsible Person accepting gifts, entertainment or other favors from any individual or entity that:does or is seeking to do business with, or is a competitor of Memphis Rise Academy; orhas received, is receiving or is seeking to receive a loan or grant, or to secure other financial commitments from Memphis Rise Academy;is a charitable organization operating in Tennessee;under circumstances where it might be inferred that such action was intended to influence or possibly would influence the Responsible Person in the performance of his or her duties. This does not preclude the acceptance of items of nominal or insignificant value or entertainment of nominal or insignificant value which are not related to any particular transaction or activity of Memphis Rise Academy.Definitions.A "Conflict of Interest" is any circumstance described in Part 1 of this Policy.A "Responsible Person" is any person serving as an officer, employee or member of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy.A "Family Member" is a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child or spouse of a child, brother, sister, or spouse of a brother or sister, of a Responsible Person.A "Material Financial Interest" in an entity is a financial interest of any kind, which, in view of all the circumstances, is substantial enough that it would, or reasonably could, affect a ResponsiblePerson’s or Family Member’s judgment with respect to transactions to which the entity is a party. This includes all forms of compensation.A "Contract or Transaction" is any agreement or relationship involving the sale or purchase of goods, services, or rights of any kind, the providing or receipt of a loan or grant, the establishment of any other type of pecuniary relationship, or review of a charitable organization Memphis Rise Academy. The making of a gift to Memphis Rise Academy is not a Contract or Transaction.Procedures.DisclosurePrior to board or committee action on a Contract or Transaction involving a Conflict of Interest, a director or committee member having a Conflict of Interest and who is in attendance at the meeting shall disclose all facts material to the Conflict of Interest. Such disclosure shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.A director or committee member who plans not to attend a meeting at which he or she has reason to believe that the board or committee will act on a matter in which the person has a Conflict of Interest shall disclose to the chair of the meeting all facts material to the Conflict of Interest. The chair shall report the disclosure at the meeting and the disclosure shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.A person who has a Conflict of Interest shall not participate in or be permitted to hear the Board of Directors’ or committee’s discussion of the matter except to disclose material facts and to respond to questions. Such person shall not attempt to exert his or her personal influence with respect to the matter, either at or outside the meeting.Responsible Persons who are not members of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy, or who have a Conflict of Interest with respect to a Contract or Transaction that is not the subject of Board or committee action, shall disclose to the Chair or the Chair’s designee any Conflict of Interest that such Responsible Person has with respect to a Contract or Transaction. Such disclosure shall be made as soon as the Conflict of Interest is known to the Responsible Person. The Responsible Person shall refrain from any action that may affect Memphis Rise Academy’s participation in such Contract or Transaction. In the event it is not entirely clear that a Conflict of Interest exists, the individual with the potential conflict shall disclose the circumstances to the Chair or the Chair’s designee, who shall determine whether there exists a Conflict of Interest that is subject to this policy.VotingA person who has a Conflict of Interest with respect to a Contract or Transaction that will be voted on at a meeting shall not be counted in determining the presence of a quorum for purposes of the vote. The person having a conflict of interest may not vote on the Contract or Transaction and shall not be present in the meeting room when the vote is taken, unless the vote is by secret ballot. Such person’s ineligibility to vote shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting. For purposes of this paragraph, a member of the Board of Directors of Memphis Rise Academy has a Conflict of Interest when he or she stands for election as an officer or for re-election as a member of the Board of Directors.A quorum is present if a majority of the directors on the board who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction vote to authorize, approve, or ratify the transaction.A transaction may not be authorized, approved, or ratified under this section by a single director.ApprovalA transaction in which a director or officer of a corporation has a conflict of interest may be approved if:The material facts of the transaction and the director’s or officer’s interests were disclosed or known to the board of directors or a committee consisting entirely of members of the board of directors and the board of directors or such committee authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction.The material facts of the transaction and the director’s or officer’s interest were disclosed and or known to the members and they authorized, approved or ratified the transaction.Confidentiality. Each Responsible Person shall exercise care not to disclose confidential information acquired in connection with such status or information the disclosure of which might be adverse to the interests of Memphis Rise Academy. Furthermore, a Responsible Person shall not disclose or use information relating to the business of Memphis Rise Academy for the personal profit or advantage of the Responsible Person or a Family Member.Review of policy.Each new Responsible Person shall be required to review a copy of this policy and to acknowledge in writing that he or she has done so.Each Responsible Person shall annually complete a disclosure form identifying any relationships, positions or circumstances in which the Responsible Person is involved that he or she believes could contribute to a Conflict of Interest arising. Such relationships, positions or circumstances might include service as a director of or consultant to a nonprofit organization, or ownership of a business that might provide goods or services to Memphis Rise Academy. Any such information regarding business interests of a Responsible Person or a Family Member shall be treated as confidential and shall generally be made available only to the Chair, the Executive Director, and any committee appointed to address Conflicts of Interest, except to the extent additional disclosure is necessary in connection with the implementation of this Policy.This policy shall be reviewed annually by each member of the Board of Directors. Any changes to the policy shall be communicated immediately to all Responsible Persons.Conflict of Interest Information FormName: Date: Please describe below any relationships, positions, or circumstances in which you are involved that you believe could contribute to a Conflict of Interest (as defined in Memphis Rise Academy’s Policy on Conflicts of Interest) arising.I hereby certify that the information set forth above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I have reviewed, and agree to abide by, the Policy of Conflict of Interest of Memphis Rise Academy that is currently in effect.Signature: Date: Code of EthicsMemphis Rise Academy directors, officers, and employees shall at all times be in compliance with the following Code of Ethics:The Board of Directors shall conduct or direct the affairs of the School and exercise its powers subject to the applicable limitations of federal and state law, the School's charter, and its bylaws. The Board may delegate aspects of the management of school activities to others, so long as the affairs of the school are managed, and its powers are exercised, under the Board's ultimate jurisdiction.Every Director has the right to participate in the discussion and vote on all issues before the Board or any Board Committee, except that any Director shall be excused from the discussion and vote on any matter involving such Director relating to: (a) a “self-dealing transaction” (see below); (b) a conflict of interest; (c) indemnification of that Director uniquely; or (d) any other matter at the discretion of a majority of the Directors.The Board of Directors and the employees of the School shall not engage in any “self-dealing transactions,” except as approved by the Board. "Self-dealing transaction" means a transaction to which the school is a party and in which one or more of the Directors has a material financial interest. Notwithstanding this definition, the following transaction is not a self-dealing transaction, and is subject to the Board's general standard of care: a transaction that is part of a public or charitable program of the Corporation, if the transaction (a) is approved or authorized by the Board in good faith and without unjustified favoritism, and (b) results in a benefit to one or more Trustees or their families because they are in a class of persons intended to be benefited by the program.Any Director or Officer having an interest in a contract, other transaction, or program presented to or discussed by the Board of Trustees for authorization, approval, or ratification shall make a prompt, full, and frank disclosure to the Board of his or her interest prior to its acting on such contract or transaction. Such disclosure shall include all relevant and material facts known to such person about the contract or transaction, which might reasonably be construed to be adverse to the Board’s interest. A person shall be deemed to have an "interest" in a contract or other transaction if he or she is the party (or one of the parties) contracting or dealing with the school, or is a Director or Officer of or has a significant financial or influential interest in the entity contracting or dealing with the School.Trustees representing any not-for-profit corporation proposing to do business with Memphis Rise Academy shall disclose the nature and extent of such business propositions.No Director, officer, or employee of a for-profit corporation having a business relationship with Memphis Rise Academy shall serve as voting member of the Board of Directors for the duration of such business relationship, provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to the following:Individuals associated with a partnership, limited liability corporation, or professional corporation, including but not limited to doctors, accountants, and attorneys;Individuals associated with an educational entity (including but not limited to schools of education) some of whose faculty may be providing paid services directly or indirectly to Memphis Rise Academy; orIndividuals associated with a bank, insurance, mutual fund, investment bank, stock brokerage, financial planning, or other financial services organization.In no instance shall a Director, officer, or employee of a for-profit educational management organization having a business relationship with Memphis Rise Academy serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors for the duration of such business relationship.Directors, officers, or employees of any single external organization shall hold no more than 49 percent of the total seats comprising the Board of Directors.Directors shall avoid at all times engaging in activities that would appear to be unduly influenced by other persons who have a special interest in matters under consideration by the Board. If this occurs, a Director shallwrite a letter disclosing all known facts prior to participating in a Board discussion of these matters, and the Director’s interest in the matter will be reflected in the Board minutes.Directors shall make all appropriate financial disclosures whenever a grievance of conflict of interest is lodged against them.Memphis Rise Academy Directors, officers, or employees may never ask a subordinate, a student, or a parent of a student to work on or give to any political campaign.Approval of Capital ExpendituresPurchasingAny equipment with an estimated value of $5,000 or more shall be purchased through competitive bidding or comparative pricing by at least three vendors whenever possible per Tennessee state legislation. Comparative pricing or competitive bidding should also be used periodically for regularly purchased materials, supplies, services, and insurance.PropertyThe board chair must approve the purchase or disposition of any asset with a value of $10,000 or less. The purchase or sale of any asset of higher value shall be approved by the board of directors. Purchase or sale of any real estate must be approved by the board of directors.Risk Management PolicyMemphis Rise Academy organization is committed to protecting its human, financial, and goodwill assets and resources through the practice of effective risk management. Memphis Rise Academy’s board and management are dedicated to safeguarding the safety and dignity of its paid and volunteer staff, its clients, and anyone who has contact with the organization. To this end, the board will ensure that the organization has a risk management plan for the organization that is reviewed and updated on an annual basis.1629155982Dominique Pryor-Anderson9145 Forest Island Dr N. ? Collierville TN 38017 ? Phone: 901-236-5298 ?dominique@Bilingual Public Relations SpecialistSenior-level PR specialist with over 15 years of public relations and marketing experience in diverse industries. Strong customer service skills in maintaining current client relationships and creating new client opportunities.Respected leader of local and remote creative teams, social media campaigns and corporate communications campaigns. Conceptualize and orchestrate media placement and community relations campaigns that effectively reinforce and revitalize brands.Expert in the time critical area of crisis communications. Proven ability to create results producing media relationships/placement and train corporate leaders, or be the media liaison for a company, during crisis situations.National Media PlacementCorporate CommunicationsCreative Team LeadershipBrand Building & RevitalizationSpecial EventsSkillsCrisis CommunicationsHispanic CommunicationsFully Bilingual (English-Spanish)Community RelationsNew Product LaunchRegional Media Placement (Memphis Urban League Young Professional, Regional), 2013 Successful Brand Revitalization Campaign (MoneyCo USA, National), 2010-2011 National Crisis Communications Campaign (CGI Entertainment, Memphis, TN), 2010 Hispanic Communications (Trust Marketing/ Southern Railways, Memphis/Regional), 2011 Brand Revitalization/Regional Media Placement (Budget Brakes, National), 2009-2011Recent SuccessesACCENTMARKETINGProfessional ExperienceFull –service advertising, public relations and marketing agency specializing in Hispanic marketAccount Executive, 3/2011 -5/2011Manage Hispanic account for US Navy Account, overseeing budget, maintain daily account related tasks, Memphis-area representative, for agency, with the Navy. Direct brand management, build area Naval officer relationships and facilitate enhanced communication, brand positioning in community events, project-based media outreach and leadership.Selected Accomplishments:Led national organization and distribution of US Navy public service announcement campaign. Negotiated with vendors, organized media lists, created relationships with Hispanic media to assist with media placement, lead creative and administrative team.Maintained US Navy campaign budget. Managed invoice approval, budget updates and vendor relationships.Created engaging material for the US Navy Latino Facebook Page. Charged with creating posts, in both English and Spanish, that would spur conversation for Hispanic individuals that may be interested in enlisting.Performed ongoing account support and communication with individuals at all levels of the agency.VIDA PR & MARKETING GROUP AND DOMINIQUE ANDERSON PR – Memphis, TNPublic Relations, Marketing, Hispanic CommunicationsPrincipal, 4/2004-PresentFull service PR, Marketing, and Advertising firm specializing in media placement, social media, special events, strategic partnerships, and Hispanic communicationsSelected Accomplishments:Expanded client base by 70% in the first three years by consistently delivering goal-surpassing PR and marketing results and ensuring complete client satisfaction.Closed ample, new accounts as a leader of client procurement.Received positive feedback from clients and top level executives for campaigns, and strategies that increased business revenue and public awareness for their brands.Secured national media placement for clients, in a variety of industries, including entertainment, parenting/family, lifestyle, education, finance, and anized and orchestrated unique events, from grand openings to product launchesMEMPHIS CITY SCHOOLS – Memphis, TNPublic School SystemSpanish Teacher and Bilingual Cultural Mentor, 8/98-5/07Spanish teacher for students in grades K-12. High school Bilingual Cultural Mentor, assisting English as a Second Language students with their transition into English-only classrooms.Selected Accomplishments:Served as Chair of textbook planning committee, from 2002-2005.Created digital parent communication system, at Overton High School.Coach and Spanish club sponsor for all years as MCS teacher.TechnologySoftware:MS Office (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher), PhotoshopWeb/Multimedia:Dreamweaver, Social Media and Social Media Metric, Search Engine OptimizationEducationCHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY – Memphis, TNMasters of Education, 12/2003Major: Secondary Spanish Education l Minor: EnglishTHE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS – Memphis, TNCourse Work in Public Relations, 1/2000-12/2001Major: Public RelationsTHE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE-MARTIN – Martin, TNBachelor of Arts, 8/1998Major: Spanish l Minor: Political ScienceReferences Upon Request ? Available for Relocation91466663244STEPHEN W. CROSSAssociateGrubb & Ellis|Memphis 555 Perkins ExtendedSuite 410Memphis, Tennessee 38117W 901.305.4305M 901.574.2002stephen.cross@grubb-SUMMARYGrubb & Ellis|Memphis provides full service real estate services including property management and leasing, tenant representation, acquisition, disposition and real estate consulting services in the greater Memphis metropolitan area.EXPERIENCEAssociate, Grubb & Ellis | Memphis, Memphis, TNMarch 2012-PresentTenant Representation - Over 20,000 SF Class A Office. Over 20,000 SF Class B IndustrialAffiliate Broker, Associated Realty Services, Inc., Memphis, TNMarch 2010-March 2012Brokered $1.47 Million in transactional salesTenant Representation [Client List]: Fouts & Morgan CPA’s: 8,100 SF, Ralph Taylor Lumber Company: 3,000 SFReal Estate Manager, CB Richard Ellis LLC, Memphis, TNAugust 2009-February 2010Clients represented: Centerline Capital Group, CRE Special Servicing, LNR Partners Inc., ORIX Capital MarketsManage general contractors and other vendors regarding repairs and renovationsResponsible for renovation and capital improvement budget of over $450,000Abstract tenant leasesBudget preparationProperty Manager, GRS Properties LLC, Tuscaloosa, AL2007-2009Promote GRS services and gain management contractsComplete negotiations and lease agreementsManage general contractors and other vendors regarding repairs and renovationsRegularly complete fire inspections to ensure compliance with local fire codeResponsible for renovation budget aggregating $750,000Liaison between over 200 tenants and property ownersCultivate and maintain a positive business relationship with all clientsChapter Advisor, Sigma Chi Fraternity, Tuscaloosa, AL2007-2010Liaison between local Chapter, the University of Alabama, and Sigma Chi InternationalProvide leadership and mentoring to undergraduate membersCo-Editor of the Iota Iota MessengerSupervisor for Sigma Chi Derby Days fund raiser for the Children’s Miracle NetworkAssist in statewide conference on leadership, scholarship, and brotherhoodProvide leadership consulting to other chapters in the Alabama ProvinceYoungest Chapter Advisor in the United StatesEDUCATIONThe University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL – Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 2007SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS2012 Class of NEXUS2012 Memphis Young Broker’s Alliance: Planning Committee2010-2012 Board Member of the Phoenix Club of Memphis, benefitting the Boys & Girls Club of Memphis2012 Chairman of the Greeting Card Campaign for the Phoenix Club of MemphisAwarded ‘07-08 International Balfour Award for scholarship/character/ service/leadership by Sigma Chi FraternityGranted the K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr. Life Loyal Sig AwardTuscaloosa One Place MentorTuscaloosa Big Brothers, Big Sisters Mentoring ProgramMADELEINE GILMAN DAVIS6896 Bishops Way ? Bartlett, TN 38135 ? 847-341-0953 mgdavis929@EXPE RIEN CE July 2008 - PresentMERCER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.Senior Financial AnalystMemphis, TNSenior member of Financial Institutions GroupProvide valuation services for public and private banks and other financial institutions for financial reporting, estate and gift tax compliance, transaction advisory, and ERISA complianceSuccessfully completed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst examinationMember of the Financial Consulting GroupPublished Books:Co-Author: The ESOP Handbook for Banks: Exploring Alternatives for Liquidity While Maintaining Independence, (Peabody Publishing, LP), 2011Co-Author: Acquiring A Failed Bank: A Guide to Understanding, Valuing, and Accounting for Transactions in A Distressed Environment, (Peabody Publishing, LP), 2010Contributing Author: The Bank Director’s Valuation Handbook: What Every Director Must Know about Valuation, (Peabody Publishing, LP), 2011Published Articles:“A Look Back at the 2012 Acquire or Be Acquired Conference,” Bank Watch, March 2012“Mercer Capital Study Finds Community Bank Activity Dominated by Recession in 2008,” Value AddedTM, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2009Summer 2007COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSIONSummer Intern - Market Surveillance DivisionChicago, IL2005-2008UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC WRITING CENTERPeer Writing TutorSewanee, TN2006-2008FRANKLIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLMathematics Tutor for Grade Recovery ProgramWinchester, TNED UC ATIO N2004 – 2008SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH, COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCESBachelor of Arts, summa cum laudeMajor: EconomicsMinor: ReligionCumulative GPA: 3.87Major GPA: 4.00Sewanee, TNGraduated with departmental honors in economicsMember, Phi Beta KappaMember and Vice President, Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership SocietyMember, Order of the Gownsmen, Academic Honor Society and Student Government BodyScholarship Recipient: National Merit Corporate Scholarship, Four-Year President’s Award, Atlee Henkel HoffMemorial Scholarship for Attainment in EconomicsSummer 2007TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGETuck Business Bridge ProgramHanover, NHParticipant in a four-week, intensive business program including coursework in financial accounting, economics,marketing, business strategy, corporate finance, spreadsheet modeling, and business ethicsLEA DERS HIP2011-PresentCHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCHMember of Young Adult Leadership Committee Member, Administrative BoardMemphis, TN2012-PresentCORNERSTONE PREPARATORY SCHOOLVolunteer, Breakfast ServerMemphis, TN2005-2008YOUNG LIFEMember, Student Organization LeaderWinchester, TN2004-2006SEWANEE ROWING TEAMMember, Club PresidentMemphis Rise Academy Charter SchoolSewanee, TN166James Christopher Hamilton 2877 W. Levee Oaks Collierville, TN 38017(901)517-3494jchamil19@ LICENSEDAdmitted to Tennessee Bar, October 2009EDUCATIONThe University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, FL Graduate Tax Program, LL.M. July 2010GPA: 3.35The University of Mississippi School of Law, University, MS Juris Doctor, May 2009, Cum LaudeGPA: 3.38 Rank: 44/142The University of MississippiBachelor of Business Admin, August 2004 Major: Banking and Finance Overall GPA: 3.4, Major GPA 3.5HONORS AND ACTIVITIESDean’s Honor Roll (undergrad)Chancellor’s Honor RollJohn Millington Scholarship Pi Kappa Alpha Scholarship ChairFinancier’s ClubPi Kappa Alpha Athletic Chair Dean’s List (law)Vice President/Treasurer Student Health Law ClubEXPERIENCEGeneral Truck Sales & Service, Inc., Memphis, TNController/Legal Counsel, May 2012-PresentManagement of Accounting Department; Directly oversee Accounts/Payable; Preparation of various state and federal tax returns; Review corporate contractsFarris Bobango Branan, Memphis, TNAssociate August 2010- May 2012Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate Transactions and Taxation; Probate issues; Federal Trademark issuesAdams and Reese, Memphis, TNLaw Clerk May 2008- June 2008Worked on discovery issues for medical malpractice cases; Conducted 50 state surveys concerning state medical institutions; Legal research and writing regarding wills and estatesWatson and Jones, Jackson, MSLaw Clerk July 2008- August 2008Municipal work for City of Flowood, MS ranging from annexation issues and updating Substance Abuse policy to drafting Parade/Demonstration ordinances; Legal research/writing legal issues for large oil companyGerrish, McCreary, Smith, Memphis, TNLaw Clerk May 2007- August 2007Legal research & writing regarding banking and corporate law; Created presentations for lectures at graduate schools of banking; Drafted articles of incorporation, operating agreements, shareholder meeting agendasMid-America Marketing, Memphis, TNInside Sales/Accounting February 2006- July 2006Created PowerPoint presentations for outside salesmen; Created pricing and sales spreadsheetsEmerald Coast Title, Destin, FLClosing Assistant Jan 2005 – July 2005Created and sent out loan packages; Ordered loan payoff requestsSt. George’s Day School, Germantown, TNSubstitute Teacher Spring 2006, Fall 2005, Fall 2004Farris, Bobango, Branan, Memphis, TNRunner May 2003 – August 2003Shelby County Government, Memphis, TNIntern for District Attorney May 2002 – August 2002Updated electronic criminal records/court proceedings; Gathered data for Shelby County crime reportsVOLUNTEER EXPERIENCELe Bonheur Children’s Medical Ctr. Memphis, TNHabitat for Humanity Memphis, TN, Oxford, MSREFERENCESAvailable upon request Kori M. Hamner 4090 Hilldale Avenue ? Memphis, TN 38117 ? 901 517 2450 ? kori.hamner@EDUCATIONCHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITYMEMPHIS, TN2007-2009Master of Arts in TeachingTeacher Licensure: Elementary Education K-6 GPA: 4.02003-2006UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMATUSCALOOSA, ALBachelor of Arts in Studio Art, Magna Cum Laude, Minor in Social WelfareCumulative GPA: 3.7 GPA in major: 3.9 Dean’s List 2003-2006 Mortar Board, Anderson Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa Honoraries President of Student Leaders Council and the Wesley Foundation Senior Program Coordinator of the Community Service CenterEXPERIENCETEACH FOR AMERICA * MEMPHISMEMPHIS, TNJune 2011 - PresentManaging Director, Teacher Leadership DevelopmentManaged a team of 8 Managers of Teacher Leadership Development to coach and develop the leadership of 275 teachers in Memphis City Schools and area charter schools in 2011-2012.Specialized in the management of 6 Managers of Teacher Leadership Development who support teachers in area charter and special school districts during the 2012-2013 school year.Led team to be named as one of five top teacher preparation programs in Tennessee, in comparison to 44 teacher preparation programs across the state in 2011-2012.Designed and supported teacher professional development which led Teach For America-Memphis teachers to outperform the average beginning and veteran teachers across the state.Planned and managed execution of two full weeks of teacher training in the summer of 2011 and 2012, which included extensive adult facilitation and skill-building in classroom vision-setting, culture, and instructional planning for the school year.June 2009 –June 2011Manager, Teacher Leadership DevelopmentExceeded 2009-2010 student achievement goals for our region and was the highest performing Manager, with 100% of teachers achieving at least one year’s growth with students, and 76% of teachers exceeding a typical year’s growth.Designed and facilitated problem-solving meetings and ongoing meaningful learning experiences for science and elementary Memphis City School teachers, based on trends in quantitative and qualitative student achievement data.Managed two teacher-led leadership structures designed to strengthen our new teachers’ transition to Memphis.Co-designed and published high quality tools and solutions that are currently available to teachers across the country as a member of the Lower Elementary Roundtable and the Early Childhood Education Assessment and Tools Working Group.August 2007-May 2009June 2008 -May 2009CHARJEAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, TEACH FOR AMERICAMEMPHIS, TNFirst Grade TeacherExceeded state benchmarks by 45%, leading students to read an average of 58 words per minute during the 2008-2009 school year.Increased average literacy by 1.5 grade levels during 2007-2008 school year and led students to read an average of 50 words per minute, exceeding Tennessee state benchmarks by 25%.Led students to achieve significant academic gains in math by achieving 91% mastery on end-of-year math exam in 2007-2008, and 90% in 2008-2009.Authored proposals to receive grants totaling over $2,500 for student materials and experiences to increase student achievement.Designed and facilitated a staff development session on reading instruction for faculty of Charjean.TEACH FOR AMERICA * MEMPHISLower Elementary Learning Team LeaderDesigned and facilitated quarterly content area training for nine first and second year teachers based on Teaching as Leadership Foundations.Exceeded 2008-2009 student achievement goals, with 100% of learning team members achieving more than one years’ growth with their students.K. Hamner 1MARY KEIFE HYLAND, M.S.Curriculum Vita!Degrees!1995 Masters of Science in Administration and Policy Studies, University of Memphis1970 Bachelors of Science in Sociology and Education, Edgecliff College (merged into Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio)Certification:Superintendent, Administrator, Principal in Public and Private Schools License Teaching Licenses: K- 12, Ohio; lllinois and Tennessee (K-9)!Professional Experience)2012-2013-Substitute TeacherTaught in grades 4K through 8th Memphis City School's Inner City2010-2011-Independent Consultant and Facilitator for All Kinds of MindsConducted workshops and professional development training for teaching staff2009- RetiredAssociate Headmaster for Academic Affairs 2007-2009Assist the Headmaster in implementing the strategic plan for the academic program of the schoolAssist in the hiring and firing of faculty and staffSupport the faculty efforts by designing academic programs and support programs for studentsAssess and mined academic data to provide direction in curricular changesTrain faculty and staff in developing an academic program through formative assessment systems based on the Schools Attuned eight constructs of the brain2008 - Designed wtd trained in the implementation of n peer tutoring program directed by an upper school student2009- lmplcmcnted a curriculum design with a focus on alternative assessment resulting in the school adopting a "no exam week" policyAssistant Head of School/ Academic Dean 2005-2007Supervised the Heads of the DivisionCarried out the day-to-day academic decisions and functioning of the schoolCoordinated and designed the infrastructure to include Vertical Teaming and collaboration among teachers and administratorsConducted weekly administrative meetingsCoordinated Curricular changesSupervised and coordinated programs for support services for studentsOn-site facilitator for the two Schools Attuned On-Demand Programs (assisted in the facilitation of the practicum for 25 faculty members)Hired and fired faculty and staffMember of the PACE and School Life Committees and functioned as liaison between parent and school2004 - 2006 Trained and assisted the parents in providing the Parent-To-Parent ProgramFacilitated the training of faculty in the Schools Attuned TrainingDesigned the assessment programs for the school to measure the success of the academic benchmarksmri i:::lrilli:::Academic Dean at Lausanne Collegiate School1992 -2004 (1997-1998) Interim Head of Lower SchoolOversee academic curriculum for the school grades pre-k to 12th grade through the development of the Vertical Team Process. Designed the academic schedule for lower, middle and upper school.oCoordinate curricular changes and designs four year academic program cycles for the schoolSupervise and develop the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students to include enrichment and academic supportCollaborate on internal school issues with administrative heads of divisionsDirect a staff of eight that includes Breakthrough Staff and CounselorsOversee the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation (SACS) processCoordinate curricular changes and designs four year academic textbook/program cycles for the schoolDesign agenda and hold weekly meetings with division heads to ensure continuity throughout the divisions as it pertains to school-wide curriculum and support services for the students2003 - Trained in All Kinds of Minds' School Attuned Model2000 - Designed and Implemented the 75"' Anniversary Celebration for LCSCreated year long program for activities and designed the "Distinguished Guest Series" featuring speakers from LCS alums and prominent leaders in and outside of Memphis.2000- Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) IV Test Specifications Committee for Educational Testing ServicesAssisted in writing test items for the reading section of the tests for third and fourth grades.Participated with the school in the pilot program for the testing and was trained in the research and development of standardize testing.1999 - Designed and implemented the College Quest Program for students in 8'" -1ii gradeInternal program that involves faculty, students and parents in preparing and designing the students' academic plans and course selections for the four years in Upper Sebo1998 - State Tournament Director for the Odyssey of the Mind Association1996 -West TN Regional Tournament Director for the Odyssey or the Mind AssociationDesigned, organized and trained all volunteers for the Odyssey of the Mind Program throughout the state of TennesseeDirected the tournament on the state levelProgram participant for the leadership on the World's Final TournamentSponsored the OM program at Lausanne Collegiate School1995-2002 Collaborated with the Memphis Oral School on writing a grant to bring the Memphis Oral School Transition Program to LCSCreated the academic program to transition hearing impaired students with cochlear implants into a traditional school setting.1992 - 1997 Designed and implemented a Senior Seminar CourseDesigned and taught a program to all seniors creating opportunities for the students to intern in a field of study in the Memphis,area.1993 - Served on the Tennessee Association orSupervision and Curriculum Development Fall Conference Planning CommitteeYearlong appoinbnent to function as the secretary-treasurer of the associationEducation Specialist at Woodland Presbyterian School 1987 - 1992Administrative Position with the main responsibility to develop and design programs to service students in the schoolDesigned, implemented, and trained the staff for the Breakthrough Enrichment programRedesigned the pre-school program to incorporate an academic component with assessment systemRedesigned the pre-school programCoordinated the initial SAC accreditationDirector of Fournier Leaming Systems/Education Corporation of America, Memphis, Tennessee 1980-1989Quality control manager for offices in Germantown, Tn., Memphis, Tn., Atlanta, Georgia, Nashville, Tn.Administrator for a staff of 70 personnelTrained and managed tutors to design and implement educational programs for individualsConsultant to private and public schools in Memphis ( such as St. Mary's, PDS, Hutchison, CBHS, MUS, Woodland, Lausanne and parochial schools)Designed workshops for schools to address needs of students and staff development programs{Note: 1976-1980-Stay at home mom}Assistant Director of HEED (Help and Education for Emotionally Disturbed) School, Champaign, Illinois 1974-1976Hired and trained staffDesigned and trained staff in an innovative "HOME" program to sustain learning for the students into the homeCreated individual programs for all students admitted to the programSupervised the staff in implementation of the materialDirector of Busy Bee Day Care Center 1972-1974hTeacher 5th/61grade (combined), Chicago, Illinois1971 - 1972Teacher 2nd grade, Bisbee, Arizona 1970-1971Teacher 2nd grade, Student Teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio 1969-1970!Educational Professional Honors / Affiliations!Trained facilitator for All Kinds of MindsTrained facilitator for AdvancEd Accreditation ProgramCum Laude MemberPhi Delta Kappa - Educational Honor Society devoted to research and educational excellenceAppointed to Senator Frist's panel to select students for the Military AcademyTrained consultant and chairperson for SACS ( have been appointed on committees for Grace St. Lukes, Briarcrest, Bodine, Kirby High, Adamsville Elementary, St. Agnes - St. Dominic, Vollintine Elementary, Hutchison School for GirlsHonored by the Women's Foundation of Greater Memphis for Women Who Make a DifferencePresenter on a variety of topics for TAIS and MAIS workshopsBoard Member ofR.I.S.E. (educational program at the University of Memphis) 1998-2006Tennessee Association and National Association of the GiftedHonorary Member (2007-2008) National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security!Community OutreaciijBoard President for College of Education Alum at the University of MemphisVolunteer for the Friends of the Orpheum TheaterLector at St. Peter ChurchEucharistic Minister at St. Peter ChurchInstructor (co-taught with husband) for Confirmandi St. Peter ChurchVolunteer at First Presbyterian Soup KitchenRegional and State Director for Odyssey of the Mind-Academic CompetitionDocent for the Wonders ExhibitHabitat for HumanityChairs Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation ProcessChairperson for AdvancED and SAIS accreditation committee for a variety of schools:oBriarcreast, Hutchison, Adamsville School (Sommerville, Tn.), St. Agnes Academy/St. Dominic School, Bodine School, Kirby High School, Volentine School, Cummings Elementary, Alttlria Elementary, Raineshaven Elementary, Hollywood Elementary, Millington South Elementary School, Stafford ElementaryDesigned and implemented workshops to replicate the Breakthrough Program (inclusive education) in schools. Presented to Margolin Hebrew Academy Faculty, Macon ElementaryAppointed to and served on the Memphis City and County Science Fair Committee for K-61h grade Science fairsAdvisory for R.I.S.E. University of MemphisBoard of Directors ofI*CARE, Inc., (Infant Chemical Abuse Rescue and EducationPresented and facilitated programs for TAIS ,SAIS, Pediatric Adolescent Center, Jewish Family Services, Memphis Mental Health Association, Christ Methodist Day School on a variety of topics:o"Working with Parents";" Helping your ADD/ADHD Child Succeed in School"; "The Most Powerful Anti-Drug- Parents"; "Cure for Homework Headaches"; "1.Q. Myth"; " Study Skills in the Elementary Grades"Margaret Evalayne McGuire (Layne), CPA, CIA 4205 Nakomis AvenueMemphis, TN 38117(901) 491-7752layne.mcguire@Professional Experience:Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP, Senior Manger2011-PresentLocal Financial Institutions Services Group LeaderSpecializes in Audit and Advisory Services for Community BanksSpecializes in project and relationship management for large advisory clients.Ernst & Young, LLP, Senior Manager, Financial Services Office2003-2011Project manager for multiple advisory clients- central contact point for projects.Planned and executed internal audit engagements for a variety of clients.Designed and implemented quality assurance program for multiple projects.Trained and supervised staff, senior associates, and managers.Assisted in the development of audit plan for an SEC registered bank.Specialized in the planning and execution of specialized audits in lending, loan review, mortgage banking, and insurancePerformed quality review on Sarbanes- Oxley 404 documentationSupervised, performed, and reviewed 404 test workLed multiple internal training classes for Southeast area personnelBDO Seidman, LLP, Senior Associate2001- 2002Planned and executed financial statement audits for public and private companies, non-profits, and employee benefit plans in a variety of industries.Trained and supervised staff associates.Prepared financial statements.PriceWaterhouseCoopers, LLP Senior Associate,1999-2001Planned financial statement audits for public and private companies in a variety of industries, as well as non-profit organizations and employee benefit plans.Trained and supervised staff associates.Prepared financial statements.South Panola High School1996-1999Taught Algebra I and Geometry.Band Program AssistantTaught Math at South Panola Alternative School while obtaining Masters of Accountancy degree.Tate County Schools1994-1996Taught 7th grade mathematics and sponsored the Junior Beta ClubEducation:Masters of Accountancy, University of Mississippi Masters of Arts, History, University of MississippiBachelor of Arts, Mathematics & History, University of Mississippi Master of Arts in Catholic Studies, Christian Brothers UniversityCommunity Involvement: Junior League, River City Concert Band, American Society of Women Accountants Board, Youth Villages, Junior Achievement Board of Directors.BEN J. SCOTT268 Mary Ann Drive, Memphis, Tennessee 38117h: (901) 683-5238 · c: (615) 668-1031 · benjscott@PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCEButler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLCMemphis, TNAugust 2004 – February 2010; December 2012 – PresentCurrent Title: Senior Counsel. Experience includes:Pharmaceutical Defense Litigation: extensive experience in all phases of litigation pending in state and federal court nationwide.General Civil Litigation: experience in all phases of litigation, including the areas of commercial litigation, insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, and personal injury.Federal Express Corporation (“FedEx Express”)Memphis, TNFebruary 2010 – December 2012Senior Attorney, Litigation, practice included:Labor and Employment Litigation and Class Action Defense: routinely handled all phases of litigation in cases pending in state and federal courts throughout the country.BAR ADMISSIONSTennessee, Admitted to Practice in 2004Mississippi, Admitted to Practice in 2004EDUCATIONVanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 2004Nashville, TNDean’s ListMoot Court BoardVanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law; Executive EditorVanderbilt University, B.A., 2000Nashville, TNB.A., EnglishMinor, Business AdministrationThe McCallie School, 1996Chattanooga, TNCOMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & LEADERSHIPSecond Presbyterian Church: Officer; Committee Member; Past Committee ChairTennessee Bar Association Leadership Law: Class of 2013Federal Bar Association, Mid-South Chapter: Board of DirectorsChristian Psychological Center: Board of DirectorsEikon Ministries / Nathan Street Fellowship: Volunteer Leader/Mentor with youth program in Memphis’ Binghampton neighborhood since 2004National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) graduate; Palmer, AlaskaPUBLICATIONSChapter Author, Wendy G. Couture & Allyson W. Haynes, Eds., Litigators on Experts: Strategies for Managing Expert Witnesses from Retention through Trial, ABA First Chair Press, 2010.Author, “Lone Pine Orders: A Defense Perspective,” ABA Mass Torts Newsletter, Fall 2009.Co-Author, “Recent Developments and ‘Hot Topics,’” International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Corporate Counsel College, 2009.Co-Author, Consolidation: Tempering the Temptation for Judicial Economy, ABA Section of Litigation, Trial Practice Journal, Fall 2008, Vol. 22, No.3.Co-Author, Cross-Examining the Personal Injury Plaintiff, article included in seminar materials for Defense Research Institute (DRI), conference of the Young Lawyers Division, 2006.Author, Order in the Court: Judicial Stability and Democratic Success in Haiti, published March 2004 in the Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law.Jack Vuylsteke jvuylsteke@ 34 Danner Court, Memphis, TN, 38130(901) 303-95901147571220411EducationB.A. - University of Illinois, 2009M.Ed - University of Missouri- St. Louis, 2011Urbana-Champaign, IllinoisSt. Louis, MissouriDegree: English and World Literature with Honors DistinctionDegree: Secondary English Curriculum and Instruction1147572306584ExperienceLead Founder, Memphis Rise Academy Charter SchoolBuilding Excellent Schools Memphis, TNAugust 2012-PresentSelected as a National Fellow, with an acceptance rate of less than 1%, to serve as Lead Founder of a charter school, responsible for school design, assembling a design team and guiding the application processActively participated in a rigorous Fellowship of coursework around all areas of school design and execution and visit over 40 high-performing charter schools for low-income students that are closing the achievement gap to observe best practicesDeveloped founding board committed to college preparatory academic options for the northeast Memphis community10th Grade World Literature/ 9th Grade Literacy/ 12th Grade AP Lit TeacherCleveland NJROTC High SchoolSt. Louis, MissouriAugust 2009- August 2012Solely responsible for maintaining school success in World Literature, a course in which Cleveland made Adequate Yearly Progress the year prior to my arrival, based on data driven instruction and adhering to state standards. Met and exceeded school’s Safe Harbor proficiency goal on End of Course exam in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.Created Student Advisory initiative focused on creating teacher-student relationships to encourage student empowerment and self-reflection; implemented at Cleveland NJROTC High School and partner school Central VPA; provided weekly advisory lesson plans and resources for initiative to both building, handled all ongoing organizational tasks. Led committee of four peers.Member of Cleveland NJROTC School Leadership Team, responsible for large-scale instructional and operational decision making for the school communityChaired school data instruction planning team focused on ensuring strength of data usage across school’s core subjects; met with St. Louis Public Schools’ Assistant Superintendent on tri-weekly basis to discuss school’s advancement toward AYPWorked closely with both 10th grade Professional Learning Community as well as Communication Arts department for problem solving at both day-to-day as well as year-long levels.Regional Finalist, Sue Lehmann Excellence in Teaching Award (through Teach For America); Finalist, Pettus Award for Teaching Excellence (though St. Louis Public Schools)School Operations ManagerTeach For America- Chicago Institute Chicago, ILApril 2010-August ‘10, April 2011-August ‘11Responsible for implementing and managing organizational systems for three elementary school sites throughout 2010 summer institute and one larger elementary site throughout 2011 institute, dedicated to ensuring corps members received an unabated training experiencePartnered with school based training team to guide instructional decision making at the all-school and classroom levels based on weekly team meetings, classroom observations and corps member debrief conversationsWorked closely with full-time CPS teachers, administrators and district representatives to ensure smooth partnership between TFA training model, Summer Bridge curriculum and district testing administrationWorked closely with select corps members under direction of school director to increase institute classroom rigor, differentiation and investment (2011)High School English Learning Team LeaderTeach For America- St. LouisSt. Louis, MOAugust 2011-August 2012Presented 90-120 minute sessions to a group of 20-25 new teachers of secondary English in St. Louis on topics such as unit planning, tracking reading/readability, using literature circles and creating qualitative goals for the classroomInteracted with corps members out of session to help personalize large scale resources for their classroomsSupported corps members observed my classroom to see learning team resources in action to assist with their implementation and personalization; follow-up conversations/observations with supported corps members focused on takeaways for their own classroomsAP Professional Development Coordinator: Communication ArtsSt. Louis Public SchoolsSt. Louis, MOApril 2012-August 2012Worked with district AP coordinator to plan and implement teacher development strategies for districtPlanned professional development for 2012-2013 school year for Communication Arts teachers focused on balanced alignment towards reading and writing goals of both the junior and senior level courses.Brian Whaley6 S. Mclean, Apt. #219Memphis, Tennessee 38104Ph: (901) 679-8615E-mail: bcwhaley@ | brian.whaley@OBJECTIVE Assist in clearing out blight and the redevelopment of the Memphis MSA through strategic land use schemes.EDUCATION __________________________________________________________________________________________The University of MemphisMemphis, TNBachelor of Business Administration in Marketing ManagementRELEVANT COUSREWORKAdvertising & Sales Promotion Marketing ResearchBusiness Communications Negotiation SkillsProductions/Operations Management Strategic ManagementReal Estate PrinciplesLICENSING ____________________________________________________________________________________________TN Affiliate Broker License MS Affliate Broker LicenseEXPERIENCE _________________________________________________________________________________________October 2010 – Current CB Richard Ellis Memphis Memphis, TNAssociateRetail servicesAugust 2009 – December 2009 Stone PropertiesMemphis, TNProperty ManagerManage commercial properties by tending to tenants needs, city regulations, rent collection, and other tasksJuly 2009- September 2009 Allied Athlete Group Atlanta, GAInternProject Manager, Web Content Manager, sales, marketing research, data management, cold calling, create communication and organizational procedures, obtain sponsors, and all other assigned tasks??..?????·········842567-142963....?STATE OF TENNESSEETre Hargett, Secretary of State1697346216200???;; \l:::?????????Division of Business Services William R. Snodgrass Tower 312 Rosa L. Parks AVE, 6th FL Nashville, TN 37243-1102Memphis Rise Academy, Inc. APT 30134 DANNER CTMEMPHIS, TN 38103-6944December 18, 2012Filing AcknowledgmentPlease review the filing ihformation below and notify our office immediately of any discrepancies.SOS Control#:Filing Type:703407Corporation Non-Profit - DomesticFormation Locale: Date Formed:TENNESSEE 12/17/2012Filing Date:12/17/2012 2:10 PMFiscal Year Close:12Status:ActiveAnnual Report Due:04/01/2014Duration Term:PerpetualImage # :7123-1982Public/Mutual Benefit:PublicBusiness County:SHELBY COUNTYDocument ReceiptReceipt# : 860977Filing Fee:$100.00Payment-Check/MO- JOHN VUYLSTEKE, SPRINGFIELD, IL$100.00Registered Agent Address:JOHN VUYLSTEKE APT 30134 DANNER CTMEMPHIS, TN 38103-6944Principal Address:APT 30134 DANNER CTMEMPHIS, TN 38103-6944Congratulations on the successful filing of your Charter for Memphis Rise Academy, Inc. in the State of Tennessee which is effective on the date shown above. You must also file this document in the office of the Register of Deeds in the county where the entity has its principal office if such principal office is in Tennessee. Visit the TN Department of Revenue website (reg) to determine your online tax registration requirements.You must file an Annual Report with this office on or before the Annual Report Due Date noted above and maintain a Registered Office and Registered Agent. Failure to do so will subject the business to Administrative Dissolution/Revocation.4921083217268Secretary of StateProcessed By: Darlene BaskinPhone (615) 741-2286 * Fax (615) 741-7310 * Website: OF MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYThe undersigned natural person, having the capacity to contract and acting as the incorpo rator, adopts the following Charter pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act:The name of the corporation is Memphis Rise Academy.This corporation is a public benefit corporation.(a)The complete address of the corporation's initial registered office m Shelby County, Tennessee is:34 Danner Court, #301Memphis, TN, 38103ro0ro<r-'"ro0.,tr7546474224901'<7558685161041(b)The name of the initial registered agent, to be located at the address listed in 3(a) is John (Jack) Vuylsteke.The name and complete address of the sole incorporator is as follows:John Vuylsteke34 Danner Court, #301Memphis, TN, 381037546474109236The complete address of the corporation's principal office in Shelby County, Tennessee1s:34 Danner Court, #301Memphis, TN, 38103The corporation is not for profit.75464748529The duration of the corporation is perpetual.The corporation will not have members.9.10.Upon dissolution, the corporation's assets shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine , which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and/or scientific purposes, within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the following specific purposes:.......,.....NIw7570898-846141to operate, advise and support a public charter school in the state of TN; and7558685130598to engage in any business permitted under the laws of the State ofTennessee.The corporation shall have the power to do all things necessary or convenient to carry out its business affairs in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee.No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Section 10 hereof.7570898609713The corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent provided under the Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation Act. In the event a director or officer is made a party to a proceeding because such individual is a director or officer of the corporation, the corporation shall indemnify and pay for reasonable expenses incurred by such director or officer in advance of final disposition of such proceeding unless the Board of Directors , by majority vote of the directors, determines that (a) such director ' s or officer's conduct was not in good faith; and (b) the individual could not have reasonably believed: (i) in the case of conduct in the individu al' s official capacity with the corporation, that the individual ' s conduct was in the best interest of the corporation; and7558685627000(ii) in all other cases, that the individual's conduct was not opposed to the beset interest of the corporation; and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, that the individual has reasonable cause to believe the individual ' s conduct was lawful. Directors shall not have personal liability to the Corporation for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. This limitation shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any breach of a director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or for any acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law or unlawful distributions.This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.7558685-601808Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law) or (b) by a corporation contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law).Upon the dissolution of this corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more..7549527416556exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future federal tax code), or shall be distributed to the Federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed by the Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively forsuch purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusiv ely for such purposes.This Chaiier will become effective upon filing with the Tennessee Secretary of State.:0ro0ro<r'·ro0.,754647416342675495274875243........1$1!7546474-805163Attachment 4: School Calendar and Schedule Sample Annual Academic Calendar 91439538196Memphis Rise Academy 2014-2015 Academic CalendarJul-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31Oct-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat 1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 3121 Instructional DaysJan-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat 1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 3118 Instructional DaysApr-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat 1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 3020 Instructional DaysAug-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 303120 Instructional DaysNov-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 293014 Instructional DaysFeb-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2818 Instructional DaysMay-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 303120 Instructional DaysCalendar KeySep-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 3019 Instructional DaysDec-14Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 3117 Instructional DaysMar-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 3117 Instructional DaysJun-15Sun M Tu W Th F Sat1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 303 Instructional DaysImportant Dates July 10- August 1: Teacher Orientation July 30-31: Family OrientationAugust 4: 1st Day of School (Trimester 1 begins) August 4-8: Rise Week (diagnostic assessments) September 1: Labor Day (no school)September 2: PD (no students) September 6: Saturday School September 19: PD (no students)September 20 : Saturday School October 4: Saturday SchoolOctober 9-10: Fall Break (no school)October 25: Saturday SchoolOctober 29-30: Trimester 1 Assessments November 3: Trimester 2 BeginsNovember 6: Trimester 1 Report Card Comes Home November 7: Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences November 8: Saturday SchoolNovember 11: Veteran's Day (no school)November 21: PD (no students) November 22: Saturday SchoolNovember 26-28: Thanksgiving Break (no school)December 6: Saturday SchoolDecember 24 - January 2: Winter Break (no students) January 10: Saturday SchoolJanuary 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (no school) January 24: Saturday SchoolFebruary 3-4: TCAP Writing Exam February 7: Saturday SchoolFebruary 11-12: Trimester 2 Assessments February 16: President's Day (no school) February 17: Trimester 3 BeginsFebruary 19: Trimester 2 Reports Card Comes Home February 20: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences February 21: Saturday SchoolMarch 6: PD (no students) March 7: Saturday SchoolMarch 9-13: Spring Break (no students) March 21: Saturday School= Professional Development== Parent Orientation== 1st Day of Trimester== Breaks/Observed Holidays=Days of Instruction: 187 Teacher PD Days: 26Trimester Report CardParent-Teacher Conferences Normal Instuctional DaySaturday School/Summer RiseApril 10: PD (no students) April 11: Saturday School April 18: Saturday School April 21-24: TCAP Testing April 27: PD (no students) May 23: Saturday SchoolMay 25: Memorial Day, No SchoolMay 26-27: End of Year Diagnostic AssessmentsMay 28-June 2: End of Year Comprehensive Assessments June 3: Last Day of School/Trimester 3 Report CardJune 4-5: PD (no students) June 8-19: Summer RiseJune 18-19: Summer Rise AssessmentsSample Student Daily Calendar Memphis Rise Academy 2014 - 2015 School YearSample Student Schedule- Monday - ThursdayBlockTimeMemphis 6Rhodes 6Tennessee 6Vanderbilt 67:15 - 7:30 AMStudent Arrival7:30 - 8:00 AMBreakfast and Advisory8:00 - 8:45 AMFocus18:50- 9:50 AMScienceReadingWritingSocial Studies9:50 - 10:00 AMBreak210:00 - 11:00 AMMath BSocial StudiesScienceMath A311:00 - 12:00 PMReadingMath AMath BWriting12:00 - 12:30 PMLunch/Recess412:30 - 1:30 PMWritingScienceSocial StudiesMath B51:30 - 2:30 PMSocial StudiesWritingMath AReading2:30 - 2:40 PMBreak62:40 - 3:40 PMMath AMath BReadingScience3:40 - 4:25 PMBook Club4:25 - 4:55 PMEnrichment/Homework Club/Detention4:55 - 5:00 PMDismissalMemphis Rise Academy 2014 - 2015 School YearSample Student Schedule- FridayBlockTimeMemphis 6Rhodes 6Tennessee 6Vanderbilt 67:15 - 7:30 AMStudent Arrival7:30 - 8:15 AMBreakfast and Community Meeting18:15 - 9:00 AMScienceReadingWritingSocial Studies29:00 - 9:45 AMMath BSocial StudiesScienceMath A9:45 - 9:55 AMBreak39:55 - 10:40 AMReadingMath AMath BWriting410:40 - 11:25 AMWritingScienceSocial StudiesMath B11:25 – 11:45 PMLunch11:45 - 12:30 PMPE512:30 - 1:15 PMSocial StudiesWritingMath AReading61:15 - 2:00 PMMath AMath BReadingScience2:00 - 2:05 PMDismissalCalendar and Schedule Descriptions Because we know college preparedness requires the utmost effort and commitment, our school schedule189 is based on an extended school day (7:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Thursday; 7:30 AM to189 Memphis Rise Academy’s proposed Daily Schedule mirrors closely that of BES school Freedom Preparatory, a BES school and highly successful Memphis City School’s charter. In 2012, Freedom Prep, employing similar scheduling times and decision making, had over 70%, 43% above the district average, of its students as proficient or advanced in mathematics and 45% of its students as proficient or advanced in reading, 16% above the district average.2:05 PM Friday) and year (187 total instructional days) for all students. During each school day, students receive all six instructional class periods—Reading, Writing, Math A, Math B, Social Studies, and Science—for a total of 1,620 core instructional minutes per week.190 Students receive 165 minutes of literacy (reading and writing skills, textual analysis, and vocabulary acquisition), 120 minutes of math per day, and 570 minutes of each of the two subjects per week, over 100 more minutes than one would receive in traditional Memphis City Schools, or close to 4000 extra minutes per school year.191 Additionally, 180 minutes of tutoring is offered per week to all students at differentiated levels of rigor in our Focus period, offered Monday-Thursday.We provide 16 Saturday School sessions during the course of the instructional year from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on certain Saturday mornings for 180 minutes each, for a total of 2,880 minutes of Saturday remediation throughout the school year, solely on Math and literacy; in high school, we provide ACT preparatory Saturdays with college tutors supplementing our own instructional team. Each Saturday School will be staffed by a minimum of four instructional staff members with appropriate compensation. Memphis Rise Academy’s staff will determine the Saturday School roster for each trimester based on quantitative performance on literacy and math assessments. Saturday School is intended for students who are most in need of remediation, though all students are welcome to voluntarily attend. All selected students will receive a phone call in addition to written notification. The Saturday School roster will change each trimester, based on student data.Memphis Rise Academy employs a twelve week trimester system, which allows us to break our curricular maps into three sections with ample time for coverage and review before each trimester assessment cycle, as well as ample time for altering course as needed as informed by our data analysis cycle to maximize our opportunities for success.Our summer professional development, starting in mid-July, builds staff culture, trains to the creation of our desired school culture, teaches and supports the curriculum alignment process, and provides practice execution techniques as found in Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion.192 During the school year, we plan for ten days of professional development; much of our ongoing professional development and team collaboration Focuses on teachers’ ability to best utilize formative and summative assessment data - how to understand and target areas of student weakness and correctly scaffold and spiral their instruction based on data. Instructional teams hold a weekly data analysis and planning meeting on our abbreviated Fridays, termed “Strategy Rooms” – data analysis and planning sessions within which we visually evidence the underachievement against which we are combatting and the knowledge and skill mastery for which we are fighting throughout our daily and strategic work with students. Our goal is to design effective spiraling plans for not-yet-mastered objectives.Our calendar creates maximal instruction time, bracketed by structured assessment days which allow our teachers to effectively backwards plan from trimester and comprehensive exams on a clearly defined schedule. We strategically place Parent-Teacher Conferences after the end of each trimester, serving as a way for parents to transparently understand their students’ performance over the past trimester. We have190 At the time of submission, general schedules indicate that this is a conservative estimate for pre-merger numbers of instructional minutes provided.191 Highly successful Tennessee charter schools such as BES schools Freedom Prep and Nashville Prep offer similar amounts of math and literacyinstruction per day, between 100-120, in the dual math block setup as well as the separation of reading and writing. Both schools serve students coming out of the natural elementary school breaks in their public schools systems, with all or nearly all students entering their schools multiple years behind grade level in both core subjects.192 Summer professional development will be the beginning of formal staff development, but certain practices, such as the reading and discussion of Lemov’s Teach Like A Champion and advisory development, will start upon hiring of instructional staff. Summer development will take theform of the best practices of BES school Nashville Prep, as provided by BES Fellow, school Founder and Executive Director Ravi Gupta, as a time to practice both execution techniques in Lemov’s “Practice Perfect” format, as well as to work deeply with the curriculum creation process in Dana Lehman’s Uncommon Schools format.also made every attempt to place our Saturday School dates at their points of highest leverage, with enough time in between sessions to examine our students’ performance through data to inform our choices for each session. We also place our Saturday School sessions close to our testing windows to provide extra review.Day in the Life of a Memphis Rise Academy Student A Memphis Rise Academy student is dropped off by a family member or guardian between 7:15 and 7:30 AM and is warmly greeted at the front door by the Head of School. The student proceeds immediately to their advisory classroom, where breakfast is distributed on carts prepared by our operational fellows, and is greeted by their advisory teacher.At 7:35 AM, advisory lessons start for the day, during which the student may engage in a conversation around striving for excellence in their responses to questions in class and have the opportunity to model the types of responses, with energy and attention to detail, they will use throughout that day. The student turns in their homework to their advisor at this time, which is sorted by operational fellows and given back to teachers for analysis. The student also has a portion of time during advisory to self-reflect on progress towards their goals or speak with their adviser about that progress.At 8:00 AM, the student lines up to transition, in a silent, straight line moving with urgency, to a Focus group as denoted by his teacher. In Focus, the student engages in a series of practice exercises around a challenging objective, modeled by the teacher. He may work in a small group created by his teacher to complete these practice exercises, or may be expected to complete a few problems to teach to the rest of the class. He interacts with his Focus teacher several times throughout the class period and has the ability to ask and have answered all questions during their practice.At 8:50, the student transitions back to advisory homeroom with the same transition expectations. Period 1 begins with the teacher transitioning into the classroom to greet the students, asking them to rise for preliminary instructions, then will begin Period 1’s Do Now. At the beginning of the period, the student reviews several Do Now answers with the teacher and begin the day’s lesson.By 9:20 AM, thirty minutes into the lesson, the student begins independent practice, with ample resources provided by the teacher to practice with during this time at varying levels of rigor.At 9:45 AM, the student begins his Exit Ticket, equipped with the skills and knowledge developed during practice time to be successful.At 9:50 AM, the student is in morning break, administered by his homeroom teacher who briefly asks the class about the excellence of their question responses in period one, hearkening back to the morning’s advisory lesson. The student is allowed to use the restroom during this time and responsibly eat any snacks they may have brought to school that day, as well as read the next few pages of their Accelerated Reader book.At 10:00 AM, the student is back in professional posture at their desk for the beginning of period 2; the student engages in two more lesson cycles between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, at which time lunch carts are brought in, prepared by operational fellows, and the advisory teacher returns to the classroom to administer lunch.During the fifteen minute lunch period, the student may check in with the teacher on their goal progress as they eat and talk at a respectful level with their advisory classmates; at 12:15 PM, the student and hisclassmates are lined up for a quick and silent transition to recess, where he engages in a quick game of soccer with friends from other advisories, and is back inside by 12:30 PM for two more lesson cycles.At 2:30 PM, the student’s advisory teacher comes in for PM break and reminds him and his classmates to end the day strong with lots of participation in their last class and Book Club. The last period of the day will last from 2:40 to 3:40 PM, then the student, Book Club book in hand, transitions silently to his designated Book Club, in either a classroom or other targeted instructional space. During Book Club, the student continues reading a challenging piece of literature, such as Treasure Island, with the teacher working with the reading group at a thoughtful enough pace for students to break down challenging vocabulary and answer complex questions for analysis.From Book Club, the student may transition, if necessary, to Homework Club to work on finalizing or improving their homework from that morning as well as get a jump start on homework for that night, or perhaps engage in an Enrichment Activity of creative writing with a literacy teacher.At 4:55 PM, the student packs all necessary materials for independent reading, studying and homework completion into his bags and transitions quietly out for family pickup.Day in the Life of a Memphis Rise Academy Teacher A Memphis Rise Academy teacher arrives before 7:00 AM to prepare his materials for the day on his cart and in his homeroom. He transitions to a common space at 7:00 AM for a morning meeting led by the Head of School. Each teacher is encouraged to give shout outs and/or student feedback at morning meeting to inform staff of things to watch out for or push for with individual students that day. The teacher then transitions back to his classroom to prepare for student intake and morning advisory. The teacher knows the goal of advisory that day, per a framework for the week provided by the Head of School, and will have planned a short lesson for students to help frame their thinking around that character development goal. From there, the teacher will check in with approximately eight students on the progress towards goals they have set individually, and remind the class of their collective goal of an 80% or above on at least 30 Accelerated Reader quizzes that week. The teacher follows procedure to line up his advisory by Focus group, releases the students, and prepares for his own Focus group to enter.The teacher has created review materials for that day to review a targeted objective from the previous week’s professional development data analysis, and infused reading, writing, or math skills into the lesson as needed. He does a review mini-lesson on the target objective and models several problems from the review, then gets students started with working on their Focus materials. During independent work time, the teacher may have scheduled two small group mini-lessons with targeted students or may use the time to individually work with each student as they practice with the materials. Focus ends with the teacher transitioning students back to their advisories, again following the “line up” procedure, and himself then transitioning, with his prepared cart of materials, out of the classroom to his first lesson of the day.The teacher instructs no more than two consecutive 60-minute blocks before having one of two 60-minute planning periods during the school day to examine student homework for completion and adherence to standard, creating Homework Club lists for students who need extra support this afternoon, and beginning to review student data intake from exit tickets administered in their four lessons of the day.The teacher return to his advisory three times during the day - for AM break, PM break, and lunch - during which time he will monitor student bathroom breaks and check in on key advisory topics with an assigned student group. During lunch and recess, the teacher may go outside to assist the Dean of Students with monitoring students or may stay inside to work with students who need further support.By 2:40 PM, the teacher has taught for four 60-minute blocks, has had two 60-minute prep periods, administered two 10-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch, and is prepared to use his ongoing professional development strategies to lead Book Club with his students for 45 minutes.The day ends with the teacher monitoring Homework Club, during which time he can provide homework support for students, detention, or Enrichment, and then assists by leading groups of students out of the school building for dismissal.Extra-Curricular Activity Offerings From Monday through Thursday, from 4:25 to 4:55 PM, the school will offer Enrichment activities for all students. Students will sign up for a specific Enrichment activity at the beginning of each trimester. Teachers will be allowed to choose an enrichment activity which they would like to offer that suits their interests, skill sets, and the interests of enriching our school experience. Sample enrichments may include sports or other forms of exercise, creative writing, computer science, or culinary arts. While the majority of Enrichment activities will be taught by Memphis Rise Academy staff members, some may be taught by external instructors. Enrichment is, along with advisory, designed to help our students build relationships with their teachers on a less academically focused basis and to be rewarded for good behavior with a self- chosen activity which interests them, provided for free during the school day. Students who earn detention or Homework Club during a given school day will not be eligible to participate in their Enrichment during that day.Additionally, we have had extended conversations with Kendra Moore of the Boys and Girls Club- Ira Samelson Branch, Streets Ministries- Graham Heights, Memphis Athletic Ministries, and the Gaisman Community Center regarding extracurricular activities. Each has offered their facility to Memphis Rise Academy students for after school academic and enrichment-based activities.Attachment 5: Student Discipline Policy _2239831169872Student & Family Handbook DRAFT2014-2015This manual was created with substantial input from BES school Nashville Preparatory Charter School in Nashville, TN. We are grateful for the generosity of Nashville Preparatory and for other charter schools, local and national, that have informed their work.Memphis Rise Academy Charter SchoolOur MissionMemphis Rise Academy Charter School equips students in grades 6-12 with an excellent education, preparing all students to achieve in middle and high school, pursue ambitious goals, and succeed in college.Responsibility, Excellence, Ambition, Commitment, HonestyOur Core ValuesMemphis Rise Academy holds members of the school community—staff, families, and students—to the highest standards. To provide the very best education for Memphis Rise Academy students, all of us must work together to create an atmosphere conducive to academic excellence. To create this environment, we must collectively and consistently ensure that Memphis Rise Academy students meet five basic, but critical, expectations:Responsibility: There is no greater responsibility of our staff, students, and families than coming to school prepared to succeed each day.Excellence: Our staff, families, and students are expected to demonstrate excellence in their behavior and interactions with all members of the school community.Ambition: Our staff, families, and students show the desire to be positive members of our school community through words, actions, and demonstration of our core mitment: Even when it is difficult, staff, families, and students to persist in making decisions which create a culture of positive character and academic excellence.Honesty: Our staff, families, and students must remain honest with themselves and their school community at all times.These expectations, known collectively as the REACH values, form the basis of our school, and therefore inform many of the policies outlines in this manual.Responsibility and Accountability Students, Families, and StaffThe Memphis Rise Academy School-Student-Family Accountability Contract represents some of the most important responsibilities of being a member of the school community. For students, the Contract provides an overview of what being a Memphis Rise Academy student is all about. For families, the Contract outlines some specific expectations the school will hold you to in order to provide the best possible education for your student. In exchange for what students and families do, the staff of Memphis Rise Academy will work tirelessly to provide students with a safe and respectful environment in which they can achieve academic success. This contract will be provided to families during our July information sessions to encourage this partnership for excellence.School Calendar, Schedule, and Attendance Hours of OperationMemphis Rise Academy has an extended school day and year. Monday through Friday, students are expected to arrive between 7:15 and 7:30 AM. Monday through Thursday, the school day is from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM; on Fridays, the school day is from 7:30 AM to 2:l5 PM.The school building will be open to students starting at 7:15 AM every day. All students must arrive by 7:30 AM in order to submit homework and participate in morning advisory. On Mondays through Thursdays, students cannot be on school groundsafter 5:00 PM without permission form the school. On Fridays, students cannot be on school grounds after 2:30 PM without permission from the school.Attendance PolicyGiven the fast pace and high rigor of our curriculum, any time missed at Memphis Rise Academy can be detrimental to a student’s learning. Regular attendance is required for success.Parents are expected to ensure that their child is in school every day possible; please do not allow your child to miss a day of school except in the case of a serious illness. We ask that families not schedule vacations or non- emergency appointments during school time. Families should take advantage of our early Friday dismissal, as well as half-days and breaks, to schedule appointments and travel.Memphis Rise Academy does not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. All student absences, including those for illness, suspension, appointments, vacations, excessive incomplete days, etc. count as absences.If a student exceeds fifteen absences in a school year, Memphis Rise Academy reserves the right to retain the student. Exceptions are made for court-mandated appearances with proper documentation and religious observances as notified in advance by the family.Additionally, students are afforded rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (“Section 504”), the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) should their absences be related to a disabling condition. Other rare exceptions may apply.In order to help ensure that our students do not exceed their absence quotas and are afforded every opportunity for success at Memphis Rise Academy, we have support policies in place.At 5 absences, the Dean of Students will contact the family in writing.At 10 absences (or five within Trimester 1), the Head of School and Dean of Students will require a meeting with the student’s family and adviser, during which an Attendance Pledge and subsequent advisory goal will be established aimed at ensuring these patterns improve.At 12 absences, Memphis Rise Academy will require a second family meeting to discuss the potentiality of retention.Memphis Rise Academy reserves the right to retain any student who exceeds 15 absences.In cases of truancy, Memphis Rise Academy may report the student and/or family to certain state agencies or file an official complaint with the court.Students who are absent from school cannot attend or participate in any school-sponsored activities occurring on the day of the absence, unless the school has given advance permission.According to T.C.A § 49-6-3001, all students under 18 are expected to be in school. All students under the age of 18 will be expected to comply with these laws and the school will follow procedures set out in TCA § 49-6-3007 if the student does not comply with the law. In cases of truancy, the Head of School (or designee) will investigate the situation. Memphis Rise Academy operates in compliance with TCA § 49-6-3007 requirements, which can include mandated reporting of truancy to appropriate state agencies.Incomplete Days: Lateness and Early DismissalMemphis Rise Academy offers all six classes of core curriculum each day to every student. It is important that students are present for all six core classes to ensure they are able to maximize their learning time. If a student does not complete a full school day, he/she is assigned an Incomplete Day. This includes tardiness (not being in his/her classroom by 7:30 AM) or early dismissal for medical appointments, family emergencies, traffic, etc.Memphis Rise Academy may excuse Incomplete Days in the case of court-mandated appearances upon the provision of proper documentation. Late students must check in at the front desk before reporting to class. Students leaving early must check out with the front desk before leaving.Excessive Incomplete Days are not tolerated. In order to ensure that students show up on time and do not leave early unnecessarily, the school has clear consequences for tardiness and early dismissal.Every 5 Incomplete Days count as 1 absence within the attendance policy.At 10 Incomplete Days (or 5 within the first trimester), the Head of School and Dean of Students will require a meeting with the student’s family and adviser, during which an Attendance Pledge and subsequent advisory goal will be established aimed at ensuring these patterns improve.At 15 Incomplete Days, each subsequent tardy or early dismissal will result in a student meeting with the Dean of Students, a phone call to the family, and Automatic Detention for the next day.At 20 Incomplete Days, Memphis Rise Academy will require a second family meeting to discuss the previously established Attendance Pledge and, if applicable, the possibility of retention.For their own safety, students must be picked up by a parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact person in order to be dismissed prior to 5:00 PM. A note or phone call asking for the student to be dismissed on his/her own cannot be honored.Likewise, if a student needs to be sent home due to a behavioral infraction, a parent/guardian must come to the school, meet with the Head of School and/or Dean of Students, and remove the student from school grounds. Incomplete Day consequences apply in cases of suspension. Students being sent home for behavioral infractions will not be dismissed unless the parent/guardian has physically come to the school, unless certain rare exceptions apply.Homework, Homework Club, and Make-up Policies Homework and Homework ClubHomework is an essential component of Memphis Rise Academy’s curriculum. Our students must display the commitment to extended practice in core subjects, especially literacy, in order to meet the expectations of our rigorous academic program. Students have four core responsibilities related to homework each day:Write down all homework assignments on homework plete all homework assignments to the highest possible standard.Read independently for 30 minutes per night.Show completed homework sheets (when applicable) to a parent and receive signatures on top sheet of homework packet only if the parent feels the homework has been completed to Memphis Rise Academy standards.All homework assignments are collected in morning advisory. If a student has not satisfactorily completed his or her homework due on a given school day, he or she will be required to attend Homework Club from 4:25-4:55 PM Monday through Thursday.Homework Club is a quiet, constructive place where students are able to complete their homework from the night before and then begin work on the next night’s homework with the supervision of one of more instructional team members. We want our students to have every chance at success with homework, which is why this process is embedded within our school day. The goals of Homework Club include increasing completion rates, improving quality, and building academic confidence. Students may also opt into Homework Club instead of Enrichment on a day in which they would like further homework support.Make-Up Work PoliciesStudents who are not in school miss critical academic assignments and assessments. Our school make-up policy is designed to hold students accountable for all missed assignments and assessments, as well as to support timely make-up work such that students do not fall behind academically.Classwork. If a student misses a class for any reason (absence, lateness, and/or early dismissal), the student’s missed classwork will be compiled by the Director of Operations, and distributed to the student the day s/he returns to Memphis Rise Academy during PM homeroom. The classwork does not need to be turned in, although students are encouraged to review what they missed.Assessments. If a student misses a test or quiz when s/he was absent, he or she will take that assessment the day he or she returns to Memphis Rise Academy. The Director of Operations will coordinate the administration of the missed assessment, and will likely take place during Focus. If a student is absent for an extended period of time and misses multiple assessments, the Dean of Students will work with the student to arrange a mutually agreeable schedule to ensure the completion of all missed assessments in a timely fashion.Homework. If a student misses a day of school, the assignments due on the day he or she was absent are due the day he or she returns to school. The student will serve Homework Club on the day of his or her return in order to make up the missed homework assignments.Saturday SchoolSaturday School, an intensive ELA and math tutoring program designed to give students the basic skills needed to succeed in Memphis Rise Academy’s literacy and math classes, is held at Memphis Rise Academy from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. There are 16 Saturday School sessions throughout the year. Memphis Rise Academy’s staff will determine the Saturday School roster for each trimester based on performance on literacy and math assessments. All identified students will receive a phone call in addition to written notification. The Saturday School roster will change each trimester, based on student data.Saturday School students are not required to wear Memphis Rise Academy uniforms. No breakfast or lunch will be provided at Saturday School.The following policies apply to Saturday School attendance:Saturday School is part of our academic program and therefore attendance is mandatory for identified students. However, all Memphis Rise Academy students are invited to attend.If students have any reason to miss Saturday School (family vacation, illness, etc.), they must call and leave a message with the Director of Operations or Head of School by 8:30 AM on the day of the class they are to miss. Absences from Saturday Academy are not counted toward the student’s official attendance record.If students do not notify the Director of Operations or Head of School by 8:30 AM, the following policies apply:Students arriving after 9:00 AM are considered late and will receive an Automatic Detention the following Monday.At 9:15 AM, the administrator on duty will call all students not present. If students arrive after 10:00 AM, they will be allowed to enter and marked absent.If students intend to leave early, the school must also be notified by 8:30 AM. Early dismissals from Saturday Academy are not counted toward the student’s official attendance record.Any students who are absent from the program and do not notify the school according to the policy written above will receive an Automatic Detention upon return to school Monday.Uniform Policy Dress CodeMemphis Rise Academy has a student uniform, which applies during all Monday through Friday school days. We have adopted our dress code to foster a strong sense of school community and ensure a focus on academic achievement.Enforcement of Dress Code PolicyLike all school policies, our dress code is strictly and consistently enforced. Although it may seem like small exceptions should not be a problem, we cannot allow deviations from our dress code. If an exception is made for one student, it would then have to apply to all students, and the code would change. It is in everyone’s best interest—school, student and family—if we keep our dress code consistent for all students. We want our policy to be clear; families who have any questions or concerns about our dress code should feel free to contact the school immediately for clarification.Students who enter our building out of dress code are not allowed to attend class. Parents will be asked to bring the proper attire to the school to ensure that the student can enter the classroom. In addition, dressing inappropriately or changing out of dress code during the day may result in disciplinary consequences.Purchasing of ClothingFor every Memphis Rise Academy student, there are two possible school uniforms that may be worn and should be purchased: Memphis Rise Academy Uniform and PE Uniform. Students will wear the PE Uniform on Fridays when they have PE.Families may purchase all Memphis Rise Academy-specific uniform items (polos, sweatshirts, skirts, PE clothes) at [INSERT VENDOR], located at [INSERT LOCATION]. Additionally, some replacement items will be available for purchase as needed at Memphis Rise Academy.School Dress Code Policy for BoysRed or Black Memphis Rise Academy polo shirt purchased at [INSERT VENDOR]Khaki or tan colored dress pants, such as Dockers (straight leg or regular fit; no baggy fit or skinny fit)Black or brown belt (all black aside from buckle; not oversized or distracting; no large belt buckles)Black or brown socks (no patterns or logos)Black or brown dress shoes (100% black or brown; no logos or metal; slip-ons are fine; laces or Velcro are also fine, but must be tied or fastened at all times)OPTIONAL: Red or black crewneck sweatshirt with Memphis Rise Academy logo purchased at [INSERT VENDOR]We recommend all students purchase a sweatshirt; temperatures in class may fluctuate slightly, especially in colder monthsHooded sweatshirts are never allowed.OPTIONAL: White or black undershirt (short or long sleeved)All undershirts must be white or black and not oversizedShort shirt sleeves should not show from under the uniform shirtSchool Dress Code Policy for GirlsRed or Black Memphis Rise Academy polo shirt purchased at [INSERT VENDOR]Khaki or tan colored dress pants, such as Dockers (straight leg or regular fit only; no low-rise, flare, bell-bottom, or overly tight pants) OR black skirt purchased at [INSERT VENDOR] (skirts must fit loosely and come to no more than two inches above the knee) Black or brown belt (all black aside from buckle; not oversized or distracting; no large belt buckles)Black or brown socks (no patterns or logos)Black or brown dress shoes (100% black or brown; no logos or metal; slip-ons are fine; laces or Velcro are also fine, but must be tied or fastened at all times)OPTIONAL: Red or black crewneck sweatshirt with Memphis Rise Academy logo purchased at [INSERT VENDOR]We recommend all students purchase a sweatshirt; temperatures in class may fluctuate slightly, especially in colder monthsHooded sweatshirts are never allowed.OPTIONAL: White or black undershirt (short or long sleeved)All undershirts must be white or black and not oversizedShort shirt sleeves should not show from under the uniform shirtMemphis Rise Academy PE Dress Code (all students)Red Memphis Rise Academy PE t-shirt OR red or black Memphis Rise Academy crewneck sweatshirt both purchased at [INSERT VENDOR]All black sneakersAll black socksBlack athletic shorts or sweatpantsShorts/sweatpants must be 100% black or navy blue with no logos other than a small brand logoShorts/sweatpants must be appropriately sized and reach a student’s kneesStudents may elect to wear either shorts or sweatpants on PE days, but should choose appropriately to weatherGeneral Clothing RequirementsStudents may not wear clothing with logos other than the Memphis Rise Academy logo.Clothing must be sixed appropriately to fit the student. Clothes may not be too big or too small.All undershirts must be white or black.Students will not be admitted to class with clothing that has significant stains from food, ink, etc.Students may not alter the Memphis Rise Academy uniform with writing, drawing, cutting, etc. No cuffs may be frayed.Once students enter their advisory classroom, the wearing of hats, head wraps, bandanas, or jackets is not permitted unless it is in accordance with a religious observation and previously messaged to Memphis Rise Academy staff. Hats word in the school building will be confiscated. Dyed hair or distracting hairstyles- as determined by the school- are not permitted.Sunglasses/non-prescription glasses are not permitted.Students may not wear the following accessories which may disrupt learning or interfere with health/safety/cleanliness standards, as determined by the school:Excessive jewelryPiercings outside of the ears (tongue, eyebrow, etc.)—earrings must by professional- no wider than one inch (the size of a quarter) and hang no longer than two inches below the ear lobeGlitterPress-on nailsChains/necklacesWhen students enter the school building, they must be in the proper uniform. Students must be in uniform while on school grounds and cannot change out of the uniform before dismissalShirts must be tucked in at all times. Shoelaces must be tied at all times. Velcro must be fastened at all times.Students who wear the wrong uniform for a given day (i.e. wearing the PE Uniform on a day which they should be wearing the school uniform or vice versa) are considered out of uniform and will need to have these rectified before entering class.Cell Phones and Electronic DevicesBecause they are a distraction to learning, we advise that students do not bring cell phones and/or other electronic devices, such as iPods, to school. Memphis Rise Academy does not accept responsibility for any missing items of value.If a student chooses to bring a cell phone and/or electronic device to school, all such devices must remain OFF and AWAY during the course of the school day and should remain close to the student, preferably within the student’s bag. If a student is found to be using a cell phone and/or electronic device in the school building, it will be confiscated by a staff member, and a parent or guardian will be required to come to the school to retrieve it from the Dean, and this student will receive an automatic In School Suspension. Staff members will give all confiscated cell phones and electronic devices to the Dean of Students, who will place them in a labeled envelope and alert the family of his/her possession of the item.Grading, Promotion, and Retention Grading PoliciesMemphis Rise Academy students take six core classes during the school year (Math A, Math B, Reading, Wriitng, Social Studies and Science in the middle school; courses in the high school will be outlined as we grow our high school in 2017).Students will receive a Rise Report each Friday with their grades in each core class, along with their mastery levels. At the end of each trimester, students will receive formal Progress Reports with detailed information about their performance in each core subject area, based on formal assessment and, when applicable, project performance. Progress Reports will include a numerical and letter grade for each core academic class, feedback from teachers, and percentage mastery of skills, all of which will be updated on a weekly basis in our Rise Report system.All grades are based on a 0 to 100% scale.Promotion and Retention PolicyIf a student passes all core subjects with a 70% or better and has not been absent for more than 15 days of the school year, the student will be promoted automatically to the next grade level.Students who earn below a 70% in one or two core academic class(es) are required to attend Summer Rise, offered for two weeks at the end of the school year, and must retake the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) necessary at the conclusion of the summer program. Students who attend Summer Rise may be promoted to the next grade by fulfilling all Summer Rise requirements and passing the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) taken at the end of the summer program, earning a 70% or better on each exam taken. If the student fails to fulfill the requirements of Summer Rise or does not pass the end-of-the-year comprehensive exam(s) with 70% or better, s/he will be retained.Students who (a) earn less than 70% in three or more core academic classes, or (b) miss more than fifteen school days without a documented and reasonable concern that prevented attendance at school, will automatically be retained and, at the discretion of the Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the applicable teachers, may be required to attend Summer Rise to prepare for success in the following year.In the event that a student does need to repeat a grade, the Head of School will assemble a multidisciplinary team to plan an appropriate strategy for the following year. Based on an understanding of the reasons for the student’s lack of success during the previous year, the team will detail supports and processes for ensuring that he or she will be successful the following year. These interventions may include, but are not limited to, extra tutoring in August, after school or in mandatory Saturday School, a change in the student’s flexible ability grouping, or an effort to work with the student’s family to address personal or peer group issues.Code of Conduct Promoting Good BehaviorMemphis Rise Academy promotes behavior which aligns to our REACH values for positive and productive character. We give students more opportunities to see the correlation between positive behavior and success than between challenging behavior and consequences. To achieve this, we provide the following supports for all students:Advisory. At the start of the school year, all students are assigned to an advisory classroom supported by at least one classroom teacher, termed an adviser. Advisers develop close, motivation-driven relationships with their advisees throughout the school year. Families should expect to hear updates from their child’s advisor on a regular basis, in Rise Reports, phone calls, or other written communication home.Goal-Setting Initiatives and Community Meeting. With the guidance of their adviser, students are instructed to set goals for themselves for the short term and the more extended (mid- and long) term. Students are rewarded through our merit program for hitting these goals and publicly celebrated during advisory and community meetings. Goals are focused on academic and behavioral success and should provide a structure for our students to be able to articulate their successes in a positive way to their school community.Enrichment. From Monday through Thursday, from 4:25 to 4:55 PM, the school offers Enrichment activities for all students who have completed their homework and who are behaving well. Students sign up for a specific Enrichment activity at the beginning of each trimester. Sample enrichments may include sports or other forms of exercise, creative writing, computer science, or culinary arts. While the majority of Enrichment activities are taught by Memphis Rise Academy staff, some may be taught by external instructors. Along with advisory, Enrichment is designed to help students build relationships with their teachers on a less academically focused basis and to be rewarded for good behavior with a self-chosen activity which interests them, provided for free during the school day. Students who earn detention or Homework Club during a given school day will not be eligible to participate in their Enrichment during that day.RISE Blocks. The Memphis Rise Academy RISE Block system is a class and school-wide positive incentive system. The system uses peer motivation and inter-advisory competition to encourage students to work together to meet high expectations. During every period of the school day, students are assessed on their performance as a group, earning between zero and four RISE Blocks. The number of blocks earned is based on the following observable criteria:Respectful: All students maintain behavioral order and attention throughout the lesson, tracking the speaker and participating in ways which support an academic environment of high characterInquisitive: Students show the ambition to ask questions and alert the teacher during appropriate times in the lesson of areas in which they are struggling to best prepare for our assessment programming at the formative and summative levels.Supportive: Students demonstrate responsibility to support each other during all steps of the lesson cycle when appropriate and help each other show the commitment to remaining on task and aligned with behavioral expectations at all times.Engaged: Students stay committed to the lesson throughout the period, engaging with all lesson materials for the entire duration of class, from Do Now to Exit Ticket, and work through rigorous problems the their maximal ability before asking for the assistance of a teacher.Within every class period, there are multiple opportunities for our students to demonstrate each of our core values based on their individual and collective choices. Teachers measure student performance in each of the five core values per class period, award blocks for each value shown by the class, and discuss with students how they either showed or failed to show each core value at the end of every period. Advisories keep track of their RISE Blocks per week for group rewards and incentives at Friday Community Meetings.Code of ConductMemphis Rise Academy has created a Code of Conduct to ensure that our school is a respectful space for learning and to allow students the ability to focus on achieving their most ambitious goals. It is a primary goal and responsibility of our staff to make expectations for success clear to our students and to coach our students on how to meet our expectations.Without a firm and consistent Code of Conduct, none of what we envision for our school can happen. This is the basis of our student Code of Conduct.Behavioral ExpectationsStudents are expected to maintain Memphis Rise Academy Code of Conduct at all times when in contact with school grounds, staff or partners. This could include during the school day, during any school-sponsored activities and trips, all-school events, or any time off of school grounds which results in substantial disruption to the learning environment.Enforcement of our Code of Conduct is based on a framework of progressive discipline. Specifically, minor infractions result in less severe consequences while larger infractions result in more severe consequences. Furthermore, first-time infractions result in less severe consequences while repeated infractions result in more severe consequences.Students are expected to always respond respectfully to the authority and direction of school staff. Behaviors that are considered disrespectful include but are not limited to rolling one’s eyes, making inappropriate remarks or sounds in response to a request, or questioning a staff person’s action or authority in a disrespectful manner. Such disrespect will not be met with demerits in low level cases or, in higher cases, automatic detentions or in-school suspensions.Individual Incentive and Accountability System: Merits and DemeritsMemphis Rise Academy has developed a system of merits and demerits to provide students, families and teachers with a frequent, comprehensive report of students’ behavioral performance. A student’s merits and demerits are impacted by his/her fulfillment of behavioral, academic, and attendance expectations.All students receive Rise Reports every Friday. Rise Reports detail students’ performance academically, behaviorally and towards their personal goals.Students are expected to, at minimum, meet our expectations for behavior each day, as messaged clearly during Rise Week and throughout the school year. We encourage our students to exceed our expectations for behavior and performance, which we reward with merits. Students can earn merits from a staff member for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:Volunteering to help another student or teacherVolunteering service to the schoolExemplary classroom behavior (taking initiative, showing courtesy or patience, performing an act of kindness, providing an exemplary answer or exemplary work)Outstanding effort or improvement in core academic subjectsOutstanding display of one of our five REACH valuesAccomplishing or making significant progress towards a goalMerits are tracked throughout the week and provided to students on Fridays on signed slips from the teacher or staff member who gave the student the merit. Students are expected to keep track of their merits and, as they are accrued, are able to spend their merits on prizes at the Rise Store (e.g. school supplies, books, gift certificates, tickets to sporting events, food, time with staff members, etc.)Students who do not meet the school’s expectations for behavior or academic performance are issued demerits. Specifically, demerits are issued when:Students are out of uniformStudents arrive late to class or spend significant time out of classStudents are unprepared for classStudent exhibit poor conduct in classStudents fail to follow directions or proceduresStudents talk out of turnLow-level disrespect towards a member of the school communityLow-level disrespect of school propertyOther behaviors deemed inappropriate by the school staffStudents who earn three demerits or more during the school day receive detention during that school day and are not allowed to attend their Enrichments. Students who receive three consecutive days of detention, either through demerit accrual or more serious offenses which garner automatic detentions, will be assigned to in-school suspension.Suspensions and Expulsions In-School SuspensionAt times, particular infractions warrant consequences that are more severe than demerits or detention. For these infractions, Memphis Rise Academy implements an In-School Suspension (ISS) model, ensuring that all students have as much consistent access to the curriculum as possible while at the same time ensuring that we have a consequence gradient appropriate for all degrees of infractions.Specific infractions which may warrant ISS include, but are not limited to:Low-level forgery, cheating, plagiarism or dishonestySkipping school or after school commitmentsThree or more consecutive days of demerit-awarded or automatic detentionsMid-level disrespect or disruptionStudents on ISS sit in all classes during the school day at a separated desk but are not allowed to participate in class activities i.e. turn and talks, group work, or peer tutoring. ISS students are assigned automatic detention during their suspensions. ISS students must receive zero demerits during the school day and signatures from each of their teachers on a provided ISS Success form to fully earn their way back into the classroom community. Students stay in ISS until both of these are achieved.Out-of-School SuspensionsStudents who act egregiously outside of Memphis Rise Academy’s expectations may earn Out-of-School Suspension (OSS). Actions warranting this consequence include, but are not limited to:Gross disrespect of a fellow student, staff member, visitor, or school partnerDamaging, destroying or stealing personal or school property or attempting to do so (including graffiti)Using or possessing tobacco productsDisruption ISS or detention through misbehaviorCommitting sexual, racial or any other form of harassment or intimidationUsing abusive, vulgar or profane languageSetting off false alarmsGamblingFighting, physically or, in some cases, verballyLyingSerious forgery, plagiarism or cheatingLeaving school grounds without permissionBeing charged with a felonyRepeated offenses for which the student has already earned ISSIf a student with special instructional needs earns OSS, Memphis Rise Academy staff or external partners will work with the student and their family to ensure that all necessary instructional minutes are provided during the Out of School Suspension as is convenient for both the family and Memphis Rise Academy staff. Situations will be dealt with on a case by case basis.ExpulsionExpulsion is defined as the exclusion from Memphis Rise Academy Charter School on a permanent basis at the discretion of the Head of School. TN law T.C.A. § 49-6-3401 provides the Head of School with the authority to expel students for good and sufficient reason. TN law requires expulsion for no less than one (1) year for the following offenses, except for modifications on a case-by-case basis (e.g. students with special needs):Unauthorized possession on school property of a firearmCommitting a battery upon a teacher, principal, administrator, or other employeeUnlawfully possessing any drug, including any controlled substance as defined by T.C.A. §§ 39-17-403 through 39-17- 415 and 53-10-101.In addition to any of these infractions, any breaches of Federal law, TN State law, or Memphis City laws, may be handled in cooperation with the local police department and may result in expulsion. The school reserves the right to expel students for any other good and sufficient reason as outlined in T.C.A. § 49-6-3401.Procedures for Disciplinary ActionThe following section explains the procedures for determining consequences students may face for violation of this Code of Conduct. All students are entitled to due process commensurate with the disciplinary consequences to which they may be subject.DetentionRequirements: On Mondays-Thursdays, detention is served during the last hour of the day detention is earned. Any detentions earned on Fridays will be served the following Monday, as regular detention is not held on Friday afternoons. If a student is required to serve detention and Homework Club during the same day, he/she will only serve the detention.Student Notification: If a student is required to serve detention, he/she will be notified during the last period of the day the detention is to be served.Parent Notification: Parents will be notified of a student’s behavioral record on Friday Rise Reports, including all accrued detentions that week.In-School SuspensionRequirements: In the morning, students will need to check in with Dean of Students who will reiterate the expectations of ISS. Students on ISS will: Attend all classes, receive instruction and complete class work; Not be permitted to communicate with other students in their advisory that day, including during breaks and lunch, unless specifically instructed by a teacher for an academic necessity; Not participate in selected class activities, as determined by teacher; Be assigned automatic detention as opposed to Enrichment or Homework Club; Not attend reward events including field trips, dances, etc. Violations of these requirements may result in additional days of ISS or an Out-of-School Suspension. A student will be In-School Suspended until he/she meets his/her goal of 0 demerits and 100% of teacher signatures for approval on ISS Success form.Student Notification: If a student is assigned ISS, he/she will be notified by a staff member, usually the Dean of Students or Head of School, the day before or the day of the beginning of their suspension period.Parental Notification: Parents of those students who have been assigned ISS will be contacted by the school within twenty-four (24) hours, notifying them of the suspension, the cause for the suspension, and the conditions for readmission. A parent meeting may be required or requested.Short-Term Out-of-School SuspensionFor suspensions between one and ten days, the following procedures will apply: When an infraction occurs, the student will be removed from the classroom and sent to the Main Office, Dean of Students’ Office, or another designated school location. The student’s parent or guardian will be notified of the incident by the Head of School or Dean of Students.Unless a student presents a danger or risk of substantial disruption to the classroom, the student shall receive notice and an opportunity to present her/his version of the relevant facts and events prior to receiving a suspension of one to ten days.In the case of danger or a risk of substantial disruption, the student will be removed from the school building and provided notice and the opportunity to present his/her version of the relevant facts as soon as possible, provided this danger or risk is mitigated through the removal of the student from the school grounds.In the case that a student is assigned an Out-of-School Suspension, the student’s parent/guardian must immediately come to the school, meet with the Dean of Students and/or Head of School, and remove the student from the school building. If the parent/guardian cannot immediately come to the school building, the student will wait in a designated area until the parent/guardian arrives. Written notice will be sent home describing the incident and designating the length of suspension. Parents of those students who have been assigned an Out-of-School Suspension will be contacted by the school within twenty- four (24) hours, notifying them of the suspension, the cause for the suspension, and the conditions for readmission.If a student is assigned an Out-of School Suspension of more than five (5) days, the Head of School or Dean of Students must develop and implement a behavior plan for assisting the student to improve his/her behavior. Students are responsible for completing academic work missed during the suspension. The completed work will receive full credit, if submitted by deadlines in accordance with the school make-up policy. If a student does not complete this work, the student may face standard academic consequences (e.g., Homework Club, no academic credit).Long-Term Suspensions and ExpulsionIf a suspension of more than ten days is assigned to a student, the following procedures will apply according to T.C.A. § 49-6- 3401:Parents or guardians of those students who have been assigned an Out-of-School Suspension longer than ten days or Expulsion will be contacted by the school within twenty-four (24) hours, notifying them of the suspension, the cause for the suspension, and the conditions for readmission. The student and the parents or guardians of the student will also receive immediate written or actual notice of the right to appeal the decision. Notices and proceedings will be translated into the student’s/parent's primary language if necessary for their understanding of the proceedings.A parent, guardian, or student may request a conference with the Head of School or a designee when the student has received an Out-of-School Suspension of greater than 10 days or expulsion. The school will provide due process by explaining the school’s view of the offense, the information gathered during the investigation, and the length of the Out-of-School Suspension, if applicable. The school will allow the student to explain his/her side or view of the offense.A student and/or parent, upon request, will have the right to review the student’s records in accordance with applicable federal and state law, including 34 C.F.R. § 99.31 and T.C.A. §10-7-504.Parents or guardians have the right to appeal a decision to suspend a student for more than ten 10 days or expel a student. All appeals of such a decision must be filed, orally or in writing, within five (5) days after receipt of the notice of the suspension or expulsion and may be filed by the parent or guardian, the student, or any person holding a teaching license who is employed bythe school system if requested by the student. Failure to appeal such a decision within five (5) days waives any right to appeal. The appeal from this decision shall be to the Memphis Rise Academy Board of Directors, which may (through the Chair) appoint a disciplinary hearing authority comprising at least three members of the Board.The appeal hearing shall be held no later than ten (10) days after the beginning of the suspension. The Board of Directors or disciplinary hearing authority shall give written notice of the time and place of the hearing to the parent or guardian, the student, and the school official who ordered the suspension or expulsion.After the hearing, the Board of Directors may affirm the decision of the Head of School, order removal of the suspension or expulsion unconditionally or upon such terms and conditions as it deems reasonable, or suspend the student for a specified period of time.A written record of the proceedings, including a summary of the facts and the reasons supporting the decision, shall be kept or prepared by the Board or disciplinary hearing authority. The student or Head of School may, within five (5) days of the decision, request review by the full Board of Directors, or, if the initial hearing was held before the full Board, request re-review by the full Board of Directors. Absent a timely appeal, the decision shall be final. The full Board, based upon a review of the record, may grant or deny a request for a another hearing and may affirm or overturn the decision of the hearing authority with or without a hearing before the Board; provided, that the Board may not impose a more severe penalty than that imposed by the hearing authority without first providing an opportunity for a hearing before the Board. If the Board conducts such a hearing, this hearing shall be closed to the public, unless the student or student’s parent or guardian requests in writing within five (5) days after receipt of written notice of the hearing that the hearing be conducted as an open meeting. The action of the full Board shall be final.Whenever an expulsion hearing is recommended, the above-described procedural safeguards will be in effect. In general, the following will be provided:The student shall receive written notice of the charges and a statement of the evidence, date, time and place of a hearing and notice of the right at the hearing. The school will record (by tape or other appropriate means) the hearing and a copy of such will be made available to the student upon request.Notices and proceedings will be translated into the student’s/parent's primary language if necessary for their understanding of the proceedings. A student and/or parent, upon request, will have the right to review the student’s records in accordance with applicable federal and state law, including 34 C.F.R. § 99.31 and T.C.A. §10-7-504. All decisions by the Board of Directors regarding expulsion of a student will be issued to the student in writing.Discipline of Students with Special NeedsFederal and state law provide certain procedural rights and protections relating to discipline of students who have been identified under such laws as having special needs based upon a disability. A copy of these rights is available at SearchesIn order to maintain the security of all its students, Memphis Rise Academy staff reserve the right to conduct searches of its students and their property when there is reasonable suspicion to do so. If searches are conducted, the school will ensure that the privacy of the students is respected to the extent possible, and that students and their families are informed of the circumstances surrounding and results of the search. School cubbies and desks, which are assigned to students for their use, remain the property of Memphis Rise Academy; therefore, students should have no expectation of privacy in these areas.Attachment 6: Facilities Plan Basic Requirements for School Plan Memphis Rise Academy plans to locate or build a facility in the 2013-2014 planning year which can house, at minimum, the first three years of our school’s growth. The requirements for our initial facility are as follows.GradeNumber of StudentsLevelYear 1Year 2Year 32014-20152015-20162016-20176108108108701081088001089000100001100012000TOTAL108216324MS Core Classrooms# of classrooms4812size (sf)750750750Total space3,0006,0009,000Specialty Classrooms- Community Space# of classrooms111size (sf)2,00020002000Total space2,00020002000Total req'd class space5,0008,00011,000Administrationoffices +234size (sf)5005001,000Total space1,0001,5004,000Support Spacebathrooms + storage223size (sf)1,0001,0001,000Total space2,0002,0003,000Total support space3,0003,5007,000Net required SF8,0009,50016,000Circulation ratio1.301.301.30Gross required SF10,40013,00022,000Process for Identifying and Securing Facility Memphis Rise Academy is considering two potential options for their initial facility, each with a clear plan for identification and procurement. Members of our founding team have experience working with a number of brokers and real estate consultants who may be identified as primary points of contact for the procurement of a free-standing facility. Among these individuals are:Darrell Cobbins – Universal CommercialMr. Cobbins has significant experience in the facility acquisition and procurement process and has worked with many well-capitalized property owners throughout the Memphis area.Brad Murchison – CB Richard Ellis-MemphisMr. Murchison represented landlord in recent charter school facility discussions resulting in successful lease negotiation between landlord and tenantChris Brown – Newmark Grubb MemphisMr. Brown has represented charter schools in facility acquisitions and negotiations.Pacific Charter School DevelopmentBuilding Excellent Schools retains the services of PCSD for renovation project management services. PCSD has developed more charter school facilities than any organization in the country with a portfolio of 42 schools on 33 campuses serving 16,000 students throughout the US. PCSD mitigates client risks by providing funding and expertise to ensure projects are completed on-time and on budget. PCSD has a team of real estate professionals that manage every aspect of the real estate development process from site search and selection through design, permitting, and construction.Existing Facility with Renovations Memphis Rise Academy’s founding team has already begun the targeted search for facilities which could be renovated within the Northeast Memphis area, primarily focused on those located within 38122.Founding team members with real estate experience have inquired with the landlords of the facilities shown below, as well as several others in the proximal area, and have received a positive response regarding a potential lease negotiation with Memphis Rise Academy.25765131322834700 Summer Ave.Memphis, TN 3812247,000 sqft free standing building / 7 total acres$6.50/NNN (NNN appx. $3.50 psf) Zoning: C-HThe skeleton of this facility is soundly built and able to be renovated per our school’s needs. The building is completely vacant, making Memphis Rise Academy the only potential occupant, and the facility’s owner has expressed a desire to lease the facility to a tenant designed to serve the community. The rectangular building sits on seven total acres of landlord-owned property, which Memphis Rise Academy would be able to take advantage of for outdoor activities and operations. The facility is located in the heart of Northeast Memphis with clear visibility from Summer Avenue, between Grahamwood and Berclair, and is surrounded by the residential neighborhoods in which we anticipate many of our familiesto live. Building Excellent Schools has founded a charter school which renovated a facility with very similar specifications, which can help to simplify our potential renovation planning.25003121308115280 Summer Ave.Memphis, TN 3812249,556 sqft max contiguous / 31 total acres$6.00/NNN (NNN appx. $3.50 psf) Zoning: C-HThis former retail facility is in excellent condition and is able to be renovated easily in a large contiguous space per our school’s needs. The building is in a prime location, directly within our target area and surrounded by residential Berclair. With excellent access and visibility from the interstate and Summer Avenue, this facility option would be convenient for Northeast Memphis families. The facility is owned by a well-capitalized landlord experienced in creative build-out and construction, which would serve the needs of our slow growth model. The large adjacent parking lot serves our operational and transportation needs very well. The landlord has proven easily negotiable in initial conversations and has indicated that the contiguous portion of the facility which would likely house Memphis Rise Academy is in excellent condition, is sprinkled and wired for our needs, and is ready for a tenant with minimal construction.24682731337941699 Sycamore ViewMemphis, TN 3813462,000 sqft/ 9.5 acres$8.00*/NNN (NNN appx. $3.50 psf) Zoning: C-HSlightly to the east of Berclair, this facility, formerly used for office purposes, is not far outside the borderlines of the area we have denoted as Northeast Memphis, roughly a 5-7 minute drive from the center of the Grahamwood neighborhood. The building is in optimal condition, with full electrical wiring, drop ceilings, HVAC and plumbing still in place. Again, with ample parking lot space, our operational and transportation needs are easily met. Landlords have been very negotiable in initial conversations and have indicated that they are willing to sub-divide the building to meet the needs of our growth plan. The building has been on the market roughly two and a half years; landlords have indicated this is due to a low demand for large facility space in Northeast Memphis, and have considered sub- dividing the building in the past, and have thus already considered potential renovations similar to our needs. Highly visible and located at a major Northeast Memphis intersection, the facility again provides ease of access from the interstate and major thoroughfares.Modular School Campus Memphis Rise Academy is also currently investigating the purchase of a piece of land that is between 3-5 acres, located at 4720 Summer Avenue, and could accommodate the accelerated build-out of modular buildings, designed to house 16-20 classrooms, 4-5 office/administrative spaces, and a cafeteria/multi- purpose room. Additionally, the land would allow for adequate parking and outdoor space to accommodate our operational needs. This option would allow Memphis Rise Academy to grow into our entire middle school, thus postponing the need for a free-standing building purchase or renovation until we grow into our high school. The Tennessee Charter School Incubator has worked with charter schools Aurora Collegiate Academy and Liberty Collegiate Academy to build modular campus projects of a similar nature and would play an integral role in this development if we determine it to be the best option.Building Code and ADA Compliance ProcedureMemphis Rise Academy will meet with code enforcement and architects at the outset of the process of building or renovation to ensure that all ADA and TCA requirements are met per the specified plan. The architect employed by Memphis Rise Academy will work under compliance of city codes when designing our building plan. Currently, we are looking at several project management options; local Miconi Project Management has significant experience with city code and ADA compliant facility construction, and Pacific Charter School Solutions specializes in the charter school construction niche market and can provide invaluable insight on compliance during the planning and construction phases of our facility. Our project manager will competitively bid qualified architects and contractors who have experience in similar developments. If a free-standing renovation option is chosen, lease negotiations will ensure that our landlord delivers the facility in compliance with all applicable building codes; from here, ADA and TCA codes will become planning priority to facilitate the ease of eventual submittal of application for all necessary building permits, after signing the lease and architectural drawings are complete.Timeline for Facility Occupation Site Location: +/- 30 days post-authorizationBecause we have begun our facility search and had initial conversations with property owners and real estate brokers, we believe this is a reasonable estimate for determining, with the continued help of our local partnership with the Tennessee Charter School Incubator, the most optimal location for our facilityLease Negotiation: +/- 60 days post-site locationTo negotiate rent, our landlord or property owner’s role in build-out, terms of insurance and other needs, we believe this timeline to be reasonable. Also within this time period, we will engage a project managerto begin building conceptual plans with the services of an architect after an informed bidding process. Lease terms which support our growth model should be agreed to within this time period.Building Plan Finalization and Permitting: +/- 30 days after signing leaseThis time period allows our project manager to finalize building specification and apply for city permits. Our ADA and TCA requirements will be present in any final building plans and permit applications.Construction: +/- 140 days post-plan finalization and permit acquisitionOnce all permitting, compliance, and building designing is complete, we will break ground and begin the build-out of the facility under the oversight of our project manager.Target Completion and Occupancy Date: June 1, 2014Based on common real estate timelines, this process could take from 45 to 60 days shorter than anticipated. We have built this timeline to reflect conservative estimates for proactive planning.Reasonable Budget Assumptions Reasonable budget assumptions for any initial facility option in the Northeast Memphis submarket which we would pursue are as follows. Each estimate is conservative based on the normal market rates for comparable facilities.Rent: $4.50/NNN (industrial) - $10.00/NNN (retail). Assumptions: Rent in this market is typically lower due to average age of available facilities. Property owners have expressed that demand in this submarket is low, thus keeping rates suppressed to the above numbers.Utilities: $1.50/psf - $2.25/psf. Assumption: Memphis Light Gas and Water (MLGW) keeps costs at a manageable rate based on other school utility budgets, which creates these figures.Maintenance: $1.50/psf -$3.00/psf. Assumption: CAM (common area maintenance) encompasses landscaping, building maintenance, HVAC maintenance, and janitorial services as needed.Insurance: $1.50/psf - $3.00/psf. Assumption: This includes property and liability insurance.Taxes: $1.50/psf - $2.00/psf. Assumption: 2012 taxes for comparable property totaled approximately $.50/psf; we anticipate this cost to increase upon occupancy.Memphis Rise Academy intends to complete a staged build-out of the facility it secures over a three year period. We plan to negotiate 50% cost-sharing of improvements with the building landlord. These strategies will allow us to offset expensive up-front facilities costs and will make the facility affordable for the charter school over the lifetime of the school’s occupancy.A project budget is below:Memphis Rise Pro-forma Construction BudgetTemporary Facility:Project Size:2014-152015-162016-17Student enrollment108216324Space per student966068Total Building Size:10,40013,00022,000Project Costs:Long-term Lease (during construction)$25,667$-$-Construction$260,000$65,000$225,000Soft Costs$52,000$13,000$45,000Financing Costs$26,000$6,500$22,500Total Uses:$363,667$84,500$292,500Financing:Memphis Rise Equity Contribution:$18,183$4,225$14,625Construction Loan:$345,483$80,275$277,875Total Financing Sources:$363,667$84,500$292,500Annual Debt Service payments$130,793$175,279$475,761Assumptions:Construction costs per square foot$25.00Construction period (months)4Interest rate5.00%Loan term (years)3Attachment 7: Transportation As referenced in T.C.A. § 49-13-114, “If a charter school elects to provide transportation other than through agreement with the LEA, the school shall receive all funds that would have been spent by the LEA to provide such transportation. If a public charter school elects not to provide transportation for its pupils, the school shall not receive the funds that would otherwise have been spent to do so.” As charter schools are not required to provide transportation, Memphis Rise Academy does not at the time of petition intend to provide transportation. The need for transportation will be determined before the beginning of each fiscal year. If Memphis Rise Academy elects to provide transportation in future years, a detailed plan for transportation that includes types of vehicles, authorized drivers, and student eligibility will be submitted to MCS for approval before implementation.Attachment 8: Food Service Memphis Rise Academy plans to contract Memphis City Schools Nutrition Services for its breakfast and lunch services. Memphis City Schools (MCS) is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Therefore, it is the policy of Memphis City Schools that193:Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat;All schools will provide all students with nutrition education and with opportunities to engage in physical activity in order to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education, school meal programs, and related community services;The School Health Advisory Committee will develop, implement, monitor, and review district- wide nutrition and physical activity policies;To the maximum extent practicable, all schools in the MCS district will participate in available federal school meal programs (i.e. School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program including after-school snacks, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program including suppers); andAll students in grades pre-K-12 will have the opportunity, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.In addition, it is the policy of the district to ensure that foods and beverages sold or served at school comply with USDA guidelines and/or the “Minimal Nutritional Standards for items sold or offered for sale during the school day in grades pre-K-8”.Memphis Rise Academy is committed to ensuring all students of low-income and achievement levels are provided with high quality nutritional options; in partnership with MCS’ nutritional programming guidelines for health and wellness, we will utilize Memphis City Schools’ healthy snack standards for our break snacks and provide clean fruits and vegetables, in combination with MCS’ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, during snack for our students, as well as promote healthy snacking for families sending food with their children to school.Free and reduced price lunch information will be collected after our lottery in our enrollment packet, utilizing MCS’ Meal Application for Benefits.194 Collection of the application will be performed upon the return of all student enrollment paperwork. Memphis Rise Academy also will work in conjunction with MCS personnel to ensure its full compliance to state and federal regulations regarding health, sanitation, inspection, and delivery to students throughout the partnership.193 SUMMARYPLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 52013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19Number of Students0108216324424517Number of Employees01018263643REVENUEBasic Education Program$0$809,001$1,634,182$2,475,786$3,272,316$4,029,966Title I$0$29,160$58,320$87,480$114,480$139,590Federal Breakfast Program$0$0$0$0$0$0Federal Lunch Program$0$0$0$0$0$0IDEA$0$0$0$0$0$0Transportation$0$0$0$0$0$0Charter start-up funds$150,000$0$0$0$0$0Walton start-up funds$220,000$0$0$0$0$0Student fees$0$0$0$0$0$0Private fundraising (individuals)$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000TOTAL REVENUE$400,000$868,161$1,722,502$2,593,266$3,416,796$4,199,556EXPENSESPersonnel$0$609,034$1,101,671$1,608,828$2,273,266$2,769,951Contracted Services$30,000$135,740$156,886$178,431$202,024$221,751Transportation$0$0$0$0$0$0Supplies & Materials$3,000$95,813$150,073$206,753$259,816$301,495Facilities$116,250$224,550$337,022$445,830$551,641Technology & Equipment$0$70,740$74,358$118,592$117,696$117,252Consultants$30,000$29,526$51,466$73,407$87,306$100,287TOTAL EXPENSES$63,000$1,057,102$1,759,006$2,523,033$3,385,939$4,062,377SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)$337,000-$188,941-$36,504$70,233$30,858$137,178Per student-$1,408-$229$173$35$232Ending Fund Balance (Excluding Depreciation)322,000133,05996,555166,788197,645334,82490%90%90%90%90%12%12%12%12%12%$300$0no$0.00$0.00$0$0[INSERT School Name]Base Year2014PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5REVENUEGet LEA BEP figures (F34) from the Charter Funding Overview 2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19ASSUMPTIONSdocument, available online.201320142015201620172018CHARTER SCHOOL BUDGETNumber of grade levels012345K1st2nd3rd4th5th6th1081081081081087th01081081081088th001081081089th00010010010th00009311th0000012th00000Total Student EnrollmentTitle I (% of student body)Special Education (% of student body)Basic Education Program (funding per student) Inflation adjustor - BEPTitle I IDEABreakfast Program -- Federal Reimbursement Breakfast ProgramLunch Program TransportationSchool level fundraising$7,885 1.01Base year (BEP + BEP Capital)Per studentPer SPED student "yes" or "no"Per student per day Per student per day Per studentPer student0108216324424517Basic Education Program$809,001$1,634,182$2,475,786$3,272,316$4,029,966Title I$29,160$58,320$87,480$114,480$139,590Federal Breakfast Program$0$0$0$0$0Federal Lunch Program$0$0$0$0$0IDEA$0$0$0$0$0Transportation$0$0$0$0$0Charter start-up funds (Title Vb)$150,000$0$0Other start-up grant funds$220,000School level fundraising$30,000$0$0$0$0$0Student feesInvestment Income$0$0$0$0$0Private fundraising (foundations, corporate)$0$0$0$0$0Private fundraising (individuals)$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000TOTAL REVENUE$400,000$868,161$1,722,502$2,593,266$3,416,796$4,199,556PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5$00.00%1.027%0.50%NADirector of Ops2014$50,000.00NANA[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5EXPENSES2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19STAFFING COSTS201320142015201620172018$4,397$10,007100%100%7.65%8.88%9.34%0.00%$02% ASSUMPTIONSPayroll Tax and BenefitsMedicalSingle Coverage Family CoverageSchool's percentage of coverageAssumed percentage of employees choosing single coverage Weighted avg. cost for medicalFICAState Retirement - Certified State Retirement - Non-certified Life InsuranceGASB 45Unemployment Insurance$4,397Per year Per yearPer year of Salary of Salary of Salary of SalaryPer employee Per employeePayroll Services Bonus PoolCost of Living Increase Health Insurance Inflation Workers Comp Premium<-Accounted for in Contracted Services Based on % of salaryFTE - TotalFTE - Administrators FTE - OfficeFTE - Specialist/Elective Teachers FTE - Grade Level Teachers0.00.00.00.00.010.02.01.01.06.018.03.01.02.012.026.03.01.03.019.036.05.01.04.026.043.05.01.05.032.0Instructional days per year Saturday schools per yearContractors required for Saturday SchoolPrice per contractor18000$0Start Year(Input yearBase SalaryAdministratorsor "NA")Head of School2014$65,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.00Dean of Students2014$48,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.00Director of Curriculum & Instruction (lower grades)2015$52,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.00Director of Curriculum & Instruction (upper grades)2017$52,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.00Literacy Coordinator2017$46,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.00Total Administrators0.002.003.003.005.005.00Office Staff0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001.001.001.001.001.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Total Administrators and Office Staff0.001.001.001.001.001.00Specialist/Electives TeachersSpecial Ed Teacher2015$46,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.00Special Ed Teacher2016$46,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.00Special Ed Teacher2017$46,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.00Special Ed Teacher2018$46,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.00Special Ed Teacher2019$46,000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Student Supports Coordinator2014$48,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.00[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Input TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Total Specialist/Electives Teachers0.001.002.003.004.005.00GradeSubjectTeacherStart YearBase Salary(Input year or "NA")KGeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00KGeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.001GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.002GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 53GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.003GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.004GeneralGrade Level AssistantNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.005GeneralGrade Level TeacherNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.006GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2014$45,000.000.001.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.007GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2015$45,000.000.000.001.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2016$45,000.000.000.000.001.001.001.008GeneralNA$0.000.000.000.000.000.000.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.009GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2017$45,000.000.000.000.000.001.001.0010GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.0010GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.0010GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.0010GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.0010GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.0011General11General11General11General11General11General2019$45,000.002019$45,000.002019$45,000.002019$45,000.002019$45,000.00NA$0.00KGeneralKGeneral[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application2018$45,000.000.000.000.000.000.001.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.00Grade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00Total Grade Level Teachers0.006.0012.0019.0026.0032.0012General12General12General12General12General12General2020$45,000.002020$45,000.002020$45,000.002020$45,000.002020$45,000.00NA$0.00 SALARIESAdministratorsHead of School$0$65,000$66,300$67,626$68,979$70,358Dean of Students$0$48,000$48,960$49,939$50,938$51,957Director of Curriculum & Instruction (lower grades)$0$0$53,040$54,101$55,183$56,286Director of Curriculum & Instruction (upper grades)$0$0$0$0$55,183$56,286Director of Development$0$0$0$0$48,816$49,792Office Staff0$0$0$0$0$0$0Director of 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Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret$0$3,996$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$4,076$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret8General0$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$4,157$4,241$4,325St Ret9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret$0$0$0$0$4,241$4,325St Ret11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret11General0$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$4,325St Ret12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0St Ret12General0$0$0$0$0$0$0Total Grade Level Teacher State Retirement Costs$0$23,976$48,911$78,991$110,255$138,413Total State Retirement Costs$0$43,463$77,908$112,818$158,807$192,357LIWorkers CompLILIAdministratorsLIHead of School$0$325$332$338$345$352LIDean of Students$0$240$245$250$255$260LIDirector of Curriculum & Instruction (lower grades)$0$0$265$271$276$281LIDirector of Curriculum & Instruction (upper grades)$0$0$0$0$276$281LILiteracy Coordinator$0$0$0$0$244$249[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5LILIOffice StaffLI0$0$0$0$0$0$0LIDirector of Ops$0$250$255$260$265$271LI0$0$0$0$0$0$0LILILITotal Administrators and Office Staff$0$815$1,097$1,118$1,661$1,694LILISpecialist/Electives TeachersLISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$235$239$244$249LISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$239$244$249LISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$244$249LISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$249LISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIStudent Supports Coordinator$0$240$245$250$255$260LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LILITotal Specialist/Electives Teachers$0$240$479$728$987$1,256LILILIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0LIKGeneralGrade 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Application$0$0$230$234$239$244LI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$230$234$239$244LI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$230$234$239$244LI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$230$234$239$244LI$0$230$234$239$244LI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$230$234$239$244LI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$234$239$244LI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$234$239$244LI8General0$0$0$0$234$239$244LI$0$0$234$239$244LI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$234$239$244[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5LI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$234$239$244LI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$234$239$244LI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI$0$0$0$239$244LI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$239$244LI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$239$244LI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$239$244LI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$239$244LI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$239$244LI$0$0$0$239$244LI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$244LI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$244LI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$244LI11General0$0$0$0$0$0$244LI$0$0$0$0$244LI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$244LI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0LI12General0$0$0$0$0$0$0Total Grade Level Teacher Life Insurance Costs$0$1,350$2,754$4,448$6,208$7,794Total Life Insurance$0$2,405$4,330$6,294$8,856$10,743GASB 45GASB 45GASB 45GASB 45AdministratorsGASB 45Head of School$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Dean of Students$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Director of Curriculum & Instruction (lower grades)$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Director of Curriculum & Instruction (upper grades)$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Literacy Coordinator$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45Office StaffGASB 450$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Director of Ops$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 450$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45GASB 45Total Administrators and Office Staff$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45Specialist/Electives TeachersGASB 45Special Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Special Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Special Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Special Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Special Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Student Supports Coordinator$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45Input Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45Total Specialist/Electives Teachers$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45KGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 451GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 452GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 453GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 454GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 455GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 456GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 456GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 456GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 456GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 456GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 457GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 457GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 457GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 457GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 457GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 458GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 458GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 458GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 458GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 458General0$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 459GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 459GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 459GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 459GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 459GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 4510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4510GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 4511GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4511GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4511GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4511GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4511General0$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 45GASB 4512GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4512GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4512GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4512GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0GASB 4512General0$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5Total Grade Level Teacher GASB 45$0$0$0$0$0$0Total GASB 45$0$0$0$0$0$0UIUnemployment InsuranceUIUIAdministratorsUIHead of School$0$140$140$140$140$140UIDean of Students$0$140$140$140$140$140UIDirector of Curriculum & Instruction (lower grades)$0$0$140$140$140$140UIDirector of Curriculum & Instruction (upper grades)$0$0$0$0$140$140UILiteracy Coordinator$0$0$0$0$140$140UIUIOffice StaffUI0$0$0$0$0$0$0UIDirector of Ops$0$140$140$140$140$140UI0$0$0$0$0$0$0UIUIUITotal Administrators and Office Staff$0$420$560$560$840$840UIUISpecialist/Electives TeachersUISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$140$140$140$140UISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$140$140$140UISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$140$140UISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$140UISpecial Ed Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIStudent Supports Coordinator$0$140$140$140$140$140UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIInput Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIUITotal Specialist/Electives Teachers$0$140$280$420$560$700UIUIUIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UIKGeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5UI1GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI1GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI2GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI3GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI4GeneralGrade Level Assistant$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI5GeneralGrade Level Teacher$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$0$0UI6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$140$140$140$140$140UI6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$140$140$140$140$140UI6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$140$140$140$140$140UI6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$140$140$140$140$140UI6GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$140$140$140$140$140[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5UI$140$140$140$140$140UI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$140$140$140$140UI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$140$140$140$140UI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$140$140$140$140UI7GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$140$140$140$140UI$0$140$140$140$140UI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$140$140$140$140UI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$140$140$140UI8GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$140$140$140UI8General0$0$0$0$140$140$140UI$0$0$140$140$140UI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$140$140$140UI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$140$140$140UI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$140$140$140UI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI9GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI$0$0$0$140$140UI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$140$140UI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$140$140UI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$140$140UI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$140$140UI10GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$140$140UI$0$0$0$140$140UI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$140UI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$140UI11GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$140UI11General0$0$0$0$0$0$140UI$0$0$0$0$140UI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$140UI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI12GeneralGrade Level Teacher - Detailed in Application$0$0$0$0$0$0UI12General0$0$0$0$0$0$0Total Grade Level Teacher Unemployment Insurance$0$840$1,680$2,660$3,640$4,480Total Unemployment Insurance$0$1,400$2,520$3,640$5,040$6,020TOTAL BENEFITS$0$128,034$235,691$349,944$502,110$621,323% of Salaries#DIV/0!26.6%27.2%27.8%28.3%28.9%PART TIME SALARIES$0$0$0$0$0$0PERFORMANCE BONUSES$0$0$0$0$0$0PAYROLL SERVICES$0$0$0$0$0$0PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19201320142015201620172018Contracted ServicesAssumptionsAchievement Network$20,000Flat Rate$20,000$20,000$20,000$20,000$20,000Assessment Costs$78Total Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$8,380$16,760$25,140$32,899$40,115Bookeeping & Audit$7,500Flat Rate$7,500$7,650$7,803$7,959$8,118Legal$10,000Flat Rate$10,000$10,200$10,404$10,612$10,824Staff Development$1,000Total FTE$10,000$18,360$27,050$38,203$46,545Travel, Conferences, & Board Retreats$5,000Flat Rate$5,000$5,100$5,202$5,306$5,412Internet Service$9,000Flat Rate$9,000$9,180$9,364$9,551$9,742Postage$150Month$1,800$1,836$1,873$1,910$1,948Payroll$140Total FTE$1,400$2,570$3,787$5,348$6,516Food Service$20Total Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$2,160$4,320$6,480$8,480$10,340Staff & Student Recruitment$20,000Flat Rate$30,000$20,000$20,400$20,808$21,224$21,649Key Man Policy$500Flat Rate$500$510$520$531$541Financial Outsourcing$40,000Flat Rate$40,000$40,000$40,000$40,000$40,000Supplies & MaterialsTextbooks$88ADM$8,978$17,955$26,933$35,245$42,976Teacher Supplies$1,300Total Cert. FTE$9,100$18,200$28,600$40,300$49,400Office Supplies$500Month$3,000$6,000$6,120$6,120$6,120$6,120Copier Lease$1,000Total FTE$10,000$18,360$26,520$36,720$43,860Other Books - Student$12,750Flat Rate$12,750$7,650$7,803$7,959$8,118Copier Usage$224Total Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$24,235$44,150$59,746$69,706$74,655Building maintenance$9,000Flat Rate$9,000$9,180$9,364$9,551$9,742Gas & Electric$1.50Total Square Footage$12,150$24,786$37,923$50,620$62,957Phone$2,400Flat Rate$2,400$2,448$2,497$2,547$2,598Security$1,200Flat Rate$1,200$1,224$1,248$1,049$1,070Total Supplies & Contracted Services$33,000$231,553$306,960$385,184$461,840$523,246Per student$2,144$1,421$1,189$1,089$1,012ConsultantsContracted SPED$1,108Total # of SpEd Students$14,356$28,711$43,067$56,359$68,721Fellows$15,170Flat Rate$0$15,170$22,755$30,340$30,947$31,566Pre-Launch Contractors$45,000Total Contract Services$0$29,526$51,466$73,407$87,306$100,287Food ProgramSchool Pays?BreakfastNo$0.00Per student$0$0$0$0$0Per student (not coveredby Title I)$0$0$0$0$0Lunch programNo$0.00SnacksNo$0.00Per student$0$0$0$0$0Saturday food programNo$0.00Input "yes or "no"$0$0$0$0$0Total Food Costs$0$0$0$0$0$0TOTAL GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES$33,000$261,078$358,426$458,591$549,146$623,533TOTAL TRANSPORTATION COSTS$0$0$0$0$0$0Per studentNANANANANATOTAL ATHLETIC COSTS$0$0$0$0$0$0[INSERT School Name]PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5TOTAL EXPENSES$33,000$870,112$1,460,098$2,067,419$2,822,413$3,393,484FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGYFACILITIESPLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5INPUT "Purchase" or "Lease"Lease2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19201320142015201620172018LEASE OPTIONSquare feet leased8,10016,20024,30031,80038,775Lease rate$9.50Per sq ftAnnual lease cost$76,950$156,978$240,176$320,591$398,727Janitorial$1.50Per sq ft$12,150$24,786$37,923$50,620$62,957Landscaping$1.50Per sq ft$12,150$24,786$37,923$50,620$62,957Capital Outlay (building renovations)$0Incorporated into lease rateCapital Outlay$0.00Total cost to lease$0$101,250$206,550$316,022$421,830$524,641PURCHASE OPTIONSquare feet purchased40,000Purchase price per sq ft$30.00Per sq ftPurchase price$1,200,000Renovation cost per sq ft$50.00Per sq ftTotal renovation costs$2,000,000Purchase price and renovation costs$3,200,000Equity10.00%% of purchase priceAmount Financed$2,880,000.00Loan Term (years)25Interest Rate7.00%Monthly Debt Service$20,355Annual Debt Service$244,263$244,263$244,263$244,263$244,263$244,263Custodial Services$2.00Per sq ft$80,000$80,000$80,000$80,000$80,000Utilities$2.00Per sq ft$80,000$80,000$80,000$80,000$80,000Equity (down payment)$320,000Financing costs (6 months during planning year)$122,131Total costs to purchase$442,131$404,263$404,263$404,263$404,263$404,263General liability insurance$15,000.00Annual cost$15,000$18,000$21,000$24,000$27,000TOTAL FACILITIES COSTS$0$116,250$224,550$337,022$445,830$551,641PLANNINGYR 1YR 2YR 3YR 4YR 5TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT COSTS2013-142014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19201320142015201620172018Student enrollment108216324424517xAdmin Furniture and Equipment$260Change in Net Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$28,080$28,642$29,214$27,591$26,173xMaintenance of Furniture$20Total Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$0$2,160$4,406$6,742$8,999$11,192xGeneral Technology$375Change in Net Enrollment (Excl. Pre-K)$40,500$41,310$42,136$39,795$37,750Replacement Technology$0Flat Rate$40,500$41,310$42,1361TOTAL TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT COSTS$0$70,740$74,358$118,592$117,696$117,252CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 1MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUES AND OTHER SOURCESNO.EXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS) AND OTHER USESYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51ESTIMATED REVENUES AND OTHER SOURCES1243000Charges for Current Services-----2344000Other Local Revenues30,00030,00030,00030,00030,0003446500State Education Funds-----4546800Other State Revenues-----5647100Federal Funds Received Thru State-----6747600Direct Federal Revenues-----7849000Other Sources838,1611,692,5022,563,2663,386,7964,169,5568991014100TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES & OTHER SOURCES868,1611,722,5022,593,2663,416,7964,199,5561011111230000Reserves and/or Fund Balances322,000133,05996,555166,788197,64512131314TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS1,190,1611,855,5612,689,8213,583,5844,397,2011415151616171718181919202021212222232324242525262627272828292930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 2MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUES AND OTHER SOURCESNO.EXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS) AND OTHER USESYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51EXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)12Instruction2371100Regular Instruction Program424,457797,2681,284,8811,757,7092,187,2613471150Alternative Instruction Program-----4571200Special Education Program95,381174,242265,436349,704435,6785671300Vocational Education Program-----6771400Student Body Education Program-----78Support Services8972110Attendance-----91072120Health Services-----101172130Other Student Support43,55059,51575,48083,84691,681111272210Regular Instruction Program10,00018,36027,05038,20346,545121372215Alternative Instruction Program-----131472220Special Education Program-----141572230Vocational Education Program-----151672310Board of Education-----161772320Office of Superintendent-----171872410Office of Principal220,820293,049299,717439,826450,097181972510Fiscal Services93,135122,930148,260170,345183,974192072610Operation of Plant137,400258,516384,309506,001624,340202172620Maintenance of Plant10,20010,40410,61210,60010,812212272710Transportation-----222372810Central and Other20,00020,40020,80821,22421,6492324Operation of Non-Instructional Services242573100Food Service2,1604,3206,4808,48010,340252673300Community Services-----262773400Early Childhood Education-----272876100Regular Capital Outlay-----282980000Education Debt Services-----293091300Education Capital Projects-----303199000Other Uses (Transfers)-----31323233TOTAL EXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)1,057,1031,759,0042,523,0333,385,9404,062,3773334*Check should be 0-----34353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 3MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUESNO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5143000Charges for Current Services1243500Education Charges2343511Tuition - Regular Day Students-----3443513Tuition - Summer School-----4543515Tuition - Other State Systems-----5643516Tuition - Out of State Systems-----6743517Tuition - Other-----7843521Lunch Payments - Children-----8943522Lunch Payments - Adults-----91043523Income from Breakfast-----101143524Special Milk Sales-----111243525Ala Carte Sales-----121343541Contract for Adm. Services With Other LEA's-----131443542Contract for Inst. Services With Other LEA's-----141543543Contract for Student Support Services with Other LEA's-----151643544Contract for Instructional Staff Support with Other LEA's-----161743545Contract for Operation & Maint. Services with Other LEA's-----171843546Contract for Food Services with Other LEA's-----181943547Contract for Non-Instructional Services with Other LEA's-----192043551School Based Health (FFS)-----202143570Receipts from Individual Schools-----212243581Community Service Fees - Children (Day Care)-----222343583TBI Criminal Background Fee-----232443990Other Charges for Services-----2825292643000Total Charges for Current Services-----3027312844000Other Local Revenues282944100Recurring Items293044110Investment Income-----303144120Lease/Rentals-----313244130Sale of Materials & Supplies-----323344170Miscellaneous Refunds-----333444500Nonrecurring Items343544520Insurance Recovery-----353644530Sale of Equipment-----363744540Sale of Property-----373844560Damages Recovered from Individuals-----383944570Contributions & Gifts30,00030,00030,00030,00030,000394044990Other Local Revenue-----4041414244000Total Other Local Revenues30,00030,00030,00030,00030,00042CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 4MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUESNO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5146000State of Tennessee1246500State Education Funds2346511Basic Education Program-----3446515Early Childhood Education-----4546520School Food Service-----5646550Driver Education-----6746590Other State Education Funds-----7846610Career Ladder-----8946612Career Ladder - Extended Contract-----91046790Other Vocational-----1011111246500Total State Education Funds-----1213131446800Other State Revenues141546980Other State Grants-----151646990Other State Revenues-----1617171846800Total Other State Revenues-----1819192047000Federal Government202147100Federal through State212247111USDA School Lunch Program-----222347113Breakfast-----232447114USDA - Other-----242547131Vocational Education Basic Grants to States-----252647139Other Vocational-----262747141Title I - Grants to Local Education Agencies272847142Title VI - Innovative Education Program Strategies-----282947143Special Education Grants to the States - IDEA-----293047145Special Education Preschool Grants-----303147189Title II - Eisenhower Professional Development State Grants-----313247590Other Federal Through State-----3233333447100Total Federal Through State-----34353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 5MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUESNO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 511247600Direct Federal Revenues2347640ROTC Reimbursement-----3447650Energy Grant-----4547990Other Direct Federal Revenues-----566747600Total Direct Federal Government-----788947000Total Federal Government-----9101011140000TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES30,00030,00030,00030,00030,0001112121349000Other Sources131449100Bond Issued-----141549200Note Issued-----151649300Capitalized Leases Issued-----161749400Refunding Debt Issued-----171849500Other Loans Issued-----181949800Transfers In (complete schedule below) *838,1611,692,5022,563,2663,386,7964,169,556192049810City General Fund Transfers (complete schedule below)-----2021212249000Total Other Sources838,1611,692,5022,563,2663,386,7964,169,55622232324242514100TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES AND OTHER SOURCES868,1611,722,5022,593,2663,416,7964,199,55625262627* Payments from LEA for Charter School support.272828292930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 6MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTESTIMATED REVENUESNO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5112SCHEDULE OF TRANSFERS2334FUND #PURPOSEFROM FUNDTO FUNDAMOUNT4556Basic Education Program (BEP)809,00167Title I Reimbursements29,16078Federal Lunch Program-89-910-1011-1112-1213-1314-1415-1516-1617-1718-1819-1920-2021-2122-2223-2324242525262627272828292930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 7MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTRESERVES AND/OR FUND BALANCESNO.BEGINNING-OF-YEARYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5134000RESERVES AND/OR FUND BALANCE BEGINNING OF YEAR1223LOCAL RESERVES3434210Reserved for Unemployment Compensation-----4534230Reserved for Food Service-----5634290Other Local Education Reserves-----6778STATE RESERVES8934340Reserved for Driver Education-----91034379Reserved for Career Ladder Extended Contract-----101134380Reserved for Career Ladder Program-----111234385Reserved for Early Childhood Education-----121334386Reserved for Basic Education Program-----131434390Other State Education Reserves-----14151516FEDERAL RESERVES161734410Reserved for Title I - Grants to Local Education Agencies-----171834420Reserved for Title VI - Innovative Ed. Program Strategies-----181934430Reserved for Special Education-Grants to States - IDEA-----192034440Other Federal Reserves-----20212122DESIGNATED FUND BALANCE222335110Designated for Purpose #1-----232435120Designated for Purpose #2-----242535130Designated for Purpose #3-----252635140Designated for Purpose #4-----262735150Designated for Purpose #5-----2728282939000Undesignated Fund Balance322,000133,05996,555166,788197,6452930303130000TOTAL RESERVES AND/OR FUND BALANCES END OF YEAR322,000133,05996,555166,788197,64531323233TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDS1,190,1611,855,5612,689,8213,583,5844,397,201333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 8MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51INSTRUCTION - 7100012REGULAR INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (71100)2371100 116Teachers270,000550,800889,5421,241,6131,558,7023471100 117Career Ladder Program-----4571100 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----5671100 128Homebound Teachers-----6771100 162Clerical Personnel-----7871100 163Educational Assistants-----8971100 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91071100 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----101171100 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----111271100 201Social Security20,65542,13668,05094,983119,241121371100 204State Retirement23,97648,91178,991110,255138,413131471100 206Life Insurance-----141571100 207Medical Insurance26,38256,45795,648140,049184,434151671100 208Dental Insurance-----161771100 210Unemployment Compensation8401,6802,6603,6404,480171871100 212Employer Medicare-----181971100 299Other Fringe Benefits1,3502,7544,4486,2087,794192071100 311Contracts with Other School Systems-----202171100 330Operating Lease Payments-----212271100 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----222371100 356Tuition-----232471100 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----242571100 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----252671100 399Other Contracted Services-----262771100 429Instructional Supplies & Materials17,48020,68029,12238,60746,015272871100 449Textbooks7,18214,36421,54628,19634,381282971100 499Other Supplies & Materials-----293071100 535Fee Waivers-----303171100 599Other Charges-----313271100 722Regular Instruction Equipment56,59259,48694,87494,15793,80132333334343571100TOTAL REGULAR INSTRUCTION PROGRAM424,457797,2681,284,8811,757,7092,187,2613536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 9MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51INSTRUCTION - 7100012ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (71150)2371150 116Teachers-----3471150 117Career Ladder Program-----4571150 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----5671150 128Homebound Teachers-----6771150 162Clerical Personnel-----7871150 163Educational Assistants-----8971150 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91071150 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----101171150 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----111271150 201Social Security-----121371150 204State Retirement-----131471150 206Life Insurance-----141571150 207Medical Insurance-----151671150 208Dental Insurance-----161771150 210Unemployment Compensation-----171871150 212Employer Medicare-----181971150 299Other Fringe Benefits-----192071150 311Contracts with Other School Systems-----202171150 330Operating Lease Payments-----212271150 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----222371150 356Tuition-----232471150 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----242571150 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----252671150 399Other Contracted Services-----262771150 429Instructional Supplies & Materials-----272871150 449Textbooks-----282971150 499Other Supplies & Materials-----293071150 535Fee Waivers-----303171150 599Other Charges-----313271150 790Other Equipment-----32333334343571150TOTAL ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM-----3536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 10MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51INSTRUCTION - 7100012SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (71200)2371200 116Teachers48,00095,880145,656197,385251,1243471200 117Career Ladder Program-----4571200 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----5671200 128Homebound Teachers-----6771200 162Clerical Personnel-----7871200 163Educational Assistants-----8971200 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91071200 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----101171200 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----111271200 201Social Security3,6727,33511,14315,10019,211121371200 204State Retirement4,2628,51412,93417,52822,300131471200 206Life Insurance-----141571200 207Medical Insurance4,3979,41015,10221,54628,818151671200 208Dental Insurance-----161771200 210Unemployment Compensation140280420560700171871200 212Employer Medicare-----181971200 299Other Fringe Benefits2404797289871,256192071200 310Contracts W/Other Public Agencies-----202171200 311Contracts W/Other School Systems-----212271200 312Contracts W/Private Agencies-----222371200 322Evaluation & Testing-----232471200 330Operating Lease Payments-----242571200 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----252671200 356Tuition-----262771200 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----272871200 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----282971200 399Other Contracted Services14,35628,71143,06756,35968,721293071200 429Instructional Supplies & Materials4,3705,1707,2819,65211,504303171200 449Textbooks1,7963,5915,3877,0498,595313271200 499Other Supplies & Materials-----323371200 535Fee Waivers-----333471200 599Other Charges-----343571200 725Special Education Equipment14,14814,87223,71823,53923,4503536363771200TOTAL SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM95,381174,242265,436349,704435,67837383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 11MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51INSTRUCTION - 7100012VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (71300)2371300 116Teachers-----3471300 117Career Ladder Program-----4571300 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----5671300 162Clerical Personnel-----6771300 163Educational Assistants-----7871300 189Other Salaries & Wages-----8971300 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----91071300 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----101171300 201Social Security-----111271300 204State Retirement-----121371300 206Life Insurance-----131471300 207Medical Insurance-----141571300 208Dental Insurance-----151671300 210Unemployment Compensation-----161771300 212Employer Medicare-----171871300 299Other Fringe Benefits-----181971300 311Contracts W/Other School Systems-----192071300 330Operating Lease Payments-----202171300 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----212271300 356Tuition-----222371300 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----232471300 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----242571300 399Other Contracted Services-----252671300 429Instructional Supplies & Materials-----262771300 448T & I Construction Materials-----272871300 449Textbooks-----282971300 499Other Supplies & Materials-----293071300 535Fee Waivers-----303171300 599Other Charges-----313271300 730Vocational Instruction Equipment-----32333334343571300TOTAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM-----3536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 12MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51INSTRUCTION - 7100012STUDENT BODY EDUCATION PROGRAM (71400)233471400 189Other Salaries & Wages-----4571400 201Social Security-----5671400 204State Retirement-----6771400 206Life Insurance-----7871400 207Medical Insurance-----8971400 208Dental Insurance-----91071400 210Unemployment Compensation-----101171400 212Employer Medicare-----111271400 299Other Fringe Benefits-----121371400 399Other Contracted Services-----131471400 429Instructional Supplies and Materials-----141571400 449Textbooks-----151671400 499Other Supplies & Materials-----161771400 599Other Charges-----171871400 790Other Equipment-----1819192071400TOTAL STUDENT BODY EDUCATION PROGRAM-----2021212222232324242525262627272828292930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 13MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012STUDENTS (72100)23ATTENDANCE (72110)344572110 105Supervisor/Director-----5672110 117Career Ladder Program-----6772110 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----7872110 130Social Workers-----8972110 162Clerical Personnel-----91072110 189Other Salaries & Wages-----101172110 201Social Security-----111272110 204State Retirement-----121372110 206Life Insurance-----131472110 207Medical Insurance-----141572110 208Dental Insurance-----151672110 210Unemployment Compensation-----161772110 212Employer Medicare-----171872110 299Other Fringe Benefits-----181972110 317Data Processing Services-----192072110 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----202172110 355Travel-----212272110 399Other Contracted Services-----222372110 499Other Supplies & Materials-----232472110 524In-Service/Staff Development-----242572110 599Other Charges-----252672110 704Attendance Equipment-----26272728282972110TOTAL ATTENDANCE-----2930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 14MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012STUDENTS (72100)23HEALTH SERVICES (72120)344572120 131Medical Personnel-----5672120 189Other Salaries & Wages-----6772120 201Social Security-----7872120 204State Retirement-----8972120 206Life Insurance-----91072120 207Medical Insurance-----101172120 208Dental Insurance-----111272120 210Unemployment Compensation-----121372120 212Employer Medicare-----131472120 299Other Fringe Benefits-----141572120 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----151672120 355Travel-----161772120 399Other Contracted Services-----171872120 413Drugs & Medical Supplies-----181972120 499Other Supplies & Materials-----192072120 524In-Service/Staff Development-----202172120 599Other Charges-----212272120 735Health Equipment-----22232324242572120TOTAL HEALTH SERVICES-----25262627272828292930303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 15MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012STUDENTS (72100)23OTHER STUDENT SUPPORT (72130)3472130 117Career Ladder Program-----4572130 123Guidance Personnel-----5672130 124Psychological Personnel-----6772130 127Career Ladder - Extended Contracts-----7872130 130Social Workers-----8972130 135Assessment Personnel-----91072130 161Secretary(s)-----101172130 162Clerical Personnel-----111272130 164Attendants-----121372130 170School Resource Officer-----131472130 189Other Salaries & Wages-----141572130 201Social Security-----151672130 204State Retirement-----161772130 206Life Insurance-----171872130 207Medical Insurance-----181972130 208Dental Insurance-----192072130 210Unemployment Compensation-----202172130 212Employer Medicare-----212272130 299Other Fringe Benefits-----222372130 309Contracts with Government Agencies-----232472130 311Contracts with Other School Systems-----242572130 322Evaluation & Testing-----252672130 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----262772130 355Travel-----272872130 399Other Contracted Services15,17022,75530,34030,94731,566282972130 499Other Supplies & Materials28,38036,76045,14052,89960,115293072130 524In-Service/Staff Development-----303172130 599Other Charges-----313272130 790Other Equipment-----32333334343572130TOTAL OTHER STUDENT SUPPORT43,55059,51575,48083,84691,6813536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 16MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF (72200)23REGULAR INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (72210)3472210 105Supervisor/Director-----4572210 117Career Ladder Program-----5672210 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----6772210 129Librarian(s)-----7872210 132Material Supervisor(s)-----8972210 136Audiovisual Personnel-----91072210 137Education Media Personnel-----101172210 138Instructional Computer Personnel-----111272210 161Secretary(s)-----121372210 162Clerical Personnel-----131472210 163Educational Assistants-----141572210 189Other Salaries & Wages-----151672210 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----161772210 196In-Service Training-----171872210 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----181972210 201Social Security-----192072210 204State Retirement-----202172210 206Life Insurance-----212272210 207Medical Insurance-----222372210 208Dental Insurance-----232472210 210Unemployment Compensation-----242572210 212Employer Medicare-----252672210 299Other Fringe Benefits-----262772210 308Consultants-----272872210 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----282972210 355Travel-----293072210 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----303172210 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----313272210 399Other Contracted Services-----323372210 432Library Books/Media-----333472210 437Periodicals-----343572210 499Other Supplies & Materials-----353672210 524In Service/Staff Development10,00018,36027,05038,20346,545363772210 599Other Charges-----373872210 790Other Equipment-----3839394072210TOTAL REGULAR INSTRUCTION PROGRAM10,00018,36027,05038,20346,54540CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 17MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF (72200)23ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (72215)344572215 105Supervisor/Director-----5672215 117Career Ladder Program-----6772215 123Guidance Personnel-----7872215 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----8972215 129Librarian(s)-----91072215 138Instructional Computer Personnel-----101172215 161Secretary(s)-----111272215 162Clerical Personnel-----121372215 163Educational Assistants-----131472215 189Other Salaries & Wages-----141572215 196In-Service Training-----151672215 201Social Security-----161772215 204State Retirement-----171872215 206Life Insurance-----181972215 207Medical Insurance-----192072215 208Dental Insurance-----202172215 210Unemployment Compensation-----212272215 212Employer Medicare-----222372215 299Other Fringe Benefits-----232472215 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----242572215 355Travel-----252672215 399Other Contracted Services-----262772215 432Library Books/Media-----272872215 499Other Supplies & Materials-----282972215 524In Service/Staff Development-----293072215 599Other Charges-----303172215 790Other Equipment-----3132323372215TOTAL ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM-----333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 18MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF (72200)23SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (72220)344572220 105Supervisor/Director-----5672220 117Career Ladder Program-----6772220 124Psychological Personnel-----7872220 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----8972220 135Assessment Personnel-----91072220 161Secretary(s)-----101172220 162Clerical Personnel-----111272220 171Speech Pathologist-----121372220 189Other Salaries & Wages-----131472220 196In-Service Training-----141572220 201Social Security-----151672220 204State Retirement-----161772220 206Life Insurance-----171872220 207Medical Insurance-----181972220 208Dental Insurance-----192072220 210Unemployment Compensation-----202172220 212Employer Medicare-----212272220 299Other Fringe Benefits-----222372220 308Consultants-----232472220 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----242572220 355Travel-----252672220 399Other Contracted Services-----262772220 499Other Supplies & Materials-----272872220 524In Service/Staff Development-----282972220 599Other Charges-----293072220 790Other Equipment-----3031313272220TOTAL SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM-----3233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 19MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF (72200)23VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (72230)344572230 105Supervisor/Director-----5672230 117Career Ladder Program-----6772230 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----7872230 138Instructional Computer Personnel-----8972230 161Secretary(s)-----91072230 162Clerical Personnel-----101172230 189Other Salaries & Wages-----111272230 196In-Service Training-----121372230 201Social Security-----131472230 204State Retirement-----141572230 206Life Insurance-----151672230 207Medical Insurance-----161772230 208Dental Insurance-----171872230 210Unemployment Compensation-----181972230 212Employer Medicare-----192072230 299Other Fringe Benefits-----202172230 308Consultants-----212272230 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----222372230 355Travel-----232472230 399Other Contracted Services-----242572230 499Other Supplies & Materials-----252672230 524In Service/Staff Development-----262772230 599Other Charges-----272872230 790Other Equipment-----2829293072230TOTAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM-----303131323233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 20MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (72300)23BOARD OF EDUCATION (72310)3472310 118Secretary to Board-----4572310 189Other Salaries & Wages-----5672310 191Board and Committee Member Fees-----6772310 196In-Service Training-----7872310 201Social Security-----8972310 204State Retirement-----91072310 206Life Insurance-----101172310 207Medical Insurance-----111272310 208Dental Insurance-----121372310 210Unemployment Compensation-----131472310 212Employer Medicare-----141572310 299Other Fringe Benefits-----151672310 305Audit Services-----161772310 320Dues & Memberships-----171872310 331Legal Services-----181972310 348Postal Charges-----192072310 355Travel-----202172310 367Maintenance & Repair Services - Records-----212272310 399Other Contracted Services-----222372310 499Other Supplies & Materials-----232472310 505Judgments-----242572310 506Liability Insurance-----252672310 508Premium on Corporate Surety Bonds-----262772310 513Worker's Compensation Insurance-----272872310 524In Service/Staff Development-----282972310 533Criminal Investigation of Applicants TBI-----293072310 534Refund to Applicant for Criminal Investigation-----303172310 599Other Charges-----3132323372310TOTAL BOARD OF EDUCATION-----333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 21MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (72300)23OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT (72320)344572320 101County Official/Administrative Officer-----5672320 103Assistant(s)-----6772320 117Career Ladder Program-----7872320 161Secretary(s)-----8972320 162Clerical Personnel-----91072320 189Other Salaries & Wages-----101172320 196In-Service Training-----111272320 201Social Security-----121372320 204State Retirement-----131472320 206Life Insurance-----141572320 207Medical Insurance-----151672320 208Dental Insurance-----161772320 210Unemployment Compensation-----171872320 212Employer Medicare-----181972320 299Other Fringe Benefits-----192072320 307Communication-----202172320 320Dues & Memberships-----212272320 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----222372320 348Postal Charges-----232472320 355Travel-----242572320 399Other Contracted Services-----252672320 435Office Supplies-----262772320 499Other Supplies & Materials-----272872320 524In-Service/Staff Development-----282972320 599Other Charges-----293072320 701Administration Equipment-----3031313272320TOTAL OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT-----3233333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 22MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION (72400)23OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL (72410)344572410 104Principal(s)65,00066,30067,62668,97970,3585672410 117Career Ladder Program-----6772410 119Accountants/Bookkeepers-----7872410 127Career Ladder Extended Contracts-----8972410 139Assistant Principal(s)48,00048,96049,93950,93851,95791072410 161Secretary(s)-----101172410 162Clerical Personnel-----111272410 189Other Salaries & Wages50,000104,040106,121212,241216,486121372410 196In-Service Training-----131472410 201Social Security12,47016,77617,11225,41025,918141572410 204State Retirement15,22420,48320,89231,02431,644151672410 206Life Insurance-----161772410 207Medical Insurance13,19118,81920,13732,31934,581171872410 208Dental Insurance-----181972410 210Unemployment Compensation420560560840840192072410 212Employer Medicare-----202172410 299Other Fringe Benefits1,3151,6071,6382,1922,235212272410 307Communication2,4002,4482,4972,5472,598222372410 317Data Processing Services-----232472410 320Dues & Memberships-----242572410 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----252672410 348Postal Charges1,8001,8361,8731,9101,948262772410 355Travel5,0005,1005,2025,3065,412272872410 399Other Contracted Services-----282972410 411Data Processing Supplies-----293072410 435Office Supplies6,0006,1206,1206,1206,120303172410 499Other Supplies & Materials-----313272410 524In Service/Staff Development-----323372410 599Other Charges-----333472410 701Administration Equipment-----3435353672410TOTAL OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL220,820293,049299,717439,826450,097363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 23MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (72500)23FISCAL SERVICES (72510)344572510 105Supervisor/Director-----5672510 113Internal Audit Personnel-----6772510 119Accountants/Bookkeepers-----7872510 122Purchasing Personnel-----8972510 161Secretary(s)-----91072510 162Clerical Personnel-----101172510 189Other Salaries & Wages-----111272510 196In-Service Training-----121372510 201Social Security-----131472510 204State Retirement-----141572510 206Life Insurance-----151672510 207Medical Insurance-----161772510 208Dental Insurance-----171872510 210Unemployment Compensation-----181972510 212Employer Medicare-----192072510 299Other Fringe Benefits-----202172510 317Data Processing Services1,4002,5703,7875,3486,516212272510 320Dues & Memberships-----222372510 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----232472510 355Travel-----242572510 399Other Contracted Services17,50017,85018,20718,57118,943252672510 411Data Processing Supplies-----262772510 435Office Supplies-----272872510 499Other Supplies & Materials-----282972510 524In-Service/Staff Development-----293072510 599Other Charges40,00040,00040,00040,00040,000303172510 701Administration Equipment34,23562,51086,266106,426118,5153132323372510TOTAL FISCAL SERVICES93,135122,930148,260170,345183,974333434353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 24MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF PLANT (72600)23OPERATION OF PLANT (72610)344572610 105Supervisor/Director-----5672610 160Guards-----6772610 161Secretary(s)-----7872610 166Custodial Personnel-----8972610 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91072610 201Social Security-----101172610 204State Retirement-----111272610 206Life Insurance-----121372610 207Medical Insurance-----131472610 208Dental Insurance-----141572610 210Unemployment Compensation-----151672610 212Employer Medicare-----161772610 299Other Fringe Benefits-----171872610 328Janitorial Services12,15024,78637,92350,62062,957181972610 329Laundry Service-----192072610 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment9,0009,1809,3649,5519,742202172610 351Rentals76,950156,978240,176320,591398,727212272610 355Travel-----222372610 359Disposal Fees-----232472610 399Other Contracted Services12,15024,78637,92350,62062,957242572610 407Coal-----252672610 410Custodial Supplies-----262772610 415Electricity12,15024,78637,92350,62062,957272872610 423Fuel Oil-----282972610 434Natural Gas-----293072610 454Water & Sewer-----303172610 499Other Supplies & Materials-----313272610 501Boiler Insurance-----323372610 502Building & Content Insurance15,00018,00021,00024,00027,000333472610 524In-Service/Staff Development-----343572610 599Other Charges-----353672610 720Plant Operation Equipment-----3637373872610TOTAL OPERATION OF PLANT137,400258,516384,309506,001624,3403839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 25MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF PLANT (72600)23MAINTENANCE OF PLANT (72620)344572620 105Supervisor/Director-----5672620 161Secretary(s)-----6772620 167Maintenance Personnel-----7872620 189Other Salaries & Wages-----8972620 201Social Security-----91072620 204State Retirement-----101172620 206Life Insurance-----111272620 207Medical Insurance-----121372620 208Dental Insurance-----131472620 210Unemployment Compensation-----141572620 212Employer Medicare-----151672620 299Other Fringe Benefits-----161772620 307Communication9,0009,1809,3649,5519,742171872620 329Laundry Service-----181972620 335Maintenance & Repair Services - Building-----192072620 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----202172620 338Maintenance & Repair Services - Vehicles-----212272620 355Travel-----222372620 399Other Contracted Services-----232472620 418Equipment & Machinery Parts-----242572620 425Gasoline-----252672620 426General Construction Materials-----262772620 499Other Supplies & Materials-----272872620 511Vehicle and Equipment Insurance-----282972620 524In-Service/Staff Development-----293072620 599Other Charges1,2001,2241,2481,0491,070303172620 701Administration Equipment-----313272620 717Maintenance Equipment-----3233333472620TOTAL MAINTENANCE OF PLANT10,20010,40410,61210,60010,81234353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 26MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012STUDENT TRANSPORTATION (72700)23TRANSPORTATION (72710)3472710 105Supervisor/Director-----4572710 142Mechanic(s)-----5672710 146Bus Drivers-----6772710 162Clerical Personnel-----7872710 189Other Salaries & Wages-----8972710 196In-Service Training-----91072710 201Social Security-----101172710 204State Retirement-----111272710 206Life Insurance-----121372710 207Medical Insurance-----131472710 208Dental Insurance-----141572710 210Unemployment Compensation-----151672710 212Employer Medicare-----161772710 299Other Fringe Benefits-----171872710 307Communication-----181972710 311Contracts with Other School Systems-----192072710 312Contracts with Private Agencies-----202172710 313Contracts with Parents-----212272710 314Contracts with Public Carriers-----222372710 315Contracts with Vehicle Owners-----232472710 329Laundry Service-----242572710 338Maintenance & Repair Service-Vehicles-----252672710 340Medical and Dental Services-----262772710 351Rentals-----272872710 355Travel-----282972710 399Other Contracted Services-----293072710 412Diesel Fuel-----303172710 418Equipment & Machinery Parts-----313272710 424Garage Supplies-----323372710 425Gasoline-----333472710 433Lubricants-----343572710 450Tires & Tubes-----353672710 453Vehicle Parts-----363772710 499Other Supplies & Materials-----373872710 511Vehicle & Equipment Insurance-----383972710 524In-Service/Staff Development-----394072710 599Other Charges-----404172710 701Administration Equipment-----414272710 729Transportation Equipment-----424372710TOTAL TRANSPORTATION-----43CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 27MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51SUPPORT SERVICES - 7200012OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES (72800)23CENTRAL AND OTHER (72810)344572810 105Supervisor/Director-----5672810 120Computer Programmer(s)-----6772810 121Data Processing Personnel-----7872810 162Clerical Personnel-----8972810 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91072810 196In-Service Training-----101172810 201Social Security-----111272810 204State Retirement-----121372810 206Life Insurance-----131472810 207Medical Insurance-----141572810 208Dental Insurance-----151672810 210Unemployment Compensation-----161772810 212Employer Medicare-----171872810 299Other Fringe Benefits-----181972810 308Consultants-----192072810 317Data Processing Services-----202172810 330Operating Lease Payments-----212272810 336Maintenance & Repair Service Equipment-----222372810 355Travel-----232472810 399Other Contracted Services-----242572810 411Data Processing Supplies-----252672810 435Office Supplies-----262772810 499Other Supplies & Materials-----272872810 524In Service/Staff Development-----282972810 599Other Charges20,00020,40020,80821,22421,649293072810 701Administration Equipment-----303172810 709Data Processing Equipment-----313272810 790Other Equipment-----3233333472810TOTAL CENTRAL AND OTHER20,00020,40020,80821,22421,6493435353672000TOTAL SUPPORT SERVICES EXPENDITURES535,105783,174966,2361,270,0471,429,098363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 28MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51OPERATION OF NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SERV. (73000)12FOOD SERVICE (73100)2373100 105Supervisor/Director-----3473100 117Career Ladder Program-----4573100 119Accountants/Bookkeepers-----5673100 162Clerical Personnel-----6773100 165Cafeteria Personnel-----7873100 189Other Salaries & Wages-----8973100 196In-Service Training-----91073100 201Social Security-----101173100 204State Retirement-----111273100 206Life Insurance-----121373100 207Medical Insurance-----131473100 208Dental Insurance-----141573100 210Unemployment Compensation-----151673100 212Employer Medicare-----161773100 299Other Fringe Benefits-----171873100 307Communication-----181973100 329Laundry Service-----192073100 330Operating Lease Payments-----202173100 336Maintenance & Repair Service Equipment-----212273100 342Payments to Schools-Breakfast-----222373100 343Payments to Schools-Lunch-----232473100 344Payments to Schools-Other-----242573100 345Payments to Schools-Other USDA-----252673100 348Postal Charges-----262773100 354Transportation - Other Than Students-----272873100 355Travel-----282973100 399Other Contracted Services-----293073100 421Food Preparation Supplies-----303173100 422Food Supplies2,1604,3206,4808,48010,340313273100 435Office Supplies-----323373100 451Uniforms-----333473100 452Utilities-----343573100 499Other Supplies & Materials-----353673100 524In Service/Staff Development-----363773100 599Other Charges-----373873100 710Food Service Equipment-----3839394073100TOTAL FOOD SERVICE2,1604,3206,4808,48010,34040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 29MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51OPERATION OF NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SERV (73000)12COMMUNITY SERVICES (73300)233473300 105Supervisor/Director-----4573300 116Teachers-----5673300 117Career Ladder Program-----6773300 162Clerical Personnel-----7873300 163Educational Assistant(s)-----8973300 169Part time Personnel-----91073300 189Other Salaries & Wages-----101173300 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----111273300 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----121373300 201Social Security-----131473300 204State Retirement-----141573300 206Life Insurance-----151673300 207Medical Insurance-----161773300 208Dental Insurance-----171873300 210Unemployment Compensation-----181973300 212Employer Medicare-----192073300 299Other Fringe Benefits-----202173300 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----212273300 355Travel-----222373300 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----232473300 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----242573300 399Other Contracted Services-----252673300 422Food Supplies-----262773300 429Instructional Supplies & Materials-----272873300 499Other Supplies & Materials-----282973300 509Refunds-----293073300 524In Service/Staff Development-----303173300 599Other Charges-----313273300 790Other Equipment-----3233333473300TOTAL COMMUNITY SERVICES-----34353536363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 30MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51OPERATION OF NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SERV (73000)12EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (73400)233473400 105Supervisor/Director-----4573400 116Teachers-----5673400 117Career Ladder Program-----6773400 162Clerical Personnel-----7873400 163Educational Assistant(s)-----8973400 189Other Salaries & Wages-----91073400 195Certified Substitute Teachers-----101173400 198Non-Certified Substitute Teachers-----111273400 201Social Security-----121373400 204State Retirement-----131473400 206Life Insurance-----141573400 207Medical Insurance-----151673400 208Dental Insurance-----161773400 210Unemployment Compensation-----171873400 212Employer Medicare-----181973400 299Other Fringe Benefits-----192073400 310Contracts W/Other Public Agencies-----202173400 311Contracts W/Other School Systems-----212273400 312Contracts W/Private Agencies-----222373400 336Maintenance & Repair Services - Equipment-----232473400 355Travel-----242573400 369Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Certified-----252673400 370Contracts for Substitute Teachers - Non-Certified-----262773400 399Other Contracted Services-----272873400 422Food Supplies-----282973400 429Instructional Supplies & Materials-----293073400 499Other Supplies & Materials-----303173400 509Refunds-----313273400 524In Service/Staff Development-----323373400 599Other Charges-----333473400 790Other Equipment-----3435353673400TOTAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION-----363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 31MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51CAPITAL OUTLAY (76000)12REGULAR CAPITAL OUTLAY (76100)233476100 189Other Salaries and Wages-----4576100 201Social Security-----5676100 204State Retirement-----6776100 206Life Insurance-----7876100 207Medical Insurance-----8976100 208Dental Insurance-----91076100 210Unemployment Compensation-----101176100 212Employer Medicare-----111276100 299Other Fringe Benefits-----121376100 304Architects-----131476100 308Consultants-----141576100 321Engineering Services-----151676100 331Legal Services-----161776100 399Other Contracted Services-----171876100 706Building Construction-----181976100 707Building Improvements-----192076100 715Land-----202176100 724Site Development-----212276100 799Other Capital Outlay-----2223232476100TOTAL REGULAR CAPITAL OUTLAY-----24252526DEBT SERVICE (80000)2627EDUCATION DEBT SERVICE (80000)2728PRINCIPAL (82130)282982130 601Principal on Bonds-----293082130 602Principal on Notes-----303182130 610Principal on Capitalized Leases-----313282130 612Principal on Other Loans Payable-----323382130 620Principal on Debt Service Contribution to Primary Government-----3334INTEREST (82230)--343582230 603Interest on Bonds-----353682230 604Interest on Notes-----363782330 611Interest on Capitalized Leases-----373882330 613Interest on Other Loans Payable-----383982130 620Interest on Debt Service Contribution to Primary Government-----3940OTHER DEBT SERVICE (82330)404182330 699Other Debt Service-----4142424380000TOTAL EDUCATION DEBT SERVICE-----43CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 32MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51CAPITAL PROJECTS (90000)12EDUCATION CAPITAL PROJECTS (91300)233491300 189Other Salaries & Wages-----4591300 201Social Security-----5691300 204State Retirement-----6791300 206Life Insurance-----7891300 207Medical Insurance-----8991300 208Dental Insurance-----91091300 210Unemployment Compensation-----101191300 212Employer Medicare-----111291300 304Architects-----121391300 308Consultants-----131491300 321Engineering Services-----141591300 325Fiscal Agent Charges-----151691300 331Legal Services-----161791300 399Other Contracted Services-----171891300 701Administration Equipment-----181991300 704Attendance Equipment-----192091300 706Building Construction-----202191300 707Building Improvements-----212291300 709Data Processing Equipment-----222391300 710Food Service Equipment-----232491300 711Furniture & Fixtures-----242591300 715Land-----252691300 717Maintenance Equipment-----262791300 720Plant Operation Equipment-----272891300 722Regular Instruction Equipment-----282991300 724Site Development-----293091300 725Special Education Equipment-----303191300 730Vocational Instr Equipment-----313291300 735Health Equipment-----323391300 790Other Equipment-----333491300 799Other Capital Outlay-----3435353691300TOTAL EDUCATION CAPITAL PROJECTS-----363737383839394040CHARTER SCHOOL FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGETPage 33MEMPHIS RISE ACADEMYACCOUNTEXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)NO.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 51OTHER USES (99000)12TRANSFERS (99100)233499100 590Transfers Out (complete schedule below)-----4556677899000TOTAL OTHER USES-----8991010111112730000GRAND TOTAL EXPENDITURES (APPROPRIATIONS)1,057,1031,759,0042,523,0333,385,9404,062,377121313141415151616171718181919202021SCHEDULE OF TRANSFERS21222223FUND #PURPOSEFROM FUNDTO FUNDAMOUNT23242425Basic Education Program (BEP)809,0012526Title I Reimbursements29,1602627Federal Lunch Program-2728-2829-2930-3031-3132-3233-3334-3435-3536-3637-3738-3839-3940-40Attachment 10: Budget Narrative Introduction While the MCS application submission format requires a five-year financial outlook, Memphis Rise Academy has prepared a 10-year outlook to ensure that long-term viability. This is especially useful because we do not reach scale until Y7 of operations. The 10-year outlook is available upon request at any time. Sections below are organized around enrollment and student assumptions, an overview of revenue and expense assumptions, discussion of sustainability, cash flow, and finally, contingency plans.Enrollment and ADM Assumptions As outlined in Figure 10.01, we have built a five-year financial outlook on the following enrollment plan. Figure 10.01: Five-year Enrollment PlanGrade LevelNumber of StudentsYear 12014-2015Year 22015-2016Year 32016-2017Year 42017-2018Year 52018-2019At capacity 2020-20216108108108108108108710810810810810881081081081089100100100109393We plan on recruiting heavily in the neighborhoods of Northeast Memphis prior to each grade roll out. We will backfill as necessary from, if available, an ordered wait list, ensuring full enrollment based on total attrition to ensure that each existing grade level maintains 108 enrollment during the middle school years. We expect many students will enter behind grade level and in need of significant remediation, which we provide in the middle school. Our goal of college preparedness for all students centers on our ability to provide a foundational education in middle school to prepare students for a rigorous high school curriculum and methods which we detail throughout this proposal. Therefore, after honest reflection on our mission, we intend to matriculate students into our high school directly from the middle school.For Basic Education Program (BEP) projections, we have taken a conservative approach and hedged enrollment assumptions by estimating average daily membership (ADM) or average enrollment at 95% of entering enrollment each year. This gives some safety with respect to revenue expectations, should enrollment not meet initial projections. Conservative when compared to similar schools in Memphis, ADM projections are: Y1 – 103; Y2 – 205; Y3 – 308; Y4 – 403; Y5 – 491. For expense projections, we have leveraged enrollment, not ADM, as driver for expenses. By differentiating BEP drivers for BEP and student-driven spending, we limit the over-estimation of revenue and the under-estimation of expense.Other Demographic Factors Memphis Rise Academy anticipates that the demographics of existing schools in the neighborhood will persist in the new charter school. With this underlying rationale, our school has assumed the following:80% of students will qualify for free or reduced lunch12-18% of the students will be considered English Language Learners12% of the student population will have an active IEPDemographic factors have revenue and expense implications, described in greater detail below.Revenue Assumptions During the start-up or planning year, we anticipate three sources of funding. First is the Charter Schools Program grant, the federal grant administered by the TN DOE for new charter schools. Based on information from the Charter School Office at the TN DOE, there will be approximately $2.5MM available for planning year grants for schools authorized in April 2013, including applicants to the ASD and other LEAs; together, 12 awards of at least $150,000 are anticipated. While there are approximately 38 LOIs submitted this spring to other authorizers throughout TN, not including applicants to the ASD, we expect to be competitive, and have included an estimated planning award for $150,000. Subject to charter school approval, we will be submitting an application for funding in August 2013.The second source of funding is the Walton Family Foundation (WFF) startup grant. The WFF has committed to an award of $220,000 in the greater Memphis area during the 2013-14 FY which has been earmarked for Memphis Rise Academy, upon charter approval. Through partnership between Building Excellent Schools, Memphis Rise Academy has received the first $30,000 award for pre-authorization needs. The second grant is incorporated into the start-up year budget, while the first has been conservatively left out under the assumption that these funds will be expended before charter approval.The third source of funding is a commitment from our founding board to raise $30,000 in the planning year and each year thereafter, as designated in a statement of commitment found in Appendix F.During Y1, Memphis Rise Academy anticipates the following four public sources of funding: BEP -$7,585; Title I - $300; BEP Capital - $300. In Y2 - 5, we assume conservative 1% annual increase of BEP and BEP Capital, smaller than observed growth of BEP over the last years. Title I is kept flat in light of recent trends and developments with the federal budget. There is no assumption of National School Lunch Program reimbursements as we will be pursuing contracted meal and meal claim services with Memphis City Schools, in which MCS offers food services to schools at $0 cost because MCS keeps federal reimbursements and provides a scaled solution. In Y1-5, we incorporate a $30,000 per year assumption, consisting of anticipated donations, fundraising, and competitively awarded grants. Most existing charter schools in TN have been observed to bring in at least $25,000 in fundraising, donations, and grants. Given the amount of philanthropic resources in Memphis, we expect that the $30,000 in each year, starting in Y1, is conservative and realistic. Our founding team has included a board commitment letter located in Appendix F to raise this sum annually.Overall, Memphis Rise Academy is anticipating total revenues for Y1 to equal $868,000. Annual revenues are anticipated to increase each year chiefly due to the adding of new grade levels each year for six years following the opening year. In Y5, anticipated total revenues should exceed $4.20 MM.Expense Assumptions Startup ExpensesStartup expenses are related to staff and student recruitment. The startup budget assumes $30,000 to contract with the Head of School to hire employees and recruit students. There is an additional $15,000 to contract with individuals to assist the Head of School in these two goals. In addition, our school has budgeted a total of $33,000 for promotion, student recruitment events, general office supplies staff recruitment trips and postings, and professional development related to continued school planning work led by the Head of School. The proposed Head of School will complete leadership residencies at high- performing BES charter middle-high schools during the planning year, such as Freedom Preparatory Academy and Liberty Collegiate Academy in TN and Democracy Preparatory Endurance in NY.StaffingOur staffing structure establishes a base set of administrative positions in Y1 along with a first cohort of teachers to serve grade 6, and then specific student-related positions scale with size of the student body.Figure 10.02: Staffing Plan Y1 – Y5Y1Y2Y3Y4Y5Grades Served66-76-86-96-10AdministrationHead of School11111Director of Curriculum and Instruction01122Director of Operations11111Dean of Students11111Operational StaffOperational Fellows23344Instructional Team Core Subject TeachersMiddle School Teaching Staff612191919High School English Teachers12High School Math Teachers12High School Social Studies Teachers12High School Latin Teachers12High School Science Teachers12High School Visual Arts Teachers11High School PE/Wellness Teacher11High School Music Education Teacher1SpecialistsStudent Supports Coordinator (Director of Special Education andSpecial Education Teacher)11111Additional Special Education Teachers-1234Literacy Coordinator00111Total1221304047Enrollment108216324424517Teacher : Student Ratio1:151:151:151:131:13This pattern of growth extends through grade 12, adding on average five (5) teachers per grade in high school until our school reaches scale. A number of operational areas that would otherwise have a staffing requirement are built into the budget under the assumption that we will outsource support from established vendors and providers. These include business/finance, custodial, security, and IT pensationSalaries and hourly rates are indexed against existing compensation trends in Memphis. For various administrative and support roles, we incorporate compensation assumptions informed by the industry standard. Teaching staff salaries were developed with a more targeted approach of being competitive in Memphis: the average starting teacher salary starts at $45,000 for Memphis Rise Academy. A 2% year- over-year increase has been applied to all future year salaries and hourly rates. The inclusion of the 2% year-over-year increase is not meant to imply a culture of guaranteed compensation increases regardless of performance, but rather to ensure that Memphis Rise Academy has adequately planned for possible increases in general. One notable item exception to the above assumptions regarding the compensation is that the Head of School is being paid below market rate, with the salary starting at $65,000 in Y1. Memphis Rise Academy’s proposed Board of Directors and its proposed Head of School understand that this rate is ~$15,000 less than the starting salary of the leader of a comparably sized charter school in Memphis. The proposed Head of School is committed to leveraging his salary, especially in Memphis Rise Academy’s early years, to help provide financial assistance to Memphis Rise Academy’s overall instructional and operational viability. To mitigate against the risk of the Head of School becoming incapacitated and unable to lead our school, we have budgeted an appropriate amount of Key Maninsurance that will pay out in the unlikely event that Memphis Rise Academy needs to locate a new Head of School and will need to adjust compensation to reflect market rate. Based on leader performance and revenue stream, we will adjust the base pay accordingly in all additional years.Employer Benefits and LiabilitiesWe assume the standard 6.2% and 1.45% on all wages each year for Social Security and Medicare employer contributions. State unemployment is budgeted at 2.0% for the first $7,000 per staff member; the actual % is generally established school rating. Workers compensation, usually purchased in conjunction with general liability and D&O insurance, is estimated at 0.5% of total compensation; this will be adjusted based on organization rating, number of claims, etc. For purposes of estimating employer contributions to TCRS for certificated and classified staff, we assume starting rates of 8.88% and 9.34%, respectively. This matches current contribution rates for MCS, with the understanding that Memphis Rise Academy must comply with TN Annotated Code 49-13-119. Health, dental, vision, and life insurance employer contributions are approximated at $4,397 per full time equivalent (FTE). Understanding the requirements under TN annotated Code 49-13-119, that Memphis Rise Academy must offer participation in the same insurance programs at the LEA, that there may be different costs associated for certificated and classified insurance programs, and that there may be different costs depending on the type of plan participation (single, single+1, and family), the $4,397 per FTE represented our proposed financial capacity to contribute towards insurance costs and this may mean that there is some sort of employee contribution as well. Given the number of drivers that will go into the final cost, we feel this is a prudent approach to determining budget feasibility. In years 2 and beyond, an assumed 7% year-over-year increase has been assumed to reflect potential health insurance cost escalations out of pace with inflation.Contracted ServicesContracted services will scale with the overall school size, starting at approximately $136,000 and growing to ? $222,000 in Y5. Major expenses that will be covered in this category in the first year are:$40,000 – flat estimate to outsource finance, payroll, and back office tasks$20,000 – flat estimate for recruiting staff year over year$20,000 – flat estimate of $20,000 per year to utilize the Achievement Network$10,000 – assumes $1000 per FTE in contracted staff development$10,000 – reserve for legal servicesIn addition, our school plans on incurring additional expenses that, while minimal in materiality to the budget, remain critical to successful operation. Contracted expenses include but are not limited to: audit expense, assessment costs, travel, conferences, board retreats, internet service, postage, and food supplies.ConsultantsMemphis Rise Academy anticipates spending ?$30,000 in Y1 on consultants, with this expense approximately scaling to enrollment. Operational fellows are current college students, graduate students or recent college graduates interested in education. Fellows are stipended employees. Drivers here are:$15,000 – assumes that we will contract 2 Operational Fellows @ $7500 per position$14,000 – anticipates that we will spend $1,100 per student with an IEP; this rate is much higher than is historically spent by Memphis charter schools but reflects conservatism in the manner in which the district has been shifting cost back to the schoolsSupplies & MaterialsY1 has approximately $96,000 budgeted and then scales at a rate moderately below growth in enrollment as some expenses contained herein are fixed year over year and only subject to a modest inflation factor.Y1 expenses that lead growth in the expense category over the remaining years are:$24,000 – expects $224/student on copier usage, most of curriculum being developed in house$12,000 – assumes $1.5.sq ft for electrical and gas use in the facility$12,000 – flat estimate to purchase the extended reader library$9,000 – expects we will spend $1,300 per certificated position on classroom suppliesWe also expect to spend less money in other important categories including textbooks, office supplies, copier leases, building maintenance, phone service, and security service.Other ExpensesMemphis Rise Academy does not foresee any expense that falls into this category.FacilitiesMemphis Rise Academy has performed extensive due diligence to arrive at facility assumptions. Initial analyses of the target zone in which we hope to open have indicated that our school can achieve an ideal facility in the target zone for an annual rent in the range of $5-8.5 per square foot (see attachment).The Y1 cost per square foot in the submitted budget model for facility cost is $9.50 per square foot, which represents a considerable amount of conservatism when compared to the facilities that Memphis Rise Academy has looked at utilizing to date, several options of which are reflected in Attachment 6.One element that drives this conservatism is the belief that our school can grow into a facility and pay rent on an “as utilized” basis. This model has been successfully deployed in several existing charter schools and is the ideal through which our school would execute its facility plan. In the event that we cannot come to terms on a lease that operates on an “as utilized” basis, the model has conservatism built in that would allow us to rent a facility that would fit its needs for 2-3 years and then require a move to expand the square footage available.Technology, Equipment & FurnitureMemphis Rise Academy will spend approximately $71,000 in the first year of operation, on fixed assets, with technology ($41,000) and Furniture ($28,000) composing the bulk of the expenses. We include a maintenance figure to maintain furniture and technology in good working order in this expense category.Building & Site ImprovementsThere is no assumption on substantial site improvements. All up-front site improvements to bring a facility up to specifications are assumed to be incorporated into the lease and/or maintenance fees in the facility. This is part of the conservatism built into the facility cost on a square foot basis.DepreciationGiven the size of expenses within technology, equipment, & furniture and building & site improvements, there is likely going to be some sort of depreciation expense. While expenses will be paid in their respective years, to approximate the potential depreciated impact of these expenses, we have also included a calculated depreciation expense, operating income incorporating depreciation, and the impact on fund balance. Depreciation treatment also allows for a more expansive treatment of expenses that may otherwise have utility over multiple years. For simplicity purposes, technology, equipment, & furniture expenses have been depreciated each year over five years and building & site improvements over 10 years, notwithstanding the expenses actually meeting the adopted depreciation threshold.Financial SustainabilityReviewing projected operating income over the first five years, we experience a significant operating loss of -$189,000 in Y1 of operation. This loss is expected and common for a school in Y1 of operations and is offset by operating income of $322,000 in the start-up year. When considered in the whole, the combination of the start up and first year of operation leaves our school with a positive ending fundbalance of approximately $133,000 which excludes depreciation. Memphis Rise Academy continues to experience negative operating income in Y2 of -$37,000. This second year loss does not jeopardize the fundamental structural strength of the school, with an ending fund balance in Y2 of $97,000.While these ending fund balances remain positive and do not put Memphis Rise Academy in any fundamental danger of financial insolvency, they will most likely require strategies to address cash shortages as discussed below.In Y3, Y4, and Y5, our school posts operating income of $70,000, $31,000, and $137,000, respectively. Over the entire ten-year period that our school has modeled, our school does not have negative operating income following year 2, leaving us in a position of financial strength.Memphis Rise Academy forecasts to have good fundamental financials. Our forecasted ending fund balance, excluding depreciation, in year 5 is $335,000. This number indicates a total cash reserve equal to 8% of the total annual expense base.Cash FlowA cash flow has been provided for the period of July 2014 through June 2015. Revenue and expenses have been aligned to typical schedules of distribution, and where possible, schedules have been differentiated to reflect the nature of how Tennessee charter schools receive and spend money based on the time of the year. The cash flow assumes the major following assumptions:Memphis Rise Academy will start out with $322,000 in cash, or the carryover from the startup budget year.The main source of revenue, BEP, will be distributed August through May, which is the typical distribution schedule.Other sources like Title I and IDEA funding have been projected conservatively at the quarterly interval to account for processing of funding requests, any compliance documents, etc.Almost all staffing and benefit expenses are projected over 12 months, with the exception of select staff whose schedules align more with the instructional calendar and less the fiscal year.Most expense categories are aligned to a 12-month schedule with some targeted spending to occur in July and August to align with expenses incurred when the school is opening up, particularly heavy on the supplies & materials and technology, equipment & furniture.The output of this model indicates that Memphis Rise Academy will have no cash need in Y1 of operations. This conclusion carries a high degree of certainty as the lowest the forecasted cash balance goes is $141,000.Even though there is not a Y2 cash flow available, we could potentially face a cash flow issue in the very beginning of the second operating fiscal year. The current forecast for ending cash at the end of Y1 is$141,000. Given the known issue with BEP payments not being produced in July of Y2, we will be faced with meeting all July operating expenses (which it is estimated will be just less than $147,000) with our ending cash balance. These numbers would indicate that Memphis Rise Academy will face an operating cash shortfall in Y2 around $6,000 in July of its second year. Additionally, the absence of a July BEP payment could create similar or even somewhat larger shortfalls in July of Y3 and Y4. Memphis Rise Academy would plan on utilizing the following techniques to bridge this potential cash shortfall:Establish a line of credit with a financial institution. Similar schools have been able to secure lines of credit in excess of $125,000 before entering their first year of operation.Negotiate more extensive terms with vendors. There are considerable sums in Technology, Equipment, and Furniture line item for Y2. It is estimated that over 80% of that purchase would require delivery in July. As part of the negotiations for these substantial purchases, our school would require that the vendors grant Net 60 terms.Build a delayed or deferred payment structure into the lease during the “lean” summer months.Secure short-term private loans from philanthropic individuals.Memphis Rise Academy’s cash shortfall would be manageable based upon the above techniques. These techniques have been utilized at other schools and businesses with great effect.Contingency PlanningThe question has been raised around what our school would do should certain things not materialize, expenses run higher than the current budget projections, or the cash flow runs into issues. From a planning perspective, wherever possible, our school has tried to take the approach of under-estimating revenue and over-estimating expense. This buffer already built into the current budget outlook is the first line of defense should some additional developments take place that worsen the financial picture. The extent to which non-budgeted revenue can also address new developments should not be overlooked.Memphis Rise Academy has taken the strategy of not assuming any additional resources beyond CSP and modest private fundraising in start-up and Year 1, but it is not unrealistic that Memphis Rise Academy might receive more in CSP funding and should be able to bring in additional grants and the impetus might be enhanced by the actual need. To date, our school has already engaged with some of the largest philanthropic funders in the charter school space and there is a great deal of optimism that Memphis Rise Academy’s mission and proven instructional model will bring additional and substantial monies to support its future operations.The budget developed is a feasibility analysis based on the program and school design being proposed, but not necessarily the final operating budget; the budget will continue to evolve and change over the next year. If there was material revision on the revenue or expense side, the budget would have to be reevaluated and redeveloped. The startup budget might have to be tailored to come in line with the available startup resources or be reduced so as to generate a larger startup year carryover into Y1. Given its size share of the budget, the staffing plan would likely have to be reevaluated given the reduced resources; positions might have to be reduced to part-time or delayed to a later year. Certain equipment and furniture purchases might have to be delayed. Service contracts might have to be renegotiated for a reduced scope.Looking at the five-year outlook, Memphis Rise Academy’s biggest challenge is going to be in the first year. However, our school is committed to having a positive fund balance in Y1, and that commitment is what will drive budget decisions and budget revisions to address any potential shortfalls. Similarly, with the cash flow, our school is going to evaluate all available financing options. In addition to pursuing a line of credit, we are going to pursue vendor credit, credit cards, and any options available that can give our school additional breathing room in its cash needs. Cash flow is affected by a school’s budget, and if the budget has been built conservatively, the cash flow will follow a similar line of conservatism.Attachment 11: Insurance _1323975156239Attachment 12: Waivers _Tennessee Charter Law, § 49-13-105, permits “the sponsor of a proposed public charter school [to] apply to either the LEA or to the commissioner of education for a waiver of any state board rule or statute that inhibits or hinders the proposed charter school's ability to meets its goals or comply with its mission statement.”The Tennessee Board of Education has promulgated rules around the submission of waivers.All waiver requests shall be submitted in writing to the commissioner by the sponsor of the proposed charter school no later than sixty (60) days prior to the school’s intention to implement the waiver if granted.All waiver requests shall include a listing of the specific state board rule or state requested to be waived.All waivers requested shall include the missions and goals of the charter school filed with the local board of education pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-13-107.All waiver requests shall include detailed documentation of the grounds for requesting the waiver and specific evidence showing how the state board rule or statute currently inhibits or hinders the proposed charter school’s ability to meet its goals or comply with its mission statement.Memphis Rise Academy applies for the following waivers of state statutes and board rulings upon the authorization of its charter to be able to fully implement its operational and instructional plan.State StatuteDescription of StatuteProposed Replacement Policy or PracticeHow will waiver of this statute help student achievement?49-5-702-713and 49-5-806-810LeaveIn carrying out our mission and goals we need the flexibility to establish our own school calendar, salaries, and leave. This state board rule requires that “local boards of education shall provide the required local contribution from public school funds for payment of substitute teachers.” To ensure that we maintain a consistent academic and behavioral culture across classrooms and across the school, Memphis Rise Academy does not intend to hire substitute teachers.This will allow us to develop internally staffing plans for coverage issues on which we can rely to provide a consistent academic environment for our students.49-5-401Teacher AssignmentMemphis Rise Academy will utilize an extended schedule, including increased instructional, as well as professional development hours and Saturday School hours. Teachers will receive compensation commensurate with the increased work hours.Additionally, Memphis Rise Academy operates with an extended school year of up to 190 days and an extended school day from 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Our provision of extended time and an extended school calendar, maximized for effectiveness by our staff, is one of the key elements to providing our students an excellent college preparatory education.49-3-306(a)Licensed Personnel SalariesThis statute requires specific needs for licensed personnel to be paid on a set structure based on factors such as education and experience. Memphis Rise Academy proposes to pay staff with adequate and timely usage of budgeted financial resources, with incentives for longevity through pay increases and promotion made possible through the acquisition of excellent results.It is in the best interest of our school going forward to be able to determine our pay structure as it aligns to our organizational model, to be able to put the right people into the right roles and adequately compensate them for their work for student achievement.49-5-501-513TenureMemphis Rise Academy employees will all be “at- will.”This allows us to maintain flexibility within our hiring and retention policies as it best aligns to producing student results.49-6-3004School Year CommencementMemphis Rise Academy’s yearly calendar will start before Labor Day.We plan for essential diagnostic testing, cultural expectation setting, and curricular baselines to be set in the month of August to provide an excellent start to the school year and set our students on the track to success.49-6-2206Use of Unapproved TextbooksTo meet the potential of our school, it is essential that we tie our curriculum and instructional approaches to our individual school’s mission and goals. Memphis Rise Academy will use both state- approved textbooks and other unapproved instructional materialsIt is important to supplement our internally created curriculum with resources as necessary to meet the various needs of our students; our assessment of these resources may often include a desired purchase that is not state approved but is in the specific interests of our students.49-6-403(2)(a)Attendance and Length of TermThis statute states that no senior high school may beestablished and maintained with fewer than three hundred (300) pupils in attendance. Our slowThe slow growth modelallows us to build a school of excellentgrowth model will establish a high school with fewer than this number in the school’s first three years (projected).quality for the students it serves and ensures fiscal health while maintaining a manageable school and staff size as we build our rigorous instructional program46-6-4012Formulation and Administration of Behavior and Discipline CodesMemphis Rise Academy has crafted a personalized set of behavior and discipline codes that is different from Shelby County Schools or Memphis City Schools in those areas not designated by legal requirements. Our discipline code, most clearly denoted in our Student Handbook, includes implementation and teaching of our REACH values specifically referenced in our mission and goals.This statute could prohibit our use of the REACH values, and we respectfully request a waiver.Our REACH value system, with ambition at its core and supported by values which develop students who have the self-efficacy to pursue their ambitions, is designed to fit our school culture and our academic program.49-3-311Capital OutlayThis statute could prohibit us from acquiring capital outlay for a facility, as it does not make exceptions for any waivers that a school may have received.Having this freedom will allow us to use our school site resources most efficiently and effectively and align our building choices with our mission and goals.49-6-1003Bicycle Safety CurriculumThis statute requires the principal to spend 15 minutes per week instructing students in bicycle safety. Memphis Rise Academy has built a highly structured daily and weekly schedule aligned to meet its ambitious mission which does not allow for this time.15 minutes per week on bycycle safety amounts to 510 minutes of instructional time in a year. We believe that this is detrimental to our ability to maximize our extended school day in the core instructional areas.49-6-2004Custody of School PropertyMemphis Rise Academy operates its own facility and maintains a separate board than the county board of education. Memphis Rise Academy needs to maintain custody of school property to effectively carry out our mission including textbooks, student furniture, etc.Having this control will allow us to make decisions which best benefit our students, families, and staff regarding our resource usage.State Board RuleDescription of RuleProposed Replacement Rule or PracticeHow will waiver of this rule help student achievement?0520-01-02-.02Salary SchedulesThe State Board Ruling sets stringent requirements for teacher pay along a scale. Memphis Rise Academy proposes to pay staff with adequate and timely usage of budgeted financial resources, with incentives for longevity through pay increases and promotion made possible through the acquisition of excellent results.Our school thrives on teachers’ ability to build their effectiveness in curriculum delivery, as well as to build relationships with students in our advisory program. We want to develop teachers into long- time members of our staff to best benefit our students in these two critical areas.0520-01-02-.03Employment StandardsWe employ an organizational structure different from that of traditional schools and one that does not readily fit into the State Rules surrounding Employment Standards. We do not have a person who operates under the traditional principal role. Our organizational structure also is based on an administrative structure that calls for someone within the school specifically tasked with the job of operations. According to our administrative structure this person may have teachers or other employees report to them with respect to operations of the school, which would not be allowed under the State Board Rule.Memphis Rise Academy has set ambitious goals around student achievement. To this end, we recruit, hire, and train the best educators to work within our schools. We want our staffing structure to reflect our desire for efficiency and division of duties with the mission of seamless student achievement in mind.0520-1-2-.03(6)Licensure of PrincipalsTennessee Board Rule states that “No person shall be employed as principal, teacher or supervisor of any public elementary or high school by any local school district, or receive any pay for such services out of the public school funds of such local school district until the person presents to the director of schools a valid license as prescribed in this part.” This inhibits our ability to locate non-licensed staff members to fulfill our principal equivalent position, termed Head of School.Memphis Rise Academy is committed to hiring a Head of School who is fully aligned to our mission and can lead its most seamless execution; this person may not have a licensure, but may be the best choice to lead the school towards student achievement.0520-1-3-.03Teacher AssignmentAs a charter school, Memphis Rise Academy sets its own calendar and school year including length of day and length of year (as long as it is within the specified limits and requirements established by Tennessee Statute). Every Friday afternoon, we hold professional development for teachers at 2:30 pm. This is structured time on school grounds withactive data analysis, coaching and modelingMemphis Rise Academy proposes to run our professional development sessions in the way which we describe in our charter application and in the way which will allow the mostgrowth in our teachers andsessions.Our Friday professional development days meet the 6.5 hours for students, but the requirement that “[t]eachers shall be on duty at least seven hours per day and such additional time as the administrative organization requires” could inhibit our ability to conduct our Friday professional development in the way we envision.students.Memphis Rise Academy has developed an internal0520-1-1-.01;system for evaluating teachers based on the best practices in high-performing charter schools acrossthe country. We anticipate that our population willOur evaluation system is49-5-702-713;49-5-806-810;Staff Evaluationenter sixth grade with significant gaps which will need to be addressed urgently by our instructional team.This specific state board rule would require us to implement a one year pilot in a Tennessee LEAdesigned to create the most effective staff execution possible, which is an absolutely essential lever in increasing studentachievement.49-5-5205prior to using our evaluation system, prohibiting usfrom implementing our education program asdefined in our charter application.0520-2-2(2)Evaluation and Termination of ContractsEvery teacher will be assessed based on their performance. Teachers, who attain the required levels of performance, as outlined in their previous year contracts, will be offered another contract.It is essential that we are able to design hiring, pay, benefits, promotion and evaluation systems that are aligned with our mission and goal.0520-1-3-.03(5)Duty Free Lunch PeriodTo ensure that we maintain a consistent academic and behavioral culture across classrooms and across Memphis Rise Academy we do not hire substitute teachers, but rather rely on our teachers to maintain a consistent environment. To this end, there may be instances in which a teacher may forego their lunch period in order to cover a class or contribute to the school in some other operational capacity.Even without such extenuating circumstances, this rule poses an unreasonable burden on Memphis Rise Academy. We traditionally ask that teachers eat at the same time (and within the same general space), often while speaking with, covering, or contributing to an advisory classroom, to maintain consistency with our behavioral and academic expectations and goals. As the current State BoardRule is issued, it could prohibit a teacher who isBehavioral and cultural expectations are of the utmost importance to us. We operate with a smaller staff as compared to that of other traditional schools and it is always our goal to ensure teachers have free time to eat their lunch, but this State Board Rule wouldprohibit us from carrying out our mission and goals as described in our charter application. We are transparent with teachers about the expectations at Memphis Rise Academy of staff, students, and familieseating lunch at a separate table from students but who observes misbehavior (including serious misbehavior) from responding.alike.0520-1-3-.03(4)Duty-Free Planning PeriodEach teacher has two planning periods per day, for a total of 120 minutes per day that are non- instructional, which far exceeds what teachers have in a more traditional public school setting.When teachers are absent we rely on other teachers to fill in instructionally. A mandatory duty-free planning period could inhibit our ability to have teachers cover classes or provide small group literacy instruction and therefore jeopardizes our ability to execute our college preparatory mission.We heavily emphasize academics and providing our students with a strong college-preparatory education. One of the key components of our academic program is small group literacy instruction.0520-1-3-.05Physical Education and Wellness CurriculumStudents will be involved in physical education activities every week. The Head of School or Director of Curriculum and Instruction will oversee these classes and ensure that the PE curriculum meets state content standards, despite the use of non-certified instructional personnel.Our staffing model in the first two years does not account for a certified full- time physical education teacher, but we highly value physical education and wellness curricula in our weekly schedule, as they provide a strong benefit to our students’ overall school experience.0520-1-3-.05Fine Arts CurriculumStudents will be involved in fine arts activities throughout the course of our school year. Fine arts classes may be taught by volunteers or non- certified personnel including use of our community partners. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction will oversee these classes and ensure that the fine arts curriculum meets state content standards.A key to our enrichment program and the enrichment of our curriculum as a whole is the provision of fine arts for our students, to give them a structured outlet for their creativity.0520-1-3.07(2);0520-1-3-.07(3)Library Information CenterMemphis Rise Academy intends to build and maintain a centralized library space, but we understand that our facility may not accommodate this, at least initially. We may separate and house reading resources within each classroom until a centralized library space is available.Memphis Rise Academy places a high priority on literacy, and wants to ensure that our students have access to independent reading materials in any setting.Appendix A: Draft Family Accountability Contract Contract of Mutual ResponsibilitiesAt Memphis Rise Academy, we recognize that all members of the school community must work together in order to create an environment conducive to academic excellence. Every child learns best when his or her family is actively involved in the child’s education and abides by the school’s cultural expectations. Parents, students, and the school’s administration, teachers and staff all have responsibilities to promote student learning and growth.As educational partners, we must agree to create a respectful school environment, with everyone treating others as valued members of the community. Please read the school’s cultural expectations as they are outlined below.School personnel, students, and all parents/guardians need to sign this contract, indicating a willingness to uphold our responsibilities as active participants within the community.STUDENT: I agree to:Arrive at school on time and attend classes prepared to work;Commit myself to achievement all day, every day;Make the school a safe and orderly environment by being respectful and courteous;Complete homework assignments thoroughly and on time;Seek help when I need it; andFollow the school’s rules and accept responsibility for my actions.Student’s Name (Print):Student’s Signature:DATE:PARENT(S) / GUARDIAN(S): I / We agree to:Ensure my child arrives to school on time and attends classes prepared to work;Communicate regularly with my child’s teachers and advisors;Make the school a safe and orderly environment by being respectful and by supporting the school in its efforts to promote my child’s courteous behavior;Support my child by maintaining high academic and behavioral standards;Attend all parent-teacher conferences;Check my child’s homework every night to ensure it is completed thoroughly and on time; andFollow the school’s rules and accept responsibility as a partner in my child’s learning.Parent/Guardian’s Name(s) (Please print):Parent’s Signature(s):DATE:ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS: We agree to:Arrive to school on time to provide for an academically rigorous college preparatory environment;Make the school a safe and orderly environment;Assess students regularly and fairly; and communicate results regularly with families;Follow the school’s rules and accept responsibility as partners in the students’ learning.Name (Print):Signature:DATE:Appendix B: Family Intent to Enroll Forms Beginning in January 2013, Memphis Rise Academy’s founding team and its community outreach partner Charter School Solutions began presenting families with Intent to Enroll Forms during our canvasses and home visits in the Northeast Memphis community, highlighting homes of appropriately aged students. This information was available through Charter School Solutions for Berclair and Treadwell Elementary schools; word of mouth led us to a few other homes of interested families. In total, we collected 43 Intent to Enroll forms from families with students of all grade levels. We have chosen to only provide those of students whose age/grade level makes them potential 6th grade applicants for our initial school year. For a sample intent to enroll form in both English and Spanish, please see the following pages of Appendix B.Student First NameStudent Last NameM/FAgeDOBCurrent SchoolCurrent GradeLuisGonzalezM1012/11/2002Berclair Elementary School4MariaGonzalezF1012/11/2002Berclair Elementary School4PerryGattisM109/1/2002Berclair Elementary School4JaylinHillM108/23/2002Treadwell ElementarySchool4KeniaOrdazF10Treadwell ElementarySchool4CaseyButlerM98/4/2003Berclair Elementary School4CarlosHernandezM113/27/2001Berclair Elementary School5ReneFernandoOcanaM95/25/2003Berclair Elementary School4DavidPerezM1111/10/2001Berclair Elementary School5AndreaReyesF1012/31/2002Berclair Elementary School4KayleeHaleF1012/15/2002Berclair Elementary School4ChaseHaleM1112/9/2001Berclair Elementary School5EssaSarjo Jr.M99/27/2003Berclair Elementary School4PeterMaoM107/23/2002Berclair Elementary School4CalebMillerM98/3/2003Berclair Elementary School4DeonRobinson Jr.M108/18/2003Downtown Elem.4DontaviusHarrisM103/4/2003Treadwell ElementarySchool4DemetiusDavisM95/6/2003Treadwell ElementarySchool4AdreanBurtM1012/5/2002Treadwell ElementarySchool4IvyCollinsF9Treadwell ElementarySchool4TimothyBrosius-PiraniM111/18/2002Treadwell ElementarySchool4MauriceThompsonM95/10/2003Grahamwood Elem.4KierstanAyersF106/11/2003Germantown Elementary4BlazePointerM103/12/2003Berclair Elementary School4".Appendix C: Enrollment Policy Memphis Rise Academy will begin the formal student recruitment process in upon authorization, with a tentative date of Monday, July 1. We will target an initial cohort of 108 6th grade students, as seen in the enrollment plan below.Grade LevelNumber of StudentsYear 12014-2015Year 22015-2016Year 32016-2017Year 42017-2018Year 52018-2019At capacity 2020-2021610810810810810810871081081081081088108108108108910010010010939311861280TOTAL108216324424517683We will modify our current Intent to Enroll form with timelines and more specific information about our school’s model and open registration; we will also make Intent to Enroll forms available on our website, . For our current Intent to Enroll list acquired during our pre-authorization recruitment canvasses, please see Appendix B. We will begin advertising for open registration in the fall of 2013, at which point we will continue to collect intent to enroll forms from families of the Northeast Memphis community to follow up with when our formal enrollment begins.Families will be invited to attend a series of community information sessions conducted by Memphis Rise Academy staff and board members, to learn about the culture, programming and expectations of our school. We will hold a minimum of ten information sessions in Northeast Memphis between August 2013 and December 2013.We will begin formally accepting applications on the first business day Monday of January, which in 2014 will be January 6. Our application will be made available on our website as well as distributed in canvasses, information sessions, community events with our established Northeast Memphis partners, and through direct mail. For our marketing and recruitment techniques, please see Section I.6.We plan to onboard our Dean of Students on a part-time basis starting in January 2013 to assist with the formal recruitment and application process. All applications to the school during the formal enrollment period will be time-stamped and day-stamped and signed by either the Head of School or Dean of Students as received and complete, then filed into a dedicated organization system. All applicant contact information will be kept in a soft copy spreadsheet that is shared between the Head of School, Dean of Students and startup consultants. We will add time and day-stamped applications to our organization system in the order they are received. In the future, the formal enrollment process will be managed by the Dean of Students with support from our Operations Team.We will continue to hold information sessions and perform community canvasses from January-March 2013 to bolster our application numbers, with an ultimate goal of acquiring our quota of 200 applications for our 108 enrollments spots, allowing us a healthy waiting list to ensure that our school remains is fully enrolled on the first day of school as well as remains fully enrolled throughout the school year.Applications to enroll sixth graders for the 2014-2015 school year will be accepted until 5:00 PM on the last business Friday in March, which in 2014 will be March 28. All applications to the school afterthis deadline will be added to our wait list post-enrollment lottery on a day-stamped and time-stamped basis. Pursuant to Tennessee charter law, should the number of applicants exceed the number of available seats, we will hold a random public lottery for student enrollment. The lottery will be governed on the following principles:All students who have submitted a formal application prior to the March 28 deadline will be allowed to enter the lottery.All students drawn in the public lottery will receive an offer for a seat in the school until all available entry grade seats are filled.Students who are drawn after all seats are filled will be added to an ordered wait list, and will come off of the wait list once seats become available in the order they are listed.Applicants who are siblings will be entered into a separate lottery by grade and drawn before non-sibling applicants for that grade. Sibling preference is designed to ensure that all students within a family are able to, if desired, attend the same school.The lottery will be conducted on the second Saturday of April each year. In 2014, this falls on April 12.Applicant families will be notified of their student’s available seat or wait list position no later than five business days after the lottery. Families will then have a period of two weeks (10 business days) from notification to confirm their intent to enroll their student in Memphis Rise Academy. Any family who does not notify Memphis Rise Academy of their intent to enroll within this time frame will automatically relinquish their child’s seat within the school, and the seat will be offered to the next student on the ordered wait list. In 2014, we will begin offering seats to wait listed students on April 28.Wait listed families offered a spot within the school will have a period of five business days to confirm their intent to enroll, after which their spot will be relinquished and given to the next family on the ordered wait list. Memphis Rise Academy complies with the Family Education Right to Privacy Act with respect to the publication of lists of applicants, enrolled students, wait listed students, or any other student group before, during or after the enrollment and lottery process.Appendix D: Marketing Brochure The brochure below has been used to inform and generate excitement from community stakeholders for our proposed August 2014 opening.Appendix E: Leader Evaluation Primer WHY DO WE EVALUATE?Charter schools receive autonomy over fiscal management and the academic program in exchange for accountability, which measures the school’s attainment of specific mission-oriented academic, operational and governance goals. Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) §49-13-111(a)(2), Memphis Rise Academy must meet the same performance standards and requirements adopted by the state board of education for public schools. Additionally, the school’s organizational viability will be measured and reported to ensure that fiscal and financial controls are effectively implemented and that the school remains a financially strong and healthy organization over time. Finally, effective governance is measured by the school leader’s ability to successfully communicate and work with the Board of Directors over the course of the fiscal and academic year.The Board of Director’s key responsibility is to manage the school through the performance of the Chief Executive of Memphis Rise Academy, whom we name as Head of School.There are three, core purposes of the evaluation:To recognize areas of particular strength and successTo articulate areas for improvement and/or focusTo give overall feedback on performance to dateWHO EVALUATES THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE?The Board of Directors evaluates the Chief Executive and speaks with one voice. The Board of Directors creates a Head of School Evaluation committee to manage the evaluation process, an ad hoc committee that consists of three members that include the Board Chair and a representative of the Academic Achievement and Finance committees. The committee functions like any other committee — gathering information and generating reports. They present the evaluation to the Board of Directors for its approval before sharing the evaluation with the Head of School.WHAT IS IN THE EVALUATION?The evaluation contains a narrative that highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the Chief Executive’s performance with specific evidence for each evaluative statement and quotes from school staff and the Board of Directors that provide more context to specific feedback.The evaluation also contains a table that aligns to the Chief Executive’s job description and the Accountability Plan so that the Board has a clear organizational framework through which to measure specific attainment of the school’s goals in three areas: (1) academic program, (2) business, operations, and compliance, and (3) communication and working relationship with the Board of Directors.WHERE DOES INFORMATION IN EVALUATION COME FROM?The information that forms the basis of school leader evaluations comes from:Direct observation from working relationship with the Chief ExecutiveSelf-Evaluation in the form of a school leader surveyStaff SurveysBoard SurveysAccountability Plan, Academic Performance Reports, Financial Performance Reports, and Executive Director’s job descriptionExternal evaluation from 3 sources: (1) BES, (2) Authorizer Audit, (3) Annual Financial AuditTIMEFRAME & PROCESSJuly 2013: Prior to start of school year, Head of School provides the following to the Board of Directors:Calendar, which contains a schedule of assessments, key financial dates, and compliance and reporting deadlines.Copy of Head of School’s job descriptionCurrent copy of the school’s Accountability PlanOctober 2014: Board Chair creates and chairs ad hoc committee to compile and present HOS evaluation to the Board. The Chair selects two board members to participate in the committee (at least two of the members of the ad hoc committee should come from Finance and Academic Achievement, with a maximum of four members, including the Chair).November 2014: Ad hoc committee refines self-evaluation tool for the Head of School, end-of-year staff survey, and mid-year and end-of-year board survey (note: templates are included to provide examples of what other high performing schools are using across the country)December 2014: Ad hoc committee distributes mid-year board survey to Board on December 1 and collects survey on December 15.January 2015: Board Chair reviews Board evaluation of Head of School at start of month and collects at end of month. The Board meets with the Head of School to review progress toward accountability plan.April 2015: Evaluation of Head of School occurs annually during the last month of school year. Board Chair leads this process as head of the ad hoc committee. The Board conducts the evaluation through the work of the ad hoc committee. The Committee has the following responsibilities from April 15- May 1:Administer and collect staff survey (Board Chair communicates with staff directly only to send and collect survey results on the Head of School)Administer and collect board surveyAdminister and collect end-of-year self-evaluation from Head of SchoolMay 2015: The Committee has the following responsibilities from May 1-May 15:Collecting surveys and self-evaluation by May 1stCommittee Creates Final ReportFinal report synthesizes all information gathered based on evaluation criteria: academic program, business and operations, and governanceThe report generates at least three strengths and success and three areas for improvement.The report also includes any significant quotes from staff, board and any relevant data points.End-of-May Board Meeting Committee presents final report to Board in Executive SessionJune 2014Board Chair or Ad hoc committee (with Board Chair) presents final evaluation to Head of School ................
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