Ebr Packet

Mission of Helix Schools! To provide the greater Baton

Rouge region with a student-centered learning place that is a pathway to successful postsecondary placement, and ultimately, to success in local industry.

! The goal of Helix Schools is to develop students who will learn continuously as our economies and communities change; preparing students for cutting edge careers in the fields of Science and Digital Media.

proposal reviewsection 1.1, 3.1pg. 13-19

School Governanceproposal reviewsection 1.2, 2 pg. 51-60

The Helix Board includes representatives from industry and content specialties, the non-profit community, education, and community-based organizations. Other board members are being recruited as well.

Arthur R. Cooper!CEO of the LSU System Research and Technology Foundation!Executive Director of the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center!J.D. from Louisiana State University Law Center

Chadler Cornett!Director of Business Development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber!Economic Development Finance Professional!pursuing an MBA

James Gilmore, Jr.!Director of Volunteer Louisiana in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor!previous VP of Louisiana Housing Finance Agency!Doctorate in Human Resource Development

Ayana McIntosh-Lee!Communications & External Affairs Director at BP

Raymond JetsonTreasurer of the Board!Pastor of Star Hill Church in Baton Rouge since 1994!former CEO of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps!former State Representative for District 61

Bryan JonesPresident of the Board!public relations and governmental affairs for HNTB Corporation!member of Governor Kathleen Blanco's communications team!founded Public Action for Change in Education (PACE)

Jane MetcalfSecretary of the Board!Master’s degree in Education from New York University!national consultant for schools to assist with technology planning!former Director of Technology at St. Joseph’s Academy

School Governanceproposal reviewsection 1.2, 2 pg. 51-60

Helix Schools will be led by the Executive Director, Dr. Brian J. Dixon, who reports directly to the Helix Board. The Executive Director will oversee the principal, who will supervise faculty and staff at the school.

Dr. Brian J. DixonExecutive Director–Doctoral degree in Education–seven years classroom teaching experience–former school director at High Tech High

Designing Helix Schools! The following beliefs have guided

the design of Helix Schools:– all students can learn– students rise to the expectations

that adults have of them– students must have a voice in

determining how they learn– students have a right to expect and

receive high-quality, engaging educational opportunities.

proposal reviewsection 1.1, 2 pg. 3-4

Alignment to EBR Vision! to prepare students for:

– engagement in higher education– success in local industries.

! Aligns to EBR's Vision to graduate students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become active and successful members of a dynamic learning community.

proposal reviewsection 1.4, pg. 4

Alignment to Mission! schools serve students through:

– personalization– technology-infusion– project-based learning– and adult-world connections.

! This matches EBR's Mission to educate all students to their maximum potential in a caring, rigorous and safe environment.

proposal reviewsection 1.4, pg. 4

Student Admissions! open enrollment to all students

who are eligible for the 9th grade! student admissions will be based

on a lottery system! partner with EBR and neighboring

districts to increase regional enrollment

! student body should reflect districts from which students are drawn

proposal reviewsection 1.1, 3.1pg. 11, 16, 43

Serving At-Risk Students! is our mission and mandate

– engage students through personalization

– ensure relevance in academic coursework

! interdisciplinary approach:– improves student academic

achievement– accelerates student achievement– increases student engagement– improves student self-esteem and

self-concept– reduces student behavior issues

proposal reviewsection 3.1pg.12-13, 17-20

Student Recruitment

! community meetings! partner with middle schools! interactive, informative website! flyer distribution! open house night

proposal reviewsection 1.8, 3.1pg. 43-45

Educational Program

! starts with highly-qualified teachers

! Louisiana core curriculum! enhanced by projects and field

experiences! low student to teacher ratio! every student has individualized

learning plan

proposal reviewsection 1.1pg. 20-48

Example Project! Going Green: The Power of the People

– blends Math/Science and Humanities– students work in project teams– aligned to state standards– guided by highly qualified teacher– students present and share projects


Focus on Self-Efficacy

! students work in project teams! student-led conferences! advisory program! presentations of learning! public displays of student work! regular community meetings

proposal reviewsection 1.5 pg. 38-39

Objectives and Measures! Strategic

– focus on multiple measures! Measurable

– monthly assessment through NWEA! Attainable

– modest goals with continual achievement focus

! Results Oriented– frequent assessment, reporting, and

retooling! Time Bound Terms

– specific benchmarks with yearly targets


Results Oriented:State Assessments:-from 50% to 90%

Benchmarking:-continual improvement

Promotion:-from 75% to 90%

Attendance:-from 90% to 95%

Parental Involvement:-from 50% to 80%

Supporting All Students

! work with all students to ensure academic success through remediation and enrichment

! formative and summative assessment

! social worker! inclusion specialist! director of achievement! encouraging parental

involvement


Professional Development

! previous experience in PBL! Director of Achievement leads! rigorous pre-opening training! ongoing assessment, reflection,

and retooling! daily professional development! collegial coaching


Weekly Schedule:M: interdisciplinary teamsT: school level issuesW: faculty meetingTh: teacher mentorsF: parent communication

Integrating Technology

! one-to-one laptops! digital portfolios! online resources! intelligent tutoring! presentation stations


Enhancing EBR Programs

! collaborative learning communities

! sharing professional development

! open-source schools! student pen pals! class project partners

proposal reviewsection 1.4pg. 4

Facilities! Initially located in the Shaw

Center! Classroom space spread over

multiple locations! Students engage in downtown

industry and economy! Supported by the Downtown

Development District to negotiate future space in neighboring buildings

proposal reviewsection 3.3 pg. 60

School Logistics! we look forward to working with

EBR to best support students! negotiating with several vendors

to provide exceptional food services

! providing transportation to students in partnership with local districts and sourcing to a third party provider

! strong support from business community and Downtown Development District

proposal reviewsection 3.3pg. 5, 20, 60

Innovative Partnerships! support by BP America, bringing

expertise in current and future industry to the design of the school

! strong interest by Digital Media companies including Electronic Arts to mentor students and engage students in the workplace

! partnering with regional institutions of higher learning, including Louisiana State University, Southern University, and Baton Rouge Community College

proposal reviewsection 1.2pg. 4, 26

Why Two Small Schools?! instead of one large high school,

we are proposing two small, focused high schools:– enables industry partnerships– focused leadership– community building– eligible for Federal start-up grants– increased funding opportunities– to best serve students

proposal reviewsection 1.1

School Budget! budget priorities align to school

mission and mandate– supporting students through:

! small class sizes! exceptional staffing

– Director of Achievement– Social Worker– Inclusion Specialist

– preparing students for industry! relevant technology! professional environment! internship experiences

proposal reviewsection 1.7appendix 20

Helix Schools Frequently Asked Questions:Academic Program:Does Project-Based Learning actually work?Yes. There is much research, cited in the proposal, to support a more in-depth approach tocurriculum and instruction. Student inquiry and engagement are essential in the developmentof life-long learning. The interdisciplinary approach involved in project based learning isparticularly effective for “at risk” students, and has been show to:

! improve student academic achievement! accelerate student achievement! increase student engagement! improve student self-esteem and self-concept! reduce student behavior issues

Aren't the goals set in the proposal low?Most charter schools―with good intentions―set goals too high. Goals set in the proposal areappropriate. 50 percent plus for proficiency and above for students from an at-risk populationis appropriate for year one, especially given the aggressive goals by end of Cohort 1ʼsexperience. The schools may very well enroll students 2 -3 grade levels below reading and/ormath skills. Year one is the most difficult to set academic expectations and have students buyin. It is the year trust building is done. Afterward, this culture is transferred to subsequentclasses; thus the academic standards rise.

What about student retention?Student retention is highly correlated to student engagement in the school culture. With afocus on student engagement through efforts such as a student-focused advisory program,we believe that retention rates will be higher than at traditional high school settings. Ideally,student retention is nearly a hundred percent, with students being lost only due to naturalattrition.

What about standardized testing?Helix Schools is committed to preparing students for the future and this includes success onstandardized tests. Without “teaching towards the test,” students are taught test-taking skillsin their core classes and offered supplemental activities to prepare them for high stakes tests.As the Department of Education moves towards end of course testing, Helix students will beprepared.

How were the academic goals and criterion for measurement decided upon? Part of the expertise of the design team included educational evaluators. Based on thevarious levels of at risk students, we believe that 50 per cent proficiency is a fair minimumnumber. Our goal is beyond that, but we are aware that many students will come to us withreading and/or math deficiencies.

How will you deal with discipline problems?A core focus of Helix Schools is on building an inclusive school community. When studentsare thoroughly engaged in the school culture, discipline problems decrease. The advisoryprogram, social worker, and strong parental partnerships are essential in ensuring studentsare well-served and fully engaged in the school community. That being said, the charterproposal clearly outlines the discipline policy. Helix will also look to EBR's alternative programin serving students who have been suspended from school despite our best efforts.

What does the professional development for teachers look like?Teachers at Helix Schools will engage in a dynamic professional development program,ensuring they are both well-supported and challenged to continually improve their classroom

practice to best serve students. This program, outlined in the proposal, consists of rigorouspre-opening training; ongoing assessment, reflection, and retooling; daily professionaldevelopment; and collegial coaching.

What is the benchmarking system you will use?We anticipate using NovaNet, a product of Pearson. Additionally we will use the NWEA.

Facilities and Logistics:How will lunch work without a cafeteria?The Downtown Development District has officially agreed to support the schools in helpingsecure local businesses to become providers for studentsʼ lunches. We will ensure that anyrequests for proposals that go out clearly outline the nutrition requirements that are in line withthe Federal Free and Reduced Lunch guidelines.

Transportation-how do you get the students there?Helix is committed to providing appropriate transportation for each and every student.Transportation services will be contracted through a request for proposals process with third-party vendors.

How will security work and how will that work with expanding downtown?We will have our staff work with students closely during the first semester modelingexpectations for their behavior and appropriately interacting among the community. Part ofthe schoolʼs mission is that students learn to be self-directive so that by the end of the firstyear, their behavior meets the expectationsof the downtown community. We also work closelywith our partners in discussing lease agreements to ensure a safe school environment.

How will parking work for teachers? Students in later years?We will work with the State Parking garage and their lottery system for securing teacherparking. Students will not be allowed to drive to school and have parking privileges until theirjunior and senior years. Student parking will be discussed with each potential location duringthe expansion of the schools.

What will the lease cost? Is it a multi-year lease?Lease discussions have been positive; however, no lease can be put into place until theschools have been approved. We anticipate the lease costing approximately 65-80K,depending on the final space and services agreed upon.

What are the plans as the school grows for space?The schools will initially be located in the Shaw Center with classroom space spread overmultiple downtown locations as the schools grow. The Helix Board will work with EBR and theDowntown Development District to negotiate future space in neighboring buildings.

Building Partnerships:How might Helix Schools enhance existing EBR programs?We are committed to building a mutually beneficial partnership with EBR. These benefitsinclude shared professional development, collaborative learning communities, projectpartners with elementary and middle schools, and online lesson plans and project ideas.

How will you address previous deficiencies in community building efforts?We are committed to meeting with all stakeholders and, with a focus on transparency, buildingthe partnerships necessary to see these schools succeed.

How will internships work and are you sure companies will participate?

Preliminary agreements to work together are included in the proposal. Students from eachschool will work at appropriate sites. There will be a coordinator at the school to overseethese relationships.

Why 403Bs instead of TRSL?We anticipate drawing interest from younger teachers to whom mobility is important. Recentstatistics indicate that millennials have on average 14 jobs by the time they are 38. 403Bs aremore mobile and have an employer match right away. 403Bs also allow us to provide moreresources directly for students.

Where will you get teachers?Recruitment will be done both locally as well as nationally.

Can you clearly explain the relationship with LSU?The proposed schools are the product of planning by a public/private partnership betweenLouisiana State University (LSU) and ADVANCE Innovative Education (AIE). Upon approval,this partnership will transition from its role as architect to one of advocacy, capacity building,and support in the implementation. No special privileges are included in the proposal. Ourintent is to take full advantage of what is already offered to public schools.

How will you engage parents?Parents and family members are key partners in successful schools. Beginning withcommunity meetings during the recruitment phase, parents are invited to engage in theschool community in a variety of ways. Opportunities for volunteerism in and out of the schoolinclude home visits, representation on a parental action committee, a workday friendly schoolschedule. Parental involvement is a core component of Helix Schools, and this philosophyresonates throughout the entire school culture with a focus on ownership, empowerment,trust, and personal connections.

Documents

Ebr Packet