• • Notes from CEO Bill Sims
• • OAPCS High Quality Workshop 6: Building a Successful Fundraising Program for your Charter School
• • OAPCS announces the National Best Collaborative Practices Conference, September 27th & 28th, 2010
• • Effectiveness has a Unique Schedule
• • Your Students are Youth for Justice!
• • College Goal Sunday!
• • Office of Community Schools PCSP Elluminate Trainings
• • The Intergenerational School's FREE Professional Development Training
• • Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Grant (CFDA 84.215E)
• • Walton Family Foundation High Quality Start-up Grant Expanded Opportunities
• • Horizon Science Academy Dayton partners with Dayton Public Schools Transportation
• • OAPCS partners with Oswald Companies
• • Parent Membership Program
• • Links to the States RTTT application

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Funding Opportunity:
The Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD)
For the full article click here

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Funding Opportunity:
Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems program
For the full article click here

Winning Back Homeschoolers
With the defection of local families causing a steep dip in its enrollment, a rural Ohio district goes virtual to stem the tide. For the full article click here

New Appropriations for Charters
For the full article click here

Congress ties federal charter school spending to quality controls
For the full article click here

Horizon Science Academy Cleveland Named Best High School by U.S. News & World Report
For the full article click here

Advocacy

Events

Quality Values and Principles

Advocacy work is some of the most important work that we do as an association (OAPCS) for our member schools. This past year, charter schools in Ohio experienced real and serious threats to their existence. Our governor proposed in his executive budget average across-the-board cuts to per-student charter school revenue of over 20%. He also threatened to pull charter schools out of the state’s school foundation funding into a separate and vulnerable line item in the state budget. Further threats were made to terminate for-profit management companies running charter schools in Ohio.

We are pleased to say that the governor failed in every instance to achieve his goals in these regards and we are proud of the role we played in that advocacy work. We like to think that membership is a small price to pay for our work to achieve these kinds of outcomes, especially when the alternative is death by denial.

But we are far from reaching the summit of our advocacy and policy objectives. Over the next 18 months the Ohio Alliance will be talking with legislators on both sides of the aisle about two important steps that Ohio must take to support public charter schools. The first is to lift restrictive caps on the growth of community charter schools in Ohio. Currently the downward pressure on charter school growth is a consequence of geographic limitations (Big-8 and distressed urban districts), authorizer limits, and moratoriums (e-schools). “Smart caps” would allow proven, quality charter schools to start-up and replicate wherever demand exists, at a rate that supports quality development. This will be a top priority for the OAPCS between now and the next budget round.

Second, Ohio charter schools need facilities funding. Our application for federal “Race-to-the-Top” funds is seriously hampered by both restrictive caps and no facilities funding for charter schools. The Ohio Alliance will be focusing on solutions like general obligation or general revenue bonds for facilities funding for charters in Ohio. Too many excellent charter schools are on the brink because of the lack of public funding support for their facility needs.

Finally, the Ohio charter school community needs to have a more vibrant and ready grassroots network of supporters, working regularly through community organizations and churches and in meetings with state representatives, not just in moments of crisis or at biennial budget times but throughout the months and years. We pledge to build such a grassroots network and we pledge to work with other relevant organizations to make that happen.

In subsequent newsletters I will describe in more detail the policy recommendations and strategies related to caps, facilities, grassroots organizational development, and what can be done to attract (or bring back) some of the best charter school operators into Ohio.

One small correction from my previous notes in Insight Online. Approximately 42% of traditional school districts submitted MOUs that will allow them to participate in RTTT funding through the Title 1-A mechanism. I had said 40% last week. The postscript to this is that 86% of OAPCS member charter schools submitted their MOUs. We think this is very positive news and positions these member schools for a larger potential pot of resources since many traditional districts defaulted on the opportunity.

– Bill Sims

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OAPCS is teaming with Toledo School for the Arts for an all-day workshop that will lead participants through how to start a grass-roots fundraising system to advanced strategies for long-term funding. Toledo School for the Arts, rated excellent for the four years, has built wide community support and sophisticated development efforts that assure long term sustainability for the school. Come learn from Ohio’s own experts how to apply these strategies to your school!
 
The workshop will be held at the Toledo School for the Arts on Friday, March 5th, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and includes a school tour (TSA’s “First Fridays”), the general morning session, lunch, and afternoon mini-sessions. The cost is $300 members/$350 non-members for the 8-hour course.

To register, please click here.

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With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Ohio Grantmaker’s Forum, OAPCS is proud to announce the first National charter school conference to be held in Ohio. The National Best Collaborative Practices Between Traditional and Charter Schools Conference will be held September 27th & 28th , 2010, at the Hyatt at Capitol Square Columbus. A panel of distinguished national education reform experts will help us select 50 best practices of collaboration between charter and traditional schools from across the nation, and 24 will be profiled at the conference. Please watch our website and upcoming Insight newsletters for participation information. 

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The Graham School is completing their 10th year as a charter school in Columbus, Ohio. They have maintained an effective rating for four continuous years. They follow an "Experiential Program" to provide students with research, teaching and service learning experiences in community organizations and businesses.

OAPCS interviewed three students to learn what a typical day at The Graham School is.

Throughout most of the academic year, Monday, Wednesday and Friday follow a traditional academic schedule with classes including Cultural Studies, English, Drama, Literature, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Technology.

Students from the ninth grade forward on Tuesday and Thursday, experience learning at an off site internship for 8 to 10 hours per week. The Graham School has partnerships with over 260 community organizations which include agencies, schools, hospitals, and a variety of local businesses that provide the students with an opportunity to enter into a real-world setting and confront real world issues and problems. Students are encouraged to explore their interests and career options, as well as learn about their responsibility within the community. The experience enables students to discover and develop confidence, and provides exposure to various methods of learning. The school provides transportation to the internships sites via school bus or by COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) passes. Students have weekly scheduled discussions with their advisor/teacher who facilitates the relationship with their partner site mentor.

On Thursdays following their internships, students return to school and attend a “town meeting”. The meetings are student led and driven. Topics discussed have a wide range, and include anything related to to school or the students, such as class schedules. Each student and each staff member gets one single vote.

During January, an independent study period called a "Winterim" is scheduled and students are allowed to study topics that they are interested in, that are not part of the traditional course agenda. Topics have included politics, crime scene investigation (CSI), and the making of horror films.

To help maintain a sense of community, students have organized clubs related to topics they are passionate about. The club topics range from football, Harry Potter, History of Famous Hair to a Zombie Club. Teachers participate in these clubs and ensure the discussion / focus of these clubs to be educational opportunities. Evan Rulong, Dean of Academics at The Graham School stated that a few weeks ago, the Zombie Club learned how to start a fire using very unique items. He seems just as excited about being a part of the Zombie Club as the students are. 

For more information on The Graham School, visit them at www.thegrahamschool.org.

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Looking for ways to get your students involved in their community? Do you want them to be active in solving problems at their school or in their neighborhood? Youth for Justice is a FREE hands-on, interactive program that empowers teachers with resources that energize students. Youth for Justice enables your students to practice good citizenship first-hand! The program is aligned to the Ohio Academic Content Standards for the Social Studies and for English/Language Arts.
 
Ask for a free copy of the Youth for Justice Program Training Manual by contacting Tim Kalgreen at tkalgreen@oclre.org or 877-485-3510 (toll-free). For more information and to see what students have accomplished with the Youth for Justice program, visit www.oclre.org/yfj.
 
Students identify and research school or community problems, and then design solutions and action steps. Youth for Justice teams frequently identify injustice, intolerance, and inequality in their school or community as issues they wish to remedy.
 
Students present their work at the Youth for Justice Summit, May 12 at the Riffe Center in Columbus.
 
Coordinated by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education, Youth for Justice can be used in the classroom, as an after school activity, with scout troops, in a youth group, at a detention facility, or as a part of 4-H.

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On February 14, 2010 there will be a great opportunity for parents and students to get  college financial aid questions answered!
College Goal Sunday is a FREE state-wide program that will assist students (and their families), and adults with completing the FAFSA and answer any questions they may have about applying for financial aid.

When? February 14, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

Where? The program will be taking place in over 35 counties across Ohio.

Click here for all Ohio locations.

How do you get involved? Information for Students and Volunteers, and Promotional Materials are available at www.ohiocollegegoalsunday.org.
Call 1-877-428-8246 for more information.

Materials students should bring:
• Your IRS 1040 tax return and W2
• Parents IRS tax return and W2
• Social Security Card and Driver’s License
• Any other benefit and income information

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Every Tuesday in February, Susan Moss, Public Charter Schools Program (PCSP) Grant Administrator in the Office of Community Schools (OCS), Ohio Department of Education (ODE), will hold a training that covers an important aspect of the federal PCSP grant process. These trainings are: 1) “Using the CCIP,” 2) “Applying for PCSP Planning and Implementation Grants,” 3) “Applying for the Dissemination Grant” and 4) “PCSP Grant Overview for Sponsors.”

Anyone who intends to open a new community (public charter) school or to disseminate a promising practice from an existing community school should attend the relevant training/s. Any person interested in community schools’ funding is also invited to attend. An archived copy of each training will be available on the OCS Grant Web page after the training is concluded.

All Session are 1:30-3:30 EST (Session runs from 2-3p; you may log in 1/2 hour early and the session will remain open till 3:30 if there are questions.)

To join the meeting click here:
Enter your name at the login prompt. Meetings requires the following password to join: grant (lower case)
Feb 2  How to use the CCIP
Feb 9  Applying for the PCSP Planning and Implementation Grant
Feb 16  Applying for the PCSP Dissemination Grant—federal grants to support the dissemination of promising practices by a high-quality community school
Feb 23  Overview of PCSP Grants for Sponsors

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Through a federal PCSP dissemination grant, the consistently excellent The Intergenerational School is providing FREE professional development to share how their school became so successful educating urban children. Key elements of the model include the use of an individualized developmental curriculum with aligned assessment, incorporating community volunteers into the daily life of the school to create a culture of civility, and use of an effective schoolwide behavior approach that nurtures each child’s potential.
 
In order to fully understand the core elements that make TIS successful, participants must come to each of the first three days of training during any of the selected weeks. However, participants are not limited to the number of sessions they attend. Participants will spend ample time in TIS classrooms observing the implementation of the model. TIS can reimburse Ohio residents for a portion of, or all, travel and substitute teaching expenses. Participants can choose training dates and topics that most interest them.
 
2010 Dates of Full Day On Site Trainings:
January 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
February 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
March 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
April 13, 14 (optional) how we prepare for the OAT
May 17, 18 (optional) conversations with Dr. Whitehouse
 
Day 1 Foundations (Jan18, Feb 15, or Mar 8): Philosophy and Overview of TIS, Developmental Learning, Relationship-based learning
Day 2 Instruction and Culture of Learning (Jan 19, Feb, 16, or Mar 9): Literacy, Math
Day 3 Factors for Change (Jan 20, Feb 17, or Mar 10): Parent Involvement and Motivation, Intergenerational Learning, Institutional Change
 
Specialty Training Dates and In Depth Topics:
Thurs, January 21: School-wide Discipline and Nurtured Heart
Fri, January 22: Intergenerational Learning
Thurs, Feb 18: Developmental Curriculum and Aligned Assessment
Fri, Feb 19: Literacy Instruction: Growing Readers and Writers
Thurs, March 11: Accountability
Fri, March 12: Ohio State Testing: Strategies for Success
 
To Register please call The Intergenerational School at (216) 721-0120 or send an email to emcgarvey@tisonline.org. At the end of training your team will receive the following:
• Three hours of consulting from Co-Founder and Chief Educator of TIS, Dr. Catherine Whitehouse
• Hard copies of our exclusive training manual
• All DVD’s used in training
• All Power Point presentations used in the training
• Continuous access to our web forum
• Copies of student assessments
• Travel reimbursements for all team members
• Stipends for costs associated with hiring substitute teachers.

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• Eligibility: LEAs (School districts, including charter schools and ESCs)
• Project period: up to 36 months (3 budget periods of 12 months)
• Funding: $400,000.00 per year. (range $250,000-$400,000). No match requirement
• Deadline: February 26, 2010 (Notification expected late June 2010)
• Absolute Priority: Establish or Expand counseling programs in elementary schools (K-8)
• Invitational Priority: schools in corrective action (school improvement)
• Program focus: Special consideration to applications demonstrating greatest need for new or additional counseling services; propose most promising and innovative approaches for initiating and expanding school counseling; show greatest potential for replication and dissemination

Visit www.grants.gov and search by CFDA number for application information.

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The Walton Family Foundation High Quality Start-up Grant opportunity has significant changes this year. As in the past years, new start-up and conversion schools with a high likelihood of success in delivering high quality programming to disadvantaged students will be considered for $250,000 in assistance. Important changes this year include:
1. Schools expanding existing programs can be considered (adding middle school grades to an existing elementary school, adding middle school grades to a high school, etc.)
2. Ongoing financial support after the first year of operation, such as a $500 per student subsidy for up to five years, with performance goals met
3. Geographic flexibility (we can consider new schools statewide)
 
Contact Marianne Lombardo, Director of School Performance and Accountability, at (614) 744-2266 ext. 201 for more information.

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Horizon Science Academy hosted Dayton Public Schools Transportation Department. DPS gave a great safety program to the entire student body. Actual bus drives put on plays, to let the students see what the drivers see. This program allowed students to see what safe behavior looks like and how unsafe behavior endangers everyone.

Below are the topics that were discussed.
• Know and avoid the danger zones at all times
• How to get on the bus
• How to behave on the bus
• How to get off the bus

For more information, please contact Horizon Science Academy Dayton.

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As risk managers and insurance brokers, Oswald Companies partners with health insurance carriers to reduce risks for employees. Oswald works with clients when organizing and structuring insurance programs that deliver results: healthier employees, increased production and improved bottom-line performance. As a member of OAPCS, your school can take advantage of calling Oswald and seeing what benefits they can create for your school.

Please contact Jennifer Brzoski at jbrzoski@oapcs.org or at 614-744-2266 ext. 205 to receive more information on how to take advantage of this offer or how to become a member of OAPCS.

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