East Fort Worth Montessori Academy

388 Pages·2004·11.41 MB·English

APPLICATION

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East Fort Worth Montessori

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APPLICATION

Application for an Open-Enrollment Charter School- Ejghth Generation
Coversheet, page 1 of 2
Date of Submission: Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Name of Proposed School: EAST FORT WORTH MONTESSORI ACADEMY
Grade Levels to be served: Maximum Estimated Enrollment:
Year 1 Pre 10-3"' grade Year 1 198
Year 2 Pre-K3-3'" grade Year 2 216
Year 3 Pre-K3-3"' grade Year 3 261
Year 4 Pre-K3-3"' grade Year 4 283
Year S Pre-K3-3"' grade YearS 327
Name of Sponsoring Entity: EAST FORT WORTH MONTESSORI SCHOOL. INC.
Note: The name must be exactly as it appears in the articles of incorporation filed with the
Texas Secretary of State.
Check one: X SOI(c)(3) nonprofit organization SBOE District: ____
__ Governmental Entity ESC:
__ College or University Opening Date: ____
Chairperson of Board of Sponsoring Entity: Mrs. Nina LaFond
ChiefExecutive Officer of Sponsoring Entity: Mrs. Nina LaFond
ChiefExecutive Officer of Proposed Charter School: Mrs. Joyce Brown
Applicant Mailing Address: 2717 Putnam Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112
Physical Address of Proposed Administrative Offices:
____________________(if different from above)
Contact Phone # l..!t!ll..!~;;!!!
Contact Email Address:
List below the physical adln;;:S; campus and any proposed satellite campus:
Main Campus 2717 Putnam Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112
Satellite Campus 1401 Main Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112
If necessary, attach additional satellite information.
Will the school require all teachers to:! be certified? Yes Montessori Certification
Will the school require that all teachers hold at least a bachelor's degree? Yes
Will the school require the business manager to:! be certified No Ifyes, indicate the type(s) of
certification that will be required- '. .
Certified Public Accountant Certified Internal Auditor Certified Fraud Examiner
--OtherTexas Association ofSchool Business Official certificatiOO-
Will the school require the accounting andlor business office personnel to be hold at least iii bachelor's
degree? Yes, or at least 5 years experience
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351/05130/02-012
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APPUCAnON
Applicationfor an Open-Enrollment Charter School- Eighth Generation
Coversheet. page 2 of 2
TEe 12.120 states. "A person may not serve as a member of tile governing body ofa charter holder.
as a member ofthe governing body ofan open-enrollment charter school. or as an officer or
employee ofan open-enrollmentcharter school iftile person has been convicted ofa felony or a
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude ... "
Has any of these individuaJs.­
NO Been convicted ofa felony?
NO Been convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude?
Has the sponsoring entity been involved in
__.lCN~O!...-_ Litigation? __..IN,:!:O!L._ Sanctions from any state regulatory agency?
IfYES, explain completely as required in other portions ofthe application.
Has any ofthe individuals to serve as a member ofthe governing body ofthe charter holder, a
member ofthe governing body ofthe charter holder, or an officer ofthe charter school-
YES Been involved in bankruptcy?
IfYES, explain completely as required in other portions ofthe application.
Ifthe sponsoring entity already holds charters, have these charters been timely and accurate in
reporting-
N/A PEIMS information? N/A llJUlual audit?
N/A participating in required annual evaluation?
I certify that I have the authority as the Chief Executive Officer of the sponsoring eotity
designated above to make application for ao open-enrollmeot charter school. I further certify
aU informatioo cootaioed in this application is complete aod accurate, realiziog that aoy
misrepresentation could result in disqualificatioo from the charter applicatioo process or
revocation after award. I authorize the Texas Education Agency to iovestigate the references
listed in this application. I understand tbat INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL
NOT BE CONSIDERED for Generation 8 cbarters.
dn /
/ft~y; .:7
(BLUE INK Signature of Chief Executive Officer Of Sponsoring Entity/Date
(BLtffi INK) Signature ofApplication Preparer Was this persoo paid? Yes No _~X_
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Table of Contents
East Fort Worth Montessori School
Page
Coversheet 1-2

Section 1. Statement of Need 3

Section 2. Vision of the School 7

Section 3. Student Goals 14

Section 4. Educational Plan 17

Section 5. Governance Structures and Processes 29

Section 6. Human Resources Information 36

Section 7. School Officer Accountability 49

Section 8. Evidence of Eligibility of Sponsoring Entity 55

Section 9. Governance 57

Section 10. Community Support 64

Section 11. School Demographics 66

Section 12. Admissions Policy 67

Section 13. Code of Conduct 70

Section 14. Special Needs Students and Programs 79

Section 15. Business Plan 97

Section 16. Geographic area to be served and statements of impact 103

Section 17. Attachments

Attachment 1. Biographical Affidavits for Members of Governing Board 104

and School Officers Who Have Been Identified

Attachment 2. Manual of Human Resources Policies 129

Attachment 3. Salary Schedules for School Officers, Teachers, and

Other Instructional Staff 163

Attachment 4. Organizational Chart 165

Attachment 5. 501 (c)(3) Determination Letter from IRS 167

Attachment 6. Articles of Incorporation filed with the Texas Secretary of 171

State

Attachment 7. Bylaws 174

Attachment 8. Credit Report 185

Attachment 9. IRS Filing 188

Attachment 10. Evidence of Publication of Notice of Intent 202

Attachment 11. Evidence of Mailing Intent to City Council and County 204

Commissioner's Court

Attachment 12. Notice of Public Hearing 210

Attachment 13. Registration Log of Attendance at Public Hearing 212

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Attachment 14. Synopsis of Public Hearing 216

Attachment 15. Letters of Business Arrangements 218

Attachment 16. Supporting Letters of Credit and Sources of Private 231

Funds

Attachment 17. Start-Up Budget 234

Attachment 18. Budget for Year One of Operation 243

Attachment 19. Business Procedures Handbook 257

Attachment 20. Proposed Monthly Status Report 288

Attachment 21. School Calendar 294

Attachment 22. Lease Agreement 296

Attachment 23. Copy of Occupancy Certificate Showing Approval for 325

School Site

Attachment 24. Asbestos Management Plan 328

Attachment 25. Map of Geographic Area 342

Attachment 26. List of School Districts from which Students Will Be 344

Accepted

Attachment 27. Retum Receipts for Mailing of Impact Statements 346

Samples Curricular Alignment Project 351

Attachment 28. Applicant Checklist 355

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1. STATEMENT OF NEED
The East Forth Worth Montessori School (hereinafter "EFWMS") is committed
to making high quality Montessori education available to low income, minority and
those classified as "at-risk" children in a multicultural setting. The children currently
enrolled in EFWMS, and who would attend the charter school, are residents of one
of the four densely populated diverse urban communities in the City of Fort Worth,
Texas (primarily in zip code areas 76112 and 76104 - see Appendix A for compared
Census Tract). These communities, some with "island" middle class neighborhoods,
are impacted by high poverty levels, low employment rates, poor housing conditions,
high crime rates, minimal educational achievement for adults and high infant
mortality rates. The average poverty rate in these areas is extremely high and many
households have significant numbers of children under the age of 18.
The impoverished conditions of these communities, and the impoverished
homes within them, are the context wherein children with academically impoverished
backgrounds exist. Communities and homes that lack environments conducive to
leaming and resources necessary to provide stimulation produce children who come
to kindergarten already behind their peers; children who will likely remain behind
throughout their experience in school.
(See Table 1 - insert)
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Ie"",..,,, Tract Demographics
Polytechnic Heights area compared with the rest of the City of Fort Worth
elementary
high school, no degree 27.3%
school graduate (only) 26.1%
college 14.8%
ICollej;le graduate 3.3%
school graduate (alQ 44.2%
15.0%
22.3%
~erican Indian 0.3%
lAsiianlPac;ific Islander 0.8%
EFWMS currently serves, and as a charter school will continue to work with,
children from these disadvantaged and diverse areas. All of the public schools in
these areas have overcrowding issues. All have temporary buildings on campus
and they are desperately trying to meet enrollment needs. (Currently, even EFWMS
has a waiting list of 238 students). TAAS scores of students in these areas are at
the low end of the spectrum for Fort Worth ISO.
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The need, succinctly stated, is for a viable and vibrant early childhood
development-learning academy, with a track record for lifting children above what
their circumstances seem to have dictated - to give them, in the words of Dr. Maria
Montessori, "a higher ground in the ladder of success".
Overall, 95% of the students currently served by EFWMS qualify for free or
reduced lunch, and 12% are non-English speaking. Data provided by the City of
Fort Worth indicates that one-quarter of all children in the city live below the poverty
line. A total of 75,597 Fort Worth families earn an income of less than $25,000 per
year. Over 67% of that number live in the East Fort Worth neighborhoods that a
charter-supported EFWMS can potentially serve.
The Montessori charter school model, which is tuition free, is the appropriate
vehicle to address this neglected need of students from impoverished backgrounds.
The EFWMS program has elements specially designed to accommodate the needs
of the under-privileged child. The founder of the Montessori method developed the
pedagogy for "mentally and academically challenged" children, "defective children" in
her 1896 terminology. Later she opened her first school, known as the Casa de
Bambini, or Children's House, for the poor ghetto children of San Lorenzo, Italy. The
success of this school became well known worldwide. We know that this pedagogy
is effective with all children because of its holistic approach to learning.
The Montessori method employs student sensory perceptions and repetitive
stimulation of those perceptions in a variety of venues. In the formative years,
students find security and enjoyment in sensory stimuli, and the Montessori
approach provides this catalyst. Learning goals surround and then reach beyond
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those defined by and measured with TEKS evaluation guidelines. Goals include the
personal fulfillment of the student, development of a love of learning and the child's
perceptual assimilation. To a young child, it is a thrill to discover something
unknown and to demonstrate to others his/her perception and accomplishment.
Parental, peer and staff recognition and praise is an essential element in the
success of this charter choice model.
Additionally, the charter school model is well· suited to our purpose in that it
allows for flexibility in the curriculum and alternative qualifications for the teachers.
'Alternative' in this case does not mean a lower standard of curriculum and
qualifications. On the contrary, it means broader requirements for the classroom
environment and curriculum, and training for teachers that specifically prepares them
for the challenges of serving our target student population.
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2. VISION OF THE SCHOOL
Our vision is to create an open enrollment community charter school with,
ultimately, up to four different sites in Tarrant County. At these sites, children from
pre-kindergarten (3 years old) through third grade, from ethnically diverse, primarily
under-served low-income families will be prepared to fully meet all the challenges for
quality educational accomplishments as well as success in life. Our vision also
extends to creating learning environments; models that can be applied in other
public schools.
This vision is born not from pure theory, but from the seven (7) year history of
success at East Fort Worth Montessori School, where we have crafted a model for
overcoming deficiencies and educating young children of diverse backgrounds
through the first grade. After one full year at EFWMS, our first grade students tested
at 89% passing rate on standardized tests, with half of the skills measured falling in
the top 20% when compared to other students nationwide.
We believe that the current East Forth Worth Montessori School is an ideal
precursor to an open enrollment charter school of excellence. And, that we have a
rare combination of on-the-job experience - both as educators and as business
managers - to bring this vision into reality.
Our vision is that all children, regardless of race, income, or social
circumstance, can and will succeed in school, and ultimately in life, when given a
strong foundation during the first nine years of life. Furthermore, our vision is to
expose our students to life experiences that will enable them to contribute to a better
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