The Greater Brunswick Charter School
1997 New Jersey Charter School Application
The Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School is defined by the broad themes of child-directed learning in the vein of constructivism, Howard Gardner's "unschooled mind," and Montessori instruction; multi-age groupings of students; a unique degree of parental and community involvement; and a region of residence serving the entire and contiguous school districts of New Brunswick, Edison, Highland Park, and Milltown.
There are three pillars upon which the Charter School will be built:
These pillars rest on the belief that human beings are innately curious, that both the family and community are essential participants in the education of children, and that a vital democracy requires the nurturing of rational, creative, and communicative individuals. The educational goals of the Charter School encompass three intertwined areas of education: intellectual development, socioemotional growth, and community relationships and civic responsibility. This Charter School will be a place where personal and collective excellence flourish.
Students will have both individual and group educational objectives; thus, the educational program addresses these two facets. The curriculum itself will be both structured and flexible, with the focus on process and skill acquisition. The content will be directed by a combination of student interests, group dynamics, teacher guidance, and the State Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Each child's interests and needs as well as processing style will be used to set developmentally appropriate goals in a Personal Education Plan. The general educational goals of each student's plan are (a) to nurture independent learning and (b) develop the child's full potential. The development of plans is also informed by the State Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Assessment is a dynamic, evolving process that changes as a child develops and incorporates new knowledge and skills. We are concerned with how children work and learn as well as what they learn. Any evaluation should examine each child on the basis of his or her own progress, not in relation to a generic "norm." We view assessment as a process to improve student learning, as well as a means for charting a child's progress. Teachers will be given latitude in developing appropriate ways to monitor the development of students' knowledge, understanding, and skills throughout the school year. This repertoire of assessment tools will include student portfolios, teacher records, inventories, student journals, exhibitions, as well as standardized tests.
Assessment of teaching and administrative staff, as well as the school itself, will be linked to student assessments in a logical and meaningful way. This is referred to as the "assessment/accountability loop." This loop is necessary because all the school's stakeholders should be accountable to one another. This loop will promote personal and institutional excellence. High student achievement on standardized tests will be one measure of success for our school. After three to four years, we will do better than comparable districts on these objective test measures. However, more complex self-assessment criteria will be needed to judge progress as it relates to the broad goals of the Charter School mission statement. An internal process of self-evaluation will be confirmed, reinforced and refined by an outside assessment team. The goal of both internal and external assessment, in turn, will be to produce a detailed action plan for self-improvement and adjustment for the school as a whole.
Parental involvement in the running of this Charter School is central to its success. We envision a school with small classes that works to create a strong sense of community, empathy, and trust among its students. We welcome parents/sponsors as full partners in the education of the school's children and will rely on them to commit a significant amount of labor in the school.
The Charter School will work to ensure an atmosphere in which parents/sponsors feel inclinedand not burdenedto contribute their time and effort. The Charter School will also work to ensure that incoming parents/sponsors are supported in undertaking their responsibilities. Adult mentors, the staff, and job coordinator will work to make tasks clearly defined, manageable, and reasonable.
The Board of Trustees represents all parts of the school communityparents/sponsors, staff, and studentsand serves as the directly elected agent of the General Membership to manage the operation and growth of the school. Members of the Board of Trustees are parents of children enrolled in the Charter School. The Board of Trustees will be served by an Advisory Board of community members, experts, and specialists who will play a central role in implementing the Charter School's mission. At this time, members of the Advisory Board include Dr. Penelope Lattimer, Assistant Superintendent New Brunswick Public Schools; Alice Alston, Princeton Research Institute for Science and Mathematics - Learning; Holly Houston, the Center for Leadership and School Structure; Jacque Rubel, Director Emeritus, Institute for Arts and Humanities Education; and Cary Cherniss, Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
The School Review Committee, comprised of professional staff and parents, is the primary vehicle for developing specific educational policies and developing the curriculum. This committee ensures that the curriculum and educational program reflect the mission of the school, the expertise of our educational professionals, and the concerns of the General Membership. This committee also ensures educators have a strong role in the governance of the school.
The Charter School will open in September, 1998, with 100 students encompassing the ages 5 through 12 (or the equivalent of grades K through 6). A balanced financial plan is submitted assuming a guaranteed revenue stream of $714,736 from state, local, and categorical aid; an additional $90,000 from a Federal grant for Charter School startup; and an additional $20,000 revenue from fundraising.
Application Summary
Executive Summary
Contents
Section 1: Implementation Plan
1. Mission
2. Goals and Objectives
3. Founders
4. Governance Structure
5. Admission Policy and Criteria
6. Educational Program
7. Student Assessment
8. At-Risk Student, Bilingual Students and Students with Disabilities
9. Student Discipline Policy and Expulsion Criteria
10. Staff
11. Parental and Community Involvement
12. Facility
13. Transportation
14. Waiver of Regulations
15. Charter School Self-Evaluation and Accountability
16. Timetable
17. Liability and Insurance
18. Documentation
Section 2: Financial Plan
1. Financial Overview
Section 3: Appendices
Appendix A. Letters of Support
Appendix B: Job Descriptions
Appendix C: Employment Contract
Appendix D: Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
Appendix E: School Compact
Appendix F: By-Laws
Appendix G: Certificate of Incorporation
Appendix H: Lease Agreement
Appendix I: Registration Forms
Greater Brunswick Charter School
The region of residence of the Greater Brunswick Charter School comprises
the municipalities of New Brunswick, Highland Park, Edison, and Milltown. These
entire and contiguous districts were selected as they represent an economically
and racially diverse constituency from which the Charter School will recruit
students.
Children direct their own education.
Because children are naturally curious and desire knowledge of their world, the Greater Brunswick Charter School will be a place in which children are free to learn at their own pace, in their own ways. Individuals will be encouraged to take responsibility for their own education through Personal Education Plans. Learning can occur in myriad waysthrough broad, thematic projects; older students teaching younger students; intensive study; individual enterprise or private reflection. Within this self-directed context, children will strive to reach their highest potential intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Individual responsibilities and personal excellence can flourish at this school.
Students, staff, and families create a learning community.
This school is governed by the belief that children learn best in a supportive, stimulating environment catalyzed by talented educators who encourage them to rise to intellectual challenges, nurture perseverance, de-emphasize academic competition, and encourage collaboration. Children will feel safe taking risks and making mistakes in this environment. Through their understanding of individual and group needs in multi-age classes, educators will help children become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and above all independent learners. Parents/sponsors will work closely with students on their Personal Education Plans and actively participate in the running of the school.
School builds civility, community, and democracy.
By emphasizing the needs of the community through model civic institutions, this school will encourage personal dignity as well as empathy and respect for others. The ideals of individual and familial diversity, cooperation, freedom, and responsibilityideals necessary for a democratic societywill be practiced by the children in this school. Interactions with the outside community through public service, apprenticeships, internships, and instruction from members of all parts of society will further the opportunity for students to learn about the larger society. This school will be a place where collective responsibilities flourish, even as the individual is nurtured.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School is defined by several themes and concentrations:
The charter mission is built on the beliefs that:
We also recognize the differences that exist among humans and that these differences influence the educational needs of individual learners. Thus, our definition of high student achievement is that each child reaches his or her full intellectual, emotional, and social potential as they progress through the Charter School.
The broad goals of the Charter School encompass three intertwined areas of education: intellectual development, socioemotional growth, and civic responsibility.
Students will master the knowledge detailed in the New Jersey State Core Curriculum Content Standards.
This will mean that:
Students will progressively take responsibility for their own learning and so become independent learners.
This will require that:
Students will develop the capabilities to live in, and enjoy, a dynamic world.
These include capabilities such as:
For students to meet these goals, it is necessary that:
Staff will establish an environment that stimulates exploration and growth.
To do this, they will:
Staff will develop a flexible, articulated, and developmentally progressive curriculum that integrates the Core Curriculum Content Standards with the interests and needs of students.
They will do this by:
Staff will authentically assess student achievement.
To do this, staff must:
Families/sponsors will participate directly in the child's education, as well as the running and growth of the school.
This will occur through:
Students will develop the habits of self-expression, self-critique, and self-discipline.
This will occur through:
Students will support and celebrate the growth of their peers.
This will arise from:
Meeting these goals requires a number of additional commitments from staff and parents/sponsors:
The staff will establish an environment that emphasizes respect, trust, democratic resolution of conflict, appreciation of diversity, self-motivation and discipline, and freedom with responsibility.
They will do this by:
Staff and parents/sponsors will create a safe, personal, and stable school.
This will happen because:
Students will actively participate in creating and maintaining the school (and classroom) as a democratic community.
They will do this via:
Staff, family, and sponsors will model the behaviors and shared values necessary for an effective democracy.
This means that:
The Charter School will build bridges to the surrounding community.
These bridges will arise from:
The Charter School membership will reflect the population of its region of
residence.
Our outreach efforts will ensure that the racial and economic demographics will be represented in the student body. All outreach will be undertaken in both English and Spanish.
Meg Anderson
Highland Park, NJ
Meg's children attend Irving School and Bartle School in Highland Park.
She is a member of Irving and Bartle School PTOs.
Meg Anderson is a doctoral candidate in Anthropology. She has taught on the college level and conducted research on community organization and development.
Jim Appleton
New Brunswick, NJ
Jim's son attends Lincoln School in New Brunswick.
He is a member of the New Brunswick Board of Education.
Jim Appleton is the parent of two children, ages six years and eight months. He is currently the President of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers. Recently, he was Managing Partner of Public Strategies Impact, a government relations consulting firm. He has served as a part-time Assistant City Attorney/Special Counsel to the City of New Brunswick. Jim has also served as Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Operations for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. He is a former member of the New Brunswick Planning Board, and is a founding member and chairman of the New Brunswick Environmental Commission.
Anne Barron
Highland Park, NJ
Anne serves as a secondary level science teacher with a concentration in science curriculum development in the Franklin Township and New Brunswick school districts.
Anne Barron has six years public school teaching experience in California and New Jersey, and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry. She is a member of NJEA and the New Jersey Science Teachers Association. She has been a member of both the Committee on Diversity and Race Relations in Highland Park and the Study Circles of Highland Park. Anne has served as a volunteer child-care provider at St. Peter's Hospital and is a member of the Coalition for Progressive Taxation and Education Excellence in Highland Park.
Martha Blom
Highland Park, NJ
Martha's son attends Irving School in Highland Park.
She is co-president of the Irving School PTO.
Martha Blom lives in Highland Park with her husband and two children, ages six and two. She has worked as a social worker, executive chef, and food service consultant.
Martha has participated in Share Our Strength (a national food distribution program), City Harvest (New York City), God's Love We Deliver (food service for home-bound persons), and the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. She has served on the Board of the Trenton After School Program, an enrichment program for children in Trenton public schools. Martha has also served on the Board of Directors of Pine Grove Nursery School in Piscataway, NJ.
Lisa Cameron
New Brunswick, NJ
Lisa's son is a pre-schooler at the Unitarian Society Montessori School (out of district).
Lisa Cameron is a Certified Landscape Architect for the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission. She holds a B.F.A. from the Philadelphia College of Art, and a degree in Environmental Design (Landscape Architecture) from Cook College, Rutgers University.
Gwen Cerasoli
Highland Park, NJ
Gwen is a primary and preschool teacher, certified for pre-K - 8, and specializing in literacy education. Her son attends Highland Park High School.
Marjorie Egarian
New Brunswick, NJ
Marjorie's son attends Lincoln School in New Brunswick.
Marjorie Egarian lives in New Brunswick with her husband (Jim Appleton) and two children, ages six years and eight months. Marjorie has been a staff representative for the Communications Workers of America, Local 1033, representing state workers since 1981. She has worked to build membership and leadership, resolve workplace problems, and negotiate labor-management agreements. Over the last three years she coordinated a successful organizing drive among a new state-wide professional bargaining unit of judiciary employees. Marjorie has served on the Boards of the Central Jersey Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Housing Coalition of Middlesex County, and the Central Jersey YWCA.
Andrew Fisk
Milltown, NJ
Andrew's son attends school at home.
Andrew Fisk lives Milltown with his wife (Karen Fisk) and two children, ages six and newborn. Andrew holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Regional Planning. He has worked in legislative and community organizing and is also active in the Milltown Little League.
Karen Fisk
Milltown, NJ
Karen's son is schooled at home.
Karen Fisk lives Milltown with her husband (Andrew Fisk) and two children, ages six and newborn. She edits the Ethics and Religion section of The Home News and Tribune, and works closely with public school students as the "Kid's Stuff" editor. She is also a soccer coach and a member of the Cook College Student Farm Core Group.
Lori Freedman
Highland Park, NJ
Lori's daughter attends Irving School in Highland Park.
Lori Freedman and her husband have two children, ages five and two. Lori has served as Family Services Coordinator for Healthcare for the Homeless in Boston, MA; she has also served as Homebased Family Services Coordinator for St. Clare's/Riverside Medical Center.
Lori was a founder of a shelter and food service for the homeless in Boston. Lori has been an active member of central New Jersey's Family Friends, leading discussion groups on parenting and family life. She has served on the Board of Directors of Pine Grove Nursery School, a parent-run cooperative in Piscataway, NJ.
Diane Gruenberg
Highland Park, NJ
Diane's daughter attends school at home.
Diane has taught high school English and college-level writing for over ten years. Her certification includes N.J. Elementary and N.J. Teacher of English. She is affiliated with the N.Y.U. Expository Writing Program.
E. Elizabeth Johnson
New Brunswick, NJ
Beth's children attend St. Peter's School in New Brunswick.
E. Elizabeth Johnson is a minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) who has served for twelve years as Professor of New Testament at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. She holds an A.B. from Ohio University, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, an M.A. from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is the mother of two children whom she adopted internationally. In addition to professional interests and responsibilities, she has been active in adoption circles, leading parent education for two different New Jersey adoption agencies. She has served on numerous boards of church-related and civic agencies and is currently involved with Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen in New Brunswick.
Ruby Jones
New Brunswick, NJ
Ruby's children attend Rutgers University and Paul Robeson School in New Brunswick.
Ruby Jones is a Certified Clinical Social Worker and a substance abuse counselor for P.A.C.T. at St. Peter's Hospital in New Brunswick.
Nora Kreiger
Nora is the Director of the Pine Grove Cooperative Nursery School. She is certified in Early Childhood Education (New York), and is a Ph.D. candidate (N.Y.U.) in Educational Leadership and Technology.
Mary Beth Loughlin
New Brunswick, NJ
Mary Beth's children attend Woodrow Wilson School and Children's House Montessori pre-school in New Brunswick. She is Vice President of the Woodrow Wilson School PTO.
Mary Beth Loughlin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified School Social Worker in the Hillsborough, NJ, school district, where she has served for the past ten years. She has been an active member of the City Rent Leveling Control Board in New Brunswick for the past six years.
Ellen B. Maughan
Highland Park, NJ
Ellen's children attend Irving School in Highland Park.
Ellen Maughan is an attorney admitted to the New Jersey Bar. She has served as a counselor for W.I.C. and as Treasurer for the N.J. Breastfeeding Taskforce.
Maria Muniz
Edison, NJ
Maria's children attend Herbert Hoover School and Lincoln School in Edison.
Maria Muniz lives with her husband and four childrenages 13, 9, 7, and 17 monthsin Edison, NJ. Their family is very active in their parish church. Maria has served a culturally and racially diverse community in New Brunswick as a medical secretary for Catholic Charities. She has also worked as a community liaison for the W.I.C. program. She is an essential part of a Catholic Charities family practice clinic as a translator and health services coordinator.
Peter M. Paulson
New Brunswick, NJ
Peter is the father of four children and was active with the Ridgewood, NJ, School Board before moving to New Brunswick four years ago.
Peter is a minister of the Reformed Church in America who currently serves as pastor of the North Branch Reformed Church. His previous positions with the church were as a denominational executive. He has extensive experience in communications, particularly in television production. He holds an A.B. from Hope College and an M.Div. from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. He has done advanced study in group process and administration for non-profit groups. He has served on numerous boards of church-related and civic agencies and is currently involved with Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen in New Brunswick.
Rick Pressler
New Brunswick, NJ
Rick's son attends pre-school at the Unitarian Society Montessori School (out of district).
Rick is a learning support consultant in the telecommunications industry, specializing in Internet-based training and documentation systems. His clients include AT&T, Bellcore, NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, Bell South, GTE, and CNET. He hold a B.A. in Music from Haverford College and has received professional training in project management, business management, and instructional design. He is a member of the Society for Technical Communication.
B.J. and David Welsh
Edison, NJ
B.J. and David's child attends Washington School in Edison.
David is a class parent and PTO member at Washington School.
B.J. and David Welsh live in Edison, NJ, with their 10-year-old child who is a student at Washington School. B.J. was educated at Montclair University and in England in theater arts, and is an administrative assistant with Hilton Hotels. She has served as a Literacy Volunteer, participated in the "Odyssey of the Mind" program in the Edison schools, and performed as an audio description volunteer for the sight impaired. David is Staff Facilities Manager for the George Street Theater in New Brunswick.
B.J. and David are co-founders of the Black Sheep Theater Company in New Brunswick. They have been active members of the Franklin Villagers and the Edison Valley Playhouse.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School has established a number of partnerships which will help us develop our program and provide ongoing opportunities for our students.
The New Brunswick Board of Education and the district administration have provided valuable help by
The Music Education department of Westminster Choir College, Rider University, will provide music instructors and assist us in establishing a music curriculum.
The Puerto Rican Action Board (New Brunswick) has sponsored outreach and registration meetings for the school and offered translation services.
The InterArts program of the Institute for Arts and Humanities Education has conducted seminars at our outreach conferences and will work with our teachers to help us incorporate the arts into our curriculum.
The Middelesex County College Departments of Nutrition and Food Service Management offers resources for curriculum enhancement and the delivery of nutritionally sound and high quality meals for our students. We can also draw on this partnership to create workshops in nutrition and meal planning for parents and sponsors in our General Membership.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's Community Education Program has agreed to help with both hospital-based classes and curriculum planning for such topics as public health, developing sexuality, family life education, and adolescent development for both our students and staff. This is a particularly valuable association at this time because RWJUH has just received approval to add a Children's Medical Center to their teaching hospital system. We can also draw on their teaching staff's expertise for extended supervision and support of our school nurse.
The Graduate School of Applied Psychology will partner with the Charter School in providing a field placement site for Ph.D. candidates in the field of School Psychology. There is a valuable opportunity here for enhancing the efforts of child study teams and providing additional classroom resources for teachers at every level in the school.
The Urban Ecology program at Rutgers University will work with us to offer students hands-on experience working on ecology-oriented projects in the community.
The Center for Leadership and School Structure, a Princeton-based, private consulting firm, has agreed to assist us in teacher training and curriculum development.
Margaret L. Anderson
235 Wayne Street
Highland Park, NJ 08904
Irving School PTO (Highland Park)
Member, Bartle School PTO (Highland Park)
Member, Highland Park Egalitarian Minyan
Martha Blom
331 Felton Street
Highland Park, NJ 08904
Co-President, Irving School PTO
Andrew Fisk (Chairman)
124 Van Liew Avenue
Milltown, NJ 08850
Lori Freedman
226 S. Fourth Avenue
Highland Park, NJ 08904
Certified School Social Worker
Elizabeth Johnson (Secretary)
17 Seminary Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Professor, New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Peter Paulsen (Parliamentarian)
8 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Minister, Reformed Church of North Branch (NJ)
Rick Pressler
21 Dewey Drive
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Member, Society for Technical Communication
Mary Beth Loughlin
7 Edgebrook Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Certified School Social Worker, Hillsborough School District
B.J. Welsh
94 Stony Road
Edison, NJ 08817
Artistic Director, Black Sheep Theater Company
Marguerite Heller
37 South 18th Street
P.O. 281
Kenilworth, NJ 07033
Teacher/Supervisor, Elizabeth School District
Alice Alston
35 Edgehill Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Princeton Research Institute for Science and Mathematics (PRISM) - Learning
David Bensman
Room 151
School Of Management and Labor Relations
Livingston Campus, Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Penny Lattimer
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
New Brunswick School District
24 Bayard Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Jim Appleton
12 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Member, New Brunswick Board of Education
Member, Legislative Committee on Charter Schools
Holly Houston
Center for Leadership and School Structure
Princeton, NJ 08540
Jacque Rubel
Director, Emeritus
Institute for Arts and Humanities Education
Cary Cherniss
Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
Room A209
Psychology Building
Busch Campus, Rutgers University
Piscataway, NJ 08854
Frank Abrahams
Chairperson, Music Education Department
Westminster Choir College of Rider University
101 Walnut Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540
Judith Marquess
Director
Bless-U, St. Peters Medical Center Child Day Care
562 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Sally Hindes
Learning Disabilities Consultant
3 Voorhees Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Lise DuBois
Puerto Rican Action Board
22 Joyce Kilmer Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Karenga Arifu
Director of Recreation, Borough of Highland Park
221 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, NJ 08904
Warren Dennis
Professor of Urban Theology
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
17 Seminary Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Members of the Board of Trustees/Advisory Board should possess experience or expertise in a field or discipline related to creating and operating a school or business, including:
Members must be committed to public education and to the proposition that every child deserves and needs an excellent education. They must be good listeners and skilled in working democratically with others.
Board of Trustee members must care passionately about the education of the children in our community, and they must be able to dedicate the time necessary to fulfill the Board's many responsibilities during the initial year.
The Board of Trustees will initially consist of 11 people who are members of the General Membership. Of the total number of trustees, two nonvoting, ex-officio trustee positions will be held by staff of the Charter School, other than the Director. The Director will hold a nonvoting position on the Board.
There must be at least one voting member on the board from each of the four municipalities comprising the region of residence.
After the first full year of the school's operation, two student representatives will serve on the Board in an advisory capacity as nonvoting adjuncts for one-year terms. Student nominees for the Board of Trustees must be at least 10 years old, have attended two regular Board meetings and one General Membership meeting, and display a reasonable understanding of the Board of Trustee's responsibilities.
In addition, the Board will appoint legal counsel for a three-year term to serve the Board in an advisory capacity.
The Officers of the Charter School Board of Trustees will include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. The Board may create additional positions as required.
The initial Trustees are set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation (Appendix G: Certificate of Incorporation). All successor Trustees, except the Director, will be elected by the General Membership in the June General Membership meeting, with terms to commence the following July 1. Initially, the trustees will be randomly assigned terms of one, two, or three years to enable approximately one-third of the Board to be elected each year. Following the initial elections, all terms will be three years. There is no limit on the number of terms a trustee may serve.
The Officers, except for the Director, are elected by the Trustees at the annual July meeting of the Trustees and serve for staggered terms of three years, until their successors are elected.
In addition to the elected Board of Trustees, an Advisory Board, consisting of at least nine members, will provide its expertise, insight, and contacts to the Greater Brunswick Charter School. The Advisory Board consists of individuals who may or may not be members of the General Membership, but who have expertise, insights, or concerns they wish to offer the school.
Advisory Board members cannot vote on matters before the Board of Trustees.
The Advisory Board is a way to tap the tremendous human resources within our community to gain from the experience of others, and to involve disparate parts of the community in the development of the school.
The Board of Trustees will have all powers and authority necessary for the management of the school. It will have ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the school's mission. The Board will have authority to decide matters related to the operation of the school, including, but not limited to, budgeting, hiring, and operating procedures.
Typical Board responsibilities include:
The Board must also delegate tasks where appropriate, thus building community involvement and managing their own work load.
Members of the Advisory Board will work on projects or issues related to their interests or expertise, and in accordance with the needs of the school. Their work may involve attending meetings of specific committees or the Board of Trustees to provide information or help with various tasks.
The entire General Membership of the Greater Brunswick Charter Schoolthe Director, teachers, parents/sponsors, and studentswill have an integral role in the governance of the school. This role is expressed in a number of ways:
Members of the Board of Trustees are necessarily members of the General Membership. Staff members, while unable to participate as voting members on the Board of Trustees, will serve as nonvoting members, well able to influence decisions and advocate specific changes or practices. Two staff members, plus the Director of the school, will serve on the Board in this way.
After the first year of the charter, student representatives will also participate on the Board of Trustees as nonvoting members, ensuring a voice for students in the governance of the school. In addition, students will be encouraged to create their own institution(s) for representing their views and governing themselves.
The School Review Committee, as defined in the school's By-Laws (see Appendix F: By-Laws), will also play a major role in school governance. This committee is the primary authority for all matters relating to curriculum and educational policy and practice. All such matters must be considered in this committee prior to consideration by the Board of Trustees.
It is also this committee's responsibility to review and comment on matters before the Board, and originate recommendations to the Board on matters of school policy, staffing, parental involvement, and mission.
The School Review Committee will include the Director, Family Coordinator, and at least four other members of the General Membership, including teachers. In particular, this committee provides a voice for concerns and recommendations of staff members.
The School Review Committee provides a structural mechanism for ensuring teachers and professional staff an equal voice in governing the Charter School.
There are no private entities involved in the operation of the Greater Brunswick Charter School.
The Grievance Committee will have five positions, at least one, but no more than three, of which must be filled by a member of the school staff. Grievance Committee members will be elected by the General Membership and serve one-year terms. Candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by an individual of the General Membership. All nominations must be seconded. Members of the Grievance Committee subject to a filed complaint must excuse themselves from the deliberations of the Committee.
The purpose of the Grievance Committee is to solve as fairly and equitably as possible issues that relate to concerns of the General Membership, as well as complaints that arise from outside the school community. Because all members of the school communitystaff, parents/sponsors, and studentsgovern this school equally, there should be no negative consequences to filing a grievance complaint. Indeed, this committee will be central to making the school effective, efficient, and excellent.
The Grievance Committee will accept complaints only after adequate attempts to solve the problem first have been made by the involved parties themselves or, if necessary, by the Director. If the grievor feels the complaint has not been addressed at these levels, they should then submit a written complaint to the Grievance Committee.
For those complaints that arise from outside the school community or from alleged violations of the Charter School Program Act of 1995 (c. 426, P.L 1995 Section 15), the Committee will treat all such written complaints made before a regularly convened Board of Trustees meeting as quickly as possible. The Committee will make a written reply to the party filing the complaint within two weeks, outlining the intended solution. After the proposed solution, the Committee will follow up with the grievor after a reasonable time to confirm the problem has been addressed.
For those grievances that relate to concerns of the General Membership, the Committee must receive a written description of the matter. Upon receipt of a grievance, the Committee must meet within two weeks and reply in writing to the grievor within one week after the meeting. This response will indicate the steps the Committee has or will in the very near future take to solve the problem. After the proposed solution, the Committee will follow up with the grievor after a reasonable time to confirm the problem remains solved.
All written complaints, upon their resolution by either the Grievance Committee or the Board of Trustees, will be reported at regular Board of Trustee meetings, and a summary report of grievances will be provided to the General Membership at their meetings as well.
Complaint review should include personal communication with both parties and follow accepted norms of due process. Every effort will be made to maintain the confidentiality of involved parties. The Grievance Committee will make every effort to reach solutions acceptable to all parties, and will at all times attempt to be impartial and considerate of the personal and professional consequences of its decisions. Resolutions proposed by the Grievance Committee are nonbinding and may be appealed to the Board of Trustees (c. 426, P.L. 1995 Section 15).
At the Greater Brunswick Charter School children will be placed in multi-age, multi-grade classes so they will have the opportunity to work with the same teacher and group of children for more than one year. These classes will not necessarily have the same number of students from each of the grades (in other words, in a K-2 class, there may not be the same number of kindergartners, first graders and second graders). Instead, the classes will be shaped according to the strengths and needs each child brings to a group. This will also allow us the flexibility in the first year of operation to accommodate as many children as possible who seek enrollment, while still basing our numbers on class sizes that allow for a desirable student-teacher ratio.
We anticipate that in the first year the number of students seeking admission, and ultimately being accepted, will be heavily weighted towardthe lower grades (K-3).
In the first year, we plan to enroll approximately 55 children in the K-2 grade range, 30 children in the third-fourth grade range, and 15 children in fifth-sixth grade range.
Every year thereafter, we will enroll 30 additional children (20 kindergartners and 10 other children distributed throughout the grades), ultimately reaching 190 children in kindergarten through ninth grade by the 2001-2002 school year.
The following chart is a projection:
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 K 20 20 20 20 1 18 20 20 20 2 17 16 20 20 3 15 16 17 20 4 15 16 17 18 5 9 16 17 18 6 6 16 17 17 7 0 10 17 17 8 0 0 15 20 9 0 0 0 20 TOTAL 100 130 160 190
Describe the student admissions policies and the criteria for evaluating the students to be admitted.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School will be open to all students in our particular grade range on a space-available basis and will not discriminate in its admissions policies and practices on the basis of intellectual or athletic ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, status as a handicapped person, proficiency in the English language, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a district board of education. The Charter School will comply with the provisions of Chapter 46 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes concerning the provision of services to handicapped students, excepting those determined to require a private day or residential school placement. This policy is also in accordance with the Charter School Program Act of 1995, c. 426, P.L. 1995 section 11(b).
There are no tests or academic requirements for entrance to our school because it is founded on the principle that a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment will encourage all students to develop to their own potential.
In order to be admitted to the school, a child's parent(s)/sponsor(s) (hereafter referred to as a "parent") must attend both an enrollment session and a registration session. In order to provide for a fair and equitable admissions process, even those parents who are founders, who have worked on a Charter School committee, or who are on the Board, must attend both these meetings and participate in the same enrollment-registration-lottery process as all other families.
An enrollment session is a two-hour introductory meeting that describes the mission and educational philosophy of the school. A variety of materials including curriculum materials, assessment tools, photographs of classrooms and student projects, etc. will be available for parents to explore. There will also be time to answer questions about multi-age classes, Personal Education Plans, and any other issues they have pertaining to the school or their individual child.
Only after they have attended an enrollment session can parents attend a registration session, also mandatory. At this time, parents will be shown the school compact describing the roles and responsibilities of staff, students, and parents/sponsors. They will be encouraged to sign the compact after their child has been registered and admitted to the school. It should be noted that signature of the compact is not necessary for registration or admission. Parents are being shown the compact at this time, however, so they can make an informed decision about whether this is the school they want for their children.
During the registration session, parents will be required to complete the registration form (Appendix I: Registration Forms) and provide proof of residence (at least two of the following: NJ driver's license, property deed, mortgage statement, lease, notarized statement from a landlord, and/or current utility bill) and proof of guardianship (original birth certificate or copy of birth certificate with a raised seal, copy of section of court decree awarding custody, or copy of most recent NJ or US Income Tax return indicating name of dependent, dependent's social security number, and name of adult claiming child as dependent).
During the registration session, parents will receive the Registration and Lottery Rules and Procedures handout (Appendix I: Registration Forms). Representatives of the school will answer any questions they have regarding the random selection process. They will then fill out the appropriate paperwork to enter their child in the lottery (see subsection 5(d), below).
Because the Greater Brunswick Charter School envisions a different type of learning environment from the traditional classroom, admissions in the early years of the school will be skewed toward the younger ages (K-3). This will help provide a younger cohort of students who can more easily adapt to this school's style. These younger students will then "grow up" into the older divisions and, with a small proportion of older students, flatten out the age distribution. We plan to add one grade each year at the upper end, eventually reaching K-12, as the older members of the learning community move up.
Each year admissions will be focused on admitting approximately 20 new kindergartners. We will also focus admissions to particular grade levels, as necessary, to accommodate openings as the result of student attrition.
There are no specific areas of concentration in the Charter School that would direct our admission.
Applications for enrollment in the Charter School will be accepted from the period of January 20 through February 12, 1998. If there are more students than there are available spaces in each grade group, there will be a lottery for that grade. The number of students to be selected in each grade will be determined by the Board of Trustees at its regularly scheduled meeting held prior to the lottery. This meeting (as well as all other Board meetings) will be publicized to all potential enrollees and the general public.
The lottery will be held February 14, 1998 and will be administered by two accountants not affiliated with the Charter School. Only applicants from the region of residence will be included in the February 14 lottery. A separate lottery for applicants outside the region of residence will be conducted on May 3, 1998, provided there are still slots available in the grade levels or on the waiting list (please see subsection 5(g), below).
An applicant's parent or sponsor must have attended both an enrollment session and a registration session and submitted the required forms and documentation in order to participate in the lottery. Parents must complete a separate registration form for each child they hope to enroll in the school. They can then choose to group the registrations together and list all of their children on one lottery ticket (as in a "family ticket") or have a separate lottery ticket for each child.
Each individual registration, or packet of registrations (as in the case of a "family ticket") will be assigned a number. The same number will be placed on a receipt given to the parent (please see Appendix I: Registration Forms) and on a lottery pool ticket (please see Appendix I: Registration Forms). Since there will be no identifying information on the ticket other than a number and a grade level, a random selection process is assured and will be attested to by the accountants.
If one ticket per family is used and that number is picked in the lottery, than all the children on that ticket gain admittance to the school. If it is not picked, none of the children gain admittance, unless they are selected from the waiting list at a later date. If one ticket per child is used, than each child whose number is selected gains admittance to the school. Selection of one child does not automatically mean a sibling will gain admittance. Any applicants who remain after class slots are filled will revert back to a general lottery pool for selection and placement on a waiting list. A separate waiting list will be maintained for each grade level.
All parents are encouraged, but not required, to attend the lottery. Parents who cannot attend the lottery will be notified of their children's status no longer than one week after the lottery. Notification is through personal contact with a Charter School representative or via mail. Parents are required to inform the Greater Brunswick Charter School within 24 hours of their notification whether they plan to enroll their child in the school. They will then need to sign a form (please see Appendix I: Registration Forms) stating that they plan to enroll their child in the school and will notify their local school district of their plans, in accordance with the registration policies of each local district. Failure to notify the Charter School within 24 hours will open that slot to the next child on the waiting list.
After the first year of the school's operation, siblings of currently enrolled Charter School students will be given priority in the admissions process. This will be contingent upon there being any openings in the appropriate grade level for such students. Sibling registration will be held one month ahead of the scheduled main admissions lottery in any given year of the Charter School's operations. If there are more sibling applicants than spaces available for a particular grade level, a separate sibling lottery will be held prior to the main admissions lottery, and a separate sibling waiting list will be maintained on a grade-by-grade level, as necessary, to give siblings priority for available slots.
At the Greater Brunswick Charter School we do not evaluate prospective students. As stated in subsection 5(b), paragraph 1, above, the school will be open to all students in the municipalities of Edison, Highland Park, Milltown, and New Brunswick.
While we will not be evaluating students prior to admission, we strongly believe it is essential for prospective students and their families to evaluate the school's mission, goals, and educational program. Parents and students will have the opportunity to learn about these at the enrollment sessions and again at the registration sessions. The Enrollment Committee will ensure that families who choose this school are aware of the distinctive program we are offering.
Parents will be shown a copy of the school compact at the registration session, and the expectations it outlines for the student, family, and school will be explained in depth. The purpose of this is not to exclude, preclude or discourage applicants from applying to the school. Rather, it will be used as a "selling point," the goal of which is to attract families who are looking for a school that welcomes a great deal of family involvement in all aspects of children's education and schoolgovernance.
Non-resident students may apply for admission on a space-available basis. However, in order to provide an opportunity for as many students from the region of residence as possible to attend the school, the lottery for nonresident students will be conducted May 3, 1998 (as opposed to the region-of-residence lottery which will be held February 14, 1998), so if spaces are available in the school, we can continue to recruit students from the four municipalities for an additional two months, before opening enrollment to nonresident students.
The Charter School welcomes all students regardless of their abilities, disabilities, or language. There are no academic or language requirements. In our publications and public meetings we clearly state that all children who apply have an equal chance to attend, and that no preference is given to founders or other "insiders."
Our mission explicitly requires a diverse and integrated school. To this end, we have launched an extensive outreach and enrollment program (detailed in subsections 5(i) and 5(j), below). Over the past two years we have recruited members and contacts in virtually every part of the community in our region of residence. This is the most effective way to provide a diverse pool of applicants.
Enrollment and registration will take place in five stages as follows:
Stage I: Enrollment Sessions - January 20 - February 8, 1998
Enrollment sessions, the first of two meetings parents must attend in order to register their child for the school, will be held in New Brunswick, Highland Park, Milltown and Edison. Any persons from these, or any other municipalities, are encouraged and welcomed to attend.
Stage II: Registration Sessions - February 5 - February 12, 1998
Registration sessions, the second of two meetings parents must attend in order to register their child for the school, will be held in all four districts in the region. Upon completion of the registration material and provision of appropriate documentation, families from both within and outside the region of residence can register. Families who reside within the region of residence will participate in the lottery on February 14. Families who reside outside the region of residence will participate in a lottery May 3.
Although we would like to keep the enrollment/registration process open as long as possible to maximize outreach, we are holding the lottery at an earlier date to accommodate a direct request from the Highland Park Superintendent. This will enable us to provide the Highland Park Board of Education with actual enrollment figures prior to submission of their budget to the state in early March.
Stage III: Lottery for Region of Residence Students - February 14, 1998
Given a broad and thorough outreach effort, we anticipate having more applicants than spaces available. Therefore a lottery will be conducted on February 14, 1998 for selection of students from New Brunswick, Highland Park, Milltown, and Edison. Once all the slots are filled, we will establish a waiting list.
Stage IV: Additional Enrollment/Registration Sessions- February 15 - April 30, 1998
We expect to fill the school upon completion of the lottery. However, if there are slots available after the lottery, or if we need to bolster the waiting list for each multi-grade level, we will continue active recruitment efforts and hold at least two additional enrollment/registration sessions in order to fill the school with students from the region of residence. All region of residence students seeking admission after the February 14 lottery will be registered immediately on a first-come, first-served basis, without the need to participate in a lottery, and will be given a place in the appropriate grade, if space is available, or will be placed on the waiting list. Only if there are less than five children on the waiting list for any grade level will we proceed to Stage V.
Stage V: Lottery for Students Outside Region of Residence - May 3, 1998
If there are any openings not taken by region of residence, we will conduct a lottery for out of district students on May 3, 1998.
Even after the completion of these five stages, parents interested in enrolling their children will be encouraged to complete the registration material and enroll their children in the school if space is available, or place their children on the waiting list.
The Enrollment Committee is conducting a broad program of outreach in each of the four municipalities encompassed by the school (Milltown, Highland Park, Edison and New Brunswick). We have resources set aside in our budget to ensure that families of all racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds have an equal opportunity to learn about the school and register their children.
We are publicizing the school through articles and op-ed pieces in local newspapers (including the Home News & Tribune, and The Edison, Metuchen, Piscataway Review and the Highland Park Herald), radio and cable TV interviews (we have already been interviewed numerous times on WCTC and have had several stories about us aired on Channel 12), and through articles in the PTO/PTA newsletters of the schools within our region of residence. We actively seek opportunities to speak at PTO/PTA meetings to familiarize parents of all public school children about the Charter School.
We will conduct meetings and enrollment and registration sessions (please see subsection 5(b)) at a variety of community settings including public libraries and community centers (that are accessible to people who use public transportation), child-care centers, churches, neighborhood organizations (such as the Puerto Rican Action Board), and public housing community rooms. When available, bilingual members of the Enrollment Committee will conduct these meetings in English and Spanish. If they are not available, translators will accompany committee people to meetings on an as-needed. There will be no less than two enrollment sessions held in each of the four municipalities comprising the school. In addition, meetings will be held on different dates at a variety of times, and children's activities will be provided so all parents can attend, despite irregular work hours or a lack of child care.
The Enrollment Committee will also post and pass out leaflets at many community settings, including public elementary schools in the four municipalities, libraries, recreation centers, laundromats, local shops and bodegas, community events, child-care centers, nursery schools, public-housing developments, and other appropriate places. All leaflets, and enrollment and registration materials will be produced in English and Spanish (please see Appendix I: Registration Forms).
Year 1 K - 6
Year 2 K - 7
Year 3 K - 8
Year 4 K - 9
The school will serve K-6th grade in a multi-age grouping format in the first year. The school will grow with the students, adding a grade each successive year until the school serves grades K - 12.
Multi-age groupings will encompass either two or three ages (not grades necessarily), and have a degree of overlap and permeability between them to respond to variations in interests, skills, and talents.
7:30 - 8:30 Morning day-care program
8:30 - 2:30 School day
3:00 - 6:00 Extracurricular activities, tutoring, afternoon day care
The school day begins formally at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. Informal sessions will take place the hour before and after these hours for individuals or groups. The typical school day will consist of equal parts individual (one-on-one) work and group/class interaction, and will include a period of activity (physical education), lunch, and reflection time (planning time) for both students and teachers.
The school calendar will consist of two parts: a (required) 180-day cycle from September through June and a (voluntary) summer cycle from July through August.
The basic school calendar is as follows:
Sept. 1998
3-4 Teacher Preparation/Development
7 Labor Day - school closed
8 First day for students
21-22 Rosh Hashana - school closed
30 Yom Kippur - school closed
Oct.
12 Columbus Day - school closed
Nov.
13 Staff Development - school closed
25 1/2 day - holiday
26-27 Thanksgiving - school closed
Dec.
24-31 Winter Recess - school closed
Jan. 1999
1 Winter Recess - school closed
4 School reopens
18 Martin Luther King Day - school closed
Feb.
12-15 President's Day Recess - school closed
Mar.
8 Staff Development - school closed
April
1-9 Spring Recess - school closed
12 School reopens
May
31 Memorial Day - school closed
June
22 Last day for students
23 Last day for staff
The Educational Program is a collaborative effort of the learning community, where students, teachers and parents learn, work, and problem-solve together. Our measure of high student achievement will be the development of each child to his or her full potential. Students will have both individual and group educational objectives.
The curriculum will be integrated and flexible, focusing on process and skills, and building on students' prior knowledge and present interests and concerns. Students understand concepts and information better through active exploration of problematic situations that are relevant to their interests and personal lives. Student interests, brought out in discussions and activities, will help guide the choice of content. Content that excites students will motivate application of the pertinent academic skills and knowledge bases described in the New Jersey State Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Students will study topics in depth, making connections within and across subjects. An interdisciplinary approach to subject matter extends student achievement by making connections and putting new information within conceptual frameworks. The curriculum will be adaptable to the multiple ways in which people learn. Adaptations will incorporate a variety of learning approaches (investigation and discovery, individual research, debate, thematic projects, older students teaching younger, review and practice, individual enterprise, or private reflection).
A short, four-point description of "Constructivism in Action" is illustrative:
(Terry Anderson. 1996. "What in the World is Constructivism" Learning. March/April, 49-51)
In short, the Educational Program is based on the idea that both adults and children learn better when
Our curriculum embraces both individual and collaborative learning.
Individual learning is guided by each student's Personal Education Plan. These plans take into account three main tasks applicable to each child:
Determining individual learning styles:
The staff will continually observe children so they can understand each child's dominant learning and processing styles. They could do this through a simple checkbox profile describing basic cognitive, affective, and physiological learning characteristics; this would allow teachers to craft personalized learning strategies (cf. the published work of Judith Reiff, University of Georgia). Because this type of assessment is not necessarily a "once does it" approach, changes in learning styles and development will be taken into account when appropriate.
Setting, revising, and achieving educational goals and objectives:
The child will be actively involved in determining current and desired performance objectives with staff and parents. The child's interests and needs as well as processing style will be utilized to set developmentally appropriate goals in the Personal Education Plan. The goal of these individual plans is to help children learn how to learn independently, and to develop each child's full potential. Students' progress in meeting educational objectives defined by both short- and long-term goals will be routinely assessed.
Developing skills:
The curriculum will help students:
We see two chief aspects to collaborative learning:
Learning as a social process:
The curriculum will have a social component in which collaboration, group decision making, and building positive relationships with peers and adults will be taught. Students will participate in group interactions that draw upon thoughtful debate, consensus building, and conflict resolution skills. Adults will encourage students to investigate and explore their own place in the world around them. Values of empathy, mutual respect and support will be expected of all members and modeled by the adults. Students will be guided and supported in their efforts to develop a code of ethics.
Community building and group relations:
This part of the curriculum will focus on democratic principles and civic responsibilities, encouraging students to create civic institutions within the school, and experience "real-world" institutions outside the school. The point is to provide students with opportunities to earn real and substantive responsibilities within their school. Because learning is stimulated in response to real-life dilemmas and needs, students will be exposed to the variety of real problems that confront our society and collaborate to produce workable solutions. Emphasis will be placed on the value of diversity and cooperation in generating creative approaches to problem-solving. Multi-age groupings are important here because the older children can model for and guide the younger in group processes.
Our teaching staff is faced with a creative challenge: teaching multi-age and heterogeneous classes, integrating the State Core Curriculum Content Standards within interdisciplinary themes and a project-approach framework. Student to staff ratios will be small10 to 12 students per teaching staff member. Incoming staff members will be given extensive training on curriculum delivery, assessment strategies, and lesson planning for a constructivist environment. Further staff and curriculum development will be ongoing as the school grows to a K-9th grade campus by the year 2001. Teachers will have ample daily cooperative planning time in order to share expertise, concerns, and ideas.
Students will be grouped in clusters encompassing grades K-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, with some overlap depending on the individual's developmental profile. Students will move from one group to the next when ready for a higher level of performance.
The curriculum will encourage students to take more responsibility for their own learning and maturation; adult coaching will guide them as they practice self-expression and control, become more proficient in analyzing their particular strengths and weaknesses and learn to compensate, become more adept in interpersonal relationships, and become more aware of their own feelings of self-worth. Students will have the freedom to make choices and have a voice within the context of the classroom and the larger school, and to assess the outcomes of their personal choices.
The following describes, in part, the educational program students will enjoy during their tenure with the Greater Brunswick Charter School.
Grades K-2:
Morning and afternoon class time for reflection on past activities and progress toward goals; discussion and planning of day's activities; discussion of interpersonal conflicts and possible resolutions; students practice listening and hearing others speak.
Classroom discussions about appropriate code of ethics as class forms its code.
Individual time for self-reflection and expression through a variety of arts media, movement, music, or writing (story-telling, nonfiction).
Extensive representational play involving building blocks, art materials, and real building materials as students explore and share their personal experiences. (This has many links to other disciplinesmaterials science, measurement and experimentation, prediction, geometry, problem-solving, working in groups.)
Organizing the classroom with the teacher, "determining," and "labeling" the various "investigation" areas.
Extensive field trips to the larger school and into the community as students begin to make connections between society systems and their lives.
Extensive contact with the natural world (kids love dirt!) as they experience the ways humans depend on the environment for food, shelter, and support. Activities will include gardening and exploration of ecology systems.
Students will participate in parent/teacher conferences in which the child will be involved in decision making through expressing preferences, choosing portfolio samples to display, and asking questions about the process.
Grades 3-4:
(Many of the above activities continue but with greater articulation and finer detail. Links to the disciplines outlined in the State Core Curriculum Content Standards are more immediately tangible; language arts, math, science, world languages, and computer science will be brought to bear upon all of the following.)
Students will create social institutions within the classrooms (e.g., judicial system, marketplace, government, etc.) as they try to solve real conflicts arising from interpersonal relationships.
Exploration of community life widens focus to the various cultures (past and present) that make up the "flavor" of the neighborhood.
Human habitat exploration expands to encompass geology and its effect on how we live; students use variety of materials to create human (and other) domiciles that solve habitat-specific problems.
Field trips to various ecosystems and geologic sites around the state will give students first-hand experience with manipulation of available natural resources.
Grades 5-6:
Students will be encouraged to help run the school, designing and organizing school-wide social/civic institutions, coaching the younger students, attending General Membership meetings, etc.
Exploration and role-playing of different types of government systems as students compare and contrast the relative values of one structure over another.
Students 10 years old and older can run for positions on the Charter School Board of Trustees after demonstrating proficiency in debate, understanding of school governance procedures, and civic responsibility.
The Student Body will develop its own procedures for dealing with interpersonal conflicts, inappropriate behavior, and miscreant activity.
The students will gain greater autonomy over setting individual learning goals, based on their interests, passions, and learning styles, and an understanding of state standards, family concerns, and societal demands.
Grades 7-9:
The students within this group will broaden their focus on their individual interests, making connections with related fields and disciplines, examining these connections within the context of our society and learning specific work-related skills.
They will devote more time to independent study and academic research. Part of this exploration will extend to the surrounding community through apprenticeships, service-learning classes, part-time employment and/or volunteerism.
Skills involving persuasive writing, communication and interpersonal relationships will be strengthened as students participate in resume writing, placement searches, and interviews with various organizations.
Involvement in community issues and affairs will intensify over the three years, as students are asked to research, generate, and even implement solutions to specific questions they raise as they observe the world around them. They will be encouraged to expand the scope of their studies to the regional and/or national stage through field trips and electronic links to other communities and institutions.
Science content will incorporate the laboratory modules SEPUP (Science Education Public Understanding Program) developed at U.C. Berkeley. These modules provide guided instruction and extensive individual investigation to current social issues in science and technology.
Student design and operation of school-wide entrepreneurial enterprises will be the scaffolding for the development of math, business, and organization skills. These student businesses may also reach out to the larger community, depending on student interest and ability.
School-community partners such as the Urban Ecology Program of Rutgers University will provide additional expertise and mentoring for our students.
The older students will design their own Personal Education Plan in consultation with their teacher(s), identifying benchmarks they need to reach in order to graduate and attain long-term professional and personal goals.
Students will be expected to mentor or coach younger students as part of their on-going training in civic responsibility. They will tutor younger students; teach them about school rules and student governance; facilitate discussion, decision making and consensus building within the student body; and generally play a more active role in Charter School governance.
The Educational Program of the Greater Brunswick Charter is inherently flexible, tuned to the evolving interests and abilities of its students. However, this flexibility exists within a well defined structure that ensures both measurable results and fulfillment of Core Curriculum Content Standards.
The following section describes how specific standards may be addressed within the program. Although, we have documented this in terms of the academic content areas defined within the Standards, our Educational Program is inherently interdisciplinary; and many parts of the curriculum will address multiple academic areas simultaneously.
1. All students will develop career planning and workplace readiness skills.
2. All students will use technology, information, and other tools.
3. All students will use critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
4. All students will demonstrate self-management skills.
5. All students will apply safety procedures.
Child-led learninga key ingredient of the Greater Brunswick Charter School programteaches children to understand and value their interests. This prepares children for the career choices facing them as they progress through high school and beyond. The development of school projects based on one's interests is an effective analog to the development of an individual career plan. As children's interests evolve and broaden, and as they become older, these interests will lead them outside the classroom and into the community.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School Educational Program emphasizes both individual and collaborative work at all grade levels. The emphasis on independent work will help students develop self-management skills as they collaborate increasingly with both teachers and other students to define their individual tasks.
Working independentlywhether it involves conducting research over the Internet, assembling a kite, or planning a presentation on landfillsforces the student to plan ahead, estimate the amount of effort needed to complete a piece of work, solve problems as they occur, and think critically. These are exactly the sort of skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
Working collaboratively with other students and participating in the governance of the school as part of the General Membership will develop in even the youngest students an appreciation and understanding of the social and organizational systems inherent in institutions. This understanding prepares the student for participation in the type of institutions encountered during one's career.
An essential element of the Greater Brunswick Charter School is its ties to the larger community, including Rutgers University, local cultural institutions, social services organizations, and local corporations. Students will have the opportunity to see first-hand the environments, social skills, and technologies that define the workplace.
Visual and performing arts will play a major role throughout the curriculum, under the assumption that the arts provide an effective avenue for the study of science and mathematics, as well as the more obviously connected disciplineslanguage arts, history, and social studies.
Because of our enthusiasm for incorporating the arts in this fashion, we have established relationships with Westminster Choir College of Rider University and the Institute for Arts and Humanities Education (IAHE). Jacque Rubel, the Director Emeritus of the Institute, sits on our Advisory Board, and we have already participated in a number of conferences and seminars with this group. With the help of these two organizations, we plan to incorporate performance and creation of the arts throughout the curriculum.
We have also identified numerous opportunities for the development of aesthetic appreciation throughout the community. We are very fortunate in New Brunswick to have three major theater companies, a large university with major arts programs, and a number of fine museums. We will visit these places and bring performers and visual artists into the classroom.
The process of critiquewith all its interpersonal dimensionsis a springboard for the development of a student's sensitivity towards others, as well as their self awareness. By embedding a range of assessment techniques into our Educational Program, we have set up a process whereby students, teachers, and parents collectively review and discuss the student's work. This objectification of the workthe process of taking a step back and coolly analyzing it without the threat of censure or personal attackwill prepare students for increasingly subtle critiques, whether in the arts or sciences.
Our school is located in a culturally diverse place, where many traditions and cultures intersect, and our enrollment efforts will ensure representative participation from throughout the community. For the students in our school, the endless variety of art, music, speech, and dress will be a regular part of their lives. Through collaborative work and democratic participation in the governance of the classroom and the school, our students will go a long way towards appreciating the differences expressed through the arts. As the students mature, they will approach the study of culture and history in more explicit ways. Deeper, more systematic study will enable them to discover their own connections to the many traditions surrounding us.
Students will play an important organizational role in all grades. Even younger students will be encouraged to put on shows, rearrange their classrooms, plan large-scale projects, and host events.
The health education embedded in the curriculum will be augmented through adjunct relationships with Rutgers University, local hospitals, and local health professionals. The health and science curriculum will help students understand the nature of disease and its prevention, in age-appropriate ways.
The identification of potentially dangerous situations and the development of personal-protection strategies forms an important part of the conflict-resolution curriculum. Children are often more at risk from dangerous interpersonal situations than from accidents. To help achieve the desired civic responsibility and commitment to democratic principles stated in our school's mission, we will provide explicit training in avoiding violent confrontation.
The emotional and social effects of drug abuse exist in plain sight in our community. By encouraging children to ask about what they see (or hear), and by introducing appropriate information through the health curriculum, children will understand the consequences of drug abuse, both for individuals and for the society. The safe, nurturing environment created in our school will help students avoid the pitfalls that come out of ignorance or denial.
Parents/sponsors are true partners with the Greater Brunswick Charter School staff in ensuring the best possible education for our children. The participation of families brings the study of human sexuality and family life into the classroom in a natural way. Children's innate interest in the birth of siblings, the changes in families, and the different types of families begins at the earliest ages. The staff and parents/sponsors can work together to develop lessons and projects to which children can relate easily. An essential part of child-led learning is to encourage children to draw upon their experiences and to ask questions about what is going on in their own lives. Skilled teachers can utilize this to introduce both information and guidance.
Physical educationdance, sports, exercisewill be a regular part of the school day for all students. These activities also facilitate the understanding of one's body and how it works. Teachers will encourage children to attempt progressively more difficult tasks, while at the same time emphasizing safety, physical limitations, and injury prevention.
Teachers will introduce concepts of good nutrition and hygiene both in the classroom and within the context of broader projects; perhaps through the preparation of food in the cafeteria (which will be staffed partly by the General Membership), or through visits to some of our many local health facilities.
Public speaking and focused listening will begin at the earliest grades. Initially, students will engage in discussions based on stories or information presented by the teacher. The teacher will facilitate the discussion by presenting information and posing questions, and then model the desired listening behavior by clearly demonstrating interest in what the children are saying.
The give and take of student discussions fosters a key element of the school's mission: the commitment to preparing students for participation in a democratic society.
The dynamics and techniques of dialogue become a model for thoughtful, responsive discussion. Patient listeningoften a great challenge for younger childrenallows the speaker to form ideas more thoughtfully and with more detail. Clear, concise writing results when students form ideas with precision and have the opportunity and patience to recast a sentence or select a different word.
Teachers will be trained to nurture student writing and creativity while providing the editorial feedback that leads to improvement. The program will allow for a variety of techniques for teaching readingphonics, whole language. The teacher's job will be to discover which mode works best for each student. This insight becomes a part of each student's Personal Education Plan and informs the approaches taken by subsequent teachers.
Teachers and parents/sponsors will encourage students to pursue their interest to deeper, richer sources of information. Teachers will help guide children to materials suitable for their reading ability.
Assessment of a student's portfolio will allow students, parents, and teachers to view similar assignments completed over an extended time and thus identify progress. Other assessment techniques, such as rubrics, can help quantify a student's improvement on a number of levels by separately evaluating content, syntax, and spelling.
Students at the Greater Brunswick Charter School will be encouraged to take an active part not only in designing their individual programs, but in running the school. Participation in classroom and school management will require students to think critically and use numbers realistically and correctly. For example, working on alternative classroom designs will help students develop a sense of space and awareness of geometric principles.
Through an interdisciplinary approach to education, mathematical concepts will intertwine with all other subject areas throughout the day. A strong emphasis on the arts and humanities will enable students to discover the importance of mathematical concepts in the visual and performing arts.
Investigation will be an important component of the curriculum. Group meetings subsequent to investigations will provide opportunities for discussion of problems and all possible solutions. Students will always be encouraged to "find another way."
One of the goals of the Greater Brunswick Charter School is to have each child reach his/her potential. Inherent in this goal is the idea that all students will become mathematical thinkers at a developmentally appropriate level. The implementation of a curriculum which is student-driven will provide the necessary motivation.
Collaborative learning will enhance reasoning ability. As students mature, an outgrowth of such activity will be the development of self-reliant, independent mathematical thinkers.
The use of calculators, computers, and manipulatives will be a routine part of the day. Student curiosity coupled with teacher guidance will enable students to gain proficiency with current technological devices.
Multi-age groupings will serve as the ideal way for students to work with math concepts at their developmental levels. As mastery is achieved, assisting younger students in the group will provide an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency with knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. (This type of activity will also foster a sense of acceptance and community, both essential to the successful functioning of the Greater Brunswick Charter School.)
Student design and completion of projects for display, as well as participation in the after-school program, are two of many avenues that will be available for extending meaning and exposure to more advanced concepts.
At all levels, immersion in mathematical concepts will be routine, meaningful, and will serve as a foundation for further learning.
The Educational Program of the Greater Brunswick Charter School will emphasize doing science, even at the youngest ages. Teachers will encourage children to develop their powers of observation, using their experience of the world and what they see of its behavior to form hypotheses, formulate experiments, and draw conclusions.
Teaching will initiate inquiries by demonstrating some phenomena and inviting the students to repeat or examine it. As students progress, the teacher might simply place them in a particularly rich environmenta wet, overgrown field, a mature forest, or a city streetand allow them to initiate their own projects. In this way, the teacher can use the natural cues of the environment to encourage the development of independent thinking, and further foster a student's individual interests.
Regardless of the object of an inquiry or experiment, it will be the teacher's job to reinforce good scientific practice, to guide students toward genuine research, and to nurture intellectual honesty.
Many science projects are collaborative; the model of collaborative, cooperative work in science speaks directly to the school's mission of civic responsibility and democratic governance.
Because we live in a technological ageone in which interplanetary exploration and sophisticated machines give us glimpses of physical reality on the largest and smallest scalesteachers will have ample material to fuel students' enthusiasm. The recent exploration of Mars could provide months of research and observation. The flexibility of the Educational Program and the direct control exercised by teachers over the curriculum, allow teachers to exploit such events and capitalize on the particularly keen interests of students at a given time. The school will have ample access to the Internet, allowing students to view much of the same information accessible to adult scientists around the world. It is this immediacy and relevance of the scientific experience we wish to convey to our students.
Because scientific inquiries may suggest many possible new directions , teachers will be especially clear in establishing goals, tasks, and end products for students. Students must demonstrate what they have learned in some way and, in the process of demonstrating their knowledge, gain confidence in their own progress.
Because students are assessed based on goals defined from the outset, they learn to become their own best monitors of their progress. The ability to manage oneself and keep focused on specific tasks is essential in any scientific work. However, the flexibility of the curriculum at the Greater Brunswick Charter School allows students to revisit their goals with the teacher, and adjust them as the direction of their work changes. This is also typical of the scientific processthe joy of science often comes from the unexpected result.
Maintaining a portfolio of a student's work over time ensures adequate coverage of all areas of science. Teachers from year to year can identify gaps in a student's work and guide the student toward the information and experiences they need. Teachers will also be in a good position to encourage the student to apply greater rigor to their work. An experiment conducted one year might be worth revisiting in subsequent years with added detail and more elaborate goals. In this way, a student's portfolio can be a powerful testament to their increased knowledge and greater capacity for the scientific process.
In a sense, the entire Greater Brunswick Charter School is a social studies project of a particularly profound nature. The Charter School legislation and the ensuing movement are an expression of democratic citizenship and a challenge to our society's ability to grow new institutions through consensus building, cooperation, and commitment.
Everything about our schoolthe system of governance, the types of assessment employed, the emphasis on family involvement and communityfeed into the Educational Program. Students will be able to read works of literature, history, and philosophy, particularly those dealing with democratic ideals, and test what they are reading against their experience as members of our learning community. The constructivist model of education, building on students' experience, encourages students to think reflectively about their situation. It offers them an opportunity to explore their immediate surroundings in light of larger political and societal ideas.
Teachers will ensure that the curriculum offers works that add to students' understanding of their place in the school, in the community, and in the world. The curriculum will allow students to find connections between some fairly abstract notionscivic responsibility, freedom, ethics, conflictand their daily lives. In this way, the study of history, politics, and other disciplines, comes alive.
We also live in a community which is evolved in very visible ways from the various migrations of people from all over the world. Our membership includes people with ties to every continent except Antarctica. This diversity eloquently illustrates the societal and economic processes we will be reading about, and our curriculum will make use of students' experience in this regard. A geographical awareness might begin by simply identifying, on the globe, the birth places of our extended family members.
It is explicit in the mission of the Greater Brunswick Charter School to foster a diverse, integrated community, one which respects and celebrates differences. By studying the "geography" and history of our community and learning to appreciate the common interests that bring us to the same place at the same time, we will go a long way toward fulfilling that part of the mission.
Our curriculum will include language instruction for all grades, starting with kindergarten. In the younger grades, we may concentrate on languages with particular relevance to our communitye.g., Spanishbut ultimately we plan to offer as many languages as possible. Given the diversity of our current membership, it is likely we could recruit from the Membership native speakers of at least five or six languages. This involvement of the entire learning community is central to our mission; at the same time, it provides us with language instruction opportunities we would not otherwise have.
Teachers will help students explore the relationship between language and culture by posing questions and inviting inquiries that force them to examine their own use of language and how differences between (and within) languages often carry revealing information. Literature is a powerful medium for this, as are television (used judiciously) and radio. The transmission of cultural signals throughout the arts creates a natural bridge between language studies and visual and performing arts, as well as between Social Studies and other disciplines. The curriculum will help students experience the way in which language permeatesand definesculture.
Innovative strategies are implicit in the Charter School's mission and educational goals and objectives. The staff and families of the Charter School will constantly and carefully collaborate to help children reach their full potential, which is our hallmark of high student achievement. This will occur by:
The nutritional, psychological, and medical well being of each child will be addressed at both the practical and curricular levels; this is in keeping with our interdisciplinary approach to the educational program. Partnerships with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's Community Education Program, the Graduate School of Applied Psychology of Rutgers University, and the Middelesex County College Departments of Nutrition and Food Service Management have been established and will provide the school with educational opportunities and important resources in these areas.
In our partnership with Middlesex County College, we can help them create a laboratory school for practical experience in nutritional studies and the training of dietitians whose special interests may be early childhood and adolescent nutritional needs. The relationship also offers an opportunity for an actual school food service management practicum. The benefits to the Greater Brunswick Charter School are the resources we gain for curriculum enhancement and the delivery of nutitionally sound and high quality meals for our students. We can also draw on this partnership to create workshops in nutrition and meal planning for parents and sponsors in our General Membership.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital's Community Education Program has agreed to help with both hospital-based classes and curriculum planning for such topics as public health, developing sexuality, family life education, and adolescent development for both our students and staff. This is a particularly valuable association at this time because RWJUH has just received approval to add a Children's Medical Center to their teaching hospital system. We can also draw on their teaching staff's expertise for extended supervision and support of our school nurse.
The Graduate School of Applied Psychology will partner with the Charter School in providing a field placement site for PhD candidates in the field of School Psychology. There is a valuable opportunity here for enhancing the efforts of child study teams and providing additional classroom resources for teachers at every level in the school.
These relationships ensure that our students will have up to date, pertinant information built into the curriculum, as well as the health, nutritional, and counseling services needed to help them perform at their best.
Faculty will be guided by, though not limited to, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards as they develop challenging programs for each multi-age grouping. The standards directly determine the abilities to be assessed at the end of the 4th, 8th, and 11th grades.
Assessment of both student progress and instruction will be ongoing and interlocked, enabling adjustment as needed. Portfolios will include required items, which will be stored from year to year, to document progress toward benchmarks in each content area.
The high level of parent involvement in the school will help teachers work effectively with each student in developing and monitoring the Personal Educational Plans, which will consider individual learning and processing styles in determining goals and strategies. Small classes, a low student to adult ratio, and attention to individual learning styles and interests, should ensure that all students make steady progress in preparation for the state assessment at 4th, 8th, and, as the school matures, 11th grades.
No less than three times a year, and with the objectives of the school's program and the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in mind, teachers will collaborate with students and parents in completing written "Progress Summaries" to include both descriptive and quantifiable information about the progress of each student toward the goals and objectives set in his or her educational plan. These summaries will be based on information collected through the following methods:
Within each age grouping, classroom teachers will determine the frequency of use of the various methods, based on appropriateness to the subjects under study and the student's developmental levels. As students approach movement to the next age grouping, Progress Summaries will emphasize progress in independent work habits and ability to collaborate with peers. In later years, as the school serves older students, Progress Summaries will include criteria required for graduation.
In regularly scheduled meetings before and throughout the academic year, staff at each level will select and develop rubrics for evaluating performance in each curricular area in that level's program, create outlines for portfolio development, and discuss successes and concerns related to the interconnected assessment of student progress and program efficacy. The staff as a whole will also hold meetings to share ideas on assessment methods.
Faculty will be aided by the samples, models and guidelines for using alternative assessment provided in the following resources:
We expect that the individualized, integrated nature of our program will result in better than acceptable proficiency for all of our students. We expect to be aware of, and to begin addressing, any student's special needs long before statewide assessment is scheduled, since our own assessments will be ongoing and designed to reflect both
formative and summative progress.
However, for students who fail to meet acceptable levels in the state assessment, the Greater Brunswick Charter School will provide additional one-on-one time during school hours, by parent volunteers, student interns, peers as appropriate, and specialized resources when necessary. Our school plans to offer a summer program, which can provide students with additional instructional time.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School is designed to support and enhance the social and emotional functioning of all its students, as well as their academic growth. It will provide a learning environment that promotes a strong sense of self and community, fosters positive relationships among peers and staff, practices effective communication and peaceful conflict resolution. Its small size will allow for personal relationships between students, staff, administration, and families, ensuring that no student ever "falls between the cracks."
The staff will assess each student when they enter school to determine his or her particular learning style, academic strengths and weaknesses. The staff will also conduct a student and parent interview. They will review records from previous schools, along with any relevant evaluations such as CST, speech , and so on. From this information, they will develop a Personal Education Plan. The Personal Education Plan will be reviewed with the parent(s), student, and Director, and will include specific learning and social/emotional goals for each student that correlates with the Core Curriculum Standards established at each grade level. The staff, parent/sponsor, and student will review the Personal Education Plan at least three times a year.
When a student is identified "at risk" of not completing their education based on factors such as poor school performance, poor attendance, behavioral difficulties, or economic or environmental disadvantage, they will be referred to a school pupil assistance committee. The pupil assistance committee will recommend additions to the student's Personal Education Plan that are specifically designed to provide appropriate interventions, such as but not limited to the following: tutoring, counseling, mentoring and apprenticeship programs, and family outreach. Family involvement is recognized as a crucial factor in school success.
Receipt of Demonstrably Effective Program Aid will provide financial resources that will allow for creative, individualized approaches to meeting the needs of the at-risk population. A counselor will be available on a consulting basis to students and their families to provide appropriate services. Referrals to outside resources will be made on an as-needed basis to address more complex and difficult issues.
When a student whose native language is other than English enrolls in the Greater Brunswick Charter School, the staff or other qualified personnel will assess the student's English proficiency. The school will provide English Language Services to students identified as Limited English Proficiency in addition to their regular program. The English Language Services will be incorporated into the student's Personal Education Plan. The student's program will emphasize the development of reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills needed to function within the classroom. These goals will be achieved through the educational program described earlier that includes individual and group instruction, low pupil to teacher ratio, collaborative learning, multi-age groupings, and use of volunteers. Tutoring will be available to assist with homework as needed.
Parents of Limited English Proficiency students will be actively encouraged to participate in the school and join their child in the classroom as a means of increasing the family's English proficiency. The Family Service Coordinator (see subsection 10c) will be available to assist with translation needs and/or to find volunteers to help facilitate the family's assimilation into life at the school. In addition, referrals to the New Brunswick Adult Education Center will be made for parents who are interested in increasing their own English language skills.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School is committed to hiring a staff member who is also a certified ESL instructor. Parents of Limited English Proficiency students will be notified in writing if their child is eligible ineligible for services. Notice will be in both English and the family's primary language.
The learning environment of the Greater Brunswick Charter School has been designed to meet a wide range of academic levels and variety of learning styles within the multi-age classroom setting. Low pupil to teacher ratio, individualized and group instruction, multi-sensory teaching approaches, an appreciation of multiple intelligences, and child-directed learning will be classroom features that will help students meet their academic potential in the least restrictive educational environment.
Upon enrolling in the Greater Brunswick Charter School, previously classified students will have their IEPs reviewed by the teacher, Director, learning consultant, and parent. The IEP will be incorporated into the student's Personal Education Plan. Any programmatic changes from the previous IEP will be agreed to and authorized by the parent in a revised IEP. The Charter School will comply with the Charter School Program Act regarding provision of services to handicapped students.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School plans to offer an inclusive and holistic approach to special-education services. All classified students will receive support, remediation, modifications, and consultation services as designated within the multi-age classroom. A learning consultant will be available to provide consultation and immediate modifications to all students, not only classified students, as needed.
Ongoing assessment and review of the Personal Education Plan will identify specific areas of weakness for all students. These areas will be addressed through additional individual and group instruction, tutorials, parent/community volunteers, student interns, and peer teaching where appropriate.
Concerns with student progress will be brought to a pupil assistance committee. A sharing of ideas, teaching strategies and classroom modifications and strategies will be developed by the committee as needed. Written documentation of recommended interventions and their effects will be recorded and shared with the parent/sponsor. If the pupil assistance committee agrees that all appropriate interventions and resources available in the school have been exhausted, the pupil assistance committee will refer the student for a comprehensive Child Study Team evaluation. The learning consultantserving as case manager for the school and its studentswill arrange for necessary evaluations either on a contract basis with the sending district or through private vendors. The Greater Brunswick Charter School is exploring the possibility of sharing Child Study Team services with other Charter Schools.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School will comply with federal and state law that ensures that students with disabilities will be provided with an appropriate, if non-traditional, approach to special education.
Expulsion or suspension of students will be treated as an absolute last resort, after every other possibility has been explored, tried, and failed. Suspension and expulsion procedures to be developed will be fair, responsive to all sides, and considerate of the consequences of such actions. The Charter School will always work to resolve all disciplinary problems using nonpunitive measures rather than summarily suspend or expel a student.
Suspension and expulsion of students from the Charter School will be done in compliance with all applicable state laws, particularly N.J.S.A 18A:36A-9 Charter School Program Act of 1995. The criteria for either suspension or expulsion include, but are not limited to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:37-2:
Any student who engages in reprehensible behavior in the nature of the last four items in the above listed criteria may be suspended from the school for a period of one to three days. Excessive behavior of this nature may be grounds for long-term suspension or expulsion.
A student who commits an offense according to the criteria listed above will be reported to the Director by the teacher, staff member, student or parent witnessing the incident. A teacher, staff member or parent can also report to the Director complaints made by a student against another student. The Director will call a meeting with the teacher(s) involved. Together they will decide whether the evidence collected warrants a suspension of the student and on the length of suspension. If they decide to suspend the accused student, the student's parents will be notified both by telephone and in writing. Student/parent appeal will be conducted in accordance with state laws. A detailed report describing the incident will be forwarded to the Grievance Committee.
When a student commits an offense or is to be suspended, the following procedure will be followed:
The Director, after consulting with the teacher(s), will suspend the student for the maximum temporary suspension of three days. An expulsion request or a request for long-term suspension will be referred by the Director to the Grievance Committee [see subsection 4] along with a report describing the incident or incidents supporting this request.
The parents of the student will be notified in writing of the temporary suspension and the pending expulsion or long-term suspension. The Director and the teachers will devise a contingency plan for the instruction of the student at the end of the temporary suspension period, while awaiting the decision of the Grievance Committee. The contingency plan may consist of home schooling, out-of-school placement, or individual instruction within the school. The Grievance Committee will hear all parties involved before reaching a decision. In accordance with state laws, the rights of the pupil to cross-examination, to counsel and to enter his or her own defense will be preserved in this procedure.
The Grievance Committee must, upon receipt of an expulsion or suspension request, act expeditiously and reach a decision to be forwarded to the Board of Trustees in no more than two weeks. If a case appears more complicated and requires more time, requests for extensions must be made directly to the Board of Trustees within two weeks of the filed complaint. All Grievance Committee deliberations on suspensions and expulsions must occur in open meeting. Decisions reached by the Grievance Committee will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for their final approval. Appeals of the decision of the Grievance Committee should be made in accordance with state guidelines within 30 days of the removal of the student from regular educational programs.
Students are subject to the penalties meted out under the legislative, judicial, and mediation systems they themselves will create. All penalties will consider due process and equal protection, as well as simple fairness and appropriateness. Classroom discipline will be guided by a preventative model of conflict resolution that teaches a working system of skills to resolve conflicts productively. The basic tenets of this mode include active listening, understanding other's perspectives, speaking in ways that do not "put down" or condemn, understanding everyone's underlying interest, and brainstorming and implementing solutions.
Classroom educators will maintain a written record of any issues they deem problematic to the functioning of the classroom, the child's education, or well-being of other students. A written record allows addressing problems reasonably, coherently, and progressively. It is the obligation of classroom educators as well as the administrative staff to ensure that disciplinary actions and decisions always consider due process and equal protection. The children will be guided to form peer facilitator groups to counsel amongst themselves and assist with showing expected behavior.
Minor offenses such as:
may be indicative of other underlying problems and should be investigated by a teacher or staff member. Such behavior could result in reprimands and/or counseling of student. A conference with the parents may be requested to further discuss any problems that may have occurred outside the school premises.
Major offenses such as:
will be brought to the attention of the Director who will determine appropriate intervention in concert with teacher(s)/staff member(s). Should a student continue to act out following attempts at resolving the problem within the classroom and through meetings with parents, teachers, and school counselors, a child study team will conduct an evaluation to determine what services are necessary and whether there are grounds for suspension or expulsion.
Student behavior will be governed by the simple rules of courtesy, mutual respect, consideration for and encouragement of others. Conduct must support the mission of the school which is to nourish personal excellence, support and encourage one's peers, and practice collective responsibility. The students, staff, and parents will legislate and enforce their own specific and particular rules of behavior in a democratic and just manner.
Students are expected to:
Students will be encouraged to follow these codes of conduct through public recognition of positive and helpful behavior.
Director of the Greater Brunswick Charter School
(Full job descriptions are attached; please see Appendix B: Job Descriptions.)
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
The Director of Greater Brunswick Charter School is an integral member of the learning community comprised of students, staff and families. The Director must support shared decision making, promote collaborative leadership and require accountability from all people in the school.
In addition to serving as the educational leader of the school, the Director is responsible for planning, budgeting, facilities management, scheduling staff development, and supervision and evaluation of staff.
The Director is responsible for running the school efficiently and, at the same time, advancing the ideals of the charter.
The Director is the official spokesperson for the Greater Brunswick Charter School and serves as a nonvoting ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees. The Director will act as liaison between the board and staff and attend all board meetings. The Director will establish and maintain regular communication with local boards of education, superintendents, and county administrators.
Ultimately, the Director is responsible for knowing each student on a personal basis and maintaining positive relationships with parents/sponsors. The Director should be organized, flexible, creative, and accessible.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
The administrative assistant is responsible for ensuring the office of the school is run in an efficient, friendly and accountable manner. The administrative assistant will receive phone calls and forward calls to the appropriate party as needed. The administrative assistant will ensure all classes are covered by appropriate staff and arrange for substitute teachers as needed. The administrative assistant will supervise the operation and maintenance of the school facility and arrange for repairs when necessary, including the hiring of cleaning and repair staff.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
The school nurse is responsible for maintenance of student health records, vision and hearing screenings, notification of local or county officials of any improperly immunized students, scoliosis examinations of students ages 10 through 18.
The school nurse is expected to work collaboratively with teachers and Director in curriculum planning, development and teaching of health/family education studies.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
The family service coordinator will build a database of the talents and interests of the parents/sponsors and draw on their voluntary participation in these respective areas. The family service coordinator will schedule parents as needed to fulfill school-based needs. He/she will also coordinate parent workshops and seminars based on parent interest.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
The learning disabilities teacher/consultant will serve as case manager for classified students enrolled in Greater Brunswick Charter School with existing individual education plans. The learning disabilities teacher/consultant will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Personal Education Plans and ensuring that required annual reviews and reevaluations are conducted in the required time periods. He or she will also coordinate services between professionals involved in implementing special education services.
The learning disabilities teacher/consultant will also coordinate the pupil assistance committee, which will meet on a regular basis to discuss concerns brought to the committee regarding individual student or class issues related to learning or adjustment to school. The learning disabilities teacher/consultant will suggest instructional strategies, modifications, supplemental equipment and devices.
In addition, the learning disabilities teacher/consultant will be available on a limited basis to provide services in the classroom to classified students as needed. These services may include in-class support, modifications and teacher consultation.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
To implement the mission and education program of the Charter School in a safe, peaceful, stimulating and aesthetically pleasing classroom environment. To develop in conjunction with other staff and community members the school's civic institutions. To work collaboratively with staff members to develop curriculum.
To develop long- and short-term learning goals that will comprise each of their student's Personal Education Plans. To develop and maintain each student's portfolio. To conduct regular individual and group meetings with parents/sponsors to discuss student progress and community issues. To participate in daily planning, evaluation and collaborative meetings with co-workers. To undertake regular professional development.
Continuing staff development is crucial to fostering creativity, improving efficiency and increasing the educational value of the Charter School. We plan to allocate a minimum of 2 percent of the teacher's salaries to be directed to staff development, to provide time in the school schedule to accommodate development activities and to work with educators to identify and participate in valuable development activities. In addition, the continuing education achievements of our staff will be a factor considered during salary review.
Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
Primary responsibility is to help conduct a safe, peaceful, and stimulating classroom environment.
Work collaboratively with supervising teacher. Take charge of certain activities as recommended. Take charge of the domestic activities of the classroom, and assist students in meaningful ways. Fulfill lunch time, recess and dismissal duties.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School will enlist professionals, experts and specialists such as child study teams and related service professionals on a fee per visit basis as needed.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School will open with a projected enrollment of 100 students grades K-6 in its first year. The school will hire five full-time certified teachers and five teaching assistants. Each class will have an average of 20 students. The staff to student ratio will be approximately 1:10. In addition to 10 teaching staff members there will be a Director, part-time support staff, and parent and community volunteers who actively participate in the learning environment of the school, thus increasing further the contact and relationships between children and adults in our school. This ratio will be maintained as the student body grows each year.
All necessary certification requirement for administrators, teachers and support staff will be met and provided to the department of education before the June 30th deadline.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School has offered preliminary hiring agreements to a Director and three teachers. All surpassed the hiring requirements outlined above. Their credentials will be forwarded to the department of education upon the anticipated receipt of the Greater Brunswick Charter School charter in January 1998.
Teachers hired by the Greater Brunswick Charter School will be afforded security and protection according to the streamline tenure guidelines as adopted by the state board of education under NJAC 6A:11-6. The processes for streamline tenure acquisition, filing of charges, response to charges and arbitration are clearly outlined in the regulations and will be followed by the Greater Brunswick Charter School.
The employment contract developed by the Greater Brunswick Charter School (Appendix C: Employment Contract) incorporates the streamline tenure guidelines under Article 2, section E.
A strength of our school is its ties to a broad community of talents and varieties of people who will incorporate their real world experiences into our program. Should our affiliated educators express interest in a formal teaching position at our school, we would encourage and support their effort to seek alternate route certification.
The hiring process has been divided into two distinct yet overlapping committees with the separate goals of recruiting qualified applicants and interviewing and hiring applicants.
The recruitment committee will be composed of as many interested individuals from the membership as needed in order to design and administer a thorough, standardized, and well-publicized process to recruit qualified applicants. All applicants will be asked to submit a cover letter that states their qualifications and their education philosophy, as well as a resume and names of three references.
The recruitment committee as a whole will select from the pool of respondents a list of candidates who meet our minimum requirements. Once selected, the Director will join the recruitment committee in the process of selecting teacher and support staff personnel.
The recruitment committee may also recruit specific individuals who come to their attention and who possess experience or expertise considered especially valuable to the school.
The interview committee will be composed of the Director, four members of the Interim Board of Trustees and two additional members of the recruitment committee.
The interview committee will call candidates and arrange for a first interview. Each candidate will be sent a copy of the Charter School Application.
The first interview will consist of conversation and question and answer exchange. General provisions of all contracts and benefits will be provided to the candidates.
The interview committee will use an interview score sheet for each candidate and follow a preset question format to ensure a standardized and fair process.
A second interview will consist of a teaching demonstration. The interview committee will arrange for a group of children to be prepared for and available for the demonstration.
The interview committee will provide their top choice to the Interim Board of Trustees for approval at an open general membership meeting. The interview committee will entertain questions and comments from the membership at that time. The full interim board of trustees must approve and then offer a contract to the final candidate(s).
Once the school is operational, the Director and a board personnel representative will form a hiring committee as needed consisting of the Director and interested members.
The Interim Board of Trustees has developed an initial salary guide in conjunction with the Hiring Committee. This guide considers a teacher's level of education, years of experience, and other professional accomplishments. Our salary guidelines are comparable to salaries offered to public school teachers in our four communities.
The basic teacher salary guidelines include three teacher levels1, 2, and 3. The average salaries for each level are as follows:
Teacher Level 1 $32,000
Teacher Level 2 $36,000
Teacher Level 3 $42,000
The School Review Committee will recommend to the Board of Trustees policies for advancement and salary increases based on professional accomplishments, merit, extracurricular activities, and leadership ability. Performance evaluations will be included in the annual salary review for staff.
The Interim Board of Trustees has worked with legal counsel, advisors, and a representative from the NJEA to develop an employment contract for its professional staff (see Appendix C: Employment Contract).
Upon selecting candidates for hiring, the Hiring Committee will present their recommendations to the Board of Trustees for approval. The Board will offer the approved candidate an employment contract as outlined above.
Procedures for handling dismissal issues for tenured and nontenured staff are fully addressed in the employment contract (see Appendix C: Employment Contract).
The Greater Brunswick Charter School plans to offer its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including a pension plan, that is comparable to benefits offered public school employees in our area. We plan to enroll our employees in the New Jersey State Health Benefits Plan and the TPAF and PERS pension plans administered by the State of New Jersey.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School is committed to hiring a highly qualified, talented and diverse community of teachers and support staff who share the same educational philosophy as the Greater Brunswick Charter School. In an effort to reach the widest range of educators seeking the opportunity to join an alternative, innovative school, the Greater Brunswick Charter School has advertised in national, regional, and local newspapers and publications, including The New York Times, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The Star Ledger, The Home News & Tribune, and Education Week. We have posted advertisements at various universities, schools of education, alternative schools, professional associations, teacher's unions and public schools. To date, we have spent more than $2300 on job advertisements.
Information sessions held in each of the four communities were advertised through leaflets, newspaper notices and posters and attracted interested teachers. We have also posted job offerings on the Internet. The Greater Brunswick Charter School has launched its own site at aesop.rutgers.edu/.~charter and is now linked to numerous education-oriented web sites and listed in the major Internet Directories.
In addition to the above efforts, there will be an extensive recruitment effort in our community in order to reach those professionals who are familiar with the dynamics and populations of our four communities and who strive to contribute professionally as well as personally to the quality of education here. A diverse staff that reflects the multicultural and racial make-up of our communities is a priority.
The response to our outreach efforts has been outstanding. After receiving a charter in January 1997 and advertising for staff, we received more than 125 applications for five teaching positions and 28 applications for the Director position.
The Director, already offered a hiring agreement by the Greater Brunswick Charter School, is consulting with the Interim Board of Trustees. The Director is a public school supervisor with extensive experience in all areas of education.
Parental involvement in the running of this Charter School is central to its success. We envision a school that has very small class sizes and works to create a strong sense of community, empathy, and trust. Because of this, parents/sponsors are considered full partners in the education of the school's children and we will rely on them to commit a significant amount of labor to the school. Without this labor, we will not have the money or the spirit to do what we aim to do.
The Charter School will work to ensure an atmosphere where parents/sponsors feel inclinedand not burdenedto contribute their time and effort. The Charter School will also work to ensure that incoming parents/sponsors receive the mentoring and support they need. The staff and Family Coordinator will work to make tasks clearly defined, manageable, and reasonable. Prior to the beginning of each school year, or as needed, the Charter School will hold training sessions to acquaint parents/sponsors with the types of participation possible, to answer questions, and to solicit suggestions and ideas.
Generally speaking, there are two types of parental involvementthat which involves an individual child's learning and that which helps to run the school.
The first is very straightforward: there should be regular contact between teachers and parents/sponsors. Parents/sponsors must make a serious commitment to engage in their child's learning. Toward this end, there will be both group and individual conferences between students, teachers, and parents.
Roughly twice a month, there will be conferences between parents/sponsors and teachers. Conferences will not all be formal meetings. These individual conferences may occur either in person or by telephone. The student's record will record the date, type, and content of the conferences.
Throughout the year, there will also be three or four class conferences. The purpose of these conferences is to allow parents/sponsors, teachers, and students to discuss common concerns, achievements, and interests. These group conferences when they occur will take the place of individual conferences. The basis of our school is the development of communitythese group conferences will foster a shared sense of commitment in the education of not only our own, but others' children.
There will be two General Membership meetings each year. At least one member or sponsor of each family should attend. Students are encouraged to attend this meeting, their voices being essential in the matters of their learning.
The second part of parental involvement is more demanding. Parents are needed to take on administrative duties (from Board of Trustees membership to clerical to committee work), fund-raise, work in the classroom, sponsor field trips and community service programs, and assist in the maintenance and development of the facilities. The success of the school requires the voluntary involvement of parents, but because every person has different skills and strengths there is flexibility in how each person contributes their time.
Each sponsorin conjunction with the student (age appropriate) and a school representativewill be encouraged to sign a "compact" that outlines the reciprocal and interrelated responsibilities of each party in the school.
We recognize there are many different types of families as well as many different demands on time. We are, therefore, very supportive of extended family members, guardians, or interested adults becoming compact signatories with students. Indeed we aim to establish "time" scholarships for students who do not have conventional family support for their education. These scholarships would be donated by volunteerssenior citizens, single adults, college studentsfrom the community at large.
The Charter School has identified, and is continuing to identify organizations, churches, and synagogues from each of the four municipalities that could be interested in or supportive of our school. The Outreach Committee provides regular written information to these groups via letters, bulletins, and fact sheets in order to educate them about the Charter School law and the creation of our school itself. We have sent numerous organizations regular notices and encourage them to invite their members to attend our general meetings.
In November, 1996, the Outreach Committee ran a special information session for community organizations ("Community Coffee") about the Charter School. We have also addressed the leadership of each organization through formal presentations at their board or leadership meetings. We are seeking the active involvement of organizations who can contribute to the fiscal and educational operation of the school, as well as those organizations that can reach parents of school-age children from all income levels, racial, and ethnic backgrounds within our area.
The Charter School governance structure calls for an Advisory Board of local community leaders and experts to assist in the development of the school and provide contacts to the broadest possible population. Advisory Board members act as ex-officio advisors to the Board of Trustees and may perform other tasks as well. This will allow us to include input from people with particular expertise, insights, or perspectives who might not otherwise be part of the school's General Membership.
We have worked to involve the following organizations in the Charter School:
Letters or resolutions of endorsement from some of these organizations are included in Appendix A. Letters of Support. We anticipate additional endorsements to be obtained throughout the fall, and will forward them to the Department of Education as they are received.
Our facility is the former St. Ladislaus School, 197 Somerset Street, New Brunswick.
Until recently, the site was an active parochial school. It contains ample classroom space, a well-equipped kitchen facility, a large multi-purpose room, and library space. There are also offices for the Director and staff. It is located in a busy, safe neighborhood near the center of town. We will the share the building with the New Brunswick Board of Education.
A copy of a resolution of the New Brunswick Board of Education, granting the Charter School a sub-lease for the facility is provided in Appendix H: Lease Agreement.
Not applicable.
We will be subleasing from the New Brunswick Board of Education. They will provide the security deposit and make the necessary improvements. Our financial obligation will be limited to monthly rent payments.
Some amount of clean-up and painting may be needed. We have allocated $5,000 for this work. We expect to complete most of the work ourselves, through our membership; our costs will be primarily for materials.
All needed structural or mechanical renovations will be made by the New Brunswick Board of Education prior to their occupancy of the building in September, 1997. No additional major renovations or improvements are expected in preparation for our use of the facility beginning in September, 1998.
During the registration process, parents/sponsors will be asked to provide Greater Brunswick Charter School with one-way mileage from front door of student's residence to front entrance of the school facility. Greater Brunswick Charter School will then provide the transportation coordinators of the New Brunswick, Highland Park, Edison and Milltown boards of education with listings of all registered students residing in each respective district, utilizing the attached form. The data for students who reside more than two miles from the Charter School will be highlighted. These forms will be delivered, via U.S. Certified Mail, to the transportation coordinator, together with a Greater Brunswick Charter School calendar, outlining opening/closing times of the school day, days when school is closed and abbreviated school days. Copies of the above will be provided to the superintendent of each district of residence.
The Greater Brunswick Charter School will certify enrollment of students receiving transportation services or financial aid in lieu of those services, in writing, via the Charter School Certification of Enrollment form. In the event that the Greater Brunswick Charter School does not receive this form from any or all of the resident districts in timely fashion, the Charter School will generate its own certification form, utilizing the approved format, and forward same to the districts of residence to ensure that transportation and/or financial aid will not be interrupted for its eligible students.
May 15, 1998 Application for Transportation Services form (samples
attached) submitted to school districts of residence.
June 1, 1998 Charter School will notify eligible parents/guardians
of parents' responsibility to complete and return
documents required by their resident districts in
order to provide transportation service and/or
financial aid.
Aug 15, 1998 Charter School will contact parents/guardians of
students receiving aid and/or transportation to
ensure that parents' understanding of the specifics
of said transportation/aid is consistent with what
the respective districts will be providing.
Jan 10, 1999 Charter School will submit a Certification of
Attendance form to each of the four district boards
of education.
May 10, 1999 Charter School will submit an updated Certification
of Attendance form to each of the four district
boards of education.
We are not requesting any waivers of regulations at this time. As we implement our program, we will continue to monitor whether any part of our program requires such a waiver.
We are not requesting any waivers at this time.
To assess performance of the Charter School, the Board of Trustees will conduct periodic surveys and focus groups among all stakeholders (students, parents/ sponsors, administrators, and teaching staff) to measure performance as it relates to the mission and goals of the Charter School as set out in subsections 1 and 2. These surveys and focus groups will be conducted not less than twice yearly, once at mid-year and again at year-end. Additionally, an exit survey prepared by administrative staff to be completed by all students and parents who leave the Charter School will be used to determine the reasons someone opts out of the school.
At the heart of effective self-evaluation is a process which encourages and, indeed, seeks feedback from all interested stakeholders and requires self-adjustment in light of the constructive criticism received. At the Charter School, this process will begin with student assessment as described in subsection 6. The self- evaluation process will proceed to staff evaluation, as described in subsection 15(d), below. We refer to this as the "assessment-accountability loop." Charter School assessment will be directed and overseen by the Board of Trustees and administrative staff, and will afford ample opportunity for parental input along the way.
An internal assessment team comprised of members of the Board, parents, teachers and administrative staff will collect and review student and staff assessment data with an eye toward creation of a survey to test attainment of the Charter School's mission and educational goals. The internal assessment team will take special care to test stakeholder attitudes and opinions about any problems that may come to light through the student and staff assessment process.
Once complete, the survey results will be given to an outside facilitator, either a professional educational assessment consultant, a study team comprised of representatives from other Charter Schools or the school districts represented in the Charter School, or a combination of the above. The outside facilitator will review the survey results, identify any problem areas, develop a targeted survey and conduct focus groups designed to come up with strategies for improving performance and a list of specific self-improvement goals and objectives.
While student achievement on standardized tests will comprise one important facet of our assessment criteria, we want and expect more from the Charter School than high academic performance. We expect students, parents/sponsors and staff to come together as a learning community to nurture individuality, mutual respect, cooperation, and social involvement; to develop critical thinking skills and foster a lifelong love of learning.
With this in mind, both the internal and external assessment teams will develop scoring criteria specifically designed to test student, staff, and Charter School achievement as measured against the three overarching goals identified in subsection 1(c), above. For example, the assessment teams will review student assessment results to determine the extent to which children direct their own learning. This generic rubric can be broken down to its constituent parts to measure activity such as students' involvement in development of Personal Education Plans, the degree to which students take responsibility for their own learning, and the extent to which students assist in teaching others.
Additional rubrics associated with the other two overarching goals will also be created. To wit, what is the extent to which students, staff, and families work together to create a learning community? Again, these generic rubrics will be broken down to more measurable objectives, such as levels of parent/sponsor participation in learning activities, and administrative and support activities necessary to run the school. Examining the nature and extent of interactions between the school community and the community at-large will provide an objective means of measuring the school's performance in meeting its goal of building civility, community, and democracy.
Accountability of students, teaching staff, and administrators will pave the way for effective self-evaluation. High student achievement on standardized tests will be one measure of the Charter School's success. We expect to do better than comparable districts on these objective test measures after three years of operation. However, more complex self-assessment criteria will be needed to judge progress as it relates to the broad goals of the Charter School mission statement. The process of self-evaluation will be confirmed, reinforced, and refined by an outside assessment team. The goal of both internal and external assessment will be a detailed action plan for self-improvement and adjustment of the school as a whole.
Our Advisory Board, which contains individuals outside the school membership, will help us set up and monitor our school-wide evaluation process. Such an outside perspective can contribute to the objectivity of the evaluation.
The commissioner of the State Department of Education is required by law to assess whether each Charter School is meeting the goals of its charter. To facilitate the commissioner's review, each Charter School is required to submit an annual report to the local board of education, the county superintendent of schools, and the commissioner in the form prescribed by the commissioner. The report will be received annually by the local board, the county superintendent, and the commissioner no later than August 1.
Although we do not know the precise form this report will take, it will include a full accounting of student performance and the progress of the school in meeting the goals of its charter. The self-evaluation process described above will begin with student assessment as described in subsection 6. The self-evaluation process will proceed to staff evaluation, as described in subsection 15(d), below. The administrative staff will be responsible for compiling the results of student and staff assessment in a form that can be readily adapted to the annual report. The self-improvement goals and objectives, as defined by the outside facilitator, also will be included in the annual report as part of an educational improvement plan for the school.
As a public institution, the Charter School will maintain school records as public information, subject to any necessary restrictions needed to maintain individual privacy. For example, while overall results of student and staff assessment will be treated as public information, individual student or staff performance reviews will be treated as private. These and other school records will be maintained by the administrative staff and will be available for public inspection during normal business hours in the administrative offices of the school.
Additionally, the annual report, which will include assessment and performance data, as well as any other information required by the commissioner, will be available to all stakeholders in the Charter School, those entities required by law, and the community at-large. The annual report, including not only a summary of assessment and performance information, but also a detailed educational improvement plan based on the self- evaluation process described in subsection 15(a) will be available to the media, to community organizations (those represented on the Board of Trustees and others), and to any other interested party upon request.
The nature of our Charter School will permit teacher evaluation to be both informal and formal. Because family/school interaction is central to the mission of our school, informal evaluation of teachers will be ongoing during staff meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and daily interactions among children, teachers, the Director, and parents. The degree to which teachers are able to work compatibly with other staff, students, parents, the Director, and school volunteers in the development and implementation of students' goals and in the resolution of conflicts which arise during the academic year will be a central factor in their evaluation.
Formal evaluationsoverseen by the Director (who reports back to the Board of Trustees)will be conducted twice a year, around the beginning of November and again around the beginning of March. At this time the Director will spend at least half of the school day with the teacher and class as a participant-observer. Both teacher and Director will write a brief summary of the observation period noting learning goals, activities, strengths, and a reflection on which teacher actions/attitudes might have enhanced the learning activities. These summaries will be completed and exchanged within one week of the observation, after which the teacher and Director will meet to discuss them. Subsequent observations will build upon the objectives from each previous observation.
In addition, as stated earlier in subsection 7, we believe teachers must be able to use information from student assessment as feedback on the effectiveness of particular instructional units or approaches. Both student and teacher assessments must serve as mirrors of each other for both parties to gain useful information from both evaluations. Thus, part of the formal teacher evaluation will include a summary of student performance, a review of teaching methods, the identification of areas of curricular strength and weakness, and identification of staff development needs. Questionstaken from the book Classroom Assessment Techniques, by Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Crossthat might be asked at this time include:
Plans for improvement will be discussed and teacher/learning goals will be formulated or modified as necessary.
A final summative evaluation will be written by the Director in May of the school year. This will include information about the teacher's readiness and ability to utilize feedback from previous evaluations to improve student learning. It will also include a self-evaluation written by the teacher. Finally, both parents and students will have the opportunity to give feedback via separate Parent and Student Feedback Questionnaires designed to assess information about teaching methods, teacher accessibility and responsiveness to parent and/or student concerns, etc. The student questionnaires will be tailored to the developmental level of children, and for young children, will be administered via a structured interview with a school volunteer. Particular care will be taken to safeguard the anonymity of students and parents so they will feel free to be completely honest in their responses.
We are in the process of developing a set of standards to guide us in the evaluation of teacher performance. While it is still in the formative stages, we anticipate it will include criteria from the book A Practical Guide to Alternative Assessment by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. These include questions about how well the teacher:
The Director will be formally evaluated once yearly, with the exception of his or her first year of employment. During the first year of employment of any new Director, there will be a review at the end of the first three months, and another review at the six-month mark. The Director's evaluation will be undertaken by the Board of Trustees and will include participation of outside consultants/specialists for fairness and impartiality. The review will scrutinize the Director's ability to:
Input from parents will be vital to this process and will be solicited via a Parent Feedback Questionnaire. In addition, comments from teachers will be aggressively sought and highly regarded. Confidentiality will ensure detailed and honest responses.
The Board of Trustees and the Director will establish a checklist outlining the Director's administrative functions, enabling the Board to determine whether the Director is completing these functions in a timely and efficient manner. This checklist will be derived from the administrative responsibilities outlined in subsection 10(b). The Director will also be evaluated on the basis of his or her willingness and ability to work with a diverse group of parents, children, staff, volunteers, officials, and community members, and the ability to negotiate agreements and settle conflicts.
Finally, we are exploring the idea of a partnership with other charter schools with similar philosophies and educational values to enhance the process of staff evaluation. We hope to bring in staff from other schools to participate in the assessment of teachers and the Director. These "critical friends" will strengthen our ability to use information from these assessments so we maximize student learning and enhance the experience of those who make up the charter school community throughout New Jersey.
We have plotted all the steps required to open the Greater Brunswick Charter School in September, 1998. We have the advantage of having successfully completed most of these steps in anticipation of a September, 1997, opening, and we have made adjustments based on our earlier experience.
Tasks are organized into several categories:
The mission of the Outreach Committee is to ensure all families in the community know about the Greater Brunswick Charter School, and we have planned events and activities to this end. One benefit of last year's experiencereceiving our charter and having it revoked upon appealis that we received an enormous amount of press coverage. In the process, the school's mission and its educational program were much discussed and supported throughout the community.
Our renewed outreach efforts begin shortly after the charter application is completed (September 1, 1997), and will continue up to the enrollment date (February 14, 1998). They include a number of key tasks:
These activities will take place in the fall and early next year, in anticipation of enrollment.
Our facilities tasks are much simplified because we have an option on the facility of our choice (see subsection 12), and do not have to repeat the search process. The basic tasks include:
Our finance and budget tasks begin with the preliminary budget submitted with our application (August 15, 1997) and continue with the establishment of standard accounting procedures. We must then complete the following steps:
We have already established a relationship with an accounting firm experienced in school administration and have received additional assistance from the business office of the New Brunswick school system.
We have already received commitment from several key staff members who were recruited last year prior to losing our charter. These include the Director and a senior level teacher. Nonetheless, we will be performing the following tasks to complete the hiring process:
All hiring should be completed by July 15, 1998.
Detailed program development will take place during July and August, 1998, once the teaching staff is hired. This will include curriculum development, assessment development, team building and other training provided by consultants.
General Membership activities are designed to build a sense of community among member families and to conduct the business requiring participation of the community as a whole. Several events are planned:
In addition, Charter School Board of Trustees training and orientation will be completed by August 15, 1998.
The attached timetable shows dates associated with each projected activity.
[The timetable is a Microsoft Project file. Contact us if you would like a copy.]Our current insurance coverage plans (other than health) are based on estimates received from several insurance agents. However, as we will be subletting from the New Brunswick Board of Education, we anticipate negotiating a rider to their insurance policy for comprehensive general liability, property, property extensions, crime, and umbrella coverage that, at minimum, matches what is described below.
Health
Our current budget assumes participation in the New Jersey State Health Benefits Plan. This matches the coverage of our Director and provides the broadest possible options for our employees.
General Liability
Property
Automobile Liability for Pupil Transportation
Officer and Employee Liability, Including any Performance Surety
22-3449114
To come.
See Appendix F: By-Laws.
See Appendix G: Certificate of Incorporation.
See Appendix H: Lease Agreement.
To come.
To come.
To come.
To come.
If a document is not available at the time of submission of the application, provide a brief explanation as to why the document is not available and when it will be available.
Document Date Available Financial Disclosure - Available October 1, 1997 once the Interim Board of Trustees incorporates new members during planned reformation. Certificate of Occupancy - February 15, 1998 Available upon receipt of Charter and activation of lease. Sanitary Inspection - Available February 15, 1998 upon receipt of Charter and activation of lease. Fire Safety Inspection - February 15, 1998 Available upon receipt of Charter and activation of lease. Teacher Certificates - Available June 15, 1998 once teachers are hired.
For an existing public school converting to charter school status, submit with this application the originals of the petitions in support of the school becoming a charter school from at least 51 percent of the teaching staff in the school and at least 51 percent of the parents/legal guardians of students attending that public school.
Not applicable.
The Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School will open in September 1998 with 100 students.
We plan to utilize the standard 90 percent funding level.
We expect the following revenues, based on our first-year enrollment projections:
Enrollment
Breakdown
Edison
Kindergart 5 3080 $
en 15,400
1-5 15 6160 $
92,400
6-8 2 6899 $
13,798
SUBTOTAL 22 $
121,598
Milltown
Kindergart 1 3118 $
en 3,118
1-5 1 6230 $
6,230
6-8 0 6984 $
-
SUBTOTAL 2 $
9,348
New
Brunswick
Kindergart 6 3118 $
en 18,708
1-5 29 6230 $
180,670
6-8 2 6984 $
13,968
SUBTOTAL 37 $
213,346
Highland
Park
Kindergart 7 3118 $
en 21,826
1-5 30 6230 $
186,900
6-8 2 6984 $
13,968
SUBTOTAL 39 $
222,694
TOTAL 100 $
566,986
NOTE: Enrollment projections for each district are based on the "actual" enrollment of students which took place last year, prior to the revocation of our charter. These actual enrollment figures provide a more accurate representation of our likely student population than figures derived by simply looking at total student enrollment in the four districts. We have used the actual figures throughout our calculations.
In addition, this financial plan includes $147,750 in Categorical Aid. This approximate amount is derived from statistics provided by the State Department of Education.
This plan also includes Federal Start-up Grant funds, available through the State of New Jersey, for Charter School start up ($90,000 on or about July 15, 1998).
We are planning several more fund raisers; we anticipate raising $20,000.
We have also received a commitment from Westminster Choir College to provide a music teacher free of cost. We have indicated this contribution in kind on line 35 as the estimated cost of a half-time music teacher ($16,500), while showing the expenditure for a music teacher on line 100 (rather than on line 43 with the other teacher salaries).
Other contributions in kindof science equipment, furniture, books, and general supplieswill further defray some initial costs, as well minimize some of our ongoing expenses. However, we have not shown any of this "income" on our budget summary.
We will also arrange for a $30,000 loan from the Prudential Social Investments program designed to aid charter schools in New Jersey. This will allow for expenditures prior to the receipt of the first grant money. This money will be repaid by June, 1999, as indicated in the cash flow management plan.
Additional revenue development plans include applying for grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation and Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. We have identified numerous likely grantors through our research at the Foundation Center in New York City.
Our Start Up Plan runs from the moment we receive a charter (January 15, 1998) through the end of August, 1998. It includes the tasks needed to recruit students and families, recruit and hire staff, prepare the facility, purchase materials and text books, purchase equipment, train staff, develop curriculum, establish the necessary administrative capacityin short, create a school where none currently exists.
Month by month expenditures for start up are accounted for in the Charter School cash flow management plan. In addition, the following table provides an overview of these expenditures by category. Some categories of expendituresStaff Recruitment, Interim Board Administration, Community Outreach, and Staff Training Programare keyed by line numbers to the Budget Summary, making it possible to see where these expenditures are included in the Budget Summary.
Line Jan-98 Feb-98 Mar-98 Apr-98 May-98 Jun-98 Jul-98 Aug-98
#
Beginning Cash $0 ($1,571 ($2,071 ($2,591 $26,888 $25,918 $91,925
Balance ) ) )
Revenues
Charter School
Aid
12 Local Levy-Local $ $36,382
Share 36,382
13 Local Levy-State
Share
14 Categorical Aid
Total Charter $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $36,382 $36,382
School Aid
Revenues from
Other Sources
Investment Income
30 Restricted-Special $
Revenue 90,000
Restricted -
Revenues from
other Sources
Fund $500 $500 $500
Raising/Contributi
on in Kind
Loan Disbursement $30,000
Total Other $500 $500 $500 $30,000 $0 $90,000 $0
Revenue
Total Revenues $500 $500 $500 $30,000 $0 $126,38 $36,382
2
Expenditures
Instructional
Expenses
43 Salaries of
Teachers
44 Other Salaries
for Instruction
45 Purchased
Services
46 Other Purchased
Services
47 General Supplies $
9,600
48 Textbooks $
6,500
49 Miscellaneous $ $
Expense 1,000
91
Administrative
Expenses
52 Director Salary $ $
5,000 5,000
52 Family Coord. $ $
Salary 182
-
53 Secretary Salary $ $2,917
2,917
54 Total Benefit $4,791 $4,791
Costs
55 Purchased Prof.
Services
Auditing $417 $417
Financial Set Up $167 $167
and Tech Support
Filing Fees and $300
Payroll Setup
Payroll $100 $100
Legal $250 $250
Software $2,000
Advertising for $1,500 $1,250 $500
Staff
56 Other Purchased
Services
57 Telephone/Communic $ $494
ations 604
58 Supplies and $171 $171 $171 $171 $171 $ $171
Materials -
Photocopies 171
Printing $200 $150 $150 $150 $100 $100
Conferences/Meetin $200 $200 $200 $200 $200
gs
Enrollment $500
60 Interest on Loan
63 Miscellaneous $800 $138 $138
Support Services
66 Salaries
67 Purchased
Professional
Services
68 Other Purchased
Services
69 Rent-Security $ $4,167
Deposit 4,167
70 Insurance $ $457
457
71 Supplies and $ $83
Materials
83
74 Energy Costs $ $1,098
1,098
75 Miscellaneous $ $167
167
Capital Outlay
78 Instructional $ $4,000
Equipment 4,000
79 Non-instructional $
Equipment 5,900
80 Improvements $
5,000
95 Federal - Charter $ $22,459
School Start Up 22,459
101 Loan Repayment
(Principle)
Total $2,071 $2,571 $1,021 $521 $971 $60,374 $64,155
Expenditures
Ending Cash ($1,571 ($2,071 ($2,591 $26,888 $25,918 $91,925 $64,151
Balance ) ) )
Salaries of Teachers (line 43) includes salaries for five full-time teaching positions; one level 1 teacher at $32,000; three level 2 teachers at an average of $36,000; and one level 3 teacher at $42,000 per year.
There is an additional $65 per day allotment for a substitute teacher covering 120 days of the school year. We also include a part-time bilingual education specialist ($18,000).
Other Salaries for Instruction (line 44) include five full-time teaching assistants ($86,000).
Administrative salaries (lines 52 and 53) allow for a full-time Director ($60,000), a part-time Family Coordinator ($2,000), and a full-time Administrative Assistant ($35,000).
Line 54, Benefit Costs, are illustrated in the following table:
Benefit Cost - Details
Type Rate Unit 1 # Total
People
FICA 7.65% $378,290 $
28,939
FICA Reimbursement $
(28,939)
Medical $ 13 $
325 12 50,700
Dental $ 12 $
25 12 3,600
Pension 5% $ 1 $
39,200 1960
NJ Unemployment 0.53% $ 13 $
Insurance 18,000 1228.5
TOTAL for Line 54: $
57,489
Line 55, Purchased Professional Services include the following items:
Purchased Professional Services - Details
Type Rate Quantity Total
Advertising for Staff $
3,250
Auditing * $
5,000
Financial Set Up and $
Tech Support 2,000
Filing Fees and Payroll $
Setup 300
Payroll $ $
100 12 1,200
Legal $ $
150 20 3,000
Software $
2,000
TOTAL for Line 55: $
16,750
* A total of $5000 is set aside for auditing of the school's finances as per the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:23-1 et. seq. [c. 426, P.L. 1995 Section 5(1)].
Line 57, Telephone/Communication Services includes the following:
Telephone/Communication Services -
Details
Telephone-Non-recurring $
1,000
Telephone-Recurring $
3,000
Internet Account $
240
Postage $
1,800
TOTAL for Line 57: $
6,040
Line 58, Supplies and Materials:
Supplies and Materials - Details
Supplies prior to July $
1998 3,000
Paper $
700
Printer Toner $
200
Media $
250
Office Supplies $
1,000
Printing $
750
TOTAL for Line 58: $
5,900
Line 60, Interest on Current Loans (line 60) indicates the $1100 interest needed to pay back bank loans used for start up.
Additional administrative expenses for start up are funded by Federal aid. These expenses are described under "Expenditures - Special Fund Revenue" below.
Line 66, Salaries for Support Services:
Salaries for Support Services - Details
Custodian $
18,000
Nurse 720 $ $
hours 22/hour 15,840
Social Worker 20% $
$35,000 7,000
TOTAL for $
Line 66: 40,840
Line 67, Purchased Professional/Technical Services:
Purchased Professional/Technical Services -
Details
Speech Therapy 20% $ $
35,000 7,000
Child 20% $ $
Study/Case 35,000 7,000
Mngr.
Food Service $
(50 lunches) 4,500
Phys./Occ. 3 $ $
Therapy students 3,000 9,000
Psychiatric $
Eval. 300
TOTAL for Line $
67: 27,800
Line 68, Other Purchased Services is estimated at $7,500.
Line 69, Rental of Land and Building is estimated at $50,000 for the year.
Additional Support Services are detailed below:
Additional Support Services are detailed below: Line 70. Insurance for property, liability and fidelity Legal Liability for Board Property General Liability Hired Auto Blanket Bond Umbrella Policy $ 4,986 Student Accident $ 500 TOTAL for Line 70: $ 5,486 Line 71. Supplies and Materials Cleaning Supplies $ 1,000 TOTAL for Line 71: $ 1,000 Line 72. Transportation - Other than to/from school $ 2,000 Line 73. Non-mandated Transportation to/from School Line 74. Energy Costs Gas and Oil $ 8,000 Electricity 65% $ 663 12 $ 5,171 TOTAL for Line 74: $ 13,171 Line 75. Miscellaneous Expenses $ 2,000
Capital Outlay
Line 85, Total Capital Outlay appears as only $26,900 because many of these expenditures are budgeted under Federal Special Funds available for Charter School start up (line 95).
These expenses break down as follows:
These expenses break down as follows: Line 78. Instructional Equipment Desks Chairs Tables Science Equipment Physical Education Equipment Audio/Visual Equipment Art Equipment TOTAL for Line 78: $ 16, 000 Line 79. Non-instructional Equipment Furniture 500 Computers 4000 Telephones 500 Fax Machine 300 Printers 400 Modems 200 TOTAL for Line 79 $ 5,900 Line 80. Purchase of Land/Improvements Bathroom Renovation 4000 Painting Classroom 1000 TOTAL for Line 80 $ 5,000
Line 80. Purchase of
Land/Improvements
Bathroom 4000
Renovation
Painting 1000
Classroom
TOTAL for Line 80 $ 5,000
Because we are planning to rent a building, there should be no cost associated with purchase of land or mortgage payments. We have allocated only $5,000 for improvements because we will be subletting from the New Brunswick Board of Education, and will not be accountable at this time for any major improvements, such as expenses associated with making the facility ADA compliant.
There are two categories of special revenue requiring a break down of expenditures: a Federal grant for start up expenses, and a special low-interest loan from Prudential. The Prudential loan is used for a variety of start-up expenses (see the Cash Flow, section h below). These are taken from the Charter School's 1997 application for funds, reviewed and scored by the New Jersey DOE.
The breakdown of the Federal Grant expenses, which appear on line 95, are described below.
Line 95, Federal Charter School Aid Grant Expenditures
Federal Charter School Grant Expenditures
Instruction
Summer In-Service, $
CLASS 2,800
Purchased Prof. Svcs.
Other Pur. Serv. $
3,500
General Supplies $
20,668
Textbooks $
3,625
Support Days # Rate
People
Curriculum Develop. 19 5 $ $
190 18,050
Other Salaries $
2,200
Purchased Prof Ed. $
Svcs. 5,350
Other Pur. Serv. $
333
Capital Outlay
Instructional $
Equipment 33,310
TOTAL $
89,836
Ending Fund Balance
The Budget Summary shows an ending combined fund balance of $35,524.
We have allocated moneys (line 55 of the summary budget) to pay for an independent audit by a certified public accountant of the school's financial records, pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:23-1 et. seq. We have agreed, by Board resolution, to retain the services of Samuel Klein, and Company, CPA. Samuel Klein is the current auditor for both the New Brunswick School Board and the City of New Brunswick.
Records will be kept in accordance with the guidelines specified in the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Technical Manual.
We plan to begin by admitting 100 students in K through 6. This will facilitate the multi-age groupings envisioned for the educational program, simplify curriculum development, and also serve well the families we feel are likely to participate.
Classes will include multi-age groupings, so grade definitions may be somewhat different from the traditional model; however, the table below provides a good description of our intended enrollment.
For each of the first four years, we will add 20 new kindergartners and try to achieve a net gain of 10 students in the other categories. We plan to add a new grade each year as the student population progresses; because we are initially limiting the school to K through 6, we will have no ninth graders until the fourth year.
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 K 20 20 20 20 1 18 20 20 20 2 17 16 20 20 3 15 16 17 20 4 15 16 17 18 5 9 16 17 18 6 6 16 17 17 7 0 10 17 17 8 0 0 15 20 9 0 0 0 20 TOTAL 100 130 160 190
Our ultimate enrollment goal is 250 children.
We do not expect to have space left over for nonresident students because our region encompasses four school districts. Thus, we do not have an enrollment goal.
The projected enrollment was determined based on students from New Brunswick, Highland Park, Edison, and Milltown.
The following table illustrates the enrollment breakdown by district for those students who actually enrolled in the Greater Brunswick Charter School in anticipation of a 1997 opening. We expect similar results for 1998.
Enrollment Breakdown Edison 22 Milltown 2 New Brunswick 37 Highland Park 39 TOTAL 100
In accordance with subsection 2. Budget Summary, follow the directions
and prepare a first-year budget covering projected sources of revenue,
both public and private, and planned expenditures. Include in those expenditures
and revenues, all start-up costs including those expected to be incurred
between the approval date of the charter and June 30 prior to the start
of the first school year. The estimated cost and anticipated source of
funding for facilities must also be included in this Budget Summary. The
Budget Summary should cover the period from January 1998 through June 1999.
Attach with the Budget Summary detailed line-item accounting (narrative)
on how each line item of revenue and expenditures was derived.
The Budget Summary is attached. It includes all start-up costs. Detailed line-item accounting follows on subsequent pages.In subsection 2, Budget Summary, the "local levy budget" will be based on a presumptive amount of 90 percent. If the charter school applicant requests to petition the Commissioner for a charter school rate less than or greater to the 90 percent presumptive amount, provide a separate accounting and narrative in support of a rate other than 90 percent in the application.
We are not requesting a rate other than the 90 percent presumptive rate.
The Cash Flow document, covering January, 1998 through June, 1999 is attached.
This section contains letters of support we have received from local institutions and community organizations.
The position of Director at the Greater Brunswick Charter School requires an educational leader with vision, excellent people skills, and a commitment to a unique educational mission. As an integral member of a "learning community" comprised of students, families, and teaching staff, the Director must support shared decision making, promote collaborative leadership and require accountability from all persons within the school. As such, the Director must develop meaningful and collaborative working relationships with staff members so as to maximize their involvement in shaping and implementing the school's educational program. In addition to serving as a "master teacher," providing support for and promoting enthusiasm among staff, parents and students, the Director is also responsible for planning, budgeting, facilities management, scheduling, staff development, supervision and evaluation, and any other activities at the direction of the Board.
The Charter of the GBCS vests in the Board of Trustees, the staff, and all the families in the school, a great deal of responsibility and authority for the design and implementation of the educational philosophy and program, and the smooth running of the school as a whole. It is the Director, however, who is responsible for running the school efficiently and for solving day to day problems, while at the same time advancing the ideas outlined in the Charter.
Students and Parents
Staff
Director interactions with the Board
Finances
Programs
Additional Responsibilities
Employment Contract/Agreement
Article I. Recognition
The Board recognizes the employee (or their designee(s)) as the exclusive and sole representative for negotiation concerning the terms and conditions of employment, on a full-time basis.
Article II. Grievance Procedure
A. Definition
The term "grievance" means a complaint or claim that there has been an improper application, interpretation or violation of any term or provision of this agreement (contract), administrative decisions, school or Board policy, or State statute affecting employees' terms and conditions of employment.
B. Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to secure, at the lowest possible level, equitable solutions to the problems which may, from time to time, arise affecting employees. Both parties agree that these proceedings will be kept as informal and confidential as may be appropriate at any level of the procedure.
C. Procedure
1. Filing a grievance
A grievance may be filed by any individual employed by the Board. Any grievance must be lodged at the proper initiating level within fourteen (14) calendar days of the happening of the event.
2. Failure to communicate a decision
Failure at any step to communicate the decision on a grievance within the specified time limitation will constitute acceptance of a grievance as sustained. Failure to appeal an answer which is unsatisfactory within a specified time limitation will be deemed to constitute an acceptance of such a response as dispositive.
3. Informal attempt to resolve a complaint
An individual who has a complaint will discuss it first with his/her immediate supervisor in an attempt to resolve the matter informally.
4. Level one -- immediate superior
If, as a result of the discussion, the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant within fourteen (14) calendar days, he/she will set forth his/her grievance in writing to the immediate superior, specifying:
a. the nature of the grievance;
b. the nature and extent of the injury, loss, or inconvenience;
c. the result of the previous discussion.
The grievant will identify the exact clause, policy, or administrative decision which is being grieved. The grievant will also attach a copy of any previous decisions. The immediate superior will communicate his/her decision to the grievant in writing within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of the written grievance.
5. Level two -- Board of Trustees
If the grievance is not resolved to the grievants' satisfaction, she/he, no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the receipt of the immediate superior's decision, may request a review by the Board of Trustees. The request will be submitted in writing through the immediate superior, who will attach all related papers and forward the request to the Board. The Board, or a committee thereof, will review the grievance and will, at the option of the Board, hold a hearing with the grievant and render a decision in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of the receipt of the grievance by the Board.
6. Level three -- Arbitration
If the decision of the Board does not resolve the grievance to the satisfaction of the grievant, notice of intention to proceed to arbitration will be given to the Board through the immediate superior within fourteen (14) calendar days after the receipt of the decision which is being appealed.
Any grievance not resolved by timely resort to the foregoing procedure will be subject to arbitration initiated and conducted under the rules of the New Jersey Public Employee Relations Commission and/or the American Arbitration Association.
Only those grievances which arise under the expressed written terms of a contract may be submitted to arbitration.
The arbitrator will limit him/herself to the issues submitted to him/her. She/he can add nothing to, nor subtract anything from, the Agreement between parties or any policy of the Board. The opinion and award will be final and binding. Only the Board and the aggrieved will be given copies of the arbitrator's opinion and award. This will be given within thirty (30) calendar days of the completion of the arbitrator's hearings.
7. Separate grievance file
All documents, communications, and records dealing with the processing of a grievance will be filed in a separate grievance file and will not be kept in the personnel file of any of the participants.
8. Meetings and Hearings
No meeting or hearing conducted under this procedure will be public. The only parties in attendance will be the parties in interest and the designated representatives contemplated in this article.
D. Costs
The fees and expenses of the arbitrator are the only costs which will be shared by the two parties, and such costs will be shared equally. Any other costs will be borne by the party incurring them.
E. Fair Dismissal Procedure
1. No later than October 15, 1998, the Board of Trustees and the School Review Committee agree to establish a Fair Dismissal Committee consisting of the Director and representatives from the staff, Board, and School Review committees.
2. This committee will develop specific criteria to be used for the evaluation of non-tenured teachers and other staff. These will include inefficiency, unbecoming conduct, incapacity or other just cause.
3. This committee will be charged with acting on the decisions of any arbitrator or the results of an appealable grievance procedure.
4. Streamline tenure will be acquired consistent with the process and criteria set forth in NJAC 6A:11-6. Once steamline tenure is acquired, an individual may only be dismissed or reduced in compensation for reasons specified in NJSA 18A:25-5, NJSA 18A:28-6, NJSA 18A:17-2 and NJSA 18A:28-6.
Article III. Evaluation
A. The Right to Full Knowledge
The Board of Trustees subscribes to the principle that an employee has the right to full knowledge regarding the judgement of his/her superior/supervisor respecting the effectiveness of his/her performance and that, further, he/she is entitled to receive such recommendations that will assist him/her in increasing the effectiveness of his/her performance.
B. Frequency of Review
Therefore, the Board, in concert with the staff, will establish supervisory procedures that will guarantee a minimum of three (3) written evaluations per year for each non-tenured employee. The first written evaluation will be no later than December 1st. The second written evaluation will be no later than February 1st and the third no later than April 1st. The process will be in accordance with the provisions of NJAC 6:3-1.19.
C. Evaluation Procedures
1. Copies of reports
Each employee will sign all copies of each written evaluation, attesting to the fact that the contents of the evaluation are known to him/her. No written evaluation may become part of the employee's personnel file without the employee's signature. Further, each employee will receive a copy of each written evaluation.
2. Right of employee to respond
A conference will be arranged between the evaluator and the employee as soon as possible after the receipt of the written evaluation by the employee, in compliance with NJAC 6:3-1.21. At such time, the employee is entitled to has his/her response to the evaluation heard and appended to the evaluation report.
3. Notice of contract renewal
Each employee will receive written notice, prior to May 15 of each year, whether or not the Board intends to recommend a renewal of contract for the ensuing year.
4. Leadership personnel (under tenure) will receive at least one (1) formal written evaluation in accordance with Title 18A and NJAC 6.
Article IV. Leaves of Absence
A. Sick Leave: Accumulative
All full-time employees will be entitled to [ten (10) for ten-month employees/ twelve (12) for twelve-month employees] days sick leave per year. Unused days of sick leave will be accumulated from year to year.
B. Temporary Leaves of Absence
All full-time employees will be entitled to the following leaves of absence with pay during the school year:
1. Death in family
In the event of a death in the family (immediate family), an allowance of up to five (5) days leave will be granted. "Immediate family" will be defined as husband, wife, child, step-child, father, mother, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law or any other member of the employee's immediate household. This leave may be extended by use of personal leave provided for in Section B.3 of this Article.
2. Funerals
An allowance of one (1) day will be granted to attend the funeral of other relatives or significant others of the employee. This leave may be extended by the use of personal leave provided for in Section B.3 of this Article.
3. Personal
Absence of three (3) days per year may be granted to any employee without reduction in pay for personal business which cannot be performed other than during employment hours. The number of unused days will accumulate for the purpose of sick leave from year to year.
4. Jury duty
In case of required jury duty an employee will be allowed time off for jury service. He/she will be paid the difference between his/her pay and jury pay.
5. Professional conferences
Each employee will be entitled to attend professional conferences and meetings during the school year. The Director and the Board together will identify those times prior to September, 1998. Applications, during the school year, to attend other conferences or meetings, will be received by and approved by the Board or a case by case basis.
C. Extended Leaves of Absence
1. Maternity
a. Natural birth
The Board will grant maternity leave without pay to any employee upon request subject to the following stipulations and limitations:
(1) Maternity leave will commence on the date requested by the employee.
(2) Any employee granted maternity leave without pay according to all provisions of this section may at her discretion elect to substitute all or any part of her accumulated sick leave in lieu thereof and receive full pay and benefits for the same.
(3) Any employee granted maternity leave will at her request be restored to the exact same position vacated at the commencement of said leave.
(4) No employee will be prevented from returning to work after childbirth solely on the ground that there has not been a time lapse between childbirth and desired date of return.
(5) The Board will not remove any employee from her duties during pregnancy unless the employee cannot produce a certificate from her physician that she is medically able to perform her current duties.
(6) The Board will not discriminate against any person in violation of NJSA 10.5-1 et seq., The Law Against Discrimination, nor in violation of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and of the United States of America.
b. Adoption
Any employee adopting a child will receive leave in accordance with Item 1.a of this Article, which will commence upon receiving de facto custody of said child, or earlier if necessary to fulfill the requirements for adoption.
2. Illness in the family
A leave of absence without pay will be granted for the purpose of caring for a sick member of the employee's immediate family. The initial amount of leave is fourteen (14) days. Additional leave may be granted at the discretion of the Board.
3. Continuation of Benefits While on Leave
While on leave without pay, employees will have the option to continue paying premiums for health insurance benefits regularly provided by the Board.
Article V. Vacation
A. Time Allotted
Annual vacations for employees are granted for the twelve (12) month employees only. All twelve (12) month employees are entitled to [21, 28?] vacation days
annually.
B. Legal Holidays
All legal holidays (national and state) will be considered vacation days in addition to the above schedule.
Article VI. School Calendar
Input to the school calendar will be solicited of all employees prior to its adoption by the Board of Trustees.
Article VII. Curriculum Determination
A. Initiating Proposals
Proposals for curriculum or curriculum change can be initiated by professionals at any level of responsibility.
B. Approving Proposals
It is proposed by the Board that a curriculum committee composed of professional staff, parents, and students be formed before September, 1998. This group may review, construct and amend curriculum and make recommendations to the Board.
Article VIII. Rights of Employees, obligations of employees re: duty assignments
A. Rights
Employees are guaranteed a "duty free" lunch period of one hour each work day. In addition, significant time over the course of the work week will be dedicated to "prep and collaboration" time. This will be organized collectively by the staff and the Board, as deemed necessary.
B. Obligations
The employee will be obligated for one duty assignment each day, which may be a lunch period. Any other assignments deemed necessary by the Board will be the obligation of the employee.
Article IX. Insurance Protection
A. Full Health Coverage
As of the beginning of the 1998 school year, the Board will provide the health care insurance protection designated in the Employee Handbook. The Board will pay the full premium for each employee.
1. Provision of coverage
Provisions of the healthcare program will be detailed in policies adopted by the Board and will include:
a. Hospital room and board and misc. costs
b. Outpatient benefits
c. Laboratory fees, diagnostic expenses, and therapy treatments
d. Maternity costs
e. Surgical costs
f. Major-medical coverage
2. Carriers
The health insurance carriers will be ________________________ for the basic hospitalization and medical/surgical coverage and __________________________ for the major-medical coverage.
3. Special programs
Provisions will be made to additionally provide:
a. Prescription drug cost coverage
b. Dental care
c. Optical care
B. Description to Employee
The Board will provide to each employee a description of the healthcare insurance coverage provided under this Article, no later than the beginning of the 1998-1999 school year, which will include a clear description of the conditions and limits of coverage.
Article X. Protection of Employees and Property
A. Unsafe and Hazardous Conditions
Employees will not be required to work under unsafe or hazardous conditions or to perform tasks which endanger their health or safety.
B. Procedures for Emergency Conditions
The Board of Trustees, in conjunction with the Director and staff, will establish written policies and procedures for handling emergency situations.
C. Assault
1. Legal assistance.
The Board will give full support, including legal and other assistance, for any assault upon an employee while acting in the discharge of his/her duties. This provision will only apply where it has been determined that the employee is not responsible for a resultant injury or legal proceeding.
2. Leave
When absence arises from such assault or injury, the employee will be entitled to full salary and to other benefits for the period of such absence but will not forfeit any sick leave or personal leave. Disability benefits and leaves of absence covering the first year of an employee's work related injury are mandated in NJSA 18A:30-2.1.
3. Reimbursement for personal property damage
The Board will reimburse employees for the reasonable cost of any clothing or other personal property damaged or destroyed as a result of an assault suffered by the employee while the employee was acting in the discharge of her/his duties within the scope of her/his employment.
4. Medical
The Board will reimburse an employee for the cost of medical, surgical, or hospital services incurred as the result of any injury sustained in the course of his/her employment.
5. Workman's Compensation
Benefits derived from or under this or subsequent agreements will continue beyond the period of any workman's compensation until the complete recovery of any employee when absence arises out of or from an assault or injury.
Article XI. Salaries
A. Steps and Increments
The salaries of all employees covered by this agreement will be determined by using the guide set forth in Appendix 1.
B. Changes
The Board will not unilaterally change salaries.
Article XII. Professional Employment
A. Agreement
The Board agrees to hire employees in accord with the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education and in accord with the laws of the State of New Jersey.
Excerpts from The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How Schools Should Teach by Howard Gardner (N.Y.: Basic Books, 1991), pp. 11-13.
[Further explanation about multiple intelligences can be found in Frames of Mind by Howard Gardner (N.Y.: Basic Books, 1983).]
"Up to this point, I have treated all students as if they learned in the same way and displayed the same kinds of conceptions or misconceptions, understandings or misunderstandings, rote performances or, more happily, performances of disciplinary (genuine) understanding. This ploy is defensible because certain features do characterize the learning of all students, or at least of the vast majority.
"Another leitmotif emerging from recent cognitive research, however, documents the extent to which students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways. There is ample evidence that some people take a primarily linguistic approach to learning, while others favor a spatial or a quantitative tack. By the same token, some students perform best when asked to manipulate symbols of various sorts, while others are better able to display their understanding through a hands-on demonstration or through interactions with other individuals.
"I have posited that all human beings are capable of at least seven different ways of knowing the world - ways that I have elsewhere labeled the seven human intelligences. According to this analysis, we are all able to know the world through language, logical - mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves - the so-called profile of intelligences - and in the ways in which such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems and progress in various domains.
"The tenets of multiple intelligences (MI) theory are not a necessary part of the analysis undertaken here, but some acknowledgment that people do learn, represent, and utilize knowledge in many different ways is important to my argument. Such well-documented differences among individuals complicate an examination of human learning and understanding. To begin with, these differences challenge an educational system that assumes that everyone can learn the same materials in the same way and that a uniform, universal measure suffices to test student learning. Indeed, as currently constituted, our educational system is heavily biased toward linguistic modes of instruction and assessment and, to a somewhat lesser degree, toward logical-quantitative modes as well.
"I argue that a contrasting set of assumptions is more likely to be educationally effective. Students learn in ways that are identifiably distinctive. The broad spectrum of students - and perhaps the society as a whole - would be better served if disciplines could be presented in a number of ways and learning could be assessed through a variety of means."
There are obligations that students, families, and sponsors make to the school, as well as obligations that the school makes to its members. This compact serves as an agreement that all members of the community have responsibilities to make the Charter School succeed and grow.
I, as a student, in the Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School, agree that I am in charge of and responsible for my own education. I will respect the rules and policies of the school. I will contribute, to the best of my abilities, to the running and growth of the school.
Signed ---------------------------------------
We, as sponsors, agree to abide by all policies and procedures of the Charter School as well as the obligations outlined below. These obligations make up the essence of our schoolthat as a community of people we are responsible for providing a stimulating, safe, nurturing environment in which our children will explore, achieve, grow, and flourish. Failure by any of us to fulfill our obligations will detract from the success of our school.
Opening ------ Closing -------
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Signed ----------------------------------
Signed ----------------------------------
I agree to lend, as I am able, the following the skills, interests, and expertise to our school:
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Signed -------------------------------
Signed -------------------------------
As teacher and representative of the Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School, we agree to provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment in which can children can learn, grow, and interact constructively. We take seriously our responsibility to act as our children's guidesso we will provide abundant opportunities for each child's interests to be cultivated into knowledge and understanding of the world, their intellectual, emotional, and social needs to be met; and their potential reached.
Teacher -------------------------------
Admissions Representative -------------------------------
By-Laws
of
THE GREATER BRUNSWICK CHARTER SCHOOL
Article I Name, Purposes, Seal and Offices
1. Name. The name of this non-profit corporation is the Greater Brunswick Charter School, Inc. (hereinafter referred to in these by-laws as the "Charter School").
2. Purposes. The Charter School will be a non-profit corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey and its purposes are exclusively educational as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. More specifically, the purposes for which the Charter School is organized are:
To operate and maintain a public school under a charter granted by the State of New Jersey which promotes comprehensive reform by infusing innovation into the public education system;
To permit parents and other school/ community members to have greater control over and to participate directly in the educational process;
To create an environment which maximizes the potential for pupil learning in part by allowing the pupils to have some control over their education;
To increase for students and parents the educational choices available when selecting the most appropriate learning environment;
To develop and establish new standards of accountability for schools;
To provide to the community information, in the form of seminars, community programs, and other information media, continuing education, public education, and other relevant topics;
To undertake any other actions provided for in the Charter of the Greater Brunswick Charter School; and
To undertake any other actions necessary and proper to accomplish the above, so long as such activities are consistent with status as a charitable organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
3. Non-discrimination. The Charter School will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, or age in either hiring and other employment practices of the school or in its admissions policies for students. Further, the Corporation will be open to all students on a space available basis and will not discriminate in its admissions policies or practices on the basis of intellectual or athletic ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, status as a handicapped person, proficiency in the English language, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a school district. The criteria, if any, used to evaluate prospective students will be outlined in the school's charter.
Section 4. Location. The Board of Trustees will establish the principal office of the Charter School in the State of New Jersey, and it may change the principal office from time to time.
Section 5. Construction. The Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School Final Application is incorporated by reference into these by-laws. In the event of any inconsistency between the Charter School Final Application and these by-laws, the provisions of the by-laws will govern.
Article II Membership Organization
1. Qualifications for Membership. The Charter School will be a membership, non-profit corporation. The Charter School will have one class of members known as the General Membership which will include all staff and students of the Charter School and all mentors. A mentor is a parent, guardian, or sponsor over the age of 18 who has agreed to fulfill the parent/sponsor responsibilities as outlined in the Greater Brunswick Regional Charter School Final Application. Memberships in the Charter School are non-transferable and will terminate when the member will cease to be either a staff member, a student, or a mentor of the Charter School.
Section 2. Meetings. A regular meeting of the General Membership will be held in June of each year on a date and at a place to be set by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of electing Trustees and considering other business as may come before the meeting. The meeting will be held on not less than ten nor more than sixty days' notice which will state the names of all of those who are nominees or candidates for election to the Board of Trustees. Another regular meeting of the members will be held in January on a date and at a place to be set by the Board of Trustees upon not less than ten nor more than sixty days' notice to consider any business as may come before the meeting.
All notices of General Membership meetings will comply with the notice requirements contained in the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq. All notices will state the date, time, and place of the meeting and will contain the proposed agenda to the extent known at the time of the notice and will be given either personally or by mail to each member of record of the General Membership.
If a regular meeting is adjourned to another time and place, it will not be necessary to give notice of the adjourned meeting if the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken and if the only business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting is business that may have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment was taken. If the date for the adjourned meeting is not set until after the original meeting ends, then notice of the adjourned meeting will be given to each member of the General Membership of new meeting date.
Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the General Membership will be called by the Board of Trustees, the Chairperson of the Board, the Director, or by petition of not less than 10 percent of the General Membership.
Section 4. Quorum. A quorum will consist of a majority of the General Membership. No business will be considered by the General Membership at any meeting at which the required quorum is not present except a motion to adjourn.
Section 5. Voting Rights. Each voting member will be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the members. Voting at duly held meetings will be by voice vote. Election of Trustees, however, will be by written ballot.
Every act or decision done or made by a majority of voting members present in person at a duly held meeting at which a quorum is present is the act of the General Membership.
Every member of the General Membership may authorize another member of the General Membership to act for the member by proxy. Every proxy will be executed in writing by the member and will indicate the matter or vote and meeting date for which the proxy will be effective. The proxy will only be valid for one meeting date.
Section 6. Action by Written Ballot. If the by-laws or the Board of Trustees will provide that an action may be taken by written ballot, the ballot will:
1. set forth the proposed action;
2. provide an opportunity to specify approval or disapproval of each proposal;
3. indicate the number of responses needed to meet the quorum requirement and except for ballots soliciting votes for the election of Trustees, state the percentage of approvals necessary to pass the measure submitted; and
4. will specify the date by which the ballot must be received by the Charter School to be counted. The date set will afford members a reasonable time within which to return the ballots to the Charter School.
Ballots will be mailed or delivered in the manner required for giving notice of membership meetings as specified in these by-laws. Approval of action by written ballot will be valid only when the number of votes cast by ballot within the time period specified equals or exceeds the quorum required to be present at a meeting authorizing the action, and the number of approvals equals or exceeds the number of votes that would be require to approve the action at a meeting at which the total number of votes cast was the same as the number of votes cast by ballot.
Section 7. Conduct of Meetings. Meetings of members will be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, or in his or her absence, by the Director, or in his or her absence, by a Chairperson chosen by a majority of the General Membership present at the meeting. The Secretary of the Board of Trustees will act as Secretary of all General Membership meetings. In the event the Secretary is absent, the presiding officer will appoint another person to act as Secretary of the meeting.
Meetings will be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, as such rules may be revised from time to time, insofar as such rules are not inconsistent with or in conflict with the Certificate of Incorporation, these by-laws or with provisions of law.
Article III Board of Trustees
Section 1. Number and Qualifications. The Board of Trustees, will consist of not less than three nor more than eleven persons who are members of the General Membership. Of the total number of trustees, two nonvoting, ex-officio trustee positions will be held by staff of the Charter School other than the Director. The Director will hold a nonvoting ex-officio position on the Board. All qualifications for trustees will be met prior to election to the Board.
After the first full year of the school's operation, two student representatives will serve the Board of Trustees in an advisory capacity as nonvoting adjuncts for one-year terms. Student nominees for the Board of Trustees will be at least 10 years old, have attended two regular Board of Trustees meetings and one General Membership meeting and display a reasonable understanding of the Board of Trustees's responsibilities as determined by the Board.
In addition, the Board will appoint legal counsel for a three-year term to serve the Board in advisory capacity on matters upon which the Board seeks legal advice.
Section 2. Powers. The Board of Trustees will have all powers and authority necessary for the management of the business, property, and affairs of the Corporation, to do such lawful acts and things as it deems proper and appropriate to promote the objectives and purposes of the Corporation. The Board of Trustees will have that authority to decide matters related to the operation of the school, including but not limited to budgeting, curriculum, hiring, and operating procedures, subject to the school's charter. The Board of Trustees may delegate, as necessary from time to time, responsibility for such affairs, business, and property to its Officers or Trustees.
Section 3. Election. The initial Trustees are set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. All successor Trustees except the Director will be elected by the General Membership in the June General Membership meeting with terms to commence on the following July 1. Initially, the trustees will be randomly assigned terms of one, two or three years in length to enable approximately one-third of the Board to be elected each year. Following the initial elections, all terms thereafter will be three years in length. There is no limit to the number of terms a trustee may serve.
Any person wishing to be elected Trustee will be self-nominated or nominated by anyone in the General Membership. Each nomination must be seconded by another member.
Section 4. Resignation and Removal. A Trustee may resign by submitting his or her resignation in writing to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. The resignation will be effective immediately unless the notice specifies a later time for effectiveness. No Trustee will resign if the Charter School would then be left without three duly elected Trustees in charge of its affairs.
A Trustee may be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire Board of Trustees. A Trustee whose removal is to be considered will receive at least two weeks' notice of such proposed action and will have the opportunity to address the Board regarding such action prior to any vote on such removal.
Section 5. Vacancies. Vacancies on the Board of Trustees will exist (1) on the death, resignation, or removal of any Trustee, and (2) whenever the number of authorized Trustees is increased. Vacancies will be filled by approval of a majority of the Trustees then in office. Trustees thus appointed will serve until the next General Membership meeting. Trustees thus elected to fill vacancies will serve for the remainder of the vacated term.
Section 6. Annual Meeting and Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the Board for the election of Officers and such other business as may come before the meeting will be held in July of each year upon not less than ten nor more than sixty days' written notice of the time, place and purposes of the meeting at the principal office of the corporation, or such other time and place as will be specified in the notice of meeting. All notices of Board meetings will comply with the notice requirements contained in the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq. The Board of Trustees may provide for additional regular meetings which may be held without notice by resolution adopted at any meeting of the Board.
Section 7. Special Meetings of the Board. Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Chairperson or by any three of the Trustees. Such meetings will be held upon not less than two days' notice given personally or by telephone or by not less than four days' notice given by depositing notice in the United States mails, postage prepaid. Such notice will specify the time and place of the meetings and in all respects comply with the notice requirements contained in the Open Public Meetings Act, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
Section 8. Waivers of Notice of Board Meetings; Adjournments. Notice of a meetings need not be given to any Trustee who signs a waiver of notice whether before or after the meeting, or who attends the meeting without protesting the lack of notice to such Trustee, prior to the conclusion of the meeting. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting. Notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place are fixed at the meeting adjourning and if the period of the adjournment does not exceed ten days in any one adjournment.
Section 9. Action Without Meeting. The Board or any committee of the Board may act without a meeting if, prior or subsequent to such action, each Trustee or committee member will consent in writing to such action. Such written consent or consents will be filed with the minutes of the meeting.
Section 10. Meeting by Telephone. The Board or a committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee, by means of a telephone conference call or any other means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear each other.
Section 11. Quorum. A majority of the Trustees will constitute a quorum of the Board for the transaction of business. The act of the majority of the Trustees at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be the act of the Board (except that the act of a majority of the entire Board will be required with respect to any amendment to these by-laws or the Certificate of Incorporation).
Section 12. Attendance of Trustees. Trustees are expected to attend Board meetings. Any Trustee who is unable to attend must notify the Secretary prior to the meeting of the anticipated absence. It will be the duty of the Secretary of the Board to communicate with any member after such member's three unexcused, absences to ascertain continuing interest in Board membership. Failure to provide an adequate response may qualify as sufficient cause for removal from the Board of Trustees.
Article IV Officers
Section 1. Titles/Qualifications. The Officers of the Charter School will include a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Director, Secretary, Treasurer and Parliamentarian and such other officers whose positions will be created from time to time by the Board of Trustees. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, but no officer will execute, acknowledge, or verify any instrument in more than one capacity if such instrument is required by law or by these by-laws to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by two or more Officers.
Section 2. Election. The Officers, except for Director, will be elected by the Trustees at the July annual meeting of the Trustees and will serve for staggered terms of three years each and until their successors are elected and qualified.
Section 3. Consecutive Terms. There is no limit to the number of terms an officers may serve in any one position.
Section 4. Duties. The duties and authority of the Officers will be determined from time to time by the Board. Subject to any such determination, the Officers will have the following duties and authority:
(a) The Chairperson will be chief executive officer of the Charter School, will have general charge and supervision over and responsibility for the affairs of the corporation, and will preside at all meetings of the Board. Unless otherwise directed by the Board, all other Officers will be subject to the authority and the supervision of the Chairperson. The Chairperson may enter into and execute in the name of the Charter School contracts or other instruments not in the regular course of business which are authorized, either generally or specifically, by the Board. The Chairperson will have the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of President of a corporation. The Chairperson may delegate from time to time to any other officer any or all of such duties and authority.
(b) The Vice Chairperson will have such duties and possess such authority as may be delegated to the Vice Chairperson by the Chairperson.
(c) The Treasurer will have the custody of the funds and securities of the corporation and will keep or cause to be kept regular books of account for the corporation. The Treasurer will perform such other duties and possess such other powers as are incident to the office or as will be assigned by the Chairperson or the Board, including but not limited to selection of an auditor, responsibility for filing all reports, information returns and other filings as required by the state, local or federal statutes or regulations to which the Corporation is subject and any other responsibilities usually incident to the office. The Treasurer will be responsible for a system of adequate and routine financial recording as prescribed in the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) for New Jersey Public Schools. The Treasurer will serve as Chairperson of the Finance Committee, which will prepare an annual budget for the consideration and approval of the Board of Trustees.
(d) The Secretary will cause notices of all meetings to be served as prescribed in these by-laws and will keep or cause to be kept the minutes of all meetings of the Board. The Secretary will perform such other duties and possess such powers as are incident to the office or as will be assigned by the Chairperson of the Board.
(e) The Parliamentarian will ensure that all Board of Trustee meetings are conducted consistent with Robert's Rules of Order.
(f) The Budget Administrator will be principally responsible for drafting and revising annual budgets in consultation with the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees.
Section 5. Resignation and Removal. An Officer may resign by submitting his or her resignation in writing to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. An Officer may be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire Board of Trustees. A Officer whose removal is to be considered will receive at least two weeks' notice of such proposed action and will have the opportunity to address the Board regarding such action prior to any vote on such removal.
Article V Committees of the Board of Trustees
Section 1. General Provisions. There will be ten standing committees of the Board of Trustees: Advisory, Educational Program, Executive, Finance, Fundraising, Grievance, Outreach, Physical Plant and School Review. In addition to the provisions for standing committees, the Board of Trustees, by resolution approved by a majority of the entire Board, may appoint from among the Trustees one or more committees of one or more members (which may include persons who are not trustees, provided that at least one member of each committee will be a trustee and that any act of any committee which has members which are not trustees will be advisory, will not bind the Board or the Corporation and will be subject to Board approval) each of which, to the extent provided in the resolution, will have and may exercise the authority of the Board, except that no such committee will:
(a) make, alter, or repeal any by-law of the Charter School;
(b) elect, appoint, or remove any Officer or Trustee;
(c) submit to members any action that requires members' approval; or
(d) amend or repeal any resolution previously adopted by the Board.
The Board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board, may:
(a) fill any vacancy in such committee;
(b) appoint one or more persons to serve as alternate members of any such committee, to act in the absence or disability of members of any such committee with all the powers of such absent or disabled members of a committee;
(c) abolish any such committee at its pleasure; or
(d) remove any members of such committee at any time, with cause.
A majority of each committee will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of the majority of the committee members present at a meeting in which a quorum is present will be the act of such committee. Each committee will appoint from among its members a chairperson unless the resolution of the Board establishing such committee designates the chairperson, in which case, in the event of a vacancy in the chairperson, the Board will fill the vacancy.
Actions taken at a meeting of any such committee will be kept in a record of its proceedings which will be reported to the Board at its next meeting following such committee meeting, except that, when the meeting of the Board is held within two days after the committee meeting, such report will, if not made at the first meeting, be made to the Board at its second meeting following such committee meeting.
Section 2. Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will consist of at least nine members who are not members of the General Membership. The committee will make recommendations and take actions which help the Board implement the mission of the school.
In the first year of the school's operation, organizations and institutions having an interest in the mission and work of the school will be invited to name one of their members to the Advisory Committee. The terms of the initial Advisory Committee members will expire on June 30, 1998. Thereafter Advisory Committee members will be elected by the General Membership. Members will be self-nominated or nominated by a member of the General Membership. Initially, the members will be randomly assigned terms of one, two and three years so that approximately one-third of the committee's membership will be elected every year. All terms will be three years.
Section 3. Educational Program Committee. The Educational Program Committee will consist of at least seven members appointed by the Board, one of which will be the Director and two of which will be staff members of the Charter School. The Committee will make recommendations and take actions to implement the Charter School's educational program, its goals and objectives, its assessment methods and staff evaluation criteria.
Section 4. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will consist of the Officers plus two at-large members appointed by the Board from among the Trustees. The executive will be responsible for making recommendations to the full Board concerning the overall operation of the school. It will also have the power to act on behalf of the Board in emergency situations when it would be impractical to convene a special meeting of the full Board prior to taking necessary action. In such emergencies, the Executive Committee may act with such authority and within the scope of such guidelines as have been previously established by the Board. Any action taken in an emergency by the Executive Committee will be ratified by the full Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board. The Chairperson of the Board will act as Chair of the Executive Committee.
Section 5. Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will consist of the Treasurer, as chair, the Budget Administrator and three additional members, at least one of whom will be a Trustee. It will study the school's finances, develop relevant plans, prepare the annual budget, recommend an auditor for Board selection, report on all financial matters to the Board of Trustees, and work with the Fundraising Committee to secure sources of outside funds.
Section 6. Fundraising Committee. The Fundraising Committee will consist of at least five members appointed by the Board, at least one of whom will be a Trustee, who will act as chair. The committee will identify outside sources of funds for the School, obtain information about them and then forward recommendations to the Board regarding application for such funds. Following the Board's approval to make an application, the committee will prepare and submit to the Board for its approval all necessary materials to complete such application.
Section 7. Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee will consist of five members, of whom at least one but not more than three will be members of the Charter School staff. One member will be appointed by the Board of Trustees and the remaining members will be elected by the general membership to serve one-year terms. Candidates to be elected by the general membership may be self-nominated or nominated by a member of the general membership; all nominations must be seconded.
The purpose of the Grievance Committee is to fairly and equitably resolve disputes that relate to the performance of general membership duties, issues regarding staff performance, and complaints that arise from outside the school. The committee will establish procedures for the acceptance and hearing of complaints. The Grievance Committee will accept complaints only after the involved parties and/or the Director, if appropriate, have first made adequate attempts to resolve the problem. Any member of the Grievance Committee who has filed or is the subject of a filed complaint must recuse him/herself from the deliberations of the committee.
Section 8. Outreach Committee. The Outreach Committee will consist of at least five members appointed by the Board, at least one of whom will be a Trustee who will act as chair. This committee will identify and contact individuals and organizations in the communities surrounding the Charter School to enlist involvement in the educational and fiscal operation of the school and to provide students for the school.
Section 9. Physical Plant Committee. The Physical Plant Committee will consist of at least five members appointed by the Board. The committee will inspect and oversee the physical plant of the school and make recommendations to the Board regarding maintenance, repair, or replacement of the plant.
Section 10. School Review Committee. The School Review Committee will consist of at least nine members appointed by the Board. Of the members, one will be the Director, one will be the family coordinator and four will be members of the General Membership. The committee may review and comment on matters pending before the Board and may originate recommendations to the Board on matters of school policy on curriculum, staffing, parental involvement and mission.
Article VI Fiscal Year and Check Signing
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Charter School will commence on July 1 and end on June 30.
Section 2. Check Signing. The Board will establish a policy setting the amount above which checks must have two signatures. Usually, the President and Treasurer will sign checks. The Board of Trustees may in its sole discretion, choose to name a trustee as a substitute signatory for checks. If the President is unavailable to approve a withdrawal, it may be approved by the Vice-President or Secretary.
Article VII Amendment of the By-Laws
Section 1. Amendments. These by-laws may be altered, amended, or repealed by the Board. Written notice of any such by-law change to be voted upon by the Board will be given not less than 10 days prior to the meeting at which such change will be proposed.
Article VIII Conflicts of Interest
Section 1. Current Trustees and Officers. No contract or other transaction between the Charter School and one or more of its Trustees or Officers, or between the Charter School and other corporation, firm, association or other entity in which one or more of its Trustees or Officers are Directors or officers, or have a substantial personal, professional, political, or financial interest, will be approved by a vote of the Board or any committee thereof if such Trustee or Trustees or Officer or Officers, (hereinafter "interested Trustee or Trustees") are present at the meeting of the Board, or of a committee thereof, which authorizes such contract or transaction, or his or her votes are counted for such purpose, unless the material facts as to such Trustee's or Officer's interest in such contract or transaction and as to any such common Directorship, officership, or financial interest are disclosed in good faith or are known to the Board or committee, and the Board or committee authorizes such contract or transaction by unanimous written consent, provided at least one Trustee so consenting is disinterested, or by a majority vote without counting the vote or votes of such interested Trustee or officer even though the disinterested Trustees are less than a quorum.
Section 2. Former Trustees and Officers. The conflicts of interest policy described above in Article VIII, Section 1, will also apply to any former Trustee or Officer whose last service on the Board occurred less than two years before the effective date of any proposed contract or transaction between such person and the Charter School.
Article IX Additional Provisions
Section 1. Dissolution. Upon dissolution, after payment of all debts, no part of the remaining assets may be distributed to any trustee, member, or officer of the Charter School but will be distributed in accordance with law, provided, however, that the distribution must be to another organization exempt under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code or to the United States, or a State or local government, for a public purpose.
Section 2. Indemnification of Officers and Trustees. The Charter School will indemnify every corporate agent as defined in, and to the full extent permitted by Sections 15A:2-8 and 15A:3-4 of the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act, and to the full extent otherwise permitted by law. A trustee or officer will not be personally liable to the Charter School for damages for breach of duty owed to the Charter School, its beneficiaries, or its Board of Trustees, except that nothing contained herein will relieve a trustee or officers from liability for a breach of a duty based on an act or omission; (a) in breach of such person's duty of loyalty to the Charter School; (b) not in good faith or involving a knowing violation of law; or (c) resulting in receipt by such person of an improper personal benefit.
Section 3. Compensation. Neither Trustees nor Officers will receive any fee, salary or remuneration of any kind for their services in such capacities, provided, however, that the Trustees and Officers may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred with approval of the Board upon presentation of vouchers.
Section 4. Force and Effect of By-laws. These by-laws are subject to the provisions of the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act, N.J.S.A. 15A:1-1 et seq., the Charter School Program Act of 1995, Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, the Open Public Meeting Act, N.J.S.A. 10:44-6 et seq., applicable state and federal anti-discrimination statutes, and any other applicable laws as they may be amended from time to time. These by-laws are also subject to the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation as it may be amended from time to time. If any provision in these by-laws is inconsistent with a provision in the statutes, regulation or the Certificate of Incorporation, the provision of the law or regulation or the Certificate of Incorporation will govern to the extent of such inconsistency.
Section 5. Insurance. The Board of Trustees will provide for liability and other forms of insurance considered to be necessary and prudent as protection against possible claims.
Section 6. Audit. At the close of the fiscal year, the accounts of the Greater Brunswick Charter School will be audited by a Licensed public school accountant who also has expertise in accounting of tax-exempt organizations generally. The audit will be in compliance with New Jersey statutes governing Charter Schools and with all applicable state and federal laws controlling non-profit tax-exempt corporations.
This appendix contains forms used during the enrollment process last year, prior to the revocation of our Charter. All documents are provided in both English and Spanish.