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OCS Annual Report
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Annual Report for 2008 |
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Annual Report for 2007 |
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Annual Report for 2006 |
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Annual Report for 2005 |
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Annual Report for 2004 |
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| "An accountable school habitually
produces timely, valid and reliable information about its progress toward its
goals, thereby ensuring that parents and staff, governing board and chartering
authority, and other constituents and audiences know what value they are
receiving. … The school makes public its academic (and other) objectives, the
indicators that it uses to track its progress toward those goals, and
information regarding its progress to date. It includes its standards for
students, its curriculum, its instructional methods, and the results of its
pupil assessments." In addition, an accountable school makes public
its financial information and specifics about its governance structure, "student
and staff turnover, discipline issues and other indicators of constituent
satisfaction or dissatisfaction."
Charter Schools In Action
Chester Finn Jr., Bruno V. Manno, Gregg Vanourek
ANNUAL
REPORT 2003-2004
Overview
Oglethorpe Charter School, Georgia’s first start-up
charter middle school, has completed its fifth year. The school continues to be
fiscally sound, and has a waiting list of students who want to attend. In June,
2004, Oglethorpe Charter School was designated as one of eight exemplary
charter schools in the country by the United States Department of Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement.
Students and staff daily recite the following mission:
"Oglethorpe Charter School, in partnership with
parents, promotes academic excellence and inspires strong moral character in a
safe and diverse environment."
Governance
The 2003-2004 board year began with the following
members: Greg Sapp, president; Larry Branson, president-elect; Kim Iocovozzi,
treasurer; Dr. Trish Coberly and Marjolein Zelinksy, community members; Puttie
Barnes and Cindy Saxon, teacher representatives; Stacy Avera, Meg Procopio, Kim
Harrison, and Rev. James Swanson, parent members; and Susan Gingrich-Off,
principal and ex-officio member.
Identified Program Needs
The Oglethorpe Charter School budget for the 2003-2004
school year was based on a needs’ assessment developed by parent and student
surveys, team leaders, department heads, and faculty members, in cooperation
with the administration. Identified areas of need were:
-
To continue to address reading fluency
and comprehension for the approximately 1/3 of our student body reading below
grade level
-
To continue to expanding technology
opportunities for students and staff
-
To identify, address, and monitor the
progress of our gifted and talented population, approximately 90 students
-
To offer exploratory (related arts)
classes that address the physical, artistic, musical and developmental needs of
our students
Program Highlights
-
All students reading below grade level
were assigned to three 90-minute blocks of Corrective Reading each week.
Corrective Reading is a remedial/intervention program developed after 35 years
of research. Results are included in the program highlights section of this
report.
-
The entire student body and faculty
engaged in DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) every day for 15 minutes from 2 to
2:15 p.m.
-
Technology instruction was expanded.
Using wireless laptops, students in 6th and 8th-grade were taught keyboarding
and Internet research skills. A technology enrichment class was added as an
elective on Fridays for all three grade levels. Students with an interest in
technology were allowed to create websites that were entered in the district
Media Festival Competition. Twelve school winners competed in the regional
competition; 7th-grader Sarah West’s webpage went to the state level.
-
To assist in meeting the needs of our
gifted and talented population, a SEARCH facilitator position was continued.
The facilitator located and updated files, referred students for testing,
collaborated with other teachers in assisting SEARCH students, and offered a
variety of writing competitions open to all students.
-
An AIM (Advanced content taught with
Interrelated techniques to Motivated students) was offered in 6th grade. These
students were allowed to participate in a one-year Carnegie-earning Spanish
class; of the 21 students, 15 earned the Carnegie unit. Several groupings of
students also participated in compacted 6th- and 7th-grade language arts
curriculum. Those students who earned an 85 average and were recommended by
their teachers will move into an accelerated language arts class in 7th-grade,
and will have the opportunity to earn a Carnegie unit in 8th grade. Students
also have the opportunity for advanced math placement.
-
An Odyssey of the Mind team was
organized for the first time this year, coached by two gifted-endorsed
teachers. Six students competed in the regional competition, placing fourth in
their division.
-
Oglethorpe Charter School was ranked
69th out of 427 middle schools in the state by the Georgia Public Policy
Foundation.
-
The results of the Georgia
Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, April/May 2004, are not available at this
time.
-
97% of our students met or exceeded
the state standards on the Middle Grades Writing Assessment test; 84% were on
target; 13% exceeded the target.
-
Three Oglethorpe Charter School
students’ essays were finalists in a statewide essay contest sponsored by
Georgia Voyager Magazine. More than 5,000 essays were submitted, and 24
finalists selected. 6th-grader Evan Powell was second-place winner in the state
competition; 7th-graders Andrew Gerbsch and Joneisha Tutt received honorable
mention.
-
Six 8th-grade students received a
byline in a national magazine, Junior Scholastic, for their article, “Hometown:
Savannah.” The students were invited to write the model story that served as a
template for a national competition about towns and cities across the United
States and that was read by students throughout the nation.
-
Oglethorpe students participated in
district and state competitions, including the Science Olympiad, Science Fair,
Quiz Bowl, National Geographic Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, Media Festival, and
the Junior Achievement program.
-
An at-risk specialist taught study
skills (how to keep an agenda book, note-taking, outlining, learning styles,
and time management) to the entire student body each Wednesday for 20 minutes
using closed-circuit television. The specialist also worked with at-risk
students after school and during club time to assist with special assignments
and completing homework.
-
Faculty members participated in
year-long study groups. They studied and discussed multiple sources of student
data (standardized test scores, student, faculty, parent surveys; test items;
etc.), and read and discussed journal articles written specifically for
middle-school teachers. Faculty members evaluated the process and will receive
2 SDUS for their participation.
-
On Fridays, students had the
opportunity to participate in specialized related arts (called Seminars) that
offered advancement in areas of interest, such as:
-
Advanced Technology
-
Art Studio
-
Chorus
-
Pep or Jazz Band
-
Drama
-
Self-Defense
-
Fitness
-
Low Ropes
Eighth-graders wanting to attend the Savannah Arts
Academy were encouraged to use the seminars to perfect portfolios or prepare
for auditions in band, chorus and drama.
Character Education
Activities sponsored to increase awareness of good
character were:
-
TLC groups. Faculty and staff members
met monthly with a small group (10-11 students) to discuss the virtue of the
month and plan related activities.
-
Dress-down days with character
buttons, purchased for $1, designed by students;
-
Weekly quotes on the parent letter
sent home each Wednesday, and daily quotes during morning announcements.
-
All students and faculty participated
in TLC (Titans Learn Character) groups. Faculty and staff members met monthly
with a small group of students to discuss the virtue of the month and plan
related activities, i.e., service project – reading to elementary students. At
monthly Titan Time Assemblies, students were recognized for exhibiting the
character trait of the month. Assembly guests ranged from Okefenokee Joe using
snakes to illustrate "collaboration", to Howard Educational Consultant
Irvin Howard, who engaged students in an anti-bullying workshop. Students
participated in a popular Character Club talent show.
-
Students were recognized for character
in quarterly newsletters, at monthly assemblies and during Honors Night.
-
Character was also a focus in
activities sponsored by the National Junior Beta Club, the National Junior
Honor Society, through Oglethorpe’s discipline policies, Student Council
activities, school newspaper, and through athletics.
Parent Volunteers During the 2003-04 school year, two
parent families were required by the family contract to contribute 20 hours to
the school. Single parents were required to contribute 10 hours. Five students
were not re-enrolled because of failure to fulfill the family contract.
Oglethorpe’s 283 families contributed a total of 9,851 volunteer hours to
support the school and students, an average of 34.8 hours per family.
Parents were also required to participate in two
conferences per child. Parents of all 6th and 7th graders (100 percent)
participated in two conferences in person, or by phone or e-mail.
The volunteer program at the school provided many
opportunities for parental involvement, ranging from organizing and staffing
socials to assisting in the media center, in the health clinic, with sports
teams, or facilities maintenance.
Test Data
According to fall 2003 ITBS scores, Oglethorpe Charter
School students exceeded national and state averages in all test sections in
all three grade levels.
| Grade |
Subject |
%Ranking |
| 6th |
Reading |
63% |
| |
Language |
68% |
| |
Mathematics |
57% |
| |
Social Studies |
66% |
| |
Science |
66% |
| 7th |
Reading |
63% |
| |
Languge |
60% |
| |
Mathematics |
55% |
| |
Social Studies |
58% |
| |
Science |
60% |
| 8th |
Reading |
73% |
| |
Language |
72% |
| |
Mathematics |
62% |
| |
Social Studies |
65% |
| |
Science |
74% |
Percentages of Oglethorpe Students Meeting or
Exceeding Standards Competency Test, spring, 2004
|
Reading |
English |
Math |
Science |
Social
Studies |
| 6th |
92 |
90 |
88 |
89 |
91 |
| 7th |
86 |
89 |
78 |
85 |
79 |
| 8th |
98 |
97 |
88 |
98 |
99 |
-
Oglethorpe Charter School was ranked
69th out of 427 middle schools in the state by the Georgia Public Policy
Foundation.
-
97% of our students met or exceeded
the state standards on the Middle Grades Writing Assessment test; 84% were on
target; 13% exceeded the target.
-
Corrective Reading in the 2003-04
school year serviced 93 students who were working below grade level and were
mostly performing below the 50th percentile on standardized testing. Out of the
93 students, 73 showed positive reading growth.
-
Grade 6: The 41
students in grade six increased their STAR IRL (instructional reading level) by
0.5 years overall and their STAR GE (grade equivalency) by 0.7 years.
-
Grade 7: The 34
students in grade seven increased their STAR IRL (instructional reading level)
by 1.3 years overall and their STAR GE (grade equivalency) by 1.2 years.
-
Grade 8: The 17
students in grade eight increased their STAR IRL (instructional reading level)
by 1.0 years overall their STAR GE (grade equivalency) by 1.1 years.
The STAR Reading Assessment was administered to all
students in the school with the following results:
| Grade |
Demonstrated
Growth |
Reading
at or above Grade Level |
| 6th |
65% |
69% |
| 7th |
76% |
64% |
| 8th |
70% |
73% |
* This includes students scoring at the 12.9+ GE on
both pretest and posttest.
Progress Toward Meeting Charter Performance Objectives
Charter objectives include:
-
Within three years, to move more
students into the "exceeds" category on the 8th-grade writing test.
Evidence: In 2003,
22 percent of students were in the "exceeds" category. In 2004, 13 percent of
students were in the “exceeds” category.
-
Within three years, to maintain the
number of 8th-grade students who came to Charter School as 6th-graders who meet
or exceed reading/language arts criteria on the Georgia CRCT. These will be
measured by school summaries sent by the state to the school and district.
Evidence:
6th-graders who were tested in 2000 made a +16 gain in reading and a + 24 gain
in English when tested as 8th-graders in 2002. 6th-graders tested in 2001 made
a +11 gain in reading and a + 19 gain in English when tested as 8th-graders in
2003. CRCT scores for 2004 are not available at this time. Oglethorpe exceeded
this goal.
CRCT Summary Scores of Students as
6th- and 8th-graders
|
6th
2000 |
8th
2002 |
Gain |
| Reading |
77 |
93 |
+16 |
| English |
67 |
91 |
+24 |
| |
6th
2001 |
8th
2003 |
Gain |
| Reading |
81 |
92 |
+11 |
| English |
71 |
90 |
+19 |
-
Within three years, to
implement math strategies that include hands-on activities, manipulatives, and
journaling in all math classrooms. This will be measured by student/teacher
surveys, strategies documented in lesson plans, and teacher demonstration
during observations.
Evidence: All math
teachers were supplied with white boards for all students so that students
could work problems and have immediate teacher feedback. Teachers were required
to document the use of the white boards in lesson plans, and provide the
Director of Instruction with a brief report about how they were used in the
classroom.
-
Within three years, to implement math
strategies that provides math correction and math advancement. Evidence of
student participation will be included in student PEP (personalized education
plans) folders.
Evidence:
All math teachers were sent to off-campus workshops on the use of the
Accelerated Math program, which prints out computer-generated worksheets that
are individualized for each student. After the worksheets are completed,
students record answers on a Scantron card and are provided with immediate
feedback on their work. Teachers documented the use of the program in lesson
plans, and provided the Director of Instruction with a summary report.
-
Within three years, to increase the
number of 8th-grade students who came to Charter School as 6th-graders who meet
or exceed mathematics standards on the Georgia CRCT.
Evidence:
6th-graders tested in 2000 made a +10 gain in mathematics when tested as
8th-graders in 2002.
CRCT Summary Scores of Students as
6th and 8th-graders
|
6th
2000 |
8th
2002 |
Gain |
| Math |
69 |
79 |
+10 |
| |
6th
2001 |
8th
2003 |
Gain |
| Math |
68 |
75 |
+7 |
|
6th 2002 |
8th 2004 |
Gain |
| Math |
78 |
88 |
+10 |
-
Within three years to provide staff
development for all faculty in addressing the needs of gifted/SEARCH students.
This will be measured by faculty participation at trainings, documentation in
lesson plans, and on-going teacher observation.
Evidence: The
SEARCH facilitator initiated a collaborative model, working in the classroom
with teachers to enhance the delivery of instruction. Training was also
provided to teachers by three gifted-endorsed teachers on writing across the
curriculum.
-
Within three years to provide staff
training to foster collaboration and integration of Core Knowledge content in
art and music in all discipline areas. This will be measured by faculty
participation at trainings, documentation in lesson plans, and on-going teacher
observation.
Evidence: A two-day
faculty institute has been scheduled to develop interrelated units for the
2004-2005 school year.
-
Within three years to provide training
to all teaching staff on the use of the equipment and software available to
Charter School teachers. This will be measured by faculty participation at
trainings, documentation in lesson plans, and on-going teacher observation.
Evidence: A faculty
survey was conducted to determine technology needs. Small group trainings will
be initiated in the 2004-2005 school year.
-
Within three years to improve the
health of middle-school students through a school-wide wellness program as
measured by a pre- and post-health/physical evaluation and attitude-perception
survey.
Evidence: The
Fitness and Wellness Department installed two new “healthy” snack machines for
students to use before and after school. Snacks in the food machine are low in
fat and have moderate nutritional value. Drinks in the machine have lower sugar
content and are not caffeinated. The machines are a great success with
students.
Professional Staff
The professional staff of Oglethorpe Charter School
for the 2003-2004 school year was comprised of 27 members. The professional
staff has a total of 226 years of experience. Fourteen staff members have a
bachelor’s degree, 12 have a master’s degree, and 1 has a doctorate degree.
Our staff includes a full-time special education
teacher, full-time nurse, technology teacher, reading teacher, counselor,
director of instruction, media clerk, administrative secretary, receptionist,
part-time information specialist and account specialist, and two full-time
custodians.
Individual teachers participated in classes and
conferences that included: state math conferences; discipline conferences;
National Middle School Conference; National Core Knowledge Conference; state
music teacher conference; Georgia Middle School Conference; and the Georgia
Charter Schools Association Conference.
Four faculty members left at the end of the school
year – one is moving, one is retiring, and two teachers were not invited back.
New positions this year were a part-time chorus teacher and drama teacher. The
principal also retired at the end of the year.
Teaching duties and responsibilities included:
teaching three 90-minute classes a day, providing one hour of tutorial time to
students per week, sponsoring various clubs and activities, serving on
committees as needed, and attending various after-school activities and
sporting events.
The Personnel Committee recommended to the Governing
Board that Oglethorpe Charter School adopt the county salary scale for T4 and
T5 teachers for the 2003-2004 school year. This recommendation was approved by
the Governing Board.
Student Statistics Comparison of student
population for the 2000-2004 school years:
|
Grade
6
|
|
Grade 7
|
|
Grade 8
|
|
Total
|
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
32
|
30
|
|
36
|
28
|
|
13
|
26
|
|
81
|
29
|
| 2001-2002
|
23
|
23
|
|
29
|
30
|
|
24
|
26
|
|
76
|
26
|
| 2002-2003
|
19
|
18
|
|
17
|
18
|
|
33
|
34
|
|
69
|
24
|
| 2003-2004
|
30
|
23
|
|
21
|
21
|
|
19
|
21
|
|
70
|
22
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| White Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
25
|
24
|
|
36
|
28
|
|
18
|
36
|
|
79
|
28
|
| 2001-2002
|
32
|
32
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
30
|
33
|
|
88
|
30
|
| 2002-2003
|
29
|
29
|
|
36
|
40
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
90
|
31
|
| 2003-2004
|
33
|
26
|
|
26
|
25
|
|
34
|
38
|
|
93
|
29
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Asian Males
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
| 2001-2002
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
.33
|
| 2002-2003
|
0
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
3
|
1
|
| 2003-2004
|
5
|
4
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
2
|
2
|
|
7
|
2
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Asian Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
1
|
1
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
1
|
.33
|
| 2001-2002
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
.66
|
| 2002-2003
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
3
|
1
|
| 2003-2004
|
5
|
4
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
6
|
2
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Black Males
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
20
|
19
|
|
22
|
17
|
|
12
|
24
|
|
54
|
19
|
| 2001-2002
|
14
|
14
|
|
15
|
15
|
|
12
|
13
|
|
41
|
14
|
| 2002-2003
|
22
|
22
|
|
13
|
14
|
|
14
|
15
|
|
49
|
17
|
| 2003-2004
|
26
|
20
|
|
18
|
18
|
|
14
|
16
|
|
58
|
18
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Black Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
28
|
26
|
|
30
|
24
|
|
6
|
12
|
|
64
|
23
|
| 2001-2002
|
26
|
26
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
23
|
25
|
|
74
|
26
|
| 2002-2003
|
24
|
24
|
|
19
|
21
|
|
21
|
22
|
|
67
|
23
|
| 2003-2004
|
21
|
16
|
|
28
|
27
|
|
15
|
17
|
|
64
|
20
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Other/Multiracial
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2003-2004
|
8
|
6
|
|
8
|
8
|
|
4
|
4
|
|
20
|
6
|
| Totals
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
106
|
|
|
127
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
283
|
|
| 2001-2002
|
101
|
|
|
97
|
|
|
91
|
|
|
289
|
|
| 2002-2003
|
101
|
|
|
92
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
289
|
|
| 2003-2004
|
128
|
|
|
102
|
|
|
89
|
|
|
319
|
|
On the 10th day of classes, Oglethorpe Charter School had 335
students. Over the course of the year, we lost 16 students (5%): 4 moved out of
the state; 8 transferred to other public schools in the county; 4 transferred
to private schools.
Special Education Population
Oglethorpe Charter School served 15 special education students during
the 2003-2004 school year:
-
6 – sixth graders; 5 – seventh graders; 4 – eighth
graders
-
11 males; 4 females
-
4 white students; 9 black students; 2 Asian-American
students
-
The following needs were identified:
-
3 OHI ; 6 SLD students
-
2 speech 1 SLD and Speech
-
1 EBD and Speech 1 SLC, Speech and VI
-
5 students received speech services
-
4 students were referred for Special Education this
year
-
1 student moved out of Chatham County to North
Georgia
-
1 student transferred to another middle school in
Chatham County
Oglethorpe Charter School is committed to including all students in
the curriculum and daily activities of the school. Modifications and
accommodations are provided for those students who need them in order to master
the academic content. A special –education teacher is available to those
students who have Individual Education Plans and who need such assistance.
Services also are available to students on an as-needed basis from itinerant
teachers, such as speech and occupational therapists.
Enrollment Information
At three open houses in January and February, we gave out the
following number of applications:
6th grade applicants 205
7th-grade applicants 27
8th-grade applicants 7
Total applicants 239
Total applications completed by the deadline 168
A public lottery was held on Friday, February 13, 2003. We accepted
125 6th-grade students (87%) and placed 19 (13%) on the waiting list. The list
is published on the Oglethorpe Charter School website.
Financial Summary
Oglethorpe Charter School’s funding sources came primarily from per
pupil funding from the Chatham County Board of Education, which was negotiated
to be $6,000 per student.
336 students @ $5,983 = $2,010,288
Withhold salaries and benefits $1,695,960
Total Operating Budget - $314,328
$11,250 Facilities Grant, State of Georgia
$1,948 Math Retention Grant, Savannah Foundation
Discipline Summary 2003-2004
Part of the Oglethorpe Charter School educational philosophy is to
offer a safe and nurturing environment to allow children to learn to their
maximum potential. One of the vehicles in place to ensure that this happens is
a “Conduct and Discipline Code’’ that clearly outlines expectations and
consequences.
53 students served 78 office
referral detentions:
| Grade |
Male |
Female |
W |
B |
Other |
Total |
| 6th |
14 |
7 |
4 |
14 |
3 |
21 |
| 7th |
12 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
2 |
20 |
| 8th |
9 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
12 |
| Totals |
35 |
18 |
17 |
31 |
5 |
53 |
40 students served 48 suspensions:
| Grade |
Male |
Female |
W |
B |
Other |
Total |
| 6th |
14 |
1 |
2 |
11 |
2 |
15 |
| 7th |
10 |
7 |
6 |
11 |
0 |
17 |
| 8th |
8 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
| Totals |
32 |
8 |
11 |
27 |
2 |
40 |
| Category
|
Detentions
|
Suspension
|
| Disobeying
|
6th - 6
7th - 4
8th - 3
|
|
| Disrupting Class
|
6th - 6
7th - 13
8th - 1
|
6th - 0
7th - 2
8th - 0
|
| Dress Code
|
6th - 9
7th - 10
8th - 7
|
|
| Honor Code
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 1
|
|
| Fighting
|
|
6th - 10
7th - 5
8th - 0
|
| Disrespect
|
6th - 3
7th - 4
8th - 1
|
6th - 1
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
| Profanity
|
6th - 3
7th - 3
8th - 2
|
6th - 4
7th - 7
8th - 3
|
| Missed Detention
|
6th - 0
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
|
| Bus Infraction
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 1
|
6th - 0
7th - 2
8th - 1
|
| Truancy
|
|
6th - 0
7th - 1
8th - 1
|
|
Lying
|
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
Other
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 1
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 1
|
|
Stealing
|
6th - 0
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
6th - 0
7th - 2
8th - 1
|
|
Horseplay
|
6th - 5
7th - 3
8th - 0
|
6th - 2
7th - 2
8th - 3
|
|
Totals
|
6th - 32
7th - 39
8th - 17
|
6th - 18
7th - 22
8th - 9
|
|
|
"An accountable school habitually produces timely,
valid and reliable information about its progress toward its goals, thereby
ensuring that parents and staff, governing board and chartering authority, and
other constituents and audiences know what value they are receiving. … The
school makes public its academic (and other) objectives, the indicators that it
uses to track its progress toward those goals, and information regarding its
progress to date. It includes its standards for students, its curriculum, its
instructional methods, and the results of its pupil assessments." In
addition, an accountable school makes public its financial information and
specifics about its governance structure, "student and staff turnover,
discipline issues and other indicators of constituent satisfaction or
dissatisfaction."
Charter Schools In Action
Chester Finn Jr., Bruno V. Manno, Gregg Vanourek
ANNUAL
REPORT 2004-2005
Overview
Oglethorpe Charter School, Georgia’s first start-up
charter middle school, has completed its fifth year. The school continues to be
fiscally sound, and has a waiting list of students who want to attend. In June,
2004, Oglethorpe Charter School was designated as one of eight exemplary
charter schools in the country by the United States Department of Education
Office of Innovation and Improvement.
Students and staff daily recite the following mission:
-
98% of OCS 8th-graders met or exceeded
standards on the 8th-grade writing exam.
-
In 6th-grade, 94 percent of our
students met or exceeded CRCT standards in reading; 91 percent met or exceeded
standards in English/language arts; 89 percent met or exceeded standards in
mathematics; 91 percent met or exceeded standards in science; and 91 percent
met or exceeded standards in social studies.
-
In 7th-grade, 97 percent of our
students met or exceeded CRCT standards in reading; 97 percent met or exceeded
CRCT standards in English/language arts; 90 percent met or exceeded standards
in mathematics; 96 percent met or exceeded standards in science, and 96 percent
met or exceeded standards in social studies.
-
In 8th-grade, 92 percent of our
students met or exceeded CRCT standards in reading; 91 percent met or exceeded
standards in English/language arts; 75 percent met or exceeded standards in
mathematics; 85 percent met or exceeded standards in science, and 88 percent
met or exceeded standards in social studies.
-
Students at all 3 grade levels
exceeded national and state averages in all test sections of the ITBS.
Sharing Our
Success Story
In the fall of 2004, Oglethorpe Charter
School received a two-year $100,000 Charter School Dissemination Grant made
available from the federal government through the Georgia Department of
Education. By the fall of 2005, an Oglethorpe “toolbox” will be available to
any school through the World Wide Web
http://www.oglethorpechartertoolbox.org. The site will include PDF
samples of materials in the following areas: governance, personnel,
instruction/achievement, accountability, communication, student life, best
practices, and resources that have proven beneficial to our program. By January
of 2006, an OCS introductory video will be created. This video will introduce
others to Oglethorpe Charter School students, faculty, administration, parents,
and governing board members. The video can be used alone, or in conjunction
with a training session that will utilize the documents available on the
toolbox website.
Governance
The 2004-2005 board included:
-
Mr. Larry Branson, board president;
parent; Captain of the Metropolitan Police Department
-
Mrs. Kim Iocovozzi, financial vice
president; parent; chemical engineer
-
Mr. Bill Kelso, president-elect;
parent, department of Student Affairs, Armstrong Atlantic State University
-
Mrs. Julie Gerbsch, parent; CEO,
Parent and Child Development Services
-
Mrs. Meg Procopio, parent; minister of
Christian education, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church
-
Dr. Patricia Coberly, community
member; department chair, Middle, Secondary, and Adult Education, Armstrong
Atlantic State University
-
Mrs. Marjo Zelinsky, community member;
secretary of the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church
-
Mrs. Kim Harrison, parent; parent
liaison, The Parents Network for Better Education
-
Mr. Whitman Keith, community member;
director of recreation, Temple of Glory Community Church
-
Ms. Jennieann Dornan, teacher
representative; counselor at Oglethorpe Charter School
-
Mrs. Cindy Saxon, teacher
representative; Spanish teacher at Oglethorpe Charter School Ex-officio:
-
Mr. Jeffrey M. Cheney, principal Mrs.
Yvette Wells, assistant-principal
Identified Program Needs
The Oglethorpe Charter School budget for the 2003-2004
school year was based on a needs’ assessment developed by parent and student
surveys, team leaders, department heads, and faculty members, in cooperation
with the administration. Identified areas of need were:
-
To continue to address reading fluency
and comprehension for the approximately 1/3 of our student body reading below
grade level
-
To continue to expanding technology
opportunities for students and staff
-
To identify, address, and monitor the
progress of our gifted and talented population, approximately 90 students
-
To offer exploratory (related arts)
classes that address the physical, artistic, musical and developmental needs of
our students
Strategic Planning
In January, a Strategic Planning Committee,
commissioned by and responsible to the Governing Board, assumed the
responsibility for providing leadership to the board in the area of strategic
planning and in general helping the board to assure that the strategic plan of
the charter school remains current and that satisfactory progress is being made
to successfully implement the strategic plan.
Using input from parents, students, staff and
community, the committee is in the process of reviewing and refining the
vision, mission and goals and objectives of Oglethorpe Charter School to assure
its continued success.
Committee members include:
-
Facilitator: Debbie Pepin, Education
Consultant Reinhold Gerbsch,
-
Co-chair, LeanEdge Bill Kelso,
-
Co-chair, Department of Student
Affairs, Armstrong Atlantic State University
-
Jeffrey M. Cheney, Principal,
Oglethorpe Charter School
-
Peter R. Doliber, Director Community
Benefits, Memorial Health University
-
Gloria Edwards, District 8,
Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education
-
Timothy S. Mackey, Chair, Metropolitan
Planning Commission
-
Alexander C. Ikefuna, Community
Planning Administrator, City of Savannah
-
Debbie Moore, teacher, Oglethorpe
Charter School
-
Howard Morrison, Lebanon Plantation,
Community Volunteer
-
Martha Nesbit, Oglethorpe Charter
School Director of Instruction and founding member
-
Roger Ross, Vice President, Finance,
Savannah College of Art and Design
-
Arnold R. Singleton, project
engineer, Savannah Electric
Program Highlights
-
All students in 6th and 7th grade were
provided with four 60-minute blocks of reading/literature and four 60 minute
blocks of writing/grammar each week. Reading/literature teachers allow for 20
minutes of sustained silent reading daily.
-
Faculty study groups engaged in a
year-long study of adolescence, using as a textbook "Promoting Harmony, Young
Adolescent Development and School Practices," published by the National Middle
School Association. Faculty members studied adolescent growth and development,
motivation, effects of stress, and social issues. Grade-level teams created two
interrelated units (one per semester) and a curriculum timeline as related
activities. The course was approved by the district; 16 faculty members
received 5 PLU (professional learning units) for their study and documentation.
-
Anne Malone, 8th-grade Social
Studies Teacher, was named state Junior Achievement teacher of the year. o
Shauna Fannin, 6th-grade, won at the district level in the Young Georgia
Authors’ Writing Competition, sponsored by the Department of Education.
-
"C" Day Related Arts activities,
designed to allow students to more fully explore personal interests, included
advanced art, intramurals, drama, chorus, technology with an emphasis on media
festival projects, and PEP band.
-
The Wellness Department completed its
first full year of Titans Get Into Fitness (TGIT), an extracurricular wellness
program that awards points for activities completed at home. Two vending
machines offering a choice of healthier snacks and drinks were installed with
overwhelmingly positive results.
-
The Lady Titans soccer team placed
first in the middle-school division.
Character Education
Activities sponsored to increase awareness of good
character were:
-
TLC groups. Faculty and staff members
met monthly with a small group (10-11 students) to discuss the virtue of the
month and plan related activities.
-
Dress-down days with character
buttons, purchased for $1, designed by students;
-
Weekly quotes on the parent letter
sent home each Wednesday, and daily quotes during morning announcements.
-
At monthly Titan Time Assemblies,
students were recognized for exhibiting the character trait of the month.
Assembly activities included symphony musicians, student singers and dancers,
and guest speakers. Students participated in a popular Character Club talent
show and selected students presented their original poems at a school-wide
poetry slam.
-
Students were recognized for character
in quarterly newsletters, at monthly assemblies and during Honors Night.
-
Character was also a focus in
activities sponsored by the National Junior Beta Club, the National Junior
Honor Society, through Oglethorpe’s discipline policies, Student Council
activities, school newspaper, and through athletics.
Parent Involvement
During the 2003-04 school year, two-parent families
were required by the family contract to contribute 20 hours to the school.
Single-parents were required to contribute 10 hours. Ten students were not
re-enrolled because of failure to fulfill the family contract. Oglethorpe’s 334
families contributed a total of 8,984 volunteer hours to support the school and
students. Oglethorpe implemented an on-line data base, AMBIT, in which parents
logged their own hours this year. The site also included volunteer
opportunities and allowed parents to sign up to volunteer on-line. Parents are
issued quarterly report cards to assist them in tracking their involvement.
Parents also are required by a family contract to participate in two
conferences per child. Parents of all returning 6th and 7th graders (100
percent) participated in two conferences in person, or by phone or e-mail. The
volunteer program at the school provided many opportunities for parental
involvement, ranging from organizing and staffing socials to assisting in the
media center, in the health clinic, with sports teams, or facilities
maintenance. Parent trainings in preparing students for high school and study
skills also were offered.
Test Data
According to fall 2004 ITBS scores, Oglethorpe Charter
School students exceeded national and state averages in all test sections in
all three grade levels.
| Grade |
Subject |
%Ranking |
| 6th |
Reading |
64% |
| |
Language |
64% |
| |
Mathematics |
57% |
| |
Social Studies |
66% |
| |
Science |
68% |
| 7th |
Reading |
68% |
| |
Languge |
68% |
| |
Mathematics |
59% |
| |
Social Studies |
67% |
| |
Science |
65% |
| 8th |
Reading |
62% |
| |
Language |
62% |
| |
Mathematics |
53% |
| |
Social Studies |
61% |
| |
Science |
60% |
Percentages of Oglethorpe Students Meeting or
Exceeding Standards Competency Test, spring, 2005
|
Reading |
English |
Math |
Science |
Social
Studies |
| 6th |
94 |
91 |
89 |
91 |
91 |
| 7th |
97 |
97 |
90 |
96 |
96 |
| 8th |
92 |
91 |
75 |
85 |
88 |
The STAR Reading Assessment was administered to all
students in the school with the following results:
| Grade |
Demonstrated
Growth |
Reading
at or above Grade Level |
| 6th |
57% |
79% |
| 7th |
68% |
73% |
| 8th |
75% |
85% |
* This includes students scoring at the 12.9+ GE on
both pretest and posttest.
Progress Toward Meeting Charter Performance
Objectives
Charter objectives include:
-
Within three years, to move more
students into the “exceeds” category on the 8th-grade writing test.
Evidence: In 2004, 13 percent of
students were in the “exceeds” category. In 2005, Oglethorpe Charter School had
two students who did not meet standards on the Middle Grades Writing
Assessment; 87 were on target and 11 exceeded the target. We have two more
years to achieve this goal, and are making progress towards it.
Explanation: Oglethorpe prepares
8th-graders for the writing exam through a mock writing test in the fall,
followed by individual writers’ workshops, followed by an essay revision. We
will continue this practice, and will look for other strategies to assist
writers into “exceeding expectations.” Oglethorpe’s history for students “on
target” or “exceeding target” is: 93% in 2001; 100% in 2002; 98% in 2003, 97%
in 2004 and 98% in 2005. Writing continues to be an important program emphasis.
-
Within three years, to maintain the
number of 8th-grade students who came to Charter School as 6th-graders who meet
or exceed reading/language arts criteria on the Georgia CRCT. These will be
measured by school summaries sent by the state to the school and district.
Oglethorpe has achieved this goal.
Evidence: The Savannah-Chatham County
Board of Education testing services department is assisting us with this
information, using CRCT scores of 6th graders in 2003 and the same students as
8th-graders in 2005. This information is not available as of June 13, 2005, but
will be included in this report as soon as it becomes available. Information
from prior years: The same 6th-graders who were tested in 2000 made a +5 gain
in reading and a + 14 gain in English when tested as 8th-graders in 2002.
6th-graders tested in 2001 made a +4 gain in reading and a + 8 gain in English
when tested as 8th-graders in 2003. 6th-graders tested in 2002 and again in
2004 at 8th-graders had a +1 gain in reading and +7 in English. A substantial
body of evidence shows that students’ interest in reading declines across the
elementary years and that the trend continues into the middle and secondary
years (McKenna, Kear, & Ellsworth, 1995). Therefore, Oglethorpe has
committed extra reading time, trained reading teachers, and access to
interesting reading materials as strategies to keep middle school students
reading. A second block of Language Arts has been added to address writing
mechanics and grammar.
CRCT Summary Scores of Students as
6th- and 8th-graders
|
6th
2000 |
8th
2002 |
Gain |
| Reading |
89 |
94 |
+5 |
| English |
76 |
90 |
+14 |
| |
6th
2001 |
8th
2003 |
Gain |
| Reading |
88 |
92 |
+4 |
| English |
80 |
88 |
+8 |
|
6th
2002 |
8th
2004 |
Gain |
| Reading |
96 |
97 |
+1 |
| English |
90 |
97 |
+1 |
-
Within three years, to implement
math strategies that include hands-on activities, manipulatives, and journaling
in all math classrooms. This will be measured by student/teacher surveys,
strategies documented in lesson plans, and teacher demonstration during
observations.
Evidence:
Strategies used by math teachers as documented in lesson plans include:
-
Encouraging students to ask questions
-
Incorporating the use of technology,
math games, math literature books and math activity sheets
-
Use of math videos
-
Asking students to give oral and
written explanations of their answers
-
Requiring students to correct problems
that were solved incorrectly
-
Allowing extra time to solve problems.
-
Providing students with individual
white boards and markers
-
Color-coded chips
-
Guided simulation models (for
problem-solving)
-
Algebra tiles, base-10 blocks and
board games
-
Computer games (Math for the Real
World) and websites
-
Within three years, to implement
math strategies that provide math correction and math advancement. Evidence of
student participation will be included in student PEP (personalized education
plans) folders.
Evidence: Math correction was
implemented by assigning all students scoring below the 50 percentile in math
an extra 60-minute block of Accelerated Math four times a week. Math
advancement was providing by offering motivated and capable students the
opportunity to earn one high school credit of Algebra during their 7th and/or
8th-grade years. Next year, Oglethorpe will offer the one-year Carnegie-earning
Algebra I class for the first time to 8th-graders who have shown exemplary
progress in pre-algebra. Increasing rigor in the 7th-grade pre-algebra classes
has allowed for a larger number of students and a more diverse group of
students to take algebra as 8th-grraders in 2005-2006.
Students Taking
Algebra by Ethnicity
|
White |
Black |
Other |
| 2003 |
18 |
4 |
1 |
| 2004 |
19 |
3 |
1 |
| 2005 |
24 |
15 |
6 |
-
Within three years,
to increase the number of 8th-grade students who came to Charter School as
6th-graders who meet or exceed mathematics standards on the Georgia CRCT.
Evidence: Comparisons
of the 2003 6th graders and the same students as 8th-graders in 2005 are not
available as of June 13, 2005. In previous years: When the same students were
tested as 6th-graders and again as 8th-graders, there were declines in test
scores in 2002 and 2003 and a small improvement in 2004. Staff development,
daily computation warm ups and a math tutorial for low-performers have been
implemented. Over a three-year period, Oglethorpe has seen a small increase in
the percentage of students who met or exceeded mathematics standards on the
Georgia CRCT.
CRCT Summary Scores of Students as
6th and 8th-graders
|
6th
2000 |
8th
2002 |
Decline/Gain |
| Math |
86 |
81 |
-5 |
| |
6th
2001 |
8th
2003 |
Decline/Gain |
| Math |
74 |
70 |
-4 |
| |
6th
2002 |
8th
2004 |
Decline/Gain |
| Math |
88 |
89 |
+1 |
-
Within three years to provide staff
development for all faculty in addressing the needs of gifted/SEARCH students.
This will be measured by faculty participation at trainings, documentation in
lesson plans, and on-going teacher observation.
Evidence:
Training for the 2005-2006 school year will be on differentiation for all
students, including SEARCH students. SEARCH classes are being offered through
different teachers at different grade levels to add variety: reading
/literature in 6th grade; connections enrichment in 7th grade and language
arts/writing in 8th grade.
-
Within three years to provide
staff training to foster collaboration and integration of Core Knowledge
content in art and music in all discipline areas. This will be measured by
faculty participation at trainings, documentation in lesson plans, and on-going
teacher observation.
Evidence:
A two-day faculty institute was held prior to the start of school to develop
interrelated units for the 2004-2005 school year. Each grade-level team
developed two interrelated units and evaluated them at their conclusion. During
pre-planning of 2005, a Core Knowledge two-day institute is scheduled.
-
Within three years to provide
training to all teaching staff on the use of the equipment and software
available to Charter School teachers. This will be measured by faculty
participation at trainings, documentation in lesson plans, and on-going teacher
observation.
Evidence:
A faculty survey was conducted to determine technology needs. As part of the
faculty study groups, faculty members were introduced to the volunteer data
base, to software to assist exceptional children, and to teacher-produced
websites.
Evidence:
Oglethorpe Charter School partnered in 2004 with Memorial Health to develop a
program called TGIF (Titans Get Into Fitness), a voluntary wellness program
that involves pre-assessments, including weight, height, body-mass index and
heart rate. Students and families can earn points at home through a variety of
activities from walking to yoga. The Fitness and Wellness Department also
installed two new “healthy” snack machines for students to use before and after
school. Snacks in the food machine are low in fat and have moderate nutritional
value. Drinks in the machine have lower sugar content.
Professional Staff
The professional staff of Oglethorpe Charter School
for the 2004-2005 school year was comprised of 28 members. The professional
staff has a total of 252 years of experience. Twelve staff members have a
bachelor’s degree, 14 have a master’s degree, 1 has a specialist degree and 1
has a doctoral degree.
Our staff includes a principal, an assistant
principal, a director of instruction, a full-time special education teacher, a
full-time nurse, a full-time technology teacher, and six teachers with Gifted
Endorsement, a counselor, a media clerk, an administrative secretary, a
receptionist, a part-time information specialist and a part-time account
specialist, and two full-time custodians.
Individual teachers participated in classes and
conferences that included: state math conferences; discipline conferences;
National Core Knowledge Conference; state music teacher conference; Georgia
Middle School Conference; and the Georgia Charter Schools Association
Conference. One staff member serves on the Georgia Charter Schools Association
board of directors.
Five faculty members left at the end of the school
year – one is starting her own business, one has taken an administrative
position in the district, and three were not invited back. New positions this
year include a full-time drama position and a full time connections enrichment
position.
Teaching duties and responsibilities included:
teaching five 60-minute classes a day with a 90-minute planning block,
providing one hour of tutorial time to students per week, sponsoring various
clubs and activities, participating in the faculty study groups, serving on
committees as needed, and attending various after-school activities and
sporting events.
Oglethorpe Charter School adopted the county salary
scale for teachers who hold bachelors, masters, specialist, and doctoral
degrees.
Student Statistics
Comparison of student population for the
2000-2005 school years:
|
Grade
6
|
|
Grade 7
|
|
Grade 8
|
|
Total
|
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
#
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
32
|
30
|
|
36
|
28
|
|
13
|
26
|
|
81
|
29
|
| 2001-2002
|
23
|
23
|
|
29
|
30
|
|
24
|
26
|
|
76
|
26
|
| 2002-2003
|
19
|
18
|
|
17
|
18
|
|
33
|
34
|
|
69
|
24
|
| 2003-2004
|
30
|
23
|
|
21
|
21
|
|
19
|
21
|
|
70
|
22
|
| 2004-2005 |
23 |
18 |
|
31 |
25 |
|
19 |
21 |
|
73 |
21 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| White Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
25
|
24
|
|
36
|
28
|
|
18
|
36
|
|
79
|
28
|
| 2001-2002
|
32
|
32
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
30
|
33
|
|
88
|
30
|
| 2002-2003
|
29
|
29
|
|
36
|
40
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
90
|
31
|
| 2003-2004
|
33
|
26
|
|
26
|
25
|
|
34
|
38
|
|
93
|
29
|
| 2004-2005 |
34 |
26 |
|
32 |
26 |
|
25 |
27 |
|
91 |
27 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Asian Males
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
| 2001-2002
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
.33
|
| 2002-2003
|
0
|
0
|
|
2
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
3
|
1
|
| 2003-2004
|
5
|
4
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
2
|
2
|
|
7
|
2
|
| 2004-2005 |
1 |
1 |
|
5 |
4 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
6 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Asian Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
1
|
1
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
1
|
.33
|
| 2001-2002
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
.66
|
| 2002-2003
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
3
|
1
|
| 2003-2004
|
5
|
4
|
|
0
|
0
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
6
|
2
|
| 2004-2005 |
1 |
1 |
|
4 |
3 |
|
0 |
0 |
|
|
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Black Males
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
20
|
19
|
|
22
|
17
|
|
12
|
24
|
|
54
|
19
|
| 2001-2002
|
14
|
14
|
|
15
|
15
|
|
12
|
13
|
|
41
|
14
|
| 2002-2003
|
22
|
22
|
|
13
|
14
|
|
14
|
15
|
|
49
|
17
|
| 2003-2004
|
26
|
20
|
|
18
|
18
|
|
14
|
16
|
|
58
|
18
|
| 2004-2005 |
30 |
23 |
|
19 |
16 |
|
17 |
18 |
|
66 |
19 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Black Females
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
28
|
26
|
|
30
|
24
|
|
6
|
12
|
|
64
|
23
|
| 2001-2002
|
26
|
26
|
|
25
|
26
|
|
23
|
25
|
|
74
|
26
|
| 2002-2003
|
24
|
24
|
|
19
|
21
|
|
21
|
22
|
|
67
|
23
|
| 2003-2004
|
21
|
16
|
|
28
|
27
|
|
15
|
17
|
|
64
|
20
|
| 2004-2005 |
38 |
29 |
|
24 |
20 |
|
24 |
26 |
|
86 |
25 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Other/Multiracial
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2003-2004
|
8
|
6
|
|
8
|
8
|
|
4
|
4
|
|
20
|
6
|
| 2004-2005 |
2 |
2 |
|
7 |
6 |
|
7 |
8 |
|
16 |
5 |
| Totals
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2000-2001
|
106
|
|
|
127
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
283
|
|
| 2001-2002
|
101
|
|
|
97
|
|
|
91
|
|
|
289
|
|
| 2002-2003
|
101
|
|
|
92
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
289
|
|
| 2003-2004
|
128
|
|
|
102
|
|
|
89
|
|
|
319
|
|
| 2004-2005 |
129 |
|
|
12 |
|
|
92 |
|
|
343 |
|
On the 10th day of classes, Oglethorpe Charter School had 363
students. Over the course of the year, 20 students were removed from the roll
(6%): 3 transferred to other Chatham County public schools; 13 moved out of the
district; 1 is being home-schooled; one is attending private school; and 2
students were expelled.
Special Education Population
Oglethorpe Charter School served 17 special education students during
the 2004-2005 school year:
-
7 – sixth graders; 7 – seventh
graders; 3 – eighth graders
-
14 males; 3 females
-
5 white students; 9 black students; 2
Asian-American students; 1 Hispanic-American
-
The following needs were identified:
-
3 OHI ; 7 SLD students
-
4 speech 1 SLD and Speech
-
1 EBD and Speech 1 SLC, Speech and VI
-
6 students received speech services
-
2 students were referred for Special Education
this year
-
1 student moved out of Chatham County to North
Georgia
-
2 student transferred to another middle school
in Chatham County
Oglethorpe Charter School is committed to including all students in
the curriculum and daily activities of the school. Modifications and
accommodations are provided for those students who need them in order to master
the academic content. A special –education teacher is available to those
students who have Individual Education Plans and who need such assistance.
Services also are available to students on an as-needed basis from itinerant
teachers, such as speech and occupational therapists.
Enrollment Information
At three open houses in January 2005, we gave out the following
number of applications:
|
2004 |
2005 |
| 6th grade applicants |
205 |
276 |
| 7th-grade applicants |
27 |
39 |
| 8th-grade applicants |
7 |
13 |
| Total applicants |
239 |
328 |
| Total applications completed by the deadline |
168 |
259 |
A public lottery was held on Friday, February 18, 2005. We accepted
110 6th-grade students (37%) and placed 122 (60%) on the waiting list. 37
7th- and 8th-grades also were placed on the waiting list. The list is published
on the Oglethorpe Charter School website.
Financial Summary
Oglethorpe Charter School’s funding sources came primarily from per
pupil funding from the Chatham County Board of Education, which was negotiated
to be $6,000 per student.
363 students @ $5,983 = $2,171,829
Withhold salaries and benefits $1,839,653
Total Operating Budget - $332,176
$75,000 Dissemination Grant, State of Georgia
$3,000 Science Grant, International Paper
Discipline Summary 2004-2005
Part of the Oglethorpe Charter School educational philosophy is to
offer a safe and nurturing environment to allow children to learn to their
maximum potential. One of the vehicles in place to ensure that this happens is
a “Conduct and Discipline Code’’ that clearly outlines expectations and
consequences.
23 students served 39 office
referral detentions:
| Grade |
Male |
Female |
W |
B |
Other |
Total |
| 6th |
10 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
11 |
| 7th |
4 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
| 8th |
6 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
| Totals |
20 |
3 |
4 |
18 |
1 |
23 |
52 students served 58 suspensions:
| Grade |
Male |
Female |
W |
B |
Other |
Total |
| 6th |
16 |
6 |
4 |
17 |
1 |
22 |
| 7th |
12 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
2 |
16 |
| 8th |
5 |
9 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
14 |
| Totals |
33 |
19 |
17 |
33 |
3 |
52 |
|
Category
|
Detentions
|
Suspension
|
|
Disobeying
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
|
Disrupting Class
|
6th - 5
7th - 4
8th - 1
|
6th - 2
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
Dress Code
|
6th - 3
7th - 3
8th - 4
|
|
|
Honor Code
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 1
|
|
|
Fighting
|
|
6th - 11
7th - 4
8th - 1
|
|
Disrespect
|
6th - 2
7th - 0
8th - 3
|
6th - 1
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
|
Profanity
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
6th - 3
7th - 6
8th - 9
|
|
Missed Detention
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
|
Bus Infraction
|
6th - 2
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 2
|
|
Truancy
|
|
6th - 0
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
|
Lying
|
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
Other
|
6th - 1
7th - 1
8th - 1
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
Stealing
|
6th - 0
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
6th - 1
7th - 1
8th - 0
|
|
Horseplay
|
6th - 5
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
6th - 1
7th - 0
8th - 0
|
|
Totals
|
6th - 20
7th - 8
8th - 11
|
6th - 25
7th - 18
8th - 15
|
|
|
"An accountable school habitually produces timely,
valid and reliable information about its progress toward its goals, thereby
ensuring that parents and staff, governing board and chartering authority, and
other constituents and audiences know what value they are receiving. … The
school makes public its academic (and other) objectives, the indicators that it
uses to track its progress toward those goals, and information regarding its
progress to date. It includes its standards for students, its curriculum, its
instructional methods, and the results of its pupil assessments." In
addition, an accountable school makes public its financial information and
specifics about its governance structure, "student and staff turnover,
discipline issues and other indicators of constituent satisfaction or
dissatisfaction."
Charter Schools In Action
Chester Finn Jr., Bruno V. Manno, Gregg Vanourek
ANNUAL
REPORT 2005-2006
Academic
Test Scores
1. Using
historical data, it is expected that
Oglethorpe
Charter
School
students will perform well on standardized tests. The ITBS tests, given to
students each fall, show the knowledge accumulated over time in individual
subjects. Results suggest that students at Oglethorpe are above average – with
students scoring in the mid-50 percentile in math to the 72 percentile in
language.
Therefore, our
expectations are that Oglethorpe students will do well on the state CRCT tests.
Our students in 2005-2006 continue to meet or exceed at high percentages in
reading (89% in 6th; 92% in 7th and 99% in 8th),
language arts (91% in 6th; 96% in 7th, and 95% in 8th),
and social studies (92% in 6th, 95% in 7th and 94% in 8th).
However, with the introduction of the new GPS in 6th grade math and
6th and 7th grade science, we saw drops in CRCT scores in
those subjects and grades: In 6th grade math, students went from 89%
meeting or exceeding in 2005 to 64% percent meeting or exceeding in 2006. In 6th-grade
science, students went from 91% meeting or exceeding in 2005 to 65% meeting or
exceeding in 2006, and 7th-graders went from 96% meeting or
exceeding in science in 2005 to 74% percent meeting or exceeding in 2006.
In algebra for
high school credit, Oglethorpe students maintained high expectations on the
end-of-course test, with 44 students taking the test in May of 2006, 32%
meeting standards and 61% exceeding standards (93% meeting or exceeding.) In
spring of 2005, 95% met or exceeded.
Because we have
had excellent scores on the Middle Grades Writing Test since the inception of
the school, we were expecting good scores again, and we were not disappointed.
Ninety-nine percent of students met or exceeded the target, with 81 percent
meeting and 18 percent exceeding.
Conclusion:
Oglethorpe teachers have skillfully blended the school’s Core Knowledge
curriculum with the Georgia Performance Standards, as evidenced by students
performing at high levels in language arts, writing, reading and social
studies. We are meeting expectations in those areas.
However, in
science and mathematics, we recognize that there is work to be done to assist
all students in meeting or exceeding the standards. Test results did not meet
expectations in 6th grade math and science and in 7th-grade
science.
2.
As illustrated above, our successes are in reading, language arts, writing and
social studies, with more than 90% of all students meeting or exceeding in each
of the subjects, and 99% of our students meeting or exceeding the target on the
Middle Grades Writing Exam. There are a number of instructional strategies that
have contributed to these successes.
-
Teachers
are well-trained and participate in a number of professional learning
opportunities.
-
The
Core Knowledge social studies curriculum is interesting to teach and
interesting to the students.
-
Reading
and language arts are separated into two teaching blocks – therefore, students
have four hour-long blocks of reading each week and four hour-long blocks of
writing.
-
Students
are required to read silently at least 30 minutes of each reading class and are
given ample opportunities to visit the media center and to take Accelerated
Reading tests.
-
In
addition to silent reading, reading students participate in novel studies that
may last six weeks or more and involve hands-on activities, comparing and
contrasting, and critical analysis.
-
Students
are encouraged to participate in a number of authentic writing assignments and
competitions.
-
Eighth-graders
participate in a mock writing test that includes one-on-one sessions with adult
writers who critique their writing. Students are required to revise the
original piece to maximize learning.
-
Teachers
are becoming more experienced in interrelated teaching – therefore, during the
media festival, for example, research may be supervised by the language arts
teacher, while the technology teacher may supervise the technical aspects of
the project. Likewise, the research skills and writing for the annual 8th-grade
Science Fair is done in language arts, while the science process skills are
taught in science.
-
Oglethorpe’s students improved
from the previous year in the following grades and subject areas:
-
8th
grade reading from 92% meeting or exceeding to 99% meeting or exceeding
-
8th-grade
English/language arts from 91% meeting or exceeding to 95 meeting or exceeding
-
8th-grade
math from 75% meeting or exceeding to 83% meeting or exceeding
-
8th-grade
science from 85% meeting or exceeding to 91% meeting or exceeding
-
8th-grade
social studies from 88% meeting or exceeding to 94% meeting or exceeding
-
6th-grade
social studies improved from 91% meeting or exceeding to 92% meeting or
exceeding
Oglethorpe’s students did not improve or regressed from the previous
year in the following grades and subject areas:
-
6th-grade
reading regressed from 94% meeting or exceeding to 89% meeting or exceeding
-
7th-grade
reading regressed from 97% meeting or exceeding to 92% meeting or exceeding
-
6th-grade
English/language arts remained the same, at 91% meeting or exceeding
-
7th-grade
English/language arts regressed from 97% meeting or exceeding to 96% meeting or
exceeding
-
6th-grade
math regressed from 89% meeting or exceeding to 64% meeting or exceeding
-
7th-grade
math regressed from 90% meeting or exceeding to 88% meeting or exceeding
-
6th-grade
science regressed from 91% meeting or exceeding to 65% meeting or exceeding
-
7th-grade
science regressed from 96% meeting or exceeding to 74% meeting or exceeding
-
7th-grade
social studies regressed from 96% meeting or exceeding to 95% meeting or
exceeding
-
8th-graders
taking the end-of-course exam in Algebra I for high school credit regressed
from 95% percent meeting or exceeding in 2005 to 93% meeting or exceeding in
2006.
-
Yes, Oglethorpe tracks students
using the co-hort model. We compare the ITBS scores of the same group of
students as they move from grade to grade, removing any students who have left
our school. Results from students who took the ITBS in fall of 2003 and the
same students who took the ITBS in fall of 2005 were:
-
Science from 6th to 8th grades - 64% to 64% = no change
-
Sources of information from 6th to 8th grades – 74% to 73% = -1%
change
-
Reading
from 6th to
8th grades – 66%to 70% = + 4% change
-
Language from 6th to 8th grades – 65% to 75% = +10% change
-
Mathematics from 6th to 8th grades – 57% to 59% = +2
-
Social studies from 6th to 8th grades – 66 % to 67% = +1
-
To address lagging math scores,
Oglethorpe
-
Employed
an additional math teacher at 6th grade and 7th grade,
allowing 6th and 7th grade students to go from having
four hour-long blocks of math in the 2005-2006 school year to eight hour-long
blocks of math in the 2006-2007 school year. These grade levels were selected
because of the GPS implementation schedule.
-
In
8th-grade, students are still being taught math only four hours a
week. However, we are using a co-teaching model in two classrooms (a
high-school certified teacher in the algebra I class and an exceptional child
teacher in a second block.)
-
We
also have purchased the Quartermile math program and installed it in our
technology lab. Eighth-grade students will participate in Quartermile math
games four times a week for 15 minutes during technology lab time beginning
October 1. It is hoped that this engaging math software will help with basic
math skills.
-
Because we were unaware that there was an issue with science scores until CRCT
results were received in mid-June, we have not addressed the drops in 6th
grade science or 7th grade science. A newly formed data review team
will be examining domains to see if realigning our Core Knowledge curriculum
with the GPS will help boost science scores.
-
In
reviewing disaggregated data, students with disabilities … and students who
qualify for free or reduced lunch ….
A data-review team has been formed to study the data and make instructional recommendations to address these disparities.
Academic
Other Measures
Charter goal 1 is
to move more students into the “exceeds” category on the 8th-grade
writing test. In 2004, 13% of 8th-graders were in the “exceeds”
category; in 2005, 11% of 8th-graders were in the “exceeds”
category. In 2006, 18% of 8th-graders were in the “exceeds”
category. This goal has been met.
Charter goal 2
is, within 3 years, to maintain the number of 8th grade students who
came to
Charter
School
as 6th graders who meet or exceed reading/language arts criteria on
the Georgia CRCT. Using the cohort model,
Parent/Community
Involvement
1. Oglethorpe’s
parents are required by the family contract to provide volunteer service to the
school yearly to receive a reenrollment packet for the next year – 10 hours for
single families and 20 hours for couples. This volunteer service can be
provided by attending school events and parent trainings, providing gifts in
kind or monetary gifts, supervising field trips, attending sports events, etc.
All parents also must have two parent conferences yearly, and must agree to
supervise homework and support the uniform and discipline code of the school.
Parents are invited to participate in all school-wide events – fall fling,
sixth-grade Olympics, yearbook party, etc.
Three parents are
elected yearly by the parent body to serve on Oglethorpe’s governing board.
Community members are invited in as guest speakers, as Junior Achievement
teachers (8th-grade only), to judge competitions like the Science
Fair and participate in assemblies. Community members also are invited to
“shadow” students during National Shadow Day.
2.
All parents are required
to perform at the same volunteer level, although many choose to exceed the
required hours. Parents who experience difficulties during the year may write
hardship letters to the principal. Only 14 students of 384 total (4%) did not
return to Oglethorpe because of issues related to the family contract – not
enough parent hours, non-compliance of homework, or failure to have conferences
or support the uniform or discipline code.
Parents also are
encouraged to evaluate Oglethorpe’s academic program each year through surveys.
Results are included in the school’s school improvement plan.
3.
Parental involvement is
high at Oglethorpe, and it is one of the most critical components to our
successful academic program. However, we could always increase the number of
parent trainings. Last year, the annual “Looking Ahead To High School” parent
meeting and math/science family night were two very popular events. This year,
parents have request a math tutorial to assist their students with math
homework. One of the items on the school improvement plan for the 2006-2007
school year is to develop more partnerships with the local community and to
continue to develop a positive relationship with the Savannah-Chatham county
Board of Education, our local authorizer.
Other
Charter Goals
Item
1
Providing a
state-of-the-art facility is one of our strategic goals for the 2006-2007
school year. Over the summer, our bathrooms were renovated, and the OCS board
voted in September to purchase a portable classroom for drama performances and
other grade-level assemblies.
The voters of
Chatham
County
also approved E-splost funding, with $21 million allocated to build a new
facility for
Oglethorpe
Charter
School
.
Item
2
Oglethorpe is
just developing a process for studying and using data-driven decision-making
practices. Teachers are being provided a number of professional development
opportunities, including attending state conferences and district trainings.
Areas of need are: technology training, differentiation, and integration of
content.
Item
3
Oglethorpe
Charter prides itself on preparing students for the “next level” – high school.
Our counselor assists students in preparing high school applications to
specialty programs – 66% of our students who applied to the Savannah Arts
Program were accepted; 100% of the students who applied to the Historic
Preservation program were accepted; 41% of the students who applied to the IB
program were accepted; and 50 % who applied to the Jenkins honors magnet were
accepted. Oglethorpe follows up with a yearly survey of 9th-graders,
asking them how well they are prepared for high school. 100% of those
responding felt prepared or very prepared for high school.
|
|
ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007
Academic
Test Scores
1. Using
historical data, it is expected that
Oglethorpe
Charter
School
students will perform well on standardized tests. The ITBS tests, given to
students each fall, show the knowledge accumulated over time in individual
subjects. Results suggest that students at Oglethorpe are above average – with
students scoring in the mid-57 percentile in math to the 68 percentile in
language.
Therefore, our
expectations are that Oglethorpe students will do well on the state CRCT tests.
Our students in 2006-2007 continue to meet or exceed at high percentages in
reading (90% in 6th; 94% in 7th and 96% in 8th),
language arts (88% in 6th; 95% in 7th, and 97% in 8th),
and social studies (85% in 6th, 94% in 7th and 94% in 8th).
With the second year of GPS testing in 6th grade math, we saw a
slight gain from 64% meeting or exceeding in 2006 to 69% meeting or exceeding
in 2007. 6th grade science showed a slight drop from 65% meeting or
exceeding in 2006 to 59% meeting or exceeding in 2007. 7th-grade
science showed an increase from 73% percent meeting or exceeding in 2006 to 84%
meeting or exceeding in 2007. We were delighted with a 93% percent pass and
exceeds rate in 8th-grade math, the first time we have been above
90% in the school’s 8-year history.
|
Percentage of Students Meeting/Exceeding State Standard on the CRCT
|
|
|
Reading
|
|
|
Grade
6
|
Grade
7
|
Grade
8
|
|
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
|
2001
|
81
|
71
|
77
|
|
|
|
90
|
78
|
82
|
|
2002
|
89
|
73
|
80
|
93
|
82
|
85
|
93
|
78
|
80
|
|
2003
|
87
|
70
|
82
|
|
|
|
92
|
73
|
81
|
|
2004
|
92
|
72
|
80
|
86
|
80
|
86
|
98
|
81
|
85
|
|
2005
|
94
|
78
|
84
|
97
|
80
|
87
|
92
|
77
|
83
|
|
2006
|
89
|
79
|
86
|
92
|
69
|
80
|
98
|
87
|
89
|
|
2007
|
90
|
83
|
89
|
94
|
76
|
85
|
96
|
83
|
89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
English
/ Language Arts
|
|
|
Grade
6
|
Grade
7
|
Grade
8
|
|
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
|
2001
|
71
|
55
|
64
|
|
|
|
75
|
61
|
68
|
|
2002
|
83
|
57
|
66
|
93
|
75
|
79
|
91
|
67
|
72
|
|
2003
|
75
|
57
|
68
|
|
|
|
90
|
67
|
75
|
|
2004
|
90
|
65
|
72
|
89
|
78
|
83
|
97
|
75
|
80
|
|
2005
|
91
|
67
|
76
|
97
|
76
|
84
|
91
|
75
|
80
|
|
2006
|
90
|
77
|
84
|
96
|
75
|
83
|
95
|
83
|
87
|
|
2007
|
88
|
80
|
86
|
95
|
83
|
89
|
97
|
85
|
88
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mathematics
|
|
|
Grade
6
|
Grade
7
|
Grade
8
|
|
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
|
2001
|
68
|
61
|
69
|
|
|
|
71
|
48
|
59
|
|
2002
|
78
|
57
|
69
|
79
|
64
|
73
|
79
|
59
|
65
|
|
2003
|
72
|
55
|
70
|
|
|
|
75
|
53
|
66
|
|
2004
|
88
|
65
|
74
|
78
|
69
|
78
|
88
|
63
|
73
|
|
2005
|
89
|
64
|
74
|
90
|
69
|
78
|
75
|
59
|
69
|
|
2006
|
64
|
45
|
62
|
89
|
69
|
81
|
83
|
68
|
77
|
|
2007
|
69
|
47
|
65
|
83
|
61
|
74
|
93
|
75
|
81
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Science
|
|
|
Grade
6
|
Grade
7
|
Grade
8
|
|
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
|
2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002
|
93
|
72
|
83
|
85
|
73
|
82
|
91
|
67
|
76
|
|
2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
90
|
74
|
83
|
85
|
66
|
77
|
98
|
65
|
76
|
|
2005
|
91
|
72
|
83
|
96
|
76
|
84
|
85
|
62
|
74
|
|
2006
|
65
|
44
|
61
|
73
|
44
|
63
|
91
|
66
|
76
|
|
2007
|
59
|
41
|
60
|
84
|
51
|
70
|
83
|
60
|
74
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Social
Studies
|
|
|
Grade
6
|
Grade
7
|
Grade
8
|
|
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
Oglethorpe
|
System
|
State
|
|
2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002
|
89
|
70
|
80
|
82
|
74
|
82
|
95
|
80
|
84
|
|
2003
|
|
|
| | | |