Sedalia Park Elementary

Sedalia Park Elementary Charter Renewal Petition

Sedalia Park Elementary

Charter School Renewal Petition

August 2010

Submitted by

Sedalia Park Elementary

Cobb County School District

Sedalia Park Elementary

2230 Lower Roswell Road

Marietta, Georgia 30068

770-509-5162 (phone)

770-509-5342 (fax)

http://sedaliapark.typepad.com/thepark/

9

Sedalia Park Elementary Charter Renewal Petition

CONVERSION CHARTER SCHOOL CONVERSION CHARTER PETITON

CHARTER SCHOOL INFORMATION

Check one:  New Petition X Renewal Petition
Name of Petitioning Traditional Public School ___Sedalia Park Elementary School_
Name of Proposed Charter School ___Sedalia Park Elementary Charter School____
Local School System ___Cobb County School District______
School address 2230 Lower Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30068
School contact person : Patricia Thomas , Principal__770-509-5162 ext 232__
Fax: 770-509-5342 E-mail:

Accreditation: Sedalia Park is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and

Schools (SACS)/ Advanced ED
Admission of Students: Will serve attendance zone as determined by CCSD as well as
open available transfers to families residing within CCSD’s school zone

Certificate of compliance: Building code standards and regulations, and fire and

Safety, environmental, and accessibility requirements are maintained by CCSD. An
emergency safety plan will be submitted annually to CCSD
Facilities to be used: The physical building is owned by CCSD.
Grade Levels in the School: Special Needs Pre-Kindergarten – fifth grade
Insurance: Sedalia Park will continue to be insured through the CCSD.
Number of students enrolled: 769 FTE 2009
School Year/ School Day: As determined by CCSD.
Students to be served: As determined by CCSD including students with special needs
and disabilities
Transportation: as determined by CCSD

ASSURANCES AND SIGNATURES

1.   This petition has been agreed to, by secret ballot, by a majority of the faculty and
instructional staff members at a meeting called with two weeks’ advance notice during
which time a complete petition draft was available for review.
Date of Vote April 30 – May 3, 2010 _____
Total Number of Faculty and Instructional Staff 97
Number Approving ___97___ Percent Approving __100____
Number Disapproving ______Percent Disapproving
______
Principal’s Signature Date
2.   This petition has been agreed to, by secret ballot, by a majority of the parents or
guardians of the students enrolled in the school who were present at a meeting called for the purpose of deciding whether to submit the petition. Two weeks’ advance notice of the meeting was published during which time a complete petition draft was available for review.
Date of Meeting May 6 , 8 AM and 5:30 PM Voting: May 10-14, 2010
Total Number of Parents Voting 331
Number Approving 328 Percent Approving 99
Number Disapproving ___3___ Percent Disapproving 1
______
Principal’s Signature Date
3. This petition was approved by the Sedalia Park Governance Board at a meeting held on May 4, 2010.
Total Number of Members Voting ___9___
Number Approving __9_____ Percent Approving ___100__
______
Principal’s Signature Date
4. This charter petition was approved by the Cobb County School District Board of Education on
______
Date
______
Superintendent Date
______
Chair, Local Board of Education Date
5. Petitioner(s) assure(s) that the proposed charter school programs, services, and activities will operate in accordance with the terms of the Charter and all applicable federal, state, and
local laws, rules and regulations.
______
Authorized Representative, Charter School Date / _--

CHARTER SCHOOL AGREEEMENT

WHEREAS, Sedalia Park Elementary School (hereinafter “Petitioner”) of the Cobb County School District (hereinafter “CCSD”) has petitioned for renewal to the Georgia Board of Education (hereinafter “State Board”) for continued status as a Charter School, said renewal petition being attached hereto and incorporated herein by references;

WHEREAS, said petition has been approved by a majority of the faculty and instructional staff and a majority of parents of students enrolled in the school who were present at a meeting called for that purpose, and by the local board of education;

WHEREAS, the State Board has determined that the petition

1.  Provides a plan for improvement at the school level for improving student learning and for meeting national and state educational goals;

2.  Includes a set of academic and/or vocational performance-based objectives and student achievement-based objectives for the term of the charter and the means for measuring those objectives on at least a yearly basis, including performance criteria for student achievement established to be attained by the end of the charter period as well as annual performance benchmarks beginning with the second year of the charter period;

3.  Includes an agreement to provide a yearly report to parents of students enrolled in the school, the community, the local board and the State Board indicating the progress made by the charter school the previous year toward meeting the performance objectives with progress being reported using the performance criteria and benchmarks established in the petition.

4.  Includes a proposal to involve directly and substantially the parents of students enrolled in the school as well as the faculty, instructional staff and members of the broader community in the process of creating the petition and in carrying out the terms of the charter; and

5.  Includes a memorandum of understanding between the local school system and the school regarding funding of the charter school. Said memorandum of understanding establishes the charter school as a budget unit and outlines specific funding sources anticipated to be available to the charter school; the specific terms under which the local school system will receive funding allotments and entitlements on behalf of the school; the specific terms under which the funds will be made available to the school; and financial procedures to be followed between the charter school and the local school system.

WHEREAS. Subject to the Charter School Act of 1998, and the Constitution of the State of Georgia, Sedalia Park shall be subject to the control and management of the CCSD.

NOW THEREFORE, the State Board grants this charter to Petitioner for a period of five years, to expire on June 30, 2015, permits Petitioner to operate in accordance with the terms of its Petition as approved and the Charter, subject to the following terms and conditions:

WITHDRAWAL OF CHARTER: If a majority of the faculty and instructional staff of the school and a majority of parents of students enrolled at the school, at a meeting called for the purpose of deciding whether to request withdrawal of the charter, request that the State Board withdraw this charter, or if at any time the State Board finds that Petitioner is not fulfilling the terms of the Charter, this Charter may be withdrawn and declared null and void by the State Board. Further, if at any time the CCSD Board of Education has evidence that Petitioner is not fulfilling the terms of the Charter; the CCSD Board of Education may present such evidence to the State Board and petition the State Board to withdraw the Charter and declare it null and void.

MODIFICATION: After submitting an annual progress report to the State Board, Petitioner may request amendment of the terms of this charter by petition to the State Board, upon agreement of the local board and subject to the approval of a majority of the faculty and instructional staff and a majority of parents of students enrolled at the school at a meeting called for the purpose of deciding whether to request amendment of the charter.

EXEMPTIONS: Petitioner shall be exempt from specified local and state rules, regulations, policies and procedures and from other provisions of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as specified in Exemptions section, except that the expenditure controls contained in O.C.G.A. §20-2-167 may be relaxed only for those direct instructional expenditures actually made by Petitioner for its students.

Nothing in the Exemptions section, nor in any other provision contained herein, should be interpreted to mean that the Charter School is waived from the accountability provisions of O.C.G.A. §§20-14-30 through 20-14-41.

ASSURANCES: Petitioner assures that the school will operate in accordance with the United States Constitution, the Constitution of the State of Georgia and federal and state law, except for the exemptions granted by this Charter. Petitioner also assures that it will operate fairly and equitably for all students and with consideration of the needs of the diverse student population. These rights shall include, but not be limited to, due process, prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures, and First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and religion. Petitioner assures that it will be attentive to research in its decisions and operations and that it will operate with full public disclosure about student performance and in accordance with state and federal confidentiality laws.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: Petitioner assures that the school will not discriminate in any manner including sex, ethnicity, age, and religion. Discrimination complaints may be filed directly with:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center

1000 Alabama Street SW, Suite 4R30

Atlanta, Georgia 30303 – Telephone number 404-562-6800

The US Department of Education

Atlanta Office for Civil Rights

61 Forsyth Street SW, Suite 19T70

Atlanta, Georgia 30303-31204

Telephone: 404-562-6350

Questions concerning policies and practices of the school may be addressed to the principal of the school at:

Sedalia Park Elementary

2230 Lower Roswell Road

Marietta, Georgia 30068

Telephone: 770-509-5162, ext. 232

RENEWAL: This charter may be renewed by the State Board, provided all parties to the original charter approve such renewal in accordance with approval terms and requirements in effect at the time of renewal.

SEVERABILITY: If any provision of the charter is determined to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remainder of the Charter shall remain in effect, unless otherwise terminated by one or all parties in accordance with the terms contained herein.

______

Chairperson, State Board of Education Date

______

Chairperson, CCSD Board of Education Date

______

Principal, Sedalia Park Elementary Date

Table of Contents

CHARTER SCHOOL INFORMATION 2

ASSURANCES AND SIGNATURES 3

CHARTER SCHOOL AGREEEMENT 5

PLAN FOR COLLABORATION FOR CHARTER APPLICATION 11

OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOL 12

GUIDING PRINCIPLES 14

ACCOUNTABILITY AND EVALUTATION 15

ADMISSION OF STUDENTS 16

CULTURE, CURRICULUM, AND INSTRUCTION 18

FINANCIAL PLAN 20

FOOD SERVICE 22

CHARTER GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 23

GOAL MEASUREMENTS 25

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY 27

INSURANCE 28

LEGAL PROCEEDING 28

PERSONNEL 29

SCHOOL FACILITY 31

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE 31

SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS 35

STUDENT CONDUCT 36

TRANSPORTATION 38

WAIVER OF STATE AND LOCAL PROVISIONS 39

APPENDICES 50

FACULTY CHARTER TASK FORCE

Patricia Thomas, Principal

Pedro Cos, Assistant Principal

Ashley McCann, kindergarten

Elizabeth Horner, first grade

Davida Dyer, second grade and parent

Susan Thompson, second grade

Angela Schneider, third grade

Christina Duncan, third grade

Cheri Craft, fourth grade and parent

Gina Coss, fifth grade and parent

Linda Leland, Title I

Kristen Richardson, fifth grade

Amy Benton, special ed. and parent

Cecily Merchant, Title I and parent

Lisa Casey, Art Teacher and parent

Karen Shoenig, Reading Recovery, EIP

GOVERNANCE BOARD

Terri Brennan, parent chairperson

Sara Brown, parent

Pramila Duphare, parent

Susan Egbert, parent

Felicia Marable, parent

Allison Swain, parent

Kim Danielson, paraprofessional

Shelby Robert, Partner in Education

Christina Duncan, staff - School, Family, Community Key Team

Keith Fitzgerald, staff- School Culture/Climate Key Team

Lisa Hankins – staff – Technology Key Team

Linda Leland – staff- Curriculum & Instruction Key Team

Patricia Thomas- Principal – Strategic Improvement Key Team

PLAN FOR COLLABORATION FOR CHARTER APPLICATION

January 20, 2010 / Faculty/staff vote to determine interest in renewing charter
January 25-29, 2010 / Parent survey to determine interest in renewing charter and input on focus of the charter
February – April 2010 / Weekly Charter Task Force Meetings – minutes posted to website and open for public comments
Task Force members shared proposed goals and waivers with their teams.
March 31, 2010 / Key teams were given the opportunity to provide input to Charter Application
April 13, 2010 / Presentation of draft of Charter Renewal Application to Governance Board
April 28, 2010 / Presentation to faculty/staff
April 30, 2010 / Faculty/staff vote by ballot on Charter Renewal Application
May 6, 2010 / Charter Renewal Application parent presentations
(two sessions: 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.)
May 10-14, 2010 / Parents vote by ballot on Charter Renewal Application
August, 2010 / Presentation of final Charter Renewal Petition to CCSD Executive Cabinet and CCSD Board of Education

OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOL

Sedalia Park Elementary is a converted charter school that continuously seeks to improve in all areas. Established in 1955 as part of the CCSD Public Schools, Sedalia Park currently serves a population of 775 students. In 1996, our petition to convert to a charter status was approved by the district and the state. Charter status is achieved as a school demonstrates a commitment to a high level of accountability and parent involvement through increased flexibility. Sedalia Park’s charter was renewed in 2000 and 2005. The Sedalia Park family submits this application for renewal of our charter to be in effect from July, 2011 through July, 2016.

Sedalia Park has been identified as a Distinguished Title I School for the past seven years. Making Annual Yearly Progress while important is seen as only the first step in providing a solid foundation for our students’ learning.

The staff at Sedalia Park has a reputation of innovative excellence. Our teacher of the year for 2007- 2008, Mrs. Gina Coss, was selected as the CCSD Teacher of the Year, and was named a 2009 Finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year. Also, fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Fran Bollinger, was named Outstanding Social Studies Educator by the Georgia Council for the Social Studies during the 2008-09 school year.

In 2007, the staff at Sedalia Park took the bold step to change grading practices and create standards-based report cards for all grade levels. Teams collaborate to create common formative and summative assessments that measure students’ progress on meeting standards in all content areas. Students with disabilities as well as English Language Learners take the same assessment and are held to the same high expectations. All students are provided a second opportunity after re-teaching interventions to demonstrate mastery on the standards. Third, fourth and fifth grade teams review the report cards quarterly to make adjustments as curriculum standards change. All grade level teams also create quarterly standards-based progress reports. Progress reports and quarterly report cards are translated into Spanish and Portuguese.