Middleburg
Charter
School
Application
To the
Loudoun County School Board
8/13/13
Application Committee
Susana Calley
Teri Domanski
Susan McGroddy
David Quanbeck
Janelle Stewart
Workgroup Participants
Martha Cotter
Priscilla Godfrey
Colleen Basinger
Kim Basinger
Craig Mueller
Sheri Conrad
Cynthia Flynn
Melissa Gregory
Alice Porter
Bruce and Edith Smart
Ann MacLeod
Kathy Jo Shea
Brent and Debbie Styler
Jeff Baldwin
Mary Stine
Why should the school board
consider this proposal:
1. You don’t need to – keep the status quo
2. Ensure an enduring, successful community school in
Middleburg
3. Offer MCS as an option for any Loudoun child who may
benefit from the small school environment and its unique
program
Why should the school board
consider this proposal:
4. Serve as a model that can be replicated by other small
schools in Western Loudoun County
5. Provide an opportunity to explore innovative
instructional programs and technologies for possible
adoption by the Loudoun County schools
6. What an impact you could have on the future…….
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Half-Day Kindergarten
Desired School
Environment
Full-Day Kindergarten
Remarks/
Rationale
- Early childhood learning critical
- Community need for full-day KG
- Fund with community support
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Grades Combined as
needed by enrollment
(e.g. Gr 1-2, Gr 3-4
combined)
Desired School
Environment
Remarks/
Rationale
- Mentoring & leadership opportunities
Multi-age classes (e.g. K- - Younger children motivated by peers
2, 3-5)
- Encourages empathy and respect
across age groups
- Continuity in student/teacher
relationship year-to-year
- Allows efficient staffing for small
enrollment and scaling up to larger
enrollment
- Allows dedicated discipline rooms: e.
g. Science, Art and Music, not just
single-grade rooms
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Desired School
Environment
Remarks/
Rationale
General education
elementary teachers
teach all core subjects
for one to two grade
levels
Specialized
Math/Science,
Language Arts, Art &
Music Teachers
- Senior and/or highly qualified
teachers specialize in their chosen
area and teach multiple age
- Ensure superior teaching of the
critical math and reading skills
- Facilitates staffing multi-age grades
- Serve as mentors to junior teachers/
teacher assistants
- Supports innovative math instruction
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Desired School
Environment
Remarks/
Rationale
Curriculum lessons,
workbook and
supplementary material
topics vary widely
Interdisciplinary aka
Integrated Thematic
Instruction (ITI)
Curriculum
- Lesson plans designed around
unifying core topic, theme, or project
studied for weeks or months
- Subjects and skills learned in context
of core topic
- Facilitates integrating culture and
history of the local community
- Integrates Art, PE/health, Music now
taught in isolation
- Research supports learning in
concrete context
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Seven-hour day with no
after care on-site
Desired School
Environment
Remarks/
Rationale
- Integrate Loudoun Parks and Rec
Longer school
programs
day/integrated after care - Support community need for care
outside normal school hours
- Facilitates after school volunteer
tutoring, clubs and sports
Middleburg Charter School
Current School
Environment
Nine month calendar
Desired School
Environment
Modified year-round
quarter-based calendar
Remarks/
Rationale
- Avoid erosion of progress over long
summer break
- Inter-sessions for remediation, short
courses, camps (art, music, PE)
What if ………….
We realize how high the stakes are –
Middleburg is committed to keeping our school…….
So we asked ourselves…
Our mentor is:
Mrs. Miriam Hughey-Guy
Barcroft Elementary School
past principal
School Model
 Barcroft Elementary, Arlington Public Schools
 Interdisciplinary Thematic approach through their
Leonardo daVinci Project
 SOL aligned curriculum written by staff using the
principles of Understanding By Design
 Year round calendar
 Challenging demographic profile
What benefit have the students at
Barcroft experienced with this program?
Barcroft Elementary SOL Passing Scores 2008-2012
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
English: Reading
78%
85%
95%
90%
93%
English: Writing
76%
82%
75%
86%
97%
Math
78%
77%
86%
93%
80%
Science
65%
63%
83%
77%
83%
Source: http://www.movoto.com/public-schools/va/arlington/primary/510027000083-barcroft-elementaryschool/625-s-wakefield-st.htm
Timeline
 Principal search/hire by March 2014
 Staff hiring spring 2014
 Enrollment April 2014
 Curriculum/professional development
summer 2014
 Classes begin Aug 4, 2014