Options Public Charter School Annual Report
School Year
2012-2013
Respectfully Submitted on behalf of the Board of Trustees August 30, 2013
By
Dr. J. C. Hayward, Chair of the Board of Trustees
Options PCS
1375 E Streets, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(P) 202-547-1028
(F) 202-547-1272
www.optionsschool.com
0
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Annual Report Narrative…………………………………………………………………..2
I.
School Description…………………………………………………………….......2
A. Mission Statement …………………………………………………………….2
B. School Program……………………………………………………………......2
1. Summary of curriculum design and instructional approach………………..2
2. Parent involvement efforts, describing the methods and frequency of parent
involvement…………………………………………………………………..10
II.
School Performance……………………………………………………………...12
A. Performance and Progress……………………………………………………12
1. Describe the extent to which the school is meeting its mission, detailing
programs, and/or methodologies though which the school pursues its
mission…………………………………………………………………...12
2. Describe the extent to which the school is meeting its goals and
academic achievement expectations detailed in its
charter……………………………………………………………………19
B. Lessons Learned and Actions Taken……………………………………......23
C. Unique Accomplishments……………………………………………………26
D. List of Donors
2. Data Component…………………………………………………………………………30
3. Appendices………………………………………………………………………………32
a. Board and Staff Roster
b. Unaudited Year-end 2012-2013 Financial Statement
c. Approved 2013-2014 Budget
d. OPCS Honors and Accomplishments
e. DCCAS Correlations to OPCS After School Prep Program
f. OPCS Self-Monitoring Systems
g. OPCS Leadership Training
g. OPCS Service and Citizenship
h. Student Boxer scores in the ring AND classroom; Newsletter
1
NARRATIVE
I.
School Description
A. Mission Statement
The mission of the Options Public Charter School (OPCS) is to provide a high-quality,
unique educational experience for students at-risk of dropping out of school because
they are underachieving, truant, have behavior problems, or have exceptionalities
requiring therapeutic special education services.
We provide alternative programs of experiential instruction and guidance to motivate
students to stay in school by instilling in them the requisite 1) social skills, 2) increased
self-esteem, 3) self-control of anger and frustration, 4) the desire to learn, and 5)
increased academic competence.
B. School Program
1. Summary of curriculum design and instructional approach
Options Public Charter School (OPCS), founded in 1996, is the oldest charter
school in the District of Columbia and the first charter school to be eligible for and
receive charter renewal, which was awarded in 2011-2012. Options is an alternative
school providing a rigorous and distinctive educational program for both special
education and general education students. As solicited by the school’s mission the
majority of students enter Options PCS already in danger of dropping out due to a
school history of suspensions and expulsions or repetitive academic failures due to
significant instructional, social, and/or behavioral problems. The failures also are
often associated with severe learning disabilities. This year the special education
population capped at 67% with general education registering 33% of the total
population. Within Special Education are three primary disability groups. Out of
the 224 full-service special education students 49% of them have a Specific
Learning Disability, 20% have an Emotional Disturbance and 12% have Multiple
Disabilities. The remainder of the special education students not captured in the
three main disability groupings includes Other Health Impaired 20%, Mental
Retardation/ID 07%, Speech or Language Impaired 01%, and Autism Spectrum
01%.
Therapeutic educational programing is implemented at Options within a full time
least restrictive environment; i.e. inclusion classrooms or self-contained for
specialized instruction. Inclusion classrooms are co-taught school-wide in all core
content areas. A co-taught class is designed with a special educator who ensures
that the students with I.E.P.’s receive their accommodations and modifications in
order to achieve their learning goals. The special education teacher teams with a
general content educator responsible for the content and skills of the course. Coteaching has recognized multiple benefits for all students such as increased
academic performance, reduced behavioral problems such as anger aggression, and
the development of life skills necessary to maintain jobs and/or continue education
after high school.
2
This year the implementation of the five specific models of co-teaching was
monitored by a new position, the Special Education Content Specialist. This
dedicated instructional position works closely with the Core Content Specialists in
the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (D/CIA) to ensure that
the best instructional special education practices are fully implemented. She also
observes to determine if special education teachers reach beyond the sometimes
more common strategy of serving as assistants in the classes designated to include
the more collaborative, interactive and rigorous approaches of co-teaching. Coming
under the Director of Special Education the Special Education Content Specialist
has the responsibility of directing the implementation of the Alternative
Assessments, as well.
Implementing an effective therapeutic program does not happen in a vacuum. The
team of site-based clinicians, social workers and counselors continue to contribute
to the success of the full time special education students by offering a variety of
services under the Transition and Socializing Program (TSP). As the increase in
academic performance among special education students on the 2013 DCCAS
indicates, updating related service practices this school year has proved to be the
right decision. Related service providers increased the focus on classroom based
supports this year while also providing services designed to pull students out of the
classroom setting for small groups. By placing the related service providers such as
the clinicians, counselors, speech & language therapist, occupational specialist and
the behavior specialists in the inclusion and/or special education classrooms in 45
to 60 minute increments the specialists support instruction while also providing
direct services to students per their I.E.P.’s. This also ensures that the interventions
which support all students in gaining full access to the curriculum are implemented.
Adding another position this year to the 12 member Behavior Specialist team
facilitated the effectiveness of this model, as well as, ensuring a safe and orderly
environment for a school reaching 415 students enrolled this year. The counseling,
mental health, and behavioral services also continue to implement the RTI
intervention model designed to prevent academic failure through early intervention,
frequent progress measurement, and increasingly intensive research-based
instructional and behavioral interventions for students not progressing in a
traditional setting. Increasing these services within the classroom is also part of the
RTI model; i.e. using a non-traditional approach to provide direct-related services
to students with special needs. The delivery of these services varies in their content
and nature across the three Tiers according to the academic and behavioral needs
of the students. Speech pathologists and occupational therapists for example,
implement more computer based applications which are integrated into the related
services for language, fluency, articulation and writing. Clinicians incorporate
modern social networking, looking at student face book pages to stay current on
social issues and language, while counselors make an effort to keep their
environments friendly by integrating student interests. This helps many students
lower their personal defenses. Data collected from feedback provided from visiting
monitoring teams, completed data analysis, as well as student reflections continue
to indicate that the strategies and services provided by Options Related Services are
evolving into a state of the art program.
3
All OPCS high school students took the required electives and selected others
from Spanish, Music, Health/Physical Education, Art, and SAT. High School
students may also take isolated vocational classes even if they do not want to
focus on vocational education. In the middle school reading is an elective for
some students in need of reading development, Jr. Cadets for students selecting it,
which is similar to JROTC but on a younger level, and Health for all middle
school students.
Options has demonstrated that vocational education is also a viable source of real
life application for not only special education and at-risk students but for all
students embarking on a career or continuing their education after high school. The
courses in the OPCS Vocational Education Department include Cosmetology
and
Barbering,
Culinary
Arts,
JROTC,
and
Technology
and
Business/Entrepreneurship; i.e. Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, (NFTE).
The vocational courses mirror real life experiences and use direct instruction with
hands-on activities and research-based scaffolding strategies to especially support
students with special needs in grades 9-12. The vocational route prepares them for
work immediately following graduation. At the conclusion of the vocational track
a graduate will have attained marketable skills including hours toward licensure,
obtaining a food handler’s license, receiving military rank promotion once enlisted
and developing viable business plans for portfolios. During the high school
vocational coursework students with I.E.P.’s have clear transition plans and
progress goals that are monitored weekly by their designated Special Education
Case Worker and quarterly by their Special Educator Coordinator who specifically
oversee the students’ work to attain long range goals. Upon graduation the students
planning to continue their vocational career already have had numerous contacts
with the District’s Rehabilitation Services Administration arranged by OPCS
Transition Coordinator that will continue to assist OPCS graduates during the
actual transition period. The graduation rate for the class of 2013 remains
consistently high for the third consecutive year at 92% with college acceptances at
the rate of 70% of which 42% are for special education students. Fifteen per cent
of the total number of students going to college received scholarships this year; one
student received a “full ride” scholarship to Trinity University of Washington DC.
Other accomplishments among this year’s graduates included three students who
accrued 100-200 hours each in Cosmetology or Barbering, one student who
received the Bronze Medal in the Prudential Community Service Competition, and
two students who were certified in Microsoft IT.
OPCS ensures training for all teachers in classroom management strategies; i.e.
Life Space Crisis Intervention Training, which targets student anxiety, anger, and
hostility, and provides teachers with strategies to address the behavior problems.
Training also includes de-escalation techniques, which use best practices in a
supportive, non-judgmental manner, as well as, strategies implementing coaching,
proactive listening, conflict resolution, and positive behavioral reinforcement. All
professionals are coached to give students in crisis, time and space to de-escalate
the problematic behaviors.
4
If the supports of the LEA continuum offered to special education students on the
main campus do not improve a student’s behavior disorder and he/she is assessed
to need a more intense therapeutic setting he/she is referred to the Options Academy
Therapeutic Public Placement at Rosedale, which fulfills the mission to address the
needs of students who struggle to succeed in the inclusion setting of the main
campus and need more services and a tighter structure. It services 20 middle and
high school students and provides a staff-student ratio of 1:3. The Academy
placement is more restrictive than the main campus, providing intensive therapeutic
and academic intervention outside of a general education setting. The Academy is
comprised of 2 high school and 1 middle school classrooms and has a high staff to
student ratio with 10 to 12 students per class and one mental health clinician, special
educator, and behavior support specialist assigned to each classroom.
To broaden and enhance the continuum of services at OPCS for students with
special needs the LEA applied for and received the OSSE Co-Located Therapeutic
Classroom Grant in July 2012. The grant provided seed money this school-year to
operate two therapeutic classrooms for other city-wide public Charter School LEAs
that have students who require more intensive therapeutic supports and have the
disability of Emotional Disturbance with high levels of academic and behavioral
needs on their IEP’s. Based on the program’s evaluation another application for the
continuance of the grant was submitted and awarded this July 2013 for the
upcoming school year, 2013-2014. OPCS is thus increasing city-wide access to
quality special education services and removing the need for reliance on nonpublic
placement outside city limits.
Last school year, 2011-2012 OSSE classified Options as a Priority School for four
years to run concurrent with year two and three of the Turnaround Model. This
classification was determined based on Options’ status as a Turnaround School and
the failure to achieve the student performance targets for the years 2010-2012. A
priority school’s focus is on the implementation of the seven turnaround principles
that are also found throughout the Turnaround Model. Options is using the Priority
designation to continue the interventions and strategies proven successful in year
three of the Turnaround Model, 2012-2013.
This year was the third and last year of the Turnaround Model that has recorded
data and statistics to show that the researched and data-driven academic planning
and programming has been successful. Under the direction of the LEA the Deputy
Executive Director of Academic Programs continued to augment academic
programs and plans for student improvement using the research specifically
focused on OPCS student performance. She also monitored the programs and plans
in the additional role as Turnaround Specialist. The data collected from the
Turnaround checklists and observations in addition to data and recommendations
from annual visiting monitoring teams, DPCSB and OSSE, as well as the US
Department of Education and Middle States Accreditation team provide OPCS with
timely feedback on the academic program in order to make any necessary
modifications.
5
The Chief Executive Officer in 2011 directed that an in-house Monitoring Program
be developed in order to provide a more consistent and thorough evaluation over
time of curriculum, instruction and assessment than what is provided by the visiting
monitoring teams. The internal tool provides a venue for administrative dialogue
on the current implementation of programs, interventions, and promotes problem
solving among Options’ school leaders. The School Improvement Review (SIR)
was added to give the administration an opportunity for a no-fault self-assessment.
The entire process validates where OPCS stands as a school every quarter
academically and non-academically and then goes one step further to report if the
implementation timeline is on track and if not requires the administration to develop
action plans to realign duties and responsibilities with a timeline. This monitoring
process was once again implemented this year with the SIR taking place after first
semester and second semester. OPCS has also categorized and implemented other
sources of program and performance assessment to keep targets in focus and on
track, (See Appendices)
There was one more monitoring source that took place this year is the collaboration
among stakeholders in a forum or focus group model. Undergoing the Middle State
Accreditation process this year stimulated the collaborative process by putting
representatives of all stakeholders into focus groups to address the different selfassessment tasks. The data coming from the self-assessment was rich with detailed
information. It confirmed how critical the Curriculum Frameworks are to both
teacher and student. Inclusive by design the curriculum is aligned to the Common
Core State Standards (CCSS) and as of August 2012 the school has completed full
implementation of the CCSS. All standards in English/Language Arts (ELA) and
Math are in full implementation in grades 6-12, as well. All Science and Technical
Subject standards have been embedded into the existing curriculum and are being
taught with fidelity. The Common Core curriculum map for ELA is complete and
in use. Deconstructed standards are converted into learning targets with pre and
post assessments /assessment stems connected to each target. Benchmark
assessments and pre and post-tests are all aligned to CCSS. The Frameworks also
use a multi-faceted approach to include academics, life skills, and character
education. In addition to an instructional program and relevant assessment
measures, there is also the enhanced lesson plan format within the Curriculum
Frameworks, which identifies learning priorities, defines student expectations,
prompts the learning standard and objective, lesson pacing, instructional activities,
assessment, and closure for every lesson. Attention to the various grouping
configurations to be used daily is also part of the lesson plan format as are the
suggested special education accommodations and modifications. With a strong
focus on instructional excellence the teacher’s lesson plans are reviewed weekly
with feedback by the Content Specialists and after any necessary adjustments they
are posted in the classroom for easy reference by visiting parents, school
administrators or monitoring teams. If teachers experience difficulty implementing
any of the lesson plans the Content Specialists would conduct a demonstration
lesson that follows up with dialogue about the different strategies used. This was
the third consecutive year for the D/CIA’s lesson plan review and student
improvement on benchmarks and post testing in core content classes substantiate
that this form of instructional monitoring and teacher support is useful and
6
successful. Another segment of the Frameworks is the Scope and Sequence; i.e.
pacing guide, which also highlights the power standards being taught and tested;
suggested objectives, lesson activities, and formative assessments. Ready to print
graphic organizers, rubrics and other resources are stored on the in-house computer
T-drive for teachers’ easy access. Added this year to the lesson plan is a more
defined and regular process for student reflection, which is not only for teacher
monitoring but for students self-monitoring of their own learning. Teacher nonnegotiables are also implemented to ensure on target instruction and necessary cues
for students. With the resources, templates, directions, and explicit curriculum
teachers are keenly aware of setting high expectations for students and surmounting
the learning challenges identified by the data to teach the curriculum at grade level
making it accessible through chunking, scaffolding, and other forms of
differentiated instruction.
Due to the funding provided in the School Improvement Grant (1003g), which also
finishes the third and last year of disbursements, Options has been able to fund
curriculum writing and revision teams each summer, including this current summer
of 2013. As a result the curriculum has been revised using teacher input and
contributing data and it has become a living document that integrates a multifaceted approach to include academic, life skills, self-contained resources and
character education. Using a child centered approach to teaching the focus is on the
individual student rather than blanket teaching to the whole group. The individual
needs and strengths of the students are now paramount to learning. Allowing
teacher input and actual participation in curriculum revisions and development
helps to promote teacher buy-in to the use of the curriculum with fidelity.
Always striving for tools that will assist teachers the D/CIA developed Curriculum
Units which became a part of the Frameworks this year. They provided teachers
with an organizational structure for planning, which are relevant, research-based,
rigorous, and support real life applications. As this was the pilot year feedback from
the teachers guided writers to revise the units this summer for the upcoming schoolyear of 2013-2014. One of the main revisions was to include a project-based
approach to suggested instructional strategies.
The Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (D/CIA) this summer
reviewed Options “own” Expanded Curriculum first developed two years ago to
offer teachers more resources, activities, teaching examples, and even a listing of
appropriate field trips and supporting media. In addition to all of the curriculum
advancements the Director of D/CIA spearheaded efforts to also revise the
curriculum for the self-contained special education class in order to change the
focus to community-based instruction while keeping in place the direct
instructional approach, which went into use this year.
Continuing the theme on “Literacy across the Curriculum,” introduced in 2010 the
Frameworks have grown over the past three years to be more teacher-friendly and
specific about the implementation of rigor throughout instruction. The Curriculum
Frameworks with the new Units included became the center piece of professional
development, department meetings, and one-on-one coaching this school year.
7
Always current, evolving, and complete for all subjects the Curriculum
Frameworks are a source of pride for Options. They also have been acknowledged
by monitoring teams for several years and especially noted this year by the DC
Public Charter School Board in the Quality Site Review for 2012, OSSE Site
Review in the spring of 2012, and just recently by the Middle States Accreditation
team in their formal report to the Middle States Commission on Elementary and
Secondary Schools, May 2013; which also recommended Options for full
accreditation without findings or monitored recommendations.
Options PCS incorporates technology into each classroom to support instruction
with special emphasis on remediation and developmental strategies. Every day
teachers utilize the classroom LCD and computer to post expectations, the warm
up, power point presentations and visual supports. The LCD makes the print large
and clear for students with visual processing issues to read and comprehend.
SMART boards provide interactive technology that stimulates the brain for longer
periods of time; this promotes a more active engaged learning environment while
enhancing the teaching and learning experience. Having been awarded an OSSE
grant in 2011-2012 to support Least Restrictive Environments, Options was able to
advance the integration of technology into instruction with the purchase of six
document cameras. These high tech cameras, also called visualizers were in use this
current school year to project the images of actual, three-dimensional objects
bringing minute details of a picture to life, zoom in on specific sentences of a
reading passages and at the same time freeze frame the important highlights of a
student’s writing sample allowing his/her peers to give feedback guided by a rubric
on the assignment. Options has been able to expand and deepen the on-line
innovative instructional interventions that school data has proved successful in
increasing student performance. These include Renaissance for math, Read 180 for
reading, Study Island for general knowledge and skills, and Apex for the evening
credit recovery program. Data again played a major part in determining just what
technology programs students need to improve academically. Assessment and data
analysis showed that there was a group of students who were not being helped by
either of the reading programs; i.e. Soar to Success or Read 180. Options researched
other reading programs that addressed the same specific problems and reading
levels OPCS assessed found the remedial, research-based reading program,
Systems 44, developed as a “sister” to Read 180 but for students reading at the
lowest developmental reading level. It was added to the middle school courses this
year and is currently being analyzed for effectiveness.
Research proves that there is a definite connection between professional
development and school improvement and so an enhanced, cutting edge
professional development plan was developed to focus on curriculum, instruction
and assessment this year. The professional development program for OPCS
provides teachers with on-going opportunities to participate in authentic practice,
which builds on their prior knowledge and presents continuous feedback from the
Options’ cadre of instructional and special education specialists. Specifically, the
Tiered Professional Development Program implemented this year was based on
Richard DuFour’s Professional Learning Communities (1991) and involves
teachers collaborating with one another in groups based on levels of experience and
8
development appropriate for their knowledge of content, skills, and familiarity. As
directed by the administration and/or D/CIA teachers are asked to investigate and
examine new practices, research, and review student work in order to assess the
validity and success of instructional practices. Meetings are led by rotating leader
groups at the school; i.e. administration, content specialists, clinicians, behavior
staff, and the special educators in order to gain different perspectives, different
ways to address instructional issues and solve academic and non- academic
problems. The most experienced and effective teachers on the highest tier often
assist with coaching of their peers. This professional development program has
increased the number of opportunities for an exchange of ideas, dialogue and
meaningful practice in a no-fault environment. It has increased the rigor not only
of professional development but also in the classroom instruction as observation
reports indicate.
In addition to the Tiered Professional Development, teachers are afforded
opportunities to attend educational conferences, workshops from other educational
organizations, and institutions of higher learning, as well as, visit other schools
using practices under discussion. Their commitment if attending is to return to
school and share highlights of the conference or school visit.
The Data Specialist works one-on-one with teachers and with departments to
analyze data and modify instructional strategies, collaborating with the Content
Specialists to assist teachers with specified strategies. These monthly meetings are
called the OPCS Data Talks and they have been responsible for routinely bringing
data into the classroom and driving the instruction so the needs of individual
students are met. They have been so successful that benchmark data immediately
began to show student improvement in performance at the end of the first quarter.
This was specifically attributed to the fact that the needs of the students were being
targeted and students who had mastered a skill did not have to re-learn it
unnecessarily in a whole group but instead advance to other skills. The second
contributing factor to increased performance is that the teachers are using the right
strategy for the right learning and modeling it in the right manner.
To offer more support to teachers an exciting grant was offered to OPCS teachers
giving them $5,000.00 over a three year period to become certified in teaching or
earn a Master’s Degree in Education. A program called Transitions to Teaching
dispersed the federal money once teachers provided evidence they had met certain
criteria.
Also important to the entire instructional program is the issue of time spent on task.
To maximize learning time the high school went to block scheduling increasing
each period to 77 minutes. The middle school included an extra period in the day’s
schedule. After school there was scheduled an hour each day for tutoring, clubs,
sports practices, rehearsals for shows and presentations, and supervised time to
work on projects such as Science Fair projects. The Vocational Program actively
participates in community service activities during this time period, which range
from assisting the elderly at a local nursing home with health and beauty care,
having the JROTC assist local veterans, and providing grooming and beauty care
9
to OPCS middle school students. The Athletic Program went beyond what is
required of DCPS students and required a 2.50 grade point average (GPA.) to play
on any sports team at OPCS. Another requirement was that all team players had to
participate in the homework session before each practice to ensure grades did not
fall beneath the 2.50 GPA mandate. The winning Athletic Program with 90% of the
athletes having I.E.P.’s also helps with recruitment and retention of students, as
well as, attendance and punctuality.
One of the success stories in raising the DCCAS scores this year involves the
winter/spring after-school sessions for all students, special education and general
education, in grades 6-8 and 10 who were identified by the Data Specialist as
capable of scoring proficient, advanced or near proficient. The Data Specialist and
other volunteer teachers met every afternoon after school with the students for
intense targeted practice on the DCCAS. The after-school program called for relearning skills that benchmarks tests and unit post-tests showed they had areas of
deficiencies and needs and then those deficiencies were targeted, re-taught, and
drilled. Disaggregating the 2013 DCCAS scores support that the extra work after
school did help improve scores of those who participated. It also proves that when
the needs of students are explicitly and accurately diagnosed and the specific
weaknesses are instructionally addressed providing ample practice, students will be
able to advance from the level of competency they start in to the next higher level.
So the DCCAS scores reflect movement into the proficient and advanced areas, as
well as, decreasing the “below basic” numbers indicating student growth there as
well.
2. Parent Involvement efforts describing the methods and frequency of parent
involvement
As a Title I school Options has always had a policy on parent involvement
implemented by the school-based administration and published for the families in
the Student/Parent Handbook, which is distributed during the first week of school
each fall. This policy is supported by the LEA and involves Joyce Epstein’s Six
Levels of Parent Involvement. As a result this year the administration made sure
two-way communication with the home was on-going. For the third year in a row,
families and community members were informed about the Common Core State
Standards with a continuation of information and dialogue beginning at Back to
School Night in September, and continuing throughout the school-year in meetings
such as the “Sports Moms” gatherings, community forums and open houses; i.e.
Options Open House, April 2013. Written communication was also mailed home
in August regarding the DCCAS scores and the school improvement status of
OPCS; since 2010 we have been under the Turnaround Model. Parent Newsletters
went home quarterly giving helpful suggestions to parents about topics affecting
adolescents or helping to improve their school experience. Calendar items were
published in the newsletters. The Office of Provost provided communication to
parents by sending out notices increasing parental awareness regarding the safety
of our students.
Another form of communication continuing this year was the work and activity
packets that went home over winter and spring break for students to practice skills
10
and for parents to oversee and talk about with their sons and daughters. Options
also provided several workshops and information meetings at the school for parents
to attend; i.e. preparing for the DCCAS and one on community events and
neighborhood concerns.
Using parent interest in student activities was a tool used for increasing parent
involvement. Parents were invited on a one-on-one or small group basis to help
with certain school events such as the two spectacular “Hair Shows” put on by the
Cosmetology Department this year. The audience was packed with families and
friends to see those shows. There were other forms of parent involvement. The
clinicians and guidance department worked with the parents in supporting families
during the holidays who cannot afford gifts or holiday meals by collecting those
items to make baskets for identified OPCS families. Teachers and parents escorted
students to functions that support their course work such as the NFTE banquet each
spring celebrating the work dealing with the business and entrepreneur courses.
Substantial efforts were made to communicate student progress to parents. Parents
were very enthusiastic about attending the quarterly Honor Roll/Honor Society
assemblies, which was also an indication that the school culture has changed. Good
grades were now “popular.”
The Transition Coordinator and the Vocational Director collaborated this year on
coordinating businesses and agencies that would provide work experiences for
students; i.e. work study. Parents helped when the Culinary and Cosmetology
departments teamed up to visit a local nursing home where the students provided
haircuts and other hair services to the residents while they nibbled on delicious
creations made by the students.
The 2012-2013 school-year finally secured the more extensive inclusion of parents
as key stakeholders in the decision making process of OPCS. Every parent of a
special education student was invited to be part of the meeting that made crucial
decisions about educational services and the educational timeline for their child.
Current data, student work samples, student projects, standardized test results are
all shared with the parents so that can make a more informed decision regarding
special education services.
The system of self -assessment implemented with the Middle States Accreditation
monitoring visit opened a new way for stakeholders to participate in the school
improvement process. Focus groups were formed with parent representation to
dialogue about the curriculum, instruction and operations at OPCS. Other parents
were asked to participate through surveys and interviews. All the data collected was
disaggregated and analyzed and put into concrete recommendations for
consideration by the administration.
In addition to the work and activities mentioned Options experienced increased
parental involvement this year largely due to the work of the new position, Director
of Recruitment, Retention, and Family and Community Outreach. Working in
collaboration with the Special Education Department the following actions have
made a notable difference in student services:
11



Assigning a Homeless Student liaison to better assist students and families
without permanent homes;
Providing door to door transportation for families with students who cannot
afford the expense of everyday travel transitioning;
Building relationships through school workshops and the home-school
organization.
It was also not surprising to see the Director of Recruitment, Retention and Family
and Community Outreach and a group of students who wanted community service
hours going door to door in the neighborhoods to gain the support for an event or a
program. Of special concern this school year was the level of participation in the
PTO. Spring surveys with questions about the PTO will be analyzed to determine
plans to improve PTO activity in the SY 2013-2014.
Last, representatives from the OPCS families and the community are included on
the Board of Trustees and other committees of the school. School representatives
keep the community informed and in turn address any of the community's concerns
through attendance at ANC meetings and the formation of the school/community
Task Force in the spring.
The Middle States Accreditation Team was again impressed with the problem
solving done by the different departments, offices, and groups in the school. When
there were some incidents of disrespect and mean acts toward some of the school
neighbors the LEA and administration immediately met with the community,
validated their concern and informed them of their actions which included the
purchase of four Segways that circulated the neighborhoods before and after school
to ensure students were not loitering or committing an offense against person or
property. The Segway drivers also handed out their cards to local citizens in case
they needed to get in contact with the school. Feedback shows this plan proved
successful as well as popular with the community
II.
School Performance
A. Performance and Progress
1. Detailing programs and/or methodologies through which the school pursues its
mission.
The OPCS mission has remained constant in purpose since the opening of Options
in 1996. It has also been continually evolving in “alternative instructional and social
programs” in order to stay on the intended course. The mission is taken seriously by
all stakeholders. Every classroom, office, and the website have displayed the mission
to keep it in the forefront of our thoughts. We know our programming and
instructional strategies are right because of the data. The substantial majority of our
students enter Options performing significantly below grade level in reading and/or
math. This year the average reading grade level recorded on the Wide Range
Achievement Pre-Test (WRAT-IV) was 5.8. At the end of this year of instruction
the average reading grade level rose to 6.1. Increase was also documented for the
12
math WRAT-IV score. The average math grade level recorded on the math pre-test
was 5.6 and at the end of a year of instruction the post-test score grew to 6.7.
Work to improve our 2012 DCCAS scores began even before students entered the
building on the first day of school in August. The Data Specialist began to work with
teachers in Summer Institute department by department to drill down the data,
group students, learn how to match the right strategy to the right student called for
by the data, assess with benchmarks, re-group to reteach, and so on. It was not easy
and there were many extra meetings for teachers, the Data Specialist, and Content
Specialists to get it “right.” It also meant there was an after-school program designed
and implemented to help students reach proficiency. It all paid off.
The DCCAS scores for 2013 saw a school-wide increase in reading of 10.5% and a
13.3 % gain in math resulting in OPCS moving up 14 places from their standing
among other charter schools last year. When thoroughly disaggregating the 2013
data we are able to know how each OPCS subgroup scored for each category, which
helps in the planning for programs and instruction next school-year 2013-2014. For
example, out of 165 students tested in Reading 67 score below basic, 72 scored basic,
18 proficient and 8 advanced. In Math out of 165 students tested 59 scored below
basic, 73 basic, 19 proficient and 14 advanced. In addition to looking at each sub
group of students, analyzing the scores even further will show patterns and trends in
specific socio-economic groups, race, and gender that allow teachers to go even
more deeply into addressing students’ instructional needs. One very important piece
of data that will determine programming for the 2013-2014 school-year is analyzing
the results of the after-school DCCAS tutoring. This tutoring program was
developed by taking the performance data, identified needs and strengths of each
student in the program and designing a study program for each student based on their
own needs. The Correlation Table (In Appendices) tells the story. Out of 15
students from grades 6-8 & 10 that were in the after school program for reading all
15 students received proficient on the reading test. Out of the 23 enrolled for math
in the after school program, grades 6-8 & 10, three scored advanced and 20 were
proficient in Math. Please also take note that while proficiency is the academic goal
the majority of OPCS students are special education students or general education
students who fall below grade level in reading and math and show academic growth
moving from below basic to basic. These outcomes from the data analysis
surrounding DCCAS exemplify how data drives our instruction, meets students’
needs, and results in higher academic achievement for a growing number of our
students. (DCCAS Data and Tables in Appendices)
The special education students taking the Alt. Assessments (DCCAS) made overall
gains over last year as well. This year the Alternative Assessments made significant
improvement on the DCCAS; out of 12 students submitting portfolios for the
Alternative Comprehensive Assessment System in Reading/Language Arts 10
students scored Advanced and 2 students scored Proficient and out of 12 students
submitting portfolios for the Alternative Comprehensive Assessment System in
Math 12 students scored Advanced. In addition to improved test data there are other
benefits of the co-taught classrooms.
13
Having been called a “mission driven organization” Options again ensures through
research and data analysis that the school’s academic and social programs are tied
directly to the mission and in all classes across disciplines all students are taught
how to construct meaning and integrate that meaning into their own experiences
and prior knowledge. This is the first step to teaching students how to think
critically and make life-long decisions. The intensive therapeutic school program
is an outcome of the school mission, as is the inclusive differentiated instructional
program for all students. While this seems to contradict that OPCS does not offer a
one size fits all academic program it is far from the case. Differentiation by virtue
of design addresses the individual needs of the students and because the OPCS
educational program is diverse and does meet individual needs it works. This has
helped achievement gaps to decrease moving all students, while at different speeds,
toward grade level proficiency. The students who are ready to more quickly achieve
at a higher level are accommodated with instructional strategies, special materials,
resources and individualized, challenging projects. Remediation and interventions
help those students who are not as quick to achieve the academic goals. Included in
the programs and methodologies that help the school realize the mission and
prepare students for life that have already been mentioned and are familiar in this
report are:













Therapeutic special education programming and services;
Continuum of services for special education students including the
Academy;
Entire assessment process and programs;
Training and professional development for teachers;
Behavior Support Team;
Data driven programs;
Transition Program;
Vocational Training;
Expanded Athletic Program;
Increased Parent Involvement;
Maximized Learning Time;
Authentic Tasks; and
Directed Teaching
Other programs and methodologies not already introduced in this report that help the
school realize the mission and prepare students for life include:

14
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS): “a systems
approach to establishing a school culture and behavior supports needed for
all children to achieve both social and academic success”
o Framework for assisting school personnel in developing and organizing
evidence-based behavioral interventions into an integrated continuum
that enhances academic and social student outcomes.
o OPCS has designed systems to direct teachers and other staff to use the
effective interventions accurately and with consistency.
o The OPCS systems include team-building and team recognition teambased leadership, data-based decision-making (Banking project).
o Supports classroom management and preventive school discipline
through detailed program around RESPECT.
o Outcomes: Positive school culture, declining discipline referrals and
consequences.

Literacy across the Curriculum:
The programs, policies, and procedures of the SIG 1003g are based on the
OPCS 2009 needs assessment that showed reading/literacy as the number
one issue to be addressed within the grant. The Literacy across the
Curriculum Campaign was designed to immerse students in literacy and
increase the opportunities to read in order to help students raise their reading
levels. The campaign was in addition to very specific and differentiated
reading programs, interventions, and strategies developed to target specific
reading problems. Simply, “literacy across the curriculum means that
students are learning literacy skills while learning other content areas like
math, science, social studies, art, and music.” (Hammel, S. 2009) Research
to support this is found in Moore, Moore, Cunningham, and Cunningham
(2003) that provides reasons for integrating literacy learning with other
curriculum areas based on studies. To paraphrase, learning in any subject
area requires the use of language first and so reading and writing are used
as tools for learning language. Schools and society are demanding increased
levels of literacy learning so integrating literacy across the curriculum will
make children more motivated to learn when they are presented with
material in an authentic manner. The result is that topics of learning are
connected to things that are meaningful to the students and this happens for
the most part when learning is connected to the students’ experiences or
prior knowledge. So connecting literacy learning to other content areas
reinforces learning in all areas and everyone at OPCS becomes a reading
teacher.
Options has successfully revised all curriculum frameworks to use “the
Common Core standards [which] support teachers in focusing on what is
most important in greater depth or perhaps a slower pace so that all
students eventually can reach proficiency.” One of the most significant
ways the Common Core State Standards are integrated, or crossdisciplinary, is the way they address literacy. Rather than viewing literacy
as an isolated set of skills to be taught only in English Language Ats
classes, the Common Core suggests that literacy is the responsibility of all
teachers. The Common Core includes reading standards for literacy in
history/social studies, for example, and writing standards for literacy in
science.
Many students with learning disabilities tend to struggle with literacy,
15
which affects their performance in all subjects. Increasing the focus on
literacy instruction across subjects has the potential to boost the
achievement of these and other students. The Common Core also places
more emphasis than previous standards on learning through informational
texts rather than narrative texts. Many students with particular kinds of
learning disabilities tend do better working with informational texts
because of their focus on “real life.”

Media Center Academic Support
A wide range of books, printed materials, and multi-media programs to
support teaching and learning and the Literacy across the Curriculum
Campaign is available in the Media Center; i.e. library. In addition to
supporting 12th grade research projects with resources and demonstrations
of documenting information, she also prepares mini units on research skills,
documenting information, primary sources vs. secondary sources etc.
Invitations to view new books continually go out to the teachers and
students and continually throughout the day students sign on to the
computers in the Media Center to receive additional help from the Media
Specialists on projects they are completing.
A professional library is also housed in the Media Center with many
instructional resources, materials for courses being taken, and day to day
operational suggestions for a teacher new to the school.
The Media Center provides a current media library that supports the OPCS
curriculum with approved DVD’s and computer programs.

Career and College Readiness Programs
OPCS has incorporated career and college awareness programs in the high
school through Guidance, Vocational Education, and the Transition
Coordinator, as well as, awareness activities across the curriculum in all
classes. One big event each year is the College Fair where college recruiters
come and set up information booths in the cafeteria. Throughout the year
regularly scheduled trips to visit different colleges are scheduled and this
year the work-study program was initiated to assist students in getting jobs
while in school under supervision with the hopes that the jobs will continue
after graduation. Almost every day of the school year the Guidance
Department and/or Transition Coordinator post information on the T-drive
or send to teachers’ email about a job, college program, summer activities
for students etc. ensuring the information will get to the students.
16

Credit Recovery
This is the third year for the after-school and summer credit recovery
program using the rigorous APEX computer program. Options not only
provides it for our own students but offers the program to other schools who
have students lacking credits. This program has allowed OPCS to take a
ninth grade class with only 65% of their students on track to graduate and
graduate 100% of them in 12th grade.

Data Tracking
OPCS tracks each scholar for academic and psychological development
included with family demographics, standardized test performance with line
item analysis, continuing grade level performance, therapeutic and
counseling history in order to have information for students when needed
for college or job applications, to ensure student is on track for graduation,
and other information sources.

The Scholastic Performance Series
This assessment series assists in the correct placement of students in classes
and the analysis of their academic growth. Pre and Post testing allows
teachers to provide students with exactly what academic areas need to be
addressed and then specifically summarizes student growth at the end of a
unit in order to target re-teaching on just those need areas in “like ability”
groups. There is no purpose in teaching the same things to all students. All
students do not need all of the same things to excel. This is true for
addressing missed items on the Scantron benchmarks. The Data Specialist
analyzes the results making sure teachers know specifically what it is each
student needs to re-learn and working with the Content Specialists she helps
teachers plan those lessons and use the right strategies to target those
identified needs. Directly tied to the mission of OPCS are the formative
assessments and daily checking for understanding. With constant and
continual informal assessment students’ lack of understanding is discovered
immediately and addressed quickly. As described in the therapeutic
program and acknowledged in the instructional philosophy the teachers and
staff meet our students where they are and move them forward both
academically and socially.

Teacher Focus on Pedagogy
Many of our teachers come from other careers or straight from college
without a teaching certificate. They lack a focus on and knowledge of
pedagogy, i.e. principles, practice, or profession of teaching. Not being
skilled in the pedagogy of teaching will slow the teacher’s ability to teach
many of the higher order thinking skills to students or properly group
students for learning a skill or increasing the rigor of a lesson. The Tiered
17
Professional Development program facilitates this learning with other
teachers of the same skill level in a no-fault atmosphere. The Content
Specialists are very aware of the problem and help teachers apply new
“learnings” to their lesson delivery.
In meeting the OPCS mission, we continue our co-teaching approach in the four
core subjects; English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
and ensure individualization of instruction for our students. We also enable each
special education student to receive remediation in the specific skills he or she
needs as well as receive their prescribed, special education accommodations.
In focusing this year on instructional excellence the school scheduled students into
heterogeneous classes that require all levels of instruction and an environment that
is least restrictive for students with special needs. In the core academic classes the
student teacher ratio is 7:1, keeping class size low enabling the co-teachers to
address and meet students’ individual needs. Diverse instructional methods are
used to achieve inclusion of all students such as innovative learning methods that
integrate the use of supportive technologies, inquiry and problem-based
instructional approaches, scaffolding in the classroom, which is an instructional
technique where the teacher provides individualized support by incrementally
improving the learner’s ability to build on prior knowledge and last, the infusion of
higher order thinking skills into learning activities.
Lessons implemented on a continuum help students with special needs receive
direct instruction, diagnostic-prescriptive methods, applied behavior analysis, and
corrective reinforcement, in addition to their accommodations as recorded on their
Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.). On-grade level general education students may
start out with self-guided group work and problem-solving projects. As students
progress the work becomes adjusted to their new levels. All students receive
rigorous instruction; i.e. higher order thinking skills and activities in a context of
real life applications. The real life applications involve learning activities that
center on situations students will meet in their adult lives. Educators for years have
connected the mastery of critical thinking skills to a student’s everyday
experiences. Authentic instruction is one vehicle used at OPCS to help students
apply their learning to real world settings. This begins with an authentic
performance task in each unit and extends to its most real and rigorous level of
practice in the vocational classes. Essential too are life, career, and college skills,
which are included in core academic subjects across interdisciplinary units.
This year has also focused on classroom assessment for learning into the classroom
instead of just implementing the familiar assessment of learning (Stiggens, R.
1993). This means that administrators and school instructional leaders are no longer
only interested in observing and evaluating the delivery of the instruction by the
teacher. Now it becomes essential for them to assess student performance as well;
i.e. the learning taking place as the teacher implements the instructional strategies.
In this way the instruction can be more directly modified to meet the needs of the
learner. With specific direction from the new Data Specialist this year, OPCS has
been able to provide more reliable and valid measures of students’ learning and
18
basic understanding. The results from these assessment models give the teacher the
data they need to analyze so they can target what they must address to help the
student continue to learn.
The OPCS mission promises a high-quality, unique educational program that can
motivate and teach. Contributing to a solid academic program are the interventions
that Options began to use in 2010 and with continual supporting data kept by the
teachers that use the programs they remain viable sources of active instruction; i.e.
Renaissance, a technology program for math; Study Island, a technology program
for all contents and grade levels, both advanced and remedial that targets skills
needed on the DCCAS; the reading program Soar to Success, which was added as
a part of the middle school English/Language Arts classes; Apex Learning System
for credit recovery in the high school, as well as use in The Academy; and Read
180 and Systems 44 that actively engage the students in their reading.
2. Describe the extent the school is meeting its goals and academic achievement
expectations detailed in its charter.
The 1996 Options mission is as follows:
The mission of the Options Public Charter School is to provide a high-quality,
unique educational experience for all student, including those students most at-risk
of dropping out of school because they are underachieving, truant, have
experienced behavior problems, or have exceptionalities requiring intensive
therapeutic special education services.
We provide alternative programs of experiential instruction and guidance to
motivate students to stay in school by instilling in them the requisite 1) social skills,
2) increased self-esteem, 3) self-control of anger and frustration, 4) the desire to
learn, 5) increased academic competence.
Options total commitment to the mission and goals of its charter has remained
constant throughout the years and the original intent and focus of the academic
programming has not been altered but rather developed and expanded to more
closely meet the needs of students; i.e. Our Instructional Philosophy.
In 2009 Options published its Instructional Philosophy:
At Options Public Charter School learning is a process requiring scholars to
construct meaning and integrate that meaning into their existing and prior
knowledge. By meeting students where they are academically, setting high
expectations, and actively engaging them in their own learning teachers provide a
rigorous , comprehensive program of content, skills, and activities, in order to
help them learn to think critically and objectively, write clearly and effectively,
and make serious, life-long decisions.
Options PCS is a leader in the proactive initiative to keep residents of Washington,
DC educated in public and public charter schools within the city. Placement in
19
private institutions outside of the district because certain services required by
students are not available in either DCPS or DC Charter Schools is unacceptable
and highly cost prohibitive. City families seem to agree as OPCS enrollment
increases each year; this year reaching 415. With the therapeutic programming, the
Academy program and the co-located classrooms Options is giving students a
quality educational institution within city limits that has expanded services they
need. Another reason OPCS can say they are meeting the charter goals and realizing
academic achievement is the fact that a school once thought to be only for students
with special needs is becoming well known for their attention to all students. With
students entering OPCS from all parts of the city it should be noted that difficulties
increasing parent involvement, with neighborhood rivalries, staying for afterschool programs and transportation to and from school have become more
prevalent. Options is living proof that these inherent challenges can and are being
met as the school works to advance the “whole student” cognitively, socially, and
emotionally as per their mission and goals.
Options has successfully targeted the significant level of student need with
identified grade-level instruction, vocational and post-secondary preparation, and
integrated related and therapeutic services structured in a school culture of pride
and motivation. With the therapeutic programming in place using highly qualified
special and general education teachers in a student to teacher ratio of 7:1 and
implemented in a least restrictive environment of either co-taught inclusion classes
or the self-contained classrooms learning is definitely taking place. Adding the
related services, which offer Transition and Socialization Programs and the
Behavior Support Team, which gives continual, respectful, and close supervision
throughout the building, personal accommodations and interventions are also in
place for all students. As a result, Options data shows that students with disabilities
and behavior or emotional problems are improving academically and socially.
Documentation also proves that the intensely regimented and disciplined climate of
the Academy provides the structure needed for students not succeeding in the main
campus programs.
The high quality of the curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards is
apparent and instruction sharpens with each professional development and
coaching opportunity. Assessments are used to provide data that once analyzed give
teachers the ability to modify the instruction to meet student needs. Adding
differentiation and rigor to student instruction, putting learning in the context of
students’ life experiences and “hooking” learning to their prior knowledge
facilitates academic growth. Attention to detail and consistency using such
techniques as the school-wide data and word walls, daily posting of essential
questions and objectives, a uniform lesson plan format for consistent instruction,
and formative assessment continues to promote student learning as they are
implemented across all instructional settings. In addition teachers have the
resources, support and the on-going training to implement the instruction with
fidelity and at Options they also have abundant creativity in designing student
activities and real passion for teaching. When students were interviewed this spring
by the Middle States Accreditation Monitoring Team it was evident what students
thought about the teachers at OPCS. “Teachers help you accomplish a lot. They do
20
the best they can to make sure we graduate. They’ll put you in the best position they
can.” Validation came when 92% of the seniors graduated this spring.
This third and final year of the Turnaround Model emphatically demonstrated that
as research verifies “data does drive” the instruction for positive results are to be
achieved. Data at OPCS has always been functional but until this year it was not
mature. This year the data slipped into place making program implementation a
highly orchestrated operation followed by the largest strides toward meeting
academic goals. Documentation maintains that OPCS teachers and school leaders
are immersed with data on a daily basis to use in instructional and school
improvement planning. Department, grade level, and individual teacher data
meetings called Data Talks that the Data Specialist leads are held monthly. Weekly
follow up meetings with the Content Specialists are also in place. Data is not an
after-thought at OPCS and data analysis is not superficial. Finding the root cause
of why students are not achieving is done routinely and addressing the specifics of
the problem, as well as, the specific students having the problem is what positively
affects student achievement and in turn supports the charter goals.
The leap in student achievement has been due largely to the full implementation of
the existing data protocol led by an expert statistician who goes into the classroom
with the teacher and together they analyze the data and match the right instructional
practice to the needs indicated by the data. In class student results are more
consistently monitored by frequent student measurements including pre-post tests,
quarterly benchmarks, and daily, informal assessments. The extent of progress in
meeting goals, objectives and the implementation of activities is identified both
with quantifiable/measurable data and qualitative data targets showing that goals
and objectives have been met. Monitoring tools have been developed such as the
OPCS Data Dashboard, which is used in-house to gauge weekly attendance,
truancy, enrollment, and certain academic data. The dashboard has become the
center of Leadership Meetings for dialogue on programming and operations.
Options also developed their own Monitoring Program and uses it to support and
illustrate the in-house quarterly School Improvement Review Process (SIR), to
engage school leadership in continuing self-assessment with possible program and
policy modifications. Audit reports and feedback from outside agencies such as the
Quality Site Review (Dec. 2012, May 2013) from DCPCSB and the Middle States
Accreditation Team in addition to OSSE visits (RTTT, SIG, Special Education,
USDE, etc.) throughout the year not only provide evidence of progress but also
contribute recommendations on which to continue the student improvement
process. When you address the data with the right programming and instructional
strategies student results have to increase and the data supports such growth.
Connected to successful instruction for improved student performance is the
teacher-hiring practice consistent again with research. OPCS expanded and updated
recruiting practices and tightened the hiring process based on consistent rubric
scoring. OPCS data shows that a more highly qualified teaching staff with a higher
retention rate has resulted.
21
The demanding Evaluation Process required by DCPCSB and OSSE encompasses
the NCLB Waiver and serves to address multiple purposes; the primary focus is
increasing student performance by improving teacher effectiveness. It is a positive
on-going collaborative progression between teacher and administration enabling
them to focus on the application of best practices and strategies from research and
include such factors as determination of pay increases, termination, bonus structure,
and collective and individual professional development programs. Evidence of
student learning is an important component of the teacher evaluation process with
50% of the teacher’s rating based on student performance; i.e. WRAT data and DC
CAS data will be figured into the End-of-the-Year Evaluation. Other data points
that are calculated into a teacher’s evaluation are: patterns established by student
surveys, value-added student data, reflection and collaboration, the professional
development program, evidence that teachers enter two or more grades per week
into the online grade book to keep parents and students informed of student progress
and other sources thought important to the overall profile of a teacher.
iObservation as the first step in the OPCS Teacher Evaluation process uses
technology to objectively customize services for teachers and collects, manages,
and reports longitudinal data calculating informational data from classroom walkthroughs, teacher observations, and evaluation information. Meaningful feedback
is given continuously to each teacher, verbally and in writing, and guided by
specific rubrics. The rubrics indicate the level of effectiveness in the different
teaching and learning domains. With the post observation report and conference
come suggested and sometimes mandated individual professional development
provided right on the iObservation site. Teacher growth and practices based on
student performance and teacher instruction also guide professional development
targeted to needs of teachers and school leaders. The evaluation system specifically
establishes a common language and understanding about classroom instruction;
creates a singular focus on enhancing teaching to increase student learning;
develops a trusting relationship with teachers by conducting focused, fair, objective
observations connecting teacher instruction to student learning. A Tiered System
of Professional Development has been created based on teacher experience and
need to ensure teachers at any level have what is essential to effectively instruct
students at OPCS. This year teacher turnaround has decreased and teacher retention
has increased.
Just as the Teacher Evaluation has been revised so has the Principal’s Evaluation.
It too is based largely on student performance and ties in different methods of
leadership and supervision. His/her evaluation indicates how well he/she will use
the information from the teachers’ evaluations to direct human capital decisions, as
well as, decisions about professional development, compensation, promotion,
retention, and/or removal. The evaluation is based on both qualitative and
quantitative measures. To support the growth of school leaders at OPCS the first
Leadership Academy was instituted July 2012 and continued throughout the
school-year.
Options Public Charter School is proud of staying the course and realizing the
original goals. The programs are effective and many are cutting edge. The
22
curriculum and instruction are on target and the assessment provides the data that
adjusts the course if need be. All students come first at OPCS and helping all of
them improve their academic performance and realize their life goals is at the heart
of our mission
B. Lessons Learned and Actions Taken Based on Performance and Progress
Described in Report
1. Lesson Learned: Monitor what has been put in place to ensure it is being done and
done correctly.
Since the beginning of the Turnaround Model Options has had visitors walking the
halls and observing classrooms almost every week. It is really amazing how those
of us who would go into a panic at the mention of someone coming to visit the
school from a local agency are probably now the same people who literally open
the school door and say “come on in.” OPCS has a long-standing positive
reputation for taking recommendations from these monitoring organizations and
using them to correct mistakes or improve programs. With the Turnaround Model
came the in-school Turnaround Specialist who was also a monitoring agent making
recommendations for improvements. This was the closest to an on-site monitor that
didn’t let time evolve before checking out if plans were implemented and working.
The difficulty with depending on external monitors giving you needed information
about how things were working were was two-fold; 1) External monitors only
stayed a day or two at the most so they were basing recommendations on
“snapshots,” and 2) External monitors were usually using what they saw in an
official report tied to some funding…high stakes.
Actions Taken:
1) The CEO of Options in the fall of 2011 asked the Chief Academic Officer to
work with a small team to develop Options own Monitoring Program. This
Monitoring Program would be exclusively in-house and have enough time
scheduled to really ascertain the level of implementation of program and
polices. Done. At the end of the first quarter of SY 2011-2012 a selected team
produced the monitoring tool and used it to determine the level of
implementation of academic and non-academic programs and operational
policies. The results were shared at leadership meetings for next steps.
2) New mandate from the CEO…Hold a quarterly meeting of the LEA and schoolbased administration including all the administrative departments. Every
administrative department of OPCS is given a set of data slides by the Data
Specialist on various programs, objectives, operations about two weeks before
the end of the advisory (academic quarter).
Using their collected data the school leaders prepare a presentation to highlight
what worked well and why and the areas of concern, root causes, and what
23
would be done in the next advisory to improve the outcomes and address the
needs.
Action Plans would be developed by each department to address specific need
areas and submitted to the Principal to be informally monitored and reviewed
at administrative meetings during the following advisory.
This meeting and process was called the School Improvement Review (SIR)
and it launched into its second year this fall, 2012. At the SIR meeting each
quarter the report on what was found with the LEA monitoring tool was also
shared for similarities and discrepancies and any further dialogue and action.
2. Lesson Learned: Data is not being “done” to teachers and students by the Data
Specialist or the Department of CIA. Teachers and students are living the data;
they are using it. Data does drive instruction.
During the 2012-2013 school-year the role of Data Specialist expanded and
deepened to lead a data metamorphosis, which changed OPCS from using one
or two levels of data to, as the Middle States Accreditation team called it in their
March 2013 report, “a data-driven school.” The role has evolved from
overseeing benchmark testing and reviewing student performance data, to
advising Deputy Executive Director of Academic Programs on the LEA and the
Director of the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment of
identified barriers to learning, assisting teachers in effectively using data based
interventions with students and interpreting the resulting data to modify
instruction.
Actions Taken: At the end of 2012-2013 school year the Data Specialist and
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment worked in unison to build
a department that could not only analyze and address the data and show teachers
how to use instructional strategies but analyze the data to select the right
instructional strategy and activity to address each student’s specific need. The
Data Specialist used her role and expertise to help inform instructional decisions
both for classroom teachers and school-wide programs on:
• Prioritizing instructional time;
• Targeting additional instructional interventions and/or extended time
learning for individual struggling students;
• Streamlining the identification of students’ strengths and weaknesses for
instructional planning;
• Gauging the instructional effectiveness of classroom lessons;
• Refining instructional teaching methods;
• Examining school-wide data to consider whether or not to adapt
curriculum and if so, how based on trends and patterns developing from
student performance data;
• Working with Content Specialists to develop one-on-one or small group
professional development to help teachers plan assessments that require
students to demonstrate that they have mastered a skill or concept;
• Introducing a new school-wide assessment protocol for more accurate and
time friendly placement of students into classes;
24
• Managing data dashboard for use in instructional and operational decision
making;
• Producing Profiles of Student Performance for use in making instructional
decisions, applying for appropriate instructional grants, and writing
necessary instructional reports;
• Analyzing of quarterly benchmark and cumulative assessment data for
such programs as “Re-teaching Week (s).
• Implementing regular Data Talks with teachers for instructional planning
purposes;
• Placing teachers in appropriate tiers for more individual professional
development;
• Assisting the Principal, Deputy Executive Director of Academic
programs, and the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment on
the development of academic courses and programs to contribute to the
overall education of students.
Implications
Due to the advancement in the use of data to drive instruction and inform
decision making the arena of academic programs became more rigorous and
on target. The school's internal monitoring system became more useful to
school leaders and identified a truer picture of key strengths and weakness
of student/teacher performance so that teaching and learning became the
focal point of every meeting. A testing plan was created that targeted
different groups of students at different levels of proficiency for the DCCAS
in an after-school program proving very successful with the results of third
quarter benchmarks.
3. Lesson Learned: Research-based is not always research-proven.
Research is not foreign to Options PCS. From the very first line of the
narrative in the SIG 1003g application in 2010 research was quoted to
emphasize the point being made, a new department being organized, or a
student intervention being purchased. Each year in every report, including
this one, educators are quoted and research documented. While it is part of
the process that once in place new programs or positions are monitored and
evaluated to determine effectiveness. If not effective the program is usually
modified, used with restrictions for certain grade levels, or completely
dropped. However, if a program for example was selected based on the
wrong research then solid instructional time is wasted trying to implement
it. In other words there is a difference between research-based and research
proven, as well as, the intended audience for the research, similarities of the
research study to your school’s situation, population etc.
Actions Taken:
25
A protocol paper was written to take teachers and program developers
through the steps in finding demonstrated evidence of effectiveness which
are used under the same conditions and with the same populations found at
Options.
A. Unique Accomplishments
1.
Options JROTC Honors Unit
Options is very proud of its own Junior ROTC Squad that placed 3rd overall at the citywide May competition featuring public and charter schools from all over Washington,
DC. Thirteen of our squad competed accompanied by Captain Harrison and Sergeant
McCall.
2. Creation of the Options Community Task Force
Options organized a task force that works with the community to address concerns and
prevent problems regarding inappropriate student behaviors. There is both telephone
and email access directly to the Options Task Force.
3. State Superintendent of Education selects Options as the Co-Location site for
various charter schools across the city.
The August 19, 2013 news release announced that for first time a school received
renewal status for operating co-located classrooms for a Therapeutic Classroom
Model; i.e. Options PCS is that school. OSSE has addressed the need to expand the
capacity of Charter Schools to meet the challenges of growing suspensions and
expulsions among charter schools. This action also allows the city to provide quality
special education services rather than place students outside the district in facilities at
a high coast.
4. Third Graduating Class at Options PCS
On June 3, 2013 54 students from Options PCS walked across the stage at Israel Baptist
Church in the city to receive their High School Diploma. Over 400 family members
and guests were there to witness this momentous event. This is the third graduation for
Options and the third consecutive year that Options graduated over 90% of their total
senior class; specifically 92% this year.
5. Vocational Education Department Collaborates to help Senior Citizens
Under the guidance of the directors of the Options Culinary Arts Department and the
Cosmetology and Barbering Department students offered senior citizens attending
programs at Sarah’s Circle in Adam’s Morgan an afternoon of haircuts and styles and
delicious treats every month. This was a meaningful community service project for
Options scholars and a delightful experience for the senior citizens many of whom
developed a lasting friendship with the students.
26
6. Winning Sports Program
After winning last year’s District Bowl Championship of the Washington Charter
School Athletic Association (WCSAA) the Options Panthers left WCSAA to play in
the competitive Capital Area Football Conference (CAFC), which is made up of
Washington and Maryland schools. Every sports team at Options has a winning record
in its early stages of competition; Baseball, Basketball, Girls Volleyball, and Track.
Walking into the Multipurpose Room at OPCS you will immediately focus your
attention on all the winning team banners hanging against the back wall. Go Options!
7. Middle States Accreditation
From March 11-14, 2013 the Middle States Accreditation Monitoring Team became a
part of the Options Public Charter School moving about freely to observe classes,
interview parents, students, and teachers and meet with the School Improvement Team,
LEA and other departments and committees of the school to determine one thing; will
OPCS receive renewal of their accreditation?
“The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a non‐governmental,
nonprofit, peer‐administered organization of diverse educational institutions
committed to ensuring that students in accredited schools are receiving the
highest quality education.” (Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools)
The outcome; The Accreditation Team recommended full accreditation of OPCS for
the regular term of seven years without any monitoring and without any mandated
recommendations.
Here is just a small part of the closing summary written by the Accreditation Team:
“OPCS is results‐oriented, incorporating standards‐based assessment and data analysis
to achieve a laser‐like focus on student achievement. Results are monitored by frequent
measurement of student performance on pre‐ and post‐tests and quarterly benchmark
assessments… When students are not progressing as expected, action is taken.
OPCS is characterized by a high level of consistency in instructional practice across
Classrooms…
Above everything else, the Team was exceedingly impressed with the passion of OPCS
staff, how much everyone cares about the students and how this drives them to work
really hard to meet their academic, post‐secondary, social, emotional and even physical
needs…The exemplary manner in which OPCS strives to meet the extraordinary needs
of its students is inspirational.”
8. The Strong Academy
For the third consecutive year OSSE has placed high value on Options’ alternative
therapeutic program at the Academy at Rosedale for OPCS students whose behavior
does not allow them to complete classes on the main Option Campus.
27
Services are being provided with fidelity with evidence provided by PBIS data,
progress reports, instructional data, as well as, CAS, ARES, and WRAT data. Increased
parent participation and more scholars have been identified for Intensive services.
9. Leadership Academy
July 2012 OPCS opened its own Leadership Academy with the first meeting/workshop
held at Gallaudet University led by the Chief Executive officer and the Deputy
Executive Director of Academic Programs. This first meeting conducted a Leadership
Style Inventory and discussed in detail the different styles of management that set the
stage for other opportunities to follow, which included a second workshop led by Dr.
Eleanor White, Chief Academic Officer of Prince George’s County Schools in
Maryland; Retired.
The new principal’s membership to the National Association of Secondary School
Principals included the more detailed assessment of her leadership skills with feedback
from NASSP and a plan for course work to address the weaker areas on the assessment.
All administrative leaders were encouraged to take professional development classes
through OSSE. Meetings to dialogue about issues involving leadership decision and/or
actions continued throughout the school year.
B. Donors
28
Northrop Grumman
Classroom/Office Furniture
Tod Ackerly of Covington and Burling Law Firm
Baby Grand Piano
DATA COMPONENT
Source
Data Point
School
School
School
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
GENERAL INFORMATION
Options PCS
LEA Name
Options PCS
Campus Name
Ages served – adult schools only 0
415
Audited Enrollment Total
PK3 Audited Enrollment
PK4 Audited Enrollment
KG Audited Enrollment
Grade 1 Audited Enrollment
Grade 2 Audited Enrollment
Grade 3 Audited Enrollment
Grade 4 Audited Enrollment
Grade 5 Audited Enrollment
28
Grade 6 Audited Enrollment
31
Grade 7 Audited Enrollment
33
Grade 8 Audited Enrollment
115
Grade 9 Audited Enrollment
87
Grade 10 Audited Enrollment
63
Grade 11 Audited Enrollment
58
Grade 12 Audited Enrollment
Adult Audited Enrollment
Ungraded Audited Enrollment
School
School
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
PCSB
School
29
STUDENT DATA POINTS
183
Total number of instructional
days
0
Notes on number of
instructional days for grades
with different calendars
18.6%
Suspension Rate
0.0%
Expulsion Rate
0.4%
Instructional Time Lost to
Discipline
N/A
Promotion Rate (All Grades)
N/A
Promotion Rate (KG and higher)
10.8%
Mid-Year Withdrawal Rate
3.9%
Mid-Year Entry Rate
Number of Teachers
FACULTY AND STAFF DATA POINTS
70
School
21.0%
Teacher Attrition Rate
FACILITIES INFORMATION
63559
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
School
30
Square footage for entire
classroom space
Square footage for entire
building
Cafeteria
Theater/Performing Arts Space
Art Room
Library
Music Room
Playground
Gym
75000
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
EDUCATION OFFERINGS
No
Advanced Placement
No
Alternative
No
Arts Integration/Infused
Yes
Career/Technical
No
Classical Education School
No
College Prep
No
Expeditionary Learning
Yes
Evening
Yes
Extended Academic Time
No
GED
No
International Baccalaureate
No
Language Immersion
Yes
Math, Science, Technology
No
Montessori
Yes
Online/Blended
No
Public Policy/Law
No
Reggio Emilia
No
Residential Program
Yes
Special Education Focus
No
Stand-Alone Preschool
Yes
World Cultures
Online/Blended : APEX for evening school
Please feel free to provide a
written explanation to some or
all of your answers to the
multiple choice questions in the
below text box.
STAFF ROSTER
LEA
Montgomery, Dr. Donna
Vincent, Dr. Charles
Cranford, Dr. David
Roberts, Rebekah
Dalton, Paul
Smith, Jeff
Williams, Tanya-PHR
Hackett, Mary
Bunn, Mary
ADMINISTRATION
Michelle Pianim
Pierre, Amos
Deane, Derek J.
Mathes, Jesssica
Parker, Donald
Conway, Patricia
Hook, Steven
Jenkins, Gail
Parker, Tamika
Derek McCollum
Carson, Malik
Griffin, Ramon
Banks, LaTanya
Miller, Dawn
Risper-Mearite, Tiffany
Stocks, Teron
CEO
Executive Director
Deputy Executive Director of
Clinical Programs
Deputy Executive Director of
Academic Programs
Chief Counsel/Provost
Director of Recruitment,
Retention, Family &
Community Outreach
Director of Human Resources
Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant, HR
Principal of OPCS
Principal of the Academy at
Rosedale
Assistant Principal
Athletic Director
Director of SPED
Director of Vocational
Education/Guidance
Director of Administrative
Services
Director of Curriculum,
Instruction, and Assessment
Supervisor of Clinical
Services, Main Campus
Dean Grades 9 & 10 Main
Campus
Dean Grades 11 & 12 Main
Campus
Dean at the Academy
Registrar
Property/Facility Manager
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant
CONTENT SPECIALISTS
Griffin, Frankietta
31
ELA Content Specialist
McGlone, Erica
Sayeh-Reid, Stevenette
Pearl, Marina
CLINICAL STAFF
Math Content Specialist
Science Content Specialist
SPED Content Specalist
Supt. School Psychologist
Parker, Tamika
School Psychologist
Davis, Kesha
Social Worker
Fenwick, Robin
Social Worker
Jarmon-Jones, Tynill
Speech/Language Pathologist
Bovell, Lesley-An
Counselor
Shorter, Michael
Social Worker
Smith, Camilla
SPECIAL EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
SPED Coordinator
Marshall, Teri
SPED Coordinator
Neal, Kandyce
SPED Coordinator
Barry, Lee
DATA
Kelly, Kennesha
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS
Data Specialist
Hawkins, Ebonie
Guidance Counselor, 11 & 12
Solomon, Lapeta
TRANSITIONAL COORDINATOR
Guidance Counselor 9 & 10
Bartlett, Stacey
Transitional Coordinator
32
MEDIA SPECIALIST
Thompson, Renea
Media Specialist/Librarian
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHING
STAFF
Science
HQ
Science
HQ
ELA
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
ELA
HQ
SPED
HQ
Math
HQ
SPED
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
Math
HQ
SPED
HQ
Chemistry
HQ
ELA III
HQ
Physics/Biology
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
Aird, Katherine
Bowlding, Marissa
Boyd, Felicia
Brancato, Vanessa
Evans, Molly
Hawkins, Pamela
Manigault, Michelle
McDonald, Allen II
Montgomery, Modestine
Rice, Thulile
Turnbull, Mary E.
Vann, Delores
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHING STAFF
Abelson, Nina
Asrat, Meron
Batts, Anthony
Brown, Ma Wencilita
Coughlin, John
Crittendon, Rhonda
Crossett, Kris
Dennis, Dana
33
ELA I
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
Biology
HQ
Geometry
HQ
Science 9
HQ
ELA II
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
ELA IV
HQ
Algebra I
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
Consumer
Math/Trigonometry
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
SPED
HQ
Algebra II
HQ
SPED
HQ
SPED
HQ
Social Studies
HQ
Fadika, Fatmata
Ferrari, Christina
Gilbert, Samuel
Gordon, Cheryl
Graham, Robert
Hedderly, Robert
Hines-Thompson, Makeeba
Miller, Winston
Myles, Kimberly
Kleintank, Kelly
Philips, Jamelia
Pradeep, Sindhu
Rahman, Mohammad
Sexton, Charles
HQ
Saha, Rini
Staton, Barry
Taylor,Marian
Thompson, Brandon
Thurston, Glennis
Ware, DeLeon
Williams, John
Williams, Blanche
Williams, Wayne
34
VOCATION EDUCATION
Culinary Arts & Cafe
HQ
Paraprofessional
HQ
Cosmetology and barbering
HQ
Business and Computer Tech.
HQ
Business
HQ
Clarke, Erin
Jett, Holly
Massie, Aida
Thompson, Necandra
Wright, Wanda
JROTC
JROTC
Harrison, John
JROTC
McCall, Sharon
JROTC
Stallworth, Mark Jr.
BST
BST
Bowman, Caesar-1st Floor
BST
Daniels, Tora
BST
Jackson, Brian-2nd Floor
BST
James, Gloria-1st Floor Tier
BST
Jones, William-2nd Floor
BST
Kemp, Terry-1st Floor
BST
Long, Vonetta-2nd Floor
BST
Malone, Perry-3rd Floor/Near LEA
BST
Surratt, Kevin-1st Foor Tier
BST
Thompson, Brandon-3rd Floor
BST
Glover, Kenneth
BST
Walker, Frank- 2nd Floor
35
SECURITY
Bittle, Hattie-1st Floor--Near M.Offc.
Bethea, Brian-Whole Bldg. and Outside
Daiz, Darryl, 1st Floor and Stairway #4
Hudson, Christian, Security Offc. &
Cameras
36
CAFETERIA
Burrell, Christina
Morton, Johnnice
CUSTODIANS
Food Manager
Food Manager
Randolph, Van
Custodian
Custodian
Williams, Ronnie
Custodian
Young, Carlos
READ 180
HQ
Garrett, Binta
System 44
McCall, Ein-Interim
Spanish
HQ
SPED/Self-Contained
HQ
Music
HQ
PE
HQ
PBIS Coordinator
N/A
Art
HQ
OT
N/A
Ngole, Rosaline
Ojore, Ikeehi
Ortiz, Catalina
Bryant, Frank
Brown, Samia
Spain, Karen
CONTRACTORS
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Putney, Marchelle
CLINICAL COUNSELOR CONTRACTORS
Dr. Keyona Thomas-Kelly -Supervisor
N/A
N/A
Kimberly Davis
N/A
Janee Johnson
N/A
Crystal Powell
N/A
LaKeyette Reed
N/A
Meagan Whitfield
N/A
Jordan Wilson
37
SPEECH/LANGUAGE CONTRACTORS
N/A
Devon Dee-Supervisor
N/A
Tracey Calvo-Clarke
N/A
Felicia Farrington
N/A
Brittani Hightower
N/A
Sheena Newson
38
39
Options Public Charter School
The Members of the Board of Trustees for School Year 2012-2013
Name of Board Member
Role
Affiliation
Dr. J.C. Hayward
Chairperson
Vice President, WUSA-9
Mr. Lloyd Anderson
Secretary
Owner, Glenn’s Transport
and Home Improvement
Major General John R. Hawkins III (ret)
Community
Representative
President, CEO, Hawkins
Solutions International
Ms. Sharee Lawler
Community
Representative
Community Resident-ANC
Commissioner; President of
Black Lab Advisory
Dr. Cheryl Anne Boyce
Community
Representative
Licensed Clinical
Psychologist, National
Institutes of Health
Dr. Theia Wiley
Community
Representative
Ms. Irene Branham
Community
Representative
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
OPTIONS PCS/2013
DCCAS STUDENT SCORES BY GRADE
Subject
Grade
Subgroup
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Reading
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
Math
All Grades
All Grades
All Grades
All Grades
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 8
Grade 8
Grade 8
All Grades
All Grades
All Grades
All Grades
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 10
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 8
Grade 8
Grade 8
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
All Students
Black
Special Ed
Economically Disadvantaged
48
Valid Tests
165
165
111
165
80
80
59
80
27
27
17
27
29
29
17
29
29
29
18
29
165
165
111
165
80
80
59
80
27
27
17
27
29
29
17
29
29
29
18
29
Below Basic
67
67
62
67
41
41
38
41
11
11
10
11
5
5
5
5
10
10
9
10
59
59
49
59
36
36
31
36
5
5
5
5
8
8
5
8
10
10
8
10
Basic
Proficient
72
72
34
72
30
30
15
30
10
10
4
10
17
17
8
17
15
15
7
15
73
73
46
73
33
33
22
33
11
11
7
11
16
16
10
16
13
13
7
13
18
18
7
18
5
5
2
5
5
5
2
5
5
5
2
5
3
3
1
3
19
19
5
19
6
6
1
6
5
5
2
5
3
3
0
3
5
5
2
5
Advanced
8
8
8
8
4
4
4
4
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
14
14
11
14
5
5
5
5
6
6
3
6
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
Proficient
15.8%
15.8%
13.5%
15.8%
11.3%
11.3%
10.2%
11.3%
22.2%
22.2%
17.6%
22.2%
24.1%
24.1%
23.5%
24.1%
13.8%
13.8%
11.1%
13.8%
20.0%
20.0%
14.4%
20.0%
13.8%
13.8%
10.2%
13.8%
40.7%
40.7%
29.4%
40.7%
17.2%
17.2%
11.8%
17.2%
20.7%
20.7%
16.7%
20.7%
49
50
51
JROTC Honors Unit
In the second year of the JROTC program, Options received the recognition of Honors Unit, with
the certificate signed by John McHugh, Secretary of the Army.
Increased Community Outreach/Partnership with Healthy Babies Project, Inc.
To provide additional supports from agencies outside the school, Options has increased its
outreach to local agencies and businesses. In response to our increasing pregnant teen population,
the clinical services department developed a teen pregnancy and parenting program. As part of
the program, a partnership was developed with Healthy Babies Project, Inc. as a means for
providing
support to teen mothers by providing counseling and assisting with access to services
52
and supports.
53
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Smith
Phone: 202-547-1028, ext. 241
Email: jsmith@optionsschool.org
State Superintendent of Education selects Options Public Charter School as Co-location site
for various Local Charter Schools
[August 19, 2013] – While many Local Education Agencies (LEA), including DCPS, continue to
struggle with placements for students with disabilities, local Charter Schools have attracted
mounting criticism for high suspension and expulsion rates – particularly among their special
needs population. OSSE has sought to expand the capacity of Charter Schools in the District to
meet these challenges by establishing a co-located Therapeutic Classroom Model. This
Summer, Options PCS became the first LEA in the District to receive renewal status for
operating this very innovative approach.
The purpose of this grant is to expand the capacity of LEA charters to meet the needs of
students with Individual Education Programs (“IEPs”) with high levels of need and ensure that
they are provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”) in the least restrictive
environment (“LRE”). Through this program, grantees are required to create a co-located
classroom model that provides students with effective, intensive therapeutic supports,
including but not limited to specialized instruction, related services, wraparound support, and a
robust transition plan to support a student’s successful re-integration to the LEA of primary
enrollment.
“Options Public Charter School has seen great success providing high-quality, unique
educational experiences for our students. This grant will allow them to expand that work and
continue improving our children’s lives through special education services,” said Ward 6
Councilmember and former School Board Member, Tommy Wells.
The primary populations of focus for this initiative are students whose disability classification
are either Emotional Disturbance (“ED”) or Multiple Disabilities (“MD”) with ED and/or Other
Health Impairment (“OHI”)- Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (“ADHD”), and whose level
of need cannot be accommodated at the LEA of primary enrollment.
Last year, Options PCS as an inaugural grantee for this program received requests from other
LEA’s such as E.L. Haynes, Meridian PCS, Friendship Academy and Perry Street Prep to host
students within its co-located program located in the Rosedale Community of Ward 6, just two
54
blocks from the Options main campus at 1375 E Street NE. Options was able to fulfill many of
these requests however the program was filled to capacity by the Spring.
The program has been able to succeed because of its staff to student ratio of three to one (3:1)
and a staffing model that includes a special education teacher, a clinician, and a behavioral aide
for each of the co-located classrooms. The model adopts an evidence-based therapeutic
approach that has been applied with success in other jurisdictions.
According to Dr. David Cranford, a clinical psychologist and program manager, “Many additional
special education attorneys requested placements in this program but unfortunately the
students were from DCPS LEA schools which made them ineligible.” He added, “Our staff is
always looking for ways to increase access to our therapeutic services as many students in D.C.
are in desperate need of support to stay engaged in school rather than dropping out. This
opportunity allows us to provide quality special education services in D.C. rather than sending
students to placements in other states at a high cost to District residents.”
The mission of Options Public Charter School is to provide a high-quality, unique educational experience
for all students, including those students most at-risk of dropping out of school because they are
underachieving, truant, have experienced behavior problems, or have exceptionalities requiring intensive
therapeutic special education services.
##
55
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Smith,
Phone: 202-812-1688
Email: jsmith@optionsschool.org
PIVOTAL SEASON TO DEFEND FOOTBALL TITLE
DEDICATED TO DECEASED COACH
[August 8, 2012] – The journey to defend this city’s first Charter School Football title became
even more meaningful for a group of local High School boys who will have to face this season
without their Championship Offensive Coordinator.
Coach Rayvonn Hall who passed away suddenly last week in Blandensberg at the age of 23, had
served as the Offensive Coordinator for the District Bowl Champion Options Panthers for three
seasons.
On Tuesday, after hearing of the news, team leaders asked to dedicate this entire upcoming
football season to the memory of Coach Hall, who all agreed had served as an inspiration and
role-model for Panther team-members. “Coach Hall gave a great deal of time to developing the
character and camaraderie of this team, and his presence will be a great loss, on and off the
field,” said School Vice Principal and Head Coach Derek Deane.
Last year the Options Panther’s went undefeated in their division and went on to capture the first
District Bowl Championship of the Washington Charter School Athletic Association (WCSAA).
This year, they have left the WCSAA to join the more competitive Capitol Area Football
Conference (CAFC) which is made up of Maryland, and D.C. Schools.
The winner of CAFC will play the winner of the Turkey Bowl – a long standing Thanksgiving
Day tradition for area Washingtonians where the Eastern Conference and Western Conference
football champs of the DCIAA face off to determine the D.C. Public School football champions.
“Given our deep history for serving high risk students and young people with disabilities, we
were elated to win the Football Championship in just the third year of our football program’s
existence,” said Dr. Donna Montgomery, CEO of Options PCS. She added, “We mourn the loss
of Coach Hall and look forward to honoring his memory this year by building on his
commitment to excellence for young people within and beyond the athletic realm of our
programs.”
56
In recent years, students with Special Needs such as learning disabilities, emotional disturbance
and mental retardation have made up the majority of students enrolling at Options PCS. This
makes measuring Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind standards a herculean,
and sometimes meaningless task. Still Options boasts some of the highest attendance and
graduation rates among at-risk students in the entire city. In fact, when compared nationally,
Options far outperforms its counterparts when it comes to reducing the grade levels which youth
with multiple disabilities find themselves in when they enter middle or high school.
The mission of Options Public Charter School is to provide a high-quality, unique educational experience
for all students, including those students most at-risk of dropping out of school because they are
underachieving, truant, have experienced behavior problems, or have exceptionalities requiring intensive
therapeutic special education services.
###
57
OPTIONS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL SELF-MONITORING SYSTEMS
Formal reviews of the school action plans and progress toward achieving the
performance objectives are conducted periodically, as well as OPCS own
Self- Monitoring Program
Measure
Data Dashboard-attendance,
truancy, behavior referral,
suspensions,
assessment
results,
parent/community
attendance during events,
instructional program data
Data Talks
When
Stakeholders
3rd week of every month LEA, Administration
during LEA and Admin.
Meeting
A minimum of once a Data
month
Content
Teachers
School Improvement
Review
Specialist,
Specialist,
Goals Once
a
quarter
(Parent/Teacher
Conference Day)
Curriculum, Assessment and Twice a year (July, Jan.)
Instructional
Review
and
Enhancement
LEA, Administration,
Parents
LEA School-wide Monitoring At least per semester
Program of Programs and
Performance
School Improvement Review At least per semester
(SIR)
LEA Team
Department
Curriculum,
Instruction,
Assessment,
Administration
LEA
School-Based
Administration
Parents
School Improvement Progress Back to School Night
Report
School Improvement Progress Summer Institute
Options Staff
Report
Attendance
and
Truancy A minimum of once a Attendance
Review
month
Committee
58
of
and
OPTIONS LEADERHIP TRAINING
“WHAT KIND OF A LEADER ARE YOU?”
OPTIONS LEADERSHIP TRAINING
KELLOGG CONFERENCE CENTER
“WHAT KIND OF A LEADER ARE YOU?”
JULY 27, 2012
KELLOGG CONFERENCE CENTER
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
JULY 27, 2012
AGENDA
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
AGENDA
Facilitators: Dr. Donna Montgomery, Chief Executive officer
Rebekah Roberts, Deputy Executive Director of Academic Programs
Facilitators: Dr. Donna Montgomery, Chief Executive officer
Rebekah Roberts, Deputy Executive Director of Academic Programs
9:00 am
Breakfast
9:30 am-9:45 am
Dr. Charles Vincent, Executive Director
9:45 am – 10:00 am
Organizational Chart
9:00 am
Breakfast
10:00 am- 10:45 am
“What Kind of a Leader Are You?” Leadership
9:30 am-9:45 am
Dr. Charles Vincent, Executive Director
Inventory
9:45 am – 10:00 am
Organizational Chart
10:45 am – 12:30 pm
Leadership Styles and Communication
10:00 am- 10:45 am
“What Kind of a Leader Are You?” Leadership Inventory
School Improvement Reviews (SIR); Add to Your Calendar
10:45 am – 12:30 pm
Leadership Styles and Communication
Nov. 14, 2012 10:00 am
Feb. 13, 2013 10:00 am
May 27, 2013 10:00 am
School Improvement Reviews (SIR); Add to Your Calendar
Nov. 14, 2012 10:00 am
Feb. 13, 2013 10:00 am
May 27, 2013 10:00 am
59
ELEANOR DELORES WHITE, Ed.D
Educational Leadership Consultant
Achievement Matters Most™
Options Public Charter School
Leadership Workshop
AGENDA
Wednesday August 15, 2012
9:00 a.m.
Introductions
Icebreaker-Activity 1
Communication
Leadership Styles
Activity 2- “Ready, Set, Go”
PD 360 Video “What Is leadership”
10:00 a.m.
21st Century Leadership Skills
Activity 3- “Checking Out Your Team”
11:00 a.m.
Leadership Skills and School Improvement
PD 360 Video “What is It That Leaders Do”
Monitoring Tools
12:00 p.m.
Video “What About The Children”
Evaluation
60
Washington Post
Education
D.C. high school students treat senior citizens
to free haircuts, manicures
(Astrid Riecken/ For The Washington Post ) - Students of the culinary department at Options
Public Charter School wait outside their school for the bus that will drive them for a community
service trip for senior citizens at Sarah’s Circle in Adam’s Morgan.
By Emma Brown, E-mail the writer
Darril Phillips was ready to be pampered. The 82-year-old sat patiently in the basement of
Sarah’s Circle, a nonprofit senior citizen’s center in Adams Morgan. She watched as the team of
beauticians unpacked their boxes, revealing fruity-smelling facial scrubs and nail polish in every
color of the rainbow. And she kept her neck craned for the barber who had cut her hair the last
time: Lavonte Bracey, a 17-year-old senior at the District’s Options Public Charter School. “He
was patient with me,” said Phillips. “He treated me very nice.” Students in cosmetology and
cooking classes at Options have begun making monthly trips to Sarah’s Circle to share their
skills.
61
For the teens, it’s a chance to practice what they’ve learned — about manicures and facials, hors
d’oeuvres and pates.
For the senior citizens, it’s an opportunity for a free haircut and delicious snack — as well as a
chance to connect with another generation.
“I had fun last time, so I wanted to come back,” said Patricia Kelly, 61, who arrived ready to
have her hair and nails done. “It’s good to have the young’uns around Sarah’s Circle.”
Options is the city’s oldest charter school, and its mission is to serve students who are at risk of
dropping out. Most of its students qualify for special education and many have had run-ins with
the juvenile justice system.
The school’s vocational classes are a bright spot for many students, said Aida Massie, who
directs the cosmetology program.
“A lot of our students work better with their hands,” Massie said. “You can see their creativity
just shine.”
At Sarah’s Circle, the teens busied themselves turning one end of a computer lab into a
makeshift salon, laying out clippers and straight razors. The other end became a catering prep
station, where students wearing chefs’ whites assembled platters of miniature beef fajitas and
curry chicken salad sandwiches.
Their customers arrived slowly at first, and then in a flood. Phillips got her haircut. Men crowded
the barber chairs, asking for a shave. And Mildred Jones, 86, wanted her nails done — with clear
polish, please.
“I don’t want the color,” Jones said. “I’m too old for that stuff.”
Cortez Dargin, 16, said it was nerve-wracking to cut real people’s hair after spending so much
time practicing on a mannequin. But after a few customers had come and gone, he smiled.
“They like it,” he said. “They say thank you. That thank you feels good.”
62
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Smith, Director of Family Engagement, Recruitment and Retention
Phone: 202-547-1028, ext. 101
Email: jsmith@optionsschool.org
OPTIONS PCS LEADERSHIP TO APPEAR WITH OTHER LOCAL EXPERTS
TO DISCUSS STATE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN WASHINGTON D.C.
[August 8, 2012] – For years, Options Public Charter School, as this city’s first charter school in
existence, has sought out to serve children which many others have rejected. This charge has
made Options a leading school choice for the parents and families of children with Special Needs
in the District of Columbia. Tomorrow, Michelle Pianim, the Principal of Options, will join the
Children’s Law Center and other local special education advocates on We Act Radio 1480AM at
11am to discuss the needs of this special population and how Options Public Charter School is
aggressively moving to serve them at a time when many others lack the will or capacity to face
this challenge.
In recent years, students with Special Needs such as learning disabilities, emotional disturbance
and mental retardation have made up the majority of students enrolling at Options PCS. This
makes measuring Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind standards a herculean,
and sometimes meaningless task. Still Options boasts some of the highest attendance and
graduation rates among at-risk students in the entire city. In fact, when compared nationally,
Options far outperforms its counterparts when it comes to reducing the grade levels which youth
with multiple disabilities find themselves in when they enter middle or high school.
Principal Michelle Pianim leads a staff of more than 100 teachers, support staff, clinicians,
psychologist and related service providers. Her extensive experience in Special Education, years
of service at Options, and previous tenure at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education
(OSSE) make her qualified to join this discussion at the We Act Radio studios. There, she will
shed light on what needs exist in the District of Columbia for the families of Special Needs
children, and what Options Public Charter School is doing to meet them.
The mission of Options Public Charter School is to provide a high-quality, unique educational experience
for all students, including those students most at-risk of dropping out of school because they are
underachieving, truant, have experienced behavior problems, or have exceptionalities requiring intensive
therapeutic special education services.
###
63
Year-end News and Summer Up
Student Boxer scores in ring AND classroom
Last month, Options PCS graduated a record-setting number of High School Seniors from our High
School Diploma Pro-gram. Fifty four students walked the stage of Israel Baptist Church on June 3rd to
receive their High School Diploma before over 400 witnesses. This year’s graduates have earned
acceptance to Post-secondary Institutions such as Trinity, Cheney and Virginia Union and have received
more than $100,000, in college scholarship money so far. Options continues its charge of educating atrisk youth into the Summer as we host 151 students as part of our Summer School and Summer Bridge
program so that more students are prepared to achieve at or beyond grade-level.
As a rising Junior at Options Public Charter School, Cortez Dargen is not only a high per-forming scholar
but he’s a top ranked local box-er as well. Cortez has never been the type to get into trouble but he has
enjoyed boxing all of his life. He never dreamed he would be prepar-ing in the same gym his father once
boxed in as a boy. But now, he boxes in far away casinos and hotels. Cortez finds boxing to be a healthy
way of practicing discipline and focus. “For me, boxing is not just a way of competing or staying fit. It
helps me work on my mental strength. To be able to stick to your game plan even after someone punches
you in the face takes a lot of mental work. Each time the judg-es award me with a decision, it shows
every-body watching that I am the more disciplined fighter—not just the fastest.” Cortez is pretty fast too.
He boasts an 8-2 win/loss record in his weight class this year and has been invited back to fight this
Summer in Charlestown, West Vir-gina and Southern Maryland. Before leaving school each evening to
work out at nearby Rosedale Recreation Center, Cortez manages to participate in several on-site school
academies and extra-curricular programs. “I’d like to box my way straight to the 2016 Olympics before I
head off to college, but in the meantime, I am working on my barbering skills here in the (Options PCS)
cosmetology academy so that I can open my own business one day.” With a 3.3 grade point average and
his second straight honor roll appearance, Cortez will be well-suited to join both the post-secondary and
business worlds in just a few short years.
Final Quarter of School Year ends with no school or community
incidents
Thanks to the continued formation of a School/Community Task Force and the development of a new,
independent com-munity reporting tool, Options can proudly an-announce that the 2012-2013 school year
ended with not a single incident within or outside of the school.
Contact the Options Task Force
Please be reminded that we have also increased the ability of all stakeholders to communicate to us any
concerns or observations of inappropriate behaviors involving our students. Community members are
now able to notify the Options Task Force of issues by calling the following number:
1-888-748-6021
You can also report an incident by filling out a complaint form at: www.optionsschool.org
IN JULY 2103 NEWSLETTER
64
Options PCS/2012-2013
Options JROTC ends year with top honors!
Options Community News and Open House Series
During the last month of school, the Options Junior ROTC squad received top honors in the citywide JROTC competition. The annual contest, held at the Stadium Armory near Capitol Hill, features
scoring in: brigade formation, drill competition, exhibition (trickery) and military marching.
The 13 participating students were ac-companied by Captain Harrison (20 years active duty) and
Sergeant McColl (30 years active duty) - both current Options staff. Said Captain Harrison of the
opportunity, "This (event) allows students to com-pare themselves to other students across the city
and apply what they have learned throughout the year." He added, "It’s a com-petition where the
outcome has a direct connection to the inputs. If someone beats you, it’s because they worked harder
than you - plain and simple." Options placed third overall in the competition which also featured
schools such as HAD. Woodson, IDEAL Academy and Spingarn High School.
Councilmember Tommy Wells (W-6) greets
Options JROTC members and Cpt. Harrison
IN JULY 2103 NEWSLETTER