Our Mission
St. Croix Preparatory Academy will develop
each student’s academic potential,
personal character and leadership
qualities through an academically rigorous and
content rich educational program grounded in
a classical tradition.
Upper School Enrollment
2009-2010 125
2010-11
165
2011-12
225
2012-13
282
2013-2014 325
Upper School Enrollment
NOW
Class of 2014 76 SENIORS
Class of 2015 75 JUNIORS
Class of 2016 90 SOPHOMORES
Class of 2017 87 FRESHMAN
Upper School
Class of 2014 76 SENIORS
Class of 2015 75 JUNIORS
Class of 2016 90 SOPHOMORES
Class of 2017 87 FRESHMAN
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Mission: Academic Potential
It's not that I'm so smart,
it's just that I stay with problems
longer.
~Albert Einstein
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
College Admissions Expectations
Type of
College
Admission:
Freshman in
Examples
GPA
Typical AP/Honors
ACT/
Expectations
SAT
Highly
Selective
10% of class
Ivy League, Carlton,
William and Mary
3.75
28+/
1220+
4+ courses
4 to 5 exams
Selective
25 % of class
UW-Madison, UM-Twin
Cities, MIAC, St. Olaf,
Lawrence, Gustavus, St.
Thomas
3.0
24+/
1110+
3+ courses
3-5 on exams
Traditional 50% of class
UM-Morris, UMD, UWStout, UW-Eau Claire,
UW-River Falls
2.0
21+/
990+
N/A
Liberal
Usually accept all
students
Normandale Community
College, DeVRy,
1.0
18+/
870+
N/A
Open
All accepted
Century, Rasmussen
Diplo
ma
Through Academics, Leadership, and
NONE
N/A
Require
Characterd Development
College BoardAdvanced
Placement
Taking the courses is best preparation for success in
college – better than getting a 3,4 or 5 on exam.
Concurrent Enrollment where AP unavailable
13+ CB approved courses, 3 more on deck, all teachers
have attended training or will be attending training
5 Yr trend summary handout
Inspiring Great Thinkers
SCPA College Readiness by ACT
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
SCPA College State College SCPA English State English
Algebra
Algebra
Composition Composition
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
SCPA Class of 2015 Academic Proficiency
90
80
70
60
50
40
Exceeded
30
Met
20
10
0
SCPA Math
State
Math
SCPA
Reading
State
Reading
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Testing Philosophy
• Multiple measures on the dashboard: One of the
dashboard gauges we watch
• Test scores are still used as gatekeepers for
student access to college entrance and course
access…therefor student test prep benefits the
student in the long run
• Accountability?
• Window Dressing
• Standardized tests are are not always helpful for
individual student diagnostics in curriculum
Mission Classical: Writing and Rhetoric
to Communicate & Understand
Lower (K-4)
Middle (5-8)
Upper (9-12)
Grammar
Most
Some
Some
Logic
Some
Most
Some
Rhetoric
A Little
A Little
Most
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Rhetoric Stage in the Classical Triviuum
Students will learn how to communicate and
defend their ideas and engage in classic persuaive
argumentation.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to
entertain a thought without accepting it.” ~Aristotle
Students will participate in Paideia Seminar in every one of
their classrooms.
"Wise men speak because they have something to say;
fools because they have to say something.“ ~Plato
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Upper School Testing
Grade Test
Required?
Purpose
10th
Pre-SAT
PSAT
NO
10th –
12th
11th
AP Exams
NO
Is student on track for a
college ready score on the
SAT?
College Credit or Better
College Placement
Indicates Minimum
Proficiency for Graduation
11th
11th
State
By State
Reading and
Math Test
ACT ($)
Recommen
ded
SAT ($)
Recommen
ded
For College Admissions
For College Admissions
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Mission: Character
Character is higher than
intellect. A great soul will be
strong to live as well as think.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Carrying Out the Mission: Character
Plato believed children should be raised
to fall in love with virtue
Advisory - why and what good character
looks like
Service Requirements for all
Service opportunities for all that are not
required
Expectations in class and through
policies
Personal Conduct and modeling
Identify Model and
Convey Traits
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citizenship,
courage,
honesty,
integrity,
perseverance,
respect,
responsibility,
compassion,
• self-control, and
• service .
Advisory
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•
•
•
Same 12-14 students each year
Starts with Daily Announcements
Helps us maintain the small school feel
Minimizes distractions from regular
instructional day
• Individualized weekly grade checks T-S
demonstrate good habits and show we care
• Weekly tutorials give students an
opportunity to practice self advocacy
• Weekly Service/Choice days give students a
chance to practice leadership and
community building
Advisory Weekly Schedule
Week
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1/3
Character
Lesson
Character
DIscussion
Tutorial
Individual
Grade Checks
Service
Project
2/4
College Prep
Lesson
College Prep Tutorial
Activity
Grade Check
Choice Day
Communicate
home week 5
for D/F grades
Advisory Grades
• Portfolio Assignments within each
quarter from character and college
prep work
• End of Year Presentations
• Service Hours
• Pass/Fail
• Required for Graduation
Inspiring Great Thinkers
SCPA Service Hours
Year
Hours
Required
Presentation at the End of
the year
Credit
9th
10
Required in Advisory
.25
10th
10
Required in Advisory
.25
11th
10
Required in Advisory
.25
12th
20
Required in Advisory and
.75
Welcome to the SCPA Public
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Activities and Club Participation of
the SCPA Class of 2015
Two- Thirds or 55 of SCPA’s ninth graders
are involved in extracurricular activities,
averaging two activities per students,
including…..
Archery, Football, Lacrosse, Ski Club, Soccer,
Basketball , Cross Country, Tennis , Golf , Baseball,
Volleyball, Track, Debate, Speech, Theatre, Band,
Orchestra, Choir, Softball, Lego League
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Our Mission
St. Croix Preparatory Academy will develop
each student’s academic potential,
personal character and leadership
qualities through an academically rigorous and
content rich educational program grounded in
a classical tradition.
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Leadership
“Leadership and learning are
indispensable to each other.”
John F. Kennedy
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Inspiring Great Thinkers
Student Engagement in Extra Curricular
Activities is Important
Involvement in extra curricular activities
helps students be more successful in their
school experience
Colleges and future employers like to see
that students are involved in their
community and are well balanced; extra
curriculars help to evidence this on the
student record.
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
Nuts and Bolts
DIVISION MEETING SCHEDULE 201314
(17 Meetings
•
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•
Wednesday, September 11th
Wednesday, February 12th
Wednesday, September 25th
Wednesday, February 26th
Wednesday, October 9th
Wednesday, March 12th
Wednesday, October 23rd
Wednesday, April 2nd
Wednesday, November 6th
Wednesday, April 16th
Wednesday, November 20th
Wednesday, April 30th
Wednesday, December 11th
Wednesday, May 14th
Wednesday, January 15th
Wednesday, May 28th
Wednesday, January 29th
Early Release
• For athletics:
– Each Week you get a list from Rich
– Football players assigned to study hall last period
– Use Midterm Dates – Be proactive!
• For every day jobs/activities:
– By signed permission only, forms in US office
– Students with Zero Hour = Automatic Early Release
after Pd. 6…must leave campus with own transport
2013-14 Bell Schedule
2013-14Bell Schedule
UpperSchool Period Time Min Notes
0 8-9:26
1 9:30-10:16
2 10:19-11:05
3 11:08-11:54
4 11:57-12:43
(MSPd4)5 12:46-1:32
USLunch/Advisory/(MSPd5) 1:35-2:21
6 2:24-3:10
7 3:13-3:58
T/TH/someFri
Schedule tobereleased
46
46
46 LSLunch(11:05-11:30)
46 MSLunch(11:54-12:24) MSRECESS12:24-12:43
46 LSLunch(12:51-1:15)
46 USLUNCH(1:32-2:00) ADVISORY/Leadership (2:00-2:18)
ZeroPdStudentDeparture
46
46
Important Emails
• facilitiessupport@stcroixprep.org
• techsupport@stcroixprep.org
• purchaseorders@stcroixprep.org
What Not to To Wear: SCPA Student
Edition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Uniform Guidelines
Modesty Guidelines
Spirit Wear Days
Non-Uniform Days
Coupon Days
Holidays
Bucket of Alternatives
Dates sent via invitation in outlook
Communication Protocol
• If there is an issue, it should be directly dealt with personto-person, face-to-face.
• Therefor, I and the counseling staff direct students and
parents to talk to teachers first before I will be involved
with an issue. Most of the time, the issue resolves itself.
• This should be the case when you have issues with each
other and myself as well. I have an open door. I listen. Often
times, when we hear one another’s perspectives, it clears
the air completely or leads to a resolution in everyone’s
better favor. Failure to share concerns and discuss worries
and fears, will exacerbate the problems rather than resolve
them and lead to errors in conclusions about how others
must be thinking and what may happen and why things
may be happening.
LOGOS
• On the resource drive there is a SCPA Styleguide folder with the
correct school logos (new navy and gold tones, Lion looking to the
right). As you're creating documents/forms, updating documents,
etc. please use the logos in that folder.
• We have a complete styleguide defining logos, colors and fonts
nearing completion that we'll share with you soon. In the
meantime, please know those logos are available and if you have
any questions please let me know.
• Thank you.
• -Monica
Grass Kill and Chemicals
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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It appears staff members have been pouring chemicals and in the grass outside
classrooms. The grass has been killed in these areas and will need to be replaced.
The practice of dumping chemicals into the grass after demonstrations and
experiments will stop immediately.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Keith Potter
Facility Director
St. Croix Preparatory Academy
4260 Stagecoach Trail N
Stillwater, MN 55082
Direct dial 651-395-5907
The Wind
• What my father means to me.” Ellie Davenport talked about how
her dad has helped her cope with scoliosis and how she developed
a web site for other girls with scoliosis (gotscoliosis.com). She
added that through windsurfing together, her dad taught her to
“adjust her sails”. Here’s an excerpt from her essay: “Through
windsurfing, he taught me how to get through hard times. When I
was learning, I would get tired and bored; I wanted to quit. But he
always said, “We are not leaving until the wind becomes your
friend.” So we stayed. I complained. On more than one occasion, I
got blown to the middle of the lake only to become stranded. Dad
would sail out to me and sail us both back to shore; back to safety.
No lectures, no guilt, just love. Finally, one day, I mastered how to
use the sail, and the wind stopped being my adversary. It was my
new best friend.
Inspiring Great Thinkers
“The greater danger
for most of us lies
not in setting our
aim too high and
falling short; but in
setting our aim too
low, and achieving
our mark.”
Michelangelo
Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development
• Q-comp rubric usually does NOT factor into a
termination decision.
• Appraissal score may or may not be correlated with a
termination for performance; it is dependent on the
performance issue.
• What IS always correlated is the progressive plan so the
employee is aware of the situation and has time to and
information to address their situation. This may be an
area where we can discuss what additional resources
to provide teachers who find themselves on a
progressive plan.
School Lab Room 223
New Wireless Printers
All Mobile Labs have brand new wireless
printers. This means that students don't have
to change wireless networks to print. (All
mobile lab computers/printers are on their
own "SCPA-Student" network.) All student labs
will also be able to print to the big printers
(student print code is 223)
Labs Are Reserved With SCPA Google Calendar
Go to www.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org. You
should see all 4 Mobile Labs (and the two
computer labs) If not, let me know.
One Mobile Lab 3 Laptop Needs a New
Battery
I don't have time right now to get this fixed or
replaced, but it's on my list.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Chad Olson
Technology Coordinator
To Function Together as a Team
Focus on
Results
Accountability
Commitment
Face
Challenge
Trust
(Communica
tions)
• I will be direct but discreet when there is a
performance issue. I will listen. I will coach. I
will have an open door. I will not lower
standards for you or students or your
colleagues . I will want the best for the whole
team. When there is enough growth to benefit
reward for the students in a quick enough
time (6-18 months) then I will be decisive.
needed, and the timeframe in which it is
needed. Facilities requests will be compiled by
Carrie Hamm and communicated to Keith
Potter for prioritization and
completion. Emergency requests will be
communicated to Keith as quickly as possible.
Technology Requests. For technology
requests/assistance, send an email to
techsupport@stcroixprep.org. The email
should include your name, location needing
service, a short explanation of the service
needed, and the timeframe in which it is
needed. Technology requests will be compiled
by Sara Bodin and communicated to Chad
Olson for prioritization and
completion. Emergency requests will be
communicated to Chad as quickly as possible.
Some of the reasons for this change are:
·
At times Keith and Chad are working on
projects that prevent them from immediately
responding to requests. This process will
ensure that Keith and Chad receive your
request in a timely manner.
• Remember tomorrow
• Celebrate today
• Pursue tomorrow
– Why are we here? Provide a choice in education
for academics character and leadership.
At Will Does not Mean At Risk
QCOMP
Rubric
Director
Observations/
EOY
Appraisal
Progressive
Plan
Year to Year Job Determination
• Enrollment in total; in electives (try to notify in
Spring; can change up or down over summer)
• IF it is performance related, multi-step
progressive plan model:
– Informal, verbal redirection from the director (usually
more than once in the form of coaching)
– Explicit Verbal “Warning”
– Explicit Written Warning
– Written Performance plan for growth that is reviewed
in HR with HR and the Director
– Failure to meet goals of the performance plan in the
set time frame will result in job termination
•
.
•
This year, Upper school enrollment is its largest ever at 325 students. We ended our year last year
with 282 students which was our largest ever. This will be our fifth and largest graduating class ever.
SCPA's first high school graduates ail graduate from college this year.
•
As of last week, all of our new teachers now are familiar with the adoption curve. They too can
understand what is meant by the phrase, Upper school is almost across the chasm. Great work
everyone! Welcome to the newbies! The students are coming back and bringing their friends AND
they are telling them it is hard work here…but they say we care. I heard these sentiments about all
of us in the 2013 graduation speeches as well.
•
This is the spirit with which we teach, hold the students to high standards of character and conduct,
as well as rigorous academic standards while showing them that we do it because we care. And it
does not hurt to let them know we can have some fun while working hard.
•
I look forward to touching base with each of you today! As I observe you working together, I am
excited for the teaching our students will learn from this year!