NEW FAMILY ORIENTATION
Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
2014-2015
OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ORIENTATION
Meet members of the school’s
administration and their roles
 Become acquainted with the school’s
history
 Learn about the school’s organizational
structure
 Learn about the school’s academics and
testing
 Have opportunities to ask questions and
have concerns addressed (mainly student
support issues)
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ADMINISTRATION
Michael Skeldon, Ed.D. – Principal
Overall school leadership, strategic planning and vision,
fiscal management, Department of Education and Board
relations, employee oversight, lobbying and public voice
and ultimate compliance responsibility. Has previously
served as history, film, and capstone teacher as well as
Academic Dean. Eleventh year.
Tina Go – Admissions and Family Engagement
Oversee recruitment and admissions process, liaison with
parents and outside agencies regarding student life
(transportation, Federal lunch program, crisis
management, neighborhood partnerships) and works in
close conjunction with the Dean of Students and main
office staff. Mrs. Go is a founder of the school.
ADMINISTRATION, CONT.
Robin Murphy – Dean of Students
College planning, scheduling, report cards, transcript
analysis and generation, data reporting, student
discipline. Twelfth year at Beacon.
Nicole Rattay – Academic Dean
Faculty leadership and professional development,
curriculum oversight, academic calendar
development, testing administration, test data
analysis, Capstone and portfolio implementation.
First year with the school.
ADMINISTRATION, CONT.
Patricia Hawkridge, MFA – Dean of the Arts
Oversees the three artistic cohorts at Beacon, creates linkages
between arts and academics for students, professional
development for teachers, and workshops/classes for adults
including parents; serves as curator, archivist and chief exhibitor.
Sixth year on staff. Eleventh year involved with Beacon.
Jennifer Connolly, Ph.D. – Director of Special Education
Special education compliance, state reporting, inclusion teacher
assignments, coordinating with regular education teachers
regarding accommodations and modifications, IEP renewal
process, secondary transition and parent involvement through the
Local Advisory Committee. Second year at the school.
PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Flo Stevens – Chair of the Parent-TeacherStudent Association (PTSA)
There are many ways parents can be involved in
the school:
 Join the PTSA
 Committee work: SIT, LAC, Board of Trustees
 Attend workshops
 Volunteer at the school (traditional activities
such as field trip and dance chaperones,
spaghetti dinner type events, or supporting an
after school club)
 Attend the parent-teacher conferences, Arts
Nights, plays, gallery nights, and film festival
A LITTLE SCHOOL HISTORY …
Started in 2003 by the late Jack Lawhead to Bring
Educational Alternatives to the Community
through Occupational Nurturing.
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Tenth charter school to open in Rhode Island in
2003
Closed by the state in spring 2005
Re-opened by the state Board of Regents in
September 2005
Moved to 320 Main Street in 2006
Have grown from 114 students in 2005 to 225
students in 2012.
Became the first “district” in Northern RI to
obtain a Regent’s approved PBGR diploma, 2008
US News and World Report “Best High Schools”
list in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2014
CURRENT STATUS
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Just finished the ninth fiscal year in a row with a
surplus from both an accrual and cash
standpoint.
At capacity with regard to the student body and
now utilize 100% of the facility.
Purchased this facility in 2011
Charter renewed in 2012 by the Board of Regents
through 2018
Single greatest improvement in state
testing results of any school at any level,
2007-2012
Received “Commended” status in 2014, the
highest rating possible by the RI
Department of Education
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Governance – Board of Trustees with higher
education officials, parents, nonprofit and for
profit business representatives and arts
organization representatives
Administration, faculty and staff – very similar to a
regular district or public school (certified, highly
qualified instructional staff, in state pension
fund, pay prevailing wage but non-union)
School Improvement Team (SIT) – the most
important “committee” of all. SIT action
determines new policies, initiatives and programs
and makes recommendations to the Board for
adoption of those policies and programs
BEACONART.ORG
Please, become acquainted with …
www.beaconart.org
&
www.facebook.com/beaconart
Primary tools for communication and distribution of resources
needed to succeed at Beacon.
By the start of school the site will be updated with new
information, handbooks and calendars for the 2014-2015
school year. The site contains information on curriculum,
faculty and board biographies, colleges that have accepted our
students, a calendar of events updated constantly, links to our
Facebook, Digication, and PowerSchool resources.
COURSEWORK
34 courses needed to graduate …
8 Art
4 Math (year-long)
4 English (year-long)
4 Science
3 History/Humanities
2 Foreign Language
2 Capstone
2 Health/Physical Education
2 Computers/Business
3 Additional Courses from:
-English, History, Math, Health,
Foreign Language, Art, or
Science
This program of study meets or exceeds state guidelines and has the proper
courses in the proper sequence to allow any student to attend any postsecondary institution. See beaconart.org for a complete list of
postsecondary schools that have accepted Beacon graduates
All teachers have aligned their courses to the RI Grade Span Expectations
and/or the new Common Core Standards
All teachers provide a syllabus and use the same grading formula
(percentages)
ASSESSMENTS
STAR, NECAP, and PARCC
STAR Assessments – given several times over the
course of four years to track the longitudinal
growth of each student, monitoring their progress
towards achievement of Common Core
Standards.
ASSESSMENTS, CONT.
New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP)
No longer given. Last year, Beacon had state-leading
scores in Reading and Writing.
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College
and Careers (PARCC)
Beginning with the class of 2016, students are being
taught using Common Core Standards and will be
assessed with the PARCC test scheduled to be
administered during the 2014-2015 school year.
ASSESSMENTS, CONT.
At Beacon there are two semesters with five courses each.
Math and English are year-round courses, but all other
courses are completed within the semester.
Additionally, there is an advisory period and a Drop
Everything and Read (DEAR) program in place.
Grades are issued on a quarterly basis. Grades are
updated regularly on PowerSchool. Parents and
students have 24/7 access to grades. Report cards are
only mailed upon request to the guidance office.
PERFORMANCE BASED GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS (PBGRS)
Beacon uses the portfolio and capstone project to meet
these requirements.
Our portfolio requirement is through a Digication
website that is customized for Beacon. The link to the
Beacon portal can be found at www.beaconart.org.
Even if it’s true that there is no homework that night
(and it rarely is true) a student can always be
working on their Digication site. Students present
their portfolio at the end of each school year. This
is a requirement in order to be promoted to the
next grade.
CAPSTONE
Our senior project is done through a yearlong
course in Film studies and filmmaking. Each
student writes, produces, directs, shoots, edits
and presents a short (approximately10 minute)
film. Some films are very literal and others are
very metaphorical.
The storytelling vehicle (plot, characters, etc.) is
the student’s choice, however, the process is very
structured, 100% digital, relies on students’
understanding and adhering to deadlines and is
high stakes and a true “learning stretch.”
We are extremely proud of this program and are
continually amazed at the depth of the student’s
work, the best of which is showcased at the
Capstone Film Awards held each year the night
before graduation.
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS
Strong Special Education Department and
Guidance Office to support student artists with
IEPs or 504 plans
 Response to Intervention (RtI) program to
monitor student performance data in all classes
 Academic Dean supporting teachers as they work
to increase rigor across the curriculum, ensuring
that they are able to reach all students
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Q AND A
What needs to be clarified?
What other questions do you have?
Mrs. Go: Transportation, Application Issues, Lunches
Mrs. Murphy: Transcripts, Student Behavior, Guidance
Dr. Connolly: Special Education
Ms. Rattay: Academics
Dr. Skeldon: Other Issues