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The school has a solid structure in place to insure that decisions made to improve student achievement are informed by a thorough analysis of assessment data tied to state common core learning standards. The school’s data manager analyzes annual MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) test results and provides custom data reports for all students by grades and classrooms, for individual students, and for student sub-groups (ELL, special education and economically disadvantaged).

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

With 78% of families identifying Spanish as their home language we have structures that ensure robust participation of families learning English. A Parent Advisory Board (PAB) welcomes all parents, faculty and community to help plan family friendly activities, workshops and other events. Attendance at PAB, which meets at night and offers Spanish translation and child care, is consistently strong. The school’s governing board of trustees includes members drawn from the PAB to give parents an influential voice in setting school policies. PAB also established a sub-committee called Padres en Acción (Association of Parents in Action–APA) to plan Spanish night / la noche del Español, an annual event that brings students, teachers, families and community together to share talents through performances and exhibitions that celebrate the writing, music, poetry, art, and history of the Spanish-speaking cultures represented in our school. Families enthusiastically participate in this event.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.

Strong ties to our community help ensure that the low-income and Latino students who attend our PK-Grade 8 school have access to rigorous academic and enrichment programs that prepare them for success in high school, and also allow them to consider both public and private high school options. Each year more than half of our 8th graders earn admission to private high schools that base admissions on academic performance. We collaborate with staffs from high schools to run secondary school information nights; host school tours; arrange admissions testing; and review financial aid information. Community volunteers donate time to provide academic tutoring, test-prep, and study skills instruction for our students. Local colleges, prep schools, and camps provide scholarships that enable our students to attend summer enrichment programs. Additionally, a local philanthropist established a fund that offers our students needs-based financial aid covering private school tuition and fees.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

Community Day Charter describes itself as a school that is “always under construction.” As a Massachusetts charter school we must apply to renew our charter every 5 years. The renewal application process requires substantial documentation of performance in relation to annual quantifiable goals articulated in the school’s state-approved Charter Accountability Plan. The process of collecting and analyzing data for accountability purposes supports a philosophy of change and continuous evaluation, modification, and research geared to improved student learning outcomes.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.

Our school is located in a city with substantial numbers of low-income and immigrant families who face significant economic and life challenges. Community Day attributes its success in closing the achievement gap for low-income and Latino students to a recipe that includes the following ingredients: employing educators with strong academic backgrounds and a commitment to working in a highly collaborative, “no excuses” teaching environment; implementing high-quality instruction aligned to state standards in every grade and every classroom; providing an 8-hour school day that ensures the time to teach core academics; and offering after- school and summer programs that give all of our students additional time to master academic concepts and participate in a variety of enrichment programs in visual and performing arts, community service, athletics and more that are considered the norm in more affluent communities.

Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.

Our school implements a Title I School Wide Program to ensure that all students have the instructional time and support required to meet grade-level learning goals. Title I grant resources support the implementation of instructional models that provide opportunities to differentiate curriculum and deliver targeted instructional support in reading, ELA and math for those students farthest from achieving proficiency in each classroom. A co-teaching model in lower grades and a subject-matter specialist model in the upper grades include scheduled time for teachers to meet in teams to analyze and use test data to develop action plans that set measurable improvement targets and define instructional interventions for each student. The implementation of a School Wide Program is a key contributor to successful learning outcomes for the 68% of our students who possess multiple-barriers to achievement, including low-income, limited English proficiency and special education needs.

Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.

One of the most critical professional development activities implemented by Community Day reflects the needs of students who are English language learners. All school leaders and teachers are trained to implement strategies to effectively support the English language development of second language learners, including clarifying words and concepts in the native language as needed, pairing words with pictures to illustrate meaning, attending to oral language and vocabulary development in all academic areas, encouraging students to use complete sentences when speaking, consistently using precise language and modeling the use of academic language in all areas of teaching. Teachers also receive instruction in analyzing assessment test questions to identify key vocabulary and content, as well as project-based assessments that include speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.

The school has a solid structure in place to insure that decisions made to improve student achievement are informed by a thorough analysis of assessment data tied to state common core learning standards. The school’s data manager analyzes annual MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) test results and provides custom data reports for all students by grades and classrooms, for individual students, and for student sub-groups (ELL, special education and economically disadvantaged). Analyzed test data is used by faculty members who meet in cross-grade and cross-program teams to align curriculum vertically against grade level learning expectations. Within grade levels educators use analyzed MCAS data, in addition to results from benchmark assessments administered throughout the year, to guide them as they develop curriculum units and lesson plans, adjust instructional groupings and differentiate instruction tied to each student’s goals for academic growth.

• Category 1

  Selected in 2015

• Grades: pre k - 8
  School Setting: urban
  Town Population: 76,000
  Student Enrollment: 400
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 1%
  White/Caucasian: 5%
  Hispanic: 93%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 1%
  Native American: 0%
  Other: 0%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10
  % Reduced Lunch: 100%
  % ELL Learners: 39%
  Founded: 1995
• PRINCIPAL:
  Kelly Peake
• CONTACT:
  73 Prospect Street
  Lawrence, MA 01841
  978-682-6796
  mchance@cdcps.org