MONROE - Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy is a dramatically different school than it was three years ago, a positive change school Principal Tina Van Meer attributes to the school's participation in the Accelerated Schools program.
"We have unified Abraham Lincoln by creating a school vision statement with input from our parents, students, staff, Board of Education and administration that provides a central focus for decision-making within the school," she said. "We have empowered our staff to make important decisions in the school, while also holding them responsible for the outcomes of those decisions."
The process has improved the overall school climate and moved it "forward in a direction that will result in quality learning experiences for all our students and increased student achievement," she said.
But will the school be able to keep the program?
The school began the three-year program two years ago. The first year, the school's "main goal was to look at what the challenges are," Van Meer said. Staff identified four challenges, or areas needing improvement, and created vision statements for three to five years out.
This year, the focus was on school governance and building leadership, she said. Cadres, or small groups, were created around each of the challenge areas.
Now, the school wants to complete the training process. Van Meer submitted a proposal to the school board last week, requesting $65,000 in supplemental funds to pay for a third year of implementing the Accelerated Schools Plus model.
It's important the school move forward to "finish the full implementation" of the program, Van Meer told the school board.
"We built the foundation, we built the structure. Now it's time to put the roof on," she said.
Funding for the program initially was possible due to a $150,000 grant the school received because it was made a charter school. That grant, for the 2006-2007 school year, helped pay for implementing the Accelerated Schools program. But last fall, the state Department of Public Instruction told the district that Abe Lincoln did not meet the federal Department of Education's definition of a charter school.
To meet the definition and receive reimbursement for the 2007-2008 school year, the school would have needed to establish its own governing body, separate from the Monroe Board of Education. The school board said it was not comfortable doing that, and instead voted to dissolve the charter school agreement.
The $150,000 grant the school did receive for one year paid for about one and a half years of the Accelerated Schools program, said Ron Olson, district business manager. That money covered the cost of implementing the Accelerated Schools program and other expenses such as a mobile computer lab.
The school board took up the issue of whether it would continue to fund the Accelerated Schools program for the rest of the year at its Dec. 10 meeting.
At that time, there were varying levels of support for the Accelerated Schools model among the district's administrative team.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jennifer Thayer said then that she "stood behind the model" presented in the program. Superintendent Larry Brown, however, said he wasn't entirely sold on the model, but was willing to stick with it - at least until the district's virtual school funding was threatened in November. Likewise, Joe Monroe, director of student services, said he supported the model, but had reservations about spending the money when funding cuts could lead to staff cuts.
Their concerns echoed the seriousness of the concerns about future school funding in December. At that time, the district was unsure if it would be able to continue to operate its virtual charter school, given the statewide battle over the legality of districts offering online education. The virtual school is slated to bring in about $700,000 this year - a significant amount for the district.
The school board likewise had different opinions.
Board President Scott Schmidt said at the time the board initially committed to the Abe Lincoln plan because it was able to get additional funding for professional development. Without the grant, the board would have approved money for professional development at Abe Lincoln but not other schools, he said.
Others, like board member Brian Keith, felt the school should continue to follow through with the program. Keith said he was originally opposed to differentiation among elementary schools, but came to support Abe Lincoln's efforts after seeing the program implemented.
In the end, the board approved spending $42,500 to extend the Abe Lincoln program through this year.
Since that time, the state has approved a compromise measure that will allow the Monroe Virtual School and others like it in the state to continue to operate.
Van Meer said last week that she and her staff are so committed to the program, they are willing to help pay to keep it. In the proposal, Van Meer said the school is prepared to contribute $15,000 of its building budget this year toward the cost as a sign of its commitment to the Accelerated Schools program. The school also will contribute the $15,000 annual affiliation fee after the 2008-2009 school year if needed, she said.
Abe Lincoln has a building allocation of $87,000 per year, similar to what each district elementary school receives. The money is used for classroom supplies, equipment, rentals, purchasing services and to pay for special events, such as a field trip or presentation.
"We will have to watch our budget very closely, but we feel it is worth the sacrifice," Van Meer said. "It is really a matter of shifting our priorities. Abraham Lincoln has been very fortunate to receive grant funding through Reading First and a charter school grant. The staff have been able to purchase many materials and resources for the classrooms because of these grants. This will make it a little easier to 'tighten our belts' in the future to pay for this affiliation with Accelerated Schools plus."
The school board is scheduled to vote on the funding request Monday, May 12.
"We have unified Abraham Lincoln by creating a school vision statement with input from our parents, students, staff, Board of Education and administration that provides a central focus for decision-making within the school," she said. "We have empowered our staff to make important decisions in the school, while also holding them responsible for the outcomes of those decisions."
The process has improved the overall school climate and moved it "forward in a direction that will result in quality learning experiences for all our students and increased student achievement," she said.
But will the school be able to keep the program?
The school began the three-year program two years ago. The first year, the school's "main goal was to look at what the challenges are," Van Meer said. Staff identified four challenges, or areas needing improvement, and created vision statements for three to five years out.
This year, the focus was on school governance and building leadership, she said. Cadres, or small groups, were created around each of the challenge areas.
Now, the school wants to complete the training process. Van Meer submitted a proposal to the school board last week, requesting $65,000 in supplemental funds to pay for a third year of implementing the Accelerated Schools Plus model.
It's important the school move forward to "finish the full implementation" of the program, Van Meer told the school board.
"We built the foundation, we built the structure. Now it's time to put the roof on," she said.
Funding for the program initially was possible due to a $150,000 grant the school received because it was made a charter school. That grant, for the 2006-2007 school year, helped pay for implementing the Accelerated Schools program. But last fall, the state Department of Public Instruction told the district that Abe Lincoln did not meet the federal Department of Education's definition of a charter school.
To meet the definition and receive reimbursement for the 2007-2008 school year, the school would have needed to establish its own governing body, separate from the Monroe Board of Education. The school board said it was not comfortable doing that, and instead voted to dissolve the charter school agreement.
The $150,000 grant the school did receive for one year paid for about one and a half years of the Accelerated Schools program, said Ron Olson, district business manager. That money covered the cost of implementing the Accelerated Schools program and other expenses such as a mobile computer lab.
The school board took up the issue of whether it would continue to fund the Accelerated Schools program for the rest of the year at its Dec. 10 meeting.
At that time, there were varying levels of support for the Accelerated Schools model among the district's administrative team.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jennifer Thayer said then that she "stood behind the model" presented in the program. Superintendent Larry Brown, however, said he wasn't entirely sold on the model, but was willing to stick with it - at least until the district's virtual school funding was threatened in November. Likewise, Joe Monroe, director of student services, said he supported the model, but had reservations about spending the money when funding cuts could lead to staff cuts.
Their concerns echoed the seriousness of the concerns about future school funding in December. At that time, the district was unsure if it would be able to continue to operate its virtual charter school, given the statewide battle over the legality of districts offering online education. The virtual school is slated to bring in about $700,000 this year - a significant amount for the district.
The school board likewise had different opinions.
Board President Scott Schmidt said at the time the board initially committed to the Abe Lincoln plan because it was able to get additional funding for professional development. Without the grant, the board would have approved money for professional development at Abe Lincoln but not other schools, he said.
Others, like board member Brian Keith, felt the school should continue to follow through with the program. Keith said he was originally opposed to differentiation among elementary schools, but came to support Abe Lincoln's efforts after seeing the program implemented.
In the end, the board approved spending $42,500 to extend the Abe Lincoln program through this year.
Since that time, the state has approved a compromise measure that will allow the Monroe Virtual School and others like it in the state to continue to operate.
Van Meer said last week that she and her staff are so committed to the program, they are willing to help pay to keep it. In the proposal, Van Meer said the school is prepared to contribute $15,000 of its building budget this year toward the cost as a sign of its commitment to the Accelerated Schools program. The school also will contribute the $15,000 annual affiliation fee after the 2008-2009 school year if needed, she said.
Abe Lincoln has a building allocation of $87,000 per year, similar to what each district elementary school receives. The money is used for classroom supplies, equipment, rentals, purchasing services and to pay for special events, such as a field trip or presentation.
"We will have to watch our budget very closely, but we feel it is worth the sacrifice," Van Meer said. "It is really a matter of shifting our priorities. Abraham Lincoln has been very fortunate to receive grant funding through Reading First and a charter school grant. The staff have been able to purchase many materials and resources for the classrooms because of these grants. This will make it a little easier to 'tighten our belts' in the future to pay for this affiliation with Accelerated Schools plus."
The school board is scheduled to vote on the funding request Monday, May 12.