Is Newsletter Sept 2007

Learning Communities of Achievement and Hope

Imagine Schools is a national organization, comprised mostly of teachers, committed to helping parents and guardians educate their children in high-quality public charter schools.

Inside this issue: Classroom News: The Power of Positive Talk

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Imagine Forum Award Winners

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3 Meet Maryea Flaherty, 2007 Imagine Schools Teacher of the Year

Announcing...

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Imaginings For the Imagine Schools community V o l u m e

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I s s u e

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S e p t e m b e r

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First Things: What Does it Take to Be an Imagine Teacher? By Eileen Bakke, Co-Founder and VP for Education Welcome to an exciting new school year at Imagine Schools. We are pleased to welcome 15 new schools and many talented educators to the Imagine Schools family. Together, we are poised to change the lives of nearly 25,000 students and their families nationwide! At our Annual Forum and Celebration in Arizona, there was a popular rallying cheer. To the question, “Who is Imagine Schools?” there was a resounding cry, “I AM IMAGINE SCHOOLS”. Imagine Schools is not a management company. We are educators, joined together to create wonderful places for kids to learn. We teach children. What does it take to be an Imagine Schools educator? First, being an Imagine person requires a commitment to embrace and attempt to live out our shared values of integrity, justice, and fun. These are lofty sounding words, and you’ll find that we take them very seriously. Integrity means wholeness, honesty,

and trustworthiness. It means moral and personal consistency. It has to do with my personhood and with my identity. Am I the same person at home as I am at work? Do I treat the less powerful as well as I treat the more powerful? Do I say the same thing to a person’s face that I say behind their back? Am I truthful? Can people count on me? Justice means the fairness, dignity, and respect with which I treat others. Justice does not mean sameness. Since each person is unique, made in the image of God, justice means that we treat each person uniquely as they need and deserve. We must balance competing needs, and attempt to do what is right and good for others as well as for ourselves. Justice drives our mission to provide a challenging, safe, and nurturing learning environment for every child enrolled in our schools. Fun has to do with the community we create. In many ways this is the most intriguing and misunderstood of our shared values. We want all teaching

and learning to be fun. Fun means creating an environment where every person can contribute their gifts and talents to make something wonderful happen. A fun place to teach and learn is a place that fosters and celebrates taking responsibility, assuming risks, making decisions, taking action, failing and learning from those failures. School and regional leaders must give away power in order that others can exercise their gifts in making decisions and taking responsibility. That is what makes a workplace fun. Our job is to create joy at work in our schools, and joy in learning in our classrooms. Whether you are new to Imagine, part of a new school, or a veteran, your challenge is to make these values yours. Challenge one another to set the bar high in our conduct toward one another. Then, figure out how to communicate these values to students, to parents, and to the larger community so that they understand and support them. continued on page 3

Advanced Science – Is It Elementary? By Tad Hartman, Imagine Academy of Environmental Science & Math, St. Louis, MO Science in a child’s world is complex. A simple latex balloon can present an almost limitless collection of queries— Why does a helium balloon float but a balloon filled with air sink? Why does a balloon make a loud noise when it pops? Is the loudness based on size? Color? The instrument used to pop the balloon? The balloon premised questions posed by a 6 year old have their basis in physics. So now the question arises — do we teach physics to a 6 year old? I

must say yes. Many may argue that density of gasses (why a balloon floats or sinks) is not in the national science standards outlining the curriculum for a 6 year old—therefore we cannot introduce that yet. I advise against such rigidity. Teachers must not misperceive the standards to be a defining blueprint of all content in the curriculum. Introducing advanced themed science to lower elementary children lays the foundation of a crucial science knowledge base. Must a kindergartener or 1st grader remember

the definition of density? Of course not. The child will remember, however, that a balloon bumped along the ceiling of the classroom for an afternoon and it did so for a reason; a reason that can be answered with science. The skills that can be developed through such scientific experiences will foster curiosity about everyday life, enthusiasm for asking questions and seeking answers, and comfort in working collaboratively with other young scientists.

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Classroom News: The Power of Positive Talk By Krystal Boxeth, Education Associate

Resource Corner: Donors Choose is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit website, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, called Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund. You can request an almost endless number of supplies for your classroom. The process is easy and rewards are abundant. Visit www.donorschoose.org for steps to finding the resources you need for your school and promoting economic sustainability.

Studies conducted in recent years evidence the importance of vocabulary in child development. Research shows that both the amount of vocabulary introduced, and the quality of the words heard by small children have a major impact on their vocabulary development. Hart and Risely (1995) meticulously recorded every spoken word over the course of an hour between parent and child in 42 families ranging in background from professional, working class and welfare families. They found that; “by age 3, between professional and welfare parents, there was a difference of almost 300 words spoken per

hour. Extrapolating this verbal interaction to a year, a child in a professional family would hear 11 million words while a child in a welfare family would hear just 3 million.”

What are the implications of this research in the area of vocabulary develTheir findings show that in a typical hour, opment? As Imagine Schools educators the average child may hear: aiming to support parents in educating their children, we hope that these findWelfare: 616 words ings will cause us to carefully consider Working Class: 1,251 words our daily habits and structures in and out Professional: 2,153 words of the classroom. We must look carefully at how we: Discrepancies in the quality of words heard: 1. Speak to children in our classrooms, Welfare: 5 affirmations, 11 prohibitions

seeking to offer encouragement and affirmation instead of using words that will prohibit constructive conversation, continued on page 4

Measures of Excellence Corner 2007 Imagine Schools Forum Awards Congratulations to the following award winners recognized at the Imagine Schools Summer Forum in Phoenix, Arizona! We are proud of you!

New School of the Year Imagine Harvard Avenue Community School, Cleveland, OH

Developer of the Year Peter Harvey, Ohio Region

Most Improved Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Middle & High St. Louis, MO

Teacher of the Year Maryea Flaherty, Imagine Cortez Park, AZ

Shared Values Awards Winner: Imagine Great Western Academy, Columbus, OH

Distinguished Service Award Dr. Leonora Farrah, Board Chair, AZ

Runner Up: Imagine Renaissance Academy for Math & Science, Kansas City, MO

Joy at Work Awards Marge Dailey – Imagine Early Learning Center, Sierra Vista, AZ

New School of the Year: Imagine Charter School at Tempe, Tempe, AZ

Kelly & Craig Willis – Imagine South Lake Charter School, Clermont, FL Brandy Reihl – Imagine Renaissance Public School Academy, Mt. Pleasant, MI Mona Milner – Imagine Great Western Academy, Columbus, OH Dianne Tulley – Imagine MASTer Academy, Ft. Wayne, IN

Imaginings

Working Class: 12 affirmations, 7 prohibitions Professional: 32 affirmations, 5 prohibitions

Overall School of the Year (co-winners) Imagine Great Western Academy, Columbus, OH Imagine Charter School at Cortez Park, Phoenix, AZ

Most Improved: Imagine E. H. Lyle Middle & High College Prep, St. Louis, MO Parent Choice Awards Winner: Imagine School at Cortez Park, Phoenix, AZ Runner Up: Kissimmee Charter Academy, Kissimmee, FL New School of the Year: Imagine Harvard Ave. Community School, Cleveland, OH

Co-Runners Up: Imagine Charter School at Weston, Weston, FL Imagine Charter School at Bell Canyon, Phoenix, AZ New School of the Year: Imagine Charter School at Camelback, Phoenix, AZ Most Improved: Imagine Conner Creek Academy, Warren, MI Character Education Awards Winner: Imagine Hope Community Charter School, Washington, DC Runner Up: Imagine Charter School at Cortez Park, Phoenix, Arizona New School of the Year: Imagine Charter School at North Manatee, Ellenton, FL Honorable Mention: Imagine Renaissance Academy for Math & Science, Kansas City, MO Economic Sustainability Awards Winner: Chancellor Charter School at Lantana, Lantana, FL

Runner Up: Kennesaw Charter School, Most Improved: Kennesaw Charter School, Kennesaw, GA Kennesaw, GA New School of the Year: Imagine Harvard Ave. Community School, Cleveland, OH Academic Achievement Awards Winner: Imagine Charter School at East Mesa, Mesa, AZ Most Improved: Imagine Charter School at North Lauderdale, N. Lauderdale, FL

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Meet Maryea Flaherty, Imagine 2007 Teacher of the Year Maryea Flaherty is the recipient of the 2007 Imagine Schools Teacher of the Year Award. This year, she will teach Reading and Language Arts to 6th-8th grade students at the Imagine Charter School at Cortez Park in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the past 6 years she has taught 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade at Cortez Park. What prompted you to become a teacher? The teachers I had growing up prompted my desire to be a teacher. The great ones inspired me and made me want to emulate them; the notso-great ones stirred within me a desire to change education. I knew I wanted to become a teacher from a very young age. I went to Hillsdale College, a liberal arts college, to broaden my knowledge base in all areas, not just teacher education. My first job out of college was teaching at an inner-city school in Detroit. I taught there for one year and then moved to Arizona to escape the frigid winters in Michigan! This is my sixth year at Cortez Park.

How has working for Imagine Schools impacted your teaching or influenced you in or out of the classroom? The philosophy of Imagine Schools impacts my teaching in a positive way. It gives me room to grow as an educator because I am empowered to make sound decisions regarding how I teach and am not given a mandate to teach in a certain way. Mr. Villalon, my principal, has always trusted my choices and allowed me the freedom to learn about and use different teaching strategies. I also believe that I have grown as a leader as a result of the Imagine philosophy because I have had the opportunity to lead task forces and make important decisions for the school.

collective whole (what I perceive as "justice"), they learn how to be tolerant and accept differences. I treat them all with love and respect, but “I am not just a always consider their teacher. I am a unique needs in decisions I make regarding member of a discipline, grading, etc. By modeling this and school and a talking about it, my stucompany and I dents learn to accept strive to help differences; they learn every individual is a maintain the that little different and that is something to celebrate. health and

strength of both.

If you could address the entire Imagine Schools community, what advice would you give them in light of you journey thus far?

What is one way you reflect the Imagine I am an Schools shared values in your classroom? JUSTICE = I teach my students that "fair" Imagine Schools does not always equal "the same". I teach Teacher.” and implement a policy that "fair" means treating everyone differently depending on their Never become too comindividual needs. My students learn tolerance fortable and never stop learning. Hold yourself and acceptance because I am consistent. When to the highest possible standard and never stop the students in my class are shown that they improving yourself, even if you've been teaching will each be treated as an individual and not a or working at your current job for 20 years!

First Things: What Does it Take to Be an Imagine Teacher? By Eileen Bakke, Co-Founder and VP for Education These shared values form the basis for an outstanding character education curriculum for adults as well as our students! Second, being an Imagine person necessitates that you take responsibility, not only for your classroom, but for the success of the whole school and even the whole organization. We believe that the success of our schools is up to each person in our organization. Taking responsibility for the whole means that you: (1) commit yourself to continual evaluation and improvement in our six measures of excellence; (2) know your school budget and use Imagine’s resources honestly and wisely; (3) become a problem solver, not a complainer; (4) throw out your job description, and be willing to help out, lead, or

serve wherever you see a need; (5) trust others, give advice and feedback, celebrate others’ accomplishments; (6) take responsibility for a decision you didn’t make or even agree with; (7) care about the well being of the Imagine school across town or across the country, offering whatever you can to help everyone succeed. Third, being an Imagine person means that you are in the business of changing lives. Dallas Willard, professor of philosophy at USC, recently wrote a book about the place of moral knowledge in education. He states, “Historically, the role of a teacher was to change lives, not to impart information.” Of course we must teach our students skills and a core body of knowledge. However, through our teaching and modeling, we embrace the mission of changing students’ lives for the better. Being an Imagine teacher involves loving your students enough to care deeply about each one’s intellectual, emotional, physical, and moral development. I started my first school in Beaufort, SC when I was

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12 years old. Two friends and I set up a summer recreation program for neighborhood kids and named it “The Humpty Dumpty Day School”. We charged parents $2/ week and the graduation exercises were covered in the local newspaper. I helped start my first “real” school, a K-8 independent school named Rivendell School, when our children were toddlers. We created wonderful literature-based curriculum, and had lots of parent involvement, rich field trips, and strong visual and performing arts. My chief goal for the school was that we would create a place where students loved to come to school each day and loved to learn. What are the ingredients to creating a “joy in learning” classroom and school? I hope that each of you will make it your pursuit to create joy in learning as you begin this wonderful new school year with your colleagues and students. I wish each of you a challenging, fulfilling, and joyful year. Know that I admire you and pray for you in your special calling as an Imagine Schools educator.

Announcing... Congratulations!

married on September 1st.

• Isabel Berio,General

• Cara Downerd (2nd

• Ralph Garbart was pro-

• Lisa Meuse (curriculum

Counsel, was promoted to Senior VP

moted from Principal at River's Edge to Area Director of the Central Florida Region.

• Shawn Black was promoted from Principal at

Kennesaw Charter School to Regional Director of Georgia.

• D'Anne Tombs-Shelton was promoted from

Principal at Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy to Regional Director of Missouri

• Krystal Boxeth was promoted from 5th grade

Teacher at Hope Community Charter school to Education Associate.

• Dennis Cagle was promoted from Principal at

Imagine Charter School at Desert West to Regional Director in Arizona.

Celebrations! Imagine Great Western Academy

• Jericho Strausbaugh (2nd grade teacher) was

grade teacher) was married this summer. coach) birth of baby girl in May.

• Lauren Ramspacher (Kindergarten teacher) engaged to be married.

Imagine School Charter at East Mesa • Lyle Cady, (Music Teacher) will be married on Sept. 8th. Imagine Schools at Cortez Park • Mrs. Tina Cerrano (4th grade teacher) married on June 23rd. • Mrs. Stephanie VanLonkhuyzen (1st grade teacher) married on July 21st. • Mrs. Rebecca Tamboli (Special Education teacher) birth of daughter, Kaehli, on April 24th. The Day School at Coral Springs • Jamie Mavrides (Teacher, Pre K4) engaged

August 18th to Randy McCurley.

• The Day School at Coral Springs was voted

The Best Private School for the second year in a row. Mr. Jerry Zank was voted the Best Principal (Head of School) for 2007.

Hope Community Charter School

• Steve Robinson (5th grade teacher) was married August 4th.

• Tara Sigovich

(Kindergarten Teacher) will be married to Michael Williams Sept. 29th.

• John Miller

(Facilities Manager) starts Facilities Management School this fall.

EHLA College Prep: • Home Depot donated $250.00 so the environmental science class could decorate the school’s foyer. Students planted various plants and flowers too!

The Power of Positive Talk By Krystal Boxeth, Education Associate 2. Create ways for students to begin to acquire new vocabulary; using diverse resources (e.g. newspapers and scientific articles) with rich vocabulary; 3. Create relevant opportunities to explore applying and using new vocabulary in and out of the classroom; and 4. Actively provide ways to encourage parents and families to expand their children’s vocabu-

continued from page 2 lary through conversation and do so in an affirming way. Opportunities are endless when it comes to encouraging parents, but we must take our job as educators seriously. Knowing that “children who read even ten minutes outside of school experience substantially higher rates of vocabulary growth between grades 2 and 5 than children who do little or no reading” (Anderson,

1992) should be reason enough to compel all teachers to explore new ways to reach out; providing parents with new tools to communicate and to encourage their children to read at home. For more on research by Betty Hart, Ph.D and Todd R. Risely go to: http:www.brookes publishing.com/store/books /hart-1979

Who is Imagine Schools? We are an organization, comprised mostly of teachers, that operates public charter schools and independent schools in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Our mission is to help parents educate their children by creating learning communities of achievement and hope. Imagine Schools was founded with the goal of restoring vision and purpose to the learning environment and to returning parents to full participation in the education of their children.

Learning Communities of 1005 North Glebe Road, Suite 610 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-527-2600 Fax: 703-527-0038 E-mail: [email protected] Newsletter Editor

Imagine Schools’ founders, Dennis and Eileen Bakke, are passionate about making a difference in education by applying a unique organizational and operational structure guided by shared values of integrity, justice, and fun. This structure puts teachers and school leaders squarely in charge of the decisions affecting the schools they serve.

“I just wanted to let you all know how impressed I was with your sincere, lightedhearted, and dedicated introductions last night. Your team made me so proud about my decision to place my "little Masterpieces" in your care each day.” - Middle School parent, Hope Community Charter School