APPLICATION <:>1 { I ( j IN J\I OJf~ East Fort Worth Montessori 00001 APPLICATION Application for an Open-Enrollment Charter School- Ejghth Generation Coversheet, page 1 of 2 Date of Submission: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 Name of Proposed School: EAST FORT WORTH MONTESSORI ACADEMY Grade Levels to be served: Maximum Estimated Enrollment: Year 1 Pre 10-3"' grade Year 1 198 Year 2 Pre-K3-3'" grade Year 2 216 Year 3 Pre-K3-3"' grade Year 3 261 Year 4 Pre-K3-3"' grade Year 4 283 Year S Pre-K3-3"' grade YearS 327 Name of Sponsoring Entity: EAST FORT WORTH MONTESSORI SCHOOL. INC. Note: The name must be exactly as it appears in the articles of incorporation filed with the Texas Secretary of State. Check one: X SOI(c)(3) nonprofit organization SBOE District: ____ __ Governmental Entity ESC: __ College or University Opening Date: ____ Chairperson of Board of Sponsoring Entity: Mrs. Nina LaFond ChiefExecutive Officer of Sponsoring Entity: Mrs. Nina LaFond ChiefExecutive Officer of Proposed Charter School: Mrs. Joyce Brown Applicant Mailing Address: 2717 Putnam Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112 Physical Address of Proposed Administrative Offices: ____________________(if different from above) Contact Phone # l..!t!ll..!~;;!!! Contact Email Address: List below the physical adln;;:S; campus and any proposed satellite campus: Main Campus 2717 Putnam Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112 Satellite Campus 1401 Main Street. Fort Worth. TX 76112 If necessary, attach additional satellite information. Will the school require all teachers to:! be certified? Yes Montessori Certification Will the school require that all teachers hold at least a bachelor's degree? Yes Will the school require the business manager to:! be certified No Ifyes, indicate the type(s) of certification that will be required- '. . Certified Public Accountant Certified Internal Auditor Certified Fraud Examiner --OtherTexas Association ofSchool Business Official certificatiOO- Will the school require the accounting andlor business office personnel to be hold at least iii bachelor's degree? Yes, or at least 5 years experience _ -.,' . .'.; "I... 00002-~ 351/05130/02-012 I •• J 0.'.. C­ ," - ~ APPUCAnON Applicationfor an Open-Enrollment Charter School- Eighth Generation Coversheet. page 2 of 2 TEe 12.120 states. "A person may not serve as a member of tile governing body ofa charter holder. as a member ofthe governing body ofan open-enrollment charter school. or as an officer or employee ofan open-enrollmentcharter school iftile person has been convicted ofa felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude ... " Has any of these individuaJs.­ NO Been convicted ofa felony? NO Been convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude? Has the sponsoring entity been involved in __.lCN~O!...-_ Litigation? __..IN,:!:O!L._ Sanctions from any state regulatory agency? IfYES, explain completely as required in other portions ofthe application. Has any ofthe individuals to serve as a member ofthe governing body ofthe charter holder, a member ofthe governing body ofthe charter holder, or an officer ofthe charter school- YES Been involved in bankruptcy? IfYES, explain completely as required in other portions ofthe application. Ifthe sponsoring entity already holds charters, have these charters been timely and accurate in reporting- N/A PEIMS information? N/A llJUlual audit? N/A participating in required annual evaluation? I certify that I have the authority as the Chief Executive Officer of the sponsoring eotity designated above to make application for ao open-enrollmeot charter school. I further certify aU informatioo cootaioed in this application is complete aod accurate, realiziog that aoy misrepresentation could result in disqualificatioo from the charter applicatioo process or revocation after award. I authorize the Texas Education Agency to iovestigate the references listed in this application. I understand tbat INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED for Generation 8 cbarters. dn / /ft~y; .:7 (BLUE INK Signature of Chief Executive Officer Of Sponsoring Entity/Date (BLtffi INK) Signature ofApplication Preparer Was this persoo paid? Yes No _~X_ 00003 2 APPLlCAT ION Table of Contents East Fort Worth Montessori School Page Coversheet 1-2 Section 1. Statement of Need 3 Section 2. Vision of the School 7 Section 3. Student Goals 14 Section 4. Educational Plan 17 Section 5. Governance Structures and Processes 29 Section 6. Human Resources Information 36 Section 7. School Officer Accountability 49 Section 8. Evidence of Eligibility of Sponsoring Entity 55 Section 9. Governance 57 Section 10. Community Support 64 Section 11. School Demographics 66 Section 12. Admissions Policy 67 Section 13. Code of Conduct 70 Section 14. Special Needs Students and Programs 79 Section 15. Business Plan 97 Section 16. Geographic area to be served and statements of impact 103 Section 17. Attachments Attachment 1. Biographical Affidavits for Members of Governing Board 104 and School Officers Who Have Been Identified Attachment 2. Manual of Human Resources Policies 129 Attachment 3. Salary Schedules for School Officers, Teachers, and Other Instructional Staff 163 Attachment 4. Organizational Chart 165 Attachment 5. 501 (c)(3) Determination Letter from IRS 167 Attachment 6. Articles of Incorporation filed with the Texas Secretary of 171 State Attachment 7. Bylaws 174 Attachment 8. Credit Report 185 Attachment 9. IRS Filing 188 Attachment 10. Evidence of Publication of Notice of Intent 202 Attachment 11. Evidence of Mailing Intent to City Council and County 204 Commissioner's Court Attachment 12. Notice of Public Hearing 210 Attachment 13. Registration Log of Attendance at Public Hearing 212 00004 APPLICATION Attachment 14. Synopsis of Public Hearing 216 Attachment 15. Letters of Business Arrangements 218 Attachment 16. Supporting Letters of Credit and Sources of Private 231 Funds Attachment 17. Start-Up Budget 234 Attachment 18. Budget for Year One of Operation 243 Attachment 19. Business Procedures Handbook 257 Attachment 20. Proposed Monthly Status Report 288 Attachment 21. School Calendar 294 Attachment 22. Lease Agreement 296 Attachment 23. Copy of Occupancy Certificate Showing Approval for 325 School Site Attachment 24. Asbestos Management Plan 328 Attachment 25. Map of Geographic Area 342 Attachment 26. List of School Districts from which Students Will Be 344 Accepted Attachment 27. Retum Receipts for Mailing of Impact Statements 346 Samples Curricular Alignment Project 351 Attachment 28. Applicant Checklist 355 00005 APPLICATION 1. STATEMENT OF NEED The East Forth Worth Montessori School (hereinafter "EFWMS") is committed to making high quality Montessori education available to low income, minority and those classified as "at-risk" children in a multicultural setting. The children currently enrolled in EFWMS, and who would attend the charter school, are residents of one of the four densely populated diverse urban communities in the City of Fort Worth, Texas (primarily in zip code areas 76112 and 76104 - see Appendix A for compared Census Tract). These communities, some with "island" middle class neighborhoods, are impacted by high poverty levels, low employment rates, poor housing conditions, high crime rates, minimal educational achievement for adults and high infant mortality rates. The average poverty rate in these areas is extremely high and many households have significant numbers of children under the age of 18. The impoverished conditions of these communities, and the impoverished homes within them, are the context wherein children with academically impoverished backgrounds exist. Communities and homes that lack environments conducive to leaming and resources necessary to provide stimulation produce children who come to kindergarten already behind their peers; children who will likely remain behind throughout their experience in school. (See Table 1 - insert) 00006 3 N APPUCA'TlO Ie"",..,,, Tract Demographics Polytechnic Heights area compared with the rest of the City of Fort Worth elementary high school, no degree 27.3% school graduate (only) 26.1% college 14.8% ICollej;le graduate 3.3% school graduate (alQ 44.2% 15.0% 22.3% ~erican Indian 0.3% lAsiianlPac;ific Islander 0.8% EFWMS currently serves, and as a charter school will continue to work with, children from these disadvantaged and diverse areas. All of the public schools in these areas have overcrowding issues. All have temporary buildings on campus and they are desperately trying to meet enrollment needs. (Currently, even EFWMS has a waiting list of 238 students). TAAS scores of students in these areas are at the low end of the spectrum for Fort Worth ISO. 00007 4 APPLICATrON The need, succinctly stated, is for a viable and vibrant early childhood development-learning academy, with a track record for lifting children above what their circumstances seem to have dictated - to give them, in the words of Dr. Maria Montessori, "a higher ground in the ladder of success". Overall, 95% of the students currently served by EFWMS qualify for free or reduced lunch, and 12% are non-English speaking. Data provided by the City of Fort Worth indicates that one-quarter of all children in the city live below the poverty line. A total of 75,597 Fort Worth families earn an income of less than $25,000 per year. Over 67% of that number live in the East Fort Worth neighborhoods that a charter-supported EFWMS can potentially serve. The Montessori charter school model, which is tuition free, is the appropriate vehicle to address this neglected need of students from impoverished backgrounds. The EFWMS program has elements specially designed to accommodate the needs of the under-privileged child. The founder of the Montessori method developed the pedagogy for "mentally and academically challenged" children, "defective children" in her 1896 terminology. Later she opened her first school, known as the Casa de Bambini, or Children's House, for the poor ghetto children of San Lorenzo, Italy. The success of this school became well known worldwide. We know that this pedagogy is effective with all children because of its holistic approach to learning. The Montessori method employs student sensory perceptions and repetitive stimulation of those perceptions in a variety of venues. In the formative years, students find security and enjoyment in sensory stimuli, and the Montessori approach provides this catalyst. Learning goals surround and then reach beyond 00008 5 APPLICATION those defined by and measured with TEKS evaluation guidelines. Goals include the personal fulfillment of the student, development of a love of learning and the child's perceptual assimilation. To a young child, it is a thrill to discover something unknown and to demonstrate to others his/her perception and accomplishment. Parental, peer and staff recognition and praise is an essential element in the success of this charter choice model. Additionally, the charter school model is well· suited to our purpose in that it allows for flexibility in the curriculum and alternative qualifications for the teachers. 'Alternative' in this case does not mean a lower standard of curriculum and qualifications. On the contrary, it means broader requirements for the classroom environment and curriculum, and training for teachers that specifically prepares them for the challenges of serving our target student population. 00003 6 APPLICAnON 2. VISION OF THE SCHOOL Our vision is to create an open enrollment community charter school with, ultimately, up to four different sites in Tarrant County. At these sites, children from pre-kindergarten (3 years old) through third grade, from ethnically diverse, primarily under-served low-income families will be prepared to fully meet all the challenges for quality educational accomplishments as well as success in life. Our vision also extends to creating learning environments; models that can be applied in other public schools. This vision is born not from pure theory, but from the seven (7) year history of success at East Fort Worth Montessori School, where we have crafted a model for overcoming deficiencies and educating young children of diverse backgrounds through the first grade. After one full year at EFWMS, our first grade students tested at 89% passing rate on standardized tests, with half of the skills measured falling in the top 20% when compared to other students nationwide. We believe that the current East Forth Worth Montessori School is an ideal precursor to an open enrollment charter school of excellence. And, that we have a rare combination of on-the-job experience - both as educators and as business managers - to bring this vision into reality. Our vision is that all children, regardless of race, income, or social circumstance, can and will succeed in school, and ultimately in life, when given a strong foundation during the first nine years of life. Furthermore, our vision is to expose our students to life experiences that will enable them to contribute to a better (J0010 7