Rachel mentions that every year, as part of the charter school accountability requirements, we must submit an annual report where we report out on different metrics set by DESE. 

Ann asks about the maximum enrollment. Does it include the high school?

Rachel says yes, 756 is the enrollment number once the high school reaches full capacity.

Dale asks if this is available on the website?

Rachel says yes and on the state website. 

David asks how we distinguish this from the accountability plan?

Rachel says that the accountability plan is a five year overview of how we are achieving accountability to our charter and it is found as an appendix within the annual report. 

Rachel says that this POS will be an addendum to our student and family handbook and these policies are what are new now that we are starting the high school. Our student and family handbook will apply to all students 5-12 and this addendum will apply only to the high school. Right now the entire student and family handbook is under legal review as some laws have changed and that handbook, in its entirety, will come to you for a vote at the August meeting. 

Some of the policies outlined include: 

Graduation requirements 

Degrees to be obtained

Course sequences 

Student selection and placement

Assessment and grading

Transcripts, etc. (everything to do with our academic program)

Robbie asks about what a unit is?

Rebecca says generally one unit refers to one year. 

Dale asks if there are basically 3 levels of graduation? One is a high school diploma with no college credits earned, one is graduating with a few credits toward a college degree and the final one is graduating with an Associate's degree. 

Rachel says yes, but our expectation is that all students in our high school will take some college credits because there will be college courses that double as high school courses. Students can decide along their personal trajectories and how they are performing whether they will take more or less college courses or graduate with an Associate's. 

Ann asks about course selection and placement?

Rachel says 9th graders will all start with a seminar class where they will do a lot of work around "habits of success" (time management, etc.) Their seminar leader becomes like an advisor and they will report out on each student's habits of success which will then play a role in determining their readiness for college classes (along with other factors). They will also have an early college liaison who will help them with managing the college class when their in it and coaching them around those habits of success. In the earlier years, we will hold their hands more and as they progress in their high school career, they will be more responsible for these things on their own. Our staffing in the high school is directly aligned with this unique, early college model. 

Aaron asks about how the students entering 9th grade will choose which of the two course plans they will follow?

Rachel says everyone is starting with the same plan and through 9th grade seminar they will be making these types of decisions. We will have a year with them to assess and develop their habits, determine their readiness, work with their families, and analyze their academic performance before they are making decisions like what course plan should I follow? 

Ann asks about our grading scale - is that standard?

Rachel says no, we developed it and it is aligned with standards-based grading which is what we have traditionally used. 

Aaron asks about the difference between early college and AP?

Rachel says it is more likely that early college credits from another institution of higher education will transfer to a institution of a higher education than AP credits.

Xiomara adds that most college foundational classes like English 101 will transfer from institution to institution. 

Rachel clarifies that we will not be offering AP classes, we will be offering the college class that an AP class would cover. 

Matt asks if this is an internal guiding document?

Rachel says it will become our official guiding policies. We highlight in this document that we will be developing these more over time. We have spent the past two years starting with the design team and most recently working with our early college partners to develop these polices in thought and now we've put them to paper. 

Ann asks about students with disabilities and ELL students?

Rachel says that we hope to put into place the programs and supports that will allow these students to succeed as well as peek interest in areas they didn't know they had an interest in or were good at and reinforce a commitment to lifelong learning. She adds we are currently working on the application for the early college designation which the Board will authorize us to submit in August.