School Administrator
School District Policies
Staff Evaluation
Project Liaison for FNA
Student Competency Testing
Funding Allocation and Costs
Per Pupil Allocation
Annual Program Budget
Risk Management
Indemnification
Accounting Methods
Student Fees
Compliance with Current Accounting Laws
Recording and Reporting Requirements
Access to School Records
Facility Location and Description
Safety Codes and Inspections
Facility Lease Arrangement
Maintenance and Janitorial Services
Instructional Personnel
Names of Teachers and Principal
Teacher to Student Ratio
Support Personnel
Evaluation
FEA and ESSA Provision
Description of the Student Population
Teacher to Student Ratio
Number of Students Served (FTE & Head Count)
Annual Student Count, By Name
Student with Special Services
VII. TRANSPORTATION
VIII. FOOD SERVICES
APPENDIX Table of Contents
Section One: GOVERNANCE
I. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & COMMITMENT
The Organizing Committee
As early as 2002, a group of educators interested
in starting a charter school based
on a foundation of Alaska Native history and culture began meeting
to discuss
this possibility. The group included parents, teachers, elders, and representatives
from many
of
the agencies
and organizations
that serve
Native children
and
families. Several community meetings
were held in Fairbanks.
In December 2003, this group formed the Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee and
started to design
a school which would
be more
meaningful and effective
for these students.
At that time they
focused
on 6th, 7th, 8th
and 9th grade,
intending to solidly
prepare the students
for the difficult
transition from
Middle School
to High School.
The
organizing group envisioned
the charter
school as an
essential part
of the development
of Alaska
Native leaders.
Charter
school students will
emerge
from 9th grade
level as dynamic future
leaders – knowledgeable
of Native heritage,
traditions and values,
and skilled in the
basics of subsistence.
Academic
Policy Council
As plans
evolved so did the governing structure
of the
organizing
group of community
members.
The Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee
formed the
Academic Policy
Committee (APC)
as the vehicle
to eventually
formulate and govern
the school. With AS
14.03.250 (b) and School
District
policy
935.13
in mind, indications
of interest in serving
on the APC
were
solicited
from teachers interested
in working
at
the school,
from parents
interested
in having their
children attend the
school, and from
members of
the original Native
Charter
School Organizing
Committee
who
met state
and district
criteria for
APC membership. Final
APC membership
was decided
by consensus among
Native Charter School
Organizing
Committee
members and
interested teachers.
Together
both Committees named
the new
school the Effie Kokrine
Charter
School
after a
prominent Athabascan
leader who
taught cultural education
for many
years in the
Fairbanks
North Star
Borough
School District
(School
District).
The
APC is made up of
educators,
parents,
Elders and
students within
the District
area. The
Charter School
will function
within the
legal structures
set forth by
the State of
Alaska,
the Department
of
Education,
and the local
School District.
All Committee
members
of the original
Native Charter
School
Organizing
Committee
and
the Academic
Policy
Committee,
are familiar
with Alaska
Statute
14.03.250 through
14.03.290,
with state
regulation
4 AAC
33.110, and
with School
District
Policy 935
on Charter
Schools.
During
the planning
and
implementation
stages,
the APC will
meet a minimum
of once
per month.
Everyone
is welcome
and
encouraged
to attend these
meetings.
Fairbanks
Native Association
In November
2004, after
much deliberation
about
the governance
of the Charter
School and
in
recognition
of State laws
and
School District
policies, the
APC made a
decision to
involve the
Fairbanks
Native Association
as leaders
in the
project. Therefore,
the
Charter School
is currently
a cooperative
project between
the
Academic Policy
Committee,
the Fairbanks
Native
Association
(FNA),
and Fairbanks
North Star
Borough School
District.
It
is the intention
of the FNA
Board of Directors
to
guide the
Academic
Policy Council
in their governance,
management,
and
fiscal oversight
responsibility
for
the Charter
School
during
the initial
years of operations
until the Academic
Policy Committee
attains legal
status as a
501(c)3 nonprofit
corporation.
The
Academic Policy
Committee membership
has since been
approved
by the FNA
Board
of
Directors and
are authorized
to
make decisions
to govern the
Charter
School in accordance
with FNA’s
responsibility
as a 501(c)3
obligations,
School Board
policies and
the laws
of
the State
of Alaska.
The President
and Chairman
of the FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
a member
of the APC
to assure such
compliance.
Any changes
in the membership
will also
be approved
by
the FNA Board
of Directors. Requested exceptions
from district
policies appear
in this charter
school
application,
with
the rationale
for the exceptions
provided in
pertinent sections.
Community
Advisory Committee
Interest
in helping with
the Charter
School as well
as in teaching
at the school
continues to grow
as word of the
developing charter school
has
spread throughout
Alaska’s
interior. Attached
are copies
of marketing
materials marked
as Appendix
XV – Outreach
Materials and
Flyers.
In
addition to
the Academic
Policy Committee,
the
Charter School
will develop
a
Community Advisory
Committee
made up of
people
interested
in developing
an
exceptional
educational
program for
Fairbanks.
Members will
be recruited
from
business partners,
agencies
that serve
families and
children,
educational
institutions,
community
leaders and
others who
are committed
to
the school’s
mission. Community
Advisory Committee
members will
be expected
to actively
support
the
school by helping
with
strategic
partnerships,
fund-raising,
long-term planning
or other needs.
The Community
Advisory
Committee
will have
seven (7) to
eleven (11)
members and
will meet
quarterly.
This committee
will not be
started
until after
the school
charter
is approved
by
the School
District and
the
Alaska Board
of Education
and Early
Development.
Basis
for the Curriculum
The Committees, with much community
involvement,
designed the
school around
the following
criteria established
as priorities:
• Teaching methods based in Native ways of instruction
and learning
• Active, project-based learning
• Curriculum based in Native knowledge of the world
• Presence and involvement of Native elders
• Use of broad community as a learning context
•
Building students’ pride in Native culture as an element in success
• Academic success
Project-based education is successful in small schools
across Alaska. Culturally appropriate
curricular and methods-of-instruction resources are available through
the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative
(funded by
the National Science Foundation
for ten years) and numerous other sources. The Charter
School
is
designed to
build on these
experiences and on the related resources in order to
immerse students in the knowledge,
values and
practices
of
Alaska Native
cultures. It is designed to help the
students experience
academic success
from within a cultural context. The Committee fully
accepts the
Alaska
State
Standards and related assessments as required measures of
that success.
In
Summary
As the school will be
operated and administered
by staff
members of
the Fairbanks North
Star Borough
School District,
it
is implicitly understood
that
the interests
of the School District
as well
as those
of the
Fairbanks Education
Association (FEA)
and the
Education
Support
Staff
Association (ESSA)
will be protected
and the policies
which have not been
waived
will be followed.
The Charter
School
administration and
the APC will
understand that
information
and technical assistance
to operate
a quality
school and education
system will be forthcoming
from the School District
throughout the life
of the school
as
long as the Charter
School is operated
within agreement
and charter of
the
School District.
The APC will
have
no less than seven
(7)
members
and
no
more than nine
(9) members.
As
per Alaska statute
and
district
policy,
the APC will
include
parents of students
attending
(or planning
to
attend) the school;
teachers
at the
school
(or persons planning
to
teach
at
the school); and
at least
one
other employee of
the school
(or
person planning
employment at the
school)
if
there is any
school
staff,
other
than teachers.
One seat is reserved
for
the principal /head
teacher.
One
seat will be filled
by
a Native
elder. One
seat
will be filled
by
a board member
from
the
Fairbanks
Native
Association.
One
seat will be
filled
by a University
of
Alaska Fairbanks
representative. Some
of the
four
specified seats
may
be held by members
also
meeting
the
need
for
parents
and
teachers. The
chair
may be a member
from
any seat except the
principal/head
teacher.
(Appendix
I –Committee
and
Board
Membership,
Appendix
II – APC
Member
Biographical
Sketches,
Appendix
III – EKCS
Bylaws,
and
Appendix
IV – Minutes
of
past
meetings,)
For
the
benefit
of
the
students,
the
Charter
School
as
an
educational
program
will
continually
be
evaluated
for
effectiveness
and
monitored
with
regard
to
its
compatibility
with
the
high
standards
of
education
in
the
State
of
Alaska.
II.
GOVERNANCE
Governing
Body
It
is
the
intention
of
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
to
guide
the
Academic
Policy
Council
in
their
governance,
management,
and
fiscal
oversight
responsibility
for
the
Charter
School
during
the
initial
years
of
operations
until
the
Academic
Policy
Committee
attains
legal
status
as
a
501(c)3
nonprofit
corporation.
The
Academic
Policy
Committee membership
has
since
been
approved
by
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
and
are
authorized
to
make
decisions
to
govern
the
Charter
School
in
accordance
with
its
responsibility
as
a 501(c)3
obligations,
School
Board
policies
and
the
laws
of
the
State
of
Alaska.
The
FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
comprised
of
nine
members
who
are
elected
by
the
membership
of
the
organization
which
is
the
Native
American/Alaska
Native
population
in
Fairbanks
and
surrounding
areas.
The
President
and
Chairman
of
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors
is
a member
of
the
APC
to
assure
such
compliance.
Any
changes
in
the
membership
will
also
be
approved
by
the
FNA
Board
of
Directors. (Appendix
I – FNA
Board
of
Directors)
Policies
and
goals
for
the
Charter
School
are
set
by
the
Academic
Policy
Committee.
After
the
beginning
of
the
initial
school
year,
the
Academic
Policy
Committee,
which
includes
the
Charter
School's
principal
and
at
least
two
other
teachers,
will
meet
on
a
monthly basis
to
discuss
issues
related
to
the
governance
and
administration
of
the
school
and
at
least
four
times
yearly
to
analyze
and
discuss
the
progress
in
achieving
the
policies
and
goals.
Following
State law,
the principal
of the
Charter School
was selected
by the
APC and
will have
the authority
to select
and supervise
employees of
the Charter
School.
Section Two: EDUCATIONAL STRATEGY
I. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Vision
In the vision of its founders, all children choosing to attend the
Charter School will be successful. The students will be young people healthy
in body, mind and spirit. All students will be taught using individualized
preferred
learning style. They will be active participants in learning Alaska
Native heritage and culture – well on their way to becoming dynamic
leaders.
In this vision, school is a place of support, development and learning
for the whole child. It is a place where learning builds on who the children
already are and where they come from. It uses their cultural background
as
the foundation of who they are. On this foundation, the school
helps to develop each child into a fully contributing member of his or
her cultural community.
In this vision, students enter the school understanding
its special mission and wanting to be a part of it. When they leave, they
leave
as successful
students, proud of themselves, hard working, and responsible. Charter
School students will be able to perform well academically and interact
constructively
with their community.
Supporting Research
In contrast to this vision and the reason for this type
of Charter school, it is proven that many minority students do not succeed
as well as they might
in traditional western schools. Research both identifies why and
suggests constructive alternatives.
In a 2002 report on learning
and understanding from the National Research Council’s Center for Education,
the authors develop seven principles of human learning, the use of which
in educational
settings improves learning
results. Four of these principles are especially relevant to teaching
children with varying cultural backgrounds:
- Recognizing differences
among learners is important in fostering teaching and learning;
- A
learner’s prior knowledge is the starting point for
effective learning;
- The practices and activities in which
people engage during learning shape what is learned; and
- Learner’s
beliefs about their ability to learn affect their success in learning.
1
That traditional western schools do
not always effectively employ these principles for Native American students
is well documented.
Over a decade ago, while
serving on the U.S. Department of Education Task Force that produced
Indian Nations at Risk, J. Reyhner drew on related research for
conclusions regarding
high dropout rates for American Indian and Alaska Native students,
including, “Inappropriate
curriculum, lack of a culturally-relevant curriculum with materials
designed for AI/AN students,” and “Passive teaching
methods. Too often the complaint is made by AI/AN youth that
they are ‘bored out’ of
school. Active learning strategies should be employed, where
students are encouraged to interact with peers, instructors,
and their environment.” 2
The National Research Council report’s
authors explain, “Students
presented with vast amounts of content knowledge that is not
organized into meaningful patterns are likely to forget what
they have learned and . . .
be unable to apply the knowledge to new problems or unfamiliar
contexts.”3 Being
able to teach with “meaningful patterns” – while
also starting with students’ prior knowledge and using
their differences – requires
knowledge of, and the ability and willingness to teach within
the students’ cultural
backgrounds – where they’re coming from. And, given
that the practices and activities used during learning affect
the success
of that
learning, teaching well again requires activities with which
the students are familiar and at which they can excel.
Research
specific to rural school instruction in Alaska supports this.
In Lessons Taught, Lessons Learned: Teachers’ Reflections
on Schooling in Rural Alaska, Dr. Ray Barnhardt concludes that
participatory and process-centered
curriculum, rather than a subject-matter approach, better engages
the bored learner and is more appropriate to the community and
cultural environments
of Alaska Native students. “Using projects, planned tasks,
or problems for one or more individuals in the school (or out
of it) as a tool of this
curriculum will involve experiential or active learning.”4
The
new charter school designed specifically to support Native student
success will be based on this and related research that
offers constructive
alternatives
to traditional classroom-based schooling. The mission, philosophy
and organizing principles of the Charter School, as well as its
curriculum, instructional
methods, criteria for staff, and the facility itself to the extent
possible, are designed to support success for students who choose
to attend a school
founded on Alaska Native cultures. (For a more thorough discussion
of research addressing Native Alaskan children’s educational
needs and performance, see Appendix V,
the Charter School Feasibility Study.)
Mission
The mission of the Charter School is to provide educational opportunities
for students to succeed in the world by developing a strong sense
of purpose, identity, place and community through cultural and
academic empowerment.
The Charter School shall provide an educational
program that shall advance students' mastery of basic skill areas including
mathematics,
science, health,
reading, language arts and social studies, appropriate to the
age of students included in the program. Provision will also
be made
for Alaska Native studies,
language and culture; physical education; music, art, and instructional
technology within the educational program.
Educational Philosophy
The philosophy of the Charter School is that, for
students to achieve their educational goals, their learning must connect,
or resonate,
with
them. To resonate, the students’ learning must be embedded in a
meaningful context. To achieve a meaningful context, the learning must
be based in who the students
are and where they come from – their homes and their culture.
Therefore, the school makes extraordinary efforts to relate curriculum,
teaching methods
and every aspect of the school experience to the homes and social
communities from which the students come.
• Cultural Values as School Organizing Principles
Traditionally, Alaska Native cultures assume that people realize their potential,
not through individual effort, but also through fitting into
their physical environment and through a complex network of support from their
family
and
communities. In this cultural context, effective schooling for
children must therefore be embedded in place and community – concepts
which are intimately connected in Native cultures. To support its students,
therefore,
everything
the school does contribute to belonging-in-a-place and to developing
community.
•• Family
Family members of the Charter School are required to provide active support
for their children, and for all the children, in the school.
They are expected to respect, support and praise the students. Parents or other
family
members
are required to give at least one hour per week -- or comparable
service -- to school projects. In their active role as models for the children,
parents
and family members are expected to demonstrate healthy personal
choices as well as commitment to cultural involvement.
•• Tribe
For Alaska Natives, the tribe is the relevant political community. It is
intended that Interior Alaska Tribal organizations will contribute
by developing new activities for their participation, i.e. by helping the students
establish
school government based on tribal governance practices. Tribal
organizations are expected to welcome the children into on-going tribal activities
and
decision-making. Tribal members are expected to teach their ways
of establishing purposes and achieving goals to the children by modeling these
ways and by
involving the students as much as possible. Further, tribal members
are expected to model appropriate public behavior for the students.
•• Community
One factor contributing to the uniqueness of this school is that the lines
among the influences on students (families, school, physical
environment, community) are much more fluid than in traditional schools. It
will not be unusual to have community leaders in the school, for instance.
It will
not
be unusual that school staff mix socially with school parents.
In design and implementation, the Charter School intentionally blurs divisions
between
school and related communities, thereby enlarging the children’s
sense of belonging within community.
•• The School
As the community learns more about the school’s philosophy, it is envisioned
that more people will be come involved in various ways including
building the basis for a culturally strong curriculum. As part of their commitment
to the school mission, school staff will have or gain a Native
knowledge base as the basis for staff behavior and instruction. Within the
guidelines
and policies not waived of the local education associations,
the school has built into the curriculum the use of community leaders and cultural
teachers
as instructional resources. The school will prepare students
for
state benchmark assessments, while adding to this success the values of Native
cultural communities.
Educational Goals
Relying heavily on a strong network of community members,
program and organizations, the school will develop students who 1) enjoy
and stay in school;
2) acquire the knowledge and skills stipulated in the Alaska Cultural
Standards for
Students, as adopted by the Alaska State Board of Education
and outlined below; 3) take pride in themselves and their cultural
heritage; 4) contribute
to community and benefit from belonging to community; and
5) perform at acceptable levels of academic achievement as measured by state
assessments.
CULTURAL STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS
A. Culturally knowledgeable students are
well grounded in the cultural heritage and traditions of their community.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1) assume responsibility for
their role in relation to the well-being of the cultural community and
their life-long obligations as
a community member;
2) recount their own genealogy and family history;
3) acquire and pass on the traditions of their community
through oral and written history;
4) practice their traditional responsibilities to
the surrounding environment;
5) reflect through their own actions the critical
role that the local heritage language plays in fostering
a sense of
who they
are and how they understand
the world around them;
6) live a life in accordance with the cultural values
and traditions of the local community and integrate
them into
their everyday
behavior.
7) determine the place of their cultural community
in the regional, state, national and international
political
and
economic systems;
B. Culturally knowledgeable students
are able to build on the knowledge and skills of the local cultural
community
as a foundation
from
which to achieve
personal and academic success throughout life.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1)
acquire insights from other cultures without diminishing the integrity
of their own;
2) make effective use of the knowledge, skills
and ways of knowing from their own cultural
traditions to learn
about
the larger
world in which they live;
3) make appropriate choices regarding the long-term
consequences of their actions;
4) identify appropriate forms of technology
and anticipate the consequences of their
use for
improving the quality
of life in
the community.
C. Culturally knowledgeable
students are able to actively participate in various cultural
environments.
Students who meet this cultural
standard are able to:
1) perform subsistence activities in ways
that are appropriate to local cultural
traditions;
2) make constructive contributions
to the governance of their community
and
the well-being
of their
family;
3) attain a healthy lifestyle through
which they are able to maintain their
own social,
emotional,
physical,
intellectual
and spiritual
well-being;
4) enter into and function effectively
in a variety of cultural settings.
D.
Culturally knowledgeable students are able to engage effectively in learning
activities
that are
based on
traditional ways
of knowing and learning.
Students
who meet this cultural standard are able to:
1) acquire in-depth cultural
knowledge through active participation and
meaningful interaction
with Elders;
2) participate in and make constructive
contributions to the learning
activities associated with
a traditional camp
environment;
3) interact with Elders in a
loving and respectful way that
demonstrates
an appreciation
of their
role as culture-bearers
and educators
in the community;
4) gather oral and written history
information from the local community
and provide
an appropriate interpretation
of its
cultural meaning
and significance;
5) identify and utilize appropriate
sources of cultural knowledge
to find solutions
to everyday
problems;
6) engage in a realistic self-assessment
to identify strengths and needs
and make appropriate
decisions
to enhance life
skills.
E. Culturally knowledgeable
students demonstrate an awareness and
appreciation of the relationships
and
processes of
interaction of all elements
in the world around them.
Students who meet this cultural
standard are able to:
1) recognize
and build upon the inter-relationships that
exist
among the spiritual, natural
and human realms in
the world
around them, as reflected
in their own cultural traditions
and beliefs as well as
those of others;
2) understand the ecology
and geography of the bioregion
they inhabit;
3) demonstrate an understanding
of the relationship between
world view
and the
way knowledge is
formed and used;
4) determine how ideas
and concepts from one knowledge
system relate
to those
derived from
other knowledge
systems;
5) recognize how and why
cultures change over time;
6) anticipate the changes
that occur when different
cultural
systems come
in contact
with one another;
7) determine how cultural
values and beliefs influence
the interaction
of
people from
different cultural
backgrounds;
8) identify and appreciate
who they are and their
place in the
world.
Curriculum Model
The curriculum for the
Charter School (see
the graphic representation
on
following page) is
structured around
twelve themes that
encompass the essential
cultural and academic
knowledge. These are linked to Native
cultural values
as
outlined
by the
Denakkanaaga Elders
and the Alaska
Cultural Standards
for Curriculum (listed
below). The themes
are organized
into a cumulative
series
of three-week-long
intensive
blocks in
which students participate
in classroom- and community-based
activities based on
the educational principles
and practices outlined
in
the Alaska
Standards for
Culturally
Responsive
Schools. A particular
emphasis is put on project-oriented,
culturally responsive,
place-based and experiential
curricular and instructional
strategies.
The three-week
intensive block schedule
is used
to allow greater
flexibility
in implementation
of the
curricular
and instructional
strategies and to
link with learning and experiential
opportunities in
the community. It will
also provide
a means for students
to acquire
credits and complete
requirements in smaller
increments than
a regular semester
schedule, based
on a performance-based
portfolio assessment
system. As the
Charter School develops
the block schedule
will provide
future
opportunities for
Charter
School students and
village high school
students to participate in exchange
programs.
A. A culturally responsive
curriculum reinforces the integrity of the cultural knowledge that students
bring with them.
A curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) recognizes
that all knowledge is imbedded in a larger system of cultural beliefs, values
and practices, each with its own integrity
and interconnectedness;
2) insures that students acquire not only the surface knowledge of
their culture, but are also well grounded in the deeper aspects of
the associated
beliefs and practices;
3) incorporates contemporary adaptations along with the historical
and traditional aspects of the local culture;
4) respects and validates knowledge that has been derived from a
variety of cultural traditions;
5) provides opportunities for students to study all subjects starting
from a base in the local knowledge system.
B. A culturally responsive
curriculum recognizes cultural knowledge as part of a living and constantly
adapting system that is grounded
in the past,
but continues to grow through the present and into the future.
A
curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) recognizes the contemporary
validity of much of the traditional cultural knowledge, values and beliefs,
and grounds students learning
in the principles
and practices associated with that knowledge;
2) provides students with an understanding of the dynamics of cultural
systems as they change over time, and as they are impacted by external
forces;
3) incorporates the in-depth study of unique elements of contemporary
life in Native communities in Alaska, such as the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement
Act, subsistence, sovereignty and self-determination.
C. A culturally
responsive curriculum uses the local language and cultural knowledge
as a foundation for the rest of the curriculum.
A curriculum that meets
this cultural standard:
1) utilizes the local language as a base from which
to learn the deeper meanings of the local cultural knowledge, values,
beliefs and practices;
2) recognizes the depth of knowledge that is associated with
the long inhabitation of a particular place and utilizes
the study
of “place” as a
basis for the comparative analysis of contemporary social,
political and economic systems;
3) incorporates language and cultural immersion experiences
wherever in-depth cultural understanding is necessary;
4) views all community members as potential teachers and
all events in the community as potential learning opportunities;
5) treats local cultural knowledge as a means to acquire
the conventional curriculum content as outlined in state
standards, as well as an
end in itself;
6) makes appropriate use of modern tools and technology
to help document and transmit traditional cultural knowledge;
7) is sensitive to traditional cultural protocol, including
role of spirituality, as it relates to appropriate uses
of local knowledge.
D. A culturally responsive curriculum
fosters a complementary relationship across knowledge derived from diverse
knowledge
systems.
A curriculum that meets this cultural standard:
1) draws parallels between
knowledge derived from oral tradition and that derived from books;
2) engages students in the construction of new knowledge
and understandings that contribute to an ever-expanding
view of the world.
E. A culturally responsive curriculum
situates local knowledge and actions in a global context.
A curriculum
that meets this cultural standard:
1) encourages students to consider the
inter-relationship between their local circumstances and the global community;
2) conveys to students that every culture and community
contributes to, at the same time that it receives from
the global knowledge
base;
3) prepares students to “think globally, act
locally.”
ALASKA NATIVE CULTURAL VALUES
The
following cultural values were drawn from sets of values adopted
by Alaska Native Elders from across the state and will serve as
the core values by which
the students and staff of the Charter School will engage with one another
and by which the curricular and instructional practices will be
implemented:
Respect for Elders
Love for Children
Providing for Family
Knowledge of Language
Wisdom
Spirituality
Responsibility
Unity
Compassion
Love
Dignity
Honoring the Ancestors
Honesty
Humility
Humor
Sharing
Caring
Cooperation
Endurance
Hard Work
Self-Sufficiency
Respect for Nature
Respect for Others
Peace
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Thematic Curriculum, Resources and Standards
Each of the twelve themes
outlined in the SPIRAL curriculum model above is linked to one or more
of the State Content Standards as well as the Alaska
Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools, so that all
of the essential subject-matter knowledge is taught in a relevant cultural
context whereby
students acquire the full range of necessary academic knowledge
and skills at the same time that they acquire the appropriate cultural
knowledge and
skills associated with the unique place in which they are
situated. (Appendix VIII - Detailed Curriculum Outlines as aligned with
Cultural Standards and
state content standards.)
While each three-week module
will focus on a particular aspect of the curriculum as it relates to the
specific
level of each cohort of students, continuous
attention will be given across all themes to the core areas
of language, culture, literacy and numeracy. When individual
needs warrant, students will
be able to enroll in college courses and training programs
offered through the Interior Athabascan Tribal College,
the University of Alaska and other
educational providers from throughout Alaska. Sample lessons,
units and resource materials associated with the SPIRAL
curriculum are available through the
Alaska Native Knowledge Network and summarized on the charts
attached to the SPIRAL curriculum outline.
Instructional
Methods and Materials
The instructional practices and teaching behaviors
associated with the SPIRAL curriculum model outlined above are based
on the guidelines for culturally
responsive pedagogy as specified in the Alaska Cultural
Standards for Educators (listed below), and they are consistent
with the Alaska Teacher Standards.
CULTURAL STANDARDS FOR
EDUCATORS
A. Culturally responsive educators incorporate local ways
of knowing and teaching in their work.
Educators who meet
this cultural standard:
1) recognize the validity and integrity of the traditional
knowledge system;
2) utilize Elders’ expertise in multiple ways in
their teaching;
3) provide opportunities and time for students to learn
in settings where local cultural knowledge and skills are
naturally relevant;
4) provide opportunities for students to learn through
observation and hands-on demonstration of cultural knowledge
and skills;
5) adhere to the cultural and intellectual property rights
that pertain to all aspects of the local knowledge they
are addressing;
6) continually involve themselves in learning about the
local culture.
B. Culturally responsive educators use
the local environment and community resources on a regular basis to link
what
they are teaching to the everyday
lives of the students.
Educators who meet this cultural
standard:
1) regularly engage students in appropriate projects
and experiential learning activities in the surrounding
environment;
2) utilize traditional settings such as camps as
learning environments for transmitting both cultural
and academic
knowledge and skills;
3) provide integrated learning activities organized
around themes of local significance and across subject
areas;
4) are knowledgeable in all the areas of local history
and cultural tradition that may have bearing on their
work as a teacher, including the appropriate
times for certain knowledge to be taught;
5) seek to ground all teaching in a constructive
process built on a local cultural foundation.
C.
Culturally responsive educators participate in community events and activities
in an appropriate
and supportive
way.
Educators who meet this cultural standard:
1) become active members of
the community in which they teach and make positive and culturally
appropriate
contributions
to the well being of that community;
2) exercise professional responsibilities in
the context of local cultural traditions and
expectations;
3) maintain a close working relationship with
and make appropriate use of the cultural and
professional
expertise
of their co-workers from the local
community.
D. Culturally responsive educators
work closely with parents to achieve a high level of complementary
educational expectations
between home and school.
Educators who meet
this cultural standard:
1) promote extensive community and parental
interaction and involvement in their
children’s
education;
2) involve Elders, parents and local leaders
in all aspects of instructional planning
and implementation;
3) seek to continually learn about and
build upon the cultural knowledge that
students
bring with them
from
their homes
and community;
4) seek to learn the local heritage language
and promote its use in their teaching.
E.
Culturally responsive educators recognize the full educational potential
of each
student and provide
the
challenges necessary
for them to achieve
that potential.
Educators who meet this
cultural standard:
1) recognize cultural differences as
positive attributes around which
to build appropriate
educational experiences;
2) provide learning opportunities
that help students recognize the
integrity
of the knowledge
they
bring with them and
use that knowledge as a springboard
to new understandings;
3) reinforce the student’s
sense of cultural identity and
place in the
world;
4) acquaint students with the world
beyond their home community in ways
that expand
their horizons
while
strengthening
their own identities;
5) recognize the need for all people
to understand the importance of
learning about
other cultures
and appreciating
what each has to offer.
Scheduling
Requirements
The Charter School will operate at
all times designated in the Charter
School
seasonal
year calendar. The
school day shall be 6 hours long
with sessions starting at 8:00 a.m. and ending
at 3:00 p.m. based on the School District’s
Middle School schedule taking
into consideration the related transportation
schedule.
The Charter School will
be in session a minimum of 180 school
days per
year, organized
around
twelve three-week
modules, each module consisting of a minimum
of 60 hours of learning activities,
some as many as 8 hours of learning
activities.
One
of the modules will overlap
the student count days ending the fourth
Friday in October of each year. Additional
modules will be offered as inter-sessions
and in the summer, on an as-needed
basis. A minimum of one module
per cohort level will be offered
during
each three-week
block of
instruction. The scheduling of each module will
take into consideration the seasonal
appropriateness
of the theme and the potential
opportunities for experiential
activities available in the community/region.
Evaluation and state assessments
will be scheduled accordingly
and timely
as determined further by the
APC during the
planning year. (Appendix
VII – Proposed
Daily Schedule and Seasonal Calendar)
Evaluation
Procedures
Evaluation of the success
of the SPIRAL curriculum model in
achieving
the educational
goals
outlined for the Charter
School will be based on student
performance as it relates to
the Alaska Cultural Standards
for Students,
including
the state
Content Standards.
In addition to meeting all federal
and state assessment requirements,
Charter School students must
maintain a comprehensive
and cumulative
portfolio
documenting their work in each
curriculum module, by which their
proficiency
will be evaluated based on relevant
performance
criteria
defined
in the form of
rubrics spelled out in reference
to the learning goals for each
module (as they
relate to
the respective cultural and content
standards associated
with the
module). Each student starting
out as a freshman will have completed
44
of the
48 modules
satisfactorily to earn 22 credits
to graduate.
Teacher Professional
Development
Teachers (and all
staff) choosing to work at the Charter School
will be
expected
to be knowledgeable
in Alaska
Native cultures, Native knowledge
systems and Native ways of knowing,
as well
as the teaching
practices
associated with the Alaska Cultural
Standards for Educators (as indicated
above), along
with the Guidelines for Preparing
Culturally Responsive
Teachers, Guidelines for Nurturing
Culturally Healthy
Youth, Guidelines
for Respecting Cultural Knowledge
and the Guidelines for Strengthening
Indigenous Languages.
As a foundation,
teachers are encouraged to take the following
courses, which
also apply to Alaska
Department
of Education
and Early Development continuing
education requirements:
ED/CCS
610 – Education
and Cultural Processes (including
Old
Minto Camp)
ED 681 – Place-based
Education (oriented to Interior
Alaska)
CCS 608 – Indigenous
Knowledge Systems
A one-month staff development
course, the Native Culture
Immersion Course,
will be
held every
summer prior to
or overlapping the opening
of school, and all school staff
are required
to teach for it, or take it
as students, or both.
It will
be rigorous,
in-depth
professional growth in the
development of learning resources and their
integration into instructional
design. The course
content will
range from Native culture
and languages to the history
and founding principles of
the Charter School. Participating
teachers will
talk with elders
and other Native leaders,
so they know how to integrate
these people with their students.
Teachers
will get site-specific instruction
about all the Fairbanks
and Interior region
resources available to augment
classroom-based instruction,
so they know what they
can draw from and build on.
They will attend Native community
festivals, dinners, meetings
and other functions to come
to understand
Native
ways of being in the world.
Every
year, the products resulting
from the Native Culture Immersion
Course will
Effie Kokrine Charter School 