CHILDREN'S AID COLLEGE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL

THE VISION OF THE CHILDREN'S AID COLLEGE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. BY FOSTERING EACH CHILD'S HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT EARLY IN THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS, AND BY PROMOTING LEARNING AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORTED BY MEANINGFUL PARENT OR CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT, THE CHILDREN'S AID COLLEGE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL WILL PUT ITS STUDENTS ON THE PATH TO COLLEGE SUCCESS. WE BELIEVE THAT COLLEGE GRADUATION WILL PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE THE LIFE OF THEIR DREAMS. WE USE A RESEARCH-BASED COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH DESIGNED TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES AND FOSTER HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH UNDERPINS OUR WHOLE CHILD APPROACH TO EDUCATION. OUR FRAMEWORK: STRATEGIC TEACHERS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: OUR SCHOOL'S PROFESSIONAL CULTURE IS ONE OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND SUPPORT, WHICH FACILITATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TEACHERS' EXPERTISE IN STRATEGIC INSTRUCTION AS THEY WORK TOGETHER TO MASTER NEW STRATEGIES AND REFINE THEIR PRACTICE. CACPCS PRIORITIZES A RIGOROUS CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, CO-TEACHING, AN EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY AND SCHOOL YEAR, AFTERSCHOOL, SUMMER CAMP, ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORTS SUCH AS MENTAL AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING SERVICES, PARENT ENGAGEMENT, SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES, AND MEDICAL, DENTAL AND VISION SERVICES THROUGH CHILDREN'S AID OR OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. DEEPER LEARNING: CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT OUR RIGOROUS CURRICULUM IS ALIGNED WITH NEW YORK STATE'S NEXT GENERATION LEARNING STANDARDS, AND IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE HIGHER-ORDER THINKING, CONTENT MASTERY, AND THE TRANSFERENCE OF LEARNING. TEACHERS, WITH THE GUIDANCE OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, REFLECT ON AND IDENTIFY THE KEY CONCEPTS THEY WANT STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND DETERMINE THE EVIDENCE THEY WILL USE TO MEASURE THE EXTENT TO WHICH STUDENTS ARE MASTERING THE DESIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. LESSON PLANS INCORPORATE FIVE EPISODES OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION: 1) PREPARING STUDENTS FOR NEW LEARNING; 2) PRESENTING NEW LEARNING; 3) DEEPENING AND REINFORCING NEW LEARNING; 4) APPLYING LEARNING; AND 5) REFLECTING ON AND CELEBRATING NEW LEARNING. CO-TEACHING: CACPCS LEVERAGES THE STRENGTHS OF THE THOUGHTFUL CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK WITH A CO-TEACHING STAFFING STRUCTURE CONSISTING OF TWO TEACHERS ASSIGNED TO EACH CLASS. CO-TEACHING PROVIDES OUR STUDENTS WITH NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY WHICH IS PARTICULARLY SUPPORTIVE OF VERY YOUNG STUDENTS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORTS: LIFE COACHING: THE GOAL OF LIFE COACHING IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND PARENTS WITH THE COORDINATED AND WHOLE-SCHOOL SUPPORTS NEEDED TO ADDRESS KEY BARRIERS TO LEARNING. THE LIFE COACH IS THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMBER DELIVERING A SET OF PROGRAMMATIC PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND ENRICHMENT STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENTS. CHILDREN'S AID-LINKED HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: CHILDREN'S AID COMMUNITY SCHOOL STAFF HELP FAMILIES CONNECT TO MEDICAL, VISION, DENTAL, OR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED AT CHILDREN'S AID'S NEARBY LICENSED MEDICAL CLINIC OR AT OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS. CHILDREN'S AID HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIVISION ALSO PROVIDES STUDENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS WITH WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS FOCUSED ON HEALTHY LIVING (E.G. NUTRITION EDUCATION, FAMILY LIFE AND SEX EDUCATION, ASTHMA WORKSHOPS). IN ADDITION, CACPCS'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING AT 1232 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, BRONX, NEW YORK, INCLUDES A MEDICAL SUITE FOR A NURSE AND VISITING PRACTITIONERS (E.G., VISION AND DENTAL SCREENING) WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A DEDICATED SPACE FOR THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES. COMMUNITY AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES: CACPCS IS A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY ARE EMBRACED AS PIVOTAL PLAYERS IN THE SUCCESS OF THEIR CHILDREN. CACPCS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS AND ONE ANOTHER. CACPCS AND CHILDREN'S AID STAFF SUPPORT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN ACCESSING, COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES WHEN NEEDED. EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: EXTENDED DAY AND EXTENDED YEAR: CACPCS HAS A LONGER SCHOOL DAY (7:45 A.M.-3:15 P.M.) AND A LONGER YEAR (180+ DAYS) THAN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS ADDITIONAL TIME ON TASK LEVERAGES THE STRENGTHS OF CACPCS'S RIGOROUS CURRICULUM AND SUPPORTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL. ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING: CHILDREN'S AID OFFERS ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING TO OUR STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY LIKE VISUAL ARTS, THEATER, DANCE, AND GARDENING. THE AIM OF THESE PROGRAMS IS TO HELP OUR STUDENTS IMPROVE INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, SELF-ESTEEM, AND TEAMWORK; ENHANCE ACADEMIC SKILLS; SPARK INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY; AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND EXPAND THEIR WORLDVIEW. OUR SUCCESS: IN MARCH 2022, THE NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF REGENTS GRANTED A SECOND FULL FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL OF THE SCHOOL'S CHARTER TO JUNE 2027. CACPCS STAFF AND LEADERSHIP WORKED HARD TO PROMOTE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND HAVE GAINED THE CONFIDENCE OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS. DUE TO A RIGOROUS CORE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, CHILDREN'S AID COLLEGE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED ACADEMIC PROGRESS ON INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS AND NEW YORK STATE ELA AND MATH TESTS. SPECIFICALLY, ACROSS ALL GRADES, CACPCS OUTPERFORMED ITS LOCAL DISTRICT IN ELA AND MATH IN 2024 AND 2025.