High Point Academy Spartanburg An Applied Learning School

Students Outside the District

High Point Academy will include in its admissions policy, a statement that the school will not discriminate in admissions based on gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, academic ability or artistic ability or the basis of district the child would otherwise attend. Since High Point Academy Spartanburg’s district is the South Carolina Public Charter School District, (SCPCSD) any student from any part of South Carolina will be allowed to attend.

Student Appeals Process

If a parent feels inclined to appeal a decision of admission based on any reason besides the lottery, they may submit a written appeal to the sponsoring district. The decision will be binding on the student and the charter school. Because HPAS will be a part of the SCPCSD, there is no written appeal on admissions to the local school board of trustees.

4. Education

For today’s tech savvy students, lifelong learning is a part of their permanent set of responsibilities. Whether they are using a laptop, mp3, smart phone or other handheld device with computing capabilities, their lives are connected in every way to the attainment of new knowledge and practice. The world is literally instantaneously at their fingertips. It is our challenge to take this incredible learning opportunity and implement it in the midst of an educational setting. High Point Academy, through its use of electronic student portfolios, will harness the power of the information age in which we live and transform the corporate educational setting into a more user-friendly, individualized applied learning environment where students are excited about the way learning takes place.

The High Point Academy mission is to be a school that offers students an exceptional educational experience in an applied learning setting, where science, technology, engineering and math are taught from a hands-on perspective and students are encouraged to think beyond themselves. By using a thematic curriculum, High Point will teach students through project- based examples for learning throughout the school year. The core subject curriculum will follow the Common Core Standards and each classroom teacher will be able to use differentiated instruction (audible, visual, and kinesthetic) in such a way that students’ minds are captivated and successful learning takes place.

The individualized AAP will be in place to assist the students with greater need and challenge those who excel. By tracking students closely, a teacher and parent can make better prepared decisions concerning projects that best fit the student’s areas of needed growth. The AAP is a good example of individualized learning objectives, which will be used to make each student successful.

Educational and Curricular Program

Educational philosophy and pedagogy of the proposed charter school

The educational philosophy of High Point is founded on pioneering the path to success, influencing young minds and developing great leaders. In our charge toward accomplishing that goal, the overall mindset has been on creating a balance between exceptional academics, educational relationships, and extracurricular experiences. Every effort has been made to set up a school model that incorporates these vital characteristics. With that in mind, the High Point mission is three-fold: individualized Academic Achievement Plan, applied learning model with STEM emphasis, and student led community service projects that promote character development. These three emphases will shape a better prepared student for tomorrow’s world.

The curriculum that HighPoint Academy has decided to use is from E.D. Hirsch, Jr. Known for its rigorous approach for all children, the Core Knowledge series provides an opportunity for children to be exposed to more than the basics of their state’s educational standards. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) do require children to touch on Shakespeare, U.S. Documents, and mythology; the Core Knowledge series delves deeper into these classical pieces to bring out the relevance through the rigor. The Core Knowledge series, has children reading “texts in history/social studies, science, and other disciplines. Students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will also give them the background to be better readers in all content areas. Student can only gain this foundation when the curriculum is intentionally and coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades.”

Economically disadvantaged students thrive under this equalizing curriculum. All students, regardless of their background, learn ideas, history and classical literature to make them more effective in gaining skills for future endeavors. Since High Point Academy expects to be 40% or more economically disadvantaged, the E.D. Hirsch curriculum fits the bill of helping students be prepared for real life experience through building skills in knowledge. Hirsch states, he is “closing the shocking education gap for American children.” He explains how and why broad knowledge, not reading strategies builds reading comprehension. Vocabulary building, oral language and knowledge are the real keys to reading comprehension, according to the Core Knowledge Curriculum. With that in mind, High Point seeks to improve kids lives through education and understanding. We believe this is why the Core Knowledge curriculum best suits our school and offers.

The balance in literary texts among the core knowledge curriculum aligns itself with the common core state standards in ELA requiring roughly equal time of informational verses literary texts in lower grades. Another vocabulary builder that High Point intends to use is the Signing for elementary children. Studies show that children who learn to finger spell with American Sign Language have over 50 words more than their counterparts at the same age (Psychology Journal) Finger spelling also includes a kinesthetic approach to learning, giving these children an edge over their peers. Literacy is the foundation of all education, as well as the building blocks of success for a child.

The Common Core state standards summarizes a child’s growth in learning each year as they simply add a concept at each grade level. In math, the standards of operations & algebraic thinking, number & operations in base ten, number & operations-fractions, measurement & data , and data each compound in complexity until a student finally reaches the pinnacle of operations.

Social Studies and Science also have similar approaches as students build into the knowledge and communication of these subjects. Through literary texts, students are taught by experiencing or doing. Teachers will be given much freedom as they craft lesson plans that integrate technology, student interaction and classroom activities.
Exceptional Academics:

Increased Instructional Time will be a foundation upon which High Point is able to achieve the goals desired. Ninety minutes in math and reading allows teachers the time to be innovative and use hands-on learning in the classroom. True comprehension and increased retention occur when a classroom teacher has sufficient time to access each student individually. School will begin around 7:45 and finish at 4:15. A after school program will be available to all students grades K-8. Free tutoring for all students will be available daily until 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Extended Hours Tutoring will let all students have access to extra help or completion of an assignment that needed adult interaction. Free tutoring for all students will be available daily until 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The extended hours means longer work days for teachers but greater results for students.
Thematic curriculum is a concept found in the Core Knowledge Curriculum guide. It means that students learn the same classical material at their appropriate grade level and tie it into all the different disciplines, such as art, music, math, and history. It is a powerful tool for experiential learning.

Educational Relationships:

Strong School Leadership helps an organization promote character and respect towards teachers, students, and administration. When the school atmosphere is controlled, then all children learn in an environment that offers freedom from fears of bullying or discrimination. An adult mentoring coach (for younger students their classroom teacher and secondary students their homeroom teacher) will be available daily to intervene in the case of stressful and difficult challenges these students encounter. As the first point of contact, the mentoring coach gives each student an adult figure to help them overcome their social difficulties that could impede their educational progress.

Immediate Intervention for Struggling Students allows the High Point Academy staff to quickly assess the areas of student weakness and provide individual assistance as needed. Through the use of data, the deficit area presents itself and the relationship with the student allows effective tutoring and training. In sixth grade, each student will be assigned a homeroom mentoring coach. This individual will stay with that child until graduation. Each day this faculty member will have contact with the student. This will enable them to reach out, grow a relationship, and tutor as necessary over items they struggle with during class. This teacher becomes a familiar contact at High Point Academy, thereby creating strong educational relationships.
Extracurricular Experiences:

Extracurricular Experiences offer a balance for student learning. Piano labs, double-blocked math, double-blocked reading and physical education all provide some of the required activities and classes at High Point. Through self-expressions and extracurricular activities, students have the freedom to grow and blossom into their full potential. High Point plans to offer chess clubs, academic competitions, fine arts and athletics.

Community Service:

Applied learning at High Point Academy will be evidenced in a myriad of ways. Community service projects, presenting student discoveries in the classroom, and engaging audiences outside of the school walls, all constitute learning from an applied learning model. Having students involved in serving the surrounding community, builds better citizens and strong community relationships.

High Point Academy will strive to offer a rigorous and relevant project based learning curriculum. By following the Common Core Standards, each classroom teacher will be able to use differentiated instruction (audible, visual, and kinesthetic) in such a way that student’s minds are captivated and successful learning takes place.
High Point Academy will promote a culture built on close personal relationships with students and their families. Through these academic relationships, a program built on honor, integrity, and service will be woven throughout all aspects of the school, PK to graduation. This school wide initiative is designed to benefit the graduates of High Point Academy.

The school will have many innovative features that set it apart from other traditional public schools. These include:

A longer school day (7:45-4:15 Monday through Friday)
Longer hours offer more interaction and time to let students experience academic learning and participate in electives throughout the day. High Point will offer tutoring after school at no cost to its families, allowing all after school students and any other student access to academic help. Tutoring will also be given to all students that show evidence of need during school time.
Extended time during the day for English language arts and math (90 minute blocks for each subject per day)
High Point Academy will have two 90 minute periods daily for its students. This time will give effective training for repetition and practical opportunities. It allows teachers the time to include creative focuses in learning and hands on training to grasp hard to understand concepts. The double blocked reading will give ample time for students to take part in projects that create learning connections, making education more exciting.
Every student will have an AAP (Academic Achievement Plan)
The Academic Achievement Plan gives beneficial data and information concerning a student’s academic strengths and weaknesses. By compiling data for a student and anticipating where they may struggle, teachers can be more effective and efficient when approaching new concepts from year to year. Many of the Common Core are aligned by year and build on each other, fostering a deeper understanding of the necessary knowledge.
One Saturday each semester will be devoted to community service, which is integrated into the academic curriculum

The character development program that High Point wants to promote is grounded in three key principles: honor, integrity and service. We believe that exemplary leadership is critical for the future success of our students. A major part of leadership is a willingness to serve those that follow. True leaders are servant leaders. High Point wants to offer our students opportunities to make a difference in the community around them, experiencing servant leadership.

A tutorial summer session for students needing remediation for their PASS testing
Our emphasis is truly “No Child Left Behind!” High Point Academy will support all students that are in must pass to promote grades and help them strengthen their areas of deficiency. We will accomplish this through individual tutoring, the use of manipulatives, test taking strategies and personal tutoring. We understand that Title I money can help to cover some of this expense. However, our goal is to be actively engaged in the tutoring process by 2015 summer of existence.
Required clubs and sports as a part of the school day to broaden students’ experiences
We desire that all children have access to and experience in extracurricular activities. We understand that parental obligations will sometimes interfere with a student’s ability to commit to after school practices or rehearsals. We want to offer as many unique opportunities as possible to experience competition during the school day. Chess, debate, academic bowls, theater, solo/ensemble choral competitions, spelling bees, STEM competitions, and engineering teams might all become elective opportunities at High Point.

A mentoring and monitoring system that allows secondary students daily access to their homeroom mentor coach, fostering educational relationships
High Point students will spend time each day in their homeroom mentoring class. This largely affects middle school and high school students (grades 6-12). All students in these grades will be assigned a mentoring coach that will remain consistent with them throughout remainder of their High Point Academy career. Our goal is to create continuity among our students and staff members. It is our hope that this relationship will prove to be life changing. It is rare that mentor teachers are encouraged to transition a class through seven years of education. We want to pioneer this philosophy and create lasting academic relationships between students and staff.
Extensive eighth grade and senior year research projects and presentations required for promotion and graduation
Each of our “promoting” students (8th and 12th grade) will be given a research project that will reflect their particular area of interest. Students will choose projects based on their interest, resources, and desired of outcome. Their project will be recorded in an e-portfolio to show progression from 8th grade abilities to senior year development. These portfolios will also offer a permanent record of their work. Many colleges are interested in student based projects that make a difference in the world around them. By the time a student leaves High Point Academy, they will have transitioned from being children who are full of wonder to knowledgeable, responsible citizens that desire to affect the world around them.
Consistent monitoring of student learning, including administration of the Stanford 10 test, PASS, six-week achievement tests, and other appropriate benchmark or diagnostic assessments
We want to regularly monitor our students through benchmarking and other means. However, the test results are useless to a school if filed away in a child’s folder. Our goal is to create a list of Common Core Standards targeted to each individual student. This will allow the students to progress and show mastery along the way. We want immediate feedback and review from year to year. Our goal is to acquire a collective source of data that gives teachers and tutors insight into the learning habits of each child. Imagine if you are a new teacher in a school and have a classroom full of bright students eagerly awaiting your presentation. By knowing their learning styles, classroom concepts are connected more quickly. This is a much more efficient way to teach and offers faster concept mastery.
Multiple opportunities for parental involvement in all aspects of the school
The parents at High Point will have many opportunities to be involved in their child’s education. We will have a parent night every six weeks. At that event, students will present large projects that demonstrate the truly unique nature of our aligned curriculum experience. It will offer parents an opportunity to observe first-hand their student’s accomplishments. This involvement will also increase parent awareness and understanding of their child’s educational experiences.
Performance-based faculty and staff evaluations tied directly to student achievement results
Charter schools are allowed to hire teachers as at-will employees. This gives the freedom to reward a teacher, encouraging them to remain on staff. There are benefits on the flip side of this as well. If a teacher is not showing results in a classroom, they can be replaced. Proper training will make our teachers more effective and creative, allowing them to be on the cutting edge, giving High Point the advantage over more traditional schools.
The integration of technology into instruction at all grade levels
We want every student to experience technology daily in their classrooms. With such a high tech society, many of our students are well versed in the area of technological proficiency. To remain ahead of the curve, our teachers will be given regular training and classrooms will be consistently updated. All of our students will have access to in-class laptops and eventually High Point Academy wants to provide IPADS with a student’s e-textbook loaded on them for use during the school year. This would be given at no cost to the child. New Braunfels Texas school district has elected to provide all their 9th grade students and above a tablet for efficiency, textbook storage and classroom interaction. The funding for students 6-8^th grade has been secured. This cutting edge technology will make High Point Academy a stand-alone school of progressive proportions.
A robust visual and performing arts curriculum that allow students to display individual and group talent to the community
High Point Academy wants students to have unique opportunities that otherwise might never be presented to them in regular school district. We want to offer every child exposure to piano, music, choir, art, and dance as we believe these areas help produce well-rounded, better educated students and citizens.
Implementation of multi-disciplinary programs that teach students financial literacy, financial responsibility, and entrepreneurship
Another vision that we have for our students is that our school will provide opportunity for students to learn about business and financial success. During their middle school years, High Point Academy wants to teach young people to think like business-minded individuals. We believe if children are exposed to limitless possibilities, it opens their minds to dream of something more. Teaching proper money management and savings is a key component to success in life. Classes such as: “Developing business ideas”, “Creating business success”, “Building a sound business plan”, and “How to impact your own community and pay your way through college” are all electives or clubs we want to offer. Realizing that our student population will be largely Title I, we want to enable student success through post -secondary school. It is much like the old adage, “Give a man a fish and you give him a meal…Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life.” By offering classes that are geared toward success in life, High Point will be preparing students to be successful on a personal level.
Thematic Curriculum
An example of thematic curriculum would be as follows:

During a particular six weeks, a Common Core such as the War of 1812 would be announced. Teachers would spend the next six weeks using one class period every two weeks studying the War of 1812 and how it pertains to their subject area. Social studies would study the historical perspectives, while science might research and attempt to present models of technological pursuits during the war and year of 1812. Math might use the war statistics and create a graph or chart that shows the number of lives lost and from what part of the country they came. Or they may choose to focus on the caliber of bullets used in the war getting a feel for the actual grams of gunpowder needed to shoot a gun in that era. The literature class might read literature from that period or write letters to soldiers of that era. They might also choose to discover which poetry was popular then or what author was considered trendy and report on that person. The musical arts classes would study pieces of music from the time period and critique them. Then, they might sing a song for parent night. Finally, the art class might create a collage of items that soldiers would carry with them, or highlight an artist from that period. By bringing all these subjects together to study the War of 1812, a fullness of understanding is created that reaches beyond that which is understood if only one of their core subjects studied this historical event. Every six weeks a new unit would be studied and presented to the parents and school community.

Effective education is not meant to be teaching a child a test. It is intended to be teaching a child to think and investigate and examine the world around them, drawing conclusions about subject matter based on their own experience and research. Information comes to today’s students in tiny segments. Their minds are hard at work assimilating and organizing that information. High Point Academy takes seriously the task of helping today’s students digest the information gained, interpret its impact, and embrace its message in their own lives.
HPAS is a school where students are treated as individuals, education comes alive, and academics are applicable to real life. Striving to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and offering an exposure to fine arts and instrumentation, High Point Academy seeks to create well-rounded individuals. We will be a school where today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, and every student is encouraged to be a person of honor, integrity, and service.
Relationships also play a key role in the learning process. In the book, Student Engagement – Creating a Culture of Academic Achievement, Dr. Richard Jones states, “Strong positive relationships are critical to the education process. Students are more likely to make a personal commitment to engage in rigorous learning when they know teachers, parents and other students care about how well they do. They are willing to continue making the investment when they are encouraged, supported, and assisted. Building good relationships complements rigor and relevance. For students to engage fully in challenging learning, they must have increased levels of support from the people around them.”
Much of the research pertaining to characteristics of the most successful teachers contends that they should be involved in the school’s decisions for heightened effectiveness. This premise is one of the driving forces for the establishment of charter schools. The major distinguishing characteristic of a charter school, as compared to a traditional school, is the lack of bureaucracy that is typical in a larger school district. In a charter school environment, teachers have more input with regard to the curriculum, projects and teaching methods that engage students and lead to excellence. Through learning teams made up of teachers who analyze data, support and monitor one another and determine best practices and decisions for curriculum implementation, classroom teachers will wield the power to make the soundest instructional decisions to meet the needs of the student population, including our students with disabilities and those requiring bilingual, ESL or other special services. With this heightened teacher involvement, we reserve the right to alter curriculum decisions and non-essential assessments based on teacher recommendations, school leadership and Board of Director agreement.