High Point Academy Spartanburg An Applied Learning School

Teaching Positions Eligible for Hire

High Point Academy will hire elementary certified teachers for grades K-5^th grade.

Classroom teachers will be responsible for ensuring all subjects are mastered and students are prepared for their PASS test in the spring. Professional Development, mentoring and support will be given during a school year for all staff members. It is the teacher’s responsibility to produce the data based results in the classroom.
High Point Academy will hire staff members who specialize in an academic Core subject and are certified or highly qualified for middle school academics. (Math, Science, ELA, and History)
High Point Academy will hire appropriately certified high school teachers for the Core subjects of math, reading, history, and science.
Fine art, choral, PE, and any other elective offered by the school will have highly qualified and/or certified teachers in accordance to state law.
All staff will be provided professional development and on-going classroom support throughout the school year from FIAFW, Inc. This training will give them the necessary tools to successfully achieve the desired results within their classroom.

13. Insurance Coverage

i. Workers Compensation

This estimate is in the amount of $2266 yearly.

It offers:

Employers Liability Limit

Bodily Injury by Accident - Each Accident

$500,000

Bodily Injury by Disease - Each Employee

$500,000

Bodily Injury by Disease - Policy Limit

$500,000

ii. Liability Insurance

Business Property and Liability through The Hartford

$7021

Coverage: $1,000,000

Deductible: $5000

High Point Academy will carry the necessary minimums for coverage.

iii. Property and Indemnity Insurance

$ 7021

Coverage: $1,000,000

Deductible: $5000

High Point will carry the necessary minimums to protect the school and assets.

iv. Indemnity Insurance

High Point Academy will carry indemnity insurance to protect those that act on the behalf of the school. The coverage will be through Hartsford and is actually included in the Property quote.

v. Commercial Auto

Geico $4,205

1 vehicle

500,000 liability

1,000,000

500,000

14. Transportation

High Point Academy will not run buses to and from school.

15. Facilities

Identified Facilities

At this time High Point Academy does not have a facility identified. We have spoken directly with Spectrum Solutions to bring in portable classroom structures. More information and time will be needed to gather the final information concerning building space.

Facility Not Identified

High Point Academy has made several contacts concerning facility space in Spartanburg, SC. The planning committee feels the Highway 29 corridor between I-26 and I-85 is a perfect fit to place a centrally located school. With ease of access being only a few miles off of each highway and sitting directly on Highway 29, we feel High Point Academy would be positioned to grow and accommodate a variety of families from across the upstate region. The I-85 corridor is one of the fastest growing areas in the state of SC. Thus, HPAS is attempting to secure land in that region, through either purchase or lease.

If land is secured in the future, the possibility of placing a 25,000 square foot building on property has been discussed. Modular buildings have been discussed with the initial outlay for a modular school building costing approximately $30,000.
Equipment Needs
In its first year, High Point Academy has allotted funds for several large equipment purchases. In the initial budget, laptops for teachers and staff are included. Also, portable laptop computers that are shared among the students and classrooms will be bought. The piano lab funds are being donated through a private donor pending a charter being granted to High Point Academy.

Classroom tables, desks, and chairs are included in the initial start-up year budgeting and will be purchased to allow each student an appropriate work space. Classroom essentials, such as bookcases, reading books and station groupings, have all been budgeted for during the initial start-up year as well. As the school raises more capital, we will expand on our purchasing of these items.

A computer lab, filled with desktop computers has been put into the initial budget as well. This will offer a place for computer related activities as well as learning for students in language labs. Four portable media stations equipped with large flat screen television and blue ray wifi dvd players will be able to video stream educational channels. This has all been included in the school start-up budget. It is the High Point goal to provide an IPAD to each secondary student (6th-12th) within the first 2 years of operations. If a grant can be secured for this purpose, it will help to make this timeline move faster. All secondary students would receive an IPAD with their textbooks and secondary curriculum loaded onto it to allow easier transportation of these items. With the advent of technology in the classroom, it is High Point Academy’s intent to be cutting edge with required equipment.

16. School Management Contracts

High Point Academy, Inc. is negotiating with FIAFW, Inc. from Fort Worth, Texas to contract services in the area of school business, teacher training and other operational responsibilities indicative of a quality charter school. items for running a quality charter school. FIAFW, Inc. carries an active Board of Directors and officers that together make up over 26 years of charter specific school administration and teaching experience. The Board also includes successful grant writers and program coordinators that have developed educational models and begun new schools, partially funded with grant monies, in large school districts. Together the Board of Directors works to resource its information and provide quality services for charter schools. FIAFW, Inc.is a group of educators who, after running charter schools and creating new schools for a charter provider in Texas, has joined forces to create a CMO that will service schools specializing in cutting edge technology, STEM, and Fine Arts.

After working together as administrators, in a charter school district filled with Title I, economically disadvantaged children, Lori Manning and Katie Stellar found that their TEAM attitude and approach to administration was very effective. During their three year administrative tenure, their school tripled in student population. Test scores for the economically underprivileged children went from 49% passing in 2009 to 70% passing in 2011. The Hispanic subgroup rose in math from 53% to72% during the 2009-2011 testing period. The African American subgroup began at a low 34% passing in 2009 and rose 17% to 51%. Special Education students went from a dismal 14% passing to an impressive 63%. These math scores show a concerted effort by a TEAM of educators to make lasting improvements in a student’s performance. Science scores had an even greater improvement each year. Beginning at a shocking 42%, 27%, 47% 43%,40%, and 13% in the subgroups they rose to 66%,41%,67%,75%,63% and 41% in comparison. In some subgroups that was over a 40% improvement during the 2009-2011 testing years.

All educators know that with change comes results, and many times those results take time to show the real improvements made. However, these scores indicate a continually steady improvement under the leadership of this administrative team. The Pinnacle School received a Texas Gold Seal rating for those three years, not due to their overly outstanding yearly scores, but for their impressive improvements recorded year after year in each of these difficult subgroups. The sheer increase of these scores is an indicator that an effective educational model was put in place throughout the school. Imagine what these scores would be for a failing charter school in only a few more years, under that model. It is this experience and educational model that FIAFW, Inc, (Lori Manning and Katie Stellar and their team) want to provide for High Point Academy, Inc.

During this same tenure as administrators for Pinnacle, Lori Manning was assigned the responsibility for opening a brand new charter school in 2011 and split time as the administrator for both schools. All student recruitment, hiring, building preparations, and professional development fell to her leadership during the eight week timeline prior to school doors opening. The Branch Park Academy was the first school and ONLY school in the Honors School District that received a TEA distinguished Recognized Rating. In its inaugural year, this school received tests scores over 80% or higher in every subcategory for every subject. “More rigorous standards were implemented this year to determine the state’s Recognized rating. The new standards require 80 percent of all students and each evaluated student group to pass the TAKS, compared to 75 percent in previous years. Additionally, the school or district must achieve an 85 percent completion rate and must now have an annual seventh and eighth-grade dropout rate of 1.8 percent or below. The previous seventh and eighth-grade dropout rate requirement was 2 percent.” This is quote from the TEA website. This school used the educational model that had been developed, proven, and implemented at Pinnacle. We believe this proves demonstrated academic achievement for similar targeted student populations.

FIAFW, Inc. is authorized to do business in the state of South Carolina, according to the Secretary of State. Please see Appendix X.

High Point Academy, Inc. will contract various services to FIAFW, Inc. in a percentage payment of the EFA monies. The amount will remain at that percentage for the duration of the contract unless the High Point Board chooses to add additional services for FIAFW, Inc. to complete in which case, a greater percentage payment would be negotiated. High Point Academy will make a monthly payment to FIAFW, Inc. for the services performed. An invoice will be sent 30 days in advance, and High Point will be expected to release payment to FIAFW, Inc. by the due date on the invoice. FIAFW, Inc. is acting on good faith offering a 30 day net to High Point Academy Inc. No deposits or prepayments will be required.

The Planning Committee is responsible to place in force the contract for FIAFW, Inc. and hire the lead administrator.

FIAFW, Inc. will be contracted to provide:

Professional Development Services: Minimum Topics Include but are not limited to

All subjects/content area grades K-12

Common Core State Standards

Problem/Project Based-Learning

Smarter Balanced Assessment

Differentiated Instruction

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Rigor and Relevance

Data Driven Instruction

Integrating Technology with Instruction (including IPADS)

Classroom Management

Tutoring Services at least 40 hours per week

HR Service and PowerSchool oversight

Administrative and Educational Leadership & Consulting on site

Grant Writing

Benchmarking Data Analysis

Strategic Growth and Phase Planning

On Site IT Services

These services will be initiated upon board approval and acceptance of the contract. If High Point Academy fails to pay for the services when due, FIAFW, Inc. has the option to treat such failure to pay as a material breach of this contract, and may cancel this contract and or seek legal means. According to the Remedies at fault, High Point Academy has the same right to terminate this contract if FIAFW, Inc. is not providing said services for the school to reach its measureable academic goals. Either party must send a 30 day written notification that a default has occurred, with the receiving party has 30 days to remedy the default.

Table of Contents

Appendix A-Y

Appendix A………...Charter Committee

Appendix B…………Evidence of Support

Appendix C…………Conversion School Support

Appendix D…………Desegregation Order from SCPCSD

Appendix E …………School Calendar and Daily Schedule

Appendix F ………….Virtual School List of Courses

Appendix G………….Supporting Documents for described Ed Plan

Appendix H…………..Student Handbook

Appendix I……………Bylaws

Appendix J……………Articles of Incorporation

Appendix K…………...Organization Chart

Appendix L……………School Enrollment Form

Appendix M…………..Five Year Plan

Appendix N……………Ten Year Plan

Appendix O………….. Memorandums of Agreement for Negotiated Services

Appendix P……………Letter of Agreement from Sponsor regarding Compliance

Appendix Q……………Sample Job Descriptions

Appendix R……………Key Employee Policies

Appendix S……………Insurance Documents

Appendix T…………...Transportation Service Contract

Appendix U………..Floor Plan

Appendix V………..Proposed Lease or Rental Agreement

Appendix W………..Documentation from the SCDE’s Office of School Facilities

Appendix X………..Proposed Charter Management Organization (CMO) Contract

Appendix Y………..Evidence that CMO Can DO Business in South Carolina

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