Connections Newsletter & Annual Report Winter 2017

ANNUAL REPORT CONNECTIONS NEWSLETTER WINTER

2017

GROVESACADEMY.ORG

Apr 20 ADHD and Executive Functioning April 20, 2017 from 7-8:30 pm Presented by Holly West Jones, M.A., ADHD Coach and Educator

May 4 Assistive Technology Mini-Series

May 4, 2017 from 6-9 pm Presented by Todd Hanson, Groves Academy Director of Technology This Mini-Series will look at tools and strategies to help the LD/ADHD student gain independence and success in the classroom through lecture and demonstration.

6:00-6:55 = Active Reading 7:00-7:55 = The Writing Process 8:00-9:00 = Note Taking and Study Skills

May 16 Taking Charge:

Advocacy for Students

May 16, 2017 from 7-8:30 pm Presented by Colin Roney, M.Ed., Groves Academy Dean of Students

Planning Your Legacy with Groves Academy While monthly and annual gifts support ongoing work, legacy gifts can build capacity to make a difference in the lives of more students in the future.

Members of Groves Academy’s legacy group are making a difference through planned gifts to Groves Academy.

Jun 1 Meditation and Mindfulness:

The Multiple Proven Benefits on Executive, Social-Emotional, and Regular Daily Functioning June 1, 2017 from 7-8:30pm Presented by Ethan Schwehr, PhD LP NCSP Groves Academy Licensed Psychologist

$15 Admittance | Current Groves Academy families and Learning Center clients attend free of charge.

Dates, times and topics subject to change.

Whether it is a specific, residuary, percentage or contingent bequest, these donors find it possible to be extraordinarily generous through their wills. Through legacy giving, you can continue supporting transformative learning for future years.

Stay in-tune with events at Groves Academy by signing up for our monthly e-newsletter! You can do so by reaching out to Steve Hall at halls@grovesacademy.org

For more information about legacy giving, please contact Becky Busselman at busselmanb@grovesacademy.org or 952.915.4269.

To register or learn more please visit: grovesacademy.org/events or call 952.920.6377.

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CONFIDENCE, SUCCESS, AND PURPOSE Dear Friends, It is hard to believe that the school year is more then half over. It seems like students just came running through the doors from summer vacation. This fall we had a record 255 students start school. The 190 returning students welcomed the 65 new students with open arms.

In addition to our school, Groves has two additional programs—The Learning Center and the Institute for Professional Learning. Through these programs, we will serve approximately 900 students and over 400 teachers from twin cities communities this year. In addition, the Institute for Professional Learning is working with two charter schools, two school districts, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities to bring better literacy practices to their students.

It is exciting to be involved in such transformative work, and we are thankful to have generous donors like you who believe in us. Without your support, we would not be able to build confidence, success, and purpose in as many students as we do. Thank you, and I hope you will continue to support us as we strive to reach

“...Each year we are making a difference, together, for nearly one thousand students in need.”

even more children who will benefit from our expertise.

Warmly,

John Alexander Executive Director

CONTENTS 2

A New Role for John Alexander

8-9

2

Summer Programs 2017

10-11 2015-2016 Financials

3

Alumni Profile

12

The Principles of our Literacy Framework

4

Board Member Profile

12

Board of Trustees

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Faculty Profile

13

Singapore Math at Groves

6-7 How Groves Academy is Unique

40th Annual Scholarship Gala

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Nullam dictum same philosophy remediating felis eu pede mollis pretium. academic weaknesses and developing strengths and talents by using our specialized curriculum and teaching techniques, while maintaining small class sizes.

An exciting new leadership role for John Alexander

For students entering grades 2-8, the morning program is academic— reading, writing, and math; the afternoon program offers fun enrichment activities designed to tap into talents, creativity, and interests.

Children can participate in either the morning or the afternoon program— or both.

John’s new Executive Director role is being created in order to better support the growth of our three program areas: Our School, which serves students with learning disabilities and attention disorders in grades 1-12; The Learning Center, which provides educational services to the community; and the Institute for Professional Learning, which supports literacy instruction among educators, schools, and other organizations. In this new role, John’s focus on the higher level strategic initiatives will unify the three programs and allow Groves to make a difference in the lives of more students, teachers, and schools in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond.

For students entering grades 9-11, academic programs are offered in study skills, math, and writing.

For more information please visit grovesacademy.org/summer or contact Curtis Olufson at olufsonc@grovesacademy.org.

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In case you missed it, we want to share with you our exciting news. Groves is pleased to announce the appointment of John Alexander to the new position of Executive Director of Groves Academy.

John joined Groves Academy as the Head of School in 2005.

Under his leadership Groves has become a national leader in literacy and educating students who have learning disabilities.

He has transformed the organization to broaden the impact on students, teachers, parents, and the community as a whole.

We have begun a national search for a new Head of School and expect to fill this position before the start of the 2017-2018 school year.

We believe these changes will allow Groves to continue growing and further our vision to redefine the way our nation is taught, one student, one teacher, and one school at a time.

An Empowering Start at Groves Leads To Success Interview with alum Charlie Pihl How long were you at Groves and what were a few key things that you learned at Groves?

I attended Groves from first grade through fifth grade (1997-2003). Back then, I don’t think ADHD/LD’s were often diagnosed at an early age so I was the only first grader. I was put in a class of five kids ranging from 2nd to 4th grade. I had the same teacher for 3 years!

My academics focused on math, reading and writing.

It was nice to be an environment where I got a lot of one-on-one help and where I was with other kids that struggled. Groves gave me a solid foundation in math and reading that was critical for when I transitioned back into a mainstream school. Also, Groves taught me how to advocate for myself. Being able to advocate for myself was a skill I needed to use all the way through college.

What did you do after Groves?

After Groves, I transitioned to Orono schools. I had an IEP at Orono and the teachers were really helpful. I graduated from Orono in 2010 and attended the University of St. Thomas. At UST, I utilized the LD services and advocated for myself when I needed extra assistance. I graduated from UST in 2014 with a degree in Marketing. Currently, I work for Protolabs in sales.

How did your time spent at Groves prepare you for your next steps in life?

Groves taught me how to break projects down into manageable steps. I was taught time management. I learned how to work hard. I learned to ask questions.

I learned how to advocate for myself. I learned that everyone has their own struggles.

What are some or one of your favorite memories of Groves?

I don’t have a specific memory that stands out except that I remember that the entire staff at Groves knew my name and were so friendly. It was a nurturing environment for me and my peers.

Do you still keep in touch with anyone from Groves?

I left in fifth grade (which was 15 years ago), but I am Facebook friends with three of my old Groves peers!

Why do you think Groves is an important asset to the Twin Cities community?

I was very lucky that I grew up in a community that has a school like Groves. Groves provides comprehensive testing for kids that have ADHD or LD or both. Once diagnosed, Groves can provide a variety of resources to help the kids get the support they need to be successful. Groves’

intention is not for kids to become dependent on their services, but for kids to thrive and become empowered.

Without Groves, many kids would fall through the cracks.

Your employer recently made a gift to Groves.

Why did you choose Groves Academy as the charity to nominate for your workplace gift?

I wanted to give back to Groves because it got me on the right trajectory to be successful in school.

What do you do at Protolabs?

I am an Account Manager at Proto Labs. Proto labs is the world’s fastest manufacturer of custom prototype and low volume parts (3D printing, cnc machining, and injection molding.) I have been there almost two years and I love it! I work with a great sales team and get to work on some super interesting projects.

What would you tell a student who was new to Groves about the school?

As a student, I struggled and it was very frustrating.

Groves provided the attention and necessary resources I needed in order to be successful. At Groves you realize you are not alone and that everyone there believes in you. If I had not attended Groves, I do not think I would be where I am today.

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Board Profile | Tom Schnack Groves Academy Board of Trustees Q & A with current Groves Academy Board of Trustees chair, alumni parent, philanthropist, and retired Ecolab executive.

Why are you passionate about Groves Academy?

Groves helped a great deal with my family and specifically, our son Adam and his friends. I am also passionate about Groves because it has a broader mission than just the students at school. The work Groves does with literacy outreach is very important. Groves’ mission is one of growth meaning Groves is always getting better and better.

Better in the school and better at leading the way in our community.

How did you end up getting involved at Groves?

Our son Adam attended Groves. Friends of ours, Ken and Nancy Woodrow, were parents at Groves and Ken recruited me to volunteer. Ken was a big part of the school and the board. We worked on setting the financial structure and he connected me to the capital campaign and then eventually to a board member position.

What did Groves do for Adam that he could not get at other schools?

The number one thing Groves gave Adam was selfconfidence. It also gave him a community of kids like himself and the ability to self-advocate. It gave him the help to get a driver’s license and a full-time job. Groves also provided Adam with the skills to attend University of Iowa’s REACH program without a hiccup for two years. Through Groves, Adam found a drive to keep doing more. It has provided him with a life-long connection to the school and other Groves alumni. He is proud of Groves as an organization and a school.

Looking back at your time at Groves, what does it mean to you to be an Alumni parent?

I am proud to be an alumni parent because I see the growth in our son and you see all the things that were supported

by Groves over the years to help him be independent and happy and a better citizen. I want to help be able to provide this opportunity to more kids and people in the community. It doesn’t stop with Groves. I feel passionately about connecting to other organizations in the community and area. There are never ending opportunities to share the good work that Groves does.

extracurricular activities and athletics, enhanced parent engagement, summer programs, and expanded outreach with John Alexander. They have also recently changed with the formalization of The Learning Center and the Institute for Professional Learning. The mission has remained the same but Groves has grown with resources and talent, to reach and give back to more students, families and communities.

Groves just doesn’t stop growing.

What is your proudest accomplishment in your tenure on the Board of Trustees?

The best is yet to come.

You have been very philanthropic at Groves. Why do you continue to support Groves?

It made a difference in our life. My philosophy is to continually give back. Jeanne and I have been blessed with opportunities we didn’t think we would have. Groves provided an opportunity to Adam and our family and because of that, we have a lifelong obligation that we love to fulfill and that is to support Groves families and Groves communities. It’s part of a legacy endowment from Adam and our family.

What message would you send to the greater community about Groves Academy?

It makes a difference. Our School is a great school.

The Learning Center makes a boarder community impact through its services. The Institute for Professional Learning helps get more kids reading at grade level earlier.

How has Groves changed in your tenure on the board?

Groves has gone from a small school of about 130 students to a school of 255. It has gone through multiple sets of strategies that are consistently improving. They have added capacity to the school, programming opportunities,

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"The work Groves does with literacy outreach is very important. Groves’ mission is one of growth meaning Groves is always getting better and better. "

"It is important to have a good sense of humor while teaching Middle School."

Faculty Profile | Pat Baillie We sat down with much-loved middle school teacher and division co-director Pat Baillie to discuss her more than twenty years at Groves Academy Why did you choose to teach at Groves Academy?

I had a career in business and worked in that world for 16 years. I made a career shift, received my BA in Social Studies, and got a job working as a paraprofessional at a school. Because of that job, I realized I liked working in a school environment and got my graduate degree in Special Education from St. Thomas. I saw a job posting at Groves and decided to apply. I started in 1995.

How has Groves Academy changed over the years?

How has your role at Groves evolved?

When I first started teaching at Groves, Lower School and Middle School were combined into one group – grades 1-8 together. A construction project to build the new Middle School wing allowed Groves to create three separate divisions. Along with my colleagues, I was able to help set the vision and plans for the new Middle School. I have my Middle School certification from St. Cloud State University and understand the philosophy of the Middle School movement. Back then, we had seven teachers.

The Groves Middle School vision is always evolving depending on the students’ needs.

What do you like best about teaching at Groves?

Twenty-one years in, the ability to work with the kids and materials at their pace is what I enjoy best about teaching at Groves. In addition, the access to assistive technology

and our focus on study skills. My colleagues are amazing.

Everyone shares ideas and works on projects together.

We eat lunch together every day and that helps creates community and a great support system.

What do you like to do outside of Groves?

Traveling, gardening, playing with my grandkids, and walking my dog, Grace What do you like best about teaching Middle School?

All of the teachers who teach Middle School at Groves want to be there. They understand it can be a hard time for kids. I like Middle School the best because the kids are so variable and can be sweet and child-like at times and then other times are starting to think like an adult. I empathize with the kids and understand what they going through. It is important to have a good sense of humor while teaching Middle School.

Do you have a funny or interesting story to share?

In 2002, reading the novel Custer and Crazy Horse, I was talking with my students about how the American Indians got their names from something that happened in their family. A student raised his hand and said he knew what my name would be and then said “Eyes-in-back-of-head”.

He clarified by saying, “because you know what we are doing all of the time.”

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GROVES ACADEMY IS AN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN MINNESOTA. Groves Academy is a leader in education advocacy and literacy instruction comprised of three strategic programs: Our School, The Learning Center, and the Institute for Professional Learning. Our vision is to redefine the way our nation is taught, one student, one teacher, and one school at a time.

We will always honor our passion and commitment to serving students who have dyslexia, related language-based learning disabilities, and ADHD. For more than 40 years, our devoted and highly trained teachers, specialized curriculum, small class sizes, and thorough understanding of learning disabilities have helped thousands of students in our school and community.

We believe that we have an obligation to share our proven teaching methodology more universally, for the benefit of those students who are not succeeding in the mainstream education system.

TODAY GROVES IS COMPRISED OF THREE DISTINCT PROGRAMS: Our School, and The Learning Center, and our Institute for Professional Learning.

OUR SCHOOL is Minnesota's only

established school for students with learning disabilities and attention disorders, and a national leader in educating students who learn differently. Grove Academy students are bright, capable, charming, and kind.

When our students are given what they need, highly trained, dedicated teachers, small class sizes, and specialized curriculum, they feel successful, gain confidence, and discover a sense of purpose.

• 255 students enrolled in grades 1-12 this year • 73 students receiving scholarships this year • Groves students stay on average 3-4 years before successfully transitioning • Students can advance over two grade levels in reading during their first year of instruction • 90% of Groves students participate in extracurricular activities • 72% of our new students tranfser from a public school • 90% of students have a learning disability • 80% of students have a learning disability in reading (dyslexia) or writing • 63% of students have ADHD • Groves students live in 33 different school districts •

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Student to teacher ratio is 8:1

THE LEARNING CENTER allows many

children and families in the community to benefit from our expertise in diagnosing and supporting those with learning disabilities, attention disorders, and executive functioning deficits.

The Learning Center serves hundreds of families in the community who do not attend our school, but who benefit from our expertise.

Groves has been offering community outreach services for many years, and the Learning Center was created in 2015 to centralize and expand this offering.

The Learning Center has touches the lives of more than 900 students each year.

THE SERVICES CURRENTLY OFFERED INCLUDE: Diagnostic Evaluations Tutoring Summer Academic and Enrichment Programs

The INSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING was established in 2016 to share

the proven teaching methods from our school with other teachers, schools, school districts, and other mission-driven organizations in the Twin Cities and beyond to advance literacy instruction for all children.

Over many years in our school, we have developed the Groves Literacy FrameworkTM to teach reading and spelling. This approach has been proven successful and can advance students over two grade levels in reading during their first year of instruction.

WE PROMOTE LITERACY FOR ALL LEARNERS VIA TWO TRACKS: We train individual teachers who are seeking better literacy instruction methods for their own classrooms We partner with entire schools, districts, and organizations to support them in improving their organization’s approach toward literacy instruction.

Career and Postsecondary Coaching

• Number of teachers trained: 400+

Speech - Language Therapy

• Number of partnership programs: 3

Assistive Technology Counseling Educational Consulting

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Saturday, April 8, 2017 Six O’clock in the Evening Marriott City Center, Minneapolis

Come celebrate with us at the 40th Annual Groves Academy Scholarship Gala, Groves Academy's premiere fundraising event of the year. This special event helps students and families who need Groves Academy but cannot afford to pay the full cost of tuition.

This year’s line-up is sure to be a success. WCCO’s Mark Rosen will emcee the evening. Comedian and award-winning professor, Tim Clue is the featured keynote speaker.

Challenged by ADHD and dyslexia as a young man, Tim ultimately earned his Master’s degree and went on to lead a successful career.

Other highlights of the evening include a cocktail reception with pre-dinner experiences like punchboards, a wine toss, silent auction and more. An elegant dinner and dessert will be served before moving on to the program, followed by an exciting live auction and ending the evening with live entertainment from PopRocks.

Tickets on sale at grovesgala.org.

THE YEAR IN NUMBERS 2015-2016 FINANCIALS

Revenues Tuition $6,866,973 Outreach

$1,439,014

Institute for Professional Learning $59,133 Financial Aid Disbursement

Total

Annual & Scholarship Gifts Restricted Gifts

($892,571) $7,472,549

$1,309,459 $0

$214,725 Other Income/Loss Net Revenue Total

$8,996,733

EXPENSES Program Expenses

$6,487,901

Operating Expenses

$1,799,801

Fundraising

$602,892

Net Expense Total $8,890,594

NET GAIN 2015-2016 donor list can be found at grovesacademy.org/donorlist

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$106,139

REVENUES

Tuition Outreach IPL Program Annual & Scholarship Gifts Other Income

EXPENSES

Program Expenses Management & General Fundraising

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Over many years in our school, we have developed our own literacy framework to teach reading and spelling.

This approach has been proven successful and can advance students over two grade levels in reading during their first year of instruction. We share our approach with other educators and organizations.

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF GROVES LITERACY FRAMEWORK™ 1. Quality Core Instruction

Use of an explicit, systematic, multisensory, evidencebased Orton-Gillingham curriculum which teaches reading fundamentals.

2. Data-based Decision Making

Instruction, intervention, and student grouping decisions made using assessment data.

3. Response to Intervention (RTI) Model

Students who deviate from projected progress (either above or below goal) receive intervention of extra instructional time or one-on-one attention.

4. Professional Collaboration

Teachers and administrators collaborate if student continue to deviate from expected progress.

5. Professional Learning and Fidelity of Instruction Teachers stay current and continue learning best practices, new literacy research, teaching strategies.

GROVES ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016-2017 John Alexander

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dr. Peter Brown Trish Blake Dan Deikel

Karen Sanger

Scott Lang

Gary Schiess

Cindee McCarthy

Tom Sass

Suanne Orenstein

TREASURER

Steve Pontius

Debra Hamilton, M.D., J.D.

Megan Prindiville

Anne Harbison 12

David Iverson

VICE CHAIR

SECRETARY

Thomas Schnack CHAIR

Singapore Math® is working for Groves Academy An interview with John Alexander on why Groves Academy moved to the Singapore Math curriculum Why did Groves decide to implement a new math curriculum?

Groves students are given evaluations in reading and math that are normed against students their age from across the country, and we analyze the results each summer. Analyzing the data helps us to make informed instructional decisions regarding our curriculum and teaching practices.

Five summers ago, we observed while students were making great gains in reading fluency and reading comprehension, they were not making the same progress in math. This led us to form a dedicated math team comprised of teachers from each of the three divisions (Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School) and administrators.

What did the math team discover?

We cast a wide net, examining both curricula and best teaching practices. We met regularly and read articles from peer-reviewed journals. We spoke with math teachers and curriculum directors at similar schools, and with Professor Emeritus, Dr. Hung-Hsi Wu, from the University of California, Berkley.

How did Dr. Wu help direct the Groves team?

Dr. Wu confirmed what we had discovered during our due diligence, that as a nation we are taking the wrong approach in teaching mathematics. He calls it “the mile wide, inch deep approach”. He urged us to dive deeply into a concept or skill, teaching it until the students have both a solid understanding of the concept and can apply the associated skills with high accuracy.

What did Dr. Wu suggest for a solution at Groves?

When asked what curriculum best embodies this approach, Wu suggested the Singapore Math curriculum. In a typical United States math curriculum for first through eighth grades, up to 137 concepts are taught in year. In the Singapore Math curriculum for the same grades in a given year, about 24 concepts are taught. This gives us an idea of the difference in approaches – and the ability for students to dig deeper into math concepts.

Was Groves able to implement the Singapore Math curriculum?

Finally, eighteen months later, we chose Singapore Math as our new curriculum. One of the redeeming qualities of Singapore Math instruction is that it leads students from the concrete to the abstract, teaching them not to memorize algorithms but to understand math from a conceptual standpoint. Students are taught to create pictorial models of math problems to aid in their conceptual understanding of what the problem is asking of them.

How have Groves teachers responded to Singapore Math?

Since this is a new way for not only students to think about math, but also for teachers, we hired a consultant who specializes in Singapore Math instruction who began visiting Groves three years ago to assist with the implementation. Our teachers are now comfortable using the approach, and our students are benefiting.

How are students benefiting from the switch to Singapore Math?

Just this year I was assessing a sixth grade student with a standardized assessment. Math had always been a difficult subject for this student, yet she was meeting success using Singapore Math techniques.

As she was completing math problems, I watched her draw bar models to help her understand how to solve them. At the end, she scored at the ninth grade level (three levels above her grade) on the Applied Problems subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test (IV Edition).

We changed our math curriculum and teaching practices because we used objective data and teacher observations to make an informed decision.

I wish all educators used such an approach.

Our nation’s children would be better for it.

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OUR MISSION

WE BUILD CONFIDENCE, SUCCESS, AND PURPOSE THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES. OUR VISION

TO REDEFINE THE WAY OUR NATION IS TAUGHT, ONE STUDENT, ONE TEACHER, AND ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME.

AUTHENTICITY COLLABORATION COMPASSION DISCOVERY TENACITY

OUR VALUES At the heart of Groves Academy is a community where students, families, faculty, and staff are engaged with a sense of belonging, sharing, and support. As a community, integrity and respect are intrinsic in everything we do. © 2016 Groves Academy. All rights reserved.