ALL FINALISTS FOR THE TCSA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR WERE FROM PCA!
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Summary Core Values Schools Results What If?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gestalt Community Schools (GCS) is a charter management organization that serves K-12 scholars. GCS leverages community assets to empower citizens who will be college-ready, career-ready, and community-ready.
GESTALT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS (GCS) is a system of K-12 collegepreparatory charter schools in targeted Tennessee neighborhoods that provides strong academic outcomes for its scholars. One way GCS improves academic outcomes is by involving the community in meaningful ways. GCS catalyzes community leadership to help revitalize the neighborhood as it operates its schools in that community. Instead of debating whether education impacts the community or visa versa, GCS believes that the most impactful method to support student learning is an integration of education and community (a true “gestalt”).
Gestalt’s mission is to leverage community assets to empower citizens who will be college-ready, careerready, and community-ready. Gestalt’s vision is to build better communities through education. GCS will achieve its mission and vision by providing its scholars with an exceptional educational program that is defined by rigorous curriculum standards, coupled with high expectations for academic achievement. GCS’s college prep program includes the following core components:
High expectations for academic achievement High technology Community service A community-based learning theme (such as entrepreneurship/ financial literacy)
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CORE VALUES Gestalt Community Schools holds the following values in high regard and embodies them to create a culture of learning, collaboration, and success across the network of schools and communities. Building Better Communities Through Education.
ACHIEVEMENT WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN THE COMMUNITY. PCA Middle School scholars and siblings Jaden Wheeler and Amaya Selmon transformed a 7th grade business plan into a fully operating food truck business in a matter of months. Jaden Wheeler created a business plan to sell snow cones for his business class, and he and his sister worked all summer so they could purchase a food truck. They are now the youngest food truck operators in Memphis. COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IS KEY TO PERSONAL GROWTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION. PARTNERSHIPS ALLOW US TO SERVE AT A GREATER CAPACITY FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT. PCA High School 9th grade writing teacher, Ms. Susan Pepsin, turned technical writing curriculum into a lesson about philanthropy. Scholars identified personal passions, discovered local non-profit organizations, and wrote mock-grant proposals. A panel of non-profit executives judged the proposals, and the top three winners won cash prizes to donate to their non-profit organizations.
HUMILITY WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR SCHOLARS, PEERS, AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH WE SERVE, BECAUSE THE WORK WE DO SERVES A LARGER PURPOSE. At PCA High School, there were more than 1,000 hours contributed to community service, and that was just one scholar. PCA High School scholars are required to complete 10-community service hours per year, and Jahlyn Hayes has completed more than 1,000.
INNOVATION WE STRIVE TO EVOLVE FASTER THAN THE WORLD AROUND US. WE CAN ONLY BE OUR BEST IF WE ARE WILLING TO REEVALUATE AND REFINE WHAT WE DO. Community partners like Crosstown Arts bring exciting opportunities to be innovative and creative to scholars at HPA. The Rocket Writers program offered creative outlets, opportunities to collaborate with artists, and created a path for our scholars to become authors, artist, and performers.
ZEAL OUR DRIVE FOR SUCCESS IS DERIVED FROM THE COMPASSION FOR THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
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OUR SCHOOLS All of our schools have a similar approach to education, integration of community, emphasis on technology, and culture of high expectations; however, each school’s curriculum reflects that specific community’s needs and interests.
GESTALT SCHOOLS Humes Preparatory Academy: grade 5-8 Klondike Preparatory Academy: grades K-2 (will grow to K-5) Power Center Academy Middle: grades 6-8 Power Center Academy High: grades 9-11 (will grow to 9-12)
SCHOOL PLEDGES
This is our house, the power house In our house, we power up our minds with knowledge We power up each other with encouragement We power up our community by giving back PCA is a power house where we learn to think globally and act locally. This is our community, the Humes Community! In our community, we develop our intellect to expand our horizons. In our community, we harness our imagination to dream big. In our community, we embrace our desire for innovation to enhance the world around us. HPA is the community where our scholars gear up to give back.
This is our Den, the KPA Cougar Den. In our den, we have the freedom to wonder To ask (both hands with palms up),
(index fingers point to head),
to explore (fingers wiggle and spread), (hands clasp back together and remain there).
To imagine, to create
The talents of each of us, helps all of us to make our good better and our better best, Because we take ownership of our actions and strive for success. At KPA, We are achieving more and serving more for our community and beyond!
SCHOOLS [5 YEAR SNAPSHOT]
2013 2008 . Power Center Academy Middle School founded . Now serving 360 scholars in grades 6 – 8 . Community focus on business and entrepreneurship . GSAA re-located and renamed Humes Preparatory Academy . Now serving 400 scholars in grades 5 – 8 . Community focus on science and arts
2012 . Gordon Science & Arts Middle School opened
. Klondike Preparatory Academy opened . Power Center Academy High School opened . Now serving 400 scholars in grades 9 – 11, will grow to 9 – 12 . Community focus on business and entrepreneurship . Serving 120 scholars in grades K – 2, will grow to K – 5 . Community focus on science and arts
2011
2013
HUMES PREPARATORY ACADEMY
IN 2012, Gordon Science & Arts Academy opened its doors in a shared space with Gordon Elementary School to approximately 130 6th grade scholars who were originally zoned to attend Humes Middle School. This year year, Gordon Science & Arts Academy re-located back into the Humes facility and changed its name to Humes Preparatory Academy. This move returned the scholars back to their original neighborhood school, while they continue to receive the same academic rigor and robust school culture.
Humes Prepratory Academy will serve scholars in grades 5 through 8, divided between HPA Elementary and HPA Middle. Eventually, HPA Elementary and HPA Middle will grow to serve grades K through 8. It is a privilege to operate in the historic Humes facility. Elvis Presley graduated from Humes High School in 1953, and the HPA scholars will continue his legacy in music and community engagement. In addition, HPA scholars will continue their focus on science, technology, and robotics.
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KLONDIKE PREPARATORY ACADEMY IN 2013, another first for Gestalt Community Schools came when Klondike Preparatory Academy opened its doors to opportunity to 120 scholars in grades K through 2. Klondike Preparatory Academy serves scholars who were originally zoned to attend Klondike Elementary School. KPA will share space in Klondike Elementary School until KPA fully serves scholars in grades K through 5.
GROWTH Expansion also still continues in the Hickory Hill community. Power Center Academy Middle continues to serve scholars in grades 6 – 8, AND Power Center Academy High School moved to an interim location that provides a comprehensive high school facility for scholars in grades 9 through 11. Much like the expansion at Crosstown, Power Center Academy Middle and High schools will be anchored in the new PCA Town Center, a community model that has our schools at the center of a comprehensive urban community complete with a performing arts facility, wellness center, and affordable housing. GCS’ extensive growth plan is fueled by one reason: to offer world-class education to students who currently do not have access to this level of education. Education is critical to the students in these targeted neighborhoods; without quality education and preparation for success in college, they are destined to continued poverty.
THE SCHOOLS in the
North Memphis community remain focused in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). In addition, all of these schools are in the pipeline for the future high school that will go into the Sears Crosstown building, a vertical urban village anchored in health and wellness, arts, and education.
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OUR RESULTS See how Gestalt Community Schools measure up.
2013 EOC - PCA HIGH 37.9% ALGEBRA I 17.4% 60.3% 75.3% ALGEBRA I
2012 EOC - PCA HIGH
39.0% 59.9% 73.8%
ALGEBRA II
42.0% 52.5% 35.1% 28.3% 76.1% BIOLOGY I 55.5% 58.1% 68.1% 81.2% 43.2% 59.5% 70.6% 90.5% 96.1% 97.5% ENGLISH I
BIOLOGY I
62.3%
ENGLISH I
42.9%
ENGLISH II
17.8%
66.1% 85.3%
U.S. HISTORY
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% DISTRICT - MCS STATE - TN GCS - PCAHS
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% DISTRICT - MCS STATE - TN GCS - PCAHS
2013 TCAP - GSAA/HPA 12.6% ELA 29.1% 50.3% 27.6% 19.6% 33.0% 50.7% 17.9% 19.4% SCIENCE 37.4% 62.6% 32.7% 46.5% SOCIAL STUDIES 66.7% 84.8% 63.5%
*HPA is a turnaround school that was in the bottom 5% in 2012, and GCS’ goal is to increase academic gains dramatically over the next 3 years.
2012 TCAP - HPA MIDDLE
ELA
29.2% 49.9% 18.6% 27.6%
MATHEMATICS
MATHEMATICS 15.2% 31.8% SCIENCE 16.8% 30.6% SOCIAL STUDIES 48.2%
47.2%
61.2%
59.2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% DISTRICT - ASD DISTRICT - MCS STATE - TN GCS - GSAA/HPA
0%
20% DISTRICT - MCS
40%
60%
80%
100%
STATE - TN
GCS - HPAMS
2013 TCAP - PCA MIDDLE 100% 80% 70% 66.4% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 29.1% 62.6% 60% 50.3% 66.5% 66.7% 91.1% 90% 98.6% 93% 56% SOCIAL STUDIES 79% 90.6% 30.6% SCIENCE STATE - TN GCS - PCAHS
50.7%
33.0%
37.4%
ELA
MATHEMATICS DISTRICT - MCS STATE - TN
SCIENCE GCS - PCAHS
SOCIAL STUDIES
2012 TCAP - PCA MIDDLE 100% 80% 70% 63.6% 50% 49.9% 40% 30% 29.2% 20% 10% 0% 56.6% 61.2% 59.2% SOCIAL STUDIES 87% 60% 94.3% 90%
47.2%
ELA
DISTRICT - MCS
2011 TCAP - PCA MIDDLE 100% 90% 80% 70% 56% 50% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% ELA MATHEMATICS DISTRICT - MCS STATE - TN
36%
40%
25%
17%
26%
SCIENCE GCS - PCAHS
57%
60%
27.6%
MATHEMATICS
31.8%
84.8%
WHAT IF? Think about what GCS has done in the past three years with students starting in the 6th grade‌
2011 PCA Middle School was named the highest performing middle school in the state of Tennessee by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
2012 U.S. Department of Education and the White House recognized GCS as one of 24 organizations from across the nation as Together for Tomorrow (TFT) Challenge winners, for community engagement efforts around schools.
2013 All finalists for the Tennessee Charter School Association’s High School Teacher of the Year were from Power Center Academy High, and Cullen Johnson, 10th grade Chemistry, won the award.
WHAT IF? What if we started earlier than that? What if started at the beginning? What if we started teaching lessons in innovation, humility, community, zeal, and achievement in kindergarten? What would that look like?
Would scholars blog about community service? Would scholars encourage and support their classmates through silent language? Would scholars shake your hand, look you in the eye, and welcome you to the classroom? Would scholars make monumental academic gains in their first year?
THEY WOULD, THEY ARE, AND THIS IS JUST YEAR ONE. KALEIDOSCOPE | 2014
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