Another Way Education Venders SHOULD Partner

]]> http://thecamelotschools.com/dr-joseph-wise-recognizes-camelot-find-his-blog-entry-here/feed/ 0 http://thecamelotschools.com/making-big-leaps-at-excel/ http://thecamelotschools.com/making-big-leaps-at-excel/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:14:18 +0000 Gino Ramirez http://thecamelotschools.com/?p=2008 By Tom Waring 01/11/2012 3:03 pm

Welton’s mom, Teri, directed him toward Excel Academy.

“She said, ‘This is your second chance. This is the school for you,’” he said.

Two years later, Welton is attending class on a regular basis and staying out of trouble. The 17-year-old will graduate in June and credits the teaching strategies at Excel.

“I came here to catch up,” he said. “If I stayed at Freire, I’d be graduating in 2014. Now, I’m graduating on time. It’s a great school.”

Welton attends Excel Academy South, located at 4641 Roosevelt Blvd., on the grounds of Friends Hospital. It’s been in operation since 2009.

Excel Academy North is located at 6600 Bustleton Ave. (at Magee Avenue), in the former David G. Neumann Senior Center. It opened in September 2004.

The privately owned company Camelot operates both schools, which offer an alternative education for over-age, under-credentialed, at-risk students 16 and older. The maximum age is 21.

The schools promise a caring atmosphere, a disciplined and structured environment and an individualized and accelerated curriculum.

The overall goal is to get the students to earn the 23.5 credits required by the School District of Philadelphia and to do so in two-and-a-half years or less.

The formula seems to be working. The class of 2011 consisted of 380 graduates, most of whom are attending college or a vocational school or are in the military. And there’s a waiting list to gain admission.

According to a report by the national organization Jobs for the Future, in one year, between one-fourth and one-third of students advanced four grade levels in math and/or English. More than two-thirds of students achieved skills gains of more than two grade levels. Average daily attendance is 83 percent, which is considered good.

JFF has found that students can benefit by teaching one another and that behavior problems decrease dramatically when students are engaged in and responsible for their learning.

Excel staff has traveled to JFF’s Massachusetts clinical site to observe and learn from an instructional coaching program designed to help schools adopt strategies to foster college readiness.

JFF’s Common Instructional Framework consists of six strategies to build college readiness.

Those strategies are collaborative group work, writing to learn, literacy groups, questioning, classroom talk and “scaffolding,” which encompasses a broad range of techniques that help students connect prior knowledge to challenging new concepts.

“It makes learning more accessible. Everybody is engaged and productive in the classroom. Teachers and students question one another,” said Jen Schmidt, the academic coordinator at Excel South.

The educators believe their professional development was taken to another level because they were able to observe interactions between teachers and students.

Kevin Marx, the executive director at Excel South, said the JFF training helped the teachers learn to “speak the same language” in the classroom.

“There has to be consistency, and they’re all on the same page,” he said. “It culminates in a learning environment and teaching strategies that prepare students for graduation and beyond.”

April Gonzalez, an English teacher at Excel South, likes the school’s common planning time, which takes place on Wednesday mornings.

“We have a set time where the teachers talk to each other and get ideas,” she said.

“We see other teachers use methods, and it creates ideas,” said math teacher Kaitlyn Rauchut.

Their colleague, physical science and advanced-placement biology teacher Ben Murdock, agrees that educators can learn from one another and that classroom interaction among students benefits the young people as well.

“Sometimes, you pick things up better when they come from a peer,” he said.

Daniel Moorhead, an English teacher, believes writing is an important part of the classroom experience.

“There are different ways to communicate, and students learn to express themselves by writing,” he said.

The Excel South students are happy with their choice of a new school.

Rebecca York, 16, formerly attended George Washington High School but thought the school was too big. She likes the smaller setting at Excel.

“The teachers are more personable and very knowledgeable. They care about you and take their time to help you learn,” she said.

Leilanni Basco, 18, used to attend Nueva Esperanza Academy in Hunting Park. She regularly skipped class and, when she did show up, did not do her homework. She’s been thriving since arriving at Excel in September.

“Here, the teachers get to know you and stay after school to help you. And we can complete our homework during a period in school,” she said.

Jerry Graham, 18, stopped going to Abraham Lincoln High School because he was hanging with a bad crowd and there was too much “drama.” The Excel teachers, he said, show the caring and concern of a parent.

“The learning environment is definitely comfortable,” he said. ••

For more information, call 215-904-6235 or visit www.camelotforkids.org 

Senior Ozzie Watson coordinated student involvement with Camelot’s second annual blood drive at Excel Academy North accelerated high school.

(Philadelphia – December 20, 2011) – During this time of year when blood donations drop off due to the holidays, students, staff and alumni from Camelot Schools’ Excel Academy North rolled up their sleeves to give blood.

Excel started this initiative last year when two students suggested the campaign for their senior project. Students took on the commitment of signing up donors and making the schedule for all donations.  

They followed up on that initiative collection blood from another 80 students and staff.

Senior Ozzie Watson volunteered to coordinate the student effort this year, humbly saying “it just seemed like the right thing to do.” 

Among the core values taught by Camelot Schools is community involvement. Camelot students take part in community clean-ups, feeding the homeless and now annually conducting this blood drive.

Camelot works in partnership with school districts to help students who have not been able to succeed in mainstream schools. Through structure, expectations and expertise with at-risk students, Camelot gives these young people a second chance, and most take advantage, go on to graduate, and move on to post-secondary opportunities. 

Red Cross staff spent the day at Camelot’s Excel Academy North accelerated high school accepting blood donations from Camelot students.

Two members of Camelot’s leadership team completed a comprehensive leadership development program called the SUPES Academy on December 9th. Pictured left to right: Theresa Smith, Camelot’s Vice President Therapeutic Day Schools, Gary Solomon, CEO of Synesi Associates and Proact Search, Dr. Joseph Wise, SUPES master teacher, and Joe Carter, Camelot’s Chief Operating Officer.

Two members of Camelot’s leadership team completed a comprehensive leadership development program called the SUPES Academy on December 9th Pictured left to right: Theresa Smith, Camelot’s Vice President Therapeutic Day Schools, Gary Soloman, CEO of Synesi Associates and Proact Search, Dr. Joseph Wise, SUPES master teacher, and Joe Carter, Camelot’s Chief Operating Officer.

Mt Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks with Sheila Deal, principal of Camelot Schools' new therapeutic day school at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Joining them on the stage are (from left to right) Darren Brown, the schools Clinical Director; Theresa Smith, Camelot Vice President for Therapeutic Day Schools, Dawn Fletcher Collins, Executive Director of the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce, Joseph Carter, Camelot Schools COO, and Rella Peeler, Camelot’s Community Relations Representative.

(Mt Prospect, IL – December 7) Mayor Irvana Wilks joined members of the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce and Camelot Schools executives at a ribbon cutting ceremony tonight celebrating the opening of a new Camelot Schools therapeutic day school in the village.

 “We are very excited by the promise brought by this new school,” Mayor Wilks told the crowd of 100 teachers, parents and community members who came to tour the newly renovated state-of-the-art facility on Slawin Court.

 “We are pleased to be a part of the Mount Prospect community,” said Joseph Carter, Camelot’s chief operating officer.  “We believe that our school will be an asset to the community both because of the vital educational service we provide for these exceptional children and because of the teaching and support jobs we will bring to Mount Prospect.”

 The school will serve approximately 120 students ages 3 to 22 from 30 school districts in Chicagoland. Students at the therapeutic day school are referred by their home school districts because they have emotional or behavioral issues that the schools cannot handle, such as autism and cognitive disabilities. Camelot coordinates an educational curriculum with the home school districts and also offers a wide range of specialized therapies and services to meet the needs of these special children.

 The new Mount Prospect school has an expanded transitional program to help older students move into the larger community. The vocational training program includes tracks in culinary arts and automotives. The school also works to place older students in jobs in the community.

 “This is the building of our dreams,” said Principal Sheila Deal, who helped oversee the school’s move from a smaller building in Des Plaines.

(Philadelphia-November 16, 2011 –Students from Camelot Schools’ Excel Academy South prepared for Thanksgiving by cooking and serving lunch to the homeless residents of St. John’s Hospice in Center City.

“These kids believe it is a privilege to come here and cook for these men,” said Excel South’s Executive Director Kevin Marx. “That’s why after serving them last year we decided to make this event an annual tradition.”

The students prepared chicken and rice soup, hot roast beef sandwiches, vegetables and desert for the 20 homeless men who live at the hospice. The culinary arts program is in its second year at Excel and getting into the class has become a status symbol for the students.

“The culinary arts class has definitely increased attendance,” said Marx. “The kids in the program don’t want to miss a class.”

“Some of last year’s graduates went on to study culinary arts in college, and some of this year’s students are also applying to programs.”

Camelot has 40 students enrolled in the program this year, including 15 second year students.

Teacher Raul Rivera pointed out those culinary arts skills spill over into other subjects.  Math, for instance.

“Sometimes, we have a recipe and we cut down the proportions, so they have to figure that out.  Or sometimes we expand them, and they have to do the math.”  Rivera said he also teaches them planning skills – developing menus and budgeting.

Camelot’s Excel Academies are geared forstudents who have either left schoolorare on the verge of leaving school fordisciplinaryoracademic reasons. The schools’ accelerated academic program enables them to graduate within three years. Excel also requires each student to have a post-graduation plan of action.

Although Camelot partners with the School District of Philadelphia, Marx said that 90 percent of the students entered the school through a referral from a friend or former student. There are two Excel Academies in Northeast Philadelphia, and there is a waiting list to enter the program.

All Camelot Schools foster community service through cleaning up the surrounding neighborhood or feeding the homeless. Marx said that the students will be returning to St. John’s Hospice in January to prepare another meal and then to serve the more than 300 community members who line up every day to receive lunch.

(October 25, 2011) – Early findings from a pilot program at Excel Academy North and Excel Academy South in Philadelphia — both operated by Camelot—showed remarkable results in accelerating the learning of dropouts and over-age students. The lessons learned from the first year of the program are outlined in a new report issued today by Jobs for the Future (JFF), titled From Remediation to Acceleration.

Camelot operates three alternative programs in Camden,  including one accelerated academy: the Camden City Accelerated Academy (formerly George Washington Elementary School), Camden City Transitional Academy (formerly Creative Arts Academy) and Camden High School Transitional Academy within Camden High School.

The report found that in just one year, between one-fourth and one-third of students advanced four grade levels in math and/or English. More than two-thirds of students achieved skill gains of more than two grade levels.

“We have achieved great success for our students by combining JFF’s Common Instructional Framework with Camelot’s system of structure and peer accountability. As a result, we are helping Philadelphia lead the nation in closing the graduation gap – and more importantly getting these kids on track to a future with hope,” said Camelot Schools CEO Todd Bock.

As part of its mission of developing new educational and workforce strategies, JFF works with districts, states, and other groups to reengage youth who are off track for graduation or out of school and puts them on a path to post-secondary success.

School systems are looking for ways to help off-track students not only graduate, but also gain the skills to succeed in postsecondary education. To this end,  JFF worked with the Philadelphia Youth Network and the Philadelphia School District’s Office of Multiple Pathways to implement a leadership and instructional approach originally designed for small, innovative high schools serving low-income populations. JFF’s Common Instructional Framework is designed to accelerate learning so that all students graduate with the academic and critical thinking skills required for postsecondary success.

“These strategies were made for this population. The students thrive in this environment. They were so unsuccessful previously, and now they have a chance to be successful. It just opens their eyes to what the possibilities are,” said Excel South principal Stephanie Goshert.

Some key lessons learned by JFF in the first year of this pilot program include:

• Off-track students with large and varied gaps in their learning benefit from teaching one another.
• Students who were previously held to low expectations can quickly learn to take academic initiative.
• When students are engaged in and responsible for their learning, behavior problems decrease dramatically.
• When students are fully engaged, schools can reallocate staff to instruction (instead of discipline).
• Through collaborative learning, formerly out-of-school youth can build the social skills needed for success in college and the workplace.

JFF brings teachers and school leaders to University Park Campus School (UPCS) in Worcester, Massachusetts, a “clinical site” where educators can observe and learn from an instructional coaching program that JFF designed to help schools adopt and implement instructional strategies designed to foster college readiness in all students. Encouraged by the Philadelphia results, JFF and Camelot plan to develop Excel South as a similar demonstration site.

“At the Massachusetts site, visiting educators enter the classroom, where they observe teachers and students utilizing the JFF instructional strategies,” said Camelot’s COO, Joseph Carter. “After the observation, the educators receive additional training regarding the instruction they observed.  Finally, they enter the classroom as informed observers enabled to better analyze the instruction taking place.

“We think this takes professional development to another level.  Rather than merely discussing what happens in an effective classroom, participants are able observe actual instruction and interactions between teachers and students which transforms the classroom into a laboratory for professional development. We are proud that JFF chose Camelot to set up this demonstration site for the use of the Common Instructional Framework with this population of young people.”

To read the full JFF report, go to http://www.jff.org/publications