Colorado Springs Early Colleges

New for 2012-13

Letter from Keith King, July 3, 2012

Letter from Keith King, June 22, 2012

Changes for 2012-13 (text below)

 

We are excited to announce the changes to CSEC for the 2012-2013 school year.  Throughout the month of July we will be holding meetings to receive input from students, parents and staff of CSEC. 

2012 – 2013 School Theme:  “It is better to build a fence at the top of the cliff than a hospital at the bottom.”   

Department of Student Success – will be refocused.

Kevin Moore will continue to lead this department.  It will be responsible for the following activities.

1. School safety annual calendar and implementation of safety plan
2. Update Emergency Response handouts
3. Marketing in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Douglas County
4. Counseling hours at CSEC for students who need  help in the personal/social area.
5. Advising hours at all PPCC campuses with required check ins by students on a monthly basis.    

 

A new Department of Student Accountability – will be created.

CSEC desires to create a school culture that generates from the bottom up instead of top down.  The system of accountability based on the following priority:   Students, Teachers and Staff, Department of Student Accountability, Leadership Team and Governing Board.

Mission Statement of the Department of Student Accountability

The Mission of the Department of Student Accountability of Colorado Springs Early Colleges is to prepare students for Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness by creating a culture that encourages students to be:  1) Self motivated, self disciplined and self directed.  2) Focused on their academic achievement and the implementation of their Student Success Plan.  3)   Rewarded for their adherence to CSEC policies and discipline code.  4)  Treated with immediate consequences that are structured and enforced if school policies are broken and 5)   Active participants in developing a school culture that creates a community of excellence and achievement. 

The structure listed below is a starting point for the July discussions about the proposed new department.

Development of Student Accountability

Student Accountability begins with the individual student when they enroll and follows them throughout their academic career at the school.   

On Campus Students:

1)    New students will be told about the new department by informational meetings and meetings with their Academic Advisor.       

2)    Student Orientation will be used to explain the framework for the accountability program.

3)    Each student will have a home room and that emphasis will be on rewards for attendance, academic achievement and freedom from discipline code infractions.  Academic advisors will attend homerooms to work with students on Student Success Plans and Postsecondary and Workforce readiness.

4)    Each student will be presented the policy of rewards and consequences and acknowledge their willingness to comply with it.

5)    The campus will be closed for ninth grade students. Parents must op-out their student if they want off campus privileges. 

6)    Lunch period will be forty minutes including passing periods. 

7)    Home rooms will be called colleges such as UCCS, CSU, UNC, Baylor, etc, and meet as a separate period during the week.

1. The structure will be student and teacher led.  Each homeroom will choose their student leader.
2. A variety of competition/contests will be structured for excellence in attendance, grades and discipline issues.
3. A budget will be created for successful outcomes of attendance and academic achievement and homeroom projects.
4. A structured curriculum for entire semester or year will be created.
5. Parents will be encouraged to participate in homeroom activities during the school year and back to school night.

Off Campus Students

1)    All students will be informed of a time at each campus the CSEC Dean of Student Success will be scheduled to be on campus.

2)    Each student will be required to check in at least monthly to report on academic progress and challenges,

3)    Each student will be informed of deadlines and polices that impact their success.     

Development of Teacher Accountability

Teachers will be given sufficient authority to enforce academic and attendance polices. 

1)    Teachers will structure individual class rewards and consequences for academic achievement, attendance and discipline.  (Level One)

2)    Teachers will be supported by the Department of Student Accountability for referrals when a student breaks their classroom code of conduct.  (Level Two)

3)    Teachers will communicate with parents about accountability issues. 

4)    A merit pay system will be designed for the 2012-2013 school year that rewards teachers for effectiveness in four areas:  1) student achievement, 2) student attendance 3) safe and disciplined classrooms and 4) parental communication that helps create an academic focused culture at CSEC.

Development of the Student Accountability Department

The focus will be on attendance and discipline to improve academic achievement.

1)    First on attendance:

1. Every student will be monitored for attendance and tardiness. 
2. The faculty advisor will be informed each week with a report of student attendance in their homeroom.
3. Meet with on campus students before attendance begins to impact their academic performance. 
4. Inform parents immediately if students begin to skip classes.

2)    Second on discipline and behavior modification for compliance. 

1. Discipline consequences that are based on a three strikes suspension policy that is enforceable, understandable and consistent. 
2. Support system for teachers who send students with referrals.  (Level Two)
3. Monitor students with past discipline problems 
4. Structure a Student Culture for peer pressure to be positive and help with discipline issues.  

3)    The department will create an effective and efficient record-keeping system for implementing the new policies

1. The Department will publish a list of students who are both excelling and demanding attention for academic success.

Development of Leadership Team Accountability

The Leadership Team is committed to improving the school culture for next year.  We want to continue to improve the overall success of every student, especially those who are at-risk of academic and discipline failure.        

Implementation milestones:

1)    Hire Dean of Student Accountability

2)    Involve students, parents, teachers and staff to help implement the department.  .

3)    Develop curriculum for homerooms

4)    Restructure Department of Student Accountability

5)    Restructure Discipline Code for Level one and Level two.

6)    Restructure attendance enforcement.

7)    Create student id and monitoring system.

8)    Develop Student Orientation Days.

9)    Develop incentive and consequence system for homerooms.

10) Develop communication system from Department to homerooms.

Restructure of job descriptions:  The following jobs have new job descriptions:  Dean of Student Success, Dean of Student Accountability and Dean of Student Accountability Assistant.  . 

The Dean of Student Success has a new job description:  CSEC – GHA   Job Description

The Dean of Student Accountability is a new job:  CSEC – GFA    Job Description

The Dean of Student Accountability Assistant is a new job that consisted of Dean of Student Success Executive Assistant and Attendance Monitor.  CSEC – GFB    Job Description

 

These job descriptions are posted on our website under Board Policies.

The Department of Student Success will be a one person department.  The new Department of Student Accountability will be a two person department.