Paulo Freire Charter School

TWO MAJOR INITIATIVES SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED AT THE PAULO FREIRE CHARTER SCHOOL (THE CHARTER SCHOOL) DURING 2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR, (1)ENROLLMENT AND EQUITY. IT IS COMMITTED TO SERVING ALL STUDENTS, AS DEMONSTRATED BY ITS RECRUITING AND ADMISSIONS EFFORTS AND SUPPORT OF ONE NEWARK UNIVERSAL ENROLLMENT, WHERE,WE HAVE STREAMLINED OUR ENROLLMENT PROCESS, REACHED A LARGER SEGMENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT POPULATION IN NEWARK, AND EFFECTIVELY MEET OUR ENROLLMENT TARGETS. WE HAVE ALSO PROMOTED THE SCHOOL THROUGH OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND CURRENT FAMILIES. EACH OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAS IMPROVED THE OVERALL ENROLLMENT PROCESS AND CREATED GREATER EQUITY FOR THE STUDENTS WE SERVE; AND (2) INCREASED PARENT INVOLVEMENT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOL. WE HAVE FOUND, AND RESEARCH SUPPORTS, THAT INCREASED PARENT INVOLVEMENT CREATING A MORE ROBUST ACADEMIC PROGRAM.

DURING 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR, THE CHARTER SCHOOL HAD SERVED 273 STUDENTS FROM FAMILIES IN THE CITY OF NEWARK AREA. THE CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTED INCORPORATED: A) INQUIRY BASED INSTRUCTION IS INFUSED THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR CONTENT AREAS. EACH DISCIPLINE HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZED CONTENT AREA CURRICULA THAT INCORPORATE CIRCLES OF INQUIRY AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CONTENT DELIVERY. THROUGH CIRCLES OF INQUIRY, OUR TEACHERS WEAVE TOGETHER DISCIPLINE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SCHEMATA WITH STUDENT INTERESTS AND THOSE OF SOCIETY; B) STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN "SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT" THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS AIMED AT INTEGRATING MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH INSTRUCTION AND REFLECTION. THE END RESULT IS AN ENRICHED LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT TEACHES CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND STRENGTHENS LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES; C) THE CHARTER SCHOOL MAINTAINED A COMMITMENT TO A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION FOUNDED ON THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND THE INSTILLATION OF THESE VALUES IN OUR STUDENTS. IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS CREATED WHEN EDUCATORS FAIL TO DO THIS, AND THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS NOT AN "ACHIEVEMENT" GAP AT ALL, BUT A CULTURAL GAP. THEREFORE, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS TO CLOSE THE "ACHIEVEMENT" GAP THROUGH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION THAT IS ANCHORED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE; D) STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO CONSTRUCT AND DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING OF KEY CONTENT AND SKILLS THROUGH AN ART FORM. OUR TEACHERS TAUGHT THE ARTS WITH THEIR SUBJECT MATTER IN WAYS THAT BOTH MEET THE COMMON CORE AND NEW JERSEY STATE STANDARDS, AND INVOLVED OUR SCHOLARS IN A PROCESS OF RELEVANT INQUIRY; E) THE HOUSE SYSTEM IS ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THE FREIRE SCHOOL THAT REFLECTS THE SCHOOL'S COMMITMENT TO GRADUATING SCHOLARS WHO ARE COLLEGIATE MINDED. THE CHARTER SCHOOL ADOPTED A HOUSE SYSTEM SIMILAR TO THAT USED AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY, WHICH DIVIDED STUDENTS INTO MULTIPLE SOCIAL UNITS. EACH HOUSE HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE IDENTITY, AS IT HAS ITS OWN HOUSE SYMBOL, COLORS, AND CREST, DESIGNED BY THE FOUNDING CLASS. THE STUDENTS MIXED DURING THE DAY, BUT DIVIDED INTO THEIR FOUR HOUSES: BAKER, JONES, LLOYD, AND TAYLOR DURING SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC COMPETITIONS, SERVICE LEARNING ACTIVITIES, AND SCHOOL-WIDE MEETINGS.

THE CHARTER SCHOOL IMPLEMENTS THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WAS ENACTED BY CONGRESS TO REAUTHORIZE THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT WITH MAJOR FOCUS ON PROVIDING ALL CHILDREN WITH FAIR, EQUAL AND SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION THOUGH ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.

THE SCHOOL PROVIDED NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED, LOW COST OR FREE MEALS TO STUDENTS EACH SCHOOL DAY THROUGH ITS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS ARE FEDERALLY AND STATE ASSISTED.