Start-Up Phase

Providing Professional Development,
Progress Monitoring, and Back Office Support
for Continuous Improvement in the First Year 

Commitment

The phase begins the summer before you open the doors of your new school and continues throughout the school year.

 


Relationship

During the Start-Up Phase, Innovative Schools is a support organization and resource center for your school. Our Start-Up Phase programs are geared toward professional development and continuous improvement for both school administration and teaching staff to ensure that your school is meeting the requirements of the charter agreement.


Deliverables

During the Start-Up Phase, Innovative Schools provides the following programs at your charter school site:

Ensemble — Building Respectful School Cultures and Helping Schools Develop Positive Relationships Among Students, Families, Staff, and the Community

Program Goals:
  • Equip school staff with effective tools to improve instruction with a culturally diverse student body
  • Build trust among school staff, local families, and communities
  • Understand the impact of cultural and socioeconomic differences on teaching, learning and student development
  • Establish relationships between school staff and community-based organizations to embed the school in the community and provide additional resources to students and families
  • Improve the overall school climate

CharterShield™ — Identifying and Closing Gaps Between School Performance and the Requirements of the Charter Agreement

Program Goals:
  • Analyze the school’s effectiveness in reaching the academic and operational goals of the charter
  • Focus on critical obstacles that could derail school success
  • Develop an action plan for securing resources and adopting best practices to address identified needs
  • Monitor progress toward charter renewal readiness

Back Office Support — Providing Trained Professional Support for Resource Intensive Administrative Functions Including Information Technology, Financial Services, and Human Resources

Program Goals:
  • Build internal back office capacity and ensure fiscal responsibility and consistent and effective personnel management practices
  • Technology that ensures classroom and lab computers are operating at full capacity