Casa!Montessori!School! Charter!School!Petition/Proposal! · Casa Montessori will meet the community needs for more Montessori placements in language relevant schools. The school

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!Casa!Montessori!School!

Charter!School!Petition/Proposal!January!5,!2016!

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Sangita!Nayak!Stephanie!Schneider!Rafael!BurgosCRivera!Christine!Wilkinson!Jessica!Doughty!

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1. A description of the charter concept including vision, mission and rationale for charter status with research supporting the concept. Vision Casa Montessori School’s vision is of an integrated community school where everyone brings the Montessori understanding into practice, possesses or is working towards bilingual fluency and roots practices and establishes connections in the surrounding neighborhood. Casa Montessori will meet the community needs for more Montessori placements in language relevant schools. The school will be a strong AMI certified Montessori with a defined dual language/bilingual education program. Student led-work will be driven by Montessori methodology. The school would strive to employ a majority of AMI Montessori certified teachers, everyone would be Spanish-speaking and bilingual teacher certification will be the expectation. Parents, teachers, community members will all be involved in Casa Montessori’s governance. The economically diverse body of students would have the time for their Montessori work, adequate classroom and school-wide space to carry out their work, ability to do “Montessori going outs" (inquiry-based field-trips) and other liberatory practices associated with the Montessori curriculum. This includes space for growing and preparing their food, space for music, art and gym and space for collaboration with community partners. As a community school Casa Montessori will implement a community needs assessment and conduct formal asset mapping of the neighborhood. Based upon finding from the needs assessment and asset map, Casa Montessori will integrate its focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement which, as proven in community schools across the nation, will lead to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities. Community schools offer a curriculum that emphasizes real-world learning and community problem-solving, pairing quite well with the Montessori philosophy in educating the whole child. Casa Montessori school will become a center of the community, with an intentionally diverse student body and with wrap-around services, be open beyond the school day. Casa Montessori will have a school resource coordinator who will help to implement the community school model by both coordinating with community partners and school families. Mission statement The mission of Casa Montessori School is to create a peaceful, multi-age, multilingual learning environment for preschool and elementary aged children that fosters the physical, social, emotional and academic growth and development of students and produces life-long learners using the materials and philosophy developed by Maria Montessori and furthered by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

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The school will emphasize strong academics, along with a Montessori education for peace curriculum. The teamwork will be collaborative, non competitive and create professional learning communities for educators and families. Casa Montessori will have high standards for our staff and use the state mandated Educator Effectiveness plus more holistic evaluation such as 360-degree feedback from all stakeholders. The school will work with community partners, with an emphasis on health providers, and engage families in the future success of all students. Rationale There is a growing community need for Montessori programs in the city of Milwaukee. Currently, there are no Montessori offerings in the Spanish-speaking community and none with qualified dual language/bilingual instruction. Our aim is to recruit and train more teachers to be AMI Montessori certified and as well as help Montessori teachers and paraprofessionals, fluent in Spanish, work towards bilingual certification. Much of the rationale for this school is based in Montessori theory. Multilingual education is part of Montessori methodology and this school would honor that intention by recruiting multilingual teachers. Montessori also emphasized education for peace and the well-being of the child. Her understanding, and work as a doctor, would suggest an approach that betters the whole child and a health community partnership. Opening a Montessori school on the near southside of Milwaukee will serve a community that currently does not have a local public Montessori school. The benefits of a Montessori education are numerous and include a successful record of countering the negative effects of poverty. Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving performance standards in literacy including enriching vocabulary, phonemic and phonological awareness, and integrative language learning are natural components of the Montessori method. One of the most oft-quoted research studies, published by Angeline Lillard and Nicole Else-Quest in 2006, found that students in AMI-recognized public inner city schools outperformed their non-Montessori peers in standardized tests of reading and math at the kindergarten level. At the end of sixth grade, the Montessori students wrote essays with more complex sentence structure and creativity. Both Montessori age groups studied demonstrated more advanced levels of social cognition and executive control and higher levels of positive responses to social dilemmas than their non-Montessori peers. 2. The name of the people who are seeking to establish the charter. Rafael Burgos Rivera, Jessica Doughty, Sangita Nayak, Stephanie Schneider, Jose Trejo, and Chris Wilkinson currently compose the teacher cooperative planning this charter. The initial three to five years of this charter would require an administrator. As the school progresses, teachers may be developed to assist with greater administrative capacities and create a more cooperative model, such as in MPS Alliance or Alba.

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3. The name of the person who will be in charge of the charter school, and the manner in which administrative services will be provided. Name of charter school person who will address charter contract issues. Although an administrator has yet to be determined, members of the planning team are seeking or currently hold administrative licensure. Sangita Nayak is scheduled to receive administrative licensure by 2017-2018 and is a state-certified AMI teacher. Core member Jose Trejo holds administrative licensure and Ivelis Perez is also working toward administrative licensure. Striving to reflect the intention of a teacher cooperative, the goal is to address administrative responsibilities in a collaborative manner. The assignment of responsibilities will be based on capacity and licensure. 4. A description of how the community wishes to assume more responsibility/support for, or leadership in, the educational process. The relationship between the school and the community will be integral to the foundation and growth of the Casa Montessori School. We will partner with a number of community based organizations including those involved in health promotion, ecological stewardship and language/cultural understanding. Our school resource coordinator will help ascertain how to engage the groups that have endorsed this project based on the needs the community identifies. A priority would be securing health partners. 5. A description of the educational program of the school, and the school’s leadership capacity to implement the proposed program. Identify the research-based curriculum and methodologies to be implemented and a description of the parental/community involvement in the development of the educational program. Include the following appendices: Appendix A: school calendar, Appendix B: student day start and end times, Appendix C: uniform policy if applicable, and Appendix D: if an instrumentality, the Memorandum of Understanding you may seek to implement your educational program. Educational Program Montessori Method In 1907, Italian scientist Maria Montessori began to develop a radical new approach to education based on her observations of young children. Now practiced in classrooms around the world, this philosophy of education is based on the premises of independence, freedom within limitations, and following the natural psychological development of the child. Much of the modern research in psychology and brain development now confirms that the Montessori method is much more suitable to how children learn than traditional, teacher-driven instruction classrooms that many of us are familiar with. In her book, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, Angeline Stoll Lillard discusses eight principles of Montessori Education.

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Those eight principles she states as being integral and ingrained in all aspects of Montessori are as follows:

1. That movement and cognition are closely entwined, and movement can enhance thinking and learning;

2. That learning and well-being are improved when people have a sense of control over their lives;

3. That people learn better when they are interested in what they are learning; 4. That tying extrinsic rewards to an activity, like money for reading or high grades for tests,

negatively impacts motivation to engage in that activity when the reward is withdrawn; 5. That collaborative arrangements can be very conducive to learning; 6. That learning situated in meaningful context is often deeper and richer than learning in

abstract contexts; 7. That particular forms of adult interaction are associated with more optimal child

outcomes; and 8. That order in the environment is beneficial to children.

These principles are the driving force behind the differences one sees when entering a Montessori classroom. A visitor to a Montessori classroom will see children moving around at will, choosing which materials to work with, children working in different areas of the classroom based on their individual interests, children working without extrinsic motivators such as excessive praise or gold stars on a chart, and children who are treated with the utmost respect and regard by the adults in the classroom. All Montessori classrooms will have common characteristics: the classroom will be a very carefully prepared environment of beautiful and organized materials; the children will be in multi-age groupings with at least a 3-year age span; and the children in the classroom will all be working at different levels with materials. Primary Montessori The primary Montessori classroom is made up of approximately 25-35 children ages 3 to 6 years. A child at the primary level enters the classroom on any given day and is greeted personally by the lead teacher and the assistant teacher. The beginning of this child’s day at school is an integral part of the Montessori curriculum known as the 3-hour work cycle. During this time period the child has the ability to choose to use any materials on the shelf and to work with them for any desired amount of time. The only limit to this freedom is that the child must have been introduced previously to the materials by the teacher and that the materials must be available and not in use by another child. The child has the freedom for repetition with the materials or to put them away when he desires. This process is repeated with many materials throughout the work period but there may be moments of inactivity or reflection and these are welcomed and encouraged as well. At some point during the work period, the teacher indicates to the child that he or she has a lesson to give him or her. The teacher will have previously planned the lesson and will present it based on child’s mastery of previous material in the scope

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and sequence of the curriculum. For example, after observing that a child has mastered the sensorial material known as the Pink Tower where the child is able to discriminate size of cubes that change by three dimensions (each cube decreases in length, width, and height), the teacher will design a lesson for the child on the Brown Stair, a sensorial material that requires discrimination of size based on two dimensions (each prism decreases in width and height). With the exception of a few lessons in the language and math areas, these presentations are always given one-on-one and are given at a time that the teacher observes to be appropriate. When a lesson has ended, the child has the freedom to put the materials away or to continue to work with them.

Figure 1. Left, the Pink Tower consists of 10 mathematically exact cubes that decrease in length, width, and height. Right, the Brown Stairs consist of 10 mathematically exact rectangular prisms that decrease in height and width. The primary Montessori materials are a key component of the prepared environment, and manipulation of these materials satisfies the young child’s developmental need to learn by doing. The materials inherently develop independence, concentration, and control of movement while instilling a love of work and the joy of learning. The four main areas of the classroom are practical life, sensorial, language, and mathematics and each child receives countless individual lessons with the materials in each of the respective areas. Practical Life The purpose behind the materials within the practical life area of the Montessori curriculum is two-fold. Initially, the child is drawn to the practical life materials because he is able to complete real life activities with a visible purpose such a tying a lace, food preparation, or washing a table. However, the intrigue for the child is not the only benefit of these materials. Dr. Montessori realized that these were the kinds of activities the young child was drawn to and that they could be used as indirect preparations for later, more academic work. For example, there is a piece of work on all shelves in a primary classroom known as “table washing”. Like all of the materials, the table washing is child-sized and visually appealing. It usually consists of a washing basin, a pitcher, a bucket for soapy water, a sponge, scrub brush, and drying towel. The materials are all small enough to be easily wielded by a child and are often color coordinated. To the child, the

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purpose of the activity is simple: to use the materials at hand to wash and dry a table in the environment. However, the teacher knows that the value of the activity itself is much more complex. When giving a lesson on table washing to a child, the teacher is showing a very specific sequence of events that the child must follow in order to achieve the same results. In order to master table washing, the child must have the ability to follow multiple steps, to exercise gross motor control in carrying water across the classroom, and to stay with the activity for long enough to wet, scrub, rinse, and dry the table. Like table washing, all of the practical life activities are designed to enhance the development of control of movement, sequencing, and concentration through inviting and purposeful work.

Figure 2. A child at the primary level chooses table washing. Sensorial Dr. Montessori developed the sensorial area of the classroom as she believed that sensory experiences allowed young children to better understand the world around them. She based many of her materials off the designs of French doctors Itard and Seguin, early experts in cognitive functioning. Beginning at birth, sensorial experiences are the primary way in which the youngest of children explore their world. The materials in the sensorial area of the classroom enable the child to order, classify, and describe sensory experiences such as dimension, color, texture, sound, and sight. Work in this area hones order and classification skills that are so important in later academic work. Like the lessons in other areas of the classroom, the sensorial materials are presented in a specific sequential order, with each lesson building on the one before it. For example, one of the earliest sensorial materials presented is the color tablets, a box containing 6 wooden tablets: 2 red, 2 blue, and 2 yellow. In the first lesson, the child uses visual discrimination to match the tablets based on color. When the child has mastered this skill, he or she is presented with the second box of color tablets, where the secondary and tertiary colors are introduced and matched. Finally, the third color box is introduced containing many hues of the same color and the child is introduced to a new classification skill: grading. Now the child must use his or her increasingly developed visual discrimination to sort tablets of the same color in order from the lightest to darkest.

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Figure 3. Left to Right: The first color box is used to match primary colors, the second color box requires matching of secondary and tertiary colors, and the third color box adds the skill of grading based on the shade of color. In addition to the education of his senses, the child is also receiving direct preparations for later work with the mathematical materials. The sensorial materials that require discrimination are based on dimensions that are all mathematically exact and rooted in the concept of base 10. Discrimination is a concept that child will experience repeatedly while working with the math materials. Cultural Work Within the sensorial area of the classroom, Dr. Montessori designed a series of materials and lessons that are now often referred to as the cultural work or cultural extensions. The most notable of these extensions at the primary level are music and geography. As part of the child’s exploration of sound, primary classrooms have a material known as The Bells, consisting of two sets of 13 bells ranging from middle to high C. The beginning work with the bells has the primary child isolating sounds and matching pitch and extends through basic musical composition.

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Figure 4. Left: A set of bells for the primary classroom. Right: The materials used with the bells for basic musical composition. The geography materials are considered part of the sensorial area of the classroom as the lessons all begin with a sensorial introduction to the concept being taught. The wooden puzzle maps are often one of the most popular materials in the classroom, and at first the children just use them as puzzles, moving each piece by grasping a little knob. The first lesson is on the world map, consisting of seven puzzle pieces, one for each continent. After the child has mastered this map, he or she moves to the continent maps, where each puzzle piece represents a country within the respective continent. Finally, the child moves to the map that best represents his or her location in the world. In the US, primary children use the map of the United States. Additional work with geography includes land and water forms (lakes and islands, etc.), nomenclature cards, and country flags.

Figure 5. Puzzle map of the United States Mathematics Dr. Montessori often talked about the idea that all human beings have “a mathematical mind,” meaning that the basic human inclination towards order, orientation, exactness, and repetition lends itself to the development of a mathematical system of thought. She believed that introducing math materials to young children during the period of the absorbent mind (birth-age 6), allowed for a lifetime of mathematical thinking. “The results we obtain with our little ones contrasts oddly with the fact that mathematics is so often held to be a scourge rather than a pleasure in school programmes. Most people have developed 'mental barriers' against it. Yet all

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is easy if only its roots can be implanted in the absorbent mind.” The materials in the math area of the classroom follow the lesson sequencing seen earlier by first giving the child a concrete sensorial aspect with a material before moving to attach it to a more abstract concept, like addition. For example, the first lessons given in the math area of the classroom are with a material called the number rods. The number rods consist of 10 wooden rods, varying in length, each one 10 cm longer than the previous rod. The shortest rod is red. The second is twice the size of the first; one half is painted red and the other half is blue. The third rod is three times the size of the first and is divided into three sections; the first painted red, the second is blue, and the third red. All the other rods are divided in a similar fashion, alternating red and blue, the first section always being red. The number of sections represents the numbers of the rod.

Figure 6. The number rods. In the first lesson on the number rods, the teacher isolates the shortest rods and shows the child how to touch and count the colored sections arriving at the cardinal number the rod represents. The child works repeatedly with learning the quantity each rod represents before the teacher introduces the symbol (1, 2, 3, etc.) that correlates to the rod. Later work with the number rods will begin to give impressions of operations. The child can see that placing the 1 and 3 rods together is equal in length to the 4 rod. In this manner, as with all of the subsequent math materials, the child has an extended sensorial experience with the concept (here it is quantity) before the symbol is introduced. Once this skill is mastered, the child moves on to the next math lesson which in the primary classroom can extend through work with fractions. (See section on Student Learning Standards for more information). Language Language arts education in a Montessori classroom is vastly different from that of a traditional classroom. While all of the same concepts of sound isolation and phonemic awareness and blending are taught, Montessori realized through her observations that the young child’s mind was ready to begin writing far before his hand was ready for mechanical writing. Therefore, in the primary Montessori environment we demonstrate forming words and phrases with a material known as the moveable alphabet first and see the child’s beginning reading follow shortly after. Before the child begins using the moveable alphabet, usually around ages 3½ - 4, he or she has experienced a total immersion into language. They have played sound games where they have isolated beginning, middle, and ending sounds; they have worked with vocabulary enrichment

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cards; they have listened to poems, songs, and stories; and most importantly they have been spoken to using exact and enriching vocabulary by the adults in the classroom. When the child is introduced to the moveable alphabet, a large box containing easily manipulated plastic or wooden letters, he or she now has a tool in which to begin to express ideas with all the language he has been amassing. He or she begins by making simple phonetic words and moves quickly to phrases and eventually stories. Reading emerges spontaneously during the months after this writing begins. The outcome of this deliberate sequence of language lessons which includes sound isolation and phonemic awareness enables the child to master what Dr. Montessori referred to as “total reading” by the age of 6.

Figure 7. A child uses the moveable alphabet to write his name. Elementary Montessori The primary Montessori program serves as the basic foundation for learning at the elementary Montessori level. As such, the key principles of the Montessori method, most importantly that of self-discovery through the freedoms of choice and time, apply to the activities of the developing child between ages 6-12. And yet, Dr. Montessori understood that the educational program of the elementary child “is not a direct continuation of that which has gone before, though to be built on that basis”. Within the first six years of life, the developing child has acquired the ability to walk, talk and get along in terms of his functional independence. But there is so much more to life, to being human, and the emerging elementary child is ready to throw open his reasoning mind in a quest for more knowledge. The framework for the learning standards in the elementary Montessori program is referred to as the “Cosmic Education” or the “Five Great Lessons” (The Story of the Creation of the Universe, The Story of Life, The Story of Humans, The Story of Language, and the Story of Signs and Symbols). These lessons are taught each year in the Montessori elementary classroom and each acts as the overarching catalyst (or unifying standard to use conventional educational terms) for further research and study throughout the subject areas. The “Great Lessons” give the child the words to think, communicate and explore his universe. As the elementary child is developing his abstract thought process, imagination is used as a key component of the elementary program as a way for the child to better understand his world so

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he can make relationships in his mind. The elementary child wants to know what people do in our society, in our community, and in our culture so that he may also enter into this life of humanity. The elementary guide (teacher) cannot bring every human experience to the child, but she can bring stories, pictures, impressions, measurements, etc. so that he is more developed to see. For this reason, the subject matters covered at the elementary level go beyond the immediate and beyond the sensorial. As with all of the Montessori curricula, the subjects are not taught in isolation but are intertwined and encourage the child to think and wonder. Dr. Montessori writes of the elementary child that “his intelligence becomes whole and complete because of the vision of the whole that has been presented to him, and his interest spreads to all, for all are linked and have their place in the universe on which his mind is centered”. The Story of the Creation of the Universe explores the origins of the universe and is followed up with lessons and student driven explorations in physics, astronomy, geology, and chemistry. The Story of Life represents the beginning of life from one-celled organisms to human beings and is the basis for lessons in chemistry, nutrition, categories of animals and plants, care and requirements of different animals, and their interrelationship with an ecological system. The Story of Humans is the basis of lessons in prehistory and the emergence of ancient civilizations. The lessons encompass typical social studies standards and lead into extensive lessons in history. The Story of Language follows the development of writing from its appearance in primitive cultures to its role in modern society, covering the origin, structure, and types of writing and speaking. This includes conventional grammar lessons and different forms of writing such as poetry, narrative, and plays. The Story of Signs and Symbols is the basis of the math curriculum, which is presented with concrete materials that cover areas of arithmetic, geometry, and algebra. The goal of a cosmic education is to orient the child to the universe and its interwoven parts. The basic areas of study (history, language, mathematics, geography, science, music and art) provide the elementary child with ample experiences to draw on as opportunities for reasoning. There is no ceiling to a cosmic education. All subject matters grow from these basic areas of study. The layout of the elementary Montessori classroom in addition to the methods of instruction aids the child in his ability to think and make relationships in his mind. The goal of the elementary Montessori activities and materials is to provide the child with sensorial impressions and meaningful language that allow him to organize his thoughts. In all areas of study, the work of the child is multifaceted and ongoing. He must review concepts studied by repeating activities and demonstrations. It is also important that the child explores concepts sensorially as well as through artistic work which allows for building images and reflection (i.e. drawing geometric designs, illustrating a report, making an historical timeline, etc.). Some subject areas, such as language and mathematics, require the child to memorize terms and definitions in order to further explore these areas of study (i.e. math facts, parts of speech, etc.). The child must observe and explore phenomena related to the area of study (i.e. communication skills are developed by listening to speeches, making speeches, etc.). The work of the child is to formulate concepts verbally and acquire skill in his ability to communicate, in his computation, in his problem solving, etc. Research is a major component of the elementary

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classrooms and serves as a means for students to follow their own interests, to share their discoveries, and to work collaboratively. Casa Montessori School would strive for AMI Associated status in its first five years. The AMI school recognition program was initiated in the United States to assist parents in assessing whether schools are following Montessori’s principles and practices in their original integrity and completeness. It is upon these standards that AMI recognition is granted. A school applies to become an AMI-Montessori school annually. The recognition status is based upon the training of their teachers as well as their compliance with the pedagogical standards. Casa Montessori would work to achieve the requirements for public schools within its first five years of operation: To qualify for the Associated status, 50% of the head teachers must hold an AMI diploma, and at least one must be teaching at the appropriate age level. The Associated status is also a transitional category for schools that are in the process of developing programs that meet all of the AMI standards. Most public schools apply at this level due to the fee structure offered public schools, although many meet all requirements for AMI recognition.

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AMI STANDARDS Assistants to

Infancy (0 to 3 years)

Primary (3 to 6 years)

Elementary (6 to 9, 9 to 12, or 6 to 12 years)

AMI Trained Teacher* 1 1 1

Non-teaching Assistants 1 per 5 children 1 1

Consultation visit at least once every three years

Yes Yes Yes

Complete set of Montessori materials from an AMI approved manufacturer

Yes Yes Yes

Children of a mixed three-year age group, including a well-balanced division of ages (ages listed are approximate)

Parent/Infant or Nido: 2 months to 12/15 months Toddler: 12/15 months to 3 years

3 to 6 years 6 to 9, 9 to 12, or 6 to 12 years

Classes with an appropriate number of children to ensure social development

10-12 children 24-35 children 24-35 children

Morning work cycles (uninterrupted)

2 hours per day, 4 days per week

3 hours per day, 5 days per week

prolonged work periods, 5 days per week**

Afternoon work cycles (uninterrupted)

Not required 2-3 hours per day, 5 days a week

prolonged work periods, 4 days per week**

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Dual Language/Bilingual Program Casa Montessori plans to make available to students in Milwaukee an opportunity to receive both a Montessori education and dual language/bilingual language instruction. Social justice and equity in our public school system calls for this model to be implemented on Milwaukee’s near southside. The team recognizes the challenge in recruiting a highly specialized teaching staff, that is both Montessori trained and bilingually certified, and hopes to build such a staff within three-five years of the school’s existence. We recognize the ideal would be a 90/10 dual language model and the plan would be to move towards that in five years. This dual language model has proven to be the most positive in terms of culture, language, and long-term academic achievement, at MPS schools such as Fratney. The goal of our program is for students to be bilingual and biliterate as they exit our school. A 90/10 model refers to the amount that each language is used for instruction. In Kindergarten 90% of instruction is in Spanish with 10% of instruction in English for all students. The following chart illustrates the time of instruction in each language at each grade level: % of instruction in Spanish % of instruction in English K3-K5

90 10

1 80 20 2 70 30 3 60 40 4-6 50 50 This model will require that all students learn to read in Spanish first. All students will be integrated for instruction 100% of the day, without separation. Teachers will be able to use flexible differentiation to meet the needs of all students. Spanish support will be high for minority students, and majority students will be immersed in their second language. The 90/10 dual language program provides a positive sociolinguistic setting that values Spanish language, and the multicultural backgrounds of all the students. Furthermore, research tells us that students in the 90/10 dual language programs have easier access in learning to decode text as Spanish provides a consistent correspondence between pronunciation and spelling. In the long run, this will provide all students with access to print at a much consistent rate. Students in 90/10 dual language programs also have higher Spanish proficiency when they exit the program and show no detriment to their English development, and thus ensuring biliteracy for all students in this dual language model. While working towards this goal Casa will make sure to have a fluent Spanish speaker in the classroom, whether as the guide or the assistant and incorporate language enrichment activities in both languages at all levels of instruction. Furthermore, the team will work to recruit and secure funding for training of certified bilingual teachers who would be interested in teaching at

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a Montessori school as well as recruit and hire bilingual Montessori teachers who may have certification or would be willing to attain such certification soon after being hired. Because of the staffing challenge the first few years Casa may not be able to implement a full dual language/bilingual program but the commitment to create such classrooms remains. Ideally, the team will prioritize the recruitment of native Spanish teachers for the youngest children and all events of the school, such as meetings, parent education events or other open house/school community events will be bilingual. 6. The methods the school will use to enable pupils to attain the educational goals under s.118.02, and promotion/graduation requirements, as well as the manner in which bilingual, special education, guidance, library, support staff services (i.e. diagnostic teacher, social worker, school psychologist) will be delivered to support the identified educational goals. Identify program specific objectives and accountability measures to which the school agrees it will be held accountable. Our highly dedicated founding members have combined more than 30 years of teaching experience along with experience in dual language/bilingual education, the Montessori method and community based organizations. We will employ fully licensed and trained Montessori teachers, work to recruit and hire Montessori teachers that are also bilingual certified teachers. We will have special education teachers and support staff services including: guidance, diagnostic teacher, social worker, ESL teacher and school psychologist that will be in accordance with MPS minimum requirements--or at higher levels if there is a need within our school population and our school budget or other creative funding sources can sustain these important services. Casa Montessori will comply with all Federal, state and local requirements. Students will use the Milwaukee Public Library and other local institutions to access learning resources. 7. The method by which pupil progress in attaining the educational goals under s. 118.01 will be measured. (Referenced in 118.01) Include local assessment measures as Appendix j. Determining Readiness for New Instruction Through Continuous Assessment of Student Progress Assessment and monitoring of student progress looks much different in a Montessori classroom than in the traditional classroom. The materials are designed to provide the child with feedback and each has its own control of error so the children can discover for themselves if they have mastered the work. Although this is a self-directed environment, there are many ways in which the teachers also provide continuous assessment through observation, three period lessons, and recognition of mastery and transference, as described below. Observation

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Maria Montessori believed that observation is the most important task of the teacher. When undergoing their Montessori training, teachers spend many hours perfecting the art of “active observation” and through this daily observation are able to notice all areas in which a child may need a check for understanding or redirection with the use of a material. This astute and constant observation helps to maximize the child’s experience, ability, and independence. Specifically the teacher is observing student use of materials, student awareness of the self-correcting aspects of materials, and exhaustion of all experiences with the materials including language, repetition of activities, success with materials, and readiness for next level of presentation. Three Period Lesson The three period lesson is used to teach vocabulary at all levels of Montessori instruction after the child has had the experiences and exploration with the concrete manipulative materials. In the first period of the lesson, the teacher shows the child how to connect the vocabulary with the material. In the second period the teacher gives the child several experiences with the vocabulary and material so that his/her subconscious is recognizing and relating the vocabulary. Finally, in the third period the teacher gives the “test of knowledge” and elicits the vocabulary from the child. The final piece of a three period lesson is a quick assessment where the teacher is able to determine whether or not the child has learned the language and can connect it to the material. Mastery and Transference The most finite method of assessment comes from the materials, but the teacher is able to observe and document work with the materials to plan for further lessons. Each child must demonstrate mastery of one material before moving on to the next material and its lesson, expanding upon skills previously learned. Because every lesson has a clear prerequisite and following lesson, and a clear sequence of materials, the teacher and sometimes even the child will know when it is time for the next lesson. Mastery can be measured by the transference of skills. For example, when a child is skipping steps but still finding the correct answer while working with a math material, the teacher can assess that the skill has been mastered and it is time for the next lesson. The assessment methods discussed above are applicable to both the primary and elementary classrooms. In addition, the Montessori elementary classroom employs student self-reporting as a form of assessment. Elementary Montessori students use work journals to record work choices, the time spent on materials, choices made during the 3 hour work period, and what lessons they’ve had. The elementary child has frequent conferences with the teacher to discuss his/her progress and the quality of his/her work.

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8. School Governing Body: The governance structure of the school, including the method to be followed by the school to ensure parental involvement and the plan for addressing parental concerns {Referenced in 9.12 Administrative Procedure 9.12 (g)(1)}:

● Council’s composition (name positions and number of members) ● Election process ● Authority in educational program ● Authority in budget development ● Decision-making process to approve policy, programs and budgetary decisions ● Evaluation process of tenured instrumentality principal

Casa Montessori School will be governed in a collaborative manner that honors and respects all voices in the school community, including administration, teaching staff and educational assistants as well as the school families. All staff members will take responsibility for the safe, orderly operations of the school and a highly positive school climate. Additionally, a pedagogical implementer will work closely with the principal to meet specific needs--including but not limited to--building community liaisons, mentoring teaching staff, curriculum development and assessment, transportation issues, and managing budgets. The School Governance Council will be comprised of teachers, students, parents and community members. Their role will integral in helping to ensure that the overall functions of the school are accomplished. Those interested in serving on the School Governance Council will apply to be part of the Council, and will be chosen in accordance with MPS requirements for selection of School Governance Council members. The School Governance Council will meet monthly to address such issues or concerns as grant opportunities, a review of the school’s educational plan, and budgetary concerns. Casa Montessori School will use a democratic form of governance with weekly staff and student meetings to celebrate successes and discuss concerns. Meeting topics may include, but are not limited to: success of the Casa Montessori School program, needs within the program, and logistical issues that arise. This method of governance is effective because it ensures that all stakeholders in the school have a voice in the decisions that affect the school. Democratic governance also empowers students to take an active role in their education. By fostering a democratic and cooperative school community, we believe members will feel committed to both the welfare of others and the school. 9. Subject to sub. (7)(a) and (am) and ss. 118.19(1) and 121.02(1)(a)2., the certifications and qualifications that must be met by the individuals to be employed in the school. {Referenced in 118.19(1) and 121.02(1)(a)2} Hiring respected, successful and highly trained teachers--both in Montessori and dual language/bilingual education--is of high priority of Casa Montessori School. Casa will select highly qualified teachers and support staff as defined by the former Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Teachers selected will be fully certified and/or licensed by the State of Wisconsin (or willing to complete certification during their first year), hold at least a bachelor’s

18

degree from a four-year institution, and demonstrate competence in Spanish. All legal procedures will be adhered to in procuring highly qualified staff at Casa. Employment at Casa will be in accordance with Wisconsin state licensing requirements to teach in a K-8 school. All employees of Casa Montessori School will be employed by Milwaukee Public Schools. For the purpose of optimal teacher preparedness, all teachers at Casa Montessori School will be required to attend trainings on restorative practices specifically to implement peace-keeping circles. 10. The procedures and requirements that the school will follow to ensure the health and safety of the pupils, including identifying steps to address safety concerns that may arise. A crisis plan using the MPS template will be developed and the plan will be thoroughly reviewed once the staff of Casa Montessori School is in place. Staff will also be trained in code red and code blue procedures, fire drills, and tornado drills. Practice drills will take place per MPS and city requirements. Emergency drills will be taken very seriously at Casa Montessori School. Students will be taught expectations for appropriate behavior during practice drills (should an actual emergency arise) and will be held to a high standard of safe, respectful, and responsible behavior. All students and parents of Casa Montessori School will be required to read and sign a code of conduct which will outline the school and district policies, including the district’s discipline policy pertaining to violence, weapons and illegal substances. Families will be informed of the Restorative Practices model and will be invited to take part in learning about the program. During parent orientation, through school mailings, and as their child is informed at the beginning of the school year, all parents will be notified of the school’s firmly enforced discipline policy. Casa Montessori School will comply with board policy on Wisconsin immunization requirement and blood-borne pathogens. All staff members will be trained in how to quickly and responsibly handle medical emergencies This will include--but not limited to--CPR and defibrillator training. 11. Describe the targeted student population and the strategies, procedures and requirements by which the school will welcome and recruit a student body diverse in race, language, economic status and special education needs reflective of the school district population. Include the following appendices: Appendix E Diversity Plan, and Appendix F Special Education Plan that describes the means by which the charter school will include pupils with special needs, including pupils whose special education needs are other than speech and language only, in the charter school’s pupil population. The targeted population for Casa Montessori School will be families that are interested in Montessori education as well as a dual language/bilingual (Spanish) one. In order to inform families of Casa, staff and partners will participate in outreach in multiple communities on Milwaukee’s southside, to encourage attendance of students from various neighborhoods in order to ensure a racially and linguistically diverse student body. Outreach will include one-on-one conversations, attendances at community events and involvement in local organizations and faith communities.

19

A website and brochure (available in English and in Spanish) will be developed during the planning year in order to help get information out to the community. Because Casa Montessori will be a community school the partnerships the school develops will also aid in outreach and recruitment. 12. The procedures and requirements for admission to the school in accordance with Federal guidelines. Casa Montessori School will follow all federal guidelines regarding admissions, including but not limited to holding a lottery should more students apply for enrollment than seats are available, and informing the community without bias toward personal identity, family structure, race, culture, language, gender, ability, economics, appearance, or beliefs.

20

13. Enrollment and grade level distribution chart that shows grades and enrollment numbers for each year of the contract term.

Year 1*

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10

K3 40 35 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

K4 40 35 30 28 28 28 28 28 28 28

K5 35 30 28 27 27 27 27 27 27

1st 30 28 26 26 26 26 26 26

2nd 28 26 25 25 25 25 25

3rd 26 25 25 25 25 25

4th 25 24 24 24 24

5th 24 24 24 24

6th 24 24 24

7th 24 24

8th 24

total 80 105 120 142 163 186 209 233 257 281

# of teachers/EA’s

2 double sessions

4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

*all students attend half day 14. A complete proposed budget should be attached to this petition/proposal as Appendix G. (Contact the MPS Finance Department for the templates.) If other funding sources besides the per pupil amount, including grants are being sought to supplement the charter school, include the name of the grant, the duration of the grant and plans for sustainability if/when the grant funds end. A complete budget is attached as Appendix G. Planning funds will be used to train teachers through the AMI training center in Milwaukee as well as provide opportunity for teachers to visit schools with successful bilingual Montessori

21

programming to study their best practices. Training may also be provided for Montessori trained teachers that are interested in improving their Spanish fluency. 15. The manner in which annual audits of the financial and programmatic (performance and compliance) operation of the school will be performed. Casa Montessori school will be subject to annual financial audits in accordance and compliance with MPS internal auditing systems. 16. The procedures for disciplining pupils. If the charter school will have its own discipline policy, attach it as Appendix H. Casa Montessori School aims to follow the Montessori pedagogical method, which emphasizes classroom and school practices that are rooted in peace and justice. Students from three years of age begin to understand the concept of interdependence and the sense of community in Montessori schools is often rated highly.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/313/5795/1893.full?ijkey=3UWZqF01vQgbY&keytype=ref&siteid=sci We will also implement the practice of restorative justice. If additional issues arise an individualized behavior plan will be written and implemented by staff/parents and when appropriate, the students. Discipline in a Montessori environment Maria Montessori said, “We must lay the foundation for peace ourselves by constructing a social environment, a new world for the child and the adolescent, so that their individual conscience

22

may develop. A vast education reform and above all a vast social reform for today.” Casa Montessori will strive to adhere to these words by building a strong sense of community through a strong peace curriculum. Through grace and courtesy lessons each child will be taught and expected to uphold these three principles at all times: 1. Respect for self and for others 2. Care and compassion for self and others 3. Resolution of conflicts with words The elements of peace education will be upheld in all areas inside and outside of the classroom, including special subject classes where the specials teacher may not be well versed in the Montessori Method. Students at Casa Montessori will achieve higher academic learning in a peaceful environment. Once the school is chartered, we will draw up a code of ethics for the student body based on Maria Montessori’s work on peace and conflict resolution. Restorative Justice Restorative justice empowers students to resolve conflicts on their own, and it's growing in practice at schools around the country. Essentially, the idea is to bring students together in peer-mediated small groups to talk, ask questions and air their grievances. Restorative justice’s three main goals are: 1. Accountability. Restorative justice strategies provide opportunities for wrongdoers to be accountable to those they have harmed, and enable them to repair the harm they caused to the extent possible. 2. Community safety. Restorative justice recognizes the need to keep the community safe through strategies that build relationships and empower the community to take responsibility for the well-being of its members. 3. Competency development. Restorative justice seeks to increase the pro-social skills of those who have harmed others, address underlying factors that lead youth to engage in delinquent behavior, and build on strengths in each young person. 17. The public school alternatives for pupils who reside in the school district and do not wish to attend or are not admitted to the charter school Students who are not enrolled in Casa Montessori School will be able to attend other public K-8 schools throughout MPS. 18. A description of the school facilities and the types and limits of the liability insurance that the school will carry. If you have a site, identify the facility/location. If planning a shared facility, provide information regarding arrangements necessary for space accommodations/needs.

23

Casa Montessori School will occupy an available MPS-owned building that is suited to the needs of the school. If such a building is not available we will look for a non-MPS to lease. Our ideal location would be: -in a location that borders a number of diverse neighborhoods as to draw on a student body that would be racially diverse. -have proximity to regularly scheduled bus routes -be within walking distance to green space -have (or the potential to develop) green space on campus -be within walking distance or on a direct bus route to one of our many community partners -have an elevator to ensure handicap accessibility As a Milwaukee Public Schools Instrumentality Charter, The Casa Montessori School will carry the required MPS liability insurance 19. The effect of the establishment of the charter school on the liability of the school district The Casa Montessori School will abide by all State laws and the Milwaukee Board of School Directors' insurance and risk management requirements, and has no intent to obtain additional resources at the expense of other MPS schools. In accordance with MPS directives, field trip permission forms will be used for all learning opportunities that take place away from the school property in which our students participate. 20. The following policies including procedure to inform parents: a) School transportation policy b) School nutrition policy a) School transportation policy Casa Montessori will be a walkable, community school and busing is not perceived to be necessary as a transportation policy. We will draw families from across the city to be racially diverse and half of the students will come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Our school resource coordinator will recruit more than half of our student population from the neighborhood. b) School nutrition policy We will participate in the MPS lunch delivery program and strongly encourage students and families who choose to bring food from home to pack a healthy, low sodium, low sugar meal. Families will be informed of our policies during recruitment and enrollment. As our program continues, we will begin to incorporate methods of food preparation and nutrition based in the Montessori method that includes the children growing, purchasing and

24

preparing their own meals. This could include having a community garden, greenhouse and functional kitchen accessible to students. 21. Indicate whether the proposed charter school wishes to be an instrumentality or non-instrumentality charter school. Indicate if the school is submitting a petition or proposal. All petitions should attach the signatures as Appendix I. The Casa Montessori School is submitting a petition to be an instrumentality charter school. 22. Indicate the school year that the charter status is requested to begin, and length (1 to 5 years) of the contract term sought. The Casa Montessori School seeks to open its doors as an instrumentality charter of the District beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, to begin building community partnerships and provide community services. We would like to open in the 2017-18 school year for student enrollment. We are seeking a charter contract for five years. Appendix A Casa Montessori School will follow the MPS calendar, under annual board review.

25

Appendix B Casa Montessori School will follow the traditional MPS early start time of 7:35 and end time 2:35. Appendix C Not applicable Appendix D Not applicable Appendix E Casa Montessori will be a walkable community school and busing is not perceived to be necessary as a transportation policy. We will draw families from across the city to be racially diverse and half of the students will come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Our parent organizer will recruit more than half of our student population from the neighborhood. Appendix F Casa Montessori would comply with all special education requirements. Regardings its school size, it would require part-time speech and special education certified teachers from other MPS buildings until it is able to sustain its own staff, as other district schools have complied. Appendix G See growth chart for classroom teacher numbers per year. Each classroom teacher requires an education assistant for the classroom, as contained in this school level budget. The school would require one full-time secretary, parent organizer, bookkeeping and administrative support, all from central budgeting. We would need a part-time ESL starting in the second year. Special education and speech pathologist should be bilingual and would be part-time in the first five years, as allowed by the central office budget. MPS central will resource building and building facilities cost. Please also see need for planning funds for teacher training that is absorbed in teacher salary in the first five years of the chart. This would be approximately 15,000 a year, starting in the planning year (absorbed in Year 1) to be released for additional AMI and bilingual certifications of qualified teachers, as described on page 20.

Year 1*

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Teachers (100K/1) (includes training funds)

230 415 415 515 615 700 800 900 1000 1100

26

EAs (30K/1)

60 120 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

Specialty Montessori Materials

30 30 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

Classroom Furniture & Technology

100 100 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Total 420 665 570 700 830 945 1075 1205 1335 1465

*all students attend half day Appendix H Casa Montessori School aims to follow the Montessori pedagogical method, which emphasizes classroom and school practices that are rooted in peace and justice. Students from three years of age begin to understand the concept of interdependence and the sense of community in Montessori schools is often rated highly.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/313/5795/1893.full?ijkey=3UWZqF01vQgbY&keytype=ref&siteid=sci

27

We will also implement the practice of restorative justice. If additional issues arise an individualized behavior plan will be written and implemented by staff/parents and when appropriate, the students. Discipline in a Montessori environment Maria Montessori said, “We must lay the foundation for peace ourselves by constructing a social environment, a new world for the child and the adolescent, so that their individual conscience may develop. A vast education reform and above all a vast social reform for today.” Casa Montessori will strive to adhere to these words by building a strong sense of community through a strong peace curriculum. Through grace and courtesy lessons each child will be taught and expected to uphold these three principles at all times: 1. Respect for self and for others 2. Care and compassion for self and others 3. Resolution of conflicts with words The elements of peace education will be upheld in all areas inside and outside of the classroom, including special subject classes where the specials teacher may not be well versed in the Montessori Method. Students at Casa Montessori will achieve higher academic learning in a peaceful environment. Once the school is chartered, we will draw up a code of ethics for the student body based on Maria Montessori’s work on peace and conflict resolution. Restorative Justice Restorative justice empowers students to resolve conflicts on their own, and it's growing in practice at schools around the country. Essentially, the idea is to bring students together in peer-mediated small groups to talk, ask questions and air their grievances. Restorative justice’s three main goals are: 1. Accountability. Restorative justice strategies provide opportunities for wrongdoers to be accountable to those they have harmed, and enable them to repair the harm they caused to the extent possible. 2. Community safety. Restorative justice recognizes the need to keep the community safe through strategies that build relationships and empower the community to take responsibility for the well-being of its members. 3. Competency development. Restorative justice seeks to increase the pro-social skills of those who have harmed others, address underlying factors that lead youth to engage in delinquent behavior, and build on strengths in each young person. Appendix I See attached petition Appendix J

28

See attached CV Appendix K See attached schedule Appendix L See pages 3-13 in school proposal Appendix M See attached letters Appendix N Casa Montessori School will comply with the MPS teacher workday schedule in the MPS staff handbook. Appendix O Casa Montessori School will follow the MPS mandated assessments, under annual board review.

!

!

!

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 7:30!!

Greet!children,!allow!in!coat!roam!





7:3567:45!!

Children!begin!their!work,!write!plan!





7:4567:50!!

Lunch/attendance! Lunch/attendance! Lunch/attendance! Lunch/attendance! Lunch/attendance!

7:5068:00!!

Announcements/!Begin!work!





8:0068:50!!

Language!lessons/!Spanish!volunteer!

Language!lessons! Language!lessons! GYM! Music!Lesson!

8:5069:45!!

History/Science!!lessons!

History/Science!lessons!

History/Science!lessons!

ART!IN!THE!ROOM! History/Science!lessons!

9:45610:45!!

Math/Geometry!lessons!





10:45611:00!!

Update!daily!journal/work,!clean!

Mindfulness! Update!daily!journal/work,!clean!

Mindfulness! Begin!Check6ins!

11:00611:30!!

Recess! DUTY! Recess! Recess! Recess!

11:30612:00!!

Lunch! Lunch! Lunch! DUTY! Lunch!

12:0062:00!!

Research/More!lessons/Literature!Circles/intervention!




Finish!weekly!check6ins/Community!Council!

2:0062:30!2:35!Dismissal!

Update!journals,!clean!jobs,!reading!





This!Schedule!MUST!be!returned!to!the!office!NO!LATER!than!3rd!FRIDAY.!!One!copy!to!be!posted!outside!your!classroom!and!one!inside!the!classroom!or!place!of!service,!and!one!copy!placed!in!the!substitute!teacher!folder.!

Sample!Weekly!Schedule!!

July%24,%2015%%Dana%Thome%

%To%Whom%It%May%Concern:%%I%am%writing%to%express%my%support%for%the%establishment%of%Casa%Montessori,%a%proposed%bilingual%Montessori%school%in%the%city%of%Milwaukee.%%I%have%been%teaching%in%the%Milwaukee%Public%Schools%since%1998.%For%a%brief%time,%I%taught%in%traditional%monolingual%schools,%but%have%spent%most%of%my%years%at%La%Escuela%Fratney%teaching%in%a%dual%language%program.%Most%recently,%while%on%sabbatical%I%completed%the%Montessori%training%for%ages%6%–%12.%%%The%proposed%Casa%Montessori%School%offers%to%combine%the%best%of%both%programs:%second%language%instruction%and%Montessori%pedagogy.%%%%Currently%parents%who%want%their%children%to%attend%Montessori%schools%and%learn%a%second%language%have%no%options.%They%have%to%choose%either%a%Montessori%school%or%a%bilingual/immersion%school.%Casa%Montessori%provides%a%solution.%%As%a%bilingually%certified,%Montessori%trained%teacher,%I%hope%to%have%the%opportunity%to%be%a%part%of%the%Casa%Montessori%Community.%%%Sincerely,%%%%Dana%Thome%%%%!

To Whom It May Concern: I write this letter to support Casa Montessori School, a new bilingual school requesting to open in South Milwaukee in the near future. I am Assistant Professor in the Second Language Program at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. I have been a bilingual educator for over twenty years, and currently work preparing future and current bilingual, ESL, and world language teachers. As a bilingual parent, educator, and scholar, I know firsthand the need that we have in Milwaukee for quality bilingual programs. After collaborating on the planning stages with Casa Montessori School, I am confident that this school will be a place where children will be provided a safe, and nurturing environment where they will have the space and opportunities to grow and learn bilingually and biculturally. Casa Montessori School will be unique in Milwaukee, as it will provide a Montessori curriculum with a dual-language focus. In this sense, Casa Montessori School will join a long tradition of Milwaukee public schools that offer unparalleled programs for families and their children. Milwaukee’s South Side community will be an appropriate location for Casa Montessori School as this new school promises to be an integral part of the community. Children who are part of community spaces where they and their families are given developmental, emotional, and academic support are the most successful in achieving success that goes beyond the classroom walls. I believe in Casa Montessori School joining the Milwaukee Public Schools District as it will continue a tradition of high quality public education. I believe Casa Montessori School will fulfill a need in Milwaukee for dual-language Montessori programs. I believe Casa Montessori School will provide the community a place where children and their families will be supported in order to grow bilingually and biculturally. I will continue to collaborate with Casa Montessori School as they continue their work toward implementation, and I strongly endorse their work on behalf of the children in Milwaukee. Sincerely,

Antonieta Avila, Ph.D.

School of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction

IInstruction

Antonieta Avila, Ph.D. Enderis Hall P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413 414 229-4814 phone

414 229- 414 229-5571 fax [email protected]

May 27, 2015

To the Milwaukee Board of School Directors,

It is my professional pleasure to provide both recommendation and ongoing support for

Casa Montessori School as an instrumentally charter school. Casa Montessori fills a

gap in programming that is long overdue in Milwaukee Public Schools.

I have had the opportunity to work with this highly competent, dedicated planning team

from early on in the development process. I have been consistently impressed with their

passion for our community and for Montessori learning. Their commitment to bringing

this proven methodology to the near southside is commendable and deserves serious

consideration.

Casa designers have developed a comprehensive school plan that will put into place an

active, community based learning environment for children and families who speak

Spanish as their primary language. This group of devoted educators has the

experience, expertise, and energy to open and operate a successful bilingual

Montessori program.

Milwaukee’s renowned reputation for quality public Montessori programing will be

enhanced with the opening of Casa Montessori. It provides a level of equity in our city

that currently does not exist and offers bilingual families a viable public school

Montessori option.

I provide my highest professional recommendation to the approval of Casa Montessori

and will continue to support the efforts of this high quality planning team.

Sincerely,

Jeffery C. Baas, Ed.D.

Director, Teaching and Learning

January 4, 2016

Dear Milwaukee School Board Members,

This is a letter of endorsement urging you to support the proposed Casa Montessori program as an instrumentality charter school in the heart of the Milwaukee Hispanic community. This group of Montessori and Bilingual education practitioners has spent a great deal of time researching, envisioning, and planning with integrity a Bilingual Montessori program for the district. Not only has this group taken into account

the needs of the Hispanic community in this district, but they have also traveled to observe successful urban Bilingual Montessori schools outside of the state of Wisconsin to gather information for their planning.

As a retired Montessori directress and current Montessori teacher mentor, I have had the pleasure of being a part of this planning team and have great confidence in their

professional abilities, as well as their genuine passion and determined perseverance for this program to succeed.

Thank you for considering this proposal for a much needed true Bilingual Montessori program for the city of Milwaukee.

Respectfully,

Christine Wilkinson

!!December 29, 2015 Ivelis Perez

Milwaukee Public Schools P.O. Box 2181 Milwaukee, WI 53201 To Whom It May Concern: It is my pleasure to support the Casa Montessori School proposal. This unique proposal will be an exciting and valuable addition to the educational opportunities Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) offers to the families of Milwaukee. The mission of Casa Montessori School is to provide a peaceful, multi-age, multilingual learning environment for children that nurtures, not only their academic growth, but also their physical, social and emotional well being. The name Casa Montessori, which translates to “Montessori House”, is a symbol of the community based learning environment it aims to provide to children and families. As president of the Wisconsin Association of Bilingual Education (WIABE), bilingual educator and parent of two bilingual students who attend MPS, I strongly support quality bilingual education options for the children in our community. Research confirms that bilingual and Montessori pedagogies offer many successful academic advantages for students. The idea of a school that offers a strong bilingual dual language program, alongside a Montessori program is a one of a kind opportunity for students in the district. This proposal also aligns well with the districts focus of expanding additional language opportunities for all students. I’ve been fortunate to work with the planning team and group of dedicated educators. The core members have the experience and expertise to operate a successful bilingual Montessori school. I will continue to collaborate with the core group as they continue their efforts towards the implementation of Casa Montessori School. I strongly support their work and hope that you will consider this high quality educational opportunity for the children in Milwaukee.

Sincerely,

Ivelis Pérez

January 3, 2016

Stephanie Schneider

Milwaukee Public Schools5225 W. Vliet St.Milwaukee, WI 53208

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to express my strong support of Casa Montessori School which could be Milwaukee’s first dual language Montessori school.

For the last ten years I have taught at Fernwood Montessori School as a Children’s House teacher, working with students from age three to six years old. Currently, I am on a sabbatical, enrolled in the Montessori Elementary training in Bergamo, Italy. Taking the Montessori course with students from almost every continent has only reinforced my appreciation for an education that values and supports the acquisition of more than one language. The more I read from Dr. Montessori herself I come to understand that we are helping students to develop not only their independence but their realization of interdependence—which is global. This is a method of education for peace and it cannot be denied that an essential part of establishing peace is communication.

Reflecting upon my own classroom of the last ten years, I am grateful to be part of a public education system that values the Montessori method and helps to make it accessible to all children, not only those who can afford it. I see the establishment of Casa Montessori as an extension of this accessibility, providing families with the option to choose both Montessori and a bilingual education instead of forcing them to choose one over the other. I was a Montessori child myself and that influenced me greatly in my own career choice. I also was a child of bilingual parents, both of whom moved to the United States from Germany. From an early age I understood the value of knowing more than one language, especially when it came to communicating with my extended family. In fact, I wish I had more exposure to a second language because knowing what I know now about language acquisition, as well as my experience of studying languages in school or on my own as an adult, I understand that the critical time for learning languages happens in the first five years of life. What a gift we could offer our students to have two languages nurtured and supported in their early years as it would prove to be a gift that would serve them for their whole lives.

I have always wanted to work in a multilingual classroom and would like to utilize my knowledge of Spanish as well as my Montessori training to make this a possibility. I have studied Spanish at the University level and have continued to study in years since. I intend to enroll in a program to receive bilingual certification when I return to Milwaukee Public Schools so that I could be prepared to either start one of the inaugural classrooms at Casa Montessori School or mentor a new teacher (as our goal is to employ native Spanish speakers at the Children’s House level). In any capacity that I can, I support the establishment of Casa Montessori School.

Sincerely,Stephanie Schneider

January 3, 2015

To the charter review board,

As a proud member of the planning team seeking to establish this MPS instrumentality

charter, Casa Montessori, I hope you strongly consider this educational offering in our

community. The community calls for bilingual expansion and families have maintained waiting

lists at MPS Montessori schools. Casa Montessori combines forces of these two specialties to

give families what they truly deserve. The growth on the Southside should be met with excellent

MPS offerings and this competitive school would fulfill a need while providing an example of

how wrap around services can benefit our families. Prior Montessori offerings did not fit the

bilingual need of the neighborhood and this school would seek to remedy that void.

Learning from Montessori experts and dual language experts in Milwaukee’s Spanish

speaking community, we have devised a plan that would honor both methods and be realistic in

its approach. We have identified teachers who would are qualified to teach at this school, as

well as people in our team with administrative license. Our advisors consist of current and

retired MPS principals, Montessori parents, Bilingual educators, Montessori mentors, elected

officials and important resource providers such as Aurora.

As a member of this team, I have AMI Montessori certification and am state certified K-8.

I am completing my fifth teacher as a 4-6 grade Montessori teacher at MPS, currently at

Fernwood Montessori. I will complete my second Masters and Administrative (and Director of

Instruction) licensure at Alverno College in spring of 2017. I successfully completed 12 graduate

credits in 2015.

Prior to teaching, I spent fourteen years at non-profits which helped me magnify what

can happen with a small budget, facilitate successful plans, and effectively supervise staff. I

served as an interim director at the Hmong American Women’s Association and in my time at

non-profits, I spent over a decade managing staff. After working full-time at non-profits, I served

as a strategic facilitation consultant for the Sikh Coalition, Virginia Center for Inclusion, Proteus

Fund, National Lawyers Guild, Voces de la Frontera, Freedom Inc. and many other agencies.

My career has given me many skills that translate into supporting a community centered

school that serves all families with intention. I hope you strongly consider this proposal and

support its success.

Regards,

Sangita Nayak

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December 22, 2015 To Whom It May Concern: I urge you to support the opening of Casa Montessori Program, a proposed MPS instrumentality charter school. Community members, bilingual educators and Montessori guides have developed a plan to open a bilingual Montessori program that would serve my district. This dedicated group has developed a unique proposal that I hope the board will support.

I believe the Montessori approach provides an excellent education model to children in MPS, as members of my own family attended excellent Montessori programs. However, Montessori education is not offered as an accessible neighborhood option on the Southside. Offering a truly bilingual program will provide my district with a Montessori educational opportunity.

I have worked in community with the planners of the Casa Montessori program, such as Jose Trejo, Steve Ohly, Sangita Nayak, Rafael Rivera Burgos and Stephanie Schneider, who have a love of children on the Milwaukee’s Southside. Their vision for Montessori school that provides a healthy school for families beginning at birth through age 14 will meet the needs of families who otherwise would not have wrap around services for children.

Thank you for considering this unique educational opportunity. I urge your support of Casa Montessori School for our families. Sincerely,

JoCasta Zamarripa State Representative 8th Assembly District

Rafael Burgos-Rivera

Objective:

Seeking a bilingual teaching position with professional promotional potential.

Education:

CESA 1, Pewaukee, WI 2010-2012

• Bilingual certification in education

Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI 2004-2009

• 25 credits in graduate Studies/ Master of Arts in Special Education

Lakeland College-Milwaukee, WI 2002-2004

• Bachelor Degree in Education/Minor in Spanish- non-certified

Teaching Experience:

Milwaukee Public School, Milwaukee, WI 2005-Present

Bilingual Special and Bilingual/Dual Language Education Teacher

• Facilitate instruction and learning process to students in

Bilingual/Dual language inclusive classrooms at the elementary level who are identified with a disability and/or languages learners.

Related Experience:

Milwaukee Public School, Milwaukee, WI 1997-2005 Instructor, Translator & Group Leader for the Therapeutic Recreation Program for Individuals with Disabilities

• Assist children and individuals with disabilities in recreational

activities.

• Assist students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in

inclusive classrooms during school day academically and with basic needs

• Translate documents, solicitudes, interact with Spanish Speaking

parents.A+ Plus In Home Tutoring, Milwaukee, WI 2003-2008

Tutor

• Tutor students with disabilities and/or English limitations.

Language Source, Milwaukee, WI 2004-2009

Interpreter/ Translator between Spanish and English

• Interpret, translate documents, and interact with Spanish Speaking

patients in a medical setting.

Jessica H. Doughty

Professional Experience

Upper Elementary Teacher, Maryland Avenue Montessori; Milwaukee, WI 2013-PresentLeads a classroom of 28 children between the ages of 9 and 12. Teaches lessons in all subject areas. Currently the webmaster for the school, an active member of the school’s learning team, PBIS team, and the Infinite Campus trainer for the staff.

7th Grade Bilingual Teacher, Lincoln Center of the Arts; Milwaukee, WI 2005-2012Guided diverse bilingual seventh grade children in the subject areas of language arts and writing, science, and social studies. Was the bilingual representative, a member of the learning team, and cooperating teacher to a student teacher from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Attended SEWAC (Southeastern Wisconsin Assessment Collaborative) with select group of teachers and administrators at Alverno College in Milwaukee.

Bilingual Elementary School Teacher, Hayes Bilingual School; Milwaukee, WI 2002-2005Guided diverse bilingual (Spanish/English) Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade children in all subject areas including English language arts and writing, Spanish language arts and writing, mathematics, reading, science, and social studies. Experience in a SAGE classroom.

7th Grade Summer School English Teacher, Eisenhower Middle School; New Berlin, WI 2004 & 2005Taught English/language arts during summer school session.

Education

Montessori Elementary Teacher Certification (AMI) August 2011-June 2012Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction May 2004-May 2005University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Continued Education September 2003-January 2004National-Louis University, Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin Teacher Certification June 2002-June 2003MTEC, Milwaukee, WI

B.A. in Communications September 1997-May 2001University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Wisconsin Teacher Licenses

40/44/108 Bilingual Professional Educator Expires June 30, 2018Kindergarten-8th Grade

40/45/108 Elementary Professional Educator Expires June 30, 2018Kindergarten-8th Grade

40/42/300 English Professional Educator Expires June 30, 20181st Grade-8th Grade

JD

Page 2Skills

• Conversational and written fluency in Spanish and English• Strong classroom management• Extremely organized • Friendly, personable, and approachable• Fast learner and efficient

Stephanie Schneider

Objective:

To demonstrate the variety of my ability and skills in the field of Montessori education as well as my knowledge of the Spanish language.

Education

2015-2016 Attending Elementary Montessori Training at Centro Internazionale Studi Montessoriani in Bergamo, Italy

2004-2006 Attended Loyola College, Baltimore, MDReceived Masters in Montessori Education

2004-2005 Attended Montessori Training Center of Minnesota, St. Paul, MNReceived Primary diploma from Association Montessori Internationale

1995-1999 Attended Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NYReceived BA in Political Studies/Latin American Studies

Employment History

2005 to present Milwaukee Public Schools Montessori Primary Teacher, Milwaukee, WI Responsibilities include planning and implementing Montessori curriculum for students K3-K5.

2002-2005 Toddler Teacher at Eden Prairie Montessori School, Eden Prairie, MN Responsibilities include planning and implementing curriculum for children aged 16 months to 3 years.

1999-2002 Community Organizer for Illinois ACORN Chicago, IL Responsibilities include organizing parents around issues of improved public schools, teacher recruitment and retention.

Spanish Language Experience

Studied Spanish in high school and college as well as in Oaxaca, Mexico for an immersion course of one month (01/97)

Participated in Sister Cities program in Larrynaga, Nicaragua (01/98)

Completed one month course at University of Havana, Havana Cuba (01/99)

Organized in communities of recent immigrants from Latin America while at ACORN

Attended Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco de Español in Xela, Guatemala (07/10)

Christine Wilkinson

ObjectiveTo mentor new teachers in a multicultural setting using the Montessori method and promote Montessori education in the global community

ExperienceMontessori Teacher Mentor for Alverno College 2014 - present

Montessori Teacher Mentor for MTEC 2012 -2014

Montessori Directress for Milwaukee Public Schools 1992 – 2012Montessori directress in lower elementary grades 1 – 4.

Served on educational committees, school learning team, and school governance council.

Gave educational workshops to parents.

Presented mentoring workshops to new teachers working toward state licensure certification.

Leader of student ecology club.

Teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools 1984 - 1992 Elementary teacher of grades 2, 3, and 4, participating in team approach to learning

Teacher of Spanish and Mathematics in Language Immersion Program, grades 6 - 8

Education1992 – present University of Wisconsin, Alverno College, AMI refresher courses and elementary alumni summer

workshops*Education coursework and refresher courses to maintain state licensure and continue professional development

1991 Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin *Association Montessori International Elementary training, Diploma MIM-E20, ages 6-12

1984 University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

*Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification in Spanish

1981 Central Connecticut State College, New Britain, Connecticut

*Bachelor of Sciences in Elementary Education

1978 Instituto Fenix, Cuernavaca, Mexico

*Spanish language immersion study through University of Connecticut

1976 Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia

*Bachelor of Arts, Spanish major, French minor

SANGITA NAYAK

Professional experience

Consulting experience

Relevant meetings

August 2015-present, Fernwood Montessori, Milwaukee Public SchoolsAugust 2011-July 2015, Craig Montessori, Milwaukee Public SchoolsMilwaukee, WisconsinMontessori Teacher

● Continuing in teaching Upper Elementary, including 3rd, in 4th-6th grade

classroom

● Completed MTEC and Initial license for teaching 1st-8th grade

● Completed Americorps two-year service program

● AMI certified and successfully completed Praxis examinations

● Written and received educational grants from Kohls, AWE and

strengthened relationships with community partners such as Growing Power and Boswell Books

● Received MTEA’s Sid Hatch award

August 2007-June 2010, and March 2002-July 2005, 9to5, National Association of Working Women, Milwaukee, WisconsinLead Organizer/Public Relations Director

January 2007-August 2007, Hmong American Women’s Association, Milwaukee, WIInterim Executive Director

August 2005-September 2006, The Praxis Project, Washington DCPolicy and Communications Director

December 1998-December 2001, Network For the Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT), Boston,Massachusetts

International Organizer, Organizing Director

Facilitator for the Sikh Coalition, SAALT and DRUM national coalition meeting

Communications and Strategy Trainer at National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Development Consultant at Alternatives for Community Empowerment (ACE)

Facilitator at US Human Rights Member Meeting

Teach for Social Justice, Free Minds Free People, Education Circle for Change

Education2015-present Alverno University, Adminstrative License/Director of Curriculum 2010-2012 Loylola University of MarylandMontessori Masters in Education2010-2011 Milwaukee Institute of MontessoriAMI Certification1992–1996 University of Wisconsin, Madison

Ecology, Bachelors in Science

Documents

Casa!Montessori!School! Charter!School!Petition/Proposal! · Casa Montessori will meet the community needs for more Montessori placements in language relevant schools. The school