ImagiNation
The Monthly Newsletter for the Schools of the
IMAGINE
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
Novemb
er 2014
Imagine M
id-Atla nt
ic Regio
n
‘Young Poets’ Share Their Work With the
Community
T
o hear someone read a poem out
loud is like seeing a work of art
“with our ears,” as Octavio Paz
once observed. If that’s true, then the
audience at an art gallery near Imagine
Morningside recently saw an earful.
On November 20, fourth and fifth
graders participating in the school’s
“Young Poet’s Society” were the
featured guests at an open mic night at
Annie’s Art Gallery in Camp Springs.
The reactions to the event, from both
the performers and the patrons, were
priceless.
“It was wonderful to watch the students
immerse themselves in poetry and do
so while supporting and celebrating the
community,” said Courtney Bullock,
a fourth grade teacher at Imagine
Morningside who coordinated the
Teacher Ashley Stone (back row, left), Sistah Joy Alford, and Courtney Bullock stand with the
fourth and fifth grade members of the “Young Poets Group.”
event, along with fifth grade teacher
Ashley Stone.
Bullock says the audience members at
the evening event were very welcoming
continued on page 4
Connecting Our Character With Community Causes
E
ach month, Imagine Hope Tolson
focuses on a specific core virtue
to teach children about being
intellectual, moral citizens in society.
In keeping with the Thanksgiving
holiday, the core virtue for the month of
November was gratitude.
UNICEF. Their goal was to raise $500
to purchase a water pump that would
provide clean water to a village or
school in a third-world country.
“The students at Imagine Hope Tolson
are committed to living their mission,
where ‘character is modeled and
promoted, and [in] a community in
which to build trusting relationships
with others,’” said Camille Darden,
Vice Principal.
The Student Government Association
and Imagine Hope scholars kicked
off several initiatives to demonstrate
their thankfulness and appreciation
during the holiday season. The middle
school scholars collected donations for
In this issue:
2 Campus Kiosk
3
News from the Regional Office
Additionally, each pre-kindergarten
through eighth grade class spent
the month filling boxes with canned
goods and non-perishable items for
the Kids Can Food Drive. The student
ambassadors select a local homeless
shelter and donate the food there to
help families in need.
continued on page 4
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Calendar of Events
imagine the possibilities
Campus Kiosk: Brief Notices from the
Imagine Mid-Atlantic Public Charter Schools
Shared Values
Penn Hills: Our “Shared Values
Teacher of the Month” was Megan
Mathieu. Penn Hills’ Curriculum and
MicroSociety Coordinator, Mathieu
was chosen by her colleagues for
demonstrating “Justice, Integrity
and Fun” (aka, JIF) among students,
parents, teachers, and administrators.
School leader Tamara Allen presented
Mathieu with a Shared Values
certificate, $50 gift card, and a JIF
Peanut Butter trophy.
which promotes public education and
honors individuals who are making
a difference in ensuring that every
child receives a quality education.
The weeklong celebration featured
a special observance each day of the
week. Also, on two separate days we
held a “Classroom Education Showcase”
for Kindergarten - 4th Grade, and 5th
Grade - 8th Grade. Teachers invited
parents to participate in a lesson
activity and students showcased what
they have learned thus far.
Penn Hills: The first issue of the
student-run newspaper, “SOAR
High Magazine,” was completed
and delivered this month. The issue
highlights the Shared Value of Justice.
Penn Hills: The second grade team
(Ms. Zuk, Ms. Whalen, Ms. Brown) are
pleased to announce that they moved
all students out of urgent intervention
on the November STAR benchmark.
Academic Achievement
Character
Penn Hills: This month, students
in our primary grades celebrated
“Imagine Power of 10,” in accordance
with a seasonal theme, by using their
writing skills to name 10 things they
are thankful for. Students complete a
“Power of 10” activity on the 10th of
each month.
Leeland: On November 16-22 we
celebrated “American Education Week,”
Imagine Morningside: This month,
students in Grades 3-5 had the
opportunity to run for a position in our
new student government. Fifth graders
are eligible to hold an executive position
or class representative, while fourth and
third graders will have the opportunity
to run for a class rep position or
Member-at-Large. Elections were held
first in the homerooms and then at the
grade level.
Kudos & Commendations
Congratulations to Bonita Gunn,
a second grade teacher at Imagine
Andrews. According to Principal H.
Douglas Rice II, the most recent midterm STAR Math assessment data
yielded some surprising information:
Gunn’s students, who began the school
year scoring 66% proficiency, raised
their scores to 88% proficiency — an
increase in growth of 22%. “Gunn has
high expectations for her students, and is
heavily involved in ensuring Shared Values
remain at the heart
of Imagine Andrews,”
says Rice. “Her
passion for teaching,
learning, and educating
young people does
not go unnoticed and
we cannot wait to
witness the next wave
of mathematical gains for our students
throughout the school year.”
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A Note from
the Regional
Vice-President
T
eam and Family! It is a great
day at Imagine! I’m so excited
about the great things that are
occurring within our schools. We are
certainly on the path to ensuring
that all of our Imagine scholars are
academically competitive with their
peers and prepared for the awesome
educational experiences that they will
encounter down the road. Please take
the opportunity to read this issue of
ImagiNation, which is filled with rich
examples of academic achievement
and our Shared Values. It helps us
stay connected to each other and the
great things that are occurring in the
Mid-Atlantic region. I encourage you to
share information with your colleagues
across the region, and contribute ideas
and stories from your schools that
highlight events and other important
information critical to your — and
our — success. Let’s continue to move
forward as we teach our scholars above
grade-level with rigor, relevance, and
results through the Common Core
State Standards. We are Imagine!
Shawn Toler, Mid-Atlantic Regional
Vice-President
imagine the possibilities
News from the Regional Office
From the Data Room
T
he end of the calendar year is a
great time to reflect on the past
and look ahead to the future.
Our schools will be doing just that as
we follow the “Data Wise” process of
using assessment results to improve
teaching and learning. Our Maryland
schools have begun
the process, while
schools in DC and
Pennsylvania are about
to begin their journey
in using data to drive
the school improvement process.
The Data Wise process uses test scores
and other classroom data to become a
catalyst to enhance a school’s ability
to capture teachers’ knowledge, foster
collaboration, identify obstacles to
change, and support school culture and
climate. It follows eight steps:
• Organize for Collaborative Work
• Build Assessment Literacy
• Create a Data Overview
• Dig into Student Data
• Examine Instruction
• Develop an Action Plan
• Plan to Assess Progress
• Act and Assess
These steps help guide us on a journey
that the entire school community takes
in improving instructional practice. Be
on the lookout for more information at
your school as we move forward as a
region!
Kathy Robinson,
Regional Education Specialist
Learning Tier 1 Strategies
During the month of November, our
Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS)
Coordinators from each school in
the Mid Atlantic Region received
professional development on “Effective
Tier 1 Teacher Strategies to Support
Learning in the Classroom.” During
this process, coordinators learned a
variety of Tier 1 strategies for both
ELA and Math. They received an
MTSS Fidelity Rubric to support the
classroom implementation of Tier
I supports at their schools. After
reviewing all resources within their
schools, coordinators were able to
clearly indicate which resources
aligned with Tier 1 supports for
teachers in order to provide them with
a better understanding of how they
can assist the school in providing more
targeted supports.
In December, we will take time to
celebrate the success of each campus
with our STAR BOY and Mid-Year data.
Effective Small Group Instruction
During November, our Regional Early
Childhood (EC) focus was “Effective
Small Groups.” Teachers were provided
with an overview of the components
needed to implement effective small
group instruction in the form of a
checklist. Teachers had an opportunity
to discuss their current small group
set-up, along with the additional
supports that could be used to assist
them in maximizing their instruction
while eliminating negative classroom
behaviors.
Next month, we will take a closer look
at Classroom Centers and Learning
Labs as our December Focus.
Danah Telfaire,
Regional Education Specialist
3
Building a
Culture of
Growth and
Character
T
hemes are an extremely
powerful way to help students
make connections, engage in
conversation, build community,
and develop a classroom culture.
Our overarching theme, “Creating
a Culture of Academic Growth and
Character Development,” connects
our four literacy focus strategies—
Setting Objectives and Providing
Feedback, Cooperative Learning, and
Responsibility.
During December, each school will
focus on Cooperative Learning.
According to authors David W. Johnson
and Frank P. Johnson, “An underlying
purpose of cooperative learning is to
make each group member a strong
individual in his or her own right.” In
order to gain a better understanding
and effectively implement a strategy
that focuses on individuals, we must
understand the Five Basic Elements of
Cooperative Learning:
• Positive Interdependence;
• Individual and Group Accountability;
• Promotive Interaction;
• Interpersonal Small Group Social
Skills; and
• Group Processing. Keep these elements present in your
mind when employing formal and
informal cooperative learning groups.
We will also use cooperative learning
to lay the foundation for student
success in a world that relies heavily on
collaboration and cooperation.
Devoria Armstead and Amia Johnson,
Regional Education Specialists
imagine the possibilities
‘Young Poets’
continued from page 1
to the children, and the students and
their families enjoyed the chance to
interact with them. The Young Poets
Society members performed original
and rehearsed poems.
“We are so excited to feature the
student poets of the ‘Young Poets
Society,’” commented Sistah Joy Alford,
Annie’s Art Gallery Poet-in-Residence,
who organizes the monthly Family
Night Open Mic event. “The youth
are our future. A ‘big up’ to fourth
grade teacher Courtney Bullock for
encouraging her students to discover
the power that dwells inside all who
dare to be great.”
Connecting Our
Character
continued from page 1
Lastly, Imagine Hope Tolson scholars
participated in Diabetes Awareness by
“Dressing Down” on Friday, November
21. On that day, students paid $2 to
be out of their uniforms. The money
raised will help support awareness
to the increasingly rapid growth of
juvenile diabetes.
Students from Imagine Morningside participated in a poetry reading at an art gallery.
Calendar of Events
DECEMBER 2014
1 Zumba! Class (Free), Imagine Leeland
(4:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
14 Open House, Imagine Lincoln (10:00 am - 11:00 am)
15 Zumba! Class (Free), Imagine Leeland
(4:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
JANUARY 2015
5 Zumba! Class (Free), Imagine Leeland
(4:00 pm - 5:00 pm)
8 Open House, Imagine Lincoln (6:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
“The Imagine Hope Tolson scholars are
definitely showing they are responsible
for their community,” Darden added.
ImagiNation, published monthly by the Imagine Mid-Atlantic Regional Office,
offers facts and features about our faculty and staff, and shares information about
our schools and organization. For more information contact:
Imagine Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
4489 Forbes Blvd.
Lanham, MD 20706
Phone: 301-316-1802
4
Shawn Toler
Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice-President
Tina Johnson
Human Resource Manager