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Fenton Academy for Social and EmotionalLearningCharter PetitionJuly 1, 2014 - June 30, 2019Submitted December 6, 20120Doc# 281324
Table of ContentsAFFIRMATIONS AND ASSURANCES 4INTRODUCTION .7Introduction .7Background of Fenton Avenue Charter School .7ELEMENT 1 – THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM .15School Information 15Mission and Vision 19An Educated Person of the 21st Century 21How Learning Best Occurs 22Expected School-wide Learning Results and Goals of the Charter School .24Students to be Served .25A Typical Day 26Curriculum and Instructional Design .30Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners .46English Learners 46Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students . 50Plan for Serving Academically High-Achieving Students 50Plan for Serving Academically Low-Achieving Students .51Special Education .52ELEMENT 2 – MEASURABLE STUDENT OUTCOMES .55Measurable Student Outcomes .55ELEMENT 3 – METHODS BY WHICH STUDENT OUTCOMES WILL BE MEASURED .58Methods of Measurement .59Benchmarks .59State Mandated Assessment .60Testing .60Use of Assessment Data .60ELEMENT 4 – GOVERNANCE .62Non Profit Public Benefit Corporation .62Board of Directors .62Board Meetings and Duties 63Advisory Committee . . .65Parent Involvement in Governance 68Public Laws .68Grievance Procedure for Parents and Students .68LAUSD Charter Policy .69Responding to Inquiries .69Doc# 2813241
Notifications .69Organizational Chart .70ELEMENT 5 – EMPLOYEEQUALIFICATIONS .71Equal Employment Opportunity 71Qualifications of School Employees .71Selection of Highly Qualified Personnel .72A High Quality Work Environment .73Professional Responsibilities and Evaluation 75ELEMENT 6 – HEALTH ANDSAFETY . 77Safety of Pupils and Staff .77Insurance 82Insurance Requirements .82Evidence of Insurance 84Hold Harmless/Indemnification Provision 84ELEMENT 7 – RACIAL AND ETHNIC BALANCE 86Means to Achieve Racial and Ethnic Balance .86Court-Ordered Integration .86No Child Left Behind – Public School Choice (NCLB-PSC) Traveling Students 87Federal Compliance .87ELEMENT 8 – ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS .89McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act .90ELEMENT 9 – FINANCIAL AUDITS .91Financial Audits .91District Oversight Costs .92Balance Reserves .92Special Education Revenue Adjustment/Payment for Services .92Audit and Inspection of Records 93ELEMENT 10 – STUDENT SUSPENSIONS/EXPULSIONS .94Student Suspension and Expulsion Policy .94General Discipline Policies 95Enumerated Offenses .96Process for Suspension and/or Expulsion 102Outcome Data .109Interim Placement 109Rehabilitation Plans . .109Readmission .109Special Education Students . 110Gun Free Schools Act .110Doc# 2813242
ELEMENT 11 – RETIREMENTPROGRAMS .111State Teachers‟ Retirement System .111Public Employees‟ Retirement System 111Public Agency Retirement System .111ELEMENT 12 – ATTENDANCE ALTERNATIVES .112ELEMENT 13 – EMPLOYEERIGHTS . 113ELEMENT 14 – DISPUTE RESOLUTION .114ELEMENT 15 – PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYER .116ELEMENT 16 – PROCEDURES TO BE USED IF FENTON ACADEMY FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONALLEARNING CLOSES .117Revocation .117Closure Action .117Closure Procedures .118Facilities .123Health and Safety .125MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS .126Budgets and Financial Reporting 126Mandated Costs .127Transportation .127Administrative Services .128Facilities .128Renewal Timeline and Process 128IMPACT ON CHARTER AUTHORIZER .129CONCLUSION .130Doc# 2813243
AFFIRMATIONS AND ASSURANCESFenton Academy for Social and Emotional Learning (“FASEL”, “Fenton Academy” or the“Charter School”), will follow any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations that applyto the Charter School, including, but not limited to: The Charter School shall meet all statewide standards and conduct the studentassessments required, pursuant to Education Code Section 60605, and any otherstatewide standards authorized in statute, or student assessments applicable to students innon-charter public schools. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605(c)(1)] The Charter School shall be deemed the exclusive public school employer of theemployees of the Fenton Academy for Social and Emotional Learning for purposes of theEducational Employment Relations Act. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605(b)(5)(O)] The Charter School shall be non-sectarian in its programs, admissions policies,employment practices, and all other operations. [Ref. Education Code Section47605(d)(1)] The Charter School shall not charge tuition. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605(d)(1)] The Charter School shall admit all students who wish to attend the Charter School. EC47605(d)(2)(A) The Charter School shall determine admission by a public random drawing, and if thenumber of pupils who wish to attend the school exceeds the school capacity, preferenceshall be extended to pupils who currently attend the Charter School and pupils who residein the District EC 47605(d)(2)(B). The Charter School shall not discriminate on the basis of the characteristics listed inEducation Code Section 220 (actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identity,gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any othercharacteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55of the Penal Code. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605(d)(1)] The Charter School shall adhere to all provisions of federal law related to students withdisabilities including, but not limited to, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Individuals withDisabilities in Education Improvement Act of 2004. The Charter School shall meet all requirements for employment set forth in applicableprovisions of law, including, but not limited to, credentials, as necessary. [Ref. Title 5California Code of Regulations Section 11967.5.1(f)(5)(C)]Doc# 2813244
The Charter School shall ensure that teachers in the Charter School hold a Commissionon Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which ateacher in other public schools is required to hold. As allowed by statute, flexibility willbe given to noncore, non-college preparatory teachers. [Ref. California Education CodeSection 47605(l)] The Charter School shall at all times maintain all necessary and appropriate insurancecoverage. The Charter School shall, for each fiscal year, offer at a minimum the number of minutesof instruction per grade level as required by Education Code Section 47612.5(a)(1)(A)(D). If a pupil is expelled or leaves the Charter School without graduating or completing theschool year for any reason, the Charter School shall notify the superintendent of theschool district of the pupil‟s last known address within 30 days, and shall, upon request,provide that school district with a copy of the cumulative record of the pupil, including atranscript of grades or report card and health information. [Ref. California EducationCode Section 47605(d)(3)] The Charter School shall maintain accurate and contemporaneous written records thatdocument all pupil attendance and make these records available for audit and inspection.[Ref. California Education Code Section 47612.5(a)] The Charter School shall, on a regular basis, consult with its parents and teachersregarding the Charter School's education programs. [Ref. California Education CodeSection 47605(c)] The Charter School shall comply with any jurisdictional limitations to locations of itsfacilities. [Ref. California Education Code Section 47605-47605.1] The Charter School shall comply with all laws establishing the minimum and maximumage for public school enrollment. [Ref. California Education Code Section 47612(b),47610] The Charter School shall not enroll pupils over nineteen (19) years of age unlesscontinuously enrolled in public school and making satisfactory progress toward highschool diploma requirements. The Charter School shall not require any child to attend the Charter School nor anyemployee to work at the Charter School. The Charter School shall comply with all applicable portions of the No Child Left BehindAct. The Charter School shall comply with the Public Records Act.Doc# 2813245
The Charter School shall comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Charter School shall comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act. The Charter School shall meet or exceed the legally required minimum of school days.[Ref. Title 5 California Code of Regulations Section 11960]Irene Sumida, Executive DirectorDoc# 281324Date6
INTRODUCTION AND HISTORYIntroductionThis charter petition seeks approval for a start-up charter, Fenton Academy for Social andEmotional Learning (“FASEL”, “Fenton Academy” or the “Charter School”), to be locatedbetween the northeast San Fernando Valley and the east Hollywood area, establishing ageographic connection between Fenton Avenue Charter School, the Fenton Primary Center, andSanta Monica Boulevard Community Charter School, all charter schools under the umbrella ofthe Fenton Charter Public Schools, a Charter Management Organization formed in July 2011.This new venture reaffirms the commitment of the Fenton Charter Public School staff, students,parents and school community to continue the efforts initiated in 1993 with the approval of theoriginal charter petition, which converted Fenton Avenue Elementary to an independent charterpublic school.The purpose of this document includes, but is not limited to: defining the goals of the FentonAcademy for Social and Emotional Learning, describing the instructional program, identifyingthe desired academic and social outcomes anticipated for all students, and delineating the rolesand responsibilities of each member of the Fenton Academy for Social and Emotional Learningcommunity.Background of the Fenton Charter Public SchoolsFenton Avenue Charter School (FACS) is located in the northeast San Fernando Valley in thecity of Lake View Terrace. The school opened in 1958 as Fenton Avenue Elementary, akindergarten through sixth grade elementary school built to accommodate 450 students. As thesurrounding neighborhood transitioned from a rural area overlooking Hansen Dam Lake, to adensely populated community with multiple families living in single dwellings, Fenton AvenueElementary became a highly diverse, multi-track, year round school. Similar to many urbanschools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD” or the “District”), Fenton AvenueElementary struggled with low student performance reflected by single-digit test scores, andaggravated by poor attendance, high student transiency, vandalism, overcrowding and low staffmorale. Prior to converting to a charter school, Fenton Avenue Elementary was considered oneof the worst elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.With the passage of the Charter Schools Act, the Fenton Avenue Elementary school communityrecognized the opportunity that independent charter status offered, and in June 1993, FentonAvenue Charter School, under the leadership of Joe Lucente and Irene Sumida, became the LosAngeles Unified School District‟s seventh charter school and the thirtieth charter school in thestate of California.Doc# 2813247
Since original charter approval and conversion, Fenton Avenue Charter School has continued toeducate a student population that is clearly reflective of the surrounding community and, inaccordance with Education Code Section 47605(d), has given enrollment priority to studentsliving within Fenton Avenue Elementary School's former attendance area. As space is available,students from outside the attendance area have been enrolled, and a public random drawing isheld if necessary.On November 15, 2006, the Fenton Avenue Charter School community, led by Angie Carter,Donald Parker and Irene Sumida, submitted a petition for a start-up charter as a means ofalleviating overcrowding at Fenton Avenue Charter School and removing the conversion charterschool from the year round, multi-track calendar FACS has followed for over 20 years. Thestart-up charter, the Fenton Primary Center, was designed to accommodate one-third of thestudents attending Fenton Avenue Charter School - all students in kindergarten and first grade.The start-up charter was also committed to serving all students living in the former FentonAvenue Elementary School attendance area, while allowing other interested students the optionof enrollment as space permitted. The Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD” or the“District”) Board of Education unanimously approved the charter for the non-profit publicbenefit corporation and 501(c)(3) on March 13, 2007.To accomplish the primary goal of relieving Fenton Avenue Charter School of at least one-thirdof the school‟s enrollment, and thereby moving both schools to a single-track calendar, theFenton Primary Center‟s planned opening was contingent upon the approval of Fenton AvenueCharter School‟s third renewal.Fenton Avenue Charter School‟s third renewal petition was submitted to the Charter SchoolsDivision on November 15, 2006 along with the initial petition for the Fenton Primary Center.Although Fenton Avenue Charter School‟s charter would not expire until June 30, 2008, theearly renewal was requested to synchronize the efforts of the two schools and allow for work tobegin on the move to a single-track calendar.Due to unforeseen circumstances, Fenton Avenue Charter School‟s renewal was set aside, bymutual agreement, until June 2008, the original expiration date. The later than anticipatedrenewal of Fenton Avenue Charter School caused the opening of the Fenton Primary Center tobe delayed by one year. This delay allowed for intense preparation prior to the official openingof FPC. Two grants were procured: a California Department of Education (“CDE”) grant (thePublic Charter Schools Grant Program) for 600,000 and a Walton Family Foundation Grant for 230,000. The Fenton Primary Center‟s LEA plan was approved by the State Board ofEducation just two days after the official opening of the school. The Los Angeles County Officeof Education approved the school‟s Technology/E-Rate Plan, and the Internal Revenue Serviceapproved full tax exemption.Doc# 2813248
On July 1, 2008, the Fenton Primary Center (“FPC”) opened and kindergarten and first gradestudents were enrolled in the start-up charter school under the leadership of Director, RichardParra. Although the intention of relocating to a separate site and moving off the year round,multi-track calendar was the primary reason for opening the second school, construction planswere delayed and the two schools remained on the same calendar and same campus.Efforts to find a suitable location for FPC continued, and in July 2011, a site 0.8 of a mile fromthe Fenton Avenue Charter School campus was identified for relocation of the Fenton PrimaryCenter. The site closed escrow in October 2012 and the loan to begin construction was approvedon November 2012. An architect has been contracted and plans are underway for a move to anewly constructed site for the Fenton Primary Center for the 2013-2014 school year. For now,although the short calendar and longer school day remain, the creation of FPC has established asmall learning community environment within both schools, and reinvigorated and refocused theinstructional program.Fenton Charter Public Schools (FCPS) is Established in 2011The original Executive Director, Joe Lucente, retired on June 30, 2005, and the Director ofInstruction, Irene Sumida, served as the Director of the Charter School from Joe Lucente‟sretirement until June 30, 2010.On July 1, 2010, the new administrative team of David Riddick, Director, Fenton AvenueCharter School; Richard Parra, Director, Fenton Primary Center; Carolyn McConnell, AssistantDirector, Fenton Avenue Charter School; and Michelle Rappino, Administrative Coordinator,Fenton Charter Schools assumed the leadership of the Fenton schools with Irene Sumidaassuming the unpaid position of Executive Director. On July 1, 2011, Michelle Rappino becamethe Assistant Director of the Fenton Primary Center.As the two Fenton schools prepared for the relocation of the Fenton Primary Center, concernsregarding traffic around the existing site, how to build and sustain a second school, and how tosustain the vision of the Fenton charter schools led to the decision to establish a chartermanagement organization (“CMO”): the Fenton Charter Public Schools (“FCPS”). FentonAvenue Charter School and the Fenton Primary Center now operate under the umbrella of thisnew CMO and non-profit public benefit corporation, which is tax exempt under Internal RevenueCode Section 501(c)(3). In November 2011, Irene Sumida returned as the paid part-timeExecutive Director of the Fenton Charter Public Schools to provide additional assistance, supportand oversight as the schools transitioned to a non-profit public benefit corporation.The mission of the organization is to further promote the work initiated by FACS at the time ofconversion in 1993:The mission of the Fenton Charter Public Schools is to offer a high qualityinnovative education to all students in a safe, secure, nurturing environmentwhere students, parents and staff become a community of learners achievingcollaborative and successful outcomes.Doc# 2813249
With the first renewal for FPC and the fourth renewal for FACS approved on December 6, 2011,the grade levels served by each school were shifted slightly
Avenue Charter School, under the leadership of Joe Lucente and Irene Sumida, became the Los Angeles Unified School District‟s sev
