Belmont-Campus-Academic-Planning-Guide-2020-21

    2020 - 2021 Academic Planning Guide  Michelle Trojan​, Principal  Jacqueline Kaminsky​, Assistant Principal  Chris Lin​, Assistant Principal  Ashley Okonta-Mathews​, Assistant Principal    Erin Estrada, ​Director of Postsecondary Counseling  Haley Giannone​, Dean of Special Education    Melissa Zaikos, ​CEO  Ami Gandhi, C ​ hief Learning Officer  Dillon Hauptfuhrer, ​Director of Instructional Systems  Tim Ligue, C ​ hief Operating Officer  Intrinsicschools.org​ · B ​ elmont Campus​ · ​4540 W Belmont Ave ·​ ​ Chicago, IL 60641  Table of Contents  ● Who We Are  ● Departments &​ ​Course Catalog  ● Mission & Vision  ○ 20-21 Course Offerings  ● Pedagogical Beliefs  ○ English Language Arts | ESL  ● Graduate Outcomes  ○ Mathematics  ● Learning Model  ○ Science  ○ Social Science  ○ World Language  ● Grading Systems & Policies  ○ Computer Science  ● General Coursework  ○ Fine Arts  ● Advanced Coursework  ○ Physical Education  ● Promotion Requirements  ○ Postsecondary Seminar  ● High School Graduation  Requirements  ● ● Student Supports Departments  Appendix        Page | ​Back to Top     Who We Are  Intrinsic is a public charter school - open enrollment, no testing required - that combines  technology with great teaching to provide every student a personalized path to college  and career Intrinsic has been in operation since 2013 and currently serves about 1000  students in grades to 12 at its flagship Belmont Campus A majority of Intrinsic's  students live within the Belmont Cragin, Portage Park, and Hermosa neighborhoods.  However, with an open citywide enrollment, students from all over Chicago attend  Intrinsic Intrinsic has earned a Level or 1+ rating since its inception This rating is  based on the CPS School Quality Rating Policy which includes indicators such as  student growth and attainment on nationally normed standardized tests (including  growth for priority groups), attendance and freshman on-track rates, and other metrics  aligned to the district's strategic plan In Fall 2019, Intrinsic will open its second school,  the Downtown Campus, in Chicago’s Loop.​ T ​ he school will also serve a citywide  student population which will mirror the CPS demographics In our first year, we opened  with 90 students in the 9th grade and will grow to just over 1,000 students in grades to  12 over the course by the 2023-2024 school year Both campuses will collaborate  regularly to share best practices on how to effectively meet individual student needs  and accelerate their growth.      Mission and Vision  Our mission at Intrinsic is two-fold:    ● We aim to revolutionize public education by flexing time, space, and people to  increase student outcomes and improve students’ life trajectories.  ● We seek to learn, evolve, and collaborate with the district and others for  continuous improvement & innovation.    To achieve our mission we will combine proven instructional practices, next-generation  technologies and a unique classroom design with team teaching to create optimal  learning experiences for all students regardless of circumstance, parental education  level, English proficiency, and prior learning difficulties.     Our vision is to create an exceptional teaching and learning environment which prepares  students for rigorous postsecondary options Since our inception, we have developed an  innovative, personalized learning model that is yielding strong student outcomes With  our first graduating classes in 2017, we have seen promising initial results in terms of  postsecondary preparation & readiness.​ W ​ e aspire to be a model for how to serve the  diverse needs of Chicago’s middle and high school students.      Pedagogical Beliefs  Intrinsic​: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing1  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intrinsic  Page | ​Back to Top  Intrinsic Motivation: ​refers to people’s spontaneous tendencies to be curious and  interested, to seek out challenges and to exercise and develop their skills and  knowledge, even in the absence of operationally separable rewards.2   Our beliefs on how students learn best are rooted in key drivers of motivation (value,  self-efficacy, attribution, and mood); we believe that tending to these drivers will lead to  students be more motivated, and in turn, will lead to deeper learning.​ ​Our educational  philosophy is driven by five main beliefs about student learning:     ● Students learn best when they feel a sense of belonging: They feel safe,  welcomed, and valued by their peers and adults in their community.  ● Students learn best when they set & monitor individualized growth goals and  receive consistent & accurate feedback toward those goals.   ● Students learn best when instruction is personalized and rigorous.  ● Students learn best when learning is social and differences are valued.   ● Students learn best when they have a holistic curriculum that includes authentic  field experiences, enrichment activities, and relevant course content.    Our educational philosophy is informed by brain compatible learning principles and  decades of experience in the field of education Please see the appendix for a list of  references.     Graduate Outcomes & Design Anchors  Our pedagogical beliefs inform our graduate outcomes and the design anchors for our  programming.    At Intrinsic, we are deeply committed to preparing students for what the future will  demand Therefore, we take a holistic approach to assessing students’ achievement in  terms of our graduate outcomes Intrinsic students learn through multiple modalities  and work in a variety of student-to-student and student-to-teacher configurations They  work on content and skills that are relevant to their identity & community and rooted in  real world applications As a result, students are more collaborative, independent, and  resourceful; build stronger relationships with teachers and each other; and make faster  progress toward our graduate outcomes We believe this approach empowers our  students to be successful in college, career, and life.    With a prioritized focus on not just developing technical but adaptive skills, our  graduates will be able to: Think, Solve, Communicate, Reflect, & Be EPIC (see graphic  below).          https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5364176/ Page | ​Back to Top      To read more detailed descriptions of our graduate outcomes, click h ​ ere​.    ANCHOR  DESCRIPTION  KEY CONCEPTS  Increased  Access      Relevant and challenging core  curriculum, early exploration of passions  and interests, and aligned and  personalized postsecondary plans  provide students’ ​increased access​ to  the opportunities they need to be  successful and achieve their goals.  Aligned to their strengths and interests,  Personalized &  students own their learning and engage  Student-Driven   in ​personalized pathways​ in pursuit of    their ambitions and personal goals.   Page | ​Back to Top  ● ● Challenging Core Curriculum for  ALL students  Relevance/Value of Learning  Experiences  Career and Passion Exploration  Early Postsecondary planning  ● ● ● ● ● Goal-setting and reflection  Personalized Learning Plans  Appropriate Choice and Support  Self-efficacy  Multiple Learning Modalities  ● ● Strong Identity  & Community     Fueled by self-reflection and a deep  sense of belonging, students build  strong identity and community  throughout their experience at Intrinsic.  ● ● Identity and Self-Awareness  Strong Community    To read more detailed descriptions of our design anchors, click ​here​.      Our Model, Core Learning Modalities, and Personalization  Intrinsic’s Academic Model integrates technology for differentiation, small-group  instruction, and student choice We believe the strategic use of technology will ensure  student mastery of rigorous standards for 21​st​ century postsecondary success With  these guidelines, teaching teams are empowered by grade level appropriate curricula &  instructional coaching to ensure students are experiencing intentionally designed  activities, with an appropriate mix of online and offline instruction W ​ ith our one-to-one  Chromebooks, our students have access to high quality technologies anytime and  anywhere.     Intrinsic’s EPIC Model develops the social-emotional skills, mindsets, and habits for our  students to be prepared for postsecondary success and to be intrinsically motivated to  be change agents Through various support structures and experiences, we empower  students to develop EPIC habits, belong to and help to cultivate an EPIC community, and  develop and pursue a plan for an EPIC future Together, our EPIC model supports  students to cultivate their passions, strengths, and interests, and to develop the relevant  knowledge and skills needed to develop, evolve, and pursue their purpose T ​ o read a  more detailed description of our EPIC Model, click ​here​.    Our Instructional Design leverages five core learning modes which are combined in  unique ratios in pursuit of students’ learning goals These learning modes are aligned to  our beliefs about learning and our design anchors We believe that engaging in this  variety of learning modes is critical for students to build the academic AND agency  habits and skills they need to experience postsecondary success and engage in  world-changing endeavors.     Page | ​Back to Top      To read more detailed descriptions of these learning modes, why they are critical to our  vision, how they may be used at Intrinsic, and content-specific examples, click ​here​.    Shifting Roles in a Flexible Learning Environment  At Intrinsic, we believe, “Personalized learning seeks to accelerate student learning by  tailoring the instructional environment - what, when, how, and where students learn - to  address the individual needs, skills, and interests of each student Students can take  ownership of their own learning, while also developing deep, personal connections with  each other, their teachers, and other adults.3” Personalization can be best achieved in  small groups where teachers provide targeted instruction to meet each student’s needs.  Our large pod spaces are typically staffed with three teachers serving 60-65 students.  Math, English Language Arts, and 9th Humanities students typically spend 50% of their  time working on independent activities overseen by one teacher Activities could  include: writing or revising a paper, practicing problems, watching a video and taking  guided notes, or reading independently.     Personalization is a shared task between teachers and students.​ ​Each student must set  their own goals, manage their own time, and monitor their own progress ​The role of the  teacher shifts from content provider to facilitator of deeper student thinking Intrinsic  teachers ​provide students with structures for academic independence, and they  become guides and motivators as our students need them When combined with the  expertise of our teachers, technology enhances the learner experience by its ability to  bring curriculum to life and facilitate authentic and nonlinear learning, provide multiple  access points to rigorous content, foster social learning and student creation, and offer  real-time feedback and progress monitoring data to ensure students receive just-in-time  instruction.  ​All That We've Learned All That We've Learned  Page | ​Back to Top    Our pod space is designed so students intuitively use different areas of the learning  environment for teacher-led instruction, peer-to-peer learning, and independent work.  Each area of the pod is named and uses visible landmarks for easy student navigation  and leverages our core learning modes to ​ensure students build the academic AND  agency habits and skills they need to experience postsecondary success and engage in  world-changing endeavors.     Both our academic and agency goals for students are established to ensure they are  prepared for postsecondary success and will be lifelong learners, who embody our EPIC  core values and are healthy, responsible members of a global community.    It is also our goal, for each school and as a network, to meet the criteria to score a or  1+ on the CPS SQRP.      Intrinsic High School Graduation Requirements  The chart below represents both the minimum high school graduation requirements for  every Chicago Public School student and the recommended requirements of Intrinsic  Schools students.    Graduation Requirements  CPS Graduation Requirements  Credits  Intrinsic Schools Recommended  Credits  English  4  English  4  Mathematics (Begin in 9th Grade)  3  Mathematics (Begin in 9th Grade)  4  Science  3  Science  4  Social Science  2.5  Social Science   3  Civics  0.5  Civics  1  World Language  2  World Language  2  Visual/Performing Arts  2  Visual/Performing Arts  2  Physical Education  2  Physical Education  2  Computer Science  1  Computer Science  1  Electives/Career Education  4  Electives/Career Education  5  Total Credits  24  Total Credits  32  Non-Credit Graduation Requirements  Service Learning: ​All students complete t​ wo​ classroom-based service projects and 10 hours per year in  order to graduate One project will take place in the Civics course.   Page | ​Back to Top  Constitution Test: P ​ L 195 (United States Constitutional History) Exam  District Wide Assessments: T ​ aking the state-mandated college and career ready determination exam  unless otherwise excused by state law Students must qualify as having taken the state-mandated  college and career ready determination exam in accordance with state guidelines.  Postsecondary Plan: I​ n accordance with Learn Plan, Succeed., students will provide valid evidence to  their School Counselor to demonstrate they have a concrete postsecondary plan before high school  graduation Examples of that evidence can include a college acceptance, military enlistment, a career  training program or a full-time job.   C Day: ​All students will participate in enrichment activities during their C Day time block.  Advisory: A ​ ll students must pass advisory to promote.    C Day (Choice Day)*  C Day (Choice Day) is a unique structure at Intrinsic during which students take  ownership of their learning in pursuit of their academic and personal goals On C Days,  students organize their own schedule by choosing academic options (e.g.  content-specific office hours, writing lab, peer tutoring) based on their individual needs  and participating in clubs and other extracurricular activities Engaging in and leading C  Day activities provides students opportunities to explore their interests and to identify  strengths, practice post secondary skills (leveraging resources in alignment with goals,  long and short-term planning, leadership capacities), and to build strong relationships  and community among staff and peers At our Belmont Campus, C Days are on  Wednesdays At our Downtown Campus, C Days are on Thursdays We also partner with  After School Matters (ASM) to provide additional C Day programming such as Culinary  Arts, Fashion Design, Photography, etc ASM Belmont programs take place at the Lutz  Center and ASM Downtown programs take place at Gallery 37.     Grading System & Policies  The grading system and accompanying course policies were designed to provide  Intrinsic students a well-rounded academic experience As a result, students will have a  robust high school transcript that will make them competitive in college and career.    INTRINSIC SCHOOLS GRADING SCALE - HIGH SCHOOL BELMONT CAMPUS   AP  LETTER GRADE  PERCENTAGE  %  UNWEIGHTED  HONORS  (includes Dual  Enrollment/Credit)  A+  97 - 100  4.4  5.4  6.4  A  92 - 96  4.0  5.0  6.0  A-  90 - 91  3.7  4.7  5.7  B+  87 - 89  3.4  4.4  5.4  Page | ​Back to Top  B  82 - 86  3.0  4.0  5.0  B-  80 - 81  2.7  3.7  4.7  C+  77 - 79  2.4  3.4  4.4  C  72 - 76  2.0  3.0  4.0  C-  70 - 71  1.7  2.7  3.7  D*  60 - 69  1.4  2.4  3.4  F  - 59  0  0  0  *​At Intrinsic, we believe mastery is not if a student can succeed, but "how" and "when" a student will  demonstrate mastery We want students to view learning as an iterative process Hence, in addition to  credit recovery for failures, all Ds earned by high school students can be recovered in summer school and  will be free of cost.    2020-2021 Belmont Middle School Grading Policy      Importance of GPA, SAT Scores, & Attendance  We commit to competitive access for all of our students Strong grade point averages  (GPAs) and SAT scores increase students’ access to postsecondary institutions with  higher graduation rates We firmly encourage all students to strive for a 3.0 GPA GPA is  a measure of a student’s performance across all credit-bearing courses taken by the  student over a semester factoring in the grade earned and the potential credit for each  course taken Intrinsic monitors students’ GPAs very closely Postsecondary institutions  primarily use unweighted cumulative GPAs for admissions decisions, though rigor of  courses is taken into consideration Weighted GPAs are used primarily for internal  ranking purposes including Honor Roll, Top 10%, Valedictorian, and Salutatorian​.  According to recent research published by the University of Chicago4, high school GPA  is a strong indicator of students’ preparation for college; four-year college enrollees with  an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher have at least a 50 percent probability of  earning a degree within six years Middle school students with a 3.5 GPA have a higher  likelihood of success in both high school and college College requires very strong  levels of effort and engagement in both the middle grades and in high school.  Additionally, higher GPAs open up chances of earning athletic and academic  scholarships Intrinsic uses weighted GPAs to determine class rank (top ten) and honor  roll High GPAs are indicators of both academic performance and academic behaviors  that are needed to be successful in both college and career.    We provide students with ample opportunities to practice content and skills In addition  to aligning course content to door opening tests like the SAT, we administer SAT type  interims and provide targeted interventions based on students’ scores.   ​High school GPA, not ACT score, is a strong predictor of college graduation  Page | ​Back to Top    We have set goals for students’ unweighted GPAs and SAT scores based on  requirements for common postsecondary programs:  GPA   SAT  ATTENDANCE  COMPETITIVENESS  2.0