HIAWATHA ACADEMIES Annual Report

Transcription

1 HIAWATHA ACADEMIES Annual Report

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Director... 2 Who We Are...3 HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY NORTHROP Where We Are Going...4 Our Approach Assessment Results Students & Families HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MORRIS PARK Staff...11 Staff Feature...12 Statement of Activities Support Hiawatha Academies...15 HIAWATHA COLLEGE PREP Donor Spotlight School Leadership MISSION: HIAWATHA COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL All Hiawatha Academies scholars will be empowered with the knowledge, character, and leadership skills to graduate from college and serve the common good. Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

3 September 1, 2014 Dear Friends of Hiawatha Academies: As we go from one exciting school year to the next, I d like to thank you for your support throughout a very successful It has been a time of learning and growing at Hiawatha. During the past academic year, we opened our third school, Hiawatha Leadership Academy Northrop, in a wing of our first school, Hiawatha Leadership Academy Morris Park. HLA Northrop got off to a great start with its kindergarten class the Hiawatha Academies High School Class of 2026, and the college graduating class of As of this fall, our Northrop scholars have moved into their permanent home. Our Northrop campus is located on 46th Street near Bloomington Avenue. The building, which had been dormant and empty for the last decade, underwent a beautiful renovation, and the kindergarteners and 1st graders arrived to a brand new school in mid-august. Our oldest scholars, meanwhile, have miraculously become 8th graders: they are entering their last months at Hiawatha College Prep middle school, and are now knocking on the door to high school. As you may recall, in February of 2014, our Board of Directors voted to accelerate the opening of Hiawatha Collegiate High School, so that it will welcome our first class of 9th graders in the fall of That magical moment, when 100% of our Hiawatha scholars walk across the stage to receive their diplomas and head off to college, is inching ever closer just under 5 years from today. It brings me immense joy and gratitude to think of all the hard work our students, families, teachers, staff, and leaders have put into the realization of that day in June of 2019 and how much excitement, hope, and promise is yet to come. As we look ahead to another exciting year of learning and growing together, I want to sincerely thank you for your interest in and support of Hiawatha Academies. Best regards, Eli Kramer Executive Director Hiawatha Academies 2

4 WHO WE ARE HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY NORTHROP HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MORRIS PARK HIAWATHA COLLEGE PREP GRADES SERVED K-1 (Growing to K-4) YEAR FOUNDED 2013 STUDENTS SERVED 156 (Growing to 390) GRADES SERVED K-4 YEAR FOUNDED 2007 STUDENTS SERVED 390 GRADES SERVED 5-8 YEAR FOUNDED 2011 STUDENTS SERVED 312 Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

5 WHERE WE ARE GOING HIAWATHA ACADEMIES TO OPEN FIRST HIGH SCHOOL IN AUGUST 2015 In August of 2015, Hiawatha Collegiate High School will open its doors to 104 9th grade students. At HCHS, all students will benefit from a well-rounded program rooted in rigorous academics, comprehensive college support, and meaningful extracurricular activities. HCHS is committed to ensuring that in 2019, 100 percent of its inaugural class will graduate from high school prepared to thrive in college. The high school will be led by principal Nicole Cooley, who has, over the past year, worked as Hiawatha s Director of Teaching and Learning. According to Hiawatha s Executive Director, Eli Kramer, Nicole has helped found and lead an incredible high school once before, and she s just the right person to lead Hiawatha Collegiate High School to great things for our students and families. HIAWATHA COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL Opening in August of 2015 with 104 9th grade scholars Growing to grades 9-12 with 777 scholars Ms. Cooley began her career in education teaching middle school in St. Louis through Teach for America. She then moved to Chicago, where she worked as a teacher and administrator at Gary Comer College Prep, a campus of Noble Street Charter School, the highest performing high school charter network in the city. While there, Ms. Cooley led both students and teachers to unprecedented successes, most notably, 100 percent graduation and enrollment in college. Regarding the transition to this new role, Ms. Cooley shared, In a city where about half of all students graduate from high school, I feel amazingly grateful to be part of a network wherein one hundred percent of students will not only graduate, but will be academically and personally prepared to experience both the success and challenge that will exist for them in college. Nicole Cooley-Principal Hiawatha Collegiate High School 4

6 OUR APPROACH SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS. We believe in every child and set high expectations for each student s success. EXPAND LEARNING TIME. A longer day and year offers more opportunities to engage students in high-quality instruction through a well-rounded curriculum. ENGAGE PARENTS AS PARTNERS. Active parent involvement at school helps support student motivation and is critical to student success. SUPPORT EFFECTIVE TEACHING. Great teachers are critical to student success so we design observation, feedback, and professional development opportunities for teachers to continuously improve their craft. FOCUS ON RESULTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Regular assessment of and responsibility for student learning keeps all staff intensely focused on student outcomes as the primary measure of the success of their instructional strategies. BUILD CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. Focusing on character helps develop traits, habits of mind, and behaviors that are not only critical for success in school but also help young people grow into active citizens and community leaders. Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

7 We pride ourselves on taking research and innovations from all over the country, and incorporating it all into what we half-jokingly call, The HCP Hotrod. Our work in character development education followed a familiar course. We started with research. In this case, the whole staff read Paul Tough s How Children Succeed over the summer. Meanwhile, I picked the brains of the school leaders featured in the book. We then developed a way to keep track of positive and negative character moments on a computerized system. As we collected data during the year, we set goals with kids and for ourselves as educators to improve all of our performance. The innovations that we ve made so far happened because we have teachers that possess a growth mindset and always put the kids first. John Kaczorek, Principal Hiawatha College Prep I believe supporting effective teaching it is absolutely critical to ensure all of our students are learning to their highest ability. To provide the best education for our scholars, our teachers must also have opportunities to reflect, grow, and have goals to work toward. I approach teacher development in a variety of ways including individual coaching and support, grade-level data analysis, and school-wide trends. We are a community working together to ensure all of our students have access to a quality education. One of the best ways to ensure we are delivering on our mission is to ensure we not only have the best teachers for all our students, but continue to help them develop their skills based off of national best practices, Daniela Vasan, Principal Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Northrop Knowing exactly where each of our scholars are in their reading development is crucially important to each teacher at HLA-Morris Park. We test students individually in reading so that teachers have a chance to hear how each scholar reads and understands a story. Then we gather together as a team to talk through student responses so that we hold a standard, high bar of rigor across grade levels and classes. By the end of a round of assessment, we know what each child has learned since the previous round, and exactly where to push and what to teach to help them grow even more. -Jessica Hayes, Principal Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Morris Park 6

8 MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT RESULTS Math Hiawatha Academies scholars in 3rd-7th grade take the annual Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in math and reading with 5th grade scholars also taking the science assessment. Reading Science NWEA MAP Academic Growth Hiawatha Academies scholars grew an average of 1.7 years in math and 1.3 years in reading during the school year. These levels of growth outperform national growth standards. Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

9 Math English Language Learners Reading Science Students Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Science Math Reading 8

10 OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES STUDENT RETENTION: 93% AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE: 96% FAMILY SATISFACTION: 95% ATTENDANCE AT PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES: 97% My son has been at Hiawatha since he was in kindergarten. I see the difference between my kid-jordan and my older kids that went to different schools. Jordan knows what to expect and he knows what the school and teachers expect from him. I like to see my son as he says, I m really good at math. He also loves sports and has a chance to play soccer at school. We have faith in this school because we ve seen what education our children have had since they were really little. We love the Hiawatha Parent University that started last year. With my other son, I had no tools to get him to college. Now I know what to do to support Jordan to and through college. -Norma Gaona, A Hiawatha Parent Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

11 I work at Hiawatha because I feel that I m surrounded by people who not only care about and support me, but constantly push me to become a better teacher and colleague. I wake up every morning excited to see my students, who are there to greet me, rain or shine. They inspire and challenge me in the most peculiar ways. At Hiawatha, I feel like I am valued as not only as a teacher, but as a person as well. I am able to be myself, quirks and all. Through professional development, observation, and regular meetings, I feel like I am able to reflect on my own practice, constantly growing and evolving. I m honored to be a part of this team. Matt McGlennen, Kindergarten Teacher Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Northrop My most memorable student interaction at Hiawatha took place at conferences at the end of the year with one of our 7th grade boys. Over the course of the year this student had put in countless hours after school coming to math tutoring and reading extra books to increase his reading level. During this round of conferences, the student was leading the presentation on his report card as well as showing his father what he learned that year in his portfolio. As he described his progress in reading and math to his father, a feeling of deep admiration swept over me. His hard work had paid off as he passed these classes for the first time in his academic career! I watched the student describe how he was proud of what he accomplished, but also that he was going to keep working as hard as possible to improve his grades until they were A s. His father expressed a deep belief in his son s abilities and promised to keep supporting him to get to his goal. This experience is just one of many that left me feeling inspired by the dedication of our students and families and the profound gift it is to be a part of their lives. Matt Toppin, 7th Grade Math Teacher Hiawatha College Prep 10

12 OUR STAFF TOTAL STAFF = SCHOOL LEADERS 58 TEACHERS 19 STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM 11 NETWORK SUPPORT TEAM 10 CAMPUS OPERATIONS STAFF Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

13 STAFF FEATURE There is an indescribable feeling that emerges when working on a team that is constantly problem-solving and innovating to figure out how to make every day meaningful and full of learning. Even when our students are extremely challenging, no matter how frustrated our teachers are, I m always impressed by how our staff separates their personal feelings out to objectively consider the various factors that might be in play in order to guide our students back to their best selves. Emily Loh, English Language Development Teacher Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Morris Park I was intrigued by Hiawatha because I had heard so many great things about the network. I was encouraged by the strong relationships each of the schools builds with the students and families. I also was excited to see how each student is so engaged in his/her learning. Personally, I also appreciated the focused professional development each of the teachers receives through weekly observations. Katie Houlihan, Kindergarten Teacher Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Northrop To put it simply, I chose to work at Hiawatha because I believe it is the most high performing, mission driven school system in Minnesota. I deeply wanted to serve children growing up in Minneapolis and I knew that at Hiawatha I would be surrounded by a team of individuals that are dedicated to ensuring all students get an excellent education. That team of individuals not only has a fundamental belief that all children can succeed, but they are truly the most talented group of teachers I could ever imagine working with. Matt Toppin, 7th Grade Math Teacher Hiawatha College Prep 12

14 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, ASSETS Cash $2,118,991 Dues from Government $792,499 Prepaid Expenditures $211,662 Other Assets $4,220 Fixed Assets TOTAL ASSETS $3,127,373 LIABILITIES Accounts Payable $214,923 Accrued Expenses $639,512 TOTAL LIABILITIES $854,435 NET ASSETS Invested in Capital Assets Unrestricted Net Assets $2,061,276 Non-Spendable Net Assets $211,662 TOTAL NET ASSETS $2,272,938 REVENUES Government Aid 7,753,255 Donations & Grants 1,083,413 Other Income 42,943 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $3,127,373 TOTAL REVENUES 8, EXPENSES Program Services 7,174,083 General & Administrative 1,183,339 Fundraising 95,000 TOTAL EXPENSES 8,452,422 Hiawatha Academies Annual Report

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16 SUPPORT HIAWATHA ACADEMIES SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR DONORS AND SUPPORTERS! FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS Capella University Cargill David Winton Bell Frey Foundation of Minnesota Marbrook Foundation McKnight Foundation Minnesota Business Partnership Mortenson Family Foundation Phillips Foundation Piper Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Smikis Foundation The Minneapolis Foundation U.S. Bank UnitedHealth WEM Foundation MAJOR INDIVIDUAL DONORS Allison Barmann Anne Herrmann Becky Erdahl Ben Whitney Benjamin Case Bob Josephson Chris and Jennifer Reedy Dick McFarland Dr. Elizabeth Bennet Jane Williams Joe Dixon Joel and Laurie Kramer John Graves Kelly Doran Matt Spanjers Rob Albright An Award Winning Charter School Network Beating the Odds School - StarTribune 2013 Minnesota s Future Award - Minnesota Business Partnership Local Government Innovation Award -Humphrey School of Public Affairs Minnesota Department of Education Celebration School -Mn Dept. of Ed GET INVOLVED DONATE Contact: Anna Lee Director of Development alee@hiawathaacademies.org Hiawatha Academies Annual Report TEACH OR REFER A TEACHER Contact: Abby Snyder Director of Talent and Recruitment asnyder@hiawathaacademies.org

17 DONOR SPOTLIGHT Joyce and I were introduced to Hiawatha Academies and Eli Kramer two years ago. After learning about their strategies going forward and their track record with Minneapolis students, we were determined that this was an organization we wanted to support both financially and through personal involvement. Because of my strong belief that literacy by third grade is a determining factor in a child s success, I asked if I could work with 2nd and 3rd graders. I had been a reading listener in both public and charter schools and I wanted to be involved in the same way with the 2nd and 3rd grade students at Hiawatha Leadership Academy-Morris Park. I now report for duty every Monday morning and I can t think of a better way to start my week. I appreciate the fact that Eli, Sean, and all the teachers are on the same page. They all believe in the infinite potential for every child that walks through their doors and they deserve our support. Richard McFarland, Donor and School Volunteer My family has always emphasized education. In my visit with the students I was so impressed with their dedication to their education as well as the results they have achieved. As soon as I walked in the door I could see it was a top-notch learning environment. - Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals 16

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19 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY-MORRIS PARK Phone: (612) Fax: (612) East 56th Street Minneapolis, MN MS. JESSICA HAYES Principal MS. JULIE BIERSACK Assistant Principal MS. CATHERINE LAPISKA Assistant Principal MR. STEPHEN COURCHANE Director of Operations HIAWATHA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY- NORTHROP Phone: (612) Fax: (612) East 46th Street Minneapolis, MN MS. DANIELA VASAN Principal MS. KATIE RATHS Director of Operations HIAWATHA COLLEGE PREP Phone: (612) Fax: (612) Pleasant Avenue Minneapolis, MN MR. JOHN KACZOREK Principal MS. LAURA SCHILLING Assistant Principal MR. MICHAEL KNUTSON Director of Operations HIAWATHA COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL Phone: (612) Planned South Northrop Campus BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman BOB JOSEPHSON U.S. Bank Vice Chairman ALLISON BARMANN Bush Foundation Secretary EMILY LOH Hiawatha Academies Teacher Treasurer JOHN ERICKSON Standard Health JERRY ALCAZAR Blackwell Burke JOE DIXON United Health MIA SANTOS HERRMANN Breck School ERIC THROLDAHL Wells Fargo WHITNEY MCKINLEY Hiawatha Academies Teacher MATT SPANJERS Caribou Coffee JOHN WODELE Doran Companies LINDA YANG Parent NETWORK LEADERSHIP ELI KRAMER Executive Director SEAN ELDER Chief Operating Officer MS. NICOLE COOLEY Principal 18

20 HIAWATHA ACADEMIES 1611 East 46th Street Minneapolis, MN