A Free Public Elementary School in Durham, NC

Central Park School for Children Charter Application

(Important: This is a copy of the original charter which was applied for as "The Community School for Children." Please note that our current contact information is different. Please click here to obtain our current contact information.)

GOVERNANCE

PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

Name of Private Nonprofit: The Community School for Children

Mailing Address: The Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Box 90246
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708

Physical Location: Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Room 238
Science Drive and Towerview Road
Durham, NC 27708

FEDERAL TAX ID

The Community School for Children will apply during the Fall, 2001.

TAX-EXEMPT STATUS 501(C)(3)

The Community School for Children will apply during the Fall, 2001.

PROPOSED EMO/ OTHER SERVICE CONTRACTS

At present, The School for Children does not plan to contract for services with any other company, vendors or agency.

MISSION

The Community School for Children is committed to three principles: 1) that children are naturally full of life, power and confidence; 2) that we must use the best available child-development research on how children learn; and 3) that children develop best in a community where everyone values curiosity, challenge and learning.

The Community School for Children will nurture and guide children's passion to grow, their curiosity, their ability to be amazed, their determination to relate to others and their exploration of their emerging strengths and potential. The School will create a community of partners to guide, to cherish and to be amazed by the children.

The School will be modeled on the educational philosophy of the Duke School for Children. However the board members and advisors of the Community School for Children do not currently have and do not plan to have any formal or informal connection with the Duke School for Children.

PURPOSES OF PROPOSED CHARTER SCHOOL

The Community School for Children will be modeled on the educational philosophy of the successful Duke School for Children which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1997. The Duke School will be referenced often in the application and so the purposes begin with a description of The Duke School, its development, its teaching methods, its philosophical base, and its success.

The story of the Duke School for Children is not a history of a particular school, but of educational theory, psychological research, grassroots organization, and community involvement. The Duke School for Children began as a nursery school used for child development research in 1947. An early psychologist working in the Nursery School noted the "child's refreshing freedom of expressing feelings and emotions, his unconcerned and enthusiastic approach to the world around him his curiosity and vitality..."(see note 1) For decades the school functioned as a place of learning for students from preschool to graduate school, and parents and teachers were a part of the learning process

In the 60's, like many other schools associated with universities, the school was increasingly used as, and referred to as, a lab school. The lab school was influenced by many child-development experts, particularly the work of John Dewey and Jean Piaget, and by the progressive traditions of the British Infant Schools movement. Dewey believed students learned best through hands-on learning involving concrete projects with practical applications, rather than through rote memorization. He felt that children construct their own knowledge by actively participating in the learning process, rather than simply assimilating information. Piaget postulated the existence of specific stages of cognitive development in children, making each child's own stage of cognitive development the most important factor in his or her education. Piaget's followers use developmentally-appropriate teaching methods and materials.

Musia Lakin, Duke Professor of Psychology, and Director (1966 - 1982) of the Duke University Preschool and Primary describes the School this way: "The School was based on what we observed and what we knew about child development, rather than what anyone else thought the kids should be doing. 'Children were learning through experience' and 'learning by doing.'(see note 2)

In the early 1980s, responsibility for running the school was transferred from the Psychology Department to a group of parents who incorporated and renamed it the Duke School for Children. They dedicated the new Duke School to the principles of its heritage, to exploring child-development issues and using the best available child-development research on how children learn to create the best possible learning environment.

Today, The Duke School for Children has grown from 55 children in 1983 to almost 500 and remains committed to the principles of Dewey and Piaget. The School continues to view children as full of life, power and confidence, constructing their knowledge with guidance from teachers who understand and appreciate their developmental stage. Parents choose the Duke School because they believe in the unique educational environment. Also, each year, 250 to 275 educators and friends of education visit the school to see these theories applied successfully.

Unfortunately the Duke School's unique educational philosophy and instructional methods are not an option for most families. The annual tuition ranges from $5,500 to $8,700 a year (depending on the child's age), and the Duke School maintains a waiting list that is particularly discouraging for new families in the early grades.

The Community School for Children can successfully replicate the Duke School for Children's teaching methods and learning environment because of the vast Duke School past experience which is defining The Community School endeavor.

Vicky Patton, founding Board member and President of The Community School for Children, was also the founding Board member and first elected President of the Board of the Duke School for Children. Janet Clement, a Community School Advisor and committed volunteer, was the founding Director of the Duke School for Children, a position she held for seventeen years until her retirement in 1999. Economist Bob Conrad, Professor of Public Policy at Duke, helped develop the Community School budgets and will serve as advisor on business issues. He created the original business plan for the Duke School. Psychologist Martha Putallaz, Professor of Child Psychology at Duke University and a former Duke School parent, will provide the Community School's liaison to the lab school tradition and child development research. Other past Duke School board members, teachers and parents have already helped and have committed to support this public school version of the Duke School for Children. The board members and advisors of the Community School for Children do not currently have and do not plan to have any formal or informal connection with the Duke School for Children.

This Duke School past experience combined with the expertise of other outstanding education and child and family professionals who are committed to child-centered education will assure that The Community School will be an outstanding place for children and their families.

The Community School for Children will have three unique contributions:

1. Encouraging the use of different and innovative teaching methods:
   Innovative teaching methods are at the core of The Community School for Children. Developmentally appropriate, integrated, hands-on, and child-centered are teaching principles which have been around for many years and are overused terms in the educational lexicon. However The Community School will implement these methods comprehensively as child development research indicates. The Community School will use as its model The Duke School for Children which has successfully incorporated these teaching principles into its school philosophy and curriculum for decades.
   Janet Clement, recently retired, Director of the Duke School for 17 years, is committed to the concept of implementing Duke School philosophies and teaching methods at the Community School for Children.
2. Creating new professional opportunities for teachers, including the opportunities to be responsible for the learning program at the school site:
   In order for children to remain curious, to welcome challenge, to seek improvement and celebrate success, their teaching partners must do the same. Opportunities for teaching partners to be challenged, to seek improvement and celebrate success will be at the heart of The Community School.
   The organizational structure will not be traditionally hierarchical. Management and instructional decisions will be made by the people most affected by those decisions, in consultation with each other. All adult support people -- parents, teachers, board members, etc. -- will be Partners in the commitment to fulfill the mission of The Community School for Children.
   Teaching Partners will be encouraged to develop their own professional development plans and include projects such as action research, curriculum design, child study, grant writing, study groups, conferences and site visitations. The School has budgeted generously for staff development to make sure this is a reality. Also The Community School will work in partnership with child development researchers and educators in Triangle universities.
   Ken Dodge, Director of the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University, has already agreed to serve on the Board of Advisors for The Community School for Children and to connect The Community School's teaching enrichment efforts to his Center's work in teacher training.
   The Senior Partner (or Director) will share administrative duties and regularly collaborate with the Teaching Partners. This shift away from the traditional hierarchy not only allows the Senior Partner to spend part of every day in the classrooms, but also prevents the isolation of teaching partners and principals that often occurs in school settings. Teaching Partners will work together closely. They will meet each week to discuss schedules and children's learning needs, to share successes and to brainstorm challenges. Teaching Partners act as managing partners, guiding students and collaborating with each other, families, and the Senior Teaching Partner to create a positive learning environment for each student.
   It is the goal of The Community School to encourage curiosity and celebrate challenge for everyone in the school community, the Teaching Partners, children, Family Partners, and others as we build a "learning community." (see note 3)
3. Provide parents and students with additional choices of unique educational opportunities within the public school system:
   At present, only families with the financial resources and the ability to apply years in advance have the opportunity to access private schools like The Duke School for Children, where this individualized, child-centered and developmentally appropriate educational philosophy defines the curriculum. All parents should be able to choose this educational philosophy if it is best for their child and their family. The Community School board and advisors are dedicated to the principle that this educational philosophy should be available to all.
   In addition to the hours of volunteer time, the School will strongly encourage parents to become real partners in the learning community, to explore new ideas, to meet challenges and to celebrate together. The School will have a volunteer (20 hours a week) Family Partners Coordinator to work with families to create a positive partnership through family field trips, library nights, book clubs, social events and programs for parents of young children on topics chosen by parents. (The Community School already has a volunteer committed to this position, someone who has a background in family counseling and is very familiar with the unique instructional methods.)
   To further encourage the partnership with families, Teaching Partners will visit the families of each child before school begins.

EDUCATIONAL FOCUS

The Community School for Children believes that children are full of life, power and confidence. The School will nurture and guide their passion to grow, their curiosity, their ability to be amazed, their determination to relate to others and their exploration of their emerging strengths and potential. To this end, each child will have an individual education plan which acknowledges his or her "multiple intelligences" - (see note 4). The School will also create a community of supporters to guide, to cherish and to be amazed by the children. The School will be modeled on the Duke School for Children, a successful, private, child-centered school in Durham.

GRADE LEVELS
2002: K - 2
2003: K - 3
2004: K - 4
2005: K - 5
2006: K - 5

ENROLLMENT BY YEAR
2002: 112
2003: 154
2004: 196
2005: 238
2006: 252

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE:

1. The relationship of the Board of Directors to the families and staff of The Community School for Children is one of partners. The partners share a common interest and commitment to create a learning community where children are recognized as full of life, power and confidence rather than full of need and to create a School that will nurture and guide the children's passion to grow, their curiosity, their ability to be amazed, their determination to relate to others and their exploration of their emerging strengths and potential.

All partners in this endeavor are important and work together to accomplish this purpose.

Partners bring different skills to the challenge and have different responsibilities but work together in a community of partners where everyone is learning and improving. The partnership model, where all partners are valued and their unique skills, individual styles and personal dreams are taken seriously, will create a supportive and harmonious environment for all. Partners will learn to practice Ano-fault problem-solving, consensus decision making and collaboration. (see note 5)

There is a significant body of research that suggests that teams, when used properly can be more effective than individuals. Teams will use consensus decision-making, assign responsibility and evaluate results. Teams naturally integrate performance and learning and can work particularly well in a learning community like the Community School for Children.

Vicky Patton (MBA, Fuqua/Duke, 81), the President of the Board of Directors and
Carolyn Kirkland (Comer trained), Senior Teaching Partner, will assure team and professional practices.

Therefore, our organizational chart is three intersecting circles.

FAMILY PARTNERS

TEACHING PARTNERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PARTNERS

In the event of a serious grievance or disagreement, the Senior Partner will appoint a committee that includes Teaching Partner representatives, Family Partner representatives and Board of Directors representatives to research the issue and recommend a solution. This recommendation will be put before the Board of Directors for a final determination.

2. Board of Directors

Vicky Patton (President of the Board)
Executive Director
The Governors Center
Box 90246, Duke University
Durham, NC 27708

Bob Chapman (Secretary of Board)
President
TND Fund
2525 Lanier Place
Durham, NC 27705

Edward B. Fiske
1723 Tisdale Street
Durham, NC 27705

Margaret Arbuckle, Director
Guildford County Initiative for Training and Treatment Services
Post Office Box 26170
University of N. C. - Greensboro
Greensboro, N.C. 27402

Jake Phelps
906 Terry Road
Hillsborough, N. C. 27278

Jacqueline Terrell
Box 90239
Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708

THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD OF ADVISORS. SEE LIST ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE. ADVISORS HAVE COMMITTED TO WORK WITH THE BOARD ON SPECIFIC ISSUES. SEVERAL WILL JOIN THE BOARD IN THE FUTURE.

3. Resumes of Board of Directors in Appendices

4. Copy nonprofit corporation by the NC Secretary of State in Appendices.

5. Articles of Incorporation in Appendices.

6. By - Laws in Appendices

7. Executive and policy decisions about the day-to-day operations for the School will be made by the people most affected by those decisions. There will not be a hierarchy for decision-making. The staff collectively and individually will be responsible for the successful daily operation of the School and will make decisions as dictated by that responsibility.

8. The School will apply for its 501(c)(3) in the Fall, 2001.

BOARD OF ADVISORS:

Linda Anders
4029 Nottaway Road
Durham, NC 27707
919-489-7708 (H)
linanders@mindspring.com
(Public schools - 25 years. Consultant with Measurement, Inc. Advising on curriculum and evaluation issues.)

Robert D. Behn
Lecturer in Performance Measurement
Kennedy School of Government
Harvard University
79 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Cambridge, MA 02138
robertbehn@aol.com
(Advising on assessment and management issues.)

Janet Clement
20 Forest Oaks Drive
Durham, NC 27705
919-309-2607 (H)
(Founding Director and recently retired after 17 years as Director of the Duke School for Children. Advising on all issues and committed to volunteer position.)

Robert Conrad
Associate Professor in Public Policy and Economics
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708
919-613-7355 (O)
conrad@pps.duke.edu
(Teaches project evaluation. Will advise Board on business issues.)

Kenneth Dodge
Director
Center on Child and Family Policy
Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy
Duke University
Durham, N. C. 27708
dodge@pps.duke.edu
919-613-7319 (O)
(Advising on teacher training and enrichment issues.)

Michael Corsi
3406 Shady Creek Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-493-7061 (H)
Manthony13@aol.com
(Public Schools - 20 years. Advising on curriculum issues.)

Beverly Jarrell
103 Savannah Terrace
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-929-9611 (H)
bjarrell@angelfire.com
(Public Schools - 25 years. Advising on curriculum issues.)

Carolyn Kirkland
6616 Hunters Lane
Durham, NC
919-361-5770 (H)
CNCKirkland@prodigy.net
(Public Schools - 25 years. Advising on management, teacher enrichment, curriculum, and the Comer Model. Will serve as Senior Teaching Partner.)

Beverly Oakley
Woodbridge Lane
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-969-8670 (H)
beverlyoakley@webtv.com
(Duke School and public schools - 20 years. Advising on all aspects of School.)

Martha Putallaz
Professor of Psychology
Duke University
Box 90085
Durham, NC 27708
919-660-5736 (O)
putallaz@acpub.duke.edu
(Former Duke School parent. Teaches Child Psychology and will put Duke students in classrooms to observe and assist. Other advising as needed.)

Don Wells
Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708
919-668-6742 (O)
DONNONPR@mail.duke.edu
(Long time director of Carolina Friends School. Advising on all issues)

ASSURANCE
IT IS THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSED CHARTER SCHOOL (AS EVIDENCED BELOW) TO ACCEPT SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN UNDER THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, THE STATE LEGISLATION CREECH BILL AS APPROPRIATE TO THE ADMISSIONS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL. ALSO, THE PROPOSED SCHOOL, WILL ABIDE BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL LEGISLATION NCGS 115C-238..29F(g)(5) AND THE CHARTER AGREEMENT:
A charter school shall not discriminate against any student on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability. Except as otherwise provided by law or the mission of the school as set out in the charter, the school shall not limit admission to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, disability, race creed, gender, national origin, religion, or ancestry.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The applicant further acknowledges that, if successful in gaining final approval as a charter school by the State Board of Education, the Corporation must enter into a contractual agreement with the State Board of Education. The applicant further acknowledges that it must administer all required state tests and must participate in the ABC's Accountability Program unless an alternative model is approved by the Department.
BOARD CHAIR SIGNATURE
Print/Type Name - Vicky Patton

Signature - ___________________________________________
Date -
Notary Stamp

LIKELY IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

The Community School for Children will be modeled after the educational philosophy of The Duke School for Children, a very successful, child-centered, private school in Durham. The Community School will demonstrate that the progressive and innovative teaching methods more common in private, independent schools can be successfully implemented in the public school domain.

Each year approximately 250 public school teachers, administrators, and other education professionals from all over North Carolina visit The Duke School for Children to observe and learn from its developmentally-appropriate, hands-on, integrated, and child-centered curriculum. The Duke School is unique and wonderful in its understanding and use of these pedagogical principles. The Duke School provides tours and discussions for educators who want to understand more about how it works.

Unfortunately, many educators tour, are impressed, and then conclude that these methods work for The Duke School for Children because it is a private school. It appears to have more resources, more flexibility, and a more homogenous, success-oriented clientele. They say, "Yes, that's wonderful, but I can't do that at my school."

We believe The Duke School's philosophy, instructional methods, and dedication to best available child development research can be adapted and even expanded upon in a public charter school. With training and support for teaching partners, we can adapt The Duke School's instructional methods to a new setting. We will also stimulate the excitement of inquiry and experimentation to continuously improve the curriculum. Most important, we can treasure and take advantage of the diversity and richness that comes with a free, public school.

EDUCATION PLAN

The Community School will abide by the law and administer all tests required by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The Community School will also establish curriculum goals which are consistent with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
The Community School views academic skills and knowledge as essential tools for communicating ideas, solving problems and achieving goals, rather than as ends in themselves. Therefore The Community School curriculum will build skills and knowledge but will focus on higher-level thinking skills and the development of individual talent, character, and ambition. To assess the success of these focus goals, The Community School will use authentic assessments. Unfortunately, we know of no standardized tests which adequately measure these accomplishments in young children.
The Community School for Children will use Authentic Assessments, Naturalistic Assessments, and Process Assessments as recommended by the Coalition of Essential Schools.
These assessment methods combine to form an assessment system with great strength. Specifically:
Provides interesting, active, lively, and exciting experiences;
Examines student in unobtrusive ways within the context of their natural learning environments;
Establishes an environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed;
Allows teachers to develop meaningful curricula and assess within the context of that program;
Assesses on an ongoing basis in a way that provides a more accurate picture of a student's achievement;
Puts the emphasis on a student's strengths; tells what students can do and what they're trying to do;
Provides multiple sources of evaluation that give a more accurate view of a student's progress;
Treats each student as a unique human being;
Continuously provides information that is useful to the learning process;
Continuously provides information that is useful to the instructional process;
Regards assessment and teaching as two sides of the same coin;
Engages the student in a continual process of self-reflection and revision;
Results in products that have value to the students and others;
Deals with processes as much as final products;
Includes higher order thinking skills;
Fosters learning for its own sake;
Provides students with the time they need to work through a problem project, or process;
Involves creating, interviewing, demonstrating, solving problems, reflecting, sketching, discussing, and engaging in many other active learning tasks;
Compares students to their own past performances;
Encourages students to set goals and manage their own learning process;
Is an easily understood tool for communicating success to others. (see note 7)

The Community School for Children will also incorporate the assessment guidelines of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Student Achievement Goals

At a minimum, students at The Community School for Children will demonstrate a year of academic growth for each year of instruction as assessed by their individual education plan and benchmarks both aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
Additionally, students in cooperation with their Family and Teaching Partners will be encouraged to explore, analyze, challenge and develop all their capabilities and gifts "intellectual, artistic, physical, ethical and social" as revealed and evaluated by authentic assessments, naturalistic assessments and process assessments. Another Student Achievement Goal will be for each student and his/her care-giver to believe, and be able to demonstrate, that he or she is developing intellect, character, talent and ambition.

Admissions Policy

The Community School for Children's admission policies and procedures include all provisions in 115C238.29F(g) and The Community School will establish priorities consistent with Department of Public Instruction policies.
The Community School for Children will be a diverse community reflecting the diversity of Durham county and reaching out to under-privileged children. The Community School will also take responsibility for making families aware of the School's educational philosophy and the implications for activities both inside and outside the classroom. Specifically, the following policies will be in effect:

1. In the event that more students apply than The Community School can accommodate, a lottery will be used to select the students. The Community School will conform to the law concerning the lottery and priority status. Students with a prior history of violent behavior could be excluded from admission to the Community School.
2. The marketing plan will include clear explanations of the unique philosophy of the Community School for Children and the ways in which this philosophy impacts the child and the family. Promotional materials will include explanations of the following expectations:
   Someone will read with the child for at least 30 minutes every day. Four hours a month volunteering in The Community School. Attending group Parent Partner meetings, Parent/Teaching Partners group meetings and school functions.
   Six family field trips each year as part of the overall instructional program.
   Conference with their child's Teaching Partner three times a year.
   Support The Community School's commitment to community service. This may require transportation and service at irregular times.
   Support The Community School's commitment to learn about and exercise sound environmental practices.
   Support The Community School's work ethic. All students will clean up after themselves and students and families will regularly help with cleaning and improving The Community School.
   Limit television viewing by their child to appropriate children's programming for as little time as possible and certainly no more than eight hours a week.
   Support The Community School's efforts to have children bring nutritious lunches and snacks "no sodas or sweets." The Community School will schedule a nutritionist to work with parents during parent meetings.
   Assure that their student gets a good night's sleep.
   Provide appropriate play clothes. Community School children get very messy.
   

Student Expulsion and Exclusion Policy

The Community School for Children will comply with Article 27 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes regarding student expulsion and exclusion.

Instructional Program

The instructional program will be modeled after the Duke School for Children. The Duke School curriculum is developmentally appropriate, hands-on, integrated, and child-centered. Each child will have an individual education plan. These principles collectively define what happens in the classroom.

An "integrated" (see note 9) curriculum considers the integrated nature of development - what happens in one aspect of development, such as physical development, inevitably influences development in other domains. It includes various subject matter disciplines, such as science, mathematics, and literacy, in common activities, rather than as separate branches of knowledge by providing an organizing topic or concept within the children's range of experience that allows children to explore, interpret, and engage in learning activities that draw on goals from one or more subject-matter disciplines. There is an emphasis on building from children's interests and experiences, offering a concrete context of activities to associate learning in a meaningful way and opportunities to apply skills and knowledge on meaningful problems. Integrated curriculum activities also offer a variety of related experiences that allow for individual learning styles and multiple intelligences.

Hands-on curriculum encourages children to experience each concept. This idea is beautifully captured in the Chinese proverb "I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand."

Closely related to the developmentally-appropriate principle, the non-graded, continuous progress instruction provides a framework where children are challenged appropriately, according to their ability to master intellectual, physical, emotional and social tasks at progressively more difficult levels. A non-graded instructional plan increases the educational possibilities for every child and thus makes success for each child more probable.

Last, but most important, everything about The Community School for Children will be Child Centered. "Child-centered" (see note 10) means that the organization and structuring of the school is based on responding to a particular image of the child as full of life, power, and confidence, rather than full of need. At its most basic level, it refers to the rights, potential and strengths of children. They have potential, plasticity, the desire to grow, curiosity, and ability to be amazed, and the desire to relate to other people and to communicate.

Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio approach, discusses the rights of children: to be recognized as both source and constructors of their own experience, and thus active participants in the organization of their identities, abilities, and autonomy, through relations and interaction with their peers, with adults, ideas and things.

In addition to the child's right to growth, Child-centered also recognizes parent's rights to be involved in the life of the school, and teachers' rights to grow professionally, all three active protagonists coming together.

The curriculum that flows from these principles is called an "emergent curriculum" (see note 11). It explores what is socially relevant, intellectually engaging, and personally meaningful to children. The basic idea is that organic, whole learning evolves from the interaction of the classroom participants, both children and adults. In emergent curricula, both adults and children have initiative and make decisions. This power to impact curriculum decisions is negotiated, between what interests children and what adults know is necessary for children's education and development.

The curriculum is called emergent because it emerges, traveling along new paths as choices and connections are made, and it is always open to new possibilities that were not thought of during the initial planning process. Teachers follow children's lead, then introduce new activities to sustain their interests and deepen their explorations "a delicate balancing act that requires genuine responsiveness and attention to more than just the teacher's goals." Through this process, the curriculum keeps emerging and the teacher, together with the children, keeps learning.

The following descriptions include more details about how The Community School for Children will teach several important skills: (see note 12)

Reading and Writing

Children learn to read and write by reading and writing rather than by doing pages of abstract exercises in workbooks. Beginning readers dictate stories to teachers and learn to read back their own words. They are encouraged to attempt their own writing by spelling words the way they sound. They write or dictate signs, lists, letters, songs, stories, reports, recipes, new articles, or playscripts out of a need to communicate. They read in order to follow a recipe, to decipher a note from a friend, to gain information about a topic or interest and to enjoy good literature of many kinds.
Teaching Partners help children develop as readers and authors through the following activities: carefully organized projects that involve use of reading and writing, group writing during class meetings, smaller literature and writing discussion groups, mini-lessons in composition and writing mechanics, individual reading and writing conferences, reading and revision of writing with peers, class read-a-loud discussions, and quiet reading and writing times. Children receive specific response regarding things they are doing well, and set individualized goals during conferences with their Teaching Partner and in small group discussions. Their individual strengths and goals are listed for continued reference in their personal writing notebook or writing folder.
In the context of meaningful reading and writing, children are guided to develop knowledge of letter sounds, spelling patterns, punctuation, capitalization, and other skills necessary for communicating meaning through print. Children learn about important elements of literature and apply them in their own writing. They also learn to revise and edit their writing in order to publish or display it. By the upper elementary grades, children are composing and revising detailed reports, creative stories, letters of opinion, and eloquent poems.
The Community School emphasizes the fact that print is meant to carry meaning and that we read and write to communicate real ideas. Therefore learning to read and write is always done in a context which holds meaning for the children involved.

Mathematics

The emphasis is on developing an understanding of mathematical concepts through use of manipulative materials and on problem solving in realistic situations. Math is seen as a tool with which children can sort, measure, compare, quantify, and calculate anything with which they are working.
Based on the challenging Curriculum and Evaluation Standards produced by the NCTM Commission on Standards for School Mathematics, the approach to math includes:

1. Application - an emphasis on using math for real problem solving. Children use math as they collect and analyze data in science experiments, as they cook, as they measure and graph weather conditions, as they draw plans for wood-working to scale, as they buy and sell crafts they have made in a classroom "store," and in a multitude of other ways. Teaching Partners continually foster the uses of math inherent in children's self-chosen projects. They also create realistic projects that challenge children to apply specific math skills.
2. Developing understanding through use of manipulative materials. Teaching Partners work toward helping children understand the underlying concepts behind a skill through use of manipulative materials (including counters, pattern blocks, base-ten blocks, rocks, leaves). Children are guided to discover mathematical rules or formulas for themselves whenever possible.
3. Finding patterns - Teaching Partners help children learn to think mathematically by guiding them to find or create their own mathematical patterns.
4. Estimation - Children develop understanding of what qualities mean as they learn systematic ways to estimate and then measure volumes, lengths, distances, numbers, and weights of real objects. They also learn to estimate answers to numerical calculations. Estimation helps them focus on the math concept rather than only on mechanical pencil-paper computations, and it helps them test the validity of a given answer.
5. Reading and recording - Children become fluent at reading and recording mathematical experiences on graphs, in charts, through geometric designs, as numerical calculations and through written descriptions of mathematical activities. The recording that children do on paper represents only part of the important mathematical thought (estimating, looking for patterns, discovering properties, logical problem solving) which children are stimulated to engage in every day.
6. Practice. After children understand the concepts involved in a math skill and know how to apply it, they still need practice. Children practice math skills whenever they are engaged in problem solving, application, estimation, pattern finding, and recording of math. For additional practice, activities focus on particular skills. This may include challenging word problems and brief pencil and paper practice of math facts or computation. However, children learn best when practice is fun and relevant, so games are often used to help children develop their mathematical abilities. In card games, dice games, board games, and various other games, children are challenged to think quickly, use math facts, use logic, and solve problems. Specific games can help children develop the concept of place value, use coordinate on a grid, learn to simplify fractions, or practice multiplication tables.

Most math activities can be approached from a variety of levels of understanding. This makes it easy for teachers to help each child extend his or her learning as far as possible in each situation. In these "open-ended" activities, children are often able to go much further in their mathematical understanding than they could if limited to a textbook.
The goal is for children to view math as an accessible, logical tool, rather than as a set of unfathomable, arbitrary rules applied to rows of number problems. This is experiential, problem-solving oriented mathematics, realistically applied in integration with other curriculum areas.

Science

At The Community School, science is considered to be the process of actively exploring and discovering the world around us. Children are continually involved in the process of doing science.
Children of all ages explore materials and conduct experiments. They observe as they raise animals, build structures, recreate ecosystems in terrariums, create electrical circuits, cook, find ways to conserve the soil on their playground, make instruments to measure weather conditions or explore properties of sand and water. As children explore, their Teaching Partners guide them in the use of science skills:
observing
classifying
questioning
predicting (forming hypotheses)
gathering information from may sources
experimenting
identifying and controlling variables
collecting and analyzing data
drawing conclusions and communicating them effectively
learning from "mistakes"
Children's understanding of a scientific concept requires direct experience. And children come to understand concepts best when they have "discovered" ideas for themselves. Therefore, Teaching Partners ask many open-ended questions which lead children to discoveries through their own experimentation, rather than merely giving them answers and formulas. Such questions might include: "How can we find out how much water is in an apple?" "What kinds of food does our guinea pig prefer to eat?" "How could you lift Susan off the floor without touching her?" Then as children "discover" things, the Teaching Partner supplies the relevant vocabulary, helping children generalize and extend their understanding through discussion related to their direct experiences.

Social Studies

Social Studies begins with and continually involves children's growing awareness of self in relation to others. It is essential that children see themselves as important, independent individuals who are related to and interdependent with other people. Experiences are geared toward helping children learn that they have many contributions to make as individuals and as members of a group. The opportunities they have to make choices, ask questions, plan their own projects, solve their own problems, and think independently help children develop their own sense of worth and their ability to be self-directed.
Children undertake many cooperative projects and have frequent interactions with peers. These situations provide opportunities to practice group problem-solving, democratic decision-making, consensus building, conflict resolution, and respect for others. Emphasis is placed on building understanding and appreciation of diverse ideas and backgrounds.
Children have a limited ability to comprehend geographical space or historical time until their early adolescence. Therefore Teaching Partners must insure that topics investigated are developmentally appropriate for each age level.
Children in early elementary grades start with direct personal experiences with time, space, and roles in society. This begins with their classroom interactions. They take walks around the neighborhood, go on field trips around the city, invite guests with varied occupations into their classrooms, act out adult roles in their dramatic play, and map out their community in the block center. Gender and ethnic stereotyping is avoided through selection of trips, visitors, books, and pictures that show a balance of roles.

PROJECTED TYPES OF STAFF

2002 - 2003
Senior Teaching Partner (or Director)
Business Partners-part time (CPA, legal, etc.)
Clerical Partner
8 Teaching Partners
Family Partners Coordinator

2003 - 2004
Senior Teaching Partner (Or Director)
Business Partners-part time (CPA, legal, etc.)
Clerical Partner 11 Teaching Partners
Support Partners (Librarian, Counselor, Specialists)
Family Partners Coordinator

2004 - 2005
Senior Teaching Partner (Or Director)
Business Partners-part time (CPA, legal, etc.)
Clerical Partner
14 Teaching Partners
Support Partners (Librarian, Counselor, Specialists)
Family Partners Coordinator

2005 - 2006
Senior Teaching Partner (Or Director)
Business Partner-part time (CPA, legal, etc.)
Clerical Partner
17 Teaching Partners Support Partners (Librarian, Counselor, Specialists)
Family Partners Coordinator

2006 - 2007
Senior Teaching Partner (Or Director)
Business Partner-part time (CPA, legal, etc)
Clerical Partner
17 Teaching Partners
Support Partners (Librarian, Counselor, Specialists)
Family Partners Coordinator

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR INDIVIDUALS

The Senior Teaching Partner will coordinate the building of this learning community - of children, parents, teachers and others. The Senior Teaching Partner will be committed to three principles: 1) that children are full of life, power and confidence rather than need; 2) that we must use the best available child-development research on how children learn; and 3) that children learn best in a community where everyone values curiosity, challenge and learning.

The Senior Partner will be skilled in using the Comer principles of management: No-fault problem-solving, consensus decision making and collaboration. The Senior Partner will be skilled in creating constructivist, developmentally appropriate, and child-centered environments for children.

The Senior Partner will be experienced in staff development and enhancement and will will be responsible for coordinating the staff development and enhancement efforts to assure (1) that all Teaching Partners are skillful in using best practices to create the best possible learning environment for children and 2) that all Teaching Partners are professionally challenged and fulfilled.

Also the Senior Partner must enjoy working with parents and welcome and celebrate diversity in all its many forms.

Family Partners Coordinator will assure that our families are part of the learning community. This person will have experience with a child-centered school and understand the sometimes fragile connections between Partners. We have volunteers already excited about and committed to this position 20 hours week. Our volunteer is also trained and experienced in family counseling.

Teaching Partners will love and be amazed by children. Like the Senior Teaching Partner, they will be committed to three principles: 1) that children are full of life, power and confidence rather than need; 2) that we must use the best available child-development research on how children learn; and 3) that children learn best in a community where everyone values curiosity, challenge and learning. Also like the Senior Partner, they should have experience using constructivist, developmentally appropriate and child-centered teaching methods or demonstrate a great eagerness to develop skills in these areas.

They will have a sense of exploration and inquiry, and have a desire to work with a team of committed partners where no-fault problem solving and consensus building are important. They should have a passion to help children become successful, confident, independent life-long learners and achievers who develop their own individual talents, character and ambitions. They should enjoy working with parents and welcome and celebrate diversity in all its many forms.

The Business Partners will have the knowledge and skills to assure our compliance with all laws related to Charter Schools, Nonprofit Corporations and sound businesses. The Business Partners will work with the Senior Teaching Partner, the Teaching Partners and the Board of Directors to clarify what financial information and analysis is helpful and/or necessary and will make sure this information and analysis is reported appropriately.

The Clerical Partner is often the glue that holds it all together. This person should have computer (word-processing and accounting) skills, organizational skills, and people skills. Like the teaching partners, he/she should love and be amazed by children. They should embrace the opportunity to participate in a learning community and welcome and celebrate diversity in all its many forms. This person should appreciate the importance of family in the school community and always be prepared to make people feel welcome and important.

Support Partners will have the same skills as Teaching Partners in addition to their specialized skills.

The Community School will meet the licensure requirements as prescribed by law.

ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS

For planning purposes, we assume all students will be from Durham Public Schools LEA

Grades ------2002-2003
Kindergarten ---42
First-----------42
Second----------28
Third-------------
Fourth------------
Fifth-------------
__________________
TOTAL----------112

Grades-----2003-2004
K-------------42
1-------------42
2-------------42
3-------------28
4---------------
5--------------
TOTAL--------154

Grades-----2004-2005
K-------------42
1-------------42
2-------------42
3-------------42
4-------------28
5---------------
TOTAL--------196

Grades-----2005-2006
K-------------42
1-------------42
2-------------42
3-------------42
4-------------42
5-------------28
TOTAL--------238

Grades-----2006-2007
K-------------42
1-------------42
2-------------42
3-------------42
4-------------42
5-------------42
TOTAL--------252

The School for Children will explore ways to include four-year-olds and would like permission to add one class of 14 four-year-olds when that becomes possible.

IT IS THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSED CHARTER SCHOOL TO ACCEPT SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN UNDER THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT; THE STATE LEGISLATION CREECH BILL AS APPROPRIATE TO THE ADMISSIONS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL. ALSO, OUR PROPOSED SCHOOL WILL ABIDE BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL LEGISLATION NCGS 1115C-238..29F(g)(5).

The School for Children will not discriminate against any student on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability. Except as otherwise provided by law or the mission of the school as set out in the charter, the school shall not limit admission to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, disability, race, creed, gender, national origin, religion, or ancestry.

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

The School for Children cannot predict how many Exceptional Children will apply and be admitted to The School. Estimates are found in the "Exceptional Children" form which is attached.

BUDGET PROJECTIONS

FIVE YEAR PLANNING BUDGET
Calculations for figuring State and Local Dollars for the School:
Exact figures for "State Funds Per Pupil Income" and "Local Funds Per Pupil Income" are based on figures received by telephone from the Durham Public Schools Finance Office and from the Department of Public Instruction's Office of Charter Schools. The base numbers were for the 2000-2001 fiscal year and have been increased by 5% for the 2002-2003 projections.
Year One (2002 - 2003)---------------Projected Income for 112 Children State Funds base number = $4082.00 - 112 X 4082.00 = $457,184.00 Local Funds base number = $2408.00 - 112 X 2408.00 = $269,696.00 TOTAL Year One: $726,880.00

For planning purposes, State Funds and Local Funds were increased by 5% each year after Year One and multiplied by the number of projected children. The number of projected children and the base numbers for State and Local funds is shown for each projected school year on the Five-Year Planning Budget.

PROGRAM AUDITS

The Community School for Children will routinely gather information from Teaching Partners, Family Partners and Community Partners about the strengths and weaknesses of The School's programs. The Senior Partner and the Family Partners Coordinator will keep these informal records of comments and suggestions and make them available to the public except in the case of a personnel issue.

The Board of Directors, working with the Partners, will routinely and continuously be informed about Partners responses to programs. At least once a year, all the suggestions, praise, criticism, etc. should be summarized by the Senior Partner, reported to the Board and become part of the official Board of Directors records.

The Community School for Children believes that adults, like children, can perform best when there is no fear of revealing their inadequacies. The School will expect all Teaching Partners to acknowledge and understand their own strengths and weaknesses and to be self-directed as they seek input and resources to be the best Teaching Partners possible.

As part of The School's regular staff development program, The School will invite authorities on child-centered, developmentally appropriate education. These authorities will work with the Teaching Partners to look for ways to improve the learning environment for children and families. These authorities will work with all Partners in an effort to increase everyone's understanding of the how most completely to achieve The School's mission.

FINANCIAL AUDITS

The Board of Directors will choose an auditor to assure that records are appropriate and to conduct an annual financial audit for the School. The annual financial audit will be delivered to those required by law to receive the audit and will be available to anyone who wishes to examine it.

The Board of Directors has not yet chosen an auditor but will do so before the contract date.

HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Immunization of Students - The Community School will notify parents of the state regulations and their responsibilities. The School will carefully check the records supplied to make sure The School is in compliance with the law.

Fire and Safety Regulations - The Community School with work with state and local authorities to assure that our facility meets all requirements and to assure the safety of all members of our community.

Food Inspections - The Community School does not plan to offer food service at this time.

Hazardous Chemicals - The School with work with OSHA to assure the health and safety of everyone in our community.

Bloodborne Pathogens - The School will provide training for all staff to assure the health and safety of children and adults in our community.

The Community School is reviewing guidelines and practices developed by Durham Public Schools and several private schools. It is The School=s intention to have a more detailed written policy by the contract date in order to more completely assure the health and safety of all in our school community.

CIVIL LIABILITY AND INSURANCE

Insurance information from:
Richard E. Lee, President
REL Insurance Services, Inc.
709 Battleground Avenue
Post Office Box 9984
Greensboro, NC 27429
Annual Premium
General Liability
$1,000,000 each occurrence limit $1,000
Property
$20,000 personal property limit $ 200
General Liability and Property Insurance Quotes from Scottsdale Insurance Company
Directors and Officers
$1,000,000 each incident $1,500
Directors and Officers Insurance Quote from Executive Risk Insurance Company
Coverages and premiums will be refined when dates and facility are certain.

TRANSPORTATION

It is not our wish to get into the business of providing transportation for the students of The Community School. However, we are committed to the principle that this kind of education should be available to all who believe it will serve their children and their families and therefore we realize some exceptions may exist and we will need to provide transportation. To provide transportation for some students, we will work to arrange car pools among families and staff.

It is our goal to locate The Community School in Durham's downtown area. Once we have a location, we will be better able to assess specific transportation needs.

FACILITIES

The Community School for Children does not have a facility at this time.

Board Member Bob Chapman is a builder and developer by profession, and has already begun to put together an informal Facility Committee. Bob oversaw the financing, planning and building of the original Duke School for Children campus.

Although the Five-Year Financial Plan (page 25) assumes The School will rent space, it is the professional opinion of The School=s financial advisor (Conrad) and our building advisor (Chapman) that it would be in The School's best long term interest to build a facility.

Current attention is focused on land and buildings in downtown Durham.

MARKETING

There will be three informational sessions (and there will be more if necessary), The School will produce newspaper ads and fliers. It is also the desire of those creating The School, the Board of Directors and the Advisors, to proselytize as often as possible in as many venues as possible, churches and other places of worship, day care centers, civic clubs, malls, and walking through neighborhoods, very much like a political campaign.

If, at any time during this process, it appears that our applications do not represent the diversity in Durham County, we will refocus our door-to-door marketing to create a more representative applicant pool. Marketing will continue and will be revised as needed to assure economic and racial diversity in the Community School.

CALENDAR

The Community School for Children will use the year-round calendar of the Durham Public Schools. The most recent calendar available (2001-2002) is an attachment.

Board Resumes

Margaret Bourdeaux Arbuckle
Professional Experiences
Director of Training and Community Development, GIFTS, UNCG Center for the Study of Social Issues, 1997 - present.
Guilford County Commissioner, 1992 - 1996
Child Development Consultant, 1985 - 1994
Parent Educator, Presbyterian Counseling Center, 1985 - 1990
Developmental Evaluator, Greensboro Day School, 1986 - 1990
Training Specialist, North Carolina Training Center, UNCG, 1976- 1977
Director of Demonstration Child Development Center, 1973 - 1975
Director, Statewide Day Care and Child Development Center, 1973 - 1975

Awards
Public Service Award of the North Carolina Pediatrics Society and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Family and Children Services B 50th Anniversary Award
Bell Ringer Award B Bennett College
Future Generation Award B United Child Development Services
North Carolina Volunteer Service to Children Award B NC Child Advocacy Institute

Community Involvement (representative sample of experiences)
National Conference for Community and Justice, Board of Directors
Guilford College, Board of Visitors
NC Child Advocacy Institute, Board of Directors
NC Legislative Study Commission on Quality Preschools
NC Poverty Project, Board of Directors
Guilford County Commission on the Needs of Children, Chair
Mayor's Committee on Human Relations
North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, Board; Legislative Committee, Chair
National Association of Counties, Education and Human Services Steering Committee
Guilford County Economic Development Council

Education
Salem College BA, History
UNCG M. Ed, Child Development and Family Relations
Ph.D., Child Development and Family Relations



Robert Chapman




Edward Fiske



Vicky Patton

Professional Activities
(Highlights)

2001- Appointed as Executive Director of new Office of Executive Education, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University. Visiting executive-education faculty in management, The Kennedy School, Harvard University.
1994 to 2000
Executive Director, The Governors Center at Duke University, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. Faculty Appointment in Public Policy. Oversee national center established by Terry Sanford in cooperation with the National Governor's Association for executive education in state government. Teach --Strategic Leadership--to cabinet secretaries, their deputies and department directors at Duke and in state capitals (Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Maine, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming).
1999 and 2000
Panelist to choose finalists for the Ford Foundations's Innovations in American Government Awards. The Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
1999
Keynote speaker - Women Executives in State Government Annual Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio.
1982 - 1987
Founder, President, Volunteer, Duke School for Children. Formed not-for-profit sponsor, established Board, obtained 501 (c)(3) status, developed business plan, selected site, negotiated 60-year subordinated land lease with Duke University, negotiated construction and permanent financing for construction of campus, developed policy and educational philosophy statements.
1977 - 1979
Founder, Association for the American Dance Festival. Organized, and led successful effort to relocate the American Dance Festival from New London, Connecticut to permanent summer residency on the East Campus of Duke University.

Education
Master of Business Administration, Duke University, Fuqua School of Business, concentration in new ventures, 1981.
Bachelor of Arts, Duke University, dual majors, History and Education, 1966.



Jon Phelps



Jacqueline Terrell

Related Experience

Oct 1999-present Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University
Career Services and Alumni Relations Assistant - Plan and coordinate graduate student and alumni internship/employment placement activities. Organize contact with prospective graduate students and supervise response to inquiries from prospective students.
Committee on Black Affairs Staff Chair B Plan and coordinate staff, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students interest in the department of public policy minority affairs.

Durham Academy Parent Activities-
Room parent pre-kindergarten class
Academy Nights fundraiser for students in need of financial aid
New students welcoming committee (minority students)
Girls Scouts troop parent volunteer

Tutor in Math and English for children in 4 thru 6 grade

Duke Certificate Program in Communications Candidate

Articles of Incorporation of THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN

I The name of the corporation is The Community School for Children.
II The corporation is a subordinate corporation created under the authority of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
III This corporation is a non-profit corporation organized for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
IV The name and address of the corporation's initial agent for service of process are:
Vicky Patton
V In the event of the dissolution of the Corporation for any reason, any assets of the Corporation remaining after compliance with applicable laws will be distributed to other non-profit corporations organized for charitable and educational purposes under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
<-br />
The by-laws were copied from the by-laws of the Magellan Charter School with the exception that the board of the Community School for Children has more members.

BY-LAWS OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN
Article I
Purposes of the Corporation
The Corporation is a non-profit corporation organized for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Corporation's purposes are: (a) to engage in the charitable and educational purposes of providing quality public education as a charter school created pursuant to the General Statutes of North Carolina establishing charter schools; (b) to do any other lawful charitable or educational activity that qualifies under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and Section 105-125 and Section 105-130.11(a)(3) of the General Statutes of North Carolina as being a charitable or educational purpose and activity. The purposes of the Corporation shall be limited so that it will be an exempt charitable and educational corporation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and Section 105-125 and Section 105-130.11 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, or the corresponding provision of any future revenue law.

Article II
Offices

1. The PRINCIPAL OFFICE of the Corporation shall be located at 2525 Lanier Place, Durham, North Carolina 27705.
2. The REGISTERED OFFICE of the Corporation required by law to be maintained in the State of North Carolina may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office.
3. OTHER OFFICES: The Corporation may have offices at such other places, either within or without the State of North Carolina, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or, as the affairs of the Corporation may require.

Article III
Membership
The Corporation shall have no members.

Article IV
Directors

1. GENERAL POWERS: The management of the corporation shall be vested in the Board of Directors. The Board may delegate all or part of the management functions to an Executive Committee established by the Board pursuant to these By-Laws. Members of the Board shall serve without pay. The Board of Directors shall have the power to make and amend rules and regulations pertaining to the operation of the Corporation, and shall have the responsibility for the entire management of the affairs of the Corporation, except as may be otherwise provided in the By-Laws.
2. NUMBER, TERM: The number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall not be less than three (3) nor more than eight (8). Directors shall serve for a period of five (5) years. Directors may serve consecutive terms. The Board of Directors may from time to time change the number of Directors or the term of service for all Directors or for specific Directors by amendment of these by-Laws.
3. ELECTION: New Directors shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, as provided in Article V, Section 4, hereof.
4. REMOVAL: Board members may be removed from office with or without cause by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board at the annual meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose. If any member is so removed, a new member may be elected at the same meeting.
5. VACANCIES: A vacancy occurring on the Board my be filled by a majority of the remaining Board, though less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining Board member. Any member who shall be absent from three (3) CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS OF THE Board, without excuse satisfactory to the Board, shall be deemed to have resigned from the Board, and the vacancy shall have the same term as the Director that he replaces. Any Directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the authorized number of Directors shall be filled by a majority of the remaining Directors, though less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining Director.
6. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD: There may be a Chairman of the Board of Directors elected by the Directors from their number at any meeting of the Board. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as may be directed by the Board.
7. COMPENSATION: Members of the Board of Directors shall serve without pay. Members may receive reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of their service on the Board.

Article V
Meetings of the Board of Directors

1. ANNUAL MEETINGS: The annual meeting of the Board shall be held in August of each year. In addition, a meeting shall be held at least once during each calendar quarter at such time and place as may be determined by an Executive Director or Chairman of the Board. Prior notice of time and place of such meeting shall be given to the Directors by any usual means of communication.
2. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings of the Board may be called by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board or an Executive Director of the Corporation or by any three (3) Board members. Such meetings may be held either within or without the State of North Carolina.
3. OPEN MEETINGS LAW: Meetings of the Board of Directors will be open to the public and subject to the provisions of the North Carolina Open Meetings Law. However, the Board of Directors shall have the right to call, consistent with the provisions of the Open Meetings Law, an executive session during any meeting for the purpose of discussing corporation affairs inappropriate to disseminate among the public because of confidentiality rules or otherwise.
4. NOTICE OF MEETINGS: The Chairman of the Board or an Executive Director of the Corporation may call a regular meeting of the Board by giving at least five (5) days advance notice thereof by any usual means of communication. The person or persons calling a special meeting of the Board shall, at least five (5) days prior to the meeting, give notice thereof by any usual means of communication. Such notice need not specify the purpose for which the meeting is called. Attendance by a Board member at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Board member attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called. Notice of meetings of the Board will be provided to the public according to the provisions of the North Carolina Open Meetings Law.
5. QUORUM: A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board.
6. VOTING: Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the act of the majority of the Board members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board. The vote of a majority of the number of Board members fixed pursuant to these By-Laws shall be required to adopt a resolution constituting an Executive Committee. The vote of a majority of the Board members then holding office shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal a By-Law or to change the number of Directors between three (3) and seven (7) as established in Article IV, Section 2.
7. INFORMAL ACTION BY THE DIRECTORS: Action taken by the Directors without a meeting is nevertheless Board action if written consent to the action in question is signed by all the Directors and filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, whether done before or after the action so taken. Additional action taken by a majority of the Directors or Executive Committee without a duly called meeting is nevertheless Board or Executive Committee action if the action is approved by a majority of the Board at the next regular meeting of the Board. If a meeting of Directors otherwise valid is held without proper call or notice, action taken at such meeting otherwise valid is deemed ratified by a Director who did not attend unless promptly after having knowledge of the action taken and of the impropriety in question he files with the Board Secretary his written objection to the holding of the meeting or to any specific action taken. Any one or more Directors or members of the Executive Committee may participation a meeting of the Board of Committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communication device which allows all members participating in the meeting to hear each other and such participation in a meeting shall be deemed present in person at such meeting.
8. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY: Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall constitute the ruling authority in all cases in which theya re not inconsistent with these By-Laws or with any state of the state.
9. MINUTES: Minutes of all Board meetings will be kept by the Secretary of the Corporation or, in the absence of the Secretary, by another member of the Board of Directors designated by the President.

ARTICLE VI
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND OTHER COMMITTEES

1. CREATION: The Board of Directors by resolution my designate three (3) or more Directors to constitute an Executive Committee, which Committee, to the extent provided in such resolution, shall have and may exercise all of the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the Corporation, except that the Executive Committee shall not have any authority to alter or amend the By-Laws.
2. VACANCY: Any vacancy occurring the Executive Committee shall be filled by the Directors at a regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors.
3. REMOVAL: Any member of the Executive Committee may be removed at any time with or without cause by the Board of Directors.
4. MINUTES: The Executive Committee shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board when required.
5. RESPONSIBILITY OF DIRECTORS: The designation of an Executive Committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors, or any member thereof, of any responsibility or liability imposed upon it or him by law. If action taken by the Executive Committee is not thereafter formally considered by the Board, a Director may dissent from such action by filing his written objection with the Secretary with reasonable promptness after learning of such action.
6. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: If any matter should come before the Board of Directors, or any of its committees, in such a way as to give rise to a conflict of interest, any interested party shall make full disclosure of the potential conflict and, if requested, withdraw from the meeting for so long as the matter shall continue under discussion, except to answer any questions that might be asked regarding the situation. Should the matter be brought to vote, and the interested party shall not vote. If the matter involves an item of business for which a special meeting was called, the interested party shall not be counted to establish a quorum, or shall the interested party participate in the deliberation or vote on it. The Board of Directors may adopt additional policies regarding conflicts of interest not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article VI, Section 6.
7. OTHER COMMITTEES: Other Committees not having and exercising the authority of the Board in the management of the Corporation may be designated by a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Any member thereof may be removed by the person or persons authorized to appoint such member whenever in their judgment the best interest of the Corporation shall be served by such removal.
8. TERM OF OFFICE: Each member of a committee shall continue as such until resignation or removal with or without cause by the Board, or until such member shall cease to qualify as a member thereof.
9. CHAIRMAN: One member of each committee shall be appointed chairman by the person or persons authorized to appoint the members thereof.
10. VACANCIES: Vacancies in the membership of any committee may be filled by appointment made in the same manner as provided in the case of the original appointments.
11. QUORUM: Unless otherwise provided in the resolution of the Board designating a committee, a majority of the whole committee shall constitute a quorum and the act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.
12. RULES: Each committee may adopt rules for its won governance not inconsistent with these By-Laws or with rules adopted by the Board, and provided such rules are approved by the Board.

ARTICLE VII
OFFICERS

1. NUMBER: The officers of the Corporation shall consist of nor more than two (2) Executive Directors, a Secretary, a Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and other officers as the Board of Directors may from time to time elect. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. In no event however, may an officer act in more than one capacity where action of two or more officers is required.
2. ELECTION AND TERM: The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors. Such election may e held at any regular or special meeting of the Board. Each officer shall hold office until his death, resignation, retirement, removal, disqualification, or his successor is elected and qualifies.
3. REMOVAL: Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board with or without cause; but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed.
4. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Each Executive Director who shall serve without compensation in such capacity, shall be a principal Executive Officer of the Corporation, and, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, shall supervise and control the management of the Corporation in accordance with these By-Laws. One Executive Director, in the event there is more than one, shall, when present, preside at all meetings except in the event of a meeting of the Board of Directors when there is a duly elected Chairman of the Board present at the meeting. Any one Executive Director shall sign, with any other proper officer, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments which may be lawfully executed on behalf of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be other wise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent; and, in general, each Executive Director shall perform all duties incident to the office of Executive Director and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time.
5. SECRETARY: The Secretary, who shall serve without compensation, shall keep accurate records of the acts and proceedings of all meetings of Directors. He shall give all notices required by law and by these By-Laws. He shall have general charge of the corporate books and records and of the corporate seal, and he shall affix the corporate seal to any lawfully executed instrument requiring it. He shall sign such instruments as may require his signature, and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be assigned him from time to time by the President or by the Board of Directors.
6. TREASURER: The Treasurer, who shall serve without compensation in such capacity, shall have custody of all funds and securities belonging to the Corporation and shall receive, deposit or disburse the same under the direction of the Board of Directors. He shall keep full and accurate accounts of the finances of the Corporation in books especially provided for the purpose and he shall cause a true statement of its assets and liabilities as of the close of each fiscal year and of the results of its operation and of changes in fund balance for such fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, to be made and filed at the registered or principal office of the Corporation within three months after the end of such fiscal year. The Treasurer shall, in general, perform all duties incident to his office and such other duties as may e assigned to him from time tot time by an Executive Director or by the Board of Directors.
7. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND TREASURERS: The Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, who shall serve without compensation, in such capacity, shall, in the absence or disability of the Secretary or the Treasurer, respectively, perform the duties and exercise the powers of those offices, and they shall, in general, perform such other duties as shall be assigned to them by the Secretary or the Treasurer, respectively, or by an Executive Director or by the Board of Directors.
8. BOND: The Board of Directors may, by resolution, require any or all officers, agents and employees of the Corporation to give bond to the Corporation with sufficient sureties, conditioned on the faithful performance of the duties of their respective offices or position, and to comply with such other conditions as may from time to time be required by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION

1. EXPENSES AND LIABILITIES: Except as provided below, to the extent and upon the terms and conditions provided by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act as it exists or may hereafter be amended, the Corporation shall indemnify any and all of its officers and Directors against liability and litigation expense, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of their status as such. Said officers and Directors shall be entitled to recover from the Corporation, and the Corporation shall pay, all reasonable costs, expenses, and attorneys' fees in connection with the enforcement of rights to indemnification provided herein. Such right shall inure to the benefit of the legal representatives of any such person and shall not be exclusive of any other right to which such person may be entitled apart from the provisions of this By-Law. Such indemnification rights shall not apply for liability or litigation expense which any officer or Director may incur (i) on account of his activities which were (at the time taken) know or believe by hin to be clearly in conflict with the best interest of the Corporation or (ii) in connection with any claim that the Corporation may make against such officer or Director unless he ultimately shall prevail against the Corporation in respect to such claim. The Corporation also shall have the power, in its sole discretion, to indemnify any present or former Director, officer, employee or agent or any person (who has served or is serving (i) in such capacity at the request of the Corporation in any other corporation, partnership joint venture, company, trust or other enterprise or (ii) as a trustee or administrator under an employee benefit plan), with respect to any liability or litigation expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees (incurred in such capacity by an6y such person) to the extent and upon the terms and conditions provided by the National Carolina Business Corporation Act as it exists or may hereafter be amended.
2. ADVANCE PAYMENT OF EXPENSES: Expenses incurred by a Director, officer, employee or agent in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case or as authorized or required under any charter or By-Law provision or by any applicable resolution or contract upon receipt of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation against such expenses. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Corporation shall, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Director or officer involved to repay the expenses described in the second paragraph of the preceding Section I of ARTICLE II unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation against such expenses, pay expenses incurred by such Director or officer in defending a civil or cr4iminal action, suit or proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding.
3. INSURANCE: The Corporation shall have the power purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as Director, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another nonprofit corporation or trust against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability.

ARTICLE IX
CONTRACTS, LOANS AND DEPOSITS

1. CONTRACTS: The Board may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
2. LOANS: No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the Board. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. In no event shall loans be made by the Corporation to its Board members or officers.
3. CHECKS AND DRAFTS: All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, of the Corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board.
4. DEPOSITS: All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such depository or depositories as the Board shall direct.
5. GIFTS: The Board may accept on behalf of the Corporation any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the Corporation.

ARTICLE X
FORBIDDEN ACTIVITIES
The Corporation is organized as a nonprofit Corporation exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"). No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its officers, Directors, or other private persons, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its charitable purposes. No substantial part of the activities of the Corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statement) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article X, the Corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law or (b) by a corporation the contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Code.

ARTICLE XI
CONFLICT OF INTEREST

• 1. POLICY: Full Disclosure, by notice in writing, shall be made by the interested parties to the ful Board of Directors in all conflicts of interest, including but not limited to the following:
• • (a) A Director related to another Director;
  • (b) A Director is related to a staff member;
  • (c) A staff member in a supervisor capacity is related to another staff member whom he/she supervises;
  • (d) A Director or staff member receives payment from the Corporation for any subcontract, goods or services other than as part of his/her regular job responsibilities or as reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred as provided in the By-Laws and Board policy.
  • (e) A Director or staff member is a member of the governing body of a contributor to the School or nonprofit running the School;
  • (f) A Director or staff member may not have personal, financial, professional, or political gain at the expense of the Corporation.
• 2. DETERMINATION OF CONFLICT: Following full disclosure of a possible conflict of interest or any condition listed above, the Board of Directors shall determine whether a conflict of interest exists and, if so, the Board shall vote to authorize or reject the transaction and/or condition. Both votes shall be by a majority vote without counting the vote of any interested Director, even if the disinterested Directors are less than a quorum, provided that at least one consenting Director is disinterested.
• 3. PARTICIPATION: An interested Director or staff member shall not participate in any discussion or debate of the Board of Directors or on any committee thereof, in which the subject of discussion is a contract, transaction, or situation in which there may be a conflict of interest. No Director, officer, or staff member shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a procurement transaction in which federal or state funds are used, where, to his/her knowledge, any of the following has a financial interest in that transaction:
• • (a) The Director or the staff member;
  • (b) Any member of his/her family;
  • (c) His/her partner;
  • (d) An organization in which any of the above is an office, Director, or employee;
  • (e) A person or organization with whom any of the above is negotiating or has any arrangement concerning prospective employment.
• 4. DISCLOSURE: Existence of any of the above-listed conditions shall render a contract or a transaction voidable unless full disclosure of personal interest is made in writing to the Board of Directors and such transaction was approved by the Board in full knowledge of such interest.
• 5. SANCTIONS: The disinterested Directors are authorized to impose by majority vote other reasonable sanctions as necessary to recover associated costs against a Director, officer, or staff member for failure to disclose a conflict of interest as described in Section 1 or for any appearance of a conflict.
• 6. APPEALS: Appeal from sanction shall be prescribed by law in those courts of the state of North Carolina with jurisdiction over both the parties and the subject matter of the appeal.
• 7. NOTIFICATION OF POLICY: A copy of this policy shall be given to all Directors, officers, and staff members upon commencement of their relationship with the Corporation.

ARTICLE XII
RACIALLY NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY
The Community School for Children admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
The Community School will include a statement of its racially nondiscriminatory policy towards students in its application form, brochures or written advertising. Said statement will be similar in form to the following:
"The Community School for Children admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin."

ARTICLE XIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. SEAL: The Corporate seal of the Corporation shall consist of two concentric circles between which is the name of the Corporation and in the center of which is inscribed "SEAL"; and such seal, as impress on the margin hereof, is hereby adopted as the corporate seal of the Corporation.
2. WAIVER OF NOTICE: Whenever any notice is required to be given to any Board member under the provisions of North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act or under the provisions of the charter or By-Laws of this Corporation, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be equivalent to the giving of such notice.
3. AMENDMENTS: Except as otherwise provided herein, these By-Laws may be amended or repealed and new By-Laws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of a amajority of the Board members then holding office at any regular of special meeting of the Board. The Board of Directors shall have no power to adopt a By-Law providing for the management of the Corporation otherwise than by the Board or its Executive Committee.
4. BOOKS AND RECORDS: The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of accounts and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of its Board members and committees having any of the authority of the Board.
5. FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on the 1st day of July and end on the 30th day of June in each year.
6. GENDER; Wherever the context shall so require, all words herein in any gender shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender, all singular words shall include the plural, and all plural words shall include the singular.

NOTES

note 1 - "Learning By Doing: A History of the Duke School for Children," by Gretchen Case, September 2000, page 19.
note 2 - "Learning By Doing," page 24.
note 3 - "Learning communities" are well researched and demonstrated particularly well in "The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization" by Peter M. Senge and in "Smart Schools, Smart Kids" by Edward B. Fiske (see resumes of Board of Directors).
note 4 - "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences," Howard Gardner.
note 5 - See "School Development Program," James P. Comer, Yale University.
note 6 - "Coalition of Essential Schools Fieldbook, 'Defining Assessment'"
note 7 - "Coalition for Essential Schools Fieldbook: 'Assessing Your Assessment System'"
note 8 - Carol Gestwicki, "Developmentally Appropriate Practice."
note 9 - Gestwicki, p.54.
note 10 - Gestwicki, p.324.
note 11 - Gestwicki, p.250.
note 12 - All of these examples are taken almost directly from "The Educational Program of the Duke School for Children," by Margaret Mason.