Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

Community Montessori Charter School

Crossway Community, Inc.3015 Upton DriveKensington, MD 20895T. 301.929.2505 F. 301.949.4741www.crosssway-community.org

PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION

COVER PAGE

Deputy Superintendent of Schools850 Hungerford Drive, Room 129

Rockville, Maryland 20850301-279-3474

Name of Proposed Public Charter School: Community Montessori Charter SchoolSchool Address or Anticipated Location: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895 Student Location (City Town): Kensington-Wheaton, MD Name of Group or Organization Applying for the Charter: Crossway Community, Inc.And How Applicant Qualifications Are Met: Non-Profit, 501(c )(3) Contact Person (Primary): Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer Address: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895Daytime Tel: (301 ) 929-2505 Fax: (301 ) 949-4741 E-mail: [email protected] Person (Secondary): Ann Byrne, Deputy Director Address: 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, MD 20895 Daytime Tel: (301 ) 929-2505 Fax: (301 ) 949-4741 E-mail: [email protected] Are you requesting waivers? (See Attachment V) Yes If approved, the proposed school will open in Fall 2012

ProjectedPopulation

Year 1 - 2012-2013 Year 2 - 2013-2014 Year 3- 2014-2015 Year 4- 2015-2016

GradesServed

Pre-K – K“Primary”

Gr. 1-3 “Lower El”







Average Age of Student 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9

Number of Classes 4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4

Average NumberStudents /Class

(Age 4-6 Grouping)20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25

Number of Students per Grade

100 22 100 50 100 72 100 88

Total Number of Enrolled Students*

122 150 172 188

Proposed Charter School Executive Summary

Crossway Community, Inc. is uniquely qualified to be a successful applicant in establishing a premier public charter school, The Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. is a pioneering, community-based non-profit organization that has been implementing innovative ways to end the cycle of generational poverty through education for over twenty years.

This proposed charter school will reach fruition through the dedicated, visionary leadership of an active, resilient Board of Directors, Ms. Kathleen Guinan, Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs, their stellar Administrative Management Team and the continuing expansion of long-standing, fiscally strong and supportive community partnerships.

Key features of the proposed Community Montessori Charter School include:

Technical Capability: Numerous on-campus educational programs embody our vision and demonstrate that our capacity exceeds the technical requirements for successfully implementing the proposed Community Montessori Charter School.

Evidence-based, Successful Educational Model: Montessori Education at both the preschool and elementary levels benefits children by ensuring the development of a high level of academic competency, a positive attitude towards school, and a greater chance of staying in school than their non-Montessori peers.

Dedicated, well-trained staff: Community Montessori Charter School plans to follow the Baldrige Categories for Performance Excellence and Core Values/Best Practices in developing staff and organizing the school to achieve the highest standards possible for our organization.

Wraparound support and Family Involvement: The Community Montessori Charter School will provide the wraparound and coordinated services found in a community school including differentiated instruction to address unique student needs, student service support, food service, transportation, and goods and services which are available on-site for all students.

Ready Facility: Community Montessori Charter School is located in the Wheaton/Kensington area, an ethnically, socio-economically and culturally diverse neighborhood. Our facility is located at 3015 Upton Drive, and is easily accessible to parents from several different neighborhoods. Co-located with other educational programs, this former school building has had several strategic renovations and maintenance improvements and is poised to quickly begin operation as a charter school.

Community Relevance: Community Montessori Charter School will serve children from pre-K to Grade 3 using Dr. Montessori’s educational approach and will serve all children in our catchment area. In particular, Community Montessori Charter School envisions serving economically disadvantaged children. Parent engagement will be central to the education program.

Cost Effectiveness: Community Montessori Charter School /MCPS partnership fills a need in the surrounding community for a new educational option that is cost effective and efficient.

The attached application for Community Montessori Charter School provides expanded plans and clarification of items originally submitted in our charter application of March 1, 2010.

Crossway Community, Inc. is pleased to have the opportunity to present the proposed Community

Montessori Charter School.

Contents

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................1

Vision, Mission, Goals, Objective, Educational Philosophy..................................................1

1. State the vision for the proposed public charter school.................................................1

2. Describe the mission for the proposed public charter school. Provide a clear and concise statement that describes the proposed school and the school’s educational program. The mission statement should indicate what the school intends to do, for whom, and to what degree. Avoid jargon and technical terminology. Parents and community members who wish to know more about the school should be able to read the mission statement and get a clear sense of the school.............................................5

3. Describe the educational philosophy of the proposed school. Include a discussion of the instructional strategies to be used. Explain the research that substantiates this approach with the targeted audience and how the strategies will focus attention to student achievement...................................................................................................................7

4. What are the goals and objectives of the public charter school? Summarize the goals and associated performance measures in relation to academic performance, organizational viability, and specific school objectives..............................................13

Curriculum...............................................................................................................................15

1. Describe the curricular program and how it will lead to improved educational outcomes......................................................................................................................15

a. Describe the curriculum that will be used by the school, including the indicators, content, and skills to be taught in the different subject areas at each grade level and in each course............................................................................................................15

b. Outline the instructional and assessment methods and strategies that will be employed to enhance student learning, monitor progress, assess performance, and inform instruction......................................................................................................18

c. Explain how the curriculum encompasses the Maryland State Curriculum and the Core Learning Goals, aligned with Common Core State Standards, as applicable. Applicants must base their standards on the Maryland Content Standards and may adopt additional standards that exceed these state standards. The standards should give reviewers a clear sense of what students will know and be able to do.............23

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d. Describe the criteria and procedures that will be employed for the selection of textbooks and other instructional materials..............................................................23

e. Describe how the school will meet the needs of special students, including English Language Learners, students with an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan, and all students covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Include how services such as screening, diagnostic and psychological testing, evaluation, identification; and instructional placements based on language proficiency; and health-related support to students will be provided in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.........................................24

f. Describe how the school’s academic calendar or length of school day will differ from that of MCPS, if applicable, and provide rationale for differences.................28

g. Describe how the school will assess the level of success of its educational program (including the local, state, and federal assessment programs)..................................28

2. Describe the uniqueness of the program. Include concept design, techniques, and/or practices.......................................................................................................................29

3. Describe target population...........................................................................................31

a. Identify how many students will be enrolled each year over the years of the proposed initial charter term. Explain the rationale for selecting this particular school size.................................................................................................................31

b. Provide evidence of parental support for the proposed school (letters of support, parent signatures, etc.)............................................................................................................33

c. Provide detailed student recruitment and marketing plans for target population, including “hard-to-reach” families, culturally and linguistically diverse families, and families of students with disabilities.............................................................................33

4. Explain the school’s proposed grading, promotion, and retention policies. (These must be aligned with MCPS policies and regulations, unless a waiver is submitted and approved.)……………………………………………………………………………………….34

5. Describe how Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and federal assessment mandates will be me..................................................................................35

6. Provide strategies for students who are at risk of academic failure, advanced learners, and/or students not making reasonable progress.........................................................36

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7. Describe how assessment information will be used to continuously improve instruction, student learning, and individual development, and how the school will engage students who are working above or below the school’s performance standards.......................38

a. Outline strategies to assess and analyze student interests and needs..................38

b. Describe how student progress will be determined, measured, and reported through a detailed outline of the school’s approach to accountability................................38

c. Describe the school’s proposed plan to assess student performance. Explain any internal and external measures that will be used to monitor individual student progress beyond the basic state and local testing requirements. Explain why particular measures have been chosen, how baseline achievement data will be collected, in which subject or development areas such data will be collected, and which assessment tools will be used......................................................................38

d. Include a plan for reporting assessment information and indicate which audiences will receive this information, as well as the frequency of reporting......................39

8. Describe student services.............................................................................................39

a. Describe the school culture. Explain the strategies the school will employ to develop a positive culture that is supportive of students, faculty, and families........39

b. Describe the school’s philosophy regarding student behavior and discipline. Summarize the school’s discipline policy or code of conduct..................................40

c. Provide details regarding the school’s plans to build and maintain appropriate home-school partnerships that focus on strengthening support for student learning, improving communication, and encouraging home involvement in school operations....................

d. Describe how staff, student, and parent surveys regarding school environment will be implemented and results reported................................................................................42

e. Provide examples of how community partners will play an integral part in the school..………………………………………………………………………………………42

GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS.........................................................................................43

1. Describe how the board of directors will be chosen and what steps will be taken to ensure continuity between the founding organizers’ vision and that of the permanently established board of directors......................................................................................43

2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, including the relationship of the board of directors to teachers and administrators. Also describe the

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roles and responsibilities of the governing board of the sponsoring organization, if applicable.....................................................................................................................43

3. Provide names, background, experiences, and references of public charter school organizers and board members (attach résumés).........................................................45

4. Describe governance structure and its relationship to the school operation................45

5. Outline the administrative management structure and specify the individual role each member plays...............................................................................................................46

6. Describe the role of parents in the decision-making process......................................47

7. Describe business arrangements or partnerships with existing schools, businesses, and/or nonprofit organizations. Provide a list of organizations that may partner with the school and the nature of these partnerships. Include letters of support, if available. Describe the steps that have been taken to develop partnerships and the plans to develop additional community partnerships................................................................47

8. Describe the school improvement process including school improvement team membership, school improvement plan development, monitoring, reporting, review, and revisions................................................................................................................48

9. List, describe, and attach any waivers of state laws and regulations that the applicant obtained from MSDE. Explain how each of these waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)....................................49

10. List, describe, and attach any waivers of MCPS policies and regulations that the charter school is seeking. Explain how and why each of the waivers is necessary to the operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)....................51

11. Provide the proposed timetable for charter implementation and specify the length of the initial charter term........................................................................................................51

12. Indicate the scope of community support or interest for the proposed school and its founding board. Document this community support among teachers, parents, students, business, and community members, as appropriate.....................................................51

13. Provide copies of community surveys and communications, including non-English languages as appropriate..............................................................................................51

14. If an educational management organization (EMO) has been selected, provide background information on the EMO, including financial statement, a list of the governing board members and their résumés, and oversight responsibilities and a copy of the proposed contract between the applicants and the EMO...................................52

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FACILITIES AND FINANCE REQUIREMENTS.................................................................53

Facilities....................................................................................................................................53

1. Describe the proposed facility, including funding, maintenance, and method of attainment....................................................................................................................53

2. Outline proposed facility compliance with local/state building codes........................54

3. Describe civil rights, health, and safety policy compliance........................................54

4. Provide a detailed description of property-control procedures....................................55

5. Provide the certification of asbestos inspection of the proposed facility....................55

6. Provide documentation of radon testing of the proposed facility................................56

7. Outline why this site would be suitable for the proposed school................................56

Finance......................................................................................................................................56

1. Provide details on financial management and internal accounting procedures including the ability to provide monthly financial reporting and year-end budget projections. Outline the internal controls that these procedures provide. Provide details on the fiscal oversight structure indicating roles and responsibilities..............................................56

2. Provide a detailed school plan to address start-up funds that will be incurred prior to school opening, such as capital expenditures, supplies, materials, planning funds, etc. .………………………………………………………………………………………...58

3. Provide a detailed four-year balanced budget plan, including projected revenue sources and planned expenditures. (Attachment 3)..................................................................58

4. Provide a list of services the applicant intends to obtain through contract with MCPS (e.g., food services, transportation, ESOL, special education)....................................60

5. Describe the mechanisms and systems to be used to pay vendors and other creditors.. .………………………………………………………………………………….…..60

6. Provide the written financial policies, manuals and any other documented financial procedures of the organization. Include the conflict of interest and ethics policy(ies) as related to financial or fiduciary responsibilities..........................................................60

7. Explain the basis of any fees to be charged to students for extracurricular activities, music, athletics, field trips, etc., or confirm that any student fees will conform to all MCPS policies.............................................................................................................61

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8. Provide the plan for internal and external audit of financial management and the procedure for disclosing and responding to audit findings. Applicants must agree to permit MCPS internal audit staff access to all financial records with 48 hours notice. All financial records must be maintained and available for a period of no less than 5 years. MCPS is subject to audit by a variety of regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the Maryland State Department of Education, the Office of Legislative Audits of the State of Maryland, etc. Please indicate your understanding and acceptance that compliance is required for any audit requests from a regulatory agency.............61

9. Provide audited financial statements for the current and preceding three years, if applicable, including financial statements of a parent organization............................61

10. Outline plans to raise funds to supplement budget revenues.......................................61

11. List types and amounts of insurance coverage: liability, general and personal, catastrophic student accident, crime, motor vehicle, etc. Minimum acceptable amounts are: Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit, for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence), Automobile liability (if transporting students - $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage coverage per occurrence including the following: owned, hired or non-owned automobiles). MCPS must be a named additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of insurance with MCPS as a named additional insured must be provided to MCPS prior to any school opening. Indicate the amount of any excess liability (umbrella) insurance. MCPS requires forty-five days’ written notice in the event of cancellation or non-renewal of any insurance coverage. Any deductibles in excess of $10,000 must be disclosed to MCPS in advance of the coverage period. MCPS requires a Hold Harmless agreement or Indemnification agreement. Confirm agreement with these requirements......................................................................................................................................62

OPERATIONS REQUIREMENTS...........................................................................................64

1. Outline procedures for reporting and monitoring student enrollment and attendance.. .………………………………………………………………………………….…..64

2. Describe any guidelines to be used in the recruitment of school staff, including compliance with all negotiated agreements, state and federal law (including Highly Qualified guidelines), and local Board of Education policies except where granted a waiver.. .………………………………………………………………………….…..67

3. Describe the school’s staffing plan..............................................................................69

4. Describe the school’s professional development and staff training plan including those related to the school’s mission, performance goals, and school improvement plan....71

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5. Provide a transportation plan.......................................................................................72

a. Provide the plan for transporting students to and from school, including MCPS contract services, if appropriate................................................................................72

b. Describe procedures that will help ensure that transportation is not a barrier to equal access for all students................................................................................................73

c. Describe the insurance coverage plan to be used if the MCPS transportation contract service is not used.......................................................................................74

6. Provide a food and nutrition services plan..................................................................75

7. Describe the school’s plan for building maintenance..................................................76

8. Describe the business continuity and disaster recovery plan of the organization.......76

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ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Vision, Mission, Goals, Objective, Educational Philosophy

1. State the vision for the proposed public charter school.

Crossway Community, Inc. is a pioneering, community-based non-profit organization that has

been implementing an innovative way to end the cycle of generational poverty through education

for over twenty years. Crossway Community, Inc. is the applicant and uniquely qualified to

successfully establish a public charter school, The Community Montessori Charter School.

In 1990, Crossway Community, Inc., in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of

Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and the State of Maryland, Department of Housing

and Community Development (DHCD), secured the funding to renovate a closed school in the

Kensington-Wheaton neighborhood. In pursuit of its vision to end the cycle of poverty through

education, Crossway Community, Inc. has raised millions of dollars from corporations,

foundations, and individual donors. Crossway Community’s dedicated, tireless Board of

Directors and staff leverage additional millions of dollars in in-kind donations and services for

the citizens of Montgomery County.

Since its founding in 1990, Crossway Community, Inc. has served over 600 families who have

participated in its residential program and over 20,000 who have benefited from its educational

and referral services. At the center of all Crossway Community, Inc. programs is the research

and experienced-based belief that education is the key to success and that every family,

regardless of income or other factors, deserves a dignified, safe community and the opportunity

to succeed. Families who are living in poverty, who left school before receiving a high school

diploma, who are homeless, who have lived in foster care, or who are English language learners,

or have other special needs, deserve the opportunity to ascend from stigma and impediments to

be a part of a community in which they will learn ways to become effective teachers for their

children.

At Crossway Community, Inc. students are both adults and children. In support of our students

and the proposed Community Montessori Charter School, Crossway Community Inc.’s role is

to:

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Forge partnerships and build and maintain institutional relationships in support of our

students and our learning communities;

Develop operational and collaborative administrative systems that free our school

leaders to concentrate on their primary purpose, the students and instructional

outcomes;

Raise capital and complete special projects that enhance public response and support

the programming our students need and deserve;

Advocate locally and nationally in support of education, prevention, family

development, and economic empowerment; and,

Provide community outreach in collaboration with school system partners that

embodies a broader understanding of the direct correlation between investment in

single parents and children and the elimination of poverty.

Crossway Community, Inc.’s mission of learning, creativity and community for all families is

delivered through a variety of on-campus educational programs that embody our vision and

demonstrate our capacity for successfully implementing the proposed Community Montessori

Charter School. Brief descriptions of our programs and the core philosophy are described in this

section because they demonstrate the depth of the commitment to the model being proposed for

the Community Montessori Charter School.

The Crossway Montessori Children’s Program is an early intervention center for children

ages three (3) months to six (6) years and includes both MSDE accredited and DHR child care

based programs as well as parent education and home visiting for enrolled families. Part of

Crossway Community, Inc.’s services include before and after school programs, summer

programs, garden literacy program, and an evening child care program two nights a week.

Crossway Community, Inc. successfully applies the educational approach developed by Dr.

Maria Montessori which is consistently supported by current educational research. Dr.

Montessori developed her approach for economically disadvantaged children. Therefore,

Crossway Community, Inc. has embraced this learning approach as the core philosophy for the

Community Montessori Charter School.


The “wraparound approach” permeates Crossway Community, Inc.’s educational program and

makes it possible to think broadly about children and family needs. This community is a living

example of a singular vision—and once experienced by students and visitors alike, embodies the

true meaning of a “wraparound approach” philosophy--to transform funding and thinking silos

with a unified understanding that all problems and their solutions must be interrelated. Everyone

in every department shares responsibility for all goals and understands how their actions impact

on goal attainment.

The Family Leadership School is a unique, on-campus housing (40 apartments), life-skill

education program designed to give women who have experienced trauma, family violence and

financial insecurity the tools they need to become effective parents and prepare them to succeed

in college, in the workplace, and in the global economy.

The Lifelong Learning Center, like a community school, is both a place and a set of

partnerships between Crossway Community, Inc. and the community. The Lifelong Learning

Center has an integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and

social services and community development. Its curriculum emphasizes real-world learning for

adult students through community problem solving and community service. By extending the

school day and week, Crossway is able to reach families and community residents at times they

are most able to attend classes. Classes include GED preparation, ESOL, college preparation

and tutoring, workforce development, CPR and First Aid, nutrition and cooking, financial

literacy, and parent/child development. The Lifelong Learning Center hosts civic, fraternal,

educational and other groups for meetings and conferences. Over one hundred organizations

participate as community partners to make the Lifelong Learning Center a hub for adult and

family education. The Lifelong Learning Center maintains a food pantry, a clothing and diaper

pantry and provides resource and referral services.

The Crossway Montessori Children’s Program is an early intervention center for children

ages three (3) months to six (6) years and includes both MSDE school accredited and DHR child

care based programs as well as parent education and home visiting for enrolled families. Part of

Crossway Community, Inc.’s services include before and after school programs, summer


programs, garden literacy program, and an evening child care program two nights a week.

Crossway Community, Inc. successfully applies the educational approach developed by Dr.

Maria Montessori which is consistently supported by current educational research. Dr.

Montessori developed her approach for economically disadvantaged children. Therefore,

Crossway Community, Inc. has embraced this learning approach as the core philosophy for the


The “wraparound approach” permeates Crossway Community, Inc.’s educational program and

makes it possible to think broadly about children and family needs. This community is a living

example of a singular vision—and once experienced by students and visitors alike, embodies the

true meaning of wraparound approach philosophy--to transform funding and thinking silos with a

unified understanding that all problems and their solutions must be interrelated. Everyone in

every department shares responsibility for all goals and understands how their actions impact on

goal attainment. The U.S. Department of Education has acknowledged the level of coordination

and partnership necessary to provide comprehensive educational opportunities in the Executive

Summary of the Race to the Top initiative:

Horizontal alignment, that is, coordination of services across schools,

state agencies, and community partners, is also important in ensuring

that high-need students… have access to the broad array of

opportunities and services they need and that are beyond the capacity

of a school itself to provide.

As a continuation of this vision, core philosophy and underlying purpose, Crossway Community,

Inc. proposes to establish a charter school, Community Montessori Charter School that provides

the essential mission of learning, creativity and community for all families. The proposed

Community Montessori Charter School will serve Montgomery County children from Pre-K to

Grade 3 using Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational approach. In particular, Community

Montessori Charter School envisions serving economically disadvantaged children. The

Community Montessori Charter School’s curriculum is well-developed and research-based.

The curriculum meets the academic needs of children and provides the necessary coordinated

services so important to students and their families.


2. Describe the mission for the proposed public charter school. Provide a clear and concise

statement that describes the proposed school and the school’s educational program. The

mission statement should indicate what the school intends to do, for whom, and to what

degree. Avoid jargon and technical terminology. Parents and community members who

wish to know more about the school should be able to read the mission statement and get

a clear sense of the school.

Community Montessori Charter School’s mission is to provide a comprehensive, highly

individualized education for children from pre-K to Grade 3 in a nurturing, family-like

environment using the Montessori approach to education. As one of Crossway Community,

Inc.’s learning communities, Community Montessori Charter School will be supported to

achieve its educational goals.

Guided by the well-documented century-old principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, the Community

Montessori Charter School’s mission is to:

prepare an environment that is responsive to each child's unique developmental needs,

abilities and interests; and

utilize a “whole-child approach” which fosters respect for oneself, for others and for the

environment; supporting each child’s development of their full potential; and through

carefully assigned mixed-age groupings,

provide an integrated curriculum, uninterrupted work periods, strong literacy and

mathematics emphasis, manipulative materials, arts explorations, and freedom to explore

within limits.

The Community Montessori Charter School is being created to offer an exceptional Montessori

education for families. Crossway Community, Inc. is located in the Wheaton/Kensington area,

an ethnically, socioeconomically and culturally diverse neighborhood. The facility is located at

3015 Upton Drive, easily accessible to parents from several different neighborhoods. Studies of

children in a Milwaukee public-school Montessori program by Takacs, Karnes, and Duax (1989)

show that Montessori education at both the preschool and elementary levels benefit children

from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by giving them higher competence in basic skills,

a better attitude toward school, and a greater chance of staying in school than their non-


Montessori peers (Duax, 1989). These results have been replicated time and again in Montessori

programs throughout the United States and other countries. In Maryland, the State Department

of Education has recognized and approved the Montessori curriculum as an effective educational

instructional model.

Over 269 interested families have expressed interest in the Community Montessori Charter

School. To ensure that our school reflects the diversity and desires of our neighborhood, we

canvassed our neighborhood, attended neighborhood events and worked with area Head Start

programs, churches, schools, social service organizations and neighborhood and civic

associations. Based on the children attending Crossway Community, Inc.’s current Montessori

parent-toddler program and infant/toddler classrooms, young students will benefit from the

structure of our Pre-K/K classes to develop their ability to concentrate and interact appropriately

with their peers.

Furthermore, we know from those we currently serve that there are families who have children

identified with developmental delays. Our focus on individualized early intervention in

collaboration with teaching specialists, focused language development and social skills

instruction, and the use of concrete, multi-sensory materials, will enable these children to be

successful in our school.

Current research supported by the Foundation for Childhood Development states that “successful

Pre-K-3rd moves beyond the crisis mentality that has repeatedly swung taxpayers’ and

policymakers’ attention from one “problem grade” to another.” The Foundation for Childhood

Development calls for a coherent approach designed to sustain high-quality programs and

reflects today’s best understandings of how children learn in their formative early years.

Decades of research including studies conducted by MCPS, have shown that high-quality Pre-K

programs can boost later achievement if quality enhancements are carried forward. When

schools link Pre-K education with elementary grades creating a common organizational structure

and coherent sets of academic and social goals, the gains that children make in high-quality Pre-

K programs are more likely to persist. Please see “The Foundation for Childhood

Development,” Attachment X.


3. Describe the educational philosophy of the proposed school. Include a discussion of the

instructional strategies to be used. Explain the research that substantiates this approach

with the targeted audience and how the strategies will focus attention to student

achievement.

The educational philosophy of the Community Montessori Charter School is consistent with the

Montessori educational approach, which is based on the premise that children will reach their

full potential both academically and socially when given the freedom to explore their interests

actively with concrete, sequential materials within a carefully prepared environment. Teachers

engage with students and provide guidance to help children work on achieving the educational

concepts. A multi-age Montessori classroom provides maximum opportunities for developing

academic and social skills and the modeling of respectful behavior.

Instructional strategies

Our school will be based on the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori, including but not limited to

mixed-age groupings, integrated curriculum, and uninterrupted work periods. Our ‘whole-child

approach’ fosters respect for oneself, others and the environment. The Community Montessori

Charter School will also have a strong academic focus, arts exploration, and the capacity for

early intervention.

Mixed-Age Groupings and Peer Tutoring

In Montessori schools, children work together to care for the classroom. Children learn easily

from their peers and flourish in a mixed-age group similar to a family. Students are grouped

according to the developmental stages of childhood (3-6 and 6-8) as researched by Dr. Maria

Montessori. Not only does the younger child benefit from older role models, the older child gets

a chance to practice, refine and teach his/her newly found skills - the ultimate test of mastery. A

stable and strong community develops as the children continue with the same teacher for three

years. The teachers make a deep connection with the students (and the students with each other)

so that they are already aware of each child’s strengths and needs when starting a new school

year.


Meaningful Contexts for Learning and Integrated, Open-Ended Curriculum

Sometimes children learn skills or information without understanding how to apply this

knowledge beyond a classroom test. Montessori education follows the child’s interests and

connects learning with real life experiences, creating more meaningful contexts. Since subject

matter is integrated, the teacher is able to ensure that the children assimilate new information

with ease. The Montessori teacher engages the children’s imaginations through stories that

connect new information with prior knowledge. Studying a topic in depth enables children to

transfer knowledge to real world contexts. Children move at their own pace within the open-

ended curriculum, and the classrooms are equipped to extend well beyond typical grade-level

work. This means that gifted children may continue to develop the knowledge and skills to

perform at higher levels within their daily classroom environment. Some students may have

uneven development. In the Montessori classroom, these children can move ahead in specific

areas of strength while further developing weaker skill areas. The children are able to repeat

activities as often as needed to master necessary skills and then move on to achieve at higher

levels.

Uninterrupted Work Periods

A goal of Montessori educations is to develop self-discipline and to learn how to learn. Every

morning and most afternoons there is a long uninterrupted work period in Montessori

classrooms. The children are able to select work experiences appropriate to their abilities and

interests and pursue these until completion. They use daily work plans to set goals, document

lessons, check off completed work and reflect on their day/week. Although the children are

required to accomplish certain work each week, they have choices in how and when they

complete it. This affords the child the opportunity to work for long periods of time on specific

projects of interest. Sustained periods of concentration enable the children to acquire the

knowledge and skills for developing their full potential and strengthen their self-confidence, self-

discipline and study habits.

Educating the Whole Child and Peace Education

Dr. Montessori believed that education is the avenue to world peace. She developed practical

life exercises as the foundation for the classroom at all age levels. Learning how to work and


play together with others in a peaceful and caring community is perhaps the most critical

practical life skill that Montessori teaches. The grace-and-courtesy lessons in the Montessori

classrooms provide a model for the young child on how to proceed in life, collaborate with

others, and develop respect for self and peers.

Exploration through the Arts

The Community Montessori Charter School recognizes the arts as a non-verbal language that is

an important part of human communication. Every Montessori classroom will have an art area

with an abundance of open-ended materials for the children to use at will. Engaging in visual

and creative arts activities is another time to enhance concentration, problem solving, visual

motor skills and creativity. Further, CMCS will strive to integrate the arts into the academic

curriculum, to offer students ways to learn concepts with their whole mind, and create academic

success for students who may otherwise struggle.

Music education provides the structure necessary for the acquisition of language and

mathematical skills. Music enhances auditory discrimination skills, which are crucial for

learning to read. Sequencing, left to right progression and eye-hand coordination are essential

for both music and written language. Mathematical concepts used in geometry, algebra and

architecture (such as spatial and fractional relationships), have their roots and development in the

study of music.

Early Childhood Education and Early Intervention

The Community Montessori Charter School program, similar to most Montessori schools, will

begin with a summer experience for late threes to provide our youngest children with a strong

foundation for pre-K. The focus on early childhood education will help each child develop the

concentration, language, attention, organization, conceptual and motor skills necessary to be

successful in the elementary grades. Given the right kind of environment, children from ages

three to six can absorb more information than at any other time in their lives. We believe that

offering an active learning environment that is responsive to each child’s interests and abilities,

closely monitored by teachers, will frequently eliminate the need for special education services.


Academic Design

Educational Foundation/Methods and Student Content and Performance Standards

The Community Montessori Charter School educational foundation as stated in our mission is

based on the principles of Montessori Education, which is often referred to as “Education for

Life.” Dr. Maria Montessori, who was the first female doctor in Italy, founded Montessori

education in 1907. She identified universal human behaviors, such as intrinsic motivation and

she designed educational materials and environments to encourage these traits. She field-tested

the materials across ages, socio-economic backgrounds and different cultures. The Montessori

philosophy embraces the whole child and his/her natural curiosity and love of learning. Children

will reach their full potential, academically and socially, when given the freedom and structure to

actively work with concrete, sequential materials within a carefully prepared environment.

Teachers provide enough guidance to help the children work toward independence and self-

discipline. A mixed-age classroom provides maximum opportunities for social and academic

skills, peer tutoring and modeling respectful behavior. Montessori methods, supported by

current educational research, are detailed below.

Movement

Dr. Montessori understood the important relationship between learning and movement.

Movement is an essential part of the daily curriculum since it keeps the brain oxygenated,

necessary for better brain function. Children are free to move as they choose their work; hence

movement is a part of most activities. Studies highlighted in Angeline Stoll Lillard’s book,

Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius (Lillard, 2005), validate Dr. Montessori’s theory of

the importance of movement and how it improves memory and the integration of information in

the brain.

Intrinsic Motivation and Concentration

One of Montessori’s key discoveries is the idea that children are intrinsically motivated. They

are driven by their desire to become independent and competent beings in the world. When

provided developmentally appropriate materials in a carefully prepared environment, children

are motivated to learn. Sustained, intense periods of concentration are central to Montessori

education. In our advanced technological society, children are often sitting in front of computers


or TV screens. They have not developed the ability to concentrate, which is essential for

academic achievement and success in life. Moreover, people are motivated and able to

concentrate when given choices and presented with work related to their interests.

Choice and Freedom within Limits

Feeling that one has control and is able to make choices fulfills a person’s need for autonomy

and allows him/her a chance to thrive. Montessori children are free to choose work appropriate

for their current stage of development. Being able to move and socialize within this structured

environment enhances cognitive and social development. Although there is considerable

freedom within the classroom, it is ‘freedom within limits.’ The students are limited by the

amount of material that has been presented and by the requirement to be constructive and

responsible with materials and behavior. Learning to make good choices and becoming self-

disciplined is a major goal of Montessori education. Younger children or those with special

needs may need to have more limited choices. This freedom only works with a carefully planned

and prepared environment with a nurturing, observant, and well-trained teacher. In the

elementary classrooms, the children will be required to accomplish specific work by the end of

the week, based on their individual work plans. However, one child may choose to work all

morning on a specific project that incorporates goals in all subject areas. The next day, for

example, the same child may work on repetitive addition, for an extended period of time. If the

child is interested in the task and working appropriately, then he/she needs to be able to complete

the activity without interruptions to foster cognitive growth as well as self-confidence and

concentration.

Interests and Following the Child

Similar to adults, the best learning occurs in contexts of interest. Dr. Montessori created

situational interest by designing materials that appeal to children’s natural curiosity while

teaching specific skills. In addition, Montessori teachers are specially trained to inspire children

while presenting lessons and to observe children’s developmental levels and interests to plan the

environment accordingly, termed ‘following the child’. The influence of interest on learning has

been clearly demonstrated in current research studies as documented in Lillard’s book (Lillard,

2005). The goal of the Montessori environment is to allow each child to fully develop his/her


intellectual skills, not to push the child in order to meet some normative schedule of

development.

Hands-on Materials

Through hands-on materials, the children are offered a range of sensory stimulation to facilitate

mastery of the concepts inherent in the materials. Children with diverse learning styles can be

successful with our multi-sensory approach. The concrete, sequential lessons give each child a

strong foundation for more abstract concepts, which will lead to higher-level learning.

Mixed-Age Classrooms/Learning from Peers and Meaningful Contexts for Learning

The Role of the Teacher

The Montessori teacher’s role is that of a facilitator, guiding the child within the instructional

environment. The teacher assists the children in moving toward independence, while providing

the necessary guidance to ensure that they make good decisions and engage in productive

behaviors. The teacher’s role is to actively observe the children, maintain an inspiring learning

environment, give new lessons at the appropriate time and intervene when children need

guidance or structure. The Montessori teacher is a trained observer using anecdotal records for a

more authentic assessment of a child’s skills. They reteach lessons when necessary and provide

additional challenges when children appear to have mastered the material and are ready for the

next sequence.

This educational philosophy also recognizes the critical role of the child’s family in his/her

educational development. Parents are acknowledged as the child’s first and lifelong teachers and

are engaged as active partners in their child’s education. Meaningful participation of parents and

community members in his/her education is essential for a child to learn.

Research that substantiates the Community Montessori Charter School’s approach with the

targeted population

Brain research on gender differences as described in Michael Gurian’s book, Boys and Girls

Learn Differently (Gurian, 2001), addresses the efficiency of Montessori methodology by

indicating the need for the following classroom components to fit each individual child:


movement, teacher-student bonding, and hands-on materials for reading/writing. In Mariale

Hardiman’s book, Connecting Brain Research with Effective Teaching (Hardiman, 2003), she

too recommends incorporating these classroom elements which are fundamental Montessori

methods: movement, student choices, the arts, active learning and application, and repetition for

mastery. Authentic performance assessment, comparable to Montessori Education’s tracking

system, is an important piece of Hardiman’s brain-based teaching model. Further, the author

emphasizes the importance of teaching from the big picture, similar to the ‘Cosmic Education’

strategy described in the elementary Montessori curriculum.

A study published in the journal Science (Lillard, 2006), compared outcomes for children at

an urban public Montessori school with children who attended traditional schools. The

results indicated that Montessori Education is effective in developing and supporting lasting

academic and social skills.

There are over 3,000 private Montessori schools and approximately 300 public Montessori

schools across the country including two public magnet Montessori schools in Prince George’s

County: Robert Goddard and John Hanson. Opened in 1973, these schools have long waiting

lists and strong levels of achievement as evidenced by assessment outcomes.

4. What are the goals and objectives of the public charter school? Summarize the goals and

associated performance measures in relation to academic performance, organizational

viability, and specific school objectives.

Student Content and Performance Standards

Montessori standards are based on the typical needs of children in a mixed-age grouping. A

detailed Montessori scope and sequence of student performance and content standards will be

aligned with the Common Core State Standards published by MSDE by the CMCS Technical

Advisory Committee during the planning year. As a school, we will continue to develop our

curriculum, standards, and alignment with the Common Core State Standards and collaborate

closely with the MCPS Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs.


Primary (Ages 3 – 6): The primary curriculum includes standards in the following areas:

practical life skills, sensorial, language, math, and cultural studies. Three to six year olds are

sensorial explorers who need to manipulate concrete materials to understand abstract ideas.

They have a strong desire to acquire knowledge of the environment and to be independent. They

go through ‘sensitive periods’ of intense attraction to experiences involving language, order and

movement. Therefore, through concrete experiences, the goals of the primary curriculum

include the following, to:

1. Develop a rich vocabulary and oral expression

2. Develop a strong foundation in phonetics

3. Develop a concrete impression of math quantities and processes that lead to

abstract concepts

4. Develop coordination and refinement of movement

5. Build concentration to complete a task

6. Increase confident awareness of one’s own abilities

7. Increase awareness of others and how to interact appropriately

8. Strengthen and refine learning through each of the senses

9. Develop fine motor skills (the pincer grasp in preparation for writing)

10. Engage in a wide variety of cultural studies

11. Stimulate children’s natural curiosity

12. Explore the arts to foster creativity and self-expression

Lower Elementary (Ages 6 – 8): The lower elementary curriculum includes standards in the

following areas: Speaking and Listening, Reading, Written Language, Word Study, Research,

Number Concepts, Problem Solving, Geometry, History, Geography, Biology, Zoology, Botany,

Ecology, Scientific Processes, Health, Art, Music, and Movement. Children at this age are

oriented toward intellectual discovery as they begin to investigate the “why” and “how.” The

children’s emergent reasoning mind is stimulated by Montessori’s course of study. Their

imagination drives their quest for knowledge. The children use hands-on experiences to apply

their skills to a wide range of projects and activities. Therefore, the lower elementary goals are

to:


1. Participate in group discussions or community meetings

2. Use variety of phonetic skills/reading strategies to read unfamiliar words

3. Read with increasing comprehension and fluency

4. Develop and apply new vocabulary across the curriculum

5. Work cooperatively in a small group

6. Use Montessori materials to develop the concept of the four basic mathematical

operations, including memorization of basic math facts and application to

practical word problems.

7. Recognize and construct geometric figures

8. Express him/herself logically

9. Follow oral and written instructions

10. Develop fine motor control to write legibly

11. Engage in creative and factual writing activities

12. Make connections with prior knowledge to understand new concepts

13. Research topics of interest

14. Understand geography and the physical science in order to create maps and write

simple reports

15. Begin understanding of the relationship among all living things

16. Explore the arts to foster creativity and self-expression

Curriculum

1. Describe the curricular program and how it will lead to improved educational outcomes.

a. Describe the curriculum that will be used by the school, including the indicators,

content, and skills to be taught in the different subject areas at each grade level

and in each course.

In the Montessori curriculum, content areas are organized as spiral plane of integrated studies,

rather than a traditional model in which the curriculum is compartmentalized into separate

content areas, with given topics considered only once at a given grade level. In Montessori

education, lessons are introduced simply and concretely in the early years and are reintroduced

several times during the following years at increasing levels of abstraction, depth and


complexity. Everything is interrelated. One lesson leads to many others. Montessori teachers

always work from the big picture (macro) to increasing detail (micro). The Montessori course of

study is an integrated thematic approach that ties the separate disciplines of the curriculum

together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature and the human experience.

While we provide a warm, supportive academic atmosphere, the typical response from the child

is high level thought, work products, and mastery of content skills. The mixed-age classrooms

are based on the aforementioned developmental planes. The children move at their own pace

and the teacher serves as a guide to develop each child’s full potential. Though the curriculum is

integrated in the classroom, it has been broken down into specific goals and classroom activities

for each subject area for a clearer understanding.

The Pre-K-K Program Overview

(Ages 3 – 6): The overall goal of the Montessori Primary curriculum is to provide a carefully

planned environment that meets the developmental needs and natural tendencies of the 3 – 6 year

old child (latter half of the 1st plane of development). The teacher carefully observes the children

and plans the environment according to their needs and interests. Our curriculum is aligned with

Maryland’s Pre-K/K Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as demonstrated by the materials

and lessons available to cover the specific objectives and in many cases, go well beyond, as the

children are ready. We strive to provide each young child a strong foundation so he/she will

become confident and self-disciplined learners.

Characteristics of the primary age child include:

Sensorial exploration as the primary mode of adaptation/development

An unconscious absorbent mind that effortlessly takes in the impressions of the

environment and gradually moves toward greater consciousness

An ability to concentrate for long periods

A desire for independence

A need for manipulation of concrete materials, which gradually leads to an understanding

of abstract ideas


Observable “sensitive periods” of intense attraction to certain experiences; including

sensitive periods for language, order and movement

A strong desire to answer the question “what and why?” and acquire knowledge of the

environment

The primary curriculum is divided into five basic areas:

1. Practical Life

2. Sensorial

3. Language

4. Mathematics

5. Cultural Studies including geography, science, art and music

A detailed outline of Primary Level Curriculum can be seen in Attachment A.

The Elementary Program Overview

As in the Primary classroom, each child in the elementary classroom is followed as an

individual. The Montessori teacher strives to challenge each child according to his or her

developmental needs and abilities. The elementary curriculum continues to foster a love of

learning and an acceptance of personal responsibility for intellectual growth as well as social

interaction. The passage to elementary is the passage from the sensorial material level to the

abstract. The children are exposed to an extremely broad and integrated curriculum. The

integrated approach is one of the Elementary Montessori program’s greatest strengths. Studies

come alive through a variety of hands-on projects. The students are exposed to the realm of

mathematics, earth science, biology, zoology, botany, technology, the world of myth, great

literature, history, world geography, civics, economics, anthropology, and the basic organization

of human societies. Their studies also cover the basics of traditional curricula: math facts,

spelling lessons, vocabulary, grammar, sentence analysis, creative and expository writing and

library research skills.

The teachers use storytelling across the curriculum to convey information and to model the

power of language. The ‘Great Lessons’ are five key areas of interconnected studies that are


presented in the form of inspiring stories, related experiences and fun research projects. They

include the story of how the world came to be, the development of life on Earth, the story of

humankind and the development of language, writing and mathematics. They are intended to

give children a cosmic (macro) perspective of the Earth and their place within it. Children learn

to think for themselves and they are encouraged to discuss and share their ideas with one another

and with the larger group. Instead of memorizing, feeding back and forgetting, the children are

fully engaged in the learning process and they learn how to learn.

The general objectives of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are covered in this

curriculum. Specific assessments and instructional data addressing the CCSS will be

incorporated into Montessori classroom activities. Staff development regarding alignment of the

CCSS with the Montessori curriculum will take place prior to the opening of school and

throughout the school year as part of the plan for ongoing professional development.

Characteristics of the child in the Second Plane of Development (6 – 8 years):

1. Oriented toward intellectual discovery and exploration

2. Sensitivity to what is right/wrong, fair/unfair

3. Expanded boundaries for social experiences

4. Interested in the “why” and “how”

5. Ability for abstract thought, reasoning and imagination

6. Imagination drives the quest for knowledge

A detailed outline of Elementary Level Curriculum can be seen in Attachment B.

b. Outline the instructional and assessment methods and strategies that will be

employed to enhance student learning, monitor progress, assess performance, and

inform instruction.

In accordance with Montessori philosophy, the children move at their own pace and the teacher

serves as a guide to developing each child’s full potential. Though our curriculum is integrated

in the classroom, it has been broken down into specific goals and classroom activities for each

content area, for clearer understanding. Staff development regarding further alignment of the


curriculum with the Common Core State Standards assessment and record keeping is planned for

each school year. Performance indicators include the development of reading, writing,

mathematics and vocabulary, as well as practical life skills including concentration, self-

discipline and responsibility.

Community Montessori Charter School will use a variety of formative assessment strategies,

such as the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) for baseline and specific measurement of

improvement, along with other daily and weekly formative measures, in concert with anecdotal

records and portfolios. Authentic assessment of the whole child through the use of anecdotal

reports is consistent with Montessori philosophy and teacher training. This approach to

assessment will allow children with different learning styles to demonstrate their true knowledge

and skills.

Assessment of student progress will be made through both formative and summative tools as

follows:

Formative Assessments

Formative assessments are given throughout a course of study to monitor student learning and

adjust instruction. Examples of formative assessments are journal entries, quizzes, conferences,

performance tasks, exhibits, demonstrations, unit tests and portfolio reviews. During the

planning year, Community Montessori Charter School’s Curriculum Team will examine

assessment tools utilized by MCPS, including MCPSAP-PR, to determine its suitability for

implementation by Community Montessori Charter School. Montessori teachers typically

observe their children at work or ask them to teach a lesson to another child to confirm their

knowledge and skill. Informal oral exams or preparing a written test to be given individually are

other ways to test acquisition of knowledge. Parents have an integral role in the success of the

children. Periodically, parents will be expected to give feedback regarding their child’s school

experience. Acquisition of knowledge and skills will align with MCPS curricula requirements

and the Common Core State Standards to document individual student and class achievement.

Data will be collected on an ongoing basis.


Meeting the Needs of All Children

Community Montessori Charter School. teachers will gather information regarding each

student’s previous performance, relative strengths and current developmental needs by:

Reviewing student records

Meeting the child before the first day of school, through a home or classroom visit

Talking with parents regarding previous experiences, student interests and goals

Completing informal assessments for baseline information and classroom observation

Students demonstrating strong abilities and skills will be encouraged to move ahead at

their own pace in our open-ended curriculum. Students who enter the school performing

below grade level will benefit from our Montessori curriculum in the following ways:

The sequential procedure for reading and written language is actively taught

and integrated throughout all content areas.

Specific practical life activities are used for developing fine motor skills and

writing skills.

The children are allowed to use the materials repeatedly which leads to

internalization of the abstract concepts.

The sequential, manipulative materials give the child concrete experiences to

maximize his/her mathematical understanding.

Individualized and small group instruction geared to the child’s specific

developmental needs enables him/her to experience success and be willing to

move on to more challenging tasks.

Integrating arts into the academic curriculum offers the students numerous

ways to learn concepts and create academic success for students who may

otherwise struggle.

A multi-sensory approach is utilized throughout the curriculum to facilitate

success and high achievement for boys and girls with diverse learning styles.

Materials and activities can be broken down into smaller “chunks.”

There will be a classroom assistant in each classroom and volunteer reading

tutors available to support instruction.

Peer tutoring in the mixed-age classroom will provide strong role models for

students.


Children use work trays and mats to define their space and maintain attention

to task.

Carrying materials helps the child develop motor control, organization and

attention.

“Silence Game” is an exercise to practice self-control and focus of attention.

Student work plans to foster organization of work habits and opportunities for

reflection.

Classroom and activities are designed for movement and refinement of

coordination.

Step-by-step presentation so the teacher can formatively assess needs and plan

instruction.

Three-period lessons take the child through the normal stages of language

development.

Summative Assessments

Summative assessments will be administered annually to evaluate how well students are learning

concepts and skills specified in the Common Core State Standards:

The Maryland School Assessment (MSA) will be used to measure grade 3 students’ yearly progress

in reading and mathematics. Special education students will be given the Alternate MSA (Alt-

MSA) if required by the student’s IEP. Students who are enrolled in ESOL programs will take the

Language Assessment System (LAS Links). Community Montessori Charter School second

graders will take the Terra Nova 2 to assess reading, language mechanics, mathematics and

mathematics computation. Summative assessments have value in providing feedback to both

parents and the school regarding students’ achievement. Students taught using a rigorously applied

Montessori approach generally do well on these assessments. In fact, information about the

progress of children transitioning out of Crossway’s Montessori program into public schools

indicates that former students achieve at high levels.


Below is a brief outline of the testing schedule, aligned with MCPS and MSDE requirements, to be

used by the Community Montessori Charter School:

Reporting Student Progress

Student Self-evaluations:

Students maintain a record of their progress and will prepare a monthly self-evaluation to share

in a meeting with the teachers for feedback, observations, and planning.

Portfolios of Student Work:

Once per quarter, students will go through their completed work and make selections for their

portfolios. They will prepare a self-evaluation of their work: what was accomplished, what they

enjoyed; what was most difficult; and what they would like to accomplish in the next three

months.

Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences:

Twice per year, parents, teachers and students will meet to review the children’s portfolios and

self-evaluations and go through the teachers’ assessments. Teachers or parents may always

request a conference at a mutually agreeable time.

Narrative Progress Reports:

Once or twice per year, Montessori teachers prepare a written narrative evaluation of the

student’s work, social development, and mastery of fundamental skills and suggestions for future

growth.


Grade Test

K-2 Montgomery County Public Schools Assessment Program – Primary Reading

Spring Administration

K-3 Language Assessment System (LAS) Links

2 Terra Nova 2

3 Maryland School Assessment in Reading, Mathematics, & Science

3 Alternate Maryland School Assessment (for special education students)

c. Explain how the curriculum encompasses the Maryland State Curriculum and the

Core Learning Goals, aligned with Common Core State Standards, as applicable.

Applicants must base their standards on the Maryland Content Standards and may

adopt additional standards that exceed these state standards. The standards should

give reviewers a clear sense of what students will know and be able to do.

Alignment Process:

When teachers pursue Montessori certification, they carefully document and sequence

comprehensive lessons for each of the core curriculum subjects within a series of Portfolios. Our

own preliminary review has confirmed that these Montessori lessons target many of the core

learning objectives of the MCPS Curriculum Frameworks and the Common Core State

Standards.

During the initial planning year, a team of educators will work to address MCPS and Common

Core State, content, standards, and Learning Objectives into a first draft of the Community

Montessori Charter School Curriculum and Assessment Handbooks for Language Arts, Oral

and Written Communication, Math, and Science.

The Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS staff to cross-reference the

Montessori curriculum with the MCPS Curriculum Frameworks & the Common Core State

Standards to identify areas in need of revision. Revision of these areas will be supported through

focused professional development and collaborative study among the professional staff during

the initial planning year and subsequent years.

d. Describe the criteria and procedures that will be employed for the selection of

textbooks and other instructional materials.

Textbooks and other educational materials will be selected in alignment with the Montessori

curriculum and MCPS content standards. An emphasis will be placed on primary sources and

reality-focused materials as in the Montessori curriculum. A selection committee, comprised of

school and community stakeholders, will be convened by the Community Montessori Charter

School Principal to recommend materials for adoption. The committee will include teachers,


parents, and community members. Once materials are identified, Community Montessori

Charter School will adhere to MCPS regulations for the approval of instructional materials.

e. Describe how the school will meet the needs of special students, including

English Language Learners, students with an Individualized Education Program

or Section 504 plan, and all students covered under the Americans with

Disabilities Act. Include how services such as screening, diagnostic and

psychological testing, evaluation, identification; and instructional placements

based on language proficiency; and health-related support to students will be

provided in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving stated performance

standards are components of the Montessori method. Lessons are geared to each child’s

developmental level. Children who enroll with reading and other basic skills that are

substantially below age level may have deficits or weaknesses in one or more of the following

areas: attention, order, organization, motor skills, perceptual confusions, oral language

development, learning written symbols or patterns of language, or problems with the abstractions

of math. The Montessori method allows diagnostic teaching in all of these areas. Children who

are performing below age level when they enroll in our Montessori program may need the

following classroom modifications:

Teacher nearby for greater time periods during independent work

Direct assistance with attention/focus/and concentration

Structure for behavior

Guidance in selecting and performing tasks

Specific and direct oral language development

Direct teaching of written language and/or math symbols

Pre-writing and writing practice with a multi-sensorial technique

Visual Picture System

Limit choices

Language presentations modified with specific techniques.


Student Support Team (SST) Plan

The plan for providing additional interventions (beyond those inherent in the Montessori Method

as described above) to students who are not achieving the school’s stated performance standards

includes a continuing partnership with parents, use of reading tutors, additional support teachers

and use of our school’s Student Support Team (SST). Parents and teachers (and student when

appropriate) will meet at the beginning, middle and end of year to develop goals and discuss

their child’s progress. Volunteer reading tutors will provide additional reading support as

necessary.

Community Montessori Charter School will use the Student Support Team (SST) model to

support children who are experiencing academic challenges (including educational, behavioral,

or interpersonal needs). Using this model, teachers will be able to identify children who are

struggling or excelling within the classroom and refer them to the team for support as

appropriate. The team may be composed of a general education teacher, a special educator, a

school administrator, and a mental health/social worker or school psychologist. The child’s

parents will also be invited to participate on this team and give additional input regarding

strengths and needs. The SST will review the child’s previous records and current performance

and develop “first line” interventions to address his or her individual challenges including

modifying tasks and methods of instruction (e.g., additional visual cues for visual learners, one-

step directions for children with attention difficulties, clear behavioral goals, limiting choices,

and a system for reinforcing target behaviors). The teacher will use these educational supports

and monitor the child’s functioning for a number of weeks using the individual child’s record

form or classroom log. If he/she has not shown improvement within a specified amount of time,

the SST will conduct a child study, which might include a review of work samples, classroom

observations, behavioral analysis, teacher assessments of child, baseline evaluations where

appropriate and parent reports about the child’s functioning within the home. The results of the

child study will help the team identify and document additional, individualized educational

supports. If these interventions are not sufficient to help the child improve classroom

performance, then he/she will be referred for additional assessments, possibly to the school’s

special education process.


Special Needs Students

Community Montessori Charter School will function in full accord with federal (IDEA), state,

and local laws and regulations with regard to children with special needs. We are committed to

providing an inclusive learning community where every child develops his/her full potential and

individual differences are respected and embraced. We plan to collaborate with MCPS to

provide children identified with needs for special education and related services.

If the SST finds that a child continues to make inadequate progress or shows significant deficits,

he/she will be referred to the special education team for follow-up. This team of professionals,

which includes the child’s parents, will meet to discuss specific evaluations, determine

eligibility, plan special education and related services and prepare an individualized education

plan (IEP) that is reviewed at least annually. The team will consult with MCPS as needed during

the process. Parental consent is required for all evaluations and services. Specific procedural

safeguards and timelines must be followed throughout the process. For example, within thirty

days of eligibility determination under IDEA, the team must meet to develop the IEP. Where

special education services are deemed necessary, students will be provided with in-classroom

interventions as a first step, followed by inclusion with push-in services by special

education/related services staff, and finally pull-out services if previous interventions have not

been effective (or where necessary due to domain-specific challenges in areas such as speech-

language, occupational therapy, or emotional functioning).

The school principal, the Vice President of Academic Programs, and special education staff will

attend MCPS professional development regarding the special education process and provide

professional development for teachers and Para educators. Community Montessori Charter

School plans to identify its own special education and related services staff to be hired by the

school system. We will consult MCPS for additional services as needed, such as evaluations of

intellectual functioning completed by a psychologist. Special Education meetings will be located

at and facilitated by our school principal with consultation from MCPS as needed.

Some modifications are naturally-occurring components of the Montessori classroom.

Supplemental programs such as sign language, visual picture systems, Handwriting without


Tears and Applied Behavioral Analysis may also be implemented to complement the curriculum

and support each child in developing his/her full potential. Depending on our students’ needs,

we will consult with The Shelton School in Dallas, Texas that utilizes Montessori methods for

children with learning disabilities.

In accordance with federal and state law, the school will not reject children with disabilities and

will use an inclusion model to incorporate children with disabilities in the regular classroom

setting where such a setting provides these children with a free appropriate education (FAPE) in

the least restrictive environment (LRE).

Consistent with the current funding formula, it is our expectation that necessary services to

address students’ IEPs will be supported by the County. Community Montessori Charter

School will work to assist with MCPS to assist in identifying qualified staff to help deliver

services when appropriate. Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to MCPS

timelines, as well as State and federal guidelines for identifying students for special education

services.

English Language Learners (ELL)

The Montessori system proves an ideal program for ELL students. All presentations are made

first without language. The child may attend visually and observe the materials presented. After

he/she is successful at perceiving and comprehending the sensory information that is part of the

presentation, then language is attached to the object, functions, and attributes connected with the

concept. The three period lessons take the child through the normal language development

stages of Identity, Recognition and Recall. For each child, this process varies in length. This

careful presentation of Identity-Recognition-Recall allows the ESOL child to expand his/her

vocabulary and expression and develop more precise communication. ESOL students and

families will be included in all Community Montessori Charter School activities. We will

collaborate with MCPS, which currently provides services for ESOL students. The Community

Montessori Charter School team is fluent in French, Spanish, Amharic, Hindi, Filipino, Russian,

and Korean, and can provide classroom support as well as assist in communicating with parents

who are not proficient in English. We will have materials and literature that represent various


backgrounds and cultures to help each child feel secure in our environment. Teachers and staff

will participate in trainings as necessary to ensure their cultural sensitivity and to support

children with limited English skills. Community Montessori Charter School will follow all

legal requirements regarding the provision of instruction and assessment for ELL students.

f. Describe how the school’s academic calendar or length of school day will differ

from that of MCPS, if applicable, and provide rationale for differences.

Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to MCPS school calendar during the

traditional academic year. In addition, Community Montessori Charter School will provide a

full summer program for income-eligible students that follows the regular school day schedule

including access to wraparound health, dental, and social services in collaboration with the

Department of Human Services.

g. Describe how the school will assess the level of success of its educational

program (including the local, state, and federal assessment programs).

Community Montessori Charter School will adhere to local and state assessment requirements

and will ensure that the Montessori approach and curriculum are aligned with these measures.

Compliance with MCPS

During the planning year, a team of Community Montessori Charter School teachers along with

the Principal and the Vice-President of Academic Programs will align the Community

Montessori Charter School curriculum with requirements of the MCPS curriculum for Pre-K

and lower elementary grades in order to establish benchmarks that track Community Montessori

Charter School’s compliance with the MCPS curriculum. These benchmarks for CMCS

students will be tracked through assessment outcomes on the Maryland Work Sampling System

(MWSS), and the Early Childhood Observation Record (ECOR), the Pre-LAS Links, and the

LAS-Links (ELL) assessments. Outcomes will be reported to MCPS, MSDE, Community

Montessori Charter School faculty, families, and the community. Furthermore, any summative

assessments mandated by the MCPS and MSDE will be administered such as the Terra Nova 2

(grade 2). Community Montessori Charter School will begin administering the MSA in the

spring of 2013


Compliance with MSDE

Community Montessori Charter School will comply with all state regulations and mandates.

Reporting will occur for all data defined in COMAR and will be coordinated with policies and

regulations per MCPS. (See compliance with MCPS above.)

2. Describe the uniqueness of the program. Include concept design, techniques, and/or

practices.

There are many reasons why Community Montessori Charter School is unique in design,

technique and practice.

Community Montessori Charter School will be part of the Crossway Community, Inc.

organization that for twenty years has integrated three learning centers on its campus to

serve economically disadvantaged families and others in Montgomery County.

The Family Leadership School provides on-campus apartments, career counseling, life-

skill coaching, and educational support to 40 single mothers with very young children.

The Lifelong Learning Center provides an array of educational, arts, recreational and

life-skill classes, events and services to individuals and families throughout the region.

The Crossway Montessori Program provides effective early educational intervention to

children 3 months through kindergarten. Upon approval of this charter application,

services will expand to serve children through grade three.

Crossway Community, Inc. has engaged hundreds, if not thousands, of Montgomery

County stakeholders over the past twenty years, who are the lifeblood of our

organization.

Crossway Community, Inc. will leverage a wide array of partnerships to support the

planning, design and implementation of the Community Montessori Charter School.

Community Montessori Charter School students and families will uniquely benefit from

the wrap-around support supplied by the networks of people, wealth of experiences,

collection of resources and connection to services that each unit of our organization

“brings to the table” and contributes to the entire community free of charge.

This support includes but is not limited to: work-force development, college-prep classes,

tutoring, health referrals, parenting classes and other instructional programs such as ESOL, GED,


and CPR classes, Strathmore Hall Arts Center education department, Maryland Youth Ballet,

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kensington Arts Theatre, Johns Hopkins

University, Loyola University, Montgomery College and various area high schools, United Way

of America, Zero to Three, Inc., Latin American Economic Development Corporation for

foreclosure prevention, the African American Health Program, and the Wheaton/Kensington

Chamber of Commerce. See Attachment C.

Crossway Community, Inc. through Community Montessori Charter School will continue pro-

viding high-quality education and support services in a wrap-around all-day, full-year program.

By aligning with MSDE’s Common Core State Standards, the Community Montessori

Charter School, Crossway Community, Inc. will grow the school to third grade and bring

additional, effective, innovative services to more income-eligible children and their

parents.

Crossway Community, Inc. creates a seamless system from birth through college through

community-building for children and parents. The Community Montessori Charter

School is the foundation of this effort.

Crossway Community, Inc. creates programs to equip parents with the tools they need to

become their children’s first teachers and to help their children succeed in school.

Crossway Community, Inc. uses-its half-acre organic community garden as a platform for

programs that foster stewardship of the land, outdoor education, nutrition, and physical

exercise. The half-acre plot grows a diversity of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and

flowers of the highest quality. Key partners on this initiative are Albert Einstein High

School faculty, parents, students, and Ruppert Landscaping.

Community Montessori Charter School will use the Crossway Community, Inc. organic

teaching garden in partnership with Ruppert Landscaping and Einstein High School to

teach reading, language arts, math, nutrition and environmental science.


3. Describe target population

a. Identify how many students will be enrolled each year over the years of the

proposed initial charter term. Explain the rationale for selecting this particular

school size.

In 1990, Crossway Community, Inc., opened a licensed childcare center to serve the families

in the Family Leadership School. Many of the children were having difficulty concentrating

or were identified with developmental delays. As a response and a strategy to improve

outcomes for these children, we adopted a unified Montessori curriculum with AMI certified

teachers. Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving their

performance standards are natural components of the Montessori method. Within two

months, using observational assessment, we found significant gains by using this approach.

This effort was funded by the Freddie Mac Foundation.

Community Montessori Charter School is centrally located in the Wheaton-Kensington area,

such that the target student population will include students from among the county’s diverse

communities. The original Montessori mission was developed to support children living in the

inner city and Community Montessori Charter School will bring this mission “home” to the

diverse neighborhoods of Wheaton-Kensington. Our school will provide Montgomery County

families with public Montessori Education, an education that has only been available in

Montgomery County via private school attendance. We believe our school will complement

current offerings within the school system and offer an additional public school choice.

Additionally, nearby public elementary schools in the Wheaton-Kensington area, such as

Oakland Terrace and Rockview Elementary School, are experiencing overcrowding. Oakland

Terrace, for example, will be establishing a satellite location for Kindergarten classes at Sligo

Middle School beginning in the fall of 2011 to offset the overcrowding.

Rationale for size

Community Montessori Charter School will use mixed-age groupings based on the educational

philosophy of Dr. Montessori. We plan to open in September, 2012 with four pre-K-K mixed-


age classrooms (3-6 year olds) and one lower elementary classroom (6-8 year olds). We will

provide early intervention for children at-risk for learning difficulties affording each child the

opportunity to develop a strong foundation for intellectual, physical and social skills.

By year 4, we anticipate that our school will consist of mixed-age classes at every level: four

pre-K- K classes (3-6 year olds) with 100 students, and four lower elementary classes (6-8 year

olds) with 88 students. Each class will have up to 25 - 30 children, with approximately 8 to 10

children at each age level (sixteen to twenty per grade). By year 4, we project our total student

body to be approximately 188 students. There will be one teacher and an assistant in each class.

See chart below:

Projected CMCS Program Enrollment *

ProjectedPopulation


GradesServed









Average Age of Student

4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9

Number of Classes

4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4

Average NumberStudents

/Class (Age 4-6 Grouping)

20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25

Number of Students per

Grade100 22 100 50 100 72 100 88


122 150 172 188

*School year 2011-2012 will be a planning year. School year 2012-2013 will be the first year of

the charter school for students.


b. Provide evidence of parental support for the proposed school (letters of support,

parent signatures, etc.).

Using an appreciative inquiry framework, Crossway Community, Inc. has surveyed the

community to map our vision. Crossway Community, Inc. targets young mothers with children

under the age of five to attend its bi-weekly introductory educational classes. Through our

outreach and engagement efforts, Crossway receives 75-100 calls per month from young,

economically disadvantaged mothers for resource and referral. Of these callers, about 25 attend

our bi-weekly education classes. Young mothers have the opportunity to speak openly about

needed services for themselves and their children. Crossway Community, Inc. has responded

with appropriate interventions and resources based on their stated needs: workforce development

program; life skills education programs; stable, residential life programs; and high quality early

childhood education. Our effort to extend our early childhood education program with a charter

school is in response to the stated need of these families with young children for high quality

educational opportunities that will change their children’s future.

Please see Attachment D, Support for CMCS.

c. Provide detailed student recruitment and marketing plans for target population,

including “hard-to-reach” families, culturally and linguistically diverse families,

and families of students with disabilities.

Our focus is to continue recruiting difficult to reach families and families with diverse

backgrounds in the neighborhoods near the school. Community Montessori Charter School will

actively recruit low-income families (that qualify for the free/reduced lunch program) in order to

ensure our student body reflects the socio-economic diversity of this area. Community

Montessori Charter School will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,

creed, sex, ethnicity, economic disadvantage, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability,

age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or foreign

language, or prior academic achievement.

Please see Attachment N.


We will reach these priority families through:

Our current bi-weekly introductory educational classes held at Crossway Community,

Inc.;

Our partnerships with other local organizations that serve these families;

Articles featured in Washington Parent Magazine, one of our partners

Public service announcements in neighborhood French and Spanish local media, English,

Spanish, and French internet presence via updated website, Facebook page, local

parenting Blogs, and email marketing

Posters in local libraries, supermarkets, coffee shops, Metro bus stops

Presence in local area-wide events and festivals

(See a detailed Targeted Recruitment Plan under “OPERATIONS” Question 2 of this

application.)

4. Explain the school’s proposed grading, promotion, and retention policies. (These must be

aligned with MCPS policies and regulations, unless a waiver is submitted and approved.)

Community Montessori Charter School will be accountable for summative assessments that

measure the extent to which students are proficient in reading and math skills. This includes

being accountable for student attendance and participation in the testing process. Community

Montessori Charter School will use multiple measures to judge student achievement: tests;

student presentations including oral, multi-media, and written formats; as well as portfolios.

Every effort will be made so that students who are weak in one area of the curriculum will not be

penalized across all areas of the curriculum.

Community Montessori Charter School will establish a series of standards across the grades

served in the mixed-age classrooms so that student achievement can be measured and judged to

be proficient. Standardized measures will be administered according to the schedule established

by MCPS:

The Terra Nova at Grade 2;

The Maryland State Assessment (MSA) at Grade 3


If support measures are deemed appropriate to assist a student’s level of achievement in any area

of the curriculum, Community Montessori Charter School will work with parents, students and

teachers to assure that resources are put in place for the student. If a student needs additional

time to utilize resources before moving to the next level of curriculum, an individual review

process will be put in place by the SST.

5. Describe how Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and federal assessment

mandates will be met.

In order to comply with both local and state assessment requirements, both external and internal

assessment measures will be used to track student achievement, inform classroom instruction,

provide evidence about how the school is meeting its stated goals, and influence plans for school

development.

Summative (External) Assessments

Those students who are five by September 1 of the school year will be evaluated using the

Maryland Work Sampling System (MWSS) which provides a way for teachers to assess and

document children’s skills, knowledge, behaviors, and academic accomplishments. Using

developmental assessment guidelines, work samples, portfolios, and checklists, teachers will

document children’s progress along seven domains of learning. The MWSS will be administered

during the first two months of the school year and results will be reported to the State of

Maryland by the end of November.

Those children who are seven by September 1 of the school year will take the Terra Nova 2 in

accordance with the MCPS Schedule of Student Assessments. The Terra Nova, as a nationally-

normed achievement test, will provide information on student achievement in Reading,

Language Arts, and Mathematics. The results will be used as diagnostic information about

students’ academic strengths and weaknesses, which teachers may use to form students’ learning

goals and influence planning for staff development.

Those students who are eight by September 1 of the school year will take the Maryland State

Assessment (MSA) in accordance with the MCPS and State of Maryland Schedule of Student


Assessments. The MSA will test students beginning in grades 3 and will track students’ reading

and math skills related to Common Core State Standards. The student’s scores will be provided

to parents.

Formative (Internal) Assessments

Classroom-based Assessments. Classroom-based assessments will be implemented with the

youngest students. The Early Childhood Observation Record (ECOR) which is used to

summarize observational data of performance assessments for Pre-K children in MCPS will be

used for Pre-K students at Community Montessori Charter School. The ECOR will also be

implemented for Kindergarten children along with the MWSS.

School-based Portfolios: Community Montessori Charter School will use the planning year to

develop integrated portfolios where students demonstrate mastery of the school’s academic,

personal, and social learning objectives. Portfolios will be exhibited at the end of the 3rd grade as

a culminating experience. The Portfolio will allow students to demonstrate skills not assessed

through Terra Nova 2 or MSA by giving students the flexibility to document their achievement

through a variety of media and a more diverse representation of learning.

6. Provide strategies for students who are at risk of academic failure, advanced learners,

and/or students not making reasonable progress.

Many of the interventions used to support children who are not achieving to stated performance

standards are natural components of the Montessori method. Lessons are geared to each child’s

developmental level. Children that enroll with reading and other basic skills that are

substantially below age level may have deficits or weaknesses in one or more of the following

areas: attention, order, organization, motor skills, perceptual confusions, oral language

development, learning written symbols or patterns of language, or problems with the abstractions

of math. The Montessori method allows diagnostic teaching in all of these areas. Children who

are performing below age level when they enroll in our Montessori program may need the

following classroom modifications:

Teacher nearby for greater time periods during “independent” work

Direct assistance with attention/focus/and concentration


Structure for behavior

Guidance in selecting and performing tasks

Specific and direct oral language development

Direct teaching of written language and/or math symbols,

Pre-writing and writing practice with a multi-sensorial technique

Visual Picture System

Limit choices

Language presentations modified with specific techniques.

Community Montessori Charter School will use the Student Support Team (SST) model to

support children who are experiencing academic challenges (including educational, behavioral,

or interpersonal needs). Using this model, teachers will be able to identify children who are

struggling or excelling within the classroom and refer them to the team for support as

appropriate. The SST team and the child’s parents will study the child’s strengths and needs.

They will review the child’s previous records and current performance and develop “first line”

interventions to address his or her individual challenges including modifying tasks and methods

of instruction (e.g., additional visual cues for visual learners, one-step directions for children

with attention difficulties, clear behavioral goals, limiting choices, and a system for reinforcing

target behaviors). The teacher will use these educational supports and monitor the child’s

functioning for a number of weeks using the individual child’s record form or classroom log. If

he/she has not shown improvement within a specified amount of time, the SST will conduct a

child study, which might include a review of work samples, classroom observations, behavioral

analysis, teacher assessments of child, baseline evaluations where appropriate and parent reports

about the child’s functioning within the home. The results of the child study will help the team

identify and document additional, individualized educational supports. If these interventions are

not sufficient to help the child improve classroom performance, then he/she will be referred to

the school’s special education process.


7. Describe how assessment information will be used to continuously improve instruction,

student learning, and individual development, and how the school will engage students

who are working above or below the school’s performance standards.

a. Outline strategies to assess and analyze student interests and needs.

Students’ achievement will be tracked through a variety of assessments, internal teacher records,

and feedback from the instructional team. Baseline information will be collected on each student

using the outcomes from the Maryland Model for School Readiness, ECOR , Terra Nova, and

MSA.

b. Describe how student progress will be determined, measured, and reported

through a detailed outline of the school’s approach to accountability.

Students’ achievement will be documented through formative and summative assessments.

Baseline information will be collected for each student using formative instructional tools and

outcomes from system-wide and state assessments. Teachers will be expected to assess learning

against required standards and instructional outcomes on a daily basis.

c. Describe the school’s proposed plan to assess student performance. Explain any

internal and external measures that will be used to monitor individual student

progress beyond the basic state and local testing requirements. Explain why

particular measures have been chosen, how baseline achievement data will be

collected, in which subject or development areas such data will be collected, and

which assessment tools will be used.

The teacher designed assessments (formative) permit teachers to determine where additional

support is necessary, what needs to be taught, and to communicate this to the parents. These

assessments provide the teacher’s insight into the child’s rate of learning and will alert the

teacher to any additional needs the child may have in an academic area. Age appropriate

homework may be assigned so that parents can support school efforts. A review of homework

will assist the teacher in learning how the child has mastered the skills. The Community

Montessori Charter School staff will be interested in discussing their ideas with MCPS as the

program enters its planning stage.


d. Include a plan for reporting assessment information and indicate which audiences

will receive this information, as well as the frequency of reporting.

Teachers and administrators will conduct classroom-based assessments to collect individual

formative and summative data. Analysis and discussion of standardized assessments such as

ECOR, Maryland Work Sampling School data (MWSS), Terra Nova and MSA will be collected

and provided to all teachers and parents. School data will be published in school newsletters and

other publications. Data will also be reported to MCPS and MSDE as required. All parents will

receive information about their child’s performance on these assessments.

8. Describe student services

a. Describe the school culture. Explain the strategies the school will employ to

develop a positive culture that is supportive of students, faculty, and families.

The culture of CMCS will be based on the educational philosophy of Dr. Montessori and will

foster a diverse environment of community, creativity, and learning so that each student will

reach his/her educational potential. CMCS will value each child in the context of his/her family

and will facilitate the involvement of parents, community members and organizations in the

work of the school. CMCS will foster inclusion for all children and families in the school

community focusing on assets and strengths. The school culture will support mutual respect for

self, for others, and for both the indoor and outdoor environment building on the Montessori

principle of grace and courtesy for all.

In practice, CMCS will foster a prepared learning environment for all members of the school

community through active engagement in the daily life of the school. School events during the

school year: such as: seasonal celebrations, arts performances and exhibits, and end-of-the school

year events, will provide a platform for all elements of the school community to work and

celebrate together. Parents will be an integral part of enhancing classroom learning through

individual expertise and cultural enrichment and to contribute professional expertise and

volunteer efforts to support the school and its goals.


Parents will be engaged as partners in their children’s education. Regular and consistent

communication between all school constituencies will be expected to insure the best educational

outcomes for the students. Community organizations such as neighborhood civic associations,

businesses, other nonprofit organizations, and public entities will also be part of the

infrastructure that braids resources for the benefit of the CMCS.

b. Describe the school’s philosophy regarding student behavior and discipline.

Summarize the school’s discipline policy or code of conduct.

Community Montessori Charter School is committed to providing a safe and orderly school

environment for our students.

Teachers will actively model and instruct students regarding personal and group

responsibilities with regard to citizenship.

A student handbook will be developed by a team of Community Montessori Charter

School members who will define these expectations.

The Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to further develop

their student conduct and parent engagement documents.

Present strategies will be updated and revised in collaboration with MCPS, staff, and

county, state and federal regulations.

Our philosophy regarding student behavior, consistent with our mission and philosophy, is

described in our code of conduct as follows:

Code of Conduct: Each member of the Community Montessori Charter School learning

community will take responsibility and show respect for themselves, others and the environment.

Each classroom and common area in the school will have this posted. Teachers will guide the

children to identify the meaning of key vocabulary terms in the code of conduct and how they

apply to real-life situations. The following words need to be defined in each classroom:

learning, community, responsibility, respect, others and environment. Depending on the age

level, this will be accomplished through grace and courtesy lessons, literature and role-play.

Reading literature, including non-fiction, is a wonderful way to explore the meaning of “respect”

and it can be modeled using role-play. The orderly environment that characterizes a Montessori


classroom, with older peer models and choices to enhance motivation, helps most children

develop self-control and self-discipline. Parent participation is encouraged through volunteer

activities, parent education, and opportunities to serve on the Board, giving everyone a feeling of

belonging.

Community Montessori Charter School’s Parent Handbook will include the code of conduct

with suggestions to use at home. Peace Education to help students understand and resolve

interpersonal issues is an integral component of Montessori Education. Within the classroom,

students are guided to use the peace table or peace rose for conflict resolution. Community

meetings are held regularly to discuss classroom issues. Teachers will have buddy classrooms

and adult mentors available to give each child the support that he/she may need. We will use the

Positive Discipline methods of Jane Nelsen, Ph.D., a program teaching children how to become

responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their communities. It teaches essential social

and life skills in a manner that is deeply respectful and encouraging for both children and adults.

All staff will participate in Positive Discipline workshops and we will hold information meetings

for parents as well. Teachers will work in partnership with parents and maintain regular contact

through classroom newsletters, work plans, conferences and student progress reports.

Furthermore, if a student is disrupting the class on a regular basis, he/she will be referred to the

Student Support Team.

c. Provide details regarding the school’s plans to build and maintain appropriate

home-school partnerships that focus on strengthening support for student learning,

improving communication, and encouraging home involvement in school

operations.

Forming a partnership with parents in their children’s education is one of our guiding principles.

Teachers will begin developing this relationship through conferences at the beginning, middle

and end of the year in addition to frequent contact and class newsletters. The school will foster

this partnership through morning coffee discussions, evening presentations regarding Montessori

Education, regular newsletters, parent orientation and opportunities to volunteer in the school or

through service on the Advisory Committee in collaboration with the MCPS Department of

Family and Community Partnerships. We will have a parent-liaison that encourages parents to


become involved in the school. Our aim is to create a family-like environment based on the

principles of cooperation, courtesy and respect.

d. Describe how staff, student, and parent surveys regarding school environment will

be implemented and results reported.

Parent and community surveys in English and Spanish will be conducted each year in

collaboration with MCPS who also conducts similar surveys. A summary report will be

prepared and posted on the Community Montessori Charter School website and in the school

newsletter. The report will help create and refine the school’s goals. In addition, there will be an

open-door policy for parents to provide the opportunity for communication and to solicit parent

feedback. Community Montessori Charter School will send out surveys to parents in order to

solicit their input before major policy decisions are made. The School Principal will host regular

informal “chats” to meet discuss items of interest to parents and to develop a sense of

community. A series of community forums will be convened to discuss challenges to the charter

school and to bring outside stakeholders into the school community. The Community

Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to ensure that the school survey is aligned with

the survey conducted by other MCPS schools.

e. Provide examples of how community partners will play an integral part in the

school.

Crossway Community, Inc. has a long history of engaging community partners. Crossway

Community, Inc. has learned that community partners are critical to the success of our entire

organization. We have a long-standing relationship with the Latino Economic Development

Corporation, the African American Health Program, and Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of

Commerce. In addition we enjoy partnerships with Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Maryland

Youth Ballet, Washington Parent Magazine, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy,

Kensington Arts Theatre, numerous universities including Johns Hopkins University, Loyola

University and Montgomery College and various area high schools.

See Attachment C for a comprehensive list of our partners.


GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS

1. Describe how the board of directors will be chosen and what steps will be taken to

ensure continuity between the founding organizers’ vision and that of the permanently

established board of directors.

The members of the Board of Directors for Crossway Community, Inc. were chosen from

corporate and community leaders throughout the Washington metropolitan area. They were

chosen based on their diverse experiences and support of our mission. We will continue to

recruit community members and parents that share our vision. The directors are elected annually

and serve in staggered three-year terms. A nominating committee presents a slate of candidates

to the President and the Secretary. These candidates serve generally on at least one of the

following advisory committees for three years before serving on the board: community relations,

event coordination, long-term planning, operational support, and special projects. The Chief

Executive Officer of the Corporation, Kathleen Guinan, serves as President of the Board.

Members are a consolidation resource for the School Principal who in turn provides guidance for

the teachers and students.

See Attachment E, bylaws of Crossway Community, Inc.

The Board meets regularly to develop policies and monitor the financial performance and

operations of Crossway Community, Inc. and will continue to do so for Community Montessori

Charter School once it becomes operational. The Board’s oversight will ensure that Community

Montessori Charter School progresses toward its stated goals, and that appropriate practices are

maintained to assure the safety and security of the children.

Please see Attachment Q for Articles of Incorporation.

2. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, including the

relationship of the board of directors to teachers and administrators. Also describe the

roles and responsibilities of the governing board of the sponsoring organization, if

applicable.


The Board is the legally responsible body for our fiduciary matters, school operations, and

academic performance. The Board will assess the progress of the Community Montessori

Charter School and the School Principal’s performance. The Board will provide legal and

ethical direction without responsibility for day-to-day operations.

Ann Byrne is the Vice-President of Academic Programs for Crossway Community, Inc. Nancy

Sachitano, an attorney at Sachitano, Strent and Hostetter, is a member of Crossway Community,

Inc.’s Advisory Council. Ms. Sachitano will be our contract monitor and the contact person for

MCPS.

Members of the Charter School Advisory Committee include:

Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs

Community Montessori Charter School Principal, to be selected

Teachers (2)

Sharon Dubble, Director for the Center for Montessori Education, Loyola University,

Maryland

Tracy Manson, CPA, CFO

Mark Turner, Founder & President , GreenSpur Development, Facilities and Grounds

Serena Crawford, FLS Graduate & Community Parent

Matthew Barry, General Manager, Westfield Shopping Center, Wheaton, Corporate and

Workforce Development

Emanuel Hildago, CEO, Latino Economic Development Corp, Pres. Wheaton Chamber

of Commerce, Rockview Parent

Ellin Nolan, President, Washington Partners

Robert McNulty, CEO. Partners for Liveable Communities, Partnership Development

Kristin Moore, PhD, Child Trends, Evaluation and Research

Robert Noble, Charter School Financing and Budgeting expert

Andre Nicholas, GRI, MBA, ReMax, Parent

Tia Rice, Community Parent


3. Provide names, background, experiences, and references of public charter school

organizers and board members (attach résumés).

The Board of Directors of the proposed Community Montessori Charter School is the original

founding group of Crossway Community, Inc. A strong Board of Directors will be critical to the

success of the Community Montessori Charter School. Our Board will make certain that

Community Montessori Charter School stays focused on our mission and has the skills

necessary to implement our charter proposal and maintain the safety and security of the children

entrusted to our care.

The Board will regularly review the charter school’s performance in relation to its stated goals.

Our Board will act as “trustees” on behalf of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to

ensure that Community Montessori Charter School functions in a safe and prudent manner. Our

Board will stay informed as to the needs of our students and their families and our adherence to

any future regulation changes to insure a strong platform for the future of our school.

The following people serve on Crossway Community, Inc.’s Board of Directors:

Peter Kirby, President, Board of Directors, President, Palisade Holdings

Kathleen Guinan, CEO, Crossway Community, Inc.

Lynn Fay Chalmers, Community Leader

Angela Elkins, Secretary, MSW, Professor at University of Maryland

Holly Fine, Principal, Fine Films, Editor and producer

Donna Morea, President, CGI-AMS, US, India, Europe, and Asia

John Nields, Partner, Covington and Burling

Lester Poretsky, CEO of Poretsky Properties & Poretsky Management Co.

Please see Biographies under Attachment O.

4. Describe governance structure and its relationship to the school operation.

Crossway Community, Inc. is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine individuals

(Bylaws state that there shall be no less than 7 and no more than 12 directors) who are passionate

about our vision and have specific skills that are necessary for our school’s mission. This Board


will form the original founding group of the Community Montessori Charter School. The

Board of Directors will be assisted by the Advisory Council in ensuring the success of the


Their responsibilities include:

Legal responsibility for fiduciary matters, school operations, and academic performance

Ensuring compliance with bylaws, administrative policies, legal requirements, and

regulations related to MCPS and state/federal mandates

Monitoring program for compliance with charter and success with identified goals

Creating and monitoring a strategic plan for the future of the school

Developing and adopting an annual budget

Ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability

Recruiting and orienting distinguished Board members

Hiring and evaluating the School Principal in collaboration with MCPS’s OHR

Maintaining contact with MCPS for compliance assistance with charter requirements

Reaching out to the community

Development and fundraising

Serving as an active member of at least one committee

Regular attendance and participation in Board meetings

Please see Organizational Chart, Attachment G.

5. Outline the administrative management structure and specify the individual role each

member plays.

The Crossway Community, Inc. Board of Directors includes Ms. Kathleen Guinan, Chief

Executive Officer. As a member of the Board and CEO, Ms. Guinan supervises the

implementation of the vision, core values and principles of the organization. Supervised by Ms.

Guinan, Ann Byrne, Vice President of Academic Programs, is a member of the Charter School

Advisory Committee of the Board and will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation,

operation and accountability of Community Montessori Charter School. The School Principal

will use a model of distributed leadership so teachers feel supported and empowered. The Loyola


University, Baltimore, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Montessori Training

Directors at Loyola will provide ongoing training for our teachers. We will also work with

interns from American University, University of Maryland, Trinity University, the Harvard

Graduate School of Education, and Johns Hopkins Graduate School of Nursing. Parents will

have input into decisions that affect the school through participation in the Parent Involvement

Council and through volunteer opportunities. All decisions will be based on what is in the best

interest of the child.

6. Describe the role of parents in the decision-making process.

Crossway Community, Inc. supports parent involvement by adhering to a philosophy that

“parents are the students’ primary teachers.” We believe that it is essential that both parents and

teachers be involved in the actions needed to keep motivation high and to ensure that plans are

implemented. We will ensure that parents are afforded numerous opportunities for participation

and involvement in decision making, including membership on our Board of Directors. We will

encourage parents to join the Parent/Community Engagement Committee and the committees on

fundraising, publicity, special events and enrichment/creative projects. We will have workshops

and provide training specific to each committee. We will request a work commitment of 10

hours per year from each family. We know that dedicated parents and teachers provide the

human capital to make Community Montessori Charter School a success. We will survey

parents about their goals for their children and then help them reach those goals.

7. Describe business arrangements or partnerships with existing schools, businesses,

and/or nonprofit organizations. Provide a list of organizations that may partner with

the school and the nature of these partnerships. Include letters of support, if available.

Describe the steps that have been taken to develop partnerships and the plans to

develop additional community partnerships.

One of the core principles of Crossway Community, Inc. is collaboration and partnership

development. Crossway Community, Inc. is both a place and a partnership between schools and

communities. We have been in the Kensington-Wheaton area for twenty years listening to the

needs of families and working to provide an integrated focus on academics, youth development,

health and social services, and community development. We understand that collaboration is


necessary for a small organization like ours to provide this diverse set of services. For this

reason Crossway Community, Inc. has a long history of engaging County partners.

Crossway Community’s partners are critical to the success of our entire organization. We have a

long-standing relationship with the Latino Economic Development Corporation, the African

American Health Program, and the Wheaton/Kensington Chamber of Commerce. In addition we

enjoy partnerships with Strathmore Hall Arts Center department, Maryland Youth Ballet,

Washington Parent Magazine, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, Kensington Arts

Theatre, numerous universities, including Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University and

Montgomery College, and various area public and private high schools.

Please see Attachment C for a comprehensive list of our partners.

8. Describe the school improvement process including school improvement team

membership, school improvement plan development, monitoring, reporting, review, and

revisions.

The Vice President of Academic Programs will collaborate with the Crossway Montessori

Charter School Principal to implement a process by which all aspects of the school program may

be continuously reviewed to ensure ongoing improvement. To this end, a process will be

developed that may mirror the school improvement process generally defined for public schools

in Montgomery County and other school systems throughout Maryland. The process adopted

will assess all aspects of the school program, collect achievement and other related data, analyze

this data and result in a plan of action to address identified needs and ensure accountability.

All staff members, parents, and community stakeholders will have an opportunity to apply for

and participate in the Community Montessori Charter School’s team activities. Approximately

10-15 applicants will be chosen for participation. Selection criteria will include the diverse

character of our community, interest and skills, and willingness to be an active participant in our

school.


The school improvement team will work with Community Montessori Charter School

administration, MCPS administration, parents, and community members to develop a focused

plan using data and information studied by the team along with the Baldrige process that will

lead the team to address root causes for areas of need. All elements of the school improvement

plan will be monitored and individuals will be identified within the plan who will have the

responsibilities for following each element.

All elements of the school improvement plan will be reviewed on a schedule determined by the

team. Those responsible for monitoring elements of the plan will be required to present an

assessment of progress. The team will then discuss the salient features of the assessment and

determine the need for any revision to the strategies supporting the assessed element of the plan.

As the plan is put into action, the team will report on the plan’s progress quarterly or other time

intervals as may be requested by MCPS and/or required by MSDE. The staff, parents, and

community members will also receive progress reports. Once a particular plan has been

completed, the team will review the process to effectuate other related strategic objectives.

9. List, describe, and attach any waivers of state laws and regulations that the applicant

obtained from MSDE. Explain how each of these waivers is necessary to the operation

of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)

While the Community Montessori Charter School is committed to the adherence of the rules

and policies described on the MCPS website,

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/polindex.shtm and by MSDE, we

respectfully request waivers of certain regulations and related provisions to enable us to

efficiently meet our goals and accomplish our mission. The requested waivers are as follows:

1. Waiver of Educ. § 4-103 (1) requiring the county board to appoint all principals,

teachers, and other certificated and noncertificated personnel

The Vice President of Academic Programs will work with the Office of Human Resources

(OHR) to identify and select appropriate candidates for the principal’s position per the MCPS

Regulations defined in GEB-RA. Furthermore, we will direct the Vice President of Academic

Programs to collaborate with OHR and the area superintendent or their designee, employee


http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/polindex.shtm

associations, to conduct interviews of qualified candidates. It is expected that any candidate

considered for the principal of the Community Montessori Charter School would have the

following qualifications:

1) hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university with emphasis on

administration and early childhood or elementary education;

2) meet MSDE requirements for certification;

3) have demonstrated skills as described in the MCPS OHR job description for

principals; and

4) have a deep knowledge of or experience with early childhood programs and the

Montessori philosophy.

2. Waiver of Educ. § 4-111(a)(1) – each county board shall establish curriculum

guides and courses of study for the schools under its jurisdiction…

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has validated the Montessori approach

for use in Maryland public (and Charter) schools, childcare, and other publicly financed

educational programs. The Community Montessori Charter School’s intention is to teach this

curriculum in the Pre-K-Grade 3 classes. The Community Montessori Charter School will

ensure that the Common Core State Standards, established by the State of Maryland, and all

related curriculum standards established by Montgomery County Schools will be the basis of all

instructional planning. The Community Montessori Charter School will actively instruct all

students and assess their progress according to the requirements mandated by the Maryland State

Board of Education and the Montgomery County Board of Education.

3. Waiver of Educ. § 9-102(3) that a charter school is open to all students on a

space-available basis and on a lottery basis if more students apply than can be

accommodated to allow students living in the designated area of the school and

children of founders to have priority

Community Montessori Charter School is requesting a waiver to admit, on a priority basis,

income eligible children whose parents are receiving services from and are in residency at

Crossway Community, Inc. Remaining seats for the mixed-age Montessori classes will be filled

by income eligible children (FARMS) residing in the Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F.


Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton clusters by using a lottery. Income eligible families will

always receive priority. Priority for low-income families is necessary to provide them with more

choices and to ensure that our student body reflects the socio-economic diversity of our

neighborhood.

These waivers have been sent to Ms. Nancy Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of

Schools, and Mr. James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr., President, Maryland State Board of Education,

for their consideration.

Please see Attachment V.

10. List, describe, and attach any waivers of MCPS policies and regulations that the

charter school is seeking. Explain how and why each of the waivers is necessary to the

operation of the charter school as currently envisioned. (Attachment 2)

Not applicable.

11. Provide the proposed timetable for charter implementation and specify the length of the

initial charter term.

A timetable for Implementation of the Charter School is attached.

Please see Attachment F.

12. Indicate the scope of community support or interest for the proposed school and its

founding board. Document this community support among teachers, parents, students,

business, and community members, as appropriate.

Please see Attachment D.

13. Provide copies of community surveys and communications, including non-English

languages as appropriate.

Using an appreciative inquiry framework, Crossway Community, Inc. has surveyed the

community to map our vision. Crossway Community Inc. targets young mothers with children


under the age of five to attend its bi-weekly introductory educational classes. Through our

outreach and engagement efforts, Crossway receives 75-100 calls per month from young,

economically disadvantaged mothers for resource and referral. Of these callers, 25 generally

attend our bi-weekly education classes. Young mothers have the opportunity to speak openly

about needed services for themselves and their children. Crossway Community, Inc. has

responded with appropriate interventions and resources based on their stated needs, i.e., a

workforce development program; life skills education programs; stable residential life programs;

and high quality early childhood education. Our effort to extend our early childhood education

program with a charter school is a response to the stated need of these young families for high

quality educational opportunities that will change their childrens’ future. Crossway Community,

Inc. has accumulated interest surveys from English and non-English speaking families who have

indicated their strong interest and support for the Community Montessori Charter School.

Please see Attachment H.

14. If an educational management organization (EMO) has been selected, provide

background information on the EMO, including financial statement, a list of the

governing board members and their résumés, and oversight responsibilities and a copy

of the proposed contract between the applicants and the EMO.

Not applicable.


FACILITIES AND FINANCE REQUIREMENTS

Facilities

1. Describe the proposed facility, including funding, maintenance, and method of

attainment.

There is ample room in Crossway Community, Inc.’s existing 64,386 square foot facility to

house the Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. is located in a

renovated former elementary school located at 3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, Maryland and is

accessible to children with disabilities in accordance with ADA. The facility is located on 14

acres that includes M-NCPPC College View Park and is only a ten-minute walk from the

Wheaton metro station. It is also accessible by other public transportation i.e., Ride On buses

#34 and #35, and Metro bus L (during rush hour).

The once-vacant school, owned by Montgomery County, was converted in 1988-90 to

accommodate Crossway Community Inc.’s programs which include 40 on-campus apartments

for students of the Family Leadership School, an Intergenerational Learning Center and an

Early Intervention Program for Children. Only minor renovations and purchases are needed

in the Crossway Community, Inc. facility to accommodate Community Montessori Charter

School classrooms and other projected needs such as upgrading existing kitchen facilities to

address the needs of the charter school. Crossway Community, Inc. anticipates that all capital

expenses for these renovations will be completely covered by and will not exceed the MSDE

planning grant. Crossway Community, Inc.’s Facility and Grounds Committee includes: Mark

Turner, President of GreenSpur Developers; David Bagnoli, AIA, Cunningham/Quill; and

Patricia Ruppert, Ruppert Landscaping. The committee has developed plans that maximize the

available space to its full capacity. All contractors used by Crossway Community, Inc. are

licensed, bonded and insured.

Crossway Community, Inc. serves as the facility, property and program manager for the

Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) regarding the

maintenance of the on-campus apartments. In this capacity, Crossway Community, Inc. is

responsible for complying with all building codes and inspections, all facility maintenance and

repairs, property safety and security, as well as all rent collections and monthly reports. The


building is inspected annually by the DHCD. As always, Crossway Community, Inc. is willing

and able to discuss these items with MCPS staff and collaborate with adjustments that need to be

made.

Please see Attachment S for Program Management Agreement.

2. Outline proposed facility compliance with local/state building codes.

Crossway Community, Inc. complies with local and state building codes including but not

limited to fire codes, boiler and pressure vessels, elevator inspections, lead-free environment, and

emergency evacuation procedures. Crossway Community, Inc. also complies with the

Americans with Disabilities Act. Fire, disaster and related evacuation plans are in place. Drills

are held as required by Montgomery County authorities.

Please see certificates of inspection and evacuation plans, Attachment J.

3. Describe civil rights, health, and safety policy compliance.

Crossway Community, Inc. abides by The Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, prohibiting

discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual

orientation, marital status, age, and physical or mental handicap. Crossway Community, Inc. is

committed to providing equal access to educational services for all children and families.

Crossway Community, Inc.’s procedure for responding to individual discrimination complaints is

guided by the regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Any employee or

applicant for employment who believes that unlawful discrimination has occurred must consult

with the Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee within a reasonable period of time following

the alleged discriminatory action. The Chief Business Officer will then conduct an investigation

and advise the employee or applicant of the findings, or any remaining steps that may be taken.

CMCS will collaborate with MCPS’s OHR staff for any issues germane to this section occurring

at Community Montessori Charter School.


Crossway Community, Inc. currently complies with COMAR to ensure that all Health

Performance Standards are met. This includes children’s immunizations and physical

examinations. We have a system in place to ensure that medications are properly administered,

that staff health requirements are met, and that all of the Crossway Community, Inc. staff has

first aid certification and CPR training. Community Montessori Charter School will collaborate

with the Montgomery County Health Department regarding any health issues that may arise.

Please see health inventory and emergency forms Attachment K.

Crossway Community, Inc. is also in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA). The facility is fully handicapped accessible. We maintain accessible parking spaces,

passenger loading zones, curb ramps, bathrooms, and classrooms. Crossway Community, Inc.

will function in full accord with federal, state, and local laws and regulations with regard to

children with special needs. We are committed to providing an inclusive learning community

where every child develops his/her full potential and individual differences are respected and

embraced.

4. Provide a detailed description of property-control procedures.

Crossway Community, Inc. has an inventory procedure in place. A list is made of all furniture,

fixtures and/or office equipment in each room or office. These items are described and tagged

and the inventory sheets are maintained and updated by our inventory coordinator. Storage areas

such as the diaper closet, office supply closet, pantry and others, are listed with regular inventory

sheets.

Please see Attachment L.

5. Provide the certification of asbestos inspection of the proposed facility.

Asbestos has been determined to be within acceptable ranges since the renovation of the property

in 1990.

Please see Attachment M.


6. Provide documentation of radon testing of the proposed facility.

Please see Attachment M.

7. Outline why this site would be suitable for the proposed school.

Crossway Community, Inc. (3015 Upton Drive, Kensington, Maryland) will continue to be an

excellent location for a school because of the surrounding diverse population. The building was

originally constructed as an elementary school and is utilized for our residential education

program (Family Leadership School), our Montessori program, and for our Lifelong Learning

Center. The building has the capacity for several additional classrooms over the next few years

without necessitating expansion of the footprint. In 2014, we will form a committee to analyze

usage of space. The Building and Grounds Committee will conduct an audit of building usage

and the need for additional space anticipating continuation of the charter and additional growth

by 2016.

Please see Attachment W for architectural design.

Finance

1. Provide details on financial management and internal accounting procedures including

the ability to provide monthly financial reporting and year-end budget projections.

Outline the internal controls that these procedures provide. Provide details on the

fiscal oversight structure indicating roles and responsibilities.

The Board’s Treasurer chairs a standing Finance and Audit Committee. A certified Public

Accountant (CPA) will be responsible for overseeing the day to day management of the funds of

the school with technical assistance from MCPS Office of Budget and Management and

oversight agencies. A monthly Statement of Transactions and other budget and accounting

reports will be prepared for the Community Montessori Charter School management team and

the designated MCPS oversight unit.

The Finance and Audit Committee will choose a qualified independent auditor who will perform

the school’s year–end audit as required by Governmental Accounting Standards. The Finance


Committee will then be responsible for developing any corrective action plans addressing any

relevant weaknesses cited by the auditor. Crossway Community, Inc. understands and is willing

to comply with internal and external audit requests of the MCPS, MSDE and other regulatory

agencies.

The Charter School Principal will provide oversight for the day-to-day management of the funds

and report to the CEO and MCPS’s Department of Budget and Management. The Community

Montessori Charter School will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds and

financial activities of the school in accordance with the standards set by the Governmental

Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for a special purpose governmental unit. These standards

include, but are not limited to, implementing internal control policies (as described below) to

provide the school with the foundation to properly safeguard its assets, providing compliance

with State and Federal laws and regulations, and producing timely and accurate financial

information. Additionally, the school will maintain accounting records and related financial

reports on the accrual basis of accounting as required by the Statement of Governmental

Accounting Standards No. 34.

Internal Accounting

During the start-up year, the Board’s Finance Committee will develop fiscal controls and

management policies that will serve as the framework of Crossway Community, Inc.’s daily

business operations. These policies will include such things as processing of cash receipts and

disbursements, payroll and benefits, expense reports, inventory management, petty cash,

procurement of goods and services, and budgeting. They will also detail such things as limits on

check signatures, authority to enter into contracts, responsibility for cash flow and borrowing,

reviewing investment and debt, review of monthly bank statements, and procurement practices.

The resource for these controls will be the Maryland’s Department of Education’s Charter

School Office’s Recommended Fiscal Policies and Procedures Guide. This guide, when

modified to meet Crossway Community, Inc.’s individual school needs, will become the official

document for the accounting functions conducted by the school. This guide will be modified to

ensure support of Crossway Community, Inc.’s educational goals, consistency with the Board

approved budget, and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The


annual independent audit will provide secondary assurance that the implemented controls and

policies are consistent with GAAP.

Fund Account: All money belonging to the Community Montessori Charter School shall be

deposited in a separate account or accounts in banks organized under the laws of Maryland and

the United States. The School Principal and the VP of Academic Affairs will be authorized to

encumber and disburse funds according to budget guidelines established by MCPS and

governing state regulations for public school funds.

All deposits of money shall be secured in a prudent manner as determined by MCPS and the

Crossway Community, Inc. Board of Directors. Funds maintained in Community Montessori

Charter School accounts shall, by definition, be dedicated to the school program and not be

commingled with the funds in use by other departments of Crossway Community, Inc.

Please see Attachment P for tax exempt status.

2. Provide a detailed school plan to address start-up funds that will be incurred prior to

school opening, such as capital expenditures, supplies, materials, planning funds, etc.

The MSDE planning grant of $150,000 has been previously approved for the startup of

Community Montessori Charter School. These funds will be spent for technical assistance to

prepare a detailed implementation plan. Plans will be developed for staff recruitment and

assignment, student enrollment, alignment of the Montessori curriculum, and the development of

instructional programs. Additional planning will include a review of the design and physical

layout of the instructional and administrative areas.

3. Provide a detailed four-year balanced budget plan, including projected revenue

sources and planned expenditures. (Attachment 3)

(August 2011 – June 2015)

Please refer to Attachment 3 - “Charter School Expenditure Budget by Category and Projected

Enrollment” located in Attachment U.1


Crossway Community, Inc. aims to maintain a zero-deficit operational budget for each year.

School operations will be supported through the per pupil allocation from MCPS. Per Pupil

allocation is assumed constant at ninety eight percent (98%) of the projected per pupil allocation

of $14,515 for MCPS for SY 2011 (Source: MCPS Budget). The remaining 2% will be used by

the County for administrative costs such as monthly accounting reports. The 2% will also cover

budget reviews, testing, auditing, and other items listed in the State Manual.

The previously awarded federal planning grant of $400,000 will go towards implementation in

Years 1 and 2. These funds will be used for equipment, library, and other instructional activity

rooms for Science, PE, Arts, school administrative offices, and an institutional kitchen and

cafeteria.

A summary of enrollment and revenue projections is presented below.

Projected Student Enrollment

2011-2012 Planning Year

2012-2013 Year 1 Start Up

2013-2014 Year 2 Recurring



Pre-K/K Enrollment (4) 100 100 100 100Pre-K/K Classrooms(4) 4 4 4 4Lower Elementary Enrollment 22 50 72 88Lower Elementary Classrooms 1 2 3 4Total Enrollment 122 150 172 188Total No. of classrooms 5 6 7 8 Revenue & Grants from State Sources Per Pupil Tuition (estimated @MCPS 2011 budget)

$14,515 @ 98% $14,225 $14,225 $14,225 $14,225

MCPS: Total Per Pupil Tuition $1,735,41

3 $2,133,70

5 $2,446,64

8 $2,674,24

4 MSDE: Federal Planning Grant

$150,000 $250,000 $150,000

Total Revenue and Grants$150,00

0 $1,985,41

3 $2,283,70

5 $2,446,64

8 $2,674,24

4

The budget expenditure items and key assumptions are summarized in Attachment U.2.


4. Provide a list of services the applicant intends to obtain through contract with MCPS

(e.g., food services, transportation, ESOL, special education).

The Community Montessori Charter School plans to contract with MCPS for the following:

School bus transportation

Food services (MCPS or private contractor – we are presently seeking bids for this

service)

Other school system services that may be required to address the needs of the students.

5. Describe the mechanisms and systems to be used to pay vendors and other creditors.

Accounts payable are processed twice a month. Information is entered from approved invoice

vouchers with all appropriate documentation attached. Reports are produced and reviewed.

Disbursements are reviewed for accuracy by the accountant prior to presenting the checks for

signature to authorized individuals.

Internal Control

Internal control over disbursements is best maintained when the authorization, processing, check

signing, recording and bank reconciliation functions are clearly segregated. Invoices will be

supported by receipts and/or approval indicating receipt of goods and services. The use of pre-

numbered checks ensures numerical control. Persons authorized to approve expenditures will be

identified, and threshold limits established or double signature requirements defined. Authorized

check signers will never sign blank checks.

6. Provide the written financial policies, manuals and any other documented financial

procedures of the organization. Include the conflict of interest and ethics policy(ies) as

related to financial or fiduciary responsibilities.

Please see Attachment T.


7. Explain the basis of any fees to be charged to students for extracurricular activities,

music, athletics, field trips, etc., or confirm that any student fees will conform to all

MCPS policies.

Students will not be charged for extracurricular activities. The Parent Engagement Committee

will assume the responsibility for providing funds for extracurricular activities.

8. Provide the plan for internal and external audit of financial management and the

procedure for disclosing and responding to audit findings. Applicants must agree to

permit MCPS internal audit staff access to all financial records with 48 hours notice.

All financial records must be maintained and available for a period of no less than 5

years. MCPS is subject to audit by a variety of regulatory agencies, including but not

limited to the Maryland State Department of Education, the Office of Legislative Audits

of the State of Maryland, etc. Please indicate your understanding and acceptance that

compliance is required for any audit requests from a regulatory agency.

Annual Audit: The Auditor of Public Accounts, or legally authorized representatives, shall

annually audit the accounts of the Community Montessori Charter School, and the cost of such

audit services as shall be required shall be borne by CMCS. The audit shall be performed at least

each fiscal year, in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and, accordingly, will

include such tests of the accounting records and such auditing procedures as are considered

necessary under the circumstances. The Charter School shall furnish copies of such audit to the

Crossway Community Board, MCPS and MSDE and other oversight or regulatory agencies as

required. CMCS will comply with audit regulations and procedures.

9. Provide audited financial statements for the current and preceding three years, if

applicable, including financial statements of a parent organization.

For tax returns for 2007, 2008, and 2009, please see Attachment U.3.

10. Outline plans to raise funds to supplement budget revenues.

The Community Montessori Charter School Parent Engagement Committee, with the support of

the School Principal, will be responsible for the school’s fundraising during the year. Examples


include selling gift wrap, bulbs, school pictures, and collecting script rebate box tops for

students.

The fundraising strategy will call for Crossway Community, Inc. to appeal to both private and

corporate donors, as well as to national charitable organizations and foundations that have been

identified as possible donors to charter schools. The fundraising strategy will place a strong

emphasis on communicating the uniqueness of Community Montessori Charter School, and in

particular its mission, which includes students becoming effective contributors to the

community.

Crossway Community Inc. has had a very successful history in securing and leveraging

donations from a host of donors including individuals, corporations, foundations, and faith-based

institutions. Crossway Community, Inc. has received past support from the Cafritz Foundation,

Barbara Bush Foundation, Agnes and Eugene Meyer Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, George

Preston Marshall Foundation, the Abell Foundation, as well as significant individual donors who

have contributed gifts in the $50,000-$100,000 range. Crossway Community, Inc. has

consistently raised on average more than $500,000 in donations, grants and individual gifts per

year. Many of these grants have mobilized additional funders in supporting the organization and

have enabled Crossway Community, Inc. to bring additional skills and resources to our work.

These funds have also been instrumental in engaging the local community in our mission and

making us a more effective organization.

Crossway Community, Inc. is a member of the Wheaton-Kensington Chamber of Commerce

which has committed its support to Community Montessori Charter School. This membership

will aid Crossway Community, Inc. in establishing and maintaining a strong connection to other

local community leaders and local business owners.

11. List types and amounts of insurance coverage: liability, general and personal,

catastrophic student accident, crime, motor vehicle, etc. Minimum acceptable amounts

are: Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit, for bodily injury

and property damage per occurrence), Automobile liability (if transporting students -


$1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage coverage per

occurrence including the following: owned, hired or non-owned automobiles). MCPS

must be a named additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of

insurance with MCPS as a named additional insured must be provided to MCPS prior

to any school opening. Indicate the amount of any excess liability (umbrella) insurance.

MCPS requires forty-five days’ written notice in the event of cancellation or non-

renewal of any insurance coverage. Any deductibles in excess of $10,000 must be

disclosed to MCPS in advance of the coverage period. MCPS requires a Hold

Harmless agreement or Indemnification agreement. Confirm agreement with these

requirements.

Crossway Community, Inc. has contracted with Selective Insurance and Hartford Insurance

Company for the organization’s insurance coverage. The organization maintains general and

personal liability insurance, automobile liability insurance for hired autos and non-owned autos,

excess/umbrella liability, and workers compensation and employers’ liability insurance. We will

add MCPS as an additional insured on all general liability policies. A certificate of insurance

with MCPS as a named additional insured will be provided to MCPS prior to the opening of

Community Montessori Charter School. Crossway Community, Inc. has insurance to cover fire

and water damage, theft, and product liability.

Please see “Certificate of Liability Insurance,” Attachment I.


OPERATIONS REQUIREMENTS

1. Outline procedures for reporting and monitoring student enrollment and attendance.

Community Montessori Charter School will comply with the guidelines set forth in COMAR

outlined in the MCPS Student Recordkeeper Manual and MCPS Regulation JEA-RA for

collecting and monitoring, and filing attendance/absences as well as submitting official reports

to the MCPS Office of Shared Accountability.

Community Montessori Charter School teachers will be responsible for recording student

attendance in an attendance roster which will be considered a source document generated at the

beginning of each week. After teachers record attendance on the roster, it will be returned to the

attendance secretary who will enter the information into the Web-based Daily Attendance

System.

Source documents will be retained in the school for the current year. At the end of the current

year, the source documents retained in hard copy form will be sent to Central Records where

they will be retained for three additional years for auditing purposes. Electronic source

documents will be placed on a compact disc by the Office of Information and Organizational

Systems (OIOS) and sent to Central Records where they will be retained for three additional

years for auditing purposes.

It is our understanding that, the daily attendance records of each student will be electronically

maintained by OIOS. An electronic copy of a school year’s cumulative Monthly Report of

Student Attendance will be retained by Central Records for 3 years.

Community Montessori Charter School will follow MCPS definitions of what constitutes an

absence in accordance with the definition of “Days Absent” in the Maryland Student Records

System Manual.

Community Montessori Charter School Principal, in cooperation with the school faculty, will

establish the school’s procedures for follow-up on absences, and will annually submit the


procedures to the Community Superintendent for approval by July 1, and will distribute the

approved procedures to parents and students at the beginning of each school year.

At the beginning of the school year, Community Montessori Charter School Principal will

request that parents notify the school when their child is to be absent for any reason on any given

day.

Whenever possible, parents of elementary school-age children will be contacted by noon of each

first day of absence, if the parents have not previously notified the school of the absence.

Elementary school students with excessive absences and/or “tardiness,” both lawful and

unlawful, may be referred for appropriate intervention. At the discretion of Community

Montessori Charter School Principal, students who have been absent ten (10) days by the end of

the second quarter may be referred to appropriate staff and/or outside agencies for intensive

interventions designed to increase regular attendance.

The student’s record of absence will be reported to parents on the report card.

Excused Absence:

An absence will be determined lawful or unlawful based on the following criteria:

A written explanation of each absence is required from the parent/guardian.

Requests for late arrivals or early dismissals must be authorized by the parent/guardian.

Absences will be recorded using the “Elementary School Absence Codes” outlined in the MCPS

Student Recordkeeper Manual. Students will be considered lawfully (excused) absent from

school, including absence for any portion of the day, under the following conditions:

Death in the immediate family

Illness of the student (The School Principal may require a physician’s certificate from the

parent or guardians.)

Student in cases in which a student has chronic or extended absences for an illness

Court summons


Hazardous weather conditions (Hazardous weather conditions shall be interpreted to

mean weather conditions which would endanger the health or safety of the student when

in transit to and from school.)

Observance of religious holiday

State emergency

Suspension

Failure to provide MCPS authorized transportation to eligible students (This does not

include students denied MCPS authorized transportation for disciplinary reasons.)

Other emergency or set of circumstances which, in the judgment of the superintendent or

designee, constitutes a good and sufficient cause for absence from school.

Certain absences may be determined “excused” at the discretion of Community Montessori

Charter School based on extenuating circumstances. Regular family travel will not be

considered an excused absence. Attendance policies will be aligned with MCPS and MSDE

policies and regulations for reporting.

Certain other specific circumstances that prevent a child from being physically in the classroom,

but still under the direct supervision of MCPS are considered excused absence. These include:

Volunteer service/participation in MCPS outdoor education programs

Sports participation

Field trips

Health room visits

Home and hospital teaching

In-school suspension

Students who are removed from school by their parent for more than 15 consecutive school days

are to be withdrawn, and parents will be informed that the student will be withdrawn and that

MCPS assumes that they will fulfill their responsibility to continue the student’s education at

another location.


2. Describe any guidelines to be used in the recruitment of school staff, including

compliance with all negotiated agreements, state and federal law (including Highly

Qualified guidelines), and local Board of Education policies except where granted a

waiver.

Certification will be required. Recruitment of teachers will be done through collaboration with

MCPS’ OHR (per Regulation GEB-RA) and Montessori Training Programs. All teachers must

be fully certified in Maryland and be eligible for “Highly Qualified” status. Our People

Effectiveness / Human Resource Committee, which includes the Vice President for Academic

Programs, the School Principal, Montessori teachers and a parent will be responsible for creating

and implementing the interview process. Recruitment of assistant teachers will be done through

local publications and area colleges (i.e. University of Maryland, American University, George

Washington University, Georgetown University, Catholic University, George Mason University,

Loyola University and others). All employees will complete background check forms to be

processed through MCPS’s OHR. Our qualifications detailed below will help Community

Montessori Charter School implement its vision and mission and achieve the goals of the

charter.

The MCPS Professional Growth System will be utilized to evaluate the performance of

administrators, teachers, and support staff as well as supporting their professional development

and needs. The Community Montessori Charter School will collaborate with the MCPS school

system and the employee organizations to ensure appropriate training for staff.

Guidelines for Teacher Qualifications

Certification will be required for employment of professional staff in our school. The ideal

candidate for our teaching positions will possess:

Bachelor’s degree in applicable field of education

MD State teaching certification

AMI primary/elementary diploma

Montessori classroom teaching experience, preferably in a public school setting

Experience collaborating and working as a team


Experience utilizing classroom modifications to develop the full potential of each

child

Enthusiasm and commitment to our vision and mission

Creative, energetic and nurturing personality

Organizational and interpersonal skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Experience with families from diverse backgrounds

Additional experience/training in special education, music, art, and/or physical

education

Fluency in a language other than English is a plus

While AMI Montessori teacher training with a mmaster’s degree in Education is currently not

considered “highly qualified” under No Child Left Behind, we will be working with MCPS’s

OHR, MSDE, and area colleges to analyze our teacher’s transcripts to determine the required

courses needed for certification.

The ideal candidate for assistant teacher positions will possess:

High School diploma and some college coursework

Willingness to engage in staff development regarding Montessori Education

Enthusiasm and commitment to our vision and mission

Creative, energetic and nurturing personality

Demonstrate initiative

Team player

Excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills

Additional experience/training in special education, music, art, and/or physical

education

Fluency in a language other than English is a plus.


3. Describe the school’s staffing plan.

Projected CMCS Enrollment*

ProjectedPopulation


GradesServed









Average Age of Student

4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9 4-6 6-9

Number of Classes

4 1 4 2 4 3 4 4

Average NumberStudents

/Class (Age 4-6 Grouping)

20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25 20-25

Number of Students per

Grade100 22

10050 100 72 100 88


122 150 172 188

*School year 2011-2012 will be a planning year. School year 2012-2013 will be the

first year of the charter school for students.

Community Montessori Charter School will use mixed-age groupings based on approved

Montessori practice. The Community Montessori Charter School summer program will include

income eligible 3 year olds who become 4 by September 1.

School Organization:

Please see Attachment G for a complete organizational chart.


The school staff will include the following positions:

1) School Principal

2) School Secretary

3) ESOL teacher – (part time)

4) Special Education teacher – (part time)

5) Science teacher – (part time)

6) Foreign language teacher

7) Art/Music/PE teachers – (part time)

8) Elementary teachers (5)

9) Assistant teachers (5)

Please note the following:

New classes and staff will be phased in over the four year charter period.

We will open in August, 2012 with four preK-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds)

and one lower elementary mixed-age class (6-8 year olds).

In 2013, we will add another Lower Elementary class of 6-8 year olds and will hire

another Lower Elementary teacher and assistant.

In 2014, we will have four preK-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds) and three lower

elementary mixed-age classes (6-8 year olds).

In 2015, we will have four pre-K-K mixed-age classrooms (4-6 year olds) and four lower

elementary mixed-age classes (6-8 year olds).

During each year of the program, instructional support staff (including teachers, assistant

teachers), childcare providers, and volunteers will provide before/after school programs

which may include individual and group tutoring, structured play, and Arts activities.

Crossway Community, Inc. will accept Child Care Subsidy (CCS) vouchers (formerly

POC), grants and private funding for this afternoon care.

Community Montessori Charter School will work in collaboration with MCPS’s OHR

and the area Superintendent to ensure that all instructional positions are in place when

CMCS opens for school.


We also plan to work in collaboration with MCPS’s OHR to ensure part-time teachers for art,

music and Spanish instruction are on staff by year two.

4. Describe the school’s professional development and staff training plan including those

related to the school’s mission, performance goals, and school improvement plan.

Community Montessori Charter School plans to follow the Baldrige Categories for Performance

Excellence and Core Values/Best Practices in developing staff to achieve the highest standards

possible for our organization.

Our partnership with the Montessori Training Directors at Loyola affords us the opportunity for

ample staff development for faculty, staff, board members and parents regarding Montessori

Education. Loyola will provide an introduction or overview of the Montessori philosophy and

methods to board members and school staff in late summer or early fall 2012, coinciding with

the opening of our school. They will also provide ongoing consultation and classroom

observations for our teachers. Our teachers will participate in the AMI Montessori Refresher

Course that is held annually.

In the first year of opening, Community Montessori Charter School will include staff

development regarding Common Core State Standards, Montessori curriculum development,

assessment and Positive Discipline. As needed in Years 2 and 3, based upon our school’s

progress on indicators and suggestions from teachers’ surveys, our staff development will

include: reading strategies, special education, dispute resolution education and integration of art

and music, strategies for differentiated instruction, and cultural sensitivity.

The following is a timeline of available professional development opportunities that support our

vision, mission, goals and design of our school. We may offer stipends for additional staff

development during the summer. Community Montessori Charter School Principal will attend

all required trainings related to MCPS processes, legal mandates and special education.


Schedule of Staff Training:

2012-2013

Aug/Sept Staff/Board: Overview of Montessori curriculum & collaborating with MCPS

Faculty: Curriculum & Assessment (overview, formative assessments,

summative assessments, tracking data, reporting data)

Faculty: Strategies for Differentiated Instruction

Nov/Dec Faculty and Staff: Positive Discipline/Dispute Resolution

Faculty: Alignment of Montessori Curriculum with Common Core State

standards (CCSS)

Jan/Feb Faculty and Staff: Cultural Sensitivity

March/Apr Faculty: Curriculum Refinement and Standardized Assessment

May/June Faculty: Review of assessment results. Plan for 2013-2014.

5. Provide a transportation plan.

a. Provide the plan for transporting students to and from school, including MCPS

contract services, if appropriate.

Community Montessori Charter School will be a community school serving children who may

walk (walkers) or be transported. Walkers are defined as those that live within a one mile

radius of our campus and will not be transported by school bus. (The one mile radius may be

adjusted to allow for reasonable lines of demarcation.) Our facility is located in an area that is

easily accessible to families from the following neighborhoods: Byeford Rock Creek Highlands,

Capital View Park, KenGar, Kensington Estates, Kensington Heights, Kensington View,

Parkwood, Rock Creek Palisades, and Oakland Terrace. When students live beyond the one

mile radius, bus service will be provided.

Community Montessori Charter School expects to draw its students from the Downcounty

Consortium Secondary Schools base area. The high school clusters included in this area are

Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton. Due to the

large area we encompass, we plan to work with MCPS Department of Transportation and the

Montgomery County Police Department to establish safe walking routes and centralized stops

from which children can be transported to the Community Montessori Charter School. If


demand exceeds the number of available seats for any grade, we will conduct a random lottery

which means a child could attend the Community Montessori Charter School from any of the

areas noted above.

Please see Attachment Y for the Downcounty Consortium Map.

According to Todd Watkins, Director of MCPS Dept. of Transportation, Montgomery County

will provide bus transportation for Community Montessori Charter School students at a cost to

the school of $36 per hour for the driver plus $1.60 per mile. (These rates assume that the

school’s bell times will be accommodated to bus availability.) Community Montessori Charter

School will operate both before-school and after-school programs, for which bus transportation

will be considered if program size warrants. For those families who choose to drive their

children to and from school, the Community Montessori Charter School will assist in organizing

carpools.

The Community Montessori Charter School has a parking lot with curb space to accommodate

school buses and an area of egress for walkers and children who are dropped off by their

parents.

b. Describe procedures that will help ensure that transportation is not a barrier to

equal access for all students.

No child will be denied admission to Community Montessori Charter School based on a lack of

transportation. Community Montessori Charter School will provide transportation as specified

by federal law set forth in MCPS Regulation EEA-RA:

a) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Transportation may be provided as a related service to a student with disabilities as

specified in the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).


b) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Transportation may be provided as an accommodation to a student with disabilities as

specified in the student’s Section 504 Plan.

c) No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)

Under the revised Elementary and Secondary School Act of 2001, MCPS students who

attend an MCPS Title I school identified for improvement, corrective action, or

restructuring may be eligible to receive transportation to a designated MCPS school

until the Title I school is no longer identified for improvement, corrective action, or

restructuring.

d) McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987

Transportation will be provided to a homeless student as required by the McKinney-

Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, as amended by NCLB.

The Community Montessori Charter School may contract with a firm or individual for

transportation of children who are unable to avail themselves of the contracted MCPS

transportation.

c. Describe the insurance coverage plan to be used if the MCPS transportation

contract service is not used.

Community Montessori Charter School plans to contract with MCPS for bus transportation. If

MCPS is unable to accommodate the Community Montessori Charter School, a contract will be

entered into with an independent bus company. A contract would reflect a proper level of

insurance, training and certification by the driver, and a reasonable cost. The carrier must meet

all federally required drug testing and employment standards. All vehicles would be required to

pass inspections. COMAR related to student transportation (13A.06.07) and MCPS Department

of Transportation regulations are applicable. This contract would be subject to the approval of

MCPS’s Director of the Department of Transportation.


6. Provide a food and nutrition services plan.

Crossway Community, Inc. is devoted to the development of healthy children. Good nutrition

and physical exercise form the cornerstone of the Montessori program.

Crossway Community, Inc. has long maintained a half-acre organic flower and vegetable garden

as a platform for learning. Teachers assist the children in the planting, tending and harvesting of

the garden. Students in Community Montessori Charter School will participate in the garden

activities as part of the Montessori curriculum.

Crossway Community, Inc. is currently in discussions with “Revolution Foods” as a potential

food service provider. Revolution Foods provides natural, fresh meals for 300 education

programs (including charter schools) across the country. Revolution Foods offers healthy meals

which are reimbursable under the National School Lunch Program.

Please see Attachment R for more information on Revolution Foods.

Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS or contract with another service

provider to ensure that our children receive the best nutrition available, thereby meeting or

exceeding all United States Department of Agriculture guidelines. Additionally we will work

with MCPS Food Services to ensure all food questions and procedures are resolved according to

MCPS regulations, state and federal guidelines.

Schedule of daily food services for children:

Breakfast: Children will be served breakfast upon arrival at CMCS.

Morning snack: A mid-morning snack will be served to all children who are 4 or 5 years

of age.

Lunch: Lunch will be served in two shifts (based on enrollment) at 11:30 a.m. and 12

noon.

Food Storage: CMCS will have a designated area to receive and store milk and

perishable food under refrigeration that meets all health department and USDA


requirements. Non-perishable foods will be stored in clean, sanitary storage conditions

that meet all health department and storage requirements.

Afterschool: Snack will be served for all students remaining after 3 p.m.

7. Describe the school’s plan for building maintenance.

Community Montessori Charter School shares the commitment of MCPS, Division of School

Plant Operations (DSPO) to provide a healthy facility environment that is conducive to student

learning, and employee productivity. We recognize our social responsibility to protect natural

resources for future generations and will continue to educate our facility managers and building

service staff to meet “green housekeeping” requirements. Community Montessori Charter

School will strive to earn “green cleaning & housekeeping” innovation credit by complying with

US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEEDTM requirements.

We will abide by the DSPO HHPC commitment to purchase and use cleaning and grounds care

products and methods that reduce adverse impacts on public health and the environment. We

will use cleaning methods set forth by the DSPO HHPC that remove indoor pollutants (including

soils, particulates, microbes, etc.) while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all

students, workers and other building occupants. Additionally, we will use cleaning methods that

minimize the amount of product used as well as the amount of waste that is created using

recommended cleaning products certified as environmentally preferable by independent

organizations such as Green Seal. Community Montessori Charter School will also follow

DSPO HHPCs best practices for accomplishing tasks such as Systematic Team Cleaning,

Integrated Pest Management and the School Eco Response Team.

Community Montessori Charter School will work with MCPS to ensure that maintenance

custodial procedures and requirements are met.

8. Describe the business continuity and disaster recovery plan of the organization.

Crossway Community, Inc. maintains a current disaster plan by having its staff certified by the

State of Maryland in Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. A six-hour course offered by the


Ayoco Educational Series in Rockville, Maryland, has been successfully attended and completed

by two of Crossway Community, Inc. employees.

The course enabled Crossway Community, Inc. to have an emergency plan in place in the event

that a disaster occurs. Different staff members have been assigned to various emergency

response points on the premises. Three evacuation locations have been designated; one in our

community, one in our city, and one out of state. Disaster supply kits have been prepared as well

as a telephone directory of local offices related to emergency services. Practice drills occur once

a month with an impeccable response rate.

Crossway Community, Inc. will be installing generators to back-up the computer system and

maintain emergency lights in case of a power loss. In the event of a prolonged loss of power or

damage to the building that would prevent classes from being held, Community Montessori

Charter School will have classes in the Westfield Shopping Center offices. The Westfield

Shopping Center is 1/2 mile from Crossway Community, Inc. and can be walked to in less than

ten minutes.

Matthew Barry, General Manager, Westfield Shopping Center, Wheaton, is on the Advisory

Council for Crossway Community, Inc. and on the Charter Advisory Committee for the

Community Montessori Charter School. Mr. Barry has agreed to provide space for the students

in case of emergency or if the building is rendered unusable due to a natural disaster.

A detailed description of the evacuation plan and map can be seen in Attachment J.


Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

Documents

Transcript of Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011