Petition for the Establishment of

The Lake County International Charter School

We the undersigned believe that the attached charter merits consideration and hereby petition the Governing Board of the Middleton Unified School District to grant approval of the charter pursuant to Education Code Section 47605 to enable the creation of the Lake County International Charter School. The Lake County International Charter School agrees to operate the school pursuant to the terms of The Charter Schools Act and the provisions of the school’s charter.

To be considered by the governing Board, a charter school petition must be signed by one of the following: (Education Code 47605)

X A number of parents/guardians equivalent to at least 50 percent of the number of students that the charter school estimates will enroll in the charter school for its first year of operation.

A number of teachers equivalent to at least 50 percent of the number of teachers that the charter school estimates will be employed at the school during its first year of operations.

At least 50 percent of the permanent status teachers currently employed at the public school to be converted if the charter petition calls for an existing public school to be converted to a charter school. (cf. 4116 – Permanent/Probationary Status)

The petitioners listed below certify that they have read the attached Lake County International Charter School Charter Petition and are a parent or guardian that is meaningfully interested in having his or her child, or ward, attend the charter school.

Lead Petitioner:

Lisa Kaplan 11/19/04

__________________________ _____________________________ _________

Name (please print) Signature Date

The petitioners listed below certify that they have read the attached Lake County International Charter School Charter Petition and are a parent or guardian that is meaningfully interested in having his or her child, or ward, attend the charter school.

The petitioners listed below authorize the Lead Petitioner, Lisa Kaplan, to negotiate any amendments to the attached charter necessary to secure approval by the Middletown Unified School District governing board and, if deemed necessary by the District will sign the petition again following such amendments as required.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Founding Group

1. Founders’ Statement 2

2. Founders’ Biographies 3

II. Educational Philosophy and Program

1. Mission 8

2. An Educated Person in the 21^st Century 8

3. Educational Philosophies 9

4. Curriculum and Instructional Design 11

5. Students to Be Served 13

6. Plans for Various Learners 13

a. Plan for Students Who Are Academically High-achieving

b. Plan for Students Who Are Academically Low-achieving

c. Plan for English Learners

d. Plan for Special Education

III. Measurable Student Outcomes and Other Uses of Data

1. Measurable Student Outcomes 15

2. Academic Performance Index 17

3. Methods of Assessment 18

4. Use and Reporting of Data 19

IV. Governance Structure 20

V. Human Resources

1. Qualifications of School Employees 24

2. Compensation and Benefits 28

3. Employee Representation 28

4. Rights of School District Employees 28

5. Health and Safety 28

6. Dispute Resolution 30

VI. Student Admissions, Attendance and Suspension/Expulsion Policies

1. Student Admission Policies and Procedures 31

2. Non-Discrimination 32

3. Public School Attendance Alternatives 33

4. Suspension/Expulsion Procedures 33

VII. Financial Planning Reporting and Accountability

1. Budgets 33

2. Financial Reporting 33

3. Insurance 34

4. Administrative Services 35

5. Facilities 35

6. Transportation 36

7. Audits 36

8. Closure Protocol 36

VIII. Impact on the Charter Authorizer 36

IX. Assurances 38

I. FOUNDERS GROUP

1. Founding Statement:

The Lake County International Charter School (LCICS) is a community-based education project initiated by parents, local teachers, and community members. Our overriding goal is to provide an additional choice and educational opportunity for Lake County families. The educational program is designed so that children of various learning styles and abilities will thrive in a child centered, experiential, and active learning environment, that embraces the whole child.

The founding group has identified a need for the school to focus on academic excellence, the arts, and technology while promoting responsible citizenship with regards to local, national, and global (international) awareness and the environment. The founding group has thus chosen to work within the framework of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB, PYP).

There are currently no site-based charter schools in Lake County, although across-districts, families have expressed a need and desire for one. Creating such an opportunity locally has generated great interest amongst a wide range of families and their children including those who are currently home-schooling or enrolled in Independent Study programs; those attending private sectarian schools; those enrolled in schools outside of the boundaries of Lake County; and those children currently in our public school system who are in need of or seeking an alternative learning environment. Community interest has in turn provided the forward momentum to the founding group to pursue development of the Lake County International Charter School.

Lake County, in particular the Middletown area, is experiencing rapid growth. LCICS will provide a desirable and needed educational alternative, through the IB PYP, to a growing demographic, that will complement MUSD’s other fine schools. As such, LCICS can assist the community in accommodating anticipated growth within the context of a 501(c)3. Additionally the school will create new jobs for local residents. LCICS has also formed an important partnership with the PACK Center (Parents and Community for Kids Inc.) to assist PACK in continuing its vital community programs.

LCICS is scheduled to open in September 2005. The school will provide a high quality and broad-based secular educational opportunity to children in grades K-8 and will be located within the Middletown School District attendance area. Our plan is to open the school with 100 students K-8 and grow to approximately 140 within 3 years (adding 20 students per year). Enrollment is estimated at 17-23 students per multi-aged class. Each class will span 2-3 grade levels. In accord with Class Size Reduction requirements, no more than 20.44 students will be enrolled in any K-3 multi-aged classroom.

The Founding group includes parents and community members having a variety of professional experience, skills and talents which will contribute to the success of the School.

2. Founders’ Biographies:

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Anne Evans is a British trained, certificated teacher and Teacher Trainer for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program as well as a Coordinator for the Middle Years Program. In this capacity, she conducts teacher workshops in Asia, the Middle East, the U.S. and Canada and participates in and heads accreditation visits for the IB. Ms. Evans contribution to the founding group is invaluable as she is able to advise and train in all aspects of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Ms Evans has over 30-years experience as a teacher and administrator in public and private schools both in California and worldwide. She administered the Santa Rosa Charter School (SRCS), which is the first International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) charter school in Northern California. Most recently Ms. Evans is working as a School Management Advisor (with the Center for British Teachers (CfBT)) for the Supreme Education Council of Qatar in their ambitious school reform program, writing charters and implementing the start up procedures of their new charter schools. During Ms. Evans tenure as Director of the Santa Rosa Charter School, the school won several notable awards including two for curriculum and instruction. Ms. Evans also works as a Teacher Trainer for Read, Write and Type software, writing training materials and training teachers.

Anne Evans is the proposed Director of LCICS. She has collaborated in curriculum development, and the writing of the charter petition. She will be a key decision maker in the hiring process, and provide teacher training and in-service workshops particularly in implementation of the PYP program, choosing educational materials, and the development of units of inquiry. In addition her background includes financial and administrative experience in the successful operation of a California public charter school in compliance with all applicable laws.

Lisa Kaplan is the Lead Developer and Project Manager of the development team. Ms. Kaplan is a candidate for a Single Subject Credential in Art and currently holds an MFA in Electronic Arts and a BFA in Fine Arts (painting, drawing, sculpture). Her 20 years experience as an art instructor includes teaching at the college level for 5 years. Lisa has taught fine arts, video and new media to various age groups and abilities. Her work with elementary and secondary aged children has focused on “at risk” youth. In addition to teaching, Lisa has worked as a free-lance producer, video editor and designer for over 12 years. Her artwork in traditional and electronic media has been exhibited internationally.

Lisa currently serves as president of the LCICS Development team board (a California Public Benefit Corporation, 501(c)3). She has played a key role in the development of the school including research, writing the charter petition and other relevant documents, curriculum development, fiscal planning, public relations, and liaison for the school with governmental, legal and local entities. She is the proposed Assistant Director to the school Director, and will teach art and technology.

Bonnie Howard is a Development Team board member, has worked extensively on writing the charter and developing curriculum and is a proposed teacher for the upper grades. She holds a California and a Wisconsin Teaching Credential. She taught Social Studies and Economics classes in a Wisconsin public high school for 10 years. She served as a consultant to the Wisconsin Department of Education in formulating and editing questions for Wisconsin’s State Standards Tests.

Following her move to Lake County, she led a small home school co-op on Cobb Mountain for several students enrolled in Pathways Charter School (a Sonoma County charter school for home school students). She currently works in landscaping and construction.

Lisa Rosen holds a Multiple Subject Credential with a Supplemental Credential to teach Science. She currently teaches Life and Physical Science at the Oak Hill Middle School in Clear Lake. Prior to that she was employed by Sutter Lakeside Community Services as Family Advocate, for families with children who were victims of abuse. Ms Rosen has worked in the Middletown and Cotati-Rohnert Park school districts since 1997. She has worked as a Reading Specialist in the public schools and as a private tutor for students with special needs. Lisa has also served on the site councils and PTO's of Middletown schools, and volunteered in the Multi-Age Program at Minnie Canon Elementary. Lisa assisted in writing the LCICS Charter.

Professor Duncan MacInnes recently retired, was formerly Chair of the Sonoma State Single Subject Credential Program. He brings 35 years of teaching and administrative experience at both the K-12 and University level to the organization and curriculum of LCICS. Professor MacInnes has a particular research interest in the academic, personal and physical development of boys in the existing school system. In November of 2000 and 2001 he organized two conferences on ‘The Wonder of Boys’ held at Sonoma State University and sponsored by The Department of Education, Santa Rosa Junior College and the Sonoma County Office of Education. Keynote speakers were Michael Gurian author of the Wonder of Boys and a recognized national and international authority on the boys in our culture and Larry Diller MD Running on Ritalin A Physician Reflects on Children Society and Performance in a Pill. Presenters came from across the Country and both conferences were well received by the academic and public community. As a result of these conferences, Professor MacInnes was invited by Dr.Wade Horn, undersecretary of Education under President Bush, to attend and present a report on the conferences at the national referendum on the ‘Fatherhood Initiative’ in Washington DC. Professor MacInnes is a conservative thinking educator who believes in the right of parents to have choices within the public school framework about the education of their children (community member).

William Erpenbach is a former State Education Agency administrator (WI) with extensive experience working in the public elementary and secondary education sector. Presently engaged in independent consulting with national and regional education associations, national organizations, and state education agencies, regarding academic standards, large-scale assessment systems, educational accountability systems, and implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. LCICS has been consulting with Mr. Erpenbach regarding compliance with NCLB.

Lynette Funez is the Director of ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act), and as such is responsible for the ensuring that tribal children are provided and guaranteed native development in their childhood upbringing. In the achievement of the goals of this program, tribal children, through the intervention of their Tribe, are able to preserve their inherent traits and develop their cultural identity, which in turn preserves the longevity of the Tribe as a people. Lynette serves as Development Team Liaison with Tribal Community and is an interested parent.

Finance, Facilities, Business management:

The founding group has consulted with Krista Eisbrenner, Business Manager at MUSD, as well as Marti Hinton and Carolyn Bishoff, both of whom are charter school and public school business managers in Piner Olivet School District and Santa Rosa School District respectively. In addition, LCICS is currently consulting with Larry Tamayo of EXED (development and business management services for charter schools) as well as Alice Miller of the California Charter Schools Association.

LCICS will hire an Assistant Director to keep all reports and prepare documents for the MUSD Business Manager. LCICS will pay MUSD a fee for fiscal services as outlined in the budget and yearly MOU.

Larry Tamayo of ExEd oversees the development of new charter schools, which includes the writing of charter petitions and grants, researching educational issues, and performing budget analysis. He previously worked as a program coordinator at the Atlantic Community Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Tamayo earned an M.A. in public policy at the University of California, Los Angeles and a B.A. in criminology, law, and society at the University of California, Irvine.

Pat & Jon Meyer of Patricia Meyer & Associates, specialize in financial services. Pat has been in the business for over 21 years and has assisted LCICS in researching health and retirement benefit options. Jon has been a tax accountant for over 27 years earning both his Masters degree in Accounting and the Enrolled Agents designation. In addition he has been a teacher for the Past 17 years and was an assistant Professor of Accounting at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Since moving to Lake County he has become a teacher at Yuba College.

Pat and Jon are involved in and volunteer with several South Lake County community organizations including the Middletown Merchants Association, the Lake County Fire Sirens, the Stone House Historical Group, and the Middletown Luncheon Club. Pat is also a member of the Middletown Lioness Club and founder and CEO of the Acme[1] Foundation (a 501c3), while Jon is the CFO. Jon presently serves as a Community Member on the LCICS Development Team Board. Jon is the CFO of both LLED and LCICS.

Lynn S. Green serves as president of LLED and has been involved in fundraising efforts and public relations for LCICS throughout the development phase. She is raising funds for start-up costs from private individuals and organizations locally and out of area. She is also involved with fundraising at Coyote Valley Elementary School. Ms. Green serves as Executive Producer of her company Fine Arts Enterprises which acquires the production rights to carefully selected original properties for theater. She is responsible for optioning these properties to investors and other producers and is involved in many aspects of production. The world premiere of her play Final Angel received critical acclaim and three prestigious awards for 2003 in Chicago. Ms. Green is currently optioning plays for production in New York, the San Francisco Bay area and London. Lynn Green is the parent of a child who will attend LCICS.

Laura Stalker is an LCICS Development Team Board Member and Secretary of Lake County International Educational Development (LLED) the fundraising arm of LCICS. Laura has home schooled her children and is interested in a site-based project-based educational option for them. Laura is an LCICS Development Team Board Member assisting with outreach and fundraising efforts.

Vickie Grubbs is a Development Team Board Member and parent focusing on fundraising and outreach. She is owner and president of www.punkeymonkey.com and Punkey Monkey Decorative Design For Children. Vickie is also a Board member of the Hidden Valley Mom and Kids Club and Co-creator of Summerfest, a fundraiser for children's playgroups and summer programs consisting of crafters and artisans. She is also currently involved in the fundraiser for the Makenna Enger Medical Fund.

Paula Price has written awarded grants for After School and Head Start programs. Ms. Price also served as Assistant Director at the McDonald Ranch After School program in Sonoma County. Paula works in marketing and has helped the founding group with PR and fund raising.

Joan Wadhams served as fundraiser for St. Joseph’s non-profit hospital in Orange County. Ms Wadhams recently moved to Lake County to be closer to her grandchildren and is contributing her skills and knowledge to LCICS fundraising efforts.

Fred W. Farrelly has 20 years of senior management has represented and been involved with numerous companies ranging from start-ups to large corporations. As a Management Consultant and Executive Coach, Fred currently works with companies within the high technology and telecommunications industries. His areas of specialization are Organizational Development and Business Coaching. In this capacity Fred serves as a strategic partner to CEO's and their executive staffs, facilitating sensitive negotiations and strategic decision-making processes. Fred was recently involved in the restoration of the Taylor Observatory in Kelseyville and is serving as Business and Community Liaison for the Observatory. Mr. Farrelly is donating consultant time to LCICS.

Facilities:

Matt Grubbs is a Project Engineer with12 years experience in project management and construction. He has worked on public and private projects including: Berkeley Public Library Renovation; Hercules Middle / High School; Department of Health Services Richmond Lab Phase I & II; San Francisco International Airport Expansion; B.A.R.T expansion - stations from Colma to SFO. Matt will be assisting with the school site development including planning and construction phases.

Peter Spinali is a local Building Designer who has lived in Hidden Valley since 1991. He is involved with various Lake County construction projects including the new Kelseyville Fire Station and numerous new private homes and home additions. Projects he has been involved with through Napa and Sonoma County based architectural firms include: UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab Expansion, the Santa Rosa Plaza and Food Court remodel, and Santa Cruz Consolidated Emergency Communication Center. Pete currently works as Senior CAD Specialist and Consultant for the US Coastguard in Two Rock, Petaluma and as an independent Designer and Cad Specialist. Pete is assisting LCICS in developing and drafting site plans.

Todd Jersey of Todd Jersey Architecture is dedicated to designing buildings that create good function and inspiring beauty while demonstrating fiscal accountability and good earth stewardship. Mr. Jersey works with contractors on integrating cost planning into project design. LCICS is consulting with Todd Jersey with regards to architectural plans.

Guy Foux is a certified electrical contractor who also specializes in solar energy panel installation. Recently, he has been working in other areas of construction. Guy is involved with site development.

Organization, Governance, and Administration:

Aside from Educational Program and curricular development, Anne Evans and Lisa Kaplan are involved in all legal, financial and administrative aspects of the LCICS, and are supported by a variety of qualified and experienced individuals in these areas.

Linda Findley serves as Board Member and Secretary on the LCICS Development Team Board. She is a skilled mediator and meeting facilitator, having trained with the Institute for Authentic Leadership in Nova Scotia. Linda holds a B.A. in International Management and worked as a paralegal for 9 years in L.A. Linda has been Owner, Operator, and Manager of a variety of businesses in the restaurant and catering industry. In addition she is former Owner and Operator of Community Care Family Daycare in Middletown.

Kris M. Krause is an educational consultant, and advisor on special education compliance. Kris was Interim Director of Petaluma Charter School, Director of Student Instruction, Piner-Olivet Union School District (Program Director, Special Education,Title I, GATE, and Transportation, POUSD; Principal; Teacher; Sonoma County Administrator of the Year 1996-1997. Kris has provided guidance to developers of several successful charter schools and has written or co-written two funded charter school implementation grants. LCICS is consulting with Mr. Krause regarding compliance with specific educational requirements in the Charter Petition.

Phil Murray is our legal council for matters pertaining to non-profit law and partnerships. His practice area has focused upon education law; he has advised school districts and charter schools on legal issues unique to the operation of educational programs as well as the formation of nonprofit organizations and the law of tax-exempt organizations. Mr. Murray has worked for the law firms of Girard & Vinson in Walnut Creek, California and Spector, Middleton, Young & Minney in Sacramento, California. Mr. Murray has since formed his own practice in which he focuses upon nonprofit organizations, the law of tax-exempt organizations, and general business law.

Lisa Corr of Spector Middleton Young and Minney has represented charter schools for over six years in all phases of development and operation. As a firm, Spector, Middleton, Young & Minney represents approximately one-half of the charter schools in the state. She specializes in the charter petition process, negotiation of legal and fiscal agreements, as well as representation in front of granting agency boards. She further represents charter schools in matters of policy development, special education, facilities, pupil discipline, dispute resolution, contract negotiation and all areas of legal compliance. Lisa Corr is legal Council for the School in all matters related to the Charter Petition, MOU, and Charter law.

II. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND PROGRAM

1. Mission: The mission of Lake County International Charter School is to educate students in grades K-8 to be literate, knowledgeable, principled, local, national, and global citizens. Students will participate in an enriched and nurturing learning environment that honors the whole child – intellectually, emotionally, creatively, physically, socially and culturally. LCICS students will become competent and self-motivated individuals with a commitment to life-long learning that enables them to reach their full potentials.

Vision: LCICS emphasizes academic excellence and artistic expression; respect and appreciation of diversity; personal, social, and environmental responsibility; and an understanding of the interconnectedness of all living things and our global environment. Students of diverse backgrounds and abilities advance academically, artistically, socially and personally through the highly successful and proven teaching methods of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program[2]. The transdisciplinary (across disciplines) program of inquiry is a multi-cultural curriculum, which engages critical thinking, research, exploration, creative expression, and technology, and the acquisition of a second language. Thematic and project-based units of inquiry, differentiated materials, hands-on activities, and community action projects engage multiple intelligences and the whole child while providing meaningful context for all aspects of the curriculum. Thus, various kinds of learners, learning styles, abilities, and readiness are addressed in a child-centered and active learning environment inspired and created through the cooperation and collaboration of parents, teachers, staff, students, and community.

2. An educated person in the 21^st century: At the heart of 21^st century education is instilling children with a love of learning for a lifetime. Individuals should develop a strong sense of self, and the resourcefulness and skills necessary to meet the challenges of life, and participate meaningfully in local and global communities.

LCICS will provide a 21^st century education within a framework that meets children’s cognitive, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs. Students acquire basic skills and real world applications of knowledge, to enable them to understand the connection between their studies and the world. As students explore and ask questions, experiment and create, their abilities for critical thinking increase. They analyze new ideas and complex information, collaborate with others, problem solve and apply knowledge to new situations. Such skills broaden students as they become literate, knowledgeable, principled, and responsible global citizens of the 21^st century.

An educated person in the 21^st century will:

• Understand the core academic content at much higher levels than basic competency.
• Be adept at utilizing information technologies and communication technologies.
• Examine issues from multiple perspectives and world-views.
• Be respectful of themselves, others, and the environment.
• Understand and appreciate the environment as well as humans’ interrelationship with and impact on the environment in order to better address and assess environmental issues (ref:

EC 8700-8707).

• Take responsibility for their behavior and the effect of their actions towards others and the environment.
• Assess and solve problems both independently and collaboratively.
• Reflect on their own work, and the work of their peers in a constructive manner.
• Understand the skills of democratic participation such as mediation and conflict resolution, leadership, consensus building, speaking and listening skills and collaboration.
• Communicate effectively in their ability to articulate written and spoken ideas clearly and confidently in more than one language.
• Have a sense of personal commitment to action and service.
• Be self-directed, self-knowledgeable, and active participants in their communities, in life, and in their own life-long education.

3. Educational Philosophy/How Learning Best Occurs:

LCICS will implement a student centered structured program of inquiry that utilizes Constructivist and differentiated instructional methods and materials. We will provide whole-child education in an educational environment that respects each student’s individual readiness, abilities, learning styles and background. The educational program at LCICS will be an open and welcoming environment to students of all cultural, socio-economic, and educational backgrounds. We believe that education framed in this manner facilitates the greatest growth of all students’ potentials, character, self-esteem, and self-confidence, empowering them to become independent, resourceful, thoughtful, and respectful individuals. A key objective of LCICS is to enable students to develop these qualities and become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners.

LCICS upholds the philosophy that all learning styles, abilities, intelligences, degrees of readiness, personal and cultural backgrounds, talents, and interests can be nurtured in a school where the educational program focuses on the inquisitive, creative, reflective, and collaborative aspects of learning as well as children’s natural cognitive development. Children of a wide range of talents and abilities, including English Language Learners, students identified as ‘low-achieving’, students identified as having ‘special needs’, and students identified as gifted and talented and needing to be challenged, will learn comfortably, gain self esteem and confidence, and excel in a setting designed to honor the fact that individual children learn in different ways.

We believe that:

• Learning best occurs in a student centered, structured, inquiry-based curriculum
• Not all students acquire knowledge with the same learning style (Gardner).
• Not all children are ready to learn new skills at the same time and we thus support multi-age classrooms.
• Learning is best structured using Constructivist (students construct new understandings by combining previous understandings with new experiences and discoveries). methodologies and differentiated methods and materials.
• Students can model, observe, support, mentor, and complement one another’s skills, talents, and abilities
• A teacher is a “guide on the side,” “not a sage on the stage” facilitating the learning experiences of each child.
• Learning and teaching are collaborative activities
• Planning, teaching and assessment are interlinked, reflective and collaborative activities.
• Providing authentic learning situations, including the assessment of students in as many authentic, real life problem solving situations as possible, benefits students.
• Student understanding is best achieved in a transdisciplinary program that respects the integrity of skill based learning within and outside the transdisciplinary program
• Second language acquisition is essential in the 21^st century school
• Schools should be nurturing environments that promote and facilitate the development of socially responsible behavior and self-awareness.
• The school community should function as an alliance between parents, community members, school administration, staff, and students.
• Parent involvement in the learning community establishes the family as partners in education and is crucial to student success and the success of our school.
• Parent education classes (especially for classroom volunteers) will further enhance the collaborative and cooperative aspects of our school community.
• Quality in-service teacher training, lectures and workshops are essential to maintaining a vibrant collaborative teaching community.
• It is our responsibility as educators to help children create a better and more peaceful world.
• Assessment means using multiple measures in evaluating student understanding and re-focusing instruction using data gathered through these multiple measures.

In order to bring to life our philosophical beliefs, we have decided to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP), applying for candidacy as soon as possible. At the top of the International Baccalaureate Mission Statement is the assertion: “The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”(www.ibo.org). For this reason, along with the IBO’s international record for providing high-quality education, we have chosen to align our curriculum to that of the IBO. The IBO provides teacher training and seminars as well as access to instructional materials.

The PYP includes a strong character education component which teaches the meanings of a set of attitudes very explicitly, and forms the basis of our approach to behavior. LCICS embraces the student profile defined by the IBO. The profile describes the development of character, attitudes, knowledge and skills, which will serve students in becoming life long learners and contributing local, national, and global citizens. The profile also helps teachers and students establish goals, plan units of inquiry, assess performance and promote 21^st century education:

· Inquirers: Students with natural curiosity who have the skills to conduct constructive, purposeful research and who actively enjoy learning.

• Thinkers: Students use initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to make sound decisions and solve complex problems.
• Communicators: Students understand and express ideas confidently in English, Spanish and the language of mathematical symbols.
• Risk takers: Students approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and have the confidence and independence to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They can courageously defend their own ideas.
• Knowledgeable: Students have explored themes of global relevance and importance. In so doing, they have acquired a significant body of knowledge.
• Principled: Students have a sound grasp of the principles of moral reasoning. They have integrity, honesty and a sense of fairness and justice.
• Caring: Students show sensitivity towards the needs and feelings of others and have a sense of personal commitment to action and service.
• Open-minded: Students respect the views, values and traditions of other people and cultures and are comfortable seeking and considering a range of points of view.
• Well-balanced: Students understand the need for physical, mental and emotional balance and have a sense of personal well being.
• Reflective: Students give thoughtful consideration to their own learning, analyzing their personal strengths and weaknesses constructively.[3]

4. Curriculum and Instructional Design:

The Program of Inquiry of the PYP: Six organizing themes outlined by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program[4], provide a framework from which teachers and administrators design and structure six units of inquiry (the curriculum), collaboratively developing both the horizontal continuum (continuity over the course of a year) and the vertical continuity (progress through the grade levels). Teachers and administrators will incorporate the State Academic Content Standards into the six organizing themes. They will apply strategies proven effective in other International Baccalaureate schools to develop instructional units that support students in mastering the state standards in a manner consistent with the school’s educational philosophy, as stated above. In developing classroom teaching/learning activities, teachers design curriculum “backwards”, first identifying goals and assessments, then designing the learning activities. Teachers provide open-ended essential or central ideas, which are the core of each unit and support them with guiding questions. The questions elicit active learning; research, exploration and critical thinking.

Academic, and creative expressions of understanding designed to assure whole child development, authentic learning, and the acquisition of both knowledge and skills are channeled into formative and summative assessments such as exhibitions, performances and multi-media projects.

The Core Curriculum: The traditional Core Curriculum is taught both within the transdisciplinary program of inquiry and as discrete instruction. Targeted, direct instruction, as needed, will ensure that students gain all needed knowledge and skills. Core curriculum includes Language Arts, Mathematics, Sciences and Social Studies (see curriculum sample Appendix I).

Literacy instruction and the mechanics of writing will be taught primarily within the program of inquiry but will also occur in the “Literacy Hour” when center activities will focus on specific language arts tasks. During the literacy hour, teachers will implement centers or conduct specific whole class activities, which enhance the development of vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, spelling, composition etc. A center might focus on teacher directed reading at the individual child’s level, another on vocabulary specific to the inquiry, another might focus on specific writing task required within the inquiry and yet another on grammar or spelling exercises.

Mathematics will be taught discretely as a skills-based independent program and incorporated into the program of inquiry wherever possible. Inquiry based and other progressive methods will be used to enhance student understanding of mathematics and mathematical applications.

Specialties: Specialties are taught both within the transdisciplinary program of inquiry and as discrete instruction. Specialty subjects include Second Language, Technology, Physical Education, Health, Visual Arts, Drama, Music, Sustainable Agriculture, and Life Skills.

Instructional materials used at LCICS may include but are not limited to the following:

	State Adopted	K	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th
Language Arts Houghton Mifflin	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Oxford Reading Tree		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Software: Read Write and Type		X	X	X
Software: Lexia Learning Systems		X	X	X	X	X	X
Software: Black Cat		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Various literature + leveled books		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Math Saxon	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Social Studies Various literature, media, & archival sources		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Science FOSS Kits		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Science Prentice Hall	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

LCICS may use state adopted textbooks to supplement other instructional materials. LCICS will comply with legal requirements regarding state adopted texts.

Instructional Organization: Core curriculum will be taught primarily in self-contained classrooms. Additionally, classes may be combined at times for team teaching activities, formal presentations, and celebrations of learning. Non-core curriculum may be taught in self-contained classrooms with students grouped in a variety of ways, not necessarily in their morning classrooms grade and/or age.

Democratic Classroom: We emphasize the importance of maintaining a democratic environment in the classroom, enhanced by class meetings which provide a forum in which issues may be addressed: class projects; school community; class dynamics, etc. Discussion of feelings, the practice of communication, self-reflection, apologies and appreciations, provide a positive, nurturing, and meaningful learning environment for all students including those with challenges.

Attendance: LCICS will provide at a minimum, the same number of minutes of instruction set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Education Code Section 46201for the appropriate grade levels within 175-180 instructional days (Appendix II). LCICS will maintain written contemporaneous records that document all student attendance and will make these records available for verification by MUSD and auditors. LCICS expects the same regular attendance by pupils as at any other public school.

5. Students to be served:

The educational program at LCICS will be an open and welcoming environment to students of all cultures, socio-economic, and educational backgrounds. The program is designed to provide opportunities in learning and growth for students of a broad spectrum of learning styles, levels and abilities, including those identified as English Learners or Learning-disabled, as well as those traditionally classified as gifted or talented.

LCICS will target K-8 students and their families who are seeking a site based, secular, educational choice. In particular the school seeks to serve students who do not thrive in a traditional classroom setting.

6. Plans for various learners:

This learning environment described above will benefit ‘Low-achieving’ (LA), ‘English Learners’ (EL), ‘Special Needs’ (SN) students, or ‘High-achieving’ (HA). In addition to the regular program, the following accommodations will be put in place:

• Peer to peer mentoring, including mentoring where children having difficulties are asked to assist children at lower grade levels, thus boosting the mentor’s self esteem and confidence. ‘This is particularly important because a feeling of self-worth - the knowledge that you can do something - is a critical part of the learning process’ (National Center for Learning Disabilities- NCLD.org, n.d.)

· Multiple Measures of Assessment (see Methods of Assessment below) will be used to identify and respond to student’s individual needs.

· Differentiated instruction strategies. Differentiated instruction enables all learners from LA, SN and EL to HA to participate in the classroom learning experience in a meaningful way. Materials and assignments that are appropriate to the individual’s skill level ensure that all students are challenged and have the opportunity for success.

· An itinerant resource specialist.

· Parental participation in the classroom will assist teachers in addressing each student’s individual needs.

· If necessary, additional support will be provided by tutoring programs.

· Assistive computer software will be available in the classroom for students with special needs.

a. Plan for Students Who Are Academically High-achieving:

Programs developed for High-achieving students, or GATE (gifted and talented) programs, generally utilize experiential and creative learning methodologies as they are known to promote academic success and address multiple intelligences. Since LCICS will utilize this approach in its program of inquiry, High-achieving students are empowered to pursue subject matter at their own level of ability. Formulating additional challenges and questions is an integral part of the program. As essential questions are open-ended and not limited by any single subject‘s curriculum or the acquisition of a particular skill, students are inherently encouraged to explore more deeply and construct their own knowledge

b. Plan for Students Who Are Academically Low-achieving:

It is our intention to identify early capable students who perform below expectations and put into place a range of support systems to ensure their success: conferences with advisory teachers and parents, mentoring and tutoring programs, and listening groups. LCICS may also provide referrals to a range of professional support staff, including but not limited to psychologists, therapists, adaptive technology experts etc. to assist families in understanding the possible familial systemic causes underlying their children’s difficulties in meeting the state standards, so that they may together develop goals and strategies for improvement.

Both research and Charter schools LCICS has consulted with have found that a lack of self-motivation is often due to family dynamics. In such cases when professional counseling was recommended and employed, excellent results were reported.

c. Plan for English Learners:

English Learners will be fully immersed in all classroom activities. They will receive support from their classroom teacher who will work in collaboration with a part time itinerant resource specialist who is CLAD or BCLAD credentialed. The team will meet with students and parents on a regular basis, arrange extra tutoring, mentoring, or study groups, and facilitate classroom accommodations to support students in attaining appropriate levels of competency in English and the state standards.

LCICS shall include a home language survey on its admissions form. Students who check a language other than English as the language spoken in the home shall be CELDT tested within thirty (30) days of enrollment and annually thereafter unless already redesignated as English proficient. LCICS shall seek to employ several staff members who are CLAD or BCLAD credentialed in order to further assist EL students.

LCICS shall comply with all applicable federal laws in regard to services and the education of EL students. At least 60 days prior to operation, LCICS shall develop policies and procedures for EL students and submit to MUSD for review. LCICS will implement, and maintain policies and procedures for the provision of services to EL students in accordance with guidance published by the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education. At a minimum, these policies and procedures shall:

• Identify students who need assistance.
• Ensure that necessary staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used properly.
• Develop appropriate evaluation standards, including program exit criteria, for

measuring the progress of students.

• Assess the success of the program and modify it where needed.

d. Plan for Special Education:

LCICS shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws in regard to special education and related support and services. Students with special needs will be fully included in all classroom activities, consistent with their Individualized Educational Program (“IEP”).. Eligible students will receive special education instruction and services in accordance with an IEP

.

LCICS will function as a public school within the Middletown Unified School District for purposes of providing special education instruction and related services pursuant to Education Code Section 47641 (b), as such, MUSD and LCICS shall ensure that all special education students will be fully served in accordance with the law and that students with exceptional needs who attend LCICS are provided with a free and appropriate public education in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (hereafter "IDEA"). Details of the agreement between MUSD and LCICS are set forth in a separate annually negotiated Memorandum of Understanding.

LCICS will explore and support creative and alternative ways to deliver special education and related services as may be agreed upon between the LCICS, parent(s) and MUSD, consistent with accommodations designated in each student’s IEP, and with laws governing special education. The LCICS and MUSD will negotiate in good faith any changes in responsibilities, funding and liability for special education services and incorporate them into the annual Financial and Operational Agreement.

In future years of operation, the school shall have the right to pursue independent local education agency (LEA) and/or special education local plan area (SELPA) status pursuant to Education Code Section 47641 (a). In the event that the school opts not to establish independent LEA and/or SELPA status it shall remain an arm of MUSD for special education purposes as required by Education Code Section 47641 (b), and shall continue to receive funding and/or services pursuant to the terms of this section and the annual Financial and Operational agreement.

III. Measurable Student Outcomes and Other Uses of Data:

1. Measurable Student Outcomes

Core Academic Skills (using State Standards)

· Language Arts: Students will demonstrate the ability to read, write, listen, speak in multiple forms of expression (written, oral, multimedia) and demonstrate communication skills appropriate to setting and audience. They will comprehend and critically interpret multiple forms of expression from various sources, writers, and cultures. Students will critically evaluate their work and the work of others.

· Math: Students will use mathematical reasoning, concepts, and logical thinking to solve problems; understand mathematical concepts; communicate mathematical ideas; connect mathematics to other studies and their own lives; articulate their understanding of the beauty and power of math (e.g. math’s universality, patterns in nature, and elegant solutions); invent mathematical procedures that allow them to compute and perform basic operations; acknowledge, understand, and apply other’s mathematical methods of solving problems.

· Sciences: Students will understand and apply major concepts of life and physical sciences and the principles of the scientific method. Students will apply their understanding of scientific concepts to make informed decisions on issues (social, environmental, political, etc.) affecting their community.

· History/Social Studies: Students will understand multiple perspectives while demonstrating mastery of civic, cultural, historical, and geographical concepts. Students will apply this understanding to act as informed participants in today’s world of diverse cultures.

Achievement Targets for Core Academic Skills

Testing in Spring 2006 will result in a minimum of 50% of students scoring at the proficient level or above in all California Standards Tests, a component of the State Testing and Reporting (STAR). Each numerically significant subgroup will have at least 40% of its students scoring at proficient or above. The percentage of all students scoring at or above the proficient level will increase by a minimum of 6.25 % per year, arriving at a goal of 100% at or before the federal AYP target of 2014.

Specialties: Non-Core Curriculum:

· Creative Arts and Performing Arts: Students will demonstrate understanding of a fundamental body of knowledge and technical skills in the visual and performing arts. Students will critically evaluate their work and the work of others.

· World Language: Students will demonstrate skills in speaking, reading, writing, and listening comprehension in at least one language in addition to English. Students will understand key aspects of the culture, both past and present, of the second language.

· Technology: Students will utilize Information Technology (IT) for inquiry-based research, documentation and presentation. Students will use IT-based tools to express, model, measure, and record physical and temporal events.

· PE/Health: Students will demonstrate knowledge in various forms of exercise and recreation for life-long fitness habits, which will enable participation in, and an understanding of sports and recreational activities. Students will understand the connection between heart, mind, and body.

· Life Skills/Sustainable Agriculture: Students will explore factors involved in maintaining a home, planning and having a family. They will acquire basic financial management skills. Students will understand factors that influence decision-making and be aware of the long and short-term consequences of decisions on their health, safety and economic well being. Students will learn the principles of sustainable agriculture and understand the impact of agriculture on the environment and world economy.

Achievement Targets for Specialties – Non-Core Curriculum – LCICS staff and board will develop a set of performance benchmarks, detailing the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes which will demonstrate attainment of standards for each non core area. The target is that 100% of students will demonstrate growth in each specialty area.

Character Education and Attitudes – As noted in Section II, students will develop a set of key character traits, attitudes, knowledge and skills. Students will exhibit the qualities of: inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and risk takers. They will be knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, well balanced, and reflective. A continuum for character education will be developed using the Primary Years Program guidelines. The target is that 100% of students will demonstrate progress towards attainment of key character traits, attitudes, knowledge and skills. The school will report to parents on the development of character traits above.

The student exit outcomes outlined above will be further subdivided into a list of specific “classroom-level” skills and benchmarks required in each of the above areas at different grade and skill levels. These will integrate the California State content and performance standards. Additionally, the IB Primary Years Program specifies that the development of explicit attitudes and the expectation of socially responsible behavior, as outlined in the student profile (above), are essential elements of the program. Students will demonstrate overall progress and the attainment of specific content area knowledge, grade/skill level standards, and attitudes through a variety of formative and summative assessments at various points throughout their years at LCICS.

LCICS will continue to examine and refine details of student outcomes to reflect any changes to state or local standards and better serve our school mission, students and community. LCICS will submit to MUSD, at any time prior to expiration, a description of any changes to the above student outcomes as an amendment of the charter. The District board agrees to hear and consider the proposed amendment pursuant to the standards and criteria as specified in the Education Code Section 47605(b).

2. API/AYP

§ At least 95% of the LCICS student body will participate in STAR testing.

§ The API for LCICS will be at least equal to that of MUSD or higher by Spring 2008.

§ LCICS will meet or exceed annual growth targets of 5% (of the difference between base API scores and the state goal of 800) school-wide for all groups and numerically significant subgroups as established by the California API and NCLB AYP.

§ LCICS will meet AYP guidelines each year.

Both LCICS and the IB have created curriculum, academic standards and benchmark assessments that meet or exceed the California State Standards. LCICS will comply with state assessment requirements as well as specific District assessments outlined annually in the MOU, so that student results can be compared with similar students in the District and State. LCICS will comply with all requirements prescribed by NCLB Act. LCICS will make appropriate adjustments to improve instruction methods and curriculum if California AYP and API growth criteria are not met in any one given year.

Performance standards and assessments for students with special needs or limited English proficiency will be adapted as appropriate to their Individualized Education Plans or English proficiency levels.

3. Methods of Assessment

Formal assessments will take place three times a year:

Fall & Winter:

· Criterion-referenced tests, based on state academic content standards, of phonemic-awareness (K-1), decoding and word recognition (K-3), concepts about print (K-1), reading comprehension (K-8), and mathematics skills and concepts (K-8)

· Writing samples scored with a six-trait rubric

· Observations of oral language skills scored by rubrics and inventories

· CELDT as needed.

Spring:

· Above assessments plus

· STAR Testing, including California Standards Tests & CAT6, the California Alternative Performance Assessment (CAPA) as needed, the Spanish Assessment of Basic Education, 2^nd edition (SABE/2) as needed

· California Writing Assessment (Gr. 4)

· California Physical Fitness Test (Grs. 5 & 7)

· California English Language Development Test (CELDT) as needed.

In addition to the tri-annual formal assessments, teachers will assess students on an on-going basis using the following strategies:

· Multiple observations, focused on the whole class and on individual students. Observations focus on skills, processes, and attitudes. A system of note taking and recording keeping will be employed that is age appropriate and minimizes writing and recording time. Checklists, inventories, and narrative descriptions will be utilized to achieve this.

· Performance assessments, which are students’ representations of learning about authentic challenges and problems. Performance assessments incorporate a variety of skills and concepts, reflect high-level thinking skills, and are expressed in several media such as oral presentations, art, charts, models, drama, writing, audio, and video. Rubrics with standards communicated to students will be used for performance assessments.

· Public exhibitions of student work, e.g., projects, visual art, inventions, and plays. Work is assessed by self, peers, teachers and, when appropriate, others outside the school community

· Selected responses such as tests and quizzes.

· Open-ended tasks, in which students are presented with a stimulus and asked to com-municate an original response. The answer may be a brief written answer, a drawing, a chart, a diagram, or a calculation.

· Portfolios, which are collections of student work that are designed to demonstrate successes, growth, higher order thinking skills, creativity, and reflection.

· Student-led conferences in which students demonstrate progress towards identified outcomes by sharing work portfolios that reflect growth over the academic year. Students, parents, and teachers evaluate these presentations in writing according to a scoring rubric.

Additional Method for Measuring Pupil Progress - The PYP Exhibition

Students prepare the PYP exhibition in Grade 8. The PYP exhibition is an extended collaborative inquiry, a culminating experience of the learner’s engagement with the PYP. It is a trans-disciplinary inquiry conducted in a spirit of personal and shared responsibility. It unites the students, teachers and parents in an activity that captures the essence of the PYP: It is a celebration that synthesizes the program and shares it with the whole school community.

Curriculum for each grade level, assessments, benchmarks, and rubrics will be developed in the spring and submitted to MUSD 60 days prior to commencement of instruction.

4. Use and Reporting of Assessment Data

Use: Teachers will use all assessment data to guide instruction to ensure that all students meet school and state standards. Each fall teachers will systematically analyze the results of STAR testing and the fall criterion-referenced assessments to make goals for the year with strategies to achieve those goals. The analysis of data will shape instruction for individual students, and it will also guide the school in program development. Analysis of data and adjustments to instruction will continue through each assessment period. Progress towards goals will be frequently measured during lessons and by the above methods, and instruction will be continually focused on areas of need. Students will also be involved in formative self-assessment of their progress, and they will be guided to reflect on their own approaches to learning.

Teachers will use all assessment data to develop and refine the school’s curriculum as well as teaching strategies, instructional materials and texts, share best practices, and collaborate in planning curriculum during their regular meetings.

Reporting: The director will present summaries of assessment data to the LCICS Charter Council annually as part of school-wide evaluation studies. The data will include information regarding numbers of students meeting specific standards as well as a summary of progress from year to year. Program improvement plans will be strongly based on the wide range of assessment data described above. An annual compliance and performance report will be submitted to the chartering authority by December 15 of each year. The report will address implementation of the charter, measurable student progress summaries for the previous school year as well as progress towards all school goals and objectives and all data required by the state mandated School Accountability Report Card. The report will also address the current and projected financial viability of the school.

Individual students progress as measured by the above methods will be reported to parents as follows:

· STAR results will be sent to parents upon receipt by the school.

· A written summary of progress towards standards, using assessment data and narrative comments, will be given to parents three times a year. The summaries will contain information about benchmarks reached or not reached and gains made from year-to-year.

· Parent-teacher conferences will be held at least twice a year for the purpose of discussing learning progress and goals.

· School Accountability Report Card (SARC) will be submitted according to formats and dates required by the State. The (SARC) will be submitted to MUSD by December 15 and available on the LCICS website

IV. Governance Structure of the School

The Lake County International Charter School is organized as a California Public Benefit Corporation pursuant to California law, and shall act as a separate entity that operates independently from MUSD.  The School will be governed in accordance with the provisions of this charter and the corporate bylaws adopted by the incorporators, and subsequently amended pursuant to the amendment process specified in the bylaws. Any conflict between the charter and the corporate bylaws shall be resolved in favor of the charter approved by MUSD.

An overriding goal of LCICS is to be a continuous learning organization that successfully involves employees, students, and community in teaching and learning. LCICS shall comply with the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, the Political Reform Act, and the Corporations Code as to its Charter Council, its Advisory Councils and Standing Advisory Committee. LCICS also acknowledges application of the Conflict of Interest Code, except that it shall not apply to the Director’s participation on the Charter Council as a non-voting member, nor shall it apply to the Director or a teacher’s participation on the Standing Advisory Committee.

Charter Council

The LCICS Charter Council is the governing body of the Lake County International Charter School and shall also serve as the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The Charter Council shall serve as the decision making body of the charter school. The LCICS Development Team Board of Directors will transition to the LCICS Charter Council following commencement of school.

The Officers of the Charter Council are the President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President and Secretary shall be parent representatives; the Treasurer shall be a parent representative or a Community representative. Following the election of the new Council members annually, officers shall be elected to their respective offices by the Charter Council.

The LCICS Charter Council will consist of 5-7 voting members and 2-3 non-voting members.  Of the voting members no less than three (3) and no more than five (5) shall be parents, (with a goal of three parents when there is full representation of all parties); Community Members shall be no less than one and no more than two (2), with a goal of two Community Members.

The MUSD Board of Trustees (MUSD BOT) shall be entitled to select a single representative to the Charter Council. LCICS may not restrict this choice (per EC 47604(b)).

The structure of the Charter Council may be expanded or revised by a two-thirds majority of a full Council. A change in the structure of the Charter Council shall be subject to the approval of the MUSD BOT.

Non-voting members include the school Director, and a LCICS student representative elected by the student body. All LCICS elected Charter Council members must be committed to the philosophy and policies of LCICS.

The following charts illustrate the composition of the Board throughout the term of the charter:

· Until September 30, 2005, the Development Team Board of the Charter School as appointed by the Incorporator shall serve as the Charter Council.

· On or about September 30, 2005, a Transition Charter Council shall be formed according to the following chart:

Representing	How Selected	Term	Limit on # of Terms[5]	Voting
Parent 1	Continuing Board Member from Original Development Team Board.	1 Year through June 30, 2006.	2	Yes
Parent 2	Continuing Board Member from Original Development Team Board	1 Year through June 30, 2006	2	Yes
Parent 3	Elected by Parent Council	2 Years through June 30, 2007	2	Yes
Community 1	Continuing Board Member from Original Development Team Board	1 Year through June 30, 2006	2	Yes
Community 2	A pool of candidates (2 or more) will be nominated by a committee made up of a representative from each Council: Teacher, Parent, and Charter Representative is selected and appointed by the Charter Council	2 Years through June 30, 2007	2	Yes
MUSD Appointment	Appointed by the MUSD Board	Determined by MUSD Board.	MUSD discretion.	MUSD discretion. Outlined annually in MOU.
Student	Elected by the students (grades 6 – 8)	1 Year through June 30, 2006	2	No
LCICS Director	By virtue of employment	For duration of employment	For duration of employment	No

· Ongoing Charter Council to be seated as needed in July 2006 and July 2007 as members

of the Transition Charter Council complete their term of office. The Ongoing Charter

Council shall be formed in accordance with the following chart:

Representing	How Selected	Term	Limit on Terms[6]	Voting
Parent 1	Elected by Parent Council.	2 Years July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008.	2	Yes
Parent 2	Elected by Parent Council.	2 Years July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008.	2	Yes
Parent 3	Elected by Parent Council.	2 Years July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008.	2	Yes
Parent 4	Elected by Parent Council.	2 Years July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009.	2	Yes
Parent 5	Elected by Parent Council.	2 Years July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009.	2	Yes
Community 1	Nominated and selected as above.	2 Years through June 30, 2008.	2	Yes
Community 2	Nominated and selected as above.	2 Years through June 30, 2009.	2	Yes
MUSD Appointment	Appointed by the MUSD Board.	Term to be determined by MUSD Board.	MUSD discretion.	MUSD discretion. Outlined annually in MOU.
Student	Elected by the students from grades 6 - 8.	1 Year from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.	2	No
LCICS Director	By virtue of employment.	For duration of employment.	For duration of employment.	No

The Charter Council is responsible for sustainability of the educational community including, but not limited to:

• Development and approval of the annual budget.
• Ongoing monitoring of budget including approval of expenditures.
• Review of annual fiscal and performance audit.
• Evaluation of school programs,
• Identification and recommendation of modifications to the school charter,
• Working closely with the Director, Parent Council, and Teachers in addressing program developments.
• Addressing legal matters.
• Participation in dispute resolution as necessary.
• Final appointment, ,assignment, discipline and dismissal of all staff.
• Selection, supervision, evaluation and termination of the School Director.
• Development and approval of school policies and procedures.
• Expulsion decisions per section VI (4) and applicable policies.
• Approval of the annual calendar and all schedules.
• Ensure compliance with the charter and MOU.

The Charter Council will meet at least monthly during the school year. All Charter Council meetings will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, as well as in compliance with Governance Code Section 87100 and Corporations Code Conflict of Interest provisions.

The Charter Council may initiate and carry out any program or activity that is not in conflict with or inconsistent with any law and which is not in conflict with the purposes for which charter schools are established or the terms of the charter herein. The Charter Council may execute any powers delegated to it by law, and shall discharge any duty imposed by law upon it and may delegate in writing to an employee of the School any of those duties. The Charter Council, however, retains ultimate responsibility over the performance of those powers or duties so delegated.

Members of the Charter Council will participate in training, at least annually, regarding qualities, attitudes, and procedures of effective school board members including legal compliance training, which shall include but will not be limited to the Brown Act.

A simple majority of the authorized number of voting Council Members shall constitute a quorum. Every action of the board may only be taken by a vote of a simple majority of the authorized number of voting council members, and shall constitute action taken. , except where otherwise noted in this charter or as required by law.

Charter Council Policies and Procedures:

The Development Team Board will approve and submit a set of essential policies and procedures including the Family Handbook and other policies (excluding the Employee Handbook) to the chartering authority by 60 days prior to the opening of school. A committee comprised Development Team Board members and the Director will draft policies and procedures. The Development Team Board will review, discuss, amend as necessary, and approve policies. Essential policies and procedures will include: Personnel, board and governance policies, student policies, curriculum and instruction, school safety including a disaster plan, facilities and operations, fiscal, volunteer, and sexual harassment policies. Following commencement of school operations, additional policies or changes to policies shall be developed by committees and approved by the Charter Council.

The Director shall be the chief administrative head and key educational leader of LCICS. The Director shall guide and manage all programs to meet the objectives of the school, including health and safety of all students and staff, educational achievement of students, legal compliance, attendance reporting, and insurance. The Director shall meet regularly, at least once per month, with all teachers to discuss the continuing evolution of the education of the program and the learning environment to best meet student needs. The Director is responsible for assuring curriculum development and modification, staff development and staff evaluation. The Director shall maintain student cumulative records and is responsible for the identification, and tracking of students with special needs, and compliance with any Independent Education Plans for such students. The Director is responsible for reporting student attendance and for student discipline. The Director shall comply with the Charter and assure school compliance with the Charter.

The Director is directly responsible to the Charter Council for all organization, administration, supervision, and evaluation and shall keep the Charter Council fully informed about all activities and needs of the school including legal updates, facilities issues, recommendations for calendars, and strategic planning. The Director shall liaise with the MUSD and is responsible for monitoring and developing the LCICS budget for Charter Council approval. The Director shall be responsible for recruitment of all staff and shall advertise open positions in accordance with the law. The Director shall screen all applicants for compliance with credentialing, and background checks. The Director will recommend to the Charter Council candidates for hiring, placement, discipline and dismissal. All recommendations for hire will follow input from a hiring committee. . Employee policies will be developed by representatives from the Development Team and the Director, and submitted to MUSD for review at least 90 days prior to commencement of school. Subsequent changes to these policies shall also be submitted to MUSD for review.

The Standing Advisory Committee, comprised of at least one Charter Council member (chosen by the Charter Council), at least 2 teacher representatives from the Teacher’s Council (chosen by the Teacher’s Council), and the Director, meet, confer, and form recommendations for consideration by the Charter Council on issues such as curriculum, instructional materials and textbooks, and employment. The Standing Advisory Committee shall meet on a monthly basis or more often if necessary. All meetings of the Standing Advisory Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act.

Parent Participation:

In addition to the parent representation on the Charter Council, LCICS shall encourage and facilitate the development of a parent council to act in a fund raising and advisory capacity to the Charter Council.

V. Human Resources

1. Qualifications of School Employees

LCICS will retain or employ administrative, instructional and support staff to carry out the programs, services, and activities, which are described in this charter as well as in LCICS Family and Employee handbooks. Employee policies and procedures will be developed and submitted to MUSD no later than 90 days prior to commencement of daily school operations and maintained in accordance with applicable state and federal law, and where applicable, the Education Code. The Charter Council will approve a job description for each staff position prior to hiring. The status of all LCICS employees will be governed by LCICS policies and procedures per LCICS Employee Handbook and other applicable policies or parameters established by LCICS. Employees will be hired year to year with the possibility of 2-year contracts following the first year of employment. All LCICS administrative, instructional and support staff will be employees or contractors of LCICS and not the District unless otherwise agreed upon by the District and LCICS.

Key positions include the Director, Assistant Director, and all teachers.

The qualifications of LCICS employees shall be sufficient to ensure the health and safety of the school's faculty, staff, and students. All employees and contractors must undergo background checks and finger printing (per requirements outlined in Education Code Sections 44237 and 45125.1), TB screening prior to employment.

All persons employed by LCICS shall have working knowledge of, demonstrated skill in, and a commitment to, the purpose, vision, mission, and principles outlined in the LCICS Charter as applicable to the subject matter, tasks, and skills of their respective positions.

LCICS will employ or retain teachers who are qualified in accordance with Education Code Section 47605(l), who hold appropriate California teaching certificates, permits, or other documents issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Appropriate documents will be maintained on file and subject to periodic inspection by MUSD. In accordance with Section 47605(l), flexibility will be given with regards to non-core, non-college preparatory courses, which LCICS has defined as “Specialties” (see p-12). LCICS will fully comply with the CDE adoption of NCLB requirements and definitions of “Highly Qualified” teachers (by 6/30/06) as well as any changes in legislation regarding core curriculum and Specialty teacher qualifications.

The school will employ 1 core teacher for every 20 students at 80% FTE for 80% of the school day. Specialty Instructors who are specialists in their field (“Highly Qualified” per NCLB/CDE requirements as outlined above) will be contracted on an hourly basis for the remaining 20% of the day. Structuring staff in this manner enables LCICS to provide specialized instruction in diverse areas of study such as the arts and sustainable agriculture. Core curriculum teachers with specialty qualifications may be employed at more than 80% FTE.

All teachers will collaborate regularly in the development of curriculum as well as strategies for student success. Core teachers will be responsible for overseeing students’ academic progress in core subject areas and for monitoring grading and matriculation decisions.

The Director will recommend to the Charter Council decisions on teacher hiring, placement, discipline, and dismissal. A hiring committee, appointed by the Charter Council, will provide input to the Director. Teachers will be evaluated annually by the Director. The purpose of this evaluation is to permit each teacher to reflect on her/his practice, celebrate growth and successes and allow the teacher with the assistance of the Director to plan for future professional growth. All parties are expected to work toward a common and agreed summary of conclusions.

The Charter Council will hire, evaluate, discipline, and terminate the Director. A hiring committee will be appointed by the Charter Council to provide input to the Charter Council on the selection of a Director.

The Charter Council will evaluate the School Director annually. The Director will evaluate the Assistant Director annually. The Director and Assistant Director will submit a professional development plan annually. The Director and Assistant Director will be expected to participate in on-site training as well as professional development opportunities provided by organizations such as the International Baccalaureate, the California Charter School Association, and LCICS Development Center as appropriate to their job description. This will ensure that the administration remains current on relevant changes in laws and operational requirements

Specific Qualifications:

The school will seek administrative and operational support staff that have demonstrated experience or expertise in the issues and work tasks required of them. Initially, the Director of LCICS will focus on Curriculum and Instruction and receive support from an Assistant Director who will focus on business, daily office duties and reporting as well as daily school community relations. Administrative positions will require credentials and/or experience applicable to the position. The Assistant Director shall meet most of the qualifications listed for the Director below. Additional training or assistance may be contracted from qualified individuals or agencies upon approval of the Charter Council.

The Director at LCICS should possess leadership abilities and a comprehensive educational vision that is consistent with the school's mission and educational program. In addition, the Director should possess skills in hiring and supervising teachers, technological and data-analysis experience, and if possible, business experience.

The Director shall have the following qualifications:

a) Able to articulate their own educational philosophy in relation to that of LCICS.

b) Knowledge of general learning theories and curriculum development, with an emphasis on Differentiated Instruction, Multiple Intelligences, Integrated Curriculum including the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.

c) Aware of current research in the field of Education and able to creatively apply best practices based on this research.

d) Understanding of and open to multiple perspectives within the school community.

e) An appreciation of multiple cultures and the needs of ELL students.

f) An understanding of leadership models and the difference between leading and managing.

g) Facilitates collaboration at every level within the school.

h) Articulates an active supervision model; encourages high staff performance and accountability.

i) Understanding of group dynamics and uses of regular group processes.

j) Enjoys challenges and is stimulated by the dynamics of a growing organization.

k) Liaison between the school, MUSD, and the community at large.

l) Is respectful of children and recognizes their individuality.

m) Possesses integrity in all his/her dealings with the school community; is respectful, thoughtful, decisive, and fair.

n) Is accessible to parents; empathetic and supportive of families.

o) Encourages an active partnership between teachers, children, parents, and community.

p) Understands of our responsibility as educators to children, their families, and the community.

q) Embraces environmentally sound practices and policies.

r) Has had classroom teaching experience and understands the challenges teachers face.

s) Uses effective conflict resolution skills as needed on a regular basis with children, staff, and parents.

t) Maintains high expectations, for self, staff, and students.

u) Is committed to internationalism and to personal lifelong learning.

The Director, Assistant Director, or certificated teacher will be on site at all times during school hours.

Teacher qualifications:

The school will seek teaching staff that have demonstrated experience and/or expertise in the issues and work tasks required of them. Core teaching positions will require credentials and/or proficiency and experience applicable to the position as specified above. Specialty instructors (non-core), must be specialists in their field as outlined above. Teachers must embrace the school’s philosophy as outlined in the LCICS charter and other LCICS literature. Teachers must demonstrate the ability to collaborate with others and participate in in-service as well as supplementary teacher training (IB). All teachers core and non-core, will be responsible for assessments, grading, and reporting academic progress in their area of instruction.

LCICS teachers shall:

a) Respect, nurture, and inspire students.

b) Hold an awareness of child-centered holistic approaches to education.

c) Possess knowledge of learning theories and curriculum development, with an emphasis on Differentiated Instruction, Multiple Intelligences, and Integrated Curriculum.

d) Remain sensitive to individual differences including gender differences and needs.

e) Be able to modify the curriculum and materials for all kinds of students .

f) Appreciate multiple perspectives, cultures, and the needs of ELL students.

g) Be able to articulate discipline philosophy and pro-active approaches to discipline (Positive Discipline methods).

h) Possess conflict resolution skills.

i) Be able to facilitate a democratic classroom.

j) Provide positive role model for students.

k) Preferably have two to three years teaching experience and/or previous IB training/teaching experience.

l) Embrace environmentally sound practices and policies.

m) Possess an ability to communicate with parents and ability to see parents as a resource.

m) Encourage an active partnership between teachers, children, parents, and community.

n) Understand their responsibility as educators to children, their families, and the community.

o) Meet deadlines and be well organized

p) Be able to reflect upon and modify teaching practices.

q) Be open to input and feedback regarding professional growth and performance;

r) Possess integrity in all his/her dealings with the school community; is respectful,

thoughtful, decisive, and fair.

s) Demonstrate flexibility, resourcefulness, and commitment to the success of the school and its

students.

Teachers will maintain a professional portfolio. Teachers will be evaluated on their performance.

Every teacher is expected to take advantage of extensive on-site training and professional development as well as to take advantage of professional growth opportunities provided by outside organizations such as the LCOE, International Baccalaureate Organization, California International Baccalaureate Organization, Read, Write and Type, universities, and colleges etc. The International Baccalaureate requires that every teacher attend workshops for professional development purposes.

2. Compensation and Benefits

LCICS will compensate its staff with salaries comparable to or higher than those offered by the MUSD. Employee’s years of service at LCICS will accrue for purposes of LCICS retirement systems. All LCICS certificated staff members are eligible to participate in the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), and non-certificated staff members are eligible to participate in a 403B fund (LCICS will contribute 50% on the employee contributed dollar up to 5% of employees salary) and Social Security in compliance with existing laws.

3. Employee Representation

LCICS shall be deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of the LCICS for the purposes of the Educational Employment Relations Act (Chapter 10.7 commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

4. Rights of School District Employees

No employee of the MUSD is required to work at LCICS. Any employee who so desires will be considered for employment through an open application process and, if hired, will become an employee of LCICS.

No employee of MUSD who leaves for employment at LCICS shall have an automatic right to return to the District. The right of return to MUSD schools, will be governed by the policies and procedures of the District and collective bargaining agreements and shall be solely controlled by the District in accordance therein.

5. Health and Safety

LCICS shall comply with the following health and safety policies:

Procedures For Background Checks

LCICS will comply with the provisions of Education Code Section 44237 and 45125.1 regarding the fingerprinting and background clearance of employees, contractors and volunteers prior to employment and/or any one-on-one contact with pupils of LCICS. The School Director shall monitor compliance with this policy and report to the Charter Council on a quarterly basis.

Role of Staff as Mandated Child Abuse Reporters

All non certificated and certificated staff will be mandated child abuse reporters and will follow all applicable reporting laws, the same policies and procedures used by schools within the MUSD.

Tuberculosis Testing

All staff at LCICS will comply with TB testing requirements prior to employment.

Immunizations

Charter School will adhere to all law related to legally required immunizations for entering students pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 120325-120375, and Title 17, California Code of Regulations Section 6000-6075.

Medication in School

LCICS will adhere to Education Code Section 49423 regarding administration of medication in school.

Vision/Hearing/Scoliosis

LCICS shall adhere to Education Code Section 49450 et. seq. as applicable to the grade levels served by the School.

LCICS will contract with qualified personnel to perform the following examinations as required by law. Parents or guardians of students will be notified of the rights of students pertaining to health examinations. Results of examinations will be kept confidential. Parents/guardians will receive written notification, referrals and/or additional information in the event physical problems are found as specified by law (EC 49452-49456; Code of Regulations, Title 17,2951).

• Students shall have their vision examined upon first enrollment in elementary school and every three years thereafter until the student has completed eighth grade. All students shall be tested for visual acuity. Color vision shall be tested once and only in male students.
• Students shall have their hearing tested by qualified personnel upon first entry into the California public School System and in Grades K, 2, 5, 8, 10.

Every female student in the seventh grade and every male student in the eighth grade shall be screened for scoliosis.

Emergency Preparedness

LCICS shall adhere to an Emergency Preparedness Handbook drafted specifically to the needs of each school site. This handbook shall include but not be limited to the following responses: fire, flood, earthquake, terrorist threats, hostage situations, and heart attacks.

Blood borne Pathogens

The School Director, or designee, shall meet state and federal standards for dealing with bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials in the workplace. The School Director, or designee, shall establish a written “Exposure Control Plan” designed to protect employees from possible infection due to contact with blood borne viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Whenever exposed to blood or other body fluids through injury or accident, students and staff should follow the latest medical protocol for disinfecting procedures.

Drug Free/Smoke Free Environment

LCICS shall maintain a drug and alcohol and smoke free environment.

LCICS will also review and consider adopting additional health, safety and risk management policies and procedures as adopted by the District. LCICS shall adopt procedures to implement the policy statements listed above prior to operation.

These policies will be incorporated as appropriate into the LCICS Family and Staff handbooks and reviewed on an ongoing basis as part of the LCICS staff development efforts and Charter Council policies. A copy of the school’s Safety Plan and Emergency Response Kit will be available for review in the Director’s office.

6. Dispute Resolution

a. Internal Disputes

Internal disputes include all disputes among and between students, staff, parents, volunteers, or advisors.  The LCICS philosophy advocates maintaining open lines of communication within the “school community” i.e. the parents, students, volunteers, staff, administration, and the LCICS Charter Council, with the intention of resolving all disputes in a timely fashion and in accordance with school policies which shall be outlined in the LCICS Family Handbook. All members of the school community are required to agree to work within these policies. In addition, it is the intention of LCICS to minimize the oversight burden on MUSD.

The dispute resolution process shall begin with the school’s Director. The Director shall meet with all parties involved in the dispute and will keep on file a written copy of any agreement reached. In the event that the dispute cannot be resolved by the Director in a timely manner, the dispute shall be referred to the Charter Council for resolution. If agreement is reached, this will be noted and recorded in the minutes of the board and a copy sent by U.S. mail to each party. In the event that agreement is not reached, the decision of the Charter Council by simple majority vote shall be final. All parties shall be notified in writing of the resolution by U.S. mail

The MUSD agrees not to intervene in any internal dispute without the consent of the LCICS Charter Council unless the MUSD has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of this charter or related laws or agreements has occurred.

b. Disputes Between the School and the MUSD

In order to maintain a courteous and professional working relationship between LCICS and MUSD and to prevent disputes through timely communication, the Director will act as liaison with the MUSD Superintendent or designee on all issues of potential concern to either party. Should a dispute arise, the staff of LCICS, the LCICS Charter Council, and MUSD agree to attempt to resolve all disputes regarding this charter according to the terms outlined in this section. Parties shall make every attempt to resolve the issues in good faith, cooperatively and informally.

The following provisions shall govern disputes between the MUSD (including the Board of Trustees) and LCICS relating to this Charter:

1. LCICS will be governed by the Charter Council as set out in Section IV of this charter.

2. In the event of an alleged breach of this charter, the Superintendent and Director shall put in writing the nature of the dispute and the evidence supporting it and send by facsimile to the other Party. If the allegation relates to an issue that could result in the revocation of the charter, this shall be specifically noted in the written notice. The Superintendent and Director will meet to informally resolve the dispute within 15 days of receipt of written notice. If agreement is reached, both parties shall sign and keep on file a record of the agreement reached.

3. If that meeting does not resolve the dispute, the Superintendent and Director shall select two members of their respective boards to meet jointly with the Superintendent and Director to seek an informal resolution. This joint meeting shall be held within 15 days of the initial meeting between the Superintendent and Director. A written description of the dispute and its resolution shall be drafted, signed by all parties and preserved in the school offices for future guidance.

4. In the event the dispute remains unresolved following this joint meeting, the Superintendent and the Director shall bring in a team of two members from each governing board to attempt to resolve the dispute.

5. Either party may choose to be represented by legal counsel at any point during this dispute resolution process.

6. This dispute resolution process shall not be interpreted to stall or supplant the process for charter revocation allowed under Education Code Section 47607.

VI. Student Admissions, Attendance and Suspension/Expulsion Policies

1. Student Admission Policies and Procedures

The Lake County International Charter School will be non-sectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, shall not charge tuition, and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

LCICS will reach out, recruit, and strive to enroll children of families of diverse, race, culture, economic, and educational backgrounds to promote a balanced and diverse student body reflective of the District and community. LCICS expects families to understand and support the school’s mission, vision, and educational philosophy.

Process Requirements

Families must fill out the Family Enrollment Form, which conforms with the law regarding non-discrimination, to be considered for enrollment in LCICS. The enrollment form will be submitted to MUSD within 60 days of approval of the Charter.

In order to attract informed applicants who are committed to the school program and philosophy, all parents who desire to enroll their child at LCICS will be required before the end of the enrollment period to attend a group orientation meeting and receive the student handbook, which will be developed by a committee of teachers, the Director and approved by the Development Team Board of Directors. Parents must commit to participate in the Lake County International educational community as outlined in the LCICS handbook. The admission process includes providing the following documentation: birth certificate, immunization record, and proof of address.

Enrollment and Lottery

Legal Requirements

· All pupils enrolled in LCICS must be California State residents.

· A child shall be admitted to the first grade during the first month of a school year if the child will have his or her sixth birthday on or before December 2^nd of that school year. The LCICS Charter Council may permit a child of proper age to be admitted to a class after the first school month of the school term for good cause. (Ed Code section 48010).

· LCICS will use the CA Ed Code 48000 (a,b) guidelines for Kindergarten Admissions.

Open Enrollment

Enrollment will be open to all students who wish to attend LCICS subject only to the School’s capacity and the legal requirements listed above. An open enrollment period to collect enrollment forms will be publicized and held each year. If there are more applicants than available at any grade level, a public random drawing with the exception of existing students of the School will be held to determine enrollment. During the public random drawing, enrollment forms will be drawn in the order of preference groupings as follows:

1. Founding Families – families that have contributed the equivalent of 100 volunteer hours (65 hrs for single parent households) to the LCICS Development Team efforts prior to the opening of the school. Founders’ children will constitute no more than 10% of the student body.

2. Children of LCICS staff.

3. Siblings of students currently enrolled in school

4. All other applicants.

In 2005, applications will be accepted through June 20. If there are more applications than slots available, a lottery will be drawn as described above and a waiting list established. If enrollment targets are not met by June 20, the enrollment process will continue until all school slots are filled. A lottery will be held to fill available spaces if there are more applicants than spaces available.

2. Non-Discrimination

LCICS will provide a welcoming, safe, and nurturing learning environment for students of all ethnic backgrounds. The LCICS student body will not only be reflective of the population residing within the territorial jurisdiction of MUSD, but also recognized as a school that honors and invites diversity.

• LCICS will strive to achieve racial and ethnic balance among its student population through outreach efforts to various ethnic populations in the community.
• Families will be invited to attend workshops and open house events that give them the opportunity to experience the active learning environment of the structured program of inquiry.
• LCICS is committed to developing promotional and informational materials as well as informational presentations in languages other than English in an effort to appeal to limited English proficient populations, and address concerns specific to that population
• Materials will be distributed in both Spanish and English to a broad variety of community groups and agencies that serve various racial, ethnic, and interest groups..
• LCICS will schedule outreach meetings in several locations in the district and county in order to reach prospective families.
• LCICS will provide informational materials to local realtors so that families of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds who are considering moving to the area are informed about a local international educational option that will emphasize multi-cultural integration and acceptance similar to that found in larger urban area schools.

3. Public School Attendance Alternatives

As per state law, the governing board of MUSD may not require any pupil enrolled in a MUSD school to attend a charter school. Students who opt not to attend LCICS may attend other MUSD schools in their attendance area, or pursue an inter-district transfer in accordance with existing enrollment policies of their district or county of residence. The parent or guardian of a student enrolled in LCICS will be informed that the students have no right to admission in any particular MUSD school as a consequence of enrollment in LCICS, except to the extent that such a right is extended by MUSD.

4. Suspension/Expulsion Procedures

The School acknowledges the responsibility of each student, parent, volunteer, faculty, staff and Director to contribute to the well being of the community by demonstrating responsibility and accountability for individual and group actions. It is the School’s goal to enhance the quality of relationships, the quality of learning, and the quality of the community through shared responsibility. Attached as Appendix III please find the procedures by which students can be suspended or expelled.

VII. Financial Planning Reporting and Accountability

1. Budgets

Please find budgets attached in Appendix IV

Budgets included:

3-year projection

Start up budget

Cash flow

2. Financial Reporting

LCICS will receive those funds to which it is entitled from the State. The annual budget for revenues and expenditures will be prepared and presented to the LCICS Charter Council for adoption consistent with the general timelines and requirements related to state school budgets in the State of California. The adopted budget must reflect annual budget priorities and be balanced. It must be adopted by the LCICS Charter Council and must accommodate any adjustments or revisions required as a result of the annual audit. The School Director, or Assistant Director under the supervision of the Director, shall be responsible for providing the MUSD with all reports and data necessary to meet County and State financial requirements.

The Director of LCICS, will prepare at the direction of the LCICS Charter Council and submit to the District and the County Superintendent of Schools in accordance with Education Code Section 47604.33:

· An annual budget of estimated revenues related to the above funding sources. This annual final budget will be submitted for approval, prior to June 15 for each fiscal year, beginning on June 15, 2005.

· On or before December 15 of each year, an interim financial report. This report shall reflect changes through October 31.

· On or before March 15 of each year, a second interim financial report. This report shall reflect changes through January 31.

· On or before September 15 of each year a final unaudited report for the full prior year.

General Financial Provisions:

The annual budget of LCICS shall be approved by the LCICS Charter Council and reviewed by the MUSD Chief Financial Officer, and staff, for the purposes of ensuring that the underlying revenue and expenditure assumptions are reasonable, the budget is balanced, and adequate reserves are provided for unexpected emergencies.

In addition, LCICS will provide to the MUSD Chief Financial Officer a monthly accounting of revenues and expenditures and bank reconciliation statements, as applicable.

Financial Impact from New Laws:

LCICS will maintain sufficient reserves in its account to successfully meet its financial obligations, in the event that newly passed legislation negatively impacts its revenue. LCICS assumes responsibility for modifying programs and services in response to new laws applicable to charter schools. LCICS will provide, at the request of the MUSD, information on funding and program changes resulting from such new laws.

3. Insurance

LCICS will acquire and finance property, general liability, worker’s compensation and other necessary insurances required for a school of our size through the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) JPA. Insurance estimates in the 3-year budget reflect current estimates provided to LCICS by the CCSA.

LCICS is a California non-profit public benefit corporation. As such Middletown Unified School District (MUSD) shall not be liable for the debts or obligations of the School pursuant to Education Code Section 47604 (c) which provides that “an authority that grants a charter to a charter school to be operated by, or as, a nonprofit benefit corporation, shall not be liable for the debts or obligations of LCICS or for claims arising from the performance of acts, errors, or omissions by charter school, if the authority has complied with all oversight responsibilities required by law.” LCICS will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the district for damages resulting from the acts of the school, as will be further detailed in a memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) between the parties.

4. Administrative Services

Lake County International Charter School is a non-profit California Public Benefit Corporation and, as such, is governed by a Board of Directors (Charter Council) comprised of between five (5) and seven (7) voting members.

LCICS anticipates that it may purchase some services from the District, specifically fiscal services, and special education services, and that these services and costs will be defined in an annual operational agreement, or memorandum of understanding, between the School and the District.

The District is required by Education Code Section 47604.32 to provide oversight. The School will pay the District for costs of supervisorial oversight at 1% of LCICS’s revenue in accordance with Education Code section 47613.

5. Facilities

LCICS in partnership with the PACK Center (Parents And Community for Kids Inc.- Middletown’s community center of 12 years) is in the process of working out details of a 10-year land lease in the area behind the South Lake County Fire Protection District (SLCFPD) building on Highway 175 in Middletown. The partnership fulfils both organizations’ need for space to operate their community-based programs. LCICS will occupy the site during school-hours, and PACK’s programs will occupy facilities after school. The site will be called the Middletown Arts and Community Center (MACC). Required procedures and studies are underway with the SLCFPD and the Lake County Planning and Building Offices.

The school facilities shall not comply with the Field Act as charter schools are exempt from this requirement. Facilities shall comply with required building code and zoning ordinances and regulations of Lake County. (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/qandasec3mar04.asp)

The School assumes full responsibility for all costs of leasing appropriate facilities. LCICS and MACC will share the cost of establishing an infrastructure on the site. The school does not anticipate having any material effect on the District’s facilities.

In the event that LCICS is not able to complete site preparation in accordance with the MOU, LCICS will attempt to temporarily locate at an alternate location(s) within or outside the School District but within the county in a suitable site pursuant to California Ed Code 47605 (a)(5). In such an event, MUSD as well as any other district this may effect, will be notified in advance. In the event site preparation is incomplete and LCICS is not able to locate alternate locations, LCICS will delay opening the school by one year.

LCICS is negotiating the possibility of a temporary lease in case of such delays with two locations on Bottle Rock Rd. on Cobb Mountain: The Old Red Schoolhouse and Pine Grove Lodge. Both sites are within the MUSD attendance area.

6. Transportation

LCICS will not provide transportation for its students or employees. Any Special Education transportation provisions as required by law and pursuant to an IEP will be outlined in the yearly MOU with MUSD. Transportation services for general education services may be contracted through the District on a fee basis in a separately negotiated agreement if requested by LCICS and agreed upon by the District.

7. Audits

LCICS Charter Council, after a recommendation by the Director, will select and contract with an independent auditor in the fall of each year for the purpose of conducting an independent annual audit of the preceding fiscal year of financial operation. The audit will determine whether the charter school complies with various expenditure laws and whether the charter school is operating on sound financial practices. The audit will be conducted in a manner that is consistent with all school accounting practices and specifically provides for a full accrual accounting. The audit shall be transmitted to the chartering entity, the State Controller, the Lake County Superintendent of schools, and the State Department of Education by December 15 of each year. The Charter Council will work with the Director to resolve any audit deficiencies or exceptions to the satisfaction of the District.

8. Closure Protocol

This Charter may be revoked by MUSD only in accordance with the provisions set forth in Education Code Section 47607, including providing a notice and opportunity to cure unless the District Board determines in writing that a severe and eminent threat to the health and safety of pupils exists. Supporting evidence will be included and sent by facsimile to LCICS.

In the event that LCICS closes by voluntary action of the Charter Council or pursuant to revocation the Charter Council will document the closure; notification will be sent to the District, parents, and employees within five (5) days. An audit will be conducted as soon as reasonably practical and any assets remaining after payment of all liabilities will be disposed of to a governmental entity or to another 501(c)3 by decision of the LCICS Charter Council. All liabilities will remain as liabilities to LCICS, which has been incorporated as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, and will not be transferred to any other entity (Ed Code 47604(c)). 

Upon closure of the School, all student records will be transferred to MUSD and/or the parents or guardians of the enrolled child.

VIII. IMPACT ON THE CHARTER AUTHORIZER

It is the intent of the LCICS Development Team to provide an additional complementary educational opportunity to residents of the MUSD and Lake County.

Facilities

LCICS does not anticipate that it will require facilities from MUSD. The Development Team is engaged in the development of an independent site in Middletown (see section VII, 5). The School assumes full responsibility for all costs of leasing appropriate facilities. The school does not anticipate having any material effect on the District’s facilities needs. Timelines for facilities will be agreed upon in the MOU.

Civil Liability

LCICS is a non-profit public benefit corporation. As such MUSD will not be liable for the debts or obligations of the School pursuant to Education Code Section 47604 (c) which provides that “an authority that grants a charter to a charter school to be operated by, or as, a nonprofit benefit corporation shall not be liable for the debts or obligations of LCICS or for claims arising from the performance of acts, errors, or omissions by LCICS”. As stated above, LCICS will purchase liability insurance and property insurance to protect the school’s assets, staff, and governing board members.

IX. Assurances

As the authorized representative of the applicant, I hereby certify that the information submitted in this application for a charter for Lake County International Charter School to be located at Graham St. Middletown, CA is true to the best of my knowledge and belief; I also certify that this application does not constitute the conversion of a private school to the status of a public charter school; and further I understand that if awarded a charter, the school:

1. Will meet all statewide standards and conduct the student assessments required, pursuant to Education Code §60605, and any other statewide standards authorized in statute, or student assessments applicable to students in non-charter public schools. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(c)(1)]

2. Will be deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of the charter school for the purposes of the Educational Employment Act (Chapter 10.7 (commencing with §3540) of Division 4 of Title 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code.[7] [Ref. California Education Code §47605(b)(5)(O)]

3. Will be nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(d)(1)]

4. Will not charge tuition. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(d)(1)]

5. Will admit all students who wish to attend the school, and who submit a timely application, unless the school receives a greater number of applications than there are spaces for students, in which case each applicant will be given equal chance of admission through a random lottery process. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(d)(2)(B)]

6. Will not discriminate against any student on the basis of ethnic background, national origin, gender, or disability. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(d)(1)]

7. Will adhere to all provisions of federal law relating to students with disabilities, including the IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, that are applicable to it. .

8. Will meet all requirements for employment set forth in applicable provisions of law, including, but not limited to credentials, as necessary. [Ref. Criteria for Review, §11967.5.1(f)(5)]

9. Will ensure that teachers in the school hold a Commission on Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools are required to hold. As allowed by statute, flexibility will be given to non-core, non-college preparatory teachers. [Ref. California Education Code §47605(l)]

10. Will at all times maintain all necessary and appropriate insurance coverage.

11. Will follow any and all other federal, state, and local laws and regulations that pertain to the applicant or the operation of the charter school.

12. Will maintain contemporaneous records documenting student attendance.

13. Will comply with all laws related to the minimum age of public school admissions.

11/15/04

________________________________________________________________

Authorized Representative’s Signature Date

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[1] The Acme foundation provides monetary assistance for veterinarian expenses for seriously ill dogs and cats belonging to the disabled and low-income seniors. 

[2] LCICS will work to become an International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) authorized school. Authorization will require the school to utilize IBO standards for curriculum and assessment, which meet or exceed California state standards, and are internationally accepted and moderated.

[3] WWW.ibo.org

[4] Who we are; Where we are in place and time; How we express ourselves; How the world works; How we organize ourselves; Sharing the planet. See Appendix V.

[5] Unless extended by a 2/3 vote of the full Council)

[6] Unless extended by a 2/3 vote of the full Council)

[7] In the case of any petition to establish a charter school that is approved by the State Board of Education, the charter school must be deemed the exclusive public school employer.