It may be challenging to write a school proposal in 2 weeks, so says my wife.Brent Poirier Attorney at Law <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
- Original Message -
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Baha'i Discuss
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 6:59 PM
Subject: U.S. educators needed to assist with potential Baha'i-based public school
Dear Friends,
Jade has asked me to forward this, and requests that it be disseminated as widely as possible. Please forward it if you know anyone who may be interested.
All replies should be sent to her at [EMAIL PROTECTED].
Thanks
Becky
<<
Allah'u'Abha Dear Friends, (LSAs, please forward to all community members)
I am an educational leader who has been eager to eventually open a public/charter school based totally on Baha'i principles. I have written a charter school application and presented
it in different states, not Colorado. I have focused on multicultural education, have Colorado licenses to be principal or superintendent, and am bilingual in Spanish.
Several days ago, the Denver Public School system put out an RFP (request for proposal)
to convert a failing public school in Denver to a contract or charter school for grades PreK-8, and which will share a campus with Cole Middle School, which is now becoming a KIPP (Cole College Prep School). It presently has about 325 students, PreK-5, but can accommodate over 600. Mitchell is predominantly Hispanic (82%) and over 13% African Americans; 95% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch; and about 45%
are identified as English Language Learners. This school has the lowest test scores in
the entire state.
This is a perfect opportunity for Baha'is to take over a public school and turn it around with our wonderful principles.
The deadline for this proposal is MARCH 18, 2005. There is almost no time to think about this for long. NOW is the time for individual initiative and be willing to cooperate in any way you can.
I propose a school that follows Baha'i principles completely, a multicultural community
center that supports the students and the parents, one that is bilingual for all students, or
as close to that as possible, which teaches the spiritual principles of all world religions as part of the social studies curriculum, which is allowed, that promotes unity and a sense of world citizenship and leadership locally and globally, which totally integrates--in effect, not just in principle--the arts and technology , by teaching these subjects daily and within projects such as TV and video production to improve verbal skills as well as technology abilities; that promotes alternative types of physical education including meditation and Tai Chi, proven to improve academic performance. I would also consider using the Montessori method in the early childhood phase (PreK-2) and perhaps the International Baccalaureate curriculum, which is compatible, in grades 3-8. IN short, it would become an academy of rigor, while focused on the three types of education clearly outlined by 'Abdu'l-Baha: material, human and spiritual.
INDIVIDUALS ARE NEEDED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS WHO WILL GIVE THE SCHOOL A LEGAL STRUCTURE AND GUIDANCE
LEGAL ADVISORS TO FORM A NON-PROFIT AND OTHERWISE ADVISE
FINANCIAL ADVISORS INCLUDING ACCOUNTANTS, MBA, ADMINISTRATORS, ETC. TO DIRECT THE ANNUAL BUDGET, (THIS IS STILL A PUBLIC SCHOOL SO STRICT GUIDELINES MUST BE ADHERED TO), ENVISION 3 & FIVE YEAR GROWTH PROJECTIONS, ETC.
TEACHERS AND TEACHER AIDS, (SOME OF WHOM MAY COME FROM SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES), ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE BILINGUAL, ALTHOUGH NO ALWAYS REQUIRED. THOSE WHO ARE ALSO WILLING TO BE TRAINED IN CORE CURRICULUM, MONTESSORI, ESL, IB AND OTHER APPROACHES AND METHODS, WITH STAFF DEVELOPMENT FUNDS.
OFFICE SUPPORT STAFF
MAINTAINANCE STAFF
CAFETERIA SUPPORT STAFF
BUILDING CONTRACTORS, DEVELOPERS, ARCHITECTS, ETC
PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, NURSES, AND OTHER SIMILAR SUPPORT STAFF
PUBLIC RELATIONS, DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC AND FUND RAISING SPECIALISTS
VOLUNTEERS IN READING WITH CHILDREN, SCHOOL BUILDING, AND MANY OTHER AREAS
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
GOAL: TO HAVE AS MANY BAHA'IS WORKING IN PAID AND VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AS POSSIBLE, TO HAVE A BAHA'I DOMINATED SCHOOL BOARD (CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNTO THEMSELVES) & ADMINISTRATION.
If you are in support of creating a Baha'i PUBLIC SCHOOL, please respond to this notice ASAP and indicate in what way you are willing to serve. I would like to call for a meeting within the next 10 days in order to meet the March 18 deadline for a proposal.
Kindest regards to all,
Jade Amick-Fulgenzi__ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:
