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The instructional approach for Bancroft Elementary
School will address the immediate and urgent need to
dramatically improve academic proficiency for a
large percentage of students at Bancroft. All
staff will receive intensive training, beginning in
spring of 2012. The Learning Focused
Strategies instructional model will be supported by
an overarching Arts theme, the Academy for Arts
Exploration, which will shape project planning and
give focus to interdisciplinary planning.
The school will be led by the Principal, an
Assistant principal, and a Change Leader who will
work regularly with the school administration to
review and analyze student performance data, and
support school leaders in a variety of ways.
Students at Bancroft will also benefit from Extended
Learning Time, which will focus on creating a more
effective school day to better meet the academic,
social, and enrichment needs of Bancroft students.
The additional hour added to the day will provide
increased enrichment in social studies and science,
fine arts, and academic preparation and study
skills. Additional learning time will also be
offered in the form of a Summer Academy program.
This extended time in the summer will be designed to
support individual student needs and improve
academic retention over the summer months.
In addition, Bancroft Elementary School is one of
three Community Schools in the Christina School
District, a community-based partnership between
Christina, Children and Families First, and JP
Morgan Chase. This partnership will continue
to strengthen current initiatives and implement
additional strategies, including enhanced
interactions with local and regional arts
organizations.
Christina Board Approves
Transformation Model for Bancroft Elementary
Bancroft named a Partnership
Zone School by the DE Department of
Education in September
November 9, 2011:
The Christina Board of Education
approved the Transformation
Model for Bancroft Elementary
School at its regular monthly
meeting
November
8. Bancroft was named a
Partnership Zone school by the
Delaware Department of Education
in September.
The current principal, Harold
Ingram, began at Bancroft in
2010, and so is eligible to
remain in his leadership role at
Bancroft. A Partnership Zone
Design Team made up of parents,
staff, union representatives, a
Board liaison, and community
members has been working to
develop a plan for Bancroft that
meets Delaware Department of
Education requirements as well
as requirements mandated through
the Federal Race to the Top
Grant overseen by the U.S.
Department of Education.
Bancroft Elementary School is
the third Christina school to be
included in the Partnership
Zone. Stubbs Elementary School
and Glasgow High School were
designated Partnership Zone
schools in 2010.
Bancroft Elementary School are
Chosen as "Partnership Zone School"
September 2011: The Delaware Department
of
Education announced in September that
Bancroft
Elementary School has been
identified as a Partnership Zone
School and may face various
forms of
restructuring.
The District currently has two
additional schools that were
identified as Partnership Zone
Schools in 2010 -- Stubbs
Elementary School and Glasgow
High School.
Following this announcement, the
District will need to take a
series of steps. The first step
will be to engage the Bancroft
community and
develop a reform plan. Christina will
have three months to
gather feedback and develop the
plan. This plan must
propose one of four reform
models. The model that is chosen will
depend on many factors,
including community input. Christina
administration and Board of
Education will work closely with
the Christina Education
Association (CEA) and the
Delaware Department of Education
to review options.
The Partnership Zone is
a state/district approach that
combines the benefits of a
district with the operating
flexibilities most frequently
associated with charter schools.
As a school in the Partnership
Zone, Bancroft will
still be part of the Christina
School District, and may access
all district services.
To read a message from Christina
Superintendent Dr. Marcia Lyles,
and learn more about the
Partnership Zone, the reform
models, and ways Christina will
engage the Bancroft
school community, please
click here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS:
What does this mean for the District, and for
Bancroft
Elementary School?
- The first step will be to
prepare a plan for Bancroft
Elementary School to be submitted to the state.
- This plan must propose one
of four reform models for each
school. The model that is
chosen will depend on many
factors. Christina
administrators and Board of
Education will work with staff,
students, parents and community
members to review options.
- Bancroft will
still be part of the Christina
School District in the
Partnership Zone, and may access
all district services.
- This decision will not
impact the daily routines at
Bancroft Elementary School this year.
There will be no staff or
administrative changes this year
as a result of this decision.
Christina School District
administrators and the Christina
Board of Education will be
engaging staff, parents, and
community members to help
develop a plan for the 2012-2013
school year.
What
reform models can
Bancroft Elementary School select?
According to the Delaware
Department of Education, Partnership
Zone schools will benefit from
additional funding grants over four
years to carry out one of four
models for significantly improving
student performance at the school:
- Closure - District
closes the school and enrolls
the students who attend the
school into other schools.
- Restart - District
converts the school into a
public charter school pursuant
to the requirements of Chapter 5
of Title 14 of the Delaware
Code, or closes and reopens the
school under a charter school
operator, a charter management
organization or an education
management organization that has
been selected through a rigorous
review process.
- Transformation -
Schools make significant changes
in its governance and operation,
including making changes to
teacher evaluation consequences
and modifying instructional
time.
- Turnaround - Schools
make significant changes in
governance, staffing and
operation including removing at
least 50% of the current staff.
Additional Information |
