Mission
The mission of Robert M. Hughes Academy Charter Public School is to provide urban students in Springfield, Massachusetts, with the opportunity to achieve academic and personal excellence by offering an intellectually challenging curriculum and supportive environment. Students will graduate from the school with a deep respect for learning and the strength of character required to becoming future leaders in society.
Faithfulness to Charter
Objective 1
Students will learn and demonstrate good character development.
Measures
1. Each grade level of students will complete a community project once a year. Students will identify a community need and use critical thinking and real life applications to address the need.
2. Through this project all grade K- 2 students will have class discussions regarding different activities and character traits learnt. Students will also create collages displaying good character traits they learned about.
3. Grades 3-8 students will complete a writing piece sharing their experience and what they learned from doing the community project.
4. 4. At least 90% of students will earn a minimum of 80% or higher in the school’s Social Development class.
Objective 2
RMHACPS will prepare students for secondary school enrollment and college preparation.
Measures
1. Each year all grade 8 students will apply for admission to an independent secondary school or a high performing charter high school.
2. Each year 100% of students in grade 8 will take the SSAT and will score in the 50th percentile or better in the national percentile ranking.
Academic Program
Objective 3
All students at RMHACPS will become competent readers and effective writers of Standard American English.
Measures
1. RMHACPS will make AYP in ELA in the aggregate and for all subgroups in grades 3-8 for each year of 2009-2014
2. All students at RMHACPS in grades K-2 will score at or above the national percentile rank of 50th percentile on the IOWA test in Reading and Language.
3. 75% of RMHACPS students in grades 3-8 will take and pass the ELA CFA (Charter Formative Assessment – a mock MCAS) in the Proficient and Advanced category, replicating the measures used when taking the MCAS. This assessment will be done twice a year, in October and again in February. By February students will have improved and at least 75% will pass in the Proficient/Advanced category.
Objective 4
All students at RMHACPS will develop a broad base of understanding of analytical and descriptive mathematical computation and operations.
Measures
1. RMHACPS will make AYP in Math in the aggregate and for all subgroups in
grades 3-8 for each year of 2009-2014
2. All students at RMHACPS in grades K-2 will score at or above the national
percentile rank of 50th percentile on the IOWA test in Math.
3. 75% of RMHACPS students in grades 3-8 will take and pass the Math CFA
Charter Formative Assessment – a mock MCAS) in the Proficient and Advanced
category, replicating the measures used when taking the MCAS. This assessment
will be done twice a year, in October and again in February. By February students
will have improved and at least 75% will pass in the Proficient/Advanced category.
Objective 5
All students at RMHACPS will demonstrate mastery of content and skills in Social Studies.
Measures
1. All students at RMHACPS in grades 1-2 will score at or above the national percentile rank of 50th percentile on the IOWA test in Social Studies.
2. 75% of RMHACPS students in grades 3-8 will take and pass the Social Studies CFA (Charter Formative Assessment – a mock MCAS) in the Proficient and Advanced category, replicating the measures used when taking the MCAS. This assessment will be done twice a year, in October and again in February. By February students will have improved and at least 75% will pass in the Proficient/Advanced category.
Objective 6
All students at RMHACPS will demonstrate mastery of content and skills in Science.
Measures
1. At least 75% of all RMHACPS student in grades 5 and 8 will score in the proficient or advanced range on the Science MCAS Science.
2. All students at RMHACPS in grades 1-2 will score at or above the national percentile rank of 50th percentile on the IOWA test in Science.
3. 75% of RMHACPS students in grades 5 and 8 will take and pass the Science CFA (Charter Formative Assessment – a mock MCAS) in the Proficient and Advanced category, replicating the measures used when taking the MCAS. This assessment will be done twice a year, in October and again in February. By February students will have improved and at least 75% will pass in the Proficient/Advanced category.
Organizational Viability
Objective 7
RMHACPS will maintain Financial Stability.
Measures
1. RMHACPS board of trustees will manage a Contingency Fund of 1-3% of the total budget each year.
2. Yearly audits by an independent auditor will show an unqualified opinion and contain no material findings.
3. Each year, a minimum of at least 70% of budget expenditures will be dedicated to instruction (staff, materials, and services).
4. The school will maintain a balanced budget each year.
Objective 8
School administrators will monitor school strengths and weaknesses.
Measures
1. Each year school leaders will identify and target two school weaknesses. (i.e., 1 academic and 1 organizational) and create action plans to assess these weaknesses.
2. School leaders will work towards and/or accomplish at least 75% of the goals set in the action plan each year.
Objective 9
RMHACPS parents, students and community members will demonstrate support for the school and will be satisfied with the school and its performance.
Measures
1. Demonstrate high levels of market demand by maintaining a 95% student enrollment.
2. Maintain a waiting list equal to 30% of the school’s student enrollment.
3. At least 85% of the surveys from at least 75% of RMHACPS parents will state their satisfaction by agreeing with the statement that the school provides a challenging curriculum and a safe and supportive environment.
4. At least 4 to 5 non-school community members will volunteer their services at a school event at least once a year.