Odyssey Charter School Nurturing a lifelong love of learning
What s a Charter School? Public school Funded by taxpayer dollars No tuition Charter outlines mission & programming Authorized by either Dept of Ed or school district Must deliver academic performance OCS History Opened in September 2006 through Red Clay School District Reauthorized in September 2010 through DOE
Our Mission Lifelong learning Academic excellence World citizenship Independent and creative thinkers
Awards and Recognition Rated Superior School by the DE DOE for five consecutive years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Awarded Delaware Charter School Network s 2013 Award for Academic Excellence Distinguished Top Ten Innovative Schools by Parents Magazine, October 2012 Achieved Exceeds rating for Academic Performance in the 2012-2013 DE DOE Performance Framework for Charter Schools
Student Achievement 95 90 85 80 75 70 State Reading OCS Reading State Math OCS Math 65 60 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
A Closer Look Grade Three Reading: 65% Advanced (7 th of 107) Math: 42% Advanced (6 th of 107) Grade Four Reading: 66% Advanced (12 th of 107) Math: 42% Advanced (3 rd of 107) Grade Five Reading: 66% Advanced (11 th of 107) Math: 52% Advanced (14 th of 107)
School Demographics
The OCS Culture Personalized education Emphasis on individual student performance Multiple layers of support Enrichment Remediation
The OCS Culture Small school feel Student body Grade 6: 95 students Grade 7: 95 students Staff: student ratio Six sections per period 12-22 students/class Average of 15 students/class
The OCS Culture Safe, Nurturing Environment Minimal behavior issues Positive Behavior Support program Peer Support groups Academic focus
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Positive Behavior Support program sets a high bar for students Outstanding Leadership Win Respect Ozzie the Owl Live Responsibly Show Kindness Zumba Party
Middle School Programming Nine periods per day Two blocks of ELA per day One Exploratory per day Reading and Math Response to Intervention (RTI) Special Education services Academic Acceleration and Enrichment (ACE) DCAS Celebration, 2012-2013
Middle School Curriculum English Language Arts Holt McDougal Literature Essential Course of Study aligns to CCSS Balance of literary and informational texts Targeted passages for close, critical readings Emphasis on argumentative and informational writing Mathematics Pearson Connected Math Project 3 Fully aligned to CCSS Balance of conceptual understanding, procedural skill, and realworld applications Inquiry-based learning
Middle School Curriculum Science State of Delaware Recommended Curriculum Aligns fully to DE State Standards Science kits developed by DOE Interactive programming from Smithsonian, FOSS Social Studies State of Delaware Recommended Curriculum Aligns to DE State Standards Model Units sequence developed by DOE Cultural Connections in Greek context
Greek Programming Greek Instruction Greek Language and Greek Math daily Supported by Greek Ministry of Education Summer intensive program offered to students new to Greek language Two tiers of Greek Language and Greek Math offered to middle school students
Why Greek? Pioneered the Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES) model Not immersion Instruction through English-speaking Social Studies, Mathematics and Science Meaningful context Being bilingual [has] a profound effect on your brain improving cognitive skills. * OCS developed a K-12 Greek curriculum with the DE DOE and the Hellenic Link The American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) accepted it as the national standard. * Why Bilinguals Are Smarter by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New York Times, March 17, 2012 (handout)
Enrichment Activities Sports (Soccer, Basketball, Track) Chorus/Band Art Club Odyssey of the Mind Math Olympiad Computer Club Lego League Open Gym Nights Greek Summer Camp After Care Greek Summer Camp, 2013 Ellis Island Re-Enactment
OCS PTO Our Parent/Teacher Organization is an active supporter of our school and raises over $30, 000 a year through: annual 5K Run/Walk Paving the Way Campaign Spring Fling Silent Auction KidStuff Coupon Books Pretzel Tuesdays Pizza Fridays Spirit Wear sales Used Uniforms sales Family Fun Nights at Local Restaurants
Faculty & Administration Certified/Highly Qualified Teachers - 55% of our teachers hold Masters Degrees or higher Credentialed Greek Instructors Certified Reading Specialists & Special Ed Coordinators Academic Acceleration and Enrichment (ACE) Program Guidance Counselors Headmaster - Dr. Nick Manolakos Assistant Headmasters - Denise Parks & Jackie Pastis Curriculum Coordinator - Katie Standish Greek Supervisor - Demetra Rassia
Our Facilities 2013-2014 school year Grades K-2 Grades 3-6 Lower School Campus Upper School Campus (former St. Thomas) 3821 Lancaster Avenue 201 Bayard Avenue Wilmington, DE 19805 Wilmington, DE 19805 2014-2015 school year Grades K-4 Grades 5-7 Lower School Campus Upper School Campus (former St. Thomas) Barley Mill Plaza Building 20 201 Bayard Avenue Wilmington, DE 19805 Wilmington, DE 19805
Applications & Acceptances We use a true lottery with a random drawing Only preference is for siblings and children of staff Our waiting list is 635 students 6 th grade (78 students) 3 students not returning 29 are students undecided 20 new students invited for a total class size of 95 7 th grade (85 students) 79 are returning 6 are undecided 10 new students invited to attend for a total class size of 95
Contact Information Grades K-2 Grades 3-7 Lower School Campus Upper School Campus 3821 Lancaster Avenue 201 Bayard Avenue Phone: 302-994-6490 Phone: 302-655-5760 Our website: www.odysseycharterschooldel.org