GREEN HILLS ACADEMY TOWARDS EXCELLENCE 2018-19 school year
THANK YOU! Throughout the year you have given feedback via emails, surveys, forums, and conversations. I hope you find the following changes accommodate the views we have heard throughout the year.
Strategic plan: Our four pillars of school improvement Educate students to achieve/master worldwide standards Implement & Monitor New Curriculum Quality teaching and learning Professional development Improving literacy levels Improved student tracking and intervention Improve the value of our bilingual program Alignment & leadership of bilingual section 50 / 50 Program teacher training French as an Additional Language- streaming, clear curriculum Provide a holistic education: cater to the whole child Counselor to student ratio Alignment of mission & vision Character Education Health Broad range of extracurricular activities and athletics Providing high quality, affordable international education Create Master Plan (5 Year Outlook) Define & Monitor budget and costs Define resource requirements
CURRICULUM: CURRENT Level Nursery Grades 1-4 Grades 6-8 Program British Early Years Curriculum American Common Core British Curriculum Grades 9-10 Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) (this is IGCSE) Grades 11-12 Nursery Grade 8: 50/50 Program - French International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) French National Program
CURRICULUM FOR THE ENGLISH STREAM The leadership team compared The American Common Core The British Curriculum The IB program (PYP and MYP) Cambridge International Examinations Factors considered The suitability for our student population Our teachers experience with each program The ability to get resources The cost Accompanying assessments that will allow us to compare our students with a global cohort
CURRICULUM Nursery will continue with the British Early Years Curriculum as they currently do Grades 1-10 will offer the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Grades 11 12 will continue to offer the IB Diploma and certificate The 50/50 program will continue to use the French National Program Why CIE? Achieves vertical alignment Will help prepare our students for the IGCSEs in Grade 10 It is internationally focused Has regional and online PD options Has assessment options (progression tests)
Age American system British System Cambridge/ IB 5-6 Kindergarten (our N3) Year 1 Year 1 6-7 Grade 1 Year 2 Year 2 7-8 Grade 2 Year 3 Year 3 8-9 Grade 3 Year 4 Year 4 9-10 Grade 4 Year 5 Year 5 10-11 Grade 5 Year 6 Year 6 11-12 Grade 6 Year 7 Secondary 1: Year 7 12-13 Grade 7 Year 8 Secondary 1: Year 8 13-14 Grade 8 Year 9 Secondary 1: Year 9 14-15 Grade 9 Year 10 Secondary 2: IGCSE 15-16 Grade 10 Year 11 Secondary 2: IGCSE 16-17 Grade 11 Year 12 IB Diploma Program 17-18 Grade 12 Year 13 IB Diploma Program Note: the GHA admission s office will use August 31 st as our cut off for DOB
GRADE 5: ORGANIZATIONALLY
SCHOOL HOURS Issues: Very long days for students Teachers have limited time for planning, marking and collaboration School has limited time for training and professional development We are above worldwide hours We have focused on quantity, not quality Need to promote student and teacher well-being
SCHOOL HOURS Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 7:30am-3:30pm Wednesday and Friday: 7:30am-12:50pm Training, collaboration, planning and marking will happen for staff members this afternoon Note: nursery will begin the school day at 7:30am (not 8:00am) and part time nursery students will finish at 12pm (not 12:30pm) Extra curricular activities will run from 3:45-4:45pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Academic support and enrichment program will run from 5:00pm 7:00pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
SCHOOL HOURS Current 1322 hours (school day) 1056 (primary) and 1092 (middle and high school) instructional hours Next year 1248 hours (school day) 1050 instructional hours For reference: average of instructional hours China: 680 Canada: 912 US: 916 1025 OECD countries: 838-951
CALENDAR 180 school days Open Houses will happen on Wednesday and Friday afternoons Holidays: 1 week in October, 3 weeks at Christmas, 1 week in February, 1 week in April For students: School starts September 3 rd and the last day is June 28 th T1: 60 days, T2: 59 days, T3: 61 days
SCHOOL FEES No tuition fee increase for nursery, primary and middle school A 5% increase on tuition for high school Stationary now treated as a separate fee and supplies will be delivered to homeroom teachers Nursery built into tuition Grades 1-6 60,000 RWF per year Grades 7-8 100,000 RWF per year Grades 9-10 110,00 RWF per year Grades 11-12 60,000 RWF per year New fee: technology fee 30,000 RWF per year for N3 60,000 RWF per year for Grades 1-12
TECHNOLOGY Each classroom will have a mounted projector with speakers from N3 - Grade12 Internet will be upgraded We will have new laptops More staff to manage the technology and teach the students digital literacy, computer skills and cyber-safety
DEPOSIT FOR NEXT YEAR 500,000 RWF per family, due by June 1 All families that pay this amount by the due date are guaranteed a space for next year After June 1 GHA will open enrollment to the public Some classes are especially full (listing current classes): N3 50/50; Grade 1; Grade 4; Grade 6 50/50; Grade 7 English; Grade 8 English; Grade 9
SUMMER SCHOOL Two options: Science and Sports Camp for Nursery Grade 8 Sports Camp for Grades 6-12
STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS Clear promotion and retention standards for High School Retention possibility at Primary and Middle School level Graduation requirements
PROMOTION & RETENTION Grade 9 &10: Average of all subjects: C and above: Promoted D: Deliberation (discussion with subject teachers to determine to be promoted on condition of ASEP support) E and below: Retention/repeat a class Grade 11 & 12: Average of all subjects 4 and above: Diploma 3: Deliberation 2 and below: Retention/repeat G 11
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Completion of CAS Completion of TOK school assessment Completion of Capstone project for Course students Completion of at least 4 years of a First Language Completion of at least 4 years of Mathematics Completion of at least 2 years of a foreign language Completion of at least 4 years of a Science Completion of at least 4 years of a Humanities Completion of at least 2 years of PE Attendance of at least 90% of study time Work Experience 1 Credit 1 Credit 1 Credit 4 Credits 4 Credits 2 Credits 4 Credits 4 Credits 1 Credit 1 Credit 1 Credit Total credits = 24 credit minimum for graduation
NURSERY Daycare is being phased out, and Tinytots will be expanded to cater to the demands of the school Creation of age appropriate learning centers for Tinytots and N1 that encourages play-based learning and exploration
CAPITAL PROJECTS
HIGH SCHOOL For Grades 9 and 10 English Language and English Literature will be 2 separate classes Students in High School will now take ICT, PE and Kinyarwanda We will offer French Literature in Grades 9 and 10 We will offer Global Perspective in Grades 9 and 10 (New IGCSE subject) Mandarin will be extended into Grade 9
EXTRA SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS General School counselor for social and emotional support High School Catherine will be in French leadership full time Flavia will act as a College and Career Counselor full time Middle School Health teacher for Middle School Primary Grades 1-2 will have Teacher Assistants Grades 3-4 will have 1 Teacher Assistant for every 2 classrooms PE class will be taught by trained PE teachers
ADVANCED ACCREDITATION Our visit, called an engagement review, will be May 5 th -10 th. We will be visited by a team of 8 people. They will meet with all stakeholders including, teachers, support staff, parents, students, the Board and various other departments. They will conduct at least 80 observations throughout the school. They will walk through all areas of the school (kitchen, buses, nurses station, library, etc.). They will review all documentation (policies, minutes of meetings, assessment data, personnel files, budget, etc.).