Charter Schools Office January Newsletter Visit our website

NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS! IN THIS ISSUE  2019-20 ACCESS for ELLs Data, District-Wide Surveys, APC Application Reminder, and Trauma Kit Distribution School Operations SIS Data Entry Reminder and Epicenter Updates UPCOMING CSO DEADLINES Calendar of Collections Reminder and Charter School Framework Survey RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS View the clickable resources and new opportunities below! January 21, 2021 Greetings Sector Leaders, As the first newsletter of 2021, we want to start by saying Happy New Year! We hope that each of you enjoyed the holidays and a much needed winter break, giving you a sense of rejuvenation as you set forth to tackle the second half of the school year. We also want to thank you all for submitting your Fiscal Year 2020 Audits! We’ve received audits from 82 charters bringing us to a 95% timely submission rate, which is an increase from last year (94%) and closer to our goal of having 100% of audits submitted on time. The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is now distributing meals from over 100 locations throughout the City. These locations will provide students and families with seven-day meal boxes which will include fresh fruits, every Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Ensure to direct your families to the City’s Food Distribution Sites list where they can view the new locations and other distribution-related updates. Similarly, we’ve linked below ‘safer at home’ guidance shared by the City of Philadelphia in our standing resources section. Please ensure to review their page to stay up to date with restrictions and COVID-19 related news. Please make sure to read below for important information on upcoming deadlines, events, and opportunities. And as always, we look forward to continuing our partnership with you. Sincerely, Christina Grant Chief of Charter Schools and Innovation

CSO UPDATES

Trauma Kit Distribution The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is offering charters the opportunity to pick up free trauma kits prepared by the City. The kits, which are designed to aid “Stop The Bleed” procedures, will include the following content: Massive Bleeding Sub Kits (SOF-T Tourniquets), Wound Care Sub Kits, Chest Injury Sub Kits, Caregiver Protection Sub Kits, Trauma Sheets, and a User Guide. Additionally, schools have the opportunity to take part in an active shooter training hosted by the SDP. The CSO will coordinate pick-up schedules with schools who express interest in receiving trauma kits, and will also organize a virtual meeting for schools to take part in an active shooter training. Interested schools should complete the form here. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the trauma kit content please contact Jasmine at [email protected]. APC Application Reminder The Apply Philly Charter (APC) application window is set to close on Monday, January 25, 2021. Other upcoming notable dates include: APC-held lotteries on Wednesday, February 10, 2021; application results shared with families via APC on Friday, February 12, 2021; and the deadline for families to accept seat offers, set for Friday, March 12, 2021. Please ensure to follow the standard process of reviewing application materials for validation. You can review APC’s shared ‘Reference Materials’ folder here as guidance for several processes. The folder contains various training videos, including preference verification and action items in reference to the lottery timeline. Please contact Haki Perry on behalf of APC at [email protected] with additional questions.

SY 2020-21 District-Wide Surveys The District-Wide Survey will be open between Monday, March 1, 2021 and Friday, April 16, 2021. The School District of Philadelphia’s (SDPs) District-Wide Survey team will email survey information and links at the open-date. As per the Calendar of Collections, please submit a list of teacher names and emails via Epicenter to ensure they receive their survey. SIS Data Entry Reminder Charter schools should ensure that their student information systems have updated special education information, no later than Friday, January 22, 2021. Beginning in February, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) will pay on actuals and the system will automatically adjust for missing information.

SY 2020-21 Epicenter Updates Epicenter has updated their system to make numerous operations processes more time efficient and user-friendly. Click here to learn more. Any questions regarding the updates should be directed to [email protected]. Additionally, you can now register for the February "Epicenter Office Hours” virtual meeting, set to take place on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 3:00 PM. These sessions allow users to receive new tips and take part in Q&A. To register, click here. If you missed January’s meeting, you can view a recording of the session here. Calendar of Collections Update: SY 2019-20 ACCESS for ELLs Data The CSO will be collecting ACCESS for English Language Learner's (ELLs) test data via Epicenter. Instructions and files are available in Epicenter and responses are due by Tuesday, February 2, 2021. We are requesting that schools complete the spreadsheet, which is based on school submissions from the Data Packet process, and provide scanned or PDF copies of individual score reports.

UPCOMING CSO DEADLINES

SY 2020-21 Calendar of Collections Various Dates Please refer to the following upcoming Calendar of Collections deadlines: Teacher Names & Emails: Monday, February 1, 2021 Current Year Approved Board Minutes - Quarter 2: Monday, February 1, 2021 SY 2019-20 ACCESS for ELLs Data: Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Charter School Framework Survey As a reminder, the CSO is continuing to explore modifications and enhancements to the Organization Compliance and Viability Domain of the Charter School Performance Framework as outlined in the Winter Solstice Convening deck. We strongly encourage and are seeking Board of Trustee and School Leadership feedback prior to finalizing changes. If you have not yet done so, please complete the survey linked here which should take no more than 10 minutes. The feedback we receive will inform timing, evidence sources, and potential supports that we provide to the sector connected to the potential updates. Please contact Roger at [email protected] with any questions.

CHARTER SCHOOL FEATURE

We know your school is doing great things and have some exceptional people leading the work! We would love to highlight your special events and celebrate your dedicated staff via our monthly newsletter!

RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS

OPPORTUNITIES The CSO now includes resources accessible to schools at all times in our monthly newsletters. Click the links below to receive updates and other pertinent information. Board of Education Calendar of Collections Charter Sector In-Person Dates For SY 2020-21 City of Philadelphia’s “Safer at Home” guidelines Family Newsletter IU-26 Charter School Special Education Meeting (Upcoming: Tuesday, February 2nd) Sector Communication School FAQs Questions? Contact us at [email protected]

NewSchools Venture Fund Opportunity NewSchools is launching a funding opportunity worth $6 million in grants to educators and entrepreneurs who are building new, innovative public schools or working to diversify education leadership. Open webinar dates and application submission deadlines will occur in January and February 2021. Those interested can apply here. Learn more about NewSchools by reviewing their page, linked here. Philadelphia STEM Equity Collective The Philadelphia STEM Equity Collective (PSEC), a program within the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem, is an initiative aimed to increase the number of women as well as Black and Latinx Philadelphia students going into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by 2030. The objective is to foster equity, access and inclusion within STEM career pathways for Philadelphia students who are historically underrepresented within these occupations. To learn more about PSEC, click here. Read more about the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem here.

Catto Scholarship The Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) is excited to share with students its Octavius Catto Scholarship, which is an economic recovery strategy that ensures more equitable access to postsecondary degree programs. The Scholarship will provide for tuition, books and food; access to success coaches and advisors; and connection to existing resources, like housing supports and child care. More information about the Scholarship and requirements can be viewed here. CCP has designed a social media toolkit, in addition to an official Octavius Catto Scholarship flyer, which can be viewed here to support with outreach. Please contact Megan Lello with at [email protected] with any questions. PECO STEM Teaching Fellows Program Applications Accepted Through Friday, January 29, 2021 The PECO STEM Teaching Fellows Program, a free, intensive workshop series designed for Philadelphia K-8 public school teachers, is accepting applications until Friday, January 29, 2021. The (virtual) workshops will consist of seven after-school sessions that cover multiple topics related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning. They are set to take place from mid-February through early April. For registration details and more information, click here.

Click here to view the CSO December Newsletter. Our February newsletter will include pertinent deadlines and further updates. Please email Jasmine at [email protected] if you have feedback, questions, submissions, and/or if you would like to have your school or one of your scholars featured in an upcoming CSO newsletter.