PACT School A Progressive Public School

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PACT SchoolA Progressive Public School

• www.PACTschool.net

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Tonights Discussion

• PACT Schools Model
• Innovative Curriculum
• Results
• Why Parents Matter
• Participation Requirements Funding
• Enrollment
• Next Steps and QA

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PACTs Vision

• PACT School is a public K-5 school that offers
• progressive education and a developmental
  curriculum. Through innovative teaching methods
  and a strong collaboration between teachers and
  parents, we emphasize growth of the whole child
  intellectually, socially, physically, and
  creatively. Within our diverse and caring
  community, we provide an environment that
  challenges each child to become
• A lifelong learner
• An independent thinker
• A respectful individual
• A responsible global citizen

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PACT School Overview
Innovative Teaching
Developmental Learning Model
Empowered Community

• Children learn to work cooperatively
• Parents teachers collaborate daily
• Multi-grade activities
• Diverse, tight-knit

• Students challenged based on readiness, not
  age/grade
• Whole Child approach integrates academic,
  social,emotional, physical development

• Experiential/ hands-on
• Small group work
• 3 x more field trips, curriculum integrated
• Accommodates diverse learning styles

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Innovative Curriculum

• Extraordinary Teachers
• Highest teacher/adult-to-student ratio in
  district
• Classrooms often multi-age in K-3
• Curriculum meets and exceeds state district
  requirements
• Latest research best practices baked into
  curriculum
• Students experience a unique, integrated
  curriculum
• Science Fair, Art Focus, gardening, cooking,
  field-trips, Kid Writing, literacy circles,
  music, and phys ed
• Parents initiate, innovate, and implement
  enrichment activities with teachers

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Innovative CurriculumExamples
Arts Focus
Arts Focus
Class Gardens
Kid Writing
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Arts Focus

• Intensive art curriculum
• Classes are multi age K-5
• Twelve 3-hour sessions for 36 total hours of
  education in
• Drawing painting
• 3-D sculpture
• Paper arts
• Clay
• Textiles
• Children experience each medium, create art
  pieces, and study famous artists and art history
  in each area
• Designed, developed and taught by parents
• Winner of 2006 Mountain View Mayors Award

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Kid Writing

• Daily journal writing
• Kids write at their own developmental level
• Adult underwrites the "kid writing"
• Makes writing fun, progressive, experiential,
  creative
• Innovative approach only possible with high
  teacherstudent ratio

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Garden

• Over 2000 sq. feet of raised garden beds
• Curriculum varies by class, but includes
• Composting
• Soil analysis
• Flower and vegetable life cycles
• Planting, harvesting
• cooking projects
• Created and maintained by parents children
• Funded annually by PACT budget

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So What About The Test Scores?

• PACT is consistently near the top of the
  District!
• 2007 API Score 827
• 3 after Huff and Bubb
• But-- test scores only measure one dimension of
  the whole childs success
• Teaching to the test is a real risk
• Whole child objectives are less measurable
• Leadership
• Creativity
• Independent problem solving
• Empathy
• Confidence

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Why Parents Matter!

• Parents
• are essential in achieving PACTs goals
• make small-group learning possible
• enrich the curriculum with talents, expertise
• provide students with individual attention
• provide transportation and chaperone
• support the teachers in classroom tasks so
  teachers can focus on teaching
• make PACT more than a school a community

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Participation Requirements
Weekly Requirement 2 hours in classroom
Monthly (or less) Attend evening meeting Perform
1 classroom task
Yearly Requirements Serve on one committee Go on
3 field trips
One time only Attend 9 hr. parent ed
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How is PACT Funded?

• Annual parent donation constitutes the bulk of
  fundraising (75 of total) for PACT expenses
• Requested donation amount is 200 per child
• This donation is tax deductible and payment
  methods are flexible
• Ask your employer about company match

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PACT Enrollment Procedures

• IF you are IN-District
• Turn in registration materials at District
  Office Feb. 2-Feb. 28
• If Castro is NOT your neighborhood school, you
  must also fill out an intra-district transfer
  form!
• In both cases, PLEASE make sure that the
  District Office understands your choice of PACT
• Check box for PACT on cover sheet of your
  packet
• Selection method switching to Lottery (details
  pending)
• Waitlist admissions through Summer/Fall
• IF you are OUT of District
• First, go to your home district and obtain a
  release
• Second, go to Mountain View-Whisman District
  Office Feb. 2 (EARLIER IS BETTER- priority
  order)
• Space-available basis

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For More Information

• Mingle with Teachers Parents tonight
• Sign up for the FuturePACT YahooGroup
• www.PACTSchool.net
• MVWSD District Office [phone]
• Additional Events
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• PACT Tours
• 12/11 9-10am (Arts Focus), 12/16 1-2pm, 1/8
  830-930am (Spanish and English), 1/22
  9-10am, 2/9 1-2pm
• Meet in the front office, 505 Escuela Ave-- no
  RSVP necessary
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•  PACT Coffee Chats
• 12/3, 12/16, 1/12 7-9pm
• Meet at Peets, 1032 Castro St. Mountain View 

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The PACT School

• Unique public magnet school
• Developmental learning
• Innovative teaching curriculum
• Personal growth, academic success
• Strong, diverse, entrepreneurial community

You Have A Choice in Public Education! www.PACTsch
ool.net
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