OAKLAND CHARTER TOGETHER FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE

OCT Update District update Grants and Funding information Educational Resources Upcoming workshops NEXT Charter School Consortium Meeting is 2/28 4-5:30 at the OCT offices 1212 Broadway 4th floor Suite 400

OCT UPDATE We have visited almost every school and are developing the needs analysis and will contact schools about action plans and services offered. We presently are open to helping with anything that schools identify as needs that is within the grant proposal. Schools must identify their needs for us and ask for help, if they do not see their needs getting met.

The Charter League- We envision a charter school basketball league for middle schoolers that will take place this spring. Four or Five schools have expressed intention to field a boys team. Other schools are welcome, as well as girls teams. OCT will provide some financial assistance and will help arrange for games. We would like to have a season end tournament and celebration for participating schools at one of the larger sites to be sponsored by OCT.

Next school year we envision partnering with Sports4kids to provide a staff member who would do weekly on site support and training as well as league coordination. We envision the league expanding both in its activities (other physical ed and academic) and membership in the second year. Details will be worked out. Schools will be expected to make some contribution towards this position, though Sports4kids and OCT will pick up the majority.

Fair Share funding- As most of you know a number of important programs are not included in the categorical block grant thus charter schools are forced to do more with less. OCT would like to support schools in their applying for governmental funding. Right now we are focusing on Title I, but schools should identify other funds that they would like assistance applying for. Please reply if interested to cquan@arcassociates.org.

Staff recruitment- The CANEC state charter schools conference is coming up March 14-16 in San Francisco (see canec.org) we encourage all schools to send reps. There is a job fair on 3/13 and OCT is hosting a booth. If you anticipate openings for the fall you may give us your job description and/or show up at our booth to recruit and interview applicants. OCT will also host an Oakland happy hour on the 15th, details to be provided later.

OCT informational resources- OCT governance specialist Dirk Tillotson attended the CANEC special education presentation and also the Districts Pre-ID workshop for STAR testing, if you have questions about either of these events or their content feel free to contact me, 834-9455 xt 210. We also are developing a library of CSDC publications and will be developing a curricular library for schools to peruse.

Purchasing- Carol has negotiated to include charter schools in the Districts purchasing program. If you would like to be included in this or get more information contact Carol

Bookkeeping/Accounting services- Several of the sites have inquired about payroll/bookkeeping, etc. Bill Norgren, CEO of Clickbooks.com is willing to meet with those interested in learning more about the services they offer. He has been recommended by one charter school who he presently works with. Check out their website www.clickbooks.com. If you are interested in learning more their services and fees contact Carole at cquan@arcassociates.org. More information is at the end of this document.

Architect- OCT has hired an architect to assist schools in ADA compliance, renovations, and site feasibility studies. If you would like to use his services please contact me. We are looking for a broker to hire, please forward recommendations.

TGOF- Teaching Gems On Friday (TGOF) was a proposal to all Oakland Charter School teachers to come together to build collegiality across school sites through professional development on topics that are the priority of charter teachers. We proposed the date of February 22 from noon to 4pm for our first meeting to address the topics of "Effective Strategies for Teaching Reading" and of "Building Positive, Collaborative Classroom Climates". We have had limited response to this proposal, and those schools that have responded already have other activities scheduled for the 2/22/2 date.

Before scrubbing this date we want to check with you one more time on the following:

1) Are there are schools/teachers that have not responded who would like to attend on Feb. 22?

2) Is there is another date and time that would work better for you?

3) What other suggestions do you have for OCT to support your curricular/instructional program?

4) How can OCT help build collegiality, networking, and sharing of resources across charter school sites?

Your brief, but thoughtful, responses will help us serve you better. Please reply to Edmundo Norte at ENorte@arcassociates.org or call 510-834-9455, ext. 221.

UPCOMING IDEAS- Districtwide charter school open house, enrollment, recruitment fair. We would like to hold a charter fair that would allow parents and potential staff members to check us out as well as for us to demonstrate some of the good things we are doing, and to bring in more community partners. We are anticipating that this will take place in April. Some schools have expressed interest in holding on site open houses/community expos and OCT may help coordinate and provide seed money for those efforts as well. If you would like to put on a community expo/service day please contact me.

Individual charter school expositions and service days- OCT recognizes that it is through community partnerships that schools build sustainable programs. Thus we are willing to provide seed money and technical and logistical support for schools to hold open houses or community expositions. Ideally the school community would provide some type of community service (neighborhood pick up etc.) and invite community and local businesses and supporters to come to a community celebration that would highlight school accomplishments and also identify needs. This would be a good opportunity to solidify the school community and also to invite outsiders in and look for avenues of cooperation. If you are interested please contact me, Dirk, tillotson_law@hotmail.com.

OTHER UPDATES- SB740- Schools should have received the SB740 funding determination for non classroom based schools. Most of us wont need to fill this out, but you should definitely consult www.cde.ca.gov charter section whats new for a faq that explains it in more detail. If you have significant independent study students or internships, etc. you should pay close attention.

Revolving loan- Some defaults in this valuable resource have led to a tightening of restrictions. One school that projected a very reasonable 5% in fundraising was denied the loan. Contact us, CDE, CSDC, or CANEC if you are planning to apply so that we can get loan approval.

DISTRICT UPDATE

School Accountability reports- When we had our MOUs approved by the Board there was a verbal add on that requires us to report to the Board at some interim point throughout the year. This will be coming up. Charters should be working on developing ways to demonstrate the work they are doing. OCT can provide some assessments and/or assistance with preparation of reports. OCT also envisions creating a model charter school accountability template for use by any schools.

Lianes projects- The District is seeing what it can do to include our teachers in their professional development and will update us on progress. Liane is also developing a compliance timeline for business operations that would list due dates and requirements for compliant operation.

GRANT & FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES Culled from schoolgrants.org, public education newsletter, e-school news, and other sources

Team Mates for Schools Foundation http://www.touchemall.com/apply_for_grant/fund_prio.htm

five star hotel in Cordoba Team Mates for Schools Foundation accepts proposals for grants from nonprofit organizations that specialize in working with children. Grants from the Foundation support the on-going work of operating organizations that help needy children in the areas of health, education and inner-city services. (Please note that organizations that receive 65% or more of their funding from government sources are not typically funded.)Proposals must be postmarked by April 1, 2002. While there is no stated minimum or maximum for grant requests, most of the Foundation's grants range from $10,000 to $50,000.

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Youth in Action Award http://www.youthlink.org/us/awards.php

Youth in Action recognizes the contributions young people make in their communities and to our country. If your project is youth-initiated, isongoing or recently completed, has produced measurable results, and is not more than two years old, you are eligible to apply for recognition and an award of $1,000. Applications are submitted online and are due by March 31, 2002.

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The FundingFactory http://www.fundingfactory.com/bredirect.asp?etcepid=1247

The FundingFactory offers two ways that schools can earn leading edge technology, sports and recreation equipment (including playground equipment), or even cash by recycling empty printer cartridges and used cell phones. Schools collect empty printer cartridges and used cell phones and send them to The Funding Factory. Over 20% of US schools currently participate in the program that is "the recognized gold standard for innovative fundraising." You can enter FundingFactory's Spring Fever 2002 Contest if you send qualifying cartridges by March 31, 2002. Every cartridge returned toFundingFactory between January 9 and March 31 counts as one entry in the contest. A random drawing on April 5 will determine who wins a Hewlett Packard Jornada 548 Color Pocket PC, a Toshiba Satellite 1800-S204 laptop, and a Hewlett Packard DeskJet 995c printer. There's more! You can solicit area businesses to send their used cartridges and cell phones to FundingFactory with credit going to your organization. FundingFactory provides free collection boxes and pays all shipping costs to schools and businesses.

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IDEAS FOR PLAYGROUND FUNDING: Please visit http://www.schoolgrants.org/Links/playground_funding.htm for information on potential sources of funding. If you know of other resources, please let me know!

Get a copy of KaBOOM's "Getting Started Kit" at http://www.kaboom.org/resources/gsk.asp. Your organization may benefit from the linkages KaBOOM works to create between communities, corporations and foundations that have an interest in strengthening neighborhoods and providing safe places for children to play.

ERROR MSG American Legacy Foundation http://www.americanlegacy.org/section.asp?Location=content/programs/gran ts/Guidelines_for_Innovative_Grants.asp The American Legacy Foundation was established as part of the Master Settlement Agreement with tobacco companies. Its three goals are to: (1) reduce youth tobacco use; (2) reduce exposure to second-hand smoke among all ages and populations; and (3) increase successful quit rates among all ages and populations. Up to $2 million is available annually to fund unsolicited innovative grants and research demonstration projects that address at least one of these goals. Legacy prefers that applicants submit their proposals using their online application system for grant opportunities. Funding decisions are announced on an on-going basis.

Digi-Block, Inc., announces Spring 2002 math grant

Digi-Block, Inc., a leading developer of mathematics products for elementary schools, announced that it is accepting Digi-Block Math Grant applications. The $5,000 grants are designed to use the Digi-Block Learning System as part of curriculum development and implementation projects, staff development and training programs, after-school programs or co-curriculur activities, and innovative assessment techniques.

The grant winner will receive $5,000 of Digi-Block Learning System products and services. Applications should include the following elements and must be postmarked on or before March 1, 2002.

Deadline: March 1, 2002 http://www.digi-block.com/educators/grant/index.cfm

The George Lucas Educational Foundation OUR MISSION: The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s mission is to inspire educators and others interested in improving our public schools by telling the stories of innovative models of K-12 teaching and learning in the digital age. We serve this mission through the creation of media – from films, books and newsletters, to CD-ROMS and Web-based materials. http://glef.org/

"Drawing the Line on Gun Violence" The Alliance for Justice's Co/Motion Program is sponsoring a nationwide art contest to help inspire and encourage a new generation of activists against gun violence. The "Drawing the Line on Gun Violence" contest will ask students to create posters that communicate the impact of and solutions to gun violence in their communities. Students in grades 9-12 are invited to get their creative juices flowing--imagination is the only prerequisite. Winners receive up to $1,500 in prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a Congressional reception at the U.S. Capitol. Entries must be submitted and postmarked no later than February 28, 2002. http://www.comotionmakers.org/postercontest/

"History Channel Award" National History Day will present the History Channel Award for Outstanding Contribution in History Education. The $3,000 award will be given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to history education through service to the National History Day program. To be eligible, the individual must be a participant in the National History Day program and may be a teacher, media specialist, district or state History Day coordinator, judge or other volunteer. Application deadline: May 15, 2002. http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/

"Public Welfare Foundation" The Public Welfare Foundation is a non-governmental grant-making organization dedicated to supporting organizations that provide services to disadvantaged populations and work for lasting improvements in the delivery of services that meet basic human needs. Grants have been awarded in the areas of criminal justice, disadvantaged elderly and youth, environment, population, health, community and economic development, human rights and technology assistance. Most first-time grants fall between $25,000 and $50,000. Application deadline: Open. http://www.publicwelfare.org/first_time/first_time.asp

"Excellence in Teaching Cabinet Grant Program" Each year, Curriculum Associates sponsors the Excellence in Teaching Cabinet grant program in which three educators are chosen to receive a grant to help fund a creative teaching project for the coming school year. Projects can span from three months to a full school year and will reflect educators' abilities to make classrooms creative, quality learning environments through the use of a variety of teaching tools, including technology and print. Grants of $1,000 plus a $500 gift certificate for Curriculum Associates materials will be awarded. Proposals must be received by March 15, 2002. http://www.curriculumassociates.com/cabinet/#about

"Nonprofit Development Tools" Numerous tools for strategic planning, outsourcing services, planning and building a website, and research and evaluation are offered through the link below. http://www.publiceducation.org/resources/nonprofit.htm

"National Forum Invites Applications from State Leaders" The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform is inviting teams of state leaders to participate in its new Schools to Watch State Program. If selected, education leaders in three states will have the opportunity to participate in a unique professional learning opportunity as they are trained to identify and honor middle-grades schools that are on a solid trajectory toward reform. Application deadline: April 1, 2002. http://www.schoolstowatch.org/state.htm

"Bayer/National Science Foundation Awards" The Bayer/National Science Foundation Awards program will give teams of 6th-8th graders using science and technology to address community problems a chance to win a $25,000 grant. Ten finalist teams will be chosen for an expense paid weeklong learning program at Walt Disney World. Through this specially designed program, the finalist teams not only learn about science and technology but also gain knowledge of important techniques for communicating their idea to the media and the public. All ten teams have a chance to compete for the grant, regardless of how they place in the competition. The $25,000 award enables the winning team to further develop its project over the next year, making part or all of its idea a reality. Application deadline: January 31, 2002. http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/bayernsf/guides/start.htm

"New Leaders for New Schools" Become a New Leaders for New Schools (NLNS) Fellow and bring your vision and dreams for a school to fruition. In 2002, NLNS will award 40 paid Fellowships to extremely talented leaders who demonstrate strong leadership skills and possess a relentless drive to improve education for every child. NLNS is seeking candidates nationwide to fill Fellowship opportunities in Chicago, New York and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Application deadline: February 4, 2002. http://www.nlns.org/program_fellow.htm

"Salute to Educators" Salute to Educators is a new initiative from Families and Work Institute designed to recognize outstanding educators on the front lines of helping families and children cope with the realities of the post-September 11th world. Salute to Educators will extend the reach of education programs and provide effective tools and new strategies to help educators, students and families move forward. The initiative will also award small monetary "Stepping Into the Future" seed grants to educators for projects that promote appreciation of diversity and teach valuable lessons about coping, giving and enhancing community. Application deadline: May 1, 2002. http://salute.familiesandwork.org/AboutSITF.asp

"Earthwatch Education Awards Program" Since 1971, over 8,000 educators have participated on Earthwatch expeditions. Teachers, librarians, administrators, and high school students are encouraged to join Earthwatch expeditions this year and have the opportunity to work alongside leading scientists and take the experience back to the classroom. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and most decisions will be made during the spring. http://www.earthwatch.org/ed/fellowships.html

"Department of Education Forecast of Funding" This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for FY 2002 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal program offices --and include programs and competitions the Department has previously announced, as well as those it plans to announce at a later date. Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official application notice of the Department of Education. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/forecast.html

"eSchool News School Funding Center" Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and technology funding. http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/

"Philanthropy News Digest-K-12 Funding Opportunities" K-12 Funding opportunities with links to grantseeking for teachers, learning technology, and more. http://fdncenter.org/funders/

ERROR MSG "School Grants" A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and obtain special grants for a variety of projects. http://www.schoolgrants.org

"Technology Resources for Schools & Nonprofits" There are a number of people and companies that are available to assist nonprofits with their technical needs. So many, in fact, that it's hard to know who to choose. That's why TechSoup has gathered the best technology resources and compiled them into easy to navigate lists, separated by area of expertise and geographic location. Whether you are looking for a recycled hardware provider or a Web designer, you can find it here. http://www.techsoup.org/sub_resources.cfm

"Lucent Technologies Global Science Scholars Program" The Global Science Scholars Program was established by Lucent Technologies Foundation to encourage the world's youth to pursue careers in technology. The program recognizes and rewards students in the United States and 17 other countries and regions who have made significant achievements in math and science. Winners of the Global Science Scholars competition receive a one-time financial award of $5,000. In the United States the competition is open to all high school seniors. Application deadline: March 15, 2002. http://www.iie.org/pgms/lucent/usa/

* UPCOMING DEADLINE *

The Connections Program

The Connections Program equips upper elementary school classes with leading-edge technology, promotes collaborative learning projects between schools, provides teacher training on the technology, and culminates with teachers and selectstudents meeting for a fun-filled week in Calgary, Alberta. Connections strives to foster, in each participating student, a greater sense of self-understanding and of connection to family, fellow students and the global community.

Organization: The SMARTer Kids Foundation Deadline: February 28, 2002 http://www.smarterkids.org/connections

== for the latest Awards & Deadlines, visit the eSchool News Online "School Technology Funding Center" at http://www.eschoolnews.org/resources/funding/

TEACHER REOURCES from K-12 tech watch

Wednesday, January 9, 2002 This week's award winning resources are brought to you by SAFE SCHOOLS TODAY, helping you manage a safe and secure learning environment. With this monthly newsletter, you'll get all the information you need to maintain a safeguarded campus. For more information, please visit http://www.eschoolnews.com/publications/newsletters/sst/

Inside this issue...

I. "TECHS4SCHOOLS" OFFERS FREE ONLINE TECH SUPPORT FOR EDUCATORS http://www.techs4schools.com

II. HOMEROOM TEACHER IS HOME TO A WEALTH OF INFORMATION http://www.homeroomteacher.com

III. DESKTOP GUIDE HELPS YOU PLAN & EXECUTE A WINNING GRANT CAMPAIGN http://www.eschoolnews.com/publications/directories/stfd/

IV. "PIECES OF SCIENCE" ENGAGES STUDENTS WITH SCIENCE ARTIFACTS http://www.sln.org/pieces

---- I. "TECHS4SCHOOLS" OFFERS FREE ONLINE TECH SUPPORT FOR EDUCATORS--------

Techs4schools is a free, interactive mentoring program that connects information technology professionals with schools to create a web-based support structure that teachers and schools can turn to for technology support and advice. Tech4schools was created to offer volunteer technical assistance to all district- and school-based teachers, technology coordinators, and integration specialists. New features on the site include easier online communication between teams, streamlined navigation, and a user login for access to the online community.

For more information on this eSN pick of the month, visit: http://www.techs4schools.com

---- II. HOMEROOM TEACHER IS HOME TO A WEALTH OF INFORMATION --------

Designed by and for teacher and administrators, this newly redesigned site provides links to many education-related topics. Teachers in need of ideas can consult free online lesson plans or borrow images from a free database of educator clip art. Field trip and activity planners can check the weather where they're going with an interactive forecasting tool. The site also offers easy-to-find links to state departments of education and promotes professional discussion about current education-related issues through an online chat room and open teacher message board.

For more information, please visit: http://www.homeroomteacher.com

-------III. DESKTOP GUIDE HELPS YOU PLAN & EXECUTE A WINNING GRANT CAMPAIGN --------

ERROR MSG The SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY FUNDING DIRECTORY boasts a one-of-a-kind assemblage of over 500 public and private funding sources, making it one of the most powerful fundraising tools you'll ever own. In addition, you'll find hundreds of sources that you won't find anywhere else: government agencies, plus private, corporate, and community foundations all listed in one place.

To find out more, visit: http://www.eschoolnews.com/publications/directories/stfd/

----------IV. "PIECES OF SCIENCE" ENGAGES STUDENTS WITH SCIENCE ARTIFACTS ---------

Students and teachers can explore the history and evolution of science through "Pieces of Science", an online gallery of educational resources related to 16 science artifacts. This site from the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia and the Science Museum of London combines a number of significant scientific achievements into one virtual, interactive gallery. By selecting a topic and clicking on its link, teachers can receive historical information, visual aids, lesson plans for the classroom, and suggestions for student assignments.

Complete details can be found at: http://www.sln.org/pieces

* "EDSITEment" adds to its impressive collection of online resources *

http://edsitement.neh.gov

EDSITEment, the National Endowment for the Humanities' collection of the internet's best humanities resources for K-12 teachers, has grown from 105 to 131 peer-reviewed web sites, the agency recently announced. The web sites cover the fields of social studies, history, literature, foreign languages, art, and culture. "EDSITEment provides K-12 teachers with in-depth, accurate, ready-to-use internet materials on humanities topics," said NEH Chairman William Ferris. Every web site linked to EDSITEment has been selected by a panel of teachers and other educators on the basis of excellence in content, site design, and ease of use by teachers, Ferris explained. "It is truly a national resource for all teachers, students, and lifelong learners," he said. The site includes three special teaching aids, a monthly calendar of historical events with links to related content, a list of lesson plans by subject and developmental level, and a monthly feature highlighting lesson plans and web sites on a different theme each month. EDSITEment is administered by NEH in partnership with WorldCom Foundation, the Council of the Great City Schools, and the National Trust for the Humanities. Launched in October 1997 with links to 20 top humanities web sites, EDSITEment grew to 49 sites in 1998, 72 in 1999, 105 in 2000, and now 131 in 2001.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

Dear Dirk Tillotson,

The Charter Schools Development Center is pleased to offer the following workshops:

Charter-Granting Agencies: Roles and Responsibilities February 20, 2002- California State University Sacramento February 26, 2002 Hilton Airport Hotel Burbank

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (registration opens 8:30 a.m.)

A charter petition just arrived in my in-box. How can I tell if its a good charter? How exactly should we be overseeing our charter schools? We granted a charter five years ago. How do we decide whether or not to renew it? Will we be required to provide facilities to charter schools?

Developed by Californias charter school experts specifically for district and county office leadership, this comprehensive workshop addresses the most challenging issues of charter approval, oversight, and renewal, including: / Updates on changes to Californias charter school laws and regulations, including Proposition 39 (facilities), SB 740 (funding for non classroom-based schools), finance, special education, and accountability / Roles and responsibilities of charter-granting agencies in soliciting, reviewing, and approving charter petitions, including legal criteria, practical processes, and best practices from California and nationally / What laws do and do not apply to charter schools / Ongoing performance monitoring leading to the charter renewal process / Establishing positive working relationships regarding key financial, operational, instructional, and special education matters Presenters: Laurie Gardner and Eric Premack, Co-Directors, Charter Schools Development Center

Cost: $150 per person; $125 each for groups registering four or more. The fee includes all materials and lunch. Registration forms and checks should be postmarked no later than February 11, 2002. If you are unable to make this deadline and would still like to attend, please contact our office. For a registration form and more information about these and other CSDC workshops, please see our website at www.cacharterschools.org (under Workshops) or call (916) 278-6069.

Charter School Development Workshop (March 12, 2002, 9:30 am-5:00 pm) San Francisco An intensive, full-day workshop on the four stages of charter school development:

Presenters: Laurie Gardner and Eric Premack, Co-Directors, Charter Schools Development Center

Cost: $150 per person. The fee includes all materials and lunch. Registration forms and checks should be postmarked no later than February 21, 2002.

For a registration form and more information about these and other CSDC workshops, please see our website at www.cacharterschools.org (under Workshops) or call (916) 278-6069.

Charter School Accountability Workshop (March 13, 2002, 9:30 am-5:00 pm) San Francisco An intensive, full-day workshop on charter school accountability issues, including: