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1 | P a g e Mo s a i c a E d u c a t i o n

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Founded in 1997, Mosaica Education, Inc. has over 17 years of national and international experience
operating schools and training school leaders and educators, specifically including significant
experience in the conversion to charters of traditional public schools with demographics similar to
those of the York City Schools, including the most successful district-wide conversion to a charter
school system ever undertaken. The company currently operates 100 preschool, elementary, middle
and high school programs in the United States, the United Kingdom and India serving approximately
25,000 students. Our mission is to provide outstanding education to educationally underserved
communities. We have demonstrated our ability to provide an excellent environment to a wide range
of communities across the country, succeeding where others have fallen short. Mosaica has been
cited as an Education Innovator by the U.S. Department of Education; and, over the last decade has
been recognized four times by Inc. magazine and The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City as one of
the fastest growing companies serving urban communities, demonstrating that effective schools are a
major force for economic development.
Mosaica Education proposes operating all of the City of York schools in 2015-16 and subsequent
school years. Through our relationship with York, we will increase student achievement, restore pride
in the York schools, increase enrollment, and bring community partners together to better service the
families of York. We are excited to work with York because we believe our model of reculturing
schools combined with a strong academic program will encourage the community to rally around their
schools again.
Mosaica is uniquely qualified for this challenge through our work with the Muskegon Heights Public
School Academy System. Mosaica was the first organization to convert a traditional school district
into a charter school district. The Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System was established
in 2012 when the state-appointed Emergency Manager for the School District of the City of Muskegon
Heights effectively converted the troubled K-12 school district to a charter school system. Before the
conversion, the schools spread over four campuses had been plagued by discipline issues, violence
and low academic performance. Students regularly skipped school, ignored dress codes, were
insubordinate and fought. In the year before the takeover, police were summoned to the high school
an average of 1.2 times per day. Academically, the performance was even worse. [92%] of the high
school students and [46%] of middle school students were at least two years below grade level. The
high school had only graduated one college-ready student (as measured by the ACT exam) in seven
years.
Mosaica Education was awarded the charter management contract in July 2012. In less than two
months, Mosaica hired and trained a new staff, recruited and enrolled students, and brought all four
school facilities up to code. Projects as simple as student scheduling were challenging because
records were incomplete or missing. Unions and some local politicians who had opposed the
Emergency Managers plan urged a boycott. Nonetheless, Mosaica successfully opened the system on
September 4, 2012.
By the second semester of the turnaround, the school climate had changed dramatically. Attendance
was up, discipline problems were down. A student-led committee was established and created
guidelines for uniforms and an appropriate dress code. Staff regularly attended after-school

professional development sessions designed by Mosaica to improve school culture, school climate,
instructional quality and student achievement.
By the second year, the turnaround was evident. Average daily attendance was over 90% at each of
the schools (as opposed to 48% in the first semester of turnaround). All students were in uniform, and
suspensions, expulsions and disciplinary referrals were greatly reduced.
Academically, the turnaround was just as pronounced. Indeed, by then, Edgewood Elementary
Academy students outperformed their peers at all five surrounding, more affluent, schools on the
Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) for the first time in living memory. The average
student gained showed 1.42 years of academic growth in math and language arts, compared to less
than .5 years annual growth in their academic careers until that time.
In addition, students received swept the awards in the county-wide Art show, made it to the state
semi-finals in basketball and football, nurtured edible school gardens, and instituted a Robotics
program. The local community became engaged as well as private donations to support achievement,
technology and other projects flowed in. Tiger Pride was back!

The turnaround in Muskegon Heights was due to several key elements, including a rigorous academic
program, professional development centered on research-based instruction, and best-practice
development. All staff members were trained in Mosaicas proprietary positive behavior support
system. A personalized student achievement plan (PSAP) was developed for each student. Parental
involvement was encouraged, and there was collective buy-in from all stakeholders about the
expectations for academic achievement and behavior. We accomplished this by working with the
community to determine their needs and by keeping families, community members, and students
involved in the revitalization of their schools. Teachers and administrators received extensive
professional development and were 100% on board with our educational model including the Positive
Behavior Support program. While in the beginning we heard our share of naysayers, as the academic
improvements became evident and the schools became a sanctuary for learning, the negative voices
became fewer and fewer. Our experiences in Muskegon Heights have proven that high expectations,
layered with a rigorous and engaging academic program, skilled teachers and administrators, and an
involved community is a winning combination for all schools.

Mosaica is eager to work with the families and community members to advance the School District of
City of York (SDCY). Through a strong educational program with an embedded plan for a positive
school climate, York schools will be able to address parents concerns about academic performance
and safety. Our success in Muskegon Heights Public School System has taught us valuable lessons
about how initiate change in a community similar to York City.

In the proposal below, Mosaica will outline our educational model which offers students a rigorous
program of academic fundamentals coupled with the innovative Paragon curriculum that integrates a
hands-on chronological journey through the history of world culture and the arts into every students
learning. Paragon is a unique, interdisciplinary, student-centered world history and humanities
curriculum that combines the rigor of a classical education with the relevance required by
contemporary society. Paragon is engaging, discovery-based, and multi-cultural. It teaches rich
content through constructivist strategies and fulfills all state (and NCSS including the new C3 bridge to
Common Core) history, social studies, and civics and geography standards. It includes visual and

performing arts activities and learning and provides an exciting project-based forum in which students
apply their literacy and problem-solving skills. Through a hands-on approach, Paragon addresses
students multiple intelligences and individual learning styles. They gain historical information and
context and come to understand the expansive potential open to them as they identify early and with
clarity their individual strengths and sense of purpose.

MISSION & VISION
The mission of your organization should describe the purpose of your organizations schools, including
the students and community to be served, and the values to which you will adhere while achieving that
purpose. The vision of your organization should describe what success looks like for students and the
school community as a whole. These should serve as the foundation for the entire proposal. Ideas to
convey:
How will the mission and vision inform daily activities for students, teachers, and families?

The Mission of Mosaica Schools is to create generations of great problem solvers. Students will see
themselves as capable creative leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators who transform challenges into
opportunities. Their resilience and rapport skills, as well as their confidence and curiosity prepare
them to excel in new endeavors. Our students envision for themselves a lifetime of adventure and
learning that plays to their strengths and passions.

The Vision of Mosaica Schools is to foster in every child the ability to become a critical thinker.
Success for students and the school community as a whole includes:
An educational program that provides a strong academic foundation to enable all children to
pursue their post-secondary school goals.
Implementation of Paragon, an innovative, interdisciplinary world culture curriculum that
follows a student-centered, personalized approach to learning that combines constructivism
with core concepts.
A school environment that encourages creative thinking through experiential learning tied to
rich course content.
A school climate that engages family and community members in student projects and other
parent-involvement opportunities.
Values: Mosaica Education has four core values about teaching and learning:

EXCELLENCE: As educators, average gains are not sufficient. We must have Exponential Expectations
of EXCELLENCE for ourselves and our students. All students are provided with the tools to display
excellence in the classroom, their community, and in their lives. Our teachers are selected based on
their ability to encourage EXCELLENCE in their students through blended learning; research based
instructional strategies; and passionate delivery of all course content. Our schools implement the
Mosaica Model, which received AdvancEd Accreditation through a demonstration of EXCELLENCE.

TEAMWORK: Effective education in the 21
st
century is achieved through a partnership of all major
stakeholders in a childs life. Our schools strive to be the heart of the community, allowing for
collaboration between the school, families, and community members.

Spirit of EXPLORATION: Our students are encouraged to EXPLORE the world through their studies.
Through their participation in the Paragon curriculum, students are encouraged to become global
citizens by appreciating other cultures. Daily activities support student curiosity by allowing them to

EXPLORE elements of each unit thereby exposing them to content they would not receive in
traditional public education.


SECURITY: Our schools establish a safe and nurturing environment where students can learn without
fear. Through implementation of our Positive Behavior Support System, all students and families will
understand the expectations for behavior and feel respected and safe.


TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
The Board and CRO are committed to seeking transformational change for the students and
community in York. Proposals should include information such as:
Your organizations prior experience taking over and/or turning around underperforming school(s) and
specify which (if any) were geographic conversions with similar demographics
As summarized above, in July 2012, Mosaica Education was chosen to manage the conversion of the
Muskegon Heights Public Schools 100% of the student population (1200 students) are African-
American or Latino, and all are economically disadvantaged. Muskegon Heights School District was
ranked in the bottom 5% of all LEAs, and by some measures it was the lowest-performing district in
the State. Students performed well below state standards, with only a small percentage ranked
proficient on the state assessments.

Discipline issues, primarily at the middle and high school, in the fall of 2012 may not have been as
severe as they had been in prior years, but many students refused to attend class or were habitually
absent or tardy. Students ignored the dress code and fights were commonplace. During the first 90
days, the high school averaged one student fight per day and average daily attendance was only 48%.

Mosaica responded in multiple waysprimarily by training and upgrading the school staff and
bringing in effective school leaders to mentor and work closely with the leadership teams at the
schools. A student-led committee was established and charged with creating guidelines for uniforms
and an appropriate dress code. The staff attended after-school professional development sessions
specifically designed to improve school culture, school climate, instructional quality and student
achievement.

By the beginning of the second semester, the climate at the schools had changed dramatically.
Attendance was up and discipline problems were down. By the second year, the turnaround was
evident and the improvement in climate was even more noticeable. Average daily attendance was
over 90% at all four schools. All students wore uniforms, and suspensions, expulsions and disciplinary
referrals were greatly reduced. Two years ago, the high school was averaging more than one police
visit per day in 2013-14 there was not a single police call.

In terms of academic results, the turnaround was just as pronounced. Initial testing in 2012-13
showed that 92% of students were more than two grade levels behind in Reading. Math scores were
similar, with the average student having achieved less than six months academic growth for each year
they had been in school. By the end of the 2012-2013 school year, results had improved to the point
where the average student had stopped falling behind. At that time, the average growth rate was
more than one yearmore than double the historic average.


At Edgewood Elementary Academy, students outperformed their peers at five surrounding schools
some charter, others operated by neighboring school districts on the Michigan Educational
Assessment Program (MEAP).

School Reading Math
Edgewood 26% 35%
Marquette 22% 27%
Timberland 8% 29%
Moon 13% 30%
Nelson 4% 14%
Oakview 5% 31%

The percentage of Edgewood Elementary Academy students showing improvement on the MEAP
Reading and Math assessments increased 33% compared to the percentage of students showing
improvement on the 2012 MEAP assessment. Likewise, the Muskegon Heights Middle School students
show a 24% increase in student growth on MEAP Reading and Math.

Performance Series Testing was also dramatic. The average total growth from Fall 2012 to Winter
2014 is as follows:

School Cohort Reading Math
Edgewood 155% 169%
Middle School 158% 232%
High School 184% 243%

Students won winning Art awards, and even athletics improved, making it to the state semi-finals in
basketball and football. Each school is endeavoring to enrich their academic programming, from edible
school gardens at the elementary grades to a FIRST Robotics program at the high school.

After visiting Muskegon Heights as part of a professional development program, Barute Kafele,
internationally-recognized education speaker and consultant, commented on Facebook, I just left
Edgewood Elementary in Muskegon Heights, MI under the leadership of their new principal . . . . The
instruction that I witnessed was phenomenal! It is no wonder then that the gains made on their state
standardized assessments in one year were so extraordinary. Thats what happens when you have
strong leaders in place. The Mosaica Charter School District is on the move.

Artwork created by elementary Muskegon Heights Public
School Academy students is currently on display at the
Muskegon Museum of Art. Exceptional student artwork and
recent student achievement data provide evidence of the
well-rounded educational experience offered, and the early
turn around success led by Mosaica Education in Muskegon
Heights.


Your organizations approach to education
Mosaica Education's approach to starting and revitalizing schools lies in its accredited model,
known as the Mosaica Pillars. These pillars are standard across Mosaica schoolsother aspects of
school operations vary school to school as Mosaica works to make customizations that best serve
the City of York community.

1. Student Achievement
Mosaicas students have achieved rates of educational
improvement substantially greater than they had
achieved prior to enrolling at Mosaica schools, and
better than achieved by students at surrounding
schools. Part of this success stems from continuous and
challenging instruction in core subjects that improves
student performance. Teachers instruct students in
reading including phonics for K-2, writing, mathematics,
science and social studies everyday using research-
based curricula and best teaching practices, including
teaching to the Multiple Intelligences a foundation
for recognizing and making the most of individual
students different abilities and talents.

2. Extended Learning Time
Mosaicas approach to improving student learning
includes extending the school day. Research shows that many students need additional time to
master academic skills and knowledge. The extended school day and school year enables our
students to graduate from High School with the equivalent of nearly four years more schooling
than other children.

3. Secure Environment
Mosaica provides emotionally and physically safe learning environments. We recognize that
effective instruction requires an orderly environment focused on learning and that schools have
an important role to play in supporting parents efforts to teach their children principles of
excellence. We also are committed to provide students with a sense of belonging and a feeling of
significance so that they feel safe to learn, to grow, and thrive.

4. Professional Development
Mosaica hires, trains and is committed to retaining star teachers and talented leaders in
educational management. Teachers are qualified, experienced individuals with a strong
commitment to instilling a love of learning in their students. Mosaica teachers consider
themselves to be life-long learners, who keep abreast of current research, tools and educational
strategies. To support this, Mosaica provides 15 20 days of professional development each year.

5. Community Support
Mosaica partners with the communityneighbors, cultural centers, universities, school districts
and local businessesand enlists their insight, professionalism, and commitment to providing
world-class education for all children. Eight times each year, the community is invited to Paragon
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The Pillars that Support the Portals

Night student performances illuminating the historical era studied in Paragon. These inspiring
nights quickly become a source of joy and pride in each school community.

6. Integrated Technology
Mosaica provides students with unprecedented access to computers, to the Internet and to other
technological tools that significantly enhance learning. Combining high tech learning tools with
rigorous training in the essential skills and applying those skills in a solid, sequential humanities -
based education enables Mosaica students to fill the urgent need in tomorrows workplace for
analytical employees with a command of computer literacy and broadly informed problem-solving
capacities.

7. Parent Involvement
Mosaica believes and worldwide studies concur that a close connection between home and school
is crucial to student performance. Mosaica compels parents to be actively engaged in their
childrens education. Because every child needs stability, continuity and a champion who believes
in his or her human potential, teachers conduct regular goal setting conferences with individual
children and their parents so that all cooperate to ensure the students success.

8. Paragon
The Paragon Curriculum is Mosaicas own integrated humanities and social studies curriculum.
Through content-rich, hands-on learning, Paragon looks to the past to prepare students for the
future, providing students with a solid understanding of history by exploring the literary, artistic,
mathematical, scientific, social, political, and philosophical ideas that have culminated in our
contemporary cultural climate.

By studying the great ideas of human genius that transcend time and place, students will cultivate
a multicultural perspective and global awareness. The program teaches students to work
collaboratively on complex questions relevant to their own experiences and features the latest
technology as a tool for inquiry and research.

Accreditation
Mosaica Education has been accredited since 2006 by AdvancEDthe global leader in advancing
education excellence through accreditation and school improvement for over one hundred years. In
2011, the AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Team singled out Mosaicas Education Model for
special commendations on six different attributes:
Passionate leadership, skill and expertise, which resulted in what AdvancED characterized as
"a highly successful education management company"
The Paragon curriculum and educational philosophy
An innovative operational culture that "values 'edupreneurship'...and innovation"
Acceptance of moral responsibility to students and staff for teaching and learning
The successful development of a scalable, sustainable model, as well as an organizational
capacity for continuous improvement
A demonstrated record of student achievement


Summary of fundamental features of your organizations educational model:
o Programs (e.g. curriculum, PD, afterschool, parent involvement)
o Principles (e.g. no excuses, individualized learning)
o Structures (e.g. blended learning, small learning communities)

Unique features of Mosaica schools include:
Rigorous pre-college preparatory curriculum which has been tested in the United States
and Internationally.
Strong arts education through the Paragon humanities and social studies curriculum
which immerses students in the exploration of great ideas and great thinkers across the
disciplines.
Integrated STEM curriculum chronicling the history of technology, science and
engineering, along with intensive math instruction (utilizing proven-effective curriculum, a
workshop approach and an integrated learning system) and project-based science
programs.
Extended school day by one hour and extended school year.
Personalized Student Achievement Plans (PSAPs) for every student.
A technology-rich environment with teachers fully trained to integrate technology as a
seamless tool for learning into every discipline. Blended learning instruction through
online assessments, course content, and materials.
Twenty percent of the science block is dedicated to hands-on STEM instruction fostering
ingenuity and resourcefulness in student design.
A range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities based on student interest, such as
sports teams, clubs, and a fully stocked Makers Fab Lab to support innovative student-
created projects.
Before and after-school programming.
Free after-school tutoring.
Hear what students and parents have to say about Paragon
http://www.youtube.com/user/MosaicaEd

In addition, all schools utilize English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science curricula that address
the Pennsylvania Common Core and when used with fidelity will show results. All schools will adopt
the acclaimed Paragon curriculum. Paragon is an interdisciplinary hands-on chronological journey
through the history of great ideas and great people in world culture. In Paragon and throughout the
day - teachers use a variety of research-based effective teaching and learning strategies techniques
including but not limited to blended learning and teaching to the Multiple Intelligences to provide a
student-centered, personalized approach to learning that increases academic achievement, cultivates
critical thinking and social skills, and equips students to become citizens of the world. All Mosaica
schools will also implement Paragon STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are critical to
student success and our Paragon STEM program highlights the historical development of technological
innovations, architecture and engineering feats from the era featured in students Paragon studies.
Students work collaboratively to design their own projects, selecting their materials and presenting
formally on their problem-solving strategies. This rigorous, relevant, and engaging STEM education
improves student achievement in all subjects and helps teach problem solving, critical thinking and
collaborative skills to all students. With STEM and Paragon programming providing a strong

foundation, teachers will tailor a program combining coursework and practical, hands-on experience
that provides all students with the tools needed to succeed in a 21
st
Century global economy.

As referenced in our Mission Statement, Mosaica strives to create generations of great problem
solvers. To make this happen, students must be active participants in their own education. Students
in York City Schools will be involved in every part of their education starting with the development and
monitoring of his or her Personalized Student Achievement Plan.

To empower students, we take a constructivist approach, viewing learners as the architects of their
own knowledge. Mosaicas Education Model was designed around the theory that students learn best
in an environment that employs a student-focused and hands-on approach to learning. Our teachers
support learning, creativity and innovation by encouraging students to use active techniques
(experiments, real-world problem solving) to create more knowledge and then to reflect on and talk
about what they are doing and how their understanding is changing. Teachers receive ongoing,
extensive professional development to ensure they have the skills necessary to carry out this model.
In all subject areas children will work collaboratively to determine the scope, materials, and strategy
for their hands-on projects connecting literature, math, and science to the humanities and social
sciences. Technology is integrated into every subject through digital assessments, online curriculum
and integrated learning systems.
Mechanisms by which these features will influence student success, citing research and data
from other schools where possible
All schools will employ the Pillars of the Mosaica Model. The Pillars include: Student Achievement,
Extended Learning Time, Integrated Technology, Safe and Secure Learning Environment, Paragon
Curriculum, Professional Development, Parent Involvement and Community Support. The schools will
have an instructional emphasis on six effective teaching strategies: Graphic Organizers, Personal
Connection Journals, Cooperative Learning, Socratic Discussion, Activating Prior Knowledge and Role
Play. Cooperative learning and Graphic Organizers are highlighted below.

Cooperative learning occurs as a result of interactions between members of a group (meaning two or
more individuals). Cooperative learning promotes all students high achievement through sharing
their strengths and helping each other to overcome their weaknesses. Roseth, Fang, Johnson &
Johnson (2006) concluded that under cooperative conditions, interpersonal relations have the
strongest influence on achievement, and this clearly points to the value of friendship in the
achievement equation. As they concluded, if you want to increase student academic achievement,
give each student a friend.

Graphic Organizers and Concept Maps are tools that help students to sort, organize, summarize,
retain and recall important information. Since most learners are visual, graphic organizers provide a
great alternative to print for a more conceptual, big picture. These tools also foster effective group
brainstorming techniques. The importance of concept mapping relates to its emphasis on
summarizing the main ideas in what is to be learnt. According to researchers, it does not seem to
matter who does the concept mapping (teacher, student, students in groups, Horton et al, 1993) but it
is important that students are involved, e.g. in contributing the terms used in the map.


Rigorous Morning Curriculum Devoted to Basics - According to the report Americas Challenge,
continuous and challenging instruction in core subjects improves student performance
1
. The report
indicates that that systematic and stimulating (rigorous) exposure to fundamental knowledge in core
subjects is associated with higher scores on knowledge-based tests for reading, writing, math, and
science. Teachers instruct students in reading (including phonics for K-2), writing, arithmetic and
science every day in the morning without exception.

Use of Technology - The national average student-to-computer ratio ranges from 8:1 in low-economic
districts to 5:1 in affluent districts; our schools have a target ratio of two or three students to one
multimedia computer. In addition, every teacher and administrative staff member is assigned a laptop
computer. All of the computers are networked and have Internet access. All schools will feature-rich
multimedia to supplement all facets of learning - Math, Science, Language Arts and the curriculum,
and infuse technology into our experiential activities. Schools will use the Compass Integrated
Learning System to supplement teacher instruction and track student progress in math and language
arts. Compass Learning aligns with state standards and national standardized tests.

Personalized Student Achievement Plans (PSAPs) provides a process for creating individual goals for
each student. Through a coordinated analysis of initial base-line test results, teacher assessments of
student learning style and current learning levels, parent input, student self-analysis, and any
requirements delineated in existing IEPs, staff at the schools design personalized learning plans for
every student. These plans become the basis for monitoring individual student achievement. As
students grow and master skills, the learning plans are modified to reflect increasing levels of
challenge or emphasize areas of weakness that require intensive focus. These plans allow the
leadership, teachers, parents, and the students to consistently document and reflect on learning
successes or on-going needs.

Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDPs) allows teachers to develop a professional
development plan that meets their level of experience and identifies a clear path for future growth.
The teachers work with their Head of School and Curriculum Specialists to establish clearly defined
and measurable goals for the year. All goals connect directly to Mosaicas overall mission and vision.
The plans are based on relevant data; the plans are monitored quarterly and adjustments will be made
as needed.
The Mosaica Model Works
Mosaica students consistently demonstrate educational improvement. Based on Scantron Performance
Series Gain Analysis, on average Mosaica students made 1.33 years of grown in Math and 1.24 years
of growth in Reading. Prior to enrolling at a Mosaica school, baseline statistics revealed the average
student made less than six months' growth for every year they attended school. This ongoing
improvement further reflects Mosaica's proven ability to reach and educate children from all walks of
life. While serving a broad range of student demographics, 75% of Mosaica students are economically
disadvantaged and 75% are minorities.

1
Americas Challenge: Accelerating Academic Achievement, National Assessment of Educational Progress, 1990a.

COLUMBUS PREPARATORY ACADEMY - Columbus, Ohio
Columbus Preparatory Academy (CPA) climbed from a struggling school in need of improvement to
being recognized by the Ohio Department of Education as an Ohio School of Excellence and the
highest ranking public school in the state for the 2012-13 academic year. CPA was rated "Excellent
with Distinction" three years in a row (2011, 2012, 2013), the highest rating awarded by the state. On
Scantron Performance Series during the 2012-13 school year, CPA showed 2.56 years growth in
Reading and 2.09 years growth in Mathematics. In 2012, 98% of students were proficient in Reading
on the state assessment and 99% were proficient in Mathematics. Of CPA's 677 students, 76% are
economically disadvantaged.
BANNING LEWIS RANCH ACADEMY - Colorado Springs, Colorado
Banning Lewis Ranch Academy was the proud recipient of the 2012 Governors Distinguished
Improvement Award and outperformed the local and state averages in 16 out of 20 categories on the
2013 state assessment. The Academy is an integral part of the community through partnerships with
local businesses, community leaders, and by providing a first class education to all students. The
school has an extensive waiting list every year and a parade of parents eager to volunteer at events
and in classrooms throughout the year. Over the years, parents and staff members have developed an
extensive extracurricular program primarily lead by volunteers that could rival any large school
district. In 2006, Mosaica and a local Colorado Springs developer worked together to create the
school's state of the art, environmentally friendly facility. BLRA is an integral part of the community
through strategic partnerships with local businesses and community leaders. The popular school
maintains an extensive waiting list as well as a parade of parents eager to volunteer at events and in
classrooms throughout the year. Parents and staff members have developed an extensive ex-
tracurricular program primarily led by volunteers and rivaling those of larger school districts.
FRAZIER PREPARATORY ACADEMY - Chicago, Illinois
Located in North Lawndale on the west side of Chicago, Frazier Prep is another example of a successful
geographic conversion charter managed by Mosaica Education. In 2012-13, six years after the Chicago
Public Schools first partnered with Mosaica to turn around this school, 90% of Frazier's students were
proficient on the state assessment in Reading and 89% were proficient in Mathematics. In 2012,
Frazier received the Illinois State Board of Education's Academic Improvement Award. In 2010-11,
Frazier was named to the State Honor Roll for significant increases over time. In 2009-2010, 70.2% of
Frazier students met or excelled on the Illinois Scholastic Achievement Test (ISAT) as compared to
56.4% in 2009. This 13.8% increase was the second largest percentage gain among all charter and
contract elementary schools in Chicago. In 2008-2009, one year after being restarted by Mosaica,
Frazier recorded a 10.5% increase in students meeting/exceeding proficiency standards on state ISAT
testing, placing it among the top three contract and charter schools in Chicago for academic
improvement. Frazier maintains full enrollment annually and essentially 100% of its students are
African-American, close to 90% are low-income, and fewer than half entered the school with the
ability to "meet/exceed" on the ISAT. 100% of 2013 2014 eighth grade students met the eligibility
requirements to take the placement exam for acceptance to high schools rated as highly
selective. Forty-two out of forty-seven eighth grade students were accepted to schools including the
esteemed Urban Preparatory Academy, Westinghouse, and Whitney-Young Magnet High School.
BIRNEY PREPARATORY ACADEMY - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Birney Prep is also a geographic conversion charter school. In 2011, Mosaica Education was chosen to
restart this troubled K-8 school on the north side of Philadelphia. In its first year, Birney Prep

showed 1.28 years growth in Reading and 1.56 years growth in Mathematics. That academic success
enabled Mosaica to take a school once avoided in the neighborhood and turn it into a school of choice
with a waiting list. Mosaica hired a strong and experienced administrator along with highly qualified
teachers and implemented a disciplinary policy in partnership with the School Advisory Councils that
dramatically improved the school climate. It further engaged the community and established a strong
Parent Teacher Organization while implementing a school-wide professional development plan and
Individualized Professional Development Plans for teachers.

GOALS & STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT EXPECTATIONS
What will be the goals for your organizations school(s) in York?
o These are general aims that could be academic, non-academic, or organizational and
should be have specific targets
o Goals must include targets at 1, 3, 5 years on Pennsylvanias School Performance Profile
(SPP) that, at a minimum, meet the targets included in Appendix B. A detailed breakout
of all the components of the SPP are available for each building upon request.
o Besides state assessments, what assessment tools will your school(s) use to ensure students are
making academic progress? How will they be used throughout the academic year? What is
your plan to communicate progress to the School Board?
o The goals may also include gateway measures (e.g. % of 9th graders accumulating enough
credits to graduate on time, % of 3rd graders w/ grade level reading, __% enrolled and/or
passing AP/IB courses)
o The goals may also include leading indicators (e.g. attendance, promotion, college
acceptance/persistence)
o The proposal should include information on how data for these goals will be collected, stored,
and reported
All Goals Will be Based on Data From The 2014-2015 Academic Year:
Mosaica Education will implement a program built on a strong foundation of continuous school
improvement. The program will empower students to take ownership of their learning through the
support of committed educators who will establish strong, sustainable relationships with all students.
Through the implementation of the Mosaica Model, the York City School District will improve the
average rating of the building academic performance score on the Pennsylvania School Performance
Profile from its current average rating of 42.05. The recruitment and training of highly qualified
teachers who receive on-going, job embedded professional development will ensure that students
receive high quality, engaging instruction every day. The implementation of an interactive
Personalized Student Achievement Plan will empower students to establish learning goals that
accelerate achievement. Implementation of school wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support,
CHAMPS, restorative justice, anti bullying, and Mosaicas Walking with Giants and the work of
Behavior Intervention Specialists will maintain a positive school culture for all school stakeholders.

Improve all building academic performance scores on the Pennsylvania School Performance
Profile
Core academic teachers will be Highly Qualified Increase percentage of gifted students in all
schools
Increase to or maintain at a 90% daily average attendance
Improve climate/culture by decreasing discipline referrals and suspensions
Increase parent involvement
Decrease special education referrals at the elementary, middle, and high school
Increase high school graduation rate Increase acceptance into post-secondary programs


2012-2013

Academic
Growth Math Reading Science Writing
% proficient
in grade 3
Reading
Davis 61.2 52 45 36 36 53
Devers 56.6 52 43 35 41 57
Ferguson 44.82 41 38 30 40 37
Goode 39.5 35 27 28 20 31
Jackson 49.4 42 41 40 24 65.31
McKinley 42.8 32 31 26 26 34
Lindberg

Penn H.S 42.7 38 51 15 N/A N/A

Building Academic Score
Year 1 Decrease the number of students not scoring proficient by 10%
Year 3 The school average score will be 60+ in academic rating
Year 5 The school average score will be 70+ in academic rating

% Proficient in Grade 3 Reading
Year 1 Increase the percentage of 3
rd
Grade students reading at grade level by 10%
rd
rd

2012-2013
Indicators of
Academic
Growth Math Reading Science Writing
Davis 92 95 60 58
Devers 75 75 55 55
Ferguson 50 53 50 55
Goode 50 50 50 50
Jackson 50 68 50 50
McKinley 50 63 50 58



Increase % of Students Meeting Academic Growth Expectations

Year 1 Schools scoring below 90% will increase students meeting academic growth expectations in
reading and math.
Year 3 On the average schools will meet the minimum academic growth target of 60% for reading
and math
Year 5 On the average schools will meet the minimum academic growth target of 70% for reading
and math

2012-2013
%
Keystone
Advanced Math Reading Science Writing
%
Gifted Dropout
Davis 17.11 13.6 4.81 0 0.8
Devers 21 13 12 0 1.3
Ferguson 15.3 10.73 5.37 0.87 1.16
Goode 11 3.28 4.2 0 0.7
Jackson 10 10 6.25 0 0.85
McKinley 8 5 6 0 0.5

% of PSAA / Keystone Advanced Students
Year 1 Increase student participation by 10% in reading and math

Graduation Rate Four Year Cohort
Year 5 Increase graduation rate by 6%

Assessment and Alignment with Curriculum and Instruction
A strong assessment plan is the cornerstone of any successful instructional program. Mosaica
implements numerous assessment tools to determine student educational needs and measure
improvement in performance over time.
Incoming student assessment - All new students coming into a Mosaica school are screened for
learning readiness. Each students prior performance results will be analyzed, and data from
ongoing assessments, annual tests, pre and post-testing and the other forms of assessment will be
logged in the students individual file and utilized to develop the students Personalized Student
Achievement Plan (PSAP). In addition, all entering students will also undergo skill testing using a
computer adaptive assessment and the Scantron Performance and Achievement Series results to
identify specific instructional targets for the state standards.
Ongoing assessment Once a student is enrolled and has received his/her PSAP, the student will
participate in a variety of performance assessments over to time to monitor their progress and

modify their academic program to keep them on track for academic success. These assessments
include:
o Computer-adaptive assessments: These quick assessments have the advantage of allowing
frequent and convenient monitoring of the academic achievement of individual students and
classes to identify areas for improved instruction across groups of students as well as at an
individual level.
o Scantron assessments: The Scantron Performance and Achievement Series are taken
quarterly by all students in grades 2-10. Baselines are established within the first three
months of the school year. Once a baseline has been established, performance is measured
quarterly and from the beginning to the end of each term.
o State-sponsored criterion referenced tests: These are Pennsylvania mandated tests, including
the Keystone exams, designed for gathering detailed information about how well a student
has performed on each of the educational goals of the curriculum.
o Authentic assessments: Portfolios document students work, display a command of skills and
content, and provide insight into the learning process over time. These include student work
samples along with observations and evaluations of student learning and performance by the
student, school staff, parents and peers as applicable.
o Performance-based assessments: These assessments require students to actively solve
problems and apply knowledge in production-driven learning activities such as science
experiments, math problems, dramatic and oral presentations, etc.

Culminating Project
Paragons Cross-Curricular components propel student achievement by engaging them in deep
learning and by fortifying a framework of understanding that gets stronger with each passing year in
our spiral design. Even in High School, Paragon brings out the creativity, ingenuity, and connectivity
across curricular areas. Cumulative Assessments are ambitious projects in each 5-week Paragon unit in
K-5 and in every 10-week Paragon Humanities quarter in Grades 6-10. These large-scale projects vary
widely in scope, teaching to the full spectrum of the Multiple Intelligences. They feature a rubric and
student page to clarify expectations, to stimulate creativity, and to set the bar high. The Paragon
Cumulative Assessments tie seamlessly to the Culminating Project for Pennsylvania secondary
students. The accredited Mosaica model features areas of concentration for high school students,
much like a magnet school. These areas of concentration create smaller learning communities for
collaboration and teambuilding. They also cultivate strong mastery of content and skills in high-
interest areas for global learning. Culminating Projects will typically be related to these magnet
concentrations in STEM/Making, in Arts/Filmmaking, and in Entrepreneurship/Business. In alignment
with the Pennsylvania requirements, the Culminating Project will serve as an opportunity for students
to showcase their talents and interests. We will guide them in creating compelling electronic
portfolios for college admissions, and will provide a global forum with other graduating Mosaica
seniors internationally to present their projects formally. We will also provide coaching and assistance
in entering stellar projects into film festivals, Maker Faires and regional, national and international
contests, such as Future Business Leaders. Our Culminating Projects for seniors will indeed test
students abilities to go beyond what is taught in a conventional high school curriculum. Successful
completion of Cumulative Assessments throughout Paragon and of the Culminating Project will endow
graduates with an assemblage of powerful learning experiences to serve them well in college, in their
careers, and in contributing to their communities for a lifetime.


The table below provides a summary of the assessments we plan to use to monitor student
performance, the frequency of testing, and the grade levels to be tested.

Assessment
Tool
Frequency Description
Grade
Levels
Tested
Computer
Adaptive
Assessments
Ongoing, weekly
and as needed
Computer (ILS) assessment. Determines
mastery of core subjects
K-12
Scantron
Performance
Ed Series
Quarterly A computer-adaptive test that lets teachers
quickly determine the proficiency level of
student on specific state standards.
K-12
Scantron
Achievement
Series
Quarters 1-3 A content-neutral, highly flexible testing
product that teachers use to develop and
administer online assessments.
K-12
State of PA
Assessments
Annually for
most grades.
State mandated criterion-referenced tests and
Keystone Exams
3-12
Performance-
based
assessments
Ongoing, as
needed
Includes science experiments, dramatic & oral
presentations, video productions, and research
projects.
K-12
DIBELS Ongoing, as
needed
Determines mastery of reading subjects,
ensures that students individual needs are
met.
K-2
Performance data from Scantron and the computer adaptive assessments are available instantly in the
online program, so they become the primary resource enabling teachers to modify their instruction to
insure any achievement gaps are covered. This assessment data is reviewed by grade level and course
content teacher teams and is placed quarterly in the context of the school improvement plan goals
and objectives. All key data is collected for each students Personalized Student Achievement Plan
(PSAP), which is reviewed three times per year with each student, his or her parent, and the
respective teacher. This review allows for an objective review of achievement and development of
strategies to improve achievement.


CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Please describe the instructional strategies your organization plans to employ and why theyre
well-suited to the York community

Each pillar of our educational approach stems from proven research and years of experience in
effective instructional and administrative practices. The instructional strategies have proven effective
in communities similar to the City of York. Mosaica believes a high quality education should be
available to all children and research has shown education is the single biggest predictor of income
and a childs ability to overcome the cycle of poverty.

Mosaica Schools create an environment where we meet each child where they are and then make an
individualized plan to accelerate their learning. Along with parents and students, teachers will
develop Personalized Student Achievement Plans (PSAP) for every child in our school. Our plans are
updated on a regular basis based on a variety of assessment tools. This plan allows all stakeholders to
understand the goals and the plan to achieve them. PSAPs support students of all academic levels and
help teachers to differentiate instruction.

In addition, as described previously, we will offer an extended day and year in order to provide
additional time to work through our schools rich course content. Our team will use a Response to
Intervention model to ensure each child having difficulty is not just assigned to special education, but
instead has a team that determines where the child is having problems and works to design a plan to
address those needs. We will have a comprehensive Positive Behavior Support Program to enable
students to learn in a proactive, calm and safe environment. Finally, we will utilize a parent liaison to
help pair families with the services they need in the community and to encourage parent involvement.

Essential Instructional Strategies

Differentiated Instruction: Differentiation is a teacher-driven effort to respond to variations among
learners. Teachers can differentiate instruction in at least four areas: content, process,
products/culminating projects, and learning environment. Our teachers are taught effective strategies
for successfully tailoring all of these areas to individual student needs, insuring that different learners
are all given the best opportunity to succeed.

There is much evidence showing that students are more successful academically if they are taught in
ways that match their readiness levels (e.g., Vygotsky, 1986), interests (e.g., Csikszentmihalyi, 1997)
and learning profiles (e.g., Sternberg, Torff, & Grigorenko, 1998). Also, differentiating instruction is a
key part of effective professional development. Expert teachers pay attention to their students'
varied learning needs (Danielson, 1996); to differentiate instruction, then, is to become a more
competent, creative, and professional educator.
2
Differentiated instruction will be a key component
of the professional development program for all teachers.

At the core of our model is the creation and implementation of a Personalized Student Achievement
Plan (PSAP) for each student. Every students PSAP is based on an analysis of individual strengths and
needs, and considers both academic factors and other factors relevant to the students situation.

2
All references from Tomlinson, C. (2001). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digests.

Developed quarterly by the teacher(s) and agreed to by both the student and parent or guardian, the
PSAP identifies specific goals, ensuring the student is appropriately challenged while fostering greater
parental involvement and commitment to the learning process.

Teaching to Multiple Intelligences: Mosaica recognizes different domains of ability, or
intelligences, as described by Dr. Howard Gardner.
3
Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences
provides a foundation for recognizing the different abilities and talents of students. This theory
acknowledges that while all students may not be verbally or mathematically gifted, children are likely
to have expertise in other areas, such as music, spatial relations, or interpersonal skills. The program
seeks to capitalize on childrens various skills, experiences, and talents to provide them with multiple
opportunities to learn and succeed.

Reciprocal Teaching: Using reciprocal instruction, a teacher introduces a concept and then reinforces
it by circling back to it in later lessons. Our model is predicated on the balance between rigorous core
courses in Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science and a Social Studies curriculum that applies basic
core skills in a highly engaging manner, providing students with content knowledge rich in cultural
literacy while reinforcing basic skills.

Extensive use of technology integrated throughout the curriculum and used to facilitate learning
and monitor individual progress: Our goals here are to a) ensure that students are versed in using
technology for communications, research, presentation, calculations and more and b) develop and
implement a clear vision for school-wide, data-driven culture in every school we serve, leading to the
effective use of data to drive school improvement.

Strong emphasis on reading, literacy and numeracy fundamentals, with rigorous emphasis on core
subjects every day. Data-driven instructional groups are used daily to differentiate learning though
small group workshop opportunities.

Emphasis on STEM and the arts to strengthen students problem-solving and critical-thinking skills,
and to incorporate the Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, 1983), thereby reaching more students in
more ways; STEM opportunities are key to motivating students through real-world application and
hands-on, team projects which build 21
st
century skills.

Positive behavior support model that recognizes and rewards students for doing the right thing; We
create a positive environment for learning through clear behavior standards, a motivating technology-
based incentive program, a Code of Conduct, and problem-solving strategies for maximizing
acceptable conduct and building a climate of respect.

Ensuring more time on task, including substantial, uninterrupted blocks of time devoted to core
subjects every day, and the option of extending the school day and/or school year.
Identify the contribution this charter school will make in assisting educationally and economically
disadvantaged and other students to succeed academically.

3
Gardner, H. The unschooled mind: how children think and how schools should teach (1991); Gardner, H., & Hatch, T., Multiple
intelligences go to school: Educational implications of the theory of multiple intelligences (1989) at 18(8), 4-9.

What curricular resources does your organization plan to use in York?
This could include textbooks, online content, a scope & sequence, and/or lesson plans
already developed

When working with an existing school or district, Mosaica completes a needs assessment of the
curriculum in place along with how it is currently being implemented. Often one English Language
Arts curriculum is not better than another, but rather professional development is needed to ensure it
is implemented with fidelity in order to demonstrate results. During the planning year, Mosaica
curriculum implementation experts will conduct onsite observations and interviews with teachers,
staff, students, administrators, and parents to evaluate the current curriculum.

Mosaica currently works with several companies to obtain online content which is used at all grade
levels. Students can also take courses through Mosaica Online, including remedial, AP, and credit
recovery courses. We will select additional instructional resources depending on the needs of the
schools.

Mosaica will however implement our Paragon curriculum which is discussed below. Paragon is the
backbone of our rigorous educational program and is fully aligned with the Pennsylvania Common
Core Standards. This model is used throughout the United States and Internationally. Students
participating in this program receive the equivalent of a private school education in a public school.
While the core educational program has been described, this section is perfect to highlight our unique
and innovative Paragon curriculum. The graphic below beautifully describes how the various key
elements of Paragon help to advance student achievement. Paragon is the critical element that
differentiates our school from other charter schools.


Description of the Core Curriculum: Grades K-8

Humanities/Social Sciences - Paragon is a unique, interdisciplinary, student-centered world history
curriculum that combines the rigor of a classical education with the relevance required by
contemporary society. The content-rich Paragon Curriculum is engaging, discovery-based, and multi-
cultural. Created by a liberal arts professor and based on survey courses at the college level, Paragon
has been developed by a team of expert Pre-K through Grade 12 educators, and has been classroom-
tested over 17 years and resoundingly approved in different demographics, ranging from urban,
suburban and rural charter school students, to multi-national elite private school students overseas to
4,000 non-native speakers of English in India licensing Paragon in partnership with Mosaica, whose
mastery of English has accelerated considerably since the programs inception two years ago. Paragon
teaches rich content through constructivist strategies and fulfills all state and NCSS social studies,
history, civics and geography standards, including the newly-articulated C3 (College, Career, and Civic
Readiness) bridge to Common Core ELA standards. This college preparatory program integrates the
visual and performing arts and provides an exciting project-based forum in which students apply their
literacy and problem-solving skills. With a hands-on, immersive learning approach akin to total
immersion language acquisition, Paragon engages individual learning styles and fortifies students
multiple intelligences. Students gain historical information and context, and come to understand the
expansive potential open to them if they can identify early and with clarity their individual strengths
and sense of purpose.

Paragon is divided into eight five-week units or Human Eras. Each unit immerses students in a
school-wide study of the same historical time period, with each grade focused on a unique essential
question, geographic location and focus of study. This structure enables Paragon to satisfy
Pennsylvania Common Core Standards by highlighting the areas that students are expected to master
at a specific grade level and aligning lesson plans with grade level content expectations. Paragon
provides continuity by maintaining the over-arching chronological order dictated by history, but
accommodates specific content standards with five-week units based on an essential question that
can address skills and content knowledge appropriate for different grade levels. Step-by-step lesson
plans are organized around these essential questions that have captivated thinkers for millennia and
that will continue to fascinate students, thereby connecting them with the content more profoundly,
more personally, and more purposefully.

Students learn connected networks of knowledge, skills, beliefs, and attitudes that they will find useful
both in and outside of school. The significance and meaningfulness of the content is emphasized both
in how it is presented to students, how it is developed through activities - both online and off, with
digital media and with visual and performing arts integration - and how it is authentically assessed.
Each Paragon Unit features a big project, a Cumulative Assessment that is broken down into partials
throughout the 5 weeks of study. In this manner, Paragon features a variety of ambitious authentic
assessments over the course of each year that span the range of the Multiple Intelligences and that
always feature a presentation element so that students become accustomed to articulating their
process and conclusions, and to speaking publicly.

Students are immediately engaged by the unique Paragon Curriculum. Each lesson is beautifully
storyboarded and students are invited into each new unit of content by Paragon Pages student-aged
guides from the time, place, and culture that students are about to virtually explore. Teachers can
immediately implement these rich lessons as multimedia resources, discussion prompts, effective

teaching strategies, and hands-on activities are seamlessly integrated in to the lesson storyboard. As
students experience and learn from Paragon, teachers too are experiencing integrated professional
development with each lesson. Paragon cultivates success. Topic maps for Paragon can be found in
Appendix 1.

English/Language Arts The English/Language Arts sequence combines content-rich classic and
multicultural literature in conjunction with explicit phonics instruction to develop reading skills in
grades K-2 when children are making the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. The
scope and sequence of basic reading involves mastery of "tool skills" in the areas of phonics, writing
and listening. The skill areas gain in difficulty and spiral through the primary grades K-2. As students
move up through the upper elementary and middle school grades, they will continue to experience
multicultural reading selections which are compatible with the social studies/humanities program.
The literature program uses Socratic discussion and interpretive activities to enable students to
become more aware of their reactions as they read, develop sensitivity to language, value their own
curiosity about a text, and explore new ideas through writing. Through the literature curriculum,
students will practice many reading and thinking skills: recalling and organizing details from the story,
drawing inferences, analyzing characters' motives, and finding the main idea of a passage or the text
as a whole. Literary selections will tie-in with the historical period featured in the afternoon program.

In conjunction with Mosaicas literacy initiative, students will write across the curriculum and for a
variety of purposes and projects. Some will be informal daily assignments such as journal writing;
some are short-term assignments involving very few drafts such as letter writing and project
proposals. Still other writing assignments will be longer term assignments based on a theme of world
culture in a historical context. Each type of writing is distinct from the others and involves discrete
sub-skills in reading, writing, thinking, and listening.

Literature - The literature program introduces multicultural reading selections compatible with the
social sciences/humanities program. Both the reading program session and the humanities program
will employ an integrated interpretive approach to reading and discussion that covers all disciplines
across the curriculum. Interpretive activities will enable students to become more aware of their
reactions as they read, develop sensitivity to language, value their own curiosity about a text, and
explore new ideas through writing. Through the literature curriculum, students will practice many
reading and thinking skills: recalling and organizing details from the story, drawing inferences,
analyzing characters' motives, and finding the main idea of a passage or the text as a whole. Literary
selections will often tie-in with the historical period featured in the social studies program. Paragon
Plus supplements in Grades K-5 feature topical studies, ranging from World Holidays (and their
cultural and historical backstory), Hispanic Heritage, African-American and Womens History Month
Guides, as well as Entrepreneurship/Economics, Shakespeare and Civics Guides. In Grades 6-10,
Paragon World Literature (PWL), which constitutes 1/3 of the ELA curriculum, features a book-length
novel, play, biography, or collection of folktales or myths that tie to the historical and cultural focus of
Paragon Humanities (the Grades 6-10 continuation of Paragon). Each PWL quarter addresses a
different language arts domain, and all align to Common Core standards.

Phonics - Mosaica uses a highly effective phonics program and phonetically controlled literary
selections to promote reading fluency and phonetic awareness. Phonemes are the smallest
components of sound in language. As students learn their letter formations, they acquire
simultaneously the phonemic rules that govern the spelling and the pronunciation of the English

language. We are strong proponents of teaching students the correct spelling at the initial encounter;
saving time and frustration in having to relearn rules after "inventive" spelling patterns have taken
root. World language options at all levels (see World Languages below) will further enable students to
understand parts of speech and other linguistic principles.

Writing - Students will write for a variety of purposes and projects ranging from daily assignments
such as in online journals to short-term assignments involving very few drafts, to more extensive
assignments based on a theme of world culture in a historical context. Still other writing assignments
will be longer term and will involve discrete sub-skills in reading, writing, thinking, and listening.
These longer-term writing assignments will be thematic and either narrative or expository in nature.
Expository research assignments will typically focus on a body of knowledge in one of the subject-
matter areas such as literature, social studies, science, mathematics, etc. Materials will be organized
around models of literary genre such as fables, folk tales, historical fiction, modern fiction, science
fiction, poetry, fantasy, adventure, and mystery. Students will use elements of style unique to each
genre as models for their own writing.

Mathematics - The Mosaica mathematics program teaches students the essential skills of critical
thinking and problem solving. Students are engaged in numerous project-based learning activities,
which focus on applied math skill concepts taught in the program. We teach mathematics as a
discrete subject, and our curriculum is fully aligned with Pennsylvania Common Core
Standards. Varied applications of math are also integrated through Paragon STEM projects for
additional practice and application, exposing students to mathematical applications in everyday life,
and featuring the history of innovation, architecture and engineering tied to Paragons chronological
tour through world culture.

Science - Mosaicas Science program engages students in scientific inquiry by tapping into their sense
of wonder about the world around them. Students will develop questions and create plans to find the
answers to their questions. This will lead to conducting investigations in the form of activities,
research, reading or interviews with experts. Students will reflect on what they have learned through
their investigations and share outcomes of their discoveries. Mosaicas students will explore
museums, conduct field research and visit research facilities. Working with naturalists and researchers
enhance student appreciation and respect for the world around them. As with math, varied
applications of science are integrated through Paragon STEM projects allowing students to apply
their new knowledge, deepen their understanding, make connections to scientific discoveries and
innovations throughout history, and prepare them to forge new paths in science for the good of our
world tomorrow.

World Language - Mosaica views language instruction as an integral part of the core curriculum,
providing all instruction in the target language to simulate an environment of immersion. Language
options start in Kindergarten and build towards proficiency with each successive grade level. Students
initially learn the basic distinctions between alphabets, numbers and sounds of various languages.
They are offered multiple languages, including Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese, with lively and
animated vocabulary content tied thematically to the integrated curriculum. Multimedia resources
(videos, childrens books) in the target language convey to students the cultural experiences of their
peers in the countries where it is the native language. The school cultivates the natural facility of
younger students for language acquisition by beginning at an early age with a high quality program.


High School: Mosaicas High School Program will prepare students for college, develop students
strong critical thinking and problem solving skills and allow students to acquire an arts, humanities and
technology background. The school will maximize student success through varied instruction in a
rigorous program, placing a strong emphasis on an Arts and STEM education, and by exposing
students to global opportunities with other high schools around the world.

The High School Program will:
Provide a world-class, global education with the acclaimed Paragon Humanities and Paragon
World Literature programs for college-prep work in the humanities and social science.
Convey STEM connections across the curriculum for an education that brings together the arts
and sciences with project-based learning.
Create citizens who are inquisitive, critical thinkers who can provide unique solutions to
complex situations.
Provide a highly rigorous high school core curriculum allowing all students to gain college
credit.
Provide a personalized high school environment where students academic needs are uniquely
addressed within rigorous college level coursework.
Afford students the opportunity to take classes in a traditional classroom setting, as well as
online.
How will your organization identify the needs of all students, including English Language
Learners (ELL) and Special Education (SPED) students?
What research-based programs, strategies, and supports will your organization provide
to meet those needs?
This should include plans to meet the needs of students in least restrictive environment
possible

Students with Disabilities

Mosaica is committed to providing quality educational services for all students enrolled in our
partnership schools. The delivery of special education services is aligned with the charter schools
mission and goals. The programs for special education in our schools are largely defined by the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees a free appropriate public
education to children with disabilities and mandates that, to the maximum extent appropriate,
they be educated with their non-disabled peers in the least restrictive environment. Each school has
a team of educators who meet with parents to design Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to set
educational goals and specify services for all eligible students. What constitutes an appropriate
program for an individual student is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the unique
needs of that student. Eligibility is determined following comprehensive evaluations based on the
requirements of IDEA and individual state guidelines. Once an IEP is developed for a student, the
schools provide the services outlined in the document. These services include specially designed
instruction and all related services the student needs to benefit from special education. The laws
mandate that students with disabilities be taught in the least restrictive environment is the impetus
for the design in Mosaica Education, Inc. Schools. Students with disabilities are included in classrooms
with their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible. In most Mosaica schools special
educators provide the special education services in the regular education setting or with a pull-out
model. The programs are designed at each school site to meet the needs of the students enrolled. A

full continuum of services is available to all students, and the appropriate program is accessed based
on the students IEP.

Mosaica will have a comprehensive special needs program which operates within an inclusive
environment in addition to our extended school day and school year. Additional instruction time
provides students with needed time to master content. For students requiring additional assistance,
we will offer after-school tutorials. The Mosaica program will also provide Personalized Student
Achievement Plans (PSAPs) to help at-risk students improve self-esteem issues while providing a
supportive system in which they can achieve positive learning experiences. By not tracking students
academically, we avoid labeling and lowering expectations for some students at a young age; the
philosophy of the School is that all students work on an equal playing field, with systems in place that
foster an individualized learning pace, with high, yet appropriate expectations for all. The long-term
relationships students and families build with school staff will help identify and nurture students who
might otherwise slip through the cracks in a more institutional school environment

Response to Intervention Model

Mosaica schools implement a process to screen and support students in regular education settings
prior to a referral for multi-disciplinary evaluation. The pre-referral intervention process otherwise
known as Response to Intervention (RTI) addresses the instructional evaluation needed in order to
accurately determine a students strengths and needs. The interventions are designed to maximize
individual student success in the regular classroom, while at the same time serving as a screening
process for students who may be in need of special education. The purpose of this process is to ensure
academic success for every student by providing immediate and coordinated support to classroom
teachers and their students. Scientifically, research based interventions are designed and
implemented to assist students who experience academic, social or behavioral difficulty. Mosaica will
implement the RTI process through the following methods:

Screening: Placement tests, used in conjunction with any other assessment portfolio information we
have on the student and placement according to that screening (of course we never use one data point
and it does not apply to certain populations such as students with IEPs or ELL).

Progress Monitoring: Mosaica will use the Performance Series from Scantron to progress monitor
students against national standards quarterly. In addition, teachers will use Scantron Achievement
Series to monitor progress on specific strands via curriculum based measures in conjunction with
EasyCBM (we have been training school to use this as another progress monitoring tool)(weekly is the
goal).


For students who are making progress, we consider them responding to the
intervention. These are school-wide supports (correspond to the green below)
For students not responding to the school-wide supports, we may adjust
interventions and/or move to the next level.

Intervention:

Tier 1 refers to classroom instruction for ALL students that utilizes scientifically-based research
curriculum to teach the Common Core Standards. Assessment data is used to monitor and maintain
the ongoing academic and behavioral success. Ongoing professional development provides teachers
with the necessary tools to ensure every student receives quality instruction. Screening assessments
are administered initially to ALL Tier 1 students to identify students at risk for having difficulty.
Benchmark assessments are administered at least three times during the year to determine whether
students are making progress or need extra support, and to plan instruction. Differentiated instruction
occurs in flexible small groups within the instructional time. Outcome assessments are also
administered to ALL Tier 1 students to determine student growth/gain over time. The focus is on
improving the core classroom instruction that ALL students receive. Tier 1 instruction is designed to
address the needs of the majority of the schools students. By using flexible grouping, ongoing
assessment and targeting specific skills, classroom teachers are able to meet instructional goals.

Tier 2 refers to the 7-15 percent of students who need focused supplemental instruction. This
instruction is aimed at remediating the specific skill deficits of students who fail to meet Tier 1
benchmarks in one or more areas. These students require supplemental instruction in addition to the
common core aligned classroom instruction. Tier 2 instruction is systematic, explicit and aligned with
Tier 1 instruction. Instructional interventions are differentiated, scaffolded, and targeted, based on
the needs of individual students as determined by assessment data. For example, Tier 2 instruction
might be provided to a small group of students (1:3, 1:5, 1:7) for 30-40 minutes each instructional day.
With fewer students in a group, an individual student has more opportunities to respond, and the
teacher has more opportunities to give immediate and appropriate feedback to the student.

Tier 2 also includes careful monitoring and charting of the progress for each student. For example,
each student will be given a progress monitoring (one minute) probe at least every week. If the
student succeeds in Tier 2, this more intense instruction may no longer be necessary. The classroom
teacher however, will need to pay close attention to the students progress if Tier 2 instruction is
discontinued to make sure that the gains are maintained.

When a student is not successful in Tier 2 instruction, the teacher meets with the parent and other
school staff to decide what is best for the student and to plan for the next step. Sometimes, it is best
for the student to continue with Tier 2 instruction with changing one of the instructional variables:
Time of day
Group size
Additional time
Changing focus/instruction
Materials/curriculum

A small percentage of students who have received Tier 2 supplemental instruction will continue to
have difficulty mastering necessary skills. These students require instruction that is more explicit,

more intensive and specifically designed to meet their individual needs. Diagnostic assessments are
utilized extensively with this group of students to inform instruction and to provide appropriate,
targeted intervention using scientifically based researched materials and strategies. Tier 3 is designed
for students with low content area and/or a sustained lack of adequate progress when provided with
primary and secondary interventions.

Progress is again monitored and charted frequently in Tier 3 to make sure the student is doing well
and to help the teacher decide whether he or she needs to make changes in the instruction. The
teacher may learn from the students progress charts that the student needs: more instructional time,
be taught using multisensory or different materials. Just as in Tier 2, school staff, parents and the
student benefit from the charting of progress. When the student is successful in Tier 3, school staff
and the parents decide the best way to maintain success. Is it to continue the intense instruction or to
have the student receive instruction at a lower tier?

Information about a students instruction and progress during tiered instruction also can be very
helpful in determining whether the student has a learning disability. A student may have more success
receiving special education services which is considered to be the highest and most intense in the
tiered instruction.

School Site Procedures
Mosaica will provide quality education to all students, including students with disabilities. The school
will provide the services necessary for students with disabilities, offering a full range of potential
programs and services. While the school is committed to educating students in the Least Restrictive
Environment to the fullest extent possible, we also recognize that some students require programs
and services that require specialized attention. The school will operate special education programming
(such as Resource Rooms or other educational programming) that meets requirements set forth by
the state. Ancillary services will be provided to students based on need as outlined on their
Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

At Mosaica, all students with disabilities will be assessed at the same intervals as students without
disabilities. How students are assessed is determined at the IEP team meeting. Testing on a state
level will take place by either taking the state mandated testor the state mandated test with
accommodations (as specifically determined by the IEP team and specified on the student's IEP). In
addition, students will be assessed on a district level, using a standardized test such as the Scantron
Performance Series. Students with disabilities are often assessed using these measures as well, and
some are provided standard accommodations based on their disability as discussed by the IEP team
and specified on their IEP. Oversight of the administration of the assessments is provided on site by
the school's assessment coordinator.

The Head of School is responsible for the implementation of each student's IEP (including designation
of instructional staff for general education and special education instruction). The Director of Special
Education provides professional development, oversight and review of special education compliance
and programming. The Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Consultant assists the schools in
setting up and implementing a school-wide program of Positive Behavior Support, and provides for
professional development. The SST will act as a pre-referral intervention team, reviewing cases of
students who need academic or behavioral intervention in the general education setting. Special
Education staff will serve as consultants to the SST. Often such interventions can provide the support

needed for a student to be successful in the general education setting without special education
intervention. Students are, however, identified as needing referral to special education evaluations
from this committee as part of the Child Find process. Other Child Find activities to locate and identify
students needing special education services include parent referral, notices to parents of students
enrolled as to the services available (full spectrum of services based on need), educational screenings
and review of educational files and history.

The Head of School and Director of Special Education ensure that all Special Needs staff hold the
required certifications and receive ongoing training and that the necessary data collection and student
reporting processes are in place prior to schools opening.

While a full continuum of services will be considered for all students, typically, the following programs
will be considered:

Itinerant Services where the specialized instruction is provided to the student for less than 20% of
the school day. This type of instruction may be provided directly to the student, and/or in
collaboration with the general education teacher, with instruction specially designed to address that
students IEP goals and objectives. This includes services provided in the general education setting
with Consultative Support: scheduled weekly meetings between the special education and general
education teacher; some direct observation/instruction by the special education teacher in the
general education setting, with Collaborative Support: scheduled weekly co-planning meetings and
direct instruction/co-teaching by the special education teacher provided in the general education
classroom and/or with Resource Support: special education support provided in a resource classroom
either pull-out or as an additional remediation/support class . Resource support can be either pull-out
or as an additional class. A resource service reviews current age-appropriate core content, provides
prior knowledge necessary to learn age-appropriate core content, and builds skills as addressed in IEP
objectives. Specialized instruction programs that are Supplemental in nature, are programs in which
instruction by the special education teacher provides programming 21-79% of the school day. This
includes services that are provided in both the general education and special education setting
including; Part-time self-contained, part-time general education setting without support (no
consultative services). Special education teachers of self-contained classes addressing content must
co-plan regularly with general education teachers. Part-time self-contained, part-time general
education setting with support (consultative services). Special education teachers of self-contained
classes, co-plan content with general education teachers. Special education teachers consult with
general education teachers who are serving the students on their caseloads.

Full time services (where original instruction is provided by the special education teacher) is available
to students for which the IEP team deems appropriate, but is usually reserved for the students with
the most intense needs.

Services:
Services that may be provided as appropriate to a students IEP.
o Speech/Language Services
o Counseling and/or Psychological Services
o Occupational Therapy
o Physical Therapy
o Orientation/Mobility or other visual impairment services

Other services as outlined on a students IEP

Students with Limited English Proficiency

Mosaica Education provides all state and federally mandated services for English Language Learners.
We adhere to all state and federal guidelines for services for ELL/LEP students and families, including
but not limited to provision of communications in their primary language, working with parents to
determine what support they need to be highly involved in their childs education, providing access to
needed supplemental services, and reporting to state and federal agencies as required.

Mosaica Education uses an inclusion approach that incorporates elements of immersion and sheltered
content. This approach will challenge students to quickly acquire English-language skills and will do so
in a manner that keeps them closely involved in regular classroom life. Mosaica Education serves a
number of schools with significant ELL populations and has developed a professional development
program specifically designed to prepare foreign-language specialists to work effectively with English
language learners using an inclusion approach.
The pre-service training program explores six effective teaching strategies for language teachers:
Immersion
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Cross-Curricular Connections
Reinforcing Parts of Speech
Writing in a Foreign Language
Listening in a Foreign Language

In addition to delving in depth into these strategies, this program also addresses the particular
classroom-management challenges that arise in a classroom with various levels of ELL and native
English speaking students, and it includes a discussion of how to effectively implement these six
strategies. The ELL instructor and the Curriculum Implementation Specialist will coordinate with
classroom teachers to see that strategies are being implemented effectively.
Teachers at Mosaica Education will be expected to tailor the content and vocabulary they use with
their given classes to a level appropriate to the students they are teaching. Methods for doing so, and
for including/involving ELL students in classroom exchanges, are important components of Mosaica
Educations planned teacher professional development.

Whole-group response opportunities incorporated in our ELA program will also help to provide a
comfort level for ELL students, encouraging them to begin to participate in spoken English. A Mosaica
Education language specialist versed in effective teaching strategies for ELL instruction will provide
this professional development instruction. ELL instructors will be certified and will comply with the
qualification for their specialty as set forth by the State DOE.

Non-native English-speaking students at Mosaica Education will encounter a focused first-year "Portal
Program" that builds English vocabulary and cultivates an understanding of U.S. customs and culture
as a special extension of their morning Core program. This program utilizes total immersion to help
students speak in the target language through meaningful communications rather than relegating
them to a group of non-native speakers in an alternative program.


The "Portal Program" consists of ESL instruction, Core content instruction in English supported by ESL
methodologies, and English language immersion. During the morning Language Arts session Portal
Program students will be pulled out to receive intensive ESL instruction with an introduction to Core
content in Math and Science through an ESL approach. Portal Program students will further build
their language arts and math skills during two sessions each week with a software tutorial. The
software is individualized to the needs of each student and also provides tools for ongoing evaluation.

The immersion environment will continue each afternoon as Portal Program students work together
with mainstream students to learn social studies content during the hands-on, interdisciplinary
Paragon Curriculum sessions. During the two afternoon sessions of Spanish instruction for
mainstream students, Portal Program students will be pulled out to receive instruction in Core social
studies content through an ESL approach and a specialized acculturation curriculum featuring US
customs, cultures, and related language. These social studies topics will draw from and extend the
afternoon Paragon Curriculum, building LEP students vocabulary and conversation practice, and
providing them with the linguistic tools to take full advantage of the learning opportunities afforded
by Paragon.

The social studies pull-out sessions for English Language Learners are designed according to SDAIE
(specialized delivery of academic instruction in English) pedagogy and best practices. The goals of this
specialized program are to 1) reinforce content and vocabulary from Paragon to ensure the academic
success of language learners, 2) build academic vocabulary in English by teaching the terms and
strategies explicitly and recursively, and 3) help acclimatize language learners to the customs of and
expectations for students in the United States.

What this might look like in a pull-out session: A teacher may select a key reading from the current
Paragon unit that poses comprehension challenges to language learners, identify the main challenges
of the reading (such as idiomatic expression, complex syntax or unfamiliar text structure) and teach a
mini-lesson addressing these. The teacher may also work with a set of key terms from the current
Paragon unit to cultivate students academic vocabulary. This is an essential piece of the program
and a notorious challenge for language learnersbecause academic vocabulary has a linguistic
component (i.e. the definition) as well as a functional component (i.e. how one uses it to learn).
Terms such as government and civilization, for instance, have vast histories, associations and examples
that go along with them. Helping language learners expand their academic vocabulary involves
teaching them explicit strategies, such as questioning: What are the features of a government? What
kinds of governments are there? How is this term being used here? Students internalize these
strategies over time.

The acculturation aspect of the program helps language learners adjust to the new school
environment of the United States. Culturally, the U.S. is a diverse place, and Paragons multicultural
approach reflects this. Not only will language learners find their own cultures valued and respected by
their new school and its curriculum, they will be introduced to a variety of other cultures which thrive
in the U.S. and make up our vital cultural life as Americans. Students new to the United States are
often surprised at the different educational customs here, for example, the amount of individual
expression expected among American school children. Language learners are taught to cultivate
personal opinion, develop an individual voice and connect their school achievement with future
success. These are ideas American children are accustomed to, but often need to be taught explicitly

to language learners.

In order to correctly identify potential LEP students, all parents and guardians will be required to
complete a home language questionnaire at the time of enrollment. This questionnaire is designed to
determine whether the dominant language at home is a language other than English and whether the
child is bilingual. Bilingual, licensed ESL teachers will conduct evaluations to identify and plan for
students with limited English proficiency (LEP). For enrolled, non-native speaking families, school
communications with parents about their childs education and opportunities for community
resources will be available in the parents native language. The licensed ESL teachers that will
evaluate LEP children will meet state licensure requirements. Fluency in a second language will be
considered a strong asset when hiring all teaching, professional, and support staff members.

No LEP\ELL student will be assigned to a program for disabled students based upon his or her lack of
facility with the English language. Likewise, no students will be excluded from curricular or extra-
curricular activity participation due to language barriers. To the contrary, Mosaica Education Schools
will encourage participation from all students in these activities. For students with limited English
abilities, full participation with their English speaking peers will encourage English skills development,
provide a forum for cultural sharing, and develop overall positive student relationships.

Mosaica Education does not place any student in a special education program based on his/her limited
English proficiency. The guidelines and timeframes for special education are the same for both ESL and
non-ESL students in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Newly entered ELL
students should be in the schools ESL program for at least one year before any testing for special
services are considered unless there is an immediate evident need for additional services. School
psychologists administer the test when appropriate. Bilingual psychologists may be necessary to
administer the test in the students native language to determine the childs eligibility for special
education services since the IDEA requires assessments to be administered in a language and form
likely to yield accurate results. Student referrals are made in collaboration with the ESL teacher and
the regular classroom teachers. The special education process is to be explained or translated to the
parent in their native language to ensure awareness of the process and parental rights.

Parents are notified of the results of the Evaluation Report (ER) through translation or in their native
language. Based on the results, when an ESL student has been determined to need special education
instruction and IEP is written for that student. The services will address the students language needs.
The team, which develops the IEP, may consist of the following people: an ESL teacher, a special
education teacher, parents/guardian, a regular education teacher, a psychologist and a representative
of the LEA. At the meeting a translator may be needed to assist the parents in understanding the
process as well as enable the parent to have input in the IEP development and decision-making
process.

In determining the students needs, IEP teams must consider both special education services and ESL
instruction simultaneously, as appropriate. An ESL student identified as special education may
continue to receive ESL services as determined by the students IEP. The ESL teacher provides ESL
instruction, and the appropriately qualified special education teachers provide specially designed
instruction to meet the unique needs of the student. Mosaica Education recommends that the IEP
team for an ELL with disabilities include an ESL professional familiar with the students language needs
as well as the nature of his/her disability or, at a minimum, that the IEP team receive input from an

ESL professional when appropriate. If a student is identified as an ELL, then the IEP team will check the
Limited English proficiency under special considerations on Part I of the IEP. Any special considerations
identified must be addressed in the IEP.

Please find attached additional information on ELL assessments Appendix 1.

What is your organizations approach to remediating academic underperformance?

Mosaica Education is committed to meeting the needs of all learners. Key to the success of all
students, is on-going analysis of achievement data. As discussed in detail above, we use Performance
Series quarterly assessments to assess progress in reading and mathematics for all students. Teachers
analyze the data to identify areas of strength as well as areas of challenges. Performance Series data
is aligned to the Common Cores State Standards and teachers identify any standards where student
performance is below 80% mastery. Teachers then develop five week instructional plans which
provide the basis for the implementation of the structured Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS)
program.

Mosaica Education is experienced in working in underserved communities where students may be
three or more grade levels below equivalency. Through the implementation of a structured (MTSS)
framework, classroom teachers are trained to provide Tier I interventions to all students. Teachers
receive on-going job-embedded, sustained professional development so that all students are provided
with research based interventions that are preventative and proactive. Mosaica Education students
receive Tier I interventions during workshop which is built into the daily schedule and is where
differentiation takes place. On-going assessment provides the opportunity for regular progress
monitoring to identify those students who may require more intense intervention. Each school uses
data walls in classrooms that empower students to tack their own academic progress. Data walls are
an integral component of the Tier I classroom supports.

Approximately 20% of students will need more targeted interventions that are provided in addition to
the core curriculum, usually in small group. Teachers work to pinpoint where learning breaks down
and then provide instructional strategies that segment and simplify instruction. Students may be
given additional opportunities to practice what they are learning. Tier II strategies may include
research based blended learning software that is aligned to quarterly Performance Series testing for
reading and mathematics.

Students needing the most intense intervention are provided with Tier III MTSS strategies. Typically
Tier III interventions are provided for less than 10% of learners. Students at this level receive
remediation and prevention so that further problems do not develop. Tier III interventions are
designed to address significant learning problems and are evidence based. Examples of interventions
used in Mosaica Education schools include System 44, READ 180, Carnegie Math, and ALEKS Math.

Some schools may have the largest number of students requiring Tier II instructional strategies. This
was the case in the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy where teachers had to learn through
on-going professional development how to provide more intensity to the interventions implemented
within the classroom setting. In this case, small group instruction is facilitated on a daily basis and
coordinated with support from the Curriculum Implementation Specialist. In this case, teachers give

weekly short cycle assessments in reading and mathematics to identify those skills that make up the
achievement gap. Additional support is provided through co-teaching with special education staff or
with the assistance and support of the Title I intervention teacher.

How will your school(s) identify and differentiate to meet the needs of intellectually gifted
students to extend their learning?

The majority of Gifted and Talented (GT) students spend a high percentage of their time in the regular
education classroom. Therefore, its essential that teachers and other school personnel are familiar
with the characteristics of giftedness and possess an array of strategies to address and meet the
students learning differences and needs.

Only a small number of universities offer programs that prepare teachers specifically for working with
gifted and talented learners; only a handful of states require all teachers to receive pre-service
training in gifted and talented education and 36 states do not require general education teachers to
have training on the nature and needs of gifted and talented students at any point in their careers.

Teachers are trained to recognize gifted and talented students and to adapt instruction using an array
of strategies that help children soar. All Mosaica teachers receive ongoing training on how to use
differentiated instruction to challenge all students. The Paragon Curriculum allows for a high degree
of differentiation and use of the multiple intelligences such that a students unique talents and gifts
are accentuated through implementation of this curriculum. A student identified as Gifted is easily
afforded the opportunity for enrichment and acceleration in the flexibility offered through Paragon.
The Paragon curriculum treats all students as gifted students. Each lesson features an Above and
Beyond segment that provides supplementary materials and suggestions for further study, allowing a
continuum of learning possibilities. Teachers will guide students to the appropriate materials based on
their individual learning plans and goals and will help students challenge themselves and exceed their
goals at every step. The computerized Integrated Learning System available on classroom computers
throughout the school allow for accelerated individual work in Language Arts and Mathematics, and
Mosaicas online course offerings also provide additional classes for gifted students.
This section should also describe your organizations policies surrounding student advancement
Promotion / retention policies as well as graduation policies (where applicable) can be
described here and included in full in the Appendix

Student academic progress will be closely monitored by staff on an on-going basis. Teachers are
required to complete Personalized Student Achievement Plans (PSAPs) for each student. PSAPS are to
be updated quarterly and shared with the student and parent. When a student is in danger of failing
any course, the parent / guardian of the student must be notified before a failing grade can be
assigned to their academic record. If a grade 3 to 8 student is in danger of failing the academic year,
parents / guardians must be notified by January 31st and a meeting must be held with the parent /
guardian / teacher and Head of School to identify possible interventions that might help the student
to improve his or her achievement. Students in grades 9 -12 take classes on a semester basis.
Parents / guardians of high school students must be notified of their childs possible failure no later
than week thirteen of the semester.


Students may face retention if failure grades are assigned to the core content areas, if achievement on
the performance series assessment is below the 25
th
percentile for students in grades three through
eight, if students have less than 95% average daily attendance. Students who are placed or retained
below the chronological grade level will be required to attend summer school. At the end of the
summer school program, the Head of School will meet with the parent / guardian to determine if the
student will be advanced to the next grade. Students who do not attend summer school will not be
able to move to the next grade.

It is intended that parents/guardians will be fully aware if their child is in danger of retention. The
progress of the student must be documented on the retention checklist which must be discussed with
the parent/guardian. Parents/guardians who do not agree with the retention of their child will have
the opportunity to appeal the placement to the Head of School. All appeals will be reviewed by the
retention appeals committee which is made up of the Head of School and teacher representatives
including the Curriculum Implementation Specialist and the Behavior Intervention Specialist. The final
decision will be made by the retention appeals committee.

Mosaica Education maintains the highest of achievement standards for all students through consistent
implementation of clear academic expectations. No student is promoted to the next successive grade
based on age or other social reason unrelated to academic performance. To be promoted, students
must meet or exceed the following targets:

1. Mastery in all core content areas as evidence by grade level report cards
2. Grade 3 to 8 students must meet the requirement on Performance Series assessments of
being above the 25
th
percentile in mathematics and reading.
3. All students must demonstrate a 95% or better attendance rate.

All school leaders and teachers are expected to maintain constant communication with parents and
guardians. When a students is struggling academically, unable to follow school and classroom rules or
demonstrates poor attendance conferences with the student, parent, teacher, and Head of School are
required to ensure the appropriate intervention in implemented so that the student will be able to
demonstrate improvement.

High school students must meet all requirements of the Pennsylvania School Code and any additional
requirements as approved by the local Board of Education.

The complete Policy can be found in Appendix 1.

SUPPORT FOR LEARNING
Please describe how your organization would use the 2014-2015 school year to plan for
operations beginning in the 2015-2016 school year
This should include hiring school leaders, staff, developing curriculum, and creating
relevant policies to be included in final agreement with the District

It is Mosaica`s intention to use the planning/observation period from November 2014 to June 2015 to
engage the key stakeholders in York. This initiative, funded by the startup grant, will include five major
components:
1. Community Meetings: A series of community meetings will be set up throughout the city to
first and foremost listen to the stakeholders in the City of York. During this time we are excited
to hear from parents, students, teachers, community organizations, social service groups,
religious institutions, elected officials, neighborhood associations and others about their goals,
dreams, and vision for their schools. This process will allow us to establish an ongoing dialogue
around needs, expectations and plans for the schools. We want to communicate regularly and
frequently with everyone about the developing plans for the City of York schools.
2. Targeted Needs Assessment: During the planning year, Mosaica will initiate a school/ district
observation, data collection and planning process. All essential stakeholders including students,
parents, staff, teachers, administrators and school board members will be included in this
component. In order to successfully develop customized plans for each school, we must first
determine the areas of strength as well as need.
3. Invitation to Community Agencies: Students who are coming from families struggling to meet
basics needs are more likely to struggle in school. The City of York has a significant number of
strong community agencies working to help families to be successful. During the planning year,
we would like to invite these agencies to partner with us to deliver services to the families
through the schools. By bringing everyone to the table we hope to share information, reduce
duplication of effort, and more efficiently bring services to the community.
4. Partnership Building with the District Staff: Our experience has taught us the value of
establishing strong partnerships with the district staff and Board of Directors. Mosaica will work
to develop a partnership with the district to ensure coordination of services, creation of
essential policies/procedures, and strong and clear lines of communication.
5. Communication: Mosaica will implement a formal and informal communication network using
various media to regularly and routinely inform the community and stakeholders of progress
and plans for improving the quality of K-12 education.
School Organization & Culture
How do your organizations existing schools establish a culture that encourages students
to improve their self-motivation?
Research continues to illustrate that the single most important factor influencing student achievement
is teacher quality. Meta research reported in 2003 by John Hattie reports that it is excellence in
teachers that make the difference. Through on-going, job embedded, sustained professional
development, Mosaica education teachers are able to implement those strategies that allow teachers
to have the greatest impact on raising student achievement. First and foremost is the need for

teachers to be able to establish positive relationships with each student in their classroom. Zehm and
Kottlers research illustrates that students will never trust teachers or open themselves up to hear
what we have to say unless they sense that we value and respect them.
For Mosaica Education students, the school day begins on a positive note as the Head of School greets
each student outside before the school day begins, as they enter the building, students are greeted by
the staff who follow them into the cafeteria or meeting space where everyone participates in
Morning Motivation. It is at this time that teachers are able to connect with students during
breakfast to see that they are ready to being their day on a positive note. The Mosaica Model
provides teachers with 5 to 1 training so that teachers give students 5 positives to 1 negative.
Hatties research places emphasis on the influence that feedback has in motivating and empowering
students to be responsible for their learning. The feedback from teachers is done through
conferencing with students through the creation of goals which are included in their PSAP.
In collaboration with teachers, students set their PSAP goals for improving student achievement in the
core academic areas. According to Locke and Latham (1993) goals need to be specific and challenging,
and way beyond doing ones best. Teachers then work to develop a differentiated program of work
that is built on rigor and relevance. Due to the strong relationship that teachers develop with
students, teachers know and understand the background and interests of their students and use this
information to create project based learning activities that engage learners. Teachers often
incorporate project based learning with technology using real world application to build interest and
motivation. An example of a project based learning project may involve the use of an alternative
energy source to improve quality of life in an urban setting in different areas (New York / Los Angeles /
Chicago / Dallas). Student work in groups to research alternative forms of energy, learn about
differences in quality of life, and identify a problem associated with energy and quality of life and
provide a solution for it. This project empowers the students to be responsible for their learning in a
way that enables them to direct their own learning in a structured setting.
The Head of School is key to motivating students to be responsible, motivated students. The culture
of the school Mosaica Education schools are built on high expectations. The Head of School is
expected to create a culture where students strive for success and are proud of their academic
accomplishments. Students as young as kindergarten learn about going to college. One Mosaica
school, Frazier Preparatory Academy in Chicago has I am college bound on the uniform shirts of
students. Older students model success for younger students and mentoring programs are in place to
ensure that every child has a positive role model in his or her life. It is through taking responsibility of
the whole child that our students succeed. In addition, students are recognized for academic
accomplishments through honor roll, academic award programs, press releases, certificates, etc.

How do you work to ensure a positive environment for all - including ELL, SPED, gifted,
and Alt Ed students?

Climate

Mosaica Education has developed a model for rapid school turnaround, transforming low performing
high schools into educational environments where school cultures are transformed into centers of
learning and educational excellence. Mosaicas proven model has been implemented to operate a
public school district that includes one high school and has been used to bring second order change to

five low performing high schools identified as SIG schools by the Michigan Department of Education.
Through a concentrated program steeped in research, based on the Effective Schools movement
identifies the following indicators as necessary for having a strong, positive effect on student
achievement. These indicators include:

Strong Instructional Leadership
Clear and Focused Mission
Climate of High Expectations for Success
Safe and Orderly Environment
Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress
Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task
Positive Home School Relations

When Mosaica enters a new school we respect the history and traditions of the school and
community. By speaking to the community about the strengths of the school we are able to preserve
traditions specific to the school. Our approach is to build on the strengths of the school or district
while providing additional support to increase student achievement, improve school climate, and
support the future of the community.

All Mosaica schools implement a positive behavior support model that recognizes and rewards
students for doing the right thing. We create a positive environment for learning through clear
behavior standards, a motivating technology-based incentive program, a Code of Conduct, and
problem-solving strategies for maximizing acceptable conduct and building a climate of respect. Our
program is based on PBIS Research - U.S. Department of Education (2000). Applying positive
behavioral support in schools: Twenty-second Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the
Individuals with Disability Act. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Character education is implicitly built into the Paragon Curriculum. We begin with the assumption
that students are capable of determining right from wrong and good from bad. It is our goal to build
character by doing, rather than by saying. Students are taught personal responsibility by
constructing their own knowledge and by doing hands-on activities. Sharing, cooperation, and respect
are taught through team activities, a demand for classroom participation, and exploring content
together. Walking with Giants, the character education component of Paragon makes explicit the
profiles of heroes in history, the quotations that have endured the test of time and that resonate
today more than ever, as well as the leadership and collaboration skills students have experienced
through their Paragon journey. A sample lesson from grade 4 has been included in Appendix 1.

Students learn about character, ethics, empathy and self-esteem implicitly in Paragon by studying
the worlds greatest thinkers, both canonical and unsung, and by stepping into the shoes of great
historical figures, both real and imaginary. Through content-rich study, children come to understand
the expansive potential open to them if they can identify with early clarity their individual strengths
and sense of purpose. Students contemplate questions that have captivated thinkers for millennia:
What makes a Hero? What makes me unique? How can we learn from the past? How do we apply
that knowledge to the future?


By examining individuals who have made their mark on history, students extrapolate qualities that
make people stand out as exceptional contributors to culture, or as heroes. Studying heroes is a
developmentally appropriate and fun way for students to learn about ethics. The hero lessons explore
the lives of luminaries against the backdrop of history. Students recognize decisions heroes have
made for themselves and begin to understand the life skills that enable ordinary people to do
extraordinary things. Students identify a characteristic of all exceptional people is their perseverance
in the face of adversity and their commitment to their goal or art.

In Paragon character education goes beyond looking at the lives of individuals. Students also
examine indigenous cultural groups for character education. They learn that tribal cultures value the
whole group rather than place emphasis on individuality. Students see that indigenous peoples have
well defined parameters on what is considered to be right behavior and they have a variety of ways to
teach and reinforce the ideal such as through storytelling, ritual and ceremony. Students learn about
indigenous peoples through their stories, music, myth, art and customs.

Students participate in a daily dialogue on how to become a member of society with integrity.
Through the Walking with Giants curriculum, students explore how heroes in our world have
approached problems through their journey of self-actualization. Each morning, students are greeted
with an interactive storyboard on the classroom SMART Board. In an open dialogue, students are
engaged in a problem solving discussion on how to negotiate lifes daily issues with great character.
These discussions do not end once the lesson is over instead they are integrated into their coursework
throughout the day. For example, a child may discuss a proverb by Confucius as it relates to integrity
during Walking with Giants and then learn about Chinese culture during their Paragon lesson that
afternoon. Lessons are not taught in isolation, but instead are connected for students throughout
their studies. To better understand the dialogue students participate in, below is a snapshot of a
morning lessons. Students research the life of Marcus Aurelius, discuss the characteristics that make
him a great leader, and complete an activity as a class.

What is done to ensure instruction is organized, intentional, engaging, and challenging?

Each day at a Mosaica school, our teachers, our students the entire school community realizes
our vision. Students enter the school each day welcomed by educators who are excited to be part
of our culture of excellence. Students see smiles and are ready to experience teachers joy of
teachingmade possible by the confidence that they have been equipped with strategies, tools,
and curriculum that will engage, inspire, and cultivate the minds and hearts of each student.
Students and teachers - are a true part of a dedicated community of learners ready to take on
and succeed in each new challenge. In each subject area, students explore, learn, and apply new
knowledge using 21st-century best learning practices and state-of-the-art technology. They see
the connections between disciplines and make their learning more personal and meaningful
through hands-on, kinesthetic, and integrated arts projects. They also increase their social and
emotional strengths through cooperative and supportive activities. If a problem does arise,
students and teachers work together to solve the challenge together, strengthening the classroom
community and building life-long critical thinking and social skills that students will use
throughout their lives.

Parents are confident that their child will find success in a Mosaica school - confident in the
teachers knowledge and experience, confident that they will be enlisted as a positive partner in

addressing their childs individual needs, and confident that their child will be gaining the skills he
or she needs not only today, but to help them create a positive and successful future for
themselves and our world. Knowing their student is in a physically and emotionally safe learning
environment and is truly recognized as an individualbeing met where they are but supported to
accelerate their learning and fulfill their potential.

Success is celebrated throughout the day in many ways, but is also celebrated by the entire
learning community at Paragon Night and at Maker Faires. Students showcase their talents and
interests, and the community celebrates the new role the school has in serving as a beacon of
pride. Mosaica and the City of York community will work together to build on the strengths of the
community in order to foster a better future for all families.

How will you create a school(s) with a performance-driven culture that uses data to inform
decisions about instruction and the organization of students?

York students will have a personalized student achievement plan based on their personal academic
growth. The plan will be reviewed quarterly with the teacher, student, and parent. Data used to
develop the students academic goals will be obtained from the Scantron Performance Series results,
common assessments, and teacher observations. Teachers will meet with parents and students on a
quarterly basis to conference about the academic growth and review the education plan. Parents will
be provided with their childs progress toward college readiness which is provided by the Scantron
Performance Series data. Data walls will be placed in each classroom so that students know their
progress on Performance Series as well as their PSAP quarterly and weekly achievement goals. For
example, according to Hattie in Visible Learning, the highest impact strategy on student learning is
developing assessment capable learners (students who know how to use feedback on their learning to
set goals and monitor and evaluate their progress). Progress toward achievement targets will be
presented to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis. This information will also be shared at
meetings with parent and community groups.

Successful implementation of our model will be reflected in our progress on our Performance and
Accountability Plan. To measure our progress, our assessment plan not only tracks student progress,
but also monitors the effectiveness of our educational program.

All incoming students are screened for learning readiness; all students undergo pre and post tests using
the Compass Learning software which permits ongoing individual student and cohort group
assessment; and Scantron Performance Ed Series and Achievement Series results provide specific data
on instructional targets for the state standards.

Performance data, which is available instantly in the online program, becomes the primary resource
enabling teachers to modify their instruction to insure any achievement gaps are covered. This data is
reviewed by grade level and course content teacher teams and is placed quarterly in the context of the
school improvement plan goals and objectives. The educational director is responsible for reviewing
this data and working with staff to develop specific school-wide strategies for closing achievement
gaps.

All key data is collected for each students Personalized Student Achievement Plan (PSAP), which is
reviewed three times per year with each student, his or her parent, and the respective teacher. This

review allows for an objective review of achievement and development of strategies to improve
achievement.

In addition to assessment data, the authorizers director also has access to the data showing
attendance, time on task, lesson completion rates and frequency, recorded synchronous lessons, and
other evidence reflecting participation in the program.

Please describe your organizations approach to Leadership Planning
How will leaders guide instructional staff to improve teaching & learning, including through
the collection and interpretation of classroom data?

All schools will incorporate results analyses, from both longitudinal school-wide performance and
comparisons with similar schools tested, into its School Improvement Plan for school-wide shifts in
curriculum and instruction on a yearly basis. This sets the tone for teacher training. Mosaica curriculum
and accountability staff works with school leadership and teachers in trainings to focus instruction,
further align standards in weak areas, shift pedagogical practices and analyze class and student
groupings. On an individual level, PSAPs document the history of students performances along with
indicators of goals met and areas of continued or new weakness.

The Head of School and Curriculum Implementation Specialist (CIS) are responsible for conducting and
monitoring site-based data collection, entry and disaggregation. The CIS is responsible for data
interpretation and delivery for teachers as well as integration with professional development trainings.
All data will be presented to the Board of Directors to monitor the schools progress towards our goals
and objectives.

Our assessments are frequent and varied. They are used to identify strengths and areas for
improvement both in the students learning and the effectiveness of his/her course of study, rather
than simply to gauge success or failure. Through this range of assessments, students begin to learn the
process of positive self-evaluation and adjustment and are challenged in their ability to apply their
learning in different ways. At the same time, teachers have frequent actionable input with which to
continually fine-tune curricula and achievement plans.

To provide every assurance that teachers will have the most accurate information regarding student
performance in each course, Mosaica will implement an on-going, quarterly assessment program. The
program that will be used will be the Scantron Performance Series which is used in schools throughout
the nation to provide teachers with specific information about student achievement of grade level
standards. The Scantron Performance Series is aligned to the PA Common Core Standards and will be
used initially for achievement in core academic subjects. Kindergarten through grade 8 students will
take the computer based Scantron Performance Series assessment in September, December, March,
and June. Teachers will use this information to determine strategies needed for interventions for
students not meeting mastery levels and how to extend the curriculum for students who are at higher
levels of mastery.

Teachers will meet in content teams within their professional learning communities to review the
quarterly Performance Series data. Using the data, teachers will be able to strengthen their
instructional program as well as to provide data for intervention. Teachers will meet in professional

learning communities during common planning time and during professional development sessions.
Assessment data will provide the framework necessary for continuous academic achievement.

Teachers will also be highly skilled at developing common assessments for the courses they teach.
They will have a deep understanding of the curriculum development process and will be able to
develop common assessments that are aligned to the high school content expectations. Teachers will
use Achievement Series to develop common assessments directly aligned with Performance Series data
to determine if weekly achievement targets have been met.

Formative assessments will be used on a daily basis by teachers. Classrooms will be equipped with
classroom performance systems which teachers can use to get immediate feedback from students
about their instructional lessons. Teachers will also use such formative assessments as exit cards,
graphic organizers, think pair share, and learning response logs.

How does your organization plan for ongoing professional development and evaluate its
effectiveness?

A Rand (Critical Technologies Institute, March 1995) study found that new teaching strategies can
require as much as 50 hours of instruction, practice, and coaching before teachers can effectively use
them. Mosaica provides teachers with ongoing training and devotes at least 20 days the first year and
15 days each additional year towards professional development. Teachers new to Mosaica will
receive and participate in three weeks of pre-service training. This proprietary training gives teachers
a solid set of tools, strategies and resources to help them implement the curricula successfullyand
bring success to students. Week 1 of pre-service training is presented by Mosaica Education staff in a
style that models the effective teaching strategies teachers are to use in their classrooms. Not only do
participants learn about effective teaching strategies, they experience them. During each day of the
five-day training, teachers understand and connect to the Mosaica vision. They explore, practice, and
apply pedagogical philosophies, and strategies in community building, classroom management,
informal and formal assessment, and effective teaching. Teachers also create an Interactive Training
Binderan organizational tool modeled after a similar binder used by Mosaica students in Paragon
Humanities. In this binder, they organize their research, handouts, reflections, questions, and
answers. By the end of week 1, they have a useful reference tool that they will refer to throughout
the next week of training, the first week of school, and beyond.

During Week 2 of pre-service training, new teachers are joined by returning teachers. During this
week, teachers apply their new knowledge--gained during Week 1--even more specifically. Teachers
work together to become familiar with their curricula, identify and apply effective teaching strategies,
and connect with standards. Teachers then write lesson plans to reflect these goals. They also
practice implementing lessons for their peers and supervisorsgaining valuable feedback to ensure
that their first days in the classroom are confident and successful.

During training, teachers also receive brief checklists outlining the essential elements that will be
evident as they teach language arts, math, science, and Paragon. They understand that these
checklists can and will be used by their Curriculum Implementation Specialist and Head of School for
informal visits to their classrooms. These checklists serve as excellent tools for discussion, feedback
and tracking of teacher growth. Teachers are encouraged to keep their checklists in a prominent or

easily accessible place so that they have an on-going reminder of key aspects of an effective
classroom.

Teachers receive on-going support from their Curriculum Implementation Specialists during weekly
grade group meetings and an additional 5 in-service days throughout the year. During these meetings
Curriculum Implementation Specialists address teachers concerns and provide additional information,
resources, and strategies to ensure that teachers continue to create classrooms that foster student
achievement. A Mosaica newsletter is also sent out to educational staff on a regular basis, providing
them with updates, hints, reminders, and other information that will support them in meeting the
needs of their students.

In-service education will be tailored to the student population and to instructional strategies. Several
strategies will support ongoing teacher training. One or more in-house curriculum specialists provide
regular in-classroom teacher training and curriculum support. These Curriculum Implementation
Specialists provide ongoing professional development, pedagogical training and classroom support. In
weekly grade group meetings for Paragon, teachers will engage in collaborative planning with
colleagues which tailors the curriculum to the specific needs of students and that draws effectively on
the talents, passions and resources of teachers, Parent/Guardians, and community members.
Workshops provided for teaching staff will include, but are not limited to, reclaiming youth at risk,
resiliency training, the Paragon Curriculum, the application of technology in instructional settings,
standards, assessment, and the development of instructional learning work plans.

To reward excellence in teaching and mentoring, Mosaica Education has a professional track including
a variety of seminars and conferences teachers may attend based on their individual professional
development plan. The school will allocate resources to professional development opportunities as
part of our efforts to attract and maintain highly qualified staff. Mosaica will also work to implement
strategies to ensure that we do not lose our most valuable resourcetrained, committed teachers
to the competition, be it charter, district, or private. Charter schools tend to attract risk takers who
are excited by the possibility of starting from scratch and creating a new school of choice in
communities that have had few or no educational options. Such staff members energize the school
and contribute to the vitality and flexibility that will undoubtedly become a defining tenet of the
schools culture.

Additional Professional Development items will be added to the calendar once the skills of the
teachers have been assessed.

How will you develop a pipeline for leaders?

Mosaica supports all current and rising leaders through the Mosaica Leadership Institute (MLI).
Participants attend seminars in general management topics such as finance and accounting; hiring,
retaining and mentoring of employees; understanding our customer; and Charter school
law/development. In addition, participants attend a series of workshops that provide school leaders
with key information, strategies and resources to hone their skills as true instructional leaders. During
these interactive workshops, leaders gain the information, tools, strategies and resources they need
to successfully lead and support their teachers in creating an effective classroom, implementing the
curriculum, and, thereby, helping all students to meet state and district standards. During training, all

leaders complete Action Plans. The plans help staff to put into action the new knowledge and
strategies they have explored in training.

Does your organization have a plan for how to acculturate students that enter your
school(s) mid-year?
Mosaica Education provides specific supports for students and families who enter schools mid-year.
School counselors and Curriculum Implementation Specialists work with families during the
enrollment process to assess their academic ability and place them in the appropriate educational
setting. At this time, parents and guardians are provided with an orientation regarding school
expectations and parent education programs such as Parent University. Students are also provided
with an orientation to the school so they will be comfortable in their transition. When students start
school, the transition team (teacher, counselor, and Curriculum Implementation Specialist) reviews
assessment and achievement data to ensure classroom materials are suited for the needs of the
student. Students are assigned a buddy who will work to help the new student at various times of
the day including, lunch recess, transition to specials, etc. The transition team will meet bi-weekly for
the first quarter the student is in attendance to review academic progress, behavior, attendance, and
adjustment to the new school. There is an expectation that the teacher will have regular contact with
the parent throughout the transition period.

Is there a grievance policy for parents and families, including those related to
Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for SPED students?

Placement in Special Education programs will only be made to address an identified disability along
with parental consent in accordance with procedures outlined above. If at any time, a parent is not
satisfied with the decision made the team, he or she may contact Mosaica Educations, National
Director of Special Education and request that s/he may be present an IEP meeting to discuss concerns
or ask the school to agree to IEP facilitation in order to obtain resolution. If resolution is not obtained,
the parent may refer to his or her procedural safeguards which outline the steps for dispute
resolution. Mosaica Education takes every parent concern very seriously and understands that
parents play a critical role in the development and success of their child. It is always Mosaica
Educations goal to seek resolution internally while maintaining compliance with the regulatory
requirements. Mosaica will conduct its LEP programs in compliance with state and federal
regulations, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities
Act of 1974.
Safety, Order & Discipline
How does your organization ensure a safe and orderly environment? Please include
data on safety and discipline from your organizations existing schools

All Mosaica schools adopt a Code of Civility. The Code of Civility identifies ten character virtues that are
at the center of the character education curriculum. These character virtues are cultivated with care and
consistency. In addition, the Code of Civility describes the roles and responsibilities of students, parents,
teachers, and faculty and the ways in which students are encouraged to make appropriate choices.
Embracing the principles outlined in the Code of Civility is a first and vital step towards the creation of an
environment in which all children can thrive. It not only minimizes physical harm and disruption among

students, it helps establish - among all members of the school community - the habits that characterize a
civil society. As the name implies, Mosaicas Code of Civility goes beyond simply laying out rules and
consequences to the explanation of the character virtues embedded in the Paragon
curriculum. Most
codes of conduct are documents that serve as a guide to reactions. The Code of Civility was developed
as a blueprint for the creation of a specific environment and culture that inherently establishes
preventative measures for inappropriate behavior.

The primary focus of the behavior management program is positive reinforcementstudents are
praised when caught doing the right thing, and in this way, they learn the most appropriate ways to
earn attention. At the heart of this philosophy concerning behavior management is the belief that many
students behave inappropriately as a means of attracting attention, having learned at some point that
misbehavior typically generates attention. Generally, where ten children are together and nine are
behaving appropriately, the one whose behavior falls short of expectations will draw the comment, the
reprimand, the precious attention.

As much as possible in Mosaica-managed schools, the opposite takes place. Expectations for student
conduct are explicitly defined and modeled for students at the outset, and faculty and staff regularly
recognize students for doing the right thing. For example, if a class were filing down the hall and one
student in the back were trailing his hand along the wall, the teacher might say, Look at what a great
job the front of the line is doing! Everyone is moving forward and keeping his hands to himself. Way to
go! By calling attention to those who are meeting expectations, the teacher encourages the wayward
child to emulate their behavior.

Faculty and staff are trained to make four such positive comments for every one correction to maintain a
positive and productive learning environment. It is expected that such techniques will prove effective in
most circumstances. Occasionally, of course, misconduct will occur, and in such circumstances,
consistency and clarity of consequences are key. Teachers are rigorously trained in the companys
proactive behavior management techniques and all members of the faculty are thoroughly versed in
disciplinary procedures described in the Code of Civility.

Students who engage in any type of misbehavior, whether minor or severe, will be required to make
amends and/or restore the situation. Restitution may involve an apology, community or school service,
or fixing or replacing any damage. For example, a student who has marked on a desk or the school walls
may be required to clean walls and desks for a week. Likewise, if a student teases or calls another child
names, he or she may be required to make ten compliments per day for a week and do three good
deeds for the week. By holding students accountable and applying rules in a consistent manner, schools
teach them a powerful two-fold lesson: that their claims and actions matter, and that their words and
deedsintentional and unintentionalhave consequences.

Discipline is the positive direction of behavior toward established standards of conduct, fully understood
and based upon reason, judgment, and consideration of rights of others. Ideal discipline is self-directed
and self-controlled. Schools, community, and parents share the responsibility for helping students
develop self-discipline. When self-control falters and self-discipline fails, disciplinary forces from outside
the individual must be imposed to protect the rights of others and to ensure uninterrupted instruction
by teachers for students.


What is the philosophy at your organization regarding student behavior and discipline,
including for SPED students?

Mosaica will comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 2004 (IDEA '04)
and Chapter 14 of the Pennsylvania School Code when considering the disciplinary exclusion of a
student with a disability (eligible student) or a student who is thought to have a disability (thought-to-
be-eligible student). Our philosophy towards behavior and discipline for all students is to prevent the
negative behavior before it occurs whenever possible. Students need to be in their classroom and
engaged in order to achieve academically and it is our responsibility to put into place the structures
necessary for all students to succeed.

Please describe proposed discipline - as well as suspension and expulsion - policies by
relevant grade span and include existing policies in the Appendix

Please find attached our Code of Conduct - Appendix 2.

Are there any agreements your organization has created for students, parents, and
teachers regarding academic and behavior expectations?

Please find attached our Code of Conduct Appendix 2.

How do you plan to meet the applicable requirements for reporting truancy?

Parents must contact the school office by phone whenever a child is going to be absent, and send a
written excuse to the teacher when the child returns to school. The schools will have a dedicated
phone line for all calls related to attendance.

The following reasons are sufficient cause for an excused absence: a.) illness, b.) death in the family,
c.) inclement weather, which would be dangerous to the life or health of the child, d.) legal
quarantine, e.) emergency conditions as determined by the Head of School and f.) prior permission
from the Head of School and consent from the legal guardian.

In the event that extraordinary circumstances require that the student be absent from school, an
Authorized Absence Plan may be developed jointly by the teacher, the Head of School, and the
students parent or legal guardian. The plan will define the length of the absence and the means by
which the student will make-up the work he or she will miss. The plan must be approved and signed
by the Head of School and the parent/guardian prior to the students absence.

If a student returns to school after an absence without a note of explanation from the parent, the
teacher will call the parent to remind him or her to send a note the following day. If a note is not
received within two school days of the absence, the absence will be regarded as unexcused. If the
child receives three unexcused absences, the parent will receive a notice from the school.

In response to continued absenteeism or chronic tardiness, the Truancy Officer will conduct a home
visit with a citation. The citation will be explained and, if necessary, issued with a court date and
location. The Truancy Officer will represent the school at court, providing the court with the students

attendance record, a copy of the students progress report and grades, and all documentation related
to the childs truancy.
Structure of school day and year
Please describe the planned number of instructional days, length of day, structure of the
day/week, ongoing professional development, and after school programming. An
example bell schedule or day in the life descriptions for students and teachers can be
included in the Appendix

All City of York schools will have a 192 day school year and 7 hour extended day, providing 1,344
hours of instruction to students annually. A student who attends a City of York school from
Kindergarten to grade 8 will experience 2,214 additional hours of instruction which is the equivalent of
two additional school years as compared to traditional schools. Students in grades K-5 receive 120
minutes of ELA, 90 minutes of mathematics, 60 minutes of science, and 90 minutes of Paragon daily.
Middle school and high school students participate in a block schedule. Please find attached our
schedule and a day in the life description Appendix 2.

Professional development is built into the weekly schedule of all teachers. The Mosaica models
strong focus on raising student achievement can be seen by the work of the Curriculum
Implementation Specialist (CIS) who working in concert with the Head of School provide the vision for
academic improvement for the school. The CIS holds weekly grade level meetings with staff to
provide on-going, job embedded, sustainable professional development to instructional staff
members. While the strategies may be introduced during the two week pre-service program (three
weeks for new teachers), grade level meetings are the vehicle for which the CIS provides opportunities
for further refinement regarding implementation of research based instructional strategies designed
to improve student achievement. Working with the Head of School, the CIS makes regular
observations in the classroom to determine the effective implementation of professional development
including instructional strategies. Feedback from observations are provided at weekly grade level
meetings. Based on the observation results, the CIS may model the strategy in the classroom or have
the teacher(s) visit a classroom to see a peer implementing the instructional technique. Grade level
meetings are held minimally one day a week during the regular school day. It is through this cycle that
assures the on-going, sustainable implementation of professional development.

Additionally, Mosaica Education schools typically schedule professional learning communities after
school two times per month. The professional learning communities provide further opportunities to
review strategy implementation, achievement data, monitor Multi-tier System of Support / Response
to Intervention data, etc. Please note that instructional teams are able to review web based
professional development follow up resources on the Mosaica Desire 2 Learn website.

Afterschool programming will be determined during the planning year based on the needs of each
individual school. We anticipate providing a range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities based
on student interest, such as sports teams, clubs, and fully stocked Makers Fab Labs to support
innovative student-created projects.


Please include information on an example annual calendar from other schools in your
organization, including information on assessment schedules, professional
development days, and parent-teacher conferences

Please find attached our school day and annual calendar Appendix 2.

If relevant to your organizations instructional model, please describe your plan for leveraging
education technology

What equipment and services will be needed to implement the curriculum?

To ensure our programs are implemented with fidelity, we strive for a computer for every 3 students,
Shared Printer, a Smartboard in each classroom and Internet connection.

What equipment would students and faculty have to provide or would be provided by
the school?

Students and faculty would not be expected to provide their own equipment.

What technology support will be offered to ensure access for all students?

Mosaica would provide staff for all tech support issues. This would include technician onsite and
remote support from the Mosaica Corporate office.

What back-up plans will be in place if equipment, software, or connectivity problems
occur?

The school would contact Mosaica support and our onsite and remote staff will troubleshoot the issue
and get service back online in a timely manner.

Please describe your organizations philosophy on acceptable use of technology and
include available an example policy in the Appendix if available

Please find attached an example of our policy Appendix 2.

What data protection and recovery procedures does your organization employ in the
event of system failures?

All of our data and applications reside in the cloud and not stored locally on the students device. The
student and staff data is backed up locally on a school server and then backup online in the cloud.


FAMILY & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

What role have any parents, families, and York community members played in developing your
organizations proposal?

As indicated previously, Mosaica will hold regular community meetings with community stakeholders.
The meetings will be established to listen to the stakeholders in the City of York. During this time we are
excited to hear from parents, students, teachers, community organizations, social service groups,
religious institutions, elected officials, neighborhood associations and others about their goals, dreams,
and vision for their schools. This process will allow us to establish an ongoing dialogue around needs,
expectations and plans for the schools. We want to communicate regularly and frequently with
everyone about the developing plans for the City of York schools.
How will your organization engage families and community members in York between approval
and opening of school(s)?
Initial engagement activities will include multiple media attempts to reach parents and guardians
living in the area and surrounding communities which will include: newspaper advertisements, radio
spot ads, postcards to residents, and the establishment of social media presence on Facebook and
Twitter. Additional activities will be more community based and will include:
Door to door community walks where staff members knock on doors to provide residents
with information about the programs and services provided by the school.
Back-to-school fairs to create excitement in the community. Families will be able to ask
questions, review curriculum, and provide input. Hot dogs, face painting, games, and a
bounce house will be included as part of the event.
Regular open house events will be hosted on the school sites by the Head of School,
teachers, and support staff members.
Relationships will be fostered with local clergy and community agencies as a long-term
strategy to foster community support and to aid and assist in getting the word out to the
community about the schools programs and services.
Community outreach efforts will also include opportunities to reach potential parents and
families by having a presence at community events including local fairs and community
exhibitions.
How will your organization engage parents and families in the life of the school?
This could include family school partnerships and commitments or volunteer activities the
school will seek from, offer to, or require of parents
Examples of parent and family engagement efforts in your organizations schools can be
included here or in the Appendix

Parent involvement activities at Mosaica Education schools are based on the research of Dr. Joyce
Epstein (updated, 2009). The following beliefs provide the foundation of the Mosaica Education
Parent Involvement program:
1. A childs education is a responsibility shared by the school and family during the entire time
the child spends in schools;
2. To support the goal of the schools to educate all students effectively, the schools and parents
must work as knowledgeable partners;
3. That although parents are diverse in culture, language, and needs, they are an integral
component of a schools ability to provide for the educational success of their children;
4. That engaging parents is essential to improve student achievement; and
5. That schools should foster and support active parental involvement.
The Paragon program provides for a high level of parent involvement due to the implementation of
Paragon Nights which are held at the end of every Paragon unit throughout the school year. We
believe we have the formula that will help the community to see our school as the center of the
community. The cornerstone of our plan is to have Paragon Nights at the end of each Paragon unit
throughout the year. During this time families and community members will be invited into our
school while the students showcase all they have learned through art projects, plays, music, writing
and more. We expect to see a high turnout of parents as they come to school to see their student
showcase their learning through performances in the visual, fine, and performing arts. During
Paragon Night, Heads of Schools take time to provide opportunities to build relationships with parents
and guardians and recruit parents for involvement in classroom, school, and community service
events.

There will also be a parent advisory board/parent teacher organization/parent teacher association
that meets with the Head of School on a monthly basis. The purpose of the advisory board is to
provide open communication and to plan school events that will lead to improved parent and
community involvement. Parent representatives also serve on the School Improvement Team.

In addition, we have embraced the Makers movement which encourages students, families, and
individuals to express their inner creativity by creating projects of all kinds. These projects can be art,
STEM based, crafting, and anything else that may spark a persons interest. To support this, we will
have an onsite Makers Space where families can create together and we will host demonstration fairs
to allow students and families to show their work to others.

Another way to foster community relationships and volunteerism, schools will be invited to create rich
vegetable gardens. As hunger is a problem for many families, schools will donate at least 50% of all
vegetables grown in our garden to a local food pantry or shelter. The remaining vegetables will be
used to add fresh vegetables to our school lunches. School gardening has been shown to increase
self-esteem, help students develop a sense of ownership and responsibility, help foster relationships
with family members, and increase parental involvement (Alexander & Hendren, 1998). Coupled with
a community outreach program like Sharing the Harvest, we will instill in our students a sense of
community pride and reinforce the need for altruism in our community. Students will take pride in
growing cool weather vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, peas, and
radishes. They will then share their bounty with families in need in their own community. Through
this project and others like it, we will build citizens that continue to pay it forward and support their
community.

What community resources does your organization expect to make available to students and
families in York?
This could include partnerships with community organizations, businesses, or other
educational institutions your organization has or is pursuing
Please include the nature, purposes, terms, and scope of services if available as well as
evidence of support from community partners in the Appendix

Partnerships with the community provide opportunities to join forces in the establishment of
programs that support the academic, social, and emotional well-being of the students and their
families. One of the pillars that make up the Mosaica model is community support which has been
critical to successful turnaround efforts in schools located in Detroit, Muskegon Heights, Chicago, and
Philadelphia. Examples of successful partnerships in Mosaica Education turnaround schools include:

Communities in Schools Mosaica Education has worked with Central Collegiate Academy since 2010.
Mosaicas primary responsibility is to increase student achievement which involves working hand in
hand with several agencies that provide support to the school. Communities in Schools model
includes a site coordinator who works to provide support to students and families with the goal of
keeping them in school and working toward graduation.

Safety Station Safety Station is implemented through a collaborative effort with local law
enforcement and Focus Hope. The purpose of the program is to build respect and pride for law
enforcement while teaching high school students how they are able to contribute to building safe
neighborhoods and creating a healthy lifestyle for the community.

Community Foundation Partnerships with the local community foundation help to provide teacher
mini-grants to fund special projects including innovative programs in schools. Teachers use mini-
grants to extend learning for students. The Community Foundation of Muskegon County provided
many opportunities to provide special activities for students including enhancements to the Public
School Academies art program.

Chamber of Commerce Working with the local Chamber of Commerce provides excellent resources
not only for students but also for teachers. The Chamber of Commerce works with teachers to
provide guest speakers, mentors, field trips, workforce readiness, and internships. The Chamber also
meets regularly with Heads of Schools and Mosaica Education Project Team members to establish
plans for community improvement. Chamber of Commerce members also serve on school
improvement teams.

Business Partnerships Mosaica Education schools have worked hand in hand with local business to
establish a consortium to provide high school students with summer employment opportunities. The
Business Partnership Council meets regularly to provide opportunities for business to support school
activities and projects.

Coordinated Health Services School counselors and social workers working in tandem with Heads of
Schools to establish student support centers with the objective that services a student is receiving is
coordinated with local medical and mental health services, Department of Human Services, local food
banks, counseling centers, and other agencies. The purpose of the student support center ensures

that students and families receive the appropriate services that will enable them to be successful
learners.

United Way Mosaica Education schools and programs continue to benefit from partnerships with
United Way. Detroit and Muskegon Heights worked with United Way to establish structured reading
programs which led to successful opportunities with Americorps and City Year. In addition, the work
of United Way helped to provide funding opportunities through partnerships designed to increase
high school graduation rates.

Governmental Students will learn about how government works through the study of Paragon Civics,
History, and Economics. Mosaica schools work together with local government so that students will
learn firsthand the importance of their own participation in the local governmental process. The
establishment of a youth city council made up of student council members from each school will
provide students with a voice to local governmental officials as well as for them to learn how
community members influence local governmental decisions.

Community College Mosaica Education will work closely with HACC Community College to establish
programs that will have students visiting the York college campus as well as to continue programs that
have brought York programs to the City of York School District schools. Such programs may include
dual enrollment courses, introduction to specialized programs such as HACCs Mechatronics Training,
and HACC Academy.

Visual and Performing Arts Mosaica will partner with local arts programs including York Little
Theatre so that students are able to extend their learning including Paragon performances to the
greater community.
Please include any ties to and/or knowledge of the York community that your organization and
leaders have
Through his prior work in the York area, our Vice President of Business Development, Mike Malone
has relationships with Dan Fennick and Oscar Rossum.
Please identify any organizations, agencies, and/or consultants that would be partners in
planning and establishing your school(s) in York
This should including current and planned roles and resources they plan to contribute to
the schools development

We intend to identify all existing contracted services work, assess the quality and cost of the work in
concert with the district administration and then make a decision relative to continuation (e.g. Success
Schools, Aramark, Pre-kindergarten).

BUSINESS PLAN
Please include a profile of the founding and/or leadership group of your organization
This should focus on those who will play a substantial and ongoing role in the
development, governance, and operation of school(s) in York
Include any had direct experience at existing school(s) operated by your organization or
a school that closed, including their involvement and circumstances that led to closure
Include any founding group members who are from the local area and their connection
to York

Please find attached the Bios of our Leadership Team Appendix 7.
Please include information on your organizations planned administrative structure for
operating in York
Organizational chart(s) for school and management organization in the Appendix
This should also include information concerning how teachers, students, and families
will have input in decision making

Please find attached our Organization chart Appendix 7.
Performance History of your organizations schools must be included
Include a list of schools managed by your organization and state accountability data for
each school. A narrative description of your organizations results should be in your
proposal with documentation in the Appendix
Include all subgroups (defined by NCLB and PDE) served by grade level
Include data on achievement gaps and progress closing them
Should include comparison to other schools in the state - and ideally to schools
serving similar demographics to those operated
Non-academic indicators such as attendance, retention, graduation,
suspensions/expulsions, and waiting lists can be included
Descriptive information - grades served, number of students, years open,
demographics, and student/staff attrition should be included
Additional evidence that your organizations proposed model has been
effective in raising student achievement can be included in the Appendix

Please find attached our student achievement information Appendix 4.

3 years of audited financials for your organization must be included

Our audited financials have been included and we request that they be kept confidential as we are a
privately held company.

Disclosure of any schools operated that have been closed, or any sanctions short of
closure such as conditional renewals, withdrawals/non-opening of schools, and
compliance violations must be included


Eight of Mosaicas schools over the course of 17 years have had their charters non-renewed. We have
not had any schools closed due to compliance issues or sanctions.

Any negative publicity York would discover researching your organization, including the
circumstances that led to this publicity should be included

Please find attached the requested information Appendix 4.
Financial plans for your organization in York based on the estimated per student amount that
will be provided by the District July 18, 2014 must be included
Proposed budget for the planning year, a 2 year operating budget, 5 year operating
projection, and year 1 monthly cash flow projection
Please include what contingencies your organization would plan for if per-
pupil amounts are less than predicted
Include any anticipated transfers to organization or its affiliates (e.g.
management fee, repayment of start-up loan)
Budgets to be provided in format provided with this RFP

Please find attached the requested budgets Appendix 5.
Please include any planned fundraising efforts and evidence of fund-raising successes of
your organization has had in the past
During our work with Muskegon Heights, we were successful raising funds in an area of with great
poverty. In the first year of operation, we focused on developing relationships and trust in the
community without asking for donations. We believed in the need to develop a strong foundation of
mutual respect with all stakeholders in the community and with this, the additional funding for the
district would soon follow. Stakeholders were invited to numerous community meetings, school
events, and we continuously solicited their input. During our second year, we began to receive private
donations from individuals in the community and surrounding areas. Donations supported specific
projects, trips, or events. We also held a gala to thank our donors and raise additional funds for the
schools. This was all possible due to the strong relationships built by the Heads of School and Mosaica
leaders.
Mosaica is involved in the grant writing and fundraising for all of our schools. We work closely with
the Heads of School and Boards to develop fundraising plans and follow through with the
implementation during each stage. For the schools of the City of York, we would develop a district
fundraising plan as well as individual plans for each school. Each plan would be individualized to the
needs of the school and address gaps in the schools programs. We anticipate using a similar model of
both district wide and building based fundraising and grant writing initiatives to enhance the programs
offered at each school.

Please include information on your organizations financial management and accounting
systems and procedures, including:
Procedures & fiscal controls to ensure accountability
Cash flow management plan

How resources will be segregated from those of affiliate/parent organization
The governing body of the school provides the vision and direction of the school and the
finance/payroll staff work with the finance committee of the governing board to help them realize
their visions in the most cost effective and time efficient manner possible. Monthly budget to actual
reports are provided within 25 days of month end, supporting documentation for board authorized
disbursements is made available for review as checks are being signed by the board, and oversight of
the budget development process and control over the budget approval process are all ways that the
governing boards are kept informed and involved.
On a monthly basis, Mosaica Education Inc. prepares an Income Statement, a Balance Sheet and a
Statement of Cash Flow. The Governing Board reviews these documents on a monthly basis for budget
compliance. The preparation of the annual budget begins 120 days before the beginning of the fiscal
year and is adopted by the Governing Board prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. At year end,
every school receives an outside audit from the Auditor of the State or a CPA firm selected by the
board depending on state requirements.
Please find attached our policies and procedures Appendix 6.

Include information on types of liability insurance and levels of coverage sought

Please find attached a complete list of the liability insurance Appendix 5.

Include plan for conducting annual audits and discussion of prior audit results for your
organization

Annual financial audits will be conducted by an independent Certified Public Accountant licensed in
the State of Pennsylvania. On a monthly basis, Mosaica Education Inc. will prepare an Income
Statement, a Balance Sheet and a Statement of Cash Flow. A financial statement along with a balance
sheet will be provided on a monthly basis in a format acceptable to the school system within 15 days
after the end of each month. The Governing Board will review these documents on a monthly basis
for budget compliance. The charter school governing board will have complete autonomy over
budgets and expenditures. The preparation of the annual budget will begin 120 days before the
beginning of the fiscal year and will be adopted by the Governing Board prior to the beginning of each
fiscal year. Audits will be prepared following the end of each fiscal year by a Pennsylvania
independent auditor and will be paid for as a normal business expense of the school and provided for
in the school budget. Copies of the audit will be submitted to the Board of Education within 60
calendar days of the end of the schools fiscal year. Audits will comply with the guidelines established
by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
Human Resources information must be included in the proposal
Description of key leadership roles

Regional Vice President (RVP) Provides the Heads of School with leadership and ensures the policies
and procedures laid out by the district and Mosaica are adhered to. The RVP will be a liaison between
the district and the Heads of School and will be responsible for holding the schools accountable for
their individual improvement plans.

The Head of School - Provides school leadership that ensures excellence in teaching and student
learning while promoting community support and maintaining efficiency in operation. To insure
compliance with all aspects of: state and federal law; board policies and procedures; and compliance
requirements of the authorizer.
Curriculum Implementation Specialist (CIS): To provide teachers with an exemplary ongoing
professional development program that contributes to their development as knowledgeable,
informed, responsible and accountable educators and as leaders in their classrooms.
Behavior Intervention Specialist (BIS): To provide support to teachers and students through the
implementation of a comprehensive Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program. A PBS program
provides behavioral intervention to students on three different levels of support to ensure all students
maximize their learning experience.
Teachers: To provide students with a first class learning experience that maximizes their intellectual,
social, emotional, and physical development, including the development of their ability to apply their
intellect to solving problems and contribute to their communities as enlightened and responsible
citizens.
Names and qualifications of leaders in those roles OR interim leader backgrounds and
information on recruiting process for key roles

Two essential Mosaica leaders that will be Boots on the Ground include Donn Tignanelli and Mike
Malone. Their qualifications were discussed earlier in the application and both have extensive
experience working in turnaround scenarios. Mr. Tignanelli was instrumental to the success of
Muskegon Heights and Mike Malone has worked in the York community in prior years and with
several turnaround initiatives throughout the country.

We will advertise locally, regionally and nationally to attract the best staff, using Internet resources as
well as local and regional newspapers forums and national periodicals. We will also host local job fairs
an attend area college/university job fairs. Teachers will be required to hold a degree in education or
related discipline (i.e. social science, humanities), hold the appropriate certification, demonstrate
competence in all areas of content responsibility, demonstrate computer literacy, be respected as a
professional educator and as an individual, and exhibit excellent verbal and written expression as well
as strong interpersonal skills. Additionally, thorough background screenings will be performed on all
staff at the school.

Criteria for hiring teachers, administrators, and other school staff that will meet or
exceed NCLB requirements

All teachers must be highly qualified, in that teachers will hold a minimum Bachelors degree, an
educator license with the appropriate area of concentration (early childhood or elementary for grades
k-8, area concentration and endorsement for grades 8-12), and a passing score on an approved
subject area test (if applicable). Paraprofessionals supported by Title I funds must have appropriate
qualifications, including holding a secondary school diploma or recognized equivalent, remove and
completion of at least two years (48) semester hours at an accredited higher education institution, or
hold an associates (or higher) degree from an accredited higher education institution, or have satisfied
a rigorous state assessment about the individuals knowledge of State standards. Additionally,

thorough background screenings will be performed on all staff and any Parent/Guardian volunteers or
other individuals who will have significant unsupervised time with students. A record of these
background checks will be kept on file in the schools business office. Additional qualifications for staff
positions are available upon request.

Staffing plan for your organizations school(s) in York
This should include anticipated number of staff members/positions and how
theyll be organized (including student/teacher ratios) and include special
education teachers to serve Yorks SPED population
Plans for teacher retention and professional growth including retention data
from other schools

Please find attached our staffing plan Appendix 7.

Employment policies
Description of policies related to salaries, contracts, hiring and dismissal,
evaluation, dispute resolution, and benefits with documents on policies and
rubrics included in the Appendix
Policies on equal employment opportunities

Please find attached our Human Resources documents Appendix 7.
Board Recruitment, Agreements, & Conflict of interest Policy
Include a plan for board recruitment in York

Mosaica will work closely with all community stakeholders to recruit members to the Board of
Directors. We will solicit recommendations from community leaders and community organizations;
place a Recruitment ad in local paper requesting interested parties; list a Linked-In Professional
solicitation for board members, and compose a screening/interview committee comprised of
members from school district, community and Mosaica. Final selection of the board will be a
collaborative effort with the best interest of the City of York in mind.

Board code of conduct and other agreements board members would sign such as conflict
of interest policies in the Appendix

Please find attached our draft board documents Appendix 7. In addition, all board members will
undergo a background check.

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