Family & Community Alternative Learning
Charter Schools Best Practices

Marstons Mills East HM Charter Public School

Becoming a Horace Mann Charter Public School

Topics:	School Mission School Culture and Classroom Management Practices Organizational Capacity Instructional Practices Practices in Instructional Leadership Community involvement Board oversight and governance practices Budgeting and long range fiscal planning strategies Fiscal policies and procedures Annual reporting requirements
Mission:	The mission of Marstons Mills East Horace Mann Charter Public School is to be a whole school community that provides a challenging and enriching learning environment for all children Kindergarten through Grade 4; and where all children achieve high academic standards and develop character. We support the whole child and continuous improvement in the teaching process, and consider a whole school community as integral to success.
Goals:	1. To familiarize visiting participants with the structure of a Horace Mann charter school, emphasizing governance and fiscal responsibility
Summary:	Horace Mann Charter Schools. Marstons Mills East Horace Mann Charter Public School has learned valuable lessons about transitioning from a traditional district public school to a Horace Mann charter public school. These include experiences related to academic program reform efforts, organizational oversight/governance, and financial planning, among others. School leaders and teachers at Marstons Mills East Horace Man Charter Public School worked closely with the staff of the Silver Hill Elementary School in Haverhill as they prepared their Horace Mann Charter Application. There were several exchange visits between staff members of the two schools. The two schools shared visits so that Silver Hill had an idea of what a Horace Mann charter consisted of and the advantages of becoming a Horace Mann Charter. The Accelerated Schools Plus governance structure featured at MMEHMCPS was shared as well as a strong governance piece for Silver Hill. The culminating project for Silver Hill Elementary School was the writing and awarding of their charter.
Partner(s):
Dates:	01/01/2007
Contact:	Ken Keenen, Principal (keenan_ken@barnstable.k12.ma.us/508.420.1100)
Resources:	Final Charter Application for Silver Hills Horace Mann Charter Public School (available from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).
Federal Charter Schools Program Funds?	Yes

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