via their online Pre-K Program Upstart, but acknowledges it cannot provide the same depth and breadth of skills a .... a
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SEED TO OAKS OAKS SUMMER ACADEMIES 2018-19 Business Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................... 2 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Core Objectives ............................................................................................................................................................... 3 4-Point Strategy............................................................................................................................................................... 3 SCHEDULE ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Program Duration............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Classes ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Program Locations and Start Dates ............................................................................................................................. 5 Weekly Schedule ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 PROGRAM EVALUATION ................................................................................................................................................. 6 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.................................................................................................................................... 6 COLLABORATION PARTNERS ........................................................................................................................................ 6 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................................................................. I Budget ................................................................................................................................................................................ i Benefit Cost Ratio .......................................................................................................................................................... iii Detailed Daily Schedule ................................................................................................................................................ iv National Assessments.................................................................................................................................................... vi Curriculum ...................................................................................................................................................................... vii Academic Risk Factors................................................................................................................................................. viii Guiding Education Principles ....................................................................................................................................... ix Job One Training and Placement ................................................................................................................................. x Volunteer Role Descriptions ........................................................................................................................................ xi Program Director........................................................................................................................................................... xii Board of Directors........................................................................................................................................................ xiii Education Advisory Board .......................................................................................................................................... xiv
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Oaks Summer Academies is an educational support program working with local churches to instruct both families and students with school readiness, academic retention, and vocational exposure during summer months while addressing multiple risk factors that perpetuate the cycle of educational poverty. Education is essential to lifelong success in any vocation or profession. Yet in Jefferson County, only 51.6% of children entering kindergarten have the academic/cognitive skills needed to begin school and 47.4% are not ready in the area of self-help skills (JCPS Data Management Systems, 2016). Floyd County, IN is addressing the same need via their online Pre-K Program Upstart, but acknowledges it cannot provide the same depth and breadth of skills a child will get from a high-quality classroom-based experience (Early Learning Indiana, 2017). There is also no assessment that addresses the way a child learns, or helping families with the risk factors they face. Oaks Summer Academy provides missing components of the current educational system in Kentuckiana by addressing risk factors including low parental education, unmarried parents, teen mothers, and unemployed parents, among others. Our network of trained and experienced educators is committed to building a bridge that 1) connects local bodies of Christ and people in need of educational support to 2) professionally designed programs that meet the needs of entire families at risk. We work with local churches to: - Identify students/families needing education support - Improve access to education supports in challenging neighborhoods - Provide church members with training support for families facing risk
We work with local organizations to: - Increase student readiness for school - Reduce risk factors through training and vocational exposure - Increase student achievement and community responsibility
We have developed a model that uses a scalable and layered approach to meeting the needs of educators, churches, students and parents. Grounding our Academies in local churches allows for relationships beyond the classroom. National assessments for every student identifies academic risk factors, emotional/social needs of each child, and learning styles. Risk factors are addressed in parent trainings through a community of caring churches and trained educators. Oaks Academies also develops vocational as well as professional skills for children. Oaks Summer Academies allow for educating the whole family which increases the quality of life and flourishing for neighborhood residents and provides local churches with an opportunity to build relationships needed to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to fulfill the Great Commission. The projected outcome of this 2018 fiscal year proposal, $27,250 budget, includes two (2) two-week Summer Academies, with a total of 60 students, a pilot program with Campbellsville University to earn clinical experience for pre-teacher candidates, and opportunity for basic job skills training for up to 15 parents with full-time job placement opportunities with Seed to Oaks business partners. The estimated academic growth with preparedness for schools is 10%-20% per student. According to the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, every dollar put toward early childhood education is both an educational and economic stimulus for American families – creating jobs and enabling parents to earn while their children learn. Economists have found that high-quality early childhood education like Oaks Summer Academies offers one of the highest returns of any public investment – more than $7 for every dollar spent. www.seedtooaks.com
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OBJECTIVES Core Objectives Our core objectives are: • Develop a replicable two-week summer education program outside of the school year, beginning with five and six-year olds (pre-K to Kindergarten and Kindergarten into first grade) that aligns with the K-12 educational system and provides areas of support in academic, emotional, physical and social skills. • Assess students academically, emotionally, physically and socially to provide instruction that meets the needs of the “whole child.” • Using county, state, and national school data, develop ongoing studies on values addressing major academic risk factors for families living in poverty of families struggling with underperforming students. • Use neighborhood needs assessments to develop educational sessions to help families. • Train and prepare instructional staff, church members and community members on families and students living in poverty and the risk factors involved that interfere with a student’s education. • Provide continuous professional development for educators on family and student needs. • Develop a replicable educational system that develops vocational as well as professional skills for students in grades K-12.
4-Point Strategy We have developed a scalable 4-point strategy, to be piloted in the Kentuckiana region, that results in churches, educators, children and parents working together. Our 4-point strategy includes: 1.
Partner Churches that provide relationships and experiences beyond the classroom. Each Academy is grounded in a local church who provides volunteer support during and after each Academy with the goal of ongoing relationships outside educational programming, usually through additional sports and/or arts programming.
2.
Professional Educators who are academically certified, experienced with at-risk families and who are hired to assess and teach the children during each Academy. We also deploy Campbellsville University students who earn field hours and clinical experience for pre-teacher candidates learning to work with at-risk families and children.
3.
A focus on the “Whole Child.” Our educational model includes: • A National Needs Assessment for each student. • A curriculum that meets National Academic Standards and that is faith-based. • Technology that provides a digital experience for both teachers, students and tracks progress. Our multi-layer, “whole child” educational approach contains: Layer 1) The Mind. We focus each lesson to help students retain and get ready for the next school year. Layer 2) The Heart. We teach with a spiritual focus centering around the Bible and personal character. Layer 3) The Hands. We expose children to vocations and careers that serve as pathways out of poverty. Layer 4) The Family. We help parents understand the needs of their child and help them face these challenges together.
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4.
Parental focus in the areas of child needs and vocational opportunity for those seeking employment. For parents facing physical, emotional, and social challenges we provide on-site education. We also provide employment opportunities through Job One, our job training and placement program designed to secure jobs.
The chart below outlines how Oaks Summer Academies helps students retain, get ready for the academic school year and expose them to vocations that serve as real pathways out of poverty.
Educating the Mind
Educating the Heart
Educating the Hands
Educating the Family
National & State Standards through Faith Based Curriculum
A spiritual focus centering around the Bible and personal character
Vocational Exposure for Students
Training & Opportunity offered to Parents
-
Developed using State Standards
-
Developed using National Standards
-
-
-
-
Character Building
-
Goal Setting
-
Decision Making
-
Big Adventure Days exposing kids to various jobs or vocations at:
-
Louisville Zoo
Developed using Biblical Foundations
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Being a Good Neighbor
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Jefferson Memorial forest
Developed by curriculum specialist
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Personal Responsibility
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Local business
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Civic Duty & Courthouse
Developed around the identified needs of students
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Training using our Neighborhood 360 Assessment, which identifies the greatest needs in the community
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Parent training according to parent requests
-
National risk factors addressed in training
-
Job One Training & Placement
Our longer-term objectives include: • Increase the number of classes offered at our Summer Academies to include K-5. • Increase the number of locations that host Summer Academies to every county in the Kentuckiana region. • Increase the number of families who are supported with academic, physical, emotional, social growth, and spiritual growth that result in conversions to Christ.
SCHEDULE Program Duration Each Academy is two weeks long, Monday through Friday from 9am till 1pm. Our church partners have the option to provide additional sports activities until 2:30pm each afternoon.
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Classes Children who enter kindergarten with stronger school readiness skills tend to maintain their advantage while children with lower skills remain at a disadvantage. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty. If children born into poverty do not perform well in school, they are more likely to drop out and consequently fare poorly in the job market. It is for this reason that we begin all education endeavors with preschool and kindergarten aged students (5 and 6-year olds).
Program Locations and Start Dates Pilot Academy 1 – New Albany – June 18-29, 2018 at Sojourn Community Church New Albany. 30 students. Pilot Academy 2 – Shelby Park (53% Not Kindergarten Ready according to JCPS Brigance Trend Data, 2016) – July 9-20, 2018 at Sojourn Community Church Midtown. 30 students.
Weekly Schedule PRE & POST ASSESSMENT 1 Hour with Certified Assessor Prior To Program and last Thursday of Program.
MONDAY - THURSDAY 8:45a – 9:05a
Prayer and Greeting
9:05a – 10:30a 10:30a -10:50a 10:50a – 12:10p 12:10p – 12:50p 12:50p – 1:00p 1:00p – 1:30p 1:30p – 2:20p 2:20p – 2:30p
Mathematics Snacks & Vocational Exposure Reading Electives (Art, Drama, Music) Whole Group Education Dismissal Lunch (optional to church) Sports & Recreation (optional to church) Prayer and Whole Group Dismissal
FRIDAY
BIG ADVENTURE DAY!
Description of Schedule, Big Adventure Day and Parent Involvement: Oaks Summer Academies begin the day with Scripture and prayer. The daily schedule includes time for instruction of reading and math in a large group, small group and in an individual setting. Art, music and drama are a part of student enrichment as well as an extension of the skills taught in reading and math. Students learn about the different gifts and talents given to all people and begin to think about their own gifts and talents and how they may want to use them through a specific vocation. Every day we have a guest speaker talk about their vocation, explaining what they do at work, how they make money, what they did to get where they are and how students can follow in their footsteps. The day ends with a large group reflection of what was learned during the day. Big Adventure Days are on both Fridays of the academy and will take student learning outside of the classroom on a field trip that will connect student learning for the week. Our church partners have the option and are encouraged to provide lunch and an afternoon activity such as a sports or art camp before sending the children home for the day. Parent involvement is essential to student success. During our summer academies we will provide practical training for parents to get involved in their child's education as well as offer opportunity for job training and placement services. We will also provide trainings according to student assessments that were shared with parents regarding their child’s specific parenting needs. www.seedtooaks.com 5
PROGRAM EVALUATION Seed to Oaks is well positioned with access to expert, experienced, knowledgeable professionals who lend their expertise to us. Some of those professionals are: • Seed to Oaks education professionals • Certified Brigance and Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement National Assessors • Retired and practicing professionals in the area of elementary, middle and high school teaching, school administration, school counseling, and higher education.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Seed to Oaks is a federally registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Governance, leadership and operations for Oaks Summer Academies include the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, and an Education Advisory Council. Board of Directors The role of the Board of Directors is to hire the Executive Director of the organization, determine the Executive Director’s role, provide oversight to the Executive Director, and assess the overall direction, policy, and strategy of the organization. The Board ensures the organization is being run well. Education Advisory Council The Council is an Educational Leadership Team whose role is to lend expertise to advance our educational efforts. The council gives the Board, staff and key volunteers the tools and best practice insights needed to answer strategic and operational questions allowing us to build an educational system that will lead to the opening of a school.
COLLABORATION PARTNERS Campbellsville University is a comprehensive, Christian institution that offers pre-professional, undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is dedicated to academic excellence solidly grounded in the liberal arts that fosters personal growth, integrity
Indiana University Southeast
Currently in discussion.
METRO LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION LOUISVILLE
The Metro Leadership Foundation is dedicated to connecting, unifying, and mobilizing the Body of Christ in Louisville. By working together with churches and the community, the foundation addresses the most pressing issues in our community and seeks to achieve more for the less fortunate in Louisville.
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APPENDIX Budget The total planning budget for this initiative for the first two academies is $27,250. The distribution of this funding is as follows: FY 2018/19 Projection
FY 2018-19 Annual
Startup Costs
1st Academy July 2-13
2nd Academy July 16-27
Revenue Paid Academy Tuition
$1,750
$0
$875
$875
Student Sponsorships
$5,800
$0
$2,900
$2,900
$14,700
$9,650
$2,525
$2,525
$5,000
$0
$2,500
$2,500
$27,250
$9,650
$8,800
$8,800
$100
$0
$50
$50
$0
$50
$50
$1,300
$0
$0
Pledged & Grant Giving Churches Total Revenue Expenses Fundraising Vision Meetings Management & General Technology Programs Payroll Books & Resources
$100 $1,300 $1,300 $25,850 $19,600
$1,300 $8,350
$0 $8,750
$8,750
$3,600
$8,000
$8,000
$100
$0
$50
$50
$3,000
$0
$0
$400
$0
$200
$200
Technology
$1,750
$1,750
$0
$0
Big Adventure Days
$1,000
$0
$500
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$8,800
$8,800
Meals & Refreshments
Supplies Total Expenses Net Profit
$27,250
$9,650
4.8%
$0
$3,000
Curriculum
0.4%
94.9%
$0
Financial Plan Total cost per student, not including startup cost, is $293 for the two-week academy, which is $147 per student per week. Our cost is far lower than the National average academic cost of $300-800 average per student per week according to the University of Kentucky. Total Fundraising Cost = .4% Total Management Cost = 4.8% Total Program Cost = 94.9% www.seedtooaks.com
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Revenue Paid Academy Tuition – We estimate that 7 of the 30 families who are in each academy can and will pay a tuition of $125. Tuition revenue will average $875 per camp. Student Sponsorships – We ask that 10 students be fully sponsored by donors from each partner congregation for each academy. At $290 per student/per Academy, student sponsorships amount to $2,900 per academy. Pledged Giving – Given that Seed to Oaks is a regional non-profit that is supported by many stakeholders, we will raise $14,700 from donors who are interested in seeing strong educational programs like our academies become reality. Church Partners – We ask that each church partner hosting an academy support the effort at the cost of $2,500 per academy.
Expenses Fundraising (.4%) Vision Meetings - $50 per academy to host vision meetings with our church partners, with the goal of recruiting needed volunteers. Management & General (4.8%) Technology – We will purchase a computer with necessary software for the Academy Director to execute and run the program. Seed to Oaks runs on a Mac platform and computers cost $1,300 each. Program Expenses (94.9%) Payroll – • Certified Teachers who are Qualified/Certified – total of $8,000 per academy (each paid at their hourly professional rate) o 1 Certified Administrator or Director o 1 Certified teacher for 5-year olds o 1 Certified teacher for 6-year olds o 1 Certified teacher for the arts o The arts teacher will provide additional help in math and reading dividing their time equally between the 5 and 6 year olds with a 20 minute preparation period before the arts instruction time • Start Up cost for Directors Payroll for months leading up to the academies – Cost $3,600 Curriculum – Do the Math and Literacy Footprints cost a one-time $3,000 and will be used for future academies since we will then own the curriculum. Technology – To track student progress we will purchase 5 Chromebooks at $250 each for a total cost of $1,750.
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Benefit Cost Ratio A Benefit Cost Ratio of $7 for Every Dollar Spent According to the Kentucky Governor’s Early Childhood Office, early childhood education is a proven long-term investment that stimulates economic growth and ensures future prosperity. Right now, every dollar put toward early childhood education is both an educational and economic stimulus for American families – creating jobs and enabling parents to earn while their children learn. Economists have found that high-quality early childhood education offers one of the highest returns of any public investment – more than $7 for every dollar spent.
The Economic Case for Investing in Our Future Workforce High-quality early childhood education is a critical component of K-12 success, and research shows it can help close the achievement gap. By increasing access to high quality early childhood development supports, we have the opportunity to ensure children are ready to learn and succeed in school, compete in the global economy and contribute to thriving communities. Disadvantaged children, who are more likely to start school behind and stay behind, are also the least likely to attend high-quality preschool programs, according to research by the RAND Corporation. Research has demonstrated that we know how to dramatically boost our children’s chances for success. Neuroscientists have found early experiences – particularly from birth to age five – shape whether their brains develop a strong foundation for the learning and behavior that follow. • •
• •
•
Advances in brain research tell us that by the age of 5, more than 90 percent of the architecture of the brain is already in place. Children in a longitudinal study who had attended preschool were less likely to drop out of high school, be placed in special education and held back a grade, and they scored better on reading and math achievement tests. Early childhood education saves government spending on K-12 education, public assistance and the criminal justice system, and increases tax revenues as a result of higher earnings. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that 70 percent of the 30 fastest growing jobs nationally will require education beyond high school. In a globally competitive workplace we can no longer allow our children to enter school unprepared to learn and succeed. Early care and education is a major industry in its own right. At a time when job creation is a top priority, it provides tens of thousands of jobs in communities.
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Detailed Daily Schedule Preschool – Kindergarten Monday – Thursday (Academic) Schedule 8:45-9:05 9:05-10:30
10:30-10:50 10:5012:10
12:10-12:50 12:50-1:00 1:00-2:00
Class Prayer and greeting students Reading for 5-year olds on 20-minute rotations Vocational Exposure & Snack Math for Math for 5-year olds on 20-minute rotations Art, Music, Drama, Vocation
Description
Whole group with big book and targeted skill, guided reading, word work, individual help (5, 5, 5) Listening to speaker talk about his or her vocation. Whole group embedding reading with targeted skill, guided math, Chromebook with Big Brainz or Prodigy, individual help (5, 5, 5) Volunteers that love these and are passionate about their craft
Whole Group Dismissal Church Partner can provide lunch and a sports activity.
(Optional)
Kindergarten – 1st Grade Monday – Thursday (Academic) Schedule 8:45-9:05
Class Prayer and greeting students
Description
9:05-10:30
Reading for 6-year olds on 20-minute rotations
Whole group with big book and targeted skill, guided reading, word work, individual help (5, 5, 5)
10:30-10:50
Listening to speaker talk about his or her vocation.
10:5012:10
Vocational Exposure & Snack Math for Math for 6-year olds on 20-minute rotations
12:10-12:50
Art, Music, Drama, Vocation
Volunteers that love these and are passionate about their craft
12:50-1:00
Whole Group Dismissal
1:00-2:00
(Optional)
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Whole group embedding reading with targeted skill, guided math, Chromebook with Big Brainz or Prodigy, individual help (5, 5, 5)
Church Partner can provide lunch and a sports activity.
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Big Adventure Day! Fridays (Academic & Vocational Exposure) Schedule 8:45-9:05
Experience Prayer and greeting students
Description
9:05-9:45
Bus to BIG ADVENTURE SITE & Vocational Exposure
Travel while listening to speaker talk about a vocation as it relates to the BIG ADVENTURE SITE.
9:45-10:30
BIG ADVENTURE SITE
A tour, visit, exposure, to any one of the following sites: - Louisville Zoo - Muhammad Ali Museum - Louisville Science Center with IMAX - Louisville Slugger - Portland Museum - Ford or GE Plant
10:3010:50
Vocational Exposure & Snack
Listening to speaker or employee from the BIG ADVENTURE SITE talk about his or her vocation.
10:50-12:15
Continue BIG ADVENTURE SITE
12:50-1:00
Return Bus from BIG ADVENTURE SITE & Debrief
12:10-2:00
Whole Group Dismissal
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Students led through a day debrief and take home lessons.
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National Assessments Oaks Summer Academies is unique given our commitment to assess each child accepted into our academy. National assessments for every student identifies academic risk factors, emotional/social needs of each child, and learning styles. Risk factors are then addressed in parent trainings through a community of caring churches and trained educators. An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement Developed by Marie Clay, this measurement of early literacy behaviors provides a systematic way of capturing early reading and writing behaviors and is the primary assessment tool used in Reading Recovery. All of the tasks were developed in research studies to assess emergent literacy in young children (Including letter identification, word test, concepts about print, writing vocabulary, hearing and recording sounds in word, and text reading). The assessment has been reviewed and rated as a screening tool by the National Center for Response to Intervention (NCRTI) using a composite score for all six tasks. NCRTI assigned the highest possible rating. Brigance
For more than 35 years, educators have trusted the BRIGANCE® family of assessment, screening, and instructional tools to help them meet the needs of their students. The Inventory of Early Development (IED) III Standardized provides a variety of normative scores (standard scores, percentiles, and age equivalents), which can be used for benchmarking, standardized reporting, and supporting identification of special needs. The IED III Standardized contains 55 norm-referenced assessments, which allow educators to compare a child's performance to that of a nationally representative sample of children the same age. The IED III helps early childhood educators: • Assess key school readiness skills • Identify each child's specific strengths and needs • Plan individualized instruction based on assessment results • Monitor child progress The IED III Standardized includes scores in five domains, demonstrating broad content coverage and strong alignment to state early learning standards and Common Core State Standards: • Physical Development: Gross and Fine Motor Skills • Language Development: Receptive and Expressive Language Skills • Academic Skills/Cognitive Development: Literacy and Mathematics Skills • Adaptive Behavior: Daily Living Skills • Social and Emotional Development: Interpersonal and Self-Regulatory Skills
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Curriculum The Bible Our goal of using the Bible as the center of our curriculum is to show Jesus to children so they grow to be like him and go to tell others about him. National Academic Standards will be integrated into God’s word and faith-based stories of gospel change will be included in teaching the below curriculum.
Mathematics Created by Marilyn Burns, Do The Math is a math intervention program that helps students develop the skills they need to compute with accuracy and efficiency, develop a solid foundation in arithmetic understanding and skills, as well as the ability to reason mathematically and solve problems.
Addition & Subtraction builds a foundation for addition using two big ideas: • •
10 is an organizer for the base-ten number system. Numbers can be composed and decomposed.
Now with a digital experience for both teachers and students, Do The Math rebuilds critical mathematical foundations for understanding and: • • • •
Develops understanding of key concepts and skills with whole numbers and fractions—the essentials necessary for students to succeed in algebra and higher-level mathematics. Provides lessons that balance developing understanding and learning procedures. Strengthens students’ ability to make sense of concepts, solve problems, reason, and use appropriate tools. Extends student practice and further increases engagement through new online tools and interactive games.
Reading The goal of guided reading is to support students as they construct reading from the text and develop a love of reading. Created by Jan Richardson, Literacy Footprints is a guided reading system designed for classroom teachers, intervention, ELL, special education, and support staff who are teaching primary children to read and write. Each of the four kits (Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade) contains sequenced, high-quality leveled texts in a variety of genres. Students will encounter traditional tales, realistic fiction, fantasy, and informational text. The lesson cards that accompany the books follow Jan Richardson’s Next Step lesson format.
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Academic Risk Factors Families in the Kentuckiana area only have the choice of a public school for their children with any tutoring or academic help offered at those public schools. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 60% of our children are experiencing multiple risk factors between the ages of 3 and 5 in the state of Kentucky (Indiana Stats forthcoming). These risk factors include: -
Households without English speakers, Large family sizes, Low parental education, Residential mobility, Unmarried parent, Teen mother, or Unemployed parent.
Most of these risk factors involve values that cannot be addressed in a public school, but can be addressed in a Christian educational setting. Another risk factor not often mentioned is the number of homeless children there are in Jefferson County, Louisville, Ky. According to the Lexington Herald Leader in 2015, 8.65 % or 8318 students in Jefferson County were homeless. Kentuckiana needs an educational choice where risk factors that involve families and the heart are addressed within the system as well as addressing the needs of the whole child. The gap in skill development between advantaged and disadvantaged children emerges early and can predict academic achievement in later years. Children who enter kindergarten with stronger school readiness skills tend to maintain their advantage while children with lower skills remain at a disadvantage. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty. If children born into poverty do not perform well in school, they are more likely to drop out and consequently fare poorly in the job market (Halle, Ferry, Hair, Perper, Wandner, Wessel, & Vick, 2009). It is for this reason that all we begin all education endeavors with preschool and kindergarten aged students. Our method is unique in that it addresses the student and parent needs in a layered approach. Assessment that addresses not only the academic needs of the child but also the emotional/social needs of the child. Identified risk factors are addressed in parent training thus providing more educational opportunities for both parent and child. This opportunity allows for educating the whole family which will a growing quality of life and human flourishing for neighborhood residents, and provide local churches with opportunities to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to fulfill the Great Commission.
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Guiding Education Principles There are four guiding purpose driven principles that shape the education pillar mission, philosophy and objectives at Seed to Oaks. These four principles are Educating with a faith-based Curriculum, Educating the Whole Family, Educating Tomorrows Leaders, and Educating the Heart. It is our hope that we can provide opportunities for churches to engage families through educational programs that help equip not only students and families, but also everyday members and those educating tomorrows leaders.
Principle #1: Educating with a Faith-based Curriculum We believe all of our educational programs should use a faith-based curriculum embedding National standards and God’s Word. Many of our public schools provide quality academic education programs however they lack the ability to minister and educate the heart with the one book speaking God’s Words, the Bible. Our country began education to create a better society through learning how to read the Bible. The essential book for all coursework was the Bible. This changed in 1963 when in Abington School District v. Schempp the Court ruled that reading the Bible would not be allowed as it violated the First Amendment.
Principle #2: Educating the Whole Family Today our families are faced with many physical, emotional, and social challenges. These challenges affect the education of their children. Oaks Summer Academies and all future programming will provide on-site education to help families face these challenges.
Principle #3: Educating Tomorrows Leaders Louisville has a growing number of schools with no professional development network. National studies identify effective professional learning as a critical component of school success (Wei et al., 2009). However, despite these studies a national failure to ensure educators are provided effective professional learning exists and the structure for teacher professional development remains broken (Hill, 2009). School based professional development often comes from outside agencies, offered once, and not associated with the school’s culture or stakeholders (Levine, Smith, & Carr, 2009). Surveying teachers to gain perceptions regarding professional development provides school leaders with insight and knowledge needed to design effective professional learning opportunities for staff (NSDC, 2009). All of our programming includes professional training for our teachers by certified educators.
Principle #4: Educating the Heart All workers will be trained collaborating with youth ministers on how to nurture and guide children’s hearts towards understanding the Gospel and how the Gospel impacts our daily lives. The fruits of the spirit will be taught and modeled for children and parents. Prayer will take place before every meeting and in every educational venture. Prayer with children and for children and their families will take place. The Gospel embedded curriculum will include God’s story in the lives of others. Cultural differences will be celebrated along with God given talents and gifts. Respect for God’s creations and the beauty created in diversity will be modeled to appreciate thus God can work to eliminate bias we do not know lies within our hearts.
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Job One Training and Placement Job One is a program of Seed to Oaks that has a team working together at the local church, business and community levels to help and train people in need of jobs, prepare for the job market and placement into employment with opportunity for pay raises. Our 4-phase process has shown to yield a retention rate of upwards of 70%.
Phase 1: Apply for Job One Acceptance For those accepted, Job One candidates are introduced to Seed to Oaks Business Partners who are looking to hire and who are rooting for their success. Our Candidates are offered an opportunity, not a guarantee, to succeed in their own personal dreams and endeavors. Specific tasks: complete Job One Application, interview with Job One Reps, complete Self-Sufficiency Matrix, enter our 4 day Job Training.
Phase 2: Train In-Demand Skills Once in the program, Candidates begin by choosing from a selection of careers and available job positions. We then help train them for target industry soft job skills in order to successfully prepare them to interview and secure full-time employment. Specific tasks: complete 4-day Success Training, complete In-demand Job Skills Training, learn from business manager from employer seeking to hire, learn and complete resume development, mock interviews, and be prepped for hire.
Phase 3: Employment Phase 3 begins with job placement. After being placed in the job, we pair the new employees with a mentor who will support them in their new position. The goal of mentoring and accountability is to help the new employee navigate workplace tensions and challenges outside of work. At the same time, employers appoint an advocate who helps the employee navigate workplace culture from within Specific tasks: place the qualified candidate, align candidates with a long term mentors, alleviation of outside workplace challenges, accountability for workplace behavior, discipleship in growing Christian character and maturity.
Phase 4: Retain & Advance Phase 4 is focused on retention. Retention is the key to a stable workforce environment and the goal of every employer and Seed to Oaks. After placement, we then assist the new employees for workplace advancement and pay raises. The new employee and their mentor together agree on a longer-term plan to help them advance in marketable skills or education. At the end of 12 months, many of our candidates become a primary recruiter to repeat the process to help more people get jobs as new positions become available.
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Volunteer Role Descriptions We estimate that each academy needs 12-18 volunteers in the following areas.
Pre-Academy Administration & Planning 2-4 volunteers to help prepare items to begin the academies Description: Facilitates with the pre-planning and prep work regarding camp including but not limited to: structure of day, recruitment/enrollment of students, applications, planning excursions etc. Volunteers may also coordinate scheduling for pre-assessments and gather correct student growth data for end of academy reports. They will also participate in pre-camp required process design sessions and assure all paperwork is kept accurate including but not limited to: attendance, class rosters, contact list for all staff etc. and prepare a current and accurate record of all children enrolled in the academy or on the wait list.
Teacher Aids / Classroom Support 6 per academy or 1 volunteer per every 5 students Description: Assist classroom teachers in the instructional process, reinforcing instruction to individual or small groups of students in a classroom environment. Assist in the preparation of instructional materials and implementation of lesson plans and provide routine support. Assist students with academic and/or physical needs in order for students to access the educational environment. Non-instructional (non-certificated) service aides are defined as persons who work directly, under supervision, on tasks, which are of a routine non-instructional nature.
Afternoon Activity Servants 6 per academy or 1 volunteer per every 5 students Description: Plan and/or assist with after academy program preparations. Assist church partner in leading recreational summer activities with children and youth. Participate in all after academy activities with the students with an enthusiastic attitude. Responsible for helping with the daily needs of the students. Serve as a role model for students: maturity, good sportsmanship, caring, sharing, honesty, enthusiasm, compassion, and sense of humor.
Vocational Speakers 4-8 per academy Description: Professionals from a wide variety of vocations will share with the students what they do to make money, how they got into their field, and how students can follow in their footsteps. Speakers already committed include a University Professor, Bakery Owner, Pastor, Electrician, and Non-profit Leader.
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Program Director
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Board of Directors President Luke Barker, (CPA, Sojourn Community Church Executive Pastor) – Luke holds expertise in financial management and executive level leadership at a church of 4,000 with four campuses across the Louisville region. His passion is in the area of soul care and development along with advancing the gospel among the poor.
Vice President & Executive Director Nathan Ivey, (Executive Director Seed to Oaks and founding pastor of the mercy ministry at Sojourn Community Church) – Nathan holds expertise in helping local churches become more effective and efficient at discipling the poor out of poverty. Through partnerships and innovation, he demonstrates how to move churches beyond relief efforts to sustainable community development. Nathan understands how to develop scalable ministries that equip and connect professionals to local churches who are working to solve community problems. He develops relationships with non-profits and kingdom businesses to work with churches in ways that accelerate the church’s results beyond their typical reach. Nathan’s professional experience includes 4 years in mergers & acquisitions and 10 years in small business ownership.
Secretary Scott McReynolds, (COO & Business Owner) – Scott founded and has led Material Handling Systems, Inc. to become one of the leading material handling system integrators in North America. He holds expertise in System Integration, Project Management, Engineering, and System Design. He has a passion for the inner city, particularly in the area of Christian education.
Treasurer Ben Hoehler, (CFA & CRPC) – As co-owner and Director of Investment of Gilliam Mease Advisors, Ben guides his firm’s investment policies, chairs the internal investment committee, and contributes in directing the firm’s operations. Ben has a passion to cultivate wisdom in the way God’s people view and use of money to advance Kingdom purposes. Jamaal Williams, (Sojourn Community Church – Midtown Lead Pastor) – Jamaal is a gifted preacher, teacher and writer. As the Lead Pastor of Sojourn’s largest campus, he holds expertise in leadership development, multi-ethnic and cross-cultural engagement, and counseling. He is a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is completing a D.Ed. in Ministry.
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Education Advisory Board An additional Advisory Board to the Board of Directors and Executive Director includes the following experts in the field of Education: John Custis is a resident of New Albany, Indiana. He has been married for 9 years and has two children. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern Indiana. John served as a student behavior coach for Jefferson County Public Schools and is currently the Family Resource Center Coordinator at Maupin Elementary School in Jefferson County Public Schools. Terri Davenport is a Compliance Specialist for Campbellsville University since 2015. She provides monitoring oversight for program implementation across all areas including family services and health contract with Shine Early Learning. Davenport brings over 20 years of experience in education including both classroom and administrative experience. Prior to her current assignment she served as an Elementary School Principal in JCPS. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Louisville as well as her Masters in Education Administration. Currently she is a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership and Organizational Development College at the University of Louisville. Troy Duncan is a Louisville native and has been married for 41 years with 4 children. He is a graduate of Southern High School in Louisville, KY and holds an associate degree. He has served for 20 years as Pastor of Christ Center Ministries Church and 27 years with Jefferson county Public Schools as a Locksmith. Felicia Duncan is a Louisville native and has been married for 41 years with 4 children. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville along with her graduate degree in counseling. She has served as a building business administrator and is currently teaching in Jefferson County Public Schools. Tracy Passafiume is a Louisville native and has been married for 28 years with 3 children. She received her undergraduate degree from Union College and her graduate degree from the University of Louisville with an endorsement as Reading Specialist. She has worked as an educator for 28 years working in both public education at Jefferson County Public Schools and private education at Christian Academy of Louisville where she currently teaches. Carrie Caskey is a Louisville native and has been married for 9 years with 2 children. She received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University Southeast with minors in supervision and psychology. Carrie also attended the Presbyterian Theological Seminary with a concentration in marriage and family therapy. Carrie currently owns her own business as a web designer. Norma Wheat is a native of Russell Springs, Kentucky. She received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University in elementary education and special education grades P-12. She earned her graduate degree at the University of Kentucky holding an endorsement in administration for director of special education. Norma retired with 28 years in the public-school settings; 16 years as a classroom teacher and 12 years as a district level administer. In addition, she worked as the chair of the special education program at Campbellsville University and served as certification officer. She currently works part time for Campbellsville University.
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1303 S. Shelby Street, Louisville, KY 40203
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