Excel Academy East Boston is our network’s first charter school founded in 2003, is a regional, charter public school that admits students from East Boston, Chelsea, and surrounding communities through an open public lottery. The school enrolls approximately 240 students in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Excel Academy's mission is to prepare students to succeed in high school and college, apply their learning to solve relevant problems, and engage productively in their communities.

In the pursuit of Excel Academy Charter School’s Guiding Mission, the Excel Academy East Boston Campus will commit to the following priority for the 22-23 school year

Excel Academy East Boston primary focus for the 22-23 school year is to define and cultivate our Culture of Learning inside and outside of our classrooms.

To achieve this priority, we will center our actions around three core essential question

Essential Questions

Prioritized Actions

Frequency

Core Belief: As educators, we agree with Unbound Ed’s vision that culturally relevant and responsive teaching is grounded in delivering grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful curriculum (GLEAM).

Essential Question: What are the mindsets, practices, and structures (instructional & non-instructional) that will enable us to deliver GLEAM curriculum to all students?

Conduct Learning Walks with a prioritized focus (examples: Social Emotional Learning, classroom culture, instructional practices)

2x per Trimester

Increase Admin Observations

2-3x monthly (at minimum)

Provide opportunities for peer observations within and outside of our campus

2x per year (at minimum)

Network & School-Based PD centered on GLEAM

Reflected in PD Calendar

Hold a New Staff PLC

• Led by the DCI

• Grounded by Elena Aguilar’s “Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators”

• Focused on Intellectual Prep, Quarter Close Tasks, Classroom Culture, Evaluations + more

• Optional for staff in their first 2 years at Excel

2x per month during Trimester 1

1x per month during Trimester 2 & 3

Core Belief: Our classroom spaces must be physically and emotionally safe and identity affirming in order for students to authentically engage in the learning process.

Essential Question: What are the components of a trauma-informed culture and how do we construct this from a position of equity and anti-racism?

Professional Development

• Leverage Equity Centered & Trauma Informed Education by Alex Shevrin Venet as grounding text for discussion and reflection

• Reflection and action planning around our practices as individual educators in the pursuit of creating a fage and identity affirming community

• Critical review of our policies & systems through an equity-centered and trauma-informed lens in the pursuit of proposed changes for the 23-24 SY

3-4 sessions per year including one session during Summit to kick-off our work

This text will also be discussed at NSO

Utilizing DEI & SEL Assessment Tools & Qualitative Artifacts to gather input for reflection on how our DEI & SEL values are showing up in classroom communities

• Learning Walk Observation Tools for SEL

• Standardized Student Experience Survey collected each Trimester

• Staff Experience Survey (distributed by the Network)

• Staff collected artifacts to showcase opportunities of improvement and areas of strength

• Family Engagement Opportunities (surveys & small group discussions)

Varies by Component

Continued practice and review of SEL Curriculum & Interventions to be taught during Community Block Lessons

• Utilizing Mind Up as a resource for community block planning and to build a baseline of SEL language and understanding with students and staff

• Time dedicated to Journey Inward - which can be a teacher drive or student-led experience

• Continued use of Affirming & Engaging Community Lessons developed by GLTs

Weekly - Community Blocks

Core Belief: Building an engaged and inclusive school community is critical to cultivating our community of learning, but will only be authentically built with the support of all stakeholders.

Essential Question: How do we create a sense of belonging in the XLEB community across our staff, our students, and our families?

Transparent and inclusive Decision Making Protocols

• Clear communication on decision making processes

• Follow-up to Survey Input or Weigh-in Opportunities

• Decision Making Protocols for when to engage with stakeholders

Varies

Pre-Planned Consideration for PD & Community Engagement with Cross-Grade-Level and Cross-School Staff (RSPs, Paraprofessionals, etc…)

Varies

Community Newsletter

1x monthly

Family & Staff Community Meetings - (Family Collaboratives)

3-4x per year

Identity affirming Traditions & Celebrations

• Affinity month lessons for students and staff

• Visual Culture that reflects mirrors & windows throughout the building

• Student-led culture events (Culture Club)

• Community Events (examples may be Latin Instruction, Tasting Local Foods, Community Speakers)

Varies