Cover Letter The Queens School of Inquiry

Cover Letter: The Queens School of Inquiry“Not encouraging students to question knowledge, society and experience tacitly endorses and supports the status quo.” The words of Ira Shor, C

Cover Letter: The Queens School of Inquiry

“Not encouraging students to question knowledge, society and experience

tacitly endorses and supports the status quo.”

The words of Ira Shor, CUNY historian, echo the mission of the Queens School of Inquiry —a partnership of Queens College, Region 4, and City University of New York’s Early College Secondary School Initiative (CUNY) We question the status quo and aim to make higher education more accessible, attainable, and affordable for all students from Queens

We recognize that the most notable feature of our school is the inclusion of a significant number of college credit courses in the regular curriculum sequence However, this is not the only factor that makes Queens School of Inquiry special We plan to create a school with

an atmosphere of high expectations where students and teachers are held accountable in a safe, caring and supported environment, parents are empowered to participate, college faculty are active members of the school, and local community members lend a voice in the mission of the school The ultimate goal is a school that reexamines and reshapes traditionalviews of middle school, high school and college education through highly interactive, self-managed, and inquiry-based learning Our instructional focus is on helping our students—and our staff—learn to question, practice, reflect and refine

Recognizing that an early college secondary school is an ambitious undertaking, our common planning work involving many hours of thinking, talking and arguing has

confirmed our conviction that is a very worthwhile project and one that we are prepared to bring to fruition Our conversations have included college faculty, college administrators, school leaders, new school developers, teachers, parents, students and other educators grappling with the questions of how best to enable ‘at-risk’ students to succeed in higher education We often spoke about “doing” history or “doing” science, reflecting our belief in meaningful student engagement

Specific planning events had a significant impact on our thinking about the new school and are worthy of mention here Throughout this planning work, we have received extensive advice, support, and encouragement from experts who have worked with high school

students in the college environment Many of us traveled to visit University Park Campus School at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts While there, we met with college faculty, high school teachers, and high school students to learn first-hand of the challenges and opportunities resulting from a deep university-school partnership Additionally, we sought input from UPCS parents Their voice has added a valued component to our on-going planning process In early December, we had an opportunity to develop our own ideas at a two-day planning retreat On that occasion, we identified the academic and personal

characteristics that we believed to be essential for outstanding college achievement and worked backwards from those characteristics as we planned courses for each of the grades

our school will house We benefited from grappling with theses issues in conjunction with those engaged in similar planning at York College and City College Our early college effort

is being built upon a remarkable record of collaboration between the University and the public schools, a partnership that enjoys the full support of the leadership of the University

Through the deep connections and collaboration forged between Queens College and the Queens School of Inquiry, we will create a school that: (1) supports students’ acquisition of broad and deep content area knowledge as defined by the New York State Learning

Standards, (2) enables them to acquire up to two years of fully transferable college credit, (3) challenges them to become metacognitive and committed learners and (4) nurtures their emotional and intellectual development into strong, successful, and self-confident adults who contribute to their families and communities We hope you will be as excited about this new school as we are!

An Early College Secondary School: The Queens School of Inquiry

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Imagine your child attending a small, safe, and caring school where your child:

• is well known, intellectually challenged, and celebrated by every adult

in the building!

• will learn by asking questions, solving real problems and actively and happily doing the work of learning with dedicated and highly skilled teachers, parents and our community!

• will receive a high school diploma and up to 60 college credits – tuition free - from Queens College by the end of high school!

GREAT NEWS! The New York City Department of Education, in partnership with the City

University of New York, Queens College and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is proud

to announce the opening of a new school in our community: The Queens School of

Inquiry, an Early College Secondary School Beginning with a 6th grade class in September

of 2005, The Queens School of Inquiry will offer the opportunity for its students to

graduate with up to 60 college credits and a high school Regents diploma

The Queens School of Inquiry offers a well planned, rigorous, engaging and creative

course of study Individual attention will be paid to your child daily, building on his or her strengths and addressing his or her needs We will help your child believe in…and be

prepared for… college in the future!

Our school program is comprehensive and satisfies all New York City and State Regents requirements Special attention will be given to inquiry – learning how to learn We believe

in preparing all children– one child at a time - to become active, college-educated citizens Our students will be the new leaders of the 21st Century; they will make genuine

contributions to their communities We will work with you and your child starting in the 6th

grade and continuing through until the 12th grade We offer:

• small class size

• highly trained, dedicated, and caring teachers

• hands-on learning with real world application

• after-school and summer intensive programs

• strong partnership with parents

We are fortunate to be located in Queens, the most culturally diverse community in the nation Our student population will also reflect that diversity Our school is open to students

of ALL ability levels: struggling students, students with special needs, students just learning English, and students who perform at or above grade level In other words, ALL students will be given every opportunity to enjoy the full advantages of our school

One of the most exciting aspects of starting a new school is the opportunity to build that school together Please join us for an informational meeting at - on -DATE- Everyone is invited We will discuss the school plan and the application process for our first 6th grade If you are unable to join us, please call for further information

We welcome you to join us in building a satisfying, successful, and productive future for our children!

Elizabeth Ophals, Principal

Teaching Positions: The Queens School Of Inquiry

The Queens School of Inquiry (QSI) is an innovative, new neighborhood public school,

open to students in Region 4’s Districts 24 and 30 in Queens County, New York City It will

open in September 2005 with a 6 grade class of 81 students, and will add one grade each year until it is a complete 6th-12th grade school QSI is a collaboration between the NYC Department of Education, Queens College, the CUNY Early College Initiative, and the Bill andMelinda Gates Foundation The goal of the school is to establish and implement a clear and demanding academic program for students, including after-school and summer programs that will enable students to earn up to 60 Queens College credits—tuition-free—and a

Regents diploma by 12th grade Students of all abilities, including struggling learners,

students with special needs, and English Language Learners will be welcomed at the school

Core Information about QSI

Family Partnerships: The school believes that school-family-child collaboration is essential

for student success QSI staff will communicate regularly with families about school matters including academic expectations as well as social and emotional development, and will seek

to build family support Each student will have a ‘Student Action Plan’, created jointly by staff, parents, and students, and updated regularly that will focus teacher instruction and evaluate progress We expect to educate all of our students one child at a time

Collaboration: QSI will be a ‘Professional Development School’, a ‘Learning and Teaching

Demonstration Site’ and a visitation site for professionals and community members

Working with the faculty and pre-service teachers from Queens College, and other QSI faculty, teachers will welcome the opportunity to reflect on and refine their teaching Team teaching is the norm and the primary strategy for academic intervention We expect that this classroom practice will promote collaboration among the students as well

Professional Development: Teachers from QSI will have many opportunities for

professional development and will have a guiding voice in creating them Common planning time is built into the daily schedule and will be supported by Critical Friends Groups

Immediate expectations, with paid compensation, include bi-monthly evening planning meetings and one Saturday retreat in the Spring 2005, two weeks in the Summer 2005 (prior

to opening), and occasional Saturdays and after-school sessions during the school year Topics will include building a school culture; adapting instruction and developing

interventions for multiple learning styles including students with IEPs; ELLs and struggling learners; using instructional technology effectively; team teaching, and understanding and implementing the ‘Principles of Learning’ from the University of Pittsburgh

The School Day: QSI will offer students before-school tutorials, a daily Advisory beginning

at 8:30, a daily Inquiry Learning period, and an after-school session four times a week from 3:00 – 4:00 This time is to build student skills and assist them with homework in additional

to providing arts and athletic activities Class sizes are small The schedule has extended blocks for humanities and math/science subjects Teachers will be compensated for any andall additional time

Teacher Duties and Responsibilities

• Have expert knowledge of their subject area

• Work in an inclusionary, non-tracked environment

• Teach outside of traditional subject and grade level confines

• Demonstrate a commitment to differentiating instruction and a willingness to adapt teaching to recognize alternative learning styles

• Use cooperative group work and constructivist learning as primary instructional approaches

• Assess student effort and learning through authentic assessment and portfolios as well as standardized tests

• Collaborate in interdisciplinary planning and team teaching

• Serve as a student advisor to a multi-grade, small student advisory group during their tenure at the school and attend professional meetings to support this work

• Work closely with families to support the academic, social and emotional growth of students

• Participate in regular professional development, reflective practice, peer coaching, and professional associations

• Collaborate with faculty from Queens College on curriculum development and instructional practice, and with Queens College pre-service teachers during their internships

• Use technology inside and outside of the classroom

Selection Criteria

• Evidence of capacity and willingness to carry out the above duties and

responsibilities

• Knowledge of and willingness to teach in another subject area

• Background in working with students with special needs or English Language Learners will be considered assets

In addition to an interview, teacher candidates will be asked to participate in a curriculum development simulation and may be asked to be observed teaching at their place of work (or another venue) or to do a demonstration lesson

Eligibility Requirements

Licensed certified teachers of Common Branches, Math, Science, ELA and Music with satisfactory ratings, and newly certified teachers are encouraged to apply

Sample Schedule for 5 Teachers: Classes (Q), (S) and (I)

Hum I Hum II Math/Sci I Math/Sci II Mus/PEMon - Fri Mon - Fri Mon - Fri Mon - Fri Mon - Fri

10:30-11:15 Lunch Lunch Learning Lab (S) Music/PE (I)

12:00-12:45 Lunch

Learning Lab(I) Math/Sci (Q) Lunch Music/PE (S)12:45 - 1:30

7 years from now, you will have already earned up to one or two years of college credit and will be well prepared to succeed in the college of your choice

We expect that you will also be a partner in our school and will take an active part in making our school one of the very best We expect that you will take part in helping us run the school and in making important decisions that will affect us all More importantly, we expect you to be responsible for your own learning – with plenty of support from us – and to help other students in their studies and in their growth as human beings

In order to help you do so we have created a few simple School Rules:

• Respect others as you would want to be respected.

• Do the right thing.

• Come to school every day—on time and prepared to work.

• Maintain a healthy and caring school environment.

• Distract NO ONE from learning.

• Resolve differences of opinion with Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution.

• Dress appropriately for school.

• Bring nothing to school that could be considered a weapon.

• Follow the directions of all school staff.

Because we are part of the great city of New York and so that you become informed citizens, we will also study and use the Discipline Code of the New York City Department of Education

Our expectations for you are the highest

We know you can meet them

We’ll help

The Queens School Of Inquiry

Supporting our students…

We have the special goal of preparing you to attend college and earn up to 60 Queens College credits and, at the same time, graduating from high school with a Regents diploma You will learn how to be a confident, independent thinker, participating citizen and caring adult This means you will have to work hard and work smart while you are with us This is how we plan to help you:

Small Class Size…

Our classes have fewer students than most schools Often there will be a second teacher in the room to help you, either by yourself or in a small group

Highly Educated and Caring Teachers…

Our teachers have studied hard and continue to study to find the best ways to teach each and every one of you They know how to provide extra instruction if you are learning

English; they use special techniques for those of you who have trouble learning; yet, they challenge students who are sometimes bored in class QSI teachers in all subjects connect the learning to real life so it makes sense to you They know your Student Action Plan well They keep in touch with your families More than anything else, they want you to succeed…and believe you can!

Advisory…

Every morning, you and a small group of students will meet with a teacher to talk about things that concern you – schoolwork problems, learning how to get along with other people,how to set and meet goals for yourself In fact, these ‘Advisories’ will read good books and solve math puzzles as a group We hope that your Advisory will stay together for the 7 years you are with us so you can get to know and encourage one another

Inquiry Learning…

Built into your schedule is a daily ‘Inquiry Period’, reflecting a core value of our school: people learn by asking questions of interest, investigating the answers, and sharing the results with their community During this Inquiry Period, small groups of students with a teacher will work on a meaningful project that you students choose Meanwhile you’ll use literacy, math, and technology - all the things you learn in school - in a real world

experience This is your chance to practice what you know We expect that what you do will matter…to yourself and to the world around you

Every day you’ll have time to use our Rolling Lap Top Lab to help you with what you’re learning and how you learn it Computer programs can help you read, write, do math, learn another language, sharpen your skills, do research, learn more about technology itself, compose your own music, keep track of your progress, illustrate your own work

Extended Day and Summer Academy…

Preparing yourself for college while you are still in middle and high school is in itself a very challenging task You’ll need plenty of extra time At QSI, we’ll offer tutoring before school

as well as some arts, athletics, and tutoring after school Plan on attending our summer academy; you’ll need the time to catch up, keep up and move ahead

REMEMBER – All of us are here to help you succeed!

It is a mark of intelligence and courage to ask for help when you need it!

Exit Criteria: Queens School Of Inquiry

We hold very high standards at QSI We expect the best and the most As a member of the first class to graduate from the Queens School of Inquiry, we believe that you will:

• Score at level 3 or 4 in New York City 8 th grade tests in ELA, Math and Science

• Complete Exit Projects in social studies and science by the end of 8 th grade

• Pass the Algebra Regents-your first high school exam - by summer of 2007.

• Maintain a portfolio of your best work from year to year, including copies of your Student Action Plan You will be able to describe what you know and whatyou don’t know and to help us make plans to help you improve

• Investigate and present a yearly Inquiry Project, on a topic of interest that youand your teacher decide together

• Complete all the courses required for high school graduation with either a Regents Diploma, or the Regents with Distinction Diploma You will be able to take and pass the following Regents: English, American History, Global Studies, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Spanish, Living Environment and Chemistry

• Develop and present to the community a major High School Inquiry Project, demonstrating that you know how to select an important topic, to do

extensive research, to use technology, and to apply all of the learning that you have gained at QSI

• Demonstrate active citizenship by offering community service during both middle school and high school Examples might include tutoring at a local daycare or elementary school, working as an intern in a local government office –

or serving on our own School Leadership Team, or an Inquiry Project related

to an issue of concern to our community

• Create a Personal Fitness Plan, with evidence of participation in team sports

or another physical activity of your choice

• Earn up to 60 college credits from Queens College and be ready - in mind, heart and spirit - to continue pursuing a college education to a Bachelor’s degree or further

With the support of our school and your family – plus your determination and hard work – webelieve that you can accomplish all of these goals

We know you can do it!

Assessments: The Queens School Of Inquiry

How will we know you are learning?

Like other students in New York City and New York State and as a student at QSI, you too areexpected to take the annual Math and English Language Arts tests; we expect you to

achieve either a Level 3 or 4 At the end of 8th grade, you will take additional New York Stateexams in both social studies and science, and you will complete Exit Projects in both these subjects Since QSI is a school dedicated to helping you attend college while in high school, you will have to take some of these tests as soon as you are ready By the end of 8th grade, you will be taking your first high school Regents exam in Math Between now and then, we’llhelp you work hard and give you extra time for learning so you’ll be well prepared to pass allthese exams

Because we know at QSI that you’re an individual with your own learning style and have your own strengths and weaknesses, we’ve added some other ways of understanding how you are progressing academically, and how we can help you achieve at the very highest level we know you can achieve

Student Action Plan

Together with your parents and teachers, you’ll review your own work, test scores and records from previous years to create a Student Action Plan This will help us all set goals and offer you ideas on how each of us can help you meet these goals As we create this plan, we’ll include an Interest Inventory so we can help you make connections between whatyou like to do and what you learn in school We’ll review your Action Plan several times a year so we’ll know what steps to take next

Because we believe that people learn best by practicing what they’ve learned, especially in

an area that interests them, every day you’ll have time for working on an Inquiry Project Along with other students with similar interests, you’ll work with teachers to identify and solve a real world issue and then give a live presentation for an audience Together we’ll

study what makes a great project and presentation; we’ll use online research and real world experts for information; we’ll learn how to critique each other’s presentations so we can all improve An example of other students’ Inquiry Projects is “A Neighborhood Store Survey” which they then presented to their local Community Board Other students started a real business, selling baskets made of rolled newspaper, with a legitimate business plan and budget, and made a profit! Others wrote and videotaped an original musical titled “Why Aren’t You Hearing Me?”, a story about teenage life in NYC in the 21St century You too will have a chance to select your own topics to research and present to the public

Sample Student Schedule: The Queens School of Inquiry

HumanitiesELAWorld Cultures

HumanitiesELAWorld Cultures

HumanitiesELAWorld Cultures

HumanitiesELAWorld Cultures

AcademicsAthleticsArts

AcademicsAthleticsArts

AcademicsAthleticsArts

*Daily Learning Lab is designed to use technology to help with work in subject areas, in ‘Inquiry Projects’ and on building up strengths in reading, writing and math.

** Since we learn by asking and answering important questions about topics that interest us, the Inquiryperiod each day gives us time for that Inquiry Projects can be independent or done in small groups and teachers are there to help and encourage

Extended Day: Teachers will help you strengthen your skills to prepare you for earning college credits

later on We’ll meet 4 days a week after school Don’t worry: there will be time for arts and athletics, too!

Typical Course Sequence Grades 6-12: The Queens School of Inquiry

Our goal at the Queens School of Inquiry is to create as many opportunities for you to take college courses in high school We know that may require us (and you) to think about schoolsomewhat differently, but we think it is worth it By starting college work earlier, you’ll havethe opportunity to learn what college is all about You’ll start off in college-level courses here at QSI with other QSI students as your college classmates We’ll also start with college courses extended over an entire year instead of just one semester This will give you more time to understand what’s required in college Then, as you gain more confidence and skill, you’ll have an opportunity to take courses on campus at Queens College with other typical college students You’ll also have an opportunity to select courses that may be of specific interest to you in the later years

The chart below outlines what a typical path through QSI might look like Courses

highlighted in blue carry Queens College credit (and possibly high school credit, too) The ®

symbol indicates a Regents exam is associated with that course There will be a Summer Academy each year for both enrichment and earning high school and college credits

Spanish I

English ® Eng 110: College Writing Choose 1 of the following each semester:

Eng 155: Great Works of Fiction

Trigonometry ® * or

Math 122: Precalculus

Precalculus or Math 110: Intro to College Math or

Physics/Chemistry: 2-year integrated high school

course [Chemistry ® at conclusion]

Participating in Government

Span 112:Elementary

Spanish II

Span 204: Int Spanish II

Arts 151: Drawing 1

* This assumes adoption of new state standards for math

Student Population: The Queens School Of Inquiry

Enrollment in September 2005 at the Queens School of Inquiry (QSI) is expected to be 81 6th

grade students Of these students, 70% will have scored Levels 1 and 2 on the 5th gradeEnglish Language Arts exam;15% will have Individual Education Plans and 20% will beEnglish Language Learners Admission to QSI will be by application by 5th grade studentscurrently attending public and private elementary schools in Districts 24 and 30 in Region 4

If more than 81 students apply, students will then be selected by an equitable lottery,

weighted to ensure representation from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and academic backgrounds just described Requirements for admissions pending a lottery process are as follows:

• Student and parent interview

• Student portfolio: a sample piece of work

• An admissions essay describing why s/he wants to attend QSI

• Two letters of recommendation

1 from the current school and 1 from an adult, non-family member

• A signature page signed by both the parent(s) and student

Applications will be evaluated by members of the school planning team For those students with IEPs, preference will be given to students whose IEPs mandate either inclusion or

mainstreaming

The application process, especially the interview, is an opportunity for QSI to clarify its goals and expectations to students and their families It is especially important that the families understand the commitment required for this intensive academic program in preparation for college level courses Likewise, this process offers families a chance to determine if QSI is the best school for their child

Pending approval of the QSI application by the NYCDOE Office of New Small Schools,

outreach to students and families will begin and will include:

• Notification of school opening and application process to Region 4 elementary

schools in Districts 24 and 30

• Identification of public and private feeder schools and outreach to their

administrators, Parent Coordinators, PTAs, and Guidance Counselors via brochure andapplication mailings

• Representation at feeder school PTA meetings after follow-up phone calls by PlanningCommittee members

• Presentations in Spring 2005 for the public students and families at Queens College and other sites selected in Region 4 Sample topics for these meetings are as follows:Mission and Goals, Academic Criteria, School Day, After school Programs and our Summer Academy, Homework Expectations, School/Family Partnership, Queens College Collaboration, College Preparation

• Advertisement in local newspaper: Queens Chronicle, Queens Courier

• Distribution of brochures and meeting notices to local community boards,

community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations

• Attendance by planning committee members at other public community meetings

• Development of a QSI website early Spring 2005

The QSI Principal will play a major role in outreach Applications to the school will be

distributed at all the public meetings for interested families and/or students