A Full Academic Curriculum
The entire staff at Promise Academy is looking forward to providing our students with an educationally challenging school year. This year we will focus on implementing the following curriculum components, which are directly related to teaching mastery of required national/state standards.
Mathematics
Eureka Math
Writing
Getting to the Core
of Writing, CKLA.
Science
STEMscope.
History & Geography
Supplemental Resources.
Technology
PathBlazer (Compass Learning),
Tablets for student use, high-tech
computer lab.
Intervention
Academic Acceleration
and Support
Our schedule for the school year allows teachers to offer a Morning Block and Afternoon Block, with each block totaling 180 minutes of uninterrupted reading, language, writing, and 120 minutes of math instruction every day. Additionally, we are also able to offer enrichment academic programs that allow students to participate in numerous academic, physical and culturally engaging activities! We have planned a meaningful schedule for our students that provide a number of beneficial after care experiences – some instructional and some fun.
English & Language Arts Program
As charter schools, Promise Academy Hollywood and Promise Academy Springhill operate independently from the traditional public school system. Among the many benefits of sending children to charter schools is that the administrators and teachers have the opportunity to decide on their own ways of teaching — seeking to do what is best for your children.
What does that mean to you as a parent or guardian of a Promise Academy student? It means that YOU have more opportunities to be involved in your child’s education.
Last year, Promise Academy made a change to its curriculum. Both Hollywood and Springhill adopted and invested significant resources in a Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) program. CKLA is recognized as being rigorous and content-heavy. AND — it is the same curriculum that many charter, public and private schools with strong academic standards are using. The bottom line is that this curriculum is teaching what Promise Academy students need to be able to compete in the real world when they complete their education.
“At Promise Academy Hollywood, we started a pilot program with our kindergarteners to introduce the CKLA way of teaching,” said Hollywood principal Dr. Kaisi Malone. “In just one year, we have seen tremendous growth in our kids’ reading skills. Their phonics and coding skills (being able to correctly identify letters with sounds) has greatly increased.”
Dr. Malone explained that CKLA is part of an initiative out of Engage New York, a web-based program. After a local independent school, here in East Memphis, adopted the CKLA curriculum, Dr. Malone visited the school and was “amazed at the quality and rigorous work on display.” Dr. Malone contacted Dr. Rene Freimoth Lee, an educational consultant who was instrumental in helping the independent school plan for the program and had her help with the planning and implementation stages for Promise Academy, too. Currently, Dr. Lee visits both campuses on a regular basis to ensure implementation of the curriculum is being done with fidelity.
“Our teachers were somewhat hesitant because the program was so scripted,” explained Dr. Washington. “But, as they got more familiar with it, they understood the knowledge base was very rich in literature across all genres, science and the arts — and that it was a very good, integrated program.”
This year, all students are using the new curriculum. Through the CKLA curriculum, students are learning more than once believed possible. Children as young as second grade are learning about ancient civilizations and a wide range of cultures.
Brittani Venard, a first-grade teacher at Springhill, said,
“The CKLA program allows my students to be inquisitive about things they’ve never been exposed to before. The curriculum allows them to expand their horizons beyond their own neighborhoods and helps them make a connection to global topics to their own lives. For example, we’ve been learning about different cultures and taking more of an ‘immersion’ approach — acting out stories, illustrating vocabulary words, and building models and timelines — all activities that engage the students in active learning rather than just asking them to memorize information.”
“Their knowledge base is growing and they are showing huge increases in their overall vocabulary,” added Dr. Washington. “Kids are reading on their own and enjoying it. We are no longer teaching academic skills in isolation, everything is integrated now — and that approach makes more sense to the students.”
Michelle Olden, parent of fifth-grader Lauren Olden at Promise Academy Hollywood, recalls her surprise at the high level of expectations set by the CKLA program.
“The standards set by CKLA seemed somewhat daunting, but after the first year of using the program I could see a significant difference in Lauren’s education. She was always a good student, but now she is really learning. Not only are her basic academics at a higher level, but she is comprehending more, not just memorizing facts. There’s also a huge increase in the rate at which she is gaining skills such critical thinking and problem-solving. As she gets more engaged in the process, she is taking a more independent approach to her studies. I feel this new method of teaching is better preparing her for high school and beyond.”
The general finding is that Promise Academy students have great capabilities to learn and master higher-level information. Students are motivated by their achievements and eager to learn more and more — and they are eager to share their excitement with their families. A tremendous benefit stemming from this curriculum change is that parents and guardians are getting excited, too. They are excited about what their children are reading, and in turn, they are getting more involved in their children’s education.
“As a school, our goal is to expose our students to the best education that we possibly can,” said Tom Beazley, executive director of Promise Academy. “We cannot close the ‘achievement gap’ between our students and those with private educations simply through testing. BUT, we can make a difference by increasing their knowledge in math, science and history.”
It has been documented by numerous national studies that if students are not reading on grade level by third grade, that there is much less of a likelihood that they will finish high school.
Both school principals agree, for Promise Academy students, the CKLA program is helping to level the playing field. Better preparation at the elementary school level, through improved vocabularies, greater writing skills, and rich discussions of ideas, means students will be better prepared and competitive for middle school. With a solid basic skill set, it is hoped that each student will be on a path for a future that includes going to college.
As charter schools, Promise Academy Hollywood and Promise Academy Springhill operate independently from the traditional public school system. Among the many benefits of sending children to charter schools is that the administrators and teachers have the opportunity to decide on their own ways of teaching — seeking to do what is best for your children.
“At Promise Academy Hollywood, we started a pilot program with our kindergarteners to introduce the CKLA way of teaching,” said Hollywood principal Dr. Kaisi Malone. “In just one year, we have seen tremendous growth in our kids’ reading skills. Their phonics and coding skills (being able to correctly identify letters with sounds) has greatly increased.”
