Part+E

=**Part E: Approach to Planning Process (2-3 pages + budget worksheets)**=


 * 9. Please articulate your school’s approach to the planning phase. In this section, please include the following:**
 * a. Clear goals and objectives for the planning process.**

Many of the students in our school face challenges and experience situations that hinder their ability to give any attention to the purpose of school – learning. Our student population disproportionably has children who are in Foster Care, live in kinship homes, have lost parents because of the impact of HIV/AIDS and drugs and parental incarcerations. Our children are poor, under exposed and often not given the time and attention it takes to produce successful adults. Our children are sad and depressed and overwhelmed by the violence they experience in their neighborhoods. Their biggest concern becomes their day to day survival. They must act like and look like, in order not to stand out and risk retribution for this. So their survival and self worth is tied into the sneakers and having the //latest//. The reality is that they just want to be left alone, to be and develop through the normal adolescent stages. To improve student achievement we have to have supports in place in school, that address these issues. We have to develop group projects and a school mantra that stresses character development; we must promote the school vision and mission statement and hold forums in school to address diversity and ethnicity; financial and economic development and career and goal development. We should give students opportunities to become more verbally expressive, thereby increasing self esteem and building self awareness via small group projects and presentations and by having large assembly programs. We should have pictures of famous and successful people who too have overcome difficult times, as an example that they too can achieve with hard work and perseverance. We should strengthen our parental component and hear from them what they think; we should hold workshops for them, so they too will grow. Finally we should build up and support our instructional staff. We should hear from them also, to understand what needs they have, in order to increase the success of the students in the school.
 * b. What is your hypothesis about what is needed to significantly improve instructional or organizational practices and student achievement in your school? Referring to the key elements of the Blueprint for Middle School Success identified in the “Grants Opportunities for Schools” section of this application and/or to other promising practices identified through the school’s Inquiry Team process, needs assessment, or other rigorous research into its own practices and those of higher-performing similar schools, what practices or strategies does your school plan to implement? (Note: this answer is non-binding; we understand that as the planning process gets underway, schools may need to make changes as they gain further understanding of school and student needs.)**
 * Part E **
 * c. How will you utilize planning funds? Please include an itemized budget and schedule or calendar for your planning phase (see Appendix B for the budget worksheets). Please note that this is non-binding.**


 * d. How are you leveraging other funds and grants (including Contracts for Excellence, ELL Success Grant, if applicable) to support school improvement? How do you plan to leverage these funds in the future to support your planning process?**