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A cohesive climate is the foundation on which our success is built. Our students can attain exceptional results in part because of the high expectations we hold for students; the supports we provide; and the systems that promote efficiency and focus all attention on the joy of learning. Capitol Collegiate Academy’s cohesive school climate ensures that teachers maximize the instructional time that they have with every student every day. The key elements that contribute to the cohesive climate include:
- Leadership
- Expectations
- Systems
- Supportive Environment
- Social Emotional Learning
Strong schools rest on the shoulders of strong leaders. Capitol Collegiate school leaders unequivocally believe that all students can, must, and will achieve at high levels. They build, equip, and inspire a mission-driven team. Capitol Collegiate leaders implement practices that reflect and respond to the school community’s need and ensure equitable and robust supports for learners of all backgrounds, needs, and abilities. Above all, school leaders at Capitol Collegiate hold themselves and their team accountable for results for all students.
School leaders set the tone of the school day. They are present to students, staff, and visitors, from the moment the doors open. Leaders manage the daily operations of the school, support teachers in their instruction, and provide staff with direction. School leaders conduct daily classroom observations, lead community assemblies, greet family members by name, and know the name of every student at the Charter School. Capitol Collegiate Academy hires and develops strong and compassionate individuals who have the ability to manage, lead, and inspire the school to continue to work towards its mission. This requires leaders to set policies and practices, set everyone up for success within them, enforce them as needed, and promote the best practices that will help students succeed. Leaders professionally develop themselves through school visits, conferences, development meetings, and regular conversations regarding the operation and effectiveness of charter schools.
Capitol Collegiate has an incredibly high bar for behavior and academic outcomes in alignment with what will be necessary for students to become increasingly college ready. Expectations are clearly and consistently communicated to students, families, and school staff. Support and thoughtful consideration for individual needs is provided to ensure every member of the school community can meet the expectation. The school community shares a common understanding of what outcomes are possible and what we are working toward.
We recognize the challenges that many students and their families face but steadfastly reject the idea that these challenges should prevent students from achieving at the same level as any other student or that we should make exceptions. Too often, it is because students are excused and exempted from academic work that they fall behind. We don’t subscribe to this policy, as we know our students need and deserve as much exposure to strong academics and comprehensive support as possible to prevent them from facing the same challenges in their futures. High expectations accompanied by high support are the best ways to ensure we fulfill our mission.
We believe the mission-critical work of teaching and learning can be maximized through efficient, systems-driven operations. We establish physical environments that promotes purposeful learning. This includes: the college names of classrooms; classroom furniture arrangement; board configuration; expectations for posting student work; hallway pathways; and organizational set-up of recess yards.
At Capitol Collegiate we design, teach, and insist on clear and consistent routines and procedures that prevent challenging student behavior and maximize instructional time. Schoolwide procedures and systems are clear and universally enforced with both warmth and consistency. Each staff member and student can clearly articulate the systems, the rationale for it, and the outcome it supports. Consistency allows students to feel safe in their environment, build trusting relationships with adults, and reduce the potential for their frustration. We believe that no procedure is too small, and no routine is too short to be considered, taught, and practiced. Among the required routines teachers explicitly teach and use with students include arrival to class; hallway transitions; in-class transitions; ending recess; entering the cafeteria; requesting to use the restroom.
“I had a student who started the year with very low attendance, low work completion, and physical and verbal aggression. They ended the year with a perfect attendance month, reading on grade-level, sitting right up front, and raising their hand frequently. This change came about because staff at Capitol Collegiate are willing to do whatever it takes to best serve our students. We build strong relationships with our students, partner with families, and collaborate with each other to find and implement what it is our students need.”
Capitol Collegiate is a safe, demanding, and supportive school. Students feel safe in and around the school. They find teachers trust-worthy and responsive to their academic needs and believe that all students in the school value hard work. Students expect and want teachers to push all students toward high academic performance. Students feel connected to CCA and have robust and meaningful relationships with peers and staff members across the school. Staff develop positive relationships with students, treat them with respect, and take responsibility to motivate them toward their achievement. We believe a positive teacher-student relationship built on trust, caring, and a focus on the student’s academic progress and achievement, will foster student’s cooperation, motivation, sense of safety, and reduce the occurrence of challenging behavior. Students chant and cheer alongside staff in morning community assemblies, reach out to teachers for academic support via email, and engage fully in the joyous and challenging lessons of the day. Students see their teachers and staff leading interesting Elective classes, supporting school athletic competitions, helping them prepare for musical and dramatic school performances and more. Middle school students are assigned a high school advisor to provide individual support beginning in grade seven as they learn about and apply to high schools. Students participate in a variety of engaging activities including reading rallies, student government elections, art competitions, athletic and other clubs, and more. Both inside and outside the classroom, Capitol Collegiate celebrates the efforts, interests, and achievements of students on a regular basis.
Capitol Collegiate explicitly teaches students the skills, attitudes, and knowledge they need to meet our high expectations and ultimately move toward independence, self-discipline, and responsibility. Research tells us that when social and emotional learning is interwoven with rigorous academic content, in a safe, structured environment, students are more likely to succeed in school and in life. Our K-5 teachers and staff implement Toolbox, an evidence-based social emotional learning program daily as part of their Community Meeting. The 12 Tools of Toolbox include:
- Breathing Tool: I calm myself and check in.
- Quiet / Safe Place Tool: I remember my quiet/safe place.
- Listening Tool: I listen with my ears, eyes, and heart.
- Empathy Tool: I care for myself. I care for others.
- Personal Space Tool: I have a right to my space. You have a right to yours.
- Using our Words Tool: I use the “right” words, in the “right” way, at the “right” time, for the “right” reason.
- Garbage Can Tool: I let the little things go.
- Taking Time Tool: I take time in and time away.
- Please and Thank You Tool: I treat others with kindness and appreciation.
- Apology and Forgiveness Tool: I admit my mistakes and work to forgive yours.
- Patience Tool: I am strong enough to wait.
- Courage Tool: I have the courage to do the “right” thing.
“One of the many reasons I am proud to work at CCA is our team’s commitment to providing individual support for students both inside and outside of the classroom. We use data and collaborate to support our students that need an extra level of social/emotional development, motivation, or habit building that will help them succeed. On campus you’ll see a variety of supports in action, from a pair of middle school students learning to mediate a disagreement, to the Dean supporting a student on strategic breaks throughout their day so they meet their daily engagement goal, to a recess small group lesson on how to manage disagreements in a basketball game.”