Creative Minds International Public Charter School

TO OFFER STUDENTS A RIGOROUS EDUCATION PLAN THAT PROVIDES SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATION IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY

ESTABLISHED IN 2012, CREATIVE MINDS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STRIKES A UNIQUE BALANCE IN EDUCATION BY TAKING A GLOBAL APPROACH TO LEARNING WHILE ALWAYS MAINTAINING FOCUS AND ATTENTION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. CREATIVE MINDS ENCOURAGE AND RESPECT INDIVIDUALITY. OUR TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATION STAFF SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO BUILD ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND TALENTS. THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM, OUR STUDENTS IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH 8TH GRADE GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF, AND AN APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR, DIFFERENCES OF ALL KINDS, MAKING THEM CONFIDENT, CULTURALLY AWARE INDIVIDUALS CAPABLE OF SUCCEEDING IN A DIVERSE AND GLOBAL SOCIETY. CREATIVE MINDS IS THE ONLY PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IMPLEMENTING A CONTINUOUS INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. IN 2017, CREATIVE MINDS BECAME THE FIRST SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM (IPC) AND BEGAN USING THE INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE YEARS CURRICULUM (IMYC). INTERNATIONAL EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM (IPC) IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE, THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM PROVIDES A RIGOROUS, THEMATIC TEACHING STRUCTURE DESIGNED TO ENGAGE CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES IN BEING CREATIVE THINKERS AND PROBLEM-SOLVERS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD. INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS COMBINE CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND THE ARTS. THE CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED SO THAT STUDENTS DO THE FOLLOWING: ACQUIRE THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND UNDERSTANDING OF A BROAD RANGE OF SUBJECTS. ENGAGE WITH THEIR LEARNING THROUGH POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, SO THEY REMAIN COMMITTED TO LEARNING THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. DEVELOP THE PERSONAL QUALITIES THEY NEED TO BE GOOD, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS. DEVELOP A SENSE OF THEIR NATIONALITY AND CULTURE, AND AT THE SAME TIME, DEVELOP RESPECT FOR THE NATIONALITIES AND CULTURES OF OTHERS. INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE YEARS CURRICULUM (IMYC) THE IMYC PROCESS OF LEARNING CREATES OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT LEARNING AND DEVELOP A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, WORK WITH PEERS, TAKE RISKS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AND BECOME CONFIDENT, INDEPENDENT, AND ENGAGED LEARNERS. LEARNING WITH THE IMYC FOLLOWS SIX-WEEK UNITS BASED ON A CONCEPTUAL IDEA OR THEME CALLED THE "BIG IDEA." STUDENTS LINK THE LEARNING IN THEIR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS THROUGH THIS BIG IDEA AND ANALYZE WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING FROM PERSONAL, INTERPERSONAL, AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. ALL CREATIVE MINDS STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH-GRADE STUDY COMMON CORE STANDARDS-BASED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS. IN ADDITION TO ARTS INTEGRATION IN OUR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS THROUGH IPC AND IMYC, WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH MUSIC, MOVEMENT, AND VISUAL ARTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. GLOBAL LANGUAGE CLASSES IN SPANISH AND MANDARIN ARE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS UP TO THIRD GRADE; FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENTS CHOOSE ONE LANGUAGE TO WORK TOWARD PROFICIENCY IN THE CHOSEN LANGUAGE. TECHNOLOGY IS AN INTEGRATED PART OF OUR CURRICULA. THE IPC AND IMYC CLEARLY DEFINE LEARNING GOALS THAT DESCRIBE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. STUDENTS BUILD SKILLS IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY THROUGH HANDS-ON PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF THE IPC AND IMYC. TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO COMMUNICATE, CONNECT, AND HONE CRITICAL THINKING. EXTENDED CREATIVE DAY CREATIVE MINDS BOASTS A DYNAMIC AND INCLUSIVE EXTENDED CREATIVE DAY PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A WIDE ARRAY OF CLUBS, SPORTS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMMING IS TO OFFER ENRICHING, DISCOVERY-BASED ACIVITIES THAT COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT THE SCHOOL'S MISSION AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR TALENTS AND INTERESTS. THE CLUBS INCLUDE GIRLS WHO CODE, STUDENT GOVERNMENT, BASKETBALL, AND A RUNNING CLUB. AT CREATIVE MINDS, WE KNOW THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE READY TO PARTICIPATE IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY, THEY REQUIRE MORE THAN ACADEMIC SKILLS. THEY NEED STRONG SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO NAVIGATE AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, GLOBAL SOCIETY. PERSONAL GOALS CREATIVE MINDS TEACHES AND EXPLORE THE PERSONAL GOALS AND DISPOSITIONS EMPHASIZED IN THE IEYC, IPC, AND IMYC. WE THOUGHTFULLY CREATE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING SEVEN TRAITS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY AND YEAR. ADAPTABILITY: WE ARE OKAY WITH CHANGE. WE CAN CHANGE OUR ACTIONS OR ATTITUDE TO FIT NEW SITUATIONS. COMMUNICATIONS: WE SHARE OUR IDEAS AND LET OTHERS SHARE THEIRS. WE CAN EXPRESS OURSELVES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE. COOPERATION: WE WORK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER TO ACHIEVE A GOAL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHEN WORKING TOGETHER. INQUIRY: WE ASK QUESTIONS TO LEARN NEW THINGS. WE PLAN INVESTIGATIONS TO SEEK TRUTH AND BETTER UNDERSTAND IMPORTANT ISSUES. INTEGRITY: WE ARE HONEST, AND WE HELP OTHERS. WE HAVE STRONG MORAL PRINCIPLES, AND WE ACT ON THEM TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. RESILIENCE: WE TRY AGAIN, EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD. WE HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENTS WITH MATURITY AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD OUR GOALS DESPITE SETBACKS. RESPECT: WE TREAT OTHERS THE WAY WE WANT TO BE TREATED. WE LEARN ABOUT AND ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER'S DIFFERENCES WITH KINDNESS. THOUGHTFULNESS: WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND HOW IT AFFECTS OURSELVES AND OTHERS. WE REFLECT ON OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BETTER OURSELVES. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION THE CREATIVE MINDS PROGRAM INCORPORATES DR. STANLEY GREENSPAN'S DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH TO EDUCATION, AS PRESENTED IN THE LEARNING TREE (STANLEY AND NANCY GREENSPAN, 2010), TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE STRONG FOUNDATIONAL SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE SKILLS AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. IN THE LEARNING TREE, THE TREE IS A METAPHOR THAT DESCRIBES THE LEARNING PROCESS. THE ROOTS REPRESENT HOW CHILDREN PROCESS THE WORLD AROUND THEM THROUGH THEIR SENSORY SYSTEMS (WHAT THEY HEAR, SEE, SMELL, AND TOUCH). THE TREE TRUNK REPRESENTS THINKING SKILLS USED IN RELATIONSHIPS AND ACADEMIC LEARNING. THE BRANCHES REPRESENT SKILLS USED IN ACADEMIC LEARNING (SPEAKING, READING, WRITING, MATH, AND ORGANIZING). THE WAYS DIFFERENT CHILDREN PROCESS INFORMATION EXPLAINS INDIVIDUAL LEARNING RATES AND STYLES. UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING EACH CHILD'S UNIQUE DEVELOPMENT IN ALL AREAS IS CRUCIAL FOR CREATING INCLUSIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT PREPARE STUDENTS FOR FUTURE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING. FAMILY INVOLVEMENT CREATIVE MINDS COUNTS ON OUR FAMILIES' SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT TO SUSTAIN OUR SCHOOL'S VIBRANT COMMUNITY LIFE. WE PRIORITIZE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT ACTIVE FAMILIAL INVOLVEMENT IMPROVES STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND CONTRIBUTES TO A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE. AT CREATIVE MINDS, FAMILY PARTICIPATION IS CENTRAL TO ACADEMIC LEARNING. WE PROMOTE SHARED LEARNING AND THOUGHTFUL EXCHANGE THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS LITERACY NIGHT AND MATH NIGHT. WE OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO LEARN HOW BEST TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD(REN) THROUGH WORKSHOPS ON HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND ASSESSMENT DATA. PARTICIPATION AT OUR SCHOOL IS PERSONAL, MEANINGFUL, AND ACTIVE. EACH MONTH CREATIVE MINDS HOSTS A SCHOOL ASSEMBLY WE CALL "COMMUNITY MEETING." AS PART OF THESE EVENTS, WE INVITE FAMILIES TO JOIN THEIR CHILDREN IN PRESENTING THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE FAMILIES CENTRAL TO OUR CORE COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. FAMILIES CAN ATTEND AND SUPPORT IN PLANNING AND PRESENTING DURING THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.