Kairospdx

THE MISSION OF KAIROSPDX IS TO ELIMINATE THE PROLIFIC RACIAL ACHIEVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS BY CULTIVATING CONFIDENT, CREATIVE, COMPASSIONATE LEADERS WHO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS AT EACH DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE 0-10.

KAIROSPDX LEARNING ACADEMY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL:FOUNDED IN 2012, KAIROSPDX IS AN EDUCATION NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH A FRAMEWORK BUILT ON LOVE AND INCLUSION THAT ELEVATES THE VOICES OF HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE KAIROSPDX LEARNING ACADEMY OPENED IN THE FALL OF 2014 AND HAS SINCE SERVED HUNDREDS OF YOUNG LEADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH A MODEL THAT IS BOTH INTELLECTUALLY RIGOROUS AND HEALING-CENTERED.THE KAIROSPDX LEARNING ACADEMY, A PORTLAND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, IS OUR LARGEST PROGRAM TO DATE. THE LEARNING ACADEMY OPENED ITS DOORS IN AUGUST 2014 WITH 43 STUDENTS AND ENDED OUR 8TH SCHOOL YEAR IN JUNE 2022 WITH 235 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH GRADE STUDENTS. IN THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR, 78% OF OUR STUDENTS WERE CHILDREN OF COLOR AND THE MAJORITY IDENTIFIED AS BLACK.THE MISSION OF KAIROSPDX IS TO ELIMINATE PROLIFIC RACIAL ACHIEVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS BY CULTIVATING CONFIDENT, CREATIVE, COMPASSIONATE LEADERS. KAIROSPDX WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS BOTH THE REGION'S AND THE STATE'S PROLIFIC RACIAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS, PARTICULARLY AS THEY PERTAIN TO BLACK YOUTH. IT SERVES AS A RESPONSE TO THE DEARTH OF INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE EDUCATION MODELS THAT MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR BLACK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WE TAKE A MULTI-GENERATIONAL, MULTICULTURAL, AND RESILIENCY-BASED APPROACH TO OUR PROGRAMMING, PROVIDING WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH THE SCHOOL SETTING AND AT HOME.WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT FAMILY PROGRAMMING AND BELIEVE THAT FAMILIES ARE THEIR CHILDREN'S FIRST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL TEACHERS. WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AND NURTURED IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR FAMILIES, AND HAVE THUS PLACED FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AT THE CENTER OF OUR WORK. WE REFER TO OUR STUDENTS AS "LEADERS," ARTICULATING OUR BELIEF IN THEIR CAPACITY FOR COMPETENCE, CREATIVITY AND COMPASSION. THE CULMINATION OF THIS WORK IS THE CREATION OF A NEW NARRATIVE AROUND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF COLOR THAT PLACES STRENGTH, EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT AT THE FORE.WHILE WE ARE STILL EARLY IN OUR TESTING HISTORY, BLACK STUDENTS AT KAIROSPDX OUT-PERFORMED THE DISTRICT AVERAGE FOR BLACK STUDENTS ON THE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT CONSORTIUM IN BOTH THE 2017-18 AND 2018-19 SCHOOL YEARS. IN THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR THERE WERE NO STANDARDIZED TESTS DUE TO COVID-19. IN THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR WE SAW SIMILAR TRENDS AS OTHER SCHOOLS DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AFTER THE CONSIDERABLE UPHEAVAL THAT WAS CREATED BY THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, OUR IMMEDIATE GOAL IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 WAS TO SUCCESSFULLY WELCOME STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BACK TO CAMPUS TO RESUME ONSITE LEARNING, REUNITING THEM WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY WHILE PRIORITIZING THEIR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND HEALING. OUR CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND RESILIENCY-BASED PRACTICES HELPED PROVIDE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR OUR STUDENTS AS THEY REENTERED THE SCHOOL IN AUGUST.DURING THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR WE SAW AN AMAZING 90% ATTENDANCE RATE ACROSS ALL STUDENT GROUPS, WITH BLACK STUDENTS AT A 92% RATE OF ATTENDANCE. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM OUR PRIOR YEAR'S 87% RATE OF ATTENDANCE, AN INCREASE OF 5.7%. THE DISTRICT AVERAGE IN 2021-22 FOR OVERALL ATTENDANCE IN PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS 89% FOR ALL STUDENT GROUPS AND 84% FOR BLACK STUDENTS. OUR STUDENTS ARE PHYSICALLY SPENDING MORE TIME IN SCHOOL, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO LEARN IN COMMUNITY AND HELPS MOVE US CLOSER TO CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. THIS SUCCESS IS LARGELY DUE TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF TO STRENGTHEN THE LINKS BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL. KAIROSPDX ADOPTED A CURRICULUM WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON PHONICS AND COMPREHENSION DURING THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR. THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR, WE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME EMPLOYING CURRICULAR TRAINERS EACH MONTH TO ENSURE TEACHERS UNDERSTOOD THE NUANCES OF THE NEW CURRICULUM. WE SAW THAT TWO-THIRDS OF BLACK KAIROSPDX STUDENTS MET OR NEARLY MET STANDARDS IN LITERACY, COMPARED TO ONE-THIRD OF BLACK STUDENTS DISTRICT WIDE.PARTNERSHIPSKAIROSPDX COLLABORATES WITH SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE CONSIDER OURSELVES AN ORGANIZATION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BY THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE MEMBERS OF EQUITY ADVOCACY COLLABORATIVE, THE BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS NETWORK, AS WELL AS THE COALITION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND WE SEE OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THESE GROUPS AS ALLIES IN OUR WORK. WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF KEY RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING OMSI, TRILLIUM FAMILY SERVICES, ELEMENTAL, INSTRUMENT, POWELL'S BOOKS, AND CUMMINGS. THESE KEY PARTNERSHIPS INCREASE OUR FOOTPRINT IN THE COMMUNITY AND ENRICH OUR PROGRAMS.OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR TARGETED LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT SERVICES THAT ALLOW THEM TO EXPLORE THEIR PASSIONS THROUGH A BROAD RANGE OF HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES AROUND ART, FILMMAKING, SPORTS, AND STEM. WHEN OUR STUDENTS WERE RECEIVING VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION, WE PARTNERED WITH BRENDA ARTS, FORGE PARKOUR, STEPSPDX, AIRWAY SCIENCE FOR KIDS, AND YOUNG AUDIENCES, WHO ALL DELIVERED HIGH-QUALITY VIRTUAL ENRICHMENT CLASSES.WE ARE THREE YEARS INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OREGON MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE (OMSI) FUNDED BY THE KELLEY FAMILY FOUNDATION THAT EXPOSES STUDENTS TO A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES IN SCIENCE TO INSPIRE AND ENGENDER CURIOSITY, HONE PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS, AND EMPOWER THEM TO PURSUE SCIENCE. THIS PARTNERSHIP SIMULTANEOUSLY DELIVERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO OMSI EDUCATORS TO HELP THEM BETTER TEACH SCIENCE LEARNING TO BIPOC YOUTH.KAIROSPDX IS ONE OF EIGHT SITES IN OREGON WITH A FOODCORPS SERVICE MEMBER. WE ARE ONE OF TWO SERVICE SITES IN OREGON WHERE THE SERVICE MEMBER SERVES AT A SINGLE SCHOOL. WE ARE THE ONLY FOODCORPS SERVICE SITE IN OREGON SERVING A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK POPULATION. THIS ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WITH INTENSIVE AND CONSISTENT FARM-TO-SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES USING PROVEN BEST PRACTICES DEVELOPED OVER TIME BY FOODCORPS. THERE ARE DEDICATED BLOCKS OF TIMES EACH DAY FOR THE FOODCORPS SERVICE MEMBER TO TEACH IN THE CLASSROOM, CAFETERIA, AND SCHOOL GARDEN.

THIS YEAR MARKED THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING ARM, THE KAIROSPDX TRAINING ACADEMY, WHICH FOCUSES ON ADULT LEARNERS FROM DISTRICTS AND BUSINESSES TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE OF EQUITY IN THE WORKPLACE AND CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION USING THE KAIROSPDX LOVE FRAMEWORK. THE WORK OF OUR TRAINING ACADEMY FOCUSES ON THE REHUMANIZATION OF EDUCATION AND PROVIDES STRATEGIES AND TOOLS FOR DISTRICT LEADS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS TO DIVE INTO ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CULTURE WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION TO THE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING SERVING OUR KAIROSPDX COMMUNITY, WE PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL FIVE SESSION SERIES ON REHUMANIZATION OF EDUCATION: EMPOWERED EDUCATION.

KAIROSPDX FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM:THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING RECOGNIZES THAT SUCCESS BEGINS AT HOME AND THAT FAMILIES ARE THE FIRST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL TEACHERS. OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE THE EARLY LEARNING NETWORK, FAMILY CONNECTIONS EVENTS, OUR KAIROS FAMILY COUNCIL AND FAMILY GATHERINGS.OUR KAIROSPDX FAMILY COUNCIL (KFC) IS IN ITS 6TH YEAR OF OPERATION, HOLDING MONTHLY MEETINGS AS A VENUE FOR FAMILIES TO WORK TO STRENGTHEN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. FAMILIES ARE INVITED TO JOIN AND CONTRIBUTE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING COMMUNITY. KFC IS ALSO INVOLVED IN PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PAC), A STEERING COMMITTEE OF PARENT VOICES IN MULTNOMAH COUNTY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY. ONCE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION BEGAN AGAIN, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OUR FIRST IN PERSON FAMILY CONNECTION EVENT, OUR SPRING FEST IN SPRING 2022. FAMILY CONNECTIONS EVENTS INVOLVE PARTNERING WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO LEARN TOGETHER TYPICALLY INCLUDING OMSI WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT THE BASIC NEEDS OF OUR FAMILIES ARE MET AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES. DURING DISTANCE LEARNING, OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LIAISON IMPLEMENTED VIRTUAL WELLNESS WEDNESDAY FAMILY GATHERINGS TO OFFER OUR ADULT COMMUNITY -- PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS -- A SPACE TO CONNECT AND EMPATHIZE WITH ONE ANOTHER THROUGH STORYTELLING. IN THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR WE CONTINUED TO HOST WEEKLY ONLINE WELLNESS WEDNESDAY SESSIONS FOR FAMILIES TO DISCUSS OVERALL WELLNESS AND TO DECREASE ISOLATION. AFTER HEARING FROM OUR FAMILIES THAT THIS CONNECTION POINT WAS CRITICAL IN REDUCING ISOLATION IN THE COMMUNITY, WE FOLDED THESE SESSIONS INTO OUR STANDING PROGRAMMING EVEN AFTER RETURNING TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION.IN RESPONSE TO A NEED FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE, WE BECAME THE FIRST CHARTER SCHOOL IN PORTLAND TO BECOME A SCHOOLS UNITING NEIGHBORHOODS (SUN) SCHOOL. WITH SERVICES DELIVERED BY SELF ENHANCEMENT INC. (SEI), SUN SCHOOLS OFFER AN EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND A NETWORK OF RECREATION AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, PARENT AND ADULT EDUCATION, CULTURAL EVENTS AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT.AS A RESULT OF OUR POLICY ADVOCACY FOR PRESCHOOL FOR ALL, WE WERE ABLE TO PLAN THE LAUNCH OF THE KAIROSPDX EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY. THE KAIROSPDX EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY IS A PILOT SITE FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY'S UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE OFFERED AT NO COST TO FAMILIES. THE EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY IS VITAL TO REALIZING OUR MISSION. WE KNOW THAT RICH AND MEANINGFUL EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES CREATE THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. KAIROSPDX EARLY LEARNING NETWORK (ELN), DESIGNED AS AN AVENUE FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN AGES 0-5, CONTINUED OVER THIS YEAR. THROUGH SERVICES AND GATHERINGS THAT PROVIDE RESEARCH-BASED SUPPORT AND EARLY-CHILDHOOD LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT PREPARE CHILDREN FOR SUCCESS IN KINDERGARTEN, WE ARE CREATING A FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING THAT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES AND, EVENTUALLY, THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR K-5 LEARNING ACADEMY. THE ELN EXISTS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT CREATING A NETWORK FOR IN-HOME PROVIDERS AND FRIENDS/FAMILY/NEIGHBOR CAREGIVERS WILL GREATLY BENEFIT THE SYSTEM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD BY ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING AND EXPANDING THE POLICY AND PRACTICE DIALOGUE.FALL 2022 MARKED THE RETURN OF OMSI PLAY LAB EVENTS. DUE TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OMSI AND OUR IN-HOUSE OMSI PARTNERSHIP COORDINATOR, OUR ELN WAS INCLUDED IN THIS EVENT AND EIGHT KAIROSPDX FAMILIES ATTENDED. PLAY LABS AT OMSI ARE FUN STEM EXPERIENCES FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGES 0-6.KAIROSPDX ALSO CONTINUES INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PARENT ACCOUNTABILITY COUNCIL (PAC) WHICH ALLOWED KAIROSPDX A VOICE WITH POLICY ON DIVERSE FAMILIES. THE PAC WAS CREATED TO GUIDE EARLY LEARNING, MULTNOMAH'S WORK. SOME OF THE VIEWS OF PAC ARE THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT MOST EXISTING SYSTEMS ARE BEST DESIGNED TO SERVE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THEY ARE TRYING TO DISRUPT THE NARRATIVE THAT DOMINANT CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS HOLD ALL OF THE POWER TO CREATE CHANGE.

POLICY IMPACTS:IN 2021/2022, KAIROSPDX CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO PROMOTE POLICY THAT PROTECTS AND SUPPORTS THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WE HAVE CONTINUED ADVOCACY TO SUPPORT POLICIES THAT PROMOTE THE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS AND WELL-BEING OF BLACK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AS MOST EVIDENCED BY OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS STEERING COMMITTEE IN OREGON AND THE EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL OF OREGON, AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT TO BLACK COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE THAT IS PART OF OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION'S METRO LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE PASSAGE OF OREGON'S FIRST REGION WIDE PRESCHOOL FOR ALL EFFORT THAT PROVIDES QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR EVERYONE IN MULTNOMAH COUNTY. WE ADVOCATED FOR AND CHAMPIONED A NEW POLICY AROUND CHARTER SCHOOL LOTTERY ADMISSIONS THAT ALLOWED WEIGHTS TO BE APPLIED AGAINST DEMOGRAPHIC DATA. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN REDUCING THE OPPORTUNITY BARRIERS THAT UNDERSERVED CHILDREN IN OREGON FACE, BEGINNING WITH ACCESS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, INCLUDING KAIROSPDX. WE WERE ALSO ADVOCATES AND CHAMPIONS FOR KEY REVISED LOCAL POLICIES AROUND FUNDING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT SERVE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED CHILDREN, FURTHERING THEIR CAPACITY AND POTENTIAL.KAIROSPDX SUPPORTED THE PASSING OF THE FOLLOWING STATE BILLS:PASSAGE OF HB 2166 TO ALLOW MORE FUNDING FOR CHARTERS SERVING HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS: EFFECTIVE 7/19/2021PASSAGE OF SB 236 BANNING EXPULSIONS AND SUSPENSIONS FOR PRE-SCHOOL AGED YOUTH: EFFECTIVE JULY 19/2021CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT IN BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS NETWORK AND DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGY TO INCREASE POLICY IMPACTS THROUGH THE NETWORK. PARTICIPATION IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL EDUCATION RECOVERY COMMITTEE HELPING TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES STATEWIDE. KAIROSPDX WAS ALSO A KEY VISIONARY AND ADVOCATE FOR THE CENTER FOR BLACK STUDENT EXCELLENCE, A GEOGRAPHICAL COMMUNITY AND CULTURALLY-AFFIRMING APPROACH THAT WILL ADVANCE BLACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS USING STRATEGIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, COMMUNITY-DEVELOPED, AND CENTER THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK FAMILIES. THIS SPRING WE CONDUCTED A JOINT PUBLIC WORK SESSION WITH THE BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS STEERING COMMITTEE AND PPS TO OUTLINE HOW TO BEST MOVE FORWARD WITH FORMALIZING THE STRUCTURE AND FORMALIZING THE PLAN WE HAVE BEEN SOCIALIZING OVER THIS LAST YEAR.