Orchard Foundation

THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION IS A NONPROFIT LOCAL EDUCATION FUND ESTABLISHED AS A RESOURCE FOR CENTRAL LOUISIANA THAT WORKS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN A NINE-PARISH SERVICE AREA: ALLEN, AVOYELLES, CATAHOULA, GRANT, LASALLE, NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES, VERNON AND WINN. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR CENTRAL LOUISIANA STUDENTS BY PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES; RECRUITING, RETAINING, AND REWARDING EXCELLENT AND INNOVATIVE TEACHERS; BUILDING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP; AND STRENGTHENING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S ACTIVITIES AS DESCRIBED ARE CARRIED OUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION, THE RAPIDES FOUNDATION.THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION IS A 509(A)(3) TYPE I SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION.

THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S WORK IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ENCOMPASSES THREE AREAS THE CENLA WORK READY NETWORK, COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND JUMP START PROGRAMS TO EXPOSE CENLA EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA REGION. THE CENLA WORK READY NETWORK IS A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO LINK EDUCATION WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND ALIGN THEM WITH REGIONAL ECONOMIC NEEDS. DURING 2023, ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE FOUNDATION'S SERVICE AREA, CENTRAL LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES, AND REGIONAL BUSINESS AND CAREER SOLUTIONS CENTERS ACCESSED ACT'S WORKKEYS CURRICULUM, A CAREER TRAINING COURSE THAT PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CERTIFICATION WITH WORKKEYS ASSESSMENTS. WORKKEYS IS A JOB SKILLS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM MEASURING REAL WORLD SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS BELIEVE ARE CRITICAL TO JOB SUCCESS. WORKKEYS ASSESSES THREE CORE AREAS: APPLIED MATHEMATICS; WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS; AND GRAPHIC LITERACY; WHICH DETERMINES A STUDENT'S NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE (NCRC) LEVEL, AN OBJECTIVE DOCUMENTATION OF AN EMPLOYEE'S SKILLS THAT CAN BE ACCEPTED NATIONWIDE. DURING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, 3.436 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ACT'S WORKKEYS CURRICULUM TRAINING, AND 4,420 NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATES WERE EARNED BY CENLA RESIDENTS. IN 2023, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE TO ASSIST EMPLOYERS IN UTILIZING WORKKEYS AND NCRC IN THEIR HIRING PROCESSES. ALL NINE PARISHES IN THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION SERVICE AREA ARE ACT CERTIFIED WORK READY COMMUNITIES: ALLEN, AVOYELLES, CATAHOULA, GRANT, LASALLE, NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES, VERNON AND WINN. DURING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION PARTNERED WITH CAREER COMPASS OF LA TO WORK WITH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHING SERVICES IN ALL HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE SERVICE REGION. A TOTAL OF 4,998 STUDENTS WERE SEEN IN GRADES 8 THROUGH 12 BY COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHES. CAREER SEMINARS WERE ATTENDED BY ANOTHER 20.929 STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12. 93.59% OF THE SENIORS COUNSELED APPLIED TO A POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM. THE WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE (WEE) CAMPS GIVE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES TO LEARN HOW CLASSROOM CONTENT AND LEARNING STRATEGIES ARE APPLIED IN THE WORKPLACE. THREE SEPARATE WEE CAMPS WERE HELD IN SUMMER 2023: WEE CAMP I, WEE CAMP II, AND WEE CAMP ELEMENTARY. A TOTAL OF 45 TEACHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE CAMPS AND COMPLETED A SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY ON THE FINAL DAY THAT INCLUDED A PRESENTATION OF A CAREER LESSON PLAN.ORCHARD HELD ITS ANNUAL STUDENTS EXPLORING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES EXPO (SECO) IN LATE FALL 2023. SECO IS A TWO-DAY EVENT THAT INTRODUCES 10TH GRADERS TO CAREER POSSIBILITIES. A TOTAL OF 2,669 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED. 80 VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED AND 66 EXHIBITS WERE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION FACILITATED A CARPENTRY COURSE, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF HANDS-ON AND TEXTBOOK INSTRUCTION AND UTILIZES TEXTBOOKS CERTIFIED AND APPROVED BY THE CARPENTERS INTERNATIONAL TRAINING FUND (CITF) TO INSTRUCT STUDENTS. CO-SPONSORED BY A LOCAL EMPLOYER, IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS GAIN TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL KNOWLEDGE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PURSUE A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION. THE COURSE WAS OFFERED IN FIVE AREA HIGH SCHOOLS AND 82 CITF INDUSTRY BASED CERTIFICATIONS (IBCS) WERE EARNED BY STUDENTS DURING THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

DURING 2022-23, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION HELD TRAINING FOR NEW AND ASPIRING LEADERS IN AREA SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE BEST PRACTICES IN INSTRUCTION AND LEADERSHIP. 98 ASPIRING LEADER PARTICIPANTS WERE TRAINED IN THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FRAMEWORK BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE AND OBSERVE OTHERS TO DEVELOP THE EXPERTISE NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION. 33 ASSISTANT PRINCIPLES AND PRINCIPALS WERE ALSO TRAINED IN THE 5 DIMENSINS OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING AND THE 4 DIMENSIONS OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, IN THE LEADING FOR BETTER INSTRUCTION TRAINING BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. A DISTRICT LEADERS/SUPERINTENDENTS NETWORK PROVIDES SESSIONS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS AND KEY CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERS, FOCUSED ON THE ROLE OF CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING PRICIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP. 39 LEADERS PARTICIPATED.

THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION WAS AWARDED $4,482,635 BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, SUPPORT AND RETAIN EFFECTIVE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA MIDDLE SCHOOLS. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION AND PROJECT PARTNERS COMMITTED IN-KIND MATCHED FUNDING OF NON-FEDERAL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,801,519 TO IMPLEMENT THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNERSHIP OR CLIP. THIS IS THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S FIRST GRANT UNDER THE USDOE'S TEACHER QUALITY PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.THE GOAL OF THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN NINE RURAL, HIGH-NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN UP TO 70 SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA BY PREPARING HIGHLY QUALIFIED EDUCATORS TO TEACH IN CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE. CLIP ADDRESSES THE HIGH TEACHER TURNOVER AND SHORTAGES FACING RURAL SCHOOLS BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A MODEL OF MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHER PREPARATION. THE MODEL IS AN INNOVATIVE TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM WITH INTEGRATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INDUCTION SUPPORT. IN TURN, CLIP IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MEASURABLE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF LOW-PERFORMING RURAL CENTRAL LOUISIANA STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-8.THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION SERVES AS THE LEAD ORGANIZATION FOR THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNERSHIP. CLIP PROJECT PARTNERS INCLUDE: THE NINE CENTRAL LOUISIANA SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF ALLEN, AVOYELLES, CATAHOULA, GRANT, LASALLE, NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES, VERNON AND WINN; NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY'S GALLASPY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY-COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS; URBAN LEARNING & LEADERSHIP CENTER; EVALWORKS; AND THE RAPIDES FOUNDATION, WHICH WILL PROVIDE GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.APPLICANTS SELECTED FOR THE CLIP PROGRAM WILL COMPLETE A 15-MONTH ACCELERATED GRADUATE PROGRAM OF STUDY CULMINATING IN A MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING DEGREE FROM NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY AND A PROFESSIONAL TEACHING LICENSE. THEY WILL RECEIVE A STIPEND DURING THEIR TRAINING. WHILE COMPLETING THEIR GRADUATE COURSEWORK, CLIP RESIDENTS WILL BE IMMERSED IN AN ACADEMIC YEAR SCHOOL-BASED RESIDENCY IN A HIGH-NEED SCHOOL IDENTIFIED BY THE NINE PARTNER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THEY WILL EXPERIENCE A VARIETY OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ALONGSIDE A TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED MENTOR TEACHER. NSU'S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION WILL LEAD THE MENTORING PROGRAM AS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR SUPERVISION OF THE CLINICAL RESIDENCY COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM.CLIP RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE CONTENT EXPERTISE IN STEM TEACHING TECHNIQUES BY NSU'S COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT ENSURING THEY WILL POSSESS THE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE TO IMPLEMENT STEM LESSONS USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, GRADUATES WILL BE PLACED IN CLIP-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AND WILL RECEIVE TWO YEARS OF INDUCTION SUPPORT WITH SUSTAINED COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DELIVERED BY CLIP PARTNER URBAN LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP CENTER. CLIP WILL IDENTIFY, SELECT, TRAIN AND SUPPORT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SCHOOL-BASED COACHES THAT WILL CARRY OUT THE RIGOROUS INDUCTION PROCESS. CLIP GRADUATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE RETAINED IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS AS PART OF THE CLIP AGREEMENT. EVALWORKS, ANOTHER CLIP PARTNER, WILL PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM TO ENSURE PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE BEING MET.OVER FIVE YEARS, CLIP IS EXPECTED TO RECRUIT, RETAIN, AND SUPPORT 44 NEW HIGHLY QUALIFIED MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS IN HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA. ADDITIONALLY, 44 TEACHERS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE TRAINED AS MENTORS FOR THE FIELD-BASED RESIDENCY, AND 44 SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATORS WILL ALSO LEARN COACHING TECHNIQUES TO IMPLEMENT A REGIONAL INDUCTION PROGRAM. THE FIRST CLIP COHORT PRODUCED 9 MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH OR SCIENCE TEACHERS WHO WOULD COMPLETE YEAR 2 OF THEIR 3-YEAR SERVICE AGREEMENT IN THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. THE SECOND CLIP COHORT PRODUCED 9 MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH OR SCIENCE TEACHERS WHO WOULD COMPLETE YEAR 1 OF THEIR 3-YEAR SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. THE THIRD CLIP COHORT OF 10 BEGAN THEIR YEAR-LONG RESIDENCY WITH THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. THE FOURTH AND FINAL CLIP COHORT OF 6 STARTED THEIR GRADUATE PROGRAM IN SUMMER 2023 AND BEGAN THEIR RESIDENCY IN FALL 2023.

IN THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO ADMINISTER SCHOOL READINESS INSTITUTES FOR CENTRAL LOUISIANA PRE-K, HEAD START AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA'S EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY NETWORKS. THE NETWORKS SEEK TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, PUBLICLY FUNDED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS. IN SCHOOL YEAR 2022-2023, ORCHARD ADMINISTERED 38 TRAININGS REACHING 494 EDUCATORS AND PROVIDERS. TO EXPAND COACHING CAPACITY IN THE REGION, ORCHARD PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME CERTIFIED AS MAKING THE MOST OF CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS (MMCI) / CLASS GROUP COACHING (CGC) INSTRUCTORS THROUGH TEACHSTONE. TOF HAD NOT OFFERED TRAINING FOR CERTIFICATION AS MMCI INSTRUCTORS SINCE 2019. HOWEVER, CGC TRAINING IN BOTH PRE-K AND INFANT/TODDLER RESUMED IN JULY 2023. TOF'S CURRENT MMCI INSTRUCTORS HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MMCI WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ORCHARD HAS TRAINED A TOTAL 29 PRE-K INSTRUCTORS FOR THE REGION, AND 2 IN INFANT/TODDLER, INCLUDING ONE INSTRUCTOR WHO HOLDS BOTH CERTIFICATIONS. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CREATED AND LED TWO FAMILY EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS, READ TO SOAR AND MATH TO BUILD ON. IN 2023, ORCHARD LED 14 READ TO SOAR WORKSHOPS, REACHING 144 CHILDREN FROM 113 FAMILIES. 3,285 BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS. ORCHARD ALSO LED 13 MATH TO BUILD ON WORKSHOPS IN 2023, REACHING 137 CHILDREN FROM 108 FAMILIES. 3,210 BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CREATED AND DELIVERED TWO COACHING PROGRAMS FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS: INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR EARLY LEARNING LEADERS (ILI) AND BUSINESS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR EARLY LEARNING LEADERS (BLI). BOTH INSTITUTES ARE DESIGNED FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTER LEADERS IN ANY SETTING. FAMILY CHILDCARE, TYPE I, II, AND III CENTERS, AND HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START DIRECTORS ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. EACH INSTITUTE RUNS FOR 10-MONTHS, WITH SESSIONS BEGINNING IN AUGUST AND ENDING IN MAY. EACH MODULE BEGINS WITH A READ AND REFLECT ASSIGNMENT, FOLLOWED BY A WHOLE-GROUP CONTENT SESSION. THESE SESSIONS ARE FOLLOWED BY SMALL GROUP COACHING ON THE CONTENT AND ASSIGNMENTS. MAXIMUM CAPACITY ILI AND BLI COHORTS IS 15. IN THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR, 10 EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS COMPLETED ILI AND 7 EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS COMPLETED BLI.