Saint Laurence School Executive Summary

 

  • The Organization--In February 2003 we started a tutoring program in conjunction with the Paulding County Boys’ and Girls’ Club to assist primarily low-income children with the idea of eventually creating a private middle school in the county.  The ultimate goal is for several schools in the metro Atlanta area.  The planned schools are based on a successful model developed by a national organization, the NativityMiguel Network.  Saint Laurence Education is organized as a 501c3 corporation in the state of Georgia and is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools as well as the NativityMiguel Network.

 

  • The Mission Statement—Saint Laurence Episcopal Middle School’s mission is to provide a firm educational foundation for low-income, under-served middle grade youth that will allow them to excel in high school and continue with further education.  Ultimately, this will free them from the cycle of poverty and allow them to give back to their community; thereby living out God’s plan for their lives.

 

  • Description of Services—The school will provide education for an underserved community of 120 fifth through eighth grade students.  It will include an extended school day and an extended school year, individualized education, low student-teacher ratio, a program of graduate placement and support, and services to develop the whole family.  

 

  • Location—Plans are to locate the school in Paulding County, which is in the northwest section of the Atlanta, GA metro area. There are more than 2000 students who meet the demographic profile in the selected area.  A second potential site has been identified in Decatur where an Episcopal Church is considering the use of their facility.  This is closer to downtown Atlanta and is in an area where it will be easy to find students in the demographic we will serve. 

 

  • Recruitment and Admissions Plan—Students will be recruited via local press coverage, visits to local elementary schools, community bulletin boards, local churches and other community organizations.  Students will be admitted based on a demonstrated commitment to learning as well as performance on achievement tests.

 

  • Management and Personnel—At a minimum the staff will consist of an Executive Director, a Principle, a Development Director, two Master Teachers, two interns, and a Administrative Assistant.  All identified personnel possess extensive educational or appropriate professional experience and will be supported by the Board of Directors.

 

  • Funds Sought and Utilization—For fiscal year 2007 (July 2006 through June 2007), the startup phase will require $250,000 to be obtained from foundations, corporations, individuals, sponsor groups.  This will bring us to the opening of the school in July 2007, for which we will need $780,000 in our first year of operation.

I.                   Narrative

·        Organizational Description

Plans for St. Laurence Episcopal Middle School are for a grades 5-8 school in the Judeo Christian Tradition.  It will have an extended school day of 10-12 hours and an extended school year that will include a camp experience for students during the summer. Classes with low student-teacher ratios, i.e., 15-1, are planned. Students will have individualized education. A Director of Graduate Support will ensure that graduates are placed in quality high schools.

 

Family Support Services are also planned and Parental Involvement is required.  A modest activity fee will be assessed for each student.  Parent assistance is needed in the following areas:  food service, tutoring, extracurricular activities, classroom assistance, mentoring, transportation, facilities maintenance, administrative assistance, in kind donations.

 

·        Population to be Served

Population served is limited to low-income students in the area who meet the guidelines for the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program and who meet entrance requirements.  Nativity model-type schools are especially effective for low-income students because expectations are exceptionally high.  This is reinforced by extended school days and years.  For the 2000-2001 school year, there were 1969 students in Paulding County eligible for the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program. 

 

·        Demographic Data

Dallas, the county seat of Paulding County, is located about 50 miles northwest of Atlanta. The county is considered part of the Atlanta metropolitan area and it is experiencing tremendous growth.  Paulding County is and has been one of the 10 fastest growing counties in the country.  A principal source of the student population for Saint Laurence will come from Dallas Elementary School.  Nearly 50% of those students meet the guidelines for acceptance into Saint Laurence School; they qualify for the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program.  The poverty rate in Dallas is 27%, as compared with 12% in the state of Georgia and 14% for the U.S.  Additionally, the 2000 census indicated that females headed 11% of the total households in Dallas with children less than 18 years of age.  This compares with a statewide figure of 8.6%.  The racial breakdown for Dallas is 86% white, 10% black, and 4% other.  Paulding County overall is 90% white and in Atlanta there are 33% white, 61% black and 6% other.  Dallas is the largest of Paulding County's three cities. The two other cities are Braswell and Hiram.  Of the adult population age 25 and over in Dallas, 48%  have completed high school education or greater, while 5% have completed a four year college or greater.  For Atlanta the high school rate is 70% and for college and beyond the rate is 27%.  Georgia has rates of 71% high school graduation and 19% college and beyond.  (From Cityscapes, Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs from 2000 census)

 

The second potential location in Decatur is located seven miles from the center of Atlanta and we are more than confident that we can find students within our demographic limits.  This location is indeed secondary and still needs approval by the church body.

 

·        Curriculum

Curriculum will be aligned with the requirements of those high schools the students will attend.  St. Laurence principals are meeting with local high school curriculum directors.  All subjects are taught across the curriculum to ensure optimal transfer of learning. Curriculum for grades 5-8 will include Exploratory Subjects, Foreign Language, Language Arts, Math, Religion, Science, Social Studies.  Some detailed examples are given below.

 

A.     Math

Fifth grade provides for individualized educational plans to prepare students for an aggressive sixth through eighth grade curriculum.  Sixth grade math includes an overview of arithmetic and a preview of algebra and geometry.  Seventh graders study Pre-algebra and Eighth grade, Algebra I.  At each grade level offerings will allow students to work on an individualized basis.

B.     Language Arts and Reading

Fifth grade provides for individualized educational plans to prepare students for an aggressive sixth through eighth grade curriculum.  This includes grammar, written expression, literature, learning and implementing the steps necessary in writing a research paper, giving an oral presentation, critical thinking, plus word study and vocabulary exercises.  Eighth grade will emphasize literature.

·        Recruitment

Students will be recruited in a variety of ways.  Referrals from the Boys’ & Girls’ Club tutoring program, Dallas Elementary, contacts with local leaders and other community organizations will be the most straight forward.  We will have advertisements and articles in the local media outlets.  Two front page articles have been in the Paulding press and a local access TV station ran a story.  The Atlanta Journal Constitution had an excellent article in March of 2005 and a follow up article on Thanksgiving Day, 2005.

·        Admissions

An application package will be completed. This includes the IRS 1040 tax form which is mandatory to ensure that children applying for admission meet requirements of qualifying for Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program.  Parents sign a release of information form that allows St. Laurence to access the records of previous schooling.  Interviews with parents and children are conducted to determine commitment to learning; a contract is signed by all parties to reinforce this commitment.  Achievement testing will also take place.  Once a student is admitted, parents and students must read and sign the St. Laurence student handbook.

·        Facility Plans

Our current tentative plans are to locate the school at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Hiram for the first year.  The facility is located adjacent to a community recreation area and discussions with the civic club who runs the facility have given us permission to use the fields with the appropriate insurance.  The building includes more than 6 classrooms, a common room, a worship space, a kitchen and restrooms.  The layout will make for an efficient operation.  Future plans include a permanent building, possibly in conjunction with a new Episcopal Church in Dallas.  The Episcopal Church in Decatur could house four grades today and will need some basic technology upgrades to be ready.

·        Personnel, Management, Board of Directors, and Advisory Board                                   -see attached personnel chart and biographical information

 

 

 

Funding Plan

Our funding plan includes our estimated expenses of $250,000 for the startup phase, July 2006 through June 2007.  $215,000 has been raised as of July 1st 2006 for expenses incurred prior to this last year of our startup phase.  Another $40,000 was received for this last year of startup expenses.  We expect to raise $150,000 from Foundations, $75,000 from Sponsor Groups and individuals and $25,000 from Corporations for these startup expenses.  Our first year with 30 students, starting August 2007 (July 2007 begins our Fiscal 2008 Year) has a projected budget of $780,000.  Fiscal 2011, in which we will have a full enrollment of 120 students, has a budget of $1,800,000.  The total cost per student per year drops to $15,000 in this final year.  We expect to lean heavily on foundations during startup and the next few years.  As time progresses, we expect the percentage of funding from individuals and sponsor groups to quickly increase and overtake the percentage from foundations.  

 

Implementation Plan:  Using Microsoft project software, detailed timelines have been developed

  1. Foundations: 
    • By end of October 2004 Potential Foundations were identified
    • Contact Nativity Schools for names of foundations
    • Contract with two consultants for names of foundations
    • Contact to see if there is a match, go see if possible
    • Obtain Format for submission and apply
    • Ask for an invitation to submit to corporate foundations/sources through individuals we know 
  2. Corporations
    • We will begin by focusing on corporations with whom we have connections
  3. Individuals
    • These efforts work in conjunction with Sponsor Groups
    • We will also attract specific individuals to our mission
  4. Sponsor Groups

·        Present to every Episcopal Church in Diocese (93)

·        Form groups within convocations (approx 10 parishes each) for smaller churches

See deans of the convocations and present to the monthly convocation meeting

·        Form groups within larger churches

Approach rector

May have to approach the vestry or outreach committees

·        Start with Marietta Convocation and other areas where we have contacts

·        Work on all 10 convocations

Develop other Sponsor Groups such as with the business professionals of the Paulding community

 

II.               Financial Forecasts (Cash Flow)

For Six Years, Sources and Uses of Funds

Summary of Forecast Assumptions

(attached as an excel spreadsheet)

 

Job Descriptions

·        Executive Director—The Executive Director is appointed by the Board of Directors and reports directly to the Board.  This position is the primary point of contact for the Board and with the community.  It is responsible for keeping the Board informed about all issues and Board concerns regarding the operation of the school and the school’s mission.  The Executive Director makes extensive reports in the context of the Board and Committee meetings.  This position works closely with the Chairman of the Board on a weekly, if not daily basis, and will often be in contact with other Directors by phone, e-mail, or mailings concerning upcoming events, critical issues, new initiatives, status of various operations and student projects.

 

·        Principal—The principal is responsible for overseeing the school’s academic program and for monitoring, supporting, and evaluating all teachers in their daily work at school.  In addition, the Principal coordinates and approves professional development opportunities for teachers and handles the discipline and well being of the students.

 

·        Faculty and Staff—The Executive Director appoints the administrative staff.  The Executive Director and Principal appoint the faculty.  Through presentations at Board meetings, at special events of the school, and at regular visits, the Board has contact with faculty and staff and becomes familiar with the ongoing life of the school.  At no time does this represent an attempt to cross the line into management and to micro-manage the school.  These visits to the school are a way in which members of the Board keep informed and can with great enthusiasm take the message about the school to the larger community.

 

·        Development Director—The Development Director handles campaigns and funds that ensure ongoing operating support of the school.  This position works closely with the board committees related to development.  The Executive Director meets with Development Director throughout the day.  This position coordinates fund raising efforts in all areas of potential income.

 

·        Graduate Support Coordinator—The Graduate Support Coordinator handles graduate support with the guidance and support of clerical members and of the Board of Directors.  This position will be in contact and build relationships with quality local High Schools.

 

·        Business Manager—The Business Manager handles matters in the Business Office and works closely with the Executive Director.

 

Background information on the sponsor of Saint Laurence

 

            St. Teresa’s Episcopal Church in Acworth, Georgia is the parent church for St. Laurence Education and the sponsor for this project.  Saint Teresa’s is engaged with ministry to the poor, especially poor children in nearby Paulding County.  The eight-member Board of Directors of St. Laurence Education is comprised of members of St. Teresa’s and other Episcopal congregations as well as a Baptist minister.  Other St. Teresa’s parishioners have donated both time and funding to St. Laurence.  For example, members of the congregation have donated their time for accounting services, attorney services, assistance with the facility search, and the creation of solid business plans.  St. Teresa’s Outreach has given St. Laurence funds, principally for insurance, and members of the congregation have donated funds to pay for meals and other expenses related to the tutoring program.

Officers:         

            Executive Director Alen Brown  has a diverse background of experience. Graduating in 1983 from The University of the South with a Physics/Mathematics degree, he began his career working in a public utility nuclear power station. Three years later he was managing the instrument section of the radiation safety department. His next step was to a major state university in the position of Radiation Safety Officer managing compliance of researchers. He then began a business career in sales and marketing for a company manufacturing radiation safety equipment. This was a publicly traded company where he acquired a wealth of knowledge in the corporate world. He has also consulted and is a self-taught web site designer. He then felt a strong call to the classroom and accepted a position in the education market as a step in that direction. Soon after, colleagues in his church envisioned a school for low-income, at-risk children. He has been a principal on this project ever since. In the fall of 2003 he began teaching science in a quality private high school as he pursued Saint Laurence Education. His experience, management skills, and ability to work well with people, coupled with his passion for this project and his faith have prepared him for this leadership position. 

           

The Board of Directors of St. Laurence Education is composed of the following individuals:

 

Rev. Edith Woodling              Chair

Currently serving as Principal of Saint Martin’s Episcopal Middle School, where she is also Chaplin.  Her prior experience includes:

            Head of School, Christ Church, for four years

Master’s of Education in English Literature

Ordained as Deacon in October of 1995

Lead Perry Home Housing Project, for teenage mothers

Taught in College or High School Environment for 34 years

 

Faith Turner                           Secretary

Faith received an Associate of Arts degree from Colorado Woman’s College in 1948 and a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Indianapolis in 1952.  She taught until 1968 when she was accepted into the Educational Psychology Program at the University of Georgia, where she received her Master’s Degree in 1970. Her major professor was Dr. E. Paul Torrance, a nationally recognized figure in Creativity and Giftedness.  In 1973, she received an Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology and began work as a School Psychologist in Augusta and Atlanta, Georgia. She retired in 1988 but continued to work as a consultant and psychological evaluator in various school systems throughout north Georgia. She was President of the Georgia Association of School Psychologists in 1982-84 and was a National Delegate to the National Association of School Psychologists during those same years.

 

 

Betty Larson

Betty taught school for 30 years before retiring in 2003.  For all but four of those years she taught at economically disadvantaged schools.  This resulted in her teaching many at-risk students.  She has also been involved with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and has worked at both Church Camps and Scout Camps.  She has taught Sunday School and has tutored both through the school systems for which she worked and through her Church.  Betty has been involved with Saint Laurence since its inception.

 

Gail Snipes, Ph.D.

Gail has been an educator for 27 years.  Her experience has been at the college level, middle school level, and elementary level.  The majority of this experience is at the middle school level in grades 4-6.  She has also served as principal in a k-4 school and as an assistant principal in a 7-8 grade middle school.  Her degrees, doctorate; specialist, and bachelor,  are from Mississippi State University and her masters degree is from Mississippi University for Women.  The doctorate and specialist are in the area of educational administration.  The undergraduate degree and my masters are in K-8 education.

 

Gail has been involved with Saint Laurence the past two years serving as principal in gathering curriculum information and writing grants and help with fund raising.  She has also been a tutor at the Paulding Boys and Girls Club.  We expect Gail to return to the role of Principal prior to the schools official opening.

 

Brain Acker

Brian completed his BA degree (majoring in both Psychology and Economics) at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1988.  Subsequently, he was employed for a total of four years at Inner Harbour Hospitals and Ridgeview Institute in counseling and social work positions. He then returned to graduate school at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and completed (1995) his MA degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with an emphasis in Human Resources Management.

 

Brain has been employed in the Human Resources field for the last ten years, including positions with the Georgia Department of Labor, Corporate Business Solutions, and currently as Human Resources Director for the Paulding County Board of Commissioners (since August 1999). His Human Resources work experience has allowed him to build a broad generalist background in the areas of employee relations, recruiting and selection, performance management, benefits administration, policy development, and job evaluation and compensation. He is a member of both the national Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and the SHRM Atlanta Chapter. He has held the certification of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) since 1999.

 

Brian and his family have been active members at St. Julian's Episcopal Church in Douglasville since 1995.  He has served the congregation in the following capacities: Lay Reader, Eucharistic Minister, Vestry Member (1999-2002), and Rector Nominating Committee (2002-2003).

Rose Whittingham

Rose graduated Summa Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Albany in 1981 where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.  She Taught at the University of Pittsburgh while working on her Doctorate in Anthropology.  As a ‘Stay at Home’ mom, she volunteered in many community and school organizations.  While living in Schenectady, New York, she was an owner of a retail hand-craft business.  She is now an active participant in the Saint Laurence Education tutoring program at the Boys and Girls Club, and is involved in many programs at St. Teresa’s Episcopal Church including Vacation Bible School, Children’s Choir and Drama Camp.

  

Gregory J. Matechak

Greg has a diverse education background which includes:

Atlanta Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program, 2004

Medical College of Georgia, School of Medicine, M.D. 2001

Kennesaw State Univ. Pre Medicine Courses

University of Illinois, MS Aero & Astronautical Eng, June 1992

Auburn Univ. Bachelors of Aerospace Engineering, August 1987

His employment experience includes:

West Georgia Family Medicine, Dallas Office, Physician, September 2004 to Present.  Board Certified in Family Medicine until 2011. Neonatal Advanced Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Basic and Advanced Life Support certificates were earned during residency and at Tanner.

            Atlanta Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program, Morrow GA, July 2001 to June 2004.  Rotations in Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, NICU, GI and Family Practice

            Medical College of Georgia, Augusta GA, August 1997 to May 1999, School of Medicine Class of 2001

            Lockheed-Martin Aeronautical Systems Division, Marietta GA, January 1992 to August 1997.  Sr. Design Engineer with responsibilities to design of the F-22 fighter aircraft.  He was a team leader for various special projects and studies

Boeing Aircraft, St. Louis MO, October 1987 to December 1991. Greg designed and developed advanced aircraft technologies for new and existing aircraft on special projects.  He helped with design and developed and instructed classes on the F/A-18 design. 

            Lockheed-Martin Aeronautical Systems Division, Marietta GA, September 1983 to June 1986.  Cooperative Education Student with various engineering assignments.

 

Greg has also been involved with numerous research projects and been the recipient of many awards, may be the most important being Dad of the Year from his Kids for 11 straight years.

           

Reverend Thomas James

Rev. James is very involved in the community.  His employment includes:
1959-1976 US Army Honorable Discharge
1976-2005 Self employed at James' Church Supply Store, Cartersville, Georgia.
1980-2005 Pastor, presently serving at the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church , Acworth, Georgia.
PAST AND PRESENT POSITIONS
Completed an unfinished term on the City Council of Kingston, Georgia
Served as President of the Seventh District of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia
Presently serving as President Emeritus and recently elected as the treasure of the Seventh District.
Served as President of the Bartow County Branch NAACP, later elected District Coordinator.
Served as member of Juvenile Foster Panel Review Board
Served as a member of Health Systems Agency Board for North Georgia Area.
Presently serving as Vice President Congress of Christian Education for Friendship Association.
Presently serving as a board member of General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc.

Reverend James brings the voice we need to ensure we are working together as a team to find the right solutions for the families we will help.

 

Staff                Business Manager

 

Shelia Morgan graduated in accounting in 2005 and is a part time employee handling bookkeeping and database management.  Shelia is a long time Paulding resident.