Click here to review the JRLA Annual Education Report 2012-13
Board of Directors Contracts with American Promise Schools division of New Urban Learning
May 6, 2013 (Detroit) — Jalen Rose, Founder and Board President of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, today announced the Board’s decision to hire the American Promise Schools division of New Urban Learning to manage the Detroit public charter school for the next three years.
“Bringing in this all-star team of educators with a track record in Detroit and Chicago of graduating more than 90% of their students of color from high school and sending more than 90% on to college strengthens the promise I made to Detroit families to provide a public school that will prepare all of its students to succeed in college,” Rose explained. “I’ve never been more confident that we will deliver on that promise.”
The American Promise Schools, a non-profit division of New Urban Learning, was created this year to help good urban schools become great, and to turnaround traditional public high schools that have been low performing for years. Its founders are veterans of the urban education reform movement:
Doug Ross, the President of the American Promise Schools, is the founder of the University Prep schools in Detroit that have consistently graduated their open enrollment students and enrolled them in college at rates between 90-100%. Mr. Ross was the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration, and served as the Chief Innovation Officer for the Detroit Public Schools.
Joe Tenbusch, who will serve as the Superintendent of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, is a Detroit native who founded and led the nationally acclaimed Rowe-Clark Academy of Science and Math. This high school is part of the Noble Street charter schools in Chicago that have prepared their African American and Hispanic students to earn an average of 21 on the ACT – a level of college readiness virtually no other open admissions urban public schools have attained.
Melissa Hamann, the CEO of the American Promise Schools, is a former Detroiter who worked on school reform in New York and Chicago before returning to Detroit where she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Emergency Financial Managers Robert Bobb and Roy Roberts. Ms. Hamann will direct the operations for the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.
“Jalen Rose has been an inspirational figure in this community with his commitment to found a public school that gives each of its students the education they need for college and a real shot at the American Dream,” Joe Tenbusch explained. “I am very excited by the challenge of working with the school’s Board to take a good school here in Detroit and make it great.”
JRLA Outcomes:
JRLA will prepare students to be…
Academic Achievers who:
- Exhibit knowledge and skills necessary for college
- Practice critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Research, analyze and synthesize information effectively
- Demonstrate innovation, creativity and the love of the arts
Effective Communicators who:
- Exhibit expert reading and writing skills
- Articulate ideas clearly an effectively
- Use information and technology effectively and ethically
- Understand divergent points of view
Active Leaders who:
- Model personal integrity, responsibility and ethical behavior
- Utilize emotional and social skills to build collaboration and teamwork
- Embrace diversity and promote excellence
- Demonstrate effective decision-making skills
Globally Responsive Citizens who:
- Model human connectedness through commitment of social justice
- Respect cultural and ethnic influences
- Work for moral, ethical and healthy choices in daily living
- Participate actively in their community
Lifelong Learners who:
- Demonstrate openness to growth
- Take responsibility for their own actions and the welfare of others
- Critically access the values of contemporary culture
- Promote justice and peace
JRLA is committed to:
- A safe learning environment (interior/exterior cameras, secured points of access and security on staff)
- Small school setting and class sizes: 20:1 student/teacher ratio
- Cutting-edge curriculum supported by innovative technology
- Real-world and project-based experiences
- Students will Enter a Learner: Exit a Leader by participating in leadership training and development (daily leadership class and student leadership roles)
- Weekly ACT Prep embedded in the curriculum
- Extensive college exposure and course opportunities through a partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy
- An extended school day (8am-4:30pm) and year (213 days); with six “Super Saturday” modules
- Student Voice (student opinions matter at JRLA: they will select athletic offerings, the school mascot, write the school song, recommend co-curricular activities, plan celebrations, etc…)
Grading Policy
Process Grades (50%): Participation 10%/Classwork 30%/Homework 10%
Product Grades (50%): Quiz/Exit Slips 20% and Test/Projects 30%
Academic Improvement Procedure** It is expected that all students will work diligently to turn in all assignments by the initial due date.
Make-Up Work
- Must be offered for an official/approved absence
- Official/Approved Absence: Parent Note and/or phone communication, doctor’s note, court appointment, school approved field trip / activity
- Students have 5 school days (including the day of return from absence) to submit make-up work. After the 5-day period, the assignment is an automatic “0” zero
Missed Assignments
- Students have 5 school days to complete missing assignments. Once the assignment is submitted and checked, the assignment will receive one grade lower than the final mark. After the 5-day period, the assignment is an automatic “0” zero.
- Teachers are to post assignment logs and charts in their classrooms. Logs are to be updated daily.
- All required documents/directions are to be numbered and placed in the homework chart.
- Logs and charts will be provided.
- Teachers are to establish a clear procedure for students to obtain the missing assignments.
Do-Over
- This is an opportunity for a student to improve their grade on a particular assignment that has already been submitted and graded.
- This opportunity is extended at the teacher’s discretion.
- The type of assignment that can be considered for a Do-Over is at the teacher’s discretion
- The student has 3 school days to complete and submit the work. If work is not submitted within the 3-day period, the initial grade remains.
Mr. Hingst’s ELA Study Hall Hours: Monday-Wednesday (4:35-5:30pm)