Generation 1 4 Application Completion Chec k

Manara Academ y Manara Academy, Inc.

Proposed Fourteenth Generation Charter School Nam e Sponsoring Entity Name

•/ J Applican t Conferenc e Attended; Dat e 3-Dc c Attende e Jaszee r Mohammed

Application
v s / Applicatio n Coversheet

Table of Content s

Applicant Checklist (Thi s checklist must be marked, signed, an d included )

Application Section s (Al l questions in each section must be ans\vered completely.)
Statement o f Need

Vision of the Schoo l

Educational Plan
s i f item is included
Student Goals Write "INC" if item is incomplete
Human Resources Informatio n Write "missing" if the item is missing
Governance Initial bottom of page when done
Community Suppor t Use different color ink than previous reviewer
Geographic Boundary

•V. Admissions Policy

10 Specia l Needs Student s and Program s

y_ 1 1 Busines s Plan
_^ v /A Notarize d Biographica l Affidavit s

^y B Organizationa l Chart
x/ y C 501(c ) (3 ) Determinatio n Letter fro m IR S o r statement that it is not required if sponsoring entity is an institution of higher
education o r a governmental entity. Lis t date of incorporation for us e on I and J.

D Article s of Incorporatio n filed wit h Texas Secretary of State or a comparable documen t if the sponsoring entit y is an out-of-
stale nonprofit corporatio n o r a statement mat this not required if the sponsoring entit y is an institution of higher educatio n or a
governmental entity .
E Corporat e Bylaw s o r statemen t that it is not required i f sponsoring entity i s an institution of higher education or a governmental
entity ,
F Publishe d Notice o f Publi c Hearing showing nam e of the newspaper an d date of publication and stating the propose d

z/
_v/
school name, sponsoring entity name, date time, and place of meeting, and names otsponsoring entity board members

G Synopsi s of Publi c Hearing

yy H Signe d Certifie d Mail Receipt Cards o r the certified mail receipt showin g each addressee , fee s paid, and the date maile d
1 Audi t Report o r on e of the following: (1 ) unaudited financial statements (consistin g of an unaudited statement o f financial
position; a n unaudited statement of activities; and a n unaudited statement o f cash flow s includin g a notarized acknowledgemen t signed
by the chie f executive office r an d chief financial officer o f the sponsoring entity attesting to the accuracy and completeness oFth e
information provided ) or (2 ) a statement that no documents ar e being provided because m e sponsoring entity was incorporate d afte r
January 1 , 2006 and has less than $5,000 in receipts and total assets.
J Credi t Repor t o r a statement that no report i s provided becaus e the sponsoring entity was incorporated after January 1 , 2006
and has less than $5,000 in receipts and total assels .
V K IR S 99 0 Filin g or a statement explaining why it is not available.

L Documentatio n Verifyin g Al l Source s o f Fundin g or a statement explaining that there are no sources o f fund s

M Start-U p Budge t
_y v / N Budge t for Year On e of Operation

J^ O Negotiate d Servic e Agreement(s) o r a statement explaining why no agreements are being provided.

Negotiated Leas e Agreement(s) , Deed(s) to Property, Earnes t Money Contract(s) , o r Purchase Agreement(s)
or a statement explaining why no documents ar e being provided

1 2 Attachment s (Mark here to indicate that all attachments hav e been include d in the order required.)

Tnitiak Tnitiak
 Application Coversheet
Manara Academy Manara Academy, Inc .

Name of Proposed Charter Schoo l Name o f Sponsoring Entit y

Note: I f the sponsoring entity i s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization , the name must appear exactl y as i t appears i n the Article s of Incorporatio n or any
amendments thereto.

The sponsoring entity is a (Check only one.) :

£3 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Q Governmenta l Entity College or University
Chairperson of Governing Body of Sponsoring Entity: Ehap Sabri
CEO of Sponsoring Entity: Ehap Sabri
CEO/Superintendent of Proposed Charte r School:, To be determined

Representative Wh o Attended an Applicant Conference: Jaszee r Mohamme d Dat e of Conference: De c 3'

2007
Applicant Mailing Address: 4070 N Beltline Rd. Suite 110-140 . Irving TX 75038
Physical Address of Proposed Administrativ e Offices (i f different fro m above) : To be determined
Number of Campuses Being Requested : On e
Physical Address of Each Propose d Campus : T o be determined
Contact Name: Michell e Alkhatib Contac t E-mai l Address: micheUc@manaraacademv.or g
Contact Phone #: (972)896-3211 Contac t Fax #: (214)260-498 4
Circle Grade Level s to be served an d state maximum enrollment fo r each year :
By Year 3, at least one grade in which the state accountability testa are administere d must be offered .

Yearl: Pre-K 3 Pre-K 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 Maximu m Enrollment: . 326

Year 2: Pre-K. 3 Pre-K 4 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 Maximu m Enrollment : _ 400

Year 3: Pre-K 3 Pre-K 4 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 Maximu m Enrollment: . 450

Year 4: Pre-K 3 Pre-K 4 9 1 0 I I 1 2 Maximu m Enrollment : 500

Year 5: Pre-K 3 Pre-K 4 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 Maximu m Enrollment : 500

I certif y that I have the authority t o submi t this application an d that all informatio n containe d herein is complete and .
accurate, realizing tha t any misrepresentation could resul t i n disqualification from the application proces s or revocatio n
after award . I n accordance with TE C §12.120 , 1 further certify that no members o f the governing Bod y o f the sponsoring
entity or of the proposed charter school no r any officers or employees of the proposed school hav e been convicte d o f a
misdemeanor involvin g moral turpitud e or of any felony. I understand tha t incomplete application s wil l not be considered.
•— > \ Ehap Sabri
(BLUE i t f) Signatur e of Chief Executive Officer o f Sponsoring Entity Date Printed Name
Jaszeer Mohammed
(BLUE INK ) Signaturefof Application Prepare r Date Printed Name
Manara Academy, Inc.
With wha t company i s the application preparer associated? Was

701-07-116-003

Manara Academy 14 Generation Charter Application

Table o f Contents
APPLICANT CHECKLIST 6
SECTION 1-STATEMENT OF NEED 8
l.a Wh y proposed schoo l i s needed 8
l.b Wh y charter schoo l mode l i s appropriate 1 0
SECTION 2-VISION OF THE SCHOOL 1 2
2.a Educationa l Philosophy an d Pedagogy 1 2
2.b Educationa l Innovations 1 3
SECTION 3-EDUCATIONAL PLA N 1 9
3.a Scop e and Sequenc e 1 9
3.b Meetin g graduation requirements for high school students 2 6
3.c Teachin g methods to be used 2 6
3.d Teacher-to-Studen t Rati o 4 4
3.e Gifte d an d Talented Program 4 5
3.f Program s offere d t o support other student activities 4 5
3.g Partne r with other public or private agencies 4 6
3.h Planne d academic assessment progra m 4 6
3.i Connectio n betwee n TEKS, classroom instructio n and assessment 5 0
3.j Progra m evaluatio n 5 1
SECTION 4-STUDENT GOAL S 5 2
4.a Studen t Goals 5 2
4.b Method s use d to measure success towards each goal 5 3
SECTION 5-HUMAN RESOURCES 5 7
5.a Attachmen t A , biographical affidavi t 5 7
5.b Jo b description for school officer s 5 7
5.c Attachmen t B, sponsoring entity' s organizational char t 60
5.d Salar y ranges, benefits, and compensation fo r school officer s 6 0
5.e Professiona l developmen t for school officer s 6 2
5.f Evaluatio n of school officer s 6 3
5.g Responsibilit y of school officers 6 8
5.h Jo b description s for all teachers and staff 7 1
5.i Distributio n of employe e qualification s to parents 7 4
5.j Salar y ranges, benefits , and compensation for teachers 7 5
5.k Professiona l development fo r teachers an d instructional staff 7 7
5.1 Evaluatio n of teachers and instructional staff. 7 8

Manara Academy 14l Generatio n Charter Application

 5.m Jo b description fo r PEIMS coordinator 7 9
5.n Salar y ranges , benefits , and compensation fo r PEIMS coordinato r 8 0
5.0 Professiona l developmen t fo r PEIMS coordinator 8 0
5.p Evaluatio n of PEIMS coordinator 8 0
SECTION 6-GOVERNANC E 8 1
6.a Governin g bod y of sponsoring entit y 8 1
6.b I f sponsoring entit y is out-of state 8 1
6.c Attachmen t C , determination lette r fro m IR S 8 2
6.d Attachmen t D, articles of Incorporation 8 2
6.e Attachmen t E, Bylaws 8 2
6.f Dat e sponsorin g entit y was incorporated 8 2
6.g Purpos e fo r establishing sponsoring entity 8 2
6.h Activitie s of the sponsoring entit y 8 2
6.1 Previou s operations o f the sponsoring entit y 8 3
6.j Religiou s or faith based sponsorin g entit y 8 3
6.k Litigation s fo r sponsoring entit y 8 3
6.1 Sanction s by state regulatory agenc y fo r sponsoring entit y 8 3
6.m Initia l incorporates of the sponsoring entity 8 3
6.n Recruitmen t of school organizer s 8 5
6.0 Procedure s fo r receiving and responding to complaints 8 5
6.p Element s of governance structur e of the governing body 8 5
6.q Member s of the governing body 8 7
6.r Power s o r duties delegated t o charter school by governing boar d 8 7
6.s Governanc e structur e of the governing body 8 8
6.t Privat e entit y involvement in charter school 8 8
SECTION 7-COMMUNITY SUPPORT 8 9
7.a Communit y where school will be located and reasoning 8 9
7.b Involvemen t by community groups 8 9
7.c Attachmen t F, Published notice of public hearing 9 0
7.d Numbe r of community member s i n attendance a t public hearing 9 0
7.e Attachmen t G, Synopsis of the public hearing 9 1
SECTION 8-GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY 9 2
8.a Schoo l districts for accepting student s 9 2
8.b Schoo l district s fo r transfer students 9 2
8.c Attachmen t H, Certified mai l receipts for Statement of Impact 9 2
SECTION 9-ADMISSIONS POLICY 9 3
9.a Perio d fo r which applications will be accepted 9 3

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

 9.b Procedure s fo r lottery 9 3
9.c Categorie s o f applicants that will be exempt fro m lotter y 9 3
9.d Approximat e dat e of lottery 9 3
9.e Procedur e fo r waiting lis t 9 3
9.f Application s submitted outside of acceptance perio d 9 4
9.g Non-discriminatio n statement 9 4
9.h Specializin g in performing arts 9 4
9.i Admissio n of students with documented misconduct 9 4
9.j Informatio n required fo r admission consideration 9 4
9.k Procedure s t o enroll student s 9 5
9.1 Procedure s fo r reporting transfer students 9 5
SECTION 10-SPECIA L NEEDS STUDENTS AN D PROGRAM S 9 6
SECTION 11 -BUSINESS PLAN 9 7
I La Source s o f funding t o start up operations 9 7
ll.b Curren t asset s o f sponsoring entit y 9 7
ll.c Curren t liabilities o f sponsoring entity 9 7
ll.d Liens , litigations , o r sanctions o f sponsoring entity 9 7
1 l.e Curren t open-charters hel d currently by sponsoring entit y 9 7
ll.f Attachmen t I , Audit report 9 7
ll.g Attachment] , Credi t report o f sponsoring entity 9 7
ll.h Attachmen t K , Internal Revenu e Service Form 990 9 8
I Li Non-charte r operation s related to charter school 9 8
I1 j Plan s to operate non-charte r operation s 9 8
1 Lk Non-charte r operations progra m location 9 8
ll.l Projecte d amounts o f start-up funding , , 9 8
1 l.m Attachmen t L, Documentation verifying al l sources of funding 9 9
I l.n Proces s b y which annual budget will be adopted 9 9
ll.o Attachmen t M, Start-up budget 9 9
I1 .p Attachmen t N, First year of operations budget 9 9
ll.q Conductio n of annual audit 10 0
1 l.r Identif y wh o will provide financial service s fo r the charter school 10 0
ll.s Qualification s of organization o r individual to provide services 10 0
1 l.t Attachmen t O, Copy o f negotiated service agreement 10 0
ll.u Adoptio n o f the provisions of the Texas Educatio n Code 10 0
1 l.v Capabilitie s of financial accountin g software 10 1
ll.w Identificatio n of student attendance accounting software 10 1
11.x Suitabilit y of facilit y sit e 10 1
ll.y Accessibilit y of facility fo r disabled persons 10 1
1 Lz Necessit y of renovating and/or repairing facilit y 10 1

Manara Academy 1 4tthGeneratio n Charter Application

 11.aa Acquisitio n of facility and/or land 10 2
11.bb Attachmen t P , Negotiated leas e agreement 10 2
11.cc Individual s negotiating lease agreement 10 2
11.dd Al l organizations using the facility 10 2
1 Lee Provision s for transportation o f students 10 2
ll.ff Provision s fo r food servic e 10 3
SECTIONS-ATTACHMENTS 10 4
Attachment A -Notarized biographic affidavits 10 5
Attachment C - 501(c)(3 ) determination letter from the IRS 12 5
Attachment D - Origina l Article s of Incorporation 12 6
Attachment E - Bylaw s 13 3
Attachment F - Cop y of the published notice of public hearing 14 2
Attachment G - Synopsi s of the public hearing 14 4
Attachment H - Certifie d mail receipts 14 7
Attachment I -Audit report 16 2
Attachment J - Credi t report 16 7
Attachment K - Interna l Revenue Service Form 990 16 8
Attachment L - Lette r of Credit, Letters fro m donor s 16 9
Attachment M - A start-up budget 21 7
Attachment N - Firs t year of operations budget 23 1
Attachment O - Cop y of negotiated servic e agreemen t 24 5
Attachment P - Negotiate d lease agreement 24 6
SECTION 13-APPENDICES 24 7
Appendix AA - Expeditionar y Learning Schools-Outward Boun d 24 8
Appendix BB-Manara Academy's Technolog y Progra m Sampl e 31 0
Appendix CC -Foreign Language Curriculum 31 2
Appendix DD - Single-Gende r Schooling Research 35 5
Appendix EE -Scop e and Sequence K-8 37 3
Appendix FF - Nationa l Staff Development Counci l (NSDC) 43 3
Appendix GG - Dietar y Plan 43 5
Appendix HH - Communit y Partnership 43 6
Appendix II - Manar a Academy Survey Template 44 5
Appendix JJ - EL S Teacher Assessmen t Methodolog y 44 6
Appendix KK -Consultant s and Founders Biographies 45 4

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application

 Applicant Checklist
Manara Academy _ Manar a Academy, Inc. _
Proposed Fourteenth Generation Charter School Nam e Sponsorin g Entity Nam e

This checklist MUST be completed and submitted as part of the application to ensure that the applicant has provided all of the information required by the RFA.
Application
£3 Attende d Applicant Conference: Dat e _1 2/03/2007 _ : Board Membe r Who Attended Jaszee r Mohamme d
^| Applicatio n Coversheet
13 Tabl e of Contents
£3 Applican t Checklist (this document)

Application Section s (All questions in each section mus t be answered completely. )

£3 1 Statemen t o f Need ^ 6 Governanc e
13 2 Visio n of the School 1 37 Communit y Support
0<3 3 Educationa l Plan | 38 Geographi c Boundary
13 4 Studen t Goafs 1 39 Admission s Policy
E3 5 Huma n Resources Informatio n ^ 1 0 Specia l Needs Student s and Programs
Attachments A - P ^1 1 Busines s Plan
^ A Notarize d Biographica l Affidavits for members o f the governing bod y o f the sponsoring entity o t of the charter school
(if any) and any identifie d officer s of the charter schoo l
^ B Organizationa l Chart reflecting all of the sponsoring entity's operations , includin g the proposed charte r schoo l
Ex] C 501(c)(3 ) Determination Letter from IR S o r statement that it is not required if sponsoring entity i s an institution of higher
education ot a governmental entity
^ D Article s of Incorporation filed with Texas Secretary o f State or a comparable documen t if the sponsoring entit y is an out-of-
state nonprofit corporation o r a statement tha t this not required if the sponsoring entit y is an institution of higher education or a
governmental entity. (I f the sponsorin g entity has amended it s Articles of Incorporation, i t must submit both th e original Articles of
Incorporation an d the documents reflecting amendments to the original Articles of Incorporation, Th e failur e t o submit all of these
documents wil l rende r this attachment incomplete. ) If incorporated afte r January 1 , 2006, substitute with Certificate of Formation an d
Certificate o f Filing
ER] E Corporat e Bylaw s or statement tha t it is not required if sponsoring entity is an institutio n o f higher education or a governmental
entity
^ F Publishe d Notice of Public Hearing showing name of the newspaper and date of publication and stating the proposed schoo l
name, sponsorin g entit y name, date , time, and place of meeting, an d names of sponsoring entity board members
^ G Synopsi s of Public Hearing
^ H Signe d Certified Mail Receip t Cards showin g that relevant school districts and charter schools receive d statemen t o f impact
forms (I n the absenc e of signed certifie d mail return receipt cards, the certified mai l receip t showin g each addressee , fee s paid, and the
date mailed will be accepted. )
1^1 1 Audi t Repor t o r one of the following: ( I ) unaudited financial statements (consistin g of an unaudited statement o f financial position;
an unaudite d statement of activities; and a n unaudited statement o f cash flow s including a notarized acknowledgemen t signe d by the
chief executiv e officer an d chief financia l office r of the sponsoring entity attesting to the accuracy an d completeness of the informatio n
provided) or (2) a statement that no documents are being provided becaus e the sponsoring entit y was incorporated afte r January ! , 2006
and ha s les s than $5,000 in receipts an d total assets.
IX] J Credi t Report or a statement tha t no report i s provided because th e sponsoring entity was incorporate d afte r January 1 , 2006 and ha s
less than $5,000 in receipts and total assets .
^1 K . IR S 99 0 Filin g or a statement explainin g why it is not available.
^ L Documentatio n Verifying Al l Source s of Funding or a statement explainin g that there are no sources o f funds (Genera l letters
of support shoul d NOT be included).
El M Start-U p Budget
^ N Budge t fo r Yea r One o f Operatio n (Budget s fo r Years Two and Three are required in some case s where escalating enrollment is
planned.)
^ O Negotiate d Servic e Agreement(s) or a statement explaining why no agreements ar e being provided.
£<] P Negotiate d Leas e Agreement(s) , Deed(s ) t o Property , Earnest Mone y Contract(s), or Purchase Agreement(s) o r a
statement explainin g why no documents are being provided

£3 1 2 Attachment s (Mark here to indicate that all attachments have been included in the orde r required. )

_ _ _ Jaszee r Mohamme d __ _ _ __ _ Eha p Sabri

Name of Application Prepare r (Typed) Nam e of CEO o f Sponsoring Entity (Typed )

6 2/ 2
Signature of Application Preparer Dat e Signatur e of CEO o f Sponsoring Entit y Dat e

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Applicatio n

 Manara Academy Charter School
14th Generation Applicatio n

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application

1MANARA)
Section 1-Statement of Need
a) Discus s why member s o f th e sponsorin g entity believ e that the propose d schoo l i s needed an d
why the y believ e that sufficien t deman d exist s to make th e schoo l viable

The idea of establishing Manara Academy a s a charter schoo l i n Irving has been the resul t of
extensive researc h and discussion s amon g parents , teacher s and communit y members . We
strongly believe that there is a sufficient deman d for an innovative schoo l i n Irving due to the
following reasons .

• Th e public schools i n the area are overcrowded accordin g to the Dallas Mornin g News
article o n Augus t 23 , 2007 . Th e district' s averag e pea k enrollmen t wa s 76 2 a t
elementary schools and 1,01 5 at middle schools.
• Loca l charte r school s i n th e Irvin g are a hav e lon g waitin g list s suc h a s Nort h Hil l
School.
• TAK S score s ar e ke y indicator s fo r schoo l an d studen t performance . I n th e 200 7
academic year , the performance of Irving ISD (All Tests) compare d t o Region 1 0 and
State of Texas is shown below :

Grades

State
: Region 1 0
i Irvin g IS D

Grode 3 Source: TEA website

0% 10 % 2O % 3O % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 9O % 1OO %

Irving ISD has consistently scored lowe r than both Region 1 0 and the State . Base d o n
2007 data , ther e ar e onl y thre e recognize d an d n o exemplar y school s i n Irvin g ISD.
This illustrates a clear need fo r an innovative charte r schoo l such as Manara Academ y
in the Irving area.
Over th e pas t fe w years , Irvin g ha s mature d dramaticall y a s a n internationa l city .
According t o th e 200 7 U S census , th e percentag e o f Irving' s populatio n bor n i n
foreign countrie s was 33.6%, fa r above the figure of 12.5 % for the country as a whole.
Instead of educational institutions , the need ha s emerged for educational communities
that suppor t academi c achievemen t a s well a s address th e needs o f the students , their
families an d thei r communities . Buildin g o n th e strength s o f students ' cultura l
heritage an d lif e experience s wil l hel p the m becom e successfu l member s o f th e
community and enable them to compete globally.

Manara Academy 14ithGeneratio n Charter Application

How Manara Academy wil l address the deman d

The academ y wil l addres s th e abov e fou r challenge s and b e abl e t o ad d significan t value to th e
Irving community and the existing school system i n the following areas:

1) Academics :
Innovative teachin g methodologie s allo w student s t o compet e wit h othe r student s aroun d th e
globe especially in the field s o f scienc e an d math. They accommodate individua l learning styles
and critica l thinkin g skill s t o facilitat e th e realizatio n o f eac h student' s ful l potential . Th e
Expeditionary Learnin g Schools-Outwar d Boun d (ELS ) us e prove n innovativ e teachin g
methodologies. Manar a Academ y wil l b e th e firs t charter/publi c schoo l t o implemen t th e
Expeditionary Learnin g Schools'-Outwar d Boun d (ELS ) metho d i n DF W (Dallas/Forth Worth)
area. This methodology incorporates hands on project-based learnin g into the curriculum and puts
big emphasi s o n characte r education , ethics , leadershi p development , an d parenta l an d
community involvement . Expeditionar y Learnin g wa s selecte d amon g th e to p 7 schoo l desig n
models in the nation by the Department of Education.

Another featur e o f Manar a Academ y wil l b e th e implementatio n o f teache r loopin g wher e

students would sta y with the same teache r fo r a two yea r span . This proven approac h has show n
to improve academic result s and Manara Academy will also be the first school to implement that
in the area .

2) Foreign Language Program:

Manara academ y wil l provide a unique foreign language program. Languag e acquisition research
shows tha t secon d languag e acquisitio n helps improv e students ' cognitiv e skills , broade n their
perspectives an d bridg e th e cultura l gap s betwee n students , parent s an d teachers . W e hav e
selected the Elementary Schoo l Foreig n Languages (ESFL ) Mode l fo r our program. I t is the best
model i n th e Natio n according t o th e Cente r o f Applie d Linguistics (CAL) i n Washington , DC.
Based o n our research, Manar a wil l b e the first public and charter schoo l i n Texas t o implement
this program in all grades .

3) Character Building :
There i s much more that can be done to strengthen students ' sens e o f responsibility towards their
immediate family , extende d family , communit y and society . Manar a Academ y wil l provid e a
school environmen t wher e hig h mora l characte r i s engendered , an d i t wil l pervad e th e entir e
school cultur e where teacher s ar e the role-model s fo r their students , parent s ar e the role-model s
for their children and older students are role-models for younger ones.

4) Stakeholders Support:
This application i s the combined effort o f volunteers who believ e that the innovativ e educational
methods implemente d b y Manar a Academ y wil l improv e ou r community , complemen t th e
existing publi c school s an d promot e civi c an d environmenta l responsibilit y i n ou r area . A s
founders, w e loo k a t th e need s o f th e chil d i n orde r t o gai n perspectiv e an d guidance . Thi s
promotes trust and co-operation and a spirit of joy i n our work and meaning in our lives.

Manara Academy 14 lh Generatio n Charter Application

 The value s o f Manar a Academ y hav e bee n explaine d t o th e publi c a t larg e throug h tow n hal l
meetings and visits to homeowner's associations , are a apartmen t complexes, loca l neighborhood s
and businesses . Ever y respons e ha s bee n resoundingl y positiv e t o al l th e benefit s tha t Manar a
Academy would brin g to communit y children. We have collecte d ove r 70 0 survey s an d petitions
including parents , neighbor s an d communit y busines s leader s wh o suppor t Manar a Academy .
Additionally, severa l communit y member s hav e supporte d Manar a Academ y throug h donation s
and the volunteerin g of their time. This enthusiasti c suppor t respons e substantiate s ou r ability to
rill the academy wit h the children from thi s community. Overwhelming communit y suppor t is
a clea r evidenc e fo r the demand for innovative school in Irving area and Manar a Academ y
will be able to fulfill th e need.

The Manara Academ y mode l provide s a small school environmen t with several advantages over the
larger public elementary schools :
1) Innovativ e teaching methodologies aligne d with the ELS model

2) Individualize d attention through students' choic e in expeditionary learnin g

3) Lowe r teacher/pupil ratio

4) Timel y academic intervention for struggling students through the Student Suppor t Tea m
(SST)

5) Frequen t communication between parents, teachers, administrator s and student s

6) Opportunitie s for more parental involvement

7) Abilit y t o recogniz e individua l difference s an d adjus t accordingl y vs . Generi c (on e siz e fit s
all)

8) A balance betwee n autonom y and accountability

Charter schools offer...

Autonomy Accountabilit y

Manara Academy 14 l Generation Charter Application

Manara Academ y wil l activel y solici t and obtai n more paren t participatio n tha n a traditional publi c
school. Becaus e o f it s smal l siz e an d friendl y environment , Manara Academ y wil l b e abl e t o offe r
parents options to participate i n a more dynamic manner.

This charte r schoo l mode l allow s fo r mor e flexibilit y tha n a traditiona l public school . Th e school' s
smaller siz e an d site-based managemen t allo w for an innovative and entrepreneuria l spiri t not easily
obtained i n a larg e schoo l bureaucracy . Th e governin g boar d ha s th e flexibilit y t o mak e creativ e
decisions an d th e autonom y t o chang e cours e quickl y t o mee t students ' goal s an d ensur e tha t th e
school visio n i s always i n th e forefront . Bot h this flexibility an d creativit y allo w student s t o reac h
their potential an d th e need s o f the educationa l community to b e addressed. The y als o provid e th e
freedom t o implement unique programs tha t specifically target student needs in our geographic area .

Manara Academ y wil l attrac t teacher s wit h a differen t educationa l philosophy . I t wil l als o provid e
flexibility b y establishing and permitting alternative teacher qualifications. I n this case, "alternative"
does no t mean a lower standar d o f qualifications. O n the contrary, i t means broade r requirement s fo r
the classroo m curriculu m an d trainin g tha t specificall y prepare s teacher s fo r ou r learnin g
environment an d for the exciting challenges of serving our target studen t population .

Manara Academy 14 tht Generatio n Charter Application

Section 2-Vision of the School
a) I n succinct terms , describe the educational philosoph ) an d pedagog y of th e proposed school .

The visio n o f Manar a Academ y i s t o b e th e pinnacl e o f knowledge , character , ethics , an d

community building .

The missio n o f Manar a Academ y i s t o prepar e student s t o b e stron g builder s an d rol e model s
utilizing:

1) Focu s on High Academic Achievement

• Implemen t innovativ e teachin g methodologie s throug h Expeditionar y Learnin g
Schools (ELS), looping and single-gender class opportunities
2) Developmen t of Character an d Citizenship
• Exemplif y trustworthiness , respect, integrity, fairness and moral values
3) Broadenin g o f Perspectives an d Bridging Cultural Gap s
• Provid e innovative foreign languag e program
• Significan t parental involvement
4) Fosterin g the Sense of Responsibility for the Communit y
• Personif y leadershi p and community service

Guiding Vision
Mission
t
• Sustai n superior
Principles • Academic academics Academic Traits
• Transform Excellence • Promote
learning into • Balanc e of

t
innovation
impact intellect, ethical

t
• Institut e hig h
X

• Individua l character
ethical values
responsibility • Communit y
• Develo p positive
• Communit y building self-image
responsibility • Leadershi p
• Foster Character Traits
• Globa l
collaborative
responsibility
community effort
• Instruc t foreign
languages

Manara Academ y adopted an d innovative methodology (ELS) to help achieving our mission to reach
our vision . This methodolog y incorporate s hand s o n project-based learnin g int o the curriculu m and
puts bi g emphasi s o n characte r education , ethics , leadershi p development , an d parenta l an d
community involvement.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 12

In th e twent y firs t century , i t i s crucia l t o recogniz e tha t knowledg e continue s t o expan d a t a
dramatically rapi d pace . Advance d technologie s an d globa l economie s hav e tie d togethe r vastl y
different cultures , an d t o exis t effectivel y i n a worl d communit y require s appreciatio n an d
understanding o f cultura l diversity. Intercultura l awareness goe s beyon d mer e toleranc e o r a polite
attitude towards the ideas and artifacts of other cultures. I t is positive, empathetic movement towards
others; a readiness t o act cooperativel y through genuine exchange and share d effort . Th e learning of
other language s extend s tha t competenc e an d teaches appreciatio n o f different cultures an d way s o f
thinking. Manar a Academ y wil l provid e student s wit h the value s an d opportunitie s tha t wil l enabl e
them to succeed in this competitive, modern world. I t will help children develop the social, physical,
emotional an d intellectua l aspects o f thei r personalities i n orde r to becom e citizen s who effectivel y
contribute to their society.

We have also adopte d strateg y map/balance d scor e car d approac h t o execut e our strategie s which i s
an approach developed b y Harvard University. This is critical since most of nonprofit organization as
a charte r schoo l fail s to reac h thei r visio n becaus e in-abilit y t o execut e thei r strateg y an d imprope r
financial planning .

Manara Academ y wil l provid e al l student s wit h a personalized , supportiv e an d engagin g schoo l
environment where they can obtain the knowledge and skills necessary t o fin d succes s as individuals
and a s member s o f thei r community . Th e objectiv e o f th e curriculu m i s t o incorporat e active ,
project-based learning , which connects learnin g across academic disciplines, and to meet the specific
academic need s o f eac h student . Th e dail y curriculu m will activel y engag e student s i n multipl e
opportunities for language development. A stron g emphasis on reading an d math i n all subject area s
will b e implemented. Staf f members ar e responsible fo r ongoing investigation , assessment, analysi s
and refinemen t o f curriculum . I n additio n t o th e cor e subjects , Manar a Academ y wil l implemen t
foreign languag e program , art , physica l educatio n an d technology . Student s wil l maste r a broa d
range o f conten t throug h curriculu m integration tha t i s relevant , meaningfu l an d engaging . Th e
curriculum desig n will embrace the THK.S, and will strive to rise above these state standards through
project-based learning . Teachin g an d learnin g i s studen t centere d an d drive n an d measure d b y
assessments such as the Texas Assessment o f Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).

Manara Academ y will partner with Expeditionary Learning Schools - Outward Boun d (ELS) , one of
the Nation' s most innovativ e and successful school desig n instructional models (se e Appendi x AA) .
Through EL S desig n principle s an d practices , EL S schoo l designer s wil l enabl e ou r teacher s t o
implement rea l life , project-base d learnin g "expeditions " tha t promot e literac y an d integrat e
curricular content. EL S will also deliver the school' s state d mission goals o f providing students with
a creative , adaptiv e an d ethica l environmen t consisten t with th e state' s curriculu m standards. EL S
best fits Manara's visio n and mission when compared to other school desig n models as evidenced by
our founding board's exhaustive assessment of multiple models.

Manara Academy 14 E Generatio n Charter Application

The following educational innovations will distinguish Manara Academy from othe r schools :

1) Expeditionar y Learning Schools - Outward Bound (ELS):

Expeditionary Learnin g i s a non-profi t schoo l desig n mode l tha t emphasize s hig h

achievement throug h activ e learning , character growt h an d teamwork . Implemente d i n ove r
130 schools , i t i s amon g th e highes t rankin g comprehensiv e schoo l refor m model s i n th e
nation. Th e mode l i s th e collaborativ e outcome o f Harvard' s Schoo l o f Educatio n working
with Outwar d Boun d to creat e a unique "New America n Schoo l Model" . Th e Expeditionar y
Learning desig n use s prove n Outwar d Boun d instructiona l practice s an d th e lates t
scientifically base d research approaches i n classrooms to create powerful learning experiences
that foster academic rigo r and character growth . (Se e Appendi x AA )

2) Teache r Looping :

We wil l implemen t classroom-loopin g startin g i n th e secon d yea r o f th e charte r wher e

students will stay with the same teacher fo r a two year span. Thi s scientifically based researc h
approach i s encourage d b y EL S an d ha s show n t o improv e academi c results , accelerat e
efficiency an d foster a culture of respect between student and teacher .

3) Bloc k Scheduling :

Each schoo l day will be broken up into time blocks, whic h are reserved fo r certain academi c
skills. Thes e extended learnin g block s will promote master y o f academi c skill s an d conten t
and facilitat e th e executio n o f interdisciplinary learnin g expedition s (project-base d learning )
consistent with the TEKS.

4) Intensiv e Professiona l Development :

ELS wil l provid e trainin g t o Manar a teacher s o n th e powerfu l instructiona l practice s fo r

teaching subject s through a challenging set of connected, real-worl d project s called learnin g
expeditions. Schoo l leader s will receive guidance in making structural changes to suppor t the
design an d benchmark s t o asses s studen t progress . Teacher s wil l hav e th e opportunit y t o
attend workshops, intensive learning expeditions, regional institutes and a national leadershi p
conference. A n additional approac h wil l be t o creat e a collaborativ e learnin g environmen t
that allow s and encourage s teacher s to routinely visit on e another's classroo m t o shar e idea s
and initiat e peer coaching . This will allow teacher s t o improv e thei r instructiona l technique s
and curriculum design (see Appendix F F fo r research).

5) Cross-disciplinar y Learning:

Students wil l wor k o n projects , product s an d demonstration s requiring integrate d teachin g

units fro m multipl e academi c area s suc h a s languag e arts , fin e arts , mathematics , socia l
studies, science and technology. Teacher s will plan lessons collaboratively.

Manara Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

 6) Foreig n Language Instruction:

Manara Academ y wil l implemen t the Elementar y Schoo l Foreig n Language s (ESFL ) Model
teaching the Arabi c an d Frenc h languages, tw o o f th e si x officia l U N language s a t al l grad e
levels, startin g a t Kindergarten . Student s wil l hav e th e choic e t o selec t betwee n thes e tw o
languages. Learnin g a foreig n language wil l improv e overall studen t learnin g an d wil l give
students a competitiv e advantag e (se e Appendi x CC).Accordin g t o ou r research , Manar a
Academy, b y leveraging a n existing local pool o f talented Arabic/Frenc h languag e educators
and an infrastructur e of existing resources, wil l be unique among al l Texas public school s i n
offering Arabic/Frenc h startin g at th e elementar y level. Manara' s commitmen t t o pursuing
excellence i n al l subjec t area s throug h in-depth , thematic , project-base d assignment s
establishes the groundwork for all students to receive exemplary foreign language instruction.

7) Parenta l and Communit y Involvement :

Involving parents and community members i n classroom activitie s an d enrichment program s

helps al l become bette r acquainte d wit h the educational process . Thus , parent s can build the
understanding needed to participate in the educational system whic h will open an d expand the
horizons for both parents an d students. Communit y members will become mor e aware of the
shared educational responsibility. Educatio n workshops will provide information and support
to parents on how to help foster their children's learning and development. Community-base d
partnerships wil l brin g togethe r healt h an d huma n servic e agencie s t o provid e more
convenient, comprehensiv e an d sustaine d service s t o youn g childre n an d families . B y
working togethe r a s a unite d community , Manar a wil l gai n a continuou s sourc e o f renewa l
and positive peer pressure that helps us attain our goals.

8) Parenta l Volunteer Program :

At Manar a Academy , eac h paren t wil l b e encourage d t o voluntee r a t leas t 2 0 hour s eac h
semester. Thes e hours can include, but are not limited to the following: fiel d tri p volunteers ,
classroom volunteers , fun d raisin g activities, school-wide celebrations, tutoring , maintenance,
school beautification, technology services, project consultants, etc. No t only will this help the
school operations, but the more time parents invest in their school, the more they will becom e
involved in their child's education .

9) After-Schoo l Enrichmen t Programs:

Each chil d will hav e a choice o f a variety of after-schoo l activities , suc h as academi c clubs ,
organized sports , studen t council, etc. A t Manara, thes e activitie s wil l be integrated with the
curriculum t o involv e an d challeng e student s an d exten d academi c an d creativ e evolution .
Teachers, parent s and community volunteers will provide the instruction and support for these
after-school activities .

10) Character Education and Leadershi p Development :

Through Expeditionar y Learning, students use outdoor adventur e to facilitat e the learnin g of
teamwork, courage , craftsmanship , perseverance , an d compassion . Transformativ e learnin g

!^v^V Manar a Academy 14 l Generatio n Charter Application

, .$ f $ ,
.MANARAl
 occurs sinc e skill s and understanding s are immediatel y needed and applied , and participant s
discover tha t the y ca n accomplis h more tha n the y though t possible . I n addition , b y usin g
these instructiona l practice s i n classroom s t o creat e powerfu l learnin g experiences ,
Expeditionary Learning fosters academic rigor and character growth .

11) Website for communication betwee n staf f and parents :

All parent s an d staf f member s wil l hav e acces s t o Manar a Academy' s regularl y update d
website. Parent s will be able to provide feedback and participate in on-going surveys . B y the
use o f th e website , parent s an d student s wil l b e awar e o f al l upcomin g event s an d news .
Parents wil l b e abl e t o acces s studen t performanc e scorecar d an d wil l be abl e t o emai l thei r
child's teacher s an d the administration. Thi s wil l allow fo r ongoing communication betwee n
parents, students , teachers and staff .

12) Technology Access :

Every classroom , startin g at kindergarten, will hav e 2 computers wit h internet acces s to help
students naturally integrate technology i n their overall education and their daily schoolwork.

13) Student Portfolios:

Portfolios wil l help students develo p critical thinking skills by providin g the opportunit y for
them t o assess their own learning, to reflect criticall y and thoughtfully about their own work ,
to se t goal s fo r improvemen t an d t o b e awar e o f thei r accomplishments . Thi s wil l allo w
students, teacher s an d parents t o be aware of and recognize the student's success. A historical
portfolio will follow the students from yea r to year.

14) Student Le d Portfolio Presentations :

Students wil l b e give n th e opportunit y t o presen t thei r portfolio s t o th e student s an d

community. The y wil l b e taught to us e pee r revie w t o perfect thei r ow n work . Manara wil l
expand students ' capacit y a s powerfu l communicator s b y integratin g literac y throughout th e
program, facilitatin g interpersona l interaction and emphasizing writte n and oral languag e an d
presentation skills.

15) Elective Courses:

If budget and resources permit, Manara Academy will offer student s a broad range o f subjects
that ar e ye t t o b e determine d base d o n studen t interest . Parents an d student s wil l b e abl e t o
choose elective courses which will allow students to expand their learnin g experience .

16) Fitness and Nutrition :

Manara Academy will be true to this saying by having a strong focu s on health, nutrition and
fitness. Eac h studen t an d staf f membe r wil l b e aske d t o creat e an d implemen t a persona l
fitness plan . I n developin g a schoo l lunc h program , th e boar d i s requestin g tha t dietar y
guidelines be followed (see Appendix GG) .

Manara Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

(M
17) Quality o f Education Counci l

Manara Academ y wil l establis h Qualit y Educatio n Counci l t o hel p i n assessin g th e annua l
objectives an d strategies . Thi s counci l wil l consis t o f highl y experience d externa l educator s
with a prove n succes s recor d tha t would mee t annually and provid e feedback t o th e Manar a
board and school leadership .

18) The Manara Approach to Strategy Execution an d Accountability :

The Strategy Map/Balance d Scorecar d Approach , (Kapla n and Nortan 1992) , will b e adopted .
The ter m "strategy " i s commonl y use d i n publi c an d privat e schools , bu t researc h suggest s
that i t generall y doesn' t mea n muc h (Childres s e t al. , Novembe r 2006) . Manar a Academ y
founders recognize d thi s gap, therefore , we cam e u p with , base d o n our visio n an d mission ,
the strateg y ma p fo r th e schoo l (refe r t o Figur e 1 ) whic h wil l b e use d a s a framewor k fo r
developing soli d strategie s fo r improvin g studen t performanc e an d fo r alignin g th e
organization wit h those strategies . Schoo l succes s depend s mainl y on the degre e t o which a
strategy i s implemente d consistentl y acros s th e entir e organizatio n ove r severa l years . Th e
strategy map consists of 5 major elements which are as follows:

i. Financia l Health : I t include s developing and implementin g accountability systems ;

developing an d managin g huma n capital ; an d allocatin g resource s i n alignmen t wit h
the strategy

ii. Huma n Resources : I t include s recruiting , trainin g an d re-trainin g teachers ; sharin g

best practices ; usin g performanc e dat a t o guid e decisions ; an d individua l
accountability

iii. Stakeholde r Involvement : I t include s understandin g ho w cultures , resources ,

stakeholders (suc h a s students , parents , schoo l boar d members , communit y an d
advocacy group s an d polic y makers ) an d environment s reinforc e eac h othe r an d
support the deployment of a strategy in the school.

iv. Administratio n an d Educatio n Process : I t include s thos e strategie s neede d t o

increase teachers ' knowledg e an d skills ; engag e student s i n learning ; leverag e th e
strengths o f diverse students ' cultures ; an d mak e sur e tha t the curriculu m challenge s
students academically.

v. Studen t achievement : Th e principa l an d th e leadershi p team wil l b e evaluate d o n

how successfu l an d effectiv e thei r plans ar e i n raisin g th e level s o f studen t
achievement. The y ar e require d t o lin k thei r budge t t o thei r academi c plan s an d se t
their goals using student performance results.

Manara Academ y 14 l Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

it \RAj
:
 Student Excellence i n Readin g
Community Buildin g
Character Building
Achievement Science and Math

Administration Instructional Bes t Leveraging Diverse

and Education ESFL Program Practices and
Cultures
process Techniques

Stakeholder Enriching and Safe Parental Satisfaction and Community Partnershi p

Competent and
Involvement Environment Involvement Productive Staf f

Human Improve School Leverage Technolog y

Staff is Satisfied
Continuous Staf f
Resources Effectiveness Innovation Development

Financial Effective Fund Raising Compl y with Regulation

Sound Fiscal
Health Management

Figure 1

Resources:
1) http://factfinder.census.go v

2) Stacey Childress, Richard Elmore, and Allen Grossman (November 2006.

How to Manage Urban School Districts. Harvard Business Review, 55-68

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 18

Section 3-Educational Plan

i'css each urad e le\e l th e school wil l ser\ u

cxa.i Essentia l Knowledg e an d Skill s

Manara Academ y wil l provid e al l student s wit h a personalized , supportive , an d engagin g schoo l
environment wher e they can obtain the knowledge an d skills necessary t o fin d succes s a s individuals
and as members of their community. Th e curriculum will incorporat e active , project-based learning ,
which connect s learnin g acros s academic disciplines and addresse s the specifi c academi c needs o f
students. Th e dail y curriculu m wil l activel y engage student s i n multipl e opportunities fo r languag e
development. A strong emphasis on reading and math in all subject areas will be implemented. Staf f
members ar e responsibl e fo r ongoin g investigation , assessment , analysi s an d refinemen t o f
curriculum. I n additio n t o th e cor e subjects , Manar a Academ y wil l implemen t Arabi c an d Frenc h
instruction, art , physica l educatio n an d technology . Student s wil l maste r a broa d rang e o f conten t
through curriculum integration that i s relevant, meaningful and engaging. Th e curriculum design will
embrace th e TEKS, an d will strive to rise above thes e stat e standard s through project-base d learning.
Teaching and learning is student centered and driven and measured by assessments such as the Texa s
Assessment o f Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).

Manara Academy wil l partner wit h ELS, one of the Nation's mos t innovativ e and successfu l schoo l
design instructiona l models . Throug h ELS' s desig n principle s and practices , EL S schoo l designer s
will enabl e ou r teacher s t o implemen t rea l life , project-base d learnin g "expeditions " tha t promot e
literacy an d integrat e curricula r content. EL S wil l als o delive r th e school' s state d missio n goal s o f
providing student s wit h a creative , adaptiv e an d ethica l environmen t consisten t wit h th e state' s
curriculum standards . EL S bes t fit s Manara' s visio n an d missio n whe n compare d t o othe r schoo l
design model s as evidenced by our Founding Board's exhaustive assessment .

Manara Academy' s schedul e reflect s th e reorganizatio n of time , studen t groupin g and resource s t o
support high quality learning expeditions. Our school wil l provide longer and more flexibl e block s of
time fo r project-base d learnin g an d fieldwork , fo r tea m plannin g an d fo r community-building
activities. Thes e extende d learnin g block s wil l promote master y o f academi c skill s an d conten t an d
facilitate th e executio n o f interdisciplinar y learnin g expedition s (project-base d learning ) consisten t
with th e Texa s Essentia l Knowledg e an d Skills . A t Manara , traditiona l add-o n course s suc h a s
character education , art , healt h an d technolog y wil l becom e essentia l component s o f th e cor e
academic subjects , integrated int o th e curriculu m t o involv e and challeng e student s i n thei r entir e
academic and creative evolution. Multi-year teaching (classroom looping) strengthens relationships in
the classroo m an d improves the likelihoo d o f academic succes s b y allowing students t o stay wit h the
same teacher o r team of teachers for more than one year.

The schoo l da y a t Manar a Academy wil l b e seve n hours , includin g instructional time , passing tim e
between classe s an d recesses. Th e amoun t of time allotted for lunch will be 3 0 minutes. Therefore ,
the schoo l da y wil l begi n a t 8:0 0 a.m . an d en d a t 3:0 0 p.m . TEK S wil l b e use d a s th e basi s fo r
planning instruction . Uniqu e feature s includ e commo n mealtime , dail y outdoo r playtim e an d

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application j 9

project/theme tim e fo r learnin g expeditions . Manar a reserve s th e righ t t o chang e th e schedul e
whenever necessary .

Sample Elementary Daily Schedul e 8:OOAM - 3:OOP M for one class

A similar subject schedul e will apply to all grade levels while a time schedule will differ .

8:00 A M - 9:4 5 AM : Language Arts/Literacy Bloc k

In thi s extende d cor e period , groupin g i s flexible . Th e acquisitio n o f stron g ora l an d writte n
communication skill s will be emphasize d a s student s monito r their ow n progres s wit h readin g log s
and wor k i n collaborativ e smal l group s a t a variet y o f literacy-base d centers . Teacher s wil l
continually mode l th e writin g proces s an d childre n will regularly writ e i n learnin g journals. Thi s i s
also a time for teachers t o work with individuals or small group s to focus o n skills such as spelling or
writing mechanics . ES L strategie s wil l b e use d wit h identifie d limite d Englis h proficien t students .
Teachers a t Manar a wil l frequentl y integrat e Socia l Studies/Scienc e content , technology , characte r
and ar t durin g th e literac y block. Fo r example , student s ma y conduc t fiel d work/researc h relate d t o
their project s (journa l writing) , liste n t o storie s abou t Scienc e an d Social Studie s concept s (share d
reading), rea d trad e book s relate d t o character/ethic s (SSR/Guide d Reading ) an d us e a variety o f art
materials/techniques t o publis h thei r writin g sample s includin g th e us e o f classroo m computer s fo r
desktop publishing . A curriculu m emphasizin g balance d literacy , communication/ora l languag e
development and a strong phonics foundation will be used.

9:45 A M - 10:1 5 AM : Break

This wil l b e supervise d outdoo r playtim e (weather permitting ) fo r student s an d rotatin g tim e fo r
faculty member s to meet face-to-face (team-build) .

10:15 A M - 11:4 5 AM : Mathematics Bloc k

Again, grouping is flexible and tailored to the individual student's needs. Student s wil l be encourage d
to wor k i n smal l collaborativ e group s t o solv e problems. A t times , teacher s wil l mee t wit h small ,
flexible skil l groups o f students whil e the rest o f the class work s at math centers . Center s will focus
on developin g understandin g withi n identifie d TEK S mat h strand s suc h a s measurement , numbe r
sense or probability. Hands-on activities and manipulatives will be used to apply mathematics to real-
world problems . Again , curricula r resource s reflectiv e o f ou r "constructivist " framewor k wil l b e
selected.

11:45 A M - 12:1 5 PM : Lunch

This time will also be used for large community-style gatherings (facility permitting) .

12:15 P M -12:4 5 PM : Foreign Language (Arabic and French)

The mode l chose n b y Manar a Academ y wil l b e the Georgi a Elementar y Schoo l Foreig n Language s
(ESFL) Mode l Program . Th e ESF L Progra m wa s develope d i n 199 2 afte r year s o f researc h o n th e
best forma t fo r teachin g childre n a secon d language . I t incorporate s th e Nationa l Standard s fo r
Language Learnin g i n th e 21s t Centur y and th e Performanc e Guideline s fo r K-1 2 Learner s o f th e
American Counci l o n th e Teachin g o f Foreig n Languag e (ACTFL) . Th e overal l framewor k o f thi s
model require s 3 0 minute s o f foreig n languag e instructio n pe r day , fiv e day s pe r week , fro m
kindergarten throug h 8t h grade. As Manara matures , th e us e o f foreig n language s wil l be more full y

Manara Academy 14 l Generatio n Charte r Application 2 0

integrated int o th e lif e o f th e school . Th e goa l wil l b e t o expos e student s t o anothe r language an d
culture as part of their everyday curriculum.

12:45 P M -1:1 5 PM : Recess/PE

Physical educatio n is essential t o Manara's educational design. A s such, Manara elementary student s
will have supervise d outdoo r playtime ever y da y an d wil l participat e i n physical educatio n classe s a
minimum o f three days pe r week . A fulltim e physica l educatio n instructo r will b e o n han d t o teac h
good health , safet y an d teamwor k alon g wit h a comprehensiv e exercis e progra m structure d t o buil d
skills i n a n age-appropriat e manner . Durin g thi s time, student s will also b e introduce d t o structure d
activities that they can play in school, at home or in other sports programs .

1:15 P M -2:3 0 PM : Project/Theme Bloc k

Afternoons wil l b e project-base d learnin g primaril y devote d t o TEK S drive n scienc e an d socia l
studies content , integrate d wit h literacy activities , th e arts, health , environmen t an d technology - al l
taught withi n th e EL S framework . Students will be involve d i n all aspect s o f the curriculu m durin g
project tim e (e.g. , reading , researching , computing , solvin g problems , designing , drawing , writing ,
collaborating wit h peers , volunteers , mentor s an d teachers) . Thi s tim e ma y als o b e use d t o wor k o n
service-learning project s identifie d throughou t ou r communit y an d t o exten d learnin g beyon d th e
classroom a t field based site s throughout the community. Ever y classroom from kindergarte n on will
have computer s an d connection s t o th e Interne t availabl e t o hel p student s naturall y integrat e
technology in their overal l education an d their daily schoolwork . Most project s will be accomplishe d
through small, cooperative groups , and personal learning styles will be taken into account .

2:30 P M - 3:0 0 PM : Crew/Advisory Time

The Manar a communit y wil l use this tim e fo r teambuilding, character development , Author' s Chair ,
Reader's Theater , projec t presentations , journal writin g and reflection . Studen t achievemen t wil l b e
recognized an d student s will b e give n th e opportunit y to develo p publi c speakin g skills . Characte r
values will be made explicit.

Curriculum Descriptio n

The curriculu m wil l mirro r an d suppor t th e state' s standard s an d wil l mee t stat e curriculu m
requirements fo r all grad e levels . Usin g TEKS a s a foundation , teachers wil l teac h eac h subjec t s o
that the y mee t eac h objectiv e throug h writte n assignments, studen t projects, larg e an d smal l grou p
discussions, individua l tutorin g o r othe r teachin g methods . Manar a wil l implemen t Expeditionar y
Learning Schools-Outwar d Boun d a s a n interactiv e teachin g methodolog y tha t wil l enabl e ou r
teachers t o implemen t rea l life , project-base d learnin g "expeditions " tha t promot e literac y an d
integrate curricula r content . Student s wil l maste r a broa d rang e o f conten t throug h curriculu m
integration tha t i s relevant, meaningfu l and engaging . Th e design wil l embrace th e TEKS , an d will
strive t o ris e abov e thes e stat e standard s throug h project-base d learnin g an d a rigorous curriculum .
Student's skil l levels will be assessed a t the beginning of each schoo l year , o r when th e child enrolls.
These test s wil l b e use d alon g wit h th e student' s record s t o provid e eac h studen t th e appropriat e
educational resources. Assessmen t measure s suc h a s the Texas Assessment o f Knowledge and Skills
(TAKS) will align with the TEKS.

Manara Academy 14 l Generatio n Charter Applicatio n 9 1

Many resource s wil l b e use d suc h as , state-adopte d textbooks , teache r create d lessons , educationa l
software an d other instructiona l materials. Al l textbooks an d othe r instructiona l material s wil l align
with th e TEKS. Teache r lesso n plan s wil l alig n with the TEK S an d refe r to eac h skil l bein g taught .
The administrative staf f wil l monitor this weekly by reviewing all lesson plan s an d through periodi c
classroom observation s an d walk-through . Professiona l development, facilitate d by EL S staff , wil l
be provide d t o teacher s an d staf f t o ensur e competenc y i n th e TEK S base d curriculu m an d t o
facilitate it s ful l implementation . Teacher s wil l communicat e wit h parent s i n a timel y manne r
regarding an y difficultie s student s ma y b e havin g meetin g th e state' s standards . Enrichmen t
programs beyon d th e required Languag e Arts , Math , Scienc e an d Socia l Studie s programs wil l be in
the curriculum for all grades .

Special Educatio n student s wil l follow thei r Individual Educational Plan s (IEP) . Service s t o meet th e
special need s o f thes e student s wil l be provided throug h qualifie d staf f o r contracte d service s t o b e
provided fo r the appropriate programs . Implementin g a ful l inclusio n model , al l bilingual , ES L an d
special education students , whe n appropriate, will attend regular classes.

Bilingual/English a s a Second Language:

Upon admittance , al l familie s wil l b e require d t o fil l ou t a hom e languag e survey . Th e ES L
coordinator wil l administe r a stat e approve d Ora l Languag e Assessmen t adherin g t o th e state' s
timeline (and a formal Reading Proficienc y Test/o r approve d standardize d tes t as appropriate) t o any
child wh o return s a form statin g tha t thei r home languag e i s not English. Informa l observation wil l
be turne d i n t o th e ES L coordinato r b y al l o f th e child' s teachers . Finally , a meetin g wil l b e hel d
between th e paren t an d teache r t o discus s way s t o mee t th e child' s need s withi n his/he r classroo m
environment. Additiona l meeting s wil l b e hel d a t paren t conference s t o asses s Englis h languag e
development an d academi c progres s an d t o reassess goals . Student s wh o hav e passe d th e TAK S i n
Reading an d Writing will not be tested.

Manara Academ y wil l provid e a BE/ES L progra m wheneve r eligibl e student s hav e enrolled . Th e
school wil l utilize a BE/ESL certified teacher t o implement the program. Th e program should consis t
of emergen t strategie s wit h bilingua l buddie s whe n availabl e t o provid e adequat e suppor t fo r th e
student i n th e educationa l setting . Al l requirement s fo r TE C 2 9 wil l b e describe d i n policie s an d
implemented b y Manara .

The goa l o f th e ES L progra m wil l b e t o enabl e thes e student s t o becom e competen t i n th e

comprehension, speaking , readin g an d compositio n o f th e Englis h languag e throug h integrate d
methods. Th e ES L program wil l emphasiz e mastery o f Englis h languag e skills , a s well a s all other
academic subjects . A fundamenta l par t o f th e academi c goal s fo r al l student s i s t o participat e
equitably i n school ; therefor e th e limite d Englis h proficien t student s wil l hav e opportunitie s t o
participate in all school programs and activities.

Manara Academ y wil l emplo y certifie d ES L endorse d teacher s t o serv e th e student s a t the school .
Because o f th e numbe r o f immigrant s i n the are a surroundin g the charte r school , ther e coul d b e a
variety of languages represente d an d the charter schoo l wil l prepare to support thi s diverse population .
The progra m wil l provide Englis h languag e suppor t tha t wil l include studen t mentor s an d activitie s
embedded i n the language arts curriculum.

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application 2 2

MAT'
Special Education:
In accordanc e wit h th e rule s an d responsibilitie s identifie d i n th e Individual s wit h Disabilitie s
Education Act (IDEA), the Texas Education Code (TEC), the State Boar d of Education (SBOE) rules
and th e Commissioner' s rules , Manara Academ y wil l follo w policie s an d procedure s tha t actively
seek out , identif y an d evaluat e childre n wit h disabilities . Manar a Academ y will use stat e approve d
standardized test s and other evaluatio n methods in making the determination of eligibility for specia l
education services. Student s who are screened and found to be potentially eligible for services unde r
IDEA will be referred for possible specia l educatio n or early intervention service s within the school .
Manara wil l hir e a certifie d specia l educatio n instructo r an d contrac t a s neede d wit h outsid e
specialists fo r evaluations , assessments , intervention , consultation , trainin g and direc t services . Fo r
students referre d to Manar a Academy' s program , th e federa l timeline regardin g referral, evaluation
and ARD committee meeting of 60 days will be met.

Manara Academ y wil l adher e t o al l federa l an d stat e regulation s governin g th e confidentialit y o f

records, timeline s an d implementatio n o f program s fo r student s eligibl e fo r service s unde r thi s
program.

All student s referre d to the Manara Academy fo r special education will b e assigned t o a n admission ,
review an d dismissa l committe e (ARD) . Thi s committe e shal l consis t o f th e parent/guardian , th e
regular educatio n teache r o f th e student , th e school' s certifie d specia l educatio n teacher , schoo l
administrator and , a s needed , th e speec h pathologis t and/o r relate d service s professionals . Al l
members of the ARD committee wil l have the opportunity to participate i n a collaborative manner in
developing th e student' s Individua l Education Pla n (IEP) . Th e purpos e o f th e pla n i s to assis t th e
student toward attaining goals and to be involved in the progress i n the general education curriculum.
Special educatio n student s wil l b e integrate d withi n th e regula r progra m an d curriculu m t o th e
greatest exten t possibl e base d upo n thei r IEP . Eac h specia l educatio n studen t wil l b e offere d
nonacademic and extracurricular activities conducted by the school with students without disabilities
to the maximum extent appropriate t o the needs of the student. I f after al l evaluations are completed ,
the special educatio n coordinator an d the staff of the schoo l canno t provide the special requirement s
of the student , then Manara Academ y will solicit thos e service s fro m othe r professiona l agencie s i n
the are a includin g the Regio n X Educatio n Servic e Center . Manar a Academ y wil l see k t o join i n
with othe r charte r school s i n a collaborativ e effor t t o contrac t wit h specialist s t o provid e neede d
services for special educatio n services.

Manara's smal l collaborativ e grou p emphasi s wil l enabl e specia l need s student s t o ge t individua l
attention fro m th e teacher and more interaction wit h peers than they would receive in an environment
with longe r period s of time devoted t o whol e group instruction. Additionally, special need s student s
and thei r familie s will benefi t b y th e bond s tha t develo p wit h th e teache r throug h th e practic e o f
looping. Lastly , special needs students wil l fin d tha t the emphasis on training fo r positive, respectful
classroom managemen t will result in saf e classroo m environment s that ar e peaceful, nourishing and
welcoming places that allow the students to flourish.

Language Arts:
Language i s a ke y elemen t of th e curriculu m and a crucia l tool fo r learnin g because i t i s central t o
students' intellectual , socia l an d emotiona l growth . Student s wil l becom e awar e o f th e man y
purposes for which language is used to express feelings and opinions.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 2 3

[MANARA
The focu s o f the languag e art s progra m i s language/word study , reading an d writing. Al l three area s
will utilize multiple genres i n both fictio n and non-fiction reading and writing. Language/wor d stud y
will includ e th e following : interactiv e rea d aloud ; modele d readin g an d writing ; poetr y sharing ,
response an d writing ; interactin g vocabular y study ; word s study ; spelling ; handwriting ; interactiv e
editing; an d tes t readin g an d writing . Independen t reading , guide d readin g an d literatur e stud y ar e
included i n the readin g component . Writin g encompasse s independen t writing , guide d writin g and
investigative writing.

Reading, writing , speakin g an d listenin g wil l b e integrate d i n al l cor e subject s t o suppor t studen t
learning. A block of class tim e wil l be allotted fo r language art s that allo w teachers to full y develo p
the reading/writing process an d allows fo r learning and reflective thinking to occur. Othe r discipline s
such a s science , mat h an d socia l studie s ma y b e integrate d int o thi s bloc k throug h reading , writin g
and investigation of content relate d non-fictio n materials. Wit h this integration , students ca n begin to
see the relationship of concepts an d the importanc e o f reading an d writing in different genres . Man y
traditional educational approache s d o not integrate literacy with more "technical " subjects. However ,
integration is a highly effective means o f increasing student academic achievemen t throug h languag e
arts. Th e Languag e Art s curriculu m wil l utiliz e th e TEK S an d nationa l standard s a s baselin e
objectives and as a framework for understanding literary concepts.

Mathematics:
The Mat h curriculu m i s designe d t o develo p basi c numbe r recognitio n an d facts , proble m solvin g
strategies, th e us e o f manipulative s fo r introductio n an d clarification , reasoning , authenti c
connections, mat h vocabular y an d communication . Th e majo r strand s o f mathematic s (numeric's ,
operations, logic/probability , problem solving , etc. ) wil l b e addresse d a t al l levels . Critica l t o
mathematical understandin g is the development of math as a science o f patterns an d relationships that
help students see the connection between concepts , application s of principles and authentic situations .
Beyond the baseline objectives , the curriculum will develop higher level thinking strategies relate d to
mathematical processe s an d ensur e master y o f basic mathematica l skill s and concepts . Th e literac y
component o f readin g an d writin g wil l b e integrate d wheneve r appropriate . Th e Mat h curriculum
will utiliz e th e TEK S an d nationa l standard s a s baselin e objective s an d a s a framewor k fo r
understanding mathematical concept s an d theorems.

Science:
The Science curriculu m will be inquiry based an d will use many hands-on experimenta l activitie s an d
expeditions. Thi s will allow students to identify question s abou t natural phenomena, lear n to observ e
closely, hypothesize , problem solve , thin k scientifically , make inference s an d explai n dat a throug h
the investigatio n process . Multipl e proces s skill s wil l b e utilize d suc h as : posin g a question ,
designing experiments , observing , inferrin g relationships , interpreting , evaluating , hypothesizing ,
justifying decisions , predicting , measurin g an d classifying . I n keepin g wit h integratio n o f literac y
components, a n importan t elemen t o f th e scienc e curriculu m wil l b e readin g an d writin g an d
integrating mat h an d technolog y wher e appropriate . Th e Scienc e curriculu m will utiliz e the TEK S
and national standard s a s baseline objectives and as a framework for understanding large r themes an d
developing inquiring habits.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 2 4

Students wil l us e the process of inquir y to lear n ho w t o be scientists . Whe n student s us e inquir y t o
discover content , they no t onl y lear n a grea t variet y o f fact s an d concepts , bu t the y als o lear n ho w
these are related to each other , and how it is that we human beings com e to understand our world.

Social Studies:
The Socia l Studie s curriculu m wil l utiliz e the TEK S a s baselin e objective s an d a s a framewor k fo r
understanding democrati c citizenshi p an d historica l events . I n orde r t o emphasiz e understandin g
different culture s i n relatio n t o th e worl d an d it s people , th e curriculu m wil l includ e explorin g the
cultures o f th e student s i n the classroom s t o full y integrat e our ow n multi-ethni c community . A s a
nation o f immigrant s an d indigenou s communities , th e objectiv e i s to understan d an d researc h th e
values an d contribution s o f eac h grou p t o th e worl d an d t o ou r country . I n keepin g wit h th e
integration of literac y an d mat h components , a n importan t elemen t o f the Socia l Studie s curriculu m
will be reading an d writing and, where appropriate , math and technology.

Fitness Health and Nutrition Education:

The Physica l Educatio n curriculu m wil l utiliz e the TEK S a s baselin e objective s an d wil l focu s o n
teaching student s technique s tha t lea d to a lifelong healthy lifestyle . A full-time Physica l Educatio n
teacher wil l allo w fo r dail y contac t wit h student s o f al l grad e levels . Th e progra m wil l stres s th e
benefits of fitness/wellness an d teamwork; teach th e basics of team sports , th e benefits of fitness as it
relates to mental health and the relationship between physical activity and health throughout life.

Health an d nutritio n education wil l b e offere d t o al l student s i n al l grade s K-8 . Student s wil l gai n
knowledge about health and acquire skills necessary t o become health y adults. The y will learn abou t
healthy behavior s tha t the y shoul d pursu e an d unhealth y behavior s t o b e avoide d an d wil l se e tha t
health i s influenced by a variety o f factors; that students can recognize an d utilize health information
and products ; an d whic h personal/interpersona l skill s ar e neede d t o promot e individual , family an d
community health.

Art:
The Ar t curriculu m i s integra l t o developin g well-rounde d students . Th e fou r basi c strand s o f
perception, creativ e expression/performance , historica l an d cultura l heritag e an d critica l evaluatio n
will provid e th e broad , unifyin g structure s fo r organizin g th e knowledg e an d skill s student s ar e
expected t o acquire . Loca l resource s wil l provid e man y opportunitie s fo r student s t o experienc e
firsthand high-qualit y professional fin e art s performances. Student s will take fiel d trip s to museums ,
musical performance s an d play s an d wil l hav e contac t wit h accomplishe d professiona l artist s o f
different venues .

Technology Applications:
The Technolog y Application s curriculum wil l utiliz e the TEK S a s baseline objective s wit h th e fou r
strands o f foundations , informatio n acquisition , wor k i n proble m solvin g an d communications .
Technology Application s wil l be integrate d into all core subjects, as well as required fo r independen t
research, stud y an d studen t create d projects . Student s wil l b e introduce d t o computer/electroni c
related terms , concept s an d dat a inpu t strategies . The y wil l lear n t o mak e informe d decision s
regarding computer s an d wil l use technology application s in all of the cor e courses . Interne t access
will be available for students i n Kindergarten through eighth grades (se e Appendi x BB).

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 2 5

Students a t all grade level s are expected t o demonstrate knowledg e an d appropriat e us e of hardwar e
components an d softwar e programs . A s the y progres s throug h th e grad e levels , students , wit h
appropriate supervision , will use data inpu t skills appropriate t o the task; use a variety of strategies t o
acquire informatio n fro m electroni c resources ; evaluat e th e acquire d electroni c information ; us e
appropriate computer-base d productivit y tool s t o creat e an d modif y solution s t o problems ; us e
research skill s an d electroni c communicatio n t o creat e ne w knowledge ; delive r th e produc t
electronically i n a variet y o f media ; an d us e compute r application s t o facilitat e th e evaluatio n o f
communication, both process and product.

Foreign Language Instruction:

Introduction to the Arabic and French languag e wil l be offered fo r all students i n grades K-8 and will
follow th e Elementar y Schoo l Foreig n Language s (ESFL ) model . Accordin g t o th e Cente r o f
Applied Linguistic s (CAL) in Washington, D.C. , th e ESFL mode l i s the bes t i n the nation . Student s
will b e give n the choic e t o stud y eithe r Arabi c or French . Manar a wil l hir e full-tim e Arabi c an d
French languag e teacher s t o implemen t this program . Wit h the groundwor k lai d i n K-3 rd grade , th e
students wil l acquir e communicativ e competenc y i n speakin g an d listenin g b y th e 4 l grade . Sinc e
emphasis will b e placed in the early grade s on building vocabular y for skilled conversation, students
will hav e develope d a workin g vocabular y i n a variet y o f topics . I n addition , student s wil l b e
engaged i n different project s an d activities related to the Arabic and French culture. B y the 5 grade ,
grammatical concept s wil l b e develope d alon g wit h listening , speaking , readin g an d writing .
Students wil l accomplis h thes e goal s b y workin g i n smal l group s an d completin g languag e an d
cultural projects.

The scop e an d sequenc e o f th e propose d educationa l programs , includin g specia l educatio n an d

bilingual education , addressin g eac h grad e leve l an d thei r alignment s t o th e TEK S ar e liste d i n
Appendix EE .

levels (Grade s 9-12) . describ e hou - i n

Manara Academy wil l no t serve any high school grades.

slate th e reason s lo r choosin u them , explainin g ho u

the method s enhanc e studen t learning , includ e i n f o r m a t i o n abou t matcri a s. strategies , technique s

•M, >,er \ ices

Manara's progra m wil l integrat e a rigorous , content-rich , interdisciplinar y curriculu m focuse d o n

communication/literacy, ethica l characte r developmen t and foreig n languag e wit h community-base d
project learnin g (expeditions ) t o balanc e academi c excellenc e wit h engagin g meaningfu l learning .
We envisio n student s investigatin g an d discoverin g th e answer s t o inquirie s tha t they hav e ha d a
stake in shaping, thereby having personal significanc e to them (constructivism) . Thi s approach give s

Manara Academ y 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application 2 6

AR'AI
students th e flexibilit y t o focu s an d exce l i n thei r area s o f greates t interes t an d strength s whil e
providing the motivation and context to successfully balance their competencies.

Manara's visio n an d mission were the criteri a that our founders use d as they conducted a n extensive
assessment o f multiple educational model s use d i n schools acros s the Unite d States. Interes t breed s
motivation and a meaningful learnin g experience , and, a s such, our intent is to spark th e individual's
desire to lear n an d excel. Accordin g to Professor John Staver , co-director o f the Center fo r Researc h
and Engagement in Science an d Mathematics Education (CRESME) at Purdue University:

'We hav e t o sto p teachin g scienc e a s th e rhetori c o f it s conclusion s an d mathematic s a s

memorization an d practice of its algorithm procedures. That' s no t science and math. It' s th e nature
of the inquiry that's really th e core o f the two disciplines. Foreve r teacher s hav e lef t thos e ou t of the
curriculum. It' s no t hard to see why American students are goin g in different disciplines . W e tend to
lock the excitin g stuff away. To o much emphasi s i s on teaching conclusions , rathe r tha n lettin g th e
students experience the fire in your gut. The fire tha t burns in my gut is to learn how we can teac h so
we ca n mak e everyon e successfu l learner s i n science. W e know quite clearl y tha t young childre n
come t o school excite d a s heck . By grade five o r six , though , tha t i s ground ou t o f them. " (Purdu e
Alumnus, January/February 2007 , pg. 20 )

In th e fina l analysis , Manar a Academ y founder s chos e EL S t o ancho r an d suppor t th e Manar a

Academy educational framework (www.elschools.org).

Manara Academ y founder s hav e com e t o th e conclusio n tha t EL S offer s a powerfu l too l tha t
represents th e best way to implement project-base d expeditionar y learning , and that ELS will positio n
the schoo l an d student s wel l fro m openin g da y an d fo r year s t o come . It s compellin g desig n
principles an d practice s conside r whole-chil d developmen t (intellectual , mora l characte r an d
physical), an d the y ar e consisten t wit h Manara' s visio n an d mission . Pendin g th e approva l o f ou r
petition, Manara Academy plans to enter into a contract with ELS starting in the 2009 fiscal year .

Project-based Learning/Expeditionary Learning

Consistent with the ELS framework, reading, writing, science, math and other subjects at Manara wil l
be taugh t throug h a se t o f challenging , interconnected 6 to! 2 wee k projects . Literac y instruction ,
embedded i n ever y expedition , i s als o a specia l focu s o f thi s approach . Th e expeditio n project s
involve authenti c research , fieldwor k an d communit y service ; an d culminat e i n performances ,
presentations an d exhibition s for th e schoo l community of students , faculty , staff, parent s an d loca l
area residents.

"In project-based learning, students try t o answe r a question — one tha t has relevanc e for them — that
is greater than th e immediate task a t hand. I n its book Connectin g the Bits, the NEA Foundation for
the Improvemen t o f Educatio n give s th e exampl e o f student s a t a Kentuck y elementar y schoo l
conducting surveys , doin g research , buildin g model s an d takin g fiel d trip s wit h th e goa l o f
determining th e bes t kin d o f ne w bridg e t o buil d ove r th e Ohi o River . Student s conduc t researc h
using a variety of sources, fro m th e Internet to interviews with experts. The y work on the project over
an extended period of time - si x weeks or more - because o f the in-depth nature o f the investigation.
Like adult s trying to solv e a problem, they don't restrict themselves t o on e disciplin e but delv e into

Manara Academ y 14 l Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n 9 7

•- '
math, literature , histor y and scienc e -- whatever is appropriat e to the study. " - Fro m Star t Wit h the
Pyramid, by Diane Curti s of Edutopia an d The George Luca s Foundation .

When student s ar e activel y engage d i n thematic , interdisciplinar y experience s throug h whic h the y
discover and construct meaning , their skills grow stronger and their learnin g broadens .

Illustrated belo w ar e som e furthe r example s o f th e benefit s t o usin g thi s typ e o f instructiona l
approach.

Benefits
1. Provide s an excellent framework fo r students to explore beyond classroo m walls, connecting
schoolwork wit h community needs.
2. Facilitate s open-ende d learnin g wit h multipl e entr y point s fo r tiere d instructio n an d
curriculum alignment.
3. Facilitate s collaborative learning.
4. Facilitate s increase d communit y ties through fieldwork - th e school community becomes more
involved an d concerne d abou t th e are a communit y an d the are a communit y reciprocate s thi s
concern for the school.
5. Increase s th e depth o f a mentoring progra m and the opportunities fo r community "experts" to
participate in the education process .
6. Help s to clarify tha t learnin g is multidimensional.
7. Project s combin e academic , social, emotional, physical and aesthetic development.
8. Facilitate s alternative/formative studen t assessments .
9. Provide s student s wit h deepe r knowledg e o f subjec t matter , increase d self-directio n an d
motivation, improve d research an d problem-solving skill s and appreciation o f their individual
strengths.

Application
1. Proficienc y wit h th e plannin g an d executio n o f thi s type o f curriculu m grow s with teache r
experience. Th e number of projects/expeditions i n a year will be implemented usin g a phase d
approach tha t take s int o consideratio n teache r preparatio n an d comfort ; developmen t o f
multiple projects i s envisioned t o eventually compose th e bulk of the class curriculum .
2. Centra l t o eac h project/expeditio n wil l b e th e developmen t o f a n overarchin g questio n tha t
addresses rea l lif e applications .
3. Manar a classroom s wil l have a strong, thematic literac y component : literatur e relevan t t o th e
project topi c wil l b e readil y accessible t o student s an d wil l b e utilize d dail y throughou t th e
project for self-selected o r shared reading .
4. Bloc k tim e wil l be provided for observation, discussion an d recording o f ideas relevan t t o the
project.
5. Student s wil l conduct fieldwork (research ) bot h a t the schoo l an d a t loca l offsit e communit y
locations.
6. Project s wil l b e selecte d tha t hav e outcomes/output s wit h benefit s beyon d th e individua l
student.
7. Student s wil l communicat e th e knowledg e gaine d i n a variet y o f presentation format s wit h
other members of the Manara learnin g community and the larger community .

i^%x Manar a Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 2 8

>V\rjAR/\J
 8, Teacher s wil l integrat e cor e curricula r subject s suc h a s math , literacy , socia l studie s an d
science with traditionally elective classe s such as debate, ar t and foreign language.
9. Manar a wil l implement tea m teachin g an d teacher-to-teache r (peer ) mentorin g to hel p plan ,
implement and assess progress .

Guiding Question:
How do the EL S Desig n Principles , Core Practice s an d th e unique features of the Manar a Academ y
such a s foreig n languag e instruction , cor e curriculu m focus area s an d partnership s positio n Manar a
Academy for student achievement and satisfaction?

ELS at a Glance
Design Principles : (Refe r t o Appendi x A A Core Practices : (Refe r to Appendix A A for th e
for th e complete description) complete description)
1. Th e Primac y o f Self-Discovery : Learnin g 1. Expeditions
happens bes t wit h emotion , challeng e an d th e • Implementin g learning expeditions acros s the school ,
requisite support . • Designing compelling topics and guiding questions,
• Designin g products an d linked projects ,
2. Th e Havin g o f Wonderfu l Ideas : "...creatin g • Incorporatin g fieldwork , loca l expertis e an d servic e
learning situation s tha t provid e matte r t o thin k learning,
about, tim e t o experiment , an d tim e t o mak e sens e •Producing and presentin g high quality student wor k
of what is observed...."

3. Th e Responsibilit y fo r Learning : "...youn g 2. Active Pedagogy

people an d adult s to becom e increasin g responsibl e
for directin g thei r ow n persona l an d collectiv e
learning."
4. Intimacy an d Caring : "learnin g i s best fostere d
in smal l groups....mutua l respect...olde r student s
mentoring younger ones."
• Usin g effective instructional practices schoo l wide ,
• Teaching readin g K-1 2 across the disciplines,
• Teaching writin g K-12 across the disciplines,
• Teaching inquiry-base d math,
• Teachin g inquiry-base d scienc e an d socia l studies ,
•Learning in and through th e arts
• Usin g effective assessment practice s

5. Succes s an d Failure : ".. . student s mus t b e 3. Culture and Character

assured a fai r measur e o f success...t o nurtur e • Buildin g school cultur e and fostering character,
confidence ...t o tak e risks...Bu t it is also importan t • Ensuring equity and hig h expectation s
...to overcom e negativ e inclinations...tur n •Fostering a safe, respectfu l an d orderly community ,
disabilities into opportunities. • Promotin g adventure an d fitness ,
•Developing a professional community,
6. Collaboratio n an d Compassion : "Teach...s o •Engaging families i n the lif e o f the schoo l
that th e grou p endeavo r i s mad e manifest .
... .compete .. . against ow n persona l bes t an d
rigorous standards... "

7. Diversit y an d Inclusivity : Diversit y emandu 4. Leadership and Schoo l Improvement

inclusivity i n al l group s dramaticall y increase s • Providin g leadership i n curriculum , instructio n an d
richness o f ideas , creativ e powers , problem-solvin g school cultur e
ability and acceptance o f others . • Sharin g leadership and building partnerships

Manara Academ y 14ith

l
" Generation Charter Applicatio n 29
 • Usin g multipl e source s o f dat a t o improv e student
8. Th e Natura l World : "...refreshe s th e huma n achievement
spirit an d reveal s th e importan t lesso n o f recurring • Linkin g Expeditionar y Learnin g an d schoo l
cycles and cause an d effect... " improvement plans.

9. Solitude and Reflection : "B e sur e students have 5. Structures

time alone t o explore...thoughts, make connections, • Designin g time for student and adult learning,
and create...ideas...Then exchange their reflection s • Creating structures for knowing students well
with each other and adults. "

10. Service and Compassion : "...prepar e student s

with th e attitude s and skill s to lear n fro m an d b e o f
service to others."

A cursor y revie w of th e abov e tabl e (provide d fo r quic k reference only ) migh t lead on e t o wonder ,
"So, wha t i s s o specia l abou t ELS ? Isn' t thi s jus t anothe r wa y o f articulatin g standar d bes t
management practice s alread y in place?" Not really . True, the Stat e doe s target/strive fo r excellenc e
in man y o f th e area s outline d above ; however , studen t result s ar e no t th e sam e becaus e th e
methodology i s not th e same . EL S seeks t o creat e a network of professionals, families and student s
who valu e the EL S typ e o f education . ELS recommend s tha t a n existin g schoo l hav e a n 80 % staf f
buy-in t o th e progra m befor e switching over . I t i s designe d t o b e implemente d a s th e choic e o f all
stakeholders - a meeting of like minds. These "like minds" mak e further connections t o a wider ELS
network o f "like minds" through conferences, seminar s and human an d text resources that guid e the m
along on their journey.

Faculty i s recruite d specificall y a s t o ho w wel l the y ar e likel y t o valu e an d implemen t thi s

educational philosophy. The expectations ar e clear and benchmarks exist for them to gauge their level
of successful implementation, just a s the Manara Academy Team's journe y will evolv e ou t of layers
of comprehension of what i t is to implement these principles. The leadership tea m i s trained and held
accountable to modeling and use of the design principles.

Students also hav e the experience of a journey because fro m yea r to year they ar e given the messag e
that a specifi c se t o f principle s an d specifi c skill s ar e continuall y emphasize d bot h implicitl y an d
explicitly. Parents , administrators, faculty, community expert s and peers are always imprinting thes e
values and practices.

Manara's Curricular Format - Using ELS to Integrate TEKS

As briefl y discusse d in earlier section s o f this charter, Manara Academ y wil l use the Texas Essentia l
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) t o comprise the content delivered for each grade. In this way, student s
at Manar a Academ y an d othe r Texa s school s wil l hav e covere d th e sam e topics . Th e poin t o f
differentiation i s tha t a n EL S schoo l use s a n intensiv e trainin g tha t result s i n th e teacher s havin g
developed a scope and sequence based on their project-based expeditions.

ELS training require that the teachers begin with their objectives as a platform. Teachers the n use the
objectives to develop a guiding question based on a topic that they and their students are interested in
and passionate about . Al l interdisciplinary objectives that are related to this question will be mapped.

.
.MA NARA
Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 30
The proces s goe s o n t o hav e teacher s divid e th e objective s int o overal l learnin g goal s an d the n
individual phases that include projects, all of which are interdisciplinary. Eac h phase identifies majo r
steps needed for success and specific activities that need to be conducted. An activity may be a trip to
a loca l natur e cente r t o understan d th e impact s o f pollutio n s o tha t th e student s ca n appl y thi s
knowledge t o the event s tha t they have learned . Objective s that canno t b e "fitted" t o the projec t are
taught as discrete units throughout the year. A school year typically consists o f two major expeditions.

What i s als o uniqu e abou t th e EL S training/metho d i s tha t simila r t o professiona l life , authenti c
products mus t b e conceive d b y th e teache r an d ar e th e drivin g forc e fo r hig h qualit y work . Afte r
objectives ar e mapped, teacher s ar e aske d t o "wor k backwards " fro m th e en d products t o determine
the activities that must occur to achieve the desired results. Thes e age-appropriat e product s are ofte n
published a s CD' s o r books o r rea l design s plans . Thi s ma y soun d lik e a dichotomy , bu t EL S set s
high expectation s for studen t achievement , an d student s become s o engage d i n th e topic s tha t they
rise to this high level of professionalism.

Reaching thi s leve l o f professionalis m require s tha t craftsmanshi p b e developed . Thes e becom e
"skills" workshops for the students. They include intensive art and technology training that is tailored
for th e expeditio n products. Th e ide a o f creating professiona l work an d the technique s necessar y t o
do this type of work is something that will start in Kindergarten and continue to be refined throughout
the ELS experience. Bot h teachers and students becom e accustome d t o this professionalism and new
habits are established for life .

After a n initial week-lon g training , teacher s continu e thei r professiona l development throughou t th e
year a t nationa l conference s an d summit s focuse d o n curricula r mapping usin g th e expeditionar y
process, literacy , mathematics , technolog y an d leadership . EL S schoo l designer s ar e presen t a t
Manara on e to tw o day s a month durin g the earl y year s o f implementatio n to observ e teacher s an d
provide feedbac k an d suggestion s fo r improvement . Thes e day s ca n b e use d flexibl y t o addres s
school specifi c area s o f concern , t o conduc t mini-seminar s o r hav e th e EL S representatives teac h
classes to model instructional techniques.

Although man y schools focu s on presentations o f studen t work, th e wor k i s ofte n don e i n isolation,
such a s a t a scienc e fai r o r b y writin g rule s fo r a socia l studie s class . Furthermore , school s o r
teachers ar e no t networke d wit h th e trainin g an d suppor t resource s neede d t o mak e al l o f
service/project-based, interdisciplinary , produc t drive n wor k a cohesiv e reality . EL S resource s
provide this cohesiveness.

Why ELS?
The Manar a Academ y team' s searc h fo r a solid , foundationa l platform o n whic h t o ancho r ou r
guiding principles , visio n an d missio n quickl y le d t o th e EL S mode l becaus e o f th e clos e
philosophical an d pedagogica l matc h t o ELS' s Desig n Principle s and Cor e Practices . W e chos e a
proven partne r t o creat e th e transformatio n o f schoo l culture , teachin g practice s an d educationa l
offerings tha t we believe necessary fo r students who are poised fo r success i n today's interconnected ,
global society . I n essence , ELS , coupled wit h proper teache r trainin g and instructiona l techniques ,
promotes the key ingredients of student interest and the desire to learn.

fa/ * \f r
Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application
[MArJARAl
ELS Highlight s
• EL S provides documented, practical, implementation strategie s that give teachers the tools to
not fal l bac k on behaviorist-driven instructional practices. A fundamental belief to ELS is that
teachers d o no t pou r knowledg e int o empt y vessels . A teachin g expeditio n start s wit h th e
teacher posin g open-ende d questions , followe d b y a collective journey o f discover y toward s
the answer. Teacher s lea d by their enthusiasm for a topic, an d they model quality work. The
teachers g o through th e expeditio n wit h th e student s an d produce th e products th e student s
produce. The y "g o throug h th e expedition " b y demonstratin g neede d skill s i n mini -
presentations wher e the y presen t thei r versio n o f th e desire d produc t befor e th e class .
Teachers wh o d o no t "d o expeditions " canno t effectivel y teac h thi s methodology . EL S
teachers commit to becoming non-stop researchers just as they expect of their students .
• Empowermen t and compelling topic s - Bot h teachers an d students mus t be excited abou t the
topics. Creatin g compellin g topic s fo r expedition s i s a majo r focu s o f EL S trainin g an d
teacher discourse . I n EL S thi s is an art that involve s skills of presentatio n an d dram a o n th e
teacher's part.
• "Th e Primac y o f Sel f Discovery " - Mean s tha t al l Manar a Academ y student s wil l hav e t o
embark o n expeditions that wil l be designed to create "Aha! " and "Wow! I did it!" moment s
of true joy a t their accomplishments.
• "Th e Havin g of Wonderful Ideas " - Thi s may sound lik e sound practice, but finding the time
to squeez e i n reflection in the "hig h stake s testing " world o f moder n educatio n doe s require
teacher trainin g and schoo l culture commitment. It requires teacher effor t an d willingness t o
risk that the process of empowering critical thinking ultimately sets students up to be problem
solvers and therefore capable of success on tests.
• Acquirin g Skills - Her e the idea that the end "product" has value to society propel s students
and teachers forwar d to acquir e the skill s to complete the service . The question of "Why d o I
have to do this anyway?" is often no t asked as the product or service is the apparent goal .
• Hig h Standards : Assessmen t an d Accountabilit y - Whil e mos t EL S schools ar e doin g
exceptionally wel l o n mandate d tests , thi s i s no t thei r onl y measur e o f assessment . Th e
students' en d products are assessed b y well defined rubrics that are refined through class input.
Along th e expeditio n journey , peer s us e constructiv e criticis m t o evaluat e individual s an d
small team s i n mini-presentations . Portfolio s ar e ofte n maintaine d b y th e studen t selectin g
his/her ow n persona l best . Som e school s hav e passage s a t ke y grade s wher e th e portfoli o is
presented to a team of school, family an d community stakeholders. Student s ultimately do not
see the grad e o f a clas s o r tes t bu t th e evaluatio n of th e expeditio n produc t a s th e ultimate
assessment.
• Par t o f a Crew: Teacher s star t th e year together b y planning expedition s togethe r in the ELS
weeklong expeditio n plannin g session . Th e plannin g process enable s teacher s to se e wher e
they ar e goin g a s a grou p an d wher e ther e ar e natura l point s fo r coordinate d projects .
Teachers an d schoo l leader s als o us e thes e method s o f rubric s an d pee r presentation s t o
present thei r expedition s throughou t the year . Teacher s ar e recruite d wit h th e idea that the y
will b e evaluate d b y peer s bot h i n plannin g discussion s an d i n classroo m practice , an d that
they will work as cohesive teams to coordinate the learning experience. The y may be sending
older students to mentor younge r classe s with som e aspect of their expeditions or on a regula r
basis.

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 3 2

Links to ELS Resources Referenced i n Appendix AA :

ELS Core Practices Benchmarks -

This more than 50 page document contains detailed benchmarks for the five core practices of ELS:
1. expedition s
2. activ e pedagogy
3. schoo l culture and characte r
4. leadershi p an d school improvemen t
5. structure s

Under th e cor e practice s categorie s ar e numerou s subcategorie s tha t includ e benchmark s fo r

curriculum content area s suc h as literacy, mathematics, socia l studies , ar t and science. I t is important
to note tha t benchmarking a n ELS school' s succes s i s not limited to curriculu m areas an d include s a
high emphasis on assessment, reflectio n an d the delivery of high quality work.

Expedition Methodology and Additional ELS Theory

1, Section s fro m th e ELS book Guid e Fo r Plannin g A Learning Expeditio n - Portion s o f this
book hav e bee n include d tha t describ e th e expeditio n plannin g proces s an d th e
interdisciplinary natur e of the program . Additionally , several sampl e expedition s hav e bee n
included.

2. Expeditionar y Learning Literac y Platform : Words . Worlds , an d Wonder - A Guidebook for

Literacy

ELS Networ k Schoo l Sample s - Recen t expeditions, sample student wor k and detailed snapshot s of
ELS classroom s across the countr y ar e included . Thi s section als o include s guidance o n literacy ,
classroom management , Socrati c seminar s an d ho w t o creat e compellin g expedition topic s tha t ca n
fuel th e entire day's content. Sample s o f the EL S newsletter "Fieldwork " (formerly titled The Web )
are provided. The ELS model reflects and documents teacher work , an d these newsletters (all on-line
at www.elschools.org) ar e packed ful l o f specific teacher advice .
1. Sampl e curriculu m layou t fo r th e K- 5 EL S Genese e Charte r Schoo l i n Rochester . N Y ( a
model ELS elementary school): Thi s table illustrates the guiding questions fo r each multi-age
classroom and the objectives covered under each question.
2. Tw o sampl e newsletter s that includ e "Teacher Tools" . Thi s demonstrate s additiona l explicit
guidance and offers sample s for teachers to use in their classrooms .
3. Segment s fro m additiona l newsletters .
4. Onlin e teacher supplement s on documenting and evaluating an expedition .

Student Achievement Gain s and Teache r Testimonials -Expeditionary Learnin g is currently being
implemented i n ove r 15 0 urban, rural , an d suburba n school s i n 2 8 states , th e Distric t of Columbia ,
and Puert o Rico . EL S reache s ove r 45,00 0 student s an d 4,30 0 teachers . E L school s ar e divide d
relatively equally among elementary, middle and high schools .

Character Education
Manara founder s recogniz e tha t th e element s o f a child' s intellectual , mora l an d socia l growt h ar e
inextricably intertwined . A s such , ou r schoo l wil l striv e t o creat e a n educationa l progra m tha t

,^:% Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application ->- ,

if f %; • J J

ANARAj
supports suc h growt h throug h respec t for sel f and other s and a cooperativ e attitud e towar d learnin g
and working within a community of high ethical standards an d expectations .

"Good character consist s of knowing the good, desirin g the good, an d doing the good -habits of the
mind, habit s of the heart, an d habit s o f action. Al l three ar e necessar y for leadin g a mora l life ; al l
three make up moral maturity." - Thomas Lickon a in Educating For Characte r

As wit h mos t parents , ou r target communit y shares th e desir e fo r student s t o matur e wit h high self -
esteem an d respectfu l attitude s t o other s an d thei r environment . Qualitie s suc h a s respect ,
responsibility, courage , charit y an d compassion giv e student s the mean s to achiev e their maximu m
learning potential , an d thes e sam e qualitie s enabl e the m t o mee t life' s challenges . Accordin g t o
Emerson, "characte r i s higher tha n intellect . " Manar a Academ y is equally committed t o the moral
and th e intellectua l developmen t o f childre n i n thei r earlies t year s b y th e exampl e o f goo d mora l
citizens and role models.

The characte r o f children is shaped i n three ways: I t is guided by moral instruction ; i t is inspired by
ethical example; an d it is embedded by the practices of moral habits. In order to make certain that the
moral formation of the students of Manara Academy is integrated into their overall education, w e will
leverage ELS' s desig n principle s t o foste r ongoin g characte r developmen t throug h teamwor k an d
cooperation an d provid e a consisten t cultur e o f compassio n an d goodwill . Th e schoo l wil l als o
consider tappin g int o resource s tha t provid e in-servic e workshops , consultation s an d other activitie s
related t o characte r development . A forma l characte r curriculu m may als o b e incorporate d int o th e
instructional lif e o f th e school ; however , th e emphasi s wil l b e o n teachin g characte r an d ethic s
through contextualize d learnin g - taugh t more b y action s tha n b y words . Effort s wil l b e mad e t o
select cor e conten t curricula r resources, especiall y literatur e based , tha t promot e ethica l characte r
development.

Manara Academ y founders an d administrators will wor k closely with EL school designers an d othe r
consultants t o ensur e tha t ther e ar e explici t an d regula r opportunitie s fo r staf f developmen t
concerning issue s o f mora l leadershi p an d example . Manar a wil l mak e certai n tha t withi n eac h
school da y and week there are times set aside durin g afternoon team building, in-class meeting s and
school-wide assemblie s fo r communit y mora l reflectio n an d conversation . Althoug h a forma l
character educatio n progra m may b e integrated into the instructiona l life o f the school , thes e regular
character buildin g opportunities wil l become a feature of Manara's program an d will enable Manar a
students t o develo p th e habit s o f ethica l u musing"/reflection, bot h abou t topic s tha t ar e schoo l
specific and about topics that are current in the larger community an d the world.

Foreign Language
One o f the uniqu e core feature s of Manara Academ y i s its foreig n languag e program, whic h wil l b e
taught in all grades, starting with Kindergarten. Students will have the opportunity to choose betwee n
Arabic o r Frenc h instruction . A fir m comman d o f a foreign language wil l enhanc e cognitiv e skills ,
broaden students ' perspective s an d bridg e cultura l gaps . Arabi c an d Frenc h ar e on e o f th e Unite d
Nations' si x officia l languages . Th e offerin g o f tw o foreig n languages i s dependen t upo n sufficien t
demand among the student population and financial viability .

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application 3 4

Research has documented that the study of a second language in an elementary school may positively
affect th e youn g child' s genera l schoo l achievemen t an d linguisti c progress , promot e superio r
performance i n hig h schoo l languag e study , resul t i n significantl y highe r menta l maturity , mak e
children mor e language-aware an d improve other cognitive skills. Differen t program s and models ar e
implemented all over the country.

The mode l chose n b y Manar a Academ y wil l b e the Georgi a Elementar y Schoo l Foreig n Language s
(ESFL) Mode l Program . Th e ESF L Progra m wa s develope d i n 199 2 afte r year s o f researc h o n th e
best forma t fo r teachin g childre n a secon d language . I t incorporate s th e Nationa l Standard s fo r
Language Learnin g i n th e 21s t Centur y an d th e Performanc e Guideline s fo r K-1 2 Learner s o f th e
American Counci l o n th e Teachin g o f Foreig n Languag e (ACTFL) . Th e overal l framewor k o f thi s
model require s 3 0 minute s o f foreig n languag e instructio n pe r day , fiv e day s pe r week , fro m
kindergarten throug h 8t h grade . A sequentia l progra m follow s int o middl e school , providin g a
developmentally an d academicall y appropriat e transitio n perio d befor e student s continu e t o hig h
school; i f they wis h t o stud y the sam e foreig n language . B y the en d o f elementar y school , student s
taught according t o this mode l are expected t o be able to take th e equivalent o f a high schoo l leve l II
class in sixth grade (Sixt h Grade Mode l Program) an d then continue with level II I and possibly I V in
seventh an d eighth grades .

Manara Academy base d it s selection o f the ESFL Program on the communicative, thematic , multiple -
intelligence pedagogica l approac h inheren t i n th e ESF L guidelines . Manara' s commitmen t t o
pursuing excellenc e i n all subject area s throug h in-depth , thematic , project base d assignments and its
hallmark emphasi s o n communicatio n skill s establis h th e groundwor k fo r student s t o receiv e
exemplary foreig n languag e instruction . Th e ESF L Mode l Progra m mirror s thi s commitmen t wit h
the following guidelines :
• Usin g the target languag e in the foreign languag e class 98-10 0 percent of the time;
• Teachin g aroun d a theme;
• Helpin g student s understan d withou t translatin g b y providin g a language-ric h environmen t
that presents vocabular y in context;
• Includin g meaningful cultur e in every lesson;
• Reinforcin g concept s from othe r classes in the foreign language class ;
• Incorporatin g reading and writing skills;
• Plannin g varied lessons that appeal to differing interest s an d learning styles ;
• Providin g the students with opportunities to talk about things that are meaningful to them;
• Assessin g students' progres s o n a regular basis, using a variety of methods; and
• Maintainin g open communicatio n abou t the program an d about learne r progress wit h parents ,
fellow teachers, schoo l and system administrator s and the general public.

The Newcomers courses are accelerated starter courses offered to students without prio r instruction in
Arabic o r Frenc h enterin g Manar a afte r Kindergarten . Th e goa l i s t o ge t th e studen t read y fo r th e
appropriate ful l grad e leve l as soo n as possible . It is anticipate d tha t student s wil l be place d in the
Newcomers course anywher e fro m on e semester t o one academic year. Thei r advancement t o the ful l
course will depend on the individual student's progress, as determined by the Newcomers teache r an d
the foreign language teacher o f the grade leve l i n question.

Manara Academy 14 l Generatio n Charter Application 3 5

Foreign languag e assessment a t Manara wil l b e comprehensive in nature. Ongoin g assessment s will
be develope d tha t ma y tak e th e for m o f a 1 0 minute quiz ever y wee k o r a weekl y rubri c tha t th e
teacher marks fo r each studen t based on her/his observation of the student' s classroo m performanc e
(or both). Additionally, there will be a test at the end of each unit (about every six weeks). Both types
of assessment s wil l b e combine d togethe r t o verif y tha t th e student s ar e meetin g th e performanc e
objectives. Th e en d o f uni t test, consisten t wit h other ESF L model schools , wil l cover a t leas t thre e
language skills ; listening , readin g an d writing . Sinc e assessin g speakin g proficienc y take s muc h
longer (t o asses s eac h studen t individually) , that wil l b e covere d b y th e teacher' s observatio n o f th e
student's classroo m participation . Base d o n th e result s o f thes e assessments , remediatio n ma y b e
offered i n the for m o f extra print or multimedia-based material. A large r portion of the grad e will be
given to the teacher's observation checklist , and the list will include items covering the fou r languag e
skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing whenever applicable.

Why French?
While any language will be useful fo r some jobs or for some regions, Frenc h is the only foreign
language that ca n be useful throughou t the world as well as in the United States. Frenc h as a foreign
language is the second most frequentl y taught language in the world after English . The International
Organization of Francophonie has 51 member states an d governments. O f these, 28 countries have
French as an official language . French is the only language other than English spoken on fiv e
continents. French an d English ar e the only two global languages.

French, along with English , is the official workin g language of

• th e United Nations
. UNESC O
. NAT O
• Organizatio n for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• th e International Labor Bureau
• th e International Olympi c Committee
• th e 31-member Council of Europe
• th e European Community
• th e Universal Postal Unio n
• th e International Red Cross
• Unio n o f International Associations (UIA )

Why Arabic?
Local deman d fo r a n Arabi c languag e progra m i s high . I n additio n t o th e communitie s i n Irvin g
whose cultures are traditionally interested in the Arabic language (such as peoples fro m th e Near East,
Africa, Centra l an d Sout h Asi a an d Southeas t Asia) , Arabi c i s no w o f interes t t o th e broade r
American public . Arabi c is considered by educators and policymakers to be a language o f economic
and cultura l significance . I n 1988 , th e U.S . Congres s passe d th e Foreig n Languag e Ac t (FLA ) t o
specify whic h language s wer e th e mos t critica l one s fo r U.S . governmen t interests . Arabi c wa s
identified a s one of the five designated languages. Fo r research on the impact of teaching of a foreig n
language on student achievement, see Appendix CC .

£!^ Manar a Academy 14 Generatio n Charter Application

MArlrXRAi
In today' s climat e o f globa l economie s an d multicultura l awareness , languag e educatio n i s
increasingly importan t i n ever y fiel d o f endeavo r includin g business , politics , sport s an d
entertainment, t o name a few. Fluency in Arabic will give Manara students a n important edge i n the
job marke t of the 21st century, and cultural understandings developed from a n early age will enhanc e
American national interes t a s well. "Thi s is so clear after 9/11, " said Michel e Anciaux Aoki, directo r
of educationa l program s a t th e Worl d Affair s Counci l i n Seattle . Afte r th e attacks , federa l
investigators mad e publi c appeals fo r Arabic translators. "W e are not building the capacit y w e nee d
in thi s country to communicate wit h the rest o f the worl d on their terms." Teachin g Arabi c ca n als o
help foster and bridge the cultural gap and fear of the unknown.

The diligen t stud y of Arabi c can lea d t o excitin g careers i n various fields . The followin g ar e only a
few o f the many positions open to the Arabic speaker:

• Communications : foreign correspondent, reporter , technical writer , translato r

• Internationa l finance: international banker, international consultant, politica l risk analyst
• Industry : manage r o f governmen t relation s fo r oi l companies , marke t analyze r fo r expor t
companies
• Government : foreig n servic e officer , developmen t progra m officer , intelligenc e analyst ,
government relations specialist, translato r or interpreter
• Law : contractua l and corporative consultant
• Academia : teacher and researcher positions; The U.S. government currently considers Arabic
a critical language and many scholarships are available.

Manara wil l als o leverag e th e partnership s w e hav e with Universit y of Housto n (Arabi c Language )
and Universit y of Dalla s (Frenc h Language ) to achiev e a firs t clas s foreig n languag e program , b y
asking our partners to review the curriculum an d help in the training and development of our Arabic
and French staff .

Bilingual/ESL
Students i n Manara' s Bilingual/ES L program wil l focu s o n thei r firs t priority , which i s t o develo p
and improv e thei r Englis h languag e skill s t o th e exten t tha t the y ar e abl e t o joi n th e mainstrea m
classes. Thus , i f a chil d enter s Manar a Academ y requiring full-tim e developmenta l Bilingual/ESL
classes, th e foreig n languag e requiremen t wil l b e temporaril y waived . However , sinc e th e foreig n
language program wil l b e a central par t o f Manara' s identit y an d schoo l culture , the Bilingual/ESL
student will enroll in the Newcomers clas s as soon as he/she has successfully completed th e full-tim e
developmental Bilingual/ES L class an d ca n tak e part i n the mainstrea m classes . Th e decisio n a s t o
when the child can make this transition will be a mutual one, involving the Bilingual/ESL teacher, th e
foreign languag e teacher, the mainstream teacher, the school's Instructiona l Guide/Coach (curriculum
specialist) and the child's parents. The guiding principles for this decision will be that mainstreaming
is desirabl e a s soo n a s the studen t i s capable , an d tha t th e conten t matte r o f th e foreig n languag e
classes will serve to reflect and reinforce the content matter of the mainstream classes.

Special Education
Manara Academ y will be designed to suppor t and enhance the socia l an d emotiona l developmen t of
all it s students , a s wel l a s thei r academi c growth . Manar a Academy' s specia l nee d student s wil l
uniquely benefi t fro m th e Multipl e Intelligences/ Con struct! vist approach an d fro m bein g taugh t by

V^JPV Manar a Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charte r Application 3 7

teachers traine d t o differentiat e instructio n fo r a complet e rang e o f divers e students . Ou r projec t
based/service learnin g approac h wil l creat e opportunitie s fo r student s tha t capitaliz e o n studen t
interests an d offe r enhance d opportunitie s beyon d th e classroo m wall s t o enric h ou r inclusio n
approach to better serv e special needs students.

With th e assistanc e o f ou r schoo l mode l partner , ELS , Manar a wil l develo p a progra m tha t
emphasizes th e natura l worl d an d provide s tim e t o reflect . A t othe r EL S school s thi s ha s bee n
manifested i n longe r block s fo r projec t wor k an d whol e schoo l dail y break s tha t wil l b e spen t
outdoors a s weather allows . This provides additional downtime, social communication and movement
necessary to recharge student s and add focu s t o learning in the classroom. Manar a plan s to leverag e
our relationship with ELS t o develo p applications tha t wil l serv e th e Manar a target population in all
of these area s prior to the school's opening .

The small collaborative groups emphasis will enable special needs students to get individual attention
from th e teache r an d mor e interactio n wit h peer s tha n they woul d receiv e i n a n environmen t wit h
longer periods o f time devote d t o whol e grou p instruction . Additionally, specia l need s student s an d
their familie s wil l benefi t b y the bonds that develop with the teacher through the practice of looping.
Lastly, specia l need s student s wil l fin d tha t th e emphasi s o n trainin g fo r positive , respectfu l
classroom managemen t wil l result i n saf e classroo m environment s that ar e peaceful, nourishing and
welcoming places that allow the students to flourish .

Science, History, Social Studies, Art and the Natural World

In most cases, scienc e and social studie s will be at the center of projects (expeditions) develope d over
the cours e o f 6 t o 12 weeks o f study . Manara' s real-lif e emphasis highlight s th e natura l worl d an d
man's interaction s wit h this worl d and wit h eac h other . Additionally , as a schoo l wit h a focu s o n
communication excellence , art expressio n wil l als o b e integrate d int o project s i n way s that ta p int o
students' natura l spontaneou s desir e fo r creativit y an d a desire t o represen t idea s i n a variet y o f
mediums. Manar a wil l hir e a n ar t teache r t o provid e coachin g an d suppor t t o teacher s fo r thi s
purpose. Whol e school events such as assemblies, student-parent events and school fairs/exhibits will
celebrate this aspect of Manara.

Instructional Technology
One of the distinguishing feature s o f Manara Academy's educational program will be its approach to
providing compute r technolog y t o children , integrate d int o th e curriculu m i n a meaningfu l an d
authentic way. Ou r approach will be in accordance with the following fundamenta l principle s (Jordan
and Tollman- 1993) :

• Technolog y wil l increas e higher-leve l problem-solvin g skill s whil e als o reinforcin g basi c
skills.
• Technolog y wil l promote "interactions " between student s and teachers rather tha n being used
as "teaching machines" to supplant the teacher.
• Technolog y wil l facilitat e cooperativ e learnin g models, allowing heterogeneous grouping s of
students to work together collaboratively.
• Technolog y wil l creat e interactiv e learnin g environments buil t around real-worl d problem s
and adaptable to a variety of learning styles.

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

 • Technolog y wil l be used to create mental bridges between hands-o n knowledge an d symbolic
knowledge.
• Th e technology i s driven by the curriculum needs an d the classroom use . All technology will
assume the role of an amplifying medium for the concepts brought fort h from th e curriculum.
• Technologica l advancement s wil l b e evaluate d alongsid e researc h an d developmen t i n the
field of education.

Computers wil l b e a t han d fo r studen t us e i n ever y classroo m t o hel p integrat e technolog y i n th e

overall education and to clarify, amplif y an d enhance th e curriculum. The school will explore the use
of mobil e computer la b units as it s program evolves . Technolog y will b e used t o expan d Manara' s
interdisciplinary, project-based curriculu m in a method that promotes saf e Internet us e and to provide
safe, teache r controlle d email . Student s wil l also ge t exposur e t o othe r form s of technology suc h a s
calculators, graphin g calculators (in the higher grades), vide o players, camcorder s an d digital camera s
that ca n b e use d t o documen t expedition s fo r late r presentations . Student s wil l enhanc e thei r
presentation skill s through technology i n th e for m o f softwar e an d digita l projectors (see Appendix
BB).

Physical Education/Health/School Safety

Prominent i n th e Manar a visio n i s a stron g commitmen t t o th e physica l healt h an d safet y o f it s
students. The Physical Educatio n Program at Manara is essential t o the school's educational desig n
and th e Expeditionar y Learnin g Outwar d Boun d framework . Th e EL S mode l i s constructe d o n a
series o f design principles and practices tha t stres s integrate d learnin g an d the development of a safe,
cooperative schoo l culture . Thi s cultur e support s student s a s the y explor e thei r creativit y an d
curiosity, acquire academi c skill s an d begin participating responsibly i n the community . At Manara ,
physical education will emphasize individual growth in a collaborative atmosphere .

We firmly acknowledg e tha t children learn better when they release pent-u p energy durin g the school
day. The obvious benefit of exercise/outdoor time is an important contribution to a physical educatio n
program unde r an y circumstance , an d ever y studen t wil l hav e exercise/outdoo r tim e ever y da y a t
Manara Academy . A fulltim e P E instructo r wil l b e hired , an d Manar a student s wil l receiv e a
minimum o f three structured classe s per week. I n addition to this, ELS school designer s wil l provid e
teachers wit h strategie s fo r integratin g movemen t an d outdoo r tim e int o project s wheneve r
appropriate.

Looping
Looping is an educational practic e i n which a single graded clas s of children stay s wit h a teacher fo r
two o r mor e year s o r grad e levels . Th e childre n an d th e teache r remai n togethe r a s th e clas s i s
promoted. A t th e en d o f th e secon d (o r third ) yea r i n th e pattern , th e childre n mov e o n t o a ne w
teacher while the looping teacher return s to the lower grade leve l to receive a new group of students.

Benefits
For students and teachers, th e benefits of looping consist o f the following:
• Reduce d apprehensio n at starting a new school year, increase d continuit y an d more in-depth
relationships with teacher an d with peers (McClellan , 1995) .
• Becomin g familia r wit h othe r developmenta l stage s o f childre n an d workin g wit h student s
and parents for longer periods of time (Mazzuchi & Brooks, 1993) .

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application - m

 • Th e long-term relationship s establishe d through loopin g have bee n show n t o support student
learning.
• Teacher s gai n extr a teachin g time . "Getting-to-know-you " tim e become s virtuall y
unnecessary during the second year.
• Teache r knowledg e abou t a child's intellectua l strength s an d weaknesses increase s i n a way
that is impossible to achieve i n a single year.
• Multi-yea r teaching offers tremendou s possibilities for summertime learning, such as summer
reading lists, mini-projects and field trips .
• Student s rea p benefit s fro m tim e spen t o n developin g socia l skill s and cooperativ e grou p
strategies i n subsequent years (Hanson, 1995) .
• Wit h many o f the 200 EL S schools acros s th e nation implementin g looping , ther e i s a grea t
deal of experience that Manara Academ y can learn from. Mos t schools tha t have implemented
looping communicate d grea t succes s i n studen t performance, behavior , teacher involvemen t
and parent engagement.

Application
• Durin g th e hirin g process , candidate s wil l b e mad e awar e o f Manar a Academy' s desire t o
implement looping . Ou r schoo l wil l implemen t loopin g i n th e secon d yea r o f operation .
Training of staff, a s needed, will take place prior to the commencement o f the secon d yea r of
operation.
• On e possible model for looping under consideration is: K does not loop, 1 loops to 2, 3 loop s
to 4, 5 loops to 6, and 7 loops to 8.
• I t is Manara Academy's pla n to have mor e than one section of each grad e level class. I f for
some reaso n parent s o r facult y fee l tha t transferrin g students t o a n alternat e teache r woul d
achieve a bette r matc h betwee n chil d an d teacher , ever y reasonabl e effor t wil l b e mad e t o
honor this request i n mutual consultation with al l parties involved . If at suc h tim e during the
Manara charter , only one class a t a grade level exists, then the decision to have teachers loo p
with students wil l be made by the Manara administration .

Single Gender Classrooms

"Manara Academy will utiliz e single gender classes i n accordance wit h th e term s mentioned in the
U.S. Departmen t o f Education rule amendmen t to Titl e IX regulations (3 4 CFR 106).Th e amendmen t
is attached in Appendix DD "

Manara Academy proposes t o introduc e single gende r classrooms fro m th e 5 lh grade throug h the 8th
grade; i n other words, the school will have a t least two classes fo r each grade , one composed o f boys
and one of girls. Academic classes wil l be single-gender, while lunch , recess, whole-grad e field trip s
and meetings and whole-school meetings will be mixed gender.

The implementation of the above plan for single gender classrooms will be incremental and it will be
based o n the feedbac k fro m th e schoo l leadership, parent s an d teachers, clas s balancin g an d facilit y
constraints.

The reasonin g behin d thi s class configuratio n is based o n researc h fro m tw o point s of view : on e i s
academic, whic h suggest s that singl e gender classrooms ca n lead t o higher academi c achievement fo r
both boy s an d girls ; an d th e othe r i s relate d t o behavio r an d attitud e issues , i n whic h gende r

- Manar a Academy 14 l Generatio n Charter Application 4 A

separation ha s bee n show n t o reduc e disruptiv e behavio r an d to facilitat e a mor e seriou s academi c
focus an d motivatio n i n th e genera l schoo l climate . Singl e gende r schoolin g ha s bee n a topic o f
interest internationall y for several decades, bu t the American publi c school syste m ha s really entered
this intens e debat e onl y withi n th e pas t 1 0 years. Score s o f studie s hav e bee n conducted , bu t onl y
some o f th e better-know n researcher s wil l b e mentione d a s a brie f introduction . I n 199 2 a well -
known study , le d b y Dr . Caro l Gilliga n o f Harvar d University , wa s publishe d accusing U S public
schools o f shortchangin g girls . Thi s wa s followe d b y America n Universit y professor s Myr a an d
David Sadker' s researc h o n how schools fai l t o teach t o girls ' divergen t learnin g styles. Providenc e
College professor Cornelius Riordan added to the data by publishing books an d articles o n how boy s
are shortchange d by the US educatio n system. Associat e Clinica l Professo r Willia m Pollac k of
Harvard Medica l Schoo l als o focuse d o n th e gende r ga p fro m th e boys ' poin t o f view , providin g
evidence that perceived disciplin e problems as well as much lower readin g scores fo r boys ar e due to
a lack of attention to the divergent learnin g style s that boys have fro m a biological an d psychological
standpoint. Finally , Dr . Michae l Guria n founde d a n institute , affiliate d wit h th e Universit y o f
Missouri—Kansas City , that details how teachers ca n teach bot h genders base d o n the, b y now, well -
established biological , neurologica l an d psychological dat a that indicat e tha t boy s an d girl s perceiv e
and process information differently .

Academic organizations hav e been established and annual conference s are offered to provide teachers
and teacher-trainers wit h up-to-date researc h an d techniques fo r teaching t o gender-specifi c learnin g
styles. Meanwhile , durin g thi s pas t decad e th e America n Associatio n o f Universit y Wome n ha s
published article s refutin g o r criticizin g much o f th e pro-gende r separatio n researc h an d officiall y
advocating coeducationa l classrooms . Thi s ha s ha d the resul t o f tightenin g the researc h method s o f
current studie s s o a s to tak e int o consideratio n periphera l variable s tha t migh t impac t academi c o r
behavioral results. Nevertheless , a comprehensive stud y of the dat a o f the past decad e doe s sugges t
that th e preponderanc e o f evidenc e i s in favo r o f separatin g boy s an d girl s i n academic settings , fo r
both academic and behavioral/attitudinal reasons.

This brie f information is only meant t o giv e an introductory, not exhaustive , accoun t o f information
available o n the topic. Fo r mor e information , please refe r t o Appendi x D D fo r books, website s an d
research article s on this topic.

How do single-gender classrooms raise academic achievement? Research in American public schools
that hav e experimente d wit h a single-gender environmen t suggest s tha t attendin g t o the biologicall y
different aptitudes , motivations , an d preference s o f boy s an d girl s wil l lea d t o highe r academi c
achievement an d improved classroo m behavior .

Some case studies at the elementary school leve l (grade s K-5) :

• Laburnu m Elementary Principal Michelle Hairston mentioned that her school has seen
improvement in academics an d seen a decrease i n discipline problems ~ change s sh e
attributes to the introduction of single-gender classe s and an optional school-uniform policy.
"So, not only did we see an academic boost," she said, "bu t we saw the behavior boost. "

• I n Thurgoo d Marshal l Elementar y Schoo l i n Seattle , WA , a public schoo l i n a low-incom e

area, the principal separate d boys an d girls. N o other chang e wa s implemented, yet this singl e

£';.^ Manar a Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application

MANAR'A',
 change ha d a dramati c effect . I n th e academi c sphere , th e boys ' score s o n th e Washingto n
Assessment o f Learning went fro m th e 10 th percentile to the 66th . Behaviorally , th e principal
noted tha t bullyin g an d classroo m managemen t crise s wer e significantl y reduced, droppin g
from 3 0 to 1 or 2 per day.
• Accordin g t o the principal, Benjami n Wright , "Here' s wha t w e found [whe n w e switche d t o
the single-gende r format] : Kid s reall y becam e kids . Th e girl s participate d i n physica l
education lik e the y ha d neve r participated before . Whe n w e spli t thos e classes , participatio n
shot up . Th e name-calling, the socia l behavio r completely changed. Th e focu s on academic s
went way , wa y up . S o wha t I' m tellin g yo u abou t single-gende r educatio n toda y — I a m no t
the researcher, I am not the legal beave r -but I' m telling you, I'm the practitioner, and I'l l tell
you i t works. " Mr . Wrigh t receive d th e Principa l o f th e Yea r Awar d fo r th e stat e o f
Washington in April, 2003.
• Th e Journal o f Negro Educatio n publishe d a n articl e comparin g tw o 5t h grad e classes , on e
single gender and one mixed. Consistently, academic results were highe r for the single gende r
classroom.
• Th e Californi a Departmen t o f Educatio n report s tha t singl e gende r classroom s "creat e a
setting that appears t o reduce the distracting behavior boys and girls fashion fo r one another."
• A recent nationwid e stud y confirm s previou s researc h indicatin g that , a t ever y age , boy s i n
coed school s ar e les s enthusiasti c abou t schoo l tha n girl s are . Th e olde r boy s get , th e more
this i s so . I n a single-gende r environment , them e topic s an d classroo m managemen t
techniques can be tailored to suit boys and keep those boys engaged i n learning.
• Mote n Elementar y School in Washington, D.C . changed t o a single-gender classroo m forma t
in fal l o f 2001 . A s a resul t o f thi s change , th e percentag e o f student s scorin g i n th e tw o
highest categorie s on the math portion o f the Stanford 9 test ha d jumped i n just tha t on e year,
from 4 9 percen t t o 8 8 percent. O n th e readin g portion, th e percentag e o f student s i n th e to p
two categories had shot up fro m 5 0 percent to over 91 percent.
• Th e Brighte r Choic e Charte r Schoo l opene d i n 200 2 i n Albany , New York . Th e tw o mos t
unique feature s o f th e schoo l ar e single-gende r classroom s startin g i n Kindergarte n an d a
longer school day. After tourin g the new school, Eugene Hickok, Undersecretar y of Education
for th e U S Departmen t o f Education , state d tha t th e schoo l ha s th e potentia l t o becom e a
national model . Furthe r confidenc e in th e publi c charter school' s missio n was demonstrate d
when th e school was awarded a $4 million gran t to implement th e school choice provisions a s
established by the No Chil d Lef t Behin d Act. This i s the onl y instance in which grant mone y
has been awarde d directl y to a singl e schoo l under this provision of the NCLB Act; all othe r
grants went to school districts rather than individual schools.
• Th e Africentric School i n Columbus, Ohi o establishe d single-gende r classroom s fo r 4th and
5th graders i n 2002. Accordin g to the principal, Kamal Ansari , boys' interes t i n reading sho t
up and behavioral results were s o positive that th e principal decided t o includ e the 3r d grad e
in 2003 and has plans to include the 6th grade in 2004.
• O n June 10 , 2003, th e Toledo Publi c School Distric t announced tha t two elementar y school s
will chang e t o single-gende r school s beginnin g i n th e fal l o f 2003 . Stewar t Elementar y
School wil l becom e th e state' s onl y all-girl s public school , whil e Lincol n Elementar y wil l
become a n all-boy s school . "We'r e lookin g t o offe r alternativ e option s t o parent s wh o ar e
looking for choices within the district," Superintendent Eugene Sanders said .

More case studie s done at the middle school leve l (grades 6-8) :

,^':% \ Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 4 2

[MANARA]
 Black Mountai n Middl e Schoo l ha s launche d a pilot progra m o f fou r single-gende r classes .
Students volunteere d to tak e the single-gende r classes , and so far , schoo l official s say , the
results sho w tha t the y ge t highe r grade s an d fee l free r t o focu s o n thei r studies . Schoo l
Principal Migue l Carrill o mentione d that , asid e fro m socia l issues , th e rea l gai n i n single -
gender classe s i s i n th e students ' academi c performance . H e adde d tha t girl s i n th e single -
gender clas s ar e th e highes t performer s ou t o f th e entir e school . Th e averag e grade-poin t
average fo r single gender scienc e girl s is 3.67. Fo r girls in the co-ed class , it ranges betwee n
2.9 an d 3.2 . Als o boy s i n th e single-gende r scienc e clas s ar e doin g bette r tha n thei r
counterparts. The y earn a n average grade-poin t average o f 3.22 whil e co-ed boy s make abou t
a 2.44 . Carrill o sai d tha t studen t performanc e i n th e singl e gende r P E classe s ha s als o
improved fo r both girls an d boys . H e thinks that th e reason migh t be because girl s normally
don't tr y thei r hardest , o r the y le t boy s win. "I n a single-gende r clas s the y ar e fre e t o b e
themselves an d try their best," Carrill o said. " I really feel tha t it's making a positive differenc e
for kids. "
In th e Edwar d Han d Middl e Schoo l i n Lancaster , PA , a publi c school , a stud y was don e i n
which student s wer e groupe d homogeneously by gende r fo r all major subject s fo r a period o f
one semester , an d the n groupe d heterogeneousl y th e followin g semester . Academi c an d
behavioral result s wer e compared . Bot h teacher s an d student s perceive d tha t singl e gende r
classrooms hav e academi c benefits , an d additionall y the y perceive d improvement s i n
students' self-estee m an d in the content areas .
Paducah Middl e School , in Paducah, Kentucky , adopte d the single-gende r classroo m forma t
in 2001 , just fo r the 7t h grade. Results wer e s o positive tha t the forma t wa s expande d t o th e
entire 7t h an d 8t h grade s i n 2002 . Assistan t Principa l Richar d Dowd y reporte d tha t 94 % o f
girls an d 64 % o f boy s earne d highe r grade s i n scienc e an d mat h tha n they ha d i n coe d
classrooms. Disciplinar y referral s fo r boy s droppe d fro m 4 8 i n th e coe d forma t t o 2 i n th e
single-gender format . Teresa Grubbs , a science teacher , noticed tha t both girls and boys wer e
more comfortable joining class discussions in the single-gender classrooms .
The Jefferson Leadershi p Academies i n California, opened i n the fal l o f 199 9 and maintains a
waiting lis t o f thos e hopin g t o enrol l i n th e schoo l o f abou t 50 0 girl s an d 50 0 boy s fro m
grades 6-8 . Accordin g t o a front-pag e articl e i n th e Lo s Angele s Time s Ma y 2 7 2002 ,
students' score s o n statewid e standardize d test s improve d 16 % since th e schoo l switche d t o
single-gender classrooms .
A larg e bod y o f researc h ha s focuse d o n th e mathematic s an d scienc e achievemen t o f
adolescent females. Althoug h some studie s report impressiv e increases i n grades or test score s
and som e repor t more modes t gains , i t i s notable tha t ther e seem s t o b e a stron g consensu s
that girl s communicat e more positiv e feeling s fo r mat h an d scienc e whe n the y ar e i n singl e
gender environments , an d the y sho w mor e confidenc e an d classroo m leadershi p i n thes e
subjects when boys are absent from th e class.
California's Jefferso n Leadershi p Academy , a public schoo l tha t separate s 7t h and 8 l grad e
students b y gender , reported thei r initia l finding s i n 2000 . The y foun d tha t th e grad e poin t
averages o f students increased significantl y i n 7th grade for both gender s an d fo r males i n 8th
grade.
Research an d anecdotal reports indicat e that 'gender intensification,' a phenomenon i n which
students behav e according t o gender stereotypes , occur s more frequentl y i n coed schools . No t
only are boys more likel y to pursue interests in art, drama, foreig n language s and literature in
single gende r classrooms , bu t girl s ar e encourage d more t o explor e math , scienc e an d

Manara Academy 14 tht Generation Charter Application

'*/ T a
[MANARAl
 information technology . Learning style s typical of each gende r ca n also actuall y be reversed.
Principal Lind a Roja s o f California' s Jefferso n Leadershi p Academ y notice s tha t i n thei r
single-gender classes , girl s compete more an d boys collaborate more . In mixed gender classes ,
the distractio n o f impressin g th e opposit e gende r an d th e difficult y i n workin g closel y wit h
classmates o f th e opposit e gende r kee p boy s an d girl s fro m developin g proficienc y i n
different learnin g styles.
An ERI C Diges t o f researc h o n thi s topi c summarize s that , overall , studie s o f attitudina l
variables yiel d consisten t finding s demonstratin g tha t "singl e gende r context s foste r les s
stereotypical view s o f subjects" . Also , studie s concu r tha t student s perceiv e singl e gende r
classrooms as more 'orderly' , and girls especially vie w such environment s a s more conducive
to learning.
Brain research reporte d b y Dr. Michael Guria n indicates tha t girl s process emotiona l activit y
in a completely differen t are a o f the brain than boys do. As a result, in a literature class, girl s
are comfortabl e linkin g emotion s wit h ideas , analyzin g character s i n a novel , examinin g
psychological rathe r tha n action-packe d novels , participatin g i n role-playin g an d imaginin g
how other s migh t fee l i n a particular situation . Such preferences len d themselve s t o differen t
classroom managemen t technique s and different choice s in readings than when boys are in the
class. Girl s ar e als o know n t o matur e faste r tha n boys , a findin g verifie d i n researc h tha t
studies brai n development . Thus , topic s an d theme s i n a girls-onl y environmen t ca n b e
customized to their level of emotional maturit y to a greater extent than in a coed setting.
A larg e Australia n study , 2001: Th e Australia n Counci l for Educationa l Researc h release d a
study comparing single-gende r and coeducational schools. Their analysis, which was based on
six year s of stud y of ove r 270,00 0 student s i n 5 3 academic subjects , demonstrate d tha t bot h
boys an d girl s -wh o wer e educate d i n single-gender classroom s scored on average 1 5 to 2 2
percentile rank s highe r tha n di d boy s an d girls i n coeducational settings . Th e repor t als o
documented tha t "boy s an d girl s i n single-gende r school s wer e mor e likel y t o b e bette r
behaved an d to fin d learnin g more enjoyabl e an d th e curriculu m more relevant". Th e repor t
concludes: "Evidenc e suggest s tha t coeducationa l setting s ar e limite d b y thei r capacit y t o
accommodate th e larg e differences i n cognitive, social an d development growth rates o f boys
and girls aged between 1 2 and 16."

The maximum student-to-teacher ratio will be 1:1 8 fo r KG, 1:2 1 fo r l st-3r grad e and 1:2 6 fo r grade s
4th-8th. Thi s ratio will allo w Manara teachers to:
• Spen d more time on instruction and less time on discipline matters,
• Accommodat e individual learning needs of particular students,
• Giv e attention when a child is struggling,
• Giv e particula r instructio n t o student s wit h languag e barrier s o r limite d educationa l
backgrounds,
• Increas e participation amon g all students,
• Creat e a safer, more comfortable environment .

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Applicatio n 4 4

At this time, Manara Academy doe s not plan to offer a gifted and talented program .

Manara Academ y wil l striv e t o promot e additiona l academic , socia l an d leadershi p skill s b y usin g
after-school programs . A variet y o f after-schoo l activitie s wil l giv e eac h chil d a choic e t o furthe r
expand thei r learnin g experience . Teachers , parent s an d communit y volunteer s wil l provid e th e
instruction an d suppor t fo r thes e after-schoo l clubs . Manar a Academ y wil l appl y fo r multipl e gran t
opportunities including the 21 st Century After-School Grant to help implement and fun d thi s program .
Students wil l hav e acces s t o a multitud e o f positiv e extende d da y activitie s tha t enric h studen t
learning and further suppor t the TEKS including:
• Studen t Council— A studen t representative will be elected fro m eac h clas s t o form a Studen t
Council. Th e purpos e wil l b e t o presen t students ' concern s an d interest s an d provid e a
communication channe l betwee n students , teacher s an d administrators . Thi s promote s
leadership skills , fosters new ideas and encourages communit y involvement.
• Sport s Teams—soccer, softball, volleyball , etc .
• Scouts—Bo y Scout s o r Girl Scout s of America wil l be organized through parent volunteers to
hold weekl y meetings at the proposed site .
• Compute r Club—Student s wit h a n interes t in computer s ca n develo p ne w skill s b y usin g
approved softwar e and further researc h throug h the internet.
• Scienc e Club—Student s wh o hav e a n interes t i n scienc e ca n join a hands-o n clas s wit h
various science activities and fu n experiments. Th e club will organize a school-wide scienc e
fair each yea r and enter science fair competitions .
• Mat h Club—Student s wit h a high interest in math will learn t o make better use of their skills
by using a variety of games designe d to promote math skills and thinking strategies .
• Arabi c Club — Student s will partake i n Arabic cultura l activities, lear n mor e abou t Arabic -
speaking countries , enhanc e thei r communication/speakin g skills , expan d thei r vocabular y
and learn about foreign food .
• Frenc h Club—Student s wil l partak e i n French cultura l activities , lear n mor e abou t French -
speaking countries , enhanc e thei r communication/speakin g skills , expan d thei r vocabular y
and learn abou t foreign food .
• Pee r Tutoring—Student s wh o exce l i n Mat h wil l provid e pee r tutorin g and coachin g wit h
those who are struggling with the subject.
• Ar t Club—Student s intereste d i n ar t wil l b e abl e t o wor k wit h additiona l resource s an d
materials normall y no t availabl e i n th e classroom . Student s wil l b e encourage d t o presen t
group projects , includin g murals an d sculpture s tha t wil l be displaye d withi n th e ground s o f
the school .
• Schoo l Newspaper—Student s wit h an interest in writing ca n develop thei r publishing skills
by creating a monthly school newspaper. Student s wil l write article s on current schoo l events.

;;/f^%' Manar a Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application 45

[MA JA R A 1
Manara Academy has the following partnerships as of date for the provision of student activities.
Please se e the attached inten t letters in Appendix HH .
1. EL S - Outwar d Boun d
ELS will assist Manara Academy with a comprehensive education design that combine s
rigorous academic content and real world projects. ELS partnership will be key, to achieve
Manara Academy vision.
2. Universit y o f Houston/ Arabi c program
This partnership wil l help in training and development o f Arabic languag e teachers. It will
also facilitate Arabic curriculum review.
3. Universit y of Dallas/French program
This partnership wil l help in training and development o f French language teachers. I t will
also facilitate French curriculum review.
4. Nort h Lake Colleg e
North Lake College is one of the premier institutions in the Irving Community will partne r
with Manara Academy in areas of mentorship, library services etc .
5. Irvin g Fire Department
This partnership will provide the students an opportunity to learn from loca l professional s
on safety an d their environment
6. Maxima l Healt h
Manara Academy will stress on healthy body for a healthy mind for all students. This
partnership will provide Manara students with the tools to keep them healthy.
7. Champio n Karate Academ y
Manara students will have the ability to participate in a karate program as part of their
after schoo l program .

Manara als o intend s t o partne r wit h othe r loca l communit y groups, suc h a s Bo y Scout s an d Gir l
Scouts o f America , loca l museums , gardenin g centers , etc . Manar a Academ y wil l enthusiastically
seek othe r partnership s that will allow our students to explore and creat e a learning atmosphere tha t
goes above and beyond the classroom .

The process of using assessment information to improve teaching and learning will be a central focus
of th e facult y an d administratio n o f Manar a Academy . Th e drivin g forc e behin d al l studen t
assessment dat a i s to sho w th e facult y how t o improv e instruction. We firml y believ e that student s
learn i n differen t ways ; an d par t o f ou r reaso n fo r havin g varied method s o f assessmen t i s t o see k
insights o n th e bes t way s fo r eac h studen t t o succeed ; an d the n t o adjus t ou r teachin g s o tha t a
student's strength s can be enlisted to help eliminate areas of weakness.

At Manar a Academy , th e Principa l an d th e Instructiona l Guide/Coac h wil l assis t teacher s t o

disaggregate th e data and analyze the assessment result s in order to see how individual students learn

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

best, where students are not succeeding an d what the students' areas o f strengths an d weaknesses are.
As needed, th e school will hire a consultant to guide the faculty in interpreting th e scores an d finding
the most effective ways , consisten t with our mission and curriculum, to address the targeted area s of
performance indicate d b y the testing.

This proces s o f working with assessment dat a to improv e instructio n will be a regular part o f team
meetings an d ful l facult y meetings . Succes s i n al l areas fo r all student s wil l be the responsibilit y of
the ful l faculty . If weaknesses were identifie d i n writing, for example, strategies would be developed
for th e entir e faculty , no t simpl y the language art s teachers , t o emphasiz e th e neede d writin g skill s
across ever y conten t area . Goal s woul d b e se t fo r th e facult y a s a whol e an d als o fo r individual
teachers.

Manara Academ y wil l follo w stat e an d federa l guideline s and us e th e TAK S o r TAK S Alternativ e
Test t o asses s specia l educatio n student s wh o ar e receivin g instructio n i n th e Texa s Essentia l
Knowledge an d Skill s (TEKS) , Th e Admissions , Revie w an d Dismissa l committe e (ARD ) wil l
determine the appropriate tes t and test settin g for special need s students. Student s will be assessed a t
their appropriat e instructiona l levels , a s determine d b y thei r AR D committe e rathe r tha n a t thei r
assigned grad e level . Th e assessment s wil l b e administere d followin g th e state' s testin g calendar ,
and will be a measurement of the student's annual growt h based on appropriate expectation s for each
student as determined by their ARD committee.

The schoo l wil l administe r the Texa s Englis h Languag e Proficiency Assessment Syste m (TELPAS )
which i s comprised o f the Readin g Proficienc y Test s i n English (RPTE ) an d th e Texa s Observatio n
Protocols (TOP ) t o al l limite d Englis h proficien t (LEP ) students. Administratio n b y traine d
personnel wil l b e schedule d t o fal l withi n th e state' s testin g window . Th e RPT E wil l b e give n
annually to LEP students; in grades 3- 8 to measure annual growth in English reading proficiency; and
the TO P i n grade s K- 2 t o measur e listening , speaking , readin g an d writing ; an d i n grade s 3- 8 t o
measure listening , speakin g and writing . Th e combined result s provide TELPA S performanc e dat a
used t o fulfil l stat e an d federa l reportin g requirements , and thes e test s alon g wit h th e TAK S an d
classroom performanc e wil l hel p Manar a mak e instructiona l decision s concernin g individua l LE P
students.

In additio n to the state assessment tests, student s in grades K through 8 will b e give n the Stanfor d
Achievement Test s includin g thos e specia l need s student s wh o ar e bein g assesse d b y th e TAK S
Alternative Test, i f recommended by their AR D committee . Thi s test wil l be administere d t o gaug e
the progres s o f student s and t o creat e a standardize d basi s fo r measurin g th e school' s growt h an d
progress. Thi s nationall y norm-referenced tes t wil l b e administere d to al l student s durin g th e fal l
semester o f the firs t yea r of the schoo l t o establis h a norm-referenced baseline. Result s of this test ,
previous student records and possibly the release TAKS (grades 3-8 ) will allow students to be divided
into sections within each grade level so that teachers can teach subject material to more homogeneous
student cohorts . Thi s abilit y groupin g wil l enabl e teacher s t o provid e effectiv e classroo m
management practices .

Subsequently, the Stanfor d Achievemen t Test wil l be give n near the en d o f every schoo l year . Th e
goal wil l b e t o increas e performanc e b y a t leas t on e grad e leve l eac h yea r fo r ever y student . Th e
results of these test s wil l sho w that this goa l ha s been attained and, alon g with other assessment s b e

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Applicatio n *- <

used t o evaluat e schoo l programs , classroo m performanc e an d studen t progress . Thi s nationall y
recognized tes t whe n viewe d wit h dail y wor k performance , repor t card s an d studen t portfolios will
give a balanced picture of each student's progress.

Initial Baseline Assessment

Language Arts/Literac y and Mathematics

Manara teachin g facult y wil l use , a s i n mos t schools , baselin e assessment strategie s accompanyin g
the literac y and mathematics program selecte d for Manara Academy . A s discussed previousl y i n this
petition, Manar a Academ y i s plannin g t o selec t a nationall y recognize d balance d literac y an d
mathematics program . Manar a Academy wil l also utiliz e the EL S literacy institut e training, the EL S
literacy platfor m include d in this petition i n Appendix A A an d the literac y assessment s outline d i n
ELS Cor e Practic e Benchmark s documen t (include d i n Appendi x AA) . Al l o f thes e ar e buil t o n
elements commo n t o mos t recognize d balance d literac y program s an d provide s guidanc e t o
integrating these techniques into the ELS project-based classroom. Include d are common assessment
tools such as running records, profiles, recording forms and reader-response journa l entries. Teacher s
will als o us e smal l an d grou p inquir y based conference s t o asses s baselin e studen t comprehensio n
and analysi s skill s o f literatur e an d writing . Balance d literac y program s unde r consideratio n a t th e
writing of this petition include Four Blocks, Firs t Steps and Rigby to name a few and will be finalized
by the selected Manara Administration .

Nationally recognize d mathematic s model s suc h a s Everyda y Mathematics , Mat h Thei r Wa y an d

Mathland wer e som e o f the model s unde r consideration a t the writin g o f thi s petition . Again , thes e
models contai n built i n baseline assessment s to which Manar a Academ y wil l adhere a s well a s usin g
ELS specific training (see Appendi x A A for a short sample course description ) an d benchmarks (se e
document ELS Cor e Practice s Benchmark s in Appendi x AA) to aid e in the integratio n of the
national model into the ELS project-based classroom .

Foreign Languag e
Arabic an d Frenc h baselin e assessment s wil l incorporat e existin g studen t milestones/benchmark s
included i n the EFSL model . Th e foreig n languag e facult y wil l tailo r th e assessmen t material s to fi t
the needs of Manara Academy . A sample uni t is included i n Appendix CC .

Science an d Socia l Studies

Science an d Socia l Studie s baselin e assessmen t wil l occu r throug h inquir y base d classroo m
discussions tha t ar e sparke d fro m guidin g question s introduce d a t th e star t o f expeditions . Thes e
guiding question s serv e to activat e eac h individua l student' s prior knowledg e or schema . EL S will
provide resource s an d training for fosterin g in-depth inquir y based classroo m discussions . Teacher s
will use ELS techniques to plan expeditions that focus on making connections betwee n th e classroo m
and th e surroundin g community . Teacher s mus t develop guidin g questions, projec t topics , learnin g
goals an d assessments suc h a s rubrics that involv e students, journal prompts, self-assessmen t sheets ,
portfolio requirement s an d teache r observatio n log s befor e th e star t o f a schoo l project . Facult y
engaged in this pre-planning activity full y understand s where individual s need to be at the beginning
and throughou t th e expeditio n t o maximiz e learning . Thes e tool s wil l no t onl y hel p th e clas s a s a
whole to se e its baseline but will aid teacher and students to compare what the y know both as a class

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Applicatio n

and individuall y a t th e beginnin g o f th e yea r an d wha t the y achieve d a t th e completio n o f th e
expedition.

Teachers wil l coordinat e expedition s wheneve r possibl e withi n singl e grade s an d sometime s acros s
multiple grades. I n this way the commencement of an expedition will provide excitemen t tha t spark s
the student s t o communicat e wit h eac h othe r an d furthe r se t th e stag e fo r enthusiasti c discussions .
Teachers als o wil l mee t regularl y throughout the expeditio n to conduc t pee r evaluatio n an d support .
When thi s i s don e thematicall y i n multipl e classrooms, i t give s th e teacher s outlet s fo r generatin g
meaningful classroo m discussion s t o evaluat e baselin e knowledge . Referrin g t o th e sampl e
expeditions an d the documen t EL S Core Practice s Benchmark s containe d i n Appendix A A o f this
petition gives further insigh t into the ELS methodology.

Authentic/Formative Assessment

In keeping with Manara's assessment philosophy , students will be evaluated o n a continuous basis in
all area s o f instruction suc h a s language arts , math, an d scienc e an d socia l studie s using a variety o f
techniques tha t include the following:
• Observation s o f both cognitiv e an d socia l growth : Teacher s wil l observ e an d record th e
ways tha t student s mak e meanin g fro m wha t they lear n an d wil l closel y monito r change s i n
students' attitude s towards the learning taking place i n the classroom. Thi s development wil l
be measured b y examining how student s lear n (multipl e intelligences), make decisions , relat e
to their teachers and peers and perceive knowledge.
• Journa l an d lo g writing: Studen t journals will be used acros s th e curriculum to reflec t th e
student's own performance i n academic areas and their use of critical thinking skills.
• Videotape d an d photographi c documentatio n o f work: Both video records of student work
(e.g., showin g a chil d readin g aloud ) an d video s create d b y th e student s wil l serv e a s
indicators of the students' progres s towards and mastery of skills in designated areas .
• Runnin g records : Authenti c assessmen t o f children' s readin g skill s i n contex t wil l b e
completed b y teachers. Student s wil l be given passages at different levels o f difficulty, based
on grad e leve l an d wil l b e score d o n thei r degre e o f fluenc y an d accuracy , a s wel l a s their
ability to respond appropriatel y to comprehension questions .
• Project s an d cumulatin g presentations : Student s wil l complet e project s tha t represen t a
cumulative sho w of the student's learning. These may be written and/or oral an d may includ e
the use of various media. Eight h grad e students will wor k with advisors to complete their exit
projects. Rubrics will indicate students' master y of skills.
• Portfolios : A systemati c collectio n of studen t wor k ove r a perio d o f tim e tha t exhibit s a
student's wor k an d progres s wil l b e gathered . Portfolio s wil l b e use d t o measur e studen t
progress toward s an d master y o f statewide standard s usin g school-wid e rubrics . Portfolio s
will hel p student s develo p critica l thinkin g skill s b y providin g th e opportunit y fo r the m t o
assess thei r ow n learning , t o reflec t criticall y and thoughtfull y abou t thei r ow n work , t o se t
goals fo r improvement an d to be awar e o f their accomplishments . Thi s will provid e th e staf f
and parent s wit h a n authenti c pictur e o f th e student' s progres s ove r time , whil e
simultaneously giving information for future instructio n and student needs.
• Performanc e assessment s and rubrics : Student performance will be evaluated based o n pre-
established criteria . Thes e ma y includ e a n ora l presentation , conductin g a n experiment ,
teaching a skill or concept to other members of the class or acting out a story in sequence .

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 4 0

 • Conferences : Parent-teache r conference s wil l b e hel d throughou t th e yea r a t regularl y
scheduled times . A t these conferences , th e parents wil l shar e thei r expectation s an d views o f
the educationa l program , th e teache r wil l repor t th e child' s academi c accomplishment s an d
social achievement s an d togethe r wil l se t goal s fo r th e child . Uppe r grad e student s wil l b e
involved i n thes e conference s t o reinforc e their participatio n i n th e learnin g process , wit h
occasionally student-le d conferences.

This i s not to say teachers wil l not administer paper an d pencil tests, but these too can be formulate d
to addres s all learners . The spiri t of assessmen t shoul d coincid e wit h the spiri t of instruction , and
assessment shoul d b e fai r an d unbiase d s o al l student s have th e opportunit y t o displa y thei r talent s
and knowledge . Student s wan t t o succee d an d pleas e bot h their parent s an d teachers , an d wit h thi s
desire i n min d an d i n keepin g wit h th e value s o f Manar a Academy , teacher s shoul d desig n
assessments so that all students have the opportunity to be successful.

All thes e technique s wil l b e use d t o determin e th e achievemen t level s o f students . B y usin g a
curriculum tha t teache s th e TEK S fro m Kindergarte n throug h eight h grade , ever y chil d wil l b e
afforded multipl e opportunitie s to master the state's standards as set out in the TEKS objectives. Th e
planned multipl e assessment s wil l reflec t th e students ' progress , a s wel l a s assessin g th e school' s
programs.

The connection betwee n the TEKS, classroom instructio n and the assessment o f student progress will
be aligne d throughou t th e schoo l year . Upo n completio n o f a subjec t uni t b y th e us e o f learnin g
expeditions and projects aligned with ELS, student s will be given an assessment too l t o measure th e
mastery o f thos e specifi c objectives . Fo r th e majorit y o f courses , teacher s wil l develo p test s fo r
periodic administratio n t o giv e th e student s th e opportunit y t o demonstrat e thei r knowledg e an d
understanding. Teacher s wil l maintai n a checklis t o f TEK S objective s tha t wil l b e update d
periodically fo r eac h studen t regardin g master y o f specifi c objective s correspondin g t o TEK S
objectives. A t the en d o f the schoo l year , checklist s wil l b e compare d t o TAK S result s to estimat e
effectiveness o f classroom are prepared fo r the next grade level of instruction.

For individua l students needin g clos e monitoring , a tea m o f teacher s wil l analyz e portfolios , tes t
scores an d an y othe r assessmen t dat a t o for m a n individua l studen t pla n t o assis t th e student' s
acceleration. Th e team may suggest an y number of adjustments in the student's learnin g environment
such as; tutoring, parental trainin g for support a t home, alternate teaching styles or strategies, learning
modifications, stud y skill s training , pee r tutorin g o r homewor k support . Afte r recommende d
strategies ar e implemented , progres s wil l b e closel y monitore d an d periodi c reevaluation s an d
readjustments wil l be implemente d until the studen t is successful. Al l strategie s wil l be documented
in th e student' s portfoli o t o follo w th e studen t t o th e nex t grad e level , s o tha t succes s ca n b e
maintained.

Although the primar y succes s i s academic success , other factor s will be evaluated whe n considerin g
overall program success . Thes e factors include : characte r developmen t an d discipline management,

'7^?% Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charte r Applicatio n

IMANAKAI
school attendanc e an d tardines s records , parenta l involvemen t an d satisfaction , studen t satisfaction ,
teacher satisfaction, participatio n i n extra-curricular activitie s an d community involvement .

In a n effor t t o continuously assess progra m effectiveness , Manara Academ y wil l consistently gather ,
analyze dat a an d adjus t th e curriculu m accordingly . Sinc e th e curriculu m i s closel y aligne d wit h
TEKS, th e TAK S assessmen t i s the primary sourc e o f program evaluation . Analysi s of TAK S dat a
for studen t progress i s on an individual basis, bu t for program and teacher evaluatio n purposes ca n be
analyzed on a class and school wid e basis. An y weaknesses indicate d by the data ca n be refined and
rectified b y adjustments to curriculum, teachers' strategie s an d staf f development . Thos e objective s
that ar e not being mastered wil l be an indication of an area that need s improvemen t i n curriculum or
instructional techniques.

To meet objective s that ar e not bein g mastered severa l method s fo r refinement an d change wil l be in
place. First , teacher s wil l mee t regularl y t o discus s strategie s fo r refinin g an d readjustin g an y
curriculum goal s not being me t an d to insur e that an y student s no t meetin g require d goal s are mor e
closely monitored . I n addition, vertica l alignmen t team s wil l mee t regularl y to adjus t curriculu m t o
insure that student s are prepared fo r the next grade level of instruction.

For individua l student s needin g clos e monitoring , a tea m o f teacher s wil l analyz e portfolios , tes t
scores an d an y othe r assessmen t dat a t o for m a n individua l studen t pla n t o assis t th e student' s
acceleration. Th e team ma y suggest an y number of adjustments i n the student's learning environmen t
such as; tutoring, parental training for support at home, alternate teaching styles or strategies, learnin g
modifications, stud y skill s training , pee r tutorin g o r homewor k support . Afte r recommende d
strategies ar e implemented , progres s wil l b e closel y monitore d an d periodi c reevaluation s an d
readjustments wil l be implemente d unti l the student is successful. Al l strategie s wil l be documente d
in th e student' s portfoli o t o follo w th e studen t t o th e nex t grad e level , s o tha t succes s ca n b e
maintained.

Although the primary succes s i s academic success , othe r factor s will b e evaluated whe n considerin g
overall program success. Thes e factors include : characte r development and discipline management,
school attendanc e an d tardines s records , parenta l involvemen t and satisfaction , studen t satisfaction ,
teacher satisfaction , participation i n extra-curricular activities and community involvement.

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application g i

Section 4-Student Goals

Manara Academ y wa s forme d t o offe r opportunitie s fo r positiv e schoo l experience s tha t wil l
challenge student s academicall y an d mak e the m lif e lon g learners . W e see k t o mol d attitude s
towards educatio n tha t wil l resul t i n a n excitemen t fo r learning . Wit h thes e goal s i n min d an d i n
addition to th e indicator s se t by the stat e accountability rating system , Manar a Academ y ha s se t th e
student goals listed below. Th e classroom teacher, administrative staf f and the students shall monitor
individual studen t progress . Th e schoo l wil l increas e th e numbe r o f student s scorin g a t th e
Commended Performanc e Leve l o n TAKS , improv e studen t performanc e o n standardize d test s an d
compare favorabl y with other schools of similar student populations.
i. Goa l 1: Reading— Students will improv e in reading proficiency and achievement an d
will advanc e a t leas t on e grade leve l by the end of eac h schoo l year . Al l student s and
student group s wil l mee t o r excee d th e performanc e standar d o f 75 % o n TAK S
Reading.
ii. Goa l 2 : Mathematics—Student s wil l improv e thei r mathematica l skill s an d wil l
advance a t leas t on e grad e leve l b y th e en d o f eac h schoo l year . Al l student s an d
student groups will meet or exceed the performance standard o f 75% on TAKS Math,
iii. Goa l 3: Writing—Student s wil l improve their proficiency and achievement i n written
language a s evidenced b y an annua l portfolio review. Al l student s an d student group s
will meet or exceed th e performance standard o f 75% on TAKS Writing,
iv. Goa l 4 : Science—Student s wil l improve in gathering research, understandin g content,
and makin g connections . Al l student s an d studen t group s wil l mee t o r excee d th e
performance standar d o f 75% on TAKS Science.
v. Goa l 5: Socia l Studies—Students will improve their socia l studie s skill s by gathering
research, understandin g content , recreatin g historical event s an d makin g connection s
to th e curren t time . Al l student s an d studen t group s wil l mee t o r excee d th e
performance standard of 75% on TAKS Social Studies in 8 th grade.
vi. Goa l 6 : Technology—Student s wil l us e technology a s a n integrate d too l i n learnin g
and teaching and to support studen t created projects, products and performanc e
vii. Goa l 7 : Characte r Educatio n & Communit y Building—Manar a Academ y wil l
provide a n exemplar y academi c program whil e instillin g stron g characte r educatio n
built upo n respect , responsibility , trustworthiness, fairnes s an d citizenship . Student s
will be expected to meet specifi c characte r learning targets at each grad e level ,
viii. Goa l 8 : Attendance -Manar a Academy will produce hig h rates of student attendance.
Manara Academ y wil l mee t o r excee d th e averag e dail y attendanc e rat e standar d o f
95% in all grades.

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application 5 2

Goal 1: Readin g
Strategies Performance Measur e
1, Teacher s wil l expos e al l student s t o a
wide variet y o f literar y genres : classics , Student projects/exhibits
biographies, historical , fiction , non-fiction,
research assignments , newspapers ,
magazines, technolog y assignments, etc .
2, Teacher s wil l develo p individua l
instructional plan s fo r al l student s wh o Portfolio o f individual instructional plan.
require remediation or enrichment. Reading Inventorie s o r readin g analysi s
3, Teacher s wil l hav e acces s t o Readin g will determine grade level s
Inventories o r readin g analysi s tool s suc h
as Dibbles, IRI
4. Teacher s wil l instruc t al l student s a t Performance o n dail y practic e activitie s
individual reading levels. and standardized test s
5. Teacher s wil l complet e TAK S ite m TAKS ite m analysi s i n individua l
analysis t o determin e individua l student' s portfolios
strengths and areas of concern.
6. Speciall y traine d teacher s wil l emplo y Varied readin g assignments , reading aloud ,
strategies i n readin g t o improv e student s standardized test
who require remediation.
7. Famil y a t hom e readin g wil l b e Classroom log s o f family/a t hom e readin g
encouraged. time

Goal 2: Mathematic s
Strategies Performance Measur e
1. Ever y grad e leve l wil l us e mat h
manipulatives t o improv e thei r proble m
solving skills. Performance on daily practice activitie s
2. Student s wil l complet e dail y proble m
solving activities.
3. Complet e TAK S ite m analysi s t o
determine progra m strength s an d area s o f
concern. Exams, standardize d tests , portfolio s an d
4. Al l teacher s wil l emplo y multipl e exhibitions
strategies i n mat h instructio n t o mee t th e
needs o f individual learners .

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Applicatio n 53

MANAKAJ
Goal 3: Writin g
Strategies Performance Measur e
1. Complet e TAK S ite m analysi s t o
determine progra m strength s an d area s o f
concern.
2. Student s will practic e writing daily . Classroom assessment s usin g grad e leve l
3. Al l teacher s wil l emplo y differentiatio n appropriate rubrics
strategies i n writin g acros s al l curriculum
areas t o mee t th e need s o f individua l
learners.
4. Maintai n student-writing portfolios.
5. Usin g 6+1 writing traits, writin g will be
integrated into other curricular areas . Varied writin g assignments , portfolios ,
6. Teacher s wil l demonstrat e an d mode l exhibition and standardized test s
examples o f goo d writin g acros s grad e
levels.

Goal 4 : Scienc e
Strategies Performance Measur e
1 . Teacher s wil l utiliz e hands-on activitie s
and investigative lab s at every grade level.
2. Implemen t technologica l application s
when appropriate .
Classroom assessment s usin g grad e level
3. Teacher s wil l implemen t activities an d
appropriate rubrics
provide resource s t o mee t th e need s o f all
students.
4. Scienc e wil l b e integrate d int o othe r
curricular areas, especiall y mathematics .
5. Student s will utiliz e classroom, la b and
Exams, standardize d tests , portfolio s, and
library technolog y a s appropriat e t o th e
exhibitions
learning activities .
Goal 5 : Socia l Studie s
Strategies Performance Measur e
1. Teacher s wil l utiliz e hands-o n activities
to recreate historical events .
2. Implemen t technologica l application s
when appropriate.
3. Teacher s wil l implemen t activitie s an d Classroom assessment s usin g grad e level
provide resource s t o mee t th e need s o f al l appropriate rubric s
students.
4. Social Studie s wil l b e integrate d int o
other curricula r areas , especiall y readin g
and writing.
5. Student s wil l utiliz e classroo m an d
library technolog y a s appropriat e t o th e Exams, standardize d tests , portfolio s , an d
exhibitions
learning activities.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 54

f \
(MA NAR/
Goal 6: Technolog y
Strategies Performance Measur e
1 . Staf f will continue to develo p technical
skills throug h in-service , training , classe s
and mentors.
Classroom documentation of usage
2. Staf f wil l utiliz e schoo l technolog y i n
designing an d documentin g learnin g
expeditions.
3. Student s will utilize classroom, la b an d
library technolog y i n th e creatio n o f Checklist of classroom softwar e usage
projects, products and performance.
4. Purchas e an d utiliz e neede d software ,
hardware and technology tools. Hardware/software inventory , usag e log s
5. Suppor t an d encourag e afte r schoo l and parent/students surveys
parent and student computer use.

Goal 7 : Characte r Education & Community Buildin g

Strategies Performance Measur e
1. Usin g small class size and expeditionary
learning techniques , al l student s wil l b e
part of a crew or advisory.
Crew o r advisor y lesso n plans , narratives ,
2. Student s wil l develo p leadershi p skill s
notebook
through characte r education , servic e
learning an d othe r opportunitie s suc h a s
Student Council.
3. Student s wil l participate i n community
Volunteer hours
service projects via club activities.
4. A school-hom e connectio n wil l b e
fostered throug h effectiv e communicatio n
among parents, staf f and administration.
Communication log , paren t council , paren t
5. A stron g paren t counci l wil l wor k
involvement survey
toward activitie s and project s that enhanc e
the educationa l program s an d schoo l
climate.

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 55

1
MANAKA
Goal 8: Attendanc e
Strategies Performance Measur e
1. Maintai n curren t monitorin g o f
attendance b y staff .
2. Teacher-Hom e contac t i n th e us e o f a
variety o f strategie s includin g incentive s Daily recordin g an d informin g parents
for goo d attendance . immediately i f studen t i s no t attending
3. Teachers will conference with parents. regularly
4. Whe n a n attendanc e proble m i s noted ,
then th e studen t i s reporte d t o Studen t A lo g o f student s referre d t o SST fo r
Support Team (SST) . attendance
5. Student s an d parents wil l have acces s t o
homework an d assignment s throug h th e
school's website.

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 56

RAl
Section 5-Human Resources
Submit, a s na n o f Attachmen t A . a noi.nri/e d hiounmhiea l a l l i d a v i l lo r eac h schoo l ol'hccr . A
louranmca al l [davits mus t

Please se e Attachment A for notarized biographi c affidavits. A s no schoo l officer s have a s yet been
identified, i t is not included as part of the attachment.

Manara Academ y wil l not utilize a CEO/Superintendent du e to the fac t tha t w e are a single campus .
Therefore, ou r Principal will assume all the leadership role s of Manara Academy.

Principal Job Description

Reports to:
Governing Boar d

Job Goals:
The Principa l i s responsibl e fo r providin g th e instructional , operationa l an d administrativ e
leadership necessary t o ensur e the success o f the school. Th e principal wil l organize, administer ,
supervise an d evaluat e all aspect s o f Manar a an d th e greate r schoo l community . Th e principal
will be held accountable fo r the continuous improvement o f student achievement .

Salary Range:
• $65,000-585,00 0
• Th e Principal will be contracted for 230 days with an annual salar y approved b y the Board
of Directors

Education/Certification:
• Bachelor' s degree required , preferably in education
• Master' s Degree i s preferred
• Vali d Texa s Mid-Management Certificatio n preferre d
• Minimu m thre e years of successful experienc e as a classroom teache r
• Previou s administrative experience is required

Special Skills and Knowledge Recommended:

• Abilit y to evaluate instructional programs and teaching effectiveness
• Knowledg e of curriculum development and constructivist, project-based instructio n
• Exceptiona l communication , organizational, publi c relations and interpersonal skills
• Abilit y to exercise good judgment i n decision-makin g

: x^V Manar a Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application S 7

i £(' T \ ^ '
[MANARA)
 • Abilit y to interpret policy, procedures an d data
• Knowledg e in the selection, training, supervision and evaluation of personnel
• Knowledg e of laws, rules, procedures an d programs specificall y related to the operation of
charter school s

Experience:
Minimum three years of successful experience as a classroom teacher
Previous administrative experience is required

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Manage s th e overall daily activities, operations an d resources o f the charte r schoo l fo r a
safe, efficien t an d effective learnin g environment.
• Regularl y consult s wit h teachin g staf f an d committee s abou t planning , operation ,
supervision an d evaluatio n o f Manar a programs . Includ e student s an d communit y
representatives whe n appropriate .
• Monito r the instructional program b y reviewing teacher lesso n plans, observin g classroo m
instruction on a regular basis an d providing written feedback , conferencing with staff and
carefully analyzin g assessment data related to student academic performance .
• Provid e a positiv e imag e an d maintai n a wor k environmen t conduciv e t o positiv e staf f
morale.
• Communicat e and practice good listenin g skill s and be receptive to suggestions and input
from staff , student s an d parents and work with them to successfully resolve conflict.
• Demonstrat e a n understanding an d commitment t o th e school' s mission . Collaborativel y
build, with staff, a common visio n for school improvement.
• Provid e leadershi p tha t produce s desire d result s an d significan t improvemen t i n studen t
academic achievement .
• Asses s variou s aspects of the school program an d effectively use the resultant information
to implemen t action s tha t improv e learnin g an d provid e a n orderl y an d purposefu l
environment.
• Defin e expectation s fo r staf f (e.g . routin e procedures , classroo m management ,
instructional strategies , an d communicatio n with the publi c an d personal contribution s to
positive staf f morale ) and promot e hig h expectations fo r staff an d student s in an enabling
supportive manner .
• Assis t th e Busines s Manage r t o develo p a n annua l budge t base d o n progra m needs ,
estimated enrollment , staffing an d othe r fiscal needs ; implemen t program s withi n budget
limits; maintain fiscal control; accurately and responsibly report fisca l information.
• Communicat e studen t discipline expectations to staff, student s and parents and encourage
parent involvement in promoting responsible student behavior.
• Articulat e the school's mission to the community and solicit support in accomplishing it.
• Promot e a positive image o f the school and maintain a positive working relationshi p with
parents and other community members.
• Involv e parents an d other communit y members i n school activitie s through suc h avenue s
as PT A groups , Partner s i n Educatio n (PIE ) progra m an d othe r voluntee r wor k
opportunities.
• Compl y with all state and federal laws, local board policies, administrative guidelines and
the Texas Educators Code of Ethics.
• Demonstrat e trustworthines s in dealing with confidential matters.

: Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 5 0

 The above mentioned statement s describe the general purpose an d responsibilities assigned t o this
job an d are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

Business Manager Job Descriptio n

Reports to:
Principal

Job Goals :
Manara's Busines s Manage r i s responsibl e fo r al l matter s relate d t o fisca l an d administrativ e
procedures includin g all aspect s o f accounting , financia l reporting , stat e & federa l reporting an d
risk management

Salary Range:
• $45,00 0 - $55,00 0
• Th e Business Manage r wil l be contracted fo r 220 days, with an annual salar y approved by
the Board o f Directors

Education/Certifkathn:
• Bachelor' s degre e required
• Accountin g and Business background is required

Special Skills and Knowledge Recommended :

• Knowledg e of fund accountin g
• Experienc e with accounting and financial softwar e
• Non-profi t experience
• Excellen t communication skill s
• Abilit y to work independently
• Abilit y to perform multiple tasks
• Stron g organizational skills

Experience:
Three o r more year s experienc e i n accounting, bookkeeping an d busines s office , preferabl y in a
governmental or educational setting .

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Administer s and monitors day-to-day activities of business offic e
• Set s up and maintains chart of accounts
• Develop s and implements accounting policies and procedures
• Administer s the payroll and benefits package
• Perform s accounts payable, accounts receivable and cost disbursement dutie s
• Manage s th e automate d accountin g syste m fro m a n operationa l perspective , includin g
monthly closings, data control and systems accounting suppor t
• Examine s a variety o f financia l statement s fo r completeness, accurac y an d conformanc e

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

 with established procedur e
• Work s with PEIMS coordinator on midyear PEIMS submission (actual budget reporting)
• Work s with auditor for required annual audit(s)
The above mentioned statement s describ e the general purpose an d responsibilities assigne d to this job
and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

ci Submit , a s Attachmen t B . th e sponsorin g e n t i u ' s organi/aliono i char t Th e char t shoul d

i l l u s t r a t e al l curren t an d propose d operation s o f th e sponsorin g entil x including ; (I ) al l noii -
elutrler operation s i n whic h th e sponsorin g entii \ i s engaged : (2 ) othe r charie r school s tha t th e
sponsoring enli u operates : an d (?• ) th e operatio n o f th e propose d charte r school,

Please see Attachment B for Manara Academy' s organizationa l chart .

he salar v rasmcs . heneSHs . an d an v othe r form s o f compensatio n fo r schoo l olficer. s

i n c l u d i n g a n anal\si s ol'salar v an d beneih s Ib r school s comparabl e i n si/. e un d loenho n t o th e
proposed charte r sehoo

As even th e youngest o f children can aspir e an d exemplify Manara principles , s o too will they reac t
to examples tha t are inconsistent with these values . Manara Academy educate s b y example. As such ,
Manara Academ y staf f must exemplif y th e qualitie s we striv e to guid e ou r student s towards . I n th e
words o f our partne r ELS , w e ar e no t passenger s bu t a "crew". Therefore , idea s an d action s o f all
staff affec t th e cours e t o whic h w e stee r ourselves . A s w e trul y ar e "charting new waters " with ou r
unique emphasi s o n hig h academi c achievement , communicatio n excellence , foreig n language ,
ethical character an d stewardship, w e strive to attract and retain individuals who show enthusias m fo r
and commitment to these areas .

Manara i s committed t o recruitin g highly qualifie d staff , thos e wh o no t onl y meet TE A an d NCL B
criteria as it applies to charter schools, bu t who also possess th e following:
1. Educationa l credential s a s recognized by any one of the regional accreditin g agencie s locate d
throughout the United States, it s territories or recognized foreig n university or college
2. Relevan t experience
3. Motivationa l fi t wit h th e school' s missio n an d desig n an d a n understandin g o f th e
responsibilities of a charter school and the dedication to being a member of a founding facult y
4. Feedbac k evaluations

Potential employee s o f Manar a Academ y ma y resid e beyon d th e geographi c boundarie s o f th e

proposed locatio n in Irving, Texas. W e analyzed salary dat a fro m ES C Region 1 0 (Richardson), ES C
Region 1 1 (Fort Worth) , and Irvin g ISD. In addition to these three geographic segments , w e included
an analysis of charter school sample salaries.

,^"%'. Manar a Academy 1 4 Generation Charter Applicatio n

.&' T ^ '
[MANARA]
Public School s

Public Schoo l Distric t Salaries (2006-2007)

Function Region 1 0 Region 1 1
(Fort Worth) Irving
(Richardson)
Teachers $46,591 $46,808 $46,556
Professional Suppor t $55,743 $53,803 $55,340
Campus Administration $69,064 $67,052 $70,419
(School Leadership )
Central Administration $83,182 $85,415 $84,438

Charter School s

Irving Charter Schools Salarie s (2006-2007 )

Function Universal Academ y North Hill s
Teachers $37,735 $38,559
Professional Suppor t $34,071 $39,654
Campus Administration $23,500 $48,685
(School Leadership )

The above analysis provides a general overvie w of salaries in the market. Th e principal and business
manager coul d b e fal l eithe r within th e campu s administratio n o r centra l administratio n group . Th e
above analysi s show s tha t propose d salarie s ar e withi n th e marke t range s o f salar y data . Manar a
Academy will offer th e following salary ranges fo r school officers :

Manara Academy
Officer Positio n Salary Rang e
Principal $65,000 -$85,000
Business Manager $45,000 -$55,000

Final salary determination will be dependent upon multiple factors including, but not limited to:
1. Educatio n
2. Experienc e
3. Relevan t skills such as ELS experience, charte r school management, bilingual education
4. Accomplishments , awards, certifications and honors.

Manara Academ y compensatio n mode l wil l includ e a variabl e compensatio n performanc e tha t i s
based o n bot h individua l an d organizatio n performance . I n additio n t o th e salary , additiona l bonu s
will b e awarded according to the following :
1. Achievabl e goal s - 5 % bonus: The purpose o f this component i s to motivate individuals and
the organization t o achieve its goals. Upo n achieving individual and organizational goals , 5 %
of the base salar y will be awarded. Th e goals wil l be adopted fro m th e organization balance d
scorecard. I t i s expecte d thes e goal s ar e me t an d bonu s amoun t i s include d i n th e schoo l
budget.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 61

 2. Stretc h goal s - 5 % bonus : Th e purpos e o f thi s componen t i s t o stimulat e exceptiona l
individual and organization performance . The stretch goal s wil l be adopted fro m the balanced
scorecard. I t i s no t expecte d tha t al l individual s will mee t stretc h goals , i t i s budgete d tha t
50% of the individuals will receive the additional 5% bonus (i.e. total bonus of 10% ,
The benefit s wil l b e determine d an d reviewe d yearl y b y th e schoo l board . Th e schoo l boar d wil l
evaluate availabl e benefits at the end of each schoo l yea r and choose th e appropriate benefit s packag e
best suite d t o retai n schoo l officer s an d staff . The benefit s wil l includ e healt h insurance, retirement
participation (membershi p i n the Teacher Retiremen t System o f Texas) an d vacation /sic k policy.

Manara Academ y believes that continuous learning and process improvemen t ar e the key ingredients
for lon g ter m success . Learnin g i s on e o f Manar a Academ y strateg y pillar s an d i s on e o f th e
perspectives o f the balanced scorecar d use d to mange th e performance o f the charter school . Manar a
Academy wil l se t i n plac e th e followin g policie s t o increas e th e potentia l fo r schoo l officers '
development:
• Professiona l developmen t plans for all school officers wil l be developed annually
• Pursu e funding to support and facilitate achievin g professiona l development plans
• Participatio n i n EL S loca l an d nationa l professiona l developmen t an d th e principal' s
attendance a t the annual national conference
• Encourag e collaboratio n wit h communit y organizations , othe r charter , publi c an d privat e
schools to facilitate experience exchange and networking betwee n differen t entitie s
• Expec t schoo l officers to be current wit h professional readin g and literature (e.g. Educational
Leadership, Ph i Delta Kappan, Education Week)

The followin g opportunities ar e a non-comprehensiv e lis t o f development opportunitie s tha t wil l be

offered t o school officers:
• Partnershi p wit h EL S an d acces s t o thei r stat e o f th e art s research , trainin g materia l an d
education methodologie s
• Cros s training and knowledge exchange between staff officer s
• Seminar s offered b y other schools and guest speaker s
• Workshop s an d conference s organize d b y TEA , Regio n X an d othe r organization s suc h a s
Charter School conference .
• Externa l training, college course s and other continuing learning opportunities

Because o f th e natur e o f ou r uniqu e educationa l design, Manar a Academ y wil l striv e t o provid e a
baseline and continuing pla n for staff training, development an d empowerment. Manar a Academy' s
professional developmen t program wil l reflect our stron g and sustaine d commitmen t t o an d belief i n
our schoo l officers ' abilit y t o shap e an d influenc e thei r staf f an d student' s experienc e throug h
leadership based trainings.

An importan t exampl e o f Manara' s commitmen t t o staf f developmen t i s ou r partnershi p wit h

Expeditionary Learnin g Outward Boun d (ELS). Their training has been recognize d fo r excellence b y
the Nationa l Staf f Developmen t Council . EL S fiel d director s an d schoo l designer s wil l provid e
intensive on-sit e an d off-sit e professiona l development so tha t Manar a schoo l officer s wil l posses s

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application

the skill s t o b e stron g leader s i n a schoo l wher e subject s ar e taugh t throug h a challengin g se t o f
connected, real-worl d project s called learning expeditions.

Expeditionary Learnin g will offe r u s a n extensiv e progra m o f professiona l developmen t s o that ou r

teachers an d administrator s ca n strengthe n instructio n an d schoo l culture , engag e student s i n
multidisciplinary academi c curriculu m and asses s an d rais e achievement . Th e off-sit e professiona l
development course s reference d abov e wil l complemen t th e extensiv e on-sit e an d regiona l
programming offered . ELS' s off-sit e professiona l developmen t wil l giv e Manar a schoo l officer s
powerful "learnin g b y doing" experiences characterize d b y total immersion i n new conten t i n a new
environment with new colleagues .

A sample of Manara's Baselin e Training and Skills Inventory is listed below :

1. Earl y i n the year , Manar a administratio n and EL S consultant s wil l mee t wit h staf f to conduc t
a skills inventory.
2. Al l Manar a ful l tim e teacher s an d administratio n wil l atten d a weeklong , on-sit e EL S
"Summer Institute " t o develo p expedition s tha t emanat e fro m a guidin g questio n an d ar e
designed t o mee t th e learnin g standard s o f eac h grade . Typicall y durin g thi s week , th e
integration o f multipl e subject s acros s curriculu m conten t areas , authenti c assessment ,
classroom management, th e role of literacy in expeditions and other strategies ar e discussed .
3. Manar a Administratio n will attend a n ELS Principal/Leadership Institut e prior to the openin g
of the school .

Additional Ongoing Training/Professional Developmen t

ELS offer s a wid e rang e o f specialized training institutes , conference s an d seminar s tha t Manara' s
officers an d teacher s wil l striv e t o atten d a s fund s allow . W e recogniz e tha t th e commitmen t t o
successful implementatio n o f EL S require s a stron g commitmen t t o training , an d thi s i s wher e w e
will prioritize our resources. Staff will be rotated through the different offerings , a s possible, ove r the
life of the charter .

Manara Academ y wil l adap t a n innovativ e performanc e managemen t methodology , namel y th e

Balanced Scorecard . The Balanced Scorecar d framewor k allow s organizations to formulate, manag e
and plan for executing their strategy. Multiple researc h effort s sho w that the mos t common caus e fo r
failing organization s (fo r profi t o r non-profit ) i s failin g t o execut e thei r strategy . Th e founder s o f
Manara Academ y followe d th e Balance d Scorecar d framewor k t o translat e th e schoo l visio n an d
mission into specific objective s a t various levels of the organization.

The ultimat e objectiv e a t Manar a Academ y i s t o reac h it s visio n b y successfull y achievin g an d

sustaining the mission. Manar a Academy established th e strategy map shown in Figure 1 to facilitate
achieving it s strategy . On e o f th e basi c principle s behin d th e Balance d Scorecar d framewor k i s t o
establish specifi c objective s tha t wil l provid e th e pat h t o reac h th e vision . Thes e objective s ar e
divided into five different perspectives :

Manara Academy 14 l Generatio n Charte r Application

1. Financia l Health : Include s buildin g an d administratin g accountability systems , developin g
and managing human capital and allocating resources in alignment with the strategy.
2. Huma n Resources : Include s recruitin g and re-trainin g teachers, sharin g bes t practice s an d
using performance data to guide decisions and create accountability.
3. Stakeholde r Involvement : Include s th e understandin g o f ho w cultures , resources ,
stakeholders an d environments reinforce eac h other and support the deployment of strategy in
the school . Stakeholder s includ e parents, schoo l board, communit y and advocac y group s and
policy makers.
4. Administratio n an d Educatio n Process : I n orde r t o improv e studen t achievement , best -
practice administratio n an d educatio n processe s nee d t o b e adopte d i n increasin g teachers '
skills and knowledge, engag e student s i n learning, leverage the strength s of divers e students '
cultures and make sure that the curriculum challenges students academically .
5. Studen t Achievement : Studen t achievemen t i s th e ultimat e goa l an d lon g ter m visio n o f
Manara Academy . Studen t achievemen t include s excellin g i n thre e differen t objectives :
academic excellence, character building and community building.

The studen t achievemen t perspectives constitut e the ultimat e goa l a t Manar a Academy . Th e othe r
perspectives constitut e th e pat h tha t wil l suppor t achievin g Manar a Academy' s missio n o n a
consistent an d sustainabl e basis . Objective s acros s thes e perspective s ar e relate d throug h a causa l
effect. A t the highest level , Manara Academy needs to maintain its financial health, which will enable
investing i n it s huma n resources . Next , qualifie d huma n resource s wil l attrac t an d improv e
stakeholders' involvemen t a t Manar a Academy . Wit h stron g financia l health , stakeholde r
involvement an d continuousl y trained human resources , Manar a wil l excel i n it s administrative and
education processes . Finally , the effectiv e an d efficien t administrativ e an d educatio n proces s wil l
facilitate student s i n achievin g excellenc e i n academics , characte r an d communit y building . This
strategy is outlined in the strategy map.

The abov e explain s th e strateg y adopte d b y Manar a Academ y t o achiev e an d sustai n it s mission.
Executing the strategy and mapping it to each employee's rol e are the biggest challenge s to achieving
an organizational mission. The next step would be to translate Manara's Strategy Map into actionabl e
items executed throughou t the organization . The step i s formulate d through establishin g a Balance d
Scorecard fo r Manar a Academy . Th e balance d scorecar d i s constructe d b y identifyin g specifi c
measures for each objective on the strategy map. A sample Balanced Scorecard is outlined in Table
1.

Manara Academy 14 th Generatio n Charter Application

Table 1: Balanced Scorecard
Objective
Student Achievement Perspective
Excellence i n Reading, Math, Socia l
Studies and Science
Character Building
Community Building
Administrative and Academic Processes Perspective
Foreign Languag e
Instructional Bes t Practice s an d
Techniques
Leveraging Divers e Culture s
Stakeholder Involvement Perspectiv e
Enriching and Safe Environment
Parental Satisfactio n an d Involvement
Community Partnershi p
Competent an d Productiv e Staf f
Human Resources Perspective
Improve School Effectiveness
Leveraging Technology Innovation s
Staff satisfactio n
Continues Staff Improvemen t
Financial Health
Effective Fun d raising
Comply wit h Financial Regulation
Sound Fisca l Managemen t
Measure Target Actual
% success o n standardized tests
# of students achieving Commended
Performance Leve l on TAK S
# of students receiving local an d
national award s
Students Characte r Ratin g
# o f students involved in character
building activities
# o f student voluntee r hours
# o f community service project s
Foreign Languag e test scores
# of EL S principles adopted in school
# of cultural events durin g the year .
# o f severe discipline incidents in the
school
PEIMS annua l inciden t repor t
# of parent voluntee r hours
Parent response s o n survey s
# of local organization s involve d with
Manara Academ y
% of key teachers retaine d
# of effective initiative s taken b y
teachers
% of students accessing multiple
information source s o n project s an d
in classroom activities
% o f satisfied personne l response s o n
survey
% of staff completin g required
training objective s
% of school revenue s from fun d
raising
Financial audit results
% of school fund s spent on educatio n
staff

The abov e scorecar d is a sampl e scorecar d for Manar a Academ y tha t wil l be establishe d annually .
Measurement an d target s ma y var y yearl y accordin g t o multipl e variables . Thi s scorecar d wil l b e
cascaded dow n fo r individual scorecards enablin g staf f to recognize ho w and what they need to do to

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 65

achieve Manar a Academy' s mission . Th e principal wil l us e Manar a Academy' s Scorecar d a s hi s o r
her balance d scorecar d fo r th e year . Th e principa l wil l i n tur n wor k wit h staf f an d establis h a
balanced scorecar d fo r eac h individual . For example , continuou s staf f improvemen t i s an objectiv e
that is measured b y the percentage o f staff completing required training program. Th e following is an
example (Tabl e 2 ) o f ho w tha t strategi c objectiv e i s cascade d dow n t o variou s individual s i n th e
organization.

Table 2:
Role Objective Measure Target
Principal Attend Charte r Schoo l Successful trainin g completion 100%
Training
Business Improve Charte r schoo l Number o f classe s successfull y complete d 4
Manager fi seal managemen t and attendance a t TEA training
knowledge
Arabic Attend bilingua l instruction Number of training hours 6
Teacher delivery training
Grade leve l Attend EL S trainin g an d Number of interna l session s conducte d to I/week
teachers educate other teacher s improve EL S understandin g throughou t
Manara Academ y

At this stage , eac h individua l at Manara Academ y wil l have specifi c objectives and measures. Thes e
objectives an d measures ar e linked to Manara' s strateg y enablin g efficient executio n of the strategy .
In addition , eac h staf f membe r a t Manar a Academ y woul d understan d his/he r rol e an d ho w t o
contribute t o achievin g an d sustainin g th e missio n o f Manar a Academy . Figur e 2 belo w illustrates
how th e balance d scorecar d framewor k i s use d t o translat e Manar a Academy' s visio n an d missio n
into it s strategy. Next, the strateg y is translated int o measurable objective s at the schoo l level . Thes e
objectives ar e cascade d dow n t o eac h individua l accordin g t o thei r rol e i n th e organization . Th e
framework no t only provides a n efficient performanc e measuremen t an d appraisal framework, it also
allows members in the organization to understand how and what they need t o do to reach th e overall
organization's vision.

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 66

 Manara Academy
Vision and
Mission

Manara Academ y
Strategy Ma p

Manara Academ y
Balanced Scorecard

Figure 2 - Translatin g Manara Academ y mission into actionable individualized objectives

The balance d scorecar d framewor k is being used b y multiple non-profit an d educationa l institution s
including TEA . Manara' s primar y objectiv e i s t o achiev e studen t goals . However , t o sustai n an d
ensure long term achievement o f student goals, othe r performance perspectives will be considered i n
the balanced scorecar d framework.

The balance d scorecar d shoul d includ e objective s tha t wil l addres s measurin g an d improvin g th e
following items described i n Sec 12.11 8 (Evaluation of open enrollment charter schools) :
• Students ' scores on assessment instruments administered unde r Subchapter B, Chapter 39
• Studen t attendance
• Students ' grades
• Incident s involving student discipline
• Socioeconomi c data on students' families
• Parents ' satisfaction with their children's schools
• Students ' satisfaction wit h their schools
• Th e costs o f instruction, administration and transportation incurred b y open-enrollment charte r
schools

Evaluation of the principal

The evaluation o f the schoo l principa l will be performed annually by the board . At the beginning of
each year , Manar a Academy' s boar d an d th e schoo l principa l will meet an d agre e o n the goal s and
measures fo r th e schoo l principa l fo r th e year . Th e outpu t o f thi s meetin g wil l b e th e balance d
scorecard fo r the school. Th e balanced scorecard wil l be based o n fulfillin g th e vision and mission of
Manara Academy . Th e principa l wil l b e responsibl e t o achiev e th e school' s target s an d evaluate d
based o n those targets . Th e performance will be reviewed as needed durin g monthly board meetings.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 67

A forma l revie w wil l b e conducte d biannuall y (a t mi d an d en d o f year ) t o evaluat e th e principal' s
performance during the current school year.

The evaluation of the principal will be based o n actual performance an d feedbac k from stakeholder s
including parents , teachers and staff. Th e boar d will identify the process of gatherin g thi s feedbac k
yearly (e.g. direct interviews, anonymous surveys, unplanned visits, etc) .

Evaluation o f other school officer s

The principa l wil l b e responsibl e fo r evaluatin g an d managin g th e performanc e o f othe r schoo l
officers. Th e principa l wil l creat e th e balance d scorecar d fo r schoo l officers , an d revie w th e
performance for school officers accordingly.

The boar d o f Manar a Academ y understand s they are ultimately responsible an d accountabl e fo r th e
school performance . The board o f Manara Academ y is responsible o f ensuring the satisfaction of the
following stakeholders :

1. Th e commissioner of education and representative of the commissione r of education entity .

The board understands that it is ultimately accountable fo r the annual reviews conducted by
the commissioner of education.
2. Th e parents and students wh o chose Manara Academy to provide education and learnin g to
the students
3. Teacher s and school principal operating the school to reach Manara Academy' s vision
4. Partner s providin g service s an d suppor t t o improv e th e efficienc y o f achievin g Manar a
Academy's mission.

The rol e of th e boar d i s to se t policy that wil l facilitat e achievin g thes e objectives . Th e principa l o f
the schoo l i s responsible for executing the strategie s to achiev e th e require d performance of Manara
Academy. Th e board o f directors wil l hold th e school principa l accountable fo r all aspects o f schoo l
operations. Th e principa l ma y delegat e som e o f hi s o r he r dutie s to th e assistan t principal , othe r
school officers o r teachers; however , the principal will be accountable to the board of directors for the
performance of Manara Academy.

The school officers and the governing bodie s of Manara Academy understand that they are ultimatel y
responsible fo r th e followin g items liste d below : (detaile d explanatio n o f eac h i s include d in thi s
section)
• Studen t and school performance;
• Managemen t and administrative practices;
• Studen t attendance accounting reporting requirements;
• Complianc e wit h generall y accepted accountin g principles and generally accepte d standard s
of fiscal management;
• Complianc e wit h specia l educatio n an d bilingual/Englis h a s a secon d language (ESL )
program requirements;

^ Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

IMAHARA'I
 • Financia l accounting reportin g requirements, including grant reporting requirements ;
• Reportin g requirements , includin g thos e throug h th e Publi c Educatio n Informatio n
Management System (PE1MS);
• Reportin g annual school an d student performance to students, parents an d the public; and
• Distributin g to parents informatio n related to the qualifications of each professional employe e
of the program , includin g an y professiona l o r educationa l degre e hel d b y eac h employee , a
statement o f an y certificatio n unde r Subchapte r B , Chapte r 21 , hel d b y eac h employe e an d
any relevant experience o f each employee.

The Boar d o f Director s o f the sponsorin g entit y and the schoo l officer s ar e awar e o f their role s and
compliance responsibilitie s for the following items (i.e., items 1 through 9):

1. Studen t and schoo l performance :

The school officer s wil l be accountable fo r the performance of the school campu s an d will report
to th e principal . A s par t o f th e annua l evaluatio n process , goals , benchmark s an d assessmen t
instruments wil l b e clearl y delineate d fo r measuremen t agains t actua l performance . Baselin e
testing usin g a nor m reference d pre-test/post-tes t wil l benchmar k an d measur e studen t
performance o n a national scale ; TAKS/TAK. S Alt. and TELPAS will measur e performanc e o n
achieving stat e academi c standards ; performanc e indicator s necessar y fo r th e Academi c
Excellence Indicato r Syste m (AEIS ) wil l b e compiled ; an d al l academi c performanc e dat a
requested an d receive d b y TE A fo r charte r school s wil l b e submitte d throug h th e Publi c
Education Informatio n Managemen t Syste m (PEIMS ) as require d b y th e state . Thes e objectiv e
measurements wil l b e use d t o evaluat e th e performanc e o f th e principa l an d hol d he r o r hi m
accountable to the board for student and school performance. Th e principal will be responsible to
the Board o f Directors for student success an d academic performance fo r the school .

2. Managemen t and administrative practices:

The Principa l wil l b e hel d accountabl e t o th e Sponsorin g Entit y fo r managemen t an d
administrative practice s o f th e school . Th e Busines s Manage r wil l b e hel d accountabl e fo r th e
management and administrative practices o f the business office .

3. Studen t attendanc e accounting reportin g requirements:

The Boar d o f Director s an d th e principa l are responsibl e fo r th e safekeepin g o f al l attendanc e
records and reports liste d i n the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook. Studen t records mus t
be readil y availabl e fo r audi t b y th e Schoo l Financia l Audit s Divisio n o f th e Texa s Educatio n
Agency. Auditor s hav e th e authorit y to examin e attendanc e record s fo r an y yea r th e distric t i s
required to retain records.

4. Complianc e wit h generall y accepte d accountin g principle s an d generall y accepte d

standards of fiscal management :
Consistent wit h our stewardshi p guidin g principle , fiscal management o f Manar a Academ y wil l
be i n accordanc e wit h soun d busines s practice s an d th e highes t ethica l standards . A qualifie d
Business Manage r wil l b e employe d t o implemen t th e fisca l policie s an d t o manag e financia l
procedures fo r Manar a Academy . Th e Busines s Manager , o r his/he r agent , wil l maintai n th e
accounting records using a commercial fund accountin g software program. Manar a Academ y will
utilize softwar e system s tha t wil l facilitat e efficien t accountin g practice s an d facilitat e dat a

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

(MAINlAKAj
 extraction fo r PEIM S reporting . Th e boar d o f director s wil l overse e al l aspect s o f th e fisca l
management an d hav e th e Principa l an d Busines s Manage r develo p financia l statement s an d
accounting documentatio n tha t ensur e complianc e wit h stat e an d federa l reportin g guidelines .
The principal is to ensure that generally accepted accountin g principles and standards are adhered
to an d wil l have th e assistanc e o f a n attendance clerk . Th e attendanc e cler k wil l maintain dail y
attendance and perform other clerical duties.

5. Complianc e wit h specia l educatio n an d bilingual/Englis h a s a secon d languag e (ESL )

program requirements:
It i s th e polic y o f th e Sponsorin g Entit y tha t th e Boar d o f Director s an d Schoo l Officer s shal l
identify student s with disabilities and ensur e that the schoo l develop s an d implement s an 1E P for
each o f it s identifie d students . Th e schoo l officer s shal l ensur e tha t th e schoo l establishe s and
implements procedural safeguard s that meet th e requirements of the appropriate educatio n codes.
In addition , the schoo l officer s shal l monitor compliance through procedures suc h a s revision o f
documentation, writte n reports an d parent questionnaires .

Finally, th e schoo l officer s wil l b e responsibl e fo r ensurin g tha t a n identifie d chil d wit h a
disability, who is placed in the school program , is provided specia l educatio n an d related services :
1) in conformance with an IE P that meets the requirements of appropriate education codes, an d
2) at no cost to the parents.

Manara Academy' s boar d of directors understands that ES L students ar e critica l to achievin g its
vision. I n Irvin g IS O (wher e Manar a Academ y i s located) , 33 % o f th e student s ar e enrolle d i n
bilingual/ESL educatio n programs . I n addition , Manara Academy' s boar d ha s observe d specifi c
interest fro m divers e cultura l backgrounds , whic h ar e likel y t o requir e enrollmen t i n ES L
programs.

It is the policy o f the Sponsorin g Entity that ever y studen t a t Manara Academ y wh o has a home
language surve y othe r tha n Englis h an d wh o i s identifie d a s limite d Englis h proficient shal l b e
provided a full opportunit y to participate i n a bilingual education o r English as a second languag e
program, a s required i n the Texa s Educatio n Code , Chapte r 29 , Subchapte r B . T o ensure equa l
educational opportunity , a s require d i n th e Texa s Educatio n Code, §1.002(a) , th e schoo l wil l
under direct supervision o f the principal : 1 ) identify limite d English proficien t students based o n
criteria establishe d b y the state ; 2) provide bilingual educatio n o r English a s a second languag e
programs, a s integra l part s o f th e regula r progra m a s describe d i n th e Texa s Educatio n Code ,
§4.002; 3 ) seek certifie d teaching personnel t o ensur e that limite d Englis h proficient student s are
afforded lul l opportunit y t o master th e essential skill s an d knowledge required by the state; an d 4)
assess achievemen t fo r essentia l skill s an d knowledg e i n accordanc e wit h th e Texa s Educatio n
Code, Chapter 39, to ensure accountability for limited English proficient students.

6. Financia l accountin g reporting requirements, including gran t reporting requirements:

The principal will prepare or oversee the preparation of a calendar fo r the Sponsoring Entity that
includes all grant expenditure requirements to be reported to the TEA. Th e Business Manager
will provide timely mid-year and/or final accounting reports to the TEA following the codes set
forth i n the "Special Supplemen t to Financial Accounting and Reporting Nonprofit Charter
School Chart of Accounts". Th e Business Manager will be held accountable for the results of the

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application - ™

 external audit. Exception s note d by external audito r will be reported t o the Board of Director s
and will be considered durin g the annual review.

7. Reportin g requirements , includin g thos e throug h th e Publi c Educatio n Informatio n

Management System (PEIMS):
To ensur e compliance wit h al l TE A rule s and regulation s Manara Academ y wil l hav e a PEIMS
coordinator o n campus . Th e PEIM S Coordinato r wil l collec t an d collat e dat a an d prepar e th e
necessary PEIM S submissio n reports . Th e principa l will overse e th e proces s t o ensur e tha t al l
reports are prepared in a timely fashion and are accurate.

8. Reportin g annual school and student performance to students, parents and the public:
The Sponsorin g Entit y will hav e th e principa l prepare a n annua l repor t t o infor m th e students ,
parents an d the publi c in a public meeting (i.e. , a n ope n hous e a t the schoo l location ) abou t th e
educational performance of the school. Th e annual report must include the performance rating of
the school. Th e report shal l include a comparison provide d b y the Texa s Educatio n Agenc y of a
variety o f performance, student , staf f and financia l information . Supplementa l informatio n to b e
included in the reports shal l be determined by the Sponsoring Entity.

9. Distributin g t o parent s informatio n relate d t o th e qualification s o f eac h professiona l

employee o f th e program , includin g an y professiona l o r educationa l degre e hel d b y eac h
employee, a statemen t o f any certificatio n unde r Subchapte r B , Chapter 21 , hel d b y eac h
employee an d an y relevant experience of each employee :
It wil l b e th e polic y o f th e Sponsorin g Entit y t o hir e highl y qualifie d teacher s fo r Manar a
Academy. Th e principa l wil l ensur e tha t notificatio n i s provide d t o parent s abou t th e
qualifications o f thei r students ' teachers . Th e schoo l wil l als o hol d on-sit e publi c meetings t o
introduce every Manara teacher. Manar a Academ y will provide each parent wit h a timely notice
in the event that his/her child has been assigned or has been taught for more than four consecutive
weeks by a teacher who is not "highly qualified". Th e notice and information provided t o parent s
will b e i n a n understandabl e an d unifor m forma t and , t o th e exten t practicable , provide d i n a
language that the parents can understand.

Provide complet e jo b descriptions . Jncludinii icuwre d qualifications , lo r ai l teacher s an d othe i

nsimclioiiul )b descnniion s and q u a l i f i c a t i o n s to r cor e academi c subjec t are a
:uchcrs an d non-cor e academi c subjec t are a teacher s JilTer . pleas e includ e I

All teacher s wil l b e qualifie d accordin g t o th e federa l definitio n o f "highl y qualifie d teacher "
included i n the NCLB Act of 2001. Al l teachers will b e on a one-year contract. Desire d qualitie s and
qualifications fo r Manara staff includ e but are not limite d t o the following :
• Experienc e wit h a variet y o f instructiona l approache s includin g project-base d learning ,
differentiated instructio n that is thematic and speaks to students of multiple intelligences;
• Interes t or expertise in technology;
• Bi - or multilingual skills; and
• Experienc e working with a diverse student population.

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application 7 1

Additionally, individual s desirin g t o join the Manar a Academ y Tea m wil l find their commitmen t t o
Manara most fulfilling i f they also exemplify th e following traits, attitudes and behaviors :

1. Solv e problems (rather than just identifie s them) - innovative;

2. Commi t to actively engage wit h parents and staff ;
3. Striv e for personal growt h an d development;
4. Adjus t to changes an d adapts;
5. Functio n as a team player who thinks independently yet works well collaboratively;
6. Enjo y a high degree of autonomy and can participate in a community of shared leadership;
7. Striv e for excellence in work;
8. Believ e in the potential o f each chil d and is enthusiastic about children;
9. Demonstrat e good work ethic;
10. Have a personal sense of direction and tenacity that will lea d to success;
11. Accept responsibilit y an d views mistakes as opportunities for improvement ;
12. Commit to contribute talents to effect positiv e change in the schoo l or community;
13. Communicate effectivel y fo r the betterment of the Manara Academy learnin g environment;
14. Detest complacency an d strives for continual improvement; and seeks to gain and disseminat e
knowledge.

Instructional Guide/Coach Job Description

Reports to:
Principal

Job Goals:
• Mode l instructiona l strategies . Wor k wit h teacher s a t thei r individua l level s o f
implementation, provide professional development to teachers to enhanc e thei r skill s and
assist i n the evaluatio n of program effectiveness base d o n th e succes s an d accountability
criteria

Salary Range:
• $40,000-$50,00 0
• Half-tim e during the 1st year.
• Full-tim e by the 2 n academi c year . Instructiona l guid e wil l b e o n one-yea r (18 7 days)
contracts with salary approved by the Board of Directors.

Education/Certification:
• Bachelor' s degre e is required, preferred Master's degree
• Teache r Certificatio n i s recommende d o r othe r evidenc e o f sufficien t skill s t o mee t th e
definition o f "highly qualified teacher"

Special Skills and Knowledge Recommended:

• Experienc e with a variet y o f instructiona l approaches includin g project-base d learning ,
differentiated instructio n that is thematic and speaks t o students of multiple intelligences
• Posses s a strong working knowledge of curriculum and instruction
• Bi - or multilingual skills

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application 7 9

MANARA]
 • Exceptiona l organizational, communicatio n and interpersonal skill s
• Willingnes s to participate actively on a small team of committed educator s
• Self-critical , reflective an d dedicated to personal and professional growt h
• Stron g written and verbal communication skills
• Show s initiative : willin g to go above and beyond job responsibilities

Experience:
• A t least three or more years of teaching experience.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Act s as an onsite ELS liaison
• Facilitat e relationshi p and communication channel with ELS
• Mentor , coach and support teachers
• Develo p in-house training for the teaching staff
• Atten d educational workshops and conferences
• Hel p to integrate innovative techniques and best practices int o the curriculum
• Perfor m othe r responsibilities as needed for the success of the school
• Creat e an d maintai n a professiona l relationshi p wit h colleagues , students , parent s an d
community leader s
• Solv e problems (rather than just identifies them)
• Striv e for personal growth and development
• Commi t to contribute talents to effect positiv e change in the school or community
• Resolv e conflicts and upholds personal convictions through the use of positive attitude
• Parent s have the right to question the proper qualifications of their child's teacher. A t the
parent's request , th e principa l ca n provid e th e qualification s tha t thei r child' s teache r
posses in a standard forma t

The above mentioned statements describe th e general purpose and responsibilities assigned t o this job
and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

Teacher Job Description

Reports to:
Principal

Job Goals:
• Al l teacher s wil l b e qualifie d according t o th e federa l definitio n o f "highl y qualifie d
teacher" included in the No Chil d Lef t Behin d Act of 2001. Al l teachers' wil l be expected
to utiliz e highly effectiv e method s o f instruction to stimulat e students ' intellectual , moral
and socia l growth .

Salary Range:
• $35,000-$45,00 0
• Teacher s wil l be on one-year (18 7 days) contract s wit h salary approve d b y the Boar d o f
Directors.

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 7 3

 Education/Certification:
• Bachelor' s Degree is required
• Teache r Certificatio n i s recommende d o r othe r evidenc e o f sufficien t skill s t o mee t th e
definition o f "highly qualified teacher "

Special Skills and Knowledge Recommended:

• Experienc e wit h a variet y o f instructiona l approache s includin g project-base d learning ,
differentiated instructio n that is thematic and speaks to students of multiple intelligences
• Posses s a strong working knowledge of curriculum and instruction
• Bi - or multilingual skills
• Exceptiona l organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
• Effectiv e classroo m management skill s
• Willingnes s to participate actively on a small team of committed educator s
• Self-critical , reflective an d dedicated t o personal and professional growt h
• Stron g writte n an d verbal communicatio n skill s
• Show s initiative ; willin g to go above and beyond job responsibilities
• Experienc e working with a diverse student population, including underserved student s

Experience:
• A t least one or more years of teaching experience.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Teac h respectiv e academic are a
• Hel p create and refine school standard s and curriculum
• Perfor m other responsibilities as needed for the success o f the school
• Design , writ e an d use lesson plan s that alig n with school' s missio n an d accommodate fo r
all learner s
• Establis h communication rappor t wit h parents, students , principal s and teachers
• Creat e an d maintai n a professiona l relationshi p wit h colleagues , students , parent s an d
community leaders
• Solv e problems (rather than just identifies them ) - innovativ e
• Striv e for personal growth and development
• Commi t t o contribute talents to effect positiv e change in the school or community
• Resolv e conflicts and upholds personal convictions through the use of positive

The above mentioned statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job
and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

i) i . x p l a i n th e manne r i n \\hie h th e schoo l w i l l disirnul c t o parent s ir.lormatio n relate d i n th e

qualifications o i eac h professiona l employ e o f th e program , i n c l u d i n g an \ degre e

It will be the policy of the Sponsoring Entit y to hire highly qualified teacher s fo r Manara Academy .

Manara Academ y 14 l Generation Charter Applicatio n 7 4

MANA.RAJ
Parents have the right to verif y prope r qualifications of their child's teacher . A t the parent' s request ,
the principal wil l provide the qualifications that their child's teacher posse s i n a standard format.

The principa l wil l ensur e tha t notificatio n i s provide d t o parent s abou t th e qualification s o f thei r
students' teachers .

The schoo l wil l als o hol d o n sit e publi c meeting s t o introduc e ever y Manar a teacher . Manar a
Academy wil l provid e eac h paren t wit h a timel y notic e i n th e even t tha t his/he r chil d ha s bee n
assigned o r ha s bee n taugh t fo r more tha n fou r consecutiv e week s b y a teache r wh o i s not "highl y
qualified". Th e notic e and information provided to parents will be i n an understandable an d uniform
format and , to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents ca n understand.

j) Discus s ih c snkir x rano.es , benefits , an d a m othe r Jorni s o f compensatio n lor teachers , i n c l u d i n g

in analvsi s o f salar \ an d b e n e f i t s l o hools comparabl e m M/ e an d locatio n l o th e proposes .

The followin g i s a n analysi s o f salar y range s i n ES C 1 0 (Richardson), ES C 1 1 (For t Worth ) an d

Irving ISD.

Average Teache r Salary for ESC Region 1 0 (Richardson/Dallas)

Experience Region State
Beginning Teacher s $40,894 $38,095
1-5 Years Experienc e $42,250 $39,880
6-10 Years Experienc e $44,317 $42,380
1 1-20 Years Experience $48,782 $47,042
Over 20 Years Experienc e $58,250 $55,028

Average Teacher Salary for ESC Region 1 1 (Fort Worth)

Experience Average Salar y
Beginning Teacher s $40,981
1-5 Years Experience $42,426
6-10 Year s Experience $44,411
1 1-20 Years Experienc e $48,345
Over 20 Years Experience $57,400

Average Teache r Salary for Irving ISD

Experience Average Salar y
Beginning Teacher s $42,657
1-5 Years Experienc e $43,243
6-10 Years Experience $45,109
1 1-20 Years Experience $49,378
Over 20 Years Experienc e $59,798

Teacher Salaries for Universal Academy/ Dalla s

Experience Average Salary

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Applicatio n 75

(MANARA!
Beginning Teachers $35,500
1-5 Years Experience $37,773
6-10 Years Experience $39,045
1 1-20 Years Experience $40,667
Over 20 Years Experience $40,250

Teacher Salaries for North Hills

Experience Average Salary
Beginning Teachers $35,467
1-5 Years Experience $38,189
6-10 Year s Experience $39,847
1 1-20 Year s Experience $40,598
Over 20 Years Experience $52,491

Employment a t Manar a Academ y wil l b e "at-will" . Th e propose d salar y fo r Manar a Academ y

Teachers i s betwee n $35,00 0 an d $45,000 . Highe r salarie s ma y b e authorize d b y th e boar d fo r
exceptionally qualifie d teachers . Th e fina l salar y wil l be base d o n severa l factor s includin g but no t
limited to:
1. Year s of experienc e
2. Educatio n and certifications
3. Awards , honors and special professiona l achievement
4. Expertis e in different educatio n methodology such as ELS, Montessori , IB and others.

Manara Academ y compensatio n mode l wil l includ e a variabl e compensatio n performanc e tha t i s
based o n bot h individua l and organizatio n performance . In additio n to th e salary , additiona l bonu s
will be awarded according to the following :
a. Achievabl e goal s - 5 % bonus : Th e purpos e o f thi s componen t i s t o motivat e
individuals an d th e organizatio n to achiev e it s goals . Upo n achieving individua l and
organizational goals , 5 % of the base salar y will be awarded. Th e goals will be adopted
from th e organization balanced scorecard. I t is expected these goal s ar e met an d bonus
amount is included i n the school budget.
b. Stretc h goal s - 5 % bonus: The purpose o f this component is to stimulate exceptional
individual an d organizatio n performance. The stretc h goal s wil l b e adopte d fro m th e
balanced scorecard . I t is no t expecte d that all individual s will meet stretc h goals , it is
budgeted tha t 50 % o f th e individual s will receiv e the additiona l 5 % bonu s (i.e . total
bonus of 10% .

The benefit s wil l b e determine d an d reviewe d yearl y b y th e schoo l board . Th e schoo l boar d wil l
evaluate available benefit s at the end of eac h schoo l eac h yea r an d choose th e benefits package bes t
suited to retain school officers an d staff . Th e benefits will include health insurance (including vision),
retirement participation (membership in the Teacher Retiremen t Syste m of Texas) an d vacation /sick
policy.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Application 76

Because o f th e natur e o f ou r uniqu e educationa l design , Manar a Academ y wil l striv e to provid e a
baseline and continuing plan for staff training, development and empowerment. Researc h shows tha t
teachers whos e highe r educatio n i s concentrate d i n th e subjec t the y teac h an d whos e professiona l
development trainin g i s focuse d o n highe r orde r thinkin g skills , hands-o n learnin g an d teachin g
diverse studen t population s hav e a significan t impac t o n studen t achievement . Manar a Academy' s
professional developmen t program wil l reflect our stron g an d sustained commitmen t t o an d belief in
our teachers' abilit y to shape and influence their students' classroo m experience .

With this in mind, we intend to commit significan t tim e in the calendar an d daily schedule t o provide
teachers an d staf f acces s t o professiona l developmen t activities . During th e firs t year , teacher s wil l
have fou r week s i n th e summer , on e da y eac h mont h an d extende d block s o f tim e eac h da y fo r
planning an d professiona l development . W e wil l als o hav e a weekl y staf f meetin g t o addres s
administrative issue s i n orde r t o minimiz e intrusion s o n teachers ' professiona l developmen t time .
Moreover, th e principal , instructiona l guide/coach , medi a specialist , ar t teacher/coordinato r an d
special nee d coordinato r wil l all be resources to teachers fo r professional growth . I t will b e commo n
for staf f to visit classrooms informall y and provide teachers with regular feedback . W e plan to creat e
a culture where discussing teaching is not threatening to teachers but is, in fact, the norm.

Another importan t exampl e o f Manara' s commitmen t t o staf f developmen t i s ou r partnershi p wit h

Expeditionary Learnin g Outwar d Boun d (ELS). Their training has bee n recognized fo r excellence by
the Nationa l Staf f Developmen t Council . EL S fiel d director s an d schoo l designer s wil l provid e
intensive on-sit e an d off-sit e professiona l developmen t s o tha t al l Manar a facult y member s wil l
possess the instructional practices t o teach subject s through a challenging set of connected, real-worl d
projects called learnin g expeditions. Manara teachers wil l als o be trained on how to integrate literac y
into thes e learnin g expeditions , whic h i s a specia l featur e of th e EL S schoo l desig n an d i s deepl y
consistent with Manara's "excellence i n communication" goal.

Through a n extensiv e school-base d an d nationa l staf f developmen t program, Manar a teacher s wil l
learn ho w to create productive learning environments , creat e learnin g expedition s aligne d wit h stat e
standards and design activ e learning experiences that engage students in authentic application of their
knowledge an d skills . Expeditionar y Learnin g wil l offe r u s a n extensiv e progra m o f professiona l
development s o tha t ou r teacher s an d administrator s ca n strengthe n instructio n an d schoo l culture ,
engage student s in multidisciplinary academic curriculu m and assess and raise achievement. Th e off-
site professiona l developmen t course s reference d abov e wil l complemen t th e extensiv e on-sit e an d
regional programmin g offered . ELS' s off-sit e professiona l developmen t wil l giv e Manar a teacher s
powerful "learnin g b y doing" experience s characterize d b y total immersio n in new conten t i n a ne w
environment with new colleagues.

In additio n to ELS, Manar a Academ y wil l see k staf f developmen t fund s an d service s through grants
in area s suc h as , but no t limite d to, instructiona l deliver y techniques (especiall y thos e emphasizin g
differentiated instructio n and small collaborative groups), Specia l Need s Students , Englis h Languag e
Learners, foreig n language acquisition, technology integration , literacy, math, science , socia l studies ,
health/PE an d art . Manar a Academ y teacher s will b e encourage d t o tak e advantag e o f conten t ric h

;/^y% Manar a Academy 14 * Generation Charter Application 7 7

iMApjARAi
local courses i n areas such a s local history and the environment that will enable them to enhance an d
enrich their students' learnin g experience .

Finally, we will see k trainin g from othe r consultants as needed i n the areas o f literacy, mathematics ,
classroom managemen t an d othe r discipline s unique to Manar a Academy' s concep t suc h a s gende r
separation, fo r example . Teacher s wil l als o b e encourage d t o atten d an d shar e knowledg e an d
experiences tha t they have gaine d through their own professiona l association s an d contacts. I t is the
intent tha t Manar a Academ y train s it s Instructiona l Guide/Coach , a s needed , t o a hig h leve l i n al l
areas that Manara emphasizes . The intent her e is for the Instructional Guide/Coach t o eventually b e
able to function a s an in-house trainer.

A sample o f Manara's Baselin e Training and Skills Inventory is listed below:

1. Earl y i n th e year , Manara' s administratio n an d EL S consultant s wil l mee t wit h staf f t o

conduct a skills inventory.
2. Al l Manar a ful l tim e teacher s an d administrator s wil l atten d a weeklong , on-sit e EL S
"Summer Institute " t o develo p expedition s tha t emanat e fro m a guidin g questio n an d ar e
designed t o mee t th e learnin g standard s o f eac h grade . Typicall y durin g thi s week , th e
integration o f multipl e subject s acros s curriculu m conten t areas , authenti c assessment ,
classroom management , th e role of literacy in expeditions and other strategies are discussed .
3. Manar a administrator s an d EL S consultants wil l periodicall y evaluat e th e implementatio n o f
"expeditions" an d discuss with staf f areas o f improvement includin g modeling recommende d
teaching strategies as needed,
4. Base d o n the baseline skill s inventory, Manara teachers wil l also receive trainin g in key area s
of mat h an d literacy , classroo m management , servin g childre n wit h specia l need s an d othe r
techniques as needed.
5. Manar a Administrator s wil l attend a n ELS Principal/Leadership Institut e prio r to the openin g
of the school.

Additional Ongoing Training/Professional Developmen t

ELS offer s a wid e range o f specialized training institutes, conferences an d seminar s tha t Manara' s
administrators an d teachers wil l striv e to attend as funds allow . W e recognize tha t the commitment t o
successful implementatio n of EL S require s a stron g commitmen t t o training , an d thi s i s wher e w e
will prioritize ou r resources. Staf f will be rotated throug h the different offerings , as possible, over the
life of the charter.

1) Explai n th e meihod(s ) i h a t u i l l b e use d l o evaluat e teacher s an d oilie r instructional staiT .

Similar t o th e performanc e managemen t o f Manar a Academ y an d th e schoo l officers , th e balance d

scorecard framewor k wil l b e use d t o manag e teache r performance . Th e balance d scorecar d o f th e
school wil l be cascaded t o teachers. Eac h teacher will have a balanced scorecar d tha t i s linked to the
strategy o f Manar a Academy . Th e principa l an d eac h individua l teache r wil l develo p thei r ow n
scorecard a t th e beginnin g of eac h year . Th e principa l wil l develo p th e specifi c pla n an d detail s
regarding the frequency o f evaluating teachers .

Manara Academy 14 lh Generation Charter Application ™

MANARA
Manara Academy wil l utilize the guidance of ELS evaluation techniques (pleas e se e Appendix JJ ) i n
identifying appropriat e method s t o measur e an d evaluat e th e performanc e o f Manar a Academ y
personnel

PEIMS Coordinator / Secretary Job Descriptio n

Reports to:
Business Manage r

Job Goals:
• Th e PEIMS Coordinator/Secretar y wil l be responsible fo r the PEIMS submission an d student
reporting. H e o r sh e will maintain accurat e student record s an d provide clerica l service s fo r
administrative staff .

Salary Range:
• $25,000-$32,00 0
• Th e PEIM S Coordinator/Secretar y wil l b e contracte d annuall y fo r 22 0 days , wit h salar y
approved b y the Board of Directors .

Education/Certification:
• Hig h School Diploma required

Special Skills and Knowledge Recommended:

• Proficien t typing, words processing , and files maintenanc e
• Abilit y to utilize applicable softwar e
• Excellen t oral and written communication skills
• Abilit y to perform multiple tasks
• Stron g organizational skills

Experience:
• On e year or more secretaria l experience , preferabl y in public education environment .
• Experienc e with PEIMS is preferred

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Enter s student enrollment data into databas e
• Maintain s student cumulative files
• Verifie s studen t enrollmen t form s an d documents , recognize d discrepancie s an d take s
corrective actio n
• Collect s data/records require d to maintain system support
• Update s studen t cumulative folders
• Provide s clerical assistance to administrative staff

;
^f%"' Manar a Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 7 9
(MANAKAj
The above mentioned statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job
and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required.

benciits fo r schools comparable i n si/e and locatio n u > the- propose d charie r school .

Salary range s fo r PETM S coordinato r ar e no t specificall y specifie d i n TE A publi c reports . Othe r

public source s o f informatio n indicate s tha t th e salar y rang e fo r PEIM S coordinator / Attendanc e
officer i s between $26,000-543,000 .

The salar y rang e fo r th e PEIM S coordinato r a t Manar a Academ y wil l b e $25,000-$32,000 . A s

described earlier , th e benefit s wil l b e determine d an d reviewe d yearl y b y th e schoo l board . Th e
school boar d wil l evaluat e availabl e benefit s a t th e en d o f eac h schoo l eac h yea r an d choos e th e
benefits packag e bes t suite d t o retai n schoo l officer s an d staff . Th e benefit s wil l includ e healt h
insurance, retiremen t participatio n (membershi p i n th e Teache r Retiremen t Syste m o f Texas ) an d
vacation /sick policy .

Similar t o al l Manar a Academ y staff , ther e wil l b e a specifi c trainin g objectiv e o n th e PEIM S
coordinator's Balance d Scorecard . A specifi c trainin g pla n wil l b e pu t i n plac e accordin g t o th e
specific skil l set of each individual . Professional development for the PEIM S coordinato r is expecte d
to improv e knowledg e i n th e are a o f accounting , reportin g an d attendanc e trackin g tool s an d
processes. Th e PEIM S coordinato r wil l complet e trainin g wit h Regio n X Educationa l Service s
Center.

PI-.1 VIS coordinator , smdcn i attendanc e

The evaluatio n o f th e PEIM S coordinato r an d attendanc e staf f wil l b e conducte d b y th e busines s

manager. All staf f will be evaluated according t o the school performanc e management methodology .
A balance d scorecar d wil l b e developed fo r the PEIMS coordinator a t the beginnin g of the year . Th e
business manager wil l evaluate the performance of the PEIMS coordinator usin g this scorecard.

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application 80

Section 6-Governance

The governing board of the sponsoring entity will consist of seven (7) members:

The fiv e (5 ) Foundin g Boar d Member s (serv e a s Governin g Boar d unti l Fe b o f th e 1 st Academic
school yea r - refe r Attachmen t E fo r Manar a bylaws ) wil l nominat e tw o (2 ) additiona l boar d
members to fill the remaining two positions.

Please se e Attachmen t A fo r notarize d biographica l affidavit s fo r eac h membe r o f th e governin g

board of the sponsoring entity.

b) I f th e sponsorin g emity i s a n oul-of-sUit e organi/aiion . state whethe r o r no t a majorit y o f th e

mem hers o f th e governin g hod } of th e sponsorin g enlii } resid e \ \ i i h i n 5 0 mile s o f sh e proposed
charier school' s designate d geographi e boundary (a s described in response to he m "a f i n Sectio n
8 deographi e Boundu n ).

The sponsoring entit y is based i n Irving, TX where Manara Academy will be located. All members of
the governing board of the sponsoring entity reside within the 50 miles of the proposed charte r school .

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 81

NAR
Please see Attachment C for Manara Academy, Inc.'s 501 (c) (3) determination letter from IRS .

d) Submit , a s Attachmen t 1) , the ongin.i l Article s of Incorporatio n file d wit h th e 1 exas Seeretar v o f
State, an } Restate d A r t i c l e s o f Incorporation , an d an > Article s o f Amendment , I f the sponsoring
emit} ha s amende d it s origina l Article s o f Incorporatio n an d doe s no t sub.mi l bot h th e origina l
Articles of Incorporatio n an d ai l o f th e documents reflecting th e amendments , this attachmen t w i l l
ic considered incomplete. Comparabl e documents mus t b e submitte d i f the sponsorin g emit} i s a
nonprofit corporatio n incorporate d in anothe r stale , i f th e sponsorin g entiu i s a n i n s t i t u t i o n o f
higher educatio n o r a <io\errmu.'nta l cntil> . th e entit y shoul d submi t a statemen t tha t thi s
requirement i s inapplicable .

Please se e Attachmen t D fo r Manar a Academy , Inc.' s Certificat e o f Filin g an d Certificat e o f

Formation issued by the Texas Secretar y of State (this is equivalent to Articles of Incorporation)

e) S u b m i t . a, s Attachment E . a complete cop\ ( o r i g i n a l s an d an} ' amendments) o i th e rnlaw s of th e

Please see Attachment E for a complete copy of Manara Academy, Inc.'s bylaws.

Manara Academy, Inc. became incorporate d as a non-profit corporatio n in the state of Texas o n July
13,2006.

Manara Academy , Inc . wa s establishe d fo r th e sol e purpos e o f supportin g th e applicatio n an d

establishment o f a charter school.

Manara Academ y wa s create d fo r sol e purpos e o f publi c education . Th e onl y activit y o f th e

sponsoring entit y i s creation and operation of a public charter schoo l i n good standin g with the stat e
of Texas.

<^?%/ Manar a Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

[MANAKAi
Manara Academy, Inc . has not operated a private daycare, private school o r public daycare or public
school.

Manara Academy, Inc. is not a religious or faith-based organization no r engages in any activities with
a religious purpose.

There has been no litigation in which the Manara Academy, Inc. has been involved.

I) Disclos e \\heiher th e ^ponsorin y enti u ha s bee n sanctione d b y a m stat e regulator y agency .

No sanctions have been brought against Manara Academy, Inc. by any state regulatory agency.

in

Board Mpij|)$ ^ .Jitfe

Tn'i.1
Dates as a board membe f Address
Name'"-' ''~ .."";,., '' • f , >.V-v- ' - "" " "'• ' v r "~'

Ehap Sabri President 08/2006 - Curren t 3609 Smok e Tree , Eules s T X

76040
Sadak Shai k Vice President 08/2006 - Current 148 Wrenwoo d Drive , Coppel l
TX75019
Amr Abu- Board member 08/2006 - Curren t 400 Summe r Moon , Irving , T X
Suleiman. 75063
Michelle Secretary 08/2006 -Current 2905 Trailwoo d Lane , Flowe r
Alkhatib Mound, TX 75028
Ra'id Marie . Treasurer 08/2006-10/2007 3649 Walnu t Hil l Lan e #2111 ,
Irving, TX 7503 8
Jaszeer Treasurer 10/2007-Current 814 W . Roya l Ln,#25 1 Irving ,
Mohammed TX, 7503 9

Jaszeer Mohamme d wa s electe d b y boar d t o replac e Ra'i d Marie , wh o resigne d fro m hi s

position in October, 2007

Manara Academy 1 4tthGeneratio n Charter Application 83

Ehap Sabri has a doctorate i n Industrial Engineering from th e University of Cincinnati at Ohio. He
has fiftee n year s o f professional experienc e i n management consulting . H e i s an adjunct professo r a t
the University of Dallas an d the University of Texas at Dallas teaching course s fo r the MBA and PhD
Programs. Dr . Sabr i currentl y hold s th e positio n of Strategis t at i 2 Technologie s i n Dallas , i n whic h
he play s a n advisor y rol e fo r severa l fortun e 10 0 companies . H e co-authore d a boo k o n Orde r
Management bes t practices , authore d a boo k chapte r o n e-busines s technologie s an d ha d severa l
journal publications . H e i s als o a PRACTX autho r fo r CAP S (th e Cente r fo r Strategi c Suppl y
Research). Eha p has participated i n several volunteering activitie s lik e "keep Irving beautiful" . Eha p
is a co-founder o f Manara Academ y an d is passionate abou t creating a brighter tomorrow fo r our kids.
He has two lovely daughters.

Sadak Shai k ha s a Masters degre e i n Computer Scienc e from th e Universit y of Illinoi s at Chicago .
He has 8 years o f professional experience i n Software Design an d Development. H e presently work s
at 12 Technologies Inc, Dallas TX , as an Advanced Member o f Technical Staff . Before working a t i2,
he worked as a Senior Softwar e Engineer at Sabre Grou p Inc. Sadak is very passionate about workin g
with kids. H e wa s a Vice-Presiden t o f th e PT O boar d o f hi s son' s school . H e als o worke d a s a
coordinator an d voluntee r fo r th e Saturda y refuge e kid s program . H e i s marrie d an d i s currentl y
living with his wife at Coppell, TX. He has a son and daughter .

Amr Abu-Suleima n Am r hold s a Ph D i n Industria l Engineerin g fro m th e Universit y o f Texa s a t

Arlington. H e is a resident o f Irving , Texas , H e is married an d ha s two children . Am r is a Produc t
Marketing Manage r at The Sabr e Grou p in Sout h Lake , TX. He has publishe d articles in scholarl y
journals an d conferences , i s a membe r o f th e nationa l hono r societ y o f Industria l Engineer s an d i s
among Who' s Wh o in Americ a 2007 . Am r is passionate about creatin g an environment fo r our kid s
that fosters learning and character values .

Michelle Alkhati b is a certified teache r wit h 6 years o f experience includin g 4 years i n the Dalla s
Independent Schoo l District . While at DISD , Michell e taught 4t h grad e an d ra n th e scienc e la b fo r
3rd throug h 6t h grade . Sh e serve d a s Hea d o f th e Scienc e Department , a membe r o f th e Campu s
Leadership tea m an d serve d o n numerou s schoo l committees . Michell e also assiste d i n developing
the scienc e curriculu m fo r th e district , i n conductin g teache r staff developments , i n writin g th e
campus improvemen t plan , was a member o f the Student Support Tea m an d was a key member i n the
hiring proces s a t th e school . Prio r t o DISD , Michell e taught Kindergarte n an d ra n a n after-schoo l
program a t a private school. Michelle has participated in numerous volunteering partnerships t o help
at-risk student s exce l i n thei r academics an d hom e life . Sh e i s eager t o embar k o n thi s endeavo r t o
create a vita l learnin g experienc e tha t strive s t o cultivat e a desir e fo r learnin g an d provid e a
promising opportunit y fo r the children. Michelle hold s a Bachelor o f Science fro m Purdue University.
She currently resides i n Flower Mound with her husband and son.

Ra'id Mari e (InActive ) hold s a Master s degre e i n Busines s Administratio n fro m Southeaster n
Oklahoma Stat e University . He earned hi s Bachelo r degree i n Accounting fro m Universit y of Jorda n
in Amman, Jordan and is a licensed Certified Publi c Accountant in the state of Texas. Ra'id ha s bee n
working i n th e accountin g fiel d fo r mor e tha n si x year s an d i s currentl y a n Accountin g Manage r a t
Trinity Industrie s in Dallas, TX. He enjoys volunteer work and participated i n several programs i n the
Dallas are a suc h a s Kee p Irvin g Beautiful , Refuge e Kid s progra m an d Habita t fo r Humanity . H e
resides with his wife in Irving, TX.

' Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

[MANARA]
Jaszeer Mohammed ha s an Engineering degree fro m Osmani a Universit y India . He has 1 1 years o f
professional experienc e i n Softwar e Desig n an d Development . Currentl y h e i s working fo r Horizo n
Logistics a s Lead Architect , H e is experienced i n teaching Crucial Conversations, Huma n Dynamic s
& Computers Literacy. He is always there for community activities, he is enthusiastic abou t teaching
methodologies i n schools , h e i s passionate t o hav e hig h standard s wit h accountabilit y b y
implementing Innovative-teaching methodologies lik e ELS and improve the creativity in students for
better tomorrow, he believes in No Chil d Lef t behin d Ac t o f 2001. H e i s married and has two littl e
boys.

ihepr ,

Manara Academ y will be governed by a Founding Board throug h February of the first academic year
of Manar a Academ y a s pe r th e bylaw s o f Manar a Academy , Inc . Durin g thi s time , th e Foundin g
Board wil l be the governing board of Manara Academy. There are two slots that are open at this point
of tim e an d th e foundin g boar d wil l activel y loo k fo r individual s who believ e i n th e visio n an d
mission o f Manar a Academy. I f for any reaso n a Governing Boar d canno t b e formed , the Foundin g
Board shal l ac t an d serv e a s th e Governin g Boar d i n accordanc e wit h th e bylaw s unti l th e firs t
Governing Board is elected an d formed.

The principal of Manara Academy wil l be responsible fo r publishing the procedures approved by the
governing board fo r receiving an d responding t o complaints. I f the principa l is unable to resolve th e
complaint, the n thi s wil l giv e employees , parents , student s an d communit y members th e righ t t o
petition the governing board, which will have the final say in all such matters. Thes e procedures wil l
be mad e availabl e i n th e employe e manua l an d paren t studen t handbook . Additionally , thi s
information will be posted outside the school office prio r to the beginning of the school year.

p; Describ e th e lbllov\in g element s o f th e governanc e structur e o f th e governin g bod y o f th e

sponsoring e n i i l v . Althoug h som e n / ihi - in/ornnifinn rdjuc^ie J bcfa w might , he udc/res^a l hy til e
^j)(>n,sorin^ entity' s urilde s n j inc^rpnraiion . ln*iuws . o r othe r documents. , picase . provkl c ih e
injwwatitm regui'^k- d /H'/OVV.
I ) th e office r position s designated:
21 th e manner in whic h officers ar c selecte d and remove d fro m office :
3) di e manne r in whic h member s o f th e g o v e r n i n g bod \ ar c selecte d an d remove d fro m

4) th e manner in \\hieh uieancies on th e »o\crnm u bod \ ar e filled

of th e yo\ernint i nodv serve ; ai k

l/f?% Manar a Academy 14 tK Generation Charter Application

(MANARA)
1. Th e officer positions designate d
The principal officer s o f the corporation shal l consis t o f a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, one or
more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretarie s and/or Assistant Treasurers .

2. Th e manner i n which officer s are selecte d an d remove d fro m offic e Officer s Selectio n
The principal officers of the corporation shall consis t of a President, a Secretary and Treasurer. One
or mor e Vic e President , Assistan t Secretarie s and/o r Assistan t Treasurer s ma y b e elected. Al l suc h
officers shal l b e electe d b y th e Boar d an d shal l serv e a t th e pleasur e o f th e member s o f th e Board .
Any perso n shal l b e eligibl e t o hol d an y offic e o r more tha n on e office , excep t th e membe r o f th e
Board and the President and the Secretary shall not be the same person .

Officers Selectio n
The officer s shal l b e electe d a t th e organizationa l meetin g of th e initia l Board, an d thereafte r their
successors shall be elected at the annual meetin g of the Board t o serve fo r a term o f one (1) year an d
until their successors ar e elected an d qualified .

Officers Remova l
All officer s shal l continue in office unti l his o r her successor shal l have been electe d an d qualifie d o r
until his or her death, resignation o r removal.

3. Th e manne r i n whic h member s o f the governin g bod y ar e selecte d an d remove d fro m

office Boar d Selectio n
The Governing Board shal l consist of the following Seve n (7) members:
i. Thre e (3) members of the Founding Board to be selected by the seven-member Foundin g Board.
These member s wil l serve for the duration o f the charter ( 5 years). On e of these thre e Foundin g
Board Member s shal l b e selecte d b y the Governin g Boar d t o serv e a s Presiden t o f th e Board .
This process allows continuity and institutional prospective during the Charter,
ii. Fou r (4 ) generall y electe d parent s o f enrolle d student s a t Manar a Academy . Thes e position s
will b e base d o n nomination s in accordanc e wit h th e Bylaw s and wil l b e base d o n a majority
vote throug h a genera l electio n o f paren t voters . A s a n outcom e o f th e firs t academi c yea r
election, tw o (2 ) of these position s will serv e fo r a one (1 ) year term, while th e remainin g tw o
(2) positions wil l serv e fo r a two (2 ) year term. Th e term s for eac h o f these fou r (4 ) positions
will b e communicated during the nomination process .
iii. I n additio n t o th e seve n (7 ) Boar d Members , th e Governin g Boar d ma y invit e communit y
leaders o r representative s fro m th e school' s partner s t o participat e i n consultation s a s "non -
voting" members.

Board Remova l
At any time, th e Board of Directors ma y only vote to remove a board membe r fo r good cause. Goo d
cause fo r removal o f a board membe r shal l include the unexcuse d failur e t o atten d fou r consecutiv e
meetings o f th e Board . A meetin g to conside r th e remova l o f a boar d membe r ma y b e calle d an d
noticed followin g the procedure s provide d i n the Bylaws . Th e notice o f the meetin g shal l stat e tha t
the issu e o f possible remova l o f th e boar d membe r wil l b e on the agenda , an d the notic e shal l stat e
the possibl e caus e fo r removal . Th e boar d membe r shal l hav e th e righ t t o presen t evidenc e a t th e
meeting as to why he or she should not be removed, and the board membe r shall have th e right to be
represented b y a n attorney a t and befor e th e meeting. At the meeting, the Corporatio n shal l consider

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application

possible arrangements for resolving th e problem s tha t ar e in the mutua l interes t o f th e Corporatio n
and th e board member . Usin g the Consultativ e Proces s describe d i n Sectio n 2.10 , a board membe r
may be removed by the affirmative vot e of fift y (50 ) percent of the Board .

4. Th e manner i n which vacancies o n the governing bod y ar e filled

If a vacancy occurs in an office othe r than that of the President, the President shall appoin t a qualified
person to serv e unti l a successor office r i s elected by the Boar d a t an annual or special meeting. I f a
vacancy occurs in the office o f the President, the Vice-President shall serve as President Pro Tempor e
until a successor President i s elected by the remaining Board a t an annual o r special meeting .

5. Th e term for which members o f the governing body serv e

As pe r th e bylaw s of Manar a Academy , Inc . the Governin g Boar d shal l consis t o f th e followin g
Seven (7) members :
• Thre e (3 ) members o f th e Foundin g Boar d t o b e selected b y the seven-membe r Foundin g
Board. Thes e member s will serve for the duration of the charter (5 years). On e of these thre e
Founding Boar d Member s shal l b e selecte d b y the Governin g Boar d t o serv e a s President o f
the Board. Thi s process allows continuity and institutional prospective during the Charter .
• Fou r (4 ) generally elected parents of enrolled students at Manara Academy. Thes e positions
will b e based o n nominations in accordance wit h the Bylaw s and will be based o n a majorit y
vote throug h a genera l electio n of paren t voters . A s a n outcom e o f th e firs t academi c yea r
election, two (2) of these positions will serv e for a one (1) year term, while the remaining two
(2) positions will serve fo r a two (2) year term. Th e terms for each o f these fou r (4 ) positions
will communicate d during the nominatio n process. Startin g the secon d academi c year , two
(2) of the four (4 ) positions wil l be up for reelection ever y February on an alternating basis for
the lif e of the charter .

6. Whethe r the terms are to be staggered

Yes, as mentioned above the terms of the 4 members of the governing board will be staggered .

M) I

Manara Academ y wil l onl y hav e on e governin g board , tha t o f th e sponsorin g entity , sinc e i t wa s
created fo r the sole purpose of operating the school. Henc e this is not applicable .

Manara Academ y wil l onl y hav e on e governin g board , tha t o f th e sponsorin g entity , sinc e i t wa s
created for the sole purpose of operating the school. Henc e this is not applicable.

Manara Academy 14 Generatio n Charter Application 07

°
 ribe the follo\Miu i clement-, ol'ihe gmerntmec sliueture of the governing hod\ of the charter school:
a. th e office r position s design.ited:
h. th e m a n n e r in \\hic h officer s ar c selecte d an d remove d fro m office ;
i'. th e manne r i n \\hitr h member s o f th e governin g botH ar e selecte d an d remove d fro m
oflicc:
(I, l!i e manner i n \ \ h i c h vacancie s on th e governin g body ar c Idled :
e, ti e ter m fo r \ \ h i ch member ^ ol th e go\eming bod > serve : an d
L whethe r the tenm arc l o b e triggered .

Manara Academ y wil l onl y hav e on e governin g board , tha t o f th e sponsorin g entity , sinc e i t wa s
created fo r the sole purpose of operating the school. Henc e this is not applicable.

Other Governance

t) Describ e di e cxten i t o \\hie h an \ privat e enlitv . i n c l u d i n g an y managemen t company , othe r

nonprofit group , othe r ^o\ernmenla l agenev - an d o r an v othe r educationa l organi/alio n wil l b e
i n v o l v e d i n th e operatio n of di e charie r school . Idemif v an v member s o f th e governin g boar d o r
officers o f th e charte r schoo l wh o ar e a f i i l i a l c d v \ i t h al l suc h entities .

No such entities will be involved.

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application

1 MANARA]
Section 7-Community Suppor t
a) Describ e th e communit y wher e th e schoo l wil l b e locate d an d explai n wh y thi s locatio n wa s
selected.

The ide a o f establishing Manar a Academ y a s a charter schoo l i n Irving, whic h i s at the heart o f the
DFW metroplex , ha s bee n th e resul t o f extensiv e research an d discussion s amon g parents , teacher s
and communit y members . Th e academ y wil l b e o f valu e t o th e existin g schoo l syste m an d t o th e
community we live in. Accordin g t o the 2007 US census, the percentage o f Irving's populatio n born
in foreig n countrie s was 33.6% , fa r above th e figur e o f 12.5 % fo r th e countr y a s a whole. Irvin g is
becoming a very divers e and cosmopolita n city . Thi s indicate s a need fo r educationa l communitie s
that suppor t hig h academi c achievemen t a s well a s addres s th e need s o f th e students , thei r familie s
and their communities . Buildin g on th e strength s o f students ' cultura l heritage an d lif e experience s
will help them become successfu l members of the community and enable them to compete globally .

The TAKS scor e i s a key indicator to performance. In the 2007 academi c year , Irvin g ISO score d a s
follows (Al l Tests) compare d t o Region 1 0 and State o f Texas :

Grade Irvin g ISO Regio n 10 Stat e

Grade 3 66% 79% 78%

Grade 4 68% 76% 75%
Grade 5 56% 69% 69%
Grade 6 71% 80% 78%
Grade 7 66% 74% 71%
Grade 8 55% 63% 61%

Irving IS O has consistentl y score d lo w o n th e TAK S test an d belo w bot h Regio n 1 0 and th e State .
Therefore, there is a clear need fo r an innovative school such as Manara Academy i n the Irving area.

l>) Provid e informatio n o n th e manne r i n whic h communit y group s hav e bee n involve d an d \\ill
continue t o be involve d in the charter schoo l plannin g process.

This applicatio n i s th e combine d effor t o f volunteer s fro m th e Irvin g communit y an d surroundin g

areas wh o believ e that th e innovativ e educationa l method s implemente d b y Manar a Academ y wil l
improve ou r community , complemen t th e existin g publi c school s an d promot e civi c an d
environmental responsibilit y i n ou r area . Th e visio n o f Manar a Academ y i s t o b e th e pinnacl e o f
knowledge, character , ethic s an d communit y building . A s founders , w e loo k a t th e need s o f th e
community in order to gain perspective and guidance during the planning process.

The value s o f Manar a Academ y hav e bee n explaine d t o th e publi c a t larg e throug h th e tow n hal l
meetings a t Mustan g Par k Recreatio n Cente r i n Irvin g and visit s to homeowner' s associations , are a
apartment complexes , loca l neighborhood s an d businesses . W e conducte d a surve y (pleas e se e

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 89

template of the surve y a s Appendix II ) durin g those meetin g and made th e surve y availabl e on our
website. Manar a Academy, Inc. hel d a town hall meeting on January 2 6 , 2008. Ever y response has
been resoundingl y positiv e t o al l th e benefit s tha t Manar a Academ y woul d brin g t o communit y
children. W e receive d ove r 70 0 favorabl e response s o n th e surve y an d petition . Th e Manar a
Academy websit e (http://www.manaraacademy.org ) ha s a dedicate d sectio n fo r th e communit y t o
voice thei r opinion s an d suggestion s throughou t the plannin g process. Severa l communit y member s
have supported Manara Academy through donations, pledges and the volunteering of their time. Thi s
enthusiastic suppor t makes us believe that we can fulfill Manara' s vision.

The outcom e o f thi s initiativ e i s th e combine d effor t o f 2 4 cor e volunteer s fro m th e communit y
including the fiv e boar d members . Manar a Academ y utilize d the service s o f fou r consultant s i n the
educational aren a t o revie w th e application . The biographi c informatio n can b e foun d in Appendi x
KK.

Manara Academ y ha s obtaine d partnership s wit h variou s loca l communit y group s (se e Appendi x
HH fo r letters of intent).

For example , w e receive d a lette r o f suppor t fro m th e Mayo r o f th e Cit y o f Irvin g afte r severa l
meetings wit h hi m introducin g ou r visio n an d mission . Th e Mayo r wa s especiall y please d wit h
Manara's emphasis o n academic excellence, explorator y learning, citizenship , and character building.
In addition , Manar a Academ y ha s obtaine d a partnershi p wit h Nort h Lak e College , Irvin g TX .
Manara's missio n an d vision have a strong emphasis o n academic excellence, characte r building , and
citizenship. Togethe r wit h North Lak e College , Manara wil l b e able t o provide a quality educatio n
for it s students and to become a valuable resource t o our community .

Several opportunities for partnerships betwee n North Lake College and Manara include:
• Nort h Lake College course offerings fo r faculty enrichment.
• Specifi c professional developmen t through the North Lake College Workforce Development
department.
• Mentorin g opportunities for North Lake College students.
• Arrang e library tours and campus visits for the 4th and 5th grade students.

c) Subiiiii . a s Attachmen t K a cop \ o f

name o l th e newspape r and chil e o f p u b l i c a i i o n . ' I he notic e .shoul d includ e th e propose d schoo l nam e

Please se e Attachment F fo r a copy o f the published notice o f public hearing hel d o n 26 th Januar y
2008 at Mustang Par k Recreation Center , Irvin g TX.

There wer e 9 1 familie s who attende d th e publi c hearing held o n 26 th Januar y 2008 a t Mustan g Par k
Recreation Center , Irving TX.

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application o n

Please see Attachment G for a synopsis of public hearing held on 26 1 Januar y 2008 at Mustang Park
Recreation Center, Irving TX.

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Applicatio n

' f ffi,
(M A N A K A
Section 8-Geographic Boundary
I,is! th e schoo l distric t Irun i \\liic h i ic propose*. ! charte r schoo l \ \ \ \ \ accept students . I f i h

Below is a list of School District s from whic h Manara Academy wil l accept students:
• Irvin g ISD (Independent Schoo l District)
• Dalla s ISD
• Th e Carrollton-Farmers Branc h ISD
• Coppel l ISD
• Lewisvill e ISD
• Hurst-Euless-Bedfor d ISD
• Arlingto n ISD
• Grapevine-Colleyvill e ISD

/>> i f th e propose d charie r schoo l w i l l bas e a "transfe r polic} " i n accordanc e svii h 1 9 I AC.
§iOO,1207(e)(i,e.. i t v \ i l l admi t students uho resid e outsid e of th e geographi c boundary described
above i n "a f onc e al l eligibl e applicant s v\h o reside withi n ih e geographi c houndar \ hav e
submitted a linte k applicatio n an d i i a \ e 'veu enrolk-d). l i s t th e schoo l district s fro m \\hic h th e
proposed charte r schoo l w i l l accep t tran>le r Mudenfs .

Below is a list of School District s from whic h Manara Academy will accept transfer students:
• Richardso n ISD

c) Submit , as Attachmen t II . th e c e r t i f i e d mai l receip t card s showin g th e dale s tha t ^fu/cmcn ! o i

impui'i Ibvni . an d accompanyin g document s \\er e vceei\e d an d signe d ib r b > ih e staf f o f th e
distrieis an d th e open-enrollmen t charte r school s \ \ i t h i n th e propose d M ; boo IS designate d
geographic boundar\ F an d tninsfe r boundar> . i f applicable, h i I he. iih^ficc o i sigm'd wdjk'd nuti l
return receip t cnrd\ , ih e i ertilk'd mail receipt shwin g ecich addressee, jces puid . tin d liie dal e
walled in/ / he accepted.

Please se e Attachmen t H fo r receipts showin g the mailin g of Statemen t o f Impac t form s t o al l th e

affected schoo l district s and charter schools .

\'' Manar a Academ y 1 4 Generation Charte r Applicatio n

-VR'AI
Section 9-Admissions Policy

Manara Academy wil l require the applicants to submit a completed Manar a applicatio n for m startin g
January 10 th throug h April 15 th eac h year.

Manara Academy wil l implement a public lotter y syste m t o determine the enrollment o f students. The
date o f this lotter y wil l b e determined b y the boar d o f director s but wil l b e afte r th e closin g dat e o f
the admission. Preference will be given to the siblings of the returning Manara students . Eac h studen t
will be assigned a number, an d the numbers wil l be randomly selected by the President o f the Board /
the Principa l o r his/he r designe e unde r th e supervisio n o f a t leas t tw o othe r boar d member s a t a n
announced public meeting.

c) I f th e charte r schoo l \ \ i l l exempt fro m ih e ioUe n returnin g students , th e siblin g o f relumin g

students, and'o r th e childre n o f th e school' s founder s (s o lon g a s th e tota l numbe r o f smdem s
allowed eonsliuue s onl y a smal l percentag e o f ih e tota l enrollment ) a s permitte d h \ th e federa l
guidance o n th e (.'barte r School s Program , slat e th e categorie s of applicant s tha i \ \ i l l b e exempted .

All returnin g Manara student s wil l b e exemp t fro m lottery . Manar a Academ y wil l exemp t fro m th e
lottery th e followin g categorie s o f applicant s (a s lon g a s th e tota l numbe r o f student s allowe d
constitutes onl y a smal l percentag e o f total enrollment s as permitted b y the federa l guidanc e o n th e
Charter Schoo l Program.)-
* th e siblings of the returning Manara students
• th e children of the school's founders

The dat e o f thi s lotter y wil l b e determine d b y the boar d o f director s eac h yea r bu t wil l b e afte r th e
closing date of the admission (April 15 th).

After al l classes are ful l fro m th e lottery system , a waiting lis t will be developed from the remainin g
picks of the lottery in the order that they were drawn. All applications received at a later date will join
the waiting list in the order i n which they are received .

Manara Academ y 14 th Generation Charter Application 0 3

Applications received outside the application period will be accepted, an d if there are open slots, then
newly applyin g student s wil l b e give n admission . But , i f a lotter y wa s conducted , the n th e
applications will be placed on the waiting list for the appropriate grade level in the order received.

Manara Academ y i s committed t o ensurin g equity in education. Manara Academy wil l comply with
all stat e an d federa l regulation s regardin g admissio n an d th e schoo l shal l no t discriminat e i n
admissions based on gender, race, color, athleti c ability, nationa l origin , ethnicity, religion, disabilit y
or artistic ability of the students or their parents or guardians.

Manara Academy will not specialize in performing arts and hence this is not applicable .

Students wit h documente d histor y o f crimina l offense , juvenile cour t adjudication , listed i n TEC ,
12.111 (6) , o r othe r seriou s discipline listed under TEC, Chapter 37 , Subchapte r A will be excluded
from th e enrollment at Manara Academy.

Applicants will not be required to provid e a transcript or other academi c record s unti l after they ar e
offered admissio n bu t the y nee d t o sho w evidenc e o f curren t grad e leve l statu s fo r entr y int o th e
lottery system. The applicant must comply with the following at the time of admission:
• A completed application form i n order to be considered for admission.
o Nam e
o Addres s
o Parent' s contact informatio n

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application 0 4

Manara Academy will enroll students under TEC 25.002 and 19T.A. C 129. 1 guidelines . Ifaparen t
or other legal guardian enrolls the child at Manara, they must provide:
• Child' s birth certificate or another document suitabl e as proof of the child's identity.
• A copy of the child's records fro m the school the child most recently attende d if the
child has been previously enrolled.
• A record showin g that the child has the proper immunizations as required under
Section 38.001, the case of a child required under that section t o be immunized, proof
as required by that section showin g that the child is not required to be immunized, or
proof that the child is entitled to provisional admission unde r that sectio n an d under
rules adopted unde r that section .

At Manar a Academy, w e will maintai n accurat e record s regardin g studen t transfer . Pursuan t t o Civil
Action 5281 , Manar a Academ y wil l no t allo w studen t transfe r i n suc h case s wher e transfe r woul d
change th e majority/minorit y population o f th e schoo l b y more tha n 1 % i n eithe r th e sendin g o r
receiving schoo l district . Manara Academy wil l report studen t transfe r by usin g the studen t transfe r
system provided on TEA website under the PEIMS section.

Manara Academy 14 t Generatio n Charter Application

Section 10-Special Needs Student s and Programs
Special Education Assurances an d Developmen t o f Policies and Procedure s

Applicant Assurance Statement

If the charte r i s granted t o Manar a Academy , Inc. , then the Presiden t o f Manar a Academy , Inc . wil l
sign a n assuranc e statemen t certifyin g that th e propose d charte r schoo l wil l hav e i n plac e upo n opening ,
special educatio n policies and procedures that comply with all federal and state requirements

Electronic Submission o f Charter Policies and Procedures Assurances

Pursuant t o th e Individual s wit h Disabilitie s Educatio n Improvemen t Act (IDE A 2004 ) Sectio n 61 3
(a) (1) , Manar a Academ y wil l hav e o n fil e wit h th e Texa s Educatio n Agenc y (TEA ) a pla n tha t
provides assurance s tha t i t ha s i n effec t policies , procedure s an d program s consisten t wit h Stat e
policies an d procedures governin g special education.

Manara Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Applicatio n n/ -

Section 11-Business Plan
Financial Histor y of Sponsoring Entit y

Manara Academy, Inc. wil l utilize the following sources of funding fo r its start up operations.
• Donation s / Grants
• Fundraisin g
• Federa l startup grant s

Manara Academ y ha s alread y secure d pledge s u p t o $95,00 0 fro m organizations , Manar a Board ,
Manara-volunteers and community members who are passionate abou t Manara Academy's visio n and
mission. The pledges are attached i n the application as Attachment L .

h) Discus s the current asset s o f ih e .sponsoring entit y

As of December 31, 2007, Manara Academy, Inc. had $12,749.48 in cash.

c) Discus s the current liabilitie s of th e sponsorin g emit).

Manara Academy, Inc. does not have any liabilities as of December 31, 2007.

There is no history of liens, litigations or sanctions by any federal, state or local agency.

ej Stal e the names of a m open-eur o linen! charier- alreacK hel d b y th e sponsoring entity.

Manara Academy, Inc. does not hold any open-enrollment charters.

An audi t report i s not availabl e sinc e Manar a Academy , Inc. was neve r audited . Unaudited interim
financial statement s as of December 31, 2007 are provided in Attachment I .

Limited informatio n i s available on Manara Academy, Inc . given i t was incorporated in July 13, 2006.
Please see Attachment J .

7,^v% Manar a Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application

Sf T "ft.
'MANARA]
h) Submit , as Attachmen t K . a cop ) o l ih o most recent h file d Interna l Rc\enu e Servic e 1 orm 990 .

Please see Attachment K .

Current Operations of Sponsoring Entity

There are no non-charter programs currentl y operated by the sponsoring entity .

There are no plans to begin operating any non-charter programs.

) I f ther e ar e p an s t o begi n operatin g an y non-charte r program s \ \ i t h m th e nex t t\\ o years , discus s

There are no plans to begin operating any non-charter programs.

Start Up of Charter School Operations

'nmdc a statemen t describin g th e protecte d amount s o l ' s t a r t - u p lundmg . Th e statemen t mus t

i d e n t i l ) th e amoun t o l eac h sourc e of fund s an d th e specifi c sourc e o f t u n d i n g {i.e. . pmate donor.
charitable loundation . loca l iiovcrnmcni . Mate/ledcra l aiiencs) .

Manara Academ y wil l pursu e a n aggressiv e fundraisin g plan . Th e Manar a Academ y boar d ha s
secured $95,00 0 i n pledge s fro m organizations , founder s an d communit y member s wh o ar e
passionate about Manara Academy's visio n and mission. Th e startup budget depends on the $150,00 0
start up federal gran t an d $95,000 of donations (tha t will be secured b y the outstandin g pledge s an d
fundraising).

Manara Academy was successful in raising donations to fun d al l the application preparation expense s
including travel , consulting fees , tow n hal l meeting , marketing etc . Th e $95,00 0 pledge s a s wel l a s
the successfu l collectio n o f mor e tha n $20,00 0 donation s withi n les s tha n si x month s sinc e las t
October, 2007 . Indicate s th e board' s abilit y t o secur e $60,00 0 a s net asse t b y the tim e w e ente r th e
startup year (November 2008).

Manara Academy, Inc. understands that the federal startu p grant ca n only be accessed afte r a contract
for th e charter has been executed and a county district number has been assigned.

'*•'' f t 'fe "

Manara Academ yJ r14 l Generatio n Charter Application
r
iANARA
ra) Submit , a s Attachmen t L . documentatio n (i.e. . Seller s o f eredit . letter s fro m donors , loa n
agreements, notice s of gran t awards , ete.) verifying ai l source s o f funding . Letter s of suppor t for
the propose d schoo l shoul d no t h e include d i n Attachmen t L . I f then * arc n o suc h source s of
Junds, Mul e thi s in /lie ulteichiuc/i/.

Please see Attachment L .

n) Describ e the process by \\hlch the annual budge t of th e charter school will be adopted.

The annual budge t wil l b e created b y the principal and business manager . Th e principal wil l submi t
the annual budge t t o the school boar d o f directors. The board o f directors wil l discuss th e budget wit h
the principa l an d business manage r an d will approve i t after an y require d modifications . The budge t
will follow GAAP requirements an d all applicable law s and regulations .

o) Submit , as Attachmen t M . a slarl-up budge t using the templat e i n Appendix III .

Please se e Attachmen t M fo r start-up budge t an d a brief descriptio n abou t th e ke y assumptions for
the budget.

p) Submit , a s Attachmen t N . a budge t fo r th e firs t yea r o f operation s usin g th e templat e i n

Appendix I V

Please se e Attachment N fo r first year budge t an d a brief description abou t the key assumptions fo r
the budget. Following is a summary of the annual expecte d expense s fo r the first year :

Estimated Annual Expenses Total - $1,719,684

Other
Operating
Cost n ^Kt
Deb t
$67 355 -
Supplies & 4 o>0 A Expenses .
Material 4/ ° \ ,-$542,0 %
$137,890
8%

Professional,
& Contracte d
Services
$254,600
15%

Payroll Cost
$1,259.297
73%

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 99

Management Company and Other Contracted Services

An annua l audi t wil l b e conducte d a t th e en d o f th e schoo l fisca l year . Th e boar d plan s t o hir e a n
external entit y whos e accountant s hol d a permi t fro m th e Stat e Boar d o f Publi c Accountancy , t o
perform th e annual audit. Manara Academy will perform internal audits throughout th e year to ensur e
that accuracy o f the financial records and compliance wit h state and federal laws and regulations.

r) klentif v a m organi/alion(s ) and/o r m d i v i d u a l ( s ) tha t w i l l pro\id c financia l accounting . p a \ r o i l ,

and/or la x accounting se n ice s tor the proposed charte r school.
Manara Academy , Inc . ha s no t identifie d any externa l entitie s o r individual s t o provid e financia l
accounting, payrol l an d o r tax accountin g services . Manar a Academ y wil l explore availabl e option s
and identify servic e provider s (i f any) at a later time. The sponsoring entit y will follow all provisions,
rules and regulation before entering any business agreement s with any organization or individual.
We hav e discusse d thi s matte r wit h Regio n 1 0 and Irvin g IS D an d bot h ar e willin g to assis t u s i n
providing these services .

No organizations or individuals are identified to provide services at this time.

achnicnt () , a cop\ o l th e negotiated sen ic e ai>reement(s) w i t h a m oriiant/iii i

Please see Attachment O . A t this time we do not have any servic e agreements with an y individuals
or organizations.

Indicate whethe r Lh e charier holde r u i l l adop t th e provision s of Texa s l. ; dtication Cod e (1I ; .C}.
Chapter 44 . Suhchaple r 11, as th e proces s fo r awardin g a contrac t fo r th e construction , repair , o r
renovation o f a structure , road . h i g l n \ a \ . or othe r i m p r o v e m e n t o r additio n t o rea l proper u . It ' so.
the provision s ol"iI-C . Chapter 44, Subehupte r B . u i l l contro l i n lie u o f Suhchapto r B . Chapter
271. ! cxas Loca l Governmen t

Manara Academy , Inc . wil l adop t th e provision s o f Texa s Educatio n Cod e (TEC) , Chapte r 44 ,
Subchapter B , a s th e proces s fo r awardin g a contract fo r th e construction , repai r o r renovatio n o f a
structure, road, highway or other improvemen t or addition to real property.

Manara Academy 1 4l Generatio n Charter Application

ARAI
Financial Accounting System
\) Idcntil' v an d discus s the capabilitie s o f th e financia l accountin g softwar e (i.e. . the complet e name
of th e softwar e applicatio n an d th e softwar e verMon ) thai , the propose d charie r school v\i! l use.

We have contacted Regio n 1 0 and they have recommend a program created b y Region 20 called
RSCCC. Regio n 1 0 will provide u s with support in implementing this software in our school. Th e
Manara Academ y board i s considering the recommendation fro m Regio n 10 , but has yet to confirm.
The board wil l decide after approval of the charter application . Th e following criteria have been use d
in considering this software:
• Th e software capability and available functionality.
• Wid e usage for the software in Region X public and charter schools (should b e approved by
TEA).
• Eas e of use and expertise in the software in the local market.
• Suppor t and training availability for the software locally .

Student Attendance Accounting

) Idenli h th e studen t attendanc e accountin g softwar e 0>. . th e complet e nam e o f th e softwar e

Manara Academy, Inc . has undergone som e research o n the student attendance accounting softwar e
but has not yet finalized o n a particular softwar e vendor . W e have contacted Region 1 0 and they hav e
recommended th e Winschool program fo r our student accounting. Winschoo l is a PC based program .
The Manara Academy board is considering the recommendation fro m Regio n 10 , but has yet to
confirm. Th e board will decide after approva l of the charter application.

Facility Management

\} L x p b i n win th e site u i l l b e a suitabl e i a e i l i u lo r th e propose d charie r school.

The site of Manara Academy is under investigation an d is yet to be identified a t this point of time.

Manara Academ y wil l b e accessibl e t o disable d person s an d wil l compl y wit h American s wit h
Disabilities Ac t (ADA ) acces s requirements . I f th e facilit y (afte r identified ) i s no t accessibl e t o
disabled persons, th e required improvements to make the facility accessible will be implemented.

Manara Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application

The facility is under investigation an d is yet to be identified a t the time o f submitting the application.
The improvements an d repairs required wil l b e considered whe n selectin g the location o f the school .
For budget purposes, we estimate th e cost of renovations/ repairs to be around $30,00 0 a s indicated i n
the start up budget.

The sponsoring entity is in early stages of acquiring a facility fo r the school .

Manara Academy , Inc. has not entered in a lease agreement a t the time of submitting the application .

ic individual s idcniihe d above .

Manara Academy, Inc. has not entered in a lease agreement a t the time of submitting the application .

The facilit y i s unde r investigatio n an d i s ye t t o b e identifie d a t th e time . N o organization s o r

individuals have been identified at this time that will be using the facility.

Transportation and Food Service

The schoo l wil l provid e transportatio n fo r specia l nee d student s eligibl e fo r schoo l provide d
transportation a s stated in their IEP. Manara wil l identif y appropriat e transportatio n fo r such student s
by contractin g a n outsid e servic e availabl e in Dalla s County . Th e schoo l doe s no t pla n t o provid e
transportation fo r other students .

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 102

I'D Describ e provisions lo r foo d se n ice . i f any. lo r siudeni s serve d b y ih e charte r school , i n c l u d i n g
plan.s fo r fre e o r reduce d lunc h an d brea k Uist programs , I! " 10% o f th e student s qu;ilif > fo r ire e o r
reduced breakfast , th e schoo l i s require d I n Tc\;i s I'duc-Mio n Cod e §33. ( >01 t o pro\id e u bre;ikfa:. t
progi'ain lo r tho.s e students ,

Manara Academy plans to provid e foo d servic e fo r qualifie d student s (reduced o r fre e breakfas t an d
lunch), i f more tha n 10 % of th e student s qualif y fo r fre e o r reduce d meals . Manar a Academ y wil l
contract appropriat e organization s t o provid e breakfas t an d lunc h i n thi s situatio n an d wil l ensur e
compliance with regulations of the Child Nutrition Program of TEA.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application

Section 12-Attachments
All attachments are clearly referenced, numbered , an d ordered exactly a s indicated o n the Applicant
Checklist o n page 1 8 of this RFA.

1. Attachmen t A -Notarized biographic affidavit s of the Governing Boar d

2. Attachmen t B -- Sponsoring entity's organizational char t
3. Attachmen t C -- 501 fc)(3) determination letter from th e IRS
4. Attachmen t D - Origina l Articles of Incorporation / Certificate of Corporation
5. Attachmen t E - Complet e copy of the bylaws of sponsoring entity
6. Attachmen t F - Cop y of the published notice of public hearing (newspaper Ad)
7. Attachmen t G - Synopsi s of the public hearing
8. Attachmen t H - Certifie d mai l receipts of the Statement of Impact form to other
schools
9. Attachmen t I - Cop y of the recent Audit report of the sponsoring entity
10. Attachmen t J - Cop y of the recent Credit report of the sponsoring entity
11. Attachmen t K - Cop y of the recent filed IRS form 990
12. Attachmen t L ~ Letter s of credit, letter s from donors , loa n agreements, notices of
grant awards, verifying the sources o f fundin g
13. Attachmen t M - A start-up budget using the template in Appendix III
14. Attachmen t N - Budge t for 1 st year of operations using the template in Appendix IV
15. Attachmen t O - Cop y of Negotiated Service agreements from any
organizations/individuals that will provide financial accounting ,
payroll, and/or tax accounting services for the proposed charte r
school.
16. Attachmen t P — Copy of the negotiated lease agreement(s), deed(s ) to property,
earnest money contract, or purchase agreement(s), as applicable.

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application

Attachment A -Notarized biographic affidavit s of the Governing Boar d

Fourteenth Generation Open-Enrollment Charter School Applican t Biographica l Affidavi t

(MUST B E TYPED and NOTARIZED )
Check all (hat apply ;

[X; Membe r o f ihe governing bod y o f the sponsoring entity

W Membe r o f the governing bod y o f the charter schoo l

I I Schoo l officer : Stat e position a s define d in TEC , §1 2 101 2

Full Name o f Sponsoring Entity Manar a Academy , Inc

Full Name of Proposed Charter Schoo l Vlanar a Academy

Tn connection with the above-named organization and charter school application, I herewith make representations an d suppl y
information abou t myself as hereinafter se t fort h (Attac h addendum o r separate sheet i f space hereo n i s insufficient t o answe r
any question s fully )

IF ANSWER IS "NO" O R "NONE", SO STATE.

I. Ful l Nam e (Initials No t Acceptable) Eha p Sabri

2. Hav e you eve r had your name changed or used another name? _ Ye s [X jN o

If yes, give reason fo r the chang e

Maiden name (if female)

Other name s used a t anv time

3 Curren t home address 360 9 Smoke tree trail, Euless, TX 76040

If you ar e a member of the governing body o f ihe sponsorin g entit y and the sponsoring entity i s an out-of-state organization,
do you reside withi n 50 miles of the geographic boundar y of the proposed charter school?

|"~| Ye s • I N o[ X N/ A (becaus e I a m no t a member of the governin g body o f the sponsorin g entity o r th e

sponsoring entity is based in Texas)

4 Curren t home telephone number: (214 ) 295-415 9

5. Education : Dates , Names, Location s and Degree s

College: 1985-1990 , Kuwai t University , Kuwait, BS Mechanical Engineerin g

Graduate Studies: 1994-199 6 University oFCinncmati,OH, MS Industnai Engineerin g

Others: 1996-199 8 Universit y of CinncinaU,OH, Ph.D Industria^ Engineer ing

6. Lis t mcmbership(s) in professional societies and associations :

Member of American Production & Inventory Contro l Societ y (APICS )

SAS 529-0 7
RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 14thGeneratio n Charter Application

 7. Lis t complet e employmen t record , includin g self-employmen t (u p t o an d includin g presen t jobs , positions , directorate s o r
officerships) fo r the past ten (10) years:

DATES EMPLOYER ADDRESS POSITION

August iyy » -Present ii 1 ethnologies jjauas, I X solution strategist
April 200 2 - Presen t University o f Dallas Irving, TX Adjunct Professo r
August 200 5 - Presen t University o f Texas a t Dalla s Dallas, TX Adjunct Professo r

8. Lis t al l businesses o r organizations of whic h you are a partner or in which you have a majority interest:

J aico Consulting & i radmg

9. Lis t all previous experience wit h charter schools . Includ e open-enrollment school s and/o r campus or program charters:

DATES CHARTE R SCHOOL/CHARTER HOLDE R ADDRES S POSITIO N

10. Lis t allpreviousexpeiience with any charte r school management company:

DATES MANAGEMEN T COMPANY ADDRES S POSITION

NTS'

11. Lis t any professional, occupational, or vocational licenses issue d by any public or governmental licensin g agency o r
regulatory authorit y whic h yo u presentl y hol d or hav e held in th e past. (Stat e dat e licens e wa s issued , issue r o f license, dal e
terminated, reason s for termination:

N/A

SAS 529-07
Page 2 of 4 RFA 701-06-021

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

, ,s i f $ 106
IMANAR/M
 12. Durin g th e las t ten (10) years, have you eve r been refused a professional, occupational o r vocational license b y any public
or governmental licensing agency o r regulatory authority, or has such license hel d by you eve r been suspended or revoked ?

('' Ye s ( mN o
If yes, give details :

13. Wil l you be employed b y or contract wit h the sponsoring entity , the charter school, o r the managmenl company of the
school?

Yes ( iN o] f so. please state the compensation you expect to receive

Also explain any other compensation yo u expec t to receive for service on the governing bod y of the sponsoring entit y

14 I s any relative within the third degree of consanguinity (i.e. , your parent , grandparent , great-granparent , child, grandchild,
great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle, niece, nephew) o r within the third degree o f affinity (i.e. , your spous e or your
spouse's parent , grandparent, great-granparent , child , grandchild, great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle, niece, nephew ) a
member of the governing bod y of the sponsoring entit y or of the governing bod y o f the charter school 0

15. Wil l any relative(s) within the third degree o f consanguinity o r affinity (se e definition s i n Question 1 4 above) b e employed
by or receive any compensation or remuneration fro m th e sponsoring entity , charter school , o r the management company of
the charter school'?

16. Hav e you ever been convicted o f a misdemeanor involvin g moral turpitude; a felony; an offense liste d i n TEC 37.007(a) ; o r
an offense liste d i n Article 62.01(5) Cod e o f Criminal Procedure ?
;" Ye s ( i N o

If so , give details :

SAS 529-0 7
Page 3 of 4
RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 107

[MANARA]
 ] 7. Hav e you ever been adjudged bankrupt? C Ye s ( • N o I f so, please provid e the following information.

Number of times adjudged bankrupt :

Date of each bankruptcy judgment:

Description of the circumstances surrounding each bankruptcy:

18. Hav e you ever been a n officer, director , trustee, investment committee member, key employee, or controlling stockholder
of any business, which, while you occupie d any such position o r capacity with respect to it, became insolvent , declared
bankruptcy, or was placed under supervision or in receivership, rehabilitation, liquidation or conservatorship ?

P Ye s f »N o

If so, give details:

Dated and signed this _ day of 200 V .

I hereby certify under penalty of perjury tha t I am acting on my ef\vn behal f and thai the foregoing statements ar e true an d
correct t o the best of my knowledge and belief ~~~— —

(Signature of Affiant )

State of __
County of

On this day, Cf/fl_P_ . >SgJ>p i (nam e of affiant) appeared before m e the undersigned nolary public and deposed that
he/she executed the above instrument and that the statements, and answers contained therein are true and correct t o the best of his/
her knowledge and belief.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this _, 200 S _ .

(Notary Public)

(SEAL) My commission expires Otf/J- f

Maria A Rios
My Commission Expires
09/21/2009

SAS 529-07
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RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 14ithm Generation Charter Application 108

 Fourteenth Generation Open-Enrollment Charter School Applicant Biographical Affidavit
(MTST BE TYPED and NOTARIZED )

Check all that apply:

L^! Member of ihe governing bod y o f the sponsorin g entity

W Membe r o f the governing bod y o f the charter schoo l

G Schoo l officer ; Stat e position a s defined in TEC, §12.1012

Full Name of Sponsoring Entit y Manar a Academy, Inc

Full Na m e of Proposed Charte r School Manara . Academy

In connection wit h th e above-named organization and charter school application, I herewith make representations an d supply
fflformation about myself as hereinafter se t forth. (Attach addendu m or separate shee t if space heieon is insufficient t o answe r
any questions fully )

IE ANSWER IS "NO" O R "NONE", SO STATE.

I. Ful l Name (Initials Not Acceptable ) Michell e Renee Alkhatib

2. Hav e you eve r had your name changed or used another name? JX ] Yes L JN o

If yes, give reason for the change: Marriag e

Maiden name (if female) Melto n

Other name s used at any time:

3 Curren t home address 290 5 Trailwoo d Lane, Flower Mound, TX 7502 8

If you ar e a member of the governing bod y of the sponsoring entity and the sponsoring entity i s an out-of-statc organization,
do you reside within 50 miles of the geographic boundar y of the proposed charte r school ?

I _ ] Ye s Q ^ N o [X j N/ A (because l a m no t amember of the governing body of th e sponsorin g entit y orth e

sponsoring entity is based in Texas) .

4. Curren t home telephone number: (972 ) 355-129 6

5. Education : Dates . Names, Locations and Degree s

College: 1994-1999 , Purdue University- , B S Speech an d Audiology

Graduate Studies .

Others:

6. Lis t membership(s ) in professional societies an d associations:

INA

SAS 529-07
RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academ y 14 Generatio n Charter Applicatio n

 7. Lis t complete employment record , includin g self-employmen t (up to and including present jobs , positions , directorate s o r
officerships) fo r th e past ten (10) years :

DATES EMPLOYER ADDRESS POSITION

Dallas Independent Schoo l District 7800 Umphress , Dallas , TX Teacher
Smart Start Learning Center Coppell,TX Teacher
Aramark Educationa l Resource s Itasca, 1L Teacher, Sit e Directo r

8. Lis t all businesses o r organizations of which you are a partner or in which you have a majority interest :
NA

9. Lis t all previous experience with charter schools Includ e open-enrollment schools and/or campus or program charters :

DATES CHARTE R SCHOOL/CHARTE R HOLDE R ADDRES S POSITIO N

NA

10. Lis t all previous experience with any charter school management company:

DATES MANAGEMEN T COMPAN Y ADDRES S POSITION

11. Lis t any professional, occupational , o r vocational licenses issued b y any public or governmental licensing agenc y o r
regulatory authority whic h you presentl y bol d or have held in the past. (State dat e license was issued, issuer of license, date
terminated, reason s for termination:
Texas Educato r Certificate. Issue d b y Texas State boar d o f Education, 08/18/200 3

Page 2 of 4 SAS 529-0 7

RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 14ithGeneratio n Charter Application 110

 12. Durin g the last ten (10) years, hav e you eve r been refused a professional, occupationa l o r vocational licens e by any public
or governmental licensing agency o r regulatory authority , or has such licens e held by you eve r been suspende d or revoked?

C Ye s ( i N o
If yes, giv e details :

13. Wil l you be employed by or contract wit h the sponsoring entity , the charter school, o r the managment company o f the
school?

C Ye s f t N o T f so, please state the compensation you expect to receive

Also explai n any other compensation yo u expec t to receive for service on the governing bod y of the sponsoring entity .

14. I s any relative within the third degre e of consanguinity ( i e , your parent, grandparent, great-granparent , child , grandchild,
great-grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew) or within the third degree o f affinity (i.e. , your spouse or your
spouse's parent, grandparent, great-granparenL , child, grandchild, great-grandchild , sibling , aunt , uncle , niece, nephew ) a
member of the governing bod y o f the sponsorin g entity or of the governing bod y o f the charte r school ?

r Ye s £ • No
If so, give details ;

15. Wil l any relative(s) within the third degree o f consanguinity o r affinity (se e definitions in Question 1 4 above) be employed
by or receive any compensation o r remuneration from th e sponsoring entity , charter school , o r the management company of
the charter school?

C Ye s ( • N o
If so, give details :

16. Hav e you ever been convicte d of a misdemeanor involvin g moral turpitude; a felony; a n offense liste d in TEC 37.0u7(a), or
an offense liste d in Article 62.01(5) Cod e o f Criminal Procedure?

SAS 529-0 7
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RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 110-A

[MANARAl
}". Ha\ e vou ever been adjudged hankrupt "

\uffiba o f times adjncguO ixinknipi:

DiAc of eacii bankrupt) judgment :

-c (\otar> Public )
CANDACE KAVANAU6 H
Notary Pubiic
STATE OF TEXAS

Manara Academ y 1 4i HiGeneratio n Charter Applicatio n 111

 Fourteenth Generation Open-Enrollment Charter School Applicant Biographical Affidavi t
(MUST BE TYPED and NOTARIZED )

Check all that apply:

[X. Membe r o f the governing bod y of the sponsorin g entit y

IX] Membe r o f the governing body o f the charte r school

I I Schoo l officer : Stat e position as define d i n TEC , §12.1012

Full Nam e of Sponsoring Entit y Manar a Academy, Inc

Full Name of Proposed Charter Schoo l Manar a Academy

In connection with the above-named organization and charter school application, I herewith make representation s an d suppl y
information abou t myself as hereinafter se t forth . (Attac h addendu m or separate sheet if space hereo n is insufficient to answe r
any questions fully. )

IF ANSWE R IS "NO" O R "NONE", SO STATE.

1. Ful l Name (Initial s Not Acceptable ) SadakThamb y Shaik Abdul

2. Hav e you eve r had your name changed or used another name? IX l Ye s

If yes, give reason fo r the change-

Maiden nam e (if female) :

Other names used at any time: Sada k Shai k

3. Currenthom e address 14 8 WrenwoodDr, Coppcll, TX , 75019

If you ar e a mem her of the governing body of the sponsoring entit y and the sponsoring entity i s an out-of-state organization ,
do you reside within 50 miles of the geographic boundary of the proposed charte r school 9

Yes ~~ \ N o "x j N/ A (becaus e T am not a member of the governin g body of the sponsorin g entit y or th e
sponsoring entit y is based in Texas).

4 Curren t home telephone number: (972 ) 373-9923

5. Education : Dates . Names, Locations and Degree s

College 1 1992-1996 , Universit y of Madras. India, BS Electrical & Hleetromcs Engineerin g

Graduate Studies : 1996-1998 , University of Illinois at Chicago, IL , MS Computer Scienc e

Others

6. Lis t membership(s) in professional societies an d associations:

N/A

SAS.529-07
RFA 70 1 -06-021

Manara Academy 14ithGeneratio n Charter Application

 7. Lis t complet e employment record, including self-employment (u p to and includin g present jobs, positions, directorate s or
officerships) fo r the past te n (10) years.

DATES EMPLOYER ADDRESS POSITION

02/2001 - Present i 2 Technologies, 1170 1 Lun a Rd, Dallas, TX 75234 Advanc e Member of Tech Staf f
08/1998 - 01-2001 Sabr e In c 315 0 Southlake, TX 76092 Senio r Software Enginee r
08/1997 -08/199 8 la b for Advanced Computing UI C Chicago , II, Researc h Assistan t

List all businesses o r organizations o f which you are a partner or in which you have am ajont y interest:

9. Lis t al l previous experience wit h charter schools . Includ e open-enrollment schools and/or campus or program charters:

CHARTER SCHOOL/CHARTE R HOLDE R ADDRES S POSITIO N

10. Lis t all previous experienc e wit h any charter schoo l management company .

DATES MANAGEMEN T COMPANY ADDRES S POSITION

11. Lis t any professional, occupational, or vocational licenses issued by any public or governmental licensing agency or
regulatory authority whic h you presently hol d or have held m the past. (Stat e dat e license was issued, issue r o f license, dat e
terminated, reasons fo r termination:

Page 2 of 4 SAS 529-0 7

RF A 701-06-021

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Applicatio n 113

$i f
ANA A!
 12. Durin g th e last ten (10 ) years, have you eve r been refused a professional, occupationa l o r vocational license b y any pubhc
or governmental licensin g agenc y o r regulatory authority, or has such license hel d by you eve r been suspended o r revoked1?

13. Wil l you be employed by or contract wit h the sponsoring entity , the charter school , or the managment company o f the
school?

C Ye s ( i N o I f so. please state the compensation you expect to receive.

Also explain an y other compensatio n yo u expect t o receive for service on the governing bod y of the sponsoring entit y

14 I s any relative within the third degree o f consanguinity (i.e. , your parent, grandparent , great-granparent, chil d grandchild,
great-grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew) or within the third degree of affinity (i.e. , your spouse or your
spouse's parent, grandparent , great-granparent , child , grandchild, great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle , niece, nephew ) a
member of the governing body o f the sponsoring entit y o r of the governing body o f the charte r school ?

C Ye s ; » N o
If so, give details :

15. Wil l any relative(s) within th e third degree o f consanguinity o r affinity (see definition s i n Question 1 4 above) b e employed
by or receive an y compensation o r remuneration from th e sponsoring entity , charter school , or the management company o f
the charte r school ?

16. Hav e you ever been convicte d o f a misdemeanor involvin g moral turpitude, a felony: an offense listed i n TEC 37.007(a) , o r
an offens e liste d in Article 62.01(5) Cod e o f Criminal Procedure?
C Ye s ( • N o

If so, give details :

Page 3 of 4 SAS 529-07

RFA 701-06-02 1

y" i
Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 114
JAR,
 20(1 &

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Applicatio n

 Fourteenth Generation Open-Enrollment Charte r School Applicant Biographica l Affidavi t
(MUST BE TYPED and NOTARIZED )
Check all that apply:

IXl Membe r o f the governing body o f the sponsoring entit y

!X_ Membe r o f the governing bod y o f the charte r schoo l

II Schoo l officer . State position as defined i n TEC, §12.1012

Full Name of Sponsoring Entity Manar a Academy, Inc

Full Name of Proposed Charter Schoo l Manar a Academv

In connection with the above-named organization and charter school application , I herewith make representations an d supply
information about myself as hereinafter set forth. (Attach addendum or separate sheet if space hereo n is insufficient t o answe r
any questions fully. )

IF ANSWE R I S "NO" O R "NONE", SO STATE.

I. Ful l Name (Initials Not Acceptable) Am r Abu-Suleiman

2. Hav e you eve r had your name change d or used another name 1; Yes [X[ N o

If yes, give reason for the change:

Maiden name (if female) :

Other names used a t anv tim e

3 Curren t home address 40 0 Summer moon IrvmgJX 7506 3

If you are a member of the governing bod y of the sponsoring entity and the sponsoring entity i s an out-of-state organization ,
do you reside withi n 50 miles of the geographic boundary' of the proposed charte r school?

cs
IHI ^ L H ^ ° [X | N7 A (because I am not a mem her of the governing body of the sponsoring entit y or the
sponsoring entit y is based in Texas)

4. Curren t home telephone number: (972 ) 432-007 8

5. Education : Dates , Names. Location s an d Degrees

College: 199 5 Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jorda n B.Sc Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Studies : 199 3 Oklahoma State University , Stillwater,OK; MS c Industria l Engineering and Mgmt.

006, Dmveisit y o f Texas at Ar\!ngton,Dvittas,TX, Ph.D Industrial Engineering

6. Lis t membership(s) in professional societies an d associations:

Institute o f Industrial Engineering,

SAS 529-07
Page I of 4
RFA 70 1 -06-021

Manara Academy 14ithGeneratio n Charter Application 116

IMANARA;
 7. Lis t complete employment record , includin g self-employment (u p to and including present jobs, positions, directorates or
officerships) fo r the past te n (10) year s

DATES EMPLOYER ADDRESS POSITION

19/2006- Current The Sahre Group 3150 Sabr e Drive, Southlake , Tx76092 Produc t Marketing Manage r
2U04-2006 Hitachi Consulting 15305 Dallas PKWY, Dallas, TX , 75001 S r Consultant
2002 - 2004 Contractor Multiple Sites Consultan t
1998-2002 i2 Technologie s 11701 Lima Rd. Dallas. TX 7S2M S r Solutions Architec t

List all businesses or organizations of which, you are a partner o r vn which you hav e a majority interest' .

9. Lis t all previous experienc e wit h charter schools . Include open-enrollment school s and'or campus or program charter s

DATES CHARTE R SCHOOL/CHARTE R HOLDE R ADDRES S POSITIO N

List all previous experience wit h any charter school managemen t company

DATES MANAGEMEN T COMPAN Y ADDRES S POSITION

11. Lis t any professional, occupational, o r vocational licenses issued b y any public or governmental licensing agency o r
regulatory authorit y whic h yo u presently hol d or have held i n the past. (Stat e date licens e was issued, issue r o f license, date
term inated, reasons for termination:
INA

SAS 529-0 7
Page 2 of 4
RFA 70]-06-021

Manara Academy 14 Generatio n Charter Application 117

 12. Durin g th e last ten (10) years, have you eve r been refused a professional, occupational or vocational license b y any public
or governmental licensin g agency o r regulatory authority , or has such license held by you ever been suspended or revoked?

f- Ye s C» -N o
If yes. giv e details :

. \Vff l yo u be employe d by o r contract whVilbe sponsoring entity , tbe charte r scVioo'i , o r the managmen^ company o f the
school?

C Ye s ( • N o i f so. please state the compensation you expect to receive.

Also explain an y other compensatio n yo u expect to receive for service on the governing bod y of the sponsoring entity.

14. I s any relative within the third degree o f consanguinity (i.e. , your parent, grandparent, grcat-granparent, chil d grandchild ,
greal-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle, niece, nephew ) o r within the third degre e o f affinity (i.e. , your spouse o r your
spouse's parent, grandparent , great-granparent, child , grandchild, great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle, niece, nephew ) a
member of the governing body of the sponsoring entit y or of the governing body of the charter school ?

p Ye s { • N o
If so , give details:

15. Wil l any relative(s) within th e third degree o f consanguinity o r affinity (se e definitions i n Question 1 4 above) be employed
by or receive any compensation o r remuneration fro m th e sponsoring entity , charter school o r the management company of
the charter school' ?

16. Hav e you eve r been convicted o f a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; a felony, an offense liste d in TEC 37.007(a) ; or
an offense liste d in Article 62.01(5) Code o f Criminal Procedure?
C" Ye s ( •N o

If so, give details.

SAS S29-0 7
Page 3 of 4
RF A 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Applicatio n 118

 • 7 f lave vou eve r bee n adjuaccd bankrupt ?

Nirnbet o f Iniia s HI ijwifted biinkrapE ' !

Date o f each baakrupur v jadaiiifnt :

P V'e s fS -No

If so, give details:

Dated and sined this

I hereby certify xntfe r penally of perjury tha i I ,i'n acting an my own behalf and thai Hie foregoing statemetas am tru e an
-} it', ih: fies t off») ' bwwlt'tjg;' and '

Oii this day. , j r j r _ i ^i;..:Wi£/.'^:.^L viiarfi c o t affiant) appeared lie(orc me the undersigned noxar} 1 publi c arid dejx>sed thai
he/she executed the abovv instrumen t ait-i !hyr the sralcmcnts an d answers containe d therei n ar e true an d correct to the bes t of hi s
her knowleda e an d Ix-liei'.

Manara Academ y 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 119

XrT/
 Fourteenth Generation Open-Enrollment Charter School Applicant Biographical Affidavi t
(MUST BE TYPED and NOTARIZED )

Check al l that apply :

!?*J Membe r o f the governing bod y o f the sponsorin g entit y

|X] Membe r o f the governing bod y of the charter school

! I Schoo l office r Stat e position a s define d in TE C §12.101 2

Full Name of Sponsoring Entit y Manar a Academy, Inc

Full Nam e of Proposed Charter Schoo l Manar a Academv

In connection wit h the above-name d organization an d charter school application , I herewith make representations an d supply
information abou t myself as hereinafter set forth. (Attach addendum or separate shee t i f space hereo n i s insufficient to answe r
any questions full y )

IF ANSWER IS "NO" O R "NONE", SO STATE.

I Ful l Name (Initials Not Acceptable ) Jaszee r Ah Mohammed

2. Hav e you ever had your name changed o r used another name? [X J Ye s d lN o

If yes, give reason fo r the change-

Maiden name (if female) :

Other names used a t any time : Jaszcer Mohammed

3. Curren t home address: g] 4 W. Royal U #251 , Irving, TX 7503 9

If you ar e a mem her of the governing bod y of the sponsoring entit y and the sponsoring entit y is an out-of-state organization,
do you reside within 50 miles of the geographic boundar y o f the proposed charte r school ?

[" Ye s r n N oT x] N/ A (because 1 am not a member of the governing body of the sponsoring entity or the
sponsoring entit y is based in Texas) .

4. Curren t hom e telephone number: (972 1 501-0031

5 Educatio n Dates . Names, Locations and Degrees

College: 1992-1996 , Osmani a University. India. BS Mechanical Engineering

Graduate Studies :

Others:

6. Lis t membership(s) i n professional societies and associations :

MA

i) i F A SA S 529-0 7
1
* g c l ° f 4 KP A 701-06-021

Manara Academ y 14 l Generatio n Charte r Applicatio n

<f?\'
'MANARA
 7. Lis t complet e employmen t record , includin g self-employmen t (u p t o an d includin g present jobs , positions , directorate s o r
officerships) fo r the past te n (10) years:

DATES EMPLOYER ADDRES S POSITION

us/zoos- ^resent Horizon Lines, 1 nc 60 0 E. Las Colinas Blvd , #650 IKVIINO, I x, 7511.3 9 Lead Architect
02/2001-07/2005 System Source Inc 575 7 Alpha Rd,#603,Dallas,TX , 75240 Consultant
09/1999-01/2001 Optech Consultin g In c 1 7000 Preston Road , Suite 240, Dallas , TX 75248 Consultant
04/1998-08/1999 SagarSoft (India) Lt d 8-2-472/B/2,Road#l,Banjar a Hills,Hyerabad,India-50 0 034 Software Enginee r

8. Lis t all businesses o r organizations o f which you are a partner or i n which you have a majority interest :

9. Lis t all previous experience with charter schools . Includ e open-enrollment schools and/or campu s or program charters:

DATES CHARTE R SCHOOL'CHARTER HOLDE R ADDRES S POSITIO N

NTS" ' ' _ _ ____ _

10. Lis t all previous experience wit h any charte r schoo l management company :

DATES MANAGEMEN T COMPANY ADDRES S POSITION

NTS ~~" ''

11. Lis t any professional , occupational o r vocational licenses issued by any public or governmental licensin g agency o r
regulatory authorit y which yo u presentl y hol d o r hav e hel d i n th e pasi . (Stat e dat e licens e wa s issued , issue r o f license , dat e
terminated, reason s for termination:

N/A

SAS 529-07
Pa«e2of'4 RFA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Application 121

 12. Durin g the last ten (10) years, have you eve r been refused a professional, occupationa l o r vocational licens e by any public
or governmental licensing agenc y o r regulatory authority, or has such license hel d by you eve r been suspende d o r revoked?

(" Ye s ( • N o
If yes, give details

13. Wil l you be employed by or contract with the sponsoring entity , the charter school, o r the managment company of the
school?

C Ye s ( i N o I f so, please state the compensation you expect t o receive.

Also explai n any other compensation yo u expect to receive for service o n the governing bod y o f the sponsoring entity.

14. I s any relative within the third degre e of consanguinity ( i e., your parent, grandparent, great-granparent , child , grandchild,
great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle, niece , nephew ) o r within the third degree o f affinity (i.e. , your spouse or your
spouse's parent , grandparent, great-granparent , child , grandchild, great-grandchild, sibling , aunt, uncle , niece, nephew ) a
member of the governing bod y o f the sponsorin g entit y or of the governing body o f the charte r school^

C Ye s ( » N o

If so, give details:

15. Wil l any relative(s) within th e third degre e of consanguinity o r affinity (se e definitions i n Question 1 4 above) b e employed
by or receive any compensation o r remuneration from th e sponsoring entity, charter school , o r the management company of
the charter school?

f Ye s( 9No
If so, give details :

16. Hav e you ever been convicted o f a misdemeanor involvin g moral turpitude; a felony, an offense liste d in TEC 37.007(a) ; or
an offense liste d in Article 62.0If5) Code o f Criminal Procedure?

Page 3 of 4 SAS 529-07

RFA 70 1 -06-021

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charte r Applicatio n

l£f\
LM
MANAK/
122
 17. Hav e you ever bee n adjudged bankrupt ? ' Ye s9 N oj f SOi please provide th e following information.

Number of times adjudge d bankrupt:

Date of each bankruptc y judgment:

Description o f the circumstances surroundin g each bankruptcy:

18. Hav e you ever bee n an officer, director , trustee , investmen t committee member , ke y employee, o r controlling stockholde r
of any business, which , whil e you occupied an y such position o r capacity wit h respect to it. became insolvent , declared
bankruptcy, or wa s placed unde r supervision or in receivership, rehabilitation, liquidatio n or conscrvalorship ?

r Ye s( S No

If so, give details :

Dated and signed this 1 0 da y of ^fAU^iU M ,200B -

I hereby certif y unde r penalty o j perjury tha t I am acting a n tft y ow n behalf and tha t th e foregoing statement s ar e trit e an d
correct to the he.M of my knowledge an d belief .

(Signature o f Affiant )

VERIFICATION

State o f
County of

On this day. jG&7t£ f r ' / t t y h ^ r i a m e of affiant) appeare d befor e me the undersigned notar y publi c and deposed that he/she
executed, th e abov e instrumen t an d tha t th e statement s an d answer s containe d therei n ar e true an d correc t t o th e bes t o f his / he r
knowledge an d belief.

Subscribed and sworn t o before me this j Q dayof ,200^" .

(Notary Public )

(SEAL) My commission expire s / ) ff/£j jd£ O "/

Mans A Ru s
My Commission Expire s
09;: 1/2009

SAS 529-07
Paee 4 of 4
RKA 701-06-02 1

Manara Academ y 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 123

Attachment B ~ Sponsorin g entity' s organizational chart

Manara Academy tnc

(Sponsoring Entity)

Manara Academy
Board of Directors
(Governing Body)

Principal

Business Teaching Staff Instructional Maintenance

Manager Guide Staff

Grade Teache r
Foreign Languag e Teacher
REIMS Coordinator
Art Teacher
/ Secretary
PE Coach
Instructional Assistan t

Manara Academy 1 4ithGeneratio n Charter Application 124

JARAI
Attachment C - 501(c)(3 ) determination letter from the IRS
14'-24 FERSOMIIEL OFFICE CIHTI 5132634276 P -U
INTERNAL REVENU E SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASUR Y
P. O. BOX 250 S
CINCINNATI, O H 4520 1

Employer idem: ificacion. Number;

Date; J 20-5254172
AN 2 42007 DLN:
17053320014005
MANARA ACADEMY INC contact Person;
4070 K BELT LINE STE 110-140 TERRY IZUMI ID* * 9504 8
IRVING, TX 75038-500 0 Contact Telephone Number;
(877! 829-550 0
Accounting Period Ending ;
June 30
Public Charity Status:
170 (b) U) (A) (ii)
Form 990 Required:
Yes
Effective Date of Exemption :
JUly 13 , 2006
Contribution Deducibility:

Dear Applicant:

We are pleased to inform you tha t upon review of your application for tax
exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal incom e tax
under section SQMc)(3J O f the Internal Revenu e Code . Contribution s to you are
deductible under section 170 of the code. Yo u are also qualified to receive
tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106
or 2522 of the Code. Becaus e thi s letter could help resolve an y question s
regarding your exempt Statue, you should keep it in your permanent records .

Organizations exempt under section 501<c){3 ) of the Code are further classified
as either public charities or private foundations. W e determined tha t you are
a public charity under the Code section(s) listed in the heading of this
letter.

Please see enclosed informatio n for Exempt Organisations Unde r Section

soiicj (3) for some helpful information about your responsibilities a s an exempt
organization.

Sincerely,

Lois G. Lerner
Director, Exeippt Organization s
Rulings and Agreements

Enclosures-. Information for Organizations Exempt . Under Section 501(Ci(3)

Letter 94 7 (DO/CG )

Manara Academy 1 4I 111Generatio n Charter Application 125

Attachment D - Origina l Articles of Incorporation / Certificate of Formation and
Filling
Form 20 2 - : , ;
Secretary o f Slate Filed in the Office o f the
P.O. Bo x 1369 7 Secretary o f State of Texas
Austin. TX 78711-369 7 Filing #: 800880484 07/13/2006
FAX: 512/463-570 9 Document #: 136501180002
Certificate of Formation Image Generated Electronicall y
Filing Fee : S2 5 Nonprofit Corporation for Web Filing

Article 1 - Corporate Nam e

The filin g entit y formed is a nonprofit corporation. The nam e o f the entity is ;
Manara Academy Inc.
me nam e must no t be t.he same as . deceptively similar to lhat o l an existing corporate limite d labiMy company, or United partnership nam e on 'ilc
wiln the secretary cf slaSe. A preliminary check !D I She "name avai.ability ' i s recommende d
Article 2 - Registere d Agen t and Registered Office
PA. Th e initial registere d agent i s an organization (canno t be corporation name d above ) b y the name of:

OR
I^B. Th e initial registered agen t is an individual residen t o f (he state whose name is set forth below.
Name:
Ra'id Mari e
C. The business addres s o f the registered agent and the registered office address is :
Street Address:
4070 N. Belt Line, Suite 11 0 -140 Irvin g T X 7503 8
Article 3 - Management (Complete item s A or B )
P A . Management o t the affairs of the corporation i s to be vested solely in the members of Ihe corporation.
OR
& B . Management o f the affairs of the corporation is to be vested in its board of directors. Th e number of directors.
which mus t b e a minimum of three, that constitutes the initial board of directors an d the name s and addresses of the
persons who are to serve as direct ois unti l the firs t annual meeting or until their successors aie electe d and qualified
are set forth below
Director i Sada k Shai k Titl e Directo r
ACCESS 14 8 Wrenwood Dr Coppel l TX , US A 7501 9
Director 2 Ehap Sabr i Titl e Directo r
A^ress 530 7 N. MacArthur Blvd. #2013 Irvin g TX , USA 7503 8
Director 3-Ra'id Mari e Titl e Directo r
Acwress 364 9 Walnut Hil l Lane # 2111 Irvin g TX , USA 7503 8

Manara Academy 14 Generatio n Charter Application 126

JMANAR/
 Article 4 - Organization Structure
(You must selec t either A o r B below )
A. The corporation will have members.
B. The corporation will not have members
Article 5 - Purpose
The corporation is organized for the following purpos e o r purposes
The purposes for which the Corporation is organized are exclusively educational
and charitable, including the formation and operation of a Charter School under
and pursuant to Chapter 12 of the Texas Education Code.

Supplemental Provisions / Information

Upon dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the corporation (whether
voluntary or involuntary), the net assets shall be distributed as determined by
the Corporation, but only to one or more charitable, or educational

organizations exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501C (3 ) or the
Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding provisions of any such future law) .

[The attached addendum i t any > s incorporated herei n c y refe-ence ]

Effectiveness of Filing
Iv A. This documen t become s effectiv e when the document is filed by the secretary of slate.
OR
I~B, Thi s document becomes effective al a laler date , which i s nol moif c than ninety (90) clays from the date of its
signing. Th e delayed effective dat e is:
Organizer
The nam e and address of the organizer ar e set forth below.
Ra'id Marie 364 9 Walnut Hill Lane #2111 Irving . TX 75308
Execution
The undersigned signs this document subjec t to the penalties impose d b y law for the submission o f a materially false
or fraudulent instrument.
Ra'id Marie
Signature of r>rcani7e r

FILING OFFICE COPY

Manara Academy 14ithGeneratio n Charter Application 127

 Corporations Sectio n Roger Williams
P.O.Box 1369 7 Secretary of Stal e
Austin, Texas 78711-369 7

Office o f the Secretar y o f State

CERTIFICATE OF FILING
OF

Manara Academy Inc .

File Number: 80068048 4

The undersigned , a s Secretar y o f Stat e o f Texas , hereb y certifie s that a Certificat e o f Formation fo r th e
above name d Domesti c Nonprofi t Corporatio n ha s bee n receive d i n thi s office an d ha s bee n foun d t o
conform t o the applicable provisions o f law.

ACCORDINGLY, th e undersigned , a s Secretar y o f State , an d b y virtu e o f th e authorit y vested i n th e

secretary b y law, hereby issue s this certificate evidencing filing effective on the date shown below .

The issuance of this certificate does not authorize the use of a name in this state in violation of the rights
of anothe r unde r the federa l Trademark Ac t o f 1946 , th e Texas trademar k law , th e Assumed Busines s or
Professional Nam e Act, or the common law.

Dated: 07/13/200 6

Effective: 07/13/200 6

Roger Williams
Secretary o f State

Come visil us on ihc internet at Iillp://www.sos.state.L\.us /

Phone:(512)463-5555 Fax: (512 ) 463-5709 TTY: 7-1- 1
Prepared by : Dee Harris Document: 136501 180002

Manara Academy 1 4* Generatio n Charter Application

r*^
ANAKA]
128
Amendment/Change o f Filin g
Reports Unit /x^*oX , Phi l Wilso n
P.O. Box 12028 /§« &« A Secretar y of Stale
Austin, Texas 7871 1 -2028

Office o f the Secretary of State

January 17 , 2008

Ehap Sabr i
4070 N. Belt Line, Suite 11 0 - 140
Irving, TX 75038 US A

RE: Manara Academ y Inc.

File Number: 8Q068048 4

It has been our pleasure to file the Nonprofit Periodic Repor t for the referenced entity. Enclose d i s the
certificate evidencing filing . Paymen t of the filing fee is acknowledged by this letter.

If we may be of further service at any time, please let us know.

Sincerely.

Corporations Section
Business & Public Filings Division
(512)475-2705

Enclosure

Come visil us on the internet at http://www.sioji.state.lx.us /

Phone: {512)475-2705 Fax:(512)463-142 5 Dial : 7-1-1 for Relay Services
Prepared by : Bridgetta Smith TID : 10323 Document : 200260130002

%, Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application j 29

rI\RA!
 Received Jan 1 7 ZOO S 03:1Jp m
P, CC 2

Form 80 2 This space reserved for filing office use.

(revised 09/05)
FILED
Rrtura in Duplicate to: In the Office of the
Secretary of State Secretary of State of Texas
P.O. Box 12028
Austin, TX 78711-202 8 JAN 1 7 200 8
Phone: 5:2/475-270 5 9.01 Report
FAX: 512/463-142 5 P^rsuaut to Article 1396-9.01, Corporations Section
Dial: 7-1- V fo r Rtlay Services Texas Noo-Profit Corporatio n Ac t
Fijtn^Fee: Se e Instructions

File Number: 80068048 4

1. Th e corporation name is: Manur a Academy In c

2. I t is rocorpotatt d •unde r tht law s of: (se t forth state or foreign country) Stat e of Texas

3, Th e name of the registered agen t is:

O A . Th e registered agent is a corporation (canno t be corporttlon ni»*d above ) by the name of:

OS
B B . Th e registered agent is an individual resident of the state whose name is:
Ehap Safar i
FtruKoni M T ItofKof W Suffi x

4. Th e registered offic e address , which is identical lo the business office addres s o f the registered agen t in
Texas, is: (us e strttl or bvHiHi\£ a<IdrtfS. J «

4070 N. Belt Line, Suit e UOI4 0 IRVING TX 7503 8

Cly &O M opCod t
5. I f the corporation i s a foreign corporation, the address of its principal offic e i n the state o r country under
the lew s of Which it is incorporated ig;
NA
Stnfc I 9V Mnifli^ A ddr*u~ City Smit

6. Th e oame s and addresse s of all director s of the corporatio n are : I A lotas corporation mug hav* u lost 3 dir
I space u nttdtd, incJvde fht in/ortna(wn ca an attochmw to thts form for ite m

Efaap Sabri
flni Name MI La y Home Sufffic

3609 Smoke Tree Trail Euless TX 76040

Strtt 1 or Moiling A ttdrcji Ctty Sicae ZipCoOt Couwy

Sadak Shaik
Firil Want MI Lai i WOTX* Suffix

L4fi Wrenwoo d Dr CoppEll TX 75019

Street or if ailing J ddrut Ctv Slat Zip Code Country

Michelle AlKhatib
First Ha>H4 AiT La a Non a Sufte
2905 Tiailwood Lane Flower Mound TX 75028
Sffiti or Maiiiat AddrtfS Ci'rv Salt 2rpCw4 Country

ftt, *'i-,

Manara Academy 14th Generation Charter Application 130

fMANAR
 Received Jan 1 ? 2QO S 03.12p m
F. 00 3

Amr Abu-Suleiman
FvslNanr Swffix
400 Summer Moon IRVING TX . 7506 3
Stetet or Mali>itA<fdrw dry State Z{ p CMJB Ccunv >

Jaszeer Mohammed
Ai? Las t Name Sitfix

814 W Royal Lo,#251 IRVING TX 7503 9. ,

SBIBM or Mol'lnC Addrtx City Statt S p Cad* CotoVr y

First Now W7 lASiNtna t Stf*

SfnO or Moii/w Mdnxs . Cir v Statt Jtf , Cod: Comtr v

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 131

7. Th e names , addresses, an d title s of al l officers of th e corporatio n are : ( A Texas corporation must include a president
and a secretary an d llic same person cannot hold holl i offices. )
(Ifadditional space is needed, include the information a s an attachment to this form for Hem 7. )
Officer Titl e
Ehap Sabr i President
Firs! Name M l Las t Name Suffi x

3609 Smoke Tre e Trl Eules sT X 76040 U S

Street or Mailing Address Cil y Stat e Zip Code Countr y

Officer Titl e
Michelle R Alkliati b Secretary
First Name M i las t Nairn Suffi x

2905 Trailwoo d Lan e Flowe r Mound T X 75028 U S

Street o r Mailing Address Oil} ' Stal e Zip Code Countr y

Officer Titl e

First Name M l /as ! Nam e Suffi x

Street or Mailing Address Cit y Stat e Zip Code Countr y

Execution:
The undersigned signs this document subject to the penalties imposed by law for the submission of a
materially fals e o r fraudulen t instrument . _ ,
3
Date: 12/26/200 7 >^"/ - ^ ^' .
Signature of authorized officer

Manara Academy 1 4 Generation Charter Application 132

Attachment E - Complet e copy of the bylaws of sponsoring entit y

Bylaws for MANARA ACADEMY, INC .

NAME
The name of the corporation is "Manara Academy, Inc." (Hereinafte r referred to as Manara
Academy).

Article I. PURPOS E

Section 1.0 1 Manar a Academy is organized, and will be operated, exclusivel y for charitable ,
educational, scientific, literary and cultural purposes as described in section 501(c)(3 ) o f the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, o r the corresponding provision o f any future federa l tax cod e
(the "Interna l Revenu e Code"), including, for such purposes, the making of distributions t o
organizations tha t qualify a s exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.

Section 1.0 2 Manar a Academy will admit students of any race, color, gender , an d national or ethnic
origin and will have all of the rights, privileges, and activities generall y accorde d o r made availabl e
to students of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national or
ethnic origi n in administration of its educational policies, scholarshi p and loan programs, no r athletic
and other school-administered programs a s well as employment opportunities.

Section 1.0 3 Restrictions . In all events and under all circumstances, th e following provisions shall
apply:
A. Th e Corporation shall not devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to
influence legislation (except as provided in Section 501(h) if the Internal Revenue Code), or
participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political
campaign on behalf of any or in opposition to any candidate fo r public office .
B. N o part o f net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit o r be distributed to any of its
officers, directors, Board member s o r other private persons, except s that the Corporation shal l be
authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation fo r services rendere d and to make
payments in furtherance o f its stated purpos e notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws ,
the Corporation shal l not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried.
C. Notwithstandin g any other provisions of these Bylaws, the Corporation shall no t carry on any
other activities not permitted to be carried on:
1) B y a corporation exempt from federa l incom e tax under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code (or the corresponding provision of any future Unite d State s internal revenu e
law) o r
2) B y a corporation contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(C)(2 ) o f the
Internal Revenue Code (o r the corresponding provision o f any future Unite d States
internal revenue law )

Section 1.0 4 Dispositio n on Dissolution. Upo n the dissolution of the Corporation, the Board shall ,
after payin g or making provision fo r the payment of all of the liabilities of the Corporation, dispos e
of all of the assets of the Corporatio n in such a manner, or t o such organization o r organizations

&':%>, Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application i •>• >

;MANARAJ
T !? \
organized or operated exclusively fo r charitable, educational , religiou s or scientific purpose s a s shall
at the time qualified as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(C)(3 ) o f the
Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provision of any future Unite d States internal revenue
law, as the Board shall determine.

Article II . BOAR D O F DIRECTORS

MANARA COMMUNIT Y

Section 2.01 Anyon e living within the geographical boundar y set forth i n the Manara Academy
Charter i s eligible to be part of the Manara Community.

FOUNDING BOAR D

Section 2.02 Manar a Academy will be governed by a Founding Board fro m Augus t 2006 through
February of the first academic yea r of Manara Academy. This Founding Boar d will consist of seven
(7) members :
a) Fiv e (5) members. Th e five (5 ) members that were elected ar e Amr Abu-Suleiman, Eha p
Sabri, Michelle Alkhatib, Ra'id Mari e and Sadak Shaik . Th e nomination and voting proces s
involved individuals who took part i n Manara Academy's start-u p process an d charter
development. Thes e initia l five (5) members will serve until these member s believe that a
sufficient numbe r of parents and community members/leaders ar e engaged i n the schoo l
project.
b) A t such time, the five (5 ) Founding Board Members will nominate Two (2) additional board
members to fill the remaining two positions. Thi s will be done by simple majority vot e of the
five (5 ) original members.

Section 2.03 Responsibilitie s o f Founding Board : Th e Founding Board's tw o principal

responsibilities:
a) Delegat e assignment s to committees and subgroups that are comprised of volunteers and
community members, and
b) Overse e the charter development and implementation until a Governing Board is elected and
formed

GOVERNING BOAR D

Section 2.04 A Governing Board wil l be formed in February of the first academic year of Manara
Academy. I f for any reason a Governing Board cannot be formed, the Founding Board shall act and
serve as the Governing Board in accordance with these Bylaws until the first Governin g Board is
elected an d formed .

Section 2.05 Boar d Members : Th e Governing Board shal l consist of the following Seve n (7)
members:
a) Thre e (3 ) members of the Founding Board to be selected b y the seven-member Founding
Board. Thes e member s will serve for the duration of the charter (5 years). On e of these three

vt^fV Manar a Academ y 14 th Generation Charte r Application

 Founding Board Members shall be selected by the Governing Board to serve as President of
the Board. Thi s process allow s continuity and institutional prospective during the Charter.
b) Fou r (4) generally elected parents of enrolled students at Manara Academy. Thes e positions
will be based o n nominations in accordance with the Bylaws and will be based on a majority
vote through a general electio n of parent voters. As an outcome of the first academic yea r
election, two (2) of these positions wil l serve for a one (1) year term, while the remaining two
(2) positions will serve for a two (2) year term. Th e terms for each of these four (4) position s
will communicated during the nomination process. Startin g the second academic year, two
(2) of the four (4) positions wil l be up for reelection every February on an alternating basis for
the life of the charter .
c) I n addition to the seven (7) Board Members, the Governing Board may invite community
leaders or representatives fro m th e school's partners to participate in consultations as "non-
voting" members.

ELECTIONS

Section 2.05 Nominations : Nomination s must be submitted to the board by the end of January of
each year. An y Manara community member can nominate any member from the Manara Community
or non-paid staff to a Board position. I n addition, to nominations made by the Manara Community, a
nominating committee appointed by the board shall consider an d make all possible nominations an d
keep a report of such nominations. Self-promotio n and self-nomination are not permitted.

Section 2.06 Election s of Community Boar d Members: Electe d community board members
serve for a term of two (2) years - excep t during the first academic year election where two (2)
members will serve one (1) year - an d may be reelected by the community to serve additional terms.
Elections must be completed by the end of February of each year. Al l parents and guardians are
encouraged to participate i n the elections. Ever y family wit h students attending Manara Academy is
eligible for ONE vote regardless o f number of students in the family. Election s shall be supervised by
the Board acting at the time. Newl y elected board members start their service on March 1 of each
year.

Section 2.0 7 Vacancies : An y vacancy occurring in the Board, and any board member position to
be filled due to an increase i n the number of board members, shall be filled by the Board. A vacancy
is filled by the affirmative vot e of a majority of the remaining board members, eve n if it is less than a
quorum of the Board, or if it is a sole remaining board member. A board member elected to fill a
vacancy shal l be elected for the un-expired term of the predecessor i n office. Ever y member of the
Board shal l serve until the earliest of the expiration of his or her term as herein above se t forth, his or
her death, written resignation delivered to the President of the Board or removal in accordance with
the Bylaws. An y member of the Board ma y resign his or her position at any time. A t a meeting with
respect to which notice of such notice purpose is given and a quorum is present, upon a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote (excluding the member of the Board in question), the Board may cause removal
and replacement of a member of the Board for any reason. I n the event of resignation, death or
removal from th e Board, a volunteer to serve the remainder of the term of any such departing Board
member for any particular position will be asked to apply, and a volunteer will be selected by
majority vot e of the Board.

"% Manar a Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application i -> ^

T ** •
NARA:
 QUORUM

Section 2.08 Fou r (4) board members or a majority o f the number of board members then in offic e
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors.
The board members present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may
continue to transact business even if enough board members leave the meeting so that less than a
quorum remains. However, no action may be approved without the consultation of at least a majority
of the number of board member s required to constitute a quorum. If a quorum is present at no time
during a meeting, a majority of the board members present may adjourn and reconvene the meeting
one time without further notice .

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILIIES OF BOARD MEMBERS

Section 2.09 Th e Governing Board shall have complete responsibility for managing the school as
provided in the Charter. Th e Governing Board has the following primary responsibilities to be carried
out in accordance with the Manara Academy Charter and Bylaws:
a) Develo p Goals: Th e Governing Board's most critical role is to set the vision and long-term
goals and strategies for Manara Academy. Th e management an d implementation strategy
shall be delegated to a Leadership Team who has the responsibility to report to the Board.
b) Develo p Resources : Th e Governing Boar d must develop the resources necessary t o keep
Manara Academy a viable, professionally staffed , well-functioning organization throug h the
following:
1. Long-ter m financia l plannin g and fundraisin g
2. Developmen t o f long-term plans to develop and maintain professional staf f
3. Developmen t of long-term plans to explore successful, beneficial partnerships.
c) Buil d a n Effectiv e Leadership Team: Th e Board must directly make employment decisions
regarding the leadership team, including Principal, Instructional Guide/Coach, an d Business
Manager. Al l other employment decisions may be delegated to the Leadership Team.

Section 2.10 Decision-Making : Th e President of the Board carries the responsibility to facilitat e
Board decisions using the Consultative Model in decision-making which includes the following
potential decision-making situations and methods:
a) Al l Managerial Decisions will be passed to the Leadership Team .
b) Simpl e Policy Decisions where direction is already established wit h existing policy or
previous board decision - th e President may make a decision on behalf of the board.
c) Significan t and Unique Decisions: The Board of Directors shall try to act by consensus.
However a vote of the majority of the directors present an d voting at a meeting a t which a
quorum is present shall be sufficient t o constitute the act of the Board of Directors unless the
act of a greater number is required by law or the Bylaws.

Section 2.11 Director s shall exercise ordinary business judgments in managing the affairs o f the
Corporation. Board members shall act as fiduciaries with respect to the interests of the members. I n
acting in their official capacit y as board members of this corporation, board member s shall act in
good fait h an d take actions they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the Corporation and
that are lawful. I n all other instances, the Board shal l not take any action that they should reasonabl y
believe would be opposed to the Corporation's bes t interests or would be unlawful. A board member

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

shall not be liable if, in the exercise o f ordinary care, the board member acts in good fait h relyin g on
written financial an d legal statement s provided b y an accountant or attorney retaine d by the
Corporation.

The members o f the Board may adopt any rules and/or take any actions with regard to the corporatio n
and/or the member of the Board of the corporation, s o long as any such rules and/or actions ar e not
inconsistent with these Bylaws, the Charter, the Constitution, and federal and state law .

BOARD COMMITTEES

Section 2.12 Th e Board o f Directors may designate one or more committee s t o conduct th e affair s
of the Corporation to the extent authorized. Each Board committee shall consist of at least two
members. Th e board shal l have power to change the powers an d membership of, fill i n vacancies in ,
and dissolve any committee at any time. Members of the committee shal l receive suc h compensatio n
as Board of Directors may from tim e to time provide. The designation o f any committee and the
delegation of authority thereto shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors o r any members
thereof, of any responsibility impose d b y the law.

PROXIES

Section 2.13 A Board membe r may vote by proxy executed i n writing by the board member. No
proxy shall be valid after three (3 ) months fro m th e date of its execution.

COMPENSATION

Section 2.1 4 Th e Board of Director shall not receive salaries for their services. Th e Board of
Directors ma y adopt a resolution providing payment to directors of a fixed sum and expenses o f
attendance, i f any, for attendance a t each meetin g of the Board of Directors. A director may serve th e
Corporation i n any other capacity and receive compensation fo r those services. Any compensatio n
that the Corporation pay s to a director shall be commensurate wit h the services performed and
reasonable i n amount.

REMOVAL OF BOARD MEMBERS

Section 2.1 5 Th e Board of Directors may vote to remove a board member at any time, only for
good cause. Goo d caus e fo r removal of a board member shall include the unexcused failur e to attend
four consecutive meetings o f the Board. A meeting to consider the removal of a board membe r may
be called an d noticed followin g the procedures provided in the Bylaws. The notice of the meetin g
shall stat e that the issue of possible removal of the board member will be on the agenda an d the
notice shal l state the possible caus e fo r removal. The board member shall have the right to presen t
evidence a t the meeting a s to why he or she should not be removed, an d the board membe r shal l hav e
the right to be represented b y an attorney at and before the meeting. A t the meeting, the Corporatio n
shall consider possibl e arrangements fo r resolving the problems that are in the mutual interest of the
Corporation and the board member. Using the Consultative Process describe d i n Section 2.10 , a
board member may be removed by the affirmative vot e of fifty (50) percent of the Board.

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Applicatio n

 Article III. MEETING S OF THE BOARD

Section 3.0 1 Regula r Meetings: The Board of Directors may provide for regular meetings by
resolution stating the time and place of such meetings. The meeting may be held within or without
the State of Texas and shall be held at the Corporation's registered office i n Texas if the resolution
does not specify the location of the meetings. No notice of regular meetings of the board is required
other than the resolution of the Board of Directors stating the time and place of the meetings .

Section 3.0 2 Annua l Meeting: I n addition to the regular meetings of the Board as set forth in
Section 4.01 herein above, the Board shal l meet annually in the last two weeks of April or the firs t
two weeks o f May of each year, or at such other time as may be established in accordance with the
procedures set forth i n Section 4.04 hereof.

Section 3.0 3 Specia l Meetings: Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the
President or any two (2) members of the board, upon not less than (5) nor more than (60) days before
the meeting. Th e notice can be either mailed to the last known address o r personally given to each
Board Member. Notic e of any special meeting of the Board shal l state the place, day , and time of the
meeting, who called the meeting, and purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

Section 3.04 A t all meetings of the Board of Directors, four (4) members of the Board shal l
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Excep t as otherwise specificall y provided herein,
all resolutions adopted and all business transacted by the Board shall required the affirmative vot e of
a majority o f the Board members present and voting at any meeting at which a quorum is present
shall constitute the official ac t of the Board.

Section 3.0 5 An y or all members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the
Board, or of a committee of the Board, through the use of any means of communication by which all
Board members participating may simultaneousl y hear each other during the meeting. Participatio n
in a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.0 4 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Attendance at board meetings is mandatory. I f a Board member must miss a meeting, the President
must receive 24 hours notice. Failur e to attend meetings or provide timely notice of an intended
absence may be grounds for immediate removal from th e Board .
The President of the school shall preside at all meetings of the Board. He/Sh e shall appoint a
recording secretary to take minutes of the meetings of the Board.

Article IV . OFFICER S

Section 4.01 Th e principal officers o f the corporation shall consist of a President, a Secretary and
Treasurer. On e or more Vice President, Assistant Secretaries and/or Assistant Treasurers ma y be
elected. Al l such officers shal l be elected b y the Board and shall serve at the pleasure o f the members
of the Board. An y person shall be eligible to hold any office o r more than one office, excep t th e
member of the Board and the President and the Secretary shall not be the same person.

Manara Academy 14 ' Generatio n Charter Application 13 0

Section 4.02 Th e officers shal l be elected at the organizational meeting o f the initial Board and
thereafter thei r successors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Board to serve for a term of
one (1) year and until their successors ar e elected qualified .

Section 4.0 3 President : The President shall be the Chief Executive Office r o f the corporation and
shall have general an d active management duties of the operation of the corporation. Th e President
shall be responsible fo r the day-to-day administration of the Academy, includin g general
implementation of polices and management of the financial affair s o f the corporation. Th e President
shall have such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned t o him/her from tim e to time by
the Board.

Section 4.04 Secretary : The Secretary shal l be responsible for the minutes of all the meetings of
the Board o f Board members and for authenticating records of the corporation. Th e Secretary shall
have charge of the corporation's minute book and seal. Th e Secretary shal l also perform such other
duties and have such other powers and responsibilities as may be assigned to him or her from tim e to
time by the Administrator and/or the Board.

Section 4.05 Treasurer : The Treasurer shal l be charged with the day-to-day management of the
financial affairs o f the Corporation and shall have the responsibility to recommend action concernin g
the Corporation's financia l affairs t o the President, Administrator and the Board. Th e Treasurer shal l
at all times maintain full an d accurate records regarding the property owned by the corporation, it s
income and disbursements and its various activities, and shall present suc h record a t the annual and
regular meetings o f the Board; provided, however, that the records shall always be open for
inspection by any member of the Board. The Treasurer shall have the authority and responsibility for
the safekeeping of the funds, securitie s and other assets of the corporation an d shall serve as an
advisor on financial matters relating to the management and operation of the corporation's assets. The
Treasurer shall have such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her from tim e to
time by the President/Administrator and/or the Board.

Section 4.06 Vice-President : When the President is absent, is unable to act, or refuses t o act, a Vice-
President shall perform the duties of the President. When the Vice-President act s in place of the
President, the Vice-President shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon
the President. If there is more than one Vice-President, the Vice-Presidents shal l act in place of the
President in the order of the votes received when elected. A Vice-President shal l perform other duties
as assigned by the President or the Board .

Section 4.07 Th e Board may elect, or the President appoint one or more assistants t o the Secretar y
and/or Treasurer, who shall have such duties and responsibilities a s may be assigned to them fro m
time to time by the President, Administrator and/or the Board.

Section 4.08 I f a vacancy occur s in an office othe r than that of the President, the President shall
appoint a qualified perso n to serve until a successor officer i s elected by the Board a t an annual or
special meeting. I f a vacancy occurs in the office o f the President, the Vice-President shall serve a s
President Pro Tempore until a successor President is elected by the remaining Board at an annual or
special meeting .

^i%; Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

Section 4.09 Disbursement s from academ y accounts shall require the signatures o f both the
Administrator and the Treasurer unless otherwise delegated b y the Treasurer .

Article V. COMPENSATIO N OF OFFICERS

Section 5.01 Th e officers shal l serve without compensation; however, the corporation shal l be
authorized and empowered t o pay reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurre d by an officer i n
furtherance o f the corporation's purposes .

CONTRACTS

Article VI. CHECKS , DEPOSITS, AND FUNDS

Section 6.01 Contracts : The Board o f Directors may authorize any officer, officers , agent , or agents
of the corporation, i n addition to the officers s o authorized by these Bylaws, to enter into any contrac t
or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf o f the corporation. Suc h authority
may be either general or confined to specific instances.

Section 6.02 Checks and Drafts : Al l checks, drafts , o r orders for the payment of money, notes, or
other evidences of indebtedness issue d in the name of the corporation shal l be signed b y such officer ,
officers, agent , or agents of the corporation an d in such manner as shall from tim e to time be
determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. In the absence o f such determination by the
Board of Directors, such instruments shall be signed by the President or Treasurer an d countersigned
by the Secretary o r an Assistant Secretary .

Section 6.03 Deposits : All funds o f the corporation shall be deposited from tim e to time to the credit
of the corporation i n such banks, trust companies, or other depositaries a s the Board of Directors may
select.

Section 6.04 Gifts : The Board of Directors may accept on behalf of the corporation an y contribution,
gift, bequest, or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpos e of the corporation.

Article VII. BOOK S AND RECORDS

Section 7.01 Th e Corporation shall keep correct and complete books of account and shall also keep
minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and of committees havin g any of the authority
of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII. COMMITTEE S

Section 8.01 Standin g and special committees of the Board o f the corporation may be authorized by
the Governing Board o f the corporation. Th e chairpersons and members of all committees shall be
elected by the Governing Board.

Manara Academy 14 1 Generatio n Charter Application

(MAPI\RAJ
 Article IX. SEA L

Section 9.0 1 Th e seal of the corporation shal l be in such form a s the Board may from time to time
determine. I n the event it is inconvenient to use such seal at any time, the signatures of the President
and Secretary o f the corporation followed by the "SEAL" enclosed in parentheses o r scroll shall be
deemed the seal o f the corporation. Th e Secretary shall be in charge of the seal and the Secretary
shall affi x th e seal on all corporate papers wher e necessary or appropriate .

Article X. AMENDMENT S

Section 10.0 1 The Bylaws maybe altered, amended, or repealed an d new Bylaws may be adopted by
the majority vote of the Board. The notice of any meeting at which the Bylaws are altered, amended ,
or repealed, or at which new Bylaws are adopted shal l include the text of the new Bylaw provisions
as well as the text of any existing provisions proposed to be altered, amende d or repealed.
Alternatively, th e notice may include a fair summar y of those provisions .

Article XL INDEMNIFICATIO N

Section 11.01 Th e Corporation shall indemnify its Directors an d Officers t o the extent permitted by
Article 2.22A of the Texas Non-Profit Corporatio n ac t or any superseding statue under the
circumstances in which indemnification is permitted by said Article 2.22A.

CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY

1 certify tha t I am the duly elected and acting secretary of Manara Academy, Inc and that the
foregoing Bylaws constitute the Bylaws of the corporation. These Bylaw s were duly adopted a t a
meeting of the Board of Directors held on November 2nd 2006 .

Secretary of Manara Academy, Inc.

Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

Attachment F - Cop y of the published notice of public hearing (newspaper Ad)

STATLOI'ThXAS

COUNTY O K DALLAS

Before me , a Notar y Public i n and fo r Dallas County, this day personall y appeared Bil l
Ruilcdgc. Telephon e Sale s Rcprescntath c fo r ihc DALLAS M O R N I N G NEW S bein g
duly swor n b \ oath , state s th e aliached ad\ ertiscincnt o P
\ J A K A R A ACADEM Y INC.-Ope n Enrollmen t Charte r Schoo l Notic e
Published i n Tl IK MKTRO WI-ST ZONL on : J A N U A R Y 24 . 200 8

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application 142

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Manara Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application 143

Attachment G - Synopsi s of the public hearing

A publi c hearing regarding the proposed Manar a Academ y Charte r Schoo l wa s hel d on 26 Januar y
2008 a t Mustan g Par k Recreatio n Center , Irvin g TX . Th e meetin g wa s hel d betwee n l:30p m t o
3:00pm. Th e information regardin g the event was advertised i n the Dallas Morning News o n the 24 l
January 2008.

There were more than 90 families who attended th e meeting. The town hall meeting was opened b y
Louay Alkhatib, a core volunteer of Manara Academy. He began by stating the purpose of the town
hall meeting which was to inform the public of this initiative and to gain community support. Louay
then discussed th e agenda:
• Vide o of a successful ELS school in New Mexico
• Wha t is a Charter School
• Visio n & Mission
• Wh y Manara
• Wha t is ELS
• Schedul e & Milestones
• Locatio n
• Closin g Remarks
• Q& A

Louay took a few minutes to explain why we decided to apply for a charter schoo l in the Irving area.
He posed three questions to the audience: Wha t is education? What do we want for our children?
How do we know if our child is learning? Education is key to progress and improving ones standar d
of living. Education is not just about memorization or getting an "A" but to retain and understand
what they learned. How can a teacher create a true passion to learn to inspire and engage a child's
imagination? Louay shared coupl e statistics: one regarding drop-out rate in Texas, secon d was
regarding the TAKS score i n Irving to illustrate the need. Louay quoted JFK, TS Elliot, FDR, LBJ,
and the Declaration o f Independence to state the importance of education for our community and this
country.

Louay then introduced the video which illustrates an example of ELS in the classroom. It is from a
public charter schoo l in New Mexico focused on how to teach Math . Th e video explains ELS, key
Math obstacles, best practices in Math instruction, and how to increase studen t engagemen t i n Math.
The video was divided into two segments .

Louay the n introduce d th e Presiden t o f Manar a Academy , Inc . Dr . Eha p Sabri . Eha p bega n b y
thanking all the attendees. H e then explained the difference betwee n charte r schools an d other school
models an d th e nee d fo r educationa l communitie s rathe r tha n educationa l institutions . Eha p the n
reiterated th e need an d explained Manara' s Vision an d Mission and the importance o f having a clear
and sound Vision. The Vision inspired the name of the school Manar a whic h i s translated to Pinnacle.
Ehap the n explained key differentiators o f Manara: innovativ e teaching methodolog y - ELS , teache r
looping, foreig n languag e progra m using ESFL, strateg y map and balance scorecar d fo r performance
management, an d emphasis on character buildin g and community involvement.

; r^;%v Manar a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application

, \s f ^ !
(MANARA1
The secon d segmen t o f th e vide o wa s show n an d then Loua y introduce d Michell e Alkhatib , boar d
member of Manara Academy, Inc., to talk about the educational plan. Michelle summarized ke y take-
away fro m th e vide o - inspir e motivatio n an d passion fo r learning . Michell e quote d a Chines e
proverb: "If yo u give a man a fish, yo u feed hi m for a day. If you teach a man to fish , yo u fee d hi m
for a life time." Michelle the n describe d EL S and what makes it different an d why it is needed: activ e
hands-on learning , cros s curriculu m teaching , teache r development , an d parenta l involvement .
Michelle clarified tha t EL S is a methodology but wil l b e using TEK S as our curriculum whic h we
have to follo w an d undergo the TAKS tests. Michell e then presented variou s examples o f successfu l
schools utilizin g ELS . Michell e emphasize d th e foreig n languag e progra m whic h include s eithe r
Arabic or French . If you ar e looking fo r change, then Manara Academ y woul d be fo r you. Michelle
discussed locatio n and upcoming milestones.

Finally the floor wa s open for questions. Following is a sample of some of the questions aske d b y the
audience.

Q&A

1) Wha t is the maximum number of student enrollment?

Manara Academ y wil l enroll 326 students the first year and then up to 500 students by year 4. We
will start with grades K-5 and then add 6 l grad e in year 2, 71 grad e in year 3, and finally 8 l grad e in
year 4.

2) Wha t is the student to teacher ratio?

In grades K-3, there will be no more than 1 8 students per teache r

In grades 4-6, ther e will be no more than 21

3) Ho w will you select your teachers?

We will loo k fo r the best available teachers. W e will star t with state certified teachers first, an d may
accept alternative certificatio n i f need be. W e will wor k with regio n 1 0 during this process.

4) A s a community what can we do to help?

At this point, please fill th e survey and spread the word about our initiativ e

5) Wh y French, why not Spanish?

We were looking for a second language to teach to offer a variety to our students. W e put a lot of
consideration into what the second language shoul d be. Lookin g a t other schools in the area, most
offered Spanish . W e kept that into consideration and it was a close battle between the two languages .
The benefits of French outweighed Spanish in that it is an official languag e o f the UN; it is used in
more than 27 countries (more wide spread than Spanish). We also found that it is not hard to pick up

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a Academy 14 th Generation Charter Application
T\ n A i
French, for students who know Spanish. A student will be required to pick one of the languages and
not both, either French or Arabic.

6) Ar e there any candidates fo r principals? Ar e you actively looking for a principal now?

No, we do have published principal opening on our website. Bu t we found it very difficult t o fin d
someone willing to put aside their current job fo r a position that won't be available for another year .

Manara Academy 1 4 Generatio n Charter Application

Attachment H - Certifie d mai l receipts of the Statement of Impact form to other
schools
SENDER; COMPLETE THI S SECTIO N COMPLETE THIS SECHOW O N DELIVERY

To; Superintenden t
Lewisville IS O
PO Box 21 7
Lewisville. T X 7506 7

SENDER: COMPLETE THI S SECTO3K . - CQMPCETg THfS SECTION ON DELIVERY

To: Superintenden t
Dallas ISO
3700 Ross Ave.
Dallas. TX 7520 4

COMPETE THIS SeetttlteQN DELIVERY

SENDER: COMPLETE THt S SECTJO N

To: Superintenden t
Arlington ISO
1203 W. Pioneer Parkwa y
Arlington, TX 7601 3

Manara Academy J 4 Generatio n Charter Application 147